History of Clan Jade Falcon

This article details the history of Clan Jade Falcon. For more information, see Clan Jade Falcon.

Clan Jade Falcon
Faction Profile
Time period:	2807 – Present
Classification:	Clan
Controlled systems:	129 (as of 3151)
Capital world:	Sudeten
Ruler title:	Khan
Military:	Clan Jade Falcon Touman
Secret Service:	Clan Jade Falcon Watch

Founding

Elizabeth Hazen, Founder of Clan Jade Falcon.

Clan Invasion

Battle of Tukayyid

File:Aidan Pryde 3052.jpg

Aidan Pryde, Hero of Clan Jade Falcon.

Assigned the target cities of Olalla and Humptulips, the Jade Falcon Khans bid their Delta, Vau, and Gamma Galaxies. While not opting to take special measures with regards its supplies and weapon configurations, their experience with "dishonorable" Inner Sphere tactics and eagerness to outdo Clan Wolf led the Falcon Khans Elias Crichell and Vandervahn Chistu to forbid their forces from batchall during the battle. In an effort to secure an earlier landing and mock the Com Guards, the dezgra Falcon Guards, a unit tainted by its humiliating loss on Twycross and led by the highly unconventional Aidan Pryde, were bid into the Falcon contingent. The Com Guards defending forces consisted of the largely green rated Eleventh and Third Armies bolstered by the addition of the 394th, Seventy-seventh, and 309th Divisions from the Second, Twelfth, and First Armies. Due to a lack of actual combat experience on the part of the Eleventh and Third's command staff, the campaign was almost entirely directed by Precentor Martial Focht.

Allowing their DropShips to land unopposed fifty kilometers south of the Prezno River, the Precentor Martial exploited the Jade Falcons cautious and slow-moving advance by ordering 394th Division to pull its scouts back and "strike and hiss," to engage in hit-and-run attacks that were shown to be most effective against the Clans. The troops of the 394th proceeded to launch endless ambushes on the Falcon advance, unleashing a massive hail of fire and retreating before the Clan warriors could effectively engage them. Suffering only minimal losses in return, the 394th's attacks convinced the overly cautious Falcons that they were facing not one but multiple divisions from the Eleventh Army, successfully delaying their advance and buying the defenders of Plough Bridge and Robyn's Crossing vital time to prepare. Being the only two bridges across the violent Prezno River, these would prove natural bottlenecks for the advancing Clan forces and ensure more straight-up fighting that suited their warriors.

Defending the approaches to Robyn's Crossing, the 403rd Division was crushed by the First Falcon Striker, the Clan Cluster inflicting greater than 70% casualties as they brushed aside the regular rated division. As the 305th Assault and 124th Striker Cluster advanced to Plough Bridge, the defending 214th Division broke under the massed fire of the 305th's Assault weight OmniMechs. Having dug in around Robyn's Crossing, the 388th Division held that bridge in the face of a heavy push by the Twelfth Falcon Regulars, but were forced back when the jump jet–equipped command Star of the Aidan Pryde's Falcon Guards reinforced the Regulars with an unorthodox flanking action. While suffering heavy losses, these divisions were successful in buying time for Com Guard sappers to rig demolition charges to collapse both bridges when the Falcons tried to cross, sending the Command Star and two Trinaries of the Twelfth Falcon Regulars, and a Trinary and two Binaries of the 305th to their deaths in the fast-moving Prezno River.

Before the Falcons could regroup, the Third Army's 111th and 201st Divisions emerged from hiding on the other side of the river, pushing the Clan forces back with long-range weapons fire and artillery strikes. Pulling back to repair and resupply as the Clan's OmniFighters ceaselessly pounded the Com Guard troops at the bridgeheads, the Falcon Guards and Second Falcon Regulars, led by Aidan Pryde and Marthe Pryde, eventually broke the stalemate on 7 May by moving downstream and establishing a makeshift breakwater in the middle of the river through the sacrifice of a Star of OmniMechs. The jump jet–equipped 'Mechs of the Falcon Guards and Second Regulars were now successfully able to cross. While a costly maneuver, losing three more 'Mechs and a Star of Elementals in the process, the 111th and 201st Divisions were totally unprepared for an attack on this side of the river and retreated to the target city of Olalla as the Falcon Clusters captured both Plough Bridge and Robyn's Crossing.

