5th Sword of Light

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A Fifth Sword of Light Dragon stomps onto an enemy Mech

Unit Description

The Fifth Sword of Light is a House Kurita BattleMech Regiment, which is noted for using aggressive actions to achieve its objectives. This unit represents the Pillar of Gold, or government, with a regimental patch of a gold Kurita dragon.

History

Formation

Formed at the order of Jinjiro Kurita late twenty-eighth century, it was formed to act as a fanatically loyal Household Guard unit in order to protect him from his political enemies. The unit was also tasked to protect Jinjiro's younger brother, Zabu Kurita.

In 2765 the Fifth Sword of Light was stationed on Awano. They shared this world with the SLDF's 159th Jump Infantry Division and the XIV Corps headquarters. Relations between the SLDF and the Fifth were cold.

The First Succession War and as Household Guards

A Company of the 'Mech force would accompany both Coordinator Jinjiro or Zabu whenever they entered a battlefield. A House Guards, regiment be broken up with some of its units used its lance components protected personnel holdings. This left the Fifth Sword scattered across the Combine, protecting these personal assets of the Jinjiro. Worlds they would be deployed were major planets, including New Samarkand, Pesht and its majority on Luthien protecting Jinjiro himself. In 2787 during the First Succession War the Fifth Sword of Light participated in Operation Broken Blade's assault of Hesperus II, but was spared the carnage other frontline units suffered during this destructive era.

The Second Succession War

Duty to Coordinator Zabu and Assignment to Sun Zhang Military Academy

Years after the First Succession War ended in 2821, Coordinator Jinjiro succumbed to insanity. In his place, his brother Zabu Kurita took the throne in April 2837. As the Second Succession War raged, Zabu attempted to reform the Combine economy and military. He being naive man, reassigned Fifth Sword to other duties, since he felt he no longer needed such a large force for bodyguards to protect him from his own people.

Zabu then transferred the elite and well equipped regiment to the newly formed Sun Zhang Military Academy on New Samarkand. It was his hope that the regiment would be a means to motivate new cadets entering Combine's service. For the next eight years, the unit served at the academy as trainers and aides. This changed in 2838, when the Coordinator committed seppuku. Zabu's son then recalled the Fifth Sword to return to duty as his Coordinator's house guard unit once more.

Duty on the Frontlines

However, within days of being recalled, Coordinator Yoguchi Kurita ordered the unit to raid House Davion's border when he realized how well equipped and intact the Fifth Sword was. At the time, there were few intact units due to sheer destruction the First Succession had caused on Combine troops.

In 2838 the Fifth Sword conducted a raiding campaign along the Draconis March. The unit participated in five major battles and 40 lesser ones over the next three decades. The unit concentrated on the worlds close to Dahar IV, Cassias, and Royal. The unit would develop its infamous tactics of targeting civilian and military targets in its "Total War" doctrine.

Battle for Gandy's Luck

In December of 2851, the Fifth Sword fought mostly in defense of the Kurita world of Gandy's Luck. The unit had returned from several Raid-In-Force missions, Gandy's Luck served as its refit and rearming base. The Ninth Galedon Regulars were also on the planet trying to rebuild due to combat losses.

Unknown to them, within days of arriving in system, a task force of Davion troops made up of 4 regiments worth of troops had arrived. Included in their numbers was a battalion of BattleMechs from the Davion Guard Brigade. Both depleted from previous battles, the Ninth Galedon joined with the Fifth Sword as a unified force. The reinforced Fifth Sword began using their knowledge of the terrain to their full advantage as they fought the large Davion Task Force. The Fifth Sword engaged its Davion opponent initially in "thrust and parry" attacks, then proceeded to grind each other down in grueling fire-fights. The battle encompassed the entire continent. After three days of fighting losing battles, the Davion forces withdrew from the planet, leaving the continent scarred with reminders of their fight. The Fifth Sword and 9th Galedon were devastated after the battle. It was decided to retire the Ninth's colors to allow the remnants to strengthen the Fifth.

