8th Deneb Light Cavalry

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Insignia of the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry
Eighth Deneb Light Cavalry
Formed 2782[1]
Nickname The Green Leopards[2]
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command Deneb Light Cavalry



History[edit]

The 8th Deneb Light Cavalry was the second Deneb Light Cavalry unit created by the Federated Suns. During the Second and Third Succession Wars the 8th DLC spent most of its time on the offensive against the Capellan Confederation. They were effective in this role, but took serious losses.[3] It's nickname was derived from the green Kigamboni Leopard.[2]

Formation[edit]

Like the Fourth and Fifth Deneb Light Cavalry formations, the core of the Eighth lay in the Thirteenth Royal French Demi-Brigade[1] a part of LVI Corps, one of three Corps that formed the Nineteenth Army. The SLDF personnel recruited by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns to form the Fourth, Fifth and Eighth could all trace the heritage of their unit back to the ancient French Foreign Legion on Terra. The AFFS recruited the Thirteenth in 2782, making it one of the first SLDF formations to be recruited as the Terran Hegemony collapsed.[1][4]

Third Succession War[edit]

On Royal the Federated Suns used Locusts at their best and worst. A detachment of Locusts from the Eighth managed to flank Kurita lines and cause destruction and confusion in the rear areas, but three companies of the Tenth Deneb Light Cavalry composed entirely of Locusts were almost annihilated in an ambush by Draconis Combine Heavy and Assault lances.[5]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The 8th Deneb Light Cavalry spent the Fourth Succession War garrisoning Algol.[6]

War of 3039[edit]

The 8th DLC landed on Sadachiba, supported by Redfield's Renegades. Though expecting a 'Mech regiment, no DCMS forces were found on world. The ISF agents assigned to the world began playing on the fears of the troopers, stirring up paranoia.[7] After several months of terrorist tactics, the 8th's morale was very low. The 9th Dieron Regulars used this opportunity to arrive on Sadachiba. Though the DLC destroyed one of the 9th Dieron Regulars battalions completely, the remaining Regulars smashed into the 8th DLC as the Cavalry tried to withdraw. What should have been an orderly retreat became a grinding withdrawal under constant fire and harassment attacks.[8]

The 8th was one of the AFFS units assigned to the Lyran Commonwealth. There they fought not only the Draconis Combine but anti-Davion insurgents. This brought them into contact with the Free Skye movement and Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner.[3]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

In the late 3060's the homeworld of the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry was Kikuyu. There they garrisoned two main bases and tried to get their LAAF commanders to deliver parts and supplies. During the FedCom Civil War, the 6th Donegal Guards and Storm's Metal Thunder invaded the world.[9] The Sixth Donegal Guards overran the northern DLC base in a few hours, allowing only a few companies to escape. The rest of the Deneb Light Cavalry members (approximately half the RCT) were captured or killed.[10] Storm's Metal Thunder, supported by two armored regiments, attacked the southern DLC base. The grounded several kilometers from the base, which provided the remaining half of the DLC to organize a defense. They used their superior speed to keep the Metal Thunder off-balance and on the defensive. Eventually the Metal Thunder withdrew from their attack. The 8th DLC fought on for another two weeks but when the 6th Donegal reinforced Storm's Metal Thunder they knew it was time to leave. The Eighth fired several artillery shells filled with a nonlethal gas compound into the Lyran lines. These shells caused a great deal of confusion among the Guard and Metal Thunder units, allowing the DLC to board its DropShips and escape.[11]

After arriving on Blue Hole the Eighth sparred with the 3rd Alliance Guards for a few weeks. The arrival of Storm's Metal Thunder changed the balance of power on the world, and the DLC led the Lyran units on a months-long chase across the world. When Clan Jade Falcon forces attacked Blue Hole the DLC tried to help their former countrymen, but the Lyrans fired on them. The DLC continued their practice of remaining mobile which prevented the Falcons from destroying them. The Lyran units, by contract, were nearly destroyed by the Falcons and withdrew from the world. The DLC faced the Falcon's 7th Talon and was nearly destroyed. Only the timely arrival of Clan Wolf-in-Exile's 1st Wolf Legion saved them from destruction.[12]

During their trip back to the Federated Suns, the 8th would begin the rebuilding process by absorbing survivors from other destroyed units.[13]

Jihad[edit]

The Word of Blake learned that the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry was planning a raid on Addicks. The Blakists struck the 8th DLC's transports as they were preparing to leave New Rhodes III, destroying nearly every member of the 8th DLC. Only two battalions (one 'Mech, one battle armor) were able to escape.[14] The 8th Deneb Light Cavalry got their revenge however by assaulting the Sydney, Australia, Castle Brian in the assault on Terra.[15]

