War of 3039

The War of 3039 was a relatively minor conflict that involved the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth (as the Federated Commonwealth), versus the Draconis Combine.

Background

In the Fourth Succession War, the alliance between House Davion and House Steiner had allowed the Federated Suns to deliver a shattering blow to the Capellan Confederation. Prince Hanse Davion decided to attempt to duplicate this success almost a decade later against the Draconis Combine. Since Lyran Commonwealth Archon Katrina Steiner had pledged not to prosecute any more wars, she stepped down months before the beginning of the war in favor of her daughter, Archon-designate Melissa Steiner.

However, the Combine had realized such an attack to be a logical consequence of the Fourth Succession War, and had been preparing for it for the past years. The differences between the Combine in 3039 and the Capellans in 3028 were legion, and the strategic situation was decidedly different: This time, Davion did not have the advantage of having double agents in the highest ranks of the enemy military. The Combine military (DCMS) had also recuperated from the Fourth Succession War and the Ronin Wars much faster than anyone had anticipated, owing in part to a technological renaissance brought about by the Helm Memory Core. New 'Mech designs such as the Hatamoto-Chi, the Daboku and the CGR-1A9 Charger variant had been created in preparation for the expected attack.

Furthermore, Gunji-no-Kanrei Theodore Kurita had created a neutral buffer state along two thirds of his realm's border with the Steiner realm by granting rebellious border worlds their freedom and allowing the Free Rasalhague Republic (FRR) to form. On the sidelines, this had forced House Steiner to also commit numerous contested worlds on their side of the border to the new state, thus nullifying their gains in the previous war. ComStar had actively supported the formation of the FRR and provided the DCMS with BattleMechs from their own stocks as an incentive, including (by error or by design) lostech equipment that had not been seen in the Inner Sphere for decades, if not centuries.

The war

The attack was apparently quite unimaginative, carried out with a conservative strategy that mostly relied on strength of numbers to exploit the Combine's perceived lack of fighting equipment. Theodore Kurita answered with a bold bluff. The Combine fought a delaying action, committing mostly conventional units to bog down the attackers while strong forces were committed to Operation Orochi, a quick counter-attack that captured several worlds including Quentin, an important 'Mech factory site. Operation Orochi was a gamble because it stretched the Combine's defenses to the limit and completely stripped rearward areas of any combat equipment, effectively exposing the Combine's flank to the onslaught. However, the bluff worked and the swift counterattack created the illusion of a much stronger military than the DCMS actually was at the time, augmented by the appearance of vintage Star League era equipment and entirely new BattleMech designs. It succeeded not only in forcing the attackers on the defensive, drawing units scheduled for assaults to defense assignments and thereby upsetting the invasion timetables; made insecure by these unforseen developments, Hanse Davion aborted the offensive and called an end to the War in 3040. It would be eleven years before he would find out that he fell for Theodore's bluff.

WAVE ONE =

Commonwealth Thrust

Planet:Alnasi

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Alrakis

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Altais

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Kessel

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Konstance

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Vega

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Dieron Thrust

Planet:Ancha

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Athenry

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Biham

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Dieron

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Halstead Station

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Kervil

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Nashira

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Pike IV

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Sadachbia

Planet:[[]]

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:[[]]

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Telos IV

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Benjamin Thrust

Planet:Fellanin II

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Klathandu IV

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Marduk

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Matar

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:New Mendham

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Sadalbari

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Mercenary-Supported Actions

Planet:Bergman’s Planet

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Galtor III

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Harrow’s Sun

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Lima

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:McComb

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:New Aberdeen

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Royal

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Galedon Thrust

Planet:An Ting

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Capra

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Delacruz

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Elidere IV

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Huan

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Thestria

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

WAVE TWO AND COUNTERATTACK

Commonwealth Thrust (Operation WINTERSCHNEE)

Planet:Alnasi

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Alrakis

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Altais

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Kessel

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Konstance

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Vega

Attackers:Snord’s Irregulars

Defenders:Second Legion of Vega + Fourteenth

Legion of Vega

Outcome:

Dieron Thrust

Planet:Ancha

Attackers:Fighting Urukhai

Defenders:Shin Legion

Outcome:

Planet:Athenry

Attackers:Blue Star Irregulars (1894th Light Horse)

Defenders:Twelfth Dieron Regulars + Twenty-seventh Dieron Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Biham

Attackers:Eighth Crucis Lancers + Laurel’s Legion

Defenders:Fifth Ghost + Sixth Ghost

Outcome:

Planet:Dieron

Attackers:

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Halstead Station

Attackers:Fifth FedCom RCT + Fighting Urukhai

Defenders:Regiments

Outcome:

