Difference between revisions of "Sathen's Snipers"

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*'''Transportation Assets'''
 
*'''Transportation Assets'''
**''[[Invader]]'' Class [[JumpShip]], ''Implied Odds''
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**''[[Invader]]'' Class [[JumpShip]], ''[[Implied Odds]]''
**''[[Fortress]]'' Class [[DropShip]], ''All In''
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**''[[Fortress]]'' Class [[DropShip]], ''[[All In]]''
**''[[Seeker]]'' Class Infantry Carrier DropShip, ''Bad Beat''
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**''[[Seeker]]'' Class Infantry Carrier DropShip, ''[[Bad Beat]]''
**''[[Assault Triumph]]'' DropShip, ''Kicker''
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**''[[Assault Triumph]]'' DropShip, ''[[Kicker]]''
  
 
==Rules==
 
==Rules==

Revision as of 16:50, 26 January 2013

Template:InfoBoxMercUnit

Unit Description

Originally a single combined-arms Battalion of medium-light BattleMechs, which mixes up 'Mech and conventional forces tightly, while maintaining separate Aerospace company.


History

Marik Civil War, Formation, and Early Years

The unit's origins were relatively unknown until late 3060s, and for good reasons. Founded by a Marik Force Commander Branden Kesteel in 3015, in the aftermath of Wolf's Dragoons assault on New Delos. Kestreel had been the commander of the Planets garrison battalion, carefully kept his unit separated by the conflict of Marik Civil War (3014-3015). When Anton Marik murdered the Dragoon's dependents (including the Black Window's lover), Kesteel's battalion was fought defensive actions to keep his command alive against the elite mercenary unit. He managed to get majority of his force (its families) off world at the cost of his Heavier 'Mech units. He then knowing the consequences of being associated with renegade Captain-General, choose to undertake a quiet exodus from House Marik and become a freelance mercenary unit. Choosing to make sure the unit origins were never revealed and never take contracts with their former homeland[1].

The unit's escape including bringing like-minded JumpShip and Dropships crews with them. Kestreel's character and his means giving unit sense of family became the cornerstone of their survival as a unit. As part of their survival tactics, the unit kept itself small. Much of lack of its heavy BattleMech force was part of these guise of protection. In their early times as Snipers, the unit took on pirate hunting for various factions.

Clans and the 3060s

The unit had degree of success against the Clans due to its unusual tactics.

In the early 3060s, Major Branden Kesteel turned active combat leadership of the unit to his daughter Illuminada Kesteel. Her ascendancy as active leader of the unit led the unit in new direction, a direction which is questioned in grumbling among her people. In 3062, the Sniper's took a contract in employee of the Word of Blake. Under the Blakist's lucrative contract the unit expanded into include a second Battalion, with addition of Assault Triumph DropShip and additional equipment. This also allowed Snipers become independent of support for long periods of time, but also sparked internal problems in mercenary's unit history.[1] In September 3067, they were contracted by the Word of Blake to garrison the world Caph in the newly formed Word of Blake Protectorate. However, within two weeks of their garrison mission, they were reassigned to new duty. A mysterious individual only known a Emerald, whom now taken over their contract. They were then shipped through series of cargo ships to undisclosed location. Though this period, the Snipers unaware where they were and whom they were working for.

Battle for Luthien

The contract the unit came under turned out to be for the renegade faction of the Draconis Combine known as the Black Dragon Society or Kokuryu-kai.[2] The unit was unaware they were even on Luthien until they were operating on their first mission.[3] Among the actions it participated in during the time of Koruryu-kai's Battle for Luthien, included the battle at the Imperial Palace on New Year's Day, 3068. Once assigned to the Kokuryu-kai's faction of the 2nd Sword of Light, the Snipers battled the Otomo, Izanagi Warriors and the Loyalist 3rd Luthien Guards. The Snipers covered the flanks of the 2nd Sword during this action. The battle went well for the Snipers' employers, forcing the defenders to withdraw and allowing the Kokuryu-kai's capture of the Otomo's infantry commander, Franklin Sakamoto.[4] However, the unit took heavy damage as Emerald had directed them, in-mid battle, to protect Tai-sa To of the 2nd Sword, which they did by engaging the 3rd Luthien Guard during that unit's retreat from the palace grounds. The Snipers withdrew to underground warehouses near the palace.

