History

Designed first in May of 3022, the Blood Raiders was a concept in the minds of the unit since early 3017.

In mid-3023, the unit was assigned its first Mechs and pilots, and its leadership given over to Captain Valentina Masterson “Valentine”. Future personnel were also chosen, but actual assignments were slated to wait for the return of * “The Dead Man’s Hand” in late-3023.

When the DMH returned, many of its veteran troops and techs were reassigned to the Blood Raiders, giving them a working platform for actively taking contracts and fulfilling its mandate. A large force of technicians, mostly mechanics from the local 3021-22 recruitment efforts, was assigned in late-3023, in time for the unit to engage in Contract – Operation : “Shake-Down” and deploy in the System – Panpour.

In late-3024, the unit received an overhaul with conversion of the infantry to “Jump” troops, and the reassignment of new JumpShip and DropShip assets. Its excess equipment was transferred to * “The Fold Fiends”, along with some other personnel and DropShip assets. The unit returned in early-3025, with an early release from their contract, they brought word that House Davion was engaged in organizing some sort of “war games”. The potential for contracts was rising.

In late-3025, the unit secured a long-term retainer/pirate-hunting contract with the Federated Suns, Contract – Operation : “Wait-and-See”, and traveled to set-up in System – Malagrotta to begin their task. The unit was actively engaged in patrolling the world, and met no pirate encounters during their time under contract. Rumors persisted that the strong pirate force of Indro the Lightless had since moved on into The Tortuga Dominions for a time, eventually passing off towards the Outworld’s Alliance seeking less dangerous prey.

Finishing their contract and returning to System – Dumassas, they spent a couple months in downtime, and then followed orders to travel to System – Montour and begin searching for salvage in the 309th AeroSpace Maintenance and Regeneration Group “The Boneyard”. Equipped with the veteran Captain Vesna Clamp, his crew and ship, as well as the supporting assistance of the 10th Marines “The Beltstrikers” Platoon as close guards. The unit was given six months of supplies and the project code-named “Operation : Urban Jack”, with a mandate to salvage whatever they could. In late-March, the unit departed the system, not expecting to return until early 3029.

The unit returned to System – Dumassas dragging along “The Cutter” and the “Meteor” by May of 3029, having experienced problems with the Liberty-Class JumpShip along the way. The unit took the chance for a few months of downtime in their cantonments at Garrison, before awaiting orders for their next activities.

In early-3030, the unit took the Contract – Operation : “Clean-Up Duty” with the Federated Suns as a scouting force, and slipped back into that nation-state to serve in the newly opened Tikonov Free Republic lands, for a two-year contract. They were attached to the 2nd Republican Guards as a skirmish and scouting force, and began operating among the foothills west of Calgary, the capital city, searching out partisans for the local planetary militia to deal with.

When the Free Tikonov Republic voted to join the Federated Suns, with the assassination of its leader, Pavel Ridzik, the mercenaries continued in their operations, but became a skirmish force directly under the command of the AFFS. They continued dealing with bandits in the region assigned them, and were instrumental in dealing with the insurgents of the Confederation, and walked away with a sizable portion of infantry salvage, though deliberations in the Prize Court took longer than expected, and delayed their return to Dumassas until late-3032.

After a couple months of downtime, the unit extended their break from contracts by running a quick salvage mission into System – Montour, where they were intending to access 309th AeroSpace Maintenance and Regeneration Group “The Boneyard” and recover the four (4) Saturn-Class Patrol Ships left mothballed in that system; the “Chain”, “Clamp”, “Grasp” and “Grapple”, for return to System – Dumassas. During this time, the leader of the unit, Captain Valentina Masterson “Valentine” had her child. While recovery of the ancient hulls were easily accomplished with a minimal effort, hauling the vessels back to System – Dumassas were something of a question that the unit hadn’t properly solved by the time they jumped in-system, choosing a pirate-point of the Momroth gas giant around which the Boneyard was located.

As Dingoes luck would have it, they ran smack into a pirate operation by the local Black Lightning gang, who were salvaging a Liberty-Class JumpShip, “The Agent”. The gang, operating a single Manatee-Class DropShip, the “Wyman” as their operations base, were deployed with two (2) CargoDevil Freight Handlers and a single somewhat damaged SB-27 Sabre as theri escort. The Sabre fled upon meeting the two DropShips of the Blood Raiders, but the rest of the pirate fleet surrendered peacefully enough.

The pirate crews were taken prisoner, along with their technical teams, and the fleet immediately set about finishing the task started by the pirates. They finished the task in a few days, largely using the parts the pirates had brought with them, and then set about acquiring the four Saturns. Eventually the ships were hard-welded to the hull of the Liberty-Class on its docking points. Fearing reprisals, the unit then abandoned any further search of the orbital anchorage, and using skeleton crews, jumped out-system.

Returning in late-3033, the unit spent a few months downtime again, before searching for a new contract in early-3034. Following a lengthy cadre contract in the Davion Outback, the unit returned to deal with the aftermath of the War of 3039. In the historic 3040 meeting of all the unit leaders, the decision was made to dissolve the unit as a means to rapidly rebuild * “The Dire Dingoes”. Valentina was promoted to full Major, and given charge of the unit moving forward, taking all her assets with her to rebuild the shattered unit. By the end of 3042, the transfer and rebuilding process was complete, and the Blood Raiders ceased to exist on official rolls of the unit.

In truth, some of the assets of the unit were set aside for a future project involving the unit’s original concept as a LosTech Raiding organization loosely affiliated with * “The Dingoes’ Fangs”, but ultimately able to operate on its own agenda. Meanwhile, its assets operated under the aegis of * “Cerberus Command”, and assisted in the unit’s overall operations.