Cameron's Legion

Cameron's Legion shoulder patch (mirror reversed)
Cameron's Legion
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command Independent


Cameron's Legion was a mercenary unit fielding a company of BattleMechs and possibly additional conventional troops. As of 3034, the unit was in the employ of the Free Rasalhague Republic, where it was noted as one of the few mercenary commands to honorably fulfill their contract.[1] The decimated unit merged into the militia on Bruben.

Overview[edit]

Deployed on Bruben during the Ronin War, the unit saw combat action when Ronin forces attacked the local ComStar HPG compound in the early morning hours on 2 May 3034.

On the same day, Ronin forces ostensibly parading through the city of Nystaad suddenly launched a sneak attack against the planetary government from within the parade train. During the ensuing city fighting, in what became known as the Nystaad Massacre, Legion MechWarrior Ron Dexter was implied to have caused the death of over 100 children when he carelessly destroyed a school building with his Marauder.[1]

Following the Nystaad Massacre, Cameron's Legion was threatened with criminal charges if they failed to protect the lives and health of all civilians on Bruben, regardless of their loyalty. On 15 June 3034, the unit was ordered to assault the Ronin stronghold on Bruben, a Kiudo fortress near Nystaad. The presence of civilian fugitives at the fort hampered the attack and prevented Cameron's Legion from using long-range bombardment. In the end they succeeded but suffered grievous losses in the process, including the loss of six 'Mechs (a Jenner and a Stinger among them) and the death of their CO Thomas Cameron, who had personally torn down the fort's door in his Warhammer. Reduced to two heavily damaged 'Mechs and with most of their equipment beyond repair, the surviving leaders accepted the offer to join the Bruben militia.[2]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Cameron's Legion
Colonel Thomas Cameron 3034

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Canonicity[edit]

Camerons Legion (correctly spelled without apostrophe in German) was the "personal" mercenary unit of German BattleTech author Hartwig Nieder-Gassel. The unit and its characters featured in many of his articles, scenarios and game aids in FanPro's German magazine Wunderwelten (1989-1999) and had a prominent role in the German-only scenario pack Ronin! (1996). However, none of this is considered canon as it was only published in German and never officially translated.

The unit and its exploits on Bruben, as well as the characters of Colonel Thomas Cameron and Ron Dexter, were canonized in the fully canonical sourcebook Historical: Brush Wars which provides a summary of the campaign and background information from the apocryphal Ronin!. However, many details and minutiae from Ronin! that were not covered in Historical: Brush Wars, as well as earlier exploits of the unit as detailed in various Wunderwelten articles, remain unconfirmed.

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

Apocryphal information[edit]

At one point, Cameron's Legion's Alpha and Bravo infantry squads lay in ambush in S-7A space buses for the Cargo Queen, an Invader-class JumpShip which they proceeded to board. However, Alpha ran afoul of security systems, unexpected Velcro coating (instead of magnetic floors) and foam guns normally used to seal pressure leaks, and was wiped out. Bravo Squad finally managed to capture the ship, but was also reduced to three troopers in the process (Lt. Bates, Sgt. Ramboe and Pvt. Johnson).

In 3025, the unit was rumored to have embarked on a mission without any ammunition supplies whatsoever because of unclear responsibilities between their maintenance and supply groups;[3] in June 3025, they determined their ammunition supplies were stored on Galatea, 167 light years from their current location.

For a time (implied to have been between 3025 and 3034), Cameron's Legion was stationed on Suk II alongside Hansen's Roughriders, with whom they had a cordial relationship and joint training exercises such as the Schwarzer Tag maneuvers.[4] They took part in the defense of the Alshaya continent on Suk II against Ivan Sorenson's clandestine operation Drachentrick that was executed by the Tooth of Ymir between 3031 and 3034, just before the Ronin War.[5]

Unit composition[edit]

Around 3025, Cameron's Legion was described as a mixed battalion and contained at least two squads of infantry. However, they lost both squads (save for three men) in the boarding of the Cargo Queen.

According to Ronin!, their 'Mech company was composed as follows at the onset of the Bruben campaign in 3034:

According to Ronin!, "only four 'Mechs" survived the battle for the Kiudo fortress on Bruben."[6] To reconcile this with the report from Historical: Brush Wars which claims that "only two heavily damaged 'Mechs remained and most of the equipment was beyond salvage", it must be assumed that two 'Mechs remained operable, two more could be salvaged and the remainder was irrevocably destroyed.

Named Personnel[edit]

  • Colonel Thomas Cameron, CO (Warhammer)
  • Major Ron Dexter, XO (Marauder)[4]
  • Trevor "Lucky" Chance (Hunchback)[7]
  • Captain Stahler (Infantry)[8]
  • Lieutenant H. Winterstein (Infantry, CO Alpha Squad)[9]
  • Lieutenant Ed B. Bates (Infantry, CO Bravo Squad)[8]
  • Sergeant C. Ramboe (Infantry, Bravo/Beta Squad)[10]
  • Private C. Johnson (Infantry, Bravo/Beta Squad)[10]
  • Ramirez (Infantry, Bravo Squad)[10]
  • Lubochek (Infantry, Bravo Squad)[11]
  • Herbert Gruenbaum, Quartermaster[12]
  • Freddy Slowbone, Tech[7]

Apocryphal Content Ends

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Historical: Brush Wars, p. 108
  2. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 112
  3. Wunderwelten #16, p. 20
  4. 4.0 4.1 Wunderwelten #20, p. 40
  5. Wunderwelten #14
  6. Ronin!, p. 21
  7. 7.0 7.1 Wunderwelten #16, p. 21
  8. 8.0 8.1 Wunderwelten #23, p. 80
  9. Wunderwelten #23, p. 83
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Wunderwelten #23, p. 82
  11. Wunderwelten #23, p. 87
  12. Wunderwelten #16

Bibliography[edit]