188th Raven Independent Aerospace Cluster
Nickname: Night Witches
Commander: Star Colonel Samantha Crow
Motto: Aut Vincere Aut Mori ("Conquer or Die")
Insignia: A green shield outlined in gold with five black diagonal stripes across the upper right half descending from left to right. Five black Maltesse Crosses adorn the lower left, each outlined in white. The stripes represent the Pentagon Worlds with the black as a remembrance of the dead involved in the Pentagon Civil War. The crosses are emblematic of an Ace's Kills and represent the units skill-at-arms. A white banner beneath the shield, outlined in gold, with the words "Aut Vincere Aut Mori" in blue emblazoned.
Description: The Night Witches are a Clan Snow Raven OmniFighter formation that traces their lineage back to the SLDF 188th Royal Independent Aero Wing (one of the few independent regiments of the Star League-in-Exile to follow Nicholas Kerensky on on his Exodus to the Kerensky Cluster).
Newly reformed (the original 188th was disbanded in 2942), this Cluster is intended to test and evaluate the new Quicksilver OmniFighter assets in combat.
Hastily organized by Lynn McKenna in 3053, the Night Witches are a most
unusual Clan unit. This formation only accepts veteran Pilots who can claim at least five kills in live combat. Furthermore, the 188th only inducts
women into their ranks. Not one Pilot, nor any Technician, nor any single member of the JumpShip or DropShip crews, nor any Elemental Warrior assigned to the unit are of the male gender.
These two requirements have made it difficult to fill the ranks of the new Cluster and, to date, it has an offical strength of just two Binary (four Stars), plus Transport elements and a mere
ten Elemental Marines.
This small size has led some Warriors within other Clans (and not a few Raven Warriors as well) to voice disparaging remarks concerning Star "Colonel" Crow and her qualifications; remarks questioning not only her ability, but her very character and the unusual nature of her appointment to the rank and position she now holds.
This 'smear-campaign' has generated a great deal of anger among the Warriors of the 188th . . . an anger that they are focusing on their flight and combat skills. It is all but certain that the first opposing unit to see action against the Night Witches will regret it; if there are any survivors, that is.
Unit Organization:
The 188th is divided into two OmniFighter Binary, each transported aboard a pair of
Carrier-class DropShips. All four DropShips are embarked aboard an
Odyssey-class JumpShip. Unlike most other Clans, the Raven DropShips and JumpShips are directly under the command of Star Colonel Crow and have been permanetly attached to the Night Witches.
Star Colonel Crow normally commands the 188th from the lead cockpit of Alpha Star, but will sometimes coordinate actions from the Combat Information Center aboard the JumpShip
Blackbird.
Transport Section:
CSRJS
Blackbird (
Odyssey-class)
CSRDS
Circe (
Carrier-class; Alpha Star)
CSRDS
Hecate (
Carrier-class; Beta Star)
CSRDS
Medea (
Carrier-class; Gamma Star)
CSRDS
Morgaine (
Carrier-class; Delta Star)
Binary One:
Alpha Star: 6 x
Zulu; 4 x
ApacheBeta Star: 6 x
Zulu; 4 x
ApacheBinary Two:
Gamma Star: 6 x
Hun; 4 x
ZuluDelta Star: 6 x
Hun; 4 x
ZuluThe twenty
Zulu-class Medium-weight OmniFighters are produced by Clan Snow Raven. The eight lighter (30-ton)
Apaches have been acquired from Clan Ghost Bear (a fact which has
NOT made the Cobra leadership very pleased with the Bears).
The acquisition of the eighty-five ton
Hun, however, is a story in and of itself. Although defeated in the Quicksilver competition, the Scorpions, Jaguars, and Coyotes had already built some twenty working models and had another ten under construction.
With the loss of the design in the Quicksilver Trials, Clans Coyote and Smoke Jaguar both washed their hands of the affair and ended production . . . leaving twenty working (and ten incomplete) frames in the hands of Clan Goliath Scorpion.
Which the Snow Ravens bought for a mere pittance of their actual worth (although the Scorpions were loath to accept the deal offered, their heavy debt towards Clan Diamond Shark left them with little choice in the matter). The Ravens spared no expense in finishing the incomplete units and have since assigned a dozen
Huns to the 188th.
Of course, with no replacement frames on the horizon, the Ravens will have to find an alternative fighter before long; but for now? For now, the Ravens are fielding the Scorpion designed
Hun.
Deployment:
The 188th is intended to serve Clan Snow Raven as a fast-reaction OmniFighter force. Able to support any front-line or second-line Cluster or Galaxy, the Night Witches are highly mobile and are expected to respond to requests for aid and assistance without waiting for authorization from a senior Raven officer.
Space superiority missions (and training) have been a high priority for Star Colonel Crow; however, she has not neglected recon flights nor Close-Air-Support missions. Although the Night Witches are most confident in deep space, they are no strangers to atmospheric operations.
Character Dossier: Samantha CrowAt 39 years of age, Samantha Crow is entering the very peak of her career as a Snow Raven Aerospace Pilot. Tall (for a Pilot) at 5'9", she is a willowy dark-haired beauty who only finds true happiness in her life when she is in the cockpit of a fighter-craft in the heat of battle. A noted tactician and strategist, Crow was appointed to the rank of Star Colonel and command of the Night Witches by Khan Lynn McKenna. This move caused rumors to circulate concerning their 'relationship' and prompted several Trials of Refusal (six, at last count, every one of which Samantha Crow has handily won . . . even the two which involved hand-to-hand combat).
The Trials have only fueled the rumors, because many within the Touman simply cannot believe that a Pilot was able to defeat two MechWarriors in melee combat on the ground! At least, not without some illegal and dishonorable chemical 'edge'. Added to that 'fact' is her close friendship with Scientist Kristina (of the Crow Blood-line; a sibkin who washed out as a Warrior in her final year and is now assigned as the KF Drive Engineer aboard
Blackbird); this has served to only intensify the rumors and murmurs surrounding her and her command.
Although she makes no sign of it in public, in private Crow is
furious over the entire matter. But she has directed that fury into making absolutely
certain that her Pilots, Techs, and crew(wo-)men receive the very best training and leadership. And hopefully, she will have a target to shoot live ammunition at very,
very soon.
