Difference between revisions of "Gray Death Legion"
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* '''First Battalion'''{{cn}} | * '''First Battalion'''{{cn}} | ||
:*First BattleMech Company - Command Lance{{cn}} | :*First BattleMech Company - Command Lance{{cn}} | ||
− | ::* | + | ::* Colonel Grayson Carlyle - ''VTR-9K Victor''{{cn}} |
::*[[Major]] Davis McCall - ''Highlander''{{cn}} | ::*[[Major]] Davis McCall - ''Highlander''{{cn}} | ||
::* [[Caitlin DeVries]] - ''Griffin'' {{cn}} | ::* [[Caitlin DeVries]] - ''Griffin'' {{cn}} |
Revision as of 15:47, 21 April 2024
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- This article is about the mercenary unit. For the sourcebook/scenario pack, see Gray Death Legion (scenario pack).
Gray Death Legion | |
---|---|
Unit Profile | |
Previous Designation | Trellwan Lancers |
Formed | 3024[citation needed] |
Disbanded | 3065[citation needed] |
Re-formed | 3151[citation needed] |
Affiliation | Mercenary |
Parent Command | Independent |
Contents
- 1 Unit Description
- 2 History
- 3 Officers
- 4 Composition History
- 4.1 3024 (Trellwan)
- 4.2 3025 (Verthandi)
- 4.3 3028 Liberation of Sirius V
- 4.4 3028 (Helm)
- 4.5 15 April 3028 (Imbros III)
- 4.6 19 June 3028 (Shionoha)
- 4.7 8–13 August 3028 (Wheel Station)
- 4.8 8–13 August 3028 (Valdis I)
- 4.9 3039
- 4.10 3040
- 4.11 3050
- 4.12 3054
- 4.13 3056 Glengarry
- 4.14 April 3057 Battle of Falkirk (Caledonia)
- 4.15 3065 Hesperus II
- 4.16 3151
- 4.17 May 3152
- 5 Uniforms and Color Schemes
- 6 Gallery
- 7 Other Appearances
- 8 References
- 9 Bibliography
Unit Description
The Gray Death Legion was the elite mercenary unit of military mastermind Grayson Death Carlyle. Starting as an offshoot of the Trellwan Lancers, an ad hoc militia unit set up by Carlyle for the defense of Trell I in 3024, the unit eventually grew to regimental size.[citation needed] The Legion became famous for the discovery of the Helm Memory Core, which set off a technological renaissance throughout the Inner Sphere, as well as for the most effective use of combined arms tactics, culminating in the development and deployment of their own battle armor models.[citation needed]
The unit was all but destroyed in 3065 during the defense of Hesperus II against Skye Rebels.[citation needed]
History
Founding
In 3024, the planet Trellwan was garrisoned for the Lyran Commonwealth by Carlyle's Commandos when forces working for Duke Hassid Ricol of the Draconis Combine tried to seize the world. The invaders, elements from the Oberon Confederation, shattered the garrison and drove the survivors off planet. Grayson Death Carlyle, the son of the Commandos' commander and the sole remnant of the unit left on Trell I, was hired by the planetary government to build a military force to defend the world against the bandits. Under his skilled command and because of his great knowledge about BattleMechs the newly formed Trellwan Lancers achieved some astonishing victories and managed to capture several enemy 'Mechs and MechWarriors including Lori Kalmar, who Carlyle was able to recruit for his Lancers and who would be his future Executive Officer and wife.
Carlyle also met and befriended Renfred Tor, the unlucky starship captain who had been forced to bring the bandits to Trellwan. With the help of Tor and his JumpShip Carlyle, after uncovering Ricol's plot, managed to inform the Lyran Commonwealth of the developing situation, forcing the Duke to leave Trell I after the Combine forces were unable to destroy Carlyle and his troops in a final battle. Carlyle took the remains of the Lancers to create a new mercenary unit: The Gray Death Legion.[1][2]
This victory is celebrated every November 11, the Day of Heroes, when the Roll of Honor is read and other observations made.[3]
Verthandi Campaign 3025
The newly formed Gray Death Legion traveled to Galatea, known as the Mercenary's Star, seeking employment. There they recruited new members, eventually numbering 186 men and women in the Legion. This included seven MechWarriors and two Aerospace pilots in the roster. In the six months on planet, and facing disbandment due to lack of funds, they were forced to accept an offer by a representative of the Verthandi Revolutionary Council. The planet had been traded to the Draconis Combine several years earlier by House Steiner as part of a treaty obligation and many people were engaged in a guerrilla war against the Combine forces. The Legion was hired to provide training for the rebels, especially in anti-'Mech infantry combat. The initial contract was for 900 hours of training, but no combat engagements. The unit traveled to Verthandi and barely succeeded in running the blockade. The DropShip Phobos was severely damaged running the blockade; converted to a steam-powered oceangoing vessel it was actually sailed across the Azure Sea to a safe harbor for repairs. Two of the Legion's members—Captain Ilse Martinez and Davis McCall—were primarily responsible for enabling this transformation.
It quickly became clear to Carlyle that the Legion forces would not be able to simply train the rebels, but would need to participate to ensure that the rebellion was successful (which, without the DropShip, was their only chance to leave the planet and evade the cruel House Kurita). Several members of the rebel council were against the Legion's participation, primarily due to concerns of their ability to pay the mercenary unit, but Carlyle succeeded in reassuring them that his forces were committed to fighting the injustices on the planet regardless of their mercenary status.
