Rho Galaxy (Rasalhague Dominion)

Insignia of Rho Galaxy
Rho Galaxy
Nickname Bear Essentials
Affiliation Rasalhague Dominion
Clan Ghost Bear (previous)
Parent Command Clan Ghost Bear touman


History[edit]

Rho Galaxy fought Clan Hell's Horses' Alpha Galaxy for control of the Horses' main 'Mech production facility in 3048. The losses Rho took were so severe that it was left out of Operation REVIVAL and remained in Clan space as the Ghost Bears' Homeworld defense force.[1]

Wolfnet intelligence indicated that at some point between the Battle of Tukayyid and 3058 the entire Galaxy had been redeployed to the Bears' Inner Sphere Occupation Zone.[2]

First Draconis Combine/Ghost Bear War[edit]

Rho Galaxy were actively involved in the First Draconis Combine / Ghost Bear War, which began in 3062 with a suicidal attack by three regiments of the Alshain Avengers against Alshain. Rho Galaxy battled forces from Clan Nova Cat on both Caripare and Itabaiana,[3] fighting alongside forces from Tau Galaxy on the latter.[4][3]

Moving back into the Dominion as the Ghost Bears responded to the Clan Hell's Horses invasion prompted by Khan Vladimir Ward of Clan Wolf, elements of Rho were keen to see combat despite the Galaxy having taken a battering while fighting the Nova Cats. The warriors of the Eighteenth Battle Cluster actively sought an opportunity for revenge against the Horses because of the Eighteenth's defeat on Niles in 3048 and were rewarded with an opportunity to attack Engadin, only to discover when they arrived that the Hell's Horses forces had already fled. To compensate Rho for the perceived loss of honor the 283rd Battle Cluster was assigned to support the First Rasalhague Bears in the capture of Rasalhague from Clan Wolf, one part of the punishment meted out against Clan Wolf by the Ghost Bears in retaliation for Khan Ward's engineering of the Hell's Horses invasion.[3]

Jihad[edit]

Luthien[edit]

In December 3074 Rho Galaxy swept onto Luthien, the capital of the Draconis Combine, which had been locked in conflict between the Word of Blake, loyalist forces and forces supporting the Kokuryu-kai or Black Dragon Society. Hitting Luthien alongside Rho on the 15th were Alpha and Omega Galaxies, and the Ghost Bears soon showed that they were intent on wiping out all Blakist forces.[5][6][7][8]

The Ghost Bear forces never once offered zellbrigen to any of the Word units and effectively eradicated the Word forces on Luthien by the 20th of December. Very few survivors from the Word of Blake managed to flee or become captives, and the Ghost Bear forces destroyed any DCMS forces that attempted to interfere in the Ghost Bear campaign against the Word.[9][10] The Ghost Bear initial assault also claimed a WarShip from the Blakists' core fleet, the Vincent Mk. 39-class corvette WoBS Blade of Righteousness,[11] and in early 3075 the Blakists lost another ship, the Aegis-class heavy cruiser Vision Quest, one of only three Clantech WarShips to have been captured by the Word of Blake during the Jihad.[11]

Rho Galaxy was the key to destroying the Thirty-second Division's battle line although in the process Rho also ruined the Takashi Memorial Spaceport.[12] During their attack, Rho Galaxy simply dropped on top of the Thirty-second's positions, quickly destroying three quarters of the Blakist forces there, and spent the next few hours executing the remainder. Fires the intense combat created burned for four days after the conflict ended.[8] Also destroyed on Luthien by the Ghost Bears was the Forty-second Shadow Division, the first instance of a Shadow Division being completely destroyed.[13]

Rho and the other Galaxies left Luthien at the end of January as suddenly as they had arrived, leaving the DCMS to frantically redeploy forces to fortify the world; the relief units began arriving two weeks later on the 14th of February, only to find no sign of any Blakist troops in the wake of the Ghost Bear withdrawal.[10][14]

Kaus Australis and Ascella[edit]

After the battles for Luthien and Pesht the Ghost Bears organized their forces to drive towards Terra in several waves, each named after the lead Galaxy in that wave. Beta Galaxy formed the heart of Beta wave, striking first at secondary worlds like Kaus Media and Ascella[15] on the 6th of October 3075.[16][17]

