20th Arcturan Guards

Arcturan Guards 20th logo.png
Twentieth Arcturan Guards
Nickname Archon's Gauntlet (2765)
The White Bears of Uther (3025)
Peter's Pride (3067)
Affiliation Lyran Commonwealth
Parent Command Arcturan Guards

The Twentieth Arcturan Guards was originally a BattleMech Regiment in service of the Lyran Commonwealth. After the formation of the Federated Commonwealth in the mid-thirty-first century, it was reorganized into a Regimental Combat Team.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The Twentieth Arcturan Guards was founded after the initial founding of the Arcturan Guards brigade, and in common with the later-founded regiments, did not bear a name based upon a Muse from mythology.[1]

Star League Era[edit]

Like the other regiments of the Arcturan Guard, the Twentieth struggled with boredom and ennui during the closing years of the Star League era; the Star League Defense Force acted as an effective deterrent in the main, making large-scale military deployments for the Twentieth a rarity, and leaving the regiment to occupy itself with training exercises and garrison duty.[1]

By 2765 the commanding officer of the Twentieth, Colonel Jonas Hvalspiser, had requested a permanent Star League Defense Force deployment to take over the responsibility of garrisoning Ford, to which the Twentieth had recently been posted. The Twentieth was responsible for protecting the Ford Military Limited facilities on the planet, but had found it difficult to adjust to living on the planet; Ford had a day-cycle that was forty hours long, and many of the personnel from the Twentieth were reluctant to go outside during night hours, preferring the artificial lighting found indoors, which was artificially controlled to simulate a shorter day cycle.[1]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Twentieth participated in Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, the major Lyran Commonwealth offensive of the Fourth Succession War,[2] beginning with the capture of Camlann in August 3028.[3]

Reinforcing Buckminster[edit]

After its victory on Camlann, the unit was ordered by General Nondi Steiner to reinforce Third Royal Guards on Buckminster. The unit arrived on December 2nd to assist Lieutenant-Colonel Roman Steiner with the Sixth Arkab Legion, whom his Third Royals had been keeping at bay. The Twentieth Arcturan trapped the Combine unit between their heavier 'Mech forces and Third Royal's artillery armed DropShips. The Sixth Arkab was devastated and its survivors managed to retreat from the city of Elvidner.

The Combine's commanding general of the planet, General Goshi Tengwan withdrew his Second Sword of Light and other forces to the capital. General Tengwan evacuated important documents and personnel from the planet under the Second Sword's fighter cover. Lt. General Steiner launched sorties against the city, taking advantage of lack of aerospace fighter cover. These actions began the four month siege of Buckminster City.[4] By the 11th of December, the Third Royal's First Provisional Water Navy helped to complete the blockade of the capital.

During this time, the Twentieth Arcturan had been in pursuit of elements of the Sixth Arkab which were operating in northern regions. General Steiner recalled the Twentieth Arcturan in May 3029, only leaving attached conventional infantry and combat vehicles to keep an eye on the Sixth Arkab.

General Steiner directed the Twentieth Arcturans and his Third Royals to attack Buckminster City on June 1st. The Third Royal began entering the city until they were ambushed by hidden elements of the Second Sword. This allowed for the Sixth Arkab to break through Twentieth's screening force and plunge into rear lines of the Arcturans. Steiner pulled some of his city forces to try to wheel around to assist in the sudden attack on the Arcturan rear lines. This is when Second Sword committed to assault on Lyran forces.

This assault routed the Third Royals from the city, leaving both the Twentieth Arcturans and the Third Royals on high ground trying to defend themselves. Within three days, the Twentieth and remaining Lyran forces withdrew from the planet.[5]

Clan Invasion Era[edit]

Battle for Aubisson[edit]

In early 3050, the Twentieth Arcturans were stationed on Aubisson during the Clan Invasion. The world came under attacked by DCMS forces in what became one last border invasion between the Federated Commonwealth and Combine before the ancient rivals agreed to an informal truce.[6]

