Battle of McCarel Farm

Revision as of 16:07, 20 June 2012 by Neufeld (talk | contribs) (Seems like the new Total Chaos book has more info, flagged update needed.)


Template:Pagename
Part of Battle of New Avalon
Start Date 11 December 3067
Location McCarel Farm, Avalon County
Planet New Avalon
Result Tenth Lyran driven back; Blakist progress slowed, allowing other units to defend Avalon City
Commanders and leaders
Marshal James McFarland Precentor Terry McQuinn
Forces involved
10th Lyran Guards 31st Division
Environment
farmland


The Battle of McCarel Farm took place on 11 December, 3067, during the larger campaign known as the First Battle of New Avalon[1] at the start of the Jihad. It featured the Word of Blake's 31st Division against the 10th Lyran Guards of the Federated Suns. [2]

Details

Background

In December 3067, a Word of Blake flotilla attacked New Avalon, the capital of the Federated Suns. This was in response to Princess-Regent Yvonne Steiner-Davion pulling the Federated Suns out of the Second Star League at the Fourth Whitting Conference. Combined with similar declarations by the Lyran Alliance and Capellan Confederation, this resulted in the collapse of the League. Enraged, the Blakists began an orbital bombardment of both Tharkad and New Avalon. In addition to three WarShips attacking from above, the Thirty-first Division (known as the Purity of Faith) landed in Avalon County under cover of the bombardment and rapidly moved on to the capital of Avalon City through the farmlands. [2]

Although defended by several prestigious units, those commands were still recovering from the FedCom Civil War and most had been scattered from the orbital attacks. [2] The Tenth Lyran Guards RCT had chosen to remain on New Avalon after the Civil War as part of the new Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, pledging their loyalty to Yvonne Steiner-Davion. [3] Although operating at only about one-third strength even before the Jihad, [4] they were the only unit able to mobilize in time to slow the invaders down, as the other defenders desperately attempted to regroup. [2]

11 December 3067

The Thirty-first, relatively inexperienced, attempted to go around the veteran Revenants by sending a defensive screen against them. This proved ineffective against the determind Tenth Lyrans, who punched their way through the defensive screen, beelining for the Thirty-first's supply train. The Blakists employed a trio of Prairie Schooner Land Trains with sufficient supplies to wage a campaign for the capital. The Tenth found their quarry in the praries of McCarel Farm, [2] farmland owned by one Harold McCarel. [5] The Tenth managed to inflict serious damage before they were driven off by the superior numbers of the Thirty-first. [5]

Aftermath

Although the Tenth was forced to retreat, the delay gave Marshal of Armies Jackson Davion and the other defending units time to properly organize the defense of Avalon City. [5] The Thirty-first pushed ahead with the attack on the capital, but the defenders held and they were forced to retreat after three weeks of fighting. [1] Unfortunately by that time, casualties to the Tenth were too heavy to make them an effective independent fighting force, and by February 3068 they were merged into the 1st Davion Guards. [3] The Thirty-first would remain in-system and would later take part in the Second and Third Battles of New Avalon. By the time they retreated for the final time in September 3074, they had been effectively merged into the 36th Division. [1] Farmer McCarel lost half his crops in the fighting. [5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 94, "31st Division (Purity of Faith)"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon, p. 8, "Unwelcome Guests"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon, p. 6, "Combatants: Tenth Lyran Guards"
  4. Field Manual: Updates p. 179, Lyran Alliance Armed Forces: Units in Federated Suns/Chaos March
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon, p. 8, "Unwelcome Guests" : Aftermath

Bibliography