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| − | {{moratorium|March 30, 2017}} | + | {{InfoBoxConflict |
| − | '''The Battle of Misery''', aptly named, as was the planet on which it was fought, occured for many reasons - for disputes over territory or ideology; because of mistakes or obscene accidents; because of the imbalance of a few, and their effect on the whole. '''The Battle of Misery''' was fought between the Wolf's Dragoons mercenary regiments and their former employers, the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, and was the result of years of simple animosity and pure, undiluted rage. A slow campaign of petty insults, small injustices, and outright criminal acts on behalf of the DCMS threatened the Dragoons ever more as they refused to back down, and finally this erupted into open battle on the Dragoon's baseworld, An Ting.<ref name=HTPM1>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 7, "The Battle of Misery"</ref>
| + | | conflict = Battle of Misery (3028) |
| | + | | partof = [[Succession Wars era]] |
| | + | | image = |
| | + | | caption = |
| | + | | date = 23 April [[3028]] |
| | + | | enddate = 25 May [[3028]] |
| | + | | place = |
| | + | | planet = [[Misery]] |
| | + | | territory = |
| | + | | faction1 = Attacker<br/>[[Draconis Combine]] |
| | + | | faction2 = Defender<br/>[[Wolf's Dragoons]] |
| | + | | commander1 = ''[[Tai-sho (rank)|Tai-sho]]'' [[Minobu Tetsuhara]] |
| | + | | commander2 = [[Colonel]] [[Jaime Wolf]] |
| | + | | forces1= |
| | + | | forces2= |
| | + | | forces3 = |
| | + | | result = |
| | + | | environment = |
| | + | | conditions = |
| | + | }} |
| | + | |
| | | | |
| | ==Overview of the Battle== | | ==Overview of the Battle== |
| | ===Prelude to the Battle=== | | ===Prelude to the Battle=== |
| − | The many petty insults and so-called betrayals between the Dragoons and the Combine are unimportant to this battle - the man who watches his house burn in a forest fire doesn't particularly care how it started... he only knows his home is destroyed in the conflagration. So it was with the Combine forces who came to Misery to face the dragoons' challenge. Four remaining regiments of the Ryuken, two regiments of Galedon Regulars, and a Sword of Light regiment; all came because the Coordinator, through his minion Warlord Grieg Samsonov of Galedon, ordered them to put down the scurrilous challenge by the disgraced mercenaries. The Dragoons, who had issued the challenge, were fighting for revenge, for the absolution of a feud that had been brewing since ''Chu-sa'' Jerry Akuma's appointment as Professional Soldiery Liaison. Five weary regiments of Wolf's Dragoons against seven regiments of the Claws of the Dragon.<ref name=HTPM2>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 7, "The Battle of Misery"</ref>
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| | | | |
| | ===Forming the Lines=== | | ===Forming the Lines=== |
| − | On 23 April 3028, all five Dragoon regiments left cover in the city of Farsund and moved south toward the main Combine positions on the equator. ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara quickly recalled all of his forces from outlying cities, impressed that the Dragoons were preparing to offer honorable combat. What followed was two days of skirmishing between advance elements as each force attempted to gain an advantage over the other. The Hamar Valley, in particular, on the edge of the Opdal Glacial Field, was host to a number of skirmishes, including the final battle between recon forces that resulted in the Dragoon capture of a Ryuken commander.
