Federated Peacekeeping Forces

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Contents

Overview

The Federated Peacekeeping Forces were the first organized state military of the Federated Suns.

History

Origin

The beginnings of the Federated Peacekeeping Forces or FPF lay in the twenty-third century conflicts between the newly-formed Federated Suns and the minor states of the Capellan Zone. The Federated Suns inherited one conflict with the Tikonov Grand Union when the Marlette Association joined the Federated Suns,[1] and a second conflict with the Chesterton Trade Federation when the Muskegon Empire joined.[1] In these conflicts as with other conflicts over other worlds the Federated Suns formed a new expeditionary force for each campaign, with the field commander of the force elected by the Council and the strategic aims of the force chosen by the President.[2] The Federated Suns fared poorly in both conflicts, and soon became a target for predation by other states on the border, including the Capellan Hegemony and the St. Ives Mercantile Association.[3] Worlds such as Alcyone, Daniels and Redfield were conquered outright;[2] other, independent worlds simply aligned themselves with one of the Capellan Zone states rather than the weak Federated Suns.[3]

Formation

The first President of the Federated Suns was Lucien Davion, who stepped down in 2332; his brother Charles Davion was elected as his successor to the posts of Prime Minister of New Avalon and President of the Federated Suns. Charles was an ambitious, arrogant and quick-tempered man possessed of great energy; determined to build the Federated Suns into a true interstellar power and to secure the place of the Davion family within the Suns, Charles initiated a number of reforms. One of those was formation of the Federated Peacekeeping Forces.[4]

The defeats in the Rim March were enough to convince the various worlds of the Federated Suns to each give Charles Davion a handful of elite mercenary units.[4] Having amended the Crucis Pact to allow for the formation and support of a standing military,[5] Charles marshaled these units into a new standing army, with its own ranks, organization and support structure. Christened the Federated Peacekeeping Forces, the new army was able to use its support structure to obtain and manage supplies and transport independently of the various member states, giving it a considerable degree of independence. Charles initiated a regimen of extensive troop training and indoctrination to build morale within the new armed forces and to encourage the troops to identify themselves with the FPF rather than the various member worlds that had initially raised the regiments. Charles also ensured that as with the newly-forming state bureaucracy, many of the senior members of the FPF were from New Avalon,[4] many of whom owed a debt of gratitude to Charles or the Davion family.[5]

Early Campaigns

Versus the Tikonov Grand Union

Whilst the FPF focused on securing the Federated Suns, Charles death in 2340 ushered in a new President - Reynard Davion, nephew of Charles, son of Lucien, Deputy Prime Minister of New Avalon and a former Colonel in the FPF. Reynard was a Davion through and through, and just the ruler the Federated Suns needed at the time; charisma, drive, and ruthlessness. When Reynard came to power the Draconis Combine border had not yet reached the Federated Suns, and the Terran Hegemony was embroiled in problems with the Lyran Commonwealth whilst dealing with the loss of its Director-General just months before. With the Taurian Concordat both distant and unknown, the only clear threats to the Federated Suns were the nations of the Capellan Zone, and it was on these that Reynard focused his attention.[6]

Having assembled a reserve force in the Achernar system, Reynard assigned two Task Forces to draw the attention of the forces on Mirach before leading the reserve force personally on a strike against the world of Almach in 2344.[7] The FPF quickly seized Almach, Cutting off the Tikonov Grand Union supply route into the worlds of Mira, Mesartim. In one stroke, Reynard had recaptured the worlds contested between the Marlette Association and the Tikonov Grand Union for decades.[6]

Although no-one was more surprised at the success of the FPF campaign against the Tikonov Grand Union than the FPF itself, Reynard was able to use their victory to secure treaties with the Capellan Hegemony and Tikonov Grand Union, securing two borders.[7]

Versus the Sarna Supremacy

Although the next few years were largely peaceful, the FPF was far from inactive; the FPF captured Bell from the Sarna Supremacy in 2357,[7] the Supremacy having absorbed the Chesterton Trade Federation some years before.[8] Reynard moved additional FPF forces to the border and demanded that the Supremacy also concede the worlds of Chesterton and Highspire to the Federated Suns. The Supremacy had little choice but to comply, and the resulting political repercussions within the Capellan Zone toppled the Prime Minister of the Capellan Hegemony from power.[7][8] Capellan reports from the time indicate that Reynard threatened the use of atomic weapons to force the Supremacy to comply; the same reports indicate that when a combined relief force drawn from Sarn, Capellan and Tikonovian forces landed on Bell in 2358 they found no sign of the FPF on the planet, as well as no trace of the Sarn garrison or the civilian population of the planet, estimated as being some 15,000 people.[9]

The Capellan records on the mystery of the disappearance of the population of Bell remained a source of dispute between the two nations; official sources within the Federated Suns were continuing to assert as late as the thirty-first century that the FPF commanding officer on Bell had orders to conduct a simple spoiling attack in advance of further attacks along the Heligoland-Tsingtao corridor, attacks that never occured because of the redeployment of FPF troops in response to events that erupted near Mallory's World.[9]

Versus the Capellan Hegemony

The new Prime Minister of the Capellan Hegemony, Selek Tucas, spent years building a coalition with the Tikonov Grand Union against the Federated Suns, and in 2363 he arranged for the Grand Union to renounce both treaties signed after the war of 2340. Tucas openly supported the Grand Union's declaration and went a step further, demanding the return of the Chesterton worlds ceded by the Sarna Supremacy and the world of Lee as well.[7][8]

When the Capellan Hegemony ambassador to New Avalon - who was also Selek Tucas' brother - vanished mysteriously en route back to Capellan space,[7][8] Selek called on the various member states of the Federated Suns to depose Reynard and join the Capellan states; not one state took Selek up on his offer, and Reynard's subsequent proclamation of a state of war between the two nations received a unanimous vote of confidence. This began several years of border conflicts, with every Capellan attack on Lee rebuffed by the FPF.[7] Selek Tucas had gambled by mobilizing the best of his forces and those of his allies to strike at Lee, only to have those forces crushed,[8] with the list of units effectively destroyed including such noted commands as the First and Third Tikonov Lancers, the Capellan Reserve Cavalry, Moorcock's Rangers, the Seluk's Principia and Seneca's Fusiliers.[10]

The repercussions of the disaster on Lee - a disaster prompted by Reynard having received advance warning of the attack, most probably from Premiere Alexi Nimzovich of the Sarna Supremacy, and transporting eight crack FPF regiments to the world in secret in advance of the attack[10] - led to considerable internal turmoil within the Capellan Zone, toppling Selek from power along with his government while the FPF made steady advances against the Capellan forces.[7]

Both the Tikonov Grand Union and the St. Ives Mercantile Association were drawn into the war, and both were equally unsuccessful, with each nation losing worlds to the FPF. While Reynard didn't take to the field, he directed the strategy behind the FPF campaign from New Avalon, and over the course of several years of conflict the FPF managed to push far enough into the Capellan Zone to recapture Redfield and the majority other worlds lost during the first border wars.[7][8]

By 2367 the FPF had Tikonov itself under siege, and landed a "peacekeeping force" on Capella, declaring that the forces would remain in place until a suitable government could be elected and order restored. Such was the FPF's success that it actually led to the various Capellan states unifying into a new nation, the Capellan Confederation, under Franco Liao - and one of Franco's first orders was for the transport fleet that brought the FPF to Capella to be destroyed, before then ordering that the capital city be destroyed, wiping out both the city and the[8] three hand-picked FPF regiments occupying the city, the Third Aragon Lancers, the Findas Motorized Infantry and the Illisen Commandos, regiments that were subsequently never reformed.[11]

Franco's actions shocked Reynard - and the rest of the Inner Sphere - to the point that Reynard failed to follow up on the invasion of Capella.[8] While Reynard refused to acknowledge the Confederation as a state or negotiate a truce, prompting the war to largely grind to a halt that year, although battles would continue along the border for several years.[7][8]

Engaging the Taurian Concordat

Fleeing separatists from the Tikonov nobility traveled into the Taurian Concordat in 2369, attempting to escape Franco Liao's ruthless purging of any elements disloyal to him and with a Capellan task force in hot pursuit. The Tikonovian group encountered the Taurians and captured several Taurian WarShips before fleeing again when the Capellans caught up with them; this time, they fled into Federated Suns space, and although they were challenged by FPF WarShips the Tikonovians managed to flee again when the pursuing Capellan force engaged in battle with the FPF.[12]

