Topic: The Outer Colonies Region (Read 33385 times)

Starbug · « **on:** April 09, 2011, 08:14:00 PM »

This site was recommended to me by Red Pins over at CBT.com, so I thought I'd show you what I have.

   Here is a little something that surprised even me: it seems that somewhere out in the deep Periphery, past the Chainelane Isles and the Hanseatic League, so far off the map it's almost into the realms of â€œhere be dragons!â€, there may well be a little corner of the old Star League still running along like the last 300 years never happened. I only know about this place because a contact of mine 'acquired' a book about it during a card-game with some independent prospectors in the employ of Interstellar Expeditions, out on Cyclops Station, and thought it might interest me. It was printed on high quality paper, and has the look and feel of a High School text book. Normally I wouldn't even look twice at something like this, but my contact insisted it was legitimate, and I've learnt to trust her instincts on this sort of thing.

   So, just who are these so-called Outer Colonies? And where did they come from?

   That, as ever, is the 64,000 C-Bill question...
   -Starling

Extracts from:
A concise history of the Outer Colonies region of the Star League
by Dr Douglas Fitzpatrick, Ph.D.
(Port Stanley Free Press, 3046)

â€œDemocracy may be only a few steps removed from anarchy, but at least it's not as loud...â€
Chairman The Right Honourable Peter C. Clemence, inauguration speech, 3040

The Founding
Of Tragedy & Triumph

The worlds we know of today as the Outer Colonies had a rather troubled birth. What records we have of those early days seem to indicate that the first people to reach and settle these worlds were trying to escape the ravages of the Age of War by picking a direction seemingly at random and then moving on until they were into truly unknown space. Here they found a small cluster of habitable worlds, many never having known the footsteps of man, and decided to settle. We know that not all of those settlements proved successful, as proven by the abandoned dwellings on Arixo and Hamunaptra, but most of the worlds were more hospitable, and our ancestors survived.

It is not known if the Knights Templar arrived with this first wave, or later on. There is certainly evidence that their enclave on Last Post was founded around this time. Only the Knights themselves know the truth, and they are as ever tight lipped about their past.

Those early pioneers would have had few of the ammonites we take for granted these days; they had no Hyper-Pulse generators, and their few JumpShipâ€™s were crude, primitive relics that today would never be allowed to break orbit, let alone travel between stars. But there is evidence, both aetiological and genetic that they managed to maintain at least some semblance of contact between each other, even as their general level of technological sophistication dropped to around that of pre-diaspora Terra. A few lost ships found their way out from the Inner Sphere, mainly refuges who were likewise seeking to escape the escalating violence that was enveloping the worlds closer to Terra, while others were simply people who wanted to see just how far they could get. This brought fresh blood and fresh ideas to the struggling colonies, bootstrapping them back up to the level they had been when they first arrived. Still far from anything like the Core worlds, they could at least keep their heads above water.

Some limited contact was maintained with the rest of humanity, normal in the form of gossip picked up from the handful of merchants brave or foolish enough to venture so far out for so little profit, but for the most part they were content to keep to themselves and leave the rest of humanity to its own affairs.

The Star League Ascendant
Birth of the Outer Colonies

All this ended in 2602, when a ship arrived in the Rockall system and announced that the inhabitants were now citizens of the Star League, and news soon spread among the other habitable worlds, and much was debated about how to respond to this development. What little news that had reached our worlds about the fall of the old Terran Alliance and the Rise of the Terran Hegemony under the Cameron Star had been thought of as little more than minor trivia, but now seemed to be much more important. Some spoke of mounting a defence, but any such ideas were soon crushed by the appearance of the first BattleMech's ever to be seen in this part of space. Others decided to move on, and left for the endless expanse of space anti-spinward, many never to be seen again, their fates unknown.

But most saw that there was more to gain by submitting to Star League rule, and the Outer Colonies as we now know them was formed. Being so far from any other habitable area, the Star League saw it necessary to build up the maintenance and support facilities needed to maintain regular transport and communications between the newly designated regional capital of Port Stanley and the rest of the Star League. This saw the construction of what would become Clarke Station and the other orbital

The Reunification War
Lucky Number 7

The rumblings of discontent were felt long before the first shots were fired on Santiago, and the Star League Defence Force decided to station extra troops and ships in the Outer Colonies. Primarily this was to guard against attacks on the vital ship yards and supply bases, but it also served to remind the inhabitants that they were very much a part of the Star League, and that any talk of sedition would not be tolerated. While there were no doubt some who would have been happier if their world had been independent, there was nothing organised and the minuscule size of the local economy compared to other regions meant that there had never been any real plans to tax the locals beyond what was needed to keep the local garrison operational. Yet despite this the 7th Royal Armored Division, Star League Defence Force arrived in 2574, after nearly two years in transit. Due to the distances involved, most of the troops had brought their families with them, adding a fresh influx of civilians to the towns and cites they were stationed near. Most of the troops were stationed on Port Stanley, necessitating the building of what would become the factory-city of Fox Bay, to produce tools, spare parts and replacement equipment.

They also brought with them a number of warships, including the McKenna class Battleship SLS Vanguard, which serves as our flagship even to this day.

While the predicted war finally broke in 2577, the fighting never reached the Outer Colonies; our isolated nature, limited resources and almost non-existent strategic value meant that none of the Periphery realms was willing to mount an expedition so far from home, although they did mount attacks on the network of automated Hyper-Pulse stations that formed the only link between the Colonies and the rest of the Star League, causing several breaks in communication.

One such break happened just before the usurper Stefan Amaris launched his bloody coup d'etat on distant Terra.

The Battle of Port Stanley
Patriots and Tyrants

Despite the previously mentioned reasons, or maybe because he wanted a dagger behind General Kerenskyâ€™s back, Amaris ordered a Task Force to attack and if possible capture the Outer Colonies. Code-named Operation: Kathleen, it consisted of one BattleMech and two infantry Divisions, along with a number of warships, mainly older Star League designs that had been sold off as surplus. Given the limited time between the coup on Terra and the arrival of the task force, it is obvious that they set out before the coup took place, a bold move on the part of the usurper.

The Rim Worlds forces arrived in the Port Stanley system by pirate point and immediately moved to take the planet. While their warship escort moved to engage the solitary Star League ships in orbit, the Texas class SLS New Mexico, the troops made a combat drop, landing in the hills to the south of the planetary capital, San Carlos. Against them stood the 131st Royal Brigade (the Grenadier Guards, the 6th Dragoons and the Java Hussars) and the 417th 'Celtic' Brigade (the Irish Guards, the Lenox Rangers and the Cameron Highlanders) and supporting armour and infantry (including the 7th Royal Gurkha Rifles), defending San Carlos. The Argyle Highlanders and the Green Howards BattleMech regiments were spread out across the rest of the planet, in Battalion and Company sized detachments, while other light infantry units were still in the process of training up and equipping a planetary militia.

The commander of the Rim Worlds forces ordered his counterpart to stand down to avoid further loss of life, but the order was refused and sent back, ordering the invaders to stand down in the name of the Star League. At this point the Rim Worlds commander started mocking the SLDF troops, reminding them that House Cameron was no more, and that Stefan Amaris was now First Lord. This enraged the outnumbered defenders, and they sent back a single word reply â€œNuts!â€ while they started to dig in. So as the battle for orbital control continued to rage, with the New Mexico holding off two antiquated Monsoon class Battleships, the ground war began.

Attacking across a broad front in a bid to find a weak point in the Star League lines, the Rim Worlds forces destroyed everything in their path, hoping to draw the defenders out of their hastily prepared positions and into open ground, where the attackers heavier numbers would off set their technological disadvantage. But the Star League units refused to take the bait, sending out local militia units that knew the ground better than anyone else to harass and hinder the invaders. Bridges were blown, roads mined under a policy of scorched earth, trading land for time. Finally the troops of Operation: Kathleen reached the outer defences, a staggered line of light armour and infantry only 20km from the outskirts of San Carlos. They attacked as one, only to find themselves walking into a trap as dozens of artillery pieces and Arrow IV equipped unleashed a single massive volley that ripped into their leading edge, forcing them to close to near point-blank range, negating their advantage over the poorly equipped militia. Fighting for their homes, the first line sold themselves dearly, holding the Rim Worlds forces in place for almost a quarter of an hour while fire continued to rain from the sky.

Finally overwhelming the first line of defence, the invaders found themselves faced with a hastily constructed minefield created using commercial grade explosives intended for the mountains to the north of the city. While not as powerful as military-grade devices, they were still capable of damaging BattleMech's and armoured fighting vehicles, and slaughtered infantry. Beyond this lay the SLDF troops, some 10km from the city itself, arranged with overlapping fields of fire and pre-selected kill-boxes for their remaining artillery. Despite this they were still outnumbered almost three to one, and every soldier knew that the battle was far from won.

Never in the history of our worlds has such a clash of arms take place; the death toll that day ran into the thousands, and wreckage still litters the battlefield almost three centuries later. Time after time the Rim Worlds forces attacked, and time after time the Star League troops held the line. But it wasn't until the SLS Vanguard made her famous in-system jump to the L1 Lagrange Point and assisted the badly damaged New Mexico in finishing off her opponents, finally securing orbital superiority.

Faced with hostile warships in orbit, the remaining members of Operation: Kathleen attempted to retreat to their DropShipâ€™s, only to find the way blocked by the newly arrived Knights Templar, with elements of the Argyle Highlanders and the Green Howards in support. They attempted to break through the Knights line in the centre, but the mysterious order of warrior-monks refused to yield, willing to die where they stood rather than take one step back. With an immovable enemy before them, and fresh Star League troops starting to envelop them from the flanks, the surviving Rim Worlds forces had little choice but to surrender, especially when the Vanguard threatened turn her weapons upon the surface.

And so, while battered and bleeding, but never broken, the men and women of the 7th Royal Armored Division, and their local allies, stood victorious.

The Fall of the Star League
The beginning of the Long Night

The remainder of the Star League Civil-War passed without further attack. In 2778 a number of Rim Worlds Republic ships, fleeing the destruction of their realm and seeking to disappear into the deep Periphery arrived in the San Antonio system and were immediately seized by the local picket forces. Their ships were in a poor state or repair, and the two Naga class Destroyers they had with them showed signs of battle damage. With their ships impounded, many of the civilians on board came forward with stories of enslavement, torture, rape and murder levelled against the crews and military units travelling with them. A full investigation was launched into these claims, resulting in the infamous Albuquerque Trials, where over three hundred men and women of the Rim Worlds Armed Forces were tried and convicted of a multitude of crimes by a military tribunal. Over two hundred were sentenced to death by hanging, while those found guilty of lesser crimes received lengthy custodial sentences.

It should be noted, at this time, that most of the indentured troops were never charged with any crimes. Indeed, a large percentage were conscripts given little choice but to fight in a war that was not of their making. To this day, there are many citizens who can trace at least part of their ancestry back to those press-ganged soldiers and their equally involuntary travailing companions.

Continued attacks on the HPG chains meant that news of the end of the Civil War, and the execution of the usurper Amaris, did not reach our worlds until several years after event, during which ships suffering the effects of battle or long periods away from home port continued to arrive in the Outer Colonies, some refitting and making the long journey back to the Inner Sphere, but most forced to stay and await the chance to undergo extensive repairs and maintenance in the over-worked shipyards over Port Stanley and Rorke's Drift.

The inability to fully repair or maintain the many HPG stations meant that communications with far distant Terra became even more sporadic then normal. It was at this time that General Kerensky decided upon the course of action that became known as Operation Exodus. Orders were sent to the 7th Royal Armored Division to load up what supplies and equipment they could and to to return to Outreach. It goes without saying that the loyal troops of the 7th would have followed this order, but it was not delivered until two years after General Kerensky had left. Missions sent to try and find the General and his followers failed, and the 7th found itâ€™s self an army without a General or a home, defending an area of space that no-one laid claim to but themselves. Deciding to follow the essence of the orders, the SLDF troops severed all ties with the Inner Sphere and covered their tracks to make it look like they had left with Kerensky: the remaining HPG stations where taken off-line and mothballed.

The bulk of the fleet was likewise mothballed; moved to the uninhabited Hamunaptra system where they could be kept safe untill General Kerensky or his sucsesser returned.

To govern the ten worlds they now controlled, the SLDF troops set up democratic governments: Each world elected a representative to serve for 6 standard-years. These representatives became the core of the government, with each attending the assembly hall on Port Stanley to represent their world in the Council of 11, the central governing body that is responsible for deciding on that mater concerning the Colonies as a whole. De-centralised and favouring a more hands-off style, the Council allows the words to run themselves, only intervening in matters that attain to the Outer Colonies as a whole.

The 11th member of the Council is the commanding officer of the Outer Colonise Defence Force, as the 7th Royal Armored Division was re-named in 2804, who acts as a chairperson and can cast the deciding vote in the event of a deadlock. There are several guidelines in place to keep any of the Council members from gaining too much power: the lessons learned with the fall of the Star League where put to good use. It is hoped that the Council of 11 is as open to the populace as is possible and is fully accountable to the people of the Colony worlds.

Strange as this form of government may appear, it has worked for 300 years with no major trouble.

Shattered Dreams
A Voice in the Wilderness

July 14th, 2828 will forever be known as the day all dreams of a restored Star League under the leadership and protection of General Kerensky's exiled army died.

For it was on that day that a fleet of jumpshipâ€™s and the Sovetskii Soyuz class Heavy Cruiser SLS Ivanhoe arrived in the Rorke's Drift system. Their ships bore Star League Defence Force markings and their crews wore the uniform of the 331st Royal BattleMech Division. They spoke of the eventually fate of Kerenskyâ€™s army; their long voyage rom the Inner Sphere, the general's death and the rise of his son, Nicholas and the travisty he had turned his followers into. They also brought with them examples of the new techknoelagy that they had helped develop while in exile, including the Iron-Womb system and advances in genetic enginering that still see limited use today. They spoke of trying to break away from this new socity, only to be turned upon by those they had once called brother and forced to flee. Seperated from a second, larger group of survivors, they had headed out in the direction of an old outpost hinted at in their ships navigational computer that they hoped was far enought away to avoid ever being found.

Faced with the knowledge that the Star League that many of them had served was not going to be brought back by the army of Kerensky as they had always dreamed, our ancestors faced a stark choice; give in to dispaire, or maintain the traditions and standards that they had been brought up to belive in. Our people chose the latter, and to this day, we remain perhaps the last true remnant of the Star League.

   And so there you have it; a small realm of just over a dozen worlds that claims to be the remains of some lost Star League outpost. Hardly anything new, as at least half the worlds in the deep periphery claim at least some connection to the Star League. And if this was the case here, I'd have just dismissed it as another romantic flight of fancy.

   If that's all there was too it, that is.

   The book goes on to list and describe all ten worlds in some detail, then provide footnotes of a handful of 'protectorates' and military-outposts. But then it lists some of the ships supposedly hidden away in an otherwise uninhabited system. A quick double check against the few records that survive from the time of the Star League show that ships baring those names and of the types mentioned did exist, and that their fates are listed as either 'unknown' or 'presumed part of Exodus Fleet'. There was also once a 7th Royal Armored Division of the Star League Defence Force, and they were deployed to the periphery some time in the 2570's.

   Even so, the book lists over 80 former Star League and periphery navy ships by name. Could there really be a lost treasure-trove of ships out that there would rival any other fleet in existence? Even if the vast majority are too badly damaged to be of any more use than as spare parts, they would be a prize worth a House Lords ransom.

   My contact passed a note along with the book, saying that the prospectors she encountered on Cyclops Station were planning to head out in a bid to find these mysterious 'Outer Colonies', with their BattleMech piloting warrior-monks and their cache of Star League weapons as technology. But that was five years ago, and no one has seen or heard anything of them since.

   Are they just another in the long line of treasure-hunters who went out looking for fame, fortune and glory in the deep periphery, only to fall victime to one of the many perrials that such a voyage entails?

   Or did they perhaps find what they were lookingfor, only for the Outer Colonies to decide that they wished to remain hidden?

   I, for one, would be intrested to know the truth, but don't expect to see me heading out there any time soon.
   -Starling

The Outer Colonies:
Port Stanley
New Tasmania
San Antonio
New Jersey
Rockall
Last Post
New Jamaica
Vision
Malloy's World
Rorke's Drift
Protectorates:
Helios & Solitude (in same system)
Arixo
Pacifica
Military Outposts:
Hamunaptra
Nomad Station
Columbia
Fort Kerium
Fort Centrum
Fort Dixie
Ticonderoga

I have over 13,000 words worth of background information on the Outer Colonies, but it's so late here it's almost getting early, and I need sleep. Will post more tomorrow.

Hope you enjoyed it,
Starbug

Blacknova · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2011, 09:10:33 PM »

Nice start, welcome to the boards.

Knightmare · « **Reply #2 on:** April 09, 2011, 09:16:59 PM »

Agreed! Welcome.

Starbug · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2011, 05:19:20 AM »

Some more information for you on the 'Outer Colonise Defence Force'. It's taken from the same book, and should be treated with the same level of scepticism. I showed the numbers to an acquaintance of my and he laughed, saying that there was no way that such a small realm, with less than 10-billion inhabitants across more than a dozen worlds, could imposable field such a disproportionally large army. Then I showed him numbers for pre-diaspora Terra, and reminded him that in the past people have been able to support much larger numbers with a far smaller population base.

