The Battle for Tukayyid
"Remember those events that brought us these fifteen
years of shame. But remember also those who fell to restore
the glorious Star League. Above all, remember the blood
legacy of Aidan Pryde, child of Kerensky; he made the final
sacrifice so that his Clan could continue. For eternity
shall we praise him; in fifteen years shall we avenge him."
-The Remembrance, Passage 417, Verse 29, Lines 74-79
IlKhan Ulric Kerensky accepted ComStar's terms to fight a proxy battle for Terra on Tukayyid, but met some resistance when he presented the plan to the other Khans. Most of the Khans, however, were enthusiastic about what they felt sure would be an easy victory, and when the kurultai convened on the Dire Wolf to bid for Tukayyid, all the Clans bid fiercely. Khan Chistu and Khan Crichell won a good position on the assault schedule, and considered themselves well revenged against Clan Wolf for the ilKhan's many decisions humiliating Clan Jade Falcon. The Falcons were scheduled to assault the cities of Olalla and Humptulips.
The following excerpt is from Jade Falcon Galaxy Commander Mar Helmer's report on the battle for Tukayyid.
"My Khans, this is my report. Gamma, Delta, and Vau Galaxy DropShips entered the atmosphere of Tukayyid without incident and landed unopposed on the Prezno Plain. Star Colonel Aidan Pryde led the Falcon Guards to cover the right flank of our advance, the Second Falcon Jaegers of Delta Galaxy covered the left flank, and the First Falcon Jaegers and Twelfth Falcon Regulars attempted to seize Robyn's Crossing and Plough Bridge, the two vital spans crossing the Prezno River. . ."
The First Falcon Jaegers encountered a series of heavily fortified positions two kilometers out from Robyn's Crossing. Star Colonel Rard Hoyt sent his Cluster's faster 'Mechs out to enfilade the Com Guards' 403rd Division, while his heavy OmniMechs launched a direct attack on the enemy positions. The battle was long and fierce, but the 403rd held its positions, even in the face of fighter strafing and Arrow-4 bombardment. The Falcons' first break came when a Star of Elementals managed to slip behind the Com Guard lines and attack the 403rd's HQ. This "headhunter" attack killed Precentor Robert Maigatter, commander of the 403rd, and destroyed vital supplies and communication equipment. The Com Guard troops broke, allowing the Jade Falcon Galaxy to penetrate their lines and annihilate more than 70 percent of the 403rd Division. In a simultaneous attack, the 305th Assault Cluster, backed by the 124th Striker Cluster, smashed through the troops of the 214th Division guarding the approaches to Plough Bridge. The 214th broke and scattered under the heavy Jade Falcon fire.
Meanwhile, Star Colonel Senza Oriega began her assault on the Robyn's Crossing bridge approaches. The Com Guards 388th Division (the White Banshees) dropped back to pick up the remnants of the 403rd Division and occupy preset artillery and heavy concrete emplacements for tanks and infantry, and the Twelfth Falcon Regulars could make no headway against this determined defense. Star Colonel Aidan Pryde of the Falcon Guards broke the stalemate by leading several Stars of jump-capable OmniMechs and Elementals on an unexpected flanking attack. The Com Guards, now under fire from multiple directions, fought hard, but to no avail. The Falcon Guards' Star Captain Joanna seemed to take particular pleasure in blasting Com Guard units out of their pillboxes and then ruthlessly destroying them. Twenty minutes after the tide of the battle turned, Clan Jade Falcon controlled Robyn's Crossing. With the 124th Striker Cluster and the 305th Assault Cluster in command of Plough Bridge, Clan Jade Falcon prepared to cross the Prezno River.
Khan Chistu awarded the honor of crossing first to Star Colonel Senza Oriega and the Twelfth Falcon Regulars, a decision the Falcon Guards protested, as it was their assault that allowed the Clan warriors to seize the bridge. Their protests had no effect. The Falcon Guard warriors knew that the Khan's decision added further shame to their unit's tainted history and reflected badly on their unorthodox commander, but there was no time for bidding or Trials of Refusal. Clans Wolf and Ghost Bear were already making rapid advances in their operational areas, and every Falcon warrior wanted to beat the Wolves. Star Colonel Senza Oriega, in her Executioner, led the Twelfth across the bridge. Just as she reached the center of the span, explosions ripped the bridge as hidden Com Guard demolition charges detonated. With a sickening screech of tearing metal, the bridge collapsed into the Prezno River, carrying two full Trinaries of the Twelfth Cluster with it and killing Senza Oriega, among others. Almost immediately, Com Guard fighters and artillery began to pound the Falcon positions, with 'Mechs and tanks from the 111th and 201st Com Guard Divisions taking up positions on the opposite side of the river.
The Fifth and Fourteenth Fighter Trinaries swept the Com Guard fighters from the sky and followed up with ground attacks against the 201st Division artillery positions and ground forces. Meanwhile, the Falcon Guards and Second Falcon Regulars used jump-capable OmniMechs to leap across a narrow part of the swift-moving Prezno, losing eleven 'Mechs and a Star of Elementals in the process. Once across, the units split up, the Falcon Guards moving to secure Robyn's Crossing and the Second Falcon Regulars taking Plough Bridge. The 111th and 201st Divisions fought a brave delaying action, but the damage suffered in the massed fighter attacks combined with the unexpected speed of the two-pronged Falcon attack forced them to retreat toward Olalla. When both sides of the wrecked bridges were secure, engineers brought construction equipment forward to build pontoon bridges and allow the bulk of the Clan forces to advance across the Prezno.
The Falcon Guards and Second Falcon Regulars, meanwhile, moved closer to Olalla. Weak resistance by the tanks and light 'Mechs of the 77th Division resulted only in Com Guard deaths. Star Colonels Aidan Pryde and Marthe Pryde led their troops into the outskirts of Olalla before realizing that the city did not match intelligence information gathered during the bidding for Tukayyid. Suspecting a trap, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde ordered his units back out of the fake city, but even as he gave the order, the survivors of the 111th and 201st Divisions, along with the main part of the 77th Division, charged from concealed positions and engaged the Falcon forces.
Alpha Trinary's Heavy Star bore the brunt of the fierce fighting, but the Com Guards lost many 'Mechs in the initial skirmish, the Crockett piloted by the commander of the Second Battalion of the Com Guard 201st Division being the first to fall when struck in the head by an ER PPC from Star Commander Jula Huddock's Executioner. The Com Guards retaliated by destroying a Mad Dog with a massed laser barrage, executing the pilot as he ejected. The remainder of Alpha Heavy, now surrounded and cut off from the rest of the Falcon Guards, annihilated an entire company of Com Guard 'Mechs before being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their opponents. Star Commander Huddock's Executioner fell last, toppling to the ground surrounded by the wreckage of Com Guard 'Mechs. Aerospace support allowed the Falcon Guards to break out of the Com Guard trap, in the process wiping out the last of the 201st and 77th Divisions in return for the ruthless executions of the brave warriors of Alpha Heavy.
The 89th and 94th Falcon Striker Clusters and the First Falcon Velites crossed the pontoon bridges as soon as they were completed and joined the Falcon Guards and Second Falcon Regulars. The combined Clan force moved relentlessly through the city of Olalla, driving the Com Guards before them. Just as it seemed that the Falcons controlled the city, the entire uncommitted reserves of the Com Guard Third and Eleventh Armies, six divisions strong, arrived from Humptulips by DropShip. These fresh units immediately assaulted the Falcon advance forces while the Com Guard Fourth Army, reinforced by the remnants of the 388th and 214th Divisions, began an all-out attack on the Falcon bridgeheads. Khan Chistu committed Peregrine Galaxy to support Robyn's Crossing, and Gyrfalcon Galaxy to Plough Bridge, leaving no reinforcements available for Star Colonel Aidan Pryde.
With the bulk of the Jade Falcon forces pinned down at the bridges, a second DropShip assault, bringing the forces of the First Com Guard Army led by Precentor Katherine Luarca, began on Olalla. A lucky air strike by Com Guard fighters destroyed the Jade Falcon Galaxy's ammunition depot at Robyn's Crossing, and later analysis showed this to be the turning point of the campaign. The 89th and 94th Jade Falcon Striker Clusters and the Second Falcon Regulars had begun to run low on ammunition. The Falcon Guards barely noticed the loss, as Star Colonel Pryde had outfitted most of the Guard 'Mechs with energy weapons. Khans Crichell and Chistu realized that even if they defeated the current assault, their troops carried insufficient ammunition and supplies to take both their objectives. They reluctantly ordered a withdrawal.
Supported by the Fifth Fighter Trinary, the Falcon Guards, Second and Seventh Regulars, and First Falcon Velites began to withdraw toward the bridgeheads. Clan orbital surveillance vessels showed the Com Guard 309th Division in position to cut off the Falcon retreat, and Star Colonel Marthe Pryde moved her Second Falcon Regulars on an intercept course. This battle ranks among the bloodiest on Tukayyid, exceeded only by the Com Guard Seventh Army's annihilation of Clan Nova Cat's Alpha Galaxy. The Second Falcon Regulars suffered nearly 70 percent casualties, but obliterated the 309th Division so completely that it never re-formed. Marthe Pryde alone destroyed nine Com Guard 'Mechs, including the Atlas piloted by Precentor Rennard Thordarson, commander of the 309th.
