BattleTech Legends: Tactics of Duty

Saga of the Gray Death Legion #6

by William H. Keith Jr.

TYRANNY. REBELLION. WAR.

Treachery, tribulation, and a relentless slide into the bloody jaws of Armageddon! Insurrection sweeps through the fragmenting Federated Commonwealth, pitting Steiner against Davion forces, and civilians against their petty oppressors. On Caledonia, it's no different—except that the mercenary Gray Death Legion is caught in the middle of it all.

Alex Carlyle, haunted by the gruesome specter of war, and Davis McCall, a veteran legionnaire and native Caledonian, unexpectedly find themselves key players in a popular revolt against a cruel and despised Davion-backed governor. When the Gray Death Legion is called upon to put down this very rebellion, they all find themselves pawns in a deadly game of manipulation and betrayal. But Grayson Carlyle, tactician supreme and founder of the Legion, is bound by the highest duty—to protect civilization from self-destruction, no matter what the odds or price....

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Military Science Fiction

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Bill Keith was raised in the mountains of western Pennsylvania, and served in the Navy as a corpsman for many years. In addition to writing fiction and non-fiction works, he is an award-winning illustrator/artist.

He has also published under the psuedonyms:
Ian Douglas (SF series: Heritage, Legacy, Inheritance, Star Carrier, Andromedan Dark)
H. Jay Riker (SEALS:The Warrior Breed series)
Keith Douglass (Carrier and Seal Team 7 series)
Bill Keith
Keith William Andrews (Freedom's Rangers series)
Robert Cain (Cybernarc series)

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me on the edge of my seat. My favorite of the Battletech books I’ve read, so far. I’d give it a 4.5 if I could.

[Travis LeSaffre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the previous installment of The Gray Death Legion storyline, with some of the most interesting handling of out-of-mech combat since the first book.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fifth in a series following the Gray Death Legion. Alhough you could read this one it's own I would definitely read the previous book - Blood of Heroes - before you read this one.

The author has produced some of the best Battletech novels and he has not let us down with this one. There is an excellent mix of battle scenes and intrigue set amongst the early stages of the FedCom Civil war. What makes this different from many of the other novels set during this period is that the Gray Death Legion are Lyran supporters and so it is interesting to see things from this point of view.

One of the best things about this story is that the author makes a really repugnant and hateful villain in the form of the planetary governor. There is a really disturbing scene when we first meet him that goes into just enough detail to give let your mind fill in the blanks. Although there is only passing reference to him in the rest of the story you are definitely in no doubt what you want the Legion to do.

I do have a major complaint though. In amongst a description by one of the victims of what was done to her she refers to being raped as though it was just something that happened to her. What this woman had to endure should have had more impact on her and this should then have been used by the author to increase your disgust and hatred of the villain, but it is passed of as just one of those things. Rape, and the other violations that this woman suffered is never just one of those things and so shouldn't be handled in this manner. I don't think the author did this in a manner to belittle what happened to her - especially that these books have a teen audience - but either something more should have been made of it or it should have been left out.

[Logan Kedzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Grey Death Legion faces its greatest challenge yet: a whole planet of people speaking in impenetrable brogue.

The Legion is assigned to Caledonia, otherwise known as "Space Scotland," and the homeworld of one of its officers. Hired to put down a rebellion, they soon end up violating their contract as part of the villain's evil scheme, and fight for control of the planet.

Structurally, this is House Davion's heel turn. While Victor Steiner-Davion has been portrayed, alternately, as a good leader, a bad leader, and a great military leader but politically incompetent, , this is when the House becomes the major opposition (for a white man at any rate), a fact which is lampshaded in the book. And I think that the villain here is perfect. While chewing all the scenery he is fundamentally competent, but always a little to clever for his own good.

