Combine Front - 4th Succession War

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Harrow's Sun	8th Galedon Regulars	Gamma Reg't, Wolf's Dragoons Epsilon Reg't, Wolf's Dragoons
The Fifth Battle of Harrow's Sun began on 12 September 3028 with the 8th Galedon Regulars, under the command of Brigadier General Victor Nicholas, dropping onto Harrow's Sun landing near the small farming community of Trenton, some 300 km south of the Wolf's Dragoons Epsilon Regiment, under the command of Colonel Wilhelmina Korsht, and Gamma Regiment, under the command of Colonel Baxter Arbuthnot, in prepared defenses around Fort Belvoir. A two-company Dragoon task force, under the command Major Arthur Dumont engaged the Galedon Regulars on the Jinxor Crossing, drawing them north toward Fort Belvoir and into an ambush in the Yustis Pass prepared by the command companies of both Dragoon Regiments. The 8th Galedon reached Fort Belvoir by late September, spending most of October attempting effect a breach in the defensive lines, changing tactics in late October, to encircle the Fort to probe for weak points, but for reasons unknown, the Eighth Galedon Regulars paused after completing their encirclement until mid-December, the lull giving the Dragoons time to reorganize and reposition. The 8th Galedon began their first major assault during the night of December 11th, every night that week, the Regulars launched battalion-minus sized attacks around the perimeter, further attriting both sides. By the end of the month, the Dragoons moved back to the second defensive ring of 'Mech-sized trenches, foxholes, gun emplacements, and palisades constructed about 1 kilometer outside of the Fort, their combat engineers emplacing minefields and remote sensors to cover the tactical repositioning. The 8th Galedon Regular's AeroSpace Wing's conducted ineffective bombing attacks beginning February 13th, 3029, the Regular's 'Mech formations employed different tactics over the months of February and March to effect a breach, but were unable to compensate for the Dragoons' defensive works. Changing tactics again in April of 3029, General Nicholas ordered his two companies of combat engineers and the infantry to begin excavating tunnels under the Fort's walls, taking a eight weeks to cover the distance. The Dragoons discovered the tunnels early on June 25th and bombarded them, collapsing one tunnel and killing a platoon of Kuritan engineers. Highly trained infantry emerged from seven other tunnels inside the fort, dispatching the militia and seizing high points inside the fort. The Dragoon 'Mechs in the perimeter, no sooner turned to their now threatened rear, when the Regulars stormed the trenches. The Dragoons didn't have enough time to neutralize the Combine infantry and set new defensive positions before the Kuritans had crossed the trenches. Fighting in the fort descended into a wild, hand-to-hand melee that ran throughout the night and into the following day, with devastating casualties: Epsilon Regiment lost all of its officers including its commander, the Fourth Provisional Company destroyed an entire battalion of Regulars while itself being utterly destroyed. The Dragoons' Dropships guns allowed the survivors to board, boosting off for Crossing on June 27th with barely three companies of the original eight left, with most 'Mechs damaged and mechwarriors wounded.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Breed V	11th Benjamin Regulars	2nd Robinson Rangers
In September of 3028, the 11th Benjamin Regulars landed on Breed defended by the numerically superior 2nd Robinson Rangers used surprise and superior mobility to take control of the planet's cities, driving the Rangers into the wilderness. The Combine renewed its general offensive in the summer of 3029, the Regulars began systematically pillaging Breed's cities and brutally suppressing agitation. The 2nd Rangers raced to confront the Kuritans after hearing that the DCMS was slaughtering innocent civilians, pushing the 11th Regulars off planet after defeating them in the Tonston Valley on June 19th.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Deshler	3rd Benjamin Regulars, 6th Benjamin Regulars, 20 supporting regiments	1st Chisholm's Raiders RCT
The 3rd and 6th Benjamin Regulars landed on Deshler in September of 3028 during the initial phase of the invasion greatly outnumbering the 1st Raiders RCT, under the command of Marshal Melford Dennis, outmaneuvering the Kuritans three times on the Snow Plains. Fighting resumed in May of 3029 and the Regulars had reduced the Raiders to only four 'mech companies and their conventional units to half strength. The AFFS high command ordered the unit back to Suns territory as the renewed Combine offensive had cut off Deshler, but Marshal Dennis sent his DropShips and Jumpships back to the Federated Suns empty, choosing to fix the two 'Mech regiments. They held out until July, fighting to the last man and the 1st Chisholm's Raiders RCT was effectively destroyed in a battle lasting a full day and night.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Marduk	2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group	Local Militia
The Draconis Combine officially annexed Marduk in January of 3029 secured the planet having easily defeated the militia which consisted of one or more conventional regiments supported by some "aging 'Mechs with gray-haired pilots", but extensive guerilla activity made pacifying the planet difficult.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Klathandu IV	9th Benjamin Regulars	Local Militia Raman DMM 1st FedCom RCT
The overconfident Ninth Benjamin Regulars, under the command of Tai-sho Denice Eastmoreland, expected to easily roll the planetary militia. They landed in November 3028 with the intention to seize the industrial center and capital city of Klanthis, were shocked by the power and determination of the well-equipped, battle-hardened defending regiments of militia and were forced to retreat and regroup. The Ninth Benjamin spent several months conducting reconnaissance, terrain analysis, and probes of the militia regiments' layered defenses dug-in around Klanthis, restarting their campaign the summer of 3029 to try for the capital again. The Ninth Benjamin reaching the outskirts of Klanthis by late July, having mauled several regiments of militia and placed the city under siege. The Raman DMM landed in the first week of August, suffering disastrously heavy losses in the attempt to break the siege, but succeeded in forestalling the Ninth's assault on the city long enough for reinforcement from the 1st FedCom RCT to arrive, pushing the Regulars off-planet.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
David	9th Dieron Regulars Brion's Legion	12th Deneb Light Cavalry 41st Avalon Hussars RCT
The 12th Deneb, with the support of the militia and citizenry, held off the 9th Dieron and Brion's Legion, under the command of Colonel Pythonius Brion, during the initial assault in 3028. When the Combine offensive resumed in May 3029, the 12th Deneb was caught off guard, pinned between the two Kurita regiments and forced into a fighting withdraw, unable to simultaneously break contact with both opponents. Marshal Petroff Haveson decided there was no other option but to stand and fight, making the most of the cover provided by the rocky terrain of Danson's Hill, he formed a defensive ring with two battalions, with the third battalion held as the ready reserve. Brion's Legion led the assault with 2 battalions, but was stalled by a dummy vibrabomb minefield, and the Legion's commander was dramatically killed after moving forward to investigate, only the legs of his Dragon were left standing on the field. The Legion broke and retreated, their morale shattered, and were driven from the field by the 12th Deneb. Following their rout, Brion's Legion raced to ComStar's planetary HPG station for sanctuary. ComStar later picked up the Legion's contract after it was dissolved by the Draconis Combine. In late June of 3029, the 41st Avalon Hussars returned to relieve the 14th Deneb, causing the now outgunned 9th Dieron to retreat off-world.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Niles	4th An Ting Legion	Local Militia
The militia made a fierce defense, but had no chance against such overwhelming odds.

