Fourth Succession War: Skondia Part 3 - Personalities

This week I want to acquaint you with the personalities involved in the skirmish on Skondia. In my last post, Fourth Succession War: Skondia Part 2, I gave names to the leaders of each unit as well as each of the mech pilots. I think players are more inclined to play units realistically when they know more about a unit then its raw numbers and the loss of that unit means more. Therefore, that knowledge makes the game a richer experience for all involved. It also makes overcoming an enemy unit all the more sweet, because one can imagine the defeated enemy.

The small background blurbs are completely made up by me and fit within the Battletech universe’s timeline. I also used them to give a little context to the overall Skondia campaign, the units involved, and the time period of the Fourth Succession War. Let me know what you think and feel free to use any of these personalities as NPCs in any of your campaigns.

Draconis Combine:

Lieutenant Omitsu Kazaryan: A talented artillery commander, Kazaryan’s whole unit was simply transferred from the Vega militia to the 14^th when the unit was formed. The militia was then given new artillery to replace the aged and broken units that formed the 14th regimental artillery. Though she did not think the transfer was fair for her or her people, she does not question orders.

Sergeant Charles Dahlhof: Dahlhof was also transferred to the 14^th Legion when the Vega Militia was upgraded. Unlike Lieutenant Kazaryan, he grumbles about it constantly, making it unlikely he will ever see a better command.

Major Cho-yun Xi: Xi was selected by the Duke of Luthien himself to help keep some semblance of order within the 14^th Legion of Vega. In his past command with the 8^th Sword of Light, Xi was know as a stanch disciplinarian and has been known to whip disobedient solders—even those from other commands. Unlike most pilots who have come to the Legion, Xi was given a promotion and a new mech right off the Luthien Armor Works assembly line. He expects his orders to be followed and has no patience for anything less then perfection.

Mechwarrior Joe Vahtangov: Like Albright, Vahtangov is from Vega as well. His ancestors are some of the original settlers, which allowed him to go to academy and become a mechwarrior for the 2nd Dieron Regulars. Unfortunately, Vahtangov picked up a gambling habit and was subsequently let go from the Regulars. The Legion of Vega was the only outfit that would hire him considering all of the bookies that are after him.

Mechwarrior Arsenio Arellano: Arellano is a creepy guy. He has been disciplined for several sexual harassment incidents and has been let go from two other commands. Only the desperate Legion of Vega was willing to hire him. He keeps to himself now, especially under the watchful eye of Major Xi.
Talon Sergeant Kuemon Shini: Shini came with Xi from the 8th Sword of Light. He had been recently dishonored by the murder of his young daughter and subsequent suicide of his wife. He too was going to kill himself, but Xi forbade it. Recognizing Shini’s talent for scouting and his loyalty, Xi brought Shini with him when the 14th Legion was formed.

Captain Nobuyoshi Imai: Among a group of hand picked officers assigned (demoted) to the 14th Legion by Takashi Kurita, Imai has blossomed into a competent company commander free of the strict discipline required in his former unit. He was a Major and battalion commander in the 1st Sword of Light until he disobeyed a direct order to sacrifice two companies as a diversion for a general attack by the rest of the regiment.

Mechwarrior Deo Surapaneni: Recently assigned to the 14th Legion, Surapaneni has been given a second chance to pilot a mech. He started his career as a young mechwarrior raiding the Draconis Combine worlds bordering the periphery. On one such raid, he was captured and forced to become a servant for the former regimental commander of the 3rd Pesht Regulars, Colonel Hoo-gwo Kung. Recognizing Surapaneni’s raw talent, Kung asked Theodore Kurita, the commander of all of the Legions of Vega, to give Surapaneni a chance.

Mechwarrior Blair Mac Millan: A recent graduate of the prestigious Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy, Mac Millan was to be assigned to the 2nd Sword of Light, but on graduation weekend, he made a pass at the Dean’s daughter dishonoring himself. He was stripped of his diploma, his parents lost their land holdings, and he was assigned to the least desirable regiment in the Draconis Combine, the 14th Legion of Vega.
Mechwarrior Daniel Mcintyre: A long time tech and competent mech pilot, Mcintyre recently became a mechwarrior when he replaced a pilot who was killed on Marfik fighting the 3rd Lyran Guards. His assigned mech, a Panther, still bears the damage from an AC-10 round to the head.

