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Warrant Officer
Posts: 428
aka Star Captain Jacques Dinour when playing Clan
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SCHOUPE'S TROUPES:
BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?
A relatively new unit formed by an enigmatic character with precious little gift for public relations Schoupe's Troupes have, until recently, existed in the shadow of larger and more prestigious units, something they seek to change. Much of their past work has been subcontracted from other commands, with only a few independent actions. Typically they've been employed in the objective raid or pirate hunting role.
Although few question their loyalty or bravery those who've worked with them often criticize their practice of battlefield banter, more akin to simulator enthusiasts than a professional fighting force. A mixture of trash talk and one-upmanship, both tinged with a cruel sense of humor, sum up the diverse behaviors (or mental problems) of this band who will probably find themselves elevated to the heights of fame or sunk into the depths of insanity, possibly both at the same time. In any case they'll enjoy the ride.
Camouflage is rarely employed, maintenance and repair being a higher priority. Equipment and uniforms are charcoal grey with ice blue piping and pearl white identifying marks. Their logo is a smirking satyr leaping over a fence wielding a lightning bolt aloft in his right hand, painted on the left torso or wing as appropriate. This should not be confused with the nose art on the "Titian Temptress" dropship, a corseted redhead sitting cross-legged on a crescent moon, blowing a kiss to the viewer.
Dragoons Rating: C
OFFICERS
CO Armand Schoupe was never a star pupil at the academy, having dropped out (or was thrown out) yet managed two tours of duty during a desperate scramble for anyone who could pilot a mech. His frequent willingness to give outmatched opponents the option of retiring from the field suggests a respect for the Clan tradition of hegira, the neo-chivalry of the Knights of the Inner Sphere, or a desire to save that last bit of repair costs.
XO Roy Siegfried was on a path to social generalhood in the Lyran Alliance until a friendly-fire headshot nearly decapitated him. A lengthy rehabilitation lead to his being passed over for numerous assignments, ultimately causing him to lose faith in traditional House forces. He seems to have found a new home amongst the Troupes, often acting as the voice of the CO when the latter's patience with the public wears out.
TACTICS
"Hit it & quit it" is standard operating procedure for the Troupes. Typically the aerospace flights provide air cover and data on the objective while the striker and fire lances engage the opponents. All of their mechs feature integrated jump capability and they are not averse to avalanche dropping onto opposing forces lacking anti-air support.
SUPPORT
Although the Troupes are capable of providing 100% of their own transport between jump point and surface via the Hamilcar class "Titian Temptress" they rely upon their employer (or charter) for transit between systems. Full administrative and medical support is also provided in-house, but only 50% of their technical support comes from their harried crew who view overtime as proof of administrative incompetence.
Schoupe's Troupes
Company/Regular/Reliable (verging on Questionable)
Striker Lance/CO: Armand Schoupe
Fire Lance/XO: Roy Siegfried
Recon Flights: Albertus Benharem
A solid mix of weight classes from 20 to 90 tons comprise the eight mechs and four aerospace fighters of this mixed company. They rarely divide their assets due to the overall small size of the force.
OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT
Two independent missions of note have come to light which provide insight to the methods employed by the Troupes. The first was a counter-raid against a mobile pirate station on Arboris, which found the Troupes in the employ of a local warlord. The mission was simple extermination, no quarter asked or given. This trial by fire resulted in the loss of one mech and aero pilot each, the former when his Griffin was decimated by a direct hit from a Mobile Long Tom, the latter who's Thrush was shot down by a hitherto unknown Partisan, neither vehicle being a typical pirate resource. Both pilots were killed in the exchange and replaced at Northwind afterwards. While the mission was a failure (the Seeker employed as a mobile base managed to lift off-planet despite the Temptress' gauss rifle & LRM bombardment) the experience gained helped the Troupes gel their "air & ground, move & fire" tactics.
