Editing Battle of Wolcott (3050)

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| caption =  
 
| caption =  
 
| date = October [[3050]]
 
| date = October [[3050]]
| enddate =
 
 
| place = Easter Continent, Swamp Valley
 
| place = Easter Continent, Swamp Valley
 
| planet = [[Wolcott]]
 
| planet = [[Wolcott]]
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| commander1 = [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Dietr Osis]]
 
| commander1 = [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Dietr Osis]]
 
| commander2 = Prince [[Hohiro Kurita II]]
 
| commander2 = Prince [[Hohiro Kurita II]]
| forces1= [[Swath Keshik (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Swath Keshik]],<br/> [[225th Jaguar Battle (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|225th Jaguar Battle Cluster]]
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| forces1= [[Swath Keshik (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Swath Keshik]] <br/> [[225th Jaguar Battle (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|22th Jaguar Battle Cluster]]
 
| forces2= [[Genyosha]] (masked as green "Yuutsu" regiments)
 
| forces2= [[Genyosha]] (masked as green "Yuutsu" regiments)
 
| forces3 =  
 
| forces3 =  
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}}
 
}}
  
The '''Battle of Wolcott''' was a pivotal engagement during the [[Clan Invasion]] between [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] and the [[Draconis Combine]] on the planet [[Wolcott]] in October [[3050]]. Beyond a victory for the Combine, the battle also represents one of the first times the [[Clan]] invaders had been defeated in combat by the [[Inner Sphere]]. ''[[Gunji-no-Kanrei]]'' [[Theodore Kurita]] had carefully planned the battle beforehand, enacting '''Operation SAKKAKU''', knowing that his people desperately needed this victory if only to prove that the Clans were not invincible. Not only were Combine forces successful in repelling the invaders, their victory also netted the Draconis Combine valuable [[OmniMech]] and [[battle armor]] technology to study.
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The '''Battle of Wolcott''' was a pivotal engagement during the [[Clan Invasion]] between [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] and the [[Draconis Combine]] on the planet [[Wolcott]] in October [[3050]]. Beyond a victory for the Combine, the battle also represents one of the first times the [[Clan]] invaders had been defeated in combat by the [[Inner Sphere]]. ''[[Gunji-no-Kanrei]]'' [[Theodore Kurita]] had carefully planned the battle beforehand, enacting '''Operation SAKKAKU''', knowing that his people desperately needed this victory if only to prove that the Clans were not invincible. Not only were Combine forces successful in repelling the invaders, their victory also netted the Draconis Combine valuable [[OmniMech]] and [[Battle Armor]] technology to study.
  
 
==Prelude==
 
==Prelude==
''Kanrei'' Kurita specifically chose Wolcott for its natural terrain. The hot marshes which covered most of the eastern continent produced a thick, blinding fog and contained tightly packed trees which would provide cover and force the Clans to fight at close range. These were enhanced under Theodore's orders by hanging large strips of reflective metal from the trees to further confuse the enemy's scanners.<ref name=IC57>''Invading Clans'', p. 57</ref> Traps were also set for the invaders, tiger pits hidden beneath the surface of the swamp and mined with [[vibrabomb]]s.<ref name=LHch38>''Lethal Heritage'', ch. 38</ref> The next part of the ''Kanrei''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s plan was to transfer both of his elite [[Genyosha]] regiments to Wolcott under the fake identity of the green "Yuutsu" regiments, going so far as to create completely new unit records to hide the deception.<ref name=IC57>''Invading Clans'', p. 57</ref>
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''Kanrei'' Kurita specifically chose Wolcott for its natural terrain. The hot marshes which covered most of the eastern continent produced a thick, blinding fog and contained tightly-packed trees which would provide cover and force the Clans to fight at close range. These were enhanced under Theodore's orders by hanging large strips of reflective metal from the trees to further confuse the enemy's scanners.<ref name=IC57>''Invading Clans (sourcebook)'', p. 57</ref> Traps were also set for the invaders, tiger pits hidden beneath the surface of the swamp and mined with [[vibrabomb]]s.<ref name=LHch38>''Lethal Heritage'', Ch. 38</ref> The next part of the ''Kanrei'''s plan was to transfer both of his elite [[Genyosha]] regiments to Wolcott under the fake identity of the green "Yuutsu" regiments, going so far as to create completely new unit records to hide the deception.<ref name=IC57>''Invading Clans (sourcebook)'', p. 57</ref>
  
