1st Robinson Rangers

First Robinson Rangers
Formed	2765 - 2786
Nickname	The Vols
Affiliation	Federated Suns
Parent Command	Robinson Rangers

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

The First Robinson Rangers and its sister regiment, the Second Robinson Rangers, trace their roots to a brigade of volunteers that stepped up to defend their home planet from Draconis Combine invasion in 2787, during the height of the First Succession War. Though the DCMS forces succeeded in taking the planet, the volunteer brigade fought to the last man, falling back on guerilla warfare operations when conventional efforts failed and the invasion became an occupation.^[1][2] Inspired by that unit's tenacity, First Prince Peter Davion authorized the formation of two new BattleMech regiments named in their honor and drawing personnel solely from Robinson. The First Robinson Rangers were activated in 2831 and quickly gained in experience and reputation. By the end of the Second Succession War, they were stationed on Allerton and had lost almost three quarters of their personnel and equipment in the brutal fighting.^[3]

Third Succession War[edit]

In 3014, the First Robinson Rangers arrived on Mallory's World to reinforce the AFFS forces that were defending a mass DCMS assault there. Throughout most of 3015 and 3016, the Rangers were present for the sporadic conflicts between Davion and Kuritan forces. Their most notable involvement was their defeat of the Ninth Benjamin Regulars outside the city of Harrison's Ferry on 31 January, 3016. The Regulars attempted to close with the Rangers inside the city, where their familiarity with 'Mech urban warfare would give them an edge, but were spotted by the Rangers' advance scouts and intercepted on their approach. After several hours of fighting, the Regulars received the order to retreat off-world from Yorinaga Kurita. Heeding their commander, the Regulars fell back, but the Rangers pursued them all the way to their landing zones and continued to fire on the Combine unit even as their DropShips lifted off and entered atmosphere.^[4]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

During the Fourth Succession War the First Robinson Rangers moved to Edwards to counter expected Draconis Combine activity. With Takashi Kurita focusing on destroying Wolf's Dragoons, the Rangers did not see any combat on that world.^[5]

War of 3039[edit]

During the War of 3039, the 1st Robinson Rangers, along with the Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry RCT and 93rd Mechanized Brigade, formed part of a taskforce led by Field Marshal James Sandoval to recapture the important BattleMech producing world of Marduk, lost to the Draconis Combine during the Fourth Succession War. The AFFS taskforce greatly outnumbered the local militia and battalion of Sixth Benjamin Regulars defending the world, capturing the planet with relative ease.^[6]

Digging in in the face of an anticipated counterattack, AFFS forces outnumbered the remains of the Sixth and Eighth Galedon Regulars sent to retake the planet, inflicting heavy losses thanks to the old-school Kurita tactics practiced by both units. Trapping the Combine forces in the remains of a Succession Wars era fort, the Rangers only withdrew when First Prince Hanse Davion recalled the FedCom forces, but not before they stripped machinery and materials from the manufacturers onworld.^[7]

Clan Invasion[edit]

The First Robinson Rangers were one of many Draconis March units deployed to the Lyran Commonwealth during the Clan Invasion. They took up station on Kooken's Pleasure Pit and fought Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Steel Viper forces.^[8]

Operation Bulldog[edit]

During Operation Bulldog the First Robinson Rangers were part of the multinational force that attacked Clan Smoke Jaguar. Stationed on Wolcott along with several Capellan Confederation and Draconis Combine units, the Rangers protected the world from Smoke Jaguar attacks.^[9] Though there were some minor incidents between the Combine warriors and the Rangers, the Rangers were never cited as the cause of the disturbance.^[8] Shortly thereafter they traveled to Clan space with Victor Steiner-Davion and returned.^[8]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

During the FedCom Civil War the First Robinson Rangers were a key unit in Duke Sandoval's attack on the Draconis Combine. They attacked Proserpina along with the 8th Crucis Lancers and Robinson Battle Academy Training Battalion. There they destroyed the 9th Benjamin Regulars.^[10] Later the Rangers attacked Ashio and faced the 46th Dieron Regulars. The 46th and the Robinson Rangers inflicted heavy losses on each other, but eventually the 46th's command of the local terrain led Mai Fortuna to relocate to a new city on Ashio.^[11] What the Rangers didn't know was that the city was controlled by yakuza, and the Rangers soon found themselves dealing with a guerrilla war. The yakuza held no love for the Combine, but they did want to control the planet and used the conflict to their own advantage. Eventually the Rangers lost patience when they couldn't find the parties responsible, and began leveling whole buildings in the city. The final straw was a conflict at a munitions factory that was being guarded by the Robinson Battle Academy cadets attached to the Rangers. The yakuza lured elements of the Dieron Regulars to the factory and started a fight between the two forces. When the cadets and Regulars were fully committed, the yakuza blew up the munitions plant. The resulting explosion killed every cadet and most of the Regulars who were involved in the battle. The Rangers and Regulars fought even harder, believing that the other side was responsible for the bombing. This pushed the 1st Robinson Rangers over the edge and they committed war crimes; it is implied they razed a city and killed the civilian population.^[12] When the 12th Dieron Regulars arrived to reinforce the survivors of the 46th, however, the Robinson Rangers had no choice but to withdraw from the planet. They went to Mallory's World.^[13] However, the evacuation DropShips had insufficient capacity and some elements had to be left behind to be overrun, adding to the overall misery.^[12]

