Fort Bradley
Colchester
Federated Suns
later the same day
Three full combined-arms regiments were usually a waste to keep on one planet. When the Eridani Light Horse entered into service with House Davion, they were split into battalions and companies to conduct raids on a wide range of Kurita and Liao worlds. With their unmatched speed and expertise at objective raiding, they were often able to convince defenders that a full regiment had landed on the planet and then leave within hours with all objectives completed.
These raids earned the Light Horse substantial bonuses, but in 3022 the Wolf's Dragoons with their five regiments signed onto a six-year contract with House Kurita.
The Light Horse had prior contact with the Dragoons, in 3007 reinforced New Valencia which was at the time the homeworld of the Wolf's Dragoons under siege by McCarron's Armored Cavalry. For the first time three of the most famed mercenary commands in the Inner Sphere were on planet, but House Liao's top mercenary unit decided to disengage and leave the world as soon the Eridani Light Horse touched on planet.
After this, the Light Horse moved to Colchester as they signed up with House Davion. Relations between the Light Horse and the Dragoons were cordial, if with the usual bemusement that the Light Horse experienced when they presented themselves as the SLDF.
But both mercenary commands were professionals, and there were the usual tempo of raids and counter-raids. It was only in 3023 that the two companies met in strength as the Wolf Dragoons's Epsilon Regiment alongside the Combine's 17th Galedon Regulars invaded Hoff to destroy House Davion's research facilities there. Defending the world was the 151st Light Horse (Dark Horse Regiment) and the 7th Battalion of the 21st Strikers Regiment, commanded by Brevet General Nathan Armstrong himself, along with a brigade of the Dahar Draconic March militia.
Armstrong was not the type to mull over defeats, but it was tempting to continually cast his thoughts on almost-victories. On Hoff, the Light Horse had thrown back the Dragoons again and again, and had managed to pocket the Dragoons in Brandt Valley.
Closing his eyes he could still feel himself there, in three straight days of fighting, the Dragoons and the Light Horse struggled without making any headway against each other. He had only been the commander of the entire ELH for a year. Formerly the leader of the 151st, he relied on the Dark Horse Regiment to push through.
In those three days the question of "which truly was the best mercenary unit" in the Inner Sphere was being decided.
He chuckled. But that didn't really matter to them. The Eridani Light Horse were the SLDF, and the SLDF do not break.
But much as he had driven his 50th Cavalry into a breach to disarray the Dragoons some days ago, in much the same way did Natasha Kerensky's Black Widow Company manage to turn the flank and the Light Horse had to withdraw from their enclosure of the Dragoons - allowing them to reintegrate their Epsilon Regiment. They might not break, but a sensible withdrawal was another matter entirely. They retreated to dig in around the town of Friden and the Aerospace Park that was the objective of this invasion.
The Light Horse had to hold on until the data and the scientists were evacuated, but they could not hold the Dragoons off forever and eventually had to cede the field. Davion reinforcements arrived soon after and the Kuritan forces also had to withdraw from the planet.
While technically a draw with the Dragoons driven off, the Dragoons landed with more mechs tilted more towards heavies and assaults, and the Eridani Light Horse's responsive combined arms groupings were left badly depleted in armor and light to medium Mech strength.
Regimental commanders did not stay on their homeworlds. With the Dark Horse regiment mauled but half remaining on Hoff to continue the defense, the Eridani Light horse depended on the intact 71st Light Horse (White Horse Regiment) to fulfill their obligations. Nathan Armstrong had to hand over command of the 151st to Colonel Robert Fairchild, Hoff was his last taste of being able to personally command the Dark Horse.
Which was why, after having lunch with his wife, General Nathan Armstrong was able to scowl at the poor soldier sent to report in.
"Sir! Apologies for the interruption, sir!" the said the command staff sergeant. "There is a sensitive matter that may need your attention, sir."
"At ease, soldier. What is this about?"
"Apologies but I don't know, sir. Colonel Winston requests permission to speak with you at the briefing room, sir."
Armstrong's brows raised. Charles K. Winston commanded the 21st Strikers regiment. While the 121st Dark Horse was the main battle regiment of the Eridani Light Horse and the 151st their flexible defensive regiment, the 21st was their more free-wheeling reserves capable of being slotted into any duty.
Regimental commanders usually did not stay safe and idle at their homeworlds, but Colonel Winston was also the oldest line officer in the entire Light Horse. The 21st cycled from line duty to training, and with the 121st being badly mauled, elements of the 21st were being shuffled to reinforce and replace formations in the regiment.
"Best not to keep the old man waiting," said Julia Armstrong.
"Sir, apologies for interrupting again, sir. But the Colonel also noted that if Chief Julia was with you then this will probably also be of interest to her, sir!"
