43

Hurik, unlike Ward was a cold, harsh planet with a population barely a million.

The intelligence services had reported that it was defended by a Home Guard regiment, but we only found about one battalion of poorly equipped and trained militia. Unlike Ward, it didn't have an HPG. After defeating the Home Guard, we raided the only valuable thing in the world, a mine of titanium, taking with us several tons of raw and processed ore, before returning to Ward.

We return to Ward without problems. Two weeks later, we detected two JumpShips at a pirate point, a few hours away of the planet. No doubt a military force, the fact that one of the DropShips launched was a Overlord was a dead give away.

More data came from the space sensors: the invading forces was composed by an Overlord, 3 Unions and a Triumph. Was this merely a raid in force, were they stupid or they've bad intel ? That force couldn't carry more than two battalions of 'Mechs with a bit of support. With the reinforcements, I had almost 5 companies of them, plus support. Unless this was some kind of elite force, there was no way in Hell they would retake the system from us...

Near the planet we intercepted the attacking force, covered by 12 Aerospace Fighters, in the colors of the Kamakura's Hussars, but the Revenants had more of them and also more advanced ones, leading to the total destruction of the Liao Fighters for only 4 of ours, even if almost all of ours took some kind of damage.

Knowing who our opponent was, was a good thing. Consulting the Intel we had on the CCAF prior to the invasion, mostly obtained from the Magistracy and the Federated Suns, we found out that they were a second line unit, two battalions strong, with mostly lights and mediums 'Mechs, and with a penchant for frontal assaults. That changed our operational plan as they were not an elite force like the Death Commandos, just the force stationed here before the start of this not so little war. So, it was probably just a raid in force or they had real bad Intel. Or they were stupid, something that couldn't be discounted.

Near the atmosphere, our fighters severely damaged the Triumph, that disintegrated while trying to land. And there went the support force for the enemy 'Mechs...

The Capellan DropShips landed near the capital. Soon after, a force of 'Mechs, about two battalions of them, came to meet us, in a frontal and massive attack. Although they did not lack courage, it was the worst tactic against the Revenants who had a considerable amount of long-range weapons and heavier 'Mechs to better absorb damage. Starting to retreat slowly as soon as we entered combat we tried to keep our advantage of a greater range for as long as possible, keeping the Assault and Heavy 'Mechs in front because they had more protection and could buy us more time. The enemy, while continuously approaching, used every bit of terrain to negate our advantage in range. They were not that suicidal after all. Pity.

My support forces with long range weapons (LRMs, arty, and a few unguided Arrow IV), placed behind the Revenants 'Mechs were adding their firepower to the 'Mechs, turning the Capellans life miserable, and at same time my ASFs are strafing then. 

The enemy forces was indeed a mix of lights and mediums with a few heavies, they had advanced faster than we could retreat.

At same time, a small force appears from the jungle, in our back, two 'Mechs and a small group of infantry, in the colors of House Lu Sann. So, the survivors had decided to join the battle? Fine for me, we could make a clean sweep this time. 

One thing you could say about the Kamakura's Hussars and Lu Sann warriors is that they didn't lack courage, and they knew how to die well. And dying, that's what they did that day up to the last 'man.

The Lu Sann 'Mech force, one Locust and one Wasp, at first destroyed some vehicles and killed a few infantry, but soon find themselves under the fire of two Leclerc flak (3xAC/5 each) and four Merkavas. Lights don't survive much time against that kind of firepower, and the enemy infantry, few in number, is destroyed soon after. And so end Warrior House Lu Sann.

About a company of 'Mechs from the Revenants had been severely damaged, with only four destroyed during the battle, but because we had taken control of the battlefield, our technicians took over all the wreckage and were of the opinion that they would be able to repair / recover almost all our 'Mechs and even increase our numbers with what they would recover from the opponent 'Mechs.

Among them was an almost intact VND-1R Vindicator, with its head destroyed by the Penetrator. Luckily for us, another CCAF Vindicator, this one with is center torso cored, laid near, and his head could be used to repair the first one, so this one could be used right now, the rest needed to be sent to New Vandenberg to possible rebuild. The Penetrator, Marauder II and Bull Shark had all performed well in combat and none had been destroyed, even if they all had taken some kind of damage.

Shortly after the end of the battle, the opposing DropShips took off, soon accompanied by another Overlord, probably the hidden Lu Sann one, that we hadn't found before.

Our surviving Fighters harassed them all the way to the JumpShips, but didn't destroy any, just doing them more damage and as soon as they docked to their JumpShips at the pirate point they left for an unknown destination.

While again in control of the planet, the Capellan forces had publicly executed a number of people that had collaborated with the Reach forces, sending a clear, if gruesome message"Death to the traitors". Unfortunately for then, this changed the mind of many, from neutral / indifference to hating they former masters, turning the integration of Ward in the Reach easier.

With the Capellan Armed Forces defeated a second time and the guerrilla forces eliminated, the local situation calmed a lot. So far we had successfully destroyed some Capellan units and because of that, we did our job to support the Canopian and Taurian forces, and for us it hadn't been a bad campaign. I and Kamea never had any illusions on what we could probably get from this, but we had taken a decent world, for Periphery levels, that is, for a relatively small price.