Waco Rangers

The Waco Rangers were a mercenary regiment formed in 3007 by Colonel Wayne Waco. They were known primarily for their hatred against the legendary Wolf's Dragoons.

Unit History

The Waco Rangers were a mercenary regiment formed in 3007 by Wayne Waco and disaffected House Liao mechwarrors. Accepting their first major contract with the Capellan Confederation, they saw heavy combat against Wolf's Dragoons (then in the employ of the Federated Suns) on New Aragon in 3008. The Dragoons' Zeta Battalion smashed through the Rangers' light mechs, resulting in the death of John Waco, Wayne Waco's son. Apparently, a Dragoon Stalker inadverdently crushed the younger Waco after his Locust was destroyed.

Wayne Waco and his officers promptly declared vengeance against the Dragoons, despite a ComStar investigation clearing the Dragoons of intentional wrong-doing. Afterwards, they refused employment with any Successor State that also employed the Dragoons. Despite this one-sided feud, the Dragoons and the commander, Jaime Wolf seemed barely aware aware of the Rangers' grievance. Indeed, some of the Dragoons would eventually nickname them the "Wacko Rangers".

As of 3026, the Rangers were in service to the Federated Suns.

In 3032, hearing that the Snord's Irregulars mercenary battalion was closely associated with the Dragoons, Waco challenged Cranston Snord and his unit to a battle for a priceless 23rd century Demmings crystal on the planet Nockatunga in the Free Worlds League. Despite stating that he would only bring his Command Battalion to the fight, Waco in fact had his entire regiment lying in ambush, outnumbering the Irregulars three to one. The Rangers were outmanuevered by the Irregulars' tactics, and Waco himself was defeated in battle. Snord spared him more for spite than mercy. The Irregulars left with the crystals.

At some unknown point, Colonel Wayne Waco seems to have retired from regular active service, turning command of the regiment over to Colonel Wayne Rogers. Waco apparently still maintained ownership of the unit, however. As of 3049, the unit was in service to the Free Worlds League, stationed on the planet of Epsilon. Reportedly, they were still a well-respected unit at this time, despite their eccentricity regarding the Dragoons.

At the start of the Clan Invasion, with the revelation that Wolf's Dragoons were originally from Clan Wolf, Wayne Waco tried to form a mercenary coalition against them. His failure to do so only sharpened his anger. Later in 3053, he achieved some measure of satisfaction when he sat as one of the judges to the Mercenary Review Board when the Dragoons were brought up on charges when one of their battalions violated the terms of its contract while in service to House Marik. Though Jaime Wolf could have brushed the matter under the carpet, he felt it neccessary to demonstrate that the Dragoons were not above the system they themselves had championed. Wolf was suspended from active service for one year.

In 3058, the Rangers were employed by the Lyran Alliance to see action against Clan Jade Falcon on Coventry. During the battle, they were forced to fight alongside Wolf's Dragoons Delta Regiment, despite repeated protests from Wayne Rogers. The Rangers ignored both the battle plan and recon information provided by Caradoc Trevena of the 10th Skye Rangers. As a resulted, they were routed by the Falcons, and had to suffer the indignity of being rescued by the Dragoons. Colonel Rogers was killed in the fighting.

Afterwards, Wayne Waco resumed command despite his advanced age, and brought charges against the Dragoons and all others involved, blaming them for the entire matter. The MRBC dismissed these charges as groundless. As a result of major defections following these events, the unit was reduced to a single battlemech company with only a lance of Aerospace fighter support.

As of 3067, the unit's fortunes had apparently still not turned for the better. Waco, apparently activing on behalf of the Word of Blake, launched a coordinated mercenary attack on the Dragoons at their capital on Outreach, causing tremendous damage and destroying the famed Hiring Hall. During the fighting, Waco and his Battlemaster managed to engage Jaime Wolf and his Archer in combat, apparently after Wolf had already destroyed several mechs. Waco was successful in killing Wolf, though he was killed and his mech was destroyed in the process, and those under his command were defeated. Thus, the Waco Rangers were considered destroyed at the dawn of the Jihad.

Unit Notes

As of 3060, the unit still possessed two Overlord DropShips and one JumpShip.

Bibliography

• Field Manual: Mercenaries
• Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)
• The Battle of Coventry (scenario pack)
• Wolf Pack
• Malicious Intent
• 20 Year Update
• Rhonda's Irregulars (scenario pack)