Julia Armstrong was the chief of the Light Horse's civilian services. There were very few things that would need the attention of both. "This sounds serious. Shall we, Nathan?"
The general nodded. "Tell them we're on our way, sargeant."
The SLDF were known for two things - their skill at fighting… and their absurd wizardry at construction. The famed Castles Brian were the most well-known examples of the SLDF's skill at fortifications, able to withstand orbital bombardment and capable of housing regiments of troops to defend a world, but also cleverly hidden with many secret tunnels and sally points.
But like the Roman Legions before them, and the Terran Hegemony Armed Forces, the SLDF never stopped anywhere without throwing up an efficient grid-based bivouac with field fortifications. The Light Horse may have been greatly diminished since they were commanded by General Kerensky, but they never lost the expertise in modular prefabricated structures.
Fort Bradley was not fortified enough to resist BattleMech assault, but just given a stretch of land the Eridani Light Horse was able to flatten it and build an efficient and well-defended camp with airfields and facilities for both military and civilian concerns.
The Brevet General of the Eridani Light Horse lived separately from the command building. He was no President living in some sort of White House where officials had to present briefings in an official function room, nor a Lord that mixed his personal and state affairs. The Eridani Light Horse moved thousands of people year after year through the Inner Sphere, in their centuries of moving from homeworld to homeworld as their men and women fought at the behest of others, they recognized the importance of privacy and allowing each family to hold their own ground no matter how temporary.
Briefings and command decisions were made in a windowless room deep inside the command building. A holotank dominated the room, and affixed wall to wall were all sorts of screens and lights.
Normally dim to maximize clarity of the many information displays, at the moment the room was well-lit.
General Nathan Armstrong entered to see that Colonel Winston waiting there along with a group of other officers. A young teenage boy on a chair hurriedly stood up to attention. He glanced nervously at the juice box in his hands, before hiding it behind his back.
He raised his right hand - apparently having passed the juice box from right to left - only to stop as the officer behind in tapped at his shoulder. "You don't salute indoors," MechWarrior Barbara Mosley whispered.
Julia Armstrong's lips quirked in amusement.
General Armstrong nodded to each of the officers there. Colonel Winston of the 21st Strikers, of course. Surprisingly also Major Edward Stimson of the 121st 6th Recon. That was a Dark Horse company, but rotated in for R&R after the heavy combat on Hoff. The officer standing behind the young civilian wore MechWarrior patches belonging to his company.
There was also Major Wendell TeCarr of his Command Lance and nominally the second-in-command of the Light Horse while on base. And finally, Engineer-in-Chief Eligio Cade of the technical staff, responsible for all technical and dropship operations of the Light Horse.
This was a very top-heavy meeting.
"What is this about?" the general asked.
Barbara Mosley reported the events of around 10:50 local time. The approach of an unknown BattleMech. Her potential unprofessional conduct accepting an unorthodox challenge. The results of said challenge. She offered no excuses.
Edward Stimson then reported about how this whole mess was delivered to him, and how he had to decide if the boy's claim had any validity. He had to pull the BattleROM and then had run the Urbanmech run in paces under more Mech guard to be convinced.
Now if there were more of these things, that had yet to be determined. It was up to high command to be convinced by the holorecording that the boy provided.
Engineer-in-Chief Eligio Cade reported "The Mech itself really does have lostech in it. Even the neurohelmet was SLDF grade, not like the buckets we're forced to use now. If there's really more of these, I can't wait to take one part and have a look."
"It's not easy to tell if someone is lying on a holo," said Col. Winston. The wiry old man had a powerful voice that belied his frame. "This could easily be a trap to divide the Light Horse. While we're under the command of House Davion, we also have the attention of their enemies - and House Liao and House Kurita wouldn't hesitate to use dishonorable tricks and traps like this to remove JumpShips from the line. It's almost too good to be true."
The general nodded. "But since you kicked this up to me, what makes you think this is valid?"
"There are two holo-recordings, one for general viewing and the other supposed to be for high command only. I looked at both of them. I know that holomovies can do some astonishing trickery, but with the boy's testimony, there's a high chance of this being real."
The general stared down at the boy.
Devlin Stone met his gaze squarely. It was a placid fearless stare, but not like one might expect from a psychopath. The boy was nervous but not afraid for himself.
"Where is this cache?" Gen. Armstrong asked.
"Dumassas," replied Devlin. "It's a depopulated world near the Taurian Concordat. We lived there."
Gen. Armstrong grimaced.
"This could intensify tensions between House Davion and House Calderon, that bit of inconvenience is what helps me think that this might not be too good to be true," added Col. Winston. "If it was some world out in the Deep Periphery free and clear for the taking, that would sound too much of a trap. But a Militia Mech depot at the border of the Taurian Concordat - that makes too much sense."
