189th Striker (Clan Nova Cat)
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| 189th Striker Cluster | |
| Nickname | Hold to the Path[1] |
| Affiliation | Clan Nova Cat |
| Parent Command | Xi Galaxy |
The 189th Striker Cluster were a Clan Nova Cat military unit.
History[edit]
During Operation REVIVAL, the 189th was assigned to Nova Cats' Gamma Galaxy,[2] called up to the Inner Sphere in 3052 to reinforce Nova Cat forces for the Battle of Tukayyid. With the Clusters of Gamma assigned the target city of Joje, the 189th supported by elements of Alpha Galaxy and the rest of Gamma pushed past the defending 244th ComStar Division and thrust towards the northern suburbs. Here they were halted by the combined efforts of the Ninth and 417th ComStar Divisions as well as carefully laid vibrabomb fields. By the third day of the battle Gamma Galaxy was very short of ammunition, but had forced both ComStar Divisions to retreat further inside Joje to regroup. Unfortunately their position was threaten by the 467th ComStar Division that was attempting to cut the Galaxy off from its landing zone.[3]
SaKhan Lucian Carns ordered the Clusters of Gamma Galaxy to feign a retreat, attempting to lure the 244th and 467th Divisions into an ambush laid by the Nova Cats' Beta Galaxy. Reacting as Carns had expected, both Divisions were shattered and the Nova Cats captured their supplies, only to see the Ninth, 116th and 417th ComStar Divisions counterattack. Destroying the supply depots and pushing the Clan forces back, Khan Severen Leroux ordered a retreat to their DropShips, the fighting retreat completely destroyed Gamma Galaxy.[3]
Following Tukayyid, the rebuilding 189th Striker were reassigned to Sigma Galaxy and as of 3054 were stationed alongside the 115th Phalanx Provisional Garrison Cluster on the Clan Nova Cat-held world of Bjarred.[4][5]
Remaining on-world as of 3059, the 189th Striker came under "attack" during Operation BULLDOG by the Draconis Combine's Sixth Ghost Regiment. Engaging in an honor saving Trial of Possession for the world and its Nova Cat defenders, 1 July 3059 Tai-sa Katherine Oltion met with the 189th's commander Olivia Drummond to decide the victor on a coin-toss, Drummond choosing the improbable outcome of "edge" while it was in the air, the 189th Striker Cluster eagerly joining the Second Star League when the coin landed "tail" up displaying the Star League Defense Forces emblem.[6][1] As of 1 March 3062 the 189th Striker Cluster had been redeployed to Cyrenaica.[7]
During the Combine-Ghost Bear War, 189th with rest of Sigma Galaxy struck the world of Labrea, routing the Clan Ghost Bear force, who chose to withdraw to deal with the unexpected threat of Clan Hell's Horses. The 189th then joined its sister units, [the [179th Striker (Clan Nova Cat)|179th Striker]] and Nova Cat Lancers in landing on the world of Tinaca to threaten the Ghost Bears with possible invasion of their capital of Alshain.[8] As of 1 October 3067 the 189th Striker Cluster was stationed on Tukayyid along with the rest of the Nova Cats' Sigma Galaxy.[9]
Fighting during the Word of Blake Jihad along with the rest of Sigma Galaxy, the 189th Striker Cluster was one of two Clusters from Sigma that Devlin Stone ordered to return to the Draconis Combine's Irece Prefecture to assure the protection of Nova Cat holdings and mitigate the Combine's concerns about leaving the region's defenses dangerously weakened. Assigned to Xi Galaxy to replace the three Clusters lost on Luthien in 3072, the 189th Striker Cluster was stationed on Outer Volta as of 3079.[10] By 3085 and the conclusion of the Jihad the 189th had redeployed to Teniente.[11]
During the Second Combine-Dominion War the 189th Striker Cluster fought in the so-called "Second Battle for Labrea", deployed from Outer Volta alongside the Purity Keshik, Nova Cat Dragoons and the heavily damaged Nova Cat Legers to assist saKhan Heather Winters' counterstrike against the dug-in Fourth Bear Regulars, First Drakøns, and Second Drakøns. Reaching Labrea on 12 October 3099, heavy Ghost Bear Dominion aerospace resistance cost the Nova Cat Legers' and their ships but the remainder of the Nova Cats reached the surface. The loss of the Legers would force saKhan Winters to rely heavily upon her aerospace assets for air support, the Nova Cats willing to risk their DropShips on repeated combat runs from orbit where the Bears were not. While losing vessels such as the Broadsword-Class DropShip, Infrared Dream on 4 November 3099, by 19 November while the Fourth Bear Regulars remained viable the Drakøn Clusters had suffered such heavy losses that the Ghost Bears withdrew to Caripare, leaving the 189th and rest of the Nova Cats with a hard-won victory.[12]
Officers[edit]
| Rank | Name | Command | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commanding Officers of the 189th Striker | |||
| Star Colonel | Olivia Drummond | 3062 – 3067[13][6][1][9] | |
| Star Colonel | Tomiko Katayama | 3085[11] | |
Tactics[edit]
Unknown.
Composition History[edit]
3062–3067[edit]
189th Striker Cluster (1 Cluster - Veteran/Fanatical)[7][9]
3079–3085[edit]
189th Striker Cluster (1 Cluster - Elite/Fanatical)[10][11]
References[edit]
- ↑ a b c Field Manual: ComStar, p. 118: "Clan Nova Cat - Sigma Galaxy: Spiritual Vision"
- ↑ BattleTech: Battle of Tukayyid, p. 174: "Order of Battle - Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ a b Invading Clans, p. 117
- ↑ Objective Raids, p. 35: "Units - Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ Objective Raids, p. 63: "Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Nova Cat Occupation Zone"
- ↑ a b Grave Covenant, ch. 34
- ↑ a b Field Manual: ComStar, p. 127: "Clan Nova Cat - Sigma Galaxy: Spiritual Vision"
- ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 97: "Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ a b c Field Manual: Updates, p. 100: "Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ a b Field Report: Clans, pp. 16–17: "Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ a b c Field Manual: 3085, p. 130: "The Clans - Clan Nova Cat"
- ↑ Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 31: "The Dragon Strikes - Labrea"
- ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 118: "Sigma Galaxy Unit Profile"