32nd Division (Word of Blake)

32nd Division (Word of Blake) logo.png
Thirty-second Division
Formed Late 3060s
Disbanded 3076
Nickname Purity of Courage
Affiliation
Parent Command Word of Blake Militia


Unit Description[edit]

The Thirty-second Division is a "hidden" Word of Blake Militia unit that didn't appear in public until the opening battles of the Jihad. The unit was most known for its participation in the Battle of Luthien.

History[edit]

The Protectorate[edit]

The Thirty-second Division first appeared in March of 3068 in its assault on Saffel. The unit took advantage of the HPG White Out, by defeating the world's defenders in a blitz maneuver, wiping them out by striking while they were still in their barracks. When the planet became part of the Word of Blake Protectorate, the Thirty-second Division helped raise the planet's own Protectorate Militia to defend the planet.[1]

The 32nd then conducted a series of raids along the Federated Suns and Outworlds Alliance border regions. During this time period, they broke up into smaller units to conduct these raids.[citation needed]

Luthien[edit]

In February 3073, the largely green 32nd Division was dispatched to Luthien in order to assist the 9th and 42nd Shadow divisions in defending the Imperial City, following the departure of the Sathen's Snipers mercenary unit due to battle fatigue.[2]

On 28 November 3073, the 32nd pushed against Kokuryu-kai forces located in the vicinity of the Takashi Memorial Spaceport's customs annex, securing at least one ingress to the underground complex. By destroying the main headquarters compound located there, they forced the 40th Dieron Regulars and 2nd Sword of Light out into the local neighborhoods. The 32nd lost a Command Level II and an Overlord class DropShip to a boobytrap.[3]

In December 3074, Clan Ghost Bear arrived in Luthien orbit to take revenge on the Word of Blake. The Rho Galaxy conducted a hot-drop right on top of the 32nd Division's positions in and out of the spaceport. Upon landing, the Galaxy assaulted the Blakist headquarters, resulting in 75% defender casualties. The no-mercy fighting of the Clansmen led the 32nd Division's commander to try to bluff them with the threat of a nuclear counterstrike. The Bears ignored their warning and wiped out the 32nd en masse. Every member of the unit was hunted down and executed.[1][4]

Only two Level III formations were purported to remain, having taken a low profile since the majority of the unit was wiped out on Luthien.[1] As of 3076, these survivors returned to the Blake Protectorate.[5]

Destruction[edit]

The Word of Blake launched a counterassault on the contested world of Dyev in mid-December 3076, which was under attack from forces from Clan Ghost Bear. The deploying Blakist ground forces received support from a number of WarShips and Pocket WarShips,[6][7][5] and the resulting battle to land the ground forces saw three Blakist WarShips destroyed, the Whirlwind-class Fire Fang, the Aegis-class Righteous Fury and the Congress-class Hollings York.[8]

The forces which managed to land on Dyev included the 28th and 32nd Militia Divisions augmented by the 3rd Bryant, 1st Lipton, 2nd New Earth and 1st Zosma Protectorate Militia Divisions; the Blakist forces landed around Trogport and the planetary capital, Novaya Mensk, before deploying outwards. Blakist media sources reported that the 32nd, New Earth and Zosma Divisions were using the fortifications established on Dyev by the Draconis Combine to resist attacks from the Ghost Bear Kappa and Pi Galaxies.[5]

The 32nd was subsequently destroyed on Dyev before the end of 3076.[9]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 32nd Division
Precentor Kedika Moors 3073[2]

Tactics[edit]

The unit utilizes its infantry in headhunting on and off the battlefield.[2]

Composition History[edit]

3068[edit]


3075[edit]

Rules[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

Due to a lack of battlefield confidence, the 32nd Division suffers a negative modifier to Initiative whenever it is acting defensively, during its operations on Saffel starting in 3069, through its destruction following the Battle of Luthien in 3074. However, when acting offensively, the division's infantry assets -noted for their headhunting skills- were rather capable in reducing an opponent's numbers prior to primary engagement.[10][2]

Reference[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 101, "32nd Division (Purity of Courage)"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "32nd Division"
  3. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 10, "Tunnel Rats"
  4. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 11, "Damnation"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 18, "A Time Of Cleansing"
  6. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56, "The Jihad In Review"
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 23, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  8. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 128, "Captured Ships"
  9. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 126, "Word Of Blake Militia"
  10. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 141, "Rules Annex"


Bibliography[edit]