Hoff

Revision as of 14:12, 13 October 2021 by CungrVanck (talk | contribs) (Added info from Tales of the Black Widow)

Note: X and Y are coordinates (light years on XY plane) relative to Terra at (0, 0)

Hoff
Hoff 3151.svg
System Information
X:Y Coordinates264.176 : 36.654[e]
Spectral classG4III[1][2]
Recharge time185 hours[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith[1][2]

The Hoff system was the location of at least one habitable world, Hoff IV, and as at 3145 was located in the Barlow's End Prefecture of the New Samarkand Military District within the Draconis Combine.[3][4]

System Description

The Hoff system is located near the Bettendorf and Sakhara V systems[5] and consists of at least four planets orbiting a class G64III primary. As of 3025, a recharge station was in place at the system zenith jump point.[1][2]

System History

The Hoff system was colonized during the First Exodus from Terra[6] and had joined or been annexed by the Federated Suns by the end of the Age of War.[7][8]

Political Affiliation


Hoff IV

Template:InfoBoxPlanetStandard

Hoff IV - more commonly known simply as Hoff - is the fourth planet in the system and has a single moon named Spad.[1][2] Hoff IV was also home to at least one notable manufacturing complex.[47]

Planetary Description

Hoff was an agricultural planet until it developed advanced industry prior to the Succession Wars. When the wars came the planetary industry was crippled, leaving it on a level equal to nineteenth century Terra.[1]

Planetary History

The Succession Wars

First Succession War

Hoff was invaded during the first half of the major invasion into the Federated Suns launched by the Draconis Combine in May 2787.[15] Hoff was liberated by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns in 2817, as part of the third and final major AFFS counter-offensive of the First Succession War against the Draconis Combine.[16]

Third Succession War

In 3019 the New Avalon Institute of Science decided to place several research facilities on Hoff, with one particularly at the Friden Aerospace Park. The Friden Aerospace Park, a small spaceport on Hoff's northern continent, had been abandoned for a long time prior to the NAIS restoring and refurbishing the facility. The facility would play a crucial role in the (re-)discovery of several technologies including Double Heat Sinks and the development of the Super Wasp and Super Griffin BattleMechs into prototype stage. Coordinator Takashi Kurita of the Draconis Combine would learn of these developments and was determined to seize these new technologies. Though the Combine was unsure of the precise location of the facility.

In 3023, the 17th Galedon Regulars would attack Hoff. Later in April that year, the Wolf's Dragoons, now in the employ of the Draconis Combine, would send forces to join the Combine troops. They sent their Epsilon Regiment under the command of Colonel Baxter Arbuthnot and the famous Black Widow Company under the command of Natasha Kerensky.[48] Defending the world were the Eridani Light Horse and the Dahar Draconis March Militia.[48]

The initial fighting on Hoff was characterized by small fights between recon units as the two sides probed each other for weaknesses. The largest example of these fights was when the Black Widows moved to secure the General Circuits manufacturing complex near Belfast Heights on April 9th. While the facility had little strategic value as most of the sites resources had been removed already, Major Pierre Bouchard took elements of his Wolfhounds Company of the Eridani's 7th Battalion to defend the site. After a battle where neither side took any losses, the Widows withdrew without taking the site.[48][49]

From there, the battle began to heat up. The first major engagement occurred at Johnson's Farm in the Clatsop Province. The Farm was the main source of fresh water for the region due to its artesian wells and water purification facility. Jaime Wolf once again assigned the Black Widows to secure the site and they caught the defending Eridani Eighth Battalion's Lightning Company somewhat disorganized and outgunned. However, the Lightning Company had the good fortune to be equipped with several of the experimental Double Heat Sinks. This allowed the defenders to put out a larger volume of fire before risking a shut down. While the Widows would secure the Farm, the Eridani forces were able to hold out for several hours and deal a large amount of damage to the Dragoon forces.[50][51]

As the fighting continued, the Dragoons began pushing the Eridani back at the battles of Aram's Ravine and Proud Ridge. In fact, the Dragoons were wondering if the "Pony Soldiers" - the Dragoon nickname for the Eridani Light Horse troops - had lost their edge. Also at this time, the invading forces finally discovered the location of the Friden complex. Things appeared to be going well for the invading forces.[50]

On May 1st, the main body of Dragoon troops with the 17th Galedon met the Eridani Light Horse and the Dahar Draconis March Militia in battle around the mining town of Flint in the Brand Valley Sector. A location not far from the Friden Aerospace Park. The 17th Galedon, led by Colonel Itseo Suribachi, would hold a strong position and allow the Dragoons to assault the enemy. However, early the morning of the battle, Suribachi would consult his personal soothsayer who predicted an obscure augury. Suribachi interpreted this as an omen to assault the Davion forces and not hold his position. As the 17th Galedon advanced, it opened up a gap between them and the Dragoons already attacking the enemy. The Eridani commander, Nathan L. Armstrong, would exploit this gap by commanding the 50th Cavalry Battalion, the Bloody-Half Hundred, to attack and the Dragoons were quickly flanked. When the Dragoons reacted to the unexpected attack, the remainder of the Eridani forces launched an assault directly into the Dragoon forces.[52]

The Dragoons began to retreat under heavy fire while Colonel Suribachi in his Marauder was killed when a minefield blast threw him down an open mineshaft. What began as as a retreat threatened to become a rout as the Eridani forces continued to advance. Despite the pressure, the Dragoons were trying to form a new position along the Alonzo Mine region 50 kilometers southeast of Flint. On May 11th, the Eridani and Dahar March Militia would launch an assault on this position in hopes that it would be the final battle. However, in advancing on the Dragoons, none other than Natasha Kerensky and her Black Widows moved out to hold up the advance. Fresh members of Epsilon Regiment soon joined them and the Dragoons were able to stablize their position.[52]

What followed next was a vicious 34 hour Mech vs Mech battle between the two forces. Once again, it was the Widows that helped break the stalemate with an attack on the northern flank of the Davion forces. The Eridani forces would fall back and dig in around Friden. Not long thereafter, the Dragoons would drive off the Eridani and March Militia forces and secure the Friden Aerospace Park. But not before facing the project's Super Griffin and Super Wasp in battle.[53] However, much to their dismay, the Dragoons found that the facility and its staff had been evacuated and the site stripped of most of the materials there.[52]

While the Dragoons were not successful, Takashi Kurita was pleased. They had been able to acquire some information from the site and the Federated Suns operations there had been definitely halted which would cause many delays.[52]

After the Dragoons' raid, Hoff was heavily reinforced by the AFFS, and the Park was reopened again; ComStar believed that Team Banzai were testing a variant of the Hatchetman BattleMech at the facility in 3025.[2]

Planetary Rulers

3025

Military Deployment

3000

3021

3023

3085


Planetary Locations

  • Brand Valley Sector
    • Alonzo Mine Region
    • Flint: Mining Town
    • Kethrin River[49]
  • Clatsop Province[50]
    • Aram's Ravine
    • Johnson's Farm: Agricultural center[51]
      • Johnson's Waterhole[51]
    • Proud's Ridge
  • Hiakru-Weller Training Facility:[1]
  • Hornwald Sector[49]

Industrial Centers

Image gallery

Notes

In the Tales of the Black Widow Company, it is noted that the year is 3022 when the Black Widows clash with the Eridani Light Horse on Hoff. However, the later produced Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook) states that it is 3023 when the Dragoons enter the Draconis Combine's employ and attack Hoff. As the sourcebook came after the Tales book, this article is written to show that information.

Map Gallery

Nearby Systems

Closest 40 systems (39 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Bettendorf 10.9 Sakhara 12.7 Tallmadge 13.0 Crossing 15.2
Benet 21.5 Dahar 22.5 Fairfield 26.4 Glenmora 26.7
Franklin 29.1 Allerton 29.5 Nouveau Toulouse 31.4 Ballentine 31.5
Lima 33.3 Harrow's Sun 34.5 New Ivaarsen 37.3 Courtney 37.3
Swales 38.2 Bergman's Planet 38.3 Lucerne 40.4 Turkalia 41.3
Wapakoneta 41.6 Sauk City 41.7 New Aberdeen 42.2 Royal 42.3
Elidere 42.3 Emporia 43.8 McComb 46.8 Barlow's End 48.2
Misery 49.4 Rochester 50.1 Thestria 50.8 Tishomingo 52.3
Maynard 53.0 Robinson 53.4 Waunakee 57.5 Gandy's Luck 58.1
DeWitt 58.8 Marlowe's Rift 59.1 Charleywood 59.5 Le Blanc 60.0

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction, p. 87, "Planet Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 202, "Hoff"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 39, "Inner Sphere Map - [3145] Map"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. VI, "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Era Report: 2750, p. 37, "Inner Sphere - 2750"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 18, "Federated Suns at their Founding [2317] Map"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 48, "Federated Suns after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Handbook: House Kurita, p. 31, "Draconis Combine after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  9. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18, "Draconis Combine Founding" - [2319] Map
  10. Historical: Reunification War, p. 159, "Inner Sphere - [2596]" Map
  11. Field Manual: SLDF, "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  12. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  13. Field Report 2765: Federated Suns, p. 29, "Federated Suns Armed Forces Deployment Map - [2765]"
  14. Field Report 2765: Draconis Combine, p. 25, "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery Deployment Map - [2765]"
  15. 15.0 15.1 First Succession War, p. 44, "Draconis Combine-Federated Suns Front 2786-2796"
  16. 16.0 16.1 First Succession War, p. 98, "The Davion Counter-Offensives"
  17. Handbook: House Davion, p. 54, "Federated Suns after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  18. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 43, "Draconis Combine after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  19. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, p. 122, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  20. Handbook: House Davion, p. 60, "Federated Suns after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  21. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 53, "Draconis Combine after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 The Hand that Feeds
  23. House Davion (The Federated Suns), "Federated Suns - [3025] Map"
  24. Handbook: House Davion, p. 70, "Federated Suns after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  25. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), "Draconis Combine Map - [3025]"
  26. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 64, "Draconis Combine after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  27. Handbook: House Davion, p. 71, "Federated Suns after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  28. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 66, "Draconis Combine after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  29. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133, "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  30. Handbook: House Davion, p. 76, "Federated Suns after War of 3039 Map"
  31. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 68, "Draconis Combine after War of 3039 - [3040] Map"
  32. Era Report: 3052, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [3050] Map"
  33. Era Report: 3052, p. 23, "Inner Sphere - [3052] Map"
  34. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 71, "Draconis Combine after Operation REVIVAL - [3052] Map"
  35. Era Report: 3062, p. 11, Inner Sphere - [3057] Map
  36. ">Handbook: House Davion, p. 78, "Federated Suns after Operation Guerrero - [3058] Map"
  37. Era Report: 3062, p. 29, Inner Sphere - [3063] Map
  38. Handbook: House Davion, p. 82, "Federated Suns after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  39. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 74, "Draconis Combine after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  40. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 42, "Inner Sphere - [October 3067] Map"
  41. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 65, "Inner Sphere - [3075] Map"
  42. Field Report: AFFS, p. 21, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  43. Field Report: DCMS, p. 21, "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  44. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63, "Inner Sphere Map - [March 3081]"
  45. Field Manual: 3085, p. 127, "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"
  46. Era Report: 3145, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - [3135] Map"
  47. 47.0 47.1 Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars, Volume 1, p. 4,
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 48.3 Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 29, "The Hoff Campaign"
  49. 49.0 49.1 49.2 49.3 49.4 49.5 Tales of the Black Widow Company, p. 38-39, "Queen's Gambit Accepted"
  50. 50.0 50.1 50.2 Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 30, "Battle Heats Up"
  51. 51.0 51.1 51.2 Tales of the Black Widow Company, p. 40-41, "The Better Mousetrap"
  52. 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 30, "Eridani Stikes Back"
  53. Tales of the Black Widow Company, p. 46-47, "Last Line Of Defense"
  54. Field Manual: 3085, p. 160, "Deployment Table - 3085"

Bibliography