Royce's Rangers

Royce's Rangers was an Inner Sphere mercenary unit. It was founded in 3026 following the end of the Third Succession War by Adrian Royce, a veteran of the AFFS. It was commanded by Royce until 3048 when his son Michael took over the unit. The Rangers were annihilated on Lackhove by Clan Jade Falcon during the Clan Invasion. 
==History==
Adrian Royce, a former Captain in the AFFS, founded Royce's Rangers in 3026 on Verde. The Rangers originally consisted only of a single lance of light and medium 'mechs, led by Royce in his Shadow Hawk. The Rangers quickly found work for the Federated Commonwealth during the Fourth Succession War. 
The Rangers were typically employed as a reserve garrison for planets near the Combine front, engaging in mostly light skirmishing and occasional Combine raids. Lack of significant combat allowed the Rangers to retain most of their strength during the war, and by the end the Rangers had expanded in size. By 3038 the Rangers had expanded to fielding a company of battlemechs, supported by a regiment worth of mechanized infantry and armor. The Federated Commonwealth allowed the Rangers to take up a number of contracts, most of them security details on smaller worlds near potentially unstable borders. 
On 3048 Adrian retired due to a number of health concerns and passed command of the Rangers to his son, Michael. After a year of fighting scattered pirates near the periphery, Michael accepted a contract for planetary security on Lackhove, hoping the relatively quiet world would allow the Rangers to bring in easy money for an easy assignment. 
The decision sealed the fate of the Rangers, whom unknowingly were in the path for the invasion corridor for Clan Jade Falcon. In September 3049 the 7th Falcon Regulars made landfall. Apart from Von Strang's Guards Division, the Rangers were the most composed opponents the Jade Falcons had faced up until that point, but it amounted to little.
Most of the Rangers were killed trying to defend the planetary capital, including Michael and nearly all of the other mechwarriors. By the end of the seven hour battle the Rangers had suffered 90% fatalities and only a handful of survivors managed to escape off planet. They were led by Rosalina Demirkol. The Rangers were never reformed while Demirkol went off to work for Turkowska’s Lifeguard Irregulars.
==Composition==
In 3048, the Rangers were composed of a mix company of light and medium 'mechs, supported by a battalion of tanks, a battalion of artillery, and a regiment of infantry. The Rangers also fielded a squadron of attack helicopters, but lacked aerospace fighters.
==Tactics==
The Rangers were noted for their effective usage of artillery; Adrian Royce had mandated that each mechwarrior and tank commander be familiarized with the proper protocol for requesting fire support. During the invasion of Lackhove the Ranger's artillery proved the most effective of their arms, neutralizing two Jade Falcon 'mechs and inflicting a number of casualties among the supporting Elementals. 
Category:Fan Mercenary Commands