Difference between revisions of "Carlyle's Commandos"

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{{InfoBoxMercUnit
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{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
|unitname    = Carlyle's Commandos
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| image =
|year        = 3024
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| Designation = Carlyle's Commandos
|commander    = Durant Carlyle
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| Formed =  
|jumpships    =
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| Disbanded = 3024
|dropships    = Yes (see text)
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| Previous Designation = Colby's Commandos
|aero        = No
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| Nickname =  
|armor        = No
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| Affiliation = [[Mercenary]]
|infantry    = Yes
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| Parent Command =
|subunitname1 = Company
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| Sub-Command =  
|subunitloc1  = [[Trell I]]
 
|subunitexp1  =
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
 
[[File:CarlyleDeath.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Durant Carlyle's death at the helm of his ''[[Phoenix Hawk]]'']]'''Carlyle's Commandos''' were a [[mercenary unit]] consisting of two [[BattleMech]] [[lance]]s plus several platoons of infantry, led by Captain Durant Carlyle. By [[3024]] the unit was garrisoning the planet [[Trellwan]], where a 'Mech lance of local [[Lyran Commonwealth|Lyran]] regulars accepted Carlyle as their CO, effectively bringing the unit's strength to a full 'Mech [[company]] (three lances).<ref>This composition was established by the [[Line Developer]] in [http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,20787.0.html this thread] on the official [[BattleTech forum]], to reconcile and clarify what appears to be conflicting information otherwise: Carlyle's Commandos were described as "a combined-arms mercenary force consisting of a BattleMech company and several platoons of infantry" in ''[[The Price of Glory]]'' (p. 192), but the [[Gray Death Legion (scenario pack)]] claims (on p. 6) that "Trellwan was garrisoned by a single lance of Steiner regulars commanded by Captain Durant Carlyle."</ref>
 
[[File:CarlyleDeath.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Durant Carlyle's death at the helm of his ''[[Phoenix Hawk]]'']]'''Carlyle's Commandos''' were a [[mercenary unit]] consisting of two [[BattleMech]] [[lance]]s plus several platoons of infantry, led by Captain Durant Carlyle. By [[3024]] the unit was garrisoning the planet [[Trellwan]], where a 'Mech lance of local [[Lyran Commonwealth|Lyran]] regulars accepted Carlyle as their CO, effectively bringing the unit's strength to a full 'Mech [[company]] (three lances).<ref>This composition was established by the [[Line Developer]] in [http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,20787.0.html this thread] on the official [[BattleTech forum]], to reconcile and clarify what appears to be conflicting information otherwise: Carlyle's Commandos were described as "a combined-arms mercenary force consisting of a BattleMech company and several platoons of infantry" in ''[[The Price of Glory]]'' (p. 192), but the [[Gray Death Legion (scenario pack)]] claims (on p. 6) that "Trellwan was garrisoned by a single lance of Steiner regulars commanded by Captain Durant Carlyle."</ref>
  
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| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of Carlyle's Commandos'''
 
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of Carlyle's Commandos'''
 
|-
 
|-
| [[Captain]]||[[Durant Carlyle]]||[[3024]]
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| [[Major]]||[[Jonathan Colby]]|| - [[2990]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Captain]]||[[Durant Carlyle]]||2990 - [[3024]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 13:41, 23 November 2020

Carlyle's Commandos
Disbanded 3024
Previous Designation(s) Colby's Commandos
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command
Durant Carlyle's death at the helm of his Phoenix Hawk

Carlyle's Commandos were a mercenary unit consisting of two BattleMech lances plus several platoons of infantry, led by Captain Durant Carlyle. By 3024 the unit was garrisoning the planet Trellwan, where a 'Mech lance of local Lyran regulars accepted Carlyle as their CO, effectively bringing the unit's strength to a full 'Mech company (three lances).[1]

After the unit's effective destruction in 3024, many survivors joined the Trellwan Lancers under the command of Durant Carlyle's son Grayson. The Trellwan Lancers in turn formed the nucleus of what would become the famous Gray Death Legion.

History

Carlyle's Commandos were stationed on garrison duty on the world of Trell I (Trellwan) since 3019[2] in the employ of House Steiner. During their stay on the planet they defended it several times against bandit raids.[2] In 3024 the unit met its end in a sneak attack by Oberon Confederation troops, who pretended to be friendly forces, arriving in the course of an alliance between the Confederation and the Lyran Commonwealth as a replacement garrison, but who in truth worked for Duke Hassid Ricol from the Draconis Combine. Upon arriving at the starport, the DropShip and the BattleMechs and troops it carried launched a surprise attack, killing Durant Carlyle in his 'Mech in the process. Together with the efforts of an indigenous saboteur and the infiltration by enemy commandos Carlyle's Commandos were shattered in short order and the survivors forced to retreat off planet, leaving only Grayson Death Carlyle, Durant's son, behind, for he was believed to be dead.

Unexpectedly showing both leadership capabilities and military genius, young Grayson Carlyle subsequently rallied the local defenders and formed a militia force that could resist the invaders long enough to thwart Ricol's plot and save the planet from occupation by the Combine.

Following the successful fighting on Trellwan he went on to create a mercenary unit, the Gray Death Legion, from his Trellwan Lancers and the remains of Carlyle's Commandos. Later, the Legion would adopt the name "Carlyle's Commandos" for its Recon Lance.[3]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Carlyle's Commandos
Major Jonathan Colby - 2990
Captain Durant Carlyle 2990 - 3024

Tactics

Unknown.

Composition

As of 3024, the 'Mech company was led by Captain Durant Carlyle. One lance composed of his Phoenix Hawk, Lieutenant Ernest Hauptman's Shadow Hawk (the number two in the lance), and two Wasps was stationed at the "Castle" on Trellwan.

The unit also had a spacecraft at their disposal, referred to as a "shuttle" at one point. Their remaining troops used this craft to escape from the sneak attack. It is implied that the "shuttle" also accommodated their 'Mechs, and this and the visual description suggests it to be a Leopard-class DropShip. Carlyle's Commandos may not have been the owners of this vessel though, as it displayed the crest of House Steiner.

References

  1. This composition was established by the Line Developer in this thread on the official BattleTech forum, to reconcile and clarify what appears to be conflicting information otherwise: Carlyle's Commandos were described as "a combined-arms mercenary force consisting of a BattleMech company and several platoons of infantry" in The Price of Glory (p. 192), but the Gray Death Legion (scenario pack) claims (on p. 6) that "Trellwan was garrisoned by a single lance of Steiner regulars commanded by Captain Durant Carlyle."
  2. 2.0 2.1 Decision at Thunder Rift, p. 24
  3. Gray Death Legion (scenario pack), p. 9

(For the page information the reprint of Decision at Thunder Rift from 1992 was used)

Bibliography