FSRB Chpt 148

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 148==
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April 3070Operation Agamemnon III
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===Agamemnon - Progress Report===
As April, rolled on Warlord Li Dok To began to realize just how bad the situation was as report after report trickled in via JumpShip or Black Box/Fax message. While so far none of his Military District's key worlds had been targeted the border with the Federated Sun's was effectively being "chewed" away. Matsuida and Kaznejoy were both now under threat and even Galedon itself was now dangerously exposed. Unlike his fellows in the Dieron and Benjamin Military Districts he had at least lost few entire veteran commands so far, but he was shocked at the huge losses the 5th Sword of Light had suffered when they turned up at his capital world still reeling from their defeat on Huan. He immediately sent out orders for "fortress worlds" to be created. While he knew that he couldn't stop the AFFS's attack he hoped to at least slow and bleed them long enough for his communication channels to return to operational and ideally help be sent from Luthien...
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===Galedon District Invasion Continues===
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====Harrow's Sun====
The 9th Avalon Hussars RCT dispersed across the planet in an effort to not only provide a stable garrison but also to root out any survivors of the Ryuken-ni's infantry regiment. They were helped in this by the arrival of a full reinforced brigade of conventional infantry and a light armor regiment consisting mostly of VTOL and scout platforms. In the meantime the other AFFS forces on planet boarded their dropships and headed for their next targets. 
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====New Aberdeen====
The Davion Heavy Guards, 6th Crucis Lancers, and 4th Robinson Rangers RCTs fresh from the conquest of Harrow's Sun arrive in the New Aberdeen system on the 17th of April. Again under the overall command of Marshal Jon Davion these 3 forces head straight for the planet of New Aberdeen and it's defending Ryuken-nana. While hand picked from the finest graduates of the various Combine military academies the troops of the Ryuken-nana lack, the Ryuken-ni's cohesion and years of training as a regiment and it shows in their initial efforts to repulse the invasion of the veteran and elite AFFS troops.
The Davion Heavy Guards lead the way this time and land in almost full strength in an overwhelming display of firepower. One of the premier RCTs in the entire AFFS they have been under the command of a man considered to be one of it's finest tactical and strategic minds for over a decade and it shows. The handful of DCMS forces who attempt to contest the landings are reduced to smoking wreckage with almost ease and as soon as the landing zone is secure the follow on 6th Crucis Lancers and 4th Robinson Rangers make planet fall.
With three strong RCTs under his command, Marshal Davion begins sweeping up the DCMS forces across the planet, forcing the troops of the Ryuken-nana regiment to meet him in the field or face defeat in detail. While individually excellent troops their inexperience shows in the open field battle that they find themselves forced into and particularly when facing the integrated forces of the Heavy Guards the green DCMS troops suffer heavily when forced into simple mistakes. Attempts to use New Aberdeen's freshwater lakes to set ambushes by hiding small battlemech forces at the bottom of them fail when these moves are anticipated and countered - often leading to the destruction or capture of the ambushing forces.
Within a week of landing the invaders have conquered over half the planet and have the Ryuken-nana on the back foot, frantically trying to hold them back. Morale within the DCMS unit is already starting to collapse with the sheer inevitability of their impending defeat obvious to even the most green infantry trooper... 
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====Harpster====
The 1st Crucis Lancers and 3rd & 4th Syrtis Fusiliers RCTs deploy from their operating base on Deshler in pursuit of the 9th Amphigean Light Assault Group on the world of Harpster. Under the overall command of Marshal Mordecai Rand-Davion of the Lancers, the AFFS task force catches the 9th Amphigean entirely by surprise when during their landing on the 11th the 4th Syrtis Fusiliers Battlemech elements combat drop right onto the 9th's main base. Although taking losses to hurriedly thrown up flak fire the combined aerospace assets of the three RCTs manage to suppress most of that and allow Leftenant Chad Dean's former Vanguard Legion assault and heavy battlemechs to land right on top of the base. 
The 9th Amphigean consisting almost entirely of light battlemechs with a few fast medium's are totally outclassed in this type of fight, but lose precious time while their green command staff try and decide whether to attempt to try and overwhelm the invading forces or abandon their base and flee. While they are still deciding Leftenant Chad Dean leads his nearly 7 full companies of assault and heavy battlemech's in a brutal spree through the base, firing on ammunition dumps, Battlemech's down for repair and half formed enemy formations with reckless abandon. Which manages to keep the attention of the 9th firmly on he and his troops. 
Meanwhile, Marshal Rand-Davion leads his own 1st Crucis and the 4th Syrtis Fusiliers to the relief of the fully engaged 4th Fusiliers. Breaching the walls with almost no losses they soon link up with the Leftenant General and his rampaging troops, at which point Marshal Rand-Davion reigns in the "impetuous" 4th Fusiliers. By the time dawn breaks on the second day of the battle the 9th Amphigean is entirely broken, isolated formations falling back seemingly at random and under constant air attack. 
By the 20th, the remaining forces of the 9th Amphigean Light Assault Group, their morale shattered beyond repair in the 2 day battle of the week before surrenders unconditionally. Barely a battalion remain in the field to surrender by this time. The local militia having seen what happened to the regular DCMS forces follow their example. In his report to Robinson and New Avalon Marshal Rand-Davion credits the "heroic volunteers of the 4th Syrtis Fusiliers and their aggressive commanding officer Leftenant General Chad Dead" with the victory. This earns him not only the friendship of the tempestuous officer, but also wins the 4th Fusiliers the honor of being awarded the Robinson Medal of Valor - one of the few Capellan March units to ever receive this decoration. This award does come at the cost of nearly 2 companies worth of destroyed or wrecked assault and heavy Battlemechs but these are soon replaced by the arrival of factory fresh replacements straight from Robinson's own production lines. The losses of personnel to the 4th Fusiliers are partially made up by a transfer of some of the most aggressive troops from their sister regiment.
