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15th Arcturan Guards

Arcturan Guards 15th logo.png
Fifteenth Arcturan Guards
Nickname The Stavlos Tigers
Affiliation Lyran Commonwealth
Parent Command Arcturan Guards


History[edit]

Named for the Lyran Commonwealth's original capital Arcturus, the Arcturan Guards continued to form a mainstay of the Lyran military even after the capital's relocation to Tharkad.[1]

In 3025, the Fifteenth were engaged mostly in pirate hunting, stationed on the world of Lost,[2] remaining on this planet during the Fourth Succession War.[3]

In the face of threatened revolts in the newly occupied Sarna March in the 3030s, the Fifteenth was one of many Lyran units ordered in to ease the tensions, being posted to Elnath. While requiring an entirely different style from pirate hunting, the Fifteenth rose to the challenge and slowly built strong ties with the local community. However in light of the Marik-Liao Invasion of 3057 and Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion's order for Lyran units to return home order, the Fifteenth opted to obey and returned to the newly formed Lyran Alliance.

With increasing tensions on Solaris and their success in the Sarna March, the Fifteenth was ordered to garrison several worlds with anti-Alliance rebels, with the first battalion under CO Felix Blucher posted to Thorin, with the remainder sent to Muphrid under Kommandant Constance McCoy.[4]

While Blucher worked alongside the Thorin Militia at first, increasing anti-Katherine riots escalated into terrorist attacks and the Arcturan Guards personnel killing the activist reporter sister of the militia's CO Archer Christifori. An enraged Christifori led a rebellion against the Fifteenth and with the aid of militia turncoats within the Arcturan Guards and inspired tactics, Christifori was about to deal the Fifteenth several crushing defeats. After heading off reinforcements from Muphrid, the battered Fifteenth surrendered and traveled towards Lyons to rebuild.[5]

During the first wave of the Civil War, the Fifteenth had reached Bucklands.[6] With the Clan Jade Falcon incursion into the Lyran Alliance, the Fifteenth made their way towards Melissia, headquarters of the Melissia Theater, acquiring elements of the Neerabup MTM and Gacrux FTM to bolster their numbers.

The patchwork Fifteenth arrived on Melissia shortly before the forces of Khan Marthe Pryde, and despite protests of their need to retreat and resupply, fought alongside the other units under the command of General Adam Steiner.[7] The so-called "Hodge Podges" Fifteenth took part in Operation Audacity, serving under both Generals Steiner and their old foe Archer Christifori, assisting in the capture of Black Earth and Roadside.[8]

After the end of Audacity, the battered remains of the Fifteenth returned to Thorin to rebuild.[9] While some suggested the "Hodge Podges" be recognized as the Fifteenth Arcturan RCT, the elements of two militia units were eventually returned to their parent formations and the Guards began rebuilding on its own.[10]

Jihad[edit]

During the Jihad, the Fifteenth partnered with the Fifth Crucis Lancers in an attack on Demeter. There they attempted to take the Vicore Industries factory,[11] but were repulsed by the defending Demeter Protectorate Militia units and two Level IIIs from the Ninth Militia Division, Measure of Trust and Call to the Faithful. An orbital drop by the Third Free Worlds Legionnaires reinforced the Coalition forces and pushed the Blakist defenders back. Three weeks later the Guards and other Coalition forces had taken control of the world, but only after bloody hand-to-hand fighting and several orbital bombardments; the Fifteenth had worked alongside the Fifth Crucis Lancers to take control of New Demeter City, while the Third Legionnaires had battled the Ninth Militia Division forces until both the Blakists and the Vicore Industries plant were destroyed by orbital bombardment[12]

Shortly after this victory, the Fifteenth landed on Towne to assist Coalition forces there. Towne was particularly difficult because it had several SDS stations both on the planet and in orbit.[13] The Fifteenth was only present for a few weeks before moving out to their next assault, the campaign for Hean; however, the Fifteenth wouldn't make landfall on Hean, as the system was discovered to possess a multilayered SDS network. These defenses inflicted serious losses on the Fifteenth along with the Fox's Teeth and the Aerospace assets available to Group I, and most damaging of all, the SDS network destroyed the Fox-class FSS Indefatigable.[14]

During the liberation of Terra, the Fifteenth was assigned to General Galen Cox's command. This task force—composed of the Fifteenth, First Davion Guards, Marlette CMM, Hansen's Roughriders and the Twelfth Vegan Rangers— was assigned to take the Texas Highlands on the North American continent.[15]

However, a DropShip of class Fortress, the Brigada, was attacked by two fighters and lost the course, crashing in North Carolina. The company aboard, led by Hauptmann Conner DeVries, was soon surrounded by Blakist forces. His presence there help to divert Blakist forces attacking Devlin Stone's forces retreating from Hilton Head, and for the moment wasn't evacuation available for them, forcing them to hold. They resist for days, crippling the TerraSec forces, but weakening day to day. Despite having been promised evacuation by Kanrei Kiyomori Minamoto, it didn't arrived, but they managed to destroy all TerraSec forces, and after sending his wounded and infantry to hide in the mountains, the last Lyran 'Mechs charged against the Blakist Fourth Division forces. It is unknown their final destiny.[16]

After Terra was liberated, the Fifteenth found itself split into two battalion sized forces. The two battalions were stationed on La Blon and Marfik, serving as garrison forces.[11] By 3085 they had rebuilt into the largest 'Mech unit available to the Arcturan Guards brigade, and they had rotated back to Arcturus. Strangely, they had no conventional forces assigned to them at this time.[17]

Dark Age[edit]

In 3142, after Clan Wolf forces abandoned Arcturus, the Fifteenth Guards redeployed there. They supported the self-proclaimed governor, Johan Rahmer, who behaved as a tyrant. Commander of the 15th, General Ian Chesterton, followed Rahmer's orders but refused to use his forces as stormtroopers against the population.[18]

The same year, the 15th responded to the invasion of Arcturus by Peregrine Galaxy. They split into companies and attempted to face the Falcons at every landing site. Despite their fearlessness and determination, they weren't able to defeat the Falcons, and had to withdraw after two days of fighting.[19] They took heavy losses, and relocated to Garrison in an attempt to regroup. This was unsuccessful. They were redeployed to Tharkad to help reconstruction efforts while they also took the time to refit and rearm their equipment.[20]

In 3148 the Fifteenth were sent to Coventry as reinforcements for the beleaguered Seventeenth Arcturan Guards, the Stavlos Tigers soon finding themselves in the thick of the action around the city of Lietnerton against Clan Jade Falcon. Though unable to reach Hauptmann-General Jasek Kelswa-Steiner's command company in the Dales in time to save him, Fifteenth Hauptmann John Jacob "JJ" Smith and his company capitalized on Jasek's sacrifice to hold on long enough for additional Arcturan reinforcements to force the Falcons to withdraw from the area.[21]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Fifteenth Arcturan Guards
Leutnant-General Ululo Vuthal 3025[2]
Colonel Suzanne Wright 3050 - 3055[22][23]
Colonel Felix Blucher 3062 - 3067[4][24]
Leutnant-General Caesar Trivedi 3085[25]
Hauptmann-General Ian Chesterton 3142[26]
Leutnant-General Andrew Roberts 3145[27]

Tactics[edit]

The Fifteenth have learned from their postings in the thirty-first century, acquiring good skills in both anti-pirate tactics and small unit raiding, along with ample civil defense skills, despite the fact the 'Mech-heavy nature of the unit ill-suited for them and thus their heavy reliance upon the Thorin militia.

Composition History[edit]

2786–2821[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[28]

Note: At this point in time the W-weight unit was stationed on Muswell. In 2821 the command was reduced to 48 percent of its strength and was deployed at Karston.[28]

2830[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[29]

Note: At this point in time the light-weight unit was stationed on Karston with an operational readiness of 114 percent.[29]

2864[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Green/Fanatical)[29]

Note: At this point in time the light-weight unit was stationed on Karston with an operational readiness of 74 percent.[29]

3025[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Regular/Questionable)[2]

  • CO: Leutnant General Ululo Vuthal
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Lost.

3040[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards RCT (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[30]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Phact.[30]

3050[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[31]

  • CO: Leftenant General Suzanne Wright[31]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Elnath.[31]

3054[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[32]

  • CO: Leftenant General Suzanne Wright[32]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Elnath.[32]

3062[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[4]
CO: Colonel Felix Blucher
Aide: Leutnant-Colonel Luther Fisk

Denied RCT status, for most of their existence the Fifteenth have consisted standard three Battalion BattleMech Regiment. To better suit the role of civil defense, upon their posting to Thorin and Muphrid they sacrificed almost a third of their 'Mech strength in favor of tanks and infantry.

Thorin Militia (Battalion/Regular/Reliable)[4]
CO: Leutnant Colonel Archer Christifori

3067[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[24]
CO: Colonel Felix Blucher

3079[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[33]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on La Blon and Marfik.[33]

3085[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Veteran/Reliable)[25]

3145[edit]

Fifteenth Arcturan Guards (Regular/Reliable)[27]
CO: Leutnant General Andrew Roberts

Fifteenth Arcturan Armor Brigade (Regular/Reliable)[27]
CO: Colonel Debra Gray

Notes[edit]

The unit's nickname of The Stavlos Tigers comes from the Arcturan subspecies of tiger, the unit choosing to paint tiger stripes on the upper arms of the unit's 'Mechs.[34] The insignia of the Fifteenth depicts a stylized tiger face peering out of the long grass atop the green oval-shaped regimental insignia of the entire Arcturan Guards[4]

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 54
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 120
  3. Fourth Succession War - Military Atlas Vol 1, p. 44
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 56
  5. FedCom Civil War, pp. 34–35
  6. FedCom Civil War, p. 69
  7. FedCom Civil War, p. 116
  8. FedCom Civil War, pp. 117, 188, 120
  9. Field Manual: Updates, p. 177
  10. Field Manual: Updates, p. 168
  11. 11.0 11.1 Field Report: LAAF, p. 10
  12. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 36: "Tragedy On Demeter"
  13. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 37: "The Tale Of Towne"
  14. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 37: "Situation Report: Naval Defenses"
  15. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 96
  16. Operation Scythe: Lyran Fire, p. 245
  17. Field Manual: 3085, p. 98
  18. Elements of Treason: Duty, ch. 6
  19. Technical Readout: 3145 The Clans, p. 24
  20. Field Manual: 3145, p. 125
  21. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 3, p13 "Zeus"
  22. 20 Year Update, p. 23: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  23. Objective Raids, p. 17: "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
  24. 24.0 24.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 177: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  25. 25.0 25.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 109: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  26. Technical Readout: 3150, p. 96
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 133: "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces - Donegal Province"
  28. 28.0 28.1 First Succession War, p. 139
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 Second Succession War, p. 99
  30. 30.0 30.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 137
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 20 Year Update, p. 23
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 Objective Raids, p. 17
  33. 33.0 33.1 Field Report: FWLM, p. 10
  34. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 71

Bibliography[edit]