Monday, December 26, 2016

THE 144th CAISSAN LIGHT CAVALRY [RND] Michael Stephen Janus#952521

The RND, amid much chaos, has reemerged on Caissa as one and only one solidified unit. The recommissioned 144th Caissan Light Cavalry, affectionately called "The Home Team", is now fully operational.

Displayed is their new unit patch. The ringed planet is clearly the planet Caissa. The white star within the ring system represents the moon Fischer, and the dark star represents the darker, larger moon Kasparov. Mecha of the 144th in full dress or gaming livery sport a color changing coat that varies from an almost black midnight blue to a much brighter cobalt blue as the Mecha moves. Shoulder pauldrons, arms and legs are lined with broad stripes of matte black that are bordered with white-gold stripes. In the field, Mecha of the 144th typically sport camouflage with a disruptive pattern of pixelated white, off white and ice blue, each of the colors having a different reflective value to mirror the reflections of glare from the ice, snow, glaciers and bright water common to Caissa. This camouflage is the same as that newly used for Caissan Navy aircraft, personnel and ships since 3312.

Tasked primarily with planetary defense and militia training, the 144th is newly working alongside the Caissan Navy, and more closely than any other RND unit has historically. This signals a vastly improved relationship with the planetary government. Mecha pilots are now practicing new methods of combined forces combat involving naval bombardment and island fighting. Mecha are now part of naval beach landing operations on mobile piers. RND trained planetary Mecha can now be seen on the main decks of naval craft acting as missile turrets.

As an independent Mecha unit, the 144th is now operating and refurbishing the original RND cliffside bunkers, and the snow covered training arenas are busy with commanders who are honing their Specialty formations for the next Mecha Galaxy game. Raid coordination and Honor Guard satellite networks are improving, and the 144th is quietly recruiting under old RND standards to forge a new breed of Chessmen.

Whether the RND can repeat past glories is uncertain, but the core practices that created it are being put back into place.

Submitted by Michael Stephen Janus#952521