Black Widow Company
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The infamous Black Widow Company was a semi-independent unit within the larger mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons, formed and led throughout its existence by Natasha Kerensky, the "Black Widow".
Although composed mostly of misfits and troublemakers, the Black Widow Company was a dangerous elite fighting unit with a reputation for brilliant tactics and a boldness bordering on folly. Renowned for their skill as MechWarriors, Natasha Kerensky and her unit were also known and feared for cruelty, deceitfulness and generally dishonorable behavior, attributes that set them apart from the rest of the highly esteemed Wolf's Dragoons.
It is believed that the unit may have been named by Natasha Kerensky in reference to the extinct Clan Widowmaker.
Contents
History
Early Days
The Black Widows saw their first combat action during the Marik Civil War in 3015 on New Delos and fought with distinction in innumerable famous battles.
In September 3026, Wolf's Dragoons, including the Black Widow Company, along with the Fifth Sword of Light were tasked with flushing out resistance to the Kurita-backed government of Kawabe from cities and other defensive positions.[1]
Following the devastating losses that Wolf's Dragoons suffered during the Battle of Misery against House Kurita and in the following Fourth Succession War, the Black Widow Company was the first unit available for hire again and signed a contract on November 7, 3031. On December 16 of that year it was publicly announced that Natasha Kerensky had been promoted to Colonel, and that the unit had been upgraded to battalion strength. It was subsequently known as the Black Widow Battalion.
They were recalled to the Dragoon home world of Outreach in 3035 and ordered to provide training for other Dragoon units for the following seven years. It is believed that during this time, the unit was restructured following Clan doctrine: Each company comprised of 15 BattleMechs (instead of 12 as per Inner Sphere standard), known among the Clans as a Trinary.
Disbandment
When the Clan invasion began in 3049, Natasha Kerensky left Wolf's Dragoons and resumed her place among her fellow trueborn Clan warriors, eventually attaining the rank of Khan of Clan Wolf. The original Black Widow Battalion was disbanded after she left the unit, and a new unit called the Wolf Spider Battalion was formed within Wolf's Dragoons in their place.
Officers
- As of 3015 to 3049 the Commanding Officer was Captain Natasha Kerensky.
- As of 3050 to 3054 the Commanding Officer was Colonel Mackenzie Wolf.
- As of 3054 to 3067 the Commanding Officer was Major John Clavell.
- As of 3072 to ???? the Commanding Officer is Captain Stacy Church.
- As of 3145 the Commanding Officer is Major Eleanor Chan.[2]
Tactics
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Composition History
3015 Composition[3]
The Black Widow Company that fought against Anton Marik on New Delos was composed as follows:
- Command Lance
- Fire Lance
- Lt. Takiro Ikeda - Archer
- Michael Andrews - Shadow Hawk
- Nikolai Koniev - Wasp
- Akira Harlowe - Thunderbolt
- Recon Lance
- Piet Nichols - Phoenix Hawk
- Steve Tommersom - Stinger
- Arthur Williams - Locust
3025 Composition[4]
- Command Lance
- Cpt. Natasha Kerensky - WHM-6R Warhammer
- Colin Maclaren - MAD-3R Marauder
- Lynn Sheridan - CRD-3R Crusader
- John Hayes - GRF-1N Griffin
- Fire Lance
- Lt. Takiro Ikeda - ARC-2R Archer
- Miklos Delius - ARC-2R Archer
- Nikolai Koniev - WSP-1A Wasp
- Alex Ward - STG-3R Stinger
- Recon Lance
- Lt. John "Gentleman Johnny" Clavell - RFL-3N Rifleman
- Piet Nichols - PXH-1K Phoenix Hawk
- Simon Fraser - STG-3R Stinger
- Mohammar Jahan - STG-3R Stinger
3031 Black Widow Battalion Composition[5]
- Command Lance
- First BattleMech Company (Wolf Spiders)
- First Lance
- Second Lance
- Lieutenant Piet Nichols - Hornet
- Steven Fujimi - Marauder II
- Jorge Muller - Annihilator
- Ulzanna Whitehead - Flea
- Third Lance
- Second BattleMech Company (Tarantulas)
- First Lance
- Captain MacKenzie Wolf - Enforcer
- Lillith Lang - Hermes II
- Trel Morkai - Rifleman
- John Castle - Crusader
- Second Lance
- Lieutenant Leslie Kawalli - Marauder
- Sergeant Mikos Delius - Whitworth
- Nikolai Konief - Firefly
- Delmar Lindstrom - Shadow Hawk
- Third Lance
- Aerospace Company
- First Lance
- Lieutenant Sidney "Jackrabbit" Moskowitz - Thrush
- Thomas "Top Hat" Gordon - Thrush
- Second Lance
- Lieutenant Clarence "Sweep" Lamond - Cheetah
- Ruben "Switchblade" Norris - Cheetah
- Third Lance
- Third Team, Seventh Kommando
3056 Wolf Spider Battalion Composition
The successor unit of the original Black Widow Company within Wolf's Dragoons is commanded by Major John Clavell.
- Command Star (5 OmniMechs)
- Wolf Striker Cluster
- Support Unit: Overlord-class DropShip Widow's Regards
3072 Composition[6]
- Command Lance
- Cpt. Stacy Church - ZEU-9WD Zeus X
- Lt. Jacob Kincaid - UZL-2S Uziel Jacob II
- Francine - GRF-6S Griffin Francine II
- Calvin Magdaleno - BLR-4S BattleMaster Calvin II
- Fire Lance
- Lt. Eirene Rondema - GAL-4GLSA Gallowglas
- Orrin Fletcher - DV-7D Dervish
- Michael Ramirez - ARC-7S Archer
- Max Henricksen - CBR-O2 Cobra
- Recon Lance
- Lt. Wyatt Rolfe - WLF-4WA Wolfhound
- Neil Gibson - FFL-4DA Firefly
- Halle Yost - TLN-5W Talon
- Russel Madison - LCT-6M Locust
3145
Spider's Web Battalion (Elite/Fanatical)[2]
- CO: Major Eleanor Chan
Other references
- Parodied in Critter-TEK as the "Black Hippo Company" under Captain Natasha Immenski. According to the description, "Her tactical daring-do, silly clothes, and total confidence in the scriptwriter have led to a winning streak unsurpassed since the days of the Big League. In fact, most of the rest of Wolff's Baboons seem to exist purely to soak up damage while the Black Hippos win the battle" and all of the other Baboon battalions "stand around looking good while the feared and respected Black Hippo Company mops the floor with the enemy".
3072 Company Members
Lieutenant Jacob Kincaid
MechWarrior Francine
MechWarrior Calvin Magdaleno
Lieutenant Eirene Rondema
MechWarrior Orrin Fletcher
MechWarrior Michael Ramirez
MechWarrior Max Henricksen
Lieutenant Wyatt Rolfe
MechWarrior Neil Gibson
MechWarrior Halle Yost
MechWarrior Russel Madison
Rules
Historical Turning Points: Misery
- Unmatched at small-unit tactics, the Black Widows may use Force the Initiative, Off - Map Movement, and Overrun special abilities (see pp. 192-193, TO).[7]
Notes
The Fire Lance's Shadow Hawk pilot during the 3015 attack on Anton Marik's compound on New Delos is named Willard Andrews in Jason Schmetzer's short story, The Memory of Pain.
References
- ↑ Sorenson's Sabres (scenario pack), pp. 36-37
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 182, "Notable Mercenary Forces - Draconis Combine"
- ↑ The Spider and the Wolf, "BattleTech and MechWarrior Scenarios", pp. 2,5
- ↑ Tales of the Black Widow Company, pp. 8-13
- ↑ More Tales of the Black Widow, p. 11, "Black Widow Battalion, 3031"
- ↑ Starterbook: Wolf and Blake, p. 14, "Unit Composition"
- ↑ Historical Turning Points: Misery, p. 9