Strong Davion Force in Rashan Mountains

Rashan Mountains, Southern Continent
Halstead Station, Al Na'ir Prefecture
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine

Half of the Federated Suns force has taken over the Rashan Mountain range in the Southern Continent. The other AFFS regiments are busily wrecking havoc with the local militia and mercenary units. Reports are that the Rashan Mountains contingent seems to be searching for an ancient Star League base long since abandoned.

Takashi Kurita

Takashi Kurita
Coordinator of the Draconis Combine,
Duke of Luthien, Unifier of Worlds

Takashi Kurita, at 55, is a handsome, wiry man with nearly white hair and steel blue eyes, strongly Oriental features only slightly marked by crow's feet and scars. He possesses all the attributes of his lineage: military skill and ruthless cunning, intransigence and insuperable arrogance. Since his father Hehiro's death at the hand of a Kurita household guard 21 years ago, Takashi has ruled the Combine. Because he commanded Hehiro Kurita's household troops at the time of the assassination, Takashi was at first suspected of complicity. However, the actual murderer was killed by his own comrades shortly after committing the deed. If that was not enough to prove his innocence, Takashi ordered a brutal purge during the first 18 months of his rule to silence any last accusing voices.

Takashi Kurita has been an effective and forceful leader. Through judicious use of the ISF, and as a direct result of his complete and utter distrust of everyone, the Kurita warlord has suppressed or thwarted nine attempts on his own life and two abortive coups by members of his own immediate family. Not only has he suppressed opposition to his rule, Takashi Kurita has hunted down and thoroughly crushed it.

Following the tradition established by Jinjiro Kurita nearly two centuries ago, Takashi's authority is based on a superstructure of military commanders in each of five military districts (at Rasalhague, Pesht, Galedon, Dieron, and Benjamin), rather than on a system of planetary nobility. The governments of individual planets have no real power outside their worlds, and have gradually yielded considerable authority to the military rear echelon, often in exchange for their lives. Kurita is extremely effective in playing off his commanders against one another. Further, should any commander begin to win too great respect or popularity, Kurita will often summarily replace the individual. Though this tactic may have curtailed Kurita gains, especially against an ever more powerful and clever Davion opponent, it has also kept Kurita commanders from stepping out of line or combining against their master.

Vasily Cherenkoff

Vasily Cherenkoff
General of the Army, Knight of the Dragon

Commander of the Dieron Military District, Cherenkoff is a young but already quite venal man. During his brief but meteoric rise to power, he has demonstrated two outstanding personality traits. First, the ability to make enemies, usually as a result of his abrasive personality and Kurita-like arrogance. Second is his enormous capacity for food and drink of all kinds, making him a physically imposing specimen.

Kurita selected Cherenkoff several years ago. Though the General is competent and loyal, he has proved to be no match for the tacticians employed by Hanse Davion. Like most of the military hierarchy in the Draconis Combine, Cherenkoff has decided that trying to make a name for himself could be hazardous to his health, and so tends to limit his initiatives to rote maneuvers and strict adherence to regulations. For Kurita's part, he has found it easy to manipulate and control the vain, rotund General. Because Chernoff is friendless, Kurita believes he can dispose of the man easily when he has outlived his usefulness.