1st Kestrel Grenadiers

Insignia of the 1st Kestrel Grenadiers
First Kestrel Grenadiers BattleMech Regiment
Nickname Eternal Flame
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command AFFC/AFFS

The First Kestrel Grenadiers were the household guard of House Cunningham.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

Formerly the Duke of Kestrel's household guard, and the Cunningham family by extension.[1]

Their homeworld is Zurich.

Third Succession War[edit]

The Grenadiers were nearly destroyed in a reconnaissance raid on St. Ives before the Fourth Succession War. The raid took place in 3026 at the behest of Michael Hasek-Davion. Defending forces consisting of the First St. Ives Lancers and the Red Lancers who were equipped with several experimental Cataphracts and Ravens used Electronic Warfare Equipment to great advantage.[2][3] The Duke of Kestrel intervened to prevent the unit's deactivation. Rebuilt by Hanse Davion by incorporating MechWarriors from independent units and elements of Capellan forces who had defected to the Federated Suns.[1]

War of 3039[edit]

Matar[edit]

The world had at the first view no real value for the AFFS but the chose the planet for invasion as future base for following waves. The task force for the initial attack included the First Kathil Uhlans and the First Kestrel Grenadiers with two conventional infantry regiments for support. Both units had trained together for several months but even with such preparation the landings were difficult. Some of the troops landed far away from their drop zone and the local population create white noise to jam all radio signals at the planet. The conventional fighter unit of the DCMS made the situation worse. Only by the use of secure communication lines could the invaders overcome that obstacles. The Uhlans cut the power from the radio stations and could secure their target. The loyal Combine citizens put up stiff resistance and gave the invaders no time for rest. Even with additional conventional forces, the AFFS did not pacify that planet.[4] Then the DCMS counterattack took place. The DCMS troops included two Ghost regiments (Eleventh Ghost and Twelfth Ghost) and four conventional regiment sized commands too. The initial landing saw the destruction of one JumpShip and the attached DropShips by accident. The Ghost units landed on two different locations in the Tri-Cities and tried to connect with each other. The commands had difficult to reunite again. That was the chance for the Grenadiers to mount a counterassault. The fighting in the urban terrain saw the killing of hundreds of civilians and the situation got worse when the Uhlans enter the battle later to. That was the turning point. Angry Draconians fought the invaders at every opportunity. The AFFS commanding officers decided to retreat off world.[5]

Clan Invasion[edit]

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After the Fourth Succession War, the Grenadiers received Capellan defectors assigned by Prince Hanse Davion, bringing the unit to regimental combat team strength. After training quickly, the unit deployed twice, against the Draconis Combine and Clan Smoke Jaguar. Both times, the Grenadiers demonstrated their elite status.

Operation Guerrero[edit]

Forced to retreat from New Canton during the Marik-Liao invasion.[1] Before retreating offworld, the Kestrel Grenadiers fought McCarron's Armored Cavalry to a standstill. It was only the actions of pro-Liao terrorists that forced the Kestrel Grenadiers to withdraw.[6]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

Selected to participate in Operation Bulldog, the Grenadiers launched from the Combine world of Babuyan on May 13, 3059, joining the assault on the Clan Smoke Jaguar–held world of Kiamba alongside the DCMS' elite First Genyosha, the Com Guard Eleventh Division and the Free Rasalhague Republic's Third Drakøns. Caught off guard due the efforts of Operation Bird Dog, the commander of the 362nd Assault Cluster reacted too late to deploy his aerospace fighters and the SLDF taskforce landed without incident. Facing overwhelming odds, the 362nd was easily destroyed, with the Grenadiers and the other coalition forces suffering only minimal losses. During the second wave the Grenadiers would then be transferred to garrison Mualang for the remainder of the conflict.[1][7]

Civil War[edit]

During the FedCom Civil War the First Kestrel Grenadiers defended Zurich. Their spirited defense prevented the Capellan Confederation from taking the Zurich Salient that projects into the Confederation.[8]

Jihad[edit]

The First Kestrel Grenadiers participated in all four waves of Operation SOVEREIGN JUSTICE. In fact they nearly took Capella. During the withdrawal of FedSuns forces from the Confederation, the Kestrel Grenadiers fought on, stopping the CCAF troops cold in several cases. They were then broken into several smaller units and dispatched throughout the Capellan March to guard against Capellan and Blakist attacks.[9]

Post-Jihad[edit]

In 3085 the First Kestrel Grenadiers were split into two combat commands and stationed on the Capellan border, where they were involved in a series of small scale encounters with CCAF troops. The low-intensity combat, along with the Grenadiers skills, allow recent academy graduates to gain some combat experience in a relatively safe manner.[10] The two combat commands are stationed on Bell and Demeter.[11]

Right at the turn of the thirty-second century, the Grenadiers were expanded into an RCT-sized formation. Part of this expansion entailed the acquisition of numerous Swallow and Fensalir WiGEs for the unit's cavalry armor and infantry regiments.[12]

As a part of the reclassification into an RCT, the unit's conventional assets were enlarged, giving it one assault armor regiment, three cavalry armor regiments, two battle armor regiments and conventional infantry regiments that were supported with IFVs and VTOLs.

With this reclassification, the newly minted RCT also took on the mission role of a rapid reaction force, but unlike the similarly performing Federated Suns Armored Cavalry units, the Grenadiers' much heavier units afforded them more concentrated firepower in combat.

Dark Age[edit]

After the HPG Blackout, the unit kept a busy schedule, being constantly moved against various threats. As of 3145, their most recent engagement was against the First Liao Hussars after the Capellan unit tried to emulate the McCarron's Armored Cavalry's actions during the Third Succession War. The Kestrel Grenadiers cornered the Hussars on Amiga, where the trapped Liao unit lost a battalion of troops in order to finally break out of the Grenadiers' trap.

