Written for the Archives of Clan Councils
A Summary of Engagements between Aries and Scorpio on the planet Cavera
The Important Battles, detailed:
1st Battle
Setting: Town of Morth
Aries: "Bonehead Brigade," 2nd Company (understrengthed)
standard squad, 2 amazons w/a synthetik, 2 riflemen, ninja
Scorpio: "Hazy’s Hellions," 1st Company (understrengthed)
standard assault squad, 2 Troopers, Hvy Laser trooper, sniper, Hazy (hero) w/2 amazons
Total Kills:
Aries: 3
Scorpio: 10 (victor)
Summary of battle;
Both sides entered Morth at opposite ends. Scorpio marched forward with specific positions in mind; the sniper ran to take position behind a cluster of rocks, Hazy marched to take their right flank, while the assault troopers guarded the HLT’s slow approach. Aries spread out; amazon team (w/ ninja nearby) swept to the right flank, riflemen ran to the left flank, while the trooper squad marched forward. Aries troopers quickly engaged the Scorpio assault team. Aries squad was destroyed by a combination of assault gunmen, HLT-fire, snipering, and a surprise strike by Hazy’s guards. Scorpio suffered only one casualty, its HLT. Hazy (and his guards) are also credited with killing both Aries riflemen. The only somewhat bright spot for Aries was the performace of their ninja. The ninja was able to loop around the Scorpio flank, and behead the sniper and a Scorpio amazon before being gunned down by Hazy himself. The non-factor Aries amazon team was mostly shot before reaching within strike range. A failed final effort by the sole surviving amazon ended the engagement decisively.
2nd Battle
Setting: Mezzier Base/Town of Mezzier
Aries: "Mezzier Defence Force" (company strength)
base, Viper Tank, Hellbringer mobile Rocket Launcher, Limo (troop transport), Dump Truck (troop transport), 2 standard troop squads, 2 scouts, MissileMan, ninja, medik, mechanik, Vern (hero)
Scorpio: "Hazy’s Hellions," 2nd Company (CO leading, w/heavy ground support)
Bubble Tank, APC (w/standard squad), DeathsHead Exosuit Unit (DEU), 1 assault squad, sniper, MissileMan, Hazy (hero), scout, medik, mechanik.
Total Kills:
Aries: 5 (+1 wounded)
Scorpio: 17 (victor)
Engagement started with Scorpio force entering the town. Aries force responded with mobilization, charging up the bridge and into the town. Aries got a quick strike when ViperTank (leading the charge) dropped a MK-II shell in the center of Scorpio’s assault squads. The assault squad and sniper perished, though Hazy was able to leap clear of the blast and Missleman was saved by the medik. Scorpio’s vehicle force swept to the other side of town, and assaulted the tank. A double laser hit from the DEU destroyed the ViperTank. Then the DEU destroyed the approaching Dump Truck (killing a squad and scout). W/o scouts for targeting, Aries blindly launched missiles into town. The two shots missed, hitting buildings instead. The remaining Aries troops ran for the base, for protection. They never made it; as Scorpio’s DEU planted two laser hits into the Hellbringer, it set off all the remaining missiles. The resulting explosion engulfed the rest of Aries force, which were running next to it at the time.
3rd Battle
Setting: Loring Base/Town of Loring
Aries: "Falconers" Battalion, 1st Assault Company
Toland RamTank, Lightning HoverFighter, Dart SpeedCar, 2 standard squads w/riflemen, MissileMan, 2 scouts, ninja, amazon w/synthetik, medik, Drake (Hero)
Scorpio: "Loring Protectorates" (company strength)
BubbleTank, APC (w/standard squad), assault squad(6), MissileMan, Hazie (Hero), medik, mechanik
Total Kills:
Aries: 16 (victor)
Scorpio: 6
Scorpio organized its defensive troops in the base’s front yard. Aries attack force entered the eastern side of the town, quickly giving them view of Scorpio’s right flank. Scorpio charged their heavy assault squad up the bridge, led by Hazie. Aries forces spread out to take the town. A lucky quick-strike missile attack by Aries MissileMan landed squarely in the center of the charging Scorpio troops, killing nearly all of them. A tank charge by the Aries Toland did little but to pre-occupy Hazie (whom later fell off and broke his neck). The tank then went on a pointless rampage thru the nearby forest ("There’s just too many damn trees!"). The Scorpio APC made a bold move across the bridge, but was met by combination fire from the Dart, Lightning, and about a squad’s worth of soldiers. The assault crippled the APC, and was sent into an uncontrollable stampede. It slammed head-on with the Dart in a spectacular explosion that killed all involved. The Bubble Tank met a similar reception when it reached town, yet the inclusion of the Toland’s firepower became too much. It was vaporized right on the spot. The final shot came shortly thereafter when the Lightning strafed Scorpio’s MissileMan, killing him.
4th Battle
Setting: Town of Premidt
Aries: "Bonehead Brigade," 3rd Company (XO leading)
Lightning HoverFighter, standard squad, assault squad, Jill (hero), 2 amazons w/2 synthetix
Scorpio: "Hazy’s Hellions," 1st Company
APC (w/standard squad), assault squad, sniper, Hazy w/ 2 amazon guards
Total Kills:
Aries: 11
Scorpio: 14 (victor)
Like the Battle in Morth, this one started with both forces on opposite sides. Troopers slowly marched towards one another in the town center. Scorpio put a sniper in one building looking down a flanking road. Scorpio’s APC then made a bold maneuver spinning in front of the approaching Aries troopers. The end result: The APC now blocked the main road and allowed its squad to deploy. It also gave covering fire, eliminating most of Aries’s assault squad, and Jill (that foolish girl). As soon as the APC made its move, Aries Lightning swept in, guns blazing. Despite giving two solid hits to the APC, the Lightning was knocked out first, and quickly. The remnants of Aries assault squad eventually defeated the APC after a series of exchanging fire. Aries standard troopers quickly engaged the APC squad. It was an even fight, until Hazy’s team joined in, tipping the balance in Scorpio’s favor. Scorpio survivors then swept in on the sole Aries assault trooper, killing him. The Aries amazon squad attempted to flank Scorpio (again). Sniper took out half the squad before an amazon cut him down. Despite sniper-fire, the amazon squad was able to take out Scorpio’s assault squad, which was holding the rearguard. When Hazy’s team swung back to finish the job, the remaining amazon shot two more Scorpio troopers before being killed.
Summary
TROOPERS VEHICLES (and Pilots)
Battles Won. Deployed Lost Deployed Lost
Aries: 1 54 43 8* 6*
Scorpio: 3 51 32 6 3
* - two Aries vehicles did not have Pilots; driven by Scouts (counted as Troopers)
Campaign Summary
Early on, Aries troops took a heavy hit by losing at Morth. Clans Aries was expecting an easy win in the small urban setting, but grossly underestimated Clan Scorpio and the importance they placed on it. Various light engagements followed along the battle fronts (all ending w/ no clear victor), but Aries failed to retake the town.
The defeat of the Brigade’s company allowed Clan Scorpio to launch its attack on the fortifications at Mezzier. Aries also proved to be ill prepared to confront an assault at that particular base, and lost it in a series of tactical errors thanks to Major Vern (whom perished in the RL-explosion).
The Mezzier defeat finally woke up Aries Command on Cavera. Galvanizing their forces with thoughts of revenge, they broke through the lines and sent Drake’s Falconers on an assault on Scorpio’s Loring Base. They routed the defenders, and destroyed the base. The tide of the fight appeared to be turning.
Unfortunately for Clan Aries, they had squandered most of their military resources early on. They could no longer maintain a military campaign on Cavera. A last ditch strike was made at Permidt, to destroy Scorpio communications facilities there. A victory here would throw Scorpio’s troops into disarray, and give something for Aries to exploit. Clan Scorpio’s victory was a pyrrhic one, but enough. Shortly after the Battle in Permidt, Clan Aries withdrew from Cavera.
Aftermath
The damage done to Aries was phenomenal. Bonehead Brigade had been shattered; it had lost 2/3 of its field personnel, including the Brigade’s executive officer. The Falconers lost 20% of their troops, mostly in diversionary attacks to cover for Brigade retreats. The worst loss was the destruction of Mezzier Base and its defense company. The entire Aries Force was in shambles by the time they withdrew.
Scorpio didn’t come out unscathed either. When the campaign was over, Hazy found his Hellions had taken close to as many casualties as the Brigade. Scorpio had also fallen victim to base destruction.
Yet, Scorpio held Cavera. Scorpio already controlled most of the urban zones by the end of the campaign. Their other battalion, "Anubis," had taken only light casualties.