Editing Head Hunting

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}

'''Head Hunting''' is one of oldest and effective tactics to eliminate enemy military command centers, bases and communications. Since old ages, this has happened in all wars through history. The invention of the BattleMech just elevated this to a new level.

A correct use of head hunting if successfully executed, can cripple entire regiments regardless of the damage they have taken and sent them back crawling in disarray.

==Inner Sphere==
<u>BattleMech</u><br>
The creation of the [[BattleMech]] made some of those operations more complex if the commander was inside his 'Mech. The [[Star League Defense Force]] developed two technologies, the [[Null Signature System]] and the [[Chameleon Light Polarization Shield]] that were incorporated to the [[Exterminator|EXT-4D ''Exterminator'']] and the later ''[[Spector]]''. These two 'Mechs' profiles were so effective in his task of finding and destroying as much of the enemy's command structure as possible - the mission profile included attacking [[Mobile HQ|Mobile Headquarters]], field bases, and command level officers - that during the [[First Succession War]] there were lances whose sole mission was to hunt down and destroy this type of 'Mech. That, coupled with the destruction of [[General Systems]]' primary factory on Caph in [[Production Ceased::2793]]) ended this ''type'' of head hunting operations until [[Capellan Confederation]] ingenuity developed a stop-gap solution suitable for mass-production: the so-called [[Stealth Armor]], that integrating the heat baffles and required components directly into specially designed armor plating, when linked with a [[Guardian ECM Suite]], enables the Stealth Armor to replicate its benefits (and disadvantages).<ref name="TOp336">''Tactical Operations'', p. 336: "Null Signature System"</ref>

<u>Battle Armor</u><br>
The SLDF created the [[Nighthawk|Nighthawk Mk. XXI]], a [[Power Armor (Light)]] [PA(L)] design and the progenitor of modern [[battle armor]]. The original Nighthawk was based upon [[exoskeleton]]s originally used for commercial purposes during the [[Star League]]. It took fifteen years and twenty prototypes before the [[SLDF]] finally perfected the design that would eventually be produced. A working prototype was first introduced in [[2718]], which was followed by two years of field testing and, finally, full production, entering service with the [[SLDF#Special Forces Command|Special Forces Command]].  Nighthawk numbers were never large as the SLDF wanted them to be, partly to keep its existence a secret, as the suits were given to the Special Armed Services troops known as the [[Blackhearts]] and their deployment was never public knowledge.  While plans were made for a design of the ''Nighthawk'' to reach [[SLDF Royal units]], the [[Amaris Civil War]] and the fall of the [[Star League]] prevented that version from entering full production.<ref name="CEp44">''Combat Equipment'', p. 44: "Nighthawk Power Armor (Light)"</ref><ref name="TRO:3075p12+">''Technical Readout: 3075'', pp. 12–13: "Nighthawk MK. XXI PA(L)"</ref>

The development of the [[Stealth Armor#Battle Armor Stealth Armor|battle armor stealth armor]] allowed the [[Federated Commonwealth]] to develop the ''[[Infiltrator]]'' and the [[Infiltrator Mk. II]], with the second seeing wide use in head hunting missions.<ref name=TRO3058u>''Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade'', p. 24</ref>

<u>Special Forces</u><br>
Head hunting by Special Operations teams like the [[Star League Defense Force#Special Forces Command|Special Forces Command]], the [[Department of Military Intelligence|Rabid Foxes]], [[LIC]]'s [[Lyran Intelligence Corps|Loki]] or the [[ISF]]'s [[DEST]] teams never disappeared, their tactics unchanged for centuries.

