The Lords of Ruin -- Battletech/Killzone
- Thread starter prometheus110
- Start date
- Crossover
- Location
- Northish
A-Clan hunting we will go,
A-Clan hunting we will go
Heigh-ho, the derry-o,
A-Clan hunting we will go.
We'll catch a Khan and put him in a can
And fire him to Pluto
A-Clan hunting we will go
Heigh-ho, the derry-o,
A-Clan hunting we will go.
We'll catch a Khan and put him in a can
And fire him to Pluto
The Terran Conference
prometheus110
Join Cayman-Global & be part of the 1E-9 percent!
- Location
- La Ballena City Raft
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The Terran Conference
In the weeks following ComStar's pronouncement regarding the existence and origins of the invaders, ComStar moved to organise an international conference on Terra to, as they put it, "facilitate robust discussion between Inner Sphere states on the matter of the ongoing Coreward situation." No doubt worded in such a way as to avoid sullying ComStar's reputation as a neutral entity —something even the Clans respect according to Anastasius Focht— the true purpose of the conference appears to be an attempt to get Inner Sphere states to hammer out a coordinated response. An extremely fractious and war-prone region of space, the Terran Conference is likely the best hope the Inner Sphere has of organising resistance to the Clans, and it came as no surprise to the ORDI states when they found that they, too, were invited.
Immediately recognising the seriousness of the situation, ORDI delegates arrived at Terra as quickly as possible; representatives from the major states were either already present or arrived soon after. Upon arrival, ComStar quickly provided the ORDI team with all the diplomatic formalities expected of them. Then, just as quickly, the representatives were ushered into a briefing room at the quasi-religious order's Hilton Head headquarters where they found a substantially more extensive briefing on the Clans awaiting them —three full days blocked out for the briefing.
According to information gathered by ComStar via open communication with leaders within the self-described Clans, the Clans are a militaristic caste-based society where the Warrior caste represents the highest tier of society and Labourers the lowest. While information on the existence of any subcastes or even how members of Clan society may change caste is lacking, interactions with members of the Warrior castes indicate that it may be a particularly rigid society even by the standards of the neo-feudal Inner Sphere. Furthermore, much like the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, members of the Warrior appear to place a high value on social honour, with victories bolstering a Warrior's status and defeats detracting from it. How exactly this focus on social honour determines the actions of Clan Warriors remains undetermined as yet, but comments by the Federated Suns and Combine delegates alike suggest that it may prove exploitable. Similarly, how this society functions remains unclear and will likely only be clarified through further information-gathering efforts.
Meanwhile, ComStar has also shed light on the matter of Clan technology.
Though hardly a detailed breakdown on the technology of Kerensky's children, in large part because ComStar suspects the Clans have shown only a fraction of their capabilities, ComStar has provided conference delegations with BattleROMs and technical breakdowns showing that the Clans are frighteningly advanced in many areas of war. From recordings taken in the field to interviews with survivors and Clan Warriors alike, it appears that Clan mechs move faster, hit harder, are longer ranged, and are tougher than mechs of the same or even heavier masses. Additionally, the Clans seem to have developed something called Battle Armor, a type of superheavy power armour similar to that being explored in the Capellan Confederation. Massing significantly more than power armour and mounting much heavier armour plating, battle armour provides its wearers with near-immunity to small arms and high resistance to even combat vehicle weaponry. Often fitted with jump jets, battle armour is highly mobile despite its weight and can mount weaponry whose massed fire can threaten battlemechs.
Finally, and more contentiously, the Clans also appear to have some form of warship support involved in their invasion.
While details on their numbers, locations, and capabilities remain scarce, ComStar has acquired recordings of sensor contacts and blurry images confirming their existence. So far kept off the field, at least where battle is concerned, the mere existence of warships in the invasion suggests that the Clans operate with an advanced technological base back home —wherever home may be. As a result, these warships represent a near-lethal threat to every nation except the Federated Suns and the ORDI's member-states despite the lack of detail on their armament and composition.
Similarly, the number of Clan warriors deployed in support of the invasion remains undetermined; analysis of known imagery suggests a minimum of several regiments per clan involved but no upper bound. This same uncertainty also applies to how many clans makeup Clan society, with estimates suggesting anything from 15 to 20 clans plus at least one group of Clanless peoples. In terms of total population and industry, there is no data available.
Moving on from Clan society, technology and forces, ComStar also shared a great deal of information with conference delegates regarding how members of the clans view the Inner Sphere as a whole and organisations such as ComStar itself —much of it concerning.
As claimed by ComStar, the invading Clans view the inheritors of the Star League as little more than barbarians, several times referring to the states and their rulers as Scavenger Lords interchangeably in the presence of Anastasius Focht —much to the private amusement of the ORDI delegation. Seeing the Inner Sphere's technological and material decline following the dissolution of the Star League as largely the fault of the Successor States, the Clans supposedly wish to restore the Star League by force, ComStar claiming that it seems like an almost religious mission to them. In contrast, members of the Clans barely mention the Periphery, though whether this is due to secrecy or the assumption that it naturally belongs to the Star League is unclear.
Most curious, however, is the revelation of the Clans' view of ComStar. One of the only Star League-era entities to survive the fall of the Star League, the Clans view the religious telecom provider as a curiosity rather than a threat. Moreover, ComStar claims that it has convinced the invaders to respect their neutrality moving forward and that usual HPG services to the invaded planets will resume shortly. Understandably, ComStar wishes to keep this relationship and made clear during the conference that it will not permit the passage of warships through Terran space or do anything else that violates its neutrality. However, end-of-day drinks with ComStar personnel have led members of the Republic's delegation to suspect that ComStar's ability to police Terran space and sales to outside parties is limited, meaning that Terra's production lines could be a source of more complicated supplies.
On the third and final day of the briefing, there was a short pause as the gathered representatives reviewed all that they had learned, and then thoughts turned to the Inner Sphere's response.
Reaching out to the ORDI delegation on the night of the third day, the Combine delegation —which includes Theodore Kurita's 23-year-old son, Hohiro— expressed interest in purchasing military supplies and technology from the ORDI's member-states. Speaking to the ORDI delegation face to face over drinks, the Combine's lead delegate offered substantial monetary compensation and political favours in exchange for a steady stream of standard power armour and Helghan-pattern lasers to the Combine. Already an offer worth thinking about, that same night saw Hohiro Kurita reach out to the Republic's diplomatic team several hours later, the young man speaking off the record and stating that the Combine would be willing to trade the technical information behind something called Triple Strength Myomer as well as several dozen medium pulse lasers in exchange for reciprocation with Neurohelmets.
However, even as the ORDI delegates were digesting these offers, the Lyran Commonwealth's representatives reached out to discuss a similar deal. In a quiet meeting in a high-end Terran restaurant renowned for its privacy, the Lyrans offered the ORDI states an eye-watering amount of C-Bills in exchange for small arms, vehicle weaponry, combat vehicles, and other high-tech resources. No doubt concerned by the advanced technology displayed by the Clans, the move speaks to a bone-deep concern among the Lyrans regarding the state's ability to meet the needs of its armed forces as the invasion progresses.
The following morning, diplomats from the Free Rasalhague Republic made similar moves toward the ORDI, representatives from the Coreward democratic state expressing interest in securing a supply of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and mechs. Lacking substantial research facilities and with much of their liquid capital tied down in a mercenary hiring spree, Rasalhague's diplomats instead offered to purchase the much-needed war materials via a state-backed loan whose six-monthly interest payments would be criminal under less extreme circumstances.
With the existence of these offers transmitted back to the ORDI states within the hour of their being made, inter-ORDI discussion began almost immediately. Somewhat amusingly, and for perhaps the first time in the alliance's existence, four of the five ORDI member-states found themselves in instant agreement as to the Combine's offer: each of the Republic's allies indicating that they planned to accept both the public and private offers. Citing the threat the Clans appear to represent as well as the Combine's value as a counterbalance to the Federated Suns and the age of the technologies requested and the benefits, the Republic's allies made clear that they believed the deal to be beneficial to the ORDI as a whole with the Concordat and Confederation the strongest in favour of accepting. Understandably, similar logic was applied to the Lyran offer, with the Magistracy and Confederation the main driving force behind acceptance. Meanwhile, Rasalhague's offer met with less enthusiasm; the Magistracy of Canopus and Capellan Confederation expressing concern about the state's ability to repay the ORDI loan.
Current Voting Intentions (Combine)
Accept the Combine's public offer:
Accept the Combine's private offer:
Accept both offers: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation.
Reject all Combine offers:
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Combine?
[] Accept the Combine's public offer.
[] Accept the Combine's private offer.
[] Accept both offers.
[] Reject all Combine offers.
[] Write-in.
