Saturday, December 21, 2024
On To The Tanks!
So taking a small break from the mechs and moving on to the tanks. I'm doing a batch of 8 tanks first, 4 each of Demolishers and Behemoths. First up they get the Dark Sand base coating.
Second step is when they get the Bronze Green and Cavalry Brown camo markings. I've been enjoying the easy camo but I have to catch myself to keep from getting too repetitive with it.
The third step they get Gunmetal Grey for some small bits, black for the tracks, and then the wash layer. After all that dried, I added the Tan Earth on the base. There isn't enough base showing to bother with trying to add sand to it.
And that is it for this update. Next up with be 4 Sturmfeurs and 4 Ontos tanks though Christmas next week might push off the update for a bit. Thanks for reading and see you all next time!
Monday, December 16, 2024
Arkab Mechs Done For Now
Alright, so progress is continuing. I got the first company's worth of mechs based up to match the test model in the first batch. I didn't take any in progress pictures as they really wasn't much to show.
Then I got the other batch completed as well. I didn't have enough of the one palm frond bracken leaves to do them all so a little over half of them got a smaller foliage style for their trees.
And then here's a picture of them all together.
Next up I'll be starting to get paint on vehicles. I've got almost a battalion of heavier or slower vehicles that will be a defensive force for my Arkab. They'll be the unit used to defend their landing zone when deployed, dependents when not deployed, etc. This will all the heavy tanks from the Kickstarter and some of the slower vehicles. The hovercraft will be going into a different part of the Arkab and I'll tackle them once the heavies are done. That is all for now and I'll see you next time for another update.
Friday, December 13, 2024
More Progress on the Arkab Legion
So I'm continuing to make good progress on the mech portion of my Arkab Legion that is getting most of the miniatures from my Catalyst Games Battletech Mercenaries Kickstarter. Picking up from my last post, the next two mech lances received their camo and metal highlights as well as their Nuln wash layer.
After that, the last ten mechs this unit is getting for now got their base paint layer of the Vallejo Dark Sand.
They also received their camo splots and metal highlights and then finally their wash layer as well.
At this point I'm heading into the basing of the unit. I completely finished one of the Ostscouts first as a trial version. Using small oak tree limbs that are regularly on my front porch and laser cut foliage from Gamers Grass, I'm making palm-ish trees. The rest of the basing is a medium grit sand and then painting the base edges with Vallejo Tan Earth.
At this point I've got three lances with their tree trunks in place. Next up with be getting the sand and paint added to the base. I'll be doing the foliage part last as I didn't do it in that order with the test model and I ended up reapplying the large leaves multiple times as I moved the model around to do the other parts.
So that's where I'm at for the moment. I'm hoping to get the basing done over the weekend which will let me start painting vehicles at the beginning of next week. Hopefully making regular progress will keep me on a schedule of posting to the blog regularly which I was quite bad at for most of this year. See you all next time and thanks for reading!
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
And So It Begins
Well, I have all the Catalyst Battletech Kickstarter items sorted so it's time to start getting paint to miniatures. As said in the last post, the majority of the units are going into my fictional 8th Arkab Legion. I'm starting out with two lances of battlemechs, 2 Ostscouts, 2 Spectors, 3 Chameleons, and a Starslayer. I'll be using Vallejo Dark Sand for the base color, Vallejo Bronze Green and Vallejo Cavalry Brown for the camo, Vallejo Gunmetal Grey for detail and cockpits, and lastly Nuln Oil for the wash.
After the basecoat is down, next up was adding the green and red camo blotchs for the desert scheme I'm going for.
Next step is picking out the cockpits, gun barrels and jumpjet parts with the gunmetal. Last step was the Nuln wash and then they're ready for basing.
I have the next two lances started and am planning on holding off on the basing until I have about 3 companies painted up so I can large batch the basing.
So that's where we are at the moment. I think I'm going to keep after the mechs and get the ones slated for the Arkab done completely and then move into the vehicles. I've got 10 more Mechs that are going into this unit and then it'll be moving on to the 60-ish vehicles. That's all for now and I'll be trying to have another post up by the weekend.
Sunday, December 1, 2024
8th Arkab Legion
So it would seem that my Battletech Mercenaries Kickstarter MIGHT be here soon. The first of three boxes arrived today but contained none of the minis, books, or other stuff that I'm really looking forward to. I just have the anniversary t-shirt, Savannah map pack, and some small non-swag things. Anyway, after trying several trial mechs the past few months, it is official. I cannot pull off even a janky version of a tartan pattern on a mech so the McCulloch Highlanders will stay in my fluff files but won't be turned into a table top unit anytime soon. So since I've messed around with doing an Arkab force for a while, I've decided to go the desert camo route which will stand out amongst the rest of the units I have done previously. The following is my take on a new Arkab unit based around the existing fluff. I'll start filling in the unit compositions once FedEx stops playing around with my delivery.
8th Arkab Legion
"Fulfilling Broken Promises" As the Third Succession War wound down through the 3010s, the Arkab Legions found themselves with four of their seven Legions destroyed, disbanded, or deactivated for being at an extremely low percentage of unit strength. As the First, Third, Fifth, and Seventh were slowly rebuilt, the leadership of the Azami Brotherhood found themselves becoming more and more frustrated at the lack of help that the DCMS was providing to assist in those efforts. It was felt that the leadership of the DCMS was willing to allow the Legions to bleed and die without caring to help keep them prepared and honed for battle. Worried that their remaining three Legions would be wasted or thrown away before the other three were combat capable again, they took the extraordinary step of secretly forming an Eighth Arkab Legion regiment as a back up force just in case the DCMS continued to seek their depletion. Key personnel who were chosen for the leadership of the new unit were carefully selected, vetted, and then disappeared to begin their work. The goal was to have the 8th Arkab Legion ready for deployment if needed by 3030 with the possibility of expansion into more Legions afterwards. Using the material movements to Azami worlds for the four regiments being reconstitued as a cover, work begins on the creation of the new regiment that will be a medium to heavy weight unit. As new companies are formed in the rebuilding units, single lances are sent to "reinforce" the three deployed regiments and disappear into the Elix System that was now depopulated to a point that it had been dropped from maps of the DCMS. Using some of the deep desert mountains found on the world, a base was built into the caverns located there with some deep spring underground sources of water.
As the Third Succession War found itself with a mutual cease fire of all the combatants, the 8th Arkab Legion found itself at two full battalions in strength with an attached regiment of infantry and a battalion of armor. The unit also finds itself with two Overlord, a Triumph, and two Condor dropships allowing the unit to be fully deployed if needed along with a Mule dropship for supplies. A pair of Tramp Jumpships that are capable of transporting all six dropships are deployed at a pirate jump point. Almost all of the dropships and jumpships were captured on raids into the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Commonwealth but not reported as captured due to the accidental losses of the ISF agents that had deployed with the Legions on their raids. The remainder of the dropships came from a hidden cache that the Azami Brotherhood maintains. They form the basis of a small hidden fleet that the Azami Brotherhood are starting to form in case they need to move the Arkab Legions of their own accord seperate of the wishes of the DCMS or local Combine officials. Raids in company and battalion strength by the 8th Arkab Legion also provide the unit with more mechs to continue their expansion through salvage and captured equipment. Since the unit is unknown and deploys with lack of unit markings, the lack of identification leads these raids to be attributed to pirates. This allows the unit to begin the formation of their third battalion but it will not be activated until it reachs full strength. As the third battalion is formed, its members are rotated in and out of the other two battalions to gain experience.
The unit is based around fast or jump capable medium and heavy battlemechs with a few lights for scouting. The support units are built around fast or hover vehicles with just a company of heavier vehicles to defend the dropships when deployed. Infantry is also split between fast moving vehicles to support the battlemechs or heavier units for defensive deployment. The units next priority is to add at least one but preferrably three aerospace fighter squadrons. The Azami Brotherhood deploys a number of agents from their Saurimat intelligence agency to protect the secrecy of the 8th Arkab Legion and its hidden base. Another prong of the Azami Brotherhood is a hidden training area to produce mechwarriors and vehicle crews for the Arkab Legions seperate of the DCMS academies to supply their hidden forces. This was located on in the Miyazaki System which like Elix had been depopulated and removed from the DCMS maps. This new Arkab Legion Academy was placed with easy access to the Elix System and the 8th Arkab Legion as well as within easy reach of other Azami Brotherhood worlds. The academy was able to use the former base of the 8th Dieron Regulars when they were stationed on Miyazaki in the First Succession War. 8th Arkab Legion Naval Assets
ALS Blessings of Peace, Tramp-class Jumpship
ALS Desert Visions, Tramp-class Jumpship
ALS Walls of Algiers, Overlord-class Dropship
ALS Oasis Rose, Overlord-class Dropship
ALS Mashouda, Triumph-class Dropship
ALS Memories of Aqaba, Condor-class Dropship
ALS Tigris Tears, Condor-class Dropship
ALS Dawasir's Descendants, Mule-class Dropship
8th Arkab Legion
1st Battalion "Hidden Strengths"
CO: Tai-sa Al-Husayn Dallaire
Sho-sa Mosoud Faouzi
2nd Battalion "Peaceful Threats"
Sho-sa Taieb Abdelkafi
3rd Battalion "Stealth in the Shadows"
Sho-sa Onissa Sharief
8th Arkab Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion
Tai-sa Hassan Tomassau
Sho-sa Yahriev Gallieni
2nd Battalion
Sho-sa Mahmut Avenieff
3rd Battalion
Sho-sa Eilat Simhoni
8th Arkab Armored Regiment
1st Battalion
Sho-sa Jaelle Haciego
Other Important Persons
Faheem Badawi
This is a Saurimat agent whose cover is the chief negotiator for the small Jeddah Merchantile Group that can be found in and around the Albalii System. Faheem is the decent of survivors of the Dalkeith Massacre in 2775 and holds a bitter animosity towards the Draconis Combine. The work of building and hiding the 8th Arkab Legion from the DCMS and potentially protect the Azami Worlds from the DCMS has made this a project that Faheem can throw all of his efforts into. He is also able to draw upon a wide range of resources from the other members of his Albalii Sauriat enclave. Allamah Daud Haumallah
Daud is the ranking religious teacher on Dabih who leads regular scholarly tours from Dabih to Rukbat and Algedi. These trips allow him access to a wide range of people and allows him to keep tabs on the major DCMS forces on Algedi. Daud handles a number of spies and agents in the region and is a major trafficer in information for the Saurimat. Rowena Sahlama
Rowena is a highly regarded artist in the Azami Brotherhood community. Her paintings and sculptures are known and in high demand across that section of Draconis Combine space. She often holds shows on Al Na'ir, Dieron, and Algedi which allows her much freedom of movement in that region of space for the Saurimat. In addition to acting as a courier of sensitive information, she also is a top level recruiter of intel sources.
