Editor's Note - So I'm just starting to run through a complete Total Chaos campaign, and I put this lovely bunch together. A TO&E is attached at the end of the post, and you can find the rules that I'm using here.St. Jarred's Armored Monsters Mercenary stories aren't hard to predict by now. We've had enough centuries of warfare and holovid to know all the sob stories, the heroic ballads, and the dastardly schemes. So I'm not going to bore you with an overabundance of details. Plus...it's none of your damn business. You want soldiers and have money. My people need money, are soldiers, and don't want anything to do with a “normal life.” Seems like a match made in hell to me.
History Curtis Jarred served the ComGuards loyally his whole life. He was raised on Terra (supposedly on an island in the Pacific Ocean), followed his father into service with ComStar, and managed to complete his training into time to serve as a Mechwarrior during Tukayyid. Unfortunately, he served in the green Fourth Army that was tasked with defending the city of Luk. The Fourth wasn't very lucky. The Ghost Bears tore his unit, his Champion, and his career apart. After nearly a year of recovery, he finally returned to the active duty ranks. The ComStar that he knew was gone, and his archaic beliefs in the divine heritage of Terra proved to be a hindrance in the newly reformed ComStar. However, he never followed Aziz and her ilk into the Free Worlds League, as he believed in Focht's leadership. As a Terran, his distrust of the Successor States was something he had held since childhood. While he seemed to be a bit of a dinosaur among the “new” ComStar (at the elderly age of 25), he remained with his fellow soldiers. His career had stagnated, but he looked forward to defeating Kerensky's bastard spawn.
Time wasn't kind to “St. Jarred” (as his fellow soldiers called him, whenever the Level II commander was out of the room). His desire to fight the Clans was never matched by his ability to navigate the political corridors of the organization. He spent the next nine years languishing in various postings on Terra, never taking part in the coveted Task Force Bird Dog, Bull Dog, or Serpent. Even the Word of Blake attack on Terra saw him away from his home world on an extended tour of duty in the Draconis Combine. Resigning himself to an eventual academy instructor position, he began to plan for a life and family somewhere inside ComStar's ranks. November 1st, 3061, became a day that changed his life. The outright shock and rage of one of the FedCom brood being named Precentor Martial shook the core of the ComGuards. They trusted Focht, and he turned them over to one of the squabbling Successor Lords. Many of the Terran members of the ComGuard began meeting in secret. Between Focht's refusal to take back Terra and the appointment of Victor Steiner-Davion, the Terrans were finished with the politics.
Jarred and a small cohort of former Terrans managed to forge the paper to depart from Tukayyid. Along with Captain Hensler of
Something Wicked, he and his shortened Level III were due to arrive on Liberty for cadre duties. They never arrived. In January of 3063, the battered
Wicked arrived via commercial JumpShip transport at Outreach. Selling off salvage from a string of successful anti-piracy operations, Jarred began the business of transforming his unit into a mercenary command. Nearly a year was spent on Outreach, finalizing the command structure and filling the gaps in his TO&E. They took their first contract (non-MRBC) through a friend in ComStar's 39th Army, participating in delaying raids and reinforcing various positions against the Falcon Incursion of 3064. The unit took substantial damage over the course of this and the next several contracts, but managed to make a few friends among the Kell Hounds and LAAF. They served a few different pro-Katherine employers during the FedCom Civil War, and finally arrived back on Outreach for rest in March of 3067.
They were greeted by an old compatriot of Jarred's who had initially followed Aziz into the Word of Blake. Former Demi-Precentor Arturo Vecchi and his small naval flotilla had been mistakenly reported destroyed during a Deep Periphery reconnaissance raid. Having had his own fill of the Word working alongside the uncaring Successor Lords, Arturo brought the remains of his shattered command to Jarred. Parceling out their salvage, they managed to find enough funds to repair a significant amount of the small fleet and expand (and repair) their ground forces. The sale of one Union-class DropShip brought them additional proceeds to work on hiding many of their members' identities and bring in some new blood. Joined (somewhat begrudgingly) by now-Lt. Colonel Sunada of the former Tiger Lillies mercenary unit, they have finished preparations and training. As October of 3067 blooms, they've finally began to take on contract negotations.
Officers Colonel Curtis Jarred, Unit Commanding Officer (born August 2, 3027 – 40 years old in 3067) is not the most likeable of people. He cares little for politics, has an obsession with awful Terran media and history, and devotes his free time to furthering his skills as a soldier. He doesn't relate to his mean exceptionally well, but he's reliable and competent. That goes a long way among the soldiers he has brought through several ugly conflict. Unlike many other Terrans, the years haven't been kind to him. He's a man with a near permanent slouch, as he has spent more time hunched over his desk with paperwork than actively fighting in his career. His hair has gone salt and pepper quite early, and his skin never seems to gain the rugged look common to many soldiers. Instead, it simply resembles worn-out leather. But at its core, that's exactly who he is. Worn out, dependable leather that has seen many winters and survived them all.
Lt. Colonel Sunada Kenzo, Unit Executive Officer (born February 11, 3030 – 37 years old in 3067) is probably the last person “St. Jarred” wanted in his unit. Kenzo has never hid his Yakuza roots or his Combine heritage. Unfortunately, he isn't someone who followed the revered ways of ancient Kuritan role models. He quickly lost his place in the DCMS for taking part in a number of illegal rackets, and his rengo was destroyed by the ISF for double-dealing DCMS military supplies to both Black Dragon sympathizers and Draconis March nobles. This irezumi-clad last scion spent the next twelve years in the mercenary market, eventually bringing the remains of a company back to Outreach. When he approached Jarred for employment, he made his case plain. He could bring a demi-company which contained a C3 lance and connections to the sort of people of people who could help with making past histories disappear. In return, he wanted a seat at the table and a chance to prove his value as an officer. Jarred believes his ambitions are much higher, but they've managed to find a rough equilibrium as commanding officer and executive officer for now. One of the few things they do agree on is Jarred's horrible taste in ancient Terran music.
Major Ozella Sherburn, Aero Commanding Officer and Captain of the Air Group (born March 13th, 3040 – 27 years old in 3067) hails from the Outworlds Alliance. This young woman was a recognized Ace in her home nation's air corps and an exemplary officer. Unfortunately, her politics left a lot to be desired. She was a student of history, and fell in love with the noble idea of what the Alliance was during the heyday of its military strength (prior to the Fall of the Star League). She also had no interest in keeping these ideas to herself, particularly when in came to dealing with higher ranking AMC officers. Her tenure in the Alliance Military Corp was not extended in 3065. In frustration, she left the Periphery for life as a mercenary pilot. Bringing along her wingmate, she recently impressed Colonel Jarred during his interviews and gained the top spot in the Air Group. Like many of the Monsters, her style is not exactly the norm. She models herself after the SLDF gunslingers while swapping out the Western garb for a classic pre-spaceflight pilot's motif. She also has a fascination with swing dancing, something that Major Lallier likes to call “listening to a braying mule be drawn and quartered.” They aren't the friendliest pairing in the unit.
Major Wanda Lallier, Armor Battalion Commanding Officer (born November 28, 3015 – 52 years old in 3067) followed Curtis out of ComStar service. She is probably the most experienced officer in the unit, particularly in combined arms operations. She even spent time teaching at Sandhurst after surviving Tukayyid. There are rumors of a prior romantic relationship between her and Curtis, but many doubt that due to her affection for Sergeant Wanetta Agunos of the Maniacs. Decades in a tank have left her with some hearing loss, as well as more than a few unique scars from combat. Unlike much of the rest of the unit, she keeps her appearance uniformly military and plain. Her one exception of vanity is the cavalry spurs she wears with both dress and field uniforms. According to Wanda, “I earned these bastards with a lot of blood. You'll pry them out of my cold, dead fingers.” Her nickname “The Psychotic Chef” comes from her love for fusion cooking, something which is often inflicted on the unit to varying degrees of success.