Current Voting Intentions (Commonwealth)
Accept the Lyran offer: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation:
Reject the Lyran offer:
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Commonwealth?
[] Accept the Lyran offer.
[] Reject the Lyran offer.
[] Write-in.
Current Voting Intentions (Rasalhague)
Accept the Rasalhague offer: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat,
Reject the Rasalhague offer: Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation.
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Rasalhague Republic?
[] Accept the Republic's offer.
[] Reject the Republic's offer.
[] Write-in.
Who does the Helghan Republic attempt to sway to support their vote, and how hard do they try?
[] Taurian Concordat [-5 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Taurian Concordat [-10 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Taurian Concordat [-15 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-5 influence]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-10 influence]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-15 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-7.5 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-15 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-22.5 influence]
[] Capellan Confederation [-5 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
[] Capellan Confederation [-10 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
[] Capellan Confederation [-15 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
Right of Passage
Concurrently with ComStar's extended briefing on the Clans and the arms deals occurring beneath the surface of the Terran Conference, ORDI diplomats reached out to their Inner Sphere counterparts to secure passage to the frontlines for ORDI forces. While only a handful of planets had fallen to the invaders in the week since Christmas, the sheer scope of the threat represented by the Clans was such that the ORDI found itself compelled to intervene; the concern evinced by Lyran and Rasalhaugian diplomats undeniable. With the Helghan Republic given overall command of the task force being prepared thanks to its contributions, the nation's diplomats boasted almost total freedom to make a deal with Inner Sphere states —the only limitation being that technology trades and other similarly massive exchanges would require approval by ORDI member-states.
Located on the far side of the Inner Sphere from the Free Rasalhague Republic and well aware that it would need transit rights through at least two states, the Republic's diplomatic service —kept in contact with its diplomats through ComStar's generous HPG service— quickly drew up a series of dot points to help guide them in their negotiations.
NOTE: As per ORDI conferences, you can spend influence to try and sway IS nations to let you through their borders. However, you can also attempt to bribe them, or simply ask for freedom of movement. This is very much an open ended vote, so do whatever, but you have to tell me how you're going to get your ships all the way from the Rimward Periphery to the Free Rasalhague Republic.
[] Write-in negotiations.
Operation Santiago (Clan Invasion Response)
Helghan Naval Support Capacity: 0/6 (use the naval upkeep values)
Helghan Ground Support Capacity: 0/0.75 (use the transport size value)
Note: This will resolve at the same time as the Q1 action list result, I'm just doing it to save time/energy and let you respond should anything go not-as-planned in the conference.
What Force Will Constitute Helghan's Contribution to Operation Santiago?
[] Write-in.
Who Will Have Overall Command of Operation Santiago's Task Force?
NOTE: Given the distances involved and the amount of time it'd take for a message to get from one side of the Inner Sphere to the other, whoever winds up in overall command of Operation Santiago will be calling the shots on where to defend, where to attack, etc. The Republic will be able to give broadstroke orders, but it's simply impossible to go into as much detail regarding the what and how as it was during prior conflicts.
NOTE 2: Since it's christmas time, I'll let people write in their own commander choices from across the ORDI states and vote on them. If you want to do that, you'll need to include a 200+ word biography so I can get a sense of their personality and the kinds of decisions they'd make and my approval (so you can't just make them the best general in the universe). I've provided some examples, though all mine are from the Republic since I thought up this idea as I was about to post the update.
[] Write-in.
[] Brigadier General Tecla Zapatero, The New Blood
[] Lieutenant General Estiñe Zabala, The Old Blood
[] Aerospace Corps General Pyotr Michael, The Maverick
[] Admiral Sasha Voronin, The Admiral
In the weeks following ComStar's pronouncement regarding the existence and origins of the invaders, ComStar moved to organise an international conference on Terra to, as they put it, "facilitate robust discussion between Inner Sphere states on the matter of the ongoing Coreward situation." No doubt worded in such a way as to avoid sullying ComStar's reputation as a neutral entity —something even the Clans respect according to Anastasius Focht— the true purpose of the conference appears to be an attempt to get Inner Sphere states to hammer out a coordinated response. An extremely fractious and war-prone region of space, the Terran Conference is likely the best hope the Inner Sphere has of organising resistance to the Clans, and it came as no surprise to the ORDI states when they found that they, too, were invited.
Immediately recognising the seriousness of the situation, ORDI delegates arrived at Terra as quickly as possible; representatives from the major states were either already present or arrived soon after. Upon arrival, ComStar quickly provided the ORDI team with all the diplomatic formalities expected of them. Then, just as quickly, the representatives were ushered into a briefing room at the quasi-religious order's Hilton Head headquarters where they found a substantially more extensive briefing on the Clans awaiting them —three full days blocked out for the briefing.
According to information gathered by ComStar via open communication with leaders within the self-described Clans, the Clans are a militaristic caste-based society where the Warrior caste represents the highest tier of society and Labourers the lowest. While information on the existence of any subcastes or even how members of Clan society may change caste is lacking, interactions with members of the Warrior castes indicate that it may be a particularly rigid society even by the standards of the neo-feudal Inner Sphere. Furthermore, much like the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, members of the Warrior appear to place a high value on social honour, with victories bolstering a Warrior's status and defeats detracting from it. How exactly this focus on social honour determines the actions of Clan Warriors remains undetermined as yet, but comments by the Federated Suns and Combine delegates alike suggest that it may prove exploitable. Similarly, how this society functions remains unclear and will likely only be clarified through further information-gathering efforts.
Meanwhile, ComStar has also shed light on the matter of Clan technology.
Though hardly a detailed breakdown on the technology of Kerensky's children, in large part because ComStar suspects the Clans have shown only a fraction of their capabilities, ComStar has provided conference delegations with BattleROMs and technical breakdowns showing that the Clans are frighteningly advanced in many areas of war. From recordings taken in the field to interviews with survivors and Clan Warriors alike, it appears that Clan mechs move faster, hit harder, are longer ranged, and are tougher than mechs of the same or even heavier masses. Additionally, the Clans seem to have developed something called Battle Armor, a type of superheavy power armour similar to that being explored in the Capellan Confederation. Massing significantly more than power armour and mounting much heavier armour plating, battle armour provides its wearers with near-immunity to small arms and high resistance to even combat vehicle weaponry. Often fitted with jump jets, battle armour is highly mobile despite its weight and can mount weaponry whose massed fire can threaten battlemechs.
Finally, and more contentiously, the Clans also appear to have some form of warship support involved in their invasion.
While details on their numbers, locations, and capabilities remain scarce, ComStar has acquired recordings of sensor contacts and blurry images confirming their existence. So far kept off the field, at least where battle is concerned, the mere existence of warships in the invasion suggests that the Clans operate with an advanced technological base back home —wherever home may be. As a result, these warships represent a near-lethal threat to every nation except the Federated Suns and the ORDI's member-states despite the lack of detail on their armament and composition.
Similarly, the number of Clan warriors deployed in support of the invasion remains undetermined; analysis of known imagery suggests a minimum of several regiments per clan involved but no upper bound. This same uncertainty also applies to how many clans makeup Clan society, with estimates suggesting anything from 15 to 20 clans plus at least one group of Clanless peoples. In terms of total population and industry, there is no data available.
Moving on from Clan society, technology and forces, ComStar also shared a great deal of information with conference delegates regarding how members of the clans view the Inner Sphere as a whole and organisations such as ComStar itself —much of it concerning.
As claimed by ComStar, the invading Clans view the inheritors of the Star League as little more than barbarians, several times referring to the states and their rulers as Scavenger Lords interchangeably in the presence of Anastasius Focht —much to the private amusement of the ORDI delegation. Seeing the Inner Sphere's technological and material decline following the dissolution of the Star League as largely the fault of the Successor States, the Clans supposedly wish to restore the Star League by force, ComStar claiming that it seems like an almost religious mission to them. In contrast, members of the Clans barely mention the Periphery, though whether this is due to secrecy or the assumption that it naturally belongs to the Star League is unclear.
Most curious, however, is the revelation of the Clans' view of ComStar. One of the only Star League-era entities to survive the fall of the Star League, the Clans view the religious telecom provider as a curiosity rather than a threat. Moreover, ComStar claims that it has convinced the invaders to respect their neutrality moving forward and that usual HPG services to the invaded planets will resume shortly. Understandably, ComStar wishes to keep this relationship and made clear during the conference that it will not permit the passage of warships through Terran space or do anything else that violates its neutrality. However, end-of-day drinks with ComStar personnel have led members of the Republic's delegation to suspect that ComStar's ability to police Terran space and sales to outside parties is limited, meaning that Terra's production lines could be a source of more complicated supplies.
On the third and final day of the briefing, there was a short pause as the gathered representatives reviewed all that they had learned, and then thoughts turned to the Inner Sphere's response.