The appearance of the Capellans beyond the rimward reaches of the Federated Suns was of considerable concern to Reynard, who believed that the Capellans may have created a secret staging point in the area. He responded by authorizing a number of naval investigations into the region to hunt for that staging point, only for the FPF to run directly into Taurian forces. The Taurians defeated the first FPF mission they encountered, and a series of expeditions were launched in both directions. After two years of sparring Reynard came to the conclusion that the Concordat was a relatively minor threat, but the Concordat had been aware of the Federated Suns for many years and the encounters fostered a growing paranoia towards the Federated Suns in the mind of the Taurian Protector, Richard Calderon.[12]

Etien the Mad

Reynard Davion's death in 2371 brought his son, Etien Davion, to power.[7] Etien was a military hero, wounded in action during the battle for Lee, and swiftly managed to broker a ceasefire on the Capellan Front as well as managing other diplomatic successes such as adding three new worlds to the Federated Suns and creating official diplomatic channels with the Draconis Combine. Unfortunately for the Federated Suns, his injuries had lingering after-effects, making Etien moody, weak-minded and quick to anger. As Etien's rule progressed he became more and more interested in hedonistic pursuits, leaving the realm to be directed by the bureaucracy and quickly causing both the economy and the FPF's border expansions to stagnate.[13]

Capellan Border War

After Etien's suicide in 2378 his brother Paul was elected to succeed him. Paul was eccentric and prone to indications of intermittent paranoia and hypochondria, but possessed of great energy, goodwill and determination. The High Council discovered that he was far from being the puppet some had predicted, and amongst his early successes was a short but successful war[14] consisting of several limited campaigns[15] waged by the FPF on the Capellan frontier to rein in any ambitions the Confederation had towards the Federated Suns.[14][16][15]

Paul's reign ended with his death in 2394, with the only significant FPF actions having been the Capellan Border War and a brief confrontation with the Terran Hegemony in 2383.[16]

The Age of War

The Age of War began in 2398 with battles between the Capellan Confederation and the Free Worlds League, but the Federated Suns was soon embroiled in conflicts of its own, precipitated by a Capellan attack on Novaya Zemlya that saw three-quarters of the planetary population killed via orbital bombardment, the first time such a tactic had been used. This resulted in a crash WarShip construction program within the Federated Suns as well as a series of conventional FPF assaults along the Capellan border in an effort to prevent any further such deep raids and to tie up Capellan units,[17][18] although the energy expended on the war effort by Paul's successor, Marie Davion, caused to a series of strokes that led to her death in 2402.[18]

The Ares Conventions

Although the Federated Suns signed the Ares Conventions, binding the FPF to the terms of the Conventions, between 2402 and 2417 the FPF was subject to both benign neglect and internal purges at the hands of the rulers of the Federated Suns. Although Edmund Davion was the official successor to Paul, his mother Marion Michaels-Davion was the true power behind the throne; Marion focused on securing further power for her family, effectively allowing the generals within the FPF to deal with the growing conflicts without direct oversight from herself.[19]

This changed swiftly after Marion's death in 2410; Edmund swiftly came under the influence of his brother Edward, just as he had been under his mother's influence, plunging the Federated Suns further into decline. Edmund's mysterious death in 2413 placed Edward officially in power, only to see him sack many of the senior officers within the FPF after becoming convinced that they were planning to supplant him; in their place he promoted sycophants of dubious ability.[19]

Simon Davion

The end to Edward's rule came at the hands of Simon Davion, son of Paul. A serving FPF officer on the Capellan border, Simon wasn't immune from Edward's depradations; Edward went so far as to order the death of Paul's heir, issuing an order to that effect to Simon's commanding officer, but that officer - Colonel R. Radwell Chung[20] - disobeyed the order and passed details of the instruction on to Simon,[21] while the Corporal manning the communications system at the time the signal arrived covered up details of what the message had contained.[20] Even as Edward was attempting to arrange for Simon's death, members of the High Council were actively plotting to remove Edward from power; Simon arranged to return to New Avalon, ostensibly to bring news of the capture of the world of Jaipur, but his return coincided with a plot involving the representatives for four of the core worlds of the Federated Suns within the High Council involving using elements of the FPF loyal to the Council to seize key installations in orbit above New Avalon as part of what became known as the November Conspiracy.[22]

Simon appeared before the High Council to issue an address that had been publicized well in advance, but when Edward appeared in the Council chamber Simon snatched a weapon from one of the presidential bodyguard - suspected later of being a sympathizer within the FPF - and shot Edward repeatedly, killing him. Following Simon's surrender to the High Council - members of which promptly surrounded him, preventing his execution out of hand by the presidential bodyguard - and a public trial, Simon was acquitted of murder and shortly after declared President of the Federated Suns, with the support of the public, the FPF and the bulk of the High Council.[22]

Simon's appointment as the ninth President marked a reverse in the decline of the FPF, which was becoming increasingly heavily tasked as the Federated Suns became more deeply entangled in the Age of War. The Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns now shared a border, and that border was becoming increasingly active as the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery and FPF launched raids and strikes against each other, despite both realms being more concerned about other, older enemies.

Capellan Confederation Attacks

The first major threat to the Federated Suns to materialize during Simon's rule was from the Capellan Confederation; Simon was spending much of his time traveling within the Federated Suns, echoing the efforts Lucien Davion had made to build support and reassure the people after the disruptive rule of his predecessors, and Chancellor Ardan Baxter viewed the Federated Suns as being weak and divided. Even as Simon was reorganizing the structure of the Federated Suns and establishing the five Marches that would constitute the Federated Suns for the next century Baxter began making demands in 2418, attempting to secure territorial gains[23] - specifically, the Lee, Redfield and Safe Port systems[24] - in exchange for any official recognition of Simon as ruler of the Federated Suns. Simon ignored Baxter's demands, leading Baxter to attempt to secure through military actions what he had failed to achieve through threats and intimidation.[23][25]

Baxter had taken a similarly hard line with the Free Worlds League, and the rulers of the Confederation had been lashing out at all of their neighbors, including the Taurian Concordat, since the beginning of the Age of War. Baxter swiftly discovered that he had overestimated both his own importance and the Confederation's political influence; the FPF and the armed forces of the Free Worlds League soon stymied his attempts at expansion, leaving the Confederation pinned between two enemies both stronger than it was.[23]

With the restructuring of the Federated Suns into five Marches - Capellan, Crucis, Draconis, Terran and Outer - the FPF was also restructured, split into five independent commands based within the five Marches.[26]

Terran Hegemony War

The world of Cartago had been the subject of an escalating conflict between the Terran Hegemony and the Federated Suns since 2411, the legacy of a dispute that began with Federated Suns colonists and Terran Hegemony terraforming technicians. The Hegemony annexed Cartargo completely, resulting in two decades of tit-for-tat attacks between the two nations that led to Director-General Richard Cameron attempting to end the conflict by giving a stark warning to the Federated Suns. That warning came in the form of the 2431 invasion of Kentares by the Hegemony Armed Forces, an invasion the FPF contested but ultimately couldn't resist, losing control of the planet after a six month struggle.[23]

The capture of Kentares by the Terran Hegemony highlighted a flaw in the structure of the Federated Suns - Kentares was a world within the Terran March, and the Prince of the Terran March refused to seek assistance from New Avalon, convinced that the forces within the Terran March could oppose the Hegemony alone. Despite the FPF's efforts, Kentares would remain a Hegemony world for centuries because of those decisions.[23] It would be eight years before the Prince of the Terran March finally asked for assistance, having been unable to mount a successful counterattack; not only was it too late by that point, but several other border worlds changed allegiance in the face of Terran military superiority, defecting to the Terran Hegemony.[25]

Introduction of the BattleMech

One of the most significant changes in the history of the FPF began in 2455; the Lyran Commonwealth had managed to obtain details on how to manufacture a new engine of war that had previously been unique to the Terran Hegemony - the BattleMech. The Commonwealth and the Federated Suns had enjoyed civil diplomatic relations in the past, and Simon Davion acted on what he saw an opportunity to obtain BattleMech technology for the FPF.[27]

