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The Scorpion Expanses
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Star Colonel


Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
PostPosted: 13-Jan-2012 12:44    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

I have been working on this for most of the past year. Using the same 'Mechs, ASF, vehicles, and ships as my Operation Revival Reborn Alternative Universe, this scenario does not have the Clans invading in force. Instead things proceed according to canon--up to a point. I hope that you enjoy this different look at how things might have happened, and any feedback that you might offer would be welcome. It is a work in progress and is not quite complete, but I thought I would share it anyway.

Master Arminas
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All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing--Edmund Burke
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Star Colonel


Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
PostPosted: 13-Jan-2012 13:44    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

Contingency Plans

In the first years of the 31st Century, the leaders of Clan Goliath Scorpion began to form secret plans to deal with the event that they might be forced to flee from the Homeworlds. Although a low-probability event (at the time), the Khans and a small group of advisors decided that it would be best to have the option in place if a catastrophe ever occurred. The growing divide between Crusader and Warden Clans, and the past history of Absorption and Annihilation, plus the growing aggression of a number of Clans spurred the Scorpions on to preparing for the worst. The Burrock Absorption War that raged from 3042-44 and the Annihilation of the Smoke Jaguars only further convinced the Scorpions that their plans were needed.

Over the course of several decades, the Clan assembled a constantly updated listed of members of the civilian castes that would have to be evacuated in order to form a new society separate from the remaining Clans. Supplies and equipment were stockpiled, including pre-fabricated buildings, construction equipment, and materials. Two separate caches—one on Dagda and the second on Roche—were built to house these supplies. In addition, each cache contained a duplicate memory core of the accumulated repository of Clan knowledge, and a copy of the Clan’s genetic data-base.

The plans included the conversion of a sizable number of Onager - and Mastodon-class DropShips (cargo vessels in use by the Merchant caste) for colonization and evacuation transport. Each year, several dozen of these ships were removed from general service and converted to the new configurations; this had the side effect of reducing the Scorpion Merchant Fleet, leading other Clans to the erroneous conclusion that the Scorpions were suffering from an over-extension of resources. Through the 3010s and 3020s, while the other Clans were rapidly expanding, the Scorpions instead devoted immense amounts of their resources to Case Gold, as the operation was designated.

Had the Clan Watch been doing its job properly, the secret would have been revealed during these years, for the Clan was producing its deep-sea mining operations and aqua-culture facilities at maximum—and much of generated revenue and ores simply seemed to vanish. By 3060, the Clan had stockpiled sufficient supplies, materials, and equipment to support the establishment a colony of no less than half a million total personnel. In addition, they had produced enough surplus BattleMechs, Aerospace Fighters, Elemental Battle Armor, and combat vehicles that the Clan was able to finally recycle the last of their Star League-era equipment and still maintain a 20% reserve in each category.

The remaining Merchant-caste ships were each manned with three separate crews—for the given reason of allowing the civilians to spend time on planet with their families. Each crew operated a ship for four months of the year, and performed tasks in the Scorpion enclaves for the remainder. In effect, this ensured that should Case Gold be put into action, sufficient crews for the grounded DropShips of the Evacuation Fleet could be easily raised.

In 3038, even though the plans for Case Gold were only partially complete, construction began on a forward supply base on a world halfway between the Hanseatic League and the Lyran Commonwealth. Discovered a decade earlier by one of the Clan’s clandestine surveillance ships, this system (named Refuge) was marginally habitable, but there was no evidence of any attempt at colonization, other than a derelict Olympus-class station at the Zenith jump-point. Over the next twenty-five years, the Olympus was brought fully on-line and repaired, and massive amounts of fuel, provisions, and life support were prepositioned there.

The Moreau Incident

In 3063, Scorpion forces on Huntress issued a batchall against the Eridani Light Horse. Colonel Sandra Barclay of the 71st Light Horse Regiment accepted their offer of battle and met elements of the Scorpion’s Alpha Galaxy on the Continent Abyssal, along with the 151st Light Horse. The battle resulted in the defeat of the Eridani, and the subsequent absorption of the survivors into Clan Goliath Scorpion.

Impressed by their strict adherence to the ideals of the Star League, Khan Ariel Suvorov formed a new Blood Name, and held a series of competitions among the Eridani Bondsmen and Scorpion freebirth Warriors for the twenty-five open slots of the newly designated Moreau Blood Line. Several members of the ELH succeeded in their trials (including Sandra Barclay, now known as Sandra Moreau), and the Scorpions opened their caches to outfit two brand new Clusters, the 51st and 71st Scorpion Light Horse.

Her actions precipitated the events that would lead up to the War of Reaving. Several of the most staunchly conservative Clans—the Blood Spirits and Steel Vipers among them—accused the Scorpions of defying the order of Nicolas Kerensky by giving Ethan Moreau’s name to the new Blood House. Khan Suvorov responded by saying that Nicolas had denied Moreau’s genes a place in the Clan breeding program, but the name itself was not forbidden by any of the Founder’s decrees. She offered proof to the Grand Council that the genetic heritage of Ethan Moreau was not being incorporated in the new Blood-lines, and that the name itself had been chosen solely because of its importance to Clan Goliath Scorpion history and culture.

Had the incident ended there, the Scorpions would likely still be a member of the Homeworld Clans. But, the chance discovery of Scorpion Seekers and a Jenna Scott-class Surveillance vessel operating in the Inner Sphere sparked a new firestorm of protests, from the Crusader faction and the Invading Clans alike.

Khan Brett Andrews of Clan Steel Viper declared that the Scorpions had broken the decrees of the Grand Council by taking part in the invasion after they had been denied a position in legitimate trials, and he called for the Clan’s immediate Annihilation. Fortunately, most members of the Grand Council did not believe that the Scorpion actions warranted such an extreme response—instead, by a vote of 24-4, the Scorpions were instead ordered to recall all of their Seekers and surveillance assets on the pain of Abjuration from the Clans. They were given a year to comply with the Grand Council directive.

By the spring of 3065, the recalled Scorpion assets had returned from the Inner Sphere, and Khan Suvorov organized three more new Clusters from the ranks of the Seekers. Seeing the sudden growth of the Scorpions military strength, the Watch began to keep a closer eye on Roche and Dagda. In June of that year, a malcontent laborer from the Temple of the Nine Muses on Roche made contact with a member of the Falcon watch, and revealed the bare bones of Case Gold. He also told the Watch of a massive underground facility beneath the Temple, churning out hundres of brand-new ‘Mechs and fighters and tanks. This revelation resounded throughout the Clans, as the Watch realized that their estimates of the Scorpion's strength were dramatically out of alignment with reality.

The Vipers declared that this new evidence was proof that the Scorpions were engaged in treasonous activities, and they began to lobby the Grand Council anew for their Annihilation. Still, cooler heads among the Khans would have prevailed had not the Vipers dispatched their Beta Galaxy to Roche intent on seizing the Temple of the Nine Muses (and the factories buried beneath it) in a Trial of Possession. Arriving in the Roche system, Galaxy Commander Angelica Zalman refused to issue a batchall to an organized band of bandits and dishonorable free-births masquerading as a Clan of Kerensky. Livid over the sudden appearance and the Viper refusal to operate according to Clan custom and law, Khan Suvorov answered that the Scorpions would defend the Temple with everything at their disposal—words that would later come to haunt her.

She denied the Vipers safcon, and in the first such instance in Clan history, ordered Roche’s SDS system powered up to engage the incoming DropShips. The Steel Fangs Galaxy lost two Clusters to the ground fire before they even entered the planet’s atmosphere—including the elite Viper Fusiliers, and Galaxy Commander Zalman alongside them. Chastened by the unexpected capital weapons fire from the surface, the remainder of the Steel Viper attack force broke off its assault, and returned to their transports to report the Scorpions pefidity to their Khan.

Later, at a hastily convened meeting of the Grand Council on Strana Mechty, Khan Suvorov watched in horror as the Vipers played recordings—recordings that showed Galaxy Commander Zalman issuing an honorable batchall. It would be years before it was discovered that Khan Andrews had altered the Viper communication logs to cover up the actions of his own subordinate. He then accused Suvorov of falsifying her own communications logs in an attempt to conceal her illegal activities.

Even the Khans of moderate Warden Clans were taken aback by the Scorpions use of the SDS against another Clan. Faced with the very real possibility that Khan Suvorov was lying to them, the Grand Council had no choice but to either Abjure or Absorb the Scorpions; or instead to Annihilate them. But there simply was not enough evidence to convince all of the Khans of the necessity of Annihilation. Instead, the Grand Council was torn between Abjuration (as with the Nova Cats) or Absorption.

At this point, politics entered the scene. Not willing to allow the Vipers (always an extremely conservative and traditional Clan) to Absorb the Scorpion holdings, a slim majority of Khans held out instead for the option of Abjuration—and expulsion from the Homeworlds. Mindful of the chaos that the previous Nova Cat Abjuration had presented to the Homeworlds, the Khans further ruled that the Scorpions had a window of six months during which no new Trials against the could be declared—but if they had not left the Homeworlds after the expiration of that time, those remaining would be Absorbed by any Clan that wished to do so.

Incensed at the ruling, Khan Andrews then replayed the portion of the communication logs where Zalman bid for the right to possess the Temple of the Nine Muses—and Khan Suvorov’s reply. He argued that this was an existing trial and that his Clan had the right under the Martial Code to complete it. The Khans of Blood Spirit, Coyote, Fire Mandrill, and Ice Hellion agreed—provided that Khan Andrews allow their forces to participate in his attacks on the Scorpion forces bid for the defense. Which, by Khan Suvorov's own words were everything at the disposla of Clan Goliath Scorpion.

The Grand Council ruled in favor of the Viper position by a margin of 15-13. No Khan demanded a Trial of Refusal over the vote, and Khan Suvorov knew that it would gain her little would she be the one to do so. The vote of Abjuration would still be in effect, and it would only require her Clan to bleed itself white in trying to overturn the Council decision. Especially since the Vipers, Hellions, and Spirits each pledged to commit an entire Galaxy to defend the decision.

The time had come for the activation of Case Gold.

Case Gold

Realizing that she had no other option, Khan Suvorov gave the orders to initiate Case Gold. Knowing that she simply had to buy time for the evacuation of civilian castes vital to the success of the operation, she made the decision to consolidate the entire Scorpion toumen on two worlds: Dagda and Roche. All other enclaves were hastily abandoned by the Warrior caste—but only after militarily vital industries were destroyed. Confident that not even the Vipers or Spirits would take retaliatory actions against the civilian castes when they did not have the votes for a Trial of Annihilation, those castes were simply abandoned to be asorbed into other Clans.

Roche, as the target of the Viper’s Trail of Possession, would be the site of her holding operation. A full 50% of the Scorpion toumen was ordered to proceed there immediately to defend it, while the rest of the Clan was instructed to assemble at Dagda. At both Dagda and Roche, the Evacuation Fleet was hurriedly made ready for space, and each DropShip lifted as soon as it was loaded. The plans prepared and updated for decades were put into operation quickly and efficiently, but even so, the rush to get the evacuees clear meant that some vital supplies and equipment on Roche simply had to be left behind. The cache on Dagda would have to suffice.

With saKhan Nelson Elam weakened by an illness, Suvorov appointed Star Colonel Jason Scott in his place to take command of the Evacuation—and to become the next Khan after her. Scott was hastily confirmed by the Scorpion Council of the Bloodnamed and reluctantly left Roche (and the battles to come) behind him.

Khan Suvorov sent away the best units in the Scorpion toumen, retaining just enough forces to make her attackers believe that she still retained the full fighting arm of the Scorpions. In an effort to further mislead the Vipers and other Clans, she ordered half of her existing forces to have their ‘Mechs, fighters, elemental armor, and vehicles repainted in the camo patterns and insignia of the units she had sent to Dagda.

Within six weeks, the evacuation forces had departed to rendezvous at Dagda, leaving Khan Suvorov with sixteen front-line and second-line Clusters, a Solahma Cluster, and seventeen Provisional Garrison Clusters. The majority of her naval strength she had also sent away, but she retained a Cruiser, a Fighter Carrier, two Destroyers, and a Corvette to defend Roche (this was in addition to sixteen Transports).

Two days after the last ship departed Roche, ten Galaxies comprising some forty-odd Clusters arrived to wrest control of the system from her. There were two each from the Blood Spirits, Coyotes, Fire Mandrills, Ice Hellions, and Steel Vipers.

Ironically enough, the concentration of Khan Andrews on Roche permitted the non-involved Clans to quietly absorb the abandoned Scorpion enclaves elsewhere, a maneuver which infuriated the Viper Khan and may have been part of of the reasons for his actions later during the Reaving.

Although Khan Vlad Ward of Clan Wolf had argued against the Scorpion Annihilation, and voted against their Abjuration, he offered safcon to the invading Galaxies and announced that the incoming vessels were bound for the Wolf enclave—and that they would be targeted by the SDS at the Scorpion’s peril. In exchange for his assistance in allowing Khan’s Andrew’s attack force to land safely, Khan Ward received the promise of a large supply of vitally needed OmniMechs and OmniFighters from the attacking Clans.

But what the attacking Clans did not know was that Khan Suvorov had based her plans on their landing within the Wolf enclave—indeed, she had offered Khan Ward the remainder of the supply cache on Roche if he would make the offer to the attackers. Isolated from the remainder of Roche’s landmass by a narrow peninsula that was extremely rugged and rocky, the Wolf enclave afforded the attacking Clans just one route into Scorpion territory.

Committing all seventeen of her PGCs and four of her second-line Clusters to defend the peninsula, Khan Suvorov managed to delay the invader’s advance for two months of near constant battle. Attempts to use DropShips to bypass the peninsula were hampered by the combination of the planetary SDS and the orbiting Scorpion WarShips. Until the arrival of the Viper and Coyote Fleets, that is.

On October 3rd, 3065, Khan Andrews committed his Fleet in the attack on Roche, using elements from the Coyote and Viper Naval Reserves. Despite the loss of five ships, his forces managed to destroy the Scorpion naval forces defending Roche, while simultaneously a massive fighter strike by the Hellions eliminated four of the five SDS ground bases--albeit at the cost of heavy Hellion casualties.

Able to once again maneuver, the invaders quickly bypassed the peninsula, leaving the Wolf enclave (and an amused and elated Vlad Ward) behind them. Despite the damage that Khan Andrew’s forces had taken, they still outnumbered and outmassed the defending Scorpion Clusters. Slowly, the Scorpions were forced back on the Temple of the Nine Muses, losing irreplaceable troops at every turn.

By December, the Temple was invested by the surviving invaders, and Khan Suvorov had fewer than two Clusters of Scorpions remaining under her command. For four days, the Scorpions held against every assault the Vipers and their allies threw against them, but on the morning of the fifth day, the defender’s guns were silent as the attackers once again advanced. Moving cautiously forward, the Vipers and Hellions, the Coyotes and Mandrills, and the Spirits finally entered an eerily silent Temple. Within, they found the last one hundred and thirty-seven Scorpion Warriors dead, all having committed bondsref during the night.

They found Khan Suvorov’s body placed on a bier within the Temple, for she had been mortally wounded on the third day of the assault against the mighty fortress.

But the Temple was empty—all of its treasures had been sent away with the Evacuation Fleet. And the warehouses beneath the Temple were void of contents as well. The factories were ruined, the machinery destroyed; and although the five Clans were victorious, the spoils were not worth the cost that they had paid.

When a furious Khan Andrews landed on Dagda the following February, he found the Scorpion enclave there abandoned, with no war materials anywhere to replace his losses. Even the capital weapons of the Dagda SDS had been stripped and removed during his preoccupation with Roche. And, in a move carefully calculated to push the unstable Viper even further over the edge, the civilian fleet of submersibles and deep-sea mining support vessels had all been scuttled, and the underwater installations evacuated and flooded.

Still, despite the pyrrhic nature of his victory over the Scorpions, Khan Andrews turned his victory into a successful campaign for the post of ilKhan, and would later extend his madness over the remainder of the Clans in the War of Reaving.

The Scorpion Remnant

Under orders to flee and not to look back, the new Khan of Clan Goliath Scorpion led the Scorpion remnant to the system of Refuge. Arriving at this way-point in August of 3066, the Scorpions rested and refueled, and finalized their operation plans for the return. Khan Scott realized that simply carving out a portion of the Falcon, Wolf, or Bear occupation zones would be foolhardy. Not only would this open the Clan to immediate reprisals, but there was a small chance that these powerful Clans would unite against the abjured Scorpions. Although not the most likely event, it remained a possibility, and only reinforced Scott’s desire to move his Clan far away from his former brethren. Similarly, the Annihilation of the Smoke Jaguars and the hazards of crossing back across the Occupation Zone ruled out an attempt to find a new home in the Draconis Combine.

The Hanseatic League and Nueva Castile were both considered as destinations, and then ultimately rejected. Instead, Khan Scott presented a proposal to the Bloodnamed Council to circumnavigate the Lyran state and strike at the Circinus Federation. The reasons for doing so were multiple. First, the Federation was small enough that even at their reduced strength, the Scorpions could easily seize and defend it. Second, even though abjured by the Clans of Kerensky, the Scorpions still considered themselves bound by the Martial Code—and the Great Refusal had both ended the Invasion and codified the Truce of Tukayyid. The Federation was not—technically speaking—a part of the Inner Sphere, and hence, neither the Truce nor the Great Refusal applied to it.

Third, Circinus had served as the headquarters of General Aleksandyr Kerensky during the Amaris Coup. It was the planet where the Defense Force had trained the volunteers that assisted the SLDF during the campaign to liberate Terra. And from the past voyages of the Jenna Scott-class Surveillance ships, the Scorpions had discovered that most of the mothballed facilities on the planet had yet to be uncovered. The combination of buried SLDF facilities, factories, and fortifications, combined with the importance of this world in the history of the Clans, brought most of the Scorpion Remnant into agreement. The few detractors grumbled that there would be little chance for glory in such an undertaking, but Khan Scott quashed such mumblings with the quick assertion that the survival of the Clan itself was at stake. There would be glory enough for all in bringing the backwards and primitive Circinus Federation into the Clan nest.

Fourth, and perhaps most important, the Scorpion recon and surveillance flights had confirmed the presence of Harjel on Circinus. Vital to the manufacture of Clan equipment (particulary Elementals, Aerospace Fighters, and Warships), the Scorpions were denied any chance of obtaining more of this material from the Homeworlds. The Circinian deposits would, once refined and processed, allow for the Scorpions to resume their production of these assets.

The plan of attack developed with simple: nine of the Federation worlds would be assault by one of the toumen's combat Clusters, assisted by a half-strength PGC. The final world, Circinus, would be the target of seven front-line Clusters, the Solahma Cluster, and the best part of three PGCs. Once the capital was taken, the civilian fleet would arrive at Circinus and proceed to build the new Scorpion capital on the site of General Kerensky’s old Headquarters, as well as reactivate the factories contained within the long-hidden Castle Brian and integrate Clan technology into the machinery. Smaller colonies would be established on each of the remaining worlds of the Federation to begint he process of integrating the citizenry on those worlds into the Scorpion Nest. Although it would take time, Khan Scott believed that this new Scorpion Expanses would be able to begin to build a modern, high-tech civilization in the wilds of the Periphery.

With the final plans in place, the Fleet set off once again. On November 6, 3066, the Scorpions arrived at Circinus to find that not everything was going precisely according to plan.

Circinus

Although the Scorpion leadership had been paying clandestine visits to Circinus as early as 3053, their surveillance ships absence from the Inner Sphere for nearly two years had deprived the Scorpions of the most recent intelligence on this world. Khan Scott and the other Scorpion leaders knew that the Word of Blake was actively aiding President McIntyre and that several Word units were on planet serving as advisors to the President. What they did not know, was that in late 3064, an archaeologist Adept assigned to the garrison had discovered the buried SLDF facilities on the continent of Laredo. The Word hierarchy on Terra immediately realized the magnitude of the find, and dispatched an entire World of Blake Militia Division to Circinus at once, along with a sizable team instructed to catalog the find and determine whether or not the facilities could be restored to service.

Although Robert McIntyre III (‘Baby Bob’) was uneasy with the sudden appearance of the Blake military forces, he set aside those feelings and signed an agreement with Precentor Daniel Gibbs. He ceded all authority over Laredo to the Word of Blake, in exchange for which the Word agreed to fully upgrade the Black Warriors and provide enough additional equipment to outfit two additional regiments. Gibbs also agreed to train the personnel assigned to those regiments, and pledged the Word to the defense of Circinus. Both sides considered the deal to be in their best interests, and almost overnight the planet was transformed into one of the major Blakist bases.

The facilities on Laredo were quickly explored, and the sheer magnitude of what had been found staggered even the more ardent believer in the Word of Blake. Extending hundreds of meters into the granite foundations of the mountains, there were six separate factory complexes—each with Star League machinery able to produce weapons, armor, electronics, fusion engines, targeting systems—and a final assembly facility with the equipment to complete the construction of ‘Mechs, vehicles, and aerospace fighters. All of this was in addition to the command and control facilities able to coordinate an entire Star League Defense Force brigade (and house that brigade within the fortifications), and an entire shipyard able to repair and refit up to four DropShips simultaneously.

Everything had been mothballed, but the ravages of more than two centuries had taken their toll. All of the manufacturing facilities would require extensive reconstruction before they could be returned to an operational state. Undaunted, the Master dispatched teams of engineers from the factories on Terra to Circinus as his designs began to play out across the Inner Sphere.

The remote location of Circinus, the lack of a permanent Inner Sphere intelligence gathering presence there, and the presence of the old SLDF training facilities also made the planet an ideal where the nascent Shadow Divisions could train and organize. Thus it was that when the Scorpions arrived at Circinus in November of 3066, instead of facing an under-strength regiment of the Black Warriors, backed by assorted armor and infantry forces, they encountered three regiments of Black Warriors and two divisions of the Word of Blake.

First Skirmishes

The first action of the engagement occurred before the main Scorpion forces arrived in system. On November 5th, the surveillance ship GSS Jenna Scott jumped into the Circinus system at the Zenith point, and contacted the Olympus-class recharge station there. Claiming a seal failure on the liquid helium tanks for the vessels Kearny-Fuchida drive core, they requested permission to detach their cargo ships to dock at the station and the use of the repair bays. Although the Jenna Scott (masquerading under the transponder beacon SS Beacon Hill) had not been seen in Circinus space for two years, her captain explained that his ship had managed to obtain a supply contract in the Free Worlds League until just recently, and only just now had they been able to resume their irregular service to Circinus.

Receiving authorization for a hard dock with the station, the Circinian crew were shocked when the Jenna Scott swung away at the last second, opened concealed gun-ports on her broadside, and blasted the communications array into scrap metal. Simultaneously, the two cargo ships that had just docked opened their hatches to reveal one hundred Clan Elementals in full battle armor—despite the best efforts of station security personnel, the Scorpions won control in just twenty-two minutes of running gun-fights through the passageways and compartments. Star Captain Gregor Ben-Shimon reported via HPG to the main Scorpion force that the Zenith point had been secured, but within two hours he transmitted an urgent update to that initial broadcast.

The speed of the Scorpion assault on the Circinus Olympus had prevented the crew from purging their computer logs, and it was quickly revealed just how extensive the Word of Blake presence in the system was. Ben-Shimon’s sober assessment of the situation revealed that the Scorpions did not possess overwhelming numbers—and instead of older technology common to the Periphery, the defenders were outfitted with tech specifically designed to fight the Clans. Plus, the logs revealed that the Word had a Baron-class Destroyer (WBS Guiding Light) in orbit above the planet. Perhaps worse, the logs revealed that the SLDF base that the Scorpions had come so far to claim was already in the hands of the Blakist forces on planet.

Khan Jason Scott received the reports even as his toumen prepared to assault the planet from their staging area twenty-two light-years distant. Instead of postponing the operation, he leaped ahead and ordered the combat elements of his Clan to make an immediate jump into the Circinian pirate point. Eight clusters, each with their own Eta-class Transport ship and supported by no fewer than eight WarShips began pre-jump preperations. The remaining two Jenna Scotts, the fleet tender Theta Scorpion, and all four of the Clans Beta-class Transports were left behind to safeguard the civilian vessels.

Questioned as to his sudden decision to launch the attack in the face of the unexpected appearance of the Word, Khan Scott replied, “Though they are now no longer our brothers, we must take here the example of the Ice Hellion—speed is our ally in this moment. While time is our foe. Our Warriors are Scorpions, and today no Scorpion can do wrong by taking the enemy under fire. Let us see if this Word of Blake is as impressive as the Com Guard was at Tukayyid.”

With those words, the Scorpion assault force jumped in-system at a nearby pirate point and began to accelerate towards the planet.

Taken aback they sudden appearance of twenty compact core ships, the commander of the Guiding Light froze before he finally ordered his ship to take evasive maneuvers, but it was already too late. Swamped under by twenty-one Death Dancer-class assault DropShips, the ancient Baron took hit after hit that shattered armor, weapons, and drives into useless junk. Without managing to get a single shot off in reply, the Blake vessel was disabled, and shuttles filled with Elemental Marines launched from the Scorpion fleet to claim the vessel for themselves.

Even as the fleet screamed into towards the planet at two and a half gravities of acceleration, Khan Scott was broadcasting a batchall to President McIntyre. He received no reply, but then he had expected none. Warning his Scorpions to expect treachery and dezgra attacks upon them, he glanced at the time readout in the cockpit of his 70-ton Goliath Scorpion-class BattleMech. It was three minutes after midnight (local time), on the 6th of November, 3066.

Laredo

Tasked with the elimination of the Word forces on the continent of Laredo and the seizure of the Star League facilities located there, saKhan Amanda Djerassi was worried only that the Blakist forces might break and flee into the underground fortifications. At her disposal for this theatre of the Circinus campaign was her own 20th Scorpion Cuirassier Cluster (Scorpio Ascendant), the 8th Scorpion Dragoon Cluster (The Whip-Tail Brigade), the Scorpion Solahma Cluster (Grey Scorpions), and a provisional Cluster formed from the ranks of the Marine Elementals of the Scorpion Fleet.

Pre-invasion planning had included contingency plans in the event that the Laredo site was defended, and now those operations orders were hurriedly issued as the Eta-class transport ships burned for orbit. The 20th Cuirassier and 8th Dragoon would conduct a normal landing operation three kilometers from excavation site to minimize casualties from surface fire as the vulnerable DropShips descended. This force, the main component of the Laredo Operation, would then use their superior speed to quickly reinforce the assault component.

Star Colonel Hiram Naidu, the commanding officer of the Scorpion Solahma Cluster volunteered to drop directly atop of the Blakist defenses with his command to buy time for the saKhan’s remaining elements to reach the site. To the last warrior, the Scorpions assigned to the ranks of the Solahma stepped forward to follow their commander’s lead. Accompanying the Grey Scorpions would be the provisional Fleet Cluster, but their job would be to seize the entrances to the underground facilities and prevent the Word units from retreating into the depths of the complex.

Word of the Invasion reached the commander of the Word of Blake’s 137th Militia Division at three minutes past midnight—scant seconds before Star Colonel Naidu and his troopers hit dirt in the center of her encampment. Despite being outnumbered three-to-one by the armored vehicles and ‘Mechs of the 137th (and nearly seven-to-one in infantry and battle armor assets), the Grey Scorpions sudden drop in their very midst created unimaginable chaos among the Word personnel. The peaceful night was torn apart by autocannon bursts, laser fire, PPC bolts, and gauss slugs, while explosions of fuel and munitions storage dumps lit the sky for kilometers around.

Having seized the advantage, Star Colonel Naidu pressed it mercilessly—but the 137th was not comprised of green troops unaccustomed to the madness of battle. Within minutes, their superior numbers had begun to take a toll on the Grey Scorpions, whose ‘Mechs were not of the same cutting edge quality as the machines used by the remainder of the Clan. Meanwhile, the Scorpion Marines had managed to secure the unearth doors to the compound below, and Star Colonel Robert Tazegul left two Trinarys behind to hold the entrance, while he came to the defense of the Solahma with more than two hundred almost fresh Elemental warriors.

A Star of the Marines stumbled atop of the 137th’s command bunker, and in a fierce firefight eliminated the command elements of the division, at the cost the twenty-three Scorpion Warriors. But even without their divisional command, the veteran Word troopers had nearly regained the upper hand when the 20th Cuirassier and 8th Dragoons arrived, their approach unnoticed in the chaos of the midnight firefight.

Within fifteen minutes of her arrival, saKhan Djerassi broke the 137th and routed it from the field of battle. Dispatching the 20th and the 8th to pursue the shattered division, she and her command star attempted to bring some order from the chaos in the former Blakist encampment. Summoning the PGC held in reserve in orbit to immediately land and set up a defensive perimeter, she call for a hurried conference with Star Colonels Naidu and Tazegul. But only Robert Tazegul answered her broadcast, for Star Colonel Hiram Naidu had found the death that he had long sought out in the midst of the battle. Two thirds of his Solahma joined him as casualties, either dead or gravely wounded, but the facilities were taken intact.

Over the next twenty-four hours, the remnants of the 137th were driven to ground and forced to surrender, along with the horde of engineers, techs, and support personnel sent to reactivate the complex.

Meanwhile, the situation on High Plains, the main inhabited continent of Circinus, was taking a turn for the worse.

I Have Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds

Khan Jason Scott commanded the other theatre of operations on the continent of High Plains. Here, the Scorpion forces included the Knife Dance Keshik, the 24th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Khan’s Own), the 18th Scorpion Cuirassier (The Khan's Castle), the 1st Scorpion Dragoons (Heartvenom), and the 71st Scorpion Light Horse (The Scorpion Lancers). Forewarned of the presence of the Word on Circinus and not facing the possibility of having the Blakist forces entrenched inside a Star League fortification, Khan Scott decided to land en masse almost a hundred kilometers north of the Circinian capital of Claybourne Remembered. Each Cluster landed with their auxiliary Trinary (two Stars of Elementals and one Star of Aerospace Fighters), boosting their TO&E strength by a full 20% over what the Word would normally expect, while the landing zones were covered by aerospace fighters from the Fleet. Furthermore, the Scorpion Artillery Reserve also made landfall on High Plains, consisting of three Trinary formations of Dark Hunter and Naga mobile artillery BattleMechs.

Finally, Khan Scott had prepared a surprise for the Circinians, should they attempt to cross the normally placid and fairly shallow Red River (almost a mile in width at this point of its course through the heartland of Circinus. The unique 121st Nautical Provisional Garrison Cluster landed alongside the front-line units. Comprised of thirty Sea Fox hydrofoils and three hundred Elementals outfitted with advanced Undine nautical battle armor, the 121st NPGC covered the right flank (the western flank) of the Scorpion force as they advanced towards the capital.

The first attacks against the Scorpion landing zone came almost immediately from the Black Warriors and the Word of Blake, as wave after wave of aerospace and conventional fighters swarmed in laden with bombs. However, the overhead Combat Air Patrol provided by the Fleet proved sufficient in preventing the majority of these fighters from reaching the landing zone—and the overwhelming firepower of the grounded DropShips and five elite clusters of Scorpion front-line ‘Mechs decimated those that leaked through.

The presence of several previously unknown and highly advanced aerospace fighters in the Word inventory, however, gave the first indications that this opponent was something more than the 137th Division that saKhan Djerassi was in the process in the process of routing on Laredo.

Even as the Fleet ASF contingent sparred with Word and Black Warrior fighters over the landing zones, fifteen DropShips lifted off from the spaceport just outside of Claybourne Remembered. In response, Star Admiral Isaiah Ben-Shimon vectored his Death Dancer class assault DropShips and the handful of ASF assets retained by the Fleet to intercept. The Fleet concentrated on the combat vessels that had launched (two Avengers, six Unions, and four Leopards), ignoring the three Mule-class cargo ships.

Until the Mules suddenly changed vector directly towards the Fleet and unleashed a salvo of capital missiles armed with nuclear warheads!

Luckily for the Scorpions, and despite the fact that the converted Mules showed an impressive capacity for launching multiple capital missiles, their salvoes proved too weak to successfully penetrate the heavy point-defense installations aboard the Scorpion WarShips and Transports, causing the nuclear weapons to detonate prematurely, without causing damage to the Scorpion vessels. At this point, a furious Star Admiral Ben-Shimon ordered his own DropShips and ASF to disengage, and his WarShips took the hostile Droppers under direct fire with their own capital batteries. In seconds, the threat was eliminated.

But sensors had detected yet another Avenger heading towards the landing zone, just as the covering CAP was withdrawing to refuel.

Ignoring their own fuel status warnings, two points of Scorpion 55-ton Zulu-class Aerospace Fighters merged with the Avenger and took it under heavy fire. The fighters managed to bring down the DropShip seventeen kilometers short of the landing zone, where the two armed thermo-nuclear weapons it carried detonated, the massive explosion smashing the Scorpion fighters that had saved the Scorpion invasion force into the ground.

The rules of engagement had just changed.
_________________
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing--Edmund Burke

[Last edited by master arminas on 16-Jan-2012 12:34; edited 2 times in total]
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Star Colonel


Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
PostPosted: 13-Jan-2012 13:52    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

Here is the complete TO&E of the Scorpion Remnant on the eve of the Battle of Circinus. Please note, that will the evacuation fleet contains more than half a million personnel, the vast majority are members of the civilian castes. And many of the rests are crews of WarShips, JumpShips, and DropShips of the Fleet. There are around 4,000 Scorpion Warriors in their front-line units, another thousand assigned to the Fleet (Elementals and ASF, not including Warriors on WarShips and DropShips), with another approximately 8,000 Warriors assigned to the PGCs.

The Grey Scorpions were assigned an Eta-class Transport before they left the Homeworlds, even though Solahma units are not normally provided with such a ship. The PGCs are loaded onto merchant-caste cargo ships and are NOT combat loaded.

The Jenna Scott-class ships are Trackers that have been rebuilt with Clan tech armor, equipment, and weapons. They have HPGs and lithium-fusion batteries and appear to be nothing more than a normal Merchant-class JumpShip. The six classes of JumpShips listed are all modern Clan designs that include HPGs and Lithium-fusion batteries, but are unarmed. The range (in order) from one docking collar on the Rigel to six on the Sirius. Due to the problems of fitting LFBs on standard jumpships with seven or more collars, the six-collar Sirius-class are the largest jumpships in the merchant caste.

Code:
Clan Goliath Scorpion (circa 3071; the Scorpion Expanses AU)

Command Keshiks

Knife Dance Keshik (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Ebon Jaguar; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Timber Wolf
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Sable Raptor; Boreal Wildcat; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Knife Dance
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

20th Scorpion Cuirassiers (Scorpio Ascendant) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  Dark Omen; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  Thunder Hound; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Scorpion Ascendant
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip


Alpha Galaxy (The Rock Minders)
24th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Khan's Own) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Nova Cat
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Khan’s Own
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

35th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Scorpions of the Veil) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Timber Wolf
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Ebon Jaguar; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  Sable Raptor; Boreal Wildcat; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Scorpions of the Veil
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

8th Scorpion Dragoons (The Whip-Tail Brigade) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Desert Tiger; Stormcrow; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Summoner
   Star Alpha-Three:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  Mist Lynx; Sable Raptor; Blood Legacy; Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Desert Tiger; Stormcrow; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Sable Raptor; Boreal Wildcat; Cloud Cobra; Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Hooded Eagle; Death Weaver; Frost Falcon; Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Two:  Hellwasp; 2 x Hooded Eagle; Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Whip-Tail Brigade
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

14th Scorpion Hussars (Swift Retribution) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Alpha-Three:  Thunder Hound; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; Death Weaver; Steel Viper; Sable Raptor
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Hooded Eagle; Ice Ferret; Death Weaver; Steel Viper; Sable Raptor
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Hooded Eagle
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Fire Falcon
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Swift Retribution
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip


Beta Galaxy (The Sand Runners)
18th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Khan's Castle) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Mad Dog; Hellbringer
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Timber Wolf
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; 2 x Hellbringer; Nova Cat
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Khan’s Castle
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

23rd Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Ironshell Irregulars) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Summoner
   Star Alpha-Three:  Desert Tiger; Stormcrow; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Summoner
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  Desert Tiger; Stormcrow; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Beta-Two:  Sand Devil; Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Cloud Cobra; Golden Lion; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  Boreal Wildcat; Stormcrow; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Mist Lynx; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Stormcrow
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Ironshell Irregulars
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

1st Scorpion Dragoons (Heartvenom) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  2 x Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Heartvenom
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

6th Scorpion Hussars (Desert Wind) (Elite)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Death Weaver; Sable Raptor
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Hooded Eagle
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Hooded Eagle
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Desert Wind
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip


Delta Galaxy (Nightcrawlers)
4th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Dark Sting) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; 2 x Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Nova Cat
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Timber Wolf
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  Thunder Hound; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Dark Sting
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

17th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Golden Horde) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Golden Horde
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

11th Scorpion Dragoons (The Devil's Tail) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  Goliath Scorpion; Hellbringer; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; 2 x Goliath Scorpion
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion; Silver Grizzly
   Star Beta-Two:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; Mad Dog; Hellbringer; Goliath Scorpion
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; Desert Tiger; 2 x Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; Desert Tiger; Golden Lion; Blood Tick
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  Fire Falcon; Hooded Eagle; Crimson Barracuda; Death Weaver;
      Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Hooded Eagle; 2 x Steel Viper; Sable Raptor
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Devil’s Tail
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

22nd Scorpion Hussars (Eye of the Storm) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  2 x Desert Tiger; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Sable Raptor; 3 x Desert Tiger
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Sable Raptor; Desert Tiger; 2 x Golden Lion
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Sable Raptor; 2 x Desert Tiger; Golden Lion
   Star Beta-Two:  Fire Falcon; Hooded Eagle; Death Weaver; Steel Viper; Sable Raptor
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Rabid Coyote; Sable Raptor; 3 x Golden Lion
   Star Gamma-Two:  Hooded Eagle; Ice Ferret; Crimson Barracuda; Death Weaver;
      Sable Raptor
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  Fire Falcon; Hooded Eagle; 2 x Steel Viper; Sable Raptor
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Hooded Eagle
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Fire Moth; 2 x Ardent Mongoose; Hooded Eagle
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Knife Dance
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip


Independent Clusters
51st Scorpion Light Horse (The Scorpion Uhlans) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  2 x Summoner; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Sand Devil; Stormcrow; Blood Tick; 2 x Summoner
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Mist Lynx; Howler; Cloud Cobra; Blood Legacy
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Sand Devil; Stormcrow; 2 x Summoner
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Mist Lynx; Sand Devil; 2 x Stormcrow
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Cloud Cobra; 2 x Sand Devil; 2 x Summoner
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Mist Lynx; Sand Devil; Blood Legacy; Stormcrow
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Mist Lynx; 3 x Stormcrow
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Death Rattle; Hellwasp; Frost Falcon; Mist Lynx
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Death Rattle; Hellwasp; Frost Falcon; Mist Lynx
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Scorpion Uhlans
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip

71st Scorpion Light Horse (The Scorpion Lancers) (Veteran)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  2 x Summoner; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Zulu
   Star Alpha-Two:  Sand Devil; 2 x Stormcrow; 2 x Summoner
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Mist Lynx; 2 x Cloud Cobra; Blood Legacy
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Sand Devil; Stormcrow; 2 x Summoner
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Mist Lynx; Sand Devil; 2 x Stormcrow
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  Cloud Cobra; Sand Devil; Blood Legacy; 2 x Summoner
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Mist Lynx; Sand Devil; Blood Legacy; Stormcrow
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Mist Lynx; 2 x Stormcrow; Blood Tick
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  2 x Comanche; 4 x Vandal; 4 x Avar
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  2 x Death Rattle; Hellwasp; Frost Falcon; Mist Lynx
   Star Epsilon-Two:  2 x Death Rattle; Hellwasp; Frost Falcon; Mist Lynx
   Star Epsilon-Three:  4 x Zulu; 4 x Visigoth; 2 x Apache
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  4 x Visigoth; 6 x Hun
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS The Scorpion Lancers
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip
MechWarriors:  47
Aerospace Pilot:  32
Elementals:  135
Vehicle Crews:  0
Conventional Infantry:  0
Technical Support:  106
Naval Crews:  323
Passengers:  337
Cargo Space:  30,305 tons


Independent Artillery Reserve
Scorpion Artillery Alpha (Veteran)
BattleMechs:
   Star Alpha-One:  5 x Naga
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Naga
   Star Alpha-Three:  5 x Naga
Transport: 
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod 0-class DropShip

Scorpion Artillery Beta (Veteran)
BattleMechs:
   Star Alpha-One:  5 x Dark Hunter
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Dark Hunter
   Star Alpha-Three:  5 x Dark Hunter
Transport: 
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod 0-class DropShip

Scorpion Artillery Gamma (Veteran)
BattleMechs:
   Star Alpha-One:  5 x Dark Hunter
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Dark Hunter
   Star Alpha-Three:  5 x Dark Hunter
Transport: 
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod 0-class DropShip


Solahma Clusters
Scorpion Solahma Cluster (The Grey Scorpions) (Regular)
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  2 x Solahma Alpha; 10 x Elemental; 2 x Solahma Delta
   Star Alpha-Two:  2 x Solahma Beta; 3 x Solahma Alpha
   Star Alpha-Three:  2 x Solahma Beta; 3 x Solahma Alpha
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  2 x Solahma Beta; 3 x Solahma Alpha
   Star Beta-Two:  2 x Solahma Gamma; 3 x Solahma Beta
   Star Beta-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  2 x Solahma Beta; 3 x Solahma Alpha
   Star Gamma-Two:  2 x Solahma Gamma; 3 x Solahma Beta
   Star Gamma-Three:  25 x Elemental
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  2 x Solahma Gamma; 3 x Solahma Beta
   Star Delta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Delta-Three:  10 x Solahma Delta
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  5 x Solahma Gamma
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Solahma Gamma
   Star Epsilon-Three:  10 x Solahma Delta
Reserve Trinary Zeta
   Star Zeta-One:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Two:  25 x Elemental
   Star Zeta-Three:  10 x Solahma Delta
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Eta-class TroopShip GSS Grey Scorpions
   1 x Scorpion Mod III-class DropShip
   2 x Scorpion Mod IV-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod V-class DropShip
   1 x Scorpion Mod VI-class DropShip
   1 x Death Dancer-class DropShip


Provisional Garrison Clusters

101st Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

102nd Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

103rd Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

104th Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

105th Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

106th Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

107th Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip

108th Scorpion PGC
Trinary Alpha
   Star Alpha-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Alpha-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Alpha-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Beta
   Star Beta-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Beta-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Beta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Gamma
   Star Gamma-One:  10 x Minerva Mod-1
   Star Gamma-Two:  5 x Minerva Mod-1; 5 x Minerva Mod-2
   Star Gamma-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Delta
   Star Delta-One:  10 x Diana Mod-1
   Star Delta-Two:  5 x Diana Mod-1; 5 x Diana Mod-2
   Star Delta-Three:  125 x Conventional Infantry
Trinary Epsilon
   Star Epsilon-One:  10 x Hecate Mod-1
   Star Epsilon-Two:  5 x Hecate Mod-1; 5 x Hecate Mod-2
   Star Epsilon-Three:  125 x Conventional Jump Infantry
Cluster Transport Vessels
   Rigel-class JumpShip
   1 x Mastodon (Troop)-class DropShip


Naval Reserve

WarShips:
   Alpha-class Corvettes:  Deathstalker
   Delta-class Destroyer:  Auriga; Borealis; Corona; Radiant
   Epsilon-class Frigate:  Garlon
   Zeta-class Cruiser:  Lei Kung; Serket
Transports & Auxiliaries:
   Beta-class Transport:  Enceladus; Epimetheus; Karttikeya; Prometheus
   Theta-class Fleet Tender:  Theta Scorpion
DropShips:
   25 x Death Dancer-class DropShip
   18 x Auroch-class DropShip
   10 x Mastodon-class DropShip
Naval Reserve Fighters:
   6 x Comanche
   12 x Vandal
   12 x Avar
   16 x Zulu
   30 x Visigoth
   6 x Apache
   18 x Hun


Surveillance/Deep Recon Assets

Surveillance Ships:
   Jenna Scott-class Corvettes:  Ethan Moreau; Jenna Scott; Naomi Djerassi
DropShips:
   6 x Wild Onager-class DropShip
Surveillance Fighters:
   4 x Comanche
   8 x Vandal
   8 x Avar
   8 x Zulu
   16 x Visigoth
   4 x Apache
   12 x Hun


Merchant Fleet

JumpShips:
   22 x Capella-class JumpShips
   25 x Vega-class JumpShips
   26 x Arcturus-class JumpShips
   17 x Canopus-class JumpShips
   16 x Sirius-class JumpShips
DropShips:
   71 x Onager-class DropShips
   212 x Onager (Passenger)-class DropShips
   30 x Mastodon-class DropShips
   91 x Mastodon (Passenger)-class DropShips


Galaxies:  3
Clusters:  17*
   Elite:  10
   Veteran:  6
   Regular:  1
   Green:  0
*Not including 8 PGCs.

