Capellan Hussars

Insignia of the Capellan Hussars
Capellan Hussars
Formed ca. 2368[1]
Nickname The Old Guard
Affiliation Capellan Confederation
Parent Command Capellan Confederation Armed Forces

The Capellan Hussars are considered the most prestigious brigade in the Capellan Confederation and trace their origins back to the Capellan Defense Force formed by Franco Liao at the founding of the Confederation before the advent of 'Mechs.[2]

When not involved in combat duties the Hussars traditional guards the capital and act as bodyguards and escorts for nobles.[3]

Thanks to their elevated status they receive the best equipment and personnel, getting first choice from local military academies.[4]

To maintain their skills, members of the Capellan Hussars are often seconded to other CCAF units serving in combat zones.[5]

History[edit]

Age of War[edit]

Created as a symbol for unity for the newly founded states, these units suffer horrendous losses during their service. Each of the new Commonalities had a unit created from citizens of that Commonality. The Red Lancers represented the Sian Commonality, the Marshals of Tikonov represented the Tikonov Commonality, Gryff's Hussars represented the St. Ives Commonality, the Andurien Heavy Guards represented the Andurien Commonality, Blandford's Grendadiers represented the Sarna Commonality, the Prefectorate Guard represented the Capella Commonality, while the Chesterton Guardians represented the people of the Federated Suns controlled Chesterton Commonality. A later regiment, the Ares Titans, were created to celebrate the Ares Conventions and specialized in martial prowess and upholding the tenets of the Conventions.[1]

One of the regiments, its name now stricken from the records and lost, staged a military coup that resulted in the death of Chancellor Duncan Liao.[2] That regiment, Merik's Grenadiers, were destroyed in 2452 by the Second Hexare Lancers, the regiment commanded by future Chancellor Jasmine Liao, and the Second Hexare Lancers became the Red Lancers.[6][7]

First Succession War[edit]

The Capellan Hussars served with dedication throughout the First Succession War, seeing action a number of times. Two regiments from the Hussars were destroyed during the war, the Ares Titans, lost on Calloway VI in March 2789 - along with Barnabus Liao, son of Chancellor Barbara Liao[8] - and the Andurien Heavy Guard in May 2789, lost fighting against the Free Worlds League invasion of Andurien.[9] The other six regiments survived the war, but all had been reduced to half-strength or less by the end of the conflict. Between the six surviving regiments the total operational strength of the Capellan Hussars in 2821 was just two and a half regiments.[10]

Second Succession War[edit]

In May 2833 the Seventeenth Avalon Hussars joined the Second Ceti Hussars and the Ninth Deneb Light Cavalry on Operation LEOPARD, the second major attempt to capture the important industrial world of Tikonov to be launched in 13 months. The Ceti Hussars had attempted to capture Tikonov in Operation LION, launched in April 2382, but had ultimately been stymied by a lack of equipment and resources needed to dislodge the defending forces from the High Kremlin, a former SLDF fortress, and the massively fortified cities like Tikograd dotted across the planet. This time, the AFFS was better prepared, and dropped onto Tikonov with troops, artillery and aircraft suitable for breaking entrenched enemies out of heavy fortifications.[11]

This time, the AFFS forces managed to break into and capture the High Kremlin after a bloody two-week battle, and proceeded to capture the heavily-fortified cities of Krasnodar and Pskov in early June, leaving all of the major population and industrial centers under AFFS control. What the AFFS couldn't do was pin down the surviving elements of the CCAF defending units, who faded into the wilderness and used exactly the same mobile tactics against the AFFS that the Ceti Hussars had used against them the year before. The three AFFS regiments broke down into increasingly smaller elements to try and pin down the CCAF units, and distributed supply caches around the world, only to be foxed by the arrival of the Capellan Hussars on the 13th of June. The Capellan Hussars destroyed many of the AFFS caches, a setback that the combined AFFS units could probably have overcome with time, but MIIO passed on intelligence indicating signs of massed CCAF troop movements towards Tikonov, prompting General H. R. Greer to withdraw the AFFS forces from Tikonov, much to the chagrin of the First Prince, who rewarded Greer with KP duty on New Syrtis until the end of 2834.[11]

Third Succession War[edit]

An original regiment was destroyed in fighting against House Davion as they held the line during the desperate days of the Third Succession War.[2]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Prefectorate Guard was destroyed during the Fourth Succession War.[2] They fought on Liao against elements of the Blue Star Irregulars.[12]

Jihad[edit]

