Clan Ice Hellion Totem

Even though this cunning pack predator of Hector's snowy mountains preyed on many of the first Clan explorers, it was admired for its lithe shape and blindingly white fur. Nicholas Kerensky respected the creature for its predatory instinct and pack-hunting skill, and so named this Clan after it.

Possessions

Worlds: 11 (10 shared, 1 exclusive)

The Hellions made extensive gains in the Hellions' Fury campaign, particularly in the area spinward of Strana Mechty. They have added to these gains in the recent Trials of Possession for Ghost Bear, Smoke Jaguar and Nova Cat holdings, taking sections of Barcella, Hoard, Atreus, Londerholm and Huntress. However, all five worlds remain contested. With the Hellion Touman stretched to its limit, the Clan may have to abandon some of its new gains.

Allies and Enemies

The Ice Hellions believe so much in their own strength that they see little need to develop alliances with other Clans. They occasionally form alliances of convenience, but nothing that lasts beyond a single campaign or event.

Despite the Hellion's Fury campaign, the Clan has no real enemies. They share a mutual antipathy with the Wolves, who regard the Hellions as ineffectual and who often refer to them as "rime-stoats" (a type of weasel). The Hellions understandably dislike the Wolves for this attitude, and also for Khan Vlad Ward’s dismissal of Asa Taney’s efforts to advance the Hellion cause. Despite Taney's incapacity after the Great Refusal, this antipathy looks set to develop into a full-blown feud.

Military

The Hellions despise the necessity of including freeborns in their combat units, but the small size of their Touman compared with the size of their territories requires this practice. Trueborn and Freeborn warriors rarely mix, forming their own units and serving distinct roles. The Hellions even train their freeborns in separate camps from trueborn warriors. Most freeborns serve in flurry units, militias that contain regular armor and infantry and that bulk out the Hellion Touman. The Hellions acquired Elementals and battle armor late, and so have a poor opinion of them.

The Hellions place less emphasis on sibkos than other Clans, breaking them up during training to foster self-reliance among the troops. They believe that by weakening the links to the sibko, a new warrior will develop stronger ties to his or her new unit.

Aside from their penchant for speed, Hellion warriors are best known (and much derided) for their ability to "talk a good fight." The Wolves take particular enjoyment in baiting the Hellions for this habit.

Society

Ice Hellion Society follows Clan traditions, with warriors regarded as clearly superior to the civilian castes. Inter-caste relations remain generally even, though the warriors distrust the merchant caste. Believing merchant ways inherently corrupt, the Clan Council assigns troops to escort and keep watch over all merchant vessels.

The people of Clan Ice Hellion are hard-working, thriving on the marginal worlds that the Clans claim as their own. This work ethic has forged strong bonds within the technician and laborer castes. Both know that the other castes undervalue them, and are thus very supportive of each other. Family units show similarly strong ties, as do work groups and military units. Appreciation of others' abilities within the family or unit is a natural extension of the bond within Hellion "packs" (as they frequently term their various subgroups), and this willingness to recognize the talents of others has made performance arts a common pastime.

Bondsmen are a feature of Hellion life, particularly civilians taken in raids or when acquiring territory. Expansionistic and belligerent, the Hellions know that bondsmen are living evidence of their military strength. However, few captured warriors are allowed to become abtakha, principally because of problems adapting to the Hellion's emphasis on speed and other unique battle tactics.

The idealization of speed colors all aspects of Ice Hellion life. The Hellions place considerable emphasis on first impressions and snap judgments rather than long-term contemplation and its associated second-guessing. Such an attitude often works well in combat, where swift reaction time can mean the difference between life and death; in politics or business, however, it can pose major problems. The Hellions do not think things through, which has hurt their mercantile concerns as well as their leaders' political ambitions.

Almost all members of this Clan are strong believers in technology, but none more so than the warriors. Anything that enhances their machines' speed or a warrior's reaction time-more powerful engines, lighter components or EI implants-is much prized in Clan Ice Hellion.

Brief History

The founders of Clan Ice Hellion chose to mimic their totem animal’s speed and pack mentality. Using light and medium 'Mechs and aerospace fighters, they served as scouts in Operations Klondike. This role led to some friction with Nicholas Kerensky, as the Hellions felt he had denied them the fights they deserved. The Clan still bears this proverbial chip on the shoulder, aggressively defending its martial abilities.

Light but powerful, the Ice Hellions did well in the early years after the Pentagon campaign, using their speed to devastating effect in various conflicts with other Clans. The other Clans soon developed effective counter-tactics, however, and the Hellions found themselves assailed from all sides. For a time, Hellion saKhan Lucius Moore was a hero to his Clan for his seeming ability to win in hopeless situations. Then senior Khan Cage discovered that Moore was using drugs to enhance his troops' abilities. Enraged at what he took as a grievous slight against the Clan eugenics program, Cage brought charges before the Grand Council and called for a Trial of Grievance against Moore. The fighting that followed was essentially a civil war within the Hellions, costing them 60 percent of their strength but freeing them of the taint of saKhan Moore's dishonorable actions. Other Clans probed the Hellions' weakness, but the Hellions fended them off. To compensate for their lower numbers, they developed several new technologies, including the enhanced-formula endo-steel and ferro-fibrous armor used in modern OmniMechs.