So that's the plan as it stands for now. I have the paint colors I need and basing material but going to need to get some flat sand colored primer to use assuming FedEx can figure out how to not fail to deliver when they never came to the house in the first place. I'll post as update on my Kickstarter stuff once I get it all and then start organizing the 8th Arkab. That's all for now and hopefully it won't be as long without an update next time.
"Fulfilling Broken Promises" As the Third Succession War wound down through the 3010s, the Arkab Legions found themselves with four of their seven Legions destroyed, disbanded, or deactivated for being at an extremely low percentage of unit strength. As the First, Third, Fifth, and Seventh were slowly rebuilt, the leadership of the Azami Brotherhood found themselves becoming more and more frustrated at the lack of help that the DCMS was providing to assist in those efforts. It was felt that the leadership of the DCMS was willing to allow the Legions to bleed and die without caring to help keep them prepared and honed for battle. Worried that their remaining three Legions would be wasted or thrown away before the other three were combat capable again, they took the extraordinary step of secretly forming an Eighth Arkab Legion regiment as a back up force just in case the DCMS continued to seek their depletion. Key personnel who were chosen for the leadership of the new unit were carefully selected, vetted, and then disappeared to begin their work. The goal was to have the 8th Arkab Legion ready for deployment if needed by 3030 with the possibility of expansion into more Legions afterwards. Using the material movements to Azami worlds for the four regiments being reconstitued as a cover, work begins on the creation of the new regiment that will be a medium to heavy weight unit. As new companies are formed in the rebuilding units, single lances are sent to "reinforce" the three deployed regiments and disappear into the Elix System that was now depopulated to a point that it had been dropped from maps of the DCMS. Using some of the deep desert mountains found on the world, a base was built into the caverns located there with some deep spring underground sources of water.
As the Third Succession War found itself with a mutual cease fire of all the combatants, the 8th Arkab Legion found itself at two full battalions in strength with an attached regiment of infantry and a battalion of armor. The unit also finds itself with two Overlord, a Triumph, and two Condor dropships allowing the unit to be fully deployed if needed along with a Mule dropship for supplies. A pair of Tramp Jumpships that are capable of transporting all six dropships are deployed at a pirate jump point. Almost all of the dropships and jumpships were captured on raids into the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Commonwealth but not reported as captured due to the accidental losses of the ISF agents that had deployed with the Legions on their raids. The remainder of the dropships came from a hidden cache that the Azami Brotherhood maintains. They form the basis of a small hidden fleet that the Azami Brotherhood are starting to form in case they need to move the Arkab Legions of their own accord seperate of the wishes of the DCMS or local Combine officials. Raids in company and battalion strength by the 8th Arkab Legion also provide the unit with more mechs to continue their expansion through salvage and captured equipment. Since the unit is unknown and deploys with lack of unit markings, the lack of identification leads these raids to be attributed to pirates. This allows the unit to begin the formation of their third battalion but it will not be activated until it reachs full strength. As the third battalion is formed, its members are rotated in and out of the other two battalions to gain experience.
The unit is based around fast or jump capable medium and heavy battlemechs with a few lights for scouting. The support units are built around fast or hover vehicles with just a company of heavier vehicles to defend the dropships when deployed. Infantry is also split between fast moving vehicles to support the battlemechs or heavier units for defensive deployment. The units next priority is to add at least one but preferrably three aerospace fighter squadrons. The Azami Brotherhood deploys a number of agents from their Saurimat intelligence agency to protect the secrecy of the 8th Arkab Legion and its hidden base. Another prong of the Azami Brotherhood is a hidden training area to produce mechwarriors and vehicle crews for the Arkab Legions seperate of the DCMS academies to supply their hidden forces. This was located on in the Miyazaki System which like Elix had been depopulated and removed from the DCMS maps. This new Arkab Legion Academy was placed with easy access to the Elix System and the 8th Arkab Legion as well as within easy reach of other Azami Brotherhood worlds. The academy was able to use the former base of the 8th Dieron Regulars when they were stationed on Miyazaki in the First Succession War. 8th Arkab Legion Naval Assets
ALS Blessings of Peace, Tramp-class Jumpship
ALS Desert Visions, Tramp-class Jumpship
ALS Walls of Algiers, Overlord-class Dropship
ALS Oasis Rose, Overlord-class Dropship
ALS Mashouda, Triumph-class Dropship
ALS Memories of Aqaba, Condor-class Dropship
ALS Tigris Tears, Condor-class Dropship
ALS Dawasir's Descendants, Mule-class Dropship
8th Arkab Legion
1st Battalion "Hidden Strengths"
CO: Tai-sa Al-Husayn Dallaire
Sho-sa Mosoud Faouzi
2nd Battalion "Peaceful Threats"
Sho-sa Taieb Abdelkafi
3rd Battalion "Stealth in the Shadows"
Sho-sa Onissa Sharief
8th Arkab Infantry Regiment
1st Battalion
Tai-sa Hassan Tomassau
Sho-sa Yahriev Gallieni
2nd Battalion
Sho-sa Mahmut Avenieff
3rd Battalion
Sho-sa Eilat Simhoni
8th Arkab Armored Regiment
1st Battalion
Sho-sa Jaelle Haciego
Other Important Persons
Faheem Badawi
This is a Saurimat agent whose cover is the chief negotiator for the small Jeddah Merchantile Group that can be found in and around the Albalii System. Faheem is the decent of survivors of the Dalkeith Massacre in 2775 and holds a bitter animosity towards the Draconis Combine. The work of building and hiding the 8th Arkab Legion from the DCMS and potentially protect the Azami Worlds from the DCMS has made this a project that Faheem can throw all of his efforts into. He is also able to draw upon a wide range of resources from the other members of his Albalii Sauriat enclave. Allamah Daud Haumallah
Daud is the ranking religious teacher on Dabih who leads regular scholarly tours from Dabih to Rukbat and Algedi. These trips allow him access to a wide range of people and allows him to keep tabs on the major DCMS forces on Algedi. Daud handles a number of spies and agents in the region and is a major trafficer in information for the Saurimat. Rowena Sahlama
Rowena is a highly regarded artist in the Azami Brotherhood community. Her paintings and sculptures are known and in high demand across that section of Draconis Combine space. She often holds shows on Al Na'ir, Dieron, and Algedi which allows her much freedom of movement in that region of space for the Saurimat. In addition to acting as a courier of sensitive information, she also is a top level recruiter of intel sources.
So that's the plan as it stands for now. I have the paint colors I need and basing material but going to need to get some flat sand colored primer to use assuming FedEx can figure out how to not fail to deliver when they never came to the house in the first place. I'll post as update on my Kickstarter stuff once I get it all and then start organizing the 8th Arkab. That's all for now and hopefully it won't be as long without an update next time.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
McCulloch Highlanders
While waiting for my Battletech Kickstarter haul to arrive (as of this posting, I still am in the has not shipped yet group) I ended up going down the new unit rabbit hole. While I was originally planning on the KS units going into a new Eridani Light Horse regiment, with how many I already have in that color scheme the idea grew less and less appealing. So time to write some new fluff and the McCulloch Highlanders, nicknamed the Coldstream Guard", were born. Since I gave them a homeworld as well, of course I went full fluff craziness and their world is getting fleshed out as well. Enjoy the major data dump. All that is missing is the actual contents of the various Battalions, Companies, and Lances which will take place when I actually have the miniatures.
McCulloch Highlanders Regiment
"The Coldstream Guards" Unit History
The McCulloch Highlanders Regiment is the remnants of part of the 242nd Hussar Regiment of the CLVI Corps of the Nineteenth Army of the SLDF. The third battalion and portions of the first and second battalion survived many pitched battles within the Taurian Concordat during the uprising. In 2766 their transport jumpship was ambushed in the Luderitz System within the Taurian Concordant. It managed to destroy it's attackers but suffered fatal damage itself. This left the survivors stranded and unable to contact other SLDF commands due to the lack of long range communications as the planet lacked an HPG station. The unit finished up clearing out the last of the Taurian militia on the planet and set about securing the planet while they awaited the arrival of a jumpship. Weeks began to stretch into months and then into years as the unit slowly became more and more integrated with the local population which was mainly from Scottish heritage. A large quantity of the equipment was stored away on their dropships and they began to recruit from the locals to fill in as personnel retire or are discharged for any reason. In order to preserve fuel they were forced to stop posting a dropship at the system's main jump point as the years continued to pass. In 2817 the system was visited by a band of pirates. The units that were on current active duty quickly tore the unsuspecting pirates apart, securing the Mule and pair of Leopards that they arrived on. Their Dictator-class and Union CV-class dropships were launched and managed to capture the pirates' Tramp-class Jumpship. Using the information gleaned from the various ship databases as well as interviews with captured personnel, the SLDF unit was astonished and shocked to learn about the Amaris coup, the fight to deal with him, Kerensky's Exodus with almost all of the surviving SLDF units, destruction of the Terran Hegemony, and the current ongoing war between all the other Inner Sphere realms. As they continued to try to glean more information, they also discovered part of why the was had been no merchant ship traffic to the system. The pirate jumpship's navigation data when compared to their own maps showed that Luderitz System no longer appeared. They also noticed several other systems missing as well. With jumpship access giving them access to other systems now, the unit now knowing it was a former SLDF unit now had some decisions to make. To bring needed income to the system they now called home. The final decision was to form a mercenary unit. The voting for the new unit name leaned heavily into the Scottish origins of the locals who had joined the force over time which also played into the current commander of the force, Colonel James McCulloch' heritage. Thus the McCulloch Highland Regiment was born while adopting the nickname of the Coldstream Guard. Their first contract was a battalion hired by the Taurian Concordat to deal with pirate raids. They downplayed their SLDF origins knowing the history with the Taurians and let them assume that the Highlanders had merely discovered a SLDF cache of equipment rather than come from the survivors of an SLDF unit. They quickly established themselves a tough fast hitting unit that thrived as a rapid response unit against raids or carrying out lightning raids while under contract for the Taurians, the Federated Suns, Outworlds Alliance, and the Canopians. They were able to add an Invader-class dropship early in the Second Succession War which allowed them to deploy the entire unit in one force while leaving the rare Pertagon-class dropship to guard their home base on Luderitz. Four Mule-class and two Triumph-class dropships were added for the movement of dependents, supplies, and other noncombat equipment. After finishing the First Succession War in Taurian service, they undertook contract with the Federated Suns early in the Second Succession War. While the unit thrived in such a war of raids and counter raids, they also began to worry as their unit strength began to slowly grind lower reaching around 40% of their normal unit strength. As their contract drew to a close with the AFFS, the Highlanders chose not to renew and instead signed on with the Outworlds Alliance. While dealing with pirates in Alliance space, they were able to use information from their old databases to local several SLDF caches that had yet to be rediscovered which allowed them to replace some of their mechs as well as resupply their stockpiles of spare parts and other equipment. After finishing their Outworlds contract, the Highlanders signed for a stint in the Magistracy of Canopus. Here they were able to use their movements responding to or striking against pirate bands to once more retrieve several SLDF caches and improve their material levels again. They continued to receive replacement troopers from Luderitz which were supplemented by local recruits wherever the Highlanders were deployed. By the time they left Canopian service, the unit was back up to over 80% unit strength, Once more entering AFFS service just as the 4th Succession War was launched by the new Federated Commonwealth, the Highlanders found themselves responsible for a wide swath of Davion Outback territory. When the Clan Invasion occurred and their origin was disclosed, the Highlanders were stunned and abhorred. They could not believe that the organization that their ancestors had served and that they still mourned could possibly turn into such a horde of monsters. The Clans were anathema to almost everything that the Highlanders believed in and they still struggle to understand what went wrong with the departed SLDF units. The Highlanders' current opinion of the Clans is that they are barely one step above pirates and bandits. Thus far, the unit has yet to be deployed to face the Clans as their ability to maintain a large portion of the Outback Region allows the Federated Commonwealth to deploy more of their own units to the front lines. Unit Tactics, Color Scheme, and Uniform
As the unit started off as the remains of an SLDF Hussar regiment, the unit focuses on medium and heavy weight units with a focus on maneuverability. It contains aerospace and armor units as part of the overall regiment in much the same way that regimental combat teams do though more integrated as a whole. Companies often contain a mix of battlemechs and armored vehicles with aerospace units attached on as needed basis. This gives the unit great flexibility in their ability to respond to various threats. Equipment with SLDF pedigree is their preferred choices for deployment and has been maintained from their original material or from SLDF cache locations in their unit archives. The unit colors dark greens and reds with yellow highlights. Dress uniforms for the regiment include kilts in the traditional Coldstream tartan pattern and dark blue wool traditional Tam hats. A drum and bagpipe group is attached to the unit headquarters and has gained a lot of renown for the quality of their musicians. The unit insignia is a circle divided into a blue top half and a green lower half with a red piper in the middle. The entire design is outlined in bright yellow.
Command Structure
CO: Colonel Angus McCulloch
XO: Major Duncan Clairborne
Aerospace Assets:
Major Nicholas Fisher
700 Effectives
Crewmen, Pilots, Aerospace Techs
2 Jumpships, 12 Dropships, 2 Aerospace Fighter Wings
Combat Engineer Section:
Captain Duncan Kilrory
60 Effectives
8 Heavy Transports, 8 Engineering Vehicles, 4 Engineering Mechs
Responsible for bridging, clearing, heavy entrenching, and mine sweeping
Intelligence Section:
Major Padraig Hardie
40 Effectives
8 Heavy Transports for Drones, 2 Mobile HQs
Responsible for ELINT, SIGINT, and HUMINT for the Regiment
Logistics Section:
Major Andrew Thessen
100 Effectives
12 Heavy Transports, 8 Field Kitchens, 2 Field Hospitals, 12 MASH vehicles
Responsible for supply requisition, medical, mess, and quartermaster duties
Maintenance Section:
Major Caitrin MacDougall
120 Effectives
40 Battlemech Techs, 30 Vehicle Techs, 50 Tech Assistants
10 Mech Transports, 12 Coolant Trucks
Personnel Section:
Major Jane Reid
60 Effectives
10 Heavy Transports, 10 Hover Transports, 12 Hovercars
Responsible for recruitment, training, contract negotiation, and finance
Transportation Section:
Major Paul Nairne
120 Effectives
20 Heavy Transports, 20 Hover Vehicles, 20 Ordanance Transports, 12 VTOL
Responsible for local unit supply, movement of noncombat units and vehicles
Aerospace Assets
MHRS Balmoral Castle, Invader-class Jumpship
MHRS Fingal's Cave, Tramp-class Jumpship
MHRS Culloden Moor, Colossus-class Dropship
MHRS Selkie, Overlord-class Dropship
MHRS Piper's Lament, Overlord-class Dropship
MHRS Banshee's Wail, Dictator-class Dropship
MHRS Thistle's Barb, Dictator-class Dropship
MHRS Kestrel's Roost, Union CV-class Dropship
MHRS Lost Mariner, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Fields of Heather, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Ashes of Stirling Bridge, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Broken Hobnail, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Gaelic Seas, Triumph-class Dropship
MHRS Petrel's Flight, Triumph-class Dropship
Colonel Angus McCulloch
This stern and dour older mechwarrior grew up traveling with the regiment with his mother who finished her career as a battalion commander and his father who was a mech technician, When he was old enough he began spending time with his father and learning basic mech repairs and inspections. His first real lesson in the harsh realities of warfare was while the Highlanders were on contract with the Outworlds Alliance. The Highlanders went after a pirate base along the Kurita/OA border which turned into a near disaster. Part of the unit stumbled onto an unidetified minefield leading to the death of his older brother Jacen McCulloch who was a lance commander. The lower leg of his Griffin was blown off by one mine, his mech fell forward to land with the cockpit directly on another mine killing him right out. Angus dealt with his loss and pain by pushing it deep within himself as this was just the beginning of his deep hatred of pirates. In addition to learning all he can about piloting a mech, he also began to devote as much time as he could in studying tactics and military history. This lead to his learning chess which he grew to love greatly. When he was old enough, he joined the regiment and was assigned to an available Wolverine which he named Jacen's Rook in remembrance to his brother while still giving a nod to his love of chess. His leadership style lends itself to careful planning that allows for sudden bursts of adaptation much like his style of playing chess. While he normally follows all the expectations of basic mercenary engagements, the only difference is when the Highlanders are engaging pirates who he will not give quarter or mercy. While his stance on piracy is seen as a bit extreme, one cannot fault the results as merely their deployment to a world has caused pirate bands in the area to seek other targets. Major Caitrin MacDougall
Major MacDougall seems to be the living embodiment of someone who can keep a battlemech combat ready with just some duct tape, spray sealant, and some scavenged wiring. Caitrin runs her techs and mechanics on a strict leash when they are working and never promises deadlines she and her people cannot meet. Away from work she is known to have a light hearted sense of humor and an almost obscene amount of luck when at the poker table. Captain Fiona McCulloch
Angus' oldest daughter, Fiona is currently the commander of Coll Company of Oberon Battalion and is being prepped for higher command. She has a fiery temper which tends to reflect her tactical choices. While starting out following planned out tactics, she has a tendency to get caught up in the fight leading to more direct assaults and liberal use of heavy firepower. She is continuing to work on her temper in order to be able to promote upward in the Highlanders. Captain Heather Ridgeway
Captain Ridgeway in addition to leading Titania Battalion's Beith Company is the lead piper of the Highlander's Pipe and Drum Corps. She is descendant of a long line of pipers and is keen on continuing the traditions of the Highland music. When the regiment finds itself on a world with a population of Scottish or Irish decent, Fiona can be found in various pubs or cultural centers looking for local musicans in an attempt to add new songs to her repertoire as well as testing her skills against other musicians. Captain Dr. Nessa Glendower
Dr Glendower attended the University of Luxen in the Magistracy of Canopus achieving top honors in her studies there. She is currently the ranking medical officer with the Highlanders and works closely with her section leader, Major Andrew Thessen, to insure that the best possible medical care is available wherever the Highlanders deploy. The Highlanders invest a good percentage of their income towards maintaining a high level of care for their people. Lt. Charles McKendrick
Lt. McKendrick is in 3rd Lance, Beith Company of Oberon Battalion. As a quiet unassuming gentleman in appearance, very few suspect the mischief and deviousness of his character He is the current holder of the Wild Hunt Cup and has held that title for two Hunts currently.. Charles has been doing some deep research into the local terrain of their present deployment to improve his odds of holding onto the cup for an unprecedented third time. Master Sergeant Tomas Locke
Tomas Locke is what would commonly be referred to as a character. He was volunteered to join the Highlanders when they were deployed to the Beaumont System in the FedSuns Outback region for raiding into Draconis Combine space. Tomas was a teenager trying to steal parts from the regiment's repair area when he was apprehended. He was given the choice of signing on or being turned over to the local authorities. Seeing a way off this planet he signed on the dotted line. Tomas quickly became one of their most devious scroungers and conmen serving in the logistics part of the regiment, able to find just about anything for the right price while tracking down what the regiment officially needs.
