FSRB Chpt 228

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 228==
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Unit Profile: 1st Sheraton Knights: The Faithful
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===AFFS Unit Profile===
====Unit History====
Formed from a former militia unit that stayed loyal to House Davion even as their world fell into civil war, the 1st Sheraton Knights are resolute on two issues: firstly the defense of their homeworld. Never again do they wish to see their world engulfed into anything even approaching the turmoil of the so called "Chaos March". It is that determination which fuels their loyalty to House Davion. Having seen the lawlessness and civil war that lack of strong leadership can bring they are firm in the few that only loyalty to a strong and just lord can avoid this happening again. To every member of the Knights, Victor Davion is that lord. Each member of the Knights from the commanding Leftenant General to the most green astech takes a personal oath of loyalty upon their induction into the Sheraton Knights to the First Prince of the Federated Suns.
There are some who have pointed out the contradiction of the Knights position regarding the First Prince, after all it was then Victor Steiner-Davion's actions which had led to the invasion of the Sarna March and the formation of the "Chaos March". Yet the Sheraton Knights always maintain that had the various troops and leaders of the Federated Commonwealth remained loyal to then Archon-Prince and rallied to his call to arms then the invasion by the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation would have been thrown back and the situation saved. They accept the criticism of Victor Davion's actions during the lead up to Operation Guerrero but take the view that it was the subsequent actions of those who should have been loyal to the Archon Prince that led to the total disaster and collapse of the Sarna March.
====Basic Composition====
The 1st Sheraton Knights remain almost unique within the entire Inner Sphere in that it is not their battlemech forces which make up the core of the unit. Instead pride of place within the formation goes to the 1st Armoured Knights, their tank regiment. The 1st Armoured Knights were formed and created from the surviving members of the militia tank regiment that continued the war for the House Davion and Sheraton for four long years and even the usual arrogance of the units mechwarriors pales before this fact. While the regiment of battlemechs is the single most powerful unit within the Knights it is the Armoured Knights who make up the heart and soul of the Sheraton Knights.
By contrast the 1st Sheraton Men-at-Arms infantry regiment and the two wings that comprise the 1st Sheraton Sky Knights are generally considered support units for the Battlemech and armor vehicle formations. Somewhat to the irritation of the Sky Knights at least.
Still whatever disagreements the various components might have when off duty and grumbling amongst themselves nobody can fault the professionalism and unity the command shows when engaged in the field. Far from being the defensive formation that many considered them to be when First Prince Davion formed them in 3062 the Knights have proven to be a valuable and hard hitting front line combat formation. With two of their three battlemech battalions consisting of predominantly heavy class designs and with a similar heavy/assault role in the Armoured Knights the unit has deployed from Sheraton and taken part in offensive operations against both the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine, serving alongside such famed units as the 4th Davion Guards RCT and the 33rd Avalon Hussars RCT as well as conducting combat operations in on their own as an independent command. Far from the "jumped up militia" that some considered them the 1st Sheraton Knights are now a well respected and regarded front line combat formation.
Although not currently engaged in active combat during Operation Harvest against the WOB few doubt that if the need arose that the Knight's would gladly answer the call and head for the front. However after suffering losses during their previous battles it was felt they would be better utilised as a reserve unit that could be summoned forward if required. This has allowed them to rebuild their strength slowly from both academy graduates and from the LCT style 1st Sheraton Reinforced Training Battalion - which if Sheraton is attacked is ordered to fold itself into the 1st Sheraton Knights as their fourth battalion and additional support forces for the duration of the battle.
====Officers====
Leftenant General Toby Knight is everything a Knight could (and indeed should) aspire to be as far as his command is concerned. A bluff tanker, he commands the unit from the turret of his Fury class command tank. Absolutely loyal to his unit, his world and his prince, Leftenant General Knight has proven an adaptable command officer. While during the "dark years" between '57 and '61 then Colonel Knight mastered hit and run tactics that were well suited to a unit which was always struggling to maintain itself in the face of constant threats, since the reintegration of Sheraton into the Federated Suns and the formation of the new 1st Sheraton Knights the promoted officer has proven an adept hand at adjusting his tactics to the situation and terrain he finds himself fighting on. If there is a single weakness within the Knights it is their absolute dedication to their commanding officer, a point which the Leftenant General is aware of and which has prevented him taking "unnecessary risks" in case his tank is damaged and his unit rushes to his aid. A fact that causes him no small amount of irritation.
Colonel Emma Silver, the commanding officer of the battlemech regiment of the Sheraton Knights, is a rarity within the unit: a non-native of Sheraton. Seconded to the unit by the AFFS to help them in integrating a battlemech level formation into their existing armor tactics she swiftly fell in love with her new home on Sheraton and found a home within the Knights. She has been accepted almost totally into the unit (her marrying a local rancher on Sheraton accelerated this acceptance) and she is widely considered the successor of Leftenant General Knight when he chooses to retire by most of the unit. The only area in which she is still considered an outsider by some is that she did not serve with the unit during their years of guerrilla style warfare and a handful of the older members particularly within the Armoured Knights consider that without that knowledge she can never fully understand them. If she is indeed promoted to command the Knights it may bring this tension to a head given the Armoured Knights position within the formation and their preference for an armor officer to maintain the traditions of the Knights. The old guard within the Armoured Knights prefer Lt Colonel Greg Knight, the General's nephew, to take command of the Knights upon the older man's retirement.
==== Unit Composition ====
1st Sheraton Knights
Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical
CO: Colonel Emma Silver
Unit Summary:The first and second battalions of the Knights consist of mostly heavy weighted machines, with a single assault company in the second battalion. The third battalion forms the cavalry and scouting element of the unit and consists of two battalions of medium battlemechs and a single company of light battlemechs - almost all jump capable. A gradual upgrade program is currently underway and roughly two companies of OmniMechs have been assigned to the unit.
1st Sheraton Sky Knights
Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical
Aerospace Brigade: Commander Hugo Vernon
Unit Summary: The 1st Sheraton Sky Knights consists of the 1st and 2nd Sheraton Interceptor Wings. Almost all of the aerospace fighters flown by the Sky Knights are Stuka, Corsair or Sparrowhawk class Aerospace fighters and all of them are brand new.
1st Armoured Knights
Regiment/Elite/Fanatical
CO: Leftenant General Toby Knight
Aide: Lt. Colonel Greg Knight
Unit Summary: Similar to the battlemech regiment the Armoured Knights consist of two heavy/assault battalions and a single cavalry battalion of medium and light vehicles. General Knight has recently begun to petition to form a fourth battalion consist of VTOL gunships to give his unit some added flexibility following their campaigns during the Kurita War. As befitting their status as the core of the unit the Armoured Knights are equipped with some of the best tanks and armoured vehicles that the Federated Sun's can produce and the unit recently took receipt of a company of Ajax-O OmniTanks.
1st Sheraton Men-at-Arms
Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical
CO: Lt. Colonel Chris Davidson
Unit Summary: At the present time the Sheraton Men-at-Arms consists of two mechanized battalions of infantry and a single jump infantry battalion. A small force of a single battle armoured company is permanently attached to the 1st Jump Knights, but Lt. Colonel Davidson with the full support of General Knight is pushing for this battle armour contingent to be expanded to a full battalion.
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