I Legio

Legio I logo.png
I Legio
Formed 2922
Nickname The Praetorian Guard
Affiliation Marian Hegemony
Parent Command Marian Hegemony Armed Forces

Unit Description[edit]

The first military formation of the Marian Hegemony, considered the Hegemony's premier and most fanatically loyal unit.

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

Formed in 2922[1] by the Hegemony's founder Johann Sebastian O'Reilly, who hired several unemployed mercenary units in forming the Hegemony's first military force. Johann offered these original members in to service by titles and lands in exchange for their oath of allegiance to him. These original members became the core of the Hegemony's patrician caste of military officers for decades to come.

Insurrection of Caesar Julius O'Reilly[edit]

In late July 3063, Julius O'Reilly, son of Caesar Sean O'Reilly, arrived on Alphard. At head of the II & III Legiones and other support units, he arrived at capital city of Nova Terra. He was then crowned Caesar by governing Senate. He then addressed the Senate and the Hegemony via broadcast that he charged his father for crimes not fitting to its ruler.

I Legio's Prima Cohors (1st Cohort) had been garrisoned at the palace, Caesar Julius had order them to quiet the rebellion. Only half of I Legio acknowledged the order to attack the "rebels". The II Legio cut down Sean's Loyalist I Legio as they departed their stations at the palace.[2] The rest of I Legio's members elected to commit suicide rather than serve the new Caesar.

Rebuilding & Circinian Conflict[edit]

After Caesar Julius succeeded in toppling his father, most of the original members of I Legio had died or committed suicide. All that remained of original I Legio was the Secunda Cohors under the command of the politically astute Legatus Robert Kron. Kron's family connections allowed for him to remain in command, but his unit was not rated as highly as others. The Legio received veterans transferred in from other units to rebuild the Prima Cohors's ranks. The unit expanded to include a third cohort with completely new recruits among them. The unit also expanded to include an aerospace wing and a combined-arms cohort to support the main units.[3]

In early 3066, I Legio and its brother unit II Legio were led by Caesar Julius in the second wave of the invasion of the Circinus Federation. Their objective was Circinus itself, where the unit attack the capital city. However, the invasion was stifled by stronger than expected defenses. The Circinian defenders numbered 8 reinforced BattleMech battalions, far more than the Circinians were known to have. I Legio was pulled from Circinus by Caesar to return to Alphard to repel the Circinian counterinvasion.[4] The unit reaped a considerable amount of loot from the campaign in the Circinian capital.

After the conflict, I Legio expanded further to include two more cohorts.

In 3079 the unit relocated to Trondheimal. There it played a key role in defending against Circinian raiders and kept the peace in the Illyrian District.[5]

The I Legio was badly damaged during the neutron bombing of Alphard's capital city during the Jihad but its fierce defense of the Illyria district prevented the Word of Blake from capturing any Marian worlds. As a rewards for its service, the I Legio was subsequently stationed on Alphard where its rebuilding efforts benefited greatly from easy access to Alphard-built BattleMech designs.[6]

Dark Age[edit]

In 3150 I Legio's Tertia Cohors was stationed on Illyria. The world was attacked by Camacho's Caballeros, as well as the 1st Tamarind Regulars, 7th Tamarind Regulars, and 8th Tamarind Regulars. Tertia Cohors was destroyed by the FWLM forces.[7]

Unit Colors and Insignia[edit]

The unit's colors are midnight blue and dark gray with red and white trim. Its insignia is a dark gray fasces with a red axe blade with midnight blue bands.[8]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of I Legio
Caesar Sean O'Reilly 3048[9] - 3058[10]
Imperator David Gladding 3064 - 3067[11]
Imperator Robert Kron 3085[12]
Imperator Clarence Miller 3145

Other Unit Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

3064[edit]

I Legio is trained extensively in defensive tactics. Principal tactical doctrine uses the Legio's lighter units lure the enemy to its heavier units in form of ambush. Its auxiliary / combined-arms entrenches to enable itself to dispense blistering attacks to the enemy.

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

I Legio (3 small BattleMech Battalions)[14]

3058[edit]

First Marian Legion

1st Cohort (1 Cohort/Veteran/Fanatical)[10]
- Stationed on Alphard
2nd Cohort (1 Cohort/Regular/Fanatical)[10]
- Stationed on Pompey

3064[edit]

I Legio

Prima Cohors (1 Cohort/Veteran/Fanatical)[11]
Secunda Cohors (1 Cohort/Elite/Reliable)[11]
Tertia Cohors (1 Cohort/Veteran/Fanatical)[11]
Prima Auxilia Alphardensis (1st Alphard Auxiliary Legion) (1 Legion/Veteran/Fanatical)[11]
- A combined-arms honor guard formation which is assigned to Alphard only, as defensive force. The unit does not deploy with rest of the Legio.
Ala Alba (White Wing) (Wing/Veteran/Fanatical)[11]

3067[edit]

I Legio[15]

Prima Cohors (1 Cohort/Elite/Fanatical)
  • CO: Legatus Johanna Behrensen
- Assigned to Alphard
Secunda Cohors (1 Cohort/Veteran/Reliable)
  • CO: Legatus Robert Kron
- Assigned to Stafford
Tertia Cohors (1 Cohort/Elite/Fanatical)
  • CO: Legatus Haakan Westlund
- Assigned to Pompey
Quarta Cohors (1 Cohort/Regular/Reliable)
- Assigned to Pompey
Quinta Cohors (1 Cohort/Regular/Reliable)
- Assigned to Stafford
Prima Auxilia Alphardensis (1st Alphard Auxiliary Legion) (1 Legion/Veteran/Fanatical)
- Assigned to Alphard
Ala Alba (White Wing) (Wing/Elite/Fanatical)
- Assigned to Alphard

3079[edit]

I Legio was reduced to 60% of its strength by the Jihad and was assigned to Trondheimal.[5]

3085[edit]

I Legio (Veteran/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Imperator Robert Kron

Prima Cohors (Elite/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Prefect Johanna Behrensen
Secunda Cohors (Veteran/Reliable)[12]
CO: Prefect Kyou Kobayashi
Tertia Cohors (Veteran/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Legatus Simba Chiumbo
Quarta Cohors (Regular/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Prefect Dorian Pihl
Quinta Cohors (Elite/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Prefect Kaori Saito
Prima Auxilia Legio (Veteran/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Prefect Dakarai Jelani
Ala Alba Wing (Elite/Fanatical)[12]
CO: Legatus Makena Nsia

Notes[edit]

  • I Legio's early listing did not use the Latin language because Caesar O'Reilly had not yet reorganized them along the lines of the ancient Roman Empire. As brief translation, Prima = One, Secunda = 2, Tertia = 3, Quarta = 4, and Quinta = 5.
  • Rules for I Legio can be found in Field Manual: Periphery.[16]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 77: I Legio - Unit original founding listed
  2. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 72: Crowning Achievement - I Legio's actions in defending the old Caesar Sean from his son
  3. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 77: Sub-units listing tell how they added and how they came into being
  4. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, pp. 194–195: Historical: Brief & Marian Legion/I Legio - Unit actions during the Circinian Conflict
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 15
  6. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 143: "I Legio Martina Victrix"
  7. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 90
  8. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 77: Unit colors and insignia described
  9. ↑ The Periphery, 2nd Edition, p. 56: "Sean's Accession"
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 The Periphery, 2nd Edition, p. 61
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 77: 3064 I Legio's unit listings & strengths
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 Field Manual: 3085, p. 150: "MHAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 202
  14. ↑ The Periphery, p. 146
  15. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 202: 3067 I Legio unit listings & strengths
  16. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 153: "Force Specific Rules" for I Legio

Bibliography[edit]

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