Battletech - Capellan Confederation

Capellan Confederation

The Capellan Confederation is the smallest and youngest of the Successor States. A socialistic police state with strong Chinese and Russian influences, the Confederation is ruled by the authoritarian Chancellor, who has almost always been a member of House Liao. During the years of the Succession Wars the Capellan Confederation was the perpetual underdog, losing territory to its aggressive neighbors and verging on the brink of total collapse before regaining much of its strength by the middle of the 31st century. Many Capellans take pride in their citizenship - not least because it must be earned - and view service to the State as a worthy sacrifice for the good of humanity. Originally founded on Capella, its current capital world is Sian. 

History

After the end of the Hegemony-Supremacy War, the Capellan Commonality was formed in 2310 as a loose federation of all the major powers occupying the Capellan Zone.

In the midst of a House Davion "peacekeeping" operation, the heads of the major Capellan powers met on St. Andre in July 2367. There, Duke Franco Liao of the Duchy of Liao made a radical proposal: dissolve the Commonality and unify the entire Capellan Zone under a centralized authority strong enough to resist foreign intervention. After much debate, the motion was adopted, and the Capellan Confederation was born.

The Capellan Confederation enjoyed great prosperity with the peace brought about by the Star League, but it was not to last. At the outbreak of the Star League Civil War, Chancellor Barbara Liao adopted a position of armed neutrality, allowing neither Aleksandr Kerensky's nor Stefan Amaris' forces to enter Capellan territory. With the dissolution of the Council, and the self-imposed exile of Kerensky and the Star League Defense Force, the Succession Wars became inevitable.

The First Succession War began in December 2786, and the Confederation made large gains by occupying worlds of the former Terran Hegemony, most of which fell peacefully, and launching attacks against the Free Worlds League and Federated Suns. The First Succession War finally came to an end in 2821 with a ceasefire between the Liao and Davion realms.

The start of the Second Succession War in 2828 was inauspicious as Ilsa Liao became the first Chancellor killed in combat, personally commanding the rear-guard after the failed invasion of Orbisonia. A ceasefire was achieved in 2862 when Dainmar Liao agreed to humiliating concessions to the Federated Suns, but peace only lasted a few more years before the Third Succession War began.

Towards the end of the Third Succession War, the Confederation turned towards subterfuge where force no longer worked: Chancellor Maximilian Liao helped to spark Anton's Revolt in the Free Worlds League, and began plotting with Michael Hasek-Davion to achieve the same within the Federated Suns. However, the Fourth Succession War helped cut that conspiracy off at the knees as the Confederation found itself the target of the newly-christened Federated Commonwealth. The Capellan Confederation was nearly destroyed in the Fourth Succession War, and what worlds it didn't lose to the FedCom alliance broke away to form their own splinter states, the Tikonov Free Republic and St. Ives Compact.

Though severely weakened, the Confederation survived the Andurien Crisis, which helped to improve morale within its military, and it was untouched by the Clan Invasion, giving the realm more time to rebuild itself. When it came time to deal with the Clan problem once and for all, Sun-Tzu was elected to become the First Lord of the Second Star League, a largely ceremonial position but one which brought further prestige to the state.

Politics

The Capellan Confederation started out as a collection of states united for common defence and well-being, but over hundreds of years, through the influences of certain schools of philosophy and the leadership of House Liao, it has evolved to become an autocratic state with a controlled economy. While appearing to be nothing more than an absolute dictatorship to outsiders, the Confederation's government is closer to that of a troika, composed of three legislative bodies: the Chancellor, the Prefectorate, and the House of Scions. Each competes with the other for power, and even the strongest Chancellors have had to cooperate with the other two in order to pursue their policies.

The Chancellor

The Chancellor is the face of the Capellan Confederation, invested with immense executive and legislative authority. The "Celestial Wisdom" is responsible for all domestic and foreign policy for the Confederation, and with the power to issue decrees can make legislative changes at will. The Chancellor serves as the commander-in-chief of the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces, and has personal control over the Warrior Houses and the Death Commandos. Although originally serving a ten-year term, the position was turned into a lifetime appointment by decree in 2480, and while not mandated by law the Chancellorship is essentially reserved for members of House Liao.

The Prefectorate

Sometimes known as the Prefecture, the Prefectorate is the oldest and highest governing body in the Capellan state. Begun by Franco Liao as an advisory council, its members are elected from the House of Scions for ten-year terms. Originally numbering six individuals, each a representative from one of the six original commonalities, it was enlarged to twelve by Kurnath Liao to include other powerful men and women. Kurnath Liao also gave the Prefectorate certain legislative powers, although its most important function only came after the death of Duncan Liao, when the Prefectorate gained the right to designate one of its members as Chancellor.

This right was diminished when the Chancellorship became a lifetime appointment, and severely curtailed when the Star League agreed to grant only members of House Liao a seat on the High Council, effectively limiting the Prefecture's choices. Additional restrictions came in 2598 when Chancellor Quinn issued the Decree of Succession stating that, in the event of failure to elect a new Chancellor after three formal votes, the Chancellorship would automatically be ceded to the most senior member of House Liao. Only if a member of House Liao was unavailable or not of age could the Prefectorate choose another in their place.

Despite its diminished purpose the Prefectorate still maintains significant powers. It is responsible for passing national tax legislation, appropriations for the armed forces, and officer appointments for those military units outside the Chancellor's direct control. The Prefectorate arbitrates disputes between commonalities and, at the Chancellor's discretion, may issue decrees and rule on court decisions. It also has the power to pass "acts of ennoblement", granting certain privileges and responsibilities to individuals within the Confederation, a power it has used as a way of counteracting decrees passed by the Chancellor. Finally, all legislation passed by the Prefectorate is inviolable (except by the House of Scions) and the body cannot be removed or disbanded by the Chancellor.

House of Scions

The House of Scions is a governing body composed of Capellan nobility, originally formed as a check on the power of the Chancellor and Prefectorate. Membership is open to both types of nobility, although the twelve-year terms are staggered to ensure constant turnover. The power of the House of Scions has ebbed and flowed through the centuries, from superficial rubber stamp to serious political force. At first the House had the power to veto legislation passed by both the Chancellor or the Prefectorate, but the right to review the Chancellor's decrees was removed by Mica Liao. During the Star League era the House gained the right to appoint new members to the Prefectorate, and after negotiations with Ilsa Liao it gained the right to determine taxes for individual commonalities, separate from the national taxes determined by the Prefecture. Like the Prefecture, any legislation passed by the House of Scions is also inviolable.