While the Legion trained the rebel pilots and infantry, Governor-General Masayoshi Nagumo struggled to locate the mercenary unit. His lord, Duke Hassid Ricol (the same Duke that Carlyle had beaten on Trell I) was pressuring him to crush the rebellion. Through the capture of Sue Ellen Klein, one of the two Gray Death aerospace pilots, Nagumo learned of the location of the rebel stronghold. He arranged a Draconis Elite Strike Team raid on the complex which resulted in many of the rebels being killed or captured, including rebel leaders and the Legion's technicians. The Legion 'Mechs were on a raid elsewhere when the base was attacked and avoided the ambush relatively unscathed. They then launched a prolonged, guerrilla campaign, increasing their attacks on outposts whenever possible and encouraging outright rebellion by the populace.
The rebellion was concluded successfully when Carlyle led a raid to free Lori Kalmar who had been captured by the Kuritan forces. The raid freed Kalmar and several of the rebellion's leaders. During the raid, Carlyle was able to secure an enemy Marauder which later became strongly associated with him. The Legion forces caught the Combine 'Mechs in a crossfire during the final moments of the rescue and, despite heavy casualties, the rebel forces emerged victorious and the Combine forces abandoned the planet.
Free Worlds League
After the Verthandi campaign, the unit returned to Galatea to refit.[4] The Legion signed on with the Free Worlds League for a prolonged series of campaigns against the Capellan Confederation. The unit performed admirably during several operations and garnered a good reputation. Following their successful Liberation of Sirius V in early 3028, the unit planned to return to its landholding of Helm. One of the terms of the contract with House Marik stipulated that the Gray Death Legion would be granted an extensive fief on the planet. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to either the Gray Death Legion or Janos Marik, that fief held an ancient Star League weapons cache including a field library.[citation needed]
A rogue ComStar Precentor named Emilio Rachan created a byzantine plot involving a Free Worlds League noble whereby the Legion was framed for the Tiantan massacre, the destruction of the domed city of Tiantan on Sirius V which killed between 12 and 17 million people. The unit was kept uninformed about the atrocities committed following their departure, yet, sensing something amiss and despite orders from the Duke to go to Marik, Carlyle instead led the Legion back to their landhold on Helm. The general outrage produced by repeated airings of holovids of the massacre resulted in the Legion being declared outlaws.[citation needed]
Helm Memory Core
While the unit was off-world, Free Worlds League militia units had invaded Helm, among them the Twelfth Atrean Dragoons, believing the story of the atrocity at Sirius V. They killed or captured many of the unit's dependents who had remained. When the Legion returned, they found their strongholds devastated and were themselves under constant attack from League forces. They eventually learned about the possible existence of a Star League cache on the planet; as it turned out, none other than Duke Hassid Ricol had come all the way from the Draconis Combine following the same leads as Rachan and his Marik conspirators. Carlyle struck a deal with Ricol, managed to find the cache, and realized the library to be the true target of Rachan's machinations. Besieged and attacked by pursuing Marik forces, Ricol and the Gray Death Legion narrowly managed to secure a copy of the Helm Memory Core and a small fraction of the cache's extensive treasures before the entire facility self-destructed.
Carlyle subsequently felt that the memory core was too valuable for humanity at large, and too big a blood price had been paid for it, to keep it for himself. He made sure that many copies were created and disseminated throughout the entire Inner Sphere, an action that made him and his unit extremely famous and popular.[4]
Fourth Succession War
The Legion were actively involved in Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, the major Lyran Commonwealth offensive of the Fourth Succession War. During the opening wave of attacks in August 3028 the Legion captured Shionoha, then Aubisson in the followup attacks. Aubisson in special proved the incredible tactical cunning of Grayson: instead of attacking the capital, the then alone Legion attacked PowerOne, the planet's main fusion plant, located in an island. With Khaled leading a frontal attack, Grayson led a lance underwater by the opposite side. Despite having to haul his Marauder over a cliff, the attack caught the defenders by surprise and surrended quickly, with the planet following soon.[5][6]
The Legion was subsequently hired by a faction within the Lyran Commonwealth in 3029 and tasked with several raids into Kurita space as part of House Steiner's Orestes campaign, including savage fights on Caldrea and Otho, a delaying action on Trolloc Prime and leading the assault on Baldur. In 3030, the unit allowed Steiner forces to disengage on Lothan, disrupted an invasion fleet at Nox, and captured a vast store of supplies and equipment on Darius, growing to regimental size.[7][4]
Because of his attitude and the experience with Marik, Carlyle would subsequently not consider contracts from Houses Kurita, Marik or Liao.[citation needed]
War of 3039
Altais
The LCAF had special interest in Altais, as a staging point for further invasion and also to block any counterstrikes from the DCMS. The task force invading the planet consisted of the Eighth Donegal Guards supported by two mercenary commands, the First Dragonslayers and the Gray Death Legion. Official reports suggested that the planet should be undefended despite rumors of two unknown formations on planet. The First Ghost were tasked with the defense of vital spaceports. That was also the target of the Gray Death Legion who landed as second unit of the task force on the world. The mercenaries staged simultaneous strikes at the two spaceports, Willas and New Ross.[8] The first combat drops were uncontested but the second were difficult for the Steiner forces. The First Ghost launched three assaults on that position in short order but were always beaten. The other half of the mercenaries traveled over 150 km from their landing point to support their beleaguered comrades. Unexpected by the First, the flanking raids were devastating. The Legion pursued the Ghost forces and barely three companies could retreat off planet.[9][10]
After the War of 3039 the Legion had a long-term garrison contract with the Federated Commonwealth and were stationed on Sudeten, with occasional pirate hunting missions.[8]
Clan Invasion
When the Clans appeared in 3050 and rolled through any and all opposition, the Gray Death Legion were one of the units to fight them with some success. The Legion suffered heavy defeats on Sudeten where they had been stationed prior to the Invasion, losing that world to Clan Jade Falcon, but on Pandora, despite having to disobey orders to succeed, managed to defeat the Clans for the first time ever. On Pandora they used modified battle armor suits and other upgraded technology.[10] With severe damage to the Legion and having acquired substantial salvage of lostech, or, as the Legion call it "Foundtech," they became very famous as one of the premier mercenary units in the Inner Sphere.[11]
First Skye Secession
In 3056 the Legion was gifted with the world of Glengarry in a political move by Victor Steiner-Davion, but they immediately had to defend the world against Skye Separatists who did not want them there. The defensive guerrilla campaign was led by Alexander Carlyle, the son of Grayson and Lori Kalmar Carlyle. The younger Carlyle held out until the unit could return home to take care of things, though the forces on the planet suffered heavy losses and Alexander lost his best friend, Davis Clay, who was the son of one of the original members of the Legion.
Second Skye Secession
The third most senior member of the Legion, Davis McCall, received word from his estranged family that atrocities were occurring on his homeworld of Caledonia, three jumps from Glengarry, and he went, with Alexander Carlyle, to investigate in the event that the Legion were deployed there as per rumors that were heard. This was all part of an elaborate plot by Marshal Brandal Gareth to discredit and disband or destroy the Legion as part of his plot to carve an empire for himself centered on Hesperus in the Skye March. After a failed assassination attempt by Gareth on Grayson and Lori, elements of the Legion deployed to Caledonia and were ordered by the government to fire on civilians, leaving them with the option of either causing atrocities and breaking interstellar law, or refusing to obey and breaking their contract with the Federated Commonwealth. With the previous intelligence gathered by McCall and Alexander Carlyle, Grayson sided with the rebels and, even though outnumbered two-to-one by elements of the Third Davion Guards, defeated them in combat. However, a traitor planted within the unit by Gareth ambushed Grayson Carlyle and crippled him, including damage to his inner ear that would prevent him from ever piloting a BattleMech again.
Meanwhile, Gareth moved against Glengarry in an attempt to destroy the Legion in response to their breaking of the contract with the Federated Commonwealth. Lori Kalmar-Carlyle managed to hold the attacking force at bay until the rest of the Legion arrived from Caledonia and Gareth retreated off-world, leaving the battle to be fought in the courts. The senior staff of the unit were summoned to the capital world of Tharkad just as Katherine Steiner-Davion announced the separation of the Lyran Alliance from the rest of the Federated Commonwealth and the Legion were found guilty of breaking their contract, though Grayson Carlyle resigned from the unit in order to absolve them of blame, citing his personal choice as the deciding factor in the crime. From there, he left the unit and went to work with Gareth on Hesperus, though he was secretly an agent for the Lyran Alliance, attempting to ascertain what Brandal Gareth had planned. He agreed to side the Legion with Gareth in whatever plot was being hatched, pretending to not have any loyalty with the Steiners after their handling of his court martial. Gareth then declared an independent state called the Free Star Republic, having gotten the young, impressionable Daniel Brewer, CEO of Defiance Industries to support his grab for power. The Legion were deployed to support Gareth on Hesperus, but instead turned around and took over the BattleMech factories for House Steiner. Defending them against Gareth's forces while Grayson Carlyle led a daring commando raid to capture a JumpShip and go for help from other House Steiner forces. After these actions, both Grayson and Lori were awarded the McKennsy Hammer by a grateful Katherine Steiner-Davion and again awarded Glengarry as a home.
Destruction
In 3065, they received orders to reinforce the defenders of Hesperus II against possible invaders, whether they might be Victor Steiner-Davion's forces or Skye rebels (at this time, the Gray Death Legion consisted of two 'Mech battalions, one tank battalion, one battle armor battalion and one aerospace wing). There, they fought alongside the Fifteenth Lyran Guards and Thirty-sixth Lyran Guards against the Fourth Skye Rangers, Seventeenth Skye Rangers, and Twenty-second Skye Rangers. They were able to defend Defiance Industries. The victory of the Lyran forces essentially spelled the end for the rebellion, though it came at a heavy cost to the Legion. They ceased to exist as a combat command. What remained of the unit was folded into the Defiance Security Forces, as the highest-ranking surviving officer Daniel Brewer was also chief executive of Defiance Industries. The Defiance Security Forces were annihilated during the Jihad.
Alexander Carlyle, who had been serving in the LAAF in the Second Royal Guards on Tharkad, had intended to rebuild the Legion, but was prevented by several factors. First, he was not allowed to leave his unit in midst of the FedCom Civil War. In the aftermath of the war, his family was stripped of its holdings on Glengarry, and the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission indicated that because of the Legion's spotty track record with turning on their employers, they could not be appropriately graded.[12] Still an LAAF officer, Alexander Carlyle was on Tharkad when it was bombed from orbit at the onset of the Jihad.
Some of the surviving support staff would return to Glengarry to form Gray Death Technologies, to continue to manufacture and market the Legion's unique battle armor, the Gray Death Standard and the Gray Death Scout.[12] Gray Death Technologies would later be bought out and absorbed into Defiance Industries in the post-Jihad era.[13]
Rebirth
In 3151, after their former LCAF unit, the Twenty-sixth Guards, defected to the Tamar Pact, siblings Ronan Carlyle and Isobel Carlyle formed a mercenary company on Garrison using salvaged equipment and staffed with other former LCAF members, Twenty-sixth Guards loyalists who had been cashiered from the LCAF. The new unit resurrected the Gray Death Legion name and logo used by their great-grandfather Grayson Death Carlyle, their great-grandmother Lori Kalmar-Carlyle, and their grandfather Alexander Carlyle before he joined the LAAF. The reborn Legion won its first battle easily, containing a defecting Lyran recon company, targeting their equipment and stopping them without suffering or causing losses, taking a lot of salvage from the surrendered company. After the battle, an officer of the reborn Tamar Pact informed the Carlyles about the inminent expulsion of the company, suggesting the Legion to recruit them and offering them a contract for the Pact.[14]
Working for the Pact
The Legion commanders accepted the advice, ultimately growing to about two companies, and accepting work for the Tamar Pact. Their first post was on the planet Crimond, recently absorbed by the Pact, in February 3152. There, the unit divided in two: Ronan took the main body to help police forces to crush a terrorist group, while Isobel took the remainder, which she called Carlyle's Commandos to another continent, to secure an old Star League base. Both groups completed the tasks assigned without casualties and in no time, proving their high quality and adaptability, even bringing more recruits to the Legion.[15]
Sometime later, the Legion absorbed the remnants of another mercenary unit shattered on planet, Fitzroy's Fusiliers. That made the Legion a short battalion, with two full companies and the bones of a third. After finishing their work on Crimond, their employers send to garrison Pandora at least for six months.[16]
However, the garrison contract wasn't uneventful: Barely days after the Legion settled on Pandora, the planetary governor launched a coup to attempt to secede from the Tamar Pact, and as the Legion had refused to be bribed, they blamed them for a terrorist attack and attempted to destroy the Legion. However, the Legion was warned and they managed to easily crush a rebel company of 'Mechs, and later launch a counterattack which defeated the secessionists, returning the planet to the Pact's control. The salvage taken allowed the Legion to become a full battalion, at least on paper.[17]
Eventually, after finishing the six months garrison contract with the Pact, the Legion didn't renovate it, and, in 7 June 3152, they were on the Draconis Combine world of Gram, where they made a short stop, while going for their next contract.[18]
Officers
Rank | Name | Command | |
---|---|---|---|
Commanding Officers of the Gray Death Legion | |||
Colonel | Grayson Carlyle | 3024–3065[19][20] | |
Colonel | Lori Kalmar | 3065[21] | |
Captain | Ronan Carlyle | 3151–present[22] |
Other Unit Officers
- Randolph Blake in 3039.[23]
- Francis Collins -Disbursing Officer (3056).
- Dobbs - Supply Officer (3056) [24]
- Duke of Hesperus II Captain Daniel "Dan" Brewer, commander of 2nd (Dog) Company, 1st Battalion, Pilots a CHP-1N Champion. (3065) [25]
- Isobel Carlyle was the reborn Legion's second-in-command in 3151.[26]
Composition History
3024 (Trellwan)
First Trellwan Lancers[27]
- BattleMech Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Grayson Death Carlyle - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Lori Kalmar - Locust[citation needed]
- Garik Enzelman - Wasp[citation needed]
- Yarin - Stinger[citation needed]
- Support
- Anti-'Mech Infantry Platoon Alfa & Bravo[citation needed]
- Technical Support Platoon[citation needed]
3025 (Verthandi)
Gray Death Legion[28]
- BattleMech Company
- Captain Grayson Death Carlyle - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Delmar Clay - Wolverine[citation needed]
- Lori Kalmar - Locust[citation needed]
- Davis McCall - Rifleman[citation needed]
- Hassan Ali Khaled - Stinger[citation needed]
- Piter Debrowski - Wasp[citation needed]
- Jaleg Yorulis - Wasp[citation needed]
- Infantry Support (Reinforced Company)[citation needed]
- Anti-'Mech Infantry Platoon Alfa & Bravo[citation needed]
- Sergeant Donald Ramage[citation needed]
- Technical Support Platoon[citation needed]
- Sergeant Karelian[citation needed]
- Transport Division[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Phobos[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Deimos[citation needed]
- Captain Ilse Martinez
3028 Liberation of Sirius V
Gray Death Legion (Combined Arms Regiment) [29]
- BattleMech Company A - Gray Death[citation needed]
- Colonel Grayson Carlyle (Unit CO)[citation needed]
- BattleMech Company B - Training Company[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Gomez de Villar.[citation needed]
- Infantry Support (Reinforced Company)[citation needed]
- Captain Donald Ramage[citation needed]
- Sergeant Burns[citation needed]
- Anti-'Mech Infantry Company A[citation needed]
- 3 x Anti-'Mech Commando Platoons.[citation needed]
- Platoons of 40 Troops x 3 = Company of 120.[citation needed]
- Anti-'Mech Infantry Company B[citation needed]
- 3 x Anti-'Mech Commando Platoons.[citation needed]
- Platoons of 40 Troops x 3 = Company of 120.[citation needed]
- Tech & Logistics Support (Reinforced Company)[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Alard King(Master Tech)[citation needed]
- 300 Technicians, Drivers, Combat Medics, and Cooks.[citation needed]
- Armored Recon Support Team[citation needed]
- First Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Mark Baron[citation needed]
- Galleon Light Tanks (8)[citation needed]
- Second Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Fraser[citation needed]
- Vedette Medium Tanks (12)[citation needed]
- Transport Division[citation needed]
-
- Invader-class JumpShip Invidious (Originally described as a Merchant, then became an Invader-class. One dropship collar may have needed fixing).[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Phobos[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Deimos[citation needed]
3028 (Helm)
Gray Death Legion (T/O & E on Helm. Counting MechWarriors, troops, specialists, and techs, the Gray Death Legion had grown to more than 600 strong. The total approached nearly a thousand with the Legion’s dependants.)[30]
- BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Colonel Grayson Death Carlyle - Marauder[citation needed]
- Sergeant Delmar Clay - Wolverine[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Lori Kalmar - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Davis McCall - Rifleman[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Hassan Ali Khaled - Warhammer[citation needed]
- Isoru Koga - Archer[citation needed]
- Charles Bear - Crusader[citation needed]
- Sharyl - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Recon Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Francine Roget - Panther[citation needed]
- Harris Graff - Assassin[citation needed]
- Harriman Vandergriff - Commando[citation needed]
- Sylvia Trevor - Wasp[citation needed]
15 April 3028 (Imbros III)
Gray Death Legion[31]
- Mechanised Infantry (Reinforced Company)[citation needed]
- Captain Donald Ramage[citation needed]
- 1st Platoon - 4 Squads of 7 = 28 Troopers. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Rallie Disch, SSgt Gunter Sammis[citation needed]
- 2nd Platoon - 4 Squads of 7 = 28 Troopers. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Meyers[citation needed]
- 3rd Platoon - 4 Squads of 7 = 28 Troopers Maxim Heavy Hover Transport.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Harris[citation needed]
- 4th Platoon - 4 Squads of 7 = 28 Troopers Maxim Heavy Hover Transport.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Zack Costigan, SSgt. Kellerman[citation needed]
- Sergeant Janice Brady (Driver).[citation needed]
19 June 3028 (Shionoha)
- Recon Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Sharyl - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Lassiter - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- Harriman Vandergriff - Commando[citation needed]
- Sylvia Trevor - Stinger[citation needed]
- Logistics - Union-class DropShip Kaos[34][citation needed]
8–13 August 3028 (Wheel Station)
Gray Death Legion[35]
- BattleMech Battle Lance[citation needed]
- Colonel Grayson Death Carlyle - Marauder[citation needed]
- Francine Roget - Panther[citation needed]
- Connor Smit - Wasp[citation needed]
- Dobrovsky - Stinger[citation needed]
- Vomer - Commando[citation needed]
- Infantry Support[citation needed]
- 4th Platoon - 4 Squads of 7 (28 Troopers). Maxim Heavy Hover Transport.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Zack Costigan[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Kellerman[citation needed]
- Sergeant Janice Brady[citation needed]
- Logistics -Union-class DropShip Phobos[citation needed]
8–13 August 3028 (Valdis I)
Gray Death Legion[36]
- BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Major Lori Kalmar - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Hassan Ali Khaled - Warhammer[citation needed]
- Sergeant Delmar Clay - Wolverine[citation needed]
- Marta Garner - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- Assault Lance[citation needed]
- Thomas Reid - Thunderbolt[citation needed]
- Charles Bear - Crusader[citation needed]
- Carmen Santos - Centurion[citation needed]
- Theor "Whitey" Whittim - Orion[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Davis McCall - Rifleman[citation needed]
- Isoru Koga - Archer[citation needed]
- Milowski - Blackjack[citation needed]
- Rastovic - Catapult[citation needed]
- Reinforced Armor Company[citation needed]
- First Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Captain Mark Baron[citation needed]
- Galleon Light Tanks (8)[citation needed]
- Vedette Medium Tanks (12)[citation needed]
- Aerospace Support - Gray Death Reapers Squadron[37]
- Lieutenant Jocelyn Krueger[citation needed]
- Stingray Medium Aerospace fighters (4)[citation needed]
- Lucifer Medium Aerospace fighters (3)[citation needed]
- Corsair Medium Aerospace fighters (3)[citation needed]
- Logistics -Overlord-class DropShip Juno[citation needed]
- Tech & Logistics Support Company (Reinforced Company)Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Glengarry.[38]
- Lieutenant Alard King[citation needed]
- 578 Technicians, Drivers, Combat Medics, and Cooks. 423 Civilians - families and relatives.[citation needed]
3039
Gray Death Legion[citation needed]
- First Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Colonel Grayson Death Carlyle - Marauder[citation needed]
- Sergeant Delmar Clay - Wolverine[citation needed]
- Sergeant Davis McCall - Rifleman[citation needed]
- Thomas Reid - Griffin[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Hassan Ali Khaled - Warhammer[citation needed]
- Sergeant Charles Bear - Crusader[citation needed]
- Sergeant Sharyl - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Francis Bowden - Assassin[citation needed]
- Recon Lance
- Lieutenant Gomez Christobal de Villar - Griffin[citation needed]
- Sergeant Tracy Maxwell Kent - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- Phillip Ashburn - Vulcan[citation needed]
- Winston Royale - Commando[citation needed]
- Infantry Support Company (Reinforced Company)[citation needed]
- 1 Foot Rifle Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Foot SRM Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Foot Laser Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Anti-'Mech Commando Platoon[citation needed]
- Aerospace Support Company[citation needed]
- Transport Lance:[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Phobos[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip Deimos[citation needed]
- First Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Joshua Diskin - Corsair[citation needed]
- Ensign Carla Staedler - Corsair[citation needed]
- Second Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Harold Lockhart - Sparrowhawk[citation needed]
- Ensign Larry Quil - Sparrowhawk[citation needed]
3040
Gray Death Legion (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[39]
3050
Gray Death Legion (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[40]
- CO: Colonel Grayson Carlyle[40]
- First Battalion[citation needed]
- First BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance
- Col. Grayson Death Carlyle - Marauder/Victor[citation needed]
- Capt. Lori Kalmar - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Sgt. Dallas McKensie - Trebuchet[citation needed]
- Miles Lewis - Griffin[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Hassan Ali Khaled - Warhammer[citation needed]
- Sgt. Rachel Nolans - Catapult[citation needed]
- Paul Hansen - Archer[citation needed]
- Wayne LeMat - Centurion (killed in action at Vandmaal on Pandora)[citation needed]
- Combat Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Gomez Christobal de Villar - Griffin[citation needed]
- Sgt. Charles Bear - Crusader[citation needed]
- Mai Li-Fong - Vindicator (KIA at Hammarr on Sudeten)[citation needed]
- Dimitri Oretsov - Enforcer[citation needed]
- Second BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Capt. Davis McCall - Rifleman[citation needed]
- Lt. Delmar Clay - Wolverine (KIA at Hammarr)[citation needed]
- Sgt. Sharyl - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Francis Bowden - Assassin[citation needed]
- Medium Lance[citation needed]
- Sgt. Tracy Maxwell Kent - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- Phillip Ashburn - Vulcan[citation needed]
- Thomas Reid - Griffin[citation needed]
- Winston Royale - Commando[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Sgt. Thomas Devin - Archer[citation needed]
- Martha O'Dell - JagerMech[citation needed]
- Craig Priestly - Dervish (KIA at Hammarr)[citation needed]
- Daniel Romig - Rifleman (KIA at Vandmaal)[citation needed]
- Third BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Brian Scully - Hatchetman[citation needed]
- Walter Llandaff - Clint[citation needed]
- Regis Matriesse - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- Teresa Stauble - Panther (KIA at Needgate on Pandora)[citation needed]
- Close Combat Lance[citation needed]
- Sgt. Rebekah Frye - Hunchback (KIA at Killiring Crossing on Sudeten)[citation needed]
- Alexandr Ivorlaw - Firestarter[citation needed]
- Charles Lovell - Centurion (KIA at Hammarr)[citation needed]
- Santon Lynn - Javelin (KIA at Killiring Crossing)[citation needed]
- Recon Lance[citation needed]
- Sgt. Israel Curry - Phoenix Hawk[citation needed]
- S.C. Auten - Wasp[citation needed]
- Geno Ferruza - Valkyrie[citation needed]
- Albert Siegel - Valkyrie[citation needed]
- Infantry/Armor Support Battalion[citation needed]
- First Infantry Company[citation needed]
- 1 Foot Rifle Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Foot SRM Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Foot Laser Platoon[citation needed]
- Second Infantry Company[citation needed]
- 3 Foot Anti-'Mech Commando Platoons (later Gray Death Armored Infantry)[citation needed]
- Third Infantry Company[citation needed]
- 1 Mechanized Laser Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Mechanized Rifle Platoon[citation needed]
- 1 Mechanized Machine Gun Platoon[citation needed]
- Armor Support Company[citation needed]
- First Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Sgt. M.E. Gough - Drillson[citation needed]
- Cpl. Barry Davis - Saladin[citation needed]
- John MacKay - Scimitar[citation needed]
- Robert Stuver - Saracen[citation needed]
- Second Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Sgt. John Wilke - J. Edgar[citation needed]
- Cpl. M'Dahlla - Harasser[citation needed]
- Glenn Kellum - Harasser[citation needed]
- Emma Watts - Harasser[citation needed]
- Third Tank Platoon[citation needed]
- Sgt. Harry Zasada - Drillson[citation needed]
- Cpl. Diana Norelli - Condor[citation needed]
- Mark Piros - Scimitar[citation needed]
- Donald Lauth - J. Edgar[citation needed]
- Aerospace Support Battalion[citation needed]
- Aerospace Transport Company[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip the Phobos[citation needed]
- Union-class DropShip the Deimos[citation needed]
- Leopard-class DropShip the Io[citation needed]
- Aerospace Fighter Company (Reinforced)[citation needed]
- First Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Joshua Diskin - Corsair[citation needed]
- Ensign Carla Staedler - Corsair[citation needed]
- Second Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Harold Lockart - Sparrowhawk[citation needed]
- Ensign Larry Quil - Sparrowhawk[citation needed]
- Third Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Thomas Narci - Seydlitz[citation needed]
- Ensign H.W. Iriti - Seydlitz[citation needed]
- Fourth Fighter Lance[citation needed]
- Lt. Ryonosuke Shioya - Lucifer[citation needed]
- Ensign Patrick Garrity - Lucifer[citation needed]
3054
Gray Death Legion (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[41]
- CO: Colonel Grayson Carlyle[41]
- Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Glengarry.[41]
3056 Glengarry
Gray Death Legion[42]
- First Battalion[citation needed]
- First BattleMech Company[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Alexander Carlyle - ARC-4M Archer[citation needed]
- Major Davis McCall - Highlander[citation needed]
- Sergeant Dallas McKensie - Trebuchet[citation needed]
- Caitlin DeVries - Centurion[citation needed]
- Davis Carlyle Clay - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Fire Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Andrei Denniken - Cataphract[citation needed]
- Paul Hansen - Archer[citation needed]
- Erica Carver - Dervish[citation needed]
- Stanley Lowdowski - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Recon Lance[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Frieda Bergstrom - Valkyrie[citation needed]
- Sergeant Michael McGuire - Wasp[citation needed]
- Christine Welleman - Stinger[citation needed]
