Battle of Taygeta (3145)

Battle of Taygeta (3145)
Part of Operation CELESTIAL REWARD
Start Date January 3145 End Date 6 January 3145 Planet Taygeta Result Capellan Confederation victory Territorial changes Capellan Confederation conquest
Factions
(Attacker) Capellan Confederation	(Defender) Federated Suns
Commanders and leaders
Sang-shao Eliza Zhao, Sang-shao Steven Sung, Sang-shao Sergei Tolkov, Sang-shao David Lockhardt	Leftenant General Fraser Dilmore
Forces involved
Dynasty Guards, Second Victoria Rangers, Third McCarron's Armored Cavalry, Lockhardt's Ironsides (Garrison), The Hired Guns (Garrison)	Fifth Crucis Lancers, unknown Syrtis Fusiliers, Mandaree Capellan March Militia (see Notes), Foxhunt (Infiltration)

Overview

In early January, the Capellan Confederation's invasion of the Capellan March, Operation CELESTIAL REWARD, reached the world of Taygeta. The Federated Suns defenders, consisting of elements of the Fifth Crucis Lancers, an unknown Syrtis Fusiliers LCT, and the Mandaree Capellan March Militia, had hoped to conduct a mobile defense but this strategy was swiftly countered by the Dynasty Guards when they employed Thunder munitions to separate the Lancer's ’Mechs from their support assets. [Sao-wei]] Eric "Uncle" Chang achieved multiple assists in his RVN-5L Raven, allowing fellow Guards headhunters in Raven IIs to disable the enemy commanders with their TSEMPs. Sang-wei Andrea Hamann, also of the Guards, flew her Shun Transport VTOL "Drop Bear" into the teeth of the Fusiliers to deliver her battle armor units while directing Arrow IV fire on the defenders. At the end of her sorties she was responsible for three ’Mech kills while losing more than two-thirds of her armor. On the outskirts of the planetary capital, a company of CMM commanded by Captain Thomas Michael Haase had fortified a hilltop that hosted an artillery battery. His company of four INF-NO Infernos, Glory Heavy Fire Support Vehicles and battle armor fought back a Guards advance only to have the Guards reform and change through artillery and missile fire to close into a vicious melee fight. Two Infernos and most of the battle armor were lost but the Guards were finally beat back, and the artillery saved. On the third push however Haase received orders to withdraw

The Third McCarron's Armored Cavalry, "Wild Ones" threw themselves at the planetary capital in a frontal assault that overwhelmed the defenders with overwhelming firepower. In the rolling hills outside the city Sang-wei Quon Yue commanded a lance of CPT-L7 Catapult IIs that together with other fire support units bombarded a battalion of defenders for twelve minutes before their munitions were exhausted. Rather than withdrawing to reload Yue, who was at the center of the line, led a general advance despite only numbering two companies. By employing their TSEMPs in alternating pairs while their lancemates pummeled the immobilized ’Mechs with physical attacks they forced the defenders to retreat before. Though two Catapult IIs and five other Capellan Mechs were lost, the larger AFFS force lost nearly eighteen ’Mechs, most of those lost to Yue's lance.

Aftermath

After securing Taygeta on 6 January, several CCAF commanders suggested using the world as a forward base for further incursions into the Capellan March, with the added benefit of being able to fix New Syrtis defensive units in place. However, news that Chancellor Daoshen Liao himself would be coming to the front convinced the commanders to be aggressive and assault New Syrtis with all available forces on 12 January. The Dynasty Guards participated in the initial attack on New Syrtis but quickly returned to Taygeta to refit when it became apparent it would not be a quick victory.

Elements of Lockhardt’s Ironsides were tasked with garrisoning the world that seethed with partisan activity and remnants of AFFS forces that neither evacuated nor were eliminated before the CCAF forces left for New Syrtis. Sang-shao David Lockhardt devised a stragey of firebases in strategic areas, with Luduan Scout Vehicles peppered among the convoys between them to spoil any ambushes and allowing the escorts to engage the would-be ambushers while the transports escaped. In one such incident Sang-wei Will Coates noticed a Rakshasa broke off and attempted to engage the fleeing transports. Charging towards heavy ’Mech several times only to veer off at the last second Coates finally drove the MechWarrior to such distraction that he turned his guns on Coates. In doing so, he opened his rear to the other Capellan escorts.

Months after the conquest, at least one member of the Foxhunt special operations company was covertly inserted on the world, tasked with destroying a Maskirovka interrogation team that had proved especially adept at rolling up resistance cells. After locating their convoy Sergeant Violet Simmons pushed her CH11-NG Gunsmith past the hovertank escorts, kicked and stomped the black APC containing the Maskirovka agents before setting the remains ablaze with her lasers. After destroying the escorts she announced the agents' death to the populace, fomenting even more popular resistance. The resulting incessant insurgent attacks battered another garrison unit, The Hired Guns, a military police battalion that lost five Sheriff Infantry Support Tanks by 12 October 3145.

By year's end 3145 the Lockhardt’s Ironsides had departed for Jaipur, and Warrior House Tsang Xiao was rotated in to complement the existing Dynasty Guards. Both units would remain there until Operation CERBERUS assaulted the world on 16 November 3147.

Notes

• The source material has a single reference to the Ridgebrook Capellan March Militia, but following the 3100 recognition of the Calderon Protectorate by the Federated Suns and the recognition that Ridgebrook now belonged to the Taurians, that CMM moved to Mandaree. This reference is assumed to point to the Mandaree Capellan March Militia.
• It is possible the unknown Syrtis Fusiliers regiment is the First Syrtis Fusiliers who clashed with the Dynasty Guards "in late 3144" on Avigait. Given the short time between the two reference points the First could have retreated to Taygeta just ahead of the Guards' advance before becoming cut off on the Frazer Thumb.

Bibliography

• Era Report: 3145
• Field Manual: 3145
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 6
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 9
• Shattered Fortress
• Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation
• Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns