Editing Band of the Damned

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}
{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image          = [[File:Band of the Damned logo.png|150px]]
| Designation    = Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned
| formed         = 3042<ref>''The Periphery'', Second Edition, p. 83: Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned - Years of first public sighting and actions listed</ref>
| Disbanded      = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname       = The Damned
| Affiliation    = Pirate
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command    = 
}}

'''The Band of the Damned''' was a spinward-based [[Periphery]] pirate band.

==Unit Colors==
The unit uses the [[Draconis Combine|Draconis Combine's]] [[1st Sword of Light]] Regimental color scheme. This was intended as an insult to Draconis Combine due to actions committed to some the unit's members from its early days.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 127: Unit Colors match 1st Sword of Light as insult</ref>

==Unit Emblem==
The unit adopted the Damned's Vance Rezak personal insignia as their own unit emblem. The emblem is a black "V" set over a burning fire, with a golden disk behind it.

==History==
===Early Years===
They first appeared in [[3042]], where the Damned raided in [[Draconis Combine]] world of [[Hongor]].  In this first known raid, the Band had stolen a fortune of platinum. This marked the beginning of a series of successful raids by the Damned in Combine and [[Outworlds Alliance]].  After stealing grain from [[Kokpekty]] in [[3048]], the DCMS dispatched the second battalion of the [[7th Pesht Regulars]] to hunt down and destroy the Damned. Later information showed that Damned was working with 7th Pesht's commanding officer, ''[[Tai-sa]]'' [[Kurtis Benzinger]]<ref>''The Periphery'', Second Edition, p. 83: Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned - Damned working with 7th Pesht's CO, so band could have easy pickings</ref><ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 42: Deployment Tables - 7th Pesht Regulars' CO is ''Tai-sa'' Kurtis Benzinger</ref>  The Damned's inside man made certain to dispatch a poorly equipped and undertrained battalion to come for them.  The 2nd Battalion's commander ''[[Sho-sa]]'' [[Vance Rezak]] had his unit chase down the Pirates through the [[Draconis Rift]] for several months until they cornered the Damned.  On the planet, the two sides fought a fierce two week battle, which inflicted severe damage to both sides.  During the course of the fight, members of the Damned sabotaged the 7th Pesht's JumpShip. ''Sho-sa'' Rezak then ordered his forces into defensive positions, and broadcast a call for reinforcements.  However, after month of fighting, no reinforcements had arrived to help the Regulars fight the Damned.  With supplies running low, Rezak ordered an all-out assault on the Damned.<ref>''The Periphery'', Second Edition, p. 83: Some details of the battle with Damned and the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Pesht</ref> The assault went successfully, and Rezak defeated the Damned's leader.  In a twist, being fed up with the betrayals of the Combine, he declares himself as leader of the Damned and integrates his survivors among the Damned's numbers.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 127: Vance Rezak kills The Damned's original leader and takes the leadership of the Damned for himself</ref>

===Under the leadership of Vance Rezak===

After taking command of the Damned, he declared war on Draconis Combine for their betrayal of him and his unit.  The Band began a series of vicious raids into the Combine of the first couple years after Rezak took command.  The Band's raids reaped everything including slaves and brought them to market on the Periphery world of [[Antallos (Port Krin)|Antallos]]. The planet's city-state, [[Port Krin]], became the Damned's base of operations. Fortunes that the Damned had reaped, allowed Rezak to establish number of estates there.  Over the course of the years, the Damned secretly expanded its operation to a barely inhabitable Coreward world, which they named the [[Rezak's Hole]]. There they created a staging base with repair facilities to allow better penetration of the Combine's unprotected border. The Band of the Damned went through extensive efforts to keep their secret activities hidden from other interested factions.  Also, Rezak had created network of spies, in both the Draconis Combine and the Outworlds Alliance to monitor activities.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 127: Officers - Rezak has connections and spies across the Inner Sphere</ref>

The Band of the Damned were raiding the Combine world of [[Korramabad]], which was locked in a civil war for several months. While the Band of the Damned raided both sides involved in the conflict, the pirates seemed particularly drawn by the local industry producing industrial-grade diamonds, and attacks favored whichever faction controlled the industry.<ref name="HSCp46"/>

The Band raided systems around the perimeter of the [[Outworlds Alliance]] in [[3048]]. They landed on Helland to distribute their loot, and were attacked by the [[Thermo Police]].<ref>''Spotlight On: Thermo Police'', p. 9</ref> The Thermo Police were able to save multiple captives and some of the pirates took the opportunity to defect from the pirate band.<ref>''Spotlight On: Thermo Police'', p. 10</ref>

On Antallos, by [[3055]] the Damned began to have clashes with a rogue [[AFFC]] mercenary command known as [[Vinson's Vigilantes]]. The mercenaries had become the adopted guardians' city-states of Antallos.  The Damned had continued to grow in power on Antallos despite having several more clashes with the Vigilantes as of [[3063]]. The unit had captured a company's worth of Combine [[OmniMechs]], and had outfitted a lance's worth with Clan technology.  The band had been keep in equipment in top condition and been commented that best support in the Periphery.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 127: Band of the Damned (BattleMech Battalion) - Damned has elite battalion including company's worth of OmniMechs and some best techs in the Periphery</ref>  The unit has also expanded to include an aerospace squadron and two battalions' worth of Armored Combat Vehicles. Rezek had developed a secret partnership with the [[Word of Blake]], which had one of its agents become imbedded with the force as its second in command, a man known as "Dicky" Smith. In 3064, the Unit suffered a setback when elements of [[Clan Snow Raven]] discovered Rezak's Hole and wiped out Damned garrison forces including; company's worth of BattleMechs, battalion of armor assets, an aerospace squadron, and 2 companies' worth of the Blake's troops hidden on planet. The bases with all its forces were destroying base and all its assets.  This forced them to set up operations on Port Krin, where rogue Vigilantes had finally succumbed to infighting, joined the Damned in force.<ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 199: Pirates/Band of the Damned - Snow Ravens attack in 3064, destroy Damned & secret WoB assets on Rezak's Hole</ref>

In [[3067]] the Band raided [[Prinis Prime]], attracting the Ravens' attention once again. The Ravens attacked [[Antallos]] in force, and by the end of November the Band of the Damned had been destroyed and Antallos was firmly under Raven control.<ref>''Historical Turning Points: Antallos'', p. 19</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the Band of the Damned'''
|-
| Pirate King||[[Vance Rezak]]||[[3049]] - [[3067]]<ref>''The Periphery'', Second Edition, p. 83: Date of leadership is based when the 7th Pesht was dispatched to hunt down the Damned in 3048 and eight months fight resulted in Rezak declares himself leader</ref><ref name=htpa8/>
|-
|}

===Notes===
The Band's second in command during the [[3067]] fighting was [[Jebidiah Smith]].<ref name=htpa8/>

==Tactics==
As of [[3063]], The Pirate King would lure with the Band of the Damned armor and miscellaneous assets, and position an enemy force within strike range. He would then Flank the enemy force's causing catastrophic damage until the enemy was removed from the area.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 127: Tactics - Methods used by Damned as of 3063</ref>

==Composition History==
===3055===
* Band of the Damned - (BattleMech [[Battalion]]/Regular)
:- While raiding Korramabad in [[3055]], the Band of the Damned was determined to be a heavy battalion, backed up by two [[lance]]s of heavy [[aerospace fighter]]s, a [[company]] of light armor, and two foot rifle companies. Ten percent of the units were using upgraded equipment at this point.<ref name="HSCp46">''Hot Spots Contracts'', p. 46: "Contract DC 56601-002-3 Behind The Scenes"</ref>

===3058===
* Band of the Damned - (BattleMech Battalion) - Regular Skilled - CO: Vance Rezak<ref>''The Periphery'', Second Edition, pp. 78, 84: Periphery Independent (Deployment as of [[3058]]) & Vance Rezak's Band of the Damned - listing shows where the Pirate banded skill level, the latter page shows it was had a single BattleMech Battalion</ref>

===3064===
*Band of the Damned - (BattleMech Battalion) - Elite Skilled - CO: Vance Rezak
* Dark Angels ([[aerospace fighter]] [[squadron]]) - Regular Skilled - CO: Wing Commander "Smack" Krezejski
*Band of the Damned (2 x [[Combat Vehicle|Armor Vehicle]] Battalions) - Regular Skilled - CO: Rudolph Callatano

===3067===
*Band of the Damned - ([[Regiment]])<ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 204: Deployment Table - Unit shown to be Regiment strength, no details how it broken up of what type forced used</ref> The unit's first battalion is an Elite command, while the other two battalions held Veteran status.<ref name=htpa8>''Historical Turning Points: Antallos'', p. 8</ref>

==Notes==
<div class="gamerules">
===Game Notes===
The Band of the Damned receives the following [[Force Specific Rules]] Abilities when using scenario special enhancements. In the beginning of each battle, when fielding Damned's vehicle, if they are number equal or greater than number of BattleMechs on the field, all Damned's forces then receive +1 to their initiative. For every two vehicles fielded by the Damned, receives a +1 to its initiative upwards to maximum +3. However, for every 2 vehicles removed from the board, the bonus goes down by 1. The Damned receives the ability [[Overrun Combat]] when facing [[Draconis Combine]] forces of lesser experience. When using MW3 RPG rules, Vance Rezak receives Well Connected trait and also has 1 contact somewhere in the Inner Sphere.<ref>''Field Manual: Periphery'', p. 155: "Periphery Regiments" - Band of the Damned's force specific scenario traits and RPG abilities</ref>
</div>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Periphery]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
* ''[[Historical Turning Points: Antallos]]''
* ''[[Hot Spots Contracts]]''
* ''[[The Periphery (1996)|The Periphery (1996) Sourcebook]]''
* ''[[Spotlight On: Thermo Police]]''


[[Category:Pirate Commands|Band of the Damned]]