Editing Galatea

{{Update Needed|[[Star Lord (novel)]]}}
{{InfoBoxSystem
| image               = Galatea_3151.svg
| caption             = Galatea [[#Nearby_Systems|nearby systems]]
| name                = Galatea
| coord               = –53.775 : 34.077{{e}}
| stars               = 
| class               = F8II<ref name=HB:HSp88>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 88: "Galatea"</ref><ref name=MMp96>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 96: "Galatea"</ref><ref name=DA:RWp186>''Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130)'', p. 186: "Galatea Planet Profile"</ref><ref name="FCCWp198">''FedCom Civil War'', p. 198: "Galatea"</ref>
| recharge            = 179 hours<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| recharge stations   = Zenith<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| planets             = 8<ref name=DA:RWp186/>
}}
The '''Galatea''' system was home to at least one habitable world, '''Galatea VI''', and as of April [[3152]] was located in the [[Isle of Skye]].<ref name=Si11/>

==System Description==
Galatea is located near the [[Summer]] and [[Syrma]] systems<ref name="ER:3145p39"/><ref name="FM:3145pVI"/> and consists of eight planets<ref name=DA:RWp186/> orbiting a class F8II primary. During the [[thirty-first century]] a recharge station was in place at the system zenith [[jump point]].<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/>

==System History ==
The Galatea system was colonized by the [[Terran Alliance]] in [[2250]].<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>

==Political Affiliation==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[2250]] - [[Terran Alliance]]<ref name=DA:RWp186/>
* [[2271]] - Inhabited world<ref name="HB:HMp16">''Handbook: House Marik'', p. 16: "Free Worlds League Founding [2271]"</ref>
* [[2337]] - Independent world<ref name="TSLp18"/>
* [[2338]] - [[Terran Hegemony]]<ref name="TSLp18">''The Star League'', p. 18: "The Syrma Ambush"</ref>
* [[2596]] - [[Lyran Commonwealth]]<ref name=HRWp159>''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 159: "Inner Sphere Map [2596]"</ref>
* [[2750]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="ER:2750p37">''Era Report: 2750'', p. 37: "Inner Sphere - 2750"</ref>
* [[2765]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="H:LoTV1p11>''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', p. 11: "Inner Sphere - 2765"</ref>
* [[2767]] - [[Amaris Empire]]<ref name="H:LoTV1p104">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', p. 104: "Rim Worlds Republic - [2767] Map"</ref>
* [[2771]] - Amaris Empire<ref name="H:LoTV1p138">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', p. 138: "Operation LIBERATION Wave 1 [July 2772 - December 2774]"</ref>
* [[2772]] - Terran Hegemony (from September)<ref name="H:LoTV1p138"/>
* [[2782]] - Terran Hegemony<ref name="H:LoTV2p118">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', p. 118: "Digesting the Hegemony"</ref>
* [[2783]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="H:LoTV2p118"/>
* [[2786]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="FSW(SB)p24-25">''First Succession War'', pp. 24–25: "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"</ref>
* [[2822]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp36">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 36: "Lyran Commonwealth after First Succession War [2822]"</ref><ref name="H:LoTV2p122">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', pp. 122–123: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"</ref><ref name="FSW(SB)p112-113">''First Succession War'', pp. 112–113: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"</ref>
* [[2864]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp40">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 40: "Lyran Commonwealth after Second Succession War [2864]"</ref>
* [[2999]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name=THtF>''The Hand that Feeds''</ref>
* [[3007]] - [[Draconis Combine]]<ref name="HKp88">''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 88: "Military Revival"</ref>
* [[3022]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HKp90">''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 90: "The Continuing Alliance"</ref>
* [[3025]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HKp132">''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 132: "District and Prefecture Boundaries of Kurita Space"</ref><ref name="HB:HSp47">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 47: "Lyran Commonwealth after Third Succession War [3025]"</ref>
* [[3030]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp56">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 56: "Lyran Commonwealth after Fourth Succession War [3030]"</ref>
* [[3040]] - [[Federated Commonwealth]]<ref name="HB:HSp59">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 59: "Lyran Commonwealth after War of 39 [3040]"</ref><ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 133: "Inner Sphere - 3040"</ref>
* [[3050]] - Federated Commonwealth<ref name="ER3052p11">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 11: "Inner Sphere - 3050"</ref>
* [[3052]] - Federated Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp61">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 61: "Lyran Commonwealth after Clan Invasion [3052]"</ref><ref name="ER3052p23">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 23: "Inner Sphere - 3052"</ref>
* [[3057]] - [[Lyran Alliance]]<ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 12: "Inner Sphere Map [3057]"</ref>
* [[3063]] - Lyran Alliance<ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 29: "Inner Sphere Map [3063]"</ref>
* [[3067]] - Lyran Alliance<ref name="HB:HSp70">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 70: "Lyran Commonwealth after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"</ref><ref name="J:FRp42">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', pp. 42–43: "Inner Sphere - October 3067"</ref>
* [[3072]] - [[Word of Blake Protectorate]] (from November)<ref name="JHS3076p23"/><ref name="J:FRp51"/>
* [[3075]] - Word of Blake Protectorate<ref name="JHS:Tp18"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/>
* [[3076]] - Lyran Alliance (from February)<ref name="TCp150"/>
* [[3081]] - [[Republic of the Sphere]]<ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 64: "Inner Sphere Map - [March 3081]"</ref>
* [[3085]] - Republic of the Sphere<ref>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. vii: "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"</ref>
* [[3130]] - Republic of the Sphere<ref name=DA:RWp186>''Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130)'', p. 186: "Galatea Planet Profile"</ref>
* [[3135]] - Independent world<ref name="ER:3145p10">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 10: "Inner Sphere - 3135"</ref>
* [[3145]] - [[Galatean League]]<ref name="ER:3145p39">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 39: "Inner Sphere - 3145"</ref><ref name="FM:3145pVI">''Field Manual: 3145'', p. VI: "Inner Sphere - 3145"</ref>
* [[3149]] - Galatean League<ref name=SFp62>''Shattered Fortress'', p. 62: "The Curtain Rises"</ref><ref name=AFoG>''A Fox on Galatea''</ref><ref name=WaR>''Wars and Rumors''</ref>
* [[3151]] - Galatean League<ref name="SFp103">''Shattered Fortress'', p. 103: "Inner Sphere - [3051] Map"</ref>
* [[3152]] - [[Isle of Skye]]<ref name=Si11>''Shrapnel'', Issue 11: "Voices of the Sphere: The New Mercenary Market"</ref>
{{div col end}}

-------------------------------------
==Galatea VI==
{{InfoBoxPlanet
| image               = Galatea.jpg
| name                = Galatea VI
| othernames          = 
| position            = Sixth<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| distance            = 12.01 days<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| moons               = 1 (Galatea Minor)<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| gravity             = 0.99<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/> / 1.00<ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| pressure            = Standard (Breathable)<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| temperature         = 55°C (Desert)<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| water               = 35%<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| life                = Mammal<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| continents          = 1 (Lubbocks)<ref name=DA:RWp186/>
| colonized           = [[2250]]<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| demonym             = Galatean<ref name=MSc2>''Mercenary's Star'', ch. 2</ref>
| language            = 
| religion            = 
| population          = 556,976,000 (3067),<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name="FCCWp198"/><br>552,236,000 (3076),<ref name=MMp96/><br>628,218,000 (3130)<ref name=DARoSp18/><ref name=DA:RWp186/>
| ruler               = [[Duke of Galatea]]
| political           = [[Planetary Governor of Galatea|Planetary Governor]]
| commander           = Legate [[Celine Richtofen]] (3130)<ref name=DARoSp18>''Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere'', p. 18: "Prefecture VIII"</ref><ref name=DA:RWp186/>
| capital             = Galatea City<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| hpg                 = A<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name="FCCWp198"/>
| hpgrep              = 
}}
Galatea VI, more commonly known simply as Galatea, is the sixth planet in the system and has a single moon named Galatea Minor.<ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name=MMp96/><ref name=DA:RWp186/>

===Planetary History===
====Early History====
The original settlers on Galatea were surprised to discover the primitive local ecosystem in place, dominated by the [[Galatean Mole]], but attempts to determine if a more complex ecosystem existed underground were delayed by the arrival of a second wave of settlers. The second wave of settlers were drawn from a mix of religious sects with an antitechnology focus, looking to avoid the increasingly technology-dependent lifestyles common to the Terran Alliance.<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/> Drawn predominantly from the Amish, Native American and Central African populations of Terra,<ref name=DA:RWp186/> the new colonists managed to establish a thriving colony that was largely free of technology,<ref name=HB:HSp88/> although some would refer to them as Luddites.<ref name=MMp96/>

The settlers had made great progress in taming the world by the time the Terran Hegemony chose to annex it in 2337; Galatea was one of the worlds targeted in the third of the [[Campaigns of Persuasion]] launched by [[Director-General]] [[James McKenna]] to expand the Hegemony's holdings, although when the third campaign began in [[2335]], it was the first planetary assault in which James McKenna's son, [[Konrad McKenna]], commanded both the space-borne naval forces and the ground forces. Konrad McKenna didn't bother with the in-depth reconnaissance that had been a staple of previous campaigns by the [[Terran Hegemony|Hegemony Armed Forces]], anticipating little resistance from the population given their stance against technology. This proved a costly misjudgment; the locals were more than willing to embrace simple slug-throwing weaponry when invaded, and had intimate knowledge of the local terrain; the net result was a year-long battle that finally saw the Hegemony victorious in late 2337 or early 2338, after taking heavy casualties.<ref name="TSLp18">''The Star League'', p. 18: "The Syrma Ambush"</ref>

====Star League Era====
Galatea became a jointly administered world during the [[Star League era]], and the [[Star League Defense Force]] developed it as a military training ground. SLDF developments included the sprawling Galaport spaceport,<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name="FCCWp198"/> while the Terran Hegemony encouraged mining and refining companies to invest in Galatea as it opened up the mineral resources to commercial exploitation. The naturalist segment of the population found itself increasingly sidelined, and the planetary economy became dependent upon the [[Star League]].<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name=HB:HSp88/> Lightly industrialized prior to the [[Reunification War]], Galatea's role as a key supply point for SLDF and [[Free Worlds League Military]] units deployed during the War played a significant part in the early industrialization of Galatea.<ref name="HB:HSp28">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 28: "The Good Years"</ref>

====Amaris Civil War====
During the [[Amaris Civil War]] Galatea became a battleground between the [[Amaris Empire Armed Forces]] and the SLDF, with the naturalist population often caught in the crossfire. The sundering of the Star League left Galatea in a shambles.<ref name=DA:RWp186/>

====Succession Wars====
The majority of the antitechnology elements of the Galatean population gradually relocated during the [[Succession Wars (History)|Succession Wars]], moving their settlements to the southern hemisphere and reestablishing their roots there. The northern hemisphere of the planet, which had been subject to greater industrial development, struggled to survive on an economy based on exporting minerals and metals and a small amount of off-world trade.<ref name=DA:RWp186/>

Galatea began to prosper when a clever treaty was negotiated with [[ComStar]], by which the planetary government managed to establish Galatea as the center of the mercenary trade.<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name=HB:HSp88/><ref name="FCCWp198"/> The influx of trade led to a boom in the economy that almost matched the heights reached during the Star League era, although it also resulted in a significant increase in crime.

