FSRB Chpt 103

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 103==
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December 3068General Update
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===War impacts AFFS===
Even as the AFFS consolidated it's position on the worlds it had seized from the Capellan Confederation, the High Command on New Avalon continued to work to raise new regiments and reinforce existing ones with graduating warriors from the academies while also funneling new machines and equipment to the front. In any given year the Department of Military Education, Department of the Quartermaster and Department of Military Administration always found themselves overstretched during December, but with a full war also taking place they are worked of their feet and end up borrowing staff from other administrative posts in order to stay on top of everything.
The first new units to formally be added to the rolls were the 1st and 2nd Lexington Military Academy Light Combat Teams. Each consists of a LCT style formation, with the cavalry styled 1st forming up on Lexington itself, while the more heavy weight 2nd was formed up on the world of Sun Prairie to give additional protection to the factories there. The formation of the 2nd Lexington Military Academy LCT would allow the redeployment of the 9th Avalon Hussars RCT to Glenmora on the Draconis Combine border.
The single RCT sized formation planned for 3068 began forming up during December upon the world of Point Barrow. The return of the Point Barrow CrMM to the active rolls was welcomed with huge celebrations within the Point Barrow Combat Region. While since Prince Victor's return their region had not lacked for battlemech forces - with the 11th FedSuns Dragoons RCT bolstering the 2 training units currently - the fact was that the Regular Army formations which had been assigned to the Combat Region were liable to be called away to more active areas in the event of war. This was unlikely to happen to the Point Barrow CrMM and it gave the area a much greater level of not only security but continuity of defenders that was welcomed.
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===New Brigade for AFFS===
The AFFS also formed an entirely new Brigade in December the Avalon Borderers Brigade, formed around the 1st Avalon Borderers LCT and the 4 units which were to be formed up this month. The 1st would remain at it's posting on the world of Edwards and continue to train there was well as protect the factories on that world. The 2nd Avalon Borderers LCT would take up a similar posting on the industrial world of Torrence, where it would use the nearby New Avalon Combat Training Center to improve it's skills. The 3rd Avalon Borderers LCT would be formed upon the world of Chirikof to protect the command post of the Chirikof Operational Area. The 4th would be formed upon the world of Clovis while the present garrison of the 2nd NAIS Cadre would be moved closer to the border, moving to the world of Mara. The 5th Avalon Borderers would form up on the world of Benet III where unlike at most postings the current garrison of the 41st Avalon Hussars RCT would remain. The plan was that in the event of war with the Combine the 41st would be freed up for offensive operations while the 5th Avalon Borderers would remain behind to protect it's base and the factories on the world of Benet III. These deployments would cement in the minds of not only the High Command but also the Avalon Borderers themselves their role within the AFFS - they would be the reserves, holding key worlds to free up more prestigious units for offensive work. While a few of the new soldiers of the Borderers would decry these deployments the vast majority realized that this was not only vital work but also work that would allow them to continue to train in relative security in order to later be transferred to commands such as the Avalon Hussars or Crucis Lancers.
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===AFFS Troop Movement===
The deployment of the 5th Avalon Borderers LCT to Benet III was mirrored when the newly formed 3rd Tancredi Loyalist LCT was ordered to move to the world of Klathandu IV to back up the 1st Argyle Lancers who had been based on that world since 3063. Whether the 3rd Tancredi was to fufil a similar role to the 5th Borderers and protect the world if the Argyle Lancers went on the offensive or were instead intended to join the Lancers in any attack was left open ended for now. It did however merit some note within commentators that this was the first time that a Loyalist LCT had been deployed beyond the confines of the Bryceland PDZ.
Alongside the formation of the Avalon Borderers Brigade, the Tikonov Cossacks were upgraded from a single independent regiment into a demi-brigade during December with the formation of a 2nd Tikonov Cossacs. With the 1st Cossacks deployed to take part in Operation Rat II, the 2nd was formed to replace them on the key world of Tikonov. Similar to the 1st the new unit would be largely a cavalry formation, however with a slightly heavier weight of battlemechs taking particular advantage of the new Tikonov produced Koschei Medium 'Mech. Unlike most of the new units the 2nd Cossacks would be massively under strength and would be added to the rolls while only at around half strength.