  

The Ministerial

The Ministerial is the bureaucracy responsible for enacting the legislature passed by the troika, created by Chancellor Baxter as a mea culpa for the incompetence of his administration. Each Ministry is headed by a director who reports quarterly to the Prefectorate, with a first and second deputy director under them and various department coordinators, assistants and administrative staff. Originally the Ministerial was divided between the commonalities in an attempt to prevent an unacceptable concentration of bureaucratic power. However, in 3059 Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao ended this system and Political Divisions.

The highest administrative division within the Confederation is the Commonality, each ruled by a Duke or Duchess who also serves as its representative on the Prefectorate. In the beginning, each commonality was roughly analogous to the founding states of the Confederation: the Capella Commonality, Tikonov Commonality, Sian Commonality, Sarna Commonality and St. Ives Commonality (a sixth, the Chesterton Commonality, was created shortly thereafter but largely existed in named only, ruled in exile on Sian by the Hargreaves family).  That number was reduced to just two after the end of the Fourth Succession War, the Capella and Sian commonalities, while the Chesterton Commonality-in-Exile was abolished in 3040 when Chancellor Romano Liao banished the Hargreaves family. However, in the years after the Clan invasion, the Confederation was able to reclaim some of its lost territory, and by 3067 it had reformed the Liao and St. Ives commonalities and created the Victoria Commonality.

The commonalities are further divided into Duchies, each encompassing between two to eight star systems, ruled by a duke or duchess. Each duchy is further divided into Warrens, usually a pair of star systems, and ruled by a ducal representative known as a Diem. Individual worlds within a warren are known as Demesnes and ruled by a nobleman under the authority of the local Diem, though the populace may appeal any decisions through their local Refrector. In each case, the noble in charge of each district has the power to rule over it as their own personal fiefdom - provided they obey all Capellan laws, of course. Additionally, unless a duchy or fiefdom is hereditary in nature, the Chancellor has the power to reassign each district at will.

Citizenship

Unlike the other Successor States where individuals are born with citizenship, in the Confederation citizenship is a benefit to be earned. All minors in the Capellan Confederation are technically wards of the state under the provisional supervision of their parents or guardians. During this time, they receive a state sponsored education and are encouraged to participate in the betterment of their communities. By age 15, each Capellan child is evaluated to determine if they have proven their commitment to the state by participating in their community, whether through outreach work or civic participation. Those who are found to have provided service to the state are granted citizenship. Those who have not are given additional education and a grace period of two years after which they will have a second evaluation. Failure to earn citizenship after one's second evaluation relegates an individual to the class of non-citizens referred to as Servitors.

Immigrants to the Confederation must also earn their citizenship, though it may occur a number of different ways. The simplest are for foreign nobles who can pay a "relocation fee" and immediately be inducted into the ranks of the Sheng nobility, albeit at one level lower than their previous rank. Other immigrants must undergo a full educational cycle on the meaning of Capellan citizenship and perform a service to the state, typically several months of unpaid labor within their chosen profession, before being accepted. For the populations of recently liberated worlds, all individuals are immediately made servitors and required to spend no less than five years in this condition until given the opportunity to earn their citizenship.

Capellan citizens' rights are defined by the Capellan Concordat and their privileges many: membership in the caste system, free health care and education, retirement pensions, and more. While for the most part left to their own devices, citizens also have a number of obligations: they must take an oath of loyalty to the Confederation, to House Liao and the Chancellor; when so ordered they may be relocated to another world or retrained to serve in another industry (all at the state's expense); if not a member of the armed forces or Home Guard they must register with their local militia and serve during invasions or natural disasters. Above and beyond any legal obligations, citizens are expected to continue providing services to their community throughout their lifetime, and the state makes a point of continuing to promote and reward those who provide selfless service to the state. In contrast, the punishment for some of the most serious crimes (treason, cowardice, etc.) results in a loss of citizenship and automatic demotion to servitor status.

Military

The military of the Capellan Confederation is known as the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces (CCAF). Historically the CCAF has been a competent and professional military, equal to its enemies, but often hamstrung both by meddling Chancellors and trying to do too much with too little. The Chancellor serves as the commander-in-chief of the CCAF and has a seat on the Strategios, or Capellan Command Council, which in theory runs day-to-day operations of the military (though in practice this depends on the whims of the Chancellor). In a testament to House Liao's distrust of the military, the rank of General was abolished by Jasmine Liao (leaving their function in the hands of Senior Colonels) and would not be reinstated until six centuries later by Sun-Tzu Liao.

The CCAF is composed of both front-line and reserve units, as well as Home Guard and planetary militia units. Mercenary forces also play a major role in defending the Confederation, with McCarron's Armored Cavalry winning itself equal standing with the likes of other famous mercenary units. Outside the military chain-of-command and answerable only to the Chancellor are the elite Warrior Houses and Death Commandos.

Economy

The Capellan economy is a centralized system based on the idea that sufficient planning can overcome any obstacle. Every four years, the Chancellor and the Ministry Planning Committee set economic goals and determine the level of productivity for each industry to meet these goals. Surprisingly, the economy has managed to flourish at times under this centralized direction, thanks in part to the density of the Capellan state, and the ability for Chancellors to quickly and unequivocally redirect economic production has helped it weather the many existential threats to the Confederation.

Chancellor Normann Aris is most responsible for the socialistic nature of the Capellan economy. With the end of the Reunification War, revenues had dried up and the economy entered a deep recession. To combat the widespread hunger gripping his realm, Chancellor Aris enacted "compulsory organization" for all Capellan citizens. In exchange for the many rights and privileges given to them, Capellan citizens owed the state their service, and the state would be responsible for determining what that service entailed. This drastic change helped prevent the total collapse of the Capellan economy, though the citizens who engaged in strikes and shutdowns on hundreds of worlds across the Confederation didn't quite see it that way.

Any hope that compulsory organization would be overturned after Aris' death were dashed when Sundermann Liao instead expanded upon the system. Sundermann made official the policy of relocating citizens to where they were most needed: if one planet had a shortage of teachers and another had too many, a sufficient number would be moved from one to the other until balanced was achieved. His son, Androsar Liao, helped patched up the societal riffs created by this policy by making it illegal to relocate a worker without also relocating their spouses and dependent children. This helped to keep families together and made the nobility more weary of abusing the system due to the added costs. Androsar was also responsible for guaranteeing free education for all citizens which, among other benefits, allowed for training in a primary and secondary occupation, making the transition to a new job easier. During the golden years of the Star League Era, the Capellan economy enjoyed tremendous growth and a standard of living which would not be matched until centuries later.

Centralized planning inherits in the Capellan economy proved fortuitous on occasion during the Succession Wars. The ability for the Chancellor to shift economic resources at will, for example, allowed for the creation and widespread distribution of new Vindicator 'Mechs by Chancellor Lisa Liao.  The drive towards centralization reached its apex under Chancellor Maximilian Liao who formally reorganized the economy under the Liaoist Doctrine in 3005, tightening the Chancellor's grip on the economy at its expense.  As it lost territory to its enemies, the economy suffered alongside the state, culminating in the disastrous Fourth Succession War. As every industry was redirected to producing war material and all transports were dragooned into the military to carry troops and supplies, production of consumer goods simply stopped and famines broken out on a dozen worlds.  While the cessation of civilian good production was not intentional at first, Romano Liao made it official policy during her reign, setting aside only enough government funds for essential civilian services and legally outlawing non-military manufactured goods in 3036. Romano took this effort a step further in 3040 by issuing a decree seizing all private property within the Confederation. Technically most of the property remained with their original owners in "caretaker" status, being forcibly taken away only when Romano suspected said owners of traitorous intentions.

Such drastic measures arguably allowed the rump Confederation to survive the '30s and '40s, but by 3050 the policy was proving to be an existential threat to the economy, social unrest was spreading, and many nobles even entertained the possibility of openly disagreeing with the volatile Romano.  Her death paved the way for Sun-Tzu Liao to reverse his mother's decrees, allowing the resumption of civilian goods and returning any seized assets (provided the original owners were sufficiently loyal enough).  By the late 3050s, Sun-Tzu had shifted the economy towards a slightly more capitalistic outlook and opened it to more trade with the Free Worlds League, all while using careful economic and media manipulation to ensure greater demand for Capellan-made goods.  The Xin Sheng campaign also did much to revitalize the Capellan economy, while the creation of the Trinity Alliance gave the Confederation fertile markets in which it can expand.

Manufacturing Centres

The Capellan Commonality Bank serves as the Confederation's central bank and mint

With one of the smallest Inner Sphere economies the Capellan Confederation subsequently has had the smallest industrial base, one that was further reduced as the other states chipped away at its territory. By the end of the Third Succession War, the Confederation had just eight surviving BattleMech production facilities, in various states of repair and efficiency, producing approximately 400 'Mechs per year.  This number was cut in half after the Fourth Succession War and the breakaway of St. Ives and Tikonov; it wouldn't be until 3036 that the surviving 'Mech factories on Sian, Betelgeuse, Ares and Grand Base were repaired and operating at capacity.  While their loss was nearly a death-blow to the Capellan economy, those industries captured by the Davions continued to flourish under their rule, and with their reintegration in the latter part of the 31st century the Confederation was able to regain much of its lost strength.

Culture & Society

For all its history of conflict and authoritarian regimes, life within the Capellan Confederation is relatively peaceful and comfortable for the average citizen. The needs of the state may supersede those of the individual, but most Capellans go through their daily lives without trouble, and in return the state provides for all of their basic necessities. The Capellan people are patient, hardworking and, above all else, proud: for having earned their citizenship rather than be given it; for knowing that their labours, whether in a mineshaft or a lab, is part of a larger purpose for the greater good; and in the rich cultural heritage bestowed upon them from the earliest days of the Capellan Republic.

This pride has faltered through the centuries, in step with the faltering of the state as other realms chipped away at it, especially in the dark days after the Fourth Succession War. In the middle of the 31st century, as the state began to rebuild itself and re-exert its authority, the Xin Sheng or "new birth" movement helped usher in a new wave of nationalistic fervour, affecting political, economic and military change throughout the realm, and a greater appreciate for the Han Chinese culture associated with House Liao. Unfortunately this campaign has also resulted in increased suspicion and racism towards those of non-Asian heritage, even fellow citizens.

One trend found throughout Capellan society is veneration of the family, obedience to one's parents and respect for the elderly. There are no limits to the size of one's family - indeed it is seen as a service to the state to raise large families, and numerous incentives are available for those who do have many children. The first day of every month is considered a national family holiday with memorial services dedicated to honouring the sacrifices of one's ancestors in helping to build the Confederation. As a further safeguard, it is illegal for the state to relocate a citizen without also relocating their entire family with them.

Art & Entertainment

A thriving artistic community does exist within the Capellan Confederation, though it often finds itself subordinate to the will of the state. Technically, there are no limitations on freedom of expression. Given the low wages the Artisan caste earn though, most are dependent upon government grants for their survival, with the requisite "guidelines" steering their work towards more appropriate (some would say propagandist) forms of expression. The state also reserves the right to deny public exhibition of a work "in the interests of the people." Painting, sculpting, music and theatre are the most favoured forms of artistic expression, while literature with its capacity for subversive thinking less so - in 3033, only sixty-seven works of fiction were allowed to be published - though under the Xin Sheng movement this trend has reversed itself. Numerous art fairs exist to display works by artists from both the Confederation and from around the Inner Sphere, such as the Native Capellan Art Fair and the Tikonov Universal Exhibition.

The Capellan Broadcast Service is the official state-sponsored news and entertainment conglomerate for the entire Confederation, from the primary news hubs on Sian and each commonality capital world broadcasting via HPG down to the local community broadcasters. Compared to the profit-driven, fear-mongering 'free press' of other realms, CBS provides only informative news which reassures the populace that the state is looking out for their interests, a distinction for which many Capellans are publicly grateful. To ensure the news being broadcasted is sufficiently pro-Capellan and not unduly disruptive to the peace and tranquillity of society, each station has a political commissar on their staff (though not always identified as such), many of whom are secretly Maskirovka agents.

Education

Elementary students undergoing weekly political indoctrination.  Education is completely free for every child from 5 to 16 years old and every citizen in the Capellan Confederation, though unlike other systems there is a strong emphasis on political indoctrination. State-sponsored elementary and secondary schools are located on every world and provide practically the same quality of education regardless of the planet's socioeconomic status.  However, should a planet's facilities prove inadequate, children will be temporarily relocated to another system at the state's expense.  In addition, the nobility are allowed to administer a separate educational system for their warren at their own expense. Most of these are dedicated to vocational and technical training and generally allow nobles to reward exceptional students with greater educational opportunities, though they must teach the same curriculum as state-sponsored schools and must allow admission for non-noble students. 

After secondary education most citizens begin their mandatory militia training, though avenues for further educational pursuit exist. Military academies can be found in every commonality, each with its own martial focus, while admission is allowed only via appointment from a noble or Refrector. The Philotechnique Institutes are centres of post-secondary technical and scientific learning which were created in the middle of the 28th century. Students do not apply but are chosen by planetary directors with all expenses again paid by the state. Of the sixteen originally created, ten survived the Fourth Succession War, with a few recaptured after Operation Guerrero. Last is Sian University, with courses in nearly every field and students from across the Confederation and even foreign realms.

Though education is available for all, historically there was prejudice against female students (excepting the offspring of nobles and MechWarriors), preventing them from achieving their full potential.  This changed starting in 3054 as Sun-Tzu Liao decreed gender equality for all students, using the Maskirovka as necessary to end this systemic discrimination. The result was a immediate increase in test scores, much of it attributable to female students. 

Religion & Philosophy

The Capellan Confederation, more than any other state in the Inner Sphere, has largely been indifferent to all forms of organized religion. A wide segment of the Confederation, especially the worlds near Terra, still practice organized religion, and legally all citizens are allowed freedom of worship, although local politics sometimes gets in the way of this liberty. Historically, the only times when House Liao involves itself in religious matters is when there is destabilizing conflict between different sects, or a religious group is deemed to be too subversive. The latter can often result in swift and indiscriminate neutralization of the problem. In a break with tradition though, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao began to subtly promote Buddhism as part of his Xin Sheng movement, resulting in a sharp increase in Buddhist members as many Capellans align themselves with their leader. 

However, the state does involve itself in making sure the citizenry understand the "proper philosophical attitudes" by heavily promoting a trio of philosophical texts. The Korvin Doctrine, the oldest of the state-sponsored philosophies, argues that individuals must work together for the good of "the Greater Humanity" in order to ensure its survival among the stars. The Sarna Mandate, released around the same time as the Korvin Doctrine, argues that only those with the proper training - whether in military, scientific, or political matters - are competent enough to take a leadership role. Finally the Lorix Order, authored by CCAF Major Kalvar Lorix, exemplifies the MecWarrior as the supreme combatant (and by extension the Warrior Houses) whose greatest duty is loyalty to the citizenry they protect.

To ensure the proper philosophical outlook is taught in primary and secondary schools, Philosophical Examiners will sit in on classes and review teachers' lesson plans. If a teacher's reliability is found wanting, they will be brought before a Court of Philosophical Inquiry (composed of three Examiners, a House of Scions member and a Prefect representative) and, if found guilty, can be given any punishment without appeal. For a time there also existed the Ranks of the Dedicated, a program instituted by Maximilian Liao using young adults to inform the government of any subversive elements in society, although it was eventually discontinued by Sun-Tzu's reign. 

Transportation

Travel within the Capellan Confederation is not completely restricted, though it is heavily monitored. Recreational travel is permitted for all citizens, though permanent relocation is allowed only if they have received permission from their diem or have been so ordered by the Ministry of Development. Members of the Entitled caste are not under this restriction, nor are contracted mercenaries and active-duty military personnel (barring their military assignments). Any vessels attempting to cross the interstellar border will be subject to remote sensor scan and flight plan query, with physical inspection required as necessary. Interdiction is typically a Home Guard task, though depending on the system in question is could be front-line units or planetary militia instead; boarding parties along the border tend to be more rigorous than in the core, and include a more overt (or covert) Maskirovka presence. Following the creation of the Trinity Alliance, Canopian and Taurian ships were granted greater access into the interior of the Confederation, though this also opened to the door for more pirate and bandit raiding disguised as innocuous shipping.

House Imarra

History

Warrior House Imarra was founded by philosopher-soldier Kamachi Imarra in 2864, the first Warrior House regiment performed beyond all expectations against the Goliaths of the Oriente Hussars when House Marik attacked Sirius in a deep penetration raid in 2901. Through superior tactical handling of their light Falcons and audacious use of jump infantry, the Imarra troops inflicted heavy damage on the attackers, driving them off. The Homeworld of House Imarra is Sian. 

House Imarra contained and later drove off superior forces of the Seventh Crucis Lancers together with House Lu Sann in the defense of Lincoln in 3001. 

Fourth Succession War

Imarra BattleMechs were among the very first to be equipped with the new Triple Strength Myomer technology that the Federated Suns had leaked to the Capellans on purpose by a false NAIS research station on Bethel that was target of Operation Intruders Communion in April 3029. In the daring raid on Sian to rescue Justin Xiang Allard on the 24th October 3029, the Davion DropShips launched missiles loaded with a gaseous agent that destroyed the myomer, incapacitating the Imarra 'Mechs before they could mount an effective defence.

Operation Guerrero

House Imarra is entrusted with the defence of Sian and permanently stationed there; the other Warrior House battalions rotate to Sian periodically for special training. Took Liao in conjunction with the other seven Warrior Houses during Operation Guerrero in 3057.

Xin Sheng Campaign

The easy welcome of the St. Ives Commonality, and suspected ties between House Master Ion Rush and Candace Liao, alarmed the Maskirovka to downgrade House Imarra’s loyalty. Given the Imarra tendency to focus on the Sarna.

Jihad

The Warrior House was present for both of the Word of Blake assaults on Sian. They fought the Seventeenth and Twenty-fourth Divisions as well as the Dragon's Breath mercenary unit in 3070, eventually driving the Blakists offworld. However, the Word of Blake left several small teams on the world to provide support for future operations, and in 3074 these teams allowed the Twenty-fourth Division to return to Sian. Supported by the Eighth Division, Warrior House White Tiger, and Warrior House Rakshasa, the Blakists inflicted heavy losses on the defenders. Despite this, Warrior House Imarra, 3rd Canopian Fusiliers, Red Lancers, and the rest of the defenders were able to force the Blakists off of Sian. This second battle was particularly damaging for Warrior House Imarra, reducing it to a company of 'Mechs.

