O'Gordon's Rifles
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| |
| O'Gordon's Rifles | |
| Formed | (as late as) 2977[1] (re-formed) 3012[2][3] |
| Disbanded | 3007[2] |
| Affiliation | Mercenary |
| Parent Command | Independent |
O'Gordon's Rifles were a mercenary unit operating from the Third Succession War to the era of the Word of Blake Jihad.[2][3]
Contents
Overview[edit]
Operating during the later portion of the Third Succession War, the O'Gordon's Rifles were ideally suited to the low-tempo raiding of the era and experienced a string of unbroken victories stretching from the late 2970s to 3000s. This unblemished record went to the heads of then-unit CO James O'Gordon and his Rifles, the overconfident mercenaries lapsing into a states of self-assured complacency. As of 3007 the Rifles were stationed on the then-Federated Suns world of Crossing.[2][3]
That same year the Draconis Combine launched a "modest" assault against numerous House Davion worlds along Combine-FedSuns border including Crossing, Cylene II, Galatia III, Harrow's Sun and Mara. With the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery revitalized by Coordinator Takashi Kurita's shakeup of his military, the Combine forces struck Crossing with a ferocity unseen since the early years of the Third Succession War, the Rifles were grossly unprepared for such an aggressive assault and were utterly crushed after barely a month of fighting. Only two lances' worth of troops were able to retreat, James O'Gordon among them.[2][3]
While any other commander would have moved on after the destruction of their unit, the irascible and arrogant James O'Gordon instead took his BattleMech BattleMaster Number One and made his way to Solaris VII. Rather than joining a stable, the hot-tempered but highly skilled O'Gordon entered the Solaris Games by joining the Watchdogs Cooperative, ascending to Open Class competition in short order and narrowly losing to Vanh Daravivanh in the 3008 Championship.[2][3]
Unbowed, the fiery O'Gordon would ultimately win the Championship in 3009, all the while reaping huge returns on long-shot odds and funneling all profits into the Watchdogs and his dream of rebuilding the Rifles. Becoming among the legends of the Solaris arenas after winning his second Championship in 3010, O'Gordon's loyalty to the Watchdogs was equally legendary, shunning repeated offers of sponsorship from the established stables. Incensed that he could not be bought, O'Gordon was badly beaten by stable thugs during the 3011 Grand Tournament, the injured O'Gordon nonetheless going on to defeat his opponent in the finals, becoming Grand Champion for the third year in a row.[2][3]
O'Gordon would win his fourth and final Championship in 3012, retiring nearly undefeated and announcing the return of the O'Gordon's Rifles mercenary unit as a battalion-sized command incorporating survivors from the original Rifles as well as the majority of the Wardogs Cooperative, returning the loyalty he had shown them. The reborn Rifles quickly grew to regimental strength within a few short years after a string of successful missions along the Free Worlds League-Lyran Commonwealth border.[2][3]
Although never quite capturing the same unbeaten record they enjoyed prior to Crossing, the O'Gordon's Rifles would serve every Great House with distinction. By the time of the Clan Invasion, command of the unit had passed to James' grandson Jules O'Gordon.[2] Shortly after the Truce of Tukayyid, the Rifles accepted a long-term contract with the ComStar Explorer Corps and joined the search for the Clan Homeworlds. Tragically Jules O'Gordon and the unit's entire command battalion was lost in 3054 accompanying one such mission after their ComStar JumpShip materialized in a midst of a Clan Jade Falcon fleet base at the then-unknown system of Cambridge. Only able to get off a partial transmission before the JumpShip and its attached DropShips were obliterated by Falcon WarShips, the rest of the Rifles would not learn of the fate of their commander until a year later after ComStar analyzed and sent a follow-up mission.[3]
Stunned by the loss, the rest of Rifles remained on Engadine and reorganized under Second Battalion commander Colonel Svetlana Windsor who assumed command of the entire unit. Windsor opted to extend their contract with the Corps, but negotiated for the unit to be assigned to base defense duties on Engadine rather than expeditionary escorts. Unfortunately this would prove little safer after the Jade Falcon's struck the world in 3058 during their drive toward Coventry, the surprised Rifles caught off-guard but able hold the Explorer Corps base long enough for its staff to retreat.[3]
Opting to serve out the remainder of their contract with the Explorer Corps, the battered O'Gordon's Rifles moved to the Corps new Lyran headquarters on Halifax. Returning to Outreach in 3062, the Rifles arrived mere months before the FedCom Civil War turned hot, choosing to avoid this conflict and signing a security contract with the Free Worlds League based Curtiss Militech of Paradise in 3063. Remaining in place when the Word of Blake Jihad broke out, the Rifles' contract was picked up by Marshall Jeremy Brett who positioned the mercenaries for a future strike the Lyran Alliance.[3]
Following the Word of Blake strike against Atreus in October 3068, O'Gordon's Rifles reportedly joined the resistance formed by Duchess Alys Rousset-Marik, with some sources placing O'Gordon 'Mechs among the forces that struck Blakist interests on Stewart in early 3079.[3]
After the conclusion of the Jihad, O'Gordon's Rifles remained within the shattered former Free Worlds League and signed on with the Duchy of Tamarind-Abbey. As of 3085 the almost full strength command were stationed on the world of Silver.[4]
Officers[edit]
| Rank | Name | Command | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commanding Officers of O'Gordon's Rifles | |||
| Colonel | James O'Gordon | 2977 - 3007[3] 3012 - (as late as) 3050[2][3] | |
| Colonel | Jules O'Gordon | (as late as) 3050 - 3054[2][3] | |
| Colonel | Svetlana Windsor | 3055[3] | |
| Colonel | Patrick O'Gordon | 3085[4] | |
Tactics[edit]
During the Jihad the Rifles excelled at close-in fighting, to the detriment of their long range accuracy.[5]
Mercenary Rating[edit]
3079[edit]
Dragoons Rating: B[3]
Composition History[edit]
3079[edit]
Reportedly two and half battalions' worth of BattleMechs, three-quarters of which sport advanced technology. Majority are medium designs focused on mobility and close-range firepower, with a few heavies as supporting units.[3]
3085[edit]
1 Regiment - Veteran/Reliable - 90% Strength/68% Upgraded.[4]
References[edit]
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 92: Cites a " thirty-year track record of unbroken victories"
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Solaris VII: The Game World – Player's Book, p. 16: "The Great Ones - Champions of Solaris"
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 92: "Force Briefs Updates - O'Gordon's Rifles"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 160: "Mercenaries - Notable Mercenary Forces (Deployment as of 31 October 3085)"
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 126: "Mercenary Commands - O'Gordon's Rifles"