1st Kearny Highlanders

1st Kearny Highlanders
First Kearny Highlanders
Formed 2362
Disbanded c. 3137[1]
Affiliation Republic of the Sphere;
Mercenary (formerly)
Parent Command Northwind Highlanders


History[edit]

Early History[edit]

The First Kearny Highlanders were the oldest and longest lived of the Northwind Highlanders formations. The regiment was originally formed by volunteers from the mining settlement of Kearny on Northwind. The unit fought early battles for various Great Houses, including the Capellan Confederation. Its career in these early times was checkered with victories and defeats.

The unit's first notable conflict was during the First Andurien War, where the unit fought for the Confederation. The unit was nearly routed on Lopez by elements of House Marik's Oriente Hussars. This route nearly cost the unit its career.

  • 2761 - First Kearny redeem themselves by successful occupation of the Davion world of Demeter with odds against them.

Succession Wars[edit]

  • 2801 - The unit is deployed to Lincoln to successfully defend the world from elements of House Kurita's Dieron Regulars attempt raid the world.
  • 2802 - The unit fought and lost to elements of the DCMS on Lincoln, losing their command battle standard. The standard was presented back to the Highlanders as a gift of goodwill by Omi Kurita in 3058.[2]
  • 2865 - First Kearny returned to Northwind to defend the world from House Marik regulars and their mercenary support units. The First Kearny was able to drive off the invaders. They inflicted heavy damage on the fleeing units, including the mercenary force known as the Jal's Jaegers but lost half of its men and equipment in the effort. The unit resolved to rebuild itself with heavier equipment, so it restricted itself to raiding until it fully rebuilt.
  • 2866 to 2880 - First Kearny conducts a number of raids on Free Worlds League holdings for 'Mechs and supplies. Recovering large quantity of medium BattleMechs to allow the regiment to fully recover.
  • 2943 - The Second Company of the Second Battalion, under the command of Captain Erika Laurel leader her company held the defense of Hsien against Marik troops until the Warrior House Ijori regiment arrived.
  • 3028 - Stationed on Highspire the First Kearny departed, after news reached them of the negotiation between the clan elders and the Federated Suns, to their new home on Northwind.

War of 3039[edit]

During the War of 3039 the First Kearny Highlanders remained stationed on Northwind throughout the conflict.[4]

Clan Invasion[edit]


Jihad[edit]


Dark Age Era[edit]

The First Kearny was the sole Highlanders regiment to remain in service after the founding of the Republic of the Sphere.[5]

Early Republic Era[edit]

At the Jihad ended, the First Kearny Highlanders were stationed on Northwind in Prefecture III of The Republic of the Sphere.[6] The Northwind Highlanders leadership negotiated with Republic government, where they would broker a deal to join the Republic Armed Forces while preserving the Highlanders legacy. In the end the First Kearny was elected to remain intact, while rest of the regiment would eventually be absorbed into the RAF losing their identities as Highlanders. While rebuilding from Operation SCOUR in 3078, the First Kearny would end up detaching a battalion of its forces to help rebuild the Third Republic Auxiliaries after the fighting during Operation: Golden Dawn.[7]

After the initial conflicts Republic had during the 3090s, the First Kearny would remain on Northwind as a garrison for the Northwind Military Academy. After years assigned to this duty, the regiment would be reinvented and tasked themselves as a troubleshooting force. As independent unit, the Highlanders would end up not being utilized during the Capellan Crusades of 3112–3113.[8][9]

The First Kearny Highlanders made a combat drop against Black Dragon pirates, when Colonel Emil Wallace suffered a BattleMech malfunction, and it was Tara Campbell (daughter of a former Highlander Commanding Officer) who step up into command of the operation with a masterful strategy that saved his life, threw the pirates off Sadalbari and crushed an entire company of the pirates, even capturing one of their DropShips.[10][11]

The Blackout and after[edit]

In August 3132 the HPG network largely went offline or was attacked during the event later dubbed "Gray Monday".[12] True to their mission, the First Kearny were deployed across Prefecture III aiding in putting down uprisings and newly arisen splinter groups trying to gain power for themselves. Under the direction of Prefecture III's Prefect Tara Campbell, the First Kearny served as a roving troubleshooting force across her and neighboring Prefectures during the early years of the Blackout. The First Kearny along with two newly created sister regiments (the Northwind Fusiliers and shortly after the Republic Guards) would end being spread thin across the Rimward and Spinward portions of the Republic.

