Marlette Crucis March Militia

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Marlette Crucis March Militia
Formed 2754[1]
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command Crucis March Militia

History

In common with the other March Militias found across the Federated Suns, the Marlette Crucis March Militia or Marlette CrMM was formed in 2754 as a result of the Preparedness Act enacted by First Prince Richard Davion in 2735[2]. Richard established a formal training program aimed at increasing the general readiness level of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns reserve forces and formalized the structure of the March Militias, bringing the planetary militias into a common structure.[1]

Richard established a system whereby each of the Marches within the Federated Suns conducted internal wargames every two years, with those wargames being inspired by the Martial Olympiad conducted by the Star League Defense Force every four years. Each March Militia was formed as an ad hoc brigade drawing on the winners from each planetary militia across each Combat Region. These ad hoc brigades then competed against each other at a March level to earn the title of "Best Prepared" March Militia within each of the three Marches.[1]

The wargames proved to be very popular and by 2750 the prestige that was associated with the "Best Prepared" title inspired troops in every combat region to give their best effort, with some commands making plans years in advance to try and ensure that they were ready. After the close of the 2754 games First Prince John Davion activated all of the combat region commands as federal troops and formed them into the March Militias; while this move was controversial and provoked a flurry of judicial cases opposing the creation of the commands, it also added twenty BattleMech-equipped combat commands to the AFFS in a single stroke. Many of the planets that provided troops for the games were resentful of having their best militia troops pressed into federal service, and it would be 2763 before the last of the cases worked its way through the courts. With the final ruling going in favor of Prince John, he then moved to allay many of the fears expressed by the planets involved by laying down specific instructions that the March Militias wouldn't be deployed outside their home combat regions except under a small number of very rare and clearly-defined exceptions.[1]

Like the other Crucis March Militias the Marlette CrMM was well-equipped, much more so than the average Capellan March Militia or Draconis March Militia, and soon established a constant training regime. The Marlette CrMM was highly active, leading to a readiness level greater than might have been expected of a militia formation, and acted as a mobile reserve for the Marlette Combat Region and a staging ground through which planetary militia soldiers could move on into the AFFS, while retiring AFFS personnel moved into the March Militia to pass on their knowledge and experience.[1] The Marlette CrMM was one of ten March Militia brigades founded within the Crucis March in 2754, with the other nine being the Anjin Muerto, Bastian, Broken Wheel, Islamabad, Kestrel, Malagrotta, New Avalon, Point Barrow and Tsamma Crucis March Militias.[3]

Succession Wars

The Marlette CrMM was destroyed during the First Succession War,[4] and subsequently rebuilt.

The Marlette CrMM was frequently used as the opposing force for the War College of Goshen, playing the part of Draconis Combine and Capellan Confederation forces. The Marlette CrMM frequently engaged in wargames and exercises to maintain their skills even after the Fourth Succession War removed the immediate threat of the Capellan Confederation.[5]

Despite this increased training, the Marlette CrMM was completely mauled in 3044, when 2nd McCarrons Armored Cavalry commander Marcus Barton discovered that his sworn enemy General Lester Otto was commanding the Marlette CrMM. Despite their equipment training and defending what was considered an unassailable fortress, Barton avenged his family’s honor, crushed the CrMM and destroyed the fortresss.[citation needed]

FedCom Civil War

Based on Marlette during the FedCom Civil War, the Marlette CrMM didn't face combat until the fourth wave of the conflict. The 5th Crucis Lancers landed on Marlette and the Marlette CrMM pulled back to the Jedda Military Complex.[6] They were reinforced by the 5th FedCom RCT, but refused to work with the rogue unit. Despite this, the two Loyalist units were able to break out of the Jedda Military Complex and put the Fifth Crucis on the defense. This changed when the 20th Avalon Hussars landed on Marlette and eventually smashed the Fifth F-C RCT. A few companies of the Fifth F-C escaped from Marlette, but the rest were either captured or integrated into the CrMM to make up losses. The Marlette CrMM then withdrew to the Jedda Military Complex.[7] After several weeks of siege warfare, the 5th Lyran Guards landed and punched a hole through the Fifth Lancers, allowing the Marlette CrMM to escape. This began a months long campaign of leapfrog tactics as the two forces battled each other. In November 3065, winter storms dropped twenty inches of snow in just over fourteen hours, stalling operations briefly. Six more storms hit in the next month, depositing the heaviest snowfall seen at the Jedda Complex, and halting operations.[8]

