Northwind

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Northwind
← 3135
3151
240px
Northwind nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates34.118 : -2.891[e]
Spectral classG2I[1]
Recharge time8[2]
Recharge station(s)Zenith, Nadir[2]
Planet(s)5[1]

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

Template:InfoBoxPlanetStandard

Northwind is a planet located two jumps from Terra. It is the homeworld of the famed mercenary unit the Northwind Highlanders and Northwind Military Academy.

Political Affiliation

Geography

Northwind is composed of three continents: New Lanark, Kearny, and Halidon. All three continents have roughly the same level of development.[18]

New Lanark is the largest landmass, the location of the capital city of Tara and Northwind Military Academy. Each of those locales is situated near the Tilman River. Tara, formerly Cromarty City, is home for over two million inhabitants in 3067. The Castle, a Star League-era fort that serves as the command center for the Northwind Highlanders, is also located within Tara. The planetary capital's architecture is inspired by pre-spaceflight Scotland, with cobblestone streets and bountiful taverns. Situated within the city is Peace Park, so dedicated by the First Lord of the Star League in 2657. Tara is serviced by Kohler Spaceport.[18]

Kearny, the second largest continent, is home to the world's second most populous city of the same name.[18]

Halidon is the smallest continent on Northwind. It is home to the aerospace annex of NMA. The planet's secondary spaceport services Halifax City.[18]

History

Early History

Northwind was purchased by Clan Stuart during the Exodus and named for the Clan's old home in Scotland. The Stuarts were joined by the Highlanders, the last vestiges of Scotland's independent military.[19] To prove their worth, the Highlanders founded Kearny, a mining town.[20]

Having become independent as a result of the Demarcation Declaration, Northwind was subsequently added to the resurgent Terran Hegemony; whilst some worlds joined the Hegemony during its early years as a result of diplomatic and trade incentives, many more were conquered in "campaigns of persuasion" launched by Director-General James McKenna, the first of which began in 2316 and ended with the capture of Towne in 2317. Northwind was one of the worlds added to the Hegemony during or around the time of this first military campaign.[21][3][22]

In 2362 the Clan Elders that ruled Northwind elected to raise a standing army, the Northwind Highlanders.[23] The Highlanders became an elite mercenary unit. Because of this, many aspiring mercenaries traveled to Northwind to learn the trade and employers frequented the planet to hire the Highlanders, creating an informal hiring hall.[24]

Succession Wars

After the fall of the Star League, Northwind was fought over by the Successor States. The Highlander regiments became a mercenary unit in service to the Capellan Confederation, though some regiments were able to continue to garrison Northwind.[25]

Second Succession War

Northwind was conquered by the Federated Suns during the Second Succession War. In 2841, House Davion sent an invasion force that overwhelmed the defending Stuart's Highlanders and Third Kearny Highlanders. The Highlander regiments fought to the last, but it was not enough.[26][27]

Fourth Succession War

Although Coordinator Takashi Kurita had focused his attentions on Wolf's Dragoons in the early stages of the Fourth Succession War, the pleas for assistance from Chancellor Maximillian Liao prompted him to plan two targeted offensives against the Federated Suns. One of these was a strike against Northwind, a world the DCMS believed it could use as a springboard for attacks against other worlds in the region near Terra in an effort to isolate the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth from each other. Assigned to the offensive were the Fifth Sword of Light, Thirty-sixth Dieron Regulars and the Genyosha; defending Northwind at the time were the Fifth Deneb Light Cavalry RCT and two mercenary units, Bradley's Bravos - a part of the Kell Hounds - and Team Banzai.[15]

The DCMS landings concentrated on the region around the Cairngorm Mountains on New Lanark, landing close to the city of Cromarty, which was the largest city on New Lanark and home to Northwind's AFFS garrison. The garrison initially managed to fight the DCMS forces to a standstill, highlighting that the battle for control of Northwind would be long and hard-fought. After the initial battles DCMS forces poisoned the reservoir supplying Cromarty, in a strategy believed to have been devised by General Palmer Conti, the commanding officer of the Fifth Sword of Light.[15]

