Royal Black Watch Regiment

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The Royal Black Watch Regiment was a combat unit of the Star League Defense Force and can proudly trace its roots back to ancient Terra, more than eight centuries before the Star League was formed. As a "Royal" unit, it was also part of the armed forces of the Terran Hegemony.

History

The Black Watch in "Real" History

The Black Watch (Am Freiceadan Dubh in Scots Gaelic) was founded in the nation of Scotland in 1725 as a volunteer militia that kept a "watch" for criminal activities. "Black" came from the dark-colored tartan (also called Black Watch, or the Government Sett) that members of the militia wore.[citation needed]

On July 1, 1739, the militia officially became a military unit of the British Army: the unit was officially named the 43rd Regiment of Foot but retained the nickname of the "Black Watch".[citation needed]

In 1748, the 43rd was renumbered as the 42nd.[citation needed]

In 1881, the 42nd was combined with the 73rd Regiment of Foot to form the Royal Highland Regiment (The Black Watch). In 1931, the unit was renamed the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment).[citation needed]

In 2006, the unit was reduced down to a battalion and renamed The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, abbreviated 3 SCOTS.[citation needed]

The Black Watch During the Star League

Sometime after the founding of the Northwind Highlanders, the Black Watch was a society dedicated to maintaining its own traditions.[citation needed]

The unit was eventually built up back to regiment strength and renamed the Royal Black Watch Regiment either before or during the First Star League era (2571-2781).[citation needed]

Until the death of First Lord Richard Cameron II in 2766, the Royal Black Watch Regiment was part of the 191st Royal BattleMech Division (The Zavijava Division) and served as the personal bodyguards of the First Lord and his family. As such, they were headquartered at the Court of the Star League in Unity City, but accompanied the First Lord wherever he traveled. The Black Watch was a Combined-Arms Regiment that consisted of two battalions of 'Mechs, one battalion of mixed Regular Army infantry and Marines, and a full AeroFighter wing.[1]

Destruction and the Ghosts of the Black Watch

The Black Watch was destroyed during the Amaris Coup while making a desperate last stand. Stefan Amaris is said to have personally authorized the use of a tactical nuclear device, having exhausted all other means trying to dislodge the unit. Several members of the Regiment escaped however and formed the Ghosts of the Black Watch Guerrilla movement. [2] [3]

Reactivation

Some members of the Northwind Highlanders, the most fanatical devotees of the Star League and his ideals, created a secret order, resurrecting the Black Watch Regiment, keeping it alive in secret.[4] Until 3058, no one outside a few persons in the Highlanders know his existence. But with the resurrection of the star League that year, everything changed. The Watch members, then in a company size, found themselves divided. One faction wanted to go immediately to the new First Lord, Sun-Tzu Liao to act as his personal guard, but the other faction, lead by his leader, Captain Neil Campbell believed they first should prove themselves. Campbell convinced his team and they accept his plan: join MacLeod's Regiment in Task Force Serpent, to prove themselves worthy.[5] The group revealed his existence to the expedition leader, Morgan Hasek-Davion, and they later joined the expedition. The Watch fight honorably in Huntress, and survived, but a very high price: the Smoke Jaguar warriors, enraged by their use of the Watch insignias, focused their hatred against them. Only two or three 'Mechs survived the battles. However, once again in the Inner Sphere, the Watch was once again rebuilt in the Second Star League era (3058-3067) and once again served as the personal bodyguards of the First Lord. [6]

Jihad

The Word of Blake Jihad was not kind to the venerable unit, and it was reported destroyed during the conflict: After being informed than the Eridani Light Horse 19th Striker Regiment regiment, was trapped in Dieron, the Black Watch left Orestes and, with DCMS aid, travelled to Dieron, jumping in system via a pirate point, but were surprised by a Blakist WarShips, who destroyed two of their DropShips, and the third made a uncontrolled reentry on planet.[7]

However, there were survivors. On the 4th of January 3069 members from the Royal Black Watch apparently assisted in rescuing Hohiro Kurita, son and heir of the then-comatose Coordinator Theodore Kurita from a Blakist prison camp on Dieron.[8]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Royal Black Watch Regiment (SLDF)
Colonel Hanni Schmitt 2766[9][10]
Commanding Officers of the Royal Black Watch Regiment (Second Star League)
Captain Neil Campbell 3058[11]

Tactics

Unknown.

Composition History

2764

Royal Black Watch Regiment[12]

  • BattleMech Battalion
  • BattleMech Battalion
  • Infantry Battalion
  • Ground Aero Wing

3059

Royal Black Watch Company[11]

Images

Notes

The motto of the Black Watch is "Nemo me impune lacessit", Latin for "No one provokes me with impunity".

References

  1. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 39
  2. Jade Falcon source book, p. 8
  3. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 73, "Battle for Unity City", Schmitt leads a company to meet the advancing Fourth Amaris Dragoons
  4. Northwind Highlanders (scenario pack), p. 10
  5. Northwind Highlanders (scenario pack), p. 11
  6. Field Manual: ComStar, pp. 97-98
  7. Jihad Hot Spots 3070 p. 27
  8. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46, "The Jihad In Review"
  9. Technical Readout: 3067, p. 38
  10. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 73 "Battle for Unity City"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Twilight of the Clans (sourcebook), p.52
  12. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 39

Bibliography

External Links

  • The original Black Watch, the 42nd Regiment of Foot[1]
  • The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)[2]
  • The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland[3]
  • The Black Watch (3 SCOTS), British Army website[4]