OBT Forum

Things are real fuzzy with Ice Hellion history especially after the Secret Trial circa 3000. I suppose they wanted to rebuild in relative seclusion hence the quiet time but there is little detail from the point (at least in FM Crusader Clans, page 77) where Khan Ernest Wick takes command of the Clan (which is presumably in 3000, perhaps he was a young warrior at this time, early 30s?) till his successor, Stephen Tyler, takes over (perhaps in the 3020s or 3030s?). There is the building and loss of the Arctic Cheetah to the Smoke Jaguars in this time period but I'd have to search for more details of the era.

I think it was the Hellion 'Pack Mentality' which claimed Stephen Tyler whose legacy you can certainly argue about. Seems like he came up short more than once and was willing to think outside the box (Furry units) - which is a trait (Group Think) that the Clan might not appreciate. No doubt Wick gets the lion share of the credit for doing what had to be done while starting the rebuild only to have Tyler screw it up, to a certain degree. While outsiders can see that the Clan might not have had a real chance to win a place in the invasion the Hellions probably don't agree and blame Tyler.

Interestingly enough (bottom of page 78) it is stated that the Hellion Touman has varied wildly over the centuries, from a peak of more than nine full Galaxies to a little over three. Could this be a direct reference to the Hellion's strength before the Secret Trial? Nine Galaxies circa 3000 would make a certain amount of sense and in my estimation the split would be four front-line [note the missing Gamma] and five second-line. What are your thoughts here?

I really like the historic justification and perhaps it is needed with the Clan's Quicksilver stance cause Ice you are right, the Clan doesn't like Flurry units what so ever. That is an oversight on my part but there is an opportunity to correct it. There is a major campaign (which is what I am building to here) to come before the Restoration vote (January 3053) so perhaps the Clan can evolve in its view. What do you think?

I gave some thoughts to the composition of Flurry CLusters.
What about making them 3 Trinaries stong with only vehicles (Hover/VTOL) except in the Command Star where you would have 2 BattleMechs, 2 Conventional Fighters (or VTOL) and 2 Hover Infantry Points (I was thinking about using APCs rather than the motorised units).

I went for an unit without infantry backup mostly because of the need to go fast and hit hard but putting them in Hovercrafts or VTOL could do the trick too.

The Moore Scandal took place so early in Clan history (2830s?) that nine Galaxies at that time seems like a stretch to me. That's why I would think that the height of nine Galaxies (per FM Crusader Clans) is in the year 3000.

I had the same thought this morning and I think that in order to stick to the text, we could say that they were not up to 100% strength. After all, they are known to fight against each other.

Jump Infantry is possible I guess but it is weird given the Hellion Elementals are so neglected.

What did you think of a possible transition to front line and second line service for these vehicle units??

No Elementals, only Infantry. This would show that these units are 3rd line.
I think the Flurry went to First and Second line units as you can see in Field Manual Updates. If you are talking about their status, they don't seem to get any better but we could change that

Rather than rush to an early nine in the 2830s we could simple site this time as a high mark in Hellion history. I'd have to do more research on the era (look at Widowmaker Absorption for example to see the Wolves and Widowmakers strengths) to give a better estimate.

The 9 are an official figure from Field Manual Crusader Clans.

I think Jump Infantry is a must for the Flurries. Foot and even motorized are too slow (immobile) to keep pace. Jump Infantry has likely been neglected by the Clans following the birth of Elementals. These light and nimble but extremely fragile troops could well by an unknown asset to the Hellions.

But they should be provided with their own transport assets as they are quite slow in an unit full of VTOLs and Hovercrafts and they can't mount on the 'Mechs.

I am working on a general summary for this Clan (and the rest) circa June 1, 3052 for Fanbook 1 and general discussion going forward. Should be up soon!

Still working on this but here is what I have so far.

Clan Ice Hellion (June 3052)

The Leaders (Khans, Loremaster)
Khan Asa Taney (Pilot, Visigoth Prime, 2/2)
saKhan Weiland Cage (Mechwarrior, fastest, on par with Pilots, Crusader first)
Loremaster Jonas Cage (entering his mid-forties, which makes him nearly twice as old as most warriors in the Touman, while his reflexes have held up well like many venerable Hellions he has been slowed by age, still highly regarded, position generally held by the senior member of the Cage bloodhouse in deference to the Clan’s founder, chiefly concerned with training, wise, suggested and justified the establishment of the Flurry Clusters by citing the founders history.)