Within a day of the reservoir being poisoned people in Cromarty were being hit by ptomaine poisoning, and while vaccinations and treatment saved some, the city was soon overwhelmed by the number of sick and dying people, with half of the Fifth Deneb Light Cavalry infected. By the time the defenders determined that the reservoir was the source and shut off the water supply, five thousand people were dead; the pressure on the city was intense, with bodies being burned in building furnaces, and the Thirty-sixth Dieron Regulars used the opportunity to launch an attack. While half the Fifth Deneb Light Cavalry had been incapacitated, the other half were still fit for duty, along with both mercenary commands, due to their water being drawn from a well, rather than the city supply; the defenders managed to rebuff the attack, but the senior active officer from the Fifth, Major Collins, was lured into pursuing the Thirty-sixth as they retreated and led his forces into an ambush in which the Fifth Sword of Light overran the Light Cavalry and scattered the surviving warriors.[15]

Dr Banzai led Team Banzai in an attempt to save the Light Cavalry, only to be blocked by the Genyosha, who inflicted heavy damage on the mercenaries and incapacitated Dr Banzai himself as he attempted to fight three assault 'Mechs alone. The surviving elements of Team Banzai withdrew into the Rockspires region of the Cairngorm Mountains with all of the surviving members of Bradley's Bravos and the Light Cavalry they could find, preparing to fight a last stand.[15]

The defending forces didn't know that negotiations had been conducted in secret between First Prince Hanse Davion and the four regiments of the Northwind Highlanders, using General Ardan Sortek and the Clan Stuart Elders as proxies. Prince Davion convinced the Northwind Highlanders to leave the service of the Capellan Confederation in exchange for garrisoning Northwind and certain other concessions. The Northwind Agreement was signed in December 3028 and the Highlanders abandoned their positions along the Capellan-Suns border and returned to their ancestral homeworld. They arrived on 12 January 3029 and immediately began engaging the DCMS forces on the planet, forcing them to retreat and saving the survivors of the AFFS garrison.[28][29][30]

The presence of four regiments of experienced Highlander regiments on Northwind, all keen to prove their value to their new liege effectively blocked the DCMS campaign in the Terran region stillborn.[15]

Operation GUERRERO

Northwind remained peaceful until 3057. In conjunction with Operation Guerrero and the Capellan offensive against the Federated Commonwealth, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao dispatched Loren Jaffray to offer to recognize the independence of Northwind. Jaffray, a Death Commando and a descendant of a former Highlander who remained with the CCAF, was on a covert operation to destroy the Highlanders, or at least deprive the Federated Commonwealth of their services. Jaffray's mission was helped by the Highlanders' increasing dissatisfaction with the AFFC. MacLeod's Regiment was the only Highlander unit on world when Jaffray made his offer. The regiment was split, sparking a civil war within it. The Third Royal Guards were called in to help the Commonwealth supporters, but the pro-independence faction was able to hold out until Stirling's Fusiliers returned to help. The combined Highlander force destroyed the Third Royals. Northwind had achieved independence and became a bastion of stability in the Chaos March.[31][32]

The Jihad

In 3066, the Northwind Highlanders joined Jaime Wolf's Allied Mercenary Command, putting them in direct opposition to Word of Blake and the expanding Word of Blake Protectorate.[33] In September 3067, four Clan elders died under mysterious circumstances. The Highlanders who were away from Northwind immediately broke their contracts to return home to vote on new leaders.[34][35] In December 3067, Word of Blake naval forces jumped into the Northwind system as part of their Jihad. Blakist naval assets began a blockade while ground assets seized the HPG station.[36][37] The HPG station was taken offline on the 9th of November 3068 at the same time that rumors of an orbital bombardment of the planet's surface began to circulate.[38][39][40]

The Word of Blake ceased to exert any control over Northwind in December 3077, when liberation forces from the allied coalition arrived to find that the Northwind population had evidently been the victims of an elaborate, long-term deception; the population believed that the Word of Blake had placed their world under an impenetrable blockade, a deception sustained through the Word's destruction of all of Northwind's satellite comms net, aerospace assets and the planetary HPG. Instead of a world nuked from orbit like Outreach, the coalition forces instead found no Word presence in the system.[41][42]

The Dark Age

When the Jihad ended, Northwind joined Devlin Stone's Republic of the Sphere.[1] However, by the end of December 3079 Northwind was one of more than twenty planets to have suffered an outbreak of the Redburn Virus, and one of eight to suffer from an infection rate of more than 150 out of every 100,000 people, as well as a mortality rate of more than 30 per 100,000 from the virus.[43]

On the 7th[44] of June 3133 Northwind was attacked by the Steel Wolves under the command of their new leader, Anastasia Kerensky. The Northwind Highlanders successfully repulsed the attack, despite Tara Campbell's forces being distributed throughout the Prefecture.[45] Although the first major Steel Wolves action launched under the command of the former Clan Wolf-in-Exile warrior was a failure, Anatasia Kerensky would return to Northwind.[46] Kerensky's second invasion of Northwind, launched on the 17th[44] of February 3134, was no more successful than her attack the year before, but did spark a chain of events that led ultimately to the death of Ezekiel Crow, the infamous Black Paladin,ref name="ED:DAp10"/>[47] as well as prompting Kerensky to launch her subsequent attack on Terra.[47]

Military Deployment

2786

2821

  • Third Kearny Highlanders[48]
  • Stuart's Highlanders[48]

2841

  • Third Kearny Highlanders[13]
  • Stuart's Highlanders[13]

2865

3025

3028

3038-3040

3050

  • Northwind Highlanders[52]
  • MacLeod's Highlanders[52]
  • Stirling's Fusiliers[52]
  • Second Kearny Highlanders[52]

3054

3058

  • Northwind Highlanders[2]
  • MacLeod's Highlanders (1 Battalion)[2]
  • Stirling's Fusiliers(2 Battalions)[2]
  • First Kearny Highlanders[2]
  • Second Kearny Highlanders[2]

3067

  • Northwind Highlanders[54]
  • Second Kearny Highlanders[54]

3085

  • Northwind Highlanders[55]
  • First Kearny Highlanders[55]
- At this point in time, the First Kearny was at 50% of full strength, with 73% of their equipment featuring upgraded technology.

3145

Planetary Locations

  • New Lanark (Continent)
    • Castle Northwind
    • Liddisdale (Town)
    • Rockspire Mountains
      • Red Ledge Pass
    • Tara (Captial City)
      • The Fort (Military base)
      • New Barracks
  • Kearny (Continent)
    • Oilfield Coast
  • Halidon (Continent)
    • Camp Jaffray (Military Base)

Industrial Centers

Nearby Systems

Systems within 60 light-years (distance in light years)
Closest systems first:
Lockdale 11.6 New Stevens 15.0 Epsilon Indi 17.6 Fomalhaut 21.5
Small World 21.7 Nirasaki 22.5 Saffel 23.3 Caph 23.5
Errai 24.8 Sheratan 25.3 Quentin 27.1 Ingress 31.3
Bryant 31.3 Fletcher 33.3 Epsilon Eridani 34.1 Deneb Algedi 35.9
Helen 36.3 New Home 36.7 Styx 36.7 Terra 37.0
Inglesmond 37.1 Keid 38.3 Addicks 39.5 Dieron 39.7
Deneb Kaitos 40.6 Acamar 41.1 Sirius 41.7 Altair 41.9
Terra Firma 42.4 Rigil Kentarus 42.4 Ruchbah 43.2 Woodstock 43.9
Bex 45.2 Towne 46.0 Kawich 46.3 Ankaa 47.0
Procyon 47.3 Pokhara 48.0 Kervil 48.9 Nashira 50.0
Athenry 50.4 Hean 52.2 New Earth 52.5 Telos IV 53.0
Nopah 53.8 Brownsville 54.6 Killbourn 55.2 Pike IV 56.1
Ozawa 56.3 Carver V 57.4 Arboris 57.6 Basalt 58.1
Asta 58.4

Notes

House Liao (The Capellan Confederation) states on page 98 that the Capellan 4th Tau Ceti Rangers fought against Draconis Combine forces in defense of Northwind during the late 29th century. Since it has subsequently been established (in Northwind Highlanders and Handbook: House Davion) that Northwind fell to the Federated Suns in 2841 and that House Liao never made any attempt to reclaim the planet, it is safe to assume this has been retconned.

