The 138th Mechanised Infantry Division - The Chicago Division. Part of the SLDF's XLIV Corps, 16th Army, the core of the division was chewed up during the Hegemony Campaign, retaking worlds formerly controlled by the Draconis Combine. In the wake of the fall of the Star League, deserted by General Kerensky and his Exodus fleet, and fleeing from the House Lords tyranny, the survivors - still claiming the proud name of The Chicago Division - lead a rag-tag band of soldiers, dependants, and innocent victims on a lonely quest ...for a shining planet which can replace their lost Earth.
The depicted unit is a battalion-sized detachment from the last-known location of The Chicago Division, on Valentina in 2824. DCMS forces had re-incorporated the planet into the Combine, but garrisoned only the planetary capital. The majority of the planet's surface was wild and lawless, and piracy and rapine was rife. The Division, seeking for a place to call home, split it's remaining forces up into smaller subunits, each attempting to bring law to the lawless.
This battalion was sent to defend the mountain village Toho. Ronin - masterless warriors, with not a few Amaris supporters mingling with them - were planning to raid the village in the autumn, after the harvest had been brought in. The villagers can offer little - food, shelter, and a place to hide - in return for protection. But at this time, and at this place, for the weary warriors of The Chicago Division ... it is enough.
First company is drawn from the remnants of older and obscure designs, drawn from survivors of the 138th's BattleMech brigade.
The Battalion CO, callsign Orangewoman, commands from her MAD-1R Marauder, backed by a RFL-3N Rifleman, ARC-2R Archer, and BMD-12 Bombardier.
The Direct Fire Support lance is commanded by callsign Grey Wolf and his Battleaxe BTX-1K. A Crossbow, Cestus, and Vulcan VLC-6N make up the lance.
The GLadiator GLD-3R commanded by callsign "Great Eye" is accompanied by a Hornet, FLC-4N Falcon, and FLE-15 Flea.
Second company is a more homogenous armoured unit. Gabriels provide swift scouting and spotting, a platoon of rare Kanga jump tanks are strikers, and a platoon of Thumpers are ideal artillery backing for the other units.
And the infantry company - three platoons of leg infantry, supported by three heavy wheeled APCs - one of which has been converted to a combination of MASH unit and field kitchen. Necessity is, after all, a mother.
First, and most important, this unit is dedicated to those members of the Chicago Demo Team who've welcomed me into their homes, hearts, and games in the last three years, when I was lucky enough to manage to swing by the Windy City. To you, this is some small gesture of my appreciation. May you always roll high, unless you want to roll low!
Second, I'd planned this unit for years, as a suitable way of using up my BattleDroids minis. Wasn't until I picked up
two BD Marauders - with the Ral Partha imprint under the base - that the roster was complete. (I did have a Firebee as well, but that went when my son moved out.) So when I did visit Chicago, the decision sort of got made.
The SLDF scheme is both simple, and hard. You can't use the little tricks one often does to make a mini pop. So I just tried to do a simple paintscheme well. You decide how it came out. The process:
1) Prime with olive drab
2) Brown ink wash
3) Drybrush 2-3 layers of olive drab
4) Ghostbrush with faded olive drab to pick out edges just a little
5) Detail.
Anyway, some may want to know if the remnants of the Chicago Division ever found a place to call home. Well ...
Some did, anyway.
Cheers - and especially to you ladies & gentlemen O0
W.