The four withdrawing Jade Falcon Clusters crossed the bridge at Robyn's Crossing, smashing through the Com Guard 90th Division to reach their DropShips, which landed at the Falcons' original LZ. The Com Guards managed to land two Overlord Class DropShips carrying the 104th Division behind Jade Falcon lines, with orders to stop the Falcons from leaving Tukayyid. This operation was timed to coincide with an all-out rear assault on the retreating Falcons. The Com Guards' plan to crush the Jade Falcons between the two forces failed when a Trinary of Jade Falcon Elementals led by Elemental Star Commander Selima attacked the Com Guard landing zone before the Overlords deployed their 'Mechs. Star Commander Selima damaged a Com Guard Highlander in such a way that it fell back into the 'Mech bay of the DropShip and exploded, causing a chain reaction of blasts which reduced the massive ship to a blazing ruin. The Elementals withdrew before the forces in the second ship could recover from the shock of this loss, and the Elemental counterstrike, in addition to fighter strafing and massive Arrow-4 missile attacks, allowed most of the Jade Falcons to safely board their DropShips and leave the planet. Star Colonel Aidan Pryde almost single-handedly foiled the final, desperate attempt by ComStar to interdict the evacuation by destroying more than a company of Com Guard 'Mechs before he himself was killed.
TUKAYYID AFTERMATH
FROM: Precentor Tomma, Blackjack, Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
TO: Anastasius Focht, Precentor Martial of the Com Guards, Hilton Head Island, Terra,DATE: 25 March 3056
RE: Current Jade Falcon political and military situation, post-TukayyidThe defeat on Tukayyid shocked and angered the Clans, and forced them to take the time to put their own houses in order. Because ilKhan Ulric still holds the highest position of power in the Clans, we assume any attempts to remove him have failed.
Immediately after Tukayyid, Khan Chistu sent several advisors back to Clan space, apparently at the request of Khan Crichell, and as a result, the Falcons rebuilt their forces more quickly than the other Clans. They were among the first to receive new troops and equipment from their homeworld, and though it took several months for them to resupply and evaluate the post-Tukayyid situation, in that amount of time the Nova Cats and Ghost Bears received only an absolute minimum of supplies from Clan space.
It took a year for all the Clans to regain their full strength, but by that time the warriors were looking for new battles. Khan Crichell apparently used this time to further solidify his position as senior, or acting senior, Khan, for Khan Chistu routinely carries messages marked with Khan Crichell's seal. Khan Elias Crichell is obviously a dangerous political rival, as he has twice succeeded in placing the blame for military failure on the shoulders of his junior Khan.
Unable to vent their aggressions on the Inner Sphere, Clan MechWarriors took their frustrations out on each other. Fights between MechWarriors became increasingly common, and too many died in the Circle of Equals. It seemed likely that the Clans would soon begin raiding nearby Inner Sphere worlds for no other reason than internal stability.
While many Inner Sphere leaders assumed the Clans would stand by their agreement, our Blessed Order was not so naive. Because they struck their agreement with ComStar, the Clans do not consider their attacks on Inner Sphere worlds to be raids, but acts of vengeance against a cowardly and dishonorable foe. The Falcons, especially, take this attitude. Many warriors describe our tactic of blowing up the bridges over the Prezno River during the battle of Tukayyid as an underhanded trick, and believe the MechWarriors killed there deserve to be avenged. But most Falcon commanders advised their warriors to exercise patience, advice that both surprised and relieved me.
I later understood this uncharacteristic behavior; even though Clan Jade Falcon wanted to deal with the Inner Sphere, a higher priority required their attention first. ComStar reports from other sectors indicate that Clan Steel Viper is currently building up garrisons on their occupied worlds, and the Falcons are doing the same.
Recent activity indicates that the Falcon Khans agreed to deal with the Steel Viper threat before moving against the Inner Sphere. The Falcons seem determined to gain economic superiority over the Vipers and to own more worlds, and one of their prime targets toward that end is the planet Orkney. The ilKhan gave Orkney to the Vipers, but Clan Jade Falcon maintains a training base on this planet's southern continent. The Falcons continue to use the base without Viper interference, but find this arrangement highly objectionable.
The Falcons also want to regain control of Waldorff, which they conquered in the third wave but lost to Clan Steel Viper when IlKhan Kerensky added that Clan to the invasion as a full partner. Waldorff's large munitions manufacturing facility currently benefits the Vipers. Khan Chistu maintains that the very fact that the Vipers now administer worlds conquered by the Falcons shames his Clan, and considers the current situation a personal insult from the ilKhan himself.
