Band of the Damned

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Unit Description

The Band of the Damned was a Spinward based Periphery Pirate Band.

Unit Colors

The unit uses the Draconis Combine's 1st Sword of Light Regimental color scheme. This was intended as an insult to Draconis Combine due to actions committed to some the unit's members from its early days. [1]

Unit Emblem

The unit adopted the Damned's Vance Rezak personal insignia as their own unit emblem. The emblem is a black "V" set over a burning fire, with a golden disk behind it.

History

Early Years

They first appeared in 3042, where the Damned raided in Draconis Combine world of Hongor. In this first known raid, the Band had stolen a fortune of platinum. This marked the beginning of series of successful raids by the Damned in Combine and Outworlds Alliance. After stealing grain from Kokpekty in 3048, the DCMS dispatched the second battalion of the 7th Pesht Regulars to hunt down and destroy the Damned. Later information showed that Damned was working with 7th Pesht's commanding officer, Tai-sa Kurtis Benzinger[2][3] The Damned's inside man made certain to dispatched a poorly equipped and undertrained battalion to come for them. The 2nd Battalion's commander Sho-sa Vance Rezak had his unit chase down the Pirates through the Draconis Rift for several months until they cornered the Damned. On the planet, the two sides fought a fierce two week battle, which inflicted severe damage to both sides. During the course of the fight, members of the Damned sabotaged the 7th Pesht's JumpShip. Sho-sa Rezak then ordered his forces into defensive positions, and broadcasts a call for reinforcements. However, after month of fighting, no reinforcements had arrived to help Kurita fight the Damned. With supplies running low, Rezak orders all-out assault on the Damned.[4] The assault goes successfully, and Rezak defeats the Damned's leader. In a twist, being fed with betrayal of the Combine, he declares himself as leader of the Damned and integrates his survivors among the Damned's numbers.[5]

Under the leadership of Vance Rezak

After taking command of the Damned, he declared war on Draconis Combine for their betrayal of him and his unit. The Band began a series of vicious raids into the Combine of the first couple years after Rezak took command. The Band's raids reaped everything including slaves and brought them to market on the Periphery world of Antallos. The planet's city-state, Port Krin, became the Damned's base of operations. Fortunes that the Damned had reaped, allowed Rezak to establish number of estates there. Over the course of the years, the Damned secretly expanded its operation to a barely inhabitable Coreward world, which they named the Rezak's Hole. There they created a staging base with repair facilities to allow better penetration of the Combine's unprotected border. The Band of the Damned went through extensive efforts to keep their secret activities hidden from other interested factions. Also, Rezak had created network of spies, in both the Draconis Combine and the Outworlds Alliance to monitor activities.[6]

The Band of the Damned were raiding the Combine world of Korramabad, which was locked in a civil war for several months. While the Band of the Damned raided both sides involved in the conflict, the pirates seemed particularly drawn by the local industry producing industrial-grade diamonds, and attacks favored whichever faction controlled the industry.[7]

On Antallos, by 3055 the Damned begun to have clashes with rogue AFFC mercenary company known as the Vinson's Vigilantes. The mercenaries had become the adopted guardians’ city-states of Antallos. The Damned had continued to grow in power on Antallos despite having several more clashes with the Vigilantes as of 3063. The unit had captured a company's worth of Combine OmniMechs, and had outfitted lance worth with Clan technology The band had been keep in equipment in top condition and been commented that best support in the Periphery.[8] The unit has also expanded to include a Aerospace Squadron and two Battalions worth of Armored Combat Vehicles. Rezek had developed a secret partnership with the Word of Blake, which had one of its agents become imbedded with unit as its second in command, a man known as "Dicky" Smith. In 3064, the Unit suffered a setback when elements of the Clan Snow Ravens discovered Rezak's Hole and wiped out Damned garrison forces including; Company worth of BattleMechs, battalion of armor assets, a Aerospace Squadron, and 2 companies worth of the Blake's troops hidden on planet. The bases with all its forces were destroying base and all its assets. This forced the setup operations on Port Krin, which rogue Vigilantes had finally scrummed to in fighting, joined the Damned in force.[9]

In 3067 the Band raided Prinis Prime, attracting the Ravens' attention once again. The Ravens attacked Antallos in force, and by the end of November the Band of the Damned had been destroyed and Antallos was firmly under Raven control.[10]

