Markson's Marauders

Marksonmarauders.jpg
Markson's Marauders
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent

History[edit]

Formed in 2928 from survivors of the Twelfth Lyran Regulars during the Third Succession War, Markson's Marauders were a classic hard-luck mercenary command, barely scraping out a living. As of 3025 the unit had the plum assignment assisting in the defense of the Federated Suns capital world of New Avalon, yet still remained on the verge of bankruptcy.[1]

Following the conclusion of this contract in the wake of the Fourth Succession War, the Marauders accepted a pirate hunting contract on the backwater world of Estuan close to the Pirates Haven Cluster, resigned to them ultimately becoming the next Wilson's Hussars. Instead, Markson's Marauder would discover their niche, the unit's preference for light 'Mechs ensuring they could intercept and fend off the pirates, the Marauders becoming highly adept at hunting down and tracking the pirates to their bases, wiping them out for the bounties.[1]

Relatively content as they finally began to move beyond a hand to mouth existence, the Clan Invasion would result in the desperate Armed Forces of the Federated Suns instead offering Markson's Marauders a contract to face the Clans. Recognizing such a contract would be suicide mission, then-commander Patrick Markson declined and chose to head to Outreach, winning a lucrative contract to defend the Periphery research stations of the Draconis Combine-based Dragon's Wings Mining Company. In truth Dragon's Wings was a front for the Combine's search for the Clan Homeworlds, the unwary Marauders would provide such sterling service that when the project drew to a close before Operation BULLDOG upon their return to Outreach they were besieged by agents from almost every major power offering generous offers for pirate hunting and escort operations.[1]

Immediately prior to the beginning of the Jihad Markson's Marauders were in the employ of the Magistracy of Canopus, stationed on Thraxa to assist the homegrown Magistracy Cavaliers fend off pirate attacks,[2][3] before inexplicably vanishing following the HPG blackout of Canopus and its surrounding systems. As of 3071, the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission was seeking additional information on the Marauders' status, suspecting that they were involved in the fighting against the Word of Blake invaders.[4]

During this period at least part of Markson's Marauders were enlisted by the Magistracy and Interstellar Expeditions to free IE hostages on McEvedy's Folly held by the pirate Keystone Gang. Using a nonstandard Jump Point, one company of the Marauders and two mercenary infantry companies would perform a combat drop upon the bandits, retaking the site with only the fifty percent loss of the civilian hostages.[5]

Surviving the fighting against the Blakists, though losing a third of its strength in the process, as of 3079 the Marauders was assigned to defend the Trznadel Cluster still employed by the Magistracy.[6]

Markson's Marauders were among the many MAF-employed forces the Magistracy committed to assist Daoshen Liao's counterattacks against the Capellan March invasion during the Victoria War. Their initial action during the first Canopian wave saw them capture the Ziliang Salient world of Velhas, easily pushing the depleted Fourth Federated Suns Lancers into retreating to Ikast,[7] but the second wave saw them take part in the ill-fated attack against Verlo. Fighting beside the First Raventhir Cuirassiers, the Marauders initially repulsed the New Syrtis CMM until the arrival of the Screaming Eagles began to turn the tide back to the Davion defenders. Disaster struck when a Canopian ammo supply DropShip was shot down, damaging the Skhton Dam, sending trillions of cubic meters of water pouring onto near-surface magma, triggering unimaginably intense phreatomagmatic eruptions that wiped out half the planet's cities and most of the troops on either side, the remainder fleeing soon to uninhabitable world freezing itself to death under an ash-filled sky.[8] Markson's Marauders would suffer losses of 85% following the disaster on Verlo.[9]

Still under contract of the Magistracy of Canopus during the Dark Age, the unit made several raids against Astrokaszy as part of Canopian harassment campaign against the Rim Commonality. The Marauders Able Flight, equipped with the Yùn, had been highly successful in taking out targets of opportunity and dropping battle armor that stole supplies while they disrupted operations for on-planet defenders. The success and amount of supplies the Marauders had taken led Astrokaszy officials to lobby for the unit to be labeled pirates rather than legitimate mercenaries.[10]

During the Magistracy of Canopus counterattack against Marian Hegemony's seizure of Magistracy worlds, Markson's Marauders were among the MAF employed mercenaries who took part, striking the Marian system of Islington alongside the First Magistracy Highlanders on 10 October 3150. The Marauders would suffer a considerable loss when the Marian VI Caelum Wing destroyed one of the unit's inbound DropShips, but the collective fury of the Canopians rolled over the VI Prima Auxilia Legio.[11]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Markson's Marauders
Colonel Richard Markson 3025[12]
Colonel Richard "Little Dick” Markson II 3050[13]
Colonel Patrik Markson 3067[1]
Colonel Ray Markson 3145[14]

Tactics[edit]

One of the few commands to employ the once-debunked tactics of Captain Mercer Ravannion, Markson's Marauders prefer lighter and faster BattleMechs. Patrick Markson preferred to use long-range units across the battlefield to harass and frustrating their opponents, trying to get them to give chase or be defeated through attrition. With the enemy focused upon his main force, the rest of Markson's unit use their DropShips to deliver troops along the enemy's flanks and rear, swarming and ultimately destroying the confused opponent.[1]

Support[edit]

Thanks to years of lucrative contracts combined with keeping their command to the bare necessities, as of 3067 the Marauders could boast enough techs for all kinds of repairs and sufficient DropShip support to transport the entire unit. The Marauders did lack JumpShip support and the large volume of Leopard-class DropShips makes it unlikely the unit would ever be able to own and maintain a large enough JumpShip fleet.[1]

Motto[edit]

The unit's motto was: "Out of the Blue, in the Black".

Dragoon Ratings[edit]

3067[edit]

Dragoon Rating: B[1]

3145[edit]

Rating: B[14]

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

Markson's Marauders (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[15]

  • CO: Colonel Richard Markson
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on New Avalon.

3040[edit]

Markson's Marauders (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[16]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Estuan.[16]

3050[edit]

Markson's Marauders (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[13]

  • CO: Colonel Richard "Little Dick” Markson II[13]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Estuan.[13]

3067[edit]

Markson's Marauders (1 Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[1][3]

- Every unit is capable to move over 90 km/h (only short times in some cases). A command lance leads the entire unit.

StarHunters (2 Wings/Regular/Questionable)[1]

- One wing belongs to the regiment; the other is a group of freelancers.

3079[edit]

  • Markson's Marauders (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) 55% strength | 10% Upgraded[6]

3145[edit]

Markson's Marauders (Veteran/Reliable)[14]

  • Able Flight (aerospace fighter element of the unit)[10]
  • CO: Colonel Ray Markson[14]
- As of 3145, the Marauders were stationed in the Palladix system and were operating at sixty-five percent of full strength.[14]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 90: Unit Profile
  2. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 85: "Magistracy of Canopus - Magistracy Armed Forces - Mercenary Commands"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mercenary Supplemental, p. 68: "Mercenary Employment Roster (Deployment as of 1 September 3067) - Magistracy of Canopus"
  4. ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 20: "Mercenaries of the Jihad - All-Points Bulletin"
  5. ↑ Touring the Stars: McEvedy's Folly, p. 6: "Atlas"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 19: "Irregular Force Status"
  7. ↑ Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 58: "The Victoria War - Celestial Justice - Canopian Entry"
  8. ↑ Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 59: "The Victoria War - Celestial Justice - International Cooperation"
  9. ↑ Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 65: "The Victoria War - Butcher's Bill - Casualties of the Victoria War"
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Technical Readout: 3150, p. 202: "Y-2 Yùn"
  11. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 88: "3150: The Predators Strike - The Marian Problem - Canopian Response"
  12. ↑ House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138 (PDF version): "New Avalon Combat Region"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 20 Year Update, p. 22
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 182: "Notable Mercenary Forces - Magistracy of Canopus"
  15. ↑ House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 141
  17. ↑ Kings & Pawns, p. 15: "Notable Personalities - Captain Elly Burton"

Bibliography[edit]

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