New Rhodes

(Redirected from New Rhodes III)
New Rhodes
New Rhodes 3151.svg
System Information
X:Y Coordinates102.361 : -15.815[e]
Spectral classM9V[1]
Planet(s)5[1]

The New Rhodes system is home to at least one habitable world, New Rhodes III, and as of June 3152 was located in the Robinson Operational Area of the Draconis March within the Federated Suns.[2]

System Description[edit]

New Rhodes is located near the New Florence and Mirach systems.

Political Affiliation[edit]


New Rhodes III[edit]

New Rhodes III
New Rhodes III.jpg
Astrophysical
System positionFirst[1]
Jump Point distance2 days[1]
Moons2 (Filerimo, Dodecanisa)[1]
Geophysical
Surface gravity0.7[1]
Atmospheric pressureStandard (Breathable)[1]
Equatorial temperature28°C[1]
Surface water60%[1]
Highest native lifeAmphibians[1]
LandmassesAt least 3 (Crete, Minos, Sparta)[1]
History and Culture
Colonized2259[1]
Population246,000,000 (3130)[1][47]
Government and Infrastructure
Political LeaderPlanetary Governor
Military CommanderLegate J. C. Forma (3130)[1][47]
CapitalXerxes[1]

New Rhodes III is a world filled with harsh deserts.[1] A relative cool season, compared to the 40 degree Celsius heat of the hot season, lasts from February through July.[48] There are only two features that attracted humans, one scientific and one military.[1]

The scientific feature is the "Colossi of New Rhodes," a chain of nearly 150 colorful geological towers scattered across the vast desert like islands in a sea. Since its discovery in 2259, the formations became a tourist attraction that brings people from across the Inner Sphere. The Colossi originated from meteors that struck the planet around two million years before settlement.[1][48]

The military reason for humans visiting this world is more prosaic: Because of the small size of its star, DropShips only require two days to reach New Rhodes III. This particular quirk made New Rhodes III a crucial logistical player during the First Succession War and subsequent campaigns for dominance in the region.[1]

Planetary History[edit]

Star League[edit]

New Rhodes III served as the location for multiple orbital shipyards and drydocks. These massive installations and factories supported much of the Third Fleet with maintenance and replacement parts. To defend this vital infrastructure the Thirty-second Pursuit Squadron called this system its home port. At any given time a pair of WarShips—the Texas-class battleship William Halsey or the Black Lion-class battlecruiser Port Hope—were in-system protecting the important installations.[49]

First Succession War[edit]

Armed Forces of the Federated Suns peacekeepers were deployed to New Rhodes III in 2784 as part of the Federated Suns acquisition of former Terran Hegemony systems.[50]

In May 2787, the Draconis Combine launched a massive invasion of the Federated Suns. The invasion was so swift and targeted communications and JumpShips so effectively that many border systems didn't have a chance to transmit warnings or alerts, leading to widespread confusion on the part of the AFFS. A second wave followed three days after the first, led personally by Coordinator Minoru Kurita and his son, Warlord Jinjiro Kurita, striking through the Clovis Combat Region and Dahar Combat Region in two thrusts, and proved devastatingly effective. The death of Field Marshal Grover Simons on Clovis caused the AFFS defensive line to collapse,[51] and the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery adopted a strategy of leapfrogging worlds, smashing some AFFS units while leaving others isolated and cut-off, to be subsequently destroyed later.[52]

The majority of the AFFS units left behind enemy lines had been destroyed by mid-2789, but the Chargers' battalion of the Tenth Robinson Chevaliers was one of a handful of commands that managed to survive longer, through a combination of good luck, resourcefulness and sheer resilience. Made up from remnants of the Tenth and those supporting units that had managed to escape destruction, the Chargers went to ground for years after New Rhodes III fell, causing as much havoc as they could for the DCMS garrison and raiding for supplies to survive.[52]

The civilian population of New Rhodes proved more obstinate than anticipated by the Combine garrison, a problem that was made no easier to deal with by the presence of the Chargers. Despite these problems, in December 2788 Tai-sa Samuru Olowenn, the commanding officer of the Thirtieth Dieron Regulars, believed that he had crushed the last of the armed resistance. Having reported to the DCMS High Command that his troops were victorious. The High Command designated New Rhodes as a major depot, intent on using the planet as a warehouse to supply troops throughout the local region, and began shipping large quantities of weapons and ammunition for onward distribution.[53]

