The Arcadians
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Contents
Unit Description
The Arcadians were an unregistered Federated Suns-affilated mercenary BattleMech regiment, which grew to later be a combined-arms unit similar to an AFFS Regimental Combat Team.
Unit Insigna
Their insigna is crossed sword and lightning bolt on a gold shield.
History
Formation
The unit was formed in 3042 by senior officers from AFFS military. These twenty officers wanted to take advantage of the Federated Commonwealth's re-organization of its military in wake of the War of 3039. At the time, a number of regiments within the Federated Suns was being demobilized, these officers with their pensions and retirement funds felt they could assemble a mercenary force from this situation.
The officers had purchased a regiment worth of BattleMechs, all which had Succession Wars level technology. They were able to fill all the ranks for their new unit with retired and discharged personnel from the Sun's military.
Early Contracts
Using their lifetime of service with the AFFS enabled the Arcadians to acquire contracts protecting private military supplier complexes. During that time the unit begun forging itself up. Conducting, training and early raids helped to home their new unit's skills.
Service of the Federated Commonwealth
The FedCom took over the Arcadian's contract during the wake of the Clan Invasion of 3050. The unit was deployed initially as a garrison force on the Capellan border to free up regular AFFC units for re-deployment to face the Clans. In 3052, the unit absorbed the demobilized AFFS 8843rd Armored Regiment into its ranks. This enabled the unit to become a Regimental Combat Team.[1]
Later, the unit was rotated to the Clan border itself in 3056 where they remained for five years.[2] The unit then deployed in the St. Ives Compact when the Capellan Confederation invaded in 3061.[3] The unit remained in the Compact throughout the fighting until it fell. They were then routed to Talcott in the Capellan March of the FedCom. There it took position to safeguard GM production facilities on behave of Duke George Hasek.
The Arcadians did not fight in the FedCom Civil War. After the war ended in 3067, the unit was deployed to Acamar to defend the planet from possible Capellan raids.[4] By this time, the unit had upgraded a considerable amount of its equipment. The unit had bolstered up to 126 BattleMechs with several of them being Avatar & Sunder OmniMechs. It purchased Arrow IV equipped Demolisher tanks, thus enhancing its artillery abilities. It was also given a company of Battle Armor & pair of Templar Assault Class OmniMechs from Duke Hasek.
Operation Sovereign Justice
In 3068, Duke George Hasek had the Arcadians conduct a diversionary raid as part of his invasion of the St. Ives Commonality and Capellan Confederation. The raid turned full invasion against the Capellan world of Ningpo went terribly wrong, when they encountered an entire elite Liao-contracted aerospace mercenary regiment, the Hell's Black Aces. The Ace's Aerospace Wing took severe damage by the elite pilots, while its ground forces landed near an armor-sheet factory. As they approached their objective, they were intercepted by the 1st Taurian Lancers. The outnumbered Lancers tore into the Arcadians, fueled by the Arcadian's Davion origin. The ferocity of the Taurian's attack stunned the Arcadians. The Arcadian's cavalry squadron succeeded in flanking the lancers . The 3rd Battalion conducting the flanking was demolished by Hell's Black Aces conducting attack runs. The drumming from both the Lancers and Aces inflicted up to 60 percent of losses on the beleiger unit within 24 hours. They were force to conduct a fighting withdrawal from the planet, losing their carrier dropship, Darkstar and its remaining fighter compliment in the process.[5] The surviving members of the Air Wing begun to suffer from severe demoralization, robbing them of the fearless spirit they once had.[6]
Acamar takeover & Thirst for Revenge
By July 3068, the unit had returned back to their base on Acamar. They worked up to rebuild their heavily damage regiments. During this time, Acamar government secretly negotiated with the Word of Blake to join their growing Protectorate. In August, the government gave a formal announcement that the unit had two choices: terminate their contract with the Federated Suns and sign up with the Protectorate or pack up and pullout immediately with promise of being unmolested. Colonel Andrews, sent a HPG message to New Avalon and New Syrtis requesting confirmation of the situation. However, the Arcadian commander didn't realize the Blakists were already in control of the world's Hyper Pulse Generator station. Blake forces on planet moved in, forcing the Arcadians to a fighting withdrawal to their ships. Unable to find enough transportation for all its equipment, they were forced to abandon the vehicles of their entire Armor regiment and its 3rd BattleMech Battalion.
