A CLASSIC BATTLETECH SOURCEBOOK 10976

FIELD MANUAL: UPDATESPiratesLady DeathBand of the DamnedNew Belt PiratesShen-Sé TianCalderon’s CommandoOrder of the FaithfulDeep PeripheryHanseatic LeagueNueva CastilePERIPHERY TO&ERULESUnit Assignment TablesAssigning ‘MechsAssigning PilotsCREDITSWritingGlory MarchLoren ColemanIntroductionChristoffer “Bones” TrossenHistory UpdateChristoffer “Bones” TrossenCapellan ConfederationLoren ColemanSt. Ives CommonalityChristoffer “Bones” TrossenFree CapellaWarner DolesThe ClansChristoffer “Bones” TrossenBlood SpiritsRandall N. BillsFire MandrillsLoren ColemanHell’s HorsesHerb BeasIce HellionsChristoffer “Bones” TrossenJade FalconsChris HartfordStar AddersChristoffer “Bones” TrossenWolfLoren ColemanCloud CobraChristoffer “Bones” TrossenCoyoteChristoffer “Bones” TrossenDiamond SharkLoren ColemanGhost BearHerb BeasGoliath ScorpionHerb BeasSnow RavenChris HartfordSteel ViperChris 205Wolves (in-Exile)Loren ColemanComStarChris HartfordCom GuardsChris HartfordWord of BlakeDavid L. McCullochFree Rasalhague RepublicDavid L. McCullochStar LeagueDavid L. McCullochNova CatsWarner DolesDraconis CombineHerb BeasFederated SunsChristoffer “Bones” TrossenFree Worlds LeagueChris HartfordLyran AllianceChris HartfordMercenariesChristoffer “Bones” TrossenPeripheryChristoffer “Bones” TrossenMagistracy of CanopusRandall N. BillsTaurian ConcordatLoren ColemanMarian HegemonyChristoffer “Bones” TrossenOutworlds AllianceDavid L. McCullochCircinus FederationBrant SponbergLesser Periphery StatesChristoffer “Bones” TrossenPirates of the PeripheryLoren ColemanDeep PeripheryChris HartfordProduct DevelopmentRandall N. BillsProduct EditingDiane Piron-GelmanBattleTech Line DeveloperRandall N. BillsProduction StaffArt DirectionRandall N. BillsCover ArtDoug ChaffeeCover DesignMike NielsenLayoutJim NelsonIllustrationsChris Lewis4Special ThanksTo Herb Beas and Warner Doles for takingup the extensive slack in this project.To Jeff Morgan, Paul Bowman, PhilDeLuca, Paul Sjardijn, Oystein Tvedten, ScottTaylor, Peter La Casse, Ben Rome and RichCencarik for stepping up and acting as thesecond line of eyes for this truly massiveproject. You went above and beyond and forthat you have my personal thanks!Congratulations to Zhong-shao DerekEvans for winning the first Martial OlympiadFanPro Commando event.Finally a special thanks to all of those whoplayed in the Trial of Retribution AT2 scenario. You destroyed fifteen WarShips! If thatisn’t leaving your mark on the BattleTech universe, nothing is.AcknowledgementsUnfortunately, the list of authors whosematerial this sourcebook is based on is simply becoming too large; we are in the twentieth year after all. Let’s just say thank you toall those that have made this possible; youknow who you all are! 2003-2005 WizKids Inc. All RightsReserved. Classic BattleTech Field Manual:Update, Classic BattleTech, BattleTech,’Mech, BattleMech, AeroTech 2 and WKGames are registered trademarks and/ortrademarks of WizKids, Inc. in the UnitedStates and/or other countries. No part of thiswork may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, without the prior permission in writingof the Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which itis published. Printed in the USA.Version 1.0, February 2005, based on firstprinting, with additional corrections.Published by Fantasy Productions US 1608N. Milwaukee Suite 1005 Chicago, IL60647Find us online:Precentor martial@classicbattletech.com (email address for any Classic BattleTechquestions)http://www.mwdarkage.com (officialMechWarrior: Dark Age web pages)http://www.classicbattletech.com (officialClassic BattleTech web pages)http://www.fanprogames.com (FanPro webpages)http://www.wizkidsgames.com (WizKids webpages)http://www.studio2publishing.com (onlineordering)

FIELD MANUAL: UPDATESGLORY MARCHaloud, throttling into a fast walk and steering a serpentine trailacross the valley floor as she wove between Capellan infantryand Diamond Shark Sylphs—careful of that FedSun Goblin!—andclosing, always closing, with the Combine-led ranks.Half the military units were lost behind a burr-ridge that cutthe valley in two, but—there!—there was the Nova Cat ensigntucked behind the serpent standard of House Kurita, andinfantry carrying the Free Worlds League eagle marching upwith Blakist armor to join ranks with the Dragon. Leading thedifferent force-conglomerations came her Phoenix Hawk andBledsoe’s No-Dachi. Where she shot, his specially-treatedsword burst apart the weakened beam. When he returned laserfire, she took to the air again in a series of short, graceful hopsto evade.Until her final jump, which landed her point-blank againstthe No-Dachi, staring through the ferroglass mask of her cockpit straight into the ferroglass eyes of his.Over the rise came a Clan Wolf Mad Cat and a Jade FalconNight Gyr, leading the other half of the assembled forces. Lyrantanks and their Fenrir assault troops trailed out to one side, amix of Concordat and Rasalhague armor to the other. Behindthem marched wave after wave of Com Guard infantry,Hegemony armor and the mercenary delegation from Outreach.“Nine eight seven ”The Falcon MechWarrior had won calling honor in a seriesof coin tosses. Asia Bannor kept up her own silent count, andso was not off-mark when the Clanner fast-counted the finalthree steps. She paused for the extra half-second, then pointed all her weapons into the air and triggered repeating blaststhat speared scarlet energy overhead. Her P-Hawk was half abeat behind the other three BattleMechs, but right on time asits low-powered beam splashed off of a fury of Shiva aerospacefighters cutting through the red-laced sky overhead. Dawn brokeover the far horizon just as the finale of DropShips—led by theDiamond Sharks, the League and the Outworlds Alliance—thundered by in a low-pass display that shook the desert valley, theassembled troops, and likely any bystanders up on the ridgelineor filling any of a dozen nearby towns.Precentor Martial Victor Steiner-Davion’s voice paraded overall comm channels. “I declare this Martial Olympiad OPEN!”And because it was what every faction waited to hear, heimmediately addressed the position of honors. “With an efficiency rating of 99.35 percent, Captain Asia Bannor, ofRaventhir’s Iron Hand, will lead the glory march.”That half-second had made all the difference. Warmthflushed along the back of Asia’s neck as she turned her PhoenixHawk toward the valley’s head, striking a slow pace that everyfoot soldier could match. “With pleasure,” she responded.And behind her, every faction gathered in parade as thearmies of the entire Inner Sphere struck out on the march .Commander Asia Bannor of Raventhir’s Iron Hand waitedfor 0612 local time precisely—every second crucial to today’smaneuvers—then throttled her bold redesign of the PhoenixHawk into a forward run. The long-legged BattleMech stompeddown the hillside where the Magistracy officer had waited sinceoh-dark-thirty the previous night. Behind her a column of fireand smoke rose toward the heavens, casting the P-Hawk’sshadow across rugged, rocky terrain. The ground shookbeneath her feet. Not enough to throw her off balance. Justenough for her to feel the explosion. Asia stomped hard on bothsteering pedals, lighting off jump jets and launching her fortyfive tons of metal and mayhem into the air, over a small rise,then soaring out over the assembled ranks of CapellanConfederation troops.Why Sun-Tzu Liao, Chancellor of the mighty Confederation,had chosen infantry support for this part of the operation didnot matter to the Magistracy officer. Asia only worried about hersmall part in today’s maneuvers.That, and the alarms that abruptly wailed the threat of multiple targeting locks.Data-tags flashed over her HUD, attaching intel to a sudden cluster of threat icons. Mad Cat. Behemoth. Vedettes.Elementals and ProtoMechs. The wide valley was suddenlyalive with men and ’Mechs on the move. Asia Bannor blinkedhard as lasers criss-crossed right in front of the apex of herjump, burning scarlet and orange ribbons of light back towardthe Outworld Alliance position on her wide-right flank and theGhost Bears wide-left. Nearer, on her immediate right and left,answering volleys lit up from the Diamond Sharks andFederated Suns.Falling back toward Tukayyid, Asia found her mark below andher first target on the far side of the dusty, desert valley: aDraconis