The second item on Khan Chistu's agenda is to track down and destroy the bandit Snord and her comrades. The Falcons know her last location, but the Dark Nebula covers a huge expanse of space, and so the Falcons will wait for Snord to make the first move. When she reveals her location, the Falcons will respond by attacking with Vau Galaxy, a crack unit. Khan Chistu learned from his mistake of sending an older unit to take such a prize, and this time he expects better results.
Either by design or accident, when the ilKhan paired the Vipers with the Falcons and the Nova Cats with the Smoke Jaguars, he helped focus the Clans' attentions on each other. The ilKhan's ulterior motive may be to improve Clan Wolf's chances of reaching Terra first, but this speculation is so far unsubstantiated. Fighting among the Clans can only benefit the Inner Sphere, giving its leaders more time to prepare to resume the battle.
Our current policy of giving back to the Clans as good as we get will only serve to draw their attention. Because I believe that our only hope of winning is through superior strength, my reports point out the inadvisability of continuing on the present course, but, so far, my superiors choose to ignore my advice. Inner Sphere raids conducted against Clan Jade Falcon-held worlds have proved, at best, marginally effective, and at worst, may weaken our forces beyond any potential benefits.
The first reported raid against the Clans took place on La Grave in February 3054, when a small Inner Sphere recon force attacked a minor Falcon supply depot. The attack failed, but the raiding party escaped. The Falcons' only response was to order more frequent patrols. One or two more raids have followed the La Grave effort, but these appear to be mainly to test garrison strengths and response time.
This type of activity is fairly harmless, but fuels and reinforces the Clans' hatred for Inner Sphere tactics. In Clan custom, two sides fight to control a target, not to destroy it. Continuing these raids makes it even less likely the Clans will honor the agreement we earned with our victory at Tukayyid.
In 3056, tired of the raids and under pressure from his own command staff, Khan Chistu ordered the invasion of Morges. Instead of allowing bidding for the planet, Chistu simply ordered the most experienced Star Commander to lead the operation. His actions made it clear that the attack was an attempt to capture the planet, not a raid. Khan Chistu probably targeted Morges because most raids into Falcon space took place within one or two jumps of Morges, and the Falcons realized it was serving as a staging area.
Galaxy Commander Angeline Mattlov of Peregrine Galaxy led the attack. The garrison managed to avoid being pinned down, stretching the battle out over several days. It took four days for the Clans to trap the Federated Commonwealth forces in a small river valley and encircle them. By forcing their enemy to fight on their terms, the Jade Falcons quickly defeated the remaining garrison forces. The Federated Commonwealth's initial delaying tactic bought just enough time for reinforcements to arrive, however, and while the Falcons rounded up the last resisters and arranged a garrison for Morges, Wolf's Dragoons attacked, backed up by elements of the 20th Arcturan Guards and the Fourth Skye Rangers. Perhaps Mattlov should have backed off, knowing the planet still harbored rebels and with her units at less than full strength. But, seeing a chance to gain Falcon glory at the expense of the Wolves, the Galaxy Commander ordered her units forward. In an intense series of engagements that lasted nearly two days, both sides threw everything they had at each other. Finally, with nearly 75 percent of her 'Mechs damaged and running low on supplies, and no safe retreat on Morges, Galaxy Commander Mattlov took the Falcons off planet.
This Inner Sphere victory over the Clans may prove a hollow one. We do not know how the Khans will react to this additional loss of Falcon honor (especially at the hands of the Clan Wolf renegades), but it obviously puts additional pressure on Clan Jade Falcon. Following Morges, the Falcons increased their calls to renew the war with the Inner Sphere, and some commanders within the Falcons are beginning to recommend setting aside Clan differences to fight a common enemy.
We have seen their unified strength, and have evidence that their disunity is to our advantage. I hope that the lives lost on Tukayyid did not pay for just another empty victory. The Inner Sphere must use the time we won to improve its chances of ultimate victory, for it is literally only a matter of time before we again face the Clans on the battlefield, and the Tukayyid bid will not come a second time.
For now, Clan Jade Falcon sees enemies all around, and that keeps them from making any serious attempts against any one target. If the Falcons and the Vipers somehow make peace with each other, this situation would change dramatically by freeing up Falcon forces for assaults against the Inner Sphere. Clan politics makes such an accord unlikely, but we must consider the possibility. If the Clan-space pot comes to a boil, it could very easily boil over into the Inner Sphere.