Ghost Bear Phalanxes

[PartTimeHussar]

Ok - small question but it’s been bothering me. I get the Prov Garrison Clusters Guard Clusters, Regular clusters and all the Ras units that got converted. What I don’t get is the phalanxes. Maybe I’m missing something but they do have mechs, so are they just another label for regular. Or are they extra freemen due to the formation of the Dominion.

Please help this confused cub

[Liam's Ghost]

Field Manual Warden Clans describe Phalanx Clusters thus: These second-line units are organized and trained specifically for defensive duty, and always contain a contingent of conventional vehicles in addition to infantry and battlemechs.

So back in the day they were unique because they had vehicles. Of course, in the modern day where vehicles are more common, they seem to have ceased to be unique.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

From the new Battle of Tukayyid book.

PHALANX STAR
Requirements: The Phalanx Star must consist of at least two combat vehicles or BattleMechs, with the remainder of the Star comprised of Elementals, more combat vehicles or more BattleMechs . There must be at least two different unit types (BattleMech, combat vehicle, battle armor) in a Phalanx Star . A Clan Steel Viper Phalanx Star may include conventional infantry in place of battle armor .

Like Liam said, by the ilClan era they aren’t much different than other second line/garrison formations. Some, like the 10th Phalanx Cluster were all vehicles. Most were a mix.

[truetanker]

So, going by the Tuk book, it's really a Mixed Star of Infantry and Vehicle/Mech.

Since the Vipers are the only clan to use classic Infantry, does this mean that All Clans used this pre-Tuk? And later, it became normal to do this openly? Since by this time it was shown only Elementals in BA as the Infantry of choice.

Hence the Nova...

TT

[Alan Grant]

When we were really introduced to the Phalanx Clusters in FM: Warden Clans, what stuck out to me wasn't just that they had vehicles. It was that the vehicles were a pretty dominant force in the Cluster.

The 5th Phalanx had a lot of Asshur artillery spotters and some Hueys, and was known for its artillery barrages.

The 13th Phalanx was led by a veteran VTOL pilot and contained a full trinary of Donars, nearly all the Donars in the entire Clan. This gave the cluster impressive close-air support.

The 10th Phalanx was an unmixed all vehicle Cluster, led by the only tanker Galaxy Commander in the Clan. The unit was known for having a pretty capable officer corps.

So if there is any lingering differential between Phalanx Clusters and the other types, I wonder if it might be how central the vehicles are to the unit. It's more than "they have a single trinary of vehicles" in the Cluster where 'mechs/BA/ASFs are still the preference whenever possible. I think that might be the case in many other second-line/PGC type clusters. By comparison in the Phalanx Clusters, the vehicles are at the heart of the Cluster. They deploy a lot of them. The Cluster's preferred tactics are shaped by them to a greater extent than some other Cluster. The unit's traditions are rooted in being a vehicle-centric Cluster.

[PartTimeHussar]

Thank you for the quick, complete responses. My library is spartan doe Battletech so my efforts were restrained to sarna. 

[Kerfuffin(925)]

So, going by the Tuk book, it's really a Mixed Star of Infantry and Vehicle/Mech.

Since the Vipers are the only clan to use classic Infantry, does this mean that All Clans used this pre-Tuk? And later, it became normal to do this openly? Since by this time it was shown only Elementals in BA as the Infantry of choice.

Hence the Nova...

TT

In the new BoT book it lists all 7  clans and gives fun fluffy names for each formation they use. Like Jade Falcon calls their assault stars Talon Stars. In those lists only Diamond Shark, Ghost Bear and Steel Vipers have phalanx stars listed. 


It’s page 27 on my pdf if you want to follow along.