White Tigers

This is an unofficial player group.

White Tigers
Origin	Bretonia
Alignment	Lawful/Corporation
Profile
Date of founding	unknown
Founder(s)	unknown
Base of operations	Planet Cambridge

Introduction

The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was originally a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and later, an Army Air Core Unit. The regiment is most famous for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War of the 19th century, assisting the ANS Bretonia to run the Coalition blockade in the 23rd Century, and they played a key role in the defence of Bretonia from the Rheinland Armada during the Nomad war of A.S. 800-1.

The White Tigers have been retained by the major trading corporations of the Houses, and are now contracted to protect and assist lawful traders throughout Sirius. Conflict and political tensions have been known to interrupt this process and waylay the vigor of White Tiger operations. Based in Bretonia, the White Tigers hold a keen interest in the integrity and sovereignty of the Monarchy as a matter of tradition and patriotic fervor, and make it a priority to uphold the laws of the rightful government within its legally-claimed borders when necessary.

History

The regiment originally mustered in 1759 in Hertfordshire, England, and after a short period of active duty in Germany, the 17th went to North America in 1775 to relieve Boston, then besieged by American rebels. The 17th fought in many battles during the War of Independence, including the Battle of Bunker Hill, a costly British victory. An officer of the regiment, Captain Stapleton, had the distinction of handing George Washington the final declaration of the cessation of hostilities in 1783.

In 1854 the regiment was part of the British and French Expeditionary Force dispatched to assist the Ottoman Empire against Russia. This force was sent to capture the important naval base of Sevastopol. During the siege the 17th Lancers took part in the infamous cavalry charge that became known as the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaklava, inspiring Alfred, Lord Tennyson to write this famous poem. An order for the Light Brigade to retake Turkish artillery was misinterpreted, and the Light Brigade, led by the 17th, charged the Russian guns. After the inception of the Victoria Cross (VC) in 1856, three members of the 17th were awarded the VC for their bravery in the Charge. Despite heavy losses, this unexpected attack was successful, and frightened the Russian Cavalry so much that they refused to confront the British Cavalry for the duration of the war.

In December 1857 the 17th arrived in India to help quell the Indian Mutiny. During the pursuit of the rebel's leader, Tantia Topi, the 17th gained its fourth VC: Lieutenant Henry Evelyn Wood was honoured for bravery at Sinwaho, where he commanded a cavalry troop that routed a numerically superior rebel force. The unit was then assigned to temporary duty with the West India Trading Company as an active British Contingent providing backing and logistical support for the increasing tensions between the West India Trading Company and the Sikh empire. The 17th became a critical element to the West India Trading Company Army during the Sikh Wars of the Punjab, participating in many critical actions proving especially valuable in protecting the baggage train and key trade routes against the partisans. Because of their black uniform with white belts and epaulettes and their renowned ferocity, primarily fighting in guerilla actions against robbers and highwaymen, the 17th became known as the White Tigers as a tribute to the native born predator of those lands. This moniker has become definitive of the ethos and identity of the unit over the millenia.

In 1876 the regiment gained Prince George, Duke of Cambridge as its Colonel-in-Chief and the 17th's name was duly altered to the 17th (The Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers. While at first due to London politics, it later became a tradition that officers of the 17th were native born of Cambridge. For this, the White Tigers have always held an affinity to the city of Cambridge, and now the Cambridge System.

The White Tigers remained a regular light cavalry unit of the British Army in the Punjab until the outset of WWI. Orders from 'on high', battlefield demands, and the impending obsolescence of cavalry in the light of the new armoured tanks forced the White Tigers to become one of the first operational units of the Army Air Core, where they initially provided photographic surveillance of enemy fortifications and artillery emplacements, and later close tactical support to ground units in several actions including the Gallipoli Campaign.

As an aerial assault unit the White Tigers retained their identity and integrity through the wars of the 20th and 21st centuries in service to the Crown of England. Initially they were issued with the Pemberton-Billing P.B.25 (1916), then the de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth biplane (1932), which they have retained as a training aircraft, later graduating to the Supermarine Spitfire (1940), the Supermarine Scimitar (1956), the Boeing/BAE Systems AV-8B Harrier II (1963), the Panavia Tornado F3 in (1979) and Eurofighter Typhoon F2T2 (2012), and the McDonnell Douglas-BAe/Boeing Interdictor (2056), the first surface-to-ionosphere fighter/bomber.

