Tancred Sandoval

Tancred Aaron Sandoval
Tancred Sandoval
Character Profile
Also known as Tancred Sandoval-Davion[1]
Born 3019[2]
Died 3098[2]
Affiliation House Sandoval
Title(s) Duke of Robinson
Prince's Champion
Profession Noble
Parents James Sandoval (father)
Spouse Yvonne Steiner-Davion
Children Harrison Davion

Duke Tancred Aaron Sandoval was the eldest child of James Sandoval. In addition to being the Duke of Robinson, he is notable for his departure from his family's traditional disdain for the Draconis Combine and all things Japanese, his staunch and public support of Victor Steiner-Davion during the FedCom Civil War, and his marriage to Prince Regent Yvonne Steiner-Davion.

History[edit]

Early Life[edit]

As befitting his birthright as the heir to Robinson and the Draconis March, Tancred prepared for a life in the military. Rather than attending the Robinson Battle Academy as was expected of him, Tancred convinced his father to allow him to go off to Sakhara Academy,[3] where he pursued his passion of fencing.

After graduation, he joined the Federated Commonwealth's Intelligence Secretariat, a job that generally kept him on New Avalon.[4] During the mid-3050s, Tancred became fed up with CMS cadets losing to their rivals at Albion Military Academy, so he started teaching a fencing class in order to become the fencing team's coach. In 3058, Tancred was a part of the Federated Commonwealth's delegation at the First Whitting Conference.[5] When Victor agreed to be Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht's deputy during Operation BULLDOG, he left Yvonne on New Avalon as his regent and Tancred as her adviser.[6]

Civil War[edit]

Tancred brought discord into the Sandoval family in 3062 when he challenged his father to truly accept peace with the Draconis Combine. The two men could not see eye-to-eye however, with Tancred believing that James' life revolved around his hatred of the Combine and James of the opinion that Tancred's association with Prince Victor had tainted him. Despite that, Tancred took to his Nightstar when unknown forces, apparently DCMS troops, attacked Robinson. Leading the defense alongside Cadet Arthur Steiner-Davion, the First Robinson Rangers and Battle Academy Cadre defeated the invaders. Unconvinced, Tancred refused to go with the invasion force as his father ordered, and instead built up a power base to help in the looming civil war.

He built up a task force around the Mayetta DMM (Draconis March Militia) and headed to Woodbine, where forces loyal to Katherine attacked after being manipulated into the assault by Tancred. Showing growing understanding of political maneuvering, Tancred was able to goad Katherine to attacking him, thereby winning him an ally in the ducal family of Woodbine and a victory over her forces. He then moved on to Tsamma, where his forces became bogged down for over a year. He returned home as the battle wound down to confront his father. A weary and disheartened James Sandoval resigned as Minister of the Draconis March so that Tancred could succeed him in 3065. His death the next year resulted in Tancred's ascension to the ducal title, as well.

Secure in his position, Tancred and Mordecai Rand-Davion led their task force closer to New Avalon, Galax, in the hopes of unseating Katherine. Tancred's troops were the first to make landfall in 3067, though Ardan Sortek and Victor Steiner-Davion were close behind. With the arrival of Victor, Tancred was overshadowed, though he and his forces did contribute to the eventual victory over Katherine.

Jihad[edit]

In late 3067, Tancred accompanied now-Regent Yvonne to Tharkad for the Fourth Whitting Conference, where the dissolution of the Star League occurred. The couple was able to get off the world before Word of Blake forces launched an orbital bombardment and ground invasion of the Lyran capital. After that, they dropped out of sight.[7] In January 3075 Yvonne Steiner-Davion and Tancred Sandoval returned to New Avalon, touring Avalon City and reestablishing the Federated Suns central authority on New Avalon in the wake of the Word of Blake occupation.[8][9] As Prince's Champion, he handled the military end of ruling the Federated Suns while his wife managed governmental functions.[10]

The Dark Age[edit]

During the rebuilding of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns Tancred was responsible for the restructuring of the Robinson Rangers, reorganizing the Robinson March Brigade and disbanding the Second Robinson Rangers, creating in their place the First and Second Robinson Strikers LCTs. Tancred also kept the First Rangers on McComb for two years with barely enough supplies to remain operational, chastening them for their recent actions; the Rangers returned to Robinson in 3082, humbled and loyal to Robinson but still possessed of a determined hatred for Tancred. In what was believed to be a peace offering, Tancred appointed his cousin, Jerome Sandoval, the commanding officer of the Robinson March Brigade.[11]

The Robinson March remained divided, however; Jerome and another cousin of Tancred's, Mordecai Sandoval, retained the support of traditionalist hardline families within the March, and those families continued to retain a degree of influence. One example of the power wielded by those families was the rebuilding of the Robinson Draconis March Militia, something that Tancred had hoped to delay due to the negative history associated with the unit, but which Jerome and Mordecai forced through by presenting Tancred with both the funds and volunteers needed to rebuild the Militia - both having come from the hardline families.[12]

Speculation and rumors that Tancred was responsible for the assassination of Duke George Hasek continued during the Dark Age.[13] Victoria Parrdeau, Precentor ROM of ComStar, was one of those who apparently believed this.[14]

Deposition and Death[edit]

In the years after the Jihad, Tancred's cousin Jerome Sandoval took advantage of Tancred's frequent absences from the Draconis March to build a power base on Robinson. Tancred was ultimately deposed following the 3093 "Death Mist" crisis on Benet III and the subsequent fighting between branches of the family. Jerome ultimately won, becoming Draconis March Lord and Duke of Robinson.[15] Tancred survived the conflict, but died of natural causes in 3098.[16]

Marriage and Children[edit]

Tancred and Yvonne Steiner-Davion married while in hiding on Markesan during the Jihad[16] and had one child, Harrison Davion.[17]

Notes[edit]

He was noted for using a Nightstar and later a Templar during the FedCom Civil War.[18]

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Field Manual: 3085, p. 71
  2. 2.0 2.1 BattleTech: Legends, p. 112.
  3. Patriots and Tyrants, p. 85.
  4. Patriots and Tyrants, p. 85
  5. Stackpole, Grave Covenant, p. 46
  6. Grave Covenant, p. 174
  7. Dawn of the Jihad
  8. Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 14, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  9. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"
  10. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers p. 34-35
  11. Field Manual: 3085, p. 62, "Robinson March Brigade"
  12. Field Manual: 3085, p. 66, "Robinson Draconis March Militia LCT"
  13. Field Manual: 3085, p. 53, "Camelot Summit"
  14. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 114 - "...Tancred's dirty little secret is safe for now, unless Angela somehow finds out the truth..."
  15. Field Manual: 3085, p. 231, "Major Highlights of the Post-Jihad Period (3085-3100)"
  16. 16.0 16.1 BattleTech: Legends, p. 112, "Tancred Sandoval"
  17. Historical: Wars of the Republic Era, p. 45, "Harrison Davion"
  18. Patriots and Tyrants - Fighting rogue Kurita raiders on grinder of Battle Academy on Robinson in his NightStar.

Bibliography[edit]