OOC, this is another experiment in minimum sized units. Winger's Stingers was a single lance, this one is a single 'mech!
Dama Laura Graeme won her Canopian spurs alongside her Taurian companion, Señor Tomas Cordoba. The pair had spent over a decade destabilizing planetary governments in what was shortly to be known as the "New Colony Region". Aside from their knighthoods (and daughter), their reward was to be the first draft of what both governments had just settled on calling "Colonial Marshals" (with much more hammering out to come). Lucky for Laura and Tomas, resources had already been directed their way, even if nothing further would be forthcoming in light of the recent decision to go with the Marshal construct instead (+1 for bureaucratic inertia!).
The somewhat modified Sentry Battlemech (dubbed "Equinity") was a surprise to all, and Laura suspected it was Taurian intelligence setting a lure for their Davion counterparts. The apparent tinkering with the 'mech was a poor attempt at camouflage at best, but she wasn't about to complain. The support vehicle gifted to her husband (named "Stability") apparently started life as a Heavy Wheeled APC, but the Lift Hoists had taken up so much space a Machine Gun and most of the ammunition also had to be removed. Despite that, room had been left for Paramedic gear to be installed, something her assigned retainers would appreciate.
The Magistracy Intelligence Ministry contributed three additional personnel: a Medic, 'Mech Technician and a Vehicle Technician. Not to be out done, the Taurian Ministry of Intelligence provided two infantry NCOs, a gunner and driver for the former APC, and fronted the money to hire eight infantry troopers on Herotitus from one of the local training programs. The combined resource contribution came to 5,000,000 C-Bills, to include operating expenses for the first year. The Joint committee that assembled the gear outdid themselves when it came to variety. While the 'mech was Davion and the APC chassis Marik, the infantry body armor was sourced from the Lyrans, the helmets from the Draconis Combine, and the Auto Rifles from the Capellans. The handful of Vibroblades were manufactured in the Outworlds Alliance, while the pair of Sniper Rifles were pure Taurian design. The medical equipment was of course sourced from the Canopians, and the boots came from the Lothian League. Even for Herotitus, it was quite the pastiche!
Dama Laura Graeme, CO, piloting EQUINITY. While quite pleased to have been granted use of a Battlemech, Dama Laura couldn't help mumbling "walking war crime" when she first laid eyes on EQUINITY. FOUR Machine Guns, TWO Small Pulse Lasers, and a FLAMER seemed like more than a little overkill to the veteran Periphery operator. She very nearly discarded her Canopian nonchalance for her husband's inherent suspicion of the Federated Suns. Perhaps it was the decade of dealing with unruly crowds in the Periphery that ultimately appreciated the ability to simply DELETE one if the need presented itself. What little she'd been able to find on the brand new Sentry model made her quirk a perfectly shaped eyebrow when she noticed the jump jets had been moved to the torsos from the legs. Of course, that would mean she could easily jump out of waist deep water, so she wasn't about to complain. The Recon Camera replacing the Flamer in the head also made sense to her, and not just because it made the cockpit a bit roomier. "Height of eye" was a bit more important that "height of anti-infantry weapon" after all. Not that it mattered with the FOUR Machine Guns in one arm and TWO Small Pulse Lasers in the other. On the whole, this left the four Machine Guns surrounding the PPC on the left arm as the only overt threat to crowds, so maybe TMI had their collective head screwed on straight after all. Her new 'Mech tech also assured her that moving the Flamer to the torso also VASTLY simplified the plasma routing, and thus the routine maintenance.
