Difference between revisions of "Gannon's Cannons"
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==History== | ==History== | ||
===Carlton's Cavaliers=== | ===Carlton's Cavaliers=== | ||
| − | Led by Captain Philo Carlton the unit had been working for some time when in 3067 | + | Led by Captain Philo Carlton the unit had been working for some time when in 3067, [[Duke]] [[Morgan Kell]] hired several small mercenary units to keep the Loyalist [[Third Donegal Guards]] on [[Cumbres]]. They were one of these units. The raid started in February [[3067]], but things went sour when one of the units, [[Dortman's Devils]], decided to take advantage of the situation and line their own pockets. They raided towns and crushed any resistance. To hide their actions the Devils pretended to be other mercenary units stationed on Cumbres. When the Third discovered the raids, they began treating all the mercenaries as pirates. On 8 February, the Devils attacked Westfield, but they found the Cavaliers and after a tough battle, which ended with a heavily wounded Philo Carlton, they crushed the Devils. |
The same day, and after this fight they were found by elements of the Third Donegal Guards, who though they were pirates too and started a fight which ended in more losses for the unit untill they were able to surrender. | The same day, and after this fight they were found by elements of the Third Donegal Guards, who though they were pirates too and started a fight which ended in more losses for the unit untill they were able to surrender. | ||
Revision as of 06:01, 31 January 2019
Contents
History
Carlton's Cavaliers
Led by Captain Philo Carlton the unit had been working for some time when in 3067, Duke Morgan Kell hired several small mercenary units to keep the Loyalist Third Donegal Guards on Cumbres. They were one of these units. The raid started in February 3067, but things went sour when one of the units, Dortman's Devils, decided to take advantage of the situation and line their own pockets. They raided towns and crushed any resistance. To hide their actions the Devils pretended to be other mercenary units stationed on Cumbres. When the Third discovered the raids, they began treating all the mercenaries as pirates. On 8 February, the Devils attacked Westfield, but they found the Cavaliers and after a tough battle, which ended with a heavily wounded Philo Carlton, they crushed the Devils.
The same day, and after this fight they were found by elements of the Third Donegal Guards, who though they were pirates too and started a fight which ended in more losses for the unit untill they were able to surrender.
They were mistakenly tried and blacklisted for the crimes of Dortman's Devils. Even though the prosecution's case was shredded by the ranking Cavalier officer, Gannon "Cannon" Derer, the Cavaliers were never formally acquitted because of a general amnesty declared by Peter Steiner-Davion at the end of the FedCom Civil War that saw their case dropped. But the unit had been blacklisted. The image of Carlton's Cavaliers was heavily damaged. After this, Philo decided to retire and gave the unit's command to Gannon "Cannon" Derer. He decided to rename the unit.[1]
Gannon's Cannons
Jihad
The Gannon's Cannons were born after that.
Their first contract, a strike against the Word of Blake-controlled warehouses on Keid in Interstellar Expeditions employ, saw Gannon's Cannons with no home to return to, as it occurred at the same time as Wayne Waco's attack against Wolf's Dragoons and the scouring of Outreach in mid-October of 3067.[1]
Gannon's Cannons were named as one example of a relatively small mercenary unit with their own transportation that had been small and mobile enough to avoid attention and destruction over the course of the Jihad.[2]
When the unit signed with IE they thought they would be used as troubleshooters, maybe pirate-hunting or guarding their digs. Instead, they were ordered to raid on Keid on the 29 of September 3067. Their targets were several Kallon Industries Drop-Port warehouses (the idea of the raid was to send a message from IE to Kallon). The unit was told that as long as they didn't take the battle outside the target area, the Blakies would be looking the other way. The destruction of the Keid warehouses was not without complications. The contact said nothing about the security force (vehicles and infantry) they ran into, but was very explicit in protecting civilian structures, which made the unit's job harder. Still, the warehouses (full of enough material to keep a couple of 'Mech battalions supplied for three or four months) were destroyed.[3]
After two months guarding a couple of warehouses filled with stuff that only historians and archeologists would love to have (items from IE), at the end of December 3067 the unit executed his training clause to accept a side contract for Earthwerks Incorporated to raid Tao 'Mechworks' research and development center on Styk's Fire Island as a retaliation of that company destroying Earthwerks' fusion engine assembly line in March 3067. The unit landed a cargo DropShip near Tao Mechworks and left half the Cannons to secure their ride while the rest headed for Fire Island. They first ran into Tao security, and pushed them back. But just as they reached the building, they picked up a Syn's Hussars patrol coming in from the east. As Earthwerks didn't want them to wreck CCAF units, Gannon's Cannons concentrated on destroying the buildings while avoiding the CCAF unit. They were able to do that and retreat to their escape off-planet.[4]
The unit was stationed in Skye for a security job when the 5 of February 3068 an invasion from the FWL hit Skye. Duke Kelswa-Steiner called every militia and mercenary unit on-planet to Skye's defense. Their first mission was to take out and old abandoned LAAF airbase in some swamp and had been bombing the capital with the help of a Lance from the Fourth Skye Rangers. The mercenaries caught the Sirian Lancers by surprise and hammered them hard before they could get on track. Captain Derer and the rest of the command lance pounded the standby fighters while the rest of the unit hit everything else. They mauled them and took most of the FWL units down. Only a couple of hovertanks and a badly shot-up Trebuchet got away into the swamp, and some of the Rangers' aerospace boys finished the job the next day. The Lancers were gone two days later. IE wrapped things up quickly, and Gannon's Cannons got off-planet asap. Gannon though that something stinked about this Leaguer assault. The list of the FWL equipment found after Gannon's assault was much better than expected. He though the FWL had found another source for equipment, and his leading candidate was the Word of Blake.[5]
IE next sent Gannon's Cannons to defend an excavation from Yoris University Amalgamated (a group belonging to IE) in Solaris beneath the dark sands of the Tangerine Desert. So in 16th of June 3068 they were in the first line of the WoB Operation SHOWTIME, and were attacked by unmarked raiders, later identified as elements of the invading 25th Division with possible mercenary support. Though they were able to save the team, but the site itself was destroyed. They were able to make retreat the attacking force after that though with heavy losses. Three of the units 'Mechs were wrecked, and everyone else suffered some damage to their rides. They were able to strip any usable parts from the raider's Mechs (Wraiths, Mercurys, and a Zephyr to use that stuff themselves.[6]
The next mission IE gave to the Grandin's Crusaders was to help Duke George Hasek in his Operation SOVEREIGN JUSTICE. They were to accompany the Illician Lancers and help them raid Tsingtao. IE also told them to take a detour and ransack Shu-lin Networking for a computer core. So in the 28th of June 3068 they attacked and foung a mix of planetary militia and mercenaries hired by the local government. The Illician Lancers went after and destroying any Capellan forces they could find. The Crusaders accompanied them, serving as a mop-up force to eliminate isolated Home Guard or militia units bypassed in the initial assault. Grandin convinced the Lancers command to let him hit the city of Weihaiwei on his own to "hunt down guerrilla elements", as Shu-Lin Networking had their corporate center in planet there. While the 'Mech elements battled the security force, the unit's infantry stormed the headquarters, and the presence of Eddie Vargas, a former MIIO information warfare specialist easily, allowed them to defeat the core’s security. Once the planet was secured, Grandin's Crusaders left and handed the core over to David Styles, an influential member of IE's Council of Peers and member of the executive board. The files it contained were filled with SLDF research on weapons of mass destruction, including biological and chemical weapons. This data soon found its way into the hands of the Word of Blake, courtesy of Styles.[7]
After that, the unit was allowed some R&R time while garrison IE's main research facility in Tomans, located in Grant's Station Tango. And then on the 1st of August 3068, the mysterious Green Ghosts arrived on planet. Well-trained, well-equipped and strongly disciplined, the unit pressed the attack when they found the mercenaries and despite being heavily outnumbered, the Ghosts nearly broke their lines before being droven back. And just as things seemed could end well, a Clan Jade Falcon force appeared also ready to raid the planet. They started shooting both the Green Ghost and the mercenaries. The Green Ghosts decided to leave in the ensuing chaos, so the Jade Falcons kept pressing, but they found Gannon Derer wanting. After having taken out three Falcon Mechs, a Star Captain in an Executioner challenged him. After their Star Captain went down, the Falcons retreated, leaving the mercenaries holding the battlefield. IE lost about a third of their buildings, but their casualties were be light.[8]
