18th Dieron Regulars

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History

First Succession War

The Eighteenth Dieron Regulars were one of thirty-one regiments of Dieron Regulars to be created by the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery after 2765.[1] The Dieron Regulars expanded by ten regiments during the Amaris Civil War,[2] and a further twenty-one regiments were raised between the end of the Civil War and the end of the First Succession War. Of the latter twenty-one regiments, eight were formed by recruiting Star League Defense Force personnel and units whilst the remainder - including the Eighteenth - were recruited more conventionally.[1]

In 2787 the "18th Algedi Regulars" participated in Operation BROKEN BLADE.

The Eighteenth was a casualty of the First Succession War, and had been destroyed by 2821 - one of the seven Dieron Regulars regiments to be wiped out during the war.[1]

Third Succession War

After the Lyran Commonwealth recaptured Sevren from the Draconis Combine in the last years of the Third Succession War, the Eighteenth Dieron Regulars were among the units who launched an unsuccessful attempt to retake the world, the unit losing an Overlord-class DropShip, captured by Barrett's Fusiliers, a mercenary unit in Lyran employ.[3]

During this time the 18th's homeworld was Altair. [4][5]

The Fourth Succession War

When the Fourth Succession War broke out in 3028, the Eighteenth Regulars were still based on Altair. The Lyran Commonwealth targeted that world as part of Operation HOLDUR not only for its rich mineral resources, but also for its strategic position within the district. The elite Seventeenth Skye Rangers RCT and the Always Faithful mercenary regiment were sent not only to conquer the planet, but also to destroy the Dieron Regulars defending it. Despite being outnumbered, the Eighteenth took full advantage of the desert terrain to ambush and harry the Lyran forces, and to strike at their supply chain. Though the Regulars took heavy losses, most notably losing their entire Second Battalion during the battle for Hehiro City thanks to the sacrifice of an Always Faithful lance, they eventually drew their enemies into a long campaign through the desert, a climate they were fully adjusted to. Beleaguered with supply problems, the LCAF forces would eventually retreat. [6]

War of 3039

Remaining on their home base of Altair throughout the first wave of Steiner-Davion attacks during the War of 3039, the Eighteenth Dieron was ordered into action during the Combine counterattack in the midst of the AFFC's second wave. Tasked with assisting the remains of the Shin Legion on Ancha, the Eighteenth arrived in-system via pirate point on July 19th 3039, landing in Eastern Normandy while the Sixth FedCom RCT and Fighting Urukhai were busy elsewhere.[7]

The Eighteenth immediately launched strikes against the FedCom forces, their Alpha and Beta Battalions under the command of Sho-Sho James Aren forcing their way between both FedCom units while the Eighteenth's Gamma Battalion struck the Urukhai forces harrying the battered remnants of the Shin Legion. Over the next week the combined Kurita and FedCom forces only engaged in minor clashes, until August 8th when the Eighteenth trapped a company-sized raiding unit from the Urukhai in the city of Newark, both sides throwing more and more troops into what became a three-week meat-grinder siege, both sides suffering heavy losses including an entire battalion of the Eighteenth.[7]

On September 19th the Eighteenth struck the FedCom troops in the planetary capital of New Summit with a aerospace fighter and artillery assault. While the FedCom pilots inflicted heavy losses on the Eighteenth's fighters, the Combine assault's primary goal of striking fear into the defenders was achieved, the masterstroke of this assault was a daring raid by a hand-picked company led by then-Chu-sa Basil Itemji that succeeded in fighting their way into the city and seizing control of the principal medical center. Beating back several FedCom counter-attacks trying to recapture the site of the vital anti-viral agents the FedCom forces needed to weather Ancha's aggressive biosphere, the Eighteenth gave the occupiers a stark ultimatum to withdraw. Initially refusing to comply, as news of further Combine counter-strikes spread, the Fedcom troops withdrew in defeat on September 26th.[7]

Clan Invasion

Immediately prior to the arrival of the Clans, the elite rated Eighteenth Dieron Regulars remained stationed on Altair in 3050.[8]

With Clan Nova Cat's line of advance approaching Irece, location of LexaTech Industries the last surviving Land-Air 'Mech manufacturer in the Inner Sphere, in late 3051 House Kurita dispatched the Eighteenth to defend the facility. On December 22nd of that year, coinciding with the invasion of Avon, the Nova Cat's Beta Galaxy arrived in-system and Galaxy Commander John Rosse issued a batchall, Tai-sa Basil Itemji correctly declaring his intention to defend the world with his entire force or die trying. Despite his subordinates fomenting to be allowed the bid for the right to attack, Rosse suspected Spheroid trickery and chose to attack with his entire Galaxy. [9]

