CHS4-21

==Chapter Twenty-One - Book 4 – Chappy's Howling Siegers==
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===Plotting the Next Campaign Actions===
Operation Enduring Freedom - Wave Two
MOB Chappy’s Revenge Command Regiment
Office of General Chapman 
Sinope, Draconis Combine
July 6th, 3030
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Sneaking in and landing on the planet without any contest was easy, or Matthew thought too easy. While his DropShips and all support personnel were relatively safe a few hundred miles away, his MOB (Mobile Operating Base) was not. The 31st Galedon Regulars met them out in the desert and hit his unit hard. So hard in fact he had to call up his reserves to bring his units on the front line back up to full strength. Worse yet, with the high winds in the atmosphere and storm season coming he was unable to bring in the support with DropShips instead they had to march making the supply lines slow and hard to maintain. Two main objects for the next week or so were the invasion of the towns Heffe and Ukron; Heffe was on the coastline to the west and Ukron was on the coastline east of him. 
Splitting his unit up was never a good idea, but the thought of going back and forth wasting time just made him lose sleep, so splitting the unit up it was. With most of the 3rd and 1st Battalions going to Heffe and the 2nd Battalion, Command Company and two Armor Companies going to the east toward Ukron. The main base of the 31st Galedon Regulars was past the mountain range north of Ukron.
As General Matthew Chapman looked at the map and then looked at the predicted winds and storm strength, he cursed to himself. No battle plan goes as planned but having all his air assets grounded because of weather was not how he envision his defeat. The General already had some stunning losses at the company level losing several mechs and MechWarriors. Once his mobile base caught up with the main force, he took some of the reserves to fill in the ranks of force. Chapman had to figure a way to turn the tide, as he looked over the battle plans for the city Ukron he noticed one thing, the city streets were narrow but straight, and the enemy forces that were shown in the flyovers were few. 
“Nicki, come here and tell me what you see in this intel brief.” he said to his wife and XO of the unit.As Colonel Nichole Chapman looked at the Intel and the map, she noticed something.
“Sweetie look at the roads and the type of equipment that has been identified. If we roll up in formation with all five companies, we will be bottlenecked and picked off.”
“Yeah, that is what I was thinking, Nicki. How about if we place a company here, here, here, here, and here splitting it up having 5 entry points and then meet in the middle at the capital.”
Nichole looked at the new plan and shook her head yes, “I think that would work spread our forces out, and it will spread the enemy even further. When is this weather with the strong high winds going to end so that we can transfer our DropShips up here, our supply lines are getting thin.”
“I don’t know for sure; forecasters say a few weeks or sooner, hopefully sooner. I would like to have our DropShips here within a week or so.”
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===The Battle for Ukron===
Outsider of City of Ukron
Sinope, Draconis Combine
July 15th, 3030
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As all five Companies started to penetrate the city in five different points Matthew was glad that he had his forces maneuver into the city this way, sensors showed that the enemy was not truly ready for this action and scrambled to try and meet all five companies at once spreading their forces so thin that they had no real hope of defending. Each company of Chappy’s Revenge were met with three to four Battlemechs from the 31st Galedon Regulars, some industrial mechs, turrets, and about a company worth of infantry from the planet militia. 
Even with superior numbers in way of material the enemy, especially the militia fought with conviction and would not back down, causing several of the Chappy’s Revenge mechs to be downed. The enemy continued to aim for the heads of the Revenge. The strongest enemy resistance was where Matthew had decided to take his command company just because he loved a challenge. As Matthew lumbered his 200-ton mech into the city and because he was so heavy Chappy was also one of the slowest pieces of equipment on the battlefield. With that being said though his Battlemech was top of the line with the newest tech that his corporation produced, one of five new mechs models being used for trial run on this mission. There was a sense of invincibility when in this mech Matthew thought but as with all 'mechs all it would take is a couple of good shots to the head and the mech would be dead.
Matthew refocused and took aim with his two Gauss Rifles, both large lasers and the AC20 at a Warhammer effectively stripping most of its armor, both arms and most of its weapons destroyed. The Warhammer though was able to get off two PPC that both hit dead center in the chest even causing a critical hit on the engine before the Warhammer fell and was done. 
As they progressed further into the city a 15-story building was weakened from laser fire that missed their targets started to collapse crushing one of the Revenge mechs, a Zeus, buckled under the tons of concrete and building materials. While Matthew watched in horror the mighty Zeus disappearing in rubble, he targeted another Warhammer, fired all weapons, and cored the mighty machine dead center. Matthew decided that this battle was almost over, so he went to the satellite feed to check on how the other units progressed in penetrating the city. Within an hour of fighting Chappy’s Revenge had progressed 5 miles into the city and two of the companies were on the verge of DropPort that was situated inside the city. The command company took the lead to take control of the DropPort, there were several DropShips that were grounded due to weather and damage. 
