Regiments - Skye Rangers

Command/Support Units

Command

Mobile Field
Base

Dropship
Reserves

Line Regiments

3rd Skye Rangers

4th Skye Rangers

10th Skye Rangers

17th Skye Rangers

22nd Skye Rangers

Skye Province Militia

Attached Mercenary Units

Grey Death Legion

Kell Hounds

Snord's Irregulars

(Please click on desired unit patch above for more information)

"Originally the army of the Federation of Skye, the Rangers have earned a reputation for effectiveness and resolve in the face of adversity. The Rangers' ties to the Federation worlds have remained strong, the units exploiting the immense resources of Skye and supported by over 700 years of history. Drawing most of their personnel from the Sanglamore academy and training cadres on Skye, the Rangers' links to the people are unparalleled, these ties frequently bring the units into conflict with the LAAF (Lyran Alliance Armed Forces).

Building ties with the local population is encouraged by the LAAF, but the Rangers take this to extremes. Though officially subservient to the Archon, the Rangers are more loyal to the Duke of Porrima - currently Robert Kelswa-Steiner - and through him, to the Free Skye movement. Several Rangers regiments have "lost" equipment that is later used in the Free Skye and, though unproven, members of the Rangers have allegedly trained Skye rebels and participated in covert operations. Indeed, on several occasions the Rangers have openly sided with the rebels, most recently in 3057 when the Tenth Rangers and several ancillary units went over to the Free Skye cause and attacked Glengarry.

The rulers of Skye and the commanders of the Rangers brigade have so far avoided indictment for their actions, but that has not prevented the LIC (Lyran Intelligence Corps) from giving the entire Rangers a Questionable rating. In an attempt to weaken their position, Archon Katherine's reforms designated the Tenth and Twenty-Second Rangers as "sink" units, repositories for the incompetent and disloyal as well as other problem cases, concentrating them in one place and thereby strengthening the Archon's hold on the remaining units. This move has angered the Rangers, and even the restoration of Skye's original boundaries has done little to ease the tensions.

Colors and Insignia

The color scheme used on Rangers vehicles for parades is principally dark red, with arms (or turrets/rudders) painted black. Furthermore, each uses highlight colors appropriate to the regiment. The Skye Rangers infantry dress uniform deviates from that used by most LAAF units, using dark green rather than Steiner blue. The Ranger's insignia takes the form of a disc upon which is a yellow sun in a blue sky, partly obscured by wisps of white cloud."

"The heavy 'Mech regiments of the Skye Rangers have often played a major role in House Steiner's offensive campaigns. The 4th Regiment was a key participant in the Commonwealth's successful assault on the planet Carse in 3023... Steiner created the 22nd Regiment from warrior families on Skye, Dallen, and Chaffee, and outfitted them with spanking new 'Mech from the Hesperus production plant."

Unit Insignia

"Wearing regimental and battalion patches is considered optional in the LCAF. Though all units have at least a regimental patch, only those with some sort of history wear regimental patches on their uniforms at all times. All patches follow a basic shape, but the symbols often distort the shape.

The regimental patches of 'Mech units of the Lyran Guards are basically shield-shaped. Regimental patches for the Lyran Regulars are diamond-shaped. the Arcturan Guards have large oval patches. Patches for the Donegal Guards are rectangular. The Skye Rangers have circular patches. Infantry units have square patches. Armored units have a triangular patch.

The number of the regiment is sometimes incorporated into the patch's design. The regimental nickname is generally also incorporated into the design."

Skye Front Brigade Command: "Crimson Plague"

The 'Crimson Plague' 'Mech company won unprecedented fame in 3028 for rescuing former Archon Melissa Steiner from House Kurita Intel agents mere hours before her wedding to Hanse Davion. This wedding united Steiner and Davion into the new Federated Commonwealth but also sparked the bloody Fourth Succession War (c. 3028 - 3030). General Arturus Steiner, Margrave of the Skye Front, renamed the Skye Front Brigade command company after this infamous unit, led by his father and Rhio Carver in 3028.

- Experience Level: Elite

- Home Planet/Base: Skye

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

Skye Front Command Company (12 'Mechs)

Mobile Field Bases (MFBs)

The support units of the Skye Rangers. Wherever 'Mechs of Skye fight to keep the Federation free and peaceful, the MFB units are not far away.

- Experience Level: Green - Elite

- Home Planet/Base: Varies

(NOTE: Reserved for fiction, webpage, graphic and other support functions)

DropShip Reserves

After many years of faithful service, Mechwarriors of the Skye Rangers are "retired" to various comfortable worlds within the Skye Federation. Often, retiring Mechwarriors are given land, holdings and noble titles. Some have even been known to rejoin active duty, no longer desiring a quiet peaceful existence on some backwater pleasure-world.

- Experience Level: Green - Elite

- Home Planet/Base: Skye

(NOTE: Reserved for inactive MechWarriors)

3rd Skye Rangers: "Freedom's Star"

The 3rd Skye Rangers were lost c. 2894 - 2895 on the snowy slopes of Freedom during a massive House Kurita assault. General Arturus Steiner, Margrave of the Skye Theater, 'resurrected' the unit in 3063 in response to the growing threats to Skye from both Kurita and the new Archon, Katrina (Katherine) Steiner.

The 3rd has been outfitted with the latest 'Mechs from Hesperus II and is stationed there as a static garrison until its ranks can be filled with fully trained Mechwarriors. It is expected that the 3rd will concentrate on unit tactics and piloting some of the cutting edge 'Mech designs Hesperus is known to produce.