After IE bought out our contract, the unit was contracted by elements within the Sandoval family. Along renegade AFFS forces from the Draconis March - the Second Robinson Rangers and the Sakhara Academy Training Battalion[9] - and other mercenary units, all of them launched an attack on Benjamin during the first week of December 3068. The initial assault decimated the defending Sixth Ghost and then the rogue units remained in place, though not the mercenary support.[10] Gannon's Cannons did the job without soiling their hands with innocent blood, got paid, got some salvage and even picked up a few survivors from a less fortunate mercenary unit and then left. After the mission Gannon Derer decided the Cannons wouldn't take any more Federated Suns contracts until something changed.[11]
The unit accepted a contract for Luthien Armor Works to escort a team lead by Dr. Linna Yamazaki to Luthien to examine their factories there after the Blakists nuked the place. So in July 3069 the unit descended into the planet, where they found themselves in the middle of a three-way war between the Combine loyalists, the Black Dragons, and the Word of Blake. Tai-sa Shih Chou from the First Genyosha was not happy to see the mercenaries and it took a lot of paperwork from LAW and explanations from both Captain Derer and Dr. Yamazaki. to convince him. After informing the mercenaries they would not be able to carry the mission bacause it was in no man's land and just in a place where the Kokuryu‑kai was launching an attack against that part of the line, Captain Derer offered to lances of his unit to help the First Genyosha. When their forces reached the battlefield, the Kokuryu‑kai forces were already rolling over a Blakist force. Chou ordered the mercenaries to stay back while the Genyosha hit both Kokuryu‑kai and Blakists like a tidal wave. The mercenaries moved around, shoring up weak points in the Genyosha's line but otherwise staying out of their way. In the end, the battle involved elements from the Second Sword of Light, Sixth Benjamin Regulars, Fortieth Dieron Regulars, Word of Blake Ninth Division, Sathen's Snipers, the First Genyosha and Gannon's Cannons. After winning their confidence, they allowed LAW team to investigate the ruins, and after that, the unit left Luthien.[12]
After impressing someone up the Combine chain of command, the unit was offered a small-unit and counter intrusion training with the Clan Nova Cat in Avon. Though weary of the concept itself, the unit accepted so on the 25th of December 3069 the unit inserted in the planet and quickly located the Kagesuited DEST team they were sent to retrieve. Unfortunately that was no training. The elite First Nova Cat Guards appeared and nearly crushed them. The unit barely escaped without loosing no 'Mech and downing five Nova Cats, one a brand new Ocelot. Some of the DEST could be rescued, enough for the Combine to paid up and even threw in a bonus. Gannon Derer thought it would be best to leave Combine space[13], and so they did.
The unit met Mr. Askai and got a contract to strike Kalidasa and beat the WoB Third Division and if possible kill or capture Precentor Timothy Mayo. The unit accepted and on July 3070 they did strike the planet. The unit started raiding WoB supply dumps and ambushing their patrols until a few days later they located Mayo and most of his force. A pincer movement cornered the WoB. Things were looking ok untill they downed Mayo's Grand Crusader. This set the WoB into a crazy mode and made Gannon's Cannons pay for it. There was not a single Blakist moving in the end, but the mercenaries weren’t in that much better shape. They grabbed Mayo and as much salvage as they could, then got the hell out of there.[14]
After being offered two opposite contracts on Chamdo, one by Mr. Askai to defend an infrastructure, and another for a Mister Chen to attack than infrastructure. Both had good conditions, but even though they did not trust Mr. Askai, Chen's personality was even worse, so they took the garrison contract. The unit arrived on early February 3071 and found that the infrastructure to defend was a regional HPG substation belonging to the WoB, part of the planetary network linked to the main station in Sing-wa. Angry Capellan citizens had already destroyed several other HPGs elsewhere in the Confederation. The 20th of February an all-out attack was launched by a mixed unit of "weekend warriors" and mercenaries. The attack was stopped, an when the mercenaries questioned a couple of the Capellan survivors they discovered that it had been the WoB and not the Federated Suns had bombarded Sian a couple of years back. The mercenaries guarded the station long enough for the Blakies to remove the important parts of the systems and then got the hell off Chamdo as fast as they could.[15]
The unit accepted a contract in Solaris under Zelazni Stables patronage. The unit landed in May 3071 and form the core of an assault on the International Zone to capture some warehouses filled with 'Mechs and supplies the SHDL needed. The assalut force hit the IZ, along with forces from the Zelazni Stables and White Hand Stables, while a contingent from the Silver Dragon Stables moved to flank the International Zone. Though they were able to push the Twenty-fifth Division, when the Silver Dragons arrived, several of them suddenly started shooting at the mercenaries instead of the Blakists. Major Derer immediately ordered massed fire on the traitors, and none of them lasted more than a minute. After that, we pushed the Blakists out of the IZ and secured the warehouses. Then Major Derer went to have a heavy talk with the Solaris Stablemasters.[16]
After three months of working with the SHDL the unit was still in control of the International Zone, but at that time most of the stables (and warriors) from the SHDL were more concerned with their current ranking than cooperating long enough to smash the Blakists. And in the 17th of August 3071, barely two hours prior to the Stables finally cleaning up the stables full of equipment that could have equipped two whole battalions, the WoB stormed the International Zone and level everything in their path. Though a couple of the warehouses were lost, the mercenaries made them pay in blood, and only a few of them got away. Gannon's Cannons was able to collect some battlefield savage plus a cut of the saved equipment.[17]
After loosing the International Zone, the unit retreated same as the SHDL, to Nowhere, one of the last intact major repair and supply points left on the planet. In return for acting as a security force for the city's corporations, the unit got access to cutting-edge technology and some of the best techs on the planet, so much that their 'Mechs had never been in that good a shape since they came off the assembly line. And during the 15th October 3071 the WoB came knocking with a mix of Word of Blake troops and sympathizers. Gannon's Cannons and a few local Solaris Gladiators stood and were able to stopped aproximatelly a Level III. The unit suffered more casualties in this engagement than in any previous battle over the past four years, and also lost most of the Solaris pilots that stood with them. At least thirty Blakist 'Mechs ended up destroyed, crippled, or captured, and every sympathizer they brought with them died, though they did not get much salvage. Gannon Derer decided that the unit was going to stick around in Solaris for a few more months or until the Blakists leave, whichever came first, as they feeled that once the Blakists are gone, the SHDL alliance was going to shatter very quickly.[18]
Mr Askai contracted the unit to attack the Clean Kill mercenary command on Althea's Choice in the Taurian Concordat and offered them good pay and a DropShip full of Federated Suns equipment. So in June 3072 they attacked disguised as AFFS troops. It turned out his mission was a distraction raid while real AFFS troops attacked the capital. The reported use of chemical weapons in that other battle, upset Gannon's Cannons, who felt they'd been "hoodwinked" by Askai and left the planet immediately.[19]
Buda Weapons contracted the unit to search for one of their chief weapons researcher, Hideoshi Yamika, who had smuggled himself and his team in Luthien. The unit was able to infiltrate the planet and went to locate him. They had four possible locations, and when going for the first one, Takashi Spaceport's Customs annex, a place where the company had an underground bunker. While some infantry went on searching, the unit had to fend of elements of the Word of Blake's Thirty-second Division and elements of the Fortieth Dieron Regulars and the Second Sword of Light, both loyal to the Kokuryu-kai in a three parties battle. Fortunately, they were in the outskirts of the fight, and after their infantry informed them Hideoshi was not there, they left the place for another of the possible locations.[20] After four months of fruitless searching, the unit finally got a solid location for Yamika. He and his team were hidden in Buda Weapons Skytower, located in Buda Weapons Sector. While trying to retrieve Yamika, they ended up fighting in what was called Battle of Skytower City, and were finally unable to rescue Yamika, being quite bitten up by the WoB forces.[21]
The unit next mission found them in Tikonov, helping the planet's rebels to take an Earthwerks facility from the WoB. So they arrived in October 3074 and what they found was a contract with a Capellan Zhong-shao. The mercenaries bested elements of the Tikonov Protectorate Militia defending the facility. After that, they were given six hours to take all savage they could, barely being able to full their three Dropships and leave as per Zhong-shao orders, only to see Capellan rebels used Nukes to destroy a WoB counterattack force.[22]
The unit spent most of 3075 working short-term garrison contacts and used that time to rebuild and reinforce the unit.[23]
The unit was contracted in 3076 by Devlin Stone's colalition forces after passing an screening process. A collection of units like the Cannons with some Com Guards reserves to stiffen their offensive capabilities and sent them all to Galatea. Their landing and all the fight on Galatea was contested by the Eleventh Division. They fought well using solid tactics to help in the besting of the WoB until Galatea was liberated.[23] With the reclamation of the system, the Mercenary's Star reopened for business in February of 3076. As a debt of gratitude, the mercenary commands that helped liberate the system received rewards and discounts for a variety of services across the planet.[24]