McCulloch Highlanders Military Awards and Honors
1. Coldstream Medal of Honor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who exhibits extreme courage while displaying the virtues of the SLDF and the McCulloch Highlanders. It is the regiment's highest honor and is often awarded posthumously. This award is a silver medallion with the mark of the SLDF with crossed claymores. 2. Coldstream Medal of Valor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who displays extreme courage under combat situations. This award is a green ribbon with a blue stripe 3. Gaellic Wound Stripe
Any member of the regiment who is wounded in combat is allowed to wear a blood red sash when in dress uniform and paint a dark red stripe down the left leg, side, or wing of their mech, vehicle, or aerospace fighter. McCulloch Highlanders Lore and Relics
1. The Phantom Piper
Several times when a member of the Highlanders is cut off alone and facing death or defeat when the long wailing tones of a ghostly sounding bagpipe seem to hang in the air as a weathered Thunderbolt clad in faded tartan motifs comes crashing through the fight to chase off the enemy, leaving the mechwarrior counting his blessing and trying to figure out just how they survived. Sensors and recordings from both friendly and enemy mechs all somehow never seem to catch this ghostly warrior. 2. Remembrance Day and True Remembrance Day
Similarly to the Eridani Light Horse, the McCulloch Highlanders have two days where they lower the colors of the SLDF and their former regimental colors. Remberance Day is the anniversary of when they learned about Kerensky's Exodus with most of the SLDF and then True Remembrance Day is the anniversary of the day that they actually left. A pint of beer is left on the bar top in every mess on both days. 3. The Wild Hunt
Every three years each company in the regiment puts forward their best scout to compete in a tracking competition. The previous winner is given a 24 hour headstart before all of that year's hunters set off to track them down. The first to corner the "Fox" is declared the winner and will be the next years Fox. If the Fox can go 96 hours without being cornered, they remain the champion for the next three years. 4. SLDF Cornwall's name plate
The Highlanders managed to recover the name plate from the wreckage of the SLDF Crownwall, the Aegis-class heavy cruiser that was transporting the 24nd Hussar Regiment. This is kept in the small regimental museum on Luderritz. 5. Claymore of Clan McCulloch
This greatsword was brought with the members of Clan McCulloch that left Earth in the 22nd Century. After several stops to settle on various worlds, they eventually ended up on Luderitz. The clan suffered grievous casualties during the Reunification War but managed to rebuild itself over the many years. 6. Saint Andrews Medals
The members of the Highlanders almost all can be found wearing these small silver medals to the patron saint of ancient Scotland. These are believed to carry good luck and protection for the wearer.
Luderitz System
Luderitz III was founded originally by central Europeans but soon found the majority of its population coming from Scotland on Earth or from other worlds with Gaelic culture. The planetary population has grown to just over 104 million. Much of the population is spread across the world's three continents and various island chains in small villages and town each with ties to one of the major clans represented on the planet. Once the McCulloch Highlanders entered the realm of mercenary life, trade between Luderitz and other worlds in Taurian space began to flow once more. The wool and meat from Luderitz's large sheep herds find ready customers as well as some of its alcohols. Taurian officials have made numerous overtures to bring the work back into the Concordat but have been unsuccessful so far. The system has a company of battlemechs, a battalion of armor, and two battalion of infantry for its local militia which serves as a feeder unit for the Highlanders. Several retired or injured Highlander personnel often serve as trainers and advisors for the militia. Following the preferences of the Highlanders, medium mechs with good maneuverability and hover vehicles are the most commonly deployed. Seven Major Clans
Fairborne
Main interests are in agriculture, especially sheep, cattle, and wheat
Major Businesses:
Fairborne Agriculture
CEO: George Fairborne
Meridian Agronomics
CEO: Jane Fairborne
O'Mallory Livestock
CEO: Angus O'Mallory Harrowhan
Main interests are in aquaculture and entertainment
Major Businesses:
Harrowhan Aquaculture
CEO: Merideth Harrowhan
Harrowhan Telecom
CEO: Douglas Harrowhan
Luderitz Broadcasting Service
CEO: Rachel Harrowhan MacDougall
Main interests are contruction and mining operations
Major Businesses:
Fitzclarence Construction Services
CEO: Howard Fitzclarence
MacDougall Minerals Limited
CEO: Penelope MacDougall
MacDougall Petrochemicals
CEO: Jostin MacDougall McCulloch
Main interests are arms manufacturing and consumer goods production
Major Businesses:
Donelbain Brewery
CEO: Edward Donelbain
McCulloch and Ames Petrochemical
CEO: Bertraum McCulloch
McCulloch Applied Technologies
CEO: Katelin McCulloch
McCulloch Industrial Group
CEO: Emily McCulloch
McCulloch Small Arms Industrial
CEO: Jerome McCulloch McKendrick
Main interests are finance, shipping, and asteroid mining
Major Businesses:
Glenlivet, MacDuff, and Payne Financial Services
CEO: Wilhelm Glenlivet
McKendrick and Thorne Investment Bank
CEO: Paul McKendrick
McKendrick Interstellar Shipping
CEO: Tomas McKendrick
McKendrick Deep Space Mining Corporation
CEO: Bettina McKendrick Ridgeway
Main interests are civil service operations such as education and health care
Major Businesses:
Gaelic Medical Group
CEO: Rhys Ridgeway
Luderitz Power and Water
CEO: Aerliss Ridgeway
Ridgeway Pharmaceuticals
CEO: Eric Ridgeway Waterly
Main interests are transportation industry and legal servies
Major Businesses:
Sullivan, Waterly, and McCrory Law Firm
CEO: Ian McCrory
Waverly Transorbital
CEO: Nathaniel Waverly
Waterly Transportation Inc
CEO: Suzette Waverly
Current Planetary Council Representatives
Matthew Fairborne
Dorothy Harrowhan
Bernard MacDougall
Victoria McCulloch
WIlliam McKendrick
Elliot Ridgeway (Current Council Chairman)
Andrew Waterly
Luderitz Militia
MHRS Claymore, Pentagon-class Dropship: Commander Ian Horthy
Aerospace Fighter Wing: Captain Nigel Coatesworth
Mech Company: Major Toliver Ridgeway
Armor Battalion: Major Katie Harrowhan
Infantry Battalion: Major Kevin McDougall
Infantry Battalion: Major Amanda Waterly
The Luderitz Planetary Militia in addition to securing the world against any outside invaders, also serves as a training unit for potential local recruits for the McCulloch Highlanders. They have trained in the same basic philosophy of striking quickly and movement of combat as the Highlanders. With several Highlanders serving in or with the militia as advisors and trainers, the locals are able to maintain a better than average combat ability. Each of the infantry battalions have a company of zero-gee trained soldiers who rotate duty on the space stations of the system with most being on the Hebrides. Pirate Bands threatening Luderitz
Death Shrouds
Captain Hal "Specter" Harrison
The Death Shrouds flex between a company and two companies of battlemechs and between a company and a battalion of infantry and armor. They also control DSS Bloody Mask, an Invader-class jumpship, a Union-class dropship, a Mule-class dropship, and a Leopard-class Jumpship. They have become very familiar with the Luderitz militia through regular skirmishes and often find themselves the target of an anti-pirate sweep when part of the McCulloch Highlanders return for rest and refit on Luderitz. Iron Hospitallers
Lord Commander Leopold "Pious" Trenchard
The Iron Hospitallers are led by a half crazed religous zealot who seeks to start a modern crusade to reclaim the Periphery in the name of the old Holy Roman Empire. Trenchard commands almost two lances of battlemechs and a mixed company of light armor and motorized infantry. He also controls the HRES Templar, a Merchant-class jumpship, a Union-class dropship for his troops, and a Mule-class dropship for his loot. The Hospitallers have tangled with the Luderitz militia several times but have yet to face the actual McCulloch Highlanders. Luderitz System Space Assets
Hebrides, Olympus-class Recharge Station
Located at the system's zenith jump point, this station was inplaced early in the Third
Succession War to assist in the increased traffic that had grown since Luderitz once
more began to trade with other worlds. There are plans to eventually add another
station at the nadir jump point but the funding for such an investment isn't available.
Easdale, Medium Orbital Factory
Located at the Lunar L1 Legrange Point, the Easdale primarily serves as an orbital
transfer station but uses its machine spaces to build common replacement parts for
shuttles and dropships. Bressay 1, 2, 3, and 4
These Snowden mining platforms work the asteroid belt of the system. Most of the
weapons and armor have been removed. 10 had been located in the system when
they were exploring the asteroid belt to expand local industry. 6 of these were sold
back to the Taurians in return for the other four being repaired to renew asteroid
mining in the system. Shetland 1 and Shetland 2, Small Habitat Stations
Located at the Lunar L1 Lagrange Point, these two stations each house around 12,000
people who work on Easdale or the various Bressay stations.
20 PowerSat Satellites (Taurian Imports)
12 SEU-193D Starcomm Satellites (FedCom Imports)
8 Communication Relay Buoys (2 each at Nadir, Zenith and 2 known Pirate jump points.)
10 Weather Tracking Satellites
Luderitz System Key Locations
1. Smailholm
The planetary capital and location of most of the population and manufacturing. It also has a modest size warehousing district near the spaceport. The surrounding countryside is dotted with small local villages and various agriculture concerns. The local government is a council made up of 7 clan leaders nominated by their respective clan with the Council Chairman role rotating to the next Clan each year. 2. Luderitz Parliament Building
The main government building for Luderitz, this building has two main wings and a central main meeting area for the Planetary Council. One wing contains the offices of each of the council members and the other wing contains the Luderitz High Court and its offices. 3. Smailholm Spaceport
The main spaceport for Luderitz has landing space for up to 10 dropships, a large warehousing operation, railyards connecting to the rest of Luderitz, passenger terminal, and a runway and pads for atomspheric craft such as airplays, VTOLs, and cargo airships. 4. Blackadder Castle
This is the main defense structure located near the planetary capital of Smailholm and the spaceport. Built by the Taurian government for planetary defense during the build up towards the New Vandenberg Uprising. Over the years the McCulloch Highlanders have upgraded and improved the castle defenses. It currently can house a mech battalion, two battalions of armor and infantry, and an aerospace fighter wing. 5. Luderitz Caledonian University
LCU is the only higher educational institute located on Luderitz. It offers a range of degrees from agricultural related to philosophy and a wide range of what is inbetween. A retired officer from the McCulloch Highlanders is often on campus as a visiting professor of military history. 6. Dualchas School of Scottish Piping and Drumming
This school was founded shortly after the McCulloch Highlanders reformed to ensure musicians for their regiment. Dr. Olwain Stuart is the current head of the school which in addition to music and history classes, also maintains the ability to construct and repair instruments. 7. Luderitz Museum of Gaelic Art
This institute is a showcase of various masterpieces of Gaelic artwork. Most of the paintings and statues are from local artists but a few pieces from Northwind, Skye, and other worlds of Scottish and Irish decent are also on display. Patricia Leary who works with watercolors and Piotr Sonderson who is a wood carvver are the currently highlighted artists. 8. Donalbain Brewery
Donalbain is the only major brewery on Luderitz and has been owned by the same family for over 300 years. In addition to its Creag Beinne Dark, it also brews a wide range of beers and whiskeys. Duncan Ainslie is the current head of the company though at the ripe old age of 87 rumors of his impending retirement have been widely spread about. 9. The Lonely Matchstick
The Matchstick is the oldest pub on Luderitz. It is well known for its traditional shepherd's pie, haggis, and a wide range of dark ales. They serve the locally brewed Creag Beinne Dark which is their best seller and even has demand for export to other worlds. 10. Glenfinnich National Golf Resort
This 36 hole championship level golf course is home of the Luderitz National Open and several other prestigious local tournaments.The course is well known for it's breath taking views as it is set in some low rolling hills along a beachfront. 11. New New Orkney Islands
This archipelago is a nature reserve and vacation spot where a number of original species of plants and animals from the Scottish region of Earth itself have been imported and preserved. Its kingfishers, kestrels, and ospreys are all major bird watching favorites. 12. River Tweed
The largest river that passes through Smailholm that provides one of the major aquatic travel routes. It is also well renown for the fishing along it's many smaller tributaries. Several small lakes and loches along or just off the river provide additional water recreational areas. Luderitz System Transportation Options
1. Trains - Major lines run from Smailholm to other major cities on the continent. Mainly used for cargo hauling but a few passenger cars do make regular runs. 2. Ferry Network - A small fleet of ferries make regular passage up and down the River Tweed with stops at most ports regularly. Larger ferries also travel between Smailholm and the various islands within a few days travel. 3. Air Travel - VTOLs, Suborbital Aircraft Flights, and Airships provide cargo and passenger service between Smailholm and all cities of medium size and up. 4. Luderitz Transport Service - This company provides bus and taxi service in Smailholm and most larger cities on Luderitz. The blue and white colored vehicles are all highly recognizable on the roads and are renowned for their safety records. Luderitz Premier League
The Luderitz Premier League consists of a team fielded by each of the major clans. During a season, each plays the other six teams once for pre-season friendlies and then four time during the season. The top two finishing teams compete for that season's Champion's Cup. The Harrowhan Pipers are the current cup holders. Fairborne Cavaliers
Harrowhan Pipers
MacDougall Dragonslayers
McCulloch Longbows
McKendrick Kestrels
Ridgeway Knights
Waterly Wanderers
The McCulloch Highlanders also have a team made up of various members of the regiment or their dependents called the Coldstream Lancers. When able to return to Luderitz during a rest and refit period, they play friendlies against each of the league teams at least once and preferably twice. The Lancers also play games when possible with local teams when deployed. Much like their combat style, the Lancers focus on fast paced attacking.
Well, I hope you all made it this far and found something humerous or enjoyable amongst all of that. Hopefully my KS will ship soon and I'll do an organizational post once I get the models all sorted out. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
"The Coldstream Guards" Unit History
The McCulloch Highlanders Regiment is the remnants of part of the 242nd Hussar Regiment of the CLVI Corps of the Nineteenth Army of the SLDF. The third battalion and portions of the first and second battalion survived many pitched battles within the Taurian Concordat during the uprising. In 2766 their transport jumpship was ambushed in the Luderitz System within the Taurian Concordant. It managed to destroy it's attackers but suffered fatal damage itself. This left the survivors stranded and unable to contact other SLDF commands due to the lack of long range communications as the planet lacked an HPG station. The unit finished up clearing out the last of the Taurian militia on the planet and set about securing the planet while they awaited the arrival of a jumpship. Weeks began to stretch into months and then into years as the unit slowly became more and more integrated with the local population which was mainly from Scottish heritage. A large quantity of the equipment was stored away on their dropships and they began to recruit from the locals to fill in as personnel retire or are discharged for any reason. In order to preserve fuel they were forced to stop posting a dropship at the system's main jump point as the years continued to pass. In 2817 the system was visited by a band of pirates. The units that were on current active duty quickly tore the unsuspecting pirates apart, securing the Mule and pair of Leopards that they arrived on. Their Dictator-class and Union CV-class dropships were launched and managed to capture the pirates' Tramp-class Jumpship. Using the information gleaned from the various ship databases as well as interviews with captured personnel, the SLDF unit was astonished and shocked to learn about the Amaris coup, the fight to deal with him, Kerensky's Exodus with almost all of the surviving SLDF units, destruction of the Terran Hegemony, and the current ongoing war between all the other Inner Sphere realms. As they continued to try to glean more information, they also discovered part of why the was had been no merchant ship traffic to the system. The pirate jumpship's navigation data when compared to their own maps showed that Luderitz System no longer appeared. They also noticed several other systems missing as well. With jumpship access giving them access to other systems now, the unit now knowing it was a former SLDF unit now had some decisions to make. To bring needed income to the system they now called home. The final decision was to form a mercenary unit. The voting for the new unit name leaned heavily into the Scottish origins of the locals who had joined the force over time which also played into the current commander of the force, Colonel James McCulloch' heritage. Thus the McCulloch Highland Regiment was born while adopting the nickname of the Coldstream Guard. Their first contract was a battalion hired by the Taurian Concordat to deal with pirate raids. They downplayed their SLDF origins knowing the history with the Taurians and let them assume that the Highlanders had merely discovered a SLDF cache of equipment rather than come from the survivors of an SLDF unit. They quickly established themselves a tough fast hitting unit that thrived as a rapid response unit against raids or carrying out lightning raids while under contract for the Taurians, the Federated Suns, Outworlds Alliance, and the Canopians. They were able to add an Invader-class dropship early in the Second Succession War which allowed them to deploy the entire unit in one force while leaving the rare Pertagon-class dropship to guard their home base on Luderitz. Four Mule-class and two Triumph-class dropships were added for the movement of dependents, supplies, and other noncombat equipment. After finishing the First Succession War in Taurian service, they undertook contract with the Federated Suns early in the Second Succession War. While the unit thrived in such a war of raids and counter raids, they also began to worry as their unit strength began to slowly grind lower reaching around 40% of their normal unit strength. As their contract drew to a close with the AFFS, the Highlanders chose not to renew and instead signed on with the Outworlds Alliance. While dealing with pirates in Alliance space, they were able to use information from their old databases to local several SLDF caches that had yet to be rediscovered which allowed them to replace some of their mechs as well as resupply their stockpiles of spare parts and other equipment. After finishing their Outworlds contract, the Highlanders signed for a stint in the Magistracy of Canopus. Here they were able to use their movements responding to or striking against pirate bands to once more retrieve several SLDF caches and improve their material levels again. They continued to receive replacement troopers from Luderitz which were supplemented by local recruits wherever the Highlanders were deployed. By the time they left Canopian service, the unit was back up to over 80% unit strength, Once more entering AFFS service just as the 4th Succession War was launched by the new Federated Commonwealth, the Highlanders found themselves responsible for a wide swath of Davion Outback territory. When the Clan Invasion occurred and their origin was disclosed, the Highlanders were stunned and abhorred. They could not believe that the organization that their ancestors had served and that they still mourned could possibly turn into such a horde of monsters. The Clans were anathema to almost everything that the Highlanders believed in and they still struggle to understand what went wrong with the departed SLDF units. The Highlanders' current opinion of the Clans is that they are barely one step above pirates and bandits. Thus far, the unit has yet to be deployed to face the Clans as their ability to maintain a large portion of the Outback Region allows the Federated Commonwealth to deploy more of their own units to the front lines. Unit Tactics, Color Scheme, and Uniform
As the unit started off as the remains of an SLDF Hussar regiment, the unit focuses on medium and heavy weight units with a focus on maneuverability. It contains aerospace and armor units as part of the overall regiment in much the same way that regimental combat teams do though more integrated as a whole. Companies often contain a mix of battlemechs and armored vehicles with aerospace units attached on as needed basis. This gives the unit great flexibility in their ability to respond to various threats. Equipment with SLDF pedigree is their preferred choices for deployment and has been maintained from their original material or from SLDF cache locations in their unit archives. The unit colors dark greens and reds with yellow highlights. Dress uniforms for the regiment include kilts in the traditional Coldstream tartan pattern and dark blue wool traditional Tam hats. A drum and bagpipe group is attached to the unit headquarters and has gained a lot of renown for the quality of their musicians. The unit insignia is a circle divided into a blue top half and a green lower half with a red piper in the middle. The entire design is outlined in bright yellow.
CO: Colonel Angus McCulloch
XO: Major Duncan Clairborne
Aerospace Assets:
Major Nicholas Fisher
700 Effectives
Crewmen, Pilots, Aerospace Techs
2 Jumpships, 12 Dropships, 2 Aerospace Fighter Wings
Combat Engineer Section:
Captain Duncan Kilrory
60 Effectives
8 Heavy Transports, 8 Engineering Vehicles, 4 Engineering Mechs
Responsible for bridging, clearing, heavy entrenching, and mine sweeping
Intelligence Section:
Major Padraig Hardie
40 Effectives
8 Heavy Transports for Drones, 2 Mobile HQs
Responsible for ELINT, SIGINT, and HUMINT for the Regiment
Logistics Section:
Major Andrew Thessen
100 Effectives
12 Heavy Transports, 8 Field Kitchens, 2 Field Hospitals, 12 MASH vehicles
Responsible for supply requisition, medical, mess, and quartermaster duties
Maintenance Section:
Major Caitrin MacDougall
120 Effectives
40 Battlemech Techs, 30 Vehicle Techs, 50 Tech Assistants
10 Mech Transports, 12 Coolant Trucks
Personnel Section:
Major Jane Reid
60 Effectives
10 Heavy Transports, 10 Hover Transports, 12 Hovercars
Responsible for recruitment, training, contract negotiation, and finance
Transportation Section:
Major Paul Nairne
120 Effectives
20 Heavy Transports, 20 Hover Vehicles, 20 Ordanance Transports, 12 VTOL
Responsible for local unit supply, movement of noncombat units and vehicles
Aerospace Assets
MHRS Balmoral Castle, Invader-class Jumpship
MHRS Fingal's Cave, Tramp-class Jumpship
MHRS Culloden Moor, Colossus-class Dropship
MHRS Selkie, Overlord-class Dropship
MHRS Piper's Lament, Overlord-class Dropship
MHRS Banshee's Wail, Dictator-class Dropship
MHRS Thistle's Barb, Dictator-class Dropship
MHRS Kestrel's Roost, Union CV-class Dropship
MHRS Lost Mariner, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Fields of Heather, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Ashes of Stirling Bridge, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Broken Hobnail, Mule-class Dropship
MHRS Gaelic Seas, Triumph-class Dropship
MHRS Petrel's Flight, Triumph-class Dropship
This stern and dour older mechwarrior grew up traveling with the regiment with his mother who finished her career as a battalion commander and his father who was a mech technician, When he was old enough he began spending time with his father and learning basic mech repairs and inspections. His first real lesson in the harsh realities of warfare was while the Highlanders were on contract with the Outworlds Alliance. The Highlanders went after a pirate base along the Kurita/OA border which turned into a near disaster. Part of the unit stumbled onto an unidetified minefield leading to the death of his older brother Jacen McCulloch who was a lance commander. The lower leg of his Griffin was blown off by one mine, his mech fell forward to land with the cockpit directly on another mine killing him right out. Angus dealt with his loss and pain by pushing it deep within himself as this was just the beginning of his deep hatred of pirates. In addition to learning all he can about piloting a mech, he also began to devote as much time as he could in studying tactics and military history. This lead to his learning chess which he grew to love greatly. When he was old enough, he joined the regiment and was assigned to an available Wolverine which he named Jacen's Rook in remembrance to his brother while still giving a nod to his love of chess. His leadership style lends itself to careful planning that allows for sudden bursts of adaptation much like his style of playing chess. While he normally follows all the expectations of basic mercenary engagements, the only difference is when the Highlanders are engaging pirates who he will not give quarter or mercy. While his stance on piracy is seen as a bit extreme, one cannot fault the results as merely their deployment to a world has caused pirate bands in the area to seek other targets. Major Caitrin MacDougall
Major MacDougall seems to be the living embodiment of someone who can keep a battlemech combat ready with just some duct tape, spray sealant, and some scavenged wiring. Caitrin runs her techs and mechanics on a strict leash when they are working and never promises deadlines she and her people cannot meet. Away from work she is known to have a light hearted sense of humor and an almost obscene amount of luck when at the poker table. Captain Fiona McCulloch
Angus' oldest daughter, Fiona is currently the commander of Coll Company of Oberon Battalion and is being prepped for higher command. She has a fiery temper which tends to reflect her tactical choices. While starting out following planned out tactics, she has a tendency to get caught up in the fight leading to more direct assaults and liberal use of heavy firepower. She is continuing to work on her temper in order to be able to promote upward in the Highlanders. Captain Heather Ridgeway
Captain Ridgeway in addition to leading Titania Battalion's Beith Company is the lead piper of the Highlander's Pipe and Drum Corps. She is descendant of a long line of pipers and is keen on continuing the traditions of the Highland music. When the regiment finds itself on a world with a population of Scottish or Irish decent, Fiona can be found in various pubs or cultural centers looking for local musicans in an attempt to add new songs to her repertoire as well as testing her skills against other musicians. Captain Dr. Nessa Glendower
Dr Glendower attended the University of Luxen in the Magistracy of Canopus achieving top honors in her studies there. She is currently the ranking medical officer with the Highlanders and works closely with her section leader, Major Andrew Thessen, to insure that the best possible medical care is available wherever the Highlanders deploy. The Highlanders invest a good percentage of their income towards maintaining a high level of care for their people. Lt. Charles McKendrick
Lt. McKendrick is in 3rd Lance, Beith Company of Oberon Battalion. As a quiet unassuming gentleman in appearance, very few suspect the mischief and deviousness of his character He is the current holder of the Wild Hunt Cup and has held that title for two Hunts currently.. Charles has been doing some deep research into the local terrain of their present deployment to improve his odds of holding onto the cup for an unprecedented third time. Master Sergeant Tomas Locke
Tomas Locke is what would commonly be referred to as a character. He was volunteered to join the Highlanders when they were deployed to the Beaumont System in the FedSuns Outback region for raiding into Draconis Combine space. Tomas was a teenager trying to steal parts from the regiment's repair area when he was apprehended. He was given the choice of signing on or being turned over to the local authorities. Seeing a way off this planet he signed on the dotted line. Tomas quickly became one of their most devious scroungers and conmen serving in the logistics part of the regiment, able to find just about anything for the right price while tracking down what the regiment officially needs.
1. Coldstream Medal of Honor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who exhibits extreme courage while displaying the virtues of the SLDF and the McCulloch Highlanders. It is the regiment's highest honor and is often awarded posthumously. This award is a silver medallion with the mark of the SLDF with crossed claymores. 2. Coldstream Medal of Valor
This award is bestowed upon a member of the unit who displays extreme courage under combat situations. This award is a green ribbon with a blue stripe 3. Gaellic Wound Stripe
Any member of the regiment who is wounded in combat is allowed to wear a blood red sash when in dress uniform and paint a dark red stripe down the left leg, side, or wing of their mech, vehicle, or aerospace fighter. McCulloch Highlanders Lore and Relics
1. The Phantom Piper
Several times when a member of the Highlanders is cut off alone and facing death or defeat when the long wailing tones of a ghostly sounding bagpipe seem to hang in the air as a weathered Thunderbolt clad in faded tartan motifs comes crashing through the fight to chase off the enemy, leaving the mechwarrior counting his blessing and trying to figure out just how they survived. Sensors and recordings from both friendly and enemy mechs all somehow never seem to catch this ghostly warrior. 2. Remembrance Day and True Remembrance Day
Similarly to the Eridani Light Horse, the McCulloch Highlanders have two days where they lower the colors of the SLDF and their former regimental colors. Remberance Day is the anniversary of when they learned about Kerensky's Exodus with most of the SLDF and then True Remembrance Day is the anniversary of the day that they actually left. A pint of beer is left on the bar top in every mess on both days. 3. The Wild Hunt
Every three years each company in the regiment puts forward their best scout to compete in a tracking competition. The previous winner is given a 24 hour headstart before all of that year's hunters set off to track them down. The first to corner the "Fox" is declared the winner and will be the next years Fox. If the Fox can go 96 hours without being cornered, they remain the champion for the next three years. 4. SLDF Cornwall's name plate
The Highlanders managed to recover the name plate from the wreckage of the SLDF Crownwall, the Aegis-class heavy cruiser that was transporting the 24nd Hussar Regiment. This is kept in the small regimental museum on Luderritz. 5. Claymore of Clan McCulloch
This greatsword was brought with the members of Clan McCulloch that left Earth in the 22nd Century. After several stops to settle on various worlds, they eventually ended up on Luderitz. The clan suffered grievous casualties during the Reunification War but managed to rebuild itself over the many years. 6. Saint Andrews Medals
The members of the Highlanders almost all can be found wearing these small silver medals to the patron saint of ancient Scotland. These are believed to carry good luck and protection for the wearer.
Luderitz III was founded originally by central Europeans but soon found the majority of its population coming from Scotland on Earth or from other worlds with Gaelic culture. The planetary population has grown to just over 104 million. Much of the population is spread across the world's three continents and various island chains in small villages and town each with ties to one of the major clans represented on the planet. Once the McCulloch Highlanders entered the realm of mercenary life, trade between Luderitz and other worlds in Taurian space began to flow once more. The wool and meat from Luderitz's large sheep herds find ready customers as well as some of its alcohols. Taurian officials have made numerous overtures to bring the work back into the Concordat but have been unsuccessful so far. The system has a company of battlemechs, a battalion of armor, and two battalion of infantry for its local militia which serves as a feeder unit for the Highlanders. Several retired or injured Highlander personnel often serve as trainers and advisors for the militia. Following the preferences of the Highlanders, medium mechs with good maneuverability and hover vehicles are the most commonly deployed. Seven Major Clans
Fairborne
Main interests are in agriculture, especially sheep, cattle, and wheat
Major Businesses:
Fairborne Agriculture
CEO: George Fairborne
Meridian Agronomics
CEO: Jane Fairborne
O'Mallory Livestock
CEO: Angus O'Mallory Harrowhan
Main interests are in aquaculture and entertainment
Major Businesses:
Harrowhan Aquaculture
CEO: Merideth Harrowhan
Harrowhan Telecom
CEO: Douglas Harrowhan
Luderitz Broadcasting Service
CEO: Rachel Harrowhan MacDougall
Main interests are contruction and mining operations
Major Businesses:
Fitzclarence Construction Services
CEO: Howard Fitzclarence
MacDougall Minerals Limited
CEO: Penelope MacDougall
MacDougall Petrochemicals
CEO: Jostin MacDougall McCulloch
Main interests are arms manufacturing and consumer goods production
Major Businesses:
Donelbain Brewery
CEO: Edward Donelbain
McCulloch and Ames Petrochemical
CEO: Bertraum McCulloch
McCulloch Applied Technologies
CEO: Katelin McCulloch
McCulloch Industrial Group
CEO: Emily McCulloch
McCulloch Small Arms Industrial
CEO: Jerome McCulloch McKendrick
Main interests are finance, shipping, and asteroid mining
Major Businesses:
Glenlivet, MacDuff, and Payne Financial Services
CEO: Wilhelm Glenlivet
McKendrick and Thorne Investment Bank
CEO: Paul McKendrick
McKendrick Interstellar Shipping
CEO: Tomas McKendrick
McKendrick Deep Space Mining Corporation
CEO: Bettina McKendrick Ridgeway
Main interests are civil service operations such as education and health care
Major Businesses:
Gaelic Medical Group
CEO: Rhys Ridgeway
Luderitz Power and Water
CEO: Aerliss Ridgeway
Ridgeway Pharmaceuticals
CEO: Eric Ridgeway Waterly
Main interests are transportation industry and legal servies
Major Businesses:
Sullivan, Waterly, and McCrory Law Firm
CEO: Ian McCrory
Waverly Transorbital
CEO: Nathaniel Waverly
Waterly Transportation Inc
CEO: Suzette Waverly
Matthew Fairborne
Dorothy Harrowhan
Bernard MacDougall
Victoria McCulloch
WIlliam McKendrick
Elliot Ridgeway (Current Council Chairman)
Andrew Waterly
Luderitz Militia
MHRS Claymore, Pentagon-class Dropship: Commander Ian Horthy
Aerospace Fighter Wing: Captain Nigel Coatesworth
Mech Company: Major Toliver Ridgeway
Armor Battalion: Major Katie Harrowhan
Infantry Battalion: Major Kevin McDougall
Infantry Battalion: Major Amanda Waterly
The Luderitz Planetary Militia in addition to securing the world against any outside invaders, also serves as a training unit for potential local recruits for the McCulloch Highlanders. They have trained in the same basic philosophy of striking quickly and movement of combat as the Highlanders. With several Highlanders serving in or with the militia as advisors and trainers, the locals are able to maintain a better than average combat ability. Each of the infantry battalions have a company of zero-gee trained soldiers who rotate duty on the space stations of the system with most being on the Hebrides. Pirate Bands threatening Luderitz
Death Shrouds
Captain Hal "Specter" Harrison
The Death Shrouds flex between a company and two companies of battlemechs and between a company and a battalion of infantry and armor. They also control DSS Bloody Mask, an Invader-class jumpship, a Union-class dropship, a Mule-class dropship, and a Leopard-class Jumpship. They have become very familiar with the Luderitz militia through regular skirmishes and often find themselves the target of an anti-pirate sweep when part of the McCulloch Highlanders return for rest and refit on Luderitz. Iron Hospitallers
Lord Commander Leopold "Pious" Trenchard
The Iron Hospitallers are led by a half crazed religous zealot who seeks to start a modern crusade to reclaim the Periphery in the name of the old Holy Roman Empire. Trenchard commands almost two lances of battlemechs and a mixed company of light armor and motorized infantry. He also controls the HRES Templar, a Merchant-class jumpship, a Union-class dropship for his troops, and a Mule-class dropship for his loot. The Hospitallers have tangled with the Luderitz militia several times but have yet to face the actual McCulloch Highlanders. Luderitz System Space Assets
Hebrides, Olympus-class Recharge Station
Located at the system's zenith jump point, this station was inplaced early in the Third
Succession War to assist in the increased traffic that had grown since Luderitz once
more began to trade with other worlds. There are plans to eventually add another
station at the nadir jump point but the funding for such an investment isn't available.
