Battle of New Avalon (3151)

Battle of New Avalon (3151) is an early IlClan Era military conflict that was undertaken by the Federated Suns against the Draconis Combine in the Dragon's Tongue region world of New Avalon. Utilizing two different operations (DAWN and UMBRA) the battle took place both in the space around and on the ground of New Avalon, and marginally in some nearby systems.

Battle of New Avalon (3151)
Part of The IlClan Era
Start Date From 17 May to 17 September 3151 Planet New Avalon Result Federated Suns victory
Factions
(Attacker) Federated Suns	(Defender) Draconis Combine
Commanders and leaders
First Prince Julian Davion Admiral Gillian McMasters	Kanrei Matsuhari Toranaga
Forces involved
First Avalon Hussars Fifth Avalon Hussars 1st Davion Guards First NAIS Cadre Sixth Crucis Lancers First Davion Auxiliaires Second Davion Auxiliaires Scoleri's Sabres Acadian Rifles	Ryuken-hachi 5th Sword of Light 2nd Genyosha

Introduction

The military campaign known as Operation Dawn was launched by the Federated Suns during the IlClan Era. Its objective was to target the Draconis Combine forces on the world of New Avalon, which was located in a region called the Dragon's Tongue. The operation involved both space and ground combat on New Avalon, as well as some minor engagements in neighboring systems.

Prelude

The end of the Dark Age Era marked one of the most challenging times in the history of the Federated Suns. Following the Palmyra Disaster, the Combine forces had destroyed most of the AFFS's leadership and elite units, leaving them vulnerable. The Draconis Combine created an occupation zone called the Dragon's Tongue, which extended from Coloma to New Avalon. The all-out assault on the Federated Sun's capitol New Avalon resulted in the Battle of New Avalon (3146), with the Kuritans taking not only the planet but also the capital of the Draconis March, Robinson. Additionally the Capellan Confederation seized the Capellan March capital of New Syrtis. The arrival of the new First Prince, Julian Davion, from Lyran Commonwealth space did little to improve the situation. Without their three key capitals, the Suns' economy was in disarray, their military weakened, and the Federation was on the brink of collapse.

Despite the dire circumstances, the situation slowly began to change. In 3149, the Kuritans' mistreatment of mercenaries caused them to lose the Wolf's Dragoons, depriving them of almost five full regiments. Weakened, the Kuritans were unable to expand the Tongue region further, and even the Federation raids, such as Operation PERCEVAL, caused them significant harm. Julian focused his efforts on retaking New Syrtis, and with the assistance of the Republic of the Sphere, they managed to recapture Robinson as well. The only planet left was New Avalon, and both sides concentrated all their efforts to either free or keep the crucial planet.

The Battle begins

On May 17th 3151, a large fleet of Federated Suns JumpShips launched a surprise attack on the nadir jump point of New Avalon. The fleet quickly overwhelmed the defenders with a swarm of assault DropShips, fighters, and transports filled with marines. The assault was focused on the Draconis Combine's JumpShips, particularly the larger carriers like the Star Lord and Monolith class vessels. While most of the Combine ships managed to jump away, some were captured in rapid boarding actions.

The attack put New Avalon on high alert, with Toranaga suspecting that Julian's main assault was imminent. The dismantling of the command circuit that Toranaga once used to visit Luthien made it impossible to quickly reinforce the Combine's interior, but the kanrei sent a courier ship to Coloma to summon the 22nd New Samarkand Regulars to strengthen New Avalon's defenses. Unfortunately, the courier ship returned a day later, having hot-charged its drive, with grave news.

Operation UMBRA

Admiral Gillian McMasters executed a brilliant maneuver with her Operation UMBRA by analyzing reconnaissance data and civilian reports on Combine traffic patterns to determine that Kuritan transports were gathered at New Avalon's nadir jump point. She devised a plan to attack the transports, knowing that if they were uncertain whether New Avalon's zenith jump point was also under attack, they would follow protocols and jump to Coloma to gather reinforcements. The plan succeeded, and the AFFS fleet captured nearly twenty vessels, including the Wayward Son, leaving the Twenty-Second stranded. This allowed Prince Julian to move all of Task Force Dawn in one jump.

