Skirmish at Cano Homestead (Kay-no)

The Conflict

Prelude

The tensions between free colonies and homesteads and Talopi Xonod continued to grow after Talopi Xonod declared itself independent from Nodum.
The closest free settlement to a Talopi military base was the small farming hamlet of Cano Homestead. It had a population of 193, and was mostly owned and operated by the Cano family. They had a small team of mercenaries protecting the farm, mostly from bandits and native fauna, and a small ad-hoc militia that could be organized from a handful of fighting age men with firearms training or experience.
The Xonod Senate had approved Commander Piet Henschel's plan to march his Garrison from Fort Katzen to Cano Homestead and annex the village and its food stores before advancing south towards larger settlements.

Deployment

Fort Katzen Garrison

The Garrison deployed 2 platoons, 1st and 2nd Infantry, led personally by Commander Henschel. They marched from the Fort to the hamlet, then attacked from the north and the east through the open farm fields. The 1st Infantry Platoon, from the north, started a fire in one of the fields to draw out the mercenaries from the town centre.
Cmdr. Henschel led 2nd Infantry personally, and ordered them to march through the fields from the east.

Cano Homestead Militia and Mercenaries

There were 12 local militiamen and 10 mercenaries hired from the System Protection Company in Cano Homestead. A pair of mercenaries who were patrolling near the border spotted the incoming soldiers, and prepared the town's defenses. The mercenaries held the east, thwarting the attempts at a distraction and separation tactic by Cmdr. Henschel.

Battlefield

The hamlet c.2841

The Engagement

Phase 1: Fire in the North Field

Phase 1
Commander Piet Henschel order the commanding officer of 1st Infantry Platoon, First Warrantman Heiko Steinschel, to attack from the north. 1st Infantry used several Mk. 4 Sheeboush to start fires in the north-most farmland, in an attempt to draw the System Protection Company mercenaries from the southeast end of town. However, the mercenary company spotted Cmdr. Henschel and First Warrantman Niklas Reinma leading 2nd Infantry from the east. While a group of Cano militiamen took cover in a house west of the burning field, a second group, led by Cano Bryn, engaged 1st Platoon while the mercenaries engaged 2nd Platoon.

Phase 2: Open Combat

Phase 2
The mercenaries spread out across the field, with their superior training and equipment allowing them to inflict multiple casualties on 2nd Platoon. After a short back and forth between the two sides, one of the mercenaries, Ikim eaHylim, was killed. The mercenaries began slowly retreating to their camp. Ikim's Pygen M77 Assault Rifle was taken by 2nd Platoon, and would find its way to 1WM. Reinma soon after.
Meanwhile, 1st Platoon splits themselves into two groups. One group, with the Platoon's ABR Gunner and Grenadier, attacks the house held by militiamen. The group suffers great losses before finding cover and returning fire. On the other side of the north field, Cano Bryn and her militia engaged 1WM. Steinschel and his half of 1st Platoon, with both sides soon disengaging from heavy losses.

Phase 3: Routed Defenders

Phase 3
The 1st Platoon Grenadier used his last remaining pair of Mk. 4 Sheeboush and his satchel charge to burn a large part of the house occupied by the Cano militia, killing most of the defenders and forcing the rest to surrender. Cano Bryn was able to injure 1WM. Steinschel with a shot from her Grandfather's Frontiersmen revolver before being forced to retreat back into the hamlet.
The mercenaries, suffering another loss, started to gather vital equipment and documents from their camp, while destroying anything that couldn't be carried. While Reinma wanted to enter the hamlet with measured caution after the firefight in the open field, but Henschel demanded the Platoon push on with haste.
The last of the remaining civilians manage to evacuate from Cano Homestead, fleeing southwest towards the Border Trade Road.

Phase 4: Retreat

Phase 4
1st and 2nd Platoons recombine in the centre of Cano Homestead, attacking and either killing or capturing the pockets of militiamen still fighting back.
The mercenaries manage to flee to their transport and leave the moon's surface, while Bryn and her men fled west out of the hamlet in search of the surviving civilians.

Outcome

First Warrantman Heiko Steinschel died shortly after the battle from his wounds. Command Sergeant Arno Behrma would be elevated to Second Warrantman and given command of 2nd Platoon, while 1WM. Niklas Reinma was moved to 1st Infantry Platoon.
The Garrison would loot the hamlet of its large food supply before burning much of the settlement to the ground.

Aftermath

The Skirmish at Cano Homestead would later be recognized as the first battle in the Tianni Civil War.

Included under Conflict

Tradelands Campaign

Conflict Type

Skirmish

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

9.19.2841

Ending Date

9.19.2841

Conflict Result

Fort Katzen Garrison victory, both sides suffer losses

Location

Cano Homestead

Belligerents

Talopi Xonod

• Talopi Xonod

Led by

• Piet Henschel

Cano Homestead Militia

• Cano Family

Led by

• Cano Bryn

Strength

65 soliders

• Fort Katzen Garrison

22 soldiers

• 12 Cano Homestead Militiamen
• 10 SPC Mercenaries

Casualties

• 16 Killed
• 22 Wounded

11

• 8 Killed
• 2 Captured

Objectives

Capture Cano Homestead

Defend Cano Homestead