The Angels

Sure, but where are their wings?

Unit History and Overview

            Bryan Cochren, a former Kommandant in the AFFC, is the son of a wealthy Lyran family.  His parents owned and left to him upon their retirement Cochren Technologies Incorporated, a major manufacturer of all types of myomer, the 'muscles' that power BattleMechs, among other things.  CTI is located on the planet of Clinton in the Lyran portion of the Federated Commonwealth.  Among it assets at the time of Cochren's retirement from the nation's military were several dropships and a pair of jumpships, some of which he commandeered to give his yet to be formed unit an additional bargaining chip.

            Cochren traveled to Outreach to begin recruitment, having started with a core of people that were in his battalion in the AFFC.  Since he was wealthy, Cochren had more leeway in choosing MechWarriors than most mercenary commands, as he could afford to hire qualified 'jocks that were currently Dispossessed and provide machines for them.  His experience in the AFFC and his unit's transportation assets helped, as well as his easygoing, charismatic nature.

            In 3034, the unit, then only a single 'Mech company, two aerospace fighters and a couple platoons of infantry, was garrisoning the world of St. John in the Rasalhague Military District of the Draconis Combine.  The Rasalhagian declaration of independence and the ensuing 'Ronin Wars' were the unit's baptism by fire.  They successfully held the planet against the rogue DCMS forces with indigenous force's help.  By 3038, the Angels fielded a squadron of aerospace fighters in addition to just over two 'Mech companies and five lances of armor.  The unit performed contracts for the Federated Commonwealth in the war of 3039, acquitting itself admirably.  Since then they have grown to a full battalion of BattleMechs and nearly a battalion and a half of armor assets in addition to their fighters and infantry.  The unit's Jumpship, the Messiah, is an Invader class and more than capable of ferrying around the unit's two Overlord-class dropships, the Left and Right Hand of God.  The Right, which carries the unit's armor and infantry, was heavily modified inside to make room for the extra vehicles.

            The Angels' regimental insignia is a swooping archangel carrying a flaming broadsword.  It is painted on the left thigh of 'Mechs, left front quarter of vehicles, and left fuselage of aerospace fighters.  Infantry carry the crest on their left shoulder.

Officers

            Colonel Cochren was born in 3003.  He is charismatic and very concerned and friendly with those under his command, earning him great respect from his men and women.  Though he favors Lyran tactics, he is flexible, and possesses an excellent mind for thinking on the fly.  It is rumored that Cochren is friends with Morgan Kell, leader of the famed Kell Hounds, and consults him now and then on the intricacies of commanding a large mercenary unit.

            The Angels' XO, David Mellert, was Cochren's executive officer in the AFFC, and followed him when he retired to form a mercenary unit.  Mellert is a genius at combined-arms tactics and thus coordinates the Angels when each branch is working in concert with one another.  The two top men of the Angels almost seem to be of one mind at times, as they have known each other and served together for over twenty years now.

Tactics

            Colonel Cochren is a product of the LCAF's officer training programs.  The wedding of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner in 3028 began a blending of the Lyran Commonwealth's forces with those of the Davion military's, which can be seen in the Angels' battlefield tactics.  The unit is slightly top-heavy and relies on heavy hitting power to pound most targets into submission.  However, they have recently been seen fielding lighter and faster BattleMechs in strike lances, as well as faster medium and heavy 'Mechs to give them greater battlefield flexibility.

            The unit, listed as a combined arms regiment, is reminiscent of the Davion Regimental Combat Teams, though on a smaller scale.  The unit's executive officer, David Mellert, is an expert at combined arms tactics, and the Angels make full use of their resources rather than relying only on BattleMechs.  The aerospace fighter squadron is adept at both air superiority and ground attack, roles that they have performed in many different situations.

Dragoon's Rating:  B+

            The Angels are rated veteran status, though they have a couple green lances in their mech and armor forces.  They have an excellent technician base and their own transport, another reason for their high rating.  The unit has no black marks on their record, and indeed, their willingness to fight in the Ronin Wars when so many other mercenaries turned their backs on the fledgling state increased their reputation overnight, which their performance afterward has only increased.

BattleMech Assets

"God's Hammer" 

Battalion w/attached Command Lance / Regular / Reliable

CO:  Colonel Bryan Cochren

XO:  Major David Mellert

1st Company:  Captain Perry Quince

2nd Company:  Captain Quix Neal

3rd Company:  Captain Nichole Cochren

            The BattleMech battalion of the Angels is a slightly top-heavy unit, although many of the heavier 'Mechs they employ have good speed, something that Cochren has been striving for over the past few years.  The unit is listed as Regular, but they are just shy of Veteran status, something that the Dragoon's expect to change soon due to the Angels' rigorous in-house training regimen.  Though the individual companies of the battalion do not have unit designations, most of the MechWarriors have followed their commanding officers' leads and named their 'Mechs.

            The Command Lance is composed of assault class machines and include one of the most fearsome models ever produced, an Atlas.  The unit's communications officer pilots a CP-10-Z Cyclops with enough electronics to coordinate the unit's ground, air, and space assets flawlessly.  Cochren himself pilots a VTR-9B Victor, a distinctly Davion design, and recently added a Capellan expatriot to the lance, piloting a Grasshopper.

            First Company, under the command of Perry Quince, is the main battle element of the Angels' 'Mech resources.  They contain the heaviest 'Mechs as well as a missile support lance that is very experienced in indirect fire using spotters. 

            Second Company is the skirmisher unit of the battalion, employing mainly medium mechs that have a decent blend of speed and firepower.  Epsilon Lance, the unit's primary recon force, is composed entirely of extremely fast, light BattleMechs, and rumor has it that the MON-66 Mongoose recently added to the lance is a Star League era design with an electronics suite not seen in the Successor States in centuries.  It is unknown where the pilot or his machine came from, but he and his 'Mech are undoubtedly a welcome addition to the ranks.

            Third Company is commanded by Nichole Cochren, Bryan's wife and the only one of his BattleMech officers not to have served with him in the AFFC.  She was the commander of CTI's defense force, two lances of medium and heavy 'Mechs intended to guard the myomer plants owned by the company.  Her Eta Lance is composed of heavy hitting models, while Theta is a green lance comprised mainly of fast mediums.  Iota Lance is adept at hit and run and raiding or ambush tactics.  Though comprised of light 'Mechs, the lance works extremely well together and is quite capable of taking down even heavy BattleMechs in a single, withering salvo of missiles, lasers, and the bright flash of the captured Panther's PPC.

BattleMech Model                    Rank & Name                          Piloting/Gunnery Skill

Command Lance (Elite)

VTR-9B Victor                        Colonel Bryan Cochren            2 / 1

AS7-D Atlas                            Major David Mellert                 3 / 2

CP-10-Z Cyclops                    Lieutenant Graham Jordan        4 / 3

GHR-5H Grasshopper             Corporal Sun Chin                    1 / 3

1st Company

Alpha (Veteran)

TDR-5S Thunderbolt                Captain Perry Quince               4 / 2

ON1-K Orion                          Corporal Alex Verin                 5 / 3

RFL-3N Rifleman                     Corporal Dave Bland                3 / 4

WHM-6R Warhammer            Corporal Christopher Malas     3 / 4

            Beta (Regular)

STK-3F Stalker                       Lieutenant Brian Carter 5 / 3

CPLT-C1 Catapult                   Corporal William Martell          6 / 4

STK-3F Stalker                       Corporal Michael Showalter     5 / 4

ARC-2R Archer                       Corporal Daniel Kerris 6 / 3

            Gamma (Veteran)

HBK-4G Hunchback               Lieutenant Jason Yoas  5 / 2

GLT-4L Guillotine                    Corporal Glenn Jerrard 5 / 3

QKD-4G Quickdraw               Corporal Jerry Ford                 3 / 4

BLR-1G Battlemaster               Corporal Gunther Hermann       4 / 4

2nd Company

            Delta (Veteran)

SHD-2H Shadow Hawk          Captain Quix Neal                    4 / 3

ENF-4R Enforcer                     Corporal Rodger Bird               5 / 3

GRF-1N Griffin                        Corporal Chad Raupp              5 / 3

HCT-3F Hatchetman                Corporal Ken Ratliff                 4 / 3

            Epsilon (Veteran)

SDR-5V Spider                       Lieutenant Mara Toyama          5 / 3

JR7-D Jenner                           Corporal Victor Cortez 4 / 4

HER-1A Hermes                      Corporal Jennifer Kilgore          4 / 4

MON-66 Mongoose                Corporal Nikolai Griegor          3 / 3

            Zeta (Green)

CHP-2N Champion                 Lieutenant Garret Cochrane      7 / 4

CN9-A Centurion                    Corporal Samantha Touras       6 / 5

CRB-20 Crab                          Corporal Zachary Putin 7 / 5

HER-2S Hermes                      Corporal Max Riffe                  6 / 4

3rd Company

            Eta (Elite)

LNC25-02 Lancelot                 Captain Nichole Cochren          3 / 2

MAD-3R Marauder                 Corporal Red Solomon 4 / 3

FLS-7K Flashman                    Corporal Angel Denali  5 / 3

DRG-1G Dragon                      Corporal Shoju Somiya            4 / 4

            Theta (Green)

QKD-4G Quickdraw               Lieutenant China Hartford         6 / 4

PXH-1D Phoenix Hawk           Corporal Katelin Feera 5 / 5

GRF-1S Griffin             Corporal Carter Joseph            7 / 6

PNT-9R Panther                      Corporal Malachai Zenos         7 / 5

            Iota (Veteran)

COM-2D Commando              Lieutenant Frederick Milan       5 / 3

PNT-9R Panther                      Corporal Aaron Marick            4 / 4

JVN-10N Javelin                     Corporal Burke Thomas           6 / 4

JR7-D Jenner                           Corporal Candace Miller          2 / 4

Aerospace Assets

"Messiah"

Invader-class Jumpship

            Captain Jaleel Horne

"Left Hand of God"

Overlord-class Dropship

            Captain Kerry Brown

"Right Hand of God"

Overlord-class Dropship

            Captain Yuri Griegorovich "Angel's Wings"

Squadron / Veteran / Reliable

Squadron Leader:  Captain Patsy "Bumblebee" Richards

2nd Lance:  Lieutenant Marcus "Raptor" Freeman

3rd Lance:  Lieutenant Gregor "Lightshow" Milosovic

            Though not large, the aerospace assets employed by the Angels makes up in quality what they lack in quantity.  First and foremost are the Invader-class jumpship and twin Overlord-class dropships, all former property of CTI and commandeered by Cochren when he began his mercenary regiment.  These assets give the Angels a bargaining chip when negotiating contracts as they do not have to rely on their employer for transportation.  The BattleMech battalion of the Angels and the fighters are housed in the Left, while the armor and infantry are berthed in the 'favored' Right Hand of God.  The fighters were originally housed in the Right as well, but modifications to the ship to increase its payload of armor forced the removal of its fighter bays.

            The squadron of the Angels is comprised of mainly of heavier, yet maneuverable Aerospace fighters.  The slowest of these is a sixty-five ton Lucifer that has bounced between pilots several times.  The fighter has a stigma attached to it, more because of its designation and its connotations to the unit's religious monikers than any real problems.  It is currently assigned to the squadron's newest member, who for some reason loves the much-maligned fighter, earning him the nickname "Loco".  Oddly enough, the Transgressor is a favorite of a couple of the Angels' pilots, though.  The fighters are equally adept at ground attack and air/space superiority, and have even accounted for three dropship kills during their service, one Leopard and two Union-class ships.  2nd Lance's twin Slayers are experts at strafing runs, and dive-bombing tactics, the source of the Lieutenant's callsign.

Aerospace Model         Rank & Name                          Piloting/Gunnery Skill

Command Lance (Elite)

SL-17 Shilone              Captain Patsy "Bumblebee" Richards    2 / 2

LCF-R15 Lucifer         Corporal Paul "Loco" Johnston             4 / 3

            2nd Lance (Veteran)

SL-15 Slayer                Lieutenant Marcus "Raptor" Freeman   4 / 3

SL-15 Slayer                Corporal Leah "Air Raid" Shoeman                  3 / 3

            3rd Lance (Veteran)

F-90 Stingray               Lieutenant Gregor "Lightshow" Milosovic          4 / 2

TR-14 Transgressor     Corporal Jay "Stoop" Honnold             4 / 4

Armor Assets

"God's Anvil" 

Reinforced Battalion / Regular / Reliable

CO:  Major Dallas Shrike

2nd Company:  Captain Anthony Perris

3rd Company:  Captain Lydia Antonescue

4th Company:  Captain Mariah Salazin

            The armor corps of the Angels is a medium reinforced battalion, consisting of four full companies and a Long Tom and Thor for artillery support.  They are mainly medium and light attack craft, but there is a whole company of heavy hitting main battle tanks to stiffen them up.  The two Angels' Majors, Shrike and Mellert, enjoy fixing these heavy tanks in place and then using the BattleMechs to herd the enemy into the emplaced armor, thus earning the two unit nicknames of "God's Hammer" for the 'mechs and "God's Anvil" for the armor.

            Shrike has a good grasp on a wide variety of armor tactics, a good thing considering the diversity of his command, which includes everything from Savannah Masters to VTOLs to a massive Behemoth.  He is well aware of the relative fragility of armor in relation to 'mechs and does a good job using superior mobility and terrain to devastating effect.

            The first three companies are all veteran soldiers and have seen plenty of action either with the Angels or prior to signing up.  The fourth company was recently added before the unit headed out for Rasalhague and is untested, but training exercises are favorable.  It contains an entire lance each of SRM and LRM Carriers.  Though maligned as death traps, they can lay down a barrage of missile fire that the heaviest 'mechs would be hard-pressed to withstand.  First Company, under the direct command of Shrike, contains the bulk of the heavy armor, while Third Company is the unit's harasser and recon force, consisting of fast hovercraft and even a pair of VTOLs.  Second Company contains most of the Angels infantry transports. 

Unlike the BattleMech battalion, which uses Greek lettering to designate lances, the armor battalion uses a more standard numeric configuration.  Second Company's Second Lance is called 2-2, Third Lance is 2-3, and so on.  If more specific orders are necessary, each element in a lance also has a numeric designation.

Vehicle Model              Commander's Rank & Name   Piloting/Gunnery Skill

Artillery Lance (Elite)

Long Tom (tracked)     Lieutenant John Thomas            3 / 2

Thor                             Corporal Lexus Marksmen       4 / 3

1st Company

1st Lance (Elite)

Ontos                           Major Dallas Shrike                  3 / 1

Demolisher                   Corporal Wendy Rintz  4 / 3

Demolisher                   Corporal Stephan Alastair         3 / 2

Behemoth                     Corporal Adam Chinook          3 / 3

            2nd Lance (Veteran)

Schrek                         Lieutenant Renee Devon           5 / 3

Partisan                        Corporal Frank List                  6 / 4

Rommel                        Corporal Alex Kristoff  5 / 4

Rommel                        Corporal Indi Muhad                6 / 3

            3rd Lance (Veteran)

Patton                          Lieutenant Don Harrison           5 / 2

Hetzer                          Corporal Herod Poulous           5 / 3

Manticore                     Corporal Greg Brandon            3 / 4

Patton                          Corporal Dana Chrisman          4 / 4

2nd Company

            1st Lance (Veteran)

Condor                        Captain Anthony Perris 3 / 3

Condor                        Corporal Jaquelyn Smith           4 / 3

Saracen                        Corporal Ryan Jeremy  5 / 3

Karnov UR                  Corporal Derrick Peregrine       4 / 3

            2nd Lance (Regular)

Maxim                          Lieutenant Nimizuko Raiken      5 / 4

Maxim                          Corporal Jason Sha-Yu            5 / 4

Maxim                          Corporal Genesis Releve          5 / 4

Maxim                          Corporal Diana Cooks             5 / 4

            3rd Lance (Green)

Goblin                          Lieutenant Jewells Mercury       7 / 5

Goblin                          Corporal Harrison Marquette    6 / 5

Goblin                          Corporal Paul Garris                 7 / 5

Goblin                          Corporal Samantha Lewis         6 / 4

3rd Company

            1st Lance (Veteran)

Condor                        Captain Lydia Antonescue        3 / 3

Saracen                        Corporal Ken Branaugh            4 / 3

Saladin                         Corporal Alistair Stucki            5 / 4

Scimitar                        Corporal Wind Thomas            4 / 3

            2nd Lance (Elite)

