Black Widow Company

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The infamous Black Widow Company was a semi-independent unit within the larger mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons, formed and led throughout its existence by Natasha Kerensky, the "Black Widow".

Although composed mostly of misfits and troublemakers, the Black Widow Company was a dangerous elite fighting unit with a reputation for brilliant tactics and a boldness bordering on folly. Renowned for their skill as MechWarriors, Natasha Kerensky and her unit were also known and feared for cruelty, deceitfulness and generally dishonorable behavior, attributes that set them apart from the rest of the highly esteemed Wolf's Dragoons.

It is believed that the unit may have been named by Natasha Kerensky in reference to the extinct Clan Widowmaker.[citation needed]

History

Early Days

The Black Widows saw their first combat action during the Marik Civil War in 3015 on New Delos and fought with distinction in innumerable famous battles.

In September 3026, Wolf's Dragoons, including the Black Widow Company, along with the Fifth Sword of Light were tasked with flushing out resistance to the Kurita-backed government of Kawabe from cities and other defensive positions.[1]

Following the devastating losses that Wolf's Dragoons suffered during the Battle of Misery against House Kurita and in the following Fourth Succession War, the Black Widow Company was the first unit available for hire again and signed a contract on November 7, 3031. On December 16 of that year it was publicly announced that Natasha Kerensky had been promoted to Colonel, and that the unit had been upgraded to battalion strength. It was subsequently known as the Black Widow Battalion.

They were recalled to the Dragoon home world of Outreach in 3035 and ordered to provide training for other Dragoon units for the following seven years. It is believed that during this time, the unit was restructured following Clan doctrine: Each company comprised of 15 BattleMechs (instead of 12 as per Inner Sphere standard), known among the Clans as a Trinary.

Disbandment

When the Clan invasion began in 3049, Natasha Kerensky left Wolf's Dragoons and resumed her place among her fellow trueborn Clan warriors, eventually attaining the rank of Khan of Clan Wolf. The original Black Widow Battalion was disbanded after she left the unit, and a new unit called the Wolf Spider Battalion was formed within Wolf's Dragoons in their place.

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Black Widow Company
Captain Natasha Kerensky 3015-3049
Colonel Mackenzie Wolf 3050-3054
Major John Clavell 3054-3067
Captain Stacy Church 3072
Major Eleanor Chan 3145[2]

Tactics


Composition History

3015 Composition[3]

The Black Widow Company that fought against Anton Marik on New Delos was composed as follows:

  • Command Lance
Cpt. Natasha Kerensky - Warhammer
Colin Maclaren - Marauder
Lynn Sheridan - Crusader
  • Fire Lance
Lt. Takiro Ikeda - Archer
Michael Andrews - Shadow Hawk
Nikolai Koniev - Wasp
Akira Harlowe - Thunderbolt
  • Recon Lance
Piet Nichols - Phoenix Hawk
Steve Tommersom - Stinger
Arthur Williams - Locust

3025 Composition[4]

  • Command Lance
Cpt. Natasha Kerensky - WHM-6R Warhammer
Colin Maclaren - MAD-3R Marauder
Lynn Sheridan - CRD-3R Crusader
John Hayes - GRF-1N Griffin
  • Fire Lance
Lt. Takiro Ikeda - ARC-2R Archer
Miklos Delius - ARC-2R Archer
Nikolai Koniev - WSP-1A Wasp
Alex Ward - STG-3R Stinger
  • Recon Lance
Lt. John "Gentleman Johnny" Clavell - RFL-3N Rifleman
Piet Nichols - PXH-1K Phoenix Hawk
Simon Fraser - STG-3R Stinger
Mohammar Jahan - STG-3R Stinger

3031 Black Widow Battalion Composition[5]

  • Command Lance
Col. Natasha Kerensky - Warhammer
Captain Takiro Ikeda - Shogun
Lynn Sheridan - Crusader
John Hayes - Griffin
  • First BattleMech Company (Wolf Spiders)
  • First Lance
Captain John "Gentleman Johnny" Clavell - Firefly
Sergeant Simon Fraser - Stinger
Mohammer Jahan - Stinger
Bradley Turlow - Vulcan
  • Second Lance
Lieutenant Piet Nichols - Hornet
Steven Fujimi - Marauder II
Jorge Muller - Annihilator
Ulzanna Whitehead - Flea
  • Third Lance
Lieutenant James Riker - Imp
Sergeant Paul Sayers - Warhammer
Wilson Smullen - Shogun
Ted Heyden - Ostroc
  • Second BattleMech Company (Tarantulas)
  • First Lance
Captain MacKenzie Wolf - Enforcer
Lillith Lang - Hermes II
Trel Morkai - Rifleman
John Castle - Crusader
  • Second Lance
Lieutenant Leslie Kawalli - Marauder
Sergeant Mikos Delius - Whitworth
Nikolai Konief - Firefly
Delmar Lindstrom - Shadow Hawk
  • Third Lance
Lieutenant Norah Jane Stokes - Griffin
Maurice Frenn - Falcon
Timothy Storrs - Charger
Kathy Keegan - Wolverine
  • Aerospace Company
  • First Lance
Lieutenant Sidney "Jackrabbit" Moskowitz - Thrush
Thomas "Top Hat" Gordon - Thrush
  • Second Lance
Lieutenant Clarence "Sweep" Lamond - Cheetah
Ruben "Switchblade" Norris - Cheetah
  • Third Lance
Lieutenant William "Trigger" Fitch - Centurion
Scott "Swede Anderson - Centurion
  • Third Team, Seventh Kommando

3056

Wolf Spider Battalion.jpg

Wolf Spider Battalion

Major John Clavel
  • Wolf Striker Cluster
Spider Trinary (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Star, 5 BattleMechs each)
Tarantula Trinary (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Star, 5 BattleMechs each)
Web Trinary (Alpha and Beta Star, 5 BattleMechs each; Gamma Star of 5 Elemental Points)
Aerospace Company (6 Fighters)
Third Infantry, Seventh Kommando Company

3072

Black Widow Company

  • Command Lance[6]
Captain. Stacy Church - ZEU-9WD Zeus X
Lt. Jacob Kincaid - UZL-2S Uziel Jacob II
Francine - GRF-6S Griffin Francine II
Calvin Magdaleno - BLR-4S BattleMaster Calvin II
  • Fire Lance
Lt. Eirene Rondema - GAL-4GLSA Gallowglas
Orrin Fletcher - DV-7D Dervish
Michael Ramirez - ARC-7S Archer
Max Henricksen - CBR-O2 Cobra
  • Recon Lance
Lt. Wyatt Rolfe - WLF-4WA Wolfhound
Neil Gibson - FFL-4DA Firefly
Halle Yost - TLN-5W Talon
Russel Madison - LCT-6M Locust

3145

Spider's Web Battalion (Elite/Fanatical)[2]

  • CO: Major Eleanor Chan

Other references

  • Parodied in Critter-TEK as the "Black Hippo Company" under Captain Natasha Immenski. According to the description, "Her tactical daring-do, silly clothes, and total confidence in the scriptwriter have led to a winning streak unsurpassed since the days of the Big League. In fact, most of the rest of Wolff's Baboons seem to exist purely to soak up damage while the Black Hippos win the battle" and all of the other Baboon battalions "stand around looking good while the feared and respected Black Hippo Company mops the floor with the enemy".

3072 Company Members

Rules

Historical Turning Points: Misery

  • Unmatched at small-unit tactics, the Black Widows may use Force the Initiative, Off - Map Movement, and Overrun special abilities (see pp. 192-193, TO).[7]

Notes

The Fire Lance's Shadow Hawk pilot during the 3015 attack on Anton Marik's compound on New Delos is named Willard Andrews in Jason Schmetzer's short story, The Memory of Pain.

References

  1. Sorenson's Sabres (scenario pack), pp. 36-37
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 182, "Notable Mercenary Forces - Draconis Combine"
  3. The Spider and the Wolf, "BattleTech and MechWarrior Scenarios", pp. 2,5
  4. Tales of the Black Widow Company, pp. 8-13
  5. More Tales of the Black Widow, p. 11, "Black Widow Battalion, 3031"
  6. Starterbook: Wolf and Blake, p. 14, "Unit Composition"
  7. Historical Turning Points: Misery, p. 9

Bibliography