Barrett's Fusiliers

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Insignia of Barrett's Fusiliers
Barrett's Fusiliers
Formed 2995
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent


History[edit]

Formation[edit]

Barrett's Fusiliers were formed in 2995 by Alonzo Barrett. Alonzo was a consummate historian and a former member of the 3rd Royal Guards in service to House Steiner; Alonzo resigned from the Royal Guards specifically to form a new unit. Alonzo had traced his lineage back to a musketeer in service with The King's Musketeers, a unit within the French Royal Guard on ancient Terra; as a result, when he formed the Fusiliers around a core consisting of a company of BattleMechs and an aerospace fighter squadron, he equipped each of his troops with a dress uniform consisting of musketeer's uniform, complete with épée. This imagery formed the basis of the Fusiliers' insignia, which depicts a musketeer with drawn épée.[1]

The Fusiliers benefited from a number of uneventful missions, and by the time the Fusiliers captured an Overlord-class DropShip from the 18th Dieron Regulars during the defense of Sevren the Fusiliers had grown to a battalion in size, complete with full aerospace support.[1]

As of ca. 3025 the Veteran-rated unit was garrisoning Skandia while the world was still held by House Steiner, and it was mentioned the Fusiliers hoped to settle a score with the Black Widow Company (working for the Draconis Combine at the time).[2] Skandia apparently fell to the Draconis Combine in the same year.[3]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Fusiliers fought on the Lyran Commonwealth front of the Fourth Succession War as a part of Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG; the fighting on Sabik cost the Fusiliers half their strength at the hands of Kingston Caballeros, but the Fusiliers would return to the fray after a six month period of rest and refitting, joining the battle on La Blon and helping to destroy the 4th Proserpina Hussars. After the Fourth Succession War the Fusiliers negotiated a new contract, this time entering the service of the Free Worlds League.[1]

Operation Guerrero[edit]

The Fusiliers would remain in service to the League for more than thirty years, with Alonzo Barrett's son Raul taking command of the Fusiliers when Alonzo died in 3035. Although the relationship between the League and the Fusiliers had begun to wane by the time Thomas Marik launched Operation Guerrero, the Fusiliers still took part in the operation. The Fusiliers would fight on Shuen Wan before receiving orders to support the Capellan Confederation forces also engaged in Guerrero and were well treated by the Capellans, in part due to the professionalism the Fusiliers displayed when Raul Barrett died[1] and his son Nikita assumed command of the Fusiliers, proving himself in combat on Old Kentucky when Barrett's Fusiliers easily took the world.[4][5]

Pre-Jihad Era[edit]

Following Operation Guerrero House Liao made an effort to hire the Fusiliers, but the LCCC caught wind of the negotiations and responded by making the Fusiliers a very generous offer that Nikita couldn't refuse. As a result, the Fusiliers would remain in service to the Free Worlds League until at least 3067.[1] A part of the offer made by the LCCC saw the Fusiliers gain access to a quantity of League-manufactured battle armor.[6]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Barrett's Fusiliers
Alonzo Barrett 2995 - 3035[1]
Raul Barrett 3035 - 3057[1]
Colonel Nikita Barrett 3057 - at least 3067[1]

Tactics[edit]

By 3067 the Fusiliers were fighting as a combined arms formation, combining cavalry tactics with anti-'Mech infantry, guided munitions, precision bombing and artillery strikes to carry the day.[7]

Support[edit]

As of 3067 each MechWarrior in the Fusiliers was trained to repair his or her BattleMech, and the Fusiliers enjoyed full technical support, with the MechWarriors working alongside the various techs and astechs. The Fusiliers owned two of the rare Fortress-class DropShips as well as three Overlords.[8]

Composition History[edit]

2995[edit]

  • 1x BattleMech company[1]
  • 1x aerospace fighter squadron[1]
  • CO: Alonzo Barrett[1]

3025[edit]

Barrett's Fusiliers (Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)[9]

  • CO: Kommandant Alonzo Barrett[9]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Skondia.[9][10]

3050[edit]

Barrett's Fusiliers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[11]

  • CO: Colonel Nikita Barrett[11]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Shuen Wan.[11]

3059[edit]

Barrett's Fusiliers (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[12]

  • CO: Colonel Nikita Barrett)[12]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Shuen Wan.[12]

3067[edit]

  • Barrett's Fusiliers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[6]
  • Barrett's Armored Cavalry (Reinforced Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)[6]
  • Barrett's Bombardiers (Wing/Veteran/Reliable)[6]

The Fusiliers' 'Mech battalions were each constructed so as to incorporate two battle companies and an assault companies, based around fast, maneuverable 'Mechs, along with a battalion command lance. Augmenting the Fusiliers was a regimental command company. In addition to operating with more than half of their equipment upgraded to advanced technology, by 3067 new BattleMechs such as the Capellan Jinggau were also forming a presence within the Fusiliers.[6]

From a simple beginning as a company of LRM Carriers the Armored Cavalry grew steadily, incorporating a second company consisting of mobile artillery and Schiltrons, followed by a third company in the wake of Guerrero that added hovertanks to the battalion. The hovertank company came from the CCAF and included a number of Regulators; adding to this new muscle was a company of jump infantry and a mixed company of Achileus and Longinus battle armor, the fruits of Nikita Barrett's negotiations with the LCCC as a part of their most recent contract.[6]

The Bombardiers were skilled at precision bombing and ground support, having grown from being stalwart support to the ground forces into an integral part of the Regiment. Just as the ground forces within the Fusiliers were incorporating advanced technology, so were the Bombardiers; by 3067 the Bombardiers were operating a number of advanced fighters, including a number of Shiva-class fighters.[6]

Notes[edit]

  • Special rules for Barrett's Fusiliers can be found in Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised (p. 128).

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42: "Barrett's Fusiliers: The Light Musketeers"
  2. MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, p. 117
  3. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 47: "Lyran Commonwealth after Third Succession War [3025] Map"
  4. Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42: "Officers"
  5. Touring the Stars: Old Kentucky, p. 6
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42: "Barrett's Fusiliers"
  7. Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42: "Tactics"
  8. Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 42: "Support"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 117: "LCAF Deployment Table"
  10. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 118
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 20 Year Update, p. 57: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 108

Bibliography[edit]