243rd Battle (Rasalhague Dominion)

243rd Battle Cluster
Nickname Apollo's Chariot
Affiliation Rasalhague Dominion
Clan Ghost Bear (previous)
Parent Command Rho Galaxy


History[edit]

First Draconis Combine/Ghost Bear War[edit]

As a part of Rho Galaxy the 243rd Battle Cluster were actively involved in the First Draconis Combine / Ghost Bear War, which began in 3062 with a suicidal attack by three regiments of the Alshain Avengers against Alshain. Rho Galaxy battled forces from Clan Nova Cat on both Caripare and Itabaiana,[1] fighting alongside forces from Tau Galaxy on the latter.[1][2]

Jihad[edit]

Luthien[edit]

In December 3074 Rho Galaxy swept onto Luthien, the capital of the Draconis Combine, which had been locked in conflict between the Word of Blake, loyalist forces and forces supporting the Kokuryu-kai or Black Dragon Society. Hitting Luthien alongside Rho on the 15th were Alpha and Omega Galaxies, and the Ghost Bears soon showed that they were intent on wiping out all Blakist forces.[3][4][5][6]

The Ghost Bear forces never once offered zellbrigen to any of the Word units and effectively eradicated the Word forces on Luthien by the 20th of December. Very few survivors from the Word of Blake managed to flee or become captives, and the Ghost Bear forces destroyed any DCMS forces that attempted to interfere in the Ghost Bear campaign against the Word.[7][8] Rho Galaxy was the key to destroying the Thirty-second Division's battle line although in the process Rho also ruined the Takashi Memorial Spaceport.[9] During their attack, Rho Galaxy simply dropped on top of the Thirty-second's positions, quickly destroying three-quarters of the Blakist forces there, and spent the next few hours executing the remainder. Fires the intense combat created burned for four days after the conflict ended.[6] Also destroyed on Luthien by the Ghost Bears was the Forty-second Shadow Division, the first instance of a Shadow Division being completely destroyed.[10]

Rho and the other Galaxies left Luthien at the end of January as suddenly as they had arrived, leaving the DCMS to frantically redeploy forces to fortify the world; the relief units began arriving two weeks later on the 14th of February, only to find no sign of any Blakist troops in the wake of the Ghost Bear withdrawal.[8][11]

Kaus Australis and Ascella[edit]

After the battles for Luthien and Pesht the Ghost Bears organized their forces to drive towards Terra in several waves, each named after the lead Galaxy in that wave. Beta Galaxy formed the heart of Beta wave, striking first at secondary worlds like Kaus Media and Ascella[12] on the 6th of October 3075.[13][14] Rho[15] and Theta Galaxies[16] were assigned to support Beta Galaxy in Beta Wave, with Rho seizing Kaus Australis while Beta was striking at Kaus Media[13][14] before joining the assault on Ascella.[15] Rho Galaxy was pushed into reserve on Ascella after the 297th Battle Cluster was nearly destroyed, leaving Beta Galaxy and one of the units personally affiliated to Devlin Stone, Stone's Lament, to clear the planet.[15] The losses on Ascella were such that Theta Galaxy was moved up from a garrison role to an active combat role within Beta Wave, only to see the Galaxy perform poorly when tasked with capturing Moore[16] in July 3076[17][18] and Pike IV[16] in September 3076.[17][18]

Dieron[edit]

In 3077, Rho Galaxy traveled to Dieron and served as the main reserve force for the Ghost Bears,[19] alongside Alpha,[20] Beta[12] and Omega Galaxies.[21] Arriving in 3077[22] Rho saw little combat for the first month; their only opponent was the Eighth Dieron Regulars which fought with the members of the Galaxy over Word of Blake prisoners. Shortly thereafter the Blakist Third Division attacked Rho Galaxy and killed most of their higher level commanders. Cast into confusion, Rho Galaxy counterattacked without any plan or coordination with other Ghost Bear or Combine units, which allowed the Second and Third Divisions to withdraw from Dieron.[19] Dieron was a bloodbath for all the Ghost Bear Galaxies involved; Rho Galaxy suffered heavy enough combat losses that it had to be tasked with securing the outer areas rather than joining the Fortress Dieron assault, and the badly damaged 297th Battle Cluster was destroyed during constant raids by Blakist forces.[15]

The Dark Age[edit]

While in the Clan Homeworlds Rho Galaxy had filled the role of an enforcer Galaxy for the Ghost Bears, at least in part; in the immediate aftermath of the Jihad Rho returned to that role; rebuilding slowly and lacking access to replacement OmniMechs didn't stop Rho from sitting close to the border with the Combine's Buckminster Prefecture and daring the Dominion's enemies to attack. Determined to rebuild, Rho went so far as to start using Primitive BattleMechs manufactured on Grumium to help rebuild its Clusters while also building up transport Novas based around transport vehicles to move their battle armor forces. The one area where Rho didn't lack for advanced technology was in those same battle armor units, as the 283rd Battle Cluster was stationed on Mannedorf, giving the Galaxy access to substantial numbers of Rogue Bear battlesuits - suits that Rho put to good use in blunting at least on Combine raid on the planet.[23]

