Albion Military Academy

Albion Military Academy

Academy Information
Location New Avalon[1]
Founding Year 2400s[2]
Course Information
BattleMech unknown-3079[3]
Aerospace unknown-3079[1]
Armor Unknown-3079[1]
Battle armor Unknown-3079[1]
Infantry Unknown-3079[1]
Spacecraft Unknown-3079[1]
Artillery Unknown-3079[1]
Technician Unknown-3079[1]
Specialist Unknown-3079[1]


The Albion Military Academy is a Federated Suns military academy located in the Camelot region of New Avalon,[3] not far from the capital city itself. As the oldest academy in the Suns, it is known for being both the most difficult to graduate from and for the stable of successful, AFFS-renowned officers that are proud to have done so.[4]

General[edit]

The Albion Military Academy is the oldest institution of its kind in the Federated Suns, founded in the 2400s.[2] Over its many centuries of operation, it developed a reputation for turning out officers of the highest quality and prided itself on maintaining this record. Already considered prestigious, when in 2604 the Albion Military Academy was selected to be an official Star League Defense Force "comprehensive" institution— one of only three such facilities outside of the Terran Hegemony— its reputation skyrocketed even further.[2][5]As a comprehensive academy, Albion offered training for all branches of service within the SLDF, rather than just MechWarriors, infantry, or armor.[6] Some of the finest officers to serve in the Star League Defense Force would graduate from Albion, including at least one Commanding General, Admiral David Peterson. While graduates of Albion were required to serve in the SLDF Regular Army for five years due to its status as a comprehensive academy, a loophole within the academy's charter allowed graduates to "buy out" their contracts and instead serve in the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, a practice first begun by First Prince Richard Davion. As the relationship between the Federated Suns and the Star League began to cool in the aftermath of the War of Davion Succession, this practice became more and more common, particularly from the 2740s onward. Often the AFFS itself would pay the buyout costs, commissioning a large amount of Albion graduates directly.[2]

When the Star League collapsed, the Albion Military Academy returned to the control of the Federated Suns along with the bulk of its instructors and training cadre. It maintained its position as the premiere training facility in the Suns, almost entirely overshadowing the New Avalon Military Academy for centuries. Albion trained a number of key soldiers whose skills ensured that the AFFS weathered the scourge of the early Succession Wars.[7]

In the 3020s, once the New Avalon Military Academy was officially reformed into the College of Military Science under the auspices of First Prince Hanse Davion's newly-formed New Avalon Institute of Science, Albion found its position at the top challenged. The old rivalry between NAMA and AMA was reignited as the College began receiving the same amount of financial, logistical, and technical support to which Albion felt that it alone was entitled. Their rivalry remained mostly friendly, primarily consisting of practical jokes and an annual competitive field exercise that is passed down from cadet class to cadet class.[7][4] As the NAIS grew in notoriety and popularity, Albion found itself taking a close second position and began to embrace a tradition of eschewing technology and classroom theory in favor of hands-on, high stress practical exercises that promote teamwork and skill.

The Albion Military Academy training cadres were the second largest in the Federated Suns, coming in just after the NAIS cadres in size. They included two full regiments and attached support units,[4] and boasted notably more equipment and personnel than the majority of other military academies and schools, who rarely mustered more than a battalion or two. Both schools were also notable for receiving the best equipment available and for the high level of loyalty to House Davion and the Federated Suns shown by their students.[8]

During the period of resistance against the rule of Katherine Steiner-Davion prior to the FedCom Civil War students from AMA and the NAIS found themselves receiving support from the students of the two major Schools within the Gogh-Bukowski University for possibly the first time; students within the University were notable for their liberal and antigovernment politics, attitudes that saw many of the students and the teaching staff being arrested for sedition prior to the Civil War, an act that ensured their opposition to Katherine and her supporters, although the activities of the university students were limited to organizing demonstrations and similar forms of civil disobedience.[9]

Atmosphere[edit]

Both prestigious and selective, Albion has cultivated a reputation for expecting the absolute best from those applicants lucky enough to make it through the selection process. Its rigorous physical and academic educational program, along with the Academy's tolerance for traditional hazing, ensures that it has the highest drop-out and wash-out rate of any comparable institution in the Federated Suns. However, those officers who do succeed in graduating from the Academy often perform better than their peers and frequently have storied careers; Albion graduates are some of the most highly-decorated soldiers in the history of the AFFS.[4] Albion's friendly rivalry with the NAIS College of Military Science is a tradition that is well-kept by its cadets. Every year an officially-sanctioned series of wargames is held between the two schools on the Jasper Plains, with the winning academy crowned as "the Young Lions of New Avalon" until the next games. While many have criticized the harshness of Albion's curriculum and its treatment of students, so many senior leaders within the AFFS are Albion graduates that it remains undiluted.[10][11]

Special Notes[edit]

The Academy is so closely located to important facilities on New Avalon that every new student must pass heavy screening by DMI agents before they are allowed to attend.[4]

MechWarrior graduates of Albion are known to take a "'Mech Charm'", a piece of salvage taken from their very first 'Mech, especially one that was shot out from under them. Superstition holds that the charms can help protect loved ones from danger, and it is considered the greatest honor for a MechWarrior to give someone their charm.[12]

Notable Graduates[edit]

Training Units[edit]

Historical Insignias[edit]

  • Albion Military Academy

  • Albion Military Academy Dark Age

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Objectives: Federated Suns, p. 18
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Report 2765: AFFS, p. 5: "Academies and Command Centers"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Objectives: Federated Suns, p. 18, "Albion Military Academy"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 37: "Albion Military Academy Profile"
  5. ↑ The Star League, p. 109: "Foreign Academies"
  6. ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. 21: "Academies"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 House Davion (The Federated Suns), pp. 153–154: "Military Forces - Military Education - Albion Military Academy, New Avalon"
  8. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 127: "Military Academy Cadres"
  9. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 141: "Gogh-Burkowski University of New Avalon"
  10. ↑ Handbook: House Davion, p. 128: "Albion Military Academy"
  11. ↑ MechWarrior Dark Ages Uniques, p. 275: "Albion Military Academy"
  12. ↑ Warrior: Riposte, ch. 36

Bibliography[edit]

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