37th Division (Word of Blake)

37th.jpg
37th Division (Truth of Blake)
Formed Late 3060s
Disbanded 3078
Nickname Purity of Truth
Affiliation Word of Blake
Parent Command Word of Blake Militia


The Thirty-seventh Division was a "hidden" Blakist unit that first appeared on Tharkad in 3067. The veteran unit was noted for its occupation and razing of the Lyran capital during the early days of the Jihad. This was one of the first hidden Word of Blake Militia units to come out of the shadows.

History[edit]

The Beginning of the Tharkad Occupation[edit]

In December of 3067, the 37th Division was dispatched to Tharkad City. This was part of a military effort by the Blakists to bring "order" to the capital city after the long-lost LCS Invincible fired warning shot at the city, triggering the explosion of the city's ancient fission power reactor.

The unit was led by then commanding officer Precentor McKinnsey. They were attacked by the fragmented 24th Lyran Guards, while securing the Tharkad City Spaceport. The unit sported the parade colors of the now defunct 2nd Star League's SLDF.

Though Blake's Purity of Truth prevailed over the 24th Guards, they forced them into underground to use nastier tactics of guerrilla warfare. The unit's commander facing insurgency and forced go on the defensive. He authorized far more aggressive actions be taken, namely using razing several civilian population centers and industrial locations as examples of object lessons.[1]

Insurgency of Tharkad[edit]

In March of 3069, the 37th Division along with the 40th Shadow Division, took opportunity of attacking the "renegade" Archon Peter Steiner-Davion and his Royal Guards at the Spaceport as they tried to secure a landing zone for their allies. Truth of Purity forces with the 40th Shadow managed to ravage Archon's Guards, however the Royals bought time for Purity to lose the opportunity to kill Archon.[2]

The DropShip yards of Semier Data Tron became the target of the 37th Division, who discovered that the corporation who pledged loyalty to them turned out to be hiding a battalion's worth of LAAF troops. The Precentor Kinnsey leads 37th Division with 40th Shadow encircling the complex and has the Blakist control Invincible bombard the complex, shattering the main body of the Lyran resistance movement and inflicting numerous casualties.[3]

Precentor Roman McKinnsey was killed in action during a Lyran attack on January 3071, dying to the resistance unit EISENJÄGER.[4][5]

Battle with Adam Steiner's Coalition Forces[edit]

In early January of 3072, the 37th Division lost its Aerospace blockade force, including the Invincible which was captured by a Coalition force led by provisional Archon Adam Steiner.[6] Steiner dropped his forces throughout the devastated landscape of Tharkad, where his Allied coalition consisting of Lyran forces, mercenaries and even Clan forces beat back the 37th Division and its fellow Blakist forces.

By the 26th, the 37th Division was in fighting withdrawal from the planet, its commander Precentor Kishimoto bluffing the use of nuclear weapons to hold off Adam Steiner's forces. Only a third of the Division survived to escape the planet.[7]

Raiding Lyran space in 3074[edit]

After retreating from Tharkad, the Division disappeared, and intelligence reports lost track of them for two years. The unit began the slow process of rebuilding itself during this time. One member of the unit who hails from Caph was interviewed ISAP reported about their justification of using nuclear weapons.[8]

In 3074-3075, elements of the 37th Division were spotted raiding worlds along the Word of Blake Protectorate's border with Lyran space.[9]

Destruction[edit]

The 37th was one of fourteen separate Militia Divisions to be destroyed on Terra in 3078.[10]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 37th Division
Precentor Roman McKinnsey 3067 - 3071
Precentor Gregory Kishimoto 3071[4]

Tactics[edit]

The unit trained in antiguerrilla warfare and harsh weather.

Composition History[edit]

3067[edit]

  • unknown*

3075[edit]

3 Level III formations

Notes[edit]

The unit's second commanding officer, Precentor Gregory Kishimoto had a customized Dragon Fire BattleMech included in the Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad scenario pack.

Rules[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

The 37th Division receives a positive initiative modifier if the unit fights in blizzard, extreme cold, snow or tainted atmosphere conditions, and also if it fights in urban or wooded terrain. When the unit is the defender, a percentage of its forces can be deployed as hidden units, negating an opposing force's ability to use the off-map movement force ability.[11]

Reference[edit]

  1. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 92: "37th Division" - Unit after insurgency forces 37th on the defensive, CO has a number of civilian locations razed to encourage good behavior.
  2. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, pp. 8–9: "Taking the Bullet" - scenario details Archon Steiner-Davion attempting to get his Royals to secure a landing zone, but barely escaping with his life.
  3. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 9: "New Year's Eve Massacre" - 37th corners large number of resistance killed with destruction of Semier Data Tron.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 6: "Combatants"
  5. Eisenjäger
  6. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, pp. 10–11: "Homecoming" - Adam Steiner led the Lyran coalition force which captured the Invincible and able drop on planet start their liberation.
  7. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 11: "Will of Steel" - Lyran Coalition force inflicts heavy damage on 37th Division as it tries to escape Tharkad.
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 73: "Justification" - Adept Rogers gives his reason why feel nuclear weapons are justified in May of 3072, 5 months after unit withdraw from Tharkad.
  9. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 92: "37th Division" - Elements of the division spotted raiding Lyran worlds in 3074-75.
  10. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 126: "Word Of Blake Militia"
  11. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 142: "Rules Annex"

Bibliography[edit]