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The '''Free Worlds League''' is one of the five [[Successor States]] of the [[Inner Sphere]]. Founded in [[2271]] it is the oldest of these realms, and unlike the others is technically a federation of smaller states ruled by a democratic Parliament rather than a single nation under one Great House. In practice, the League has usually been a ''de facto'' military dictatorship under the [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captains-General]] of [[House Marik]], although their authority has been more contested than that of other House Lords. This internal strife and the League's strength as a mercantile and industrial power have arisen from the same source: the sheer diversity of the League's member provinces.
 
The '''Free Worlds League''' is one of the five [[Successor States]] of the [[Inner Sphere]]. Founded in [[2271]] it is the oldest of these realms, and unlike the others is technically a federation of smaller states ruled by a democratic Parliament rather than a single nation under one Great House. In practice, the League has usually been a ''de facto'' military dictatorship under the [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captains-General]] of [[House Marik]], although their authority has been more contested than that of other House Lords. This internal strife and the League's strength as a mercantile and industrial power have arisen from the same source: the sheer diversity of the League's member provinces.
  
From before the [[Age of War]] through the [[Star League]] and [[Succession Wars]] eras, the Free Worlds League held its own against its external enemies but was plagued by factionalism and occasionally civil war. The mid-[[thirty-first century]] seemed to herald a new golden age for the League, as Captain-General [[Thomas Marik (False)|Thomas Marik]] strengthened federal authority and the [[Clan Invasion]] resulted in the League's economy booming from arms exports. But providing a haven for the [[Word of Blake]] following the [[ComStar Schism]] ultimately led to the realm's undoing, as Blakist activity during the [[Jihad]] ravaged the League and finally led to its balkanizing in [[3079]].
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From before the [[Age of War]] through the [[Star League]] and [[Succession Wars]] eras, the Free Worlds League held its own against its external enemies but was plagued by factionalism and occasionally civil war. The mid-31st Century seemed to herald a new golden age for the League, as Captain-General [[Thomas Marik (False)|Thomas Marik]] strengthened federal authority and the [[Clan Invasion]] resulted in the League's economy booming from arms exports. But providing a haven for the [[Word of Blake]] following the [[ComStar Schism]] ultimately led to the realm's undoing, as Blakist activity during the [[Jihad]] ravaged the League and finally led to its balkanizing in [[3079]].
  
 
For the next six decades three of the main microstates of the former League fought and maneuvered against one another, until [[Jessica Marik]] of [[Oriente Protectorate|Oriente]] succeeded in reuniting most of the former League in [[3139]]. Over the next eleven years the reborn Free Worlds League endured an invasion by [[Clan Wolf]] and managed to reabsorb another [[Regulan Fiefs|wayward province]], though its unity and overall survival remained dubious at times.
 
For the next six decades three of the main microstates of the former League fought and maneuvered against one another, until [[Jessica Marik]] of [[Oriente Protectorate|Oriente]] succeeded in reuniting most of the former League in [[3139]]. Over the next eleven years the reborn Free Worlds League endured an invasion by [[Clan Wolf]] and managed to reabsorb another [[Regulan Fiefs|wayward province]], though its unity and overall survival remained dubious at times.
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The League found tougher opponents in the [[Capellan Confederation]] and [[Lyran Commonwealth]]. The League warred with the Capellans over [[Andurien]] and the worlds near it time and time again. The [[Age of War]] began as a conflict over Andurien, and the peace that ended the [[Third Andurien War]] paved the way for the creation of the [[Star League]].
 
The League found tougher opponents in the [[Capellan Confederation]] and [[Lyran Commonwealth]]. The League warred with the Capellans over [[Andurien]] and the worlds near it time and time again. The [[Age of War]] began as a conflict over Andurien, and the peace that ended the [[Third Andurien War]] paved the way for the creation of the [[Star League]].
  
