Battle of the Markets

[History, War]

The Battle of the Markets, that happened on 3087, is considered the fire baptism of the very first Mech of the mankind history(1) and the start of the Mech Warfare in the galaxy, revolutionizing all the military basis, strategies and tactics.

Although today it is believed that the battle of the markets faced an important pirate force against the first Mechs of our history, in fact it faced a conventional army of the solar empire, coming from Old Terra, supposing the beginning of the end of the Terrestrial colonial empire in the outer planets.

Historical Introduction

After Falco Lisi's discovery in 2287 how to unlock Gateways and travel through them, mankind had spread throughout the galaxy, creating a plethora of colonies. The new states were born and died at the same speed as night and day, but a few prevailed, stubbornly resisting and growing slowly but inexorably.

In most cases, Old Terra maintained an imperialist status on these new satellite states that grew on the outer planets, demanding them important taxes. One of the most influential colonies, on which Old Terra wielded its iron fist, was the Illyris sector, a prosperous and growing colony that had important mining prospects of Niobium, Ferronite(2), and other valuable resources.

The relationship between Old Terra and its colonies and satellite states was, at best tense, giving rise to numerous independence movements fueled by the colonists' discontent. In addition, the inflexible Old Terra government imposed very high taxes on the Illyris sector, so the Illyrian, began to sabotage shipments and reduce the amount of resources sent to Old Terra, which contributed to unbearable inflation In the solar system markets.

The Solaris Empire(3), which was eager for more resources, sent legates and inspectors to the Illyrian sector, but these were bribed, kidnapped and even killed, while further reducing production, contributing, along with other causes, to a break of the Terran markets and a major economical crisis in the empire.

Key to the Illyrian Sector

Old Terra adopted extreme measures, sending an expeditionary army to the mining prospects of the Radix Tribe, which, although they did not represent the greatest concentration of wealth of the sector, were the gateway-bottleneck to the Illiryan sector, and therefore, of Great strategic importance in order to reestablish order in the Illyrian mining colonies.

But the Radix Tribe had not been idle, and while the Illyrian houses maintained the mercantile boycott, Radix's engineers began a project to develop a new arsenal, knowing their territories would be the first to be struck by the imperial hammer.

Development of the First Mech

The Radix Tribe began designing a mobile unit that combined the versatility of autonomous mining units with armor and firepower of armored vehicles. They took as their starting point the MMU (mechanical mobile units) that used for the mining extraction, denominated Red Ant, turning them into the first Mech used in history for warlike purposes.

In the year 3087 they had several Red Ants squads available, and although they had not completed their testing, the sudden appearance of the imperial intervention forces advanced the baptism of fire of the first Mech force of history.

The Battle of the Markets

Because of the propagandist action of the First Republic Illyria, which falsified the data to exaggerate generously their victory, it is quite possible that the Terran expeditionary force would have an army body composed of at least three armored divisions and a logistic division, totaling more than half a thousand armored combat vehicles and possibly up to five thousand men.

It is known that a few squads were able to subdue and defeat the conventional army, taking advantage of the characteristics of the abrupt terrain chosen by the Radix Tribe, and in general, by the superior abilities of the first Mech in front of the armored vehicles.

It is very possible that the Radix Tribe suffered also important cassualties and the lose of an important number of Red Ants, but that information was censored and detailed information can not be found. The official reports of course relate an overwhelming victory.

Factors such as the surprise, morale and uncertainty of fighting an unknown force of xeno appearance units as a Mech force was never faced before, the inadequacy of the terrain in which the Red Ants ambushed to the tank divisions and in general, the superior combat capabilities demonstrated by the Red Ants, decanted the victory on the Illyrian side, defeating a much superior force, but conventional and inferior to the new Mech units.

Notes
  1. Not taking in consideration the millenarian Forerunner civilization.
  2. The unprocessed mineral from which the Ferrite is obtained.
  3. Solaris Empire is another the Terran Empire denomination, which receives its name from the Star of their Solar system.

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(By GJ - 685605)