OBT Forum

Biggest problem that I have is that it is said specifically that the ComStar Expeditionary Force consisted of seventeen Divisions and fourteen Independent Regiments.

That is an excellent point masterarminas. Unfortunately that is old canon information from FM ComStar (published in 1999) which (grumble grumble) is paved over by this new canon information from  the 1st Succession War Sourcebook (published in 2016). Additionally you could perhaps reason ComStar wanted to inflate its strength circa 2780s by boasting increased numbers of unknown SLDF units to deter aggression from the Great Houses. I have more on this but I'll save it for my conclusion.

Sure, you could cut those numbers for the TRAS, but I wouldn't.  After all, none of those should be anywhere near full-strength (pre-Coup).  Perhaps they should be (after all, if I was Commanding General I would have merged Divisions and Regiments to bring those that would remain on the rosters back to full-strength, even if I had to fold the colors of a (fairly large) number of storied and distinguished units), but I kind of doubt that they were.

And recruiting and rebuilding the SLDF was not a top priority (or any kind of priority!) for the Star League Council in the aftermath of the Liberation of Terra!

My own thoughts?  Use all seventeen Divisions and fourteen Regiments, but have them around 54-55% of  their nominal "book" strength.  That would give you the numbers you want, but with keeping the units that must have comprised the CSEF.

Now, you could merge some Divisions and Regiments in Shattered Dawn, cutting those numbers down to where you are aiming for and it would still account for all of them.  Just say that the (for example) the 328th and 359th BattleMech Divisions were merged with the 151st Royal, 213th, and 295th Division bringing the 151st and 213th up to 100% TO&E strength and the 295th to 75%.  Takes less than a paragraph and neatly explains where the other units went (of course, choose your own survivors from the list).  You can even steal man, material, and equipment from a Mech Infantry Division to bring that third BMD back up to 100%.

That way you could get nine Divisions at full strength (or nearly full strength) and still stay true with what has been published.

My conclusion is very different. Ever dutiful General Kerensky managed to keep his units at pre-war strength and returned them to their pre-war duty stations as ordered only by demobilizing others. I agree the House Lords allotted no resources to restoring them to operation whatsoever and all evidence I have uncovered has the SLDF cannibalizing assets in order to survive. He dutifully and willfully obeyed the High Council's orders until their dissolution of that governing body on August 12, 2781. Right up until the Exodus plan was hatched (say late 2783) he went above and beyond shuttling between the House Lords (i.e. capitals of the Great Houses) to get the High Council to reconvene. The final straw were his objections to the House Lords recruiting SLDF commands to their cause (backing their claim to the First Lordship) to which they responded by stripping him of his rank as Commanding General. This act stripping him of rank is clearly not recognized and we could argue about the authority of a body which has dissolved itself two years prior but hey.

So, the SLDF only has the resources it can draw upon directly which is probably in the occupied Rim Worlds Republic (not occupied by the Lyrans) and the Terran Hegemony (not occupied by the Houses). Now in this scenario you have a central Terran authority (which in canon you did not) which is trying to restore itself which cuts into the SLDF's strength even more. Sinclair does get into trouble with Kerensky trying to strengthen the Royal Commands and Militias (grown in canon - these units on New Dallas and Inglesmond are grown at this time) leading to his resignation from the SLDF prior to the Exodus. Clearly you have a push pull between the realist Terran agenda and the idealist Star League agenda at this time. Original TRAS restores the Sirian Lancers to strength referring to rebuilding 160th BattleMech Division (Sirius Division) at this time which is clearly a different interpretation from canon which could site a Sirian Militia. In any event this is growth of Militias is another avenue we could take to bolstering Terran commands at this time. I'm still researching SLDF defections from the Exodus to the Regency which would happen but what unit growth would be possible for the Terran state at this time.

The problem is, in my own opinion at least, is that there are not anywhere near enough demobilized or disbanded units in the SLDF roster (Star League Handbook) to support the rest being anything close to full strength.

The Liberation of Terra was a blood-bath on both sides and I just can't see many units coming out of that with close to their nominal TO&E strength.  Sure, you can argue that he broke up several divisions and regiments . . . but those numbers are just a drop in the bucket compared to the casualties they took and the equipment they lost.  You can, of course, presume that the units listed as "Destroyed" had some survivors (say, 10-15%) and those were folded into other units, but that is nothing like what would be required to get the surviving elements of the SLDF post-Liberation back up to full strength.

Not without breaking up formations and using them as replacements in other units.

At least that is how I see it.  Your own mileage may differ.

Not without breaking up formations and using them as replacements in other units.

At least that is how I see it.  Your own mileage may differ.

One could say some of the units that were destroyed weren't lost 100% and instead consolidated into other units.

I could see quite a few paper units. Units that are existing on paper but not yet rebuilt 100% or not even rebuilt yet entirely. It would help throw enemy intelligences off on actual military strength.

Rim Worlds has already been acquired by the Lyran's I was reading about the Republic-Commonwealth War there ain't shit there really for the Star League by the time Terra is freed.

70 worlds were taken before Kerensky got them to slow down only to còntinue again

https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Republic-Commonwealth_War

I doubt they took much as they still had forces to fight LC

Other Industries I've found for RWR

Roe Weapon Systems
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Roe_Weapon_Systems
 
Amaris Armored Vehicles

Weigel Armory and Munitions
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Weigel_Armory_and_Munitions