24th Lyran Guards

Lyranguards24th.png
24th Lyran Guards
Nickname Zenge (2765);[1]
The Slashers (3025)[2]
Affiliation Lyran Commonwealth
Parent Command Lyran Guards


History[edit]

Star League Era[edit]

During the Star League era the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards was one of six regiments within the Third Lyran Guards Division, one of five Divisions of active regiments within the Lyran Guards brigade in the closing decades of the Star League's existence.[1]

Like the other regiments of the Guards during this era, the 24th lacked any particular political ties - either regional or familial - unlike regiments in other brigades; commonly assigned to garrison postings, the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards and their sister regiments were postings of choice for those who wanted to work for the Commonwealth without either regional loyalties or particular ambitions. This led to the Twenty-fourth and her sister regiments being manned by soldiers who were professional, but without the close-knit ties found in more parochial regiments. The LCAF was intent on generating more camaraderie and esprit de corps amongst the Twenty-fourth and the other Guards regiments, but with little success by 2765.[1]

As a part of the Third Division the unit was considered a regiment for up-and-coming personnel and rising stars during the 2760s, a consequence of Leutnant General Kristy Kiirlund's tenure as commanding officer of the Third. The 24th Guards took part in the Division-level deployment of the entire 3rd Division to the Circinus system in the mid-2760s to conduct Operation HOUND DOG, a determined effort to track down and destroy bandit elements and groups believed to be operating out of the otherwise-uninhabited Circinus system. Despite the Free Worlds League declining to commit any troops or observers to the Operation - the League military considering the Operation to be nothing more than a "Snipe hunt" - the mission was accompanied by a team of Star League Defense Force observers and was a success. The 24th had taken up a garrison post on Tainjin by 2765 and recovered completely from the few casualties taken during HOUND DOG.[1]

Succession Wars[edit]

The unit earned its modern nickname while stationed on Suk II during the Second Succession War. When a local nobleman threatened and harassed the unit and its dependents, heavily disguised soldiers assumed to be from the 24rd Guards broke into the noble's mansion and cut off his ears in the ensuing scuffle. While there was not enough evidence for anyone in the unit to be officially accused or charged of the crime, the unit adopted its new nickname and insignia in its wake as if to simultaneously mock and confirm them.[2][3]

When Wolf's Dragoons landed on Hesperus II in 3019, the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards formed the core of the defenders. The 24th stopped several attacks cold, and when the Dragoons were finally pushed off-world the Slashers maintained the pressure on the Dragoons as they evacuated, suffering losses of over 50% but taking pride in their performance.[4][5][3]

While reduced to green status with the influx of so many replacement troops after its battle against the Dragoons, the 24thwas deployed to take Sabik in 3029 during the Fourth Succession War. Having succeeded in pushing the Barrett's Fusiliers off-world to retake it Draconis Combine at the start of the war, Kingston Caballeros fared less well against the Twenty-fourth, the Caballeros able to destroy a company of Lyran 'Mechs before being forced to withdraw.[6][3]

Federated Commonwealth Era[edit]

Save for a brief redeployment back to Sabik during the War of 3039, after the Fourth War the unit spent most of their time during the years of the Federated Commonwealth on garrison duty on Donegal, a posting that allowed them to act as test pilots for the TharHes Industries and Lockheed/CBM facilities on-world.

The Twenty-fourth Guard's sole mission of note during this period was a deployment to Cumbres. Nominally there to evaluate a number of new technologies, on April 5 3057 elements of the Fourth Viper Guards of Clan Steel Viper launched in a raid against the Lyran command facility on-world. Despite their lack of experience against the Clans, the Twenty-fourth inflicted notable losses on the Vipers until their battle was interrupted by the seeming arrival of the Knights of the Inner Sphere. Later revealed to be Periphery raiders, the false-Knights took advantage of their shock appearance to shatter the Twenty-fourth's Alpha Battalion and kill its commanding officer, Orpheus Thomas.[3][7]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

During the FedCom Civil War the Twenty-fourth Guards held their position until summoned to Tharkad in Wave 6. There they served mostly as Nondi Steiner's mobile force. After skirmishing with Allied forces for a month, they faced off against the Kell Hounds. Nondi Steiner ordered them to attack a fortified position and "damn the casualties", despite that Nondi's own granddaughter was among them, at which point their commander contacted the Allies and asked for terms of surrender.[8] General Riskind then resigned his commission.[9] They remained on Tharkad.[10]

Jihad Era[edit]

