Hesperus

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Planetary Flag of Hesperus II

(References to Hesperus II)

[[Image:
File:Hesperus II Neighbors.png
225px
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Astrophysical
System position2nd

Note: X and Y are coordinates (light years on XY plane) relative to Terra at (0, 0)

X: -123.51 Y: 47.07[e]


Planetary Data[1]

  • Number of Satellites: 1 (Hesperus II-Alpha)
  • Surface Gravity: 1.01
  • Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
  • Equatorial Temperature: 85° C (Jungle)
  • Surface Water: 40 percent

Era Specific Data

3025[2]

  • Noble Ruler: Greydon Brewer, Duke of Hesperus II
  • Political Leader: Representative Dena of Hesperus II
  • ComStar Representative: Precentor Hjalmer Curtis

3067[1]

  • Noble Ruler: Duke Daniel Brewer
  • Population: 55,000
  • Socio-Industrial Levels: A-A-A-A-B

Planetary Garrison

3025

3050 to 3054

3061 to 3067

3067

3079

- At this point in time the 5th operating at 60% of full strength, with 75% of their equipment featuring upgraded technology.

Geography

Hesperus is the second planet in the system and is composed of very mountainous terrain crisscrossed by canyons. There are four major continents which look like a game board.

Hesperus is home to the Defiance Industries BattleMech factory in the Myoo Mountains. This is one of the largest factories in the Lyran Commonwealth, and is the largest BattleMech factory in the entire Inner Sphere. It has been attacked more than 14 times by the other Houses and other forces, though damaged multiple times all but the Word of Blake have failed to actually take over and occupy the facilities. Not only do the attackers have to worry about the planet's defenders, but the terrain is unforgiving as well.

Hesperus II is mostly barren except in the Melrose Valleys or in the terraces outside the major city (and possible capital) or Maria's Elegy - the largest city on Hesperus II. The population of the planet has always been small, mainly the employees working in either factory.[2]

Manufacturing Centers

History

Age of War

  • (7 Feb 2459) Operation Prometheus - After six years of repeated attempts to infiltrate Defiance Industries, the Lyran Intelligence Corps is able to get one agent on the inside. This agent acquired maps and pictures of the assembly lines, though failed to acquire Mackie schematics. Colonel Simon Kelswa uses the maps and pictures to lead 25 Lyran commandos to specifically steal the Mackie plans. The mission is a success, allowing the Lyran Commonwealth to be the first House outside of the Camerons to have BattleMech technology.[citation needed]

The Battles for Hesperus II

Renowned as an essenatially unassailable fortress, the factories of Hesperus II have seen numerous famous battles:

First battle

The first attack came in 2787, when House Kurita launched Operation Broken Blade a massive attack that destroyed the orbiting shipyards but failed to overcome the ground defenses. The attackers withdrew in January, having suffered more casualties than they had dealt out.[9]

Second battle

In April 2788, light and fast forces from the Federated Suns attempted to rush the factories, raid them for supplies and destroy as much as they could. They were spotted in time for the defenders to repulse them.[9]

Third battle

In March 2789 the Free Worlds League attempted an attack with WarShips, using an unusual approach vector. However, the Lyrans had reinforced the planetary garrison with two cruisers, the LCS Granite and Endeavor, just days before. A naval battle evolved where the heavily damaged Granite wound up ramming the FWLS Devastator, causing both ships to crash on the planet. The remaining Marik fleet, including the cruiser FWLS Skulker, withdrew.[9]

Fourth battle

Between 2831 and 2836, House Kurita attempted an attack against the 'Mech factories on Hesperus II that was easily repulsed by the defenders.[10]

Fifth battle

In 2837 House Kurita attacked Hesperus II yet again, while its veteran defenders had been replaced with inexperienced units due to an upcoming offensive against House Marik. The Kurita attackers easily pushed the defenders back to the 'Mech factories, but could not overcome the fortified defensive positions and pillboxes there. After two weeks, the Steiner defenders broke the siege with 'Mech reinforcements fresh off the production lines and forced the Kurita invaders off-world.[10]

Sixth, seventh and eighth battle

House Kurita laid siege to Hesperus II and attempted to destroy the Defiance 'Mech factories in 2853[11] in what is often regarded as a revenge for the death of Coordinator Yoguchi Kurita at the hands of a Steiner assassin; however others point out that the massive and intricately planned operation must have been prepared long before.

The first part of the offensive saw Hesperus II blockaded by a massive fleet of WarShips, heavily armed DropShips and aerospace fighters that encircled the planet and blocked main jump points, preventing supplies or reinforcements from being shipped in.

Five months later they launched a ground offensive that aimed at wearing down the cut-off defenders in a war of attrition. House Steiner managed to break the blockade by re-activating the LCS Invincible from Tharkad. An unexpected battalion called "The Force of Last Resort" raised from barely-trained recruits in 'Mechs fresh from the production lines stalled the Kurita advance on the factory site and set them up for orbital bombardment from the Invincible, vanquishing the Kurita attack force.