End of the war

By the end of the Second Succession War, the unit had been fighting on the Davion world of Crossing. Entrenched and ready to continue its battle, word of the ceasefire reached them. The unit withdrew across the border to Reisling's Planet. Following the year after arriving, they were relocated to the Dieron Military District, where they continued to garrison various worlds for the following two years.

Third Succession War

By October 2866, at the beginning of the Third Succession War, the Fifth Sword was positioned in the Dieron Military District by Coordinator Miyogi Kurita as the stage area with a dozen other regiments for the beginning of the next conflict.

First and Second Offensives

At rhe start of the war, the Fifth Sword was part of a task force which set out to take worlds in the Lyran Commonwealth. Unprepared, Steiner's forces failed to resist invasion, losing a number of worlds in the initial attack. The Fifth Sword was involved in battles that claimed Kessel for the Combine in December and Vega in January 2867. However, in 2872 the troops of the Fifth Sword began to resent the new orders that they were to avoid destruction of infrastructure and to refrain from molesting civilians. The Fifth Sword began to ignore such orders; however, the unit paid quite a price for their behavior, since Lord Kurita then pulled them from the frontline and placed them in garrison duty on the Davion front for the next decade and a half.

In 2887, the unit was finally recalled to the Steiner front when the Coordinator mounted a second offensive into Steiner space. In the resulting fighting, the Fifth Sword claimed the world of Ryde for the Dragon.

The Invasion of Skye: 2893 - 2894

In 2893, the DCMS invaded the planet Skye, the capital of the Federation of Skye. As one of the DCMS' finest units, the Fifth Sword of Light was part of the invasion force. Despite the stiff defense by the defending Steiner troops, major parts of the planet had fallen under Kurita control within a year. 0

The Battle of Bannockburn Bogs was the turning point of the campaign. A 'Mech battalion of the Fifth Sword and a tank regiment were assigned to take the city of New Glasgow for the Dragon. However, the Kurita force had to stop its advance when they tried to pass through a swamp outside of the city. Two companies of the 17th Skye Rangers used their superior knowledge of the terrain and surrounded the Kurita force. In the ensuing battle, most of the DCMS force was destroyed. The Battle of Bannockburn Bogs is notable to be the first battle ever to be lost by the Fifth Sword of Light.

Afterwards, the DCMS was on the defensive and finally had to retreat in 2894.

Rebuilding, Household Guards, and traveling the Combine

The unit, still damaged from the Skye campaign, participated in a joint expedition with other units to take Sakhalin in 2899. The unit was then used as garrison force on many of the worlds captured during the early years of the Third Succession War.

The unit then would be recalled to Luthien in 2907 by Coordinator Hugai Kurita, where it would spend almost twenty years in the role it was created for: as Household Guards to the Coordinator.

By 2925, Lord Hohiro Kurita decided his household guards would be reduced to a battalion of BattleMechs. He elected to rotate a single battalion from Fifth Sword and its sister unit, the 2nd Sword. He had the Regiment travel the Steiner and Davion borders of the Combine to perfect their "Art of War" through experience gained in battle. During this time period, the unit had given itself the nickname of "the twitchy stiletto". After 41 years, the unit had traveled to 48 different worlds setting a record of travel in the Combine.

In 3004, Takashi Kurita had taken over as Coordinator after the assassination of his father. He changed the tactical doctrine of his military units, having them break down into company size forces to allow better mobility and attaining elite skills over less experienced battalions.

In 3014, second-in command Conti Palmer replaces his commanding officer Leonard Ohira after leaking information to the ISF. The Silvereen's Stallions (Company) is deployed to Worrell, where its commanding officer is killed in a food riot in 3021. Conti has his command lance members killed for failing to protect Captain Silvereen. He then promotes Chu-i Daniel Sorenson to Tai-i and renames the unit Sorenson's Sabres.