The Combine forces consisted of the Second Legion of Vega and Fifth Amphigean LAG. As the Arcturans fought viciously with Kurita forces, casualties on Clan warfront grew for both Great Houses. Orders to withdraw arrived for both sides as the Clan front grew in danger. Though he did not violate his orders at any point, Kincaid was replaced by Marshal Alden Gray, a veteran of the Royal Guards. While the unit initially resented their new commander, Gray eventually won their respect through quiet competence.[6]

Clan Border[edit]

The Arcturans took station on Morges, the unit set number of successful raids into Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone shortly after the Battle of Tukayyid. However, the raids were costly, fighting Falcons and newly arrived Clan Steel Viper. These heavy raids, successful in principle, cost the unit half its men and matériel, leaving the Lyrans' Clan border weakened.

On Morges, the Twentieth fought alongside the Fourth Skye Rangers and Wolf's Dragoons Alpha Regiment.[7]

By 3062, the unit had been rebuilt to its full RCT strength, however it being assigned within the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon kept the unit from receiving steady amounts of supplies.

The unit by this time had grown to resent Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion, citing poor treatment by the Quartermaster.[6]

Civil War[edit]

The Twentieth stayed on Morges for the Jade Falcon incursion, managing to avoid any meaningful casualties in the process. The full-strength RCT took up the role of bodyguard to Peter Steiner-Davion as he arrived on Tharkad on August 18, 3066, They were the first unit of Peter's coalition to make planetfall, sending a bodyguard detachment with Peter when he attempted a parlay with his great-aunt Nondi at Resaurius Keep. When Peter took the field on March 23, 3067, to cross the Wash, the river separating Tharkad City from The Nagelring, the Twentieth fought alongside him. They were initially pinned between the Sixty-sixth Division and elements of the Royal Guards, locked in a grinding battle. Peter responded by ordering the Kell Hounds to draw off the Royal Guards so the Twentieth could turn its full force on the Com Guards. After an air strike shattered the Com Guards, Peter swung the Twentieth into the flank of the Royal Guards.

The Arcturan Guards crossed into Tharkad City on the March 27, forming the point of Peter's thrust to The Triad. They suffered extensive damage, totaling roughly a third of their numbers, before the defenders from the First Royal Guards shattered. The Twentieth would likely have sustained much worse damage had the Blue Star Irregulars not moved to support them. While Nondi Steiner prepared to make a final stand in Tharkad City with the Second Royal Guards and the Eleventh Arcturan Guards, the Eleventh opted instead to surrender to their sister regiment. The Second Royal Guard did not follow, and Peter's coalition spent the next week fighting street-to-street before Nondi's death on April 2. The final fighting ended three days later.[8]

Following the end of the war, the Twentieth Arcturan Guards chose to rename themselves "Peter's Pride" after their new Archon. Handing over the role of the Archon's protector to the Royal Guard, they returned to Morges only a few weeks later.[9]

Jihad Era[edit]

The Twentieth participated in the liberation of Tharkad in January 3072. Fervently loyal to Archon Peter, they made an end run around the Blakists to secure him and relieved the surviving Royal Guards as his bodyguards. They then escorted him out of the combat zone, and then engaged the invading Blakists.[10] They arrived on world via a combat drop in the Sassafras Valley and engaged the Word of Blake's Thirty-seventh Division.[11] Two weeks later they pursued the retreating Thirty-seventh Division to Tharkad's main spaceport. Only a third of the Word of Blake unit was able to escape.[12]

Seriously damaged during the fighting for Tharkad, the Twentieth was rebuilt from the handful of survivors of the original unit, bolstered by a battalion of troops from the Twenty-fifth Arcturan Guards. Adam Steiner chose to emphasize rebuilding the unit before many others out of respect for his fallen predecessor, with the reborn unit retaining the name "Peter's Pride."[13] At the end of the Jihad they were stationed on Ford.[14]

Dark Age[edit]

The Twentieth faced off against Clan forces when they invaded Tharkad in 3143.[15] The unit was shattered in the fighting, and the survivors were reassigned to the newly formed Twenty-sixth Arcturan Guards.[16]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Twentieth Arcturan Guards
Colonel Jonas Hvalspiser 2765[1]
Hauptmann-General Brian Kincade 3050[17]
Hauptmann-General Alden Gray 3054[18]
Leutnant-General Alden Gray 3067[6][19][10]
Hauptmann-General Peter Zambos 3085[14]

