1st Janissaries

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Unit Description

The First Janissaries is an extensively intermixed Combined Arms Brigade originally formed by the St. Ives Compact and later serving with the Capellan Confederation. The Brigade consisted of three regiments which were composed of vehicles and 'Mechs mixed down to the lance level. It had assigned Aerospace Fighter and infantry in separate attached forces.[1]

Unit Insignia

When the unit formed, the Janissaries' insignia was a sword and a spear crossed across a shield with a stallion on its hind legs. Below the Stallion and the two weapons is an ivory colored number 1. While in service to the St. Ives Compact, the shield incorporated golden highlights, but this was removed once the unit was integrated with the Confederation due to the color being associated with Combat units favored by the Chancellor being painted gold.[2]

History

Formation and Early Years

Originally conceived by St. Ives Compact Duchess Candace Liao in 3047, she envisioned a new type of combat force to protect her realm. However, the 1st Janissaries Brigade would not be formed for nearly a decade due to the Clan Invasion of 3050. Through the Duchess' investment in her realm's military complex, it was by then would be enough equipment is allotted to form new Corps. The 1st Janissaries were formed in 3055, and commanded by Paul Santini. He would take best and brightest minds from St. Ives military schools to form the brigade and through them they help craft new means to conduct war.

The 1st Janissaries would later be commanded by Tank Commander, Tan MacKenzie, whom would be first St. Ives Compact Tank officer to command a BattleMech force. The brigade did not become fully operational until 3060, when it was stationed on the Liao border worlds. The unit would remained untested, until spark that led to war with the Confederation.[3]

The Capellan-St.Ives War

In 3061, the Capellan Confederation began its aggressive moves try to take over the Compact after it secretly engineered Blackwind Lancers to attack Confederation in previous year. The 1st Janissaries had been stationed on Tantara when Confederation's invasion forces arrived to mark the beginning of the war for the unit. The Brigade moved swiftly against the invaders, striking the 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry with their signature wave attack which caught the 5th Reserves by complete surprise. The brigade had its forces strike against the Cavalry's rear operation areas paralyzing its Battle Armor infantry forces and shattering its chain of command. The Janissaries forced the Cavalry to withdraw until they could call reinforcements which came back to hard press the less-experienced Brigade. Eventually, the Janissaries were forced to abandon their homeworld due to mounting losses they could not sustain. The unit moved to Warlock where they dug in to protect the Compact's military industrial complex there. They held and defended the facilities there until the war had concluded and Compact's surrendered.[4]

Pre-Jihad Years

After the war and absorption of the St. Ives Compact back into House Liao, the unit began to rebuild from the conflict. Some of the brigade losses include the Combat Command Beta regiment had taken upwards seventy percent damage and 1st Ranger Auxiliaries losing almost 2 battalions' worth of Battle Armor infantry to help bolster other fledgling commands. The Combat Group Gamma regiment had lost a majority of its most experienced troops, which reduced the command's experience rating to Green.[5] Duchess Candace had the Brigade leave its garrison to conduct a patrol of the Commonality with FedSuns. Officially assigned the patrol to keep eye on FedCom/FedSuns border from invaders, but also bolster the Commonality's sense of national pride. By 3067, the Brigade had regained its full strength and assigned to garrison homeworld of Tantara.[6]

Jihad

In 3068, FedSun's renegade Capellan March Lord, Duke George Hasek launched his invasion of St. Ives and the Capellan Confederation. Despite the split in loyalties of its sister Brigade, the First Janissaries fought alongside other Capellan Confederation troops against the FedSuns invasion.[7] The unit was later sent to Spica where it suffered heavy damage from Word of Blake forces before being forced to retreat off-planet.

By 3079, the 1st Janissaries' St. Ives Janissary Command was disbanded along with its traitorous 2nd Janissaries and it was moved to the St. Ives Sentinels. Due to the betrayal of its sister unit, the Capellan Confederation's High Command refused to allocate resources to rebuild the beleaguered and damaged unit, causing tensions to rise among its members.[8]

In 3085, the unit's long-time commander had been reassigned. The replacement commander reorganized the unit, with each former combat command converted to an augmented armor regiment. Though the total firepower remains the same, this new formation makes the unit more suited for defensive duties instead of the swift raiding the unit was known for. This has only annoyed the soldiers of the unit still more.[9]

Officers

As of 3055, the commanding officer of the unit was Sang-shao Tan MacKenzie. [10][11]

As of 3085 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Lyndon Maitland.[12]