Pirate raids in the Rasalhague region of the combine caused the Fifth Sword's Tarwater's Battalion to deploy to New Caledonia in May 3023. The unit fights in a number of food raids and is successful in fighting the pirates off by 3024 with aid from the new Sorenson's Sabres Company.

The entire Fifth Sword of Light is sent in 3025 into the Davion border to claim more worlds for the Combine. Dozen worlds are attacked, even though not as many are claimed by the campaign 's end.

The Fourth Succession War

Battle for Northwind

As part of House Liao's request for strikes conducted in the Terran Corridor of House Davion held space, Tai-Sho Palmer Conti lead the Fifth Sword with assistance of the Thirty-sixth Dieron Regulars to the world of Northwind in January, 3029. There 5th's commander had 36th Dieron to lure main garrison unit, 5th Deneb Light Cavalry from their defensive positions. Once out position, the Fifth Sword shattered the understrength Davion regiment. The Cavalry's mercenary support units counter attacked by attacking the Fifth Sword's Headquarters. However, the arrival of Tai-Sho Yorinaga Kurita's Genyosha regiments stopped the Kell Hounds' 3rd Battalion and Team Banzai. Genyosha efforts heavily damaged both mercenary units, forcing them to withdraw. After repulsion of Davion mercenary units, reinforcements sent by Prince Hanse Davion arrive in form of entire brigade of Northwind Highlanders.

In the fighting with the Northwind Highlanders, the Fifth Sword is able to seriously damage the First Kearny Highlanders, prior to Tai-Sho Conti's withdrawal from the planet. Conti orders the Thirty-sixth Dieron to cover the withdrawal of the Fifth, resulting in heavy damage.

In August, the unit traveled to Moore where, some Dieron District commanders meet with Prince Theodore Kurita. Where he shows them semi-secret counter attack against Lyran front of the war. The units would stage on the secretly captured Lyran world of Dromini VI, where they would strike out from the planet into a number of Skye worlds. However, Lyran Commonwealth sent the 10th Lyran Guards to disrupt the operations. Though the attack was repulsed, Lyran LIC agents sabotaged the majority of Lord Kurita's task force's JumpShips.

Battle on Nusakan

On October 23rd 3029, the Fifth Sword engaged the Kell Hound regiment on Nusakan. The Fifth Sword's commander, Tai-Sho Conti, had attempted to steal the glory from the Genyosha after the Lyran sneak attack on Dromini VI. Fifth Sword fought a grueling battle with the Kell Hounds, leaving many 'Mechs destroyed including Conti's own Banshee.

Men of the Fifth cheered as Genyosha approached, urging them to attack Kell Hounds. However, they refused and threatened to destroy Fifth if interfered with battle between Yorinaga Kurita and Colonel Morgan Kell. Fifth Sword forces back off from the arena like battlefield and witness samurai duel.

War of 3039

Pike IV

In the second Wave of the conflict, the Fifth Sword of Light teamed up with the Twenty-fourth Dieron Regulars in 19th, July 3039 as part of Combine's counter-invasion. The Fifth Sword's commander Sho-sho Jonathan Fujimoto, was given command of two unit task force, leading the inexperienced 24th Dieron.

Sho-sho Fujimoto keep his force together than divided, his task force where he focused his energies on Hansen’s Roughriders. Playing a game of cat-in-mouse, he and Colonel Hansen fought in skirmishes. Colonel Hansen attempted keep his unit from being smashed by elite skill and very well equipped Fifth Swords. Time ran out for one of Hansen's Battalions, where Fifth Sword finally cornered it in the mining city of Mercator. Using their well trained skills of urban fighting, plowed quickly into the city. Inflicting high considerable damage to the 'Mech Battalion and the city itself. Only half the battalion survived, pulling out the city well enough regroup in highland areas. During the two week cat & mouse hunt, FedCom reinforcements had arrived, in form of the Seventeenth Skye Rangers whom then entrenched themselves into the planetary capital city of Stratopolis.

