Epsilon Eridani

Epsilon Eridani
Epsilon Eridani 3151.svg
Epsilon Eridani nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates18.35 : -21.248[e]
Spectral classK2IV[1][2]
Recharge time193 hours[2]
Recharge station(s)Zenith, Nadir[2]
Planet(s)10[1]

The Epsilon Eridani system was home to at least one habitable world, Epsilon Eridani IV, and as of 3151 was located in the Tikonov Commonality of the Capellan Confederation.[3]

System Description[edit]

The Epsilon Eridani system consists of a class K2IV primary orbited by ten planets.[1][2] and is home to at least one habitable world, Epsilon Eridani IV, which as of 3145 was located in the Republic of the Sphere.[4][5]

System History[edit]

Epsilon Eridani was settled during the early years of the Terran Alliance, with the first colony on Epsilon Eridani IV being established by Alana Korvin DeVall at some point prior to 2208.[6]

Political Affiliation[edit]


Epsilon Eridani IV[edit]

Epsilon Eridani IV
Epsilon Eridani Orbital View.jpg
Astrophysical
System position4[1][2]
Jump Point distance4.85 days[2]
Moons2 (Minori and Almagest)[2][36][49]
Geophysical
Surface gravity1.06[1][2]
Atmospheric pressureStandard (Breathable)[1][2]
Equatorial temperature34°C[1][2]
Surface water83%[1][2]
Highest native lifeMammals[1][2]
Landmasses2 (Gousha and Parassus)[50]
History and Culture
Colonized2208[6]
Population2,453,000,000 (3130)[1][2][51]
Government and Infrastructure
Noble RulerDuke of Epsilon Eridani
Political LeaderPlanetary Governor
Military CommanderLegate Kaleed al-Dallarah (3130),[51]
Legate Rowan Roberts (3141)[2]
CapitalMadison[1][2]
HPG ClassB[2]

Planet History[edit]

Early History[edit]

The world known as Epsilon Eridani was first discovered in 2050 by the Terran Alliance probe Magellan Four.[52] The Terran Alliance explorer Alana Korvin DeVall helped found the Epsilon Eridani colony at some point prior to 2208,[6] and Epsilon Eridani was one of the worlds that remained a part of the Terran Alliance following the Outer Reaches Rebellion and the Demarcation Declaration of 2242,[7] later becoming one of the worlds within the Alliance Core region of the Terran Hegemony.[14]

Circa the mid-twenty-second century, one of the slowboat colonization ships that had left Terra prior to the FTL first ships' creation arrived at Epsilon Eridani to find a burgeoning colony already established by Terran Alliance JumpShips. The Alliance, who had a long memory for dissidents, turned those missions into laughingstocks and not the historical achievements they were.[53] It is not known what happened to those colonists.[citation needed]

Amaris Civil War[edit]

During the Star League era, Epsilon Eridani became the site of the Army Headquarters for the Star League Defense Force Fifth Army,[54] the administrative headquarters of the first region of the Capellan Confederation and a series of training bases, many of them major.[18] With the eruption of the Periphery Uprising in 2766 the Fifth Army found itself responsible for the entire Capellan Confederation, and even though the Fifth Army received some reinforcements drawn from the First Army[54] this greater astrographical area of responsibility naturally led to the Fifth Army being stretched thin.[18]

When Stefan Amaris launched his coup on 27 December 2766 on Terra, his forces also swung into action on all of the other worlds within the Terran Hegemony and a number of jointly administered worlds.[55] This included Epsilon Eridani; despite the Fifth Army being deployed across the Confederation there were still a large number of personnel from the Fifth Army on Epsilon Eridani, as well as a substantial number of SLDF personnel within the support and training organizations. These people, primarily administrative, support and logistics personnel, posed a risk to the Rim Worlds Republic forces, which had already managed to occupy at least one Castle Brian on Epsilon Eridani prior to the Coup beginning.[18] The SLS Antietam Creek was a black navy ship from the SLDF attached to the Second Battalion of the Eighty-Third BattleMech Division when the unit tried to escape from Epsilon Eridani during the Amaris Coup in 2767.[56]

The Republican forces hadn't been able to establish a foothold within any of the training facilities or the Military Region administrative headquarters, and as a result when they launched their campaign to take control of Epsilon Eridani they bombarded the Castle Brian housing the Military Region HQ with multiple nuclear weapons while also hitting the various training bases with a combination of nuclear and biological attacks. While these attacks were largely effective, the Republicans didn't manage to hit every training base, nor were they able to track down and hit every location where SLDF equipment was stored; they also failed to capture or destroy all of the war matériel stored across Epsilon Eridani awaiting shipping to the Periphery front. Epsilon Eridani subsequently became a hotbed for resistance against the Republican forces as the SLDF personnel who survived the initial attacks made use of the remaining equipment to form and lead resistance groups across the planet.[18]

The Rim Worlds forces' orbital bombardment of Epsilon Eridani included strikes on the planetary capital, Madison, which was located on Parassus; the bombardment almost levelled the city, including the Star League mint which was located in the city and was responsible for printing Capellan currency.[1] Many residents found shelter inside the Harvard Company, Inc.'s aerospace components factory. Once Amaris landed, those survivors were subjected to a brutal massacre and the factory was razed to the ground.[57]

Later, the 889th spearheaded an attack against the Amaris-held planet. Their mission was to rescue trapped Star League troops hiding out in the Diamond Mountains of the southern continent. The stranded troops were in reality a trap set by Amaris loyalists and the 889th was destroyed as they attempted the rescue. A few captives, including Carl Icaza, were prisoners for nearly a decade until freed by SLDF forces led by their parent command, the Golden Talon.[58]

First Succession War[edit]

With the outbreak of fighting after the fall of the Star League, Epsilon Eridani surrendered itself to House Liao's Ariana Grenadiers and Justinia's Cuirassiers. This was part of House Liao's first campaign during the First Succession War to claim former Terran Hegemony worlds between 2780 and 2800.[59]

Third Succession War[edit]

In 2944, House Liao's First Chesterton Voltigeurs repelled a Free Worlds League raid on Epsilon Eridani. The unit had fended off the attack by Marik forces with heavy losses in air and ground support.[60] In the last years of the Third Succession War, Laurel's Legion was able to make a blunt move to take the planet from Federated Suns forces in 3024.[61]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

Following negotiations between Colonel Pavel Ridzik, chief military advisor to Chancellor Maximilian Liao, and AFFS Lieutenant General Ardan Sortek, conducted in February 3029 Ridzik created a new nation, the Tikonov Free Republic. The Republic was created by incorporating those worlds of the Tikonov Commonality that hadn't already been conquered during the first half of the Fourth Succession War. Ridzik returned to Elgin, the new capital of the Tikonov Free Republic, on 3 March 3029 and swiftly began implementing a new government consisting of family members, friends and other appointees loyal to himself, purging dissident elements on the various Republic worlds and taking the opportunity to settle old scores. Epsilon Eridani was one of the systems incorporated into the Republic.[27]

Eridani Civil War[edit]

In 3062, the mercenary units Kingston's Killers and The 48th were hired to take part in a small conflict on the side of the Palatine of Duvic faction against the County Shu faction. This conflict would find the Kingston's Killers to be all but destroyed and the Palatine of Duvic faction found guilty of conspiring with the Word of Blake against the planetary government.[36] The 48th were reported to be cleared of all wrongdoings by the local authorities when evidence of their employers’ corruption came to light.[62]

Major Kingston Crawford, for whom the unit was named, died at the hands of a reinforced light lance of the Shu County Volunteer Battalion BattleMechs, called the Vigilantes (formerly Veck's Vigilantes, after the previous unit commander), commanded by Commander Tybalt Kelly. Kelly's lance consisted of his Lineholder, a Raven, a Javelin, and a pair of Commandos. Both the Javelin and one Commando were lost in the fight with Crawford's Pillager. Major Namihito, commander of The 48th, was involved in uncovering the collusion between the Duvic Palatine and the Word of Blake.[36]

In 3067, two mercenary units, the Lone Star Regiment and Redfield's Renegades, were battling on Epsilon Eridani when they made a significant discovery. The fighting near the Shamus Mountains unearthed an old Star League Defense Force depot hidden within the mountains. Still intact within the Depot was a functioning Colossus-class DropShip in pristine condition. Both mercenary units immediately laid claim to the DropShip, and with neither willing to compromise a grueling combat was initiated that saw both units take heavy casualties. Ultimately, the Lone Star Regiment were the victors and recovered both the DropShip and the battlefield salvage as prizes.[63]

The Jihad[edit]

The Word of Blake assimilated Epsilon Eridani into their Protectorate early in the Jihad, and it would remain a Blakist world until February 3078. Forces from the Federated Suns front of Operation SCOUR liberated Epsilon Eridani on the 22nd of February after a fiercely fought week-long battle against the defending Epsilon Eridani Protectorate Militia forces.[42] The assault on Epsilon Eridani was one of—if not the—first assault to be performed on the Federated Suns front since command of the front passed to Marshal Jon Davion following the death of Field Marshal Katheryn Sandoval-Ito on Acamar. Leading Group III of the Federated Suns front personally, Davion deployed the allied coalition forces via a combined arms suborbital drop strategy that he had developed during his time at Sakhara Academy. The drop allowed the coalition forces to strike directly at the Blakist leadership on Epsilon Eridani, decapitating the Word of Blake forces on the planet within the first 24 hours of combat operations and restoring civil law to the capital within a week. Despite the overall success, Blakist forces utilized fast hovercraft and battle armor hunted down Clan Nova Cat's Delta Galaxy Arbalests and other ECM-equipped units early on in order to prevent disruption of their C3 networks. Due to that, Nova Cat casualties were high.[64][65]

The Federated Suns News Service held up the smooth transition in leadership between Sandoval-Ito and Davion as an example of how closely the Marshal of the Armies had been involved in planning the Federated Suns front of SCOUR, and held up the quick campaign by Group III as an example of how the Group was a genuinely integrated force. The FSNS also included a human interest piece to substantiate the claim for easy integration, detailing an American Football match on Epsilon Eridani on or around the 22nd of February that saw a team consisting of members of Clan Nova Cat's Delta Galaxy augmented by personnel from the Drake's Drivers mercenary unit on one side and an LAAF offensive line on the other team, backed up by runners and receivers from the Benjamin Regulars and fielding a Com Guard quarterback.[64]

Republic Era[edit]

The city of Madison, rebuilt after the Amaris Civil War, continued to serve as planetary capital during the rule of the Republic of the Sphere. Madison was located 370 km northwest of Dori, the large port city located on the shores of Lake Arous which was itself the center of Epsilon Eridani's commercial industry.[1] It was here that Malcolm Buhl's faction of ComStar built its primary base of operations in the planet's second newly recovered SLDF depot. In February of 3141 after the reborn First Division had made itself known and were chased from their Omega base on Luyten 68-28. It was here that the new Com Guards would attempt a fighting stand against the RAF. After ten days of brutal fighting, the Republic forces of Stone's Revenants and the XIV Hastati Sentinels had effectively destroyed the Blessed Order.[66][67]

Military Deployments[edit]

Geography[edit]

Epsilon Eridani World Map

Epsilon Eridani is a pleasant but damp world, prone to frequent mild rainstorms. The two major continents are the southern continent of Gousha, which is divided primarily into a mix of swamplands and rainforest, and the northern continent of Parassus, which is rockier and drier than Gousha but still prone to frequent rain. Located on Parassus is a large lake named Lake Arous.[1][50]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • County Shu: region ruled by House Shu[36]
  • Diamond Mountains: a mountain range on the southern continent of Gousha[58]
  • Dori: a large port city and commercial hub on the shore of Lake Arous on Parassus and is the center of the planet’s commercial industry, including Kressly Technologies[1][50][80]
  • Epsilon: a city[81]
  • Madison: The planetary capital city, located on Parassus, and site of a Star League mint during the Star League era.[1][57] The city had to be rebuilt after the Amaris occupation, when it was virtually leveled by an orbital bombardment.[50]
  • New Copley: Due to private investment in the 3120s, the city became the focal point for the new mining operations on the dozen reopened abandoned mines in the area. In addition the city boasts the Benton SmeltWerks which is the largest ore refinery on the planet. Secretly however, the city was built to cover Malcolm Buhl's faction's secret activities.[50]
  • Prosperity Station: the only town within 1,500 km of the Shamus Mountains[81]
  • Shamus Mountains: location of the battle between the Lone Star Battalion and Redfield's Renegades for the unearthed of an old SLDF depot hidden within the mountains[81]

