Caph

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This article is about the planet Caph. For the McKenna-class WarShip, see Caph (Vessel).

Template:InfoBoxStarSystem (References to Caph)

Planetary Description & Notable Landmarks

Originally when first worlds settled, the planet had large range of jungles spanning three continents. However, after the Star League Civil War, only the continent Steam remained habitable. The planet was known for pharmaceticual products before and after the Succession Wars. Caph was also one of the Prime or First Circuit A-Class Hyperpulse Generator stations of the SLCOMNET and ComStar HPG Networks.

Geography

Caph has three major landmasses; Caph Prime, Brunnel, and Steam. Steam & Caph Prime were known to have tropical rain forests like environments prior to the events of Star League Civil War.

Steam and Caph Prime became famous for the reptiles that resembled Terran Dinosaurs, which became known as Dinosaurs of Caph. They were thought to be extinct until 3025, where small number of these creatures were discover in jungle region of Steam.

Only small northern portion of Brunnel had survived the destruction of the continent.

Notable Landmarks

• New Brunnel - Originally the capital city of Caph, it was located on the continent of Brunnel. The city, along with much of the planet's Star League-era population centers & industries, was lost to the nuclear attacks by Amaris forces.

• Cretacceous Zone - Created in 3064, this area of jungle is located on Steam, was home to Dinosaur-like reptiles, thought lost during the Star League Civil War. This became the source of revenue for the planet in the 3060s, prior to the Jihad. The zone creation also lead to the entire continent of Steam being turned into a preserve for these surviving native species.

• Aswan - The modern capital of Caph, located in the surviving portions of Brunnel that remain habitable. The city experienced a new boom of cash funds when its Cretacceous zone had opened.

• New Derry - The second largest city on the planet, by 3130, is located eighty kilometers east of Aswan and is home to the planet's largest and most active spaceport.

Other Noted Cities, Towns and sites

Located on barren lands of Brunnel, exist small towns and cities that managed to survive the annihilation inflicted on them during the last few centuries since the Star League had fallen. These trade posts include; Cimmeron, New Zevon and Rehope. They are separated by ruins of Star League-era cities and the ruins created from conflicts.

• Caph Institute of Technology - An ancient Star League era institute noted for helping to develop the theory of the BattleMech & test the Jamerson-Ulikov Water Purification Pruifier. It is located near its original Caph planetary capital on Brunnel, it was destroyed in the nuclear attack by Amaris troops.

Manufacturing Complexes

• The Nirasaki Computers Collective, Holden Planetary Engineers, Pfizzeler Chemicals, DB Bowins Pharmaceuticals and WOD Interstellar were ancient companies which operated on Caph prior to Star League's Civil War.

• Browning-Corning, Limited - A manufacturer of Support Vehicles whose main plant was destroyed during a Draconis Combine raid in the First Succession War after the Combine raiders mistook it for a BattleMech production facility. The Combine raiders also killed all of the plant staff and numerous civilians when they deployed a pair of chemical weapons. The plant was repaired, decontaminated and restored to working order by the Word of Blake and was producing new vehicles by 3068.

• General Systems - This corporation had a 'Mech manufacturing plant on Caph, when it started which produced the Exterminator BattleMech in 2630 for the SLDF. The plant was lost in 2793 at the start of the First Succession War.

• Lang Industries Incorporated

• Martinson Armaments - a new facility opened by the Word of Blake during the late 3060s.

• New Earth Trading Company - Caph was once was the site of one of the NETC's Star League era regional offices. The branch contributed to the development of SLDF's Space Defense Systems. The NETC region offices on Caph was destroyed in fires set by Amaris troops.

• Skobel MechWorks - Terran based BattleMech producer, the corporation had a branch complex on Caph during the Star League. Caph MechWorks was not destroyed but rather rendered unusuable due to biological and other environmental hazards. The Word of Blake invested a considerable amount of cash into the company which allowed the Caph complex to be refurbished and decontaminated for use once more.

• Stormvanger Assemblies, Unlimited - This corporation was the original producer of the Javelin and the Cyclops BattleMech was destroyed by Amaris forces.

Planetary History

Early History

Caph was among the first worlds to be settled from Terra by the Terran Alliance. The planet had large swath of tropical rainforests, fertile lands and considerable amount of mineral wealth. However, early settlers were terrorized by the large reptiles, sometimes known as Dinosaurs, which frequently destroyed entire settlements.

The Terra Hegemony & Star League eras

Caph was one of the worlds that remained a part of the Terran Alliance following the Outer Reaches Rebellion and the Demarcation Declaration of 2242. After the fall of the Terran Alliance, the leader of the newly formed Terran Hegemony, Director-General James McKenna, deployed Hegemony armed forces to recapture Caph, which had initially refused to join his new nation. Caph became one of the worlds within the Alliance Core region of the Terran Hegemony.

