Sword of Light

Insignia of the Sword of Light
Sword of Light
Nickname Strength of the five pillars[1]
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Parent Command DCMS


The Sword of Light represent the elite of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery's BattleMech arm. In order to join, one must have five years of flawless service in another regiment and pass a series of mental, physical, spiritual, and political tests. Noncombat staff are tested in the same manner. Sword of Light regiments receive top priority for supplies, and even have their own dedicated JumpShips and DropShips. The Sword of Light regiments are not tied to a specific area of deployment, but travel the realm to assist where needed. Their 'Mech paint scheme is usually flat red, with the Kurita crest on the left shoulder.

Numbering twelve regiments until 2740 when the number of regiments in the Sword of Light was reduced to five, with each regiment representing one of the five Pillars of Combine society, to compensate for the smaller brigade the regiments themselves reorganized to consist of four battalions instead of three.[2]


History[edit]

As the DCMS' flagship unit, it is only fitting that its units have been involved in some of the most historically-important campaigns. Elements of the Sword of Light have participated in the Kentares Massacre,[3] assaulted New Rhodes in 2796,[4] and in 3002 fought Federated Suns troops in the Third Battle of Harrow's Sun.[5] Whenever a Sword of Light regiment is operating alongside another DCMS unit, the Sword of Light's Tai-sa automatically assumes overall command of the operation.[6]

Succession Wars[edit]

During the late Succession Wars era, the Sword of Light regiments receive the best that the Procurement Department could offer, with the unit's MechWarriors and fighter pilots getting new or nearly new BattleMechs or Aerospace Fighters. Sword of Light regiments got first priority in the field too, from first use of replacement parts to first place in the chow line. The regiments had their own JumpShips and DropShips of near-new condition. The Sword of Light Regiments did not have a specific RR (Region of Responsibility) to cover and instead traveled throughout the realm, lending assistance where needed. To aid the regiments on unfamiliar worlds, the DCMS High Command provides the latest maps and reports about the unit's target.

The Sword of Light regiments also had the far less glorious role of suppressing rebellions. By 3025, it had been long they had to perform that duty, though in the past, the mere appearance of a Sword of Light 'Mech on a troubled world would send rebellious elements scurrying.[7]

Republic Era[edit]

As the Draconis Combine began its efforts to rebuild in the wake of the Jihad, the Sword of Light brigade continued to receive the highest priority for equipment, supplies and personnel, as befitted the crown jewel in the DCMS ranks. With the Ninth Sword of Light being donated to the newly-formed Republic of the Sphere as a means to divest the Combine of a regiment distrusted by the ISF as a result of the preceding Second Sword of Light actions during the attempted coup on Luthien, the diminished Sword of Light brigade was as fanatically loyal to the Coordinator as the 3080s began as it had ever been.[8]

While the four remaining Sword of Light regiments avoided the dishonor of the Second, their higher ranking officers sought to deflect any similar ISF issues against their warriors by committing seppuku. Though their actions were to prove the honor of their regiments, the deaths of these elite warriors was another loss the Combine could not afford. The Coordinator has since granted a written absolution in order to prevent the further unnecessary losses.[9]

Dark Age[edit]

The Fifth, Seventh and Eighth regiments were used heavily during the invasion of the Federated Suns. However, they paid just as heavily by losing a third of their ’Mech forces. Unlike the district regular units, the Sword of Light regiments did not need to cull any of their forces to fill the reborn Second and Fourth regiments, as they were filled with elite troops from coming from those regular units.[10]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Sword of Light

Tactics[edit]

Different per Unit.

Units of the Sword of Light[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • The Second Sword of Light was disbanded in 3075 for leading Luthien Coup of 3067, Reborn in the Dark Ages.
  • The Third Sword of Light was destroyed during the First Succession War, subsequently reactivated;[11] disbanded early thirty-first century.
  • The Fourth Sword of Light was disbanded in 2785, subsequently reactivated;[11] destroyed in 2849, reactivated in the Dark Ages.
  • The Sixth Sword of Light was reactivated and subsequently destroyed during the First Succession War;[11] reactivated and subsequently destroyed in 2913.
  • The Eighth Sword of Light - (Reactivated during the First Succession War.[11]
  • The Ninth Sword of Light was absorbed into Republic of the Sphere Forces by 3082.
  • The Fifteeenth Sword of Light was disbanded in 2899 after most of the unit was lost in a raid.

Color Scheme and Insignia[edit]

All Sword of Light regiments used a flat red paint scheme with the Kurita crest on the left shoulder in the field and on parade.

Rules[edit]

Reunification War[edit]

  • The Sword of Light may Force the Initiative.[12]
  • The Sword of Light may use Overrun Combat.[12]
  • Opponents facing the Sword of Light suffer a -1 penalty to all morale checks.[12]

First Succession War[edit]

  • Between 2786 and 2807, the composition of randomly-generated lances from the Sword of Light are determined using a single roll on the Random Unit Assignment Tables per lance, with all of the lance 'Mechs being the resulting type. Between 2808 and 2819, the lance composition is determined using two rolls on the Random Unit Assignment Tables per lance, and from 2820 lance composition is determined using one roll per 'Mech per lance.[13]
  • When generating Sword of Light forces using Random Unit Assignment Tables during the First Succession War, the Sword of Light receives a +4 modifier to each roll on the appropriate table.[14]

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 82
  2. Field Report 2765: DCMS, p. 8
  3. Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 10
  4. Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 62
  5. Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 104
  6. Combat Manual: Kurita, p. 28
  7. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 141: "Sword of Light Battlemech Regiments"
  8. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 88: "...And Threats Without"
  9. Field Manual: 3085, p. 44: "Sword of Light"
  10. Field Manual: 3145, p. 58: "Sword of Light"
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 First Succession War, p. 137: "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery (DCMS)"
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Historical: Reunification War, p. 182: "Draconis Combine"
  13. First Succession War, p. 147: "Force Compositions"
  14. First Succession War, p. 147: "RAT Die Roll Modifiers by Combat Command Table"

Bibliography[edit]