15th Lyran Regulars

Lyranregulars15th.png
15th Lyran Regulars
Nickname The Bully Boys
Affiliation Lyran Commonwealth
Parent Command Lyran Regulars

The Fifteenth Lyran Regulars, known as the "Bully Boys" [1] was a BattleMech regiment in service to House Steiner. It has historically claimed the homeworld of Hood IV.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

By 3025, the Fifteenth Lyran Regulars was based on Hood IV, guarding the Commonwealth's border with the Periphery. [2]

In 3027, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces launched Operation Thor, a major military exercise designed to show off its military might involving the relocation of dozens of BattleMech and conventional regiments. This also included the Fifteenth Lyran being relocated to Tamar on the Draconis Combine border without arousing suspicion.[3] [4]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

At the start of the Fourth Succession War in 3028, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces launched Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, the largest Lyran invasion of the Draconis Combine in centuries. The Fifteenth Lyran Regulars were sent to invade Weingarten in the Rasalhague Military District. Weingarten was defended by the First Sun Zhang Academy Cadre, commanded by Isoroku Kurita, nephew of Coordinator Takashi Kurita. As the Cadre was split into battalions spread across the planet, the Fifteenth Lyran was able to easily crush the Sun Zhang First Battalion composed of green troops before moving on. Despite the Cadre's fanaticism, they were routed by the more experienced Fifteenth Lyran in less than a week. A Kuritan Tank regiment effectively sacrificed itself so the remnants of the Cadre could retreat. The Fifteenth Lyran Regulars gained operational control of the planet in less than ten days. [5] [3] [4]

The Fifteenth Lyran Regulars would attempt to follow up this success with an attack on Memmingen, where they faced the remnants of the First Cadre, the mercenary Vandelay's Valkyries, and several regiments of determined local militia. Though they were successful in finishing off the First Cadre, they faced a long and hard campaign against the remaining Kuritan forces. When the Combine began to send reinforcements, the Fifteenth was forced to withdraw.[3] [4]

After the war, the Regulars remained on the Combine border until the formation of the Free Rasalhague Republic in 3034. At this point, it was returned to its homeworld of Hood IV. [3]

The War of 3039[edit]

A decade later, the now-united Federated Commonwealth, under First Prince Hanse Davion, planned to end the threat of the Draconis Combine permanently, launching the War of '39. The 15th Lyran was briefly relocated to Port Moseby in preparation for another wave of attacks into the Combine. When the Combine unexpectedly counterattacked, the Commonwealth invasion was canceled. The Regulars ultimately returned to Hood IV without seeing any combat.[6]

Hood IV[edit]

The Fifteenth Regulars would remain on their homeworld for nearly twenty years after the War of '39. Though still possessed of a solid reputation, they were primarily confined to fending off pirate attacks. When the military was reorganized into the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth, Hood IV and the Regulars were included as part of the newly formed Periphery March.[7][3]

When the Clan Invasion struck the Inner Sphere, the Regulars were somewhat disappointed to not to be sent to the front, seeing combat only against pirate groups fleeing the Clans. Nevertheless, by the time the Invasion was halted in 3052, Hood IV was a mere four jumps from the Jade Falcon border. Their situation did not change significantly when, in 3057, Archon-Regent Katherine Steiner-Davion split the Lyran Alliance from the Commonwealth, though Hood IV was now part of the newly formed Melissia Theater, answering to General Sharon Bryan.[3] [8]

Operation BULLDOG[edit]

In 3058, the rulers of the Inner Sphere formed the Second Star League, designed to end the Clan threat once and for all. The Fifteenth Lyran Regulars were chosen to join the new Star League Defense Force and to participate in Operation BULLDOG, the annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar. [9]

Based on Lonaconing, the Fifteenth saw action during the Jaguar counterattack, facing the Jaguars' Twenty-seventh Garrison Cluster (part of Omega Galaxy) and fighting alongside the Fourth Arkab Legion. Instead of proceeding with a direct assault, the Jaguars used a series of feints that gave the defending forces time to organize and inflict damage on the Clan attackers, most in small engagements. By August of 3059, the Jaguars ordered a general retreat from the Inner Sphere. The Twenty-seventh Garrison Cluster withdrew with minimal losses, having inflicted little damage on the Fifteenth Lyran or Fourth Arkab. Though the Fifteenth's commander was criticized somewhat for not pursuing the Jaguars more aggressively, it should be noted her orders were to hold the planet, not to destroy the enemy. Her actions resulted in minimal losses for her forces.[3][9][10][11] Though the battle of Lonaconing was anticlimactic, it did result in a newfound respect and camaraderie between the Fifteenth and Fourth Arkab Legion, leading to the exchange of a lance of BattleMechs.[3]

Afterward, the Regulars were returned to Hood IV.[8] During Operation Bulldog, the unit's auxiliary heavy tank unit took part in a raid against the Jade Falcons, where they performed admirably despite losses of a battalion's worth of vehicles.[3]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

When the FedCom Civil War finally broke out in 3063, the Fifteenth Lyran managed to avoid the conflict itself. They were, however, drawn into the fighting when the Jade Falcons chose to take advantage.

