24th Lyran Guards
Contents
History
Star League Era
During the Star League era the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards was one of six regiments within the Third Lyran Guards Division, one of five Divisions of active regiments within the Lyran Guards brigade in the closing decades of the Star League's existence.[1]
Like the other regiments of the Guards during this era, the Twenty-fourth lacked any particular political ties - either regional or familial - unlike regiments in other brigades; commonly assigned to garrison postings, the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards and their sister regiments were postings of choice for those who wanted to work for the Commonwealth without either regional loyalties or particular ambitions. This led to the Twenty-fourth and her sister regiments being manned by soldiers who were professional, but without the close-knit ties found in more parochial regiments. The LCAF was intent on generating more camaraderie and esprit de corps amongst the Twenty-fourth and the other Guards regiments, but with little success by 2765.[1]
As a part of the Third Division the Twenty-fourth was considered a regiment for up-and-coming personnel and rising stars during the 2760s, a consequence of Leutnant General Kirsty Kirrlund's tenure as commanding officer of the Third. The Twenty-fourth took part in the Division-level deployment of the entire Third Division to the Circinus system in the mid-2760s to conduct Operation HOUND DOG, a determined effort to track down and destroy bandit elements and groups believed to be operating out of the otherwise-uninhabited Circinus system. Despite the Free Worlds League declining to commit any troops or observers to the Operation - the League military considering the Operation to be nothing more than a "Snipe hunt" - the mission was accompanied by a team of Star League Defense Force observers and was a success. The Twenty-fourth had taken up a garrison post on Tainjin by 2765 and recovered completely from the few casualties taken during HOUND DOG.[1]
Succession Wars
The Twenty-fourth earned its modern nickname while stationed on Suk II during the Second Succession War. When a local nobleman threatened and harassed the unit and its dependants, heavily disguised soldiers assumed to be from the Twenty-fourth broke into the noble's mansion and cut off his ears in the ensuring scuffle. While there was not enough evidence for anyone in the unit to be officially accused or charged of the crime, the unit adopted its new nickname and insignia in its wake as if to simultaneously mock and confirm them. [2] [3]
When Wolf's Dragoons landed on Hesperus II in 3019, the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards formed the core of the defenders. The Twenty-fourth stopped several attacks cold, and when the Dragoons were finally pushed off-world the Slashers maintained the pressure on the Dragoons as they evacuated, suffering losses of over 50% but taking pride in their performance.[4][5] [3]
While reduced to green status with the influx of so many replacement troops after its battle against the Dragoons, the Twenty-fourth was deployed to take Sabik in 3029 during the Fourth Succession War. Having succeeded in pushing the Barrett's Fusiliers off-world to retake it Draconis Combine at the start of the war, Kingston Caballeros fared less well against the Twenty-fourth, the Caballeros able to destroy a company of Lyran 'Mechs before being forced to withdraw.[6] [3]
Federated Commonwealth Era
Save for a brief redeployment back to Sabik during the War of 3039, after the Fourth War the Twenty-fourth spent most of their time during the years of the Federated Commonwealth on garrison duty on Donegal, a posting that allowed them to act as test pilots for the TharHes Industries and Lockheed/CBM facilities on-world.
The Twenty-fourth's sole mission of note during this period was a deployment to Cumbres. Nominally there to evaluate a number of new technologies, on April 5 3057 elements of the Fourth Viper Guards of Clan Steel Viper launched in a raid against the Lyran command facility on-world. Despite their lack of experience against the Clans, the Twenty-fourth inflicted notable losses on the Vipers until their battle was interrupted by the seeming arrival of the Knights of the Inner Sphere. Later revealed to be Periphery raiders, the false-Knights took advantage of their shock appearance to shatter the Twenty-fourth's Alpha Battalion and kill its commanding officer, Orpheus Thomas. [3] [7]
FedCom Civil War
During the FedCom Civil War the Twenty-fourth held their position until summoned to Tharkad in wave 6. There they served mostly as Nondi Steiner's mobile force. After skirmishing with Allied forces for a month, they faced off against the Kell Hounds. Nondi Steiner ordered them to attack a fortified position and "damn the casualties", at which point their commander contacted the Allies and asked for terms of surrender.[8] General Riskind then resigned his commission.[9] They remained on Tharkad.[10]
Jihad Era
Fought a bitter resistance campaign on Tharkad against the Word of Blake December 3067 - January 3072, during which its strength declined to two combined arms companies.[11] The Twenty-fourth spent five years fighting a guerrilla action against the Word of Blake on Tharkad. To rebuild, an entire battalion from the Teyvareb TMM was transferred to the Twenty-fourth. The new Twenty-fourth was sent to Main Street to train.[12] After rebuilding the unit, the Twenty-fourth participated in several pirate hunting missions near the Lyran Commonwealth/Circinus Federation border area. These missions allowed the unit to become a cohesive fighting force.[13] The Twenty-fourth was stationed on Galisteo in 3085. At this time they were reorganized into a Light Combat Team.[14]
Officers
Until 3057 the Twenty-fourth commanding officer was Marshal Orpheus Thomas. Having held the post from at least 3019, Thomas was killed during the brutal three-way fight on Cumbres. [15][16][17][18] [3]
As of 3067 the commanding officer was Leutnant-General Peter Riskind. Thomas's XO and mastermind of the Twenty-fourth evacuation on Cumbres, Riskind was promoted to command of the Twenty-fourth. Considered self-righteous by many, Riskind amply proved his critics right by choosing to surrender rather then sending his unit to a meaningless death. [3]
As of December 3067 the commanding officer was Leutnant-General Sabine Steiner. Daughter of Quartermaster General Lisa Steiner and an extremely talented tactician and strategist, Sabine served as an aide to Riskind, promoted to command the Twenty-fourth upon his resignation. [3] [11][10]
As of 3085 the commanding officer is Leutnant-General Prudence Steiner.[14]
Tactics
The unit can react to many battlefield events with the right maneuver, but is skilled to counter clan units.[3]
Composition History
2765
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards (Regular/Reliable)[1]
- - At this point in time the Twenty-fourth was based on Tainjin.[1]
3025
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guard (Green/Fanatical)[16]
- CO: Leutnant-Colonel Orpheus Thomas
3040
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards RCT (Green/Fanatical)[19]
3050-3054
Twenty-fourth Lyran Regulars RCT (Green/Questionalbe)[17][18]
- CO: Marshal Orpheus Thomas
3062-3067
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards (1 BattleMech Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]
- CO: Leutnant-General Peter Riskind
- Aide: Colonel Sabine Steiner
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards Aerospace Brigade (2 Wings)[3][10]
- CO: Captain Russell Samura
- 111th Lyran Guards Wing
- 113th Lyran Guards Wing
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards Armor Brigade (3 Regiments/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]
- CO: Colonel Justin Barry
- Aide: Leutnant-Colonel Flint Killoran
- Second Donegal Artillery Group: Colonel Hyacinth Sheehy
- 344th Lyran Heavy Armor: Colonel Valentin Petrayla
- Eighty-seventh Lyran Recon Regiment: Colonel Demetria Terry
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards Infantry Brigade (5 Regiments/Regular/Fanatical)[3][10]
- CO: Colonel Jade O'Conner
- Aide: Leutnant-Colonel Garfield Kalu
- Fifty-seventh Lyran Infantry Regiment: Colonel Morton Groome
- 212th Lyran Mounted Rifles: Colonel Bernice Massey
- 745th Lyran Light Infantry: Colonel Katheryn Merteuil
- Ninth Lyran Armored Infantry: Colonel Garth Manchester
- Fourth Donegal Commando Regiment: Colonel Sebastian Berne
3085
Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards LCT (Regular/Fanatical)[14]
- CO: Leutnant-General Prudence Steiner
Twenty-fourth Lyran Armor Brigade (Regular/Questionable)[14]
- CO: Colonel Ciriaco Lambert
Twenty-fourth Lyran Infantry Brigade (Green/Reliable)[14]
- CO: Colonel Kostyantyn Wieck
Notes
Their homeworld is Donegal.
They have been known to take justice into their own hands, especially when friends or relatives are in danger.
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 13-14, "Lyran Guards"
- ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 56 "Regimental Nicknames (continued)"
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 81, "Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards Unit Profile"
- ↑ Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 25
- ↑ Hector (short story), p. 20
- ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 77
- ↑ Star Lord, p.??[citation needed]
- ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 175-177
- ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 170
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Field Manual: Updates, p. 178, "LAAF Deployment Table - 3067"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 6, "Combatants"
- ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 12
- ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 101
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 107, "LAAF Deployment Table - 3085"
- ↑ Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook), p. 24
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 121 (pdf version), "Unit Deployment Table - 3025"
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 20 Year Update, p. 29, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Objective Raids, p. 21, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3054"
- ↑ Historical: War of 3039 , p. 137
Bibliography
- 20 Year Update
- Endgame (novel)
- FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)
- Field Manual: 3085
- Field Manual: Lyran Alliance
- Field Manual: Updates
- Field Report: LAAF
- Field Report 2765: LCAF
- Hector (short story)
- Historical: War of 3039
- House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)
- Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad
- Star Lord (novel)
- Objective Raids
- Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)