Editing Battle of Towne (3133)

{{Update Needed|[[Blood of the Isle]]|[[MechWarrior: Technology of Destruction]]|[[Shrapnel Issue 15]]}}
{{InfoBoxConflict
| conflict = Battle of Towne
| partof = The [[Dark Age]] [[Dark Age era|era]]
| image = 
| caption = 
| date = 27 August [[3133]]
| enddate = 2 September [[3133]]
| place = Port Howard
| planet = [[Towne]]
| territory = 
| faction1 = (Attacker)<br/>[[Stormhammers]]
| faction2 = (Defender)<br/>[[Republic of the Sphere]]
| commander1 = 
| commander2 = [[Kristoff Erbe]]<ref name=DAINNp237>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 237: "Stormhammers, Supporters Withdraw After Port Howard Clash"</ref>
| forces1= [[Lyran Rangers]]<ref name=EDDAp7>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 7: "Important Military Actions of 3133"</ref>
| forces2= [[Towne Militia (RoS)|Towne Militia]]<ref name=DAINNp237/>
----
[[21st Centauri Lancers|Twenty-first Centauri Lancers]]<ref name=DAINNp237/>
---- 
[[Triarii Protectors]]<ref name=DAINNp237/>
| forces3 = 
| result = Stormhammers repelled after accomplishing their goal.
| environment = 
| conditions =
}}
==Overview==
In August [[3133]],  as part of a broad effort to hijack working [[Hyperpulse Generator|HPGs]] around the [[Republic of the Sphere]] to broadcast a recruitment call, a [[Stormhammers]] detachment attacked [[Towne]]. The [[Lyran Rangers]] detachment found the world guarded by a mix of [[Towne Militia (RoS)|local militia forces]], [[21st Centauri Lancers|Twenty-first Centauri Lancers]], and [[Triarii Protectors]]. Although the defenders eventually drove the Stormhammers off after intense fighting, the Stormhammers took the HPG station for long enough to send their recruitment message.<ref name=DAINNp237/><ref name=EDDAp7/>

==Prelude==
After the events of [[Gray Monday]] shut down the HPG network, Towne held one of the few HPGs to remain in operation.<ref>''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 4: "Functional Republic HPGs as of 1 January 3135"</ref> [[Jasek Kelswa-Steiner]], leader of the Stormhammers, sought to use said HPGs to broadcast a message to recruit Lyran loyalists.<ref name=EDDAp7/> He received assistance from [[Lyran Intelligence Corps#Lohengrin|Lohengrin]] in modifying a number of [[Garrot|Garrot Superheavy Transports]] that the Stormhammers had seized from the [[Skye]] militia. The modifications made the Garrots resemble Skystar Freight Helicopters, ubiquitous civilian cargo haulers.<ref name=TRO3150p44>''Technical Readout: 3150'', p. 44: "Garrot Superheavy Transport"</ref>

Towne spent the early months after the Blackout building up forces. The local militia rapidly expanded,<ref name=DAINNp100>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 100: "Citizens Leap to Towne’s Defense"</ref><ref name=DAINNp104>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 104: "Enlistment Soars After Port Howard Drive"</ref> supplemented by [[Chak Rasbid]]'s Twenty-first Centauri Lancers BattleMech lance and its associated supporting vehicles and infantry.<ref name=DAINNp214>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 214: "Jurik: Centauri Lancers Coming to Towne"</ref><ref name=DAINNp328>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 328: "Oscar: More Mercenaries for Towne"</ref> Weeks before the attack, a Triarii Protectors detachment arrived on Towne as a goodwill gesture.<ref name=DAINNp214/>

==Battle==
In the early hours of 27 August 3133, the Stormhammers began their attack. The modified Garrot helicopters were used to infiltrate commandos into the Prince John spaceport under the guise of merchant activity, seizing the facility easily.<ref name=TRO3150p44/> Alongside this attack, several Stormhammers DropShips, including a ''[[Union]]''-class and an ''[[Excalibur (DropShip class)|Excalibur]]''-class, landed in areas around the capital, Port Howard. The planetary government announced that these were part of a trading convoy.<ref name=DAINNp229>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 229: "Official Urges Calm as Unidentified DropShips Land Near Capital"</ref> However, in secret, Towne's leaders activated local forces and sent Governor [[Renee Oscar]] and her staff to a safe location. Within hours of the landing, the two battalions of Stormhammers surged south towards Port Howard, engaging Towne's defenders in battle.<ref name=DAINNp235>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 235: "Fighting Rages in Port Howard!"</ref> Local [[Knight-Errant of the Republic|Knight-Errant]] [[Kristoff Erbe]] was placed in charge of the defense.<ref name=DAINNp237/>

Fighting continued as the Stormhammers pushed deeper into the city. In the morning of the 28th, the Lyran Rangers seized control of the HPG for several hours, continuously broadcasting their prerecorded recruitment call to planetary and local interstellar networks. Later that day, they were pushed out by the defenders.<ref name=DAINNp233>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 233: "Kelswa-Steiner: The Hour of Steiner Has Come!"</ref> The battle went on almost without stopping through the 29th, growing into a brutal and destructive slog. Collateral damage was widespread.<ref name=DAINNp235/> A thunderstorm that morning added to the destruction.<ref name=DAINNp237/><ref name=ToD6>''MechWarrior: Technology of Destruction'', p. 6: For Loyalty or Money</ref>

Finally, after three days of steady combat, the Stormhammers fell back. They were driven off planet by 2 September 3133.<ref name=DAINNp237/>

==Aftermath==
The raid on Towne caused significant damage. Erbe reported causing a full mixed company of Stormhammers losses with defenders sustaining only light damage, while Dr. [[Nadia Sanyi]] of Port Howard's Prince Ian Memorial Hospital reported a mixed civilian-military casualty count estimate of around 1,500. Much of northern Port Howard was devastated during the battle.<ref name=DAINNp237/>

Throughout the battle, some of Towne's citizens answered the Stormhammers' recruitment call.<ref name=DAINNp233/> This notably included [[Thyeis Oyo]], who stole one of Port Howard's two ''[[St. Florian]]'' FireMechs, used it against several local [[Draconis Combine]]-descended businessmen he had grudges with, and left with the attackers.<ref>''Technical Readout: Irregulars'', p. 52: "''St. Florian'' FireMech MOD"</ref> He was among approximately 200 fresh recruits accumulated during the raid.<ref name=DAINNp237/>

In the long run, the attack drove Towne to increase security. Additional forces and security measures were placed in and around the HPG compound,<ref>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 314: "After the Stormhammers: A Look Back"</ref> and by February [[3134]], additional mercenaries were hired.<ref name=DAINNp328/> As well, Towne's tourist industry suffered after the attack.<ref>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 339: "Official: Delays May Doom Otherworld Theme Park"</ref> Damage from the Stormhammers' attack also led to the local [[INN]] planetwide network's shutdown in March 3134.<ref>''Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN'', p. 364: "03/09/3134"</ref>

==References== 
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN]]''
* ''[[Era Digest: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior: Technology of Destruction]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3150]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Irregulars]]''

[[Category:Late Dark Age Era Military Operations|Towne]]