2nd Capellan Defense Force

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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 it's 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.[1]

The 5th CDF uses the Augmented Regiment formations commonly found in the CCAF by 3145.[2]

They are a second-line regiment of the Capella Commonality.[3]

History

Formation

The 2nd Capellan Defense Force was raised by adding a battalion of Battlemechs to three Home Guard regiments. The 'Mech battalions were eventually joined together to train as a Capellan Defense Force regiment in 3060.[4]

Xin Sheng Campaign

The Second was stationed on Necromo in 3061 to protect the shipyards. In 3062, they were hit by the First St. Ives Lancers where their lack of integral air support cost them half their strength.[4]

They were still stationed on Necromo in 3063.[5]

The Second moved to 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 LRM carriers and artillery vehicles.[4][6]

The 2nd CDF garrisoned Ingersoll in 3067.[7]

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.[8]

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, 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."[9]

With so many shattered commands in the CCAF, the regiment was split-up to garrison Remshield and Truth in 3085.[10]

Republic Era

On 7 September 3103, AFFS units under the command of Duchess Amanda Hasek launched an invasion of the Capellan Confederation. Later dubbed the Victoria War, it's objectives were to capture Victoria and enough planets to bridge it back to the Federated Suns.[11] Taking advantage of the weakened border, the Duchy of Andurien and Oriente Protectorate invaded the Sian Commonality on 5 February 3104.[12]

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.[13] 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.[14]

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.[15]

Dark Age

-3141 - The First and Second CDF 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.[15]

They were stationed on Jasmine in 3145.[16]

Officers

As of 3063 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Bian Kaiheng.[4]

As of 3067 to 3085 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Matt Blackledge.[7][10]

As of 3145 the commanding officer was Sang-shao Arthur Guo-Knowles.[16]

Tactics

The Second specializes in Urban Combat deploying scattered minefields and blanket-bombing targets over wide regions.[4]

Unit Emblem

A mailed hand cradling a Battlemech. They use a washed-out, sepia-tone version of the standard CDF color scheme.[4]

Composition History

3063

2nd Capellan Defense Force (1 Regiment/Green/Questionable)[4]

  • 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 Battalions/Green/Questionable)[4]

  • Armor Commander: Zhong-shao Shirley Davis

- Including a Lance of Padilla tanks

121st Urban Defense Detachment (The Walking Dead) (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[4]

  • Infantry Commander: Zhong-shao Su Tianfa

3067

2nd Capellan Defense Force (Green/Questionable)[7]

  • CO: Sang-shao Matt Blackledge

15th No Return Home Guard (2 Battalion's/Green/Questionable)[7]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Louis Parker

121st Urban Defense Detachment (Regular/Reliable)[7]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Ji Fahn Luk

3079

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.[8]

3085

2nd Capellan Defense Force (Green/Questionable)[10]

  • CO: Sang-shao Matt Blackledge

15th No Return Home Guard (2 Battalion's/Regular/Reliable)[10]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Shiu Keung Ho

121st Urban Defense Detachment (Green/Reliable)[10]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Spyridon Petrov

3145

2nd Capellan Defense Force (Veteran/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Sang-shao Arthur Guo-Knowles

Blackledge's Iron Talons (2 Flights/Regular/Reliable)[16]

Blackledge's Armored Iron Hand (Veteran/Reliable)[16]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Darrion Mavros

121st Urban Defense Detachment (Veteran/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Telamon Vasiliou

Notes

References

  1. Field Manual: 3145, p. 40
  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 4.8 Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 77, "2nd Capellan Defense Force Unit Profile"
  5. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 119, "Capella Commonality"
  6. Field Manual: Update, p. 23, "2nd Capellan Defense Force"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Field Manual: Update, p. 32, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  8. 8.0 8.1 Field Report: CCAF, p. 12
  9. Field Manual: 3085, p. 29
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Field Manual: 3085, p. 34, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  11. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 50 "BLITZKRIEG"
  12. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 54
  13. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 57
  14. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 60
  15. 15.0 15.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 40
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Field Manual: 3145, p. 44, "Capellan Confederation Deployment Table - 3145"

Bibliography