| + | The Draconis Combine responded in force. Warlord [[Grieg Samsonov]] (on direct, albeit unofficial orders from the Coordinator himself) cruelly sent none other than the unlucky Minobu Tetsuhara, who was promoted to General for just this purpose, to [[Misery]] with explicit orders to destroy Wolf's Dragoons. For this mission Tetsuhara received command of the Ryuken regiments, augmented by several other line regiments. Additional regiments under Samsonov's direct orders were stationed on DropShips hidden on the far side of the moon with orders to drop behind the enemy lines if and when Tetsuhara managed to draw the entire Dragoon force into battle. Samsonov disliked Tetsuhara with a vengeance and was fully aware that he pitted friend against friend and students against their former teachers. |
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| − | On the morning of the 25th the Ryuken, together with the Galedon Regulars, assembled in a great line across the Opdal facing the assembled regiments of Wolf's Dragoons. Both sides paused to examine the other - the Combine, eyeing the now-famous paint schemes of notable units like Zeta Battalion or Beta Regiment, and the Dragoons impressed at the sheer number of opponents. Much to the Combine's surprise, a lone Dragoon advanced and challenged the Ryuken to single combat. More combat followed, hours' worth, before a burst of fire from the Dragoon lines interfered in a duel. The Combine warriors, outraged, charged forward into the trap: the Dragoons had been playing for time, waiting on their engineers to burrow through the ice, planting charges. More than a regiment of 'Mechs were lost into the suddenly-opened pits, and the entire Dragoon line charged forward and crippled nearly a regiment more before withdrawing in the face of the last minute arrival of the Sword of Light.<ref name=HTPM3>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 7, "The Battle of Misery"</ref>
| + | Torn between friendship and duty, Tetsuhara did his best to carry out his orders. When he noticed that the Dragoons concentrated their BattleMechs in one location but did not deploy conventional or AeroSpace units, he assumed that Wolf wanted a ritual 'Mech battle and felt compelled to comply. In fact, Jaime Wolf knew how to use the ''bushido'' code of honor against him so that the Dragoons could dictate the terms of the engagement. |
| | | | |
| | ===A Month of Misery=== | | ===A Month of Misery=== |
| − | The next weeks were filled with fire and death on the icy plains of Misery. Here a Dragoon battalion would encounter a Ryuken or Galedon battalion and destroy it - there a Sword of Light battalion would encounter a Dragoon company and annihilate it. Neither side could locate the decisive victory they sought, but both sides quickly slaked their thirst for revenge. By mid-month the heat of hate had died down and both the Dragoons and the samurai were intent only on finishing the job at hand and escaping.
| + | [[File:Mech and infantry soldier during the Battle of Misery.png|right|thumb|Advancing Mech and soldier.]] |
| − | | |
| − | By 20 May, a solid month of battling had ground both sides down precipitously. The long series of Skirmishes and feints, highlighted by the odd pitched battle and stinging ambush, had killed hundreds of warriors on both sides, but the Dragoons were slightly ahead. The Combine had recovered and repaired many of the 'Mechs lost in the initial trap, but the Dragoons always seemed to be one step ahead of them. ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara planned a series of raids to keep the Dragoons off-ballance while he consolidated the remains of his force, but a lightning strike against his command post threw his plans off-kilter. It was only the sudden return of one of his most valueable sub-commanders that saved Tetsuhara from death, but that reprieve was short-lived. His 'Mech force was isolated and his Dragon destroyed.
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| − | | |
| − | Without Tetsuhara to guide them, the remaining Combine forces were disorganized and easily dealt with by the elite Dragoons, who routed them off-world by the 25th. Soon after, as the Dragoons began their own preparations to withdraw to the Federated Suns, ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara committed seppuku.<ref name=HTPM4>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 7, "The Battle of Misery"</ref>
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| − | | |
| | ==Breakdown of the Fighting== | | ==Breakdown of the Fighting== |
| − | === Hamar Valley, 23 April 3028===
| + | Both armies set up camp far away from each other. However, it was not until midnight some days later (on April 22, 3028) that Wolf's Dragoons finally moved out. [[Michi Noketsuna]], Tetsuhara's aide and friend, reported this to him and observed that they were obviously moving under the cover of the darkness. Tetsuhara could not help but note that there was perhaps another reason: It was just past midnight, and the formal contract between Wolf's Dragoons and the Draconis Combine had now run out. |
| − | When the Dragoons' contract with the Combine expired all five regiments moved out of their bivouacs near Farsund and advanced south toward the lines of the Ryuken and Galedon Regulars. They could have made the movement in a little less than a day, but they advanced slowly, probing with recon lances to see where the Kuritans would defend. These small units were the first Dragoons to engage the Kuritans, but the Ryuken and Regulars were just as incensed, and a few of the recon lances on either side kept to their customary rules of engagement.
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| − | | |
| − | The skirmishes across the Hamar Valley and the outskirts of the Opdal Glacial Field for the two days preceding the first large-scale engagement were far from decisive, but they did reinforce for both sides the knowledge that their enemies were taking this battle just as seriously as they were. In the end, though, the Dragoons were successfully able to maneuver the Combine forces into the location of their choosing, setting the stage for their first significant conflict.<ref name=HTPM5>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 10, "Thrust and Parry"</ref>
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| − | | |
| − | === Opdal Glacial Field, 25 April 3028===
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| − | After two days of skirmishing, the Combine forces finally met the Dragoons en masse across the expanse of the Opdal Glacial Field, a kilometer-wide, windblown ice plain. Expecting a massive engagement, the Combine warriors were shocked when a Dragoon strode forward and challenged them to single combat. Although the first Combine warrior fell dishonorably, another stepped forward to accept the next challenge, and the next... and soon, the Dragoons were not winning them all. Unbeknownst to the Combine forces, though, the Dragoons were mining under the ice, planting explosives for a deadly trap.