It just comes down to how much of your GDP you can afford to spend.
-Starling

I (First) Corps
Port Stanley military region

7th Royal Armored Division
(Port Stanley)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
131st Royal BattleMech Brigade
The Grenadier Guards
The 6th Dragoons
The Java Hussars
417th Royal Celtic BattleMech Brigade
The Irish Guards
The Lenox Rangers
The Royal Cameron Highlanders
984th Armored Brigade
1st Royal Fusiliers
2nd Royal Fusiliers
1st Royal Striker Regiment
41st Infantry Brigade
7th Royal Gurkha Rifles
22nd Rifles
68th Royal Mechanized Infantry Regiment
Non-Brigade Attached Units
1st Battalion, 101st Royal Artillery Regiment
2nd Battalion, 102nd Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
1st Battalion, 1st Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
1st Battalion, 5th Heavy Construction Engineers
21st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
3rd Battalion, 117th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
1st Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
MP Company
Signals Company

2nd Division
(New Tasmania)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
88th Royal Highland BattleMech Brigade
The Argyll Highlanders
The Gordon Highlanders
The Coldstream Guards
631st Irish BattleMech Brigade
The Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers
1st Cork Grenadiers
9th Armored Brigade
88th Heavy Assault Regiment
98th Striker Regiment
9th Gurkha Tank Regiment
4th Infantry Brigade
The Royal Ulster Rifles
1st Regiment of Rifles
The Aden Rifles
Non-Brigade Attached Units
3rd Battalion, 101st Mechanised Artillery Regiment
3rd Battalion, 41st Combat Engineers
2nd Battalion, 4th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
5th Heavy Construction Engineers
5176th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
1st Battalion, 31st Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
4th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
MP Company
Signals Company

101st Division
(San Antonio)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
4th Highland Brigade
The Highland Rangers
The Green Howards
30th Royal BattleMech Regiment
9th Royal Brigade
The Royal Cameronians
36th Royal BattleMech Regiment
52nd Royal BattleMech Regiment
16th Amoured Brigade
The Royal Scots Tank Regiment
21st Medium Armored Regiment
2nd Cork Grenadiers Medium
33rd Infantry Brigade
1st Dublin Grenadiers Mechanized Infantry
3rd Royal Heavy Infantry Regiment
49th Royal Mechanized Infantry Regiment
Non-Brigade Attached Units
1st Battalion, 1st Royal Artillery Regiment
2nd Battalion, 102nd Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
1st Battalion, 5th Heavy Construction Engineers
21st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
3rd Battalion, 117th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
1st Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
MP Company
Signals Company

II (Second) Corps
New Jersey Military Region

41st Division
(New Jersey)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
643rd BattleMech Brigade
The Redbank Fusiliers
The Jersey Rangers
The Rocky Mountain Rangers
66th Royal Highland Brigade
The First Lords Own Scottish Borderers
The Royal Scots Fusiliers
The Royal Highland Fusiliers
14th Armored Brigade
23rd Rockall Regiment
38th Rockall Regiment
2nd Cork Grenadiers
647th Infantry Brigade
89th Royal Infantry Regiment
103rd Royal Infantry Regiment
123rd Royal Infantry Regiment
Non-Brigade Attached Units
3rd Battalion, 1st Royal Artillery Regiment
1st Battalion, 41st Combat Engineers
1st Battalion, 4th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
5th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
101st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
3rd Battalion, 58th Combat Engineers
2nd Battalion, 31st Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
MP Company
Signals Company

96th Division
(Rockall)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
99th Cavalry Brigade
20th Royal Cavalry Regiment
23rd Royal Cavalry Regiment
48th Heavy Cavalry Regiment
38th Royal BattleMech Brigade
63rd Royal Striker Regiment
73rd Royal Striker Regiment
40th Royal Heavy Regiment
13th Armored Brigade
1st Dublin Grenadiers
Hannibalâ€™s Hoplite's
14th Medium Tank Regiment
4th Royal Infantry Brigade
51st Regiment of Rifles
83rd Regiment of Rifles
92nd Regiment of Rifles
Non-Brigade Attached Units
1st Battalion, 4th Royal Heavy Horse Artillery
1st Battalion, 4th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
3rd Battalion, 1st Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
7th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
82nd Field Hospital
3rd Battalion, 4th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
1st Battalion, 54th Engineering Regiment
MP Company
Signals Company

88th Division
(Last Post)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
137th BattleMech Brigade
Ikeâ€™s Irregulars
1st Royal Assault Regiment
14th Colonial Rangers
31st BattleMech Brigade
1st Colonial Rangers
21st Colonial Rangers
66th Scout Regiment
55th Armored Brigade
3rd Royal Mechanized Regiment
24th Royal Mechanized Regiment
44th Royal Mechanized Regiment
16th Infantry Brigade
The Durham Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Somerset Light Infantry
Non-Brigade Attached Units
2nd Battalion, 1st Royal Artillery Regiment
21st Battalion, 41st Combat Engineers
7th Battalion, 4th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
6th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
131st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
3rd Battalion, 56th Combat Engineers
2nd Battalion, 41st Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
MP Company
Signals Company

IV (Forth) Corps
New Jamaica Military Region

23rd Division
(New Jamaica)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
23rd BattleMech Brigade
The Kingstown Rangers
1st Royal Hussars
44th Dragoon Guards
24th BattleMech Brigade
14th Royal Hussars
2nd Caledonia Guards
4th Caledonia Guards
430th Armored Brigade
4th Close Assault Regiment
8th Close Assault Regiment
1st Scout Regiment
49th Infantry Brigade
79th Royal Infantry Regiment
127th Royal Infantry Regiment
169th Royal Infantry Regiment
Non-Brigade Attached Units
1st Battalion, 21st Royal Artillery Regiment
4th Battalion, 41st Combat Engineers
7th Battalion, 4th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
5th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
111th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
3rd Battalion, 36th Combat Engineers
2nd Battalion, 21st Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
MP Company
Signals Company

28th Division
(Vision)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
35th BattleMech Brigade
4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards
18th Royal Hussars
22nd Dragoon Guards
159th BattleMech Brigade
753rd Royal BattleMech Regiment
632nd Royal BattleMech Regiment
842nd Royal BattleMech Regiment
8th Armored Brigade
3rd Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Scots Greys
The Sherwood Rangers
6th Highland Infantry Brigade
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
3rd Regiment of Foot
21st Regiment of Foot
Non-Brigade Attached Units
2nd Battalion, 21st Royal Artillery Regiment
1st Battalion, 41st Combat Engineers
4th Battalion, 4th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
1st Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
101st Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
63rd Battalion, 7th Combat Engineers
1st Battalion, 21st Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
MP Company
Signals Company

1st Cavalry Division
(Malloy's World)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
4th Cavalry Brigade
1st Household Cavalry
1st Royal Yeomanry
22nd Royal Yeomanry
44th Highland BattleMech Brigade
The Seaforth Highlanders
8th Royal Scots
6th Royal Scots Fusiliers
11th Royal Armored Brigade
107th Royal Armoured Regiment
110th Royal Armoured Regiment
111th Royal Armoured Regiment
6th Airborne Infantry Division
9th Parachute Regiment
12th Parachute Regiment
163rd Royal Infantry Regiment
Non-Brigade Attached Units
1st Battalion, 121st Mechanised Artillery Regiment
4th Battalion, 58th Combat Engineers
4th Battalion, 7th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
6th Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
442nd Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
6th Battalion, 4th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
2nd Battalion, 58th Combat Engineers
MP Company
Signals Company

V (Fifth) Corps
Rorke's Drift Military Region

331st Royal BattleMech Division
(Rorke's Drift)
Division Headquarters
Command Company
Regimental HQ Staff
HQ Transport
MP Platoon
1st Minnesota Brigade
The McEverdy Guards
2nd Royal Guards
64th Dragoon Guards
2nd Minnesota Brigade
McAlpineâ€™s Fusiliers
The Connaught Rangers
49th Dragoon Guards
40th Mechanized Brigade
8th Royal Tank Regiment
76th Royal Tank Regiment
62nd Royal Battle Regiment
95th Infantry Brigade
1st Gurkha Rifles
2nd Gurkha Rifles
95th Regiment of Rifles
Non-Brigade Attached Units
2nd Battalion, 101st Mechanised Artillery Regiment
1st Battalion, 58th Combat Engineers
1st Battalion, 7th Long Range Patrol Regiment
Combat Support Brigade
Brigade HQ Staff
3rd Battalion, 2nd Combat Support Group
65th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
2nd Battalion, 4th Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
2nd Battalion, 54th Engineering Regiment
MP Company
Signals Company

That's pretty much all the book has to say about the standing army. It does mention local militia units and some special forces, but no further derails are given. The military outposts and protectorates seem to be garrisoned by whatever units are available at the time, and sound like little more than glorified security detachments for mining outposts and other scattered settlements.

Many of their regiments are named after units that served the original Star League, no doubt as a tribute to their past.
Given what information is given, it seems safe to assume that the 331st Division is descended from a small group of survives from Clan Wolverine who became isolated from the rest of the so-called Minnesota Tribe and headed out on their own. It looks like they've become fully integrated into the local population, with only a few names and customs to set them apart.

Not sure if the other Clans would see it that way.
-Starling

Ice Hellion · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2011, 07:39:01 AM »

Interesting start.

Just a few questions/comments.

I am not sure that the "you are all part of the Star League" stuff is really standard procedure.
Also, if it is really secluded or deep/unknown in the Periphery, how did Stephan Amaris learn about this place?
And last, Knight Templars... I want to know more about them

Gabriel · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2011, 09:59:25 AM »

Starbug · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2011, 10:01:18 AM »

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 10, 2011, 07:39:01 AM

Interesting start.

Just a few questions/comments.

I am not sure that the "you are all part of the Star League" stuff is really standard procedure.

There was no real local government to speak of, so the Star League just said â€œbugger itâ€ and took over completely.

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 10, 2011, 07:39:01 AM

Also, if it is really secluded or deep/unknown in the Periphery, how did Stephan Amaris learn about this place?

The HPG link to the Inner Sphere passed through the Rim Worlds Republic, as would have convoys headed out and coming back. Someone somewhere would have asked just what was going on, and eventually they would have gotten an answer, especially when Amaris became Grand Vizier in all but name.

Quote from: Ice Hellion on April 10, 2011, 07:39:01 AM

And last, Knight Templars... I want to know more about them

Background an 3040 TO&E on its way

And now we come to the part I have the most difficulty believing, because if the book's right, then these guys are sitting on the single largest collection of warships in existence. Even if you took all the hidden caches that the Clans are supposed to have hidden away somewhere, on a ton-for-ton basis, this guys have to be in a class of their own.
If you believe the book.

As I said before, I did some digging and some of these names do correspond with known Star League ships, but records from that time are hardly accurate. ComStar, Word of Blake or the Clans might have a better list hidden away somewhere, but if they do they're not sharing. Who knows, maybe the Word stumbled upon the Outer Colonies and that's where they got some of their surprising warship strength from?

But that's just idle speculation; I'll just give you the numbers and let you decide for yourselves.
-Starling

Outer Colonies Defence Force
(Navy)

Port Stanley squadron:
SLS Vanguard (McKenna class Battleship)
SLS Loch Lomond (Lola I class Destroyer)
SLS Fusilier (Lola II class Destroyer)
SLS Valhalla (Essex class Destroyer)

New Tasmania squadron:
SLS Hood (Texas class Battleship)
SLS Loki (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Hel (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Idun (Essex class Destroyer)

San Antonio squadron:
SLS New Mexico (Texas class Battleship)
SLS Pillars of Hercules (Lola III class Destroyer)
SLS Njord (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Ull (Essex class Destroyer)

New Jersey squadron:
SLS Arizona (Texas class Battleship)
SLS Inverness (Lola II class Destroyer)
SLS Patrick O'Connor (Lola III class Destroyer)
SLS Wild Swan (Whirlwind class Destroyer)

Rockall squadron:
SLS Sabretooth (Black Lion class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Fort William (Lola II class Destroyer)
SLS Edinburgh (Lola III class Destroyer)
SLS Defender (Whirlwind class Destroyer)

Last Post squadron:
SLS Quicksilver (Black Lion class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Aberdeen (Lola II class Destroyer)
SLS MacLeod (Lola II class Destroyer)
SLS La Mancha (Quixote class Frigate)

New Jamaica squadron:
SLS St George (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Isis (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Firedrake (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Strider (Naga class Destroyer)

Vision squadron:
SLS St Patrick (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Belmont (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Vixen (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Galactic (Riga class Frigate)

Malloy's World squadron:
SLS St Andrew (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Saguenay (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Achates (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Starhound (Naga class Destroyer)

Rorke's Drift squadron:
SLS Jericho (Texas class Battleship)
SLS Ivanhoe (Sovetskii Soyuz class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Toronto (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Veteran (Whirlwind class Destroyer)

Training Ships:
SLS Islington (Vincent Mk 39 Corvette)
SLS Billingsgate (Vincent Mk 39 Corvette)

Hamunaptra system picket:
SLS Asgard (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Freya (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Thor (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Odin (Essex class Destroyer)
SLS Sir Percivale (Potemkin class Troop Cruiser)
SLS Sir Tristran (Potemkin class Troop Cruiser)
SLS Chatham (Newgrange class Yard Ship)

Hamunaptra Naval Reserve:
SLS Philip of Macedonia (Farragut class Battleship)
SLS Helen of Troy (Monsoon class Battleship)
SLS Paris (Monsoon class Battleship)
SLS Menelaus (Monsoon class Battleship)
SLS Agamemnon (Monsoon class Battleship)
SLS Kassandra (Monsoon class Battleship)
SLS Convoy (Potemkin class Troop Cruiser)
SLS Buffalo (Potemkin class Troop Cruiser)
SLS St Vincent (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St Columber (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St Paul (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St Valentine (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St David (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St Fancies (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS St Jude (Cameron class Battle Cruiser)
SLS Viktor (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Nastasia (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Konstantin (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Andreas (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Romanov (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Makarov (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS St Petersburg (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Catherine the Great (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Dante (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Arkaday (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Siberia (Samarkand II class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Eye of Ra (Avatar class Heavy Cruiser)
SLS Loch Ness (Lola I class Destroyer)
SLS Mac Duff (Lola I class Destroyer)
SLS Ottawa (Whirlwind class Destroyer)
SLS Matabele (Whirlwind class Destroyer)

Given the number of ships they claim to have, the fact that so few are apparently on active service could mean that the others not fit for service, or they lack the means to support a larger number. You can decide for yourself, as they give no mention of the number of civilian or military JumpShipâ€™s at their disposal, so it's hard to gage the pool of trained personnel they can draw on. They do however claim to have at least two shipyards capable of repairing if not building warships; one in orbit of Port Stanley, the other over New Jamaica.

They also claim to have a Newgrange class Yard Ship in the Hamunaptra system, so it is possible that they are running at least basic maintenance on the ships under their care.

But, again, this is all speculation until someone gets hold of credible evidence one way or the other.
-Starling

Red Pins · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2011, 12:32:24 PM »

Hey, glad to see you made it over!

Rainbow 6 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:13:12 PM »

Very nice, and welcome to the boards.

Absalom · « **Reply #9 on:** April 10, 2011, 01:20:33 PM »

There's even more of this posted at the CBT boards. Baker-san has put forth a tremendous effort in putting this together.

Knightmare · « **Reply #10 on:** April 10, 2011, 02:48:32 PM »

This is really a development question. When designing the AU, how did you decide what dates and canon events to keep and which ones to discard?

Was your criteria story driven - i.e. if the date, event, etc., didn't jive with your story it got the boot?

I'm always interested in hearing/learning how writers came to their fictional "end game" when developing their stories.

Starbug · « **Reply #11 on:** April 10, 2011, 03:25:45 PM »

Quote from: Knightmare on April 10, 2011, 02:48:32 PM

This is really a development question. When designing the AU, how did you decide what dates and canon events to keep and which ones to discard?

Was your criteria story driven - i.e. if the date, event, etc., didn't jive with your story it got the boot?

I'm always interested in hearing/learning how writers came to their fictional "end game" when developing their stories.

I tell you the same thing I told people when I was writing a nBSG Fan Fiction story that had a different ending: a) it's an Alternate Universe, so things don't have to happen they way they did in canon, and b) it's fan-fiction, so I get to write it the way I think it should have ended.

And as the song says, the show must go on:

Okay, now we have something a little more believable; warrior-monks of the deep periphery! Yeah, I know, it's the Brotherhood of Randis all over again, but these guys seem to be secretive to the point of paranoia even by local standards....
-Starling

The Knights Templar

Classed as mercenaries, as nothing else seems to fit, the Knights Templar is a semi-secret society that follows a code of conduct that is both strict and somewhat simple:

A Knight is sworn to valour
His/Her heart knows only virtue
His/Her blade defends the helpless
His/Her might upholds the weak
His/Her word speaks only truth
His/Her wrath undoes the wicked

The nearly religious devotion to this code has seen the Knights completely eliminated on two separate occasions, only to be rebuilt from scratch by support personnel and cadets from their self-contained academy. Even in day-to-day conversation, members refer to themselves and each other by the title of â€˜Sirâ€™ or 'Lady', only using rank when dealing with outsiders.

Unit history:
No one outside the Knights is sure just when the order was formed: they claim to be able to trace their history back to the original Knights Templar, founded on Terra in 1118. This is almost certainly false, but there are other, older organisations in existence, so the claim should not be totally discredited.

Records do show the Knights operating in and around the area of space that now forms the Outer Colonies during the time of the Reunification Wars. The order remained completely neutral during the years of conflict, offering humanitarian and medical aid to both sides without preference. After several disastrous attempts to attack hospitals and aid stations operated by the Knights, both the SLDF and their Periphery opponents agreed to respect their neutrality, often going out of their way to accommodate their relief efforts.

To this day, no one knows how many lives the Knights saved by refusing to allow military units to position themselves in and around civilian centres.

The years after the Reunification Wars saw much hardship in the deep Periphery, with the Knights doing everything they could to help the civilian populations survive. More than one hostile government or pirate king was overthrown by the Knights as they continued their self appointed task of guarding civilian life.

Many of those who have benefited from the help of the Knights have made donations over the years. Some give little, often more than they can truly afford, but many large business and influential individuals have made large donations, including the organisations two Star Lord class JumpShips, the Siege Perilous and the newly acquired Green Knight.

With the fall of the Star League and the start of the Succession Wars, the Knights came to the conclusion that they could better serve humanity by remaining in the deep Periphery, and set about fortifying their base of operations, eventually surpassing even SLDF specifications.

With the birth of the Outer Colonies, the Knights agreed to accept the new government, but demanded full autonomy for themselves and those living on the land they controlled. The Council of Eleven readily agreed to this, signing over almost a fifth of the world of Last Post to the Knights, ensuring them a secure future.

To this day, the Knights Templar operated as a literal law unto themselves, only interacting with the Council of Eleven when necessary.

The Knightâ€™s distinctive unit emblem is a medieval knight in full armour, leaning on a broadsword. The knightâ€™s livery is white with a large red cross in the centre. All uniforms are bone-white torsos with blue arms and legs. Each Knight has their own personal coat-of-arms that is displayed over their right breast. Dress uniforms have a cloak adorned with the individualâ€™s coat-of-arms.

Base of operation:
The Knights operate out of the fortified city of New Constantinople on the desolate world of Last Post, and allow no visitors in their inner sanctum, the huge fortress known only as The Citadel. Attempts have been made of the years to sneak an agent inside, but the security systems appear to be experimental SLDF sensors and active countermeasures not normally found outside of a maximum security R&D centre.

This has given rise to the widely held theory that there is a lost Castle Brian under the Citadel, even though no such complex exists on the records for that time.

The city of New Constantinople is a Mecca for artists and philosophers, and is home to the most highly respected university in the entire Outer Colonies: not even the prestigious New Jamaica Institute of Advanced Science can boast a more famous list of past students. All students are accepted based on ability, with the Knights providing full scholarships for anyone who cannot afford the fees.

