Mech lances from around the Sphere

[Liam's Ghost]

Trying out a new format for posting small units. More to come.

Madison's Magpies, First Canopean Brigade
Circa 3060s

Roster:
Commander Ashley Madison, Veteran, Victor VTR-9B
Ensign Willow Andersen, Regular, Shadow Hawk SHD-2H
Lance Corporal Veronica Santegello, Regular, Charger CRG-1A1
Lance Corporal Delilah, Green, Vindicator, VND-1R

Organized fairly recently, Madison's Magpies is one of several "troubleshooter" units employed by the First Canopean Brigade as patrol and response units to protect the Magistracy's frontier regions. Though primarily tasked with fending off pirate raids, their commanding officer regularly petitions for authorization to conduct raids into the Marian Hegemony, a desire that has so far been denied.

Personnel:
Captured by Marian raiders at the age of six, a slave for ten years, and the leader of a successful slave revolt for another year, much of Commander Madison's life has been consumed by her hatred of the Marian Hegemony. Severe physical injuries and deep emotional problems prevented her from gaining a regular position in the Magistracy Armed Forces, however Colonel Felicia Joppa of the First Canopean Brigade was happy to take on the "enthusiastic" young teenager, even arranging for the dangerous surgery necessary to make her fit for duty. In the handful of years since, therapy, psychiatric medication, and the companionship of her lancemate and lover Ensign Andersen has done much to calm Ashley's mind and mold her into the capable comander she is now, but her hatred of the Marian Hegemony remains.

Special Abilities: Commander Madison possesses the Natural Grace Special Pilot Ability, as well as the Pain Shunt Implant.

Veronica Santegello is something of an odd duck, perky and sarcastic, never seen without something on her head, but perhaps most strangely absolutely in love with her battlemech, a long maligned Charger. Its lack of weaponry not only doesn't worry Veronica, she actually considers it a bonus, as it frees her up to engage in direct melee combat, which she treats as an art form. A skilled technician as well as pilot, Veronica keeps her battlemech in perfect condition.

Special Abilities: Veronica Santegello has green level gunnery and veteran level piloting skill, and possesses the Melee Specialist and Melee Master Special Pilot Abilities. She is a regular quality mech technician.

Delilah (a mononym) is the youngest, least experienced member of the lance, but Colonel Joppa has made her membership in the unit mandatory. In addition to her relatively mediocre skills as a battlemech pilot, Delilah is a trained doctor of some skill, and outside the cockpit is responsible for monitoring the condition of her commanding officer. The surgeries Commander Madison underwent to make her fit to service left her unable to feel pain, and as a consequence she regularly suffers harm, even severe injuries without even knowing it, necessitating regular monitoring. When not in the cockpit of her battlemech or taking care of her commander, Delilah spends her free time consuming every medical text she can find, hoping to further advance her medical abilities.

Special Abilities: Delilah is a regular quality doctory.

Supporting Forces:
Madison's Magpies generally operate independently, and as such can only rarely expect mech support. Commander Madison makes a point of getting to know the local militia forces of each given duty station, and as such her lance generally operates well alongside conventional units.

[Daryk]

Interesting!  I think they need a little more in the way of support forces to fill out the Leopard they'd normally deploy from, though.  Perhaps a platoon of infantry for security and AsTech support, and maybe a light vehicle or two, plus a pair of ASFs.  What do you think?

[snakespinner]

Interesting way to get small units out.
I noticed no write up for Willow Andersen. O0

[Giovanni Blasini]

No write up on Willow Andersen?

Very neat idea, BTW. Taking contributions?

Also, melee specialist and melee master on a Charger driver? Yikes! That's gonna be brutal.

[Liam's Ghost]

Look at me, digging myself out of bronchitis hibernation!

No write up on Willow Andersen?

I honestly couldn't think of much to say about her, or think of any special abilities she might have.

Very neat idea, BTW. Taking contributions?

Sure.

Also, melee specialist and melee master on a Charger driver? Yikes! That's gonna be brutal.

She likes punching things. It's a gift.

Interesting!  I think they need a little more in the way of support forces to fill out the Leopard they'd normally deploy from, though.  Perhaps a platoon of infantry for security and AsTech support, and maybe a light vehicle or two, plus a pair of ASFs.  What do you think?

Might be hard to fit all of that in a Leopard. But really it depends on the station they're assigned to. Aerofighters are especially rare for the Magistracy, so out on the frontier they're probably happy to have a couple conventionals flying air cover. Infantry support is probably always available.

[Terrace]

Mind if I post my melee lance?

[Daryk]

*snip*
Might be hard to fit all of that in a Leopard. But really it depends on the station they're assigned to. Aerofighters are especially rare for the Magistracy, so out on the frontier they're probably happy to have a couple conventionals flying air cover. Infantry support is probably always available.

Without ASFs, infantry and a few light vehicles should fit fine.  I'm pretty sure you could build a 50 ton flat bed that could carry an 80 ton 'mech (externally, of course).

[Liam's Ghost]

Mind if I post my melee lance?

Go for it. We could get another community project going!

[Terrace]

Go for it. We could get another community project going!

Ok, here we go.

The Wreckers, 5th Lyran Guards
Circa 3145

Roster:
First Leutnant Max Hardberger, Veteran, Berserker BRZ-C3
Leutnant Clint Kurosawa, Veteran, Axman AXM-3S
Corporal Duncan Steele, Veteran, Axman AXM-3S
Private Ruby Vancher, Veteran, Scarabus SCB-9T

First coming together during the 5th Lyran Guards' year-long defense of Niihau from the Wolf Empire, The Wreckers are often considered the best melee specialists among the entire RCT, with Leutnant-General Hasseldorf deciding to keep them together for maximum effectiveness.

Special Abilities: Hardberger and Steele have the Melee Master Special Pilot Ability, while Kurosawa and Vancher have the Melee Specialist SPA

Personnel:

A career front-line soldier, Max Hardberger has repeatedly been promoted for battlefield excellence, only to frequently engineer his own demotion back down to First Leutnant, believing that his skills are best suited for lance command and no higher. Since the rest of the lance has no C3 capacity, he has removed the C3 Slave unit from his Berserker and replaced it with another Double Heat Sink.

Leutnant Clint Kurosawa, on the other hand, is still relatively new, but he has shown excellent skill in the cockpit, and Hardberger has taken a shine to the young man, serving as a mentor. The fact that he has not yet received a promotion to First Leutnant is a sore spot for the entire lance, and is believed to be related to an offhand comment he made while at the Academy calling the -6T and -6X Axman models "failed experiments". While he only made that comment once, the lance is convinced that someone on the promotion board is taking kickbacks from someone in Defiance Industries who has a vested interest in continuing the production of the -6T.

Corporal Duncan Steele, on the other hand, is not shy about letting people know his opinion on the Axman, frequently calling the -3S "the best damn Axman ever made" (an opinion secretly shared by Leutnant Kurosawa), and has started multiple bar fights with -6T jockeys when he claimed their BattleMechs "weren't Axmen".

Private Ruby Vancher, on the other hand, couldn't care less about the Axman debate, preferring to use her -9T Scarabus to rush a lone enemy, whack them with her Hatchet, and then lead her opponent into a point-blank ambush by the rest of the lance.

[snakespinner]

Pvt Ruby Rancher, trust a woman to walk up to a lone mech slap it across the face with her Hatchet(handbag) and then get someone else to clean up the mess.
Nice O0

[Giovanni Blasini]

(For teh lulz ;D)

Groundwave Lance, Autonomous Barony of Primus (AutoBoPs)
Syberia System, Year Unknown

Roster:

Groundwave (8/7 - Defective?), VeeMech class (Groundwave subclass) wheeled AutoMech
Spanner (6/4, Reg), VeeMech class wheeled AutoMech
Glyph (2/1), Beetle class wheeled AutoMech
Manx (5/4), Beetle class wheeled AutoMech

AutoMech Profiles

Name: Groundwave
Unit Role: Communicator
Skill (G/P): 8/7
Experience: Defective?
Notes: Recently recovered in buried ruins by the Automated Barony of Primus, Groundwave was one of the earliest AutoMechs produced, an early example of VeeMech designed to facilitate communications at remote outposts for the human settlers of Syberia prior to the cataclysm that   resulted in the extinction of humans in the Syberia system.  One of the few AutoMechs old enough to remember humans, Groundwave had been offline for centuries and is believed to be malfunctioning after such a significant period offline.  These malfunctions are characterized by a persistent belief by Groundwave that he is, in fact, a former human, as well as poor combat skills and difficulty utilizing Syberian technology.

Name: Spanner
Unit Role: DoctorMech
Skills (G/P): 6/4
Experience: Regular
Notes:  Assigned to Groundwave Lance to maintain functionality, conducting preventative maintenance and repairing combat damage.  Importantly, Spanner also monitors Goundwave for instabilities that could threaten other AutoBoP units.  While ostensibly assigned a civilian role, Spanner is built to military specifications, though his ranged combat skills are inferior to his melee abilities. (Additional note: Spanner's VeeMech config differs from the Sounder class in Welcome to the California Nebula by removing the Beagle Probe and ECM suite plus one 3-ton cargo bay for a lift hoist in its left torso and salvage arm in its left arm)

Name: Glyph
Primary Unit Role: Analyzer (Vet)
Secondary Unit Role: ReconMech (Reg)
Skills (G/P): 2/1
Notes: One of the older AutoBoP units still functioning, Glyph is highly skilled at analysis in both military and civilian roles. Ostensibly built to serve as a ReconMech, this analytical nature and exceptional adaptability has seen Glyph primarily serve in an advisory and planning role, rather than frontline combat.  Despite this, Glyph's combat skills have not suffered, using her exceptional maneuverability and skills to avoid damage from larger AutoMechs, along with precision fire that allows her to hit more often than her enemies.  Due to her analytical nature, Glyph has studied the history of the AutoBoPs in particular and Syberia in general, giving her a greater pool of knowledge to assist in decision-making and planning.  She volunteered to be attached to Groundwave Lance after his discovery, as the ancient AutoMech offers an invaluable opportunity to expand her knowledge.  While Groundwave may nominally lead the lance and define their objectives, it is Glyph's knowledge and planning skills that allow them to accomplish their assignments, while her exceptional combat skills make up for Groundwave's shortcomings. (Additional note: Glyph has equivalent to the Maneuvering Ace and Dodge skills from AToW)

Name: Manx
Unit Role: ReconMech
Skills (G/P): 5/4
Experience: Green
Notes:  A newer Beetle-class AutoMech, Manx has been assigned to Groundwave Lance to not only offer additional combat support, but to learn from the more experienced Glyph.  A ReconMech by programming, Primus Optimal believes that assigning Manx to Glyph may aid in him developing skills and traits similar to the veteran AutoMech.

[Daryk]

Backbone, Inc.
Circa 3025

Roster:

Code: [Select]

Captain Karl Streiger, HBK-4J (3/4) SPA: Tactical Genius
Staff Sergeant Elisa Weber, HBK-4G (2/3)
Sergeant Eric Fischer, HBK-4P (3/5)
Sergeant John Muller, HBK-4SP (4/4)

First Lieutenant Angela Wagner, LRM Goblin (3/4)
Sergeant Otto Bauer, LRM Goblin (3/4)
Sergeant Walter Frank, SRM Goblin (4/4)
Sergeant Dagmar Roth, MG Goblin (4/3)

First Lieutenant Lise Kuhn, Infantry Platoon (5 squads of 6)
Lieutenant Joseph Stein, Infantry Platoon (5 squads of 6)

Support:
45 ton truck/'mech recovery vehicle
15 ton wrecker
 9 ton truck
 5 ton jeep with MASH trailer

14 Techs (the infantry and vehicle crews act as AsTechs to fill out full Tech Teams)
 5 Medical personnel
 6 Admin personnel
Scion of a nouveau riche family on Coventry, Karl Streiger quickly realized his advancement prospects in the hidebound LCAF were limited.  But it wasn't until his company took catastrophic casualties due to the ineptitude of a Social General that he resigned his commission and opted for the mercenary life.  He was able to bring a handful of like minded 'MechWarriors with him, and a loan from his mother enabled him to equip them all with Hunchbacks fresh off Coventry Metal Work's lines.  The lance of Goblin tanks were obtained as "surplus" from the LCAF, and included a rare salvaged Kurita variant.  The unit has made a respectable living protecting worlds on the Lyran periphery from pirates and the occasional Kurita raid.  Karl expects to pay off his initial loan in the next three years.

Staff Sergeant Weber worked for Hauptmann Strieger in the LCAF, and was a survivor of the battle that led to his resignation.  Having already achieved her 20 years, she chose to retire from the LCAF and follow Strieger into mercenary service.  She is the unit's senior NCO, and a dead shot with an AC/20.

First Lieutenant Wagner was a more than competent vehicle commander in the LCAF who had her own issues with higher command incompetence.  When her cousin, who worked at Coventry Metal Works, told her there was a mercenary unit forming around a lance of Hunchbacks, she made inquiries, and was quickly hired on by Strieger.  Her connections were able to arrange for a certain lance of tanks to be marked "surplus" with a sale window short enough to ensure Backbone, Inc. was the only bidder.  She is the unit's XO.

First Lieutenant Kuhn was restless in retirement after a long career in the LCAF as a senior NCO, and leapt at the chance to "get back in the action" when she received the call from Staff Sergeant Weber.  It didn't hurt that mercenary employment would take her out of the reach of those financing her gambling debts.  At the very least, the remittances she's been able to make with her mercenary pay have been sufficient to make it too expensive to come after her on the periphery.

EDIT: Forgot to add an SPA for the CO...

[Easy]

cleanup

[Daryk]

Thanks!  Perhaps we'll see a lance from your very interesting fan fiction story? ::)

[Liam's Ghost]

Liao's Independent Lance, Capellan Confederation Armed Forces
Circa 3025

Roster:
Captain Tsien Liao, Elite, Vindicator VND-1R
Commander Ivan Tirapolski, Veteran, Vindicator VND-1R
Subcommander Rory Hasegawa, Regular, Wasp WSP-1L
Subcommander Shin Yun, Regular, Wasp WSP-1A

Liao's Independent Lance occupies an ambiguous place in the CCAF. Operating outside of the normal command chain, the mandate of Liao's Lance is to "operate in such a manner as to bring the greatest advantage to the Confederation." Not really a special operations unit, nor bound to much in the way of oversight, the Lance roams the Confederation's borders freely, acting against targets of opportunity as they appear. Most recently, they turned up on the independent Periphery world of Serenity, where they clashed with local forces as well as those of both the Taurian Concordat and Federated Suns over a rumored Star League Cache. Through maneuver, subterfuge, and a considerable degree of playing their enemies against each other, Liao's Lance withdrew from the fight in good form, and was later decorated for "inflicting significant damage on the enemies of the Confederation, as well as recovering valuable Star League artifacts." Out of earshot of the Mask, however, it is whispered that this "victory" was extremely overstated.

Personnel:
Captain Tsien Liao has all the ambition his auspicious name would suggest, as well as the same capacity for intrigue. Best described as an unrepentant fortune hunter with a perverse sense of humor, Tsien Liao's sole motivation is his own self interest, and as the scion of only a modest branch of the Liao family, he long ago identified victory on the battlefield as the best, quickest path to the influence, wealth, and glory he seeks. Not interested in half measures, Captain Liao has thrown himself fully into his role, skilled on both the battlefield and at court, and a master of sniffing out opportunity. Given his unit's unique role and the frequently unstable moods of his Chancellor, Captain Liao knows that his fortunes, and probably his life, are tied directly to his successes on the battlefield, though his sense of self preservation often fails to overcome his quest for greater glory. Both on and off the battlefield he is well known for his tendency towards the theatrical, often leaning heavily on traps, misdirection, surprise, and psychological warfare (often in the form of cruel jokes) to gain an advantage against an opponent. 

Special Abilities: Captain Liao possesses the Antagonizer and Demoralizer special pilot abilities.

Commander Ivan Tirapolski has served begrudgingly alongside Captain Liao for half a decade. A stoic officer possessing at best a dessicated wit, he does his best to balance out the theatrics of his commanding officer even while acknowledging his superior's clear ability. Unassailably loyal to the Confederation, but flexible enough to see the value in his Captain's ambition, he is both the perfect counterpart to Captain Liao and an ideal foil should his commander forget his duty.

Special Abilities: Commander Tirapolski possesses the Iron Will special pilot ability

Subcommander Rory Hasegawa is a defector from Chesterton. Vocally pro-Capellan since primary school, she took the first opportunity to defect to the Confederation early in her college years, bringing with her a Wasp battlemech that once belonged to her father. Her teenage idealism suffered considerably under the harsh reality of actually living in the Confederation, even as she was granted citizenship and training to pilot her stolen mech. Bitter, homesick, but now stuck in the Confederation, the young pilot took up smuggling during her service with the Chesterton Reserves, initially focusing on luxury goods from her old homeland, but soon showing a knack for obtaining all kinds of equipment. It was for this reason that Captain Liao snatched her up from what was otherwise a dead end post. In Liao's Lance, her criminal activities continue unabated, however Captain Liao also relies on her extensive network of contacts for intelligence to identify prime raiding targets. As long as this intelligence flows, the Mask is content to look the other way.

Special Abilities: Subcommander Hasegawa's smuggling contacts grant the unit an additional +1 roll modifier for obtaining spare parts and ammunition, as well as keeping the potables locker well stocked.

Subcommander Shin Yun is the old man of the unit, a long time veteran of the Sian Reserves close to retirement prior to being recruited by Captain Liao. Though age has compromised some of his abilities, he remains a competant mechwarrior, and feels personally indebted to Captain Liao for giving him a second chance to make something of himself. Captain Liao for his part seems to value the old warrior's wisdom.

Supporting Forces:
As a full time independent unit, Liao's Lance has a permanently attached dropship, an up-armored and up-gunned Buccaneer class transport. Jumpship support is provided as needed. The lance can also frequently call upon as much as a company of infantry, including airmobile troops, combat engineers, and demolitions specialists.

[Easy]

cleanup

[Easy]

cleanup

[Daryk]

Nice, thanks! O0

[Dragon Cat]

Cool stuff