Gen. Armstrong grimaced. "We might have to consult with the Davions about this."
"The regiment is for the SLDF, *not* House Davion!" Devlin spoke up. He wrinkled his nose and glared. "Father was most insistent about this. If the SLDF doesn't get it, then the installation might as well be buried forever."
Nathan Armstrong glanced aside to his wife. Julia Armstrong was still staring at the boy. After a while, she nodded.
"I believe him," she said.
"All right. If you all think this might be real, I accept that. But…" the general sighed. "It's Urbanmechs."
Major Stimson, who built this command lance out of fast jump-capable Light Mechs, noted "*Fast* jump-capable ER PPC-carrying Urbanmechs with Double Heatsinks."
While his battalion might not have the punch to decide battles, its speed allowed it to get to wherever they might be needed quickly.
General Armstrong frowned minutely. True, no one would *ever* expect Urbanmechs serving in heavy scout role, but would that be worth diverting Eridani Light Horse aerospace assets away from the Kuritan front for several months?
"I'm going to have to look at those holotapes," he said instead.
The holotapes looked almost new and were gene-locked. That helped its veneer of authenticity.
The holotank, once the tapes were inserted, asked for a password.
"Wolverines Forever," spoke Devlin Stone.
The holographic display then emitted an indistinct startup sound that was in between "seega" or "eegman". It coalesced into a spherical logo of a face wearing goggles with a protruding side mustache.
Then the screen cleared up to the face of a man wearing goggles and with a protruding red mustache. His grin was wide and his teeth were big. He looked like some sort of pet detective.
"Yellow? Yellow? Is this thing on? Devlin! Is the camera showing anything?!"
"Yes, father," the boy's voice emitted from the recording.
The view receded to show a tall yet somewhat pudgy bald man wearing a red technician's jacket. He wore thick white gloves which he gestured with grandly. "STUPENDOUSITY. All righty then! If you are able to see this, then you are either the SLDF Eridani Light Horse Regiments and you have my boy with you with his willing participation…
"Or you're not, and I don't know how you decoded this without the 5 kiloton fusion nuclear briefcase handcuffed to his wrist going off."
"Wait what?" asked past-Devlin.
"MOVING ON!
"Seriously, father, I don't think that's wise or would let me pass port security…"
"WELCOME TO SLDF "SEEDCORN" MILITIA BASE SIGMA EPISILON, otherwise known as "STONE EGG!"
He pranced backwards, forcing the view to follow him over to a catwalk. "I AM DOCTOR IVO ROBOTNIK! And I present to you… PERFECTION!"
He pointed to over the railings. "Do you see that? The most perfect BattleMech ever devised!"
The view followed to look over the ledge, and there were rows upon rows of Urbanmechs. Behind the Urbanmechs were the distinctive spherical shapes of DropShips. The lights streaming in from above showed that this was a cavernous indoors area.
Robotnik leaned into the camera from the left. "You might be thinking - it's just Urbanmechs! Why are you so excited, Eggman? But that is why YOU WOULD BE WRONG."
Robotnik began pushing buttons on his wrist computer, and the ledge began to descend - it was an elevator all along.
"The SLDF in all their collected wisdom and obsession with logistics and putting secret caches all over the place, decided that at some point they might need to settle new worlds out beyond known space but putting valuable Mechs out there would be taking away from the assets they needed for offensive operations. This SEEDCORN plan had two divided commands - the main military one, and the civilian/militia one.
"This facility was shut down and hidden as concerns turned away from Taurian front and towards the Rim Worlds.
"Now, presumably, the military section decided to leave with General Kerensky. But the militia section was left behind, because Urbanmechs were… okay, they're Urbanmechs. No one cares about Urbanmechs. Even if someone might have seen them on the list, even the SLDF thought that it was not relevant to their exile. There was no point in going all the way out here to reactivate them."
With a click and a clang, the elevator reached the bottom. Now that they were at the ground floor, the camera could fully take in just how huge was this underground space.
"But these - were not your regular Urbanmech. Not your regular Urbanmech, boy!"
The screen followed Robotnik as they got into a small rover and drove to the line of inactive Mechs.
Robotnik reached down to a sack on the rover and began pelting each Mech he passed with an egg-shaped paint ball.
"These - are" throw "Super Urbanmech!" throw "UB-SSR" throw "the ultimate" throw "in militia Mech" throw "performance!"
After about twenty four throws he ran out of eggs. "Someone designed the UB-SSR to let even the dumbest-as-bricks random militia pilot have a chance against real MechWarriors."
Robotnik stopped the rover and leaped out. The screen followed him as he stopped and leaned against an Urbanmech's broad trunk-like leg.
