Editing Mercer Ravannion

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| caption             = 
| name                = Mercer Ravannion
| birthdate           = 
| died                = [[3023]]<ref name=FTp14>''The Fox's Teeth'', pp. 14-15, "The Swarm's Sting"</ref>
| affiliation         = [[Draconis Combine]]
| rank                = ''[[Tai-i]]''
| title               = 
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            =
}}
'''Mercer Ravannion''' was a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] from the [[Draconis Combine]], holding the rank of ''[[Tai-i]]'' (Captain) in the [[DCMS]] from [[3019]] (at the latest) until his death in [[3023]].

==History==
Ravannion was a three-time DCMS Ballroom Dancing Champion, a collector of porcelain cat statues, and a loving family man.<ref name=RG>''Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 4'', p. 6</ref>

However, he's most known for his [[Horde Lance|"Charge of the Horde"]] tactic which postulated that large numbers of small, individually weak [[BattleMech]]s could overwhelm more powerful 'Mechs through sheer numbers. To this end he suggested forming "hordes" of six to ten light 'Mechs, preferrably ''[[Stinger]]s'' and ''[[Wasp]]s'', instead of the traditional lances. He reasoned that these could be built relatively cheap and easy, and deploying them in large numbers would also make it easier to repair and maintain them. Furthermore, most damage was expected to be relatively light and thus most casualties would be damaged 'Mechs that could be repaired.

Driven by fanaticism, ''Tai-i'' Ravannion led three such swarming attacks without regard for men or matériel, invariably suffering disastrous defeats. Despite these military setbacks, he insisted that his tactics were sound.

*Defending [[Fallon II]] against elements of the [[Seventh Crucis Lancers]] in 3019, he led four ''[[Stinger]]s'' and two ''[[Wasp]]s'' (including his own) against the scout lance of [[McKinnon's Raiders]] at the [[Battle of Markerson (3019)|Battle of Markerson]], losing all six 'Mechs and escaping only after ejecting from his disabled 'Mech.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 8 (''Stinger'' entry)</ref> The [[Twelfth Star Guards]] [[mercenary unit]] had been ordered to contribute a ''Stinger'' to the attack, and had sent a ''[[Shadow Hawk]]'' along as an impartial observer (and for safety), the only unit to survive the attempt.<ref name=FTp14/> It was noted that no House was subsequently prepared to risk 'Mechs on his theories.
*In [[3022]] he [[Battle of Xhosa VII (3022)|attacked]] [[Xhosa VII]], where he unleashed a full battalion of ''Wasps'' and some ''Stingers'' against the understrength planetary garrison which consisted of two companies of the [[Draconis March Militia]] equipped mostly with ''[[Locust]]s'' and ''[[Blackjack (BattleMech)|Blackjack]]s''. The attack was repulsed by the inexperienced, freshly graduated Cadet Captain [[Michael Ubodo]] who earned himself a decoration and demonstrated on the sidelines that even ill-reputed 'Mechs like the ''Blackjack'' can shine when used properly. Ravannion's troops retreated to their [[DropShip]]s in disorder.<ref name="BJ">''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 48 (''Blackjack'' entry)</ref><ref name=rg4p4>''Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 4'', p. 4</ref>
*In 3023, Ravannion was killed in another [[Battle of Fallon II (3023)|encounter]] with McKinnon's Raiders on Fallon II.<ref name="BJ" />

''Stinger'' pilot [[Marge Sippers]] served under Ravannion when she was 16 years old. Rumored to have a schoolgirl crush on her mentor, she rose to the rank of ''Tai-i'' herself after his death and redeemed the "Charge of the Horde" tactic by including somewhat heavier units, especially ''[[Jenner]]s''. She would later found a museum in his honor.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3039'', pp. 112, 282</ref><ref name=RG/>

Fifty-seven years after Mercer Ravannion's death, one pirate king Ravannion of [[Tortuga Prime]] would reportedly claim to be his descendant according to a dubious tale; the validity of this claim — and even of the tale as such — remains unconfirmed.<ref>''Ravager (short story)''</ref>

In [[3140]] the mercenary unit [[Ravannion’s Redemption]] appeared in the [[St. Ives Commonality]] employing several ''[[Koshi]]'' [[BattleMech]]s, suggesting a philosophical connection to ''Tai-i'' Mercer if not a direct relation.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries'', p. 26: "Koshi (Standard)"</ref><ref>''Technical Readout: Dark Age'', p. 14: "Koshi (Standard)"</ref>

==BattleMech==
Ravannion piloted a ''[[Wasp]]''.<ref name=RG/>

==Notes==
*Mercer Ravannion's obsession with an apparently hopeless tactical theory and his frequent defeats border on comic relief and have made the character popular among BattleTech fans.
*''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]'' mentions ''Tai-i'' Ravannion in two separate entries (for the ''Stinger'' and ''Blackjack'', respectively) and gives the distinct impression that Ravannion's "Charge of the Horde" is an unsound tactic; similarly, the book's entry for the ''[[Atlas (BattleMech)|Atlas]]'' claims that a single ''Atlas'' could defeat an entire battalion of ''Stingers'' as credible. However, despite the descriptions ridiculing Ravannion's theory, it should be noted that game mechanics appear to prove him right: "Charge of the Horde" tactics (also known as "swarming") do in fact have merit under regular [[BattleTech (board game)|boardgame]] rules, where they are quite effective.
*''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]'' mentions that the mercenary group [[Markson's Marauders]] are "one of the only commands" to use the "once debunked tactics of Captain Mercer Ravannion", suggesting that these tactics could be successful with some modification and appropriate use - Markson's Marauders are noted to be proficient pirate hunters, for example, but also use heavier fast 'Mechs. Their swarm tactics also require risking expensive [[DropShip]]s for proper deployment.
*''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]'' repeats most of the text from TRO: 3025 and calls Ravannion's theories "discredited". It also mentions ''Tai-i'' Sippers and how she achieved surprising victories using the Charge of the Horde with ''Jenner''s. However, it should be noted that this considerably dilutes the original concept: at 35 tons, ''Jenner''s are almost twice as heavy as Ravannion's preferred 20-ton 'Mechs and significantly more powerful (being noted as a particularly heavily armed design) but also considerably more expensive, defeating the original premise of the "Charge of the Horde" as a way to make use of individually weak but cheap units.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[The Fox's Teeth: Exploits of McKinnon's Raiders]]''
* ''[[Ravager (short story)|Ravager]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 4]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3025]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]''

[[Category:Draconis Combine Characters|Ravannion, Mercer]]
[[Category:Notable Wasp Pilots|Ravannion, Mercer]]