- Experience Level: Green

- Home Planet/Base: Hesperus II

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets: 3rd Skye Rangers (120 newly produced 'Mechs from Defiance Industries)

4th Skye Rangers: "Albion"

An ancient and poetical name for Great Britain, Albion was also the name of the first freighter JumpShip owned by Ian McQuiston, the founder of the Federation of Skye.

Due its closer adoption of House Davion/Federated Suns combat strategies, the 4th Skye Rangers is actually structured as a fully functional "Regimental Combat Team" (RCT) with supporting aerospace, armor and infantry units.

"The pinnacle of the Skye Rangers, the Fourth has been spared the ravages of Archon Katherine's reforms thanks to the deployment of the ARDC (Arc Royal Defense Cordon). They have absorbed supplies and equipment from Grand Duke Kell's autonomous district, but have thus far avoided committing themselves wholeheartedly to either his cause or to that of Prince Victor. Instead, they maintain a position of neutrality, preferring to keep a close eye on the Jade Falcons who have twice invaded Morges in recent years.

The first battle saw the elite Fourth working alongside the Arcturan Guard and Wolf's Dragoons against the invaders. The mercenary troops helped contain the Falcons, but expelling them fell to the Federated Commonwealth force, headed by the Rangers. The fighting was bloody, costing almost a battalion of troops but giving the Rangers valuable experience against the Clans.

In the years since, the Fourth has suggested a series of strikes against the weakened Falcons. However, Grand Duke Kell has refused the request, stating that such a mission would seriously compromise the border defenses...

As with all Skye Rangers, red and black dominate the color scheme used by the Fourth, with green highlights serving as their signature.

Tactics

...the Fourth Skye Rangers are adept in a wide range of combat tactics, exploiting the broad range of skills and equipment within the RCT. Unlike most Lyran units, they do not favor stand up fights but instead prefer to lure an enemy into overextending themselves, attacking them when they are at their weakest.

...The Fourth Skye's deployment in the ARDC has deprived it of access to many of the new Alliance designs, but its equipment remains in excellent condition."

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Elite

- Home Planet/Base: Ryde

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

4th Skye Rangers (120 'Mechs)

4th Skye Aerospace Brigade (91st and 113th Skye Air Wings)

4th Skye Armored Brigade (19th Skye AR, 44th Skye LA and 22nd Eaton AC armor regiments)

4th Skye Infantry Brigade (191st Skye LI, 21st Summer HI, 11th Skye MR, 19th Alphecca MTR and 3rd Skye CMR)

10th Skye Rangers: "Black Watch"

This name originated with six companies of Scottish clansmen loyal to the English King in 1725. The name carried over into the Commonwealth because of the major influx of Scots people into the Federation of Skye. The upper arms of 'Mechs in this unit are painted in the dark tartan colors of the original Black Watch.

Following the Coventry Campaign, the 10th Skye Rangers were decimated by the invading Clan Jade Falcon forces in 3058. Initially, the LAAF forced the merger of the 10th Skye Rangers with the 22nd Skye Rangers due to alleged "logistical issues".

"...The Coventry Campaign left the LAAF (Lyran Alliance Armed Forces) with two ruined Skye Ranger units, the Twenty-Second and the Tenth. Rather than rebuilding both, it was decided to merge the remnants as the Twenty-Second. Officially this was because the Tenth, though more prestigious, lacked command integrity, with many of the surviving troops having left to join the AFFC Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth) or the SDLF (Star League Defense Forces) while the Twenty-Second already had the infrastructure required to rebuild. The Free Skye movement believes the decision was made because the Tenth was more prestigious, and it was elements of the Tenth that ended the Coventry Campaign.

This rumor has not helped Archon Katherine's image within the unit, which was never good. However, Prince Victor's effective decapitation of the Tenth ensured he gained little from Katherine's mistake. Instead the Rangers have withdrawn into themselves and are concentrating on rebuilding, staging numerous integration exercises among their disparate elements and new recruits sent to the unit."

Following heavy lobbying of the Archon by the nobility of the Federation of Skye, Archon Katherine agreed to reactivation of the unit. Through various noble and political connections, the new Skye Rangers Brigade Commander (GN Arturus Steiner) has seen to it that the 10th Skye Rangers are being brought back to full fighting strength. In fact, he has ordered the recruitment and training of hundreds of new mechwarriors, aerospace pilots, armor crews, infantry and maintenance personnel to round out the new Regimental Combat Team (RCT). The unit has also been transferred to Skye to undergo final refit and training.

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Veteran

- Home Planet/Base: Skye

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

10th Skye Rangers (120 'Mechs)

10th Skye Aerospace Brigade (2 Air Wings in training)

10th Skye Armored Brigade (4 armor regiments in training)

10th Skye Infantry Brigade (4 infantry regiments in training)

17th Skye Rangers: "Boys of Summer"

This nickname came from the fact that at least half of all MechWarriors in the unit must be from the planet Summer, per the Household Troop Agreement of 2883.

"Once counted among the elite of the LAAF (Lyran Alliance Armed Forces), the Seventeenth Skye Rangers faced Clan Jade Falcon twice during the invasion: first on Barcelona (subsequently regained by the Federated Commonwealth) and then on Black Earth. Both times the unit acquitted itself well but at considerable cost. Abandoned by the AFFC (Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth) on Barcelona, only the actions of an insubordinate JumpShip commander allowed elements of the unit to escape. However, the effort cost the Seventeenth almost all of its supporting forces. This wasteful loss of their RCT (Regimental Combat Team) fanned the separatist sentiment within the survivors, with the unit's pro-Skye sentiments cited as a reason for the AFFC's neglect.

