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1st Free Worlds Guards

Free Worlds Guard 1st logo.png
First Free Worlds Guards
Formed 2426[1]
Nickname Eagles of Atreus,[2][3]
The Amazons[4]
Affiliation Free Worlds League
Parent Command Free Worlds Guards


History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The First Free Worlds Guards were formed in 2426 by Captain-General Joseph Stewart. It was his decision to bring together all the best soldiers from across the Free Worlds League.[3] Originally a combined arms regiment that was heavily skewed towards armor, in the mid-twenty-fifth century the First Guards regiment was converted to BattleMechs.[3] Prior to their receiving 'Mechs, the First Free Worlds Guards pioneered the use of the "long platoon." This formation of six tanks provided the First Guards with additional tactical flexibility.[3]

In 2750 the First Free Worlds Guards were nicknamed "The Eagles of Atreus".[5] The First was equipped with the heaviest units available to the Free Worlds League, usually assault 'Mechs. The First trained in combat drops as well as establishing and holding landing zones on enemy worlds. The Guards were also deployed as a heavy defense force for critical installations.[6]

When Elise Marik came to power, she used the First as her muscle. The First's heavy and assault 'Mechs smashed any personal defense unit that "disloyal" politicians had hired. After several arrests on the Capellan Confederation border, the First returned to Atreus to guard political prisoners. During this time the infantry units assigned to the First Free Worlds Guards were used to form firing squads. After the end of the Civil War, the First remained on Atreus, acting as a bodyguard unit for the Captain-General. The unit only deployed off world twice, once in 2744 and again in 2749, both times as a show of force to deter the Capellan Confederation and the Lyran Commonwealth, respectively.[6]

During the reign of Gerald Marik I, they were used to arrest a number of politicians on Atreus, actions that set off a civil war. During the Succession Wars, the Guards have earned their reputation as an elite regiment.[7]

The Freebooter's War[edit]

Named after the major protagonists involved, the group known as Shepperton's Freebooters, the Freebooter's War was the name given to the campaign waged by the Freebooters during the founding years of the Star League, in which the Freebooters struck at Free Worlds League worlds in and around the Andurien province. The Freebooters were careful to avoid worlds with an SLDF presence, disrupting infrastructure and the local economy while the Captain-General was busy with the SLDF campaign against the Magistracy of Canopus. The Freebooters were identified as being predominantly deserters from the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces, and while the CCAF was tasked with tracking down and stopping the Freebooters, they Freebooters had a lot of popular support, resulting in a lackluster performance by the CCAF. Furious at the continuing problems, Marion Marik sent a strongly worded communiqué to Chancellor Ursula Liao demanding that action be taken. When intelligence from the Star League Intelligence Command tracked a Freebooter vessel to the world of Wisconsin, Marion's son, Ian Marik, acted under his mother's authority and demanded a FWLM presence in the military campaign against the Freebooters. That presence was the First Free Worlds Guards.[8]

The attack on the Freebooters began on the 19th of March 2588; the two light battalions the Freebooters could muster faced the combined strength of the First Free Worlds Guards and Sheng's Chasseurs, and in less than a day the Freebooters were either dead or in captivity. Having defeated the Freebooters in what would be the last joint military action by the League and the Confederation until the 3050s, the commander of the Guards found himself facing a new problem; the Freebooters called en masse to be taken prisoner by the League, rather than the Confederation. The Chasseurs insisted that they had jurisdiction over the prisoners because the prisoners were Capellan citizens, and as deserters the prisoners would be executed. Colonel Appleton of the Guards asserted that as the crimes had taken place on Free Worlds League soil, the League had prior claim. Present within the Guards was a young lieutenant named Rhean Marik, daughter of Brion Marik and future Captain-General of the League; already highly knowledgeable on both Free Worlds League law and Star League law, Marik highlighted that the prisoners were in fear for their lives and that imprisonment in the Free Worlds League would not be a soft option. Her presence and determination threw Sheng off balance, and Appleton managed to capitalize on this and negotiate and equitable agreement with his Capellan counterpart. Half of the prisoners were assigned to the Free Worlds League, and spent the next 20 years in prison. The other half were assigned to the Confederation, returned to Capellan space with the Chasseurs, and were beheaded in front of Chancellor Liao on Sian on the 19th of August.[8]

Anton's Revolt[edit]

During Anton Marik's Revolt, the First Free Worlds Guards were stationed on Wing, then recalled to Marik.[9] During the later stages of the Revolt the Guards were stationed on Holt and Ling.[10]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Second Battalion of the First Free Worlds Guards under Force Commander Kisha Bavara fought the First Regiment of the Screaming Eagles on Menkalinan. When the Screaming Eagles' Second regiment arrived the Guards retreated and left Menkalinan to the Screaming Eagles and their employer the Federated Suns.

