Otomo

Insignia of the Otomo
Otomo
Formed pre-3000
Nickname The Dragon's Warders
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Parent Command DCMS

The Otomo are the Palace Household Guard of the Draconis Combine. Slightly more than a regiment in size, their sole purpose is to protect Unity Palace on Luthien and the Coordinator. Members of the Otomo are taken from Sword of Light regiments and the five military districts. The Coordinator assembles a list of potential members, who are then investigated by the Internal Security Force.[1] Unit composition is a mix of 'Mechs, armor, and infantry. Traditionally, only a member of the Kurita family can become commander of the Otomo.

History[edit]

Membership in the Otomo is restricted to the most highly skilled soldiers of the DCMS. However, seeking appointment to the Otomo is seen as self-aggrandizing. Instead one is chosen for a position in the Otomo.[2]

First Succession War[edit]

The Otomo would accompany Coordinator Minoru Kurita during the Combine's First Succession War drive into the Federated Suns but were ultimately unable to protect him from assassination by an Armed Forces of the Federated Suns sniper on Kentares. After Minoru's successor Jinjiro Kurita arrived on-world and ordered his troops to "Kill them all", when one of his generals sought further explanation of his command, Jinjiro ordered the Otomo to shoot him which they immediately did as a stark message to his remaining generals.[3][4]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

As the Coordinator's bodyguard unit, the Otomo spent the Fourth Succession War on Luthien.

Clan Invasion[edit]

During the Clan Invasion, the Otomo fought in the Battle of Luthien. In the course of the fighting the Otomo separated into company-sized units and opened lines of retreat, stalled enemy breakthroughs, and filled gaps that appeared in the DCMS lines. When outnumbered and isolated, they fought multiple foes at once to ensure that the Dragon would face fewer enemies.[1] As a result of this, they took heavy casualties. The regiment was not rebuilt to complete strength until 3054.[citation needed]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

The Kokuryu-kai elements of the Otomo turned on Coordinator Theodore Kurita. However, the mercenary command Camacho's Caballeros and the 9th Ghost Regiment intervened and stopped the traitors.[5] Also, the Coordinator's illegitimate son, Franklin Sakamoto, had arrived to defend his father. The Otomo went through a brutal purge, with Sakamoto becoming the commander of the Otomo infantry companies.[6]

Jihad[edit]

Battle of Luthien[edit]

In December in 3067, forces loyal to the Black Dragon Society invaded Luthien. On New Year's Day, 3068, the Kokuryo-kai Second Sword of Light surrounded and then attacked the Imperial Palace. The Otomo and their fellow samurai Izanagi Warriors fought a delaying action while the Loyalist 3rd Luthien Guards retreated, taking heavy casualties (including the loss of Griffon Meshune) in the process.[7][8] When the commanding officer of the Second Sword of Light, Tai-sa Li Sak To, attempted to execute a number of captured members of the Otomo one of his own officers defied him. Chu-i Takiro Hutchinson recognized that Li Sak To's actions were wrong, and in an act of defiance maneuvered his Katana between To's Akuma and the prisoners, preventing him from murdering them in cold blood. To and Hutchinson then fought each other savagely, a battle that polarized the Second Sword of Light and gave the prisoners time to escape. Although many of the prisoners including Franklin Sakamoto were subsequently recaptured they were able to sound the alarm and thereby alert the First Genyosha. Following the battle fragments of the armor from Hutchinson's Katana were carried by the other members of his lance as reminders of their duty to the Dragon.[9]

The coup devastated the Otomo and the Izanagi Warriors. The two units' survivors joined the First Genyosha in fighting the traitors, operating under the control of Sho-sho Sajori Mitsotisa. They performed as raiders, noted for their precision and later salvage operations.[7]

On 23 August 3072, the joint unit - in a concerted effort alongside the Xi Galaxy of Clan Nova Cat - assaulted a large Blakist supply base defended by the Forty-second Shadow Division, in the Battle of the Kyoto Zen Arcology Project. The DCMS flanking attack was intended to sow confusion within the Blakist defenses, and though deflected, did just that. A Star was able to breach the rear of the base and set off an enormous chemical explosion, resulting in the destruction of multiple units on both sides and a significant loss to the Blakist ammunition supply.[10]

On March 14th 3074, the Word of Blake ROM had leaked information regarding the presence of Buda Weapons Chief Researcher Hideoshi Yamika and his prototype Large X-Pulse Laser to the Kokuryu-kai as a means of wearing down Loyalist defenders in Skytower City. The resulting battle ended with Yamika and his prototypes being hustled aboard a Blakist DropShip.[11]

After the liberation of Luthien in December 3074, the unit was scheduled to be rebuilt around the survivors.[7]

The Otomo relocated to New Samarkand when the Coordinator moved the Draconis Combine capital to that world. Though they were highly skilled raiders, the Battle of Luthien inflicted heavy casualties on the Otomo. They could have avoided many of these casualties, but they refused to sacrifice Combine civilians.[12]

Republic Era[edit]

