Editing Narhal's Raiders

{{Update Needed|[[First Succession War (sourcebook)]]|[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)]]|[[Dominions Divided]]}}
{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[Image:Narhals Raiders logo.svg|150px|Insignia of Narhal's Raiders]]
| Designation = Narhal's Raiders
| Formed = [[2799]]<ref name=FSWp35>''First Succession War'' (sourcebook), p. 35</ref>
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = 
| Affiliation = [[Mercenary]]
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command = 
}}
'''Narhal's Raiders''' are a regimental-sized [[mercenary unit]] in the [[Inner Sphere]]. They have fought for the Lyran Commonwealth, Capellan Confederation, Draconis Combine, and Federated Suns throughout their lengthy career, but are currently well known for their loyalty to the Federated Suns. 

==History==
===First Succession War===
During the [[First Succession War]], a [[Star League Defense Force]][[Narhal's Raiders#Note 1|*]] regiment fled to the Periphery. There, they teamed up with the remnants of a [[BattleMech]] regiment from the [[Rim Worlds Republic]] and the two formed Narhal's Raiders in 2799[[Narhal's Raiders#Note 1|*]].<ref name=FSWp35/> The unit was named after both the commanding officer, Tyilik Narhal, and the [[Narhal Rover]], a predator from Tyilik's homeworld and was initially composed of two regiments.  These were aptly titled the First and Second Narhal's Raiders.  Under Narhal's leadership the Raiders lived a life of banditry, plundering worlds of the [[Free Worlds League]] and [[Capellan Confederation]] to sustain itself.  After ten years of this piracy, however, the Narhal family member that was then commanding of the unit was ousted by Ustinov Matthews, who along with many of the Raiders' troops had soured of the raiding life.  Under his new leadership, the Raiders sought official contracts with the [[Capellan Confederation]] and the [[Federated Suns]].  At some point during their employment by the two houses, the Second Narhal's Raiders were destroyed 2819 and their survivors folded into the First.<ref name=FSWp136>''First Succession War'', p. 136, "Capellan  Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"</ref> In 2821, they were listed as officially contracted with the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces.<ref name=FSWp136/><ref name=HSp65>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 65</ref>  
===Second Succession War===
Shortly before the [[Second Succession War]] in [[2830]], the unit signed a contract with the [[Lyran Commonwealth]].  They briefly returned to employment with the [[CCAF]] from [[2849]] to [[2859]], but this choice proved so disastrous that they returned back to the Lyran Commonwealth immediately upon the contract's conclusion.  They remained in the Commonwealth's employ all the way up to the [[Fourth Succession War]].<ref name=HSp65/><ref name=SSWp96>''Second Succession War'', p. 96, "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces"</ref>

Due to intentional interference from Commonwealth officials, the Raiders found themselves in increasingly poor financial shape. For several years they were trapped under a steadily growing mountain of debt that forced them to remain in the LCAF's "company store" and stay under contract to the Commonwealth.  This changed in [[2866]], when [[Archon]] [[Elizabeth Steiner]] intentionally renegotiated the contract to be more in the Raiders' favor.  Thanks to this intervention, the Raiders slowly grew in morale, equipment, and materiel.<ref name=HSp65/>

===Third Succession War===
By the time of the Third Succession War, the Raiders had enjoyed enough success that they were able to reform their second regiment and again operated as the First and Second Narhal's Raiders.<ref name=HSp119/>  In November [[3021]], the Raiders defended [[New Ivaarsen]] while under a contract to [[House Davion]]. The inexperienced garrison commander, Lieutenant Commander Arlin Stuart, sought to conserve his forces in fortified positions and let the mercenaries do most of the strategically important fighting.  This lead to heavy losses for the mercenaries, while the House unit remained untouched.  When the [[7th Crucis Lancers]], including [[McKinnon's Raiders]], arrived to relieve the defenders, Captain Lewis Gilbert and the battalion of Narhal's Raiders under his command were on the verge of abandoning their post and surrendering to the Kuritans.  Acknowledging that the mercenaries' grievance was legitimate, Lieutenant Karl Ryder challenged Gilbert to a one on one duel to return his unit to their duty, with the promise that the wrongs done to them by Stuart would be corrected.<ref>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', pp. 22-23</ref>

===Fourth Succession War===
The unit had returned to the employ of the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] by the beginning of the [[Fourth Succession War]]. The First Narhal's Raiders landed on [[Wheel]] in support of [[Hansen's Roughriders]] and engaged the [[Tooth of Ymir]] in a series of honor duels. The Raiders and Roughriders won, and the Tooth withdrew.<ref>''The Fourth Succession War Scenarios Volume One'', p. 26</ref><ref name=FSWAp45>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 45, "Operation GOTTERDAMMERUNG"</ref> The Second Narhal's Raiders faced off against the defenders of [[Volders]] in November [[3028]] alongside [[Snord's Irregulars]].<ref name=FSWAp45/><ref name="RIp34+">''Rhonda's Irregulars'', pp. 34-35, "Tanks A Lot"</ref>

===War of 3039 and Clan Invasion===
The Raiders were not tapped to participate in the abortive War of 3039, and remained at their assigned garrison worlds throughout the duration of the conflict.<ref name=HWo3039p141/>

In late [[3051]], Narhal's Raiders had been redeployed to [[Benfled]] to assist with efforts to defend worlds threatened by the invading Clans.  Benfled was squarely in the path of the [[Invasion corridor - Clan Steel Viper|Clan Steel Viper invasion corridor]] and the Raiders engaged the Clan Steel Viper [[Alpha Galaxy (Clan Steel Viper)|Alpha Galaxy's]] [[400th Assault (Clan Steel Viper)|400th Assault Cluster]] as they made planetfall.  The Steel Viper attack was so fierce that the Raiders were forced to retreat in just four hours, losing an entire regiment to the Clan warriors' ferocious and wily tactics.<ref name=ER3052>''Era Report: 3052'', p. 59, "400th Assault Cluster (The Diamondbacks)"</ref>  They were rotated back to the Federated Commonwealth's rear lines to serve as a garrison force on Clermont while they rebuilt.

Following the secession of the [[Lyran Alliance]] from the [[Federated Commonwealth]] in [[3057]], the Raiders were released from their contract after Colonel Giraudoux threatened to attack the newly-minted [[Lyran Alliance Armed Forces]] in Prince [[Victor Steiner-Davion|Victor]]'s name.  The Raiders rotated to [[Outreach]], where they spent their contract fee upgrading and expanding their 'Mech roster.  While on Outreach Giraudoux refused any and all attempted meetings from the LAAF's mercenary liaison.  When the LAAF officer finally confronted him in public, Giraudoux loudly expounded upon his low opinion of Archon [[Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine]] in a tirade that quickly spread across Federated Commonwealth news networks.  The Raiders immediately accepted a contract with the [[Draconis Combine]] to garrison [[Kilmarnock]], freeing up the veteran [[DCMS]] regiments that were there to participate in [[Operation Bulldog]].<ref name= FMMercsp77>''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 77, "Narhal's Raiders"</ref>

===Combine-Dominion War===
Upon the conclusion of Operation Bulldog, they were reassigned to [[Rockland]] and were present on that world when the [[Ghost Bear Dominion]] invaded the Draconis Combine.  As Rockland was not one of the worlds targeted by the Dominion, the Raiders were tasked with launching a counterattack against the Dominion's forces on [[Thule]], and there faced off against [[Pi Galaxy (Clan Ghost Bear)|Pi Galaxy]].  The Raiders attempted a direct head-on confrontation that cost them a full company of 'Mechs before they closed with the Clan Ghost Bear warriors.  Once they closed they continued to take heavy casualties, losing another company while destroying approximately thirty Clan 'Mechs.  Realizing that reinforcements were imminent and knowing that they likely would not last another bout, the Raiders salvaged what they could and left the world.  Colonel Giraudoux was forced to disband the fourth battalion due to the losses the Raiders had sustained, and the unit shrank to the size of a traditional regiment.<ref name=FMMRp92>''Field Manual: MErcenaries (Revised)'', p. 92, "Narhal's Raiders"</ref>

