Editing Vasily Cherenkoff

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Vasily Cherenkoff.jpg
| caption             = 
| name                = Vasily Cherenkoff
| birthdate           = [[2980]]<ref name=HK:DCp171>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 171: "Vasily Cherenkoff"</ref>
| died                = May [[3034]]
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Draconis Combine]]
| rank                = [[Warlord of the Dieron Military District]]<ref name=HK:DCp171/>
| title               = [[Knight of the Dragon]]<ref name=HK:DCp171/>
| position            = 
| profession          =
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
'''Vasily Cherenkoff''' was an officer in the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] who eventually rose to the rank of [[Tai-shu|Warlord]] of the [[Dieron Military District]].

==History==
===Early Life and Career===
Cherenkoff was born on [[Dieron]], the capital of the Dieron Military District of the [[Draconis Combine]]. As his family was distantly related to the ruling [[House Kurita]], and had produced many able Generals for the Combine over the centuries, Cherenkoff had every advantage of noble birth. Upon graduating from the [[DCMS#Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy|Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy]] on [[New Samarkand]], his comparatively low marks initially landed him to a unit on a backwater planet. Using his family connections, he was able to obtain a transfer to a frontline unit in the [[Rasalhague Military District]]. He later used his family's connections again to obtain acceptance into the [[DCMS#Wisdom of the Dragon|Wisdom of the Dragon]] academy on [[Kagoshima]]. Afterward, he was assigned as a ''[[Captain|Tai-i]]'' with the [[Twelfth Dieron Regulars]], and began attending social functions on the Combine capital of [[Luthien]].

It was on Luthien that he first came to the attention of [[Takashi Kurita]], who saw value in Cherenkoff's loyalty and family connections. After Takashi Kurita became [[Coordinator of Worlds|Coordinator]], he slowly began helping Cherenkoff's career along. By [[3020]], he had been promoted to ''[[Tai-sho (rank)|Tai-sho]]'' when he apparently won an impressive victory against [[LCAF|Lyran]] forces on the planet [[Marfik]].<ref name=HK:DCp171/>

===Warlord of Dieron===
After his victory on Marfik, Coordinator Kurita was quick to promote Cherenkoff to Warlord of the Dieron Military District. Comprised of the Combine's worlds closest to [[Terra]], Dieron was critical considering its border against both the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] and the [[Federated Suns]], both ancient enemies of the Combine. The Coordinator further appointed the talented [[Kester Chi]] as aide to Cherenkoff, and Chi soon became Cherenkoff's most trusted advisor.<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 180</ref>

Cherenkoff's overall performance was apparently satisfactory if uninspiring during his tenure, despite setbacks such as a [[Wolf's Dragoons]]-led attack on [[Dromini VI]] in [[3021]] that resulted in heavy losses for the Combine, including among the elite [[Second Sword of Light]].<ref>''Wolves on the Border''</ref><ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'', pp. 27–28</ref> Cherenkoff participated in the successful conquest of [[Cylene]], during which he butted heads with [[Hirushi Shotugama]], who at that time was commander of the [[Ninth Benjamin Regulars]].<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 176</ref> [[Theodore Kurita]] briefly served as an aide to Cherenkoff as part of his early career. The Warlord and the heir to the throne apparently did not grow close during this time, causing serious difficulties later. In December [[3025]], Cherenkoff attended one of the Coordinator's "Black Room" meetings of his District Warlords. He participated in the petty politicking and bickering among the Warlords, most notably attempting to needle Hirushi Shotugama, now newly appointed Warlord of the [[Benjamin Military District]]. The [[Fifth Sword of Light]] was transferred to Cherenkoff's district to participate in raids on the Federated Suns.<ref>''Wolves on the Border'', pp. 103–104</ref>

===Fourth Succession War===
In [[3028]], [[Hanse Davion]] and [[Katrina Steiner]] launched the [[Fourth Succession War]]. Federated Suns troops struck the [[Capellan Confederation]] ''en masse'' while Lyran troops struck at the Combine. The Commonwealth's [[Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG]] took the Combine completely by surprise in its boldness and coordination, quickly seizing many worlds all across the broad front. The Dieron Military District weathered the attacks somewhat better than the Rasalhague district, though this was largely credited to Theodore Kurita's mobilization of the [[Legion of Vega]] brigade, ultimately inspiring several other Kuritan commanders to follow his lead in launching [[Fourth Succession War#Operation: Contagion|Operation CONTAGION]], a counterattack against the Commonwealth's [[Skye|Isle of Skye]] region. 

