34th Division (ComStar)

34th Division IV-upsilon
Nickname Black Glove Division (3062);
Warriors of Peace (3050)
Affiliation ComStar
Parent Command Ninth Army


Noted for its actions during the Battle of Tukayyid and Operation Bulldog, the 34th Division is one of the most elite formations in the Com Guards.

History[edit]

Prior to the initial Clan Invasion, the green rated 34th Division was known by the nickname of Warriors of Peace and assigned to the 9th Army. Then a IV-xi based formation, the 34th's headquarters world was Florida in the Lyran side of the Federated Commonwealth.[1]

Along with the rest of the Ninth Army, the 34th faced Clan Wolf during the Battle of Tukayyid, part of the unsuccessful defense of the secondary target city of Brzo.[2][3]

Like many Com Guard Divisions, the 34th chose a new nickname after that climactic battle, calling itself the Black Glove Division, remaining with the Ninth Army and making New Earth in the Lyran Alliance its headquarters.[4] Recouping its losses from Tukayyid, the now elite rated 34th was transformed into a IV-upsilon formation, Unlike the other divisions within the Ninth Army, the 34th concentrated its forces and posted two Level IIs on New Earth, Thorin and Chara rather than the usual deployment for HPG defense purposes. While officially claimed to be due to risk of attack from either the Free Worlds League or Draconis Combine, the strategic importance of these worlds for an assault on Terra and the vital nature of BattleMechs, Combat Vehicles and supplies manufactured by the New Earth based Yankee Weapons Systems and the New Earth Trading Company to the Com Guards made protecting them a high priority.[5]

The 34th's elite standing earned them a position among the Com Guard divisions assigned to Operation Bulldog. Launching from the Draconis Combine world of Brocchi's Cluster on May 13th 3059, the 34th Division joined the Wave 3 assault on the Clan Smoke Jaguar–held world of Coudoux alongside the 2nd Sword of Light, 1st Amphigean Light Assault Group, and the 1st Aragon Borderers. The 8th Garrison Cluster of the Jaguar's Psi Galaxy offered only token resistance before its troops made a hasty withdrawal to flee to the Clan Homeworlds.[6]

During the fourth wave the 34th joined the 22nd Dieron Regulars and the SLDF Nova Cat Lancers in the assault on Kabah, defended by the Psi Galaxy's 7th Garrison Cluster. With the 7th Garrison hoping in vain that ships from Matamoras would come to pull them off-world, the 34th and the rest of the SLDF taskforce inflicted heavy losses as the Jaguar Cluster staged a number of delaying actions to try and buy time for rescue. Finally convinced by the 22nd Dieron that no rescue would be forthcoming, the survivors of the 7th Garrison negotiated face-saving Trials of Possession between the Dieron Regulars and Nova Cat Lancers.[7]

After Bulldog when questions to the loyalty of 283rd Division were raised, the 34th's location on New Earth and its proximity to Terra made it the natural choice to supply the remains of the 201st Division in its guerrilla campaign against the Word of Blake on Terra.[8] Unfortunately the division's exposure to the Blakists and the possibility of Blakist ROM subversion within the unit also earned it a similar questionable loyalty rating as the 283rd.[5]

Along with the rest of the Ninth Army, the 34th avoided all but most cursory involvement in the FedCom Civil War, saving most of its attention for safeguarding the holdings of the New Earth Trading Company, which continued to sell primarily to the secular ComStar.[9]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 34th Division (ComStar)
Precentor Paul Gruvner 3049[1]
Precentor Patrice King 3054 - 3067[4][5][9]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3050[edit]

34th Division (Division/Green)[10]

Note: At this point in time the 34th Division was stationed on Florida.[10]

3055[edit]

34th Division (Division/Elite)[11]

Note: At this point in time the 34th Division was stationed on New Earth.[11]

3062 to 3067[edit]

[5][9]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 20 Year Update, p. 71: "9th V-lambda"
  2. Tukayyid, p. 90: "Campaign: Clan Wolf"
  3. Wolf Clan Sourcebook, pp. 50–51: "Days of Armageddon - Wolf"
  4. 4.0 4.1 ComStar, p. 85: "9th Army V-lambda"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Field Manual: ComStar, p. 37: "9th Army V-lambda: The Rag Tags"
  6. The Dragon Roars, pp. 11–13, 44
  7. The Dragon Roars, pp. 11–13, 15
  8. Field Manual: ComStar, p. 39: "10th Army V-nu The Red Legion"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 87: "9th Army V-Lambda (The Rag Tags)"
  10. 10.0 10.1 20 Year Update, p. 71
  11. 11.0 11.1 ComStar, p. 85

Bibliography[edit]