FSRB Chpt 155

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 155==
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May 3070The Wolves Gather
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===FedSuns-Combine War - Balancing Gains and Overextending===
With the grinding war on the Draconis Front continuing, the High Command was of course largely preoccupied with either managing the active battles or planning for the next wave. In particular, The High Command was extremely keen to not only wipe out any DCMS formations it could to avoid giving them time to rebuild or counter attack but now that the initial gains had been secured thought was being given to a more defensible border in the event of victory. Plans were drawn up to secure the Sadalbari and Thestria pockets while also securing additional gains to secure Dieron against any possible counter attack. The more aggressive elements of the Davion High Command were also pushing for attacks on Benjamin and Galedon to as it were drive home the point to Theodore Kurita that his realm was at the mercy of House Davion and that he had to come to the peace table as soon as possible. More than a few however, including the Marshal of Armies Jackson Davion felt that attacking and seizing 2 additional Military District capital worlds would not only dangerously overextend the AFFS but also result in the total dissolution of the Draconis Combine. Losing Dieron was going to be a humiliating enough pill for House Kurita to swallow let alone losing Galedon and Benjamin! If the AFFS managed to seize those 2 worlds it was likely that the Combine would fracture and descend into a civil war or might then become totally obsessed with their return and prove a longer term threat to the Federated Suns. That wasn't to say that the Marshal of Armies was entirely against a strike against those worlds to prove that the AFFS could if it so wished attack so deeply, but he wasn't convinced that occupying them was a good long term solution.
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===Naval Operations===
Fleet Admiral Buchwald also obtained permission in May for a plan involving the 4th & 7th Corvette Flotillas. Labelled as Operation Caesar it would involve the forward deployment of no less than 20 Fox class corvettes - all of them upgraded block II ships. One addition that the rest of the High Command did insist upon was the involvement of the 2nd Destroyer Squadron as backup in case they ran into anything they couldn't handle. He also received word for the long planned Operation Paris to be launched at the same time. Also a large number of warships that are in the League, Capellan, and Crucis Marches are tasked with Operation Nightfire.
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===Gifts to the Federation===
On the 22nd of May, Duke Roger Sanromea-Davion alongside First Prince Victor Davion and Marshal of the Armies Jackson Davion announces that he is forming a new unit which he is gifting to the AFFS on behalf of the people of El Dorado. He takes obvious pride in the fact that the unit will be formed from elements of his own Ducal Guard unit, the Planetary Guard of El Dorado, and various other odds and ends that he has been able to put together. The 1st El Dorado Tercio is to eventually consist of a full reinforced RCT, however it is to be organized in a rather unique manner. Instead of the usual command company plus 4 battalions of Battlemechs, 3-4 armored regiments, 5-6 infantry formations, and as well as 3 aerospace wings the 1st Tercio. The new unit will consist of a command combined arms battalion and 3 LCT style sub-commands. Each of the LCT style commands will consist of; 4 Battlemech companies, 1 aerospace wing, 4 various battalions of armor, and a battle armor regiment. Additionally, also includes; a reinforced support battalion combining 2 artillery companies, an engineering company and a VTOL company. These units will be trained to operate as part of a greater whole - the 1st Tercio - or as individual LCT style formations. Allowing the new unit to hit 3 targets at once or combine into an armored fist as was required. One thing that was not announced at the press conference deliberately at this time was that each of the LCT formations would be functionally identical to the others in equipment, to make it harder for enemies to know which of the formations they were facing - as well as being organized by companies of the same design in the manner of the old SLDF. The 1st El Dorado was also to entirely consist of OmniMechs, OmniFighters and OmniTanks as much as was possible. For instance each of the Battlemech formations would consist of 1 company of Templar-O, 1 company of Thanatos-O, 1 company of Dervish-O and a final company of Javelin-O. These were deliberately chosen not only to all be Federated Sun's signature designs but also from 4 separate industrial companies. If this model of organization is a success it is intended to roll it out to other commands such as the Davion Brigade of Guards, Crucis Lancers, and Avalon Hussars to ease supply issues. At the current time roughly 2 LCT commands are being assembled on El Dorado.
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===Reports of Death Mists===
A second press announcement followed shortly after the formation of the 1st Tercio on the 24th, this time by Duchess Isis Davion. She informed the various press officials that she and her husband had been reading with great concern the reports from the world of Benet III and the "Death Mists" which had killed or incapacitated so many of it's brave defenders as well as proving a permanent threat to the civilian population. As such she and her husband were directing the various scientific institutions within the Federated Suns to look into some form of terraforming technology or air filtration units that could prevent the steadily worsening situation on that planet becoming untenable. Any technological gains made during this research could hopefully then be rolled out to other "tainted" worlds throughout the Federated Suns.
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===Developments in Industry===
Knowing that the LAAF's supply lines will be strained by the siege on Hesperus. The High Command also begins assembling a number of supply convoys to send to their former comrades - largely with older but still serviceable Battlemechs and tanks and a large quantity of spare part. Most of these machines are potentially only useful within the Federated Suns as rear area security militia level equipment but they will at least help keep the LAAF operational if Hesperus falls.
Following the Lyran Alliance Estates-General voting again and this time in favor of inviting "Former Archon-Prince Victor Steiner-Davion" to Tharkad to discuss the succession. The First Prince in a carefully worded reply explains that he cannot do so due to the war, but that he is sending a representative to Tharkad to speak on his behalf. The newly appointed Prince's Champion Galen Cox - a Lyran native no less. Prince's Champion Cox will have full powers to negotiate on the First Prince's behalf.
On Dieron the Osaka Heavy Metric's plant is reformed into the Draconis March Heavy Industrial Mech Company. Government funding and support is rushed through to not only refurbish and expand the plant but also to open a second plant on Deneb Kaitos to produce the extremely useful Kiso construction industrialmech.
Also on Dieron, the LAW facility to build Grand Dragons and refit other battlemechs is listed for sale to the existing military-industrial companies of the Federated Suns. Bids will be taken during May and June.
Similarly the Bulldog industrial plant on Proserpina has executives arrive from the Northwind plant. The company begins to put it back into production, concentrating on the Schiltron omni-artillery tank. They are hoping to return this facility to production by the end of the year. Other lines are also under repair although not to the same level of effort.
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===Troubles in the Lyran Alliance===
The growing war in the Lyran Alliance against the Word of Blake, Free Worlds League and others...
====Battle of Hespreus====
Within the Lyran Alliance the fighting on Hesperus drags on. The defenders are heartened with promises of aid being prepared but know they will have to continue to hold out for some time. They are slightly reinforced when the 7th Donegal Guards regiment arriving in system with LAS Carlisle and LAS Hamilton running escorting duties at a pirate point. The 2 Fox class corvettes are massively outclassed by the WoBS Invincible, 2 Suffren class destroyers and 3 Zechetinu II corvettes that are in orbit, but they do manage to hold off the warships from gutting the 7th Donegal Guards as they burn for the planet. Dropship thrusting to the planet.]] The LAS Carlisle dies doing so while the LAS Hamilton limps away heavily damaged. They did manage to destroy a single Zechetinu corvette with nuclear missiles. The 7th lands on Hesperus and through heavily defended back doors rush into the factory to reinforce the defenders. Nearly 70% of the unit make it into the DefHes plant and join in fighting in the tunnels below. 
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====Crusader Wolves====
Throughout the rest of the Lyran Alliance raids by WOB forces seem to spread like a rash. However the worst news comes from the Clan border where the Wolf Clan cross the border in strength. Striking out from the former Clan Jade Falcon worlds of La Grave and Orkney they hit Ballymure, Pandora, Crimmond, Tomans, Raselgathi, and Fort Loudon. Leading the way is the Tamar Galaxy alongside more traditional Wolf Galaxies. 
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====Bolan Invasion worsens====
On Bolan, the defending 4th Alliance Guards RCT and 1st Bolan Jaegers find their situation getting worse when the 11th Atrean Dragoons join the invaders. Without the heavily mountainous terrain they would already have been overrun. With FWLN ships in orbit they stand no chance of withdrawing and send word requesting reinforcements urgently.
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====Message from Lyran Alliance====
Invaded now on 3 sides the Lyran Alliance is struggling to respond. While the First Prince's reply to their invitation is disappointing, with how bad the situation is for the LAAF they are forced to accede and welcome the dispatch of the new Prince's Champion. General of the Armies Adam Steiner is forced to privately send word to New Avalon requesting that the Prince's Champion bring with him a task force of AFFS troops...
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