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| − | | |
| − | The duels went on for hours before the Dragoons finally interrupted one by destroying the Combine 'Mech with combined fire. Outraged at the breach of honor, the Combine forces charged forward while the Dragoons drew back. Despite their commanders' attempts to slow them, the regiments moved forward until the Dragoons detonated charges beneath them, destroying a regiment's worth of 'Mechs in one gigantic trap. They immediately counterattacked across the cracked abyssal ice, only withdrawing when the Sword of Light finally made their appearance.<ref name=HTPM6>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 11, "Across a Field"</ref>
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| − | | |
| − | === Trolfjel Highlands, 2 May 3028===
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| − | The Dragoons were outnumbered on Misery, and they knew it. Five weary regiments, on the tail end of a five-year high-combat contract, having just fought their way off of several Combine worlds and suffering under equipment shortages, against seven full regiments of the DCMS. The Combine could afford to cycle units on and off the line, simply overwhelming the Dragoons with numbers. That was the plan, at least. What they did not count on was the Dragoon's superior gunnery and training.
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| − | | |
| − | The most notable example of the Dragoon's advantages in skill and experience came when Captain Danielle Rondema's assault company (Rondema's Roughnecks) encountered a company of Ryuken while on patrol. They signaled the contact report and attacked, destroying the company in a short and relatively simple battle. Captain Rondema congratulated her company, marked the location for salvage, and turned back toward Beta Regiment's laager. Her sensors pinged - another Ryuken company appeared behind the first.
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| − | | |
| − | Captain Rondema wheeled her company around and engaged, destroying a second company, again with little damage to themselves. When they returned to the Beta laager with ROMs showing two companies destroyed, the other Betas were amazed, and Colonel Shostokovich took the report personnaly to Colonel Wolf, who congratulated the Roughnecks on their incredible prowess.<ref name=HTPM7>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 12, "Quality isn't Everything"</ref>
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| − | === 100 Kilometers North of Laerdal, 8 May 3028===
| + | The two forces met at an ice field where, much to the surprise of the Kurita forces, the Dragoon BattleMechs began to challenge their counterparts to single combat one after another. After a while, a Kurita 'Mech that had just destroyed his Dragoon opponent was suddenly destroyed by renegade fire from the Dragoon lines. Enraged, the Kurita forces charged across the ice field while the Dragoons retreated. Tetsuhara could not stop his troops even when he realized the trap for what it was. Demolition charges broke up the ice and swallowed many Draconis Combine 'Mechs. The Dragoons then turned around to pick off their remaining pursuers who suddenly found themselves on breaking ground. Only the timely arrival of heavy reinforcements allowed the Kurita troops to withdraw. |
| − | A week and more after the disastrous initial battle the regiments of the Dragoons and the Ryuken had broken up into smalle elements and probed toward each other, each side jockeying for position. It was a two-week game of vengeful cat-and-mouse, punctuated by fierce deadly battles and desperate struggles. Regiment against regiment, battalion against battalion, company against company - both sides fought like devils trying to gain the upper hand.
