Editing 21st Centauri Lancers

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image = [[Image:21st Centauri Lancers logo.png|150px|Insignia of the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers]]
| Designation = Twenty-first Centauri Lancers
| Formed = ca. 2875
| Disbanded = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname = 
| Affiliation = [[Mercenary]]
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command = [[Killer Bees]]
}}
The '''Twenty-first Centauri Lancers''' are one of the foremost [[mercenary unit]]s 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]],<ref name="Errata">Developer Level Errata, Catalyst Game Labs Forum, 26 0243Z Jan 2015</ref> thereby stopping a string of Marik victories.<ref name="HM(TFWL)p28">''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', pp. 28–29: "The Collapse of Terra"</ref>  Around the year [[2875]] the unit mutinied against their regimental commander over wages nine months overdue.  They seized several [[DropShip]]s and a [[JumpShip]] from their regimental battle group as payment and fled Capellan space.<ref name="HM(TFWL)p28"/>  In the years since becoming mercenaries, the Twenty-first have worked for all [[Successor State]]s 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.<ref name=FMM51>''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', pp. 50–51</ref>

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.<ref name=CMM27>''Combat Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 27</ref>

===Anton Marik's Revolt===
During [[Marik Civil War (31st c.)|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.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 27</ref> The Twenty-first was also involved in combat on [[Rasalas]], [[Drusibacken]],<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 36</ref> [[Asellus Borealis]], [[Asellus Australis]], [[Lungdo]], [[Sorunda]], and [[Gomeisa]].<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 39</ref>

The Lancers remained employed by the League in [[3025]] and were stationed on Nestor,<ref name="HM(TFWL)p28"/> a position they would hold in [[3050]] from which to defend against and launch counter-raids into the [[Lyran]] half of the [[Federated Commonwealth]].<ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 57</ref><ref name=CMM27>''Combat Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 27</ref>

===House Davion Contract===
The [[Black Widow Company]] engaged elements of the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers during the [[Twelfth Battle of Marduk]].<ref>''Tales of the Black Widow Company'', pp. 26–27</ref>

===Service with Marik===
Towards the end of the year [[3057]], [[Thomas Marik]] sent them to participate in [[Operation GUERRERO]]. First they helped pacify the former League world of [[Wasat]], and later, as they were only a jump away, sent them to assist the Capellan forces. To be fighting again alongside the Capellans worried a lot some Lancers... and their worries were proven right: sent to attack [[New Canton]], alongside [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]], against the ''Kestrel Grenadiers'', their descent was contested by the Grenadiers' both aerospace wings, and the joint commander, [[Colonel]] [[Marcus Baxter]] barely sent them help, which allowed the enemy to heavily damage the Lancers' DropShips, as their own aerospace wings were in another mission, far away.<ref>''All Good Things'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #4, p. 146</ref>

That same McCarron's attitude became a constant: during a ''joint'' assault of New Canton's capital city of He Min, the Lancers were suffering a pounding by the FedCom artillery, while the McCarron's were advancing very slowly, far away. When the weakened Lancers were forced to abandon the attack and retreat, Baxter blamed the Lancer's commander, Evelena Haskell, of the attack's failure. And the next day, the same history repeated: the Lancers were sent to attack frontally the Grenadiers' lines inside the city, while McCarron's Cavalry advanced towards the city's spaceport, very slowly.

Tired of all that mistreating, Evelena accused Baxter of being deliberately using the Lancers as cannon fodder, to punish them for their defection of the Confederation's army. He denied it, but to no avail: Haskell contacted the FedCom commander and informed than she will retreat.<ref>''All Good Things'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #4, p. 158</ref> After terminating their contract, and finishing their forty years of service with Marik, the Lancers left the planet and traveled to Outreach, where the 30 November they received an offer of ComStar to garrison terra, with they gladly accepted.<ref>''All Good Things'' in ''Shrapnel'', issue #4, p. 160</ref>

===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.<ref name=FMM51/>

On 5 December [[3057]], the Lancers returned to [[Nestor]] to retrieve their dependents before leaving for Terra; before landing, they were contacted by the Word of Blake's Precentor [[Suzanne Mulvanery]], who informed them that her division 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. The Lancers commander, Evelena Haskell, had to comply, and they stayed for twenty days on the planet, isolated and incommunicado. On the 25, after celebrating Christmas, Mulvanery contacted them and informed them that they could go to their base on [[Gibson]] to recover their families. Once there, they learned what the fake Lancers had done, and departed... but only briefly. On 24 April, the bulk of the mercenaries, after placing their families in a safe place, landed on Gibson again, crushing all the Blakist defenders, razing their base, and taking all the salvage they could before departing.<ref>''This Too Shall Pass'', pp. 341–342</ref>

The Lancers later returned to [[Outreach]], where the [[MRBC]] studied the evidence declared them innocent, removing their black mark.<ref>''This Too Shall Pass'', pp. 343–344</ref>

Later, ComStar honored their contract, posting them at their new headquarters on [[Tukayyid]]. They helped train [[Com Guards|Com Guard]] and [[SLDF]] forces here as an opposing force.<ref name=FMMR56>''Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised'', p. 56</ref>

