2nd Royal Guards

The 2^nd Royal Guards were an elite military formation in service to the Lyran Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance, as well as the united Federated Commonwealth during its brief existence. Usually based on the capital of Tharkad, the 2^nd Royal Guards were often assigned to the less-glamorous assignments as opposed to the 1^st Royal Guards, such as protecting Tharkad's military industries and coordinating with planetary militia units. Although rarely seeing significant combat, the 2^nd were able to maintain a high experience level through the regular rotation of veteran officers and soldiers into and out of its ranks, with the exception of top commanders.

History

Historically, the 2^nd Royal Guards drew its soldiers from the Federation of Skye region. Despite the political difficulties of that region, the 2^nd has been regarded as fanatical as the other Royal Guard commands to the Lyran state. During and after the Federated Commonwealth era, this policy was relaxed.

Star League Era

The 2^nd Royal Guards were one of the many Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces units revealed to have extensive ties to criminal cartels during Operation CATALOG, with the regiment's executive officer, his lance mates and half the unit's regimental supply officers all arrested or dishonorably cashiered. Aside from the blow to the regiment's prestige, the unit's readiness was below par thanks to the large influx of new recruits and abrupt promotions in the wake of CATALOG, additionally hampered by the LCAF's efforts to ensure the loyalty of the newcomers to Commonwealth as a whole and House Steiner ahead of Skye.

As of 2765, the Second was stationed alongside the First Royal Guards on Tharkad.

Third Succession War

Prior to Archon Giovanni Steiner's death in 2980, his son, Alessandro Steiner, was a battalion commander with the unit.

In 3001, Katrina Steiner, Alessandro's niece, was transferred in to command the 2^nd Royal Guards. She commanded the regiment for three years before she was transferred to the Strategies and Tactics Division.

Edward Regis, who would eventually become General of the Armies under now-Archon Katrina Steiner, once commanded the 2^nd Royal Guards, during which time he was awarded the McKennsy Hammer for his leadership of the unit.

The unit defeated House Davion's 3^rd Ceti Hussars in a mock battle during Operation Thor in 3027.

As of 3025, the 2^nd Royal Guards were based on Tharkad.

Fourth Succession War

The 2^nd Royal Guards spent the entire Fourth Succession War protecting Tharkad, even as the 1^st Royal Guards were temporarily relocated to Skye.

War of 3039

The Federated Commonwealth raised the 2^nd Royal Guards to Regimental Combat Team level, permanently attaching brigades of armor and infantry as well as Aerospace assets. During the War of 3039, they remained on Tharkad with the 1^st Guards.

Clan Invasion and Lyran Alliance

As of 3050, the 2^nd Royal Guards were based on the Lyran capital of Tharkad. They remained on Tharkad through 3054, though by then, their quality level had improved to veteran. The unit seemed to experience no reservations in transferring their loyalty from Archon-Prince Victor Steiner-Davion to Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion and the Lyran Alliance Armed Forces.

FedCom Civil War

The 2^nd Royal Guards saw very little action in the early stages of the FedCom Civil War, instead forming an armed camp on Tharkad along with the 1^st Guards and the ComGuards' 66^th Division.

In August 3066, when Morgan Kell and Peter Steiner-Davion arrived in-system with a pan-Lyran invasion force to stake Peter's claim to the throne, the Loyalists would be joined by the by the battle-tested 11^th Arcturan Guards and the 1^st Alarion Jaegers. The invaders neutralized the defenders WarShip defenses and landed their ground forces, including the 1^st Kell Hounds, the 20^th Arcturan Guards RCT, the 1894^th Light Horse Regiment and 21^st Rim Worlds from the Blue Star Irregulars, the Golden Keshik and 4^th Wolf Guards from Clan Wolf-in-Exile. The 2^nd engaged the Wolves in the Methow Valley. Despite outnumbering the Clan warriors, the 2^nd pursued Khan Phelan Kell who led his warriors into Stahlwurzel Forest, where the Wolves spent a week brutally mauling the Loyalists. The 2^nd fell back to Tharkad City.

Both sides were reinforced before the campaign reached its conclusion. The 4^th Skye Rangers, after the failure of the 3^rdSkye Rebellion, joined the Allies while the 24^th Lyran Guards arrived to aid the Loyalists. The 2^nd was held back in Tharkad City when Nondi Steiner attempted to take the offensive against the Allies, and when the Loyalists began collapsing, Nondi attempted to hold out with the Second, engaged in street-to-street fighting in the capital city itself. Vastly outnumbered, the 2^nd refused to surrender, and was effectively destroyed as a combat effective unit. Nondi Steiner herself was killed on 2 April, 3067.

Archon Peter refused to disband either Royal Guard commands, instead beginning a crash rebuilding program. Despite this, some of the survivors continued to resent owing fealty to Peter, who had shattered them months earlier. Many of its members chose to resign. By the beginning of August, the Second had been rebuilt to only 20 percent strength overall, with barely a company of 'Mechs.

Jihad

Peter Steiner Davion, who the Guards opposed and later defended

When the Word of Blake attacked Tharkad after the Fourth Whitting Conference, many of the Lyran units on planet were shattered by the orbital bombardment. Archon Peter merged the survivors of both Royal Guards into a single command, and they defended him throughout the campaign. Suffering severe losses over the course of years of guerilla fighting, the Royal Guards were constantly reinforced by soldiers from other commands on planet who the Archon transferred in, refusing to disband his illustrious unit. Despite being reduced to less than a ghost of their prior selves, the Guards did successfully protect the Archon from death or capture. In the aftermath of the fighting on Tharkad, the Second essentially existed only on paper, composed of a single lance of the best MechWarriors that defended the capital. By September 3079, they were still at only five percent strength, even while their sister unit, the First, was rebuilt by absorbing militia units.

By 3085, the 2^nd had grown. The LCAF High Command forwarded many elite soldiers to the unit for consideration. These soldiers then took a series of tests to see if they had what the Second Guards were looking for. Anyone who failed these tests didn't make it into the unit. The 4^th Royal Guards performed the same tests, but out of respect for the 2^nd's history, the 4^th didn't recruit many soldiers from Skye. Instead they went to the 2^nd for their evaluations. Even with these high standards, the Second had managed to rebuild to over a third of its nominal strength.

Unlike previous iterations of the 2^nd Royal Guards, the Pride of Skye of 3085 is expected to perform more than ceremonial duties. To prepare to join their sister units in the field, the 2^nd trains against the 4^th Royal Guards.

Dark Age

In 3143 Clan Wolf invaded Tharkad. The 2^nd Royal Guards defended the Nagelring from the Wolves, but lost two companies of machines. In addition to the Nagelring fight, they also defended Tharkad City. After the fighting on Tharkad the unit was reduced to fifty percent of its nominal strength. With the creation of the Wolf Empire so near Tharkad, the LCAF High Command left the 2^nd to reinforce the 1^st Royal Guards on Tharkad.

Officers

The 2^nd Royal Guards have claimed several illustrious individuals among its commanders and officers during their history. Template:LyranRankInline Alessandro Steiner was a battalion commander prior to taking the throne. Template:LyranRankInline Katrina Steiner commanded the entire regiment some years prior to removing her uncle from power. In 3007, when Katrina Steiner took the throne as Archon, Hermann Steiner, brother to Alessandro, had been in command of the 2^nd Royal Guards. When loyalists to his brother attempted to use Hermann against the new Archon, Hermann resigned his commission, eventually becoming the Abbott of St. Marinus House on Zaniah, where he would meet Morgan Kell and other MechWarriors who had withdrawn from combat.

General of the Armies Edward Regis commanded the unit sometime prior to taking command of the entire LCAF. Template:LyranRankInline Christopher Malvin led the unit for many years from well before the Fourth Succession War until a few years before the Clan Invasion. He was eventually promoted to command the entire Royal Guard brigade.

