63rd "Hellcats" Heavy Gear Regiment (Aeromobile)

Regimental Motto:

Prima untus, ultima foras  

"First in, last out"

The 63rd "Hellcats" Heavy Gear Regiment (Aeromobile) has a long and proud history. Originally this unit

was an aeromobile infantry regiment and rose to fame during the Battle of Pioneer. During this battle it was the soldiers of the 63rd Regiment who first entered the city, but also subsequently covered the retreat when the UMF deployed the first generation of Gear.

The 63rd Regiment was one of the first to transform from an infantry regiment to an HG regiment. Although the unit is composed of members of perhaps every clan in the Protectorate, thanks to capable leadership it is a very capable unit as proved during the defence of Bako Basin

Captain Holst Lionel

The base for combat operations is the WFPS Retribution, an old but steadfast landship that has served the northern armies for generations. Like the ship, Captain Unsinkable Holst Lionel has served in dozens of combat operations, including fighting the CEF in the Badlands.

During the final days of the first invasion, Retribution remained cut off from the rest of the Terra Novan forces and for five long days had to fight off ground attacks, only through guerrilla warfare were the northern forces able to repel the attack and even attack and destroy the mobile command center. Holst was even reported to have said before this attack "who said anything about hiding? Let's raise the black flag and start cutting throats."

Captain De Vries

Task Force Talon is one of the 63rd Regiment's tactical units that operates from WFPS Retribution. Its commander is Captain De Vries Joseph, an experienced commander from the battles against the CEF, but also served during the Interpolar War. De Vries usually commands from the WFPS Retribution command bridge. But if his presence is needed on the battlefield, he sits in the cockpit of a Kodiak nicknamed Mairo. In these cases, he commands a fire support battle group which usually consists of one or two grizzlies and a few lighter gears such as Hunter or Cheetah usually in airborne variants

Ranger Hill Penelopé

Part of Task Force Talon is an assault squad which is unusually for the WFP armed with Jaguars. This team is led by Hill Penelopé, whose twin sister Phoebe also serves in this squad. They both drive Fire Jaguars. Penelope was promoted a year ago during anti-rover operations in the badlands. During a routine patrol, the commander of their battlegroup was killed, and Penelope managed to lead the unit out of an enemy ambush. She also showed her qualities during the siege of Bako Basin when she led a counter-strike against SRA troops who had to retreat into the wastelands.

Lt. Maven Ava

Northern Command referred to the defense of Bako Basin and adjacent areas as Operation Claymore.
Thanks to the early detection of AST units, the command was able to send Retribution, sometimes referred to by the troops as Ret. Fort Henry is only a few hundred kilometers from the Badlands so the WFP was able to get a landship into the area very quickly

A special intelligence task force under the Northern Guard was attached to Retribution for this operation. This group is led by Lieutenant Maven Ava, and her unit is armed with several lighter Gears and Jaguars. The unit's purpose is not to confront the enemy directly, but to gather information on the southern campaign and what its objectives are.

Battle of Bako Basin

Task Force Talon managed to take positions on the outskirts of Bako Basin at the last minute. Within moments, the SRA vanguard attacked. The northern units managed to hold their positions. After the initial firefights, both sides tried to consolidate their forces. Ranger Hill took advantage of this, using her fast Jaguars to make a flanking move, catching the Southern forces off guard. During this attack, the SRA vanguard suffered significant casualties which forced them to retreat.

The situation around the Bako Basin remains uncertain. Southern forces are stationary in the area and the Retribution crew has no idea how large a force they are facing.  Lieutenant Ava may have sent her men into the field, but the storm the Swamp Vipers used to hide the movement of their troops is now raging over the city, making any communication impossible.  

It's not the first time the Hellcats have faced the Swamp Vipers in recent memory. Holst was very familiar with and had faced previous Swamp Vipers commander Major Reyna on several occasions. But he was a real kitten compared to the new 45th SRA Regiment commander Alba Floro. Captain De Vries had already had the honor of meeting Captain Floro on the battlefield. He knows how she thinks, what her strengths are, but also that her pride is her greatest weakness and one that Task Force Talon must exploit if they hope to win.

Outside the lore

The story around the Northern Army parts are pretty funny because I more or less wanted to play the SRA which I consider more like the bad guys (Although we all know the biggest bad guys live in Peace River) and the WFP was more like the OPFOR became the army I play with most often and kind of grew on me.

I started playing around with the army a bit and made some conversions for Para Hunters and Para Cheetahs, but let's not kid ourselves the main reason was watching the Obsolete series from Youtube Originals. And dropping a mecha out of a plane just sounds cool.

Although the plastic sets are not as nice as the metal ones on the table, they look good especially in fullpaint. What I like about Heavy Gear Blitz! (I had a similar experience with V2 Flames of War) is that every battle tells a story. If you build a nice table, and have armies in fullpaint the story pretty much tells itself. 

Chronicles of Terra Nova: Southern Republic 45th Gear Regiment "Swamp Vipers"

Regimental Motto:                                                      quodcumque est necessarium.                                       "Whatever is necessary."                                                                    The 45th Gear Regiment is not a regiment with a rich and long history, in fact this unit was only formed during the Interpolar War. And although their ranks contain Jagers most of the vehicles are very modern machines. The unit gained its nickname in 1913 when the unit fought in the Mekong against the CEF. Their commander was able to attack several times from a direction no one anticipated, earning the unit the nickname the Swamp Vipers. After heavy fighting in the jungles, the Vipers traded the swamps for the arid desert of the badlands. Their mission was to put down a local rebellion led by the priest Kashyk Tores. Operation Collateral lasted several months, but eventually the uprising was crushed in blood.