When [[Beta Galaxy (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Beta Galaxy]] arrived in orbit of the planet, [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Dietr Osis]] issued a ''[[batchall]]'' to the defenders. Supreme commander of all Combine forces on Wolcott and Theodore's son [[Hohiro Kurita (31st c.)|Hohiro Kurita]] answered the challenge, designated the planet's fetid Swamp Valley as the battlefield, and laid out the terms of the engagement: if the Jaguars won then the planet was theirs, but if the Combine won then the Clan would not only give its word to never attack Wolcott again but also hand over four OmniMechs and two dozen Elemental suits. At first Galaxy Commander Osis hesitated to accept such terms but then Hohiro goaded the Jaguar commander, reminding him that only "green" troops defended the planet and so the odds were strongly in the Clan's favor to win. Stung by the subtle implication that he was afraid to fight, Osis agreed to the terms and personally led the [[Swath Keshik (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Swath Keshik]] and [[225th Jaguar Battle (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|225th Jaguar Battle Cluster]] in the attack.<ref name=IC57/><ref>''Invading Clans'', p. 68</ref>
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When [[Beta Galaxy (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Beta Galaxy]] arrived in orbit of the planet, [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Dietr Osis]] issued a ''[[batchall]]'' to the defenders. Supreme commander of all Combine forces on Wolcott and Theodore's son [[Hohiro Kurita (31st c.)|Hohiro Kurita]] answered the challenge, designated the planet's foetid Swamp Valley as the battlefield, and laid out the terms of the engagement: if the Jaguars won then the planet was theirs, but if the Combine won then the Clan would not only give its word to never attack Wolcott again but also hand over four OmniMechs and two dozen Elemental suits. At first Galaxy Commander Osis hesitated to accept such terms but then Hohiro goaded the Jaguar commander, reminding him that only "green" troops defended the planet and so the odds were strongly in the Clan's favor to win. Stung by the subtle implication that he was afraid to fight, Osis agreed to the terms and personally led the [[Swath Keshik (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Swath Keshik]] and [[225th Jaguar Battle (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|22th Jaguar Battle Cluster]] in the attack.<ref name=IC57/><ref>''Invading Clans (sourcebook)'', p. 68</ref>
  
 
==Battle==
 
==Battle==
The Smoke Jaguars made their landing at Swamp Valley, their [[DropShip]]s hovering meters above the terrain while OmniMechs and Elementals dropped down and spread out to form a perimeter. However they failed to spot the waiting Combine forces hidden among the natural terrain and artificial chaff.<ref name=IC57/> They were further hampered by the fact that the Combine 'Mechs were only operating those [[heat sinks]] which rested below the waterline, effectively masking their thermal output, and had recently been repainted with camouflage patterns.<ref name=LHch38/> The Smoke Jaguars were taken by surprise then when swift [[Savannah Master]] hovercraft emerged from the underbrush and attacked them. The light hovercraft's speed made them difficult to hit and the Smoke Jaguars were forced to close ranks.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/>
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The Smoke Jaguars made their landing at Swamp Valley, their [[DropShip]]s hovering meters above the terrain while OmniMechs and Elementals dropped down and spread out to form a perimeter. However they failed to spot the waiting Combine forces hidden among the natural terrain and artificial chaff.<ref name=IC57/> They were further hampered by the fact that the Combine 'Mechs were only operating those [[heat sinks]] which rested below the waterline, effectively masking their thermal output, and had recently been repainted with camouflage patterns.<ref name=LHch38/> The Smoke Jaguars were taken by surprise then when swift [[Savannah Master]] hovercraft emerged from the underbrush and attacked them. The light hovercraft's speed made them difficult to hit and the Smoke Jaguars were forced to close ranks.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/>  
  
