8th Talon (Clan Jade Falcon)

Clan Jade Falcon Logo
Eight Falcon Talon Cluster
Nickname Gyrfalcon's Talons
Affiliation Clan Jade Falcon
Parent Command Delta Galaxy

Unit Description

The 8th Talon Cluster was an elite Clan Jade Falcon frontline combat unit that was notably used as a supplementary force during the mid-thirty-first century.

History

Garrison Duty and Transfer

In 3054, the 8th Talons were part of Epsilon Provisional Galaxy, where it was being used as a garrison unit in the Occupation Zone. The Talons were assigned to protect Maxie's Planet from aggression.[1]

Khan Chistu in early 3057, would transfer the Cluster with its Galaxy-mate 7th Talons to bolster the depleted ranks of Delta Galaxy. This move was also other combat units, notably the 5th Battle Cluster and 2nd Falcon Jaegers become available for offensive operations.[2]

The Refusal War and its Aftermath

During the Refusal War the Eighth Talon was stationed on Butler as that was where the Falcons assumed Clan Wolf would attack. This later proved incorrect, so they were out of position.[3] However they redeployed and engaged the Wolves.

Near the end of the Refusal War, on December 10th, 3057, the 8th Talon and rest of the Gyrfalcons were put to the test against Clan Wolf. The task force of Wolves commanded by former ilKhan Ulric Kerensky arrived on world to challenge Delta Galaxy and saKhan Vandervahn Chistu. The Falcon's saKhan accepted the challenge of defending the planet against the remains of Clan Wolf's Clan Wolf's Tau and Alpha Galaxies and to personally Ulric to a duel. The two sides fought in the city of Borealtown, where they engaged in a brutal battle. The Talons were devastated in the conflict, which reduced it to two Trinaries of 'Mechs and a single Trinary of fighters.[4] After the Wolves were defeated, the unit took a large number of Wolf bondsmen. These captured bondsmen gave the unit the prospect of a quick recovery. However: "new" Clan Wolf Khan Vladimir Ward's Trial of Refusal would prevent the Talons from fully recovering. The unit's commander, Star Colonel Allison Sonoma, animosity towards Wolves grew after Trial.[5][6]

Due to its reduced strength, the unit was not be deployed with rest of Delta Galaxy in Marthe Pryde's Incursion to Alliance space.[7][8]

The Eighth Talon was present however when the Steel Vipers struck at several Jade Falcon systems. The Eighth formed a key part of the Falcon task force, and the fighting helped bring the unit into a cohesive whole. The Eighth also added a new Trinary of Steel Viper bondsmen and their machines to their rolls. These bondsmen were not happy with their new status however.[9]

Falcon Incursion during the FedCom Civil War

In 3064, Khan Marthe Pryde would call up Delta Galaxy to participate in her second expedition into the Lyran Alliance. The 8th Talon would be positioned with the rest of Delta on the world of Roadside prior to launch of the invasion. During this time period, the Alliance had been caught up in its own problems, dealing with its own Civil War. The invasion would take both sides of that conflict by surprise and draw them together.

Delta Galaxy led by saKhan Clees would first attack Kikuyu in May as part of the Falcon's first wave. Among the Lyran forces included the 6th Donegal Guards and Dioscuri mercenary unit. Initially, they and other Falcon forces did well, mauling the Lyran forces. However, an enemy officer would conduct and win a Trial of against a Trinary of Falcon troops and win a two week delay in the fighting. During the two weeks, the 6th Donegal's surviving 'Mech forces were recalled to off-world. This left the Dioscuri and the Donegal's conventional units to continue the fight for the planet. The Talons would take moderate casualties in the fighting on world, with aid of most of Delta would secure the planet. In July in third wave of the invasion, 8th Talon would be teamed with the 1st Falcon Strike Cluster. The Talons remained partnered with the Strikers for rest of the campaign, first moving together to secure Clermont.

In August, Delta Galaxy would be called to regroup for the invasion of the Lyrans' regional headquarters on Melissia. The unit took modest damage in the fighting to win control of the planet and force the Lyrans to withdraw from the planet. Khan Pryde pull her troops including the Cluster and the Strikers to move to Machida as part their efforts hunt down General Adam Steiner and his surviving Lyran Alliance forces. She had guessed wrong that Machida was where he chose to go, leaving the Talons and Strikers as part garrison force.

In November, the units (with the Strikers) were sent to Medellin as part their efforts to secure worlds surrounding Melissia. They would discover the Chahar MTM had arrived from a pirate Jump Point days. The unit proved to be exhausted from its fighting Medellin, would fragment in battle with the Talons. Losing cohesion, the militia would be easy pickings, but the enemy commander gain control days later and conduct fighting withdraw from the planet.

