So, I've been playing Battletech since the late '80's. During that time, I had my own merc unit that my brothers, and later friends, and I played. I've played through a lot of scenario packs, a lot of against the Bot, and the unit's fortunes have risen and fallen. The unit has even had more than one name. I thought I'd share the unit and history, and because it's long, I'm going to break it up into several posts. As a side note, I am using Fighting Pirannhas' excellent CAV decals, adopted much later, as possible unit logos (as we could never agree on them in the early days). I had fun writing this up, as the history contains a lot of things that make Battletech go: genealogy, daring plans, and unbelievable good and bad fortune. So, here goes ...
The Falling Angels
The Falling Angels is a heavy/assault BattleMech company currently (3151) under contract to the Lyran Commonwealth. The Angels specialize in combat drops and have a preference for physical combat.
Chapter 1: Humble BeginningsIn the early 31st century, the Maynards of Great Gorge served House Davion as a loyal MechWarrior family. Normally providing service to the Crucis Lancers, the Maynards had grown somewhat dissatisfied with the Davions’ neglect of their periphery border and the constant pirate raids to which they were subjected. After serving in the Fourth Succession War, Brock Maynard returned to Great Gorge, wounded and unable to pilot a ‘mech. Dying slowly of cancer, he passed his
Grasshopper and a sizable fortune to his only child, Desmond Maynard. In his will, Brock revealed that the Maynards were descended from the ancient naval officer, Robert Maynard—famous for slaying the notorious pirate Blackbeard. “Pirate hunting,” Brock wrote to his son, “is in our blood.”
Desmond Maynard, along with his cousin Hera, decided to honor the late Brock's wishes. The cousins contacted friends of their father and old service compatriots to form a mercenary lance. On November 22, 3032, Maynard’s Marshals were born. The Marshals took a garrison contract with the Federated Suns. They repulsed their first pirate raid on Christmas Eve, 3032. Desmond Maynard’s inexperience with negotiations lead to moderate pay terms but little salvage, and despite becoming renowned pirate hunters, the Marshals languished under this contract for some time.
After several more victories, Maynard hired a negotiator from Great Gorge’s mining community. The Marshals were able to leverage better salvage terms. Over the next decade, the Marshals grew to a company as they traveled the periphery border. The Marshals continued to develop a reputation as fearsome pirate hunters. Desmond and Hera had become a potent leadership team; though Desmond commanded, it was Hera’s tempering influence and strategic acumen that complemented Desmond’s charisma and vision. At one point, the Marshals performed a daring rescue of a corporate scion from Tortuga. The Marshals’ success kept them away from the Clan front, but this safety could only last for so long.