Dispatching Duke Denton Felsner on what was dubbed Operation VENTURE,[28] Simon opened up negotiations with the Commonwealth with a view to obtaining the ability to manufacture BattleMechs. The Federated Suns had little to offer other than money and diplomatic persuasion, but by highlighting the common enemies both nations shared in the form of the Terran Hegemony and the Draconis Combine, along with the application of large quantities of money[27] and a certain amount of espionage Felsner was successful.[28] It took a year of negotiations, but the Federated Suns was soon producing BattleMechs for the FPF as fast as it could.[27]

Capellan Border War

Early in the twenty-sixth century and in the early years of the reign of First Prince William Davion another major war erupted on the Capellan border; amongst the casualties suffered by the FPF during the war were the only son of William Davion, Edward, a young officer in a BattleMech unit who was killed in a Capellan raid on Royalston in 2508. Edward's death was in part due to an FPF unit loyal to the Prince of the Capellan March, David Varnay, inexplicably failing to arrive in time to support Edward's unit, despite having been in a position to do so. Investigations exonerated the unit commander, despite allegations of treachery on the part of Varney at the time; tragedy would strike again in 2511, when Edward's widow Sondra Black Davion, another serving FPF officer, died in battle above Avigait when her DropShip was destroyed.[29]

Prelude to Civil War

With the death of William Davion at the hands of assassins in 2512[30] the Federated Suns began a move towards what would prove to be a devastating Civil War. William's successor was the five-year-old Alexander, orphaned son of Edward and Sondra, and the High Council appointed a Council of Regents to rule until Alexander was ready to assume power. The Council of Regents was dominated by internal politics revolving initially around the rulers of the Capellan March, David and Cassandra Varnay, and Laura Davion, sister to William, who became ruler of the Draconis March after the death of Prince Vladimir Kerensky.[31][32] In 2515[30][32] the Hegemony launched a series of new incursions into the Federated Suns, killing Prince Charles Leighton of the Terran March and his immediate family on Robinson, leading to the appointment of Nikolai Rostov, a famed and respected General within the FPF, as Prince of the Terran March.[31][32]

It took Rostov five years to stop the Terran incursions, but in 2520 he finally secured the Terran March;[31] having won not as a result of superior quality of troops or equipment but rather through brilliant strategy, Rostov's star rose in the Federated Suns, while David Varney's botched attempt to earn popularity in Capellan border conflicts served to highlight Rostov's abilities. It was Laura Davion who suggested the creation of an extraordinary post within the FPF - titled First Marshal of the Federated Suns, and with command over all other military posts in the five Principalities - along with the nomination of Nikolai Rostov to the post. The move secured more support amongst the soldiers of the FPF, but was voted against by Cassandra Varney in an attempt to check Laura's power - a move that not only failed, but alienated Rostov.[33]

Just three years later in 2523 another border conflict erupted, this time on the border with the Draconis Combine.[31] The Varneys took advantage of the disruption to kidnap Alexander - claiming to be doing so for his own protection - and relocating him to the Capellan March while Laura Davion and the FPF units under her command battled the Combine.[30]

Civil War

The Davion Civil War finally erupted in 2525. Alexander had been married to Cynthia Varnay as part of a plot to secure control of the Federated Suns by the Varnay family, only for Alexander to escape while on Nahoni using the celebrations around the birth of his son as a distraction. The Varnays had Alexander declared dead even as Laura Davion's forces finally secured the Combine border; both factions attempted to secure New Avalon and open combat between FPF units from different Marches began.[30]

The Davion Civil War inflicted devastating damage on the Federated Suns; what began with troops from the Capellan and Draconis Marches fighting each other escalated rapidly, with Alexander Davion raising loyalist forces within the Capellan and Crucis Marches. Alexander's forces forced the Draconis March forces out of the Crucis March in 2528 while forces loyal to Alexander under the command of General John Gordon concentrated their efforts on the Capellan March. Each side courted the Terran March as allies, with Rostov's forces finally committing their support to Alexander long enough for the Capellan March forces to be defeated.[30]

Alexander began to initiate reforms of the structure of the Federated Suns Marches and the FPF, only to find Nikolai Rostov's son, Dmitri Rostov, leading the Terran March forces in insurrection against him. Rostov was killed on Robinson in November 2540, finally ending the fifteen year war.[30]

Reorganization

Having secured his realm after fifteen years of civil war, Alexander enacted widespread structural changes to the Federated Suns and the FPF. Two of the Marches, the Terran March and the Outer March, were disbanded, with elements of each incorporated into the remaining three Marches.[26]

Alexander reformed the government, removing hundreds of senior nobles, bureaucrats and generals in the process, promoting new leaders and administrators as needed; he comprehensively removed the devolved command structure of the FPF, replacing it with a single, central command and support organization, removing its identity in the process. The FPF was renamed to the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, and whilst it would take decades for all of Alexander's changes to be implemented, the AFFS would become the most professional and skilled military in the Inner Sphere.[26]

Following the reorganization of the FPF into the AFFS a significant number of units antagonistic to Alexander remained; particularly divisive elements included the regiments of the Terran Brigade, which had been responsible for guarding the Terran March, and a number of regiments within the Syrtis Fusiliers brigade; those units would remain a part of the AFFS until the formation of the Star League Defense Force in 2571, at which point Alexander solved the problems associated with those units by transferring them wholesale into the SLDF as a part of the Federated Suns contribution to the forming Star League.[34]

Units of the Federated Peacekeeping Forces

A number of brigades and other major formations are known to have served as a part of the FPF during its existence.

Arcadian Cuirassiers

Brigade Insignia of the Arcadian Cuirassiers
Arcadian Cuirassiers
Formed 2100s
Affiliation Chesterton Trade League
Federated Suns
Parent Command None
Armed Forces of the Federated Suns

Formerly a premiere combat unit of the Chesterton Trade League, the Arcadian Cuirassiers were incorporated into the Federated Suns military as a combat brigade after their homeworld of Demeter was conquered, and served loyally throughout the Age of War and Star League eras.


History

Early History

The homeworld of the Arcadian Cuirassiers, Demeter, was one of the founding worlds of the interstellar states that became known as the Chesterton Trade League - and also as the Chesterton Trade Federation - one of the earliest states to form as the Terran Alliance began to weaken. The Cuirassiers were Demeter's premiere combat formation and served until the Federated Suns captured Demeter from the Tikonov Grand Union, of which the Chesterton Trade League was a part.[35]

Demeter proved loyal to the Federated Suns, as did the Arcadian Cuirassiers, who were incorporated into the Federated Peacekeeping Forces and the FPF's successor organization, the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. Demeter's loyalty was rewarded with heavy investments in planetary infrastructure by the Federated Suns government, and the Cuirassiers also benefited from this investment; the Cuirassiers commonly received much of their equipment from the massive Lycomb-Davion IntroTech production facilities on Demeter throughout the existence of the brigade.[35]

Star League Era

When the Star League Council issued the Council Edict of 2650, the Federated Suns was required to draw down its military, as were the other Great Houses, and many units were deactivated. The Arcadian Cuirassiers were reduced to a single active regiment, the First Arcadian Cuirassiers, and would remain at that size until the Edict was repealed[35] by the Star League Council in 2752.[36]

The Second Arcadian Cuirassiers were reactivated in 2755 and drew on the Demeter Planetary Uniformed Guard for manpower. The incorporation of trained soldiers into the newly-reactivated regiment allowed the Second to declare itself combat-ready relatively quickly, equipping itself almost entirely with equipment manufactured by Lycomb-Davion IntroTech. However, while the Cuirassiers were motivated, reliable units during the late Star League era, they lacked the ability to act as mobile formations and would prove ineffective if used outside the Chesterton Combat Region. The First Arcadian Cuirassiers suffered heavy casualties in the mid-2760s at the hands of pirates based out of an uninhabited system somewhere near Almach and New Hessen, and the poor performance of the First against the pirates led to an intensive training regimen being launched for the First, but the Cuirassiers were still understrength in 2765 as they recovered from their combat losses.[35]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Arcadian Cuirassiers

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Units of the Arcadian Cuirassiers

