Wannamaker's Widowmakers

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History

Beginnings

While a dropship of this unit could not answer a warning from a warship of the Wolf’s Dragoons at orbit over Outreach, they were considered as a hostile force (they enter the system via a pirate jumppoint) and blown out of the sky. The losses were heavy and after a long rebuilding work the unit helped to supress riot on Galatea during the Fedcom Civil war. The Widowmakers are back for larger contracts.

After a blunder nearly caused this unit to be wiped out by a Wolf’s Dragoons WarShip before it even set foot inside the Hiring Hall on Outreach, Wannamaker’s Widowmakers took the first contract offered to them and left to begin the unenviable task of rebuilding on the fly. Over the next two years, Major Cheryl Wannamaker recruited members of other shattered commands and increased the Widowmakers’ integrity and experience by taking small, short-term contracts in the Chaos March first, and later in the Periphery.

FedCom Civil War

As the Federated Commonwealth slid ever closer toward civil war, the Widowmakers—fresh from a long pirate-hunting stint for the Taurian Concordat approached representatives from both sides for possible employment, only to be rebuffed in favor of commands perceived to be more reliable. Undaunted by this setback, Major Wannamaker continued advertising for employment, and the Widowmakers moved back to the Inner Sphere to set up shop on Galatea. Arriving after Group W finished putting down planet-wide riots that broke out shortly before the start of the FedCom Civil War, the Widowmakers hired on with Galatean City authorities and helped to keep the peace in the wake of Group W’s departure, remaining there ever since. Wannamaker, however, was said to be negotiating a lucrative offer for work in the Chaos March again, and may be taking her unit off Galatea soon.

The Jihad

The Wannamaker's Widowmakers acted as the Blakist garrison on Outreach for years during the Jihad, until the liberation of Outreach in late 3077; it was discovered by the aliled coalition forces that during the course of their garrison duties on Outreach the Widowmakers had suffered heavy casualties at the hands of a rebel group named the Four Horsemen, led by an individual using the name Tara Lucas.

Officers

The accident left Major Cheryl Wannamaker with a deep hatred against the MRBC and Wolf's Dragoons.

Major Cheryl Wannamaker’s grudge against Wolf’s Dragoons still simmers. In 3061, she officially pulled the Widowmakers from the MRBC and closed their offices in the Dragoons’ Hiring Hall after moving to Galatea, having had her fill of what she termed “Dragoon hypocrisy.” Though the resulting loss of their official mercenary rating has hampered their ability to find work (the Widowmakers have yet to re-register, even with the Galatean MRBC office), Major Wannamaker maintains the attitude that the less her unit has to do with Wolf’s Dragoons, the better.

Tactics

Since acquiring two lances of light and medium BattleMechs, Wannamaker’s Widowmakers has slowly learned to use reconnaissance to their advantage. During their most recent contract for the Taurian Concordat, these scout lances provided advance warning of an attempted flanking maneuver by pirate forces, allowing the Widowmakers to prepare for them. The unit use light/medium mech as protection of the flanks and for reconnaissance.

Forged from constant training as an OpFor for various Protectorate forces, Major Wannamaker has put together a cohesive battle force from the remnants of many shattered commands. Now a reinforced battalion, heavily equipped with advanced technology, the Widowmakers have become extremely adept at utilizing C3i systems and have managed to integrate these systems in both reconnaissance missions and the preparation and execution of deadly ambushes. Wannamaker has also been using these skills to further her prospecting operations on Outreach, looking forward to the next eighteen months of the Widowmakers’ garrison assignment.

Support

The Windowmakers have enough technican for the entire unit but lacks sufficient Dropship assets and must hire additional cappacity when needed.

Composition

3067

• Wannamaker’s Widowmakers(1 Battalion/Green/Reliable)
  • CO: Major Cheryl Wannamaker
  • XO: Captain Tomas Vokoun

• Wannamaker’s Flying Widowmakers(1 Element/Regular/Reliable)
  • Wing Commander: Lieutenant Shawna White

Notes

• The main force are heavy and assault designs.

The first thing Wing Commander Shawna White did when the Widowmakers signed with the Word was to upgrade both of her fighters and purchase an additional four. Indeed, a large part of the reason the mercenaries are so indebted to the Blakes is because of this spending spree. The massive upgrade has definitely increased the mercenaries’ deadliness in the air, augmented by constant training— partially in punishment—that has seamlessly integrated these aerospace assets with the lighter recon elements of the ground-based Widowmakers.

Bibliography

• Jihad Hot Spots: Terra
• Mercenaries Supplemental
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update