Solaris

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Solaris
← 3135
3151
240px
Solaris nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates-122.22:-7.07[e]
Spectral classK1V[1]
Recharge time185 hours[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith/Nadir[1]
Planet(s)7+[1]

Overview

Solaris is a system on the Lyran border to the Free Worlds League. Its planet, Solaris VII, is famous throughout the whole Inner Sphere for its BattleMech fights, which are operated there as a sport in the Solaris Games.

On the fourth planet is a large mining colony.

The Gaming World

see also: Solaris Games

Solaris VII is known across the galaxy for its 'Mech fights. Gamblers place exorbitant amounts of money on longshot bets, and fortunes are won and lost daily. Solaris City, in particular, hosts six major arenas and numerous MechWarrior stables. Every year there is a Grand Tournament, which culminates with the naming of the year’s champion (notable champions include Gray Noton and Kai Allard-Liao). However, the games were all but suspended following the breakout of inter-House hostilities within Solaris City in 3063, resulting in numerous casualties and precipitating the FedCom Civil War.

Template:InfoBoxPlanetStandard

Solaris City

Solaris City Card.jpg

The capital and beating heart of the Game World, Solaris City is the home of the movers and shakers of Solaris VII. The city, which is home to some five million people, is divided into six districts and, with the exception of the International Zone, each of those is considered property of one of the five Great Houses. They are the Black Hills (Davion), Cathay (Liao), Silesia (Steiner), Montenegro (Marik), and Kobe (Kurita). Each of the districts hosts a Class Six arena, where the top twenty MechWarriors battle each year to determine the championship. Residents of the sectors are actually still considered citizens of their respective nations, so Solaris City finds itself the home of many individuals who are persona non grata in their home nations, but still wish to remain citizens. Because of this phenomenon, the residents of Solaris City are often unrepresentative of the people from their parent nation.

Solaris City is ringed by a suburb known as Xolara, which itself is surrounded by Burgton. To the northeast is Roland Fields, while Bracken Swamp is to the southwest. Many native Solarans live in these suburbs, while Rasalhagians tend to live in Xolara. Periphery natives often call the outer suburbs home.

Arenas

There are Class One through Class Five arenas scattered throughout Solaris VII, but the five Open Class (or Class Six) arenas, where the most important duels on Solaris are fought, are in Solaris City.

Boreal Reach

The Davion arena uses holographic technology, coupled with advanced environmental controls, to produce virtually any setting a person can conceive of. It takes its name from one of the more popular such settings, a polar glacier. The arctic environment provides challenging footing, while enabling MechWarriors to push their 'Mechs to the limit, thanks to the extreme cold.

The Factory

The Marik battlefield began its life as a shuttle manufacturing plant large enough to accommodate IndustrialMechs. The decrepit facility features multiple levels with elevators and ramps to move between them.

Ishiyama

The Kurita area is actually a series of tunnels dug into a man-made mountain. Stone Mountain provides a hide-and-seek style engagement. There is also electromagnetic interference from the materials that the mountain is made of, making any fight here unpredictable. The "mountain" was built in 3007 in Kobe District.[2]

The Jungle

This parcel of land was originally planned as a Buddhist monastery, but the Liao government decided to designate it as their official "arena." The battle area in this open tract is demarcated by a series of beacons. Extra beacons located inside the battlefield can be activated to shrink the area of the field down to a quarter of its full size.

Steiner Coliseum

The arena in Silesia was designed with a Roman-esque facade. The battlefield of the arena is largely featureless, utilizing walls that can be raised or lowered to provide variety.

Solaris Stables

Organizations that sponsor fighters are known as Stables and Co-Operatives. Stables are run by Stable Masters, who are responsible for these organizations. They have strong controlling interests in the games themselves, and dictate control over them. Co-Operatives are similar, but do not have Stable Masters. They instead are volunteer organizations of teams of fighters working together.

