Snord's Irregulars

Brief History

From Mercenaries of the Succession Wars, by Thelos Auburn, Historian of House Steiner

Cranston Snord's Irregulars. Those three words conjure up different images to different people. Some think of them as a mercenary unit bent on gathering together the valuable remains of the once powerful Star League. To others, they were nothing but a roving band of looters. In truth, the Irregulars were neither and both of these. Their heroics are shrouded in myth or exaggerated, but some of the unit's true history is a matter of public record.

Cranston Snord was a MechWarrior who piloted an old, battered Archer that he had inherited from his father. After several successful fights, Snord offered his services to Jaime Wolf, who warmly accepted him as a member of the elite mercenary unit, Wolf's Dragoons. During Cranston's two years with the Dragoons he was continually in and out of trouble with his commander. More than once Wolf had to reprimand Snord for but Cranston always managed out by saying that he was not really a looter, but a collector. As Snord was also a skilled MechWarrior, which bought him, time with Jaime Wolf.

Then he committed an act for which all his skill and bravery could not compensate. During the battle for Royal, Cranston deserted his station. When they found him later, he was searching, through the rubble of a building for a chest of artwork rumored to be buried there. Wolf's patience had finally run out, for his command could not tolerate a man who would desert the field of battle to pursue his own gain. Snord was dismissed from Wolf's Dragoons, and deposited with his 'Mech on the planet Crossing.

Though Snord was once again a free man, freedom does not pay the bills. When he tried to join other units, they turned him down because of what had happened with Wolf's Dragoons. Within a few months, Snord's funds had all but run out, and he was on the verge of selling his 'Mech just to survive. It was then he met Melvin McFinney, the commanding officer of McFinney's Manglers, a small mercenary outfit. The fateful meeting occurred during a game of cards in a bar on Crossing in 3002. In a desperate attempt to improve his situation, Snord had gotten into a high-stakes game of poker, putting up his 'Mech as collateral.

The actual outcome of the game has been told and retold so many times that few know what really happened. According to second-hand accounts, Cranston and McFinney were the last two players left. Cranston was betting his 'Mech, which was the only thing he had left in the world. He told McFinney that to make the game fair, McFinney should bet everything he had in the world. McFinney bet his unit, including his Dropships and his 'Mech. It looked like a sucker bet, because McFinney had been winning all night. In the final draw, however Cranston won.

Cranston Snord had become the proud owner of his own mercenary outfit. Snord was also now the proud owner of the debts that McFinney had run up in a past, and the list of debtors was a long one. The unit consisted of five 'Mechs and a Dropship with five fighters. Only one of the fighters was capable of fighting, though, and only two of the 'Mechs had either, engines or weaponry that amounted to anything. The Dropships itself, a Union Class vessel, was no great prize either. Its hull was scarred from numerous battles and its engines needed extensive work. When he woke the next morning, Cranston found himself faced with three bill collectors, all demanding money owed by McFinney's Manglers. Using the last his funds, Cranston paid them off. Now he was broke.

He could not afford a Tech, so Cranston settle on, several men from the ranks of the Dispossessed, who were willing to work in exchange for the opportunity to pilot a 'Mech again. How Cranston collected new parts is best left out of this history until all legal claims have been resolved. Using these new parts, plus parts from two of McFinney's 'Mechs, Cranston was able to refit his own 'Mech and repair three of the others, one of which he sold to pay off more debts. He handled the fighters in the same way, scrapping three of the fighters and using their parts to make two others combat ready. Within two months, Cranston had a small force of three 'Mechs, two fighters, and a Dropships.

First Actions

Though Snord had paid off most of McFinney's debts, there were still several large ones outstanding. To pay them, Cranston needed to find work for the unit, or it would go bankrupt.

House Marik was currently Snord's biggest creditor. In 3003, he proposed a means to even the debt. At that time, Marik forces were engaged on all borders, but were most hotly pressed by House Steiner. Just to hold the border areas, Marik was taking on every mercenary unit the House could hire. Snord made a deal with Marik, agreeing to serve the House for one year as payment in kind for all the money he owed Marik. Almost immediately, Janos Marik assigned Cranston's unit to Rochelle, where House Steiner had made its deepest penetration. The world was little more than a muddy battlefield, littered with the remains of 'Mechs that had not survived the war. Units assigned there reported 70 percent losses.

The battle for Rochelle lasted nine months. Though Steiner forces were eventually driven from the world, losses on both sides were staggering. Entire mercenary units were wiped out. Others were completely disorganized. Most 'Mechs were mauled beyond repair. The one exception was Cranston Snord's Unit

During the battle for Rochelle, it was customary skill and daring that had brought his unit through almost completely intact. What's more, he had managed to recruit to his unit a number of MechWarriors (and their 'Mechs) whose own units had been destroyed.

Though a victory for House Marik, the battle for Rochelle had decimated its forces. In an effort to rebuild them, Marik attempted to confiscate all surviving 'Mechs, even those owned privately. Specially targeted were the 'Mechs of Cranston's unit.

Not long after the fighting ended, Janos Marik demanded that Snord pay off his debt. Snord insisted that the debt was paid in full after Rochelle, according to their deal. Janos could not seem to recall any such deal, however, and ordered him to turn over his 'Mechs. Snord, of course, refused. Still stationed on Rochelle, his unit stood and fought rather than see their 'Mechs confiscated. The results were costly, but Cranston did manage to get most of his forces off the wasted world. Once free, he pledged that his unit would never again work for House Marik. He further threatened to fight them on sight. House Marik, in response, ordered that Cranston Snord be taken into custody and his unit repossessed for funds due.

Hearing of the unit's bravery during the Rochelle battles and of its final daring escape, Katrina Steiner offered Cranston Snord a contract. He agreed to meet with a Steiner representative on the planet Clinton to discuss terms.

In Service to Steiner

Snord used the time on Clinton to rebuild his damaged unit. He had taken on some new men, and several of their 'Mechs needed major repairs. Meanwhile, negotiations with House Steiner dragged on. Beaten, battered, and broke, Cranston and his men had little with which to bargain. Katrina Steiner, however, took a personal interest in the unit that had fought so well on Rochelle. The result was a contract that differed from any other mercenary agreement in the history of the Succession Wars.

The pay was low but, in return, Cranston Snord had the right to select the location of his unit's assignment. He figured that low pay for his unit could be made up by the 'collectibles' to be found, and he knew more about the location of these 'collectibles' than did anyone since the Star League era. Cranston also insisted that his unit be provided with a permanent facility on the planet Clinton and that House Steiner provide the repair parts for his 'Mechs.

The final point of the agreement had to do with the unit's name. Having a soft spot in his heart for misfits who had been dismissed from other units, Snord composed his outfit mostly of loners, outcasts, and rebels. The name they chose for themselves was Cranston Snord's Irregulars.

After several months, the unit was refitted and ready for action at about the time the Steiner world of New Kyoto came under attack by House Marik. New replacement units were being sent to the defense, and Cranston's unit was offered the assignment. Before accepting, he researched the world with the help of Jake Walmar, one of his men whose hobby was collecting old books. Their research showed that several major works of art had been taken from Kyoto's museums at the fall of the Star League and buried in underground vaults. Cranston's attack lance leader, Bright Thomlinson, who also happened to be an expert on Kyoto art, estimated the collection's value to be in the millions. Thus, Snord accepted the assignment, planning to uncover the hidden art treasures and to take his revenge on House Marik at the same time.

Cranston Snord's Irregulars dropped on the New Kyoto city of Kirwanal, a site chosen because Cranston believed the treasures were stored here. Though he did not discover any works of art there, Snord did find treasure of another sort-a Marik supply dump. Taking the dump defenders by surprise, Cranston's Irregulars wiped out the Marik force.

Having learned that the art objects were not in Kirwanal, Snord drove his unit on to the city of Shaval, having picked up information that the works might be hidden there. Once there, Cranston stumbled onto Marik's New Kyoto command post, wiped it out, and moved into Shaval himself. Several times the remains of the Marik forces tried to drive out the Irregulars, who beat them back easily, eventually forcing Marik to retreat.

Katrina Steiner had calculated that the defense of New Kyoto would last eight months. Cranston Snord's Irregulars routed the Marik forces in just over two months, mostly due to the dumb luck of the unit and its commander. Katrina Steiner sent her personal congratulations to the unit, awarding its officers the Steiner Medal of Honor with Oak Leaf Clusters. In the meantime, Cranston unearthed one of the hidden vaults containing the lost art objects of New Kyoto, and spirited it to the planet Clinton.

The Irregulars were next transferred to the planet Wing in Marik-controlled space, a move agreeable to Cranston because it provided him an opportunity to acquire the famous rare book collections of Devron. Jake Walmar was also enthusiastic about the venture, despite the fact that many of House Marik's top line units were dug in on the small planet.

The fighting on Wing was fierce, the heaviest that Snord had seen since the battle for Rochelle. He never forgot his primary purpose in coming to Wing, however. When two of his pilots reported intercepting a message about a library that had been discovered by the Marik forces, Cranston and Jake felt certain it was the Collection of Devron. With the intention of capturing the rare books, they hatched a plan for a daring raid behind enemy lines.

According to Cranston's intelligence reports, the find was going to be transported overland to a Dropships landing zone. Disobeying his own battle orders, Cranston ordered his lances to circumvent the Marik lines and head for the rear area of the Marik defenses to rescue the collection.

The Irregulars circled around the fighting front, heading deep behind Marik lines to find the caravan carrying the books. This put the unit far from supplies or support of any kind. When the Irregulars did not report in, Steiner command assumed that they had been lost. In the meantime, Snord's Irregulars ambushed the caravan just outside the city of Merth, capturing most of the crates of rare books intact.

This action alerted the Marik forces to the penetration made by the Irregulars. Believing that the force was actually making a drive for the Marik command center, Marik diverted fully half their front-line troops to hunt down the unit. With the Marik front lines so weakened, the regular Steiner forces were able to punch through the lines. To their astonishment, they discovered Snord's Irregulars trapped in a small river valley and fighting for their lives. The unit would no doubt have been destroyed if the regular Steiner lances had not suddenly thundered in to the rescue. Once again, Cranston's luck saved him and his men, and Katrina Steiner again decorated them for heroism. Meanwhile, the book collection had been routed to Clinton.

As several of the Irregulars 'Mechs were badly damaged and several pilots wounded, Cranston received permission to return to Clinton for refitting of equipment and a little rest and relaxation for his men. Even though House Steiner paid for the parts, the cost of refitting the 'Mechs was high, due to the damage taken at the Battle of Wing. Cranston had to sell part of his unit's collection of art to pay for the repairs. In the meantime, however, the men built a museum to house their works on Clinton. Though not as elaborate as museums of the old Star League era, it drew enough tourists to help pay some of the expenses the unit had incurred in battle.

Intermission

Between the years 3006 and 3017, Cranston Snord's Irregulars were engaged in no less than six attacks against House Marik. Of those engagements, only one was considered a battle loss. It occurred during the Battles of Amity when the unit, deployed to fight a holding action, allowed several other units to escape. Though historians call it a loss, the Irregulars considered it a victory for them, as the commander and his men managed to find the lost Jewel of Sumatra before retreating.

Katrina Steiner enjoyed the exploits of the unit and was a frequent visitor at the museum. Her advisors, however, disliked the Irregulars, because Cranston did not follow standard battle tactics or procedures and flagrantly disobeyed orders. In the end, Katrina cared more for the results gained from how well and hard Snord's Irregulars fought for her.

During this time, the unit's museum grew considerably. While Cranston had originally seen the profits from 'collecting' as a means of direct income, he began to notice that it was having additional benefits. The men and women of his unit had begun to take a personal pride and interest in the collection. They enjoyed showing it off and began to study about the items in their collection so that they could discuss them knowledgeably with visitors. Though maintaining the collection cost the unit part of their pay, the treasures helped bond the members to one another and added greatly to their morale.

Though now a financial success, Cranston's Irregulars were not so much a military unit as a band of artifact hunters who would retreat from a battle if they smelled treasure. In the years between 3006 and 3017, the unit fought mainly in minor battles, but these actions were improving the unit's financial position and also proving its fighting ability. In 3014, however, Cranston's Irregulars faced their most daring challenge.

In that year, Jaime Wolf and the famous Wolf's Dragoons entered the employ of House Marik. Throughout the year, the Dragoons were engaged in deep-penetration raids into Steiner controlled space. Wolf performed hit and-run raids on a dozen worlds, dropping only long enough to attack and destroy and to steal supplies. In an effort to capture Jaime Wolf and his forces, Katrina Steiner deposited several of her mercenary units on border worlds, hoping that they would engage and wear down the enemy, forcing him to retreat. One of these mercenary units was Cranston Snord's Irregulars.

The planet Loric was remote and, according to Cranston's research team, had once been a depository for imported goods during the height of Star League. When Cranston accepted the assignment, therefore, he was planning to uncover enough collectibles on the world to pay the mounting bills on Clinton. Their military mission was a simple one-defending a small munitions dump on Loric from the raiding Dragoons.

Because Jaime Wolf was pressed for supplies, he let his usual tight intelligence slide regarding Loric. When his spies reported that only a small group of 'Mechs stood guard over a munitions supply post, Wolf did not bother to ask the defending unit's name. In the ensuing battle, several of Wolf's best lances fell to a trap laid by Cranston Snord. In the end, Wolf departed without the munitions, and the Irregulars remained intact, with several captured 'Mechs for their efforts. According to rumor, Cranston even returned the captured MechWarriors as a gesture of good faith to his former commander. The Dragoons continued on with their famous raid, but the battle had weakened them. Worse, it hurt their commander's pride. Although it is not a subject that Cranston discusses often, the battle was a turning point for the Irregulars. No longer were they viewed as just a band of talented scavengers. They were now known as a military unit capable of taking on and beating a tough and seasoned unit. From that time on, Snord's Irregulars became a force to be reckoned with.

Reprisal

Janos Marik was not a man who took losing lightly. Following Wolf's defeat at the hands of the Irregulars, Janos decided to pay back Cranston for all the problems the unit had caused him. In 3017, while Snord was fighting Wolf's forces at Loric, Marik sent a unit of elite fighters to destroy the museum on Clinton. The Marik raiders met little resistance.

When the Irregulars returned to Clinton, they found their base still smoking from the attack and their precious collection stolen, destroyed, or badly damaged. With the unit's finances nearly depleted, Cranston now faced the most difficult challenge of his career. The morale of his outfit sank to rock bottom, and there was talk of disbanding the unit. He had nowhere to turn but to Katrina Steiner, who agreed to meet with him within a week of his return to Clinton. As a result of their talk, Katrina gave Snord an advance on pay as well as permission to launch an all-out assault against Marik.

When Cranston returned to his unit, he informed his people that he had a plan to end Marik's harassment of the Irregulars once and for all. The first step was to regain the objects that had been stolen from the museum. Then they would pay back House Marik and the Free Worlds League. For the next three months, the Irregulars collected data, analyzed troop movements and displacements, and finalized a daring move against the reign of Janos Marik.

The code name of the operation was the Junk Yard Dog Affair, named after one of the old songs in the music collection of Cranston's daughter Rhonda. The raid would be one of the most daring ever undertaken by a combat unit in the Succession Wars, placing Cranston's Irregulars well behind enemy lines.

The first phase of the operation was to regain the stolen museum pieces. According to Cranston's intelligence sources, the pieces had been transported to the planet Nathan, located in space controlled by the Free Worlds League. To infiltrate the planet, Cranston disguised his Dropships as a Free Worlds' vessel returning from a tour of duty on the front. The C-bills to pay for the stolen security codes came directly from Katrina Steiner and the coffers of the Lyran Commonwealth.

Nathan was a rural world used by some regular units as a resting stop. It was also far enough in the rear area of battle that free traders came here to market their goods. Cranston's agents informed him that the museum pieces were expected to bring high prices.

When Cranston's Dropships received permission to orbit Nathan, he dropped several of his 'Mechs on a deserted part of the planet, away from the screens of the Marik forces. He then asked for permission to deploy some of his men and equipment on the planet for R and R. Believing that they were dealing with a Regular Army unit, the government leaders on Nathan agreed.

The battles on Nathan were rough for the Irregulars, with so many of Marik's Regular Army units mobilized against them. The fighting took place in several of the small cities where parts of the collection of the Irregulars were being sold or stored. Cranston allowed the Irregulars only two weeks to recapture their merchandise. After that, he knew Marik would have had a chance to move in reinforcements.

After two weeks of combat and urban warfare, the 'Mechs and MechWarriors of Cranston Snord's Irregulars left Nathan, having recaptured much of what they came for. Confident that the Irregulars would head for the Steiner border to linkup with units there, Janos Marik deployed his forces to stop them. That was exactly what Cranston was hoping. Instead of heading to safety, he drove deeper into the Free Worlds League, to the planet Holt. Once there, he staged the second phase of his plan, an attack on the residential palace of House Marik on Holt. Guarding the estate was Jason Marik, third cousin to Janos, along with a very small 'Mech guard unit. The day of the attack just happened to coincide with a celebration for Jason's birthday.

When Snord dropped his 'Mechs on the palace grounds, he caught Janos Marik and his guard totally by surprise. The defenders tried to organize, but the battle was over in two hours, leaving the palace on fire and Jason Marik a prisoner.

Katrina Steiner used the confusion created by Snord's raid on Holt to launch a sudden attack on the planet Oliver, as her intelligence sources had informed her that many of the world's units had been mobilized and sent away to search for Snord's Irregulars. Though Katrina never expected Cranston to return from his raid, she hoped to make good use of his efforts against her old enemy. Much to her surprise, Cranston and most of his unit reappeared on Clinton four months after their raid against Marik.

Though the attack on Holt had been successful, it took the Irregulars six months to repair their 'Mechs, Dropships and fighters. Selling off parts of the recaptured museum helped pay the bills, but once again Snord found himself with debts he could not pay.

The Battles of Alexandria

Snord's Irregulars won an impressive reputation for their part in the Junk Yard Dog affair, a reputation Katrina Steiner sought to spread beyond the borders of the Commonwealth into the sphere of House Kurita and the Draconis Combine. Intending to keep Snord and his men far from the Marik border for awhile, she sent the Irregulars to Alexandria, a world rumored to contain a wealth of Star League supplies and armaments.

Alexandria attracted Cranston Snord for reasons other than supplies and armaments, for it had once been a show place for museums and art galleries. With the outbreak of war, most of the collections had been divided up and sent for safekeeping to several of the of planet's smaller cities. With visions of quick profit dancing in his head,

Cranston readily committed the Irregulars to the assignment. House Kurita was not intimidated by the Irregulars' reputation, and Cranston discovered that not all his fights ended in success. When several of his pilots took off in the middle of battle to search, for booty, they ended up walking into a trap. To rescue his men, Snord had to fight his way through stiff resistance put up by the Kurita forces. His amazing luck still held. At the peak of the battle several Kurita Archers had pinned down Snord and his command lance, but when the Archers attempted to fire their missiles, they all turned out to be duds.

Too late, the Kurita force learned that their missile systems had come from a shipment of defectives that had been supplied somehow to Alexandria. Cranston managed to escape. Though the Irregulars had made the Kurita forces sit up and take notice, the battles on Alexandria were the most disastrous the unit had ever faced. The work had also turned out to be the most unprofitable. After seven months on the planet, the Irregulars returned to Clinton, where it took them another six months to repair the extensive damage to their forces and equipment.

In 3022, the Irregulars were ordered to report to the world of Tamar to bolster the weakened Steiner forces fighting there. Cranston accepted the mission not because there was a possibility of collecting, but because his people were tired and restless. They needed some sort of action to keep their skills honed. Cranston hoped Tamar would provide such an opportunity. The Irregulars' attack on Tamar started as an almost textbook example of disaster and ended in overwhelming victory. To begin with, the Irregulars were accidentally dropped several kilometers from their designated area, landing in the middle of Vrance, a small city controlled by Kurita forces under the leadership of the now famous General Askam. Askam figured that the Irregulars would immediately attempt to retreat to friendly lines, but Cranston astounded Askam by attacking and taking the city. While in Vrance the Irregulars were able to win over support of some of the locals, who were more than happy to contribute to Cranston's museum collection.

