Editing 2nd Capellan Defense Force

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[File:2nd Capellan.jpg|170px]]
| Designation = Second Capellan Defense Force
| Formed = [[3060]]
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = Blackledge's Iron Hand
| Affiliation = [[Capellan Confederation]]
| Parent Command = [[Capellan Defense Force]]
| Sub-Command = 
}}

==Description==
Once derided as a 'Mech-equipped militia too unreliable to be sent into combat, the '''Second Capellan Defense Force''' was reborn following the replacement of its entire roster with Capella War College cadets. Excellent service in several campaigns since then have elevated the regiment's prestige while leaving a deep-seated dislike for their preferred enemy, the [[Oriente Protectorate]]. The present day Second is regarded as one of the best regiments the CDF brigade has to offer.<ref>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 40</ref>

The 2nd CDF uses the [[Augmented Regiment]] formations commonly found in the [[CCAF]] by [[3145]].<ref name=FM:3145p27>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 27: "General Review"</ref>

They are a second-line regiment of the [[Capella Commonality]].<ref name="FM:3145p28">''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 28: "The New Old-Fashioned Way"</ref>

==History==
===Formation===
The 2nd Capellan Defense Force was raised by adding a [[battalion]] of BattleMechs to three [[Home Guard (CCAF)|Home Guard]] regiments. The 'Mech battalions were eventually joined together to train as a Capellan Defense Force regiment in [[3060]].<ref name=FMCCp77>''Field Manual: Capellan Confederation'', p. 77: "2nd Capellan Defense Force Unit Profile"</ref>

===''Xin Sheng'' Campaign===
The Second was stationed on [[Necromo]] in [[3061]] to protect the shipyards. In [[3062]], they were hit by the [[1st St. Ives Lancers|First St. Ives Lancers]] where their lack of integral air support cost them half their strength.<ref name=FMCCp77/>

They were still stationed on Necromo in [[3063]].<ref name=FMCCp119>''Field Manual: Capellan Confederation'', p. 119: "Capella Commonality"</ref>

The Second moved to [[Ares (system)|Ares]] to rebuild but attempts to bolster their air support were ignored so the unit eventually brokered stronger relations to [[Ceres Metals]] on [[Capella]]. They used this relationship to amass a large number of [[Long Range Missile|LRM]] carriers and artillery vehicles.<ref name=FMCCp77/><ref name=FMUp23>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 23: "2nd Capellan Defense Force"</ref>

The 2nd CDF garrisoned [[Ingersoll]] in [[3067]].<ref name=FMUp32/>

===Jihad===
During [[Operation SOVEREIGN JUSTICE]] the Second CDF remained at their duty station on [[Ingersoll]]. All around them Capellan units were being destroyed, but the Strategios refused their requests to join in the fighting. During the counterattack on the [[Capellan March]], the Second CDF didn't face the [[AFFS]] forces directly. Instead as other [[CCAF]] units moved up to strike the Federated units, the Second would take over their garrison duties. This left them with a burning desire to fight someone, and led to the Strategios removing their DropShip and JumpShip assets.<ref name=frcc12>''Field Report: CCAF'', p. 12</ref>

In [[3079]] the unit was split along [[Homestead]], [[Holloway]] and [[Xieng Khouang]].<ref name=frcc12/>

In [[3081]] the Strategios ordered the creation of several new Capellan Defense Force units. The Second CDF was completely broken down and the soldiers in the unit transferred to the [[4th Capellan Defense Force|4th]], [[5th Capellan Defense Force|5th]] and [[6th Capellan Defense Force]]. Only the command detachment remained. To compensate for this, the Second CDF became the cadre unit for the [[Capella War College]]. This allowed the unit to quickly return to strength, but reduced their experience."<ref>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 29</ref>

With so many shattered commands in the CCAF, the regiment was split-up to garrison [[Remshield]] and [[Truth]] in [[3085]].<ref name=FM3085p34/>

===Republic Era===
On 7 September [[3103]], [[AFFS]] units under the command of Duchess [[Amanda Hasek (31st c.)|Amanda Hasek]] launched an invasion of the Capellan Confederation. Later dubbed the [[Victoria War]], its objectives were to capture Victoria and enough planets to bridge it back to the [[Federated Suns]].<ref name=HWotRE-50>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 50: "Blitzkrieg"</ref> Taking advantage of the weakened border, the [[Duchy of Andurien]] and Oriente Protectorate invaded the [[Sian Commonality]] on 5 February [[3104]].<ref>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 54</ref>

On March 3104, the 2nd Capellan Defense Force and the [[Death Commandos]] landed on [[Bentley]]. The defending [[6th Oriente Hussars]] were already suffering from a worsening insurgency and being outnumbered against the Death Commandos were too much of them. The Hussars fled the planet without firing a shot.<ref>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 57</ref> The Second CDF and Death Commandos pursued them to [[Goodna]] where they inflicted heavy losses on the Oriente unit and killed their senior officers. The leaderless Oriente Hussars abandoned the system for [[Ipswich]].<ref>''Historical: Wars of the Republic Era'', p. 60</ref>