House Marik took great pride in the Star League, but it was destroyed in the [[Amaris coup]]. The five [[Successor States]] fought three Succession Wars from [[2785]] to [[3025]] to determine who would become the next [[First Lord]], each more inconclusive then the last. The League was forced to largely stay out of the conflicts of the early thirty-first century because of internal problems, including the [[Marik Civil War (31st c.)|Marik Civil War]] and the [[Andurien Crisis]].
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House Marik took great pride in the Star League, but it was destroyed in the [[Amaris coup]]. The five [[Successor States]] fought three Succession Wars from [[2785]] to [[3025]] to determine who would become the next [[First Lord]], each more inconclusive then the last. The League was forced to largely stay out of the conflicts of the early 31st century because of internal problems, including the [[Marik Civil War (31st c.)|Marik Civil War]] and the [[Andurien Crisis]].
  
 
The [[Clan Invasion]] proved a boon to the Free Worlds, as its industry provided the war matériel the other [[Inner Sphere]] powers needed to stave off the [[Clans]]. Even when Captain-General [[Thomas Marik]] launched a punitive invasion in [[3057]] for the death of his son, the League earned a quick victory and settled back down to peace.
 
The [[Clan Invasion]] proved a boon to the Free Worlds, as its industry provided the war matériel the other [[Inner Sphere]] powers needed to stave off the [[Clans]]. Even when Captain-General [[Thomas Marik]] launched a punitive invasion in [[3057]] for the death of his son, the League earned a quick victory and settled back down to peace.
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Throughout its history the military of the Free Worlds League mirrored that of its government.  Superficially under the control of Parliament, the FWLM answered to the Captain-General, with the [[League Central Coordination and Command]] group issuing orders on their behalf.  Along the border with the Lyran and Capellan states were military districts, each commanded by a [[Marshal (rank)#Free Worlds League Military|Marshal]], who carried out the LCCC's directives and exercised broad authority to respond to enemy incursions.
 
Throughout its history the military of the Free Worlds League mirrored that of its government.  Superficially under the control of Parliament, the FWLM answered to the Captain-General, with the [[League Central Coordination and Command]] group issuing orders on their behalf.  Along the border with the Lyran and Capellan states were military districts, each commanded by a [[Marshal (rank)#Free Worlds League Military|Marshal]], who carried out the LCCC's directives and exercised broad authority to respond to enemy incursions.
  
However, only a fraction of the FWLM were federal troops, or League forces, answerable (and loyal) only to the Captain-General and the LCCC and funded by the federal government.  The rest were provincial troops, raised, equipped and organized by each province for their own self-defense.  In times of need the provincial armies could be mustered and placed under the command of the Captain-General, but starting in the [[thirtieth century]] this right began to be questioned.  With the passage of the [[Home Defense Act]], any province which could muster a majority in Parliament could declare up to three-fourths of its provincial forces unavailable, severely curtailing FWLM operations.  Increases in the number of federal troops and the powers of the Captain-Generalcy finally culminated in the [[Military Reorganization Act]] of [[3046]], which officially removed the federal-provincial divide and placed all units under the authority of the LCCC.
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However, only a fraction of the FWLM were federal troops, or League forces, answerable (and loyal) only to the Captain-General and the LCCC and funded by the federal government.  The rest were provincial troops, raised, equipped and organized by each province for their own self-defense.  In times of need the provincial armies could be mustered and placed under the command of the Captain-General, but starting in the [[30th century]] this right began to be questioned.  With the passage of the [[Home Defense Act]], any province which could muster a majority in Parliament could declare up to three-fourths of its provincial forces unavailable, severely curtailing FWLM operations.  Increases in the number of federal troops and the powers of the Captain-Generalcy finally culminated in the [[Military Reorganization Act]] of [[3046]], which officially removed the federal-provincial divide and placed all units under the authority of the LCCC.
  
 
The Free Worlds League Military placed a strong emphasis on combined-arms tactics, with almost all of their regiments featuring a large number of infantry, armor, and aerospace assets, as well as one of the largest navies in the Inner Sphere. The focus on BattleMechs, however, did exist within their elite regiments, including the [[Knights of the Inner Sphere]].
 
