Editing Crater Cobras

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image          = [[File:Crater Cobras logo.png|191px|Insignia of the Crater Cobras]]
| Designation    =  Crater Cobras
| formed         = 
| Disbanded      = 
| Previous Designation = 789th Striker
| Nickname       = Fangs of Fate
| Affiliation    = Mercenary
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command    = 
}}
==History==
===First Succession War===
Formed during the [[First Succession War]] from the remnants of several [[SLDF]] regular army units as Baldwin's Cobras Heavy [[Brigade]], the unit found their reliance on [[artillery]] frequently earned them the nickname "Crater Makers;" Alexander Baldwin responded by naming the [[Brigade]] the Crater Cobras.<ref name="FM:Mrp52">''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 52</ref><ref name="MSp29">''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 29</ref>

===Second Succession War===
The [[Second Succession War]] took a heavy toll on the [[Brigade]], which barely survived with the '''789th Striker Regiment''' and the '''Black Cobra Regiment''' intact. The weakened command was hired by the [[Federated Suns]] in the wake of the Second Succession War, and found itself stationed on [[Deneb Kaitos]].<ref name="MSp29"/> Not only did the Cobras refuse employment from the [[Draconis Combine]], whose [[House Kurita|ruling House]] the command blamed for the collapse of the [[Star League]], but their contract to the Federated Suns saw them engaged in numerous conflicts with Kuritan units.<ref name="FM:Mrp52"/>  One [[DCMS]] unit, the [[Thirtieth Dieron Regulars]], initiated a blood feud with the Cobras, which eventually led to the complete destruction of the Thirtieth.<ref name="MSp29"/>

===Third Succession War===
In [[3025]], the Crater Cobras were working for the Federated Suns and were based on Deneb Kaitos in the [[Draconis March]].<ref name="HD:TFSp136">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 136</ref> A combined-arms unit at this point, the Cobra [[BattleMech|'Mechs]] were a mixture of medium and assault weight 'Mechs, supported by medium weight [[aerospace fighter|fighters]], [[Combat Vehicle|armor]] and [[infantry]].<ref name="HD:TFSp151">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 151</ref>

===Fourth Succession War===
The [[Fourth Succession War]] found the Crater Cobras redeployed during [[Operation RAT]] from Deneb Kaitos to [[Nopah]] alongside the [[Blue Star Irregulars]], [[Redfield Renegades]], [[Fourth Davion Guards]] [[RCT]], [[Thirty-third Avalon Hussars]] RCT and [[Fourth Deneb Light Cavalry]] RCT. The Crater Cobras remained on Nopah during the first four waves of Operation RAT,<ref name="NMAv1p12">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', pp. 12–13</ref> but were soon deployed after the mid-war lull.

In early [[3029]], the Crater Cobras, the [[Screaming Eagles]] Second [[Regiment]], [[Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers]] RCT and fifteen assorted conventional regiments were assigned to the invasion of [[Sarna]]. The capital of the former [[Sarna Supremacy]], and perhaps the most important target of the second half of the war for the Federated Suns, Sarna maintained a political and symbolic importance within the [[Sarna Commonality]], and was far from the front lines established during the fourth wave of Operation RAT.<ref name="NMAv2p44">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2'', pp. 44–45</ref>

Unfortunately, the attack on Sarna didn't go as planned; if it wasn't for the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers deliberately approaching Sarna faster than dictated within the original plan and triggering the [[Capellan]] ambush, all of the Federated Suns units dispatched to attack Sarna might well have been lost. As it was, the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers were almost completely wiped out, but their actions – and their fate – alerted the [[Screaming Eagles]] and Crater Cobras to the presence of all five regiments of [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] on Sarna.<ref name="NMAv2p48">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2'', p. 48</ref>

Because their contracts for this particular mission were explicit, the two mercenary units could not back out of this. Rather than abandon the attack and face censure, the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles decided to go ahead with the attack on Sarna, but altered the attack plan to drop several hundred miles away from the original drop zone, in a position that would allow them and the remaining attached conventional regiments to prepare defenses and hold out for reinforcements. The situation was compounded because the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers had sent messages to their supporting [[JumpShip]] fleet indicating that the attack was going to plan, which led to them jumping out of the system, leaving the mercenaries stranded.<ref name="NMAv2p49">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2'', p. 49</ref>

The combined mercenary and [[AFFS]] forces manage to hold out for several months, inflicting more casualties on McCarron's Armored Cavalry than they received. Neither side at first was sure exactly what they were up against and neither side could send a message off planet because of a ComStar communications interdiction. After many months, the MAC began to escalate their attacks as they finally were able to get a picture of what they were up against. The Screaming Eagle and Crater Cobras began to consolidate their strength, but had their defenses breached and were on the verge of being overwhelmed when relief forces arrived in the form of the Assault and Light Brigades of the elite Davion Guards.  The relief forces didn't realize that they ''were'' relief forces until frantic messages from the Cobras and the [[Screaming Eagles|Eagles]] reached them mid-deployment, but their arrival managed to save the mercenary units.<ref name="NMAv2p51">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2'', p. 51</ref>

Realizing that they had lost Sarna, Colonel [[Archibald McCarron]] made the hard choice to abandon the planet. With the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles advancing to pincer the MAC forces as they attempted to load up as much as they could before fleeing, Colonel [[Marcus Barton]] led his Second Regiment in a counterattack against the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles. This surprised the Davion mercenaries, as they outnumber Barton's force 2-to-1, but with Davion High Command wanting Barton killed for all the damage Barton had done to the Federated Suns over the years, the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles met Barton head-on. The resulting battle lasted several hours and was one of the most brutal of the Fourth Succession War. By the time it was over, Barton had lost over half his force, but he managed to knock out 2/3 of the Crater Cobras and 3/4 of the Screaming Eagles. This battle gave the McCarron's Armored Cavalry the time they needed to finish loading their DropShips and escape, with the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles able to claim they had driven off the MAC.<ref>''McCarron's Armored Cavalry'', p. 10</ref>

===Clan Invasion===
On the eve of the [[Clan invasion]], the Crater Cobras were deployed on two worlds in the [[Free Worlds League]]; the 789th Striker were on [[Megrez]], whilst the Black Cobras were on Cascade.<ref name="20Yup57">''20 Year Update'', p. 57</ref> The Crater Cobras were still in place in [[3054]], although by this point [[Colonel]] Richard Burr had taken over from Colonel Thomas Rabelais as the commanding officer of the Black Cobra regiment.<ref name="ORp39">''Objective Raids'', p. 39</ref>

Following the damage inflicted on the Crater Cobras in the Fourth Succession War the unit took up service with the Free Worlds League. This was the beginning of a two-decade-long period of service that would only end after [[Operation Guerrero|Operation GUERRERO]].<ref name="MSp29"/>

===Operation GUERRERO===
The Crater Cobras suffered significant losses at the hands of [[Dancing Joker|terrorists]] who sabotaged three Black Cobra [[DropShip|DropShips]] as they were prepared to deploy from [[Zurich]] to reinforce [[Nanking]], and the resulting destruction of the DropShips left the Black Cobra regiment with just two [[company|companies]] of 'Mechs.<ref name="FM:Mrp52"/><ref name="MSp29"/><ref name="FM:Mp48">''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 48</ref> Although the terrorists were originally believed to be ''[[Zhanzheng de Guang]]'' operatives,<ref name="FM:Mrp52"/> they were in fact Davion-loyalist terrorists.<ref name=SS-76>''Shattered Sphere'', p. 76: "Operation Guerrero - Aftermath"</ref><ref>''Bred for War'', p. 319</ref> As the Black Cobras losses were suffered during a "noncombat situation", the [[LCCC]] refused to indemnify their losses, which led to the Black Cobra regiment leaving both the Crater Cobras and the employ of the [[Free Worlds League]], re-forming on Outreach as [[Burr's Black Cobras]].<ref name="FM:Mrp52"/><ref name="FM:Mp48"/><ref name=FMFWL-16>''Field Manual: Free Worlds League'', p. 16: "Mercenary Troops"</ref>

