Battle of Köningsberg (3140)
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| Battle of Köningsberg (3140) | |
|---|---|
| Conflict details | |
| Part of | Hanseatic Crusade |
| Start Date | 28 January 3140 |
| Planet(s) | Köningsberg IV |
| Result | Escorpión Imperio victory |
| Territorial Changes | Escorpión Imperio conquest |
| Attacking Forces | |
| Affiliation | Escorpión Imperio |
| Commanding Officer(s) | Khan Magon Scott |
| Command(s) | Alpha Galaxy |
| Defending Forces | |
| Affiliation | Hanseatic League |
| Commanding Officer(s) | Captain-General Jelka Pelza Captain-General Obadiah Becker (counterattack) |
| Command(s) | Regional Defense Force 2 Unknown mercenaries Regional Defense Force 5 (counterattack) |
| Other Forces | |
Contents
Overview[edit]
On 28 January 3140, Wave Two of the Hanseatic Crusade began with attacks on three systems. Köningsberg was assaulted by Alpha Galaxy, led by Khan Magon Scott. They were confronted by Regional Defense Force 2 who had consolidated on Köningsberg earlier in the month.[1] Initially facing a typical defensive strategy, Alpha Galaxy showed little signs of being stopped. That changed when mercenary commands hired by three powerful Hansa merchants combined their forces outside the capital city of Brussels and smashed into the Thirty-Fifth Scorpion Cuirassiers, gutting the hard-luck Cluster. As the remaining Clusters regrouped for a counterattack, Khan Scott pulled together an ad-hoc Star of Locust IICs. He sent these against the Hansa rear areas, using their speed to evade mercenary combat units while destroying the logistics capability of RDF 2 as well as several mercenary commanders.[2][3]
As the Locusts lived up to their namesake in the Hansa rear, Khan Scott employed several brilliant tactical maneuvers to fix, flank, and defeat the mercenary commands in detail. By 2 February the mercenary forces were shattered and RDF 2 had been pushed into the Brussels city limits. Khan Scott sent several probing missions into the city, hoping to draw the Hansa forces out, but they refused to leave their cover. Despite a desire to avoid such wasteful urban conflict, Alpha Galaxy had no choice but to dig RDF 2 out of the capital city. After a grueling slugfest, Captain-General Jelka Pelza learned the governing merchants had fled during the fighting, leaving her in command of the planet. Accordingly she offered her surrender[4] and Alpha dug in to await the expected Hansa counterattack.[2][5]
The anticipated counter attack arrived in the form of Captain-General Obadiah Becker and his Regional Defense Force 5. Though he would prove to be an inferior commander to Khan Scott, he did manage to keep Alpha occupied for nearly a month. On 9 March, RDF 5 made a push to retake Brussels, leading to a surreal reversal of roles from the month before as Alpha was now able to take advantage of the cover provided by the already spoiled city. RDF 5 was forced back however, and was then backed into a corner when the Fourteenth Scorpion Hussars captured Becker's DropShips. With few options left, Becker elected to make one last attack. It was as decisive as it was deadly; eighty percent of RDF 5 was killed outright, 10 percent maimed, and the remaining ten percent were taken as isorla[6][5]
Aftermath[edit]
With Köningsberg secured and repairs made, Alpha proceeded on to conquer Riga in Wave Four.[7]
References[edit]
- ↑ Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 11: "Wave 1"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 11: "Wave 2"
- ↑ Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 16, p. 8: "Locust IIC"
- ↑ Note: Surrender date is listed as 13 March, but this conflicts with later timetables. An errata report has been submitted.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 29: "Touchpoint: Köningsberg"
- ↑ Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 12: "Wave 3"
- ↑ Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 12: "Wave 4"