Waco Rangers

The Waco Rangers were a mercenary regiment formed in 3007 by Colonel Wayne Waco. They were known primarily for their hatred against the legendary Wolf's Dragoons.

Unit History

The Waco Rangers were a mercenary regiment formed in 3007 by Wayne Waco and disaffected House Liao MechWarriors after Waco's previous unit, the 1st Tau Ceti Rangers, were disbanded. Accepting their first major contract with the Capellan Confederation, they saw heavy combat against Wolf's Dragoons (then in the employ of the Federated Suns) on New Aragon in 3008. The Dragoons' Zeta Battalion smashed through the Rangers' light 'Mechs, resulting in the death of John Waco, Wayne Waco's son. Apparently, a Dragoon Stalker inadvertently crushed the younger Waco after his Locust was destroyed.

Wayne Waco and his officers promptly declared vengeance against the Dragoons, despite a ComStar investigation clearing the Dragoons of intentional wrong-doing. Afterward, they refused employment with any Successor State that also employed the Dragoons. Despite this one-sided feud, the Dragoons and the commander, Jaime Wolf, seemed barely aware aware of the Rangers' grievance. Indeed, some of the Dragoons would eventually nickname them the "Wacko Rangers".

In 3011, the unit conducted a successful hit-and-run campaign against the 42nd Avalon Hussars on Thomas. With salvage from this operation, the unit would soon expand to two battalions. Later that same year, Waco learned that House Liao had hired Wolf's Dragoons without informing his unit ahead of time as specified in the Rangers' contract. The Rangers not only left the Confederation, they raided supply warehouses on Korion, expanding further.

In 3014, the unit signed with the Draconis Combine, and was sent to the Davion border to conduct a series of raids. This included a successful attack on Mara, where they were able to damage the 3rd Ceti Hussars, seizing significant salvage. They would continue raiding worlds as a cohesive unit through 3018 with great success, each time retreating before reinforcements could be brought to bear.

In 3021 while on New Wessex, the Rangers learned the Black Widow Company of Wolf's Dragoons was on planet, on a raid in service to House Steiner. They were harassing the 20th Draconis Regiment, who was unwisely trying to hunt the Dragoons down in single lances. Waco interceded against the Draconis commanding officer's objections, correctly deducing the location of the Widows' Dropship. They were too late, however, and the two forces exchanged only brief fire before the Dragoons escaped.

In 3023, House Kurita honored its contract with the Rangers by reporting it was hiring the Dragoons. The Rangers then signed on with the Lyran Commonwealth, and in 3024 they tangled with the Dragoons again, this time on Hyperion. Expecting to find only a Battalion of the Dragoons, they instead faced two whole Regiments and were forced to retreat. They were successful in destroying a number of Dragoon mechs, however. Following this encounter, the Rangers continued to conduct their raids on the Combine with great success.

By 3025, the Rangers were in service to the Federated Suns, based on the world of Mentasta.

In 3032, hearing that the Snord's Irregulars mercenary battalion was closely associated with the Dragoons, Waco challenged Cranston Snord and his unit to a battle for a priceless 23rd century Demmings crystal on the planet Nockatunga in the Free Worlds League. Despite stating that he would only bring his command battalion to the fight, Waco in fact had his entire regiment lying in ambush, outnumbering the Irregulars three to one. The Rangers were outmaneuvered by the Irregulars' tactics, and Waco himself was defeated in battle. Snord spared him more for spite than mercy. The Irregulars left with the crystals.

At some unknown point, Colonel Wayne Waco seems to have retired from regular active service, turning command of the regiment over to Colonel Wayne Rogers. Waco apparently still maintained ownership of the unit, however. As of 3049, the unit was in service to the Free Worlds League, stationed on the planet of Epsilon. Reportedly, they were still a well-respected unit at this time, despite their eccentricity regarding the Dragoons.

At the start of the Clan Invasion, with the revelation that Wolf's Dragoons were originally from Clan Wolf, Wayne Waco tried to form a mercenary coalition against them. His failure to do so only sharpened his anger. Later in 3053, he achieved some measure of satisfaction when he sat as one of the judges on the Mercenary Review Board when the Dragoons were brought up on charges of one of their battalions violating the terms of its contract while in service to House Marik. Though Jaime Wolf could have brushed the matter under the carpet, he felt it necessary to demonstrate that the Dragoons were not above the system they themselves had championed. Wolf was suspended from active service for one year.

In 3058, the Rangers were employed by the Lyran Alliance to see action against Clan Jade Falcon on Coventry. During the battle, they were forced to fight alongside Wolf's Dragoons' Delta Regiment, despite repeated protests from Wayne Rogers. The Rangers ignored both the battle plan and recon information provided by Caradoc Trevena of the 10th Skye Rangers. As a result, they were routed by the Falcons and had to suffer the indignity of being rescued by the Dragoons. Colonel Rogers was killed in the fighting.

Afterward, Wayne Waco resumed command despite his advanced age, and brought charges against the Dragoons and all others involved, blaming them for the entire matter. The MRBC dismissed these charges as groundless. As a result of major defections following these events, the unit was reduced to a single BattleMech company, with only a lance of Aerospace fighter support.

As of 3067, the unit's fortunes had apparently still not turned for the better. Waco, apparently acting on behalf of the Word of Blake, launched a coordinated mercenary attack on the Dragoons at their capital on Outreach, causing tremendous damage and destroying the famed Hiring Hall. During the fighting, Waco and his Battlemaster managed to engage Jaime Wolf and his Archer in combat, apparently after Wolf had already destroyed several 'Mechs. Waco was successful in killing Wolf, though he himself was also killed and his 'Mech was destroyed in the process, with those under his command defeated. Thus, the Waco Rangers were considered destroyed at the dawn of the Jihad.

Unit Notes

• As of 3060, the unit still possessed two Overlord DropShips and one JumpShip.
• Despite their less than sterling reputation for much of their history, due primarily to their obsession with Wolf's Dragoons, the Rangers were a highly regarded unit well suited to launching deep objective raids against an enemy. They also possessed a legendary technical support group, and were able to expand the size of their unit quickly with their ability to salvage and rebuild enemy mechs.

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Bibliography

• Mercenary's Handbook
• 20 Year Update
• The Battle of Coventry
• Field Manual: Mercenaries
• Malicious Intent
• Rhonda's Irregulars
• The Succession Wars
• Wolf's Dragoons
• Wolf Pack