Death Commandos

The absolute elite of the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF), the Death Commandos are among the most feared units in the Inner Sphere. They are meant to counterbalance the Warrior Houses (which exist outside of the regular Capellan military and are loyal directly to the person of the Chancellor), and appease feelings of jealousy within the CCAF by giving the military a similarly prestigious and capable unit. Their skills and wide-ranging authority raised misgivings even within the CCAF, which were partially satisfied when Chancellor Maximilian Liao opened membership to any sufficiently distinguished CCAF officer in 3003.

Unofficially known as the Chancellor's "storm troopers", members of the Death Commandos have very wide latitude in the performance of their duties. For example, they are allowed, on their own authority, to summarily execute any Capellan soldier, and even members of the nobility, under certain circumstances.

Befitting their role, the Death Commandos have unrestricted access to whatever equipment they need. In another example of their wide-ranging authority, they can confiscate equipment from any other CCAF unit. In addition, each Death Commando is allowed two BattleMechs.

History

Formation

The Death Commandos were created by Chancellor Tormax Liao in 2988, initially by drawing troops from the Warrior Houses. This created an elite and fanatically loyal unit which also benefited from the unique training regimen imposed by the Warrior Houses. Each member of the Death Commandos was a multi-skilled soldier, trained both as MechWarriors and in black ops.

3rd Succession War

The Death Commandos participated in the invasion of Stein's Folly in 3025.

Fourth Succession War

During the Fourth Succession War, the Death Commandos (at the time only a single battalion in strength) were sent to raid Kathil, but were betrayed by intelligence passed to the Federated Suns by Justin Xiang Allard. Only nine Death Commandos returned from this mission.

Near the end of the war, the Death Commandos supposedly attacked the New Avalon Institute of Science. It is not widely known that this was, in fact, a covert assault by the ComGuard of ComStar, disguised as Death Commandos.

It took until 3041 to rebuild the battalion, and a second battalion was formed in 3055 with two Companies, reaching full strength in 3060. The Death Commandos were always intended to be a full regiment, but the high standards for entry meant that recruiting was difficult.

Operation Guerrero

In 3057, prior to Operation Guerrero, Sun-Tzu Liao sent Death Commando Loren Jaffray to Northwind as part of a plot to destroy the Northwind Highlanders for their betrayal of the Confederation during the Fourth Succession War. Jaffray, the son of former Highlander members who had remained in House Liao's service after the war, ultimately defected to the Highlanders, which the Chancellor apparently did not object to as the Federated Commonwealth was still deprived of the Highlanders' service as a result of the mission.

Two battalions of Death Commandos arrived in Northwind space soon after Jaffrey in support of his mission. Though never activated by Loren Jaffray, the Commandos did intercept the 3rd Royal Guards RCT diversionary force that lured Northwind's aerospace fighters away from the planet, inflicting considering damage.

The operation destroyed the 3rd Royal Guards RCT and the Armored Infantry Battalion of the 2nd NAIS Cadre.

Operation Bulldog

During Operation Bulldog, the Death Commandos were one of the only elite defensive forces left on Sian. The rest of the defenders were assigned to Star League Defense Force task forces.

Xin Sheng Campaign

During the Xin Sheng Campaign, the Death Commandos took over the pacification of Wei after a "rebel" nerve gas attack killed an entire Battalion of the 1st McCarron's Armored Cavalry, allotted just seven days to complete their mission.

On the first day, the Commandos infiltrated Wei without BattleMechs to avoid giving away their DropShips, seizing control of a major communications center to deliver a demand for the Wei government's unconditional surrender within thirty minutes, if refused the demand would be made again in exactly one week.

Blowing up the center after thirty-one minutes when the government declined to answer, over the next six hours the Commandos systematically eliminated thirty-seven highly placed government officials and military officers. Forty-eight hours after the initial surrender demand was made, the highest-ranking officer left on the world was a Major and the Death Commandos had destroyed the planet's three largest supply depots and primary space tracking station, finally allowing their DropShips and BattleMechs to strike without mercy.

By the sixth day, a newly-formed Wei administration had begun to desperately transmit its surrender on all frequencies, all of which the Commandos ignored, instead focusing on shattering the last vestiges of the planet's militia. On the seventh day the Commandos mopped up any straggling military resistance before one of their DropShips dramatically leveled the planet's primary government buildings, finally accepting Wei's surrender at midnight, exactly seven days from their initial demand.

After the formation of the Fronc Reaches, the new government made noises about including Detroit in the new nation. The Death Commandos were stationed on Repulse, and the request immediately went away. Sang-shao Korskav delivered a package to the new government's leaders, and shortly thereafter the Reaches closed their borders to all traffic except the most essential. In 3067 the Commandos were stationed on Castrovia.

Jihad

During the Jihad the Death Commandos inflicted critical damage on the shipyards at Kathil and rescued Kai Allard-Liao from New Syrtis during Operation THUNDERSTRIKE. Elements of the Commandos also took part in the battle to recapture Imalda, acting alongside the 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry against the defending 21st Illician Rangers until lack of supplies forced the Illician Lancers to give up their guerrilla campaign and retreat to Sendalor. The Death Commandos would defend Sian from the Word of Blake attacks, protected Thomas Marik during his visit in 3073, and captured Kali Liao on Highspire to bring her to Sian. In addition, a company of Death Commandos escorted the Magestrix to her home in the Magistracy of Canopus.

During the first Battle of Sian, the Death Commandos fought alongside the Red Lancers and 3rd Canopian Fusiliers. Several of the Death Commando's senior officers actually assumed control of the Red Lancers when that unit's command staff was killed. Several Death Commando lances surrounded the Dragon's Breath mercenary unit when they attacked the Forbidden City. They rapidly destroyed the mercenary unit. In 3074 small groups of Death Commandos were sent out to discover the Word of Blake's hidden staging areas. They did so, but at a high cost to their ranks.

The commander during the Jihad, Michael Hyung-Tsei, killed a Warrior House Rakshasa cyborg by ripping out his trachea bare-handed. Later he oversaw the operation to liberate Kai Allard-Liao from the Capellan March. The Death Commandos were posted on Sian in 3085.

Dark Age

In January 3145 a Death Commando team raided New Syrtis and captured Duchess Amanda Hasek. On their way out of the Hasek Ancestral Palace, the Commandos were interrupted and arranged for the destruction of the Palace as a diversion. There were also some rumors that the Death Commandos had dispatched hit squads to kill Jacob Bannson. Later in 3145, they participated in the CCAF assault on Tikonov. While there they destroyed an Armed Forces of the Federated Suns ammunition dump and faced the 3rd Federated Suns Lancers. The Commandos killed nearly half the Lancers.

Officers

As of 3063 to 3067, the commanding officer was Jiang-jun Michael Hyung-Tsei, who had been in command for the past fifteen years. He was the first commander who did not come from a Warrior House.

In 3085 the unit was commanded by Jiang-jun Kuhyen Zhen-Nei.

In 3145 a battalion was commanded by Sao-shao Herman Wu.

Composition History

3025

Death Commandos (Battalion/Elite/Fanatical)

3063

Death Commandos (Two Battalions/Elite/Fanatical)

• CO: Jiang-jun Michael Hyung-Tsei

• 1st Battalion: Sang-shao Thad Roonstock
• 2nd Battalion: Sang-shao Vladimir Korskav

- Independent Command Lance

3067

Death Commandos (Elite/Fanatical)

• CO: Jiang-jun Michael Hyung-Tsei

3079

Given the hard fighting that took place during the Jihad years, the Death Commandos were greatly reduced in numbers. An exact figure is impossible to know, but they lost at least a battalion of troops in various high-risk missions.

3085

Death Commandos (One Battalion/Elite/Fanatical)

• CO: Jiang-jun Kuhyen Zhen-Nei

Color Scheme

Death Commando soldiers paint their BattleMechs black, occasionally trimming them with Liao Green. They do not place the Confederation crest on their 'Mechs, but instead use their unit insignia.

Notes

• The Death Commandos are trained in all forms of combat.
• All Death Commandos are officers, holding a rank one grade above that required for their position in the unit, which allows them to take command of other CCAF forces as necessary.

Game Rules

Dark Age

The Death Commandos ignore any special ability of an enemy regiment that affects an opposing force (for example, if the Commando's opponents normally inflict an Initiative penalty on their foes, the Commandos ignore it). They determine their forces from any Inner Sphere Random Assignment Table. If an enemy force lacks an Elite rating, it suffers a -2 Initiative penalty. Finally, the Commando player selects and uses two of these special abilities at the start of a game: Banking Initiative, Forcing Initiative, Off-Map Movement, and Overrun Combat.

Bibliography

• Dagger Point (novel)
• Field Manual: Capellan Confederation
• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report: CCAF
• Highlander Gambit (novel)
• Historical: War of 3039
• Jihad Turning Points: Sian
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update
• Objective Raids
• Threads of Ambition (novel)
• Era Report: 3145
• Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation