Always Faithful

History

Formed in the wake of the Liberation of Terra from a mixture of soldiers of the Rim Worlds Republic and of the SLDF, the Always Faithful was initially a Brigade size unit. During the 1st Succession War the Always Faithful were employed by the Capellan Confederation and fought against the Free Worlds League. These fights cost the unit most of their sophisticated equipment. The next contract brought them under the employ of the Draconis Combine and into the company store trap; constantly increasing levels of debt to the Combine forced the mercenaries to undertake hazardous assignments, finally managing to settle their accounts and leave for greener pastures after capturing a haul of Federated Suns JumpShip parts. It was during the 2nd Succession War that the Always Faithful had to sell their JumpShips and DropShips because of the effect their financial difficulties had imposed on the support infrastructure of the mercenary unit.

The Always Faithful saw extensive service under contract to the Lyran Commonwealth during the 3rd Succession War against both the Draconis Combine and Free Worlds League although the Always Faithful had been reorganized into a single regiment at the start of the war. Although the regiment was involved in heavy fighting around Tamar, the Always Faithful left Lyran service at some point during the war. Hiring the Always Faithful again was one of the steps taken by Alessandro Steiner to improve the military strength of the Lyran Commonwealth after he became Archon in 2980. During 3026 the Always Faithful acted as a bodyguard unit for the planet Summer, but they couldn't save Duke Aldo Lestrade from being successfully assassinated by an alleged Kuritan operative.

Although the Always Faithful spent the first half of the 4th Succession War on Summer, the officer commanding Operation HOLDUR, General Spire, viewed Altair as the prize of the operation and enlisted the help of Archon Katrina Steiner incommitted both the Always Faithful and the 17th Skye Rangers to the world, deploying both as full Regimental Combat Teams against the elite 18th Dieron Regulars... and against the express wishes of Duke Aldo Lestrade. Although the battle for Altair was ultimately unsuccessful, the Always Faithful were directly responsible for the 2nd Battalion of the 18th Dieron Regulars being destroyed during the battle for Hehiro City, when a lance from the Always Faithful managed to hold up the 2nd Battalion as they attempted to break out between the two Lyran RCTs. Although the Always Faithful lance was destroyed, they held the line long enough for combined forces from the rest of the Lyran units to engage and destroy the 2nd Battalion.

With the expiry of their contract with the Lyran Commonwealth in 3028 the Always Faithful took up one or more contracts with the Free Worlds League and saw extensive service under Duncan and later Thomas Marik. Based on Vanra in 3028, the Always Faithful were deployed on Iknogoro in 3032 and Mosiro in 3035. The Always Faithful were in the employ of the Lyran Commonwealth during the War of 3039 but didn't actively participate on the Draconis Combine front, and left the employ of the LCAF after the war.

By 3039 the Always Faithful were fighting as a combined arms regiment, but the fighting on Andurien against first the 6th Defenders of Andurien and then additional forces from the 1st Defenders of Andurien cost the Always Faithful almost all of their armor and infantry after months of gruelling city fighting in and around the city of Baroda.

By 3050 Colonel James Burrill Riel was the CO of the Always Faithful, who were under contract to the Free Worlds League immediately prior to the Clan invasion, and were stationed on Conquista. The Always Faithful were still there in 3054, but that would soon change.

One of a number of units loaned out to the Capellan Confederation for operations in the Sarna March during Operation Guerrero, the Always Faithful were on Caph in 3059 amd where still there when the Word of Blake arrived and began the process of turning the world into a Blakist protectorate, by which time the mercenary unit had already taken a battering during the extensive factional conflict for the world.

By 3067 anti-Capellan factions on Hsien had banded together and hired the Always Faithful as an attempt to resist an anticipated takeover by forces of the 4th Division and the Blakist-employed Hsien Hotheads who had been stationed on the planet. In January of 3069 the Wanderers III-iota and the Keepers of the Gates III-beta combined with the Hsien Hotheads successfully destroyed the Always Faithful during a local uprising organised by the Commanding Officer of the Hsien Hotheads, Brenn Twohy.

Officers

Colonel Riel was in very poor health in the later years of his command of the Always Faitfhul, and directly commanded the unit only when his medical staff felt he was fit enough. By 3067, the Major commanding the 7th Striker Battalion was effectively determining the unit's tactics.

Tactics

Following the losses inflicted during the Andurien War the Always Faithful used mobile components to pin a enemy in place, and then the heavy components to deliver the final blow. The exception to this was the 7th Striker Battalion, which preferred a much more mobile style that allowed them to avoid a head-on confrontation while continuing to erode the enemy strength from the flanks.

Support

The command had few support assets (50% technical support) and no transport assets.

Mercenary Rating

3059

Dragoon Rating: B-

3067

Dragoon Rating: B-

Composition

3025

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular)

• CO: Colonel Louise Pound

In 3025 the Always Faithful were a Heavy BattleMech regiment supported by a Medium AeroSpace fighter contingent and infantry, but with no Armor, DropShip or JumpShip support at this point in time, and were in debt to the Lyran Commonwealth. The Always Faithful were based on Alarion, along with the 19th Lyran Guard.

3029

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular)

3038

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular)

3039

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Veteran)

3050

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Colonel James Burrill Riel

3054

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Colonel James Burrill Riel

3059

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular/Questionable)

• CO: Colonel James Burrill Riel

3067

Always Faithful (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)

• CO: Colonel James Burrill Riel
• XO: Lieutenant Colonel Brian Renollds
• 2nd Assault Battalion: Major Akira Sugioka
• 5th Dragoon Battalion: Major Mordred Chivas
• 7th Striker Battalion: Major Deng Xiao

At the end of 3067, the Always Faithful were operating at 75% strength following the conflicts within the Chaos March, but 40% of the unit were upgraded to Star League levels of technology.

Rules

• The Always Faithful cannot acquire Clan BattleMechs. The Always Faithful are immune to intimidation, preventing any enemy units from forcing the initiative, and the 7th Striker Battalion can use off-map movement.

Notes

The Always Faithful were members of the Allied Mercenary Command.

Bibliography

• House Steiner: The Lyran Commonwealth
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2
• Historical: War of 3039
• Historical: Brush Wars
• 20 Year Update
• Objective Raids
• Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised
• Field Manual: Updates
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update