In August 20th the unit's Second Battalion (lead by Chu-sa Hohiro Tatsuma) assaulted Stratopolis aided by ISF agents attempting cause insurrection within the city as well. However, the Seventeenth Skye Ranger's defense was brutal and insurrection was failure. By September after the failed assault the Fifth Sword's front lines were more formalized with 300 kilometer south of Stratoplis.

The conflict became a stalemate, Fifth Sword and the Twenty-fourth Dieron had cut up the FedCom's supply chain. Unfortunately for the Fifth Sword, the Thirtieth Lyran Guards and its reinforcements from the Seventeenth Skye Ranger's aerospace fighters had dominance in the Skye.

By November the Fifth Sword's luck changed, Hansen's Roughrider departed Pike IV due to its contract expiring. While Sho-shoo Fujimoto, feeling his honor was stained by the Fifth Sword's performance, committed Seppuku to make amends despite Kanrei Theodore Kurita objections. The command then was passed to Chu-sa Hoiro Tatsuma. In December, with the war's end the Lyran affiliate forces of the FedCom withdrew from the planet.

After securing the world for the Dragon, Tatuma then returned his regiment back to Dieron.

Clan Invasion Era

Early 3040s, Raids & Escorts Duty, and Reconstruction

Through the 3040s, the Fifth Sword was sidelined from frontline combat, by Coordinator Takashi Kurita. Its losses it accumulated from the Fourth Succession War and War of 3039 were substantial. However FedCom Raids through early 3040s had reduced the unit single battalion of green troops. The unit was reduced to escort duties, no longer elite regiment it once was. Tai-sa Tastuma carefully rebuilt the unit, however the DCMS's Bureau of Substitution had denied them green troops, and if were not the unit's past it would disbanded the Fifth Sword. Bureau Tastuma broke from Fifth Sword's traditions and began recruiting women in the unit. The Bureau despite denying it veteran troops, allowed command staff be rebuilt with officers from other regiments of the Sword of Light brigade. So badly sundered, Fifth Sword was not deployed during the Clan Invasion of early 3050s.

In the 3050s, Tastuma had re-organized the regiment so that each of its battalions would each different battlefield specialty. It was envisioned the regiment by being able handle any situation, by splitting its combat expertise between the battalions. The Tastuma in his efforts to rebuild allowed for technical support staff become elite in their field.

Operation Bulldog

Positioned on Bicester as of 3059, the unit was part of the reborn SLDF invasion forces for Operation Bulldog. The task forces which Fifth Swords were part of launched its invasion of Clan Smoke Jaguar held world of Port Arthur. Operation Bird Dog force sent ahead to secure the planet, consisted of a battalion of the First Davion Guards. The FedCom Unit had fought considerable campaign against the determined bondsman of the 168th Garrison Cluster. The Fifth Sword and other forces of the task force arrive to utterly destroy Smoke Jaguar cluster.

After the liberation, the unit remained on world a garrison until the Operation officially ended.

Dominion War

After Bulldog, the unit had since then transferred to Baruun Urt, where help defend the Galedon District. It was stationed there until the break out of the Ghost Bear War in 3062. The Fifth Sword was sent to support the 17th Galedon Regulars, but arrived too late. It was able inflict heavy damage against Ghost Bear units there in form of revenge for the fall Regulars.

Federated Suns Incursion

The Fifth Sword was deployed in DCMS's reprisal against the Federated Suns incursion during the FedCom Civil War. The unit attempted to claim the FedSun world of Cassias with Ryuken-go, but poor coordination lead to the Davion defenders maintaining control of the planet.

Jihad

During the Jihad the Fifth Sword of Light served as the Dragon's claws, tearing the traitorous Black Dragon Society out of existence. Their greatest achievement during this time was the complete destruction of the First Proserpina Hussars, who had been suborned by the Black Dragons. In 3076 they received support from the Order of Five Pillars, who were also investigating traitorous activities in the Combine. In 3079 the Gold Dragon was assigned to Biham.