While Toranaga fortified his position, the captured JumpShips were brought to Argyle, crewed, and loaded. On June 7th 3151, Task Force Dawn arrived at New Avalon, and Prince Julian broadcasted his return to the system and urged Toranaga to surrender peacefully. However, the kanrei did not respond, and riots erupted across the planet. Angry civilians beat Combine officials to death, and within three days, the Combine only controlled Avalon City, where Toranaga and the Fifth Sword of Light were holed up, and Ryuken-hachi manned the Corean Enterprises factory.

Despite the unfavorable odds, Toranaga was determined to defend the honor of the Dragon as a samurai. As the Davion fleet approached the planet, Toranaga had kept some of his assault DropShips hidden behind the moon Galahad. When the Kurita task force saw an opportunity, they undetected and skimming the surface of the moon and targeted the troop carriers. The Kurita ships raced past the Davion screen and struck the heart of the fleet with kamikaze fury, devastating the Sixth Crucis Lancers’ transports and inflicting heavy losses on the First Davion Guards’ ships. The crews of the Kurita ships knew that this was their last flight and sacrificed themselves for the chance to kill Julian Davion. They destroyed or crippled nearly twice their number before the last ship, the Nekohono'o-class Willing Sacrifice, was destroyed.

Operation DAWN

As Admiral McMasters on the command ship Running Fox struggled to hold the fleet together as Combine aerospace fighters rose from the planet, the Davion forces started their landings. The First and Second Davion Auxiliaries landed near the Achernar BattleMechs facility and faced immediate artillery bombardment. Though the Genyosha infantry holding the factory hostage was a token force, they managed to tie up the Auxiliaries for most of the campaign. The First and Fifth Avalon Hussars were delayed by constant aerospace fighter harassment and had to ground far from their objective of Corean Enterprises. The Ryuken-hachi engaged both Hussars formations in a running battle back to the plant. Erik Sandoval-Groell led the Davion Assault Guards and Sixth Crucis Lancers in a combat drop into the areas surrounding Avalon City. The Fifth Sword of Light fiercely fought against the Assault Guards before retreating into the city's defenses they had built. Despite the successful landing, Prince Julian knew that the battle had just begun. He kept the First Davion Guards in reserve and observed the events from the Running Fox's command center, waiting for Toranaga's next move.

Elsewhere, Operation DAWN impacted not only the New Avalon system. The Dawn Guards and the Kestrel Grenadiers were dispatched to engage the Twenty-Second New Samarkand Regulars on Coloma. Additionally, Marshal Phillip Rahm of the Eighth Crucis Lancers coordinated mercenary raids throughout the Dragon's Tongue region.

Reclaiming Camelot

At the onset of the Battle, First Prince Julian Davion proceeded with caution to avoid civilian casualties and to ensure his task force remained intact for future missions in Dragon’s Tongue region . He was concerned that moving too quickly would result in a massacre similar to what happened in Kentares. of additional concern was that Toranaga had spent years fortifying the planet's defenses. Making New Avalon more heavily fortified, than when Toranaga had invaded.

Julian's priority was capturing New Avalon's factories intact to prevent sabotage by Ryuken-hachi. The lightly defended Achernar BattleMechs facility was rigged with explosives, making reclamation difficult. Ryuken-hachi's armor regiment targeted Avalon Hussars' supply lines, causing coordination issues. Erik Sandoval-Groell cautiously led sorties against Avalon City, hindered by hidden fortifications and civilians. During one of these sorties, The Second Genyosha ambushed the First NAIS Cadre and rendered them combat ineffective. Angry at the Cadre for overextending themselves against such an elite unit, Julian deployed the First Davion Guards to hunt the Genyosha.

