Terran Campaign

"*He looks towards Terra. Then Luna. Then Terra. Luna again. One is home, and the other is harder to defend. One is nostalgia, and the other their future. And with one last glimpse at Luna, he lets out an audible, mournful sigh and turns towards the planet that dominated the skies of his childhood.* *The cradle of humanity, and soon to be the Society’s attempt at salvation."*

## Prelude

After months of small skirmishes around the inside border of the Rubicon Sea and months of anticipation from leaders of both sides, the Society Remnant finally committed the vast majority of their forces into an attack on the Solar Republic in the attempt to launch an Iron Rain upon either Luna or Terra, their target not yet decided. Operating with little to no intel due to the jamming effect of the Rubicon, the Ash Armada ventured into the Republic's territory blind, with the goal of getting close enough to either Luna or Terra and scan their surfaces to evaluate potential landing spots for the bulk of their forces.

## Ash Armada Breaks Through

On May 15, 744 PCE, roughly six months after the Crossing of the Renegade Herd, and following repeated incursions into the Rubicon Sea, the Ash Armada made their first real assault on the spheres of Luna and Terra. The Societal Vanguard led the way, using gravGens to create a tunnel between the Beacons. Praetor Second Class Epidius au Cirelus, given Imperium over the Vanguard, directed corvettes to scout Solar Republic positions. Unfortunately, one of the corvettes struck an atomic mine, thus alerting the Republic and beginning the first phase of the Terran Campaign.

At first there was no discernible clue that this incursion was any different from the numerous others which had occurred in previous months. Solar Republic Praetors, including Tiberius ti Valinder, Faustus au Laos, and Ara xe Cepha responded to the incursion, with the support of Navarch Lynx xe Aries. These Praetors clashed with the forces of the vanguard, led by Epidius au Cirelus, Felicia au Cormona, and House Procynii.

Eventually, Republic ripWing pilot Iselia xe Garrus caught a glimpse of the advancing Societal forces disguised behind the vanguard. She warned her Praetor Tiberius ti Valiander who then relayed the information to the White Fleet, and the Republic kicked into high gear. The *Morning Star* and and *Cutie Patootie Fluffy Wuffykins II* moved to support the Republic forces at the incursion location, even as Society Praetors Aurelion au Nyx and Judus au Sejanus managed to break free of the furball.

Caught between two heavyweight giants, the vanguard took heavy losses, clearing the way for the Ash Lord's dreadnaught fist to engage the enemy. The battle at the tunnel entrance continued for a short while, both sides taking losses. The Solar Republic was unable to hold the tide, and the Society Remnant managed to divide the defending forces. The battle subsequently split into three smaller conflicts.

### Grimmus Confrontation

As the battle separated, the Ash Lord's dreadnaughts engaged the Republic forces under the command of his son, Caladus au Grimmus. In the resulting battle, the Ash Lord's dreadnaughts inflicted heavy damage on the Republic in the beginning, but the tides began to turn with the arrival of the Morning Star, and the reveal of the Republic's newest experimental weapon: particle cannons. The Ash Lord directed the Storm and Cloud Knights to board the *Wuffykins* and retrieve his wayward son, but this turned out to be a trap, as Kilian O'Lykos and his Wraiths were waiting for them.

### Ignis v. Aries

With the Ash Lord engaging his son at the first line of defence, Society archPraetor Aeolus au Ignis broke towards the second line, and his self-proclaimed nemesis, Republic Navarch Lynx xe Aries. The *Persephone's Howl*, already heavily damaged from the encounter at the incursion's entrance, was rendered combat-ineffective, but was able to survive due to aid from nearby Praetors.

### Terran Orbit

With the other two lines of defence occupied, Praetors First Class Aurelion au Nyx and Judus au Sejanus were able to assault the third and final line around Earth. The two Praetors engaged Republic Praetor Trida au Julii aboard her dreadnaught, the *Pandora*. Supported by Praetors Azrael au Azure and Syn Sternfanger, the odds seemed to be in the Republic's favour. Then, the Society revealed a weapon of their own. Praetor Aurelion au Nyx launched a prototype EMP missile at the *Pandora*. Making contact, the electromagnetic pulse knocked out all of the dreadnaught's systems, causing large damage to allied forces, and opening a window to the spheres.

## Iron Rain

Here, the Ash Lord's deception was revealed. His fist of dreadnaughts, assumed by the Republic to be the main force, turned out to be nothing but a distraction. Sheba au Grimmus led a force of men-o-wars and destroyers through the hole, whereupon they launched an Iron Rain. Selecting Africa as their primary target, millions of Golds, Greys, and Obsidians were launched in starShells and hivePods to land in across the continent.