Tactics[edit]

They specialize in winter warfare.[6]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[20]

- At this point in time the Twentieth were stationed on Ford.[20]

2786–2821[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[21]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Ford. In 2821 the command was reduced to 47 percent of its strength and was deployed on Ford.[21]

2830[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[22]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Ford with an operational readiness of 99 percent.[22]

2864[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[22]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Ford with an operational readiness of 35 percent.[22]

3025[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[23]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Port Moseby.

3040[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[24]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Aubisson.[24]

3050[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[25]

  • CO: Hauptmann General Brian Kincaid[25]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Aubisson.[25]

3054[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards RCT (Battalion/Green/Reliable)[18]

  • CO: Hauptmann General Alden Gray[18]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Morges.[18]

3062–3067[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards (understrength Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[6][19]
CO: Marshal Alden Gray
Aide: Leftenant General Robert Krauss

Twentieth Arcturan Guards Aerospace Brigade (2 Wings)[6][19]
CO: Commodore Rebecca Wampole
- Twenty-ninth India Wing
- 7000th Alliance Aero Wing

Twentieth Arcturan Guards Armor Brigade (2 Regiments/Veteran/Reliable)[6][19]
CO: Colonel Nurudeen Amzel
Aide: Leftenant Colonel Bill Jeffson
- 230th Arcturan Armor Regiment: Colonel Nurudeen Amzel
- 102nd Alliance Panzer Regiment: Colonel Joseph Helleckson
Note: The 102nd includes an artillery Battalion

Twentieth Arcturan Guards Infantry Brigade (5 Regiments/Regular/Reliable)[6][19]
CO: Major General Payne D'Aquisto
Aide: Leftenant Colonel Eliza Lepak-Dorr
- 180th Arcturan Commando Regiment: Colonel Calvenn Jih
- 470th Alliance Force Recon Regiment: Colonel Beth Varisco
- Twenty-third Arcturan Mounted Rifles Regiment: Colonel Pongming An
- Ninth Colmar Mechanized Regiment: Colonel Neal Maerder
- 163rd Arcturan Jump Infantry Regiment: Colonel Raul Eichman

3085[edit]

Twentieth Arcturan Guards LCT (Veteran/Reliable)[14]
CO: Hauptmann General Peter Zambos

Twentieth Arcturan Aerospace (Veteran/Reliable)[14]
CO: Kaptain Amadeo Abbascia

Twentieth Arcturan Armor Brigade (Regular/Questionable)[14]
CO: Colonel Lochan Leone

Twentieth Arcturan Infantry Brigade (Regular/Reliable)[14]
CO: Colonel Chukwuemeka Knutson

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Field Report 2765: LCAF, pp. 8–9: "Arcturan Guards"
  2. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 51: "Other Early Action"
  3. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, pp. 44–45: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
  4. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 55: "Buckminster" - 20th Arcturan Guards involvement in the battle for the planet
  5. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 72–73: "Buckminster" - 20th Arcturans and 3rd Royal Guards lose battle for the planet
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 59: "20th Arcturan Guards Unit Profile"
  7. Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 114
  8. FedCom Civil War, pp. 175–177
  9. Field Manual: Updates, p. 168
  10. 10.0 10.1 Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 7: "Combatants"
  11. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 10
  12. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 11
  13. Field Manual: 3085, p. 98
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 107: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  15. Technical Readout: 3145 The Clans, p. 16
  16. Field Manual: 3145, p. 125: "Arcturan Guards"
  17. 20 Year Update, p. 26: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Objective Raids, p. 23: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 178: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  20. 20.0 20.1 Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 9: "Regimental Status"
  21. 21.0 21.1 First Succession War, p. 139
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Second Succession War, p. 99
  23. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 119: "Deployment Table"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 137
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 20 Year Update, p. 26
  26. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 130: "Force Specific Rules" - 20th Arcturans get better piloting due to their all-weather training

Bibliography[edit]