Industrial Centers[edit]

Businesses and Organizations[edit]

Image gallery[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • Jihad Hot Spots: Terra states that during the Jihad, Epsilon Eridani was liberated by Group II of the Federated Suns front of Operation SCOUR. This has been noted to be an error; Epsilon Eridani was actually liberated by Group III of the Federated Suns task force.
Epsilon Eridani was liberated by Group III of the Federated Suns thrust.

With regards,
Øystein
Strategic Assistant

  — Øystein Tvedten, BattleTech Developer, 06 Aug 2012
  • Epsilon Eridani IV's number of moons was not been consistent, as older publications only mention the planet only having one moon, such as Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130). However in Robert N. Charrette novel, Initiation to War, references are made using "moons" (plural). This "two moon subject" then shows up again in Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, and goes on to present an orbital view of the planet with two moons on the following page. It was then confirmed to have two moons by BattleTech's Assistant Line Developer, Ray Arrastia.
It has a wide elitical orbit. Two moons is correct. The older publication is incorrect (and has been known to contradict other sources).
  — Ray Arrastia, Assistant Line Developer, 15 Mar 2018

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 92 systems (92 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Bryant 9.5 Epsilon Indi 12.3 Terra Firma 13.1 New Home 14.0
Brownsville 14.6 New Stevens 15.7 Keid 18.9 Caph 21.4
Sheratan 22.5 Capolla 22.7 Carver 23.8 Northwind 24.2
Sirius 24.8 Outreach 25.3 Procyon 25.5 Fomalhaut 26.8
Acamar 27.4 Sol 28.1 Bex 28.5 Fletcher 28.5
Woodstock 30.1 Nanking 30.8 Ingress 31.4 Rigil Kentarus 31.9
Lockdale 32.4 Saffel 33.9 Chisholm 34.1 Hsien 35.4
Hechnar 35.5 Small World 36.2 Altair 36.3 Kawich 36.4
Dieron 36.7 Ruchbah 39.1 Arboris 39.1 Tau Ceti 39.2
Hall 39.7 Nopah 40.7 Killbourn 41.6 Zurich 41.9
Errai 42.2 Graham 43.3 Quentin 43.5 Nirasaki 43.6
Aldebaran 43.6 Genoa 43.7 Mandal 44.1 Bharat 45.4
Xi Ursae Majoris 45.8 Azha 46.6 Deneb Kaitos 47.0 Styx 47.4
Basalt 48.4 Saiph 48.7 Tall Trees 48.8 Asta 48.9
Yorii 49.9 Cynthiana 49.9 Helen 50.1 Pollux 50.2
Slocum 50.5 Wasat 50.8 Thorin 51.1 Hamal 51.6
Tabit 52.0 Oliver 52.1 Athenry 52.2 Deneb Algedi 52.5
New Canton 52.7 Menkalinan 52.7 Talitha 54.2 Zavijava 54.4
Devil's Rock 54.9 Chara 55.0 Van Diemen 55.1 Hean 56.7
Addicks 56.9 Tigress 57.0 New Britain 57.3 Ankaa 57.6
Bhaktapur 57.6 Rocky 57.8 Ningpo 58.0 Pokhara 58.2
Muphrid 58.5 Towne 58.7 Castor 59.0 Imbros 59.0
Lipton 59.1 Berenson 59.3 Denebola 59.5 Alpha Eridani 60.0

