5th Fides Defenders
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| Fifth Fides Defenders | |
| Formed | ca. 3149 |
| Disbanded | 3151 |
| Affiliation | Republic of the Sphere |
| Parent Command | Fides Defenders |
The Fifth Fides Defenders were formed sometime between 3145 and 3149, the waning years of the Republic of the Sphere, on the orders of Exarch Jonah Levin as part of an attempt to infuse the flexibility and discipline of the Fidelis into a regimental size organization.[1]
History[edit]
The Fifth Fides Defenders would participate in the final phase of the Republic's Operation SHOFAR, being dispatched as reinforcements for the Fifteenth Hastati Sentinels during the fight to take Castor from the 328th Wolf Assault Cluster. Fielding advanced weapons and equipment, the Fifth's appearance would send the Wolf Empire force into disarray, forcing the Cluster's withdrawal to the Acaba continent until it became clear to Star Colonel Antonio Radick that the planet was lost. The Wolves would hit the leading elements of the Republic force at Jaffe Farm to slow them down[2], with one of the 328th's trinaries sacrificing itself to give the rest of the unit a chance to escape and warn their fellows that the Fortress wall was down.[3]
The Fifth would show up later that same year on Liberty as part of a Republic counter-thrust during the second wave of Operation TIAMAT. Jumping in at a pirate point while CCAF forces were distracted on New Home, the Fifth Fides and the Eleventh Triarii Protectors were able to take the Fifth McCarron's Armored Cavalry by surprise. Moving their forces along the sea floor to swarm the island of Quantico where the Fifth MAC were undergoing a period of repair and refit, leaving them with no options for withdrawal, the Fifth Fides were able to force the command off-planet in a matter of days.[4]
During the Wolf Empire's continued push into the Republic in 3150, elements of the Fifth and the Fifteenth Hastati defended Castor from Anastasia Kerensky and the Golden Keshik, Fourth Wolf Guards and Third Wolf Guard Battle Clusters. Armed with RISC weaponry, the Fifth would inflict heavy damage on the Third Wolf Guards before Kerensky would order any RISC-equipped 'Mechs hunted down with extreme prejudice. Ultimately, while able to slow down the Wolf advance, the Fifth and Fifteenth would eventually be ejected from the planet under extreme pressure from the Wolf assault.[5]
During the Battle of Terra, the Fifth Fides would defend the RAF Command Post Steadfast in Britain, engaging elements of the WolvesAlpha Galaxy in western London in high-intensity combat. A push by the Fifth Wolf Battle and 328th Wolf Assault Clusters pushed the Fides out of the city to the west where the Golden Keshik would hit them from the south, destroying most of their number. While only a battalion of the Defenders survived, when the Wolves advanced on Steadfast more than a week later they found it empty, the RAF High Command having left shortly after the Wolves had arrived. The Fifth Fides defense had been a ruse to make the Wolves believe that Devlin Stone and the High Command were still present in Europe and ensure that their trail was long cold before the Wolves could find it.[6]
The remainder of the Fifth would again stand in the path of the Wolves as they hunted for Command Post Rouge, the RAF High Command's last refuge, roughly ten days later during the Wolf advance on Toronto. Alongside the Callison Rangers, they would charge the Wolves Lambda Galaxy in the forested region to the north of the city. Stray shots would ignite the forest and be spread by the spring winds, causing problems for both sides but playing havoc with the RAF armor and infantry. Able to turn the fire to their advantage, the Wolves would trap the Republic forces between Lambda and Beta Galaxies, splitting small groups of defenders from the main body, leaving only a small number still standing to surrender shortly thereafter.[7][8]
Tactics[edit]
Game rules for the Fides regiments show the unit as having the Tactical Specialization(Combined Arms) and Tactical Adjustment Special Command Abilities.[1] Additionally, the Fifth appears to have access to the Brawlers and Tactical Specialization (Defense) SCAs by the time of the Battle of Terra.[8]