Notable Warriors and Galaxy Analysis
Clan Jade Falcon contains many noteworthy individuals, but the following three are sceptionally notable for their impact on the Clan's fortunes in recent years.
Senior Khan Marthe Pryde
Born in 3012 to the same Mattlov-Pryde sibko as the legendary Aidan Pryde, Khan Marthe Pryde typifies Jade Falcon ristars. Testing out as Star Commander in 3030, she advanced rapidly, earning the rank of Star Captain and a Bloodname within five years. She led the Second Falcon Jaegers for almost a dozen years, one of the longest and most celebrated commands in the history of our Clan, before being selected for the post of saKhan in the wake of the Refusal War. Within two weeks she became senior Khan, promoted after teh ascension and death of Khan Elias Crichell.
Widely respected, Pryde seeks to steer her Clan away from the politics that brought it to the brink of destruction, masterminding the assault on Coventry to prove the viability of the Falcons. Her pragmatic approach to commanding the Falcons has led her to conclude an alliance with Khan Ward of the Wolves, ensuring cooperation between the two strongest Inner Sphere Crusader Clans.
Tall and slender, with short dark hair, Khan Pryde looks younger than hr forty-seven years. Her trademark cool gaze reflects her intelligence and force of will, projecting the impression of a forthright individual. While disliking politics, Khan Pryde is not naive in such matter, handling internal and Grand COuncil matters with cool efficiency. Many of her opponents find her near unflappable reaction to situations unnerving.
SaKhan Samantha Clees
The archetypal Falcon warrior, saKhan Samantha Clees is powerfully built, with an energy that drives her to excel. Despite the general lack of gender bias among the warrior caste, during her early career she felt discriminated against as a female, which made her relationship with her peers and superiors difficult and led to a lack of promotion that she viewed as discrimination. During her first attempt to win a Bloodname, she was defeated by anotehr female warrior, who convinced her that a lack of discipline and a bad attitude rather than her gender had held back her career.
With this in mind, Samantha changed her ways and rose through the ranks like a soaring falcon, gaining both Bloodname and command in short order. Elias Crichell's reorganization of the Falcon Touman in 3049 elevated her to the command of Delta Galaxy, a position she still holds while acting as Falcon saKhan.
With short hair and a muscular physique, saKhan Clees has few distinguishing features. Only her eyes stand out, seemingly too gentle for a warrior of her repute, but hiding a fiery temper. Her poise and deliberate movements reveal the serious, careful and intelligent character that earned her the respect of her peers. A consummate MechWarrior and staunch Crusader, saKhan Clees is held up as a role model for Falcon fledglings.
Loremaster Kael Pershaw
Kael Pershaw holds the dual positions of heado f the Jade Falcon Watch and Loremaster to both the Falcons and the Grand COuncil. More machine than man, Pershaw holds the rank of Star Colonel, but has not seen combt since the early days of the invasion. Deputy commander of the Turkina Keshik until the Battle of Tukayyid, Pershaw later became the head of operations for Falcon forces, providing tactical coordination.
Though in recent years his military role has dwindled, Pershaw remains one of the sharpest intellects in the Clans, and is widely respected among the Clans' upper schelons despite his infirmity. Few actually like him - his abrasive personality as earned him many enemies - btu they respect his Crusader ferver and abilities.
Though the Watch is underdeveloped by Inner Sphere standards, Pershaw has used it to good effect against the Inner SPhere and Clan enemies. His greatest success came in 3054, when he so confused ComStar operatives in the Falcon Occupation Zone that they misattributed the location and allegiance of many Clan units. Indeed, according to ComStar's initial reports, the Falcon Iota Galaxies comprised five Clusters, four of them belonging to the Wolf Clan.
Galaxy Analysis
Turkina Keshik
The Turkina KEshik is the heart and soul of the falcon touman, the personal unit of the Falcon Khans. Assignment to the Turkina Keshik is one of the highest honors that a Falcon warrior can receive. The majority of those who serve in this Cluster-strength unit go on to command their own units, and many rise to the position of Galaxy Commander or even Khan. Former Khans Crichell and Chistu both served in the Keshik, as did Star Admiral Vishnu Folkner of the naval reserve.
Assignment to the Naval Reerve is not held in high regard, especially with the souble-star comprised almost entirely of transport JumpShips, whose crews are dominated by members of te Technician Caste. Nevertheless, the vessels play an important role in the Clan's efforts, and since assuming command in 3052 Star Admiral Folkner has taken a number o steps to boost morale. The most notable is the rotation of assignemnts between rear-schelon and front-line duties. This gives the pilots and crews of aerospace fighters and DropShips the opportunity for combat, reducing the monotony and giving them teh chance to earn glory. He has also encouraged the Clan's warships to stage a number of aggressive raids against the Wolves, Lyran Alliance and Steel Vipes.
