o/
The whole lance in front of...drop...ships...maybe?
Battle Rattle is another merc unit name that I've used on and off over the past few years in 1-off battles with no continuity of forces or theme. They've never had a specific color scheme until now, when I added in a 3D-printed Cataphract gifted to me by Kushial as well as a recently purchased metal Javelin to the two originally painted Whitworths.
Below is their backstory:
Battle Rattle is your stereotypical, third rate, 'barely eking out an existence' type of mercenary lance. The lance came together during the latter stages of the Succession Wars consisting of a CTF-1X Cataphract, a pair of WTH-1 Whitworths, and a JVN-10F 'Fire' Javelin along with a handful of support staff.
Oh have no doubt, these fuckers will run away fall back if the situation looks dire!
Woefully uncompetitive in the Inner Sphere mercenary market due to their lackluster mechs and an almost complete lack of advanced technology, they've been surviving on anti-piracy garrison contacts in the far reaches of the Periphery. Most often on backwater worlds lacking their own indigenous mech forces.
Their mechs are all painted in standard Davion Green (all pilots and support staff are Davions by birth) with a black stripe on the right side torso representing their long-standing ties to the Periphery. The unit lacks any sort of official logo, though their CO's Cataphract does sport a hand painted 'BR' on it's lower forward torso.
I'm sure that little pickup truck on the base is heading out for spare parts. No doubt these mechs are a nightmare conglomeration of jury-rigged field repairs and a multitude of minor mechanical issues.
Speaking of the Cataphract, it recently suffered significant damage to it's right arm in a clash with an unknown band of pirate raiders. The arm was severed just above the elbow and the logistical nightmare of procuring a new Cataphract arm out on the ass end of nowhere means that until they return to the Inner Sphere, their 'Cat' will have to do without.
Their techs were at least able to remount the rear firing torso mediums lasers to fire forward, mitigating some of the mech's diminished combat effectiveness due to loss of the PPC.
My first ever Javelin as I never cared for this mini's pose. However, looking as though it is stepping around a tree improves it's odd stance considerably.
The only advanced tech (if it can be called that) are the Whitworths' LRM launchers, which are frequently modified to be 'one-shot' models out of necessity, again due to their employer's lack of proper logistical support.
Ah yes, the old but reliable Whitworths, one of my favorite mech classes.
The LRM's ammo capacities more or less depend on when the next jumpship arrives in system, and whether or not it's a friendly trader or a pirate raider! Outside of the sparsely loaded LRM launchers and the Cataphract's AC-10, the unit relies exclusively on medium lasers for offence.