Unit Structure:
The Knights military arm is organised as a reinforced regiment, with four full battalions.

First Battalion contains three companies of predominately heavy BattleMechâ€™s, with an independent extended Command Lance of six BattleMechâ€™s. This includes two bodyguard Mechâ€™s for the Colonel, currently Sir Benedict di Milo.

Second Battalion contains the units armour assets, mainly medium tanks and fire support units. They are often deployed on the flanks and as a reserve should first battalion need assistance. Many of their vehicles are of Star League vintage, adding extra weight to the Castle Brian theory.

Third Battalion is the units infantry support, with one company of mechanised, one company of air-mobile and one company of foot infantry equipped with Nighthawk Power Armour. The mechanised company normally operates in support of the second battalion, while the air-mobile company is normally deployed as scouts ahead of the other units. The Power Armour company acts as jack-of-all-trades and as a rapid-response unit.

The Fourth Battalion is the support unit, including techs, medics, a dedicated MASH team and the Knights air-support unit, The Seraphim. Fourth battalion is normally kept away from the fighting, operating out of either a secured centre of operations or grounded DropShips.

The transport section is headed up by the Star Lord Class JumpShip Siege Perilous. Attached to this are the DropShips Constantine (Overlord addapted to carry the 42 BattleMechs of First Battlaion at the expense of its Aerospace fighters and some cargo space), Bors & Gaheris (Gazelleâ€™s assigned to Second Battalion), Tristan (Condor assigned to Third Battalion), Merlin (modified Fortress assigned to Fourth Battalion) and Bedivere (Leopard-CV, carries the remainder of the Knights Aerospace fighters).

As already stated, the Knights have a second Star Lord Class JumpShip, the Green Knight, but they mainly use this to carry supplies and to move units around when Siege Perilous is otherwise engaged.

Current Status:
The Knights are rebuilding after a long and bloody anti-pirate campaign rim-ward of the Outer Colonies, and as such, they are to be found on Last Post, tending their land hold around New Constantinople.

TO&E:

Regimental Command Lance
(The Knights Pendragon)
HGN-732b Highlander (Colonel Sir Benedict di Milo)
CP 10-Z Cyclops (Captain Lady Inese Larssonde)
BL6-KNT Black Knight (Lieutenant Sir Marcus Randall)
EXC-B2 Excalibur (Sergeant Sir Wahab Fusili)
ON1-K Orion (Sergeant Sir Felix de Carabas)
ON1-K Orion (Sergeant Lady Isabel Munro)

1st Battalion
(The Sword and the Shield)
1st Company
Command Lance
(The Dogs of War)
LNC 25-01 Lancelot (Major Lady Elisabeth Demarco)
ST-8A Shootist
ST-8A Shootist
EXT-4D Exterminator

Battle Lance
(The Four Horsemen)
AS7-D Atlas (Lieutenant Lady Charlotte Moreno)
NSR-9J Nightstar
KGC-000 King Crab
SPT-N2 Spartan

Sweeper Lance
(The Point of the Spear)
MCY-99 Mercury (Lieutenant Sir Henry Siva)
THE-N Thorn
HSR 200-D Hussar
SPR-5F Spector

2nd Company
Command Lance
(The Praetorians)
LNX-9Q Lynx (Captain Lady Sophie Wren)
CHP-1N Champion
END-6Q Enfield
STY-3C Starslayer

Battle Lance
(War-Blade)
HGN-732 Highlander (Lieutenant Sir Alexander Lee)
CP 10-Z Cyclops
BL6-KNT Black Knight
EXC-B2 Excalibur

Hunter Lance
(Bloodhounds)
NTK-2Q Night Hawk (Lieutenant Sir Thorlief Strongarm)
STG-3R Stinger
WSP-1A Wasp
DV-6M Dervish

3rd Company
Command Lance
(Sword of Justice)
THG-11E Thug (Captain Lady Elsa Door)
GLT-3N Guillotine
EMP-6A Emperor
VTR-9A1 Victor

Battle Lance
(The Berserkers)
HGN-732 Highlander (Lieutenant Sir Jackson Smith)
VTR-9A1 Victor
ON1-K Orion
STK-3F Stalker

Tracker Lance
(Night Hunters)
SHD-2H Shadow Hawk (Lieutenant Lady Sidney Pierce)
STG-3R Stinger
STG-3R Stinger
WSP-1A Wasp

2nd Battalion
(Rolling Thunder)
1st Company
Command Lance
(Thunderbolt)
Burke Heavy Tank (Major Sir Augustus Gibbs)
Burke Heavy Tank
VNL-K65N Von Luckner Heavy Tank
VNL-K65N Von Luckner Heavy Tank

Battle Lance
(Battle Cry)
Rhino Heavy Tank (Lieutenant Sir Marco Devon)
Rhino Heavy Tank
Fury Heavy Tank
Fury Heavy Tank

Scout Lance
(Lightning Strike)
Zephyr Hover Tank (Lieutenant Sir David Mackenzie)
Kanga Hover Tank
Lightning Hover Tank
Lightning Hover Tank

2nd Company
Command Lance
(The Long Nines)
Alacorn Mk VI Heavy Tank (Captain Lady Jennifer Sullivan)
Alacorn Mk VI Heavy Tank
Alacorn Mk VI Heavy Tank
Alacorn Mk VI Heavy Tank

Fire lance
(Raining Fire)
LT-MOB-25 Mobile Long Tom Artillery (Lieutenant Sir Francis McNamara)
LT-MOB-25 Mobile Long Tom Artillery
Padilla Heavy Artillery Tank
Padilla Heavy Artillery Tank

Support Lance
(Strength of Arms)
VNL-K65N Von Luckner Heavy Tank (Lieutenant Sir John Lovegrove)
Maultier APC
J-27 Ordnance Transport
J-27 Ordnance Transport

3rd Company
Command Lance
(Wings of Justice)
Nightshade VTOL (Captain Sir Simon Neo)
Nightshade VTOL
Nightshade VTOL
Nightshade VTOL

Battle Lance
(Death from Above)
Cyrano VTOL (Lieutenant Lady Mary Park)
Cyrano VTOL
Cyrano VTOL
Cyrano VTOL

Scout Lance
(Hawkeye)
Cyrano VTOL (Lieutenant Sir Charles Wayne)
Ripper VTOL
Ripper VTOL
Ripper VTOL

3rd Battalion
(The Hoplites)
1st Company
Command Platoon
(The Red Guard)
Maultier APC with Laser Rifle Squad (Major Sir Sergei Golovko)
Maultier APC with Laser Rifle Squad
Maultier APC with Laser Rifle Squad
Maultier APC with Laser Rifle Squad

Battle Platoon
(The Burning Swords)
Maultier APC with SRM Squad (Lieutenant Lady Elizabeth Elliott)
Maultier APC with MG Squad
Maultier APC with PPC Squad
Maultier APC with PPC Squad

Scout Platoon
(Snake Hunters)
Maultier APC with Assault Rifle Squad (Lieutenant Sir Andrew McClain)
Maultier APC with Assault Rifle Squad
Maultier APC with Assault Rifle Squad
Maultier APC with Assault Rifle Squad

4th Battalion
(The Knights Hospitaller)
1st Company
Command Lance
(4077th MASH)
Mobile Headquarters (Major Dr Lady Abigail Chace, MD)
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital
Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

Transport Lance
(Mercy Flight)
Karnov UR Transport (Lieutenant Dr Lady Cathy Muller MD)
Karnov UR Transport
Kestrel VTOL
Kestrel VTOL

Suport Lance
(Saving Grace)
J-27 Ordnance Transport (Sergeant Sir Marco Hendrix)
J-27 Ordnance Transport
J-27 Ordnance Transport
J-27 Ordnance Transport

The Seraphim
Command Flight
HCT-213B Hellcat II
HCT-213B Hellcat II
1st Squadron
Command Flight
RGU-133F Rogue
RGU-133F Rogue
1st Flight
TRN-3T Trident
SWF-606 Swift
2nd Flight
TRN-3T Trident
SPD-502 Spad
3rd Flight
ZRO-114 Zero
ZRO-114 Zero
2nd Squadron
Command Flight
HCT-213B Hellcat
HCT-213B Hellcat
1st Flight
THK-53 Tomahawk
THK-53 Tomahawk
2nd Flight
RGU-133L Rogue
LTN-G15 Lightning
3rd Flight
GTHA-100 Gotha
GTHA-100 Gotha
3rd Squadron
Command Flight
GTHA-500 Gotha
IRN-SD1 Ironsides
1st Flight
GTHA-100 Gotha
GTHA-300 Gotha
2nd Flight
IRN-SD1 Ironsides
IRN-SD1 Ironsides
3rd Flight
IRN-SD1 Ironsides
AHB-X Ahab

It goes without saying that most of this is gossip and conjecture, but I suppose the die-hard romantic within me likes the idea that there are still people out there who think chivalry and honor are more than just words.
Not that I believe for a second that these guys are descended from the real Knights Templar...
-Starling

More on the Knights when we get around to the information on their homeworld, Last Post.