Whilst the Thirtieth proceeded to stockpile the shipped supplied in every available open space at the Xerxes City Spaceport, Olowenn laid plans to impress upon the civilian population that the Combine's occupation of New Rhodes was now absolute and unquestionable, beginning with a military parade to cow and impress the planetary business leaders, media and civilian administrators. The parade was duly held on the morning of 23 March 2789, with much fanfare—only to be disrupted by Captain Conrad Warrent of the Tenth Robinson Chevaliers, who had used the river that flowed past the southern edge of the spaceport to bring a reinforced company of Chevaliers 'Mechs within striking distance of the piled supplies. The piles of supplies stretched as high as five stories, and as the DCMS security forces attempted to engage his troops, his 'Mechs jumped into the maze created by the stacked shipping containers and began destroying supplies and battling their pursuers. Explosions caused by missed shots ignited several stacks of assorted munitions, and the resulting inferno swept through half of the hangars and the spaceport, destroying more than a thousand tons of supplies and generating a thick plume of black smoke that spread through the sky for several kilometers.[53]

Having destroyed the supplies—along with two companies of DCMS 'Mechs and armor—more than half of Warrent's raiders escaped to rejoin the resistance; with so many of the media present, it was inevitable that copies of footage from the day would survive the best efforts by Combine officials to track them down and have them destroyed. Footage of the DCMS being humiliated was shown around New Rhodes and spread to other worlds, providing a welcome morale boost for the AFFS; the strike also convinced the High Command that New Rhodes wasn't secure enough to use as a supply world, leading to the eventual decision to instead use Kentares IV as a supply hub instead.[53]

Although the naval battle at Cholame fought in March and April 2790 had cost the AFFS a huge price, it bought the Federated Suns something badly needed - time. For fourteen months, the invasion forces from the Combine were unable to make significant gains, and the AFFS used that opportunity to provide whatever aid it could to those forces still fighting in systems such as Dobson, Galtor, Kentares, and New Rhodes III.[54]

The Chargers' continued success in resisting the Combine provided a morale boost to their embattled counterparts on the front lines, and also likely played a role in Minoru Kurita's decision to secure his new holdings rather than push on to New Avalon.[55]

Republic of the Sphere[edit]

By 3132, New Rhodes was a major tourist destination, its Colossi letting it benefit from the time's boom in scientific tourism.[48]

On 14 January 3133, Bannson's Raiders launched a raid on New Rhodes III that forced the Swordsworn to retreat from the planet.[56] The Raiders' attack was a deliberate attempt by Jacob Bannson to test the resolve of Duke Aaron Sandoval, and the Raiders' success led Bannson to begin planning an expansion throughout the worlds of Prefecture IV.[57] In 3134 pro–Draconis Combine rebels operating under the banner of the Dragon's Fury used Garrot Superheavy Transports to haul artillery between the various Colossi mesas in support of their drive on the planetary capital, Xerxes.[58]

Military Deployment[edit]

2790[edit]

2821[edit]

3025[edit]

3038[edit]

  • Eighth Crucis Lancers RCT[62]

Geography[edit]

New Rhodes has at least three continents named Crete, Minos, and Sparta.[1]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Colossi of New Rhodes[48]
    • Broken Rock formation[48]
      • Broken Rock Cottages: as of 3132, these cottages, carved out of boulders, served as a hotel[48]
    • Firebird formation[48]
  • Polis: a city[63]
  • Xerxes: capital city[1]

Image gallery[edit]

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 64 systems (64 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
New Florence 12.5 Mirach 12.9 Tybalt 13.3 Rio 14.7
Ronel 14.8 Schedar 16.4 Caselton 21.3 Mallory's World 23.5
Elbar 25.5 Ozawa 25.6 Tikonov 26.4 Angol 27.2
Hean 27.7 Ankaa 28.4 Alpha Eridani 30.0 Tigress 30.9
Mara 31.3 Galatia 32.2 Sonnia 33.6 Edwards 34.0
Addicks 34.4 Mira 36.2 Deneb Kaitos 37.9 Cartago 37.9
Alrescha 38.0 Basalt 38.5 Mesartim 38.8 Markab 38.9
Yangtze 38.9 Waycross 39.4 Towne 40.8 Cylene 41.0
Skat 43.6 Murchison 45.1 New Hessen 45.2 Ruchbah 45.5
Logandale 45.5 Almach 45.8 Hamal 46.6 Kentares 47.1
Tallassee 48.6 Nopah 48.6 Kawich 50.5 Bharat 50.5
Small World 51.4 David 51.5 Pokhara 51.6 Helen 51.8
Tawas 52.1 Tedibyhr 52.6 Ingress 52.8 Errai 53.5
Goderich 53.9 Okaya 54.3 Demeter 54.9 Kansu 56.0
Sadachbia 56.1 Fletcher 56.1 Chesterton 56.8 Fellanin 57.0
Slocum 57.3 Ancha 58.5 Johnsondale 58.9 Marlette 59.6