The entire campaign became known as the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Battle for Hesperus II. House Kurita lost more than half of their ground units, fighters and DropShips and all of their blockading WarShips. House Steiner suffered massive losses, too: The 10th Skye Rangers and the 9th Arcturan Guards regiments were permanently disbanded and the LCS Invincible was lost to a misjump when it tried to return to Tharkad. One 'Mech assembly line had been destroyed, but it was back to working order within a year.

Ninth battle

In 2957, units from two Kurita regiments dropped directly on top of the 'Mech production facilities, bypassing most of the defending forces. Although some of the dropping 'Mechs were destroyed on mountain slopes and most were scattered in the mountaineous terrain, a sufficient number of attackers landed within the industrial complex to cause considerable damage and slash production capacity by half. The damage would take 20 years to repair. This caused a severe lack of spare parts and hampered the LCAF considerably for years.[12]

Tenth battle

In 2997 Marik forces raided an isolated supply depot on the planet, but were repulsed by the 15th Lyran Guards under the command of then-Colonel Katrina Steiner.[13]

Eleventh battle

Relying on the Tenth Battle for Hesperus II indicating that no other attack was to be expected soon, House Steiner drew three defending regiments from Hesperus II for an attack on Kalidasa which got bogged down. House Marik seized the opportunity to launch another attack on Hesperus II with four 'Mech regiments. They were (narrowly) repulsed by the Eridani Light Horse, but only after the Light Horse's 21st Striker Regiment purposely disobeyed orders from their incompetent ranking Commonwealth officer.[13]

The near-loss, combined with the unsuccessful and bogged-down offensive against Kalidasa, was a political desaster for Archon Alessandro Steiner and set him up for being ousted by his niece Katrina.

Twelfth battle

In early 3000, House Kurita stepped up its efforts again and dropped three 'Mech regiments and support on Hesperus II. It fell to the 1st Support Company of the Eridani Light Horse to hold open a space port so that Steiner reinforcements could be deployed.[13]

Although the attack was repulsed, the Eridani Light Horse felt they had finally suffered enough from incompetent Lyran officers. When their contract ran out later that year, they went to work for the Federated Suns instead.[14]

Thirteenth battle

In 3019, House Marik sent Wolf's Dragoons on a deep penetration raid that eventually aimed for Hesperus II. Lyran intelligence learned of the plan through a traitor and reinforcements were rushed to Hesperus, including the then-veteran 24th Lyran Guards, the 3rd Royal Guards and the Hsien's Hotheads and Hansen's Roughriders mercenary commands. Initially, the Lyran troops tried to seperate Wolf's Dragoons. When Colonel Jaime Wolf ordered his orbital reserves into action, the Lyrans consolidated their forces along a river line. Despite several attacks (including a night attack), the Dragoons couldn't break the strong positions of the Steiner defenses and were thrown back every time. However, Natasha Kerensky of the Dragoon's Black Widow Company discovered a weak point in the Steiner defenses. She advanced along a seasonal river, which was guarded only by a single lance of Mechs. Their path was blocked just in sight of the Defiance Industries Mech-Factories by Hansen's Roughriders. Even the arriving reinforcements of the Dragoon's Delta and Gamma regiments failed to dislodge the Roughriders heavy 'Mechs.

Wolf's Dragoons as well as the defending Steiner forces suffered tremendous losses during the campaign. The Dragoons were forced to make yet another supply run. However, due to their professionalism during the campaign and their fierce their reputation grew further, convincing Archon Katrina Steiner to contract the Dragoons.

The Lyran losses included the 24th Lyran Guards, which was almost destroyed during the defense. [15]

Fourteenth battle


Fifteenth battle

The Fifteenth Battle of Hesperus II was the pivotal battle of the Third Skye Rebellion, during the FedCom Civil War. Representing the Free Skye forces were the 22nd Skye Rangers, the 4th Skye Rangers, the Warships LAS Illustrious and the FCS Indefatigable. Defending the planet on behalf of the Lyran Alliance were the Gray Death Legion, the 15th and the 36th Lyran Guards, and the Defiance Self Protection Force, a corporate military unit. In orbit was the Warship FSS Simon Davion. Early in the campaign, the Illustrious was destroyed but the Simon Davion was captured by the Free Skye forces, giving the invaders a decisive advantage in orbit. After initial skirmishing, the two Skye regiments lifted off the planet, only to drop directly on the target factory, leaving the divided defenders in a desperate position. Orbital bombardment by the Free Skye forces destroyed an HPG Station, killing hundreds of civilians, and dealt tremendous damage to the 15th Lyran Guards. When the 32nd Lyran Guards joined the attack in support of Free Skye, the campaign appeared lost for the loyalists. The Gray Death Legion spent itself holding off the Rangers, losing most of its troops and its commander, Colonel Lori Kalmar Carlyle. The 32nd Lyran Guards had lost their own commander, however, and were now plagued by dissent. The 22nd Rangers were shattered, while the 4th and 17th Rangers were mauled. The pro-Skye 14th Lyran Guards arrived with Maria Esteban in command, inflicting heavy losses on the 32nd Guards. Despite all of this, the loyalists still held the massive Defiance Industries factory while the rebels had been ravaged, demoralized and had lost the element of surprise. The 4th Skye Rangers abandoned the battle, returning to Skye. Esteban made one last push for the factory, neutralizing much of the Defiance SPF and reaching the gates of the legendary facility. Loyalist Battle Armor units, however, managed to regain control of the situation, and the Free Skye forces, facing a suddenly resurgent SDF and 15th Lyran Guards, were forced to retreat. When General Caesar Steiner arrived with the pro-Lyran 2nd Donegal Guards, Esteban and her forces surrendered. [16][17][18]