In the debate over whether or not to invade the Inner Sphere, the Ice Hellions were avid Crusaders. When the Grand Council agreed to the Warden-sponsored Dragoon Compromise in the year 3000, Hellion Khan Jena Norizuchi was outraged. Going against the Grand Council's decision, she prepared to launch a pre-emptive invasion of the Inner Sphere. SaKhan Ernest Wick declared a secret Trial of Grievance against her for going against the Council’s mandate, and once again the Ice Hellions found themselves fighting a civil war. The details of this so-called secret Trial did not emerge until recently, save that saKhan Wick won and the Hellions kept faith with the Grand Council.

When the call finally went out for the invasion in 3048, the Hellions fared poorly in the Trials for inclusion in the invasion force. Outraged, many Hellion warriors vented their frustration in the "Hellion's Fury" campaign. This series of raids throughout Clan space netted the Hellions many resources and much territory, but also alienated them from many of their fellow Home Clans.

In recent years, Khan Asa Taney has attempted to use the dissatisfaction among the Home Clans to form a coalition that would elect him ilKhan and elevate the Hellions to Invading Clan status. Even after the Khans of the Invading Clans destroyed his power base, Taney remained close to the centers of power, and was one of the four Khans who accompanied the ilKhan when they met Victor Steiner-Davion to negotiate the Great Refusal. During that Trial, the Hellions met the Nova Cats and were shattered. Khan Taney was badly injured by Nova Cat Khan Severen Leroux, and only returned to active duty in November of 3060.

Beginnings

The Ice Hellions were founded by Stephan Cage, a former battalion commander in the SLDF. His specialty was reconnaisance and he was quite adept at using light forces to defeat numerically larger forces. Khan Cage was so inspired by Nicholas Kerensky's fondness about the Ice Hellion that he quickly built his Clan around the same hunting technique: speed and manueverability. Though many called this a weakness, the newly born Ice Hellions would prove soon everyone wrong.

The Pentagon campaign tested the Ice Hellions dearly. The early touman was extremely lightweight and Nicholas Kerensky originally relegated the Hellions to a recon and support role. Angered at being forced to wait, Khan Cage awaited the opportunity to prove his Clan's worth.

Soon the Ice Hellions found themselves called to assist Clan Cloud Cobra with a rebel uprising in a recently captured city. Though outgunned and outmassed, the Ice Hellions speed and manueverability allowed them to wear down and defeat the rebels with minimal losses.

In the next few years following the Pentagon campaign, the Hellions quickly set about proving that their unorthodox techniques were viable and combat tested. Hellion Trinaries and Clusters repeated fought and bested foes more than double their weight. While other Clans developed the current Clan battle tactics, the Hellions practiced flexibility and manueverability.

Hard Times

The Hellions successes soon turned to defeats as the other Clans learned how to counter the Hellions tactics. Quickly, the Hellions started losing more than they were winning. The only brightspot was saKhan Lucius Moore's Beta Galaxy. Beta enjoyed a much higher success ratio than Alpha - a situation that left Khan Cage puzzled.

Khan Cage's investigation into Beta Galaxy soon took a lesser role when the Clans joined together against the Not-Named Clan. Though he had close personal ties to the Not-Named Clans leadership, Khan Cage was forced to side with the Grand Council.

Khan Cage was stunned when he learned the truth behind Beta Galaxy's string of victories. For some time, saKhan Lucius Moore had been giving his warrior performance enhancing drugs. Enraged at the perfidy of his saKhan, Khan Cage took the evidence before the Grand Kuraltai and demanded a Trial of Grievance against saKhan Moore. Matters took a turn for the worse when several Khans suggested that the Ice Hellions as a whole be Annihilated.

However, Khan Cage made an eloquent plea to the Council. He stated that only a small part of his Clan was tainted and that section needed to be excised from the whole. IlKhan Nicholas Kerensky half-heartedly agreed to go along with the Trial of Grievance. Some Khans, indeed, saw this as an opportunity to be rid of the Ice Hellions permanently. If Khan Cage's forces lost, then the Hellions would be Annihilated. If he won, then the Clan would be so crippled as to be easy prey for another Clan to Absorb.

For three months, Khan Cage's forces battled saKhan Moore's forces. The battles were brutal as Moore's forces continued to use the enhancement drugs. In the end, Khan Stephan Cage's troops were victorious. The Ice Hellions lost over half their forces and many of their best scientists in the purge that followed.

Golden Century

The years following death of saKhan Moore were hard for the Hellions. New Hellion Khan Mia Taney moved quickly to remove the stain from the Clan's honor and to rebuild its shattered touman. The Hellions found themselves constantly scrutinized and raided by other Clans. Khan Taney, however, kept the Clan from wallowing in despair.