Dark Age
As of 31 October 3085 Gannon's Cannons were stationed on Atocongo in the Lyran Commonwealth, at 85% nominal strength and implicitly in Commonwealth employ.[25]
At some point after 3129 and "shortly" before the Draconis Combine's invasion of the Republic of the Sphere's Prefecture II, Gannon's Cannons carried out a strike mission on Pike IV under contract to the DCMS.[26]
After the successful mission on Pike IV, the Cannons were hired by the DCMS as an auxiliary unit to provide garrison support on the Combine's Republic acquisitions. The unit nearly disbanded after suffering major losses during a Dominion raid on Styx, though after heavy fighting the intruders withdrew long enough for the Cannons to mount up and give chase.[27]
As of 31 December 3145 Gannon's Cannons were stationed on York in the Lyran Commonwealth, listed as a battalion at 85% nominal strength and implicitly in Commonwealth employ.[28]
Officers
| Rank | Name | Command | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commanding Officers of Carlton's Cavaliers | |||
| Captain | Philo Carlton | At least from 3064 to 3067[1] | |
| Commanding Officers of Gannon's Cannons | |||
| Captain | Gannon "Cannon" Derer | 3067 - 3070[1] | |
| Major | Gannon "Cannon" Derer | 3071 - 3076[16] | |
| Major | Gannon Derer II | 3145[28] | |
Composition History
3067
- The Cannons consist of two lances, Alpha and Beta. Alpha comprises heavy and assault ’Mechs, anchored by Derer’s upgraded BattleMaster. Beta fields two heavy tanks and two hovertanks, typically used in defensive maneuvers.
3071
- The Cannons had at that time almost two 'Mech companies and a mixed vehicle & infantry company.[16]
3074
- After being able to increase to a full battalion, the unit was again reduced to two companies.[22]
3075
- The unit was able to recover battalion status.[23]
Rules
Game Rules
When choosing maps for a track, the Cannons player selects half of the maps used, rather than rolling. As a unit, the Cannons can use Overrun Combat (see p. 193, TO) once per track. In addition, Alpha lance ignores Forced Withdrawal rules (see p. 258, TW) if Gannon is still active on the map. Beta lance may deploy as Hidden Units (see p. 256, TW) if they are the defenders in a track and no other units on their side are used in that capacity. Because of Gannon Derer’s administrative skills, if a track offers three or more options in the Next Track section, reduce the Track Cost of the Cannons’ next track selection by ten percent.[1]
Notes
- In 2011 Gannon Derer, the six year old son of a Catalyst Agent, BattleTech volunteer, fact-checker and playtester, was diagnosed with leukemia. The Demo Agent group began to assemble and paint up BattleTech miniatures as gifts for the boy in his favorite colors, and came to name the unit Gannon's Cannons. The unit was then canonized through being mentioned in Field Manual: 3085, and later received a full writeup by Craig Reed in Total Chaos.[29]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Total Chaos, pp. 19-21
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 120
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 39-40 "LOOK WHO’S COMING TO DINNER"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 48-49 "PAYBACK"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 52-54 "THE SKYE IS FALLING!"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 59-60 "GAME ON!"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 61-62 "GOLDEN GOOSE"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 65 "FALCON PTOMAINE"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 115
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46, "The Jihad In Review"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 70-71 "GRAVEYARD SHIFT"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 79-80 "BULLET IN THE BLUE SKY"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 84 "STIRRING THE ANTHILL"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 90 "BINGE, PURGE, FLUSH"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 96-98 "SAVAGE SILENCE"
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Total Chaos, pp. 102-103 "FREE-FIRE ZONE"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 105 "NACHT BLITZ"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 109 "REACHING THE LIMITS"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 120, Track "Clean Sweep"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 130 "TUNNEL RATS"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 131-133 "LIGHT MACHINE"
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Total Chaos, pp. 137 "ACID RAIN"
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Total Chaos, pp. 148-149 "COMES THE REAPER"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 150 "RUN THEM DOWN"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 160
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 124
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine, p. 38 "EXR-2X Exhumer"
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 182
- ↑ According to a blog entry by Ben Rome and this forum posting by Demo Agent "Bosefius"