SCOUTING REPORT
Date of Report: 01.13.+9 AE
Reporting Officer: Sub-Major Jon Rasmussen, 3rd Recce Team, Attached to TF WELCOME LIGHT
To: OPCOM, Intel DIv, Republic Navy Taskforce WELCOME LIGHT
Subj: Observation and Analysis of Emergent Force and Unconventional Tactics on ONC-ε4
Date and Time of Incident: 12.27.+8 AE, 1340 LT
Location of Incident: Callisto Agricolony ε4, Section G, Local Settlement known as “Cratetown”
In accordance with prior orders from Taskforce WELCOME LIGHT Operational Command, 3rd Reconnaissance Team inserted into the geodome of Agricolony ε4 without incident 12.24.+9. Remote scans, prompted by prior signal intelligence and accumulated rumors, had indicated an active settlement on the south end of the dome. 3rd RT approached the settlement on foot, ULHE-Vs left in reserve at entry point. An observation post was established roughly 1700 Local Time on 12.24, about 1500m south of the settlement.
The settlement is built atop an equipment maintenance hub. Additional structures have been improvised from recovered shipping containers, apparently salvaged from a nearby WegMaCo shipping terminal. Our best guess is that the town sustains itself by hand-operating intact algae-maize plantations. Salvaged solar accumulation arrays have been re-erected to channel additional light to the plantation stacks. Specialist Corporal Hanna noted that the improvised reflector mounts could be reconfigured to protect the settlement from CME, indicating an impressive level of ingenuity and cooperative effort on the part of the settlers. A hand-painted sign planted at the end of one street indicates the locals have dubbed the settlement “Cratetown”.
***
At 0638LT, 12.25, Scout Private Jeppson observed a group of 7 HE-Vs of irregular type and configuration, accompanied by a convoy of wheeled cargo vehicles, approaching from the north. Markings indicated that this force was affiliated with the pirate clan “Roland’s Reavers”, documented prior at Agricolony μ7 (1). No response from the settlement was observed until the Reaver force surrounded the settlement and infantry began dismounting from their vehicles. The Reavers clearly expected no outside interference, as no defensive picket was established, and the HE-Vs took positions that appeared to prioritize intimidation of the locals over good tactical order. The Reaver infantry swept through the buildings and herded the settlers into the central street at gunpoint, at which point the able-bodied settlers were forced into work gangs.The speed at which the Reavers organized this indicates that this is unlikely to be the first time this has happened at Cratetown. The settlers were forced to load agricultural products and salvaged equipment from their stores into the Reaver vehicles. This is consistent with reports of Reaver extortion tactics at Agricolony μ7, but the expansion of their racket to ε4 should concern TF OPCOM.
At 0914LT, however, we observed an additional force of 5 HE-Vs approaching the settlement at high speed from the west. Our initial attempts to identify this force were unsuccessful, as their markings and configuration matched no known force in the region. Further review of our recordings and images suggest that they may be based on Echelon Group frames, albeit heavily modified. Supplemental silico-ferrous armor cowlings have been attached, but the armor sheets are carefully shaped with complex curves, creases, and ridges, with a burnished blued steel finish. SPvt. Jeppson noted that these HE-Vs had more work put into their appearance than a Corp Honor Guard.
Furthermore, while most of the HE-Vs had some equipment and weaponry of standard types, all of them bore weapons of novel design and make. The novel weapons seem to be derived from advanced industrial electrocharge-cutters, dyno-mass demolition tools, and similar equipment, refashioned into what we could not help but describe as ancient close combat weapons - swords, spears, warhammers, and so on. 2 heavier HE-Vs even bore fluomagnetic force projectors mounted on their arms as shields. This led SpCpl Hanna to begin calling them “Knight” HE-Vs, an appellation I have since been unable to discourage.
Regardless of the bizarre designs, and being notionally outnumbered, the Knight HE-V’s impact on the Reavers was extraordinarily effective. The Reavers failed to notice their charge until it landed. The few panicked shots that the pirates made were turned by the supplemental armor and shields. Two lighter Knight HE-Vs(2) maneuvered quickly around the Reavers, using short blades and vapor-arc projectors to disable their motive systems while the heavier HE-Vs(3) put their momentum behind large, shaft mounted weapons to deliver extraordinary damage. The most skill was displayed by the heaviest of the Knights(4). It was especially distinct for the elaborate fluting on its armor, and the marking on the “shield” it carried - a lion in front of a ringed planet. This HE-V drove its polearm clean through the Reaver’s Heavy HE-V, while simultaneously using a reconfigured cargo handling tethered-harpoon to drag another Reaver HE-V to its knees so another Knight could smash the Reaver’s cockpit into splinters with a hammer.
The shock of the Knights’ charge drove the Reaver infantry into a panic, some of them simply fled on foot in any direction, others jumped into their cargo trucks to attempt escape with what loot they had already loaded. The 2 Reaper HE-Vs that had not yet been destroyed by the Knights began to flee with the looters, and the lighter Knight HE-Vs took off in pursuit.
The largest HE-V stayed, though, and seemed to attempt an “heroic” pose. Loudspeakers mounted on the projected the following statement:
“People of Cratetown, hear me! Rejoice! For I, Grandmaster Robert deClair, have driven these ruffians from your estate, never to return. Your goods shall soon be recovered and your livelihoods made whole. I declare you are now held as a seigneurie(5) under the protection of the Order of the Watch, and tallages(6) for your upkeep will be forthcoming.”
The settlers, who had fled for cover, emerged at this odd speech. At first, confusion at the strangely-worded declaration muted their response, but enthusiasm slowly built into cheers and celebration as the settlers realized that the Reavers would not be returning.
***
3rd RT was forced to close the observation post and exfiltrate shortly thereafter to rendezvous with our planned extraction. I highly recommend that additional scouting missions be made to Agricolony ε4 to observe further developments. More independent power groups emerging in the Rim will complicate the Taskforce objectives of asserting control and mobilizing available resources for the Republic Navy. Integration of novel ideology or radical cultural forms into local political arrangements will likely make it more difficult to secure loyalty of strategic Rim settlements.
In addition, the facility making these heavily modified HE-Vs should be located and secured. Examples of these HE-Vs and their weapons should be obtained for further research and tactical experimentation; they may represent innovations that can be integrated into Republic HE-V designs and tactics. Lastly, the person of this “Robert deClair” should be investigated in what records we can access. Where does he come from, why does he present these affectations, and, most importantly, is he a threat?
***
(1) Detailed equipment and markings analysis can be found in the attached supplement.
(2) Temporary reporting name “Squire” and “Errant”, thanks to SpCpl Hanna. See supplement for detailed analysis.
(3) Temporary reporting name “Zealot”. See supplement for detailed analysis.
(4) Temporary reporting name “Paladin”. See supplement for detailed analysis.
(5) SpCpl Hanna looked up this term after exfil, apparently it is a very old term for the land worked on by peasants for a medieval lord.
(6) Likewise researched by Hanna, this is a very old term for taxes imposed on peasants by lords. Its doubtful that Cratetown understood this element of deClair’s proclamation.
Illustration by Austin Thompson
