Editing Battle of Addicks (3132)

{{Update Needed|[[Technical Readout: Dark Age]]}}
{{InfoBoxBattle
| conflict = {{PAGENAME}}
| partof = [[Dark Age era]]
| image = 
| startdate = 3 November [[3132]]<ref name=EDDAp10>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 10: "Dark Age Timeline"</ref>
| enddate = Approx. 10 November 3132<ref name=EDDAp6>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 6: "Important Military Actions of 3132"</ref>
| planet = [[Addicks]]
| place = Neo Cartagia
| result = [[Republic of the Sphere]] victory
| territory = No change
| faction1 = [[Dragon's Fury]]
| commander1 = ''[[Tai-i]]'' [[Danni Haag]]<ref name=Gambit1>''Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!'', scenario 1: "DropShip Down"</ref>
| command1 = [[Amaterasu]]<ref name=DADossiers121>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 121: "Kurt Larsen"</ref>
| faction2 = [[Republic of the Sphere]]
| commander2 = Captain [[Tara Bishop]]<ref name=DAINNp58>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 58: "War Touches Addicks"</ref>
| command2 = [[Northwind Highlanders]] ad hoc force<ref name=EDDAp6/>
| faction3 = 
| commander3 = 
| command3 = 
}}
==Overview==
After the failed [[Battle of Dieron (3132)|Dieron strike]], [[Katana Tormark]] needed to secure materials to support her coming war effort. Addicks was chosen as one of the worlds to be raided. Landing on the 3rd of November, the [[Dragon's Fury]] launched an assault to capture the planetary oil fields. The Fury's attack on the [[Weyland Industrial Complex]] near Neo Cartagia was repulsed by forces from the [[Northwind Highlanders]], stationed near the oil fields by [[Tara Campbell]] in anticipation of just such an attack.<ref name=EDDAp6/>

==Prelude==
On 18 June 3132, Senator [[Kev Rosse]] announced the results of a [[Republic Geological Resources]] survey of [[Prefecture III]]. Republic Geological Resources had made the largest find in its history: a vast supply of high-grade crude oil on Addicks, in the western portion of the continent Sparro.<ref name=DAINNp7>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 7: "Senator Kev Rosse Announces Discovery of New Crude Oil Resources on Addicks"</ref> Over ten billion tons of oil awaited extraction,<ref name=Gambit1/> and Rosse immediately directed prefecture funds towards resource development.<ref name=DAINNp7/>

On 7 August 3132, [[HPG]] communications [[Blackout|collapsed]] across the Sphere, and the [[Republic of the Sphere|Republic]] descended into war.<ref>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', pp. 4-6</ref>

Katana Tormark, [[Republic_of_the_Sphere#Prefectures|Prefect]] of Prefecture III and head of the pro-[[Draconis Combine]] splinter group Dragon's Fury, saw in Addicks the fuel to supply her forces. She assigned ''[[Tai-i]]'' [[Danni Haag]] the task of taking what seemed an undefended planet.<ref name=Gambit1/>

==Battle==
The attack began on 3 November 3132. The first Dragon's Fury [[DropShip]] landed around 20-30 kilometers away from the Weyland Industrial Complex, near Neo Cartagia on the southern continent of Sparro, to take control of the planet's only aerospace fighter base. There, they encountered a surprise: an ad hoc<ref name=EDDAp6/> [[Northwind Highlanders]] force commanded by [[Tara Bishop]].<ref name=Gambit1/><ref name=DAINNp58/><ref name=DAINNp74>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 74, "Peace on Addicks"</ref> The Highlanders initially pulled back, only to strike the attackers in the flanks. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but the Highlanders took an initial advantage.<ref name=DAINNp74/><ref>Battle for Addicks: DropShip Down results, retrieved from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20030720054649/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mwdarkage/mw_article.asp?cid=36695&frame=news#headlines MechWarrior: Dark Age website]</ref>

Haag kept the pressure up, however, pushing Bishop's Highlanders into Neo Cartagia itself before, in the hopes of shutting down the city's spaceport and controlling civilian traffic to and from the planet, launching a full-scale assault on the city itself. The Dragon's Fury struck at civilian buildings, doing enough damage to goad the entrenched Highlanders out for a disastrous counterattack. The brutalized Highlanders retreated from Neo Cartagia to regroup, leaving the Fury in control of the planetary spaceport.<ref name=DAINNp74/><ref name=Gambit2>''Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!'', scenario 2: "Reach for the Sky"</ref><ref>Battle for Addicks: Reach for the Sky results, retrieved from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20030720054649/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mwdarkage/mw_article.asp?cid=36695&frame=news#headlines MechWarrior: Dark Age website]</ref> Highlander [[Naomi Katina]] distinguished herself in her very first battle, earning three vehicle and infantry squad kills.<ref name=DADossiers89>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 89: "Naomi Katina"</ref>

The threat and devastation of conflict drove thousands from the planet.<ref name=DAINNp201>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', pp. 201-202: "Return to Addicks"</ref> During the early fighting, many residents of Hesperus, a suburb near Neo Cartagia, took an opportunity to escape. Civilian aerospace industry workers seized three nearby DropShips - the ''[[Terrestria]]'', the ''[[Tarawa]]'', and the ''[[New Hope (Individual DropShip)|New Hope]]'' - of which two were Dragon's Fury vessels. About 3,000 residents boarded the ships and fled to [[Towne]].<ref name=DAINNp63>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 63: "Addicks Refugees Arrive on Towne - Report 'Addicks at War'"</ref><ref name=DAINNp138>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 138: "Addicks Refugees to Return Home"</ref>

After securing Neo Cartagia, Haag turned her forces towards the northern continent of Landersia, where another Dragon's Fury detachment awaited. Haag's daring attempt to cross the strait between the continents of Auskel and Landersia amidst a storm was spotted by Bishop's VTOLs, and the Highlanders struck the seaborne invaders as they reached Carlton Beach. The Fury was battered badly and failed to hold the beach.<ref name=Gambit3>''Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!'', scenario 3: "Poseidon's Fury"</ref><ref>Battle for Addicks: Poseidon's Fury results, retrieved from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20030720054649/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mwdarkage/mw_article.asp?cid=36695&frame=news#headlines MechWarrior: Dark Age website]</ref> The Highlanders pressed their advantage, striking again and again to grind their enemies down,<ref name=DAINNp74/> but the Dragon's Fury was able to unite what remained of their forces on Landersia.<ref name=Gambit4>''Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!'', scenario 4: "Black Gold"</ref> 

While fending off a battle armor surprise attack, the Highlanders detected the combined Dragon's Fury force and moved in to crush them. On the plains of Jesara, a bloodbath ensued. Both sides suffered severely, but in the end, about a week after the invasion began,<ref name=EDDAp6/> the Highlanders secured the planet. Haag fled with what little Fury equipment could be recovered on the Fury's few remaining DropShips. Stranded Dragon's Fury stragglers made their last suicidal attacks, but the struggle for Addicks was over.<ref name=DAINNp74/><ref name=Gambit4/><ref name=Gambit4Results>Battle for Addicks: Black Gold results, retrieved from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20030720054649/http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mwdarkage/mw_article.asp?cid=36695&frame=news#headlines MechWarrior: Dark Age website]</ref>

During the battle, Highlander [[Kurt Larsen]] earned his first kills, two vehicles and an assist against an IndustrialMech. He was granted a ''[[Valiant]]'' for his performance, one captured from the [[Amaterasu]] on Addicks.<ref name=DADossiers121/> [[Tameka Pryer]], a recent conscript, valiantly defended a Highlanders ammo dump as the driver of an air defense vehicle. Taking the guns after her commander and gunner were shot, she fired blind and brought down two Fury aircraft before reinforcements arrived. She was rewarded with command of a [[Partisan AA Vehicle]].<ref name=DADossiers133>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 133: "Tameka Pryer"</ref><ref name=TRO3150p74>''Technical Readout: 3150'', p. 74: "Partisan AA Vehicle"</ref>

==Aftermath==
Danni Haag left Addicks a failure. She set off to [[Proserpina]], ready to report her defeat to Katana Tormark and to plead for ritual suicide.<ref name=Gambit4Results/> It was not granted.<ref name=TRODAp8>''Technical Readout: Dark Age'', p. 8: "Arbalest"</ref>

Reconstruction began soon after the Dragon's Fury withdrew. Knight [[Stephanie Hoover (32nd c.)|Stephanie Hoover]] arrived to survey the damage and reassure the public, promising extensive assistance.<ref name=DAINNp74/> Some of the planet's thousands of refugees slowly came back,<ref name=DAINNp201/> though not all elected to return.<ref name=DAINNp138/> The Highlanders surged in popularity for defending the planet and for helping rebuild in the months immediately afterwards, though Tara Campbell's work programs for residents in need caused some controversy. The [[Society for Interstellar Conscience]] questioned the focus on military-oriented projects that directly aided the Highlanders themselves.<ref name=DAINNp201/>

Addicks resident [[Malcolm McPherson]], who would eventually earn fame for his exceptional [[Thumper (Combat Vehicle)|Thumper]] accuracy, joined the Highlanders in the aftermath of the battle.<ref name=DADossiers86>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 86: "Malcolm McPherson"</ref>

Eventually, in April [[3133]], the oil fields [[Battle of Addicks (3133)|attracted another attacker]]: the [[Spirit Cats]].<ref name=EDDAp10/>

==Notes==
* The location of the Addicks oil deposit is inconsistent. ''[[Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN]]'' places the deposit on the southern continent of Sparro,<ref name=DAINNp7/> while ''[[Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!]]'' places the deposit on the northern continent of Landersia.<ref name=Gambit3/> ''Era Digest: Dark Age'', a later publication, places the oil deposit near Neo Cartagia, on Sparro.<ref name=EDDAp6/>

==References== 
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN]]''
* ''[[Era Digest: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[Gambit: The Battle for Addicks!]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3150]]''

[[Category:Late Dark Age Era Military Operations|Addicks]]