Although there was one Dropship that was still fully active, it decided to pick the biggest mech out on the field and destroy it. As soon as his unit was in range Matthew ordered everyone to focus on the Fortress Class Dropship and then warnings in his cockpit of impending missiles alert Matthew that the DropShip commander had focused all fire onto him. Matthew raised his mechs arms to try and protect the head but even then, as 100 missiles and several PPC and AC hits his mech went down. As he ejected from the mech he noticed that the dropship also went up in a ball of fire damaging most of the enemy mechs that were right in front of it.
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City of Ukron
July 17th, 3030
The city has fallen but the weather was still not allowing the air assets to fly, but it did not really matter because the planet was all but conquered anyway
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====Field Promotions====
MOB Chappy’s Revenge Command Regiment
Sinope, Draconis Combine
September 6th, 3030
General Chapman was in the middle of watching the new recruits play wargames on his wall monitor when the door burst open. Standing in the doorway was Lieutenant Colonel Teresa Holder, Chapman could tell she was angry because her ears were beat red and compared to her porcelain doll skin was kind of funny to look at. “General Chapman, may I have a moment of your time.”“Well considering you busted down my door, I guess I don’t have a choice.”
As the Colonel stood there her eyes drifted towards the wall monitor and noticed one of the pilots in a Marauder wiping the ground with the other pilots. She nodded at the monitor, “got people practicing? What unit?”
General Chapman glance back to the monitor, “These are the new recruits, I am looking to see where the MechWarriors can be placed if I hire them.”The Colonel started to get mad again and stormed further into the office to sit down in the plush leather chair in front of the General desk.“By all means Colonel make yourself at home.”
“Sir” Lieutenant Colonel Holder started to say. “I realize that this is your command but messing with my Battalion leadership without consulting me just seams unprofessional.”
Even though Chapman already knew why she was here it still ate at him that she had the balls to talk to him this way.
“Colonel, may I remind you I can do anything I wanted and could just remove you right now. So, what is your issue with the change of leadership for the 9th Company.”
“Sir, you took my most experience MechWarrior and Commander and replaced her with a new recruit.”
“Well Colonel, that new recruit is the same one destroying everyone else in that simulator.” As he said this, he pointed to the wall monitor showing the score that Recruit twelve had terminated thirteen other recruits as of a second ago and recruit twelve was well on the way to number fourteen, and all weapons were still operational.
“Fine” Lieutenant Colonel Holder said, but I tried to look up her profile and it was blank.
General Chapman stood up and picked up a packet, tossing it to Holder “This is her dossier, ten years ago she was the best MechWarrior I had ever seen and lost to her several times in the sim.”
Holder just looked at the General and said. “That is fine and dandy but that was ten years ago what about the last ten years.” She opened the dossier and saw Ms. Burton test scores, looked at her picture and thought she was very pleasant to look at with blonde curly hair big blue eyes and perfect lips.
“Holder that is a story for her to tell, all I am willing to say is that she married her child’s father and now that he is dead, she wants back into the seat of a mech.”
They both looked at the monitor when it buzzed showing that the match was over, and that Ms. Burton won ‘killing’ all the other recruits. The panel then changed to the control room showing the recruits getting out of the training pods.
When Fanua Burton exited the pod, Holder was taken a back with the face came a body that revival it with long sexy legs and an hourglass figure that made you want more visual stimulation without the clothes on, Holder secretly hoped that Burton liked girls.
General Chapman picked up a mic and said, Fanua Burton please come to my office, Chapman out.” He turned to the Colonel “it is time for you to meet your new company commander, the old one has been transferred and given a promotion, so you have no choice.”
Fanua was nervous, she knew she excelled in all the test and kicked ass in the sim, but this was General Chapman. So many years lost, she did not regret the time away raising her daughter but when her husband died, she saw the chance to enter this life again since he had forbidden her to fight while he was alive. As she walked closer to his office, she noticed his door was open and another officer was with him, she recognized her from the intel that the General had given her. 
“Sir! Candidate Burton reporting as order, Sir!”
General Chapman shook his head and said, “No Fanua, you are now a Captain.” He then tossed her a box containing Captain bars and said, “You are out of uniform the next time I see you, you better be in uniform and your body covered up before all the men and women fall in lust with you, dismiss...Oh by the way report back here at 0730 tomorrow for the daily brief and to announce you as the commander of the 9th Company.”
