Difference between revisions of "BattleTech Universe"

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* [[McCarron's Armored Cavalry]] now a part of the armed forces of the [[Capellan Confederation]]
 
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* [[The Blue Star Irregulars]] the only mercenary unit which is in possession of a [[WarShip]]
 
* [[The Blue Star Irregulars]] the only mercenary unit which is in possession of a [[WarShip]]

Revision as of 02:20, 17 February 2009

File:Battletech cbt 20year tri 800.jpeg
20 Year Anniversary of BattleTech logo.

BattleTech is a science fiction universe akin to Star Trek or Star Wars. It began with a board game/wargame, designed by FASA in 1984. The game simulates warfare in the distant future of the 31st century, where humans battle in gigantic walking machines (known as BattleMechs) powered by fusion reactors, tanks, spaceships and aircraft, wielding weapons such as lasers, particle projection cannons, Gauss rifles, autocannons, and missiles. As the game and related stories are centered around the BattleMechs and warfare, it can be considered a type of a military space opera. BattleTech was originally released under the name BattleDroids, but was renamed with the release of the second edition due to George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd. holding a trademark on the term droid. BattleTech has won three Origins Awards and its various spinoffs and expansions several more. The designs of the original 'Mechs were transplanted from Macross and other anime, but due to legal issues those images are no longer used.

An estimated twenty-five million people have played a BattleTech or MechWarrior game or read a BattleTech or MechWarrior novel, and at least ten million people have played the BattleTech computer games. More than eleven million copies of MechWarrior PC games and a similar number of MechWarrior: Dark Age Collectible Miniatures Game figures have been sold to date. Over three hundred and fifty different BattleTech/MechWarrior game and toy products have been produced to date; several products, such as the Technical Readout series, the core rulebook and base box set, have been in continuous print (in one form or another) since publication. More than five thousand World Wide Web pages have been created to date by the online BattleTech community.

Political entities of BattleTech

File:Battletech cover legendofthejadephoenix.jpeg
BattleMechs from cover of the book The Legend of the Jade Phoenix by Robert Thurston, art by Fred Gambino.
File:Battletech cover patriotsandtyrants.jpeg
BattleMechs from cover of the book Patriots and Tyrants by Loren L. Coleman, art by Fred Gambino.
File:Battletech cover stormsoffate.jpeg
BattleMechs from cover of the book Storms of Fate by Loren L. Coleman, art by Fred Gambino.

BattleTech's universe is comprised of numerous interstellar human governments; these remnants of the effectively defunct Star League are constantly fighting wars over control of the Inner Sphere and its five Successor States.

The Inner Sphere

Primarily dominated by the five Successor States and the Great Houses that rule them, the Inner Sphere has always been the heart of the BattleTech Universe.

Inner Sphere military structure

Major political factions

Minor political factions

  • St. Ives Compact was a short-lived breakaway state from the Capellan Confederation, created after the 4th Succession War, absorbed back into the Confederation in 3062, following a brief war.
  • Chaos March is a region of independent worlds surrounding Terra from 3058 until the Republic of the Sphere forms.
  • Republic of the Sphere was formed from the ashes of the Word of Blake Jihad. After defeating the Word of Blake forces, Devlin Stone took control of all worlds within 120 light years of Terra in his effort to once and for all end the legacy of the succession wars. The collapse of the HPG grid in 3132 -- creating a virtual blackout of instantaneous intersteller communications -- lead to the Dark Age and the splintering of the Republic into several factions including:
    • Bannson's Raiders: Mercenary unit funded by the politically ambitious and ultra-wealthy businessman Jacob Bannson. Possibly might fold into House Liao.
    • Dragon's Fury: Draconis Combine allied faction, folded into Draconis Combine after leader Katana Tormark is named Warlord of the Dieron District.
    • Northwind Highlanders: Republic planetary defense and former mercenary unit. Possibly might fold back into Republic military.
    • Swordsworn: Federated Suns allied faction, led by Lord Governor Aaron Sandoval.
    • Spirit Cats: Clan Nova Cat allied faction. Folded into regular Nova Cat forces following the assassination of Galaxy Commander Kev Rosse.
    • Stormhammers: Lyran Commonwealth allied faction led by Landgrave Jasek Kelswa-Steiner, and based near Skye.
    • Steel Wolves: Clan Wolf allied faction, led by Galaxy Commander Anastasia Kerensky after defeating Galaxy Commander Kal Radick.