Geography

Solaris VII is the largest planet in the system and is a rainy, water-rich world consisting only of two continents.

Greyland, which is heavily populated, owns large lakes and wide rivers. It features a vast taiga in the north and open grassland in the south, seperated by large coniferous forests in the middle. The climate in the center of the continent, the location of Solaris City, is wet and cool. The rainy season there lasts almost all year in contrast to the temperate climate of the south coast.

Equatus, the second continent, is dry and mountainous.

Logo solarisVII.gif

Local Fauna

History

Early Time

Solaris VII has always been a highly industrialized world and, as such, was a natural choice for BattleMech factories and testing areas. At the time of the Star League, competing BattleMech manufacturers began to let their new models fight each other in front of highly-placed Star League representatives to encourage the purchase of the 'Mechs; the first fight took place between a Phoenix Hawk and a Sentinel in 2695. It was not long until the Events were broadcast on the planet and bets were placed on the outputs of the fightings in a serious way. Mercenaries used Solaris as a training ground and the Gunslingers and Ronin used the world as a neutral place for their bitter fighting during the First Hidden War. The popularity of the fighting grew steadily and, at the time of the Amaris Coup, Solaris was already famous for its duels, some of them shown around the Inner Sphere.

The Succession Wars

Originally a world of the Free Worlds League, the planet suffered in the early throes of the Succession Wars. At the outbreak of fighting, Solaris turned to the Lyran Commonwealth during the First Succession War. However, a Marik fleet in retaliation bombed the planet with nuclear weapons.[4] In the subsequent Succession Wars Solaris also suffered severe devastation, including the near-destruction of Blue Shot Weapons in 2928.

In 3002 the LCAF struck down a major Marik offensive on Solaris. [5]

The duels on Solaris suffered from this only in the beginning because of the lack of idle MechWarriors due to the wars. Until 2800 the world had recovered from the stagnation again, mainly because the concept to build five BattleMech arenas in Solaris City, each of them representing one of the Great Houses, in which the Warriors of the Successor States should fight for the honor of their nation. Leading to the first real Solaris Championship in 2812. Since then, the championship is held every year.

Solaris Riots

Just prior to the outbreak of the FedCom Civil War in 15 August 3062, friction between Davion- & Lyran-Loyalists heated into city wide riot in streets of Solaris City. ComStar garrison forces had been transferred off the planet at command of the LAAF Archon.

The FedSuns-aligned Solaris citizens and MechWarriors formed alliances to fend off with the Archon-Princess Katrina Steiner-Davion loyal Stables. These group formed after the two factions' quasi-champions Michael Searcy & Victor Vandergriff fought their championship match in the Steiner Stadium, which spilled over into the streets. The factions made an alliance between stables and cooperatives forming makeshift battalions fighting through the city. LAAF Peacekeepers, 32nd Lyran Guards,[6][7] failed to contain the fighting (with their commanding officer dead) and were consolidated with Steiner Loyalist forces. It was not until champions Searny and Vandgriff fought yet again in the darkened ruins of the Steiner Stadium did the initial fighting end in their mutual annihilation of each other.

Fighting between the two factions briefly ended, however the fighting would continue occasionally for several more years.[8] LAAF High Command later dispatched the 17th Arcturan Guards to reinforce the peace and also to keep the fighting from flaring up.[9]

Jihad

The Word of Blake invaded Solaris suddenly on the 16th of June 3068, taking advantage of both the chaos caused by the war between the Free Worlds League and the Skye and Bolan Provinces of the Lyran Alliance, as well as the absence of the Com Guards detachment previously assigned to Solaris but which had been recalled to take part in the disastrous Case White operation.[10][11] The Blakists referred to the invasion as Operation SHOWTIME,[12] and while the Word of Blake forces initially managed to escape being identified, the sheer number of free agents and stables on Solaris quickly led to an underground resistance movement[10] which came to be known as the "Solaris Home Defense League".[13]