Easdale, Medium Orbital Factory
Located at the Lunar L1 Legrange Point, the Easdale primarily serves as an orbital
transfer station but uses its machine spaces to build common replacement parts for
shuttles and dropships. Bressay 1, 2, 3, and 4
These Snowden mining platforms work the asteroid belt of the system. Most of the
weapons and armor have been removed. 10 had been located in the system when
they were exploring the asteroid belt to expand local industry. 6 of these were sold
back to the Taurians in return for the other four being repaired to renew asteroid
mining in the system. Shetland 1 and Shetland 2, Small Habitat Stations
Located at the Lunar L1 Lagrange Point, these two stations each house around 12,000
people who work on Easdale or the various Bressay stations.
20 PowerSat Satellites (Taurian Imports)
12 SEU-193D Starcomm Satellites (FedCom Imports)
8 Communication Relay Buoys (2 each at Nadir, Zenith and 2 known Pirate jump points.)
10 Weather Tracking Satellites
1. Smailholm
The planetary capital and location of most of the population and manufacturing. It also has a modest size warehousing district near the spaceport. The surrounding countryside is dotted with small local villages and various agriculture concerns. The local government is a council made up of 7 clan leaders nominated by their respective clan with the Council Chairman role rotating to the next Clan each year. 2. Luderitz Parliament Building
The main government building for Luderitz, this building has two main wings and a central main meeting area for the Planetary Council. One wing contains the offices of each of the council members and the other wing contains the Luderitz High Court and its offices. 3. Smailholm Spaceport
The main spaceport for Luderitz has landing space for up to 10 dropships, a large warehousing operation, railyards connecting to the rest of Luderitz, passenger terminal, and a runway and pads for atomspheric craft such as airplays, VTOLs, and cargo airships. 4. Blackadder Castle
This is the main defense structure located near the planetary capital of Smailholm and the spaceport. Built by the Taurian government for planetary defense during the build up towards the New Vandenberg Uprising. Over the years the McCulloch Highlanders have upgraded and improved the castle defenses. It currently can house a mech battalion, two battalions of armor and infantry, and an aerospace fighter wing. 5. Luderitz Caledonian University
LCU is the only higher educational institute located on Luderitz. It offers a range of degrees from agricultural related to philosophy and a wide range of what is inbetween. A retired officer from the McCulloch Highlanders is often on campus as a visiting professor of military history. 6. Dualchas School of Scottish Piping and Drumming
This school was founded shortly after the McCulloch Highlanders reformed to ensure musicians for their regiment. Dr. Olwain Stuart is the current head of the school which in addition to music and history classes, also maintains the ability to construct and repair instruments. 7. Luderitz Museum of Gaelic Art
This institute is a showcase of various masterpieces of Gaelic artwork. Most of the paintings and statues are from local artists but a few pieces from Northwind, Skye, and other worlds of Scottish and Irish decent are also on display. Patricia Leary who works with watercolors and Piotr Sonderson who is a wood carvver are the currently highlighted artists. 8. Donalbain Brewery
Donalbain is the only major brewery on Luderitz and has been owned by the same family for over 300 years. In addition to its Creag Beinne Dark, it also brews a wide range of beers and whiskeys. Duncan Ainslie is the current head of the company though at the ripe old age of 87 rumors of his impending retirement have been widely spread about. 9. The Lonely Matchstick
The Matchstick is the oldest pub on Luderitz. It is well known for its traditional shepherd's pie, haggis, and a wide range of dark ales. They serve the locally brewed Creag Beinne Dark which is their best seller and even has demand for export to other worlds. 10. Glenfinnich National Golf Resort
This 36 hole championship level golf course is home of the Luderitz National Open and several other prestigious local tournaments.The course is well known for it's breath taking views as it is set in some low rolling hills along a beachfront. 11. New New Orkney Islands
This archipelago is a nature reserve and vacation spot where a number of original species of plants and animals from the Scottish region of Earth itself have been imported and preserved. Its kingfishers, kestrels, and ospreys are all major bird watching favorites. 12. River Tweed
The largest river that passes through Smailholm that provides one of the major aquatic travel routes. It is also well renown for the fishing along it's many smaller tributaries. Several small lakes and loches along or just off the river provide additional water recreational areas. Luderitz System Transportation Options
1. Trains - Major lines run from Smailholm to other major cities on the continent. Mainly used for cargo hauling but a few passenger cars do make regular runs. 2. Ferry Network - A small fleet of ferries make regular passage up and down the River Tweed with stops at most ports regularly. Larger ferries also travel between Smailholm and the various islands within a few days travel. 3. Air Travel - VTOLs, Suborbital Aircraft Flights, and Airships provide cargo and passenger service between Smailholm and all cities of medium size and up. 4. Luderitz Transport Service - This company provides bus and taxi service in Smailholm and most larger cities on Luderitz. The blue and white colored vehicles are all highly recognizable on the roads and are renowned for their safety records. Luderitz Premier League
The Luderitz Premier League consists of a team fielded by each of the major clans. During a season, each plays the other six teams once for pre-season friendlies and then four time during the season. The top two finishing teams compete for that season's Champion's Cup. The Harrowhan Pipers are the current cup holders. Fairborne Cavaliers
Harrowhan Pipers
MacDougall Dragonslayers
McCulloch Longbows
McKendrick Kestrels
Ridgeway Knights
Waterly Wanderers
The McCulloch Highlanders also have a team made up of various members of the regiment or their dependents called the Coldstream Lancers. When able to return to Luderitz during a rest and refit period, they play friendlies against each of the league teams at least once and preferably twice. The Lancers also play games when possible with local teams when deployed. Much like their combat style, the Lancers focus on fast paced attacking.
Well, I hope you all made it this far and found something humerous or enjoyable amongst all of that. Hopefully my KS will ship soon and I'll do an organizational post once I get the models all sorted out. Thanks for reading and see you next time!
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Proud Bull Rising Part 9
Been a busy month so far but I'll have a model update in the next few days.
2833
The Taurian Guard Corps completes its build up and all three regiments are at between 90 and 100 percent operational readiness. The Taurian Vellites Regiment is broken into battalion size forces and spend the next two years doing a sweep along the Capellan and Davion borders for pirates. The I Corps are the next to be overhauled and have their operational readiness restored. The I Corps consists of the Concordat Jaegers and the Red Chasseurs. A new regiment, the 2nd Red Chasseurs, is also to be built to bring the I Corps up to a full three regiments.
Both Wolverine production lines go live. A second line is begun at each site to expand production. Both expansions should be completed by the end of 2835. With the increased production levels of mechs as whole, a slightly higher percent is slated for export with several larger mercenary units being eager customers as they try to replace losses taken so far during the Second Succession War. A fair number are also sold to the Outworlds Alliance as they seek to shore up their forces to deal with the increasing piracy along the Periphery.
Several years into the Second Succession War now, still no build up of Davion forces along the Concordat border are detected. This leads to a slowly lowering of the alert status along the border. While still slightly higher than before the war, it is much closer to that level. The Taurian intelligence services continue to keep an careful watch on worlds across the border. Patrols remain slightly ramped up along the border but are slowly easing down to what they were before the war started.
The data and information brought back to the Taurians by the Ministry of Intelligence agents is put to use by Concordat Navy reactivating the old Concordat Aerospace Limited shipyard in the Samantha system. This yard is located far enough from the planet to be hidden by the asteroid fields in the system. It is estimated that by 2840 the shipyard will be able to repair the two types of jumpships and then by 2845 begin production of the two types of jumpships.
2834
All the mercenary units in the employ of the TDF are now at least 80 percent or higher in operational readiness. The TDF assigns them all to a stretch of worlds along the galactic rimward side of the realm to deal with pirates raids. The Blackhearts are especially good at dealing with pirates and soon the three units have made a marked decrease in pirate activity in that portion of Taurian space. The Lazy Eights add a second battalion during this period and rotate from Sterope finally to Belle Isle colony where they join with the other mercenary units in dealing with pirates. Cardinal Sins are deployed to Baltar, Blackhearts to Dumassas, and the Black Band Legion to Ludenitz.
While exploring systems to reclaim or recolonize, one team comes across the Panzyr System. There is a thick debris cloud surrounds the main world of the system which makes getting to and from the world difficult, but the team notices a lot of the debris is from Star League sources, undoubtedly from the Reunification War in their best estimate. Records show that the world was part of the Capellan Confederation but lack of support during the First Succession War had the planetary population fall below a sustainable level. The TDF moves assests into this system and begin to comb the debris field for useful salvage. For the first couple years, mainly spare parts and small arms are the only worthwhile salvage recovered other than debris to be resmelted and recycled.
After once more debating the issue due to high demand, Brinton is selected as the fourth location to build a new industrial mech factory. Similar to the plants on Sterope, Grossbach, and San Carlos, there will be lines for the Crosscut and DigKing Industrial mechs and will be expanded until there are four lines for each of the mechs. The plant is planned to go live by the end of 2833. The local militia assign several companies to rotate being assigned to defend this new major investment in their world. Much of the output of this plant is exported to the Federated Suns, the Duchy of Andurian, and the Magistracy of Canopus.
The Rifleman production line on New Vandenburg goes live. These heavy battlemechs are deployed into the various medium, heavy, and assault weighted regiments as a much needed anti-aircraft capability. This was something that was lacking in the TDF and is seen to fill a void in the battlemech regiments' TOE. These mechs are highly sought after and production is fully purchased for the next several years by the Taurian military.
Hope you all are enjoying and I'll see you all again next post!
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