Reaching out to the ORDI delegation on the night of the third day, the Combine delegation —which includes Theodore Kurita's 23-year-old son, Hohiro— expressed interest in purchasing military supplies and technology from the ORDI's member-states. Speaking to the ORDI delegation face to face over drinks, the Combine's lead delegate offered substantial monetary compensation and political favours in exchange for a steady stream of standard power armour and Helghan-pattern lasers to the Combine. Already an offer worth thinking about, that same night saw Hohiro Kurita reach out to the Republic's diplomatic team several hours later, the young man speaking off the record and stating that the Combine would be willing to trade the technical information behind something called Triple Strength Myomer as well as several dozen medium pulse lasers in exchange for reciprocation with Neurohelmets.
However, even as the ORDI delegates were digesting these offers, the Lyran Commonwealth's representatives reached out to discuss a similar deal. In a quiet meeting in a high-end Terran restaurant renowned for its privacy, the Lyrans offered the ORDI states an eye-watering amount of C-Bills in exchange for small arms, vehicle weaponry, combat vehicles, and other high-tech resources. No doubt concerned by the advanced technology displayed by the Clans, the move speaks to a bone-deep concern among the Lyrans regarding the state's ability to meet the needs of its armed forces as the invasion progresses.
The following morning, diplomats from the Free Rasalhague Republic made similar moves toward the ORDI, representatives from the Coreward democratic state expressing interest in securing a supply of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and mechs. Lacking substantial research facilities and with much of their liquid capital tied down in a mercenary hiring spree, Rasalhague's diplomats instead offered to purchase the much-needed war materials via a state-backed loan whose six-monthly interest payments would be criminal under less extreme circumstances.
With the existence of these offers transmitted back to the ORDI states within the hour of their being made, inter-ORDI discussion began almost immediately. Somewhat amusingly, and for perhaps the first time in the alliance's existence, four of the five ORDI member-states found themselves in instant agreement as to the Combine's offer: each of the Republic's allies indicating that they planned to accept both the public and private offers. Citing the threat the Clans appear to represent as well as the Combine's value as a counterbalance to the Federated Suns and the age of the technologies requested and the benefits, the Republic's allies made clear that they believed the deal to be beneficial to the ORDI as a whole with the Concordat and Confederation the strongest in favour of accepting. Understandably, similar logic was applied to the Lyran offer, with the Magistracy and Confederation the main driving force behind acceptance. Meanwhile, Rasalhague's offer met with less enthusiasm; the Magistracy of Canopus and Capellan Confederation expressing concern about the state's ability to repay the ORDI loan.
Current Voting Intentions (Combine)
Accept the Combine's public offer:
Accept the Combine's private offer:
Accept both offers: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation.
Reject all Combine offers:
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Combine?
[] Accept the Combine's public offer.
[] Accept the Combine's private offer.
[] Accept both offers.
[] Reject all Combine offers.
[] Write-in.
Current Voting Intentions (Commonwealth)
Accept the Lyran offer: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation:
Reject the Lyran offer:
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Commonwealth?
[] Accept the Lyran offer.
[] Reject the Lyran offer.
[] Write-in.
Current Voting Intentions (Rasalhague)
Accept the Rasalhague offer: Aurigan Coalition, Taurian Concordat,
Reject the Rasalhague offer: Magistracy of Canopus, Capellan Confederation.
How does the Republic vote when it comes to the Rasalhague Republic?
[] Accept the Republic's offer.
[] Reject the Republic's offer.
[] Write-in.
Who does the Helghan Republic attempt to sway to support their vote, and how hard do they try?
[] Taurian Concordat [-5 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Taurian Concordat [-10 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Taurian Concordat [-15 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to reject both Combine offers]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-5 influence]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-10 influence]
[] Magistracy of Canopus [-15 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-7.5 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-15 influence]
[] Aurigan Coalition [-22.5 influence]
[] Capellan Confederation [-5 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
[] Capellan Confederation [-10 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
[] Capellan Confederation [-15 influence] [Increase the cost by 100% if voting to categorically reject either state's offer]
Right of Passage
Concurrently with ComStar's extended briefing on the Clans and the arms deals occurring beneath the surface of the Terran Conference, ORDI diplomats reached out to their Inner Sphere counterparts to secure passage to the frontlines for ORDI forces. While only a handful of planets had fallen to the invaders in the week since Christmas, the sheer scope of the threat represented by the Clans was such that the ORDI found itself compelled to intervene; the concern evinced by Lyran and Rasalhaugian diplomats undeniable. With the Helghan Republic given overall command of the task force being prepared thanks to its contributions, the nation's diplomats boasted almost total freedom to make a deal with Inner Sphere states —the only limitation being that technology trades and other similarly massive exchanges would require approval by ORDI member-states.
Located on the far side of the Inner Sphere from the Free Rasalhague Republic and well aware that it would need transit rights through at least two states, the Republic's diplomatic service —kept in contact with its diplomats through ComStar's generous HPG service— quickly drew up a series of dot points to help guide them in their negotiations.
NOTE: As per ORDI conferences, you can spend influence to try and sway IS nations to let you through their borders. However, you can also attempt to bribe them, or simply ask for freedom of movement. This is very much an open ended vote, so do whatever, but you have to tell me how you're going to get your ships all the way from the Rimward Periphery to the Free Rasalhague Republic.
Free Worlds League
Free Tikonov Republic
Lyran Commonwealth
Free Rasalhague Republic
Federated Suns
Draconis Combine
-
Pro Con Relations with ORDI states aren't that bad despite the war with the Federated Suns Relations aren't that good. Captain-General Thomas Marik is a Blakist, and ORDI sending troops when ComStar is so obviously concerned and the WOB is on the border could sway him. Not on the frontlines, and while obviously concerned about the Clans, it's early days. ORDI vessels would only need to cut across a small amount of FWL space. Easy to track if they diverge and ComStar could always interdict the ORDI if it's a sneak attack. Will not like the thought of ORDI forces anywhere near their space. Had some negative experiences with the Magistracy in the past, though nowhere near as bad as the Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns. The Republic doesn't have much access to League decisionmakers to influence. -
Pro Con Offers the most direct route to the FRR and cutting through Tikonov makes it more likely that the Free Worlds League will agree to let ORDI troops through since it makes them even less of a threat. After the Celestial Mandate was retaken, its leadership are absolutely terrified that the CapCon wants to take it back (they're right, but it's not a hugely pressing matter). Easily the most technologically backward inner sphere state given its tiny research sector. Could be easily bribed with tech. No real diplomatic relationship with the Republic. Leaders are all corrupt and could probably be bribed and/or influenced. -
Pro Con Immediately under threat. Situation will no doubt worsen. No major losses have occurred yet, so the Lyrans don't see the struggle as going as badly as the Rasalhaugians do. Presence of the Free Worlds League on the rimward border means that it has to split its forces if it doesn't want the Mariks to get ideas. Makes the presence of ORDI troops even more valuable. Has a lot of industry, money, and some advanced technology, so bribing them will be difficult in general Not threatened by the ORDI. The Republic doesn't have much access to Lyran decisionmakers to influence. Has a decent diplomatic relation with the ORDI states. -
Pro Con Immediately under threat. Situation will no doubt worsen. Previously had a hostile opinion of the Republic for some reason. Technologically and industrially backwards. Could be easily bribed. No real diplomatic relationship with the Republic. Another democratic state. Will likely positively incline them towards the ORDI. It'd be fundamentally impossible for the ORDI to conquer any part of them or be in any way working with the Clans. Almost certainly can't fight off the clans on their own without help. -
Pro Con Lol. Lol. -
Pro Con No real negative acts in our pasts. No real diplomatic relationship with the Republic. Shared enemies in the form of the Federated Suns. The Republic has access to Combine decisionmakers. Militaristic, nation-state whose warriors have a system of horizontal honour is unlikely to admit weakness by allowing ORDI military personnel through or by suggesting they can't win against the clans. Neither the Combine or ORDI like each other that much.
[] Write-in negotiations.
Operation Santiago (Clan Invasion Response)
Helghan Naval Support Capacity: 0/6 (use the naval upkeep values)
Helghan Ground Support Capacity: 0/0.75 (use the transport size value)
Note: This will resolve at the same time as the Q1 action list result, I'm just doing it to save time/energy and let you respond should anything go not-as-planned in the conference.
