Black Thorns

Template:InfoBoxMercUnit Template:InfoBoxMercUnit The Black Thorns are a mercenary unit that field a company of 'Mechs. The Black Thorns specialize in anti-Clan tactics and spent most of the unit's history along the Clan border.

Unit History

The genesis of the Black Thorns lies with its commander, Jeremiah Rose. Adept Jeremiah Rose of the ComGuard was originally from Northwind. After his mother's death in the War of 3039, he joined ComStar and grew to love Luthien, where he had been posted. When the ComGuard refused to help during the Battle of Luthien, Rose attempted to resign, but was refused. Like the rest of the ComGuard, Rose was sent to Tukayyid and took part in the Battle of Tukayyid. The victory cost him his command and his BattleMech, a Shootist. He resigned his commission successfully and traveled home to Northwind. His father Cornelieus' refusal to support him ended his bid to raise a Northwind Highlander unit to combat the Clans. It was during his visit to Northwind, that Jeremiah sought out his sister, Rianna Rose, who eagerly accepted her brother's offer of a place in his as-yet unformed mercenary unit. In order to form his new mercenary unit, Jeremiah traveled to the game world of Solaris VII, while his sister and half-cousin left for Outreach. It was on Solaris VII that he met other MechWarriors who joined with them to form the mercenary unit that Rianna Rose named.

On Outreach, Rianna Rose recruited two other MechWarriors. A training match in 3054 between the nascent mercenary unit and elements of Wolf's Dragoons went wrong when a series of physical attacks left the Dragoons captain injured. The Thorns hastily left the Dragoons homeworld under contract to the Federated Commonwealth to garrison Borghese, a world on their border with Clan Jade Falcon.

Borghese

Surprisingly, opposition to the Black Thorns came not from Clan Jade Falcon, but from the planetary government. They wanted to switch sides in order to avoid what they believed was the eventual damage to their home. In order to facilitate this, they sent the local militia after the Thorns and sent a message to the Falcons asking them to come take over. This was answered by elements of the 9th Talon Cluster. After one of the militia MechWarriors switched sides, the Thorns returned to the capital to confront the Clanners. After a running battle, the Falcons decided to leave since they never expected opposition.

The Black Thorns were only too happy to leave Borghese behind. After being relieved by the Gray Death Legion, they departed for their new post in the Draconis Combine: Wolcott.

Courchevel

Once they were ensconced on the planet that the Combine held within the Clan Smoke Jaguar-Clan Nova Cat Occupation Zone, the Black Thorns accepted a sub-contract to raid the Nova Cat world of Courchevel. Their objective was a factory that was nearing completion.

The mission was scrapped almost from the get-go. Clan OmniFighters forced the DropShip they came on to crash-land after the MechWarriors evacuated with their 'Mechs. Rose was able to make contact with the local resistance, who told him that their transportation was firmly in the hands of a front-line unit that had rotated to the interior world for rest and refit. Rose led his unit to rescue the craft, along with its crew. Though it cost the unit dearly, Rose was finally able to evacuate his unit after he killed the Clan commander in single combat.

After returning to Wolcott, Jeremiah married his long-time lover, Captain Rachel McCloud of the Union-class Bristol and had two children.

Jezersko

After Clan Ghost Bear invaded the Draconis Combine in 3062, the Black Thorns were activated. They were sent to Jezersko to wage a guerrilla campaign against the Twenty-Ninth Provisional Garrison Cluster. Though they were mostly successful, a Ghost Bear trap critically wounded Rianna Rose and forced the Thorns to leave the system. News of Rianna's injuries caused her father to suffer a stroke. This unfortunate circumstance prompted reconciliation between Cornelieus and Jeremiah. The elder Rose began to support his son amongst the Northwind Clan Elders. Jeremiah also made an ally of Loren Jaffray of the Northwind Hussars.

Galedon

Before anybody had a chance to decide on whether or not to allow the Black Thorns to merge with the Northwind Highlanders, the Jihad intervened. A series of untimely deaths forced the recall of the Highlanders to Northwind, after which the Word of Blake instituted a naval blockade and cut off all contact with the planet and the famed mercenary unit.

The Black Thorns had been rotated to Galedon V in 3067. When the Draconis March invaded, the Black Thorns went missing, leaving the Galedon system woefully under-defended. The Combine charged the unit with a contract breach in absentia. Any information regarding their whereabouts following the invasion of Galedon is unknown.

Composition History

3054

• Command Lance
  • Captain Jeremiah Rose - CGR-3K Charger
  • XO/Rianna Rose - Phoenix Hawk

• Battle Lance
  • Lieutenant Esmeralda - Warhammer
  • O'Shea - Shadow Hawk
  • Hawg - Zeus

• Pursuit Lance
  • Angus - Valkyrie
  • Ajax - Raven

3057

• Command Lance
  • Captain Jeremiah Rose - WarHawk
  • XO/Rianna Rose - Phoenix Hawk
  • Antioch Bell - Banshee
  • Jamshid Al-Kalibi - Timber Wolf

• Battle Lance
  • Lieutenant Esmeralda - "Timber Wolf
  • Badicus O'Shea - Warhammer
  • Hawg - BattleMaster
  • Greta Podell - Charger

• Recon Lance
  • Lieutenant Ajax - Raven
  • Yuri Dogdorvich - Fire Moth
  • Leeza Rippiticue - Mercury
  • Katherine "Kitten" Kittiallen - Panther

Bibliography

• The Black Thorns
• Blake Ascending
• D.R.T.
• Jihad Hot Spots: 3070
• Main Event
• Mercenaries Supplemental
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update