3rd Benjamin Regulars

Benjaminregulars3.png
Third Benjamin Regulars
Formed Star League era or earlier[1]
Nickname Pride of Benjamin
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Parent Command Benjamin Regulars


The Third Benjamin Regulars was an assault BattleMech regiment in the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery.

History[edit]

The Third Regulars' regimental insignia was a ring of stars, the topmost one very bright. These stars represented Benjamin's sun and the twenty artificial "semi-suns" that surrounded the planet.[2]

Formation[edit]

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Star League Era[edit]

During the early years of the Star League, the Third Benjamin Regulars were the Combine unit that triggered the so-called First Hidden War. In 2681, the Third's then Dueling Master Amanda Kazutoyo strode toward the front gate of Fort Shandra, the Star League Defense Force base on Benjamin, and lifted her BattleMaster's fist and loudly declared that all SLDF MechWarriors lacked the warrior's spirit and the courage to duel her. When the base commander asked her to leave, she refused and parked her 'Mech squarely in front of the gates, remaining there unmoving for ten days, periodically reissuing her challenge to the MechWarriors inside the fortress. Eventually her insults wore down the resolve of the SLDF troops, with one Lieutenant Bradley Grebbers leaving the fort without permission to face her in his Warhammer.[3]

After agreeing to a suitable location away from the fort, Kazutoyo and Grebeers would fight for little more than ten minutes before the Benjamin MechWarrior achieved the advantage, disabling her opponent's legs with incredibly precise missile fire. Grebber's Warhammer forced to its knees, Kazutoyo walked behind him and placed her 'Mech's PPC at the back of his cockpit, callously executing him to the horror of the SLDF spectators. The fort's commander barely prevented his warriors from attacking Kazutoyo en masse, with First Lord Michael Cameron vigorously protesting this and further duels with similar outcomes for the hapless SLDF.[3]

Of the various brigades of Regulars active within the DCMS during the Star League era, the regiments of the Benjamin Regulars - including the Third Benjamin Regulars - were considered to be the most flexible. This was a reflection of the reality that the Regulars could at any point be called on to fight against the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces or the SLDF, as a result of the Benjamin Military District bordering the Federated Suns, Lyran Commonwealth and Terran Hegemony. This was even acknowledged by the Internal Security Force, who gave the Third and the other regiments of the Regulars more leeway than the average DCMS unit - an attitude the Benjamin Regulars repaid by limiting complaints and criticism to supply issues and local concerns, rather than anything to do with politics.[1]

Third Succession War[edit]

In 3015, the Third Benjamin Regulars were responsible for the successful invasion of Mara. This was accomplished by redeploying under fire to support the Dieron Regulars.[4]

The unit's skills deteriorated from the moment Brigadier General Jakodo Naguchido was made commanding officer, and the Galtor Campaign in 3025 would show how much.[5] His performance was so bad that the unit was mustered out of the campaign after botching its initial landing, entering an enemy minefield without ECM cover and losing twenty-seven 'Mechs, an additional ten damaged and three missing in action, plus two Slayer medium fighters destroyed with no return as they were unable to kill a single Davion 'Mech nor their air cover in the first two days of fighting. The unit lost nearly a third of its strength in the operation.[5] After this, the Third Benjamin Regulars were assigned to bolster the defense of the world of Irurzun alongside the Sixth Benjamin Regulars and three infantry regiments.[6]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

During the Fourth Succession War, the Third was assigned with the Sixth Benjamin Regulars and twenty infantry and tank regiments to attack the First Chisholm's Raiders RCT on Deshler.[7] While the Raiders consistently outmaneuvered the invaders, the Kurita taskforce had superior numbers, slowly but progressively wearing the Davion unit down. When the Combine offensive swept past Deshler the AFFS attempted to pull their unit out, but the Chisholm Raiders chose to stay and fight, tying up the Combine units for months before being effectively destroyed.[8]

Ronin War[edit]

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War of 3039[edit]

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Clan Invasion[edit]

In 3048, the Third's base was raided by Federated Commonwealth mercenaries. The Third's 'Mech forces ignored the mercenary forces at first, instead choosing to seize the mercenary forces' DropShips. Once these were secured, the 'Mechs of the Third turned towards their headquarters and caught the mercenary raiders from the rear as the Third's conventional forces attacked from the front. The mercenaries were destroyed in this hammer and anvil maneuver.[9]

In early 3050, the Third Regulars were stationed on Irurzun.[10] The Third's main action in the Clan Invasion was against the Smoke Jaguar's Nineteenth Striker Cluster on Asgard. While the DCMS command did not expect the Third to hold the Clan troops off, the Third exceeded expectations by holding out for an entire month and inflicting heavy losses on the Jaguars.

Survivors of the Eleventh Benjamin Regulars were integrated into the unit and the Third was moved up in upgrade priority.

Operation BULLDOG[edit]

When the Second Star League launched Operation BULLDOG one of the worlds marked for liberation was Asgard; when Star League forces landed - forces which included the Third Benjamin Regulars and the Davion Heavy Guards - they faced the Fourth Jaguar Dragoons as well as the Command Keshik of Epsilon Galaxy. In the resulting campaign the Fourth Jaguar Dragoons were driven back by the DCMS forces, leading to the Epsilon Galaxy Command Keshik retreating into the path of a company from the Davion Heavy Guards.[11][12]

The large Elemental contingent within the Command Keshik and the superior technology enjoyed by the Smoke Jaguar warriors led to them quickly gaining the advantage over the Davion Heavy Guards; the tables turned when a company from the Second Battalion of the Third Benjamin Regulars which had been pursuing the Command Keshik plunged into the battle. The actions of the Third Benjamin Regulars turned the battle; the Benjamin Regulars forces included a lance commanded by Chu-i Hidekazu Moriyama which proved key to the battle, as the two Komodo BattleMechs within that lance cut a swath through the Command Keshik's Elemental forces, with the lance as a whole also claiming two heavy OmniMechs as victims before the battle was complete.[11] The Benjamin Regulars were not alone in claiming trophies from the battle, however - one noted loss on the part of the Smoke Jaguars was a Star Commander taken down in close quarters by the Nightsky 'Mech piloted by Leftenant Osias Eisenberg of the Davion Heavy Guards during the desperate holding action while the Heavy Guards waited for reinforcements.[13]

Federated Suns Incursion[edit]

The Third Benjamin Regulars were assigned the honor of capturing Kentares IV during the DCMS Reprisal against Duke James Sandoval's attempted invasion of the Draconis Combine. On January 23, 3065, the Regulars landed on Kentares and immediately engaged Duke Ian Dresari and his Kentares DMM in battle. Although Ian and the DMM were determined to hold off the Regulars, the DMM was heavily outnumbered and outgunned.

Salvation for Duke Ian and the DMM came in the form of the pro-Victor Tenth Lyran Guards, who were en route to the planet Tikonov to assist Prince Victor, but were forced to make an unscheduled stop in the Kentares system due to the sabotage of their JumpShips. Marshal James McFarland, commander of the Tenth, decided to assist the beleaguered Duke Ian. A week later, the surviving Third Benjamin Regulars were destroyed and the few survivors were imprisoned on Kentares.[14]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 3rd Benjamin Regulars
Brigadier General Jakodo Naguchido 3025[15]
Tai-sa Samuel Nelson 3050[10]
Tai-sa Clifford Allen 3059[2]

Tactics[edit]

Star League Era[edit]

The Third Benjamin Regulars favored a strong combined-arms approach, but otherwise were a generalist unit, and deliberately fielded a wide range of BattleMech classes to encourage adaptation to changing circumstances.[1]

Third Succession War[edit]

The Third uses heavily-armored BattleMechs. Its warriors target the lightest and most maneuverable elements of the opposing force first, then uses a series of hit-and-retreat actions to wear the enemy down.

In 3025, when the Third Benjamin Regulars participated in the Galtor Campaign, the Third Benjamin Regulars were skilled in open-field battles.[15][16]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

Third Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[1]

Note: At this point in time, the Regulars were stationed on Dover; attached to the Regulars were a wing of aerospace fighters, an artillery regiment, four infantry regiments, and four armored regiments.[1]

2786 - 2821[edit]

Third Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[17]

Note: At this point in time the Regulars were a heavy-weight regiment, operating at full strength and stationed on Dover.[17]In 2821 the unit was operating at just above one-third of full strength and stationed on Odabasi.[17]

2830[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [18]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Odabasi with an operational readiness of 81 percent. [18]

2864[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical) [18]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Dehgolan with an operational readiness of 47 percent. [18]

3025[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Questionable)[19][20][5]

  • CO: Brigadier General Jakodo Naguchido
Note: The Third Benjamin Regulars was a heavy 'Mech Regiment[16]. At this point in time the unit was stationed on Irurzun. [21]
Regiment TO&E
Regimental BattleGroup (4x armor lances, 1x reinforced 'Mech lance, 1x 'Mech lance)
Air Squadron (1x wing of aerospace fighters)
Ismail's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Glover's Company ('Mech)
  • Lane's Company ('Mech)
  • Quinn's Company ('Mech)
Shazli's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Chu's Company ('Mech)
  • Zetti's Company ('Mech)
  • Bardeen's Company ('Mech)
Gamasy's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Astaire's Company ('Mech)
  • Roger's Company ('Mech)
  • Kelly's Company ('Mech)
Auxillary Group (2x armor lances, 1x infantry platoon)

3040[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Questionable)[22]

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

3050[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[10]

  • CO: Tai-sa Samuel Nelson[10]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Irurzun.[10]

3054[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Battalion/Veteran/Questionable)[23]

  • CO: Tai-sa Samuel Nelson

3059[edit]

3rd Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

  • 2nd Battalion: Chu-sa Onyoko Akagi
  • 3rd Battalion: Chu-sa Gerrard Teyku
Note: Over 50 percent of the command is upgraded with new technology. The unit is heavy to assault with a few light/medium 'Mechs for scouting. All machines have the heaviest armor available. Furthermore the command received 12 IS OmniMechs.
3rd Benjamin Regulars Aerospace (Wing/Veteran/Reliable)[2]
  • Wing Commander: Sho-sa Brandon Klein
Note: 12 Slayer fighters were modified to carry on each wing pod with 5 tons pod space.
Rook's Armored Wall (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[2]
  • Armor Commander: Tai-sa Maximillian Rook
Note: Because of their extraordinary bravery during the battle on Asgard against the Clans, the command received a lot of new equipment and six lances of new armor.
Dragon's Gentle Kiss (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[2]
  • Troop Commander: Chu-sa Sath Reinholdt
Note: The command included three companies of heavy artillery and the remaining members were trained to lay mines or to act as demolitions experts.

Game Rules[edit]

Historical Turning Points: Galtor[edit]

The Third Benjamin are proficient in fighting in clear, open terrain. On any map with a majority of clear hexes, the Third gain a +1 to Initiative.[15]

Combat Manual: Kurita[edit]

  • The Third can use the Environmental Specialization (Clear) and Tactical Specialization (Engineers) special command abilities.[9]
  • The Third's armor support unit is composed entirely of size 3 (heavy) and size 4 (assault) units.[9]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Field Report 2765: DCMS, p. 10
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 42
  3. 3.0 3.1 The Star League, p. 58
  4. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 89
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 The Galtor Campaign, p. 51
  6. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 187
  7. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 80
  8. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 28
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Combat Manual: Kurita, p. 38
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 20 Year Update, p. 42
  11. 11.0 11.1 Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, p. 32
  12. The Dragon Roars, p. 10
  13. Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade, p. 40
  14. Field Manual: Updates, p. 106
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Historical Turning Points: Galtor, p. 7
  16. 16.0 16.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 144
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 First Succession War, p. 136
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Second Succession War, p. 96
  19. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine) p. 137
  20. The Galtor Campaign, p. 13
  21. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p.135
  22. 22.0 22.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 138
  23. Objective Raids, p.27

Bibliography[edit]