Editing Holt's Hilltoppers

{{Update Needed|[[Historical: Wars of the Republic Era]]|[[Technical Readout: 3150]]|[[Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League]]|[[Spotlight On: Holt's HillToppers]]|[[Spotlight On: Nakayama's Blood]]|[[Operational Turning Points: Fronc Reaches]]}}
{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[image:Holt's_Hilltoppers_Insignia.png|150px]]
| Designation = Holt's Hilltoppers
| Formed = 
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = 
| Affiliation = Mercenary
| Parent Command = Independent 
| Sub-Command =
}}
'''Holt's Hilltoppers''' were among the named [[mercenary unit]]s that were said to have survived the [[Jihad]] by being relatively small and mobile, and thus able to avoid destruction.<ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 120</ref> Context suggests the unit would have been less than a [[regiment]] in size, and have access to their own transportation assets.

==History==
===Clan Invasion===
The Hilltoppers where formed from a battalion of the [[Holt Planetary Militia]] during the [[3057]] [[Operation GUERRERO]] who rebeled in protest of the [[Free Worlds League]] alliance with the [[Capellan Confederation]]. Despite being savaged by the [[Sixth Marik Militia]] they managed to steal a [[Leopard CV|''Leopard CV''-class]] [[DropShip]] (later named ''[[Lucky Roll]]'') and depart [[Holt]]. As a small, new mercenary command born of dubious circumstances forced them to seek employment with the [[Magistracy of Canopus]] in the [[New Colony Region]].  Years later they returned to Outreach and were hired as an auxiliary force for the [[Acamar]] part of [[Operation STILETTO]] they saw their reputation rise.<ref name=SO:HHp2>''Spotlight On: Holt's HillToppers'', pp. 2-3: "Unit History and Description"</ref>

===Civil War===
Stationed on [[Warlock]] in [[3063]] during the [[Capellan-St. Ives War]], they faced the [[Harloc Raiders]] during the [[Battle of Warlock (3063)|assault]].  Ordered out of their fighting positions over protest and threat of arrest by a [[St. Ives Compact]] mercenary liason officer, they were shattered. After accepting harsh terms of surrender, the unit limped back to Outreach. There they were joined with a group of Canopian refugees who had stolen both a [[Union|''Union''-class]] DropShip ''[[Hilltop]]'' and an [[Invader|''Invader''-class]] [[JumpShip]], ''[[Pride of Hardcore]]''.  Now with trasportation assets they secured a contract on [[Kiamba]] which allowed them to supplement their forces with [[Clan Ghost Bear]] [[Elemental]] [[bondsmen]]. Soon after they accepted a contract with [[Draconis March]] to defend the rear areas of [[Robinson Rangers]] during their [[Battle of Ashio (3064)|attack]] on [[Ashio]]. There they would be embroiled in a feud with the [[Forty-Sixth Dieron Regulars]].  Flush with salvage they began expanding slowly but carefully during their short contracts on [[Arboris]] and [[Filtvelt]]<ref name=SO:HHp2/>

===Jihad===
By the time the Jihad begun, the Hilltoppers had grown to reinforce battalion, accepting a contract on [[Portland]] in the [[Fronc Reaches]].<ref name=SO:HHp2/> While stationed on Portland the Hilltoppers grew to regiment size.<ref>''Operational Turning Points: Fronc Reaches'', p. 12: "Holt's Hilltoppers"</ref> Sometime after the Jihad, Carnivore Battalion attacked the [[Harloc Raiders]] as part of their old grudge.  For this, they were considered wanted criminals in the [[Capellan Confederation]].<ref name=H:WotREp50>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 50: "Jacson"</ref>

===Dark Age===
During the [[Victoria War]], Holt's Hilltoppers worked for the [[Federated Suns]]. [[Battle of Jacson (3103)|Fighting on [[Jacson]], they deployed a lance of ''[[Koshi]]''s as part of a recon company that was in turn part of the Hilltoppers' Champion Battalion. These 'Mechs fought against elements of [[Lethal Injection]], and the Hilltoppers proved the deciding factor in the running battle that saw Lethal Injection flee the world which would fall to the Federated Suns shortly afterwards.<ref>''Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries'', p. 26</ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of Holt's Hilltoppers'''
|-
|[[Colonel|Chief]]||[[George Holt]]||[[3057]] - [[3103]]<ref name=H:WotREp50/>
|}

==Tactics==
Unknown.

==Composition History==
===3085===
* Holt’s Hilltoppers were one Battalion (at 85% strength and 48% upgraded) of Regular Quality and Questionable Loyalty. The unit was stationed on [[Ingersoll]]<ref name="FM3085">''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 160 ''Notable Mercenary Forces''</ref>

===3103===
* '''Holt's Hilltoppers'''<ref name=H:WotREp50/><ref>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 99: "Holt's Hilltoppers"</ref>
:CO: [[Colonel]] [[George Holt]]<ref name=H:WotREp50/>
::Chief Battalion
::Carnivore Battalion
::Champion Battalion
:::CO: [[Major]] [[Donald Valentine|Donald "Saint" Valentine]]<ref name=H:WotREp50/>
:::Assault Company
:::Brawl Company
:::Crusher Company (includes one lance of ''[[Koshi (BattleMech)|Koshi]]'' [[BattleMech]]s)<ref>''Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries'', p. 26: "Koshi (Standard)"</ref><ref>''Technical Readout: 3150'', p. 124: "Koshi (Standard)"</ref><ref>''Technical Readout: Dark Age'', p. 14: "Koshi (Standard)"</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
* ''[[Spotlight On: Holt's Hilltoppers]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries]]''

[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Holt's Hilltoppers]]