1st Canopian Light Horse

1st Canopian Light Horse.jpg
First Canopian Light Horse
Formed 2530
Nickname Defiance at all Cost
Affiliation Magistracy of Canopus
Parent Command Chasseurs á Cheval

The First Canopian Light Horse regiment is the oldest unit in the Magistracy Armed Forces, being the first regiment formed by that new nation.[1] Prior to the Reunification War, the primary duty of the First Light Horse had been anti-terrorist operations, but that would soon change.[2]

History[edit]

Formation[edit]

Reunification War[edit]

Gouderak[edit]

The first combat assignment for the First Light Horse was against the Star League Defense Force's VII Corps on Gouderak in 2577. A single company of the First was stationed on Gouderak, a world on the border between the Free Worlds League and the Magistracy of Canopus. The SLDF had tasked the complete 55th Brigade to conquer Gouderak, complete with WarShip support. The First fought several token skirmishes, but had little choice other than to retreat of world in the face of overwhelming numbers; Gouderak also highlighted a weakness that the MAF would be able to exploit during the war — Gouderak couldn't support the number of troops stationed on the arid continent around the capital of Gouda Prime, and were heavily reliant on their supply chain.[1][3]

Umka[edit]

Two battalions of the First were stationed on the water-rich world of Umka when the SLDF 56th Brigade struck; while the SLDF troops were easily able to capture the major industrial facilities on Umka, the combined forces of the local militia and the First Light Horse refused to give up easily and kept fighting. The 56th Brigade was eventually able to force the First Light Horse off-world, but the campaign took longer than planned, and the local garrison dispersed to wage a guerrilla war that forced the SLDF troops to winkle them out of numerous holdings, frequently frustrated by the way the garrison forces would relocate from one island or archipelago to another by hovercraft... tactics the entire MAF would adopt on a planetary scale.[1][4]

Saonara[edit]

The MAF commander, Colonel Adam Buquoy, put together a daring plan to steal the initiative from the SLDF by capitalizing on their long supply chains. Raids were launched at a number of worlds being used as supply depots and staging areas by the SLDF; while the largest of these raids targeted the world of Meadowvale, the First Light Horse were given responsibility for attacking Saonara. Saonara was purely an SLDF staging post at this point, and wouldn't become a full-fledged colony until after the war; the First Light Horse raid was a success, and was far more than just a material victory. The attacks staged inside Free Worlds League space forced a change in SLDF tactics, as it demonstrated that previously safe areas were at risk and that the MAF was a far more dangerous opponent than its relative size would indicate. For several years resources had to be diverted from the front lines to equip and support large garrisons on SLDF supply worlds, hampering combat operations and buying the MAF time.[5]

Eleusis[edit]

In mid-2579 the SLDF task force assigned the 57th Brigade and the 61st Royal Brigade to conquer Eleusis, reinforced by the 401st Independent Regiment, the 35th Royal CAAN Marine Regiment — all drawn from VII Corps — the Fifth Marik Militia and the First Brigade of the Fusiliers of Oriente, drawn from the Marik auxiliaries supporting VII Corps.[6] The SLDF expected to face a couple of 'Mech regiments supported by a handful of conventional regiments, but had been outmaneuvered by the MAF; instead, they faced four 'Mech regiments, including the First, Second and Third Canopian Light Horse alongside the mercenary unit Samuelson's Slaughterers along with eighteen conventional regiments.[2]

The MAF forces turned what should have been a two-week campaign into a six-month campaign, inflicting more damage on the SLDF than they suffered in turn, but slowly losing because the MAF supply chain couldn't keep up with losses due to battlefield attrition as well as the SLDF support network. Orders received from Colonel Buquoy and countersigned by Magestrix Crystalla Centrella ordered the various MAF forces to retreat on 19 September; the MAF could have held out for several more months, but only at the cost of all the units being lost.[2]

Royal Foxx[edit]

The next large-scale combat action fought by the First Light Horse was on Royal Foxx alongside the Fourth Canopian Light Horse, one of their sister regiments. The MAF was trying to preserve its strength as the war tipped against them, and the two Chasseurs á Cheval regiments were heavily outnumbered on Royal Foxx by the invading SLDF troops, who threw an entire ad hoc division against the MAF units — the combined forces of the 59th Brigade and the 61st and 62nd Royal Brigades. The two Canopian regiments contested the invasion, but couldn't prevent it and were forced to retreat.[6][7][8]

Lindenmarle[edit]

Four months after the retreat from Royal Foxx, the First Light Horse faced an almost identical situation on Lindenmarle. Fighting alongside another sister regiment, the Second Canopian Light Horse, the First faced an invasion in July from the combined forces of the SLDF 56th Brigade supported by the Second Oriente Hussars and the Juggernaut regiment of the Stewart Dragoons. Although the two Chasseurs á Cheval regiments weren't as heavily outnumbered as the First had been on Royal Foxx, the outcome was the same.[8][7][6]

