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2024-11-19T21:07:08Z

Removed cleanup tag because the issues already have their specific tags.

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{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[File:The Scourge.png|150px]]
| Designation = 1st Bannson's Raiders
| Formed = [[3132]]{{cn}}
| Disbanded =
| Previous Designation =
| Nickname = The Scourge
| Affiliation = [[Bannson Universal Unlimited]]
| Parent Command = [[Bannson's Raiders]]
| Sub-Command =
}}

== History ==
The '''First Bannson's Raiders''' was a mercenary regiment in the employment of [[Jacob Bannson]] and part of the military arm of [[Bannson Universal Unlimited]]. Although the First is their official name, they were better known by their nickname '''The Scourge'''.<ref name=TPI10>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 10</ref>

The warriors of the Scourge are fiercely competitive with each other due in part to the rule laid down by Jacob Bannson that any 'Mech captured in battle by a Scourge warrior becomes that warrior's personal property. Although Bannson had the wealth to provide them with new and well-maintained equipment, they did not have access to the cutting-edge technologies of the day due to Bannson's lack of ties with the Republic military and his ''commoner'' status.{{cn}}

In September [[3132]], the Scourge raided a [[Belyakov-Ourobouros]] depot on [[Fletcher (CC)|Fletcher]], overwhelming the defenders and escaping with a haul of valuable salvage.<ref name=TRO:Ip24>''Technical Readout: Irregulars'', p. 24, "''Opossum'' SalvageMech MOD"</ref>

In October [[3133]], news of a secret operational BattleMech factory on [[Irian]] had made it to the Scourge's ears. The Scourge landed near the Kirin River Valley and executed an ambush on a factory supply train guarded by the [[Northwind Highlanders]]. The Raiders laid mines in the convoy's path and attacked from the cover of the surrounding woods. The Raiders did not expect the Highlanders' presence but attempted to loot the convoy despite the resistance. When the attack ultimately failed, they retreated into the forest with little to show for their efforts.<ref name=TPI14>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 14</ref> While the Raiders visibly pulled off-planet, they secretly left behind a contingent hidden in the Soapstone Mountains to await another chance to strike. In late November that year, as several factions were fighting over the factory complex, this small force made a lightning attack that quickly gained a foothold inside the complex. When they realized they could not take and hold the facility, they instead turned their weapons on their prize to deny it to anyone else. The Scourge caused extensive damage and retreated before being hunted down.<ref name=TPI25-6>''Turning Points: Irian'', p. 25-6</ref>

After the Scourge's XO, [[Esau Stark]], died in action at [[3135]], his successor, [[Stephen Wallace]], vowed to keep the unit's cohesion.{{cn}}
In August [[3136]] the Scourge, after Bannson attempted to renege on the unit's promised salvage terms, mutinied against Jacob Bannson and Colonel Tenclay, taking the first captive, to be turned over to Republic authorities. Bannson's final fate is unclear, but the [[RAF]]'s lack of pursuit to the Scourge suggest they exchanged him for safe passage.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 19</ref><ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge'', p.113</ref>

After becoming independent, the Scourge, under Wallace's command, travelled to [[Irian]], where [[Irian Technologies]] gave them dirty work for several years, mainly purloining technical specifications or working examples of military technology, usually from the RAF.{{cn}}
After the [[Free Worlds League]]'s reunification, the Scourge moved to the infamously corporate-friendly hiring hall of [[Son Hoa]], where they quickly built a reputation of discretion for their work.{{cn}}
In an unknown date, the Scourge began working for the [[pirate]] lord [[Abdoun Ricol]], a.k.a., ''the Red Hunter'', apparently after Colonel Wallace's death at the hands of [[Clan Nova Cat]] forces. The unit's new commander, Colonel [[Gerhard Stahl]], appealed to Ricol to keep the unit from fracturing. The deaths of several claimants to command the unit helped to prevent it.<ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge'', p.113-114</ref>

The most recent operation of the Scourge was a raid on the Durallex armor fabrication plant on [[Unity]] in [[3151]], undertaken at the behest of [[Technicron Manufacturing]]. Since then, they appear to be headed to [[The Barrens]], implied to make joint operations with Ricol.<ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge'', p.114</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the First Bannson's Raiders'''
|-
| [[Colonel]]||[[Meghann Tenclay]]||[[3132]]<ref name="MWDADPCp40>''MechWarrior: Dark Age - Dossiers and Pilot Cards'', p. 40: "Meghann Tenclay profile"</ref>
|-
| Colonel||[[Hadrian Roth]]||[[3136]]<ref name=Loyal1>''Loyalty'', part.1 "When the Newness Wears Off"</ref>
|-
| Colonel||[[Stephen Wallace]]||[[3136]]<ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge''</ref>
|-
| Colonel||[[Gerhardt Stahl]]||[[3151]]<ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge''</ref>
|}

===Other Officers===
In 3132 the unit XO was [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Esau Stark]].{{cn}}

== Tactics ==
The men and women of the unit were highly-trained professional soldiers but their temperament meant that they were more suited to smaller operations and hit and run attacks than to planetary assault and conquest. They generally worked best in Company size units. Their logistics setup was also optimized for this style of combat.<ref name=TPI10/>

===Unit Organization===
The Scourge was divided into two distinct organizational branches: the Combat Group, composed by all the unit's MechWarriors, composed as three slightly over-strength companies, and the ''Engineer Group'', which was a motley array of mechanized infantry and battle armor troops, part anti-BattleMech specialists, part salvage team, and part mob of looters. Any engineer which captures a Mech is immediatrely promoted to Combat Group, and disposessed MechWarriors get shunted to the Engineers.<ref>''Unit Digest: the Scourge''</ref>

== Composition History ==
===3133===
'''First Bannson's Raiders''' - (Veteran){{cn}}
* Equipment Level: D
* Size: Regiment

== Notes ==
The unit's motto is "Never Retreat".{{cn}}

== References ==
<references />

== Bibliography ==
* ''[[Era Digest: Dark Age]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3145]]''
* ''[[Loyalty (short story)|Loyalty]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Technical Readout: Irregulars]]''
* ''[[Turning Points: Irian]]''
* ''Unit Digest: the Scourge in [[Shrapnel_(magazine)#Issue_14|Shrapnel #14]]''

[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Bannson's Raiders, 1st]]
[[Category:Bannson's Raiders Commands]]

1st Bannson's Raiders - Revision history

imported>MDFification: Removed cleanup tag because the issues already have their specific tags.