Crater Cobras

Insignia of the Crater Cobras
Crater Cobras
Previous Designation(s) 789th Striker
Nickname Fangs of Fate
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent

History[edit]

First Succession War[edit]

Formed during the First Succession War from the remnants of several SLDF regular army units as Baldwin's Cobras Heavy Brigade, the unit found their reliance on artillery frequently earned them the nickname "Crater Makers;" Alexander Baldwin responded by naming the Brigade the Crater Cobras.[1][2]

Second Succession War[edit]

The Second Succession War took a heavy toll on the Brigade, which barely survived with the 789th Striker Regiment and the Black Cobra Regiment intact. The weakened command was hired by the Federated Suns in the wake of the Second Succession War, and found itself stationed on Deneb Kaitos.[2] Not only did the Cobras refuse employment from the Draconis Combine, whose ruling House the command blamed for the collapse of the Star League, but their contract to the Federated Suns saw them engaged in numerous conflicts with Kuritan units.[1] One DCMS unit, the Thirtieth Dieron Regulars, initiated a blood feud with the Cobras, which eventually led to the complete destruction of the Thirtieth.[2]

Third Succession War[edit]

In 3025, the Crater Cobras were working for the Federated Suns and were based on Deneb Kaitos in the Draconis March.[3] A combined-arms unit at this point, the Cobra 'Mechs were a mixture of medium and assault weight 'Mechs, supported by medium weight fighters, armor and infantry.[4]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Fourth Succession War found the Crater Cobras redeployed during Operation RAT from Deneb Kaitos to Nopah alongside the Blue Star Irregulars, Redfield Renegades, Fourth Davion Guards RCT, Thirty-third Avalon Hussars RCT and Fourth Deneb Light Cavalry RCT. The Crater Cobras remained on Nopah during the first four waves of Operation RAT,[5] but were soon deployed after the mid-war lull.

In early 3029, the Crater Cobras, the Screaming Eagles Second Regiment, Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers RCT and fifteen assorted conventional regiments were assigned to the invasion of Sarna. The capital of the former Sarna Supremacy, and perhaps the most important target of the second half of the war for the Federated Suns, Sarna maintained a political and symbolic importance within the Sarna Commonality, and was far from the front lines established during the fourth wave of Operation RAT.[6]

Unfortunately, the attack on Sarna didn't go as planned; if it wasn't for the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers deliberately approaching Sarna faster than dictated within the original plan and triggering the Capellan ambush, all of the Federated Suns units dispatched to attack Sarna might well have been lost. As it was, the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers were almost completely wiped out, but their actions – and their fate – alerted the Screaming Eagles and Crater Cobras to the presence of all five regiments of McCarron's Armored Cavalry on Sarna.[7]

Because their contracts for this particular mission were explicit, the two mercenary units could not back out of this. Rather than abandon the attack and face censure, the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles decided to go ahead with the attack on Sarna, but altered the attack plan to drop several hundred miles away from the original drop zone, in a position that would allow them and the remaining attached conventional regiments to prepare defenses and hold out for reinforcements. The situation was compounded because the Fifth Syrtis Fusiliers had sent messages to their supporting JumpShip fleet indicating that the attack was going to plan, which led to them jumping out of the system, leaving the mercenaries stranded.[8]

The combined mercenary and AFFS forces manage to hold out for several months, inflicting more casualties on McCarron's Armored Cavalry than they received. Neither side at first was sure exactly what they were up against and neither side could send a message off planet because of a ComStar communications interdiction. After many months, the MAC began to escalate their attacks as they finally were able to get a picture of what they were up against. The Screaming Eagle and Crater Cobras began to consolidate their strength, but had their defenses breached and were on the verge of being overwhelmed when relief forces arrived in the form of the Assault and Light Brigades of the elite Davion Guards. The relief forces didn't realize that they were relief forces until frantic messages from the Cobras and the Eagles reached them mid-deployment, but their arrival managed to save the mercenary units.[9]

Realizing that they had lost Sarna, Colonel Archibald McCarron made the hard choice to abandon the planet. With the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles advancing to pincer the MAC forces as they attempted to load up as much as they could before fleeing, Colonel Marcus Barton led his Second Regiment in a counterattack against the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles. This surprised the Davion mercenaries, as they outnumber Barton's force 2-to-1, but with Davion High Command wanting Barton killed for all the damage Barton had done to the Federated Suns over the years, the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles met Barton head-on. The resulting battle lasted several hours and was one of the most brutal of the Fourth Succession War. By the time it was over, Barton had lost over half his force, but he managed to knock out 2/3 of the Crater Cobras and 3/4 of the Screaming Eagles. This battle gave the McCarron's Armored Cavalry the time they needed to finish loading their DropShips and escape, with the Crater Cobras and Screaming Eagles able to claim they had driven off the MAC.[10]

Clan Invasion[edit]

On the eve of the Clan invasion, the Crater Cobras were deployed on two worlds in the Free Worlds League; the 789th Striker were on Megrez, whilst the Black Cobras were on Cascade.[11] The Crater Cobras were still in place in 3054, although by this point Colonel Richard Burr had taken over from Colonel Thomas Rabelais as the commanding officer of the Black Cobra regiment.[12]

Following the damage inflicted on the Crater Cobras in the Fourth Succession War the unit took up service with the Free Worlds League. This was the beginning of a two-decade-long period of service that would only end after Operation GUERRERO.[2]

Operation GUERRERO[edit]

The Crater Cobras suffered significant losses at the hands of terrorists who sabotaged three Black Cobra DropShips as they were prepared to deploy from Zurich to reinforce Nanking, and the resulting destruction of the DropShips left the Black Cobra regiment with just two companies of 'Mechs.[1][2][13] Although the terrorists were originally believed to be Zhanzheng de Guang operatives,[1] they were in fact Davion-loyalist terrorists.[14][15] As the Black Cobras losses were suffered during a "noncombat situation", the LCCC refused to indemnify their losses, which led to the Black Cobra regiment leaving both the Crater Cobras and the employ of the Free Worlds League, re-forming on Outreach as Burr's Black Cobras.[1][13][16]

Remaining at their station on Megrez in the aftermath,[16] the 789th Striker Regiment were appalled at the LCCC's treatment of their sister regiment and outraged at the general attitude of the LCCC towards mercenaries at this point, which led directly to them leaving the employ of the Free Worlds League, signing on instead with the one nation they had never served: the Draconis Combine.[2]

Operation BULLDOG[edit]

Their contracts with the Combine led to the Crater Cobras participating in several military campaigns. The first of these was against Clan Smoke Jaguar as a part of Operation BULLDOG in 3059, a series of engagements that took the 789th Striker Regiment from Jeanette to Albiero. This was soon followed by the Ghost Bear invasion of 3062, where the Cobras supported the 2nd An Ting Legion counterattack on Richmond, which saw the Cobras helping to drive the 5th Bear Regulars from the planet. These two campaigns saw the 789th Striker lose all of their support units and more than a third of their 'Mechs, losses that the DCMS helped them replace when the Cobras took up garrison duty on Wapakoneta.[2]

Jihad[edit]

The upheaval marking the beginning of the Jihad saw a number of units exercise escape clauses in their contracts and leave Draconis Combine service at short notice, actions that led to a wave of anti-mercenary sentiment sweeping across the Combine, sentiment that caused unrest on Wapakoneta despite the Cobra's loyal service to the Combine up to that point.[17]

The Cobras were soon one of the few major mercenary units still in the employ of the DCMS, and in late 3069 the Cobras boarded DropShips under orders to deploy offworld. While the orders originated within the DCMS, reports from 3070 placed the Cobras on Luthien, fighting alongside the resistance against Word of Blake forces. What hadn't been confirmed as of the end of 3071 was whether the Crater Cobras were fighting for forces loyal to the Black Dragon or the Loyalist forces, both of whom were actively engaging each other and the Blakist forces.[18]

Dark Age[edit]

Surviving the Jihad and remaining in the employ of the Combine, despite House Kurita's renewed anti-mercenary view, as of 3079 the Cobras were stationed on Alnasi alongside the 17th Benjamin Regulars.[19]

The unit was stationed on Yamarovka in 3147 when the planet was raided by the Eighth Bear Cuirassiers.[20]

At some point following the Rime Otter's debut in 3146, the Crater Cobras raided Soverzene and engaged the Sixth Bear Regulars there. Despite taking heavy damage the Sixth's sole Rime Otter continued fighting day after day, frustrating the Cobras no end.[21]

IlClan Era[edit]

The dawn of the IlClan Era found the Cobras garrisoning the planet Yamarovka, having barely a half regiment. On June 3152, they faced a Rasalhague Dominion invasion of the Third and Fourth Freemen Clusters. Both units attacked the planet, where after a series of set-piece battles, the outnumbered Cobras were forced off-planet. The Cobras suffered losses, and the survivors retreated to Avon, though the invasion initially stopped before reaching that planet.[22]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 789th Striker Regiment
Commanding Officers of Baldwin's Cobras Heavy Brigade
Lieutenant General Alexander Baldwin
Commanding Officers of Crater Cobras
Colonel Richard Westrick 3025[3]
Colonel Shelly Trudeau 3067[2]
Colonel Emil Barclay 3085[23]
Colonel Alma Smith 3145[24]

Notes[edit]

In 3067, the three Majors commanding the three battalions making up the 789th Striker were all former lancemates of Colonel Trudeau.[2]

Tactics[edit]

They had a wide range of tactics from harassing over dueling to ambushes.

3067 to 3072[edit]

At this point, the 789th Striker used Bravo and Charlie Battalions as striker units, equipping them with medium and heavy units. Alpha Battalion was the regimental assault force, fielding mixed companies of medium, heavy and assault 'Mechs.[2][18]

Drawing on years of experience, the Crater Cobras had a range of tactics they were skilled at employing, from hit and run tactics to dueling and beyond; the regiment specialized in attacking defensive positions using fade attacks and pincer maneuvers.[2][18]

Support[edit]

3025[edit]

At this point in time, the Crater Cobras had enough DropShips to transport both 'Mech regiments and their armor and infantry support along with the aerospace fighter contingent. They were also in good shape financially.[4]

3067[edit]

The unit owns all transport assets which includes 8 DropShips (6 Union-class, 2 Overlord-class) as well as 3 Invader JumpShips. The techs can provide excellent support for the entire unit.[citation needed]

Mercenary Rating[edit]

3059[edit]

Dragoon Rating: A-[25]

3067[edit]

Dragoon Rating: A-[2]

3072[edit]

Dragoon Rating: A-[18]

3145[edit]

Rating: B[24]

Composition History[edit]

2821[edit]

Baldwin's Cobras (3 regiments)

79th Striker (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[26] 42%
In 2821, the command was reduced to 42 percent of its strength and was deployed on Mosiro.[26]
Alexander's Asps (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[26]
In 2821, the command was reduced to 44 percent of its strength and was deployed on Kalmar.[26]
Black Cobra (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[26]
In 2821, the command was reduced to 43 percent of its strength and was deployed on Kalmar.[26]

3025[edit]

The Crater-Cobras[3]

789th Striker Regiment (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[3]
(Chan's Choppers)
Westrick's Black Cobras (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[3]
Note: At this point in time the units were stationed on Deneb Kaitos. In addition to the two BattleMech regiments, the Crater Cobras had armor, infantry and fighter support.

3050[edit]

The Crater Cobras (2 Regiments)[11]

789th Striker (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[27]

  • CO: Colonel Stephen Prynne[27]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Megrez.[27]

Black Cobras (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[27]

  • CO: Colonel Thomas Rabelais[27]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Cascade.[27]

3054[edit]

The Crater Cobras (2 Regiments)[12]

789th Striker (Veteran/Reliable)
Black Cobras (Regular/Reliable)

3059[edit]

Crater Cobras (789th Striker Regiment) (1 Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[25]

  • CO: Colonel Stephen Prynne[25]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Albiero.[25]

3067[edit]

Crater Cobras (789th Striker Regiment) (1 Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[2]

In 3067 the regiment had been upgraded to the point that 70% of the unit were using advanced technology, technology that included some Kuritan-made OmniMechs and a company of Clan 'Mechs captured from the Ghost Bears and Smoke Jaguars.[2]

The 789th Striker still had an artillery battery attached to each battalion at this point, together with a command lance equipped with Clan 'Mechs. The regiment also deployed a command company, which also included a lance equipped with Clan 'Mechs.[2]

Despite the rebuilding effort and the assistance of the DCMS, the Crater Cobras were only at 90% of full strength by September 3067.[28][29]

3079[edit]

Crater Cobras (2 Regiments/Regular/Questionable)[30]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Alnasi, ** and **.[30] As of 3079, while the Cobras had expanded back to two regiments in size, they were only at 45% total strength, though they had a 90% upgrade rating.[19]

3085[edit]

Crater Cobras (2 Regiments/Regular/Questionable)[23]

  • CO: Colonel Emil Barclay
- As of 3085, the Cobras were at sixty percent of full strength and under contract to the Draconis Combine. The Cobras were garrisoning two systems, Huan and Misery.[23]

3145[edit]

Crater Cobras (Veteran/Reliable)[24]

  • CO: Colonel Alma Smith[24]
- As of 3145, the Cobras were at eighty percent of full strength and under contract to the Draconis Combine. The Cobras were garrisoning two systems, Avon and Yamarovka.[24]

Color Scheme[edit]

The Cobras paint their 'Mechs' lower torso and legs a forest green camouflage pattern and upper torso, arms and head in a muted robin's-egg blue.[2]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised, p. 52
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 29
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 136
  4. 4.0 4.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 151
  5. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, pp. 12–13
  6. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 44–45
  7. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 48
  8. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 49
  9. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 51
  10. McCarron's Armored Cavalry, p. 10
  11. 11.0 11.1 20 Year Update, p. 57
  12. 12.0 12.1 Objective Raids, p. 39
  13. 13.0 13.1 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 48
  14. Shattered Sphere, p. 76: "Operation Guerrero - Aftermath"
  15. Bred for War, p. 319
  16. 16.0 16.1 Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 16: "Mercenary Troops"
  17. Blake Ascending, p. 37
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 45
  19. 19.0 19.1 Field Report: DCMS, p. 20: "Irregular Forces - Mercenaries"
  20. Technical Readout: 3150, p. 132: "PXH-11K Phoenix Hawk L"
  21. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 19, p. 4
  22. Dominions Divided, p. 87
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 160
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 182: "Notable Mercenary Forces"
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 106
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 First Succession War, p. 138
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 20 Year Update, p. 57
  28. Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 66
  29. Field Manual: Updates, p. 183
  30. 30.0 30.1 Field Report: DCMS, p. 20

Bibliography[edit]