Regional Defense Force 1

Regional Defense Force 1
Affiliation	Hanseatic League
Parent Command	Hanseatic Security Force

History

Regional Defense Force 1 (RDF 1) was formed as a part of the creation of the Hanseatic Security Force following attempts by a number of colonies to throw off the influences of the Hanseatic League Council of Merchants in or around 2920.

After attempting to enforce a period of isolation from external influences across the League, the Council of Merchants changed tack in 3011 and decided to declare three worlds to be open worlds, accessible to all. Those worlds were Bergen, Bruges and Lübeck; responsibility for protecting those worlds along with the Hanseatic capital world, Bremen, and the heart of the League fell to RDF 1.

As a result, by the mid-3060s RDF 1 was amongst the most experienced of the HSF units, in part because personnel for RDF 1 were drawn from the other units of the HSF; it was also the most prestigious of the HSF commands and received the best equipment. RDF 1 took its role as protectors of the heartland seriously, constantly practicing defensive scenarios ranging from small raids to full-scale Clan invasions. While the exercises show the limitations in RDF 1's ability, the skill of those in RDF 1 was unquestionable and highlighted that any outside force attempting to invade the League's core worlds would suffer substantial casualties.

In addition to these defensive exercises, RDF 1 also practiced ceremonial drills, and a lance of BattleMechs is permanently stationed outside the Council of Merchants building on Bremen.

By 3067, the Captain-General of RDF 1, Albert Snow, had been promoted to the position of head of the entire HSF; under his replacement, Captain-General James Hock, RDF 1 had been undergoing a vigorous training regimen as well as receiving the best equipment the Hanseatic League could provide to re-equip with.

In 3076, during the Jihad, RDF 1 and RDF 3 launched a combined attack on Clan Diamond Shark forces within the Chainelane Isles; the result was an unmitigated disaster, with the Diamond Sharks destroying a quarter of RDF 1's 'Mech regiment and inflicting more than fifty percent casualties on RDF 3 before the two RDFs limped back to Hanseatic space. As a result, by 3079 RDF 1 was focused completely on rebuilding.

In January 3140, the Scorpion Empire attacked the Hanseatic League. RDF 1 redeployed to Bremen as a defensive force. In April they landed on Lübeck and counterattacked Seeker Galaxy. Outweighing the Fourth Scorpion Seekers, the RDF quickly shattered the Clan formation. They outflanked and outmaneuvered the Seekers at every turn, eventually killing Loremaster Kalara Yeh and forcing the Galaxy to retreat. The RDF then returned to Bremen.

Joining forces with RDF 3, RDF 1 was on Bremen when Alpha Galaxy and Seeker Galaxy arrived in July 3140. RDF 1 mostly faced Alpha Galaxy. Eventually RDF 3 had to disengage from Seeker Galaxy, which left RDF 1 to face the two Scorpion Galaxies alone. They held an extensive series of defensive works and refused to give them up. This allowed Alpha Galaxy Elementals to bypass the defenders and capture the Council of Merchants on October 12. The Council detonated a failsafe which destroyed the Council building and much of the capital city. The Hanseatic League's Captain-Marshal, as the only surviving Council member, ordered the Hansa to surrender.

Officers

Rank	Name	Command
Commanding Officers of the Regional Defense Force 1
Captain-General	Albert Snow	3064
Captain-General	James Hock	3067
Captain-General	Helga Bauer	3110?
Captain-General	Anja Weissenegger	3140

Other Unit Officers

• Captain Reginald Jonvelson in 3076.

Tactics

RDF 1 specializes in defensive warfare aimed at protecting the heart of the Hanseatic League.

In 3140 they were specialists in melee combat and using overwhelming force to destroy a foe.

Composition History

In common with all of the RDF brigades RDF 1 was a combined arms force, and standard deployments for sub-units drawn from RDF 1 typically consisted of a 'Mech company reinforced by one or two battalions of armor and infantry.

3064

Regional Defense Force 1 (Veteran/Fanatical)

• 1 BattleMech Regiment
• 5 Conventional Regiments

• CO: Captain-General Albert Snow
• Aide: Major Jory Hammerfield

3067

Regional Defense Force 1 (Veteran/Fanatical)

• 1 BattleMech Regiment

• CO: Captain-General James Hock

- At this point in time RDF 1 was at ninety-five percent of full strength; twenty percent of the RDF were using advanced equipment, with five percent equipped with Clan OmniMechs. - Conventional forces are not listed within Field Manual: Updates, leaving the strength of the RDF 1 conventional forces unknown.

3079

Regional Defense Force 1 (Veteran/Fanatical)

• 1 BattleMech Regiment

- At this point in time RDF 1 was at seventy-five percent of full strength following the disastrous battles in the Chainelane Isles, but twenty-five percent of RDF 1 was using upgraded technology. - Conventional forces are not listed within Field Report: Periphery, leaving the strength of the RDF 1 conventional forces unknown.

3140

Regional Defense Force 1 (Elite)

• 1 heavy BattleMech regiment
• 1 assault combat vehicle regiment
• 1 battlesuit infantry regiment

Game Rules

3064

• RDF 1 uses the Hanseatic League column of the Random 'Mech Assignment Table within Field Manual: Periphery.
• Units from RDF 1 receive a +1 Initiative bonus when fighting on the core worlds of the Hanseatic League.
• Units from RDF 1 receive a -2 Initiative penalty when fighting outside the Hanseatic League.
• MechWarrior 3 RPG characters from RDF 1 gain Protocol/Hanseatic League +1.

3140

• RDF 1 can use the Overrun Combat and Tactical Experts (Physical) special command abilities.
• When choosing units for vehicle regiment the controlling player can choose half of the units, selecting from any Star League or Succession Wars era vehicle that weighs 80 or more tons.

Bibliography

• Field Manual: Periphery
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report: Periphery
• Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade