The original idea for this unit was inspired by Liam's Ghost's "Baronies of Foxhaven" (linked in my sig block). That was a post invasion Periphery scenario, but I saw no reason the basic concept couldn't work in 3025 (or 3024, as the case may be). Yes, I'm using Fractional Accounting and even a Recon Camera. AND I pushed AToW (and its Companion, plus some goodies from Shrapnel) kind of hard in testing the limits of what could be done (to include adding a new Trait: Small Stature). Overall, I'm quite satisfied, even if I could have bent the rules even more to save a couple million C-Bills (e.g., "buying" a Foot Platoon and then replacing their Auto-Rifles with MUCH better; I use that expense to justify the training the grunts have/been given). Overall, nine of the unit are "the originals", who fled the ruins of Anton Marik's revolt and washed up on Galatea (actually, by design of the CO and XO). The next tranche (13) of the unit were the original hires on Galatea who are still with the unit. These folks are all NCOs now. The last half of the unit (23) are the new hires after the unit returned to Galatea having passed their Lohengrin-approved first test (a garrison contract in the Mainstreet theater where they saw off several pirate raids, pretty much by slowing the pirates down enough the militia could get their act together).
Nuts and bolts: I started with 10M C-Bills, as suggested by Campaign Operations, page 11 for a 3025 lance. I bought four Stingers (2 -3Rs and 2 3Gs) and tweaked from there (mods paid for by characters). Then I heavily modified a Heavy Wheeled APC (paid for by three of the original nine characters kicking in for "Custom Vehicle") and bought an expensive Foot Infantry Platoon (3M C-Bills for 30 troops with DWS L5L Sniper Rifles) to act as AsTechs and Admins. A Lawyer (XO), S-2, 5 Techs and 2 Medics round out a unit of 45 total. Details below.
First Lieutenant Steven Winger ("Stinger Actual", piloting STING): Steve was the senior student at a secret SAFE facility that churned out a surprising number of Anton loyalists in 3014. The facility, of course, ceased to exist shortly thereafter. Steve was previously a graduate of Aitutaki Academy and had been a Prefect for five of the other original nine there as an upperclassman, and successfully lobbied for their recruitment to that SAFE facility. He met the other three during SAFE training, two of them in the Special Forces course. The third was during Covert Operations training, and she was the key to the current unit. Fatefully or otherwise, the pair were assigned to be "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" during that particular course. Steve went on to Special Forces training while she completed OCS and transferred to Galatea undercover as a Law School student in the middle of the Revolt. Steve was of course accepted into Anton's "'Mechs for Loyalty" program, and wouldn't have dreamed of turning down his Stinger. He drilled incessantly with STING to the point of obsession and hasn't missed a shot in combat or on the range in three years (not that there's been a lot of combat). STING is a mostly standard STG-3G that's had its armor adjusted to provide better protection to the pilot (8 points of armor on the head, a Class A refit). [SPAs: Jumping Jack, Weapon Specialist (Medium Laser), Sniper]
Second Lieutenant "Lyta Massey" (XO, what?): "Lyta Massey" is the unit's Executive Officer and lawyer. Anton's Revolt kicked off while she was travelling to Galatea to take up a covert posting there for SAFE. Ditching her original identity enroute, she arrived as a law student at the University of Galatea Law School. Her professors would describe her as a middling student, but she took her lessons to heart, all while laying the groundwork for the then putative unit to arrive and ducking the SAFE agents on Galatea. As the other eight began to arrive with various amounts of loot, she skillfully concealed their presence and made wise investments. When Steve finally made planetfall, she greeted "Mr. Smith" with a passionate kiss and set about coalescing a unit that could be hired quickly, landing a barely concealed Lohengrin test of a garrison contract in the Mainstreet theater. The unit's more than adequate performance there could set them up for a more lucrative contract, despite the risk of a second return to Galatea three-four years later. I see the unit as newly returned to Galatea in 3024, looking for another contract (with a first Lohengrin stamp if the hiring agency is Lyran).
Second Lieutenant Kevin Flinders (S-2, "this pair of Range Finding Binoculars"): Kevin Flinders was a classmate of Steve Winger for all but one year at Aitutaki, the year Steve screened for MechWarrior (and Prefect), and Kevin selected Infantry. Steve's influence got Kevin into SAFE training, where he flourished. Nobody talks about the dark days of the Revolt, or the many compromises made to escape the Free Worlds League in its aftermath, but Kevin is no less marked by it. Since joining the unit, he's been their eyes and ears on Galatea and elsewhere. [SPA: Foot Cavalry]
Second Lieutenant Jack York (S-3, Infantry Platoon Commander): Jack York was Steve's first year roommate at Aitutaki. He selected Infantry early and went on to Anti-'Mech training while Steve was earning his MechWarrior spurs. A good word from Steve got Jack into SAFE training and the two reunited in the Special Forces course. Jack's overwhelming physical presence is tempered by the knowledge it takes MechWarriors to lead successful mercenary units. Plus, Steve's a nice guy, and who else could keep the (very necessary) XO in check? [SPAs: Foot Cavalry, Urban Guerilla]
MechWarrior Alice Jones ("Tiny Dancer", piloting "DANCER"): Alice Jones lives down to her call sign, at a mere 124 cm tall. This being the minimum height for MechWarriors in the Free Worlds League has NOTHING to do with her shoe choice. This, and radio protocol brevity, usually shortens her callsign to just "Tiny". She was one of Steve's underclassmen at Aitutaki, and her fiery spirit swayed him to recommend her for SAFE training. Those who omit the last half of her callsign slight her in no small way, as Alice has a preternatural skill in piloting 'mechs. Her small stature also means DANCER is a perfect fit for her, and the 'mech's Cramped Cockpit does nothing to inhibit her piloting. DANCER is a stock STG-3R with most of the Machine Gun Ammo removed in favor of more armor (another Class A refit). [SPAs: Maneuvering Ace, Natural Grace]
MechWarrior Jane Wells ("Occhi", piloting EAGLE): Jane Wells has been Alice Jones' best friend since they were children. She often stuck up for her shorter friend when they were growing up, and they managed to room together throughout Military School, Aitutaki Academy, and even SAFE training on Steve's recommendation. But it was at Aitutaki where their interests finally began to diverge. While Alice poured what they learned into making 'mechs move better, Jane leaned into making her machine SEE better. Her Italian Grandmother is the source of her callsign. EAGLE is another STG-3R with similar armor modifications to DANCER, but also replaces the Left Arm Machine Gun with a Recon Camera (a Class B refit overall). [SPA: Eagles' Eyes]
MechWarrior Will Jackson ("Pretty Boy", piloting HOT STUFF): Will is another of Steve's underclassmen, and his quiet but intense nature led to Steve's recommendation for SAFE training where Will was a natural for Covert Ops. Alice and Jane still play-fight over his affections just to make him squirm. The XO usually shuts that nonsense down, but not before Will is left blushing. HOT STUFF is a STG-3G with similar armor changes to Steve's STING, but also with the Left Arm Medium Laser replaced by a Flamer. Will does NOT talk about his role in the Revolt, even when pressed. [SPA: Jumping Jack]
Staff Sergeant Sara Genaro ("Top", "Company" First Sergeant): Sara met Lieutenant Winger in Special Operations training, and latched on to him when it all fell apart. She held the troops together during the early heady days of the Revolt, and later, when things were falling apart. Most of them went their own ways once the relative safety of Galatea was reached, but she stuck with Steve and Buck and was delighted to meet Jack York as her new boss pushing boots. [SPAs: Foot Cavalry, Urban Guerilla]
Staff Sergeant Bernard "Buck" Williams (Senior Tech, the GENIUS behind "IZZY", aka "Installed Spare", Heavy Wheeled APC): Buck Williams was a rare trainee in the Special Forces program: a 'Mech Tech. To this day, no one (not even Buck) can say WHY he chose that path. But it resulted in him meeting Sara, and a more than OK boss in Steve Winger. It was his idea to stuff a Stinger engine into a Heavy APC, and that delighted the XO as a way to keep a spare engine on hand. JJ might know more about keeping IZZY running now, but that was HIS idea! And he still knows more about more things than JJ does. IZZY is a Heavy Wheeled APC with a 120 Fusion Engine in place of the 100 ICE it normally carries, plus one less Machine Gun and a proportional amount of ammo to add Paramedic gear and more armor, which also reduced the infantry capacity by a ton).
Sergeant Liza Smithson ("Doc", Senior Medic): Liza Smithson was one of the XO's first hires on Galatea. It was her idea to get Buck to install the Paramedic gear in IZZY, and it worked! It even saved a critical casualty on their last job! Doc doesn't talk about why she gave up on Medical School to become a mercenary, but nobody asks either.
Sergeant Harry James ("Truck", Truck Commander of IZZY): Harry James was another Galatea native that abandoned an apparently lucrative career as a Technician to become a mercenary. He doesn't talk about it (except maybe with JJ), and no one else asks. He gets along fine with Speedy and JJ, despite his quarrelsome back and forth with both of them. [SPA: Cross-Country; only uses it in extremis so he stays behind the crosshairs of IZZY's Machine Gun]
Sergeant Jennifer Jameson ("JJ", Vehicle Technician): JJ argues with Harry all the time about maintenance on IZZY, but he always caves to her superior knowledge. Buck also acknowledges her superior depth of knowledge on the vehicle, but she knows she can't hold a candle to his breadth of experience and doesn't begrudge a single order.
Corporal Carlita Gonzales ("Speedy", Driver of IZZY): Speedy rarely gives up the controls to Truck, but will when the terrain gets rough. Otherwise, she's the fastest thing on four wheels and KNOWS it! [SPA: Speed Demon]
I have names for three more Sergeants (the 'Mech Techs) and a Corporal (the MiniDoc), but not yet for the 5 Sergeant Squad Leaders (all the preceding initial hires on Galatea), 5 Corporal Fire Team Leaders and 18 Troopers (the last 23 being new hires after returning from their garrison contract). If anyone wants the Solaris Skunk/Armor Werks print outs on the Stingers or Izzy, just let me know. :)