During the Dark Age era, circa 3133, Northwind is home to Tyson and Varney, Limited, a manufacturer of Mining and ConstructionMechs. This company also holds a contract with Northwind to retrofit these and other IndustrialMechs into combat models. They may also produce ForestryMechs; though this isn't clear in the source. Their main plant is in Fairfield,[58] a suburb of Tara that is northwest of the capital.[59]

The small towns of Killie Burn, Harlaugh and Liddisdale reside along the main road through Red Ledge Pass in the Rockspire Mountains located on the continent of New Lanark. All were badly damaged during the battle of Red Ledge Pass.[60]

Fort Barrett resides on the Oilfields Coast of the continent of Kearney very close to the equator.[61] This fort serves as a post for Highlander forces. The troops stationed here provide law and order in this remote region of the continent. A mid-sized town has developed around the fort and has begun to thrive thanks to the growing off-shore oil drilling.[62] The smaller villages, including one called Benderville, dot the coast south of Fort Barrett.[63]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 57, "Northwind"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Chaos March (sourcebook), p. 44, "Northwind"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 16, "Free Worlds League Founding [2271]"
  4. ↑ Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18, "Draconis Combine Founding - 2319"
  5. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 17, "Capellan Confederation Foundation [2366]]"
  6. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 25, "Capellan Confederation After Age of War [2571]]"
  7. ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 159, "Inner Sphere - 2596"
  8. ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 37, "Inner Sphere - 2750"
  9. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 2765"
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 138, "Operation LIBERATION Wave 1 [July 2772 - December 2774]"
  11. ↑ First Succession War (Source Book), p. 25, "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  12. ↑ First Succession War (Source Book), p. 113, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Northwind Highlanders (scenario pack) p. 8
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 133, "Unit Deployment Table"
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 78-79, "Northwind"
  16. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 133, "Inner Sphere - 3040"
  17. ↑ Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 17
  19. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 6, "Ancient Origins"
  20. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 7, "A New Beginning"
  21. ↑ The Star League, p. 16, "Terra's Errant Flock"
  22. ↑ Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18, "Draconis Combine Founding [2319]"
  23. ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 16, "Northwind"
  24. ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 16, "Northwind: Off the Beaten Path"
  25. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 8, "Troubled Times"
  26. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 8, "The Darkest Hour"
  27. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 60
  28. ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 40, "Overview"
  29. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 79, "Timeline: Fourth Succession War through the Clan Invasion"
  30. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 9, "Homecoming" & p. 24, "Situation"
  31. ↑ Northwind Highlanders, p. 10, "Independence At Last"
  32. ↑ Highlander Gambit
  33. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad & Blake Ascending, p. 24
  34. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad & Blake Ascending, p. 28, "War Strikes Mercenaries!"
  35. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad & Blake Ascending, pp. 29-30, "Northwind Highlanders Returning Home"
  36. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad & Blake Ascending, p. 33, "Northwind Blockade"
  37. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, pp. 11-12 & Blake Ascending, pp. 171-172, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  38. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46, "The Jihad In Review"
  39. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, pp. 32-33, & Blake Ascending, pp. 192-193, "Northwind Silenced"
  40. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 11, "Timeline of the Jihad
  41. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 56, "The Mysterious Case of Northwind"
  42. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 58, "The Jihad in Review"
  43. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 13, "Plagued By Blake"
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 10, "Dark Age Timeline"
  45. ↑ Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 7, "Important Military Actions of 3133"
  46. ↑ Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 8, "3133: Maneuvers"
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 9, "Important Military Actions of 3134"
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 48.3 First Succession War (Source Book), p. 136, "First Succession War Deployment Table - CCAF"
  49. ↑ House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 81
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 11, "Operation RAT"
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 Historical: War of 3039, p. 141, "Deployment Table"
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 20 Year Update, p. 19, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
  53. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 13, "Deployment Table - 3054"
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 70, "Mercenary Deployment Table"
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 186, "RAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  56. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 144, "Republic Armed Forces - Hastati Sentinels"
  57. ↑ Technical Readout: 3025, p. 42
  58. ↑ A Silence In The Heavens p. 139
  59. ↑ Truth And Shadow p. 245
  60. ↑ A Silence In The Heavens p. 38
  61. ↑ A Silence In The Heavens p. 110
  62. ↑ A Silence In The Heavens p. 30
  63. ↑ A Silence In The Heavens p. 141

Bibliography

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