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====Marlowe's Rift====
The 1st Ceti Hussars RCT arrive at the zenith jump point of Marlowe's Rift alongside a conventional combined forces brigade and immediately begin a combat burn towards the planet. The local defense forces stand too and are joined by a number of local noblemens retinues. Marlowe's Rift is a rich and prosperous world with the huge cash crop of the Meat Tree providing an extremely comfortable living for the noble families who make this world home. However it has often drawn raiders and pirates and as such many of them have invested in small household guard units - often consisting of a company or armor or lance of Battlemechs. Combing these forces proves impossible due to egos of the various nobles and their long standing feuds however it does give the world a massive dispersed extra militia force. Which is exactly why the High Command has assigned a Ceti Hussars RCT to this mission...
Marshal Vance Lamont in a seemingly counter intuitive move lands with his command battalion and the conventional combined arms brigade at the planetary capital and in a hard fought engagement destroys the large majority of the government controlled militia. The various Combat Commands of his RCT however land individually and begin to "sweep" the world. Slowly picking off any remaining government forces and the noble retinues which are supporting them in penny packets. While this operation will take time to clear the world entirely the dispersed command structure of the 1st Ceti Hussars and their combined arms approach to warfare is ideal for the job. While this is ongoing the Marshal with the support of the conventional brigade at the capital and a number of specialist advisers begin setting up a Federated Suns local government...
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====Capra====
With 2 regiments of Galedon Regulars stationed on this border world many were surprised that it hadn't been hit before now. However when the AFFS did launch their attack they did it with overwhelming force. Facing off against the 12th & 44th Galedon Regulars were the 1st Kestrel Grenadiers RCT, 1st & 2nd Lexington Combat Guards, 8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT and 1st FedSuns Dragoons RCTs all under the command of Marshal Agatha Stromp. The experienced Marshal broke her formation up into two different commands. She detached the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT to harass and pin down the 12th Galedon Regulars along with the 1st FedSuns Dragoons RCT in support/as backup given the experienced nature of the 12th Galedon. Meanwhile under her direct command her own 1st Kestrel Grenadiers RCT along with the both Lexington Combat Guards would attack the green 44th Galedon Regulars and wipe the inexperienced unit out before turning to join their fellows and do the same on the more dangerous 12th Regulars.
Tai-sa Jerome Wolf-Hunter the senior commander of the garrison forces however decided on a different approach. Almost abandoning the 44th Galedon Regulars as sacrificial goats at the planetary capital he dispersed his own skilled reconnaissance command into the surrounding countryside. While the enemy forces concentrated on smashing the entrenched 44th he would raid and inflict a death of a thousand cuts upon them. Against a less experienced or less overwhelming force his plans very well might have worked.
As soon as the AFFS forces start to land the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry follows the 12th Galedon Regulars into the countryside, beginning a war of raid and counter raid. The 12th Galedon has the advantage of home territory and a marginally more skilled force, while the 8th Deneb has the advantage of better equipment, air superiority, greater experience at working as a combined command and most importantly the presence of a nearby fully formed RCT able to back them up whenever they get into trouble. While the 8th Deneb is unable to force the Regulars to battle, they do however prevent any real attempts to attack the main force of AFFS forces attacking the dug in 44th Galedon Regulars.
With a free hand due to the actions of the 8th Deneb and 1st Dragoons, Marshal Stromp's own troops launch a furious assault upon the 44th along 3 separate axis. Having to rely more and more on militia formations to guard their flanks while they hold the key sectors the 44th soon found it's flanks being turned by the overwhelming numbers of AFFS forces. When their 3rd battalion is caught and pinned against the bulk of the 1st Kestrel Grenadiers by a combined arms combat command consisting of the 4th Battalion, 2nd Armored Grenadiers and 690th Battle Armour Regiment a huge hole is torn in their lines through which the rest of the Grenadiers march. Their remaining troops fall back as best they can but are either caught and overwhelmed by the Lexington Combat Guards or trapped by the advancing Kestrel Grenadiers. By the end of April the capital city has fallen to the AFFS and the bulk of Marshal Stromp's task force is preparing to join her detached forces in the hunt for the elusive 12th Galedon Regulars.
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====Waldheim====
The 5th Davion Guards RCT alongside the 3rd Tikonov Cossacks and the mercenary Hansen's Roughriders regiment arrive at Waldheim expecting a tough fight against the veteran 11th Ghost and the green 43rd Galedon Regulars. However, on their arrival to find their quarry already flown. Unknown to the AFFS Warlord Li Dok To has ordered them to move to Kaznejoy to reinforce the garrison there and prepare to hold the prefecture capital world against the almost inevitable invasion. The Davion Task Force have little to do except land and take possession of the planet - although a number of clearly pre-prepared partisan bands begin causing trouble the moment they arrive. Marshal Linda Archer sends word for additional conventional forces to be routed to the planet as a priority while preparing her commands for a move on Kaznejoy.
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====Altdorf====
The 2nd & 4th Ceti Hussars RCTs although both under strength prove to be a massive case of overkill for the few remaining defenders of Altdorf. Not only are there no regular DCMS troops on planet but a large number of the better militia forces have also been evacuated to Kaznejoy. The few remaining militia forces are mostly rifle companies of infantry and are soon forced to surrender in the face of overwhelming AFFS firepower.
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