21st Centauri Lancers

Insignia of the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers
Twenty-first Centauri Lancers
Formed ca. 2875
Affiliation Mercenary
Parent Command

The Twenty-first Centauri Lancers are one of the foremost mercenary units in the Inner Sphere. Since their founding, the Lancers have forged a reputation for honesty and loyalty, though they expect the same from their employers and are known for not accepting any mistreatment.

History

Originally a battalion of House Liao's Third Centauri Guards, the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers were a regular military unit of the Capellan Confederation. They were well-known for having totally destroyed the Fourth Marik Militia in an attack against Anegasaki in 2793,[1] thereby stopping a string of Marik victories.[2] Around the year 2875 the unit mutinied against their regimental commander over wages nine months overdue. They seized several DropShips and a JumpShip from their regimental battle group as payment and fled Capellan space.[2] In the years since becoming mercenaries, the Twenty-first have worked for all Successor States save House Liao, against whom they still harbor a grudge. They also built a reputation for honorable conduct on the battlefield and honesty off of it, and the expectation of similar fair dealing from their employers. If ill-used, they are not afraid of letting others know about it, and even walking away from a contract if it continues, an aspect which has not damaged their reputation among potential employers.[3]

During the latter part of the Third Succession War, the Twenty-first came across a hidden cache of Star League equipment, including fully functional SLDF 'Mechs and tanks. Exactly how many and what types of machines they possessed was kept a secret for many years.[4]

Anton Marik's Revolt

During Anton Marik's Revolt the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers fought for the loyalist faction in the Free Worlds League. They were able to drive the Eighteenth Marik Militia off of New Olympia by arriving in orbit. The Eighteenth had been fighting for several weeks, but the undamaged Twenty-first's arrival changed the tactical situation dramatically and the Eighteenth withdrew.[5] The Twenty-first was also involved in combat on Rasalas, Drusibacken[6], Asellus Borealis, Asellus Australis, Lungdo, Sorunda, and Gomeisa.[7]

The Lancers remained employed by the League in 3025 and were stationed on Nestor,[2] a position they would hold in 3050 from which to defend against and launch counter-raids into the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth.[8][4]

House Davion Contract

The Black Widow Company engaged elements of the 21st Centauri Lancers during the Twelfth Battle of Marduk[9].

Operation ODYSSEUS

The Lancers suffered a severe blow to their impeccable reputation and Dragoon Rating in 3058, when they apparently turned on their ComStar employers and aided Word of Blake in capturing Terra. Upon investigation, however, it was determined that the Lancers never set foot on the planet. The Word had captured their dependents and held them hostage in order to force the mercenaries into keeping quiet and allowing Word of Blake Militia forces to be substituted for them. Their black mark was later rescinded and ComStar honored their contract, posting them at their new headquarters on Tukayyid. They helped train ComGuard and SLDF forces here as an Opposition Force.[3][10]

Jihad

The Lancers suffered terribly at the hands of the Blakists. Word WarShips jumped in-system on 21 January 3068 and the flotilla was soon able to achieve air superiority. With no aerospace or naval forces to contest them, the Word's WarShips began to destroy Tukayyid's cities and ComGuard bases, including the Focht War College. Anybody trying to flee was annihilated, as evidenced by the destruction of a Lancer force that was trying to move into the mountains. This attack also killed Colonel Evelena Haskell. July 3070 saw the arrival of Clan Ghost Bear, who were able to defeat the Word assets around Tukayyid. As of 3071, the once-proud regiment had been decimated and barely existed as a cohesive fighting force. Under the new command of Colonel LeMonds they attempted to rebuild - albeit at the sufferance of Clan Ghost Bear - by managing to salvage six 'Mechs and opening up recruitment to all other forces on the planet, including members of the Com Guards and the Killer Bees.[citation needed]

Sometime prior to 3076, the Twenty-first had rebuild themselves into a combined-arms reinforced battalion and came under the employ of Chandrasekhar Kurita. They were stationed on Hachiman in the Draconis Combine to protect the Tanadi Computers complex from Blakists.[11]

Dark Age

The Lancers were still active as of the Dark Age[12], and as of 3130 were in the employ of the Lyran Commonwealth.[citation needed]

In 3131, technician Jon Roberson developed what would become the standard militarized modification to the Opossum SalvageMech, when he got permission to add a light AC/2. The design debuted that year on Issaba, proving effective when the Lancers fought Rim Territories raiders. An operation on Ventabren in May 3132, in which the Lancers aided a joint Oriente-Republic salvage operation on an Operation GOLDEN DAWN-era battlefield, caught the MOD wider attention for its effectiveness, leading to the once unique design's eventual standardization both in the Lancers and from the 'Mech's manufacturer.[13]

The unit fought on Sorunda as well.[13] Soon afterwards, the Lancers were hired by the planet Towne for protection of the planet itself and its working HPGs. A detachment of Jasek Kelswa-Steiner's Stormhammers' Lyran Rangers tried to capture the planet and the HPG in 3133. The fierce fighting failed to prevent the Rangers from commandeering the communications grid and accomplishing their mission broadcasting his call to all House Steiner loyalists to support his movement.[14]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 21st Centauri Lancers
Colonel Thaddeus Kusaka 3025[15]
Colonel Evelena Haskell 3058 - 3067
Colonel James LeMonds 3071
Colonel Richard Haskell 3132[13]

Other Officers

From 3058 to 3067 the unit's XO was Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Searcy.[3]

Tactics

The Twenty-first prefers fighting in the open as opposed to restrictive terrain, and specialize in fighting in high- and low-gravity environments and in nighttime conditions. They are also known for their phenomenal gunnery skills.[3][10] The Twenty-first employs independent command lances for each battalion, and a command company for each regiment. They also insist on having full strategic and tactical control over all units with whom they will be working with during a given contract; that employers typically agree to this points to the level of trust the Lancers have built up over the years.[3]

Providing support to the commander of the Twenty-first, the Lancers Command enjoyed the best equipment they could get their hands on. In 3050, the command company was spotted using a number of Star League-era designs, such as the MAD-2R Marauder or TDR-5Sb Thunderbolt, while the attached Recon Company enjoyed the use of Star League hover tanks like the Gabriel.[4] After working closely with ComStar, in 3058 the Lancers Command employed C3 computers to connect each 'Mech lance with a recon platoon.[3] These were upgraded to C3i computers by 3067.[10]

The Centauri Lancers were known to employ an inordinate number of Grasshoppers, with at least one per 'Mech company. On average the Lancers used Heavy 'Mech designs, though each battalion had at least one light and one assault Lance. The Centauri Lancers regiment was well-trained fighting at any strength, from the entire unit operating together down to individual lancers operating independently. The Air Lancers were focused more on providing ground support with heavy fighters, though after the Clan Invasion they began altering their function to provide air cover with the addition of some medium fighters. Unlike the 'Mech forces, the Armored Lancers do not train to fight at battalion strength, instead having each armored company being moved around individually as needed (though the Armored Recon was typically permanently attached to the Lancers Command). Likewise the Security Lancers primarily served to guard the Twenty-first's bases of operation, with Fourth Company providing combat support in the form of two platoons of scouts and one platoon of artillery.[4][3][10]

Support

The Twenty-first have historically had some of the best technical support of any mercenary command, enough to exceed what would be required for a unit of their size. In 3058 they possessed enough DropShips to transport the entire command, including dependents, and owned two Star Lord JumpShips, one of which was equipped with a Lithium-Fusion Battery; by 3067 both had been so upgraded. The Twenty-first benefited greatly from their time employed by ComStar, with their technicians receiving training from both them and Wolf's Dragoons on Clan technology and access to some of the most advanced equipment available.[3][10]

Composition History

3025

Twenty-first Centauri Lancers (Elite/Reliable) - FWLM [15]

  • CO: Colonel Thaddeus Kusaka[15]

3028

21st Centauri Lancers (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[16]

Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on Nestor. [16]

3050

Lancers Command (1 heavy 'Mech company/Elite/inc. Star League variants)[4]