Fought a bitter resistance campaign on Tharkad against the Word of Blake December 3067 - January 3072, during which its strength declined to two combined arms companies.[11] The unit spent five years fighting a guerrilla action against the Word of Blake on Tharkad. To rebuild, an entire battalion from the Teyvareb TMM was transferred to the Twenty-fourth Guards. The new Twenty-fourth Guards was sent to Main Street to train.[12] After rebuilding the unit, the unit participated in several pirate hunting missions near the Lyran Commonwealth/Circinus Federation border area which allowed the unit to become a cohesive fighting force.[13] While was stationed on Galisteo in 3085 they were reorganized into a Light Combat Team.[14]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 24th Lyran Guards
Marshal Orpheus Thomas 3019 - 3057[15][16][17][18][3]
Leutnant-General Peter Riskind 3057 - 3067[3]
Leutnant-General Sabine Steiner 3067[3][11][10]
Leutnant-General Prudence Steiner 3085[14]

Other Unit Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

The unit can react to many battlefield events with the right maneuver, but is especially skilled in countering Clan units.[3]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

24th Lyran Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[1]

- At this point in time the 24th Guards was based on Tainjin.[1]

2786 - 2821[edit]

24th Lyran Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[20]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Tainjin. In 2821 the command was reduced to 32 percent of its strength and was deployed on Valabhi.[20]

2830[edit]

24th Lyran Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[21]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Valabhi with an operational readiness of 58 percent.[21]

2864[edit]

24th Lyran Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[21]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Valabhi with an operational readiness of 26 percent.[21]

3025[edit]

24th Lyran Guard (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Leutnant Colonel Orpheus Thomas
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Donegal.

3040[edit]

24th Lyran Guards RCT (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[22]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Donegal.[22]

3050[edit]

24th Lyran Guards RCT (/Green/Fanatical)[23]

  • CO: Marshal Orpheus Thomas[23]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Donegal.[23]

3054[edit]

24th Lyran guards RCT (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[24]

  • CO: Marshal Orpheus Thomas[24]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Donegal.[24]

3062-3067[edit]

24th Lyran Guards (1 BattleMech Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]

Aide: Colonel Sabine Steiner

24th Lyran Guards Aerospace Brigade (2 Wings)[3][10]

- 111th Lyran Guards Wing
- 113th Lyran Guards Wing

24th Lyran Guards Armor Brigade (3 Regiments/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]

Aide: Leutnant Colonel Flint Killoran
- 2nd Donegal Artillery Group: Colonel Hyacinth Sheehy
- 344th Lyran Heavy Armor: Colonel Valentin Petrayla
- 87th Lyran Recon Regiment: Colonel Demetria Terry

24th Lyran Guards Infantry Brigade (5 Regiments/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]

Aide: Leutnant Colonel Garfield Kalu
- 57th Lyran Infantry Regiment: Colonel Morton Groome
- 212th Lyran Mounted Rifles: Colonel Bernice Massey
- 745th Lyran Light Infantry: Colonel Katheryn Merteuil
- 9th Lyran Armored Infantry: Colonel Garth Manchester
- 4th Donegal Commando Regiment: Colonel Sebastian Berne

3079[edit]

Twenty-Fourth Lyran Guards RCT (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[25]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Main Street.[25]

3085[edit]

24th Lyran Guards LCT (Regular/Fanatical)[14]

  • CO: Leutnant General Prudence Steiner

24th Lyran Armor Brigade (Regular/Questionable)[14]

24th Lyran Infantry Brigade (Green/Reliable)[14]

Notes[edit]

Their homeworld is Donegal.

They have been known to take justice into their own hands, especially when friends or relatives are in danger.

Reference[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Field Report 2765: LCAF, pp. 13–14: "Lyran Guards"
  2. 2.0 2.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 56: "Regimental Nicknames (continued)"
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 81: "Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards Unit Profile"
  4. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 25
  5. Hector, p. 20
  6. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 77
  7. Star Lord, p. ??[citation needed]
  8. FedCom Civil War, pp. 175–177
  9. Field Manual: Updates, p. 170
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Field Manual: Updates, p. 178: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 6: "Combatants"
  12. Field Report: LAAF, p. 12
  13. Field Manual: 3085, p. 101
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 107: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  15. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 24
  16. 16.0 16.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 121 (PDF version): "Unit Deployment Table - 3025"
  17. 20 Year Update, p. 29: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  18. Objective Raids, p. 21: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
  19. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 12
  20. 20.0 20.1 First Succession War, p. 139
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Second Succession War, p. 99
  22. 22.0 22.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 137
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 20 Year Update, p. 29
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 Objective Raids, p. 21
  25. 25.0 25.1 Field Report: FWLM, p. 12

Bibliography[edit]