Prefectorate Guard

History

Formation to First Succession War

The Prefectorate Guard was formed in 2532 to replace the mutinous Merik's Grenadiers as the regiment within the Capellan Hussars associated with the Capella Commonality. The Grenadiers had mutinied in 2451, taking Chancellor Duncan Liao hostage, and were destroyed by the Second Hexare Lancers - the future Red Lancers - in February 2452. With their loyalty above question, the Prefectorate Guard was charged with protecting the halls of the Capellan government and serving as the bodyguards of the Prefectorate nobility, and could only be deployed with the consent of the Prefectorate Council. It was for this reason that by the twilight years of the Star League that the unit had not seen actual combat since the twenty-sixth century, with much of the Guard's elderly MechWarriors simply awaiting retirement.

First Succession War

In 2788 the Prefectorate Guard was deployed along with the Ariana Grenadiers to wrest control of Tyrfing away from the Free Worlds League. A former provincial capital under the Terran Hegemony, Tyrfing had been devastated in 2777 by the campaign to liberate the planet, with the Amaris Empire Armed Forces making wide use of chemical, nuclear and biological weapons against the Star League Defense Force Fifth Army until the SLDF final offensive broke the defenders via orbital bombardment from the Twelfth Fleet and tactical nuclear strikes. The widespread use of WMDs, accompanied by numerous toxic leaks from ravaged industrial facilities, had poisoned Tyrfing extensively. The SLDF had evacuated much of the population, but the population of Tyrfing was continuing to decline; the Free Worlds League had decided that there was likely to be enough by way of technology and salvage on Tyrfing to make it worth seizing the planet, and had garrisoned it with forces that included three BattleMech regiments - the Twenty-third Marik Militia and the Third and Seventh Oriente Hussars. What the CCAF didn't predict was that every other Great House would also attempt to seize Tyrfing from the Free Worlds League at almost the same time.

The Prefectorate Guard and Ariana Grenadiers arrived on Tyrfing in July 2788, within days of the arrival of the Seventh Donegal Guards and the Stealths - the Lyran Commonwealth having decided to act on the same rumors of SLDF weapons caches and the potential reactivation of the SDS network by the FWLM that had prompted the CCAF to invade the planet, and soon the Prefectorate Guard were embroiled in battles with both the League and Lyran units. In late August the Fourth Davion Guards and the Fifth Dragonlords landed on Tyrfing, sent by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns as part of a desperate attempt to acquire Star League technologies that could be used to help stem the massive invasion of the Federated Suns launched by the Draconis Combine. The DCMS in turn deployed the Eighth Sword of Light and the Black Sharks mercenary regiment (the Black Sharks being the former Twenty-third Amaris Dragoons) to either thwart the AFFS efforts or seize anything valuable themselves. The resulting five-way campaign finished the planetary devastation begun during the Amaris Civil War. By the time everyone other than the League forces had left in February 2789, none of the industrialized cities was left, the civilian population was at eight million and dropping fast, and the conventional infantry forces supporting each of the 'Mech regiments had taken ninety percent casualties - or worse.

Second Succession War

In 2828 the Red Lancers and Prefectorate Guard attacked Aosia in the Federated Suns. Led by Chancellor Ilsa Liao, they fought elements of the Ceti Hussars and Avalon Hussars. They were forced to withdraw however, and Chancellor Liao was killed covering their retreat. The losses sustained by the CCAF led Kamachi Imarra, a Prefectorate Guard MechWarrior, to create the Warrior Houses for the Confederation.

In 2833 the unit supported the CCAF attempt to lift the siege of Tikonov. The Prefectorate Guard were able to engage the heavier AFFS forces and pin them down, refusing to let them pass.

Third Succession War

The Prefectorate Guard joined with the Red Lancers in 2970 to raid Spica. This raiding successfully destroyed three mercenary commands that were hired by the Federated Suns. Tormax Liao ordered some companies of the Prefectorate Guard to hunt pirates, placing Maximilian Liao at their head. This was the reason why the Guard put their support behind Maximilian Liao in 2990, making him the new Chancellor.

Fourth Succession War

In the Fourth Succession War the unit took only light casualties in their failed defense of Liao but later surrendered after a long fight on Nopah where they took part in Operation Riposte.