===FedCom Civil War===
Following the end of the [[First Combine-Dominion War|Combine-Dominion War]], the Raiders found themselves reassigned to the Combine's [[Draconis March]] border after the Federated Suns province attacked the Combine.  Seeing that the Civil War was reaching its final stages and noting that the Combine had treated them well, the Raiders elected to stay out of the conflict and renew their contract with the DCMS.  Giraudoux was still loyal to First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion, however, and had no desire to fight against [[Allies (FCCW)|Allied]] units that he felt could be used to help against Katherine, so he pushed for the Raiders to be assigned garrison duty on [[Fellanin II]].<ref name=FMMRp92/> 
===Jihad===
In December [[3067]], an operative from the [[Federated Suns]]' [[Ministry of Information, Intelligence, and Operations]] alerted Colonel Giraudoux that there were prisoner-of-war camps located within the [[Draconis Combine]] that had been converted to slave labor.  When Giraudoux attempted to confirm or deny these rumors with his employer, he was stonewalled and threatened.  No longer able to trust the Combine, Giraudoux decided not to renew the Raiders' contract when it expired.<ref name=MSUp91>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 91, "Narhal's Raiders"</ref>

In July [[3068]], the Raiders were assisting the [[First Ghost Regiment]] in their efforts to locate a group of guerilla fighters that had slipped on world and had evaded the DCMS regulars.  The Raiders were able to locate this group almost immediately and they surrendered without a struggle, identifying themselves as the MIIO operatives that previously made contact with the Raiders.  The team leader informed Giraudoux that there was a converted POW camp located next First Ghost's base on the other side of Fellanin II.  Giraudoux hid the MIIO operatives in the brig of one of his DropShips and transmitted to the First Ghost that the Raiders had located and destroyed the guerillas as ordered.  As the Raiders lifted off to redeploy, Giraudoux's curiosity overcame him and ordered a reconnaissance flight to sweep the DCMS base and confirm or deny the rumors.  As the flight came within range of the base, they were immediately fired upon, but were able to confirm the MIIO operatives' story.  Incensed, Giraudoux ordered Narhal's Raiders into action. They attacked the POW camp and were able to were able to liberate the majority of the captives despite a fierce battle with the First Ghost.  The MIIO team was able to order an extraction and the Raiders were able to escape across the border on a [[Federated Suns]] [[JumpShip]] that arrived in-system via pirate point.<ref name=MSUp91/>

On their arrival in the [[Draconis March]], the mercenaries were hailed as heroes, saviors who heeded their consciences over their wallets.  Duke [[Tancred Sandoval]] quickly offered them a new contract even as the DCMS lodged a complaint with the [[Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission]] over their desertion, alleging that Giradoux had escorted prisoners to that very camp and that the reconnaissance flight had been on an attack run that had refused to break off.  Giraudoux categorically denied these claims.  The Raiders were the target of multiple reprisal raids from Combine troops, which though they were successful in repulsing, left a full two companies of their 'Mechs stuck in their repair bays.<ref name=MSUp91/>

===Dark Age===
Records regarding the Narhal's Raiders service and history during the Jihad are spotty and incomplete, but they managed to survive the catastrophic conflict, still in the employ of the Federated Suns.<ref name=FM3085>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 160, "Notable Mercenary Forces"</ref>  In similar vein, the Raiders weathered the dearth of mercenary contracts during the time of the Republic.  They were assigned by the AFFS to garrison [[Tigress]] at some point, and were forced off of that world by [[Laurel's Legion]] between [[3135]] and [[3145]].<ref name=FM3145>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 33, "Laurel's Legion"</ref>  The Raiders then presumably fell back to the recently-liberated world of [[Mara]], where they remained in garrison until [[3151]], when they were attacked by the DCMS's [[Sixth Benjamin Regulars]].  The Raiders had by that time endured nearly ten years of difficult, taxing operations, and were in no shape to fight a full-strength Combine front line unit.  Nevertheless, the Raiders' commander, Colonel Juan Pablo Diaz, resolved to hold Mara for as long as possible.  The Raiders mounted a lengthy guerilla warfare campaign, using dirt landing strips, constantly-relocated aerospace assets, and hit and run tactics to harry the Sixth Regulars at every turn.  Despite the attrition amongst their battered forces, it was not until the DCMS discovered the location of the Raiders' newest landing strip and launched an overwhelming raid against it that the Raiders were finally forced to retreat offworld.  As of the most recent reports, the Raiders were only able to field a short battalion of BattleMechs, though the Federated Suns has made nebulous promises to replenish their losses at some point in the future.<ref name=DDp95>''Dominions Divided'', p. 95, "Narhal's Raiders"</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 Narhal's Raiders'''
|-
| ||[[Tyilik Narhal]]||
|-
| ||Tyilik Narhal'son||? - [[2799]]
|-
| [[General]]||[[Ustinov Matthews]]||2799 -
|-
| [[Leutnant-General]]||[[William Matthews]]||[[3025]] - [[3028]]<ref name=HSp119/><ref name=4SWp48>''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 48: "Operation Gotterdammerung - Wheel"</ref>
|-
| Leftenant General||[[Pedro Antonio Giraudoux]]||[[3054]]<ref name=MWobraidp22/>
|-
| [[Colonel]]||Pedro Antonio Giraudoux||[[3059]] - [[3071]]<ref name= FMMercsp77/><ref name=MSUp91/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Juan Pablo Diaz]]||[[3145]]<ref name=FM:3145p182>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 182, "Notable Mercenary Forces - Federated Suns"</ref>
|-
|}

==Tactics==
Though they originally employed a strategy of brutal, straightforward assaults, the Narhal's Raiders were forced to evaluate their tactics after repeated clashes with Clan forces.  Though still lovers of close quarters battle, physical 'Mech attacks, and concentration of fire, they have integrated some rudimentary flanking tactics into their battle plans.<ref name=FMMRp92/>

==Mercenary Rating==
===3059===
'''Dragoons Rating: C+''' <ref name= FMMercsp77/>

===3067===
'''Dragoons Rating: C+''' <ref name=FMMRp92/>
===3071===
'''Dragoons Rating: F''' (under review)<ref name=MSUp91/>

==Composition History==

===2786 - 2821===
'''1st Narhal's Raiders ''' (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)<ref name="FSWp136"/>
*Base: [[Ullieri]]<ref name="FSWp136"/>

'''2nd Narhal's Raiders ''' (Regiment/Regular/Questionable)  <ref name="FSWp136"/>
*Note: The light-weight command was destroyed in 2819; no post was listed for 2786.<ref name="FSWp136"/>

===2830===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Elite/Questionable)<ref name=SSWp100>''Second Succession War'', p. 96, "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces"</ref>
*Base: [[Sudeten]]<ref name=SSWp100/>

===2864===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Elite/Questionable)<ref name=SSWp100/>
*Base: [[Bolan]]<ref name=SSWp100/>

===3025===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (2 [[Regiment]]s/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=HSp119>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 119</ref>
*CO: [[Leutnant-General]] [[William Matthews]]<ref name=HSp119/>
*Base: [[Poulsbo]]<ref name=HSp119/>

===3028===
'''1st Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Regular)
*CO: Leutnant-General William Matthews<ref name=FSWAp48>''NAIS Fourth Succession War Military Atlas, Volume 1'', p. 48, "Wheel"</ref>
*Base: [[Poulsbo]]<ref name=FSWAp45/>
*Note: General Matthews commanded the First Narhal's Raiders on [[Wheel]] during the Fourth Succession War.<ref name=FSWAp48/>
'''2nd Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Regular)
*CO: Leutnant-General Thomas Gerould
*Base: [[Poulsbo]]<ref name=FSWAp45/>
*Note: General Gerould commanded the Second Narhal's Raiders on [[Volders]] during the Fourth Succession War.<ref name=RIp34+/>