The death of ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky in battle against the WidowMakers opened the door to a golden era of prosperity. The Ice Hellions were one of the first to develop OmniMechs after winning the technology from Clan Coyote. The Clan's scientists were also responsible for the development of the advanced endo steel and ferro-fibrous compounds. The Hellions also built several new 'mech and fighter manufacturing facilities.

The Clan's attempts to build lighter, faster Elemental armor met with little success. Early Elemental warriors were freeborns as the Clan was unable to gain the needed bloodlines from Clan Hell's Horses. Elementals were held in low regard for many years, until finally they proved themselves a vital asset.

Secret Trial

By the end of the Golden Century, the Ice Hellions were once more a deadly force to be reckoned with. The Crusader Khans were pushing for an invasion of the Inner Sphere. The Khans had the votes to call for invasion, but were stymied by Wolf Khan Kerlin Ward. Khan Ward suggested an alternative to invasion. The Clans knew very little about the state of the Inner Sphere. His compromise was to send a force, in the guise of mercenaries, to gather intelligence about the Inner Sphere. The Grand Council voted in favor of Khan Ward's proposal. Hellion Khan Jena Norizuchi vehemently protested the measure, but to no avail.

Later, Khan Norizuchi told saKhan Wick of her plans to invade the Inner Sphere anyway. saKhan Wick tried to convince her of the folly of her plans, but she would not listen. Khan Norizuchi left for Hector to ready her forces for her planned invasion. Fearing that the other Clans would move against them as they had against the Not-Named Clan, saKhan Wicks called his commanders together and informed them of Khan Norizuchi's plans. Swearing them all to secrecy, saKhan Wicks launched a Trial of Annihilation against Khan Norizuchi and her forces.

The secret Trial, as it is now called, destroyed both Galaxies. Beta Galaxy had only one surviving Cluster. saKhan Wicks moved quickly and issued a statement to the Grand Council that Khan Norizuchi had been killed in a bandit raid and that he would now be replacing her as senior Khan. Wicks moved quickly to rebuild Alpha and Beta Galaxies before the Hellions' enemies realized their weakness.

Invasion

Though he did not live to see it, Khan Wicks successor, Stephen Tyler, rebuilt the Ice Hellions once more into a formidable adversary. In 3048, however, it appeared that the time had come for the Clans to return to the Inner Sphere. Smoke Jaguar Khan Leo Showers provided evidence in the form of a ComStar JumpShip and its crew that the Inner Sphere was well on its way to recovery. Khan Showers' and other Crusader leaders forced the vote for invasion and all but Clan Wolf voted in favor of the motion.

To their utter shock, the Ice Hellions were eliminated from the invasion force in the second round of bidding. Rather than have to deal with a Clan of angry warriors, Khan Tyler unleashed a series of attacks against the other non-invading Clans called the Hellions' Fury. The surprise attacks netted the Hellions substantial gains in land and resources.

Towards the end of the Hellion's Fury campaign, Khan Tyler was killed in a bandit raid and saKhan Danielle Lienet was severely wounded. Khan Tyler was replaced by Asa Taney, an aerospace Star Colonel. Khan Taney moved quickly to consolidate his power base.

The Clan defeat at Tukayyid shocked all the Clans left behind. The concept that the strongest of the Clans could be beaten by the unwashed barbarians of the Inner Sphere was inconceivable. Nevertheless, Khan Taney began a political campaign that would force more of the home Clans to take part in the invasion. The Trial of Refusal between the Wolves and the Jade Falcons gave him the incentive he needed to make one last effort to renew the invasion.

Harvest Trials

Khan Taney's plans for renewing the invasion of the Inner Sphere were crushed when the invading Clans banded together in opposition to his plans. A Trial of Absorption was withdrawn as was a plan to replace the invading Clans' troops with homeworld troops. In both instances, the leadership of Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon teamed up to baffle Taney's plans.

To make matters worse, Wolf Khan Vladimir Ward's veiled suggestion that Clan warriors could earn more honor in one of the invading Clans unleashed a series of events known as the Harvest Trials. Numerous units from all of the invading Clans declared Trials of Possession against Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon. The Trials were mainly a formality to allow home Clan warriors a chance to fight in the invasion, but it also served to bolster the depleted toumans of the Wolves and Falcons.

Furious that his plans were destroyed by the Wolves, Khan Taney is currently waiting to see how the Inner Sphere's counter attack fares against the Smoke Jaguars.

Death of a Clan

The Ice Hellions were tasked with holding a Lyod Glacier. Khan Asa Taney was furious with outrage when an elite Binary from Clan Nova Cat arrived to battle the Hellions. The battle on Lyod Glacier was savage. Nova Cat Khan Severen Leroux shot down Asa Taney's Visigoth fighter. Both Nova Cat leader did considerable damage to the Ice Hellion troops before being killed. The Ice Hellions, demoralized at the loss of their Khan, fought well but lost to the Nova Cat Binary.

The Ice Hellions were not the only Clan to lose to the Star League. The forces from Clans Hell's Horses, Blood Spirit, Fire Mandrill, and Smoke Jaguar also lost their portion of the challenge. With their defeats, the invasion is over.