Rho[18] and Theta Galaxies[19] were assigned to support Beta Galaxy in Beta Wave, with Rho seizing Kaus Australis while Beta was striking at Kaus Media[16][17] before joining the assault on Ascella.[18] Rho Galaxy was pushed into reserve on Ascella after the 297th Battle Cluster was nearly destroyed, leaving Beta Galaxy and one of the units personally affiliated to Devlin Stone, Stone's Lament, to clear the planet.[18] The losses on Ascella were such that Theta Galaxy was moved up from a garrison role to an active combat role within Beta Wave, only to see the Galaxy perform poorly when tasked with capturing Moore[19] in July 3076[20][21] and Pike IV[19] in September 3076.[20][21]

Dieron[edit]

In 3077, Rho Galaxy traveled to Dieron and served as the main reserve force for the Ghost Bears,[22] alongside Alpha,[23] Beta[15] and Omega Galaxies.[24] Arriving in 3077[25] Rho saw little combat for the first month; their only opponent was the Eighth Dieron Regulars which fought with the members of the Galaxy over Word of Blake prisoners. Shortly thereafter the Blakist Third Division attacked Rho Galaxy and killed most of their higher level commanders. Cast into confusion, Rho Galaxy counterattacked without any plan or coordination with other Ghost Bear or Combine units, which allowed the Second and Third Divisions to withdraw from Dieron.[22]

Dieron was a bloodbath for all the Ghost Bear Galaxies involved; Beta smashed through the Blakist blockade in the system and took over the city of Olivet,[25] but lost the 304th Assault Cluster in the battle fought in the Chiloe Pass and had to disband the Twelfth Bear Chevaliers after they were gutted by Blakist forces in the tunnels within Fortress Dieron.[15] Rho Galaxy suffered heavy enough combat losses that it had to be tasked with securing the outer areas rather than joining the Fortress Dieron assault, and the badly damaged 297th Battle Cluster was destroyed during constant raids by Blakist forces.[18] Omega Galaxy took even heavier damage than Rho, such that the surviving Clusters from the Galaxy were actually absorbed into Beta Galaxy for the remainder of the Jihad.[24]

The Dark Age[edit]

While in the Clan Homeworlds Rho Galaxy had filled the role of an enforcer Galaxy for the Ghost Bears, at least in part; in the immediate aftermath of the Jihad Rho returned to that role; rebuilding slowly and lacking access to replacement OmniMechs didn't stop Rho from sitting close to the border with the Combine's Buckminster Prefecture and daring the Dominion's enemies to attack. Determined to rebuild, Rho went so far as to start using Primitive BattleMechs manufactured on Grumium to help rebuild its Clusters while also building up transport Novas based around transport vehicles to move their battle armor forces. The one area where Rho didn't lack for advanced technology was in those same battle armor units, as the 283rd Battle Cluster was stationed on Mannedorf, giving the Galaxy access to substantial numbers of Rogue Bear battlesuits - suits that Rho put to good use in blunting at least one Combine raid on the planet.[26] Despite the problems rebuilding, the Dominion reallocated the Eighteenth Battle Cluster out of Rho Galaxy between 3079 and 3085, moving it into Beta Galaxy as a part of Beta's rebuilding.[27]

In the Second Combine-Dominion War, Rho Galaxy's Trinary Galaxy Command supported the Eighth Bear Cuirassiers during the Ghost Bear assault of Mualang. The two units quickly took control of the world. During the process they inflicted massive losses on the Nova Cat Hussars.[28] Rho Trinary Galaxy Command was still on the world when the Seventeenth Benjamin Regulars and Dragonscales Cluster arrived to liberate the world. The Rho TGC and Eighth Cuirassiers focused their fire on the Dragonscales Cluster first, inflicting huge losses on the unit. Then the Eighth Cuirassiers surged out from their defensive positions to scatter the Benjamin Regulars. While the Eighth shifted focus to the Dragonscales survivors, Rho TGC harried and harassed the Seventeenth Regulars and prevented them from regrouping into a combat effective unit. They eventually hounded the Seventeenth off Mualang completely.[29] Elements of Rho Galaxy also assaulted Asgard in 3099.[30]

Rho underwent a significant rearmament program in the 3130s and was sent on the offensive in 3144 tasked with claiming a number of worlds that formerly been part of the Lyran Commonwealth, worlds that would form a corridor between the Rasalhague Dominion and the newly formed Vega Protectorate. Rho swiftly annexed a number of worlds peacefully, but soon ran into forces from Clan Jade Falcon, also intent on annexing worlds in the region. Rho was soon facing forces from the Falcons' Omega Galaxy on the worlds of Corridan IV, Ganshoren, Symington and Yed Posterior.[31]

Omega Galaxy had been rebuilt in line with the Mongol doctrine espoused by Khan Malvina Hazen and as such consisted of hordes of light forces; those forces were deployed against Rho Galaxy with reckless abandon, swarming single Stars with what seemed to be endless numbers. Rho Galaxy was notionally of equal strength to Omega Galaxy, but where Omega had light forces, Rho had heavy 'Mech Supernovas and kept its units in defensive positions, holding Omega at bay. It was only when it appeared likely that the Jade Falcons were mobilizing a second Galaxy, Vau Galaxy, to support Omega that the Dominion Council ordered Rho to withdraw, rather than run the risk of provoking a major war between the Falcons and the Dominion.[31]

The order to withdraw left Rho frustrated, but proud of their prowess; reports of Rho's performance in combat became the standard text within the Dominion for dealing with units using Mongol tactics, giving Rho some solace. Elements of Rho were in action again in 3145, with the 343rd Battle Cluster deploying in support of the Third Vega Regulars on raids against the world of Shionoha - raids that intelligence agencies speculated were intended to encourage the defending units on Port Moseby to move away to support the forces on Shionoha. Adding weight to the idea that the Dominion was looking to annex Port Moseby for its new Lyran subjects was a probing raid on Port Moseby conducted by the 300th Battle Cluster the previous year.[31]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Rho Galaxy (Clan Ghost Bear)
Galaxy Commander Kassandra Gurdel 3054[1]
Galaxy Commander Michael Hawkins 3054[12][22]
Commanding Officers of the Rho Galaxy (Ghost Bear Dominion)
Galaxy Commander Michael Hawkins 3077[32]
Galaxy Commander Priscila Vong 3085[33]
Commanding Officers of the Rho Galaxy (Rasalhague Dominion)
Galaxy Commander Roy Jorgensson 3145-3152[34][35]
Galaxy Commander Juanita Thastus 3152-[34][35]

Other Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

Decades of garrison duty have allowed Rho Galaxy to specialize in defensive tactics, while the fact that it consists entirely of Battle Clusters gives it a strong backbone of medium-weight 'Mechs with maneuverability to flank and envelop an attacker before they reach their target.[1]

Composition[edit]

3048[edit]

3061[edit]

3067[edit]

  • Trinary Galaxy Command[32]
  • Eighteenth Battle Cluster[32]
  • 243rd Battle Cluster[32]
  • 283rd Battle Cluster[32]
  • 297th Battle Cluster[32]
  • 300th Battle Cluster[32]

3079[edit]

  • Trinary Galaxy Command[36]
  • Eighteenth Battle Cluster[36]
  • 243rd Battle Cluster[36]
  • 283rd Battle Cluster[36]
  • 300th Battle Cluster[36]

3085[edit]

  • Trinary Galaxy Command[33]
  • 243rd Battle Cluster[33]
  • 283rd Battle Cluster[33]
  • 300th Battle Cluster[33]

3145[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 91, "Rho Galaxy Profile"
  2. Invading Clans, p. 6
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 61, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  4. Field Manual: Updates, p. 61, "Tau Galaxy"
  5. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Alpha Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  6. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Omega Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  7. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 11, "Damnation"
  9. Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 55, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 128, "Captured Ships"
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  13. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 125, "Shadow Divisions"
  14. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 14, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Beta Galaxy"
  16. 16.0 16.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 18, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  17. 17.0 17.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 54, "The Jihad In Review"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Rho Galaxy"
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Theta Galaxy"
  20. 20.0 20.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 22, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  21. 21.0 21.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56, "The Jihad In Review"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 7, "Rho Galaxy [Clan Ghost Bear]"
  23. Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Alpha Galaxy"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Field Report: Clans, p. 9, "Omega Galaxy"
  25. 25.0 25.1 Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 5, Beta Galaxy (Clan Ghost Bear)
  26. Field Manual: 3085, p. 120, "Rho Galaxy"
  27. Field Manual: 3085, p. 120, "Beta Galaxy"
  28. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 26
  29. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 37
  30. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 30
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 162, "Rho Galaxy"
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 32.6 Field Manual: Updates, p. 77, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 33.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 127, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 34.5 34.6 34.7 Field Manual: 3145, p. 172, "Rho Galaxy (Bear Essentials)"
  35. 35.0 35.1 Dominions Divided, pp. 77-79
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 Field Report: Clans, p. 11, "Rho Galaxy"

Bibliography[edit]