The Battle of Hesperus is a battle that took place five years after the Battle of Klendathu when Arachnids invaded the mining planet Hesperus, which was used by the United Citizen Federation to fuel its Fleet. As such, the United Citizen Federation launched a counter-attack against the planet to retake it.
History[]
The counter-invasion begins[]
The battle began with the Fleet deploying Mobile Infantry in a first wave onto the surface to establish a landing zone where the counter-invasion of the planet could be launched from. The Mobile Infantry was deployed to a previously established compound on the planet where they came under heavy Arachnid attack whilst powering on the compounds Electric Pillars around the perimeter. Marauders were then to be deployed to the surface to reinforce the groundforces via Dropships, however at this time, the Fleet in orbit came under attack in the form of plasma from the planet's surface and a Marauder was forced to land on the planet's surface via Capsule instead for speed.
Electric Pillars activated
Marauder 6 landed on the landing zone alongside the second wave of Mobile Infantry whom then fought their way to the nearby compound under heavy Plasma Bugs and Warrior Bugs attacks. The Arachnid forces in the immediate vicinity were driven off and the compound secured after its Electric pillars were all activated and remaining Warrior Bugs with it eliminated. Marauder 6 was then returned via dropship to a ship in orbit until next assignment.
Outpost 29[]
One of the Federation outposts on Hesperus Outpost 29 located in Badland country became cutoff from other Federation forces after Arachnids began launching attacks against it. Marauder 6 was deployed to reinforce Outpost 29 shortly before a large Arachnid force attacked the outpost, which initially was repulsed. However, a DR-8 Skyhook carrying a powercore (to activate the outpost's beacon) and automated minelayers crashed short of the outpost, forcing the Marauder to leave the outpost and retrieve them from the Crash site. After obtaining these, the Marauder returned to the outpost setting up the minelayers by its exterior and activating the Powercore. This was just in time as a second wave of Arachnids consisting of Warrior Bugs and Hopper Bugs attacked the outpost in force. This force of Arachnids was so heavy that the Federation realized that it could not be held and sent a squadron of TAC Fighters on a bombing run by to slow the enemy forces. During the attack, a Tanker Bug appeared smashing the front wall of the outpost and killing several troopers inside until Marauder 6 was able to destroy it. A DR-8 Skyhook was deployed onto the outpost and the remaining troopers and Marauder evacuated the outpost onboard it.
Plasma Mountain[]
Plasma Bugs had throughout the early stages of the counter-invasion been firing plasma against the Fleet ships in orbit destroying many of them. As such, the Federation had TAC Fighters bomb the Plasma Bugs destroying the majority of them. However, these planes were unable to destroy one massive Plasma Bug that was located in a heavily defended mountain, forcing the Mobile Infantry with a Marauder to attack and destroy it from the ground.
In the initial assault against the Mountain, Marauder 06 was deployed to set beacons on a suitable landing zone for Mobile Infantry dropping from orbit to land on. During the landing, a high-ranking officer's ship crashed onto the mountain with a rescue team losing contact with command. Marauder 06 was therefore deployed to located and rescue the missing officer General Hauser along with a squad of Mobile Infantry troopers dropped by DR-8 Skyhooks onto the landing zone. Marauder 06 was able locate General Hauser where Warrior Bugs were swarming the Crash site whilst a small Plasma Bug bombarded the location. The Marauder killed the Plasma Bug and Warrior Bugs in the immediate area and was able to extract the General off the mountain. Mobile Infantry including Marauder 06 then pressed on up the mountain taking out many Warrior Bugs and small Plasma Bugs.
The Mobile Infantry located the Plasma Bug that had been firing at the fleet in orbit, and by firing at its tail during Plasma bursts were able to kill it removing the Arachnids capacity to fire on Fleet.
Stronghold[]
During the previous attacks by the Plasma Bugs, Fleet lost a number of fuel supply vessels. As such, this left the fleet rather short on fuel, so the Mobile Infantry were sent to raid several previously abandoned Strongholds deep in Arachnid territory in order to pump fuel from them. Most of this operation was done successfully, however as the Federation was still pumping from the final Stronghold the Arachnids launched an offensive against it. The Mobile Infantry along with Marauder 06 were deployed to hold it for long enough for ships to pump all available fuel from the Stronghold then evacuate. Mobile Infantry laid up a heavy defense of the Stronghold utilizing Electric Pillars, trenches, and turret emplacements.
When the initial Arachnid attack began, the Electric Pillars had not yet been activated, and the dropship landing, a Mech Trooper going to active them missed the Stronghold landing outside the perimeter. Marauder 06 was deployed, however, to retrieve the Mech Trooper and escort him back to the Stronghold where upon the Mech Trooper was able to activate them despite being under heavy attack from Arachnids. Marauder 06 was tasked with protecting the Mech Trooper throughout his efforts.
Whilst their ground efforts were not yet succeeding, the Arachnids launched Fireflies against fuel vessels docking with the Stronghold to destroy them. Marauder 06 was successful in shooting down these bugs, and fueling operation were able to resume.
Eventually, the Stronghold's defenses in sector 1 went into automatic shutdown turning off its Electric Pillars and forcing the Mobile Infantry to withdraw from an Arachnid horde. Marauder 06, along with a squad of Mobile Infantry, managed to enter the Stronghold just in time to avoid the Stronghold's Vapor Explosives with deployed along its perimeter.
With three fuel ships still not finished in their operations, Marauder 06 was redeployed to sector 2 maintain a defense for as long as possible. The fuel ships obtained all the fuel and thanked the remaining Mobile Infantry troopers still defending the base. However, they also decided not to send a rescue boat as very few troopers remained alive, and they deemed the risk too high. Marauder 06 was able to survive and shortly after the pilot of his retrieval boat elected to attempt a rescue of him landing of the Stronghold's roof after all other troopers had been overrun rescuing Marauder 06 just in time.
Lost Marauder[]
Psi Ops launched a secret operation to the planet's surface without informing anyone, utilizing Marauder 01 in a drop. However, Marauder 01's Capsule failed to deploy for landing, causing it to crash onto an abandoned recycling Centre. Upon discovering one of their Marauders had gone M.I.A, the Mobile Infantry deployed Marauder 06 to the recycling center to locate the lost Marauder. After fighting his way across the recycling center, Marauder 06 found Marauder 01 shortly before he died. To the Mobile Infantry's shock, they discovered that he had a nuclear weapon attached to his suit that began to activate, forcing 06 to flee to his dropship before it detonated.
Notable Combatants[]
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Gallery[]
Appearances[]