This is a unit I have been working on that will be the recipient of most of the Mercs Kickstarter models when I finally get my shipment.
McCulloch Highlanders Regiment
"The Coldstream Guards"
Unit History
The McCulloch Highlanders Regiment is the remnants of part of the 242nd Hussar Regiment of the XLVI Corps of the Nineteenth Army of the SLDF. The third battalion and portions of the first and second battalion survived many pitched battles within the Taurian Concordat during the uprising. In 2766 their Aegis-class heavy cruiser (SLDF Crownwall) and the Tramp-class jumpship (SLDF Tobago) were ambushed in the Luderitz System within the Taurian Concordant by a Pinto-class corvette and a pair of Concordat-class frigates. The Tobago was destroyed in the opening volleys leaving the Crownwall outnumbered three to one. At the end of a long running battle, the three enemy ships were destroyed and the heavy cruiser was left a crippled drifting wreck. This left the survivors stranded and unable to contact other SLDF commands due to the lack of long range communications as the planet lacked an HPG station.
The unit finished up clearing out the last of the Taurian militia on the planet and set about securing the system while they awaited the arrival of a reinforcements or a patrol checking up on them. During this time, they mounted repeated trips to the wreck of the Crownwall to recover whatever might be of use that they could as it drifted in system towards the system's star. Any remaining supplies, spare parts, small arms, useful electronics, and any intact datacores were stripped from the vessel and taken back planetside on Luderitz. They also recovered as many bodies as possible for proper burial as well with ceremonies being held daily for almost a week as they were given due honors.
Weeks began to stretch into months and then into years and even decades as the unit slowly became more and more integrated with the local population which was mainly from Scottish heritage. A large quantity of the equipment was stored away on their dropships to keep them maintained and they began to recruit from the locals to keep the roster full as personnel retire or are discharged for any reason. In order to preserve fuel they were forced to stop posting a dropship at the system's main jump point as the years continued to pass. Regular maintenance programs are instituted to keep all the jumpships ready for use as well as the stored vehicles, battlemechs, and aerospace fighters.
In 2817 the system was visited by a band of pirates. The units that were on current active duty quickly tore the unsuspecting pirates apart in less than an hour, securing the Mule and pair of Leopards that they arrived on. Their Dictator-class and Union CV-class dropships were launched and managed to capture the pirates' Tramp-class Jumpship before it was able to finish recharging to jump back out of the system. Using the information gleaned from the various ship databases as well as interviews with captured personnel, the SLDF unit was astonished and shocked to learn about the Amaris coup, the fight to deal with him, Kerensky's Exodus with almost all of the surviving SLDF units, destruction of the Terran Hegemony, and the current ongoing war between all the other Inner Sphere realms.
As they continued to try to glean more information, they also discovered part of why the was had been no merchant ship traffic to the system. The pirate jumpship's navigation data when compared to their own maps showed that Luderitz System no longer appeared. They also noticed several other systems missing as well. With jumpships now giving them access to other star systems now, the unit knowing it was a former SLDF unit now had some decisions to make. To bring needed income to the system they now called home, the final decision was to form a mercenary unit. The voting for the new unit name leaned heavily into the Scottish origins of the locals who had joined the force over the previous almost fifty years which also played into the current commander of the force, Colonel James McCulloch's heritage. Thus the McCulloch Highland Regiment was born while adopting the nickname of the Coldstream Guard.
Their first contract was a battalion hired by the Taurian Concordat to deal with pirate raids. They downplayed their SLDF origins knowing the history with the Taurians and let them assume that the Highlanders had merely discovered a SLDF cache of equipment rather than come from the survivors of an SLDF unit. They quickly established themselves a tough fast hitting unit that thrived as a rapid response unit against raids or carrying out lightning raids while under contract for the Taurians, the Federated Suns, Outworlds Alliance, and the Canopians. They were able to add an Invader-class dropship early in the Second Succession War which allowed them to deploy the entire unit in one force while leaving the rare Pertagon-class dropship to guard their home base on Luderitz. Four Mule-class and two Triumph-class dropships were added for the movement of dependents, supplies, and other noncombat equipment.
After finishing the First Succession War in Taurian service, they undertook contract with the Federated Suns early in the Second Succession War. While the unit thrived in such a war of raids and counter raids, they also began to worry as their unit strength began to slowly grind lower reaching around 40% of their normal unit strength. As their contract drew to a close with the AFFS, the Highlanders chose not to renew and instead signed on with the Outworlds Alliance. While dealing with pirates in Alliance space, they were able to use information from their old databases to local several SLDF caches that had yet to be rediscovered which allowed them to replace some of their mechs as well as resupply their stockpiles of spare parts and other equipment.
After finishing their Outworlds contract, the Highlanders signed for a stint in the Magistracy of Canopus. Here they were able to use their movements responding to or striking against pirate bands to once more retrieve several SLDF caches and improve their material levels again. They continued to receive replacement troopers from Luderitz which were supplemented by local recruits wherever the Highlanders were deployed. By the time they left Canopian service, the unit was back up to over 80% unit strength, Once more entering AFFS service just as the 4th Succession War was launched by the new Federated Commonwealth, the Highlanders found themselves responsible for a wide swath of Davion Outback territory.
When the Clan Invasion occurred and their origin was disclosed, the Highlanders were stunned and abhorred. They could not believe that the organization that their regimental ancestors had served and that they still mourned could possibly turn into such a horde of monsters. The Clans were anathema to almost everything that the Highlanders believed in and they still struggle to understand what went wrong with the departed SLDF units. The Highlanders' current opinion of the Clans is that they are barely one step above pirates and bandits. This viewpoint continued to grow with every tale of atrocities committed by the clans reachs their ears.
Thus far, the unit has yet to be deployed to face the Clans as their ability to maintain a large portion of the Outback Region allows the Federated Commonwealth to deploy more of their own units to the front lines. Even with this taken into consideration and the desire to remain deployed at least somewhat within access range of Luderitz, many Highlanders with long family service in the unit have been increasingly clamoring for a chance to strike a blow at the Clans for disgracing the memory of the SLDF. With the current truce in place with the Treaty of Tukayyid, the Highlanders are not likely to see combat with the Clans anytime in the foreseeable future.
Unit Tactics, Color Scheme, and Uniform
As the unit started off as the remains of an SLDF Hussar regiment, the unit focuses on medium and heavy weight units with a focus on maneuverability. It contains aerospace and armor units as part of the overall regiment in much the same way that regimental combat teams do though more integrated as a whole. Companies often contain a mix of battlemechs and armored vehicles with aerospace units attached on as needed basis. This gives the unit great flexibility in their ability to respond to various threats. Equipment with SLDF pedigree is their preferred choices for deployment and has been maintained from their original material or from SLDF cache locations in their unit archives.
With their tactics and structure built upon the SLDF manuals and doctrines that they inherited from the original 242nd Hussar Regiment, the Highlanders have invested heavily in their support and logistics capabilities. They are able to hand all their maintenance under normal circumstances as well as movement of their entire organization over two transit trips including dependents. This includes two Mule-class dropships that have been heavily modified for extra berthing of personnel.
The unit colors dark greens and reds with yellow highlights. Dress uniforms for the regiment include kilts in the traditional Coldstream tartan pattern and dark blue wool traditional Tam hats. A drum and bagpipe group is attached to the unit headquarters and has gained a lot of renown for the quality of their musicians. The unit insignia is a circle divided into a blue top half and a green lower half with a red piper in the middle. The entire design is outlined in bright yellow.
Command Structure
CO: Colonel Angus McCulloch
XO: Major Duncan Clairborne
Aerospace Assets: Major Nicholas Fisher
Responsible for combat deployments, off planet transport, and aerospace fighters
700 Effectives
Jumpship and Dropship Crewmen, Pilots, Aerospace Techs
2 Jumpships
12 Dropships
2 Aerospace Fighter Wings
Combat Engineer Section: Captain Duncan Kilrory
Responsible for bridging, clearing, heavy entrenching, and mine sweeping
60 Effectives
8 Heavy Transports
8 Engineering Vehicles
4 Engineering Mechs
Intelligence Section: Major Padraig Hardie
Responsible for ELINT, SIGINT, and HUMINT for the Regiment
40 Effectives
8 Heavy Transport Trucks for Drones
2 Mobile Headquarters
4 Sherpa (Mobile Headquarters)
Logistics Section: Major Andrew Thessen
Responsible for supply requisition, medical, mess, and quartermaster duties
120 Effectives
12 Heavy Transports
12 Sherpa (Mobile Canteen)
12 Sherpa (MASH)
12 Sherpa (Fuel Transport)
Maintenance Section: Major Caitrin MacDougall
Responsible for all maintenance in the regiment
120 Effectives
40 Battlemech Techs, 30 Vehicle Techs, 50 Tech Assistants
12 Mech Transports
12 Coolant Trucks
12 Heavy Transport Trucks
Personnel Section: Major Jane Reid
Responsible for recruitment, training, contract negotiation, and finance
60 Effectives
10 Heavy Transport Trucks
10 Hover Transport Trucks
12 Hovercars
Transportation Section: Major Paul Nairne
Responsible for local unit supply, movement of noncombat units and vehicles
140 Effectives
20 Heavy Transport Trucks
20 Hover Vehicles
20 Ordanance Transport Trucks
12 VTOL Transports
Aerospace Assets
MHRS Balmoral Castle, Invader-class Jumpship
Major Nicholas Fisher
MHRS Fingal's Cave, Tramp-class Jumpship
Captain Conner Harrowhan
MHRS Culloden Moor, Colossus-class Dropship
Captain Bridgette Berenson
MHRS Selkie, Overlord-class Dropship
Captain Eamon O'Shaunessy
MHRS Piper's Lament, Overlord-class Dropship
Captain Jamie Candless
MHRS Banshee's Wail, Dictator-class Dropship
Captain Alistair Hibson
MHRS Thistle's Barb, Dictator-class Dropship
Captain Hannah Suffolk
MHRS Kestrel's Roost, Union CV-class Dropship
Captain Paul Tremaine
MHRS Lost Mariner, Mule-class Dropship
Captain Quentin Henke
MHRS Fields of Heather, Mule-class Dropship
Captain Miranda Fowler
MHRS Ashes of Stirling Bridge, Mule-class Dropship
Captain Ryan Murray
MHRS Broken Hobnail, Mule-class Dropship
Captain Harrison Chandler
MHRS Gaelic Seas, Triumph-class Dropship
Captain Willard Dempsey
MHRS Petrel's Flight, Triumph-class Dropship
Captain Howard Mattingly
Major Characters
Colonel Angus McCulloch
This stern and dour older mechwarrior grew up traveling with the regiment with his mother who finished her career as a battalion commander and his father who was a mech technician, When he was old enough he began spending time with his father and learning basic mech repairs and inspections. His first real lesson in the harsh realities of warfare was while the Highlanders were on contract with the Outworlds Alliance. The Highlanders went after a pirate base along the Kurita/OA border which turned into a near disaster. Part of the unit stumbled onto an unidentified minefield leading to the death of his older brother Jacen McCulloch who was a lance commander. The lower leg of his Griffin was blown off by one mine, his mech fell forward to land with the cockpit directly on another mine killing him right out.
Angus dealt with his loss and pain by pushing it deep within himself as this was just the beginning of his deep hatred of pirates. In addition to learning all he can about piloting a mech, he also began to devote as much time as he could in studying tactics and military history. This lead to his learning chess which he grew to love greatly. When he was old enough, he joined the regiment and was assigned to an available Wolverine which he named Jacen's Rook in remembrance to his brother while still giving a nod to his love of chess.
His leadership style lends itself to careful planning that allows for sudden bursts of adaptation much like his style of playing chess. While he normally follows all the expectations of basic mercenary engagements, the only difference is when the Highlanders are engaging pirates who he will not give quarter or mercy. While his stance on piracy is seen as a bit extreme, one cannot fault the results as merely their deployment to a world has caused pirate bands in the area to seek other targets.
Major Duncan Clairborne
Major Clairborne is the current commander of Titannia Battalion. He fancies himself a food snob in the realm of Scottish cuisine. He also has a devious sense of humor as shown by the name of his battlemech, "Haggis' Revenge". His tactical accumen is as devious as his humor and many see him being promoted to regimental command when Colonel McCulloch retires. If this happens, he will be just the fifth time that a McCulloch hasn't been in command of the regiment.
Major Caitrin MacDougall
Major MacDougall seems to be the living embodiment of someone who can keep a battlemech combat ready with just some duct tape, spray sealant, and some scavenged wiring. Caitrin runs her techs and mechanics on a strict leash when they are working and never promises deadlines she and her people cannot meet. Away from work she is known to have a light hearted sense of humor and an almost obscene amount of luck when at the poker table.
Captain Fiona McCulloch
Angus' oldest daughter, Fiona is currently the commander of Coll Company of Oberon Battalion and is being prepped for higher command. She has a fiery temper which tends to reflect her tactical choices. While starting out following planned out tactics, she has a tendency to get caught up in the fight leading to more direct assaults and liberal use of heavy firepower. She is continuing to work on her temper in order to be able to promote upward in the Highlanders.
Captain Heather Ridgeway
Captain Ridgeway in addition to leading Titania Battalion's Beith Company is the lead piper of the Highlander's Pipe and Drum Corps. She is descendant of a long line of pipers and is keen on continuing the traditions of the Highland music. When the regiment finds itself on a world with a population of Scottish or Irish decent, Fiona can be found in various pubs or cultural centers looking for local musicians in an attempt to add new songs to her repertoire as well as testing her skills against other musicians.
Captain Dr. Nessa Glendower
Dr Glendower attended the University of Luxen in the Magistracy of Canopus achieving top honors in her studies there. She is currently the ranking medical officer with the Highlanders and works closely with her section leader, Major Andrew Thessen, to insure that the best possible medical care is available wherever the Highlanders deploy. The Highlanders invest a good percentage of their income towards maintaining a high level of care for their people.
Lt. Charles McKendrick
Lt. McKendrick is in 3rd Lance, Beith Company of Oberon Battalion. As a quiet unassuming gentleman in appearance, very few suspect the mischief and deviousness of his character. Charles has been doing some deep research into the local terrain of their present deployment to improve his odds of holding onto the cup for an unprecedented third time. He is the current holder of the Wild Hunt Cup and has held that title for two Hunts currently.
Warrant Officer Dane Whitman
Warrant Officer Whitman is part of the Highlanders' Intelligence Section where he is one of their experts in data interpretation. He is also the team captain of the unit's football team, the Coldstream Lancers. As a center attacking midfielder, Whitman sets the tempo of the teams attacks and excells at creating plays for his side. When playing friendly matches against local teams in their deployment zone, Whitman allows himself three deftly concealed fouls that go uncalled before he starts to call his own fouls.
Master Sergeant Tomas Locke
Tomas Locke is what would commonly be referred to as a character. He was volunteered to join the Highlanders when they were deployed to the Beaumont System in the FedSuns Outback region for raiding into Draconis Combine space. Tomas was a teenager trying to steel parts from the regiment's repair area when he was apprehended. He was given the choice of signing on or being turned over to the local authorities. Seeing a way off this planet he signed on the dotted line. Tomas quickly became one of their most devious scroungers and conmen serving in the logistics part of the regiment, able to find just about anything for the right price while tracking down what the regiment officially needs.
