I actually didn't even realize this part of the forum existed until like... today. So I apologize for originally posting this in the wrong area. Just gonna snip it, and add it here. I try to make units sound plausible, so I'd appreciate any feedback.
Homebrew regiment is named: The 1st Orel Shock Regiment
Formerly known as: The Avenging Talons (Mercenary Unit), The 2nd Andurien Guard (Former Allegiance, Third Succession War)
Formed from the assets of several noble families formerly loyal to House Marik during the Third Succession War, compromising multiple garrisons and smaller units. They would stage and be apart an uprising with the support of the Capellan Confederation during the early portion of the 3rd Succession War, during the 29th Century. After the offensive was halted and crushed by the FWLM, the remnants of the force would take flight with their remaining assets, leaving behind much of their resources and fortunes. Most would perish in this undertaking, though the 2 Battalions that remained would become Mercenaries known as The Avenging Talons, with the idea they would once again return to their homeland and swoop into its defense. Their first contracts would see them as a near permanent fixture fighting for House Liao, during the 30th century, almost at one point, seemingly becoming a House Unit even. They predominantly recruited from Mechwarriors who were former Leaguers as a rule, and would never take a contract from their former masters.
Principally, the unit would be under the rule of the remnants of the minor houses who left with it, but the most notable family to stay at the head of the unit would be House Akimov, largely regarded for their viciousness and vindictiveness more than anything. Their status among their Capellan overseers was even brought into question at times, given their attitude if any dispute would appear during a contract, though the Capellans often thought the Talons were more bark, than bite, when it came to their business arrangements. The Talons would shrink, and grow in size depending on the year and what harrowing encounters they would face, either in setback or defeat. Though they would become a recognized Regiment in size after several prominent salvage operations. In the year 3005, Colonel Valentin Akimov would become the next commander of the Regiment after his father Mikhail was killed in battle against the Federated Suns in a failed attempt relieve the Planet of Kittery.
Valentin himself, had a far less impressed view of their Capellan masters, noting that their own ambitions had largely been ignored. Offensives against FWL space often saw them put on the sidelines, or given no credence to rule over their former properties even upon brief successes. They had become little more than thugs for money, and he had a far more romantic view of where his family, and the other nobles, came from. This lead to the final fallout with the Capellan Confederation on February 5th of 3010, after the Capellans attempted to employ them on what Valentin deemed a suicide mission. He broke the contract after acquiring consent from others in the unit, before turning on their Capellan handlers and 2 friendly units, before taking flight.
Freelance work would be far more difficult especially to be maintaining a unit of its size. It would shrink from a regiment, to almost 2 Battalions as it found itself pressed hard to replace losses and maintain its budget. A faithful event in 3014, which saw fighting emerge in a civil war between House Marik. Realizing this was an opportunity, Akimov, knowing the background of much of the unit, consulted them on their options for involvement, if for no other reason than to negotiate a return to their home, in one form or another, in exchange for ancestral lands and properties which once belonged to them.
It was more than ironic that Valentin thought it best to approach the old regime of the FWL, realizing that they were likely more desperate at the time than the usurpers. It was shocking to even find their reaching out to representatives wasn't immediately rebuffed. They opted to offer to take on the most dangerous opportunities in the conflict, in exchange for mech-care, access to markets, and for the opportunity to be reinstated. They would not receive all that they wanted, outside of House Akimov itself, which would be granted their ancestral estates and lands on several Andurian worlds, in exchange for a pledge of loyalty to the state. There was discord within the unit, and a full company of battlemechs would decline to stay, leaving the unit further short-handed.
They would participate in the Civil War, and their reputation for violence and a lack of concern regarding civilian casualties was cemented during this struggle. The most noteworthy event, being an engagement with the vaunted Wolf's Dragoons, which the Talons would come out on the other side of, arguably as the winners, though it was considered a strategic defeat later on in the campaign for various reasons. This would be where Valentin would salvage his prize mech however, the MAD-4A, which he would spend a small fortune modifying as his coffers swelled once more, becoming his primary mech.
After the conflict, no longer deemed as Mercenaries, they were re-designated to a new name, especially as their original name was considered separatist in origin. It was chosen by the Akimovs to simply be the 1st Orel Regiment. They would serve out the remainder of the 3rd Succession War in this station, posted in the East of the FWL for the most part. The Akimovs, restored to their prior position as a minor noble house, would often use their unit as a political tool as much as one could, attempting to skew resources and results in ways that most favoured them, and their allies.
Ironically, separatists by origin, their reintegration to the League saw them become heavily disenfranchised with any notion of the same ideal, placing them in contrast with many of their neighbors inside the Duchy. The most infamous activities of the rebranded Orel Regiment would take place as a result.
During the 4th succession war, the Orel Regiment saw no action, as it was not apart of Operation Dagger. It was to be deployed to close to the northern border with the former space of Liao, however, this didn't take place, as FWLM involvement was brief and uncommitted.
During 3030 however, the Andurien Succession too place. An illegal act, especially from their posted position. Immediately the unit found itself isolated in a sea of danger in its position. On its primary posted world (yet to be decided) it found itself requiring to fight local garrisons, with no popular support among any of the people. A veteran of many wars, aging, angry, and tired, Valentin Akimov would order the units under his command, primarily the Orel Regiment, but also loyalists from other units stationed there, to give no quarter and to operate in all combat zones as if there were no civilian population, believing them to be just as responsible for the leadership's actions. What emerged was a 2 year campaign across 2 worlds within the Duchy, striking, raiding, and fighting Defender units. Destruction lay in the wake of the unit, before they were relieved in 3034. The Unit was renamed once more, though only with a title to their previous name.
The 1st Orel Shock Regiment, denoting the tactics they seemed to employ during battle. Though elements of the FWLM themselves were upset with them, despite their actions to survive against the separatists, noting that Akimov and his unit, inhabited by several of his relatives as well, had destroyed a significant portion of two worlds, and had damaged industries, as well as committed acts of terror. They would return to action in the war by 3035, after being refitted, and participate in several major offensives throughout the campaign, killing their countrymen with little compassion.
Valentin would be killed in 3039, by the 5th Defenders of Andurien. A Hunchback's AC20 would penetrate the cockpit of his heavily modified MAD-4A, killing him. The unit itself would see an outsider given command of the Unit, one Colonel Roman Kovac, though this would only last for a year and a half before Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Akimov would be promoted to Colonel and would be given control of the unit, exerting political and financial ties to do so. The unit itself, would be led by an Akimov, until the end of the League as a unified state.