Planet:Kervil

Attackers:Seventh Donegal Guards

Defenders:First Sword of Light

Outcome:

Planet:Nashira

Attackers:12th Vegan Rangers (Delta) + First FedCom RCT

Defenders:First Genyosha

Outcome:

Planet:Pike IV

Attackers:Seventeenth Skye Rangers + Hansen’s Roughriders

Defenders:Twenty-fourth Dieron Regulars + Fifth Sword of Light

Outcome:

Planet:Sadachbia

Attackers:Eighth Deneb Light

Cavalry + Redfield’s Renegades

Defenders:Ninth Dieron Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Telos IV

Attackers:12th Vegan Rangers (Gamma) + Twenty-second Avalon Hussars

Defenders:Second Benjamin Regulars + Forty-first Dieron Regulars

Outcome:

Miscellaneous Actions

Planet:Altair

Attackers:Second Davion Guards

Defenders:Eighteenth Dieron Regulars

Outcome:

Benjamin Thrust

Planet:Fellanin II

Attackers:Seventy-First Light Horse Regiment + Twenty-First Striker

Defenders:Second Arkab Legion + Fourth Proserpina Hussars

Outcome:

Planet:Klathandu IV

Attackers:Seventh Crucis Lancers + Second New Ivaarsen Chasseurs

Defenders:Third Benjamin Regulars + Second Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Marduk

Attackers:Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry

Defenders:Sixth Benjamin Regulars + Eighth Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Matar

Attackers:Cunningham's Commandos

Defenders:Eleventh Ghost + Twelfth Ghost

Outcome:

Planet:New Mendham

Attackers:Davion Light Guards

Defenders:First Amphigean Light Assault Groups + Second Amphigean Light Assault Groups

Outcome:

Planet:Sadalbari

Attackers:Cunningham's Commandos

Defenders:Second Shin Legion + Seventh Ghost

+ Eighth Ghost

Outcome:

Other Actions

Planet:Homam

Attackers:Twenty-First Striker (ELH) + 151st Light Horse (ELH)

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Planet:Skat

Attackers:Twelfth DLC,

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Planet:Murchison

Attackers:Eighth Crucis Lancers

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Planet:Cylene

Attackers:Fourth Davion Guards

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Mercenary-Supported Actions

Planet:Bergman’s Planet

Attackers:Lindon’s Battalion

Defenders:Twenty-First Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Galtor III

Attackers:Clifton’s Rangers

Defenders:Third Benjamin Regulars + First Amphigean Light Assault Groups + Second Amphigean Light Assault

Groups

Outcome:

Planet:Harrow’s Sun

Attackers:Miller Marauders

Defenders:Ryuken-yon

Outcome:

Planet:[Lima[]]

Attackers:Simonson’s Cutthroats

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Planet:McComb

Attackers:Martian Cuirassiers

Defenders:militia

Outcome:

Planet:New Aberdeen

Attackers:Cunningham’s Commandos

Defenders:Twelfth Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Royal

Attackers:Fuchida’s Fusiliers

Defenders:

Outcome:

Galedon Thrust (Operation LAUNCELOT)

Planet:An Ting

Attackers:

Defenders:Ryuken-roku

Outcome:

Planet:Capra

Attackers:First Crucis Lancers + First Albion Training Cadre

Defenders:Third Proserpina Hussars

Outcome:

Planet:Delacruz

Attackers:

Defenders:Eighth Sword of Light

Outcome:

Planet:Elidere IV

Attackers:The First Screaming Eagles

Defenders:Ninth Ghost + Tenth Ghost

Outcome:

Planet:Huan

Attackers:Second Dismal Disinherited

Defenders:Thirty-Second Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Thestria

Attackers:Dioscuri (2 regiments)

Defenders:Sixteenth

Galedon Regulars

Outcome:

Other Actions

Planet:Misery

Attackers:Second Screaming Eagles + First Ceti Hussars

Defenders:

Outcome:

Planet:Kaznejov

Attackers:First Crucis Lancers + First Albion Cadre

Defenders:Seventeenth Galedon

Regulars

Outcome:

Planet:Beta Mensae

Attackers:First Crucis Lancers + First Albion Cadre

Defenders:

'Outcome

Planet:Igualada

Attackers:First Dismal Disinherited + Third Dismal Disinherited

Defenders:

Outcome:

DCMS Counter-Invasion

Planet:Breed

Attackers:Third Ghost + Fourth Ghost

Defenders:First NAIS Cadre + Second Robinson

Outcome:

Planet:Cartago

Attackers:Ninth Benjamin Regulars—

Defenders:Clovis Draconis March Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Clovis

Attackers:Ryuken-go

Defenders:Clovis Draconis March Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Dobson

Attackers:Second Chisholm’s Raiders

Defenders:combined mercenary/Ghost battalions

Outcome:

Planet:Doneval II

Attackers:Ryukengo’s

Defenders:Fifteenth Deneb Light Cavalry

Outcome:

Planet:Exeter

Attackers:Ryuken-go

Defenders:First NAIS Cadre

Outcome:

Planet:Le Blanc

Attackers:Fourth Ghost Regiment + three battalions (mercs collection)

of troops

Defenders:Robinson DMM + Second Ceti Hussars RCT

Outcome:

Planet:New Ivaarsen

Attackers:Fourth Ghost Regiment + support

Defenders:First New Ivaarsen Chasseurs

Outcome:

Planet:Rochester

Attackers:Fourth Ghost Regiment

Defenders:Third Ceti Hussars RCT

Outcome:

Planet:Xhosa VII

Attackers:Ryuken-go

Defenders:Seventh Crucis

Lancers + Second New Ivaarsen Chasseurs

Outcome:

Combine Operations (Operation OROCHI)

Planet:Fomalhaut

Attackers:Thirty-Sixth Dieron Regulars

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Quentin

Attackers:Fortieth Dieron Regulars

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Free Worlds League Operations

Planet:Hsien

Attackers:Third Free Worlds Guards

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Alioth

Attackers:Gryphons

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Cor Caroli

Attackers:Gryphons

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Callison

Attackers:Thirty-first Marik Militia

Defenders:Davion Assault Guards

Outcome:

Planet:Marcus

Attackers:Twenty-fifth Marik Militia

Defenders:Third Crucis Lancers

Outcome:

Planet:Hall

Attackers:Eighteenth Marik Militia

Defenders:Black Widow Battalion

Outcome:

Capellan Operations

Attack of the MAC

Planet:Alcyone

Attackers:Second Armored Cavalry

Defenders:Alcyone Capellan March Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Addicks

Attackers:Second MAC

Defenders:Addicks DMM + Second Davion Guards

Outcome:

Planet:Andro

Attackers:Fourth McCarron’s Armored Cavalry

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Bethel

Attackers:First MAC

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Gallitzin

Attackers:Third McCarron’s Armored

Cavalr

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Kathil

Attackers:Second MAC + First MAC + Third MAC

Defenders:Eighth Syrtis Fusiliers RCT + Alcyone CMM + First Kittery Borderers

Outcome:

Planet:Monhegan

Attackers:Wild Ones

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Monongahela

Attackers:Fourth MAC

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

Planet:Orbisonia

Attackers:Nightriders

Defenders:Militia

Outcome:

AFFC Counterassault (CASE JULIET)

Planet:Grand Base

Attackers:First FedSuns Armored Cavalry + Ninth

Illician Rangers

Defenders:Death Commandos

Outcome:

Planet:Menke

Attackers:

Defenders:Sixth MAC, Baxter’s Brawlers

Outcome:Fifty-Ninth Striker regiment + Sirdar CMM

Planet:Victoria

Attackers:Fourth Rangers

Defenders:House LuSann’s + House Dai Da Chi

Outcome:

Planet:Ares

Attackers:Second FedCom RCT

Defenders:Fifteenth Dracon

Outcome:

Aftermath

The failure of the LCAF and AFFS to properly coordinate their offensive led to the decision to integrate the military forces of the two nations well before they officially became one nation. House Kurita also won a symbolic victory with their conquest of Quentin where Independence Weaponry produced the Davion-favorite Victor. Following the loss of that factory world, the AFFC had to import their Victors from the St. Ives Compact.

Notes

The War of 3039 is notable for being the first conflict in decades, if not in centuries, where vintage Star League-era technology provided by ComStar as well as new or rediscovered technologies were employed on any significant scale (discounting the use of HPG Fax "black boxes", and rare individual cases during the Fourth Succession War where double heat sinks, Triple Strength Myomer and the EW Equipment were employed in their experimental stages).

Listen-Kill Missiles saw their first widespread deployment in this conflict. However, the Draconis Combine not only reverse-engineered the new technology and used them against the attackers within very short time; they were also quick to develop and distribute an ECM package to their frontline units that negated the effect of the L-K technology. When the technology was finally ready for mass-production in 3042, the ubiquity of the ECM technology had already rendered it largely useless.

Bibliography

• 20-Year Update
• Historical: War of 3039
• Blood Legacy (Novel)
• Heir to the Dragon (Novel)