===Jihad===
The Lancers suffered terribly at the hands of the Blakists. Word [[WarShip]]s 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 Com Guard 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]].<ref>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'', p. 41</ref>

Sometime prior to [[3076]], the Twenty-first had rebuilt themselves into a combined-arms reinforced battalion and came into the employ of [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]].  They were stationed on [[Hachiman (system)|Hachiman]] in the [[Draconis Combine]] to protect the [[Tanadi Computers]] complex from Blakists.<ref name=JCIP2p29>''Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2'', p. 29</ref>

===Dark Age===
Around [[3085]], the Lancers landed on [[Robinson]] in the Federated Suns. At that time the unit was at five lances of 'Mechs. Col. LeMonds disembarked his [[Grasshopper]] and brokered a deal to serve the Duke of [[Robinson]] with some of the contract items included being medical aid and food supplies for the unit. The unit was assigned to train with the decimated (but also rebuilding) [[AFFS]] to become familiar with Davion doctrine. At the conclusion of the training the Twenty-First was given the border worlds between [[Raman]] and [[Benet III]] as their operational area.<ref>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 157</ref>The Lancers were still active as of the [[Dark Age]], and as of [[3130]] were in the employ of the Lyran Commonwealth.<ref>''Era Report: 3145'', p. 79</ref>

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|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 Protectorate|Oriente]]-[[Republic of the Sphere|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.<ref name=TRO:Ip24>''Technical Readout: Irregulars'', p. 24: "''Opossum'' SalvageMech MOD"</ref>

The unit fought on [[Sorunda]] as well.<ref name=TRO:Ip24/> Soon afterwards, the Lancers were hired by the planet [[Towne]] for protection of the planet itself and its working [[HPG]]s. A detachment of [[Jasek Kelswa-Steiner]]'s [[Stormhammers]]' [[Lyran Rangers]] [[Battle of Towne (3133)|raided the planet]] in [[3133]], trying to hijack the HPG. 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.<ref name="ED:DAp7">''Era Digest: Dark Age'', p. 7: "Important Military Actions of 3133"</ref>

===ilClan===
In [[3151]], the Lancers left the Lyran Commonwealth in favor of accepting a contract with the newly created [[Tamar Pact]]. They provided a powerful force that steamrolled the Falcon opposition on [[Pandora]], saving the Second and Third Tamar Jaegers from destruction, and were noted as working well with the First Tamar Jaegars as well as becoming stronger thanks to the access to the multiple factories producing Clantech in the Pact and [[Alyina Mercantile League]].  They were less pleased with some of the other mercenary units employed by the Pact, however, and disputes with the [[Burnt Offering]] and [[Bleeding Eagles]] units led to the Lancers requesting to not be deployed with them outside of emergencies. The Lancers used the opportunity to having access to Clan technology to heavily upgrade with it its combat vehicles, rather than their 'Mechs, expecting than that will surprise any Clan enemies, as they usually underestimate vehicles.<ref>''Tamar Rising'', p. 83</ref>
The different situation in the Pact allowed them to make reality the project to reactivate their subcommand [[Killer Bees]]. They did so, creating a much more versatile unit, and using them in [[3152]] to make a point with both the Bleeding Eagles and Burnt Offering.<ref> ''Unit Digest: Killer Bees'', p. 200-202 </ref>

==Officers==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Rank
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="220" style="background: #dedede;" | Command
|-
| colspan="4" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Commanding Officers of the Twenty-first Centauri Lancers'''
|-
| [[Colonel]]||[[Thaddeus Kusaka]]||[[3025]]<ref name="HM(TFWL)p109"/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Evelena Haskell]]||[[3050]] - [[3067]]<ref name=20YU57/><ref name=AGT>''All Good Things''</ref>
|-
| Colonel||[[James LeMonds]]||[[3071]]<ref name=JCIP2p29/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Richard Haskell]]||[[3132]]<ref name=TRO:Ip24/>
|-
|}

===Other Officers===
From [[3058]] to [[3067]] the unit's XO was [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Ryan Searcy]].<ref name=FMM51/>

==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.<ref name=FMM51/><ref name=FMMR56/>  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 during a given contract; that employers typically agree to this points to the level of trust the Lancers have built up over the years.<ref name=FMM51/>

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 (Combat Vehicle)|Gabriel]].<ref name=CMM27/>  After working closely with [[ComStar]], in 3058 the Lancers Command employed [[C3]] computers to connect each 'Mech lance with a recon platoon.<ref name=FMM51/>  These were upgraded to [[C3i]] computers by 3067.<ref name=FMMR56/>

The Centauri Lancers were known to employ an unusual number of ''[[Grasshopper]]s'', 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.<ref name=CMM27/><ref name=FMM51/><ref name=FMMR56/>

==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 [[DropShip]]s to transport the entire command, including dependents, and owned two ''[[Star Lord (JumpShip class)|Star Lord]]'' [[JumpShip]]s, 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.<ref name=FMM51/><ref name=FMMR56/>

