Operation FREEDOM

(Redirected from Operation Freedom)
Operation FREEDOM
Part of Succession Wars
Start Date 2866
End Date 3025 (unofficial)
Result The Draconis Combine's assaults netted them a total of 21 worlds taken from the Federation of Skye
Factions
Lyran Commonwealth Draconis Combine
Commanders and leaders
Coordinator Jinjiro Kurita
Environment
Standard
Conditions
Normal


Operation FREEDOM was originally a major offensive during the Third Succession War by the Lyran Commonwealth against the Draconis Combine, with the stated goal of reclaiming the many worlds lost to House Kurita, particularly in the Federation of Skye region. It would officially last for over a century.

History[edit]

Prologue[edit]

In the early years of the thirtieth century, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces found themselves in a sorry state, short of both men and equipment. The Third Succession War had seen the Commonwealth lose many worlds to the armies of the Draconis Combine with the Lyrans just barely repelling an assault on the critical planet of Skye, the capital of the Federation of Skye. The Combine had claimed a number of worlds with strong industrial bases from the Skye region, further weakening the war effort. The Dragon now turned its eyes rimward onto the vulnerable Tamar Pact and its own capital of Tamar. [1] [2]

Desperate to turn the tide, Archon Eric Steiner implemented new compulsory service laws. Though unpopular, it provided his forces with badly-needed recruits, bringing many line regiments back to full strength. After the worlds of Kobe and Sevren fell in 2912, Eric quickly implemented a plan to distract the Combine from Tamar by liberating important industrial worlds taken by the Combine from the Federation. Declaring his intent to "retake the Commonwealth", the plan was named Operation Freedom in part after the world of Freedom, which would be one of the first worlds targeted.[3][4][5]

Opening Strikes[edit]

Archon Eric planned two separate thrusts for the first wave of his counteroffensive. In addition to Freedom, Dalkeith, Skondia and Ryde were chosen, both for their locations and their industrial strength. The operation began in February 2913 and initially went well, as Kuritan commanders were shocked the supposedly inferior Lyran soldiers could launch such an offensive. Personally commanding the 3rd Royal Guards, Eric led the attack on Freedom, outmaneuvering the 6th Sword of Light and trapping two battalions of enemy forces in a valley facing artillery and air support fire.[5] After wearing the stunned Kuritans down, Eric personally led his BattleMech forces into the valley, completely destroying the Sixth Sword. Tragically, Archon Eric was killed when his Zeus stepped on a hidden vibrabomb. As it fell, the 'mechs head and chest fell on another vibrabomb, killing the Archon in a fiery explosion. [3]

The Grind[edit]

The offensive soon bogged down as Lyran forces reacted to this blow. [3] However, Operation FREEDOM was not canceled, even as years passed and it was reduced primarily to the raiding that was typical of the Third War. In 2952, however, Lyran troops successfully retook Phalan from the Combine, a major campaign that showed to all that the Lyran military had significantly improved over the years. [6][7] In 2953, the Lyrans were forced on the defensive somewhat, as the Kuritan invasion of Alexandria (a Federation planet only one jump from Freedom) turned into a major two-year campaign as both sides called for reinforcements. The defenders were eventually successfully in repelling the DCMS troops. [6]

The Combine's determined warriors kept the progress of the offensive slow, [8] and by 2997, Operation FREEDOM had been technically active for a shocking 84 years and had seen the reigns of six Archons. Worlds such as Baxter, La Blon, Lyons and Skondia had all been successfully retaken, but the progress was slow at best, and the LCAF troops were exhausted by the pace insisted on by Archon Alessandro Steiner. [9] Archon Alessandro was, however, able to reclaim four more worlds by 2997. [10] Alessandro attempted to push his troops further with his Concentrated Weakness policy, only to suffer disastrous setbacks that lost him his throne. By the middle of the reign of Katrina Steiner, Operation Freedom had been dormant for some years, though an attempt was made to briefly reactivate it in an effort spearheaded by the mercenary Wolf's Dragoons, with successes coming on such places places as Dromini VI, where a heavy raid inflicted serious losses on House Kurita. [11]

Legacy[edit]

Operation FREEDOM fell well-short of its ambitious goal of retaking all the Federation planets lost to House Kurita during the Third Succession War. Indeed, between the start of the conflict in 2866 and its unofficial end in 3025, the Draconis Combine's assaults netted them a total of 21 worlds taken from the Federation of Skye. [12] However, most of those losses came in the early years of that conflict, and the overall performance of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces was far improved by its end. It would help prepare the Commonwealth to launch Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG during the Fourth Succession War.

The success of Operation FREEDOM also bolstered relations between the Commonwealth and the Federated Suns. First Prince Joseph Davion closely watched the Commonwealth's progress in the early years of the campaign, going from viewing the Lyrans with derision to respecting the determination of the LCAF. Joseph launched his own offensive against the Combine in 2918, a year earlier than first planned, partially because he believed it would aid the Commonwealth's campaign.[13]

References[edit]

  1. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 70
  2. Handbook: House Steiner pp. 45-46
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 71
  4. Handbook: House Steiner pp. 48-49
  5. 5.0 5.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 81
  6. 6.0 6.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 74
  7. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 86
  8. Handbook: House Steiner p. 49
  9. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 78
  10. Handbook: House Steiner p. 51
  11. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 82
  12. Handbook: House Steiner p. 47
  13. House Davion (The Federated Suns), PDF version, p. 85

Bibliography[edit]