Combine No-Dachi, sword upraised in challenge. She hitwith knees bent and one last burst of vented plasma to take upthe shock. Hit, and stuck, murmuring a slow ten-count to herself.The Capellan infantry spread out and forward on eitherside of her position, volley-firing pale emerald darts from theirmodified laser rifles, one man waving the Confederation flagabove their position like some long-ago herald. Asia levered herright arm up and forward and pulled into a long blast from herBattleMech’s extended-range laser.The ruby-bright beam cut just above the No-Dachi’s leftshoulder. Tai-i Bledsoe did not duck away. Instead the samuraislashed his ’Mech-sized katana down into the beam. Ratherthan a burst of smoke and splatter of molten metal as a normal laser would react to such a tactic, the prism-coated swordshattered the laser beam into a thousand, winking sparks anda fan of beams.Missiles blossomed overhead in a field of fiery chrysanthemums. Tracers shot up, flared, and died. “Ten,” Asia whispered5

FIELD MANUAL: UPDATESINTRODUCTIONIs there any way to introduce, or even categorize, theevents of the past decade? How does one even begin to putthese events into perspective without losing all hope in humanity or collapsing into sobs? I have been a soldier my entire adultlife and, truth be told, some of my childhood years as well. Ithought I had seen the worst humanity had to offer, that I hadexperienced the fullest depths of pride, envy, gluttony, lust,anger, greed and sloth.I was wrong.In these past ten years, I have witnessed acts so despicable, so inherently wrong—all done in the name of God andCountry—that I could not believe any human being could everhave committed them. I have witnessed wars so horrible that Ifelt more sorry for those who survived than those who died andwere thus spared the aftermath. And I have seen supposedlyhonorable men act with such contempt and cruelty that Iwished I was not part of their same race.But no matter how physically sickened and emotionallydrained these actions left me, I came to understand something.These acts were not carried out by people motivated by thoseseven deadliest of sins. They were carried out by individualsfrightened of the future, people with the weight of billions ofsouls or millennia of history on their shoulders who could notperceive the days to come through the fog. Because they couldnot see, they acted out of fear. How else can one explain thepast decade? I, for one, choose to not believe in evil. Blindnessand folly are at least redeemable.All of these issues weighed on my mind as I and my staffput this report together. And I was not the only individual soaffected. But we knew our job was and still is more importantthan our personal feelings, no matter how deep they might run.The upcoming Star League Council Meeting will likely decide thefate of the Inner Sphere. Our leaders must be able to make thebest-informed decisions; for that to happen we must all work toovercome our personal demons and put behind the pain andsuffering of these past several years so that we can provide thelevel-headed advice they expect from us.We can look forward to some rays of hope among thebleakness surrounding us. Amid the wars and feuds of the pastdecade, we have seen new growth, a few events that valiantlydefy the prevailing darkness and despair. The first can be callednothing less than a miracle, and it might be just that. In late3062, a convocation of religious and spiritual leaders fromacross the Inner Sphere gathered on the Clan world of Babylonfor an unheard-of exchange of ideas with counterparts fromwithin the Clans. Never before had Clansmen and Inner Spherecitizens interacted so peacefully and constructively. That gathering was staggering in concept, but also apparently productiveenough that a second such convocation was held again thisyear. Delegates are still returning, but initial reports areextremely positive.And then there came the Martial Olympiad. Though someleaders attempted to turn these long-lost goodwill gamestoward their own agendas, the spectators and competitors didnot allow that to happen. Even while the nations supportingthem were at war with each other, the participants