Sword and Fire
Sarna News

- Bad 'Mechs - Jackrabbit
- Inside The Storm — Talking Ghost Bear: Flash Storm with Chris Lowrey
- Rise of Mechnificent Seven - Forging Community with Tex and Paul & Jesse of Focht's Network
- Your BattleTech News Round-Up For March, 2025
- Artistically Speaking with BattleTech's New Art Director, Marco Mazzoni
- Read more →
![]() | |
Sword and Fire | |
---|---|
Product information | |
Type | Novel |
Author | Thomas S. Gressman |
Pages | 280 |
Cover Artwork | Bruce Jensen |
Publication information | |
Publisher | Roc Books |
Product code | LE5676 |
First published | 01 August 1998 |
ISBN-10 | 0451456769 |
ISBN-13 | 978-0451456762 |
Content | |
Era | Clan Invasion era |
Timeline | 3 January 3060 - 13 March 3060 |
Series | Twilight of the Clans |
Preceded by | Freebirth |
Followed by | Shadows of War |
Sword and Fire, by Thomas S. Gressman, is the fifth book in the Twilight of the Clans series.
The novel was made available on BattleCorps on 02 November 2009 as a PDF file (text only, without cover, pictures, or any other interior artwork except for the usual BattleCorps frame graphics). The PDF copy includes a disclaimer stating that it was created from a pre-final edition text that might differ from the printed version and that canon-wise, the print edition trumps the PDF edition.
Contents
From the back cover[edit]
“ | An awesome mission has been assigned to Task Force Serpent: to destroy Huntress, homeworld of Clan Smoke Jaguar, the Inner Sphere's greatest menace. But the invasion has suffered a serious blow: Marshal Morgan Hasek-Davion has been struck down by an unknown assassin. With the fate of the entire Inner Sphere in jeopardy, only one other daredevil warrior is brave—and reckless—enough to bring the enemy to its knees...
She is General Ariana Winston of the famed Eridani Light Horse mercenary brigade, and now commander of Task Force Serpent. The battle ahead is dangerous and uncertain, but Winston and her courageous comrades have the upper hand with hard-earned battle skills honed to fighting-edge perfection—and a secret weapon that could destroy Huntress for all time... |
” |
Summary[edit]
This story is told primarily from the viewpoint of Major Ryan the DEST leader, then General Winston. With additional viewpoints from the Fox Teams, Paladin Masters and North-wind Highlander perspectives.
The novel opens with the DEST infiltration of Mount Szabo, and the destruction of its command and control center, and Reagan Space Defence System.
Then the novel covers the same day, 12 March 3060, the invasion of Huntress by the SLDF. Each of the major landings, and key battle objectives.
The Eridani light horse ground just outside Loterra, and mount Szabo. The capture of the genetics repository goes fairly well, and there are not major casualties.
The Knights of the Inner Sphere ground new a training center, and face stiff opposition from clan omnimechs, and the first encouter of ProtoMechs, which Paladin Masters refers to as "ocelots". Actual ProtoMech type unknown. They are described as 6m tall, with missiles, autocannons and lazers. The Knights are initially repulsed, but call in reserve com guard elements, who drop directly onto the battle and the clan forces are defeated in detail.
The Highlanders ground near a factory. There they also encounter omni-mech forces, as well as substantial 2nd line clan and inner-sphere mechs, as well as a very large contingent of ProtoMechs. The Highlanders name the ProtoMechs "Boggarts". During the battle, the clan forces are baited into concentrating on the Black Watch Highlanders, via the units association with the SLDF, while the remaining highlanders bypass them and seize the factory. It is later revealed that the factory was the source of the ProtoMechs, but that they are likely unusable by inner-sphere forces because of the need to implant the enhanced imaging neuro circuitry on the pilots.
The battle for a training facility by the 11th Lyran Guards does not go well, with General Brian Getting blown out of here mech in an engagement with a Caulron-Born omnimech. The battle turns decisively against the Lyrans, so they call in an orbital bombardment that wipes out a heavy omni-mech trinary to turn the tide.
The perspective of the Kathil Uhlans is not covered in detail, but it is said to have been another battle for a training facility, but this one was unused at the time of contact, so the battle was over quickly.
During the battle, the Fox teams landed around the Falcon Eyrie to ensure the Falcons stayed out of the fight, were engaged by two points of elementals, and one of the teams took heavy casualties leading the elementals away from the other observation teams.
Spoken of, but not given a point of view, was work done by the Nekakami assassins, noticed primarily in explosions occurring in areas outside of battle zones. The Nekakami had been secretly assigned to the task force, known only to Marshal Hasek-Davion, then General Winston. Their task was to assassinate all high ranking clan officials on the planet that didn't fall in battle, so the task force soldiers wouldn't have to deal with it.