==Composition History==
===3025===
Twenty-first Centauri Lancers (Elite/Reliable) - FWLM<ref name="HM(TFWL)p109">''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 109</ref>
:* CO: Colonel [[Thaddeus Kusaka]]<ref name="HM(TFWL)p109"/>

=== 3028 ===
'''Twenty-first Centauri Lancers''' (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=HBSp87/>
:Note: At this point in time the command was stationed on [[Nestor]].<ref name=HBSp87>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 87</ref>

===3050===
'''Lancers Command''' (1 heavy 'Mech company/Elite/including Star League variants)<ref name=CMM27/>
* '''Seventeenth Armored Recon Company''' (1 vehicle company, Elite, including lance of [[Gabriel (Combat Vehicle)|Gabriel]] tanks)

'''Twenty-first Centauri Lancers ''' (Regiment/Elite/Reliable)<ref name=20YU57>''20 Year Update'', p. 57: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"</ref>
:* CO: Colonel [[Evelena Haskell]]<ref name=20YU57/>
: Note: At this point in time the heavy 'Mech unit was stationed on [[Nestor]].<ref name=20YU57/>

'''Twenty-first Centauri Air Lancers''' (1 heavy aerospace regiment/Elite)<ref name=CMM27/>

'''Twenty-first Centauri Armored Lancers''' (5 companies)<ref name=CMM27/>
:* '''Third Armored Command''' (Elite)
:* '''Second Assault''' (Veteran, heavy/assault tanks)
::* CO: [[Steve Hoyer]]
:* '''Twenty-third Recon''' (Veteran, hover tanks)
:* '''Fifth Fire Support''' (Veteran, [[AC]]s/[[PPC]]s)
:* '''Eleventh Fire Support''' (Veteran, [[LRM]]s)

'''Twenty-first Centauri Security Lancers''' (1 reinforced infantry battalion/Elite)<ref name=CMM27/>
:* '''Fourth Company''' (2 platoons [[Jump Infantry]] scouts, 1 platoon [[Long Tom]]s)

===3059===
'''Lancers Command''' (1 company/Elite/Reliable)
: CO: Col. Evelena Haskell
: XO: Lt. Col. Ryan "Blade" Searcy
:* Seventeenth Armored Recon Company permanently attached

'''Twenty-first Centauri Lancers''' (1 Regiment/Elite/Reliable)
:* First Battalion: Major [[James LeMonds]]
:* Second Battalion: Major [[Katherine Li-Smith]]
:* Third Battalion: Major [[Ty Van Trahn]]

'''Twenty-first Centauri Air Lancers''' (1 Wing/Elite/Reliable)
: CO: Major [[Joshua Ling (21st Centauri)|Joshua Ling]]
:* 3 squadrons and 1 command lance

'''Twenty-first Centauri Armored Lancers''' (6 Companies/Veteran/Reliable)
: CO: Major [[Wu Ti Seng]]
:* Third Armor Command
:* Seventeenth Recon (permanently attached to Lancers Command)
:* Twenty-third Recon
:* Fifth Fire Support
:* Eleventh Fire Support
:* Second Assault

'''Twenty-first Centauri Security Lancers''' (1 Reinforced Battalion/Veteran/Reliable)
: CO: Major [[Bradley Hunter]]
:* Fourth Company (2 platoons scouts/1 platoon Long Toms and [[Arrow IV]]s)

: Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on [[Tukayyid]].<ref name=FMMercsp110>''Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 110</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Camomercs21stcentaurilancers.png|A ''[[Stalker]]'' in Twenty-first Centauri Lancers colors.
Image:21st Centauri Lancers Uniform.jpg|Twenty-first Centauri Security Lancers troops
</gallery> ‎

== 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 [http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=3660.msg1173832#msg1173832 official errata forum]:

{{quote|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 Third Centauri Guards, destroy the Fourth Marik Militia on Anegasaki.|Adrian Gideon, BattleTech Developer, 0243 26 Jan 2016}}

* The Twenty-first Centauri Lancers were among the five mercenary units presented in the original [[BattleTech]] boardgame (the others being the [[Eridani Light Horse]], [[Wolf's Dragoons]], [[Hansen's Roughriders]] and [[Lindon's Company]]), and as such have been part of the BattleTech universe from the very beginning.
* Although "Twenty-first" indicates an English pronunciation, the unit name is spelled "Twenty-first Centauri Lanc'''i'''ers" in German material.
* The Third Battalion is commanded by Ty Van Trahn in 3059, who goes over to the [[Eridani Light Horse]] a year later, according to ''[[Field Manual: ComStar]]''. Nonetheless, he is still listed as the Third Battalion commander in 3067 in ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''.

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[All Good Things]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Era Report: 3145]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]''
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[House Marik (The Free Worlds League)]]''
* ''[[Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''
* ''[[Objective Raids]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: Irregulars]]''
* ''[[This Too Shall Pass]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Unit Digest: Killer Bees]] in [[Shrapnel#12]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Mercenary Commands|Centauri Lancers, 21st]]