Cherenkoff, meanwhile, reportedly remained bunkered in his fortress on Dieron, for the most part launching only a few minor raids on the highly underdefended Federated Suns border. He did release [[Brion's Legion]] and the [[Ninth Dieron Regulars]] to the Combine's unsuccessful offensive against the planet [[David]] in Davion's [[Draconis March]], though it was speculated this was more to deny them to Theodore Kurita than any other reason.<ref>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 80</ref> The Kuritan heir was successful despite receiving virtually no support from the Warlord. Indeed, by the war's conclusion, many felt Cherenkoff should have been replaced by the young Kurita. Instead, Takashi Kurita named his son ''[[Gunji-no-Kanrei]]'', as deputy of military affairs, a position he believed his son would not be able to draw true authority from.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 245</ref>

===Ronin War and Death===
The early 3030s saw conflict brewing within the Combine between Theodore Kurita and those seeking to reform the military, and the traditionalist doctrine of his father Takashi that was supported by Cherenkoff among others, and were bitterly opposed to these reforms.  

This came to a head in [[3034]] when Theodore attempted to recognize the newly-formed [[Free Rasalhague Republic]] in a deal with [[ComStar]], which would effectively create a buffer zone between the Combine and much of the Lyran half of the [[Federated Commonwealth]]. Though Takashi clearly did not personally support this move, he nevertheless did not throw his support behind those of his Generals who launched the [[Ronin War]] in opposition, in an attempt to crush the Republic. This effort was led by Cherenkoff and [[Marcus Kurita]], and was opposed by "Loyalist" Combine troops under the overall command of Theodore Kurita. Strangely, Cherenkoff was either unable or unwilling to commit his [[Dieron Regulars]] to the conflict.  

Cherenkoff gathered several of his regiments on [[Orestes]] in May of 3034, including the [[Twenty-second Rasalhague Regulars]], the [[Second Night Stalkers]], and the [[First Altenmarkt Militia]]. They were opposed by the [[Third Drakøns]], supported by the [[mercenary|mercenary units]] [[First Dismal Disinherited]] and the [[Legion of the Rising Sun]], both on loan from the Lyrans.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', pp. 113–114</ref>

Early in the battle, Cherenkoff's 'Mech's head exploded. Though originally reported to be a mechanical failure, it was soon revealed that Cherenkoff's aide, ''Tai-sho'' [[Dexter Kingsley]], had seen the writing on the wall and hoped that by assassinating his commanding officer, Theodore Kurita would reward him by appointing him to replace Cherenkoff as Warlord. He would be disappointed.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 113</ref> <ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 293–295</ref> The Ronin War was soon put down, and the new Republic gained true independence.

==Personality and Traits==
Cherenkoff was frequently described as a competent but not particularly innovative commander, and his lofty position was due more to his unquestioned loyalty to Takashi Kurita than to any innate ability. To that end, he almost certainly viewed his participation in the Ronin War as a service to Takashi. He frequently relied on his family's connections for advancement in his career, later relying on the patronage of the Coordinator for his continued promotions. He seemed paranoid of the influence Theodore Kurita was winning in his district and throughout the Combine, and this combination of qualities ultimately resulted in his downfall. Despite his exceptional skill in ''judo'', he took great joy in drinking and eating to excess far more than the company of friends. [[ISF]] Director [[Subhash Indrahar]] once privately described him as a "fat fool" when Cherenkoff attempted to provoke Takashi Kurita and turn him against his son Theodore's reforms.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 244</ref>

==Battlemechs==
Cherenkoff piloted an ''[[Atlas (BattleMech)|Atlas]]'' [[BattleMech]] up until his death on Orestes.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 291</ref>

==Notes==
* Cherenkoff's apparent predecessor as Warlord of Dieron is referred to as being commander of a Kuritan taskforce that attacked the Davion world of [[Mara]] in [[3015]]. However, the name of that Warlord is not given.<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 90</ref>
* There is a discrepancy in the date Cherenkoff was promoted to Warlord. ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]'' claims he was "named Warlord of the Dieron District after his victory on Marfik during the Fourth Succession War."<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 96</ref> This contradicts multiple sources that list Cherenkoff as Warlord since well before the Fourth war. In addition, there is no indication he was anywhere near Marfik during the war, which in fact fell to Lyran forces. (He did, however, apparently win some victory on Marfik ten years earlier.)
* Vasily Cherenkoff had a seventh-degree level (schichidan) in judo.<ref name=HK:DCp171/>
* Vasily Cherenkoff had a special talent: his prodigious ability to consume vast amounts of alcohol without visibly showing intoxication.<ref name=HK:DCp171/>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Heir to the Dragon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1]]''
* ''[[Succession Wars (Board Game)]]''
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]''
* ''[[Wolves on the Border]]'' (novel)

[[Category:Draconis Combine Characters|Cherenkoff, Vasily]]
[[Category:Notable Atlas Pilots|Cherenkoff, Vasily]]