328th Assault (Clan Wolf)

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Overview

The 328th Royal BattleMech Division was a part of the Star League Defense Force Regular Army. It was one of the SLDF's Royal units, which consisted of troops from the Terran Hegemony. Thanks to the unwavering loyalty shown by the 328th, it survived the formation of the Clans to become the 328th Assault Cluster of Clan Wolf.

History

Star League

Prior to the Fall of the Star League, the 328th was assigned to garrison the world of Taurus. There the unit's 3286th Heavy Assault Regiment, composed completely of Stalker BattleMechs, would demonstrate close order drill every year on Star League Day. Many considered the display both inspiring and terrifying.[1]

In 2764, the unit was assigned, as a part of the XLVI Corps, Nineteenth Army, of the Periphery Military Region but was moved to an undisclosed area of the Periphery to take part in the Periphery Uprising by 2765[2]. The 328th survived the war and the Hegemony Campaign, and followed General Aleksandr Kerensky on the Exodus in 2784.[2] At a mere handful, the 328th was noted as having largest volume of Excalibur BattleMechs to survive the liberation of Terra.[3]

Clan Wolf

The 328th was one of the few units allowed to keep its history alive after the formation of the Clans by Nicholas Kerensky and all military assets where reorganized.[4] They received this honor because of their unwavering support of Nicholas Kerensky. This recognition of their pre-Clan roots upset several other units who challenged the 328th to several Trials of Grievance.[5]

Widowmaker Absorption

After the death of ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky, the 328th tracked the Fourth Fang Cluster of Clan Widowmaker on Ironhold. The Fourth was trying to reach their DropShips to leave, but the 328th slaughtered most of the Fourth. Only a few Binaries escaped the rage of the Lion-Hearted, but the 341st Assault Cluster was in place to prevent the surviving Widowmakers from escaping.[6] The two Wolf Clusters joined forces to face the survivors of the 194th Crusader and Fourth Fang Clusters outside Ironhold City. The Wolves were so bent on destroying the Widowmakers that they forgot to limit collateral damage. This later degenerated into a three-way battle as Clan Jade Falcon's Eighty-ninth Falcon Strikers fought with one Wolf Cluster to stop the Falcon's capital city from being destroyed. The Falcon intercession allowed several Widowmakers to escape.[7]

Clan Invasion

The 328th faced the 1st Lyran Regulars on Ridderkerk in 3050. The Wolves destroyed the Lyran Regulars unit.[8]

Refusal War

All of Alpha Galaxy fought on Wotan in December 3057 alongside the remnants of Tau Galaxy against the Jade Falcon Delta Galaxy. The Battle for Borealtown was ultimately one of the most costly battles of the Refusal War, with casualties of more than eighty percent taken on both sides.[9] By the end of the Refusal War the 328th was no longer an active command;[10] although rebuilding Alpha Galaxy was essential to maintain Clan Wolf's position, Khan Vlad Ward hadn't chosen to rebuild the 328th by 3059.[11] This remained the case until at least 3085.[12][13]

Dark Age

During the invasion of the Free Worlds League the 328th worked with the 9th Wolf Battle Cluster to take Gannett. They faced relatively little opposition during the attack. The only real fighting took place between Wolf aerospace fighters who fought a group of retired Atrean Hussars pilots.[14]

Officers

328th Royal BattleMech Division

The commanding officer in 2764 was Major General Alister Doohan.[15]

328th Assault Cluster

In 2833 the unit was led by Star Colonel Jal Ward.[16]

In 3052 the commanding officer was Star Colonel Athen Kederk, an abtakha from Clan Ghost Bear.[4] He replaced the previous commander, who was lost to a Trial of Possession.[5]

The 328th Assault Cluster was also home to several well-known officers: Star Captain Natasha Kerensky as well as Joshua and Jaime Wolf.[17]

Tactics

The 328th was a rarity: A front-line Cluster with several Naga OmniMechs. Their presence was more of a salute to their SLDF combined arms heritage than a real combat asset however. Commanders frequently bid away the Nagas and when they actually participated in a conflict the escorting members would speed ahead of the artillery 'Mechs leaving them exposed on the battlefield.[5]

They were among the first Clan Wolf units to adopt the "no physical attacks" rule of the Clans.[16]

