Editing 40th Shadow Division

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[File:Shadow Division 40th logo.png‎|150px|Insignia of the 40th Shadow Division]]
| Designation = 40th Shadow Division
| Formed = 
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = Sariel's Conquerors
| Affiliation = [[Word of Blake]]
| Parent Command = [[Shadow Divisions]]
| Sub-Command = 
}}

==Unit Description==
The '''Fortieth Shadow Division''' was the first of the [[Word of Blake|Word of Blake's]] "hidden" units. The unit was partially comprised of the Blakists' hyper-elite cybernetically enhanced warriors known as the [[Manei Domini]].  The Fortieth was known for its exploits in [[Sian]] Combat Theater and on Hesperus II during the [[Jihad]].

==History==
===Jihad===
Two [[Level II]]s of the Fortieth Division landed on [[Tharkad]], hunting down resistance cells. They fought the [[Royal Guards]] and [[24th Lyran Guards]] several times: Once in the ruins of Tharkad's main spaceport,<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 8</ref> in the Mako Valley,<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 9</ref> and again on the Taytana Islands.<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 10</ref> Though they were stationed on Tharkad between 3068 and 3071, they did not sustain many losses and were able to assist other elements of the Division in their tasks.<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 6</ref>

The Fortieth captured [[Hesperus II]] in [[3070]]<ref name=tro3050>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', p. 210</ref> with the [[38th Division (Word of Blake)|38th Division]] as part of [[Operation STEEL HAMMER]].  This was made possible after other Blakist forces slowly weakened the planet's defenses after years of lightning raids. Due to the importance of the [[Defiance Industries]] facilities, the Fortieth remained stationed on the planet, becoming a conduit for replacement machines and weaponry to the rest of the Blakist militia.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 24: "Operation: Steel Hammer" - 40th and frails of 38th Division successfully take Hesperus II</ref><ref name=JTP:Hp7>''Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II'', p. 7: "Fortieth Shadow Division [Word of Blake] (March 3068–December 3074)"</ref>

In May [[3073]], a large portion of the Fortieth traveled off-world to spearhead a raid against [[Arcturus]], backed up by the [[Burr's Black Cobras]] [[mercenary unit]] and elements of the [[2nd Word of Blake Division|2nd Division]], inflicting significant damage but not before suffering heavy losses of their own.<ref name=tpa10>''Turning Points: Arcturus'', p. 10</ref> The Fortieth disappeared after suddenly withdrawing from Arcturus, before finally returning to Hesperus three months later.<ref name=BD>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 103</ref>  In September, elements of the Division linked up with the [[52nd Shadow Division]] in a strike on [[Caledonia]] which was to destroy the [[22nd Skye Rangers]].  The Division had returned to Hesperus II where it became fully operational in time to face [[Devlin Stone|Devlin Stone's]] Coalition force in November of [[3074]]. After month of fighting the Coalition force successfully took the planet.<ref name=JTPHIIp5/>

The Division's status was reportedly sketchy, estimating it being only at three [[Level III]] strength.  It was not made clear if the division slipped away from the planet, or remained in hiding.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 104: "40th Shadow Division later exploits beyond 3073"</ref>

The last known location of the 40th was Hesperus II, where they held Maria's Elegy, the planet's capital where they held at bay [[Clan Wolf]]'s [[Delta Galaxy (Clan Wolf)|Delta Galaxy]] and [[Stone's Lament]], and retreated only after the fall of [[Defiance Industries]] complexes and mauling also a nighttime combat drop by the [[First Skye Jaegers]].<ref name=JTPHIIp5>''Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II'', p. 5: "The Battle for Hesperus II"</ref>

The Division is reported as Missing in Action during the end of the Jihad.<ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 125: "Shadow Divisions Status"</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the 40th Shadow Division'''
|-
| [[Precentor]] Omega||[[Sariel]]||February [[3068]] - December [[3074]]<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Sian'', p. 6: "Combatants"</ref><ref name=tro3050/><ref name=JTPHIIp5>''Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II'', p. 5: "The Battle for Hesperus II"</ref>
|-
|}

===Other Unit Officers===
* [[Demi-Precentor]] [[Laodices]] in [[3074]].<ref name=jtph2p18>''Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II'', p. 18: "Death from Above"</ref>

==Tactics==
Unknown.

==Composition History==
===3070===
*[[Level IV|Division]] (Elite)<ref name=JTP:Hp7/>

===3074===
* Estimated 3 [[Level III]] formations
:* Named Ones:
:** '''Creeping Death''' III-zeta<ref name=jtph2p12>''Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II'', p. 12: "The Shadow Descends"</ref>

==Notes==
All information pooled from canon sourcebooks is reported in style of intelligence reports vs. a direct write-up on the unit. Some information may be left out of the article due to questionable sources.

==Rules==
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===Game Rules===
The 40th Division employs universal Shadow Division special abilities of being immune to Forced Withdrawal rules.  Also Shadow Division abilities allows the 40th to negate Overrun Combat or Forcing the Initiative force abilities of an opposing force.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 142: "Rules Annex" - Shadow Divisions (General) - 40th shares gains general Shadow Division abilities</ref><ref name=tpa10/>  The Division itself uniquely allows the controlling player to roll on the Lyran Alliance Random Assignment Table (RAT) up to all its units. Also the player may add a +2 on the results of them rolling up the weight class of their BattleMechs for every three units selected.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 142: "Rules Annex" - 40th Shadow Division special abilities</ref><ref name=tpa10/><ref name=JTP:Hp7/>
</div>

==Reference==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Hesperus II]]''
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Sian]]''
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Turning Points: Arcturus]]''


[[Category:Word of Blake Commands|Shadow Division, 40th]]