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 238: "Epsilon Eridani"
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, pp. 3–4: "Atlas"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Shattered Fortress, p. 103
  4. 4.0 4.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 38
  5. 5.0 5.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 64: "The Korvin Doctrine"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 16
  8. Handbook: House Kurita, p. 18
  9. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13
  10. Handbook: House Liao, p. 17
  11. Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 18
  12. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 25
  13. Handbook: House Liao, p. 25
  14. 14.0 14.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 159
  15. Era Report: 2750, p. 37
  16. Field Manual: SLDF, p. xi: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  17. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, pp. 84–85: "Atrocities and Excesses"
  19. 19.0 19.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 138
  20. First Succession War, pp. 24–25
  21. Handbook: House Liao, p. 31
  22. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123
  23. First Succession War, pp. 112–113
  24. Handbook: House Liao, p. 39
  25. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), foldout: "Capellan Confederation Map - [3025]"
  26. Handbook: House Liao, p. 40
  27. 27.0 27.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, pp. 16–17: "Tikonov Free Republic"
  28. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 16
  29. Handbook: House Liao, p. 49
  30. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 94: "End of the War"
  31. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133
  32. Era Report: 3052, p. 10
  33. Era Report: 3052, p. 22
  34. Era Report: 3062, p. 11
  35. Handbook: House Liao, p. 60
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 Initiation to War
  37. Era Report: 3062, p. 29
  38. Handbook: House Liao, p. 68
  39. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 43
  40. 40.0 40.1 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 69: "Mercenary Employment Table"
  41. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 64
  42. 42.0 42.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 58: "The Jihad in Review"
  43. Field Report: Clans, p. 29
  44. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63
  45. Field Manual: 3085, p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [3085] Map"
  46. Citadel of Devotion
  47. Era Report: 3145, p. 11
  48. Shattered Fortress, p. 65: "Meet the New Boss"
  49. BattleTech Official Forums - Topic: The Moons of Epsilon Eridani, Adrian Gideon's reply
  50. 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 50.5 Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, p. 5: Atlas
  51. 51.0 51.1 Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere, p. 22: "Prefecture IX"
  52. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 9: "Early TA unmanned probe discovers Eridani"
  53. Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2, p. 66: "Terrelibre"
  54. 54.0 54.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 43: "5th Army"
  55. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 80: "Cometh Hell's Legions"
  56. Lawyers, Guns, & Money
  57. 57.0 57.1 57.2 Epsilon Eridani's Star League Ghosts!
  58. 58.0 58.1 Jade Falcon Sourcebook, p. 13: "Carl Icaza"
  59. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 45: "Eridani E surrenders to Liao forces in First Succession War"
  60. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 83: "1st Chesterton Voltigeurs" - Unit action during the Third Succession War on Epsilon Eridani
  61. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 83: "Laurel's Legion" - Unit profile shows it fending off Davion attack in 3024
  62. Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 24: "The 48th"
  63. Technical Readout: 3075, p. 198: "Colossus"
  64. 64.0 64.1 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 71: "Epsilon Eridani Liberated"
  65. Technical Readout: 3085, p. 142: "Arbalest"
  66. Field Manual: 3145, p. 140
  67. Turning Points: Epsilon Eridani, p. 7: Avenging Angels
  68. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 105: "Unit Deployment Table"
  69. Historical: War of 3039, p. 138: "Deployment Table"
  70. 20 Year Update, p. 24
  71. Chaos March, p. 33
  72. 72.0 72.1 Initiation to War, ch. 4
  73. 73.0 73.1 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 66: "Mercenary Deployment Table"
  74. 74.0 74.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 99
  75. 75.0 75.1 Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 70: "Mercenary Employment Table"
  76. 76.0 76.1 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 110: "Word of Blake Mercenary Deployments"
  77. Spotlight On: Stone's Trackers, p. 8: "Head of the Snake"
  78. Field Manual: 3085, p. 187
  79. Field Manual: 3145, p. 144: "Republic Armed Forces - Principes Guards"
  80. Dark Age: 3132-3134 INN, p. 130
  81. 81.0 81.1 81.2 Lawyers, Guns, & Money
  82. Wolf's Dragoons, p. 44: "Theories on Dragoon Origins"

Bibliography[edit]