January 5, 3052: Satalice, Free Republic of Rasalhague Clans vs Fremen Satalice, November 3051 Satalice fell today after two months of bitter fighting. This planet high in tectonic activity, with its mountain ranges and chains of volcanoes, opposed the attacking Wolf Clan forces with determination. Satalice used what has been termed the 'Bandit Defense', scattering the defenders in company-sized units to utilize hidden supply and ammo caches in order to attack isolated stars of attackers. When Clan troops are searching an area, they tend to deploy into an irregular 'star-skirmish' line, with stars attacking in parallel as they move forward. The stars maintain radio contact, but are too widely separated for visual, especially in areas like Satalice's thermal plains and swamps. The 'Bandits' fall on isolated stars, taking them out quickly and decisively. Where iron content or mountainous terrain interrupt radio contact, as in the uplands of Satalice, this strategy is extremely effective, cutting down star after star without a single warning passing between endangered units. Satalice is no easy fighting ground. "Steam sprouts from the ground, see, and then before you can stabilize the heat in your legs, the steam has frozen on your lenses and viewscreens," grumbled a wounded MechWarrior evacuated from the Doomfighters mercenary company. I/R is non-existent; footing's uneven; visual's gone to - Look, just say it's an unhandy place to fight and leave me alone with my aching head, will ya!" Ragnar Magnusson, despite his youth, was Clan Tactics Resource Officer for the world. He was a bold and innovative thinker, particularly after he returned from an eight-month training course on Wolf's Dragoons'world, Outreach. Magnusson, son of the Elected Prince of Rasalhague, was an Ostsol pilot with a Drakon Company which fought in the west wing of the attempted flanking action at Blue Lava Fields. Reports indicate that his'Mech was destroyed by a unit of the'Wolf Spiders'. His body was not found, leading to speculation that the courageous young warrior is alive in enemy hands. The Wolf Clan has been rumored to treat enemies less savagely than the other known Clans. 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