2nd St. Ives Lancers

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Regarded as the Armored Cavalry's workhorse unit for most of its history, the Second St. Ives Lancers are renowned for their bravery in the face of superior numbers.

History

Formation to Star League era

Formed at the same time as the prestigious showpiece First St. Ives Lancers, the Second saw extensive action in the defense of the St. Ives Mercantile Association and along the Capellan Confederation's southern quarter, fending off pirates while also engaging in occasional rear-area raids against House Marik. [1]

Like all the Lancer units, for much of its history a large proportion of the Second's troops were either of minor noble lineage or well-connected with St. Ives's major business interests, facts that ensured the unit wanted for nothing with regards material and supplies. Those who assumed the Second's troops were weak-willed and spoiled brats that could barely fight quickly learned otherwise, with a Lorix Order-inspired devotion to chivalric duty, deep pride in their abilities and regular public training duels ensure the Second St. Ives Lancers kept their skills honed to a fine edge. The Second generally drew the youngest and brashest duelists among the Lancers, a fact that also ensured it was among the Armored Cavalry's primary offensive units. Using the nickname of The Ivory Stallions as of 2765, at that time the Second St. Ives Lancers were stationed on the St. Ives Commonality world of Knutdor. [2]

Early Succession Wars

Toward the end of the Third Succession War, the Lancers defended Verlo in 2970 against the Federated Suns's Syrtis Fusiliers and captured the Gordon's Highland Light mercenary unit during a recon raid on Pinard in 3002, adding twelve rare Panthers to the Lancers' 2nd Battalion.[1]

The Second were stationed on Kittery when the world was targeted for conquest by the Federated Suns in 3005. Unwilling to lose the Second against a larger Davion invasion force, the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces chose to pull back the line of "Elastic Defense" to Vestallas and Taga and ordered the Lancers to withdraw. Confronted with Armed Forces of the Federated Suns seeking to destroy the unit, the Lancer's withdrawal seemed doomed until the planet's militia stepped forward to delay the Davion forces and allow the Second to escape. [3]

In 3010 the Lancers defended the important agricultural world of St. Loris against two of the elite Ceti Hussars. While inflicting heavy damage on the Davion raiders and being decorated by Chancellor Maximilian Liao, the Lancers felt their defeat deeply. As of 3025, the Lancers three battalions were split up, defending St. Ives, Maladar and St. Loris respectively.[4]

Fourth Succession War to Clan Invasion

During the Fourth Succession War, the complete Second was stationed on St. Ives along side the First Lancers, surviving the conflict intact it defected to the newly formed St. Ives Compact. [5]

The Second was reconfigured after the Fourth Succession War into brigade size. As of 3054 the Second Lancers were stationed alongside the First Lancers on the Compact capital of St. Ives, but in the wake of the Clan Invasion were redeployed to the Compact world of Teng, remaining there as of 3054. [6] [7]

Operation Bulldog

The First Battalion of the Second Lancers was the Compact's contribution to Task Force Serpent, the reborn Star League's assault on the Clan Smoke Jaguar homeworld of Huntress, after it was deemed more important to keep their first choice, the 1st St. Ives Lancers and its commander Kai Allard-Liao, visible in the Inner Sphere.[8][9]

During the initial assault on Huntress, the Lancers were assigned to take a Clan Smoke Jaguar training base on the continent of Abysmal with the 4th Drakons, both units eliminating the scant resistance at the almost deserted base with minimal losses. [10]

In preparation for the Smoke Jaguar counter-assault, General Ariana Winston assigned the Second Lancers to the northern army tasked with protecting the Smoke Jaguar genetics repository and Mount Szabo, two sites sacred to the Jaguars, along side the Eridani Light Horse and 2nd Com Guard Division. Assigned to defend the SLDF headquarters and form a ready reserve, the Lancers came under attack by a Jaguar flanking action when Clan forces withdrawing from the Com Guards stumbled directly into their positions, triggering a collapse which allowed the enemy to regain control of the capital Lootera.[11] Along with the rest of the northern army, the Lancers was pressed back into the Jaguar's Fang mountains, being effectively annihilated after an Clan assault on raid on their base camp. Between the casualties was Major Marcus Poling, commanding officer of the Lancers, was executed after eject from his Mech. The lancers were reduced to a handful of infantry and their sole functioning BattleMech, a Victor, who was also destroyed in the last battle of Task Force Serpent, just before Victor Steiner-Davion led relief force arrived to carry the day. [12]

Xin Sheng Campaign

Back in the Inner Sphere as hostilities between the Confederation and Compact increased in 3061, the bulk of the Lancers formed the SIMC mobile reserve, broken into task forces to act as reinforcements as needed. As losses mounted, the Second took on the critical role of delivering supplies and equipment to fellow Compact units in hostile battles across the front. While the Compact ultimately fell, the Second Lancers were credited as the reason the defeated nation lasted as long as it did.[13]

Like many former Compact units, but. Now stationed on Teng, between receiving advanced graduation of cadets from the St. Ives Academy Training Group, survivors from the shattered St. Ives Cheveau Legers and shipment of equipment built on St. Ives, Indicass and Warlock, the Second Lancers have completed rebuilding from the losses suffered in Clan space and against the Confederation, even adding a much needed third regiment to its armored command. [14]

Jihad

The Second St. Ives Lancers participated in Operation THUNDERSTRIKE, the Capellan Confederation's response to the Capellan March invasion of their land. They landed on New Syrtis and fought the Vanguard Legion and the 3rd Ceti Hussars. They were on St. Ives when the Word of Blake struck, and sustained heavy losses. The Blakist's strike destroyed nearly eighty percent of the regiment.[15]

In 3085 they were stationed on St. Ives.[16]

Republic Era

In the Victoria War the Second St. Ives Lancers seized the Gurnet system, then faced the 8th Avalon Hussars on Spica. Joining with the 3rd McCarron's Armored Cavalry they pinned the AFFS unit in place and were almost successful in taking the world, but the arrival of the 4th Crucis Lancers and 17th Avalon Hussars forced the two Capellan units to withdraw.[17]

Dark Age

Assigned to take the Capellan March world of Atlas during the initial waves of Operation CELESTIAL REWARD, with the Second St. Ives Lancers featuring more assault 'Mechs than any other CCAF regiment, the Second Lancers easily out-massed the defending Second Syrtis Fusiliers LCT. Briefly engaged by the Fusiliers' lighter but far more maneuverable 'Mech forces, the Davion unit held the Lancers in place long enough for Second Fusiliers' company of Arrow IV-equipped Yellow Jacket VTOLs and Paladin artillery vehicles to inflict heavy damage and casualties on the Second Lancers, buying time to withdraw off-world. Remaining as the garrison of Atlas, with all the unit's casualties inflicted by the Davion artillery, the Second's CO actively looked towards better ways of combating it in future, requesting both additional air support and an artillery company for counter-battery fire. [18] [19]

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the 2nd St. Ives Lancers
Colonel Randolph Fletcher 3025[1]
Colonel Timothy Bairn 3050 - 3054[6][7]
Sang-shao Lucas Tolek 3063 - 3067[20][21]
Sang-shao Justin Chung 3085[16]
Sang-shao Aiyun Merivale 3145[22]

Tactics

The Second's component units operate equally well together or independently, a tactic which often fatally surprises a foe unaware of their true strength.[20]

Composition History

2765

Second St. Ives Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Knutdor.

2786

Second St. Ives Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[23]

- At this point in time the Lancers were a heavy-weight regiment operating at full strength and were stationed on Knutdor.[23]

2821

Second St. Ives Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[23]

- At this point in time the Lancers were a heavy-weight regiment operating at just below half-strength and were stationed on Knutdor.[23]

2830

2nd St Ives Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical) [24]

Note: At this point in time the medium-weight unit was stationed on Knutdor with an operational readiness of 94 percent. [24]

2864

2nd St Ives Lancers (Regiment/Elite/Fanatical) [24]

Note: At this point in time the heavy-weight unit was stationed on Safe Port with an operational readiness of 50 percent. [24]


3025

Second St. Ives Lancers (3 Battalions)[1]

  • CO: Colonel Randolph Fletcher
  • 1st Battalion: Major Andrew Ling
  • 2nd Battalion: Major Holly Firsten
  • 3rd Battalion: Major Timothy Bairn
Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on St. Ives and also on Maladar.[25]

3050

2nd St. Ives Lancers (Regiment/Regular/Reliable)[6]

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on St. Ives. [6]

3050-3054

Second St. Ives Lancers (Regular/Reliable)[7]

  • Colonel Timothy Bairn.

