Algol

Algol
Algol 3151.svg
System Information
X:Y Coordinates64.875 : -67.773[e]
Star namesBelial, Bael, Ahriman, Asmoday (see Notes)
Spectral classG5V[1][2]
Recharge time186 hours[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith[1]
Planet(s)9[2]

The Algol system contains four suns and at least two inhabited worlds, Algol IV and Kali, and as of 3151 was located in the Tikonov Commonality of the Capellan Confederation.[3]

System Description[edit]

The Algol system consists of four suns "collectively known as Algol": Belial and Bael ("blue-white pinheads", close together and presumably forming a binary), Ahriman ("a red dot"), and Asmoday ("yellowish"). LinkNet describes Algol as a G5V star system with nine planets, without mentioning additional suns. This does not technically rule out four suns, however. G5V class indicates a yellow star and it can thus be assumed that the "yellowish" sun (Asmoday), incidentally the only one in the system that isn't explicitly described as relatively small, is the primary star and is of G5V class.[4]

Algol had at least one active recharge station in the thirty-first century, which was located at the system's zenith jump point.[1]

System History[edit]

The Algol system was colonized during the First Exodus from Terra.[5]

Political Affiliation[edit]


Algol IV[edit]

Algol IV
Algol.jpg
Astrophysical
System positionFourth[1][2]
Jump Point distance7.47 days[1]
MoonsTwo (Hargrove, Sung)[1][2]
Geophysical
Surface gravity1.1[1][2]
Atmospheric pressureStandard (Breathable)[1][2]
Equatorial temperature30°C (Warm-Temperate)[1][2]
Surface water50%[1]
Highest native lifeFish[1][2]
History and Culture
Population3,354,000,000 (3067)[1]
1,354,000,000 (3130)[46]
Government and Infrastructure
Noble RulerCount of Algol
Political LeaderPlanetary Governor
Military CommanderHanz Patchell, Legate (3130)[46][2]
CapitalAlgol City[2]
HPG ClassB[1][2]

Algol IV—more commonly referred to simply as Algol, and implicitly the primary settled world in the system—is the fourth planet in the Algol system and has two moons named Hargrove and Sung.[2]

Planetary History[edit]

When the first settlers colonized Algol they built their capital city, Algol City, on the coast of Shalom to take advantage of the rich supply of fish there. The discovery that the continent of Durant was covered in rich fertile soil led to it being developed for agricultural concerns, and Algol would go on to be an exporter to every planet within a jump of itself.[2][1] During the early part of the twenty-third century the power of the Terran Alliance was waning, and the Tikonov Union launched a military campaign that captured Algol as well as the worlds of Rio, Mirach, Tybalt and Ruchbah.[6] Algol would continue to be a member of the Union after the Tikonov Union became the Tikonov Grand Union in 2243.[47]

By the 2350s the Tikonov Grand Union was experiencing severe turmoil due to internal economic problems and external conflicts. Having lost a war with the Terran Hegemony over the worlds of the Chisholm Protectorate in the late 2330s,[48] the Grand Union then found itself battling the Federated Suns in the 2340s.[7] The nearby Sarna Supremacy looked to capitalize on the Grand Union's problems by annexing various Grand Union worlds, and elements of the 141st and 173rd Sarna Shock Brigades landed on Algol and the nearby world of Slocum in 2351.[7] In 2358, the new president of the Capellan Commonality, Seluk Tucas, declared himself the arbitrator of the dispute between the Supremacy and the Grand Union and awarded ownership of Algol, Slocum and Azha to the Supremacy;[8] despite this, by 2366 Algol would be a member of the Tikonov Grand Union again.[9]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

The Ariana Fusiliers were defeated on this world during the Fourth Succession War. The ruler of the world at that time, Count Wayne Hargrove-Sung negotiated with the AFFS to surrender the world. Doing so prevented further damage to the planet's agricultural base.[1]

Jihad[edit]

During the last two weeks of October 3069 the Word of Blake launched a fresh wave of planetary assaults, further expanding the borders of the Word of Blake Protectorate. The assaults saw a number of new planets incorporated into the Protectorate, often after the threat - or use - of orbital bombardment or biological, chemical or nuclear weapons to destroy local defenses; Algol was one of the worlds brought into the Protectorate in this fashion.[37]

