#684 - Alternate Wolf Dragoons (where all the Clans contribute)
In early 3006, a convoy of three Leviathan jumpships arrived at Apollo in the Lyran Commonwealth. While heavily laden with military dropships, the force was content to communicate fairly openly with local authorities and later with military and political figures within the Tamar region. Colonel Shelby (no last name) informed anyone enquiring that their origin were several struggling colonies founded by refugees from the Amaris Civil War and First Succession War. With political tensions on this federation of colonies high, she had located a cache of SLDF hardware and decided to bring it to the Inner Sphere rather than see it used against her neighbours. (The notion that she was more than happy to see it used against spheroids, while accurate, did nothing to improve her standing in the eyes of the locals).
Having established that the former RWR capital was not, as she had expected, a world of significance, Shelby obtained navigational data and further disclosed that her own command was somewhat fragmentary and that several companies would be looking to break off as independent units now that they were in the Inner Sphere. When pressed out of concern that her forces might fight their own destructive civil war on Lyran soil, she clarified that this had been agreed as a compromise and with this as a promised outlet there was no immediate likelihood of her unit self-destructing.
Duke Selwin Kelswa was not inclined to wait for instructions from Tharkad, given the Archon's poor military record and ComStar brokered a contract with Shelby's Legion, under the terms of which Kelswa underwrote the shipping for twelve dropships of mercenaries to Galatea, as well as the operating costs for the Legion's remaining five battalions during a 12 month garrison contract along the Combine border. Investigations by LIC and ROM began almost immediately to dig into the Legion and the smaller units that had broken away. Initial impressions supported the idea that the bulk of the force's equipment came from a cache - there was unusually little variation in the designs being fielded (only 26 different 'Mech types were identified across the roughly three hundred 'Mechs involved, for example) and the equipment was all of pre Succession War design. The only equipment that didn't fit were crudely armed civilian 'Mechs and vehicles, which bulked out some units. Colonel Shelby admitted that this was more typical of the armament of her homeworlds' armed forces.
Each of the different companies breaking away possessed a single Union-class dropship, converted to support a mix of 'Mechs and other combat units. By the time Shelby's Legion completed its first contract and a longer term contract with the Commonwealth was under negotiation (this time overseen by the new Archon Katrina Steiner), all twelve had reached Galatea and found employment.
Black Widows
Perhaps the most flamboyant of the Legion's splinters, the Black Widow company is named for their leader, the instantly infamous Natasha Kerensky, although it's noted that much of the actual adminstration of the unit is handled by her lover Joshua Wolf and his brother Jaime. After a brief stint operating in the Draconis March, the Black Widows were transferred to the Capellan March on the personal request of George Hasek to deal with the Turkina Company - the two units have clashed twice, thus far indecisively, although the Widows have at least survived which is more than most other units facing Turkina's five Gauss Rifles have managed.
Furious Ferrets
The Ferrets spent less than three days on Galatea before departing under contract to the Capellan Confederation. Deployed for a diversionary raid on Lurgatan, intended to draw off reserves from the ongoing fighting between the CCAF and the Defenders of Andurien on nearby Shiba, the Ferrets succeeded in that they drew in a full battalion of 'Mechs from the provincial brigade. What they did not in fact manage was to escape - the Ferrets possessed no aerospace fighters and their dropship was shot down while it tried to touch down to recover them (this also killed the six-strong tank lance aboard). The Ferrets reportedly fought to the last, inflicting heavy losses on the Defenders who had orders to try to force a surrender of the valuable 'Mechs. No 'Mechs were captured intact and lostech components salvaged were destroyed in a fire before they could be shipped to Andurien - a Maskirova operation is the assume cause.
The Horsemen
Offered generous terms by House Centrella, the Horsemen reached Canopus IV in 3007 and have been apparently largely employed as trainers to help the Magistrix improve the competence of her small military - although their squadron of aerospace fighters has also put on several displays at public events. Security around the Horsemen's equipment is tight but it is believed that MIM has made repeated efforts to convince members of the Horsemen to defect and bring their equipment across. One can only admire the mercenary's loyalty as so far as has been determined, none have yielded to this temptation and the efforts do not appear to have been detrimental to relations with their employer.
Rim Volunteers
Taking employment with the AFFS, the Rim Volunteers company was contracted for several raids into the Draconis Combine. After two successful operations, their third raid hit Matar in late 3007 only to find that it was garrisoned by Schmitt's Spirits. The battle was ferocious and the Volunteers passed up opportunities to escape in their fervor, ultimately suffering complete defeat and extermination. Their dropship and support crew, with no forces to continue the contract, were taken in by the Eridani Light Horse and continue to serve that unit.
Scavenger Sons
Since leaving Galatea, the Sons have taken four short-term contracts in Free Worlds League provinces near the Circinian Federation. Their exact employers are classified (although the MRB has verified that contracts exist and their raids are not piracy), but it is hardly a secret that they are being employed by the many petty provinces in that area to carry out attacks in furtherance of long-standing vendettas in the area. Captain-General Marik has thus far declined to expel them from the League as the attacks are at least being carried out cleanly and with the minimum of collateral damage. After losing their two armed work-mechs in their second raid, the Scavenger Sons have made good the loss by purchasing a Cheetah aerospace fighter to join the overworked Corsair that was their only previous air cover.
Schmitt's Spirits
Accepting a garrison contract with the Draconis Combine, Schmitt's Spirits proved quite energetic in working with the local garrison of Matar and were considered model mercenaries during their short tenure. The arrival of the Rim Volunteers about a year into the contract ended this. While the PSL expected some reluctance to fight, the Spirits engaged the Volunteers with bloodthirsty enthusiasm that ultimately wiped out both companies - Captain Schmitt was the only survivor of the battle and died before she could be brought back to hospital. The unit's dropship was able to arrange passage back to Galatea under their exit clause and later negotiated a return to Shelby's Legion.
Shark's Teeth
Having made it all the way to Galatea, the Shark's Teeth found themselves then backtracking into Trellshire where they have been garrisoning the Trellshire Heavy Industries factory on Chahar. Although the company hasn't seen action, their technical teams have formed a very effective partnership with the factory workers which has led to a sharp upswing in the output of munitions and spare parts. With Archon Katrina's commitment to restoring security damaged by her uncle's blundering, THI is discussing moving the Teeth to Twycross in the hope of arranging a similar partnership to benefit the 'Mech factories there. The Teeth only possess a single lostech 'Mech, a WVE-5Nb Wyvern but they have indicated they would be willing to co-operate in efforts to resume parts production (and perhaps even assembly) for the STC-2C Striker in their line-up, which they may otherwise struggle to keep operating.
Snord's Irregulars
Hired by the FWLM for operations on the successful invasion of Shiloh, the Irregulars lost their commander in the fighting and were among the units who faced contract termination and pressure to join the FWLM to make good the losses to federal forces in the battle. Mechwarrior Cranston Snord was able to rally the unit and several other survivors of mercenary commands, using Colonel Shelby as a back-channel communication to the LCAF. Three mercenary Unions escaped Shiloh and were picked up by an LCAF-owned Invader-class jumpship. Major Snord's new battalion has signed with the Archon on express terms that insist they be deployed against House Marik in the near future.
Space Apes
The Apes were one of several mercenary units deployed for the invasion of New Aragon by the AFFS. While some units emerged from the campaign with improved reputations, the Space Apes were not one of them. The 'Mech heavy force showed little cohesion under fire and after seven of their 'Mechs were destroyed by combined fire from Capellan lances, the unit withdrew precipitously. Citing their contract, the AFFS attempted to reason with them only to find two of the mechwarriors duelling with live armament. Calling a company of Waco's Rangers to restrain the Apes was apparently the last straw and with the duelling 'Mechs brought down, the remaining Apes boarded their dropship and departed, somehow obtaining jumpship passage as far as Rio before they ran out of funds and goodwill. Formally blacklisted by the MRB, the remaining Apes and most of their equipment were ransomed by Colonel Shelby and their dropship forfeited to the AFFS, while the Waco Rangers were able to salvage one of the Crocketts they brought down with parts from the other.
The Spirit Hunters
Among the last of the units to take a contract, the Spirit Hunters ultimately accepted an offer from the Taurian government to garrison Althea's Choice on their Suns border. While effectively pinned in place there with a ten year contract, the Hunters arrived in 3008 after an extended travel time and have twice repelled pirate raids, making them quite popular with the Taurians. Their reclusive nature and a cultivated image of mysticism has given them a romantic air to the populace of the remote world.
Storm Bears
Somewhat unwisely, the Storm Bears accepted a contract by the Tyr resistance movement to support an uprising on the Rasalhague world of Alleghe. It is largely assumed that the company had little idea what an uphill struggle they would face, but the Bears are known to have landed on Alleghe in late 3006 and participated in attacks on the planetary capital, with their three assault 'Mechs (one Atlas and two Royal Highlanders) wreaking havoc on the planetary militia. The deployment of the Rasalhague Regulars, eager to seize these powerful 'Mechs, crushed the revolt and the majority of the Storm Bears are presumed dead but the assault 'Mechs are not confirmed as destroyed and their dropship was not reported as departing. Popular rumour on Alleghe has it that the Bears are lying in wait for a future attempt at liberating the world from House Kurita.
Turkina Company
Hired by the CCAF, the Turkina company is stationed in the Texlos salient and have been active in the raiding and counter-raiding on this part of the border between the Capellans and the Suns. They have twice clashed with the Black Widow company and there is known antipathy between the units although they haven't thus far re-enacted the brutal end of the Rim Volunteers and Schmitt's Spirits. Their deployment of an Alacorn Mk. VI heavy tank, escorted by a pair of Star League-era Highlanders, has made them a serious threat to AFFS raids and rumour has it that Duke George Hasek has offered a large reward for their capture or elimination.
