Knights of St. Cameron
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The Knights of St. Cameron were a mercenary unit formed during the Third Succession War.
Contents
History
Third Succession War
The Knights were founded in 2956 by Martin Gluck, a MechWarrior who had retired from the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces. The believer in the Cult of the Saints Cameron recruited soldiers who were descendants of Star League Defense Force troopers. Gluck was able to expand his unit to a two-regiment force that had a chivalric belief and behavior. That belief sometimes included defending the poor and otherwise defenseless for free. The unit spent the Third Succession War in poor financial shape because of their willingness to work pro bono. By 3025, General Stan Gluck was in command of the mercenary unit, which was under contract to House Steiner and based on Buena.[1][2]
Clan Invasion
In 3050, the Knights garrisoned Rastaban and Domain. 1st Regiment, on Rastaban, was all but annihilated when Clan Wolf invaded. The 2nd Regiment on Domain was pushed around by the Wolf 352nd Assault Cluster. They fled the Cassawarn Plain for the Kusson Mountains, but the Wolves beat them to the Zazz River. Colonel Dewey pushed for the city of Kusson instead. Though the Wolves took the city easily enough, the Knights gave them the slip.[3]
The Inner Sphere believed that the command was destroyed during the Clan invasion until they resurfaced in 3053. The survivors came back, led by Colonel Felix Dewey, and rebuilt until the FedCom Civil War, aided by a seemingly-endless war chest that allowed them to outfit the Dispossessed. By 3054, the unit was commanded by Colonel Mortimer Dewey.[2][4]
FedCom Civil War
The Knights were garrisoned on the Lyran Alliance world of Ft. Loudon, a strategically vital world on the border with the Clans and the Draconis Combine, when the FedCom Civil War began. The Knights were pro-Katherine but wanted to remain neutral. The pro-Victor Fourth Davion Guards and pro-Katherine Fifth Alliance Guards came to blows on 7 December 3062. Alliance Guards commander Leutnant-General James Ito ordered the Knights into action on 28 December. The Davion commander Marshal Alberta Orsina did not view the merc unit as a threat, while Ito hoped the Knights would be a distraction. The combine Guards-Knights force attacked the Davions in their Carentan base. The Battle of Carentan Plain lasted less than a week before a battalion each of Alliance Guards and Knights executed a combat drop on the Carentan base. The skill with which Second Battalion performed surprised both House units and led to the Davions being dislodged from their base. The Knights captured two conventional regiments before the Davions evacuated on 3 February 3063.[2][5]
By 3067, the unit was stationed on Borghese.[6]
Jihad
In 3069 the unit supported Archer's Avengers (Thorin FTM) against the 7th and 8th Talon Clusters of Clan Jade Falcon during an assault on Baker 3. The fight was brutal. The mercenaries destroyed the 7th Talon, and the 8th took heavy damage. The mercenary unit retreated back to Deia, but the Falcons followed them.[7]
The defense of the joint forces from the Knights, Avengers, and the 2nd Wolf Legion was fierce. The 8th Talon and the 4th Falcon Dragoons fought the defenders to a standstill. Only the arrival of the 1st Falcon Striker Cluster changed the balance in favor of the Falcons. The Knights' aerospace contingent paid a heavy price so that the Inner Sphere units could mount another retreat, this time to Great X.[7] The Falcons claimed dominion over Deia on 15 August 3069.[8]
It would be almost a year-and-a-half before that Knights would have to meet the Falcons again. The four Clusters of Delta Galaxy invaded in early 3071, taking on the 25th Arcturan Guards, the Avengers, and the Knights.[7] The Lyrans were able to destroy the Gyrfalcon Solahma Cluster as the price for the Falcons claiming a beachhead on Great X. The Knights spent the defensive campaign as the mobile reserve. When the Lyran forces destroyed the 8th Talon, Leutnant-General Geiger of the Guards ordered an assault. The Fourth Falcon Dragoons died so the First Falcon Strikers could retreat off-world.[9]
In November 3075, a combined Com Guard-LCAF force assaulted Galatea, intent on liberating the Mercenary's Star from Word of Blake. The coalition faced off against the Blakist Eleventh Division with mercenary support. After a headhunter unit killed the ComStar commander, his successor Precentor Louisa Draga appealed for assistance. Morgan Kell sent the Knights and Tooth of Ymir, who arrived just as 3075 drew to a close. Draga used her own Com Guard forces, augmented by the mercenaries, to directly assault the largest Word contingent. The defenses around Pygmalion held for three days, after which the remaining Blakist forces retreated off-world.[10]
In November 3076, the Knights of St. Cameron seemingly disappeared. The unit was preparing to join in the liberation of the Blake Protectorate when a reported member of the Cult of the Saints Cameron arrived and met with Colonel Dewey and his command staff for three days. The guest left Galatea and the Knights followed him the next day. None of the JumpShips turned up at Alcor, the destination indicated in their flight plans.[11]
Officers
As of 3025 the commanding officer was General Stan Gluck.[12]
From of 3053 to 3054 the commanding officer was Colonel Felix Dewey, who rebuilt the unit after the Clan engagement.[13][4][2]
By 3054, command of the unit lay with Colonel Mortimer Dewey, who commanded the unit through the Jihad.[4][11]
Tactics
The unit fights one-on-one, similar to the zellbrigen of the Clans, though they are not ritually tied to it in the same way.[2]
Support
During the Third Succession War, the Knights were barely able to keep their 'Mechs functioning, though they could count on DropShip support.[1] The post-Clan invasion unit boasted techs that were experts and could meet all demands. In 3067, the unit had two Invader-class JumpShips and enough DropShips to transport the entire unit.[2]
Dragoon Ratings
3067
Dragoon Rating: B+[2]
Composition History
3025
Knights of St. Cameron (2 Regiments/Green/Reliable)[12]
- CO: General Stan Gluck
3040
Knights of St Cameron[14]
- 1st Knights (Regiment/Green/Reliable)
- 2nd Knights (3 Battalions/Green/Reliable)
3050
Knights of St Cameron[13]
1st Knights (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[13]
- CO: General Felix Dewey
2nd Knights (Regiment/Green/Reliable)[13]
- CO: Colonel Mortimer Dewey
3054
Knights of St. Cameron (Regular/Fanatical)[4]
- CO: Colonel Mortimer Dewey
3067
Knights of St. Cameron (1 Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]
- CO: Colonel Mortimer Dewey
- 1st Battalion/XO: Lieutenant Colonel David Robstein
- 2nd Battalion: Major Jenifer Ustus
- 3rd Battalion: Major Kenneth McKinnon
- The medium weight unit can count on heavy/assault designs if needed. Most 'Mechs are upgraded.
Angels of St. Cameron (1 Wing/Veteran/Reliable)[2]
- Wing Commander: Major Salvador Ben-Shimon
- Like the 'Mech regiment, the Angels are a mostly medium-weight unit that is mostly upgraded.
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 80, "Unit Profile"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 83
- ↑ Jihad Conspiracies, p. 71, "The Knights of St. Cameron"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Objective Raids, p. 21
- ↑ FedCom Civil War, pp. 33-34, "Ft. Loudon"
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 68, "Lyran Alliance"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 79
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 19, "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 48, "Falcons return to Great X, Zanderij"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 63, "Galatea Secured"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, pp. 102-103, "Knights of St. Cameron Vanish"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 120, "LCAF Deployment Table - 3025"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 20 Year Update, p. 26, "AFFC Deployment Table - 3050"
- ↑ Historical: War of 3039 , p. 141