Colors and Unit Insignia

Units in service with the Cuirassiers used a simple color scheme of deep green and brown, touched with a small amount of cerulean blue trim. The brigade insignia of the Cuirassiers was the silhouette of an olive tree in green against a black-bordered tan shield.[35]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 20, "Marlette and Tikonov" Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "HB:HDp19" defined multiple times with different content
  2. 2.0 2.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 24, "Muskegon"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 20, "Capellan Zone Border Wars"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 25, "Charles the Reformer"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 21, "Charles the Reformer"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 21, "Reynard the Warrior" Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "HB:HDp21A" defined multiple times with different content
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 26-27, "The War Leader"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Handbook: House Davion, p. 22-23, "Pushing Towards Confederation"
  9. 9.0 9.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 24, "Friends and Other Enemies"
  10. 10.0 10.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confedeartion), p. 25, "The Aris Crisis"
  11. House Liao (The Capellan Confedeartion), p. 28, "Hell on Capella Prime"
  12. 12.0 12.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 23, "The Bull and the Sword"
  13. Handbook: House Davion, p. 23, "Etien the Mad"
  14. 14.0 14.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 29, "The Scholar"
  15. 15.0 15.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 25, "Paul the Scholar"
  16. 16.0 16.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 29-30, "A Noble Effort"
  17. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 30, "Maiden Aunt"
  18. 18.0 18.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 25-26, "Marie Davion"
  19. 19.0 19.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 26-27, "The Twin Tyrants"
  20. 20.0 20.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 32, "A Failure To Communicate"
  21. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 31, "The Ares Summit"
  22. 22.0 22.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 32, "Death of a Tyrant"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Handbook: House Davion, p. 28, "New Government, New Challenges"
  24. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 33, "One Step Back"
  25. 25.0 25.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 36, "The First Prince"
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Handbook: House Davion, p. 38, "Dividends of Peace"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 Handbook: House Davion, p. 28, "The Four Horsemen"
  28. 28.0 28.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 29, "Recollections and Ruminations"
  29. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 39, "William The Fair"
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 Handbook: House Davion, p. 37, "Timeline: Revolution and Civil War"
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Handbook: House Davion, p. 31, "Council of Regents"
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 41, "The Regency"
  33. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 41, "Varney Versus Davion"
  34. Historical: Reunification War, p. 32, "Integration with the SLDF"
  35. 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 11: "Arcadian Cuirassiers"
  36. Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 3: "Strategic Update"
  37. 37.0 37.1 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 11: "Arcadian Cuirassiers - Regimental Status"

Bibliography

Arcadian Cuirassiers
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Avalon Hussars

Brigade Insignia of the Avalon Hussars
Avalon Hussars
Formed 2317
Nickname Honored Service
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command AFFS

The Avalon Hussars are the descendants of the Terran Alliance Marines that served on the world of New Avalon in the early age of human extraterrestrial colonization. The unit decided to defend New Avalon after being stranded by the Demarcation Declaration, and pledged their loyalty to Lucien Davion when the Crucis Reach joined the Federated Suns.[1] The First Avalon Hussars - "The Sword Of The Prince" - are the oldest fighting force in the Federated Suns, having formed on that day in 2317 from a Terran armor regiment.[2] Since the Hussars are a large force and usually loyal to House Davion and the Federated Suns, they are well equipped.[3] At its zenith, the Avalon Hussars defended the entire Combine border with 26 BattleMech regiments and 32 conventional regiments.[citation needed]

History

Founding

The oldest standing military unit in the military of the Federated Suns, the Avalon Hussars brigade was formed around the Terran Alliance marine brigade that found itself stranded on New Avalon during the withdrawal of the Alliance government following the Demarcation Declaration. The Avalon Hussars were initially founded as a brigade of approximately eight regiments around the time of the founding of the Federated Suns in 2317; the Fourth and Eighth Avalon Hussars were designated as the assault backups to the original brigade, and the first regiment to be founded following the destruction of an existing regiment was the Ninth Avalon Hussars, founded to replace the Third Avalon Hussars, who were destroyed in the 2360s.[4]

Age of War

The Fourth Avalon Hussars were the lead AFFS unit during the fighting between the Federated Suns and Terran Hegemony in 2449 over control of Kentares IV. The conflict marked the first deployment of the Manatee-class 'Mech transport by the Hegemony, which allowed the Hegemony Armed Forces to make early gains; however, the Fourth took advantage of the light armor and weapons of the Manatees to down several of the DropShips as they attempted to land. The discovery of this flaw by the Hussars led to the Hegemony discontinuing production of the Manatee and the development of new 'Mech transports.[5]

Prior to the end of the Age of War, at least thirty regiments of Avalon Hussars had been created at one time or another[6] - and possibly as many as thirty-three, as the Thirty-fourth Avalon Hussars were founded in the twenty-seventh century.[4] When the Star League formed in 2571,[7] shortly before the Reunification War the Avalon Hussars brigade was fourteen regiments strong, but the ties back to Terra were strong enough that six regiments - the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Tenth, Fifteenth and Eighteenth Hussars - joined the Star League Defense Force when it formed. The Hussars were proud enough of this that the brigade headquarters refused to build new regiments with the numbers of those who had joined the SLDF, instead marking them as simply being on detached duty, and it would be more than half a millennium before new units would be created with the designation of any of these regiments.[4] First Prince Alexander Davion transferred thirty-seven regiments of ground forces to the nascent SLDF, with the Avalon Hussars regiments making up just under a sixth of the total number; the majority of those provided to the SLDF were units of questionable loyalty - the entire of the former Terran Brigade, who had once guarded the Terran March and resented Alexander's reforms after the Davion Civil War, half of the Syrtis Fusiliers, who had stood against Alexander during the Civil War, and a smattering of private regiments, making the Hussars a notable exception among their peers.[7]

Star League Era

During the Star League Era the Avalon Hussars participated in the Second Hidden War by invading several Draconis Combine systems to draw the DCMS away from the Draconis March.[8] The Avalon Hussars served primarily in the Draconis March, and during the Second Hidden War the First Hussars would serve with distinction, with First Prince Joseph Davion taking personal command of the 1st in at least one battle. Unfortunately the presence of the First Prince would hamper combat actions by the first, and despite performing above expectations the Hussars were unable to prevent Prince Joseph dying in combat.[2] The First Avalon Hussars were then directly involved in Operation SMOTHER, with the Hussars assisting the 160th BattleMech Division on Royal.[9]

Prior to the Council Edict of 2650, additional regiments of the Avalon Hussars had been formed above the brigades Age of War roster, but many commands were deactivated following the edict and the brigade reduced in size down to fourteen active regiments over time. When the Star League Council repealed the Council Edict of 2650 the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns began expanding rapidly, and the Avalon Hussars were the first brigade to undergo a large-scale expansion. Eleven regiments were reactivated by First Prince John Davion; the Prince also authorized the formation of the Fifty-sixth, bringing the brigade up to a strength of twenty-six units by 2765 (and suggesting that prior to the Council Edict of 2650, the regiments of the Avalon Hussars had increased potentially as far as the Fifty-fifth Avalon Hussars). Nine of the eleven regiments known to have been reactivated during the rapid buildup after the repeal of the Council Edict of 2650 were the Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, thirty-fifth, Forty-first and Forty-second Avalon Hussars.[4]

During this period of the Avalon Hussars' history the make-up of each unit emphasized two things: flexibility and mobility. The expectation was that any unit of Avalon Hussars could operate on eight hours notice to move, although few units could actually achieve that stringent target. The Hussars largely lacked permanently-assigned conventional units, making it harder to meet this target as they were often forced to rely on conventional units assigned to them for operations or on local planetary forces. Each Hussars unit had an aerospace wing assigned to it, but those units acted primarily as ground support units, making the Hussars highly dependent on the Federated Suns Navy when it came to security during transits.[4]

After the end of the Amaris Civil War, with the Terran Hegemony in a parlous state and numerous Hegemony worlds being annexed by the Great Houses, the AFFS persuaded elements of thirteen different SLDF commands to defect and take up employment with the Federated Suns. A regiment of SLDF personnel recruited from the 200th Jump Infantry Division[10] - previously a part of XLVII Corps,[11] in what had been the SLDF Twentieth Army[11][10] - were folded into the Forty-first and Forty-second Avalon Hussars.[10]

First Succession War

The Avalon Hussars played a crucial role during the First Succession War when they stalled the Kurita advance into Davion space.[12] The Seventeenth Hussars are notable for destroying huge stocks of Kurita supplies on New Rhodes III.[13] Having mustered twenty-six regiments immediately before the First Succession War broke out, seven regiments were lost in action during the war - the Thirteenth, Sixteenth, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-second, Forty-fifth and Fifty-sixth Avalon Hussars.[14]

Third Succession War

The Fourth Hussars defeated two Kurita Mech regiments on Colia in 2872, which were suffering from severe supply problems. The Second Hussars under the leadership of Joseph Davion II engaged the Third Sword of Light on Robinson during the Third Succession War and forced them off-world.[15] The defeat of the elite Third Sword prompted the assassination of Coordinator Miyogi Kurita.

