1st McCarron's Armored Cavalry

Mac1.png
First McCarron's Armored Cavalry
Formed 2930
Nickname The Nightriders
Affiliation Capellan Confederation
Parent Command McCarron's Armored Cavalry


History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The unit was formed on Chesterton in 2930.[1]

In 3007 Wolf's Dragoons had successfully raided several Capellan worlds. The citizens of the Confederation were very angry with all mercenaries, and as the most well-known unit in the Confederation, the First MAC received most of the barbed comments. This upset, combined with the MAC's own desire to even the odds with the Dragoons, led to the unit's assault on New Valencia, the Dragoons baseworld in the Federated Suns. The First MAC pinned down three Dragoon regiments, but were unable to dislodge them. The Eridani Light Horse arrived in-system to reinforce the Dragoons, forcing the First MAC to withdraw.[2]

Things remained fairly calm between the Dragoons and the First MAC until 3012. At that time the Dragoons were working for the Confederation, and a brawl broke out between Alpha Regiment and the First MAC.[3]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

Arboris[edit]

In the Fourth Succession War, the unit saw intense fighting during the defense of Arboris. Before the start of war, the unit made several successful raids into Davion territory. With that past, the AFFS High Command tasked three regiments to the invasion of the planet. The 33rd Avalon Hussars were supported by two mercenary regiments of the Blue Star Irregulars. The initial invasion cost the defending First McCarron's their aerospace unit. With air superiority on their side, the Davion fighters chased the retreating McCarron BattleMechs. The Irregulars regiments began to assault the 'Mechs. After the brutal fight, only one third of the defenders could retreat offworld.[4]

Nopah[edit]

In the later stages of the war, the Chancellor decided that a counterinvasion would take the AFFS by surprise and bring the ongoing operation to a halt. As part of a task force, the surviving battalion from the First McCarron's were ordered to destroy an important depot of the AFFS. The Capellan-paid mercenaries chose to make a direct strike at their target. After the command dropped onto Nopah, the commanding officer was surprised by the presence of a battalion of the 12th Vegan Rangers' Beta Regiment. Caught off guard for some time, the McCarron unit retook initiative until the remaining two Rangers battalions arrived. Greatly outnumbered, the McCarron command retreated with only two companies when fog arrived. The survivors started a guerrilla campaign.[5]

Andurien/Canopus Invasion[edit]

Betelgeuse[edit]

The fight for the planet continued over three years and cost the defenders some of its best units, including the Prefectorate Guard (which was disbanded after their loss at the hands of four Duchy of Andurien commands (1st + 3rd + 4th Defenders of Andurien + Tooth of Ymir) on world. The fight changed when the rebuilt McCarron's Brigade was unleashed against the aggressors. The five regiments forced the Anduriens off world, but the First McCarron's suffered some losses.[6]

Primus[edit]

The liberation of Primus was the goal of the 1st McCarron. Combined with their sister regiment, the two units had no difficulty regaining the planet for the Confederation. The 1st suffered some losses because one of their DropShips was destroyed by accident.[7]

Shiba[edit]

Shiba was attacked by one of the liberation units loyal to Dame Humphreys and destabilized the government of the planet by guerrilla warfare. The 4th Defenders of Andurien were relocated to that world for rest and refit, but they did not have the time to rebuild. The 1st McCarron invaded the planet in support of the 2nd McCarron's. The Defenders were not ready for this defensive measure. The Anduriens could barely retreat off world thanks to the sacrifice of some of their troops.[8]

Scarborough[edit]

The raid on the Free Worlds League planet of Scarborough was one of the last military actions of the Canopus-Andurien adventure. The 1st McCarron assaulted the world to show an example of strength and, when honor was satisfied, retreated off world back to Capellan territory.[9]

War of 3039[edit]

Bethel[edit]

During the infamous "Mac Attack", Bethel was the third target of the McCarron's task force. The Nightriders landed uncontested on the planet. The on-world militia tried to put up some resistance but failed against such might. The warriors of the mercenary command wrought destruction for over a week. Included in the casualties were thousands of civilians, and every major city was destroyed. Satisfied with the result, the 1st MAC retreated off world.[10]

Orbisonia[edit]

Orbisonia was a dark spot in the history of the Confederation. In 2828 Chancellor Ilsa Liao was killed during a combat operation. The MAC had the goal of regaining House Liao's lost honor. When the raid started, the command was overwhelmed by the presence of the three defending air wings (two conventional and one aerospace). The mercenaries were put in place by the continued attacks at their drop zone. Realizing that they could not advance, the Nightriders retreated off world.[11]

Kathil[edit]

The First McCarron's arrived with their sister regiment, the 3rd, in the Kathil system. The Second McCarron's had landed a few days before and start to attack the defenders when they received notice of their reinforcement. The AFFS had anticipated such a move and had relocated two more major units to the important Capellan March planet. The Capellan mercenaries were surprised by the new Davion commands. After a series of raids at underdefended military facilities, the McCarron's units retreated off world.[12]

Operation Guerrero[edit]

The First and Second Regiments of McCarron's Armored Cavalry assaulted Hsien during Operation Guerrero.[13]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

The unit, was among a few other commands, were part of the Operation Bulldog. During the campaign they liberate as part of task forces the planet Byesville and later Garstedt. The command returned home with some Clan technology salvaged from the battlefield.[14]

Xin Sheng Campaign[edit]

Prior to the Xin Sheng Campaign, the First MAC petitioned to be reassigned to the Chaos March front. However the Strategios and Marcus Baxter kept them in place on Menke[15] to deter Free Worlds League and Federated Suns forces.[16] Sent to reclaim the planet Wei for the Confederation during the War, the First McCarron's Armored Cavalry lost an entire Battalion of its troops to a "rebel" nerve gas attack. The CCAF responded by sending the feared Death Commandos to take over the assault, successfully taking the planet and severely punishing them for the nerve attack.[17]

Jihad[edit]

The long march as part of Operation THUNDERSTRIKE and the many low-level conflicts suffered during the Jihad weren't enough to finish the unit, but the 3077 assault on Zion nearly was. While dropping on the world partially completed Word of Blake SDS systems destroyed two battalions of troops before they touched down. The First withdrew to Aldebaran to rebuild, and they were still on-world in 3079.[18]

Republic Era[edit]

In 3081, the Chancellor called upon the Cavalry once again in his assault on the Republic of the Sphere, but unfortunately for the MAC, the Confederation was unable to support them. Plagued by bad luck for years, the Nightriders' curse finally culminated in their destruction on Gan Singh.[19] They were re-formed prior to their raid of New Canton in 3111.[20]

Dark Age[edit]

The Nightriders gave no quarter as they drove into the Capellan March of the Federated Suns, conducting a scorched earth campaign burning down every factory, power station, warehouse, storehouse, and transit terminal.[21]

In December 3147 the First was stationed on New Syrtis. They fought the Illician Lancers Fifty-ninth Strike regiment, pinning the mercenaries in place with aerospace strikes.[22]

As part of Operation BÀOYÌNG's first wave, the First MAC and Warrior House Ijori landed on Terra Firma and fought the XIII Principes Guards' second battalion.[23]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First McCarron's Armored Cavalry
Colonel Michael Wilson 3025[24]
Colonel Rodney Finn 3050 - 3054[25][26]
Sang-shao Elaine "Blaze" Parks 3063 - 3067[27][15]
Sang-shao Jake Eaton 3145[28]

Tactics[edit]

The unit uses sheer force to calm any sign of uprising immediately. The battle armor is tasked with headhunter missions.[27]

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

Nightriders (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[24]

  • CO: Colonel Michael Wilson
  • 1st Battalion: Major Rodney Finn
  • 2nd Battalion: Major Cynthia Lee
  • 3rd Battalion: Major Ursula Ajax
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Menke.[29]

3028[edit]

The Nightriders (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[30]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Menke.[30]

3040[edit]

Nightriders (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[31]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Hustaing.[31]

3050[edit]

Nightriders (Regiment/Regular/Fanatical)[25]

  • CO: Colonel Rodney Finn
Note: The command was deployed at Hustaing.[25]

3054[edit]

Nightriders (Regular/Fanatical)[26]

  • CO: Colonel Rodney Finn

3063-3067[edit]

First McCarron's Armored Cavalry (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[27][15]

  • CO: Sang-shao Elaine "Blaze" Parks
  • 2nd Battalion: Zhong-shao Chris Metcalf

- The regiment is classified as medium to heavy weight. - 2nd Battalion has one heavy Clan OmniMech lance which is supported by eight Inner Sphere OmniMechs.

Vader's Vampires (1 Wing/Veteran/Fanatical)[27][15]

- The wing prefers heavy fighters for their preferred surface strikes. The pilots are specialists in making precision strikes during nighttime.

Nightriders Armored Security Detail (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[27][15]

  • Armor Commander: Zhong-shao Isaak Carington

- Recently expanded by the addition of a second battalion, the seasoned 1st Battalion supports the 'Mech forces with flanking maneuvers.

Nightriders Special Forces (1 Reinforced Battalion/Regular/Reliable)[27][15]

  • Infantry Commander: Sao-shao Steven Risner

- The battle armor platoon contains mainly of Capellan designs with a few Kuritans brought back after Operation Bulldog. The remaining troops are six lances of artillery with an additional company of regular troops for overall security.

In 3067 The Nightriders rebuilt their missing 'Mech battalion, and were listed at 95% of their nominal strength. The Security detail was the lightest unit, being 12% below full strength. The rest of the associated forces were at or above full strength.[15]

3079[edit]

First McCarron's Armored Cavalry (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[32]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Aldebaran.[32] The Nightriders were reduced to 25% of their pre-Jihad strength.[18]

3145[edit]

First McCarron's Armored Cavalry (Veteran/Reliable)[28]

  • CO: Sang-shao Jake Eaton

Vickers Vampires (Regular/Reliable)[28]

Nightriders Armor Regiment (Veteran/Reliable)[28]

Nightriders Special Forces (Veteran/Reliable)[28]

References[edit]

  1. Era Report: 3052, p. 38
  2. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 10
  3. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 16
  4. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 36
  5. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 99
  6. Historical: Brush Wars, p. ??[citation needed]
  7. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 64
  8. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 66
  9. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 68
  10. Historical: War of 3039, pp. 125–126
  11. Historical: War of 3039, p. 127
  12. Historical: War of 3039, p. 126
  13. Mercenaries Supplemental II, p. 35
  14. The Dragons Roars, p. 11
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Field Manual: Updates, p. 33: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  16. Field Manual: Updates, p. 26: "First McCarron's Armored Cavalry"
  17. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 68: "Death Commandos Profile"
  18. 18.0 18.1 Field Report: CCAF, p. 15
  19. Field Manual: 3085, p. 26: "McCarron's Armored Cavalry"
  20. Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation, p. 18
  21. Field Manual: 3145, p. 32: "McCarron's Armored Cavalry - First McCarron's Armored Cavalry"
  22. Shattered Fortress, p. 41
  23. Shattered Fortress, p. 64
  24. 24.0 24.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 95: "McCarron's Armored Cavalry"
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 20 Year Update, p. 63: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3050"
  26. 26.0 26.1 Objective Raids, p. 41: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3054"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 87: "First McCarron's Armored Cavalry Unit Profile"
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 45: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3145"
  29. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 107
  30. 30.0 30.1 Historical: Brush Wars, p. 88
  31. 31.0 31.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 140
  32. 32.0 32.1 Field Report: CCAF, p. 15

Bibliography[edit]