Thessalonika

Thessalonika
Thessalonika 3151.svg
System Information
X:Y Coordinates74.182 : 304.712[e]
Spectral classG0V[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith, Nadir[1]

Political Affiliation[edit]

Thessalonika III[edit]

Thessalonika III
Crest-Thessalonika.png
Astrophysical
System position3rd[1]
Jump Point distance7 days[1]
Geophysical
Highest native life25% Mammal[1]
History and Culture
Population1,410,000,000 (3025)[1]
Government and Infrastructure
Noble RulerEarl of Thessalonika
CapitalTyrsis[1]
HPG ClassB[1]
HPG RepresentativePrecentor Gregory Rowden (3025)[1]

Thessalonika is a relatively poor world in terms of natural resources. Limited to a few petroleum deposits and gemstone veins, the first settlers landed here for a different feature: broad grasslands. These grasslands and the world's climate are well-suited to raising herd animals. Oxen, cattle, and Pesht Butcher beasts do well on these prairies.[1]

In military circles, Thessalonika was known for the Tyrsis McNeil Museum. Dedicated to preserving military technology, it is entirely possible that technicians reviewed the exhibits to understand how the equipment they received from ComStar worked.[1]

Planetary History[edit]

Clan Invasion[edit]

Thessalonika was one of the first worlds attacked by Clan Ghost Bear in the fifth wave of the Clan Invasion. When Delta Galaxy struck in November 3051, the 12th Sun Zhang Academy Cadre had been assigned to the planet as part of a training exercise, and so were trapped there along with 8th Alshain Regulars. Tai-sa Tasha Greer of the Eighth initially ordered the cadets to withdraw to safety, but when Tai-sa Anthony Fanhorn politely but firmly refused this order, she decided to work them into her battle plan. Khan Bjorn Jorgensson meanwhile would personally lead Delta Galaxy in the first engagement signaling the Clan's return to the Inner Sphere.[36]

When he received no reply to his batchall, Khan Jorgensson used information provided by ComStar to launch the 68th Striker Cluster against what he thought was the Alshain Regulars. Surprised to find their opponents meeting them in open combat rather than cowering behind cover, the Clan warriors eagerly charged forward to close the gap while the Kuritan forces returned fire and gradually pulled back. The battle was going almost too well for the Ghost Bear warriors, and just as they began to suspect a trap Star Colonel Chou Vong detected additional forces approaching from the rear. Immediately the Ghost Bears noticed these new forces were acting with more skill and professionalism than before and the truth was revealed: the cadets had been used to draw the Clanners into a trap set by the Regulars. Khan Jorgensson immediately ordered the 73rd Battle Cluster to attack, but when the Sixty-eighth protested at having to share glory the Regulars took advantage of the distraction to deliver a crippling blow. Scouts had located the Sixty-eighth's DropShips and, using the First Battalion to pin them down, the rest of the regiment proceeded to launch an all-out attack which crippled the transports. Only one DropShip managed to lift off in time, but was so damaged it crashed before reaching safety.[36]

Led by their Khan, the Seventy-third crushed the cadet force, leaving the Eighth Alshain as the only Combine unit left in the field. Joined by armor and infantry units from the local planetary militia, the Regulars proceeded to harass the Clan units in a continuous delaying action, leading Khan Jorgensson to suspect they had called in reinforcements. To counteract this he called down the rest of Delta Galaxy in order to secure the planet immediately. While they quickly overwhelmed the conventional regiments sent to face them, the Regulars still remained elusive, launching stinging raids while Kuritan aerospace fighters denied the Ghost Bears air superiority for an entire week. Eventually the cause for the Kuritan force's effectiveness in avoiding destruction was revealed: an intercepted transmission from one of the planet's moons traced back to a small research station, which was using its powerful telescopes to track Clan movements and relay this information to the Combine soldiers below. A detachment of Elementals quickly seized the station and deactivated its transmitters; denied its invaluable intelligence the Alshain Regulars were finally cornered and defeated.[37]

Military Deployment[edit]

3025[edit]

3061[edit]

3085[edit]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Tyrsis is the capital city. The Tyrsis McNeil Museum, located in the city, is devoted to the preservation of military technology.[41]

Local Fauna[edit]

The larger animals, such as oxen and Pesht butcher beasts, do quite well on the large, open, grassy plains on Thessalonika.[41]

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 24 systems (23 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Kaesong 16.6 Sheliak 17.7 Soverzene 17.9 Corfu 20.5
Kempten 29.2 Alshain 30.3 Tinaca 31.2 Radstadt 34.9
Casere 39.2 Bilma 40.5 Goito 40.8 Tuat 41.2
Marawi 41.5 Muswell 41.8 Spittal 42.6 Mualang 44.9
Courchevel 45.2 Yamarovka 48.2 Vorarlberg 49.9 Itabaiana 53.1
Oyevaina 54.6 Sternwerde 57.0 Predlitz 58.5 Stanzach 60.7

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 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 189: "Thessalonika"
  2. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18: "Draconis Combine - [2319] Map"
  3. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13: "Lyran Commonwealth at their Founding - [2341] Map"
  4. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 31: "Draconis Combine after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  5. Historical: Reunification War, p. 159: "Inner Sphere - [2596] Map"
  6. Era Report: 2750, p. 37: "Inner Sphere - [2750] Map"
  7. Field Manual: SLDF, p. xi: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  8. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  9. First Succession War, pp. 24–25: "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  10. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 43: "Draconis Combine after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  11. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  12. First Succession War, pp. 112–113: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  13. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 62: "The Minnesota Tribe and the Chahar Profit"
  14. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 53: "Draconis Combine after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  15. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), foldout: "Draconis Combine Map - [3025]"
  16. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 64: "Draconis Combine after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  17. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 66: "Draconis Combine after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  18. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 68: "Draconis Combine after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  19. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133: "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  20. Era Report: 3052, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3050] Map"
  21. Era Report: 3052, p. 23: "Inner Sphere - [3052] Map"
  22. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 71: "Draconis Combine after Operation REVIVAL - [3052] Map"
  23. Era Report: 3062, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3057] Map"
  24. Era Report: 3062, p. 29: "Inner Sphere - [3063] Map"
  25. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 74: "Draconis Combine after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  26. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 43: "Inner Sphere - [3067] Map"
  27. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 65: "Inner Sphere - [3075] Map"
  28. Field Report: Clans, p. 25: "Ghost Bear Dominion & Kungsarmé/Clan Nova Cat Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  29. Field Report: DCMS, p. 21: "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  30. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63: "Inner Sphere - [3081] Map"
  31. Field Manual: 3085, p. vii: "Inner Sphere Map - [3085] Map"
  32. Era Report: 3145, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3135] Map"
  33. Era Report: 3145, p. 39: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  34. Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  35. Shattered Fortress, pp. 102–103: "Inner Sphere - [3151] Map"
  36. 36.0 36.1 Invading Clans, p. 26
  37. Invading Clans, p. 27
  38. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 135: "Unit Deployment Table"
  39. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 164: "Warden Clans Deployment Table"
  40. Field Manual: 3085, p. 128: "Deployment Table 3085"
  41. 41.0 41.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 189: "Alshain"

Bibliography[edit]