Marantha[edit]

With the MAF navy largely destroyed at the disastrous ambush on Thurrock and Canopus IV captured in May 2584, the surviving MAF units were largely pinned in place and the Star League conquest of the Magistracy seemed inevitable. The SLDF task force dispatched the 56th Brigade to conquer Marantha in the second half of 2584, with support from the Fourth Marik Militia and the Third Regulan Hussars. The SLDF invasion was fiercely contested by the First Canopian Light Horse and Mieselsen's Marauders despite being outnumbered more than two to one, and the resulting battle saw the Marauders effectively destroyed as a combat unit although the First Light Horse managed to escape off-world.[9][10][11]

Palladix[edit]

The last battle of the Reunification War for the First Light Horse and their sister regiment the Fourth Light Horse was on the world of Palladix in 2586. Although the SLDF was largely mopping up isolated worlds that refused to surrender, the two Canopian regiments bitterly contested the conquest of Palladix; facing the VII Corps's 55th Brigade with the Juggernaut regiment of the Stewart Dragoons in support, the two MAF regiments fought until they were effectively destroyed.[9][10][11]

Star League Era[edit]

The First was rebuilt by the MAF. By 2765 they had been involved in several fights, which helped raise their experience level and improve their morale. These fights mostly took place against bandits and pirates. They were acting as a rapid response force and in addition to their usual JumpShip and DropShip assets, they were permanently assigned a Pinto-class WarShip for support. Their baseworld at this time was Hastur.[12]

The First was evidently destroyed or badly damaged during the Periphery Uprising; in 2785 the First and Second Canopian Light Horse regiments were both reactivated, using personnel from the Twenty-ninth CAAN Marine Regiment, one of five SLDF regiments to defect to the Magistracy of Canopus during the Uprising and the only one of those five regiments to survive beyond 2767.[13]

First Succession War[edit]

During the First Succession War the First Canopian Light Horse played a part in the only major conflict to occur between Periphery nations, the Taurian-Canopian War — also referred to variously as the Magistracy-Concordat Conflict and the Herotitus Crisis. Ordered to seize the Taurian Concordat world of Portland in retaliation for Taurian Defense Force attacks on Detroit and Herotitus. Landing on Portland in 2813, the Light Horse dropped on the town of Carter's Mill before advancing to capture Cooperton, the planetary capital city. Portland's defenders consisted of the local militia, who lacked aerospace fighters to oppose the landings with, making capturing the planet relatively easy.[14]

Having captured Portland, controlling the world proved rather more difficult. The Light Horse was happy to secure the capital and remain there, but the locals responded by launching a guerrilla campaign. The militia had some 'Mechs and armored vehicles, although nowhere near as many as the Light Horse; to make up for that, the militia had a superior understanding of the local area, and launched insurgent attacks against the occupiers, easily avoiding attempts to capture them while continually springing traps. Pinning down the insurgents proved so difficult that the Light Horse contented itself with plundering Cooperton for supplies and food and falling back to their DropShips. Following a peace treaty agreed in February 2814, the Light Horse left, returning Portland to Taurian control.[14]

Trinity Alliance[edit]

To show their support of the Trinity Alliance the Magestrix assigned the senior unit of the MAF to support CCAF operations in the Chaos March. The First helped return Aldebaran and Styk to the Capellan Confederation, and at the end of 3059 they rotated to the Capellan/St. Ives Compact border. There they spent several years trying to convince the inhabitants of Brighton that the world was, in fact, part of the Capellan Confederation again and further resistance was only hurting themselves and their world.[1]

In 3067 the CCAF reassigned the unit to Pleione, a world barely more than one jump away from the borders of the Terran Hegemony.[15] With the outbreak of the Jihad, the unit moved off of Pleione, and instead obeyed the Magestrix' order to return home. They arrived too late to assist in the removal of the Word of Blake from the Magistracy, but garrisoning Detroit in 3079[16] allowed the unit to rebuild.

Dark Age[edit]

After rebuilding the First redeployed to Joppa, a world between Detroit and Canopus. This position allows the First Light Horse to stop raids from systems that were formerly part of the Free Worlds League.[17]

In the mid-thirty-second century the First Light Horse was regarded by much of the Magistracy Armed Forces as being the premiere magistracy military unit, earning it the same priority for upgrades as the famous Raventhir's Iron Hand. The First light Horse was able to draw on matériel from the Capellan Confederation and then, following the alliance between the Magistracy, the Confederation and the Duchy of Andurien, Andurien-produced equipment as well.[18]

In 3145 the First Light Horse were stationed on Claybrooke, a post with significant ceremonial and symbolic meaning; formerly an Andurien world, Claybrooke was garrisoned by the Light Horse ostensibly against both of the Magistracy's allied neighbors.[18]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the First Canopian Light Horse
Colonel Adam Buquoy 2577[citation needed]
Major Cynthia Evans 3025[19]
Major Darlene Ishora 3050 - 3054[20][21]
Colonel Kit deSummersVille 3064 - 3085[1][15][22]
Colonel Jamey Vitale 3145[23]

Other Unit Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

The First Canopian Light Horse are known for their determination. The First will take control of the objective, and no matter how much force is arrayed against them, they refuse to let it go.[1]

Composition History[edit]

2765[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[25]

- At this point in time the First Light Horse was stationed on Hastur.[25]

2786 - 2821[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[26]

- At this point in time the Light Horse was a medium-weight regiment operating at full strength, and was stationed on Hastur.[26]In 2821 the unit was operating at just over one-third of full strength, and was stationed on Hastur.