Gamma Galaxy: Jade Falcon Galaxy
The principal assault force of the Jade Falcons until 3057, Gamma Galaxy took minor losses in the Refusal War, losing only the 305th Assault Cluster to the Wolves. The peace that ensued has proved more costly to the unit. Following her rise to power, Khan Pryde ordered the Falcon Touman reorganized to make the best use of its scanter resources. More drastic than the post-invasion breakdown of the Galaxies thatfought in Operation Revival, these radical changes retained Galaxy designations while moving Clusters throughout the Touman. Gamma Galaxy, oversized compared to other Falcon units with its five Cluster, was divested of three front-line units. These went to other Galaxies in the Touman, serving as the backbone for those receiving the bulk of new recruits.
Gamma Galaxy currently comprises four front-lien Clusters and one solahma unit. All save the solahma are operational. Gamma Galaxy is currently serving as a mobile reservein the coreward section of the Occupation Zone. Its units operate in an area centered around the former OZ capitol of Wotan, stretching between the world of Butler and the Periphery. A diving jade falcon in front of a snow white world is Gamma Galaxy's insignia.
Delta Galaxy: Gyrfalcon Galaxy
Traditionally the second most powerful Galaxy in the Falcon Touman, Delta Galaxy languished with only two Clusters for several years, relegated to garrison duty on Alyina and Hot PSrings. However, in early 3057, with war against the Vipers looming, Khan Chistu authorized the transfer of the Seventh and Eighth Talon Clusters to Delta Galaxy, freeing up the Second Jaegers and Fight Battle Clusters for offensive operations. Upon the outbreak of hostilities with the Wolves in September of 3057, this move proved fortuitous, but only the Seventh and Eighth Talons now remain of the old Delta Galaxy. The Second Falcon Jaegers and Fifth Battle Cluster were transferred to Iota and Epsilon Galaxies, respectively.
Delta is comprised of three front-line Clusters and one solahma unit. None are fully operational; the First Striker, closest to operational status, fields only 82 percent of its full strength. Delta Galaxy serves as the strategic reserve for the rimward area of the Occupation Zone, covering the region between Butler and Quarrel. Delta Galaxy's insignia is a diving white Falcon over a shadowed blue world.
Omega Galaxy
Born of depseration at the end of the Refusal War, Omega Galaxy was built from the wreckage of otherGalaxies. The three units that comprised the Galaxy were originally two full-strength garrison Clusters and a solahma unit. However, all had been the target of scavenging by front-line Clusters for replacement 'Mehs and pilots, wweakening them to the point of uselessness. The Falcon Khans considered merging the two garrison Clusters, but the unit's new commander, Jared on Jankmon, chose to leave the units as they were and rebuild each around a pre-existing core.
Comprised of one front-lien Cluster, two garrison units and a solahma Cluster, Omega Galaxy is the weakest in the Falcon Touman. Only the newly arrived Fourth Striker Cluster is considered fully operational. Omega Galaxy has been assigned to defend the coreward-antisprineward sectino fo the Occupation Zone, a trinagular region roughly delineated by Black Earth, Wotan and Erewhon. The Galaxy's insignia depicts a black falcon hovering above the yellow-gold disk of a sun.
Rho Galaxy
The understrength Rho Galaxy guards the anti-spinward section of the OZ, between Black Earth, Derf, Devin and the Lyran Alliance. Since the Refusal War, this region has become increasingly unstable, requiring Rho's ofrces to carry out a higher than usual number of indoctrination sweeps - each a show of force intended to intimidate the planets' inhabitants. Some of the blame for hte unrest falls onthe Wolves, whose actions in the Refusal War were designed to cause the Falcons difficulty long after the conflict's resolution. More recently, local commanders have begun to suspect agitators from the Lyran Alliance.
A strange hybrid, Rho Galaxy consists of one front-line Cluster, two second-lien Clusters and one training unit. Of these, only the 124th Striker Cluster is fully operational, with the others still recovering from losses sustained on Coventry. Upon regaining full strength, Rho Galaxy will likely be designated a front-line Galaxy, replaceing the disgraced Peregrine (Vau) Galaxy. The presence of the Blue Aerie, the former command vessle of Vau Galaxy, as part of Rho's support lends credence to this rumor. Rho Galaxy's insignia is a rising jade falcon bearing the body of a snake in its talons.
Iota Galaxy
Iota Galaxy holds the spinward section of the OZ, forming the bulwark of defenses against the Wolf Clan. Fortunately for Galaxy Commander Newclay, the Wolves have seen little reason to probe Falcon territory; Iota lacks the resources to meet its responsibilities, and must rely on Gamma nad Delta Galaxies. Nominally consisting of two front-lien Clusters, three second-line units and one cadre unit, Iota Galaxy appears stronger on paper than in practice. The two front-line lusters, the Second Jaegers and the 305th Assault, are both understrength - the 305th dangerously so. The Seventy-third Striker Cluster, disgranced on Quarrell, was stripped of its front-lien status following the attack by the Blue Star Irregulars. Iota Galaxy's insignia is a silhouette of a jade falcon against a white disk.
