Preston's Lancers

Preston's Lancers
Disbanded 3028
Affiliation Capellan Confederation
Parent Command Capellan Confederation Armed Forces

History[edit]

Third Succession War[edit]

A line regiment in the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces,[1] at the end of the Third Succession War Preston's Lancers were operating at battalion-level on three different worlds within the Confederation: Ambergrist, Cavalor and Tsinghai.[2]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

Following the speech given by First Prince Hanse Davion on the 16th of November 3029, the official day of thanks in the Federated Suns, contained a number of revelations including the creation of the St. Ives Compact and was taken by many as an open sign that the Fourth Succession War was close to ending.[3] The Armed Forces of the Federated Suns launched the Seventh Wave of Operation RAT shortly after, in a determined effort to secure as many systems as possible for an armistice was declared.[4]

Tsinghai was one of the targets of the Seventh Wave; in contrast with other, easily-annexed worlds, Tsinghai had a front-line garrison, consisting of a battalion from the Fifth Confederation Reserve Cavalry and the First Battalion of Preston's Lancers. Without much time to plan, the Capellan Operations Command of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns attempted to use numbers to compensate for a lack of information and planning time, and deployed two regiments of the Twelfth Vegan Rangers - Gamma and Delta Regiments, respectively - and the complete Twentieth Avalon Hussars Regimental Combat Team. The task force landed on Tsinghai on the 8th of December, with the Vegan Rangers targeting the Fifth CRC while the Twentieth Hussars engaged Preston's Lancers. The Rangers were able to bracket the Fifth CRC troops in a long valley, using numbers to their advantage and outflanking the Cavalry; the Cavalry had luck on their side, and were able to fight through to their DropShips and abandon Tsinghai after losing only half their strength.[5]

Preston's Lancers were able to avoid being encircled by the Hussars, breaking through the Hussars' line, but were soon being attacked by the Hussars' aerospace fighters and a regiment of hovertanks. The Lancers retreated into the Hornatio Valley, a twisting river valley, with the Hussars in close pursuit. The Lancers launched several ambushes against the more numerous Hussar forces, until the Hussars dispatched a 'Mech battalion and an armored regiment around to the river delta and used their other forces to drive the Lancers towards them. The Hussars' trap was successful, and after two days of combat in the river delta a single company of Lancers managed to escape, leaving the planet under Federated Suns control.[5]

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Preston's Lancers

Tactics[edit]

Unknown.

Composition History[edit]

3025[edit]

Preston's Lancers (Regiment/Veteran/Reliable)[2]

- At this point in time the Lancers were assigned to Ambergrist, Cavalor and Tsinghai.[2]

Notes[edit]

While the fate of Preston's Lancers hasn't been recorded completely in canon, the BattleTech developer Øystein Tvedten clarified the official position on Preston's Lancers on the Catalyst Game Labs BattleTech forum:

Preston's Lancers died during the 4th Succession War. While they are missing from the Capellan TO&E in 4th Succession War Atlas volume I, page 59 of 4th Succession War Atlas volume II lists the battle of one of the battalions. It must be assumed that the other two faced the same fate since they are not listed in 20 Year Update.

With regards,
Øystein
Strategic Assistant

  — Øystein Tvedten, BattleTech Developer, 23 July 2012

References[edit]

  1. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 68, "Line Regiments"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 106, "Line Regiments"
  3. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 58, "Thanksgiving"
  4. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 59, "Seventh Wave"
  5. 5.0 5.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 59, "Tsinghai"

Bibliography[edit]