Difference between revisions of "1st Davion Guards"

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[[Category:Federated Suns Commands|Davion Brigade of Guards, Davion Guards, 1st]]
 
[[Category:Federated Suns Commands|Davion Brigade of Guards, Davion Guards, 1st]]
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[[Category:Federated Commonwealth Commands|Davion Brigade of Guards]]

Revision as of 17:14, 18 July 2019

Template:InfoBoxStateUnit

A 1st Davion Guards JagerMech during a weapon test

History

The homeworld of the First Davion Guards is New Avalon. After the events of the Davion Civil War, the entire Brigade of Guards was shattered by fighting Dmitri Rostov. The First Davion Guards were the first unit rebuilt by Prince Alexander Davion. Since that time the First Guards RCT was often seen escorting those Princes who took the field, including Ian Davion.[1]

First Succession War

In May 2787 the Draconis Combine launched a massive invasion of the Federated Suns. The invasion was so swift and targeted communications and JumpShips so effectively that many border systems didn't have a chance to transmit warnings or alerts, leading to widespread confusion on the part of the AFFS. Three days after the initial attacks another large wave of attacks was launched by the DCMS, based around two salients; one, under the overall command of Coordinator Minoru Kurita, struck into the Clovis Combat Region, beginning with invasions of Cartago, Clovis and Olancha. By the end of May almost all of the Clovis Combat Region was in Kuritan hands, along with half of each of the Robinson and Dahar Combat Regions and a chunk of the Fairfax Combat Region; Minoru Kurita himself stood on Cartago at the head of the Third Sword of Light.[2]

In February 2788 First Prince John Davion launched Operation SOLAR SHIELD, a desperate plan to try and disrupt the invasion of the Federated Suns launched by the Draconis Combine in May 2787. Prince John had been preparing to invade the Capellan Confederation when news of the Combine invasion reached him, and the forces he drew together for SOLAR SHIELD were based on those three 'Mech regiments nearby earmarked for the abortive invasion of the Confederation plus some six assorted regiments of armor and infantry provided by regional militias within the Marlette Combat Region. Prince John divided his forces into three groups and launched strikes at three occupied worlds on the Terran flank of the invasion, hoping to disrupt the thrust being lead personally by Coordinator Minoru Kurita.[3][4]

SOLAR SHIELD proved to be flawed from the outset; the units assembled lacked time to train together, Prince John's forces were limited in number, and he had only a handful of WarShips available to use to escort his forces. Senior officers advised against the operation, but Prince John felt that speed was of the essence, and ordered that the operation go ahead. Cartago was one of the planets targeted by SOLAR SHIELD, and Prince John led the First Davion Guards to the system himself, escorted by the Davion II-class destroyers FSS Duke Henry and FSS Edmund Davion. The strike initially appeared to go well, with the First encountering a small naval picket consisting of two Baron-class destroyers in orbit above the planet that only briefly contested the Guards' landing before retreating.[3]

In the belief that his forces held the upper hand, Prince John landed in the valley near the capital city's spaceport along with the Guards, but became suspicious as soon as his troops had disembarked, just five kilometers away from the spaceport. When he observed that the majority of the DropShips sitting at the spaceport were civilian vessels in obvious disrepair, rather than DCMS military transports, he quickly ordered the Guards to fall back - barely ahead of a nuclear explosion that consumed the site. The Guards lost a company of 'Mechs and a squadron of aerospace fighters to the blast, but Prince John was able to board a DropShip before the blast hit, ordering his troops to evacuate rapidly. As the Guards and their supporting conventional forces lifted off, hostile fighters swept over the landing area, attempting to down the Guards transports, while above the planet the two Barons returned to attack the Duke Henry and Edmund Davion again, this time with the addition of the DCS Omodaka, a Narukami II-class destroyer that had been lurking in hiding on the far side of Cartago.[3]

The presence of the Omodaka turned an orderly retreat from Cartago into a bloody pursuit that only broke off after the Duke Henry and Edmund Davion managed to destroy the two Barons - an action that cost Prince John the Duke Henry. Operation SOLAR SHIELD was an abject disaster that cost the AFFS men and equipment it couldn't afford to lose, and the action on Cartago alone nearly saw the First Prince lost in action not once, but twice.[3]

Third Succession War

In 3000 the First Davion Guards raided the Free Worlds League system of Sirius. The First Guards captured several Spider BattleMechs that had been brought in for maintenance.[5]

Fourth Succession War

The First Davion Guards landed on Shensi, quickly overwhelming the militia forces there.[6][7] They then went on to take Tsitsang in the second wave.[8] After sitting out the third wave of attacks, they went to Kawich to defend the AFFS supply depots on that world. On that world they destroyed a Capellan task force based around the 3rd Confederation Reserve Cavalry. After fighting for several hours, the Capellan unit was destroyed.[9]

