Canopian Cuirassiers

Canopian Cuirassiers.png
Canopian Cuirassiers
Formed 2530-2577
Disbanded 2584
Affiliation Magistracy of Canopus
Parent Command Magistracy Armed Forces


History[edit]

The Canopian Cuirassiers regiment was a unit within the Magistracy Armed Forces that fought during the Reunification War. Stationed on Canopus IV when the Star League Defense Force invaded the Magistracy of Canopus in 2577, the Cuirassiers fought no significant engagements until the SLDF Task Force Canopus attacked Canopus IV in 2584.[1][2]

Task Force Canopus landed a significant number of regiments on Canopus IV in their bid to capture the capital of the Magistracy and Magestrix Crystalla Centrella; in addition to three brigades drawn from VII Corps - the Fifty-eighth, Sixtieth and Sixty-third Royal Brigades - three independent SLDF regiments were deployed, the Thirty-fifth Royal CAAN Marine Regiment and the 402nd and 403rd Independent Regiments. The First Marik Auxiliary Corps also deployed the First and Third Marik Militias, the Third Orloff Grenadiers, the First Defenders of Andurien and the Fourth Brigade of the Fusiliers of Oriente.[3]

The defending forces were outnumbered by a little more than three to one; fighting alongside the Canopian Cuirassiers were the First and Second Canopian Fusiliers, the First Canopian Grenadiers and the mercenary unit known as The Red Hand. Despite the SLDF numerical advantage the MAF units held a number of advantages; they knew terrain well, and the invaders were determined to fight for control of the world in accordance with the tenets of the Ares Conventions, despite First Lord Ian Cameron having suspended the conventions at the start of the war.[4]

Other than the SLDF attack that secured the Majesty Metals and Manufacturing BattleMech factory on the 12th and 13th of April the battle for Canopus IV was largely fought away from the civilian population and out of urban areas. The Cuirassiers and the other MAF units launched attacks against the more numerous SLDF forces but were pushed back into Delphi, the de facto capital of the world at the time; both the civilian population and the surviving MAF commands attempted to fight a siege defense to buy time. The SLDF major attack on Delphi came on the 1st of May, and the MAF turned the battle into a meat grinder, both inflicting horrendous losses on the invaders and taking horrendous losses in turn. This might have continued for weeks if not for a surprise attack by the Thirty-fifth Royal CAAN Marine Regiment, an attack that saw the CAAN forces deploy via the undefended beach regions of Delphi and strike at the rear of the MAF line. The defending forces including the Cuirassiers collapsed and by midday on the 3rd all of the defenders had surrendered, including the Magestrix, but the MAF commander, Colonel Adam Buquoy, managed to escape off world and continue to resist the invasion of the Magistracy for several more years.[4]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Canopian Cuirassiers

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Notes[edit]

The Canopian Cuirassiers of the Reunification War era are very likely to be related to the First and Second Canopian Cuirassiers of the thirty-first century, which formed a part of the Magistracy Royal Guard. However, the Canopian Cuirassiers were in existence in 2577, whilst the history of the First and Second Canopian Cuirassiers indicates that the two commands were formed during the Reunification War from the remains of destroyed MAF units. All three units use a common unit logo, and a question has been asked on the official Ask The Writers forum to try and resolve this issue but no answer has been given to date.[4]

References[edit]

  1. Historical: Reunification War, p. 150: "Magistracy of Canopus Front (Jump-Off - 2582)"
  2. Historical: Reunification War, p. 151: "Magistracy of Canopus Front (2583 - 2588)"
  3. Historical: Reunification War, p. 149: "Magistracy of Canopus Front (2583 - 2588)"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Historical: Reunification War, pp. 103–105: "Canopus (March-April 2584)"

Bibliography[edit]