Escorpión Imperio

Escorpion Imperio Logo
Escorpión Imperio
Faction Profile
Time period: 30803141
Classification: Clan
Controlled systems: 9[1]
Capital world: Valencia[2]
Granada (formerly);[3]
Ruler title: Khan
Military: Imperio Militar del Escorpión
Secret Service: Clan Goliath Scorpion Watch

The Escorpión Imperio was formed in 3080 after Clan Goliath Scorpion was Abjured by the Grand Council. They left Clan Space and conquered the Deep Periphery states known as Nueva Castile and the Umayyad Caliphate. It would later become the Scorpion Empire after successfully conquering the Hanseatic League during the Hanseatic Crusade.

History[edit]

During the Wars of Reaving, Clan Goliath Scorpion managed to avoid much of the fighting that had bled other Clans dry, emerging as the second most powerful Clan after Clan Star Adder. They had also Absorbed the Eridani Light Horse after they were cut off from the Inner Sphere and the last remains of Clan Ice Hellion after their invasion of the Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone was defeated.

In the meanwhile the Scorpions had been exploring the Deep Periphery, establishing outposts and supply points at Waypoint 531, and raiding Nueva Castile.

Clan Steel Viper, the instigator of the Wars of Reaving, had already considered bringing the Scorpions before the Grand Council, believing them tainted by the Hellions and by the Eridani Light Horse. The Scorpion Seekers also made contact with pirates and bandits when exploring the Periphery, and their reconnaissance mission to Nueva Castile was carried out with un-Clanlike deception tactics. All of this, according to the Vipers, was enough to Reave the whole of Clan Goliath Scorpion, but the Viper Annihilation gave the Scorpions a brief respite.

While the Scorpions emerged from the Wars of Reaving as the second largest of the Homeworld Clans, the Scorpions failed to translate this strength into a permanent position of power. Instead, their obsession with Star League relics led to their Abjurement from Clan Space altogether. In December 3078 the Scorpions defended Hector against a Clan Cloud Cobra assault. During the fighting at the Bright Ledge genetic research station, one salvo from a Scorpion 'Mech blew the main bridge, dropping half of the 73rd Cobra Guards into the ravine; the Cobras declared the remaining Scorpions dezgra and crushed them. Upon claiming them isorla, they discovered that the Scorpion scientists, without authorization from the Khans or the Clan Council, had been experimenting with integrating Eridani Light Horse genes in the Clan legacies. The matter was brought before the Grand Council, and a Trial of Abjuration was immediately approved. Despite this, the Clans moved slowly to carry it out, and this allowed the Scorpions to evacuate much of their assets to Waypoint 531. The forces left behind fought a valiant delaying action but were ultimately defeated. In early 3080 the Scorpion survivors who had gathered at Waypoint 531 invaded and conquered Nueva Castile along with the Umayyad Caliphate.

The Scorpions took several decades to fully integrate the Castilians and Umayyad citizens, and more recently acquired feral Ice Hellions survivors, while also developing the Imperio's industrial bases. Despite some interference from Home Clans' agents, and raids of the nearby Hanseatic League, they fully succeeded. However, the attacks from the League only worsened with time, as they felt threatened by the Empire. After a Hansa provocation, in 3140, the Empire declared a conquest war against the League. The Hanseatic Crusade was a devastating conflict, but despite some minor setbacks, the Scorpions eventually became victorious. The former Hansa was incorporated to the Imperio, which was renamed Scorpion Empire, becoming the biggest Deep Periphery state beyond the Clan Homeworlds.[4]

Culture[edit]

Modeled upon the Ghost Bear-Rasalhague form of integration, the Scorpions soon began merging both Castilians and Umayyads into the Clan caste system. The Scorpions modified it somewhat from Clan norms, adding two new castes.

The majority of the Castilian population ended up in the laborer caste, a status the hardworking, diligent Castilians accepted after some minor disputes that were put down by the Scorpions. In contrast, few Castilians and Umayyads were assigned to the merchant caste, making it the smallest caste in the Imperio. A large number of Umayyads were accepted into the technician caste, while the scientist caste was swollen with a sizable number of Castilians. Only a very small intake of Castilian and Umayyad officers were accepted into the warrior caste.

The two new castes created by the Scorpions were the support and garrison (or "grunt") castes. The former included those dealing with supply, administration, emergency services, and such. The garrison caste became the new niche for most of the Castilian and Umayyad soldiers; consisting primarily of non–battle armored infantry and armored combat vehicle forces.[5]

Military[edit]

Industry[edit]

The Scorpion's conquest of the Nueva Castile left them with a very primitive industrial base. Their efforts to upgrade it to Clan levels were slow to take hold, and by 3086, they only managed to produce two classes of BattleMechs, one light and one medium: the Reptar and the Araña, respectively. Both were also very primitive, nearer to IndustrialMechs than BattleMechs. Unsurprisingly, these 'Mechs appear to be reserved to the Nueva Castilian freeborn warriors of the new "garrison" caste, and only to second-line duties.[6]

At least initially, The Scorpions' only source of Clantech available was the Imperio's single Hephaestus-type Hughes-class station, which was also their only orbital production facility. It took decades for the Empire's industry to attain Clan levels, sometime prior to 3108.[7]

Industries[edit]

Bloodnames[edit]

Inter-Clan Relations[edit]

Having been Abjured from Clan society, the Escorpión Imperio has no official relations with any other Clan. Clan Coyote raided Navarre in 3088, inserting a few Watch operatives who spread rumors of the Umayyads' alleged descent from Clan Wolverine; this resulted in a souring of relations between the Umayyads and former Scorpion warriors. By 3095, the Coyotes, Clan Cloud Cobra, and Stone Lions also began passive intelligence operations within the Imperio.[8]

Rulers[edit]

Era Specific Data[edit]

Granada
Córdoba
Navarre
Valencia
Galicia
Aragon
Asturias
León
Castile

References[edit]

  1. The Wars of Reaving, p. 250
  2. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 8: The Escorpión Imperio, 3080–3140
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The Wars of Reaving, p. 159
  4. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade p. 8-13
  5. Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3, pp. 46–47
  6. Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3, p. 108
  7. Operational Turning Points: Hanseatic Crusade, p. 9
  8. The Wars of Reaving Supplemental, p. 14

Bibliography[edit]