remainedremarkably level-headed. Misunderstandings and occasionallyviolent disruptions did happen, but no more so than at any common sporting event. And the end result was better than anyonecould have hoped for. Even amid the violence that gripped theInner Sphere, almost every nation—big and small, legitimateand otherwise, and even many of the Clans—sent their warriors to compete for the title. That it ultimately went to theCapellan Confederation mattered little to anyone.The spirit of co-existence is still alive. It has not been trampled under the vice of man and the hatreds of the jealous. Andthat is why we work still, why even amid all the horror aroundus we can compile this document and know it will have anaffect on those for whom it is intended.That said, my team worked long and hard to compile theinformation contained herein. Most of the reports came directly from the military high commands of the member states,though analysts contributed specific information on the tinynations of the Periphery. And of course, this report includesinformation on the Clans. These came from various sources;some Clan reports were intercepted or otherwise procured byoperatives working within the Occupation Zones or in ClanSpace, while others were drafted by our own intelligence analysts on Huntress. A few have been given freely, a testament tothe inroads we have made with some of Kerensky’s children.As usual, the report received from the Free Worlds League wasriddled with bombastic Word of Blake injections, though ourIntelligence Command has noted several disturbing trends thatbear watching.Along with these reports, we have compiled TO&Es foreach major power, listing each unit’s experience, loyalty to itscurrent government, homeworld, its current strength and levelof technology fielded: Clan, Star League, and OmniMech (if aunit has overlapping percentages in Clan and Star League technologies, that refers to Clan equipment field retrofits made toexisting designs already upgraded with advanced Inner Spheretechnologies). The level of cooperation from each nation incompiling such information for the Council was very informative.Compared to what must be done in the days to come, ourjob was easy. It is now up to you, the leaders of the InnerSphere, to decide how best to face the future. The hopes andprayers of countless trillions are behind you. Your decisions inthe coming weeks will shape the fate of humanity like nonebefore.Caradoc Trevena, Major General, SLDFChief of Staff, Star League Defense Force1 November 30676

FIELD MANUAL: UPDATESTHE SHAPE OFTHINGS THAT WERE“My friends, the time has come for us to do our duty once again. The StarLeague that we have sworn ourselves to, that we have loved, that many of ourfriends and comrades have given their lives to protect, is tearing itself apart. Thevery hatreds and jealousies that the League was formed to abolish are now rippingit to shreds If we do nothing, mankind’s last hope will be no more. And yet if weact to save her, we will forever be condemned as traitors It is the decision of thedamned.”— General Aleksandr Kerensky, 24 November 2783, speaking to his commandstaffTwice the Star League has been hailed as the savior of humanity and twice itsmember nations have fallen prey to the temptations of power and glory. The firsttime, their jealousies destroyed the Star League, forcing General AleksandrKerensky and his SLDF into exile and saddling the Inner Sphere with two and a halfcenturies of unremitting war. Those same nations had only just begun to recoverfrom the damage inflicted by the Succession Wars when General Kerensky’s children returned, and in response they heeded the voice of inspiration. The five GreatHouses, having never agreed to anything since the dissolution of the Star Leaguein 2781, unanimously agreed to re-form the Star League in 3058.Nine years later, that same Star League stands on shaky legs because of theirpetty squabbles.What the future holds for us, none can say with certainty. Thousands of historians and political analysts have come up with thousands of different possibilities,ranging from the development of an idyllic society, to descent into a dark age of warand brutality like none seen