Editing Loren Jaffray

{{Update Needed|[[Field Manual: ComStar]]|[[Northwind Highlanders (scenario pack)]]|[[Starterbook: Wolf and Blake]]|[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]}}

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Loren Jaffray NWH.jpg
| caption             =
| name                = Loren Jaffray
| birthdate           = [[3025]]<ref name=IoWpp13-14>''Impetus of War'', pp. 13–14: Jaffray was 33 in 3058, when the novel was set</ref>
| died                = 
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[House Jaffray]]
| rank                = [[Colonel]]
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = Yes, but unnamed
}}
'''Loren Jaffray''' was born in the [[Capellan Confederation]]. The grandson of a [[Northwind Highlanders]] member who remained loyal to the Confederation after the reclamation of [[Northwind]], when the Highlanders abandoned their mercenary contract with the Confederation and took employ with the [[Federated Suns]] instead,<ref name=HGp10f>''Highlander Gambit'', pp. 10–12</ref> Loren Jaffray became one of the Confederation's elite [[Death Commandos]],<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 32</ref> but eventually joined the Highlanders.<ref name=HGp349>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 349</ref>

==History==
===Family history===
Loren Jaffray descended from a family with a long military tradition, the [[Clan Jaffray]]. His grandfather, [[Corwin Jaffray]], served with distinction in [[McCormack's Fusiliers]], and did not want to break with the Capellan Confederation<ref name=HGp10f/> when the Highlanders returned to their ancestral homeworld [[Northwind]] after joining with the [[Federated Suns]] in [[3028]], during the [[Fourth Succession War]].<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', pp. 9–13</ref> After the war, Loren Jaffray's father served [[Chancellor]] [[Romano Liao]] as a Death Commando.<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 36</ref>

===Early career===
Loren Jaffray was a major in the elite Death Commandos. He was loyal as all Death Commandos are to the [[Chancellor]] of the [[Capellan Confederation]], who at the time was [[Sun-Tzu Liao]].  Most of his activities during time period would be classified as state secrets.

===Mission to Northwind===
In late [[3057]], Jaffray participated in a field exercise, rescuing a ''hostage'', defeating a far superior enemy using unusual tactics. The exercise was seen by Chancellor [[Sun-Tzu Liao]] which had chosen him for a very important mission. he ordered Loren to go to Northwind "privately and on vacation" to deliver a message—House Liao would offer support for an independent Northwind and free the Highlanders from Prince [[Victor Steiner-Davion]].<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 33</ref> Jaffray's real mission was to remove Northwind from the [[Federated Commonwealth]], and neutralize the Highlander regiments or otherwise deprive the Federated Commonwealth of their service by any means. Death Commandos would be waiting for his signal at a hidden point in the system during his mission to Northwind.<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 37</ref> He was expected to sacrifice his life or honor to accomplish the mission.<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 38</ref>

[[William MacLeod]] trusted him, while Major [[Chastity Mulvaney]] hated and despised him. In the brief conflict for independence on Northwind, the [[Battle of Northwind (3057)]], Jaffray became a central figure. After delivering his message to the Northwind Highlanders of [[MacLeod's Regiment]], they voted to recall the Assembly of Warriors for a [[Warrior’s Cabal]]<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 118</ref> so that the full assembly could vote on Jaffray’s proposal.  That in turn caused a division in the ranks of the Highlanders. A trial of honor ensued and the [[Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth]] got involved as well as a group of the Consul Guards and the [[Third Royal Guards]], eventually including the [[First NAIS Cadet Cadre]],<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', pp. 140, 338</ref> came to blows, clashing with Mulvaney. However, Jaffray soon felt himself more near with the Highlanders than with the Confederation. The battle continued until Jaffray helped to win the conflict. In helping MacLeod's forces win, Jaffray realized that he was in a no-win scenario and sacrificed his honor to achieve a partial success—he accomplished the goal of taking Northwind out of the Federated Commonwealth, also severing the relationship between the Highlanders and Prince Victor Steiner-Davion in the process;<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', p. 341</ref> he was then offered the opportunity to join the Highlanders.<ref name=HGp349/>

