Paul Zardetto

Paul Zardetto
Character Profile
Affiliation House Zardetto
Rank Leutnant-General[1]
Profession MechWarrior
Siblings Acabee Zardetto[2]
Sharon Zardetto[2]

Paul Zardetto was an officer with the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces.

History[edit]

Zardetto was the commanding officer of the Third Lyran Guards from 3050 until at least 3085.[1][3][2][4][5] He was the eldest child of House Zardetto, a Lyran military family.

War of 3039[edit]

Zardetto rose to fame after leading the rear guard during the withdrawal from Kessel in the War of 3039. His quick thinking earned him the McKennsy's Hammer and the love of the media, as well as speeding his course to lead the Third Lyran Guards, where he would spend most of his career.[2]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

Despite the fact the 388th Division steadfastly maintained their sole interest in protecting the surrounding worlds from the Jade Falcons after Victor Davion's broadcast on December 8th 3062 that triggered the FedCom Civil War, the hot-headed Colonel Cyrus Andes prepared the Eleventh Donegal Guards to launch a preemptive strike against the Com Guard unit no matter the penalty. Only held back by the level headed Leutnant-General Paul Zardetto of the Third Lyran Guards. Though stymied by the Guards' efforts to hold the Eleventh Donegal in check, Andes fomented extremists with Brotherhood of Cincinnatus loyalties into staging two weeks of increasingly violent anti-ComStar protests to engineer a reason to eject the ComStar unit from the world, culminating in a protester-triggered incident that led to the death of twelve citizens and three Com Guards, along with hundreds of wounded. On 7 January 3063, Colonel Andes ordered the Eleventh to disarm the 388th in response to the massacre, despite the Com Guard division pulling back to ComStar defensive emplacements and the Third Guards' best efforts to contain their fellow unit. The Eleventh Donegal launched near suicidal attacks on the 388th which provoked extremists to attempt to bomb Graceland's HPG compound.[6]

Angered that Andes' actions had now led ComStar to invoke a Communications Interdiction on the world, the Third Guards CO Leutnant-General Paul Zardetto ordered his unit to push aside the Eleventh and completely contain the 388th. While apologizing for the Eleventh's action, Zardetto ordered the 388th to withdraw to prevent further escalation of the situation. Recognizing they had little choice to avoid fanning the conflict, with the stipulation that a mixed 'Mech and armored infantry Level III be left behind to guard the HPG compound from further attacks, the 388th lifted off Graceland on February 5th. Long an embarrassment for his outspoken views, three days later the commander of the Pandora Theater General Walter Gothard "rewarded" Andes for his disastrous actions with a promotion to a staff position, transferring command of the Eleventh Donegal to Leutnant-General Zardetto's aide Colonel Kay Hanley. On February 14th, Tharkad ordered the Third Lyran Guards to move out to Pandora, leaving the Eleventh Donegal as the sole defenders of Graceland.[6]

At the end of the war they were reassigned to Crimond.[7]

Jihad[edit]

When Alys Rousset-Marik was selected by the allied coalition to be the commanding officer of the Free Worlds League front of Operation SCOUR in January 3077, Khan Santin West of Clan Nova Cat was appointed as Alys' second in command, while Precentor Harris Harvison of the Com Guard Fifth Army, Leutnant-General Paul Zardetto of the Third Lyran Guards and Duke Leonard Stewart served as Alys' senior field commanders.[8] Zardetto retained command of the unit after the end of the Jihad and subsequent formation of the Republic of the Sphere. By that point, only James Ito could rival Zardetto for longevity among LCAF unit commanders.

BattleMech[edit]

By 3068, Paul Zardetto piloted a Warhammer IIC 3.[9]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 109: "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 75: "3rd Lyran Guards Unit Profile"
  3. 20 Year Update, p. 19: "AFFC Deployment Table"
  4. Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 7
  5. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 45: "Overview: Alys Marik"
  6. 6.0 6.1 FedCom Civil War, pp. 42–43: "Flashpoint - Graceland (7 January 3063)"
  7. Field Manual: Updates, p. 177: "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 45: "Overview: Alys Marik"
  9. BattleCorps Scenario: Shake N Bake Falcon
  10. Field Manual: 3085, p. 108: "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces Deployment Table"
  11. Field Manual: 3085, p. 102: "Third Lyran Regulars"

Bibliography[edit]