Halsten's Brigade

Insignia of Halsten's Brigade
Halsten's Brigade
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent

The Halsten’s Brigade was a mercenary Heavy Armor unit. They had a good reputation in the Lyran Commonwealth as a tough nut to crack. The Brigade has been called on numerous times to provide defensive firepower against overwhelming BattleMech forces.

History[edit]

Founding[edit]

Halsten's Brigade was founded during the Third Succession War as an indirect consequence of Operation KILLING STROKE. During the Marik offensive on Cavanaugh II, Alois Halsten offended the social generals in charge of the defense by refusing to defer to his mechwarrior 'betters'. As a result, when the LCAF retreated from Cavanaugh II Halsten's First Cavanaugh Panzer Regiment was deliberately left behind. Having lost his estate and his faith in the Commonwealth, Colonel Halsten commandeered a civilian JumpShip and took his forces to Galatea to begin a new life as mercenaries. After brief stints serving the Federated Suns and Capellan Confederation, the Brigade found themselves back under Lyran Commonwealth employment[1]

In battle with Free Worlds League forces on Poulsbo in January 3026, a platoon from Headhunter Company discovered an enemy Union DropShip forming a strongpoint. In the morning, both Hammer and Striker Battalions were sent out to destroy it. The battle against the defending BattleMechs was fierce, but the tanks narrowly succeeded thanks in no small part to Private “Sniper” Jones' shooting.[2] The Cavalry Battalion was usually kept back for special missions, as the Colonel wasn’t a fan of them, even calling them scooters. Richard Goodman’s Savannah Masters though were often found leading Halsten’s flanks.[3] The Colonel had even been known to use heavy armor in a reconnaissance role.

By the time Pelegrin Halsten passed the unit down to his son Jenico, the unit had earned a reputation as a formidable defensive unit, with their mere presence deterring raids and altering the planned routes of invasions. Due to a deficit of raiders willing to challenge them as the Succession Wars wound down, the regiment increasingly accepted cadre duties for the Federated Commonwealth or other mercenary armor companies in order to keep their edge honed.[1]

Jihad[edit]

Halsted's Brigade, under then Colonel Rosalina "the Ravager" Halsten helped repulse the final wave of The Free Worlds League's Operation BROKEN FIST. Forseeing that the nascent Word of Blake Jihad was about to make life as a mercenary considerably more dangerous, Colonel Rosalina redirected the unit towards combating piracy on the inner edge of the Periphery. Accepting contracts that kept them out of the way of major players helped the Brigade survive the Jihad while many other mercenary outfits were destroyed.[1]

Republic Era[edit]

For the next three decades, the Brigade defend worlds in the Periphery March from the pirates of the Tortuga Dominions, especially in the region surrouding Anjin Muerto.[1]

At the dawn of the thirty-second century Rosalina retired and passed command to her son, Raimond "Ravishing" Halsten. Colonel Raimond chose to leave the Federated Suns for the Duchy of Andurien, who offered the Brigade a lucrative contract garrisoning and providing cadre duty on the recently conquered world of Butzfleth. During the Victoria War Magistracy of Canopus forces bypassed Butzfleth in order to avoid the Brigade. The Brigade would tour the Duchy providing cadre duty until 3111, when Colonel Raimond was caught in bed with both of the Baron of Shiro III's mistresses.[1]

Having worn out it's welcome, the Brigade moved on to the Lyran Commonwealth's periphery border, where they found a niche combating raiders from the Rim Territories.[1] In mid-3142 the Brigade was under contract to the planetary government of Venaria. An small, unknown force of unmarked 'Mechs and battle armor attacked a militia outpost in the Candrell badlands. The militia was destroyed and the outpost razed, but a lance from the Halsten's Brigade intercepted and destroyed them afterwards.[4] Many in Halsted's Brigade have come to identify with the people of the Lyran Periphery. The outbreak of conflict with secessionists like the Buena and Timbuktu Collectives was a cause of anxiety for Colonel Magdalaine "Big Mags" Halsten, who could not be certain her unit would obey orders to fight the people they'd come to see as their countrymen.[1]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Halsten's Brigade
Colonel Alois Halsten 2952[1]
Pelegrin Halsten [1]
Jenico Halsten [1]
Colonel Rosalina Halsten [1]
Raimond Halsten 3111[1]
Colonel Magdalaine Halsten [1]

Unit Notable Personalities[edit]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3026[edit]

Halsten's Brigade (Reinforced Armor Regiment)

  • Hammer Battalion
  • Headhunter Company - 12 Schrek PPC Carriers
  • Echo Company - 12 Demolishers
  • Granite Company - 12 Demolishers
  • Striker Battalion
  • CO: Major Haughton
  • Detachment of MPs

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Shrapnel Issue 15: "Unit Digest: Halsten's Brigade"
  2. Sniper
  3. Technical Readout 3039 - Savannah Master
  4. Technical Readout: 3150 , pp. 104–105: "KELSWA ASSAULT TANK"
  5. Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 31, p. 12: "Manticore"
  6. Technical Readout: 3039, p. 10: "Savannah Master Hovercraft - Notable Crews"
  7. Technical Readout: 3026, p. 74

Bibliography[edit]