1st Division (ComStar)


The First Division insignia (ca. 3141)
1st Division Level IV
Formed 2933
Nickname Strong Retaliation (3050)
McGillaray's Legion (3062)
Avenging Angels (3141)
Affiliation ComStar
Parent Command 6th Army


Overview[edit]

As well as being the first Com Guard unit formed, the First Division was among the most active units in the both secret and public phases of ComStar's military history.

History[edit]

While formed in 2933, the First Division and the Militia as a whole first saw action in 2979 during the so-called Tripitz Affair, the Order's attempt to prevent the Taurian Concordat from recovering an ancient Black Lion-class battlecruiser, the SLS Tripitz, in orbit around New Vandenberg. The First were ordered to destroy the ship, painting their equipment stark white to prevent any link to the Order. Despite their lack of practical combat experience, the First's advanced Star League-era equipment allowed them to defeat the Taurian forces in under an hour with only three deaths, before obliterating the WarShip.[1] The First's success earned them new respect from the Order and Primus Yin Takami specifically, who authorized an expansion of the Militia's 'Mech element based on their actions.[2]

The First again saw combat in 3004 when they were ordered by then Primus Allen Rusenstein to exterminate the pirate band commanded by "Black" Jack McGirk, which had previously been supported by the Order as part of the so called Jolly Roger Affair but had since turned rogue. Tracking the pirates to the unmapped world of Trisha, the First fought against McGirk's band for the better part of three days. While the 1st successfully completed their mission, the greater combat experience of the pirates gave them a 2.3 to 1 kill ratio against the still relatively untested ComStar forces.[3][2]

Clan Invasion to FedCom Civil War[edit]

Prior to the initial Clan Invasion, the elite ranked First was known by the nickname of Strong Retaliation and assigned to the 6th Army. Then a IV-pi based formation, the 1st's headquarters world was Oriente in the Free Worlds League.[4]

As part of the Sixth Army, during the Battle of Tukayyid the First fought against Clans Steel Viper and Ghost Bear, most notably launching strikes on the Steel Vipers' supply lines. Expecting the defending second-line Second Fang Provisional Garrison Cluster to be easy prey, the First launched a three prong strike at the supply trains heading towards the beleaguered Alpha and Gamma Galaxies in Devil's Bath. While the First was victorious, the warriors of the Second Fang were worthy opponents and inflicted horrendous losses on the division.[5][6] During this fight, the Second Fang discovered that a soldier in the First Division had genetic similarities to a Clan Wolverine warrior.[7] The effective leadership of Precentor McGillaray during the battle led the First to adopt the nickname of McGillaray's Legion, one of the few times a Com Guard unit has been named for its commander.[8]

Unable to return to their original posting in the Free Worlds League after the ComStar Schism, the elite First remained with the Sixth Army and transferred its headquarters to Hall in the Federated Commonwealth.[9] With the Free Worlds League Military recapturing many nearby worlds during Operation Guerrero and with a growing pirate threat on the Combine-Periphery border, the now IV-xi based First's headquarters was moved to Rockland after Operation Bulldog. In 3061, Precentor McGillaray sent Legion Beta Level III into the Periphery to try and identify and neutralize these pirates, but contact with the unit was lost.[8] By 3067 the situation remained unchanged as continuous raids wore down the unit. Precentor McGillaray became convinced that the raiders' success against one of the Com Guards' most elite units indicated they were too well-trained and equipped to be pirates, but attempts to identify the House or Clan sponsoring them as well as the First's attempts at locating the pirate bases had been unsuccessful.[10]

Jihad[edit]

With the original First Division apparently destroyed sometime in the early stages of the Blakist Jihad, after Precentor Martial Victor Steiner-Davion's reduction of the Com Guards from twelve to six Armies, the division was re-formed prior to August 3076. Taking part in a raid against New Earth as part of Devin Stone's Coalition, the newly re-formed First performed reasonably well given its youth against a Clan-tech equipped Level-III believed to be from the Thirty-ninth Division, before the Coalition forces were pushed off-world.[11]

Along with the remaining Com Guards after the conclusion of Operation SCOUR, the First Division was disbanded as part of ComStar's obligations in signing the Republic Formation Treaty, its survivors either retiring or joining the newly formed Republic Armed Forces.[12]

Republic Era[edit]

While the Com Guards were disbanded in the wake of the Jihad, in the peaceful decades after that conflict elements within ComStar would revive its military, with the First Division the first Level IV re-formed. Eager to prevent both the negative public reaction and Republic of the Sphere reprisals in response to a rearmed ComStar, the First would remain hidden similar to its history prior to the Fourth Succession War. Because of this the information available about the reborn First Division is exceedingly scant.[13]

The First Division would be publicly unveiled in the wake of Gray Monday, when Precentor Malcolm Buhl revealed its existence to capture Tucker Harwell on the Republic world of Wyatt in 3135.[13] Harwell who had developed a method to restore the HPG on Wyatt, was considered to be key to his plan of ending the Blackout and thus rebuild ComStar into the organization it once was. Buhl knew that the reveal would cause the Republic to hunt his reborn Division down, but hoped the preparations he had the Order set up would buy them enough time to complete his plan. Unfortunately Alexi Holt, an undercover Knight of the Sphere, would track them down to their secret Omega base on Luyten 68-28 and would escape with the rescued Harwell to alert the Republic of the re-formed Com Guards' unit's location. Just prior to Republic troops making planetfall on Luyten, Buhl would order a full withdrawn to their Alpha base on Epsilon Eridani. Over the next 4 months the First Division would quietly gather whatever remaining assets they had, and evade the Republic to take refuge on Epsilon Eridani.[14]

Again however the Republic would catch up with them, as information recovered on Luyten eventually revealed their destination. The RAF would dispatch the heavy cruiser Auspicium to Epsilon Eridani to investigate the claims. At the system's nadir jump point they had a chance encounter with an arriving ComStar fleet, confirming the suspicions. The Auspicium's two fighter squadrons of Schrack OmniFighters engaged the fleeing Acolytes of Vision III-gamma formation. They destroyed the Guard's Achilles-class assault DropShip Purity of Purpose in a high-speed pursuit, though only four fighters would ultimately survive the engagement.[15] The Auspicium neutralized the enemy JumpShips to keep them from escaping, then used its functional HPG to alert the Republic.[14]

On February 11th 3141, the XIV Hastati Sentinels landed on planet and attempted to move toward the Guard's base of operations. They were soon caught in well-laid traps and were forced almost back to their landing zones by Stalwart Covenant III-eta and Chastity of Faith III-zeta formations using their superior knowledge of the terrain. Then in the morning of the 12th, they were hit with a successfully raid by Stalwart Covenant III-eta, and Heralds of Pious Light III-delta formations which allowed for a fair amount of damage to their line and the loss of a portion of their supplies. Keeping on the defensive, the Fourteenth would be later supported by the Stone's Revenants on the 15th which then allowed for the combined RAF force to advance towards Guard positions.[14]

The heavy fighting in the Thaynes foothills almost cost the First their Chastity and Faith III-zeta formation, but thanks to the sacrifice of the Division's aerospace fighters most of remaining formations were able to retreat into the Shamus Mountains. This delay in fighting was cut short by RAF forces using a combination of explosives and combat engineers that were able to break into the mountains to pursue. There the RAF forces fought against the Guard's Blake's Guardians III-epsilon and Acolytes of Vision III-gamma formations, and by the 19th of February despite artillery from hidden batteries the RAF force almost broke through their lines. The First then surprised the RAF forces with the arrival of Celerity OmniMechs and hidden Duat DropShips loaded with cruise missiles to further stall the RAF's advance. This sudden revealing of new and effective equipment seemed to produce the intended effect on the RAF forces. However because the First revealed their Duats, the RAF forces were able to learn of the location of the First's remaining DropShips. Wasting no time, the RAF forces then ordered brutally counterbattery fire and used the Auspicium to conduct orbital bombardment to neutralize any forces found at those locations.[14]

In order to break the stalemate, the Fourteenth conducted a high-altitude drop in the early evening of 20th February. Despite facing down lethal anti-aircraft fire from Pollux ADA Heavy Tanks and the Unending Faith III-beta formation, the drop successfully caught the First between them and the rapidly advancing Revenants crumbling their defenses. What followed was a vicious night melee as the RAF forces pushed the remains of First into their base.[14]

By the 21st of February, Republic Forces had effectively routed the First Division. Even though Precentor Buhl and most of his executive staff were killed when the base's command post was stormed, the remaining Guards fled the battle. During the next 4 days the RAF played a deadly game of cat-and-mouse among the Shamus Mountains, ending with the last Guard troops detonating explosives to trigger a massive landslide which destroyed 2 lances of the Fourteenth and killed any remaining Com Guard forces. With their deaths, the battle for Epsilon Eridani came to an end and with it the end of the First Division.[14][16]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Division (ComStar)
Precentor Peter McGillaray circa 3040 - Tukayyid and beyond (until at least 3062)[4][5][9][8][10]
Precentor McClellan 3076[11]
Precentor Malcolm Buhl 3141[17]

Tactics[edit]

The 1st Division have formed the basis of all Guards and the basic tactics they established went on to influence the organization as a whole. As the Guards have grown and expanded, the unit has continued to focus specifically on the anti-pirate and small unit actions that the pre-Schism Guards publicity machine pointed to as the organization's purpose.

Composition History[edit]

3050[edit]

1st Division (Division/Elite)[18]

Note: At this point in time the 1st Division was stationed on Oriente.[18]

3055[edit]

1st Division (Division/Regular)[19]

Note: At this point in time the 1st Division was stationed on Hall.[19]

3062[8][edit]

1st Division

3141[edit]

1st Division

  • Unending Faith III-beta[14]
  • Acolytes of Vision III-gamma[14]
  • Stalwart Covenant III-eta[14]
  • Chastity of Faith III-zeta[14]
  • Blake's Guardians III-epsilon[14]
  • Heralds of Pious Light III-delta[14]

Rules[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

The First Division can make use of Banking Initiative and Overrun Combat. BattleMechs operated by First Division may add an Improved C3 Computer to their machines at no additional cost, after freeing up the necessary critical space and tonnage.[17]

Notes[edit]

  • The First Division's post–Clan Invasion insignia was a helmet of a Roman soldier resting atop a large marble pillar.[8] After its post-Jihad rebirth, the First Division insignia was a winged angel holding a Word of Blake sword blade down.[13][17]

References[edit]

  1. ComStar, p. 46: "The Tripitz Affair"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 13: "The Com Guards - Bait and Switch"
  3. ComStar, p. 49: "The Jolly Roger Affair"
  4. 4.0 4.1 20 Year Update, p. 70: "6th V-pi"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Tukayyid, pp. 79, 83–84: "Clan Steel Viper - Cutting off Supplies (13)"
  6. Era Report: 3052, pp. 30–31: "Factions - ComStar - First Division (Strong Retaliation)"
  7. Bloodright, p. 6
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 31: "6th Army V-kappa: Grim Defiance"
  9. 9.0 9.1 ComStar, p. 85: "6th Army V-Kappa (Grim Defiance, Procyon Theater, from 6 to 7 on the "Inner Sphere Clock")"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Field Manual: Updates, pp. 87, 98: "6th Army V-Kappa (Grim Defiance)"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, pp. 82–83: "The New Earth Raid"
  12. Field Manual: 3085, p. 176: "Republic of the Sphere - The RAF - Administrative Divisions - Department of Military Intelligence"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Era Report: 3145, p. 84: "Factions - ComStar - First Division"
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, p. 7: "Avenging Angels"
  15. Technical Readout: 3145 Republic of the Sphere, pp. 50–51, 133: SCK-O Schrack - Schrack fluff notes the Auspicium's actions during the ComStar conflict in the Republic
  16. Field Manual: 3145, p. 140
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, p. 8: "Combatants"
  18. 18.0 18.1 20 Year Update, p. 70
  19. 19.0 19.1 ComStar, p. 85

Bibliography[edit]