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Marik Guard

Marik Guard.png
Marik Guard
Formed ca. 2246[1][2][3]
Nickname The Eagle's Shield[1]
Affiliation Free Worlds League
Parent Command FWLM


The Marik Guard was a Provincial regiment in service of Marik Commonwealth and later the Free Worlds League.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The Marik Guard has been a part of the armed forces of the Marik Commonwealth since the Commonwealth was first founded, striving to perform any task that was placed upon it, despite only being a regiment in strength.[1]

The Age of War[edit]

In the beginning of the First Andurien War in 2398, the unit was a Jump Infantry regiment. It fought in the Andurien War with distinguishing, where it was recognized for its part of repulsing the Capellan invasion of Ryerson.[4] During the Age of War the Marik Guard was equipped with BattleMechs in 2484. The Guard would be deployed to on campaigns to on the worlds of Callison and Megrez, campaigns that turned brutal, doing extensive damage to the Guard.[5] When the Atrean Dragoons were formally transferred to the command of the federal government in 2528[6] the Marik Guard became the only provincial force within the Commonwealth.[1]

First Marik Civil War[edit]

During the First Marik Civil War (2729 - 2734) the Guards were brutalized by Rebel General Karel Vashkov. The Guards had taken a defensive position on Ares, where Oliver Marik's general nearly destroyed the regiment.

After the war, new Captain-General Bertram Marik appointed Colonel Lionel Bryce-Marik as the unit's commanding officer. He elected to have the unit rebuilt into a light 'Mech regiment augmented with LAM fighters. Configured in such way, the unit would have excellent speed and reconnaissance capacities.[7] As a consequence of this reward for their loyalty to Bertram Marik the regiment remained a light jump regiment throughout the Star League era. The Marik Guard commonly acted as a bodyguard for members of House Marik, and during the course of their duties the Marik Guard would travel throughout the Free Worlds League with their charges. On one notable incident the Marik Guard even accompanied Ewan Marik to Terra.[1]

Despite the high maintenance burden associated with the mechanically complex LAMs and the often limited supplies available for them the Marik Guard remained the envy of other federal forces, and the prestigious nature of LAMs ensured that the public often formed crowds to watch forces from the Marik Guard on training exercises.[1]

The Third Succession War[edit]

In 2882, Admiral Lloyd Marik-Stanley, commanding officer of the Guards was appointed as Captain-General. However, this was contested by ComStar Acolyte Elisabeth Marik, who laid claim to the Captain-Generalship. The old commanding officer announced from his flagship he would fight with force, and gave an anti-ComStar speech relating his intentions. However, Guards were not drawn into another potential civil war. Where Elisabeth was able negotiate a settlement.[8]

During the Marik Civil War in 3014, the unit did not participate in the conflict and remained on Van Diemen IV.[9][10]

The Fourth Succession War[edit]

During the Fourth Succession War, Marik Guards were repositioned from Van Diemen IV to Callison in 3029. The unit moved where it relieved Silver Hawk Irregulars' Falcons regiment, while they were reposition for future offensive.

However, new orders came in 3029 that ordered the Guard to head off to Talitha to deal with the forces of the newly formed Tikonov Free Republic. In midst of loading on to its DropShips, sensors showed that the planet was under attack by a Lyran Commonwealth raiding force.

The Guards scrambled three of its available light aerospace fighters to meet the incoming DropShips. The enemy force turned out to be the mercenary regiment known as the Hsien Hotheads. They had been hired and being led by Lyran Commonwealth's General of the Armies Edward Regis. Colonel Takei Bryce-Marik had only a battalion's worth of light 'Mechs and LAMs that had not yet been loaded into his DropShips. He order the light weight LAMs to attempt to delay the Lyran mercenaries long enough to unload rest of the Regiment.

The Guard's LAMs clashed with incoming Hotheads with hit-fade tactics, which that did little damage to the enemy. The Hotheads' heavier machines finally reached the battalion's worth of light 'Mech and LAMs in another skirmish. Against the Guard's forces try hit and fade in an attempt to delay the mercenaries. However, the LAMs' weakness in 'Mech mode and light armor of its fellow Guard units proved unable stop General Regis's hired soldiers.

The Hotheads reached the Spaceport where the Guards were still attempting to offload its 'Mechs and load its valuable supplies. The supplies, which included rare LAM supplies dominated Spaceport's tarmac. The Guards and Mercenaries' guns fell silent, now both sides now faced dilemma. In the end General Regis made deal with Colonel Bryce-Marik where he would let whatever forces still mobile to leave and while he would concede the planet and salvage. With no means to unload the force to deal with Hotheads regiment, he agreed to General Regis's terms. He and whatever forces had remaining would left off, leaving the planet in House Steiner's hands.[11]

After the war, the unit was considered decimated, was disbanded in following years.[12][13]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Marik Guard
Colonel Brion Marik 2475[14]
Admiral Lloyd Marik-Stanley 2883[15]
Colonel Takei Bryce-Marik 3025[16]

Tactics[edit]

The Regiment utilizes its Speed and Land-Air 'Mechs to attack enemy in hit & fade attacks.[17]

Composition History[edit]

2398[edit]

Marik Guard (Jump Infantry Regiment)[18]

2765[edit]

Marik Guard (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[19]

- At this point in time the Marik Guard was stationed on Marik.[19] Between one and two companies of the Marik Guard were unavailable at any given time due the maintenance work their LAMs required.[1]

2786–2821[edit]

Marik Guard (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[20]

Note: At this point in time the light-weight unit was stationed on Marik. In 2821 the command was reduced to 44 of its strength and was deployed at Graham IV.[20]

2830[edit]

Marik Guard (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[21]

Note: At this point in time the light-weight unit was stationed on Marik with an operational readiness of 69 percent.[21]

2864[edit]

Marik Guard (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[21]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Marik with an operational readiness of 38 percent.[21]

3025[edit]

Marik Guard (BattleMech Regiment)

  • Note: The unit is configured as a light BattleMech Regiment. Its composition combines large sum of Land-Air 'Mechs and 'Mechs no larger than a Hermes II. The unit as of 3025 had been given an Elite skill and Fanatical loyalty rating while home based on Van Diemen IV.[22]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Field Report 2765: FWLM, p. 13: "Marik Guard"
  2. Handbook: House Marik, p. 12: "To The Stars"
  3. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), pp. 8–9: "Marik Origins"
  4. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 95: Unit was a Jump Infantry Regiment during early years of the Age of War prior to the use of BattleMechs
  5. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 95: Later parts of the Age of War brutalized now 'Mech Equipped Regiment
  6. Field Report 2765: FWLM, p. 9: "Atrean Dragoons"
  7. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), pp. 90, 95: 1st Marik Civil War (2729-2734) hard the Guard's chewed up by Rebel forces and be rebuilt in twenty-eighth century
  8. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 38: The Great Compromiser - Marik Guard commander nearly bring the League to Civil War over the Captain-Generalship
  9. Historical: Brush Wars, pp. 34, 36: Unit never left its Van Diemen IV garrison post
  10. Handbook: House Marik, pp. 40, 43: Third Succession War, Timeline - Events of Elisabeth Marik's succession changed from 2883 in old sources to 2882
  11. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 86–87: Callison - Hsien's Hotheads attack Marik Guard and force them off planet in defeat
  12. Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 80: Protectorate Guard/Commanding Officer -Son of Takei, Loren Bryce-Marik's information notes Guards near-destruction and family control being shifted to the Protectorate Guards Brigade
  13. 20 Year Update, pp. 56–57: Marik Guards not listed in as of 3050. Descendant of the Marik Guard's traditional commander noted in command of the entire Protectorate Brigade
  14. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 17: Unit commander noted as being future Free Worlds League commander, Brion Marik
  15. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 38: fiery and old Admiral Marik-Stanley named as Commander of the Marik Guards during Third Succession War
  16. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 95
  17. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 86–87: Marik Guard's tactics used on Callison
  18. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 95: Unit noted as being a Jump Infantry Regiment during the First Andurien War, war began in 2398
  19. 19.0 19.1 Field Report 2765: FWLM, p. 13: "Regimental Status"
  20. 20.0 20.1 First Succession War, p. 138
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Second Succession War, p. 98
  22. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), pp. 95, 108: Unit strength, status and location information as of 3025
  23. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 95: Unit's traditional colors noted in original & only entry for the regiment

Bibliography[edit]