Donald Valentine
Donald Valentine | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Also known as | Saint |
| Born | 3039[1] |
| Affiliation | Holt's Hilltoppers[1] |
| Career | |
| Rank | Colonel[2] |
| Profession | MechWarrior |
Colonel Donald "Saint" Valentine was a MechWarrior and Solaris Gladiator, who later served in the Holt's Hilltoppers mercenary unit, during the thirty-first century.[1][2][3][4]
History
Solaris
Valentine's first career was as a pitfighter on Solaris VII, but despite his elite skills, he was ultimately not successful in this endeavor. Considered washed-up, by 3060[5] he was on Outreach desperately seeking work as a mercenary, when he was hired by Holt's Hilltoppers.[2]
FedCom Civil War
During the FedCom Civil War Valentine was a lieutenant in command of the Hilltoppers' Champion Lance[3], though he was still known for sometimes lapsing back into a focus on solo combat, and ignoring his responsibilities as a unit commander. From a tactical perspective however, when in control of his unit, Valentine shared his commander George Holt's preference for ambush tactics.[1]
It was during the period, while fighting in the 3064 Battle of Ashio, that Valentine earned his nickname "Saint". This was not from any romantic escapades, but rather due to Donald committing his own Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, after the Draconis Combine attacked the Hilltoppers and the allied First Robinson Rangers with chain gang infantry in the harsh acid rain of Ashio's Heshial Cont on 14 February 3064. More from mercy than anger, Valentine rushed into the middle of the infantry battalion, killing them all with his autocannon. While this gave Valentine a higher kill total than any other Hilltopper at the time, it also left him with nightmares for many years afterwards.[2][1]
Regardless, he continued to rise through the ranks of the Hilltoppers, and by the end of the FedCom Civil War Valentine has been promoted to major, second in command of the Hilltoppers as a whole, and the Hilltoppers' Fronc Reaches based Champion Company.[4][2]
Victoria War
Remaining active with the Hilltoppers through the Word of Blake Jihad, during the 3103 Victoria War Valentine commanded the Hilltoppers' Champion Battalion, during its participation in Duchess Amanda Hasek's invasion of the Capellan Confederation. Together with the Eighth Syrtis Fusiliers and First Federated Suns Armored Cavalry, Valentine's Battalion helped claim the world of Jacson during the invasion's first wave, by defeating the defending Lethal Injection mercenary unit. While outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, the Lethal Injection were able to use dense forest to facilitate their escape from Valentine's pursuing Hilltoppers, and once off-world managed to raise the alarm regarding the invasion to their Capellan employers.[6]
Subsequent to this campaign, Valentine was promoted to colonel, within the Hilltoppers.[2]
Family
Valentine had children, who have him at least five grandchildren, including Yolanda Valentine, her brother and three other sisters.[7]
BattleMech
Valentine was known to have initially piloted a Wolfhound BattleMech. He later downed an enemy Axman, which he salvaged, and adopted as his new BattleMech.[2][3][4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Spotlight On: Holt's Hilltoppers, p. 6
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Technical Readout: Clan Invasion, p. 144
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Spotlight On: Holt's Hilltoppers, p. 8
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Spotlight On: Holt's Hilltoppers, p. 9
- ↑ Spotlight On: Holt's Hilltoppers, p. 2
- ↑ Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 50
- ↑ The Empty Grave