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| | | | |
| − | One of the many actions of the long string of battles that made of the campaign on Misery took place barely 100 kilometers north of Laerdal, when a battalion of Epsilon Regiment made a long-range strike south to try and destroy a Ryuken forward repair and replenishment base. A reinforced battalion of the Eight Sword of Light intercepted the Epsilon battalion just before it reached the base, however, and sprung an excellent ambush. Although the Dragoons destroyed the Sworder battalion nearly to a man, it cost them more than seventy percent of their strength.<ref name=HTPM8>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 13, "Beware the Sword"</ref>
| + | The losses from this first encounter had already reduced the Draconis Combine's numerical superiority. Worse, it quickly became apparent that Warlord Samsonov had betrayed Tetsuhara and his troops. Twice, Tetsuhara called in his reinforcements when he had the Dragoons ready to be crushed between hammer and anvil. Twice, the reinforcements failed to appear and Tetsuhara barely managed to disengage in good order. In the weeks of vicious fighting that followed, much of the best blood of both Wolf's Dragoons and House Kurita was spilled in the icy wastes of aptly named Misery. While both sides suffered from an equally high rate of attrition from the harsh climate, the Dragoons continually outmaneuvered the Kurita troops and rapidly wore them down. Tetsuhara did not know that the snowstorms only blinded his own units. The Dragoons had deployed recon satellites in orbit and by avoiding AeroSpace combat, had prevented Tetsuhara from noticing them. |
| | | | |
| − | === Trolfjel Highlands, 14 May 3028===
| + | The fighting ended when both Minobu Tetsuhara and Michi Noketsuna were captured following the destruction of their 'Mechs, after an attack on the Kurita command post. Tetsuhara had been running from the damaged communication truck to his own BattleMech, a [[Dragon]], when he had suddenly found himself standing before Jaime Wolf's blue-and-gold [[Archer]]. Wolf did not kill him, and the appearance of Kurita reinforcements led by Michi Noketsuna in his red [[Ostroc]] 'Mech drove the attackers away for the moment. With his command post destroyed, Tetsuhara tried to regroup his forces, who were hopelessly scattered in the snowstorm, but his makeshift command lance was soon brought to battle and destroyed by a Dragoon lance led by [[Dechan Fraser]]. |
| − | As the combat on Misery dragged on, more and more warriors on both sides were succumbing to fatigue. The constant battle meant no respite - no chance to repair battered 'Mechs, no chance to heal festering wounds. There was only honor, and anger, and the next mission. The Combine forces had suffered greatly. None of their regiments, not even the Sword of Light, was above sixty percent strength. The Dragoons were little better, but even a little better was enough. Both sides sensed the combat coming toward an endgame - and rather than slack off, both threw themselves into the attack, desperate for a final victory.
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| − | A Delta Regiment battalion on a strike mission toward a Ryuken mustering point ran into a blocking force from the Galedon Regulars in a wide canyon in the Trolfjel Highlands and decided to try and burst through and complete their mission. Despite the strong but inexperienced opposition, the Dragoons made significant headway until another company hit them in the flank during their advance. This second force caused great casualties amongst the Dragoons, who had to abandon their raiding target and concentrate on defeating the enemy in front of them. They did so, but at the cost of most of the battalion.<ref name=HTPM9>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 14, "Bloody Honor"</ref>
| + | ==Aftermath== |
| | + | In the aftermath of the Misery debacle, Tetsuhara saw no other way than to commit ''[[seppuku]]'' for having failed to carry out his orders to destroy the Dragoons. Jaime Wolf desperately tried to dissuade his friend, explaining how he had been betrayed by his own superiors. Tetsuhara remained adamant, however. In Tetsuhara's mind, his rescue of Wolf in 3023 made him responsible for Wolf's life -- and therefore responsible for the destruction on both sides. He nevertheless asked Wolf to fulfill a certain role in the ceremony. Only after Wolf had accepted this request he learned that his role would be to kill Tetsuhara before he could show a sign of pain. Although at first shocked, Wolf did as he was asked and shot Tetsuhara with a laser pistol at the conclusion of the ceremony as a last gesture of mutual respect and friendship, in the presence of Natasha Kerensky and all Dragoon battalion commanders who had assembled to show their respect. Although many were dismayed, similar rituals were not at all alien to those among them who were original Clansmen. |
| | | | |
| − | === Trolfjel Highlands, 20 May 3028===
| + | == Units Involved== |
| − | After four weeks the Kuritans felt they were finally gaining the upper hand. They had repaired many of the machines lost earlier in the battle, including many pried from the jaws of the dishonorable trap sprung on the Opdal the first day. ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara had planned a full-scale attack into suspected Dragoon positions, despite the lack of intelligence. The battles between recon lances had often gone in the Dragoons' favor, and he was nearly blind, but he knew he had strength... if he could only bring it to bear.
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| − | In a last-minute conference in the Ryuken hidden commcenter, Tetsuhara gave his orders and watched the unit counters move - before they started disappearing, and explosions filled the air.
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| − | The Dragoon raid on the Ryuken's headquarters was a succes, but an incomplete one. Although they succeeded in destroying the vital communication nexus, they failed to capture or kill ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara, who escaped thanks to the timely arrival of his subordinate, Michi Noketsuna. Tetsuhara was able to board his 'Mech and leave the area before sufficient Dragoons could be flooded into the area, and for a short time Wolf and his officers feared they would have to track him down again. Luckily for the Dragoons, however, one of the trailing companies intercepted Tetsuhara's force before it could join the Ryuken-go and captured the Kuritan general.<ref name=HTPM10>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 15, "Cut Off the Head"</ref>
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| − | | |
| − | === 100 Kilometers South of Boras, 23 May 3028===
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| − | With the capture of ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara the cohesion of the Kuritan forces fell apart. The Dragoons were quick to exploit this, skillfully separating the Galedon Regular regiments from the Ryuken and tearing them apart before turning back to the Ryuken. Both Galedon regiments were shredded - to most observers, the Seventeenth would never recover - but the Ryuken hunkered down into tight defensive positions and began preparations to leave Misery Misery to the Dragoons. The mercenaries, their bloodlust nearly slaked, turned north toward the one last icon of Kuritan power on Misery: the Eight Sword of Light.