As a means of combating the dinosaurs menace, electronic barriers were constructed around urban centers to guard against their attack, with later reinforcements coming in the form of BattleMechs.

As the Star League era progressed, Caph became famed for its renowned research complexes. One such school, the Caph Institute of Technology, was responsible for much of the original work that went into creating the first BattleMech. The planet was also home to several major drug and chemical companies, such as Pfizzler Chemical and DB Bowin Pharmaceuticals.

Amaris Civil War

When Stefan Amaris launched Operation APOTHEOSIS, his takeover of the Terran Hegemony in December 2766, special forces teams were activated on every one of the member-worlds of the Terran Hegemony. Their mission was to seize control of every HPG station in the Hegemony an hour before APOTHEOSIS began. Caph was one of just three worlds where the attempt by the Rim Worlds Republic to capture the local HPG transmitter saw the transmitter destroyed, due to heavier than anticipated local resistance.

Caph was a prime target for the Rim Worlds Republic forces when Amaris launched his coup; one of the gems of the Terran Hegemony and just a single jump from Terra, Caph was one of the most heavily populated worlds in the Inner Sphere and one of the longest-settled. Caph had perhaps the strongest academic research system in the Hegemony - and by extension, in the Inner Sphere - as well as an extensive technology industry; the SLDF considered Caph to be an important world and had constructed four Castles Brian across Caph, as well as building numerous other smaller SLDF bases. While Caph itself strongly resembled Jurassic-era Terra, the ever-increasing industrial and urban development had pushed the jungles back, although many outlying cities and communities had special barriers in place around them to keep the more aggressive and unpleasant local fauna away.

The Rim Worlds military had already begun to take control of Caph prior to the launch of APOTHEOSIS, with a mercenary unit named Salazar's Irregulars sneaking onto the planet to lay the groundwork for APOTHEOSIS in secret and the 118th Amaris Dragoons taking control of the Castles Brian in November 2766 under the command of Colonel Orestes Tomasevi. The Republicans viewed Caph as being an easy conquest, masking the buildup to APOTHEOSIS with a series of training exercises beginning on the 26th of December.

What the Rim Worlds forces were unaware of was the deployment of five battalions of SLDF personnel to Caph in early December for training exercises prior to a planned deployment into the Periphery. Three of the battalions were recently graduated SLDF infantry, but two of the battalions were newly-formed but extensively trained Special Forces Battalions, the 3378th and 3381st. The various battalions had deployed in company and battalion-sized groupings around Caph for training, with formations swapping locations every couple of weeks; the Special Forces personnel had remained largely outside any of Caph's major cities, but Major Derjan Sefik, commanding officer of the 3378th, had brought the entire 3378th into New Brunnel for a brief furlough as the Rim Worlds troops began mobilizing.

Major Sefik viewed what was supposed to be a training exercise on the part of the 118th Amaris Dragoons as an opportunity for his battalion to gain some additional field experience, and quickly tasked his people to shadow the Republican forces, creating simulated ambushes and strikes against them; as the Special Forces teams reported back that the Rim Worlders were taking up increasingly critical posts within New Brunnel, Major Sefik grew concerned that something was amiss. Sefik adjusted the deployment of the 3378th to quickly counter any threatening moves that the Republican forces might make, and it was this deployment that saw members from the 3378th witness and thwart the attempted takeover of Caph's HPG facilities by the Republicans. The 3378th went beyond disrupting the attempt to secure the HPG, not only countering the attack but also blocking attempts by the Republicans to move reinforcements into New Brunnel. This led to a day-long battle in the streets and buildings of New Brunnel as the elite Special Forces commandos inflicted heavy damage on the Republican forces, particularly the Rim Worlds-affiliated mercenary forces hired to provide security and clean up after the planned seizure of the HPG.

The 3378th received very little support from the native population, and the support they did receive dwindled after Duchess Micha Confalonieri, the planetary ruler, announced that the Republicans were "liberators" and instructed the population to lay down their arms and end any resistance to the occupation. Where the 3378th did receive critical support was from the New Brunnel police force, although this wasn't enough to prevent the Rim Worlds forces assuming at least nominal control over New Brunnel by the 28th of December.

Initially, the campaign to capture New Brunnel was the most difficult aspect of the occupation of Caph for the Republican forces, with relatively little resistance being encountered elsewhere on the planet. That soon changed, however; after several days, the SLDF units which had been deployed out in the field began to hit Republican targets, destroying bases and ambushing small Republican units. This prompted a cycle of attack and counter-attack that quickly escalated in scale; believing that the SLDF troops were receiving support from the native population, Colonel Tomasevi ordered the destruction or deactivation of many of the barrier systems that made up the Large Fauna Containment Systems in place across Caph, the barriers that kept the bigger, more dangerous local fauna away from inhabited areas. Tomasevi believed that this would not only deny the SLDF a number of previously-safe regions to hide in, but that it would also punish the local population for sheltering the SLDF resistance; Tomasevi subsequently declared that Caph had been pacified in late January, but the reality was that the battle for Caph would continue for years.