Señor Tomas Cordoba, XO. Meeting Laura the first time had been magical. The two had nearly identical training tracks in allying realms, and the unifying purpose they shared was absolutely perfect. Fate itself must have intervened to throw them together! While Laura was relentlessly pragmatic, Tomas had more than a bit of a romantic streak in him, and that charmed the pants right off her. The LONG trips between Taurus and Canopus provided ample time to bring their glorious daughter Isabel into the world. Overthrowing two-bit tyrants and destabilizing backwards republics with a toddler in tow wasn't easy, but it WAS rewarding. Their next challenge is now to stabilize those very same worlds under the joint guidance of the Magistracy and Concordat. What could be better? Sure, politics will shortly see their efforts superseded by these so called "Marshals", but that doesn't mean their efforts are for naught! His seat in STABILITY is just aft of the Gunner, but forward of the Paramedic gear. Of course, it's also directly below the twin Lift Hoists than enable the machine to haul EQUINITY if necessary, and he generally absents himself from exercises that involve operating them.
Specialist Alicia "Doc" Smith, Medic. Alicia is the senior of the three Canopian Specialists, and is rather more substantial what most would suspect for a Medic. She may not be able to hit quite as hard as some of the infantry, but she knows WHERE to hit, and that counts for more!
Specialists Anna and Barbara Jones, Technicians. "A" and "B" Jones are twin sisters, and more than competent techs. That's probably why MIM saw fit to the send them to the newly minted Dama in the New Colony Region. Both learned to be extremely patient dealing with their mentally ill father. Anna chose the more rigorous 'Mech Tech path in training, while Barbara spent a little more time taking it easy in the Vehicle Tech track. They're STILL rooming together, and don't seem to mind at all.
Sergeant Jose Ramirez, Senior NCO, Exoskeleton Operator. Jose had a GREAT time in Technical College, learning to drive exoskeletons, but the Taurian recruiter was just persistent enough. Leveraging his Tech College training, he bulled his way into Anti-'Mech training. That apparently got him noticed by TMI, and he was assigned to duty in the New Colony Region. When Señor Cordoba was knighted, he was the most convenient Sergeant to assign. Breaking in the new recruits from Herotitus is a challenge, but nothing he can't handle, especially with Corporal Vasquez at his side! [SPA: Foot Cavalry]
Corporal Jenette Vasquez, Fire Team Leader. Corporal Vasquez was easily the strongest trainee in both Basic and AIT for Infantry and Anti-'Mech training. This is likely what got her noticed by TMI and assigned to the New Colony Region. She hadn't met Sergeant Ramirez yet, but they've developed a strong working relationship while breaking in the new troopers from Herotitus. [SPA: Foot Cavalry]
Corporal Mateo Lopez, Gunner, STABILITY. Corporal Lopez was the second most connected man in his unit in the New Colony Region when he came up for orders. He likes to think that got him picked for Señor Cordoba's unit. The fact that he's a good shot may or may not have contributed...
Trooper Diego Alonso, Driver, STABILITY. Trooper Alonso was THE most connected man in his unit in the New Colony Region. It was his connections that got him and his tolerable gunner Lopez selected for Señor Cordoba's unit. While he wouldn't mind a bit more pay, it's easier to "just" drive. Diego is a Maneuvering Ace but doesn't let that slip outside of situations where it actually matters. [SPA: Maneuvering Ace]
Troopers: The eight troopers hired on Herotitus are graduates of a local "Boot Camp" catering to the mercenary market. TMI provided enough cash so the Dama and Señor could be a bit discriminating. While primarily slabs of muscle with Auto Rifles shoved into their hands, they're all also familiar with which end of a wrench is the business one. [Technician/Mechanical 3 on top of their Infantry skills]
Isabel Graeme, Daughter. While not technically part of the unit, Isabel has known no other life. She can turn a wrench almost as well as anyone else in the unit, though it takes her whole body to develop the necessary leverage. Her parents have been discussing what Academy to send her to, though it may end up being one of the "shake and bake" schools on Herotitus. She's still developing her sense of self and has no shortage of examples to choose from! [Born Mercenary Brat and Mercenary Brat Stage 1 and 2 modules]
I'll post the SSW/SAW data for EQUINITY/STABILITY upon request, but I think I gave enough information above to work them out.
