Hall 3058 Update

World Name: Hall

Time to Jump Point: 5 days

Recharging Station: Zenith

Recharge Time: 8 days

ComStar Facility Class: B

Noble Ruler: Emperor William "Bud" Baranov

Political Leader: Emperor William "Bud" Baranov

When news of the Marik-Liao aggression reached the planet Hall, the defending Fourth Republican prepared to fend off an assault that never came. Instead of mountin a direct attack, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao directed his agents to forment a rebellion and so reclaim the world for the Capellan Confederation, but the Fourth ruthlessly crushed the rebel movement. Though the Fourth felt no particular loyalty to House Davion to justify its brutal actions, Hall's former status as part of the Tikonov Free Republic meant the unit loved the Capellan Confederation even less.

The Clan conflict left many rimward planets defended by green units and troops considered too unreliable for service on the front lines. Its history of vocal anti-Davion sentiment, discipline problems, and the current rumors of the unit recruiting out-of-work mercenaries after conducting only superficial background checks put the Fourth firmly into the unreliable category. When Archon Katrina invited all Lyran units currently serving in the Sarna March to return to the new Lyran Alliance, the commander of the Fourth Republican, Leftenant General William "Bud" Baranov, recognized the message hidden in the Archon's speech: the mighty Federated Commonwealth was breaking apart.

After a quick meeting with his officers, Baranov led his troops against the capital city of Harney, casually swatting the poorly organized opposition and crowning himself Emperor of Hall. Though the unit secured only the capital, most of the planet's population fell in line out of fear of what the unpredictable commander would do next. Only Count McNally, who controlled a sizeable region of land east of the capital, possessed sufficient military strength and economic assets to counter Emperor Baranov. Convinced that Baranov's next move would be against him, Count McNally hired mercenaries from Outreach to augment his own 'Mech forces, then settled in to wait.

Emperor Baranov had too much trouble in his own court to wory much about McNally. Several of Baranov's men had rebelled against him, and the two sides skirmished almost daily in Harney's streets. A city untouched by conflict since the First Succession War, Harney was rapidly falling to ruins. When Baranov finally drove the rebels out of Harney, that faction claimed several southern cities as its territory, and rumor has it that members of the faction have begun fighting among themselves.

All thre sides continue to administer their small portions of Hall, occasionally fighting each other for supplies or territory. Emperor Baranov controls the only interstellar transport on Hall and uses it to conduct pirate raids in an effort to feed his troops and subjects. The emperor is also attempting to gain sole control over the ComStar compound in Harney so that he can deny his enemies access to assistance from various members of the Free Worlds League in ending Emperor Baranov's reign.

Yuri and Nikoli Ridzik, twin sons of the famed Capellan general Pavel Ridzik, used their extensive network of contacts to raise a small army when the Sarna March began to collapse. The Ridzik brothers took their force to Hall, where they kept it hidden from the prying eyes of Emperor Baranov. By the end of 3058, the two brothers will have a force strong enough to challenge the self-styled emperor.

Led by Nikoli, the Ridzik army will conquer and overthrow Emperor Baranov and other rival factions on Hall and establish the world as the new capital of the reborn Tikonov Free Republic. With Hall firmly in their grasp, the Ridzik brothers plan to gather more troops so that they can invade the nearby worlds of Elgin, Hsien, and possibly Tall Trees. Both Yuri and Nikoli have their father's gift for military strategy and will put it to excellent use in the field. They are determined to make their new Republic permanent, and will not trade their independence for alliance with any Successor State.

Defending Forces

Unit Name                       Expernce     Homeworld     Faction 
Fourth Republican               Regular      Hall          Emperor Baranov
  (CO: Emperor Baranov)
  (1 battalion)
Cater's Cohorts                 Green        Hall          Major Cater (rebels)
  (CO: Major Dick Cater)
  (1 company)
McNally Guard                   Regular      Hall          Count McNally
  (CO: Commander Stacy O'Shayne)
  (1 company)
Burton's Brigade                Green        Hall          Count McNally
  (CO: Captain Elly Burton)
  (1 company)