Markham's Marauders

(name unknown, see text)
Previous Designation(s) Markham's Marauders
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent


Markham's Marauders were a mercenary unit active during the final decades of the Third Succession War, operating within the rimward Periphery in the region of the Aurigan Reach. A prominent member was XO Darius Oliveira, who handled contract matters. The unit was apparently renamed (though the new name remained unspecified) at some point between ca. 3019 and 3026. Subsequently, the unit was typically referred to as "Darius Oliveira's mercenary company"[1] but it remained the same unit save for the name change.

Canonicity[edit]

Markham's Marauders form the initial basis of the BattleTech player character's unit. The unit can be renamed after the "Three Years Later" mission, and throughout the game's storyline missions fights the touchpoint missions of the Arano Restoration campaign under whatever name the player chose. (While it is technically possible to retain the name "Markham's Marauders", it is assumed players will change the name.)

Although the video game as such is only apocryphal, its storyline was canonized at least in broad strokes in the fully canonical House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition) sourcebook. This includes the existence and many of the specific exploits of Darius Oliveira's mercenary unit, formerly Markham's Marauders, as presented in this article.

History[edit]

During the Arano Restoration campaign, the unit turned the tide in the conflict on Panzyr, but this went unrecognized when Karen Andris was dubbed the "Hero of Panzyr"; she did provide important aid and material support to the unit though.

They also went up against (and killed) pirate queen "Grim Sybil" to recover the Argo,[2] "the unusual DropShip that carried High Lady Arano's mercenaries during the war".[3]

By 3026, following the Arano Restoration campaign, the Argo was thought to have left Aurigan space on perhaps a long-term reconnaissance mission, with sightings throughout the rimward Periphery.[3] Given that the ship was still associated with the unit, this seems to suggest the entire mercenary unit had left Aurigan space.

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

In 3019 High Lord Tamati Arano II of the Aurigan Coalition hired Markham's Marauders to assist the Royal Guard in eliminating a pirate clan on Fjaldr. Commander Markham initially thought it would be easy money, but the Marauders would lose a dozen MechWarriors during the brutal three-month campaign. The Marauders would have taken far worse losses if it was not for Raju Montgomery, commander of the Royal Guard, who treated the unit as equal partners in the campaign and went out of his way to assist them, rather than treating them as mere cannon fodder like many others would have.

Remaining within the Aurigan Reach, Markham's Marauders were on Coromodir on the fateful coronation day in 3022 when Santiago Espinosa deposed Kamea Arano. Commander Markham was on a supply run in the capital's Market District and was killed when it was bombed during the coup. Thanks to their history with House Arano, the surviving Marauders opted to flee the new authoritarian Aurigan Directorate, discovering and rescuing an incapacitated MechWarrior trained by Raju Montgomery and the warrior's battered Blackjack before desperately leaving the system.

As of 3022 the unit had a single DropShip, the Leopard-class Hysteria.

Apocryphal Content Ends

Personnel[edit]

  • XO Darius Oliveira
  • Chris Eck served with Markham's Marauders at some point for twelve combat drops, leaving on good terms.[4]
  • Farida Lamb ("Apex") was associated with the Argo and thus by extension, Darius Oliveira's mercenary company. She formed the backbone of an assault lance that fought throughout the Arano Restoration campaign, and retired after the final battle on Coromodir[5] (only to be reactivated and drafted into Rampart Company).
  • Nicolette McKinney ("Arclight") worked with Darius Oliveira's mercenary company during the Arano Restoration campaign. She was awarded her 'Mech, an LCT-1E Locust, following the battle of Smithon, and was allowed to buy it at its scrap value when she left the unit to join Rampart Company.[6]
  • Aadya Mehra ("Mockingbird") joined Darius Oliveira's mercenary company at some point during the Arano Restoration campaign, and was released from the contract to join the Aurigan Rampart Company special forces at Karen Andris' request.[7]
  • Agostina Vassos ("Dropline") worked with Darius Oliveira's crew after the Coronation Day Massacre that precipitated the Aurigan Directorate and the Arano Restoration. Oliveira terminated her contract after she hospitalized a fellow MechWarrior over a disagreement, and by 3026 she served in Rampart Company.[8]
  • Octavio Zhou ("Sumo") fought with Darius Oliveira's crew during the Arano Restoration, fighting in the battle of Tyrlon among other engagements.[9]

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

Apocryphal Content Ends

Composition History[edit]

3022[edit]

References[edit]

  1. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 38: Karen Andris profile
  2. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), pp. 54–55: "Worm Hunt"
  3. 3.0 3.1 House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 25: Chris Eck
  4. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 41: Chris Eck profile
  5. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 48: Farida Lamb profile
  6. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 39: Nicolette McKinney profile
  7. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 42: Aadya Mehra profile
  8. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 44: Agostina Vassos profile
  9. House Arano (The Aurigan Coalition), p. 49: Octavio Zhou profile

Bibliography[edit]