In August 3146, the First Kestrel Grenadiers joined the Fifth Crucis Lancers, Task Force Panoply, and Clan Sea Fox's Gamma Aimag on Marlette. They engaged a CCAF strike force consisting of the Second McCarron's Armored Cavalry, Fourth St. Ives Sentinels, Warrior House Dai Da Chi, and the Third Tikonov Guards, supported by the CCS Ilsa Hyung. The AFFS fought the CCAF to a standstill, and on 2 September the Kestrel Grenadiers' aerospace wing destroyed the CCAF's temporary headquarters and killed the task force commander and his aide. Sao-shao Danai Liao-Centrella arranged a ceasefire and temporary armistice that allowed the surviving CCAF troops to withdraw.[13]

The Grenadiers were then assigned to Task Force Perceval, and attacked former Draconis March systems to drive out the DCMS forces. They fought successfully on Franklin, Le Blanc, Clovis, and Sakhara V.[14] In 3148 they were on Remagen for rest, refit, and repair when the Hikage regiment attacked them. Though they had little ammunition and their equipment needed overhaul they fought with a near-suicidal frenzy and held off the Combine unit until they were rescued by the First Avalon Hussars.[15]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First Kestrel Grenadiers
Colonel Rudy Pinada 3025[16]
Marshal Andrew Cunningham 3050[17]
Marshal Agatha Stromp 3053 - 3067[1][18]
Major General Andrew Roland 3067[19]
General Malinda Gorenc 3085[11]
General Timothy Cunningham 3145 - 3148[20]

Notes[edit]

  • The appointment of General Timothy Cunningham as commanding officer of the unit saw the return of a member of the ducal family of Kestrel to command of their family unit.

Tactics[edit]

The unit surprises the enemy, because nobody expects such an experienced fighting force.[1]

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Colonel Rudy Pinada[16]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Kestrel.[16]

3040[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[21]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Markab.[21]

3050[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[22]

  • CO: Marshal Andrew Cunningham[22]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on New Canton.[22]

3054[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[23]

  • CO: Marshal Agatha Stromp[23]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on New Canton.[23]

3062[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (1 Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[1]

  • CO: Marshal Agatha Stromp

- Three Reinforced Battalions, included scouting and fire support elements
- One Company with Salamanders and Longbows for massive fire

First Kestrel Armored Grenadiers (2 Regiments/Elite/Reliable)[1]

  • First F-C Armored Grenadiers - Major General: Timothy Van Norman
  • Second F-C Armored Grenadiers - Colonel Nikki Pernacciaro
  • First Kestrel Grenadiers Artillery Battalion - Major Dale Fusek

- Four Battalions of fast Hovercraft. - Two Battalions of assault armor

First Kestrel Mounted Grenadiers (2 Regiments/Veteran/Fanatical)[1]

- Two Mechanized regiments outfitted with new Goblin and Maxim vehicles.

First F-C Fighter Wing (1 Wing/Veteran/Fanatical)[1]

- Also known as the AeroGrenadiers, trained in close air support, the wing fields mostly Stukas, Chippewas and Eagles.

3067[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Elite/Fanatical)[19]

First Kestrel Fighter Wing (Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[19]

First Kestrel Armor Brigade (Elite/Reliable)[19]

  • CO: Major General Dale Fusek

First Kestrel Infantry Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)[19]

  • CO: Leftenant General Liang Kirsanova

3079[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (1 Reinforced Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[9]

Note: The First Kestrel Grenadiers came through the Jihad in relatively good shape. They were listed as being at 90% of their pre-Jihad strength.[9] The equipment was upgraded to 90% and the unit was stationed on Bell and also Moravian.[9]

3085[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Elite/Fanatical)[11]

First Kestrel Fighter Wing (Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[11]

First Kestrel Armor Brigade (Veteran/Reliable)[11]

First Kestrel Infantry Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)[11]

In 3085 the Kestrel Grenadiers are not officially an RCT, but they maintain the armor and infantry brigades common to those formations. The Grenadiers have exchanged one regiment of conventional infantry for two battle armor battalions.[10]

3145[edit]

First Kestrel Grenadiers (Elite/Fanatical) Markesan 90%[24]

  • CO: General Timothy Cunningham

Aerospace Wing (Elite/Reliable) Markesan 100%[24]

Armor Brigade (Elite/Fanatical) Markesan 90%[24]

Infantry Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical) Markesan 105%[24]

The 3145 Kestrel Grenadiers have been upgraded to RCT status since 3100, and so they have four armor regiments, the battle armor battalions have been expanded to regimental size while the conventional infantry units remain the same.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 49: "1st Kestrel Grenadiers Unit Profile"
  2. Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars, Volume 1, p. 6
  3. BattleTech: Inner Sphere Direct Fire Lance: "Charlotte Chan"
  4. Historical: War of 3039, pp. 44–45
  5. Historical: War of 3039, p. 93
  6. Shattered Sphere, p. 26
  7. The Dragon Roars, pp. 11, 15
  8. Field Manual: Updates, p. 125: "1st Kestrel Grenadiers"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Field Report: AFFS, p. 8
  10. 10.0 10.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 56
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 69: "AFFS Deployment Table - 3085"
  12. Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth, p. 14
  13. Shattered Fortress, p. 23
  14. Shattered Fortress, p. 32
  15. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 18, p. 13
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 136: "Deployment Table"
  17. 20 Year Update, p. 24: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  18. Objective Raids, p. 17: "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table - 3054"
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 137: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3067"
  20. Shattered Fortress, p. 114
  21. 21.0 21.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 135
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 20 Year Update, p. 24
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Objective Raids, p. 17
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Field Manual: 3145, p. 91

Bibliography[edit]