18th Dieron Regulars

Unit Description

The elite 18th Dieron Regulars were among the numerous DCMS units lost during the initial Clan Invasion.

History

Late Third Succession War

After the Lyran Commonwealth recaptured Sevren from the Draconis Combine in the last years of the Third Succession War, the 18th Dieron Regulars were among the units who launched an unsuccessful attempt to retake the world, the unit losing an Overlord-class DropShip, captured by Barrett's Fusiliers, a mercenary unit in Lyran employ.

During this time the 18th's homeworld was Altair.

The Fourth Succession War

When the Fourth Succession War broke out in 3028, the 18th Regulars were still based on Altair. The Lyran Commonwealth targeted that world as part of Operation Holdur not only for its rich mineral resources, but also for its strategic position within the district. The elite 17th Skye Rangers RCT and the Always Faithful mercenary regiment were sent not only to conquer the planet, but also to destroy the Dieron Regulars defending it. Despite being outnumbered, the 18th took full advantage of the desert terrain to ambush and harry the Lyran forces, and to strike at their supply chain. Though the Regulars took heavy losses, most notably losing their entire 2nd Battalion during the battle for Hehiro City thanks to the sacrifice of an Always Faithful lance, they eventually drew their enemies into a long campaign through the desert, a climate they were fully adjusted to. Beleaguered with supply problems, the LCAF forces would eventually retreat.

War of 3039

Remaining on their homebase of Altair when the combined Lyran-Davion War of 3039 started, during the Combine counterattack in the midst of the AFFC's second wave, the 18th Dieron were ordered assist the remains of the Shin Legion on Ancha. Arriving in-system via pirate point on July 19th 3039, the 18th landed in Eastern Nomandy while the 6th FedCom RCT and Fighting Urukhai were busy elsewhere.

The 18th immediately launched strikes against the FedCom forces, their Alpha and Beta Battalions under the command of Sho-Sho James Aren forcing their way between both FedCom units while the 18th's Gamma Battalion struck the Urukhai forces harrying the battered remnants of the Shin Legion. Over the next week the combined Kurita and FedCom forces only engaged in minor clashes, until August 8th when the 18th trapped a company-sized raiding unit from the Urukhai in the city of Newark, both sides throwing more and more troops into what became a three-week meat-grinder siege, both sides suffering heavy losses including an entire battalion of the 18th.

On September 19th the 18th struck the FedCom troops in the planetary capital of New Summit with a AeroSpace Fighter and artillery assault. While the FedCom fighters inflicted heavy toll on the 18th's fighters, the Combine assault's primary goal of striking fear into the defenders was amply achieved, the master-stroke of this assault was a daring raid by hand-picked company led by then-Chu-sa Basil Itemji that succeeded in fighting their way into the city and seizing control of the principal medical center. Beating back several FedCom counter-attacks trying to recapture location of the vital anti-viral agents the FedCom forces needed to weather Ancha's aggressive biosphere, the 18th gave the occupiers a stark ultimatum to withdraw. Initially refusing to comply, as news of further Combine counter-strikes spread, the Fedcom troops withdrew in defeat on September 26th.

Clan Invasion

Immediately prior to the arrival of the Clans, the elite rated Eighteenth Dieron Regulars remained stationed on Altair in 3050.

With Clan Nova Cat's line of advance approaching Irece, location of LexaTech Industries the last surviving Land-Air 'Mech manufacturer in the Inner Sphere, in late 3051 House Kurita dispatched the 18th to defend the facility. On December 22nd of that year, coinciding with the invasion of Avon, the Nova Cat's Beta Galaxy arrived in-system and Galaxy Commander John Rosse issued a batchall, Tai-sa Basil Itemji correctly declaring his intention to defend the world with his entire force or die trying. Despite his subordinates fomenting to be allowed the bid for the right to attack, Rosse suspected Spheroid trickery and chose to attack with his entire Galaxy.

Despite the 18th's track-record for urban combat, Tai-sa Itemji chose to initiate the battle far from the LexaTech plant, setting up hardened defenses and extensive artillery far from the factory, with only a token force preparing the site for any last stands. Cautiously landing just out range of the 18th's artillery forces, the Nova Cat's OmniFighters quickly gained air-superiority and destroyed the artillery before they could fire a single shot as the Cat's OmniMechs engaged the Kurita forces.

While switching to concentrated fire when the 18th refused to engage in Clan style single combat, the Nova Cat warriors pushed the retreating Regulars back to their second stand near a small natural crater. When the 179th Striker Cluster followed the east flank of the Kurita retreat, the 18th succeeded in nearly decimated the entire Cluster when the Nova Cats found themselves caught between a split assault emerging from hidden positions.

By the fourth day an increasingly desperate Rosse ordered a Star of Elementals to perform a headhunter strike against the 18th's command center, only for a native animal known as squawk to give away their approach, allowing Tai-sa Itemji and his command to destroy the Elementals at their cost of their cover, fighting a running battle with the rest of Beta as they withdrew again. Taking a leaf from this attack, Tai-sa Itemji ordered the 412th DEST Company attached to the 18th to launch headhunter strike against the Nova Cat's command Trinary, the element of surprise allowing the DEST troops to eliminate 20 Clan 'Mechs, including John Rosse and his command staff before they were killed.

With Star Colonel Brian Lossey taking command, the units of Beta continued with Rosse's plan, launching a series of raids designed to systematically weaken the 18th, forcing Tai-sa Itemji to repeatedly give ground. When Lossey sent a Trinary directly towards the LexaTech plant, Itemji was forced to play his final ace in the hole, ordering the last of his artillery to destroy the Trinary only to leave it open to another OmniFighter strike.

With the last remnants of the 18th pulling back to the factory grounds for their last stand, the Kurita defenders rigged the factory with explosives in an attempt to deny it to Nova Cats. Unfortunately suspecting just such a trap, Star Colonel Lossey sent Elementals in to disable the bombs, the 18th only managing to inflict minor damage on the facilities before the Nova Cat forces crushed them completely.

Officers

In 3025 the commanding officer of the 18th was Tai-sho Dexter Kingsley, at that time also commander of the Dieron Military District's Ashio Prefecture.

From 3049 to December 3051 the Eighteenth was commanded by Tai-sa Basil Itemji, dying with his unit.

Tactics

The 18th Dieron Regulars had a notable proficiency at urban combat.

Composition History

3025

18th Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)

• CO: General Dexter Kingsley

Note:The command contains 3 heavy battalions.

3040

18th Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)

3050

18th Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)

• CO: Tai-sa Basil Itemji

Bibliography

• 20 Year Update
• Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised
• House Kurita Sourcebook
• Historical: War of 3039
• Invading Clans