The battle was over in 12 hours, with orders to carry out the destruction in detail of all military and manufacturing facilities on the planet being controversial, but started the next day.
Each unit was also supposed to gather technology and spares to keep, and return to the SLDF headquarters. It is revealed that General Brian was secretly holding back the best materiel found at the training center for use by the Lyran Alliance only.
Featured characters[edit]
- Private Kenichi Akida of DEST 6
- Stefan Amaris (mentioned)
- Colonel Edwin "Ed" Amis of the Eridani Light Horse
- Colonel Charles Antonescu of the Eridani Light Horse
- Colonel Sandra "Sandy" Barclay of the Eridani Light Horse
- Lieutenant Bales of the Com Guards
- Precentor Commodore Alain Beresick of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Lieutenant Ronald Boice of the Eridani Light Horse
- Marshal Sharon Bryan of the 11th Lyran Guards
- Sergeant Burkas of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Star Colonel Cara of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Ralph Carter of DEST 6
- Tai-i William "Bill" Culp, Leader of DEST 5
- Private Luis Daltezze of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- First Prince Hanse "The Fox" Davion (mentioned)
- Rumiko Fox (Julia Davis) of the Amber Crags nekekami
- Captain Randolph DeMoise of the DCS Haruna of the Draconis Combine
- Captain Doctor Joel Donati of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Warrant Officer Ian "Kip" Douglass of the Eridani Light Horse
- Sir Gavin Ellis of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Star Captain Ezra of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Private Fitchell of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Floriano, Captain of the Rostock of the Federated Commonwealth
- Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht (mentioned)
- Leftenant Miguel Fuentes of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Major Sir Clovis Gainard of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Scientist Gary of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Tai-i Maeda Ge, Captain of the Bisan of the Draconis Combine
- Demi-Precentor Regis Grandi of the Com Guards 2nd Division
- George Hasek (mentioned)
- George Hasek Jr. (mentioned)
- Kole, Captain of the Emerald of the Com Guards
- Michael Hasek-Davion (mentioned)
- Marshal of the Armies Morgan Hasek-Davion (mentioned)
- Seaman Hivlan of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Captain Ho of the Com Guards
- Frank Hollis of DEST 6
- Galaxy Commander Russou Howell of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Star Colonel Nikolai Icaza of Clan Jade Falcon
- Technician Jesse of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Khan Bjorn Jorgensson of Clan Ghost Bear (mentioned)
- Major Miklos Karabin of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Colonel Morgan Kell of the Kell Hounds (mentioned)
- General Aleksandr Kerensky
- Sang-shao Samuel Kingston of the 1st Victoria Rangers (Kingston's Legionnaires)
- Koll of the Gettysburg of the Eridani Light Horse
- Sergeant Henry Kramer of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Hohiro Kurita (mentioned)
- Coordinator Theodore Kurita
- Lake of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Major Lewis of the Com Guards
- Chancellor & First Lord Sun-Tzu Liao (mentioned)
- Jeremiah Lynch, Captain of the Long Knife of the Eridani Light Horse
- Colonel William MacLeod of the Northwind Highlanders
- Captain-General Thomas Marik (mentioned)
- Colonel Sir Paul Masters of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Captain Micheil McClannaugh of the Northwind Highlanders
- Private Mitts of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Captain Roger Montjar of MI6 Rabid Foxes (Fox Fives)
- Sir Jarvis Muto of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Private Teji Nakamura of DEST 6
- Captain Dane Nichols of the Eridani Light Horse
- Lieutenant Commander Phat Ng of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Corporal Nye of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- O'Malley, Captain of the Starlight of the Com Guards
- Chaplain Jonas Pavlik of the 1st Kathil Uhlans
- AsTech Lucas Penrose of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Major Marcus Poling of the 2nd St. Ives Lancers
- Colonel Timothy Price of the 11th Lyran Guards
- Khan Marthy Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon (mentioned)
- Talon Sergeant Kashira Raiko of DEST 6
- General Andrew Redburn of the 1st Kathil Uhlans
- Sally Royale of the Marcinko of the Federated Commonwealth
- Point Commander Rurik of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Tai-i Michael Ryan, Leader of DEST 6
- Private Santone of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Gunjin Carlotta "Lo" Sior of DEST 6
- Överste Carl Sleipness of the 4th Drakøns
- John "Smitty" Smith of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Duchess of New Syrtis Kym Sorenson-Hasek (mentioned)
- Archon Katherine "Katrina" Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- Archon Melissa Steiner (mentioned)
- Archon-Prince Victor Ian Steiner-Davion (mentioned)
- Chaplain Captain D. C. Stockdale of the Eridani Light Horse
- Tanabe of DEST 6
- Star Captain Trent of Clan Smoke Jaguar (Bloodhouse Howell) (mentioned)
- Star Captain Tullain of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Scientist Vito of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Private Stacy Whitman of MI6 Rabid Foxes
- Brevet General Ariana "Ria" Winston of the Eridani Light Horse
- Colonel Charles K. Winston of the Eridani Light Horse (mentioned)
- Gloria Winston (mentioned)
- Private Peter Wu of DEST 6
- Dame Marie Yanika of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Adept Chang Yee of the Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Captain Kenyu Yosuke, Leader of DEST 4
Featured places[edit]
- Coventry (mentioned)
- Deep Periphery
- Defiance (mentioned)
- Huntress
- Turtle Bay (mentioned)
- Waypoint Mulberry
Featured BattleTech[edit]
'Mechs[edit]
- Anvil
- Banshee
- Nova (Black Hawk)
- Black Knight
- Bombardier (mentioned)
- Cataphract
- Ebon Jaguar (Cauldron-Born)
- Centurion
- Cerberus
- Champion
- Cyclops
- Dire Wolf (Daishi)
- Glass Spider (Galahad)
- Guillotine (mentioned)
- Mongrel (Grendel)
- Hunchback IIC
- Huron Warrior
- Hellbringer (Loki)-Prime
- Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) (mentioned)
- Gargoyle (Man O' War) (mentioned)
- Stormcrow (Ryoken)-B
- Thorn
- Trebuchet
- Vindicator
- Mad Dog (Vulture)
- Watchman
- Wyvern
- Zeus
AeroSpace[edit]
Vehicles[edit]
DropShips and Small Craft[edit]
- Achilles-class DropShip Bisan of the Draconis Combine
- Broadsword-class DropShip Ice Dart (Stiletto) of Clan Ghost Bear / Task Force Serpent
- Claymore-class DropShip Marcinko of the Federated Commonwealth
- K-1 DropShuttle
- Monarch-class DropShip (mentioned)
- Overlord-class DropShip Long Knife of the Eridani Light Horse
- Union-class DropShip Avenger of the 1st Kathil Uhlans
- Union-class DropShip Honor of the Com Guards
- Union-class DropShip Integrity of the Com Guards
JumpShips and WarShips[edit]
- Cameron-class battlecruiser SLS Invisible Truth of the Com Guards
- Essex-class destroyer Emerald of the Com Guards
- Essex-class destroyer Saber Cat of Clan Smoke Jaguar (mentioned)
- Essex-class destroyer Starlight of the Com Guards
- Fox-class Corvette Antrim of the Federated Commonwealth
- Fox-class Corvette Rostock of the Federated Commonwealth
- Invader-class JumpShip Ericsson of the 1st Kathil Uhlans
- Kyushu-class frigate DCS Haruna of the Draconis Combine
- Lola III-class Destroyer Ranger of the Com Guards
- Liberator-class cruiser (mentioned)
- McKenna-class battleship (mentioned)
- Unknown Merchant-class JumpShip of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Monolith-class JumpShip Banbridge of the Com Guards
- Monolith-class JumpShip Gettysburg of the Eridani Light Horse
- Star Lord-class JumpShip Bernlad of the Knights of the Inner Sphere
- Unknown Sovetskii Soyuz-class heavy cruiser of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Unknown Vincent-class corvette of Clan Smoke Jaguar
- Whirlwind-class destroyer CGB Fire Fang of Clan Ghost Bear / Com Guards
- York-class destroyer/carrier Queen Lynx of Clan Smoke Jaguar (mentioned)
Infantry Equipment[edit]
- Kage suit
Foreign-Language Editions[edit]
German[edit]
A German edition, translated by Reinhold H. Mai, was published by Heyne in 1999 as Feuer und Schwert (ISBN 9783453148888).[1] This was republished as an EPUB by Ulisses Spiele in 2021 as BattleTech Legenden 42 : Feuer und Schwert (ISBN 9783963318344).[2]
Hungarian[edit]
A Hungarian edition, translated by Novák Gábor, was published by Beholder in 2003 as Kard és tűz.[3]
Spanish[edit]
A Spanish edition, translated by Jaime de Marcos Andreu, was published by Timun Mas in 2000 as A sangre y fuego.
Covers[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for Feuer und Schwert
- ↑ Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Catalog entry for BattleTech Legenden 42 : Feuer und Schwert
- ↑ Beholder product page for Kard és tűz