Hansen's Roughriders

Overview

Hansen's Roughriders is a famous mercenary regiment of heavy troops. They have a good reputation for reliability despite their somewhat rowdy image, and are renowned for being always in the thick of the battle with their heavy fighting machines.

Inception

The Roughriders formed in 3014 as a breakaway unit from the Free Worlds League military, following a battle on Ilion V, although the exact details of their mutiny are unclear. Some claim that the regiment under Colonel Gerhardt Hansen abandoned House Marik when ordered on a perceived suicide mission without support; other sources claim that Hansen and his unit left after an unsuccessful rebellion against Janos Marik, which would implicate them in Anton Marik's failed coup from that time.

Most of the original Marik regiment followed Hansen and went to form the core of the new mercenary unit.

Organisation and equipment

The Roughriders are known to field heavy BattleMechs augmented by heavy Aerospace Fighters and heavy tanks. Many companies within the Roughriders are composed exclusively of heavy 'Mechs, and the unit is generally known for their prowess in close range combat.

When the new Rommel/Patton tank designs were unveiled in 3020 by Defiance Industries, the LCAF put them to serious testing through the Roughrider's tank brigade.

History

It is not entirely clear when Hansen's Roughriders were properly formed as a mercenary unit following the events of 3014. Although it is generally assumed that they went to serve House Steiner immediately, the Lyran Commonwealth officially hired the unit only in 3018. Together with fellow mercenary unit Miller's Marauders, they quickly became media darlings in the Commonwealth as they embodied the archetype of the rowdy but successful mercenary.

The Roughriders first became famous through their attack on the heavily fortified Marik world of New Olympia, where they annihilated two enemy regiments in intense fighting over the course of three weeks before they were forced to retreat.

During their long employment with the Commonwealth, the Roughriders were stationed on Suk II to defend the valuable mining world against regular raids from the Draconis Combine, but occasionally they were sent into battle elsewhere.

In 3019, Lyran intelligence learned that House Marik had sent the elite mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons against the invaluable BattleMech factories of Hesperus II. House Steiner rushed reinforcements to Hesperus, including the Roughriders who were held on reserve at the factory perimeter as a last-ditch defense. In the ensuing 13th battle for Hesperus II, the Dragoon onslaught dove right through the Steiner defenders despite being outnumbered 1:2. It was the Roughriders, together with Hsien's Hotheads, who finally pushed back the Dragoons within sight of the factories. This marks the Roughriders as one of very few units to ever beat the famous Wolf's Dragoons on the battlefield.

In 3024 the Roughriders participated in the capture of the industry world Sevren from the Draconis Combine.

Following the Steiner/Davion alliance, the Roughriders remained under contract to Steiner but were stationed in Davion space for a time at least. It is unknown how they fared during the Clan Invasion when their long-time garrison world of Suk II was captured by Clan Wolf.

As per 3054, the Roughriders stationed on Bromhead in the Capellan March of the Federated Commonwealth; command has passed on to Colonel Wolfgang Hansen.

Other Information

• Hansen's Roughriders were among the five mercenary units presented in the original BattleTech boardgame (the others being the Eridani Light Horse, Wolf's Dragoons, 21st Centauri Lanciers and Lindon's Company), and as such have been part of the BattleTech universe right from the very beginning.
• In the computer game MechWarrior II - Mercenaries, the player starts his first missions with Hansen's Roughriders, under the tutelage of one Sergeant Unther (who pilots a Catapult and gives the player radio callsigns such as "Rookie" and "Hey you!").