Six months later the snow melted, giving rise to flood waters and marshy conditions. The Marlette CrMM and Fifth Lyran Guards had to store their 'Mechs and armored vehicles in DropShips, which also required sandbag walls to protect them from the high waters. This allowed the Allied forces to strike the Fifth Lyran Guards while they were unprepared, and two thirds of the unit was taken. The Allied commands kept the pressure on, and the commanders of the Lyran Guards and Marlette CrMM ordered their DropShips to lift off. Unfortunately this created huge amounts of steam due to the swampy ground, and this steam inflicted damage on other nearby units. By the end of July the Marlette CrMM was reduced to three thin combat commands. However in July 3066 they received reinforcements from the fighting on Tikonov: The 15th Deneb Light Cavalry and 1st Republican Guards.[9]

The 3rd Crucis Lancers, Blackwind Lancers, and ComStar's 244th Division landed to reinforce the pro-Victor forces. The Marlette CrMM was caught out of position on the Cregmoor Plains and was largely wiped out but some surrendered.[10] After the war ended the survivors were released and used to re-form the Marlette CrMM.[11] They were rebuilding on Marlette in 3067.[12]

Jihad

The Marlette Crucis March Militia were one of the units contributed by the Federated Suns to Operation SCOUR in 3077. Assigned to the Free Worlds League front of SCOUR, the Marlette CrMM formed a part of Group IV, alongside Beta Galaxy of Clan Wolf-in-Exile and the Third Lyran Guards. The Marlette CrMM soon saw action on Talitha, where Group IV deployed with the Clan Nova Cat Aegis-class WarShip CNC Blade in support and quickly achieved air superiority in the system. With Beta Galaxy forming the core of the ground assault, the three units quickly rolled over the defending Blakists and liberated Talitha in a short campaign.[13]

The first 18 months of Operation SCOUR were a bloody, brutal and demoralizing experience, and by the time the Marlette Crucis March Militia and the other Group IV units had linked up with the bulk of the rest of the Free Worlds League task force on Pollux in June 3078 the Wolf's Beta Galaxy was the least damaged of the Group IV units... and yet could muster only a single Cluster, one third or less of its' initial strength.[14]

During the Operation SCYTHE the Marlette Crucis March Militia was assigned to General Galen Cox's command. They were heavily damaged when the defending Word of Blake forces tried to destroy them with tactical nuclear weapons[15] during the battle for control of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.[16] The bulk of those who survived the nuclear attack had retired from active service by 3079, but the few who remained in service would provide the nucleus around which the Marlette CrMM would be rebuilt. The Marlette CrMM was also at the front of the supply lines for rebuilding and was likely to be the first of the new Light Combat Team-pattern Militias to enter service.[16] In addition to the high priority the Marlette CrMM had for supplies, more than half of the 'Mechs and armor from the Anjin Muerto CrMM were earmarked to transfer into the Marlette CrMM, although that transfer hadn't taken place by October 3079.[16]

By 3085 the Marlette CrMM was rebuilding swiftly, and although the equipment supplied to the Militia was of a technology level equivalent to that of the Succession Wars, the new Marlette CrMM LCT was running workups and mock battles on Marlette to gain experience. The Militia found itself with no shortage of recruits as volunteers outnumbered vacancies two-to-one.[17]

Dark Age

The Marlette Command found itself as the new front line in 3145. The Draconis Combine and Capellan Confederation had made tremendous gains at the expense of the Federated Suns, and the Marlette CrMM was stationed on Marlette to defend against Combine efforts. Their sudden relocation to the front line allowed them to fill all open billets and receive new equipment, including an additional squadron of aerospace fighters.[18]

During the next year the Marlette CrMM were used as bait for a trap aimed at the Capellans. Leaked intelligence to the Maskirovka indicated that the unit was alone in guarding a massive secret base intended to serve as a springboard against the Capellan Confederation. The lure proved successful, though the Marlette CrMM itself was not present at the ensuing Federated Suns victory.[19]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Marlette Crucis March Militia
Major General Dennis Wantraub 3025[20]
General Lester J. Otto 3044[21]
Leftenant General Dennis Waxton 3050-3062[22][23][5]
Major General Nicholas Voss-Richmond 3067[24]
Leftenant General Jackie Kenan 3085[25]
Leftenant General Willard Hutchissen 3145[26]

Tactics

The Marlette Crucis March Militia preferred to use offensive strategies in combat, even when they were defending an area. They frequently split off fire companies of Enforcers and Centurions to engage an enemy in spoiling attacks and tactical assaults. These attacks forced the enemy force onto the defensive, and allowed the Marlette CrMM to position their own main force to best advantage.[5]

Composition History

2765

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[3]

- One BattleMech regiment[1]
- Two armor regiments[1]
- Three infantry regiments[1]
- One mobile artillery battalion[1]
- Two aerospace wings, each of eighteen aerospace fighters[1]
- The Marlette CrMM was stationed on New Valencia at this point in time.[3][27]

2786

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[4]

- At this point in time the Militia was a light-weight unit operating at full regimental strength, and was based on New Valencia.[4] The unit was destroyed during the war. [4]

3025

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[20]

  • CO: Major General Dennis Wantraub
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Marlette.

