Protectorate Militia (Word of Blake)
Protectorate Militia | |
Formed | 3068 |
Affiliation | Word of Blake |
Parent Command | Word of Blake Militia |
Contents
Overview[edit]
Protectorate Militia Origins & Tactics[edit]
Precentor Martial Cameron St. Jamais did not entrust his Protectorate's defense to the Word of Blake Militia forces alone. The Jihad saw a sudden surge in the construction of military fortifications and infrastructure throughout the Word of Blake Protectorate, suggesting that the Blakist leadership hoped to fortify its conquests against a concerted counterassault by the allied powers. Those fortress were used to further provide for the support of Blakist command and control across the region, and to act as bases for Protectorate Militia commands. Some of the forts reportedly rivaled the Castles Brian of old in terms of complexity and strength.[1]
The Protectorate Militia was formally created on the 1st of August 3068 and its forces were subservient to (but not technically part of) the regular Word of Blake Militia.[2][3]
The Protectorate Militias were created by the Word of Blake to boost their defensive strength within the Word of Blake Protectorate without adding undue strain to their supply lines of high-technology equipment. The local militia forces were raised from the population of their individual worlds and focused on defense of those worlds, and as a result, the militias often drew on local feelings of patriotism, something the Word used to build a reliable defensive force.[4] Nevertheless, and though at least fifty percent of each Protectorate Militia was made of local population, the rest were troops relocated from other Protectorate worlds, most probably as a way to discourage defections.[5]
The Protectorate Militia units were never equipped with the top-of-the line equipment the Word of Blake had.[2]
Not every world in the Blake Protectorate appears to have a fully functional Protectorate Militia force, but those that do tend to have between one and three combined-arms Divisions they can call on in the event of attack.[1] Each Protectorate Militia force is tied to its native world, freeing interstellar transport assets for the Word's remaining military and logistics assets.[2] Nevertheless, these Protectorate Militia Divisions have an allotment of DropShips for transcontinental movement.[6]
Protectorate Militia Organization[edit]
The Protectorate Militia forces used a modified form of standard Inner Sphere organization, rather than the Word of Blake base-six arrangement. Four-unit lances were common, with six-unit demi-companies operating as a common "middle ground" between these and Blakist formats. Full companies were also used, but standard battalions were often referred as "demi-divisions", with full regiments were classified as Divisions.[7]
Protectorate Militia Formation[edit]
These militia units are planetary bound and usually restricted to their designated world. Usually they are locally raised and trained. The units were issued less advanced equipment to garrison their planets, either handed down from the Word of Blake Militia forces or upgraded older models.[8]
These commands were of roughly regimental size and used Combined-Arms formations. They are also known to have smaller quantities of BattleMechs (usually no more than one third of the total unit strength) than usual and depend more on vehicle, conventional infantry with some battle armor support and a mix of aerospace fighters and conventional fighters.[9][10]
On average, a planet would have between one to three "regiments" of these Protectorate Militia, as rarely more was needed to defend their planets.[9]
Protectorate Militia Operations[edit]
The local militias lacked special weapons or directives and were most commonly used to bolster the defense of their own homeworlds. That changed late in the Jihad, when the Word of Blake did move Protectorate Militia forces to other worlds within the Protectorate as a means of reinforcing counterattacks against advancing Coalition forces.[4]
These are the known operations in which Protectorate Militia units acted outside of their home planet:
- The largest combined deployment of Protectorate Militia forces was the campaign to defend Dieron. This operation saw the Word of Blake deploy a large naval flotilla, five Divisions of Militia forces and five Divisions of Protectorate Militia forces; in this case, the Protectorate Militia Divisions were drawn from the worlds of Acamar, Asta, Fletcher, Liberty and Milton.[11]
- The Blakist counteroffensive on Dyev against forces from Clan Ghost Bear. In this case the 1st Lipton Protectorate Militia Division, the 3rd Byrant Protectorate Militia Division, the 2nd New Earth Protectorate Militia Division and the 1st Zosma Protectorate Militia Division were selected to join that attack in support of the Twenty-eighth and Thirty-second Militia Divisions.[12]
- A rescue operation of the HPG operators and families on Phact, where elements of five Protectorate Militia units (units are not named) with a strength no bigger than a Level II each and composed of aerospace fighters, combat vehicles and BattleMechs filling the Overlord-class Valhalla Glory and with the Mule-class Light's Beauty to carry the Word of Blake civilians. The operation was launched between the 13th and the 16th of September 3071 and led by Manei Domini Precentor Gazael.[13]
Protectorate Militia Destiny[edit]
The Protectorate Militias were effectively destroyed as coherent units during Operation SCOUR, but at least as late as mid-3081 former Protectorate Militia forces were continuing to resist on a number of former Protectorate worlds. The Republic of the Sphere worked to disarm these forces, largely through peaceful means, and with the idea of allowing some of the combat veterans from the Protectorate Militias to serve in the local militias of the new Republic was mooted.[4]
Known Units[edit]
Protectorate Militia forces do not use Blakist style nomenclature, but instead draw their name from the planet they defend. Numerical designations are used only to differentiate Divisions assigned to the same world.[14]
Notes[edit]
- Worlds belonging to the Word of Blake Protectorate for which no given information on the militia is given are not listed here. This is listing only the known/named WoB Protectorate Militia units.
- Serving in some numbers with the Protectorate Militia was the Palmoni AIFV, a notable though limited exception to the Word of Blake's usual policy of not issuing higher-end equipment to Protectorate units. The Palmoni was also in service with (and originally developed for) the Word of Blake Militia, albeit in much greater numbers. Intended primarily for the transport of battle armor–equipped infantry, the Assault Infantry Fighting Vehicle could and did also transport more conventional infantry. An ICE powered variant of the Palmoni was also purpose built for the Protectorate Militia in relatively large quantities.
- Most of the WOB Militia's stocks of Magi infantry support vehicles were transferred to the Protectorate Militia upon the latter's formation in 3068.
- The standard main battle tank of the Protectorate Militia was the Puma, in the form of the PAT-007 (Line tank) and PAT-008 (Command tank) variants, which had been specially developed for the Protectorate forces. Other tanks known to be in service with the Protectorate Militia included baseline versions of the Po Heavy Tank and the Brutus Assault Tank.
Reference[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 101: "Deployment"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 101: "Protectorate Militias Forces"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3070, p. 15: "Protectorate Militia Formed"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 127: "Protectorate Militias"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Personnel"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Transportation"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, pp. 101–103: "Operational Standards"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Equipment"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, pp. 88, 101, 103: Unit structure and description on how they are set up
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Composition"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 127: "Word of Blake Militia Divisions"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 18: "A Time of Cleansing"
- ↑ Evacuation
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Designations"
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Total Chaos, pp. 56–60: "Dieron"
- ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 16.19 16.20 16.21 16.22 16.23 16.24 16.25 16.26 16.27 16.28 16.29 16.30 16.31 16.32 16.33 16.34 16.35 16.36 16.37 16.38 16.39 16.40 16.41 16.42 16.43 16.44 16.45 16.46 16.47 16.48 16.49 16.50 16.51 16.52 16.53 16.54 16.55 16.56 16.57 16.58 16.59 16.60 16.61 16.62 16.63 16.64 16.65 16.66 16.67 16.68 16.69 16.70 16.71 16.72 16.73 16.74 16.75 16.76 16.77 16.78 16.79 16.80 16.81 16.82 16.83 16.84 16.85 16.86 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 103: "Protectorate Militia Deployment"
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 57: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ The Third Time - 3:10 to Saint Randall
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 106: "Simonson's Cutthroats"
- ↑ Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 98: "Arboris"
- ↑ Field Report: CCAF, p. 21: "Capellan Confederation Deployment Map"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 16: "Sign of Things to Come?"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [12/12/3071]: "Search Continues for Missing Child"
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Legacy (Anthology): "Homecoming"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3072: "Timeline of the Jihad" - August 1st, Caph is among worlds which were nonviolently taken over by WoB
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 158–159: "Watershed"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 47: "Cebalrai Free, But at What Cost?"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 173–174: "Wolves from the Slaughter"
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 78: "New Year, New Wave"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 36: "Tragedy on Demeter"
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 50: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 45: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 58: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [09/09/3068]: "Blakist Shock Troops Kill Millions on Genoa"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 54: "Hall Surrenders Without a Shot"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 162–163: "Halloran V"
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 20: "SDR-7M Spider"
- ↑ Field Report: DCMS, p. 10
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 51: "Corporate Rebellion"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 96–97: "Kittery"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 197–199: "Moon Maze"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 169–170: "Hounds of War"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 213–214: "Picking the Locks"
- ↑ Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 109: "Menkar"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 17: "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 54: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [10/02/3072]: "Word of Blake Renders Humanitarian Aid"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 235–236: "Nanking"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 25: "Death Commandos"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 229–231: "New Earth"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 188–189: "Sticky Situation"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 81: "Defender", the Outreach Protectorate Militia parades Lucas through Harlech
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 Total Chaos, p. 191: "Pound of Flesh"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [14/11/3071]: "Haggard Defenders Desperate for Relief"
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 Total Chaos, pp. 98–99: "Quentin"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 154–155: "Slugger's Paradise"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 101: "32nd Division (Purity of Courage)"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 34: "Saffel HPG Offline"
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 40: "Canned Heat"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 102: "34th Division profile" - unit reportedly consisted of 4 Level IIIs in its early invasions
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, pp. 18–20: "AFFS Reclaims Three Worlds"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 234: "Here Comes the Cavalry"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 29: "Shiloh Falls"
- ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [17/05/3071]: "AMC Stragglers Shattered on Spica"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 46: "Slaughter on Stewart"
- ↑ 66.0 66.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, pp. 45–46: "Talitha, Berenson Capitulate"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 184–185: "Trick or Trap"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, pp. 42–43: "Chaos Overwhelming: Dante's Daydream"
- ↑ 69.0 69.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 56: "The Jihad in Review"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 155–156: "Starfall"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 98: "20th Division unit profile" - Unit history to 3075
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 160–161: "Ghost Tiger"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 88–89: "Zosma"
Bibliography[edit]
- BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 09/09/3068: "Blakist Shock Troops Kill Millions on Genoa"
- BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 17/05/3071: "AMC Stragglers Shattered on Spica"
- BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 12/12/3071: "Search Continues for Missing Child"
- BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 14/11/3071: "Haggard Defenders Desperate for Relief"
- BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 10/01/3072: "Earthquake Strikes Agricultural Area"
- Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130)
- Evacuation
- Field Manual: 3085
- Field Report: CCAF
- Field Report: DCMS
- Jihad: Final Reckoning
- Jihad Hot Spots: 3070
- Jihad Hot Spots: 3072
- Jihad Hot Spots: 3076
- Jihad Hot Spots: Terra
- Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents
- Legacy (anthology)
- Mercenaries Supplemental Update
- Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade
- The Third Time - 3:10 to Saint Randall
- Total Chaos