Andurien Secession[edit]

During the Andurien Secession the First Free Worlds Guards entered the conflict in 3036. On Cursa a bomb planted by an Andurien sympathizer destroyed the First Guards command center. Leaderless, the First wasn't prepared for the full out assault of the Fourth Defenders of Andurien. Eventually the Fourth was driven offworld, but not before inflicting serious casualties on the First Guards.[11]

Two years later the First Guards faced the Sixth Defenders of Andurien on Lopez. Supported by a massive number of conventional units, the First Free Worlds Guards engaged in night attacks, ambushes, and hit and run attacks. By using their mobility, the First Guards were able to inflict serious losses on the Sixth while avoiding the conventional forces. Eventually these attacks took their toll, driving the Sixth from the world.[12]

During the final assault on Andurien, the First Guards ran into the Fourth Defenders of Andurien. Still smarting from their encounter on Cursa, the two units smashed into each other. Neither side gave or expected mercy. The First totally destroyed the Fourth, but was so severely damaged that they had to withdraw from the front lines to rebuild.[13]

War of 3039[edit]

The First Free Worlds Guards were still recovering from the Andurien Secession and didn't participate in the War of 3039.

Operation Guerrero[edit]

As a part of Operation Guerrero the First Free Worlds Guards, along with the Fourth Free Worlds Legionnaires and the Falcons regiment of the Silver Hawk Irregulars, landed on Callison. The defending Eleventh Lyran Guards withdrew from the world rather than fight the Free Worlds forces.[14]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

During Operation Bulldog the First Free Worlds Guards and the Second Night Stalkers defended their base world of Matamoras from Clan Smoke Jaguar's Nineteenth Striker Cluster during the Jaguars' attempted counterattack.[15] They then moved to Stapelfeld and helped the First Amphigean Light Assault Group and First Aragon Borderers take control of the world away from the Nineteenth Garrison Cluster.[16]

The First Free Worlds Guards later fought in the Great Refusal, facing Clan Star Adder's Adder Command Keshik.[17] Though they lost this fight, the First Guards did win the respect of the Star Adders. The First Free Worlds Guards took several Smoke Jaguar warriors as bondsmen.[18]

As of 3067 the First Free Worlds Guards were based on Callison.[19]

Jihad[edit]

The First Free Worlds Guards did participate in Operation Broken Fist, but details are not available. For most of the Jihad they were stationed on Atreus and assigned to hunt down the Knights of the Inner Sphere. Though they disliked this duty, they performed it to secure the safety of Corrine Marik. Finally in 3077 they fought the Word of Blake forces that were on Atreus. As of 3079 they had pledged their loyalty to the Marik Commonwealth and were blockading Augustine. (Though there is a nonaggression pact between Alys and Corrinne, the First Guards believe that Duchess Alys betrayed her nation by following Devlin Stone.)[20]

During Operation Golden Dawn, the First Free Worlds Guards landed on Augustine and faced Stirling's Fusiliers and the Third Free Worlds Legionnaires. The Guards' anger at Alys' betrayal influenced their fighting, allowing them to inflict massive losses on both Republic units. When the time came for the Marik forces to withdraw, the Guards fought their way through the Republic units inflicting large numbers of casualties. This didn't come without a price, however, with the Guards taking serious losses of their own.[21] The First Free Worlds Guards were rebuilding on Merak in 3085, a vital task since they had lost 80% of their available forces in the fighting with the Republic.[22]

Dark Age[edit]

The First joined the army of the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth. They spent the next few decades rebuilding and training. When Clan Wolf assaulted the Commonwealth, the First Guards fought hard against the invaders, but were ultimately defeated. The Marik-Stewart Commonwealth was destroyed and multiple systems integrated into the Wolf Empire. The unit was then offered amnesty and joined the new Free Worlds League Military.[4] They were stationed on Ionus in 3145.[23]

ilClan Era[edit]

In 3151, the League sent the First to the Clan Protectorate, to watch them and make sure they remained loyal to the League rather than the ilClan. They fielded a full company of Ares OmniMechs when deployed on Marik. Some were newly manufactured, which made the League the first Inner Sphere state to build them since the fall of the Republic.[24]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First Free Worlds Guards
Captain-General Joseph Stewart [3]
Colonel Richard Appleton 2588[8]
Colonel Bartholomew Alcàla 3025 - 3037[25][26]
Colonel Alfred Gradjeda 3037 - 3050[26][27]
Colonel Dana Briggs 3054 - 3085[28][29][30][22]
Colonel Emerson Vincent 3145[23]

Tactics[edit]

The unit has no tactical specialty, operating very well in a variety of environments and conditions.[29] They were also known for their ability to work in small commands, assault operations, and firing on the move.[31]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[32]

- At this point in time the First Guards was stationed on Galisteo.[32]

2786 - 2821[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[33]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Galisteo. In 2821 the command was reduced to 75 percent of its strength and was deployed on Galisteo.[33]

2830[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[34]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Galisteo with an operational readiness of 119 percent.[34]

2864[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[34]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Galisteo with an operational readiness of 91 percent.[34]

3025[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Elite/Fanatical)[25]

  • CO: Colonel Bartholomew Alcala

-They were composed of two battalions of heavy BattleMechs and one battalion of medium 'Mechs, along with a light aerospace wing. As of 3025, the First Free Worlds Guards were stationed on their homeworld of Berenson.[35]

3028[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards(Regiment\Elite\Fanatical)[36]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Berenson.[36]

3050[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[37]

  • CO: Colonel Alfred Gradjeda[37]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Berenson.[37]

3054[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Elite/Fanatical)[28]

  • CO: Colonel Dana Briggs

3059[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (1 Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[29]

  • CO/First Battalion: Colonel Dana Briggs

- Two heavy battalions and one medium
- Best equipped with the newest FWL technology, includes some OmniMechs

First Guards Aerospace Wing (Reinforced Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[29]

- Mainly light aerospace craft

Eleventh Berenson Heavy Tank Regiment (Two Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[29]

Twenty-ninth Berenson Infantry Division (Division/Regular/Reliable)[29]

3067[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Elite/Fanatical)[30]

  • CO: Colonel Dana Briggs

First Guards Aerospace Wing (Reinforced Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[30]

  • CO: Commodore Elizabeth Ryan

Eleventh Berenson Heavy Tank (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[30]

  • CO: Force Commander Hiroe Murakami

Twenty-ninth Berenson Infantry (Division/Regular/Reliable)[30]

  • CO: Colonel Wendy Gibbs

3079[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[38]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Augustine.[38] The First Guards were at 95% of their pre-Jihad strength.[20]

3085[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Elite/Fanatical)[22]

  • CO: Colonel Dana Briggs

First Guards Aerospace (Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[22]

Eleventh Berenson Heavy Tank (Battalion/Veteran/Fanatical)[22]

Twenty-ninth Berenson Infantry (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[22]

3145[edit]

First Free Worlds Guards (Regular/Reliable)[23]

  • CO: Colonel Emerson Vincent

First Guards Aerospace Wing (Regular/Reliable)[23]

Seventeenth Ionus Tank Regiment (Veteran/Reliable)[23]

Thirty-seventh Ionus Infantry Regiment (Regular/Questionable)[23]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Empire Alone, p. 85
  2. Empire Alone, p. 118: "1st Free Worlds Guards"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Era Report: 3052, pp. 35–36
  4. 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 102: "First Free Worlds Guards"
  5. Era Report: 2750, p. 47
  6. 6.0 6.1 Era Report: 2750, p. 48
  7. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 89
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Historical: Reunification War, pp. 103–105: "The War At Home: The Freebooter's War"
  9. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 33
  10. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 37
  11. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 73
  12. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 76
  13. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 81
  14. Shattered Sphere, p. 74
  15. The Dragon Roars, p. 36
  16. The Dragon Roars, pp. 11, 52
  17. Twilight of the Clans, p. 13
  18. Field Manual: Updates, p. 146: "1st Free Worlds League"
  19. Field Manual: Updates, p. 156
  20. 20.0 20.1 Field Report: FWLM, p. 8
  21. Field Manual: 3085, p. 81
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 91: "FWLM Deployment Table - 3085"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 Field Manual: 3145, p. 115: "Free Worlds League Military"
  24. Empire Alone, p. 47
  25. 25.0 25.1 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 108
  26. 26.0 26.1 First Strike, p. 21
  27. 20 Year Update, p. 56: "FWLM Deployment Table - 3050"
  28. 28.0 28.1 Objective Raids, p. 37: "FWLM Deployment Table - 3054"
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 29.5 Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 44: "1st Free Worlds Guards Unit Profile"
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 159: "FWLM Deployment Table - 3067"
  31. Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 129
  32. 32.0 32.1 Field Report 2765: FWLM, p. 11: "Free Worlds Guards"
  33. 33.0 33.1 First Succession War, p. 138
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 Second Succession War, p. 98
  35. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 109
  36. 36.0 36.1 Historical: Brush Wars, p. 86
  37. 37.0 37.1 37.2 20 Year Update, p. 56: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  38. 38.0 38.1 Field Report: FWLM, p. 8

Bibliography[edit]