Towne

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Towne
System Information
X:Y Coordinates69.27 : 7.96[e]
Spectral classF8IV[1]
Planet(s)5[1]

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

Template:InfoBoxPlanetStandard


Political Affiliation

Planetary Description

Towne is a slightly cooler Terra-like world, which is geologically young and active. The planet boasts good mineral and lumber wealth. Towne is slightly smaller than Terra but denser; the many active volcanos and other geological activites continue to give the impression that the world is bigger than it actually is.[53] Possessed of large mountains, deep oceans and a diverse ecosphere, the epitome of the native lifeforms on the planet are the Eiglotherium, a giant, shaggy, six-legged creature.[1]

The planet has five landmasses (continents), which were named for various aspects of ancient science fiction author, Robert E Howard and his fiction-fantasy book series, Conan the Barbarian. The Conan mythos was also the source of the name given to Towne's moon, Conan.[54] Its continents are names: Hyborian, Krom, Fetryl, Howell, and Gherst.[55] Towne has abundant deposits of metallic ores, particularly copper, although the majority of the deposits are located under the various planetary oceans.[1]

Local Fauna

Notable Locations

  • Port Howard - located in Circle Bay on the western coast of Hyborian mainland, its was first city estisblished on planet. The city is home of the planetary capital and Towne's major spaceport, Prince John Spaceport.[56]
  • Kale Bay - Second largest city on planet, this settlement is located on the continent of Gherst in the southern lattiudes of Towne.[57]

History

Discovery and Settlement

The planet was discovered by the scientific community on Terra prior to the invention of the Kearny-Fuchida Drive. Scientists used digitally-aligned orbital telescopes which it made possible to spot Terra-sized worlds in other systems, including Towne.

Towne's actual colonization efforts started with a private concern. C. Augustus Pons, a plankton magnate from Terra, backed and paid for Towne's late twenty-second century settlement effort. The eccentric trillionaire was a fan of author Robert E. Howard. He had the planet's moon named for the adventurer, Conan, and the largest continent named after the Hyborian lands Conan had traveled. Pons also named the planet's main city Port Howard after the author.

The first wave of settlers to arrive on Towne had come from the North American continent on Terra. These colonists continued to name various parts of the planet after aspects of Howard's fantasy world, but later settlers didn't.[58]

Early Eras

While under administration of the Terran Alliance Towne was a proprietary colony, with shareholders in charge of the planet. These shareholders prevented the rapid industrialization that occrued during the preparations being made elsewhere for the what became known as the Outer Reaches Rebellion. This constraint along with shareholder's desire to prevent over-industrialization also preserved the planet's unusual landmark names as well. With Towne's mineral wealth located beneath its oceans it was less desirable to corporate mining concerns, preventing it from being target of raids.[59]

The final target of Director-General James McKenna's first of many "Campaigns of Persuasion" to bring worlds under the aegis of his newly-formed nation, Towne was seized by the Terran Hegemony in 2317.[60]

Falling within the boundary of the Hegemony's Lockdale Province, Towne would be liberated from the grasp of the Amaris Empire by the Star League Defense Force's Task Force Sun during Operation CHIEFTAIN. Landing in February 2773, the SLDF's increasingly brutal Third Army would recapture the world relatively quickly, eliminating all Amaris Empire Armed Forces resistance on Towne in a few short months before moving on strike their next target of Errai in May of the same year. [61]

The Towne Debacle

In 2783 First Prince John Davion of the Federated Suns dispatched forces to claim the Towne. At the time, with the Hegemony's collapse, the planet was viewed by the Federated Suns as one few worlds seen worth the effort of securing. Towne had a number of valuable supplies in warehouses and Hegemony industries, as well as providing a path for the Federated Suns to potentially claim Terra. Towne was taken without opposition. Davion garrisoned the world with elements of the Fifty-sixth Avalon Hussars and 123rd Aerospace Interceptor Wing.

