Bernard Nordhoff
Sarna News
Bernard Nordhoff - 32nd Century exLyran Officer turn mercenary. He comes from Hesperus II, as part of long line of family members whom have served Hesperus's Brewster family nobility for generations. He was trusted military aide to Duke Vedet Brewster, while serving as rank of Colonel. After his father's death from exposure to Defiance Industry's smelters, he has harbored great doubts and disdain for Duke Vedet.
He fells the duke controls him and tries in remind him of that fact. He had grown resentful and disgusted by way Duke callousness treatment of others. His anger for the Duke stems from his father's death, feeling he died for while working for him.
He secretly moved officers loyal to him into positions, so when the Duke is killed during the military campaign that he was heading. That he could sweep in and take power for himself. Perhaps, righting some wrongs Brewsters have caused.
Unknown to him, he and Duke's relationship grew worse due to influence of Trillian Steiner.
Character History
Bernard had attended Nagelring Academy on Tharkad whom was sponsored by Duke Vedet. Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces had assigned him as military aide to the Duke. He was later promoted in March of 3137 to command Anvil Task Force for Operation Hammerfall. He commands also a Command Company with soldiers loyal to him. His unit was assigned to invasion of the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth, while the Duke served in Duchy of Tamarind-Abbey. He lead his military command "Anvil" landed on Gallatin in the Marik-Steward space in July 30th, 3137. He had attached his command company to 3rd Lyran Regulars for the first wave of Hammerfall. The 3rd meet heavy resistance from local defenders.
Nordhoff took control of situation as the "local defenders" turned out to be elements of the Silver Hawk Irregulars. With his regiment's sensors messed up by Hawks setting up a traps, Nordhoff rallies the Third Lyrans and counter attacks.
In September on Bondurant, General Nordhoff and his Third Lyrans faced more resistant Silver Hawks augments by militia unit known as Bondurant Bombardiers. His aerospace assets had revealed that Hawks were waiting for him in their planned Landing Zone (LZ). Forcing him to shift to another LZ, The Bombardiers lead them into traps in swampy lowlands. The unit took heavy damages from initial invasion of the world and forced call reinforcements. However, due deployment of Royal Guard regiments being called up to invade Skye region, Duke Vedet's 1st Hesperus Guards were sent to assist him in conquest of Bondurant.
On the scene, Vedet took command of the situation, but his lack of military training caused him make tactical mistakes that caused confusion and lost opportunity to destroy the elements of the Silver Hawks there were on the planet. In effort to save the duke, as he was ordered too. General Nordhoff orders his artillery batteries to fire on area where Duke was being ambushed. Inertly due to quickness in responding to Duke's situation, his artillery bombardment caused damaged to Guards and knocking down Duke's Atlas.
This action unknowingly caused the Duke to be suspicion of his loyalty to him.
On Simpson Desert's planetary militia's forces "the Kroff Corp", of the Tamarind-abbey armed forces, gave formable defense against Third Lyran Regular's force by 2nd of December of 3137. Korp's symbol palm trees with eagle flying over head.
Intelligence on Simpson Desert was wrong, apparently name of the world was mistake by early surveyors. The world in fact beautiful thick forests, rolling hills and fields, and jagged rock formations that obscure movement and not a desert that world's name suggests. His forces drove the Kroff Corp into the Wilderlands to loosely formed earth set fortifications of what is known as Fort Verdun.
The fort was remains of ancient 1st Star League fort which was earthworks design using deep trenches and ferrocere emplacements for artillery weaponry. It noted that Word of Blake considered the fortress unusable for their purposes.
Privately, Nordhoff delaying the siege of Fort Verdun due to Duke's secret plans try have get Trillian and her Broken Sword battalion killed on Tamarind. With his elderly parents on still Hesperus II, he would have no choice or risk their lives as well his own.
The Duke was on planet with him, and order him keep fighting for three more days, while he left with his Guards for Danais reinforce his garrison forces there.
On 14th of December, Nordhoff forces land on Tamarind, However, he was Third Battalion of Third Lyran Regulars had assigned to Danasi to reinforce Duke's efforts with the Silver Hawks. He discovered to his disbelief that his Hauptmann Frost's battalion was still active, his battles with 1st Tamarind Regulars had been brutal on Harvison Flats. The 1st Tamarind Regulars assaulted his two battalions in mass, coming recklessly, making difficult for him to tell if they were elite or green units. Which either case was highly dangerous for his out number forces. Being overwhelmed he order his units fall back.
He was then saved by Broken Swords, lead by Roderick Steiner. Swords proceeded to cut through the enemy’s rear lines after deploying via dropship. Shocked that he now had let a Steiner left to die, he decided to do what he could to save himself. He ordered Third Lyrans too forward against 1st Tamarind and cut through center and meet Swords. He then flees to his dropship with several loyal mechwarriors and take his dropship and jumpship.
He later seen in service of Rim Commonality forces as mercenary.
Character Notes
- Bernard Nordhoff is noted pilot a Xanthos Class Quad BattleMech. He had used this mech as his command vehicle leading his forces while serving Lyran military during Operation Hammerfall in 3137.