Upon learning that the 4th Deneb Light Cavalry was still alive, the Eighth immediately moved to Deneb Kaitos to support their sister unit. After rebuilding from their early losses, the Eighth transferred several soldiers over to the rebuilding command. This allowed the Fourth to remain in place on Deneb Kaitos, but also allowed the Fourth to take a position that placed them at odds with the AFFS High Command. Until the Marlette Crucis March Militia is reconstituted, the Eighth is garrisoning Marlette[16]

After the Jihad ended, the AFFS "gifted" the newly formed Republic of the Sphere with the Eighth Deneb Light Cavalry.[17] The unit was heavily damaged, and so the Republic Armed Forces used the Eighth DLC to form the planetary guard of Deneb Kaitos and some other nearby worlds.[18]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry
Marshal Laverne Denton 3025[19]
Leutnant-General Lisa Bortman 3050-3062[20][3]
Major General Robert Suell 3067 - 3079[21][16]

Tactics[edit]

The 8th DLC, in addition to the hit-and-run tactics of all Deneb Light Cavalry units, was skilled in guerrilla operations.[3]

Composition History[edit]

2786 - 2821[edit]

Eighth Deneb Light Cavalry (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[22]

- At this point in time the Eighth was a light-weight unit operating at full strength, and was based on Hean.[22]In 2821 the unit was operating at just above one-third of full strength, and was based on Franklin.[22]

2830[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [23]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Franklin with an operational readiness of 59 percent. [23]

2864[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [23]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Bettendorf with an operational readiness of 54 percent. [23]

3025[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[19]

  • CO: Marshal Laverne Denton [19]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Angol. [19]

3040[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[24]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Breed. [24]

3050[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regiment/Regular/Reliable) [20]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on La Blon. [20]

3054[edit]

8th deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [25]

  • CO: Marshal Lisa Bortman [25]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Kikuyu. [25]

3062[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry (1 Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[3]

CO: Leutnant-General Lisa Bortman
Aide: Kommandant Uriah Jervais
8th Deneb Light Cavalry Aerospace Brigade (3 Wings)[3]
CO: Leutnant-Kommodore Bruce Dewey
  • 22nd Deneb Air Wing
  • 3rd Deneb Independent Wing
  • 4th Deneb Independent Wing
Note: The 4th is composed of conventional VTOL aircraft.
8th Deneb Light Cavalry Armor Brigade (2 Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)
CO: Colonel Jean-Henri de Jeruc[3]
Aide: Hauptmann-Kommandant Wilson Dornacher
8th Deneb Light Cavalry Infantry Brigade (2 Regiments/Regular/Reliable)
CO: Colonel Jessup Robinette[3]
Aide: Kommandant Desmond Poulakos[3]

3067[edit]

8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regular/Fanatical)[21]

Aerospace Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)[21]

Armor Brigade (Veteran/Fanatical)[21]

  • CO: Major General Armin Brodzller

Infantry Brigade (Green/Reliable)[21]

3071[edit]

3079[edit]

Eighth Deneb Light Cavalry RCT (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [27]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Marlette.[27] After rebuilding from their early losses, the Eighth DLC was at nearly seventy percent of their pre-Jihad strength. Their participation on Terra reduced their numbers considerably, and the need to rebuild the Fourth DLC also took a serious toll. The Eighth is down to one third of their pre-Jihad strength.[16]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 First Succession War, p. 33: "Those Left Behind"
  2. 2.0 2.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), PDF p. 142
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 86: "8th Deneb Light Cavalry Unit Profile"
  4. Field Manual: SLDF, p. 223: "LVI Corps"
  5. Technical Readout: 3025, p. 8: "Battle History"
  6. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 11
  7. Historical: War of 3039, p. 38
  8. Historical: War of 3039, p. 86
  9. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 39
  10. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 39
  11. FedCom Civil War, p. 40
  12. FedCom Civil War, p. 114
  13. Field Manual: Updates, p. 130
  14. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, p. 57: "Blakist Task Force Foils Two Strikes in Two Weeks"
  15. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 96
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Field Report: AFFS, p. 13
  17. Field Manual: 3085, p. 167
  18. Field Manual: 3085, p. 183
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 136 (PDF version): "Clovis PDZ"
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20 Year Update, p. 26
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 140: "Addicks PDZ"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 First Succession War, p. 134: "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Second Succession War, p. 95
  24. 24.0 24.1 Historical: War of 3039, p.136
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 Objective Raids, p. 22
  26. Jihad Hot Spots: 3072, P. 57
  27. 27.0 27.1 Field Report: AFFS , p. 13

Bibliography[edit]