Despite this and a subsequent ejection from Black Earth, the Seventeenth maintained its combat effectiveness, eventually returning to garrison Barcelona after the war. In the end, however, the unit's greatest enemy was not the Clans but the Lyran military. Seen as a hotbed of dissent, order AO-5730023 led to their relocation to Lost on the Periphery fringe and the re-assignment of key officers and troops to other units. Despite vehement protests - this action violated the Household Troop Agreement of 2883 that guaranteed at least half the mechwarriors in the Seventeenth would be natives of Summer - the LAAF turned the regiment into a "sink" unit. Problem cases from across the LAAF were consigned to the Seventeenth, from petty criminals and those incapable of operating within military discipline to those professing loyalty to Archon-Prince Victor.

The result was a steady erosion of of the unit's effectiveness, but the new "recruits" - combined with a dislike of the new Archon - placed the Rangers in an unusual position: favoring Prince Victor. With war brewing, the Seventeenth has finally thrown in its lot with Prince Victor Steiner-Davion, hoping to barter its support in exchange for improved conditions and postings in the aftermath. However, there are still plenty of hard-line pro-Skye elements in the unit that will likely make trouble if the Seventeenth finds itself in actual combat against Lyran units.

The regimental patch is a gold disc forming a stylized sun. Gold is used for highlights on the regiment's BattleMechs and aerospace fighters.

Tactics

The loss of their aerospace force on Black Earth has forced the Seventeenth to rely on the two lances that remain of its Lightning Company for reconnaissance information. Effectively blind, the regiment is ill suited to offensive operations. However, this has not prevented the force drilling in a wide range of offensive tactics.

...The Seventeenth is well down the LAAF's supply chain. The regiment doesn't have enough spare parts to keep all it 'Mechs in working order, let alone fully arm those it can deploy. Several pirate raids against Lost have demonstrated the unit's vulnerability, but the LAAF has shown now signs of changing its stance."

The lost RCT units of the 17th Skye Rangers are being brought back to full fighting strength. The new Skye Front Brigade Commander (GN Arturus Steiner) is now concentrating his attention on regaining the integrity and lost pride of the Seventeenth as it regroups on Summer.

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Regular

- Home Planet/Base: Summer

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

17th Skye Rangers (120 'Mechs)

Lightning Company (2 remaining aerospace recon lances of 4 fighters/each)

22nd Skye Rangers: "Second Chance"

NOTE: Reserved for new Cadets and green MechWarriors

"Never a strong unit, the decision to use the Twenty-Second Rangers as a dumping ground for malcontents meant that when Engadine was targeted by Clan Jade Falcon in 3058, the unit's chances of survival were slim. Nonetheless, the unit fought valiantly, holding out against the grossly superior opposition for six days before being trapped at Manistique Lake. The survivors were taken as bondsmen by the Falcons but subsequently released after Hegira from Coventry.

The Coventry Campaign left the LAAF (Lyran Alliance Armed Forces) with two ruined Skye Ranger units, the Twenty-Second and the Tenth. Rather than rebuilding both, it was decided to merge the remnants as the Twenty-Second. Officially this was because the Tenth, though more prestigious, lacked command integrity, with many of the surviving troops having left to join the AFFC (Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth) or the SDLF (Star League Defense Forces) while the Twenty-Second already had the infrastructure required to rebuild. The Free Skye movement believes the decision was made because the Tenth was more prestigious, and it was elements of the Tenth that ended the Coventry Campaign.

Tactics

Unlike most Lyran units, which are dominated by heavy and assault class 'Mechs, the Twenty-Second has had a surfeit of light designs, leading to a reliance on mobile warfare and hit-and-run tactics. Since being reformed, the unit's 'backbone' has been stiffened by the arrival of five lances of heavy 'Mechs, prompting an evolution in the regiment's tactics.

...Most of the equipment used by the Twenty-Second is old but serviceable, though the last few years have seen a number of new designs creep into the unit."

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Green - Regular

- Home Planet/Base: Skye

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

22nd Skye Rangers (120 'Mechs)

22nd Skye Air Wing (2 squadrons)

Skye Province Militia

"...Each regional militia unit takes the form of a miniature RCT (Regimental Combat Team). Most are built around a 'Mech regiment with five supporting infantry regiments and two armor regiments. Additionally, since the formation of the Lyran Alliance, supporting aerospace fighters have been attached to the core 'Mech regiment, unlike the AFFC militias of their origins, which still keep their fighters as a separate command. The militias draw their equipment from the Rep-Dep Corps but are considered low priority and thus rarely have supply stockpiles or advanced technology. Most militias have integral DropShip assets but few have their own JumpShips..."

"When originally organized in 3043, the elements of the former Nekkar Skye March Militia were drawn from throughout the Lyran, and even the Federated Suns, State Commands in an effort to place a loyal unit in the heart of the traditionally secessionist Skye Federation. Unfortunately, Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion and her husband sorely misjudged the extent of the influence Duke Ryan Steiner and Free Skye held within the Lyran military machine. By the end of the decade, Skye loyalists held most of the command positions within the unit, with Skye Federation natives rapidly filling up the lower ranks as well.

Today, the LAAF is keeping a close eye on the unit and especially on its officers. Though it was not implicated in the most recent rebellion attempt, the entire Militia RCT did enter a state of high alert as the first stage of the rebellion began, declaring martial law in the few regions where protests against secession would likely occur. Likewise, LIC investigations indicate that several of the unit's senior officers are loyal to Duke Steiner-Kelswa."

