Sam pointed to the holo of the mountain fortress, "The Capellan Partisans use this as their main headquarters and to stage their attacks. They train their forces, reset here, and cache the supplies they steal." The holo moved around the fortress and then the view tilted and zoomed out to show the fortresses interior. The fortress was located on top of a large hill surrounded by steep mountains on either side. It was built with a similar Chinese aesthetic to the embassy. It had high steep walls, but there were also multiple weapon emplacements and several pagoda style buildings and other hardened military structures. There was also a large courtyard for mustering troops, but the image showed artillery pieces positioned to fire over the wall.
Colonel Bruckner looked unimpressed, "Why hasn't the compact wiped this thing off the map?
"Oh, they've tried a few times." Sam said, "I'm kind of surprised during your many meetings with them that they haven't brought it up, seeing as how it's the Cappellan's center of gravity here on St. Ives."
"They might have said something, now that you mention it." Colonel Bruckner quickly said, "I guess I didn't understand why they couldn't just destroy it." Colonel Bruckner looked at the Ambassador like he was trying to reassure him.
"Well I'm sure they mentioned it has anti-air defenses, and the fortress's garrison is pretty good at counter battery. Also, from what we've seen the compact struggle with combined arms maneuver. You got a military with a mix of people who are trained by the Cappellans which means they're more afraid of their leadership than they are of the enemy. That breeds a certain type of solider that will fight and die long before they'll surrender. The other part of their force is new recruits that are long on loyalty and desire for the Compact to succeed, but short on experience and training.
So they'll fight and die when others would cut and run." Col Bruckner said, "What's your point?"
"Sometimes you need them to just win, and that means being creative instead of afraid or brave and stupid." Hap said.
Sam tapped his nose and nodded at Hap, "To that end Lady Candace Laio had to withdraw her units to make a quick reaction force to support her other holdings, but she left a siege force. When you lack creativity war generally falls to the old ways of entrenched forces waiting for one side to make a mistake, give up, or die from exposure, sickness, or starvation."
"Unfortunately the partisans are using the mountains and caves to move around. Whenever the siege force locates a tunnel or cave they seal it, but they partisans still find a way, and they are getting help from some of the surrounding villages and settlements. So it's a very slow and incompetent siege."
"We were told the Capellans garrison has a Warhammer, a Marauder, and a Cataphract." Hap said.
Sam nodded, "Yeah When the fortress is threatened they like to park those on top of the hill, right outside the fortress's gate, sometimes with an UrbanMech. They just hurl PPC bolts and AC-10 slugs at anything that tries to climb that hill."
"I gotta ask, what's a Cataphract? Our contact with the Compact mentioned it, but none of us were familiar with a 'mech or tank by that name." Hap said.
"Oh yeah, you've probably never seen one of them." Sam said as he started pushing button on the holo viewer. The image of the mountain fortress disappeared and was replaced by an image of Candace Laio, Sam grimaced as he hit a few more buttons and the image was replaced with a planet that Hap was pretty sure was Necromo. Sam shook his head again and hit a few more buttons.
The planet disappeared and was replaced by a slick bird-like mech. It looked similar to a Locust or a Jenner but it was more streamlined and had a dual-laser pod for one arm, and an SRM 6 rack for the other. Sam hit another button and the bird-like mech was replaced with a large assault 'mech. Hap thought for a moment that he was looking at an Awesome 8R, the variant with the LRMs. Hap quickly realized this mech was something much different as it had four torso mounted auto-cannons in addition to the LRM 15 racks.
Sam hit one more button and smiled, "Sorry about all of that, I didn't come prepared to talk about the Capellan's X 'mechs. But lucky for me I happened to have them loaded up in the holo ready for another brief. Alright so what you're looking at here is the CTF-1X Cataphract."
The holo showed a loop of the 'mech running then switched to a standard sensor schematic with front and side views. It took Hap a moment to realize that from the waist down the mech looked like a Marauder, but the upper torso was very different. To further the confusion the right arm ended in what looked like the marauder's over-and-under PPC and medium laser weapon pod. The left arm looked under-sized for the mech. Everything about the 'mech looked familiar, but not from a single 'mech.
"Was this 'mech damaged? I believe that's the left arm from a SHD-2H." Anastasia said.
"It's not damaged, but that is the same arm from a Shadow Hawk." Sam smiled, like was trying not to laugh at his own joke, "Imagine a Phoenix Hawk and a Shadow Hawk had a love child, but they were also brother and sister. Then a retarded Marauder got a hold of it and they had a child, their spawn would be the Cataphract."
"That's not an inspiring endorsement." Anastasia said.
"I agree Annie, that's an unpleasant sounding 'mech all around." The ambassador said.
"Don't underestimate the inbred country hick." Colonel Bruckner said, "I've seen those boys wreck a lot of bars."
"That's probably the closest I've ever gotten to agreeing with you." Sam said. "So the Cataphract is not the cleanest 'mech design out there, but it works. Basically, the Capellans needed something a little heavier than a Vindicator but not necessarily as big as Battlemaster, and apparently the Riflemen and Warhammers they produce on Nanking and Menke just weren't cutting it.
"That's odd, the Warhammer is a well built 'mech, dangerous at any range." Anastasia said. She glanced at the Cataphract's weapon load out: 4 medium lasers, an AC-10, and a PPC. It also had 11 tons of Armor and sixteen heat sinks. "I suspect the Warhammer would outperform the Cataphract at long and close ranges."
