Task Force Navarre

Insignia of Task Force Navarre
Task Force Navarre
Formed 3145
Disbanded 3146
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command AFFS


Task Force Navarre was an improvised multiregiment command formed in the Dark Age Era, composed primarily of Federated Suns troops along with mercenaries and Clan Sea Fox transport ships.[1]

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

After hearing of his homeland's disastrous defeat at Palmyra, the new First Prince Julian Davion began his long odyssey home from the other side of the Inner Sphere. Leaving Porrima in November 3144 Julian took the First Davion Guards to the Republic Remnant on Callison and requested aid from his old allies in refitting his battered command. Throughout 3145 the First Prince assembled an ad hoc army. So many volunteers of Federated Suns origins signed up that not only did he successfully replenish the ranks of the First Davion Guards, but two new brigades - dubbed the First and Second Davion Auxiliaries - had to be created. In addition several small mercenary units pledged themselves to Julian's cause, and Gamma Aimag from Clan Sea Fox's Tiburon Khanate would provide transport through Capellan territory in exchange for the future cession of three Federates Suns worlds to their control.[2][3]

The Voyage Home Begins[edit]

On October 15 Julian began the journey with his collected force, designated "Task Force Navarre". Having to travel around the Wall protecting Fortress Republic, Julian decided to take the longer but relatively safer route via the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation rather than fight his way through hostile Combine space.[4][2]

While Navarre's fleet was accosted by League forces at Talitha, Captain-General Jessica Marik allowed the task force to transit her realm in exchange for House Marik being owed a future favor from House Davion.[3]

In the last days of 3145 Navarre entered Capellan space. Rather than risk traveling through uninhabited systems, Julian opted to brazenly raid Capellan worlds along his route. Apart from replenishing his own forces' finite supplies, he hoped to also divert Capellan attention from the beleaguered Capellan March. In this vein Navarre attacked Menkalinan and New Canton, using different troops on each world to frustrate CCAF and Maskirovka intelligence gathering. To that end, Julian also negotiated Clan Sea Fox warriors' active participation in combat operations, albeit on the Clanners' own terms.[5]

Republic Detour and Saving Kathil[edit]

The Menkalinan raid had one unintended but significant result. A captured First Davion Guards officer was rescued by a Republic DMI agent; upon learning of Julian Davion's intentions she immediately sent a report through the Wall where it ended up with Devlin Stone. Stone ordered his agents to prioritize locating Julian Davion and presenting him with a message.[5]

In February 3146 Navarre landed on Nanking, where a Republic agent delivered Stone's request for Julian to meet with him and instructions on how to do so. The First Prince transferred command of the task force to General Siobhan Sortek and made his way into Fortress Republic. The rest of Navarre raided Nanking and proceeded onward, eluding Capellan efforts to intercept them.[5]

Initially Navarre's efforts to divert CCAF attention from the Capellan March were in vain; Daoshen Liao simply continued his planned offensives and by early May the Confederation was threatening Kathil. During that month, however, Navarre proved successful in stalling the impending assault on Kathil. Navarre's units attacked New Aragon, Halloran V, Pleione and Poznan, largely succeeding in destroying or seizing Capellan supply stockpiles. As a result, Daoshen was forced to postpone the Kathil invasion and deal with the enemy marauding throughout his realm.[6]

Victory at Marlette[edit]

From June onward, Navarre made its way towards the planned rendezvous with Erik Sandoval at Goshen in according with a new plan outlined by Julian Davion. The First Prince had reappeared by this point at the head of a new task force, dubbed "Panopoly", which included RAF troops and equipment after forging a pact with Devlin Stone. In a deception campaign devised by Sandoval and tailored by Julian, Navarre, Panoply and Crucis March forces would converge on Marlette and ambush a Capellan invasion force there. In the ensuing battle Gamma Aimag was among the army which crushed its CCAF opponents and extracted a temporary armistice on the Suns' Capellan front.[7]

After the victory Task Force Navarre - or Gamma Aimag at least - made its way to Goshen, where the Sea Foxes left Davion's service and received their payment of three worlds. Around this time Navarre seems to have been disbanded.[8] [9]

Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]


Units of Task Force Navarre[edit]

Color Scheme and Unit Insignia[edit]


References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: 3145, p.88 - Task Force info mentions Julian Davion as its commanding officer.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 37
  3. 3.0 3.1 Shattered Fortress, p. 15
  4. Era Report: 3145, p. 25, "Timeline of Events (cont.)"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Shattered Fortress, p. 16
  6. Shattered Fortress, p. 17-18
  7. Shattered Fortress, p. 22-23
  8. Shattered Fortress, p. 28, "Goshen Rendezvous"
  9. Shattered Fortress, Chapter "3147: The Calm Before the Storm", the First Davion Guards have been reassigned to a new task force and there is no further mention of Navarre
  10. Field Manual: 3145, p.88 - Task Force Commanding Officers noted.

Bibliography[edit]