Interview, Gun-Sho Akihito Tomo, Third Militia Company of Luthien December 26, 3051, Luthien Q: Gun-sho, what was your understanding of the situation between the Draconis Combine and the Federated Commonwealth as of yesterday morning? A: I had assumed that we were at a tentative cease- fire, with occasional skirmishes on both sides of the borders. Business as usual, I mean to say. Q: What did you think of the withdrawal of 90% of the FedCom troops from the Benjamin and Dieron borders that has taken place over the last several months? A: From what I have heard, the Clans are impossibly strong. We are as strong, or stronger than the forces of the Federated Commonwealth; otherwise, we would not have beaten them back during the 3039 War. Yet the Clans are cutting through our forces like a hot hocho through butter. A couple of vague rumors on the street are that these forces were pulled out in order to aid us in our fight against the Clans. If Prince Hanse Davion believes that he can launch a full-scale attack against the Draconis Combine and win; it is possible, now that we have been weakened by our fight ' that he could win. But it would be for nothing. Any fool can see that if Luthien falls, then the Draconis Combine will collapse. If the Combine falls, the ALL THE OTHER HOUSES ARE FORFEIT. Hanse Davion has to be more of a fool than any of our Public Information Sources have ever suggested if he believes that an attack on, and eradication of the Draconis Combine, would result in his gaining control over the Inner Sphere for any length of time. Forthese Clans would surely eliminate his forces as easily as they have been shown to eliminate ours. If he is instead intending to muster his forces to bring them to our aid against a common foe, then we have indeed misjudged him on this matter, for though his forces are not as strong as ours, they would be a valuable aid against a common adversary. Q: It is widely believed that if Federated Commonwealth House Troops enter the Draconis Combine, the Coordinator and the old-style regiments will attack them, assuming them to be invaders. What is your reaction to this? A: The old school would think that. I would say that the Coordinator would have to view them with guarded suspicion, to have them watched. If Federated Commonwealth forces were to enter our system to attack us, they would surely die, either by our hands or by the Clans' attack. The Prince of the Federated Commonwealth may be a sneaky dog, but he is not wasteful of his troops. Q: Would it not be a volatile situation to have regular FedCom troops as allies? A: Indeed it would be a volatile situation. But given the situation we now face against the Clans, with five BattleMech regiments against an unknown number of Clans, we are already between the proverbial rock and hard place. With the accuracy and effectiveness that has already been demonstrated against the outer worlds, the Clans may only have to match half our numbers to be successful on Luthien. Or have you so soon forgotten your own holovid of one of our Warhammers being cut to pieces by a Clan 'Mech that failed to set off a fifty-ton setting on a vibrabomb? One that had to be 45 tons or less? Q: I am now showing you a vid which will be released across the Combine tomorrow for your comment. Luthien Attacked January 5, 3052: Imperial City, Luthien, Draconis Combine Information Office At 0830 hours today, the battle for Luthien began. Further communiques will be issued as ... and if ... we are able. A: (speechless for a moment, then speaks quietly) That is the typical attitude of the Wolf's Dragoons, and of the Kell Hounds. If they truly wish to assist us, then their presence is welcome. This ... This ... Of course. Perhaps one of the reasons we have been beaten back so handily is that we have been following such conventional methods and tactics. What better way for Hanse Davion to assist us, should he choose to assist us, than by sending his most unconventional mercenaries? Perhaps unorthodoxy is the answer, is our key to fending off the Clans. Don't you see, neither we nor the FedCom want their troops within our borders! But these are mercenaries. (Laughs) Therefore, they are technically not his troops! The Fox is playing the technical angles again, as he has always done. He will not allow his own forces in because of the longstanding animosities that may arise between our troops. But mercenaries, what do they know of borders? They live to fight for the highest bidder. The Federated Commonwealth has always relied rather heavily on mercenaries to defend their borders while they used their main forces for attack. Q: How do you recommend that the people of Luthien receive the Kell Hounds and the Dragoons? A: Listen to their ideas, follow from their methods; understand and adapt as necessary. Now is the time for us to learn flexibility from those who are masters of it. Q: Until I showed you this certified vid, what chance did you think we had to keep Luthien from falling to the Clans? A: In all honesty? Next to none. We are massively outnumbered. They have far superior equipment. And they seem to know our tactics like the back of their hands. Q: And now that we have these reinforcements? A: The only chance that one may have from superiority in most areas may be a change in tactics. This much we have learned from our numerous engagements against the Federated Commonwealth, with their striking when and where we least expected it. Prince Hanse's forces have shown us time and again that small numbers of poorly equipped forces can defeat a numerically and technologically superior opponent through use of unconventional tactics. Due to the often numerical and technologically superiority that the Draconis Combine has enjoyed over the centuries, our command structure has neglected to evolve tactically, deeming such changes unnecessary. Now our positions are reversed; the Clans have superiority, and we must turn to those who have always fought from the other perspective. Q: Do you believe that this reinforcement will make a difference to the defense of Luthien? A: If they are willing to instruct, and we are willing to listen, then we stand a chance. Otherwise, the whole of the Inner Sphere is doomed. BattleTechnology News From the Front Inner Sphere Factories Retool For Clans War Mercenaries Refuse to Fight Conference on Outreach Miraborg Surrenders to Wolf Clan Man in the Street Interviews Clan Invasion Incoming! The Sergeant Speaks his Mind Kai Allard-Liao Plunges to Death Ragnar Magnusson Lost Back to BattleTechnology 18 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1992 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