ALJ Chpt 4

frameless|right|300px|link=A Long Journey
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==Chapter 4 - A Long Journey==
14 February 2784
Terra (Terran Hegemony)
Lieutenant General Samuel Mitchell sat beside his sister, Commodore Patricia Mitchell while they listened to General Kerensky outline his plan to leave the Inner Sphere. They exchanged slight looks as they listened to the plan. This was also the first time either had seen the other in over a decade. Every Army, Corp and Division commander was present while the Navy had every Fleet and Squadron commander here. Commodore Patricia Mitchell was the lowest ranking officer present as far as either could tell. They watched as many in the room voiced support for the General's plan, they also noticed some dissent among other officers. When the order to poll every member of the SLDF on whether they wished to leave with General Kerensky or remain behind was given, they again shared a look between them. After the meeting was dismissed, they exited the building and walked to where Lieutenant General Mitchell's Cobra VTOL had been parked a quarter mile away. They did not speak until they arrived at the Cobra VTOL.
"I don't want to leave, Sammy." Commodore Patricia Mitchell said
"I am not keen on the idea either, but we also have to think this all the way thru. If we choose to stay behind, it will not be the SLDF we joined and love. The Terran Hegemony is dead, the SLDF is the only thing holding the Houses back from ripping it apart. When General Kerensky leaves, all that stay behind to defend the Hegemony will perish defending it. If we stay behind, I highly doubt we will be allowed to keep our equipment. I would bet on General Kerensky and the departing SLDF to strip every unit to the bones of equipment to fill out the commands leaving." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Then what do we do? If we stay, I want to go home." Patricia said
"So do I, if I have to die defending something other than the Star League, I prefer it to be our home." Samuel replied
"Not sure when you last spoke to mom and dad, but last message I got was pirate attacks are becoming quite regular out there. Has been a big problem since the SLDF left the Periphery. The Suns army is stretched too thin to cover the region properly. If we do not have the stuff, how do we make a difference?" Patricia asked
"It's been a few years, we move around too much and most of our stations have not had a working HPG. But that was the information he gave me last I spoke to him. As for equipment, we will have to plan very carefully and quietly." Samuel replied
"Here is the problem as I see it. No way I will be allowed to keep my squadron, no way at all. If say we are leaving with the General and then try to break off, I will be facing possible part of my crew that do not wish to stay behind and face a mutiny or fighting. I cannot have that. I will not allow that to happen. So, it better be a good plan." Patricia said firmly.
"I fear it would be the same thing in my Division also and I will not allow that to happen either. I need to think about this, a bunch. But first, let's go poll the troops and see where we stand." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
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22 February 2784
The fighting for North America had been brutal for the 322nd Armored Division, he had started the campaign at 75% strength in his combat elements but ended the campaign at 38%. The three years since the end of fighting at seen his strength rise back to around 40% strength, most replacements were being shuttled to the front-line Divisions. He studied his Divisions current TOE and wondered how the voting would go.
322nd Armored Division
First Brigade
1/1 Regiment
27 Alacorn MkVI (189 men)
13 Manitcore (52 men)
2/1 Regiment
28 Manticore (112 men)
16 Alacorn MkVI (112 men)
3/1 Regiment
28 Zephyr Hover (84 men)
17 Beagle Hover (17 men)
Second Brigade
1/2 Regiment
37 Demon (148 men)
11 Chevalier (33 men)
2/2 Regiment
15 Demon PPC (60 men)
22 Chevalier (66 men)
3/2 Regiment
15 Zephyr Hover (45 men)
18 Beagle Hover (18 men)
Third Brigade
1/3 Regiment
10 Platoons Mech Inf (280 men)
15 Goblin (45 men)
5 Bulldog (20 men)
2/3 Regiment
7 Platoons Mech Inf (196 men)
11 Goblin (33 men)
3 Bulldog (12 men)
3/3 Regiment
8 Platoons Mech Inf (224 men)
22 Goblin (66 men)
7 Bulldog (28 men)
Artillery Brigade
42 Thor Artillery (168 men)
16 Long Tom Artillery (112 men)
24 Marksman Artillery (120 men)
37 Chaparral Artillery (148 men)
18 Padilla Artillery (90 men)
VTOL Battalion
8 Vector Transport (16 men)
6 Vector Attack (12 men)
3 Vector EW (6 men)
4 Vector Scout (8 men)
Support Brigade
2 Mobile HQ (4 men)
22 Jeep (22 men)
2 MASH (4 men)
82 Sherpa Cargo (246 men)
21 Sherpa Canteen (63 men)
18 Sherpa Fuel Truck (54 men)
31 Heavy Track APC (62 men)
10 BFFL Buffalo (30 men)
8 Wayland Mobile Bases (88 men)
6 Engineering Vehicle (18 men)
8 Lessups Dump Truck (16 men)
4 Buffel Engineer Support (12 men
3 Prometheus Bridgelayer (15 men)
22 RR-3 Recovery Vehicle (44 men)
16 UTR-588 Recovery Vehicle (32 men)
Mechanics (1278)
Doctor (14 men)
Medics (68 men)
Astechs (6341)
Total Personnel - 10,869
Dropship Assets
9 Triumph Dropship (81 men)
3 Gazelle Dropship (24 men)
4 Czar Dropship (48 men)
4 Mammoth Dropship (68 men)
Total Personnel - 221
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