Author Topic: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox  (Read 89848 times)

Kojak

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Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« on: 26 January 2011, 01:48:30 »
UPDATED VERSION HERE


GRAVES' DANCERS: CRAZY LIKE A FOX

Jean Graves is the son of a traditional Davion military family from Bonneau. He progressed through military school, where he took advanced studies in strategy, to the Point Barrow Military Academy. At that controversial school, he worked hard to live up to the family tradition. As a result, he became a skilled Mechwarrior and an early selection for OCS.

Then the dreams started.

At first they were merely annoying. Jean resolved to ignore them, and threw himself into his studies with renewed vigor. But as time passed, the dreams became clearer and more vivid, waking him sweating at night. Or screaming.

It is a credit to Jean's persistence that he managed to keep up his performance in one of the Federated Suns' most demanding schools, graduating with honors to a commission in the Addicks Draconis March Militia. There, he was given command of a company, and showed what seemed to be an instinctual flair for tactics. His on-the-spot improvisations changed the course of many a skirmish, both simulated and real.

Little did anyone know, Jean was actually listening to the voices in his head.

As the visions continued to intensify, Jean tried to find distractions, as he had in school. He got involved in politics, taking Katherine's side just for the sake of school tradition. But that quickly proved to be even more troublesome, and Jean finally turned to drinking to calm his nerves. Eventually, his superiors noticed, and Jean was ordered to seek medical help during his unit's regular rotation. The doctors thought his problem was treatable; Jean hoped they were right.

As it turned out, they weren't.

The exact sequence of events is unclear, but historically, the base where Jean's unit was stationed was bombarded by artillery from the Davion Assault Guards during the opening stages of the FedCom civil war. Jean says that he doesn't remember what exactly happened, but his men say that he led them through the chaos as if he knew where every single shell was going to fall. Guided by Jean's uncanny instincts, the Dancers fought their way to their DropShip, lifted off, hijacked a Merchant JumpShip, and escaped Addicks.

For the next several years, Jean's company, Graves' Dancers, was the terror of the Draconis March. Being a Davion unit stationed on Davion ground, the Dancers knew where and when to hit Victor's forces and DCMS invaders alike. And with the aid of other loyalists, they hit them hard. But in late June of 3066, a massive Allied task force landed on New Avalon. It seemed clear that both Katrina and the last Loyalist bastion in the Federated Suns would fall, and with it would fall the Dancers' cause. Jean's men say that he seemed utterly unsurprised at the news. And then he led them to the Chaos March, where they sought to take refuge from Davion retaliation until the war was finally declared over.

After languishing on Outreach for nearly six months, they had built up a mountain of debt, forcing it to liquidate virtually all of its salvage and hock its JumpShip and DropShip to local arms dealers in order to stay afloat. Jean was right on the verge of disbanding the unit when he was approached by a representative of the Word of Blake. The Blakist recruiter offered a simple deal: perform a highly covert, extremely dangerous deep-penetration data raid against a target in the Draconis Combine, and the Word of Blake would pay the Dancers enough to buy their transport assets back.

Seeing no choice but to take the contract, Jean dispatched the Dancers' scout lance, which was transported by a series of Blakist-owned "civilian" JumpShips to the planet Tok Do. After being snuck onto the planet in the cargo hold of a Blakist Aurora, Hawkeye's lance executed a tightly planned, textbook nighttime raid which immediately went wrong. Having sent in a squad of Achileus-equipped battlesuit troopers to sneak into the compound and steal weapons data from a remote Alshain Weapons testing site, the Dancers had been planning on simply dashing in before the corporate security forces could react and extract the advance team without ever having to fire a shot. But the battlesuit troopers were forced to fight their way out of the weapons facility, and the Dancers encountered a lance of corporate BattleMechs. After a fierce firefight in which the Dancers skillfully eviscerated the entire opposing force, the mercenaries managed to escape with all four pilots, and three of their 'Mechs. Alshain Weapons, fearful of the DCMS cutting back its research subsidies as punishment, declined to inform the Combine government of the raid, allowing the Dancers to escape detection on their journey back out of the Combine.

Leveraging the guncam footage as evidence of his unit's prowess, Jean managed to score a lucrative contract with Interstellar Expeditions, a private organization devoted to historical research and Spherewide archaeology. Hired on to essentially act as a troubleshooter unit with the option to accept additional contracts on the side, the Dancers were given generous salvage rights and compensation.

Their first job, a corporate revenge raid against some warehouses just outside of Keid's primary spaceport, was a resounding success. Jean personally led the Dancers on the mission, a surgical strike made under the cover of an intense blizzard. While the raid was not a particularly notable one, it did the mark the beginning of a recurring trend among the fledgling mercenary unit: striking their target in the midst of impairing or extreme weather conditions. It was a tactic they would continue to hone as time went on.

Upon returning to Outreach, Jean began to use the Dancers' newfound largesse to finance the expansion of the unit, beginning with a lance of Pegasus hovertanks. Though this lance would eventually expand to a full company, its baptism of fire was in the Temptown Uprising on Outreach. Hired on the spot by Blackwell Industries to escort a high-ranking corporate executive and his entourage out of the urban-center-turned-warzone, the Dancers fought off a large detachment from the rogue 51st Dark Panzer Jaegers and shepherded the Blackwell convoy to safety. Soon afterward, Jean became convinced that Outreach was no longer a safe base of operations for the unit, and convinced their employers to transfer them to Galatea, the famed "Mercenary's Star".

Time spent on Galatea gave Jean the opportunity to expand the Dancers even further, adding another two lances of hovertanks along with a team of crack mechanics specializing in combat hovercraft repair. Those new assets were immediately put to good use, when the unit was subcontracted by Earthwerks Ltd. for a retaliation strike against a Capellan competitor on Styk. It was another resounding success the netted the Dancers two salvageable BattleMechs and another hefty chunk of C-bills. As ever, Jean reinvested a portion of those earnings to enlarge the unit, adding another lance of 'Mechs and Mechwarriors. He also reshuffled the unit slightly, giving Eric McClair command of his own C3-eqiupped force.

A quiet garrison assignment in the northern tundras of Acamar promised to be a period of rest and recreation for the Dancers. But as per the mercenaries' usual luck, a roving band of pirates showed up in-system just a week after the Dancers' arrival. Landing near the mining complex the Dancers had been tasked with protecting, the so-called "Lafayette Legion" clearly intended to loot the mines for the extremely valuable refined germanium they produced. But the would-be raiders never made it near their targets. Almost immediately after they disembarked, the Dancers smashed into them in a massive cavalry charge. The pirates were overrun and killed to the man, and the Dancers managed to salvage a dozen 'Mechs and another lance of hovertanks. This salvage, along with a particularly fruitful recruiting run on Galatea, allowed Jean to expand Eric's new lance into a full company. Newly-minted Captain McClair immediately began putting the force through its paces, and the latest additions to the Dancers quickly began to show a great deal of promise.

Those new recruits got their chance to prove that their training together had paid off just a few weeks later. Shortly after arriving for a new assignment on Skye babysitting an archaeological site, a Free Worlds League invasion force jumped in-system at a pirate point, landing forces on Skye before defenders could respond. While most of the Leaguers dropped outside of New Glasgow, a small detachment of unidentified mercenaries took control of a deserted LCAF airstrip and began running bombing missions against the planetary capital. With Skye's regular forces committed to the defense of New Glasgow, Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner contacted the Dancers with promise of a handsome reward if they would neutralize the airfield. Jean led both 'Mech companies through the swamp just outside the air base's southeastern perimeter. Waiting until most of the mysterious mercenaries had powered down their 'Mechs for maintenance, the Dancers rushed out of the swamp and swept through their foes like a thresher through wheat. The C3-equipped Striker Lance was particularly devastating, using their deadly-accurate firepower to dislodge a force more than twice their number from an entrenched position. Only a handful of the unknown invaders managed to escape, and though the Dancers' 'Mechs took a great deal of damage, all of them were able to leave the field under their own power.

With a spate of successful missions under their belt, the once-fledgling mercenaries were now flush with both victory and profit. Little did they know of the tragedy that awaited them in the deserts of Solaris. Sent once again to guard an archaeological dig, the Dancers detected the breakout of fighting in Solaris City and mounted up in their 'Mechs to safeguard the site in the event an enterprising gladiator decided to get nosy. But what happened next was what they least expected. A combined-arms battalion from the Word of Blake's 18th Division swept in out of the desert wastes to strike at the mercenaries with devastating force. While the Dancers finally managed to force the Blakists to retreat, they did so at the cost of three of their Mechwarriors and serious damage to almost all of their 'Mechs. Only the generous salvage rights granted by their contract with Interstellar Expeditions allowed them to make a profit from the endeavor, and it came at the cost of a serious blow to the unit's morale. Since their career as mercenaries had begun, the Dancers had managed to make it more or less unscathed. But the deaths of three of their comrades pierced their sense of invincibility. Jean made a stop at Galatea to repair their BattleMechs and hire three new Mechwarriors to fill the empty slots, and then continued on to their latest destination: a two-month rest period on the Lyran world of Tomans.

Or at least, what they'd assumed would be restful. Stationed near a beachfront IE research complex, the Dancers were the closest force on hand when the enigmatic Green Ghosts launched a snatch-and-grab raid against the campus. Graves managed to get four 'Mech lances, including the command lance, into the field, and proceeded to fend off the pirates. But just when the Dancers were on the verge of forcing the Ghosts to retreat, they were struck by a Trinary of Jade Falcon OmniMechs. The Falcons, who'd landed on Tomans to test the mettle of some of their newest warriors, nearly dealt a crushing blow to the Dancers; it was only Jean's leadership and the Dancers' skills that allowed them to carry the day, ultimately turning the Falcon forces back and taking several bondsmen, including a Bloodnamed Star Captain, Anna Pryde. Most of the salvaged Clan technology was sold to Interstellar Expeditions and the LAAF for an astronomical profit; only a largely-intact Night Gyr was retained, in order to prevent undue strain on the Dancers' technical teams. However, the damage the research complex sustained during combat, while not enough to reduce the Dancers' payment for their contract, left Interstellar Expeditions very unhappy with their employees, and they declined to renew the Dancers' contract at the end of August.

Eric McClair, still back on Galatea with the rest of the Dancers, had not been idle while Jean and the others were away. A virtual hiring spree, combined with the massive payout from the conclusion of their IE contract, allowed for the expansion of the unit to a full combined-arms regiment. Composed of a BattleMech battalion, a tank battalion and a third battalion made of airmobile battlesuit infantry, the Dancers were now starting to get attention from major employers, Great House and megacorp alike. With the chaos erupting around the Inner Sphere making reliable mercenaries such a valuable commodity, Graves' Dancers were able to score a choice contract with the Free Worlds League. Attached to an FWLM assault force tasked with capturing Giausar, a key Lyran border world and major logistical hub for the LAAF, Jean knew that the Dancers were in for some heavy combat. The entirety of Graves' Dancers lifted off of Galatea almost immediately after Jean's return, headed for their new assignment.

The fighting on Giausar was difficult -- two more Mechwarriors were killed in the fighting -- but it was also a highly profitable venture. The final push to drive the Lyran mercenaries known as the One-Eyed Jacks off Giausar resulted in nearly two companies worth of salvaged 'Mechs and the capture of the Overlord-class Royal Flush. Jean sold off the vast majority of the salvage upon the Dancers' return to Galatea and then invested some of the resulting profits into replacing his trusty Penetrator with an incredibly expensive customized Mad Cat Mk II from the Diamond Sharks. He also decided that the Dancers as a whole needed a break after the constant action of the last few years. For the following year, he rarely dispatched more than a company at a time from the Dancers' new home on Galatea. He took the time to expand the logistical arm of the Dancers, making sure they were able to handle the increased size of the unit and the Clantech and other advanced technology that appeared throughout the unit. He also slowly began to form a fourth company for the Dancers' First Battalion, along with filling out the crew for their new Overlord.

Jean still drinks, and still dreams. But he has come to terms with his madness. His skills are sharp, his instincts are scary accurate, and his growing unit is highly effective. Only time...or Jean's visions...will tell what the future may hold for the Dancers.

The unit logo of Graves' Dancers is a skull surrounded by red roses. The Dancers' 'Mechs are painted black, and decorated with individual motifs of roses and thorns, cavorting skeletons, and similar macabre images. The Dancers wear Davion-style uniforms and equipment, with their own personal touches.

Dragoons Rating: A-
« Last Edit: 20 May 2019, 06:46:50 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #1 on: 26 January 2011, 01:49:03 »
PERSONNEL


Born: 6-27-3036
Homeworld: Bonneau, Federated Suns
Rank: Colonel (Commanding Officer)

Colonel Jean Graves is possessed of what superstition calls a sixth sense; doctors would call it schizophrenia. Jean doesn't know what to call his problem, he just knows that what he sees in his head is more often right than not. It has taken time, but Jean has developed a darkly risque humor and sense of style as an effective defense mechanism against his dreams; with his madness now somewhat under control, he has proven to be a great leader. His original ride, a customized Penetrator, was well suited to his mobile, improvisational style of fighting, mounting Clantech particle cannons and a light fusion engine salvaged from a rebel Marauder during the civil war. Additional salvage from the battle with the Jade Falcons on Tomans allowed Jean to upgrade the rest of the weapons array and the electronics suite to Clan specifications. In the wake of the massive windfall that was the Giausar campaign, Jean upgraded to a heavily-modified Mad Cat Mk II (which cost as much as a company of advanced heavy and assault 'Mechs), and the Penetrator was stripped for parts, its Clantech used to upgrade the 'Mechs of several company and lance commanders.



Born: 3-30-3031
Homeworld: Acamar, Federated Suns
Rank: Leftenant

Albert Murphy, or "Big Al", as he has been called throughout his Mechwarrior career, is formerly of the 3rd Davion Guards. A veteran of Operation Bird Dog, he was part of the company-sized force known as Allen's Animals, which was dispatched in mid-May of 3059 to wage a guerilla campaign against Clan Smoke Jaguar on the world of Luzerne. Only one lance was recovered from the operation -- and his wasn't one of them. When his Clantech-equipped Atlas was shot out from under him by a trueborn Star Captain from the 6th Striker Cluster, he was taken bondsman and forced to work as a laborer for nearly two months until the planet was officially liberated on the 8th of August. Bitter from what he saw as abandonment and incompetence on the part of the AFFS, he left House Davion's service, and settled in for a quiet and anonymous life on Acamar, only to be caught up in the chaotic civil war that overtook the planet just a few months later. Joining up with the mercenaries dispatched there as part of the bit of corporate adventurism known as Operation Stiletto, he helped to secure a stable government for the war-torn world. For the next four years, the small mercenary force remained on Acamar on a cushy garrison contract with the planet's fledgling government. In 3066, Big Al and the other mercs were scattered by Olson's Rangers, a mercenary regiment in the employ of the Capellan Confederation and intent on installing a pro-Liao government. The Capellan mercenaries were driven from the planet by Cunningham's Commandos, a mercenary unit sent by Duke George Hasek, just a few weeks after their landing, but Big Al decided he'd had enough of the quiet life. When Graves' Dancers arrived on Acamar, Big Al contacted Jean Graves and offered his services, and his extensive resume landed him the spot recently vacated by Eric McClair. Big Al now pilots a stealth-armored Victor salvaged during the Dancers' raid on Styk.



Born: 5-9-3040
Homeworld: Cavanaugh II, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Mechwarrior

As part of a strike lance in the First Bolan Jaegers, Jason Bouchard earned himself a commendation for valor from Margrave Richard Steiner at the battle for Cavanaugh II (his homeworld) during the FedCom Civil War. Though the commendation came well-earned -- Bouchard had personally accounted for five kills with his LNX-9R Lynx, including a Cataphract from the Forty-second Avalon Hussars -- Steiner's summary execution of Jaegers commander Megan O'Heron in the face of her calls to seek a cease-fire with Allied forces prompted Bouchard to join the legions of those who deserted when the battle turned against the Loyalist forces. Arriving on Outreach with his Lynx in tow, he was hired by Captain Graves almost immediately.



Born: 11-25-3041
Homeworld: Delacambre, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

Like Eric McClair, Isabelle Rodriguez was a member of Graves' command lance in the Addicks DMM. She inherited her Japanese mother's beauty, including long black hair and a petite, athletic build. She grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in the poor parts of Delacambre, and her rough childhood taught her to conceal her sensitive side under a "bad girl" mask. Isabelle gained admission to the Kilbourne Academy by virtue of her cleverness, and was assigned to the Draconis March Militia after her graduation. Isabelle is a hotshot and gambler, and has never lost a quickdraw contest. She is also an incorrigible tease, and enjoys using her "feminine wiles" on the Dancers' male members. But if she has any genuine romantic interests, she is keeping them to herself for now.



Born: 5-7-3027
Homeworld: Algedi, Draconis Combine
Rank: Leftenant

A fierce Azami warrior formerly of the 15th Dieron Regulars, Ukla Mauok piloted a nearly 200-year-old Dervish that one of his ancestors captured. Languishing in the disgraced unit for years, Mauok felt little loyalty to the DCMS, and when his 'Mech was crippled by Jean Graves in combat on Addicks in 3065, he leapt at the chance to escape the Combine and joined the Dancers (the Dancers had returned to the system for a jump recharge at nearly the same time as the DCMS flotilla hit the opposite jumppoint, and the Dancers dropped on-planet to support the DLC against the Combine aggressors; of course, they immediately fled as soon as the Davion Assault Guards arrived in-system). He eventually upgraded the 'Mech to the DV-8D standard, but bizarrely, his near-surgical precision with the Dervish's medium lasers made him a terror at close range. During a raid on Lyons, an Axman thought little of the Dervish at close range and tried to make quick work of him. After chopping at the Axman's armor with his missiles for several minutes, Ukla closed and finished the Davion warrior off toe-to-toe. After the losses taken during fighting on Solaris, Ukla was promoted to command of the 1st Company's Fire Lance to fill the slot vacated by the slain Leftenant Mykelby. He also was given a Black Hawk-KU, gifted to the Dancers by the Duke of Skye himself, pre-loaded with the popular Echo configuration. After the Giausar campaign left the Dancers with a moderate amount of salvaged Clan weaponry, Mauok's Black Hawk was reconfigured with Clan lasers and electronics, some stripped from Colonel Graves' old Penetrator. With the deadly Ukla Maouk at its joysticks, it will certainly cut a swath of destruction through any that stand in his way.



Born: 3-12-3029
Homeworld: Taygeta, Federated Suns
Rank: Sergeant

Known for his tenacity and rugged pursuit of opponents, Matthew "Rawhide" Francis is formerly of the Caph Rowdies, a mercenary company that frequents both sides of the Capellan March. He is probably known best for his reported chasing down of a fleeing Shadow Hawk across 350 kilometers of the Salazaar desert on Bromhead. After Leftenant Mykleby's death and Sergeant Maouk's elevation to his position, Rawhide was likewise promoted to take Maouk's place.



Born: 11-3-3041
Homeworld: Northwind
Rank: Mechwarrior

Michiko McCloud was born of liaison between a Northwind Highlander and a DCMS samurai, but although she was trained as a Mechwarrior at the Northwind Military Academy, she decided to strike out on her own rather than continue either of her parents' martial traditions. After stints with the Lone Wolves and Hampton's Hessens, she took a position with Graves' Dancers mostly for the chance to pilot the venerable Dervish once piloted by Ukla Maouk.



Born: 7-21-3042
Homeworld: Delacambre, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

The youngest member of the original Dancers, Cartago native Manny Calavera, is so brash and cocky that it makes everyone who meets him want to slug him as soon as he opens his mouth. His only saving grace is that the young hotshot is nearly as good a Mechwarrior as he claims to be. A crack shot with his gauss rifle, Calavera holds the unit record for the most enemy pilot kills, although when engaged in his continual bragging he grossly inflates the number. He also takes it upon himself to personally assist in the upkeep of his Enforcer III, "Grim Fandango", although he usually is more a headache to the techs than a boon. He takes great pride in "Grim Fandango", and has painted a motif, depicting a dancing reaper holding a scythe in one hand and a castanet in the other, across the 'Mech's chest.



Born: 9-9-3013
Homeworld: Kirklin, Federated Suns
Rank: Leftenant (Executive Officer)

Alan Hawkins, or "Hawkeye", as he insists everyone call him, is a disgruntled veteran Mechwarrior from Kirklin, and the Dancers' XO. Formerly of the 22nd Avalon Hussars, he was sent to the Addicks DMM after being wounded during the Clan Invasion. During their time together in the DMM, Hawkeye became Graves' mentor, of sorts, teaching him to appreciate the tactical and strategic value of the mobile raiding tactics the Dancers came to specialize in. His experience and cynicism balance Jean's more instinctual, holistic style; together, they make a good command team. Hawkeye projects the old school attitude and barking voice of a drill sergeant; he chain smokes cigars, and is an unrepentant alcoholic. But beneath his gruff exterior, Hawkeye has a sensitive streak; he genuinely likes the other Dancers, and does all he can to support them, both as a public leader and private counselor.



Born: 5-20-3037
Homeworld: Tsamma, Federated Suns
Rank: Sergeant

Frederick Jacob "Red" Nelson is a native of Tsamma. His nickname comes from both his first name and his fiery hair. He grew up working on his family's homestead, and has a farmhand's barrel chest; he stands two meters tall, weighs 150 kilograms, and easily lifts over twice his weight! Fortunately, Red is usually a gentle giant; he is gregarious, loyal to his friends, and enjoys showing off his strength. Red's one notable flaw is his general lack of sophistication. He is actually fairly bright, but his simple mindset reflects his humble origins, and often makes him a "straight man" for the rest of Graves' Dancers. But as with most of life, Red just takes the role in stride.



Born: 9-12-3034
Homeworld: Sadurni, Free Worlds League
Rank: Mechwarrior

Furio Castelluccio was born on Sadurni into a family that owned a small but well-regarded winery in the Avellino region of Katerini. When he was eight, Furio's parents were killed in a car accident, and he was left in the care of his uncle, a drunk who verbally and physically abused him on a regular basis. At the age of sixteen, Furio ran away from home, hitchhiking his way to the capital city's spaceport and stowing away aboard a cargo DropShip bound for Solaris VII. One of his cousins was a Mechwarrior with Fitzhugh Stables, and got him a job as an astech. It was during this time that Furio first began to develop a fascination with the Mechwarrior lifestyle. He began to spend his nights (and paychecks) using the 'Mech simulators incessantly, and took night classes on the weekends. Finally, after years of honing his skills, Furio began to petition Andre Fitzhugh to allow him to join the Stable as a Mechwarrior. With his cousin vouching for him, Fitzhugh had him tested against the Stable's veterans, and he passed with flying colors. He soon became a successful fighter on the Class Three circuit, and at the height of his career he was considered one of the best medium 'Mech pilots on Solaris, having made it into the Top Twenty for his Class during four different seasons. Over the years, however, Andre Fitzhugh's feud with Bromley Stables grew more and more obsessive, with accusations of inter-stable sabotage surrounding almost every match between the two rivals. Several Mechwarriors from Fitzhugh Stables became fed up with the situation, and Furio was one of them; he spent his accrued winnings on a ticket to Outreach, hoping to find employment as a mercenary. He was one of several Mechwarriors hired by Graves' Dancers during their most recent layover at Outreach, and was given the vacant slot in Hawkeye's Scout Lance. The salvaged PXH-3PL Phoenix Hawk he now pilots meshes well with his combat style, which alternates between hit-and-fade strikes and extremely aggressive brawling attacks.



Born: 7-22-3034
Homeworld: New Damascus, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

William Sanderson made his name as an expert city fighter with Hansen's Roughriders.  When his beloved Warhammer was destroyed, his regimental commander offered him a captured Wolfhound.  Grateful that he did not join the ranks of the Dispossessed, but determined to capture a heavy 'Mech, Sanderson is a very aggressive fighter; a trait which, unfortunately, led to his being "let go" by the Roughriders. His Wolfhound bears the scars of several near-disastrous encounters, but since joining the Dancers, his behavior has been reined in a great deal.
« Last Edit: 30 October 2011, 14:55:23 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #2 on: 26 January 2011, 01:49:31 »

Born: 10-22-3035
Homeworld: Woodbine, Federated Suns
Rank: Major

Eric McClair met Jean Graves at Point Barrow Military Academy, where they both studied. Born on Woodbine, his parents were simply another pair of miners, but Eric managed to earn a scholarship that financed his time at Point Barrow. When he and Jean graduated, they were both assigned to the Addicks DMM, and Graves managed to have him transferred to his company's command lance. McClair has been a loyal follower of Graves ever since. He is, like the others in his unit, an ardent Loyalist to Katrina -- his disdain for Victor Steiner-Davion turned to hatred when his parents were killed in the fighting on Woodbine in 3063. After the raid on Styk, Eric was promoted to command of his own C3-equipped lance, designed to give more hard-hitting firepower to a unit more dependent on maneuver warfare than overwhelming force. Leading them to success after resounding success, McClair was rapidly promoted to Captain and then Major. He is now third-in-command of the Dancers, after Jean and Hawkeye, often overseeing the administration of the unit when Jean is away.



Born: 2-23-3035
Homeworld: Imbrial III, Federated Suns
Rank: Leftenant

Few Mechwarriors have been bounced from one unit to another as many times as Leftenant Andrea Reimer. Then again, not many have the nervous tics and hyperactive nature that earned Reimer her nickname along with so many transfers. Out of a 'Mech, she looks and acts like someone with an adrenaline or sugar high coupled with a caffeine or amphetamine overdose -- a fact confirmed by the accidents that seem to follow her around. Once inside her Stealth, "Lightning", she seemingly melds with the 'Mech and is nearly unstoppable, though curiously her 'Mech takes on many of her unique mannerisms. She was eventually reassigned to Eric McClair's Striker Lance, her modified 'Mech now serving as the spotter for the rest of her C3-equipped lancemates.



Born: 3-24-3042
Homeworld: Numenor, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

Deandra Voss is the youngest daughter of Angela Voss, the Major General who commands the Davion Light Guards infantry brigade. Raised in the staunch military tradition of the Voss line, Deandra was trained to be a Mechwarrior from the age of twelve. After graduating from the prestigious Albion Military Academy, she was assigned to the 8th FedCom RCT, just in time to get caught in the conflict on Kathil that kicked off the Federated Commonwealth civil war. A terrible meatgrinder that consumed multiple regiments on both sides, Deandra saw most of her fellow soldiers captured or killed as the 8th FedCom was pounded to pieces from years of being at the forefront of the Loyalist offensives. After almost three years of continuous conflict, the Loyalist remnants on Kathil finally surrendered to the rebel forces, ending one of the biggest battles of the civil war. Released from a prisoner-of-war camp at the conclusion of the war, Voss left the AFFS to pursue a career as a mercenary. Months on Outreach without a job left her despairing, but when she saw a MercNet ad for Graves' Dancers, whose exploits she had heard about from her comrades on Kathil, she jumped at the chance to join up with such a storied Loyalist unit. She now pilots a Salamander in Eric McClair's Striker Lance.



Born: 2-5-3025
Homeworld: Skye, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Mechwarrior

Ian Sharpe was born on Skye into a large family, all of whom had close ties to the Free Skye movement. These connections, in addition to his high scores on martial aptitude tests, got him admitted to the Sanglamore Academy. After graduating in 3047, he was assigned to the elite 17th Skye Rangers. Just a few years later, the Rangers were caught in the voracious maw of the Clan Invasion, facing off against the Jade Falcons on Barcelona and then again on Black Earth. The second time nearly resulted in Sharpe's death, when his Zeus was disabled by Elementals. In an attempt to resist the battle-armored soldiers with his service pistol, his femoral artery was severed by a ricochet in the cramped confines of the 'Mech cockpit. The Skye Rangers overran his position just moments later, and a medic was able to get to him in time to save his life, but at the end of the Black Earth campaign he was given an honorable discharge for medical reasons. Retiring to Skye, he was revered as a war hero and eventually took a job as a consultant for Cyclops Incorporated, the largest producer of military-grade hovertanks in the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth. He also maintained an unofficial role as a training officer at the Sanglamore, where he gained quite a reputation for turning out disciplined and skillful soldiers. When the Skye Jaegers began to coalesce in late 3059, soon-to-be Colonel Steve Pitcher visited Sharpe to recruit him for a position as Hauptmann of one of the unit's six BattleMech companies. Sharpe accepted the offer, and it was largely due to his rigorous training regimen that resulted in the Skye Jaegers being the first Jaeger unit to reach combat-ready status. When the Free Skye uprising began in the latter part of the FedCom civil war, Sharpe and the rest of the Jaegers were eager participants. But after the drubbing the Jaegers received at the hands of the Arcturan Guards while the Fourth Skye Rangers sat back and watched from the sidelines, Sharpe became disillusioned with the Free Skye movement, and left the service of the LAAF. Deciding to seek his fortunes as a mercenary, Sharpe joined up with the Dancers during their final stopover on Outreach. He now pilots a Thunderbolt in Eric McClair's Striker Lance, which has seen numerous battles since its formation. He has also become, alongside Hawkeye, one of the primary trainers for the Dancers' Mechwarrior battalion, where his experiences with the formation of the Skye Jaegers have proven to be an invaluable asset.



Born: 8-18-2977
Homeworld: Metis Habitat, Sol System
Rank: Leftenant

Jack McClintock is, by all appearances, in his early forties. Unbeknownst to all but a few, however, he was actually born in 2977.  A native of the Trojans, one of the main Belter colonies in the Terran system, he is the son of a member of ruling Metis Commission and a beneficiary of the finest in Belter medicine and genetic engineering. Jack was uninterested in following his father's footsteps into politics, and after a falling-out with his parents over the subject, he left to find his fortune among the stars. After stints as a lostech prospector and arms broker, he decided to try his luck as a mercenary Mechwarrior. Training at the Blackjack School of Conflict gave him the skills he needed for his new career, and after graduation, he drifted from merc unit to merc unit. Along the way, he participated in almost every major war from the 4th Succession War to the Clan Invasion to the FedCom Civil War. During his most recent stop on Galatea, recently freed from his latest contract with the Lone Star Regiment, he met Eric McClair and became one of the first of many new recruits during the Dancers' massive expansion. His connections among arms dealers and the military-industrial complexes throughout the Inner Sphere were the key factor in acquiring the equipment and manpower that were used to equip nearly a full battalion of new troops. McClintock himself took to the controls of a factory-fresh Guillotine GLT-8D, yet another advantage of his myriad network of contacts. Following Lieutenant Crawford's death in the fighting on Giausar, McClintock was elevated to command of Backboard Lance, and by the end of the campaign his Guillotine had been replaced with a captured Night Gyr. Jean hopes his lengthy experience will provide him with the skills he needs to hold together a lance that has already seen the deaths of two pilots.



Born: 1-17-3043
Homeworld: Summer, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Sergeant

Gina Conlon grew up on Summer, inducted into the Free Skye movement in her teen years. When the group began to splinter following the failure of the Third Skye Rebellion, Gina, who'd since become a pilot for the Summer Militia, left for Galatea. She soon found work with the Wilde Turkeys, a relatively small-time mercenary unit. The Turkeys were shattered by Graves' Dancers on Giausar, but Gina decided to use this as an opportunity, and offered to join the Dancers following her capture by Marik SAR teams. She now pilots the Cataphract formerly piloted by Kevin Tsang and Bryce Crawford, a 'Mech many in the Dancers are beginning to consider cursed.



Born: 12-21-3036
Homeworld: Bonneau, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

Max Reynaud is from Bonneau, like the commander of the Dancers. He is a veteran of the Remagen CrMM, and was there to see the final battle of the civil war in the fighting on New Avalon. Like so many other Loyalists who mustered out of the AFFS following the end of the war, he decided to try his hand as a freelancer. He was also a fellow student at Point Barrow, and when he found out his former classmate had founded a successful mercenary unit, he offered his services and joined the Dancers during their latest recruiting run.



Born: 5-7-3044
Homeworld: Acamar, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

Jerome Thomas is a former employee of Contard Mining who got his start with the Dancers during their time on Acamar. A lone Duan Gung from the Lafayette Legion had slipped past the rest of the unit and was headed toward the nearby mining facilities that were the target of the pirate raid. Only Jerome and his MiningMech were standing between it and the company's outpost. Using only the rudimentary sensors and the tracking skills he had learned during his time in the Acamar militia, Jerome managed to spring an ambush on the pirate 'Mech. By spraying industrial lubricant across a hastily prepared chokepoint, he managed to cause the Duan Gung to slip and fall; he then pinned the 'Mech to the ground with the weight of his MiningMech and sawed off its legs with a rock-cutter. Impressed by this display of bravado, Jean Graves offered Jerome employment with the Dancers, which he eagerly accepted. He threw himself into the Mechwarrior lifestyle with vigor, and spent hours in simulator pods trying to bring his skills up to those of the other Dancers. His performance on Giausar showed that his efforts have paid off, and following the conclusion of that campaign Thomas was given his lance commander's old 'Mech, a GLT-8D Guillotine.



Born: 7-24-3036
Homeworld: Drosendorf, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Leftenant

Dietrich Hoffmann is the youngest son of the Duke of Drosendorf, Ludwig Hoffmann. Trained for military service as a Mechwarrior from the time he was old enough to shave, he eventually graduated from the War College from Buena OCS with perfect grades and the rank of Leutnant. He was given command of his own lance in the storied 2nd Donegal Guards, where he remained for several tours of duty. After gaining the attention of his superiors during the Guards' operations in the Draconis Periphery, hunting down remnants of the shattered Smoke Jaguar Clan, he was given a factory-fresh Griffin and a transfer to the prestigious 3rd Royal Guards. When the FedCom civil war erupted, Hoffmann and the Royal Guards were sent to Dalkeith, a world which would become a meatgrinder to rival Kathil and Tikonov. Over the course of nearly four years, Loyalist and Allied forces pounded away at each other in a brutal slugfest that eventually ended in a Loyalist victory. With the outcome of the war, however, the victory was a hollow one; after fighting for so long, Hoffmann could not stomach serving under Archon Peter Steiner-Davion, and left the service of the LAAF with his Griffin in tow. After his arrival on Galatea, he read up on Graves' Dancers on MercNet, and decided to apply for employment based on their Loyalist credentials. Leading Skirmisher Lance, Hoffmann has molded them into a cohesive combat force which fought in several decisive engagements during the Giausar campaign.



Born: 10-20-3033
Homeworld: Exeter, Federated Suns
Rank: Sergeant

Noah Levine is one of the few survivors of the 3rd Robinson Rangers, one of the Loyalist units which fought in the cataclysmic Battle of New Avalon at the end of the Federated Commonwealth civil war. His time spent in POW camps after the war cemented his eventual decision to take up a career as a mercenary, and as a staunch Loyalist he eagerly joined up with the Dancers shortly after his arrival on Galatea.



Born: 11-16-3031
Homeworld: Grumium, Free Rasalhague Republic
Rank: Mechwarrior

Carl Sigurdsson is an expatriate from the Free Rasalhague Republic's Kungsarme, specifically the 3rd Drakons. Sigurdsson had deserted from the Kungsarme when his lance was cut off from the rest of their unit by Clan Wolf forces during a raid on Thun. He managed to escape by paying a local resistance movement to smuggle him and his 'Mech out of the Occupation Zone, and made his way to Galatea to search for work. As with several of the other new Dancers, Carl contacted the unit because of a MercNet ad, and was hired almost immediately after the interview. Like many of the 3rd Drakons' 'Mechs, his Beowulf has been customized with a hatchet. Sigurdsson has made a number of other modifications as well, outfitting it with triple-strength myomer and a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. In battle his 'Mech is always at the head of any charge, tearing into nearby enemies with a berserker fury.



Born: 9-24-3028
Homeworld: Augustine, Free Worlds League
Rank: Mechwarrior

Quinn Dexter is technically not a member of the Dancers at all: he is in the midst of trying to join Romanov's Crusaders, and is dedicated to the ideals of chivalry and heroism. He petitioned Jean Graves to join the unit after deciding it the best way to discover the nature of his "quest", an expedition that all potential Crusaders must go on before they are allowed to join the unit. With their travels across the Inner Sphere, Quinn is certain to find his true path to Knighthood.
« Last Edit: 30 October 2011, 15:01:17 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #3 on: 26 January 2011, 01:49:56 »

Born: 5-26-3027
Homeworld: Tikonov, Federated Suns
Rank: Captain

Ivan Surikov is a born-and-bred Tikonovian, who grew up in a staunchly patriotic middle-class family in the heart of Tikograd during the height of the short-lived Tikonov Free Republic. After graduating from the Mechwarrior program at the Tikonov School of Military Discipline, Ivan was recruited by the 3rd Republican Guard, where he spent the next eighteen years. He initially met Jean Graves when he fought side by side with the Dancers, first on Algol and then on Tikonov, during the civil war. With the disbandment of the Republican Guards at the end of the war, Ivan decided to retire to a quiet backwater of Smolensk. However, he discovered that retirement did not suit him, and in late 3067 contacted Jean Graves to offer his services and expertise. Graves promptly offered him the command of a lance of freshly salvaged 'Mechs, and Ivan accepted immediately. When the unit was expanded to a full regiment, Ivan was given command of the 'Mech battalion's third company. Leading from the cockpit of a deadly Yu Huang assault 'Mech, Ivan's Juggernaut Lance is built to shatter heavier enemy units that stand up to the initial charges by the rest of the Dancers. Off the battlefield, he shares Hawkeye's affinity for fine cigars and strong liquor, and the two of them can often be found drinking together in the nearest bar.



Born: 11-1-3038
Homeworld: Ironhold, Clan Homeworlds
Rank: Leftenant

Anna Pryde is a complicated woman, a rebel from a Clan that demands conformity. Part of the same sibko as Brian Pryde, protege of Loremaster Kael Pershaw, Anna passed her Trial of Position with two kills, and her skills both as a pilot and as a leader gained her an assignment to the 2nd Falcon Jaegers. Unlike the vast majority of the Jade Falcon warrior caste, however, Anna was an outspoken Warden; the apparent perfidy of Khans Crichell and Chistu during the Refusal War only hardened these views. Though her incredible talent and years of experience secured her the rank of Star Captain and, eventually, the Pryde Bloodname, her politics kept her from ever advancing further within the Clan. Only the support of Star Colonel Taman Malthus, who valued her expertise as an officer, stopped endless Trials of Grievance from the more conservative warriors under his command. Nevertheless, as time passed, Anna began to chafe at the limits of her stymied career, bitter at the knowledge that her honest opinions, and not her martial abilities, were her only real barrier to promotion. When her Trinary was dispatched to Tomans as part of a "seasoning" raid to give the newest members of her unit some combat experience, Anna was expecting a cakewalk. Instead, the Falcon force was shredded in a stand-up fight against Graves' Dancers, and she and nearly half her Trinary were taken as bondsmen by the mercenaries. Impressed by Jean Graves and his Dancers, and recognizing this as an opportunity to escape her dead-ended life within Clan Jade Falcon, Anna promised to serve her new masters faithfully if Graves would allow the rest of the captured Falcons to return to their Clan. Jean agreed, and Anna Pryde now pilots a captured Night Gyr in Ivan Surikov's Juggernaut Lance. While still a Clanner behaviorally, she has lived in the Inner Sphere (albeit largely in the Occupation Zones) for most of her life, and she has shown a marked interest in learning about its profusion of cultures and lifestyles. She has even taken to cornering random members of the Dancers and interrogating them about their homeworlds, a practice most find off-putting in the extreme but which they have learned to accept as one of Anna's many "quirks".



Born: 6-21-3036
Homeworld: Clipperton, Free Worlds League
Rank: Mechwarrior

Dominic Yamamoto, Dom to his friends, is a former Irian test pilot who was hired by the Dancers on the recommendation of Jack McClintock. Dom doesn't speak much about his past, although his bearing and demeanor indicates he was an FWLM vet. He is also an avid rugby player, and has been attempting to organize an intra-unit league ever since joining the Dancers.



Born: 8-28-3026
Homeworld: Genoa, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior
Giovanni Agnelli hails from a Genoa, a rocky and mineral-rich world. Growing up in the vast but cramped underground cities of his homeworld, he yearned for the chance to see other worlds, and signed on with a passing mercenary unit as soon as he got the chance. Giovanni saw years of grueling combat all across the Chaos March, working his way up from the infantry ranks to become a Mechwarrior after he led his platoon in the downing of a Capellan Vindicator. But when the mercs signed on with the Word of Blake, Giovanni resigned from the unit, refusing to work for an employer he saw as dangerously fanatical. The Dancers found him on Galatea in 3068, and hired him to take the slot of the late Felipe Deleon. Giovanni is still learning the ropes on his new Axman, which is by far the largest and most advanced 'Mech he has ever piloted.



Born: 11-25-3037
Homeworld: Wroxeter, Federated Suns
Rank: Leftenant

Cheyenne Black was a fellow member of the Addicks DMM. Unbeknownst to any of the other Dancers, she was also Jean's lover during their time in the service. She was on Addicks at the onset of the civil war, but unlike Jean and the original Dancers, she was not one of those who escaped the onslaught of the Davion Assault Guards. After the surrender of the remaining Loyalists, Cheyenne sat out the war in an Allied POW camp. For years, she heard stories of the Dancers and their exploits, both during and after the war. After her release, she was hesitant to approach Jean because of their relationship before the war; hence her surprise when Jean himself contacted her, asking her to lead a fire support lance in the Dancers' third company. Whether or not they will resume their old relationship remains to be seen.



Born: 1-28-3039
Homeworld: Rexburg, Free Worlds League
Rank: Sergeant

Ross Barrett started his career in the 6th Marik Militia. A troublemaker and rabble-rouser, Ross' disdain for the chain of command and military protocol in general always kept him one step away from a dishonorable discharge. Only his skills in a BattleMech stopped his superiors from such an action, but Ross knew he did not mesh with the strictures of the FWLM, and voluntarily mustered out after his second tour of duty. Stints in corporate security and test pilot work likewise proved dissatisfying, and so Ross leapt at the chance to exercise his skills when Eric McClair offered him a slot in the newest BattleMech company of the Dancers.



Born: 4-7-3037
Homeworld: Aitutaki, Free Worlds League
Rank: Mechwarrior

Sanjiv Singh fought on Hyner against the Smoke Jaguars during Operation Bulldog. A Mechwarrior in the 1st Regulan Hussars, he helped to crush the 3rd Jaguar Cavaliers when they marched straight into the SLDF's guns. Returning to Regulus, he quickly grew tired of the politics of the FWLM, and the continual disregard of the Hussars by the LCCC particularly galled him. Desiring the freedom the mercenary lifestyle offered, Singh ended up on Galatea, like so many others. Hired by the Dancers in mid-3068 as part of their latest 'Mech company, he fits in well with rest of his unit, feeling he is finally part of a unit free of the depredations of politicians and noblemen.



Born: 2-16-3039
Homeworld: Sian, Capellan Confederation
Rank: Mechwarrior

Tommy Zhao grew up on the streets of Sian, and his disgust with the authoritarianism and corruption of the Capellan government led to his eventual membership in the Free Capella organization. As a Mechwarrior in the Blackwind Lancers, he helped hold off the Confederation Reserve Cavalry in the grinding siege of Ambergrist during the St. Ives War. Following the fall of the Compact, Tommy decided to try his luck as a gun-for-hire. Taking jobs wherever he could, he joined the Dancers largely for the prospect of steady work in a (semi-)respectable mercenary unit.



Born: 4-25-3035
Homeworld: Sakhalin, Capellan Confederation
Rank: Leftenant

Omar Little, another new lance commander who came on Jack McClintock's recommendation, is the sort of the mercenary who straddles the fine line between soldier and pirate. He is wanted on over a dozen worlds for such crimes as bank robbery, grand theft and wanton destruction of property, and has no compunctions about killing those who get his way. Nevertheless, Omar is possessed of a keen tactical mind and fine leadership skills, and his talents at the controls of his Wraith are unparalleled. The freewheeling nature of the Dancers appealed to him, and he struck a deal with Jean to rein in his excesses in exchange for a free hand with the tactics of his lance. Omar's defining feature is the facial scar that cuts from his temple down to the side of his mouth, a souvenir from a near-fatal run-in with a bounty hunter.



Born: 5-20-3037
Homeworld: Furillo, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Sergeant

Tina MacArthur was just another Dispossessed Mechwarrior looking for a job on Galatea when she took her current position in the Dancers. She was formerly a recon specialist in the Fighting Urukhai's 8th Striker Regiment, until that unit was devastated and ultimately disbanded during the DCMS counter-assault on the Draconis March. After taking various jobs in the Chaos March, she ended up on Galatea looking for work, and the Dancers hired her to pilot a Cicada in the Harasser lance, where her scouting proclivities work well the CDA-3G's sophisticated active probe system.



Born: 10-14-3032
Homeworld: Fletcher, Chaos March
Rank: Mechwarrior

Marlowe Freeman is a native of Fletcher, a planet that "went dark" in 3057 following the destruction of its HPG by Zhanzheng de Guang guerillas during an uprising against the FedCom-loyal government. The planetary government dissolved, and eventually city-states and two-bit warlords established a new "equilibrium" in which vast stretches of territory became lawless no-man's-lands. It was in this environment that men like Marlowe thrived; he became a bodyguard-for-hire, guiding others through the wastes and protecting them from the predations of bandits and rogue mercenaries with his skills as a Mechwarrior. After years of in this profession, he realized his skills could net him more lucrative work than the low-paying jobs available on Fletcher. To that end, he hitched a ride to Galatea, and there he found work with the Dancers, ecstatic at the chance to pilot a highly advanced Spector as part of the new Pursuit Lance.



Born: 6-20-3034
Homeworld: Corydon, Federated Suns
Rank: Mechwarrior

Xavier Davis was once an AFFC leftenant, but went AWOL with his Javelin when Operation Guererro transformed the Sarna March into the Chaos March. For nearly fifteen years, he hired himself out as bodyguard and extra muscle for any petty baron that could pay. He ultimately landed in Graves' Dancers during a stint on Galatea, where the promise of an upgrade to a brand-new Osiris was too tempting an offer to refuse.
« Last Edit: 30 October 2011, 15:13:16 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #4 on: 26 January 2011, 02:54:14 »

Born: 4-20-3024
Homeworld: Mizar, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Major

John Purcell was formerly a Sergeant-Major in the Wolf's Dragoons' Home Guard, but with the decimation of the Home Guard during the recent uprising in Temptown, he decided to seek employment elsewhere. A cynic and a sarcastic misanthrope, Purcell's attitude meant he was always just one step away from being fired (he had once been a Captain in Beta Regiment's Long Riders, but was sent to the Home Guard for "attitude problems and insubordinate behavior". When Jean Graves offered him command of his own company of hovertanks, he jumped at the chance for such a big promotion. He has already begun to put the new company through its paces, and his irreverent command style meshes well with Graves' own quirky sense of tactics. Off-duty, Purcell is an enthusiastic musician, whose love of rock music led to him installing a music system in his Regulator on which he plays his tunes of choice during missions -- usually with the volume turned all the way up. Purcell's first outing with his new company was a wash: his Regulator was responsible for decapitating the Capellan commander's Victor, but his crew was killed when weapons fire from a Crusader penetrated the cabin. Purcell himself was badly injured, nearly losing his right leg. He now walks with a limp, and must take powerful painkillers multiple times a day. This has not begun to affect his leadership yet, but it certainly has not improved his disposition, either.



Born: 11-9-3029
Homeworld: Novaya Zemlya, Federated Suns
Rank: Major

Pavel Kovelevsky is the newly-minted commander of the Dancers' new Third Battalion, an airmobile battalion of Achileus and Puma suits with air support from a combination of Karnov and Hawk Moth VTOLs. Kovelevsky himself is a Novaya Zemlya native who was one of the early graduates of the New Avalon College of Military Sciences' battle armor program. Like Leftenants Hawkins and Crawford, he is a hardened veteran of the 22nd Avalon Hussars, where he commanded a company of the 3rd Avalon Armored Infantry.



Born: 3-16-3033
Homeworld: Macintosh, Federated Suns
Rank: Captain

Norm Houston is a graduate of the Armstrong Flight Academy. Or at least, that's what he leads most people to believe. In actuality, Houston was expelled from the famed institution during his last semester after he was caught taking an instructor's fighter for a "joyride". But in spite of his expulsion, his talents landed him a job as a test pilot for Jalastar Aerospace. Taking part in the Battle of Panpour during the FedCom civil war, Houston earned his biggest claim to fame when he single-handedly shot down a half-dozen fighters from the Islamabad CrMM before he was forced to make an emergency landing on a freeway on the outskirts of Kantara. Deciding he'd tired of such a relatively quiet life after getting a taste of adventure, Houston headed for Galatea to find employment as a mercenary. Hired by Jean Graves to head up the Dancers' newly-expanded aerospace contingent, Houston is eager to once again take to the skies, this time with his new wingmates at his side.



Born: 7-27-3026
Homeworld: Hobbs, Federated Suns
Rank: Sergeant

"Little John" Washington is yet another veteran of the FedCom Civil War. He was a fighter pilot with the 5th Syrtis Fusiliers, and fought in the infamous Battle of Axton, where the 5th FedCom RCT deployed nuclear weapons against the Hasek forces. Little John is a giant of a man; dwarfing every other member of the Dancers, he is often assumed to be a former Clan Elemental. His size befits the massive Stuka he pilots, which he handles with a deft grace unusual for such a bulky craft.



Born: 5-27-3019
Homeworld: Australia, Lyran Alliance
Rank: Leftenant

Beauregard Travis is one of the few survivors from Storm's Metal Thunder, the corporate mercenary unit that fought for the Loyalists during the FedCom Civil War and was annihilated in the Jade Falcon assault on Blue Hole in 3064. His brusque mannerisms and disheveled appearance made it difficult for him to find new jobs, but Graves' Dancers was more than willing to overlook his eccentricities in order to put him on the payroll, as he is a lifelong Corsair pilot.



Born: 3-12-3044
Homeworld: Praxton, Outworlds Alliance
Rank: Pilot

Aaron Whittaker started his career as a cropduster on his homeworld of Praxton, just like his father and his before. But his adventuresome spirit yearned to travel across the stars, and to that end, Aaron enlisted in the Alliance Military Corps. What he'd assumed would be a star-spanning romp, however, turned out to be exactly the opposite: he was assigned to the Alliance's 4th Wing, permanently stationed on the iceball world of Lushann, the primary source of petrochemicals for the Outworlds Alliance. Realizing that the skills his training had bestowed on him would make him a valuable commodity as a freelancer, Aaron mustered out of the AMC after his first tour of duty, and for the next few years he wandered across the Inner Sphere, taking escort contracts with merchant fleets to pay his way. When he ended up on Galatea, he took a job with Graves' Dancers, the lure of steady pay and constant travel being too much for him to resist.



Born: 9-7-3038
Homeworld: Drozan, Capellan Confederation
Rank: Leftenant

Yulia Chelekova is formerly a member of Hell's Black Aces, one the most famed (and feared) aerospace-based mercenary groups in the Inner Sphere. She is the granddaughter of one of the original Aces, one Vasily Chelekova, and grew up around aerospace fighters and fighter pilot culture. However, following the conclusion of the Xin Sheng War, the Black Aces became closer and closer to the CCAF; those who did not desire reintegration with House Liao slowly began to resign from the unit, and Yulia was among them. She joined Graves' Dancers on Galatea during their post-Tomans recruiting run, and now pilots her nimble Sparrowhawk with deadly precision.



Born: Unknown
Homeworld: Unknown
Rank: Pilot

Rafael Herrera is something of an enigma; no one else, save Jean Graves, knows about his past. Suffice to say that he produced some form of credentials that satisfied Jean, for he has thus far decided to respect Rafael's privacy. Rumors within the unit speculate that he is a former pirate or perhaps even a renegade Blakist. What is known is that he is a crack fighter pilot, and that is more than enough to gain him acceptance from the rest of the Dancers.



Born: 2-22-3020
Homeworld: Sabanillas, Federated Suns
Rank: Chief Technician

Angus MacGyver is the Dancers' master technician. He comes from Sabanillas, though his brogue has been diluted by his technical education. He has been working on machines since he was old enough to turn a wrench; as a child, he once took apart his father's farm tractor just to see how it worked! He is precise in technical matters, but his strange sense of humor often makes others question his sanity. Angus might be crazy, but he is certainly not stupid, and his ability to improvise complex repairs with only minimal resources makes him the Dancers' most valuable supporting asset.



ROLLS OF HONOR
Robert Mykelby, a Terran from the British Isles, joined the Com Guards a few years before Operation Serpent. Assigned to the Second Division, he witnessed firsthand the bloody fighting on Huntress. Unlike most of his comrades, he survived, but barely, and with serious emotional scars. No longer able to stomach the leadership of "the incompetent dwarf", to use his words, he left the Com Guards with his Falconer, looking for mercenary work on Outreach. On the battlefield, he and his 'Mech were a force to contend with. Off the battlefield, he was a vociferous opponent of Victor Steiner-Davion, whom he blamed not only for the deaths of his friends on Huntress, but also for ComStar losses during the FedCom Civil War. After the uprising in TempTown on Outreach, Mykelby's Falconer was damaged beyond repair, but it was replaced by a brand-new Warhammer of the WHM-9D model. Mykelby was one of those killed in the fighting on Solaris, his BattleMech decapitated by a heavy gauss shell.

Kevin Tsang was born in Can Fu City on Kittery during the opening months of the Fourth Succession War, and his parents were killed in a suicide bombing by a member of the Kittery Tong when he was only an infant. Spending his childhood in a series of state orphanages, Kevin proved to be an extremely self-reliant individual, and he devoted all of his energy to pursue his dream of becoming a Mechwarrior. Years of hard work and good grades paid off when he was accepted into the St. Ives Academy of Martial Sciences. Kevin was a model student, and earned Compact citizenship while also slaving away at his coursework. Upon graduation, he was accepted into the ranks of the Chevaux Legers, one of the workhorse regiments of the St. Ives Compact. A dozen years of service with the unit ended when they were shattered on Indicass by Star League "peacekeepers" at the beginning of the Xin Sheng War. Embittered by the Capellan Confederation's absorption of his adopted home at the conclusion of that conflict, Kevin decided to make his fortunes on Galatea. Fortunately, he did not arrive until just after Group W had brought an end to the fighting that had engulfed the planet for the past eighteen months. Taking various small jobs to get by, he was finally hired by Graves' Dancers when he responded to an ad on MercNet. He piloted one of the 'Mechs freshly salvaged from Acamar, a heavily modified Cataphract. Sadly, he was killed on Solaris when a man-pack SRM fired by some Blakist infantry pierced his 'Mech's cockpit.

Jane Danton was often called "Crazy Jane" throughout her career, though no one would ever do it to her face. A lifelong mercenary, she was ejected from no less than seven other mercenary units for everything from "striking a superior officer" to actually firing on a fellow Mechwarrior in combat for, in her words, "crowdin' me." Were it not for her talent at the controls of a BattleMech, she likely would have found herself unemployed, but Jean felt that the more relaxed environment of his Dancers would give her the space she felt she needed to do her job. Tragically, she was killed in the fighting on Solaris when a Blakist Nightsky stove in her cockpit with its hatchet.

Danica Weiss was the cousin of Sergeant Noah Levine, and was also a member of the 3rd Robinson Rangers. She had retired from the AFFS following the conclusion of the Civil War, but when a spot opened up in Backboard Lance, Levine contacted her and convinced her to join with the Dancers. Danica piloted the Enforcer formerly piloted by Leftenant Crawford. She was killed in action on Tomans when laser fire from a Fire Falcon vaporized her cockpit.

Bryce Crawford, like the Dancers' XO, fought with the 22nd Avalon Hussars, and also like many of the Dancers, was a veteran of the civil war. During the end of the brutal fighting on Talon, Crawford was flash-blinded by laser fire. Crawford used nearly all of his savings in order to have sight-restoring implants surgically embedded in his eyeballs. This had the side-effect of giving his eyes an eerie, electric-blue glow which most people found fairly unnerving. Crawford was just grateful to still be a Mechwarrior, and figured that a life as a mercenary would be the best way to put a few C-bills back into his emptied bank accounts. With his recent promotions to Sergeant and then to Leftenant, he had gotten that much closer to his goals. Sadly, he was killed shortly after the start of the Giausar campaign, when a particle bolt from a Myrmidon penetrated his Cataphract's cockpit.

Felipe Deleon was formerly a pilot in the Defiance Self-Protection Force; they were nearly destroyed to the man during the Free Skye assault on Hesperus II. A vicious close-in fighter who specialized in urban combat, he liked to slowly stalk his opponents and then eviscerate them in a single sneak attack. The Axman he piloted perfectly suited his methodical style. He died in the fighting on Giausar when the neurohelmet feedback from an ammunition explosion knocked him unconscious. Unable to keep his 'Mech upright, it toppled to the ground, and in the fall Deleon's neck was fatally broken.


TACTICS
The Dancers use mobile raiding tactics, in the tradition of units like the Eridani Light Horse. Their battle plans are often improvised on the fly, according to whatever is guiding Jean's thoughts at the time; the Dancers have learned not to question their Colonel's quick judgment, and follow his orders to the letter.

A few tactics, however, have become trademarks of the Dancers since their transition to the mercenary lifestyle. They have become quite skilled at fighting in adverse weather and lighting conditions, and often time their raids to coincide with storms or blizzards in order to impair the ability of their foes to detect them. In the same vein, the numerous ECM suites the unit deploys are often used to put up a screen of electronic interference in advance of the main force.

[Abilities: Graves' Dancers have the Maneuvering Ace ability (ATOW, pg. 223), and may use the Hidden Units rules (TW, pg. 259) unless a scenario specifically disallows it.

The Dancers have become adept at using foul weather to their advantage. All units receive a -1 modifier to all Gunnery Skill rolls when the battle takes place in non-standard weather or lighting conditions, so long as those conditions cause their own to-hit modifiers.]


SUPPORT
The Dancers have the Merchant JumpShip (the Toorna Prophet) that they hijacked during the civil war, and they still possess the Union DropShip (the Charon) that they used when they were an AFFC unit. Their rapid expansion, however, has left them unable to transport more than a small portion of the unit at once, leaving them heavily dependent on their employers for travel from system to system. This was alleviated to a degree when the Dancers captured the Overlord-class DropShip Royal Flush from the One-Eyed Jacks, but they are still forced to rely on their employers for the transportation of their 2nd and 3rd Battalion. They have 100% tech support; being a graduate of the hands-on PBMA, Jean fully understands the value of self-sufficiency, especially in a guerrilla raiding unit.
« Last Edit: 30 October 2011, 15:20:20 by Kojak »


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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #5 on: 26 January 2011, 13:04:40 »
Glad to see that the Dancers survived the reboot.
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #6 on: 26 January 2011, 14:03:06 »
Thank goodness for the archives, or I would have been totally screwed.


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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #7 on: 26 January 2011, 22:45:07 »
One of my favorite non canon units to follow. Glad to see it survived. My own Argent Shadows are going to need a complete rewrite.

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #8 on: 26 January 2011, 23:45:39 »
To be totally honest, I really don't feel like cross posting every one of the after-action reports, so I'm just going to put a list of links for each of them. They will be up shortly.


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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #9 on: 27 January 2011, 00:43:34 »
Glad to see they survived. I'm trying to get a merc campaign started with some friends and I was gonna point them to your thread as an example. And then the forums exploded.

Any idea when we'll get to hear about Giausar?

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #10 on: 27 January 2011, 00:48:15 »
Really nice write up and impressive format.
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #11 on: 27 January 2011, 00:54:42 »
Glad to see they survived. I'm trying to get a merc campaign started with some friends and I was gonna point them to your thread as an example. And then the forums exploded.

Any idea when we'll get to hear about Giausar?

Well, I've posted the AARs of the first two battles, and I'm in the middle of the third.


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #12 on: 27 January 2011, 01:09:17 »
Alright, I just spent about half an hour trying to gather the individual post links for each of the AARs and fiction and then accidentally deleted it all. So ****** it, I'm just going to post the link to the old thread and if you want to see the old stuff you can go over there.

I will be posting some other Graves' Dancers-related information in the near future, though.

EDIT: Here's the link. http://www.classicbattletech.com/forumarchive/index.php/topic,32267.0/all.html
« Last Edit: 27 January 2011, 02:02:29 by Kojak »


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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #13 on: 29 January 2011, 17:49:18 »
You survived. It brings a tear to the old eyes.(just one)
Looking forward to your new posts.
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #14 on: 29 January 2011, 21:45:53 »
Definitely glad to see these guys back.

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #15 on: 08 February 2011, 16:16:53 »
Recently, I've been working up the bios for the fourth and final 'Mech company of the Dancers. I've still got 3.5 bios remaining, but here's a preview for anyone who wants a little taste:

Quote

The newest Captain in Graves’ Dancers, Peter Takeda is a man with a past as checkered as it is storied.  Just another orphan fending for survival on the streets of Luthien, Takeda fell in with a yakuza gang at a young age, where his combination of tenacity, street smarts and leadership skills ensured his rapid ascent through the ranks. As a member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, a venerable yakuza clan over a thousand years old, he was one of the initial candidates selected for membership in Theodore Kurita’s nascent Ghost Regiments. Takeda first saw action against the AFFS in the war of 3039, where his unit, the Second Ghost, was ultimately shattered by the Gray Death Legion on Altais. Like the other survivors, he was transferred into the Third Ghost to help bolster the understrength regiment. Just a year later, the regimental oyabun, Yasir Nezumi, was executed following a failed assassination attempt against Takashi Kurita, and any latent loyalty that the Third Ghost might have had to the DCMS died with him. In the wake of Operation Bulldog, the regiment was moved to Dumaring, along the new Ghost Bear border, where they languished for several years. During the Dominion War, the Ghosts attempted to raid the world of Marawi and were demolished by the Bears’ Seventeenth and Thirtieth PGCs. Takeda himself was taken bondsman by the Bears, and once again he fought his way up through the ranks. Becoming a member of the warrior caste, he managed to get his hands on a salvaged Sunder, which he customized with Clan omnipods shortly before escaping for the Bears during a raid on Shirotori. From there he smuggled his new ‘Mech to Galatea, where he was recruited by Jean Graves’ to head up the fourth and final company of Dancers’ reinforced First Battalion. With over thirty years of combat experience and a powerful assault ‘Mech with which to lead his new company, Jean is certain that Takeda will quickly shape Fourth Company into a force to be reckoned with. Takeda is covered in elaborate tattoos from his neck down to his ankles, a mark of his time in the yakuza. He is also a firm believer in keeping one’s body in peak condition, and leads his company in calisthenics drills every morning.
« Last Edit: 09 February 2011, 01:51:10 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #16 on: 08 February 2011, 18:47:45 »
SITUATION
John Hindmarsh Memorial Spaceport, Glen Hall
Giausar, Bolan Province
Lyran Alliance
5 September 3068


In an attempt to keep his opponents reeling, Colonel Duke sent a reinforced company of BattleMechs to strike at the Knights of the Inner Sphere, hoping to tie them up at the spaceport while the rest of the command hammered the Marik Militia. The Knights were caught off guard, and together with a lance from the Dancers and some conventional forces from the 20th Militia, they dug in their heels and prepared to hold their ground against the mercenary onslaught.


Victory!
-------------------

Winner is: TEAM #2

OneEyedJacks: 9635 BV remaining (from 36846 initially) 0 BV fled
Graves' Dancers: 14547 BV remaining (from 15098 initially) 0 BV fled
1st Knights of the Inner Sphere: 14370 BV remaining (from 25558 initially) 0 BV fled
20th Marik Militia: 11685 BV remaining (from 15574 initially) 0 BV fled

Survivors are:
Hauptmann HA1-OB (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Major Alisha Giblett [3/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 2

Fafnir FNR-5B (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Lt. Jorn Fosser [3/2] ( 5 hit(s)   )
Kills : 1

Blackjack BJ-3 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Syver Gobert [3/4]
Kills : 0

Blackjack BJ-3 #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Vasu Sandip [3/4]
Kills : 0

Griffin GRF-6S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Lt. Matthaus Schonlebe [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Starslayer STY-3D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Fozia Lasi [4/6] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Battle Hawk BH-K306 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Kare Val [3/4]
Kills : 0

Myrmidon Medium Tank (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Myrmidon Medium Tank #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Myrmidon Medium Tank #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Myrmidon Medium Tank #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Myrmidon Medium Tank #6 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) #5 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Main Gauche Light Support Tank (XL) #6 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Mantis Light Attack VTOL (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 0

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 1

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 1

Jump Platoon (Rifle) (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Maxim (I) Heavy Hover Transport (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien HI Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Maxim (I) Heavy Hover Transport #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien HI Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 1

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Maxim (I) Heavy Hover Transport #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien HI Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Maxim (I) Heavy Hover Transport #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien HI Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0

Timber Wolf A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Sir Charles Murray [1/2] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 2

BattleMaster BLR-5M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Robert Holmes [2/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Blackjack BJ2-OF (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Austin Boyle [2/3]
Kills : 0

Fire Moth D (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Dame Lydia Chacor [2/3]
Kills : 0

Templar TLR1-OGD (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Major Eric McClair [2/3]
Kills : 0

Stealth STH-2DG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Leftenant Andrea Reimer [3/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1

Salamander PPR-7SG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Deandra Voss [3/4]
Kills : 1

Thunderbolt TDR-10SEG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Ian Sharpe [3/4]
Kills : 1

MechWarrior Lt. Colin Giangos (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Lt. Colin Giangos [3] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Earnest Nye (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Earnest Nye [4] ( 5 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0

The following units never entered the field of battle:
Jump Platoon (Laser) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien HI Grunts [4]
Kills : 0

Riever F-700B (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Driver : Sir Christopher Chance [2/3]
Kills : 0


Graveyard contains:
Riever F-700B #2 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Driver : Dame Margaret Eames [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #5 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Hauptmann HA1-OB (OneEyedJacks)

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #6 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Fafnir FNR-5B (OneEyedJacks)

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Pilot [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Axman AXM-3S (OneEyedJacks)

Gallowglas GAL-2GLS (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Lt. Colin Giangos [3/4] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Hunchback HBK-5S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Heinrich Idse  [4/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Salamander PPR-7SG (Graves' Dancers)

Lynx LNX-9R (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Devlyn Finnesand [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Timber Wolf A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Victor VTR-9K (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Captain Anders Cha [2/3]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #4 (20th Marik Militia)

Axman AXM-3S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Altagracia Lochore [3/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Timber Wolf A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Myrmidon Medium Tank #5 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord LC Tank Crew [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Hauptmann HA1-OB (OneEyedJacks)

Nightstar NSR-9J (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rodney Wrighte [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #2 (20th Marik Militia)

Thunderbolt TDR-7SE (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Earnest Nye [4/5] ( 5 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Maxim (I) Heavy Hover Transport #2 (20th Marik Militia)

Centurion CN10-B (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Lt. Dustin Wohlgemuth [2/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

MechWarrior Rodney Wrighte (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Rodney Wrighte [4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Thunderbolt TDR-10SEG (Graves' Dancers)


The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:
Longbow LGB-7V (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Vernon Pike [4/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Stealth STH-2DG (Graves' Dancers)
« Last Edit: 28 August 2011, 04:09:27 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #17 on: 08 February 2011, 18:58:53 »


Mission: Final Curtain (Battle 3)
Location: Giausar, Lyran Alliance
Optional Bonuses Used: None
Outcome: Total Victory
Payment: N/A (Payment will be made upon conclusion of combat operations)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTERMATH
Despite being both outnumbered and outmassed, the Knights and the Dancers managed to hold their ground, forcing back the Jacks at the cost of heavy damage to both the Marik forces and the spaceport facilities. The Jacks are in full retreat, and Sir Paul Masters himself has arrived to take direct command over the Marik taskforce. Time to saddle up and push the Jacks off Giausar once and for all.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #18 on: 23 March 2011, 22:38:04 »
Just to be clear, the Dancers are still around, but scheduling issues in recent weeks have prevented me from beginning the next and final Giausar scenario. However, as of this moment I am on track to begin it tomorrow, so updates should resume shortly thereafter.


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #19 on: 18 April 2011, 18:20:24 »
Just a couple of updates: I've added some info to the bios, along with a new bio for a pilot that replaced one my KIA ones. I've also completed the bios for 4th Company, but since they largely won't be hired until after this battle, it'll be a while yet before I post them.


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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #20 on: 16 July 2011, 06:05:12 »
In-System Burn
Monarch-class DropShip Couer d'Orleans
Bonneau, Federated Suns
15 December 3060


An object slides through space. A miniscule thing, a metal seed streaking toward the blue-white pearl that hangs in the black, the black of jeweler's velvet.

The seed is honeycombed with staterooms, some luxurious, some spartan. Jean lies in one of the latter, curled in sleep. Occasionally, he moans and shifts. The ship burns forward, and the force of acceleration holds its passengers in a grip like that of a world's surface. He is pinned in his bunk by relentless gravity.

Jean is going home. He has been on a faraway world for four years, learning to become a soldier. Point Barrow is a whetstone, and it is sharpening him into a weapon, an instrument of war. There is a flint in his eyes now. He has learned to move, to think with precision. He looks in the mirror and sees what he saw in his father's face for all those years.

It haunts him.

In his dreams, Jean wanders through the long halls of his family estate. The sounds of his family, his mother and brother and sisters, echo through oaken corridors and down ancient staircases. He is a boy again, and he feels the pull of memory. He has had this dream before. He twists in the thin blanket wrapped around him. Sweat slicks his brow.

Jean is standing before his father's office now. He is frozen at the threshold, dreading what comes next. The odor that until then he had always associated with his father, a musk of sweat and pipe tobacco, has been replaced with something else. Something acrid. It tastes like metal in his mouth.

His father, like every patriarch of the Graves clan, had been a soldier. He had gone off to war when Jean was only three, and he had come back two years later a different man. On the outside he looked the same, but it was as though he'd aged a hundred years. He would hear the adults speak about the war in hushed tones, behind closed doors. It was not a suitable subject for children, his mother would tell him. But Jean knew what was wrong with his father. The boys at school told the same stories of their own fathers, with their vacant stares and their dulled voices. It was the war that had done it. They had Seen Too Much. Jean didn't know what that meant, really. He just knew it was the fire that was slowly eating his father alive, the spark that would turn his mood from taciturn to an incandescent rage without warning.

Now that awful stench pulls him toward the thing he cannot unsee, no matter how desperately he recoils from this memory. The image before him is burned into his mind's eye like a brand. His father is slumped back in his chair. A heavy revolver droops from his lifeless right hand, the old family keepsake passed down through the generations, its sandalwood grip resting on the enormous mahogany desk that is the centerpiece of the room. Tendrils of smoke drift his nostrils, from his gaping mouth. From the hole in the back of his head.

Jean tries to scream, but all he can get out is a strangled whimper. He cannot turn away; the dream has locked his gaze upon his father's ruined face. This is the worst moment of his life. Every cell of his body is flooded with the sheer horror of it. It is the last memory he has of his father, and it will haunt him for the rest of his days.

Slowly, horribly, his father sits up, his shattered visage sloughing bits of skull as he tilts his head forward. His eyes roll toward Jean's, and they meet. "Son," his father says, "you don't look so good."

Hoarse screams reel Jean back to the waking world. It takes him a moment before he realizes they are coming from his own throat.

Jean reaches under the cot and withdraws the well-worn flask that has been his sole company on this journey. The whiskey is sweet and warm in his belly. The numbness it brings is a welcome solace. He sits in the dark and sips at the flask. And he thinks about his family, about his little brother and his kid sisters. About his mother, still raising his young siblings and helping them to find their way through the world. About home.

Every hour, Jean thinks, all over the Human Sphere, an infinite number of memories disappear, whole glowing atlases dragged into graves. But during that same hour children are moving about, surveying territory that seems to them entirely new. They push back the darkness; they scatter memories behind them like bread crumbs. The world is remade.

In five days Jean will be home; his sisters will learn to say "rocks," "heavy," and "snowman." They'll learn the different smells of snow and the slick feel of a plastic sled as their brother drags them up the hill behind the orchard. They will never know the pain he feels. He will never let it touch them, as long as he lives.

We return to the places we're from; we trample faded corners and pencil in new lines. "You've grown up so fast," Jean's mother tells him at breakfast, at dinner. "Look at you." But she's wrong, thinks Jean. You bury your childhood here and there. It waits for you, all your life, to come and dig it back up.
« Last Edit: 12 January 2012, 02:24:23 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #21 on: 27 August 2011, 18:05:49 »
SITUATION

Outskirts of Warehouse District, Glen Hall
Giausar, Bolan Province
Lyran Alliance
8 September 3068


Colonel Duke knew that with the arrival of Paul Masters, it was only a matter of time before his Jacks would be pushed offworld. Satisfied with having done heavy damage to the Marik Militia, he began preparations for what was left of the Jacks to leave Giausar for nearby Seftenberg. When the Mariks got wind of the Jacks imminent withdrawal, they pounced, throwing a combined force of the Knights of the Inner Sphere, Marik Militia and Graves' Dancers at the Jacks' LZ, hoping to trap them and force a surrender. Duke saw no choice but to personally lead a battalion of 'Mechs in a last-ditch attempt to give the remainder of the unit time to escape.

Victory!
-------------------

Winner is: TEAM #2

OneEyedJacks: 3843 BV remaining (from 123587 initially) 0 BV fled
Graves' Dancers: 132546 BV remaining (from 53048 initially) 0 BV fled
1st Knights of the Inner Sphere: 146537 BV remaining (from 73202 initially) 5725 BV fled
20th Marik Militia: 89031 BV remaining (from 48057 initially) 0 BV fled
OneEyedJacks.2: 0 BV remaining (from 0 initially) 0 BV fled
OneEyedJacks.3: 0 BV remaining (from 0 initially) 0 BV fled

Survivors are:
Archer ARC-4M (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Devavadha Gorti [3/4]
Kills : 0

Archer ARC-4M #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Teva쀀 Milroy [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Penetrator PTR-6T (C) (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Colonel Jean Graves [1/1]
Kills : 3

Victor VTR-10L (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Leftenant Albert Murphy [2/3]
Kills : 3

Lynx LNX-9R (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Jason Bouchard [2/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1

Enforcer III ENF-6M (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Isabelle Rodriguez [3/3]
Kills : 0

Templar TLR1-OGD (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Major Eric McClair [2/3]
Kills : 0

Stealth STH-2DG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Leftenant Andrea Reimer [3/2]
Kills : 0

Salamander PPR-7SG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Deandra Voss [3/4]
Kills : 1

Thunderbolt TDR-10SEG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Ian Sharpe [3/4]
Kills : 0

Guillotine GLT-8D (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Leftenant Jack McClintock [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Thunderbolt TDR-7SE (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Max Reynaud [3/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Vindicator VND-3LG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Jerome Thomas [3/4]
Kills : 0

Griffin GRF-6S (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Leftenant Dietrich Hoffmann [2/3]
Kills : 0

Wolverine WVR-8DG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Sergeant Noah Levine [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Beowulf BEO-13 (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Carl Sigurdsson [3/2]
Kills : 1

Phoenix Hawk PXH-6D (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Quinn Dexter [3/4]
Kills : 1

Blood Asp A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Colonel Sir Matthew Sequord [1/1]
Kills : 3

Cyclops CP-11-G (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Sir Ken Gurinder [1/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Grand Titan T-IT-N11M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Dame Debra Cornett [2/4]
Kills : 0

Night Gyr Prime (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Captain Sir Emile Disanti [1/2]
Kills : 1

Stalker STK-6M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Dame Echo Willis [3/2] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Solitaire (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Julian Mihailovic [1/4]
Kills : 1

Awesome AWS-10KM (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Sir Neil Warren [1/2]
Kills : 1

Longbow LGB-7V (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Dame Cherie Hambelton [1/4]
Kills : 0

Stormcrow Prime (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Dame Iona Dimakakos [1/3]
Kills : 2

Stormcrow C (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Felix Aguilar [1/3]
Kills : 2

Sirocco SRC-3C (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Sir Naseen Muqtedar [1/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1

Awesome AWS-10KM #2 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Roy Jackson [3/2]
Kills : 0

Awesome AWS-10KM #3 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Nathan MacPherson [1/4]
Kills : 0

Orion ON2-M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir John Bernard [2/2]
Kills : 0

Nova Cat A (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Force Commander Travis Daigingo [3/2]
Kills : 2

Night Gyr Prime (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Captain Rakim Ali [2/5]
Kills : 1

Victor VTR-10L (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Demetrius Bertsimas [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 2

Victor VTR-10L #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Aleisha Guzman [3/3]
Kills : 0

Archer ARC-8M #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Ron Capraru [4/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Anvil ANV-3R (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Arshi Galimuna [4/5] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Anvil ANV-3R #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Chia-ch'ing Oyuela [4/3]
Kills : 3

Regulator Hovertank (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Regulator Hovertank #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Regulator Hovertank #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Regulator Hovertank #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 1

Regulator Hovertank #5 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Regulator Hovertank #6 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 1

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 1

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #5 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 2

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #6 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 1

Karnov UR Transport (BA) #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Pilots [3/4]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 0

Jump Platoon (Laser) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3]
Kills : 0

Karnov UR Transport (BA) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Pilots [3/4]
Kills : 0

Karnov UR Transport (BA) #4 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Pilots [3/4]
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Sigrid Amdilyan (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Sigrid Amdilyan [4]
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Rodrigue Myreng (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Rodrigue Myreng [2] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Jaimee쀀 Leggott (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Jaimee쀀 Leggott [2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Rheinhardt Fette (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Rheinhardt Fette [2]
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Dallas Leighburn (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Dallas Leighburn [4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Chi-hyeong Lavender (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Chi-hyeong Lavender [4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Ledvik Kahua (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Ledvik Kahua [3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Langston Gao (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Langston Gao [4] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Agathe Yilmaz (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Agathe Yilmaz [4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Norton Riggall (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Norton Riggall [4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Marihito Pahalchuk (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Marihito Pahalchuk [4] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Bengolarrea Saleta (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Bengolarrea Saleta [4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

MechWarrior Kaylee Mickel (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Kaylee Mickel [3]
Kills : 0


The following units are in retreat:
MechWarrior Kwan Yun (OneEyedJacks)
Gunnery Skill : Kwan Yun [2]
Kills : 0

Stingray F-92 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Driver : Lieutenant Sir Marko Zoric [2/2]
Kills : 1

Stingray F-92 #2 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Driver : Sir Peter Erol [2/3]
Kills : 0



"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #22 on: 27 August 2011, 18:08:31 »
Graveyard contains:
Atlas AS7-S2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Vemund bin Anwar [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Stingray F-92 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Awesome AWS-9Q (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rumla Syed [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Regulator Hovertank #6 (20th Marik Militia)

Cerberus MR-V3 #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Sigrid Amdilyan [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10L (Graves' Dancers)

Hellion B (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rodrigue Myreng [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Thunder Hawk TDK-7S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Patrizia Hupetri [3/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Atlas AS7-S2 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Axman AXM-3S #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Kendall Saeed [4/5] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Stormcrow Prime (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Hatchetman HCT-6D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Sharafat Chatha [3/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Cataphract CTF-3LG (Graves' Dancers)
Pilot : Sergeant Gina Conlon [3/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Nightstar NSR-9J (OneEyedJacks)

Wolverine WVR-9M (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Lieutenant Kohone Kelkal [3/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gallowglas GAL-2GLS (OneEyedJacks)

Longbow LGB-7V (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Taisto Kuusinen [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Firestarter FS9-OF (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Fernan Maurcio [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10L (20th Marik Militia)

Albatross ALB-4U (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Lieutenant Justin Alayn [3/3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gallowglas GAL-2GLS (OneEyedJacks)

Karnov UR Transport (BA) (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Pilots [3/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Emperor EMP-6A (OneEyedJacks)

Night Gyr D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Seamus Rimando [2/3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Hunchback HBK-5S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rudolf Burianov [2/3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Solitaire (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Phoenix Hawk PXH-7S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Denyse Lamboglio [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Night Gyr Prime (20th Marik Militia)

Anvil ANV-3R #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Hieronim Piernatzski [2/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Black Hawk-KU BHKU-OE (OneEyedJacks)

Warhammer WHM-9S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Tora Parmentier [2/3]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by BattleMaster BLR-5M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Tempest TMP-3M (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Fika Mteule [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10L (Graves' Dancers)

BattleMaster BLR-5M (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Sir Devon Matsushita [1/3] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Highlander HGN-734 (OneEyedJacks)

Axman AXM-3S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Jaimee쀀 Leggott [2/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Devastator DVS-2 #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Elle Mugombe [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Sirocco SRC-3C (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Nightstar NSR-9J (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Chi-hyeong Lavender [4/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Phoenix Hawk PXH-6D (Graves' Dancers)

Stalker STK-8S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rheinhardt Fette [2/3]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Lynx LNX-9R (Graves' Dancers)

Thunderbolt TDR-7SE (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Dallas Leighburn [4/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Anvil ANV-3R #3 (20th Marik Militia)

Zeus ZEU-9T (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Stella Perani [2/3] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Regulator Hovertank #4 (20th Marik Militia)

Black Hawk-KU BHKU-OE (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Hollie Skarda [3/4]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10L (20th Marik Militia)

Warhammer WHM-9S #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Ledvik Kahua [3/4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Penetrator PTR-4D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Langston Gao [4/5] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Longbow LGB-12C (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Nate Rittenhouse [4/5] ( 5 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Penetrator PTR-6T (C) (Graves' Dancers)

Gallowglas GAL-2GLS (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Sixto Arista [2/3] ( 4 hit(s)   )
Kills : 2
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #5 (20th Marik Militia)

Atlas AS7-S2 (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)
Pilot : Lieutenant Sir Fahim Abbas [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Devastator DVS-2 (OneEyedJacks)

Archer ARC-8M #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Ajaparsva Rupali [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Cerberus MR-V3 #3 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Agathe Yilmaz [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Anvil ANV-3R #3 (20th Marik Militia)

Puma 'Adder' B (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Ylenia Mavroudis [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #4 (20th Marik Militia)

Chameleon CLN-7Z #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Kyung-Hee Kyon [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Stormcrow C (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Archer ARC-8M (20th Marik Militia)
Pilot : Erika Comanita [3/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10D (OneEyedJacks)

Jump Platoon (Rifle) (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Jump Platoon (Rifle) #3 (20th Marik Militia)
Gunnery Skill : 23rd Andurien Heavy Infantry Troopers [3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Emperor EMP-6A (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Analola H耀rdaz [3/4]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Beowulf BEO-13 (Graves' Dancers)

Pack Hunter (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Kwan Yun [2/3]
Kills : 0

Salamander PPR-6S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Jumh Adili [3/4] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Victor VTR-10L (Graves' Dancers)

Cestus CTS-6Y (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Canice Penwarden [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Stormcrow C (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Mantis Light Attack VTOL (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Penetrator PTR-4D #2 (OneEyedJacks)

Templar TLR1-O RR (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Colonel Darrel Duke [1/2] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.

Cyclops CP-11-G (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Yung-Li Cleverdon [4/5] ( 3 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Awesome AWS-10KM (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Victor VTR-10D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Mairi쀀 Sinclair [4/5]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Stormcrow Prime (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Watchman WTC-4DM (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Luan Krasniki [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Nova Cat A (20th Marik Militia)

Archer ARC-4M #3 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Norton Riggall [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

BattleMaster BLR-4S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rupert Mash'al [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Night Gyr Prime (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)

Penetrator PTR-4D #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Lovetta Ormandy [2/3] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 2
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #5 (20th Marik Militia)

Helios HEL-3D (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Diamond Sobong [4/5] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mantis Light Attack VTOL #2 (20th Marik Militia)

Cicada CDA-3F (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Dorthea Sabovich [3/4] ( 4 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Anvil ANV-3R #3 (20th Marik Militia)

Chameleon CLN-7Z (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Raphae Hennequin [4/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Nova Cat A (20th Marik Militia)

Mantis Light Attack VTOL #2 (20th Marik Militia)
Driver : 12th Concord Light Cavalry Crew [3/4]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Penetrator PTR-4D #2 (OneEyedJacks)

Vindicator VND-5L (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Bengolarrea Saleta [4/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0

Devastator DVS-2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Marihito Pahalchuk [4/5] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by pilot error.

Cerberus MR-V3 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Kaylee Mickel [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Penetrator PTR-6T (C) (Graves' Dancers)

Awesome AWS-9Q #2 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Coen Wyien [4/5] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Jump Platoon (Laser) #2 (20th Marik Militia)

Hatchetman HCT-6S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Cezar Daniel [2/3] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Salamander PPR-7SG (Graves' Dancers)

Stormcrow Prime (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Rhys Greenwell [4/5] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.


The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:
Highlander HGN-734 (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Hafiz Hussain [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Penetrator PTR-6T (C) (Graves' Dancers)

Crusader CRD-8S (OneEyedJacks)
Pilot : Artyom Kabaidze [3/4] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp A (1st Knights of the Inner Sphere)


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #23 on: 27 August 2011, 18:16:48 »


Mission: Final Curtain (Battle 4)
Location: Giausar, Lyran Alliance
Optional Bonuses Used: None
Outcome: Total Victory
Payment: 84,000,000 C-bills

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AFTERMATH

The Lyrans seemed surprised at the amount of force the League shoveled onto Giausar -- as if they didn't expect the League to pour over the border and seize a major supply world for the Skye/Bolan push into League space. No matter; the League troops just mopped up after the mercs did all the work. The salvage clause in the Dancers' contract helped a lot -- the League practically gave the salvage to all mercenary commands involved.

The odd thing was the sudden withdrawal of the Knights' Second Battalion, right in the middle of pushing the One-Eyed Jacks' right flank. Jacobi, in the communications van, said the Knights got an ultra-encrypted transmission during the battle. They packed up and left in the middle of the firefight, radioing to let the Dancers know the change of command to another League unit.

Stupid Knights. Guess they have no stomach for fighting down in the dirt. The Jacks fought tooth and nail, almost to the last man. Two of their Droppers made it past the League space cordon, so for sure by now the LAAF knows the Dancers are there.

Question is, for how long?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
« Last Edit: 31 January 2012, 10:09:29 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #24 on: 28 August 2011, 15:27:37 »
Now that the long, bloody campaign for Giausar has finally wrapped up, there are going to be a series of updates here, including an updated unit history, a repost of the full kill list and other miscellaneous info, bios and a TO&E for the new fourth 'Mech company, new upgrades for many of the other 'Mechs in the unit, and a fancy-ass new ride for Jean. Stay tuned.
« Last Edit: 02 September 2011, 21:41:36 by Kojak »


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Hawkeye Jim

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #25 on: 28 August 2011, 16:25:44 »
that sounds like a serious slugging match, a lot of heavy units went down. Is there anything left of the Jacks?

Sir Chaos

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #26 on: 28 August 2011, 17:28:43 »
And how long did this monster of a battle take to fight? In real time, I mean - although I´m mildly curious about how many rounds it took, too.
"Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl."
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Kojak

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #27 on: 28 August 2011, 18:05:31 »
that sounds like a serious slugging match, a lot of heavy units went down. Is there anything left of the Jacks?

Of the 52 'Mechs they committed against me in the final battle, they escaped with about a lance and a half of 'Mechs and twice as many warriors. All told, I'd say they left the planet with close to a battalion of 'Mechs and about half again as many Mechwarriors. I did manage to capture one of their DropShips, the Overlord-class Royal Flush, and I also captured their CO's 'Mech, a Clantech-podded Templar (the Colonel himself escaped). And I got an insane amount of salvage (about 90 million C-bills worth), which I mostly sold; I only kept a Night Gyr D and the aforementioned Templar. All in all, it was a hugely profitable venture.

And how long did this monster of a battle take to fight? In real time, I mean - although I´m mildly curious about how many rounds it took, too.

Well, it usually took us the better part of a night complete each turn, although sometimes we were able to complete one and a half or two turns in a session. It lasted for 15 turns total, although it was really wrapped up by turn 12; the last three were spent picking off stragglers after what was left of the Jacks retreated.


"Deep down, I suspect the eject handle on the Hunchback IIC was never actually connected to anything. The regs just say it has to be there."
- Klarg1

Hawkeye Jim

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #28 on: 28 August 2011, 18:33:18 »
Based on what the Jacks lost in previous battles, they're going to be strapped for cash for a good long while.

snakespinner

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Re: Graves' Dancers: Crazy Like a Fox
« Reply #29 on: 29 August 2011, 04:39:30 »
The Jacks are probably not feeling themselves at the moment. }:)
One turn a night. All i can say is wow.
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