Combine Borders Quiet Down

Luthien, Kagoshima Prefecture
Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine

The Ministry of War announced that the Draconis Combine borders have been quiescent for the last few months. The DCMS has secured the border planets after the combined attacks of the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns garnered the Combine enemies six worlds. Rumors of an impending offensive to retake the worlds have spread throughout the realm.

PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk

Overview

The Phoenix Hawk is a common 'Mech, a versatile model produced in the tens of thousands during the Star League era. Orguss Industries, a manufacturer of the similar Stinger and Wasp, created the Phoenix Hawk by strengthening the internal structure of its basic Stinger chassis, which enabled the new 'Mech to support heavier armor and expanded weaponry.

Capabilities

Clearly superior to its lighter cousins, the Phoenix Hawk also functions as a scout. Its armor permits it to sustain combat situations, and its array of one heavy and two medium lasers will give other medium 'Mechs like the Griffin and Wolverine a run for their money.

The Phoenix Hawk quickly became a staple of Star League recon forces. Pilots liked its ease of handling, and its speed made it well-suited to raiding and scouting. The Land-Air 'Mech version, constructed first in 2832, further expanded the Phoenix Hawk's mobility by allowing it to also perform aerial reconnaissance and combat.

The Tek Tru-Trak targeting computer system was a highly advanced piece of equipment, giving the Phoenix Hawk's ranged fire a deadly accuracy. Since the destruction of the Star League's major computer industries, maintenance and repair of Tru-Traks has declined considerably, as very few Techs have the specialized knowledge to service them. In many cases, the complex circuitry has simply been removed and replaced with simple line-of-sight magnification systems.

The multi-channel Tek BattleCom communications gear, which is heavily shielded to protect against battlefield interference, makes the Phoenix Hawk well-suited to a command/forward operations role. The swift 'Mech may also be outfitted with jamming and ECM gear.

The PXH often serves in light regiments and scout lances, and the LAM convertible Phoenix Hawk often plays a dual role in air and land 'Mech units.

Variants

As a scout 'Mech, the Phoenix Hawk has several notable variants, including the previously mentioned ECM-equipped and convertible LAM versions. Houses Davion and Kurita have also developed their own variations on the basic Phoenix Hawk-A.

The Davion PXH-D replaces the basic model's twin M100 machine guns with extra heat sinks. These increase the 'Mech's ability to dissipate heat, giving it greater endurance. Kurita's Phoenix Hawk-K is an uparmored version of the basic model, replacing the M100s with a single light laser, eliminating the jump jets, and increasing the number of heat sinks. Though the -K functions well in combat, it is not a popular model because many consider its lack of jump jets a major drawback vitally restricting the 'Mech's mobility.

Chinese New Year Firefight

Blue Canton, East Continent
Altair, Al Na'ir Prefecture
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

Chinese New Year festivities ended in bloodshed when an unidentified group of youths opened fire into the crowd during the city's Dragon Dance. A second group of youths returned fire. The battle lasted several minutes before the youths fled as city police arrived. Three people were killed and over twenty people were wounded.

Federated Suns Mercenaries Depart

Altair City, Central Continent
Altair, Al Na'ir Prefecture
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

Local reports confirm that the remnants of Lindon's Company have departed the planet. Duchess Kyle has been credited with helping hunt down the bandits and harass them until they were forced to leave. The bandits were able to destroy several military installations during their stay on Altair.