 
This made the Smoke Jaguars vulnerable to follow-up attacks by heavier [[Drillson]] and [[Saracen]] hovertanks, and from a barrage of [[long range missile]]s fired by the Genyosha's battalion of heavy 'Mechs. Pinned down by the heavy bombardment, the Clan forces were vulnerable to further hit-and-run attacks carried out by the more maneuverable Genyosha light 'Mechs. This state of affairs continued for several hours until finally Galaxy Commander Osis signaled his surrender.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/>
 
This made the Smoke Jaguars vulnerable to follow-up attacks by heavier [[Drillson]] and [[Saracen]] hovertanks, and from a barrage of [[long range missile]]s fired by the Genyosha's battalion of heavy 'Mechs. Pinned down by the heavy bombardment, the Clan forces were vulnerable to further hit-and-run attacks carried out by the more maneuverable Genyosha light 'Mechs. This state of affairs continued for several hours until finally Galaxy Commander Osis signaled his surrender.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/>
  
 
==Aftermath==
 
==Aftermath==
True to his word, Galaxy Commander Osis handed over four OmniMechs and two dozen Elemental suits to the Kuritans and asked that the rest of his warriors be allowed to leave, to which Hohiro agreed. Standing atop the head of his ''[[Stormcrow]]'', Osis then offered himself as a servant to the Draconis forces, who didn't accept, because they don't understand his offer. They believed he was asking to commit ''[[seppuku]]''. His last words were praying to the defenders not to let the rest of Jaguars "destroy his children", probably meaning executing his ''[[sibko]]'' descendants. Then, one of the Jaguars Elementals executed him for his failure. The Galaxy Commander's headless body was last seen tumbling into the murky swamp waters, whereupon various lizards began to converge on his resting place.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/> After his execution, his killer offered the Draconis leaders the execution of Osis "children", but they asked to let them live.
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True to his word, Galaxy Commander Osis handed over four OmniMechs and two dozen Elemental suits to the Kuritans and asked that the rest of his warriors be allowed to leave, to which Hohiro agreed. Standing atop the head of his ''[[Stormcrow]]'' Osis then offered himself as a servant to the Draconis forces, who didn't accept, because they don't understand his offer. They believed he was asking to commit [[Seppuku]]. His last words were praying to the defenders not to let the rest of Jaguars "killing his childrens", probably meaning executing his [[Sibko]] descendants. Then, one of the Jaguars Elementals executed him for his failure. The Galaxy Commander's headless body was last seen tumbling into the murky swamp waters, whereupon various lizards began to converge on his resting place.<ref name=IC57/><ref name=LHch38/>
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After his execution, his killer offered the Draconis leaders the execution of Osis "children", but they asked to let them live.
  
Throughout the rest of the invasion Wolcott remained a Combine world. It was later garrisoned by regiments of the ''[[Ryuken]]'' which, after the success of the [[Battle of Luthien (3052)|Battle of Luthien]], used the planet as a staging ground to launch raids into the surrounding Smoke Jaguar [[Occupation Zone]].<ref>''Invading Clans'', p. 61</ref>
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Throughout the rest of the invasion Wolcott remained a Combine world. It was later garrisoned by regiments of the ''[[Ryuken]]'' which, after the success of the [[Battle of Luthien (Clan Invasion)|Battle of Luthien]], used the planet as a staging ground to launch raids into the surrounding Smoke Jaguar [[Occupation Zone]].<ref>''Invading Clans'', p. 61</ref>
  
 
A ''[[Kyushu]]''-class frigate was later named ''[[Victory at Wolcott]]'' in honor of this crucial battle.
 
A ''[[Kyushu]]''-class frigate was later named ''[[Victory at Wolcott]]'' in honor of this crucial battle.
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==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
* ''[[Invading Clans (sourcebook)|Invading Clans]]''
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*''[[Invading Clans (sourcebook)]]''
* ''[[Lethal Heritage]]''
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*''[[Lethal Heritage]]''
  
 
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[[Category:Clan Invasion Era Military Operations]]
[[Category:Clan Invasion Era Military Operations|Wolcott]]
 

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