Sarna News: Bad 'Mechs - Icestorm

Editing 1st Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.

The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.

Latest revision Your text
Line 1: Line 1:
{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
+
{{infoBoxStateUnit
| image         = [[Image:Draconis Combine Aux Corps 2581.png|150px]]
+
| image   = [[Image:Draconis Combine Aux Corps 2581.png|150px]]
| Designation    = 1st Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps
+
| nickname =
| formed        = [[2581]]
+
| parent formation = [[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]]
| Disbanded      = [[2585]]
+
| formed  = [[2581]]
| Previous Designation =  
+
| disbanded = [[2585]]
| Nickname      =
+
| year    = 2581
| Affiliation    = Star League
+
| unitname = 1st Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps
| Parent Command =  [[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]]
 
| Sub-Command    =  
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
==Unit Description==
The '''Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps''' was one of a number of auxiliary formations formed by the various [[Inner Sphere]] nations to support [[Star League]] operations during the [[Reunification War]]. Unlike those forces the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] gave up to the Star League to form a part of the nascent [[Star League Defense Force]] the Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps remained a discrete formation of comprised solely of [[DCMS]] regiments under the command of an DCMS officer - ''[[Sho-sho]]'' [[Masao Igushi]] for the bulk of the war - but the Corps as whole were under the operational command of the overall SLDF commander of the [[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]]. The Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps was one of a number of auxiliary corps formed to support SLDF operations in this manner, all of whom returned to full-time service within the DCMS at the end of the campaign.<ref name="H:RWp33">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 33, "Additional War Preparations"</ref><ref name="H:RWp35">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 35, "Integration With The SLDF"</ref>
+
The '''Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps''' was one of a number of auxiliary formations formed by the various [[Inner Sphere]] nations to support [[Star League]] operations during the [[Reunification War]]. Unlike those forces the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] gave up to the Star League to form a part of the nascent [[Star League Defense Force]] the Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps remained a discrete formation of comprised solely of [[DCMS]] regiments under the command of an DCMS officer - ''[[Sho-sho]]'' [[Masao Igushi]] for the bulk of the war - but the Corps as whole were under the operational command of the overall SLDF commander of the [[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]]. The Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps was one of a number of auxiliary corps formed to support SLDF operations in this manner, all of whom returned full-time service within the DCMS at the endof the campaign.<ref name="H:RWp33">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 33, "Additional War Preparations"</ref><ref name="H:RWp35">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 35, "Integration With The SLDF"</ref>
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
===Formation===
 
===Formation===
[[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]] was built largely around the SLDF [[II Corps (Star League)|II Corps]] and [[V Corps (Star League)|V Corps]] under the command of [[General]] [[Amos Forlough]]. SLDF Task Force Outworlds was the third of the task forces to be assembled, and reflected events in the war against the Taurian Concordat. Whereas it had originally been envisaged that the invasion of the Outworlds Alliance could be conducted by [[VI Corps (Star League)|VI Corps]], the escalating conflict in the Concordat led to VI Corps being redeployed to the Taurian theater and II Corps taking up responsibility for the [[Draconis Combine]]/[[Outworlds Alliance]] border.<ref name="H:RWp109">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 109-110, "SLDF Efforts"</ref>
+
[[SLDF Task Force Outworlds]] was built largely around the SLDF [[II Corps (Star League)|II Corps]] and [[V Corps (Star League)|V Corps]] under the command of [[General]] [[Amos Forlough]]. SLDF Task Force Outworlds was the third of the task forces to be assembled, and reflected events in the war against the Taurian Concordat. Whereas it had originally been envisaged that the invasion of the Outworlds Alliance could be conducted by [[VI Corps (Star League)|VI Corps]], the escalating conflict in the Concordat led to VI Corps being redeployed to the Taurian theatre and II Corps taking up responsibility for the [[Draconis Combine]]/[[Outworlds Alliance]] border.<ref name="H:RWp109">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 109-110, "SLDF Efforts"</ref>
  
