1st Argyle Lancers

Insignia of the 1st Argyle Lancers
First Argyle Lancers
Formed 2784[1]
Nickname The Fast and Furious
Affiliation Federated Suns
Parent Command AFFS


The First Argyle Lancers is one of several SLDF units to join the AFFS after the departure of General Aleksandr Kerensky. The unit is well equipped, but is dependent on assistance due to lack of interstellar transportation.


History

Formation

The origins of the First Argyle Lancers lay in a Star League Defense Force unit that chose not to join the Exodus.[2][3] The unit in question was the 1894th Light Horse Regiment, an independent regiment within the Seventeenth Army's XLVIII Corps.[4] The unit fractured as the SLDF dissolved; many of the unit's personnel defected to the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, merging with surviving elements of the Eighth Striker Regiment to form the Second Ceti Hussars[5][1] and the First Argyle Lancers.[1] The remainder evidently became a part of the mercenary unit known as the Blue Star Irregulars, continuing to be known as the 1894th Light Horse Regiment.[6] The First Argyle Lancers - sometimes known simply as the Argyle Lancers, possibly due to there being no other regiments of Argyle Lancers - mustered in 2784[1] and went on to fight for the AFFS during the First Succession War.[7]

Third Succession War

The homeworld of the First Argyle Lancers was Crimond.[2]

Fourth Succession War

The First Argyle Lancers were deployed to Skepptana during the Fourth Succession War.[8]

After the Fourth Succession War, Hanse Davion asked for volunteers to travel to the Lyran Commonwealth to participate in wargames and exercises. The First Argyle Lancers volunteered for this duty and served several tours in the Commonwealth.[3]

War of 3039

In January of 3039, the Argyle Lancers were moved to their jump-off point on Phalan in preparation for the initial attacks on the Draconis Combine in the War of 3039.[9] On April 17, during Wave One, the Argyle Lancers assaulted the Combine world of Alnasi alongside the 26th Lyran Guards. They faced a garrison force largely composed of infantry forces along with armor and, the only real threat, a single company of 'Mechs. On April 25, the Lancers and the Guards encircled the planetary capital and forced a surrender, although they were not able to fully secure the planet until mid-May.[10] The Argyle Lancers had suffered only light losses.[9] The Lancers were pulled off Alnasi and deployed back to Phalan in preparation for Wave Two. The unit remained there until the end of the war.[11][9]

Clan Invasion

The Argyle Lancers were stationed in the Federated Suns when the Clans arrived. Though they were willing to return to the Commonwealth to face Clan Jade Falcon their JumpShips were taken by the AFFC High Command to expedite the movement of other troops. They took up station in the Commonwealth after the Truce of Tukayyid.[3]

FedCom Civil War

During the FedCom Civil War the 3rd Donegal Guards destroyed most of the First Argyle on their homeworld, but not before the Argyle Lancers inflicted serious losses on the 3rd Donegal.[12] Several companies were able to escape and evade the Donegal Guards, hiding in the wilderness. The 3rd Donegal Guards left Chisholm thinking the Argyle Lancers were totally destroyed. During the Jade Falcon Incursion the surviving Argyle Lancer companies were destroyed.[13] After they emerged from hiding, they were no match for the Falcon's Lambda Solahma Cluster. Only five Lancer 'Mechs survived the encounter.[14] They were later reassigned to other units to make up combat losses.

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 1st Argyle Lancers
Colonel Matt Preston 3025[15]
Colonel Vincent Bannock 3054[16]
Colonel Walter Scully 3062[3]

Tactics

The unit combined their fast mechs and hovercraft which were supported by the fighters to great effect in highly mobile campaigns.[3]

Composition History

2786 - 2821

Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Regular/Questionable)[7]

- At this point in time the Lancers were a medium-weight regiment stationed on Argyle and were operating at full strength.[7]In 2821 the unit was reduced to less than half-strength.[7]

2830

Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[17]

- At this point in time the Lancers were a heavy-weight regiment and had rebuilt to full strength. The Lancers were stationed on Argyle.[17]

2864

Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[17]

- At this point in time the Lancers were a heavy-weight regiment stationed on Argyle, and had been reduced to one-third of full strength.[17]

3025

1st Argyle Lancers(Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[15]

  • CO: Colonel Matt Preston [15]
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Broken Wheel. [15]

3040

1st Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[18]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Unukalhai. [18]

3050

1st Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [19]

  • CO: Colonel Vincent Bannock [19]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Skepptana. [19]

3054

1st Argyle Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable) [20]

  • CO: Colonel Vincent Bannock [20]
Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Crimond. [20]

3062

1st Argyle Lancers (1 Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[3]

- A understrength Regiment due to supply problems

1st Argyle Auxiliary (Regiment/Veteran/Unreliable)[3]

- The Auxiliary includes an overworked hovercraft Battalion

1st Argyle Air Wing (1 Wing/Elite/Unreliable)[3]

- 1st nominally four Squadrons, understrength due to supply problems

Color Scheme

The unit uses black with red and white for ceremonial duties.[3]

Notes

In 3025, the commanding officer was descended from the original SLDF company that became the 1st Argyle Lancers.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 First Succession War, p. 33, "Those Left Behind"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 146, "Argyle Lancers Unit Profile"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 46, "1st Argyle Lancers Unit Profile"
  4. The Star League, p. 155 - "Seventeenth Army"
  5. Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 64, "2nd Ceti Hussars RCT: Three of Diamonds"
  6. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 151, "The Blue Star Irregulars"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 First Succession War, p. 134, "Armed Forces of the Federated suns (AFFS)"
  8. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 11
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Historical: War of 3039, p. 135 "Deployment Table
  10. Historical: War of 3039, p. 28 "Alnasi (April-May)"
  11. Historical: War of 3039, p. 135 "Alnasi (July-August)"
  12. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 68
  13. Field Manual: Updates, p. 125
  14. FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 115
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 138 (PDF version), "Broken Wheel Combat Region"
  16. Objective Raids, p. 23, "Lyran Commonwealth State Command"
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Second Succession War, p. 94, "Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)"
  18. 18.0 18.1 Historical: War of 3039, p.135
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 20 Year Update, p. 23
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 Objective Raids, p. 23

Bibliography