The first three Succession Wars exerted a heavy toll on the Avalon Hussars; although a number of commands had been rebuilt and reactivated during the three centuries of warfare, by the end of the Third Succession War, the brigade had dwindled from the more than thirty commands that had existed at the introduction of the BattleMech to just eight commands - the Eleventh, Seventeenth, Twentieth, Twenty-second, Thirty-third, Thirty-ninth, Forty-first and Forty-second Avalon Hussars.[6] Of the original eight regiments that formed the Avalon Hussars when the brigade first mustered at the founding of the Federated Suns,[4] none had survived.[6]

Hussar regiments also participated in Operation RAT and the War of 3039. After the siege of New Avalon the Avalon Hussars were in a bad place mentally. At least one regiment fell apart due to internal tensions. The Jihad and the need to focus on a common enemy gave the Hussars new purpose, and by the time the Jihad ended, the Avalon Hussars were back to the skilled force they had been prior to the FedCom Civil War.

Jihad Era

The Avalon Hussars were the first AFFS unit to undergo the reorganization from RCT to the Light Combat Team. By 3079 they were familiar with the changes needed in tactics and had become the showpiece unit for the new formation.[16] In 3085 the entire Avalon Hussars brigade was organized along the Light Combat Team model and were judged as effective as they had been in the pre-Jihad era.[17]

Dark Age Era

The Avalon Hussars rebuilt by adding new Light Combat Teams to their rolls. These new units were able to quickly deploy around the Federated Suns, and as such became workhorse formations that saw action in many areas. They had nine units in action by the time the Capellan Confederation and Draconis Combine invaded the Federated Suns. Three units were completely destroyed, but the remaining Hussars units were involved in some of the heaviest fighting along both fronts.[18]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Avalon Hussars
Field Marshal Roger Waters 3056 -
Admiral Solomon D'Angelo [19]

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Units of the Avalon Hussars

Unit Notes

  • The 1st Hussars participated in Operation Roland’s Horn in 2930.[20] Revived as an LCT during the Jihad.[16]
  • The 2nd Hussars was destroyed during the 3rd Succession War, revived as an LCT during the Jihad.[16][21]
  • The 3rd Hussars was destroyed in the 2360s[4]
  • The 4th Hussars attempted to recapture Kentares IV from the Terran Hegemony in 2449.[22]
  • The 5th Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force,[4] active during the Dark Age era.
  • The 6th Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force.[4]
  • The 7th Avalon Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force[4]
  • The 8th Avalon Hussars was active during the Dark Age era.
  • The 9th Avalon Hussars]] - Destroyed during the Second Succession War[23]
  • The 10th Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force[4] active during the Dark Age era
  • The 12th Hussars was destroyed during the Second Succession War.[23][24]
  • The 13th Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War[14][25]
  • The 14th Hussars was destroyed during the Second Succession War[23][26]
  • The 15th Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force[4][27]
  • The 16th Avalon Hussars]][28] - Destroyed during the First Succession War[14]
  • The 17th Hussars was active during the Dark Age era.
  • The 18th Hussars joined the Star League Defense Force[4]
  • The 20th Hussars was active during the Dark Age era.
  • The 23rd Hussars was destroyed during the Second Succession War[23][29]
  • The 26th Hussars was destroyed during the Second Succession War[23]
  • The 27th Hussars was active in 2765
  • The 28th Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War[14]
  • The 33rd Hussars was destroyed during the Clan Invasion
  • The 34th Hussars was destroyed during the Second Succession War;[23] and reorganized into the 42nd Hussars[30] rebuilt and then destroyed during the Third Succession War, and reorganized into the 42nd Hussars[6]
  • The 35th Hussars was active in 2765.
  • The 36th Hussars was destroyed during the Third Succession War and reorganized into the 42nd Hussars[6]
  • The 38th Avalon Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War[14][31]
  • The 39th Hussars was destroyed at Talon by Capellan forces[32]
  • The 42nd Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War;[14] reactivated during the Third Succession War[6]
  • The 45th Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War[14]
  • The 56th Hussars was destroyed during the First Succession War[14][33]

Uniforms

Color Scheme

The Hussar use light gray and unit-specific highlights for ceremonial duties.

Unit Insignia

Notes

It was noted by one of the BattleTech Developers that the Avalon Hussars have served the Federated Suns since 2399:

Honestly, not that big. The original House Books does list some figures for a couple of Houses during their peak at the 1st Succession War. Remember that the Avalon Hussars has served from the Age of War (2399) to now, which leaves room for a lot of units to be destroyed and created.
  — Øystein Tvedten, BattleTech Developer, 13 Jul 2012

References

  1. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138
  2. 2.0 2.1 Era Report: 2750, p. 46: "First Avalon Hussars"
  3. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 8: "Avalon Hussars"
  5. Technical Readout: 3026, Revised Edition, p. 108: "Manatee"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 140: "Avalon Hussars"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 32: "Integration with the SLDF"
  8. Era Report: 2750, pp. 18, 29
  9. Era Report: 2750, p. 31: "Succession War"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 First Succession War, p. 33: "Those Left Behind"
  11. 11.0 11.1 The Star League, p. 158: "Twentieth Army"
  12. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138
  13. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 62
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 First Succession War, p. 134: "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  15. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 80
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Field Report: AFFS, p. 9
  17. Field Manual: 3085, p. 57
  18. Field Manual: 3145, p. 74
  19. Field Manual: 3085, p. 57
  20. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 85
  21. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 80
  22. Technical Readout: 3075, p. 190: "Manatee"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 Second Succession War, p. 94: "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  24. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 104
  25. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 61
  26. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 68
  27. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 182
  28. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 116
  29. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 70
  30. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138
  31. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 62
  32. Field Report: AFFS, p. 9
  33. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 60

Bibliography

Avalon Hussars
Insignia of the Avalon Hussars

Royal Brigade

The origin of the Royal Brigade lay the personal guard of the Davion family; originally responsible for protecting members of the family, the brigade took on wider responsibilities as the Federated Suns evolved. When Reynard Davion[1] became President in 2340[2] the brigade took on the responsibility of protecting the leader of the Federated Suns, and when Simon Davion[1] became the first person to hold the title of First Prince in 2418[3] the brigade was officially incorporated as the Royal Brigade.[1] The Royal Brigade would later become known as the Davion Brigade of Guards.

Syrtis Fusiliers

Brigade Insignia of the Syrtis Fusiliers
Syrtis Fusiliers
Formed 2418
Nickname Pride and Prejudice
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command AFFS

The Syrtis Fusiliers are the honor guard of the leader of the Capellan March. For that reason their fortunes have been tied to the Hasek family for years. The Hasek family is an ambitious and often scheming group of leaders that have commanded the Capellan March since the time of Prince Alexander Davion. The Syrtis Fusiliers are respected for their skill in combat but at times have been held in suspicion by an AFFS that questions their loyalty to the First Prince.

History

Early Years

The Fusiliers originated as the private army of the Hasek family, with its beginnings in the ad hoc force drawn from workers in the various mining and drilling operations owned by the Hasek family during the early history of New Syrtis. The Syrtis Fusiliers grew in prominence alongside the Haseks and New Syrtis, with the Fusiliers' remit expanding from being personal guards to the Hasek family to becoming the official guard of New Syrtis and one of the most important military forces within the Capellan March Principality.[4]

Davion Civil War

The bulk of the Syrtis Fusiliers supported Prince David Varnay and his wife Cassandra Davion loyally throughout the Davion Civil War, opposing first the combined forces of Laura Davion and Nikolai Rostov and then First Prince Alexander Davion. At the end of the war Prince Alexander offered an amnesty to the survivors from the brigade, and reintegrated the Syrtis Fusiliers into the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, the restructured military that replaced the Federated Peacekeeping Forces as the state military of the Federated Suns.[4]

Alexander's clemency towards the Syrtis Fusiliers and his subsequent actions in rebuffing the attempt by Richard Varnay to seize control of the Capellan March cemented the Fusiliers' loyalty to New Avalon and the wider Federated Suns.[4]

