1st Royal BattleMech Regiment

Task Force Serpent emblem (2).jpg
First Royal BattleMech Regiment
Formed 3061
Disbanded 3068 (destroyed)
Nickname Morgan's Lions
Affiliation Second Star League
Parent Command Star League Defense Force


Unit Brief[edit]

The First Royal BattleMech Regiment, or Morgan's Lions, is a 'Mech Regiment that served the Second Star League during its brief existence. The unit is named for Morgan Hasek-Davion, whose leadership set the foundation of Task Force Serpent's success. Unlike the Royal units of the first SLDF, which consisted solely of troops from the Terran Hegemony, the First Royal BattleMech Regiment drew troops from across the Inner Sphere.

Unit History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The unit was formed by many of the survivors of Task Force Serpent, at the request of former ComStar Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht. Leftenant General Andrew Redburn, formerly of the late First Kathil Uhlans, was asked to lead the unit, accepting a demotion to colonel in the process.[1] Many of his former countrymen from the now defunct First Kathil joined him. Other units that contributed troops to the formation of the 1st Royal include the Eleventh Lyran Guards, Fourth Drakøns, Kingston's Legionnaires and a few members from the Northwind Highlanders' MacLeod's Regiment and the Second Knights of the Inner Sphere.[2] They also had a DCMS MechWarrior, Daitama Muraki, who was officially listed as killed in action by the DCMS.[3] The unit's 'Mech force consisted of entirely of Clan 'Mechs, salvaged from the long campaign on Huntress, however the majority were Clan second-line 'Mechs.[4]

Colonel Redburn combed through old Star League recruitment documentation and implemented those old methods of recruitment to give the unit a sense of tradition. All new recruits must start at rank of sergeant and must earn their commission, meaning all commissioned officers in the unit are combat veterans.[5]

Buildup and Training[edit]

In the course of building up the unit, the 1st Royals went through a series of intensive training exercises against ComStar's so-called Invader Galaxy between 3061 and 3062, as well as units from Clan Nova Cat's Tau Galaxy, Eridani Light Horse, and the Izanagi Warriors and First Genyosha from the Draconis Combine to mold them into an effective and unified command. The reborn 1st Royal's most notable achievement during this time was its third encounter against the unbeaten Invader Galaxy in February 3062. With both units initially trading long-ranged shots, the 472nd then retreated into the hellish Devil's Bath to try and recreate the 6th Division's tactics against Clan Steel Viper during the Battle of Tukayyid. However months of intensive training against the elite units of the Inner Sphere on Tukayyid made the 1st Royal familiar with the pathways to safely travel through the Bath, with the eventual defeat of the 472nd.[4]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

When Victor Steiner-Davion decided to leave ComStar to remove his sister from the throne of both FedCom and Lyran Alliance, he instructed the 1st Royals not to get involved in the Civil War and maintain its neutrality. Though most honored this request, several soldiers felt that they had to fight for their homelands and left the unit.[6] The unit then continued its training, preparing for the day when it would be called into battle for the League. It conducted a number of officer exchange programs with Clan Nova Cat and Clan Wolf (in Exile), fostering mutual cooperation between those factions and the 1st Royal Regiment.

Jihad[edit]

The 1st Royal Regiment was engaged in an extended field exercise on Tukayyid with the Killer Bees when the Word of Blake struck.[7] Any SLDF forces that defended ComStar personnel were destroyed in the same orbital bombardment that killed Com Guard units on the planet's surface. Though the Killer Bees and Twenty-first Centauri Lancers were able to escape Tukayyid, no survivors of the First Royal BattleMech Regiment were found.[8]

Insignia[edit]

A black serpent that is coiled around the Cameron Star, with fangs open ready to strike, to commemorate its origins from Task Force Serpent.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Royal BattleMech Regiment
Colonel Andrew Redburn 3062[2]

Tactics[edit]

When the unit first formed, it was equipped with Clan 'Mechs salvaged from Huntress (although less than 20% of the regiment was equipped with OmniMechs). Taking advantage of this, the 1st Royal has its lances concentrate their firepower on individual enemy 'Mechs, taking advantage of the superior ranges of their Clantech weapons. While doing this, the entire force slowly withdraws from the enemy to keep conventionally-armed foes out of range.[9]

Composition History[edit]

3062[edit]

First Royal BattleMech Regiment (1 BattleMech Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[10]

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 102, "Colonel Andrew Redburn"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 101, "History"
  3. Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 52
  4. 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 103, "1st Royal BattleMech Regiment (Morgan's Lions)"
  5. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 101, "Recruitment".
  6. Field Manual: Updates, p. 94
  7. Dawn of the Jihad, p. 88
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 105 "Centauri Lancers - Down but never out"
  9. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 103 - "Tactics"
  10. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 103: "1st Royal BattleMech Regiment Unit Profile"

Bibliography[edit]