Following the occupation of Solaris the Solaris Home Defense League engaged in months of low-level resistance.[14] Initially, the resistance suffered from a lack of resources - particularly ammunition, weaponry and the transport capabilities to move either ammunition or weapons. In June 3070 the resistance used a number of Savior Repair Vehicles as transport vehicles to move several platoons of infantry and Dispossessed MechWarriors into position to launch raids on a number of Blakist supply caches located throughout the International Zone. Having captured important quantities of ammunition, parts and BattleMechs, the resistance then used the Saviors to move the supplies out of Blakist territory. Although two Saviors were hit badly enough by Blakist infantry to trigger internal ammunition explosions, the CASE systems aboard the vessels protected both the embarked resistance fighters and much of the supplies.[12] The local yakuza families came to an agreement with the SHDL to provide equipment and ammunition.[15][16]

The level of resistance activity changed dramatically on the 3rd of May 3071, when Home Defense League forces launched a daring assault on Solaris City itself, securing the International Zone. This was just the beginning of a campaign to recapture the entire city, and the Home Defense League managed to push the defending Blakist forces out of Solaris City by the 11th of June, although not before the planetary HPG had been destroyed by the retreating Blakists.[14][17]

In August 3071, the Word of Blake forces launched a blitzkrieg-style assault on the International Zone, reclaiming control of the zone on the 17th. It took until the 15th of October for the Solaris Home Defense League to push the Word of Blake forces back out of the city and into the Reaches.[18][19][20][17] The Word of Blake forces would finally concede control of Solaris and leave the world on the 11th of December 3071.[20][21][22]

Post-Jihad Era

In 3079 only one company on Solaris was capable of continuing to design and build anything other than RetroTech 'Mechs; the Vining Engineering and Salvage Team. Based out of the city of Xolara on Greyland, Vining were busily recruiting experienced and skilled personnel from other firms as the Jihad drew to a close.[1]

While the bulk of the Lyran Alliance's Skye Province joined the Republic of the Sphere shortly after the signing of the Republic Formation Treaty, the Lyran government insisted on retaining Solaris within the Alliance. Despite the nearly total devastation of Solaris' military industrial base, the Lyran government was loathe to interfere with the fact that the industry rebuilding on Solaris in the wake of the Jihad focussed on supplying the arenas; the arenas were enough of a financial boon to render them the pre-eminent Lyran interest, even ahead of the military production.[23]

Planetary Garrison

3025

3028

  • Tenth Skye Rangers[25]
  • Thirty-second Lyran Guards RCT[26]

3038

  • Thirty-second Lyran Guards[27]

3050

3054

  • Thirty-second Lyran Guards RCT[30]

3062

  • Fifty-sixth Division[31]

3067

  • Fifty-sixth Division[32]

3079

- At this point in time the Third Lyran Guards were deployed across Solaris and Rahne. The 3rd was at 75% of full strength, with 90% of their equipment featuring upgraded technology. The 3rd Lyran Guards preferred to avoid Solaris City and the chaos that surrounded it, instead camping and patroling on the more sparsely-populated Equatus continent.
  • Planetary Militia[1]
- The Planetary Militia was still rebuilding at this point, and was formed from a mix of surviving members of the pre-Jihad Solaran security forces and elements of the Solaris Home Defense League which formed the bulk of the resistance to the Word of Blake. The Planetary Militia had the unenviable task of patrolling and securing the badly damaged Solaris City and surrounding areas as reconstruction efforts continued.[1]

