Little Richard's Panzer Brigade

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade
Little Richard's Panzer Brigade
Formed Late 2800s
Disbanded 3069
Previous Designation(s) Richard's Panzer Brigade
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command


History[edit]

Richard's Panzer Brigade, later known as Little Richard's Panzer Brigade, was created from a former House Davion military unit named the Panzer Brigade. When that unit's executive officer found out that their commander was dealing drugs to supplement his income, he threw the former CO and his associates out of the unit. He then used the opportunity caused by this chaos to foment a mutiny, leading the rest of the unit in seizing their assigned DropShips as "separation pay" and fleeing the Federated Suns. The now-mercenary unit later took contracts with House Kurita, Liao, and Marik during the remainder of the Third Succession War.[1] Not much is known of their exploits in the Third War, but in the late 2980s, they notably exercised an escape clause in their employment with the Free Worlds League.[2]

In or just prior to 3025, two battalions of heavy 'Mechs of Richard's Panzer Brigade were hired by the Draconis Combine to strengthen their garrisons along the Federated Suns border in anticipation of an imminent attack. Elements of Richard's Panzer Brigade fought McKinnon's Raiders on Galedon V, defending a cache of high-grade industrial diamonds. The outcome of the battle is unknown.[3]

The battle on Galedon V was near the end of the Brigade's employ with House Kurita. As of 3025, the unit was listed as in the employ of the Lyran Commonwealth and was based on Tharkad, noted as the Commonwealth's "most recent" mercenary acquisition.[4] "Big Daddy" Whitman became very infatuated with the Archon-Designate Melissa Steiner and sought to have the Brigade given a permanent home in the Commonwealth.[5] When Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner announced their wedding in 3028, the Panzer Brigade terminated their contract with the Lyran Commonwealth and were forced to seek employment with the Capellan Confederation, as they were persona non grata with the Federated Suns and had worn out their welcome elsewhere.[1][6] Perhaps due to the stress of relocating, or perhaps because his hopes of courting Melissa had vanished, Richard "Big Daddy" Whitman died suddenly of a heart attack and passed command of his unit to his son, Richard "Sugar Baby" Whitman. The younger Richard was not quite the commander that his father had been, and soon the unit had been given the epithet "Little" to reflect this change. A few companies of personnel left the Brigade once "Little Richard" assumed command to try their luck on their own.[5] Once under contract to the Capellan Confederation, they remained in its service, mostly on garrison duty, for the next several decades.

During the FedCom Civil War, the Brigade was rotated back to the Federated Commonwealth border from being stationed on the Periphery front. Seeing the unrest of that conflict as an opportunity to curry favor with their employers, they launched an unauthorized raid into the Chaos March, targeting the planets Genoa and Arboris. They did not expect to meet Beta Regiment of the Twelfth Vegan Rangers, who had been hired by Duke George Hasek to stop the predations of the Panzer Brigade before they could start.[6]

On initial contact, the Rangers smashed the Brigade, forcing it into a two-week retreat across the surface of Genoa. Knowing that the Brigade traditionally showed no quarter to its foes, the Rangers showed little mercy in dealing with Panzer Brigade personnel. Cornering the Brigade in their landing zone, the Rangers destroyed all of the Panzers' conventional forces and two DropShips before the hapless unit could manage to flee off-world. The Brigade retreated to Arboris, where they hoped to call for reinforcements from their employers. Unfortunately, the Rangers followed them into the system via pirate point and quickly made landfall, seeking to fulfill their orders to wipe out the Brigade completely. The weeklong battle that followed left the Panzer Brigade with only twenty-eight 'Mechs to their name. To make matters worse, Richard "Sugar Baby" Whitman was mortally wounded in the fight and died shortly after evacuation was complete.[6]

Now under the command of Whitman's daughter, Regina "Gila Queen" Whitman, the Brigade limped back to their base of operations on Pleione. There they learned that they had been entirely disavowed by the CCAF for their unauthorized actions. Capellan high command had cancelled their contract and revoked access to necessary supplies, leaving the Brigade stranded on Pleione until the planetary governor deigned to find a unit to replace them.[6]

Still on Pleione when the Blakist Jihad began in 3069, the unit fought to the last man against the forces of the Word of Blake despite not being contracted to do so. There were no survivors.[7]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of Little Richard's Panzer Brigade
Colonel Richard DeCord Early Third Succession War[8]
Colonel Richard "Big Daddy" Whitman 3025[8]
Colonel Richard "Sugar Baby" Whitman 3027[9][5] - 3067[6]
Colonel Regina "Gila Queen" Whitman 3067 - 3069[6]

Tactics[edit]

The Panzer Brigade were willing to resort to every trick to win a battle, including pretending to be other 'Mech units and broadcasting fake IFF or distress signals.[6] They were well known for their brutal combat style and for rarely showing mercy to captured opponents. In the rare event that a prisoner was spared, they were relieved of all property and either marooned or ransomed back to their employers at a high price.[1]

Support[edit]

The Panzer Brigade's transport assets consists of one Invader-class JumpShips, which transports their two DropShips, one Overlord-class and one Union-class. The Brigade's technical support staff retains a 100% optimum efficiency rating.

Dragoons Rating[edit]

3059[edit]

Dragoons Rating: B[5]

3067[edit]

Dragoons Rating: F[6]

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

Richard's Panzer Brigade (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)

  • CO: Colonel Richard "Big Daddy" Whitman
  • Base: Tharkad

3050[edit]

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[10]

3059[edit]

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[9]

3059[edit]

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[5]

  • CO: Colonel Richard Whitman
Note: First Battalion is composed mostly of medium and heavy BattleMechs.
  • Second Battalion (The Persuaders)
Note: Second Battalion employs a greater number of assault 'Mechs than other battalions.
  • Third Battalion (Regina's Renegades)
Note: Third Battalion consists of mostly light 'Mechs and faster heavy 'Mechs.
  • Air Panzers (Wing/Veteran/Questionable)
  • Armored Panzers (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)
  • Ground Panzers (5 Companies/Regular/Questionable)
Note: The Ground Panzers consist of 2 VTOL companies, 1 artillery company, 2 jump infantry companies.

3067[edit]

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade (Battalion/Veteran/Questionable)[6]

  • Alpha Company
  • CO: Colonel Regina Whitman
Note: Designated the "battle company," Alpha contains fast heavy and medium BattleMechs.
  • Bravo Company
  • XO: Major Malcolm Powell
Note: Designated the "assault company," Bravo fields heavy and assault designs.
  • Charlie Company
Note: Designated the "striker company," Charlie fields light and medium 'Mechs, many of which are upgraded Capellan designs.

Color Schemes and Unit Insignia[edit]

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade paints their 'Mechs dark gray with black accents, preferring to use these colors in a zebra stripe camouflage scheme when on combat operations.[5] The Brigade's insignia was a set of golden crosshairs superimposed over a triangular field of blue-grey marble. This was later changed to be black crosshairs over a triangular field of fire when Whitman's daughter Regina assumed command of the Brigade.[6][5] The Brigade's insignia was painted on 'Mech torsos, fighter fuselages, and the hoods or forward glacises of any vehicles assigned to the unit. Individual battalion insignias were painted on the left arm of 'Mechs, the left wing of fighters, and the left fender or armor skirting of vehicles. First Battalion's insignia is the old unit's flag, a tiger-striped hollow triangle inset with black crosshairs. Second Battalion uses a gold lighting bolt against a red field, and Third Battalion uses only the new regimental insignia.[5]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Combat Manual: Mercenaries, p. 55
  2. Handbook: House Marik, p. 43
  3. The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders, pg. 29
  4. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), pp. 78, 121 (PDF edition)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 73-74, "Little Richard's Panzer Brigade: Bad Boys of the Battlefield
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Mercenaries Supplemental II, p. 47: "Unit Profile"
  7. Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 15
  8. 8.0 8.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 76: "Richard's Panzer Brigade"
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 107
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 20 Year Update, p. 63: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3050"

Bibliography[edit]