“Yes, Sir.” as she gave him a big smile and smart salute.
Chapman then turned to his 3rd Battalion Commander and said, “After the brief get to know her, she is very intelligent and very resourceful I have yet given her a job she could not handle.”
“Yes sir” Lieutenant Colonel Holder said and then left the General’s office also. 
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===Diving into the History of Chapman Family===
ISNN reporter Cecilia Richards
The Civilian DropShip, The Traveler
Sinope, Draconis Combine
September 13th, 3030
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As Cecilia Richards sat down in her first-class seat waiting for takeoff to carry her to Civilian JumpShip, that will bring her back to the regional headquarters of ISNN. She started to reflect on what had just happened and decided to listen to the interview that she just recorded.
Cecilia: “Thank you for letting ISNN conduct this interview, it has been a long time coming. For the record, please state your name and position you hold.”
Matthew: “Thank you as well Cecilia, for giving me this opportunity to correct miss conceptions out there about the Freedom Federation. My name is Matthew Chapman I am leader of all four regiments of Chappy’s Revenge, I personally go into battle as Commander of Chappy’s Revenge Command Regiment, and I am also the Overall General of the Freedom Federation Armed Forces.”
Cecilia: “Wow you have a lot of hats that you wear.”
Matthew: “Yes, but I have a lot of help from a staff that I fully trust.”
Cecilia: “In your introduction you mention miss conceptions care to expand on that?”
Matthew: “Why don’t you ask me your questions, those based on research, and even the rumors and I will straighten everything out by weeding out those that are false.”
Cecilia: “Um ok, first is your unit Chappy’s Revenge, there are a lot of rumors out there about how you existed prior to the Federation. Some rumors have your unit as a secret Federated Suns unit, yet others say you came back from beyond the inner sphere. Can you tell me a little about your unit history?”
Matthew: “In a few months, we will be opening a museum on Niles about the history of my unit, it’s a long story that stretches a few hundred years. It started when General Kerensky left the Inner Sphere, my ancestors split the family up, some went with him and some stayed. The most influential person that left with Kerensky was a vice admiral, he was sad that his son, which I am named after. He stayed behind so he left him several gifts and gave his son the clues to find those gifts.”
Cecilia: “Gifts? What type of gifts?”
Matthew: “His son was a well decorated MechWarrior also and was at the time of the departure a Captain in one of the SLDF regiments. The Admiral’s gifts were large secret cache of SLDF equipment and supplies mothballed in 5 locations that he was supposed to pick up on the way out of the inner sphere but left them there for his son, in hopes that his son could do what he never could and that was fulfill the dream of the family.”
Cecilia: “Family dream? What was the family dream?”
Matthew: “The dream that I am building now, you see my ancestor left the service of the SLDF and started a merc unit called Chappy’s Howling Siegers, it was only a company and transportation was limited. So, it took him a long time to gather up all the supplies and hide them in a secret location that was kept off of all the star maps, a planet that was a top-secret research facility that had a Battlemech factory and shipyard for the SLDF, it was unknown to even the newly form COMSTAR. When the first succession war broke out all such facilities were forgotten. There he gathered the equipment, there is where I still tap into for supplies and mechs that is how much was left over the years (almost 300) my ancestors had use that planet resources sparing in hopes of one day of bringing peace and self-rule to the people. Up until recently we kept the merc unit only engage in one contract at a time, and at least 80 percent of the employees had families that had been with us for generations. Only a select few knew how big the organization was, in fact it wasn’t until my father passed away that I knew the full capability of the organization. We also have several industrial companies that sell mainly to the Federated Suns and of course now to the Freedom Federation, so it was easy to maintain everyone’s living cost without becoming famous like the wolves or the Hounds. So, the dream is simple, one of freedom and with the success the nation has had the last nine months I am here to tell our enemies that the Federation is strong.”
Cecilia: “That is an amazing story one that I am sure has many more details, and one of which is actually more fantastic than the rumors out there.” (she laughs an awkward laugh)
Matthew: (smiles back and shifts in his seat)
Cecilia: “So, family you mention that, is yours fighting alongside you?”
Matthew: “Yes, my wife is a Battalion Commander and all four of my children are Company commanders of special strike forces.”
Cecilia: “Anyone else?”