3040

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[28]

  • CO General Lester J. Otto
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Marlette. [28]

3044

Marlette Crucis March Militia

  • CO General Lester J. Otto

Marlette Rangers (BattleMech Regiment)[29]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Marlette.

3050

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [30]

  • CO: Leftenant General Dennis Waxon [30]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Marlette. [30]

3054

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [31]

  • CO: Leftenant General Dennis Waxon [31]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Marlette. [31]

3062

Marlette Crucis March Militia (1 Reinforced Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[5]

  • CO: Lieutenant General Dennis Waxton

Marlette CMM Aerospace Wing (1 Wing/Regular/Reliable)[5]

  • CO: Lieutenant General Jen Harvey-Kelly

Marlette CMM Armor Brigade (2 Regiments/Regular/Reliable)[5]

  • CO: Lieutenant General Charlotte Cobham

Marlette CMM Infantry Brigade (5 Regiments/Regular/Questionable)

  • CO: Lieutenant Nick Massarik

3067

Marlette Crucis March Militia (Regular/Reliable)[24]

  • CO: Major General Nicholas Voss-Richmond

Marlette CrMM Aerospace Wing (Veteran/Reliable)[24]

Marlette CrMM Armor Brigade (Regular/Questionable)[24]

  • CO: Leftenant General Reuben Tork

Marlette CrMM Infantry Brigade (Green/Questionable)[24]

  • CO: Leftenant General Kiele Choy

3085

Marlette Crucis March Militia LCT (Regular/Reliable)[25]

  • CO: Leftenant General Jackie Kenan

Marlette CrMM Aerospace Wing (Green/Reliable)[25]

Marlette CrMM Armor Brigade (Regular/Reliable)[25]

  • CO: Leftenant General Tony Johnson

Marlette CrMM Infantry Brigade (Green/Reliable)[25]

  • CO: Leftenant General Natalia Esposito

3145

Marlette Crucis March Militia (1 Battalion/Regular/Reliable)[26]

  • CO: Leftenant General Willard Hutchissen

Marlette CrMM Aerospace Wing (Veteran/Reliable)[26]

Marlette CrMM Armor Brigade (Regular/Questionable)[26]

  • CO: Leftenant General Phaedra Ramos

Marlette CrMM Infantry Brigade (Green/Reliable)[26]

  • CO: Leftenant General Sally Powers

Notes

  • Field Report 2765: Federated Suns attributes the Preparedness Act of 2735 to both Richard Davion[2] and Roger Davion[1]. Because other sources indicate that Richard Davion was First Prince in 2735, and that Roger Davion died in 2703, the latter attribution is probably an error.
  • The Marlette CMM provide the enemy force for the Cadets of the Goshen War College's graduation exercise.

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Field Report 2765: Federated Suns, p. 21, "Federated Suns March Militias"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Field Report 2765: Federated Suns, p. 3, "Strategic Update"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Field Report 2765: Federated Suns, p. 22, "Regimental Status"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 First Succession War, p. 134, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 116, "Militia Profile"
  6. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 124
  7. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 125
  8. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), pp. 140-141
  9. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 155
  10. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 172
  11. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 134
  12. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 139
  13. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 45-46, "Talitha, Berenson Capitulate"
  14. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 80, "Terra's Doorstep"
  15. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p.108, "Rio Captured; Dallas Burns"
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Field Report: AFFS, p. 17, "Crucis March Militia"
  17. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 65, "Crucis March Militia"
  18. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 82
  19. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 22-23
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138 (pdf version), "Deployment Table - The Crucis March"
  21. ↑ McCarron's Armored Cavalry (scenario pack), p. 6
  22. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 22, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
  23. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 15, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 139, "AFFS Deployment Table - 3067"
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 71, "AFFS Deployment Table - 3085"
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 90, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns"
  27. ↑ Field Report 2765: Federated Suns, p. 29, "Armed Forces Federated Suns Deployment Map 2765"
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Historical: War of 3039, p.136
  29. ↑ McCarron's Armored Cavalry (scenario pack), p. 17
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 20 Year Update, p. 22
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Objective Raids, p. 15

Bibliography

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