Difference between revisions of "Avanti's Angels"
Sarna News
m (→Composition: -->Composition History) |
(→3070) |
||
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
'''Dragoon Rating: B+''' | '''Dragoon Rating: B+''' | ||
| − | === | + | ===3071=== |
'''Dragoon Rating: A-''' (under review)<ref name="MSUp26"/> | '''Dragoon Rating: A-''' (under review)<ref name="MSUp26"/> | ||
Revision as of 14:51, 17 July 2011
Avanti’s Angels is a small mercenary unit, specialized in offensive hit-and-run-operations.
Contents
Unit History
Marcus GioAvanti was an independent MechWarrior hired by a small corporation on Garstedt when he heard rumours of an invasion from the Periphery; when Clan Smoke Jaguar hit Garstedt, GioAvanti was dragooned into the DCMS as part of 6-strong BattleMech demi-company attached to the 3rd Alshain Regulars... a demi-company which barely survived the Smoke Jaguar invasion of the planet.[1]
A month later on Schulyer GioAvanti and the other survivor from the first demi-company were ordered to create another ad-hoc unit from nine more Mechwarriors who'd found themselves volunteered to form another "auxillary" unit for the 3rd Alshain Regulars. This time, they were assigned to rearguard and diversionary duty - responsibilities that once again left them with no chance of reinforcement or support. This time, Tai-i GioAvanti managed to bring three MechWarriors away alive by through using every trick or battlefield advantage he could find.[1]
Detached from the 3rd Alshain Regulars, fate repeated itself for GioAvanti's command; re-formed into a fresh auxiliary unit with more "volunteers" on Jeronimo in support of the 5th Galedon Regulars they were forced off-planet by the Clans yet again. No matter the defensive preparations taken, the Angels were pushed off planet after planet; Hyner, Juazerio, Asgard, Kanowit... each planet saw members of other shattered commands joining the nascent Angels, and every battle claimed equipment and lives.[1]
By the time Avanti’s Angels had narrowly avoided total destruction yet again at the hands of Smoke Jaguars on Labrea, they had gained considerable combat-experience and even gathered a handful of Clan-tech weapons: a Gauss Rifle, 6 ER PPCs and several lasers. Avanti’s Angels disbanded from the regular military and formed a mercenary unit.
In 3058 Avanti’s Angels fought in the Chaos March. At this point in time, they consisted of a company of 12 'Mechs, 1 Platoon of infantry, 1 Savannah Master and 2 DropShips (1 Union and 1 Fortress).
One contract brought them to Arboris, fighting Capellan forces. Avanti's Angels suffered heavy losses when a traitor sold information about them to the commander of Ishara's Grenadiers.
Next, they fought on New Home alongside the thirtieth Lyran Guards, again against Capellan forces. They managed to capture a Savannah Master and a Jaegermech.
In early 3058 they were hired by the Magistracy of Canopus[2]. Their mission was to find the planet on which the invading Marian forces hid their supply depot. Avanti’s Angels welcomed this offer, because this job included the permission to pillage any enemy supply depot they would capture.
Avanti’s Angels were reinforced by a Canopian 'Mech Lance, bringing their total strength to 16 'Mechs. The plan was to establish a base on Marantha, a planet guarded by 3 Canopian regiments. Blakist forces (posing as their ally, the Marian Hegemony) attacked this position, only hours after Avanti's Angels had landed on the planet. Avanti's Angels were outmatched, but Marcus GioAvanti managed to trick the Blakist commander into believing that Canopian reinforcements were on the way, forcing him to retreat.
Avanti’s Angels got intelligence that Free Worlds League freighters were regularly rerouted to fly through a certain system. And the Free Worlds League was also under suspicion by the Canopians for delivering weapons and 'Mechs to the Marians. The only habitable planet within easy jumping range of the League, the Hegemony and the Magistracy was Astrokaszy, a barbaric planet ruled by warlords and scavenging nomad-tribes.
Avanti’s Angels headed off to Astrokaszy. They were heavily attacked by Blakist forces (again posing as Marians) and had to split into 2-Mech elements, in the hope that some members would somehow have a chance to survive. Avanti’s Angels regrouped in the cover of the "Desertwind" tribe and allied with one of the warlords. He promised Avanti's Angels his support to drive the Marians off the planet but, in the deciding moment, his forces just didn't show up for their surprise flank attack and Avanti's Angels were once again outmatched. They were saved virtually in the very last moment, when Canopian and Capellan forces arrived.
At the end of their campaign for the Magistracy of Canopus (3058), Avanti's Angels were reduced to about 8 'Mechs, but they did have a chance to salvage several heavy 'Mechs. These 'Mechs served them well for their next contract: Supporting SLDF forces in the assault on Clan Smoke Jaguar.[3]
The Angels officially took no sides during the Federated Commonwealth Civil War, but Marcus GioAvanti took a small group of Angels to Skye to assist his family. Interestingly, this small unit struck both pro-Katrina and pro-Victor forces.
Immediately prior to the Jihad the Angels had returned to the Magistracy and were on-planet when the Word of Blake struck. The Blakists were determined to destroy any unit that was part of the Allied Mercenary Command, and inflicted serious damage on the Angels. The Angels persevered, however, and destroyed the Blakist unit. The actions of the local government forced the Angels to break their contract, and with the Magistracy under an Interdiction they couldn't contact the Magistracy Command Center to explain their actions. In 3068 the Angels relocated to New Home to assist an old colleague. They have since completed two contracts.[3]
Officers
The Commanding Officer as of 3067 is Marcus GioAvanti.[4]
Tactics
In their battles against the Clans, Avanti’s Angels learned that offense is the key to victory. Accordingly they never accept missions that include defending positions or installations. They are specialized in hard attacks with a quick retreat, e.g. hostage rescues and such.[2][4]
Learning from their collective experiences during the Clan invasion, the Angels refuse to sign away their command rights[1]; they also learned to salvage quickly and while on the run. Every pilot in the Angels is taught to crudely tear salvageable items from fallen BattleMechs for use by the Angels' techs. This includes not just individual items but also limbs, heads of even chunks of torso.[2][4]
The Angels will often lay down minefields via Thunder missiles to hold up enemy advances, which are followed up by high-speed passes performed by hovercraft from the Angels Special Assault Force; one of these hovercraft is fitted with a C3 slave, allowing a supporting BattleMech lance to make accurate long-range attacks against the enemy.[1]
The Angels train extensively in ocnfigurations ranging from single 'Mech-on-'Mech combat up to six-'Mech lances and can switch configuration in mid-combat.[1] The Angels are constantly remixing the composition of their 'Mech companies to prevent their style and tactics becoming predictable.[2][4]
THe Angels Special Assault Force veteran infantry have trained extensively in areas such as recon, anti-'Mech tactics and general fire support.[2][4]
Dragoon Ratings
3059
Dragoon Rating: B+[2]
3067
Dragoon Rating: B+
3071
Dragoon Rating: A- (under review)[3]
Composition History
3059
Avanti's Angels (2 Companies/Veteran/Reliable)[2]
- CO/1st Company: Marcus GioAvanti
- XO/2nd Company: Charlene Boske
- Comm Officer: Ki-Lynn Tanaga
Angels Aerospace (Lance/Regular/Reliable))[2]
- Element Commander: Nathaniel Klepper
Angels Special Assault Force (Mixed Company/Veteran/Reliable)[2]
- Force Commander: General Hanford Lee
Although listed as Veteran, the 'Mech companies were actually just shy of elite status in 3059; more than half of the 'Mechs in the unit are older models, but two full lances of 'Mechs were 3055 or 3058- era designs and this combined with the sixty or so tons of Clantech weapons salvaged and incorporated into the Angels gave them a relatively high level of technology compared to many other mercenary units.[2]
3067
Avanti's Angels (2 Companies/Veteran/Reliable)[4]
- CO/1st Company: Marcus GioAvanti
- XO/2nd Company: Charlene Boske
Angels Aerospace (2 Lances/Regular/Reliable)
- Lance Commander: Nathaniel Klepper
Angels Special Assault Force (1 Mixed Company/Veteran/Reliable)[4]
- Force Commander: General Hanford Lee
In 3067 the Angels 'Mech companies were still riding the line between veteran and elite status; only misfortune and battlefield attrition stopped them crossing the line once and for all. The 'Mech companies still included just two lances of post-[[3055] designs at this point, and the amount of Clan technology remaining within the command had dropped from sixty tons to forty.[4]
3069
Avanti's Angels (Mixed Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)[5]
- CO: Colonel Marcus GioAvanti
Stationed on Joppa at the end of 3069, the Angels were only at 90% strength, but were heavily upgraded, with 65% of the unit equipped with Star League-era technology, 10% equipped with Clan technology and 10% equipped with Omni-technology.
Unit Profile
The unit contains (among others) the following Mechs: Warhammer (Clan-PPCs), Marauder (Clan PPCs), Battlemaster, Caesar (Clan-Gauss and Clan-PPC), Archer, Enforcer, Phoenix Hawk, Jenner, Wasp, Valkyrie.
The unit contain(ed) 2 Savannah Masters, one of them with a TAG.
The infantry has experience in Anti-Mech-tactics.
The unit has 2 DropShips: The "Heaven Sent" (Union-class) and the "Head of a Pin" or "Pinhead" (Fortress-class). The family members of the staff live aboard the Pinhead. Additionally the unit has an uncertain amount of civilian (hover-)vehicles aboard the Pinhead.
Avanti’s Angels also has it's own one-person-intelligence-unit. He regularly travels apart from the rest of the unit and is said to have friends on almost every planet.
Rules
- Any mercenary unit fighting against the Angels must inform the Angel commander of any specialities possessed by that unit; the commander of the Angels has two options: take a +2 Initiative bonus for the Angels, or take a +1 bonus for the Angles and force the opposing unit to accept a 1-point penalty to any special ability they possess that generates a modifier.[6][7]
- If the Angels have lost more than half of their starting units, rounded down, the Angels have been forced into a defensive position, and lose all bonuses; they also suffer a -2 Initiative penatly, which is cumulative with any bonuses the enemy unit receives.[6][7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 34
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 35
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 26
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Field Manual: Mercenaris Revised, p. 40
- ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 184
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 124
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised) p. 128
Gallery
