9th Army (Star League)

Army 09th (SLDF) logo.png
Ninth Army
Affiliation Star League
Parent Command Second Army Group (2764)[1]
Twelfth Army Group (2766)[2]
Twenty-first Army Group (2772)[3]

The Star League Defense Forces Ninth Army was assigned to operations within the Free Worlds League Military Region.[4]

History[edit]

In 2764 the Ninth Army was assigned to the Second District of the Free Worlds League region, with the Army Headquarters located on Chalouba.[4] The 9th Army was one of two SLDF Armies stationed in the Free Worlds League to be based on the mobile army construct, and was responsible for a large number of largely independent Free Worlds League systems within the anti-spinward districts of the League.[5] The Ninth Army covered many of the smaller worlds and systems in the League, providing the largest military presence for worlds that would otherwise be limited to a few companies of militia forces. In addition to their duties in the Free Worlds Military Region, on several occasions the two corps stationed closest to the Illyrian Palatinate offered aid to that small nation, despite the unofficial "hands off" policy. This aid consisted of both humanitarian and military operations.[6]

The Ninth Army was assigned to prevent adventurism by pirates and Lyran Commonwealth rogues. The Ninth was also ready to deploy rapidly to Atreus if the League threatened to withdraw from or declare war on the Star League. When units were not mobilized, they used a variety of tactics to improve their defensive posture. This could include the creation of chokepoints, creating impassable terrain features, or using multiple diversionary strikes to convince an attacker that the SLDF's numbers were much larger than they really were. Many of the deployments undertaken by the Ninth were reactions to incursions, but were limited to brigade or regimental size operations.[6]

However, in response to the Periphery Uprising of 2765, the entire army was redeployed to the Periphery to fight against the rebellion. Many of the Ninth's units were destroyed in the fighting, which had been secretly orchestrated by Stefan Amaris to accomplish his takeover of the Terran Hegemony.[4] In total the Periphery Uprising campaign within the Magistracy of Canopus cost the Ninth Army five Divisions and thirteen Independent Regiments, almost a third of the Ninth's total combat strength.[5]

Rim Worlds Campaign[edit]

Elements of the Ninth Army fought in the campaign to occupy the Rim Worlds Republic, serving as part of the Fourteenth Army Group; Commanding General Aleksandr Kerensky divided the invasion forces into two task forces, one headed by himself, and the other by General Aaron DeChavilier, and the Ninth formed a part of DeChavilier's task force.[7] In September 2677 the Ninth was deployed as part of the third wave of invasions into the Erdvynn Province of the Republic, tasked with capturing Circinus. During the years in which the SLDF had maintained a presence in the Rim Worlds Republic until the withdrawal of the Tenth Army Group the SLDF had built and maintained twenty fortress complexes within the Republic. One of these bases, Camp Amber, was located on Circinus; the base anchored the Republic's rimward defenses and it was considered a threat to SLDF operations. The Ninth initially concentrated on securing industrial sites and civilian population centers, but found themselves being stung by hit-and-fade attacks from an enemy BattleMech force. The attackers were identified as the Twenty-third Amaris Chasseurs, and the SLDF was able to track the Chasseurs back to their base of operations... Camp Amber. This was a little embarrassing for the SLDF, as Camp Amber - buried under the northern Ezo Desert - had been believed to be abandoned, and therefore hadn't been a priority.[8]

The Commanding Officer of the Ninth, General Thierry Dhaif, assigned two complete divisions to capture and secure Camp Amber. These two divisions - the 108th Jump Infantry Division and the 275th BattleMech Division - moved to breach the heavily fortified and concealed entrances to Camp Amber. Initially plagued by snipers and hidden weapon emplacements as they attempted to open the massive blast doors and gain access to the underground complex, the battle to secure Camp Amber would take six weeks, despite the vast disparity in numbers between the SLDF and Rim Worlds Army forces. Camp Amber was a labyrinth, and the Chasseurs were able to withdraw in good order to secondary and tertiary defensive positions within the complex. Despite the efforts made by the Chasseurs, the SLDF numbers made the difference - particularly after one company of Chasseurs made an ill-judged attempt to break out of Camp Amber and ran straight into a regiment of SLDF troops. When the SLDF finally secured Camp Amber on the 25th of October, the occupation of Circinus was complete.[8]

Operation CHIEFTAIN[edit]

The remnants of the Ninth Army would fight in the resulting Hegemony Campaign and suffer heavy casualties by the time Terra was liberated. Of the few units which would survive to 2784, nine would join Operation Exodus, with the rest either disbanding or joining other Great House armies.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 9th Army
General Zhang Craggs 2765[5][6]
General Thierry Dhaif 2767[8]

Tactics[edit]

Different per Unit.

Corps of the 9th Army[edit]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

  • 6 BattleMech Divisions[5]
  • 11 Infantry Divisions[5]
  • 27 Independent Regiments[5]

Notes[edit]

The designation for the XVIII Corps is used twice in the Star League sourcebook, once for a Corps within the 9th Army, and once for a Corps within the 17th Army. This is most likely a typo or error, as the units forming the two Corps are different.[4][13]

Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1 has subsequently confirmed that the XVIII Corps designation within the 17th Army is in error.[14]

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 125: "Ninth Army"
  2. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 95: "The Magistracy Campaign"
  3. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, pp. 120–121: "Operation CHIEFTAIN Star League Defense Forces Order of Battle"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Star League, p. 141: "Ninth Army"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 43: "Tenth Army"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Field Manual: SLDF, p. 115
  7. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 105: "The Gathering Storm"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 106: "Camp Amber"
  9. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 116
  10. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 118
  11. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 120
  12. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 122
  13. The Star League, p. 155: "Seventeenth Army"
  14. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 45: "Seventeenth Army"

Bibliography[edit]