"... Nordlicht Squadron. You will be the spearhead that breaks through the Legion's defenses in the greatest joint operation in the history of mankind." ― Richard Altner.[1]
The Federal Republic of Giad, Western Army, 8th Army Corps, 177th Armored Division, 1028th Trial Unit, Nordlicht Squadron (ギアーデ連邦西方方面軍第8軍団第177機甲師団第1028試験部隊ノルトリヒト戦隊 Giа̄de Renpou Seihou Houmengun Dai-hachi Gundan Dai-ichi-nana-nana Kikou Shidan Dai-hito-maru-ni-hachi Shiken Butai Norutorihito-Sentai?) was an XM2 Reginleif test squadron. It was later removed from the Federacy's regular forces and integrated into the Eighty-Sixth Strike Package as the 1st Armored Group's Third Squadron "Nordlicht" (第一機甲グループ第三戦隊“ノルトリヒト” Dai-ichi Kikou Gurūpu Dai-san Sentai "Norutorihito"?). Currently, the squadron is only comprised of the Vargus led by Brent Bernholdt.
Chronology[]
The Trial Phase[]
The Nordlicht Squadron was an experimental unit for testing the first high-maneuverability Feldreß in Federacy history, XM2 Reginleif. When the unit was formed, the squadron's personnel comprised regular Federacy soldiers, Vargus mercenaries, and the five survivors of the Spearhead Squadron.
Initially, they started off with 50 brand-new Reginleifs in total. However, the squadron's first leader, a captain from the Federacy's regular army, was not up to the task, and his lackluster command proved disastrous. Shortly after the trial phase started, half the squadron, including its captain, died in combat. Second Lieutenant Shinnei Nouzen, a new officer fresh out of the Special Officer Academy, had to take command of the unit as the most senior officer still alive. Although the unit's strength was reduced to just one company, the Nordlicht Squadron did not receive any new pilots since it became clear that an average pilot could not handle such an extremely demanding machine like Reginleif. However, because of the Legion's intensifying attacks, the under-strength squadron continued to be deployed for combat missions.
Under the direction of Major General Richard Altner, the commander of the 177th Armored Division, the Nordlicht Squadron was split into platoons; each would be sent to reinforce the defensive position and exterminate the enemy that broke through the front lines. While having an entire squadron remain together could yield better outcomes, the general hoped to confine the story about the Nordlicht Squadron's exceptional combat prowess to the rumor level. Hence, its personnel would not be alienated or constantly deployed for dangerous missions.
By the end of the trial phase, the Nordlicht Squadron had only 20 Reginleifs left, and all of the regular Federacy soldiers had perished, leaving only the Vargus and the Eighty-Six. On the other hand, the squadron held the highest number of downed hostiles not just within the 177th Division but within the 8th Army Corps itself. Despite the mixed operational results, the commander of the 1028th Trial Unit, Lieutenant Colonel Grethe Wenzel, convinced her commanding officer to properly integrate the Nordlicht Squadron into the Division in preparation for an incoming Legion's major offensive. Thus, the squadron was attached to FOB 15 and subordinated to the 151st Regiment under the direct command of Lieutenant Colonel Wenzel.
The First Great Offensive[]
The Nordlicht Squadron played a crucial role in the First Great Offensive. Sensing enemies' advance with his ability, the squadron leader, Second Lieutenant Nouzen, coerced controllers to widen the surveillance drone's search area, allowing them to detect the incoming Legion earlier. While threatening fellow soldiers with a gun severely violated military rules, his action gave the Western Army additional time to move the reserves to the frontline.
The Nordlicht Squadron and other armored units were deployed hurriedly to intercept the enemy forces as the Legion's vanguard broke through the frontline. The squadron arrived at one former imperial city and rescued the retreating infantries. Then, they made short work of the Legion's first wave, using the urban area to their advantage.
After refueling and replenishing ammunition, the Nordlicht Squadron rejoined the frontline and fought fierce battles against the Legion's main force. Once again, the squadron played a critical role in plucking any hole appearing on the Federacy's line. They arrived at the point where the defense was about to collapse, destroyed all the intruding Legion with ruthless efficiency, and moved on to another location. The Federacy soldiers, who witnessed the Nordlicht Squadron in action, were struck in awe and terror for their combat prowess. The battles continued to rage for many hours before the Legion finally withdrew.
Hunting the Morpho[]
The existence of the railgun-type Legion put the Western Army in a precarious position. Without other feasible means, the only option was to send the ground forces into the Legion-occupied territory and destroy the Morpho. The operation's outline was that the combined armies of three countries would act as decoys, while a small strike force would be airdropped behind the enemy lines and proceeded to eliminate the Morpho. After the Morpho was annihilated, the strike force would fight defensively until the main force arrived.
The criteria for the strike force were rather strict, and after intense discussion, The Nordlicht Squadron was selected to carry out the mission. The Reginleifs have sufficient mobility and firepower while being light enough to be airlifted. In addition, five Eighty-Six had experience operating independently without instruction from superiors, which was necessary since communication with HQ was not always guaranteed. They were also accustomed to fighting while constantly being outnumbered. At last, the squadron leader, Second Lieutenant Nouzen, could track Morpho's position with his ability. Although The Nordlicht Squadron undeniably was a tactically sound choice, the Federacy High Command also had other reasons. Since it was practically a suicide mission, using regular soldiers would cause immense dissatisfaction among rank-and-file of the military. The Nordlicht Squadron, however, comprised of the Eighty-Six and the Vargus, considered somewhat outsiders and thus expendable.
Lieutenant Colonel Wenzel proposed some alterations to the plan and requested permission to utilize an experimental transport aircraft, XC-1 Nachzehrer, for this operation. In addition to being faster and quieter than helicopters, it could avoid detection from radars and AA weapons by flying close to the ground. The Nachzehrer also had a larger payload and could carry up to 15 Reginleifs. Lieutenant Colonel Wenzel volunteered to fly this aircraft personally in spite of her rank.
The operation began at the dawn of October 9th, SY 2144. After the Legion started engaging the combined army, the Nachzehrer was launched from the underground base using an electromagnetic catapult. The flight went unhinderedly for most parts. However, the plane was eventually intercepted by the Legion and had to airdrop the Nordlicht Squadron five kilometers away from the destination.
The squadron soon reached the Kreutzbeck city. As they approached the Morpho, the Nordlicht Squadron encountered numerous Legion units in the vicinity, including several heavy-tank units, Dinosauria. After intense fighting, they finally set their sights on the Morpho for the first time. Unfortunately, the Legion had deducted the First Lieutenant Nouzen's inability to detect drones in the stasis mode. They used the Morhpo's damaged body as bait and had the spare unit lay outside the city, preparing to ambush the strike force. Luckily, the squadron noticed the Legion's trap in time and narrowly escaped the Morpho's bombardment. The Nordlicht Squadron immediately counterattacked but failed to damage the Morpho before its withdrawal. As the Legion's reinforcement quickly swamped the city, Sergeant Bernholdt and the Vargus volunteered to be a rearguard, allowing the rest of the squadron to pursue the Morpho.
After two days of relentless fighting and pursuit, the prolonged mission soon took a toll on the remaining five Reginleifs and pilots. The machines suffered from a lack of maintenance, and mechanical problems began increasingly occurring. Furthermore, all pilots had been worn down gradually as they could not truly rest inside the enemy's territory. Unbeknownst to them, the Morpho's host, Kiriya Nouzen, deliberately set the condition where he could fight his kin in a single combat. One by one, the pursuing force had to leave its members behind. After a long, tenuous hunt, only the Undertaker, piloted by First Lieutenant Nouzen, remained to face The Morpho.
Taking down the rail gun-type Legion proved to be challenging beyond imagination. The Morpho vastly outclassed the Reginleif in both firepower and armor. Even worse, its host was a descendant of the famous warrior clan and a close-combat specialist. He was particularly adept at utilizing an unusually massive machine, significantly compensating for Morpho's poor mobility. Ultimately, it took a combined effort between the remaining Nordlicht Squadron, unexpected help from the Republic, and, secretly, the Giadian Empire's last empress to destroy the rampaging Morpho. By the end of the operation, all Reginleifs of the Nordlicht Squadron were damaged to various degrees and required extensive repairs. Miraculously, all members of the strike force survived against all odds.
After the short break, the Nordlicht returned to active duty and participated in battles to retake the former Republic of San Magnolia's administrative Sectors. They'd managed to retake everything up to the First Sector before the squadron was rotated out of the frontline and returned to the Federacy.
Eighty-Sixth Strike Package[]
Achievements[]
- Elimination of the Legion Shepherd "Pale Rider"
Organization[]
Trial Unit Roster[]
- [First Platoon]
- [Leader] First Lieutenant Shinei Nouzen
- [Second Platoon]
- [Deputy] Second Lieutenant Raiden Shuga
- [Third Platoon]
- Second Lieutenant Theoto Rikka
- [Fourth Platoon]
- [Assistant] Sergeant Brent Bernholdt
- [Fifth Platoon]
- Second Lieutenant Anju Emma
- [Sixth Platoon]
- Second Lieutenant Kurena Kukumila
- [Support]
- Scavenger Fido
- [Mascot] Mascot Frederica Rosenfort
Strike Package Roster[]
Main Article: Eighty-Sixth Strike Package
Trivia[]
- Nordlicht is a German word meaning "Northern Light".