 
The Draconis Combine was called on to provide the Auxiliary Corps to form the third part of SLDF Task Force Outworlds, a call that the Combine initially resisted until it was made clear that the [[DCMS]] units would be commanded by a DCMS officer - who would answer to Forlough in turn - and that the corps would remain a homogeneous formation comprised solely of DCMS units.<ref name="H:RWp36">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 36, "Integration With The SLDF"</ref> With the commitment of the Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps SLDF Task Force Outworlds was complete.<ref name="H:RWp107">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 107, "Task Force Outworlds"</ref><ref name="H:RWp140">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 140-141, "Outworlds Alliance Front (Jump-Off-2585)"</ref>
 
The Draconis Combine was called on to provide the Auxiliary Corps to form the third part of SLDF Task Force Outworlds, a call that the Combine initially resisted until it was made clear that the [[DCMS]] units would be commanded by a DCMS officer - who would answer to Forlough in turn - and that the corps would remain a homogeneous formation comprised solely of DCMS units.<ref name="H:RWp36">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 36, "Integration With The SLDF"</ref> With the commitment of the Draconis Combine Auxiliary Corps SLDF Task Force Outworlds was complete.<ref name="H:RWp107">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 107, "Task Force Outworlds"</ref><ref name="H:RWp140">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 140-141, "Outworlds Alliance Front (Jump-Off-2585)"</ref>
Line 22: Line 20:
 
Initially, only four regiments of troops from the [[Galedon Regulars]] were available from the Auxiliary Corps in 2581, as regiments from the [[Benjamin Regulars]] and [[Dieron Regulars]] were in the process of being moved forward from rear areas within the Combine.<ref name="H:RWp141">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 141, "Outworlds Alliance Front (Jump-Off-2585)"</ref> The [[17th Galedon Regulars]] had been deployed inside the [[Outworlds Alliance]] on the world of [[Santiago]] since [[2572]], when [[First Lord]] [[Ian Cameron]] issued [[Directive 21]]. Although the Directive was touted publicly as a measure to cut down on bandit activity, it was actually the deliberate occupation of three Alliance worlds as an attempt to provide more information on the covert military buildup the Alliance had recently begun.<ref name="H:RWp108">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 108, "Something From Nothing"</ref><ref name="H:RWp110">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 110, "Fait Accompli(shed)"</ref>
 
Initially, only four regiments of troops from the [[Galedon Regulars]] were available from the Auxiliary Corps in 2581, as regiments from the [[Benjamin Regulars]] and [[Dieron Regulars]] were in the process of being moved forward from rear areas within the Combine.<ref name="H:RWp141">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 141, "Outworlds Alliance Front (Jump-Off-2585)"</ref> The [[17th Galedon Regulars]] had been deployed inside the [[Outworlds Alliance]] on the world of [[Santiago]] since [[2572]], when [[First Lord]] [[Ian Cameron]] issued [[Directive 21]]. Although the Directive was touted publicly as a measure to cut down on bandit activity, it was actually the deliberate occupation of three Alliance worlds as an attempt to provide more information on the covert military buildup the Alliance had recently begun.<ref name="H:RWp108">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 108, "Something From Nothing"</ref><ref name="H:RWp110">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 110, "Fait Accompli(shed)"</ref>
  
The 17th Galedon didn't care for their posting or the residents of Santiago, and had a highly antagonistic relationship with the civilian population. This eventually led to an event that would provoke widespread condemnation throughout the [[Inner Sphere]] and the various [[Periphery]] nations when troops from the 17th Galedon killed two dozen civilians and injured many more - including children - in what became known as the [[Santiago Massacre]]. The public backlash from the massacre delayed military operations against the Alliance for some years, and Santiago would be a hotbed of guerrilla resistance for more than 30 years.<ref name="H:RWp111">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 111, "Santiago"</ref><ref name="H:RWp19">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 19, "Bloody Santiago"</ref>
+
The 17th Galedon didn't care for their posting or the residents of Santiago, and had a highly antagonistic relationship with the civilian population. This eventually led to an event that would provoke widespread condemnation throughout the [[Inner Sphere]] and the various [[Periphery]] nations when troops from the 17th Galedon killed two dozen civilians and injured many more - including children - in what became known as the [[Santiago Massacre]]. The public backlash from the massacre delayed military operations against the Alliance for some years, and Santiago would be a hotbed of guerilla resistance for more than 30 years.<ref name="H:RWp111">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 111, "Santiago"</ref><ref name="H:RWp19">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 19, "Bloody Santiago"</ref>
  