"The UB-SPR - the SLDF SUPER ROYAL URBANMECH has a one hundred fifty-rated XL Fusion Engine, enough to push it to eighty-six kph before even engaging its Supercharger, but weighing only a meager three tons!
"Its structure is Standard endoskeletal foamed metal structure, which does not need special orbital facilities to construct like Endo Steel, but the armor is Ferro-Fibrous which allows it to possess the maximum amount of protection possible for its tonnage.
"In place of an Autocannon with limited shots, it carries instead a Extended Range Particle Projection Cannon which has an effective range equivalent to that of a Gauss Rifle, but with its more refined construction does without the minimum range that afflicts our current PPCs.
"For short-range combat, instead of a measly Small Laser, it carries a Medium Pulse Laser in the other arm.
"It has the same double Jump Jets as you would expect from an Urbanmech, giving it a jump range of sixty meters.
"It has a Guardian ECM suite to allow it to break targeting locks and waddle into its enemy's blind spots.
"To keep this whole thing cool, it packs Double HeatSinks, sufficient to remove all buildup heat from maximum to nominal within five seconds - or that is to say, it runs completely heat-neutral even with alpha striking all day.
"It's small, it's fast, it can jump, it's surprisingly durable, and will never run out of ammo! Yes! Do not underestimate the smallest Assault Mech disguised as a trash can! GYAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"It's still just a Light Mech though," said past-Devlin. "Perfect might be pushing it. Maybe... idiot proof?"
"That's why it's called Trash CAN, not Trash CANNOT, HWE WE WE WEH!"
Robotnik beckoned to get back to the rover.
"Unfortunately the Amaris Coup happened before the SLDF facility I found could do more than just field test it out in the Periphery, but their loss is our gain. If it was just having more Mechs, then it's fine for our culture of scarcity here in the Succession Wars. A regiment of Urbies aren't anything noteworthy even with that. But there's something here that I can trust only the SLDF with."
He turned to the camera and grinned. "This is the first of two recordings. Boy, I want to hear some discussion first about whether this thing is valid and how they might use this to fit their operations.
"I won't be alive to hear them, but ah- to hear the SLDF speak on combat operations. If only I could be there instead. Listen carefully boy.
He pointed towards the potential viewers "And you! Well, if I'm going to be giving you this regiment anyway, the least you can do is to offer my boy an education!
"Instead of your usual Locusts! Your Wasps, your Stingers, your bugmechs! You have a machine that might not be as fast, but it has ECM. It's the firepower of a Medium like the Vindicator in a thing only half the size! With an ER PPC, you can plug away at fire support mechs at the same LRM ranges. It's modifiable, there's enough spare parts here - as long as it's an all-energy armanent. Would you use it for scouts? For defense? To support your medium combat groups? HAHAHA!
"Who knows? Who knows?! Only the SLDF can I trust to do this *correctly* instead of spreading it out to their little planetary commands!
"Boy! Don't play the second recording yet! Give them time! If they can't theorycraft having over a hundred extra jump-mechs in their roster, they're not the SLDF!"
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Royal Super Urbanmech UM-SSR
Mass: 30 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/F-F-F-D
Production Year: 2675
Dry Cost: 5,822,700 C-Bills
Total Cost: 5,822,700 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,068
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 150 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h (108.0 km/h)
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 60 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 ER PPC
1 Medium Pulse Laser
1 Guardian ECM Suite
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
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Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 51 points 3.00
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 150 3.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8 (10)
Jumping MP: 2 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT 1.00
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 11(22) 1.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 105 6.00
Armor Locations: 1 HD, 1 CT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 10 15
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 7 11
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 5 10
L/R Leg 7 14
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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Supercharger CT - 1 0.50
Guardian ECM Suite LT 0 2 1.50
Medium Pulse Laser RA 4 1 2.00
ER PPC LA 15 3 7.00
Free Critical Slots: 7
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 11
6/1 Structure: 1
Special Abilities: ECM, ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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Super Urbanmech UM-SPR
Mass: 30 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/D-F-D-D
Production Year: 2675
Dry Cost: 2,369,900 C-Bills
Total Cost: 2,369,900 C-Bills
Battle Value: 943
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 150 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 90 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 PPC
2 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
Equipment Type Rating Mass
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Internal Structure: Standard 51 points 3.00
Engine: Fusion Engine 150 5.50
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 3 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT 1.50
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 10(20) 0.00
Heat Sink Locations:
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 104 6.00
Armor Locations:
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 10 15
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 7 10
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 5 10
L/R Leg 7 14
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Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
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PPC RA 10 3 7.00
2 Medium Lasers LA 6 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 44
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 9
5/2 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: ENE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
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