Barchetta's Lightning Brigade

Barchetta's Lightning Brigade
Short Story Collection by Michael Keegan
First Publication
Published	2014
Publisher	Independently published
Chronology
Era	Succession Wars era
Timeline	11 June 3022 — 12 August 3049

Barchetta's Lightning Brigade is an unauthorized series of BattleTech novels written by Michael Keegan. The series is listed on the Amazon website as "Independently published"

Canonicity

The Barchetta's Lightning Brigade series is entirely noncanonical and effectively amounts to mere fan fiction. Neither the author nor the publisher obtained the legal rights to publish BattleTech material. Although conceived as a commercial product, the book's content does not even qualify as apocryphal for lack of any official sanction.

Canonicity/continuity problems

The novels have been not checked for compliance with established BattleTech Canon and continuity. As a result, it does not fit into the BattleTech universe. Known issues include:

• "Uplifts", Genetically engineered human-animal hybrids.
• The titular Berchetta family being as close as seventh in line to the Throne of the Federated Suns.
• Early discovery of the Clans including the noncanon Clan Fire Cat.

• Wolf's Dragoons abandon Outreach in 3030.

Plot summary

Mathew Berchetta wins a bet against his father that grants him enough equipment to form his own mercenary company.

This evenually leads to Berchetta conquering half the Inner Sphere and triggering the re-formation of the Star League

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• Archer
• Awesome
• Locust
• Maruder IIB (noncanonical)
• Phoenix Hawk IIC
• Soldier (noncanonical)
• Stinger
• Warhammer
• Wasp

DropShips

• Overlord

JumpShips

• Invader

Stories in the series

• Barchetta's Lightning Brigade
• The Grand Invasion (listed as Chapter 2)
• Guess who's coming to Dinner? (listed as Chapter 3)
• When the Fox finds the Hen House (listed as Chapter 4)