The planet was subsequently attacked by Rim Worlds Republic Military during the Amaris Civil War, an attack which gutted the Caph Institute of Technology. Republican forces also used chemical and biological weapons in their attack, which wiped out the native "dinosaur" species.

The Succession Wars

After the collapse of the Terran Hegemony and the Star League, Caph had become a hotly contested world. In 2789, in the Fifth Battle of Caph, three different Great Houses fought at the same time for control of the planet. Eventually, it became part of the Federated Suns at a terrible cost. The world, once was known for its research in BattleMech technology, was smoldering ruins. The world soon again changed hands to the Capellan Confederation midway through the Succession Wars.

In 2930, during the Third Succession War, Caph was the target world of Marshall Peter Davion's offensive into the Confederation, code-named Operation Roland’s Horn. In last phase of the Operation, Caph fell again to House Davion forces. The world became part of the Draconis March. The planet was devastated from onslaught of the early Succession Wars. Nearly all buildings on the planet had been destroyed, with two of its three continents irradiated by atomic bombs.

During the reign of First Prince Hanse Davion, the Federated Suns moved its Ministry of Foreign Relations to Caph due to flow of information regarding Lyran Commonwealth which normally comes through this world. This was done when first alliance between House Steiner and House Davion was first signed. Also, by 3025, the planet was slowly rebuilding its population and factories. The world was on the road to recovery during the 3030s and 3040s, becoming part of the Sarna March.

The Chaos March

Invasion & Civil War

In 3057 Free Worlds League & Capellan Confederation invaded the Sarna March, cutting it off from Federated Commonwealth. During the conflict, Caph had a single mercenary unit, the Gustafson's Grenadiers, as the only defense force on the planet. They were at the time training with what became a Lyran Alliance-affiliated militia unit, the Denebola FTM.

By the second wave of the Liao-Marik Invasion, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao activated insurgents among the planet's population, which helped shatter the planet's government into warring factions among Caph's few cities.

The World of Blake Protectorate

In 3066, the planet requested military aid from the Word of Blake, due to the continuing instability of the Chaos March. The Blakists helped to end the civil war between the multiple factions which had popped up after the creation of the Chaos March. After stabilizing the planet's political situation, they began cleaning up the wastelands of the planet. As part of their efforts to bring the world further into an alliance with them, the Blakists re-started many of Caph's industries that had been lost in the Succession Wars.

Their efforts were rewarded when the planet joined the other neighboring worlds of Keid, Epsilon Eridani and Bryant to help form the Word of Blake Protectorate. By the 1st of August 3068 the Word of Blake had secured full control over the government of Caph via these non-violent means.

Jihad

After the beginning of the Jihad, the Blake Protectorate in 3068 was solidly under the control of the Word of Blake. This led to the formation of the Protectorate Militia, with each world protected by at least one division's worth of combined-arms troops. The formation of the Caph Protectorate Militia division was touted as a new source of jobs, where planet had been previously suffering from high unemployment. The Word of Blake's 1st Division was used to train the planet's 1st Caph Protectorate Militia Division.

Caph did experience a brief insurrection attempt on its sitting government. In 3070, these insurrectionists attempted to storm Caph's parliamentary buildings, but were stopped by local Word of Blake troops, particularly a Magi tank nicknamed, Force of Wisdom. Individuals on Caph had been noted their resentment of their treatment of their world by the rest of the Inner Sphere, siding with Word of Blake was justifiable.

On the 6th of June 3075, the Caph Protectorate Militia was attacked by "mercenaries", allegedly the One-Eyed Jacks. This force allegedly damaged the Caph Protectorate Militia in their raid. However, Intelligence reports and captured Word of Blake communications between Precentors Apollyon and Cameron St. Jamais discussing Apollyon's Shadow Divisions indicated it was one of these that attacked a number Protectorate Militias, including Caph's.

