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Battle of Ankaa (3132)

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Battle of Ankaa (3132)
Conflict details
Part of Dark Age era
Start Date 19 December 3132[1]
End Date Several days later[1]
Planet(s) Ankaa
Location(s) In and around Anqabad
Result Steel Wolves victory[2]
Attacking Forces
Affiliation Swordsworn
Commanding Officer(s) Leftenant Colonel Diane Jameson[3]
Defending Forces
Affiliation Steel Wolves
Commanding Officer(s) Star Captain Sadia Wolf[3]
Other Forces

Overview

At the end of 3132, two of the splinter factions fighting over the Republic of the Sphere, the Steel Wolves and the Swordsworn, took an interest in the DiNapoli Industries DropShip manufacturing facilities on Ankaa.[3] The Steel Wolves arrived first, followed shortly by the Swordsworn on 19 December 3132. Over several days of fighting, the Wolves held off the Swordsworn, securing the planet and its DiNapoli factories for themselves.[1][2]

Prelude

Ankaa-based DiNapoli Industries, recently taken over by Bannson Universal Unlimited, was the leading manufacturer of DropShips in Prefecture IV. This made the planet a tempting target. Both Kal Radick of the Steel Wolves and Aaron Sandoval of the Swordsworn saw its value, and each assigned a commander to take the DiNapoli facilities: Sadia Wolf for the Wolves, and a hastily promoted Diane Jameson for the Swordsworn.[3]

The Steel Wolves arrived first, on 16 December 3132.[4] They secured the capital Anqabad and the various DiNapoli facilities mostly bloodlessly, helped by the population's disdain for new DiNapoli owner Jacob Bannson. The local militia was quickly brought under Steel Wolves control.[4][5]

Three days later, on 19 December 3132, the Swordsworn struck.[4]

Battle

The Swordsworn opened with an avalanche drop, a direct orbital drop into Wolf-controlled Anqabad.[4]

Aftermath

The DiNapoli manufacturing centre proved a valuable asset for the Steel Wolves. Beyond the DropShips the faction hoped for, the Wolves found a wealth of IndustrialMechs to use. Steel Wolves forces soon fielded the Opossum and Demeter in large numbers.[6]

In the months to come, Steel Wolves leader Radick and Swordsworn head Sandoval remained public political allies. In a June 3133 INN profile on him, Radick claimed that Sandoval had disavowed the Ankaa Swordsworn force as a rogue unit.[7] By August that year, Sandoval had visited Ankaa to provide medical supplies and cleanup/reconstruction support.[8]

Notes

  • Era Digest: Dark Age identifies the battle's starting date as 19 December 3132.[1] Several dates used in this article are determined from that date.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 10: "Dark Age Timeline"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 6: "Important Military Actions of 3132"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Baring the Blade: The Battle for Ankaa!, scenario 1: "Sword and Claw"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, p. 87: "Interesting Times, Dangerous Places #345: "Avalanche""
  5. Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, p. 77: "Ankaa Targeted"
  6. Technical Readout: Irregulars, pp. 24 and 30
  7. Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, pp. 184-185: "Prefect Kal Radick: Battling the Firestorm"
  8. Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, pp. 215-216: "Duke Aaron Sandoval: Where He Leads, Others Follow"

Bibliography