1st Capellan Defense Force

Cdf1st.png
First Capellan Defense Force
Formed 3001
Previous Designation(s) Stapleton's Grenadiers
Nickname Stapleton's Honorary[1]
Affiliation Capellan Confederation
Parent Command Capellan Defense Force
Capellan Reserves

Description

Formerly known as Stapleton's Grenadiers.

The First Capellan Defense Force was raised in 3001 from the personal resources and retainers of Lady Margaret "Bloody Mary" Stapleton for the express purpose of destroying House Marik. Essentially a private army under the personal command of Lady Stapleton, the Grenadiers silenced critics by consistently outperforming expectations. Severely damaged and disgraced during the failed invasion of Sarna in 3057, the regiment was given a new life, brigade and name under the Xin Sheng movement in 3060.[1]

The 1st CDF uses the Augmented Regiment formations commonly found in the CCAF by 3145.[2]

They are a low-end heavy regiment of 50-70 ton BattleMechs. They are a second-line regiment of the Capella Commonality.[3]

History

Formation

Lady Margaret Stapleton's family and parents were killed during a Free Worlds League raid on Exedor. Devoting the rest of her life to avenge her loss, Lady Stapleton petitioned the Chancellor for the privilege of raising a regiment. Financed by her own money and composed of her family retainers with herself as Commanding Officer, Stapleton's Grenadiers came into existence in 3001 as an instrument for the destruction of House Marik.[4]

Third Succession War

During the Third Succession War, the unit was involved in these actions:

  • 3003 - The first military operation of the new regiment was an easy raid on the ore refining centers in the southern continent of Nam Dinh.[4]
  • 3005 - Stapleton's Grenadiers succeeded in raiding crops and food stores on Fuentes before a Regulan Hussars regiment drove them off in a two hour battle.[4]
  • 3008 - A Maskirovka failure led the Grenadiers into an ambush on Sorunda. Believing a Marik double-agent that a smaller force was on-planet and lacking the aerospace assets to confirm it, Stapleton's Grenadiers found three Atrean Dragoons regiments instead. Only the bravery of the Third Battalion fighting to the last man allowed the regiment to escape.[4]
The massive losses on Sorunda have forced the Grenadiers to withdraw from the FWL border. Rebuilding has been slowed by a lack of finances and spare parts but Lady Stapleton was still eager for a fight.[4]
  • 3021 - On March of that year Arian's Demons, a company from the First battalion of the unit raided Manteno‎‎ to seize a NAIS facility that investigated on geological activities. They wiped the defending forces, Dasarick's Knights, the local Duke's private 'Mech company and razed the NAIS complex, though they only were able to steal a small amount of marginal data.[5]

Fourth Succession War

During the Fourth Succession War was involved in these actions:

  • 3029 - Stapleton's Grenadiers withdrew from their garrisons on Wazan, Campertown and Lesalles without engaging Wave 7 of Operation: RAT.[7]

Operation GUERRERO

During Operation GUERRERO the unit was involved in these actions:

  • 3057 - Stapleton's Grenadiers and the Tooth of Ymir invaded Sarna as part of Operation GUERRERO. They were outnumbered by the defending Kaifeng SMM, the 1st Battalion of the Sarna Martial Academy Cadre and the Grim Determination mercenary regiment. Quickly losing air superiority to the aerospace cadets of the Academy, the badly damaged Grenadiers soon found themselves pushed back to the dropships. Colonel William Asselin and his command staff formed a last stand while the regiment retreated off the planet. This left the Tooth of Ymir all alone and they surrendered when they learned they couldn't leave.[9]
The regiment was investigated by the Maskirovka and most of the remaining officers were forced into retirement. Disgraced, the unit was given the lowest priority in repair and refit by the CCAF.[1]
Sang-shao Gary Weinrib was one of the few survivors of the Sarna attack and winner of the Liao Sunburst of Gallantry.[1]

Xin Sheng Campaign

During the Xin Sheng Campaign the unit was involved in these actions:

  • 3060 - As the Xin Sheng movement permeated the military, the Strategios expanded the Capellan Defense Force to include BattleMech regiments. Stapleton's Grenadiers were renamed the 1st Capellan Defense Force and added to the new brigade as the military's symbol of rebirth and a fresh start.[1]
  • 3067 - The 1st Capellan Defense Force garrisoned Capella.[12]

Jihad

During the Jihad the unit was involved in these actions:

  • Stationed on Capella alongside the Holdfast Guard since the start of the Jihad in 3068, the 1st Capellan Defense Force spent the entirety of its garrison time without seeing combat. The numerous raids conducted by the Word of Blake Militia on the planet occurred at locations where the 1st CDF weren't. Thus while the Holdfast Guard and the other defenders were whittled down by attrition, the 1st CDF still remained at full strength.[13]
  • 3075 - The 1st Capellan Defense Force was sent to garrison Sian following the reassignment of the Red Lancers and Warrior House Imarra to offensive operations. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Word of Blake had ceased their Sian invasions by that time and the regiment did not see any combat.[13]
  • 3079 - The First Capellan Defense Force garrisoned Sian. Having spent over a decade without seeing any combat during two wars that both threatened the existence of the Capellan Confederation, many CDF warriors were frustrated and enraged. Only the honor of garrisoning the capital of the realm has kept the regiment from acting independently.[13]
  • 3085 - Soon after arriving to their garrison post on Ares[15], the 3rd Battalion led by Zhong-shao Alice Stapleton raided Shoreham. The far heavier machines of the defending Forty-second Avalon Hussars LCT could not catch the Capellans and the 1st CDF battalion left the world with several tons of captured autocannon ammunition and coolant.[14]

Dark Age

During the Dark Age, the unit was involved in these actions:

  • 3141 - The First and Second Capellan Defense Force raided New Delos and surrounded the Iron Guard at the planetary capital. The 1st CDF breached the city's fortifications and advanced under a rolling artillery barrage supplied by the enthusiastic 2nd CDF. Refusing to surrender, the Iron Guard were completely destroyed in about four hours of brutal urban combat.[16]. To add salt to the wound, the Steel Guard arrived just in time to see the Capellan regiments leave.[17]
In 3141, the First CDF also raided Ipswich. During this raid, the Ducal Guard air wing ambushed the approaching Capellans and disabled most of their escorting fighters. The 1st CDF landed and faced the Eighth Oriente Hussars while being strafed by the Guard ASF as well. After the 8th Oriente Hussars own aerospace support arrived, the Capellan force withdrew but not before having two Union dropships captured. Despite the matériel losses, it appeared few lives were lost.[18]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Capellan Defense Force
Lady Margaret Stapleton 3001 - 3025[4]
Colonel William Assellin 3050[20]
Sang-shao Gary Weinrib 3063[1]
Sang-shao Alexander Zivojinovic 3067[12]
Sang-shao Gary Weinrib 3085[15]
Sang-shao Sebastian Stapleton 3145[19]

Tactics

Stapleton's Grenadiers relied on their aerospace wing to weaken the enemy before committing BattleMechs and armor into the battle. They are also trained to fight during the night with the Second Battalion usually sent as raiders supported by aerospace fighters.[1]

Unit Emblem

-3025 - A broken lance gripped in a mailed fist on a red and gold field.[4]

-3063 - A green inverted triangle with circles at each corner, set against the outline of a larger triangle in beige.[1]

Composition History

3025

Stapleton's Grenadiers (3 Battalions/Green/Reliable)[4]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Wazan and also on Campertown.[21]

3050

Stapleton's Grenadiers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[22]

  • CO: Colonel William Assellin[22]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Ingersoll[22],Propus[22] and also on Eom[22].

3063 to 3067

First Capellan Defense Force (Stapleton's Honorary) (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[1][12]

  • CO: Sang-shao Gary Weinrib

First Capellan Defense Force Aerospace (1 Wing)[1][12]

New Sagan Armor Auxiliary (1 Battalion/Green/Questionable)[1][12]

First Capellan Defense Force Infantry (2 Battalion/Regular/Reliable)[1][12]

- A Fa Shih battle armor squad) included

3079

First Capellan Defense Force (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [23]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Sian.[23] Due to the timing of the Jihad, the First Capellan Defense Force is one of the few Capellan units to emerge unscathed. They are at 100% of their pre-Jihad strength.[13]

3085

First Capellan Defense Force (Regular/Reliable)[15]

First Capellan Defense Force Aerospace (Wing/Regular/Reliable)[15]

New Sagan Armor Auxiliaries (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[15]

First Capellan Defense Force Infantry (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)[15]

3145

1st Capellan Defense Force (Regular/Reliable)[19]

  • CO: Sang-shao Sebastian Stapleton

First Capellan Defense Force Aerospace (Veteran/Reliable)[19]

New Sagan Armor Auxiliaries (Veteran/Fanatical)[19]

1st CDF Infantry (Regular/Reliable)[19]

Gallery

  • Insignia of Stapleton's Grenadiers, ca. 3025

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 76, "Unit Profile"
  2. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 27, "General Review"
  3. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 28, "THE NEW OLD-FASHIONED WAY"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 92, "Stapleton's Grenadiers Profile"
  5. ↑ BattleCorps Scenarios: Scenario: Hot Time in the Hot Zone
  6. ↑ House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 106, "Capellan Reserves"
  7. ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 103
  8. ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 88
  9. ↑ Chaos March (sourcebook), p. 13
  10. ↑ Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 119
  11. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 23, "Capellan Defense Force Profile"
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Field Manual: Updates, p. 32, "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table - 3067"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Field Report: CCAF, p. 12
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 29
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 33, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  16. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 40
  17. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 108
  18. ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League, p. 44
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Field Manual: 3145, p. 46, "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table - 3145"
  20. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 63, "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table"
  21. ↑ House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p.106
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 20 Year Update, p. 62-63, "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Field Report: CCAF , p. 12

Bibliography

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