Battle of Galatea (3144)

Battle of Galatea (3144)
Conflict details
Part of Dark Ages
Start Date 17 December 3144[1]
End Date 24 December 3144[2]
Planet(s) Galatea
Location(s) Galatea City
Gilroy Crossing
Result Clan Jade Falcon defeat
Attacking Forces
Affiliation Clan Jade Falcon
Defending Forces
Affiliation Republic Remnant
Assorted Mercenary units
Commanding Officer(s) Prefect Tara Campbell
Command(s) Hansen's Roughriders
Other Forces

Overview[edit]

Clan Jade Falcon struck out at Galatea on 17 December 3144, seeking to add the world to its Occupation Zone as it drove inexeribly towards Terra.[1] Standing in defense of the world were units of the Republic Remnant and assorted mercenary commands. Hansen's Roughriders had just returned from a series of smaller contracts and had determined to make a stand on Galatea against the marauding Clans.[3][4] Prefect Tara Campbell led the defense, forging many disparate units into an effective army as the Falcons grounded.[1][5][6]

The principal target for the Falcons was the planetary capital, Galatean City, two Trinaries attempted to push through nearby Gilroy Crossing to enter the capital. There they encountered the heavy combat vehicles of Hansen's Roughriders' Old Guard company and stalled completely. For three hours the Falcons tried to push the Old Guard out of Gilroy, slowly pushing the unit back. Several platoons of Bulwark Assault Vehicles were present, with two platoons claiming nine Falcon ’Mechs for the price of two Bulwarks. Though ultimately pushed back, the delay was sufficient for the Roughrider ’Mechs to arrive and push the already battered Trinaries back.[7][8][9]

Major Nantan Bhattacharyya commanded a mercenary company from his GTD-20S Götterdämmerung in this conflict which distinguished itself by defeating a Star of heavy OmniMechs in open-field combat.[10] Redleg Company of the Remnant, fielding Paladin Defense Systems, fought a mobile campaign using screening elements to shower the Falcons with artillery from every direction. While only destroying a few Falcon units, the psychological effects were profound. Ultimately four Paladins were hunted down and destroyed, though their crews were specifically recognized by Damien Redburn.[11][12]

Some Falcon units did make their way into Galatean City, with a pincer of Elementals managing to pin down Tara Campbell, nearly capturing her. Sergeant Bryan Charles, the gunner of a JI2A1 Attack APC charged into the rear of the Falcon formation, killing three Elementals with the initial volley of Tandem-Charge Warheads before his transported battle armor engaged in savage combat with the remaining Elementals. The attack was so ferocious Campbell was able to escape.[13] In response to this, the Remnant used small craft to deliver platoons of Simian battle armor masquerading as mercenaries. These platoons targeted ’Mechs and vehicles commonly used to support Elementals, and had the result of the Falcons recalling their Elementals from frontline objectives in order to fight off the swarming RAF troops.[14][15] This recall would not come in time to save Robert Wilson, who was killed in his Jackalope defending a group of civilians from Elementals that were targeting the civilians and their homes with flamers.[16]

As the battle tilted towards an obvious defender victory, the mercenary units told the Remnant forces in no uncertain terms that they were no longer needed on the planet and that they should depart,[3]

Aftermath[edit]

With the defeat of the Jade Falcons, the victorious defenders (sans Republic) formed the Galatean League that same day.[2] Dynamic Ordnance and Ammunition saw a boost of Jade Hawk sales and general profitability as the unit was fielded by both sides and featured prominently in battle roms.[17] Major Bhattacharyya merged his company into the Second Galatean Defense Force, salvage allowing several ’Mechs to be refitted with Clan technology.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ a b c Era Report: 3145, p. 24: "Timeline of Events"
  2. ↑ a b Field Manual: 3145, p. 181: "Galatean Defense Force"
  3. ↑ a b Era Report: 3145, p. 79: "Mercenaries"
  4. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 177: "Galatea"
  5. ↑ BattleTech: Legends, p. 138: "Tara Campbell"
  6. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 86: "Tara Campbell"
  7. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League, p. 20: "Bulwark Assault Vehicle"
  8. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 76: "Bulwark Assault Vehicle"
  9. ↑ Unit Digest: Old Guard (Hansen's Roughriders), Shrapnel Issue 12, p. 86
  10. ↑ a b Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth, p. 40: "GTD-20S Götterdämmerung"
  11. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns, p. 26: "Paladin Defense System"
  12. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 80: "Paladin Defense System"
  13. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns, p. 14: "JI2A1 Attack APC"
  14. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Republic of the Sphere, p. 6: "Simian Battle Armor"
  15. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 18: "Simian Battle Armor"
  16. ↑ JLP-KB Jackalope, Shrapnel Issue 16, p. 63
  17. ↑ Dynamic Ordnance and Ammunition 20-Year Market Assessment, Shrapnel Issue 10, p. 182

Bibliography[edit]

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