Within weeks of the Kokuryu-kai's attacks, the 1st Genyosha and the Word of Blake's 9th Division arrived on the planet. The new arrivals split off to take portions of Imperial City, creating a three-way stalemate. On January 31st, 3068, three tactical nuclear devices were detonated in LAW's Mega Manufacturing complex, crippling the 1st Genyosha in the process.

On 18 July 3069, the 2nd Sword of Light, along with the 6th Benjamin Regulars and 40th Dieron Regulars, moved to disrupt the effectiveness of the Loyalist forces operating in the vicinity of the LAW City ruins on Guthry Island. However, they first encountered and then engaged a 9th Division salvage team, which they rolled over. The Snipers (now under a Word contract) assisted in the defense of the salvage team. [See note regarding the Sniper hiring timeline below.][5]

Through 3069, the Snipers conducted eight sorties against Loyalist 1st Genyosha and 9th Division positions. During this period, the Snipers' infantry used the subway tunnels to conduct their trademark hit-and-fade attacks against their opponents. They also salvaged heavier BattleMechs. The conflict turned against the Sathen's Snipers in early 3071 when the 2nd Sword's Tai-sa To's headquarters were overrun by Blake forces, killing To.[3] The Snipers surrendered to the 9th Division.[2] The Word of Blake informed Major Kesteel that her unit was branded as contract-breakers, as no records existed of a transfer to any individual named "Emerald". However, the 9th's leadership decided the Snipers were tricked and Major Kesteel managed to win the release of her unit's equipment. She also convinced the 9th to hire them as their supplemental security force.[2] The unit had been pared down to two companies' worth of troops by this time. The Snipers were able to acquire more equipment (through through the Word of Blake) and hired local yakuza to bring them back to its pre-Jihad strength of two battalions. The unit garrisoned the 9th Division's headquarters near the Takashi Memorial Starport, 700 kilometers outside the Imperial City.

During this time, the Snipers' DropShips were temporary employed as part of the Word of Blake's fleet of blockaders. They accounted for the destruction of four Union DropShips running the blockade.[3]

The Snipers kept fighting for the next couple of years through exhausting endless fighting, before withdrawing from the planet in early 3073 due to fatigue.[2] They were replaced by the Word of Blake Militia's 32nd Division.[6]

Mercenary Ratings

3067

Dragoons Rating: B

3071

Dragoons Rating: Wanted


Officers

As of 3025, the commanding officer was Major Branden Kesteel.[1]

As of 3062, the commanding officer was Major Illuminada Kesteel.[1]

As of 3067, the commanding officer was Colonel Scott "Druid" Crandall[7]

As of late 3067, the commanding officer was again Major Illuminada Kesteel[2]

Tactics

The unit utilizes its fast 'Mechs, complimented by its vehicles and mechanized infantry. The unit developed and employs diversion tactics to distract their opposition from what Sniper's actual goal is.[1]


Composition

3016

  • Single Combined Arms Battalion
    • (Each battalion broken down two companies of mixed 'Mech, Vehicles and infantry, and one company of Aerospace Fighters.) Unit does not employ heavy or assault class 'Mechs.

3067

  • (2 Combined Arms battalions)
    • (Each battalion is broken down into two companies of mixed 'Mechs, vehicles and infantry, and one company of Aerospace Fighters.)

Rules

Game Rules

During the Battle of Luthien, all heavy direct-fire weaponry receives a negative modifier to hit.[2]

Notes

  • The inclusion of Sathan's Snipers in the "Bullet In the Blue Sky" scenario of Jihad Turning Points: Luthien may be in error, as the Snipers were not under a recognized Word contract until early 3071 (per their "Combatants" entry). At the time of this note, an errata correction called for removing Sathen's Snipers from the "Defender/Recommended Forces" and removing the "including Sathen’s Snipers, now under a Word contract" line from the Defender write-up; the suggestion has not yet been endorsed. An alternative answer may be that the mercenary unit was captured (and then hired) prior to the Battle of the LAW City Ruins.
  • Emerald is a codename for a Kokuryu-kai operative.[citation needed]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 59, "Sathen's Snipers: Fangs and Claws"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 6, "Sathen's Snipers"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 104, "Sathen's Snipers"
  4. Jihad Turing Points: Luthien, p. 8, "Traitor's Kiss"
  5. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, pp. 8-9, "Bullet In the Blue Sky"
  6. Jihad Turning Points: Luthien, p. 7, "32nd Division [Word of Blake]"
  7. Field Manual: Updates, p. 184, Independent/Uncontracted (Mercenary Deployment Table Section)


Bibliography