"That's what our simulations indicate." Sam said, "Maximillian's logic can be hard to follow, but we also think this platform may be used as a test bed for other technologies. Whatever the case he wanted something new and this is the best their engineers could do with their limited infrastructure. On the one hand it's a marvel the damn thing works, on the other hand, it's like Frankenstein's monster. It's a bunch of stitched together 'mech parts to make a whole. We haven't seen a lot of these in combat, but for point defense backed up with a Warhammer and a Marauder, it's competent enough."
"I believe our information on the Cataphract is classified, should she be seeing it?" Colonel Bruckner said, pointing to Roweyna.
"Her clearance checks out, and she signed the NDAs." Fenhau said, "This information is necessary to the prosecution of her company's mission."
"Yes but your briefer also showed her the schematics for the Raven and Linesman." Colonel Bruckner added, "are her mercenaries likely to see those?"
"No. Which is why I didn't go into any detail on those 'mechs or even give her their names." Sam said.
"And once more, even with limited knowledge, you've managed to give away state secrets." Natalie said coolly before blowing more smoke in the Colonel's direction.
Roweyna smiled mischievously, "Jest because I'd name my first born after yer high prince, fer the right price, does not mean I'd betray yer secrets. Every good mercenary knows ye can only betray yer clients one time before ye have a reputation an' no clients."
"She is a mercenary with mercenary ethics, and her father has been doing his business for longer than you've been doing yours, and with significantly better judgment. Now, I do not tell you how to get seduced by spies in brothels, do not tell my people how to conduct their business." Natalie said.
"I've about had enough out of you." Colonel Bruckner snapped. "And your guy was the one flashing state secrets ."
Natalie dismissively continued to smoke. "Sam stop being sloppy."
"Yes Ma'am." Sam said.
Hap studied the Cataphract trying to identify the various parts of other 'mechs. He hoped it would be engaging the Compact forces while his lance did their work. "The Compact said they would do a front assault, as a feint, while we slipped in the back. What else is in their garrison and what should we prioritize when we get into the fortress?"
"They got a handful of light 'mechs like Stingers and Cicadas. We heard reports of a Javelin but we haven't seen him in our Satellite passes. I suspect they've all been modified for a complete energy load out. That's the good news. The bad news is they also have a Charger."
Hap and Anastasia exchanged glances, "If they got a Charger, I think we're going to have to do a quick hit and run."
"Well if you guys see that Charger it will be more of a hit and chase, cause he's about as fast as your Griffin and Valkyrie, and I've never met a Charger pilot that didn't want to run down a smaller 'mech and 'throw hands'." Sam laughed, then quickly added, "Don't worry kids if the Compact decides to march a lance of mechs and drive some tanks up that hill I'd imagine he'd go out to stomp on them, at least that's what happened last time."
Sam adjusted the holo projector to show the fortress again, "When you get in the fortress I'd recommend you try to take out their artillery battery." He pointed to fixed gun emplacements behind the fortress's high wall. "The Capellan garrison is really good at counter battery so anytime the Compact tried to hit the fortress with indirect fire they'd destroy their guns after the first salvo. We think they're low on ammo because they only seem to use them when the Compact fires first."
"What about their anti-air system?" Anastasia asked.
"Fire control is probably in this hardened building." Sam said, "It would take some time to destroy that. But the generators that power the AA are on the side of the mountain" Sam pointed to a small structure underneath a rocky overhang. "The Compact has tried to hit that thing a few times, but it's a hard shot with indirect, and they've never been able to get a 'mech close. I think you're not likely to hurt that system without a lot of effort." Sam looked over the fortress for a moment, "I think their ammo dump is here. For good measure, I'd wreck their antenna farm and satellite array, just to hurt their C2. After that I'd di di mau off the objective."
"I'm sure the Compact is going to give you a prioritized target list." Colonel Bruckner said, "I'd defer to their guidance. I'm sure it will be less guesswork."
"Sir, our experience has been that the Compact is less than forthcoming with their intel." Anastasia said.
"Aye, and in the mercenary business ye can never have enough intel." Roweyna said.
"Well spoken ladies." The Ambassador added, "I've found the Compact to be less than forthcoming as well." She gave Anastasia a wink, "And I like to get as much intel as I can too."
"This is our opinion as well." Fenhau said,
"Of course we actually interact with our Compact counterparts." Natalie added
"I don't appreciate your tone, or your passive aggressive bullshit. If you got something to say, just say it."
"It's all in our report, Colonel." Fenhau said, "We're ready to go over it when the Ambassador is ready."
The Ambassador sighed, "Well this won't be pleasant, we may as well just get it done. Harold, Annie, I'd like to talk to you after this" The Ambassador looked around the room, until she saw Private Harmay, "Gwen is it? Gwen, can you take Captain and Lieutenant Calahad, and Ms. McFinnigan to my office? Maybe stay there with them till I return."
"Sam, you won't be needed for this conversation." Fenhau told him, "Let the Corporal know he should take an early and long lunch."
The Ambassador had opened up the file she had been given earlier and looked troubled, "Tell him to find his way to the gym instead. I think I'm about to take a more active role in my Defense Attache office, and that corporal looks about as militant as a honey bun."
Sam nodded as he shut down the holo projector and prepared to move it, "I'll let Corporal Honey Bun know."