  • 17th Armored Recon Company (1 vehicle company, Elite, inc. lance of Gabriel tanks)

21st Centauri Lancers (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)[17]

  • CO: Colonel Evelena Haskell[17]
Note: At this point in time the heavy 'Mech unit was stationed on Nestor. [17]

21st Centauri Air Lancers (1 heavy aerospace regiment/Elite)[4]

21st Centauri Armored Lancers (5 companies)[4]

  • 3rd Armored Command (Elite)
  • 2nd Assault (Veteran, heavy/assault tanks)
  • 23rd Recon (Veteran, hover tanks)
  • 5th Fire Support (Veteran, ACs/PPCs)
  • 11th Fire Support (Veteran, LRMs)

21st Centauri Security Lancers (1 reinforced infantry battalion/Elite)[4]

3059

Lancers Command (1 company/Elite/Reliable)

CO: Col. Evelena Haskell
XO: Lt. Col. Ryan "Blade" Searcy
  • 17th Armored Recon Company permanently attached

21st Centauri Lancers (1 Regiment/Elite/Reliable)

  • 1st Battalion: Major James LeMonds
  • 2nd Battalion: Major Katherine Li-Smith
  • 3rd Battalion: Major Ty Van Trahn

21st Centauri Air Lancers (1 Wing/Elite/Reliable)

CO: Major Joshua Ling
  • 3 squadrons and 1 command lance

21st Centauri Armored Lancers (6 Companies/Veteran/Reliable)

CO: Major Wu Ti Seng
  • 3rd Armor Command
  • 17th Recon (permanently attached to Lancers Command)
  • 23rd Recon
  • 5th Fire Support
  • 11th Fire Support
  • 2nd Assault

21st Centauri Security Lancers (1 Reinforced Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)

CO: Major Bradley Hunter
  • Fourth Company (2 platoons scouts/1 platoon Long Toms and Arrow IVs)
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Tukayyid. [18]

Gallery

Rules

3072

  • When facing the Word of Blake as an opponent, 21st Centauri Lancers units receive a -1 modifier on all to-hit rolls.[19]
  • If given a choice of firing on differing faction targets, 21st Centauri Lancers units must always fire at a Word of Blake unit until either the unit is destroyed or the 21st Centauri Lancers unit no longer has line of sight to the Word of Blake unit.[19]
  • When facing the Word of Blake as an opponent, 21st Centauri Lancers units ignore any Forced Withdrawal rules.[19]

Notes

  • It was confirmed that the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers were a battalion within the Third Centauri Guards in 2793 and responsible for the destruction of the Fourth Marik Militia on Anegasaki by the BattleTech Developer Adrian Gideon in the Catalyst Game Labs official errata forum:
Handbook House Liao (print)

Pg 30, Timeline: First Succession War, Dev-level errata: 2793 - The Twenty-First Centauri Lancers destroy the Fourth Marik Militia on Anegasaki, in one of their first contracts as mercenaries after the Star League Defense Force's withdrawal.

Replace with: 2793 - The future Twenty-First Centauri Lancers, a battalion of the 3rd Centauri Guards, destroy the Fourth Marik Militia on Anegasaki.

  — Adrian Gideon, BattleTech Developer, 0243 26 Jan 2016

References

  1. Developer Level Errata, Catalyst Game Labs Forum, 26 0243Z Jan 2015
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 28-29, "The Collapse of Terra"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 50-51
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Combat Manual: Mercenaries, p. 27
  5. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 27
  6. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 36
  7. Historical: Brush Wars, p. 39
  8. 20 Year Update, p. 57
  9. Tales of the Black Widow Company, pp. 26-27
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 56
  11. Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2 pp. 29
  12. Era Report: 3145, p. 79
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Technical Readout: Irregulars, p. 24, "Opossum SalvageMech MOD"
  14. Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 7, "Important Military Actions of 3133"
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p.109
  16. 16.0 16.1 Historical: Brush Wars, p.87
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 20 Year Update, p. 57, "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  18. Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 110
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 123, "21st Centauri Lancers (F)"

Bibliography