Editing Gordon's Armored Cavalry

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

{{infoBoxMilitaryCommand
| image          = [[File:Gordon's Armored Cavalry.jpg|150px]]
| Designation    = Gordon's Armored Cavalry
| formed         = 
| Disbanded      = 
| Previous Designation = 
| Nickname       = 
| Affiliation    = Mercenary
| Parent Command = Independent
| Sub-Command    = 
}}

==History==
=== Formation ===
In the early years of the 3020's [[House Liao]] found themselves in an untenable military position. Surrounded by enemies, they attempted to bolster their front-line forces by exercising a little known or regarded clause in many of their [[mercenary]] contracts that allowed them to strip away all rights to battlefield salvage. All affected mercenary commands grumbled about it, though larger units were able to tolerate the shortfall due to the higher base pay they commanded. It was hardest felt in many of the smaller mercenary companies who lived and died by what they could salvage from the fields of battle.<ref name=MCSII-37/>

When all attempts at compromise between these smaller concerns and the [[Capellan Confederation]] failed, many of these smaller units banded together under the leadership of [[Captain]] [[Nicholas Gordon]] to form a new, larger mercenary company. So was Gordon's Armored Cavalry born from conflict with [[House Liao]].<ref name=MCSII-37/>

=== The Succession Wars ===
The first and pivotal action of the nascent Armored Cavalry was to up planet and defect en masse to the [[Taurian Concordat]] where the new mercenary concern found immediate employment. At first stationed on the border facing House Liao, their former employer, the Cavalry was soon moved away from the temptation to get their pound of flesh from the Confederation and was assigned garrison duties on worlds bordering the [[Federated Suns]] and known pirate holdings in the [[Periphery]]. Though disappointed by the lack of action against the Capellan Confederation the Cavalry followed orders and remained loyal throughout the following years.<ref name=MCSII-37>''Mercenaries Supplemental II'', p.37</ref>

=== The Trinity Alliance ===
This changed with the forming of the [[Trinity Alliance]], with Captain Gordon an outspoken critic of the Alliance, especially regarding the [[3060]] deployment of Concordat forces into the [[St. Ives Compact]], going so far as to threaten to go rogue if his unit was ordered to aid the Capellan Confederation in any way. As their contract was up for renewal at the time, Gordon refused to even come to the table unless it was explicitly stated that under no circumstances were the Cavalry to be sent to fight for the Capellan Confederation. Though extremely unhappy with these stipulations [[Protector of the Realm|Protector]] [[Grover Shraplen|Shraplen]] needed the veteran unit and the contract was signed. The Cavalry was assigned offensive duties against the breakaway [[Calderon Protectorate]] and were directed to probe the renegade state for any signs of weakness. <ref name=MCSII-37/> It was during this period that the Cavalry fought on [[Gaul]], supporting the Taurian [[V Corps (Taurian Concordat)|V Corps]] against forces from the [[Second Taurian Pride]] and the supporting [[Lennox's Light Horse]] mercenary [[company]].<ref name="TGR">''The Gulf of Reason''</ref>

Though they did as they were instructed during 3060s, the Cavalry was not happy with their assignment. By [[3068]] there was talk in the unit of not renewing their agreement with the Concordat. In response to this a 'Special Liaison' from the Concordat's [[Word of Blake]] allies arrived to "reason" with the command staff of the mercenary unit. The message to [[Colonel]] Gordon was clear. Behave or face the consequences. With active fighting between the Concordat and the Calderon Protectorate, the Cavalry found themselves at the very bottom of resupply priority, with Taurian Quartermasters routinely ignoring requests of resupply from the mercenary company even though they proved themselves, having repulsed many of the Protectorates raiders. They were assigned to garrison duty with their repeated requests for offensive assignments falling on deaf ears.<ref name=MCSII-37/>

