Battle of Marlowe's Rift (3139)

Battle of Marlowe's Rift
Part of Dark Age era
Start Date 14 February-15 March 3139 Planet Marlowe's Rift Result Federated Suns' defeat. Territorial changes Draconis Reach
Factions
(Attacker) Draconis Combine	(Defender) Federated Suns
Commanders and leaders
Henry Kincaid	Robert McShane
Forces involved
Wolf's Dragoons	Marlowe Militia

Overview

The Battle of Marlowe's Rift was the first battle of the Draconis Reach Campaign, which ended in a total defeat for the Federated Suns forces.

Prelude

The Draconis Reach was a chaotic region located between the Federated Suns and the Draconis Combine. Created about the 3080s, it was claimed by both states, and though it saw continous raids from one side against other, no one could effectively control it... though there were exceptions: the planet Marlowe's Rift was one of these. It was firmly under the control of the Suns, with a relatively strong and experienced militia. The Combine lacked the forces to claim the area, but that changed when warlord Matsuhari Toranaga contracted Wolf's Dragoons: their first mission was precisely, to conquer the Reach, and they began with Marlowe's Rift.

Battle

As in the Reach the raids were very common, The Dragoons' Colonel Henry Kincaid made their invasion appear a simple raid: using a lonely DropShip, his unit, Spider's Web Battalion, landed on Galway, a transit stop spaceport barely defended. The place's interceptors were destroyed before could take off, and all the militia defenders, some skimmers, were quicky destroyed too. The Spider's Web began moving to the capital, but the Militia commander, Colonel McShane, movilized the planetary's militia, about two companies strong of BattleMechs, Industrial MODs, armor and infantry. After the militia reached a narrow pass, they cut down trees and build defenses. These have barely stablished when the Dragoons tanks reached it, harassing the defenders, until the Web's Mech forces arrived, assaulting the defenses. The powerful Clan OmniMechs of the Dragoons, while their tanks and VTOLs harassed the defenses, after deploying their Elementals, cut down part of the militia, but the rest hold on. McShane fought Kincaid in a personal duel, though ignored he was the enemy commander. When McShane ordered his forces to retreat to Ashoka, the capital, he stayed behind to cover their retreat, but his men fell one after another, until only his 'Mech remained. McShane refused to surrender, until his Mech blowned. McShane, however, managed to eject and was captured, while the Militia's remnants retreated, harassed by the Dragoons' VTOLs all the way, and more Dragoons' DropShips landed.

The day 16, the Dragoons pursued the Militia, attacking their bases, but unable to locate them, until they fell into an ambush in the forest. The militia was forced to retreat again into the woods, after suffering heavy losses, mainly against Elementals. After suffering losses, the Dragoons' commander on the ground was forced to let them go. The same day, a Davion's prisoners transport, carrying McShane, along others, was attacked by the militia's survivors, which managed to rescue the captives.

Aftermath

Eventually, the Militia was totally destroyed, so the battle ended in a total defeat for the defenders, with all the militia destroyed, and the planet firmly into Combine's hands. However, a lone Davion's DropShip managed to take off, carrying the wounded McShane and other of his men, despite the colonel's wish to remain and fight. McShane would swore to came back, and wouldn't come alone, becoming one of the Davions' leaders in the region, fighting the Dragoons along all the Reach campaign.

Bibliography

• Redemption Rift (novel)