Päl Wyndham-Sandoval served in the unit under Captain Falcot during the nightmarish Ashio campaign. Like most of his fellow soldiers, he had to be treated for drug addiction afterwards. Dags Honor was one of the MechWarriors left behind when the unit evacuated.^[12]

Jihad[edit]

After incorporating the survivors of the Second Robinson Rangers into the unit, the First Robinson Rangers liberated Robinson from the Word of Blake forces that held it. They then proceeded to defend the world throughout the rest of the Jihad. After that conflict ended, the First was downsized into a Light Combat Team that was assigned to defend McComb. By reassigning two of the First Robinson Rangers battalions to form the 1st and 2nd Robinson Strikers, the AFFS High Command both rebuilt the defenses on Robinson and prevented the Rangers from going rogue.^[14]

The First Robinson Rangers were recalled to garrison Robinson in 3082. There they assumed command of the defense of the world, but were not authorized to train the newly built Robinson DMM LCT. Instead the 1st Avalon Hussars oversaw that training. The Rangers resent this but are smart enough to realize that they could find themselves transferred to another border world away from their namesake planet and so remain silent. At this time Duke Tancred Sandoval hasn't authorized any replacement 'Mechs, so the First Rangers are at half their nominal strength.^[15]

Dark Age[edit]

The First was stationed on Royal and was effectively destroyed on that world.^[16]

ilClan[edit]

Colleen Sandoval announced the re-formation of the unit in 3151. Much of the unit was made up of the former Second Davion Irregulars, after the officers were promised titles and land grants for their service. Almost the entire unit of Irregulars joined the Rangers.^[17]

Officers[edit]

Other Officers[edit]

• Hauptmann Herschel Berman, MechWarrior during the late Succession Wars and Clan Invasion.^[24]
• Hauptmann Zelda Conroy, MechWarrior during the late Succession Wars.^[25]

Tactics[edit]

The First Robinson Rangers are skilled in open field battles.^[8]

Composition History[edit]

2786[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)^[2]

• Base: Robinson^[2]

2864[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)^[3]

• Base: Allerton^[3]

3025[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)^[19]

• CO: Field Marshal Aaron Sandoval^[19]
• Base: Robinson^[19]

3040[edit]

First Robinson Rangers RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)^[26]

• Base: Robinson^[26]

3050[edit]

First Robinson Rangers RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)^[27]

• CO: Hauptmann General Mai Fortuna^[27]
• Base: Robinson^[27]

3054[edit]

First Robinson Rangers RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)^[28]

• CO: Hauptmann General Mai Fortuna^[28]

• 2nd Battalion CO: Kommandant Strom^[29]

• Base: Kooken's Pleasure Pit^[28]

3062[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)^[8]

• CO: Major General Mai Fortuna
  • Aide: Major Frederico Temms
• HQ Company: Captain Jethro Stephenson-Sandoval
• Base: Robinson

First Robinson Rangers Air (1 Reinforced Wing/Regular/Reliable)^[8]

• CO: Major Perdition Feff
  • Aide: Leftenant Luis Rogas-Tassett

3067[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Veteran/Reliable)^[22]

• CO: Leftenant General Jerome Dorant
• Base: Mallory's World

First Robinson Rangers Air (Wing/Elite/Reliable)^[22]

• CO: Colonel Perdition Feff

3079[edit]

The First Robinson Rangers had been reduced to thirty-five percent of their pre-Jihad strength, but most of this was due to the loss of two of the formation's battalions to other units. The First Rangers kept the aerospace assets of the 2nd Robinson Rangers, giving them a huge amount of air support.^[14]

3085[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)^[23]

• CO: Major General Deann Feff
• Base: Robinson

First Robinson Rangers Air (Wing/Green/Reliable)^[23]

• CO: Colonel Ambrosius Sokal

3151[edit]

First Robinson Rangers (Regiment)^[17]

• CO: Duchess Colleen Sandoval^[17]
• Base: Robinson^[17]

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Centurion in 1st Robinson Rangers colors

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• 20 Year Update
• Epaulet Mate
• FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)
• Field Manual: 3085
• Field Manual: Federated Suns
• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Report: AFFS
• Field Report 2765: AFFS
• First Succession War
• Force Manual: Davion
• Historical: War of 3039
• Historical Turning Points: Mallory's World
• House Davion (The Federated Suns)
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Objective Raids
• Technical Readout: 3145 The Clans