Screaming Eagles

Unit Description

A former Star League BattleMech Division which became a Mercenary Unit, which was noted for illustrious battle record.

Unit Colors & Insignia

The unit maintains its original Star League color scheme of Olive Green. The unit insignia is a diving eagle set with blue & green background.

History

Formation and the Early Succession Wars

The Screaming Eagles were remains of the SLDF's 250th BattleMech Division, the 555th & 556th Honor Guard Brigades. They became mercenaries after the League fragmented. The Division as the Screaming Eagles did not fair well during 1st Succession War, had been reduced to only two Regiments by end of the Second Succession War.

The Fourth Succession War

While still in service of House Davion, the unit partipated in 1st Prince Hanse Davion's Operation Rat. The unit was garrison on Skepptana, prior to beginning of the war..

Pleione

House Davion contracted the Eagles use both regiments to House Liao world of Pleione in mid 3028 as part of their first action the Fourth Succession War.

The Third Battalion of the McCrimmon's Light Cavalry was assigned to defend the planet. Initially, the Eagle's AeroSpace Fighter coverage caught Light Cavalry in the open and decimated them. However, the Light Cavalry survivors had fallen back to a ancient mountain top SLDF fortress which has been given the name of Thunder Rock. The Fortress had been converted into a supply depot and headquarters. This allowed for Light Cavalry's survivors to waged a three week siege at frustration of Eagle's Top Commander, Walther Hokala. It wasn't until the Eagle's managed move one of its smaller units to mountain's top and work it way though mountain top entrance into the base. The fighting had reduced the Cavalry down to a company of Battlemechs which lead to their surrender. With its defenders gone, Pleione, population was easily subdued by mercenaries.

The Eagle then detached two battalions of its forces to garrison the planet, to move on to its next objective: Gan Singh.

Gan Singh

On Gan Singh, the planet's Militia fought well against the Eagles, but utterly lost due to the Eagle's sheer numbers. The Eagles were backed up by Fourth Garrison Force which consisted of six regiments of garrison troops.

New Canton & Disgrace

In the invasion of New Canton, the regiments of the unit were split off to take certain objectives. The world was defended by the 1st Battalion of 4th Confederation Reserve Cavalry and the 3rd Battalion of the Trimaldi's Secutors.

=Canon River

The 1st Screaming Eagles, under command of Colonel Opson Mathis, was the task of hunting down the 4th Reserve which had operating in the jungles of the north continent of the New Canton. The 1st Regiment, along with its five supporting Almach Food Soldiers were fruitless hunt for the Capellan units and its supporting infantry. The 4th Reserves had taken to conducting guerilla warfare against the Eagles. The Capellans attack & fade tactics had enraged 1st Eagle's commander. The 1st Eagle managed finally catch 4th Reserves at the foot of washed up bridge at Canon River. Cornered and unable to retreat the Capellans 'Mech forces surrendered to the Eagles. However, Colonel ignoring the House Davion's rules, had the surrendered MechWarriors welded into their cockpits and pushed into raging river. The 7th Almach Foot Soldiers's commander Colonel Roberta Gathos had arrived to discover the what happened. She then demanded the 1st Eagles' commander to surrender, it was not until entire unit itself walk to Gathos's side did Colonel Mathis finally concede and surrender to her custody. The regiment was then temporary transferred to Benson Yuli, whom was first to side with Colonel Gathos.

Fight in Blue Dragon Mountains

The 2nd Screaming Eagles, while under command of Colonel Hokala, moved to take out the Secutors whom had been stationed in mountainous regions of the Southern Continent of New Canton. The 2nd Eagles, backed by the 5th Almach Tank & 18th & 21st Almach Foot Infantry Regiments pursued the Capellan forces into Blue Dragon Mountains. The Secutors had fought well, inflicted heavy damaged as they lead the Eagle on a merry chase through mountains.

The frustrated, Colonel Hokala, decided to have garrison infantry be airlifted ahead of the Sector's advance into the Blue Mountain Pass. They would act as the holding force, while 2nd Eagles would come up from rear to finish the Capellan forces.

The as the Infantry forces were delaying the Secutors 'Mech forces, 2nd Eagle was attacked by Capelin's tank forces. The New Canton Armored Guard conducted a suicidal assault against the Eagles in bid to delay them. The tank regiment sacrifice delayed the Eagles for six days, enough to cause 2/3rd of the Davion infantry forces to be killed.

Aftermath of the New Canton

After the action, the Eagles were tried and found not guilty of wrong doing, however both actions stained the unit's reputation for good. This lead to the unit being expelled from Davion service. While Mathis was cashiered from service of the Screaming Eagles.

In Service of the Periphery and in Chao March

By 3053, the unit had found itself in service of the Magistracy of Canopus, they had signed a long-term defense contract with them. However, the unit was loaned out to it Trinity Alliance partner, House Liao. They deployed the Eagles to Chaos March where they were dispatch to conduct unspecified tasks for the Alliance.

In 3062 the 2nd Screaming Eagles while on Epsilon Eridani were ambushed by Word of Blake's 1st Division. The Blakist attack on 2nd Eagles shattered the regiment, forcing them to retreat. They reach Capellan world of Kaifeng, where they were refused to allow to land. The 1st Screaming Eagles abandoned its garrison contract to meet with their near-destroyed comrades on Outreach. The Blakist had exposed a secret decade-long deal between the 2nd Eagles and House Davion to spy for them since 3055. Contract with MoC cancelled on charges of spying for foreign power. Forcing them return to the only realm that would accept them, House Davion.

Return to House Davion and on the Boarder

The unit unable rebuilt itself, consolidated into reinforced BattleMech Regiment and reinforce combined arms regiment of armored vehicles and infantry. The unit enter service of Duke James Sandoval of the Draconis March. The March Lord assigned the unit to garrison Outworlds Alliance border world of Kilbourne. By doing so, prevented the unit from being involved in the FedCom Civil War.

Jihad

In October 3071, the Eagles received orders from Draconis March Intelligence Command, which ordered the unit to strike the Outworlds Alliance planet of Ramous in pre-emptive attack against Blakist forces. Leaving behind the unit's 4th BattleMech Battalion and the 77th Armor garrison Kilbourne, the unit struck Ramous.

The unit's on the strike mission used pirate points, to slip by the planet's would-be Blakist defenders. However, the unit's executive office, Lt. Colonel Lewis identified that the defenders were units of Clan Snow Raven. Despite their fast entry, the world's defender were waiting for them. A trinary from the 6th Battle Cluster and the Outworlds Alliance Borderers moved meet them in a bloody battle. The Eagles managed to win the day, but suffer loss of half the force including its lead strategist, Lt. Colonel Lewis.

After salvaging Clan equipment, the unit returned to base only to find the rest of the 6th Battle Cluster had tracked unit's base was striking back at them. The 77th Armor's artillery assets was all that held back the angry Clanners and their Alliance airborne allies. Colonel Lafayette's battered command managed to tip balance of battle and lead to the destruction of entire Snow Raven Cluster.

Short after the battle, Lafayette contacted March's intelligence command report what had happened. She shortly discovers that command had not ordered them to strike the Alliance. A false order from parties unknown had possibly caused the Eagles to trigger border war with newly arrived Clan.

Officers

As of 3025 the Commanding Officer of the unit was Colonel Walther Hokala

As of 3059 the Commanding Officer of the Unit was Colonel Samuel "Buck" Layette

As of 3061 the Commanding Officer of the unit was Colonel Tam Lafayette

• She is the daughter of previous commanding officer of the Eagles. She is weak in strategic and relies on her XO, Lt. Colonel Lewis, superior strategic skills.

Tactics

3067

The unit practices the use of Combined Arms, to better support their infantry and armor units. The unit employs Arrow IV on their Aerospace fighters, to devastate enemy after the main unit softens them up.

Dragoon Ratings

3067

Rated B-

3071

Rated C

Composition History

3025

• Screaming Eagles (2 BattleMech Regiments) - Regular skilled
  • 1st Screaming Eagles - CO: Colonel Opson Mathis
  • 2nd Screaming Eagles - CO: Colonel Walther Hokala (Regimental Commander)
    • The Unit additionally consisted of Aerospace Fighters, Armor & Infantry units.

• The Eagle's have no Dropships of their own, but do own their own JumpShip.

3067

• Screaming Eagles (Reinforced BattleMech Regiment) - CO: Colonel Tam Lafayette
  • 1st Battalion - CO & Unit XO: Lt. Colonel Chris Lewis
  • 2nd Battalion CO: Major Alexander Cohen
  • 3rd Battalion CO: Major Louis Chasteen
  • 4th Battalion CO: Tu Faes D'Lihar
    • All battalions mainly employ Medium Class BattleMechs, with only a mixed company of Heavy & Assault Mechs. Additionally not included is that each Battalion has extra Battalion Command Lance & regiment's Regimental Command Lance of BattleMechs.

• 77th Heavy Armor ((Reinforced Armor Regiment]]) - CO: Lt. Colonel Roger Durling
  • By 3067, the Unit has folded its two parachute trained Infantry battalions into 77th Heavy. Each of the 77th's Battalions have a platoon of Battle Armor assigned to it. Also assign is a company of Mobile Artillery.

• Support: the unit now owns enough DropShip and JumpShip assets to be able transport entire mercenary force.

3071

• Screaming Eagles (7 BattleMech Lances) - CO: Colonel Tam Lafayette
• 77th Heavy Armor (2 Combined Arms Battalions)
  • Unit Mech forces consist of only a company worth of OmniMechs salvaged from battle with the Snow Raven's 6th Battle Cluster. The 77th Heavy Armor now reduced two battalions of operation equipment.

Notes

The Screaming Eagles disappeared from source books shortly after Fourth Succession War. The unit was not mentioned in print until Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised) was published and updated what unit was up to.

Game Notes

Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised)=

Using Force Specific Rules, the Eagles employ following abilities for scenarios. They receive A Rated Equipment. The unit may employ bombers, theses attacking aerospace fighters allow the all the Eagles to receive +3 to their initiative for entire scenario if used.

If the Aerospace Fighters/bombers are not used in the scenario, the Eagles can receive a +1 to their initiative if they are using combined arms formation consisting more than one type unit. (Tanks, Infantry, etc.) If should the unit be defenders of the scenario, they suffer from a -2 initiative.

Mercenaries Supplemental Update=

Unit still uses rules listed from FM: Mercenaries Revised, however their Equipment Rating drops to C.

References

• House Davion (The Federated Suns)
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Field Manual: Mercenaries (Revised)
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update