Editing Frank Woomack

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| name                = Frank Woomack
| birthdate           = 
| died                = [[3029]]<ref name=WDS65-WC-2>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 65: "Gamma Regiment Unit Roster : Woomack's Company ("The Fox Hunters")"</ref>
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Wolf's Dragoons]]
| rank                = [[Captain]]
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
'''Frank Woomack''' was a [[Captain]] in [[Wolf's Dragoons]]' [[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Gamma Regiment]].

==History==
As was the case with most of the "original" Dragoons, little is known of Woomack’s early life. It is highly likely he was born on the [[Clan Homeworlds]], almost certainly a [[freeborn]] birth. At some point, he was chosen to join Wolf's Dragoons, who were performing reconnaissance for the [[Clans]] in the [[Inner Sphere]]. By [[3025]], Woomack had reached the rank of Captain and [[company]] commander in Gamma Regiment's Charlie Battalion, a command known as the [[Black Cats]] and under the overall command of [[Major]] [[Arthur Dumont]]. Woomack and his company specialized in small-unit actions, making them well-suited to the raiding era of the later [[Third Succession War]] era.<ref name=WDS62-CB-1>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 62: "Gamma Regiment : Charlie Battalion", Woomack's Company serves with the Black Cats of Charlie Battalion</ref>

Early in [[3027]], the [[Seventh Crucis Lancers]] raided [[Misery]], where they sparred with the Dragoons. During this engagement, Woomack's Company sparred with [[McKinnon's Company]], the Seventh's famous independent company, for the first time, with the Dragoons reportedly getting the better end of the fight.<ref name=WOTB189-7CL-1>''Wolves on the Border'', p. 189: 7th Crucis Lancers raid Misery</ref><ref name=TFT39-FW-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 39: "The Campaign on Udibi", Woomack's company and the Dragoons on Misery defeat the 7th Crucis Lancers</ref>

===The Udibi Campaign===
[[File:Crucis Lancers 7th McKinnons Company logo.png|right|thumb|[[McKinnon's Company]] fought Woomack and his company on Misery and Udibi]]
By April 3027, the Dragoons' supply situation had become untenable due to the interference of their [[DCMS]] [[Professional Soldiery Liaison|liaison]], [[Jerry Akuma]]. [[Colonel]] [[Jaime Wolf]] formed a mixed reinforced [[battalion]] composed of [[lance|lances]] from all five of his regiments to raid a recently-discovered Dragoon cache on [[Udibi]] in the [[Federated Suns]], and Woomack's company was chosen to represent Gamma Regiment. Udibi, at the time, was defended by elements of the Seventh Crucis Lancers, whom the Dragoons had so recently sparred with.<ref name=WOTB188189-U-1>''Wolves on the Border'', pp. 188–189: Wolf orders the raid on Udibi</ref><ref name=WDS36-TWA-FW-1>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 36: "The Wolf Alone", Wolf orders the raid on Udibi</ref><ref name=WDS65-WC-1>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 65: "Gamma Regiment Unit Roster : Woomack's Company ("The Fox Hunters")", Woomack's command, 'Mech and disposition</ref><ref name=TFT39-TCOU-FW-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 39: "The Campaign on Udibi", the Dragoons attack Udibi</ref><ref name=TFT4041-FW-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', pp. 40–41: "Battle for Udibi : Defender", Woomack's coomand, 'Mech and statistics</ref>

When Woomack's command lance was spotted carrying supply crates by the recon lance from McKinnon's Company,<ref name=TFT42-HAS-FW-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 42: "Hide And Seek", Woomack recounts being spotted by the Raiders recon lance</ref> McKinnon realized where the Dragoons were going. In an ambush planned in part by the Raiders' [[Paul Danton]], McKinnon had his [['Mechs]] bury themselves in the sand around the target oasis, ambushing Woomack and taking possession of a valuable crate full of [[Neurohelmet]]s and [[cockpit]] computers.<ref name=TFT45-FW-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 45: "Wolf Trap", McKinnon ambushes Woomack</ref><ref name=SBSD24-PD-FW-1>''Starterbook: Sword and Dragon'', p. 24: "Paul Danton:" , Danton plans the ambush against Woomack</ref> Attempting to recover the crate, Woomack launched an all-out attack on the Raiders' base camp. This effort ultimately failed and Woomack was captured, though the other Dragoons still escaped with most of the supplies from the depot.<ref name=WDS62-CB-1/><ref name=WDS36-TWA-FW-2>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 36: "The Wolf Alone", Woomack is captured during the otherwise successful raid</ref><ref name=TFT4647-TFL-1>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', pp. 46–47: "The Fox's Lair", Woomack attacks McKinnon's camp</ref>

On 22 June, Woomack and two of the Dragoons from his company ([[Kathy Keegan]] and [[Steve Geiger]]) were still being held prisoner on Udibi at the Kitchuken Barrens [[AFFS]] Headquarters, under the command of Major Whitfield. On a visit from [[Quintus Allard]], head of the [[Ministry of Information, Intelligence, and Operations]] and top advisor to [[First Prince of the Federated Suns|First Prince]] [[Hanse Davion]], Woomack once again gave an accounting of the Dragoons' operations on Udibi. Allard then returned Woomack and his MechWarriors to the Dragoons, under the provision that they extend an offer of employment to Colonel Wolf from the Federated Suns when their contract with the Combine expired.<ref name=WOTB200203-FW-1>''Wolves on the Border'', pp. 200–203: Woomack meets with Quintus Allard on Udibi</ref>

