Blutige Jagd

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Blutige Jagd
Product information
Type Novel
Author Stefan Burban
Pages 400
Cover Artwork Karsten Schreurs
Publication information
Publisher Ulisses Spiele GmbH
Product code 41039
First published 12 October 2016
ISBN-13 978-3957522986
MSRP 12,95 €
Content
Era Jihad era
Timeline 1 April - 12 December 3067
Preceded by Sturm auf Arc-Royal

Blutige Jagd ("Bloody Hunt") is the 33rd in the line of original German-language Classic BattleTech novels. Written by Stefan Burban and following up on the events from his earlier novel Sturm auf Arc-Royal, it was published on 12 October 2016.

Canonicity

Written in German and exclusively published in that language so far, Blutige Jagd does not meet the current criteria for Canon in the BattleTech universe. As an official product published under a valid license, it should be regarded as apocryphal.

From the back cover (translated from German)

“ The civil war that polarized the citizens of the Federated Commonwealth for years concludes with the battle of Tharkad. But for some, the war is far from over.

Oberstleutnant Hans Grüner, one of the architects of the attack on Arc-Royal, manages to flee besieged Tharkad City at the last moment with a group of followers. He escapes into the Periphery to set up his own petty kingdom.

However, the Kell Hounds neither forget nor forgive. A mixed task force composed of mercenaries and their Clan Wolf-in-Exile allies is sent to bring Grüner to justice.

He's well prepared for that kind of surprise though...

”

Plot Summary

Ruthless and ambitious LAAF Leutnant-Colonel Hans Grüner managed to deflect blame from himself after the debacle on Arc-Royal that he was deeply involved in, but it still effectively ended his military career in the Lyran Alliance and saw him assigned to a desk job. Undaunted, he continues to pursue his "retirement plan": Grüner has all but purchased the periphery world of Andiron in the Circinus Federation as his personal fief back in 3060, which he has been ruling from afar through his brutish local right-hand man, Major Wolkov, while gathering followers in the crumbling Alliance. When the FedCom Civil War ends with the Lyran Alliance on the losing side, Grüner escapes Tharkad with several DropShips full of military equipment and treasure. However, one of his outbound DropShips is captured by FedCom forces, and the destination of his escape is found out. Since the Federated Commonwealth doesn't seek to pursue a war with the Circinus Federation, a detachment of Kell Hounds under Daniel Sunder (two 'Mech lances augmented by vehicles and infantry) is sent to arrest Grüner in what is dubbed "Operation Shadow"; Clan Wolf-in-Exile includes a force of their own (two Stars of 'Mechs, one aerospace fighter Star and two Stars of Elementals) under Star Captain Kevlin Conners "for reasons of honor" following the events on Arc-Royal two years earlier.

Carried on the Invader-class JumpShip Davions Stolz, the task force arrives at Andiron on 12 July 3067. They expect little if any resistance from the poorly trained and ill equipped periphery milita and approach Port Saul, Andiron's only major city and spaceport, to apprehend Grüner. However, they find that they have underestimated the defenders. Two of their three DropShips are downed on approach by massed aerospace fighters and several enemy DropShips. Only the Overlord-class Kronos manages a breakthrough and a rough landing in the wilderness, after emergency-dropping its Kell Hounds 'Mech contingent into a swamp 45 kilometers south of the city. Meanwhile, one of Grüner's own Overlord DropShips makes for the Davions Stolz and captures it at the pirate jump point while it is still recharging its jump drive.

The DropShip Achilles, carrying the Clan 'Mech contingent, crashlands 67 kilometers west of Port Saul. The ten 'Mechs of Kevlin Conners's command are all damaged to some degree. Almost immediately they are reconnoitered by enemy fighters, and a 'Mech force approaches. Kevlin leaves the three most damaged 'Mechs behind under the command of Star Commander Alisa, his consort, for a delaying action at the stricken DropShip (which is rigged to explode so that it will not be salvaged) while their main body escapes to the nearby mountains with the surviving techs and crewmen. The crash site is indeed overrun shortly afterwards, and Alisa is captured by the militia.

Similarly, the Goliath, which carried the infantry and vehicles, crashlands in a wide heathland south-west from Port Saul. Most of the crew and unarmored infantry are killed or heavily wounded. Only the ten Elementals under Lona DeVega remain unscathed. After the Elementals dispose of a J. Edgar hovertank that served as a scout for a larger tank force, they go to ground in the woodlands near the city.

Daniel Sunder's two 'Mech lances make for the settlement of Corrington at the edge of the swamp. MechWarrior Ahmed Kazaar, a Kell Hounds mercenary with Azami background, approaches the settlement through the swamp that hides his Uziel. As he watches, a group of soldiers in five vehicles, accompanied by a Firestarter, raids the village and the situation gets out of hand. When the Firestarter opens up on the protesting villagers with its flamers, Kazaar intervenes against orders and destroys the Firestarter, allowing the villagers to overcome the soldiers. He is subsequently hailed as their savior, and Corrington becomes a secret haven for the Kell Hounds to rest and repair while their 'Mechs are hidden in the swamp. However, something is not quite right with the villagers and their leader who calls herself Elena O'Reilly.


Featured BattleTech

'Mechs

Aerospace Fighters

Vehicles

DropShips

JumpShips

Other

References

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