One of the things in specific that I like about the author is his more grounded style. Realism is not the right word, but the book starts with the protagonists contending with logistics and combat trauma, and inter-unit politics drives events in the plot. The fights feel more like warfare, more combined arms, maneuver tactics, and stupid chance, rather than 31st Century knights in protracted duels. I seem to be in the minority, but I find this more tense and thrilling than the sportscaster style. Part of that is the way it is because the author is more conscientiously drawing from a wider tradition of warfare.

It is here that we must discuss Gettysburg. At one point GDC ends up in a simulated fight of Gettysburg with Jamie Wolf, to which I said out loud, "oh no," but probably not for the reason you imagine.

We are, finally, at the point where the bits of Lost Cause propaganda that infected popular historical consensus are being excised. So this scene plays differently in '20 than it did in '90. But it does not bother me. Someone is always the bad guys.

I have more of a problem in the way that Gettysburg becomes foreshadowing. Simply put, if the 'yes, it's Gettysburg but with 31st century arms strains credulity, the later 'for some reason this battlefield is identical to a historical battle site' requires the Hindenburg to hoist my disbelief. And, considering where things are going, there are more than one War of Scottish Independence to pull from. But, still, this is not my core problem.

My problem is the Expanded Universe Effect. From the moment Wolf shows up as Carlyle's opposition in the Gettysburg wargame, my first thought is that there is no way we see this to the end. If we did, it would establish whether Wolf or Carlyle was the better commander. Some group of fanboys are getting irate.

This happens more than once in the book, usually in a manner that feels like the Author is pulling against it to his best interests. It usually happens in that the bad things that happen are pretty quickly resolved by the Legion. It definitely happens when Carlysle is grievously wounded. Absent some other turn in the book, it would have been a lot better if he did.

"Some other turn" is its own problem as well. I liked the events that happened in the text. I enjoyed seeing McCall's so stupid they'll never expect it plan. I want to play the Battletech scenario of their landing and subsequent fight. I am shocked that Allyn and Alex did not become an item, though Alex's "let's not break up right now" scene with DeVris is about worth it not happening. I do find it interesting how much Alex is the traditional parent's curse of 'i hope you have a child just like you," but how no one seems to mention it.

But what even is the ending? It's not, that is for sure. It is a cliffhanger, rushed and arbitrary, leaving me with several factual questions.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting episode in the story of the Grey Death Legion. It starts really well, builds brilliantly, gets to the end quarter and abruptly ends with a short epilogue. I feel I have missed one or two books before this, but a little checking seems to suggest they may be short stories in magazines rather than novels? I hope the next book of the Grey Death Legion shows what happens next.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been really enjoying my read through of Battletech novels. Tactics of Duty is another Grey Death Legion novel and a pretty good one. This time it follows Alex Carlyle, Grayson's son and the fight for freedom is on Caledonia this time, basically Scotland in space. The action scenes are fast and entertaining and the characters are fun if a little one dimensional. My only issue with this story is the Grey Death Legion basically refights Gettysburg, with the GDL being the Confederates. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, the novel was written in the mid-90s but the heroes of the story being equated with Confederates doesn't sit well with me. Overall a solid Battletech book.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 30 of the BattleTech Series, a continuation of the Gray Death Legion story-line. In this, the Gray Death's allegiance to the Federated Commonwealth is tested.

[Brian Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plots and schemes tie up the Gray Death mercenary regiment on the world of Caledonia.
Moving the action from Grayson Carlisle to his son, there's lots of Mech battle action and intrigue.
Some good moments of suspense.

As with other Gray Death novels, the author attempts to make some people sound like Scotty to show their origins, but it just comes across as lines of almost unintelligible random characters. Once you get past that (there's more at the start, then peters out towards the end) then this is a good story.

[Dan Benedict · Rating 3 out of 5]

William H. Keith Jr. launched the battletech novel line back in 1986 with Decision at Thunder Rift the first novel of the Grey Death Legion. Four novels later Tactics of Duty continues the story of the mechwarrior mercenary unit and focuses on Alexander Carlyle son of Grayson Death Carlyle (protagonist of the first few grey death legion novels).

Well paced and action packed story I recommend Tactics of Duty to any fan of the series.