Regional Defense Force 3

Regional Defense Force 3.png
Regional Defense Force 3
Disbanded 3140[citation needed]
Affiliation Hanseatic League
Parent Command Hanseatic Security Force


History[edit]

Regional Defense Force 3 (RDF 3) was formed as a part of the creation of the Hanseatic Security Force following attempts by a number of colonies to throw off the influences of the Hanseatic League Council of Merchants in or around 2920.[1]

After attempting to enforce a period of isolation from external influences across the League, the Council of Merchants changed tack in 3011 and decided to declare three worlds to be open worlds, accessible to all.[1] RDF 3 became the first point of contact for travelers inbound from the Inner Sphere.[2]

By the mid-3060s RDF 3 was under the command of Captain-General Cynthia Hickock, a native of the Hanseatic League - Hickock was born on Lübeck - but one who had chosen to follow a career as a mercenary. Hickock's experience fighting bandits in the Deep Periphery and her tours within Nueva Castile gave her enough money to ensure her rapid promotion within the HSF after her return to Lübeck, but also earned her the active dislike of a number of members of the Council of Merchants, who considered her an upstart.[2]

Despite these issues Hickock's abilities were unquestionable and under her leadership the personnel of RDF 3 were consummate professionals, even though their equipment was in a rather dilapidated state.[2] The state of their equipment wasn't uncommon within the HSF - the best equipment available usually went to RDF 1 or the Convoy Protection Force - but the HSF technicians were well trained and the equipment was generally in good working order.[3]

By 3067 Captain-General Albert Snow of RDF 1 had been installed as head of the HSF by the Council of Merchants, and Snow had gone against the wishes of the council by appointing Hickock his deputy. In a testament to Hickock's experience few were willing to argue with the choice, and as a result of a Clan incursion into the spinward region guarded by RDF 2 Hickock had RDF 3 training hard[4] from their home base on Gateway.[5]

During the Jihad the HSF launched a disastrous expedition to try and drive Clan Diamond Shark out of the Chainelane Isles; committing RDF 1 and RDF 3 to the assault, the HSF saw both units mauled by the Clan forces. Of the two units, RDF 3 took by far the heavier losses, losing more than half their strength before limping back to the League to begin rebuilding.[6]

After Regional Defense Force 2 attacked the Scorpions on Holdout in 3112, Hellion Galaxy Clusters landed on Novgorod for a retaliatory raid. They faced RDF 3.[7]

In January 3140 RDF 3 and Convoy Defense Force 2 attacked the Scorpion systems Hallelujah, Glory, and Graystone. They were repelled from Hallelujah but inflicted heavy losses on the Graystone and Glory defenders. During the Glory assault, they destroyed water treatment plants, farms and other civilian targets. The RDF 3 force that hit Graystone quickly destroyed the only Binary left on world. Then the RDF and CDF returned to League space, landing on Danzig.[8]

March found RDF 3 deployed to Dortmund. They were attacked by Mu Galaxy and fought the Clan unit to a standstill. Despite this, they couldn't force the Scorpions off-world. A courier arrived from Bremen, ordering the RDF to return to that world. Before they left, RDF 3 set up mines and booby traps that took the Scorpions weeks to remove.[9]

On Bremen, RDF 3 joined Regional Defense Force 1 against the attacking Alpha and Seeker Galaxies. RDF 3 destroyed a Cluster from Grunt Galaxy before engaging Seeker Galaxy. Shortly thereafter Regional Defense Force 4 was destroyed by Hellion and Tau Galaxies. This forced RDF 3 to redeploy to face Tau. At the same time, Elementals from Alpha Galaxy captured the Council of Merchants. The Council activated a failsafe that detonated bombs throughout the Council building and the capital city. This explosion destroyed much of Tau Galaxy and RDF 3. The survivors of RDF 3 thought the Scorpions detonated the bombs and attacked Hellion Galaxy and Tau Galaxy with a suicidal fervor. The Scorpions destroyed the enraged troops of RDF 3.[10]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Regional Defense Force 3
Captain-General Cynthia Hickock 3064 - into the Jihad[2][5]
Captain-General Amadeus Pratt 3135[11]
Captain-General Lajos Kossuth 3135-3140[11]

Other Officers[edit]

In 3064 Hickock's Aide was Major Alfredo Garcia.[citation needed]

Tactics[edit]

Composition History[edit]

In common with all of the RDF brigades RDF 3 was a combined arms force, and standard deployments for sub-units drawn from RDF 3 typically consisted of a 'Mech company reinforced by one or two battalions of armor and infantry.[12]

3064[edit]

Regional Defense Force 3 (Regular/Reliable)[2]

  • 1 BattleMech Regiment
  • 4 Conventional Regiments
  • CO: Captain-General Cynthia Hickock
  • Aide: Major Alfredo Garcia

3067[edit]

Regional Defense Force 3 (Regular/Reliable)[5]

  • 1 BattleMech Regiment
  • CO: Captain-General Cynthia Hickock

- At this point in time RDF 3 was at eighty-five percent of full strength; ten percent of the RDF were using advanced equipment. - Conventional forces are not listed within Field Manual: Updates, leaving the strength of the RDF 3 conventional forces unknown.

3079[edit]

Regional Defense Force 3 (Regular/Reliable)[6]

  • 1 BattleMech Regiment

- At this point in time RDF 3 was at forty percent of full strength following the disastrous battles in the Chainelane Isles, but ten percent of RDF 3 was still using upgraded technology. - Conventional forces are not listed within Field Report: Periphery, leaving the strength of the RDF 3 conventional forces unknown.

3140[edit]

Regional Defense Force 3 (Regular)[11]

  • 1 heavy BattleMech battalion
  • 1 medium BattleMech battalion
  • 2 heavy vehicle battalions
  • 1 foot infantry regiment
  • 1 jump infantry regiment[11]

Game Rules[edit]

3064[edit]

  • RDF 3 uses the Hanseatic League column of the Random 'Mech Assignment Table within Field Manual: Periphery.[13]
  • Units from RDF 3 may use the Force The Initiative special ability if they are outnumbered.[13]
  • Units from RDF 3 commanded by Major Alfredo Garcia receive a -1 Initiative penalty.[13]
  • Units from RDF 3 commanded by Major Alfredo Garcia cannot be targeted with the Overrun Combat special ability.[13]

3140[edit]

RDF 3 uses the Enemy Specialization (Escorpión Imperio)[11]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 135: "Hanseatic League"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 137: "Regional Defense Force 2"
  3. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 137: "Hanseatic Security Force Units"
  4. Field Manual: Updates, p. 200: "Hanseatic League"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 204: "Hanseatic League"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 18: "Deep Periphery Forces"
  7. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 9
  8. 'Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 11
  9. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 12
  10. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 13
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, pp. 22–23: "Regional Defense Force 3"
  12. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 136: "Structure"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Field Manual: Periphery, pp. 155–156: "Hanseatic League"

Bibliography[edit]