=== The Jihad ===
The Cavalry's Blakist keepers began feeding information to the unit regarding intelligence of large supply depots on the Federated Suns world of [[Lothair]] that was reportedly guarded by a vanguard legion of troops battered by the [[FedCom Civil War]]. Though worried about Taurian reprisal, the supply situation continued to worsen and Colonel Gordon, after consulting with his senior officers, planned for a raid of the Lothair stockpiles in mid [[3070]].<ref name=MSCU-56>''Mercenaries Supplemental Update'',p.56</ref>

The raid was a success. The Legion that was supposed to be on planet had rotated out to face the Capellan offensive on [[New Syrtis]] leaving a very capable but outnumbered militia to defend the world. Though the fighting was fierce, causing losses to both the defenders and the Cavalry, the militia finally withdrew, making the raid a successful planetary assault. When he heard an infuriated Protector Shraplen ordered the mercenaries to abandon their conquest, stating that the Concordat did not have the resources to garrison the captured world. The Cavalry complied with their orders to return to [[Amber Grove]], though not without some grumbling and ill feelings for the loss of their conquest.<ref name=MSCU-56 />

Again facing a shortfall of supplies the Cavalry launched another unsanctioned raid into Federated Suns space in [[3071]].  Drawing on the same intelligence sources used before the mercenaries raided the undefended [[Brusett]] system. Again the raid was successful and again they were ordered to relinquish their conquest, this time under threat of immediate contract termination. Though Colonel Gordon and the Cavalry immediately complied to the orders their recent history of rogue actions caused some to question their reliability in defense of the Taurian nation and its peoples.<ref name=MSCU-56 />

According to the FedSuns recon reports, the Cavalry found a hidden [[Star League]] cache dating back to the [[Reunification War]] on Brusett and plundered it to outfit and upgrade as many of their machines as possible. This report explains the recent surge of new and refurbished equipment Colonel Gordon has been able to field, despite a poor relationship with the [[Taurian Defense Force]] quartermasters. Only the desperate need for veteran units, with two fronts now at war, has prevented the Concordant from immediately labeling the unit as rogue. The Cavalry has, since the last raid into FedSuns space, remained as ordered on Amber Grove, though their [[JumpShip]]s have been commandeered to prevent any more unsanctioned actions on their part.<ref name=MSCU-56 />

In February [[3075]] the Cavalry were garrisoning the recently-conquered world of [[Hyalite]] when the Federated Suns launched a counteroffensive against the worlds captured by the Concordat. When the mercenary unit [[Hansen's Roughriders]] attacked Hyalite they bombarded the Cavalry with fuel-air bombs, shattering the Cavalry and easily recapturing the world.<ref name="JHS:Tp14">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 14, "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp53">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"</ref>

=== The Dark Age ===
It was reported that as a result of the combat seen during the extended war with the Federated Suns and then in [[Operation MATADOR]] Gordon's Armored Cavalry had been reduced to less than a quarter of their established strength by mid-[[3081]].<ref name="J:FRp115">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 115, "Taurian Concordat"</ref>

Gordon's Armored Cavalry returned to Taurian service in [[3125]]; considered an elite unit at the time, hiring the Armored Cavalry was a coup, given that the Taurians desperately needed troops after the loss of the [[1st MacLeod's Regiment]] in one of the many costly military actions launched by [[Protector of the Realm|Protector]] [[James Urratia]] against the [[Great House]]s during the [[Dark Age]].<ref name="FM:3145p188">''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 188, "Taurian Concordat"</ref>

The unit didn't simply return to Taurian employ, however; in [[3126]], the Taurian government bought the Armored Cavalry out wholesale, replacing roughly one in four officers and shaking up the Cavalry's command staff. Those officers replaced by the Taurian Defense Force were replaced with Taurian nationals, and the Cavalry was integrated into [[III Corps (Taurian Concordat)|III Corps]], serving alongside the [[Pleiades Hussars]] and [[1st Taurian Lancers|First Taurian Lancers]].<ref name="FM:3145p195">''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 195, "Taurian Concordat"</ref>

The Cavalry's reputation changed dramatically during the Dark Age; having come to be regarded as a rogue mercenary unit working for the Concordat, after the Concordat takeover the Cavalry became one of the most successful commands in the Taurian Defense Force and the single most popular posting request for those within the TDF seeking transfers.<ref name="FM:3145p195"/>