Similarly, the 1st Bromhead Borderers Cadre would be added to the rolls with the plan being that it would slowly expand until it became an active Borderer regiment. With the progress being made by Operation Rat III a few within the High Command had questioned the need for the Bromhead Borderers to actually be formed given that the Capellan border was being pushed further and further back from the world. However given the recent problems with the Taurian Concordat and the nearby unsettled space between the Concordat and Canopian space the addition of a permanent Borderer unit is still felt to be worthwhile.
The final command to be formed during December would be the 1st Syrtis Hussars LCT on New Syrtis itself. The battlemechs and equipment used to equip this new unit were entirely sourced and funded by Duke George Hasek in his role as Minister for the Capellan March and Duke of New Syrtis, while the personnel would be drawn exclusively from the cold world of New Syrtis itself. Unlike most Syrtis Fusiliers the new formation is to be equipped with exclusively light and medium cavalry battlemechs and is designed to be a mobile formation that can be used for reconnaissance missions or raiding. They will also have a secondary specialty of arctic fighting due to their background and training at the New Syrtis Training Center.
As the new formations began to take shape more personnel and equipment was routed to the units which had received damage in the ongoing battles on the Capellan front in order to replace losses. As per what was now standard doctrine the High Command attempted to avoid flooding a unit with newly graduating troops from the training cadres in order to prevent the loss of vital experience. For instance while the High Command had more than enough replacement personnel to bring the 4th Davion Guards RCT back to full strength they instead dispatched only a single company of Battlemech mechwarriors with commensurate numbers of conventional personnel in order for the unit to retain it's elite status. A steady flow of replacements push into the former Sarna March and the occupied worlds of the Victoria, Sian and Capellan Commonalities.
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===Joyful Celebration===
In a surprise move, the First Prince celebrates Christmas on Tikonov with his new wife at his side. Isis Davion had secretly been rushed from New Avalon to her husband's side in time for Christmas. The Duke of Tikonov places his own winter palace at their disposal and makes a great show of welcoming Isis Davion to his world, commenting on how good it is for families to be together at this time of year - strongly hinting to the First Prince that perhaps elements of the Wild Geese might be re-positioned to the world of Tikonov so that he might see his grandson...
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===Developments in Industry===
On Demeter the new Lycomb-Davion plant to produce Guillotine class battlemechs for the AFFS and ComGuards goes operation and immediately begins shipping the popular heavy battlemech to nearby ComGuards formations and AFFS units. The production allocated to the AFFS is sent predominantly to help the rebuilding of the nearby 1st Aragon Borderers and to the still forming 1st Bell Borderers Cadre. Lycomb-Davion also see's their factory on June add an Awesome Assault Battlemech production facility this month. They consider whether or not to add an Awesome to Demeter or a Guillotine Heavy 'Mech line to June to add further redundancy to these 2 designs.
The Davion-Com plant on Defiance, the company adds a Warhammer line to their existing production facilities in December. Far from the front lines this additional line still see's it's production rushed by the ever increasing numbers of jumpships plying Federated Suns space towards the front lines to bolster not only the AFFS but also the ComGuards.
Corsara Weapons on Northfield which had entered production in November begins to ship large numbers of Crab Medium Battlemechs to the ComGuards and lesser numbers to the AFFS - where they mostly end up in the Draconis March Militias and Robinson Rangers brigades.
With the additional security provided by the new Point Barrow CrMM, GM decides to upgrade their plant on that world by adding a new Blackjack-O line. This news is seen by many within the Outback that the investments in their security can lead to increased investments in their planets industries. As such a number of worlds rulers begin to make active efforts to bolster their militia formations or petitioning to form new units to protect their worlds.
On Torrence, the Veridan Dynamics plants Pitbull truck lines are doubled to six. Even with this increase demand is still higher given the huge industrial expansions going on throughout the Federated Suns with further expansions are planned.
