A native of the mining world Breed, Lance comes from a small family with a rich history to which it clings dearly. This is highlighted by the surname of Vickers-Davion a jealously guarded and preserved melding of the Davion heritage of eternal note and significance and the ancient Vickers name sake which nearly vanished with the departure of many male progeny in the Exodus of SLDF forces (this is not be mistaken with the Vickers of Vickers Mining fame who’s family mistakenly claim to be heirs of the Vickers’ of the Star League Era). A distant relative of the ruling Davion’s the Vickers-Davion’s of Breed have a modest family estate located on mineral rich lands from which they operate a small mining concern. Raised by his father Reynald, a former Armored Forces Sergeant Major, and mother Christine; Lance and his older sister Mareen learned from an early age that the back bone of life in the Draconis March is hard work and even the owners of a lucrative and productive mining company do not escape the rigors of labor. Reynald would be working the mines alongside his employees more often than he could be found in the offices.

In 3029 just months after his fourth birthday Lance’s life was permanently altered as Breed was assaulted by the forces of the Draconis Combine. The 11th Benjamin Regulars dropped onto the planet and quickly set upon the defending 2nd Robinson Rangers winning early victories and forcing the defenders to give ground allowing the Regulars to gain control over many vital urban and production centers, one being the Vickers-Davion mines. The Draconis forces waged a campaign of terror on the citizens of Breed, slaughtering innocent civilians and destroying property. Counted amongst the losses were young Lance’s own mother and elder sister, killed when a Draconis unit fired upon the company offices. Lance first witnessed the destructive force of a BattleMech when the Ranger’s liberated their estate pushing back the same unit that had taken his mother and sister from him. Though unable to fully appreciate the depth of what he had lived through it would leave an indelible mark on him which would be key to the course of his life.

As soon as he was old enough Lance began working in the mines alongside his father, starting with clearing rubble by hand and eventually learning how to operate several of the industrial mechs. During the days in the mines he would listen to the stories told by his father and, other former military men, of serving in the AFFS. It was inevitable that he eagerly awaited the day he turned 16 and could enter the service himself, as every male Vickers-Davion had for as far back as could be remembered. When not in the mines or in school Lance would devour every book and holovid on AFFS history and campaigns he could get his hands on. The boy became a fixture around the barracks and facilities of the 2nd Robinson Rangers offering to do errands in exchange for answers to questions or peaks at the mechs and vehicles on base.

This routine pleasant life continued uninterrupted except for the occasional horrible dreams of fire, noise, and fear that gripped him. Though he was too young at the time to recall all that happened Reynald remembered well and instead of soothing Lance when these dreams came he would fill in the details. These tales bred in Lance a burning hatred of the Draconis Combine fierce even by the standards of the Breed populace who loathed House Kurita and it’s subjects.

In the early months of 3039 Breed was again given a reminder of why the Draconis Combine was to be so hated and distrusted as the 11th Benjamin Regulars again made planetfall. This time the 2nd Robinson was unable to halt the advance of the Draconis units as they were scattered across the planet on training exercises. The Rangers, with exception of portions of the 2nd Battalion were forced off world. The remaining Rangers regrouped in the country side and began a series of guerrilla strikes intended to keep the Regulars from gaining a comfortable hold on the world until reinforcements could arrive. This tactic, though successful in weakening the occupying force resulted in the Draconis troops doing what they always do when faced with opposition by local forces, they lashed out against the civilian populace hoping to convince the Rangers to cease their operations.

The citizens of Breed and the Rangers were not about to bend to the demands of the Draconis butchers however, and the guerrilla movement grew stronger and more fervent. Lance and his father were amongst the citizens that joined the Rangers in disrupting the occupying forces. At the age of 14, Lance fought his first battles taking part in small raids on supply depots and harassing the Draconis troops as best they could.

When the Kuritan commander sent forces to raid the Vickers-Davion estate and to kill or capture any found to be aiding the resistance Lance used a mech in combat for the first time. Piloting an aged industrial mech alongside a scout mech from the Rangers to hold off and rout a small company of infantry. That encounter made Lance decide to aspire to be a MechWarrior when he entered the service in a few years as opposed to following in his father’s footsteps in Armor.

At the age of 16 Lance applied in general to the military academies of the realm. It was the Battle Academy of Robinson to which it was expected entry would be gained being the son of a local decorated veteran. What was unexpected was that between his scores on entrance exams and the weight of several recommendations from members of the 2nd Robinson Rangers it was the Albion Military Academy that claimed the young man. For the first time in his life Lance left Breed to travel the 168 light years to New Avalon.

In a class full of some of the brightest up and coming officers Lance acquitted himself very well. Military life fit him well not being drastically different than growing up under his fathers rules and expectations. Courses in unit tactics, theories of defense, asymmetric warfare, and mixed unit strategies were his strong suit and he struggled in none. In practical training he proved to be an able mech pilot early on, securing a commission as a MechWarrior. He graduated in 3046 after staying on for additional training and to be a cadet instructor at the request of the faculty.

His first choice of unit was, of course, the 2nd Robinson Rangers on his native planet but no billets were available so he was given orders to join the Avalon Hussars. This posting on New Avalon though prestigious and a ripe opportunity for advancement was not to Lance’s liking. Despite performing his duties as expected it was obvious that the posting wore on the young officer as it was well known that if the Hussars did see action in any coming conflict it would be on the Capellan front not the Draconis. On the first of every month he would file a request for transfer listing every unit in the Draconis March starting with the 2nd Robinson with a personal letter attached respectfully laying out his reasoning for the requested transfer.

Finally, in February of 3049 orders to report to the 1st Robinson Rangers were delivered to Lance. In just over sixth months he will be back in the March training to take on the Draconis Combine with one of the most respected and fanatical of all the units in the AFFS, and only two jumps away from home.