Remaining at their station on Megrez in the aftermath,<ref name=FMFWL-16/> the 789th Striker Regiment were appalled at the LCCC's treatment of their sister regiment and outraged at the general attitude of the LCCC towards mercenaries at this point, which led directly to them leaving the employ of the Free Worlds League, signing on instead with the one nation they had never served: the Draconis Combine.<ref name="MSp29"/>

===Operation BULLDOG===
Their contracts with the Combine led to the Crater Cobras participating in several military campaigns. The first of these was against [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] as a part of [[Operation BULLDOG]] in [[3059]], a series of engagements that took the 789th Striker Regiment from [[Jeanette]] to [[Albiero]]. This was soon followed by the [[Clan Ghost Bear|Ghost Bear]] invasion of [[3062]], where the Cobras supported the [[2nd An Ting Legion]] counterattack on [[Richmond]], which saw the Cobras helping to drive the [[5th Bear Regulars (Clan Ghost Bear)|5th Bear Regulars]] from the planet.  These two campaigns saw the 789th Striker lose all of their support units and more than a third of their 'Mechs, losses that the DCMS helped them replace when the Cobras took up garrison duty on [[Wapakoneta]].<ref name="MSp29"/>

===Jihad===
The upheaval marking the beginning of the [[Jihad]] saw a number of units exercise escape clauses in their contracts and leave Draconis Combine service at short notice, actions that led to a wave of anti-mercenary sentiment sweeping across the Combine, sentiment that caused unrest on Wapakoneta despite the Cobra's loyal service to the Combine up to that point.<ref name="BAp37">''Blake Ascending'', p. 37</ref>

The Cobras were soon one of the few major mercenary units still in the employ of the DCMS, and in late [[3069]] the Cobras boarded DropShips under orders to deploy offworld. While the orders originated within the DCMS, reports from [[3070]] placed the Cobras on [[Luthien]], fighting alongside the resistance against [[Word of Blake]] forces. What hadn't been confirmed as of the end of [[3071]] was whether the Crater Cobras were fighting for forces loyal to the [[Black Dragon Society|Black Dragon]] or the Loyalist forces, both of whom were actively engaging each other and the [[Word of Blake|Blakist]] forces.<ref name="MSUp45">''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 45</ref>

===Dark Age===
Surviving the Jihad and remaining in the employ of the Combine, despite House Kurita's renewed anti-mercenary view, as of [[3079]] the Cobras were stationed on [[Alnasi]] alongside the [[17th Benjamin Regulars]].<ref name=FDDCMS-20>''Field Report: DCMS'', p. 20: "Irregular Forces - Mercenaries"</ref>

The unit was stationed on [[Yamarovka]] in [[3147]] when the planet was raided by the [[8th Bear Cuirassiers (Rasalhague Dominion)|Eighth Bear Cuirassiers]].<ref name="TRO:3150p132">''Technical Readout: 3150'', p. 132: "PXH-11K Phoenix Hawk L"</ref>

At some point following the ''[[Rime Otter|Rime Otter's]]'' debut in [[3146]], the Crater Cobras raided [[Soverzene]] and engaged the [[6th Bear Regulars (Rasalhague Dominion)|Sixth Bear Regulars]] there. Despite taking heavy damage the Sixth's sole ''Rime Otter'' continued fighting day after day, frustrating the Cobras no end.<ref>''Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 19'', p. 4</ref>

===IlClan Era===
The dawn of the [[IlClan Era]] found the Cobras garrisoning the planet [[Yamarovka]], having barely a half regiment. On June [[3152]], they faced a [[Rasalhague Dominion]] invasion of the [[3rd Freemen (Rasalhague Dominion)|Third]] and [[4th Freemen (Rasalhague Dominion)|Fourth Freemen]] Clusters. Both units attacked the planet, where after a series of set-piece battles, the outnumbered Cobras were forced off-planet. The Cobras suffered losses, and the survivors retreated to [[Avon]], though the invasion initially stopped before reaching that planet.<ref>''Dominions Divided'', p. 87</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the 789th Striker Regiment'''
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of Baldwin's Cobras Heavy Brigade'''
|-
| [[Lieutenant General]]||[[Alexander Baldwin]]
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of Crater Cobras'''
|-
| [[Colonel]]||[[Richard Westrick]]||[[3025]]<ref name="HD:TFSp136"/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Shelly Trudeau]]||[[3067]]<ref name="MSp29"/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Emil Barclay]]||[[3085]]<ref name=FM3085p160>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 160</ref>
|-
| Colonel||[[Alma Smith]]||[[3145]]<ref name="FM:3145p182"/>
|-
|}

===Notes===
In [[3067]], the three [[Major|Majors]] commanding the three [[battalion|battalions]] making up the 789th Striker were all former lancemates of Colonel Trudeau.<ref name="MSp29"/>

==Tactics==
They had a wide range of tactics from harassing over dueling to ambushes.

===3067 to 3072===
At this point, the 789th Striker used Bravo and Charlie [[Battalion|Battalions]] as striker units, equipping them with medium and heavy units. Alpha [[Battalion]] was the regimental assault force, fielding mixed companies of medium, heavy and assault [[BattleMech|'Mechs]].<ref name="MSp29"/><ref name="MSUp45"/>

Drawing on years of experience, the Crater Cobras had a range of tactics they were skilled at employing, from hit and run tactics to dueling and beyond; the [[regiment]] specialized in attacking defensive positions using fade attacks and pincer maneuvers.<ref name="MSp29"/><ref name="MSUp45"/>

==Support==
===3025===
At this point in time, the Crater Cobras had enough DropShips to transport both 'Mech regiments and their armor and [[infantry]] support along with the [[aerospace fighter]] contingent. They were also in good shape financially.<ref name="HD:TFSp151"/>

===3067===
The unit owns all transport assets which includes 8 DropShips (6 ''[[Union]]''-class, 2 ''[[Overlord]]''-class) as well as 3 ''[[Invader]]'' JumpShips. The techs can provide excellent support for the entire unit.{{cn}}

==Mercenary Rating==
===3059===
'''Dragoon Rating: A-'''<ref name=FM:M106>''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 106</ref>

===3067===
'''Dragoon Rating: A-'''<ref name="MSp29"/>

===3072===
'''Dragoon Rating: A-'''<ref name="MSUp45"/>

=== 3145 ===
'''Rating''': B<ref name="FM:3145p182"/>

==Composition History==

===2821===
'''Baldwin's Cobras''' (3 regiments)
:'''79th Striker''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name="FSWp-138">''First Succession War'', p. 138</ref> 42%
:: In 2821, the command was reduced to 42 percent of its strength and was deployed on [[Mosiro]].<ref name="FSWp-138"/>
:'''Alexander's Asps''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name="FSWp-138"/>
:: In 2821, the command was reduced to 44 percent of its strength and was deployed on [[Kalmar (FWL)|Kalmar]].<ref name="FSWp-138"/>
:'''Black Cobra''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name="FSWp-138"/>
:: In 2821, the command was reduced to 43 percent of its strength and was deployed on Kalmar.<ref name="FSWp-138"/>

===3025===
'''The Crater-Cobras'''<ref name="HD:TFSp136"/>
:* CO: [[Colonel]] Richard Westrick
:''' 789th Striker Regiment''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name="HD:TFSp136"/>
::(Chan's Choppers)
:''' Westrick's Black Cobras''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name="HD:TFSp136"/>

:Note: At this point in time the units were stationed on [[Deneb Kaitos]]. In addition to the two BattleMech regiments, the Crater Cobras had armor, infantry and fighter support.

