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155th Mechanized Garrison Cluster

Nickname:  Hell's Thunder

Commander:  Star Colonel Albert Johnston

Insignia:  A rectangular shield divided into three parts (black/red/black) with a gold lightning bolt descending from left to right.  A pair of gold horse's heads facing each other atop the shield, with a golden banner across the bottom with red letters reading "Hell's Thunder".

Description:  Hell's Thunder is a brand-new Cluster raised by Khan Fletcher to test the new Nike Light Strike Tanks in actual combat conditions.  Rather than risk existing front-line or second-line units, the Herd has chosen to organize a brand-new Garrison Cluster (designated as the 155th Mechanized Garrison Cluster) consisting of standard BattleMechs, VTOLs, OmniTanks, and Elemental Infantry. 

Designed to be a low-cost, low-resource means of defending a world, the MGC concept has yet to face the crucible of battle.  Although it is all but certain that Hell's Thunder will soon see combat:  Clan Smoke Jaguar (and to a lesser extent Clan Jade Falcon and a handful of other conservative Crusader Clans) see the introduction of the Project Quicksilver OmniTanks as an 'abomination' that flies in the face of what Nicholas Kerensky 'intended' for the Clans to be.

Adding fuel to the fire, the Horses selected a Bloodnamed Warrior (Star Colonel Albert Johnston, a member of a minor Horse Bloodname no longer exclusive to Clan Hell's Horses) to command what is, objectively speaking, a third-tier Garrison unit.  Johnston, a Horse tanker (not a MechWarrior) rose through the ranks and earned his current rank and posting.  One of the prime voices within the Clan that supported the Nike program from the start, he is ready, willing, and able to prove the effectiveness of the design against all comers.

To that end, he has spent six months organizing the 155th on Niles and running through extensive live-fire (and simulated) training exercises.  Wolf and Adder observers have noted that while this unit may well be 'Garrison' in name, the elan and skill exhibited by the Warriors assigned to this unit will prove quite a surprise for any Clan (or Inner Sphere) opponents.


Organization:

Trinary Alpha

Trinary Alpha is NOT the Cluster command element; it is the support element, as well as the only Trinary of the Cluster to field BattleMechs and the only Trinary to lack integral Elemental support (due to the 'Mechs assigned being BattleMechs rather than OmniMechs).  Stars Alpha-One and Alpha-Two consist of five BattleMechs each, while Star Alpha-Three contains ten Assault Helicopters for fast strikes and recon.

Star Alpha-One:  Vapor Eagle, Conjurer, Shadow Hawk IIC, Clint IIC, Griffin IIC

Star Alpha-Two:  Vapor Eagle, Conjurer, Shadow Hawk IIC, Griffin IIC, Horned Owl

Star Alpha-Three:  Donar (x8), Donar-Recon (x2)


Trinary Beta (Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon)

Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon are all organized identically.  Each contains one Star (Beta-One, Gamma-One, etc.) consisting of the new Nike light strike OmniTanks, and supported by two Stars (Beta-Two, Beta-Three; Gamma-Two, Gamma-Three; etc.) of Elemental Infantry).  Trinary Beta also serves as the Command Trinary, with Star Colonel Johnston commanding the Cluster from the gunner/commander seat aboard Nike Beta-One-Zero-One.

Star Beta-One (Gamma-One, Delta-One, Epsilon-One):  Nike (x10)

Star Beta-Two (Gamma-Two, Delta-Two, Epsilon-Two):  Elementals (x25)

Star Beta-Three (Gamma-Three, Delta-Three, Epsilon-Three):  Elementals (x25)


This organization gives the 155th (Hell's Thunder) a total of 10 BattleMechs, 40 Light Strike Tanks (tracked), 10 VTOLs, and 200 Elementals.  When the Elementals are mounted as mechanized battle-riders, the entire formation can walk/cruise at a speed of 64.8 kilometers per hour and run/flank at 97.2 kph.  The Donars serve as the 'fast wing' and perform recon sweeps as well as protecting the flanks of the Cluster.

Although criticized by many Warriors (in other Clans) as lacking in serious firepower (as exemplified by Clan Heavy- and Assault-weight units), the Herd snorts at this idea in amusement. The 155th has the speed and mobility to evade any opponent that they cannot defeat . . . and the firepower to defeat any foe that can out-maneuver them.  Plus, the added firepower of two hundred Elemental Warriors goes a long way in balancing the scales even against Clan second-line (perhaps even front-line) combat elements.

However, for the moment, the 155th Mechanized Garrison Cluster remains a unique element with the Horse Touman.  Khan Fletcher is waiting for the unit (currently completing organization and training on Niles) to have actual combat experience before ordering additional MGCs formed.

Indeed, the initial combat test of this unit is certain to be watched closely by every Clan of Kerensky.


Future Developments:

Some Warriors within the Herd are pushing Khan Fletcher to convert Hell's Thunder into a front-line unit (the 155th Mechanized Armor Cluster) by replacing the standard BattleMechs of Trinary Alpha with modern OmniMechs (Adders, Shadow Cats, Stormcrows, and Linebackers).  This upgrade to the formation would include adding two Stars of Elementals to Trinary Alpha, converting Star Alpha-One and Alpha-Two into Novas.  Star Alpha-Three would remain constituted as it is currently built.

Likewise, these Warriors want to transform the other four Trinary formations into Supernova Binaries--each with two Stars of Nikes and FOUR Elemental Stars!

This upgrade (if it comes to pass) would give the 155th a strength of 10 OmniMechs, 10 VTOLs, 80 Nike Light Strike Tanks, and four hundred fifty Elementals!

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), the Horses lack sufficient Nikes (and spare Elementals) at this time to even consider raising such a formation.  However, depending on how well Hell's Thunder performs, Khan Fletcher could well be convinced to fully upgrade this unit into a front-line combat formation.