Era Specific Data

2750

• Population: 3,000,000,000

2766

• Noble Ruler: Duchess Micha Confalonieri

3025

• Planet Affiliation: Federated Suns
• Population: 1,000,000,000

3057

• Planet Affiliation: Federated Commonwealth
• Noble Leader: Duchess Gustafson

3058

• Leader: None

3062

• Noble Ruler: Duke Kalvin Gustafson
• Population: 1,150,500,000
• Socio-Industrial Levels: A-B-C-C-D

World of Caph from orbit

3130

• Governor: Pavel Lyndon
  • Planetary Legate: Kalvin Gustafson - Military Commander of Caph
• Population: 62,085,000

Planetary Garrison

2766

• 118th Amaris Dragoons (from November)

3025

• Third Crucis Lancers RCT

3038

• Third Crucis Lancers RCT

3050

• 111th Division (ComStar)
• Second Davion Guards RCT

3055

• Eleventh Division

3058

• Lindon's Battalion
• Gustafson's Grenadiers (2 battalions)
• Denebola SMM
• Stealthy Tigers
• Always Faithful

3059

• Always Faithful
• Stealthy Tigers

3061

• Denebola FTM

3067

• Devil's Advocates (Company)

3067 to 3068

• Simonson's Cutthroats

3067

• Carson's Renegades

3073

• Carson's Renegades

3145

• XIV Triarii Protectors

Owner History

• 2271 - Terran Alliance
• 2316 - Terran Hegemony
• 2341 - Terran Hegemony
• 2366 - Terran Hegemony
• 2571 - Terran Hegemony
• 2596 - Terran Hegemony
• 2750 - Terran Hegemony
• 2765 - Terran Hegemony
• 2767 - Terran Hegemony
• 2787 - Federated Suns
• 2822 - Capellan Confederation
• 2866 - Capellan Confederation
• 3025 - Federated Suns
• 3030 - Federated Suns
• 3040 - Federated Commonwealth
• 3052 - Federated Commonwealth
• 3057 - Independent World
• 3062 - Independent World
• 3066 - Word of Blake Protectorate
• 3130 - Republic of the Sphere
• 3145 - Republic of the Sphere

Nearby Systems

Systems within 60 light-years (distance in light years) Closest systems first:
Fomalhaut	10.0	New Stevens	10.9	Bryant	12.7	Terra	12.9
New Home	13.4	Keid	13.7	Altair	14.9	Dieron	15.5
Rigil Kentarus	16.1	Sirius	17.1	Saffel	17.7	Procyon	20.8
Northwind	21.3	Epsilon Eridani	21.4	Epsilon Indi	22.1	Killbourn	22.6
New Earth	25.6	Liberty	27.3	Lockdale	27.5	Asta	27.5
Styx	29.1	Nirasaki	29.3	Brownsville	29.9	Yorii	30.2
Athenry	31.9	Terra Firma	34.4	Sheratan	34.9	Quentin	35.5
Thorin	37.4	Alula Australis	37.5	Outreach	37.7	Graham IV	37.7
Imbros III	37.7	Deneb Algedi	38.8	Rocky	38.9	Hechnar	39.2
Small World	39.3	Errai	39.8	Inglesmond	40.4	Pike IV	40.5
Ingress	40.9	Fletcher	40.9	Capolla	41.1	Dyev	42.0
Chara	42.7	Muphrid	43.3	Zavijava	44.7	Oliver	45.2
Helen	45.8	Zollikofen	46.4	Acamar	46.4	Pollux	46.9
Lipton	47.3	Chaville	47.7	Woodstock	47.8	Nashira	48.7
Bex	49.5	Ruchbah	49.7	Kawich	50.1	Denebola	50.8
Kervil	51.1	Devil's Rock	51.3	Telos IV	51.3	Hall	51.3
Elgin	51.7	Nanking	52.1	Pokhara	52.4	Deneb Kaitos	53.2
Lyons	53.2	Tyrfing	53.8	Lone Star	53.9	Ko	54.2
Hsien	54.3	Nopah	55.2	Castor	55.7	Menkent	56.3
Al Na'ir	56.9	Towne	57.0	Talitha	58.1	Lambrecht	58.2
Addicks	58.5	Haddings	58.8	Arboris	59.2	Mandal	59.5
Atria	59.7

Notes

In DA Republic Worlds, Caph entry show world with two moons Lupus & Fellis. The Writers confirmed that entry for Caph in Republic PDF is incorrect.

Bibliography

• 20 Year Update
• Chaos March (sourcebook)
• ComStar (sourcebook)
• Dawn of the Jihad
• Era Report: 2750
• FedCom Civil War (sourcebook)
• Field Manual: 3145
• Field Manual: Free Worlds League
• Field Manual: Lyran Alliance
• Field Manual: Mercenaries
• Handbook: House Marik
• Handbook: House Steiner
• Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1
• Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2
• Historical: Reunification War
• Historical: War of 3039
• House Davion (The Federated Suns)
• Jihad: Final Reckoning
• Jihad Hot Spots: 3072
• Jihad Hot Spots: 3076
• Jihad Hot Spots: Terra
• Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents
• Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
• Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers
• Mercenaries Supplemental
• Mercenaries Supplemental Update
• NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
• Shattered Sphere
• The Star League
• Technical Readout: 3039
• Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade