83rd Division (ComStar)

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Brutalised by Clan Ghost Bear during the Battle of Tukayyid, the 83rd Division was rebuilt to serve as a stabilising influence in the contested Chaos March.

History

As part of the newly formed Com Guards' humanitarian efforts, a Level III from the 83rd Division under the command of Trent Arian successfully mediated unrest sparked by religious hatred on the Federated Commonwealth world of Islamabad.[1] Immediately prior to the Clan Invasion, the regular ranked 83rd Division, then a IV-Tau mix referred to by the nickname of The White Cyclones, was assigned to the Fourth Army and was headquartered on the Federated Suns world of New Syrtis.[2]

Along with the rest of the Fourth Army, the 83rd was assigned to assist the First Army combat Clan Ghost Bear during the Battle of Tukayyid. Concerned that the relatively green units of the Fourth would break during combat against the Bears, despite protests from the Fourth Army's commander Precentor Aryon Tolliver, the First Army commander Katherine Luarca ordered the Fourth to stay on station around the secondary target city of Luk while the First led the charge against the Bears.

When Luarca's decision weakened the defense of the primary target of Spanac and allowed the Ghost Bears to capture it, two divisions from the Fourth unsuccessfully attempted to pin them down in the city with artillery fire to prevent them moving on their brothers back at Luk. With the Bears' elite Alpha Galaxy shrugging off this assault and tearing into the Fourth Army divisions like the 82nd as Luarca had feared, Luk and the divisions of the Fourth were saved when Luarca ordered the 103rd Division along with the remains of the 308th Division to sack Alpha's main supply depot. Guarded only by freebirth warriors in second-line 'Mechs and with Alpha's losses mounting, the Bears pulled back to reinforce and safeguard Spanac, earning a marginal victory against the Com Guards. [3] [4] [5] [6]

Unlike many Com Guard Divisions, the regular rated 83rd Division retained its original nickname after Tukayyid, rebuilt as a BattleMech heavy IV-gamma formation. Becoming the new command division of the 4th Army, the 83rd transferred its headquarters to the Federated Commonwealth world of Bryant. [7] garrisoning sites in the politically sensitive Terran Corridor. [8]

With the collapse of the Sarna March in the wake of Operation Guerrero, the 83rd attempted to provide some semblance of law and order in the disputed zone, constantly finding itself at odds with Word of Blake efforts to make inroads in the region. [8] Because of this the 83rd was one the first divisions to receive new designs, most notably the Tessen BattleMech. Though only receiving its first two Tessens in November 3061, the design's high speed, Improved Narc Missile Beacon and Improved C3 Computer allowed the 83rd to easily repel a Blakist raid shortly after this.[9] [10]

While the unit's CO was willing to continue fighting Blakist efforts on their headquarters world of Bryant, after that world's admission into the newly formed Word of Blake Protectorate Precentor Martial-Pro Tem Gavin Dow ordered the 83rd to withdraw to Tall Trees.[11] (The government of Bryant asked the Eighty-third to leave to minimize further conflicts. The Eighty-third left in order to spare the population further conflict.[12])

At the outbreak of the Jihad, the 83rd Division was forced off of Bryant by the Word of Blake's Third and Fourth Division. Initially the 83rd thought they could hold off the Blakists, but the intelligence reports the 83rd had underestimated the amount of forces available to the Blakists. The Fourth Division pinned down half the 83rd in the city of Helena, while the Third Division sent six Level III's against the other half of the 83rd at Fa Shura. Only a handful of ComGuard troops survived Fa Shura to evacuate. The elements of the 83rd at Helena staged a breakout to join their retreating DropShips, but they also suffered severe losses.[13] The survivors joined with the 76th Division at Zurich.[14]

Officers

The CO in 3067 was Precentor XV Allyn Omlid, who had held the position since at least 3049.[2] [7] [8][11]

After the fighting on Tall Trees inflicted such heavy losses, Demi-Precentor Edmund Rydz was the highest ranking officer in the Eighty-third.[13]

Tactic

The 83rd Division is known for the use of unorthodox tactics and prefers a mobile combat style.[15]

Composition History

3040

3062

  • Eternal Truths III-epsilon: Demi-Precentor II Sol Kopp[8]
  • The Phantoms III-gamma: Demi-Precentor VI Edmund Rydz
  • Green Machine III-alpha: Demi-Precentor X Vivian Soballe
  • The Longshoremen III-beta: Demi-Precentor VII Richard Pales
  • The Lion's Den III-delta: Demi-Precentor III Thomas Kyle
  • Power Struggle III-gamma: Demi-Precentor V Tina Hanson

Notes

  • The 83rd's insignia is a white tornado on a golden disc. [8]

Game Notes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Fall of Terra, p. 66
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 20-Year Update, p. 70 "4th V-nu"
  3. ↑ Tukayyid, pp. 48-56 "Campaign: Clan Ghost Bear"
  4. ↑ Invading Clans, p. 29 "Tukayyid: World of Fate"
  5. ↑ Wolf Clan, pp. 48-49, "Days of Armageddon - Ghost Bear"
  6. ↑ ComStar, pp. 69-72, "Battle of Tukayyid"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 ComStar, p. 85, "4th Army V-iota (The Defenders of Honor, Bryant Theatre, from 4 to 5 on the "Inner Sphere Clock")"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 26, "4th Army V-Iota: The Defenders of Honor"
  9. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, pp. 152-153 "Rules - TSN-1C Tessen"
  10. ↑ Technical Readout: 3067, p. "TSN-1C Tessen"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 84, "2nd Army V-Mu (The Iron Warriors)"
  12. ↑ Imminent Crisis, p. 208
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 220
  14. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad, pp. 86-87, "Com Guards Shattered"
  15. ↑ Field Manual: Comstar, p .137

Bibliography

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