Tactics

When first formed, the three regiments of the brigade would operate together. As part of their standard doctrine, they would attack an opponent in waves as part of means to keep them off-balanced. During these waves, the forces attacking would go in fast and fade to created confusion of the Janissaries true numbers. The Janissaries would use the BattleMechs to pin the enemy forces in places while other forces such as fighters, artillery and infantry would destroy them.[13]

Composition History

3063 to 3067

Combat Command Alpha (Combined Arms Regiment)

  • CO: Zhong-shao Frederick Orlando [14]
    • Notes: In 3067, the Unit was rated as Veterans and retains Questionable loyalty rating has regained its full strength/numbers as regiment. It has 90% Star League equipment upgrades with 20% standard B Rated Equipment.[15]

Combat Command Beta (Combined Arms Regiment)

  • CO: Zhong-shao Ping Dansho
    • Notes: In 3063, the unit was down to 70% of its strength.[16]As of 3067, the Unit was rated as Regulars and retains Questionable loyalty rating from 3063. Its strength/numbers of the regiment was rated at 105%, with 80 percent of its forces upgraded with Star League technology.

Combat Command Gamma (Combined Arms Regiment)

  • CO: Zhong-shao Milek Roche

275th Aerospace Wing (Wing)

1st Ranger Auxiliaries (Infantry Battalion/Regiment)

  • CO: Sao-shao Pren Yuan
    • Notes: Prior to Capellan-St Ives War in 3060, the unit had 2 battalions worth of Battle Armor enhanced by artillery support. After the conflict in 3063, the unit was barely a battalion with 2 companies worth armor infantry remaining with some of its artillery support. As of 3067, the Unit was rated as Veterans and retains Questionable loyalty rating and grown to full Regiment.

3079

1st Jassinaries (Combine Arms Brigade)

    • Notes: The brigade's BattleMech force had been reduced to 35% strength from its original regiment worth of 'Mechs.[17] Its loyal rating remains questionable, its troops are skilled as veterans.[18]

3085

1st Janissaries Brigade (Veteran/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Sang-shao Lyndon Maitland

Combat Command Alpha (Veteran/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Kam Wong

Combat Command Beta (Regular/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Dario Costa

Combat Command Gamma (Regular/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Mostyn Rhydderch

275th Aerospace (Wing/Veteran/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Kong-sao-shao Gennadi Konstantinov

1st Ranger (Regular/Reliable)[12]

  • CO: Sao-shao Lotte Fischer

Notes

The Brigade is also known as 1st Janissary Brigade from time to time.[19][20]

Rules

Game Rules

From the Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, the 1st Janissaries were given following abilities if Force Specific Rules or Scenario special rules are used. A controlling player may announce they are using one of the Brigade's three of the Janissaries’ special abilities; Overrun Combat and Off-Map Movement or Banking Initiative, However the player also can forfeit their use for the option of choosing all maps used the scenario should this be game where maps are randomly generated.[21]

References

  1. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - 1st Janissaries’ info.
  2. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 1st Janissaries - unit's insignia's info.
  3. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 110-111 St Ives Janissaries - Unit's formation and early years leading to Capellan-St. Ives War.
  4. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - 1st Janissaries’ background info during the Capellan-St. Ives War.
  5. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - Regiment notes from FM:CC's losses after war.
  6. Field Manual: Updates, p. 29 - St. Ives Janissaries.
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 42 - Hasek Invasion Unravels - 1st Janissaries noted for fighting and remaining loyal to House Liao.
  8. Field Report: CCAF, p. 19 - Janissaries' status as of 3079, and brief history of its activities.
  9. Field Manual: 3085, p. 32
  10. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - Commanding officer as of 3063 listed, notes MacKenzie assuming command as of 3055.
  11. Field Manual: Updates, p. 34 - 1st Janissary Brigade aka 1st Janissaries CO remains the same as in Field Manual: Capellan Confederation.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Field Manual: 3085, p. 34, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  13. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 Tactics - 1st Janissaries' tactics.
  14. Field Manual: Updates, p. 34 - Unit Command listed, with same officers for each of the Brigade's commands as found in Field Manual: Capellan Confederation.
  15. Field Manual: Updates, p. 34 - Unit strength and tech upgrades as of 3067.
  16. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - Unit strength noted.
  17. Writers of CGL clearify that listing in Field Reports: CCAF only shows 'Mech strength.
  18. Field Report:CCAF, p. 19 - 1st Janissaries as of 3079.
  19. Field Manual: Updates, p. 34 - "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table" - Unit listed as 1st Janissary Brigade, not it profile.
  20. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 111 - Unit name sometimes referred to as Janissary as well as Janissaries.
  21. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 131 1st Janissaries’ Force Specific abilities - Optional Scenario rules available for the Brigade.

Bibliography