The Free Worlds League Military placed a strong emphasis on combined-arms tactics, with almost all of their regiments featuring a large number of infantry, armor, and aerospace assets, as well as one of the largest navies in the Inner Sphere. The focus on BattleMechs, however, did exist within their elite regiments, including the [[Knights of the Inner Sphere]].
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The Free Worlds League has traditionally lagged behind the other Great Houses in manufacturing, using trade to make up the difference.  In [[3025]], there were seventeen [[BattleMech]] manufacturers within the League with either full or partial production lines running, building an estimated 500 'Mechs per year.  Of the twenty-four different 'Mech models produced natively, the most common were ''[[Stinger]]s'', ''[[Wasp]]s'', ''[[Locust]]s'', ''[[Hermes II]]s'', ''[[Griffin]]s'', ''[[Wolverine]]s'', ''[[Warhammer]]s'', and ''[[Orion]]s''.  The exception to this trend was the League's aerospace industry, which had helped earn it the reputation as the "Gateway to the Stars."  In 3025, even after the devastation of the Succession Wars, there were eight different factories producing a total of 325 [[aerospace fighter]]s annually and ten active shipyards capable of building [[DropShip]]s and [[JumpShip]]s at a rate of eight and three a year respectively.<ref name=HMTFWL114>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 114</ref>
 
The Free Worlds League has traditionally lagged behind the other Great Houses in manufacturing, using trade to make up the difference.  In [[3025]], there were seventeen [[BattleMech]] manufacturers within the League with either full or partial production lines running, building an estimated 500 'Mechs per year.  Of the twenty-four different 'Mech models produced natively, the most common were ''[[Stinger]]s'', ''[[Wasp]]s'', ''[[Locust]]s'', ''[[Hermes II]]s'', ''[[Griffin]]s'', ''[[Wolverine]]s'', ''[[Warhammer]]s'', and ''[[Orion]]s''.  The exception to this trend was the League's aerospace industry, which had helped earn it the reputation as the "Gateway to the Stars."  In 3025, even after the devastation of the Succession Wars, there were eight different factories producing a total of 325 [[aerospace fighter]]s annually and ten active shipyards capable of building [[DropShip]]s and [[JumpShip]]s at a rate of eight and three a year respectively.<ref name=HMTFWL114>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 114</ref>
  
The economic growth of the thirty-first century, especially as a result of the Clan invasion, massively increased the productivity of the FWL industries: by [[3067]], half of all 'Mech production within the Inner Sphere came from the top ten League 'Mech manufacturers.<ref>''Handbook: House Marik'', p. 127</ref>  The aerospace industry similarly underwent a revitalization, reacquiring the ability to refit and build [[WarShip]]s for the first time in centuries.  The FWL navy went from ten WarShips in [[3059]] to forty WarShips by [[3067]], making it the fastest-growing in the Inner Sphere and numerically superior to any other Successor State.<ref>''Field Manual: Free Worlds League'', p. 117</ref><ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 144</ref><ref>''Handbook: House Marik'', p. 135</ref>
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The economic growth of the 31st century, especially as a result of the Clan invasion, massively increased the productivity of the FWL industries: by [[3067]], half of all 'Mech production within the Inner Sphere came from the top ten League 'Mech manufacturers.<ref>''Handbook: House Marik'', p. 127</ref>  The aerospace industry similarly underwent a revitalization, reacquiring the ability to refit and build [[WarShip]]s for the first time in centuries.  The FWL navy went from ten WarShips in [[3059]] to forty WarShips by [[3067]], making it the fastest-growing in the Inner Sphere and numerically superior to any other Successor State.<ref>''Field Manual: Free Worlds League'', p. 117</ref><ref>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 144</ref><ref>''Handbook: House Marik'', p. 135</ref>
  
 
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====3067====

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