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 84: "New Rhodes III World Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 ”Dominions Divided”, p. 75, “Draconis Combine & Federated Suns June 3152” (Map)
  3. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18: "Draconis Combine Founding" - [2319] Map
  4. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 31: "Draconis Combine after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  5. Handbook: House Davion, p. 48: "Federated Suns after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  6. Historical: Reunification War, p. 159: "Inner Sphere - [2596] Map"
  7. Era Report: 2750, p. 37: "Inner Sphere - [2750] Map"
  8. Field Manual: SLDF, p. xi: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  9. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 138: "Operation LIBERATION Wave 1 [July 2772 - December 2774]"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, p. 118: "Digesting the Hegemony"
  12. First Succession War, p. 28
  13. First Succession War, p. 25: "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  14. 14.0 14.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 55: "Kentares IV"
  15. First Succession War, p. 44: "Draconis Combine-Federated Suns Front 2786-2796"
  16. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 43: "Draconis Combine after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  17. Handbook: House Davion, p. 54: "Federated Suns after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
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  19. First Succession War, p. 113: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
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  21. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 53: "Draconis Combine after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  22. House Davion (The Federated Suns), foldout: "Federated Suns - [3025] Map"
  23. Handbook: House Davion, p. 70: "Federated Suns after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  24. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), foldout: "Draconis Combine Map - [3025]"
  25. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 64: "Draconis Combine after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  26. Handbook: House Davion, p. 71: "Federated Suns after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  27. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 66: "Draconis Combine after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  28. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133: "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  29. Handbook: House Davion, p. 76: "Federated Suns after War of 3039 Map"
  30. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 68: "Draconis Combine after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  31. Era Report: 3052, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3050] Map"
  32. Era Report: 3052, p. 23: "Inner Sphere - [3052] Map"
  33. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 71: "Draconis Combine after Operation REVIVAL - [3052] Map"
  34. Era Report: 3062, p. 11: Inner Sphere - [3057] Map
  35. Handbook: House Davion, p. 78: "Federated Suns after Operation Guerrero - [3058] Map"
  36. Era Report: 3062, p. 29: Inner Sphere - [3063] Map
  37. Handbook: House Davion, p. 82: "Federated Suns after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  38. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 74: "Draconis Combine after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  39. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 42: "Inner Sphere - [October 3067] Map"
  40. Field Report: AFFS, p. 21: "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  41. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63: "Inner Sphere Map - [March 3081]"
  42. Field Manual: 3085, p. 127: "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"
  43. Era Report: 3145, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3135] Map"
  44. Era Report: 3145, p. 39: "Inner Sphere Map - [3145]"
  45. Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - 3145"
  46. Shattered Fortress, p. 102-103, "Inner Sphere - 3151" (Map)
  47. 47.0 47.1 Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere, p. 10: "Prefecture IV"
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 48.3 48.4 48.5 48.6 Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, p. 46: "The Colossi of New Rhodes"
  49. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 66: "32st Pursuit Squadron"
  50. First Succession War, p. 28
  51. First Succession War, pp. 38–39: "The Battle for Clovis"
  52. 52.0 52.1 First Succession War, p. 40: "Rout"
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 53.3 First Succession War, pp. 43–45: "Rebellion on New Rhodes"
  54. First Succession War, p. 43: "On the Brink"
  55. First Succession War, pp. 44–45
  56. Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 10: "Dark Age Timeline"
  57. Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 7: "Important Military Actions of 3133"
  58. Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries, p. 12: "Garrot Superheavy Transport"
  59. 59.0 59.1 First Succession War, p. 136: "First Succession War Deployment Table - DCMS"
  60. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 133: "Unit Deployment Table"
  61. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 11: "Operation RAT"
  62. Historical: War of 3039, p. 136: "Deployment Table"
  63. Technical Readout: 3025, p. 82: "RFL-3N battle history"

Bibliography[edit]