5th Galedon Regulars

Insignia of the 5th Galedon Regulars
Fifth Galedon Regulars
Formed pre-2303[1]
Nickname Pride of Galedon
Affiliation Draconis Combine
Parent Command Galedon Regulars

The Fifth Galedon Regulars are a medium BattleMech regiment in the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery.

History

Formation

The Fifth can trace their history back to the days before the formation of the Draconis Combine, starting its life as a Heavy Armor battalion, supported by an infantry regiment. They functioned as the personal guard of Shiro Kurita during the invasion of Sverdlovsk[2] in 2303.[1] With this history, the Fifth still holds conventional armor in high regard.[2]

Age of War

McAllister Rebellion

During the McAllister Rebellion, troops were moved from the distant edges of the Draconis Combine, including the 2452nd Battalion of the Fifth Galedon Regulars on Salford under Chu-sa Tokashio Hamata. On 9 November 2510 he oversaw his troops being loaded on Vulture-class DropShips and embarked on one of them, the Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The DropShips took off and docked with the Leviathan-class JumpShip Raiden which was supposed to bring them to Brailsford. They were not heard of again because of a misjump.[3]

Star League Era

During the Star League era, the Fifth Galedon Regulars shared a common structure with the other regiments of the Galedon Regulars, due to the threat posed by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. This common structure saw the First assigned a group of conventional regiments for support - five armor regiments and five infantry regiments, an artillery regiment and a reinforced aerospace fighter wing. Second only to the Sword of Light regiments in priority, the various Galedon Regulars regiments had excellent levels of supplies, and a high level of access to new BattleMechs and equipment.[4]

Second Succession War

In June 2825, the Fifth and Ninth Galedon Regulars were mobilized to stop the Paul Bunyan Regiment mercenary unit from sacking Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery warehouses on Zlatous for food and much needed supplies after the Combine's attempt at absorbing the mercenaries via the so-called Company Store ploy backfired. Ordered by Coordinator Jinjiro Kurita to destroy the Paul Bunyan Regiment's DropShips and seize their JumpShips, the Fifth and Ninth Galedon then assaulted the dug-in mercenaries over the course of two months of vicious fighting that laid waste to much of the planet before the survivors of the unit hijacked a Kurita DropShip and fled to the Periphery.[5]

The Fifth's primary duty was garrisoning the original capital world of the Combine, New Samarkand. With this important posting, the Fifth received more attention from the Internal Security Force than any other Galedon Regular unit.[2]

Third Succession War

During the 2920s, the Fifth was posted on the Periphery border fending off raids from pirates and bandit kingdoms, remaining there for almost a century. They undertook a successful campaign against the Belt Pirates in the 3010s.[6]

Rise of the Warlord

In 3019, the regiment's commanding officer Grieg Samsonov was promoted to warlord of the Galedon Military District for his leadership of the Fifth's campaigns against the belt pirates. This caused the Fifth to be relocated to New Samarkand and begin front-line operations again.[7]

In 3019, the unit was sent against the Federated Suns, but found itself trapped by two regiments of the Crucis Lancers, the Seventh Crucis Lancers among them. Panic struck the unit and only the timely intervention of the Eighth Galedon Regulars saved the Fifth from complete destruction.[6]

In 3021, the Fifth raided New Ivaarsen. They were not equipped with sufficient long-range firepower, however, and the Fifth took serious losses.[7] Most noteworthy was the loss of a Dragon 'Mech (and severe damage to three other Dragons) to a single Neptune Submarine.[8]

The unit started they year 3025 stationed on New Samarkand.[9]

The Fifth participated in the Galtor campaign during 3025. They held the Bremond DMM at bay, allowing the Seventeenth Benjamin Regulars to pound the Raman DMM.[10] The unit suffered 61.953% casualties during the Galtor operations.[6]

Fourth Succession War

Acting on information provided by Fadre Singh, the Third Proserpina Hussars and Fifth Galedon Regulars pursued the families of Wolf's Dragoons as they evacuated Draconis Combine space. However, the Hussars and Regulars who were assigned to the duty were shamed by it, and used the skill and valor of a battalion of Dragoon cadets as an excuse to let the families escape to Cassias.[11]

During the war the Fifth engaged Wolf's Dragoons on Glenmora.[12] The death of Warlord Samsonov before the Dragoons left enraged the Fifth's troops.[13] They quickly engaged the surviving Dragoons of Alpha Regiment on the continent of Hades. After skirmishing several times, they followed the surviving Dragoons to Crossing. They fought the Dragoons in the Tartarus Caldera for a month,[14] but when Zeta Battalion and the Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry arrived to reinforce the Dragoons, the Fifth withdrew.[15]