Culloch Highlanders Military Awards and Honors
1. Coldstream Medal of Honor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who exhibits extreme courage while displaying the virtues of the SLDF and the McCulloch Highlanders. It is the regiment's highest honor and is often awarded posthumously. This award is a silver medallion with the mark of the SLDF with crossed claymores.
2. Coldstream Medal of Valor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who displays extreme courage under combat situations. This award is a green ribbon with a blue stripe
3. McCulloch Highlander Expert Marksman Medal
This award is crossed laser rifles in front of a silhouette of a Phoenix Hawk battlemech. Only the top 5% in marksman ship are entitled to wear this award. The top 1% of marksman may add a SLDF green circle around the outside of the medal.
4. Gaellic Wound Stripe
Any member of the regiment who is wounded in combat is allowed to wear a blood red sash when in dress uniform and paint a dark red stripe down the left leg, side, or wing of their mech, vehicle, or aerospace fighter.
5. McCulloch Highlanders Service Medal
This silver medallion embossed with the silhouette of a piper on a tartan patterned ribbon is given to a dependent of the regiment or any other civilian who performs an act that shows profound service to the regiment.
McCulloch Highlanders Lore and Relics
1. The Phantom Piper
Several times when a member of the Highlanders is cut off alone and facing death or defeat when the long wailing tones of a ghostly sounding bagpipe seem to hang in the air as a weathered Thunderbolt clad in faded tartan motifs comes crashing through the fight to chase off the enemy, leaving the mechwarrior counting his blessing and trying to figure out just how they survived.
2. Remembrance Day and True Remembrance Day
Similarly to the Eridani Light Horse, the McCulloch Highlanders have two days where they lower the colors of the SLDF and their former regimental colors. Remberance Day is the anniversary of when they learned about Kerensky's Exodus with most of the SLDF and then True Remembrance Day is the anniversary of the day that they actually left. A pint of beer is left on the bar top in every mess on both days.
3. The McCulloch Highlanders Coldstream Drum and Pipe Band
This military band is lead by Captain Heather Ridgeway of the Titania Battalion's Beith Company. The band is made up of 14 bagpipers, 5 tenor drummers, and a bass drummer. These members are from every part of the regiment and their dependents with membership being based solely on music ability.
4. The McCulloch Highlander Regimental Battle Flag
The regimental battle flag is a Scottish saltire flag with a piper flanked by lions rampant in the center of the flag. To either side of this are the list of campaigns and major battles that the regiment has participated in such as their anti-piracy campaign under Taurian hire and the raids into Capellan space along the periphery under Davion hire. When a flag is filled with a full thirty battle honors, the flag is retired to the regimental museum and a new flag is started. Including the original SLDF regimental flags of the 242nd Hussar Regiment, the unit is on their 14th Battle Flag.
5. The Wild Hunt
Every three years each company in the regiment puts forward their best scout to compete in a tracking competition. The previous winner is given a 24 hour headstart before all of that year's hunters set off to track them down. The first to corner the "Fox" is declared the winner and will be the next years Fox. If the Fox can go 96 hours without being cornered, they remain the champion for the next three years.
6. SLDF Cornwall's name plate
The Highlanders managed to recover the name plate from the wreckage of the SLDF Crownwall, the Aegis-class heavy cruiser that was transporting the 24nd Hussar Regiment. This is kept in the small regimental museum on Luderritz.
7. Claymore of Clan McCulloch
This greatsword was brought with the members of Clan McCulloch that left Earth in the 22nd Century. After several stops to settle on various worlds, they eventually ended up on Luderitz. The clan suffered grievous casualties during the Reunification War but managed to rebuild itself over the many years.
8. Saint Andrews Medals
The members of the Highlanders almost all can be found wearing these small silver medals to the patron saint of ancient Scotland. These are believed to carry good luck and protection for the wearer.