With both sides of the bridges in Falcon hands and the Clan's Techs setting about constructing pontoon bridges to allow the other Clusters to more easily cross, the Falcon Guard and Second Regulars then advanced toward Olalla and met no resistance. Highly suspicious at the seemingly undefended city, Kael Pershaw, high above in a suborbital spotter plane, detected disparities between the Olalla before him and the pre-Invasion holo-images of the city and, consequently, guided Aidan Pryde to order only a single heavy Star to enter. As the Falcon 'Mechs entered the city center, the Seventy-seventh Division emerged from hidden bunkers buried beneath the city's streets. ComStar engineers had razed the city and rebuilt it with fake buildings to disguise underground BattleMech bunkers from which BattleMechs would rise to the surface and attack, a most dezgra trap indeed. Due to Pryde's concerns of such a dezgra tactic, the trap snapped shut only on a single Star. The Falcon Guards successfully escaped and eventually destroyed the 111th and 201st Divisions. With the arrival of the First Falcon Velites, Eighty-ninth, and Ninety-fourth Falcon Strikers, the Falcon Guards and Second Regulars now ruthlessly hunted down and obliterated the Seventy-seventh Division and captured the city. But this triumph would be short-lived as Com Guard DropShips transporting the six fresh divisions assigned to the defense of Humptulips prepared to land and retake it.

Elsewhere the battle also began to turn dangerously against the Falcons. With the withdrawal of Clan Ghost Bear from Tukayyid freeing up the remains of the First and Fourth Armies, the Precentor Martial assigned the Fourth to assist the 388th and 214th in a massive assault against the Falcons' repair and resupply depots at Plough Bridge and Robyn's Crossing. Meanwhile, the divisions of the First joined the bulk of the Eleventh Army to recapture Olalla. Though the Falcons Delta and Vau Galaxies held their ground against the counterattack, a Com Guard airstrike succeeded in destroying Gamma Galaxy's supply depot at Robyn's Crossing. Now facing four full Com Guard Armies and with all Falcon units, with the exception of the Falcon Guards, running low on ammunition and supplies to take both objectives, the destruction of the depot forced the Jade Falcon Khans to reluctantly order a general withdrawal.

The withdrawal was, if anything, even bloodier than the advance. As the Falcons attempted to retreat from Olalla to the bridgeheads, the 309th Division attempted to cut off their escape as the Second Falcon Regulars raced to stop them. In some of the bloodiest combat on Tukayyid, the green 309th stood their ground to the last man, with the Second Regulars suffering nearly 70% losses before it utterly obliterated the Com Guard division. Now able to cross the bridge at Robyn's Crossing, the four withdrawing Clusters smashed through the Ninetieth Division as they advanced to towards the Jade Falcons' original LZ.

Just as the Falcon troops drew close, two Overlord-class DropShips carrying the 104th Division attempted to land behind Jade Falcon lines in an attempt to catch the Clan forces in a pincer movement. Unfortunately, a group of Falcon Elementals were able to attack the Com Guard DropShips moments after landing, successfully destroying one and tying up the other before they could deploy their 'Mechs. While the Com Guard forces fanatically threw themselves at the Falcons in a desperate attempt to stop them, the Falcon Guards beat back the attackers and allowed their fellows to board and escape. Remaining behind to allow the escape of wounded troops, Falcon Guards CO Star Colonel Aidan Pryde defeated over two 'Mech Level IIs before he finally fell.

Since Clan Jade Falcon succeeded in briefly capturing Olalla and inflicted significantly higher losses on the Com Guards than they suffered in turn, the ilKhan and the Precentor Martial agreed that they had earned a draw. Almost all the Jade Falcons successes could be attributed to Aidan Pryde and his Falcon Guards. While both Pryde and his unit had been considered virtually dezgra before the battle, his unconventional outlook proved the perfect foil for the Com Guard tactics designed to combat traditional Clan opponents. The Crusader Falcons would go on to be the biggest opponents to the result of Tukayyid, trying to undermine and break the truce via the Red Corsair and extract revenge on the Wolves via the Refusal War.

