Talons of the Archon

Talons of the Archon (17th Vanguard Division)
Active:	1696 AN – present
Allegiance:	United Thanedom of Dalmacija  Humanist Vanguard
Personnel:
Type:
Nickname:	Furious Talons
Current Commander:	Royston Anders

Organisation

Order of battle

Land component

The land component, consisting of Cedrist and Humanist volunteers ideologically motivated to support the Kildari in a revolt against Jing rule, was the first element of the Talons, in the guise of the 17th Vanguard Division, to be formed. Tasked primarily with defending and securing Port Nevermore as a conduit for supplies smuggled via Mirk Bay from Arboria, the Talons established forward operating bases further inland so as to support rebel operations against Jing loyalist formations pinned against the Arboreal frontier and to provide advisory and material support to the chaotic mass of Kildari warbands.

The influence of the Black Legions upon the pattern of the forces the Talons put into the field was noticeable from the outset, both doctrinally and in terms of equipment.

Unit	Commander	Establishment	Garrison
Headquarters Echelon
17th Command Demi-Regiment		Officers – 28 NCO's – 95 Other Ranks –600 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic) – 600 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 28 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 95 Polybolos 12.7mm HMG – 15 Light Trucks – 80	Port Nevermore
17th Control Demi-Regiment		Officers – 28 NCO's – 95 Other Ranks –600 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic) – 600 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 28 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 95 Polybolos 12.7mm HMG – 15 Light Trucks – 80
17th/1st Demi-Brigade
171st Motorised Infantry Regiment		Officers – 42 NCOs – 201 Other Ranks – 966 M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 15 M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 315 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 42 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 807 Wren light machine-gun (7.62x67mmB) – 15 Hornet recoilless anti-tank rifle – 15 82mm Mortar – 6 Polybolos heavy machine-gun(12.7×99mm) – 6 Tankgewehr anti-materiel rifle (13.2×92mmSR) – 6 Waspsting man-portable air defence system – 8 CV-56 Horjin infantry fighting vehicle – 46 Pod armoured personnel carrier – 101	Lifang, Huan
171st Light Infantry Regiment		Officers – 37 NCOs – 180 Other Ranks – 869 M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 108 M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 869 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 37 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 180 Wren light machine-gun (7.62x67mmB) – 15 Hornet recoilless anti-tank rifle – 15 82mm Mortar – 6 Polybolos heavy machine-gun(12.7×99mm) – 6 Tankgewehr anti-materiel rifle (13.2×92mmSR) – 6 Waspsting man-portable air defence system – 8 Snatch Land Rovers – 181
17th/2nd Demi-Brigade
172nd Motorised Infantry Regiment		Officers – 42 NCOs – 201 Other Ranks – 966 M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 15 M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 315 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 42 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 807 Wren light machine-gun (7.62x67mmB) – 15 Hornet recoilless anti-tank rifle – 15 82mm Mortar – 6 Polybolos heavy machine-gun(12.7×99mm) – 6 Tankgewehr anti-materiel rifle (13.2×92mmSR) – 6 Waspsting man-portable air defence system – 8 CV-56 Horjin infantry fighting vehicle – 46 Pod armoured personnel carrier – 101	Zhailifang, Huan
172nd Light Infantry Regiment		Officers – 37 NCOs – 180 Other Ranks – 869 M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 108 M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 869 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 37 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 180 Wren light machine-gun (7.62x67mmB) – 15 Hornet recoilless anti-tank rifle – 15 82mm Mortar – 6 Polybolos heavy machine-gun(12.7×99mm) – 6 Tankgewehr anti-materiel rifle (13.2×92mmSR) – 6 Waspsting man-portable air defence system – 8 Snatch Land Rovers – 181
Pilgrimage of Grace
1st Penitent Brigade	Salbnan Lors Bakker-Kalirion	Imperial Vicars – 6 Thrones – 20 Vicars – 60 Penitents – 7,253 M1591(R) marksman rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 162 M1656 submachine-gun (9x19mm) – 1,560 M1686 assault rifle (7.62×67mmB) – 2,394 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 7,254 Wren light machine-gun (7.62x67mmB) – 360 Tankgewehr anti-materiel rifle (13.2×92mmSR) – 30 82mm mortar – 36 Hornet recoilless anti-tank rifle – 132 Polybolos heavy machine-gun(12.7×99mm) – 36 Waspsting man-portable air defence system – 42 Support Vehicles – 840	Mirkdale Peninsular, Arboria
Force Support Echelon
17th Area Defence Group	Commander S. Fang	Officers – 56 NCO's – 192 Other Ranks – 1,200 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic) – 1,200 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 56 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 192 Polybolos 12.7mm HMG – 30 Katzenklavier – 60 Light Trucks – 181 Snatch Land Rovers – 61	Port Nevermore
17th Depot Group		Officers – 56 NCO's – 192 Other Ranks – 1,200 M1610 7.9 mm Rifle (Semi-Automatic) – 1,200 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 56 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 192 Polybolos 12.7mm HMG – 30 Light Trucks – 181
17th Supply Train		Officers – 536 NCO's – 2,212 Other Ranks – 14,400 M1689 service pistol (9×19mm) – 536 M1690 machine pistol (9x19mm) – 16,612 Misc. support vehicles – 2,858

Maritime component

The maritime component of the Talons, being in no way equipped to go head to head with the naval forces of the loyalist Jing fleet contented itself with focusing primarily on operations carried out in the coastal waters of the Mirkdale peninsula and Hyperion Bay. Typically these endeavours revolved around the delivery of material and personnel, the removal of captured technology and persons of interest for evaluation, and the putting ashore of small raiding and sabotage parties.

Aviation component

Established during 1698 AN as repaired captured airframes and new aircraft manufactured by the Kildare Aviation Company were accepted in to service. Providing air support to the various rebel warbands, including the Kildari, Leftists, and anti-Daocheng cliques became one of the primary objectives of the Talons during their contribution to the liberation wars.

Unit	Commander	Establishment	Garrison
Headquarters Echelon
Command and Control Regiment			"9-AS" Air Base
Bombardment Group
Communications Group
Pursuit Group