before, to the rapture. As with any other historically significant crossroads, the events that are about to happen owe much of their formand shape to the events of the past. And the past decade has certainly seen morethan its share of pain and suffering.The ultimate fate of the Star League will not be dictated solely by the nationsof the Inner Sphere, however. Both the Periphery nations and Kerensky’s Clanshave begun to play larger roles in the political arena, and several of these powershave become significant players in the game of interstellar politics.The story of the rise of the new Star League is an interesting one. Even moreinteresting is the impact its actions have had on the very fabric of the Clans’ society, and how, in turn, the changes the Star League has wrought throughout knownspace have come back to rattle the League to the core.This is a brief overview of that story.BIRTH AND AFTERBIRTHThe year 3058 marked the beginning of an interesting era, one that would significantly affect the lives of nearly every citizen in the Inner Sphere and Clan Space.The Star League formed in the wake of Clan Jade Falcon’s deep strike into theLyran Alliance and the unprecedented level of cooperation that the Inner Spherenations gave each other in turning back that assault.The most obvious initial outcome of the reformation of the Star League wasthe Annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the repudiation of the Clan Invasion. Butwhile the best and brightest military minds of the Draconis Combine and theFederated Commonwealth, along with a smaller contingent from nearly every realm7SELECT TIMELINE3058(3 February) Clan Jade Falcon begins its invasion of the Lyran Alliance, with a final destination of Coventry(28 February) The Word of Blake begins itsassault on Terra(15 March) Clan Jade Falcon forces land onCoventry(5 June) First Prince Victor Steiner-Davionarrives in the Coventry system with a multinational task force(16 June) First Prince Victor Steiner-Davionoffers the Jade Falcons on Coventry hegira(1 July) Attempt on Coordinator TheodoreKurita’s life by elements within his own government and the Otomo(19 September) The Sirian Lancers andFourth Free Worlds Legionnaires liberate theworlds of Procyon and Sirius(1 October) The first Whitting Conferenceopens on Tharkad, leading to the reformationof the Star League and the decision to targetClan Smoke Jaguar for Annihilation(14 November) Precentor Martial AnastasiusFocht is presented with the location of theClan homeworlds(15 November) Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liaoelected First Lord(21 November) Star League Constitutionsigned3059(4 February) Star Adder Khan Cassius N’Butabrings evidence before the Grand Council ofClan Burrock’s dealings with the Dark Caste;an immediate vote awards the right of Trial ofAbsorption to Clan Star Adder(14 February) Clans Star Adder and Burrockfight their first battles of the Trial ofAbsorption(16 February) Clan Blood Spirit interferes inthe Trial of Absorption, turning both the StarAdders and the Burrocks against them(23 February) All of Clan Blood Spirit’s forcesare defeated and sent retreating to York(27 February) Trial of Absorption complete;Clan Burrock is no more and its survivors—warriors and civilians—are absorbed wholesale into Clan Star Adder(8 March) Blood Spirit Khan KariannaSchmidt gives up all holdings except those on

THE SHAPE OF THINGS THAT WEREYork, expelling both the Jade Falcons andSnow Ravens from their holdings on thatworld(1 May) Operation Serpent task force leavesDefiance, bound for the Smoke Jaguar capitalof Huntress(20 May) Operation Bulldog begins; duringthe course of the operation, Clan Nova Catallies itself in the Inner Sphere with the newStar league(1 July) Harvest Trialsbegin(13 August) Operation Bulldog task force follows the retreating Smoke Jaguars backtoward the Clan Homeworlds(15 November) Most Harvest Trials haveended by this date3060(9 February) Final Clan Ghost Bear transportship leaves Clan Space, bound for the GhostBear Domi

3 4th Army V-Iota 85 5th Army V-Omicron 85 6th Army V-Kappa 86 7th Army V-Iota 86 8th Army V-Pi 86 9th Army V-Lambda 87 10th Army V-Nu 87 11th Army V-Eta 87