Tactics

"With one of the lowest training budgets in the LAAF, the Militia is struggling to maintain even the most basic of combat proficiencies."

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Green - Regular

- Home Planet/Base: Skye

- LIC Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

Skye Province Militia (120 'Mechs)

Skye Province Militia Armored Brigade (2 armor regiments)

Skye Province Militia Infantry Brigade (4 infantry regiments in training)

Grey Death Legion

Best known for their recovery of a Star League-era data core on the Free Worlds League world of Helm, the Gray Death Legion has a long history with the Lyran state. They formed in 3024 on Trell I and played a major role in both the Fourth Succession War and the Clan Invasion. They were also instrumental in crushing Brandal Gareth's revolt in the Alliance's early days. Colonel Kalmar-Carlyle's husband, Grayson Carlyle is Baron von Glengarry and acknowledged as one of the foremost military minds of the current era.

As Copied/Quoted From: PC Games, Planets and People of Mercs - Part 1. 1 (10.02.02)

"In 3021, a Lyran Commonwealth unit known as Carlyle's Commandos was sent to garrison Trell 1, a backwater world near the coreworld edge of Lyran space. In the winter of 3024, a politically ambitious Kurita noble, Duke Hassid Ricol, attacked the world in an attempt to torpedo an agreement between the Commonwealth and a Periphery bandit king -- and to win control of the tactically useful planet for his own ends. The attack destroyed the Commandos, killing unit commander Durant Carlyle and sending his son, Grayson Death Carlyle, into hiding. Determined to avenge his father's death, Grayson received his chance when fate put him in the middle of a firefight between Trell infantry forces and the 'Mechs belonging to Duke Ricol. By seizing command of a failing infantry, Grayson managed to take down a Wasp and capture a Locust intact. This was the birth of the Gray Death Legion -- one functioning 'Mech and a handful of motorized infantry.

Today the Legion possesses an above-average amount of Clan and advanced Inner Sphere technology. Despite two encounters with the Clans that yielded impressive amounts of salvage, the unit retained only three special-use Clan OmniMechs that they considered too valuable to trade off to the Federated Commonwealth. The Legion willingly uses Clan weapons and other materials as long as the Clan versions can be easily replaced with Inner Sphere equipment if damaged.

The Gray Death Legion is one the strongest mercenary commands in the Inner Sphere. As tightly knit as the Northwind Highlanders and capable of showing the same steely toughness as the Kell Hounds or Wolf's Dragoons, the Legion has fought and won campaigns that would have destroyed lesser commands. The Legion works hard at staying on the cutting edge of battlefield tactics and strategy.

Originator: Colonel Grayson Death Carlyle

Inception: 3024

Banner: The unit banner is a black-outlined gray skull against a scarlet background. It is generally displayed on the left leg of the units' 'Mechs and as a unit badge worn on the uniforms of troops and ground support personnel.

"Strength through Unity"

The Founder:

Grayson Death Carlyle is tall, slightly built, and wiry, with blonde hair and pale gray eyes. Much of his early life was spent in training for the day when his father would retire and the son would take his place as commander of Carlyle's Commandos, a company-strength Lyran Commonwealth regular unit on independent detached duty.

After his father's death, at the hands of Kurita's Red Duke, Grayson went into hiding only to emerge stronger and more confident than before with his own mercenary combat unit. Carlyle is acknowledged by friends and foes alike as a brilliant tactician and superb organizer.

Carlyle's organizational genius is evidenced by the quality of the mercenary unit that he has built from scratch and raised to a crack professional team. His tactical ability is confirmed by his record, which is rapidly becoming the stuff of legend throughout the Successor States.

How it applies:

A regiment of great renown, the Gray Death Legion is undergoing substantial rebuilding following its recent decimation on Hesperus II. Alexander Carlyle, heir to the legion's founder, has authorized Daniel Brewster to head the rebuilding. Commanders sponsored by the Gray Death Legion can expect more than average starting money and early access to powerful "Lostech" weapons.

-- Ivan Sulic"

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Veteran

- Home Planet/Base: Unknown

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Loyal

- Military Assets:

Unknown

Kell Hounds

After Wolf's Dragoons, the Kell Hounds are perhaps the best known mercenary unit in the Inner Sphere. Owned by Grand Duke Morgan Kell, the Hounds form the cornerstone of the Arc Royal Defense Cordon (ARDC) military, working in close cooperation with the exiled Wolf Clan forces.

As Copied/Quoted From: Patrick's Battletech Archive

Origins: 3010-3016

In 3010, Morgan and Patrick Kell, aged 24 and 22, decided to form the Kell Hounds. Arthur Luvon, the late husband of then Archon Katrina Steiner, had been the Kell's cousin. Upon his death from cancer in August of 3010, the Kells inherited a great deal of money, which they used to form the Kell Hounds.

When the brothers arrived on Galatea in early October, they passed the word that they were recruiting for a new mercenary unit, but they did not hire any MechWarriors for a while. Instead, the Kells concentrated on hiring the best Techs and astechs they could find. Beside the promise of higher pay, they enticed Techs by pointing out that their family owned the Eire BattleMech Company on Arc-Royal, would provide easy access to parts to fix 'Mechs.

The Kells soon had enough techs to service a regiment, and by November of 3010, they had the troops as well. Their first contract was with the Lyran Commonwealth. In 3011, working with Snord's Irregulars, they demolished the Thirteenth Marik Militia, found a cache of Nuclear Weapons the commander of the Thirteenth was going to try to use against them, and helped the Irregulars capture nine Faberge Eggs.

