13th Sun Zhang Academy Cadre

Sunzhang.png
Thirteenth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre
Formed c.3053[1]
Nickname Tenacity
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Parent Command Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy Cadre

The Thirteenth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre is a regiment of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery.

History[edit]

Formation and Early Years[edit]

The Thirteenth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre was formed in the aftermath of the Clan Invasion from the remains of the Ninth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre and the Twelfth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre. A core of surviving veterans from these regiments were joined with Sun Zhang graduates in the hope of quickly forging a new combat-ready unit. Instead, the veterans resented their new comrades as unproven in battle and it took years of effort by its second regimental commander, Tai-sa Vincent Foley, to alleviate this tension enough for the Thirteenth's members to function effectively as a unit.[1][2]

By August 3053, the Thirteenth had been posted to Matamoras, but a nationwide shortage of BattleMechs meant that the new Sun Zhang MechWarrior graduates had to serve as Armored Vehicle crew instead. This amplified the tensions between the regiment's two groups, not helped by the contempt for the 'demoted' MechWarriors that the veterans displayed.[1]

In early September, the Thirteenth engaged and defeated a raiding force from Clan Nova Cat. Though the battle was costly to the Combine warriors, with the regimental commander Shinmen Doraku among the slain, the courage and skill of the vehicle crews earned them new BattleMechs from Luthien Armor Works.[1]

Dominion War[edit]

The Thirteenth Cadre was based on Luthien at the beginning of the Combine-Dominian War but launched a preemptive strike on the Ghost Bear world of Porthos. There they engaged the Fifth Phalanx and mauled the Clan unit before returning to the Combine.[3] They then redeployed to Komephoros.[4]

Jihad[edit]

During the Jihad, the Thirteenth SZAC spent most of its time traveling along the Combine-Ghost Bear Dominion border, including Idlewind and Kiamba. These trips were to deter any renegade Rasalhaugian units from raiding the Combine. At the same time, the more experienced warriors of the Thirteenth Cadre were shuttled to Kessel to replace losses suffered by the Fifth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre. These warriors were replaced by new graduates from the Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy.[5]

Republic Era[edit]

After the Jihad ended, the Thirteenth spent most of its time observing and training against the First Ghost, the Tenth Pesht Regulars, and the Eighth Sword of Light. In several cases elements of the Thirteenth accompanied these front line units on raids against the Ghost Bear Dominion. The most notable raid occurred in 3084 when the Thirteenth and the First Ghost raided Last Frontier and faced the Third Hussars Cluster.[6]

During the Second Combine-Dominion War, the Thirteenth was assigned to take Thule. They split into two battalions and landed at different points on the world. This allowed them to pull the Fourteenth PGC out of position so the Combine warriors could land unopposed. The PGC's aerospace pilots had to undergo ten days of heavy acceleration, and they were out of the action for two weeks. This allowed the Thirteenth to establish and maintain air superiority. The Ghost Bear aerospace forces arrived in time to save half the Fourteenth's 'Mechs, but the Fourteenth had to leave Thule.[7] This victory was short-lived however. The entire Taiga Galaxy landed on Thule and destroyed the Thirteenth. Rumors persisted of soldiers of the Thirteenth being used as forced labor for the next decade. The largest problem with their destruction was that it made the DCMS position in the Dominion much weaker, allowing the Dominion to respond.[8]

Dark Age[edit]

The Thirteenth are as of 3145 posted to Pesht. Their jump infantry regiment is among the best in the DCMS where it is expected to be transferred to the invasion front, something which occurs very rarely for the Cadres. In addition their aerospace wing has been supplied by fresh output by Wakazashi Enterprises.[9]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Thirteenth Sun Zhang Academy Cadre
Tai-sa Shinmen Doraku 3053[1]
Tai-sa Vincent Foley 3053 - 3067[1][2][4]
Tai-sa Shripati Steensen 3085[10]
Tai-sa Yeijiro Yamabe 3145[11]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3053[edit]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre[1]

  • XO

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Armor Battalion[1]

3059–3067[edit]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre (1 Regiment/Green/Reliable)[2][4]

  • XO/Second Battalion: Chu-sa Trevor Harigata
  • Third Battalion: Chu-sa Lea Kajasura

- The unit contains includes two battalions of light 'Mechs, which are backed by a battalion of medium 'Mechs and a few heavy 'Mechs.

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Aerospace Wing (1 Wing/Green/Fanatical)[2][4]

  • Wing Commander: Sho-sa Jennifer West

3079[edit]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre (Reinforced Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[5]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Kiamba.[5]

3085[edit]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre (Regular/Reliable)[10]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Aerospace (Wing/Green/Fanatical)[10]

3145[edit]

Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre (2 Battalions/Veteran/Reliable)[11]

  • CO: Tai-sa Yeijiro Yamabe

Thirteenth Jump Infantry (Elite/Questionable)[11]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Duty Before Honor
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 91: "13th Sun Zhang Unit Profile"
  3. Field Manual: Updates, p. 112: "13th Sun Zhang Cadre"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Field Manual: Updates, p. 117: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3067"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Field Report: DCMS, p. 14
  6. Field Manual: 3085, p. 45
  7. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 29
  8. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, pp. 37–38
  9. Field Manual: 3145, p. 59: "Thirteenth Sun Zhang Cadre"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 51: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3085"
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 67: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3145"

Bibliography[edit]