Davion Brigade of Guards Army Composition

Davion Brigade of Guards

The Davon Brigade of Guards is one of the most veteran and most prestigious unit in the Federated Commonwealth, and likely the most renowned in the Federated Suns portion of the realm. Under the command of Jackson Davion, they protect the unified realm from the advances of the Clan invaders during most of the events of the Fifth Succession War. They fought courageously during Operation BROKEN CROWN to defend their commander.

The Davion Brigade of Guards are generally at the top of every procurement contract for the AFFC and have been testing a variety of new ‘mechs, weapons and equipment. While many front-line units are receiving trickles of Battle Armors, the Brigade of Guards has already integrated Battle Armors and OmniMechs in their formations. Being on the Clan front, they also have access to more recovered and salvaged Clan equipment than many other units.

Davion Assault Guards

The Davion Assault Guards was the heaviest unit in the Federated Suns and after the merger with the Lyran Commonwealth, they remain one of the heaviest units in the AFFC. The idea of the Davion Assault Guards is to be a battering ram to be used against the enemies of the First Prince (and now Archon-Prince), leaving little recourse to its opponents. During the Succession Wars, this was a terrifying show of strength to deploy a unit as heavy and powerful as the Guards.

Assault ‘Mechs make up the bulk of the Davion Assault Guards, being their Core choice. Heavy ‘Mechs are generally used as support units and to plug holes in a formation, counting as Special choices. Light and Medium ‘Mechs both are Rare choices, and Light ‘mechs are almost unheard of in the Assault Guards.

For support units, the Assault Guards has a strong contingent of artillery units to pound the enemies before the approach of the main forces. Supporting this is a force of conventional heavy and assault tanks, matching the pace of the lead assault ‘mechs. Conventional foot infantry is being replaced by Battle Armors after the Clan Invasion but still make up the bulk of the infantry support of the Assault Guards. A strong contingent of aerospace fighters defends the Assault Guards advance.

Davion Heavy Guards

The Davion Heavy Guards were the standard “Guards” unit during the Star League era and might potentially become the standard again if the production capacity of the Federated Commonwealth remains high. The Heavy Guards are meant to be more mobile and quicker to deploy compared to the Assault Guards and have started favoring faster heavy ‘mechs compared to what they did in the past.

Heavy Guards unit are mostly composed of Heavy ‘Mechs, which is a Core choice for them. The Heavy Guards main support units are composed of Medium ‘Mechs, providing screening roles and reconnaissance roles, which are their Special choices. Light ‘Mechs are a Rare choice, same with Assault ‘Mechs, which generally would be assigned to the Assault Guard instead.

For support units, the Heavy Guards favors conventional tanks, while also keeping a solid corps of artillery units for precision strikes before their advances. Heavy mechanized infantry remains a favorite in the Heavy Guards, with Battle Armor quickly replacing conventional infantry. A full aerospace fighter complement supports the RCT as well.

Davion Light Guards

The Davion Light Guards is the most mobile unit in the brigade, meant for screening the heavier formations and hit and run tactics. Unlike many “light units”, they do not focus on reconnaissance and scouting, leaving that role to their support hover tanks and VTOL divisions. The Light Guards also is unique in that some of their “light lances” are setup as “reinforced lances”, doubling up on every ‘mech in the formation which is now 8 ‘Mech strong. These formations were popular during the Fourth Succession War and made their proof there.

Light ‘Mechs are the Core choice in every Light Guards unit. Fast Medium ‘Mechs are often used as command units but fit in the Special choices for Light Guards units. With increases in speed of some heavy ‘mechs, “fast heavies” are also Special choices for Light Guards units but are generally reserved for specialist units. Regular Heavy and Assault ‘Mechs are Rare choices at best, with Assault ‘mechs generally simply not being available.

For support units, the Light Guards favor VTOL and hover tanks for their conventional forces support, allowing them to remain mobile, and generally do not have artillery units associated directly with the RCT. Aerospace fighter support, however, is generally heavier to support the mobile ground assaults. Infantry will generally be composed of fast mechanized units and jump infantry, with Battle Armors replacing the Jump Infantry over time.

Davion Guards Regular

The Davion Guards Regular used to be composed closer to the Heavy Guards formation, but they “shrunk” in weight during the early Succession Wars. As heavy ‘mechs became rarer, the Guards Regular focused on medium ‘mech combat formations and strategies, matching the neighboring DCMS Swords of Light regiments. While there is a movement to reequip these regiments with heavier machines after the rediscovery of the Helm’s Memory Core and NAIS’s advances in production technology, most of them remain more in a “medium brawler unit” bracket.

Medium ‘mechs form the center of a Davion Regular unit, being the Core choice. Prior to the Clan Invasion, Light ‘Mechs would have been the Special choices for the Regulars, but since 3055, Heavy ‘Mechs are now the Special choices for most Regulars units. Assault ‘Mechs are often used by ranking officers and commanders but remain a Rare choice. If Heavy ‘Mechs are a Special Choice for the Regular unit you are building, Light ‘Mechs are now Rare choices and vice versa.