As engineers tried to disarm Achernar's booby traps, the First Auxiliaries grew restless. Many soldiers took time to check on loved ones under the guise of long-range patrols. A black market developed as the First Avalon sub-contracted the Auxiliaries to contact their own friends and family. Julian chose not to discipline those involved but warned that profiting from this unofficial service would not be tolerated.

In late June and early July 3151, the AFFS forces made limited progress at a high cost. Erik wanted the First Auxiliaries to move to Avalon City, but Julian refused. The situation worsened when the Genyosha attacked the Sixth Crucis Lancers, killing their leader, General Dominic Travers. This lead to Erik absorbing the remaining Sixth into the Assault Guards, which Julian deployed to attack the Ryuken-hachi in the city of Jeratha relentlessly. After six days of fighting, the Ryuken-hachi retreated and joined forces with the Genyosha. Julian ordered the Fifth Hussars to pursue them, but not to engage in combat.

Reclaiming Coloma

In late August 3151, the battle on Coloma ended, and the Twenty-Second New Samarkand Regulars retreated. Though they lost many JumpShips to Operation UMBRA, the remaining ships were sufficient to return the survivors to Kuritan space. While en route, the Twenty-Second attacked Kestrel, inflicting significant damage as an act of revenge. The Kestrel Grenadiers pursued the Twenty-Second, and the Dawn Guards departed for New Avalon.

Other Systems

Dawn wasn't limited to New Avalon and Coloma; other systems of the Tongue were attacked, by small mercenary units, company and battalion strength, with the purpose of keeping their garrisons there, preventing them to assist New Avalon. Julian allowed these mercs to keep all the salvage and booty they obtain as a bonus. On Sullivan, two Davion mercenary units launched a raid: Scoleri's Sabres and the Acadian Rifles. However, the Sabres broke their contract, informing the kuritan garrison and helping them to finish off the Acadian rifles. When informed, the Suns' Marshal Rahm didn't worry, but the Clan Sea Fox nullified the contract, reimbursed the Suns of the money received and took care to punish the Sabres, annihilating them.

Taking Avalon City

During the battle, the Dawn Guards made heavy use of their several Ares OmniMechs, using them to engage kuritan forces from long range. The psychological impact of their appearance ensured the Guards' inexorable advance.

On 17 September 3151, Erik mustered the Assault Guards for a final assault on Avalon City. Toranaga realized this would be the final battle and sent out orders for his troops to evacuate. The Fifth Sword chose to die with Toranaga, and he took the field with just over six companies to stop the Guards' advance. Erik became trapped in a downtown block, facing nearly two lances of Kurita 'Mechs. However, Julian arrived from Jeratha with the First Davion Guards and newly arrived Dawn Guards. Together, they fought off the Kuritans, with the aid of citizens who had at this point joined in the fight. The Fifth Sword was pushed back to the gates of the Davion Palace, dying to a man in defense of their lord. Matsuhari Toranaga being the last to fall. After a duel with Erik Sandoval-Groell, downed his 'Mech, but then Julian Davion downed him. Toranaga surrendered to Erik, bringing the battle for New Avalon to an end.

Aftermath

In mid-October, Julian toured New Avalon and saw the devastating impact of the DCMS occupation. The Kuritans imposed their dragon motif on everything, burning down houses of worship and destroying monuments to the Davion family. Even the tomb of Harrison Davion was removed, as Toranaga wanted to erase the family from history. The cultural genocide was evident in the renamed streets, closed businesses, and destroyed currency. Not only did this encourage him with the campaign of reconquest of all the Dragon's Tongue worlds, Operation Solar Flare, but further strengthen the resolve of the remaining AFFS units he would use in the campaign. While Erik led the last operation, Julian stayed behind, leading the rebuilding of New Avalon's bureucratic and intelligence organization.

Gallery

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  Matsuhari Toranaga's Atlas when defeated by Julian Davion's Marauder II

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  A Dawn Guards Apollo in combat

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  Crucis Lancers embarking for Operation Dawn.

Bibliography

• The Damocles Sanction (novel)
• Dominions Divided