Dark Age

3085 found the Fifth Sword of Light on Kiamba, a system near the Combine's border with the Ghost Bear Dominion. Their presence here led to multiple raids and Trials by Ghost Bear forces, but these were repelled by the Sworders. The Sword continued to rebuild, despite being the largest unit in the Sword of Light brigade. Their constant low level conflict against the Bears probably assisted this. Though these raids and trials took place monthly, the Fifth hadn't launched any retaliatory strikes of their own, seemingly content to respond to the Bear's actions.

The Fifth Sword of Light was used to make a spoiling attack on the 300th Battle Cluster on Sternwerde. They inflicted heavy losses on the unit, but began to take unacceptable casualties so they withdrew. In 3100 the Fifth Sword of Light and the Eleventh Ghost landed on Trondheim. The Fifth Sword landed dropped directly onto the Fifty-fifth PGC and inflicted heavy losses on the Clan unit. The Fifth took some losses, but they outnumbered the Clan unit nearly six to one, and quickly destroyed it before making up their losses from captured Clan equipment. The Fifth Sword of Light then used their DropShips to make suborbital hops to track the First Tyr Assault Cluster as that unit moved between Trondheim and its four moons.

The Fifth was later ordered to oversee the relocation of Clan Nova Cat survivors and the dismantling of their industrial complexes. In the early days after the Blackout the Fifth was used to seize several worlds from The Republic of the Sphere. In late 3136 the Fifth Sword of Light assaulted Vega with the support of the Forty-fourth Benjamin Regulars. There they faced the Twelfth Vegan Rangers and Clan Ghost Bear's Omega Galaxy. After hard fighting, the Fifth left the world with the information gained from their reconnaissance-in-force. This information convinced the DCMS High Command that attacking Vega was ill-advised.

The Fifth Sword of Light was one of several DCMS units that raided Palmyra and destroyed several AFFS regiments. The Fifth engaged Caleb Davion, First Prince of the Federated Suns, and killed him. They are known to have faced the 27th Avalon Hussars, Demeter CMM, and 1st Royal Cavaliers.

They were later used to attack Mauckport, Gambier, and Tsamma. The Fifth shattered the Gambier militia in less than an hour. As of 3145 the Fifth has lost a third of their ’Mechs and half of their fighters and tanks.

Officers

Rank	Name	Command
Commanding Officers of the 44th Dieron Regulars
Tai-sho	Leonard Ohira	3013
Tai-sho	Palmer Conti	3014 - 3028
Sho-sho	Jonathan Fujimoto	3039
Tai-sa	Hohiro Tastuma	3040
Tai-sa	Hinata Akiyama	3085
Tai-sa	Robert Rees	3124 - 3136
Sho-sho	Orimitsu Takamatsu	3145

Tactics

Unit re-organization in 3011 left the unit without specialization as of 3025 the command where skilled in urban combat.

Composition History

2765

Fifth Sword of Light (Expanded Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)

2786

Fifth Sword of Light (Veteran/Fanatical)

- At this point in time the Fifth Sword was a medium-weight regiment operating at a size of four battalions and was stationed on Awano.

2821

Fifth Sword of Light (Veteran/Fanatical)

- At this point in time the Fifth Sword was a medium-weight regiment operating at roughly five-sixths of full strength and was stationed on Scheat.

3025

Fifth Sword of Light (BattleMech Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)

Note:The command contains 3 light, 3 medium and 6 heavy companies.