War of 3039

The First Davion Guards and the 17th Avalon Hussars fought the Ryuken-roku on An Ting. Despite the facts, that the First Guards are considered an elite, fanatical command and the AFFS-units outnumbered their opponent 2-to-1, they severly suffered from low moral. When the Ryuken-yon reinforced the Ryuken-roku, the First Davion Guards ultimately retreated off-world. [10]

Clan Invasion

The First Davion Guards were one of the first units in the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth to receive salvaged Clan equipment. Though this annoyed some units, they kept it to themselves because the First was widely known as an elite command instead of a parade ground unit.[11]

Operation Bulldog

In 3059, as part of Operation Bulldog, the 1st Davion Guards RCT of the Federated Commonwealth was largely responsible for capturing the Clan Smoke Jaguar planet of Port Arthur. From there, they moved on to Yamarovka in the second wave.[12]

FedCom Civil War

The 1st Davion Guards RCT was assigned to New Avalon during the early part of the FedCom Civil War.

In late April of 3063, Marshal Bishop Sortek, commander of the Davion Brigade of Guards and titular commander of the 1st Davion Guards, ordered the First to engage the Loyalist forces threatening them, as the First refused to swear absolute loyalty to Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion. Field Marshal and Prince's Champion Simon Gallagher ordered the Loyalist forces - the 3rd Robinson Rangers, the 10th Deneb Light Cavalry, the New Avalon CMM and several secondary units stationed on New Avalon - to forcibly disarm and disband the First, resulting in the First Battle of New Avalon.[13]

The First Davion Guards stumbled into two Loyalist Mech regiments and were destroyed almost to the last man on December 20, 3063 by the 10th DLC and Third Robinson Rangers, or so the Loyalists thought.[14] It turned out that Sortek ordered an entire regiment of the Guards to hide in the mountains near Avalon City so that they could later assist in liberating New Avalon from Loyalist control.[15] The Special Forces troops of the 1st Davion Guards also survived by hiding among the civilian population, in order to carry out sabotage against Loyalist facilities and causing civil unrest.[16] These survivors often fought for years.[17]

Jihad

The First was one of the few units capable of combat on New Avalon when the Word of Blake arrived. They fought the 31st Division to a standstill, then moved into stronger defensive positions. They held out until 3068.[18] In January of 3068, the last surviving regiment of the 1st Davion Guards merged with the remnants of the 10th Lyran Guards, 5th Donegal Guards and 2nd NAIS Cadet Cadre to become the new 1st Davion Guards RCT.[19] The reformed 1st Davion Guards defended New Avalon from the Word of Blake occupation forces during the Jihad. This included fighting against Bronson's Horde.[20] After the Word withdrew from New Avalon, the First Guards were one of the first units to be rebuilt along the new "defensive pattern" units.[21]

Having been rebuilt as a Light Combat Team, the 1st was then further rebuilt to full Regimental Combat Team status before being assigned to the Coalition campaign against the Blakist Protectorate.[22] The first combat action the 1st Guards would see as a part of Operation SCOUR in early 3077 turned out to not be against the Word of Blake, but rather the CCAF. Operating on the Federated Suns front of Operation SCOUR as a part of Group II, the 1st Davion AeroSpace Wing found itself defending the Group from CCAF forces that attacked them at the jump point in the Addicks system that the Group had emerged from, intending to liberate Addicks from the Word of Blake. By the time Group II was ordered to leave the Addicks system and allow the Capellans to tackle the Blakists, the 1st had already acquitted itself well against the Capellan forces.[23]

Still operating as a part of Group II, the 1st Davion Guards went on to fight on Fletcher alongside ComStar's 2nd Army under the command of Galen Cox. Led by Connor Sortek, the 1st Guards apparently worked well with the 2nd Army, the allied coalition forces crushing the Blakist resistance while inflicting far more damage than they sustained.[24]

When the Word of Blake used nuclear weapons to destroy the Marlette CrMM on Terra, the 1st Guards narrowly escaped destruction at the same time; despite avoiding the same fate as the Militia, the 1st Guards returned to New Avalon at well below their previous operational strength. By 3079 the 1st was rebuilding once more, this time largely through absorbing the 1st Albion Cadre en masse.[22] The 1st Guards lost some personnel to the new Republic of the Sphere; notable individuals include Captain Hareesh Hiraz, who joined the Republic's Black Torrent battle armor unit,[25], Major Caleb Downs, who became one of Devlin Stone's Paladins,[26] and Connor Sortek, who left the Guards to become the commanding officer of the Republic's I Hastati Sentinels.[27]

