20 replies to this topic

[InnerSphereNews]

Sun. Nov 20, 3048: Camacho’s Caballeros called accusations “baseless” it kidnapped a Cassandra Suthorn following a raid on Larsha last year.

[Mal]

Widely known by their nickname Camacho's Caballeros, the 17th Recon Regiment (sometimes abbreviated "17th Recon") is a mercenary unit featured in the BattleTech novels Close Quarters, Hearts of Chaos, and Black Dragon, all written by Victor Milán. Their unit strength at the beginning of Close Quarters (circa 3057) is roughly a regiment in size, with three full battalions of 'Mechs and an unspecified number of infantry.
Notable members of Camacho's Caballeros include Cassie Suthorn (the main character of Close Quarters and who has a hobby of defeating battlemechs whilst she is on foot) and Colonel Carlos Camacho. The unit appeared to be composed of older 'Mechs, such as the Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, and Wasp, though they are mentioned as being upgraded with double heat sinks and at least one C3 computer system.
No color scheme or insignia is referred to in the novels. The 'Mechs seem to be custom painted and decorated by each pilot.

Close Quarters describes the unit as being composed of Free Worlds League natives, and having a diverse mix of different ethnicities. Many of the members hail from the three poor worlds Cerillos, Galisteo, and Sierra, the so-called "Trinity of Southwestern Worlds" on the League edge of Periphery that are composed primarily of individuals of Hispanic descent. The novel also states the unit as being involved in battle against the Clans, Colonel Carlos Camacho most notably piloting a captured Clan Smoke Jaguar Mad Cat. They are employed by the people of Crotch (in a flashback) and, for the main part of the story, Chandrasekhar Kurita, the CEO of Hachiman Taro Electronics, which is based out of Hachiman.
The Caballeros have been key in foiling the plots of the Kokuryu-kai, as they did when the rebels attempted to conquer Towne from the Federated Commonwealth. The Caballeros defeated the 15th Dieron Regulars there, earning the Draconis Combine a bruised ego as a line unit was defeated by corporate mercenaries. The Regiment gains fourth Battalion in wake of the fighting on Towne in 3058. Many of the 'Mechs and equipment that would make up their new battalion would come from the decimated Black Dragon aligned forces which include the 15th Dieron Regulars and its task force of supporting regiments. Prior to June, the unit would receive an mix group of new recruits from Southwest Trinity of worlds, which would incorporate some survivors fighting on Towne. Robert "Navajo Wolf" Begay be promoted to Force Commander and become its commanding officer. However many within the regiment would be ill-at easy with new Battalion due to the nature of its creation and personnel.^[1]
The Caballeros were again on hand at Coordinator Theodore Kurita's birthday celebration, which they were invited to as a thanks for their involvement in the Towne debacle. There, they were able to escort both Theodore and Chandrasekhar to safety when the Otomo, the Coordinator's bodyguard, attempted to assassinate him.
The Caballeros deployed after Operation Bulldog on some liberated worlds to protect Tanadi assets, and were attacked by forces from Clan Ghost Bear^[2]. The regiment survived the fighting, but lost Force Commander Bar-Kochba and many others of the battalion on Luzerne.
Remaining with HTE, upon hearing of the imminent disintegration of order in the Free Worlds League and the heavy-handed treatment of rioters on the southwestern trinity by the federally employed mercenary Swann Cavaliers resulting in the "Bad Rock Massacre", the Caballeros returned home to defeat the Cavaliers and defend their homeworlds against all possible threats.

[dal10]

this would of never happened. cassandra was considered trash by the capellans. they never would of raised a fuss about the loss of her...

[Ghost]

If you're going to just copy/paste from Sarna, at least edit it some instead of trying to beat me to it. That's why I take my time doing these info-dumps. :V
Anyway today's news is less about the Caballeros and more about the beginnings of the famous Cassie Suthorn in my opinion anyway. Larsha is a backwater planet on the fringes of Periphery space, right on the border between the Capellan Confederation and the Federated Suns.

(That's her after kicking some unfortunate woman in the face.)