Planet	Attackers	Defenders
Groveld III	McGee's Cutthroats	Local Militia
The Mercs secured the planet after a short fight. During the campaign the command lost one of its senior officers during a rear attack of the militia.

Planet: Bergman's Planet

Attackers: N/A

Defenders: Local Militia

Outcome: Captured through DCMS forces.

Planet: New Aberdeen

Attackers: N/A

Defenders: Local Militia

Outcome: Captured through DCMS forces.

Planet: Lima

Attackers: 3rd Proserpina Hussars

Defenders: Local Militia

Outcome: Captured through DCMS forces.

Planet: Royal

Attackers: 2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group

Defenders: Local Militia

Outcome: Captured through DCMS forces.

Planet: McComb

Attackers: 7th Pesht Regulars

Defenders: Local Militia

Outcome: Captured through DCMS forces.

Notes

• The narrative on the final engagement in the battle of Fort Belvoir in the 2nd Volume of the 4SSW Atlas has a one month discrepancy: starting "early on June 25th" with the discovery of the tunnels, the fight descended into a wild melee "throughout the night and the next day, the fighting raged", and the Dragoon's DropShips "left Harrow's Sun on July 27". Due to the well established timeline in the previous paragraphs, this appears to be a typo, and should be June 27th, not July.

Bibliography

• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2