Their next contract was with House Davion, defending against a Kurita raid. The Ninth Sun Zhang academy dropped onto the planet Mara, where the Kell Hounds were stationed, testing the Davions against a future invasion. After tricking the Kuritans, and capturing their JumpShip, the Kell Hounds destroyed the Combine forces that had landed. The survivors made it to their dropship, and then tried to destroy the stolen JumpShip. That attempt almost stranded the Kuritans in the system permanently.

In 3016, the Kell Hounds fought the first battle of Mallory's World, in which Prince Ian Davion of the Federated Suns, died. They Kell Hounds arrived just after the Prince died, and managed to hold off the Regiments of Kuritans long enough that the other Davion troops were able recover the Prince's body.

After this battle, Yorinaga Kurita, who had commanded the Kurita Regiments that had dropped onto Mallory's World and had for slaying Ian Davion in single combat, was promoted to command of the Second Sword of Light, the Coordinator's own regiment.

A few months after the first battle of Mallory's World, the Combine was so angered by the successes of the Kell Hounds, they decided completely obliterate the unit, no matter what the cost. After weeks of heavy battle, the Second Sword of Light Regiment had cornered the 2nd Battalion of the Kell Hounds. The Kell Hounds were completely outnumbered, and could do nothing to escape the death that was coming for them. Just as Yorinaga Kurita moved his forces in for the final attack, Morgan Kell marched his Archer out into the front lines, and slowly recounted his lineage in Japanese. He was challenging anyone in the Second Sword of Light to single combat, but everyone knew that only one man would answer. Yorinaga Kuirta walked his Warhammer out into the field, recounted his lineage, and the battle was joined. And as the battle begun, none of Yorinaga's weapons could hit Morgan! He missed again and again, unable to even touch Morgan's Archer. After a fierce battle, Morgan made his Archer bow to the Warhammer, and Yorinaga knew he was bested.

After this battle Morgan striped the Regiment down to one battalion and left the Kell Hounds for a monastery. Thus began the Defection...

Defection: 3016-3027

There was a time, from 3016 to 3027, during which no Kell Hound, past or present, would speak of the unit's collapse. Ex-Kell Hounds brushed off inquiries with the brusque mannerisms of a politician not wanting to be reminded of campaign promises. New members of the Kell Hounds knew nothing of the breakup, which had reduced the regiment to a weak battalion. Older Kell Hounds, the ones left behind when the unit atrophied, never spoke about details, but they had an expression for that time. No matter how cordial my relations with an individual, the words always came out with disgust on the mercenary's face and venom in his voice. The Defection, they called it, as if that explained everything.

-From Mercenaries: The New Breed, by Jay Mitchell, New Avalon Military Institute Press, 3028

The Defection ended when Patrick Kell was slain by Yorinaga Kuirta as he fought to buy time for Melissa Steiner to escape a Kuritan trap. When informed of his brother's sacrifice, Morgan returned to lead the unit.

Rebirth: 3028-3040

During the 4th Succession War, the Kell Hounds fought another major battle against Yorinaga Kurita and his new Genyosha regiment. In a virtual replay of the battle that had been fought on Mallory's World 13 years earlier, Morgan Kell defeated Yorinaga Kurita a second time. Yorinaga performed seppuku. His son, Akira Brahe, then resigned from the Genyosha and joined the Kell Hounds with a portion of the Genyosha.

3030 to 3032 were blessed years for the Kell Hounds as well. In 3030, Morgan Kell and Salome were married, and in two years, the couple had had two children, Phelan Patrick Kell and Caitlin Ward Kell.

In 3038, the Kell Hounds made a contract with the Free Worlds League, and were stationed near the Capellan border. Because Daniel Allard was the brother of Justin Allard, the man who had married her sister Candance and humiliated the Confederation during the 4th Succession War, Daniel Allard became a target of Romano's rage. Romano sent an assassin to wipe out Allard, but the assassin attacked Morgan Kell's house by mistake and was killed by Phelan Kell's dog, Old Keller.

When Katrina Steiner died in 3040, Morgan Kell received a substantial legacy from his royal cousin. He used the money to expand the Kell Hounds to two full regiments, promoting Daniel Allard and Scott Bradley to the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel and giving them regimental commands. Akira Brahe was then promoted to the rank of Major, receiving command of the First Regiment's First BattleMech Battalion.

New Generation: 3041-3048

The Steiner legacy and the expansion seemed to guarantee a bright future for the Kell Hounds. Both Phelan and Caitlin had entered prestigious military academies that would equip them to provide future leadership for the Hounds. Allard and Bradley proved to be able commanders more than capable of working on their own, which freed Morgan to develop educational and other facilities for the Hounds' dependents. Fulfilling a long-held dream, the unit formed a permanent base on the Commonwealth world of Arc-Royal, within the city of Old Connaught. Throughout the 3040s, Morgan worked to make it a suitable place for families to remain when the Regiments were stationed elsewhere.

In 3042, a 16-year-old youth calling himself Christian Kell appeared on the world Arboris, and presented himself to Morgan Kell as the son of the late Patrick and his mistress Takara. Morgan took him to Outreach to be trained by Wolf's Dragoons, which led to another promotion for Dan Allard. When Morgan left the unit for Outreach, he commanded the entire unit. Akira Brahe then took over as commander of 1st Regiment.