===3038 - 3040===
'''1st Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=HWo3039p141/>
*Base: [[Imbros III]]<ref name=HWo3039p141>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 141</ref>
'''2nd Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=HWo3039p141/>
*Base: [[Yorii]]<ref name=HWo3039p141/>

===3050===
'''1st Narhal's Raiders ''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) <ref name = 20yup26/>
*CO: Leutnant-General Thomas Gerould <ref name = 20yup26/>	
*Base: [[Imbros III]]<ref name = 20yup26>''20 Year Update'', p. 26</ref>

'''2nd Narhal's Raiders ''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) <ref name = 20yup26/>
*CO: Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux <ref name = 20yup26/>	
*Base: [[Yorii]]<ref name = 20yup26>''20 Year Update'', p. 26</ref>

===3054===	
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (1 Reinforced Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=MWobraidp22>''Objective Raids'', p. 22</ref> 	
*CO: [[Leftenant General]] [[Pedro Antonio Giraudoux]]<ref name=MWobraidp22/>
*Base: [[Clermont]]<ref name=MWobraidp22/>

===3059===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (1 Reinforced Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name = FMMercsp106>'' Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 106</ref>
*CO: Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux<ref name= FMMercsp106/>
*Base: [[Kilmarnock]]<ref name = FMMercsp106/>
:* XO/1st [[Battalion]] CO: Lt. Colonel Luigi Froeze
:* 2nd Battalion CO: [[Major]] Geraldine Tolly
:* 3rd Battalion CO: Major Brett Marionetti
:* 4th Battalion CO: Major Trey Sun Lok

'''Narhal's Flock''' (2 understrength squadrons/Veteran)<ref name= FMMercsp77/>
* CO: Major Jesse Hastings<ref name= FMMercsp77/>

===3067===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=FMMRp92/>
* CO: Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux<ref name=FMMRp92/>
*Base: [[Fellanin II]]<ref name=FMMRp92/>
:* XO/1st [[Battalion]] CO: Lt. Colonel Luigi Froeze
:* 2nd Battalion CO: [[Major]] Geraldine Tolly
:* 3rd Battalion CO: : Major Trey Sun Lok

'''Narhal's Flock''' (1 Wing/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=FMMRp92/>
*CO: Maj. Jessica Luch<ref name=FMMRp92/>

===3071===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (1 Regiment)<ref name=MSUp91/>
*CO: Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux<ref name=MSUp91/>
*Base: [[Royal]]<ref name=MSUp91/>

===3085===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=FM3085/>
*CO: Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux<ref name=FM3085/>
*Base: [[Xhosa VII]]<ref name=FM3085/>

===3145===
'''Narhal's Raiders''' (Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=FM:3145p182/>
*CO: Colonel Juan Pablo Diaz<ref name=FM:3145p182/>
*Base: [[Tybalt]]<ref name=FM:3145p182/>

==Color Scheme and Unit Insignia==
Narhal's Raiders use a standardized brown and green camouflage pattern that is only changed when it significantly clashes with their operating environment.  They use the stylized skull of a Narhal Rover against a blue disc outline in white for their emblem.<ref name= FMMercsp77/>

==Notes==
*<span id="Note 1">''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)''</span> states a fleeing Marik regiment combined with a RWR regiment in 2899. This date cannot be correct given the other information in the unit profile, and ''First Succession War'' (sourcebook) states that an SLDF and RWR unit merged in 2799, not Marik and RWR.  Conflicting information found in ''First Succession War'' (sourcebook) supersedes the previous source, [https://bg.battletech.com/forums/ask-the-lead-developers/when-did-narhal-s-raiders-go-from-pirate-to-mercenary/ as confirmed by Line Developer, Ray Arrastia (as Adrian Gideon)]. 

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Camomercsnarhailsraiders.png|A ''[[Spector]]'' in Narhal's Raiders colors.
</gallery> ‎

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries]]'', p. 77
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]'', p. 92
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)]]''
* ''[[The Fourth Succession War Scenarios Volume One]]''
* ''[[The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]'' 
* ''[[House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''
* ''[[NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Rhonda's Irregulars (scenario pack)]]''


[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Narhal's Raiders]]