Editing Team Banzai

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[File:team_banzai.jpg]]
| Designation = Team Banzai
| Formed = [[3015]]
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = 
| Affiliation = [[Mercenary]]
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command = 
}}
==Overview==
The enigmatic '''Team Banzai''' is a peculiar mercenary regiment that is well known for the scientific genius of its commander Dr. Banzai and some other members while at the same time being classed as elite combatants.

==History==
===Formation and Early Years===
Created in [[3015]],<ref>''Camo Specs'', p. 14, states Team Banzai was formed ten years ago and p. 30 makes it clear the book is set 20 years after 3005, ''i.e.'' in 3025; similarly, they are said to have formed "just over 10 years ago" in the ''MechWarrior, First Edition'' RPG rulebook, p. 114</ref> Team Banzai was under contract to the [[Federated Suns]] throughout its existence and was based on [[New Avalon]].

===Fourth Succession War===
====Battle of Northwind====
Team Banzai was sent to reinforce the [[House Davion|Davion]] garrison on [[Northwind]] in mid-January of [[3029]]. The garrison consisted of the [[5th Deneb Light Cavalry]] and the mercenary battalion, [[Bradley's Bravos]], who had been recently accepted into the [[Kell Hounds]] as the Kell Hounds' 3rd Battalion. Two regiments of BattleMechs from [[House Kurita]] were sent to invade the planet. During the initial stages of the invasion, half of the [[5th Deneb Light Cavalry]] were struck down with food poisoning. Team Banzai managed to arrive in time to reinforce the garrison's forces. However, the remaining healthy members of the Light Cavalry were lured out of their defensive positions by the [[36th Dieron Regulars]] and were cut to ribbons by the [[5th Sword of Light]]. The Bravos attempted to save the Light Cavalry by crushing the [[Genyosha]] and moving up to relieve the Light Cav. In the end the [[Genyosha]] was a tough adversary and mauled both the Bravos and Team Banzai in the ensuing engagement.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', pp. 283–284: "Scott Bradley, CO of Bradley's Bravos talks to Major Tommy Lester about initial situation"</ref>

Team Banzai's leader, Doctor Banzai was injured by ''[[Tai-sa]]'' [[Yorinaga Kurita]]. Banzai's second-in-command, Major Tommy Lester, conversed with Major [[Scott Bradley]] of the Bravos about how to handle the situation. They had both lost a number of companies to the elite [[Genyosha]] regiment. Tommy told Scott that ISF sources had informed the [[Genyosha]] that the [[Kell Hounds]] were on [[Northwind]]; consequently, the Kuritas had come calling. Since Scott's Bravos had only recently joined Hounds as the 3rd Battalion, the [[Genyosha]] mistakenly thought the main body of the Hounds were on planet. This allowed the rest of the [[Kell Hounds]] to attack the [[Genyosha]] base while they were already fully engaged.

Tommy offered to assemble the remnants of Team Banzai to fight a delaying action to hold-off the incoming Kurita forces long enough to allow the injured Dr. Banzai, the remains of the Bravos, and 5th Light Cavalry to get off planet.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', p. 284: "Tommy plans to rally his forces last-stand defense to save guard remaining Davion forces with the Doc withdraw from the planet"</ref>  However, Scott replied that he had already formed his surviving people into an [[Omega Company]]. The Omega is already loaded up with [[CBT Tables#Inferno Ammo Explosion Table|Inferno SRMs]] and planned a suicide run against the Kurita forces to buy enough time for the rest of Team Banzai to get off world.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', pp. 284–285: "Scott Bradley tells Major Tommy, that he and his able-bodied men have formed suicide company hold off enemy for rest of Davions to escape"</ref>

Tommy and Scott's meeting was interrupted by the arrival of the entire brigade of the [[Northwind Highlanders]]. The Highlanders were hired out of the service of [[Maximilian Liao]] by [[Hanse Davion]] and were sent to relieve the beleaguered defense. A fringe benefit was that they could also reclaim their ancestral homeland of [[Northwind]].<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', pp. 285–286: "Rawhide receives transmission that Northwind Highlanders have arrived to reinforce Davion forces"</ref> The Highlanders easily brushed aside any resistance by the 5th Sword of Light and its supporting units and secured the planet. After the battle for [[Northwind]] concluded, it was found that Team Banzai had less than a battalion-sized force remaining, and the unit departed for [[New Avalon]].<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', pp. 291–292: "FedSuns Intelligence Minister [[Quintus Allard]] reports to Hanse Davion, that Team Banzai's regiment has been reduced to a battered battalion"</ref> The First Prince [[Hanse Davion]] authorized the transfer of the Team's wounded to the [[NAIS]]'s Medical Center on New Avalon.

====Battle of New Avalon====
Approximately a month after the battle on [[Northwind]], the Team arrived on New Avalon in with its wounded. Doctor Banzai soon recovered from his injuries and began to work with the New Avalon Institute of Science as the rest of his people recovered from their injuries.

However in September, a raiding force consisting of House Liao's elite [[Death Commandos]] struck the planet. The Doctor rallied his able-bodied men and, at the side of Prince Davion, destroyed the Commandos in a brutal battle.<ref>''Warrior: Coupé'', p. 262: "Hanse Davion remembered how Team Banzai came to the defense of the Institute and the devastating loses they endured"</ref> In the end, they were barely able to save the Institute from destruction. What was not known to House Davion or Team Banzai was that the raiders were disguised [[ComStar]] [[Com Guards|Com Guard]] force, disguised as Death Commandos. This "false flag" attack was meant to preserve ComStar's technological monopoly in the Inner Sphere, a monopoly threatened by the NAIS.