In February of 2785 raiding parties from both the Draconis Combine and Capellan Confederation would attempt to capture the planet's valuable warehouses and industries at the same time. Though the AFFS defenders easily outnumbered the combined attackers, interservice rivalry and regional loyalties would cripple the garrison's to repulse the raiders, with Major Wilkins of the 56th wanting to take on the Kuritans, while Major Donner of the 123rd demanding a Capellan-focused counterattack, neither branch willing to compromise or aid the other, allowing the Combine and Capellan raiders to retreat with minimal losses after stripping several poorly defended warehouses. With the prospect of further raids in the future, this caused the garrison to request reinforcements, but the damage had already been done. Later in December of the same year, the Draconis Combine dispatched the Fifth Dieron Regulars ahead of a large invasion force to claim the planet. By the time AFFS forces had arrived to reinforce the beleaguered garrison, the world had been claimed by the Combine as its own.[62][63]

Return to Davion Control

Towne was given a legal document known as the Towne Charter which granted the planet's citizens the right to form organized and armed militia groups. The Charter was a gift from the late First Prince John Davion, intended for the planet's citizens who conducted a guerilla war against the occupation by Draconis Combine and Liao toops.[64]

In 2876 Towne was one of the targets of the military campaign instigated by First Prince Carl Davion to retake worlds taken the Draconis Combine. Although he died in effort on David, his campaign reclaimed Towne in progress.[65]

Black Dragon Invasion

In the middle of 3057, the Federated Commonwealth was sundered by the Free Worlds League/Capellan Confederation invasion of the Sarna March. With the seccession of Lyran side of the Commonwealth, Towne's garrison forces were stripped to a barebones presence.

In January of 3058, the Fifteenth Dieron Regulars led a six-regiment invasion force to take possession of the planet. Frontline units, considered renegades by the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, were supported by Black Dragon-raised regiments staffed with Yakuza thugs. The invasion, which Towne Planetary Chairman, Howard Blaylock, arranged, quickly took control of capital city of Port Howard. On Towne at the time was the mercenary unit known as the Seventeenth Recon Regiment, who had been hired by Chandrasekhar Kurita to reinforce the planet's weakened militia forces.

Those defenders stationed in the planetary capital were forced into hiding in the rural regions of Hyboria. The mercenaries would manage to build up number of local resistance groups with the aid of the Popular Militia. Together, they conducted a low-level guerrilla war, which whittled down the occupying Black Dragon forces. By April after the Planetary Chairman's execution of a number of Seventeenth Recon Regiment officers and making threats against their children, the Seventeenth launched what became known as the Battle for Port Howard. As 'Mechs of the Seventeenth Recon fought Black Dragon 'Mechs, a commando team led by Lt. JG Cassie Suthorn penetrated the city Administration Building and freed the Seventeenth's dependents. The battle ended when Suthorn managed to capture the invasion's commander and had him commit ritual suicide, captured on holovid broadcast. The death of the invasion commander ended the conflict on Towne.[66]

The Jihad

During the Jihad the Word of Blake added Towne to the Word of Blake Protectorate. In January 3075 the Opacus Venatori were active on Towne; while the events around their activity on Towne were unclear, the Blakist unit did find and destroy all of the rebel forces that the Black Widow Company had inserted onto Towne the year before.[67]

As a part of Operation SCOUR, the allied coalition invasion of the Protectorate, Towne was raided for reconnaissance information by allied scouts on the 12th of February 3077. The scouts confirmed that not only were there more than two regiments of Protectorate Militia forces on Towne, but there was also a limited but functioning SDS network protecting the world, and that the Blakists were using a large DropShip facility on the planet to convert civilian vessels into Pocket WarShips.[68]

The information on the facilities constructed on Towne by the Word of Blake was obtained by Captain Ross McKinnon and the Fox's Teeth, who would return with Group I of the Federated Suns task force as a part of SCOUR in April 3077. The Word of Blake had heavily fortified their DropShip facility, located deep within a mountain range on the continent of Howell, and protected it with formidable defenses, including capital missile launchers. This became the site of the fiercest struggle during the campaign to liberate Towne, with the Blakists nearly defeating the combined forces of Group I - believed to consist of the Third Free Worlds Legionnaires, Fifth Crucis Lancers and Fifteenth Arcturan Guards.[69] The defenses proved to be almost as tough as one of the Castle Brian complexes created during the era of the Star League, and drove the coalition troops to desperate measures; Princess Regent Yvonne Steiner-Davion personally authorized the use of orbital bombardment to crack the fortifications, and the Fox-class WarShip FSS Indefatigable moved in response.[70]