Refusal War

Vandervahn Chistu, Ulric's murderer.

Dark Ages

Jade Falcon Civil War

Malvina Hazen, The Chinggis Khan of Clan Jade Falcon would emerge to lead the Jade Falcons under her rule.

ilClan Trial

Cynthy, Malvina's "pet" and the real architect behind her downfall.

Alaric would declare one final trial to Malvina Hazen, the trial for ilClanship and to be called the First Lord of the Reborn Star League. This trial would essentially become a Trial of Refusal. Unlike the Refusal War however, both sides would bid everything they had to fight each other. To mark the ceremonious occasion, both Wolf and Jade Falcon members would have their own ceremonial uniforms and traditions to signify its importance. The two sides would agree to fight on the plains of North America as their staging ground.

With the trial beginning, it was now time for Clan Wolf to bring in their allies to finish their final battle on Terra. Alaric would bring his allies of Wolf origins including both Clan Wolf-in-Exile and the Wolf's Dragoons mercenary unit. The Fidelis would also join as part of the deal to Alaric to reconstitute the Jaguars. Both forces would suffer their own heavy losses, but this was to be expected due to how greatly both leaders wanted to become the First Lord of the Star League. While the Dragoons were ordered to pull back and retreat, Anastasia would be the one to make the final blow again the Chinggis Khan Malvina Hazen, ending the battle for Terra.

The ilClan Trial would see a radical change among the Jade Falcons, starting with the death of Malvina Hazen. Khan Hazen's cruel actions would catch up to her in the form of Cynthy. Her "pet" had snapped on her after all the years of physical abuse she had inflicted on her and the ilKhan's words would spark something in her to defend herself. This would cause Cynthy to stab the mad Khan, causing her to bleed to death with Stephanie watching along with her. With Malvina dead, the Khanship for Clan Jade Falcon was vacant.

ilClan Era

Following the victory of Clan Wolf during the ilClan Trial, Clan Jade Falcon would take time to continue healing from their near destruction. The Falcons would be reconstituted as a bodyguard clan as a way to mend relations with the Wolves and begin the healing process.

Separation of Clan Jade Falcon

The ilClan Trial had a negative effect on Clan Jade Falcon as a whole. While Malvina took nearly all of her clan to depart towards Terra, it would ended up fracturing the Clan into two factions: The Bodyguard Clan bound to Alaric Ward and the Jade Falcon Remenant left behind, clinging to the remaining Jade Falcon Occupation Zone.

Clan Jade Falcon (Star League)

History

The Jade Falcons of the Third Star League are lead by Khan Stephanie Chistu, who fought in the ilClan Trial under the command of Chinggis Khan, Malvina Hazen. After the death Malvina, she would be nominated by her peers due to her honorable conduct in defiance of her Khan. Although a Mongol supporter opposed her, she quickly established herself as the Khan to Clan Jade Falcon. Tara Wolf would also be given to Khan Stephanie as a tactician to redeem the honor tainted by Malvina during the Dark Ages. This faction of Clan Jade Falcon would serve as a bodyguard in honor of Elizabeth Hazen's Black Watch origins and Tara's Star League heritage through the Northwind Highlanders.

Clan Jade Falcon (Remnants)

History

Jiyi Chistu, Khan of the Falcon Remnants

After Chinggis Khan Malvina Hazen took the almost totality of the Falcon Touman to participate at the Battle of Terra (3151), leaved behind barely some Solahmas While the Falcons as a whole had left their Occupation Zone, not every member of the Clan followed. Of those left behind, two in particular rose to prominence. Jiyi Chistu had been a Star Captain serving under Malvina Hazen, until he grew disillusioned with her methods. Reassigned to protect one of the Falcons' precious VaultShips, he cultivated the loyalty of those serving under him and grew to respect the merchants who crewed the ship. By mid-3151, Chistu and his comrades were cut off from central leadership, left only with confusing reports coming from Terra ranging from a Falcon victory to a resurgent Word of Blake. It was then that his ship received a recall order from the Clan's Merchant Factor, Marena.