Wellon Army: 2300 AD Order of Battle By D Hebditch The Wellon Army was formed out of the three Territorial Defence Forces of the original settlements when the Dominion of Wellon was created. The Army is closely linked to the British Army and alongside the British Army of Alpha Centauri (BAAC) forms III (Wellon) Corps. III Corps is designated for operations on Tirane, however its units, and those of the Reserve, are available for deployment with the Wellon Expeditionary Force. Currently the Wellon and British Armies have a Force Exchange agreement which results in 6 battle groups from each nation serving in each others forces. Under these auspices the 2nd Battalion, The Lion of the Cape Regiment saw active service against the Kafers with the British 1st Light Brigade. It is also common practise for units of III Corps to swap brigades and battle-groups between them for exercises. As a result the Wellon Army is to all intents and purposes a de-facto part of the British Army and shares a common doctrine and military culture. In addition to supplying troops for III Corps, the Wellon Army is also responsible for the defence and territorial integrity of the whole of Tiralbion. This is conducted by a system of locally recruited and part-time infantry brigades, backed up with professional regionally based Mechanised forces. The Strategic Reserve is also dedicated to the defence of Wellon, but can also operate under III Corps or independently under the direction of HMWG. 7 (Wellon) Armd Bde also has a key OPFOR role in the training of III Corps. The Wellon Expeditionary Force was formed including assets drawn from III Corps and the Strategic Reserve. It was originally drawn up in late 2300 but didn't actually leave Wellon until 2302 when the Battle of Beowulf was underway and saw action in the Liberation of Beowulf. Currently the WEF is manned with some 20 000 soldiers providing three fighting brigades, the majority of a divisional HQ and many logistic troops. It is not likely that the WEF will return to Wellon in the near future, indeed several other brigades have been readied for possible deployment. The full details of the WEF are contained in a separate article.
III (Wellon) Corps is a joint British-Wellon formation whose role is to protect Wellonese and British interests on Tirane. As such it is a well trained and equipped force massing three armoured divisions. III Corps has a full staff complement and is commanded by Lieutenant-General who is by rotation British, then Wellonese. The Corps Recce Group has recently been reorganised, loosing one of its armoured recce regiments but gaining a close recce battalion. Corps Recce Group
Corps Artillery Group
Corps Engineer Group
12th (Wellon) Armoured Division 12 Armd Div was formed in 2285 and is stationed in North New Albion with major units in New Birmingham and at the Narvik Garrison. The Division has recently reorganised with the addition of a close recce battalion in the recce group to bring it into line with the British 2301 structure. The brigades are equipped with Cavalier HBT and Rifleman APC, although the newer Montgomery is being procured it has yet only been issued to WEF units. The division's armoured brigades are organised with an armoured regiment, two armoured infantry battalions and a gunship regiment in addition to engineer squadrons. The division also has an artillery group composed of three close support regiments and one general support regiment. Div Recce Group
Div Artillery Group
Div Engineer Group
4 Armoured Brigade
5 Armoured Brigade
6 Armoured Brigade
13th (Wellon) Armoured Division 13 Armd Div has been recently formed on the departure of 11 Armd Div HQ to the WEF. It is composed of two Armoured Brigades from 11 Armd Div, and one converted Mechanised Brigade. This 8 Armd Bde and the Div Artillery Group are still not fully operational, but should be so inside of six months. The Division is based in the Eastern Training Area where it is engaged in frequent exercises to bring its staff and units up to speed. Div Recce Group
Div Artillery Group
Div Engineer Group
2 Armoured Brigade
3 Armoured Brigade
8 Armoured Brigade (formerly 2 Mech Bde)
4th (British) Armoured Division 4 Armd Div is a regular British Army division and comprises the remnant of the old 'British Army of Alpha Centauri'. Its presence is part of the long term commitment of Britain to Wellon's defence. It is also excellently placed to make use of huge training areas available on Tirane. Consequently it is home to much of Britain's manoeuvre warfare expertise and advanced planning on doctrine. The division has spent much time recently simulating combat against Kafer forces. Historically the division traces its history back to Wellington's Army in the Napoleonic Wars and has served in all three World Wars and the Saudi War. The division is the last in the British Army to be equipped with Cavalier and Rifleman, but is slated to convert in the next year to the Montgomery/Templer. Div Recce Group
Div Artillery Group
Div Engineer Group
11th Armoured Brigade
12th Armoured Brigade
13th Armoured Brigade
The Strategic Reserve consists of Wellon's national reaction forces that are not assigned to III Corps. These forces are mostly light, regular and well trained troops slated for off Wellon operations. Two of the three WEF brigades have been drawn from the Reserve. The organisation of 2 Light Div is based on its British counterpart and designed to conduct infantry heavy operations from Aid to Civil Power to full military interventions. The Division has been depleted by the deployment of one of its brigades to the WEF but still is fully operational. One brigade from the division is deployed to the Southern Archipelago at all times and the unit as a whole has a specific specialisation in low intensity littoral and jungle operations. Div Recce Group
Div Artillery Group
2 Light Brigade
3 Light Brigade
7 (Wellon) Armoured Brigade 7 Armd Bde has two primary roles. As an armoured spearhead for interventions outside of Wellon and as an OPFOR for the units of III Corps. As such it has gained an excellent reputation. In recent years it has trained in hostile environments deep in the Blight as well as configuring special tactical groups to simulate Kafer manoeuvre warfare tactics. It has also generated a composite battle group for service with the WEF on Crater.
4 (Wellon) Light Brigade 4 Light Bde is an independent brigade which trains strenuously in mountain and arctic warfare. It exercises extensively in the Pendragons and in the Wellon Arctic Territories. It is an unconcealed fact that the brigade spends much of its contingency planning resources looking at a possible incursion into the Arctic areas from northern Tirania.
7 Commando Brigade, Royal Wellon Marines 7 Cdo Bde is Wellon's amphibious reaction force. When embarked on the Hermes and New Britannia the brigade is capable of long duration, over-the-horizon force projection missions. The brigade is also trained for conventional and raiding operations in addition to possibly reinforcing 4 Light Bde in the Arctic.
25 (Wellon) Special Air Service Regiment 1st Desert Reconnaissance Force Battle Group 7 Battle Group 7 is an ad-hoc grouping composed of companies attached from the Desert Recce Force, 7 Armoured Brigade and a composite combat walker company from 4 Light Brigade. The unit has been training to complement or replace the British resident Battlegroup (currently 1 KORBR) on Crater. It has been training in the depths of the Blight simulating conditions on Crater's Dayside. The Defence Forces have recently undergone a transformation to a new order of battle. Previously the regional defence divisions were composed of infantry brigades composed of the volunteer and home service infantry battalions and mechanised brigades composed of regular troops. However it has been decided to re-organise these formations to separate the regular mechanised brigades into their own divisional structure. This has been achieved by the creation of two new mechanised divisions, the conversion of one brigade into the armoured role and the retention of the small 8 Mechanised Brigade with the Arctic Division. The creation of the mechanised divisions has come about primarily to allow the army to deepen its reserve of manoeuvre forces and also soldiers and staff officers trained in those roles. This will allow a further expansion of the mechanised divisions to armoured roles or for an extended duration of the commitment to the Kafer War. The mechanised divisions are equipped with the Dragoon family of armoured vehicles and have substantial fighting potential. In times of crisis they are likely to be transferred to III Corps. The regional divisions are manned by the infantry brigades, these are composed of the Home Service and Volunteer battalions of the regiments. Most brigades will be composed of battalions of a single regiment, but all of the units are located in the same vicinity for ease of training. The infantry brigades are equipped with a mixture of wheeled APCs and heavy trucks. Due to the limitations on training time each of the divisions tends to specialise in styles of warfare most relevant to its locales. In addition some divisions have attached independent battalions under command. These are sometimes home service battalions with specific taskings or militia units who have a light infantry or auxiliary pioneer role. (Note: Militia units not shown in orbat.) 14th (Wellon) Mechanised Division 14 Mech Div is substantially less capable than the two armoured divisions, however in some instances it has proved more manoeuvrable. Combat Support is on lower scales also with only one battery of artillery attached to each brigade, however rectifying this is low on the list of priorities. The division also has no integral gunship support or divisional recce group. The Divisional HQ has only recently formed and is still shaking down. Equipped with the Dragoon family of armoured vehicles each battalion is a combined arms formation in its own right consisting of three companies each with a platoon of light tanks and two platoons of APCs, a support company and a HQ Company. 1 Mechanised Brigade
3 Mechanised Brigade
5 Mechanised Brigade
15th (Wellon) Mechanised Division 15 Mech Div has the same organisation as 14 Div. It is stationed across Southern New Albion. 7 Mech Bde is deployed in the troubled Southern Archipelago supporting the Royal Wellon Constabulary's Southern Task Force. 4 Mechanised Brigade
6 Mechanised Brigade
7 Mechanised Brigade
The Northern Division is perhaps the typical Wellonese regional division composed of four widely dispersed infantry brigades. The Division has few support assets with most of the support units directly associated to the brigades. The Div HQ is also restructuring after loosing some of its regular staff to the newly organised Armoured and Mechanised Divisions. The Northern Division is drawn from and based in New Scotland. Div Engineer Group
2 Northern Brigade
3 Northern Brigade
4 Northern Brigade
5 Northern Brigade
The Arctic Division is the smallest division based in New Highland and the Wellon Arctic Territories. However it is the only division that retains its regular mechanised brigade due to the sheer size of its TAOR. 8 Mechanised Brigade
1 Northern Brigade
Independent
2 Eastern Division is drawn from the Cam Estuary and the Marches. It is mainly practised in urban warfare. Div Engineer Group
1 Eastern Brigade
2 Eastern Brigade
3 Eastern Brigade
This Division is raised in the Upper Cam Valley and the Eastern Pendragon's. The division is skilled both in hill and mountain warfare and in river crossing operations. Div Engineer Group
4 Eastern Brigade
5 Eastern Brigade
Independent
4 Western Div is raised in the southern West New Albion. The division's brigades are widely dispersed and have individual task specialisation. Div Engineer Group
1 Western Brigade
2 Western Brigade
5 Western Brigade
8 Western Brigade
Independent
5 Western Division is recruited from the heavily populated North Albion Plain and the Warwick Peninsular. Div Engineer Group
3 Western Brigade
4 Western Brigade
6 Western Brigade
7 Western Brigade
6 Division occupies Southern New Albion and is the largest division in the Wellonese Army. The individual brigades are widely dispersed but are all well trained in the skills needed to operate in the equatorial jungles and coastlines of the South. Div Engineer Group
1 Southern Brigade
2 Southern Brigade
3 Southern Brigade
4 Southern Brigade
5 Southern Brigade
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