Those other agencies that were still able to field [[Electronic Sneak Suits]] were able to carry out these missions with additional stealth.<ref name=TRO3058u/>

<u>Jihad</u><br>
The [[Word of Blake]] took the concept of head hunting to the next level:
* The development of [[Purifier Adaptive Battle Armor]] by the Word of Blake introduced an excellent battle armor commando unit ideal to take out commanding officers with surgical strikes using stealth as cover, creating the perfect infiltrator.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade'', p. 31</ref>
* The creation of the [[Bolla Stealth Tank]], a stealth tank able not only to deploy Purifiers in-depth but also to deal with limited resistance.<ref name="JHS:3076p112+">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', pp. 112–113: "Bolla Stealth Tank"</ref>
* Their [[Raptor II]] was a virtually invisible covert reconnaissance and search-and-destroy 'Mech.<ref name=TRO3085-70>''Technical Readout: 3085'', p. 70</ref>

The [[Republic of the Sphere]] inherited some of the WoB equipment and adapted it to their needs, keeping their general-purpose as is.<ref name=TRO3085-70/>

===Known Inner Sphere Head Hunting Operations===
* One of the most notable examples of this tactic happened in the year [[3028]], during the [[Fourth Succession War]]. In the battle of [[St. Andre]], then-Captain [[Andrew Redburn]], facing the heavy unit [[Cochraine's Goliaths]], identified its commanding officer, colonel [[Fiona Cochraine]], destroying it with a [[Death from Above]] attack. The colonel's unit was forced to flee and was totally destroyed, despite his attackers consisting only of a light BattleMech company.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', pp. 244–245: "Colonel Cochraine's ''Goliath'' is attacked and finally killed by Delta Company"</ref>
* Another notable Head Hunting attack happened during the [[War of 3039]], when [[DEST]] strike teams launched an attack on Lyran headquarters on the planet [[Vega]] that incapacitated Lyran commander [[Nondi Steiner]] and forced her evacuation. Her long recovery allowed her subordinate commander's preference for older Lyran tactics to undermine the [[War of 3039#Commonwealth Thrust | Commonwealth Thrust]].<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 21</ref>
* ''[[Tai-sa]]'' [[Basil Itemji]] usage of 412th [[DEST]] [[Company]] attached to the [[18th Dieron Regulars]] to strike against [[Clan Nova Cat]]'s command [[Trinary]], the element of surprise allowing the DEST troops to eliminate twenty Clan 'Mechs, including [[Galaxy Commander]] [[John Rosse]] from [[Beta Galaxy (Clan Nova Cat)|Beta Galaxy]] and his command staff before they were killed.<ref name=IC-112>''Invading Clans'', pp. 112–114: "The Fifth Wave - Irece"</ref>
* Agent "Tamroy" was known for having killed more than two hundred objectives from afar with his Infiltrator Mk. II.<ref name=TRO3058u/>
* In December [[3075]], WoB forces decapitated the command structure of the [[103rd Division (ComStar)|103rd Division]] by killing [[Precentor]] [[Styven Kimmelry]].<ref name="TCp148">''Total Chaos'', pp. 148–149: "Comes the Reaper"</ref>
* [[Simonson's Cutthroats]] mercenary unit became master headhunters, eliminating the opposing command 'Mech and disrupting their foes.<ref name=MSU127-1>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 127: "Simonson’s Cutthroats"</ref>
* A headhunter attack launched by the Blakists during the coalition assault on [[Gacrux]] in early [[3077]] cost the [[6th Benjamin Regulars|Sixth Benjamin Regulars]] their Commanding Officer, although the coalition forces went on to liberate Gacrux, under the command of the Lyran [[Lieutenant-General]], [[Thomas Hogarth]].<ref name="JHS:Tp27">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 27: "We Have Met the Enemy"</ref>

==Clans==
The way the [[Clans]] fight, head hunting made no sense, as they would [[Dictionary#Batchall|bid]] for anything they needed, and challenge a commanding officer directly if they wanted.

But during [[Operation Revival]] they found out that [[Inner Sphere]] tactics were completely different to theirs, and that most of the Inner Sphere forces lacked any honor. To counter this behavior, they created their own head hunting [[elemental]] units. [[Clan Wolf]] developed an [[Elemental (Battle Armor)#Variants|Elemental battle armor headhunter]] in [[3050]] to carry out decapitation strikes against Inner Sphere command personnel. It removes the missile launcher to include an additional [[Power Pack (Battle Armor)|Power Pack]], [[Heat Sensor (Battle Armor)|Heat]] and [[Improved Sensors]], a [[Remote Sensor Dispenser (Battle Armor)|Remote Sensor Dispenser]], and a pair of extra [[Fuel Tank (Battle Armor)|Fuel Tank]]s for its jump jets, while mounting a fixed anti-personnel [[Machine Gun (Battle Armor)|Machine Gun]] in addition to the anti-personnel weapon mount.<ref>''Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League)'', p. 83</ref>