Officers

As of 3049 the commanding officer of the pirate band was Pirate King Vance Rezak. [11] He was still in command in 3067 when the Band was destroyed, but his body was never found.[12]

The Band's second in command during the 3067 fighting was Jebidiah Smith, an agent of the Word of Blake.[12]

Tactics

As of 3063, The Pirate King would lure with the Band of the Damned armor and miscellaneous assets, and position an enemy force with in strike range. He would then Flank the enemy force's causing catastrophic damage until the the enemy was removed from the area.[13]

Composition History

3055

  • Band of the Damned - (BattleMech Battalion/Regular)
- While raiding Korramabad in 3055 the Band of the Damned was determined to be a heavy battalion, backed up by two lances of heavy AeroSpace Fighters, a company of light armor and two foot rifle companies. Ten percent of the units were using upgraded equipment at this point.[7]

3058

  • Band of the Damned - (BattleMech Battalion) - Regular Skilled - CO: Vance Rezak[14]

3064

  • Band of the Damned - (BattleMech Battalion) - Elite Skilled - CO: Vance Rezak
  • Dark Angels (Aerospace Fighter Squadron) - Regular Skilled - CO: Wing Commander "Smack" Krezejski
  • Band of the Damned (2 x Armor Vehicle Battalions) - Regular Skilled - CO: Rudolph Callatano

3067

  • Band of the Damned - (Regiment)[15] The unit's first battalion is an Elite command, while the other two battalions held Veteran status.[12]

Notes

Game Notes

The Band of the Damned receives the following Force Specific Rules Abilities when using scenario special enhancements. In the beginning of each battle, when fielding Damned's vehicle, if they are number equal or greater than number of BattleMechs on the field, all Damned's forces then receive +1 to their initiative. For every two vehicles fielded by the Damned, receives a +1 to its initiative upwards to maximum +3. However, for every 2 vehicles removed from the board, the bonus goes down by 1. The Damned receives the ability Overrun Combat when facing Draconis Combine forces of lesser experience. When using MW3 RPG rules, Vance Rezak receives Well Connected trait and also has 1 contact somewhere in the Inner Sphere.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery p. 127 - Unit Colors match 1st Sword of Light as insult.
  2. ↑ The Periphery (1996) p. 83 - Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned - Damned working with 7th Pesht's CO, so band could have easy pickins.
  3. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 42 - Deployment Tables - 7th Pesht Regulars’ CO is Tai-sa Kurtis Benzinger.
  4. ↑ The Periphery (1996), p. 83 - Some details of the battle with Damned and the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Pesht.
  5. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 127 - Vance Rezak kills The Damned's original leader and takes the leadership of Damned for himself.
  6. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery p. 127 - Officers - Rezak has connections and spies across the Inner Sphere.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Hot Spots Contracts, p. 46, "Contract DC 56601-002-3 Behind The Scenes"
  8. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery p. 127 - Band of the Damned (BattleMech Battalion) - Damned has elite battalion including company worth of OmniMechs and some best techs in the Periphery.
  9. ↑ Field Manual: Updates p. 199 - Pirates / Band of the Damned - Snow Ravens attack in 3064, destroy Damned & secret WoB assets on Rezak's Hole.
  10. ↑ Historical Turning Points: Antallos, p. 19
  11. ↑ The Periphery (1996) p. 83 - Date of leadership is based when the 7th Pesht was dispatched to hunt down the Damned in 3048 and eight months fight resulted in Rezak declares himself leader.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Historical Turning Points: Antallos, p. 8
  13. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery p. 127 - Tactics - Methods used by Damned as of 3063.
  14. ↑ The Periphery (1996) pp. 78 & 84 - Periphery Independent (Deployment as of 3058) & Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned - listing shows where the Pirate banded skill level, the latter page shows it was had a single BattleMech Battalion.
  15. ↑ Field Manual: Updates p. 204 - Deployment Table - Unit shown to be Regiment strength, no details how it broken up of what type forced used.
  16. ↑ Field Manual: Periphery, p. 155, "Periphery Regiments" - Band of the Damned's force specific scenario traits and RPG abilities.

Bibliography

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