Convoy Defense Force

(Redirected from CPF)
Convoy Protection Force
Affiliation Hanseatic League
Parent Command Hanseatic Security Force


History[edit]

The Convoy Protection Force (CPF) was formed as a part of the creation of the Hanseatic Security Force following attempts by a number of colonies to throw off the influences of the Hanseatic League Council of Merchants in or around 2920.[1]

After attempting to enforce a period of isolation from external influences across the League, the Council of Merchants changed tack in 3011 and decided to declare three worlds to be open worlds, accessible to all.[1]

By the mid-3060s, the CPF was scattered widely across the Hanseatic League, operating alongside all of the League's JumpShips; members rarely spent more than a week on any given world. Comprised primarily of aerospace fighters, marines, and the few assault DropShips owned by the League, deployments of the CPF were arranged on a unit by unit basis. If a single JumpShip was intent on trading in the Deep Periphery, it would be accompanied by a CPF fighter squadron, or perhaps a CPF DropShip, and with a marine detachment present aboard the JumpShip and any attached DropShips. If several merchant vessels were traveling together, the HSF would often add a militarized CPF JumpShip accompanied by combat DropShips and fighter squadrons to chaperone the convoy. The visible presence provided by the CPF was the main means by which the Council of Merchants projected the League's influence across unaffiliated traders and those buying from or selling to the Hansa.[2]

The CPF enjoyed a favored status when it came to military equipment; one of the premiere units of the HSF alongside Regional Defense Force 1, the CPF received the best equipment the League could provide.[3] The marines assigned to the CPF were among the best infantry in the League, and membership of the CPF was restricted to members of the wealthiest and most prestigious merchant families.[2]

Between 3064 and 3067 the CPF was transformed as a result of changes being made by the new head of the HSF, Captain-General Albert Snow. Under Snow's direction, the CPF changed from a scattered groups of convoy escorts, becoming instead a collection of effective raiding forces.[4]

During the Jihad the CPF found itself tangling more and more often with forces from Clan Diamond Shark, with each battle resulting in significant casualties for the CPF; as a result, by 3079 the effective strength of the CPF had been reduced by almost a third. The CPF had also apparently been renamed to the Convoy Defense Force.[5]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Convoy Defense Force
Captain-General Hortense Meldrew 3064 - into the Jihad [2][6]

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

The CPF was composed of well-trained marines, aerospace fighters, DropShips—including the few assault DropShips the Hanseatic League possessed—and a number of militarized JumpShips.[2]

3064[edit]

Convoy Protection Force (Veteran/Fanatical)[2]

  • CO: Captain-General Hortense Meldrew
  • Aide: Major Lucas Abaya

3067[edit]

Convoy Protection Force (Veteran/Fanatical)[6]

  • CO: Captain-General Hortense Meldrew

- At this point in time the CPF was at full strength.

3079[edit]

Convoy Defense Force (Veteran/Fanatical)[5]

  • 1 BattleMech Regiment

- At this point in time the CDF was at seventy percent of full strength and lacked any advanced equipment.

Rules[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

3064[edit]

  • CPF units may not be greater than a company in strength.[7]
  • MechWarrior 3 characters assigned to the CPF do not suffer from TDF.[7]
  • MechWarrior 3 characters assigned to the CPF must have a SOC of at least 5.[7]
  • MechWarrior 3 infantry characters assigned to the CPF gain the skill Zero-G Operations +3.[7]
  • MechWarrior 3 AeroSpace pilots assigned to the CPF gain the skills Tactics/Space +2 and Tactics/Air Support +1.[7]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 135, "Hanseatic League"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 138, "Convoy Protection Force"
  3. Field Manual: Periphery, p. 137, "Hanseatic Security Force Units"
  4. Field Manual: Updates, p. 200, "Hanseatic League"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 18, "Deep Periphery Forces"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 204, "Hanseatic League"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 155-156, "Hanseatic League"

Bibliography[edit]