### Khartoum

As Society forces rained down, Curse Knight Nikolaos au Fabii fell on the city of Khartoum on the edge of the Great Green Wall. Accompanying him was the Shatterheart legion, as well as cohorts from the Ignis Flame Guard, Nyx Nightmare Legion, and Elysian Indigo Legion. Several of his allies followed, including Ignis lancer Leo au Celeritas, Valentina au Ignis, Atticus au Elysian, and Elia au Nyx.

Making landfall, the high command at Khartoum began to scour the area for a suitable landing site for their troop transports. Early on, however, a Republic cybervirus disabled the Curse Knight's starShell, forcing him to abandon it. Eventually, the Society forces split up, with half the forces accompanying Fabii to start clearing the city, as another half went to secure the nearby airfield.

With no luck in securing a landing zone in the city, the other half of the Societal forces rejoined the soldiers at the airfield, eventually pushing inwards to the central fortification. Here, the Societal forces began to meet significant resistance, as Republic troops fought tooth and nail to hold their position. While the battle raged, the Curse Knight encountered Republic Quaestor Gaius au Voloxes attempting to escape the carnage with Society Legate Khufu au Ptolemy in tow as a prisoner.

Following a brief exchange, Fabii allowed Voloxes to leave unharmed, in exchange for leaving behind Legate Ptolemy. Meanwhile, outside the tide began to turn. As the Society soldiers began overpowering the Republic forces, the Republic revealed their next trick. The floor of the central fortification opened to reveal an underground hangar. Republic ripWings began to wreak havoc on Society troops as the rebel infantry clung to the ripWings in an attempt to escape.

At this point, the Curse Knight and Legate Ptolemy returned to chaos. Legate Ptolemy, eager to prove himself, leaped out at the ripWings, and was swiftly cut down, leaving Fabii empty-handed. Resolving to make the most of this situation, Fabii, along with a few lurchers and some support from Celeritas and new arrival Victoria au Saguntum, stealthily dropped into the hangar in an attempt to seize the control room. Legate Nyx and Atticus au Elysian were left above to create a distraction, managing to down almost twenty ripWings before being forced to escape.

Unfortunately, the Curse Knight's team was not able to seize the control room quickly enough, allowing the ripWings to escape into the city. As the Society forces recovered and began to clear rubble and set up fortifications, Nikolaos au Fabii was separated and engaged by Republic Wraith Aspasia au Tithona.

## Societal Retreat

### Destruction of the *Warchild*

After just over a day of fighting in the Ink and on the ground, Cammi au Bellona, current wife to Saren au Augustus, arrived to reinforce the Republic lines in her newly-repaired dreadnaught, the *Warchild*. Enraged, Sheba au Grimmus, former wife to Saren au Augustus, ordered her entire force to fire all weapons at the dreadnaught.

With the shields of the *Warchild* unable to cope with the amount of firepower pouring down on them, the dreadnaught was completely annihilated in an incredible explosion of nuclear light. Visible across both spheres and the Ink, the destruction of the *Warchild* was also the catalyst for the Ash Armada's retreat. Having broken lines to destroy her enemy, Sheba au Grimmus had by necessity also destroyed the Armada's hold on the Ink. Forced to flee beyond the Rubicon Sea once more, the Armada was harried the whole way by Republic forces, including the *Morning Star*.

Consumed by rage, Saren au Augustus and Trida au Julii comandeered a corvette, ramming it into Grimmus' flagship, the Man-o-War *The Last Fury*. With only thirty soldiers, the Demon of Mars and his compatriots sought to avenge his wife's death. Surrounded by the forces of an entire legion, nearly the entire team was killed, with only Augustus; Julii; Augustus' dux; and an unnamed Solspear soldier escaping with their lives.

### Regroup outside the Rubicon Sea

With the Society Remnant forces regrouping after their assault, the Lord Dictator Cyrus au Grimmus gathered his commanders and lieutenants to plot the next move. With the death of a prominent Imperator within the battle, archPraetor Aeolus au Ignis was promoted to the position, and Praetor Judus au Sejanus took Ignis' place as archPraetor. After much deliberation, the result was a modified plan conceived by Praetor Aurelion au Nyx. In it, the Ash Armada would take just under two weeks to repair and re-arm, after which they would split into two forces, and ford the Rubicon Sea in a pincer manoeuver.

## Bikku Bitti

After speaking with Lady Satiah au Ptolemy, the so-called 'Bone Brigade' departed Khartoum to reinforce the mountain fortress of Bikku Bitti. Leaving behind three cohorts to hold the Khartoum airfield, the force's transports set out, facing resistance from a flight of Republic ripWings seeking to down the transports before they could reach their destination. Causing negligible damage, the Republic was forced to retreat under combined fire from the Bone Brigade and the guns of Bikku Bitti.