Later in the Jihad the Imarras fought into the Word of Blake Protectorate and eventually faced Coalition forces on Liberty. As of 3079 they were based on Liberty.

Republic Era

Warrior House Imarra was responsible for defending several worlds in the core of the Sian Commonality. They also assaulted Coalition holdings on Liberty. They then joined their fellow Warrior Houses on Tikonov before withdrawing in the face of heavy resistance from The Republic of the Sphere. Arriving on Liao, they faced Stone's Lament and were forced to leave before the rest of Stone's Brigade trapped them on the world.[5] In 3085 the Warrior House was based on Grand Base. It was led by Ion Rush. 

In 3090 elements of Warrior House Imarra raided Ipswich, they initially had great success destroying a Company of the Ipswich Militia and capturing the main Spaceport. However, Militia reinforcements almost entirely wiped out the raiders as they attempted to flee the planet.

In the Victoria War the Imarras assaulted Betelgeuse and overwhelmed the 1st Andurien Rangers. The Imarras then pursued the Rangers to Sigma Mare, and drove the Rangers off that world as well.

Dark Age

The 6th Syrtis Fusiliers have been the target of Imarra from the initial moments of CELESTIAL REWARD. Imarra has twice intercepted the Sixth as it tried to return to New Syrtis, but in both instances the Sixth has managed to break away and escape before Imarra could strike a decisive blow. Refusing to let their prey escape, Imarra has taken up station a mere jump away from the Sixth’s last known position, waiting for the chance to strike.

Battletech - Clan Fire Mandrill

Clan Fire Mandrill

When IlKhan Kerensky chose to form the twenty Clans, he selected former Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery Officer Raymond Sainze as senior Khan of Clan Fire Mandrill, and declared the much younger Laura Payne as his junior saKhan . 

History

The early splitting of Fire Mandrill warriors into cliques would lead to the Kindred Associates, later known as the Kindraa. 

The Mandrills would conduct a series of pre-trials to determine the quantity of supplies and resources they would utilize in Operation Klondike. The Clan's cluster that would be used in the campaign were subsequently armed with BattleMechs. 

The Fire Mandrills were assigned to assault the Pentagon world of Dagda, along with Clans Burrock, Goliath Scorpion and Widowmaker. However, ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky would initially put the invasion of the planet on hold due to a helium tank rupture on one of the Invasion Forces' JumpShips. 

During the post-campaign debriefings, the Clan was criticized by ilKhan Kerensky for its internal squabbling and waste of critical resources. 

Like their fellows, the Fire Mandrills also expanded and improved upon the military technology of the Star League, but their fractious nature limited their efforts to a modestly enhanced version of the Flamer.

The Golden Century saw the destruction of Kindraa Jewel-Smythe at the hands of Clan Hell's Horses and Clan Coyote in retribution for dishonourable bidding in a previous Trial.

As the Golden Century ended, the Fire Mandrills had lapsed into semi-isolation. They had little contact with other Clans and were mainly concerned with their own internal conflicts. When the Crusader and Warden movements developed among the Clans, the Fire Mandrills split along Kindraa lines. Crusader and Warden Kindraa soon came to blows as they sought to resolve their philosophical differences by defeating their rivals on the battlefield. Kindraa Sainze championed the Crusader cause and eventually rose to dominate the Clan, reducing the strength of the staunchest Warden Kindraas through a mixture of fighting and politics.

Most Mandrills were in the Crusader camp by the time that the Grand Council took the vote to invade the Inner Sphere, and so Clan Fire Mandrill voted in the affirmative. Due to their factionalism the Mandrills fought Trials among themselves to determine who would represent the Clan, shattering their own Touman. As a result they fared poorly when it came to the placement Trials arranged by the Grand Council, defeating Clan Ice Hellion but losing to Clan Coyote and Clan Star Adder. Not even placing well enough to earn a slot as a reserve Clan, the Fire Mandrills sat out Operation Revival entirely. 

The Fire Mandrills fought against the Capellan Red Lancers in the Great Refusal. The Binary that the Clan fielded was an ad-hoc mixture of different Kindraa representatives and proved unable to coordinate effectively on the battlefield. The Red Lancers isolated one Star and destroyed it before moving on to the other. 

For the first half of the 3060s Khan Amanda Carrol attempted to unite the fractious Kindraa, but deep divides between Wardens and Crusaders meant all her efforts came to nothing in the end. After a great deal of bitter in-fighting the Clan Council held a vote of no confidence in their Khan in 3066. Amanda Carrol stepped down and was replaced by Garret Sainze within a year. 

3067 saw the mergers of several Kindraa. Kindraa Mick-Kreese-Kline was formed in the aftermath of a disastrous campaign against Clan Star Adder. The other major merger was the formation of Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant. This was the result of the violent struggles between Warden and Crusader Kindraa, with Kindraa Sainze battering Kindraas Beyl-Grant and Payne so badly that these two Warden kindraas joined in order to resist the attacks and maintain a strong Warden bloc in their Clan. 

When the next Grand Council was convened in late February, 3071, the severity of the Blakist assault upon Clan Wolf's capital Tamar spurred the Clans into electing a new ilKhan. Clan Star Adder and Clan Steel Viper suggested Garret Sainze for the post, not because they believed him fit for the role but simply to make their own candidate, Star Adder Khan Stanislov N'Buta, appear as a sane choice next to the fiery and headstrong Mandrill. Sainze won the ilKhanship anyway; his shocking victory was due to a single vote, that of Diamond Shark Khan Barbara Sennet, who wanted to prevent the 'Snake Alliance' from dominating the Grand Council. 

Sainze's first (and as it turned out, last) motion as ilKhan was to address the issue of the Great Refusal. Furious at the foiling of their plans, the Adder Khans led their power bloc in voting to uphold the results; combined with abstentions from Clans concerned about arousing the Adders' wrath, the Great Refusal remained in place. Disgusted at the entire political circus taking place, Clan Goliath Scorpion Khan Ariel Suvorov declared a Trial of Refusal against Sainze's election as ilKhan, declaring him an incompetent leader with delusions of glory. 

