Hansen's Roughriders
Sarna News
Contents
Overview
Originally a line regiment that broke away from the Free Worlds League, Hansen's Roughriders (occasionally misspelled Hanson's Roughriders) became a famous mercenary regiment of heavy troops. They have a good reputation for reliability despite their somewhat rowdy image, and are renowned for being always in the thick of the battle with their heavy fighting machines.
Inception
While the Roughriders became a proper mercenary unit only after the Marik Civil War that began in 3014, their roots date back far earlier than that. The regimental identity was born as early as 2961, when one Ludwig Hansen fled the Federated Suns with his unit and joined the Free Worlds League's Twelfth Atrean Dragoons, a unit led by his distant relative Major-General Gerhardt Hansen (not to be confused with Gerhard Hansen who commanded the unit in 3014).
In 3014 the entire command of the Twelfth Atrean Dragoons, a veteran regiment with several heavy companies, declared for Duke Anton Marik in his uprising against Captain-General Janos Marik. Only a small portion of the unit chose not to support the Duke. After taking control of McKenna and Semenyih, the Regiment under Colonel Francis Ferdinand was deployed against the lighter and inexperienced Eleventh Atrean Dragoons on Matheran, but ended up on the defensive after a prolonged campaign when Smithson's Chinese Bandits joined the fight on the loyalist side. Later the Twelfth Atrean Dragoons were included in the attack against Calloway VI, where they suffered heavy casualties including the loss of an entire company when the Union-class DropShip Laureles' Pride was destroyed.
Afterwards, the remains of the Twelfth Atrean Dragoons fought on Ilion V under the command of one Gerhard Hansen. After this last battle they abandoned the failing revolt. Together with elements from the First Atrean Dragoons heavy regiment, a loyalist unit that had been decimated on Sophie's World, they formed the mercenary regiment Hansen's Roughriders and turned their back on the Free Worlds League.
Organisation and equipment
The Roughriders are known to field heavy BattleMechs augmented by heavy Aerospace Fighters and heavy tanks. Many companies within the Roughriders are composed exclusively of heavy 'Mechs, and the unit is generally known for their prowess in close range combat.
When the new Rommel and Patton tank designs were unveiled in 3020 by Defiance Industries, the LCAF put them to serious testing through the Roughrider's tank brigade.
History
It is not entirely clear when Hansen's Roughriders were properly formed as a mercenary unit following the events of 3014. Although it is generally assumed that they went to serve House Steiner immediately, the Lyran Commonwealth officially hired the unit only in 3018. Together with fellow mercenary unit Miller's Marauders, they quickly became media darlings in the Commonwealth as they embodied the archetype of the rowdy but successful mercenary.
The Roughriders first became famous through their attack on the heavily fortified Marik world of New Olympia early on, where they annihilated two enemy regiments in intense fighting over the course of three weeks before they were forced to retreat. The attack humiliated the Free Worlds League not only because of its military success, but also because New Olympia was the site of one of their major military academies.
Suk II
During their long employment with the Commonwealth, the Roughriders were stationed on Suk II as of 3018 to defend the valuable mining world against regular raids from the Draconis Combine, but occasionally they were sent into battle elsewhere. Despite their occasional missions abroad the Roughriders were stationed as a garrison force on Suk II long enough to become virtually associated with that world.
In 3019, Lyran intelligence learned that the Free Worlds League had sent the elite mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons against the invaluable BattleMech factories of Hesperus II. The Lyrans rushed reinforcements to Hesperus, including the Roughriders who were held on reserve at the factory perimeter as a last-ditch defense. In the ensuing 13th battle for Hesperus II, the Dragoon onslaught drove right through the Steiner defenders despite being outnumbered 1:2. It was the Roughriders, together with Hsien's Hotheads, who finally pushed back the Dragoons within sight of the factories. This marks the Roughriders as one of very few units to ever beat the famous Wolf's Dragoons on the battlefield.
In 3024 the Roughriders participated in the capture of the industry world Sevren from the Draconis Combine.
Fourth Succession War
In the first attack wave of the Fourth Succession War, the Roughriders were sent to invade Wheel together with Narhal's Raiders. Their successful fight against the Tooth of Ymir mercenaries defending Wheel was noted as having been fought with skill, compassion and honor.
In the second wave, the Roughriders fought on Hainfeld and in May 3029 they attacked Satalice together with the Waco Rangers in what was noted as one of the most effective invasions of the renewed offensive.
War of 3039
After the Fourth Succession War the Roughriders remained under contract to House Steiner, but were relocated to garrison worlds in the Federated Suns. Just prior to the War of 3039 they were on Algol, and during the war they became part of the invasion force for Pike IV, jumping off from Lambrecht. The Draconis Combine's counterattack prolonged the campaign on Pike IV and the Roughriders suffered considerable losses at the hands of the Fifth Sword of Light regiment. On the 6th of November their contract lapsed and they withdrew from the battlefield. A year later they were stationed on Algol again.
Colonel Gerhard Hansen, the founder of the mercenary unit, retired after the Pike campaign and command passed on to Wolfgang Hansen.
Bromhead
By 3050 the Roughriders were stationed on Bromhead, in the Capellan March of the Federated Commonwealth.
Other Information
- Hansen's Roughriders were among the five mercenary units presented in the original BattleTech boardgame (the others being the Eridani Light Horse, Wolf's Dragoons, 21st Centauri Lancers and Lindon's Company), and as such have been part of the BattleTech universe right from the very beginning.
- In the computer game MechWarrior II - Mercenaries, the player starts his first missions with Hansen's Roughriders, under the tutelage of one Sergeant Unther (who pilots a Catapult and gives the player radio callsigns such as "Rookie" and "Hey you!").