The Regulars generally are supported with a strong conventional tank and hovertank division, with limited VTOL and artillery support. While the Brigade of Guards is often first in procurement, the Guards Regular are the last in receiving Battle Armor, meaning they keep a larger conventional foot infantry and light mechanized infantry division. Like most of the Guards forces, a strong contingent of aerospace fighters protects Regular Guards forces.

BattleMechs

Light

20 tons
- Cossack ↓
- Fireball
- Flea ↓
- Hornet ↓
- Locust ↑
- Mercury
- Stinger ↑
- Wasp ↑
25 tons
- Commando ↑ / Commando O (3061 onwards)
- Dart ↑
- Mongoose ↓
- Raptor (Omni)
30 tons
- Battle Hawk
- Falcon ↓
- Firefly ↓
- Hermes ↓
- Hitman
- Hussar
- Javelin ↑
- Osiris (3063 onwards)
- Razorback (3063 onwards)
- Spider ↓
- UrbanMech
- Valkyrie ↑
35 tons
- Firestarter
- Garm (3058 onwards)
- Hollander ↑
- Jenner
- Ostscout
- Owens (Omni)
- Panther
- Rattlesnake
- Raven ↓
- Venom ↓
- Wolfhound↑

Medium

40 tons
- Assassin ↓
- Cicada ↓
- Clint
- Daimyo ↓
- Hermes II ↓
- Sentinel↑
- Sentry (3056 onwards)
- Strider (Omni)
- Vulcan ↑
- Watchman
45 tons
- Blackjack ↑
- Cobra (3060 onwards)
- Firestarter Omni
- Hatchetman ↑
- Hellspawn
- Komodo ↓
- Phoenix Hawk ↑
- Stealth
- Wolf Trap ↓
50 tons
- Blackjack Omni ↑
- Blitzkrieg (3061 onwards)
- Centurion ↑
- Crab↓
- Enfield
- Enforcer / Enforcer III ↑
- Hunchback
- Huron Warrior ↓
- Nightsky
- Starslayer
- Tessen / Warfan (3061 onwards)
- Uziel (3065 onwards)
55 tons
- Bushwacker ↑ / Bushwacker Omni (3063 onwards)
- Dervish
- Griffin↑
- Hoplite ↓
- Kintaro ↑
- Scorpion
- Shadow Hawk
- Wolverine ↑

Heavy

60 tons
- Argus (Omni)
- Black Hawk-KU (Omni)
- Champion ↓
- Dragon / Grand Dragon ↓
- Helios ↓
- Lancelot ↓
- Ostroc
- Ostsol↑
- Quickdraw
- Rifleman
65 tons
- Axman ↑
- Catapult ↓
- Crusader
- JagerMech ↑
- JagerMech III (3058 onwards) ↑
- Ninja-To / Hidden Blade ↓
- Thunderbolt
- Verfolgers
70 tons
- Archer
- Avatar (Omni) ↑
- Barghest (3058 onwards)
- Caesar
- Cataphract ↓
- Daikyu / Agincourt
- Grasshopper ↓
- Guillotine
- Jagermech (70 ton)
- Warhammer ↑
75 tons
- Black Knight
- Falconer ↑
- Flashman ↓
- Maelstrom ↑
- Marauder
- Orion ↓
- Penetrator
- Rakshasa
- Shugenja / Warmage
- War Dog

Assault

80 tons
- Awesome ↓
- Charger ↓
- Goliath
- Hatamoto-series
- Striker
- Thug↓
- Victor ↑
- Zeus ↑
85 tons
- BattleMaster ↑
- Gunslinger
- Katana↓
- Longbow
- Stalker
- Templar (Omni) ↑ (3062 onwads)
90 tons
- Akuma / Black Devil (3058 onwards)
- Cyclops
- Highlander ↑
- Mauler ↓
- Sunder (Omni)
- Viking ↓
- Ymir ↓ (New version available 3060)
95 tons
- Banshee ↑
- Cerberus ↓
- Hauptmann (Omni) (3060 onwards)
- Naginata / Halberd ↓
- Nightstar
- Sagittaire (3063 onwards)
100 tons
- Annihilator ↓
- Atlas ↑
- Berserker (3056 onwards)
- Devastator ↑
- Fafnir (3063 onwards)
- King Crab
- Marauder II
- Thunder Hawk

Infantry and Battle Armors

As with most forces during the Fifth Succession War, the Brigade of Guards was in the process of converting some of its infantry forces to Battle Armor forces. Regular infantry remained the core of many of the support elements of the various Brigade of Guards RCT, however, following the operating procedure of their parent command. Mechanized infantry was the most popular type of troops in the Brigade of Guards, favoring reliable tracked APCs over other types. Jump infantry was generally seen as a specialist troop type but was common enough throughout the different regiments to properly support the advance of their ‘Mech forces. Field guns were more common in the lighter units of the Guards, allowing for rapid deployment of extra autocannons to the front to support the command units.