Andurien/Canopus Invasion

In 3031 a mercenary unit raided Hexare, close to Sian. Romano Liao ordered the Prefectorate Guard to retaliate. The Guards engaged the mercenary forces in a series of conventional frontal assaults. They fell for several tricks by the mercenaries, and after several days of fighting the mercenary force successfully left Hexare. Smashed in May 3032 on Betelgeuse defending it against an Andurien invasion, the unit was disbanded on Romano Liao's orders and the survivors incorporated into other units.

Clan Invasion to Xin Sheng Period

During the relative peace the Confederation experienced after Aundrien invasion, both the destroyed and disbanded Prefectorate and Dynasty Guards were rebuilt as elite, but unnamed militia units on their future homeworlds. As benefiting the political service of its predecessor unit, the reborn Guards was raised on the Confederation's capital of Sian, with each of its officers having graduated from the Sian University, finally earning its formal title as the Prefectorate Guards when Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao announced the formation of the Liao and Victoria Commonalities.

Deployed, with Prefecture Council approval, to the commonality capital of Victoria during the Xin Sheng era, the Prefectorate Guards serving to defend the important manufacturing center as well as assisting in the training and evaluation of Periphery units on-world as part of the Trinity Alliance. During this period the Guards also traveled to the Magistracy of Canopus to assist that nation against the Marian Hegemony. The commanding officer of the Prefectorate Guard at the time, Sang-shao Jorgen Nerekov, was an accomplished engineer who consulted and assisted Victoria-based Shengli Arms with the design of the Jinggau BattleMech. Nerekov's involvement with Shengli was instrumental maintaining good relations between the CCAF and the manufacturer, also allowing the Prefectorate Guards to obtain the latest designs from both Shengli as well as Hellespont Industries on their homeworld of Sian.

FedCom Civil War Era

Sang-shao Nerekov was involved in a mysterious research and development accident at the Shengli Arms facility on in 3065. Details of what happened were kept classified, but it was known that Nerekov suffered cerebral hemorrhaging severe enough that he was rendered unfit to command the Guard, and was subsequently awarded the Cluster of Conspicuous Heroism. He was also turned down for the award known as the Baton of Illustrious Service, making him the only Capellan Hussars commander not to be a recipient of this award.

Although Nerekov was unable to command the Guard after the accident he retained the honorary status of regimental commander; field command of the Guard passed to Zhong-shao Emile Nan Lowen with the assistance of the commander of the Third Battalion, Darla Inien.

Jihad

During Operation Sovereign Justice the Prefectorate Guard was attacked by multiple AFFS units and reduced to slightly over one-third of its listed strength. They relocated to Victoria and began to rebuild using graduates from the Victoria Institute of Arms and Technology and the output of the decimated Shengli Arms factory.

The Dark Age

After the Jihad the Prefectorate Guard were rotated away from Victoria and onto Sarna, partly to act as a guard against future conflict with the Republic of the Sphere but also because the growing level of conflict between the Guard and the mercenary unit Lethal Injection was putting the security of Shengli Arms at risk. With one officer cashiered and an increasingly-incoherent Sang-shao Nerekov pushed into retirement, Sang-shao Nan Loen assumed formal command of the Guard; Loen enforced high standards of discipline and decorum within the Guard, and made it abundantly clear that the insubordination which had occurred under Nerekov wouldn't be tolerated under his command. By 3085 Loen had transferred seventeen MechWarriors out of his command for failing to meet his standards. In 3113 the Guard faced elements of Stone's Lament on Sarna. A Lament flanking maneuver was stopped cold by the Guard, extending the Lament's supply problems considerably and allowing the Guard to withdraw from Sarna in good order.

The Prefectorate Guard were defeated in the Victoria War, and by 3145 the Guard's role had changed considerably. The Guard never really recovered from their Victoria War defeat, and at some point were rotated into garrison duty on Sarna in place of the Dynasty Guard. That didn't help the Guard recover; while the posting was a prestigious one, it also wasn't a particularly inspiring one for the MechWarriors of the Guard, and the regiment became a posting for MechWarriors who were serving out the last years of their careers, and for whom those careers had been uninspiring but unblemished. As a result, the Guard's 'Mech forces became distinctly average. In contrast, the infantry attached to the Guard became highly proficient at the tasks involved in their new posting - urban combat, counter-insurgency work and personal security. With some of the highest-ranking members of the Capellan government being guarded by members of the Guard infantry on a regular basis a disconnect emerged between the 'Mech and infantry forces, with the infantry commander vocally espousing the opinion that the Guard's 'Mech forces were holding the infantry back.

