1st Ariana Fusiliers

Brigade Insignia of the Chesterton Reserves
First Ariana Fusiliers
Formed 2388
Affiliation Capellan Confederation
Parent Command Chesterton Reserves


Unit Description[edit]

The First Ariana Fusiliers were a BattleMech Regiment, in the service of House Liao prior to its destruction at end of the Fourth Succession War.

Unit Insignia[edit]

A stylized black falcon against a green and gold inverted Capellan triangle.[1]

History[edit]

Age of War[edit]

The First Ariana Fusiliers traced their beginnings back to the militia units of the Chesterton Trade League in the era after the Demarcation Declaration. When the Tikonov Grand Union formed from the merger of the earlier Tikonov Union and the Chesterton Trade League the armed forces of the Trade League, the Chesterton Army, were re-roled as a new brigade within the Grand Union's armed forces, the Chesterton Regulars.[2]

Having established the Chesterton Regulars the Tikonov Grand Union went on to reorganize the various militia units within the Chesterton worlds into a new formation, the Chesterton Border Guards. Despite the change, the Border Guards remained a distinctly second-tier formation within the Chesterton Regulars,[2] and in 2388 the surviving elements of the Border Guards were amalgamated together into a new regiment, the Ariana Fusiliers, by the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces, the military arm of the Capellan Confederation, the state which the Tikonov Grand Union had joined two decades before.[1]

Star League Era[edit]

Only a single regiment of the Ariana Fusiliers remained in service with the CCAF during the early years of the Star League, but the CCAF began expanding the Chesterton Regulars in 2752 following the repeal of the Council Edict of 2650 by the Star League Council, relaxing the limitations on the militaries of the various Great Houses. As late as 2765 the Ariana Fusiliers remained a solitary regiment,[2] but the CCAF continued to expand throughout the Amaris Civil War and at least one additional regiment of Fusiliers was raised, as evidenced by the existence of the First Fusiliers.[1] The Chesterton Border Guards were effectively militia forces, and as the Star League era was drawing to a close, the Ariana Fusiliers had barely managed to raise their skill levels above militia level.[2]

Succession Wars[edit]

The First Ariana Fusiliers has a reputation as a "hard luck" regiment having been involved in tough, losing battles against veteran enemy forces. For example, in 2812, they were involved in a disastrous engagement against elements of the 3rd & 5th Crucis Lancers.[3][4] The First lost more than two battalions of troops on Chesterton, as did their sister regiment, the Second Ariana Fusiliers, levels of casualties that were typical of those CCAF regiments in the initial exchanges as the Confederation tried to reclaim the Chesterton worlds.[5][4] The losses on Chesterton led to the First being consolidated into a single oversized battalion in the aftermath of the campaign.[5] Vincent's Commandos and Cochraine's Goliaths took similarly heavy losses, as did the attached conventional forces.[4]

In 2832, the First lost a third of its BattleMechs while repelling a raid staged by the Second Ceti Hussars on Tikonov. Although bolstered by the presence of its sister unit, the Second Ariana Fusiliers, incompetence on the part of the First's junior officers exposed the regiment to artillery bombardment and aerospace fighter attack.

The unit's First Battalion was again the victim of aerospace fighters in 2912, this time in the form of a surprise attack from Free Worlds League forces against Sirius.

Even in victory the First Ariana tends to take heavy losses as was apparent in 2987 when the First repulsed a series of Federated Suns attacks on Tikonov with great élan. Their defense of the world earned posthumous decorations for all three battalion commanders but cost them over fifty percent losses in matériel and personnel. They did manage to salvage some 'Mechs, including Locusts and Marauders.

The unit similarly drove off Falkner's Hussars, a mercenary unit in Davion service in 3002, with heavy losses in a fourteen-hour battle fought in underground caverns. The mercenaries failed to reach their objective in the subterranean depot.

The First Ariana Fusiliers fought at the Battle of New Aragon in 3008. They faced units of the Crucis Lancers and Avalon Hussars.[6]

During the Fourth Succession War, the First was hit in the First Wave on Algol, losing two thirds of their 'Mechs.[7] In addition, the Chancellor's son, Tormano Liao was captured by Davion forces.[8] The action on Algol cost the Fusiliers its 1st and 2nd battalion and the 3rd later defected and became part of the 1st Republican of the Tikonov Free Republic.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Ariana Fusiliers
Colonel Cynthia Drix 3025

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

Ariana Fusiliers (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[2]

- At this point in time the Fusiliers were based on Mira.[2]

2786–2821[edit]

First Ariana Fusiliers (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[9]

- At this point in time the Fusiliers were a medium-weight regiment operating at full strength and stationed on Mira.[9] In 2821 the unit was based on Sonnia, and had been reduced to barely more than a battalion in strength.[9]

2830[edit]

1st Ariana Fusiliers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[10]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Algot with an operational readiness of 99 percent.[10]

2864[edit]

1st Ariana Fusiliers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[10]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Algot with an operational readiness of 44 percent.[10]

3025[edit]

First Ariana Fusiliers (3 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)

1st Battalion
Major Judith Ling
2nd Battalion
Major Henru TChigorin
3rd Battalion
Major Elisa Macao
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Algol.[11] The 'Mechs consisted primarily of Falcon & Vindicator BattleMechs.[12]

Notes[edit]

Tormano Liao was assigned to the 1st Ariana Fusiliers.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 82: "1st Ariana Fusiliers"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 10: "Chesterton Regulars"
  3. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 47: "A Proffered Hand" - Davion Units involved in the battle for Chesterton named
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 First Succession War, p. 97: "Liao's Last Play: The Battle for Chesterton"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Handbook: House Liao, p. 29: "Debacle at Chesterton"
  6. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 11
  7. Warrior: Riposte, p. 252: "Quintus reports that only a Battalion of 1st Ariana managed to get off Algol"
  8. Warrior: Riposte, pp. 252–253: "Quintus reports the successful capture of Tormano Liao"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 First Succession War, p. 135: "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Second Succession War, p. 95
  11. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 105
  12. House Liao (the Capellan Confederation), p. 82: "1st Ariana Fusiliers bio" - Primary BattleMechs

Bibliography[edit]