13th Division (Word of Blake)
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Contents
Unit Brief
The 13th Division was a "hidden" unit formed within 3060s, by Word of Blake. The unit was deployed primarily in the Capellan Theater of the Jihad "War".
History
The Avatars deployed under the guise of supporting the Capellan Confederation's Operation: Thunderstrike, taking the Davion world of Kittery in November, 3068. The Division's first victory in history, it destroyed both 1st Kittery Borderers and its supporting unit of the Kittery Training Battalion.
After the conquest of Kittery, the Avatars received an influx of recruits from converted FedSun soldiers and defectors from the Sixth Free Worlds Legionnaires. Using these bolstered forces, it began raids against nearby worlds, using Kittery as their "homeworld". While conducting the raids, it was relieved temporarily by yet-seen 41st Shadow Division. Elements of the 41st's Manei Domini troops augmented 13th's elements to capture the FedSuns held worlds of Spica and Denbar in 3069. 13th forces continued to disguise their efforts as part of the "House Liao" offensive. The Avatars created Protectorate Militias and hired mercenaries to secure these worlds and returned to Kittery.
By this time, the "Protectorate Island" surrounding Kittery had expanded (with aid of the 33rd Division) to include Scituate and Gurnet by the end of 3070.
In 3071, the Avatars were on Kittery were attack and dispersed by the POWs from Blake's reeducation camp of RMBU 105, led by Devlin Stone. The Avatar's and its mercenary hires were soon pushed out the "Island" by Stone's forces in 3072. The unit was reportedly decimated to a company's worth of troops and disappeared from intelligence reports.
In middle of 3073, they appeared in the Confederation's Liao Commonality as a light raiding force.[1]
The 13th Division executed a combat drop onto Ningpo when Warrior House Ma-Tsu Kai and the Home Guard were engaged in bringing Ningpo back into the Capellan fold. The ensuing combat was centered around the capital city, Ningbo. A report recovered from the city by the Capellan Broadcasting reporter Quan Yin Chang indicated that the Home Guard acted as a roadblock or anvil, grudgingly giving ground under repeated attacks from the 13th Division, while House Ma-Tsu Kai harried the 13th with flanking attacks.[2]
The 13th reacted to the slow progress made by firing a weapon of mass destruction at the Capellan forces. House Ma-Tsu Kai promptly responded in kind; Ma-Tsu Kai took took serious casualties from the first Blakist weapon, but their counterstrike almost destroyed a Level III. The damage inflicted by the 13th Division forced the Home Guard and House Ma-Tsu Kai back into the streets of Ningbo, at which point both sides began liberally firing WMDS at each other, predominantly chemical and nuclear weapons. House Ma-Tsu Kai were forced into a suicidal charge against the 13th that wreaked a heavy toll on the elite Warrior House, but which broke the Blakist line.[2]
The Capellan forces on Ningbo received help when Warrior House Ijori arrived in time to keep the remains of the city falling, but were unable to prevent an orderly retreat on the part of the Blakists; in a final act of defiance, the 13th Division had their DropShips execute a coordinated strafing attack against the fresh House Ijori forces, wreaking carnage on them.[2]
The 13th Division was subsequently destroyed on Ningpo in 3078.[3]
Officers
Unknown
Tactics
Composition History
3068
Three - Four Level III formations.
3072
Two Level III formations
3073
Three Level III formations
Notes
The unit due to defection of the Free World League troops, has access to 'Mechs from Free World League.[4]
Reference
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents), p. 95 - "13th Division unit history" - birth to reduced raiding force in Liao space by 3073
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 43, "Death On A White Horse"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 126, "Word Of Blake Militia"
- ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 140 - "Rule Annex" - 13th Division special ability is to be able roll up House Marik 'Mechs for half of its number.