Strychnine Slavers

Strychnine Slavers HTPTortuga.png
Strychnine Slavers
Formed 3066
Affiliation
Parent Command

The Strychnine Slavers were a pirate band.

History[edit]

Nathaniel Gordon was convicted slaver by the Taurian Concordat in 3066. He escaped from MacLeod's Land and made his way to Tortuga and reunited with his old comrades. After killing several of them for leaving him behind, he rebuilt the Slavers by delivering high numbers of slaves to waiting masters. Once Lady Death reclaimed Tortuga Prime, Gordon's stock went up thanks to her demand for more labor for Vengeance Incorporated. This influx of money led to the Slavers expanding to a full battalion. The Jihad allowed not only greater access to prey in the Federated Suns and Periphery but also free rein in Tortuga with the departure of Death's Consorts.[1]

In the 2 October of 3076, while the 1st Filtvelt Citizen's Militia was on Filtvelt, Strychnine Slavers raided the Cal-Boeing of Dorwinion factory. The pirates rapidly overcame the factory defenses and looted it. The Militia wasn't able to respond in time, and the Slavers escaped.[2] However, they did stop a second band of Slavers from kidnapping the personnel at the Coalition Armory factory.[3]

Shortly thereafter the 1st Filtvelt Citizen's Militia joined the Thumpers Assault Battalion in a raid on Tortuga Prime.[4]

By 5 December 3076 Major Buck Tripp wanted to strike a heavy blow immediately upon arrival at the pirate capital. He ordered his four DropShips to pass over the capital city, where the command company executed a combat drop, which left them close to the base and slave pens of the Strychnine Slavers. Before the pirates could rally their entire force, the Thumpers attacked. Things seemed to go well at first as they managed to free several groups of grateful captives from the Slavers' fortress-like headquarters. The Slavers arrived to defend their possessions and were wiped a lance at a time.[5]

In the meantime, the 1st Filtvelt Citizen's Militia secured the landing zone with conventional infantry and armor assets, but the Tortuga Militia surrounded the landing zone and detonated several chemical weapons. These weapons killed most of the infantry and armor crews, but the MechWarriors and DropShip crews were able to survive.[6] These chemical weapons were a surprise to the pirates, who were angered and withdrew from the field. This allowed the First's survivors and Thumpers to leave Tortuga.[4] The distress call from the DropShips made the Thumper's disengage the Slavers and return to the LZ.[5]

The Strychnine Slavers survived the crucible of the invasion.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Strychnine Slavers
Commander Nathaniel Gordon 3066 - 3076[1]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Unit Colors[edit]

The Slavers paint their forces in a bright orange, yellow, and red autumn leaf pattern. Their insignia is a stylized universal poison symbol with a smiling skull, placed high on the rear center torso. This symbol is also painted on 'Mech arms as kill markers.[1]

Composition History[edit]

One Battalion by 3076 with Veteran Rating.[1]

Rules[edit]

3076[edit]

The Slavers are a fast and low-mass pirate force with none of their 'Mechs mass over 55 tons. Their DropShips have been modified so that the cargo space can be quickly converted to slave pens for transporting chattel when war matériel does not fill the hold. Similarly, cargo space on any vehicle is specifically modified to carry fresh abductees back to the command’s DropShips. Add +1 to Initiative rolls when fighting as the Attacker. However, the Slavers are completely unsuited to defensive operations and receive a –2 modifier to Initiative rolls when fighting as the Defender.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, p. 8: "The Strychnine Slavers [Pirate]"
  2. Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, p. 11
  3. Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, p. 12
  4. 4.0 4.1 Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, p. 6
  5. 5.0 5.1 Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, pp. 13–14
  6. Historical Turning Points: Tortuga, pp. 6, 16–17

Bibliography[edit]