As the Indefatigable moved towards Towne, it triggered another layer of defenses in the system that the various DropShips of Group I had failed to trigger; even as the Fox's Teeth were making a dangerous raid on the surface of the planet to disable the capital missile launchers there, hidden missile launchers within the system targeted the Indefatigable. Launch platforms disguised as ore processing stations within the Towne asteroid belt launched dozens of missiles, inflicting heavy damage on the Indefatigable and nearly stymied the liberation effort. As it was, the Indefatigable managed to make it to orbit and bombard the Blakists defenses, allowing Group I to take the planet. The campaign took four weeks from start to finish, and while the 15th Arcturan Guards were ready to deploy on their next operation on the 22nd of April, the other elements of Group I would continue to rebuild on Towne for some time.[70]

The SDS system in the asteroid field around Towne was subsequently determined to be a prototype of the Dragon's Breath Multiple Capital Missile Launch System equipped with conventional missiles, rather than the nuclear weapons later systems would deploy. The successful activation of the SDS network in the Towne system and the damage inflicted on the Indefatigable would turn out to be an unusually successful performance for the SDS system, with later systems inflicted less damage on average.[71]

Map of Towne's Hyborian Continent as of 3057

Dark Age

With the liberation of the Word of Blake Protectorate, Towne and along with other former worlds of the Protectorate became part of the Republic of the Sphere in 3081.[72] The abundant mineral deposits on Towne continued to form the base of Towne's economy during the Dark Age, although other substantial industries on Towne included cattle ranching and hardwoods. The nature of the economy of Towne saw regular imports of industrial 'Mechs, particularly those associated with construction, mining and forestry. Despite centuries of conflict Towne remained a ruggedly beautiful world; the majority of the population continued to live on the northern continent of Hyboria and the southern continent of Gherst, while Krom - located at the south pole - the northern island continent of Howell and the temperate southern continent of Fetryl remaining sparsely populated at best. While Port Howard remained the planetary capital and the site of the Prince John Spaceport, the water-port city of Kale bay on Gherst was the second-largest city on the planet.[1]

In August 3133 the Stormhammers rebel faction launched a raid on Towne. The leader of the raid, Jasek Kelswa-Steiner, had assistance from Lohengrin in modifying a number of Garrot Superheavy Transports that the Stormhammers had seized from the Skye militia. The modifications made the Garrots resemble Skystar Freight Helicopters, ubiquitous civilian cargo haulers. The Stormhammers used these modified helicopters to infiltrate commandos into the Prince John spaceport, seizing the facility easily. The destruction of a sizable number of Skystars in future years may well have been a result of the Stormhammers raid on Towne.[73]

Military Deployment

2783

2786

  • Fifty-sixth Avalon Hussars[75]

3050

3057

-Note: Less than two companies of BattleMechs, mixed with infantry, armor and a few aerospace fighters[77]

3075

3085

  • Republic Standing Guard[79]

-Local combined arms planetary garrison forces.

Nearby Planets

Planets within 2 jumps (60 light-years). Closest planets first:

Planet Distance (LY) Jumps 2750 3025 3030 3040 3052 3057 3062
Addicks 8.17 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Murchison 13.19 1 TH DC DC FC FC FC FC
Helen 14.24 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Ozawa 16.49 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Errai 17.59 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Ankaa 18.31 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Deneb Kaitos 21.63 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Galatia III 22.69 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Small World 23.30 1 TH CC TFR FC FC DS DS
Hean 23.33 1 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Quentin 23.89 1 TH FS FS DC DC DC DC
Al Na'ir 25.19 1 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Ronel 28.68 1 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Biham 29.07 1 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Ancha 29.11 1 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Skat 30.84 2 DC DC DC FC FC FC FC
Markab 32.56 2 DC DC DC FC FC FC FC
Sadachbia 32.56 2 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Ruchbah 33.27 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Ingress 33.38 2 TH CC TFR FC FC DS DS
Deneb Algedi 33.78 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Nashira 35.00 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Tybalt 35.47 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Nirasaki 37.02 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Northwind 37.11 2 TH FS FS FC FC CMD CMD
Halstead Station 37.33 2 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Basalt 37.42 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Tigress 38.21 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Fletcher (FWL) 39.07 2 TH FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Cylene 40.85 2 FS DC DC FC FC FC FC
Kawich 40.92 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
New Rhodes III 41.11 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Sheratan 41.31 2 TH CC TFR FC FC CMD CMD
Telos IV 41.42 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Achernar 41.48 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Mallory's World 42.56 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Nopah 43.73 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Yance I 44.08 2 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Saffel 44.24 2 TH FS FS DC DC DC DC
Rio 45.45 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Epsilon Indi 46.87 2 TH CC TFR FC FC CMD CMD
Styx 47.27 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Shinonoi 47.65 2 DC DC DC DC DC DC DC
Fomalhaut 48.84 2 TH FS FS DC DC DC DC
Angol 50.80 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Bharat 51.14 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Woodstock 51.72 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Hamal 52.08 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Kervil 52.22 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Yangtze 52.27 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC
Mara 52.96 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Mirach 53.22 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Acamar 55.70 2 TH CC TFR FC FC CMD CMD
Athenry 57.09 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Schedar 57.21 2 TH FS FS FC FC FC FC
Dieron 57.32 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Caph 57.35 2 TH FS FS FC FC CMD CMD
Pike IV 58.75 2 TH DC DC DC DC DC DC
Epsilon Eridani 59.22 2 TH CC TFR FC FC CMD CMD
Alrescha 59.90 2 TH CC FS FC FC FC FC