Elements of the First Kearny would end up engaged in fighting an invasion of Northwind itself, by Steel Wolves, a Clan-oriented splinter group, twice. Over the course of nine months (first in June 3133 and in February 3134) with minimum resources, Campbell and the elements of the regiment would end up fighting off two takeover attempts by the Steel Wolves and its uncanny leader, Galaxy Commander Anastasia Kerensky. Despite betrayal of Paladin Ezekiel Crow, the Highlanders succeeded, mounted what amounts to a counterattack to stop Steel Wolves from its next destination, which would soon be found out as Terra. The First Kearny with the rest of the available Northwind Highlanders Tara Campbell could muster, end up fighting off Steel Wolves with the Tenth Principes Guards on the fields of former nation of Russia in April.

The regiment would continue to be stretched for a few more months until they would be requested to muster on Skye, where they would face threat of invasion by Clan Jade Falcon. They would need to dig in and help build clever strategies as they faced elements of multiple Galaxies of troops after the Clan had captured a number of Prefecture VIII and IX worlds. The regiment, along with other coalition forces (including Steel Wolves) would manage to repulse the Falcons' first invasion in August 3134, however they would be forced to withdraw from Skye failing to fight off the second attack.[13][14]

DCMS forces took Scheat in June 3135 after engaging and routing elements of the Third Battalion, First Kearny Regiment from Republic Armed Forces.[15]

Absorption into the RAF and legacy[edit]

By 3137 the First Kearny had been absorbed into the RAF. While considered a military necessity the move was met with disquiet by Northwind's inhabitants. To placate them the RAF High Command included a high percentage of Northwind-descended soldiers in the newly raised Twelfth Hastati Sentinels, and the unit itself also fostered a close relationship with the Northwind Military Academy.[1]

IlClan Era and Rebirth[edit]

After the Battle of Terra, the surviving Highlanders returned to Northwind, now an independent world. They dissolved the Twelfth Hastati, to recreate the First Kearny into a full regiment. mercenaries once more, they hired on with the Duke of Tybalt Loren Hansen ‎, the recently titled commander of Hansen's Roughriders whom also survived Terra. One of the first assignments was to probe border world defenses, obsetensibly for an upcoming offensive. At least a company of Highlanders fought the Third Star League's Clan Jade Falcon units on Caph as a result of these reconnaissance-in-force missions.[16][17]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First Kearny Highlanders
Colonel Timm McDougal 2841[18]
Colonel Timothy Senn 3025[19]
Colonel Sandra McPierce 3029[20]
Colonel Edward Senn 30503067[19]
Colonel Marshall MacLeod 3085[21]
Colonel Emil Wallace 31243127[10][11]
Colonel Caden Senn 3132[22]
Colonel Robert Ballantrae 3134[5]
Colonel Cadha Jaffray 3151-present[23]

Other officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

The First Kearny were known to be the most conservative unit of the Highlanders, refusing to give any ground no matter the cost.[25]

Support[edit]

The naval fleet of the First Kearny contains following JumpShips:

Monolith-class = Spirit of Edinburgh
Star Lord-class = Queen Anne and Queen Mary
Invader-class = King's Own, Jacoby and Monymusk
Scout-class = Argyll and Princess Louise

Motto[edit]

The First Kearny's motto, as of 3132, was "Our Legacy Is Our Sword."[26]

Composition History[edit]

2786–2821[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Elite/Questionable)[27]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Halloran V. In 2821 the command was reduced to 42 percent of its strength and was deployed on Halloran V.[27]

2830[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Elite/Questionable)[28]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Ilmachna with an operational readiness of 101 percent.[28]

2864[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[28]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Kyrkbacken with an operational readiness of 78 percent.[28]

3025[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (2 Battalions/Veteran/Reliable)[29]

  • CO:
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Highspire.[29]

3040[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[31]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Northwind.[31]
Contract: AFFC[31]

3050[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[32]

  • CO: Colonel Edward Senn[32]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Errai.[32]

3054[edit]

First Kearney Highlanders (/Veteran/Reliable)[33]

  • CO: Colonel James D. Cochraine[33]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Mogyorod.[33]

3059[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[34]

  • CO: Colonel Edward Senn[34]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Northwind.[34]

3067[edit]

Regimental Command Company (Company/Elite/Fanatical)

The company fields 12 Clan BattleMechs.
The First Kearny Air Wing contains 6 elite fighters.

