9th Benjamin Regulars

Unit Description

The Ninth Benjamin Regulars were a medium BattleMech regiment in the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery.

History

First Succession War

In June of 2786, an unmarked freighter entered the Skondia system and passed through the Lyran picket lines unchallenged. Several DropShips then detached from this vessel and began a hi-gee burn toward the planet. Once the ships were in orbit, a regiment of Draconis Combine BattleMechs attacked the planet catching the defenders by surprise. The Commonwealth ground forces focused their might on defending the major industrial centers waiting for an attack. However, the Combine troops began attacking civilians and population centers instead. When the Lyran troops moved to stop these attacks, the quicker Combine forces flanked their opponents, as well as dropping additional BattleMech forces from the still unchallenged DropShips, seized the now undefended factories and destroyed them. The Kuritan troops were then able to withdraw. This defeat was a major embarrassment to the Commonwealth High Command. However, the defeat led to many reforms regarding system security and planetary defense. The quick victory also convinced then-Coordinator Minoru Kurita to focus his efforts against the Federated Suns as it was now seen as more dangerous than the Lyran Commonwealth. For the Ninth Benjamin Regulars, the DCMS unit responsible for the attack, the raid was a great success; having dropped near the cities of Passageway and Wurston on the Edel continent, the Ninth then began attacking the cities when the defending Ninth Arcturan Guards scrambled to protect their primary assignment, the major factories on the planet. The Arcturan Guards responded to the reports of widescale slaughter in the two cities by leaving the factories to attack the battalion the Benjamin Regulars had deployed, only for a second wave of troops from the Ninth Benjamin Regulars to land on the factories dozens of kilometers away from where the Arcturan Guards were fighting. The Arcturan Guards contingents on the other continents scrambled to redeploy from their current locations to assist the beleagured forces on Edel, by which time the Benjamin Regulars had already had two days to wreak havoc; as the Benjamin Regulars withdrew to meet their DropShips in the foothills of the Lafferty mountain range, they added insult to injury by destroying three of the largest factory complexes, located at Passageway, Vorenstag and Wursten. The DropShips then rendezvoused with their JumpShip near the orbit of Skondia III and jumped out, well ahead of pursuing Lyran WarShip forces.

Third Succession War

The Ninth Benjamin Regulars, like most Benjamin Regulars, had a very poor relationship with the supply officers of the DCMS. As a result the Ninth's 'Mechs and tanks were often less-effective than they would appear.

During the fighting on Mallory's World, the Ninth's most noteworthy battle was with the First Robinson Rangers outside of Harrison's Ferry. There the Ninth fought the First for several hours before receiving a retreat order. The Robinson Rangers never let up, however, pursuing the Ninth all the way to their drop zones. They returned to their baseworld, Proserpina, to rebuild.

Fourth Succession War

During the early months of the Fourth Succession War Coordinator Takashi Kurita was focused on his conflict with the Wolf's Dragoons mercenary brigade, but following pleas for help from Chancellor Maximilian Liao the DCMS planned and launched additional offensives against perceived weak spots on the Federated Suns border. The Galtor Thumb region was one such weak spot, and Klathandu IV was invaded by the Ninth Benjamin Regulars in November 3208. The Ninth presumed that as the militia on Klathandu IV lacked BattleMechs, the planet would be an easy conquest, and their initially sloppy deployment reflected that attitude. In contrast to the Ninth's expectations, the militia forces on Klathandu had been hardened by the many raids conducted against the planet by the DCMS - and had also received additional supplies of quality equipment including Maxim troop transports manufactured in the Lyran Commonwealth, Partisans and a Sniper Artillery Piece. When the Ninth encountered the First Klathandu Infantry Regiment and Third Klathandu Tank Regiment at Gregory's Hills they were shocked by both the fierce determination of the militia and the firepower available to them.

The initial attacks by the Ninth Benjamin Regulars had focused on efforts to capture the planetary capital, Klanthis, which was also the center of Klathanu IV's industry. When faced with the ferocious response from the planetary militia Tai-sho Denice Eastmoreland moved the Regulars west to regroup, and spent the lull learning the terrain and probing the militia's defenses, turning the campaign into a war of attrition. When the Regulars went back on the offensive they treated the militia as if they were front-line opponents and made better progress, defeating several militia regiments and reaching the outskirts of Klanthis by late July 3029.

The change in the campaign was noted by the AFFS High Command, who grew concerned that if the Regulars were able to capture Klathandu IV, they would be able to launch further attacks deeper into the Federated Suns. Prompted by the encirclement of Klanthis, the AFFS High Command deployed the Raman Draconis March Militia to Klathandu IV in the first week of August. While the Raman DMM's efforts to lift the siege of Klanthis led to horrendous casualties on the part of the Raman DMM, it did frustrate the Regulars' efforts long enough for another wave of reinforcements to arrive, in the form of the First Federated-Commonwealth BattleMech Regiment. The First FedCom had been created by taking cadets from the New Avalon Military Academy and the Albion Military Academy who hadn't been old enough to be assigned to other regiments ahead of the war, along with their academy instructors; a quarter of the cadets were from the Lyran Commonwealth, and the unit had been equipped with a mix of Enforcers, Griffins and Valkyries. Commanded by Marshal James Sandoval, son of Duke Aaron Sandoval of the Draconis March, the First FedCom had a slow introduction to the realities of combat, as James had them first assume rear-area responsibilities in areas that had been secured by the Raman DMM. This meant that the first few encounters with the Regulars went well for the First FedCom, and morale skyrocketed - until the First FedCom's First Battalion encountered the Regulars' Third Battalion in the light woods at Pheasant Run, where most of the FedCom's young MechWarriors were killed or injured. Despite the casualties inflicted on them during that battle, the First FedCom survived as a unit, and forced the DCMS to reign back on plans to invade Xhosa VII in favor of securing control of Klathandu IV.

Clan Invasion

The Ninth Benjamin Regulars were stationed on Proserpina, near the Federated Suns border. The DCMS left the unit there to protect the border as other units were rotated to the Clan front.

Operation BULLDOG

The Ninth moved to Kiamba as part of Operation BULLDOG.

Federated Suns Incursion

The unit was destroyed in 3062 when the command defended Proserpina against the First Robinson Rangers, Eighth Crucis Lancers, and the Robinson Battle Academy Cadre.

Officers

Rank	Name	Command
Commanding Officers of the 9th Benjamin Regulars
Tai-sho	Shiro Weyhu	3016
Tai-sa	Hirushi Shotugama	3020 - 3025
Tai-sho	Denice Eastmoreland	3028
Tai-sa	Richard Rekai	3059

Tactics

The Ninth was adept at city defense, pairing lances at critical spots around a city. Its attached armor and infantry operate independently, leading opposing forces into traps.

Composition History

2765

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)

2785

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Veteran/Reliable)

- At this point in time the Ninth was a medium-weight regiment operating at full strength and based on Elix.

2821

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Veteran/Reliable)

- At this point in time the Ninth was a medium-weight regiment operating at just over one quarter of full strength and based on Galtor III.

3025

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Veteran/Reliable)

• CO: General Denice Eastmoreland

Note:The command contains 3 medium battalions .

3028

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (BattleMech Regiment/Veteran)

• CO/1st Battalion - Tai-sho Denice Eastmoreland

3040

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)

3050-3054

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)

• CO: Tai-sa Mark Tomtrill

3059

Ninth Benjamin Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)

• CO/First Battalion: Tai-sa Richard Rekai

• XO: Tai-sa Opuo Weyhu

• Second Battalion: Chu-sa Jonathon DeVries
• Third Battalion: Chu-sa Suan Hap Do

Note: The unit could upgrade over 60 percent of their machines and get also 12 new IS Omnimechs. Every battalion has now an Omnimech command lance.

Tears of Proserpina (Company/Elite/Reliable)

• Wing Commander: Dai-i Karl Grunhaben

Note: The unit posses 6 omni fighter.

Ninth Benjamin Regulars Armor (Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)

• Armor Commander: Chu-sa Christopher Pedo

18th Reconnaissance: Special Delivery (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)

• Troop Commander: Tai-sa Jesus Gonzalez

Note: The some members are equiped with Laser rifles and SRM launchers. For scouting mission an entire platoon use advanced stealth suit. The command includes 4 vehicles with Arrow Launchers and also hovercrafts with TAG equipment for the missiles.

Bibliography

• The Dragon Roars
• Field Manual: Draconis Combine
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report 2765: DCMS
• First Succession War
• Historical Turning Points: Mallory's World
• Historical: War of 3039
• House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)
• House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2