Arriving at the fortress, the commanding officers greeted Lady Ptolemy, and were given accommodations for the night. Elia au Nyx and Victoria au Saguntum accepted a tour of the fortress' anti-spacecraft railguns, while Nikolaos au Fabii made secret arrangements with Lady Ptolemy. Using Aspasia au Tithona's datapad, he contacted Republic Imperator Caladus au Grimmus, luring him into the Terran atmosphere, where his shuttle was shot down by the guns of the mountain fortress.

The Curse Knight recovered Imperator Grimmus from the wreckage of his shuttle, whereupon they discussed the latter's alleged brainwashing by his current girlfriend, Elisia au Fabii. Caladus denied such accusations, and managed to "escape". Nikolaos au Fabii returned to Bikku Bitti, whereupon Legio XVII Firma and Legio XXV Cineris had arrived, accompanied by Morning Knight Agravaine au Falthe and his legion, as well as Aurelia au Marianus, and her legion. Victoria au Saguntum departed with the Morning Knight shortly after, where he told her that if she proved herself, he would name her the Morning Aspirant.

Back at Bikku Bitti, the assembled commanders departed on gravBikes to search for Caladus au Grimmus, uninformed that Nikolaos had previously captured him and allowed him to escape. Failing to find him, the commanders returned to Bikku Bitti. Shortly afterwards, the Curse Knight spoke to his Olympic colleagues, and he and the commanders took their legions to reinforce Society troops in the siege of Cairo.

## Siege of Cairo

Following a failure to take the Society stronghold of Cairo in the battle following the Iron Rain, the Solar Republic settled in for a siege as they awaited the arrival of reinforcements. Not long after, said reinforcements arrived, and the Reaper planned a massive assault on multiple fronts, all focused on breaking the Cairo defensive wall.

### Western Wall

The main push focused on an armoured charge on the Western section of the wall, defended by Legio X Pardus and Legio VII Victrix, along with Olympic Rage Knight Clothus au Sejanus and Olympic Love Knight Anastasia au San. The Republic's forces were led by Legate Xaelyn au Telemanus and her legion, with support from Theon au Arcos and others. The battle was very close, but ultimately tipped in the Society's favour. Legate Telemanus was forced to retreat, and Theon au Arcos died in the battle.

### Northern Wall

The main push at the Western Wall was complemented by an associated assault on the north, defended by Legate Aktaeon au Trigii. Led by Legate Klio of the Second Free Legion, she suffered a head injury early in the fighting, causing her second, subLegate Alexandre Daedalus to assume acting command. With aerial support from Praetor Donlo xe Dosren, the Republic fought what initially appeared to be an equal battle, but one which slowly and surely turned to a Societal victory. Acting Legate Daedalus and Praetor Dosren retreated with nearly all their forces destroyed.

### Northern Trenches

As the main force fought at the walls, the rear lines of the Solar Republic's siege faced their own troubles. The Curse Knight's reinforcements had arrived from Bikku Bitti, and the Northern Trench Lines were subject to a vigorous assault from the combined force of several legions amounting to nearly 26,000 troops. Under the command of Legate Elia au Nyx, the Society rapidly engaged and seized the upper hand, eventually forcing the Republic forces into a rout, though Legate Victoria au Saguntum lost her arm and was rendered unconscious. With victory achieved, Legate Nyx continued to the Western Trench Lines to support Nikolaos au Fabii, while Thalia au Falthe pressed onwards to the Northern Wall, where they were repelled.

### Western Trenches

As the Society reinforcements handily won the day in the north, they faced much greater resistance in the west. Despite having the bulk of the Society forces, the Republic, commanded by Wraith Sylvester au Valencia and Senator Saren au Augustus (in disguise as Bengali lancer Damon au Pala). Even with support from the north after they concluded their battle, the fight continued to remain neck-and-neck. Society and Republic commanders fell in equal measure. The battle began to come to an end, however, when Saren au Augustus fell to an accidental friendly fire incident. In short order, Elia au Nyx was knocked from the fight by Kaya au Strigo, who herself subsequently fell victim to Curse's razor. Only the Curse Knight remained of the commanders, but in a masterful display of both luck and skill, Nikolaos au Fabii was toppled by Republic sharpshooter Milo ti Atherton. With the fall of Curse, the Society resolve broke, and they retreated to the firmly held north, allowing the otherwise-losing Republic a clear corridor of retreat to Tripoli.

### Southern Stealth

As the two main pushes engaged the wall defenses in the north and west, a southern commando squad attempted to penetrate Cairo by stealth, intending to sabotage and cause chaos. They were detected by pure chance, and a short firefight ensued, eventually ending in the commando squad's rapid retreat to meet up with the rest of the fleeing Republic forces.