The Star League

The Syrtis Fusiliers served the Federated Suns well in the two centuries following the Davion War, building up to a strength of ten full regiments prior to 2650. When the Star League council issued the Council Edict of 2650, sharply limiting the size of the military each Great House was allowed to maintain, the Fusiliers were left untouched and the brigade would remain ten regiments strong until shortly after the repeal of the Council Edict of 2650.[4]

The Edict was repealed in 2752[5] and in 2755 First Prince John Davion authorized an expansion of the Fusiliers that saw the brigade increase in strength from ten regiments to twenty by 2765,[4] although the new regiments were far more hostile in their attitude towards the nearby Capellan Confederation than the older, more established commands, a situation that led to a number of disciplinary incidents and issues.[6]

The Succession Wars

Despite frequent purges of anti-Davion elements since the brigade's absorption into the AFFS after the Davion Civil War, they have continually looked to the Duke of New Syrtis for direction, following the orders of New Avalon only if the Duke agrees with them. The Haseks' fanatical loyalty to the region and the defense of the Capellan March ensures the Fusiliers have a fanatical source of recruits from New Syrtis and its surrounding worlds while at the same time ensuring their loyalty to House Hasek.[7][8][9]

The Dark Age

After the Jihad, the Syrtis Fusiliers (like the Robinson Rangers) were reorganized into a series of Light Combat Teams that focused on defensive operations. This allowed the Capellan March to put fighting forces back into the field much more quickly and over a larger area than the rebuilding of RCTs would have allowed. However this streamlining did not come without a price: Nathaniel Hasek opposed the reorganization plan until the Princess-Regent offered a squadron of Pocket WarShips to guard New Syrtis. Once these ships arrived the reorganization took place. In 3079 the Sixth Syrtis Fusiliers were the only unit near full Regimental Combat Team status.[10]

Demonstrating that their size hadn't affected their skills the Syrtis Fusiliers participated in Operation MATADOR taking several worlds. During this fighting Nathaniel Hasek was killed. Angela Hasek began supplying the units with officers and soldiers loyal to New Syrtis first and New Avalon second. The Princess-Regent responded by delivering supplies from outside the Capellan March, reminding the Fusiliers that they were part of the AFFS as a whole.[11]

During the Capellan Confederation's assault of the Federated Suns, the Syrtis Fusiliers lost their strategic command structure. This forced each unit of the Fusiliers to fight as an independent unit. Though this worked in some cases, the sheer number of Capellan units they faced forced the entire brigade back into the Federated Suns. As of 3145, no coherent command structure existed for the Fusiliers.[12]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Syrtis Fusiliers
Duke Michael Hasek-Davion 3013[7] - 3029[13]
Duke Morgan Hasek-Davion 3029 - 3056[8]
Marshal Nathaniel Hasek 3056[8] - 3067[14]
Field Marshal Nathaniel Hasek 3067[14] - 3080[15]
Marshal Serena Thompson-Hasek 3080[15]

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Composition History

2765 - 20 commands[16]
2786 - 20 commands[17]
2821 - 18 commands[17] (2 commands destroyed during First Succession War[17])
2830 - 18 commands[18]
2864 - 13 commands[18] (5 commands destroyed during Second Succession War[18])

Units of the Syrtis Fusiliers

Notes

  • The 1st Fusiliers were reconstituted in 3079.[10]
  • The 2nd Fusiliers was active during the Victoria War.
  • The 7th Fusiliers was active during the Dark Age era.
  • The Eleventh Syrtis Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Twelfth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Thirteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Fourteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Fifteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Sixteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Seventeenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Eighteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Nineteenth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]
  • The Twentieth Fusiliers was formed between 2755 and 2765.[4]

Color Scheme and Uniforms

The brigade fields its vehicles with a standard dark-green color scheme.[7][8] Due to their independent streak, they were known to use regimental flashes instead of the Federated Suns insignia.[7] In the Succession Wars, MechWarriors of the Syrtis Fusiliers wore a light green cooling vest and shorts, sporting their regimental patch in lieu of the Federated Suns crest, while their infantry wore greenish-tan shirts and boots, with matching Davion-green pants and jerkin.[7] Succession Wars era Syrtis Fusiliers infantry personnel mocked helmets as being cowardly and usually opted to wear a green field cover instead. Like their MechWarriors, their BattleMechs, and their vehicles, infantry of that era wore their regimental insignia rather than the Federated Sunburst.[7] By the time of the FedCom Civil War, this attitude had changed, but, independent as ever, the Syrtis Fusiliers this time refused to wear the crest of the Federated Commonwealth, preferring the Federated Sunburst[8]

Unit Insignia

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Field Report: Federated Suns 2765, p. 13, "Davion Brigade of Guards"
  2. Handbook: House Davion, p. 107, "Leaders of the Federated Suns"
  3. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 108-109, "Leaders of the Federated Suns"
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 18: "Syrtis Fusiliers"
  5. Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 3: "Strategic Update"
  6. Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 19: "Morale"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 House Davion (The Federated Suns): "Unit Descriptions - Syrtis Fusiliers"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 104: "Syrtis Fusiliers - Pride and Prejudice"
  9. Handbook: House Davion, p. 126: "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns - Point of the Sword - Syrtis Fusiliers"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Field Report: AFFS, p. 15
  11. Field Manual: 3085, p. 63
  12. Field Manual: 3145, p. 78
  13. Warrior: Riposte, p. 298
  14. 14.0 14.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 132
  15. 15.0 15.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 63: "Capellan March Brigade"
  16. Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 19
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 First Succession War, p. 135
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Second Succession War, p. 95

Bibliography

Syrtis Fusiliers
Insignia of the Syrtis Fusiliers

Tancredi Warriors Brigade

Tancredi Warriors Brigade
Formed 2400s
Disbanded 2540[1]
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command FPF

The Tancredi Warriors Brigade was a major Federated Peacekeeping Forces brigade and was the core of the combat brigade fielded by the Draconis March Principality of the Federated Suns until the end of the Davion Civil War.

History

Formation

The origins of the Tancredi Warriors Brigade lay in the planetary defense force of Tancredi IV, a world of wide open plains and temperate climate settled predominantly by descendants of the aboriginal tribes of Terran North America in the late twenty-fourth century. The settlers managed to retain their cultural roots despite increasing commercial investment in Tancredi IV, and as a result the population maintained a warrior culture and highly martial society that believed in individuals proving their worth through both physical feats and combat.[2]

As a consequence of the nature and traditions of the population a strong planetary defense for formed on Tancredi, and this was acknowledged by the Federated Suns when Tancredi joined the fledgling nation; shortly after joining, Tancredi IV was made the capital world of the Draconis March, and the planetary defense force became the source of the Tancredi Warriors Brigade, forming the core of the Draconis March combat forces.[2]

Davion Civil War

The prelude to the Davion Civil War was marked by internal politicking and purges initiated by various members of the Council of Regents, who ruled the Federated Suns after the death of Prince William Davion in 2512.[3] Although the Council of Regents was intended to rule until the grandson of William, Alexander Davion, was old enough to rule, a power struggle quickly began between Laura Davion, Prince of the Draconis March Principality and aunt to Alexander, and her sister, Cassandra Davion, and Cassandra's husband David Varnay, rulers of the Capellan March Principality.[4] This power struggle resulted in the abduction of Alexander by the Varnays in 2523[5][6] and then an attempt to have Alexander assassinated in 2525 after his wife, Cynthia Varnay, gave birth to their son Vincent.[6][7]

Laura Davion had allied herself with Field Marshal Dmitri Rostov, a famed and highly skilled FPF officer and Prince of the Terran March Principality and when Alexander disappeared from the planet Sekulmun in May 2525 Laura launched the first attack of the Davion Civil War by striking at the world of Kluane.[7] This was just the first attack of the opening campaign, with Rostov leading forces drawn from the Terran, Draconis and Crucis Marches against a line of Capellan March worlds from Kluane to Royalston. The campaign initially went well until Rostov's death on Quittacas, at which point the Varnays attempted to capitalize on the sudden shock of Rostov's death by bribing away personnel and units under his command.[8][9]

This led to a lull in the intensity of the war as the Capellan March forces lacked the strength to make a large assault out of the Capellan March, while Laura Davion refused to back down and the son of Nikolai Rostov, Dmitri Rostov, attempted to extract himself and those troops loyal to him from Capellan March territory.[8][9] The next major change came after Alexander Davion emerged from hiding to gain the allegiance of Crucis March troops on Nahoni. Alexander's forces met with initial success but were mauled during a battle between Laura's troops and Capellan march troops, forcing Alexander to leave Nahoni, but he began a period of intense activity to recruit followers to his banner, swiftly gaining the support of units across the Crucis March and subsequently the support of Dmitri and his forces.[10][11][12]

By 2528 both Laura and Cassandra Davion soon declared themselves the legitimate First Prince of the Federated Suns, putting them in direct opposition to Alexander and his followers and effectively ruling out any form of peaceful solution.[13] The three major factions rebuilt their strength until 2530, when the death of David Varnay during riots on Ashley[13] left the Capellan March in disarray and gave Alexander the leeway he needed to concentrate on Laura and the Draconis March forces.[14]

When Alexander launched his offensive into the Draconis March the majority of the Tancredi-born warriors within the Tancredi Warrior Brigade ended up declaring themselves for Alexander's cause and joined his forces.[2] The campaign to conquer the Draconis March still took two years, with the last battle being fought on Tancredi IV in November 2533, and a significant factor in the length of the campaign was the minimal support offered to Alexander by Dmitri Rostov, who was more interested in securing his hold over the Terran March.[13][14] The support Alexander gained from the loyalists within the Tancredi Warrior Brigade was much needed, and Alexander rewarded their loyalty when he reformed the FPF into the new Armed Forces of the Federated Suns by renaming the Tancredi Warriors Brigade the Tancredi Loyalists and according them high status within the AFFS. All four surviving Tancredi Warrior Brigade regiments were incorporated into the Tancredi Loyalists and would continue to hold that high status even after the capital of the Draconis March was moved from Tancredi IV to Robinson.[2]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Tancredi Warriors Brigade

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Units of the Tancredi Warriors Brigade


Colors and Unit Insignia


References

  1. Era Report: 2750, p. 46: "Seventh Tancredi Loyalists (Tancredi's Honor)"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 20: "Tancredi Loyalists"
  3. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 39: "William the Fair"
  4. Handbook: House Davion, p. 31: "Council of Regents"
  5. House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 41–42: "Varnay vs. Davion"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 32–33: "Hostage Prince"
  7. 7.0 7.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 43: "Alexander Escapes"
  8. 8.0 8.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 44: "Alexander in Exile"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 33–34: "Flames of War"
  10. Handbook: House Davion, p. 34: "General Alexander"
  11. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 34–35: "Rostov's Legacy"
  12. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 45: "Victor of Nahoni"
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 46: "Alexander's Campaign"
  14. 14.0 14.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 35: "Bringing the War to the Pretenders"

Bibliography

Terran Brigade

Terran Brigade
Formed pre–Age of War
Disbanded 2571
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command FPF

The Terran Brigade was a major Federated Peacekeeping Forces brigade which was responsible for defending the Terran March prior to the Davion Civil War and which was disbanded during the formation of the Star League Defense Force.

History

During the Five Princes era of the Federated Suns the Terran Brigade was a large military formation consisting of multiple regiments and was responsible for defending the Terran March[1] alongside the Vale Rangers.[2] Loyal to the Prince of the Terran March, the Terran Brigade was a part of the Federated Peacekeeping Forces; when Prince Charles Leighton and his immediate family were killed on Robinson in 2515 during a Terran Hegemony raid the Terran Brigade transferred their loyalty to General Nikolai Rostov, a noted and popular FPF officer who was appointed Prince of the Terran March as a result of machinations between Cassandra and David Varnay and Laura Davion within the Council of regents.[3][4]

Nikolai Rostov spent five years leading Terran March forces in battle against the Hegemony Armed Forces, eventually halting the Terran Hegemony offensive into the Terran March;[3] Rostov's campaign was nothing less than brilliant, and cemented his popularity with the troops under this command.[5] The Terran Brigade would be back in action again in 2523 when the Draconis Combine initiated a series of border clashes, and with Rostov busy the Varnays abducted Alexander Davion, heir to the throne of the Crucis March and future First Prince.[5][6]

Davion Civil War

When the Davion Civil War erupted, Nikolai Rostov - now Field Marshal of the FPF - lead combined forces from the Crucis, Draconis and Terran Marches against the Varnays in the opening offensive; units under Rostov's command struck[7][8] at a line of worlds stretching from Kluane to Royalston[8] with Rostov demonstrating his grasp of tactics and using the abilities of his trained regulars to good effect against Varnay's troops, which were often simply militias lacking in training.[7]

Nikolai's death on the world of Quittacas shook the loyalty of the Terran March forces, with many defecting to the Varnayist cause as a result of large bribes applied to senior figures; Nikolai's son, Dmitri, and those troops loyal to him went on the run[7][8] before launching a planet-hopping guerrilla offensive.[9] When Alexander Davion scored a notable victory on Nahoni and began gathering loyal forces under his banner, Dmitri declared his support for Alexander, bringing many more regular FPF units with him.[10]

Whereas Nikolai Rostov had been beloved by the FPF, Dmitri was more of an unknown quantity; Laura Davion's forces retreated into the Draconis March, and loyalties within the Terran March were split; some remembered Laura's close ties to Nikolai Rostov, while others were swayed by Dmitri's authority as his father's son.[9][10] Had the Rostovs ruled the Terran March for longer, loyalty to the name might have been greater.[10]

The resulting campaign against the Draconis March was slow, even after pressure on the Capellan March front relaxed with the death of David Varnay, and Dmitri was responsible for much of the slow progress in the campaign; a selfish pragmatist at heart, he was more interested in securing the Terran March for himself than dealing with Laura's main forces. Unfortunately for Alexander, he needed Rostov and his forces too much to alienate him, and had to resort to pleading with Rostov to push forward with finishing off Laura's forces while the Capellan March was still disorganized.[11]

After Laura's forces were defeated Cassandra Varnay led an offensive against the Crucis March, and Dmitri continued to play at politics in the Terran March. Dmitri may not have been the military commander his father was, but he was a more skilled politician, and while he was mainly concerned for the Terran March he had enough sense to continue supplying Alexander with just enough reinforcements to keep Alexander from giving up completely on Rostov's support.[12]

Nonetheless, Dmitri and the Terran March forces were instrumental in defeating Cassandra's forces at Meglan alongside Alexander's forces in 2537.[13][12] The Vale Rangers, as the primary combat formation of the Terran March, had survived the Civil War in better shape than the Terran Brigade - in fact, in better shape than any March formation - and this played a part in Dmitri's decision to defy Alexander[2] when the First Prince made it clear that he intended to institute sweeping changes across the five Marches and to reform the High Council.[13][14]

Aftermath and Insurrection

Rostov's obsession with the power of his March led him to mobilize his troops in opposition to Prince Alexander[14] in April 2540.[15] Dmitri's attempted coup began with a tragedy; as his first act, Dmitri ordered his troops to kidnap Cynthia Davion, who was engaged in a goodwill tour of the Draconis March at the time. His troops not only failed in their attempt, but a stray shot killed Cynthia.[14][15]

Cynthia's death had a profound effect on Alexander, leaving him grief-stricken; it also led him to act launch a campaign against Dmitri that would be marked by its speed, decisiveness and implacable savagery. While Dmitri was still an influential and popular man and widely acknowledged as being responsible for the triumph on Victoria, he wasn't the First Prince. To a Federated Suns recently ravaged by war Alexander represented order, stability and an end to factionalism and infighting. Dmitri called for action against Alexander, describing him as a would-be despot, but few worlds or units outside his immediate sphere of influence responded; in comparison, Alexander quickly gathered an overwhelming army.[14] Many regiments from the Vale Rangers were outraged by Dmitri's actions and swiftly joined Alexander's cause, with some subsequently fighting sister units as a consequence during Alexander's defeat of Dmitri's forces.[2]

Disbandment

Alexander's disestablishment of the Terran March generated a deep resentment amongst the Terran Brigade, one that still festered thirty years later. The end came for the Terran Brigade in 2571, with the formation of the Star League Defense Force; Alexander seized the opportunity to remove the worst-equipped, worst-trained and most troublesome units out of the new Armed Forces of the Federated Suns.[1] While six regiments of Avalon Hussars joined the SLDF out of loyalty to their origins in the Terran Marines,[16] Alexander also sent thirty-one additional regiments he wished to be rid of; these regiments included several private commands, almost half the Syrtis Fusiliers - who had sided with the Varnayists during the Civil War - and the entire of the Terran Brigade.[1]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Terran Brigade

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Units of the Terran Brigade

Colors and Unit Insignia

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Historical: Reunification War, p. 32: "Integration with the SLDF"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 16: "Robinson Chevaliers"
  3. 3.0 3.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 41: "The Regency"
  4. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 31–32: "Reign of Terror"
  5. 5.0 5.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 41–42: "Varnay vs. Davion"
  6. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 32–33: "Hostage Prince"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 44: "Alexander in Exile"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 33–34: "Flames of War"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 34–35: "Rostov's Legacy"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 45: "Victor of Nahoni"
  11. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 46: "Alexander's Campaign"
  12. 12.0 12.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 46–47: "Rostov's Plan"
  13. 13.0 13.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 36: "Rostov Victorious"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 48: "Rostov Defiant"
  15. 15.0 15.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 36: "Putting Down Rostov"
  16. Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 8: "Avalon Hussars"

Bibliography

Vale Rangers

Vale Rangers
Formed pre–Age of War
Disbanded 2540
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command FPF

The Vale Rangers was a major Federated Peacekeeping Forces brigade and the lead combat formation of the Terran March Principality of the Federated Suns prior to the end of the Davion Civil War.