While living on the streets of Larsha's capital city of Kalimantan, Cassie learned that stealth was the key to survival. Remembering her poor mother's experiences kept her from selling herself and caused her to develop an instinctual dislike of beautiful women who seemed to flaunt themselves. When she was 16 years old, Cassie had become a street thug, and after being arrested one too many times, was sentenced by the authorities to join the planetary militia's criminal troops. Her unit was designated as the Glorious Redemption Detachment 325.

In 3047, Larsha was raided by Camacho's Caballeros. During the raid, Cassie's GRD troop joined in the chaos and started looting. However, as the attackers neared their location, something deep down inside her changed. She wanted to stand up for her homeworld. She took charge of the criminal youth despite having no rank to speak of and led them out of the building they were looting from. As the raiders closed in on their position, she devised a means to take down the 'Mechs she so hated. As a Wolverine closed on her position she had her fellow troopers gather a mop handle and a fire ax. She cut the building's main power line with the axe and charged the Wolverine herself with the wire in tow. The live end of the wire struck the 'Mech in its knee joint with the full voltage of the city's electrical grid. The powerful charge fused the actuator in the knee and caused the 'Mech to overbalance and fall. Dumbstruck in her accomplishment, Cassie could not believe that she had managed to cripple a BattleMech with her bare hands. She was soon surrounded by other 'Mechs of the raiding force. The downed MechWarrior, angry at the destruction of his beloved machine, threatened to take her down himself. Before he can act on this threat, he is stopped by his superior officer, Lt. Patricia Camacho. After seeing the potential talent Cassie exhibited, Camacho asked Cassie to surrender, which for her would mean being taken off planet, likely forever. Cassie, having expected to die in the attempt of her attack on the Wolverine, had nothing to lose, and did so.

Edited by Ghost, 20 November 2011 - 10:18 AM.

[Brakkyn]

I say leave the fluff to Ghost.

[Atlas3060]

*chuckles*
Oh she'll be just fine with them, no need to worry.

[metro]

Finally, some news with a view...to Capellan Space.

[Grayson Pryde]

But wasnt her name Cassiopeia Suthern?

[Amarus Cameron]

dal10, on 20 November 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

this would of never happened. cassandra was considered trash by the capellans. they never would of raised a fuss about the loss of her...

indeed

[metro]

cassie is short for cassiopeia, kinda a nickname

Edited by Metro, 21 November 2011 - 09:56 AM.

[Banzai]

On the other hand, give a Capellan backwater government mouthpiece a reason to complain about an attacking mercenary unit? Yeah, I would bet on that any day of the week and twice of Saturday, regardless of what they thought of the person. Heck, had Bobby the Wolf killed her they may have made her a Hero of the Confederation for her efforts. A posthumous presentation is all the better.

[Harrow]

dal10, on 20 November 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

this would of never happened. cassandra was considered trash by the capellans. they never would of raised a fuss about the loss of her...

unless it made someone else look bad...

[Blizzard36]

Meh, I don't care if the report isn't quite correct "In Character", getting to see Camancho's Caballeros make a news post fills me with glee. Even if Mike Stackpole is my favorite author of all, the three books on the 17th Recon Regiment was my favorite BattleTech series. They're just so much fun.

[Garth Erlam]

Ghost, on 20 November 2011 - 10:06 AM, said:

Caught in the hell of UrbanMech warfare indeed.

[Felicitatem Parco]

Garth Erlam, on 26 March 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

Caught in the hell of UrbanMech warfare indeed.

Fixed.

[Dihm]

I don't see a difference... what did you "fix"?

[Skwisgaar Skwigelf]

I C what U did there.

[Garth Erlam]

Clever girl...

[Felicitatem Parco]

SHOOOOT HEEERR! SHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT HEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!!!!

Sorry, whenever I hear the phrase "Clever girl..." I can only think of Jurassic Park, knowing that you've just been outflanked by Velociraptors...

And when I think of Jurassic Park, I think of that epic scream right at the end of the introductory sequence...

Edited by Prosperity Park, 26 March 2012 - 02:10 PM.

[Dihm]

omg, how did I miss that? I was too focused on the text.

Edited by Dihm, 27 March 2012 - 06:28 AM.