First Kearny Highlanders (Reinforced Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)

Queen's Own Battalion: Major David Lee Senn
78th Highland Battalion: Major Til Honey
Gordon Battalion: Major Evelyn Marks
The regiment contains a vehicle company.

The unit contains 85% upgrades.

First Gurkhas (Battalion/Elite/Reliable)

Sixth Company
Seventh Company
Tenth Company

The unit is elite special forces. The unit now contains full complement of battle armor.

3085[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Two Battalions/Veteran/Questionable)[21]

  • CO: Colonel Marshall MacLeod

3132[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (Reinforced Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[5]

  • CO: Colonel Robert Ballantrae \ XO: Lt. Colonel Carole McMasters.

Note: The Regiment's Equipment Rating is listed as having access to "B" level tech/equipment.

3151[edit]

First Kearny Highlanders (1 reinforced Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[35]

  • CO: Colonel Radha Jaffray \ XO: Lt. Colonel Luis McNamara.
1 reinforced Heavy 'Mech regiment, 1 battle armor battalion, 1 medium aerospace fighter wing.

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 140: "Twelfth Hastati Sentinels"
  2. Impetus of War, p. 35
  3. Wolf's Dragoons, pp. 11–12
  4. Historical: War of 3039, p. 143: "Deployment Table"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 15: "First Kearny Highlanders"
  6. Field Manual: 3085, p. 186
  7. Field Manual: 3145, p. 183: Independent Units - First Kearny survival and some details of First Kearny's actions during the early days it serving the Republic of the Sphere
  8. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, pp. 86–87: Capellan Crusades Deployment Tables - "Northwind Highlanders are not listed as being deployed as part of the conflict
  9. Era Digest: Dark Age, pp. 15–16: First Kearny Highlanders - "Brief profile gives a basic early history of the First Kearny as garrison unit for the academy and later as troubleshooting unit its later years
  10. 10.0 10.1 Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere, p. 36: "Tara Campbell"
  11. 11.0 11.1 A Silence in the Heavens, p. ??[citation needed]
  12. Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 10: Dark Age Timeline - Gray Monday / HPG Crash listed
  13. Era Digest: Dark Age, pp. 8–10, 15–16: Brief highlights of the combat for Northwind, Terra, and Skye noted
  14. Field Manual: 3145, pp. 14–15: Descend - Campbell and Highlanders effort noted and more details of the Battle for Skye
  15. 15.0 15.1 Dark Age: 3135 PDA Journals, p. 201: "30 June 3135"
  16. Unit Digest: First Kearny Highlanders in Shrapnel#11, p. 78-79
  17. Chaos Theory
  18. Northwind Highlanders, p. 20
  19. 19.0 19.1 Northwind Highlanders, p. 47
  20. Northwind Highlanders, p. 24
  21. 21.0 21.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 186: "RAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  22. MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards, p. 10: "Caden Senn profile"
  23. Unit Digest: First Kearny Highlanders in Shrapnel#11, p. 78
  24. Unit Digest: First Kearny Highlanders in Shrapnel#11 p. 77
  25. Era Report: 3062, p. 143: "First Kearny Highlanders"
  26. Highlanders Faction Dossier
  27. 27.0 27.1 First Succession War, p. 136
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Second Succession War, p. 96
  29. 29.0 29.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 105
  30. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 81: "First Kearny Highlanders Unit Profile"
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 Historical: War of 3039, p. 141
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 20 Year Update, p. 19
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 Objective Raids, p. 22
  34. 34.0 34.1 34.2 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 114
  35. Unit Digest: First Kearny Highlanders in Shrapnel#11, p. 77

Bibliography[edit]