As a reward for stalling a 6th Oriente Hussars attack on Goodna, the Second CDF was granted the nickname Blackledge's Iron Hand in perpetuity and had their training cadre duties transferred to the [[5th Capellan Defense Force]].<ref name=FM:3145p40/>

===Dark Age===
The [[1st Capellan Defense Force|First]] and Second CDF raided [[New Delos]] in [[3141]] 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.<ref name=FM:3145p40>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 40</ref> To add salt to the wound, the [[Steel Guard]] arrived just in time to see the Capellan regiments leave.<ref>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 108</ref>

They were stationed on [[Jasmine]] in 3145.<ref name=FM:3145p44/>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the 2nd Capellan Defense Force'''
|-
| ''[[Sang-shao]]''||[[Bian Kaiheng]]||[[3063]]<ref name=FMCCp77/>
|-
| ''Sang-shao''||[[Matt Blackledge]]||[[3067]] - [[3085]]<ref name=FMUp32>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 32: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3067"</ref><ref name=FM3085p34>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 34: "CCAF Deployment Table - 3085"</ref>
|-
| ''Sang-shao''||[[Arthur Guo-Knowles]]||[[3145]]<ref name=FM:3145p44>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 44: "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table - 3145"</ref>
|-
|}

==Tactics==
The Second specializes in Urban Combat deploying scattered minefields and blanket-bombing targets over wide regions.<ref name=FMCCp77/>

==Unit Emblem==
A mailed hand cradling a BattleMech. They use a washed-out, sepia-tone version of the standard CDF color scheme.<ref name=FMCCp77/>

==Composition History==
===3063===
'''2nd Capellan Defense Force''' (1 [[Regiment]]/Green/Questionable)<ref name=FMCCp77/>
:* CO: ''Sang-shao'' Bian Kaiheng
* XO/1st Battalion: ''[[Zhong-shao]]'' [[Matt Blackledge]]
* 2nd Battalion: ''Zhong-shao'' Rai Harada
* 3rd Battalion: ''Zhong-shao'' Kong Kuaimin

'''15th No Return Home Guard''' (2 [[Battalion]]s/Green/Questionable)<ref name=FMCCp77/>
* Armor Commander: ''Zhong-shao'' Shirley Davis

- Including a [[lance]] of [[Padilla Heavy Artillery Tank|Padilla]] tanks

'''121st Urban Defense Detachment (The Walking Dead)''' (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=FMCCp77/>
* Infantry Commander: ''Zhong-shao'' Su Tianfa

===3067===
'''2nd Capellan Defense Force''' (Green/Questionable)<ref name=FMUp32/>
* CO: ''Sang-shao'' Matt Blackledge

'''15th No Return Home Guard''' (2 Battalions/Green/Questionable)<ref name=FMUp32/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' Louis Parker

'''121st Urban Defense Detachment''' (Regular/Reliable)<ref name=FMUp32/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' Ji Fahn Luk

===3079===
'''Second Capellan Defense Force ''' (Regiment/Green/Questionable)<ref name=frccaf12>''Field Report: CCAF'', p. 12</ref>
: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Homestead]], [[Holloway]] and [[Xieng Khouang]].<ref name=frccaf12/> The Second Capellan Defense Force was spared most of the horrors of the [[Jihad]]. In fact they grew to 110% of their pre-Jihad strength by absorbing several Home Guard units.<ref name=frcc12/>

===3085===
'''2nd Capellan Defense Force''' (Green/Questionable)<ref name=FM3085p34/>
* CO: ''Sang-shao'' Matt Blackledge

'''15th No Return Home Guard''' (2 Battalions/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=FM3085p34/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' [[Shiu Keung Ho]]

'''121st Urban Defense Detachment''' (Green/Reliable)<ref name=FM3085p34/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' [[Spyridon Petrov]]

===3145===
'''2nd Capellan Defense Force''' (Veteran/Fanatical)<ref name=FM:3145p44/>
* CO: ''Sang-shao'' Arthur Guo-Knowles

'''Blackledge's Iron Talons''' (2 [[Flight]]s/Regular/Reliable)<ref name=FM:3145p44/>
* CO: ''[[Kong-sao-shao]]'' [[Tak Che Lee]]

'''Blackledge's Armored Iron Hand''' (Veteran/Reliable)<ref name=FM:3145p44/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' [[Darrion Mavros]]

'''121st Urban Defense Detachment''' (Veteran/Fanatical)<ref name=FM:3145p44/>
* CO: ''Zhong-shao'' [[Telamon Vasiliou]]

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Capellan Confederation]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
* ''[[Field Report: CCAF]]''
* ''[[Historical: Wars of the Republic Era]]''


[[Category:Capellan Confederation Commands|Capellan Defense Force, 2nd]]