The Rock (Melissia)

The Rock was a military fortress build on the planet Melissia built during the Clan Invasion era and used until the IlClan Era.

Description

The Rock was located on the Loveless Foothills, and described as a hill transformed into a bunker of concrete and firepower, ringed by several other hills, some of which showed also signs of fortifications. It was provided with artillery and surrounded by minefields of pop-up mines, with a maze of tunnels into the surrounding hillside, hidden repair bays for 'Mechs and gear. It also fielded gun positions which provided cover to the area, with overlapping fields of fire outward from the bunker. It had at least two lances of BattleMechs of assault class guarding the main bunker

During the IlClan era, the minefields were long gone, but still was heavily defended with the disuded 31st century defenses, including Long Tom artillery.

Construction

“	This is the rock that will break their spines.	”
	—  Marshal Sharon Bryan when talking with Adam Steiner about her plan.

The Rock was named by the same person which ordered its creation: the Federated Commonwealth Marshal Sharon Bryan. During the Jade Falcon Incursion (3064), Clan Jade Falcon forces led by her Khan Marthe Pryde began assaulting the lyran half of the Commonwealth, then immersed in the FedCom Civil War. The Falcon's intention wasn't really to conquer planets, but to train their forces through combat, so they focused on attacking defended planets. Sharon Bryan, commander of the Melissa Theather, decided to attract them to a decisive battle and crush them. She choose Melissia, as capital of his theater, to fought it. Expecting to create impenetrable fortification, ordered and oversaw the Rock's construction. The 15 June, she shared her plan with her XO, Leftnant General Adam Steiner. He, a veteran of the Clan Invasion, expressed his worries about her strategy, but the Marshal refused to listen him.

Battle of Melissia

After the Battle of Melissia (3064) began, Bryan directed the battle from her command post, while Adam Steiner led the forces on the field. The attempts of the defenders to draw the Flcons to the Rock failed. When they ventured close to it, were caought by long-range indirect missile fire or explosions from the vibramines buried, but always retreated far for it. The 16 August, the battle raged around the fortress, when the Falcons attacked it finally, though not as Bryan had expected: a Falcon's Broadsword-class DropShip flew over the Rock, and released dozens of Elementals, which landec on the Fortress. They assaulted it up close, and some infiltrated into the command center, killing Bryan and all her personnel. Without alternatives, Adam ordered the surviving forces to retreat to another planet.

The 31 August, Marthe Pryde used the Rock as command post, making her solahma forces to dig up the mines and using the facilities to repair her Mechs. However, the bulk of the Falcons, including the Khan, departed shortly after.

IlClan Era

At the dawn of IlClan Era, after the creation of the Hinterlands, Melissia was freed of the Falcons, and a government was established, the Melissian Republic, using the Rock as headquarters. A civil war ensued, and their adversaries of the Noble Council eventually surrounded the Rock. There they met with Duke Vedet Brewer, asking him for help. The final battle of the civil war was fought around the Rock. When the Noble Council forces assaulted it, Brewer's forces, apparently their allies, turned against them, crushing the Council's radical leader and his forces, restoring peace to Melissia.

After the war had ended, Brever took control of the Rock and turned them into his command center and administrative headquarters for the Vesper Marches, heavily defended by a portion of his forces.

Bibliography

• Elements of Treason: Opportunity (novel)
• Operation Audacity (novel)
• Tamar Rising (sourcebook)