2nd St. Ives Lancers

Regarded as the Armored Cavalry's workhorse unit for most of its history, the 2nd St. Ives Lancers are renowned for their bravery in the face of superior numbers.

History

Formation

Formed at the same time as the prestigious showpiece 1st St. Ives Lancers, the Second saw extensive action along the Confederation's southern quarter, fending off pirates while also engaging in occasional rear-are raids against House Marik.

Toward the end of the Third Succession War, the Lancers defended Verlo in 2970 against the Federated Suns's Syrtis Fusiliers and captured the Gordon's Highland Light mercenary unit during a recon raid on Pinard, adding twelve rare Panthers to the Lancers' 2nd Battalion.

In 3010 the Lancers defended the important agricultural world of St. Loris against two of the elite Ceti Hussars. While inflicting heavy damage on the Davion raiders and being decorated by Chancellor Maximilian Liao, the Lancers felt their defeat deeply. As of 3025, the Lancers three battalions were split up, defending St. Ives, Maladar and St. Loris respectively.

4th Succession War

During the Fourth Succession War, the complete Second was stationed on St. Ives along side the First Lancers, surviving the conflict intact it defected to the newly formed St. Ives Compact.

The Second was reconfigured at the Fourth Succession War into brigade size. As of 3054, the Second remained stationed on Teng, a situation unchanged since prior to the Clan Invasion.

Operation Bulldog

The 1st Battalion of the Second Lancers was the Compact's contribution to Task Force Serpent, the reborn Star League's assault on the Clan Smoke Jaguar homeworld of Huntress, after it was deemed more important to keep their first choice, the 1st St. Ives Lancers and its commander Kai Allard-Liao, visible in the Inner Sphere.

During the initial assault on Huntress, the Lancers were assigned to take a Clan Smoke Jaguar training base on the continent of Abysmal with the 4th Drakons, both units eliminating the scant resistance at the almost deserted base with minimal losses.

In preparation for the Smoke Jaguar counter-assault, General Ariana Winston assigned the Second Lancers to the northern army tasked with protecting the Smoke Jaguar genetics repository and Mount Szabo, two sites sacred to the Jaguars, along side the Eridani Light Horse and 2nd Com Guard Division. Assigned to defend the SLDF headquarters and form a ready reserve, the Lancers came under attack by a Jaguar flanking action when Clan forces withdrawing from the Com Guards stumbled directly into their positions, triggering a collapse which allowed the enemy to regain control of the capital Lootera. Along with the rest of the northern army, the Lancers was pressed back into the Jaguar's Fang mountains, reduced to a sole functioning BattleMech after an Clan assault on raid on their base camp before the final battle when the Victor Steiner-Davion led relief force arrived to carry the day.

Xin Sheng Campaign

Back in the Inner Sphere as hostilities between the Confederation and Compact increased in 3061, the bulk of the Lancers formed the SIMC mobile reserve, broken into task forces to act as reinforcements as needed. As losses mounted, the Second took on the critical role of delivering supplies and equipment to fellow Compact units in hostile battles across the front. While the Compact ultimately fell, the Second Lancers were credited as the reason the defeated nation lasted as long as it did.

Like many former Compact units, but. Now stationed on Teng, between receiving advanced graduation of cadets from the St. Ives Academy Training Group, survivors from the shattered St. Ives Cheveau Legers and shipment of equipment built on St. Ives, Indicass and Warlock, the Second Lancers have completed rebuilding from the losses suffered in Clan space and against the Confederation, even adding a much needed third regiment to its armored command.

Officers

As of 3025, the Second was commanded but Colonel Ranadolph Fletcher.

Around the period of the inital Clan Invasion, the Second was commanded by Colonel Timothy Bairn.

As of 3063 the Commanding Officer was Sang-shao Lucas Tolek, who replaced the retiring Timothy Bairn for health reasons.

Tactics

The Second's component units operate equally well together or independently, a tactic which often fatally surprises a foe unaware of their true strength.

Composition History

3063

2nd St. Ives Lancers (1 Regiment/Elite/Questionable (Fanatical))

• XO/1st Battalion: Zhong-shao Kiara Trahn
• 2nd Battalion: Sao-shao Julius Scavros
• 3rd Battalion: Sao-shao

- At approximately seventy percent strength

2nd Air Lancers (1 Wing/Elite/Questionable (Fanatical))

• Wing Commander: Kong-sao-shao Brett Lonewolf

2nd Lancers Armored Command (2 Battalions/Veteran/Questionable (Reliable))

• 18th Armored Lancers - Armor Commander: Sao-shao Caton Lee
• 76th Armored Lancers - Armor Command: Zhong-shao Sascha Borczynski

13th Armored Grenadiers (2 Battalions/Veteran/Questionable (Reliable))

• Troop Commander: Kyoko McAffee

3067

• 2nd St. Ives Lancers (1 Medium-Heavy BattleMech Regiment)
• 2nd Air Lancers (1 AeroSpace Fighter Wing)
• 2nd Lancers Armored Brigade (1 Armor Brigade)
• 13th Armored Grenadiers Regiment (1 Infantry Regiment)

Insignia

The insignia of the St. Ives Armored Cavalry is an orange sunburst set against an inverted blue double pyramid, with the Cavalry paint scheme a standard gray-tinted green, the Second Lancers highlighting this with jade. The insigina of the Second shows two rearing horses on a green field facing each other, wearing ivory crowns.

Notes

With re-integration of the Compact into the Confederation, the Cavalry proudly wear the St. Ives Commonality crest prominently displayed on their uniforms and machines.

Bibliography

• House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Objective Raids
• Twilight of the Clans
• Field Manual: Capellan Confederation
• Field Manual: Update