Total Personnel:  522,930 (all castes; 474,067 civilians)


Bloodnames:  Arbuthnot, ar-Rashid, Baba, Ben-Shimon, Brinker, Bungei, Collesano, Cranstonolv, Demos, Dinour, Djerassi, Elam, Gorga, Hardo, Henriquez, Ismaila, Kirov, Kreek, LeClair, Linghui, Lunde, Madsen, Moreau, Mortelette, Myers, Nagy, Naidu, Omid, Pakhalina, Posavatz,  Sang, Scott, Shaffer, Snell, Solheim, Suvorov, Sword, Tazegul, Wagner, Yeh, Zuric

_________________
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing--Edmund Burke

[Last edited by master arminas on 25-Jan-2012 00:13; edited 3 times in total]
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Star Colonel


Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
PostPosted: 13-Jan-2012 14:30    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

When I began this project, Wars of Reaving was in the works. Numerous points were altered to generally conform with the information we received from that Sourcebook. But the basic premise remains as I originally thought it would be, with the Scorpions fleeing the Homeworld to carve out a new home close to the Inner Sphere.

I decided against Castille because it is simply too close to the rest of the Clans. Eventually, they would resume contact and conflicts--and as an Abjured Clan, the Scorpions could not count on any restraint by the other Homeworld factions. The Hansaetic League was an intriguing choice, but ultimately I said no. Although no match for the Scorpions (even at their reduced strength) militarily, the League is huge, which would result in problems with occupation (in my opinion) and integration.

The Jarnfolk were another possibility, and one that I seriously considered. But the Scorpions with their Seekers have appeared as far more interested in the Inner Sphere and Star League discoveries--and the distance between Jarnspace and the IS would have made for a very poor setting.

That left the Inner Sphere as the only reasonable destination. I wanted to keep the Scorpions in the near Periphery, instead of breaking the results of the Great Refusal, which limited my options even more. And for reasons expounded in the text, I decided against the 'northern' rim of the Lyrans. The Outworlds Alliance would have been nearly perfect, but despite their lack of organized military resistance there were two problems: first, they are very large and second the Ravens would be heading there in only a few short years. I couldn't see the Scorpions going the Bear's route by transforming Rasalhague into their Dominion (only after they and the Wolves had utterly shattered that nation, though), and the extent of Outworlds holdings would have made integration once again a problem.

So that left Circinus, Illyria, and the Marians. Of the three, Illyria would have the easist to overcome, but it is hemmed in by hostile powers and the Free Worlds League. The Hegemony would have posed a more military challenging operation, but then I reconsidered Circinus. It's history with General Kerensky and the SLDF makes it perfect as the destination and it falls into the perfect Goldilocks posistion: not too large, not too small, but just right.

Of course, the Jihad has revealed many more things about how extensively the Word had infiltrated and taken over Circinus--but that only made for a more intriguing and combat filled scenario. From here, the Scorpon Expanses can expand (in the future) to absorb New St. Andrews, the Illyrian systems, the Marian Hegemony, and Niops. All without breaking the terms of the Grand Refusal.

It will also (eventually) give the Scorpions an opportunity to resume dealings with the Inner Sphere Clans, but at a far enough removed distance that they can remain independent. Anyway, that is my reasoning behind this scenario and I do hope that you enjoy my work.

Additional sections will be added as I complete them.

Master Arminas
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PostPosted: 18-Jan-2012 21:31    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

No comments at all? Crying or Very sad

MA
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PostPosted: 18-Jan-2012 21:47    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

It is ALOT of information to read. I have not had time to go over it all.
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PostPosted: 18-Jan-2012 22:21    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

Skimming through it, it looks good, lots to cover...it is well laid out but still a lot to read...
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PostPosted: 31-Jan-2012 12:17    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

Clash of Warriors

Khan Scott waited until all four of his reserve PGCs had landed and offloaded before he began his advance on the capital of Claybourne Remembered. To the west, the 121st Nautical PGC (The Sea Scorpions) protected the right flank anchored on the Red River. Extending to the east, the Scorpion line consisted of the 24th Scorpion Cuirassier, the 101st PGC, the 18th Scorpion Cuirassier, the 104th PGC, the 1st Scorpion Dragoons, the 107th PGC, and the 71st Scorpion Light Horse, with the Knife Dance Keshik, the 108th PGC, and the Scorpion Artillery Reserve in reserve.

Star Colonel Sandra Moreau of the 71st Scorpion Light Horse held the responsibility for holding the far eastern end of the line with her Cluster. During the planning for the operation, she had made clear to Khan Scott of the dishonorable tactics of the Black Warriors—little more than a band of organized pirates—and their sheer hatred, loathing, and envy of the former Eridani Light Horse. All of which were qualities that the Khan planned to use against them in the coming fight.

On the other side of the field, defending the Circinian capital, were the combined forces of the 59th Shadow Division of the Word of Blake and the Black Warriors, augmented by various Circinian militia units and a handful of small mercenary commands, all under the unified command of Precentor Daniel Gibbs.

The 59th Shadow Division was an anomaly among the Word of Blake Shadow Divisions raised in the years prior to the Jihad. It was a training cadre with only a handful of permanent personnel assigned. Isolated on Circinus, the 59th was intended to provide a constant stream of replacements to the actual combat Shadow Divisions once the Jihad began in earnest. Halfway through its training cycle, the 59th was over-strength during the Scorpion campaign, with a mixture of veteran cadre and raw recruits. Despite the lack of experience of many of the troops assigned to the 59th, the Division was fanatical in its devotion to the Word of Blake and the will of the Master.

Initial contact between the two forces resulted in sparring and skirmishing along the length of the lines. The Scorpions quickly discovered that the Word forces were well-fortified, with ample artillery support and the approaches were covered with thick minefields. Despite the desire of some of his junior officers, Precentor Gibbs refused to budge from his defensive lines, intending to bleed the Scorpions for every inch of ground once their attack began in full.

Those intentions were disrupted almost from the start.

Colonel Michael Cirion, the commander of the Black Warriors was stunned when reports began filtering in that the Clan unit facing him had the Eridani Light Horse prancing pony symbol emblazoned on their ‘Mechs! And he became enraged when Star Colonel Sandra Moreau confirmed—over an open channel—that her 71st Scorpion Light Horse was built on the survivors of that famed mercenary unit. Ignoring Gibbs, Cirion launched a hasty assault against the 71st, causing the Scorpion ‘Mechs to fall back in disarray. He followed, pressing the attack—and battalion by battalion—his command abandoned the defensive line and thundered off in pursuit of the retreating Cluster.

But the retreat was only feigned. The Knife Dance Keshik slid into the Scorpion lines behind the Black Warriors, cutting off their only retreat as the 71st Light Horse stopped running and began dropping Warrior ‘Mechs left and right. The reserve 108th Garrison Cluster boxed the Black Warriors in, while the 121st Nautical PGC provided fire support from the river. Meanwhile, the Scorpion Artillery Reserve hammered the Black Warriors with wave after wave of Arrow IV cluster and homing munitions.

Reeling from the unexpected counter-attack, Colonel Cirion ordered the Warriors to withdraw back to their lines, and pleaded with Precentor Gibbs to come to his aid—a plea that Gibbs refused. Caught between the river, the 71st Light Horse, the Knife Dance Keshik, and the 108th Garrison Cluster, and under constant artillery bombardment, the Black Warriors simply broke.

