Editing Battle of Arcadia (3063)

{{InfoBoxBattle
| conflict = {{PAGENAME}}
| partof = [[Civil War Era]]
| image = 
| startdate = April [[3063]]<ref name=FCCWp38>''FedCom Civil War'', pp. 38-40: "The Eagle's Flight"</ref>
| enddate = 2 May [[3063]]<ref name=FMUp10>''Field Manual: Updates'', pp. 10-11: "3063"</ref>
| planet = [[Arcadia (LC)|Arcadia]]
| place = 
| result = [[Free Worlds League]] victory
| territory = Ceded back to [[Lyran Alliance]], 11 April [[3067]]<ref name=FMUp13>''Field Manual: Updates'', pp. 13-14: "3067"</ref>
| faction1 = [[Kristen's Krushers]]
| commander1 = [[Colonel]] [[Kristen Marik]]†
| command1 = [[Kristen's Krushers]]
| faction2 = [[Lyran Alliance]]
| commander2 = [[Leutnant-General]] [[Delmar Voss]]
| command2 = [[Second Donegal Guards]]<br>[[Yggdrasil (Individual Mjolnir-class WarShip)|LAS ''Yggdrasil'']]
| faction3 = [[Free Worlds League]]
| commander3 = [[Marshall]] [[Jeremy Brett]]
| command3 = [[Sixth Marik Militia]]<br>[[Sardis (Individual Thera-class WarShip)|FWLS ''Sardis'']]<br>[[Bedevere|FWLS ''Bedevere'']] (presumed)<br>[[Tristram|FWLS ''Tristram'']] (presumed)
}}

==Prelude==
In the wake of the opening moves in [[Battle of Coventry (3063)|battle]] on [[Coventry]] that saw the [[First Coventry Jaegers]] and [[Kristen's Krushers]] destroy the [[Coventry CPM]], [[Colonel]] [[Jason Walker]] of the Jaegers interpreted [[Archon]] [[Katherine Steiner-Davion| Katherine Steiner-Davion's]] order to eliminate neutral and hostile forces as being applicable to the Krushers as well.  The Krushers retreated off planet on 21 January and began making their way towards [[Free Worlds League]] space.  The need to resupply consumables required a successful [[Battle of Gallery (3063)|raid]] of [[Gallery]]  on 11 March, however the ruler of that world was none other than [[Nondi Steiner]] when then branded the Krushers as a hostile force. Anticipating their line of travel would take the Krushers to [[Arcadia (LC)|Arcadia]], the Alliance repositioned a fleet that included the [[Mjolnir (WarShip class)|''Mjolnir'']]-class [[battlecruiser]] ''[[Yggdrasil (Individual Mjolnir-class WarShip)|Yggdrasil]]'' to the system, and rotated the [[Second Donegal Guards]] from [[Gienah]] to the planet's surface. The prior position of the ''Yggrasil'' is unknown, but given the tight timing and the lack of a [[Lithium-Fusion Battery]] it was almost certainly just a few jumps from Arcadia.<ref name=FCCWp38/>

==Overview==
===Initial Actions===
When the Krusher's flotilla appeared in the Arcadia system, the presence of the ''Yggdrasil'' forced the Krusher's to scatter.  The [[DropShip]]s made a hard burn for the planet to outrun the guns of the battlecruiser, miraculously doing so without loses despite harassment the entire transit.<ref name=FCCWp38/><ref name=FMMRp84>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 84: "The Krushers"</ref>

Upon landing the Second Donegal fell upon the already bloodied Krushers, shattering them further.  The notable[[Hunter|Hunter Light Support Tank]] crew of the Second Guards' Tank 92, [[The Red Banner]], saw considerable action.<ref name=TRO3058Up76>''Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade'', p. 76: "Hunter Light Support Tank"</ref> By the end of April the Krushers had been reduced from their initial strength of a regiment to two operational companies.<ref name=FCCWp38/>

