20th Rasalhague Regulars

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The Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars were one of the more skilled members of the Rasalhague Regulars.

History

Star League era

Immediately prior to the Star League Civil War, the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars were stationed on Nykvarn.[1]

Succession War era

At the outbreak of the First Succession War, the Twentieth remained stationed on Nykvarn. By the time the "Great Succession War" had ended in 2821 the unit had suffered losses of over sixty percent. [2]

By the start of the Second Succession War the Twentieth had almost returned to full strength and was redeployed the prefecture capital of Trondheim. [3]

On 17 December 2825 the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars were attacked by an unknown unit on Trondheim; this unknown enemy would later be labeled the "Minnesota Tribe". The second Combine world attacked by these mysterious troops, the focus of the Tribe's interest on Trondheim appeared to be for information rather than capturing supplies as with the first strike against Svelvik, beating back the Twentieth to raid the town of Misby Flats, leveling the town's mayoral complex before withdrawing. While the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars succeeded in defeating some Tribesmen, they were not able to conclusively prove they were returning elements of the Star League Defense Force as the Tribe destroyed their crippled 'Mechs and stranded Tribe member committed suicide rather than be captured.[4] [5]

The conclusion of the Second Succession War would see the Twentieth remain on Tronheim a barely viable command, reduced to almost a fifth of its full regimental strength. Ironically, the average weight of the surviving elements pushed the regiment into the assault bracket.[3]

In 3025 the unit was stationed on Trondheim.[6]

During the Fourth Succession War the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars spearheaded a counter-attack into the Lyran Commonwealth in an attempt to alleviate the Lyran Commonwealth's Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG against the Rasalhague District. Their looping route into Lyran space saw them rout militia and mercenary units on half a dozen Lyran worlds and did succeed in slowing the Lyran invasion, but only in the immediate proximity to the worlds the Twentieth struck, other similar actions would have been required to truly halt the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces.[7]

Ronin Wars

As with the bulk of the Rasalhague Regulars, the Twentieth refused to acknowledge the birth of the Free Rasalhague Republic and pledged loyalty to Warlord Marcus Kurita during the so-called Ronin War. When the newly appointed Valdherre of Memmingen died of a heart attack within thirty hours of Elected Prince Haakon Magnusson's Declaration of Freedom, Tai-sho Rupert Samsonov and a squad of infantrymen strode into the planet's Parliament and declared the session closed, killing three Precinct Senators where they stood when protested. Heishi Rupert Strom then nominated Tai-sho Samsonov as the newly appointed Valdherre of Memmingen, Heishi Brent Miyako seconding. Installed by a "unanimous" vote, the Tai-sho declared martial law until such time as "Memmingen returns to the Dragon's breast". Shortly after the declaration of martial law, an armor company of the Twentieth attempted to seize the planet's Hyperpulse Generator compound by force. The initial attack failed after the ComStar DropShip Coherent Thought opened fire and destroyed the Ronin forces in two passes, unintentionally inflicting devastation upon the city when landing, but keeping the compound in ComStar hands.[7][8]

Acknowledging Ronin Warlord Vasily Cherenkoff's call to restore the worlds to the Combine following Marcus Kurita's demise, the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars ruled Memmingen as a military junta for all of two days before the elite First Sword of Light landed to reclaim the world of the Republic. Despite Kanrei Theodore Kurita's declaration that the Twentieth were honorless Ronin and to be fought as such, Tai-sa Shigeru Yoshida reverted to samurai tradition upon planetfall. Offering honorable duels to his opponent, Yoshida and his officer corps - all armed with newly developed advanced Charger variants gifted to the First by Luthien Armor Works - easily bested Tai-sho Samsonov and his officers in Palancar Valley with the loss of only three First Sword defeats, one of them to Second Battalion Chu-sa Rafael Espinoza.[7] [9]

Satisfied that the Twentieth was dealt a mortal blow after depriving the Ronin command of several of its key officers, rather than immediately finish off the rebels, Tai-sa Yoshida made the ill-fated decision to order the First Sword to withdraw to give the Twentieth time to recover and prepare for an honorable last battle. Rather than choosing honorable combat however, the Regulars chose to retreat instead, fleeing to the Boru Mountain to use the massive mines of quarries of Isasaki Mining to hide. After installing a new Rasalhague Valdherre of Memmingen, the First Sword of Light spent nearly two months hunting down the hidden Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars, the Ronin forces surfacing irregularly to strike supply trains and small patrols to little success. Despite the First Sword's superior aerospace forces and access to the planet's satellite network, it would take seven weeks to locate the remaining elements of the Twentieth. On October 29 3034, Kashira Barker — the last surviving ranking officer of the Twentieth — approached a First Sword patrol with a white sheet tied to his Dragon's left arm to negotiate a surrender. By this point the Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars had been reduced to just six 'Mechs, two vehicles and twenty men.[7] [9] [10]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 20th Rasalhague Regulars
Brigadier General Dierdre Messermacht 3025[11]
Tai-sho Rupert Samsonov 3034[8]

Tactics

In 3025 the unit had no specially.[12]

The Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars' medium BattleMech formations were most deadly on open terrain, and noticeably less effective in urban combat. The Twentieth's aerospace fighter wings excelled in ground attack, but were noticeably lacking in air to air combat which made them easy prey when First Sword of Light’s elite fighters engaged them over Memmingen. [7]

Composition History

2765

Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[1]

- At this point in time the Twentieth was based on Rasalhague and was supported by three armor regiments and five infantry regiments.[1]

2786

Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

- At this point in time the Twentieth was a heavy-weight regiment stationed on Nykvarn and was operating at full strength.[2]

2821

Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

- At this point in time the Twentieth was a heavy-weight regiment stationed on Nykvarn and had been reduced to just above one-third of full strength.[2]

2830

20th Rasalhague Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [13]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Trondheim with an operational readiness of 95 percent. [13]

2864

20th Rasalhague Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [13]

Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on Trondheim with an operational readiness of 15 percent. [13]

3025

Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars Medium Regiment (Green/Reliable)[11][14]

  • CO: Brigadier General Dierdre Messerhacht
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Trondheim. The unit was made mostly of medium 'Mechs.[6]

3034

Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars Assault Regiment (Elite/Reliable)[15]

Notes

Rules

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Field Report 2765: DCMS, p. 16 "Rasalhague Regulars"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 First Succession War, p. 137, "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Second Succession War, p. 97 "Deployment Table - Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery"
  4. First Succession War, p. 126, "The Minnesota Tribe"
  5. Second Succession War, p. 22 "The Minnesota Tribe"
  6. 6.0 6.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p.135
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Combat Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 44 "Rasalhague Regulars - Twentieth Rasalhague Regulars"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Brush Wars, pp. 104-105 "Ronin War - Treachery and Treason (March 3034) - Memmingen"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Brush Wars, pp. 114-115 "Ronin War - The Dragon's Anger (May-July 3034) - Memmingen"
  10. Brush Wars, p. 117 "Ronin War - End of Honor (August October 3034) - Memmingen"
  11. 11.0 11.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 135, "'Mech Unit Deployment Table (as of 3025)"
  12. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 143 "Rasalhague Regulars"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 ’’ Second Succession War’’, p. 97
  14. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 143, "Rasalhague Regulars"
  15. Brush Wars, p. 120 "The Ronin Wars - Deployment Tables: Ronin War"

Bibliography