Editing 45th Shadow Division

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image          = [[File:45th_shadow_div.png]]
| Designation    = 45th Shadow Division
| formed         = Late 3060s
| Disbanded      = [[3078]]
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname       = Tunrida's Terror;<br>Arioch's Avengers
| Affiliation    = [[Word of Blake]]
| Parent Command = [[Shadow Divisions]]
| Sub-Command    = 
}}

==Unit Description==
The 45th Shadow Division was a veteran [[Word of Blake]] combat unit first appeared during early days of the [[Jihad]]. The 45th Shadow manned by cybernetically augmented warriors known as the [[Manei Domini]]. 

==History==
===Raid on Buckminster===
The unit made its first reported appearance in [[3070]], during an assault on the Draconis Combine world of [[Buckminster]]. The 45th Shadow, along with the [[28th Division (Word of Blake)|28th Division]], attacked the Delta Regiment of [[Wolf's Dragoons]].  The Blakist task force inflicted heavy casualties on the elite mercenaries.  However, in the course of the fighting the 45th Shadow suffered heavy damage as well and its commanding officer was killed.  The 28th Division's commander, Precentor XI Dave Baughman, took over command of the Blakist forces and ordered a withdrawal from the planet under fire.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 105: "45th Division profile" - Raid on Buckminster goes wrong for 45th</ref><ref>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', p. 208: "Exterminator BattleMech profile/notable pilots" - Precentor XI Dave Baughman actions during the Buckminster raid</ref>

===Rebuilding into the Arioch's Avengers & taking of Benjamin===
The 45th Shadow Division was rebuilt by its new commander, Precentor Arioch.  The unit reemerged on the battlefields of [[Benjamin]] in May [[3072]] with the 28th Division. The 45th Shadow's task force which included a small fleet of [[Pocket WarShip|Pocket WarShips]]. They first destroyed a small number of artificial suns orbiting the planet and provided it with normal sunlight.  Their Pocket WarShips fired their capital missiles at Benjamin's defense forces, which included the [[Second Benjamin Regulars]] and the [[Fifteenth Benjamin Regulars]].<ref name="TCp115">''Total Chaos'', pp. 115–116: "Benjamin"</ref>  After making their landing on the planet, the battered Benjamin Regulars surrendered to the 28th Division.  Though they held the planet, guerrilla warfare had broken out and those forces were taking shots at 45th Shadow's assets.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 100: "28th Division profile" - 28th Division's profile provides more details on the Benjamin conquest</ref><ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3072'', p. 79:  "Benjamin Falls" article with some details of the fight gleaned by civilian reports</ref>

===Draconis Combine's Counterattack & Destruction===
The 28th Division leaves planet for raids missions. The 45th Shadow assigned as a garrison forces with a single [[Level III]] formation of the 28th to provide additional support.
In November, the Draconis Combine conducts assault to try retake the Military District capital, however the 45th Shadow Division manages to hold.  During this time, the Blakist Command dispatches a mercenary force to attempt to aid with guerrilla forces.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 100: "28th Division profile, includes the info regarding mercenary forces aiding 45th Shadow's problems with the guerrilla forces on Benjamin"</ref>

In December, [[Clan Nova Cat]] [[Galaxy]] assaults Benjamin, with blitzkrieg effort. The 45th Shadow was reportedly annihilated by the Clanners, with only single Level III escaping the carnage.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 105: "45th Shadow Division profile" - 45th Shadow devastated by Clan Nova Cat forces</ref> The 28th Division's main force manages to rescue survivors of the battle in January of [[3073]].<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 100: "28th Division profile" - Reports indicate the 28th Division picks up survivors of the 45h Shadow Division in Jan 3073</ref>

In April [[3078]]<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 86</ref> the 45th and [[47th Shadow Division]] arrived at [[New Home]] to counter the Coalition assault on that world. The two units came close to reinforcing the [[43rd Shadow Division]] and capturing [[Devlin Stone]], but a last minute bombardment from the Coalition ship ''Promise'' destroyed the 45th and 47th Shadow Division. [[Stone's Lament]], [[Ryuken-roku]], [[2nd Federated Suns Armored Cavalry]], [[Battle Corps Legion]], and [[Clan Nova Cat]]'s [[Sigma Galaxy (Clan Nova Cat)|Sigma Galaxy]] proceeded to hunt down the surviving Blakists and destroyed them.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 132</ref> The Blakists didn't go quietly, destroying Ryuken-roku and the Second FedSuns AC, and destroying nearly three quarters of Sigma Galaxy and the Battle Corps Legion.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 74</ref><ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 125: "Shadow Divisions Status"</ref>

The surviving elements of the Shadow Division left on Benjamin in [[3072]] after the Clan Nova Cat assault and that had been waging a guerrilla campaign, were finally shattered in [[3079]].<ref name="TCp115">''Total Chaos'', pp. 115–116: "Benjamin"</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 16th Division'''
|-
| [[Precentor]]||[[Tunrida]]||[[3069]] and into April [[3070]]<ref>[[List of MilSpecs articles#Word of Blake strikes Buckminster! Dragoons Defeated!|BattleCorps: INN Newscast (MilSpecs section), news item published "Word of Blake strikes Buckminster! Dragoons Defeated!"]]</ref>
|-
| Precentor||[[Arioch]]||[[3072]]
|-
|}

==Tactics==
Unknown.

==Composition History==
===3070===
*Word of Blake [[Level IV|Division]] <br/> The Unit was rated with SD for its Equipment.

===3073===
*One Word of Blake [[Level III]] formation

==Notes==
===Disclaimer===
Source of majority of the information supplied for this article come from [[Canon|canon]] in-game intelligence reports and sometimes scattered civilian news reports. Thus information supplied for this article will not be accurate.

==Rules==
<div class="gamerules">
===Game Rules===
Under the Force Specific rules, The 45th Shadow Division suffers a –1 modifier when rolling to check how many warriors have cybernetic augmentation.  This to reflect heavy losses it suffered in 3072 against Wolf's Dragoons on Buckminster.  The player generating the force may roll from Clan Wolf Random Assignment Table, one out of six units of their force.  This to reflect salvage collected from the Dragoons' encounter.  The 45th Division only has 1 elite pilot out of 6 fielded in any scenario due to combat losses.

The 45th Division also receive the standard Force Specific abilities all Shadow Division are endowed with.  These are: Immunity from [[Forced Withdrawal]] Rules, they can negate [[Overrun Combat]], [[Forcing the Initiative]] abilities an opposing force may have.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 142: "Rules Annex/Force Specific Rules" - Shadow Division (General) Force Specific abilities & 45th Shadow Division</ref>
</div>

==Reference==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[List of MilSpecs articles#Word of Blake strikes Buckminster! Dragoons Defeated!|BattleCorps MilSpecs, 28/12/3072: "Word of Blake strikes Buckminster! Dragoons Defeated!"]]''
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade]]''


[[Category:Word of Blake Commands|Shadow Division, 45rd]]