FSRB Chpt 197

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 197==
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April 3071Escalation
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===ComStar-Blakist War===
====Taking the Measured Approach====
With the ComGuards now heavily committed to the fighting within the Word of Blake Protectorate, the AFFS stepped up it's preparations to join the fight. While keen to attack only when they were ready and had the required supplies the fact that their allies were already fighting and dying gave an added impetus to the Federated Sun's build up. Strategic stockpiles further into the Federated Suns within the Crucis March for instance were heavily raided to bring the stockpiles of equipment, ammunition and spare parts up to approaching the levels to support combat operations, while generous orders were placed with companies to expand and speed up production of the same on the worlds closest to the front - such as the huge ammunition works at Addicks. These efforts were at least partially hindered by the huge drain on materials required to continue to support the preemptive assault conducted by the ComGuards.
====FedSuns Major Actions====
Not withstanding these efforts, the AFFS was able to continue it's own limited combat operations. Firstly in mopping up any remaining resistance on Graham IV, continuing the liberation of Caph and also launching a third attack within the Sirius system. At the same time the AFFS also conducted large scale raiding and false operations to tie down as many WOB formations as possible to not only prevent their own targets being reinforced but also to prevent the WOB from sending further forces to attack the ComGuards. 
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;Caph: The 4th Davion Guards with strong support from the 8th Crucis Lancers launched a full scale assault on the central WOB Militia Division facing them on the 11th. At the same time the 4th Crucis Lancers launched a diversionary attack upon the 1st Caph Protectorate Guard on the WOB Militia's southern flank, while the 1st Argyle Lancers did the same against the 2nd Caph Protectorate Guard on the northern flank. The 4th Davion and 8th Crucis find themselves facing heavy resistance despite having overwhelming numbers and the WOB's 2nd Militia Division prove how apt their nickname of the Stern Resistance is, fighting on well past the point of hopelessness and holding back the Davion troops. The 2nd Militia's resistance only begins to crumble when the 2nd Caph Protectorate Guard collapse on their northern flank with almost two thirds of the local troops defecting or surrendering. Even then the 2nd Militia manages to fall back in good order (although with heavy losses) and reaches the city of Aswan where it begins to dig in. They achieve this only through the sacrifice however of the remaining troops of the 1st Caph Protectorate Guard who unlike their fellows remain loyal to the WOB and are rewarded for their loyalty and stiff resistance to the 4th Crucis Lancers by being used as a sacrificial rear guard to buy time for the 2nd Militia to fall back. With the 4th Crucis still maintaining pressure the 1st Caph stand no chance when the assault battlemechs and tanks of the 8th Crucis Lancers swing down on them from the north. 
;Graham IV: The AFFS and their mercenary allies complete the pacification of the world and begin securing it against any counter attacks. The only action of note during this time is the visit of members of Zeta Battalion of the Wolf's Dragoons to the semi-shuttered offices of Mitchell Vehicles which remain on the planet. Visits that are undertaken by the assault battlemech's of the unit who stand outside when a small team off officers go inside.
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====Battle of Sirius====
The attack upon Sirius is one that the WOB has anticipated and prepared for. Large infantry formations make up the bulk of the local three Sirius Protectorate Guard and these are bolstered by a battlemech heavy 13th Militia Division. While these forces can't expect to stand up to any large scale AFFS attack they are well equipped with artillery, battle armour and backed up by the 13th Militia and the extensive ground fortifications that have been constructed are expected to be able to hold out for a prolonged siege and cost the AFFS heavily. 
Unfortunately for the WOB planners this viewpoint is shared by the Davion High Command. Which is why on the 7th of April the 2nd, 3rd, 41st, & 42nd Avalon Hussars RCT drawn from Task Force Avalon along with the 10th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT launch their overwhelming attack - upon Sirius VI not Sirius VIa. The barely inhabitable planet in the system has only a fraction of the population of it's moon and of often overlooked by most. Which is one reason that Sirius garrison is a scratch force of two Level III formations of local troops who promptly surrender without firing a shot when they realise that no less than five RCTs are heading their way. This gives the AFFS a secure foothold in the system and the troops who are under the experienced command of Marshal May of the 42nd make the most of it. Once the planet is secure, the reason for the inclusion of the 10th Deneb Light Cavalry is made clear when the veteran light cavalry formation with it's double aerospace brigade begin to make the lives of the defenders of Sirius VIa a living hell. Light companies of Battlemechs, fast hovercraft and fighter attacks are launched from the security of Sirius VI and begin harrying the defending WOB relentlessly. Often elements of the 2nd and 3rd Avalon Hussars are sent along on these raids for training for their green troops, while the 41st and 42nd Avalon Hussars maintain a strong garrison to keep Sirius VI secure. Marshal May also has his engineers working on repairing at least some of the malfunctioning equipment and infrastructure of the domed city of Calgary, winning him a great deal of approval from the locals.
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====Focht Regains command of ComGuards====
The ComGuards during April also come back under the control of Precentor Martial Focht. The 5th Army is ordered to bolster the embattled 1st Army and their inclusion in the attack on New Earth at least seems to stabilise this battlefront without huge further losses. At the same time Focht begins stripping the reserve 6th Army of any Divisions which are combat effective and rushing them forward, while breaking up those which are not yet at that point in order to assign the personnel to mauled formations in the 1st-4th Armies to keep them combat effective. This leaves the security of the HPG stations in the hands of local forces, a fact that Gavin Dow decries shortly before disappearing from sight on the 28th.
