5th Army (ComStar)

5th Army (ComStar).jpg
5th Army V-omicron
Nickname The Mountaineers
Affiliation ComStar
Parent Command Com Guards


Assigned to the New Home Theater, from 5 to 6 on the Inner Sphere Clock, the ComStar 5th Army faced multiple Clans during the Battle of Tukayyid and extensive action in the Chaos March, being known as The Mountaineers.


History[edit]

Squashed into one of the narrowest operational areas by the Word of Blake-dominated Free Worlds League, the Fifth Army suffered from the improving relations between the Blakists and the Capellan Confederation, morale bottoming out due to terrorist attacks for which the Blakists and Capellans both denied responsibility.

After stabilizing under Victor Steiner-Davion, the Fifth's morale reversed under Gavin Dow's tenure, with former Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht stepping in to try and troubleshoot the issue, albeit with limited success. [1]

After the beginning of the Jihad the Com Guard Armies were stretched too thin. To counteract this, the 7th-12th Armies were disbanded and used to reinforce the 1st-6th Armies. This gave each of the newly-reinforced Armies a full six Divisions. The 5th Army was one of the formations affected, receiving new reinforcements. The 5th Army was supposed to be deployed in the Free Worlds League, but political realities have kept them in the Lyran Alliance.[2]

During the Jihad the Fifth Army was assigned to the Free Worlds League attack force as a part of Group II, where they fought alongside the Devil's Brigade, Home Guard, and the 7th Pesht Regulars. Precentor Harris Harvison of the 5th Army served as a senior field commander to the Free Worlds League front commander, Duchess Alys Rousset-Marik.[3]

Coalition forces invaded Wasat on the 10th of January 3077 as one of the first two worlds to be targeted during Operation SCOUR.[4] Attacked initially by Group II of the Free Worlds League task force under the command of Duke Leonard Stewart, the defenses on Wasat proved to be more robust and developed than originally expected. The 7th Pesht Regulars sustained heavy damage[5] and the Home Guard was nearly wiped out[6] during the initial attacks; as a result, the second in command of the Free Worlds League front, Khan Santin West of Clan Nova Cat brought Group III to Wasat to assist Group II. Group III was spearheaded by Clan Nova Cat's Alpha Galaxy with ComStar's 4th Army and the 20th Marik Militia in support. The Blakists on Wasat were unable to coordinate an effective defense against the combined strength of both Group II and Group III, and by the 4th of March 3077 saKhan West was giving an interview on the liberation of Wasat to Nigel Holmgren of INN.[5]

The 5th Army and the rest of Group II would face another hard campaign when they were deployed to Elgin on the 3rd of January 3078, where the 1st Elgin Protectorate Militia Division put up a dogged and determined resistance that made the conquest of Elgin both difficult and moderately damaging for the coalition forces, although Group II ultimately prevailed over the Blakists.[7]

During their assault on Liberty the 5th Army and Home Guard were opposed by mercenaries and local resistance groups who had eliminated the Blakist units on their world before the Coalition forces arrived. This fighting quickly turned into a quagmire, with the native troops putting up a determined defense. Fortunately a Coalition negotiator was able to defuse the situation in time for the Fifth to join the Terran assault.[8]

Assigned to attack Sandhurst as part of Alys Rousset-Marik's task force,[9] it took a month for the Coalition troops to capture the facility. They were constantly under attack Blakist guerrilla forces for that entire time.[10] While still very understrength, the 5th was the only sizable army to survive the liberation of Terra and would serve as the rally point for all Com Guard survivors [11] prior to being rolled into the newly forming Republic of the Sphere's armed forces. [12]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 5th Army (ComStar)
Precentor V Louis Burkenbine 3050[13]
Precentor VI Anna Gesicki 3055[14][15]
Precentor IX Harris Harvison 3061 - 3067[1]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

The 5th operated well with a mix of BattleMechs, armor, and infantry, but with a smaller contingent of aerospace forces than is standard for a Com Guard unit.[14] As of 3050, its estimated strength was 12 regiments, with at least two comprised of BattleMechs and regular experience average.[13] In 3055, its strength was 4 divisions, with a veteran experience average.[15] By 3067, its strength was still 4 divisions, at just over 86% average.[1]

3050[edit]

3055 to 3067[edit]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Field Manual: Updates, p. 85, "5th Army V-Omicron (The Mountaineers)"
  2. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 210
  3. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 45, "Overview: Alys Marik"
  4. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56, "The Jihad In Review"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 44, "Wasat Falls?"
  6. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 44, "Too Much To Handle?"
  7. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 78, "New Year, New Wave"
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, pp. 80, 87
  9. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 96
  10. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 108
  11. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 106 "What Lies Beneath - The Republic of the Sphere - The Com Guards"
  12. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 104 "What Lies Beneath - The Republic of the Sphere - Forces gifted to the Republic"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 20 Year Update, p. 70, "5th V-xi"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 28, "5th Army V-Omicron: The Mountaineers"
  15. 15.0 15.1 ComStar, p. 85, "5th Army V-omicron"

Bibliography[edit]