3085

3145

Manufacturing Centers

Owner History

Nearby Planets

Planets within 2 jumps (60 light-years)
Closest planets first:
Planet Distance (LY) Jumps 2750 2822 2864 3025 3030 3040 3052 3057 3062 3067 3130
Rochelle 12.36 1 FWL LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Uhuru 17.81 1 FWL LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
New Kyoto 19.99 1 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Kalidasa 23.24 1 FWL LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Algorab 23.69 1 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Amity 24.94 1 FWL FWL LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Zaniah 25.09 1 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Alkes 25.16 1 FWL LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Rahne 25.74 1 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
New Hope 27.63 1 FWL LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Concord 32.36 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Fianna 33.92 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Shiloh 34.49 2 LC FWL LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Alhena 40.87 2 LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Vindemiatrix 41.01 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Gacrux 41.05 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Hyde 41.56 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Lamon 41.93 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Danais 42.57 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL MSC
Caledonia 44.62 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Stewart 45.49 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Launam 45.71 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Wing 47.63 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Adhafera 47.81 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Sarpsborg 48.32 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Tania Borealis 48.49 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Phecda 49.01 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Dieudonne 51.15 2 FWL FWL LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Nestor 52.35 2 LC LC LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Helm 52.90 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Dubhe 52.95 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Chertan 53.08 2 TH FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Carsphairn 53.37 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Hesperus II 54.26 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Arganda 54.56 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA LC
Alchiba 55.74 2 LC LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Merak 55.88 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL
Bondurant 56.27 2 FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL MSC
Wyatt 57.95 2 TH LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Savannah 58.68 2 FWL FWL LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS
Milton 59.25 2 TH LC LC LC LC FC FC LA LA LA RotS
Remulac 59.31 2 FWL FWL LC FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL FWL RotS

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 29, "Solaris VII"
  2. ↑ Warrior: En Garde, p. 287 - The host of Pregame Palaver, Kevin Johnson, gives background information on Ishiyama for the Xiang/Capet fight on May 20th, 3027
  3. ↑ A Time of War Companion, p. 130, "Advanced Creatures - Vodnik"
  4. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 90, "Solaris VII"
  5. ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 18, "Timeline Of The Antons Revolt"
  6. ↑ FedCom Civil War (Sourcebook), p. 183, "Deployment tables" - Unit status between 3062 & 3064
  7. ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 83, "32nd Lyran Guards" - Information about the unit failure to keep riots from getting out of control.
  8. ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 21, "Brief information on fighting in Solaris in 3062".
  9. ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 57, "17th Arcturan Guards" - Unit arrival it taking over lead of the garrison on Solaris.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 45, "The Jihad In Review"
  11. ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 59, 100
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries, p. 24, "Savior Repair Vehicle"
  13. ↑ Total Chaos, p. 100
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 16, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  15. ↑ Blood Price
  16. ↑ Total Chaos, p. 71
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Total Chaos, p. 101
  18. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 17, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  19. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 49, "The Jihad In Review"
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 50, "The Jihad In Review"
  21. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 20, "Timeline of the Jihad"
  22. ↑ Total Chaos, p. 102
  23. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 85, "Bolan Province"
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 117, "Unit Deployment Table"
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p.45, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p.44, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
  27. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 137, "Deployment Table"
  28. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 27, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
  29. ↑ ComStar (sourcebook), p. 85, "Com Guards Deployment Table"
  30. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 19, "FedCom Deployment Table"
  31. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 126, "ComGuard Deployment Table"
  32. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 98, "Com Guards Deployment Table"
  33. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 12, "Lyran Guards Regimental Status"
  34. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 107, "Deployment Table - 3085"
  35. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 171, "Clan Force Deployments - Wolf Empire"
  36. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13,
  37. ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 24, "Free Worlds League after Age of War [2571] Map"
  38. ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 158, "Inner Sphere - 2596"
  39. ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 37, "Inner Sphere - 2750"
  40. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 2765"
  41. ↑ Technical Readout: 3025 Revised p.146
  42. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 133, "Inner Sphere - 3040"
  43. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 19, "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces Deployment Map - August 3079"
  44. ↑ Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
  45. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 10, "Inner Sphere - 3135"
  46. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 39, "Inner Sphere - 3145"

Bibliography

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