After withdrawing from Acamar, the Colonel managed to use his old corporate connections to rebuild is unit on Ronel. As the unit rebuilded, Colonel Andrews dispatched a liaison team to offer services to the Allied Mercenary Command. The Arcadians set their goals to liberating Acamar from the grip of Blakist forces and getting little payback in retur.[7]
Destruction
The Arcadians was destroyed with no survivors after being lured to a trap in 3075.[8]
Officers
- As of 3067, the Overall Commanding Officer was Brigadier Michael Penne.[9]
Commanding Officer of field operations is Colonel Bradley Andrews.
Dragoon Ratings
3067
Dragoon Rating: Unrated
3071
Dragoon Rating: Not Registered
Tactics
3042 to 3068
The unit trained in traditional AFFS-style combined-arms fighting. It is able to conduct unsupported battles. The unit prefers to first engage at range and wither the enemy, then have cavalary forces flank the battle damaged opposition and deliver the final blow.[10]
3071
The Arcadians had to change their tactics due to the loss of their artillery majority of their air wing. The unit now resorts to close-in fighting instead of firing at range, though they still use Combined-Arms tactics when they can.
Composition History
3042
- The Arcadians - (BattleMech Regiment)
3052
- The Arcadians - (BattleMech Regiment) - CO: Colonel Bradley Andrews
- 8843rd Armored Regiment - (Armor Regiment) - CO: Lt. Colonel August Prentiss
3067
- The Arcadians - (BattleMech Regiment) - CO: Colonel Bradley Andrews
- 1st Arcadian Air Wing - (Reinforced Wing) - CO: Major Kelli Winston
- 8843rd Armored Regiment - (Armor Regiment) - CO: Lt. Colonel August Prentiss
- Includes mechanized infantry battalion
3071
- The Arcadians - (2 BattleMech Battalions) - CO: Colonel Bradley Andrews
- 1st Arcadian Air Wing - (2 Air Lances) - CO: Lt. Colonel Kelli Winston
Support
As of 3067, the unit contracted two JumpShips to transport their entire force to its various locations. It also has DropShips to move all its regiments and Air Wing.
As of 3071, the unit was reduced to four Dropships transporting its 2 battalions of 'Mechs.
Notes
The Arcadians current number of DropShips, JumpShips, surviving other equipment is unclear. Never specified in either Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised or Mercenaries Supplimental Update on its status of what equipment it has left or uses.
Rules
Game Rules
Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised - Force Specific Rules
A player using the Arcadians may choose to roll on the "B" column Field Manual: Fed Suns Random Assignment Table or roll on the "A" column in Field Manual: Update's RAT table. The unit may use off-map movement. Also the 'Mechs and Vehicles get added -1 to their to-attack rolls when using; PPCs, LRMs, Gauss Rifles, Large Lasers, & all-types of Autocannon/2s.[11]
Mercenaries Supplimental Update - Force Specific Rules
A player using the Arcadians may choose to roll on the "B" column Field Manual: Fed Suns Random Assignment Table or roll on the "A" column in Field Manual: Update's RAT table. The unit may use off-map movement.
Do to their humiliating defeat on Ningpo at the hands of the Hell's Black Aces, the unit's Air Wing suffers a -2 to its initiative.[12]
References
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised), p. 39 - "8843rd Armored Regiment information".
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 39 - "The Arcadians original profile" - Unit stationed St. Ives Compact in 3061, prior stationed they were stationed Clan Borders for 5 years.
- ↑ Field Manual: Capellen Confedertion, p. 16 - St. Ives Conflict & Capellan Civil War articles. Start actual Liao invasion (not peacekeepers) in 3061.
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 39 - "Unit late 3060s history".
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 25 - "Arcadians failed raid on Ningpo in spring of 3068".
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 25 - "First Arcadia Air Wing" - Pilots suffer from severe demoralization, making them more timid.
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 25 - "Arcadians forced off Acamar and plot liberation of planet".
- ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 47 - "The Arcadians fell victim to a well-orchestrated trap in 3075 that destroyed the unit with no known survivors".
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised), p. 39: The entire mercenary force's commander is Brigadier Penne. Colonel Andrews is the BattleMech regiment's commanding officer.
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 39 - "Tactics (3067)".
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 128 - "FORCE-SPECIFIC RULES" - The Arcadians special bonus and traits as of 3067.
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 123 - "Force-Specific Rules" - Air Wing lost never to be fearless, get -2 initiative in Force rules now.