Broadsword Legion

Owing their formation to Unit-CO Kari Marita's refusal to accept Victor Steiner-Davion's elevation as Precentor Martial of the ComStar, the Broadsword Legion consists primarily of members of the Com Guard's 166th Division.

History

Future unit CO Kari Marita was one of survivors of 166th Division's involvement in the Battle of Tukayyid. Charged with defending the city of Skupo, the 166th engaged Natasha Kerensky's famed Thirteenth Wolf Guards, the so-called Wolf Spiders, who had slipped in behind them. All but shattered after a days-long hit-and-run battle against the Wolves, the 166th struggling to rebuild, with Marita promoted to Demi-Precentor and assigned command of the unit.

ComStar's efforts suffered a mortal blow when Marita chose to resign upon Victor Steiner-Davion becoming Precentor Martial, unwilling to serve under a deposed House Lord. Unlike many Com Guard defectors, the ambitious but principled Marita didn't choose to join the Word of Blake but instead traveled to Outreach with her battered Thug to become a mercenary , with the 166th steadily shrinking as over 30 percent of her former soldiers chose to follow her , convincing their old CO to form her own command.

As of 3067 the Legion were still undergoing months of training on Outreach to ensure the smooth operation of the new unit and host of new tactics.

Hired by the Allied Mercenary Command in the face of Word of Blake's assault against Outreach, the Legion fought alongside Wolf's Dragoons Wolf Spider Battalion, legacy holder of Natasha Kerensky's Black Widow Company, before turning on the battalion, breaking the back of the Dragoons defense while suffering heavy losses in the process.

A heavily-damaged Legion was left with Wannamaker's Widowmakers to garrison Outreach in 3069. They opposed the landing of the reborn Black Widow Company in early 3070, though they were unable to stop them from going to ground. The Broadsword Legion was effectively destroyed in April 3071 as the remnants of the Dragoons on Outreach coordinated an assault on the treacherous mercenary unit. A handful of Legionnaires managed to escape and make it off-world, including Kari Marita.

Officers

Colonel Kari Marita is an inspirational leader, gifted ’Mech pilot and superior tactician. Quiet and unassuming, she gives precise instructions on what she wants, and at times is just as involved in getting it done. Doles and Joyce are both former members of the 201st Division who escaped Terra when the Blakists attacked, and were subsequently transferred into the then-Demi-Precentor’s command.

Tactics

The Legion prefers to operate in urban and nighttime settings, noted for skills in close combat, ambushes and sniping tactics.

Composition

Created by former Com Guard officers, the Broadsword Legion has stayed true to its origins, organizing as a Level III-Rho unit and a good portion of the command’s 'Mechs and vehicles are old Star League designs.

In Successor State military terms, the Legion is organized in three mixed companies, each comprised of two demi-companies each. They do not use lances but instead subdivide the demi-companies into three two-unit squads, an arrangement that gives them tactical flexibility to meet opponents who may underestimate the troop strength they are facing.

• Excalibur Company - Colonel Kari Marita

The Legions command element, Excalibur contains a demi-company of ’Mechs and Hovertanks. Only Colonel Marita’s Thug is equipped with Clan-tech, two ER PPCs, the rest of her MechWarriors use older designs with more mundane and reliable modifications.

• Toledan Company - Captain Nicole Doles

Toledan is made up of a demi-company of C3i ’Mechs and one of Battle Armor, a mixture of Raiden, Kanazuchi and worringly a squad of Purifiers, carried on either Bandit or Blizzard hover transports or one of two modified Cavalry transport VTOLs.

• Claymore Company - Captain Elizabeth Joyce

Legion’s heavy assault force, Claymore's 'Mechs are Star League era heavy and assault designs supported by a demi-company of heavy tracked vehicles and two Clan Jagatai OmniFighters.

Notes

• All Legion units are painted gunmetal gray, with the unit insignia a bronze Roman legionaire shield with the old ComStar logo on its face, a broadsword pointed down set on top of the shield.

• Thanks to their hatred of Victor, the Broadsword Legion steadfastly refused to accept any contracts with the Federated Suns or Lyran Alliance.

• The unit's support section consists of former ComStar technicians equal to 50 percent support, and a single Triumph-class DropShip named the Damocles modified to transport the entire unit.

• As of 3067, the green ranked Legion had a solid C Dragoon Rating reflecting purely a lack of action as mercenaries, despite a level of actual combat experience far exceeding such a level.

References

• Blake Ascending
• ComStar (sourcebook)
• Field Manual: ComStar
• Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised
• Field Manual: Updates
• Starterbook: Wolf and Blake
• Tukayyid (scenario pack)
• Wolf Clan Sourcebook