Spina Khanate (Clan Sea Fox)

Insignia of Spina Khanate
Spina Khanate
Affiliation Clan Sea Fox
Parent Command Clan Sea Fox touman

Formed from Clan Diamond Shark, the Spina Khanate is a large space fleet consisting members of Clan Sea Fox. The fleet is a mix of civilians and warriors who form a mobile enclave of the Clan.

History[edit]

Spina Khanate's involvement in the squabbles between states within the former Free Worlds League was a direct result of the actions of Delta Aimag and subsequently the efforts of saKhan Petr Kalasa, the two culminating in Spina Khanate becoming the Khanate to beat by 3145. Acting like a mighty trading house from pre-spaceflight Terra, Delta Aimag picked sides in a local squabble and used its strength to push the chosen side to victory.[1] That faction was the breakaway faction from Clan Nova Cat known as the Spirit Cats, led by then-Star Colonel Rikkard Nova Cat; Rikkard led his forces to the planet Marik and, with support from the Oriente Protectorate and then from Delta Aimag, seized the planet, which the Spirit Cats then claimed as their own.[2][3]

The Spirit Cats officially founded the Clan Protectorate in 3138, having expanded their protection to incorporate several neighboring worlds.[2] The Spirit Cats offered the use of Marik as a trading world, and the Spina Khanate accepted.[4] Against the wishes of Delta Aimag's leadership - and following a successful Trial of Refusal fought against difficult odds - Clan Sea Fox's Omicron Cluster detached itself from Delta Aimag and became ground forces for the Clan Protectorate. In 3139 the Clan Protectorate went on to join Jessica Marik in her campaign to recapture Atreus from the forces of the Principality of Regulus, with Spirit Cat forces fighting alongside Sea Fox forces and the planetary militia of Angell II during the campaign.[2]

With Delta Aimag having opened the door, the rest of the Spina Khanate promptly walked through; the Khanate gained monopoly access to the most lucrative commercial opportunities that each of the governments it assisted had to offer. The Khanate's resources, troops and industrial output were essential to Jessica Marik's plans, leaving her unable to antagonize them despite the protests from Free Worlds League companies about the Khanate's access to the new League's inner workings.[1] The Spina Khanate was still represented in the Free Worlds League Parliament in 3145,[1][5] although its loyalties remained clearly tied to its Clan, not the febrile League.[1]

The changes in the Free Worlds League region led to friction between the Spina Khanate and the nearby Skate Khanate as the union of the former Marik-Stewart Commonwealth and the Oriente Protectorate brought the trading border between the two Khanates fell across the Protectorate. With the Spina Khanate taking an increasing role in trade within the new Free Worlds League it seemed inevitable that saKhan Kalasa and his counterpart, saKhan Arkady Sennet, would have to renegotiate the various trade territories and compensation.[1] The Spina Khanate had also started buying up ComStar infrastructure, presumably in anticipation of communication via HPG becoming possible again at some point in the near future.[6]

In 3145 saKhan Mikel Sennet was removed from his position of saKhan with Petr Kalasa becoming saKhan of Clan Sea Fox.[7][8]

Blockade[edit]

After 3146's Operation TRIUMVIR attacks, Jessica Marik condemned the three nations that attacked the Free Worlds League. Taking this as a command, Spina Khanate blockaded Tiber, Harmony, and Regulus to punish the Regulan Fiefs. They appeared at the main jump points and Sea Fox marines boarded DropShips and JumpShips that were present and prohibited commercial DropShips from landing on the worlds. A few vessels refused and were destroyed with accurate fire. The Foxes then searched the wreckage for salvage. In a few cases DropShip crews resisted the marines; The marines quickly captured the DropShips and spaced the crew. They then took the DropShip and its cargo as isorla.

In addition to the blockade, Spina Khanate sent roving patrols through the Regulus Fiefs to intercept commercial JumpShips and DropShips. Passenger and courier vessels were allowed to leave after a detailed inspection by Sea Fox marines. Commercial DropShips were inspected and if they remained docked to their JumpShip, they were allowed to leave. Cargo DropShips that detached were quickly seized by the Khanate. These two actions deterred merchants and traders from visiting the Regulan Fiefs because they didn't want to encounter heavily-armed military vessels. The blockade expanded to include Wallis and Clipperton.

After six months, the Regulans were desperate. A Regulan task force was able to inflict heavy damage on CDS Silentshark before they were destroyed. Another Regulan task group tried to break the embargo by destroying the CDS Talismantia but failed. The Spina Khanate landed forces on the blockaded worlds and encouraged the population to trade, despite the Regulan government officially outlawing trade with the Clan.[9]

In March 3148, the Spina Khanate lifted the economic blockade from all five embargoed systems. One week later they returned with several Free Worlds League Military commands and attacked the Regulan Fiefs. Alpha Aimag and the 1st Orloff Grenadiers faced the 1st Regulan Hussars on Tiber, forcing the Hussars off-world. Beta Aimag and the Steel Wolves captured the 14th Regulan Hussars on Avior.[10] April 3148 found elements of the Spina Khanate and FWLM units invading Regulus. After four months of negotiations, the Regulan Fiefs surrendered to the Free Worlds League.[11]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Spina Khanate
saKhan Mikel Sennet 3134

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3145[edit]

- In 3145, the Spina Khanate was based around the Potemkin-class ArcShip Poseidon, with the various Aimags operating from a number of other ships. Alpha, Gamma, and Epsilon Aimags were all operating from Merchant Carrack-class transports—the Silentshark, Starfox, and Swiftswimmer, respectively—while Beta Aimag was based around the Sovetskii Soyuz-class heavy cruiser Talismantia and Delta Aimag was based around the Potemkin-class Voidswimmer.[12]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 158: "Spina Khanate"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 109: "Clan Protectorate Military"
  3. Era Report: 3145, pp. 66–67
  4. Era Report: 3145, p. 67
  5. Field Manual: 3145, p. 150: "Standby Mode"
  6. Field Manual: 3145, p. 152: "Clan Sea Fox"
  7. Era Report: 3145, p. 104
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Field Manual: 3145, p. 170: "Clan Force Deployments - Clan Sea Fox"
  9. Shattered Fortress, pp. 35–37
  10. Shattered Fortress, p. 53: "A Campaign of Vengeance"
  11. Shattered Fortress, p. 54
  12. Field Manual: 3145, p. 170: "Spina Khanate"

Bibliography[edit]