3028

Fifth Sword of Light (Expanded BattleMech Regiment)

• CO/1st Battalion (Blades of Death): General Palmer Conti

3040

Fifth Sword of Light (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)

3050

Fifth Sword of Light (Battalion/Green/Fanatical)

• CO: Sho-sa Hohiro Tastuma

3054

Fifth Sword of Light (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)

• CO: Tai-sa Hohiro Tastuma

3059

• Fifth Sword of Light (1 Expanded Regiment)
  • CO/1st Battalion: Tai-sa Hohiro Tastuma
    • XO: Chu-sa Kristine Johnson
  • 2nd Battalion: Chu-sa Kent Palmer
    • 2nd Company: Sho-sa Kerri Tanaga
  • 3rd Battalion: Chu-sa Christian Chang
  • 4th Battalion: Chu-sa Astin Kolchiara
  • Support Commander: Chu-i Casper Rodriguez

- All 'Mechs are fully upgraded and the unit possesses 36 OmniMechs also. The unit is rated with Green Skills and has a Fanatical Loyalty rating.

3067

Fifth Sword of Light (BattleMech Regiment)

-The unit is station on world of Kaznejov, with Regular Skill rating and Fanatical loyality. At 54% percent strength, unit technology levels are listed as; 35% Clan/42% Star League / 20% obsolete regular equipment.

3079

Fifth Sword of Light - Reduced to 60% of their pre-Jihad strength.

3085

Fifth Sword of Light (Veteran/Fanatical)

• CO: Tai-sa Hinata Akiyama

3145

Fifth Sword of Light (Elite/Reliable)

• CO: Sho-sho Orimitsu Takamatsu

Scaled Angels (Elite/Fanatical)

• CO: Sho-sa Ingrid Henson

301st Armor (Regular/Fanatical)

• CO: Tai-sa Rikuto Himura

- The Fifth Sword of Light contained twenty squads of Kishi battle armor.

Notes

• In 3025, the 'Mech forces used a Black & Gold color scheme.
• The Fifth Sword of Light was the parent formation of the elite Sorenson's Sabres BattleMech Company.
• The BattleCorps story Broken Blade by Steven Mohan Jr. has the Fifth attacking Hesperus II in 2787, nine years before the date found in other sources for the unit's formation in 2796.

Rules

First Succession War

• Between 2786 and 2807, the composition of randomly-generated lances from the Fifth Sword of Light are determined using a single roll on the Random Unit Assignment Tables per lance, with all of the lance 'Mechs being the resulting type. Between 2808 and 2819, the lance composition is determined using two rolls on the Random Unit Assignment Tables per lance, and from 2820 lance composition is determined using one roll per 'Mech per lance.
• When generating Fifth Sword of Light forces using Random Unit Assignment Tables during the First Succession War, the Sword of Light receives a +4 modifier to each roll on the appropriate table.

3059

Based on the Rules Annex for Field Manual: Draconis Combine, the Force Specific Rules for the Fifth Sword of Light does not give them and special tactical abilities in the 3059 era. However, they do possess an elite tech staff that allows for each lance leader to be fitted with Clan technology as a substitute for a assigned 'Mech equipment. (Example: PPCs for Clan ER PPCs, etc, with left over space allotted as player sees fit.)

The Fifth Sword of Light has Equipment Rating of C as of 3059.

Dark Age

During the Dark Age the Fifth Sword of Light can use the Banking the Initiative special ability. When the Attacker in a scenario, the Fifth may use Off Map Movement for half its force, and it also receives a +1 Initiative bonus. When making a physical attack, a MechWarrior of the Fifth can apply a one point modifier to the location hit roll (one point up or one point down).

Bibliography

• Broken Blade BattleCorps story
• Dark Age Turning Points: Vega
• Daughter of the Dragon (novel)
• Era Report: 3145
• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Manual: Draconis Combine
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Manual: SLDF
• Field Report 2765: Draconis Combine
• Field Report: DCMS
• First Succession War
• Gray Death Legion (scenario pack)
• Historical: War of 3039
• Historical: Wars of the Republic Era
• House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)
• MechWarrior, First Edition
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2
• Objective Raids
• Sorenson's Sabres (scenario pack)
• Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine
• Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns
• Warrior: Riposte (novel)
• Warrior: Coupé (novel)