Starbug · « **Reply #12 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:33:03 PM »

The Outer Colonies

Port Stanley
Star Type: G2IV
Position in System: 2 (of 7)
Time to Jump Point: 11.89 days
Number of Satellites: 2 (Troy and Hawkins)
Surface Gravity: 1.01
Atm. Pressure: Thin (Breathable)
Equatorial Temperature: 32Â°C (Mild-Temperate)
Surface Water: 67%
Recharging Station: Zenith, Nadir
HPG Class Type: A
Highest Native Life: Avian
Planetary Capital: San Carlos
Population (3045): 3,635,000,000

Administrative capital, home to the Council Chambers and the most heavily populated planet in Outer Colonies, Port Stanley was settled by people of predominantly Northern European decent, but with a large number of Latin American's, resulting in names such as San Carlos and Ciudad de San Jorge. The three large continents have a largely temperate climate, with vast mountain ranges and wide valleys. One of the largest mountains is Mount Longdon, home of a Star League Castle Brian that is linked by an aboveground highway and an underground railway to the heavily fortified Port Howard space-port. Between them they act as the nexus of planetary defences, including the primary ground station for the orbital weapons platforms.

Much further north, on the continent of Fitzroy, is the city of Fox Bay, site of the single largest industrial complex in the Outer Colonies. Capable of reproducing almost any BattleMech or armoured vehicle deployed by the SLDF, the factory now operates at a fraction of its maximum, mainly producing replacement parts for the Outer Colonies Defence Force. Due to local geography, Fox Bay has a very small space-port, and most of the larger items produced at the factory are transported either by airship or ocean-going cargo ships.

Orbiting Port Stanley is the extensive Clarke Station, a collection of shipyards, foundries and workshops that maintain both the merchant and military fleet. While the yards are capable of building anything up to and including a warship, they have not been tasked to do so since the Reunification War. The entire facility is protected from the moon of Troy, the bulk of which is given over to a massive military base that houses part of the aerospace academy.

The outer moon of Hawkins is much smaller, and is home to a scientific research station, including a 10km particle accelerator and other experiments that benefit from a microgravity environment.

New Tasmania
Star Type: K2IV
Position in System: 4 (of 8 )
Number of Moons: 1 (Sentinel)
Days to Jump Point: 5
Surface Water: 83%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.06
Equatorial Temp: 34Â°C (Mild-Temperate)
Recharging Station: Zenith
HPG Class Type: B
Highest Native Life: Mammals
Planetary Capital: Hobart
Population (3045): 1,960,000,000

A much more sparsely populated world in comparison, New Tasmania is still mostly untouched by man only the continent of Victoria is truly developed, with vast swathes of the others still in a near pristine condition. The worlds manly, large oceans are home to a thriving ecosystem and are spotted by long island chains, many the tips of still active volcanoes. It is this highly geologically active nature that makes the soil on New Tasmania as futile as it is, and food produce is the planets primary export.

San Antonio
Star Type: F0VI
Position in System: 3 (of 6)
Number of Moons: 2 (Travis and Crockett)
Days to Jump Point: 22
Surface Water: 55%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 0.73
Equatorial Temp: 85Â°C (Desert)
Recharging Station: Zenith
HPG Class Type: B
Highest Native Life: Amphibians
Planetary Capital: Galveston
Population (3045): 690,000,000

A dry, arid world, San Antonio still has a frontier feel to it, centuries after it was first settled. The inhabitants are known for being hardy, self sufficient and independent: it took even the Star League Defence Force two decades to completely pacify the populace, and even then they had to deal with regular uprisings and protests. While things are much calmer since the Outer Colonies reorganised their government to allow for much greater local autonomy, there is still occasional talk of leaving the Outer Colonies and going fully independent, but given the planets low population base and limited arable land, this remains unlikely.

New Jersey
Star Type: G2V
Position in System: 3 (of 12)
Number of Moons: 1 (Liberty)
Days to Jump Point: 9
Surface Water: 80%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.00
Equatorial Temp: 37Â°C (Mild-Temperate)
Recharging Station: Nadia
HPG Class Type: A
Highest Native Life: Mammals
Planetary Capital: Jersey City
Population (3045): 2,250,000,000

A wet and somewhat desolate world, New Jersey is none the less blessed with vast mineral reserves that have fuelled a thriving manufacturing and heavy industry led economy that is unmatched anywhere else in the Outer Colonies. It is also home to the only other operational shipyard in the region capable of building and maintaining JumpShip's, Newport News Orbital Shipbuilding Inc., as well as extensive ground-based facilities for the construction and maintenance of DropShip's of any size. Unfortunately this economic leviathan has exacted a heavy toll on the local environment, and a large proportion of the planetary GDP is spent running a network of highly sophisticated atmospheric processors recovered from the failed colonies in the Hamunaptra system.

Despite all this, New Jersey has a thriving tourist industry, as it is the only one of the Outer Colonies to allow unrestricted gambling, among other vices that are more strictly controlled, if not outright prohibited, elsewhere.

This has given birth to the famous saying; â€œWhat happens on New Jersey, stays on New Jersey...â€

Rockall
Star Type: F0IV
Position in System: 3 (of 12)
Number of Moons: 1 (Gibraltar)
Days to Jump Point: 12
Surface Water: 42%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.00
Equatorial Temp: 65ÂºC (Desert)
Recharging Station: Nadia
HPG Class Type: B
Highest Native Life: Reptilian
Planetary Capital: Derry
Population (3045): 450,000,000

Populated predominately by people of Scots-Irish decent, Rockall maintains a close-knit, family orientated societies based around the ancient Clans. Most of the populace is to be found around the northern Tyrol Mountains and freshwater lochs located there, far from the hash, inhospitable deserts of the equatorial regions. Rockall has a rather extreme rotational tilt, which geological evidence seems to indicate was caused by a collision with a large protoplanet back when the system was still forming, much like Terra was billions of years ago. This makes the seasons somewhat harsh, with very hot summers and cold, bitter winters.

Despite, or perhaps, because of this, Rockall is considered to be the home of the best single-malts in the entire Outer Colonies.

Last Post
Star Type: G5V
Position in System: 4 (of 6)
Number of Moons: 1 (Charleston)
Days to Jump Point: 7.5
Surface Water: 68%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.01
Equatorial Temp: 30Â° C (Arid)
Recharging Station: Zenith
HPG Class Type: B
Highest Native Life: Mammal
Planetary Capital: Landing
Population (3045): 1,010,000,000

Dry but not overly hot, at first Last Post has little to attract settlers even now, but that is until you take into account the stable climate, low geological activity and stunning, if somewhat stark, beauty. It is no wonder that Lost Post has given the Outer Colonies more poets and artist than any other world.

The other thing that makes Lost Post stand out is that it is the home of the Knights Templar, and their massive land-hold on the continent of Haven in the eastern tropics. The capital of Haven is New Constantinople, located between the foot of a mountain ant the mouth of the Serenity River. The city is split into two sectioned: the sprawling Lower City down by the river, and the Citadel, which is carved out of the mountain itself. Only members of the Order are allowed into the Citadel, with every point of access guarded around the clock. Over the years many have tried to either slip in, or have joined the Order to discover its secrets. To date none of them have succeeded; they have all either been found out and deported, or 'gone native' and embraced the Order fully, turning their backs on their former life.

The highest apparent rank in the order is that of Paladin, the select few who control the order from somewhere within the Citadel. Below them are the Clerics, who act as administrators for their holdings, the Knights who make up the bulk of the order, including all the officers and senior NCO's within their paramilitary arm, the Men At Arms, who act as a police force across Haven and guard the Citadel itself, Squires, who carry out much of the day-to-day business of running an entire continent, and lastly the Acolytes, who are probationary members seeking to earn a place as full members of the Order. Acolytes are only allowed into the Citadel for the ceremony that sees them rise to the position of Squire or Man At Arms, and are more often seen going about their business in the Lower City.

The Treaty of New Constantinople, signed by the Star League and endorsed by the Outer Colonies grants the Order fully and total authority over Haven, and anyone entering the territory should be aware that they are under the legal jurisdiction and authority of the Order, not the Outer Colonies.

New Jamaica
Star Type: K4III
Position in System: 4 (of 10)
Time to Jump Point: 4.12 days
Number of Satellites: 0
Surface Gravity: 1.0
Atmosphere Pressure: High (Breathable)
Surface Water Coverage: 62%
Equatorial Temperature: 34Â° C (Tropical)
Highest Native Life: Amphibians
Recharging Station: Nadir
HPG Class Type: A
Planetary Capital: Port Royal
Population (3045): 2,190,000,000

A near paradise, New Jamaica has the best beaches, the warmest, clearest seas and the most agreeable climate of any of the Outer Colonies. Almost zero axial tilt means that the seasons are split between hot a humid in the summer, and warm and wet in winter. This would normally make it a prime world for colonisation anywhere, but such endeavours have met an native enemy in the Iron-Root plant. Somewhat akin to the mangrove of Terra, iron-root has colonised vast swaths of New Jamaica and is unusually stubborn and all but impossible to eradicate to the point that military grade explosives and even BattleMech's have been called upon to clear areas that resisted more traditional methods. Some areas of old-growth forest are all but impenetrable, limiting the amount of land available for human habitation.

Despite this, the colonists of predominantly Afro-Caribbean and Latin-American stock have made the most of what they have, reclaiming large areas from the sea by filling in lagoons and atolls to gain living space. Its many lush, sandy beaches attract holiday makers from across the Outer Colonies, allowing it to rival even New Jersey as the number one vacation destination. Many are drawn to the famous floating cities, effectively free-floating habitats that migrate around the world to take advantage of the best weather conditions.

New Jamaica's main exports are lumber, spices and rum.

