Dark Wing (Mercenary Command)

Overview

The Dark Wing were a private BattleMech unit consisting (at least) of four BattleMasters and a Warhammer. They are classified as a mercenary unit on the grounds that they worked as a private military force for Matabushi Incorporated. for a time at least.

Working for Matabushi In., they were secretly moved to the world of Ander's Moon by the "Stone Arrow", a JumpShip operated by the notorious smuggler Kangaroo Jack. Between March 1 and March 3, 3024, the Dark Wing performed a surprise raid on the local Duke's stronghold, Castle Vandenburg, as part of Matabushi's Operation Inroad. They killed the Duke, his wife and his daughter and stole treasure including the Chalice of Herne, symbol of the Dukedom on Ander's Moon. They were ostensibly driven off by forces from Jarris McBrin, a rival of the Vandenburg clan, who had been on manoeuvres nearby.

Gideon Braver Vandenburg, the late Duke's son, had been away on an inspection tour when the attack occurred. Political intrigue forced him to flee from Ander's Moon shortly afterwards. He went on to create his own mercenary Lance, the Blazing Aces, and within five years tracked down the Dark Wing who were still guarding the Chalice on a planet in Draconis Combine space. There, the Blazing Aces vanquished the Dark Wing on the battlefield and reclaimed the Chalice. This was presumably the end of the Dark Wing.

When their last 'Mech was disabled, the infantry fled and abandoned the high security bunker that held the Chalice.

It is unknown if the Dark Wing was created by Matabushi Inc. from within the corporation, or if they were hired as a unit; they were not part of Matabushi's regular security forces in any case. Grig Griez, a crimelord from the Draconis Combine, possessed information about the Dark Wing since he had arranged their passage on the jump ship that brought them to Ander's Moon.

Their crest was a humanoid skull with wings and fangs. The colour scheme is seen on the leg of a steel-blue Warhammer that is pictured on the cover art and opening picture.

Dark Wing colour scheme:

Other Information

• The Dark Wing is the mysterious enemy force that must be identified, tracked down and eventually be destroyed by the player (as Gideon Braver of the Blazing Aces) in the 1989 computer game by Activision, MechWarrior.

• The exact place where the Chalice is guarded by the Dark Wing and where the final showdown takes place is randomized within the game, but it is invariably located on the Lyran Commonwealth border of the Draconis Combine, usually on Radstadt, Rasalhague, Kirchbach or Albiero.

• It remains unclear whether the Dark Wing forces encountered in the last two battles of the game's storyline are supposed to be the same Lance, or two different Lances of three BattleMasters and one Warhammer each. Game mechanics do not allow damaged units to withdraw and require a battle to be fought until one side is totally destroyed. However, in the data given to the player after the Tasha-Kearny standoff the game describes "a special lance of 'Mechs consisting of a Warhammer and four BattleMasters known as the dark wing". It could be assumed that one BattleMaster was destroyed, captured or disabled during the raid on Ander's Moon, since the player only ever meets three BattleMasters and one Warhammer (in fact this is due to game mechanics which only allow for four enemy 'Mechs on a given battlefield). While the first battle at the landing zone and the final confrontation at the site of the bunker holding the Chalice must be played in direct sequence, but the player's unit (the Blazing Aces) can carry out some minor repairs and replenish ammunition stores in-between; the same might have been possible for the Dark Wing who even maintained a proper base there.

• Infantry is expressly described to scatter in the text following the successful battle against the Dark Wing at the Chalice bunker.

• According to the Mechwarrior (SNES), the Dark Wing Lance exists since before 3017, and they used to be a renegade mercenary cartel. However, according to this game, the Dark Wing was disbanded until 3027, which conflicts with the 3024 attack by the Dark Wing on Ander's Moon.

References

• MechWarrior I Video Game.