In a battle in the St. Ives Compact, Christian Kell and the remains of his unit received the St. Ives Order of Heroism from the planet Ambergrist. He then was promoted to command of the 1st Battalion in the 1st Regiment. In contrast to Christian Kell's exceptional performance in 3048, Phelan Kell was expelled from the Nagelring Academy. The Honor Board at Nagelring dismissed him for stealing a 'Mech, noting that the theft capped a year of increasingly serious problems following the death of his friend D.J. Conner in action on the Marik border. Phelan joined up with the Kell Hounds and went to fight bandits in the Periphery. Neither Phelan Kell nor anyone else in the Inner Sphere suspected that an apparent increase in bandit raids signaled the opening offensive in a intergalactic war.

Clan Onslaught: 3049-3059

In August of 3049, Phelan Kell was captured by Clan Wolf while hunting bandits in the Periphery. Most people had believed him dead, but when he fought as a Star Commander in Clan Wolf's 13th Wolf Guards, the truth became apparent.

There are three major actions the Kell Hounds fought in during the Clan War. At Twycross, Luthien, and Arc-Royal, the Kell Hounds defeated the Clan juggernaut. The battle at Twycross involved the Tenth Lyran Guards, the Ninth Federated Commonwealth RCT, and the Kell Hounds. Losses were high, but a year-long break in the war allowed the Kell Hounds to rebuild to their pre-war strength, and gave them time to analyze Clan tactics.

At Luthien, the Kell Hounds fought along side the Wolf's Dragoons and more than a dozen elite Combine units. Forces from Clan Smoke Jaguar, and Clan Nova Cat attempted to seize the planet, but thanks to the Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons, they were unsuccessful. War Lord Theodore Kurita allowed the two mercenaries the first pick of salvage from the battle, so the units could rebuild.

In one of the saddest events in Kell Hound history, on June 19, 3055, Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion, and Salome Ward died at the hands of an assassin's bomb that Katherine Steiner, Melissa's daughter, had helped orchestrate.

The last major battle that the Kell Hounds have a part in so far in the Clan War, was at the Kell Hounds' homeworld of Arc-Royal. A renegade Clan bandit force was lured to Arc-Royal by Clan Wolf in Exile forces, and the Kell Hounds, and was destroyed. This proved to the citizens of Arc-Royal that if Phelan ever left Clan Wolf, he would have a place in the leadership of the Kell Hounds.

In late 3059, Morgan Kell created the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon (ARDC). Encompassing 17 worlds on the border with Clan Jade Falcon, Colonel Kell has made sure that even if he does not enter combat again, he will have a hand in Inner Sphere politics.

Standing Their Ground: 3059-Present

During Operation Bulldog, both the First and Second Kell Hound Regiments assisted SLDF troops with the liberation of Combine worlds from Clan Smoke Jaguar. While not playing a front-line role, the Kell Hounds served as a valuable guard against any Jaguar counter-attacks that might have come. Operation Bulldog finished it's operations in late 3060. In light of recent events, the Kell Hounds have begun to prepare for the future. With Katherine Steiner's take over of the Federated Commonwealth, and with Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon prepared to advance, the Kell Hounds must be vigilant. But with Khan Phelan Ward, Precentor Martial Victor Davion, and Coordinator Theodore Kurita behind them, the future does once again look bright for the Kell Hounds.

Regimental Statistics

- Experience Level: Veteran

- Home Planet/Base: Arc-Royal

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Questionable

- Military Assets:

2 Regiments (240+ Mechs)

Other assets unknown

Snord's Irregulars

Like Wolf's Dragoons, Snord's Irregulars originated with the Clans but separated themselves from the Wolf reconnaissance force early in their mission. Unlike the Dragoons, the Irregulars have largely abandoned Clan ways and become acculturated to the Inner Sphere. Indeed, the unit has gained a reputation for eccentricity and obsession that is matched only by their combat skills and luck.

As Copied/Quoted From: Patrick's Battletech Archive.

Inception

Khan Kerlin Ward of Clan Wolf knew that the Clans would one day move to fulfill what the Crusaders felt was their destiny, to invade the Inner Sphere and re-establish the Star League. Khan Ward felt that the timing was not right, and that the mission of the Crusading Clans was not proper.

When the Great Debate came to a head within the Grand Council of the Clans, Khan Ward offered a compromise. He proposed that five regiments of warriors be sent into the Inner Sphere to gather intelligence and to test the mettle of its forces. Equipped with retro-fitted technology and posing as mercenaries, they would be able to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the Inner Sphere governments. For Khan Ward, it was a gamble, designed to buy the Inner Sphere time. For the Inner Sphere, it was the birth of a legend, the coming of Wolf's Dragoons.

For the most part, the Dragoons were freebirth warriors, considered inferior by the Clans to the genetically born truebirths. Clan Wolf had a large number of freebirth warriors, more than enough to form the five regiments of Wolf's Dragoons. It was a good way to discard troublemakers and those freebirths who would not conform to the rigid dictates of Clan society.

One of these was Cranston, a warrior who took the surname of Snord as part of his cover for the mission. A strong freebirth warrior of exceptional fighting ability, Cranston clearly was uncomfortable within Clan society. Born the only child of a Merchant Caste family, he worked hard to earn a position in the Warrior Caste's lower levels. He was vastly skilled in combat, yet he often balked at Clan rules and traditions.

Snord was fascinated with the Star League, and his constant study of the government, military, and artifacts from that ear bothered many of his fellow warriors. To the relief of many, Cranston was given orders to accompany Jaime and Joshua Wolf on their mission. Jaime Wolf both admired and disliked the misfit. He felt that the warrior had great prowess in combat, but was sure that Cranston's non-conforming attitude was destined to cause trouble.