FedBoeing's shipyard over Verde, would see the first Cargomaster and Cargoking cargo dropships begin to complete. However, the initial dropships will require a few hasty refits after their initial shakedown cruises within the Verde system. This will delay actual production until next month.
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===Highlands Return to FedSuns===
Northwind see's the return of the 1st Kearny Highlanders and the Northwind Hussars from the Andurien front. Both units have taken heavy losses and accept garrison contracts with the AFFS for the world of Northwind to allow themselves to rebuild over time. The Northwind Hussars are somewhat reluctant to accept a contract with the FedSuns however the offer of free medical care for all wounded Northwind Highlanders at the NAIS and other elite hospitals swings them around to accepting the contract. As is the offer that the members of Jaffray's Own who have survived and been reabsorbed into the Highlanders will be granted full pardons - conditional upon them swearing to never take up arms against the Federated Suns or House Davion. While a few speak out against demanding Highlanders give such oaths, most accept that given that they joined the CCAF this is a generous offer from House Davion. "Colonel" Jaffray himself, still in a medical coma, is rushed to the NAIS to receive treatment.
===Fighting on Sian===
Within the Capellan Confederation fighting comes to Sian itself, but not by any AFFS raid. Instead a company of Death Commandos attempt to take Sang-shao An Shennu of the Red Lancers into custody in a swift operation into the Red Lancers barracks. The Red Lancers' commanding officer is the daughter of the traitor Duke of Larsha. As such leaving her in command of the largest and most effective military formation on Sian is felt to be ill-advised. Unfortunately for the plans to take her into custody quietly, a Red Lancer company returning from a training exercise see the Death Commandos arresting their commanding officer and attempt to free her. In a swift and brutal firefight the Death Commando company is overwhelmed and destroyed by the Red Lancers who at the sound of battle mobilize around them. For a few short hours, the Red Lancers are on the verge of being declared traitors and attacked, until cooler heads prevail. Ion Rush himself arrives alone at the barracks of the Red Lancers and convinces them to stand down and for Sang-shao to voluntarily surrender herself into his custody. He gives her his own personal word of honor that she will not be mistreated. This incident does however leave the Red Lancers with a strong aversion to the Death Commando's and costs both units almost a company each of warriors who were killed in the aborted battle.
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===Petitions for troops===
Duke Baxter during December petitions the Chancellor for the worlds of Sax, Principia, Niomede, and Shiba all of which were historically worlds of the Andurien Commonality to be returned to his newly reclaimed Commonality. Sian makes no reply. They do however instruct the 1st & 2nd Capellan Chargers to head towards the Federated Sun's front and take up posts Wright and Nihal in preparations to retake Grand Base.
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===Capellan Propaganda===
Sian also announces the formation of the 10th, 11th, & 12th Sian Dragoons all on Sian. All 3 regiments are a mix of military graduates and Home Guard formations many of which are still equipped with their original equipment. All of the new formations are under strength and their officers mostly walking wounded from destroyed commands or retired veterans recalled to the colours. Sian's holo-news channels however point out that this brings the garrison of the world to an invincible 5 regiments of patriots bolstered by the Chancellor's own Death Commandos!
===Events across the Inner Sphere===
The Lyran Alliance-Free Worlds League frontier witnesses the LAAF send the 10th Lyran Regulars to the world of Epsilon, the 7th Donegal Guards to Nestor, 7th Lyran Regulars to Nockatunga and the 2nd Donegal Guards to Promised Land - all for "security reasons" and to "ensure the security of the worlds in question". All factions within the fractured League decried the move as a blatant land grab.
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The Duchy of Tamarind in particular is extremely concerned by these aggressive moves towards their frontier by the LAAF and immediately announce the formation of the 1st & 2nd Tamarind Militia to counter this aggression and bolster their defenders. The Silver Hawks Coalition, also threatened by the seizure of Nestor announce that they too will add a new regiment to their active formations. The Eagle regiment is formed from militia drawn from the various worlds of the Coalition.
Coordinator Theodore Kurita arranges to meet with the First Prince Victor Davion at Lockdale. Both rulers will be entitled to bring a large escort to ensure their safety to the meeting which is scheduled to take place on the 24th January, 3069.
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