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| − | The Sworders put up a solid defense, but the ''Sho-sho'' had already ordered a retreat and the DropShips were nearly loaded. The assault by Zeta Battalion and elements of Alpha and Gamma Regiments was too slow to do more than blast the Sworders' rearguard, led by ''Sho-sho'' Torisobo himself. Although they took significant losses, including the capture of their headquarters before it could be destroyed, the bulk of the Sword of Light successfully boarded their DropShips and escaped. The Ryuken followed suit a day later, leaving Misery in the hands of the Dragoons.
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| − | Their thirst for revenge quenched, but not totally satisfied, the Dragoons turned to recovery operations and made preparations for their departure as well. A contract with Hanse Davion's Federated Suns had already been signed, and Zeta Battalion quickly departed to act as escort for the Dragoon dependants headed for Robinson. On Misery, Jaime Wolf failed to convince his friend Tetsuhara that he wasn't responsible for the Kuritans' failure. Despite much circumstantial evidence, Tetsuhara's honor demanded he atone to the Coordinator for his failure, and he slit his belly. A little over two months later, Jaime Wolf presented Tetsuhara's swords to Takashi Kurita himself on Terra, declaring a blood feud between the Dragoons and the Combine that would last for decades.<ref name=HTPM11>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 16, "Endgame"</ref>
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| − | == Units Involved<ref name=HTPM12>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 8-9</ref>== | |
| | ===Wolf's Dragoons=== | | ===Wolf's Dragoons=== |
| | [[File:Wdragoons.gif|right|150px]] | | [[File:Wdragoons.gif|right|150px]] |
| − | * [[Alpha Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Alpha Regiment]] | + | * [[Alpha Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Alpha Regiment]]<ref name=HTPM12>''Historical Turning Points: Misery'', p. 8-9</ref> |
| | * [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Beta Regiment]] | | * [[Beta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Beta Regiment]] |
| | * [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Gamma Regiment]] | | * [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Gamma Regiment]] |
| | * [[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment]] | | * [[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment]] |
| | * [[Epsilon Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Epsilon Regiment]] | | * [[Epsilon Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Epsilon Regiment]] |
| − | * [[Zeta Battalion (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Zeta Battalion]] | + | * [[Zeta Battalion|Wolf's Dragoons Zeta Battalion]] |
| − | * [[Black Widow Company (Wolf's Dragoons)|Wolf's Dragoons Black Widow Company]] | + | * [[Black Widow Company|Wolf's Dragoons Black Widow Company]] |
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| | ===Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery=== | | ===Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery=== |
| Line 75: |
Line 59: |
| | * [[Ryuken-ni]] | | * [[Ryuken-ni]] |
| | * [[Ryuken-san]] | | * [[Ryuken-san]] |
| | + | * [[Ryuken-yon]] |
| | * [[Ryuken-go]] | | * [[Ryuken-go]] |
| − | * [[Ryuken-yon]]
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| | * [[Eighth Sword of Light]] | | * [[Eighth Sword of Light]] |
| | * [[Seventeenth Galedon Regulars]] | | * [[Seventeenth Galedon Regulars]] |
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| | * ''[[Historical Turning Points: Misery]]'' | | * ''[[Historical Turning Points: Misery]]'' |
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| − | [[Category:New articles needing to be reviewed]] | + | [[Category:Fourth Succession War Era Military Operations|Misery (3028)]] |
Overview of the Battle[edit]
Prelude to the Battle[edit]
Forming the Lines[edit]
The Draconis Combine responded in force. Warlord Grieg Samsonov (on direct, albeit unofficial orders from the Coordinator himself) cruelly sent none other than the unlucky Minobu Tetsuhara, who was promoted to General for just this purpose, to Misery with explicit orders to destroy Wolf's Dragoons. For this mission Tetsuhara received command of the Ryuken regiments, augmented by several other line regiments. Additional regiments under Samsonov's direct orders were stationed on DropShips hidden on the far side of the moon with orders to drop behind the enemy lines if and when Tetsuhara managed to draw the entire Dragoon force into battle. Samsonov disliked Tetsuhara with a vengeance and was fully aware that he pitted friend against friend and students against their former teachers.
