Battle of Schwartz (3050)
| Battle of Schwartz (3050) | |
|---|---|
| Conflict details | |
| Part of | Operation REVIVAL |
| Start Date | 15 March 3050 |
| End Date | 15 March 3050 |
| Planet(s) | Schwartz |
| Location(s) | Komache Fields Schwartzstadt |
| Result | Clan Smoke Jaguar victory |
| Territorial Changes | Clan Smoke Jaguar conquest |
| Attacking Forces | |
| Affiliation | Clan Smoke Jaguar |
| Commanding Officer(s) | Star Colonel Thilla Showers |
| Command(s) | Nineteenth Striker |
| Defending Forces | |
| Affiliation | Draconis Combine |
| Commanding Officer(s) | Tai-sa Mark Graham |
| Command(s) | Ninth Pesht Regulars |
| Other Forces | |
Overview
The world of Schwartz was the fourth world of the Draconis Combine struck by Clan Smoke Jaguar during Operation REVIVAL on 15 March 3050 On the previous worlds a batchall proceeded the assaults, but no such communication was forthcoming here, something the commander of the Ninth Pesht Regulars Tai-sa Mark Graham found disconcerting. He had expected the attacking Nineteenth Striker to land east of his position on the Komache Fields, allowing the natural barrier of the Tieferblau River to provide the Strikers some protection as they disembarked their DropShips. From the few intelligence briefings he had received, Graham ordered his troops to respect the dueling rituals of bushido, and unknowlingly of zellbrigen.[1][2][3][4]
Star Colonel Thilla Showers had other plans. Deploying her Strikers from at least five DropShips, they made a combat drop into the midst of the Regulars' camp. Expecting the Regulars to be "little better than pirates," Showers elected to forgo the batchall and engaged in combat immediately. She was surprised when the Regulars followed the precepts of zellbrigen, so elected to extend the curtosy of honorable combat. In her Dire Wolf she challenged the pilot of a Katana which had just downed a Mist Lynx, as fate would have it Graham was the pilot of that Katana. After two exchanges Graham realized he was outclassed and ordered a fighting withdrawal into the nearby capital city of Schwartzstadt in order to negate the Strikers' firepower advantage. Showers followed him in with her Command Star, another Dire Wolf, two Warhawks, and an unknown medium ’Mech. Their fighting caused numerous civilian deaths, with both Showers and Graham accusing the other of barbarism. Wishing to stop additional civilian deaths, Showers offered a challenge of individual combat to Graham; the loser would surrender the planet and "all remaining military forces." Seeing an opportunity, Graham accepted.[1][2][3][4]
Shortly thereafter the two commanders faced off in a Schwartzstadt city park. Just prior to the duel commencing, the bulk of the Regular BattleMech and aerospace forces lifted off planet aboard three DropShips, a Union, Leopard, and Overlord. Showers was enraged and proceeded to down Graham's Katana but not before her own Dire Wolf was crippled. Instead of honorably surrendering however, Graham ordered his remaining infantry and armor formations into action, further delaying the Strikers and allowing more Regulars to retreat. Graham himself was evacuated aboard a vehicle.[1][2][4]
Aftermath
Two battalions of BattleMechs and MechWarriors (including Graham and Niko Vester) managed to escape Schwartz, along with a mere two companies of armor. The aerospace and infantry were all sacrificed to allow the BattleMech forces to escape, a fact that would not be lost on the replacement conventional regiments. Vester was transferred into the Fourth Pesht Regulars.[2][5]
Notes
One source[2] stated Graham piloted a Dragon and Showers a Timber Wolf on Schwartz, but this is superseded by later fiction.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Era Report: 3052, p. 56: "Nineteenth Striker Cluster (The Razor's Edge)"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 73: "9th Pesht Regulars: The Pride of Pesht"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Invading Clans, pp. 63-64: "Schwartz (DC)"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A New Game
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p, 20: "SDR-7M Spider"