Ronin War


War of 3039


Clan Invasion

Stationed on Jeronimo, the Fifth Regulars faced Clan Smoke Jaguar during the Fourth Wave of Operation Revival in September 3050. Originally bidding the Assault Trinary and a Binary of Elementals from his Third Jaguar Cavaliers, the stiffer than expected resistance of the Fifth Galedon in Jeronimo's Topside Woods forced Star Colonel Paul Moon to break his bid and call down the cluster's Second Battle Trinary to finally overcome the Fifth. Suffering heavy losses, little more than a reinforced battalion's worth of the Fifth Galedon Regulars retreated off-world.[16]

Operation Bulldog

Volunteers from the unit formed the Galedon Pride Provisional Company as part of Operation Bird Dog. Sent to stage guerrilla operations on Smoke Jaguar held Kiamba ahead of Operation Bulldog, ultimately the Clan garrison would crush the entire company.[17][18]

Dominion War

During the Dominion War, the Fifth's command staff was wiped out on Dumaring, but the prompt arrival of the Second Benjamin Regulars allowed the Fifth to rally and seize several cities.[18]

Federated Suns Incursion


Jihad

Early in the Jihad, the High Command transferred the Fifth Galedon Regulars to Bad News to counter any Clan Snow Raven aggression. Though they faced down some coordinated pirate activity, possibly based out of Port Krin, in 3073 the deployment to Bad News has kept the Fifth Galedon out of most of the fighting.[19]

Republic Era

In 3083, the Fifth Galedon Regulars were assigned to assault Valentina. The Fifth invaded and destroyed the Snow Ravens' Twelfth Raven Garrison Cluster. At the same time, the defenders had raided the Fifth Galedon's rear areas, destroying their supplies and killing half their command staff.[20]

The Fifth raided Pascagoula later that century, destroying an entire wing of AFFS aerospace fighters. This left Pascagola an easy target for the Combine's assault into the Federated Suns.[21]

Dark Age

The Fifth had made it its business to raid all Raven Alliance worlds within three jumps of wherever they were deployed; however, since losing a third of its 'Mechs, the Fifth's effectiveness had been greatly decreased. They were regrouping on Capra and waiting for their next posting to the front.[22]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 5th Galedon Regulars
General Grieg Samsonov 3019 - 3028[23]
Tai-sho Li Dok To 3028[12][24]
Tai-sa Ivor Sotallarude 3050 - 3059[25][2]
Tai-sa Stephan Suwo 3067[26]
Tai-sa Gerlach Bachman 3085[27]
Tai-sa Dona Hurley 3145[28]

Tactics

Star League Era

Due to the high number of Sun Zhang Military Academy and Galedon Military Academy recruits within the Galedon Regulars, the Regulars often displayed fanatical loyalty and courage. However, the elitism displayed by these same recruits led to poor coordination between the Regulars and the attached convention forces, who were often used as cannon fodder.[4]

Third Succession War

In 3025, the soldiers were experienced in mountain combat.[29]

Clan Invasion Era

The Fifth uses a number of combined arms tactics, linking 'Mechs with conventional armor units. One such tactic pins an enemy force between a maneuverable group of light 'Mechs and a potent heavy armor force. They excel at mountain fighting, and avoid urban combat if possible.[2]

Composition History

2765

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[4]

- At this point in time, the Regulars were stationed on Enif.[4] Attached to the Regulars were a reinforced wing of aerospace fighters, an artillery regiment, five infantry regiments, and five armored regiments.[4]

2786–2821

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[30]

- At this point in time the Regulars were a light-weight regiment stationed on Enif and were operating at full strength.[30] In 2821, the unit was operating at just below half-strength.[30]

2830

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[31]

Note: At this point in time the light-weight unit was stationed on Enif with an operational readiness of 80 percent.[31]

2864

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[31]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Enif with an operational readiness of 24 percent.[31]

3025

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[23][6][32]