The second was a textbook objective raid: destroy the main factory of what appeared to be a new low-cost mech producer on Nanking, then as much collateral damage as possible for bonus pay. That their employer was Quickscell is an open secret, and will be believed by most without extraordinary evidence to the contrary. This mission was far more successful in that the primary factory was gutted and a mixed lance of Firestarter and Blackjack mechs (of succession-wars vintage) was crippled in the fighting with no losses for the Troupes. The mission ended because they were unable to continue the assault under the withering fire of three Awesome and an Atlas (so much for low-cost!) fresh to the fight, nor willing to risk the Temptress in the presence of the lance of Rifleman and JagerMech they were currently engaged with. The terms of their contract fulfilled, they withdrew to the landing zone, the defenders unwilling to leave the remaining plants exposed to possible additional raiders.
In both cases the tactics employed valued robustness over elegance: place as much firepower on one target as quickly as possible, then move to the next and repeat. This keeps numbers in their favor, but can lead to being outflanked if attention is not paid to the wider battlefield. Using the mobility advantage granted by their jump jets to maximum effect they prefer to advance and fall back under cover whenever possible. However, while catcalls and gloating over the radio towards opponents (which, if heard, were ignored) make for an entertaining debriefing transcript they tend to get back to hiring managers who may be disinclined to hire what appears to be a bunch of gamer jocks given their first real taste of combat.
STRIKER LANCE STAFF
Commanding Officer Armand Schoupe is something of an enigma. Usually quiet and detached, his carefully measured speech leaves the impression of someone not used to verbal communication. Despite this, when angered his voice jumps an octave and affects a sort of Irish/English brogue. An enthusiastic practitioner of "liquid diplomacy" he at least tries to find common ground with opponents and employers alike, as the lines tend to blur in the mercenary trade.
Lawrence Ondine is the textbook case of the insomniac workaholic. Although far from incompetent, he appears to have reached the peak of his abilities and has settled down into something of a rut. Pining for a love lost it's debated whether he seeks absolution for his past or oblivion from the future. One day at a time is his motto, but the future holds little promise.
Dux Prospero has a well-earned reputation as a hothead. Quick to anger, slow to forgive, he's tried the patience of several other commands in his day. Never one to take a hint, he's probably going to remain where he is until his blood pressure (or a headcap) takes him. If he could learn to control his temper better he'd be a much more successful warrior.
Bartholomew Imaeus may lack combat experience compared to the rest of the company (though he does well on the simulators) but is striving to improve. Often caught making contradictory claims about his past, he seems to possess a sort of supernatural ability to be in the right place at the right time. To his credit he always strives to maintain a polite atmosphere amongst company.
FIRE LANCE STAFF
Executive Officer Roy Siegfried has been called bipolar, and depending on his mood at any given time may either agree with you or tear you a new one, hopefully figuratively. Still affected by the near-decapitation of his mech years ago, his delayed yet remarkable recovery continues to impress the medics.
Mull Kintyre fancies himself a ladies man. While he's often seen in the company of a comely local lass he strikes out as often as he succeeds. When it comes to the fair sex quantity definitely has a quality of its own, his many "adventures" giving him a reputation as a swashbuckler or creep depending on who you talk to & their relationship to the woman in question.
Tonton Macoutes is the strong silent type. Not one given to socializing or publicity seeking, he takes each assignment as an end unto itself. Critical of the typical battlefield banter the rest of the company engages in, he feels somewhat slighted by Armand's casual attitude towards communication discipline but doesn't care to argue the point.
Ichabod Beauchamp hasn't a drop of aristocratic blood in him, but certainly gives that impression to those unfamiliar. An obsessive fan of historical trivids he possesses an impressive knowledge of trivia that irritates as often as it fascinates. His affectation of neo-Victorian speech and mannerism has earned him a reputation as a bit of a dandy but he takes it in stride.
RECON FLIGHTS STAFF
Flight Commander Albertus Benharem tries to be a moral guide for whatever crowd he finds himself in. A quiet man of syncretic Abrahamic beliefs, his faith has given him pause in his choice of career but not in his devotion to his comrades in arms. Viewing those under his command as friends to guide, not tools to exploit, he'll eagerly get in Armand's face if he feels his lancemates are being used foolishly.