Operation MATADOR

The 1st Guards took part in two major combat actions during Operation MATADOR, including going toe to toe with the 1st MacLeod's Regiment on Perdition amidst the ruins left behind by Hansen's Roughriders years before; while the 1st Guards were unable to force the Macleod's to leave Perdition due to the Macleod's parity in numbers with the Guards and the well-prepared defensive positions the Taurians had in place, the arrival of the 22nd Avalon Hussars gave the AFFS enough strength to push the Taurians back over the next ten days, leaving Perdition in the hands of the Federated Suns.[28] Having secured Perdition, the 1st Guards then went on to capture Logan's Land.[29]

Post-Jihad Era

By 3085 the 1st had settled back into it's traditional posting on New Avalon, defending the First Prince and family; in anticipation of the future, the 1st Guards had already begun leaving an empty place at their Officers' Mess for Harrison Davion, heir to the throne. Other changes made by the 1st include the adoption of a blue-eyed phoenix as their unofficial insignia, in recognition of the number of times the Guards have been destroyed as a regiment, only to later reform; the fact that a number of the troopers within the 1st paint the name "Yvonne" underneath the phoenix shows the close relationship between the 1st and those they protect.[30]

In common with the other regiments within the Davion Brigade of Guards, the 1st Guards no longer deployed as a reinforced BattleMech regiment at this point in time; instead, each had been reduced to a standard BattleMech regiment, but with the reduction in the number of 'Mechs compensated for by the addition of a complete regiment of battle armor to supplement the Guards' infantry strength and with the addition of reinforced AeroSpace Fighter wings.[30]

After their near destruction in the Jihad they used a phoenix as an unofficial logo and became the bodyguard unit for Princess-Regent Yvonne Davion. Later they served the same function for First Prince Harrison Davion, traveling across the Federated Suns. During these travels, they found themselves engaging in exercises against units from the Raven Alliance, Republic of the Sphere, and even a battalion of the 2nd Taurian Pride during a diplomatic exchange with the Calderon Protectorate.[31]

However in 3110 they were assigned to guard the Davion estates on Markesan, which many of the First's soldiers saw as a slap in the face. Their skills and morale rapidly plummeted and by 3132 they were nothing like their predecessors. Julian Davion was given honorary command that same year, and he had them back in fighting form inside six months. After the creation of Fortress Republic the First was sent to Ronel. They would then escort Julian as his honor guard into the Lyran Commonwealth where they faced Clan Wolf. They naturally escorted Julian back to the Federated Suns as Julian returned to take the throne he had inherited.[31]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First Davion Guards
Marshal Stephen Davion 3021 - 3032[32][33]
Marshal Jackson Davion 3032 - 3036[33]
Marshal Bishop Sortek 3050 - Oct 3063[34][35][36]
Major General Wendy Adams Oct 3063 - 20 Dec 3063[37]
Marshal Robert Davion-Zibler 3067[38]
Marshal Conner Sortek 3077[24]
General Alana Zibler 3085[39]
Prince's Champion Julian Davion 3132 - 3145[31]

Tactics

The First Guards train constantly, which allows them to coordinate their units with a level of experience rarely seen outside the most elite units. Though they are very skilled they refuse to fight in cities because it inflicts too much collateral damage. They will instead move the battlefield to a site of their choosing.[1]

Composition History

2765

First Davion Guards (Regiment/Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[40]

- The First Guards were stationed on New Avalon at this point in time.[40]

2786

First Davion Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[41]

- At this point in time the Guards were a medium-weight regiment and were operating at full strength. The Guards were based on New Avalon.[41]

2821

First Davion Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[41]

- At this point in time the Guards had been reduced to just below forty percent strength and were located on Breed.[41]

2830

First Davion Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[42]

- At this point in time the Guards were a medium-weight regiment and had rebuilt to almost full strength. The Guards were stationed on Marlette.[42]

2864

First Davion Guards (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[42]

- At this point in time the Guards were a medium-weight regiment stationed on Alcyone, and had been reduced to just under half-strength.[42]

3025

First Davion Guards RCT (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[32]

  • CO: Marshal Stephen Davion [32]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Avalon. [32]

3040

First Davion Guards RCT (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[43]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on New Avalon. [43]

3050

First Davion Guards RCT (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[34]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Avalon.[34]


3054

First Davion Guards RCT' (Elite/Fanatical)[35]

CO: Marshal Bishop Sortek

3062

First Davion Guards (Reinforced Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[1]

CO: Major General Wendy Adams
- The 1st fields four battalions.