 
====2581====
 
====2581====
Line 34: Line 32:
 
Following the poor performance of V Corps during the campaign for [[Haynesville]],<ref name="H:RWp119+">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 119-120, "Haynesville"</ref> Forlough came to rely heavily on the Auxiliary Corps to take on combat actions rather than V Corps. As a result, the newly arrived 4th Benjamin Regulars were dispatched to conquer the world of [[Budingen]]. The Regulars didn't know that elements of the Pitcairn Legion were on-world, and ended up with a protracted battle to conquer Budingen; the Regulars turned the tide of the campaign when they struck against the civilian population, forcing the Legion to concentrate on aiding the population before having to retreat in the face of the harsh Budingen winter. The Regulars then took advantage of an early thaw to suppress the population, breaking their will to resist before a relief force could arrive. The Regulars took heavy casualties in the campaign and a heavy raid from the Legion the following year, and as a result spent the entire of the war stationed on Budingen rather than engaging in any other combat operations.<ref name="H:RWp141"/><ref name="H:RWp120">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 120-121, "Budingen"</ref><ref name="H:RWp122">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 122-123, "... And Military"</ref>
 
Following the poor performance of V Corps during the campaign for [[Haynesville]],<ref name="H:RWp119+">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 119-120, "Haynesville"</ref> Forlough came to rely heavily on the Auxiliary Corps to take on combat actions rather than V Corps. As a result, the newly arrived 4th Benjamin Regulars were dispatched to conquer the world of [[Budingen]]. The Regulars didn't know that elements of the Pitcairn Legion were on-world, and ended up with a protracted battle to conquer Budingen; the Regulars turned the tide of the campaign when they struck against the civilian population, forcing the Legion to concentrate on aiding the population before having to retreat in the face of the harsh Budingen winter. The Regulars then took advantage of an early thaw to suppress the population, breaking their will to resist before a relief force could arrive. The Regulars took heavy casualties in the campaign and a heavy raid from the Legion the following year, and as a result spent the entire of the war stationed on Budingen rather than engaging in any other combat operations.<ref name="H:RWp141"/><ref name="H:RWp120">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 120-121, "Budingen"</ref><ref name="H:RWp122">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 122-123, "... And Military"</ref>
  