Arthur Dodger is the one guy in every crowd who can't catch a break. If somebody's going to flub an initial deployment, he's the mark. Weapon jam? He's the man (which explains his preference for energy weapons). Someone he manages to pull through each disaster with a new scar and story to tell. Despite his unfortunate experiences he remains an enthusiastic pilot.
Lester Codex is the classic daydreamer. Always cooking up grand conspiracy theories and get-rich-quick schemes, often to the detriment of more practical matters. Somewhat flighty and distracted, he's easily distracted by the lure of quick gain or glory, yet manages to get whatever task is assigned to him done.
Miles Gloriosus really cares about the little guy. That's why he prefers "working the streets", usually by crop dusting conventional infantry and their transports. He knows what's best for them and intends to give it to them whether they like it or not, and needless to say they don't. Arrogant beyond what his skills call for, he's got a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
STRIKER LANCE
Armand Schoupe (Veteran P4/G3) BV2: 3,347
FLC-8R Falconer "Anathema"
Lawrence Ondine (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 1,755
LNX-9R Lynx "Osculum Infame"
Dux Prospero (Green P6/G4) BV2: 1,456
KIM-2 Komodo "Stormchaser"
Bartholomew Imaeus (Green P6/G5) BV2: 986
DV-6M Dervish "Dolorous Stroke"
FIRE LANCE
Roy Siegfried (Veteran P4/G3) BV2: 3,345
HGN-732 Highlander "Doppelsöldner"
Mull Kintyre (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 1,687
PTR-4D Penetrator "Showtime"
Tonton Macoutes (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 1,354
GHR-5J Grasshopper "Cirque de Plaçage"
Ichabod Beauchamp (Green P6/G4) BV2: 1,343
TDR-5SE Thunderbolt "Sangfroid"
RECON FLIGHTS
Albertus Benharem (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 1,537
F-92 Stingray "Forlorn Hope"
Arthur Dodger (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 517
SYD-Z3A Seydlitz "Situation Normal"
Lester Codex (Regular P5/G4) BV2: 574
SB-27 Sabre "Visionary"
Miles Gloriosus (Green P6/G5) BV2: 385
F-10 Cheetah "Sacre Leige"
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Warrant Officer
Posts: 428
aka Star Captain Jacques Dinour when playing Clan
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Well, the overnight crowd has passed on comment, so maybe I'll put a few of my own thoughts about this here. Its always amazed me that so many battalion or regiment-sized commands lack the ability to move more than a fraction of their assets at any one time. Sure, dropships aren't cheap, just try making a force w/ dropships using the point-buy system from Mercenaries Supplemental that isn't in debt up to it's eyeballs if you don't believe me. Using jumpship trains seems to be even slower, with recharge & jump-point-to-surface transit times measured in weeks. I've always seen mercs as more of a small-scale rapid-reaction force, for when you can't gear up the regular armies in a heartbeat (or just need a distraction from the main event). Houses have their tax base to work with to keep the supply lines running. To rely on a House or corporate employer to risk such an expensive asset as a dropship just to get somebody off-planet who's continued existence they really aren't all that concerned about seems foolhardy in the extreme. At some point you're going to be faced with an "add another combat unit or add some more support" choice. If nothing else, it becomes one hell of a bargaining chip during contract negotiations. Sure, if you get stranded you can complain to the MRBC assuming there are any survivors, but I don't get the impression that mercs are treated any differently in BattleTech then they are in real life (ie: no repatriation after hostilities cease, all but certain trial & imprisonment) except when surrendering to other mercs. Besides, the fluff on the Hamilcar, coupled with the comments in its review, just lent itself to (nay, demanded) being employed by a wisecracking small-scale force of colorful characters from diverse backgrounds. Sure, you can make a force of nothing but 31st century Delta force/Spetznaz/SAS/whatevers types piloting Clantech but that's just too munchkin. Speaking of characters, I'm sure some will take issue with name and background of the XO, but hey, its not the first time a pop culture reference made its way into BattleTech, now is it?  I have nothing against S&R, they're second only to Penn & Teller in my book (and a close second at that). |