19th Striker (Clan Smoke Jaguar)

Clan Smoke Jaguar logo
Nineteenth Striker Cluster
Disbanded 3060
Nickname The Razor's Edge
Affiliation Clan Smoke Jaguar
Parent Command Delta Galaxy

The Nineteenth Striker Cluster was the flagship Cluster of the Smoke Jaguar's Delta Galaxy.[1] They bid to participate in nearly every Inner Sphere assault.

History[edit]

Operation Revival[edit]

Star Colonel Thilla Showers bid to participate in nearly every assault on an Inner Sphere world, her desire for combat left the Cluster out of the fighting when the cutdown eliminated her.[1] Showers successfully bid the Nineteenth Striker on the following worlds during the invasion:

Wave One[edit]

Schwartz
In March 3050, Star Colonel Showers led Trinary Command, Second Battle and Supernova Striker in a combat drop directly on top of the Ninth Pesht Regulars in the Komache Fields on Schwartz, throwing both units into complete chaos. Only after Star Colonel Showers defeated Tai-sa Mark Graham in single combat did the fighting end.[1] In the meantime, most of the Ninth was able to withdraw due to a lack of Jaguar aerospace cover in the bid.[2][3]

Wave Two[edit]

Nykvarn
Supernova Assault landed on Nykvarn in May 3050, although the defending Nykvarn Armored Battalion fought a mobile campaign using their fast hovercraft to outdistance the Jaguar assault 'Mechs at Nykvarn City, the Bollins Marsh and on the Lucerna Plains, however the world fell swiftly and all but a few defenders survived the fighting.[4]

Wave Five[edit]

Asgard
The minute the Fourth Dragoons and the Nineteenth Striker Cluster touched down on Asgard in February 3052 they came under almost constant artillery attack from the Third Benjamin Regulars. Undertaking a forced night march to avoid this the Clan force marched on the City of Vernan, catching the Regulars by surprise and forcing them to retreat after a fierce battle. The Regulars' heavy and assault 'Mechs fought a rearguard action while the rest of the unit moved to a second defensive line at Odin's Retreat. This position held for a month before breaking under the assault before the Fourth crushed the Regulars' western flank. The Regulars broke and ran for their DropShips on the Ragnarok Plains under heavy fire from the Nineteenth, roughly a battalion escaping.[5][1]

Post-Tukayyid[edit]

In April 3058, Thilla Showers unsuccessfully bid against the Third Jaguar Cavaliers for the right to attack Matamoras. This precluded their participation in the fighting.[6]

Operation BULLDOG[edit]

At the start of Operation BULLDOG, the Nineteenth were located on Kabah.[7]

Counterattack[edit]

Matamoras
Galaxy Commander Hang Mehta with Alpha Command Nova accompanied the Nineteenth Striker Cluster during the assault on Matamoras in late July 3059.[8] They hit the planet's defenders, the Ryuken-yon, the First Free Worlds Guards and the Second Night Stalkers, fast and hard. The Free Worlds Guards moved to take position in Wazukana Fortress, which they defended tenaciously receiving aid from civilians from the nearby Funn Township. Star Captain Jeremiah Furey and two other Elementals had disappeared when they had investigated Funn, when Star Captain Vulcan Bowen led a Point to search for Furey he found the Township had been turned into a deathtrap to lure the Jaguars into.[9]

It was only due to civilian resistance groups that the planet did not fall as they tied up Jaguar warriors and frustrated their offensive efforts. This forced the Nineteenth to group together for protection and gave the respite needed for the Ryuken-yon to perform a nighttime combat drop on their positions, supported by a counterattack by the other Inner Sphere forces that broke the back of the Nineteenth and forced the Clan warriors from the planet by August 13th.[10][11] Some of its warriors made the retreat off planet, however their escaping DropShips came under attack from Inner Sphere WarShips. The escorting Lola III-class destroyer Griffin was destroyed trying to protect them along with three of the transport DropShips.[8]

Huntress[edit]

At least one survivor, an inexperienced MechWarrior piloting a Stormcrow joined the Smoke Jaguar forces that retreated to Huntress.[12] In the subsequent reorganization of forces into provisional Clusters during the journey home, the Nineteenth was most likely disbanded.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 19th Striker Cluster
Star Colonel Thilla Showers 3050 - 3059[1][13]

Other Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

The Cluster deploys a large number of Elementals within its ranks, many in mixed Supernovas, clearly placing emphasis on combined arms tactics. The Elite warriors excel at a broad range of missions.

Composition History[edit]

3050[edit]

(partial)[17]

3057–3059[edit]

  • Trinary Command (15 OmniMechs)
  • Trinary Battle - (15 OmniMechs)
  • Binary Elemental - (50 Elementals)
  • Supernova Assault - (15 OmniMechs, 75 Elementals)
  • Supernova Battle - (15 OmniMechs, 75 Elementals)
  • Supernova Striker - (15 OmniMechs, 75 Elementals)
  • Binary Air - (20 OmniFighters)[14]

Notes[edit]

  • Their unit sign is an antique straight edged razor with a blooded edge.[18]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Era Report: 3052, p. 56
  2. Invading Clans, pp. 63–64
  3. A New Game
  4. Invading Clans, p. 65
  5. Invading Clans, p. 69
  6. Exodus Road, p. 235
  7. The Dragon Roars, pp. 10–11
  8. 8.0 8.1 Shadows of War, p. 51
  9. Grave Covenant, pp. 290–295
  10. The Dragon Roars, p. 36
  11. Shattered Sphere, p. 56
  12. Shadows of War, p. 103
  13. A New Game, p. 6 (BattleCorps PDF version)
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 Invading Clans, p. 72
  15. Invading Clans, p. 65
  16. 16.0 16.1 Grave Covenant, p. 290
  17. Invading Clans, pp. 63–69
  18. Shadows of War, p. 103

Bibliography[edit]