===Relief===
On 2 May, the Krushers detected [[BattleMech]] [[Drop Pod]]s cutting through the atmosphere. Believing them to be Lyran reinforcements Colonel [[Kristen Marik]] prepared to surrender, but radio contact soon revealed them to be the [[Sixth Marik Militia]], sent by Kristen's brother-in-law Marshall [[Jeremy Brett]]. Transporting them was the ''[[Thera]]''-class [[carrier]] [[Sardis (Individual Thera-class WarShip)|FWLS ''Sardis'']] which almost certainly came with her escorts, the [[Eagle (WarShip class)|''Eagle'']]-class [[frigates]] [[Bedevere|FWLS ''Bedevere'']] and [[Tristram|FWLS ''Tristram'']].<ref name=TRO3067p204>''Technical Readout: 3067'', p. 204: "Eagle (Frigate)</ref> It is unknown if the ''Yggrasil'' was still in system when the League WarShips arrived, but there was no recorded engagement between them. The ''Sardis''' [[aerospace]] regiments were able to overwhelm the planetary aerospace forces and quickly achieved aerospace superiority with minimal losses in what would be the first combat action of a ''Thera''-class WarShip.<ref name=TRO3067p210>''Technical Readout: 3067'', p. 210: "Thera (Carrier)</ref>

One of the first members of the Sixth to make planetfall was [[MechWarrior (rank)|Trooper]] [[Gemma Jackson]] in her [[Hammer (BattleMech)|HMR-3S ''Hammer'']] nicknamed ''Slammer''.<ref name=TRO3055Up16>''Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade'', p. 16: "HMR-3M Hammer"</ref> Once on the ground, the Sixth sent five two-’Mech reconnaissance elements to scout the Guards' lines. [[Lieutenant]] [[Beata Gulipous]] and her [[Hermes|HER-3S ''Hermes'']] were able to locate a break in the Guards' lines that allowed the Sixth to break through and rescue the Krushers.<ref name=TRO3050Up190>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', p. 190: "HER-3S Hermes"</ref> This break was able to be exploited by [[Force Commander]] [[Arthur Sukhanov]], the Sixth's infantry commander. His expert employment of his [[Longinus]] battle armor in urban environs eared him much renown.<ref name=TRO3058Up28>''Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade'', p. 28: "Longinus Battle Armor"</ref> Unfortunately, in the final clash Kristen Marik was seriously wounded. <ref name=FCCWp38/><ref name=FMMRp84/>

The Guards quickly recognized their situation and withdrew from Arcadia.<ref name=FMUp169>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 169: "Donegal Guard"</ref><ref name=FMUp148>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 148: "Marik Militia"</ref>

==Aftermath==
Kristen Marik was medevaced to the League, but expired enroute. Her only son, [[Janos Rousset-Marik]] had been killed on Gallery, so command of the Krusher's and her Title passed to her only surviving child, [[Alys Rousset-Marik]].  Publicly Marshall Brett was reprimanded for his unauthorized adventurism, but privately he was praised and the League maintained control of Arcadia until 11 April [[3067]]. Trooper Jackson became the reluctant human face of the campaign during the PR blitz to rehabilitate Marshall Brett's reputation.  Force Commander Sukhanov became a key advisor to Marshall Brett. <ref name=FCCWp38/><ref name=FMMRp84/><ref name=TRO3055Up16/><ref name=TRO3058Up28/>

Following this battle, the Guards relocated to [[Giausar]].<ref name=FMUp169/> Once Arcadia was returned to the Alliance, the Sixth pulled up stakes and arrived at their new duty station of [[Megrez]] in July 3067.<ref name=FMUp148/> 

==Notes==
The exact date of arrival in the Arcadia system is unknown, but given the probable path of Gallery->Chuckchi->Aristotle->Soilihull->Mariefred->Dar-es-Salaam the Krushers would appear around 24 April. Assuming 2.5G transits, the Overthrust for both Union and Overlord DropShips trying to flee a WarShip,  the ordinary 13.87 days would be cut down to 8.77 days.  This would put them on planet around 3 May which is just a touch past the first hardtime of "the end of April" but pretty close considering FASA likely didn't do all the calculations when creating the narrative. Ironically, the long transit time also means the ''Sardis'' led relief force and the Krushers were almost certainly in space at the same time.  Had they been able to detect each other the entire planet side battle could have been avoided.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)|FedCom Civil War]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3067]]''

[[Category:Civil War Era Military Operations|Arcadia (3063)]]