Pictures and lore about my Battletech stuff.

The Skeleton Crew

"The Skellies"

Overview

• Leader: Queen Lamia the Dreadful
• Unit insignia: T shaped red bat in front of solar eclipse with purple flares
• Color scheme: Bright blues and purples in various patterns
• Dress uniform: Various expensive looking clothes combined with a long black coat that is decorated with red epilets and buttons
• Field uniform: Black overalls with big pockets for trinkets. Various firearms and bladed weapons strapped to belts and harnesses.
• Forces: 2 haberdash lances of 'Mechs. Several hovercrafts. One dropship.
• Personnel: Under 100

History

The group formed at year 3143, during the Dark Age, in the area of Magistracy of Canopus. That year the 2nd Canopian Cuirassiers fought a battle against raiders at Fanardir and some of their number deserted the field or battle or were disbanded for other reasons. These outcasts banded together and took their equipment with them and left the Magistracy space.

Over time they attracted several Mechwarriors and personnel who had fallen out with other units or who had came to Magistracy space from elsewhere. After several year of small scale raiding and piracy around the periphery the group had gained enough personnel, professionalism and a need for a more predictable income. It started offering mercenary services around the onset of the ilClan era when the mercenary business picked up all over the inner sphere.

There is no relation to the pirate group of the same name that was destroyed in 3134 at Prato. It is likely that Lamia had heard of them and took the name to herself. The group's colors are based on those used by the 2nd Canopian Cuirassiers but each 'Mech and vehicle is painted differently.

The group does not have a base planetside, but frequents several Magistracy worlds for rest and refits

Officers

Queen Lamia is the current leader. There is no information whether and how this leadership changes. She is suspected of having served in Magistracy forces in some capacity

Tactics

Following their pirate origins, their main tactic is a fast raid. Enemy defenders are distracted or tied up with fast moving hovercrafts and light 'Mechs while heavier 'Mechs smash and grab the objective. They use electronic warfare and signal spoofing to approach the target unrecognized or undetected.

Mercenary board review scores:

• Offensive capacity: 1.5/5 "All bark no autocannon"
• Defensive capacity: 0/5 "Will scutter instantly"
• Cost: 4/5 "Will work for looting rights"
• Clandestine capacity: 3.5/5 "No questions asked"

These brigands will not risk their lives for your cause. Use them for distractions, supply harassment and feints.
They will give you an outrageous price for any contract but will come down to almost nothing if given salvage rights and you will overlook their looting tendencies. Their arsenal is varied but not suited for any prolonged fighting or operations. Under no circumstances put them on garrison duty. You have been warned.

Reviews from verified employers

"This outfit is nothing more than a bunch of well dressed, greedy pirates with delusions of grandeur. Use that to your advantage and expect nothing more and you will not be disappointed."

"I needed a distraction to draw attention away from another operation. Nothing turns heads better than a self proclaimed Queen landing on the palace gates demanding a duel with the ruler's son. And then beating it before firing a single shot. They hunted her across the system for weeks."

"What a joke. I had a laugh, the quartermaster of my enemy did not."

"Lamia, I know you are reading this, so read carefully. Taking “souveniers” was not part of our contract. Return what you stole from us on Shiba or we will send a REAL mercenary company after you."