The Clans

The Clans were formed after Aleksandr Kerensky took the majority of the Star League Army into exile. They were originally created to prevent the factionalism that had caused the disintegration of the Star League. Later, they became the genetically enhanced and artificially-birthed warriors known today. Several Clans returned to the Inner Sphere as would-be conquerors in the late 3040s, and those that did still remain there. Some hone their skills and plan once again to drive towards Terra, the seat of the fallen Star League and the birthplace of humanity. Kerensky christened 20 original Clans, although many have fallen over the centuries and only 14 exist or are still considered 'Clan' in their present form.

Invading Clans

Homeworld Clans

Mercenaries

Inner Sphere has many private military companies. Some of them are quite famous and powerful, and their actions have influenced the history of the known universe. Among the most famous mercanary companies are:

The Periphery Realms

The periphery surrounding the Inner Sphere are a number of independent nations, known collectively as the Periphery. Some colonized even before the time of the Star League. These nations range from single independent planets, minor merchant alliances and pirate havens, all the way up to major nations rivaling the Successor States themselves in power.

Major Powers

Minor Powers

  • Circinus Federation: a pirate kingdom, sided with the Word of Blake to stave off an invasion by the Marian Hegemony but were subsequently annihilated during the Jihad.
  • Elysian Fields: conquered by the Clans during their invasion.
  • Fiefdom of Randis
  • Filtvelt Coalition: became independent from the Federated Suns during or after the Word of Blake Jihad. Little canon information has yet been published about this state.
  • Fronc Reaches: formed in 3068.
  • Greater Valkyrate: a Pirate kingdom conquered by the Clans during their invasion in 3050.
  • Lothian League: a minor Periphery state conquered by the Marian Hegemony in 3063.
  • Mica Majority: is a minor collection of atmospherically domed colonies.
  • The New Belt Pirates: A Pirate band that managed to survive the Clan invasion because of being based in a large asteroid cluster. They also have access to a large germainium supply and Jumpship repair yards.
  • Niops Association: is a tiny collection of secular, isolationist colonies.
  • Oberon Confederation: conquered by the Clans during their invasion.
  • Rim Collection: survivor state of the Rim Worlds Republic.
  • Rim Territories
  • Tortuga Dominions: a pirate haven.

Notable Battletech artists, designers, and writers

BattleTech trivia and in-jokes

Many of the novels and sourcebooks incorporate pop-culture references, in names and places. Anime and manga seem to be a popular source of names for minor characters, as does history. Examples of both include:

File:JBtech.jpeg
Redesign Shadow Hawk BattleMechs from cover of Japanese edition of BattleTech
  • FASA, the company that produced BattleTech, was sued for copyright infringement for using several mecha designs from Macross and other anime series without the proper copyright licenses1 (the first edition of BattleTech, then named BattleDroids, actually included two Japanese 1/144 model kits from the Fang of Sun Dougram anime series).) The related lawsuits were settled out of court, and later products of BattleTech do not use the designs under contention.
    • In the Japanese edition of BattleTech, all of these designs got redesigned by Studio Nue, creator of Macross.
  • Additionally, the Phoenix Hawk LAM in 'Mech-mode looks exactly like the robot-mode of the character Jetfire/Skyfire from the Transformers universe.
  • Perhaps the most famous character in BattleTech, General Aleksandr Kerensky, is said to be a direct descendant of a real-world Russian statesman of similar name.
  • Reference to an "Area 51" in the "Roswell district" of New Avalon.
  • Reference to a Precentor "Igarashi Miya" of ComStar. In Here is Greenwood, Igarashi Miya is the love interest of protagonist Hasukawa Kazuya.
  • Reference to an Adept "Madoka Kasuga" of the Com Guards. In Kimagure Orange Road, Ayukawa Madoka was one of the two love interests of protagonist Kasuga Kyosuke. The Kimagure-class cruiser of the Star League Defense Force may also be an indirect reference to the series.
  • Reference to a Colonel "Benton Frasier" of the Royal Diefenbaker Rifles. This is a reference to the CBS TV Series Due South.
  • Reference to the planet Lum, capital of Clan Snow Raven, in the Kerensky Cluster. Lum is the name of the female lead character in Urusei Yatsura. The reference is further bolstered by mention of a major city on the planet named Rumiko, which is probably a reference to Takahashi Rumiko, author of the Urusei Yatsura manga (among others). Lum is also an alcoholic beverage in Star Wars.
  • Reference to the planet Harloc in the Capellan Confederation. This is a reference to anime icon Space Pirate Captain Harlock. This reference is further bolstered by mention of the "Owen Stanley Mountains" on the planet; a mountain range known by this name was a plot device in the Captain Harlock movie My Youth in Arcadia.
  • Reference to the planet Klathandu IV in the Draconis Combine, this is a reference to Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers, where the main "bug" planet is Klendathu or "Big K"
    • In an art item in the sourcebook Field Manual: Federated Suns, a suit of powered combat armor has the name "CDR J. Rico" emblazoned on it, this is also a reference to the main character from Starship Troopers.
  • The Wolf's Dragoons sourcebook has a Char Aznable listed in the unit roster for the famous Zeta Battalion. The original Aznable is a character from various Mobile Suit Gundam series. Lieutenant Aznable was written out of the unit in 1989. The sourcebook lists him as killed on the planet Misery, a reference to the events in the 1988 novel Wolves on the Border.
  • The Star League Sourcebook mentions an Aegis-class heavy cruiser named the E. Presley. This is almost definitely a reference to Elvis Presley.
  • Some of the early novels make mention of a mercenary regiment named "Team Banzai", under contract to the Federated Suns, whose leader, Dr. B. Banzai, is a scientific genius who teaches at the New Avalon Institute of Science. This is clearly a reference to Buckaroo Banzai. The reference was altered to be more subtle in later works, with the unit changing its name to the "New Avalon Cavaliers".
  • There are references in the game to "The Fighting Urakhai," a mercenary unit said to have taken its name from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The unit's insignia even features a white hand on a black shield. Following the release of New Line Cinema's LotR movie trilogy and a subsequent increase of public awareness, a decision was taken to write the unit out of the game.
  • Another The Lord of the Rings reference can be found with the name of the Capital planet of the Draconis Combine, Lúthien.
  • The mercenary unit Cranston Snord's Irregulars (later Rhonda's Irregulars) would regularly scour the Inner Sphere for 20th century artifacts, resulting in numerous pop culture references. In one instance (seen in "Shrapnel,") the unit tricks House Marik during a raid in order to obtain, amongst other things, original Frank Frazetta paintings.
  • The mercenary unit Grim Determination was, for years, lead by one Colonel "Hardy Haarhar". This is both a reference to a cynical laugh as well as a Hanna-Barbera character of the same name.
  • Another mercenary unit, Wylie's Coyotes, is a reference to the classic Looney Toons character Wile E. Coyote. Later, this unit changed its name to Blanc's Coyotes, a reference to Mel Blanc, who voiced many of the old Looney Toons characters.
  • Clan Coyote's Delta Galaxy is led by Armin Tamzarian, an alias of Seymour Skinner from The Simpsons.
  • Several BattleTech players, fans, or development staff have also been canonised, either as recognition for their contribution to BattleTech or via Prize Draws in support of various charities. The most notable of these are:
    • "Gustavus Michaels": Michael Stackpole
    • "Terrence Peter LaCasse": Peter LaCasse
    • "Colonel Warner Doles": Warner Doles
    • "Marshal Randy Hasek-Bills": Randall N. Bills
    • "Demi-Precentor Rebek Craines": Rebekah Crane
    • "Intel Director Larry Coleman": Loren L. Coleman
    • "Adept Nonda Toolippi": Donna Ippolito
    • "Professor Bertram Habeas" and "Aristide Habeas" are the identites of Herbert A. Beas II.
    • "Larry Acuff": A Solaris VII Champion of the same name.
    • "Brian Pryde": Brian Bunch (a well-known, if unlucky, Jade Falcon player).
    • The late J. Andrew Keith is referenced in memoriam as "Keith Andrew" in the 1999 PC game MechWarrior 3.
    • "Dr. Rick Raisley": Rick Raisly, programer of the "Heavy Metal" line of software, used by players (and the development staff) of Battletech to creat units, and print out said units, for play
    • "Professor-General Sam Lewis" is a reference to Sam Lewis, once-president of FASA
  • Reference to the holovid show "The ComStar Files", a reference to the TV series "The X-Files."
  • The mercenary unit Canned Heat is a reference to the blues-rock band Canned Heat from the late 60's and early 70's.
  • The Royal Black Watch, since the publication of the Star League Sourcebook, has been described as the body guard of the First Lord of the Star League. The unit is described to use the insignia of the Scottish battalion.

External links

Official sites

The cartoon

BattleTech: The Animated Series

Other sites


The text in this article is based on this revision of the Wikipedia article "BattleTech Universe" used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. See the BattleTechWiki's copyright notice.