The Talons and Strikers were called away from Medellin to Blair Atholl by Khan Pryde, where she was having negotiations to end hostilities. Khan was convinced to end hostilities due to threat of the Wolves' invasion of their Occupation Zone. The 8th Talons along the 1st Falcon Strikers be sent as part Falcon forces to repulse the crusader Wolves from their space. The unit's most noted action retaking Colmar in June 3065, where they would take heavy casualties in the fighting, which turn victorious for the Clan. They would remain on planet as its garrison force up to 3067, which they would regain much of the strength from years of fighting.[10][11][12]

Jihad

The Third Jade Falcon Incursion

In late 3068, Clan Jade Falcon would commence their third incursion into Lyran Alliance, retaking worlds lost in previous incursion and gaining new ones such as Graus.

In 3069 the 7th and 8th Talon repulsed a counterattack by the Thorin FTM and Knights of St. Cameron on Baker 3.

Near end of the incursion in 3071, the Eighth Talon along with surviving Galaxy mates, 1st Falcon Strike and the 7th Talon were caught in brutal battle to take control of Great X. Lyran forces fending off the incursion, led by the 25th Arcturan Guards, had fortified the planet prior to Delta Galaxy's arrival from Morges. In brutal battle for the planet, the 8th Talons were cut off from rest of the Galaxy's forces were annihilated by the Lyran forces.[13][14][15][16]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of 8th Talon Cluster
Star Colonel Allison Sonoma 3057 - 3067

Tactics

No Specific Tactics listed.

Composition History

3054

  • 8th Talon Cluster

Unit Note: Based on Maxie's World with the old Epsilon Provisional Garrison Galaxy.[17]

Late 3057 - 3059

  • 8th Talon Cluster (3 Trinaries)
    • Cluster Command Star (BattleMech Star) - CO: Star Colonel Allison Sonoma
    • Trinary Alpha (3 BattleMech Stars) - CO: Star Captain Karen
    • Trinary Beta (3 BattleMech Stars) - CO: Star Captain Camillia
    • Trinary Charlie (2 aerospace fighter Stars, 1 Elemental battle armor Star) - CO: Star Captain Sheryl

Unit Notes: Both Trinaries Alpha and Beta consist of two Beak (medium & 'heavy) Stars, while they differ having single Talon unit in Alpha, and Beta having a light weight Eye Star. The unit was not fully operational as of 3058, however it was listed as elite skilled and reliable as of 3059 with fanatical loyalty to the Clan. Its designated "homeworld" was noted as being Winfield.

Aerospace Support: The Cluster has a single Clan Invader JumpShip, with two Lion Class DropShips and a Union-C.[18][19]

3067

8th Talon Cluster (Elite/Reliable)[20]

CO: Star Colonel Allison Sonoma

Unit Note: Stationed on Colmar, the Cluster's strength would be at 95% strength as of 3067, with skills and reliability remaining the same as it was in 3059.[21]

Notes

As of this writing, the 8th Talon's actions during the early Jihad which led to its destruction on Great X are unclear. Also unclear if the unit would be rebuilt.

Unit Insignia

The unit's original insignia was a Gyrfalcon holding a blue and green pennant while aloft in flight.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 31: Objective Raids / Unit Listings - 8th Talons' first listing and where the unit was stationed
  2. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 101: 8th Talon with the 7th are transferred to Delta, and the reason why
  3. ↑ Bred For War, p. 290
  4. ↑ The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 31: Unit info from Refusal War. 8th Talon's Delta Galaxy was the sole combatant who was forced to face off with Clan Wolf's forces. Unit listings show only three Trinaries of troops remaining
  5. ↑ The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 31: Unit info from Refusal War. 8th Talon's Delta Galaxy sole combatant force facing off with Clan Wolf
  6. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 101: Delta Galaxy's 8th Talon background information from Refusal War, its internal problems from it
  7. ↑ The Battle of Coventry, p. ??: 8th Talon not listed among the Delta Galaxy units' deployed.[citation needed]
  8. ↑ Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion, pp. 12–13: 8th Talon not mention among the combatants listings
  9. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 56
  10. ↑ FedCom Civil War, pp. 110–112, 115–116, 120, 185: noted movements and actions during the FedCom Civil War. p. 185 notes the Talons as being on Machida from August until November, though the fluff does not mention them
  11. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. ??: Delta Galaxy's retaking Colmar noted.[citation needed]
  12. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad, p. 22: Falcon incursion of 3064 noted
  13. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, pp. 10, 13, 15–19, 22, 24: Timeline of the Jihad/Falcons return to Great X - Notations of the Incursion and Eighth's destruction on Great X
  14. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad, pp. 24, 50, 105: Inner Sphere media reports of an incursion into Lyran Alliance in October 3068
  15. ↑ Starter: Fist and Falcon, p. 9
  16. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 10: "Arcturan Guards"
  17. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 31: Unit listing show it being assigned to that world as a garrison unit
  18. ↑ The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 51: Breakdown of the 8th Talons and its support information as of January 1st, 3058
  19. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, pp. 101, 153: 8th Talon - unit status as of 3059, with its homeworld and skill/reliability/loyalty rates listed
  20. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, pp. 72–73
  21. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 72: Unit listing shows the 8th has same commander, but it is nearly at full strength as a Cluster. Skill, Reliability and Loyalty rates remain the same
  22. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 101: Unit Insignia noted

Bibliography

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