Composition History

2764

328th Royal BattleMech Division
As an SLDF BattleMech Division the 328th would have been composed with two Brigades of 'Mech regiments and one brigade of Mechanized Infantry regiments.[18]

  • 3281st Royal BattleMech Brigade [19]
  • 3282nd Royal BattleMech Brigade
  • 3283rd Royal Infantry Brigade

The BattleMech Brigades were based around three Heavy Assault Regiments and three Battle Regiments and included the 3286th Heavy Assault Regiment, which had three Battalions of Stalker Assault 'Mechs.[15]

3052

328th Assault Cluster

  • Command Nova - Cold Hearted (Star Colonel Athen Kederk)
  • Supernova Battle - The Heart Eaters (Star Captain Hannibal Sradac)
    • Alpha Battle Nova: 25 Elementals, Mad Dog, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle, Gargoyle C, Storm Crow
    • Bravo Battle Nova: Warhawk, Gargoyle, Gargoyle C, Ice Ferret, Timber Wolf, 25 Elementals
    • Charlie Battle Nova: Mad Dog, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle, Gargoyle C, Storm Crow, 25 Elementals
  • Trinary Assault - Heart Stompers (Star Captain Krynos Vickers)
    • Alpha Assault Star: Gargoyle, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Timber Wolf, Ice Ferret
    • Bravo Assault Star: Gargoyle, Timber Wolf A, Gargoyle A, Hellbringer, Timber Wolf
    • Charlie Assault Star: Timber Wolf, Gargoyle C, Gargoyle B, Dire Wolf, Phantom
  • Binary Fighter - The Flying Lions (Star Captain Elladora Leroux)
  • Binary Rogue - The Roaming Lions (Star Captain Fergus McKibben)
    • Alpha Rogue Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Timber Wolf A, Timber Wolf A, Ice Ferret
    • Bravo Rogue Star: Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Gargoyle A, Timber Wolf, Timber Wolf A
  • Binary Artillery - The Lion's Roar (Star Captain Ortic)
    • Alpha Artillery Star: 5 Naga
    • Bravo Artillery Star: 5 Naga
  • Support Vessels
    • 2 Star Lord-class JumpShips: Lion's Den, Lion's Pride
    • 1 Union-class Command DropShip Lion's Heart
    • 3 Overlord-class DropShips: Daniel Express, Twister, Charon's Barge
    • 1 Union-class Dropship: Lion Barge
    • 2 Leopard-class DropShips: Lion's Pounce, Lion's Teeth
    • 2 Carrier-class DropShips: Winged Lion, Aero Mars
    • 1 Intruder-class DropShip: Lion's Thunder

[20]

3145

328th Wolf Assault Cluster (Elite/Fanatical)[21]

- At this point in time the 328th was based on Castor and was operating at almost full strength; four-fifths of the equipment within the 328th used Omni-technology.[21]

Organizational Structure

Game Rules

Widowmaker Absorption

The 328th can use Overrun Combat when they are the attacker. If deployed with Khan Jerome Winston or saKhan Elise Fetladral, they get a +1 initiative bonus.[16]

References

  1. Field Manual: SLDF, pg. 223, "328th Royal BattleMech Division"
  2. 2.0 2.1 The Star League, p. 157, "Nineteenth"
  3. Rhonda's Irregulars, p. 30 "Recovered Star League Equipment - Type: EXC-B1 Excalibur"
  4. 4.0 4.1 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 78,
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Era Report: 3052, p. 44
  6. Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption, p. 21
  7. Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption, p. 23
  8. ClanTroops, p. 34
  9. The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 31-32, "In The Falcon's Nest"
  10. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 157, "Clan Wolf"
  11. Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 141, "Alpha Galaxy: The Wolf Spirits"
  12. Field Manual: Updates, p. 74-75, "Clan Wolf"
  13. Field Manual: 3085, p. 126, "Clan Wolf"
  14. Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League, p. 46
  15. 15.0 15.1 Field Manual: SLDF, p. 222, "328th Royal BattleMech Division"
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Operational Turning Points: Widowmaker Absorption, p. 13
  17. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 17
  18. The Star League, p. 133
  19. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 13
  20. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 76-78, "328th Assault Cluster"
  21. 21.0 21.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 170, "Alpha Galaxy (The Wolf Spirits)"

Bibliography