Lieutenant Ed Kataoka: Demoted, divorced, and dishonored, Kataoka continues to smile hoping that the turmoil in this life will bring him enlightenment in the next. An assault lance commander with the Benjamin Regulars until he discovered his company commanding officer sleeping with his wife, he subsequently challenged the commander to a sword duel which he lost. Recuperating in the hospital, he was served with divorce papers and a transfer to the Legion.

Mechwarrior Francis Fanner: Twice disciplined for problems with drugs and alcohol when he was with the 3rd Dieron Regulars, Fanner’s officers were fed up, so they transferred him. Fanner thinks of little else then partying. If it were not for the fact that he owns his own mech, Fanner would have been discharged long ago.

Mechwarrior Ted Ito: Ito is a determined warrior who comes from a poor family. Because of his family’s class and lack of funds, Ito was unable to attend mechwarrior academy. He initially joined the 14th legion as a laborer and guard, but over the last couple of years Lieutenant Kataoka has trained Ito in his spare time. Before the 14th’s last engagement on Marfik, a damaged mech became available and in need of a pilot. Kataoka asked Ito to augment his lance with the damaged mech. Ito did so well in the fight against the 3rd Lyran Guard, Kataoka got permission to add Ito to his lance. Ito’s mech still has not been painted since it was repaired using captured parts.

Mechwarrior Rajnish Sommath: Originally from the 2nd Arkab Legion, Sommath was demoted and was to be executed when he was discovered to be a homosexual. He subsequently escaped and was hired by 14th Legion of Vega. His lover was not as lucky--he was beheaded.
Lieutenant Taymullah Tabari: Tabari is a hotshot ace pilot. He finished first in his class while attending the Dieron District Gymnasium and went on to attend the Wisdom of the Dragon Advanced Tactics School. He recently was a lance commander with the 2nd An Ting Legion, but he was transferred to the 14th Legion of Vega because of questionable connections with other officers who were linked to the Free Rasalhague Movement. He was at least able to continue to use his new redesigned Griffin after transferring. He wants nothing more then to clear his name and return to the An Ting Legion.

Mechwarrior Kieran Farquhar: Farquhar was an elite aerospace pilot with the 33rd Avalon Hussars until she fell in love while on vacation on Outreach with the senior officer of the 2nd Legion of Vega General Michael Heise. Turning her back on the Federated Suns, she married Heise and followed him back to Vega. Because there have not been any openings in the Legion’s aerospace wings, Farquhar took up piloting mechs and has proven herself very capable in several skirmishes. She displays a large sun on top of her Jenner in respect to her former comrades in the Federated Suns.

Mechwarrior Sean Ono: Ono was an up and coming favorite in the arenas of Solaris 7 until he publicly criticized his stable. In the following battle, Ono’s mech's gyro was sabotaged causing him to lose the match giving his stable reason to fire him. He drifted around for some time, working for small mercenary outfits until he got a job with the Legion.
Mechwarrior Alan Albright: Albright was raised on Vega, his father is a middle manager for a computer company and his mother is a tour guide for the pyramids built there. He originally left and became a mech pilot for a small corporate security firm in the Lyran Commonwealth which has since gone bankrupt. Having lost his job, he returned home and was picked up by the 14th Legion of Vega.

Lyran Commonwealth:

Colonel Mitch Freeman: Freeman is a retired Mech Regimental Commander for the Lyran Royal Guards. He did not see much action during the Third Succession War which gave him time to become good at politics helping him to land the comfortable position of the militia commander for the Skondia Militia. It is a great pay check and it carries lots of prestige around the country club for very little actual work. As of late, he has began to regret not having more combat experience and wishes he could have one more chance at it…even if it is akin to the Charge of the Light Brigade.

Staff Sergeant Joshua MacDerment: MacDerment comes from a military family who has sworn to defend Skondia from the Draconis Combine. His wife works at Fort Eagle and he has not spoken with her since the invasion.
Sergeant Jun-seok Yi: Yi is a Veteran of the Third Succession War attached to the 9^th Rasalhague Regulars. He soon defected and actively supports the Free Rasalhague Movement.
Hauptmann Oscar Laundsen: Laundsen is a commercial pilot on Skondia ferrying contractors and miners to remote areas of the world. He works for the Militia only as a reserve pilot. He has not slept since the recent invasion. Instead, he has been ferrying troops and supplies so that the militia can mount a counter attack.