3063

Second St. Ives Lancers (1 Regiment/Elite/Questionable (Fanatical))[20]

  • CO: Sang-shao Lucas Tolek
  • 2nd Battalion: Sao-shao Julius Scavros
  • 3rd Battalion: Sao-shao

- At approximately seventy percent strength

Second Air Lancers (1 Wing/Elite/Questionable (Fanatical))[20]

Second Lancers Armored Command (2 Battalion's/Veteran/Questionable (Reliable))[20]

  • Eighteenth Armored Lancers - Armor Commander: Sao-shao Caton Lee
  • Seventy-sixth Armored Lancers - Armor Command: Zhong-shao Sascha Borczynski

Thirteenth Armored Grenadiers (2 Battalions/Veteran/Questionable (Reliable))[20]

  • Troop Commander: Kyoko McAffee

3067

Second St. Ives Lancers (Elite/Questionable)[21]

  • CO: Sang-shao Lucas Tolek

Second Air Lancers (Wing/Elite/Questionable)[21]

  • CO: Sao-shao Draven Poulson

Second Lancers Armor (Brigade/Veteran/Questionable)[21]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Caton Lee

Thirteenth Armored Grenadiers (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable)[21]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Kyoko MacAffee

3085

Second St Ives Lancers (Elite/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Sang-shao Justin Chung

Second Air Lancers (Wing/Elite/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Sao-shao Adam Hunwicks

Second Lancers Armor (Brigade/Veteran/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Susumu Kondo

Thirteenth Armored Grenadiers (Regiment/Veteran/Fanatical)[16]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Renata Greco

3145

Second St. Ives Lancers (Veteran/Reliable)[22]

  • CO: Sang-shao Aiyun Merivale

Second Air Lancers (Veteran/Reliable)[22]

  • CO: Kong-zhong-shao Laine MacPhee

Seventy-sixth Armored Lancers (Regular/Reliable)[22]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Noel Ziesenhenne

Thirteenth Armored Grenadiers (Veteran/Fanatical)[22]

  • CO: Zhong-shao Iustig Grant

Insignia

The insignia of the St. Ives Armored Cavalry is an orange sunburst set against an inverted blue double pyramid, with the Cavalry paint scheme a standard gray-tinted green, the Second Lancers highlighting this with jade. The insigina of the Second shows two rearing horses on a green field facing each other, wearing ivory crowns.

Notes

With re-integration of the Compact into the Confederation, the Cavalry proudly wear the St. Ives Commonality crest prominently displayed on their uniforms and machines.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 House Liao (Capellan Confederation), p. 88, "2nd St. Ives Lancers"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 14 "St. Ives Armored Cavalry"
  3. Technical Readout: 3039, p. 42 "Hunter Light Support Tank"
  4. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 105, "Deployment Table - 3025"
  5. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Vol 1, p. 102
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 20-Year Update, p. 29 "Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth (Deployment as of 3050) - St. Ives Compact"
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Objective Raids, p. 43, "St. Ives Military Forces - 3054"
  8. Twilight of the Clans, p. 9
  9. The Hunters, pp. 112-113
  10. Twilight of the Clans, p. 11
  11. Twilight of the Clans, p. 12,34
  12. Twilight of the Clans, p. 13
  13. Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 83
  14. Field Manual: Update, p. 29, "2nd St. Ives Lancers Unit"
  15. Field Report: CCAF, p. 18
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Field Manual: 3085, p. 34, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3085"
  17. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 60
  18. Field Manual: 3145, p. 37 "Capellan Confederation - St. Ives Armored Cavalry - Second St. Ives Lancers"
  19. Field Manual: 3145, p. 78 "Federated Suns - Capellan March Brigade - Second Syrtis Fusiliers"
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 Field Manual: Capellan Confederation, p. 105, "2nd St. Ives Lancers Unit Profile"
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 34, "CCAF Deployment Table - 3067"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Field Manual: 3145, p. 45 "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces - Sian Commonality - 2nd St. Ives Lancers"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 First Succession War, p. 136, "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF)"
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 ’’ Second Succession War’’, p. 96
  25. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p.105

Bibliography