Captain Cliff Yasin, Armored Infantry Commanding Officer (born December 9th, 3035 – 32 years old in 3067) followed Captain Arturo Vecchi from the Word of Blake. He was the first active duty battle armor troopers in his family, which long served as “gropos” in the ComGuards. Unfortunately, his family never forgave him for siding with Aziz and her splinter group, even after he left for the mercenary life. This taciturn man (who possess more than few major medical replacements) may very well be one of the most personable people in the unit...provided you can get him to speak outside of combat. The loss of his familial relations has weighed heavy on the commando, and Arturo has very much become a surrogate father to him. He spends most of his free time buried in literature, eschewing Vecchi's taste for cinema. He's even published a few poem collections on his ruminations regarding war and the life of a soldier. Unfortunately for Major Sherburn, he seems to have not noticed her interest in his ebony physique.
Major Donnie Poydras, Infantry Commanding Officer and Security Chief (born July 17th, 3020 – 47 years old in 3067) served with Jarred in the ComGuards as a fellow Terran soldier. His roots in New York show through even after a decade away. These same roots are one of the things that makes him such an effective officer when dealing with urban operations. Age is beginning to catch up to him, though the Major won't admit that he is slowing down. His life on the ground has worn hard on him, as well as his inability to return to his home. While he hasn't developed a grudge against Colonel Jarred...there's something there lurking beneath the surface.
Commodore Arturo Vecchi, Commander of the Fleet and Captain of the Tagalog Express (born April 1st, 3010 – 57 years old in 3067) never should have made it into to ComStar. Hailing from the island of Sicily, Arturo always believed that he was bound for holovid fame as a director. He grew up directing bad student horror films, with a deep love of the genre. His records (and Arturo himself) are not exactly clear on how he ended up as a pilot within the ComGuard. Space quickly became his second love. When he met Curtis Jarred, he knew that a lifelong friendship was blooming. (Rumors of the Colonel and Arturo having a prior romantic relationship are definitely not just rumors. Arturo is an unapologetic pansexualist and polyamorist.) Their shared interest in ancient Terran art forms and their love for the home of humanity bonded the two together. Though their romantic relationship fizzled, the two have remained close over the years. Even the split between the secular ComStar and the traditionalist Word of Blake (again, one wonders how Vecchi found himself there, though it likely has to do more with who would give him the bigger fleet to command) did not stop the two from communicating. Eventually, the double-dealing of Word of Blake was enough for Arturo. He took his “free-loving circus commune” (his personal term for his fleet) on the road, tracking down his old friend. While many would wonder how this former splatter film director, libertine, and life-long spacer manages to find time for war, his skills at the helm would quickly silence the critics. Whatever Arturo does, he does well...and with flair.
Tactics Due to the recent large expansion of the unit (and the difficulties of trying to cram several disparate pieces into one whole), the Armored Monsters have no tactical specialties at this time.
Unit Organization Due to the majority of the personnel's familiarity with the ComGuards organizational scheme, the Monsters remain true to that style, utilizing level II units and combined arms operations wherever possible. Additionally, due to Arturo's influence, the naming convention for units revolves around key concepts in horror films and literature as well as famous examples of both.
'Mech CorpsColonel Curtis Jarred
100% strength (3 level II units)
100% modern designs (18 modern designs)
Veteran experience
Three level II units make up the 'Mech forces of the Armored Monsters.
The Phantom Strangers focus on an air-mobile cavalry style of operations, taking advantage of their jump jets to surprise the enemy.
The Xenomorphs are made up primarily of Lt. Colonel Sunada's upgraded C3 lance along with two heavy body guard units. This allows them to be the strong backbone of supporting fire when needed, all while still maintaining a respectable amount of mobility.
The Dark Omen prefers up close and personal combat in tight quarters. They bring speed and heavy hitting weapons, but are not able to hold up in a drawn out slug-fest.