Vision
Star Type: F8V
Position in System: 4 (of 12)
Number of Moons: 1 (Hope)
Days to Jump Point: 12
Surface Water: 60%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.2
Equatorial Temp: 30Â°C (Arid)
Highest Native Life: Reptiles
Recharging Station: Nadir
HPG Class Type: B
Planetary Capital: Eden
Population (3045): 915,000,000

A truly unremarkable world, Vision has little to make it stand out amongst its fellow colonies, resulting in a lower population then you might expect. While the world has enough natural resources and arable land sustain its population comfortably, they are not of sufficient quality or quantity to make export an economical choice. In a bid to boost income from off-world, the planetary council built large sports complex just outside their capital and played host to the first Outer Colonies Olympic Games.

The games were a resounding success, and by tradition, Vision plays host to every third tournament while the other Colonies take turns.

Malloy's World
Star Type: K8V
Position in System: 3 (of 8 )
Number of Moons: 1 (Guardian)
Days to Jump Point: 3
Surface Water: 74%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 0.84
Equatorial Temp: 38Â°C (Tropical)
Highest Native Life: Birds
Recharging Station: Zenith
HPG Class Type: B
Planetary Capital: Rosalyn
Population (3045): 1,645,378,000

Not to be confused with the Federated Suns world with an almost identical name, Malloyâ€™s World is one of the more Terra-like worlds in the Outer Colonies, having a relatively stable climate and low to moderate geological activity. In fact the world is almost as laid back as its inhabitants, who take advantage of its location at the edge of the Outer Colonies to allow the hustle and bustle of the more cosmopolitan worlds pass them by while they dedicate themselves to more scholastic pursuits, resulting in a far higher than average percentage of the population with qualifications from their worlds many centres of higher education. Even the capital, Rosalyn, feels more like a oversized collage campus than a major city.

One interesting piece of local trivia; the planet itself is named after Captain Gregory Malloy, commander of the JumpShip North Star, who first discovered the world, while the capital is named after his eldest daughter, Rosalyn Amber Cater-Malloy, who had been born during the long passage from the Inner Sphere.

Rorke's Drift
Star Type: M2IV
Position in System: 4 (of 9)
Number of Moons: 2 (Ulysses and Odyssey)
Days to Jump Point: 3
Surface Water: 63%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 0.95
Equatorial Temp: 47Â°C (Desert)
Highest Native Life: Mammals
Recharging Station: Nadia and Zenith
HPG Class Type: A
Planetary Capital: Charlemagne
Population (3045): 1,958,205,000

Some may call the Outer Colonies unnecessarily paranoid when it comes to dealing with outsiders, but that doesn't even come close to describing the people of Rorke's Drift.

A sparsely populated world before the arrival of the surviving descendants of the 331st division, the world is geared almost totally to the business of warfare. For the forth most populous world in the Outer Colonies, Rorke's Drift provides the highest number of military personnel per-capita, and has the largest standing militia, with every citizen expected to join the planetary militia and to remain a member of the reserve until they reach forty. The only exceptions are medical disability and conviction of a non-misdemeanor. While the city of Charlemagne remains the officially capital, the largest settlement is in fact McEverdy City, some 200km to the south, deep in the Wolf's Bane Mountains. This heavily fortified settlement is surrounded by fortifications, including ground-to-orbit missile silos and capital-grade lasers and particle canons, collectively known as â€œthe Ring of Fireâ€.

In orbit, amid an impressive number of weapons satellites and battle stations is a non-operational shipyard that was closed down and put into mothballs when the Star League fell, due to a decline in business now they no longer need to service JumpShips making the long an arduous journey to and from the Inner Sphere. While deactivated, the yards are kept in good repair and could easily be reactivated.

Protectorates:

Helios
Star Type: G5V
Position in System: 2 (of 4)
Number of Moons: 16 (of which the largest is Solitude)
Days to Jump Point: 20
Surface Water: N/A
Atm. Pressure: N/A
Surface Gravity: N/A
Equatorial Temp: N/A
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: D
Highest Native Life: N/A
Planetary Capital: N/A
Population (3045): 120,000

An otherwise unimpressive yellow dwarf system, the Helios system is only remarkable due to the presence of the gas giant that gives it its name, which is home to a Star League era hydrogen mining station. The only other permanent settlement in the system is a mining outpost on the moon Solitude, which produces high-grade industrial diamonds and naturally occurring crystals that are used in laser focusing arrays, including military weapons. Both outposts are owned and operated by the Hark Corporation under the oversight of the Office of Colonial Affairs.

Arixo
Star Type:K0V
Position in System: 2 (of 4)
Number of Moons: 2 (Coyote and Shadow)
Days to Jump Point: 4.25
Surface Water: 33%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.2
Equatorial Temp: 85ÂºC (Desert)
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: C
Highest Native Life: Reptilian
Planetary Capital: Snake River
Population (3045): approximately 117,450,000

A dry, inhospitable world, Arixo attracted settlers from both the North American, Arabian and Australian regions on Terra, mainly people who wanted a simpler, nomadic life. Settlements are few and far between, with the bulk of the population moving around the vast savannah's and deserts with the seasons. The authority of the Office of Colonial Affairs doesn't extended to far from the few permanent settlements, and many of the locals still settle disputes by armed combat, something the local Marshals service spends a lot of time and effort trying to discourage. The only real export of note (aside from hand-tooled firearms and bladed weapons, which are much sort after by collectors across the Outer Colonies) is titanium and germanium from the Kata Tjuta Mountains on the southern continent of Uluru.

TRAVEL ADVISORY: several of Arixo's native species are both aggressive and carnivorous, many capable of overwhelming a unaware human. Take care when travailing outside of populated areas and if possible, travel in armed groups.

Pacifica
Government: Elected Council under the guidance of a Colonial Administrator
Star Type: F5III
Position in System: 4 (of 12)
Number of Moons: 1 (Mandalay)
Days to Jump Point: 11
Surface Water: 85%
Atm. Pressure: Standard
Surface Gravity: 1.02
Equatorial Temp: 33Â°C (Arid)
Recharging Station: none
HPG Class Type: C
Highest Native Life: Mammal
Planetary Capital: Roanapur
Population (3045): 150,315,000

Settled by people of Polynesian, Malayan and otherwise Far-Eastern decent, Pacifica maintains a close link it its cultural heritage, even thousands of light-years from Terra. The people who inhabit its many island chains and atolls lives lives not that dissimilar to their distance ancestors, all be it with ships made of high-tensile alloys, deep-scanning echo-locators and satellite communications. The planets only continent, MokuÊ»Äina, is home to both its capital and its only space port, but specially adapted amphibious DropShips and transatmospheric shuttles are used on occasions to deliver bulk cargo to and from isolated communities when speed is off the essence and the vast blue water transports are too slow.

The main industry of Pacifica is fishing; its deep, rich seas provide a rich bounty that even industrialised fishing is hard pressed to put a dent in. Fleets of ships roam the single, vast ocean, in search of their next catch, entire families going years between setting foot on dry ground. Some of the larger ships are effectively ocean-going towns that include schools, medical centres and all the other facilities one could ask for. Shepherding them are patrol ships of the Colonial Marshals, acting as both law enforcement, tax collectors and emergency response teams. The deep oceans of Pacifica are known to produce monster storms that can destroy even the mightiest vessels, and many lives have been saved by the timely arrival of an emergency shuttle.

Military Outposts

Hamunaptra
Star Type: G0III
Position in System: 4 (of 8 )
Number of Moons: 0
Days to Jump Point: 8
Surface Water: 67%
Atm. Pressure: Thick (Inhospitable)
Surface Gravity: 1.09
Equatorial Temp: 120Â°C
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: None
Highest Native Life: Bacterial
Planetary Capital: N/A
Population (3045): 25,000

Hundreds of years ago, settlers attempted to found a colony on the world then known as Hibernia. Unfortunately, not long after they landed, the planet underwent a massive geological upheaval that rendered it unfit for human habitation. Many fled to other nearby worlds, but most remained behind, attempting to save their new home by deploying massive atmospheric processors and regulators similar to those used by the Star League to terraform worlds in the Inner Sphere. Unfortunately the tectonic and atmospheric instability had already reached a tipping point, and within a few decades the entire planet was all but dead, turned from a lush demi-paradise to a living hell. The remaining colonists either fled or died, but records from that time are fragmented at best, leaving their true fate unknown to this day.

When the Star League took an interest in the Outer Colonies, they sent a mission to the Hibernia system but found nothing but ruins. They managed to recover the terraforming equipment that had failed to save the world, then renamed it Hamunaptra, after a mythical necropolis on Terra.

Thus the world remained of little interest to anyone until the start of the Reunification War. Faced with the need to dispose of captured Periphery Navy warships, the local SLDF commander decided to relocate them to the Hamunaptra system, which was not listed on most maps not of local origin, and thus began the formation of the vast orbital bone-yard. Since then it has become home to more ships either captured or declared surplus and too expensive to ship back to the Inner Sphere for disposal. A number of these are held as part of the Naval Reserve and maintained to a certain level by a team of engineers and technicians, while others are allowed to just drift in orbit, occasional used as a convenient source of spare parts.

Many of the ships located in the bone-yard may well be the last of their kind in existence, and every few years a survey is conducted to make sure that the most historically significant ones are still in one piece, and unlikely to fall into a gravity well.