The Capellan Hussars served with distinction during the Jihad with all four regiments at the forefront of the war. While each suffered casualties they remained a cohesive fighting force and their reputation as an elite unit was, if anything, enhanced.[13]

Post-Jihad[edit]

Any pretensions that may have existed prior to the Jihad which declared the Hussars to be merely playground units were firmly quashed by the performance of the four regiments in the brutal combat of the Jihad. The regiments of the Hussars were constantly embroiled in the heaviest fighting, emerging victorious each time; more than any other formation, the Hussars embodied the renewed sense of pride in the Capellan soldiery. As the Confederation recovered from the conflict the Hussars continued to draw on veterans from across the CCAF and were quickly back at full strength, and by 3081 each commonality capital within the Confederation had a regiment from the Hussars as a part of their garrison.[14]

The Capellan Hussars were part of Operation GOLDEN FORTRESS, but even their skills weren't enough to prevent the Republic of the Sphere from taking back the worlds the Capellans had liberated.[15]

Dark Age[edit]

In 3145 a Capellan Hussar task force raided Abruzzi, where they destroyed a small mercenary unit.[16]

During the Dark Age, every unit faced by the Capellan Hussars were shattered.[17]

Double Duty[edit]

As guardians of the state the regiments of the brigade provide security to all high-ranking persons in the government.

  • Red Lancers: Defends the Liao family and Celestial Palace
  • Prefectorate Guard: Prefectorate and their family members
  • Holdfast Guard: Protects the members of the House of Scions
  • Dynasty Guard: Protects the Sheng nobility (and are regarded as watchdogs as well)

Command Structure[edit]

The commands receive their orders from the local jiang-jun normally, but the Strategios contact the commander directly and bypassing the Sheng noble in military matters. No noble would risk a conflict with the strategic military commander.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Capellan Hussars
Colonel Dolmann Kavajk 3025[18]
Colonel Willian Reuf 3050[19]

Other Officers[edit]

Tactics[edit]

Different per Unit.

Available Forces[edit]

As the elite of the CCAF the commands have the best supplies, newest equipment and have the authority to take supplies of lesser units in the field when necessary. The regiments have the opportunity to build customized equipment and can select from the finest recruits of the academies of each year

Regiments of the Capellan Hussars[edit]

Age of War[edit]

2765[edit]

First Succession War (2786–2821)[edit]

  • Andurien Heavy Guard (destroyed by 2821)[10]
  • Ares Titans (destroyed by 2821)[10]
  • Blandford's Grenadiers[10]
  • Chesterton Guardians[10]
  • Gryff's Hussars[10]
  • Marshals of Tikonov[10]
  • Prefectorate Guard[10]
  • Red Lancers[10]

3050[edit]

3062[edit]

3085[edit]

3145[edit]

Colors and Unit Insignia[edit]

The units of the Hussars use variations of red, black, and gold colors. They always display a Confederation crest with regimental insignia below. Divisional crests are reminiscent of the old Capellan emblem resembling a fist rather than a five pointed star.[25]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 7: "Capellan Hussars"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 51: Origins
  3. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 51: Double Duty
  4. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 52: Available Forces
  5. Field Manual: 3145, p. 30
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 34: "Tribulations"
  7. 7.0 7.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 77: "Red Lancers"
  8. First Succession War, pp. 58–60: "Debacle at Calloway"
  9. First Succession War, p. 60: "Losing Ground"
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 First Succession War, p. 135: "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"
  11. 11.0 11.1 Second Succession War, p. 36: "Crossed Swords"
  12. The Fourth Succession War Scenarios Volume One, p. 8
  13. Field Report: CCAF, p. 8: Condition and Morale
  14. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 99: "The Capellan Confederation"
  15. Field Manual: 3085, p. 23
  16. Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns, p. 34
  17. Field Manual: 3145, p. 30
  18. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 129: "Dolmann Kavajk Profile"
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 20 Year Update, pp. 62–63: "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"
  20. Technical Readout: 3039, p. 224: "RVN-1X Raven - Notable MechWarriors"
  21. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 78: "Blandford's Grenadiers" - Unit's early history from Formation to 3025.
  22. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 78
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Field Manual: 3085, p. 23: "Capellan Hussars"
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 30: "Capellan Hussars"
  25. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 52: Colors and Insignia
  26. First Succession War, p. 147: "Force Compositions"
  27. First Succession War, p. 147: "RAT Die Roll Modifiers by Combat Command Table"
  28. Second Succession War, p. 107

Bibliography[edit]