OmniMech units were rapidly “assigned” a Battle Armor squad as soon as they became available to provide close support at all time. “Reinforced OmniLances” became common enough to be reported by the Clan Watch and lead to the inclusion of more Nova formations on the FedCom front. OmniMechs in a Davion Brigade of Guards formations can select a Battle Armor for free, as long as it can be carried by their ‘Mech. Other than this, Battle Armors are generally considered Special choices within a Davion Brigade of Guards formation.

Inner Sphere Standard / Raiden
Cavalier
Fenrir (Cannot be carried) (3060 onwards)
Infiltrator Mk II (3060 onwards)
Sloth (cannot be carried)

Conventional Forces

Artillery

Artillery units are generally popular with the heavier units of the Davion Brigade of Guards, serving to soften up the enemy positions as the Assault or Heavy Guard are moving forward. As some of the Regulars have been “scaling up” their units, artillery has become more common in these units as well, replacing some of the conventional armor units of the regiment. While standard “fixed artillery” manned by infantry platoons is the most common form of artillery support, artillery vehicles which are more mobile remain popular.

Artillery choices count as Special Support Choice for the Davion Assault Guards and Heavy Guards, along with “heavy” Regular Guards unit. In other units, artillery is a Rare Support Choice.

Field Artillery guns (Long Tom, Sniper, Thumper, Arrow IV Battery)
Gun Trailers
Mobile Long Tom
Ballista SPA
Chaparral
Marksman SPA
Thumper Wheeled SPA

Conventional Armor

Conventional armor makes up the bulk of the support formations of the heavier Brigade of Guards, meant to hold the line against enemy assault as the larger ‘Mechs take to the front. In the Assault and Heavy Guards forces, along with the heavier Guards Regular forces, conventional armor are Core choices, while they are Special Choices in other units.

Wheeled Units

Tracked Units

Ajax OmniTank (Omni) (3065 onwards)
Alacorn Assault Tank
Behemoth Assault Tank
Brutus MBT
Bulldog Medium Tank
Challenger MBT
Demolisher ‘Mech Destroyer
Galleon
Guderian Medium Planetary Defense Tank
Hi-Scout Drone Carrier
Hunter Light Support Tank
LRM/SRM Carrier
Manteuffel Attack OmniTank (Omni) (3062 onwards)
Manticore Planetary Defense Tank
Myrmidon Medium Planetary Defense Tank
Partisan Air Defense Tank
Patton MBT / Rommel MBT
Schrek PPC Carrier
Scorpion Light Planetary Defense Tank
SturmFeur Assault Tank
Tiger Medium Tank
Vedette Cavalary Planetary Defense Tank
Zhukov Strike Tank

Hover tanks

Hovertanks are favored by the lighter formations of the Davion Brigade of Guards as support units for their strike force. Hovertanks are also often used in reconnaissance roles in all Brigade of Guards units. In Light Guards and lighter Guards Regular forces, Hovertanks are Core choices, while they are Special choices in all other units.

Transport units

Transport units are generally meant to carry infantry or Battle Armor to the front while providing fire support to the squads. Some vehicles are also meant to serve as logistics assets. Those units are complementary to existing units, and do not count towards your regular choices but in complement to existing ones.

APC / Heavy APC
Badger (as Battle Armor carrier)
Bandit (as Battle Armor carrier)
Blizzard
Goblin (as an IFV)
Karnov
Maultier
Maxim
Planetlifter

VTOL forces

VTOL are not central to the Brigade of Guards strategy and generally used as reconnaissance units and spotters for artillery barrages. Outside of the Davion Light Guards, where they are a Special Support Choice, VTOLs are a Rare Support Choice for a Brigade of Guards unit.

Cavalry
Cyrano
Ferret
Hawk Moth (3060 onwards)
Karnov (Transport choice)
Marten
Nightshade
Ripper (Transport choice for Jump Infantry)
Warrior ↑
Yellow Jacket

Aerospace Fighters

While every RCT of the Brigade of Guards has its own aerospace support unit, this unit is not integrated into any of the “main regimental forces”, allowing the command to be more flexible and support the RCT rather than a specific part of the unit. Of course, the main role of the aerospace wings is to guarantee the safe arrival of the RCT on the ground, acting as escort and close support to the Brigade’s DropShip force. Once everyone is grounded, the support wings will take one the role of close-air support to the advancing Guard forces, guaranteeing air superiority of the AFFC forces.

WarShip

The original “new WarShips” being built by the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth were all earmarked for service on the Clan front. The Davion Brigade of Guards therefore received some of the first production units of the RX-78 Fox-class WarShips, with the Yvonne Davion, an Avalon-class missile cruiser, being delivered directly to Jackson Davion and becoming the command ship of the Brigade of Guards. The end plan is for an Avalon-class ship to replace each of the Star Lord-class JumpShip as command ships for the various ‘Mech Regiments of the Guard.