Blazing Aces

Overview

The Blazing Aces were the mercenary unit of Gideon Braver in his quest to avenge the murder of his family and retrieve the Chalice of Herne. While commanding the unit he managed to uncover the truth behind Operation Inroad and eventually track down and vanquish the Dark Wing.

Inception

Under the abbreviated name of "Gideon Braver", Gideon Braver Vandenburg left his homeworld of Ander's Moon (Elidere IV) in March 3024 for a nearby world after his family had been killed in an attack by an unknown Lance of BattleMechs (the Dark Wing) and he himself was charged with conspiracy and crimes against the state with forged evidence. A friend provided him with an old Jenner, some money and a safe passage off-world. Upon his arrival at the destination world, Gideon Braver began a mercenary career and created his own unit, the Blazing Aces, in April 3024.

Organisation and equipment

The unit's exact composition is determined by a combination of random events and player choices over the course of the game. Starting out with only Gideon Braver and his Jenner, additional 'Mechs and up to 3 other 'Mech pilots can be obtained to boost the Blazing Aces up to Lance size (4 'Mechs). While more 'Mechs can be bought, the unit cannot have more than 3 pilots besides Gideon Braver at any given time.

It can be said for sure, however, that the Blazing Aces fielded no other BattleMech models than those eight availale to the player throughout the game: Locust, Jenner, Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, Rifleman, Warhammer, Marauder and BattleMaster.

History

See also: MechWarrior_I#Plot Synopsis

Following their formation in April 3024, the Blazing Aces took on a multitude of mercenary contracts for numerous clients while trying to locate and retrieve the Chalice of Herne from the Dark Wing. They had contract offers from all ruling Houses (again, it is largely up to the player to chose employers and negotiate contracts).

During his inquiries, Gideon Braver was told that crimelord Grig Griez would be able to identify the crest of the unknown attackers. What can be established is that the Gideon Braver and the Blazing Aces travelled to Land's End where they met a henchman of Griez and eventually met with Grig Griez in person on another planet. Promised information about the Dark Wing as payment by Griez, Gideon Braver proceeded to Dustball on a courier mission and, following the information gained there, sought out Wendall Purina, brother of the notorious smuggler Willard "Kangaroo Jack" Purina, on a world in the Free Worlds League where Purina served as a Scorpion pilot with Smithson's Chinese Bandits. It had been Kangaroo Jack's JumpShip, the "Stone Arrow", that had brought the Dark Wing to Ander's Moon. Gideon Braver finally tracked down Kangaroo Jack on a world in Davion space, but arrived only after he had been murdered. However, Gideon Braver had received word from a man named Kearny that the Dark Wing were none other than the Black Widow Company who carried out strike missions for the Draconis Combine. With this information, the Blazing Aces travelled back to Kurita space and met the Black Widows in a bar. Gideon Braver openly accused Natasha Kerensky of having attacked Ander's Moon, which she denied. A barfight broke out and only the intervention of a mysterious woman named Tasha saved Gideon from a severe beating. Tasha revealed the information about the Black Widows' involvement as false and provided him with datafiles about Operation Inroad that proved Matabushi Incorporated to have ordered the Dark Wing attack. In an attempt to contact Kearney, his erstwhile informant, Gideon Braver then went to Albiero where he wound up in a MI6 attack on Matabushi Inc. and finally received detailed information on the whereabouts of the Chalice of Herne. Although it was guarded by the Dark Wing, the Blazing Aces prevailed and retrieved the artefact in less than five years after the Dark Wing had taken it from Castle Vandenburg.

Other Information

• Gideon Braver and the Blazing Aces were introduced in the 1989 Activision computer game Mechwarrior, where the player takes the role of Gideon Braver.