Matthew: “Yes, I have several of my lifelong friends in charge of their own units, the most notable one is Duncan Bovet he has a strong mercenary unit called the Duncan Renegades that have now become an house unit like my unit has. His family has been with mine from almost the very beginning. Then my sister-in-law is a company commander, Captain Burton will go far in the ranks. There is also my friendship with the First Prince of Federated Suns in whom this would not be possible.”
Cecilia: “Yes, I was hoping we would be able to cover that topic. The official word is that for whatever reason he gave you a planet and then acknowledged your new nation. Why?”
Matthew: “I have talked to all parties involved and I am authorized to give some more details about this. (He paused and straighten out his jacket) While my father was trying to solidify a permanent contract with the Federated Suns he became an ambassador for the Suns, at the time, First Prince Andrew father of Hanse did not know about the connection that my family had to a merc unit that was almost always in contract with the Federated Suns. Anyway, during that time, I grew up on New Avalon and became friends with Hanse. Later when my father died, by the hands of the Kurita family, I found out the full scope of the Chapman dynasty between the corporations, and merc unit. I confided with First Prince Hanse about all my holdings and the dream of the Chapman Family. That is when we came up with a plan to fulfill my family dream and to set in motion the First Prince plans. This was before the universe knew about his deal with the Lyran Commonwealth and the marriage to Melissa. This plan that he had took several years to foster until the time was right. Not only did he succeed a planet to me but he also succeeded whatever military equipment was on planet at the time, it just so happens that a supply envoy of several mechs and supplies happen to be on shore leave on Niles and was subsequently enlisted into the nation’s army. Not only that but the Archon of the Lyrans donated a significant amount of money for the new nation to live on and carry out its destiny.”
Cecilia: “Destiny? What is the destiny of the Freedom Federation?”
Matthew: “Its two-fold first part is to allow people to self-govern and end the era of tyranny. The second part goes hand and hand with the first and that is to eliminate the Kurita family power to rule.”
Cecilia: “Then why have you invaded the Outworld Alliance, some say you have bloodlust or are a warmonger.”
Matthew: “I needed the Outworld Alliance to establish a strong nation, I wanted its people to realize what they have been missing and how much oppression they were truly under with that form of government. I have tried very hard to limit the destructive nature of war to just combat units trying for the most part to not have civilian casualties. Also, most of my assets were in the realm of the OA so adding all those factors it made sense.”
Cecilia: “Are you surprise by your success; you went from one planet to almost 50 in 10 months?”
Matthew: “No, I am not and remember 27 of those planets chose to be part of the Federation, not one shot was fired in the transfer of power of those planets.”
Cecilia: “That was an amazing development, are you going to pursue the former leader of the Outworld Alliance, it is said that him and his followers have set up somewhere beyond the peripheral on several planets.”
Matthew: “No not at this time, those are his strongest supporters I doubt that they want to have anything to do with my new government and the way that the average citizen will have the responsibility of picking their own leaders. So, if they don’t bother us, we won’t them for now.”
Cecilia: “Why do you think those 27 planets turn their back on the OA and signed allegiance to you? Some outside the realm (Kurita) claimed that you threaten to bomb the planets to non-existence, others say you bribed the politicians. The few citizens from those planets that were interviewed claimed they wanted to be part of the dream, speaking of which you have mentioned the dream of self-rule, yet you have appointed someone as President.”
Matthew: “I needed to set up the government, I did not want to be that leader while also in charge of a war, so I appointed a person to run the day-to-day stuff. It is only for 10 years, at that point all the planets that qualify will elect the next ruler and will continue to do so from that point on. So, while yes initially the people will not be “self-rule” for the nation for a few years, they will be running their own planets how they see fit minus the defense department.”
Cecilia: “I know you answered the question about the gifts your ancestor had, but not really in detail. Would you care to expand? I mean there are reports and rumors about warships on a scale that most of the known universe had not seen in years.”
Matthew: “Listen, I am not going to give exact numbers, not now at least, but my ancestors left several units enough for several regiments and left several Warships, JumpShips, and DropShips at an orbital factory at the planet I mention before that until now was hidden, it is also the headquarters for the Chapman Corporation. Like I said before the planet was untouched by the succession wars, but they kept building, training, mothballing, advancing, and waiting until this era of freedom. So, when I say we have a fleet of naval warships that rivals most of the inner sphere put together I mean it.”
Cecilia: “All this sounds good, but what happens when you are gone will the Freedom Federation……..”
A Captain in a sharp crisp uniform bust in the room and whispered into the ear of the General. “I am sorry Cecilia this interview is over, there are pressing matters that must be attended to.” With that General Chapman got up and left.
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Book 4 - Chapter 21