Aero CorpsMajor Ozella Sherburn
100% strength (2 level II units)
100% modern designs (12 modern designs)
Veteran experience
Mirkwood Squadron is the primary escort force for the fleet and the main overwatch squadron for the ground forces. They see the lion's share of the combat deployments, though they do rotate out with their more specialized siblings. Mirkwood focuses on reliable designs that balance speed, firepower, and durability to minimize a weakness in any given area.
The Hounds of Tintalos Squadron handles specialized duties, including dedicated ground-attack missions and punching a hole in any defensive naval formations. Their fighters are a more eclectic mix, something that Major Sherburn would like to remedy in the near future.
Armored CorpsMajor Wanda Lallier
100% strength (1 level III unit / 6 level II units)
80% modern designs (28 modern designs)
Veteran experience
The armored forces of the Monsters is one of their greatest strengths. This large formation allows for a great deal of tactical flexibility and its component units have trained hard to work with as many other non-armored forces as possible. This allows for rapid reconfiguration of combat units in the field, allowing the Monsters to bring the right tool for the job with increasing frequency.
Mother Dearest is a heavy support level II, focusing around a pair of valuable Schiltrons (often configured for Arrow IV or indirect LRM support) with a quartet of body guard units.
Lonely Road is the main battle group of the Armor Corps, seeing those most open field combat with its combination of Manticores, Challengers, and Myrmidons.
The Windlings often work closely with Mother Dearest to provide close support and guiding munitions via TAG. This speedy mix of hovecraft function as a secondary recon team when needed.
The Gremlins are a fast-response hovercraft group made up of Plainsmen and Gladius medium hovertanks. Their job is to hit a specific target or location and evac before the return fire leaves them smoldering.
The Star Fiends are the transport and support arm for all of the unit's infantry assets (conventional and battle armor), though they spend the most time working with the Death Machines. They can provide strong support fire for these secondary forces through indirect LRM support and TAG for artillery strikes.
The Maniacs are the newest addition to the Armored Corps, an entire group of VTOL attack craft. The two Karnovs primarily work alongside the Cannibalistic Hummingbirds, allowing for aerial deployment. The rest of the attack choppers provide support fire on rapid deployment platforms.
Infantry CorpsMajor Donnie Poydras
100% Strength (3 level II units)
100% modern equipment (3 level II units)
Regular Experience
While Major Poydras is the overall infantry commander, Captain Yasin still often works with the unit's command staff. The armored infantry is something that Poydras does not have as much experience with, so he leaves those discussions up to the expert.
The Death Machines are the Monster's battle armor level II, composed entirely of Inner Sphere Standard suits in various configurations.
The Forgotten Dead are the primary security force for the unit, though they have deployed in the field during some defensive engagements. Like all the infantry forces, they are anti-Mech trained (but it is not their specialty). Four conventional foot platoons make up this unit, though Major Poydras would like to fill out all of the infantry units to a full level II.
The Cannibalistic Hummingbirds are four Jump Specialist units that work primarily in anti-Mech and anti-armor roles. They use the Karnovs of the Maniacs as their primary mode of transportation.
The Grimy Reapers are made up of four mechanized hover platoons who work in support of the Forgotten Dead. Whether handling LZ security or deploying in the field, the Reapers go wherever the Dead go.
The FleetCommodore Arturo Vecchi
100% transport capacity (5 ships)
100% modern designs (5 ships)
Regular experience
The Tagalog Express is the pride of the Monsters' small fleet. Arturo brought this
Assault Triumph with him when he returned to Colonel Jarred's side. It clearly makes the unit stand out, but they have so far avoided Blakist retribution.
Something Wicked was the upgraded
Fortress that took Colonel Jarred from service with the ComGuards. The final three ships are
Intruder-class vessels (
Crops of Blood and Steel, the Glimmering Blade, and Dead Lights) that followed Arturo to life outside of the Order. This unusual configuration of transport assets forces the infantry to deploy across multiple ships, something that has caused a great deal of concern for Major Poydras. This often means that the Death Machines must land to handle initial LZ security, before the rest of the “gropos” can be unloaded.