First Davion Guards AeroSpace Brigade (3 Wings)[1]

CO: Rear Admiral Tabitha Steiner

First Davion Guards Armor Brigade (4 Regiments/Elite/Reliable)[1]

CO: Major General Terrell Chevalier
Aide: Leftenant Colonel Daru Klocke

First Davion Guards Infantry Brigade (6 Regiments/Elite/Fanatical)[1]

CO: Major General Stacy Garver
Aide: Leftenant Colonel Travis Nemoure

3067

First Davion Guards RCT (Regular/Fanatical)[38]

CO: Marshal Robert Davion-Zibler

First Davion Guards Aerospace Brigade (Regular/Fanatical)[38]

CO: Major General Linwood Hounchell

First Davion Guards Armor Brigade (Regular/Fanatical)[38]

CO: General Bryce Staten

First Davion Guards Infantry Brigade (Regular/Fanatical)[38]

CO: Major General Andrea Dockery

3077

The First Guards are rebuilt using the new "defensive pattern" philosophy.[44]

3079

First Davion Guards RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[22]

- Based out of New Avalon, the 1st Davion Guards were operating at roughly 60% of full strength, although the RCT was fully equipped with advanced technology.

3085

First Davion Guards RCT (Veteran/Fanatical)[39]

CO: General Alana Zibler

First Davion Guards Aerospace Brigade (Regular/Fanatical)[39]

CO: Rear Admiral Yavin Ostberg

First Davion Guards Armor Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)[39]

CO: Major General Agapios McManus

First Davion Guards Infantry Brigade (Elite/Fanatical)[39]

CO: Major General Ambrus Lane

Game Rules

Clan Invasion

The First Davion Guards are highly skilled and trained to work as a team. If there are six or more First Guard units in play, the Guards receive a +2 Initiative modifier and a +2 modifier to morale checks. They are also skilled in combined arms: If a Guard lance commander acts as an artillery spotter in the turn when an artillery attack hits, the attacking artillery unit receives a -1 to hit modifier to the attack. They dislike to fight in cities, but if forced to fight in an urban environment they receive a -1 to hit modifier on all weapon attacks to represent the care they take in aiming their fire. However to offset this, they receive a -2 Initiative penalty.[45]

Dark Age

The First Davion Guards can use the Overrun Combat special ability. When randomly assigning 'Mechs, the First's controlling player may roll one time on the Republic of the Sphere table for each lance/platoon.[46]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 79, "1st Davion Guards Unit Profile"
  2. First Succession War, p. 38-39, "The Battle For Clovis"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 First Succession War, p. 40-41, "Fighting The Tsunami"
  4. First Succession War, p. 41, "An Expensive Learning Curve"
  5. Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 18
  6. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 22
  7. The Fourth Succession War Scenarios Volume One, p. 7
  8. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 32
  9. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, pp. 92-93
  10. Historical: War of 3039, p. 102-103
  11. Era Report: 3052, p. 26
  12. The Dragon Roars, p. 11
  13. FedCom Civil War, p. 60
  14. FedCom Civil War, p. 78
  15. FedCom Civil War, p. 156
  16. FedCom Civil War, pp. 61, 77-78, 156
  17. Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 18
  18. Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon, p. 6
  19. Dawn of the Jihad, p. 55
  20. Jihad Turning Points: New Avalon, p. 8
  21. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 45-46
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Field Report: AFFS, p. 12, "Davion Brigade of Guards"
  23. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 36, "First Wave Complete"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 39-40, "Ingress, Fletcher Fall"
  25. Field Manual: 3085, p. 7, "Black Torrent"
  26. Field Manual: 3085, p. 17, "The Paladins"
  27. Field Manual: 3085, p. 180, "Hastati Sentinels"
  28. Field Manual: 3085, p. 142, "First Macleod's Regiment"
  29. Field Manual: 3085, p. 54, "Operation MATADOR"
  30. 30.0 30.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 60, "Davion Brigade of Guards"
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 Era Report: 3145, p. 51
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138 (pdf version), "New Avalon Combat Region"
  33. 33.0 33.1 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 33 "AFFC Profiles"
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 20 Year Update, p. 22, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  35. 35.0 35.1 Objective Raids, p. 15, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
  36. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), pp. 77-78
  37. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), pp. 77-78
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 139, "AFFS Deployment Table - 3067"
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 71, "AFFS Deployment Table - 3085"
  40. 40.0 40.1 Field Report: Federated Suns 2765, p. 14, "Regimental Status"
  41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 41.3 First Succession War, p. 134, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns"
  42. 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 'Second succession War, p. 94, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  43. 43.0 43.1 Historical: War of 3039, p.136
  44. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 45-46
  45. Era Report: 3052, pp. 145-146
  46. Era Report: 3145, p. 164

Bibliography