-
Navy (0/6 Naval Support Capacity)
- None
- None
-
Navy
- 2 Carson II-class Frigates (2 Capacity)
- 1 Mech Regiment (Death Commandos)
- 1 Mech Regiment (Warrior House Daidachi)
- 2 Armoured Regiments
- 4 Infantry Regiments
-
Navy
- 2 Auroch-class Frigates (2 Capacity)
- 3 Combined Arms Brigades
-
Navy
- None
- 4 Mech Regiments
- 4 Armoured Regiments
- 8 Infantry Regiments
-
Navy
- 1 Halcon-class Destroyer (1 Capacity)
- 1 Mech Regiment
- 2 Armoured Regiments
- 2 Infantry Regiments
What Force Will Constitute Helghan's Contribution to Operation Santiago?
[] Write-in.
Who Will Have Overall Command of Operation Santiago's Task Force?
NOTE: Given the distances involved and the amount of time it'd take for a message to get from one side of the Inner Sphere to the other, whoever winds up in overall command of Operation Santiago will be calling the shots on where to defend, where to attack, etc. The Republic will be able to give broadstroke orders, but it's simply impossible to go into as much detail regarding the what and how as it was during prior conflicts.
NOTE 2: Since it's christmas time, I'll let people write in their own commander choices from across the ORDI states and vote on them. If you want to do that, you'll need to include a 200+ word biography so I can get a sense of their personality and the kinds of decisions they'd make and my approval (so you can't just make them the best general in the universe). I've provided some examples, though all mine are from the Republic since I thought up this idea as I was about to post the update.
[] Write-in.
[] Brigadier General Tecla Zapatero, The New Blood
Name: Tecla Zapatero
Date of Birth: 3020
Biography:
Born to a Helghan mother and Canopian father only a few years before the Aurigan Civil War and the Helghan intervention that ended it, Tecla Zapatero grew up on a Helghan that never knew the taste of the fascist lash. A child of blue-collar workers and union representatives, she and her siblings were immersed in Republic politics daily and often volunteered at workers' council elections. However, unlike her brother and sister, who followed in their parents' footsteps, Tecla elected to buck the trend and join the Republic's burgeoning military instead.
Commissioned as an officer after graduating from the prestigious Luka Zieliński Military Academy —itself built on top of the bones of the Visari-era Radek Academy— Zapatero quickly distinguished herself on the battlefield as an officer able to make effective snap judgments and adapt to changing circumstances. Taking part in peacekeeping efforts on Caliban, Zapatero earned several battle honours in her zealous defeat of former Prospero Pact military forces and displayed impressive tactical acumen. While her personality did not lend itself particularly well to diplomatic outreach, she nonetheless impressed her commanding officers by fostering a culture of camaraderie among her troops and rapidly rose through the ranks.
Following her time on Caliban, Zapatero served as a frontline commander during the Mandate intervention, the young woman exemplifying the Helghan military ideal of high speed, low drag, and incredibly aggressive assault against enemy forces. Playing a pivotal part in planning and executing many critical missions during the intervention, Zapatero developed several strategies that would later be folded into the so-called Beehive Plan and was an early proponent of the model. Following the conclusion of the Mandate conflict, Teckla Zapatero held a lead role in Operation Chernobog, with the forces under her command serving as the tip of the spear throughout the Pleiades and New Syrtis actions. Unsurprisingly, during this period, Zapatero gained an appreciation for battlemechs as highly mobile, highly concentrated sources of firepower, and several major battles were won thanks to her grasp of mech and counter-mech tactics.
With the conclusion of the Outback intervention and the associated gain in prestige from leading one of the most successful formations, Teckla turned her attention to getting the Beehive Plan accepted by the Helghan government, the officer speaking to the relevant commission several times. Given a promotion to Brigadier General in the Helghan 8th army soon after the Republic adopted the plan, Tecla oversaw the army's transformation into a modern fighting force integrating the best ORDI and Inner Sphere technology and is the officer most likely to use it best.
Date of Birth: 3020
Biography:
Born to a Helghan mother and Canopian father only a few years before the Aurigan Civil War and the Helghan intervention that ended it, Tecla Zapatero grew up on a Helghan that never knew the taste of the fascist lash. A child of blue-collar workers and union representatives, she and her siblings were immersed in Republic politics daily and often volunteered at workers' council elections. However, unlike her brother and sister, who followed in their parents' footsteps, Tecla elected to buck the trend and join the Republic's burgeoning military instead.
Commissioned as an officer after graduating from the prestigious Luka Zieliński Military Academy —itself built on top of the bones of the Visari-era Radek Academy— Zapatero quickly distinguished herself on the battlefield as an officer able to make effective snap judgments and adapt to changing circumstances. Taking part in peacekeeping efforts on Caliban, Zapatero earned several battle honours in her zealous defeat of former Prospero Pact military forces and displayed impressive tactical acumen. While her personality did not lend itself particularly well to diplomatic outreach, she nonetheless impressed her commanding officers by fostering a culture of camaraderie among her troops and rapidly rose through the ranks.
Following her time on Caliban, Zapatero served as a frontline commander during the Mandate intervention, the young woman exemplifying the Helghan military ideal of high speed, low drag, and incredibly aggressive assault against enemy forces. Playing a pivotal part in planning and executing many critical missions during the intervention, Zapatero developed several strategies that would later be folded into the so-called Beehive Plan and was an early proponent of the model. Following the conclusion of the Mandate conflict, Teckla Zapatero held a lead role in Operation Chernobog, with the forces under her command serving as the tip of the spear throughout the Pleiades and New Syrtis actions. Unsurprisingly, during this period, Zapatero gained an appreciation for battlemechs as highly mobile, highly concentrated sources of firepower, and several major battles were won thanks to her grasp of mech and counter-mech tactics.
With the conclusion of the Outback intervention and the associated gain in prestige from leading one of the most successful formations, Teckla turned her attention to getting the Beehive Plan accepted by the Helghan government, the officer speaking to the relevant commission several times. Given a promotion to Brigadier General in the Helghan 8th army soon after the Republic adopted the plan, Tecla oversaw the army's transformation into a modern fighting force integrating the best ORDI and Inner Sphere technology and is the officer most likely to use it best.
[] Lieutenant General Estiñe Zabala, The Old Blood
Name: Estiñe Zabala
Date of Birth: 3007
Biography:
A Portland native born to itinerant farmhands in April 3007, Estiñe Zabala spent much of her childhood bouncing between Maine's many farms and cattle stations. Forced out of the planet's rudimentary school system by an exploitative social system that had trapped countless families like her own in a never-ending cycle of transitory labour, Estiñe grew up doing backbreaking labour in Portland's fields during the day and learning to read and write at night. Initially on course to follow the lives of her parents, the story of Zabala's life forever changed in 3021 following a workplace accident that cost a cousin the use of both arms and consigned him to abject poverty due to Portland's non-existent welfare system. Drawn into the system's then-underground labour rights movement by the tragedy, Estiñe subsequently witnessed terrible abuses from Portland's oligarchical government and was on the frontlines when, in 3023, Portland militia forces killed more than 70 men and women in the Black Monday incident that triggered Portland's Civil War.
Only sixteen when the war broke out, Estiñe and her family fled Portland's capital and spent the next seven months serving in the rebel army. Initially serving only as an aide to her company's commanding officer, Zabala's intellect and ability to inspire her soldiers quickly saw her promoted to a squad command role. During this period, Estiñe demonstrated the true extent of her talents when Loyalist forces successfully ambushed her company while it was moving to reinforce allies. Forced to take command of the rebel unit after her commanding officer was killed in the attack's opening moments, the then 17-year-old successfully executed a textbook disengagement that preserved the survivors and led the attackers into a counter-ambush that saw them soundly defeated.
Following Portland's induction into the Helghan Republic and driven by a sense of duty to her newfound nation, the then civilian Estiñe Zabala joined the Helghan army as an enlisted service member. Thanks to her prior experience and skills, Zabala quickly rose to sergeant and was encouraged to apply to the Republic's officer training school due to her leadership abilities. Graduating some time before Operation Red Breath, Estiñe distinguished herself in the attack on Hurik's capital, Victory City, by leading the first Helghan unit to cross the river that bisected the city. Following this achievement, Zabala only enhanced her reputation during the subsequent Marian Intervention by rescuing more than three thousand enslaved people in a near-flawless assault on their holding cells; the Marian defenders left devastated in exchange for minimal losses.
Attaining accolades during the later Mandate and Outback interventions, Zabala found her command defined by adherence to then-standard Helghan doctrine and the ability to use it to great effect. Promoted to Lieutenant General during the Outback Intervention, Zabala was one of many Helghan officers to speak against the Beehive Plan proposed by the Reformers faction. A staunch believer in the effectiveness of the Republic's former doctrine and leery of the value of battlemechs in the Helghan military, Estiñe Zabala nonetheless remains one of the Republic's most capable military leaders —doubly so with forces that still adhere to the old doctrine.
