Editing 3rd Donegal Guards

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image          = [[File: Donegalguards03rd.png]]
| Designation    = Third Donegal Guards RCT
| formed         = 
| Disbanded      = [[3072]]<ref>''Recognition Guide: ilClan, Vol. 20'' - Leutnant Eamon Richards profile</ref>
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname       = Tyneside Brigade (2765)<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp11>''Field Report 2765: LCAF'', p. 11: "Donegal Guards" - Regimental Status</ref><br>The Justice Brigade (3067)
| Affiliation    = [[Lyran Commonwealth]]
| Parent Command = [[Donegal Guards]]
| Sub-Command    = 
}}

==History==
A prestigious and efficient unit, albeit with a notable history of uneven leadership, command of the elite '''Third Donegal Guards''' is a much coveted post.<ref name=FMU169>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 169: "Donegal Guards bio"</ref> Ever since their participation in the celebrations marking the [[Supreme Court of the Commonwealth]]'s 100th anniversary in 2643, the Third has used the Scales of Justice as their unit emblem and been known as "The Justice Brigade".<ref name=FMLA64/><ref name=ER3062-35>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 35: "Third Donegal Guards RCT (The Justice Brigade)"</ref> The emblem and regimental patch were adopted to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Commonwealth Supreme Court on [[Donegal]],<ref name=HSTLC-68>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 68 (print version): "Regimental Nicknames (sidebar, continued)"</ref> the Third having played a major role in the celebrations in [[2643]].<ref name=FMLA64/>

As an example of the Third's abilities with competent leadership, thanks to the unorthodox tactics of its then commander James Hipper, the unit won a significant victory on [[Shirotori]] during the [[Fourth Succession War]].<ref name=FMLA64/><ref name=ER3062-35/>

In [[2765]] the Third was stationed on [[Ridderkerk]]. At the time there was little to fight over on the planet, so the Third hadn't seen any action against the [[Draconis Combine]].<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp11/>

=== First and Second Succession Wars ===
The Third was based on Ridderkirk throughout the [[First Succession War]], during which it was reduced to less than half strength. It was still garrisoned there, having been restored to just over three-quarters of its authorized strength, when the next conflict erupted.<ref name=FSWp139DT>''First Succession War'', p. 139: "Deployment Table"</ref><ref name=SSWp99DT>''Second Succession War'', p. 99: "Deployment Table"</ref>

In [[2863]], during the [[Second Succession War]] the Third, with two other Mech regiments, including the [[Stealths]], retook [[Sakhalin (LC) | Sakhalin]] from Combine forces who had held the world since [[2860]].<ref name=HSTLC-64>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', pp. 62–64 (print version): "Elizabeth Steiner"</ref> When the war ended a year later the unit had been reduced to less than a quarter of its authorized strength and had transferred from Ridderkerk (which had fallen to the Combine) to [[Pencader]].<ref name=SSWp99DT/>

=== Fourth Succession War ===
As part of [[Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG]] the Third Guards deployed from their homeworld of [[Menkent]] at the beginning of the [[Fourth Succession War]] launching attacks on [[Orestes]] then [[Grumium]] and finally, [[Shirotori]]. During the invasion of Orestes the Third operated alongside the [[Fourth Lyran Regulars]], and the two regiments were joined by the [[Twenty-second Skye Rangers]] for the assault on Grumium.<ref name=NAISVol1-44>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 44: "Operation Götterdämmerung"</ref> The conquest of Grumium was considered a significant emotional victory, as Grumium had been a Lyran world prior to being conquered by the Combine.<ref name="NAIS4SWp59">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 59: "Follow-up Invasions"</ref>

On [[Shirotori]] the Third faced the [[First Proserpina Hussars]] after Colonel Walter Lestrade was recalled in February 3029 and replaced by the less experienced Colonel James Lancelot Hipper who arrived to take command in March.<ref name=NAISVol1-61>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 61</ref><ref name=NAISVol2-64>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2'', p. 64</ref> The Third Guards had taken control of most of the country side while the [[1st Proserpina Hussars | Hussars]] held [[Shirotori]]'s three major cities. The First Proserpina Hussars outnumbered the Third but refused to gather their forces to avoid leaving the cities undefended and instead used their superior reconnaissance to perform flanking and hit-and-run attacks on the massed Guards forces. Using intelligence gathered from captured messengers and a captured [[Draconis Combine | Combine]] supply convoy Colonel Hipper was able to infiltrate two lances of 'Mechs into the city of Meijer where the [[First Proserpina Hussars | Hussars]]' commander, ''Tai-sa'' Hirohito had established his headquarters. While two companies made a diversionary attack on the city of Brusk the infiltrated lances attacked the [[1st Proserpina Hussars | Hussars]]' command bunker and the rest of the Guards struck the city perimeter. While the two infiltrated lances were destroyed by the Combine defenders they killed the [[1st Proserpina Hussars|Hussars]]' CO and half of his command staff leaving only inexperienced officers in command. Meijer was in LCAF control two days later. The remaining [[First Proserpina Hussars|Hussars]] retreated a week later.<ref name=NAISVol2-64/>

=== War of 3039 ===
The Third garrisoned [[Styk]] during the War of 3039,<ref name=H3039-137>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 137: "Deployment Table (LCAF)"</ref> and remained posted there until the Clan Invasion.<ref name=20YU24>''20 Year Update'', p. 24: "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"</ref><ref name=OR17>''Objective Raids'', p. 17: "FedCom Deployment Table"</ref>

===Clan Invasion and Lyran Succession===
The Third Donegal Guards were stationed on [[Styk]] until [[Operation Guerrero]] when the [[CCAF]]'s [[Warrior House Imarra]] managed to retake the world for the [[Capellan Confederation]] in [[3057]].<ref name=ER3062-35/>

Serving as a cautionary tale on liabilities of Lyran's trademark [[Social General]]s, arrogant CO Thanom Hammerskjold's questionable plan relied on overpowering the Liao unit with superior numbers, only for the Warrior House troops to consistently outmaneuver and lure the heavier RCT in endless ambushes, forcing to Third to overextend their forces and allowing the Imarra troops to inflict significant losses. While more capable members of the units command staff began to take over and adapted their tactics to counter the Capellans, [[Archon]] [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]]'s succession of the [[Lyran Alliance]] and recall of Lyran units prompted the Third to return home.<ref name=ER3062-35/>

The seventh company of the [[Third Donegal Guards]] was accidentally left behind when [[House Steiner]]-affiliated [[Federated Commonwealth]] commands were withdrawn from the Chaos March. With six of them killed and four missing in action, only Leftenant Kelly Van Lou and company commander Hauptmann Roland Mills remain in a three-sided fight with local forces and the [[First FedCom RCT]]. Trying to find a DropShip to evacuate from Gan Singh, they encounter the Donegal Guards' ''[[Seeker]]''-class DropShip ''[[Lamprey (Individual Seeker-class DropShip)|Lamprey]]'' but realize at the last moment that the DropShip is trying to trap them. Van Lou and Mills subsequently team up with mercenaries they had been fighting before, to perhaps reach another DropShip together.<ref name=RTE/>

Sacking the now reviled Hammerskjold after the Styk debacle, the [[LAAF]] transferred the Third to [[Pandora]] along the [[Clan Jade Falcon]] border.<ref name=FMLA64/><ref name=ER3062-35/>

===Operation Bulldog===
The Third was part of the Lyran contribution to [[Operation Bulldog]], the unit eager to vent their frustrations at their withdrawal from Styk. Launching from [[Bicester]], the Third Donegal joined the elite [[Second Genyosha]] and [[First St. Ives Lancers]] in attacking the [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] world of [[Tarazed]] during Bulldog's first wave,<ref name=TDR-10>''The Dragon Roars'', pp. 10–11: "Unit Summaries - Operation Bulldog"</ref> defended by [[Epsilon Galaxy (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Epsilon Galaxy's]] [[7th Jaguar Dragoons (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|Seventh Jaguar Dragoons]].<ref name=TDR-12>''The Dragon Roars'', pp. 12–13: "Unit Summaries - Clan Smoke Jaguar Defense"</ref><ref name=FMLA64/><ref name=ER3062-35/>

While the 7th Dragoons receiving some degree of warning to prepare for the incoming [[SLDF]] forces, they made the fatal mistake of granting them ''[[safcon]]'' in response to task force commander [[Kai Allard-Liao]]'s ''[[batchall]]'' and called back their [[aerospace fighter]]s. The 7th compounded their mistake by selecting the network of canyons in the Krychek Mountains to face the SLDF, not realizing the location favored the much large SLDF forces. While the [[Star League]] task force ultimately defeated outmatched 7th Dragoons,<ref name=TDR-15>''The Dragon Roars'', p. 15: "Wave One: The Katana Falls"</ref> the Third Donegal Guards suffered above-average casualties in the process and were sidelined for the rest of the Bulldog.<ref name=FMLA64/><ref name=ER3062-35/>

