Periphery worlds were falling silent, one at a time. We weren't surprised when we didn't hear from the Duchy of Oberon, the Elysian Fields, The Greater Valkyrate. Sometimes political or technical considerations put segments of these realms out of touch for several months at a time. Oberon was the first large group to lose contact, but the Duchy seemed headed for a civil war, so we weren't concerned. The Elysian Fields is reached by relay through the Duchy, so we didn't hear from them either. We were surprised not to receive boastful communiques from the Ryans and the Morgaines of The Greater Valkyrate. It's not their way to be silent. The last we heard from them was an unconfirmed sighting placing them in the Oberon Confederation fighting another pirate group. It was this duringthis action that a Kell Hounds unitwas destroyed. As for Santander's World and Star's End - silence from them could only be a blessing. Or so we thought. It became clear that new pirates were out there. Rumor had it that the 'new pirates' had incredibly advanced weapons. But we're seasoned to rumors - Periphery Realms where the Star League never ended, alien civilizations based on the lizard, the return of the House of Cameron: several of these have been reported to BattleTechnology within the past month! We ignored most of this rumor as exaggeration. And so did most of you. In March of this year, a thrust by a force referring to themselves as the 'Jade Falcons' conquered Barcelona and Bone Norman in days. Anywhere, Here, Bensinger and Toland fell within the next week. It is believed that a few groups of trained guerilla resistance fighters remain on Here, but no news has come from the planet since it was conquered. An offensive beginning on April 13 swept over Steelton, Persistence, Winfield, and Trell 1. As of this writing, Trell 1 is holding out, but there is little hope for the planet. Kommandant (and Heir to the Federated Commonwealth) Victor Steiner Davion had to be forcibly evacuated from his first command on April 15. The Draconis Combine had better luck - and worse. Their attackers call themselves the 'Smoke Jaguars', or the 'Smoke Jaguar Clan'. Richmond, Idlewind, Tarnby, and Bjarred fell easily. Front line troops seem to have left these worlds to a garrison and moved on. The closer you get to the Alshain District, the heavier the fighting seems to have been. Schwartz fell quickly, but cost the invaders a DropShip. Rockland gave them a stiff fight; smuggled-out transmissions indicate that its two major cities were reduced to rubble before the invaders conquered. On Turtle Bay the 'Smoke Jaguars' faced the Fourteenth Legion of Vega. Once the Legions of Vega were the scum of House Kurita; now they are among its best units. These were the units first reformed by Kanrei Theodore Kurita. They had been scattered across Combine space by his father the Coordinator, but the nucleus of the Legion remained, proud of its traditions and stubbornly brave in their defense. It took two weeks to conquer this world; guerilla resistance organized by the yakuza remains stiff. But the young hope of the House of Kurita, the Kanrei's son Sho-sa Hohiro Kurita, remains missing after the conquest of the planet. Our yakuza sources report that he is a prisoner of the 'Smoke Jaguars'. At least the Draconis Combine has only one force against it. Near the Rasalhague border House Steiner has lost Icar and Chateau to the 'Wolf Clan'. This same 'Wolf Clan' has taken Skallevoll, Outpost, Svelvik, Alleghe, The Edge, New Caledonia, Balsta, and St John in Rasalhague space. None of these worlds were taken without stiff fighting. All of them were quickly conquered. New Caledonia held out the longest; its surrender was announced the first of April. Rasalhague's second enemy is a force called the 'Ghost Bears'. So far they've conquered Thule, Damian, and Holmsbu. Why were so many worlds taken so quickly? The invaders seem to have weapons which hit at longer ranges than any of ours. They have weapons which do more damage than ours do. And they must have something which blanks ComStar's transmissions; world to world the first warning of invasion came when invader JumpShips appeared in jump points in the home system. The few reports we have from the New Caledonia campaign mention defenders ambushing at close range from the rugged and rocky spurs which Caledonia I is famous for. The rocks hold heat so well that they are effective camouflage for a 'Mech lance. And the closer in our forces were able to take the battle, the smaller the invaders' margin of superiority becomes. Their AeroSpace fighters are as good as our best, but not significantly better than our best. Inner Sphere response so far? Isle of Skye Troops from the Federated Commonwealth are moving toward the Periphery border. Can Hanse Davion be gambling that House Kurita will be too busy on its own Periphery to attack? The Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery is shifting troops from the Dieron Military District bordering the Commonwealth to the Periphery border. They are also moving troops from the thinly- held Rasalhague border. It seems that neither of the Biggest Powers wants to attack the other. Each needs to be strong to hold off the attacks by the new forces. Rasalhague is fighting with honor, but not with style. They are throwing everything they have into the fight. No world is being taken easily. Yet despite their courage, world after world is being taken. All Wolf's Dragoon units have left their current assignments; they appear to be heading for their home world of Outreach. The Eridani Light Horse, newly re-contracted to the Commonwealth, is moving to that front as well. Both regiments of the Kell Hounds requested and received permission to relocate to the frontier world of Sudeten as of April 15. Kell Hound Intel gives an 86.5% probability that these clans are the pirates who blasted their unit last August, and a 78.3% probability that the unit involved was from the 'Wolf Clan'. St Ives released their second battalion with no difficulty. Sudeten is a general rendezvous point for the Federated Commonwealth. The First Kathil Uhlans, the Deneb Guard, the Arcturian Guard, Lyran Guard, Royal Guard, and the Skye March Regiments have been formed into a new Army Group under the direct command of Marshal of the Armies Morgan Hasek Davion. Crucis March troops are moving up from the Federated Suns portion to take their places. Wartime security - not to say paranoid secrecy is tight. However, as new troop movements are made known to us, BattIeTechnology will keep you informed. The Grim Score Card Months 1 & 2 House Won Lost Still Fighting Federated Commonwealth 0 12 0* Rasalhague 0 11 0 Draconis Combine 0 7 0 Invader Force Won Lost Still Fighting Jade Falcons 10 0 0 Wolves 10 0 0 Ghost Bears 3 0 0 Smoke Jaguars 7 0 0 * News flash at presstime: Trell System Falls Back to BattleTechnology 14 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1990 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com