===The Battle of Misery and The Fourth Succession War===
{{main|Battle of Misery}}
{{main|Battle of Harrow's Sun (Fourth Succession War)}}
Upon their return, Woomack and both of his soldiers were reincorporated into Gamma Regiment, with Woomack back in command of his company. Their exploits on Udibi and elsewhere had by now earned them the moniker "The Fox Hunters."<ref name=WDS68-GRP-3>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 68: "Gamma Regiment Personalities : Captain Frank Woomack", the Fox Hunters nickname</ref> Woomack and Keegan had their 'Mechs restored, while Geiger was ultimately issued a ''[[Hatchetman]]'' the Dragoons had secured through intrigue.<ref name=WDS65-WC-1/> During the Battle of Misery in April and May of [[3028]], the Black Cats and Woomack's Company fought with exceptional skill, and Woomack's company was one the very few to emerge from the fighting on Misery with no significant losses to either the warriors or their machines.<ref name=WDS62-CB-1/><ref name=WDS65-WC-1/> After [[Misery]], the Dragoons reorganized their roster into Provisional Companies. Woomack was one of the relatively few Captains who maintained his command, as his company was redesignated into Gamma Regiment's Third Provisional Company.<ref name=WDS65-WC-1/> 

Gamma and [[Epsilon Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Epsilon Regiment]]s were based on [[Harrow's Sun]] at the start of the [[Fourth Succession War]]. On 12 September 3028, the [[Eighth Galedon Regulars]] attacked Harrow's Sun. In one of the longest campaigns of the war, both Dragoon regiments made the Kuritans pay for every inch of territory before being forced to retreat off-world in July 3029. Woomack was among the Dragoons killed during the fighting, though the details of his death are unclear.<ref name=WDS65-WC-2/><ref name=WDS65-WC-1/><ref name=WDS68-GRP-4>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 68: "Gamma Regiment Personalities : Captain Frank Woomack", Woomack is killed during the fighting on Harrow's Sun</ref> In all, of the twelve warriors of Woomack's Company who fought on Harrow's Sun, six were killed. Three more were injured, though they would go on to see action on [[Crossing]].<ref name=WDS65-WC-1/>

==BattleMechs==
Woomack piloted a ''[[Warhammer]]'' up until his death.<ref name=WDS65-WC-1/> According to ''[[The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders]]'', Woomack's 'Mech was in a state of disrepair heading into the Udibi campaign, with a [[fusion engine]] producing excessive heat and two malfunctioning [[small laser]]s.<ref name=TFT4041-FW-1/> This is somewhat difficult to reconcile with the status of most Dragoon 'Mechs established in later texts, though assuming that the Udibi raid took place in May 3027 (see Notes below) it should be noted that Wolf's Dragoons had severe supply shortages and maintenance problems at the time which was the very reason for them to raid the Udibi cache in the first place.

==Personality and Traits==
Woomack was considered a fighter, through and through. This was demonstrated not only through his success in combat, but also his reputation as a boxer and successful bar fighter. Even as a prisoner of the AFFS, Woomack took pleasure in provoking his captors, particularly [[Kate Nomura]] of the Raiders.<ref name=WOTB200203-FW-1/><ref name=TFT40-FW-2>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 40: "Battle for Udibi : Defender - Personalities", Woomack's personality is described</ref> He nevertheless showed great compassion for his troops, taking pains to ensure their well-being.<ref name=WOTB200203-FW-1/> In combat, Woomack relished the independence of small-unit actions and his company excelled in raiding actions.<ref name=WDS62-CB-1/> Like most Dragoon officers, Woomack was an Elite-rated MechWarrior.<ref name=WDS65-WC-1/>

==Notes==
* Based on the publication date of ''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', Woomack was one the earliest named characters not only in Wolf's Dragoons, but in the BattleTech universe in general. Next to Jamie Wolf and [[Natasha Kerensky]], he was one of the earliest Dragoon characters to be described in detail.
* According to ''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', Woomack was given the nickname "Weasel" by McKinnon's Company.<ref name=TFT4041-FW-1/>
* Woomack briefly appears as a point-of-view character in the novel ''[[Wolves on the Border]]''.<ref name=WOTB200203-FW-1/> 
* There are canonical issues regarding the timeline of the events involving Woomack's company in ''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders''. The events are depicted as having taken place in May [[3029]],<ref>''The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders'', p. 39: "Battle for Udibi", "Situation: Udibi May 3029", date of the Udibi campaign given</ref> long after the Dragoons had ceased working for House Kurita, and in fact after Woomack's death. The developers have since retconned the time of those events, indicating they took place in May 3027.

==References== 
<references/>

==Bibliography== 
* ''[[The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders]]''
* ''[[Starterbook: Sword and Dragon]]''
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]''
* ''[[Wolves on the Border]]''

[[Category:Wolf's Dragoons Characters|Woomack, Frank]]