With no choice but to accept or lose what little respect he had left, Sainze met Suvorov's forces on Shadow. In a three-day campaign four Clusters from the Fire Mandrills battled a like number of Goliath Scorpions; by the end of the fighting Sainze had perished, along with most of his Kindraa's warriors. 

After his demise, Clan Cloud Cobra issued a Trial of Reaving on Sainze's Bloodname, citing his failure as ilKhan and in defending his right to the post. In a narrow victory against the 149th Cobra Guards Khan Amanda Carrol and Kindraa Mick-Kline-Kreese-Sainze managed to defend Garret Sainze's legacy from Reaving.

Clan Fire Mandrill arrived in a much-weakened state to the Grand Council in December 3071, with all Clans in attendance. Voting with Clans Blood Spirit, Goliath Scorpion, and Steel Viper, Khan Carrol voted to refute the Great Refusal. With only Clans Ice Hellion, Hell’s Horses, Ghost Bear, Coyote and Diamond Shark voting against it, the Great Refusal was finally declared null and void. 

In mid-December, the Fire Mandrills declared Trials of Reaving against the Snuka and Vong Bloodnames on Arcadia. However, the remainder of Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant’s touman were summarily destroyed by the 4th Bear Regulars and saKhan Aletha Kabrinski’s Silverroot Keshik.  Later Kindraa Mattila-Carrol's 64th Firestrom Cluster and the 14th Scorpion Grenadiers overwhelmed Clan Coyote on Glory, winning half of Clan Coyote's holdings there. 

In January 3072 Clans Steel Viper and Goliath Scorpion arrived on Shadow to carry out the ilKhan assigned Reaving of Kindraa Mick-Kline-Kreese-Sainze, with the help of Clan Coyote's enclave on planet. The resulting defeat of saKhan Dakar Mick however was to be more of a surprise to all Clans. Not only did Clan Coyote's assault only last just 36 hours, it was due to the 3-1 odds and new ProtoMech designs. In addition, as the Kindraa's warriors presented themselves to the Coyotes they reacted by slaughtering all in attendance, including the attendant Viper and Goliath Scorpion warriors. The Mandrills would be the first victim of The Society. 

The Fire Mandrills lost the 301st Firebrand Cluster to the Dark Caste on Marshall in early December. Starving, as there had been no supplies arriving, they attempted to strike both Immesha and Ommesha in force. Thinking they would only fight the besieged Ice Hellions they ran straight into the guns of two Dark Caste Septs and were quickly disabled. With the only Mandrill forces on planet captured, the Dark Caste claimed their Enclave. 

Culture

The Kindraa was the central element to any Fire Mandrill's existence, with its leader exercising the same power as a Clan Khan and the Clan itself a distant second in allegiance. The superiority complex each Kindraa felt over the others was such that they rarely utilized genetic material from outside their ranks, at the price of bloodline stagnation. Rumors circulated that a few Kindraa used freeborn DNA in their breeding programs to counter this. 

The Mandrills' xenophobia extended to other Clans, as inter-Clan contacts were kept to a minimum and Clan Diamond Shark intermediaries were often used as a bridge between Mandrill merchants and other Clans. Bondsmen taken captive were rarely adopted into the warrior caste and instead used in civilian roles. Mandrills taken by other Clans, warrior or civilian, tended to be uncooperative, and Kindraa Sainze warriors were expected to commit their own form of bondsref (akin to seppuku) to avoid captivity. 

The fractiousness of the Kindraa meant that the Clan's economy was highly compartmentalized but extremely inefficient in other ways. Duplication of various roles within each Kindraa resulted in much Clan-wide wastage and little opportunity or means for the scientist caste to innovate, forcing the merchant and warrior castes to provide new technologies and materials via external sources instead. As the result, the merchants gained some influence and inter-caste relations as a whole were generally good, with warriors (aside from those of Kindraa Sainze) willing to help civilians with any necessary tasks. Despite this, there was no doubt that the warrior caste was firmly in charge of the Clan.

Inter-Clan Relations

Throughout its existence, Clan Fire Mandrill contemptuously eschewed cooperation with others, and only with two Clans, Blood Spirit and Diamond Shark, did the Clan collectively establish anything close to a good relationship. Regarding the destruction of Kindraa Smythe-Jewel, Clan Hell's Horses was viewed as having a legitimate reason for their annihilation of a Kindraa, but the Coyotes were disparaged as opportunists. Constant raiding by Clans Burrock and Smoke Jaguar in the years before Revival resulted in long-term hostilities with these Clans, while the Mandrills' poor performance in the pre-invasion trials led to disparaging insults from Clan Steel Viper that escalated into a full-fledged feud until their annihilation.

Kindraa Payne

Kindraa Payne had traditionally been one of the strongest kindraas in Clan Fire Mandrill.  Kindraa Payne was composed entirely of MechWarriors. They were also strong adherents to the Warden political movement.  They frequently came into conflict with Kindraa Sainze. Kindraa Payne didn't use Elementals, using conventional infantry and vehicles instead. They also lacked AeroSpace Fighters, employing just enough to protect their WarShip.

Though they only had two front line and one second line Clusters throughout most of their history, the quality of their warriors was such that they could maintain a large amount of influence over their fellow Kindraa. In fact cadets undergoing a Trial of Position faced heavy and assault class 'Mechs. In addition, the Payne warriors often engaged in Trials of Possession for the best Bloodnames of other Clans. Though they weren't always successful, facing off against such high-quality warriors resulted in the Paynes gathering experience quickly. 

Kindraa Beyl-Grant

Kindraa Beyl-Grant was one of two Clan Fire Mandrill Kindraa built around AeroSpace forces. It was known for the high quality of its AeroSpace pilots. Freeborns in this Kindraa could not become MechWarriors due to a lack of resources. In 3062 the Beyl-Grant Kindraa began to develop a rivalry with Kindraa Mick-Kreese, but the rivalry was limited to their WarShips and neither side was moving towards a serious confrontation.

Kindraa Beyl-Grant leaned towards the Warden side of the Clan political spectrum. In 3066 Kindraa Beyl-Grant inadvertently destroyed the Mandrill's newfound unity when they challenged for the position of saKhan in an attempt to bring more Warden causes before the Clan Council. Kindraa Sainze, holder of the office, was infuriated and struck at the Beyl-Grant with three Clusters. The fighting was fierce and Beyl-Grant stood a good chance of being annihilated but Kindraa Payne and Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga intervened and forced the Sainze warriors to withdraw. 

Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant

After the disastrous assaults of Kindraa Sainze against Kindraa Beyl-Grant, the Paynes formed an alliance with the Beyl-Grants. In June 3066 Kindraa Beyl-Grant and Kindraa Payne merged, forming the first "ilKindraa" Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant.

In 3069 Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant launched a series of Trials of Possession for various Coyote holdings on Shadow and the Savage Coyote factory on Foster. Despite outnumbering the Coyotes nearly two-to-one the Kindraa could not force the Coyotes off of Shadow. The fighting was both on the planet and in the surround space. The Reaver broke zellbrigen when it exchanging a broadside with the Coyotes’ Windrunner, that was not part of bid. The Coyotes declared the Kindraa forces dezgra and wiped out the Seventeenth Auxiliary and First Striker Payne Clusters. 

In December 3071 the Fire Mandrills declared Trials of Reaving against the Snuka and Vong Bloodnames. Supported by the CFM Anathema the Mandrills dropped the remainder of Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant’s touman on to the planet of Arcadia where they were destroyed by the Fourth Bear Regulars and saKhan Aletha Kabrinski’s Silverroot Keshik.

Battletech - Mercenaries

Mercenaries

A Mercenary is a soldier for hire, a warrior who fights not for a particular cause or goal but for material gain. In the Inner Sphere, private, contracted military units have been doing a lot of the fighting. Some are only in it for the cash, some for principle, but, whatever the reason, mercenary forces run the gamut from some the most disreputable to some the most elite troops available. Many mercenary companies do not survive their first battle, but dozens have gone on to become successful, trusted units that form key parts of their employers' defences. 

History

Mercenaries have played a role in the history of human warfare since the beginning, though there had been a general decline in their use towards end of the second millennium. That changed in the twenty-third century as interstellar exploration and the rise of neo-feudalism created a demand for trained soldiers to fight in what became known as the Age of War. The Reunification War and the formation of the Star League brought about an age of relative peace, again decreasing the demand for hired guns. Mercenaries were still valuable as deniable assets in the Hidden Wars between the Great Houses, but there was little respect for the profession, with many units little more than "fly-by-night" operations.

That all changed after the Amaris Civil War. Rather than try to reconstitute the League by force, Aleksandr Kerensky and nearly 80% of the surviving Star League Defence Force chose exile in 2784. Of those SLDF units which remained behind, many hired themselves out to whichever Great House was willing to pay the most for their services. Those services were soon put to the test with the outbreak of the Succession Wars.  Shortly after it started, the newly-formed ComStar created the Mercenary Review Board, a neutral arbitrator for both mercenaries and employers alike.

In their quest to seize the throne of the Star League during the Succession Wars, the Great Houses abandoned the Ares Conventions and committed murder on an unimaginable scale, rendering whole worlds lifeless and erasing centuries of technological progression.

Ironically, it was mercenaries who played a role in trying to save humanity from itself, though not necessarily out of noble purpose. Seeking to protect their livelihood, many mercenaries began using their contracts to police their employers, refusing to take missions which violated the Ares Conventions. Mercenaries were responsible for reviving the tradition of offering opponents the chance to surrender and pay a "ransom" so they could return home. Eventually, all factions within the Inner Sphere and Periphery had adopted to one degree or another a code of conduct called the Honours of War. Also known simply as the Conventions, these guidelines were based on the Ares Conventions and mercenary practices which promoted fair dealing and limited warfare.  And it was a mercenary unit, the Gray Death Legion, which recovered the Helm Memory Core in 3028 and opened the door for the Inner Sphere to start recovering much of the lostech which had disappeared over centuries of constant fighting.

The Clan Invasion was as devastating to those mercenaries caught in its path as it was to the Great Houses which suddenly found themselves the target of the SLDF's descendants: of the 108 mercenary regiments which faced the Clans in front-line combat, nearly a third were totally destroyed.  It also revealed the secret origin of Wolf's Dragoons, one of the most celebrated mercenary units in history, as forward scouts for the invasion but who nevertheless chose to side with the Inner Sphere against their Clan brethren. Mercenaries like the Dragoons and Kell Hounds were instrumental in defeating the Clans during the Battle of Luthien, and with trust in ComStar lost after the ComStar Schism the Dragoons helped to create the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission to replace the MRB. Mercenaries played an important role in the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and ending the Clan threat during Operations Bulldog and Serpent, and some went "legitimate" by helping to form a new SLDF.[5][9] In the years after, mercenaries continued to help defend against Clan incursions, but once again soon found themselves caught up in the power struggles of the Inner Sphere: mercenaries fought in the FedCom Civil War, the Capellan-St. Ives War, and operated in the Chaos March region, among other battlefronts.

Composition

Mercenary units come in all shapes and sizes, though for the most part conforming to standard Inner Sphere military structure. Most employ BattleMechs, not least because these units get the most "bang for their buck" in terms of versatility and ability to accomplish a variety of missions, but others may instead employ other units like Combat Vehicles or Infantry. However, few mercenary formations will utilize just a single unit type, as each has its own important role to play in the completion of the mission and the formation's survival. Even a single 'Mech Lance operating on its own can expect to employ a number of scouts necessary for performing reconnaissance or sabotage missions and support personnel to keep their machines working.

Most successful 'Mech mercenary units employ a variety of different weight types and mission profiles in order to maximize their fighting potential. Depending on where they originated some units will feature designs associated with that region of space (i.e. a unit from the Free Worlds League might have more Trebuchets than typical), but given the nomadic lifestyle and reliance of salvage this does not necessarily hold true. Most units lack the resources to buy the latest designs available to House forces, and with few exceptions don't have the technical knowledge to salvage Clantech, instead selling captured examples to the Great Houses in exchange for Inner Sphere equipment. Many will include a fair number of conventional assets attached to support the 'Mech forces, whether it's swift hovertanks spearheading an assault, VTOLs scouting the enemy's position, Jump Infantry performing anti-'Mech attacks or special forces operating deep behind enemy lines.  Some units such as artillery and conventional fighters are less common among mercenary commands yet still find a place in their ranks. Perhaps the most rare are Land-Air 'Mechs, with only the wealthiest able to maintain even a handful of such machines.