Those battle armor units proved to be very good using this tactic: their first objectives always are the defender's commanding officers, control and command positions. This strategy helped them to conquer several worlds with minimal losses, opening a way inside Inner Sphere space.<ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 25</ref>

===Known Clan Head Hunting Operations===
* In November [[3051]], during the Clan assault on [[Sevren]], a [[battalion]] headquarters from the defending [[25th Arcturan Guards|25th Arcturan Guards RCT]] was destroyed by [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elemental]] headhunters, the defenders were forced to retreat, and [[Garth Radick]] claimed the world for Clan Wolf.<ref name=WCS64S>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 64: Sevren</ref>
* During the Battle of Tronsk, an action that happened when [[Lothan]] was invaded, Clan Wolf sent a headhunting [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elemental]] unit that discovered and attacked the [[2nd Kavalleri (Free Rasalhague Republic)|2nd Kavalleri]]'s mobile headquarters. The powerful armor tore apart the vehicle with the regiment's staff, with only ''[[Överste]]'' [[Signa Pegrem]] managing to escape. In the final battle for the planet, the unit poorly chose to turn and face the [[328th Assault (Clan Wolf)|328th Assault]] in an open valley where the many members of the unit would be slaughtered. Only five companies of the Kavalleri were able to escape from the planet and fall back to the world of [[Ueda]].<ref>''Era Report: 3052'', p. 34</ref><ref>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 69: "Lothan (FRR)"</ref>
* In early November [[3051]], when Clan Wolf assaulted [[Maestu]], [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Mikel Furey]] performed a combat drop scant kilometers from the General's headquarters and unleashed a [[Star]] of [[Elemental (Battle Armor)#Variants|Headhunters]] to assassinate [[Hauptmann General]] [[Jane Craigie]]. Though the headhunters managed to slip through the Lyran lines and attack their headquarters, General Craigie managed to escape. Before she could regain control of the situation however Galaxy Commander Mikel Furey launched simultaneous attacks at Rance 5633, Sjulla and Zwelton Grey and broke through the [[RCT]]'s defensive lines, forcing a retreat towards the capital New Yoko. Before they could reach the city the Lyran Guards were cut-off at Cold Harbor and General Craigie, under orders to persevere troops rather than throw them away for lost causes, decided to retreat offworld to [[Shaula]].<ref>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 64</ref> This showed that even a headhunter mission that did not kill the commanding officer could alter the balance of power of a campaign.
* During March [[3052]] on [[Kiamba]], enraged by the [[3rd Proserpina Hussars|Third Proserpina Hussars']] dishonorable tactics, [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] [[Loremaster]] [[Edmund Hoyt]] ordered a [[Elemental (Battle Armor)#Variants|headhunter]] unit to locate the regiment's command staff and eliminate them. ''[[Tai-sa]]'' [[Richard Weston]], along with most of his command company, died in the headhunter's attack, forcing the rest of the demoralized Hussars to retreat back to Collins' Ridge for a brave but futile last stand<ref name=ICp69>''Invading Clans'', p. 69</ref>
* [[Hohiro Kurita (31st c.)|Hohiro Kurita]] almost fell to one of these attacks, when, during the battle of [[Teniente]], the bunker serving as command post of the Kuritan defenders was attacked by a team of [[Clan Nova Cat]] [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elementals]], only seconds after Hohiro warned the bunker's officers about the threat of just such a head hunting attack.<ref>''Lost Destiny'', pp. 34–40, 103–105, 119–123, 257–263, 292–295</ref><ref>''Era Report: 3052'', pp. 18–19: "Timeline of Events"</ref>
* When the [[7th Jaguar Dragoons (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|7th Jaguar Dragoons]] dropped on to [[Port Arthur]] landing in the Zuave Vale in March [3052], they immediately attacked the [[1st Proserpina Hussars|First Proserpina Hussars]] forcing them to fall back to defensive positions at Disher. Here the Jaguar attack stalled and [[Sarah Weaver]] ordered a headhunter attack that wiped out half the Hussars' command units, but failed to eliminate their commanding officer ''Tai-sa'' [[Jong Moon Lee]]. It did however force a second retreat to Point aux Trembles, an area with automated turrets in hardened bunkers which stalled the Dragoons for over a week before they pushed the defenders off planet.<ref name=ICp69 />