Although this could be construed as treason from a Death Commando, Chancellor Sun-Tzu had expected this outcome. Jaffray's fellow Death Commandos expected to be ordered to track him down and execute him, but Sun-Tzu ordered them to leave him alone as he still considered the mission a success.
Jaffray was congratulated by his success by [[Andrea Stirling]], which incorporated him to his regiment, [[Stirling's Fusiliers]].<ref>''Highlander Gambit'', ch. 40</ref>

===Stirling's Fusiliers===
Jaffray was appointed to serve as Colonel "Cat" Stirling's executive officer. He began training the Fusiliers by first revamping the training setup. He emphasized all areas of training, including hand-to-hand combat, demolitions and survival techniques.<ref>''Impetus of War'', pp. 13, 17</ref> He wanted them to be well-trained to fight the [[Clans]].  However, that didn't happen without problems: his subordinates, Majors [[Cullen Craig]] and [[Kurt Blakadar]] openly opposed him. Eight months into this training, the Highlanders received a visit from [[Omiko Kurita]], who brought a contract offer to fight [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] on [[Wayside V]].<ref>''Impetus of War'', pp. 36–39</ref>

Before departing, Jaffray ordered most of the Fusiliers to field energy weaponry and incorporate as many [[Jump Jets]]-equipped 'Mechs as possible. That created new friction, but Stirling openly approved him measures, which made Jaffray's officers to obey him. 
The [[Battle of Wayside (3058)]] began badly, when the Highlanders, already in system, uncovered the presence of all [[Tau Galaxy (Clan Smoke Jaguar)]] on planet, along with the [[WarShip]] [[Dark Claw]] on system. But, with their retreat cut off, they had to descend. 
Upon landing, Jaffray led a company, crushing a Jaguars [[Binary]], saving the Combine liaison, [[Elden Parkensen]] and taking a ''Bondsmen'', Star Captain [[Kerndon]].<ref>''Impetus of War'', ch. 9–12</ref>

With the Highlanders trapped on planet, Jaffray's interrogation of Kerndon gave him a idea: using captured Jaguar equipment, he wanted to pose as Jaguars and launch a series of raids, drawing the [[Clan Nova Cat]] to Wayside to fight the Jaguars. Despite being apparently suicide, the Cat approved the plan. After helping crush another Jaguar headhunting attack led by Star Captain [[Roberta]] Jaffray and his task force departed.<ref>''Impetus of War'', ch. 13–18</ref>

Jaffray's plan succeeded, and a reinforced [[Galaxy]] of Nova Cats followed them, engaging the Jaguars. By then, barely half of his company was operative, but Loren didn't stay out of the fight: infiltrating into the Jaguar battle lines, his people attacked them, with Jaffray killing Tau's commander, Galaxy Commander [[Devon Osis]], saving the Nova Cat leader, Star Colonel [[Santin West]]. Ironically, West had been his adversary on Tarnby. Jaffray was wounded and was evacuated by Kerndon, but his actions helped convince West to depart from Wayside without fighting the Highlanders.<ref>''Impetus of War'', ch. 48</ref>

===Northwind Hussars===
Jaffray's brilliantly unorthodox actions against Clan Smoke Jaguar during the Wayside operation convinced the Clan Elders that he was the man to command a new anti-Clan regiment, the [[Northwind Hussars]]. This move was not without consequences; some regimental commanders still did not fully trust Jaffray's Capellan origins, creating additional friction between the colonels and Clan Elders.<ref name=MS56>''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 56: "Northwind Hussars: Clan's Bane"</ref>

Loren Jaffray was also behind the Hussars' use of [[Clan Rose|Rose hunting tartan]], a blue background overlaid primarily with green, secondarily with red. Jaffray's unorthodox decision was seemingly inspired after learning that [[Jeremiah Rose]] unsuccessfully petitioned the Clan Elders to form an anti-Clan unit before forming the [[Black Thorns]] mercenary unit, receiving Clan Rose's permission to use their tartan.<ref name=MS56/> Following the crippling of [[Rianna Rose]], Loren Jaffray joined her and Jeremiah's father [[Corneilus Rose|Corneilus]] in petitioning the Clan Elders to allow the Black Thorns to recruit from the Highlanders.<ref name="MSp20">''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 20: "The Black Thorns: Rebuilding the Burnt Bridges"</ref>

===Jihad===
At the start of the Jihad, Loren Jaffray and the Northwind Hussars were stationed on [[Ueda]] in the employ of the [[Second Star League]].<ref name=MS56/>

By the late 3060s, Jaffray had become CO of the [[Ghosts of the Black Watch]]. The unit was badly mauled in January [[3069]] while assisting the rescue of [[Hohiro Kurita (31st c.)|Hohiro Kurita]] from the [[Word of Blake|Blakist]] facility at [[Fortress Dieron]]. Jaffray and the survivors eventually escaped [[Dieron]], pursued by the [[Opacus Venatori]], on 23 March [[3074]], Loren led the remaining Ghosts in a recon on [[Odessa]], falling into an ambush by the Venatori. The unit was effectively destroyed, with Loren's 'Mech downed by Preceptor [[Berith]] and exploding, apparently killing him.<ref>''Jihad Turning Points: Dieron'', p. 7: "Ghosts of the Black Watch"</ref><ref>''Lost Ghosts'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #9, p. 118</ref>

===Dark Age===
Jaffray was declared KIA after the Jihad, but in fact he was still alive and operating clandestinely. By September [[3083]], his superior, Andrea Stirling, noted that he had not reported in for some time.<ref>''Lost Ghosts'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #9, p. 119</ref>

==Family and Children==
Loren was very near of his granfather. His father was a Death Commando too, killed in action. In Northwind he had a romantic relationship with Chastity Mulvaney. At some point Jaffray had a child, as his granddaughter [[Cadha Jaffray]] was a [[lieutenant colonel]] in the Northwind Highlanders.<ref>''Grey Watch Protocol'', p. 144</ref>

==BattleMechs==
[[Image:Rifleman RFL-6X Loren Jaffray IOBF107.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Loren Jaffray’s ''Rifleman''.]]
Jaffray's first known 'Mech, which he used in a Death Commando training operation, was a ''[[Hussar]]''. In the battles for Northwind, he piloted a ''[[Gallowglas]]'', a present from MacLeod, its previous pilot, until losing it in the last battle.

On Wayside V, Jaffray piloted a ''[[Penetrator]]''.<ref>''Impetus of War'', p. 98</ref> Later, when he posed as a Smoke Jaguar officer, he piloted [[Kerndon]]'s ''[[Warhawk]]''.<ref>''Impetus of War'', p. 277</ref> During the [[3067]] [[Battle of Odessa (3067)|Battle of Odessa]], he piloted an RFL-6X ''[[Rifleman]]''.<ref name="ASAH">''Alpha Strike: Ad Hoc Unit Cards'': "Joshua Franco"</ref><ref>[https://camospecs.com/listing/rifleman-rfl-6x-7m-3/ Loren Jaffray's RFL-6X Rifleman]</ref> And in his ''final battle'', he fielded a Clan ''[[Cauldron-Born]]''.<ref>''Lost Ghosts'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #9, p. 115</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Loren Jaffrey and Elden Parkensen NWH.jpg|Loren Jaffray with ''[[Sho-sa]]'' Elden Parkensen
</gallery>

== References ==
<references />

== Bibliography ==
* ''[[Alpha Strike: Ad Hoc Unit Cards]]''
* ''[[Grey Watch Protocol]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Highlander Gambit]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Impetus of War]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Jihad Turning Points: Dieron]]''
* ''[[Lost Ghosts]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental]]''


[[Category:Capellan Confederation Characters|Jaffray, Loren]]
[[Category:Northwind Highlanders Characters|Jaffray, Loren]]