Striking a last blow for eccentricity, Cranston insisted that his young daughter Rhonda be attached to the mission. Such father/child relationships among the Warrior Caste were rare, and many considered these relationships to be abominations. However, despite her father's unorthodox approach to training and warfare, Rhonda grew up to be a skilled MechWarrior in her own right.

After considerable deliberation, Jaime met with Cranston and devised a plan to make use of his unique talents and abilities. While Wolf's Dragoons would begin their Inner Sphere service with House Davion, Cranston and a smaller team would approach House Steiner and gain service there, forming their own mercenary unit. This unit would be composed mostly of Inner Sphere natives, and would act as additional eyes and ears for the Dragoons. In particular, they were to search for buried treasure. The Star League Defense Forces had left behind hundreds of hidden military bases. The Exodus fleet had maintained records of where many complexes and caches were hidden, but many other records had been lost during the more violent years of the Clans' formation. Most of these bases, known and unknown, had been discovered by the warring houses, but the Wolf brothers were sure that others still existed undiscovered.

After Wolf's Dragoons appeared in the Inner Sphere on 11 April 3005, Cranston Snord was with them, commanding a battalion of BattleMechs in the Epsilon Regiment. Following Colonel Wolf's orders, Cranston devised an excuse for Wolf to dismiss him from the Dragoons. In Jaime Wolf's own words, "I'm giving you enough rope to hang yourself, so do it right."

An opportunity presented itself in the raid on Halloran in early 3006. Cranston Snord ordered his battalion to attack a Liao outpost for the sole purpose of recovering a rare meerschaum pipe collection. His action infuriated the other warriors of the Dragoons, and provided sufficient grounds for his ouster.

Jaime Wolf publicly berated the MechWarrior and angrily discharged him from the Dragoons. With one strike, Cranston had proven himself a skilled warrior, given birth to tales of his eccentricity, and added to the reputation of Wolf's Dragoons as an elite mercenary unit. Adopting the guise of a fanatical collector, Snord began the meandering journey that would lead to a bar on Crossing and the legendary poker game of 3007, where he won his first independent unit.

This time, Cranston continued to pursue the mission Colonel Wolf had given him. His year's research indicated that several undiscovered Star League caches were located near the Lyran Commonwealth/Free Worlds League border. His transfer of the Irregulars to this border gave him ready access to the scouting and research information he was likely to need.

Over the years, Cranston Snord's Irregulars continued actions against the Free Worlds League, earning the hatred of that state, and finding their share of rare antiques and Star League era BattleMechs, which they cached under their museum on Clinton. Weathering a Free Worlds League raid which destroyed their museum and captured their treasures.

The Next Generation

In seeming contrast to his youthful energy, Cranston Snord suffered a severe heart attack in the spring of 3034. Later that same year, Jake Walmar, still suffering from wounds he received during the Fourth Succession War, retired from active duty to become librarian of the Irregulars' museum on Clinton. Winston Nearon also stepped down from the ranks, devoting much of his time to helping Cranston recover and to refinishing and repairing his vast collection of weaponry. The heart attack forced Snord to use a cane. His days in the cockpit of a BattleMech were slipping away. Several other original Irregulars, including Clame McDonald and John Malvinson, mustered out the following year. They were replaced by MechWarriors Rhonda recruited through her contacts in the LCAF. In keeping with the tradition her father established, Rhonda enlisted only the boldest and most interesting warriors for the ranks of the Irregulars.

Clan Invasion

Within two weeks of the Clans' first verified contact with the Inner Sphere, Jaime Wolf met with Cranston and Rhonda to discuss whether the Dragoons and the Irregulars would help protect the Inner Sphere or fulfill their mission. He personally conveyed to them the recall order issued by the Grand Council of the Clans. Both Cranston and Rhonda refused to acknowledge the order, claiming more loyalty to the Inner Sphere than to their heritage in the Clan. The location of lost Star League facilities and other information Snord had uncovered in the past 40 years was communicated across Wolfnet, and many of the old bunkers and complexes were refitted and revitalized by Dragoon operatives for use in the upcoming war.

As the weeks passed, it became painfully clear that the Clans would continue their push deep into the Federated Commonwealth, Rasalhague, and the Draconis Combine, riding a wave of death and destruction. As the Jade Falcons pressed forward into the Commonwealth, the front line approached the Dark Nebula.

A Star League naval base had for centuries been rumored to be hidden in the Dark nebula. Cranston and Jake Walmar had found several references to such a base, but had never uncovered coordinates for the rumored facility. As Cranston continued to study the maps, he realized that if the facility existed, it would offer an excellent base for a counterattack against the flank of the Clans' offensive. Cranston and Jake traveled to the libraries on Derf and Wotan, known for their archives of Star League atlases and star charts. Although they did not locate the coordinates for the base, they did learn that the SLDF had set up a special astronomical survey station on the northern continent of the planet Apollo. After gaining the information they needed on Apollo, the Irregulars set off to find Camelot Command in the Dark Nebula.

Camelot Command

As Rhonda leaned over the reconnaissance tech's shoulder, the Harrier arrived in a small system. A red dwarf star eerily shrouded in a haze of flowing stellar dust, provided dim light. The tech located a small, rotating planetoid with only a scant atmosphere clinging to its surface. Magnifying a visual scan, Rhonda saw it was black and pitted with the scars of time. Stark white lines of concrete etched its surface. Aged turrets poked up from the surface. On its eastern horizon she saw a massive port, large enough to dry-dock one of the Clan's old Black Lion class battleships. As the Harrier approached, she recognized a 100-meter-long Cameron Star painted on the concrete equator.

As the Jade Falcon forces approached, following them from Apollo, Rhonda prepared her defenses, whittling down the Clan forces until Star Colonel Damon, bloody and beaten, conceded victory to the Irregulars and turned over the remaining Jade Falcon warriors and equipment, declared as isorla for the battle.

Current Status

Following the truce of Tukayyid, Colonel Rhonda Snord requested permission from the Federated Commonwealth on several occasions to launch raids into the Clan Jade Falcon occupation zone, but the Commonwealth has so far refused. Instead, the Federated Commonwealth asked the Irregulars to split their forces, leaving half on Camelot and stationing one battalion on Edasich to defend that world's fusion reactor manufacturing facility. Semi-retired Cranston Snord also led a lance of Irregulars back to Clinton, the unit's former base. Rhonda Snord finds the unit's current status as garrison forces frustrating, but has so far managed to wait patiently for a more exciting assignment.

Camelot Command remains a fortified Inner Sphere outpost in the middle of Clan territory, much like Wolcott in the Clan Smoke Jaguar occupation zone. Though its small size limits anti-Clan activity staged from it to minor raiding, the station resupplies countless guerrilla activities in the Jade Falcon occupation zone. Recent, widespread rumors claim that Snord's Irregulars are attempting to recruit warriors among Clan solahma refugees and elements of the Bandit Caste. Colonel Snord denies the rumors but admits to making contacts in the Clan occupation zone on worlds controlled by both Clans Jade Falcon and Steel Viper. Wolfnet believes that this contact amounts to simple intelligence gathering for another raid Colonel Snord intends to propose.

The current political tensions threatening Federated Commonwealth unity propose to sorely test the Irregular's strong, long-established ties to the Lyran Commonwealth. Though both Snords feel fiercely loyal to their long-time employers, Snord's Irregulars possess a keen understanding of the Clan threat, matched only by Wolf's Dragoons. Having renounced their Clan ties, they may decide that their ultimate duty to protect the entire Inner Sphere from that threat outweighs any debt they owe to any given political faction.

3058 Update

Not much has changed for the Irregulars. With the Refusal War having sapped the strength of Clan Jade Falcon, that Clan's concerns are in rebuilding, not pursuing what it considers to be a band of pirates. Once that Clan has recovered, however, Rhonda Snord's Irregulars is bound to be at the top of Clan Jade Falcon and Marthe Pryde's hit list.

In the meantime, Rhonda Snord will be training her unit and continuing to make contacts in the Clan occupation zone on worlds controlled by both Clans Jade Falcon and Steel Viper. The Irregulars are eager to gain a chance to finally strike back at Clan Jade Falcon and commence raids on their possessions in the Inner Sphere. Again, we believe that this contact amounts to simple intelligence gathering for another raid Rhonda Snord intends to propose to her employer. With the current weakened state of the Jade Falcons, Snord is more likelier than ever to strike at the Clan.

Clan Snord/Rhonda Snord's Irregulars Force Listing

Reorganized after the Jade Falcon raid on Camelot Command in 3051, Snord's Irregulars currently maintain a rotating troop assignment. In order to more easily integrate her Jade Falcon bondsmen, Rhonda Snord changed her unit's structure from Inner Sphere companies to Clan Clusters and Trinaries. The First Cluster and Binary Bravo of the Second Cluster, roughly equivalent to a battalion and a company, are stationed on Camelot Command in the Dark Nebula. The remaining three Trinaries of the Second Cluster, comprising the original three companies of Irregulars and their support platoons commanded by Colonel Rhonda Snord, protect Federated Commonwealth assets on Edasich. Rhonda rotates her forces to coincide with the irregularly scheduled Federated Commonwealth supply runs into the Dark Nebula, making it impossible for the Clans to discover what forces defend Camelot at any given time.

Clan Snord/Rhonda Snord's Irregulars

1st Striker Cluster (The Emerald Irregulars)

Command Star (5 BattleMechs)

Trinary Alpha
     Sweep Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Strike Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Attack Star (5 BattleMechs)
Trinary Bravo
     Attack Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Breaker Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Anchor Star (5 BattleMechs)
Binary Alpha
     Shield Star (5 Elemental Points)
     Sky Star (5 Fighters)

2nd Striker Cluster (Shorty's Scavengers)

Command Star (5 BattleMechs)
Binary Alpha
     Fire Support Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Streak Star (5 BattleMechs)
Binary Bravo
     Ranger Star (5 BattleMechs)
     Stealth Star (5 BattleMechs)
Trinary Alpha
     Crusher Supernova (5 BattleMechs, 5 Elemental Points)
     Ground Assault Star (2 BattleMechs, 3 Infantry Points)
     Barrage Star (5 BattleMechs)

Regimental Statistics Summary

- Experience Level: Questionable

- Home Planet/Base: Camelot Command in the Dark Nebula

- LIF Loyalty Rating: Loyal

- Military Assets:

2 Battalions/Clusters (72 Mechs)

Sky Star (5 Aerospace Fighters)

Shield Star (10 Elementals)

- Naval Assets:

2 Union Class DropShips: Scavenger I and II

1 Overlord Class DropShip: Graceland

5 Clan Broadsword Class DropShips (Captured): Emerald Warrior, Hound Dog, Iron Honor, Snord's Anvil, Dispatcher