Red Chasseurs

Red Chasseurs.jpg
Red Chasseurs
Formed 2784[1]
Nickname Bright Flame Regiment
Affiliation Taurian Concordat
Parent Command I Corps


The Red Chasseurs were a quick-response regiment for the Taurian Concordat. They were used to intercept threats incoming to Concordat. The unit has also been used in offensive actions as well. The unit usually on six-hour notice to deploy from their base to their JumpShip.

History[edit]

Succession Wars[edit]

The Red Chasseurs were a formed from a Star League Defense Force command, specifically the Fourth Army's 159th Hussar Regiment, that opted to join the Taurian Concordat following the collapse of the Star League.[1]

The Chasseurs would take part in the ill-fated Taurian-Canopian War in 2813 at the tail-end of the First Succession War, invading the low population Magistracy of Canopus-held world of Detroit. Unlike the disaster of Herotitus, Taurian Defense Force commander in chief Marshal Gertrude Blake-Andrews took great pains to avoid announcing her presence to the Canopian garrison, nor did she skimp on her aerospace escort. As a result the bulk of her invasion force - the Red Chasseurs 'Mech regiment, plus two regiments each of armor and infantry - were able to reach the surface alive. Once on the ground though, the Taurians and Canopians mostly chased each other around the few military significant targets trying to draw the other side out into ambushes. With neither commander foolish enough to oblige the other by running into the prepared meat grinders, 'fighting' on Detroit faded into a series of defensive holding actions and probing raids until word of the truce arrived.[2][3]

During the Third Succession War, the regiment took the Magistracy of Canopus world of New Abilene in 3012. easily overwhelming the planet's local militia. Knowing the Canopian forces were on their way to confront them, they dug in. The 1st Canopian Cuirassiers, late due to a helium seal blowout, dropped on top of the Red Chasseurs' defensive positions. The Cuirassiers successfully forced the Chasseurs off New Abilene.[4]

New Colony Era[edit]

By the 3050s, the Concordat and Magistracy of Canopus begun colonizing region between their two realms. The Chasseurs were used in the New Colony Region to take down pirates, rogue colonial marshals and other intrusive elements.

The regiment as of 3064, was organized into nearly 5 fast heavy 'Mech companies. The unit's lack of activity at the time, caused its second battalion to be downgraded as a regular skilled unit.[5]

Along with rest of the I Corps, the unit was spread thinly From the Liao down to Fronc Reaches' border as of 3067.[6]

Jihad & Second FedSuns Invasion[edit]

In 3074, Taurus was bombarded by asteroids and left the capital of the Concordat in ruins. With 5 million dead, and Word of Blake intelligence suggesting the asteroids were propelled by agents of the Federated Suns, TDF's surviving ruling party invaded the Suns.

The Red Chasseurs along with rest of I Corps, supported two prong thrust into the Federated Suns. Accompanying Taurian Guard brigade, the I Corps was once again spread out to hold newly acquired Davion worlds.[7]

In 3079 the Chasseurs numbers were low, and the command split into two forces to garrison Organo and Althea's Choice.[8]

Operation Matador[edit]

In 3081 it was reported that the Red Chasseurs had been wiped out - literally, to a man - on the border world of Althea's Choice by the 2nd Ceti Hussars during Operation MATADOR.[9] Later reports clarified the situation: The Second Battalion of the Red Chasseurs had indeed been wiped out, but the first battalion on Organo withdrew after facing the Illician Lancers Fourth Regiment.[10] As part of this withdrawal, the survivors captured a mercenary JumpShip. The unit is so heavily damaged (less than two companies escaped Organo) that it will likely be folded in with the Concordat Jaegers, another heavily damaged command.[11]

Dark Age[edit]

In 3145 the two battalions of the Red Chasseurs were stationed on New Vandenberg and Landmark. The unit faced decades of low level combat on New Vandenberg, and this constant combat had almost completely destroyed the unit's morale. As a stopgap the Red Chasseurs were ordered to rotate their battalions off-world to get away from the conflict.[12]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Red Chasseurs
Colonel Valerie Makepeace 3025[13]
Colonel Michael Griswald 3050 - 3054[14][15]
Colonel Clarence "Chip" Cheplak 3064 - 3067[5][16]
Colonel Jenna Doe 3085[17]
Colonel Rose Cox 3145[18]

Tactics[edit]

By 3064, the unit had developed quick insertion from high-atmosphere or hot drops onto potential enemy positions while as the attacker. The unit, while conducting anti-pirate raids, use their DropShips to land on a pirate formation's flank in a showy effort. Meanwhile, ground forces that had been dropped in atmosphere landed on different position in an attempt to scare pirates into an ambush.[5]

