Grigori Kovalenko

Grigori Kovalenko (b. 2995 - d. ????) was a mercenary serving the Capellan Confederation around 3049 known to be piloting a unique Cataphract variant.

Background

Born on formerly Capellan world of Hassad, the young Grigori grew up respecting both the Free Worlds League as the realm of his birth as well the Capellan heritage of his family. Kovalenko's reverence for the concepts of honor and heritage would lead him to join the 12th Star Guards mercenary unit largely for the Guards lineage stretching back to the Star League, Kovalenko's piloting skills earning himself a place in the unit's Second Regiment and control of a serviceable if aging Centurion. Kovalenko would dutifully serve with the Guards during contracts with both the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth up until the start of the Fourth Succession War in 3028.

Despite not heavily embracing his Capellan roots previously, Kovalenko viewed the shock Federated Suns offensive against the Confederation as a cowardly and dishonourable sneak attack, abandoning the Twelfth Star Guards with his Centurion to serve as a mercenary in Capellan space. The AFFS capture of Tikonov and Earthwerks Incorporated's production lines for the Confederation new flagship heavy BattleMech the Cataphract in the middle of the war would also dramatically shape Kovalenko's future, leading the MechWarrior to launch an almost knightly quest to retake all Cataphracts in non-Capellan hands.

Quickly defeating and capturing a Davion-piloted Cataphract to replace his aging Centurion, Kovalenko would name his new 'Mech "Ilya Muromets" after the legendary knight of Slavic myths, and emblazoned it with the Cameron Star of the Star League as a nod to his time with the Twelfth Star Guards and their connection to the SLDF. Kovalenko would continue his grand crusade for "justice" for the next 21 years, using the salvaged remains of the 'Mechs he had defeated to repair and refit his own, heavily modifying it from the stock configuration.

BattleMech

The machine Grigori captured from the Federated Commonwealth bares the Mech Identification Number CTF2X0042A-1013 indicating that the machine began life as a standard CTF-2X Cataphract, now after many years the 'Mech nicknamed Ilya Muromets bears little resemblance to its original configuration.

Loadout: 2 Medium Lasers, 2 AC/5s, 1 AC/10, 1 Small Laser

Canonicity

Grigori Kovalenko and his "Ilya Muromets" was created specifically for MechWarrior Online, the developers citing the lack of historical characters or 'Mech variants with suitably different weapon ie hardpoint layout in the pre-Clan Invasion era for use as a Cataphract Hero 'Mech (Cataphract George being easily replicatable with the CTF-2X variant)

Kovalenko's backstory also possibly conflicts with currently available sources for the Fourth Succession War which indicate the Twelfth Star Guards were not preparing to fight against the Confederaton and were instead fighting for the LCAF against the Draconis Combine as part of Operation Götterdämmerung, with the Second Regiment capturing Cebalrai.

Bibliography

• MechWarrior Online