2830[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[27]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Hastur with an operational readiness of 73 percent.[27]

2864[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[27]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Hastur with an operational readiness of 29 percent.[27]

3025[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regular/Reliable)[19]

  • CO: Major Cynthia Evans

3028[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[28]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Megrez.[28]

3050-3054[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Regular/Reliable)[20][21]

  • CO: Major Darlene Ishora

3064[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (1 Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[1]

  • CO: Colonel Kit deSummersVille

- The First has a 50% upgrade technology level.

First Light Horse Air Guard (2 Air Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[1]

First Light Horse Armor Guard (2 Battalions/Veteran/Fanatical)[1]

  • Armor Commander: Colonel Megan Mejia

First Light Horse Infantry Guard (1 Battalion/Regular/Questionable)[1]

  • Infantry Commander: Major Leticia Robinson

3067[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (1 Regiment/Elite/Fanatical)[15]

  • CO: Colonel Kit deSummersVille

First Light Horse Air Guard (2 Air Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[15]

  • Wing Commander: Commander Mary Carlyle

First Light Horse Armor Guard (1 Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[15]

  • Armor Commander: Force Major Megan Majia

First Light Horse Infantry Guard (1 Battalion/Regular/Questionable)[15]

  • Infantry Commander: Major Leticia Robinson

3079[edit]

The First Canopian Light Horse was at 95% of its pre-Jihad strength.[16]

3085[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Elite/Fanatical)[22]

  • CO: Colonel Kit deSummersVille

First Light Horse Air Guard (Veteran/Fanatical)[22]

First Light Horse Armor Guard (Elite/Fanatical)[22]

  • CO: Colonel Jordanes Brzezicki

First Light Horse Infantry Guard (1 Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)[22]

  • CO: Major Emem Jelani

3145[edit]

First Canopian Light Horse (Elite/Reliable)[23]

First Light Horse Air Guard (Elite/Fanatical)[23]

First Light Horse Armor Guard (Veteran/Reliable)[23]

First Light Horse Infantry Guard (Elite/Reliable)[23]

Game Rules[edit]

Reunification War[edit]

  • Chasseurs á Cheval units gain a +1 bonus to Initiative Rolls.[29]
  • Chasseurs á Cheval units may use Off-Map movement[29]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 33, "1st Canopian Light Horse Unit Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Historical: Reunification War, p. 100-101, "Eleusis, Obrenovac and Bethnolog (March 2579-January 2580)"
  3. Historical: Reunification War, p. 97, "Gouderak (June 2577)"
  4. Historical: Reunification War, p. 97, "Umka (August-October 2577)"
  5. Historical: Reunification War, p. 99, "Meadowvale (January 2578)"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Historical: Reunification War, p. 148, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front (Jump-Off - 2582)"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 101, "Reversals (2582-2583)"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 150, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front (Jump-Off - 2582)"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 105, "Mopping Up (2584-2588)"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 149, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front (2583-2588)"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 151, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front (2583-2588)"
  12. Field Report 2765: Periphery, p. 14
  13. First Succession War, p. 34, "Those Left Behind (Continued)"
  14. 14.0 14.1 First Succession War, p. 102-103, "Portland"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Field Manual: Updates, p. 201, "MAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  16. 16.0 16.1 Field Report: Periphery, p. 10
  17. Field Manual: 3085, p. 138
  18. 18.0 18.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 192, "Chasseurs á Cheval"
  19. 19.0 19.1 Periphery 1st Edition, p. 99, "MAF Forces Deployment Table - 3025"
  20. 20.0 20.1 20 Year Update, p. 78, "MAF Deployment Table - 3050"
  21. 21.0 21.1 Objective Raids, p. 47, "MAF Deployment Table - 3054"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 149, "MAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 200, "Chasseurs á Cheval"
  24. Technical Readout: 3075, Page 244
  25. 25.0 25.1 Field Report 2765: Periphery, p. 14, "Chasseurs á Cheval - Regimental Status"
  26. 26.0 26.1 First Succession War, p. 140, "Major Periphery States"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Second Succession War, p. 100
  28. 28.0 28.1 Historical: Brush Wars, p.87
  29. 29.0 29.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 183, "Chasseurs à Cheval"

Bibliography[edit]