Composition History[edit]

2786 - 2821[edit]

Red Chasseurs (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[19]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Coromodir. In 2821 the command was reduced to 40 percent of its strength and was deployed on Rockwellawan.[19]

2830[edit]

Red Chasseurs (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[20]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Rockwellawan with an operational readiness of 0 percent.[20]

2864[edit]

Red Chasseurs (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[20]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Rockwellawan with an operational readiness of 70 percent.[20]

3025[edit]

The Red Chasseurs (3 Battalions)[13]

  • CO: Colonel Valerie Makepeace
  • 1st Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Pablo Ibarrez
  • 2nd Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Michael Griswald
  • 3rd Battalion (Veteran/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Adam Beulort

3050[edit]

Red Chasseurs (BattleMech Regiment)[14]

  • CO: Colonel Michael Griswald
  • 1st Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Clarence Cheplak
  • 2nd Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Gerald Dildine
  • 3rd Battalion (Veteran/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Timothy Frender

3054[edit]

Red Chasseurs (BattleMech Regiment)[15]

  • CO: Colonel Michael Griswald
  • 1st Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Clarence Cheplak
  • 2nd Battalion (Regular/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Gerald Dildine
  • 3rd Battalion (Veteran/Reliable) - CO: Subaltern Barbara Schmidt

3064-3067[edit]

Red Chasseurs (BattleMech Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[5][16]

  • CO: Colonel Clarence Cheplak
  • 1st Battalion - CO: Brigadier Andre Pharoh
  • 2nd Battalion - CO: Brigadier Maria Steibeck
  • 3rd Battalion - CO: Brigadier Isaak Shtern

21st Corps Air Division (Wing/Regular/Reliable)[5][16]

  • Wing Commander: Cornet Samantha Fields

27th Armored Reconnaissance (2 Companies/Green/Questionable)[5][16]

  • CO: Subaltern Mick Andrew

35th Cluster Support Force (Red Gate Infantry) (Company/Regular/Questionable)[5][16]

  • CO: Cornet Adam Mustaffalous

3079[edit]

The Jihad fighting found the Red Chasseurs' forces reduced by 40%.[8]

3085[edit]

Red Chasseurs (Veteran/Reliable)[17]

  • CO: Colonel Jenna Doe

21st Corps Air Division (Regular/Questionable)[17]

27th Armored Recon (1 Battalion/Veteran/Questionable)[17]

  • CO: Subaltern George McMillian

Red Gate Infantry (Veteran/Reliable)[17]

  • CO: Colonel Adam Mustaffalous

3145[edit]

Red Chasseurs (Veteran/Questionable)[18]

22nd Corps Air Division (Veteran/Reliable)[18]

12th Armor Cavalry (Regular/Questionable)[18]

Red Gate Infantry (Regular/Reliable)[18]

Notes[edit]

The 21st Corps Air Division rotates every six months with 18th Corps Air Division as part of Red Chasseurs' attached aerospace support unit.[21]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 First Succession War, p. 34: "Those Left Behind (Continued)"
  2. The Periphery, pp. 61–62: "First Succession War and the Periphery - Concordat-Magistracy War - A Separate War"
  3. First Succession War, pp. 101–103: "The Succession War (2786-2821) - Hard Times: The Decline of the Periphery - The Taurian-Canopian War (2813-2814)"
  4. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 31: "1st Canopian Cuirassiers"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 60: "Red Chasseurs Unit Profile"
  6. Field Manual: Updates, p. 193: "Red Chasseurs"
  7. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 191–192: "Taurian Guards"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 12
  9. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 115: "Taurian Concordat"
  10. Field Manual: 3085, p. 54
  11. Field Manual: 3085, p. 142
  12. Field Manual: 3145, p. 194
  13. 13.0 13.1 The Periphery, p. 81: "TDF Deployment Table - 3025"
  14. 14.0 14.1 20 Year Update, p. 77: "TDF Deployment Table - 3050"
  15. 15.0 15.1 Objective Raids, p. 48: "TDF Deployment Table - 3054"
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 202: "TDF Deployment Table - 3067"
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 150: "TDF Deployment Table - 3085"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 201: "I Corps"
  19. 19.0 19.1 First Succession War, p. 140
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Second Succession War, p. 100
  21. Field Manual: Periphery, p. ??: "Red Chasseurs" - 21st Air Corps Div. note[citation needed]

Bibliography[edit]