3rd Shark Regulars (Clan Diamond Shark)
Sarna News
While a "mere" Freebirth garrison Cluster, the 3rd Shark Regulars are honored by Clan Diamond Shark for their sacrifice and destruction during the Battle of Tukayyid.
Contents
History
One of the clusters of the Sharks Omega Galaxy, the 3rd Shark Regulars and its fellows were left to garrison the Clans staging world of Nyserta, much to the anger of its Galaxy Commander Bikendi Vewas. When no clusters of Omega were selected to be fielded in the fighting on Tukayyid, Vewas issued and won a Trial of Refusal against Khan Ian Hawker for the right of one of his units to participate, choosing the 3rd Shark Regulars. The unit's selection by Vewas was due to the 3rd being staffed entirely with Freeborn warriors, a calculated insult against the Hawker's blind hatred of Freeborns and refusal to allow them to serve in frontline clusters. [1]
While forced to deploy the 3rd, Hawker sidelined them as reserves to guard the Sharks supply lines and DropShips, forced to watch as Alpha Galaxy's Nineteenth Heavy Cluster and Thirty-ninth Striker Cluster advance on Kozice Prime and Gamma Galaxy's 222nd Assault and 369th Striker Clusters thrust towards the secondary target of Urcunat were both stalled and then pushed back by the Com Guards Eighth and Second Armies. [2] [3] [4] [1]
With the Shark's frontline clusters bottled up in the valley and the defeat of Clan Smoke Jaguar freeing up Com Guard reinforcements, the Sharks were totally unprepared when the fresh troops of the Fifth Army performed a combat drop behind their front lines, cutting off both Alpha and Gamma Galaxies from their landing zones and supply deports. As the 82nd, 301st and 182nd Divisions advanced to assist their brothers in the valley, the shocked Shark Khans realized their forces were completely surrounded and dangerously low on ammunition. While Khan Hawker regrouped his surviving clusters for a desperate all-out frontal assault in the hopes of breaking through the encircled Com Guard forces, saKhan Barbara Sennet called in the 3rd to try and rescue the front-line troops of Alpha and Gamma. [2] [3] [4] [1]
While the fresh 'Mechs of 3rd Regulars were able to fight their way past the 323rd and 299th Divisions, the glorious frontal assault launched by Khan Hawker to meet up with them was effortlessly shredded by the ComStar troops. The 3rd Regulars finally reached the battered remains of Alpha and Gamma and opened a hole for them to escape back to the landing zone, but the Com Guard forces refused to let up and harassed the Sharks as they withdrew. As the massed Com Guards prepared for the final killing blow as the retreating Sharks drew within sight of their DropShips, Star Captain Ishmael, the highest ranking officer left in the unit, and the two Trinaries that remained of the 3rd silently advanced directly into the Com Guards line of attack. Ignoring the confused Khan Hawker demands for an explanation, SaKhan Sennet honored their sacrifice and led the remaining Diamond Sharks to safety as the ComStar forces destroyed them to a man. [2] [3] [4] [1]
Honored in Clan Diamond Shark's Remembrance, the destroyed 3rd Shark Regulars' sacrifice also forced a chastised Khan Hawker to formally rescind his ban on Freeborns serving in the Sharks front-line forces in recognition of their bravery. [2] [3] [4] [1]
Officers
As of 3052, the 3rd Shark Regulars was commanded by feeborn Star Colonel Adrine. Adrine sacrificing herself to save the very Khan that had snubbed her by placing her Mad Dog between an advancing Com Guard Level II and Ian Hawker, allowing him to escape. [1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Era Report: 3052, p. 63 "Factions - Clan Diamond Shark - 3rd Shark Regulars (Restless Shiver)"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tukayyid, pp. 69-77 "Campaign: Clan Diamond Shark"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Invading Clans, p. 141 "Baptism of Fire"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Field Manual: Warden Clans, pp. 61-62 "Summer Storms: Invasion and Upheaval"