Quotes
“We are death! I think... no probably not. We are whatever you want us to be!â€
“We'll do what that loser 'Merc unit won't do for a quarter of the price! If not, we'll probably do it anyway.â€
"We'll uproot trees and use them as clubs if we need too..."
"Your Catapult doesn't have arms..."
"You're point? Load the tree where the launcher used to be and I'll torso twist."
*puzzlement*A Brief History? No one is really sure where or when this band was formed... one thing for sure, they are one of the most desperate and crazy mercenary units available. Their tactics are unorthodox, their equipment is crap and they are, to some, borderline insane. Through their systematic chaos the unit actually works. All of the major powers won't admit it but they have hired them for their dirty work. They'll take missions some of the more popular units won't even consider and even "take the blame" (NOTE: Just because they are hired doesn't mean that they actually performed the mission. The Damned Scallywags have caused contractors significant losses. VERY fraudulent).
Unregistered with the MRBC, the Damned Scallywags lack a mainstream history and reputation. Rumors suggest that they were once an old unit called “the Crimson Dead†gone rogue, but even then, the Damned Scallywags are a rumor themselves. They handle everything on their own, often under their own terms, even though they conform to the demands of the contractor. The Damned Scallywags spend a lot of their time raiding lesser periphery powers for equipment, such as ammunition, weapons, and basic necessities like food and water. They found it is much easier to rely on themselves than the shady contracts the major powers offer them.
The Damned Scallywags get around with a Scout Jumpship “Crow's Nest†they somehow acquired from the Lyran Alliance. Their jumpship lugs around a Mule class cargo ship “Gangplank†which has been modified for war. The Captain prefers the Mule because it fools the enemy into believing they are some independent cargo hauling business. This allows them to prey on the greed of inexperienced pirate bands, mercenaries, house garrisons and desperate periphery raiders.
Equipment and Tactics They use whatever they can get their hands on. If they have to uproot trees and use them as clubs to be effective then so be it.
...not even a joke.
The unit has a single Lance of BattleMechs. They are very old, salvaged from Periphery garrison units, and refitted with cheap weapons like rocket launchers and machine gun arrays instead of being upgraded and sometimes repaired. It is much easier for them to maintain and acquire rocket launchers and machine guns. For example, Ian's Assassin (a salvaged ASN-21) has a massive machine gun array in the right arm and replaces its damaged LRM and Artemis IV system with 6 class 10 rocket launchers. This configuration is a perfect testimony of their harsh lifestyle. Another example, Al's LRM-20 has been busted on his Catapult for almost a year before it was replaced with the group of class 15 rocket launchers it has today. Even the lasers had to be replaced with light machine gun arrays. Their current formation is Ian's Assassin, a Vulcan, a Hunchback and Al's Catapult, who have all suffered the same style of setbacks.
Their BattleMechs are backed up by a mediocre mix of ground and air support. In the sky, two H5K Sparrowhawks perform hit and runs against ground targets and intercept any air threats. The unit rarely has any bombs but they do use rocket launcher systems when strafing ground targets. Both of these fighters are in good condition because they spend most of their time in space protecting the jumpship.
Their ground support is split into two lances. Each lance has two Flatbed Trucks modified with 4 class 15 rocket launchers each plus another two Flatbed Trucks modified with light machine gun arrays and means to transport two squads of infantry. Each squad has auto-rifles and sniper rifles giving them a slight range advantage against standard infantry. Despite being poorly equipped and maintained, in the right circumstances, the entire unit has a decent ambush setup which works to their needs. Each lance is usually accompanied by one of the BattleMechs in the unit, otherwise, they have operated without cover (NOTE: Recently, the Damned Scallywags have deployed lances of attack cycle and attack buggy technicals with light machine guns and rocket launchers. These are usually protected by modified Scorpion Light Tanks and Boomerang Spotter Planes).
Rocket launchers can be deadly when used correctly but their one-shot nature limits the unit's effectiveness. To counter this, the Damned Scallywags have a few ammunition trucks nearby with a couple extra reloads. This way if the scenario takes a turn for the worse a retreat becomes advantageous, usually setting up another ambush. This is all coordinated from the dropship and a mobile HQ they managed to steal from some mercenary unit they destroyed in the past (NOTE: This "Mobile HQ" is now a truck with salvaged communication equipment. The HQ was blown to bits by Al, who was intoxicated, arguing that it was a very sophisticated ice cream truck).
Their camouflage changes depending on the terrain around them. Otherwise, they have a theme that makes their BattleMechs look like zombies which is enhanced by their battlefield damage. The rest of the unit does what they see fit. They have no standard uniform.
PersonalitiesCaptain Ian the Disgruntled
ASN-21 Assassin (Modified) "Squiffy"
The self-proclaimed leader of the Damned Scallywags. He is a very lucky, crazy, but experienced, MechWarrior who is convinced that his old ASN-21 Assassin makes him invincible even after all the battle damage they have suffered together. Despite being the Commander, Ian does all the recon work and is often the first unit to strike the enemy. Not a lot is known about him. Some believe that he is actually Ian Stravinski, the original founder of the Crimson Dead Mercenary Unit. Some believe that he is just some Periphery Pirate scumbag who enjoys murdering civilians and making a quick buck. Whatever the case may be, he is a force to be reckoned with (his bounty is unknown at this point in time as it changes constantly).
Al the Terrible Nitemare
CPLT-C4 Catapult (Modified) "Basket Case"
Ian's close acquaintance and reliable fire support unit. He loves LRM's, especially incendiary versions, much more than Rocket Launchers. He's lucky to have a working LRM systems after losing both LRM-20 launchers to excessive damage. Nitemare is crazy enough to use his LRM's during close combat. He is not as skilled as Ian but his larger Mech, usually referred to as Basket Case, looks much more intimidating (his bounty is also unknown, Ian and Al usually argue about it).
Unit RosterCommand Lance "Those Damned Scallywags"3/3 - Captain Ian the Disgruntled - ASN-23 Assassin "Squiffy"
3/4 - Scarlet Deadlights Sangre - VL-2T Vulcan "Black Spot"
2/4 - Vicious Flapjack Finnegan - HBK-4G Hunchback "Shark Bait"
3/4 - Al the Terrible Nitemare - CPLT-C4 Catapult "Basket Case"
Support Unit 1 (Ground Pounders) "Grog-Snarfing Landlubbers"4/5 - 4 Scorpion Light Tanks (Rocket Launcher)
4/5 - 4 Flatbed Trucks (Rocket Launcher)
4/5 - 4 Flatbed Trucks (Light MG Array)
4/X - 8 Squads (10e) Rifle Infantry (Auto Rifles Primary + Sniper Rifles Secondary [2])
Support Unit 2 (Ground Pounders/Fast Strike Recon) "Captain's Howl"4/5 - Flatbed Truck (HQ)
4/5 - 2 Flatbed Trucks (Cargo)
4/X - 4 Squads (10e) Combat Engineers
4/5 - 4 Attack Buggies (Rocket Launcher)
4/5 - 8 Attack Cycles (Rocket Launcher)
Support Unit 3 (Air Cover) "Scrappy Privateers"4/5 - 8 Boomerang Spotter Plane (RL)
Support Lance 4 (Space/Air Cover) "Yellow-Bellied Parrots"4/5 - SPR-H5K Sparrowhawk
4/5 - SPR-H5K Sparrowhawk
Naval Assets5/3 - Scout Class Jumpship (Standard) "Crow's Nest"
4/4 - Mule Class Cargo Hauler "Gangplank"
Go
here for unit information (It's a TRO for all the Technicals and BattleMechs listed). Otherwise, for all of you MegaMek fanatics, download the ZIP file and you know what to do!
I never got around to designing the Mule... so PM or post any ideas in the design forum (rocket launchers preferred)!