After the Federated Suns took control of the world, the AFFS created a massive munitions plant and storage depot in the city of Groffer's Toll. The Blakist commander used the storage depot as a prison for the AFFS members who had surrendered. They tried to break out, and the Blakists destroyed the prison, killing nearly everyone.[2]

Military Deployment[edit]

3025[edit]

3028[edit]

  • First Ariana Fusiliers[49]

3038[edit]

3040[edit]

  • Hansen's Roughriders[50]

3059[edit]

3061[edit]

3067[edit]

Geography[edit]

Algol IV has two large continents named Shalom and Durant; in addition to the two main continents there are a number of islands scattered around the surface of the planet. The Durant continent is home to rich, fertile soil.[2]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Algol City: planetary capital city[2]
  • Gorst: a city.[52]
  • Gregan: a city.[52]
  • Groffer's Toll: city[2][53]
  • Hellen: a city.[52]
  • Kollasa: Largest city on the planet.[53]
  • Schan: city.[53]

Kali[edit]

Kali
Astrophysical
MoonsOne (Ratra), possibly more[4]
Geophysical
Atmospheric pressureunknown (not breathable)[4]
Equatorial temperatureunknown (implicitly very cold)[4]

Kali is a barren, cold and inhospitable planet in the Algol system. Its atmosphere is not breathable. Since its description cannot be reconciled with the information given about Algol IV, Kali must be one of the other eight planets in the system. It was mentioned to possess at least one "great moon", Ratra; unclear wording leaves it open if Kali features additional moons.[4]

The only named installation on Kali is Warex Base, a Capellan military installation as of 3026. In January of that year, Tormano Liao encountered and bested a doppelgänger who had been sent by his father concurrently with a BattleMech strike force from the Federated Suns attacking Warex Base. Context indicates that Warex Base was the only habitable installation within reach, and possibly on the entire planet, for the Liao defenders. Although the survival of Tormano Liao implies that the base was ultimately successfully defended, there is no information regarding the outcome of the battle, nor any later information about (or mentioning of) Warex Base or the planet Kali. This could be taken to mean the base was destroyed or otherwise abandoned.[4]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Warex Base: domed Capellan military base situated in a volcanic cliffed valley pierced by canyons.[4]

Notes[edit]

  • The system's four suns are described and named in the short story Think Like a Liao. LinkNet meanwhile, and the Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130) document that was compiled from LinkNet, describes a standard G5V system and provides much of the additional data on Algol IV and the system as a whole. While the former source was apparently overlooked when the latter data was generated, both sources are fully canonical and their data is not technically incompatible
  • The real-world Algol star system, also known as Beta Persei or, in a translation of the star's original Arabic name ra's al-ghūl (head of the ogre), the "Demon Star", is a system with three suns, as opposed to the four-sun system its BattleTech counterpart is described as.

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 76 systems (74 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Buchlau 5.3 Kansu 8.5 Ningpo 10.6 Halloran 12.2
Conwy 13.3 Poznan 13.6 Slocum 16.9 Pleione 17.9
Azha 19.7 New Aragon 20.9 New Hessen 21.9 Hamal 24.3
Algot 25.8 Yangtze 26.1 Gan Singh 26.1 Demeter 26.7
Bharat 26.8 Alrescha 26.9 Genoa 27.1 Shensi 27.1
Arboris 27.1 Hunan 28.9 Cynthiana 30.6 St. Andre 32.9
Nopah 35.0 Menkar 35.5 Almach 36.5 Angol 37.0
Woodstock 37.3 Tianamon 37.4 Styk 37.4 Alpha Eridani 37.5
Foochow 38.2 Acamar 38.7 Basalt 38.8 Bex 39.2
Tigress 39.5 Kawich 39.8 Aldebaran 40.2 Mesartim 40.2
Mira 41.6 Bhaktapur 41.8 Tsitsang 42.8 Manennaia 43.1
Jonathan 43.8 Zurich 45.0 Nanking 45.1 Shipka 45.5
Ruchbah 45.6 Tikonov 45.8 Fletcher 47.8 Rio 49.5
Sichuan 50.1 Chesterton 50.8 Wei 51.4 Ingress 51.4
Foot Fall 51.5 Zion 52.0 Sheratan 52.1 Valexa 52.5
Tybalt 53.5 Hean 54.2 Terra Firma 54.4 Deneb Kaitos 54.8
Snailzar 55.3 New Macao 56.0 Zaurak 56.1 New Canton 56.8
Second Try 56.9 Bell 57.6 Ashkum 57.7 Palos 58.7
Ankaa 59.2 Mirach 60.0 Tedibyhr 60.1 Saiph 60.2