* The [[5th Davion Guards|Fifth Davion Guards]] lost its commander to [[Clan Jade Falcon]]. A [[Star]] of [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elementals]] assigned to headhunter duty found the Fifth's commanders and killed them. The Falcons then used concentrated fire on several command and support units.<ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 43</ref><ref>''Field Manual: Federated Suns'', p. 83</ref>
* The usage of a Headhunter unit by the [[1st Falcon Striker (Clan Jade Falcon)|1st Falcon Striker]] during the [[Battle of Tukayyid]] against [[Com Guards]]' [[403rd Division (ComStar)|403rd Division]] as they approached a bridge. The Division had a number of heavily fortified defensive positions just two kilometers out from the bridge. [[Star Colonel]] [[Rard Hoyt]] dispatched the Cluster's lightest units to draw Guard's fire, while his heavier OmniMech units hit their positions. This permitted a [[Star (Formation)|Star]] of [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elementals]] to slip behind the 403rd's lines and kill [[Precentor]] [[Robert Maigatter]]. With the Precentor's death, the unit would suffer from the destruction of the Division's critical supplies and communication equipment. The 403rd broke from the engagement, allowing for the Cluster to close in and destroy 70% of Division.<ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 31: Battle of Tukayyid - Unit's actions during the Battle of Robyn's Crossing on Tukayyid</ref><ref>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 58: Star Colonel Hoyt named as commander for Battle at Robyn's Crossing. Unit's name is incorrect</ref><ref>''Era Report: 3052'', p. 49: First Falcon Striker unit profile is named fighting the Robyn's Crossing with Hoyt in command</ref>
* When [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] forces first landed in [[Avon]] late November [[3051]],<ref name=IC68>''Invading Clans'', p. 68</ref><ref name=IC119>''Invading Clans'', p. 119</ref> the defending troops of the [[2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group]] were routed from their dug-in position on the Pollit Plains and Tenderlands by a Nova Cat assault. Realizing they were outclassed the defenders opted for a guerrilla campaign. Allowing the Clans to set up forward bases, the defenders attacked these under cover of darkness with 'Mech companies in an attempt to destroy as many of the supplies stored there as possible. The guerrillas also launched commando sabotage missions in the Devon Heights, Beachweld and Fresno. In response the Jaguar commander sent out headhunter missions and in a single night eliminated the entire command structure. Afterwards, the Amphigean Light Assault Group was assaulted and destroyed at Fresno by the [[214th Jaguar Dragoons (Clan Smoke Jaguar)|214th Jaguar Dragoons]].<ref name=IC119/><ref name=IC60>''Invading Clans'', p. 60</ref>
* In [[3064]], during the Battle of [[Melissia]] the [[Clan Jade Falcon|Jade Falcons]] dropped [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elementals]] via DropShip on "The Rock", a heavily fortified base, killing the Lyran Marshal [[Sharon Byran]]<ref>''Operation Audacity'', p. 10</ref> and forcing the remaining Lyran forces to retreat.<ref>''Operation Audacity'', p. 78</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[Combat Equipment]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3052]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Federated Suns]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[Invading Clans (sourcebook)|Invading Clans]]''
* ''[[Jade Falcon Sourcebook]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[Lost Destiny]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''
* ''[[Operation Audacity]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: 3058 Unabridged (Clan & Star League)]]''
* ''[[Tactical Operations]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3075]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3058 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3085]]''
* ''[[Total Chaos]]''
* ''[[Warrior: Riposte]]''
* ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Strategic and Tactical Doctrines]]