History

During the Five Princes era of the Federated Suns the Vale Rangers was the lead combat formation of the Terran March Principality.[1] Serving alongside other formations such as the Terran Brigade[2] the Vale Rangers were loyal to the Prince of the Terran March; when Prince Charles Leighton and his immediate family were killed on Robinson in 2515 during a Terran Hegemony raid the Vale Rangers transferred their loyalty to General Nikolai Rostov, a noted and popular FPF officer who was appointed Prince of the Terran March as a result of machinations between Cassandra and David Varnay and Laura Davion within the Council of regents.[3][4]

Nikolai Rostov spent five years leading Terran March forces in battle against the Hegemony Armed Forces, eventually halting the Terran Hegemony offensive into the Terran March;[3] Rostov's campaign was nothing less than brilliant, and cemented his popularity with the troops under this command.[5] The Vale Rangers would be back in action again in 2523 when the Draconis Combine initiated a series of border clashes, and with Rostov busy the Varnays abducted Alexander Davion, heir to the throne of the Crucis March and future First Prince.[5][6]

Davion Civil War

When the Davion Civil War erupted, Nikolai Rostov - now Field Marshal of the FPF - lead combined forces from the Crucis, Draconis and Terran Marches against the Varnays in the opening offensive; units under Rostov's command struck[7][8] at a line of worlds stretching from Kluane to Royalston[8] with Rostov demonstrating his grasp of tactics and using the abilities of his trained regulars to good effect against Varnay's troops, which were often simply militias lacking in training.[7]

Nikolai's death on the world of Quittacas shook the loyalty of the Terran March forces, with many defecting to the Varnayist cause as a result of large bribes applied to senior figures; Nikolai's son, Dmitri, and those troops loyal to him went on the run[7][8] before launching a planet-hopping guerrilla offensive.[9] When Alexander Davion scored a notable victory on Nahoni and began gathering loyal forces under his banner, Dmitri declared his support for Alexander, bringing many more regular FPF units with him.[10]

Whereas Nikolai Rostov had been beloved by the FPF, Dmitri was more of an unknown quantity; Laura Davion's forces retreated into the Draconis March, and loyalties within the Terran March were split; some remembered Laura's close ties to Nikolai Rostov, while others were swayed by Dmitri's authority as his father's son.[9][10] Had the Rostov's ruled the Terran March for longer, loyalty to the name might have been greater.[10]

The resulting campaign against the Draconis March was slow, even after pressure on the Capellan March front relaxed with the death of David Varnay, and Dmitri was responsible for much of the slow progress in the campaign; a selfish pragmatist at heart, he was more interested in securing the Terran March for himself than dealing with Laura's main forces. Unfortunately for Alexander, he needed Rostov and his forces too much to alienate him, and had to resort to pleading with Rostov to push forward with finishing off Laura's forces while the Capellan March was still disorganized.[11]

After Laura's forces were defeated Cassandra Varnay led an offensive against the Crucis March, and Dmitri continued to play at politics in the Terran March. Dmitri may not have been the military commander his father was, but he was a more skilled politician, and while he was mainly concerned for the Terran March he had enough sense to continue supplying Alexander with just enough reinforcements to keep Alexander from giving up completely on Rostov's support.[12]

Nonetheless, Dmitri and the Terran March forces were instrumental in defeating Cassandra's forces at Meglan alongside Alexander's forces in 2537.[13][12] The Vale Rangers, as the primary combat formation of the Terran March, had survived the Civil War in better shape than the Terran Brigade - in fact, in better shape than any March formation as a consequence of the sterling military leadership of both Nikolai and Dmitri Rostov - and this played a part in Dmitri's decision to defy Alexander[1] when the First Prince made it clear that he intended to institute sweeping changes across the five Marches and to reform the High Council.[13][14]

Aftermath and Insurrection

Rostov's obsession with the power of his March led him to mobilize his troops in opposition to Prince Alexander[14] in April 2540.[15] Dmitri's attempted coup began with a tragedy; as his first act, Dmitri ordered his troops to kidnap Cynthia Davion, who was engaged in a goodwill tour of the Draconis March at the time. His troops not only failed in their attempt, but a stray shot killed Cynthia.[14][15]

Cynthia's death had a profound effect, leaving him grief-stricken; it also led him to act launch a campaign against Dmitri that would be marked by its speed, decisiveness and implacable savagery. While Dmitri was still an influential and popular man and widely acknowledged as being responsible for the triumph on Victoria, he wasn't the First Prince. To a Federated Suns recently ravaged by war Alexander represented order, stability and an end to factionalism and infighting. Dmitri called for action against Alexander, describing him as a would-be despot, but few worlds or units outside his immediate sphere of influence responded; in comparison, Alexander quickly gathered an overwhelming army.[14] Many regiments from the Vale Rangers were outraged by Dmitri's actions and swiftly joined Alexander's cause, with some subsequently fighting sister units as a consequence during Alexander's defeat of Dmitri's forces.[1]

Rebrigading

After Dmitri's defeat on Robinson Prince Alexander referred to the surviving warriors of the Vale Rangers as "soldiers of chivalry and honor"; the Vale Rangers brigade was incorporated into the expanded Draconis March and renamed as the Robinson Chevaliers, with the new name drawn directly from Alexander's words, going on to serve the Federated Suns throughout the Star League era.[1]

The fate of the Vale Rangers after the Davion Civil War was a marked contrast to their former companions in the Terran Brigade; Alexander's disestablishment of the Terran March generated a deep resentment amongst the Terran Brigade, one that still festered thirty years later. The end came for the Terran Brigade in 2571, with the formation of the Star League Defense Force; Alexander seized the opportunity to remove the worst-equipped, worst-trained, and most troublesome units out of the new Armed Forces of the Federated Suns including the entire of the remaining Terran Brigade.[2]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Vale Rangers

Tactics

Different per Unit.

Units of the Vale Rangers


Colors and Unit Insignia


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 16: "Robinson Chevaliers"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 32: "Integration with the SLDF"
  3. 3.0 3.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 41: "The Regency"
  4. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 31–32: "Reign of Terror"
  5. 5.0 5.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 41–42: "Varnay vs. Davion"
  6. Handbook: House Davion, pp. 32–33: "Hostage Prince"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 44: "Alexander in Exile"
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 33–34: "Flames of War"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Handbook: House Davion, pp. 34–35: "Rostov's Legacy"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 45: "Victor of Nahoni"
  11. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 46: "Alexander's Campaign"
  12. 12.0 12.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 46–47: "Rostov's Plan"
  13. 13.0 13.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 36: "Rostov Victorious"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 48: "Rostov Defiant"
  15. 15.0 15.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 36: "Putting Down Rostov"

Bibliography

Notes

Although several conflicts between the Federated Suns and the Capellan Hegemony were noted, it was only in material produced in the Federated Suns that the Capellan state was referred to as the Capellan Hegemony;[1] the Capellan Hegemony was actually disbanded in 2310, several years prior to the formation of the Federated Suns, as a result of the outcome of the Capellan Hegemony/Sarna Supremacy War of 2305 to 2310.[2] The Capellan Hegemony had in fact been replaced by the Capellan Commonality by the time of the various conflics with the Federated Suns.[3]

References

  1. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named HD(TFS)p26
  2. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 16-17, "Arboris Secedes"
  3. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 17, "Loosening Up"

Bibliography