- Alton Caen - Stinger[citation needed]
April 3057 Battle of Falkirk (Caledonia)
Gray Death Legion (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[citation needed]
- CO: Colonel Grayson Carlyle[citation needed]
- Note: (T/O & E for Caledonia - 37 mechs)[43]
- First Battalion[citation needed]
- First BattleMech Company - Command Lance[citation needed]
- Colonel Grayson Carlyle - VTR-9K Victor[citation needed]
- Major Davis McCall - Highlander[citation needed]
- Caitlin DeVries - Griffin[citation needed]
- Third Battalion[citation needed]
- First BattleMech Company - 12 Mechs "Frye's Firestormers"[citation needed]
- Command Lance[citation needed]
- Major Jonathan Frye - CO DropShip Ops or Pegasus Scout Tank.[citation needed]
- Captain Allison Lang - Third Battalion XO and Intelligence Officer - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Combat Lance[citation needed]
- Larry Anders - Catapult[citation needed]
- Sergeant Sharon Kilroy - Vindicator[citation needed]
- Tom Vandermier - Hunchback[citation needed]
- Gonzales - Guillotine[citation needed]
- Fire Lance
- Sergeant Terry O'Reilly -Apollo[citation needed]
- Mechwarrior Aleksanyen - Catapult[citation needed]
- Maria Delgado - Catapult[citation needed]
- Brian Fox - Jagermech[citation needed]
- Second Company - 12 Mechs "Warfield's Warriors"[citation needed]
- Captain Ann Warfield[citation needed]
- Third Company - 12 Mechs "Gray Raiders"[citation needed]
- Captain Duane "Shooter" Gallery - Shadow Hawk[citation needed]
- Bruce Lazenby "Locust[citation needed]
- Captain Walter Dupré - "Zeus".[citation needed]
- Sergeant Hank Corby - "Victor[citation needed]
- Sergei Golovanov - "Marauder".[citation needed]
- Aerospace Fighter Support[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Carta Staedler - CSR-V12 Corsair[citation needed]
- Pilot 2 - CSR-V12 Corsair[citation needed]
- Task Force Strikers[citation needed]
- Captain Alexander Carlyle Archer[citation needed]
- Nighthawk-armored Commandos (Platoon of 20).[citation needed]
- Other Personnel
- Sergeant Lafferty - Chief of Security.[citation needed]
- O'Grady - Security[citation needed]
- Captain Frank - Senior Tech.[citation needed]
- Tech Sergeant Brunner - Crew Chief.[citation needed]
- Mech Tech George Sidney Groton.[citation needed]
- Logistics Support[citation needed]
- Union Dropships (Endeavor, Defiant, Valiant)[citation needed]
3065 Hesperus II
Gray Death Legion (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[20]
- CO: Colonel Lori Kalmar-Carlyle[20]
- Combined Arms Regiment with two BattleMech Battalions, one tank battalion, one battle armor battalion and one aerospace wing.[citation needed]
- First BattleMech Battalion.[citation needed]
- Second Battalion "Hassan's Assassins".[citation needed]
- Major Rae Houk CO[citation needed]
- Armoured Fighting Vehicle Battalion.[citation needed]
- Battle Armor Battalion.[citation needed]
- Aerospace Wing - Gray Death Reapers.[citation needed]
3151
Gray Death Legion (Company)[44]
- BattleMech Lance.[citation needed]
- Hoverbike Scout Lance[citation needed]
- Sergeant Bill Ortiz.[citation needed]
- Private Tareen.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Vijaya.[citation needed]
- Private Ueda[citation needed]
- Squad of Phalanx Battle Armor suits. Heavy APC.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Major Elia Sarris (f).[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Skyler Padgit, Pilot.[citation needed]
- Private Patel, gunner.[citation needed]
- Simkins, pilot of second Karnov.[citation needed]
- Other Personnel.
- Staff Sergeant Antonio Castillo - Senior Mechanic.[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Buthra Azarri - Senior Tech.[citation needed]
At this point in time the unit was stationed on Garrison.[citation needed]
May 3152
Gray Death Legion (Company)[46]
- Alfa Company[citation needed]
- A1 Lance[citation needed]
- Major Ronan Carlyle (Unit CO) - Marauder[citation needed]
- Sergeant Ibiza Gargoyle[citation needed]
- Sergeant Takira Kim Stealth[citation needed]
- Sergeant Owczarz Scarabus[citation needed]
- A2 Lance[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Curtain - Regent[citation needed]
- Marianne Kojima - Bushwacker[citation needed]
- Squad of Phalanx Battle Armor suits.[citation needed]
- A3 Lance.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Katine Kondracki.[citation needed]
- Void Battlesuits Squad.[citation needed]
- Heavy Hover APC[citation needed]
- Bravo Company - Carlyle's Commandos [47]
- B1 Lance - Three BattleMechs.[citation needed]
- Captain Isobel Carlyle - Hatchetman[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Nick Christensen - Catapult[citation needed]
- Sergeant Yurim Mbaruku - Talon[citation needed]
- B2 - Tank Platoon.[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Alexei Komljenovic.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Durston.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Ojima’s Pursuit Platoon.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Prohacka’s Drillson Hovercraft and SM1 Tank Destroyers.[citation needed]
- B3 Lance[citation needed]
- Sergeant Xi.[citation needed]
- Platoon of 16 Purifier Battlesuits.[citation needed]
- Charlie Company[citation needed]
- C1 Lance - Three BattleMechs.[citation needed]
- Captain Ta-Heng Cai -[citation needed]
- Sergeant Prasad -Trebuchet[citation needed]
- Sergeant Duglosz - Arbalest[citation needed]
- C3 Lance - Four Myrmidon tanks.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Jack de Klerk,[citation needed]
- Quokka Scout Platoon 1. (4 Legionnaires in Gray Death Infiltrator Suits).[citation needed]
- Sergeant Kamoku Hach,[citation needed]
- Quokka Scout Platoon 2. (4 Legionnaires in Gray Death Infiltrator Suits).[citation needed]
- Headquarters Security.[citation needed]
- 2 x Squads Rifle Infantry.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Major Sarris[citation needed]
- Private Tiffany Surla.[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Skyler Padgit, Pilot.[citation needed]
- Private Patel, gunner.[citation needed]
- Simkins, Pilot of second Karnov.[citation needed]
- Other Personnel.
- Staff Sergeant Mira Gleason - S2 Battalion Intelligence.[citation needed]
- Staff Sergeant Zahara Khaled.[citation needed]
- Sergeant Bill Henderson[citation needed]
- Master Sergeant Buthra Azarri, Senior Legion Technician.[citation needed]
- Private Gale Crumlin, Charlie Technical Company.[citation needed]
At this point in time the unit was stationed on Pandora.[citation needed]
Uniforms and Color Schemes
Field Uniform
The field uniform is a dark gray, loose-fitting tunic and trousers, featuring several large pockets. Officers wear their rank and unit insignia on the uniforms epaulettes, with rank insignia closest to the point of the shoulder. Noncommissioned officers and enlisted men wear their insignia on the upper sleeves of their tunics, with their unit crest above their insignia.
Dress Uniform
A more formal version of the standard field uniform, the Legion dress uniform replaces to loose-fitting, many pocketed fatigues with tailored pants and a jacket worn over a close-fitting white shirt. The trousers, a lighter shade of grey than the vintage jacket, are trimmed with red stripes running down the outside of each leg. A dark gray half-cape with red silk completes the uniform dress occasions. Rank and unit crest are displayed in the same manner as on the field uniform.
Retired officers add a white shoulder and collar flashes to the Legion's dark gray and red dress uniform.[49]
Color Scheme
The Gray Death Legion employs a gray-on-gray camo pattern. A colored circle on the right leg tells what battalion they belong to. Yellow for first, Green for second, Blue for third and Red for Headquarters and Command.[50]
Gallery
A Wolfhound in Gray Death Legion colors.
Other Appearances
- The Gray Death Legion appear in the MechWarrior IV: Mercenaries PC game as potential sponsors. Due to the timeline the game is set in, the Legion is described as rebuilding after their decimation on Hesperus II (instead of being destroyed). This was not considered canon by the writers of the BattleTech timeline. The Legion was also portrayed as being very loyal to House Steiner, a sentiment which is echoed in the BattleTech novel Tactics of Duty. Units sponsored by the Gray Death gain earlier access to Lostech weapons.
References
- ↑ This is described fully in the novel Decision at Thunder Rift
- ↑ Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 49
- ↑ Mercenary Handbook 3055, p. 57
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 51
- ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 45: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
- ↑ BattleTech Legends, pp. 24–31
- ↑ Gray Death Legion, pp. 7–8
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Combat Manual: Mercenaries, p. 42
- ↑ Historical: War of 3039, pp. 29–31
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Era Report: 3052, p. 41
- ↑ Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 52
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade, p. 22
- ↑ Experimental Technical Readout: Steiner, p. 15
- ↑ The Price of Duty
- ↑ Mercenary's Honor
- ↑ Decision at Pandora, chs. 2–3
- ↑ Decision at Pandora, chs. 6–16
- ↑ A Lesson Learned
- ↑ Objective Raids, p. 22
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 109
- ↑ The Dying Time
- ↑ The Price of Duty
- ↑ Gray Death Legion, p. 20
- ↑ Tactics of Duty
- ↑ Dying Time
- ↑ Mercenary's Honor
- ↑ Decision at Thunder Rift, ch. 17
- ↑ Mercenary Star, ch. 2
- ↑ The Price of Glory, ch. 17
- ↑ Turning Points: Helm
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, pp. 45–48
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, p. 106
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, p. 103
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, p. 84
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, pp. 200–202
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, p. 131
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, pp. 134–135
- ↑ A Rock and a Hard Place, pp. 88–90
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 140
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 20 Year Update, p. 26
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 Objective Raids, p. 22
- ↑ Blood of Heroes[chapter needed]
- ↑ Tactics of Duty
- ↑ The Price of Duty page 59
- ↑ The Price of Dutypage 78
- ↑ The Price of Dutypage 231
- ↑ Mercenary's Honor, ch. 6
- ↑ The Price of Dutypage 78
- ↑ Mercenary Handbook, p. 57: Gray Death Legion
- ↑ Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 56
Bibliography
- A Lesson Learned (short story)
- BattleTech: Legends
- Blood of Heroes (novela)
- Combat Manual: Mercenaries
- Dawn of the Jihad
- Decision at Pandora (novela)
- Day of Heroes (novela)
- Decision at Thunder Rift (novela)
- The Dying Time (novela)
- Era Report: 3052
- FedCom Civil War
- Field Manual: Mercenaries
- Gray Death Legion
- Jihad Hot Spots: 3070
- Historical: War of 3039
- Mercenary's Handbook 3055
- Mercenary's Honor (novella)
- Mercenary's Star (novel)
- NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
- Operation Excalibur (novela)
- The Price of Duty (novela)
- The Price of Glory (novela)
- Tactics of Duty (novela)