Hauptmann Alexander Murton: As a young tank commander, Murton cut his teeth in the 13^th battle for Hesperus II against the Wolf’s Dragoons under contract to the Free Worlds League. He was highly decorated for his actions there, including organizing a defense for one of the approaches to the Hesperus II Mech Factory. In 3024, he was picked up by the Mercenary Company Hanson’s Rough Riders and saw action on Sevren. In one engagement, he faced an Elite unit of the Dieron Regulars where he was severely injured and the rest of his crew died. The Skondia Militia was only too happy to bring him on after he left the Riders.
First Lieutenant Penn Einbund: Einbund is Murton’s brother in law. He followed his brother-in-law to Skondia from the Tamar Militia. He has not seen battle, but shows promise on maneuvers and in the simulator.
Lieutenant Bill Nazim: Nazim has not seen battle either and he does not want to. He chose this occupation because it was better then being a middle manager for one of the mining companies. He would prefer to just ferry troops to their fights then fight himself.
First Leutanant Fidelio Lingens: Lingens is the third son of a Rabbi. He too was to become a Rabbi, but once he graduated from university, he chose to become an officer in the Skondia Militia while he decides if seminary is the right life for him.
Sergeant Major Ivan “Mack” Mackherdhuj:  Mack is a half Indian, half Samoan and all old grizzled Sergeant. He has fought sixteen engagements on Skondia and briefly served with the Skye Rangers on two off world campaigns against the Draconis Combine during the Third Succession War. People not only follow his orders because he is terrifying, but also because his orders keep soldiers alive.





Sergeant Pengel Duba: Duba recently earned Sergeant and has just been given command of 3^rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2^nd Battalion. The platoon also recently became SRM capable and he wants to show that through his command, his men can take down a mech if given the chance.
Hauptmann Breslin Woodard: Served with distinction with the Lyran Guards during the Third Succession War including the retaking of the strategic world of Port Moseby. He has since retired to Skondia to train the next generation of Mechwarriors.
Ryushi Kikuchi: The first son of a Provence Administrator for Skondia, Kikuchi was all but guaranteed to attend Mech Piloting School once he passed his initial tests, and he is quite proud of his status. He is not shy about putting other students down regarding their lower class.
Ally Pendell: The daughter of a prominent grain wholesaler on Skondia and a member of a family that was one of the first settlers, Pendell has rejected her upper class breeding for a military life. She chose to become a Mech Pilot over the family business out of a greater sense of duty to the Commonwealth.
Harvey bin Zubair: The Zubair family only recently emigrated to Skondia to work on a sheep ranch as tenant farmers. When Zubair was a child, his father saved their landlord’s life following a tractor accident. When Zubair came of age the landlord paid the Skondia Mech Piloting School to take Zubair as a student in gratitude to Zubair’s father.






First Lieutenant Agata Furnes: Recently retired from the Skye Rangers, Furnes settled on Skondia because she was awarded several thousand square kilometers from the Skye government as part of her retirement package. However, she soon found that retirement was boring, so she became an instructor with the Skondia Mech Piloting School.
Torgrim Halvorsen: Halvorsen’s father and mother were both members of the Skondia Militia during the Third Succession War serving as intelligence officers. During a raid on Skondia by the 2^nd Sword of Light Regiment of the Draconis Combine, Halvorsen’s mother and father were killed when the command post they worked at was destroyed in an airstrike. Halvorsen was then raised in foster care and has since sworn to avenge his parent’s death.

Kien Zhang: Zhang graduated with honors and received a football scholarship to the University of Washington on Donegel, but he turned it down to stay close to his ailing grandmother who raised him.
Byron Crerar: Crerar is a descendant of the hundreds of thousands of miners brought to Skondia and forced to work for near slave wages by the Draconis Combine hundreds of years ago. Once the Lyran Commonwealth occupied the world in the First Succession War, Crerar’s family became solders. His father is a Skondia Militia battalion infantry commander and his older brother is an armored lance commander for the Lyran Regulars. Crerar is the first person in his family to attend mech piloting academy and he takes it very seriously.

The photos were copied from the web and edited by me. The character backgrounds are fiction and are in no way related to actual people that these photos depict. The above images are claimed as Fair Use under US copyright law. They are not being used for profit, they are central to illustrating the post, and their use here in no way interferes with the copyright holder’s commercial use of the images.