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 69, "Towne World Profile"
  2. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18, "Draconis Combine Founding - [2319] Map"
  3. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 25, "Lyran Commonwealth after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  4. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 31, "Draconis Combine after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  5. Historical: Reunification War, p. 159, "Inner Sphere - [2596] Map"
  6. Era Report: 2750, p. 37, "Inner Sphere - [2750] Map"
  7. Field Manual: SLDF, "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  8. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 138, "Operation LIBERATION Wave 1 [July 2772 - December 2774]"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, p. 118, "Digesting The Hegemony"
  11. 11.0 11.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 59, "The Towne Debacle"
  12. First Succession War (Source Book), p. 25, "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  13. 13.0 13.1 Handbook: House Kurita, p. 43, "Draconis Combine after First Succession War - [2822] Map" Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "HB:HKp43" defined multiple times with different content
  14. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 36, "Lyran Commonwealth after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  15. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, p. 122-123, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  16. First Succession War (Source Book), p. 113, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  17. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 40, "Lyran Commonwealth after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  18. Handbook: House Davion, p. 60, "Federated Suns after Second Succesion War - [2864] Map"
  19. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 76, "Good Plan, Unexpected End"
  20. House Davion (The Federated Suns), "Federated Suns Map - [3025] Map"
  21. Handbook: House Davion, p. 70, "Federated Suns after Third Succesion War - [3025] Map"
  22. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), "Draconis Combine Map - [3025]"
  23. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 64, "Draconis Combine after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  24. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 47, "Lyran Commonwealth after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  25. Handbook: House Davion, p. 71, "Federated Suns after Fourth Succesion War - [3030] Map"
  26. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 56, "Lyran Commonwealth after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  27. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 66, "Draconis Combine after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  28. Handbook: House Davion, p. 76, "Federated Suns after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  29. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 56, "Lyran Commonwealth after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  30. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 68, "Draconis Combine after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  31. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133, "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  32. Era Report: 3052, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [3050] Map"
  33. Era Report: 3052, p. 23, Inner Sphere - [3052] Map
  34. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 61, "Lyran Commonwealth after Clan Invasion - [3052] Map"
  35. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 71, "Draconis Combine after Operation REVIVAL - [3052] Map"
  36. Era Report: 3062, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [3057] Map"
  37. Handbook: House Davion, p. 78, "Federated Suns after Operation Guerrero - [3058] Map"
  38. Era Report: 3062, p. 29, "Inner Sphere - [3063] Map"
  39. Handbook: House Davion, p. 82, "Federated Suns after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  40. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 70, "Lyran Alliance after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  41. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 74, "Draconis Combine after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  42. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 43, "Inner Sphere - [3067] Map"
  43. Starterbook Wolf and Blake, p. 13 Word of Blake Protectorate's 3072 Map - Towne shown to be part of the Blakist Protectorate as of 3072.
  44. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 65, Inner Sphere [3075] Map
  45. Field Report: DCMS, p. 19, "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  46. Field Report: Clans, p. 29, "Terran Corridor Clans Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  47. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63, "Inner Sphere - [3081] Map"
  48. Field Manual: 3085, p. 127, "Inner Sphere - [3085] Map"
  49. Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
  50. Era Report: 3145, p. 11, "Inner Sphere Map - [3135]"
  51. Era Report: 3145, p. 39, "Inner Sphere Map - [3145]"
  52. Field Manual: 3145, p. VI, "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  53. Hearts of Chaos, p. 120, "Towne's smaller, denser than Terra, but its activities makes planet appear bigger".
  54. Heart of Chaos, p. 119 - origin of planet's names for its landmasses and moon.
  55. DA Republic Worlds, p. 69, "Towne" - Landmasses name and planetary description.
  56. DA Republic Worlds, p. 69 Towne - details of the city of Port Howard on Towne.
  57. DA Republic Worlds, p. 69 Towne - details of the city of Kale Bay on Towne.
  58. Hearts of Chaos, pp. 119-120, "Planet's discovery, colonization and unusual naming practice origin".
  59. Hearts of Chaos, pp. 120-121, "Planet's tid-bits of history of the planet leading to the Towne Succession War events".
  60. The Star League, p. 17, "Terra's Errant Flock"
  61. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, pp. 134-137, "Return to the Hegemony - Operation CHEIFTAIN - Heavy Metal - Federated Suns Front - Follow-On Actions"
  62. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 60, "The Towne Debacle" - Towne change over after the fall of the Hegemony.
  63. Handbook: House Davion, p. 55, "Timeline: First Succession War" - Dates of the Kurita/Capellan Raids and Towne's capture noted.
  64. Hearts of Chao, pp. 113,121 - Towne Charter that grants people right bare arms legally by long ago Prince John Davion.
  65. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 61-62, 70, "Second Succession War Map & Pendragon, Third Succession War Map" - Towne still Combine world in 2864, but was noted as targeted world Prince Carl's campaign. Town is shown as part of FedSuns as of 3025.
  66. Heart of Chaos, - Snapshot of events on Towne from novel.
  67. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 36, "Chasing Shadows"
  68. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56, "The Jihad In Review"
  69. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 36, "Tragedy On Demeter"
  70. 70.0 70.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 37, "The Tale Of Towne"
  71. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 86-87, "Dragon's Breath Multiple Capital Launch System"
  72. Field Manual: 3085, Republic Armed Forces Deployment Map - October 3085 - Towne shown in the newly formed Republic of the Sphere.
  73. Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenareis, p. 12, "Garrot Superheavy Transport"
  74. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 60, "The Towne Debacle" - original FedSuns garrison force.
  75. First Succession War (Source Book), p. 134, "First Succession War Deployment Table - AFFS"
  76. 20 Year Update, p. 19, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
  77. Hearts of Chaos, pp. 101-102, "Surviving local troops on Towne after FedCom's forces withdrew from the planet".
  78. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103 - 1st and 2nd Protectorate Militia units noted (Notation they do exist and how they are named. No fluff).
  79. Field Manual: 3085, p. 184 Republic Standing Guard - Section regarding the Republic Standing Guard makes clear each world gets a unit. This would include Towne.

Bibliography