Two years later, the unit found itself in a battlegroup that had the goal of recapturing the city of Baja. During these battles though the unit is able to accomplish the objectives they are given by the command but at the cost of heavy casualties. Among the dead is the commander, Major Morgan Reyna.

The fallen commander is replaced by a new commander - Captain Alba Floro. This young woman embodies the values of the Southern Republic, She is ruthless, cruel and convinced of her superiority. She was decorated for her actions during the battle for the Mekong Gate and later in the jungles of the Mekong itself where she allegedly overpowered a CEF battle group consisting of several tanks and a frames

Under her command, this unit was deployed primarily in battles against the northern WFP. In these campaigns, the Floro gained a reputation as savages who disregarded the unwritten laws of the Terra Nova battlefields.

Floro's representative is Lieutenant Everard Noyer. A veteran of many campaigns, unlike Floro Noyer is able to accept that the North can win and save the unit from destruction on several occasions, forcing Floro to retreat from a stalemate. Noyer is a very experienced pilot who was prepeared from a young age to one day drive the Gear. 

In the past few months, the unit has been operating in the badlands between AST and WFP territory, frequently crossing the border and conducting raids. Here they have created their nemesis in the form of the Northern 63rd Gear Regiment (Airmobile) with whom they have battled time and time again on the battlefield.

The 45th is now engaged in Operation Raven's Claw with the objective of invading and occupying Bako Basin. Unfortunately the first wave of the attack was repulsed but Floro still has a few aces up her sleeve....

Outside the lore

I actually found out about Heavy Gear in the last century through the counter games Heavy Gear and Heavy Gear 2, but at that time there was no way to get miniatures in our country, nor did I know there was such a game. At that time the most you could get in our country was Battletech, Warhammer Fantasy Battles or Warhammer 40K. Years went by and a couple of 10 years ago I came across Heavy Gear again, this time miniatures were available but the show had to be ordered through Atlantic which was not an ideal situation. After a couple of years there was a kickstarter thanks to which I ended up with a box of Battle for Terranova I glued and painted a few gears but that's where it ended. 

I wrote a few articles in my native language , to give potential players and awareness of the Heavy Gear world but that's where it seemed to end. During Covid's Lockdowns I started playing various simpler games with my kids, especially Battlech Alphastrike. The kids love mechs that's a given but my oldest daughter who had already been putting together some models for Age of Sigmar wanted some mechs that she could put together from multiple parts . At that point I remembered the sprue I got from the kickstarter and figured why not give it a try. I ordered another two playerset from Scifi-trader and started putting together my first task force for Heavy Gear Blitz! Before that I tried brown and green scheme but eventually I started painting the models in sand scheme with green camouflage which suits the AST models

And even though AST is my favourite Heavy Gear faction, I had to play as my Northern Army in all the games. But there will come a time when I will deploy Flora and her units against Peace River which my usual opponent has ordered (he normally uses my AST).

So far my AST army only contains plastic models, but that will change in a few days as I have some older metal models on the way.

Tommorow´s War Fluff: 1st Interstellar War

In years between 2288-2296 humanity saw its first true interstellar war. All major powers from Earth
was quickly drawn it this 8 year long conflict. on one side there was US backed OPS (Organisation of Progressive Nations) and its allies againts NEU (New Economic Union), China (PRC) and their allies on the other.



Brushfire on Glory
Expansion of Republic of Arden (RA) on Glory entered war with dictatorship named Democratic People´s Republic of Glory (DPRG). Quick escalation led to the full spectrum war between these two colonial powers, RA and France Foreing Legion was using superior technology and have edge againts DPRG who have man-power but using almost obsolote technology. DPRG leadership turned to their trading partners and allies from New Economic Union, who brought SF teams, advisors and cutting edge warmachines and weapons. Outgunned and outnumbered Arden nation start seeking help from Grissom and United States Marine Corps answered. Planetfall of Marines lead the US and Brazil into direct confronation, and soon OPS and NEU entered war, war that was new to humanity.

Dragon rising 

Disputes between Republic of Arden and China was evident - in year 2159 PRC invaded Glory but eventualy they were forced to pull out from Glory. China without doubt was major player - top technology and well trained army. Few months after start of Interstellar war they made planetfall on Glory, and not just only there.

Albion under siege
Not only US worlds were under siege but other OPS colonies and garden worlds were under siege and it was evident that OPS would must fight hard to face both PRC and NEU. on Albion British, French and US forces faced invasion force of Brazil and PRC.


Situation on Earth
Durning 1st Interstellar war the situation on Earth was realitivly calm. apart from few SF action like infamous Last stand at Red Ridge, both powers tried to keep war off world.

Batte of Jump point Zulu
Battle of Jump point Zulu was one for the books, suprise attack on PRC/Brazil battlegroup enroute to the Albion. German/French allied fleet attacked NEU/PRC forces as soon as they jump in resulting destruction of 2 assault carriers and 3 battlecruisers in matter of minutes. The effect on morale on battlegroup was immense and rest of fleet surrender to the OPS.

But destruction of this fleet have another effect, supplies which battlegroup carried was meant for invasion troops on Albion - ammunition, medicine and even fresh troops. NEU Command on Albion in fear they will not get resupply in months or even more uncoditionaly surrender to the OPS, which was first true OPS victory in war and have decesive blow on NEU morale.

Western diplomats managed to leveraged this two defeats into armistance and later both sides signed Peace treaty, which lasted to the 2309 - the start of Saints war.