Marshal Richard Regis II commanded the unit during the Clan Invasion Era and FedCom Civil War, the 2^nd. He is the nephew of Edward Regis. In 3055, Regis, suffering from a lack of political connections, was replaced by Richard de Gambier as commander. Regis then began an impressive campaign of building connections and allies with top Lyran officals, and by 3059 he had retaken command of the unit. A firm supporter of Katherine, Regis was critical in persuading ComStar's 66^th Division to side with the Loyalists during the FedCom Civil War. Despite his loyalty to Katherine, Archon Peter Steiner-Davion retained Regis as the Second's commander after the war, putting aside the objections of his advisers. The LIC nevertheless monitored Regis.

Alexander Carlyle, son of Grayson Carlyle of the famed mercenary Gray Death Legion, was a company commander in the 2^nd during the FedCom Civil War, having previously served in the 1^st. Carlyle survived the war but was unable to rebuild the Legion. Template:LyranRankInline Luke Patterson is the the commanding officer in 3085. Template:LyranRankInline Judith Kelly is the the commanding officer in 3145.

Tactics

The 2^nd Royal Guards specializes in defensive operations, both mobile and static. Their Engineering battalion includes several IndustrialMechs and vehicles skilled at creating defensive emplacements.

Composition History

2765

2^nd Royal Guards (Veteran/Fanatical)

3025

2^nd Royal Guards (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Christopher Malvin

3040

2^nd Royal Guards RCT (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)

3050

2^nd Royal Guards RCT (Regular/Fanatical)
CO: Marshal Richard Regis II

3054

2^nd Royal Guards RCT (Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Marshal Richard Regis II

3062

2^nd Royal Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Richard Regis II
Aide: Template:LyranRankInline John Lovgren

2^nd Royal Guards Aerospace Brigade
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Saffron Olivery

• 3^rd Royal Guards Wing
  
• 4^th Royal Guards Wing
  

2^nd Royal Guards Armor Brigade (3 Regiments/Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Leo Mitchell-Heggs
Aide: Template:LyranRankInline Ruby Bass
- 3^rd Royal Tharkad Panzer Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Haikel Mertl
- 4^th Royal Tharkad Panzer Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Owen Frear
- 1^st Royal Tharkad Armored Cavalry Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Lindsey Holby

Second Royal Guards Infantry Brigade (5 Regiments/Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Anfa Shou
Aide: Template:LyranRankInline Victor Duong-Cheng
- 5^th Royal Tharkad Light Infantry Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Victoria Jordan
- 6^th Royal Tharkad Light Infantry Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Anton Merrick
- 3^rd Royal Tharkad Mechanized Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Nick Meyer
- 4^th Royal Tharkad Mechanized Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Edwin Chan
- 1^st Royal Tharkad Jump Regiment - CO: Template:LyranRankInline Ewan Lindstrom

3067

2^nd Royal Guards (Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Richard Regis II

2^nd Royal Guards Aerospace Brigade
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Saffron Olivery

2^nd Royal Guards Armor Brigade
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Leo Mitchell-Heggs

2^nd Royal Guards Infantry Brigade
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Anfa Shou

3079

2^nd Royal Guards (Lance/Elite/Fanatical)

3085

2^nd Royal Guards RCT (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Luke Patterson

2^nd Royal Aerospace (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Thad Travieso

2^nd Royal Armor Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Theodar Brooks

2^nd Royal Infantry Brigade (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Antono Stenet

3145

2^nd Royal Guards RCT (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Judith Kelly

2^ndRoyal Aerospace (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Alice Walker

2^nd Royal Armor Brigade (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Lawrenche Mitchell

2^nd Royal Infantry Brigade (Elite/Fanatical)
CO: Template:LyranRankInline Keith Williams

Notes

• The insignia of the 2^nd Royal Guards is a kicking donkey against the blue shield of the Royal Guard bridge.

Game Rules

The 2^nd possess the 'banking initiative' special ability, and gain a +1 initiative bonus when acting as the defender. If acting as the defender in a non-chase situation, 50 percent of all units may begin in improved positions.

Bibliography

• 20 Year Update
• The Dying Time (novel)
• Endgame
• FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)
• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Manual: Lyran Alliance
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report 2765: LCAF
• Field Report: LAAF
• Historical: War of 3039
• House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)
• Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Objective Raids
• Warrior: Riposte
• Technical Readout: 3145 The Clans