1st Dragoncat (Clan Nova Cat)
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History
Formed on order of Khan Santin West, and appointed former Clan Cloud Cobra Star Colonel Jal Steiner to command the unit in July 3062.
The cluster was formed by selection of Steiner from various units from across Nova Cat Touman. Steiner selected Striker Trinary (1st Garrison Cluster of Xi Provisional Galaxy), Assault Binary-Supernova (246th Battle Cluster of the Sigma Galaxy) and Battle Trinary (37th Garrison Cluster) of the Zeta Provisonal Galaxy.
The 1st Dragoncats were created as part of a program to cross-train Clan units with Inner Sphere tactics. The cats initially were trained and excercised against the 11th Alshain Avengers over summer and early fall. The cats suffered a number of defeats in early stages of the training, but soon got better. Moral among the former Homeworld warriors was low, due to their experiences during the Nova Cat Adjurement.
By October 1st, the Dragoncats had refined themselves into a fighting force, but faced a new challenge. On the eve of an excercise against the entire 11th regiment, the command of the 11th suddenly announced cancellation of the operation. They cited they had received orders to deploy, at the last minute. Mechwarrior Zane went to Jal Steiner and notified him, that he recently had a vision, that the 11th Alshain Avengers were going to strike Clan Ghost Bear, triggering a new war at areally bad point in time. Believing the vision to be true, Star Colonel Steiner contacted Galaxy Commander Higall and notified him he was deploying his cluster on the Plain of Horses to blockade the path of the Avengers, until they command of clan Nova Cat had confirmed the 11th orders from the Combine's High Command. In return, Galaxy Commander informed him, that he would not deploy other clusters to support him and only defend the base, thus making Steiner and the Dragoncats the only ones politically liable.
The Zeta Galaxy's dropship fleet forced the Avenger's dropships on gunpoint not to assist them in the upcomming battle or risk mutual annilihation. They were only allowed to take off, if the 11th succeeded in going on board.
On the Plain of Horses, the Dragoncats attacked the unsuspecting 11th Alshain Avengers by night during a thunderstorm. When the Dragoncats repeatedly striked their flanks, they just began pressing forward, the Avenger's Third battalion leading strikes. Although outnumbered, the Dragoncats managed to inflict heavy on damages to incoming forces. Cat's own Charlie Fighter Star managed to destroy 15 battlemechs before being forced to retire due to winds, only losing three of its own.[1]
Both sides suffered heavy casualties. Just as the third Battalion had reached the outskirts of the spaceport, their dropships in sight, the battle came to a brief halt. Mechwarrior Zane used this opportunity to challenge his former comrade Chu-sa Palmer Yoshi two a duel of Zellbrigen. Yoshi saw that Zane's Mech was heavily damaged and offered him Hegira, due to their former friendship. Upon hearing of Hegira, a desperate combine Mechwarrior in a crippled Blackjack fires on Zane's Pack Hunter, and decapitates it with its remaining autocannon. This breach of honor, causes the entire Zeta Galaxy to deploy against the Avengers. As the Avengers now no longer have the time to go aboard, they have to prepare for a new battle. They are driven into the wilderness, were they are fighting a desperate guerille war.
The remaining fighting devastated the 1st Dragoncats as a fighting unit. Heavily damaged, the unit fought along rest of Zeta Galaxy in December when Clan Ghost Bear's Sigma & Omega Galaxies invaded Yamarovka.
Star Colonel Jal Steiner had heavy wounded members of the 1st Dragoncat Cluster evacuated. He had sent them to Xi Galaxy where remains of the unit were absorbed into the galaxy, effectively dissolving the unit.[2]
Officers
Tactics
The unit was trained to use both Clan traditional Zellbrigen and typical Inner Sphere tactics. Typically, they use lighter units to wear down the enemy. Then the heavier units attack upfront to finish the job.
Composition
- Striker Trinary - Mechs
- Battle Trinary - Mechs
- Supernova Assault Binary - Mechs + Elementals
- Charle Fighter Star - Omnifighters
Notes
This is the unit in which Clan Nova Cat hero Zane was assigned, when he became elevated to a hero.