Abandoning all unit cohesion, individual warriors scattered, attempting to break through the Scorpion cordon. But only a bare handful of Black Warriors managed to pass the lines intact, and of those that did, they became easy prey for points of Scorpion aerospace fighters swooping down from above to deliver a blistering strike on the defenseless ‘Mechs. To his credit, Colonel Cirion did not ask for quarter—and Khan Scott neither offered nor granted him any.

After less than two hours of combat, the Black Warriors were effectively annihilated.

Meanwhile, the elite 1st Scorpion Dragoons (the Heartvenom Cluster), shifted down the lines and using its superior speed and mobility seized the section of defensive lines formerly held by the Black Warriors. Precentor Gibbs realized that he could not leave the flank of his division unprotected and he pulled two of his best trained Level III formations from the fortification to drive the Scorpions out. The earlier loss of his aerospace elements had deprived the Word of close air support, however, and star after star of Scorpion fighters strafed and bombed the lines, even as the heavy 24th and 18th Scorpion Cuirassiers once again began advancing through the lanes in the minefields cleared by munitions fired by the 101st, 104th, and 107th PGCs.

Suffering constant attack from the air, flanked to the east, and under heavy assault from the front, the 59th Division was on the verge of breaking when Gibbs unleashed his carefully hoarded Manei Domini cadre against the Scorpions. Exquisitely and expensively outfitted with the finest equipment from the factories on Terra, this was the first combat where Celestial OmniMechs and Demon battle armor made their appearance.

Still struggling against the minefields, the 18th Cuirassier reeled under the sudden impact of the Manei Domini counterattack. Taken aback by the speed and accuracy of the assault, Star Colonel Reynard Elam withdrew after suffering heavy casualties, which forced the 24th in turn to pull back to their start line. Only the aerospace superiority of the Scorpions prevented the 59th from turning on and overpowering the 1st Dragoons, which stubbornly held onto the ground they had taken.

As both sides took a moment to reorganize and catch their breath, the Knife Dance Keshik rejoined the lines on the Scorpion side, even as the 71st Light Horse and 108th Garrison Cluster mopped up the remnant of the Black Warriors. Khan Scott ordered the Scorpion Artillery Reserve to expend the remainder of their Arrow IV munitions against the 59th, while at the same time he ordered the DropShips that landed the line Clusters to move forward. This was done to not only resupply the Artillery Reserve, but to bring the 59th within range of the Arrow IV batteries mounted aboard those DropShips.

Faced with a withering level of firepower, Precentor Gibbs abandoned his lines and retreated into the city itself, covering his retreat with artillery delivered gas shells. Unprepared for the use of chemical munitions, the Scorpions were stymied from pursuit for vital minutes. Although the ‘Mechs and Elementals and combat vehicles were sealed against the gasses, the Scorpion conventional infantry in the PGCs suffered heavy casualties before they were able to seal their unpowered battledress.

Later accounts of the battle report that Khan Scott was so furious over the use of chemical weapons against his Clan that he seriously considered allowing the Scorpion Fleet to destroy the city and its defenders from orbit. In the end, however, he decided that taking that course of action would render him as dezgra and without honor as the Blakist defenders. Instead, he redeployed his force to surround Claybourne Remembered and prepared for an all-out assault against the city, issuing orders for the 8th Dragoons and 20th Cuirassier under saKhan Djerassi to redeploy and reinforce him.

Amanda Djerassi immediately began loading those two Clusters, leaving the remnants of the Grey Scorpions, the Fleet Elementals, and her single PGC behind to hold General Kerensky’s old headquarters.
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PostPosted: 02-Feb-2012 11:41    Post subject: The Scorpion Expanses Reply to topic Reply with quote

A Call to Carnage

By the next morning, the 8th Dragoons and 20th Cuirassier had arrived and took up their positions around the capital, joining Khan’s Scotts forces surrounding the Blakist 59th Division and the few survivors of the Circinian militia and mercenary units. Khan Scott had also pressed into service the remainder of the Fleet Elementals to replace his fallen PGC infantry troops. He also directed that the Fleet shuttle down their spare suits of light power armor kept in the armories. Normally used to equip the Marine Elementals when conducting boarding operations on ships unable to handle the weight of full-sized Elemental armor, the Fleet was able to provide enough of the lighter Night Scorpion PA (L) to outfit four hundred and fifty of the PGC infantry with the chemical-resistant suits. The Scorpion advance began at 0345 and immediately ran into fierce resistance. In the pre-dawn hours, the conflict escalated between individual Clan Stars and Blakist Level II formations that fought each other at knife range under conditions that gave the Elementals, infantry, and Demons a field

But the delay had also given the 59th time to dig in deep. Unconcerned with the possibility of collateral damage to Claybourne Remembered’s civilian population, Precentor Gibbs intended to make the Clan pay with blood for every inch of ground they gained.
day. Denied their aerospace and artillery support due to the urban setting, the Scorpions nonetheless pressed forward, with casualties mounting on both sides.

When the sun finally emerged and brought the city into the light of day, the smoke from hundreds of fires could be seen for miles. But the previous day’s conflicts had given Khan Scott an appreciation for the new and improved C-3 command and coordination computers that the Word used so effectively. All of his Stars had been reorganized during the night so that every formation included at least one BattleMech mounting ECM; denied their ability to coordinate fire, the Blakists were forced to rely on their own gunnery skills—and every Scorpion ‘Mech was equipped with a targeting computer which the Word’s own ECM could not jam.

By noon, half of the city had been taken by the Scorpions and the survivors of the 59th found itself pressed back into a defensive cordon with the river (and the 121st Nautical PGC) at their backs and Scorpion warriors on all three sides inland. The Claybourne Docks were primarily an industrial area of the city, not residential, and the 59th promised to use the heavy infrastructure to fortify their lines. But without the threat of additional heavy civilian casualties (though there would be civilian casualties, for Khan Scott recognized that there would always be errant civilians within even a non-residential section of a city) the Scorpion Khan was now free to resume his artillery bombardment.

For seven straight hours, the Scorpions expended nearly four thousand Arrow IV munitions against the 59th’s lines holding the Docks. As the dull concussion of the last artillery rocket echoed throughout the city, the roar of two hundred aerospace fighters streaked by overhead, passing directly over the Docks before they dropped the external ordnance loading them down. Warehouses and factories and piers and dry-docks were shattered, and the 59th was stunned by the utter ferocity of the assault. It was at that moment, as the Blakists were staggered by the concussion of so many bombs, their ‘Mechs and vehicles and battle armor scoured and pitted and torn apart by the fragments that the Scorpions began their final charge.

Resistance was futile.

The Word defenses shattered under the impact of that assault and within the space of an hour, the sound of guns at long last grew silent. The few survivors (Circinian militia and mercenaries for the most part—not one Manei Domini was captured alive) were taken into custody and the weary Scorpions spread out to combat the raging fires. Scorpion Elementals found President McIntyre within his Presidential palace; abandoned by his guards, the tyrant of Circinus had shot and killed himself as the Scorpions broke down the doors.

The victory was neither easy, nor was it swift. The Scorpions had suffered heavy casualties in the two days of combat operations, but were in a position to swiftly recover their strength. The civilian fleet was brought into orbit, and as the Warriors licked their wounds, the scientists and engineers, the merchants and technicians, and the laborerers began cleaning up the wreckage left behind and integrating the shell-shocked and stunned population of Circinus into their society.

But the stubborn defense of Claybourne Remembered had allowed Precentor Gibbs to send one final message via the HPG network to Terra. And a single blinking transmission awaited Khan Scott when he arrived at the Word of Blake communication center. FOR WHAT YOU HAVE SOWN, PREPARE TO REAP THE WHIRLWIND.
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