Nomad Station
Star Type:DZ8
Position in System: N/A
Number of Moons: N/A
Days to Jump Point: 4
Surface Water: N/A
Atm. Pressure: N/A
Surface Gravity: N/A
Equatorial Temp: N/A
Recharging Station: none
HPG Class Type: D
Highest Native Life: N/A
Planetary Capital: N/A
Population (3045): 2,600

A scientific research station orbiting a white dwarf, Nomad Station was built by the Star League as part of a chain of radio telescopes scattered through to deep Periphery. The station is of negligible strategic value, but is normally home to a pair of assault DropShipâ€™s and a fighter wing due to the high black-market value of the irreplaceable electronics it houses. The station is run by the Ministry of Since under a senior administrator.

Columbia
Star Type: G2V
Position in System: 3 (of 7)
Number of Moons: None
Days to Jump Point: 10
Surface Water: 5%
Atm. Pressure: Thin (Borderline-breathable)
Surface Gravity: 0.89
Equatorial Temp: 15Â°C (Tundra)
Recharging Station: none
HPG Class Type: D
Highest Native Life: Mammal
Planetary Capital: Columbia Station
Population (3045): 14,000

At the 'northern' end of the perimeter, Columbia is an icy, desolate world that has never attracted any settlers due to the fact that is locked in the middle of an ice age. A few prospectors have scoured its surface in a bid to make their fortune, but its thick ice sheets and barely breathable atmosphere have made any finds economically impractical at this time, or at any point in the next few centuries. A small, domed military outpost on the equator maintains an array of satellites in orbit tasked with detecting the tell-tale signs of nearby hyperspace transits that would give warning of any nearby, unexpected JumpShip activity.

Fort Kerium
Star Type: K9V
Position in System: 2 (of 5)
Number of Moons: 0
Days to Jump Point: 3
Surface Water: 20%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Highly-Tainted)
Surface Gravity: 1.11
Equatorial Temp: 24Â°C (Temperate)
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: D
Highest Native Life: Reptilian
Planetary Capital: Fort Kerium
Population (3045): 12,000

If it wasnâ€™t for the high concentration of Sulphur in the atmosphere, Fort Kerium would be ideal for human settlement. As it is it is reduced to serving as a mid-range military outpost on north-west edge of the Outer Colonies, most of which is burred below ground to avoid the smell. Even then, almost everyone who's served there insists they can still smell rotten eggs, despite the best the air scrubbers money can buy.

Fort Centrum
Star Type: G4IV
Position in System: 1 (of 5)
Number of Moons: N/A (largest moon of a Gas Giant)
Days to Jump Point: 8
Surface Water: 36%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Tainted)
Surface Gravity: 0.69
Equatorial Temp: 47Â°C (Desert)
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: D
Highest Native Life: Reptilian
Planetary Capital: Fort Centrum
Population (3045): 14,500

At the very centre of the defensive line, Fort Centrum has the misfortune of being the only rock in the entire system with even a partly breathable atmosphere, and a giant ball of windswept rock with such a high concentration of dust in the atmosphere that filter masks must be warn outside. To try and overcome the hardship of a world no-one likes garrisoning, a lot of time and money has been spent on leisure facilities, but even then there are few who'd serve there voluntarily. The low natural gravity is also a problem, as anyone who fails to maintain a proper exorcise regime can find it hard to adjust when they return to a world of more Terra-like proportions.

Fort Dixie
Star Type: G1V
Position in System: 4 (of 15)
Number of Moons: 1 (Alpha)
Days to Jump Point: 10
Surface Water: 36%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.06
Equatorial Temp: 24Â°C (Temperate)
Recharging Station: Zenith
HPG Class Type: A
Highest Native Life: Mammal
Planetary Capital: Fort Dixie
Population (3045): 20,800

Fort Dixie was once one end of the chain of HPG stations that linked the Outer Colonies to the rest of humanity, and was home to a good-sized support base geared towards maintaining that vital link. But now with the stations shut down and either destroyed or recovered, it serves mainly as a early warning station in case anyone should follow a line on a map and stumble upon the Outer Colonies. The recharge station at the Zenith jump-point is only partly operational and operates mainly as a transfer point for ships heading to or from the old Star League base.

Ticonderoga
Star Type: F7III
Position in System: 2 (of 6)
Number of Moons: None
Days to Jump Point: 13.5
Surface Water: 35%
Atm. Pressure: Low (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.1
Equatorial Temp: 51Â° C (Arid)
Recharging Station: None
HPG Class Type: C
Highest Native Life: Avian
Planetary Capital: Champlain
Population (3045): 360,000

The southern tip of the defensive chain, Ticonderoga is home to a small but prosperous uranium mine and military-outpost. Every so often there is talk of expanding the settlement and establishing a full colony, but with so much land still available on already inhabited planets, few if any ever take up the challenge. That said, it has a high birth rate and there is some immigration, to the point where local amenities are always expanding, so it may just be a matter of time before it becomes the eleventh member of the Outer Colonies.

Starbug · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:35:28 PM »

The Brotherhood Of The Blood

Not so much a secret society, but more of a way of remembering the past, the term â€œOf The Bloodâ€ is used to describe someone who is descended from the survivors of Clan Wolverine or those born of the Iron Wombs, bred from the stockpile of genetic material they brought with them. While those with only a tenuous connection may see little point is such a distinction, others with a closer bond to the original 331st Royal BattleMech Division take a certain amount of pride in the fact that their very existence is living proof that the followers of Nicholas Kerensky are not as perfect as they imagined themselves. Even knowing that their lives would be threatened should the Clans ever discover the Outer Colonies, they are known to proudly ware the symbols of both the 331st and Clan Wolverine. Some chose to do so through extensive and intricate tattoos, but the more common is an easily recognised signet ring: the band is made up of interwoven gold and silver bands to represent the double-helix of DNA, while the face represents the insignia of Clan Wolverine.

Most rings are simple enamel, but some use onyx for the head, amber for the background, platinum for the slashed claw marks and a small diamond to pick out the eye. Such rings are rare heirlooms, often passed down from parent to first-born, cementing the link to the past.

While the so-called â€œBrotherhood Of The Bloodâ€ has no official standing, organisation or power, it does exert a great deal of power behind the scenes, especially on Rorke's Drift and within the Outer Colonies Defence Force. Many have pointed to unusual patterns of advancement or deployment to those Of The Blood, much as someone of noble birth might find their way opened by family and friends in the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere. Such an act is officially frowned upon, but given the higher than average number of Rorke's Drift citizens within the OCDF, more often than not a blind eye is turned to all but the most blatant acts of favouritism, and those who are unable to back up their position with ability are quickly moved to less glamorous positions, where they are unlikely to openly embarrass the rest of the Brotherhood.

The Ministry of Intelligence

Overview:
Popularly known as â€˜The All-Seeing Eyeâ€™, the Ministry of Intelligence is responsible for the internal and external security of the Outer Colonies. Its powers are widespread and unparalleled, making its directors among the most powerful people in the Outer Colonies. All the plots and counter-plots, all the words whispered and knives in the dark are their to unravel and employ

The Shamrock:
The Ministry of Intelligence is split into three sub divisions:

The Security Service, responsible for counter-intelligence and internal security. Security Service agents control all secruity activity within the Outer Colonies, as well as hunting down and dealing with any outside agents. They work closely with local authorities and the Colonial Marshals to maintain the integrity of our boarders. They also operate GCHQ, the electronic intelligence sub-division dedicated to intercepting and cracking encrypted communications of suspicious nature or origins.

The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for external security. They have further reaching powers than the Security Service, but are officaly prohibated from working inside the Outer Colonies. SIS has agents on several independent Periphery worlds and within local pirate bands and the armies of several would-be War Lords.

The Special Operations Executive (SOE) is the ministries paramilitery arm, and opperates spechial forces units across the Outer Colonies. Often called in to deal with terrorist or criminal suituations that have suparsed the ability of local law enforcement to handle, they are well versed in everythin from clandestine assasination to hostage rescue.

Deep Midnights Voice
Unofficial, off the books and unaccountable to anyone except themselves, Deep Midnights Voice is a secret society buried deep within the Ministry of Intelligence, the Outer Colonies Defence Force, the Colonial Marshals and a dozen other organisations and agencies. They consider themselves to be the last line of defence between the Outer Colonies and the anarchy that followed the fall of the Star League. Not just a black operation or rogue element, Deep Midnights Voice has been tentatively liked to the suspicious deaths of several people down the years, including at least two members of the Council of Eleven. While they consider themselves loyal to the Outer Colonies, they reject political oversight, as they consider elected politicians to be untrustworthy due to the fact that they have to pander to the electorate, and have been known to unveil state secrets to win votes. Free from scrutiny, they feel free to do anything and everything they deem necessary to protect and defend the Outer Colonies and do so with a cool, calm professionalism that would make most peoples' skin crawl if they ever heard of it.

Aside from the usual cloak-and-dagger theatrics, Deep Midnights Voice as also gained a reputation for being beyond human. There are stories about how they operated, how they can become part of the shadows to the point that they are totally undetectable. Some say that they have access to ultra-advanced Star League era technology, decades beyond anything anyone else has. Others say that they practice the mystic arts and performed strange rituals that could make a ship jump into hyperspace, never to be seen again. While many scoff at such superstitious nonsense, if anyone could wield such powers, it would be Deep Midnight's Voice. They remain an ultra-select, total volunteer organisation that you can only join by invitation and leave only by death.

Aside from some BattleMech and Battle Armour designs, that's all I've got to date.

Suggestions, advice, help and coffee are always welcome

Blacknova · « **Reply #14 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:45:32 PM »

Wow, you really have some detailed background info there.

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