The Galedon Regulars regiments were due to be used in an attack on [[Ki Zoban]] alongside the SLDF during late 2582, but [[Coordinator]] [[Hehiro Kurita]] was so incensed by the annexation of a number of systems on the Outworlds Alliance/[[Federated Suns]] border by Davion troops that he withdrew the DCMS regiments from the planned attack. Instead, the Coordinator ordered the regiments to seize a number of worlds along the coreward border of the Alliance, as well as emptying the Task Force supply caches of all of the matériel supplied by the Combine to support the war effort. These supplies, intended to keep the entire task force operating for a year, were consumed by the Auxiliary Corps during their assaults on [[Kazanka]], [[Nexus Ri]] and [[Zlatousi]]. The three regiments of Galedon Regulars - the 4th, 19th and 24th - faced the [[1st Alliance Armored Division|1st]] and [[2nd Alliance Armored Division|2nd Alliance Armored Divisions]] as well as large local militias boasting armor and heavy infantry support. The brutal actions the Task Force had taken against the civilian populations of occupied and contested worlds had massively increased Outworlds Alliance Militia enlistment, and the Federated Suns was covertly supplying the [[OAM]] with experienced military advisors who were training and sometimes leading the Militia forces. The net result was three grueling planetary campaigns. Initially, the battles were exactly what both sides had been looking for: large-scale warfare with mobile Kuritan BattleMechs facing large quantities of armor and infantry. The Alliance forces were stronger and better fortified than the DCMS units expected, leading ''Sho-sho'' Igushi to call forward the 3rd Dieron Regulars as reinforcements, and while the DCMS regiments attempted to attack the civilian population they found themselves blocked by superior numbers of Alliance tanks and infantry. The DCMS made rapid gains, but faced constant, stubborn resistance from the Alliance forces. Ultimately, the greater supplies available to the DCMS made the difference, with the Alliance forces retreating in early [[2583]], but both sides had taken heavy damage and the DCMS had denuded the entire task force of its supplies.<ref name="H:RWp121">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 121, "The Dragon Responds"</ref><ref name="H:RWp121+">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 121-122, "Kazanka, Nexus Ri and Zlatousi"</ref>
+
The Galedon Regulars regiments were due to be used in an attack on [[Ki Zoban]] alongside the SLDF during late 2582, but [[Coordinator]] [[Hehiro Kurita]] was so incensed by the annexation of a number of systems on the Outworlds Alliance/[[Federated Suns]] border by Davion troops that he withdrew the DCMS regiments from the planned attack. Instead, the Coordinator ordered the regiments to seize a number of worlds along the coreward border of the Alliance, as well as emptying the Task Force supply caches of all of the material supplied by the Combine to support the war effort. These supplies, intended to keep the entire task force operating for a year, were consumed by the Auxiliary Corps during their assaults on [[Kazanka]], [[Nexus Ri]] and [[Zlatousi]]. The three regiments of Galedon Regulars - the 4th, 19th and 24th - faced the [[1st Alliance Armored Division|1st]] and [[2nd Alliance Armored Division|2nd Alliance Armored Divisions]] as well as large local militias boasting armor and heavy infantry support. The brutal actions the Task Force had taken against the civilian populations of occupied and contested worlds had massively increased Outworlds Alliance Militia enlistment, and the Federated Suns was covertly supplying the [[OAM]] with experienced military advisors who were training and sometimes leading the Militia forces. The net result was three gruelling planetary campaigns. Initially, the battles were exactly what both sides had been looking for: large-scale warfare with mobile Kuritan BattleMechs facing large quantities of armor and infantry. The Alliance forces were stronger and better fortified than the DCMS units expected, leading ''Sho-sho'' Igushi to call forward the 3rd Dieron Regulars as reinforcements, and while the DCMS regiments attempted to attack the civilian population they found themselves blocked by superior numbers of Alliance tanks and infantry. The DCMS made rapid gains, but faced constant, stubborn resistance from the Alliance forces. Ultimately, the greater supplies available to the DCMS made the difference, with the Alliance forces retreating in early [[2583]], but both sides had taken heavy damage and the DCMS had denuded the entire task force of its supplies.<ref name="H:RWp121">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 121, "The Dragon Responds"</ref><ref name="H:RWp121+">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 121-122, "Kazanka, Nexus Ri and Zlatousi"</ref>
  
 
====2583====
 
====2583====
2583 didn't have an auspicious beginning for the Auxiliary Corps. In addition to the raid on Budingen that badly damaged the 4th Benjamin Regulars, the Pitcairn Legion struck at the world of [[Bad News]], mauling the 3rd Dieron Regulars there, reducing the effective combat strength of the regiment by at least a third and destroying supply and repair depot they had been guarding.<ref name="H:RWp123">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 123, "Pitcairn's Raids"</ref> Forlough was furious with the DCMS forces, who continued to operate along the agenda set by Coordinator Kurita, rather than following the Task Force's plans;<ref name="H:RWp121"/> the Auxiliary Corps had been cut off from the SLDF supply chain in punishment for their operations in 2582, but continued gains by the Federated Suns led the Coordinator to order ''Sho-sho'' Igushi to seize more worlds, in this case the worlds of [[Milligan's World]], [[Prinis Prime]] and [[Quantraine]].<ref name="H:RWp125">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 125, "Kurita's Overeager Appetite"</ref>
+
2583 didn't have an auspicious beginning for the Auxiliary Corps. In addition to the raid on Budingen that badly damaged the 4th Benjamin Regulars, the Pitcairn Legion struck at the world of [[Bad News]], mauling the 3rd Dieron Regulars there, reducing the effective combat strength of the regiment by at least a third and destroying supply and repair depot they had been guarding.<ref name="H:RWp123">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 123, "Pitcairn's Raids"</ref> Forlough was furious with the DCMS forces, who continued to operate along the agenda set by Coordinator Kurita, rather than following the Task Force's plans;<ref name="H:RWp121"/> the Auxiliary Corps had been cut off from the SLDF supply chain in punishment for their operations in 2582, but continuted gains by the Federated Suns led the Coordinator to order ''Sho-sho'' Igushi to seize more worlds, in this case the worlds of [[Milligan's World]], [[Prinis Prime]] and [[Quantraine]].<ref name="H:RWp125">''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 125, "Kurita's Overeager Appetite"</ref>
  