After the Blair Atholl agreement, General Adam Steiner sent them to retake Adelaide in May of 3065. There they drove off the First Falcon Swoop Cluster by May, inflicting heavy losses on the freebirth clan warriors.[12] [13] [14]

Afterwards, they were transported to Zhongshan.[13]

In the aftermath of the war, the Fifteenth Lyran Regulars remained on Zhongshan at about 80 percent strength. At this point, only about a quarter of their BattleMech forces were considered upgraded, though they did boast a small amount of Clan salvage. [15]

Jihad[edit]

The Fifteenth was later reassigned to Melissia, where they formed the core of the world's defense. As Melissia served as a staging ground for the assault to drive the Blakists off of Tharkad, the Fifteenth wound up working alongside the Lyran forces that freed that world. The rest of the Jihad found the Fifteenth guarding Melissia from all attackers.[16]

Two companies of the Fifteenth were split off to form the core of a rebuilt Eleventh Lyran Regulars. After that they were assigned to take Megrez. The Fifteenth quickly took the world after inflicting heavy casualties on the defenders through the extensive use of Clan-spec equipment.[17]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 3rd Lyran Regulars
Leutnant-General Lisa Orsini 3042 - 3067[7][18][3][14][15]
Colonel Lilly Anne Crofton 3085[19]
Colonel Steve Riveras 3145[20]

Tactics[edit]

Composed primarily of heavy and assault 'Mechs, the Fifteenth generally engaged in stand-up fighting.[3]

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regular/Reliable)[21]

2786 - 2821[edit]

13th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Green/Questionable) [22]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Ayacucho. In 2821 the command was reduced to 42 percent of its strength and was deployed on Aigle. [22]

2830[edit]

13th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Questionable) [23]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Aigle with an operational readiness of 109 percent. [23]

2864[edit]

13th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [23]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Borden with an operational readiness of 78 percent. [23]

3025[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[24]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Hood IV. [24]

3040[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[25]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Hood IV. [25]

3050[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [26]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Hood IV. [26]

3054[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [18]

  • CO: Leftenant General Lisa Orsini [18]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Hood IV. [18]

3062-3067[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[3][15]
CO: Colonel Lisa Orsini

15th Lyran Regulars Combat Auxiliary (Four Companies/Green/Questionable)[3][15]
CO: Hauptmann Viktor Erdmann

3079[edit]

Fifteenth Lyran Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [27]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Melissia.[27] The unit was at three quarters of its pre-Jihad strength.[16]

3085[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regular/Reliable)[19]
CO: Colonel Lilly Anne Crofton

15th Lyran Regulars Infantry Brigade (Green/Questionable)[19]
CO: Colonel Lori Baxter

3145[edit]

15th Lyran Regulars (Regular/Reliable)[20]
CO: Colonel Steve Riveras

Notes[edit]

  • In The Dragon Roars (scenario pack), the 15th Lyran is listed as an Regimental Combat Team. [9] This is not reflected by any of the other publications either before or after, which list the Regulars having only a few companies of armor support.

References[edit]

  1. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 77
  2. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 120
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 94, "15th Lyran Regulars Unit Profile"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 44
  5. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 50
  6. Historical: War of 3039, p. 137
  7. 7.0 7.1 20 Year Update, p. 28, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Shattered Sphere, p. 50
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 The Dragon Roars (scenario pack), p. 11
  10. The Dragon Roars (scenario pack), p. 36
  11. The Dragon Roars (scenario pack), p. 13
  12. Field Manual: Updates, p. 171, "15th Lyran Regulars"
  13. 13.0 13.1 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 185
  14. 14.0 14.1 FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 112
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Field Manual: Updates, p. 178, "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  16. 16.0 16.1 Field Report: LAAF, p. 13
  17. Field Manual: 3085, p. 102
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Objective Raids, p. 21
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 107, "LAAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  20. 20.0 20.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 132, "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces - Coventry Province"
  21. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 120, "Deployment Table"
  22. 22.0 22.1 First Succession War, p. 139
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Second Succession War, p. 99
  24. 24.0 24.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 118, "LCAF Deployment Table"
  25. 25.0 25.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 137
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 20 Year Update, p. 28
  27. 27.0 27.1 Field Report: FWLM , p. 13

Bibliography[edit]