Epsilon Galaxy
After the Refusal War, Epsilon and Phi Galaxies were reduced to three Clusters each through transfers to front-line Galaxies. realizing that the transfers left both units in an untenable position, Khan Pryde ordered the Galaxy Commanders to fight a Trial of Possession; the winer would command a single, combined Galaxy. Rard Hoyt of Epsilon won the Trial, and so the new unit retained the Epsilon designation.
Deployed in the rimward point of the Occupation Zone, Epsilon holds the Falcon worlds closest to Terra. However, because this region is the narrowest section of the OZ and with an equal number of Viper world in the same area, Galaxy Commander Hoyt faces a difficult task, even with six Clusters. Epsilon's insignia is a jade falcon carrying a suit of battle armor.
Mu Galaxy
Like Omega, Mu Galaxy formed in the wake of the Refusal War as a means of spreading available resources to cover Falcon territory. Taking two second-line units from Rho Galaxy and one from Phi Galaxy, the unit was assigned a key portion of the Falcon OZ: the coreward-spindward area bounded by Derf, Steelton and Gotterdamerung, and Botany Bay in the Periphery. Mu Galaxy's responsibnilities include guarding supply vessels arriving from the homeworlds and liaison with Lambda Galaxy. Facing threats ranging from Periphery pirates to Inner sphere raiders, the Galaxy needed mroe than three second-lien units, and recently acquired the First Falcon Velites from Gamma Galaxy. Consisting of one front-lkine and three second-line Clusters, Mu Galaxy is the only Galaxy in the Touman at one hundred percent of its listed strength. Instead of a falcon, Mu Galaxy's insignia depicts a pair of crossed katanas.
Lambda Galaxy
The least cohesive Jade Falcon Galaxy, Lambda secures the routes between the Jade Falcon Occupation Zone and the homeworlds. The nature of the Galaxy's task - patrolling a vast region of space - counters tendancies towards cohesion, with each Cluster's or even Trinary's comander acting independently of the others. The ad-hoc nature of the unit, with Clusters and naval units assigned as needed, further exacerbates the problem; Galaxy Commander Thastus doeslittle more than ensure that each Falcon supply convoy has adequate protection.
The loss of the Matlov's Pride to priates in late 3057 prompted Thastus to expand his Galaxy's patrol area, necessitating the allocatoin of additional naval and ground assets to Lambda. Because Cla nSteel Viper poses the greatest threat to Falcon shipping, at least one WarShip appears in every supply convoy, leaving Falcon naval assets overstretched.
Lambda Galaxy is the most diverse in teh Falcon Touman, though its exact composition varies on a regular basis. The core of the Galaxy is the Falcon Stoop Naval Star, abcked by teh Seventy-fourth Battle Cluster. Two Garrison Clusters anda solahma unit round out the force, the insignia of Lambda Galaxy is a jade falcon swooping across an arched gateway.
Sigma Galaxy: Turkina's Eyes
Together with Zeta Galaxy and the Emerald Talon Naval Assault Star, Sigma Galaxy forms Turkina's Talons, the Falcon homeworld defense force. Its primary role is to prevent predation against Falcon holdings, particularly by the Steel Vipers or Snow Ravens. The unit also carries out limited offensive perations and was particularly active in the recent Harvest Trials.
Normally consisting of four front-lien Clusters and a solahma unit, the Galaxy recently lost the First Falcon Hussars to Gamma Galaxy. The unit gained two newly formed abtakha Clusters, but is unlikely to retain them beyond the current crisis. Sigma Galaxy's insignia is a sword standing upright within a pentagon of stars.
Zeta Galaxy: Turkina's Beak
Technically a front-line unit, Zeta Galax's fortunes hae waned in recent yers. The transfer of warriors to the Inner Sphere following the Refusal War is the most serious blow dealt to the Galaxy, leaving the unit a shadow of its former strength. Khan Pryde, however, has chosen not to downgrade the unit to second-line status. Despite being a "paper tiger," Zeta Galaxy serves to discourage predations by other Clans, which in this time of strife serves teh Falcons well. Officially, Zeta Galaxy comprises three front-line, one second-line and one solahma unit, all at full strength. In practice, however, though all units contain a full complement of warriors, the proportion of experienced trueborns has fallen off sharply in favor of inexperienced and freeborn warriors. THe Galaxy's nsignia depicts a soariing jade falcon carrying a shield, on which is emblazoned a daggerstar.