===Clan Invasion===
During the Clan Invasion Team Banzai didn't participate in much front line combat. Instead they developed new technology and weapons for use by other soldiers, including what would become the [[Inner Sphere Standard]] power armor. Team Banzai sent eight battle armor troopers equipped with prototype battle armor to [[Planting]] in [[3051]] to test the armor in combat against [[Elemental]]s.<ref>''ClanTroops'', pp. 38–39</ref>

===FedCom Civil War===
Although they were no longer an active fighting force by the time of the [[FedCom Civil War]], Team Banzai nevertheless worked behind the scenes on New Avalon to undermine the rule of [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]]. When the Allies finally invaded New Avalon, the Team became increasingly active in disrupting the Loyalists' communications and finally assisting in the capture of the capital. In the aftermath of the war, the unit was reformed into the [[New Avalon Cavaliers]], a reinforced Regiment.<ref>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 93</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 Team Banzai'''
|-
| Doctor||[[B. Banzai]]||[[3025]]
|-
| Doctor||[[Anna Banzai]]||[[3050]] - [[3054]]<ref name=20yup22/><ref name=OpjRp15/>
|-
|}

==Notable Members==
===3025===
Notable Team Banzai personnel include (as of 3025):
*[[Major]] Tommy Lester<ref>''Warrior: Coupé'', p. 262: "full name given & some physical description is given"</ref> - A slender man with blonde hair and glasses, Lester is the mercenary unit's second-in-command and aide to Dr. Banzai.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', p. 284: "Kell Hound 3rd Battalion commander, Major Scott Bradley conveys their battle plans after their escape from Kurita forces, Major Tommy is command of Team Banzai"</ref> He was one of the Team's MechWarriors who fought the desperate battle against the attack at the NAIS.

*Reno - A dark-haired man with a rugged face.<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', p. 285: "Reno arrives to give Major Tommy and Bradley news of incoming reinforcements"</ref>

*Rawhide - Early member of Team Banzai and a MechWarrior. He was the member of the team who made contact with the Northwind Highlanders brigade who arrived to rescue Davion forces. He was moderately injured at the battle around the New Avalon Institute of Science, losing a lung.<ref>''Warrior: Coupé'', p. 263: "Tommy Lester tells Prince Hanse Davion of Rawhide's injuries from the battle"</ref>

*Yvonne Morticia - Commander of the Team Banzai [[JumpShip]] ''[[Nth Dimension]]''; a [[DropShip]] pilot; and a renowned sharpshooter in her personal ''[[Orion]]'' BattleMech (named ''Lurch'').<ref>''Technical Readout: 3025'', p. 100: Notable Pilots section</ref>

*DuPrichard Mechalam - Former Team Banzai member, commander of the Department of Military Justice in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns ([[AFFS]]), holding the appointment of [[Marshal (rank)|Marshal]].

*Darc Horse - Freelancer MechWarrior who worked alone or with Team Banzai, and also offered his services to the ''[[Blazing Aces]]''<ref>''[[MechWarrior I]]''</ref>

*Professor Douglas Running-Elk - He is a Scholar and MechWarrior, born on [[Terra]]. He was originally the driver for the team's [[Coolant Truck]], when he indirectly captured a ''[[Grand Dragon]]'' in a bid to save a Kurita MechWarrior during the latter part of the Battle of Northwind.  He later became intern to Dr. Banzai at the [[NAIS]] on New Avalon where, by [[3039]], he asked to join the staff.<ref>''Classic BattleTech Record Sheets: Unique 'Mechs'', p. 7: "DRG-1G ''Grand Dragon'' Douglas"''</ref>

===3054===
As of [[3054]], Doctor [[Anna Banzai]] has assumed command of the unit. Team Banzai is still listed as based on [[New Avalon]] at full strength with an Elite experience rating. Their loyalty is listed as "Fanatical".<ref name=OpjRp15/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Camomercsteambanzai.png|''Hatchetman''
</gallery> ‎

==Composition History==
===3025===
''' Team Banzai''' (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=HDTFSp136>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 136: "Federated Suns Deployment Table"</ref>
:* CO: Dr. B. Banzai<ref name=HDTFSp136/>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[New Avalon]].<ref name=HDTFSp136/>

The unit is organized into three 'Mech battalions:<ref>''Warrior: Riposte'', p. 284: Tommy identifies all three battalions of Team Banzai</ref>

*1st Battalion: The Hong Kong Cavaliers:
*2nd Battalion: The Blue Blazers:
*3rd Battalion: The Radar Blazers:

===3040===
'''Team Banzai''' (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=HWO3039/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[New Avalon]].<ref name=HWO3039/>
:Contract: AFFC<ref name=HWO3039>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 141</ref>

===3050===
'''Team Banzai''' (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=20yup22/>
:* CO: Doctor Anna Banzai<ref name=20yup22/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[New Avalon]].<ref name=20yup22>''20 Year Update'', p. 22</ref>

===3054===
'''Team Banzai''' (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=OpjRp15/>
:* CO: Doctor Anna Banzai<ref name=OpjRp15/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[New Avalon]].<ref name=OpjRp15>''Objective Raids'', p. 15</ref>

==Other Information==
*Although the full name of unit leader "Dr. B. Banzai" is never given, Team Banzai as a whole is obviously a reference to the 1984 cult science fiction film ''The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension''. Several of the individuals in the unit have names from the movie, including Rawhide, Reno and Perfect Tommy. Additionally, the Team's 1st Battalion was named the ''Hong Kong Cavaliers'', the name of Buckaroo's band in the movie. It was eventually phased out of the [[BattleTech]] franchise by renaming the unit, presumably due to real-world legal concerns.


==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[ClanTroops]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Record Sheets: Unique 'Mechs]]''
* ''[[Warrior: Coupé]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Warrior: Riposte]]'' (novel)


[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Team Banzai]]