177th Armored CAV Regiment
Fictional history authored by Brian “Vex” McClure, Rancor Prime and founder of the Rancor Raiders. The following is the in-universe lore of the garrison's fictional military unit.
Formation & the Fondor Uprising
Delta Company of the 177th Imperial Armored Assault Regiment was mustered into the service of the Empire in 2 BBY. The Regiment's formation centered around a new class of mobile ground weapons known as Compact Assault Vehicles — the TIE Mauler (TIE ap-1).
Built around a standard TIE/ln starfighter cockpit fixed between tank treads, the Mauler emphasized speed and maneuverability at the expense of armor. Deployed in groups of five, they proved most effective in larger numbers — overwhelming defensive forces before heavier defenses could be prepared. The vehicles' treads proved as lethal as their rapid-fire blaster cannons against enemy troops.
It was during the Fondor Uprising that the unit earned its name. While Darth Vader's forces were distracted on Thyferra, Moff Kalast's rebels seized cities on the Imperial factory world. Delta Company's speed and carnage in pacifying the insurgents impressed General Maximilian Veers, who remarked to a subordinate: “I never put much faith in them, but after such a display perhaps they should have been called Rancors.” The name stuck.
Command Personnel
One of the first at the Imperial Academy trained in CAV units, Jast was a by-the-book officer — which earned him his nickname. Assigned to the 177th straight from the academy, he met his end during the Subjugation of Sriluur under the foot of an AT-ST. It was rumored this may have been intentional. No military inquiry was ever conducted.
Under Krel's command, the unit became the Rancor Raiders. Unlike Jast, the troopers of Delta Company were fiercely loyal to their CO. When the 177th was reassigned to hold a supply station on an Outer Rim world designated MS-6149, the Alliance launched strikes against the strategic jump point. Reinforcements would never come.
When the second Death Star was destroyed, a Rebel commander relayed the news and offered terms of surrender. Krel brought the terms to his men. The Rancor Raiders refused. They fought to the last man. The incident was recorded as Krel's Last Stand.
Previously a member of the 805th Task Force — “Tarkin's Talons” — Spurloc was reassigned to the 177th after Grand Moff Tarkin's death disbanded the covert ops unit. He became a highly decorated platoon sergeant, turning down an officer's commission for his actions at the Battle of Coruscant.
Spurloc would later found “The Renegades” — Delta Company reformed under his command — after defying Imperial orders to withdraw during a bloodbath on Tatooine's moon of Ghomrassen. Brought before a military hearing, the charges were eventually dropped. High Command's official statement: “There is no room for renegades in the Imperial forces.” The 177th wore the name as a badge of honor.
Sgt. Bron Spurloc was listed MIA during the Yuuzhan Vong conflict.
The Rebirth — Imperial Remnant Era
Although most of the 177th were killed at Krel's Last Stand, Echo and Tango Companies had been temporarily assigned to the 439th Imperial Engineer Corps. After the Emperor's death created a power vacuum, the remainder of the 177th answered the call to defend Coruscant — dropping TIE Maulers from orbit to crush uprisings in the non-human sectors.
Former Echo Company commander Colonel Shaden Laska proposed a new tactics doctrine: Imperial Recon Assault CAV (IRAC) — guerilla units capable of lightning strikes against New Republic targets. The first deployed IRAC unit was christened the Rancor Raiders, a personal tribute by Laska to his fallen comrades at Krel's Last Stand.
Their first mission: eliminate Mandalorian-turned-pirate Calor N'uun, who had begun raiding Imperial supply lines. The 177th hit N'uun's base on Ergo by complete surprise. When N'uun challenged Laska to a duel, Laska agreed — then shot him point blank through his t-visor as soon as his bonds were released.
While on Ergo, troopers discovered green chalky minerals in the facility tunnels. As a tribute to fallen comrades at Krel's Last Stand, Rancor Raiders began painting green stripes on their helmets before every drop. The tradition holds to this day.
Rancor Hill, Darkon III
Rancors never question why,
Raiders live to ride and die.
For the Empire, we cross the fields,
Mauler pilots, all guts no shields.
We crush them all 'neath steel and tread,
Leaving nothing but the rebel dead.
For Delta Company and Krel's command,
We mark the green and wear the band.
We are born, a son of Vader,
We are all, a Rancor Raider.
Somewhere in the Outer Rim…
The armored personnel carrier rocked through the atmosphere as shrapnel rained against the hull like buckets of razor blades. The craft dodged, banked and swerved, trying to remain on target.
“Listen up, you boneheads!” bellowed the dark figure toward the aft bulkhead. “20 seconds until we drop! Check your packs one last time! There's no such thing as a soft landing!”
Movement echoed across the interior of the transport as the green-striped, white armor-clad shapes huddled near the rear exit. If anyone was nervous, no one could tell behind their smoky lenses. The rigid armor not only helped one's composure, but kept the sweat of fear in check.
No man aboard was a coward. They had done this before, many times. But taking that first leap of faith into the unknown never got any easier. They knew most of them probably wouldn't be coming back — that was just part of the job.
It wasn't about the war. It wasn't about the Empire. It was about each other — bonds created through bloodshed and battle.
Sgt. Spurloc pressed the emergency release switch. “RANCORS! NOW!”