Despite the Eighteenth's track-record for urban combat, Tai-sa Itemji chose to initiate the battle far from the LexaTech plant, setting up hardened defenses and extensive artillery far from the factory, with only a token force preparing the site for any last stands. Cautiously landing just out range of the Eighteenth's artillery forces, the Nova Cat's OmniFighters quickly gained air-superiority and destroyed the artillery before they could fire a single shot as the Cat's OmniMechs engaged the Kurita forces.[9]

While switching to concentrated fire when the 18th refused to engage in Clan style single combat, the Nova Cat warriors pushed the retreating Regulars back to their second stand near a small natural crater. When the 179th Striker Cluster followed the east flank of the Kurita retreat, the 18th succeeded in nearly decimated the entire Cluster when the Nova Cats found themselves caught between a split assault emerging from hidden positions.[9]

By the fourth day an increasingly desperate Rosse ordered a Star of Elementals to perform a headhunter strike against the Eighteenth's command center, only for a native animal known as squawk to give away their approach, allowing Tai-sa Itemji and his command to destroy the Elementals at their cost of their cover, fighting a running battle with the rest of Beta as they withdrew again. Taking a leaf from this attack, Tai-sa Itemji ordered the 412th DEST Company attached to the 18th to launch headhunter strike against the Nova Cat's command Trinary, the element of surprise allowing the DEST troops to eliminate 20 Clan 'Mechs, including John Rosse and his command staff before they were killed.[9]

With Star Colonel Brian Lossey taking command, the units of Beta continued with Rosse's plan, launching a series of raids designed to systematically weaken the Eighteenth, forcing Tai-sa Itemji to repeatedly give ground. When Lossey sent a Trinary directly towards the LexaTech plant, Itemji was forced to play his final ace in the hole, ordering the last of his artillery to destroy the Trinary only to leave it open to another OmniFighter strike.[9]

With the last remnants of the Eighteenth pulling back to the factory grounds for their last stand, the Kurita defenders rigged the factory with explosives in an attempt to deny it to Nova Cats. Unfortunately suspecting just such a trap, Star Colonel Lossey sent Elementals in to disable the bombs, the Eighteenth only managing to inflict minor damage on the facilities before the Nova Cat forces crushed them completely.[9]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 18th Dieron Regulars
Tai-sho Dexter Kingsley 3025[10]
Tai-sa Basil Itemji 3049 - December 3051 [8] [9]

Tactics

The Eighteenth Dieron Regulars had a notable proficiency at urban combat.[4] Its armor component, an all-assault tank force, shared this aptitude, while the infantry was also skilled in anti-'Mech operations. The Eighteenth's Sky Assault Wing specialized in ground support strikes.[11]

Composition History

2786

Eighteenth Dieron Regulars (Green/Reliable)[1]

- At this point in time the Eighteenth was a heavy-weight regiment operating at full strength and was stationed on Moore.[1] The unit was destroyed during the war. [1]

2864

18th Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Green/Reliable) [12]

Note: At this point in time the -weight unit was stationed on Alnasi with an operational readiness of 28 percent. [12]

3025

Eighteenth Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[10]

Note:The command contains 3 heavy battalions.[4] At this point in time the unit was stationed on Altair. [5]

3040

Eighteenth Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[13]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Altair. [13]

3050

Eighteenth Dieron Regulars (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[8]

  • CO: Tai-sa Basil Itemji[8]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Altair.[8]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 First Succession War, p. 137, "Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery (DCMS)"
  2. First Succession War, p. 119, "House Kurita"
  3. Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42, "Barrett's Fusiliers: The Light Musketeers"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p.144
  5. 5.0 5.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p.133
  6. NAIS Fourth Succession War Military Atlas vol 2 p. 74-75
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Historical: War of 3039, pp. 78-79 "Wave Two and Counterattack - Ancha (July-September)"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 20 Year Update, p. 40
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Invading Clans, p.112-114 "The Fifth Wave - Irece"
  10. 10.0 10.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 135, "Deployment Table"
  11. Combat Manual: Kurita, p. 33
  12. 12.0 12.1 ’’ Second Succession War’’, p. 97
  13. 13.0 13.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 138 >Historical: War of 3039, p. 138

Bibliography