Jake Hawkins
Jake Hawkins | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Affiliation | Free Worlds League |
| Career | |
| Rank | Colonel[1] |
Jake Hawkins was the commanding officer of the Fifteenth Marik Militia as of 3014.[1]
History
Colonel Hawkins and the Fifteenth Marik Militia were stranded on Berenson at the outbreak of Anton's Revolt due to the manipulations of Anton Marik. Loyal to Captain-General Janos Marik, Hawkins' Fifteenth Militia remained a target for the rebel forces and in late 3014 the Third Marik Militia and Fourth Ducal Guard arrived on Berenson to eliminate them. After months of isolation, Hawkins knew his troops were in poor shape and instead elected to delay the rebels with a series of fighting withdrawals. While this cost Hawkins a battalion of troops, these tactics succeeded in buying enough time for the Thirty-first Marik Militia to arrive as reinforcements. Rather than risk losing one of his major military commands and the resulting morale blow, Anton Marik ordered the Third to retreat and left Hawkins' unit intact, if not whole.[1]
Hawkins' Fifteenth Militia and the accompanying Thirty-first Militia pursued the Third Militia to Bernardo where, after three weeks of fighting, the badly injured Third Militia fell back once again to Park Place.[2] Joined by the mercenary Head Hunters and the Stewart Dragoons' Home Guard, the Fifteenth Militia spent another two weeks battering the Third Militia into submission on Park Place, ultimately forcing General Gerald Marik into surrendering.[3]
Following Anton's Revolt, Hawkins continued to command the Fifteenth Militia and was stationed on Wasat in 3025.[4]
During the Fourth Succession War, Hawkins and the Fifteenth Militia were caught entirely off guard when the Third Republican Guards invaded Wasat on 22 June 3029. While the militamen were ready and willing to fight, their lack of preparation produced several holes in their lines that were quickly exploited by the Third Republican. When the Third Republican's Second Battalion broke through to Hawkins' rear lines, its Charlie Company was specifically tasked with capturing the Fifteenth Militia's command post. While the lance of Free Worlds BattleMechs assigned with defending the headquarters nearly lasted long enough for reinforcements to arrive, Hawkins was captured just five minutes before relief reached the command post. The Fifteenth Militia's defense of Wasat collapsed soon afterwards, although most of the Fifteenth Militia was allowed to leave the planet and the officers captured during the headquarters' fall were ransomed back to the Free Worlds League for a modest amount of money.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Historical: Brush Wars, p. 26: "Berenson"
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, pp. 30–31: "Collapse - Other Actions"
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 32: "Park Place"
- ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 108: "'Mech Unit Deployment Table"
- ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 84–85: "Wasat"