Fighting Withdrawal

Fighting Withdrawal
Story information
Author	Steven Mohan, Jr.
Pages	4
Type	Short story
Product	Total Warfare
Content
Era	Succession Wars era
Timeline	24 April 3039

The short story Fighting Withdrawal was published in Total Warfare.

Plot summary

Tai-sa Esau Olivares finds his 11th Legion of Vega overwhelmed on Alrakis. With the enemy Lyrans in control of the planetary HPG, he cannot request permission to honorably retreat. Even knowing that unauthorized off-world retreats are traditionally punished with mass executions (of the commander, their staff, and a third of the unit's soldiers), he decides to conduct a fighting withdrawal regardless, preserving at least some of his forces.

Once back off-world aboard the unit's flagship, Olivares prepares to commit seppuku. To preserve his unit, he writes a suicide note falsely claiming that he told his officers that permission to withdraw had been granted, and he prepares to die. Sho-sa Leonardo Nicosia interrupts with a message: the Federated Commonwealth was conducting a large-scale assault on the Draconis Combine. Feeling that his presence is still needed, Olivares burns the note and decides to keep fighting.

Featured characters

• Esau Olivares
• Leonardo Nicosia
• Lukin
• Theodore Kurita (mentioned)

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• Dragon
• Locust
• Phoenix Hawk
• Victor
• Zeus
• Crusader
• Grasshopper
• Quickdraw
• Trebuchet
• Marauder
• Warhammer
• Awesome
• Stinger
• Stalker

Aerospace Fighters

• Lightning (Aerospace Fighter class)
• Stuka

Vehicles

• Manticore

DropShips

• Leopard-class (Snow Crane)
• Fortress-class (Astringent Beauty)
• Union-class

Featured units

• 23rd Arcturan Guards
• 11th Legion of Vega

Featured places

• Alrakis
• Alnasi (mentioned)
• Kessel (mentioned)
• Vega (mentioned)
• Athenry (mentioned)
• New Mendham (mentioned)
• An Ting (mentioned)