Kell Hounds

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History

In 3010, Morgan and Patrick Kell arrived on Galatea to begin building a brand-new mercenary regiment. Armed with some Nalgering Academy training and perhaps 6 years of combined military service between the 2 of them, the 2 brothers' most noteworthy asset seemed to be a large endowment left them by a noble cousin, Duke Luvon (the Lyran Archon's late husband). Understandably, the Kells initially inspired ridicule and resentment among the planet's resident, who viewed the 2 brothers as spoiled rich children playing mercenary.

The Kells proved themselves more than dilettantes, however, when they began their project by assembling a top-notch technician support base. That action attracted the attention of many experienced mercenaries, and soon the brothers found themselves laboriously poring over applications, checking references and testing potential MechWarrior, infantry, and AeroSpace pilot candidates.

The command's detractors began to quiet down after the newly christened Kell Hounds began working. To the astonishment of their critics, the Hounds commonly executed complex battle plans with an expertise usually seen only among much more experienced units. And, in 3013, after a prolonged campaign on Mallory's World against Yorinaga Kurita and his renowned 2^nd Sword of Light regiment, 2 other 'Mech regiments, and 10 lesser non-Mech regiments, hardly anyone doubted that the Kell Hounds deserved their newly won reputation as an elite unit.

Following that campaign, however, Morgan Kell mystified many by breaking up the regiment, leaving his brother with only a mix battalion, and exiled himself to a religious retreat for ex-MechWarriors without a word of explanation. Morgan would not return to the unit until 11 years later, when Yorinaga Kurita killed Patrick Kell as the mercenary protected the Lyran Archon-designate. Following his brother's death, Morgan resumed command of the Hounds and summoned all those he had sent away 11 years earlier. During the 4^th Succession War, the Kell Hounds once more met Yorinaga Kurita's regiment, defeating them a second time and avenging Patrick Kell's death by killing Yorinaga Kurita.

The Hounds have remained a formidable mercenary command ever since. After Archon Katrina Steiner's death (3040), Morgan expanded the unit to 2 regiments, using a monetary bequest the late Archon had left him for expressly that purpose. When the Clans arrived, the Kell Hound regiments helped administer 2 of the Clans' greatest defeats. The first occured on Twycross, where the Hounds helped liberate the planet from the Jade Falcon. The second occured on Luthien, where they fought alongside Wolf's Dragoons to drive the invaders from the Draconis Combine capital

The Kell Hounds have recently taken it on themselves to guard a large portion of the Lyran-Jade Falcon border, calling it the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon. No official declaration of independent rule has been made, and Morgan Kell has made no public comment about his action, but Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion has publicly thanked him for accepting responsibility over the defense of the area. Keeping the Cordon's defenses adequately manned, however, effectively prevents the Kell Hounds from contracting out more than a single regiment at a time

Forces and Organization

The Kell Hounds employ separate command units for battalion and regimental forces as well as an overall unit-command lance. Each regiment is composed of 3 BattleMech battalions, a fighter wing, and one jum infantry battalion. Every ground-force company has an official designation that indicates its regiment, battalion and company position. For example, the designation for First regiment, Third Battalion, Second Company is the 132^nd Company. This include the infantry battalions (designated the 5^th Battalion) but not aerospace squadrons, which are designated with bird names.

Retired or not, Morgan Kell is recognized as the supreme commander of the Kell Hounds by every member of the unit, and no regimental commanding officer will take the rank of colonel while Kell remains alive. Instead, the Hounds contain 3 lieutenant colonels: unit commander Dan Allard, 1^st Regiment commander Akira Brahe, and 2^nd Regiment commander Scott Bradley

Thanks to their salvage of Clans machines on Luthien and their agreements with Phelan Kell and his loyal Arc Royal Wolf Clan, the Kells Hounds field the most advanced equipment of any mercenary command save Wolf's Dragoons. Their current technology profile places their BattleMechs at an average 60% Clantech standards and 40% advanced Inner Sphere technology. These percentages includes nearly 2 full companies of working Clan OmniMechs and a company of Inner Sphere-designed OmniMechs. As the Arc-Royal Wolves are still rebuilding their own forces, it is unlikely that the Kell Hounds will gain any new machines from them, though they may get parts and technical assistance.

The Kell Hounds' impressive technical staff alond with the Kell-owned Eire BattleMech factory on Arc-Royal, provides the mercenary unit with a support base second only to Wolf's Dragoons among other mercenary commands. The large cache of Clantech material and weapons recovered from Luthien has enabled the Kell Hound technicians to learn basic care and repair of Clantech devices,a nd most observers assume that Phelan Kell's Wolves are instructing Kell Hound technicians on Clantech and OmniMech technology. However, the Hounds have not yet shared such information with the Lyran military.

The Kell Hounds' JumpShips and DropShips provide the mercenaries with 150% transport capacity. Consequently, up to one third of the vessels may be under repair at any single time without impairing the unit's ability to transport all of its combat personnel and assets. Occasionally, the Kell Hounds also lease extra vessels to supplement their income.

Colors and Insignia

Black and red are the official colors of the Kell Hounds. The unit's formal insignia is a black hound's head set against an inverted red triangle. The insignia is worn as a patch on the left breast of all duty uniforms and painted on the left torsos of unit's BattleMechs, the left wings of fighters and on the left fenders of vehicles.

The Kell Hounds dress uniform is a red, double-breasted jacket with black trim and black pants tucked into knee-high black boots. The jacket front is tailored to look like a hound's head, with the ears lying up by each shoulder and the muzzle fastened down at the waist. Any commendations or campaign ribbons are fastened to the left "ear".

Unit Ranks Insignia

Enlisted

MechWarrior

Corporal

Sergeant

Officer

Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Colonel

General

sources: Field Manual: Mercenaries.

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