Following their return from [[Operation Bulldog]] the Third was posted to [[Pandora]].<ref name=SS48>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 48: "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table"</ref>

===FedCom Civil War===
During the FedCom Civil War the Third Donegal defeated [[1st Argyle Lancers|Argyle's Lancers]] on [[Crimond]], later moving to [[Cumbres]] in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to defend [[Tharkad]] against moves from units from the [[Arc-Royal Defense Cordon]].<ref name=FMU169/> The Third, like most of the Donegal Guards Brigade, sided with [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]] during the Civil War.<ref name=FCCW-182>''FedCom Civil War'', pp. 182–183: "Civil War and DCMS Incursion Deployment Table"</ref>

Ordered to disarm and detain [[First Argyle Lancers|the Argyle Lancers]] the Third deployed from their post on [[Pandora]] in late April 3063, landing on [[Crimond]] on 7 May. The Lancers' CO had pulled his forces into Fort Beaufort (an LAAF test base) and mined the surrounding area in expectation of the Third's arrival. Leutnant-General Power dropped the RCT and closed on the Lancers' positions but their advance was stalled by the minefields. The [[1st Argyle Lancers|Lancers']] managed to inflict heavy losses on the immobilized Guards brigades using hit-and-run attacks for several days. Eventually the Third was able to break through the minefields and assault the base directly. The [[1st Argyle Lancers|Lancers]] withdrew into the base testing area where they used live-fire targets and stripped hulks of discarded 'Mechs and tanks to confuse and slow the Third's advance. After two weeks of pursuit the Third destroyed the remaining [[1st Argyle Lancers|Lancers]] on the Dreyan Flats.<ref name=FCCW-68>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 68: "Wave One, Other Actions: Crimond"</ref>

Following their victory on [[Crimond]] [[Nondi Steiner]] ordered the Third to [[Cumbres]] to allow them to be rapidly deployed to defend [[Tharkad]] or the Terran Corridor.<ref name=FCCW-89>''FedCom Civil War'', p. 89: "Wave Two, Lyran Alliance, Strategic Movements"</ref>

In early 3067 [[Morgan Kell]] hired several small mercenary companies to hold the Third on [[Cumbres]] and prevent them from moving to support [[Tharkad]]. The mercenary forces seized vital resources on 3 February and soon had the Third Guards chasing them across the planet. One of the mercenary companies began acting as bandit raiders, while disguising themselves as members of other companies, causing the Third to begin treating all mercenaries on [[Cumbres]] as pirates and leading to incidents of fighting between mercenary companies. The infighting weakened the mercenaries enough to allow the Third Donegal to prevail but kept them tied up long enough to prevent the Third from aiding the defense of [[Tharkad]].<ref name=TChaos-19>''Total Chaos'', p. 19: "Enter Stage Right, Gannon's Cannons"</ref>

As of 1st August [[3067]], the Third remained on [[Cumbres]] at 85% of its full strength.<ref name=FMU177>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 177: "Deployment Table"</ref>

===Jihad===
The Third met its end in the [[Word of Blake]] [[Jihad]] unsuccessfully attempting to defend its brigade's namesake world of [[Donegal]] from Blakist forces. After the world was recaptured, the survivors of the Third were merged into the [[Second Donegal Guards]] RCT.<ref name=FRLAAF-11>''Field Report: LAAF'', p. 11: "Donegal Guards"</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the 3rd Donegal Guards'''
|-
|[[Colonel]]
|[[Walter Lestrade]]
|[[3025]] - February [[3029]]<ref name=HSTLC-118>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 118 (PDF version): "Unit Deployment Table"</ref>
|-
|Colonel
|[[James Lancelot Hipper]]
|[[Fourth Succession War]]<ref name=FMLA64/>
|-
|[[Hauptmann-General]]
|[[Thanom Hammerskjold]]
|[[3050]] - [[3058]]<ref name=20yup24/><ref name=ORp17/><ref name=RTE>''A Race to the End''</ref>
|-
|[[Leutnant-General]]
|[[Wendell Power]]
|3058 - [[3067]]<ref name=FMLA64>''Field Manual: Lyran Alliance'', p. 64: "3rd Donegal Guards Unit Profile"</ref><ref name=FMU177/>
|}

