Ghost Regiments

Ghost Regiments
Formed	3033
Nickname	Dealing with the Devil
Affiliation	Draconis Combine
Parent Command	DCMS

The brainchild of Theodore Kurita (from an idea given to him by Michi Noketsuna) in the days following the Fourth Succession War, Theodore turned to the undesirables of the Draconis Combine – women, lower classes and the Yakuza – to quickly form new units in the mold of the Federated Commonwealth Corps. These Tiger Programs were meant to expand the DCMS without forcing the Dragon's military academies to turn out unacceptable graduates. While instrumental in the Combine's defense during the War of 3039, the Ghost Regiments ties to the Yakuza oyabun who funded and outfitted them led to questions as to their loyalty among the more traditional members of the DCMS. The Ghost Regiments were disbanded after the Jihad, partly to meet the Combine's disarmament requirements, and partly to appease those opposed to Theodore's reforms.

History

Kanrei Theodore bargained with the yakuza, aware that the shadowy elements benefited from the Combine's existence and good graces, and regiments were raised without upsetting the standards of the DCMS. These forces served two masters, though, and the Procurement Department refused to outfit these criminal organizations when any DCMS Regulars would otherwise benefit. The Ghost Regiments were forced to function as mercenaries in their own nation and gain supplies via the black market and their underworld connections. A few of the regiments maintain good relations with Procurement, usually after a heroic act proved their worth to the Combine. Many of the Ghost Regiments functioned as fronts for their oyabun, looting and pillaging as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

War of 3039

As the Ghost Regiments were so-named to stay off the rolls of the DCMS and surprise their enemy, they succeeded in confusing the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth forces they faced. However, the Ghost Regiment's lack of discipline kept them from exploiting their foe's surprise as a more experienced unit might have.

Jihad

Early in the Jihad, the Ghost Regiments obeyed orders and guarded the Federated Suns border. None of the worlds the Ghost regiments were stationed on ever fell into rebellion.

The Ghost Regiments played an active part in Operation SCOUR, the liberation of the Word of Blake Protectorate by the allied coalition, but in the wake of the Jihad the regiments found themselves a low priority for resupply and rebuilding within the DCMS. While the Ghost Regiments were receiving more support and resources than the Legions of Vega, who were receiving nothing at all, the Ghost Regiments were third in line for any support, behind the various regiments of Regulars. Their relegation to such a low status – and, indeed, their assignment to Operation SCOUR and the push on Terra ahead of other units – was due to a combination of suspicions that the Ghost Regiments were in some way supportive of the Black Dragon Society and the constant suspicion that followed the Ghosts because of their criminal origins.

The actions of the Twelfth Ghost Regiment were the reason the Ghost Regiments had not been disbanded. While on An Ting, the Twelfth gave up their DropShips so that civilians could escape from the deadly bioweapons. The Ghost Regiments used their ties to the yakuza to get their supplies and new recruits. As of 3085 the Ghost Regiments remained on the rolls of the DCMS and guarded against the Dragon's foes.

Dark Age

As of 3145, the Ghost regiments had been sent to the front of the invasion of the Federated Suns to prove their loyalty as they are still untrusted by the Gunji-no-Kanrei. Unfortunately, the troops possessed the same motivations as those who were disbanded decades ago, they sought every opportunity to loot and plunder wherever they passed through.

Officers

The Ghost Regiments traditionally did not serve as a brigade and had no overall leader besides tenuous allegiance to the Coordinator. Each regiment was loyal to the oyabun or yakuza group that raised it.

Rank	Name	Command
Commanding Officers of the Ghost Regiments
Tai-sho	Kyoshi Sunada	3150

Tactics

Different per Unit. Some Ghost Regiments kept an aerospace fighter contingent in good standing, though they were usually smaller than standard and contained little upgraded equipment. Combat vehicle and infantry troops, if not a barely trained mob raised quickly to pillage, were assigned as needed based on assignment.

Units of the Ghost Regiments

• 1st Ghost
• 2nd Ghost destroyed in 3052.
• 3rd Ghost destroyed in the First Combine-Dominion War 3062-3063.
• 4th Ghost disbanded in 3040'
• 5th Ghost
• 6th Ghost officially destroyed in 3068. Some survivors may have been fighting as late as May 3072
• 7th Ghost
• 8th Ghost disbanded in 3057.
• 9th Ghost disbanded in 3058.
• 10th Ghost declared ronin in 3072. Rebuilt in the Dark Age but was again disbanded.
• 11th Ghost
• 12th Ghost destroyed during the Jihad. Kept on the rolls for a time as a mark of respect.

Color Schemes and Insignia

The Ghost Regiments painted their machines with a light gray, effectively white, base with accents of white or darker gray depending on the regiment. The Ghost Regiments did not maintain a brigade-style insignia as they did not function or were administered as a brigade.

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  A Dragon in 1st Ghost colors.

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  An Atlas in 7th Ghost colors.

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  1st Ghost

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  3rd Ghost

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  5th Ghost

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  6th Ghost

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  7th Ghost

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  8th Ghost

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  9th Ghost

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  10th Ghost

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  11th Ghost

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  12th Ghost

Notes

Special command rules for the Ghost Regiments can be found on page 60 of Combat Manual: Kurita.

Bibliography

• Combat Manual: Kurita
• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Manual: Draconis Combine
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report: DCMS
• Heir to the Dragon (novel)
• Iron Dawn (novel)
• Jihad: Final Reckoning