1st Lyran Regulars
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The First Lyran Regulars was a BattleMech regiment in service to Lyran Commonwealth and relatively briefly to the Federated Commonwealth.
Contents
History
Star League Era
The regiments of the Lyran Regulars were prone to being disbanded and reactivated as needed; each time a regiment was reactivated, it would be populated with a mix of re-enlisted veterans and fresh recruits, before being assigned to a garrison posting to free up a line regiment for active service. During peacetime, the Regulars would then disband down to a much smaller size as a brigade, awaiting the next time they would be called on. During the closing decades of the Star League era the First carried the nickname "The Officer Regiment", a consequence of the number of personnel assigned to the regiment as a result of being under-performing leaders that the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces felt might be capable of filling secondary officer positions within line regiments during a crisis. Critics of the First pointed out that appointing officers who weren't underachievers to command positions within the First might result in the production of some better officers now, rather than inferior officers in the future.[1]
Reformation
The First Lyran Regulars were subsequently reformed during the Succession Wars from a mercenary unit known as "The Boomers". The members of this unit entered House Steiner's permanent service in exchange for fiefdoms and titles. [2]
As of 3025, the First was based on Romulus. [3]
Fourth Succession War
In 3026, the First Lyran Regulars were one of many Lyran regiments reorganized by Archon Katrina Steiner into Regimental Combat Teams, based on the successful model used by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. [4]
When the Fourth Succession War broke out in 3028, the First Lyran Regulars were part of the largest invasion by the Lyran Commonwealth against the Draconis Combine in over a century. Joining the Third Lyran Regulars, the Fourth Donegal Guards and 40 conventional regiments in an assault on Harvest. They were opposed by the Fifth Amphigean Light Assault Group and the mercenary regiment Hannibal's Hermits, as well as 20 conventional regiments. Using the AFFS' "Lightning Company" tactics, the First Lyrans won a stunning victory against the Fifth Amphigean at the Battle for Dangalobee Fields, creating havoc in the enemy's rear. [5] The DCMS troops were soon forced to withdraw, leaving Harvest for the Lyrans.
The First later took part in a successful attack on Verthandi, taking that world as well. [6]
War of 3039
The First Lyran Regulars effectively sat out the War of 3039, garrisoning Ridderkerk. [7]
Clan Invasion
As of early 3050, the First Lyran Regulars RCT were based on Maestu in the Tamar March. [8]
Later that year, when the Clan Invasion struck the Federated Commonwealth, the First had moved to Ridderkerk, and were one of the few AFFC units in position to blunt the opening thrusts. Clan Wolf's 328th Assault Cluster landed on Ridderkerk in July 3050. Unfortunately for the Boomers, their commanding officer, Hauptmann-General Jane Craigie was in a coma as a result of a traffic accident, and the unit's second-in-command was unable to effectively mobilize the defenders. Lacking even the coordination and leadership to retreat offworld, the First Lyrans were entirely destroyed in less than a day of fighting. [9][10]
Officers
In 3025, the First Lyran Regulars were commanded by Leutnant-Colonel Ostola Stellwar. [3]
In 3050, the First Lyran Regulars RCT were led by Hauptmann-General Jane Craigie. [8] The unit was commanded by Leftenant General Ostola Stellwar on Ridderkerk.[10]
Tactics
Under Archon Katrina Steiner's reforms, the First Lyran Regulars not only implemented the combined-arms approach taken by all RCTs, they also employed "Lightning Companies"; lighter, swifter 'Mechs that could take advantage of weaknesses in an enemy's formation, inflicting serious damage behind his lines. [5]
Composition History
2765
First Lyran Regulars (Veteran/Fanatical) [1]
3025
First Lyran Regulars (Veteran/Reliable) [3]
- CO: Leutnant-Colonel Ostola Stellwar
3040
First Lyran Regulars RCT (Veteran/Reliable)[7]
3050
First Lyran Regulars RCT (Veteran/Reliable) [8]
- CO: Hauptmann-General Jane Craigie
Notes
- Field Manual: Lyran Alliance states that Tellam Stellwar, who later commanded the entire Lyran Regulars brigade, lost his father when the First was destroyed on Ridderkerk. [11] This implies a relation to Ostola Stellwar, even though the elder Stellwar was not the First's commander of note at the time.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 15, "Lyran Regulars"
- ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 77, "Regimental Nicknames"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) p. 118, Unit Deployment Table - 3025
- ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1 p. 42, Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces in 3028
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1 p. 46, Harvest
- ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1 p. 44, Operation Götterdämmerung
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Historical: War of 3039 , p. 137, Deployment Table
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 20 Year Update p. 26, Deployment Table - 3050"
- ↑ Wolf Clan Sourcebook p. 61, Ridderkerk
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 ClanTroops, p. 34
- ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance p. 85, Commanding Officer