Peace-time decommissioning early in the 22nd century left the unit without a clearly defined role and most of the veteran pilots, having a keen desire to serve the ideals of freedom of travel and trade and maintain the unit's original mission of protecting trade in the Punjab, created a volunteer mercenary unit to defend trade vessels of the Alliance, particularly those of British nationality, against Coalition privateers.

At the call to arms of 2160, the White Tigers were inducted into the British Armada as the 17th Volunteers Squadron assigned to the British carrier ANS Ubiquitous, and flew an updated version of the sub-space Interdictor, capable of short extra-terrestrial combat flight missions. The squadron was incredibly successful in the engagements against Coalition forces and their success led them to be selected for breakthrough defence duty, and assignment to the ANS Bretonia, the sleeper ship destined for Sirius. Few White Tigers survived this 'famous last stand' designed to enable the ANS Bretonia’s escape from Sol System. The desperate gamble of the White Tigers, in laying down their lives so that the Bretonian sleeper ship could penetrate the Coalition's blockade, prompted the Bretonian Colony News Service's paraphrasing of Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill:

'Only once before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few'.

Once settled in Bretonian Space, in recognition of this valorous and selfless act, members of the WT squadron were decorated, unfortunately many citations were post-humous. The WT continued to be a Mercenary unit based in Bretonian space, running trade escorts for the large convoys favoured by the trading factions of the houses of Sirius.

During the Nomad War of AS 800-1, The White Tigers were pivotal in the defeat of Rheinland Armada that attempted to invade the Bretonian Core Systems in the battles of Omega 3. Intelligence gathered by the BAF concerning the rising cost of food commodities, and therefore military expenditure on field rations, allowed accurate prediction of troop movements. This meant that the Rheinland Armada, whose target was the Cambridge System, was met with an overpowering force comprising of the BAF, the BPA and the WT. The Rheinland force was completely destroyed in Omega 3. The stripping of all other defences to meet this threat was a calculated risk, but it paid off: the advent of the Rheinland Armada was anticipated to within an hour, and the battle was so short, decisive and costly for the RM, that the Nomad-Infested leadership did not have the military capability to launch an attack for some while. The 'Hundred Hours War', as it came to be known, sent a clear message to the Rulers of other houses: attempting large-scale invasions of Bretonia is not a winning strategy.

This lesson has been learned by the Kusari Naval Forces. As the Bretonian-Kusari relations deteriorated during the latter stages of AS 812, The WT included in their operations against the pirates that infest the edges of Sirius many sorties into Tau 31 and the neighbouring systems to defend native Bretonian Traders from the predations inflicted upon them by Kusari-based Privateers and pirates, as well as entering into many skirmishes with the KNF.

At the declaration of hostilities in AS 814, all officially-sanctioned trade between Bretonian and Kusari ceased, and the BAF took over operational control of manoeuvres within Tau 31. The WT have at times been called upon to support and assist the BAF’s efforts in this continuing war of attrition, and with no diplomatic or military victory in sight, the WT can often be found either directly supporting the BAF, or escorting traders across Sirius.

Fiercely independent, the relationship between the White Tigers and Crown has been strained at times due to the Tigers' uncompromising and apolitical attitude. However, despite finding themselves at odds with certain political expediencies, their loyalty to the Government and the People of Bretonia is steadfast and unwavering. Politics has never been a concern of the White Tigers, but at their core, the protection of free trade, the liberty of travellers, and the integrity of the Bretonian Empire keep the WT based in Bretonian Space, if not always in agreement with the particular rules of engagement dictated by conventional Bretonian policies.

To achieve this, new recruits are being canvassed to assess their suitability for this dual role; not only to protect and assist lawful traders, but also to uphold the valorous history of a highly moralistic mercenary faction that is proud to be called on to not only take the battle to the enemy, but also be in at the finish, and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to support and uphold the ideals of The White Tigers.

Diplomacy

Allies

Bretonia Police Authority

Bretonia Armed Forces

Bretonia corporations

Enemies

Gaians

Kusari

Criminals