Other battles

In 3027, a black market dealer named Simon Kincaid failed to deliver several millions C-Bill's worth of supplies to McCarron's Armored Cavalry, invoking the wrath of the notorious mercenary unit. Barton's Regiment of the MAC staged a quick and narrow objective raid on Kincaid's main manufacturing plant on Hesperus II that was successful despite heavy resistance from the Blackhearts and the 26th Lyran Guards, combined with relentless aerospace fighter attacks.[19]

The Jihad

From March 3068 until early 3070 the Word of Blake ran Operation Steel Hammer, a series of heavy raids against the planet's defenders. Unknown to the defending Lyran forces, commando forces were seeded onto Hesperus II during these raids. In early 3070, a Word of Blake invasion force arrived and devastated the Lyran defenders. Hesperus II fell into enemy hands for the first time. [20]

During the Word of Blake occupation, the Word upgraded and improved factory production on Hesperus II, and used the planet as a resupply/refit stronghold and a base for forces conducting strikes into their the Lyran Theaters of operations. In the first two weeks of November 3074 Coalition forces lead by Devlin Stone launched an assault against the defending Word of Blake forces, determined to recapture the planet after the successful defense of Skye earlier in the year. The coalition forces, which included elements from Skye, ComStar and Clan Wolf, took on three Word of Blake Divisions; the battle for Hesperus II lasted for weeks, with the last Blakist fortifications around Maria's Elegy finally being shattered on the 20th of December.[21][22] However, the Word of Blake rendered many of their improvements to the factories unusable through sabotage before leaving.

Owner History

Nearby Planets

Planets within 2 jumps (60 light-years)
Closest planets first:
Planet Distance (LY) Jumps 2750 3025 3030 3040 3052 3057 3062
Caledonia 9.99 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Trent 14.20 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Furillo 15.17 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Lamon 16.20 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Canonbie 20.67 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Laiaka 24.41 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Carsphairn 28.72 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Alkaid 29.73 1 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Sarpsborg 30.12 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Vindemiatrix 31.28 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Fianna 31.90 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Eidsfoss 32.65 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Arganda 33.32 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Algorab 33.49 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
New Kyoto 34.44 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Gladius 37.66 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Ciotat 41.94 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Rahne 42.10 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Clinton 43.39 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Zaniah 44.22 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Seginus 45.04 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Chaffee 45.87 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Bjornlunda 49.71 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Laurieston 50.25 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Halmyre Deans 51.95 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Gacrux 52.39 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Alcor 52.47 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Solaris 54.26 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Jaumegarde 54.68 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Glengarry 56.21 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Kochab 58.03 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Nekkar 58.51 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Chertan 58.52 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Enkoping 58.90 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA
Hyde 59.32 2 LC LC LC FC FC LA LA

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handbook: House Steiner, pp. 88-89, "Planet Profile"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 170, "Planet Guide"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 119, "Unit Deployment Table"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 20 Year Update, p. 27, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Objective Raids, p. 19, "FedCom Deployment Table"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Shattered Sphere, p. 48, "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Field Manual: Updates, p. 177, "Lyran Alliance Deploment Table"
  8. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 12, "Regimental Status"
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 50
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 58
  11. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, pp. 62-64
  12. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 75
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 78
  14. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 79
  15. ↑ Wolf Dragoons (sourcebook)
  16. ↑ FedCom Civil War, pp. 146-147, 163-164, 177-178
  17. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner p. 68
  18. ↑ The Dying Time (novel)
  19. ↑ McCarron's Armored Cavalry (scenario pack), p.??[citation needed]
  20. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 24, "Operation: Steel Hammer" - History of Hesperus occupation up to 3074.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 55, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13, "Federation of Skye world within the Lyran Commonwealth befor [2340] and after at their founding in [2341]"
  24. ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 158, "Inner Sphere Map [2596]"
  25. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 24, "Operation: Steel Hammer" - Blake Occupation from 3070 to November 3074.
  26. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 19, "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table [3079]"

Bibliography

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