VIPs (6+)
Star Admiral Nicholas Drake (* Fleet Commander, flamboyant, raider)
Star Colonel Graham Moore (*Elemental, on par with others throughout the Clans, strong, fast, a target of discrimination, overcoming the Hellion’s poor view of this phenotype in his sibko makes him a champion down trodden in the Clan, this leads him to advocate for Flurry)
Star [Colonel] Danielle Lienet (former saKhan and one of the fastest warriors ever seen badly injured in the bandit raid on Londerholm, initially crippled and feeling permanently slowed by the traumatic attack, missing multiple testing cycles, she considered bondsref, humbled, 1st Blizzard Cluster)
Star Captain Connor Rood (Mechwarrior, Kit Fox, youngest Hellion ristar)
Star Commander Sellen Cage (Mechwarrior, Linebacker Prime, 3/2, Hellion ristar)
Star Commander John Wick (* Mechwarrior, Quicksilver, Hellion ristar)

Troop Strength
13 frontline clusters & 10 second line clusters (+ Flurries)

Alpha Galaxy (The Blinding Keshik)
7th Attack Cluster (CO: Khan Asa Taney)             Elite      Londerholm
150th Hellion Lancers (CO: Star Colonel Phillepe Lienet)       Elite      Londerholm
77th Hellion Lancers (CO: Star Colonel Freed Hasbrin)      Veteran   
40th Hellion Lancers (CO: Star Colonel Raina Montose)      Elite      
78th Hellion Lancers (CO: Star Colonel Grace Lienet)       Veteran   Foster
   Beta Galaxy (The Lithe Kill)
200th Attack Cluster (CO: saKhan Weiland Cage)         Elite      
121st Hellion Lancers (CO: Star Colonel Magda Moore)      Veteran   
90th Striker Irregulars (CO: Star Colonel Marcus Wick)      Veteran   
19th Striker Irregulars (CO: Star Colonel Cadence Klien)       Veteran   Homer
   Delta Galaxy (Dauntless Hunters)
2nd Assault Cavaliers (CO: Galaxy Commander Drew Norizuchi)   Veteran      
33rd Striker Irregulars (CO: Star Colonel Damon Hawkins)   Veteran   Marshall
45th Striker Irregulars (CO: Star Colonel Scott Moore)   Regular   Hoard
53rd Striker Irregulars (CO: Star Colonel Perry Taney)      Regular   
   Zeta Galaxy (Guardians of the Lair)
3rd Hector Cavaliers (CO: Galaxy Commander Curtis)      Regular   
7th Hector Cavaliers (CO Star Colonel Lillith)         Regular
150th Attack Cluster (CO: Star Colonel Vik Horn)         Green
45th Hector Cavaliers (CO: Star Colonel Gertwin)         Green
Zeta Prime Galaxy (Freeborn Fanaticism) (+ a cluster?)
175th Attack Cluster (CO: Galaxy Commander Eld)         Regular
176th Hector Cavaliers (CO: Star Colonel Solomon)         Regular
52nd Hector Cavaliers (CO: Star Colonel Rilla)         Regular
Theta Galaxy (Caste Saviors)
180th Attack Cluster (CO: Galaxy Commander Renold)      Regular
43rd Hector Cavaliers (CO: Star Colonel Balfour)         Green
44th Hector Cavaliers (CO: none)               Green

Warships (13)
1 McKenna class Battleship: Cage’s Pride
1 Potemkin class Troop Cruiser: Coterie
2 Aegis class Heavy Cruisers: Taney, Chaos Sailor
3 Lola III class Destroyers: Cold Hunter, Impaler, Radiant
1 Essex class Destroyer: Moore’s Honor
1 York class Destroyer/Carrier: Pack Leader
1 Carrack class Transport: Maker
3 Fredasa class Corvettes: Swift Bait, Hellion’s Pride, Whelp

Territory (9+)
Babylon (23%)
Atreus (30%)
Foster (30%)
Hector (100%) capital
Hoard (25%)
Londerholm (24%)
Marshall (9%)
New Kent (6%)
Strana Mechty (5.88%)
Tathis (30%)

Current Situation
Still rebuilding from the Secret Trial almost fifty years prior the Ice Hellion Touman is only at two-thirds its greatest strength. Focus on rebuilding front line troops has paid off and if not for the Hellion’s Fury may indeed be complete but this seems to be at the expense of second line garrisons. [If my assumptions about Gamma Galaxy missing and two other unknown Provisional Garrison Galaxies once existing are correct] The gains made from the Fury campaign two years ago seem to have enriched the Clan materially but stretched its forces to the breaking point trying to cover this territory. This required the mobilization of Flurry units [number undetermined at this time, could it be less than the 6 clusters split among two Galaxies listed in FM Crusader Clans seven years in the future?] which despite some resistance have performed well. No doubt this expansionist Clan would like to continue to be aggressive but given the lack of forces to effectively defend the massive territory they already have that would indeed be difficult or impractical.

Since his elevation two years ago Khan Taney has been attempting to build a Home Clan Coalition so that the ten left behind may join in the Crusade. Word of the Truce and Operation Restoration may just fast forward these goals despite the Fury which left a bad taste in many other Clans mouths (Cloud Cobra, Coyote, Fire Mandrill, Hell’s Horses, Smoke Jaguar, Snow Raven were all struck). Khan Fletcher of the Hell’s Horses is one of Taney’s biggest supporters despite this however and the fulfillment of their invasion dreams may just overcome any obstacles currently standing in their way.

My theory is that they are third line commands not worthy of such an honor listing. Typically such forces as solhama and police clusters aren't listed in detail and it is eluded to that second (provisional) line troops were held in the same regard before the invasion.

My opinion, I don't care for how they were done in canon such as FM Updates and would rather go a different route. Problem is their low regard at this point in history.

True enough, we could use the first estimate of the Flurry number (FM Crusader Clans) and the second (FM Updates) to create a growth rate for these units. Perhaps this could help us establish a base number in late 3052.