Rho underwent a significant rearmament program in the 3130s and was sent on the offensive in 3144 tasked with claiming a number of worlds that formerly been part of the Lyran Commonwealth, worlds that would form a corridor between the Rasalhague Dominion and the newly formed Vega Protectorate. Rho swiftly annexed a number of worlds peacefully, but soon ran into forces from Clan Jade Falcon, also intent on annexing worlds in the region. Rho was soon facing forces from the Falcons' Omega Galaxy on the worlds of Corridan IV, Ganshoren, Symington and Yed Posterior.[24]

Omega Galaxy had been rebuilt in line with the Mongol doctrine espoused by Khan Malvina Hazen and as such consisted of hordes of light forces; those forces were deployed against Rho Galaxy with reckless abandon, swarming single Stars with what seemed to be endless numbers. Rho Galaxy was notionally of equal strength to Omega Galaxy, but where Omega had light forces, Rho had heavy 'Mech Supernovas and kept its units in defensive positions, holding Omega at bay. It was only when it appeared likely that the Jade Falcons were mobilizing a second Galaxy, Vau Galaxy, to support Omega that the Dominion Council ordered Rho to withdraw, rather than run the risk of provoking a major war between the Falcons and the Dominion. The order to withdraw left Rho frustrated, but proud of their prowess; reports of Rho's performance in combat became the standard text within the Dominion for dealing with units using Mongol tactics, giving Rho some solace.[24]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 243rd Battle (Clan Ghost Bear)
Commanding Officers of the 243rd Battle (Ghost Bear Dominion)
Star Colonel Xian Tseng 3061 - 3067[25][26]
Star Colonel Tommy Gurdel 3085[27]
Commanding Officers of the 243rd Battle (Rasalhague Dominion)
Star Colonel Juanita Thastus 3145-3152[28][29]

Tactics[edit]

The 243rd prides itself on tactical maneuverability. The Cluster is specialized in defensive tactics because its long duty as garrison force. The mobility of the command often surprises the enemy and its medium 'Mechs are used for flanking maneuvers. Also not unknown to this unit are rear assaults, when possible. [25]

Composition History[edit]

3061[edit]

243rd Battle Cluster (4 Trinaries/Elite/Reliable)[25]

CO: Star Colonel Xian Tseng [30]
Note: At this time the unit was stationed on Alshain.[31]

3067[edit]

243rd Battle Cluster (Elite/Reliable)[26]

- At this point in time the 243rd was stationed on Satalice and was operating at sixty-five percent of full strength, with all bar fifteen percent of the Cluster using OmniMechs or equivalent technology.[26]

3079[edit]

243rd Battle Cluster (Elite/Reliable)[32]

Note: The 243rd had been reduced to just twenty percent of full strength by this point, although almost two-thirds of the Cluster were using OmniMechs or equivalent technology. The 243rd was stationed on Mannedorf.[32]

3085[edit]

243rd Battle Cluster (Elite/Reliable)[27]

- The 243rd had rebuilt to half-strength by 3085, although the amount of Omni- technology in the Cluster had dropped to below sixty percent. The Cluster was stationed on Toffen at this point in time.[27]

3145[edit]

243rd Battle Cluster (Veteran/Fanatical)[28]

- Based on Eaglesham at this point in time, the 243rd was almost at full strength with slightly more than forty percent of the Cluster using OmniMechs or equivalent advanced technology.[28]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 61, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  2. Field Manual: Updates, p. 61, "Tau Galaxy"
  3. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Alpha Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  4. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Omega Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  5. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 11, "Damnation"
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 55, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"
  9. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  10. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 125, "Shadow Divisions"
  11. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 14, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  12. 12.0 12.1 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Beta Galaxy"
  13. 13.0 13.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 18, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  14. 14.0 14.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 54, "The Jihad In Review"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Rho Galaxy"
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Theta Galaxy"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 22, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  18. 18.0 18.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56, "The Jihad In Review"
  19. 19.0 19.1 Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  20. Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Alpha Galaxy"
  21. Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Omega Galaxy"
  22. Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 5, Beta Galaxy (Clan Ghost Bear)
  23. Field Manual: 3085, p. 120, "Rho Galaxy"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 162, "Rho Galaxy"
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 91, "243rd Battle Cluster Profile"
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 77, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 127, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 172, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  29. Dominions Divided, pp. 77-79
  30. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 91
  31. Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 163
  32. 32.0 32.1 Field Report: Clans, p. 11, "Rho Galaxy"

Bibliography[edit]