  • CO: General Grieg Samsonov[9]
The command contained three medium battalions.[29] At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Samarkand.[9]
Regiment TO&E
Regimental BattleGroup (Four Armor lances, two 'Mech lances)
Air Battalion (five squadrons of aerospace fighters)
Wittgenstein's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Kiyomasa's Company ('Mech)
  • Keisuke's Company ('Mech)
  • Tayeizan's Company ('Mech)
Starks's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Toyotomo's Company ('Mech)
  • Hideaki's Company ('Mech)
  • Hidemoto's Company ('Mech)
Makarov's Battalion
  • Battalion Headquarters ('Mech)
  • Charles' Company ('Mech)
  • Morley's Company ('Mech)
  • Sophian's Company ('Mech)

3040

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[33]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on New Samarkand.[33]

3050

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[34]

  • CO: Tai-sa Ivor Sotallarude[34]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Samarkand.[34]

3054

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[35]

  • CO: Tai-sa Ivor Sotallarude

3059

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[2][25]

  • CO/1st Battalion: Tai-sa Ivor Sotallarude
  • 2nd Battalion: Chu-sa Heru Masahone
  • 3rd Battalion: Chu-sa Stephen Suwo

Forty-second Aerospace (The Wyverns) (Wing/Regular/Reliable)[2]

  • Wing Commander: Sho-sa Kenneth Reid

156th Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

  • Armor Commander: Tai-sa Jenno Kiyala

357th Assault Infantry (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[2]

  • Troop Commander: Tai-sa Sun-li Mishira

503rd Motorized Infantry (Regiments/Green/Reliable)[2]

3067

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[26]

  • CO/1st Battalion: Tai-sa Stephen Suwo

Forty-second Aerospace (The Wyverns) (Wing/Regular/Reliable)[26]

  • Wing Commander: Sho-sa Kenneth Reid

156th Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[26]

  • Armor Commander: Tai-sa Jenno Kiyala

503rd Motorized Infantry (Regiments/Green/Reliable)[26]

  • Troop Commander: Tai-sa Halla Dharma

3079

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[36]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Bad News.[36] After the pirate attacks, they were reduced to approximately 80% of their nominal strength.

3085

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Veteran/Fanatical)[27]

Forty-second Aerospace (Wing/Regular/Reliable)[27]

156th Galedon Regulars (Veteran/Fanatical)[27]

503rd Motorized Infantry (Veteran/Reliable)[27]

3145

Fifth Galedon Regulars (Elite/Fanatical)[28]

  • CO: Tai-sa Dona Hurley

Forty-second Aerospace Regiment (Elite/Fanatical)[28]

182nd Galedon Regulars (Veteran/Reliable)[28]

503rd Motorized Infantry (Elite/Reliable)[28]

Rules

Historical Turning Points: Galtor

  • When facing pirates or other small-scale raiders (company-sized or smaller), the Fifth Galedon gains a +1 to their Initiative; when fighting in urban settings, the Fifth suffer a –1 penalty to their To-Hit rolls and automatically fail PSRs to avoid skidding.[37]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 22: "Show of Force"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Field Manual: Draconis Combine, p. 61: "5th Galedon Regulars Unit Profile"
  3. Far Country: "Prologue"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Field Report 2765: DCMS, p. 12: "Galedon Regulars"
  5. House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 62: "Snakes and Sneaks" box
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 The Galtor Campaign, p. 55: "5th Galedon Regulars"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Technical Readout: 3025 Revised, p. 58
  8. Technical Readout: 3026, Revised Edition, p. 86
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 133: "DCMS Deployment Table"
  10. Historical Turning Points: Galtor, p. 12
  11. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 37
  12. 12.0 12.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 72
  13. Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries, p. 14
  14. Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries, p. 8
  15. Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries, p. 9
  16. Invading Clans, p. 67
  17. The Dragon Roars, pp. 8–9
  18. 18.0 18.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 108: "5th Galedon Regulars"
  19. Field Report: DCMS, p. 10
  20. Field Manual: 3085, p. 40
  21. Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine, p. 24
  22. Field Manual: 3145, p. 54: "Fifth Galedon Regulars"
  23. 23.0 23.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 134: "Deployment Table"
  24. Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries, p. 11
  25. 25.0 25.1 20 Year Update, p. 41: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3050"
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 116: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3067"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 50: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3085"
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 65: "DCMS Deployment Table - 3145"
  29. 29.0 29.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 145
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 First Succession War, p. 137: "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery"
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Second Succession War, p. 97
  32. The Galtor Campaign, p. 26: "Phase Two Units - House Kurita"
  33. 33.0 33.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 138
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 20 Year Update, p. 41
  35. Objective Raids, p. 26
  36. 36.0 36.1 Field Report: DCMS, p. 10
  37. Historical Turning Points: Galtor, p. 7

Bibliography