The Otomo's ranks dropped to a third of their pre-Jihad strength, and as of 3085 they were barely above the halfway point of their nominal strength. Though they could rebuild more quickly from the ranks of elite warriors in the DCMS, the Coordinator chose to build more slowly. This decision slowed the growth of the Otomo, the DCMS as a whole benefiting from the presence of elite soldiers. The three survivors of the 3rd Night Stalkers regiment were inducted into the Otomo to reward their continual resistance to the Word of Blake.[13]

Dark Age[edit]

The Otomo as of 3145 now carries more than a full regiment of BattleMechs and an expanded battalion of battlesuit infantry. Though there is much criticism of this as other units struggle to fill their ranks. The only justification given is that of its CO says the extra security is needed due to the current war with the Federated Suns, and in order to not let a failure like the death of Vincent Kurita happen again.[14]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Otomo
Tai-sa Takashi Kurita 3000
Tai-sa Marcus Kurita 3024
Tai-sa Oda Hideyoshi 3050 - 3058[15][16][17]
Tai-sa Griffon Meshune 3058 - 3068[6]
Tai-sa Franklin Sakamoto 3068[18]
Tai-sa Emory Durante 3085[19]
Tai-sho Rikichi Kodami 3145[20]

Tactics[edit]

The Otomo specialize in defensive tactics, performing like an elite support unit. The regiment is always the last to leave any battlefield.[17] Despite this specialization in defense, they are skilled at all forms of combat, from small unit action raids to planetary invasions.[2]

Composition History[edit]

An Otomo personal guard with Vibrokatana and Ballistic Plate Armor

3000[edit]

3040[edit]

Otomo (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[22]

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

3050[edit]

Otomo (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[15]

  • CO: Tai-sa Oda Hideyoshi[15]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Luthien.[15]

3054[edit]

Otomo (2 Battalions/Elite/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Tai-sa Oda Hideyoshi

3059[edit]

Otomo (1 Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[17]

  • XO: Tai-sa Ling Sayamoto
  • 2nd Battalion: Chu-sa Griffon Mashune
  • 3rd Battalion: Chu-sa Date Tadakatsu

Otomo Infantry (Expanded Battalion/Elite/Fanatical)[17]

  • Troop Commander: Chu-sa Minoro Hamitsu

3067[edit]

Otomo (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[6]

  • CO: Tai-sa Griffon Mishune
Otomo Infantry (4 Companies/Elite/Fanatical)[6]
  • CO: Chu-sa Franklin Sakamoto

3079[edit]

Otomo (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[23]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Samarkand.[23]

3085[edit]

Otomo (Elite/Fanatical)[19]

Otomo Battlesuit Infantry (1 Battalion/Elite/Fanatical)[19]

3145[edit]

Otomo (Elite/Fanatical)[20]

  • CO: Tai-sho Rikichi Kodami

Otomo Battlesuit Infantry (Elite/Fanatical)[20]

Unit Insignia and Colors[edit]

The unit's insignia is a gold shield with the official Kurita crest painted on the 'Mech's upper left torso. The Otomo 'Mechs use a flat black paint scheme with gold highlights in battle and on parade.

Game Rules[edit]

  • During the Battle of Luthien, NPCs will generally attack the closest Black Dragon unit, ignoring all other units unless the Modified To-Hit number is beneath a certain amount. Unit members receive a negative modifier to hit in all ranged combat and physical attacks against the Black Dragon.[7]

Combat Manual: Kurita[edit]

  • The Otomo can use the Esprit de Corps, Focus (Iron Will), and Tactical Adjustments special command abilities.[2]
  • Otomo units must have an experience level of at least Veteran (Skill 3).[2]
  • If there are any non-Otomo friendly Units on the field, the Otomo may not retreat (leave via home edge) from the battlefield.[2]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Era Report: 3052, p. 28
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Combat Manual: Kurita, p. 49
  3. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 56: "History - The Massacre"
  4. First Succession War, p. 87: "The Succession War (2786-2821) - Bloody Kentares"
  5. Black Dragon, p. ??[citation needed]: "Camacho's Caballeros and their friends from the 9th stop the Black Dragons at nick of time".
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Field Manual: Updates, p. 119: "Pesht Prefecture"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 6: "Combatants"
  8. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 8: "Traitor's Kiss"
  9. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 94: "CR K-5003-2 Katana (Crockett)"
  10. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 9: "Feline Ferocity"
  11. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, pp. 10–11: "Light Machine"
  12. Field Report: DCMS, p. 12
  13. Field Manual: 3085, p. 43
  14. Field Manual: 3145, p. 56: "Otomo"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 20 Year Update, p. 42: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3050"
  16. 16.0 16.1 Objective Raids, p. 28: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3054"
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 80: "Otomo Unit Profile"
  18. Dawn of the Jihad, p. 66
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 51: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3085"
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 67: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3145"
  21. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 85: "The New Millennium"
  22. 22.0 22.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 139
  23. 23.0 23.1 Field Report: DCMS, p. 12

Bibliography[edit]