Savannah Master          Lieutenant Sam Minnich            2 / 2

Savannah Master          Corporal Edward Benson         3 / 2

Savannah Master          Corporal Matt Sweeny 2 / 3

Savannah Master          Corporal Dave Leppelmeier      3 / 2

            3rd Lance (Regular)

Swift Wind                   Lieutenant Richard Brigand       5 / 3

Warrior H-7                 Corporal Michael Alexander     4 / 4

Skulker                        Corporal Karen Joy                  6 / 4

Ferret                           Corporal Alison Merriot           2 / 4

4th Company

            1st Lance (Regular)

Vedette                        Captain Mariah Salazin 6 / 4

Hunter                          Corporal Solomon Yacoby       4 / 4

Scorpion                      Corporal Minerva Driver          5 / 5

Striker                          Corporal Bayushi Shoju            4 / 4

2nd Lance (Regular)

LRM Carrier                Lieutenant Micah Schramm       4 / 4

LRM Carrier                Corporal Kevin Abunai 5 / 5

LRM Carrier                Corporal Karen Rodgers          6 / 4

LRM Carrier                Corporal Jason Jorgensson       4 / 5

            3rd Lance (Green)

SRM Carrier                Lieutenant Larry Pittman           5 / 5

SRM Carrier                Corporal Daniel Roush 6 / 5

SRM Carrier                Corporal Ted Borowicz            6 / 5

SRM Carrier                Corporal Opal Tinderman         6 / 6

Infantry Assets

"The Boys" 

Short Battalion / Veteran / Reliable

CO:  Master Sergeant Kelly Packard

2nd Company:  Sergeant Alexander McNichols

2nd Company:  Sergeant Alecia Price

            The infantry corps of the Angels doesn't follow typical rank structure for a unit its size.  Master Sergeant Kelly 'Old Man' Packard has refused to be promoted beyond his current rank, which he has held for over a decade even as the Angels' infantry assets grew beyond two companies.  Out of deference to their commander, the platoon and company commanders of "The Boys", as Packard calls them, have likewise refused promotion to the ranks they deserve.  Thus the six enlisted men in a squad are Privates, the commander of a platoon is a Corporal, and the commanders of the unit's second and third companies are mere sergeants.  It is expected that once Packard retires (which will never happen, as the joke goes), the unit will revert to standard mercenary rank structures.

            "The Boys" are listed as a short battalion, though in the field they deploy as two short companies and one reinforced one.  Much of the Angels' Second Armor Company are devoted to hauling the PBIs around.  The single jump platoon, designated as the infantry's Third Company, rides the Angels' single Karnov UR transport.  Two of the Maxims are detailed to transport the elite irregular infantry platoons that comprise First Company, under the direct tutelage of the Old Man.  First and Second Platoons of Second Company, which houses all of the Angels' foot infantry, choose the remaining Maxims while Third Platoon is broken down by squad, each assigned to a Goblin Infantry Support Vehicle.  Fourth Platoon is the unit's MP platoon, and as such has no designated transport.

            First Company's anti-mech training is very reminiscent of the rumored rigors of the famed Gray Death Legion's regimen.  Packard puts each one of the men in these platoons through training using everything from grappling rods and satchel charges to man-portable PPCs and SRM packs.  Since their inception on St. John during the Ronin Wars, these men have accounted for an impressive five BattleMech kills.

            Second Company houses the foot infantry.  First and Second Platoons specialize in urban warfare, though this has much more to do with training than experience (thankfully) at this point.  As such they are rated only as regulars. Third Platoon works very closely with the Angels' artillery lance, and every single man in the platoon knows how to dial in infantry, thus keeping the unit's specialty intact even should its commanders fall.  Fourth Platoon, a green unit, is utilized as military police, guarding the units non-combatants and dropships.

            Third Company is a new addition to the Angels' ranks, and the name is a misnomer as they are actually only a single platoon.  The sergeant in charge is a former Rabid Fox, and came to Colonel Cochren with the idea of forming a special operations company of infantry.  The Colonel, always interested in new ideas, decided to give the unassuming young woman a chance.  Starting out with a single squad, her early performance prompted the Colonel to expand the squad to an entire platoon.  Rumors of infantry battle armor being created by the NAIS have the Sergeant salivating to get her hands on them.