==Tactics==
The sheer size of the RCT give the CO a wide range of opportunities. Open-field engagements are preferred as it allows the Third's size and firepower to be used to best effect. The commander trusts his subordinates and gives them freedom to decide the best course of action for their unit.<ref name=FMLA64/>

==Composition History==
===2765===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp11/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Ridderkerk]].<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp11/>

===2786 - 2821===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)<ref name=FSWp139DT/>
: Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on [[Ridderkerk]]. In 2821 the command was reduced to 43 percent of its strength and was deployed on [[Ridderkerk]].<ref name=FSWp139DT/>

===2830===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=SSWp99DT/>
: Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on [[Ridderkerk]] with an operational readiness of 78 percent.<ref name=SSWp99DT/>
===2864===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' Regiment/(Elite/Reliable)<ref name=SSWp99DT/>
: Note: At this point in time the assault-weight unit was stationed on [[Pencader]] with an operational readiness of 22 percent.<ref name=SSWp99DT/>
===3025===
'''3rd Donegal Guards ''' (Regiment/Elite/Questionable)<ref name=HSTLCp116>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 116: "LCAF Deployment Table"</ref>
:* CO: Colonel Walter Lestrade<ref name=HSTLCp116/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Menkent]].<ref name=HSTLCp116/>

===3040===
'''3rd Donegal Guards RCT''' (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=HWo3039p137/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[Styk]].<ref name=HWo3039p137>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 137</ref>

===3050===
'''3rd Donegal Guards ''' (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=20yup24/>
:* CO:<ref name=20yup24/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[Styk]].<ref name=20yup24>''20 Year Update'', p. 24</ref>

===3054===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' (Regiment/Elite Reliable/)<ref name=ORp17/>
:* CO: Hauptmann General Thanom Hammerskjold<ref name=ORp17/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[Styk]].<ref name=ORp17>''Objective Raids'', p. 17</ref>

===3062===
'''3rd Donegal Guards''' (1 [[Regiment]]/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=FMLA64/><br>
CO: Leutnant General Wendell Power<br>
Aide: Colonel Silas Murrel<br>

'''3rd Donegal Guards Aerospace [[Brigade]]''' (2 [[Wing (Military Unit)|Wing]])<ref name=FMLA64/><br>
CO: Kaptain Eleanor Burkhard<br>
- 879th Independent Wing<br>
- 77th Independent Wing<br>

'''3rd Donegal Guards Armor Brigade''' (3 Regiments/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=FMLA64/><br>
CO: Colonel Megumi Arimoto<br>
Aide: Leutnant Colonel Therese Lascelles<br>
- 14th Donegal Armored Cavalry Regiment: Colonel Franklin Burleigh<br>
- 11th Donegal Panzer Regiment: Colonel Kathi Frey<br>
- 9th [[Styk]] Armor Regiment: Colonel Connor Campell-Glencairn<br>

'''3rd Donegal Guards Infantry Brigade''' (5 Regiments/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=FMLA64/><br>
CO: Colonel Abdul Kalamaty<br>
Aide: Leutnant Colonel Surrey Jackson<br>
- 72nd Donegal Mechanized Rifles: Colonel Dane Sunderland<br>
- 93rd Donegal Mechanized Rifles: Colonel Claire Walby<br>
- 401st Lyran Heavy Infantry Regiment: Colonel Olinda Wakambu<br>
- 17th [[Pandora]] Mounted Rifles: Colonel Yusuf Saltoun<br>
- 77th Donegal Jump Regiment: Colonel Keith Monroe<br>

==Notes==
* The unit became known as the "Justice Brigade" after it adopted a regimental patch featuring a set of scales to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Commonwealth Supreme Court on Donegal.<ref name=HSLC70>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 70</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[The Dragon Roars]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Lyran Alliance]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Field Report: LAAF]]''
* ''[[Field Report 2765: LCAF]]''
* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)|First Succession War]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)|Second Succession War]]''
* ''[[Shattered Sphere]]''
* ''[[Total Chaos]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Lyran Commands|Donegal Guards, 03rd]]
[[Category:Federated Commonwealth Commands|Donegal Guards, 03rd]]