In [[3026]], it was rumored that a representative of Wolf's Dragoons was on planet looking for future employers.  This in turn was another step that helped sour the Dragoons' relations with their current employer, the [[Draconis Combine]].<ref name=WDSp35>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 35: "Turning Point"</ref>

The aftermath of the [[Fourth Succession War]] caused the economy to plummet again as the establishment of [[Outreach]] as a new mercenary trade hub administered by [[Wolf's Dragoons]] pulled away the majority of Galatea's trade. While there were still mercenaries working from Galatea, the focus on Outreach as the hub of the "honorable" element of the mercenary trade led to Galatea becoming the hub for the less savory elements of the mercenary community, and crime spiked as an inevitable consequence.<ref name=DA:RWp186/><ref name=HB:HSp88/>

Galatea developed a series of MechWarrior games, though these were far less civilized than those on Solaris VII.  It was common for opposing forces to fight to the death.  Part of this was the lure of salvage rights on 'Mechs piloted by defeated opponents, a potential windfall for the desperate mercenaries that now constituted Galatea’s main clientele.  These games, a mix of individual and unit combats, were held monthly.  By the late 3050s, it was common for mercenary units to use the games as a testing ground for potential new recruits, and for employers to use them to identify units they wanted to hire.  Indeed, it became almost a necessity for a unit to succeed in the games to catch the eye of any employer who could be choosy. Still, success in the games was more than just a matter of skill in the arena.  Galaport in particular was the sort of place where a MechWarrior could succeed in a duel or unit match, only to be poisoned while celebrating at dinner, the waiter or the chef on the payroll of his defeated rival.

====FedCom Civil War====
During the period immediately before the [[FedCom Civil War]], Galatea's economy began to improve slowly as the demand for mercenaries steadily increased, but the Civil War devastated Galatea. Thousands of innocent people were killed as the battle for control of Galatea descended into a planet-wide brawl between [[BattleMech]] gangs; [[Group W]] managed to restore order to much of Galatea, but not before the planet had been left in a state only marginally better than it had been in after the Amaris Civil War three centuries before.<ref name=DA:RWp186/>

Trouble began on Galatea after the initial call for support issued by [[Victor Steiner-Davion]], as the already-busy mercenary market on the planet saw representatives from dozens of groups such as private concerns and military agencies add to the recruiters already present from the major powers, all looking at increasing their own standing. Hot on their heels were literally thousands of mercenaries who arrived within the first four weeks, some with equipment and some without, and even more mercenaries were en route. The [[Word of Blake]] was particularly active, recruiting as many [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarriors]] as possible, but both major factions of the Civil War also recruited heavily. With so many competing factions on the planet tensions steadily mounted, until the first major eruption of violence on New Year's Eve of [[3062]].<ref name="FCCWp42">''FedCom Civil War'', p. 42: "Galatea (31 December 3062)"</ref>

Everything began with a single mercenary unit attempting to impress a potential employer by attacking another, competing mercenary unit. Within twelve hours battles were being fought across the surface of Galatea - albeit in a fashion more akin to a giant, sprawling barroom-brawl than an organized military campaign. The fights continued for months, and by February, the conflict had morphed into something resembling a Grand Melee, fought in five particular areas of Galatea. As mercenaries traveled to these five zones to fight issues out, ignoring the hundreds of combatants already there, the press began reporting the fighting as battles to see who would become king of the hill, leading to such things as corporate sponsorship and prizes for those who managed to fight the longest. This drew hundreds of new combatants to Galatea, drawn by the allure of entering these brawls and being able to boast that they had taken part. A significant number of former [[Clan]] warriors were among those journeying to Galatea, as taking part in the battles held the allure of allowing them to recapture some of their former glory.<ref name="FCCWp42"/>

During March and April, the clashes became more dangerous, with battles spilling out of the five major combat zones and into surrounding areas, with groups establishing what were effectively regions of "gang turf", and while free-fire areas continued to exist, the balance of perceived glory increasingly shifted towards being a member of an elite warrior gang. The core of each gang was generally a mercenary unit looking to build a reputation, and some swiftly gained particularly strong reputations; the Grey Slayers, a [[company]]-strength unit based around a disgraced [[lance]]-sized mercenary unit from the Free Worlds League, and the Thunderers, a reinforced company based around a group of survivors from the [[Waco Rangers]] were perhaps the two most famous gangs by July 3063. Common initiation rituals involved entering another gang's area and beating one or more enemies, without support; the former Clan warriors on Galatea were soon comparing these initiations to the [[Trial of Position|Trials of Position]] they had already been through. Former Clan warriors were particularly drawn to those gangs perceived as acting with the greatest honor, which in turn gave those adoptive units a considerable edge in combat. This led to an escalation in violence in August and September, and by October 3063 all-out war had begun between various 'Mech gangs.<ref name="FCCWp66">''FedCom Civil War'', p. 66: "Galatea"</ref>

Despite the escalation in conflict, the gangs largely respected each other's territory, at least initially. The border duels and king of the hill competitions began to return to popularity, but tension built until Galatea was a powder keg. The explosion came with an internal duel within the Black Witches gang, which prompted the Grey Slayers to attempt to take over the Black Witches' territory, prompting a violent response from the surviving Witches. This created a vacuum that other gangs began moving to exploit, and on the 19th of August [[3064]] two notable gangs - the Kool Kats and the Yard Dogs - went to war, kicking off a cycle of violence that saw the planet erupt in open conflict once more, this time with no heed given to the noncombatant population of the planet.<ref name="FCCWp89">''FedCom Civil War'', p. 89: "Galatea"</ref>

Group W arrived on Galatea in March 3064, just as the planet was sliding into chaos, with the authorities lacking the resources needed to exert control over the world and the [[Lyran Alliance Armed Forces]] too busy to intervene. Group W swiftly established a perimeter around their landing zone and arranged a meeting with the planetary governor, [[Duke]] [[David Nowakowski]]. [[Colonel]] [[Andrew Bethke]] had led Group W to Galatea from [[Lyons]], and was willing to act on his own initiative to pacify Galatea, but he was able to persuade Nowakowski to hire Group W on behalf of the planetary government. This gave Group W a legitimacy it would've lacked operating under its own authority, and Bethke moved swiftly against the disorganized warrior bands. Group W was vastly outnumbered, but it was larger than any four mercenary gangs put together, and far better organized. Targeting the most aggressive gangs first, Group W swiftly either persuaded them to lay down their arms or forced them to.<ref name="FCCWp103">''FedCom Civil War'', p. 103: "Galatea"</ref>

It took Group W three weeks to bring a palpable sense of calm to Galatea, and by the end of June the bulk of the gangs had either been crushed by Group W or voluntarily disbanded. Group W continued to patrol the planet until the end of the Civil War, and while attempts to bring the ringleaders of much of the violence to trial, the vast majority of those identified were never caught, instead seeming to vanish from Galatea before they could be captured, with very few of them appearing at either Outreach or any of the smaller mercenary hiring halls around the Inner Sphere.<ref name="FCCWp103"/>

====The Jihad====
While Outreach had drawn much of the mercenary trade away from Galatea, the Blakist-backed mercenary uprising on Outreach, followed by the extensive bombardment and devastation of the planet led to the [[Allied Mercenary Command]] relocating their hiring business to Galatea. Although the mercenary trade was being rocked by the chaos of the Jihad and by the manner in which the Blakists used mercenaries as cat's paws to perform war crimes, the regeneration of Galatea as a mercenary hiring hub saw the world begin to become more prosperous once again.<ref name=MMp96/>

In [[3068]], [[MercNet]] reported the nuclear attacks on [[Genoa]] made by the [[Word of Blake]], including the bombardment of [[Aggerri Aerospace]], in the city of Buche Areste (with sixty million inhabitants).<ref name=BSTGenoa>''BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [09/09/3068]: "Blakist Shock Troops Kill Millions on Genoa"''</ref>

In [[3072]], a Word of Blake force<ref name="JHS3076p23"/><ref name="J:FRp51"/> consisting of the [[Eleventh Division (Word of Blake)|Eleventh Division]], [[Forty-seventh Shadow Division]], [[Bullard's Armored Cavalry]], [[Gray's Ghosts]] and the [[Martian Cuirassiers]]<ref name="TCp113">''Total Chaos'', pp. 113–114: "Galatea"</ref> disguised themselves as the [[Northwind Highlanders]] to allow them to assault Galatea in October [[3072]], quickly occupying Galatean City and the surrounding areas.<ref name="TCp113"/><ref name="JHS3076p23">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 23: "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp51">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 51: "The Jihad in Review"</ref> While the Eleventh had landed at Galaport initially and secured a safe landing zone for the Blakist mercenary commands, the Forty-seventh Shadow Division had landed in a series of nearly suicidal hot-drops within Galatea City, intent on using intelligence already gathered to hit key defense and security points as well as decapitating various mercenary units with headhunting attacks.<ref name="J:FRp55"/> One of the casualties of the Blakist assault was the mercenary command known as [[Harlock's Warriors]], who had retreated to Galatea after taking damage from incidents where the Warriors had ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time more than once.<ref name="M&Mp47">''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 76: "FedSuns Mercenary Deployment"</ref> Later sources reported that the Warriors had actually not traveled to Galatea, but had instead journeyed to [[Herotitus]] in the [[Periphery]].<ref name="FM:3085p159">''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 159: "Filtvelt Coalition"</ref>

The Blakists maintained control of Galatean City, and during their regime many members of the [[MRBC]] were arrested, but between 3072 and 3075 Galatea became a hotbed of resistance revolving around the mercenary groups who went to ground and formed active resistance groups, although they were unable to force the Blakists off Galatea.<ref name=MMp96/>

The first major attempt to liberate Galatea occurred in early November [[3075]] when allied forces under the command of [[Devlin Stone]]<ref name="JHS:Tp18"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/> and led by the [[Com Guards|Com Guard]] [[First Army (ComStar)|First Army]]<ref name=MMp96/> attempted to force the Eleventh Word of Blake Militia off the planet.<ref name="JHS:Tp18"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/> Operating alongside the First Army was the Com Guard [[Fourth Army (ComStar)|Fourth Army]] and the [[First Skye Jaegers]].<ref name="TCp113"/>

The initial allied landings, performed by the [[Seventy-ninth Division (ComStar)|Seventy-ninth]] and [[103rd Division (ComStar)|103rd Divisions]] with support from the Skye Jaegers seemed to go well. It took the Coalition forces twelve hours to capture Galaport, and a week to capture Galatea City.<ref name="TCp113"/>  The Blakist forces put up a dogged resistance, and while the initial allied landings were successful, the campaign soon bogged down.<ref name="JHS:Tp18">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 18: "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp55">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 55: "The Jihad in Review"</ref>

The Eleventh was able to regroup, ready to face attacks from the Seventy-ninth Division thanks to how protracted the fighting for control of Galatean City was, with heavy house-to-house fighting throughout the city. The Skye Jaegers attempted to move to support [[Precentor]] [[Louisa Draga]] and the Seventy-ninth, but encountered a new Blakist combat vehicle, the [[Bolla|Bolla Stealth Tank]], which blocked the Jaegers' efforts to reinforce the Com Guards.<ref name="JHS3076p47">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 47: "Fighting on Galatea Continues"</ref>

The Com Guard 103rd Division arrived to reinforce the allied forces just in time, with Precentor [[Styven Kimmelry]] and his troops preventing the invasion from stalling.<ref name="JHS3076p47"/> Even after the allied forces had managed to push the Eleventh out of Galatean City the Blakists put up a fanatical resistance, using various prepared positions and holding key strategic locations that bogged down the coalition advance. Just as the Blakists had made the mistake of assuming that control of Galatea City equated to control of the planet - an easy assumption to make, given that the majority of the planetary population lived within 100 km of Galatea City - the legacy of Galatea's history as an SLDF training ground worked against the Coalition forces. Just like the mercenary resistance before them, the Blakists took advantage of the proving grounds, concealed roadways, bunkers and other features left behind by the SLDF to take to the countryside and mount their own resistance effort, coordinated from bases in two Star League forts designated Paphos and Pygmalion. The Eleventh fought a hit-and-run campaign, punctuated with bouts of terrorism perpetrated by their [[Manei Domini]] troops. Stone had underestimated the ability of the Blakists to defend Galatea, based on the successes made in the opening weeks of the campaign, and had withdrawn a large portion of the allied forces - particularly aerospace forces - in anticipation of Galatea quickly returning to Lyran control.<ref name="TCp113"/>

In December 3075 the Blakists successfully killed Precentor Kimmelry in a headhunter attack, leaving Precentor Draga in overall command of the coalition forces; with the allied coalition tied down into fighting the main Blakist strengths at Paphos and Pygmalion, Draga responded by calling for additional reinforcements. [[Grand Duke of Arc-Royal|Grand Duke]] [[Morgan Kell]] responded by deploying two mercenary units - the [[Knights of St. Cameron]] and the [[Tooth of Ymir]] - to reinforce the allied forces.<ref name="JHS3076p63">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 63: "Galatea Secured"</ref> Stone also sent additional forces, and soon [[Clan Wolf|Clan Wolf's]] [[Delta Galaxy (Clan Wolf)|Delta Galaxy]], [[Stone's Lament]] and the [[Battle Corps Legion]] were also embroiled in the fighting.<ref name="TCp113"/> Having spent [[3075]] performing small garrison contracts, the mercenary command [[Gannon's Cannons]] also found themselves under contract to the coalition and deployed to Galatea, with the Cannons joining with elements of the Com Guards to raid a bunker in Cone City on the 2nd of January [[3076]], securing valuable intelligence and information on Blakist strengths, operations and locations.<ref name="TCp148">''Total Chaos'', pp. 148–149: "Comes the Reaper"</ref>

Taking advantage of the reinforcements, Draga pulled the Seventy-ninth away from Paphos, leaving the Skye Jaegers to block attempts by the Blakists there to break out or reinforce their compatriots at Pygmalion; Draga then led the Seventy-ninth and both mercenary units in an extended, three-day attack on the Blakists at Pygmalion, which represented the largest single group of Blakist forces left on Galatea. When the allied coalition finally cracked the defenses and began pouring into Blakist lines, the defenders tried to break out and link up with the force at Paphos, but were blocked and crushed by the coalition forces. This prompted the Paphos contingent to break for their [[DropShip]]s, fleeing and leaving Galatea to the allied coalition.<ref name="JHS3076p63"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/><ref name="JHS:Tp20">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 20: "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref> The remains of the Eleventh Division managed to escape, but had taken enough damage that the Division couldn't muster a single full [[Level III]].<ref name="M&Mp223">''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 223: "Word of Blake Militia"</ref> They fared better than Bullard's Armored Cavalry and Gray's Ghosts, who were utterly destroyed during the battle for Galatea.<ref name="M&Mp224">''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 224: "Word of Blake Mercenary Employment"</ref> With the siege of Pygmalion broken, Coalition mercenary forces including the Battle Corps Legion moved to reinforce the Skye Jaegers at Paphos, knowing that the Blakist forces would likely make a break for concealed DropShips somewhere on Galatea. The Coalition forces managed to identify where the Blakists were retreating as they broke away from Paphos, and hounded them; by the time the surviving Blakist elements made it to their DropShips, hidden at a remote training base, they numbered just two damaged Level IIIs, even after integrating elements of their mercenary forces.<ref name="TCp150">''Total Chaos'', p. 150: "Run Them Down"</ref>

Galatea reopened for business in February 3076; and the mercenary commands who had participated in the liberation of the planet received both rewards and discounts on services across the planet.<ref name="TCp150"/> The liberation of Galatea was a valuable success for the Coalition, as Stone had made it a priority target to allow it to function as a mercenary clearinghouse again, allowing the Coalition to recruit more mercenary commands.<ref name="TCp113"/>

====Dark Age====
With millions dead,<ref name=MMp96/> and Galatea City and Galaport left in ruins along with eighty percent of the settlements in the northern hemisphere, Galatea's shell-shocked population welcomed incorporation into the [[Republic of the Sphere]], which restored peace and order to the planet. The Republic spent a considerable amount of effort rebuilding both Galatea City and Galaport, but it took the better part of four decades for work to be completed.<ref name=DA:RWp186/> During the [[Dark Age]] [[Interstellar Expeditions]] continued to maintain their mercenary outreach program from a satellite location on Galatea.<ref name="ISP3:IEp12">''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', p. 12: "Interstellar Expeditions Corporate Data"</ref> A decade after the Jihad, the director of the Interstellar Expeditions mercenary hall on Galatea was [[Maxwell Giordano]], a retired [[AFFC]] [[leftenant]] with experience serving in a number of commands, including the [[Fifth FedCom RCT]]. An experienced mercenary liaison, Giordano was responsible for securing contracts with IE for dozens of small mercenary units, providing security to numerous IE operations.<ref name="ISP3:IEp13">''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', p. 13: "Department of Public Relations (Fundraising and Mercenary Outreach)"</ref>

The various dune buggies and cross-country bikes manufactured on Galatea had long been popular with mercenary forces, who would often refit them or embody field modifications; the [[Republic Armed Forces]] also made use of these same buggies and bikes after the founding of the Republic of the Sphere, with local units such as the [[Galatean Support Wheels]] becoming known in the mid-3080s as possibly the best example of a mechanized machine-gun infantry platoon anywhere in the RAF.<ref name="TRO:3085Sp8">''Technical Readout: 3085 Supplemental'', p. 8: "Key Infantry"</ref>

In the early 3140s the bulk of [[Hansen's Roughriders]] were stationed on Galatea; when Galatea was raided in late [[3141]], the Roughriders' infantry forces were forced into heavy combat to protect the mercenaries' command and control post located in Galatean City. As the raiders tried to reach their target, the [[Cardinal|Cardinal Transport]]s that the Roughriders had bought in considerable numbers from [[Clan Sea Fox]] in previous years came into play; by ferrying the Roughriders' limited infantry forces from conflict to conflict, they increased the effectiveness of the infantry dramatically. One particularly notable Roughriders pilot, [[Lieutenant]] [[Bianca Robertson]], and her Cardinal - aptly named ''Vomit Comet'' - performed more than 140 troop deployments as well as engaging and destroying three enemy 'Mechs, including a ''[[Hollander II]]''.<ref name="TRO:3145Mp18">''Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries'', p. 18: "Cardinal Transport"</ref>

[[Countess of Northwind]] [[Tara Campbell]] was nearly captured by forces from [[Clan Jade Falcon]] on Galatea in [[3144]]; the Countess had been cut off by Jade Falcon [[Elemental]]s on two flanks during a particularly brutal battle outside Galatean City when an Ad hoc [[battalion]] of [[Republic Remnant]] forces consisting largely of [[battle armor]] and [[JI2A1|JI2A1 Attack APC]]s surprised the Jade Falcons. Striking from the Falcons' rear, the Republic Remnant forces killed a number of Elementals using tandem-charge missiles - one noted gunner on a JI2A1, [[Sergeant]] [[Bryan Charles]] accounted for three Falcon Elementals single-handedly - before launching a savage battlesuit-to-battlesuit clash that gave the Countess time to escape. The remaining Republic Remnant forces on Galatea, including Sergeant Charles and the survivors from his unit, all subsequently left Galatea at the request of the newly formed [[Galatean League]].<ref name="TRO3145:FSp14">''Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns'', p. 14: "J12A1 Attack APC"</ref>

===Military Deployment===
{{columns-start|num=3}}
====2786====
* [[Smithson's Chinese Bandits]]<ref name="FSWp138">''First Succession War'', p. 138: "First Succession War Deployment Table - FWLM"</ref>

====2821====
* [[First Arcadian Cuirassiers]]<ref name="FSWp134135">''First Succession War'', pp. 134–135: "First Succession War Deployment Table - AFFS"</ref>

====3067====
* [[Devil's Brigade]] ([[Battalion]])<ref name=MSII66>''Mercenaries Supplemental II'', p. 66: "Mercenary Deployment Table"</ref>
* [[First New Hessen Irregulars]]<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Second New Hessen Irregulars]]<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Third New Hessen Irregulars]]<ref name=MS70>''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 70: "Mercenary Employment Table"</ref>
* [[Brock's Buccaneers]]<ref name=MS69>''Mercenaries Supplemental'', p. 69: "Mercenary Deployment Table"</ref>
* [[Devil's Brigade]]<ref name=MS69/>
* [[HeavyHell Raisers]] (Battalion)<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Raging Horde]] ([[Cluster]])<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Reed's Brew]] (Battalion)<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Rubinsky's Renegades]] (1.5 Lances)<ref name=MSII66/>
* [[Sathen's Snipers]]<ref name=MS70/>
* [[Wannamaker's Widowmakers]]<ref name=MS70/>
{{column}}
====3072====
* [[Martian Cuirassiers]]<ref name=JSTBD110>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 110: "Word of Blake Mercenary Deployment"</ref>
* [[Bullard's Armored Cavalry]]<ref name=JSTBD110/>
* [[Gray's Ghosts]]<ref name=JSTBD110/>
* [[Nightcrawlers]]<ref name=FRFWLM>''Field Report: FWLM'', p. 20: "Irregular Forces"</ref>

