23rd Division (Word of Blake)

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Unit Description

The 23rd Division was a "hidden" or "Phantom" Word of Blake Militia unit that was first appeared in opening years of the Jihad. The unit was noted to operating within the Draconis Combine during first half of the conflict.

History

3068 Offensives

The 23rd Division first appeared in combat in June of 3068. The Merciful Victory was augmented by a flotilla of Pocket WarShips for this campaign. The offensives against two Combine planets was near-simultaneous; Altair and Asta. Which added to the confusion on how many of the Division's numbers were involved in the fighting for both worlds. However, its naval support was utilizing nuclear weaponry in their fire support of its ground forces and their own Aerospace encounters in orbit of the respective target worlds. The campaign on Altair's defenders later discovered they used chemical weaponry to counter Blakist use of nuclear weapons. However in the end the result remained the same, the Blakist pacified planet for occupation. The unit left quarantine of the two worlds to other forces, so it could continue its strikes.

3069 Offensives and the Day of Fire

The 23rd Division was resumed its campaign in taking worlds of the Word of Blake Protectorate in April of 3069. The 23rd was augmented by mercenary forces and accompanied by reportedly un-named Shadow Division. The unit was in fact Opacus Venatori, independent special operations unit, which was conducting exercises. The 23rd's force dual lighting strikes against Moore and Sabik.

The strikes were not as heavy as initial strikes in previous year, notably no naval or nuclear weaponry was being employed this time. Though strike against Sabik without notable results, Moore was different story. The fighting outside of the planetary capital of Shizuoka. Heavy fighting outside lead into heavy industrial area, which a explosion wiped out a Level III from the 23rd, while it devastated the 45th Dieron Regulars whom were defending the world. The fire storm triggered the was labeled by the locals of the Day of Fire for devastation it caused.

After taking the planet, the 23rd Division moved to Sabik where it begun to use it as staging world for is further raids. It was noted for conducting several raids deep into the Combine's including the world of Irurzun in 3074.[1]

Death on Dieron

In 3076 the 23rd relocated to Dieron and took command of all Word of Blake forces on the planet. In the face of hellish combat with the 8th Dieron Regulars and the Ghost Bear's Alpha Galaxy, the 23rd set fires in many of Dieron's cities to force enemy troops into narrow lanes where the Blakists would mow them down. Though they nearly succeeded in destroying the Star League fortress on Dieron, the 8th Dieron Regulars and Ghost Bears were able to destroy every last member of the 23rd Division.[2][3]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 23rd Division
Precentor XVII Antonio Pietro 3076[4]

Tactics

The unit specializes in using incendiary suppression tactics in their fighting.[5]

Composition

  • Unknown, 4 Level III were report seen in use in 3068.

Notes

Rules

Game Rules

The 23rd Division using its incendiary weapons get a bonus when operating in wooded or urban terrain. The player using the Division may select a select number of units equipped with laser, flamer, PPC, flamers, or missile launchers. The 23rd ignores specific heat levels while they're fighting in these high temperatures. [6][7]

Reference

  1. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, pp. 101-102 - "23rd Division unit profile".
  2. Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 8, 23rd Division
  3. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 126, "Word Of Blake Militia"
  4. Jihad Turning Points: Dieron, p. 8, 23rd Division
  5. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 141 - "Rules Annex" - 23rd tactics revealed.
  6. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 141 - "Rules Annex" - 23rd Special ablities.
  7. Tactical Operations, p. 43

Bibliography