When General Askam discovered that the Irregulars were firmly entrenched in the city, he sent several crack attack lances to rout them from Vrance. As the Kurita forces moved cautiously into the city they saw no signs of life. Apparently the Irregular's had fled, in terror. The commander was just preparing to report this to Askam, when fake buildings suddenly gave way to armed and battle-ready 'Mechs. The streets caved in to reveal previously concealed traps. Smaller buildings exploded, taking out Kurita 'Mechs with them. The three Kurita lances tried to form line of defense, but the Irregulars were everywhere. Open streets became blind alleys, and escape routes became clogged with flames and smoke. When the fighting ended, only two Kurita 'Mech managed to escape from the city of Vrance. Only then did Cranston order his men to make their way back to the Steiner lines.

General Askam was so impressed with the Irregulars' fighting skills and tactics that he offered them a secret contract for twice the pay to fight with the Kurita forces of the Combine. Cranston was interested, but Askam flatly refused his request for a provision that the unit choose where it might be assigned, "for collecting purposes". Instead, Askam offered even more money. In the meantime, Katrina Steiner contacted Snord with the news that she was increasing the unit's pay. It is interesting to speculate how the terms of the secret contract negotiations with Askam reached Katrina Steiner. Cranston Snord always maintained that it was once again, luck.

Home Front

In 3023, Cranston's unit was reassigned to the Steiner/Marik border on the planet Hyde, a remote little world that was almost entirely ocean. House Steiner had a huge water purification plant located there. With pure water in such short supply on the war-torn planets, Steiner spies had received information that the plant was to be the target of a Marik raid. Katrina assigned the Irregulars to the protect it.

During the Irregulars' first months on Hyde, Snord reorganized the defense of the small island where the purification plant was located. When nothing more happened, the unit was left bored and at "loose ends. Though Snord had begun to wonder if the report of the attack had been a hoax, Katrina Steiner's well-paid spies were accurate. Units of the 23rd Herron Regiment eventually landed on Hyde with full support, making a move for the small island and its water purification plant.

Once again, Cranston's luck saved him. To ease the boredom of his men, Cranston had his men search for a treasure said to be hidden in the sands of Hyde. The Irregulars used their 'Mechs for digging, covering the huge craters they gouged out with tarps to keep the machines cool. When the 23rd Herron Regiment landed, they saw what looked like nothing more than a tent city, and moved against the island. Suddenly, Snord and his Irregulars crawled but of their holes, catching the 23rd completely off guard. The battle lasted half a day before the 23rd Regiment surrendered. For their actions, the Irregulars received a Unit Citation of Merit from Katrina Steiner. However, they never did recover the treasure reportedly hidden in the sands.

After the battle on Hyde, the unit retired to Clinton for several months of needed rest and relaxation. Snord, meanwhile, undertook to have his museum reconstructed. When complete, this reconstruction served a twofold purpose. It raised his unit's morale and brought in needed cash. Despite the raise in pay, the Irregulars were still in debt for the units repair parts, ammunition, and supplies.

A Cold Reception

The last major assignment of the Irregulars was on the planet Phecda in the Lyran Commonwealth. The water resources on this world were vast, and the Commonwealth had tried repeatedly to set up a processing plant, only to have it attacked and destroyed by Marik forces. Because House Marik had developed a healthy respect for the fighting ability of the Irregulars, Katrina hoped Snord would accept the assignment to serve as a border defense detail there. Phecda is a cold world, swept by terrible windstorms and blizzards. The environment was tough on humans, but the perfect place to operate a 'Mech.

Cranston's research showed that an old Colossus Class Dropship had been attacked on Phecda during the fall of the Star League. The ship had crashed fairly intact, but no attempt had been made to recover the contents of the vessel because of the planet's harsh, cold climate and frequent blizzards. Hoping to uncover the ship and salvage some of its contents, Snord decided to accept the job.

Arriving on Phecda, Snord saw that the water purification plant was a large, easy target, highly visible from space. He realized immediately that after several months of construction the Marik forces would simply raid it again and destroy the work, costing House Steiner a great deal of time and money. He devised a plan of defense and discussed it with Katrina Steiner's liaison, who dubiously reported it to Katrina this time. By this time, Katrina Steiner had come trust the hunches of Cranston Snord and so she had the necessary supplies shipped.

Three months passed. Word went out from Marik spies on the desolate world of Phecda that the water purification facility was nearly complete. The spies also reported to Marik that the Irregulars were acting according to form. Instead of digging in to defend the plan they were out searching the snowdrifts for yet another treasure.

