Reading back through the old Unit Digests got me thinking of doing something like this.
2nd Chertan Protectorate Militia Division
The 2nd Chertan Protectorate Militia Division is one of the many militias raised by Word of Blake to defend the Word of Blake Protectorate. Drawn mostly from local recruits, along with troops from surrounding worlds and a handful of former front line Blakists, the three divisions of the Chertan Protectorate Militia defend the mineral rich planet.
The second division played a critical part in the 3077 defence against the Coalition, but was ultimately outmanoeuvred and defeated by the experienced ComGuard 4th Army.
The 2nd Division remains under strength - with only three Level III formations, plus mercenary support, instead of the regulation six - due to issues in recruiting loyal personnel.
The second’s recruitment and deployment area takes in the Platea Lowlands and the Thaxos District around Chertan’s largest city, Altonia, which sees the unit operate a mix of hover and tracked armour with VTOL support to take advantage of the extensive arid plains and rock formations indigenous to the area.
Command Level III (Warriors of Faith)
Colonel Ivan Pollock
Over strength Battalion / Regular / Fanatical
The Second command element is the only unit in the division to use the Word of Blake base-six organisation, as opposed to standard Inner Sphere organisation and includes a dedicated Mobile Headquarters, infantry security element, light armour, spotters and artillery. The headquarters was recently issued a mixed Level II of brand new Padilla Tube Artillery and Thor tanks, which have been put through an intensive training and shakedown regime. However, the artillery crews are still getting used to the new kit and accidents are keeping the division’s motor pool busy.
1st Armoured Battalion (Blake’s Benevolence)
Lieutenant Colonel Konstantinos Constantine II
Battalion / Green / Reliable
The division’s 1st battalion - dubbed the Hoplites by its members, in defiance of its official Blakist-friendly nickname - is designated a heavy armoured element. Equipped with hand-me-downs and cast offs from the Word of Blake’s frontline Militia, the battalion’s tanks are cutting edge by normal planetary militia standards. Alacorn Mk VI and Brutus Assault Tanks dominate the outfit, however, militia technicians struggle to keep up the maintenance of the advanced equipment.
As a result, about a quarter of the tanks are down for repairs at any one time.
2nd Armoured Battalion (Swift Justice)
Lieutenant Colonel Sasha Stephenson
Battalion / Green / Reliable
Living up to its name, the second battalion is best equipped for high-speed raids, assaults and recon operations and has been expanded to four companies under the command of offworlder Colonel Stephenson.
A company of Chevaliers, equipped with Active Probes, typically handles far ranging recon, while the two mixed companies of Lightning Attack Hovercrafts and J. Edgar Light Hover Tanks range deep behind enemy lines.
Finally, a mixed company of Chevalier light tanks, and Goblins are backed by a platoon of Tornado PAL suits. The fourth company is Colonel Stephenson’s personal pet project and is tasked with stay behind operations and headhunter style deep attacks.
98th Ranger Battalion (Unheralded Victory)
Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Baxter
Battalion / Veteran / Reliable
The 98th is the division’s special operations battalion and mostly drawn from off-world recruits and former members of the Word of Blake Militia. Each of the battalion’s six companies contains a mix of jump infantry and VTOL transports. Making extensive use of sneak suits and advanced laser rifles, backed by recoilless rifles, grenade launchers and light machine guns that can be easily transported by VTOL, Colonel Baxter’s repeated requests for battle armour have so far been denied.
Harrigan’s Hooligans
Captain Petra Harrigan
Lance / Veteran / Questionable
Not technically a part of the Protectorate Militia, the Hooligans are a lance-sized mercenary unit on a long-term contract to the Word of Blake. Probably because no one else would ever hire them.
Typical flotsam of the Chaos March, Harrigan had served in a collection of fly by night and near pirate merc outfits for years, when she formed the Hooligans, hoping for better luck. Lady Lucky didn't materialise and the Hooligans were heavily in debt and unable to even afford basic repairs when the Word made an offer in 3067. Since then, the Hooligan’s have shifted from one Protectorate planet to the next, working security and serving as small time enforcers and back up for militia units.
Colonel Ivan Pollock
Pollock retired from the Free Worlds League military as a colonel after 30 years of service, returning to his homeworld intending to enjoy the good life. Watching his grandchildren grow and his small mining firm expand kept him content until war once again appeared on the horizon. Lured back into uniform shortly after the establishment of the Word of Blake Protectorate and Chertan’s decision to join it, Pollock is no Blakist. Instead, he fears what will happen when the FWL decides it wants his home back and trains his troops hard in anticipation of that looming conflict.
Colonel Pollock Has a 6-TP Connection (FWLM) and the Tactical Genius special ability. Plus the +4 Interest/FWL military history skill.
Lieutenant Colonel Sasha Stephenson
Stephenson is a former Word of Blake Militia Demi Precentor who took part in Operation Odysseus on Terra and the opening years of the Jihad. A talented Mechwarrior, she suffered a career ending injury while fighting on Donegal as part of the 2nd Division and mustered out of service. Lost and alone (Stephenson’s family were killed on Terra during ComStar’s abortive CASE WHITE attack, although the actual culprits remain unknown) the Blakist wandered the Protectorate until settling on Chertan. Retraining as an armoured crewman, Colonel Pollock saw her ability and had her rapidly promoted to her current leadership role.
Stephenson is In For Life (NSDF) (2-TP) and has the Blood Stalker special ability when facing ComGuards, due to her family apparent death at their hands on Terra.
Major Gregor Tsolakoglou
Tsolakoglou serves as Colonel Pollock’s aide. A native of Chertan, he graduated from the onworld military academy a month after the world sided with the Blakists and he suddenly found himself on the wrong side of history. But that didn’t stop him working hard and rising rapidly through the ranks - distinguishing himself as a platoon leader and then battery commander. In 3075, during a Coalition-orchestrated uprising, Tsolakoglou distinguished himself after retaking the town of Melbourne from the rebels. However, the young captain was ordered to not bother bringing any prisoners back - ever the good officer, he herded the remaining 30 rebel POWs and a dozen “collaborators” into a barn and commenced shelling the building. His actions have haunted him since.
The major has a Bloodmark due to his earlier actions.
Tsolakoglou also suffers from a 2-TP Compulsion because of his post-traumatic stress over the incident. If he’s present when the command element goes into battle, it suffers a –2 Initiative penalty. But as a staff officer, he also possesses +3 Leadership, +2 Administration
Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Baxter
Baxter is a soldier who knows his limitations - commanding an elite unit which includes a large number of veteran Word Militia, he’s self-conscious of the fact he’s never been under fire. Serving in a peace time military and then later always assigned to the sidelines when combat has come to Chertan, no one trains harder than Baxter. Terrified he’ll foul up in battle, Baxter is always the first out the hatch, at the head of every formation and regularly in the gym.
Baxter is is Fit (see p. 117, AToW). He also has a 2-TP Dependent (wife, young daughter) and Glass Jaw.
Sergeant Rick Boggart
Boggart commands a Chevallier in the 2nd battalion, joining up after the planet-wide recession triggered by the Jihad trashed a succession of jobs.
He’s actually a deep cover agent infiltrated into the militia by Alys Rousset-Marik’s Resistance and has been sending detailed intelligence back for several years.
Funny, always keen to buy the next round or light your smoke and and an above average soldier, he’s an excellent spy. However, his intel has so far been confined to troop movements, unit rosters and such, rather than a massive coupe.
Boggart’s role as an undercover agent gives him a -3 TP Dark Secret.
Plus, he’s Attractive (see p. 108, AToW) and Gre-
garious (see p. 118, AToW).
Lance Corporal Kalinda Tsoni
Tsoni is a Protectorate Militia recruiting officer’s wet dream - a beautiful, young soldier dedicated to the cause with an origin story that’ll make you cry.
Born on Saph during the turbulent Chaos March period, Tsoni was orphaned at age five when a botched Allied Mercenary Command raid destroyed her home. Fostered to a Chertan family, she thrived, working as a child model and seemed destined for stardom - until being struck by tragedy again when the 3075 uprising saw her family killed in the crossfire.
Joining the Protectorate Militia, shortly after turning 18, Tsoni sailed through training and now serves in the command Level III’s security company as a machine gunner.
Tsoni has +8 Small Arms, +7 Stealth. She also has the Attractive (see p. 108, AToW) trait and –3TP Compulsion/hates Devlin Stone
Captain Petra Harrigan
Mercenary to the core, it’s little wonder Harrigan ended up serving the Word. Cashiered from the Taurian military, Harrigan bounced through a succession of lowlife merc jobs until attracting minor fame in the Chaos March in 3066 when her lance torched a village on Hsien. No one would hire them and her Hooligans were flat broke when the Word swept them up.
She knows full well her unit all face a short trial and then the hangman’s noose if caught by the advancing Coalition. As such, she’s already making plans to go - without her comrades.
Harrigan is a veteran-level MechWarrior with a +2 in Leader-
ship and Negotiation. She has a –2 Dark Secret Trait (arranging to sell out her comrades).
