Born amid the ashes of the fallen Star League following the War Against The Usurper, the unit known as the Blackhawks Armored Cavalry formed around the remnants of several SLDF units that chose to remain in the Inner Sphere following the Exodus of the SLDF.  Built around the core of four SLDF Independent BattleMech Regiments: the 90th Dragoon, 38th Dragoon, 89th Dragoon and the 321st Hussar regiments as well as remnants of the 173rd and 197th Mechanized Infantry Divisions, the Blackhawks built on their experience and training as combined arms units and embarked upon a new career as a mercenary force.

     Beginning with a contract signed with the Lyran Commonwealth in 2785, the Blackhawks have seen combat throughout the long course of the Succession Wars.  Serving House Steiner through the 1st and 2nd Succession Wars the Blackhawks saw action against the Draconis Combine as well as the Free Worlds League.  Fighting in both offensive and defensive operations the Blackhawks established a solid reputation as a hard fighting, resourceful unit earning numerous commendations and awards for valiant and honorable service to the Lyran state.

     By the time the 3rd Succession War erupted, the Blackhawks had become weary of dealing with Steiner politics and growing incompetence within the LCAF, the unit sought new employment with the Free Worlds League.  Signing on in 2880, the Blackhawks were quickly sent into action against the Capellan Confederation.  Following a string of successful operations against House Liao, disaster struck in 2899.

     Deployed with a FWL invasion force attacking the Capellan world of Bandora, the 321st Hussar Regiment found itself facing total annihilation.  In the wake of a Capellan counter-attack the Marik forces on Bandora broke before the onslaught and fell into a panicked rout.  The 321st became separated from the Marik force and adding to their dire situation the fleeing Marik troops commandeered the Blackhawks DropShips thus stranding the 321st on Bandora.  In spite of being stranded in enemy territory the 321st refused to surrender.  Managing to get a message out to the Blackhawks HQ through the local ComStar HPG, the 321st fought on, evading Capellan forces as well as possible in hopes of rescue.

     Upon receiving word of the situation on Bandora the rest of the Blackhawks were enraged.  Immediately the Blackhawks pulled up stakes and set out on a mission to rescue their marooned comrades.  Fighting their way onto Bandora with a fury,  the Blackhawks slammed into the Capellan units sending them reeling.  When elements of the 38th Dragoons finally broke thorugh and reached the survivors of the 321st Hussars, the full scope of the tragedy was revealed.  Only a shattered battalion of BattleGroup Jackal remained as a unit.  BattleGroups King and Lion were reduced to only a handful of surviors between them.

    Following these cowardly actions of the Free Worlds League, the Blackhawks broke ties with the League and signed on with the Capellan Confederation, which had been greatly impressed by the determined actions of the Blackhawks on Bandora.  In the wake of the losses suffered by the 321st Hussars on Bandora, BattleGroups King and Lion were ceremonially decomissioned and the new BattleGroups Kaiser and Leopard were commissioned in their place.

     The Blackhawks served the Capellan Confederation for several years until a depleted Capellan military attempted to forcibly seize and absorb Blackhawk units in an effort to replace mouting losses.  The Blackhawks staged a daring special forces operation that captured several Capellan JumpShips which enabled them to escape to the Federated Suns.

     In negotiating a contract with the Federated Suns the Blackhawks sold off several of their 'new' JumpShips to enable them to fully finance the reconstruction of  the 321st Hussars and return them to fighting trim.  Assigned to a world on the Capellan front, the Blackhawks took part in several successful assaults in to Liao space serving as spearhead units for the Davion offensive. In 2937 the Blackhawks were transferred to the Fed Suns/Draconis Combine border region to be prepped for action against House Kurita.

     Serving once again as a spearhead assault unit the Blackhawks participated in numerous operations as the Federated Suns offensive reclaimed much lost territory from the Combine.  Based on Exeter the Blackhawks saw heavy action up and down the Davion/Kurita border til the end of the 3rd Succession War.

     With the start of the 4th Succession War in 3028 the Blackhawks were tapped to join the Davion offensive against the Capellan Confederation where they were instrumental in the successful conquest of several Liao worlds such as Yangtze, Kansu, and Zurich.  After the stunning victory of the Federated Suns over the Capellan Commonwealth the Blackhawks were well rewarded for their actions with subtantial bonuses and large caches of captured supplies.

     The War of '39 inflicted heavy damage to the Blackhawks during it's short duration.  When Theodore Kurita launched his counter-attack against the Federated Suns one of his main thrusts struck the Blackhawks homeworld of Exeter.  The battle on Exeter was brutal to both sides.  The Kurita forces were eventually forced to withdraw but not before inflicting over 60% casualties upon the Blackhawks.

     In the wake of the Clan Invasion of 3049-50 the Blackhawks were transferred to Glengarry to prepare for action against the Clans.  Following the Peace of Tukayyid they were assigned to Kandersteg near the Arc Royal Defense Cordon to shore up defenses against Clan incursions.  Once settled the Blackhawks began conducting raids into the Clan Occupation Zone to gather intelligence as well as to capture personel and Clan equipment.

     With the reformation of the Star League in 3058 the Blackhawks returned at long last to their roots.  Contracting with the new Star League Defense Force the Blackhawks joined the Inner Sphere offensive against the Clans.  Transferring to a new base in the Draconis Combine they joined Operation Bulldog, the assault to destroy Clan Smoke Jaguar.  Against all expectations Operation Bulldog was a stunning success.  With only a few exceptions the Inner Sphere forces united as the Star League steamrolled over the Smoke Jaguar forces occupying Kurita territory.

Once Operation Bulldog was concluded, the Blackhawks returned to Kandersteg to resume their watch over the Clan Occupation Zone.  Action was seen against Clan Jade Falcon several times as the aggressive Clan struck deep into Lyran territory both during the Coventry and FedCom War Incursion, both times conducting counter-strikes into the Jade Falcon OZ.  Although the savagely brutal FedCom Civil War raged around them the Blackhawks have managed to maintain their neutrality as an SLDF unit and no Lyran or FedSuns units have been willing to challenge them as of yet.
Historical Overview