Snord knew about the spies, of course. They could not have suited his needs better if they had been on his own payroll. When the plant was near completion, Marik Dropships appeared, depositing three lances on Phecda to deal with the Irregulars and to take out the water processing plant.

As their spies had reported, the Marik forces found the plant guarded only by the Recon Lance of the Irregulars, with the others apparently out looking for treasure. The Recon unit fought well, but was forced to pull back before Marik's onslaught. Soon, the Marik forces had the purification plant in their sights and the Recon Lance on the run.

As the Marik 'Mechs thundered into the plant compound, the world blew up around them, or so it must have seemed. The new buildings were false and filled with nothing but crude explosives. Once the attacking lances were in the middle of the compound. Snord detonated all the false buildings. Then his attack and command lances, as well as the Recon Lance, moved in from the surrounding hills to mop up the Marik survivors

In reality, the real purification facility was constructed several kilometers away, where it had appeared that Cranston's Irregulars were searching for treasure. The site was protected by only one 'Mech. Cranston played a hunch that if the false facility were built in the same vicinity as the real one, Marik's spies would not suspect that there was more than one. Once again, the gods of luck had smiled on the Irregulars

The battle lasted two days as the Irregulars tracked down the enemy "Mechs that had managed to survive the initial explosion. Snord estimated in his official report only three to five 'Mechs from the original three lances managed to make it back to the Marik Dropship. He found it difficult to celebrate the victory, however. His daughter Rhonda had been critically wounded when an attacking 'Mech smashed her cockpit, crushing her arm and legs. She was rushed back to Clinton for surgery.

On a lighter note, John "The Snooper" Malvinson, came across a metal sounding deep in a drift several kilometers from the battle site. An investigation of the area showed it to be the site where the Colossus Dropships had crashed. Cranston ordered the ship dug out while he accompanied his daughter back to Clinton. The Irregulars worked eight weeks and, on Cranston's return, greeted him with the good news that they had recovered the ship. Cranston had his own good news. Rhonda was well again, and would be able to rejoin the unit soon.

The salvaging of the Colossus was one of the largest operations that the Irregulars had ever undertaken. The vessel had crashed almost completely intact, and the harsh cold of Phecda had preserved the bodies of her crew. Inside the hold, Cranston and his men discovered a virtual warehouse of Battlemech parts and even several 'Mechs.

When Katrina Steiner heard of the find from her internal intelligence agency, she contacted Snord and, in his words, "kindly requested a fair portion" of the found goods. Cranston readily gave up part of his fantastic find to the Lyran Commonwealth, because Katrina had been good to him and because he wanted to avoid a confrontation. Besides, the Irregulars had fared well. The haul from the operation was enough several 'Mechs and to make some important repairs to the unit's Dropship. The new' Mechs were brought unit to increase its size.

Since Snord's Irregulars returned to Clinton for refitting and repair work in 3025, they have not taken part in any new military actions. It is rumored that several of the opposing Houses have bid on an opportunity to employ the Irregulars, but Snord has always refused. Some sources say that he intends to remain with House Steiner so that he can continue to harass his old enemies in House Marik. Others say that Katrina Steiner may have a financial hold over him.

Cranston Snord has gained a reputation as a skilled fighter full of dangerous tricks. Some call him a looter, some call a lunatic. A few call him a genius. Such remarks do not faze Snord. His mind is on more important matters, such as the hidden hoard of antique coins on Bella, or the ancient comic book collections reported to be stored on Kobe, or the collection of small gold buttons in the city of Heeber on Nathan.

Civil War

During the early stages of the FedCom Civil War, the Irregulars were in the employ of Katherine Steiner-Davion but were not eager to fight in a civil war. When their contract was about to lapse, they were sent to Odessa to defend from a possible attack by Archer's Avengers. When the Avengers, led by Archer Christifori, arrived to offer the Irregulars a job, a Loki operative arranged a series of events which led the mercenaries and the pro-Victor forces to fight each other.

When the deception was uncovered and the battle for Odessa won, the Irregulars agreed to leave Katherine's service but still refused to fight in a civil war. Christifori then suggested that they be deployed to the Clan border so that they would not have to. The Irregulars were later mentioned in the events of Operation Audacity, where they fought the Jade Falcons during that Clan's attack against the Alliance.