The Krushers

(Redirected from Kristen's Krushers)
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The Krushers
Formed 3037
Disbanded 3085
Previous Designation(s) Kristen's Krushers
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command

The Krushers, originally known as Kristen's Krushers, are a mercenary unit with ties to the Free Worlds League and House Marik. They specialize in nighttime and other low-visibility operations.[1]

Unit History[edit]

Formation[edit]

Kristen's Krushers was founded in 3037 by Kristen Marik, daughter of Captain-General Janos Marik and his second wife Ana Stewart. Kristen wanted to make her own way, so she served a stint in Langendorf's Lancers under an assumed name. Janos' death in 3035 left her with a large sum of money, in addition to her landhold as Duchess of Augustine. Kristen used her inheritance to fulfill the dream of founding her own mercenary unit.[1]

A Kept Unit[edit]

The unit's first contract was with the Free Worlds League, as stipulated in the will of Janos Marik.[2] Five years after they were formed, Kristen's Krushers signed a contract with ComStar. They provided HPG security, then served in an antipiracy role. The command returned to the Free Worlds League in 3047 and garrisoned the Canopian border. "Thomas Marik" did not want to see his "baby sister" leave and endanger herself, so he convinced her to sign another five-year contract in 3052. Kristen wanted to leave the League in '57, but Thomas was able to sign her again, though only for two years.[1]

By 3059, Kristen's Krushers was firmly a family affair, with Kristen's husband Jiri Rousset serving as the Executive Officer, her oldest child Ana Rousset-Marik a battalion commander, and her middle child Janos Rousset-Marik a company commander. Her youngest, Alys Rousset-Marik, entered Princefield Military Academy in 3059 to carry on the tradition. Thomas could not persuade Kristen to stay in '59 and she moved her Krushers to Coventry under Lyran employ.[1][3] It was here that the Federated-Commonwealth Civil War found them.

Coventry[edit]

Kristen's Krushers garrisoned the important factory world along with the new First Coventry Jaegers and the Coventry Province Militia. The pro-Katherine commander of the Jaegers, Jason Walker, ordered the Krushers to attack the pro-Victor CPM on 25 December 3062. The Jaegers contributed a token force, forcing the Krushers to act as shock troops. The fighting was particularly nasty near Coventry Military Academy, so the Jaegers used artillery. Kristen protested the use of artillery against the academy, but her calls for opening up a dialogue were ignored. Though they were damaged, the Krushers defeated the CPM, with major combat operations ceasing on 17 January 3063.[4][5][6]

The Jaegers would again go on the offensive, but this time against the mercenaries. Kristen's Krushers was seen as a representative of House Marik. For the prejudiced Walker, that was enough. Following Colonel Marik's petition to rest and refit after all but annihilating the CPM, the Jaegers attacked the damaged mercenary unit. The Third Battalion took the brunt of the assault and Major Ana Marik was killed. The mercenary command executed a fighting withdrawal to the city of Lietnerton. From there, they were able to board their DropShips and lifted offworld on 21 January. Though it was a near thing, they made it back to their JumpShips and began the interstellar trek back to the Free Worlds League. Predictably, Kristen declared their contract with the Lyran Alliance null and void.[4][5][6]

Flight[edit]

After a number of jumps, the command needed supplies. They raided Gallery for food and water on 11 March. Though the raid was a success, tweaking the nose of the planet's ruling noble, General of the Armies Nondi Steiner, was unwise. She declared Kristen's Krushers a hostile force, making them a target for the LAAF.[5]

The mercenaries were able to get to Arcadia, a world one jump from the Free Worlds League border, when a Lyran flotilla that included the LAS Yggdrasil caught up with them. Captain-General Thomas Marik, unwilling to spark an incident with the Lyran Alliance, did nothing as the Krushers scattered across the planet's surface and tried to hold off the Lyran forces, which included the Second Donegal Guards, who happened to be on the planet. The mercenaries were faring poorly. By late April, they were down to two companies worth of 'Mechs.[5]

In direct disobedience to the orders of the Captain-General, Tamarind Marshall Jeremy Brett, Kristen's brother-in-law, sent the Sixth Marik Militia across the border to save the mercenaries. The Marik forces reached Arcadia on 2 May, then defeated the Lyrans and secured Arcadia as a protectorate, though the world was returned to the Lyrans after the Civil War ended. The Krushers returned to the League, with both Kristen and Janos casualties of the fighting.[5][6][2]

Rebirth[edit]

After she graduated from Princefield, Alys inherited command of the unit as well as her mother's little-used position as Duchess of Augustine, though the inexperienced officer allowed her father to act as commander in all but name. The Krushers (who dropped Kristen's name after her death) under Colonel Jiri Rousset rebuilt to a force just over a battalion strong while technically under contract to the Free Worlds League Military through Alys in her capacity as Duchess. This rebuilding process was drawn-out because of the circumstances regarding the unit's exit from the Lyran Alliance. The Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission was unable to uncover the truth surrounding the battle on Coventry until after the end of the FedCom Civil War in April 3067. When Jason Walker's actions came to light, the MRBC cleared The Krushers.[6][2][7]

Jihad[edit]

Following the Word of Blake assault on Atreus in October 3068, Alys formed a resistance movement, with The Krushers at its head. Their representatives on Galatea stopped contracting out, instead hiring other mercenary commands to supplement their own operations. This, coupled with the unit's lapsed registration as a mercenary command, prompted the MRBC to reclassify The Krushers as employers.[2]

The Krushers, as the core of the Free Worlds Resistance, were active in various places across the League. They were seen on at least twelve worlds in their first three years in the resistance. Roughly a full battalion hit Oliver in 3070 to assist the Legion of the Rising Sun, whom The Krushers had hired. They fought elements of the Blakist Twelfth Division (née Sixth Free Worlds Legionnaires). They mauled the Blakist infantry and destroyed two companies of armor and 'Mechs at a cost of two lances.[2]

Post-Jihad[edit]

The post-Jihad Krushers were reduced to half their strength. Alys refused to allow anyone other than herself to contract the unit. As of 3079, the unit was on Rochelle.[8]

By 3085 the Krushers were one of the units that were gifted to the Republic of the Sphere.[9]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of The Krushers
Colonel Kristen Marik 3037–May 3063[1]
Colonel Alys Rousset-Marik 30673085

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3050[edit]

Kristen’s Krushers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[10]

  • CO: Colonel Kristen Marik[10]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Claybrooke.[10]

3059[edit]

Kristen's Krushers (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[1]

Kwick Krushers (2 Wings/Regular/Reliable)[1]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Coventry.[11]

3067[edit]

The Krushers (officially 1 Regiment, actually just over a battalion)

  • Aide: Colonel Jiri Rousset

3079[edit]

Kristen’s Krushers (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[8]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Rochelle.[8] Reduced to 50% of pre-Jihad strength.[8]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 71: "Kristen's Krushers Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 81
  3. Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 109
  4. 4.0 4.1 FedCom Civil War, pp. 37–38: "Coventry"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 FedCom Civil War, pp. 38–40: "The Eagle's Flight"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 84
  7. Field Manual: Updates, p. 183: "Free Worlds League"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Field Report: FWLM, p. 16
  9. Field Manual: 3085, p. 167
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 20 Year Update, p. 57: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  11. Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 109

Bibliography[edit]