Date of Birth: 3007
Biography:
A Portland native born to itinerant farmhands in April 3007, Estiñe Zabala spent much of her childhood bouncing between Maine's many farms and cattle stations. Forced out of the planet's rudimentary school system by an exploitative social system that had trapped countless families like her own in a never-ending cycle of transitory labour, Estiñe grew up doing backbreaking labour in Portland's fields during the day and learning to read and write at night. Initially on course to follow the lives of her parents, the story of Zabala's life forever changed in 3021 following a workplace accident that cost a cousin the use of both arms and consigned him to abject poverty due to Portland's non-existent welfare system. Drawn into the system's then-underground labour rights movement by the tragedy, Estiñe subsequently witnessed terrible abuses from Portland's oligarchical government and was on the frontlines when, in 3023, Portland militia forces killed more than 70 men and women in the Black Monday incident that triggered Portland's Civil War.
Only sixteen when the war broke out, Estiñe and her family fled Portland's capital and spent the next seven months serving in the rebel army. Initially serving only as an aide to her company's commanding officer, Zabala's intellect and ability to inspire her soldiers quickly saw her promoted to a squad command role. During this period, Estiñe demonstrated the true extent of her talents when Loyalist forces successfully ambushed her company while it was moving to reinforce allies. Forced to take command of the rebel unit after her commanding officer was killed in the attack's opening moments, the then 17-year-old successfully executed a textbook disengagement that preserved the survivors and led the attackers into a counter-ambush that saw them soundly defeated.
Following Portland's induction into the Helghan Republic and driven by a sense of duty to her newfound nation, the then civilian Estiñe Zabala joined the Helghan army as an enlisted service member. Thanks to her prior experience and skills, Zabala quickly rose to sergeant and was encouraged to apply to the Republic's officer training school due to her leadership abilities. Graduating some time before Operation Red Breath, Estiñe distinguished herself in the attack on Hurik's capital, Victory City, by leading the first Helghan unit to cross the river that bisected the city. Following this achievement, Zabala only enhanced her reputation during the subsequent Marian Intervention by rescuing more than three thousand enslaved people in a near-flawless assault on their holding cells; the Marian defenders left devastated in exchange for minimal losses.
Attaining accolades during the later Mandate and Outback interventions, Zabala found her command defined by adherence to then-standard Helghan doctrine and the ability to use it to great effect. Promoted to Lieutenant General during the Outback Intervention, Zabala was one of many Helghan officers to speak against the Beehive Plan proposed by the Reformers faction. A staunch believer in the effectiveness of the Republic's former doctrine and leery of the value of battlemechs in the Helghan military, Estiñe Zabala nonetheless remains one of the Republic's most capable military leaders —doubly so with forces that still adhere to the old doctrine.
[] Aerospace Corps General Pyotr Michael, The Maverick
Name: Pyotr Michael
Date of Birth: 3014
Biography:
The son of an Aurigan couple who wound up on Helghan in the wake of the Aurigan Directorate's purges, Pyotr Michael grew up in the Memnonia region's vast plains, the wide open expanse of land and sky inculcating a need for speed in the young Pyotr. Somewhat isolated from his peers due to his childhood experiences, Pyotr spent much of his teenage years as a delinquent, dirtbike races rather than school classes garnering his attention despite the respectable results he achieved in subjects he cared about. Fortunately for Pyotr, this early history of truancy changed following a spur-of-the-moment trip to an airshow hosted in the region's capital city; the sight of aerospace fighters tearing through Helghan's skies appealed to the young man's sense of adventure and desire for adrenaline.
Following the revelation that hypersonic aerospace fighter pilot was a valid career, Pyotr dedicated his remaining years of schooling to achieving the grades needed to enter the Helghan Navy's officer and flight training program. In a little over a year, a once struggling student all but completely reinvented himself and, soon after, graduated in the top 90-percentile of his school. Entering the Navy's officer training program, the independent-minded Pytor occasionally rubbed his educators the wrong way but made it to the flight training program unscathed. Excelling in both his studies and training, Pyotr graduated with flying colours despite the misgivings of the school's commanding officer and was assigned a position in the air wing of a Damascus-class Light Carrier.
For the next few years, Pytor did little of note beyond earning the ire of several naval aviators and commanding officers with his antics in the air and his rebellious streak —both of which combined to give him the call sign Maverick. Fortunately for Pyotr, his skills were soon put to use in the 3037 invasions of Hurik and Ward —scoring several kills against militia aircraft and even making a mech-kill despite his Daga's air-to-air loadout. Earning grudging respect from his superiors, Pyotr built upon his achievements by leading low-level strikes against Marian defences on Alphard during the Marian intervention.
Flying in at treetop height and homing in on designators planted by Republic spies, Pyotr and his fellow aviators eviscerated the Marian defences in a matter of minutes, whole sections of Alphard's defence grid going down in the blink of an eye. Similar activities during the Mandate and Outback Interventions —combined with substantial personal growth following the loss of a friend and fellow aviator and his command of the Republic's TOPGUN program— saw Pyotr earn numerous promotions until, by the end of 3048, he was an Aerospace Corps General.
Described as either irreverent or a wiseass, depending on whom you ask, General Pyotr 'Maverick' Michael is known for his reliance on airpower to take out targets others would spend the lives of ground forces on. A Naval Aviator at heart, the general is also known for his preference for sub-capital aerospace power; the man forgoes even dropship support in favour of ASF-led strikes wherever possible. Somewhat unfamiliar with ground and capital forces, Michael is nonetheless one of the Republic's best airpower strategists, and his abilities should not be underestimated.
Date of Birth: 3014
Biography:
The son of an Aurigan couple who wound up on Helghan in the wake of the Aurigan Directorate's purges, Pyotr Michael grew up in the Memnonia region's vast plains, the wide open expanse of land and sky inculcating a need for speed in the young Pyotr. Somewhat isolated from his peers due to his childhood experiences, Pyotr spent much of his teenage years as a delinquent, dirtbike races rather than school classes garnering his attention despite the respectable results he achieved in subjects he cared about. Fortunately for Pyotr, this early history of truancy changed following a spur-of-the-moment trip to an airshow hosted in the region's capital city; the sight of aerospace fighters tearing through Helghan's skies appealed to the young man's sense of adventure and desire for adrenaline.
Following the revelation that hypersonic aerospace fighter pilot was a valid career, Pyotr dedicated his remaining years of schooling to achieving the grades needed to enter the Helghan Navy's officer and flight training program. In a little over a year, a once struggling student all but completely reinvented himself and, soon after, graduated in the top 90-percentile of his school. Entering the Navy's officer training program, the independent-minded Pytor occasionally rubbed his educators the wrong way but made it to the flight training program unscathed. Excelling in both his studies and training, Pyotr graduated with flying colours despite the misgivings of the school's commanding officer and was assigned a position in the air wing of a Damascus-class Light Carrier.
For the next few years, Pytor did little of note beyond earning the ire of several naval aviators and commanding officers with his antics in the air and his rebellious streak —both of which combined to give him the call sign Maverick. Fortunately for Pyotr, his skills were soon put to use in the 3037 invasions of Hurik and Ward —scoring several kills against militia aircraft and even making a mech-kill despite his Daga's air-to-air loadout. Earning grudging respect from his superiors, Pyotr built upon his achievements by leading low-level strikes against Marian defences on Alphard during the Marian intervention.
Flying in at treetop height and homing in on designators planted by Republic spies, Pyotr and his fellow aviators eviscerated the Marian defences in a matter of minutes, whole sections of Alphard's defence grid going down in the blink of an eye. Similar activities during the Mandate and Outback Interventions —combined with substantial personal growth following the loss of a friend and fellow aviator and his command of the Republic's TOPGUN program— saw Pyotr earn numerous promotions until, by the end of 3048, he was an Aerospace Corps General.
Described as either irreverent or a wiseass, depending on whom you ask, General Pyotr 'Maverick' Michael is known for his reliance on airpower to take out targets others would spend the lives of ground forces on. A Naval Aviator at heart, the general is also known for his preference for sub-capital aerospace power; the man forgoes even dropship support in favour of ASF-led strikes wherever possible. Somewhat unfamiliar with ground and capital forces, Michael is nonetheless one of the Republic's best airpower strategists, and his abilities should not be underestimated.
[] Admiral Sasha Voronin, The Admiral
Name: Sasha Voronin
Date of Birth: 2999
Biography:
Born into Helghan's minuscule middle class in November 2996 (2344 by the old calendar), Sasha Voronin spent the first decade and a half of their life living under the Visari regime on pre-transition Helghan. Already cognisant of how their gender identity clashed with the fascist views of Visari and his ilk by the time they were ten, the young Voronin successfully hid their gender nonconformity by feigning enthusiasm for participation in the Navy Cadets —several photos of Scolar Visari existing where Cadet Voronin and the rest of his troop are visible in the background. Assisted in this act by their parents, Voronin watched from the shadows of Helghan society as fascism's grasp strengthened its grip on Helghan's soul.
Following the deaths of Visari, Orlock, and Stahl and the subsequent transition of Helghan to a new universe, a 15-year-old Cadet Voronin almost immediately showed their true colours by joining the Adenium Revolution that ended the civil strife. In a move that did much to cement the seriousness of their turn, Cadet Voronin and several comrades risked their lives to shut down the automated defences guarding the gates to the Karpathian Navy academy; the act allowing rebel commandos to breach the perimeter and capture the would-be Autarch Coen Brouwer. Joining the Revolutionary Navy shortly after, Voronin swiftly progressed up the ranks and participated in numerous air-to-surface actions against fascist holdouts.
A sharp-minded officer and well-respected by their peers, Sasha spent the years after the Adenium Revolution and the clearing of the skies engaged in routine naval activities such as anti-piracy patrols, exploration, and diplomatic escort. However, when the Aurigan Civil War began, the then Captain Voronin played a significant role in several planetary liberations; the Captain and their crew provided danger close fire support against entrenched Directorate forces and swept several formations from the field. Following these actions, which won Voronin and their crew several medals, Voronin spent several more years in the Captain's chair before being promoted to Commodore.
Overseeing a squadron of warships in peacetime, Commodore Voronin spent the next few years out of the limelight until widespread student protests in the 3030s triggered a critical evaluation of figures throughout the Republic's government and military; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission spawned in response soon uncovering the aforementioned images of Cadet Voronin and Scolar Visari. Fortunately for the 41-year-old Commodore, Their actions during and after the Adenium Revolution, their age in the photos, the multiple character witnesses speaking up in their defence, and the nature of life as a GNC individual under fascism meant that the Commission's attention swiftly turned away from Voronin; enabling the Commodore to resume their command with little issue and even earn another promotion.
Though not involved in military actions against the Celestial Mandate for what was seen as the authoritarian state's semi-successful terror attack on Helghan, Rear Admiral Sasha was a notable figure in the ensuing Mandate Intervention; their grasp of tactics and strategy allowed Republic forces to planet-hop at high speeds and defeat their opposition with minimal casualties. Promoted to Admiral during the last quarter of the campaign, Vornonin replicated their successes in the Outback Intervention and made substantial contributions to anti-Bomb Pumped Laser tactics, saving many lives with their actions.
A highly decorated officer, albeit one with a penchant for solving problems with naval assets, the Admiral is well regarded by many in the Helghan Navy for their grasp of strategy and tactics. Highly experienced, they have also played a major role in the continued development of naval theory, though they lack experience with modern ground forces.
Date of Birth: 2999
Biography:
Born into Helghan's minuscule middle class in November 2996 (2344 by the old calendar), Sasha Voronin spent the first decade and a half of their life living under the Visari regime on pre-transition Helghan. Already cognisant of how their gender identity clashed with the fascist views of Visari and his ilk by the time they were ten, the young Voronin successfully hid their gender nonconformity by feigning enthusiasm for participation in the Navy Cadets —several photos of Scolar Visari existing where Cadet Voronin and the rest of his troop are visible in the background. Assisted in this act by their parents, Voronin watched from the shadows of Helghan society as fascism's grasp strengthened its grip on Helghan's soul.
Following the deaths of Visari, Orlock, and Stahl and the subsequent transition of Helghan to a new universe, a 15-year-old Cadet Voronin almost immediately showed their true colours by joining the Adenium Revolution that ended the civil strife. In a move that did much to cement the seriousness of their turn, Cadet Voronin and several comrades risked their lives to shut down the automated defences guarding the gates to the Karpathian Navy academy; the act allowing rebel commandos to breach the perimeter and capture the would-be Autarch Coen Brouwer. Joining the Revolutionary Navy shortly after, Voronin swiftly progressed up the ranks and participated in numerous air-to-surface actions against fascist holdouts.
A sharp-minded officer and well-respected by their peers, Sasha spent the years after the Adenium Revolution and the clearing of the skies engaged in routine naval activities such as anti-piracy patrols, exploration, and diplomatic escort. However, when the Aurigan Civil War began, the then Captain Voronin played a significant role in several planetary liberations; the Captain and their crew provided danger close fire support against entrenched Directorate forces and swept several formations from the field. Following these actions, which won Voronin and their crew several medals, Voronin spent several more years in the Captain's chair before being promoted to Commodore.
Overseeing a squadron of warships in peacetime, Commodore Voronin spent the next few years out of the limelight until widespread student protests in the 3030s triggered a critical evaluation of figures throughout the Republic's government and military; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission spawned in response soon uncovering the aforementioned images of Cadet Voronin and Scolar Visari. Fortunately for the 41-year-old Commodore, Their actions during and after the Adenium Revolution, their age in the photos, the multiple character witnesses speaking up in their defence, and the nature of life as a GNC individual under fascism meant that the Commission's attention swiftly turned away from Voronin; enabling the Commodore to resume their command with little issue and even earn another promotion.
Though not involved in military actions against the Celestial Mandate for what was seen as the authoritarian state's semi-successful terror attack on Helghan, Rear Admiral Sasha was a notable figure in the ensuing Mandate Intervention; their grasp of tactics and strategy allowed Republic forces to planet-hop at high speeds and defeat their opposition with minimal casualties. Promoted to Admiral during the last quarter of the campaign, Vornonin replicated their successes in the Outback Intervention and made substantial contributions to anti-Bomb Pumped Laser tactics, saving many lives with their actions.
A highly decorated officer, albeit one with a penchant for solving problems with naval assets, the Admiral is well regarded by many in the Helghan Navy for their grasp of strategy and tactics. Highly experienced, they have also played a major role in the continued development of naval theory, though they lack experience with modern ground forces.
Last edited:
prometheus110
Join Cayman-Global & be part of the 1E-9 percent!
- Location
- La Ballena City Raft
- Pronouns
- He/Him
There's, uh, a lot of voting in this one.
Okay so to start I think we should go full Arsenal of Humanity with what we would consider National guard gear. This means Leo's, Lobo's, fusion engine Daga fighters and so on.
We go into full production and we will sell to anyone fighting the clans as long as they can pay, or we have a lend lease agreement with.
Edit: advanced gear is much more limited if we sell at all.
We go into full production and we will sell to anyone fighting the clans as long as they can pay, or we have a lend lease agreement with.
Edit: advanced gear is much more limited if we sell at all.
Last edited:
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
Heh yeah we're not making any agreements with them any time soon lol.
Now with that out of the way I am inclined to accept all the deals with all the nations being invaded given it's the Clans I also feel we should hold off from immediately sending ships to fight the clans. Reason for that is to let the threat of them rise and make it easier to get say the Lyrans to concede and let our ships fight said clans, so it doesn't cost us as much political capital. And at the same time give's us more time to prepare our Navy and Army to face said clans as well.
prometheus110
Join Cayman-Global & be part of the 1E-9 percent!
- Location
- La Ballena City Raft
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Forgot to put the moritorium up. Standard day wait and then the vote closes in a week.
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
Rasalhague's under enough threat that I think we should deploy immediately. And Rasalhague knows how threatened it is, so it shouldn't require much, if any bribery.
I think we can just wait on going to help the Lyrans until they realize they need help. And honestly, we care way more about Rasalhague's well-being than we do the Lyran Commonwealth's.
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
Gotta be honest, I really don't like the idea of trading with the Combine. Despite being enemies of the Federated Suns, they're also the most ideologically opposed to the principles of the Helghan Republic.
If possible, I think it'd be better to focus most of our deal-making on the Lyran Commonwealth and especially the Free Rasalhague Republic.
EDIT: As for our choice of overall force commander, I think I'm leaning most toward Sasha Voronin, as their expertise in naval strategy will help us put our best foot forward with regards to both starside warfare and also the positioning and deployment of our ground forces. I think that'll be especially important considering that we'll have to embark on a very long-range naval deployment in order to reach the Clan invasion corridor.
If possible, I think it'd be better to focus most of our deal-making on the Lyran Commonwealth and especially the Free Rasalhague Republic.
EDIT: As for our choice of overall force commander, I think I'm leaning most toward Sasha Voronin, as their expertise in naval strategy will help us put our best foot forward with regards to both starside warfare and also the positioning and deployment of our ground forces. I think that'll be especially important considering that we'll have to embark on a very long-range naval deployment in order to reach the Clan invasion corridor.
Last edited:
ConfusedCanuck
Where did it all go wrong?
- Location
- Neverland
Oh I'm fine with immediate intervention for Rasalhague given as you said their already facing on the brink of destruction. I was more thinking about Lyran given their one of the big 5 IS powers so I figured any help with them would come at some sort of political cost we'd want to avoid if possible. And I honestly doubt many of us care what happens too much with the Combine given their one of the worst IS powers out there if not the worst currently.
But yeah I'm fine with offering to send a Battlegroup to Rasalhague's aid if only so we can starting capturing Clan wrecks(either ships or other materials) for that sweet tech. Though if their's an option I would recommend drilling our Mech warriors heavily in preparation of said engagements.
I can understand that sentiment really I do, but well Politics usually don't allow for such things like moral righteousness or principle's and given their in the direct way of the Clans invasion it is ultimately in our nations long term best interest to allow the weapons sales to slow the Clan invasion and keep said clans as far away form our border or our allies borders as possible.
Last edited:
Chimeraguard
We do deserve to exist.
My personal opinion for the Combine is that it can fight the Clans on its own and I wish them the worst of luck, but the C-Bills and Influence (if that's what "Political Favors" means) could go a long way towards helping rebuild and develop the Outback, and convincing the rest of the ORDI is not worth the Influence cost when it can be used to convince them to further invest in Outback Reconstruction after the initial commitment is done.
So I say either accept or lodge a token protest vote against taking the Combine deals, while our actual military expedition focuses on relieving the FRR that we actually care about, and hope the Combine and Clans kill each other.
So I say either accept or lodge a token protest vote against taking the Combine deals, while our actual military expedition focuses on relieving the FRR that we actually care about, and hope the Combine and Clans kill each other.
Last edited:
Mal-3
Fun Tyrant
I can't say that I am personally thrilled by the idea of boosting the Combine, but a) the Republic would have to burn a buttload of influence to have a serious chance of convincing the other ORDI members not to follow through, b) the Republic can vote no and the others will just do it anyway, and c) to paraphrase Churchill, if the Clans invaded Hell I would give the Devil favorable mention in the House of Commons. The wise expenditure of political capital is elsewhere; give the snakes our second-had gear while we make the Lend-Lease printer go brr for Rasalhague.
- Location
- his hidden lair
Honestly, trying to fight a major campaign against an arguably superior foe at the end of a massive logistics chain is incredibly questionable. Sending our citizens to die for an oligarchy who wouldn't give us the time of day until ORDI defeated the FedSuns.
We can only benefit from arming the IS against the Clans, we can only lose sending men to die against the Clans from the outset. Whether they die for the sake of economic imperialism to sustain our debtors, or they die out of a strange and misplaced ideological crusade- they're still bound to die for the sake of Scavenger Lords.
We can only benefit from arming the IS against the Clans, we can only lose sending men to die against the Clans from the outset. Whether they die for the sake of economic imperialism to sustain our debtors, or they die out of a strange and misplaced ideological crusade- they're still bound to die for the sake of Scavenger Lords.
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
For what it's worth, I can see the logic in this, I also don't want to burn influence ineffectively. I would be okay with merely lodging a Protest Vote against the deal with the Combine, but otherwise not putting up serious opposition, and then use our influence to get as much trade and aid approved toward the FRR as possible. I'm also up for schmoozing the Lyrans for extra funding and trade.
BobTheNinja
Sword of Possibility
- Location
- Multiverse Sector Texas
What about the FRR though? They're the only other seriously democratic power in the Inner Sphere, and they are directly in the path of the Clans. Should we not at least bolster them?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Triple Strength Myomer is a hell of a nice purchase, especially with some of our systems running fairly hot. If we can reasonably get a shield plus TSM onto a design you can get a really nasty fast brawler up and running. 60 ton headcapping punches (Less with a sword) is no joke, especially against clan pilots who probably aren't used to melee/who you need to close with anyways.
And while the Combine is bad, even they aren't the clans. Being generous here may be worth our time, and may help millions avoid the Clan yoke.
I do think our forces should back Rasalhague, though. They don't stand a chance without us.
And while the Combine is bad, even they aren't the clans. Being generous here may be worth our time, and may help millions avoid the Clan yoke.
I do think our forces should back Rasalhague, though. They don't stand a chance without us.
I just had an idea: what if make a open offer, for each ton of higher end military hardware taken off the borders of other successor states and provobly deployed against the clans the Republic will sell an equal weight in milita grade hardware at discount.
You redeploy 100,000 tons work of battlemechs and tanks off the borders to fight the clans? You can get 2000 Leo tanks, 2857 Lobo AFVs or some mix there of at a discounted rate.
You redeploy 100,000 tons work of battlemechs and tanks off the borders to fight the clans? You can get 2000 Leo tanks, 2857 Lobo AFVs or some mix there of at a discounted rate.
Forgothrax
Not Going Gently
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The Combine is a horror show. I'll be working on means to get our not so useful idiots allies to see reason.
With friends like ORDI, who needs enemies.
*mutter*
With friends like ORDI, who needs enemies.
*mutter*
Always Late
Lacking in coffee, sleep, and brains
- Location
- Ohio
Translation: Everyone in ORDI wants to live the beer, schnitzel, and war profiteering life the Lyrans do.
Honestly, the problem with getting access is the two nations looking to get in good with us. Lyrans and Draconis, are separated by one or the other two nations we've pissed the hell off. If we can somehow sling from Capellan space to the Combine, we may be able to use our access to the top leadership to tell anyone getting hot under the collar to be productive or go pound sand.
Ok, here's a crack at it. My chronology and lore is probably off on more than a few areas, so some feedback appreciated. The guy's meant to be Everybody's Grandfather in personality, but his speciality is MAWLRs as the centerpiece of a fast-moving linebreaker and army-destroyer.NOTE 2: Since it's christmas time, I'll let people write in their own commander choices from across the ORDI states and vote on them. If you want to do that, you'll need to include a 200+ word biography so I can get a sense of their personality and the kinds of decisions they'd make and my approval (so you can't just make them the best general in the universe). I've provided some examples, though all mine are from the Republic since I thought up this idea as I was about to post the update.
[] Write-in.
[X]General Joss Okita, The Titan.
Born Joss Freiherr in 2989 in the pre-transition world of Helgan, Joss was expected to carry on the traditions of his family and serve in the navy. They claimed to trace their linage back to some of the first modern space explorers, and believed in a strong spirit of sailing in a sea of stars. They had followed the Visari family into exile in the name of "freedom", even as the full-throatedly supported the ever greater crushing of civil liberties. Yet their initial impressions were soured when Joss chose to work in the Petrucite mines as a walker operator. The sea he knew was dark and violent, better to make things to help people. When the ISA attempted to end the Visari regime during Operation Archangel, he was conscripted back into service. His understanding of advanced heavy machinery and Petrucite prompted the rather busy mobilization administration to not pay too much attention to his political views. He was placed in command of a MAWLR as part of a reserve unit for an expected counter-offensive. They had not been ordered into action when Stahl made his coup and attempted to launch on Earth.
In the aftermath of the Transition and the Revolution kicking off, Joss proved key in talking down several of his fellow commanders and letting things play out. Once the conclusion became inevitable, Joss led the unit in standing down and surrendering their machines to the new administration. He gladly took the opportunity to retire from active service, live a life of peace, and teach the new generation in heavy machinery as "The Old Man". Yet when the specter of alien invasion rose in 3015, Joss chose to board one of the two MAWLRs and assist the green crew in their first combat action. Even with overwhelming odds of Helgan's forces, the enemy's strange bipedal war machines still had teeth. "The Old Man" proved key in making a swift, rudimentary understanding of the enemy's capabilities and attempted tactics, minimizing casualties to the unit. He then chose to retire from his unofficial commission a second time, and return to teaching mining and heavy vehicle operations.
After the discovery of The Inner Sphere and its technologies, Joss would remain peripherally up to date on the military's attempts to integrate new technology into MAWLRs, and rebuffed more than a few attempts to return to service. He had done his time in a vessel of war. The aging man would soon find himself on a Jumpship moving out into the strange seas of the Periphery in 3020. The letter of thanks he left to his friends and students spoke of seeking what many sought in those worlds away from the Inner Sphere: A new start. He has chosen not to speak about much of what he saw in the nineteen years abroad, but this much is known: He met a woman fleeing the oppression of the Draconis Combine, and settled down to raise a family. They fished, they sailed a blue sea, and the rest of the galaxy fell away. But at some point, a pirate group raided their world. All that Jorr had left of that place is a single old photograph.
In 3039 he would be given a message from an old friend that happened to know where a bar serving a broken old man could be found. The MAWLRs were being modernized, and he was asked to be a part of the consultancy group. He attempted to beg it off, saying that he hadn't been in the military for almost two decades. That he wasn't up to date on what new advancements and reforms the Helgan Republic had done. The one offer he couldn't beg off was that young men would be sent off to fight in these new machines, and they needed people to teach them to come home alive. The people who interviewed him during the MAWLR-II planning process soon after said it was like he'd never retired at all.
The reputation of The Old Man had somewhat faded, and with a new generation of students getting their hands on a fresh weapon the white-haired, broad-shouldered old man with a steely glare was now something of a novelty. Smiling and congenial when off-duty, he became a terror of the simulators. Crews who acted like they were invincible or tried to bunker down found themselves punished by highly mobile mechanized infantry, while those who operated under his command were amazed at his decisiveness and ability to read the enemy's movements. As the doctrine around the MAWLR-IIs was rapidly built, lessons from the Inner Sphere, Extra-Solar Wars, and other small actions brought Joss Okita to a new reputation: The Titan, as his MAWLR had been christened.
Thirty years after he had last walked on a battlefield, Joss Okita was one of the command staff for the MAWLR pack sent to the Celestial Mandate as part of 5th Army. He would consult with each of the ORDI units under him to carefully plan out the assault on the broader fortifications on the world Pojos before taking to the field. To neutralize the nuclear threat, how to dig out and neutralize the Mandate's defenses without bleeding the Republic and its allies white or losing too much time. It was not the first time Joss had seen a mushroom cloud, but the first time he'd been at the epicenter of one, as the units screening Titan had no preparation to detect a warhead converted to fire off the unique seismic returns of a MAWLR. The inability to stop a nuclear holocaust weighed heavily on everyone in 5th Army, but none quite like Okita. It was his plan. It was his units. More than just the ORDI soldiers who thought the Titan's shield would keep them safe, hundreds of thousands of innocent lives paid the price because he hadn't foreseen the enemy's desperation. He attempted to argue against the rapid repair efforts of Titan in favor of that space going to other units or even the civilians, but found he was overruled. There was plenty of capacity for both, and the enemy would be denied any gain from their brutality. As the operations against the Mandate came to a close, Okita received his much-celebrated promotion to General, but requested mental health leave to process his actions. This would be granted, as it had been for many of the troops involved in the nuclear attacks.
The General's time at home on Helgan would be brought to an end with the first results from Operation Chernobog in 3047. While much success had been had, the intensity and scale of the war against one of the most experienced and capable militaries in the Inner Sphere prompted Joss and Titan to be added to the MAWLRs sent in the reinforcement wave and assigned to Task Force Artemis. He had no objections to the new prohibition of MAWLRs from fighting in cities. In fact, he had spoken with his therapist about ways to reduce the civilian impact of the massive machines. While there weren't the same desperate pitched battles as in the Mandate, the pace of the planetary advances pushed everyone's logistics and sustainment skills to the limit, and Joss played his part in managing the constant flow of soldiers and supplies. He also turned the time behind a desk to pay close attention to how the Suns' military and mercenaries deployed their forces to counter ORDI's overwhelming advantages. One of the key lessons he learned, especially in the aftermath of the dropship ambush by the Greencoats, was that unconventional thinking could change a tactical situation but not an operational or strategic one.
In the aftermath of the Transition and the Revolution kicking off, Joss proved key in talking down several of his fellow commanders and letting things play out. Once the conclusion became inevitable, Joss led the unit in standing down and surrendering their machines to the new administration. He gladly took the opportunity to retire from active service, live a life of peace, and teach the new generation in heavy machinery as "The Old Man". Yet when the specter of alien invasion rose in 3015, Joss chose to board one of the two MAWLRs and assist the green crew in their first combat action. Even with overwhelming odds of Helgan's forces, the enemy's strange bipedal war machines still had teeth. "The Old Man" proved key in making a swift, rudimentary understanding of the enemy's capabilities and attempted tactics, minimizing casualties to the unit. He then chose to retire from his unofficial commission a second time, and return to teaching mining and heavy vehicle operations.
After the discovery of The Inner Sphere and its technologies, Joss would remain peripherally up to date on the military's attempts to integrate new technology into MAWLRs, and rebuffed more than a few attempts to return to service. He had done his time in a vessel of war. The aging man would soon find himself on a Jumpship moving out into the strange seas of the Periphery in 3020. The letter of thanks he left to his friends and students spoke of seeking what many sought in those worlds away from the Inner Sphere: A new start. He has chosen not to speak about much of what he saw in the nineteen years abroad, but this much is known: He met a woman fleeing the oppression of the Draconis Combine, and settled down to raise a family. They fished, they sailed a blue sea, and the rest of the galaxy fell away. But at some point, a pirate group raided their world. All that Jorr had left of that place is a single old photograph.
In 3039 he would be given a message from an old friend that happened to know where a bar serving a broken old man could be found. The MAWLRs were being modernized, and he was asked to be a part of the consultancy group. He attempted to beg it off, saying that he hadn't been in the military for almost two decades. That he wasn't up to date on what new advancements and reforms the Helgan Republic had done. The one offer he couldn't beg off was that young men would be sent off to fight in these new machines, and they needed people to teach them to come home alive. The people who interviewed him during the MAWLR-II planning process soon after said it was like he'd never retired at all.
The reputation of The Old Man had somewhat faded, and with a new generation of students getting their hands on a fresh weapon the white-haired, broad-shouldered old man with a steely glare was now something of a novelty. Smiling and congenial when off-duty, he became a terror of the simulators. Crews who acted like they were invincible or tried to bunker down found themselves punished by highly mobile mechanized infantry, while those who operated under his command were amazed at his decisiveness and ability to read the enemy's movements. As the doctrine around the MAWLR-IIs was rapidly built, lessons from the Inner Sphere, Extra-Solar Wars, and other small actions brought Joss Okita to a new reputation: The Titan, as his MAWLR had been christened.
Thirty years after he had last walked on a battlefield, Joss Okita was one of the command staff for the MAWLR pack sent to the Celestial Mandate as part of 5th Army. He would consult with each of the ORDI units under him to carefully plan out the assault on the broader fortifications on the world Pojos before taking to the field. To neutralize the nuclear threat, how to dig out and neutralize the Mandate's defenses without bleeding the Republic and its allies white or losing too much time. It was not the first time Joss had seen a mushroom cloud, but the first time he'd been at the epicenter of one, as the units screening Titan had no preparation to detect a warhead converted to fire off the unique seismic returns of a MAWLR. The inability to stop a nuclear holocaust weighed heavily on everyone in 5th Army, but none quite like Okita. It was his plan. It was his units. More than just the ORDI soldiers who thought the Titan's shield would keep them safe, hundreds of thousands of innocent lives paid the price because he hadn't foreseen the enemy's desperation. He attempted to argue against the rapid repair efforts of Titan in favor of that space going to other units or even the civilians, but found he was overruled. There was plenty of capacity for both, and the enemy would be denied any gain from their brutality. As the operations against the Mandate came to a close, Okita received his much-celebrated promotion to General, but requested mental health leave to process his actions. This would be granted, as it had been for many of the troops involved in the nuclear attacks.
The General's time at home on Helgan would be brought to an end with the first results from Operation Chernobog in 3047. While much success had been had, the intensity and scale of the war against one of the most experienced and capable militaries in the Inner Sphere prompted Joss and Titan to be added to the MAWLRs sent in the reinforcement wave and assigned to Task Force Artemis. He had no objections to the new prohibition of MAWLRs from fighting in cities. In fact, he had spoken with his therapist about ways to reduce the civilian impact of the massive machines. While there weren't the same desperate pitched battles as in the Mandate, the pace of the planetary advances pushed everyone's logistics and sustainment skills to the limit, and Joss played his part in managing the constant flow of soldiers and supplies. He also turned the time behind a desk to pay close attention to how the Suns' military and mercenaries deployed their forces to counter ORDI's overwhelming advantages. One of the key lessons he learned, especially in the aftermath of the dropship ambush by the Greencoats, was that unconventional thinking could change a tactical situation but not an operational or strategic one.
Last edited:
- Location
- Here & There
Yeah NGL still kind of mad they didn't seem to put that much effort in fighting the Federated Suns with us. Even the Taurians didn't seem to fight as hard as we did.
KleverKil'Vanya
Ortillery Operator
We also only lost like 6k soldiers while utterly steamrolling the Feds, kinda hard to show support when it doesn't particularly look like it's gonna last long enough to move in troops anyway.
- Location
- his hidden lair
The sheer contempt for any government with ideology that differs from your own, even our allies, really paints the scene.
KnightofTempest
The Man who would be King
- Location
- Chicago
I think we should take all three deals and secure a route to Rasalhague, that way ORDI troops will be in place to ensure that the FRR is still around at the end of the day to pay the loan payments.
The only con I see is Tikonov getting jumpy, but they're corrupt enough and backwards enough I'm pretty sure we can bribe them into submission.
The only con I see is Tikonov getting jumpy, but they're corrupt enough and backwards enough I'm pretty sure we can bribe them into submission.