In the mid-3140s the Cavalry were stationed on [[Midale]], operating alongside the First Taurian Lancers; having assisted the Lancers in harassing Federated Suns units in the past, in [[3145]] the Cavalry found themselves in the unusual position of supporting [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] units and depots stationed within the rapidly-shrinking Victoria Salient region of the [[Capellan March]].<ref name="FM:3145p195"/>

=== ilClan Era ===
The Cavalry played a minor part in the [[Pleiades War]]. After the unprovoked invasion of the Capellan March Duke [[Alexander Hasek]] was defeated, they were one of the units made reprisal raids into Federated Suns space. Then they were stationed on [[Midale]] and attacked Suns worlds nearby.<ref>''Dominions divided'' pp. 51</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 Gordon's Armored Cavalry'''
|-
| [[Colonel]]||[[Nicholas Gordon]]||[[3025]] - [[3085]]<ref name=PryBk1stEdp81/><ref name=MSCU-56/><ref name=FM:3085p161/>
|-
| Colonel||[[Helge Gordon]]||[[3145]]<ref name=FM:3145p201>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 201, "III Corps"</ref>
|-
|}

==Tactics==
As a historically lighter unit the Cavalry prefers quick, mobile battles.  They uses their integral air assets for ground support and to divide the fire of the enemy.<ref name=MSCU-56 />

==Dragoon Ratings==
===3067===
'''Dragoon Rating: D''' <ref name=MSCU-56 />

==Composition History==
===3025===
'''Gordon's Armored Cavalry'''<ref name=PryBk1stEdp81 >''Periphery 1st Edition'', p.81 </ref>
*CO: Colonel Nicholas Gordon

'''Quinn's Lancers''' (Veteran/Reliable)  
*CO: [[Subaltern]] [[Mariette Quinn]]

'''Cristoph's Chasseurs''' (Veteran/Reliable)  
*CO: Subaltern [[Charles Cristoph]]

'''Browne's Banshees''' (Elite/Fanatical) New Vandenberg
*CO: Subaltern [[Garett Browne]]

===3059===
'''Gordon’s Armored Cavalry ''' (Regiment/Veteran/Questionable) <ref name= FMMercsp112/>
:* CO: Colonel Nicholas Gordon  <ref name = FMMercsp112 >'' Field Manual: Mercenaries'', p. 112</ref>

===3067=== 
'''Gordon’s Armored Cavalry''' (1 [[Regiment]]/Veteran/Questionable)<ref name=MSCU-56/>
* CO: Colonel [[Nicholas Gordon]]
:* XO: [[Major]] Serina Gordon

'''Gordon's Air Cav''' (1 [[Wing]]/Green/Reliable)<ref name=MSCU-56/>
* CO: Major Dominick Gordon
:* XO: [[Captain]] Larry Gordon

'''Gordon's Groundhogs''' (1 [[Company]]/Veteran/Questionable)<ref name=MSCU-56/>
* CO: Captain Grant Gordon
:* XO: [[Lieutenant]] Miguel Ramirez
- The unit possesses 2 hover tank lances and 1 attack [[VTOL]]s.<br />

'''Gordon's PBI''' (1 [[Battalion]]/Regular/Reliable)
* CO: Major Samantha Gordon
:* XO: Captain Margaret Bethany
- The infantry mobile, either motorized or jump-pack equipped. They are armed with either support machine guns or portable flamers.

===3085===
'''Gordon's Armored Cavalry''' (Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=FM:3085p161>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 161, "Major Periphery States - Taurian Concordat"</ref>
* CO: Colonel Nicholas Gordon

===3145===
'''Gordon's Armored Cavalry''' (Elite/Fanatical)<ref name=FM:3145p201/>
* CO: Colonel Helge Gordon
:- At this point the Armored Cavalry were operating at just twenty percent of full strength.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Dominions Divided]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
* ''[[The Gulf of Reason]]''
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental II]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''

[[Category:Mercenary Commands]]