Mercenaries make a point of securing their own transport, as to do otherwise requires relying on the good graces of their employers. Many own their own DropShips, preferably enough to carry the entire formation, allowing them to make planetary assaults and retreat from losing battles of their own volition. Having to hire out for DropShip transport can quickly get expensive: chartering a single Union for a one-jump trip in 3059 could cost 150,000 C-Bills, more if multiple jumps are involved.  However, the rarity and expense of JumpShips means only the most successful mercenaries are able to purchase one for their use. For everyone else, the standard rate in 3059 of 50,000 C-bills per DropShip per jump is one cost they must bear.  On the other hand, most mercenaries give a low priority to employing Aerospace Fighters, generally seeing them as a poor return on their investment and more willing to rely on their employers to provide aerospace support, though even the most 'Mech-oriented mercenary commander will include some in their organization.

Perhaps the most important part of a mercenary formation are the support and administrative personnel which help keep it going: those commanders hoping for long-term success will recruit a technician as vigorously as they would a MechWarrior. Many mercenary formations cannot afford a support staff large enough to cover 100% of their needs, but will ensure a majority is kept in-house to avoid having to rely too heavily on expensive outside support.  Ideally, each 'Mech or fighter will have its own technician assigned to maintain it, with assistant technicians to assist them (at least one Astech for every two Techs), but not every mercenary formation is so lucky.  Mercenaries also try to maintain a ratio of one medical personnel for every twenty, though whether these are simple paramedics or full surgeons will depend on what they can afford.

Other important administrative positions include secretaries, accountants, and contract negotiators; smaller commands will often have officers or NCOs pull double-duty in these positions, but those which can afford their services benefit greatly from having a dedicated support staff.

The Business of War 

How mercenary commands are created varies tremendously. Often they might be the remnants of a defeated army looking for a new purpose, or members of a professional force who desert on account of political or economic differences with their leaders.  On occasion, a Great House might purposefully create a mercenary command out of its own units to serve as a deniable asset...with the risk that these "mercenaries" might turn their fictional status into reality and go independent.  For most soldiers of fortune though, their choice to turn mercenary was not out of greed or nobility but a desire for freedom, whether it's the freedom to be their own boss or freedom from social conventions.  Often a mercenary unit is founded by a charismatic officer and their core group of supporters - such as family members or friends made at the academy - going out and recruiting new members and purchasing what equipment they need to form their unit.

Keeping a mercenary unit running requires securing a profitable contract, which can be difficult at times: with variations in interstellar travel and politics, a mercenary command might be lucky to work eight months out of the year.  While many worlds can be said to operate a Hiring Hall where mercenaries and prospective employers can meet to arrange business, only certain planets have a reputation for offering steady work and the best mercenaries money can buy.  For many years Galatea was the premier mercenary hiring centre, the original Mercenary's Star, though it has since had to share that honour with Outreach and the rise of the Dragoons' MRBC.  Other planets which have operated hiring halls at one time or another include Solaris VII, Arc-Royal and Northwind.

The types of contracts which might be available can run the gamut of military and covert operations: training militia units, pirate hunting, conducting planetary invasions, assassinations, reconnaissance, objective raids, and counter-insurgency to name a few. The best types are those which are specific in the rights and obligations of both employer and mercenary, and hashing out the particulars is an important role for the negotiators on both sides. One point of negotiations is how long a contract will last, whether a single month to conduct a raid or a retainer agreement for at least a year or more.  Command rights are another important point, with a mercenary unit operating fully autonomously at one end of the spectrum to fully integrated into the employer's armed forces at the other. Transportation is also a major sticking point, as mercenaries do not want to be fully reliant on their employer to get to (and more importantly get out of) the mission location, while employers who lack transport of their own might have to reimburse mercenaries up to half the cost of using commercial transport. Salvage rights can sometimes make or break a contract, with mercenaries preferring to keep as much as they can get while employers often seek ways to recoup some of the costs of hiring mercenaries. How much an employer will reimburse a mercenary's technical support also plays an important role in the contract: some employers might pay a straight percentage cost of the tools, materials, and salaries of the technicians, or cover a specific percentage of battlefield losses under a battle-lose compensation arrangement. Finally there is the question of remuneration, the out-of-pocket expenses such as starport taxes or food purchases, though typically these costs are minor and rarely worth haggling over.

Once a contract is secured, ensuring the rest of the formation gets paid is just as important. Many commands pay their mercenaries on a monthly salary basis, with the risk that repeated failure to pay can cause some to quit or change sides.  These salaries are also kept as low as possible in order to keep costs down: one of the highest paid soldiers in a mercenary command, a MechWarrior, in the middle of the 31st century could expect a base average salary of just 18,000-19,000 C-bills a year (though veterans and officers could expect several times that amount).  Alternatively, some commands operate on a profit-sharing scheme, eliminating the problem of monthly salaries, but with the added issue of making each member of the command an 'investor' in the enterprise with voting rights on matters such as leadership.

Just as important as paying mercenaries is making sure their equipment keeps running, which is where many commands have run into problems. A single 'Mech can require up to 60 man-hours of maintenance a week, not including battle damage repairs.  Finding replacement parts and ammunition requires a degree of planning and forethought, as not every planet is going to be stocked with exactly what may be needed. Ideally a mercenary commander will have agreements set up with private contractors to provide a steady stream of supplies, but such agreements can quickly eat into profit margins. Many employers are also unhappy with such arrangements, whether because it makes the mercenaries too independent or opens a hole for sensitive intelligence to leak, and often put up roadblocks. Alternatively, a commander can agree to get her supplies directly from the employer to lower costs and increase margins, but with the additional risk of falling prey to the Company Store trap.

In the end, an average mercenary command might earn several million C-bills in a year, but with all the costs and expenses associated with the mercenary lifestyle that money can evaporate in a flash.  If a command gets into debt badly, it's very hard to get back into the black. Most financial institutions are loath to lend money to mercenaries and add significant mark-ups when they do: offering collateral equal to the cost of the loan can secure a "low" interest rate of 25%.  Given the dangers to mercenary commands both on and off the battlefield, it is no surprise then that many will meet ignoble ends. By one statistic, forty percent of all new mercenary commands are destroyed or dissolved within the first six months of their forming; sixty percent of those who make it past this point will suffer the same fate within their first year.