===3050===
'''The Crater Cobras''' (2 Regiments)<ref name="20Yup57"/>

'''789th Striker ''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=20YU57>''20 Year Update'', p. 57</ref>
:* CO: Colonel Stephen Prynne<ref name=20YU57/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Megrez.<ref name=20YU57/>
'''Black Cobras ''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=20YU57/>
:* CO: Colonel Thomas Rabelais<ref name=20YU57/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Cascade]].<ref name=20YU57/>

===3054===
'''The Crater Cobras''' (2 Regiments)<ref name="ORp39"/>
:'''789th Striker (Veteran/Reliable)
:* CO: [[Colonel]] Stephen Prynne
:'''Black Cobras (Regular/Reliable)
:* CO: [[Colonel]] Richard Burr

===3059===
'''Crater Cobras (789th Striker Regiment)''' (1 Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)<ref name=FM:M106/>
:* CO: Colonel Stephen Prynne<ref name=FM:M106/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Albiero]].<ref name=FM:M106/>

===3067===
'''Crater Cobras (789th Striker Regiment)''' (1 Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)<ref name="MSp29"/>
* CO: [[Colonel]] Shelly Trudeau
* XO/Alpha [[Battalion]]: [[Major]] Glenn Allen Kosnett
* Bravo [[Battalion]]: [[Major]] Darian Ignakowski
* Charlie [[Battalion]]: [[Major]] Tamara Stryker

In [[3067]] the [[regiment]] had been upgraded to the point that 70% of the unit were using advanced technology, technology that included some Kuritan-made [[OmniMech|OmniMechs]] and a company of Clan 'Mechs captured from the [[Clan Ghost Bear|Ghost Bears]] and [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Smoke Jaguars]].<ref name="MSp29"/>

The 789th Striker still had an [[artillery]] [[battery]] attached to each [[battalion]] at this point, together with a command [[lance]] equipped with Clan 'Mechs. The regiment also deployed a command company, which also included a lance equipped with Clan 'Mechs.<ref name="MSp29"/>

Despite the rebuilding effort and the assistance of the DCMS, the Crater Cobras were only at 90% of full strength by September [[3067]].<ref name="MSp66">''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 66</ref><ref name="FM:Up183">''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 183</ref>

===3079===
'''Crater Cobras ''' (2 Regiments/Regular/Questionable)<ref name=“frdcms20“>''Field Report: DCMS'', p. 20</ref>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Alnasi]], ** and **.<ref name=“frdcms20“/> As of 3079, while the Cobras had expanded back to two regiments in size, they were only at 45% total strength, though they had a 90% upgrade rating.<ref name=FDDCMS-20/>

===3085===
'''Crater Cobras''' (2 Regiments/Regular/Questionable)<ref name=FM3085p160/>
* CO: Colonel Emil Barclay

:- As of 3085, the Cobras were at sixty percent of full strength and under contract to the Draconis Combine. The Cobras were garrisoning two systems, [[Huan]] and [[Misery]].<ref name=FM3085p160/>

=== 3145 ===
'''Crater Cobras''' (Veteran/Reliable)<ref name="FM:3145p182">''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 182: "Notable Mercenary Forces"</ref>
* CO: Colonel Alma Smith<ref name="FM:3145p182"/>

:- As of 3145, the Cobras were at eighty percent of full strength and under contract to the Draconis Combine. The Cobras were garrisoning two systems, [[Avon]] and [[Yamarovka]].<ref name="FM:3145p182"/>

==Color Scheme==
The Cobras paint their 'Mechs' lower torso and legs a forest green camouflage pattern and upper torso, arms and head in a muted robin's-egg blue.<ref name="MSp29"/>

==Notes==
* Although they were in [[Free Worlds League]] service after the [[Fourth Succession War]], they do not appear in the unit breakdown in either ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]'' or ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''.
* Special Rules can be found for the Crater Cobras on ''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 74.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[Blake Ascending]]''
* ''[[Bred for War]]''
* ''[[Dominions Divided]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Free Worlds League]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Field Report: DCMS]]''
* ''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 19]]''
* ''[[Shattered Sphere]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3150]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Crater Cobras]]