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 FedCom Civil War, p. 187: "Algol Planet Profile"
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 96: "Algol"
  3. 3.0 3.1 Shattered Fortress, pp. 102–103: "Inner Sphere - 3151" (Map)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Think Like a Liao
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Dark Age: Republic Worlds (3130), p. 88: "Ruchbah"
  6. 6.0 6.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 20
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 23: "Friends and Other Enemies"
  8. 8.0 8.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 24: "Tucas Takes Over"
  9. 9.0 9.1 Handbook: House Liao, p. 17: "Capellan Confederation Founding, 2366"
  10. Handbook: House Liao, p. 13: "Timeline: Capellan Zone 2367"
  11. Handbook: House Liao, p. 25: "Capellan Confederation after Age of War [2571]"
  12. Historical: Reunification War, p. 159: "Inner Sphere - 2596"
  13. Era Report: 2750, p. 37: "Inner Sphere - 2750"
  14. Field Manual: SLDF, p. xi: Inner Sphere - [2764]
  15. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - 2765"
  16. Handbook: House Liao, p. 31: "Capellan Confederation after First Succession War [2822]"
  17. Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123: "Inner Sphere - 2822"
  18. Handbook: House Liao, p. 39: "Capellan Confederation after Second Succession War [2864]"
  19. Handbook: House Davion, p. 60: "Federated Suns after Second Succession War [2864] Map"
  20. 20.0 20.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 105: "Unit Deployment Table"
  21. Handbook: House Liao, p. 40: "Capellan Confederation after Third Succession War [3025]"
  22. Handbook: House Davion, p. 70: "Federated Suns after Third Succession War [2864] Map"
  23. Handbook: House Liao, p. 49: "Capellan Confederation after Fourth Succession War [3030]"
  24. Handbook: House Davion, p. 72: "Federated Suns after Fourth Succession War [2864] Map"
  25. Handbook: House Davion, p. 76: "Federated Suns after War of [3039] Map"
  26. Historical: War of 3039, p. 133: "Inner Sphere - 3040"
  27. Era Report: 3052, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - 3050"
  28. Era Report: 3052, p. 23: "Inner Sphere - 3052"
  29. Era Report: 3062, p. 11: "Inner Sphere Map [3057]"
  30. Handbook: House Liao, p. 60: "Capellan Confederation after Operation Guerrero [3058]"
  31. Handbook: House Davion, p. 78: "Federated Suns after Operation Guerrero [3058] Map"
  32. 32.0 32.1 32.2 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 108: "Mercenary Deployment Table"
  33. 33.0 33.1 Shattered Sphere, p. 30: "FedCom Deployment Table"
  34. Era Report: 3062, p. 29: "Inner Sphere Map [3063]"
  35. Handbook: House Liao, p. 68: "Capellan Confederation after FedCom Civil War [3067]"
  36. Handbook: House Davion, p. 82: "Federated Suns after FedCom Civil War [3067] Map"
  37. 37.0 37.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 47: "The Jihad In Review"
  38. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 65: "Inner Sphere - 3075"
  39. Field Report: AFFS, p. 21: "Federated Suns Region Deployment Map [3079]"
  40. Field Report: CCAF, p. 21: "Capellan Confederation Region Deployment Map [3079]"
  41. Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63: "Inner Sphere Map - [March 3081]"
  42. Field Manual: 3085, p. 127: "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"
  43. Era Report: 3145, p. 11: "Inner Sphere Map - [3135]"
  44. Era Report: 3145, p. 39: "Inner Sphere Map - [3145]"
  45. Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - 3145"
  46. 46.0 46.1 Dark Age: Republic of the Sphere, p. 10: "Prefecture IV"
  47. Handbook: House Liao, p. 12: "Timeline: Capellan Zone"
  48. House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 19: "Terra Resurgent"
  49. 49.0 49.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 11: "Operation RAT"
  50. 50.0 50.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 141: "Deployment Table"
  51. Field Manual: Updates, p. 137: "Draconis Combine Deployment Table"
  52. 52.0 52.1 52.2 FedCom Civil War, p. 81
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 18

Bibliography[edit]