Battle of Lum (3070)

Battle of Lum (3070)
Conflict details
Part of	Wars of Reaving
Start Date	February 3070
End Date	25 September 3070
Planet(s)	Lum
Result	Clan Steel Viper victories
Territorial Changes	Clan Steel Viper conquests
Attacking Forces
Affiliation	Clan Steel Viper
Command(s)	Alpha Galaxy Omega Galaxy CSV Perigard Zalman, Leviathan Prime-class Steel Viper Naval Reserve including: CSV Coiled Serpent, Vincent-class† CSV Martial Legacy, Essex-class
Defending Forces
Affiliation	Clan Jade Falcon
Command(s)	Seventy-fourth Battle Cluster Emerald Talon Naval Assault Star including: CJF Ironhold Provider, Carrack-class† CJF Blue Aerie, Black Lion-class† CJF White Aerie, Black Lion-class CJF Gauntlet, Liberator-class†
Other Forces
Affiliation	Clan Snow Raven
Command(s)	Brim Naval Assault and Circe Battle Stars including: CSR Black Beard, Fredasa-class† CSR Venture Star, Carrack-class† CSR Eternity, Essex-class† CSR Vision of Terra, Lola III-class† CSR Black Justice, Aegis-class† CSR Blue Lancer, Aegis-class† CSR Lord Death, Aegis-class CSR Tenacity†, Volga-class† CSR Rook, Potemkin-class† CSR Snowflake, Potemkin-class†

In the year 3070, Clan Steel Viper fought two large scale Trials of Possession for the world of Lum, first against Clan Jade Falcon and then against Clan Snow Raven.

Against the Falcons

In February 3070, the Steel Viper Naval Reserve arrived in the Lum system to rid Clan space of the last Clan Jade Falcon enclave outside Strana Mechty. After fierce bidding, Alpha Galaxy won the right to destroy the Falcons. After warning Clan Snow Raven not to interfere, the Naval Reserve closed quickly with the already battered Emerald Talon Naval Assault Star. Having won the honor do be lead vessel, the Essex-class CSV Martial Legacy leads her fleetmates into a brutal hour-long battle that destroys the Liberator-class CJF Gauntlet, Black Lion-class CJF Blue Aerie, and the Carrack-class CFJ Ironhold Provider. The Black Lion-class CJF White Aerie is badly wounded and is forced to jump away to Strana Mechty. After making planetfall, the Seventy-fourth Battle Cluster is quickly overwhelmed. Less than a Star of Falcon Warriors are left alive to be claimed as isorla.

Against the Ravens

Following the 20 September space battle against Clan Diamond Shark that served as the Trial of Position for the new Leviathan Prime-class CSV Perigard Zalman the massive battleship jumped to Eden where it joined the rest of the Steel Viper Naval Reserve before jumping into the Lum system. Anticipating this conflict, the Ravens assembled the remains of Brim Naval Assault with Circe Battle Stars, declaring a defense with all available forces. Either Clan had the equivalent of nearly three naval Stars present, with the Raven experience offset by the Zalman's firepower.

Following a seven hour battle, the Ravens had taken severe damage to their fleet, losing the Essex-class CSR Eternity, Lola III-class CSR Vision of Terra, Aegis-class CSR Blue Lancer, Volga-class CSR Tenacity, and the Potemkin-class vessels CSR Rook and CSR Snowflake. The Steel Vipers took damage, but managed to avoid losing a single hull. The battle was ultimately forfeited when the four remaining Raven WarShips (Fredasa-class CSR Black Beard, Carrack-class CSR Venture Star, and the Aegis-class CSR Black Justice and CSR Lord Death) fled the system, and thus the Circle of Equals.

SaKhan Nicole Hoskins called in the remainder of the Viper fleet to fortify the system and dropped Alpha and portions of Omega Galaxies onto the planet to secure it. They encountered little resistance as the Ravens had been evacuating Lum for some time already. The Second Viper Guards sought to draw some defenders out by targeting civilian settlements near the capital city. When a small force of Raven axillaries attempted to intervene, a Binary of Mist Lynxes slaughtered them. The remaining lower castemen were taken as isorla, and all Merchants, Technicians and Scientists were sterilized. Additionally a large amount of supplies and DropShips were also captured.

Five days later, the four Raven WarShips that had escaped returned and vectored in on the Zalman, determined to destroy the monster. The fighting was savage, with nearly every Viper DropShip and around 75% of their aerospace fighters destroyed. The Zalman destroyed the Black Beard and the Venture Star, though she lost her Starmate, the Vincent-class CSV Coiled Serpent. Black Justice attempted a desperate ramming attack on the Zalman, but missed and collided with Lum's atmosphere. The sole survivor, Lord Death fled once more with heavy drive damage and multiple hull breeches.

Bibliography

• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 7
• The Wars of Reaving