Torn between friendship and duty, Tetsuhara did his best to carry out his orders. When he noticed that the Dragoons concentrated their BattleMechs in one location but did not deploy conventional or AeroSpace units, he assumed that Wolf wanted a ritual 'Mech battle and felt compelled to comply. In fact, Jaime Wolf knew how to use the bushido code of honor against him so that the Dragoons could dictate the terms of the engagement.
A Month of Misery[edit]
Advancing Mech and soldier.
Breakdown of the Fighting[edit]
Both armies set up camp far away from each other. However, it was not until midnight some days later (on April 22, 3028) that Wolf's Dragoons finally moved out. Michi Noketsuna, Tetsuhara's aide and friend, reported this to him and observed that they were obviously moving under the cover of the darkness. Tetsuhara could not help but note that there was perhaps another reason: It was just past midnight, and the formal contract between Wolf's Dragoons and the Draconis Combine had now run out.
The two forces met at an ice field where, much to the surprise of the Kurita forces, the Dragoon BattleMechs began to challenge their counterparts to single combat one after another. After a while, a Kurita 'Mech that had just destroyed his Dragoon opponent was suddenly destroyed by renegade fire from the Dragoon lines. Enraged, the Kurita forces charged across the ice field while the Dragoons retreated. Tetsuhara could not stop his troops even when he realized the trap for what it was. Demolition charges broke up the ice and swallowed many Draconis Combine 'Mechs. The Dragoons then turned around to pick off their remaining pursuers who suddenly found themselves on breaking ground. Only the timely arrival of heavy reinforcements allowed the Kurita troops to withdraw.
The losses from this first encounter had already reduced the Draconis Combine's numerical superiority. Worse, it quickly became apparent that Warlord Samsonov had betrayed Tetsuhara and his troops. Twice, Tetsuhara called in his reinforcements when he had the Dragoons ready to be crushed between hammer and anvil. Twice, the reinforcements failed to appear and Tetsuhara barely managed to disengage in good order. In the weeks of vicious fighting that followed, much of the best blood of both Wolf's Dragoons and House Kurita was spilled in the icy wastes of aptly named Misery. While both sides suffered from an equally high rate of attrition from the harsh climate, the Dragoons continually outmaneuvered the Kurita troops and rapidly wore them down. Tetsuhara did not know that the snowstorms only blinded his own units. The Dragoons had deployed recon satellites in orbit and by avoiding AeroSpace combat, had prevented Tetsuhara from noticing them.
The fighting ended when both Minobu Tetsuhara and Michi Noketsuna were captured following the destruction of their 'Mechs, after an attack on the Kurita command post. Tetsuhara had been running from the damaged communication truck to his own BattleMech, a Dragon, when he had suddenly found himself standing before Jaime Wolf's blue-and-gold Archer. Wolf did not kill him, and the appearance of Kurita reinforcements led by Michi Noketsuna in his red Ostroc 'Mech drove the attackers away for the moment. With his command post destroyed, Tetsuhara tried to regroup his forces, who were hopelessly scattered in the snowstorm, but his makeshift command lance was soon brought to battle and destroyed by a Dragoon lance led by Dechan Fraser.
Aftermath[edit]
In the aftermath of the Misery debacle, Tetsuhara saw no other way than to commit seppuku for having failed to carry out his orders to destroy the Dragoons. Jaime Wolf desperately tried to dissuade his friend, explaining how he had been betrayed by his own superiors. Tetsuhara remained adamant, however. In Tetsuhara's mind, his rescue of Wolf in 3023 made him responsible for Wolf's life -- and therefore responsible for the destruction on both sides. He nevertheless asked Wolf to fulfill a certain role in the ceremony. Only after Wolf had accepted this request he learned that his role would be to kill Tetsuhara before he could show a sign of pain. Although at first shocked, Wolf did as he was asked and shot Tetsuhara with a laser pistol at the conclusion of the ceremony as a last gesture of mutual respect and friendship, in the presence of Natasha Kerensky and all Dragoon battalion commanders who had assembled to show their respect. Although many were dismayed, similar rituals were not at all alien to those among them who were original Clansmen.
Units Involved[edit]
Wolf's Dragoons[edit]
Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Historical Turning Points: Misery, p. 8-9
Bibliography[edit]
