Mercenary Tactical Handbook Entry



This post has been editted to reflect changes wrought as a result of the events in the first four parts of the Role Play story and will continue to be updates as the story progresses. The most recent changes will be underlined in this entry.

Mercenary Tactical Handbook Entry
The original version of this entry was taken from the following post, but has since been updated: http://www.201ststrykers.com/index.php?/topic/388-mercenary-tactical-handbook-entry/

201st Stryker Regiment: Survival of the Funnest
One of numerous mercenary units that thrived in the wake of the Fourth Succession War, the 201st Stryker Regiment was formed following the Star League Defense Force Exodus. The handful of members from the SLDF’s 201st Striker Regiment who chose to remain behind banded together and began working as mercenaries as the 201st Strykers. Over the decades, they expanded and added the “Regiment” back to their title when they regained their former size. Though never the biggest or most impressive mercenary unit in the game, the 201st Stryker Regiment has proven its resilience throughout the years, surviving at least one major internal schism as well as the rather crushing dissolution of a mercenary alliance they had been instrumental in creating and maintaining. Through it all, the members of the 201st have proven their loyalty to the unit, which they view very much as a family.

Recently, the 201st has become the target an extermination order by the Draconis Combine and is once again fighting for its very survival. Outside sources may give the 201st long odds against the might of an entire Great House, but the 201st has proven its ability to overcome and outlast; few members of the unit have any doubt of the outcome of this newest challenge.

Following the Stryker’s recent operation on Scheat, their recruitment machine went into full swing. The unit’s ‘mech forces have doubled in size by recruiting the survivors of units smashed apart by the initial wave of the Clan invasion. As a result of their selective recruitment, their skill level has not taken a hit from their rapid expansion.

Officers
Colonel Niko and his XO, Lt. Col. Marlin “Da Fish”, sort of stumbled into a leadership role for the Strykers. Niko and Lt. Col. IceRaven were in the wrong place at the right time and took charge of the unit to keep it from dissolving. Under the leadership of this trio, and a core of officers and NCOs, the 201stStryker Regiment survived and thrived. The unit remains strong and is growing again.

“Major” Gregor “LoPan” Heimler is notorious on Outreach and at various other places within the Inner Sphere. A former member of the First Lyran Guard, he is still devoutly loyal to the Archon, but his harebrained schemes constantly get him into trouble. More often than not, he lands on his feet. He was promoted to Major as the result of a bet in a card game. He is also remarkably skilled or lucky behind the controls of many light and fast ‘mech designs.

Tactics
The 201st Stryker Regiment specializes in small unit tactics, almost never deploying more than a company in the field at a time. Most often, the Strykers hire out their lances to small scale raid or defense contracts. As a result, their unit organization is loose and fluid, often swapping out lance members from contract to contract. Nearly all the members of the unit work well with any other member of the unit, though some strong ties have formed with certain lance or company combinations.

First Battalion

 * BATTALION/VETERAN/FANATICAL


 * CO: Colonel Niko


 * First Battalion previously contained all of the 201st Strykers’ BattleMech forces and is still the primary combat unit of the regiment. Colonel Niko’s command lance is also the First Battalion command lance.

Second Battalion

 * BATTALION/REGULAR/RELIABLE


 * CO: Major John Reed


 * Second Battalion is now also made up of battlemechs. In most cases, it serves as more of a training cadre for new recruits, resulting in a lower skill and loyalty rating than the First Battalion.

Third Battalion

 * REINFORCED BATTALION/REGULAR/FANATICAL


 * CO: Major


 * Third Battalion is made up of mobile combat support units. With the vehicles from Second Battalion, there are now three companies of armored vehicles and a company of VTOLs that provide direct support to the ‘mech battalions if needed.

Fourth Battalion

 * BATTALION/REGULAR/RELIABLE


 * CO: Major


 * After the events on Outreach and Scheat in late 3050, the infantry from second company were moved to form a new battalion. The infantry platoons of the old Second Battalion are now two companies and the troop transports provide a company of vehicles capable of moving the infantry around the battlefield. The primary purpose of all this new infantry, however, is primarily defense team of the Stykers’ compound on Outreach and their DropShips while on mission.

201st Strykers’ Air Wing

 * REINFORCED WING/VETERAN/FANATICAL


 * CO: Major Cassie McBronigan


 * The addition of several pilots from Valkyrie Wing who flew alongside the Strykers during their action on Scheat warranted creating a separate air wing for the Strykers. The Wing is sitting at four squadrons and the bulk of their fighters are considerably heavier than average, because the “Valkyries” brought several Stuka heavy fighters with them.