Bandit Kingdom
From BattleTechWiki
(Author: BattleTech 3056 MUSE)
When people think of the Periphery, the thought that immediately comes to mind is that of bandits, modern-day pirates preying on the vital trade that is the life-blood of the Inner Sphere. Though most information on these space faring brigands is based largely on hearsay and rumor, the various Bandit Kingdoms have a well-deserved reputation for slaughter and rapine. Born of the conflicts of the Amaris Civil War and the Succession Wars, the Bandit Kingdoms consists of desperate men and women who, in their own rapacious manner, attempt to survive as best they can.
Following is a summary of verifiable information concerning these desperate peoples. With the exception of the Circinus Federation and the Oberon Confederation, little formal contact between ComStar and the Bandit Kingdoms has been possible for several centuries. What follows, therefore, is the result of numerous independent investigations, many of which have ended in tragedy. Information on specific worlds, individual leaders, and selected military units is provided, though the dangerous nature of these investigations has left some areas of inquiry incomplete
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[edit] Belt Pirates
After the end of the Reunification War, refugees from the Rim Worlds Republic refused to lay down their arms against the Star League and decided to settle the Star's End system. Since then, the Pirates of Star's End have maintained a steady stream of scavenger raids against both the Lyran Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine. Eventually, piracy became a way of life that has been passed down through the generations. The inhabitants of Star's End are a prime example of a predatory culture restrained only by the availability of space-going vessels. The Pirates of Star's End have not been above lending a hand to either the Lyran Commonwealth or the Draconis Combine in their frequent clashes in the Succession Wars. In each instance, however, pirate involvement was nominal and purchased at a high price in hard cash and equipment. This notwithstanding, the pirate bands lodging in the asteroid fields of the Star's End system have been known to break their contracts without warning when an employer presents the least sign of weakness. These pirates have confined their activities to neighboring Jump Points with an eye toward capturing valuable machinery and spare parts for their vessels. The Star's End system contains several starship construction facilities fully capable of repairing and building new vessels at a modest annual rate. The present leader of the pirate coalition is Morgan Fletcher, a swarthy, swaggering woman whose actions are motivated as much by her hatred of men (especially those of the Inner Sphere) as from a genuine love of wealth
- Location: Outward of the Draconis Combine, near Santander's World
- Number of Worlds: One
- Current Ruler: Morgan Fletcher
- Military Strength: 1 Battalion
- Technology Level: Good
- Literacy Level: Fair
- Name: Novo Cressidas
- Start Type: M5V
- Position in System: 3
- Time to Jump Point: 2.44 days
- Recharging Station: None
- Political Ruler: Morgan Fletcher
- ComStar Facility Class: None
- ComStar Representative: None
- Percentage and Level of Native Life: 30%, Mammal
- Description:
- Novo Cressidas is a barren, desolate world shielded by a ring of global asteroids and rocked by frequent ion storms that make orbital navigation hazardous. Because of its inconspicuous appearance and the danger in transiting the system, this small rock of a world was an ideal base for the collection of space marauders known as the Belt Pirates, under the command of Morgan Fletcher. Indeed, Novo Cressidas has proven to be a blessing in disguise to its owners. Beginning in the mid-2800s, massive deposits of germanium, which is essential to starship construction, were reported in locations under the planet's southern ice cap. In the decades since, there have been rumors of vast underground mining and industrial complexes that stretch from the polar cap to the equator, and that point to a major center of hyperdrive ship construction. Such rumors remain unconfirmed, however, because the inhospitable local terrain and the equally inhospitable pirates have maintained the strictest silence about whatever secrets Novo Cressidas may hide.
[edit] Morgraine's Valkyrate
The newest of the pirate clans to populate the Periphery, Morgraine's Valkyrate is a collection of five ice worlds beyond the border of the Lyran Commonwealth. Originally a lieutenant of Hendrik Grimm, Morgraine broke with her master after her lover, Redjack Ryan, was expelled from the Oberon Confederation. Denouncing the "male-dominated" rule of the Grimm pirate dynasty, Morgraine and her female followers established their own pirate outposts, from which they have begun to raid Lyran space. Within this female pirate haven, males are accorded rights and privileges according to their abilities, but all command decisions are reserved to Morgraine and her valkyries. Much of the Valkyrate's social order mirrors that of ancient Terran Norse mythology. Given time, this veneer of Nordic tradition will continue to evolve. Morgraine currently holds forth in her court on Gotterdammerung, ruling with an iron hand over an estimated five to six thousand inhabitants scattered over her various holds. Due to Morgraine's xenophobia, attempts to place ROM agents in this region have all failed
- Location: Outside of Lyran Commonwealth, near Oberon Vl
- Number of Worlds: Five
- Current Ruler: Dominatrix Maria Morgraine
- Military Strength: 1 Battalion
- Technology Level: Poor
- Literacy Level: Poor
- World Name: Gotterdammerung
- Star Type: M2V
- Position in System: 2
- Time to Jump Point: 2.83 days
- Recharging Station: None
- Political Ruler: Dominatrix Maria Morgraine
- ComStar Facility Class: None
- ComStar Representative: None
- Percentage and Level of Native Life: 10%, Mammal
- Description:
- A cold world (in keeping with the temperament of its ruler), Gotterdammerung is typical of the worlds held by Maria Morgraine. Much of the surface is covered with layers of ice and snow: the only habitable region is a thin belt of tundra near the equator. The population of just over a thousand have managed to scratch out a meager existence by hunting the small herds of reindeer-like animals.
[edit] Pirates of Butte Hold
Founded in 3018, Butte Hold is one of the more recent additions to the many Bandit Kingdoms. The inhabitants are a motley collection of cutthroats nominally under the command of Redjack Ryan, an arrogant, strutting MechWarrior with delusions of grandeur. The Pirates of Butte Hold epitomize the worst characteristics of Periphery bandits. Redjack Ryan was once a battalion commander under Hendrik Grimm. In 3017, while "on loan" to the Lyran Commonwealth, Ryan's unit was ordered to occupy a Marik border world. During the course of his occupation of Lysidas, Ryan's troops sacked the cities, enslaved the populace, and destroyed many industries, including a fusion power plant. The destruction of the fusion plant poisoned half the planet's atmosphere, bringing an immediate halt to Ryan's carousing. Following this blunder, troops from both the Oberon Confederation and the Free Worlds League pursued Ryan and his mob out of the Inner Sphere. Ryan took his men to Butte Hold, where he set up shop. Since then, the bandit has launched a series of indiscriminate raids against the Lyran Commonwealth, the Draconis Combine, and even an occasional snipe at a Confederation world. To date, none of these governments have retaliated because of the many prisoners Ryan holds hostage. Few like to contemplate what an angry Ryan might do to them. Another version of the story of how Ryan broke away from Oberon states that Ryan apparently has no other interests in life than rapine, and so he could not face the prospect of handling actual responsibilities, as Grimm wanted him to do. Whether Ryan's own most vicious lieutenant, Agnar Satanson, will turn on Redjack the way he turned on Grimm remains to be seen. Attracted by the lure of booty, Ryan has won numerous recruits since his break with Grimm, enough to maintain two battalions of BattleMechs. Ryan's hold on his subordinates is tenuous at best, however. He spends as much time guarding against a knife in the back as he does planning his next raid. Left to their own devices, the pirates of Butte Hold may well destroy themselves. In addition, one raid too many against an irritated Lyran or Draconis government may bring a full-scale assault against the pirate holdfast
- Location: Outside of the Lyran Commonwealth, near Oberon Vl
- Number of Worlds: One
- Current Ruler: Redjack Ryan
- Military Strength: 2 Battalions
- Technology Level: Poor
- Literacy Level: Poor
- World Name: Butte Hold
- Star Type: G8
- Position in System: 3
- Time to Jump Point: 6.19 days
- Recharging Station: None
- Political Ruler: Redjack Ryan
- ComStar Facility Class: None
- ComStar Representative: None
- Population: 150,000
- Percentage and Level of Native Life: 99%, Fish
[edit] Santander's World (Santander V)
What little is known about the pirates of Santander's World is not very pleasant. Founded in 3019 by ex-Davion officer Helmar Valasek, Santander's World boas s one of the most vicious pirate bands operating in the Periphery. Whereas most of the Periphery's pirate groups engage in raiding, Santander's World has become a Murder Incorporated. Much of Valasek's treasury consists of payments made for covert assassination attempts. Operating singly or in small groups, Santander assassins are known to have penetrated Davion and Kurita space to slaughter government officials and financiers. Where practical, Santander raiders engage in kidnapping, often stopping merchant vessels along established trade routes to remove wealthy passengers for later ransom. In addition, Valasek contracts for terrorist activities and may well have affiliations with various dissident groups within the Inner Sphere. All members of Valasek's band take a blood oath to their murderous leader, vowing to die most horribly should they "squeal" on their fellows. More than once have these pirates killed their own members suspected of renouncing their pledge. The Santander pirates are an irritant that the Successor States will probably destroy at the first opportunity. It is believed, however, that Valasek maintains an intricate web of spies and informants that might tip off Valasek to any impending strike. Therefore, any such attack would have to be made with the utmost secrecy
- Location: Outward from the Draconis Combine
- Number of Worlds: One
- Current Ruler: Helmar Valasek
- Military Strength: 1 Battalion
- Technology Level: Poor
- Literacy Level: Poor
- World Name: Santander's World
- Star Type: K4
- Position in System: 5
- Time to Jump Point: 4.393 days
- Recharging Station: None
- Political Ruler: Helmar Valsaek
- ComStar Facility Class: None
- ComStar Representative: None
- Population: 7,500
- Percentage and Level of Native Life: 99%, Plant
[edit] 3050 Update
[Prepared by Major C.G. Toho, Periphery expert for Wolfnet, Military Intelligence Division, Seventh Kommando].
The Bandit Kingdoms took as much advantage as possible of the Fourth Succession War by raiding carefully chosen worlds in the Inner Sphere. After the war, all of the Inner Sphere leaders tried to exact revenge by sending military expeditions into the Periphery. Try as they might, however, they could not capture or kill all the pirates.
Morgan Fletcher of the Star's End Pirates, has recently shown up far from her stronghold, as have smaller pirate groups. ComStar has been effective at countering this surge within the Inner Sphere, but this has mostly just shifted the problem to Periphery realms.
The major event affecting the balance of terror among Periphery pirates was the union of Maria Morgraine and Redjack Ryan. The merger of Morgraine's Valkyrate with the Pirates of Butte Hold has created the Greater Valkyrate, a potent entity with a fearsome military unit, Ryan's Rebels. This has had the beneficial effect of curbing the Oberon Confederation and the bother of creating a growing nest of vipers on the border of the Federated Commonwealth. Ryan and Morgraine's oldest child, Major Susie "One Eye" Morgraine-Ryan, have proven to be capable and vicious military leaders, boding ill for civilized worlds in the area for the foreseeable future.