====3145====
* [[Hansen's Roughriders]]<ref name=FM:3145p182>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 182: "Notable Mercenary Forces - Unaligned/Uncontracted"</ref>
{{columns-end}}

===Geography===
Galatea has a single continent named Lubbocks, which encloses three landlocked oceans: the Amersia Sea, located in the northern polar region, and the Kileri and Paradise Oceans in the southern hemisphere. Galatea has a largely barren environment, particularly in the equatorial and tropical zones, and even outside these regions much of the soil has been sterilized by the ultraviolet radiation from the system primary. Despite these conditions there is a primitive native ecosystem on the surface of Galatea that predates human habitation, located primarily along the banks of the rivers that flow from the various oceans. A much more advanced ecosystem exists beneath the surface of Galatea, located around the subterranean oases discovered underground.<ref name=DA:RWp186/>

===Planetary Locations===
* Club Zero-Zero: a club located on Galatea's equator (latitude 0º, longitude 0º)<ref>''MechWarrior'' (SNES version), p. 12: "User Manual"</ref>
* Cone City: a city<ref name="TCp148"/>
* Deadrock: a small town<ref name=TFTL>''The Few, The Lucky''</ref>
* Fellis Fields<ref name=TFTL/>
* Galatea City: the planetary capital city<ref name=DA:RWp186/>
** Broken Locust<ref name=AFoG/>
** Cathedral of St. Michael<ref name=AFoG/>
** McCommon's Bar and Grill<ref>''One Door Closes''</ref>
* Galaport: the planetary spaceport, located north of Galatea<ref name=DA:RWp186/>
** The Lazy Lighthorseman: tech bar<ref name=SLp75>''Star Lord'', p. 75</ref>
** Marauder Bill's: a bar<ref name=MSc2/>
* Hangdorf Proving Grounds: a live-fire range 10 km outside of Galaport<ref name=TBBB>''The Bye-Bye Brigade''</ref>
* Majistan: an autonomous region west of Galatea City<ref name=ATSORc5>''A Tiny Spot of Rebellion'', ch. 5</ref>
** Acre<ref name=ATSORc9>''A Tiny Spot of Rebellion'', ch. 9</ref>
** Arone<ref name=ATSORc12>''A Tiny Spot of Rebellion'', ch. 12</ref>
** Ephaseus: a small city<ref name=ATSORc5/>
** Peterstown: a subterranean town<ref name=ATSORc12/>
** Thessalon: a city<ref name=ATSORc5/>
* Mekling<ref name=TFTL/>
* Naperland: a town<ref name=TRO3075p58>''Technical Readout: 3075'', p. 58</ref>
{{ApocryphalContentStart}}
* Paphos: a Star League-era fort and site of a major battle during the Jihad<ref name="TCp113"/><ref name="JHS3076p63"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/><ref name="JHS:Tp20"/>
* Pygmalion: a Star League-era fort and site of a major battle during the Jihad<ref name="TCp113"/><ref name="JHS3076p63"/><ref name="J:FRp55"/><ref name="JHS:Tp20"/>
{{ApocryphalContentEnd}}

===Companies and Industries===
* [[Galaport Security Services]]<ref name=TRO3039>''Technical Readout: 3039'', p. 178</ref>
* [[Dynamic Ordnance and Ammunition Corp]]<ref>''Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries'', p. 40</ref>

<!-- Commented out due to lack of information
===Local Flora and Fauna===

===Image gallery===
-->
==Map Gallery==
<div class="system-map-gallery"></div>

==Nearby Systems==
<!-- NOTE: This table is automatically generated by BattleTechWiki:Project_Planets/Mapping, and any edits to this section may be overwritten at any time by a bot -->
{|class="wikitable nearby-systems" style="background: #gray; text-align:center; border: 1px solid black;"
! colspan="8" | Closest 72 systems (71 within 60 light-years)<br>Distance in light years, closest systems first:
|-
| class="lessthan30" | [[Syrma]]
| class="lessthan30" | 6.5
| class="lessthan30" | [[Summer]]
| class="lessthan30" | 12.3
| class="lessthan30" | [[Mizar]]
| class="lessthan30" | 13.5
| class="lessthan30" | [[Zebebelgenubi]]
| class="lessthan30" | 13.5
|-
| class="lessthan30" | [[Skye]]
| class="lessthan30" | 17.6
| class="lessthan30" | [[Menkent]]
| class="lessthan30" | 19.1
| class="lessthan30" | [[Cor Caroli]]
| class="lessthan30" | 20.5
| class="lessthan30" | [[Alioth]]
| class="lessthan30" | 20.8
|-
| class="lessthan30" | [[Alkalurops]]
| class="lessthan30" | 21.0
| class="lessthan30" | [[Nusakan]]
| class="lessthan30" | 21.1
| class="lessthan30" | [[Alcor]]
| class="lessthan30" | 21.6
| class="lessthan30" | [[Haddings]]
| class="lessthan30" | 22.4
|-
| class="lessthan30" | [[Alphecca]]
| class="lessthan30" | 28.8
| class="lessthan30" | [[Zollikofen]]
| class="lessthan30" | 28.9
| class="over30" | [[Skondia]]
| class="over30" | 30.7
| class="over30" | [[Lyons]]
| class="over30" | 31.1
|-
| class="over30" | [[Kochab]]
| class="over30" | 31.9
| class="over30" | [[Muphrid]]
| class="over30" | 32.4
| class="over30" | [[Milton]]
| class="over30" | 33.0
| class="over30" | [[Lipton]]
| class="over30" | 34.1
|-
| class="over30" | [[Alchiba]]
| class="over30" | 35.2
| class="over30" | [[Unukalhai]]
| class="over30" | 36.5
| class="over30" | [[Chara]]
| class="over30" | 37.0
| class="over30" | [[Ko]]
| class="over30" | 37.0
|-
| class="over30" | [[Afleir]]
| class="over30" | 37.1
| class="over30" | [[Rocky]]
| class="over30" | 38.3
| class="over30" | [[Denebola]]
| class="over30" | 39.1
| class="over30" | [[Thorin]]
| class="over30" | 40.0
|-
| class="over30" | [[Gacrux]]
| class="over30" | 40.2
| class="over30" | [[Seginus]]
| class="over30" | 40.5
| class="over30" | [[Zavijava]]
| class="over30" | 40.8
| class="over30" | [[Phecda]]
| class="over30" | 41.2
|-
| class="over30" | [[Atria]]
| class="over30" | 41.6
| class="over30" | [[Alkaid]]
| class="over30" | 42.3
| class="over30" | [[Carsphairn]]
| class="over30" | 42.7
| class="over30" | [[Wyatt]]
| class="over30" | 44.5
|-
| class="over30" | [[La Blon]]
| class="over30" | 44.6
| class="over30" | [[Zosma]]
| class="over30" | 44.6
| class="over30" | [[Dromini]]
| class="over30" | 45.9
| class="over30" | [[Oliver]]
| class="over30" | 46.6
|-
| class="over30" | [[Sabik]]
| class="over30" | 47.1
| class="over30" | [[Vindemiatrix]]
| class="over30" | 47.3
| class="over30" | [[Yorii]]
| class="over30" | 47.6
| class="over30" | [[Glengarry]]
| class="over30" | 48.7
|-
| class="over30" | [[Xi Ursae_Majoris|Xi Ursae Majoris]]
| class="over30" | 48.7
| class="over30" | [[Carnwath]]
| class="over30" | 49.2
| class="over30" | [[Wing]]
| class="over30" | 49.8
| class="over30" | [[Callison]]
| class="over30" | 49.9
|-
| class="over30" | [[Marcus]]
| class="over30" | 49.9
| class="over30" | [[Laiaka]]
| class="over30" | 51.0
| class="over30" | [[Imbros]]
| class="over30" | 51.7
| class="over30" | [[New Earth|Tau Ceti]]
| class="over30" | 51.7
|-
| class="over30" | [[Lone Star]]
| class="over30" | 51.8
| class="over30" | [[Shiloh]]
| class="over30" | 52.0
| class="over30" | [[Devil's Rock]]
| class="over30" | 52.4
| class="over30" | [[Castor]]
| class="over30" | 52.5
|-
| class="over30" | [[Dubhe]]
| class="over30" | 52.9
| class="over30" | [[Killbourn]]
| class="over30" | 53.0
| class="over30" | [[Graham]]
| class="over30" | 53.8
| class="over30" | [[Chertan]]
| class="over30" | 53.9
|-
| class="over30" | [[Pollux]]
| class="over30" | 54.4
| class="over30" | [[Balkan]]
| class="over30" | 55.1
| class="over30" | [[Zaniah]]
| class="over30" | 55.5
| class="over30" | [[Alhena]]
| class="over30" | 56.4
|-
| class="over30" | [[Gladius (system)|Gladius]]
| class="over30" | 56.6
| class="over30" | [[Ryde]]
| class="over30" | 58.3
| class="over30" | [[Asta]]
| class="over30" | 58.5
| class="over30" | [[Alrakis]]
| class="over30" | 58.6
|-
| class="over30" | [[New Dallas]]
| class="over30" | 59.5
| class="over30" | [[Dyev]]
| class="over30" | 59.8
| class="over30" | [[Rigil Kentarus]]
| class="over30" | 59.9
| class="over60" | [[Zebeneschamali]]
| class="over60" | 61.0
|-
|}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[List of Solaris Broadcasting Co. articles#Blakist Shock Troops Kill Millions on Genoa|BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 09/09/3068: "Blakist Shock Troops Kill Millions on Genoa"]]''
* ''[[The Bye-Bye Brigade]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere]]''
* ''[[Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130)]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 2750]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3052]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
* ''[[Era Report: 3145]]''
* ''[[FedCom Civil War]]''
* ''[[The Few, The Lucky]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)|First Succession War]]''
* ''[[The Hand that Feeds]]'' (novella)
* ''[[Handbook: House Kurita]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Marik]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Steiner]]''
* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1]]''
* ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
* ''[[Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3]]''
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
* ''[[MechWarrior (SNES)|MechWarrior]]'' (SNES video game)
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental]]''
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental II]]''
* ''[[One Door Closes]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Shattered Fortress]]''
* [[Shrapnel Issue 11|''Shrapnel'', Issue #11]]
* ''[[Star Lord (novel)|Star Lord]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3085 Supplemental]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries]]''
* ''[[Total Chaos]]''
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]''
{{div col end}}

[[Category:Systems|Galatea]]
[[Category: Amaris Empire Systems]]
[[Category: Federated Commonwealth Systems]]
[[Category: Galatean League Systems]]
[[Category:Game Worlds|Galatea]]
[[Category: Independent Systems]]
[[Category: Lyran Alliance Systems]]
[[Category: Lyran Commonwealth Systems]]
[[Category: Republic of the Sphere Systems]]
[[Category: Terran Alliance Systems]]
[[Category: Terran Hegemony Systems]]
[[Category:Hiring Hall Worlds]]