Officers

As of 3025 the commanding officer was Colonel Braxton Gammon.

As of 3063 to 3067 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Jorgen Nerekov, holder of the Master at Arms, although following Nerekov's accident at the Shengli Arms plant in 3065 actual field command was held by Zhong-shao Emile Nan Lowen, with assistance from Darla Inien, commander of the Third Battalion.

As of 3085 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Nan Loen.

In 3145 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Ganeshkumar Mahajan.

Tactics

The unit has a talent for defensive operations.

Composition History

2765

Profectorate Guard (Regular/Fanatical)

2786

Profectorate Guard (Regular/Fanatical)

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

2821

Profectorate Guard (Regular/Fanatical)

- At this point in time the Guard was a medium-weight regiment operating at just below half-strength and were based on Capella.

3025

Profectorate Guard (Veteran/Fanatical)

• CO: Colonel Braxton Gammon

• 1st Battalion (Union Guard): Major William Breen
• 2nd Battalion (Algamagne Guard): Major Kenneth Razani
• 3rd Battalion (Capellan Border Guards): Major Ursula Inien

3063

Prefectorate Guard (1 Reinforced Regiment/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Sang-shao Jorgen Nerekov

• XO/1st Battalion: Zhong-shao Emile Nan Loen

• 2nd Battalion: Zhong-shao Perry Rawlings
• 3rd Battalion: Zhong-shao Darla Inien
• 4th Battalion: Zhong-shao Hapsum Lee

Prefectorate Air Guard (2 Flights/Veteran/Fanatical)

• Wing Commander: Kong-zhong-shao Nu Phang Gull

Prefectorate Armored Guard (1 Company/Regular/Reliable)

• Armor Commander: Sang-wei Merielle Clarètte

Prefectorate House Guard (1 Regiment/Green/Reliable)

• Infantry Commander: Zhong-shao Lang Koo

- Including a Fa Shih Battle Armor Battalion

3067

Prefectorate Guard (4 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Sang-shao Jorgen Nerekov/Emile Nan Loen

Prefectorate Air Guard (2 Flights/Veteran/Fanatical)

• CO: Kong-zhong-shao Nu Phang Gull

Prefectorate Armored Guard (Company/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Sang-wei Phillipe Aragonue

Prefectorate House Guard (Green/Reliable)

• CO: Zhong-shao Lang Koo

- The Protectorate Guard was at full strength at this point in time, with more than two-thirds of the Guard's equipment featuring advanced technology.

3079

The Prefectorate Guard had rebuilt to nearly full strength after the Jihad, being only twenty percent below listed strength.

3085

Prefectorate Guard (Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Sang-shao Nan Loen

Prefectorate Air Guard (2 Flights/Veteran/Reliable)

• CO: Kong-zhong-shao Tsun Shan Fong

Prefectorate Armored Guard (1 Battalion/Regular/Fanatical)

• CO: Sang-sao Wai Keung Chan

Prefectorate House Guard (Green/Fanatical)

• CO: Zhong-shao Sotiris Floros

- At this point the Guard were operating at between eighty and ninety percent of full strength and were almost fully equipped with upgraded technology.

3145

Prefectorate Guard (Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Sang-shao Ganeshkumar Mahajan

Prefectorate Air Guard (Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Kong-zhong-shao Julius St. Hilaire

Prefectorate Armored Guard (Veteran/Reliable)

• CO: Zhong-shao Chi Yan Chong

Prefectorate House Guard (Elite/Reliable)

• CO: Zhong-shao Pak Wai Pang

- At this point the Guard was station on Sarna, and the entire command was operating at full strength.

Bibliography

• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Manual: Capellan Confederation
• Field Report 2765: CCAF
• Field Report: CCAF
• First Succession War
• Historical: Brush Wars
• House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation