Author Topic: Unicorn Company  (Read 2309 times)

CJKeys

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Unicorn Company
« on: 02 June 2023, 23:31:39 »
Let me know what you all think.

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Unicorn Company is a unit which varies in size, depending on its membership. The unit currently sits at regimental strength that works in smaller company sized formations, referred to as Blessings, which work independently of one another. Each Blessing consists of an over-strength company, consisting of a primary force of 12 mechs, split into two “sections” of 6 ‘Mechs each, which are reinforced by 4 squads of Battle Armor or 2 platoons of unarmored Infantry, as well as transport assets. The variable size of the unit is based on the fact that many of the smaller satellite units are established locally on the worlds that Unicorn Company is hired to protect, and eventually the unit is converted over to a standing militia and then spun off from the unit, and established as an independent unit, which must take up one contract, and then return to it’s homeworld as a standing militia, and takes on the name of it’s homeworld as part of its name, for example if a unit is established on the world of New Aragon, the unit would be New Aragon Unicorn Company, which uses the organization system, and tactical doctrines of the parent unit. Because of this, each company effectively

Overall, Unicorn Company prefers to work for small planetary governments. Because of this the unit generally avoids being involved with larger offensives and defensive actions, and is known for defending against pirates, and smaller threats. This is an exception though for two units, the first of these is the premier unit, which is just called Unicorn Company, which has no planet name attached to it. This unit is oversized, at roughly 2 companies in strength, and uses the smaller units that it establishes to replenish combat losses after their obligatory contract to establish another unit.

The premier unit has a paint scheme of light blue fading to pink on each of it’s arms and legs, with white highlights, and all weapons a gunmetal color. This unit, as mentioned before, was established in the aftermath of the Word of Blake jihad. The unit was established by a former member of the Com Guards, Jane Keyes-Patton, who had lost her wife during the first assault on Terra by the Com Guards, Case White. After the war, instead of joining the republic, and having seen the chaos wrought by the war, she saw worlds which were left undefended, and took a number of warriors with her who agreed. While they kept most of their comstar organizational system, they looked to mythology for a unit mascot, and chose the Unicorn, as it has been a symbol of both healing, as it was thought that Unicorns could render water potable, and had magical healing powers. They also drew from its legendary status as the natural enemy of the lion, and as its symbol of social change as an adopted icon of the gay community of the 20th and 21st century. Their logo is a white unicorn head in profile on a black circular field ringed in pink, which has a rainbow mane.

Unicorn Company saw limited action until the collapse of the HPG network, where they found themselves fulfilling their original mission of protecting those who cannot protect themselves while the Inner Sphere found itself, once again in conflict and chaos. Unicorn Company is currently commanded by Sally Anne Patton.

The events of the 32nd century also led to what is officially a rogue unit, but it is rumored is actually supported by the parent unit. A unit known as Suzy’s Corsairs. The Corsairs use two different paint schemes, the first of these is an all red paint scheme, and the second is a paint scheme consisting of a blue white, and pink camouflage, both paint schemes have personalized patterns and symbols painted on their war machines.. The insignia of the corsairs is the same as Unicorn Company, but has the unicorn, with its mane as a red silhouette on a black disc.

The Corsairs are allegedly a breakaway unit led by their commander Suzy, a former Clan Nova Cat Mechwarrior. The Corsairs are, operationally, pirates which have a tendency to raid large corporate interests as well as worlds which are ruled by governments which have taken radical and tyrannical actions against their citizens, or corporations which have essentially created puppet governments on worlds and oppress the citizens. The Corsairs model themselves after the Red Corsair, going so far as to pilot a Royal Battlemaster, upgraded with Clan technology. The unit also prefers clan equipment when possible and uses a Mad Cat as well. The Corsairs generally don't keep the spoils of many of their raids, instead dispatching with their targets, be they the head of an oppressive government or the corporate entity on world, and leave any spoils to the citizens of the world. The Corsairs have been found to strike worlds in the Draconis Combine with the most frequency. With their high end equipment, as well as their odd operations tend to lead most house intelligence agencies to believe that the unit maintains ties to Unicorn Company, sometimes using replacement equipment that is identical to that purchased by Unicorn Company, but with the serial numbers “filed off”.
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BloodRose

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #1 on: 06 July 2023, 14:49:06 »
Honestly? Real world politics, be they left or right, should be left out of the game. Battletech is the 80's, and should be treated as such.
>MOC - 3rd Canopian Fusiliers         >Capellan Confederation - Holdfast Guard
>Lyrians - 5th Donegal Guard          >Free Worlds League - 1st Oriente Hussars
>Federated Suns - 2nd NAIS           >Word of Blake/Comstar - undecided unit
>Draconis Combine - 1st Genyosha  >Clan Jade Falcon - Delta Galaxy
>Escorpion Imperio - Seeker Cluster >Pirates - Harlocks Marauders
>Mercs - Roses Heavy Lancers          >Mercs - Reinhold's Raiders
>Mercs/specops - Mausers Shreckenkorps >Mercs - Idol Squadron

Daryk

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #2 on: 06 July 2023, 19:08:47 »
I'm squinting hard, and still not able to see the "real world" aspect here...  If you think that's a concern, the report button is the proper response.

BloodRose

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #3 on: 06 July 2023, 20:11:00 »
I'm squinting hard, and still not able to see the "real world" aspect here...  If you think that's a concern, the report button is the proper response.
The colour scheme is literally the trans pride flag, and if you read
Quote
and as its symbol of social change as an adopted icon of the gay community of the 20th and 21st century.
from OP's post, its pretty obvious.
Also, as I feel like pointing it out no matte how petty, lore wise noone would know anything about the 20th - 21st century. Ignoring it being a millennia ago, its in a time prior to the Succession Wars, hell prior to the Age of War. Your lucky to get rumours from it by the 31st century.
>MOC - 3rd Canopian Fusiliers         >Capellan Confederation - Holdfast Guard
>Lyrians - 5th Donegal Guard          >Free Worlds League - 1st Oriente Hussars
>Federated Suns - 2nd NAIS           >Word of Blake/Comstar - undecided unit
>Draconis Combine - 1st Genyosha  >Clan Jade Falcon - Delta Galaxy
>Escorpion Imperio - Seeker Cluster >Pirates - Harlocks Marauders
>Mercs - Roses Heavy Lancers          >Mercs - Reinhold's Raiders
>Mercs/specops - Mausers Shreckenkorps >Mercs - Idol Squadron

D-Rock

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #4 on: 07 July 2023, 10:48:30 »
Honestly? Real world politics, be they left or right, should be left out of the game. Battletech is the 80's, and should be treated as such.

Because of a paint scheme and a mention of a same-sex spouse?

That's not political. That's sociological. Big difference. Get it right.

If the fact that their very mention makes you feel uncomfortable... well... I get it. I get uncomfortable seeing a certain crooked symbol on a white circle with a red background. But you should really be asking yourself 'why' it makes you feel uncomfortable, and whether or not it warrants such a hyperbolic reaction.

Meanwhile I don't care if any crooked cross boys show up in my games. Every game needs a villain, somebody has to play 'em, and it's always fun to watch 'em get blown to pieces. Just like I don't care if anyone paints their mechs in colorful flag colors. In the Battletech universe somebody's probably thought about doing it and probably has. Big deal. Their mechs still shoot and go boom. Doesn't change the game mechanics and the fun in the slightest.
« Last Edit: 07 July 2023, 10:55:12 by D-Rock »

Failure16

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #5 on: 07 July 2023, 21:16:26 »
I dig it. This is a pretty novel concept, at least to me, insofar as the formations and farm-team concept. I do wonder what the benefit of the farm-team concept actually is, for either party--really--but I might not be catching the nuances just yet.

But the first paragraph appears to be missing part of its last sentence.

If anyone has a problem with the OP, the problem is theirs, to be honest. The BTU has a raft of mercenary outfits with foundational conceits ranging from the mundane, to the tragic or heroic, to the ridiculous (the latter starting with Snord's Irregulars, but also look through FM: Mercs and its follow-ons). Indeed, for a universe that would not remember the 20th Century, Snord and his buffoons certainly tossed that memo in the wastebin.

Hell, one of the original Houses claims lineage to a certain WWII admiral (who would likely be rolling in his grave if he knew what his legacy had been perverted to).

Long ago, certain groups of people got to wear pink triangles fir a time. That was before the 80s. This aspect of the sociological continuum is only "new" if one chooses to listen to modern media.

I say, roll with this concept, CJK.
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But it was a lie, that I told myself                                          Chasing visions of our futures.                   Oh, my crucifixion comes
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shadowdancer

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #6 on: 16 July 2023, 12:53:46 »
I like it.
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Crimson Dynamo

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #7 on: 20 July 2023, 12:00:42 »
I've always had a thing with the concept of 'franchise' merc groups, I like the idea behind it and I've always thought there should be more of them running around, and this force and it's presentation certainly scratches that itch. Nicely done.
"Well, I do, Marcus, and rule number one of the MAC has always been that the man with the plan leads. If we get shot up, I'm the first one to get my ticket punched. There are no flags in the MAC."
"And there never will be," Barton said, nodding his head in agreement.

"You guys are facing a freaking Shadow Division! These guys have strict policies against playing fair!"

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Gorgon

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #8 on: 20 July 2023, 16:44:10 »
I like it a lot. It's a cool idea to have a unit that 'seeds' militias for small worlds and to have a Robin Hood off shoot is nice, too. This is not a grimdark setting, after all, and people trying to do good certainly has a lot of interesting story potential. Love the color scheme.

Thank you for sharing.
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Daryk

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #9 on: 20 July 2023, 17:27:09 »
And I finally realized where all the extra emoticons in text are coming from: some of them aren't tags, they're just words.

VanVelding

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #10 on: 20 July 2023, 17:38:59 »
Seriously, in this setting we have an entire civilization that LARPs as Feudal Japan. Incorporation of symbolism from Terra's past, whether overtly in-universe, as an out-of-universe reference, or just coincidentally, is a part of the game. There's nothing invective about it. There's certainly nothing invective about a female character having a wife.

A post-Jihad ComStar unit based on lending mercenary experience and training local militias is an interesting idea.
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Deadborder

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #11 on: 06 August 2023, 17:27:21 »
Just wanted to say that I love the concept and I especially love the camo schemes! Nice stuff there.
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Dahmin_Toran

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #12 on: 20 August 2023, 12:25:37 »
I'm squinting hard, and still not able to see the "real world" aspect here...  If you think that's a concern, the report button is the proper response.

Don't you know there were no gay people in the 80s, so of course it is political! :laugh:

Dahmin_Toran

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #13 on: 20 August 2023, 12:30:24 »
The colour scheme is literally the trans pride flag, and if you read  from OP's post, its pretty obvious.
Also, as I feel like pointing it out no matte how petty, lore wise noone would know anything about the 20th - 21st century. Ignoring it being a millennia ago, its in a time prior to the Succession Wars, hell prior to the Age of War. Your lucky to get rumours from it by the 31st century.

Dude in the old McCarron's Armored Cavalry sourcebook, one of the regimental commanders wears a Confederate hat. Wayne Waco of the Waco Rangers wears a cowboy hat. Many Inner Sphere mechs and vehicles are named after WW2 generals and figures. Yeah I think people in the Inner Sphere know about the past.

Fabe

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Re: Unicorn Company
« Reply #14 on: 24 January 2024, 23:00:17 »
Honestly? Real world politics, be they left or right, should be left out of the game. Battletech is the 80's, and should be treated as such.

 stuff like This is why Catalyst  updated their community guidelines.
« Last Edit: 24 January 2024, 23:34:23 by Fabe »

 

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