The 4th, 19th and 24th Galedon Regulars deployed again, but this time didn't have the depth of supplies that had sustained the constant battlefield tempo used to subdue worlds in 2582. The Alliance 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions were waiting for them again, and both Milligan's World and Quantraine had large militias extensively trained by Federated Suns advisors. This time, the Armored Divisions dug in deep, preventing the DCMS regiments from using the kind of mobile warfare that had netted them gains in previous campaigns; attempts by the various Galedon Regulars units to attack the civilian population and infrastructure were countered by Alliance anti-'Mech trained infantry, who crippled the Regulars advance units, slowing the attacks long enough for the Armored Divisions and militia to redeploy and blunt the Combine attacks. This time, the Auxiliary Corps just didn't have the strength and depth of supply needed to successfully conquer the worlds; their retreat was described by ''Sho-sho'' Igushi as the successful conclusion of reconnaissance raids that had badly damaged the Alliance Armored Divisions, but the Coordinator was angry with Igushi's performance and banished him him to the far coreward reaches of the Combine. Igushi was replaced with ''Sho-sho'' [[Rimas Nelsson]], but the Coordinator gave the Auxiliary Corps no additional supplies or resources to draw on, limiting the combat actions that could be attempted by the Corps to little more than securing their hold over worlds already taken.<ref name="H:RWp125"/>
+
The 4th, 19th and 24th Galedon Regulars deployed again, but this time didn't have the depth of supplies that had sustained the constant battlefield tempo used to subdue worlds in 2582. The Alliance 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions were waiting for them again, and both Milligan's World and Quantraine had large militias extensively trained by Federated Suns advisors. This time, the Armored Divisions dug in deep, preventing the DCMS regiments from using the kind of mobile warfare that had netted them gains in previous campaigns; attempts by the various Galedon Regulars units to attack the civilian population and infrastructure were countered by Alliance anti-Mech trained infantry, who crippled the Regulars advance units, slowing the attacks long enough for the Armored Divisions and militia to redeploy and blunt the Combine attacks. This time, the Auxiliary Corps just didn't have the strength and depth of supply needed to successfully conquer the worlds; their retreat was described by ''Sho-sho'' Igushi as the successful conclusion of reconnaissance raids that had badly damaged the Alliance Armored Divisions, but the Coordinator was angry with Igushi's performance and banished him him to the far coreward reaches of the Combine. Igushi was replaced with ''Sho-sho'' [[Rimas Nelsson]], but the Coordinator gave the Auxiliary Corps no additional supplies or resources to draw on, limiting the combat actions that could be attempted by the Corps to little more than securing their hold over worlds already taken.<ref name="H:RWp125"/>
  
 
====2584-2585====
 
====2584-2585====
Line 86: Line 84:
 
:* [[24th Galedon Regulars]]
 
:* [[24th Galedon Regulars]]
 
Total force strength:<ref name="H:RWp107"/>
 
Total force strength:<ref name="H:RWp107"/>
* 6x [[BattleMech]] regiments
+
* 6 [[BattleMech]] regiments
* 4x armor regiments
+
* 4 armor regiments
* 11x infantry regiments
+
* 11 infantry regiments
* 1x [[aerospace fighter|aerospace]] regiment
+
* 1 [[AeroSpace Fighter|AeroSpace]] regiment
 +
 
 +
==Notes==
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
Line 97: Line 97:
 
* ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]''
 
* ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]''
  
 
+
[[Category:Star League Defense Force Commands|Auxiliary Corps, 001st Draconis Combine]]
[[Category:Star League Defense Force Auxiliary Corps|Draconis Combine 0001st]]
 

Please note that all contributions to BattleTechWiki are considered to be released under the GNU FDL 1.2 (see BattleTechWiki:Copyrights for details). If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly and redistributed at will, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource. Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!

To edit this page, please answer the question that appears below (more info):

Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)

Advanced templates:

Editing: {{Merge}}   {{Moratorium}}   {{Otheruses| | | }}

Notices: {{NoEdit}}   {{Sign}}   {{Unsigned|name}}   {{Welcome}}

Administration: {{Essay}}   {{Policy}}   {{Procedure}}

Template used on this page: