Difference between revisions of "Richard Steiner (31st c.)"

m (Added Jihad timeline references)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Update Needed|[[Blood of Heroes]]}}
 
{{Update Needed|[[Blood of Heroes]]}}
'''Richard Steiner II''' (30?? - [[3071]]), usually known as '''Richard Steiner''', was a [[Lyran Commonwealth|Lyran]] nobleman and military officer during the era of the [[Clan Invasion]], the [[FedCom Civil War]] and the [[Jihad]].
+
{{otheruses|the 31st century military commander|the 29th century Archon|Richard Steiner I}}
 +
'''Richard Steiner''' (30?? - [[3071]]) was a [[Lyran Commonwealth|Lyran]] nobleman and military officer during the era of the [[Clan Invasion]], the [[FedCom Civil War]] and the [[Jihad]].
  
 
==Character History==
 
==Character History==
Line 40: Line 41:
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
* Richard Steiner II is not to be confused with [[Richard Steiner I]], who was Archon from [[2791]] to [[2823]].
 
 
* Richard Steiner was apparently lightly regarded as a military officer, which may help to explain why he was never given a regimental command. Even Nondi Steiner apparently acknowledged her son's "foibles", and refused him additional troops during the FedCom Civil War. <ref name=FCCW144/>
 
* Richard Steiner was apparently lightly regarded as a military officer, which may help to explain why he was never given a regimental command. Even Nondi Steiner apparently acknowledged her son's "foibles", and refused him additional troops during the FedCom Civil War. <ref name=FCCW144/>
 
* Richard Steiner may have held Blakist sympathies, as he held ComStar in a certain "antipathy" beyond the generalized disdain the Lyran Alliance held for the organization, taking out his grudge upon 182nd Division. <ref name=FCCW144/> <ref name=FMC-35/>
 
* Richard Steiner may have held Blakist sympathies, as he held ComStar in a certain "antipathy" beyond the generalized disdain the Lyran Alliance held for the organization, taking out his grudge upon 182nd Division. <ref name=FCCW144/> <ref name=FMC-35/>

Revision as of 19:51, 1 July 2014

This article is about the 31st century military commander. For the 29th century Archon, see Richard Steiner I.

Richard Steiner (30?? - 3071) was a Lyran nobleman and military officer during the era of the Clan Invasion, the FedCom Civil War and the Jihad.

Character History

Early Life and Career

Richard Steiner was born to General Nondi Steiner, the sister of Archon Katrina Steiner, and to Jack Milby, a powerful businessman from Gallery. At some point prior to 3025, he joined ComStar, though the exact details of his service to that order are unclear. [1] He resigned from the organization under mysterious circumstances in the late 3030's, [2] after which he joined the Lyran military.

Marraige and Children

He had one known son, named Marcus. He was at least in his 20s by the end of the FedCom Civil War. [3]

Clan Invasion

By the start of 3050, Richard, holding the rank of Marshal in the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth, was the commander of the Tamar Theater (Benfield Operations Area) in the Federated Commonwealth's Tamar March. [4] It is unclear if he saw any action himself during the Clan Invasion.

By early 3054, he had been promoted to Field Marshal of the Skye March, based out of the Ryde Theater. [5] As this took place around the same time the Draconis Combine appointed Isoroku Kurita, a hot-headed traditionalist, the the role of Warlord of the neighboring Dieron Military District threatened the delicate peace between the Combine and Commonwealth. Subhash Indrahar, Director of the Combine's feared Internal Security Force, was deeply concerned that matters would get out of hand with two militant traditionalists staring eachother down. [6] Indeed, as late as 3058, there were still concerns that Isoroku Kurita would push for an annexation of the Lyons Thumb simply to antagonize Field Marshal Steiner. [7]

In 3056 and 3057 during the Free Skye uprising, Richard's commands apparently had disastrous consequences. The exact details of this are not clear, but it was indicated that he was eventually demoted. [8]

The Lyran Alliance

Later in 3057, in the wake of Operation Guerrero and the revelation that Archon-Prince Victor Steiner Davion had replaced Thomas Marik's dead son with a double, Katherine Steiner-Davion declared herself Archon and seceded the Lyran-half of the Commonwealth, forging the Lyran Alliance. Richard Steiner retained his position, though he took the old Lyran title of Margrave.

During the secession, he came into a political conflict with Hauptmann General Gary Terlecki, head of the Penobscot Command and former commander of the 10th Lyran Regulars. [9]

As of early 3062, he was a General in the LAAF and the Margrave of the new Cavanaugh II Theater in the Skye Province. [10]

The FedCom Civil War

In the outbreak of the FedCom Civil War in late 3062, Steiner was greatly concerned that the Free Worlds League Military would exploit the situation. He was also enraged when the 2nd Crucis Lancers relocated to Cavanaugh II and successfully convinced the 10th Lyran Regulars to side with Victor's Allies, and he attempted to order the Lancers off Cavanaugh. [11]

In March 3064, he sent the 2nd Donegal Guards to attack the 4th Crucis Lancers on Giausar. [12] By February 3065, he added the 7th Donegal Guards to this conflict. [13]

In the summer of 3065, he was able to secretly move the 7th Lyran Regulars and the 1st Bolan Jaegers to Cavanaugh in an effort to crush the pro-Victor 10th Lyran Regulars in an effort to build upon his own power base. When his initial efforts were stymied, he suspected ComStar interference, and ordered the Com Guard's 182nd Division elements off Cavanaugh. When the Com Guard troops refused to comply, he ordered his forces to attack. The Com Guard elements escaped destruction, and linked up with the pro-Victor forces. [14]

In May of 3066, the battle for Cavanaugh II was still ongoing, with the Penobscot CTM joining on Richard's side and the 42nd Avalon Hussars joining with the forces opposed to him. When Steiner began micromanaging the CTM in their battle with the Hussars, they were defeated and forced to withdraw. [15]

The situation worsened in September, when Steiner failed to adjust his defensive strategy in the wake of severe losses to his 7th Lyran Regulars. The Allies now had dominance over the skies and a decisive numerical advantage. When the 7th's commander advocated coming to terms with the Allies, Margrave Steiner had her promptly executed. Intended as an object lesson, it instead drove many of his remaining troops to defect. By February 3067, the allies were ready to crush Margrave Steiner's force, liberating the capital. By now, most of the Loyalists were completely demoralized, having been ordered to fight to the death, most quickly surrendered. Steiner himself, however, evacuated before he could be captured, fleeing the planet on a Dropship. [16]

By the end of the war, Steiner had still not been found.[17]

Jihad

As of 3071, the Lyran Alliance still had a bounty on Richard Steiner's head, seeking him for war crimes. On October 7, 3071, Richard Steiner appeared on Tamarind, seeking to meet with one his old enemies, Jeremy Brett, who had been commander of the region of Marik space that had bordered the Ryde Theater. He claimed to have critical information regarding the Word of Blake's activities in regards to the Duchy of Tamarind. Apparently Steiner had, at some point, ran afoul of the Blakists, and he had been not only conditioned, but turned into a walking bomb. The explosion killed Steiner, Brett and Brett's aides.[18][19] It also devastated his wife, Therese Marik, leader of the Duchy. [20] It was implied that Steiner's involvement with the Word of Blake may have been related to his previous membership in Comstar. Therese Marik would become a major opponent of the Word for the rest of the Jihad, even sending her son, Reginald, to liase with Devlin Stone's coalition.

Notes

  • Richard Steiner was apparently lightly regarded as a military officer, which may help to explain why he was never given a regimental command. Even Nondi Steiner apparently acknowledged her son's "foibles", and refused him additional troops during the FedCom Civil War. [8]
  • Richard Steiner may have held Blakist sympathies, as he held ComStar in a certain "antipathy" beyond the generalized disdain the Lyran Alliance held for the organization, taking out his grudge upon 182nd Division. [8] [2]

References

  1. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) (sourcebook) p. 162
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 35
  3. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 177, Those Who Would be Archon
  4. 20 Year Update p. 26
  5. Objective Raids p. 18
  6. Wolf Pack (novel) p. 70-71
  7. Explorer Corps (sourcebook) p. 24
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 144
  9. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance p. 92
  10. Shattered Sphere p. 51
  11. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 84
  12. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 101
  13. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 130
  14. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) pp. 144-145
  15. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) pp. 161-162
  16. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) pp. 174-175
  17. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook) p. 179
  18. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 17, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  19. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 50, "The Jihad In Review"
  20. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072 p. 60

Bibliography