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===Lost and New Worlds added to the FedSuns===
On the 27th of April, Princess Isis Davion (who is beginning to show her pregnancy) announces that the Federated Sun's has expanded further, with the world's of Clay's World and Third (more formally known as Third Time Lucky as a joke by the president of it's colony board) being added to the Cooperland Combat Region, along with the Clan Sun Jaguar world of New Huntress. She also announces that the Federated Suns' Terraforming Agency has completed work on replacing the long lost Star League Era filtration systems on Rochester. They have also began work on repairing the ecological damage on Benet III to prevent further outbreaks of the "Death Mists". She also announces that the Terraforming Agency which has now been formally established in it's new headquarters on Manassas (and which continues to work at terraforming that world as well) will see it's budget increase by 20% in the coming year. Combined with the growing mood in the Mayetta PDZ to recolonize lost Carcassonne this prompts a large scale interest in the "lost worlds". 
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===Developments in Industry===
Under the cover of the very popular princess's announcement regarding the colonization of new worlds and terraforming efforts as well as the formal announcement of commencement of work on rebuilding the Verde shipyards and a new Jumpship production facility to be added to it to produce Invader class ships, the High Command push funding through for the new repair facility at Firgrove to begin active construction. Which in itself is merely cover for no less than four slips to produce Fredessa class corvettes. For now the four slips are being officially listed as manufacturing hubs and auxiliary dropship repair slips to be attached to the repair facility. 
At Deneb Kaitos, the second Kiso line goes operational. Even with the doubling of production this isn't anywhere near to keeping up with the orders being placed for this huge construction Industrialmech. Funding is rapidly obtained from a joint combination of private banks and the FedSuns Government to double production to four lines. 
Norse Battlemech Works on Mayetta see's it's Avatar Heavy OmniMech production line go operational. For now this brings the expansion of the facility to a halt. 
Sapphire Metals approach New Independence Weaponry and make an offer for the Akuma Assault Battlemech design. This offer is backed by the Duke of Robinson in private, and is bankrolled by a Robinson based financial firm. 
Word reaches the ears of investors in late April that Achernar Battlemechs is considering some large scale new project. For now there is little information even for those closest to the CEO's and usual sources, but what little there is suggests that this might be the largest scale investment opportunity that the company has considered in the last ten years - which when investors consider the huge expansions in the company has them salivating. The companies stock skyrockets. 
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===Kurita Civil War===
====Fighting on Shirotori====
The Draconis Civil War only escalates in it's severity and death toll. The 5th Ghost on Shirotori has no warning when the 7th Amphigean Light Assault Group arrive via a pirate jump point and attack them. However even with no real warning the 5th Ghost had come to the conclusion that Hohiro was likely to move against them soon and they fall back into prepared defensive positions in urban areas that are ill-suited to the 7th Amphigean's fighting style. The 7th Amphigean responds by setting huge fires on the outskirts of Brusk and Massona with inferno rockets and laser fire. The fires take root in the huge residential districts surrounding the industrial and more economically driven areas of the cities. When the 5th Ghost sally out to attempt to fight the fires the 7th is waiting and begin ambushing the individual lances and companies of 5th Ghost engaged in fire fighting. When the smoke clears three days later the 5th Ghost has ceased to exist as a viable entity (although rumors persist that elements have withdrawn into the civilian population) and the 7th Amphigean Light Assault Group find themselves the masters of the rubble. 
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====Hohiro Loyalists on the defensive on Dumaring====
On Dumaring the attacking Hohiro Loyalists find themselves continually being thwarted into all attacks into the heavy mountain terrain. The 5th Galedon lead the defense while the 12th Vega Regulars back them up.
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====News of the 42nd Galedon Brutalities Spread====
A popular uprising against the brutal actions of the 42nd Galedon Regulars on Xinyang is crushed with huge loss of life in the fighting. The battlemechs of the 42nd fire into the rioting crowds with Battlemech grade weaponry and round up thousands for "trials". However word of the 42nd's actions have finally reached Luthien.
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====Minoru urged return to the Capital====
Coordinator Theodore Kurita sends words for his son Minoru to make his best speed to Luthien in order to confer with him upon the rebellion of his brother. An order that Minoru as the dutiful son immedietly obeys, taking with him the 5th Sword of Light as escorts. He leaves Warlord Li Dok To to continue to process the returning DCMS troops from the Davion POW camps. The Warlord filters out the Hohiro Loyalists and uses the rest to rebuild shattered commands. He does however use a handful of them to form a new formation, the Dragon's Tears - equipped with assault weight Battlemechs wherever possible. 
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===The Clan Invasions of the Lyran Alliance===
On Arcturus, the invading Wolves are being driven to distraction. Despite knowing that they LAAF has large scale formations on the planet they simply cannot pin them down. Again and again they manage to identify and destroy small scale formations, but the LAAF refuses to give formal battle and the Clan Warriors are becoming increasingly frustrated. 
However, even as his plans are working Adam Steiner receives word of a further reversal. Hood IV, Kowloon, Winter, and Jerangle have all been struck by forces identifying themselves as Clan Ice Hellion. While the invaders have only shown limited numbers of Omnimechs and Battlemechs and only a single warship - the CIH Impaler, a Lola III class destroyer - it has been more than sufficient to overrun all four worlds in a matter of weeks. While the loss of the small battlemech factory on Winter is no huge loss, any loss is painful at this stage for the Lyran Alliance. He considers briefly sending orders to divert some of his relief force to drive the Hellions out, but decides he cant risk it. There will always be time to deal with them later... 
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===Clan Diplomacy===
Clan Snow Raven dispatches an envoy to Clan Ghost Bear] in April to discuss the possibility of an alliance. The two clans have historically always got on and this would not be the first joint agreement between them. The envoy will have to go around the Draconis Combine due to the civil war there and the Snow Ravens know that the Combine will react with extreme hostility to any proposed alliance between themselves and the Ghost Bears... As well it should given who would be the almost certain target of any such alliance...
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