ISiF - Prelude to War

"The Star League is dead.
As much as it pains me to write it, these past six months have shown that there is truly no turning back.

One could argue that the Inner Sphere has suffered continual conflicts since the fall of the original Star League, but since the Clan Invasion in 3049, many worlds have experienced a near constant barrage of war. From Operation Guerrero, which created the Chaos March, to Operation: Bulldog, through the Capellan Confederation's Xin Sheng reconquista and the Combine-Ghost Bear War, to the FedCom Civil War, the past two decades have seen a dramatic upsurge in battles crossing multiple interstellar borders.

The reformation of the Star League, initially to stop the threat of Clan aggression, only aided Sun-Tzu Liao's re-absorption of the St Ives Compact, and did nothing to prevent the two halves of the sundered Federated Commonwealth from coming to blows.

And it was the rulers of these three nations: the Capellan Confederation; Lyran Alliance; and Federated Suns, that decided to withdraw from the League. The remaining members elevated the Word of Blake and others as full members of the Council, but even then, could not gather the votes needed, and the Council was dissolved.

Incensed, the Word of Blake issued an ultimatum to the Council - keep the Star League together, or suffer the consequences. Never taken as seriously as they should have been, the Word's threat was ignored and they tipped their hand to their true might, unleashing the Invincible, a refurbished Tharkad-class WarShip on the planet. A nuclear strike at the heart of the capitol city was only the prelude to what would befall the Sphere.

With the Chaos March secured, previously-unknown Divisions of Word 'Mechs launched forth, easily taking control of many worlds close to Terra. New Avalon felt the sting of invasion, as did Luthien, though the latter claims to be in support of the ruling Kurita family.

Elsewhere, tensions between neighbors have exploded. The Free Worlds League and Lyran Alliance have sent regiments to invade one another, starting with a terrorist assassination of a beloved Marik general. Liao and Davion are currently massing forces on their respective borders, with the FedSuns finally looking at retaking Tikonov back from the CapCon. Mercenary hiring is also at a fervor not witnessed since the start of the Clan Invasion.

Speaking of mercenaries, the loss of Outreach to the Word of Blake prior to the Star League council has turned Galatea and Solaris VII into new Meccas of hiring. Even down on their luck company-sized and smaller commands are being snatched up by hungry House recruiters.

The Clans have not been idle during the coming storm. Vlad Ward's ominous warning that the Wolves would only respect the 15 year Truce of Tukayyid, and not the Great Refusal, has come to fruition as Wolf Galaxies have been seen launching Trials against their neighbors in a much greater frequency. And, in the Deep Periphery, rumors swirl of new Clans coming to invade.

The Inner Sphere will weather what is being referred to as the '5th Succession War' like all others, but at what cost? When peace returns, will the butcher's bill rival that of the 1st? Only time will tell."

-- John Broward, INN Special Corespondent, Orestes, 3068


 3067

• October 15th: Harlech Uprising - Waco's Rangers and four total regiments of rogue mercenaries launch assaults on Harlech City, Outreach. Though defeated, Colonel Wolf is killed. The Dragoons blame Word actions.
• December 5th: The 4th Whitting Conference, the reformed Star League is disbanded.
• December 5th: The Word of Blake assaults Tharkad, with a bombardment by the LCS Invincible.
• December 5th: The Word of Blake assaults New Avalon.
• December 7th: The Battle of Mars sees Wolfs Dragoons invade the Terra system. The Word, though caught unprepared, quickly rallies and destroys multiple Dragoon WarShips, as well as wiping out the invasion forces.
• December 11th: The Battle of McCarel Farm takes place on New Avalon.
• Mid-December: The Clan Grand Council debates renewal of the invasion following the death of the Second Star League. A vote to elect a new ilKhan fails and talk of invasion is tabled for now. Several Clan leaders meet outside of council chambers to discuss unilateral actions.
  
• December 30th: The Black Dragons gain control over Luthien.
• December 15th: The Northwind Highlanders are blockaded on Northwind by the Word of Blake
• December 20th: Word of Blake forces retaliate against Wolf's Dragoons by invading Outreach. After months of fighting, the Word pacifies the planet and takes control of remaining Dragoon industrial capacity.
• December 21st: Clan Nova Cat forces across Draconis Combine space suddenly return to the Irece Prefecture.
• December 24th: General Helen Thrall of the FWLM is assassinated by the Lyran Alliance. 
• December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Epsilon Indi.
• December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Fletcher.
• December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Tall Trees.

 3068

• January 1st: The Black Dragon's Second Sword of Light seizes the Imperial Palace on Luthien.
• January 1st: Word of Blake ground and black water naval forces assault Luthien.
• January 21st: Word of Blake forces devastate the 21st Centauri Lancers and other units on Tukayyid.
• February 2nd: Clan Wolf cedes control of Unzmarkt to Clan Diamond Shark, after Trials which net the Wolves several Clusters of Shark-produced 'Mechs.
• February 4th: Renegade Free Worlds League forces raid Skye.
• February 4th: Word of Blake forces assault Dieron.
• February 4th: Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner of Skye declares war on the Free Worlds League, this marks the start of Operation: UBERSCHATTEN.
• February 20th: The CSV Invisible Truth is ambushed en route to Case WHITE, Victor Steiner-Davion is killed.
• March: The Word of Blake conducts raids against Hesperus II, this marks the start of Operation: STEEL HAMMER.
• March 9th: The Case White invasion begins, ending in disaster for the ComGuard.
• March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Cascade.
• March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Megrez.
• March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Togwotee.
• March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Coventry.
• March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Donegal.
• March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Hesperus II.
• March 20th: Clan Wolf Beta and Gamma Galaxies win Trials for Zoetermeer and Leskovik.
• March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Colfax.
• March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Pingree.
• March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Sheridan.
• March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Thermopolis.
• May 15th: Word of Blake forces depart New Avalon under mysterious circumstances, ending six months of occupation. They take with them enough salvageable materials to build or expand multiple Divisions.
  
• July 1st: Yvonne Steiner-Davion, Princess-Regent of the Federated Suns, returns to a triumphant New Avalon with the body of Victor retrieved during her journey from Tharkad. A toxin introduced into her system at an unknown time takes effect, killing her as she touches the ground on New Avalon. 
• July 22nd: Following the assassination of the Princess-Regent, Conrad Jerric Davion is instilled with the powers and title of First Prince. A reorganization and redistribution of power in the Federated Suns occurs shortly thereafter.