Circinus Federation

Crest of Circinus Federation
Circinus Federation
State Profile
Founding Year 2784[1]
Dissolution year: 3081[1]
Capital world: Circinus
Controlled system(s): 9
Official Currency Skull[2]
Demonym(s) Circinian[3]
Government
Head of State President[4]
Military
Army Black Warriors[5]

McIntyre House Guard

Military Intelligence Federal Intelligence Command (FIC)[6]

The Circinus Federation was a minor Periphery power located anti-spinward of the Lyran Commonwealth/Free Worlds League border, ~450 light years anti-spinward of Terra, in a region of space known as the March Worlds.

History[edit]

Founding[edit]

In 2784, the Star League Defense Force initiated Operation EXODUS. This allowed Circinus, a former member world of the Rim Worlds Republic that had been occupied by the SLDF for use as a recruitment and training center, to assert independence as the Circinus Federation.[1] The next year, a band of refugees from the Lyran Commonwealth's Alarion Province[7] led by Robert McIntyre[3] fled the increasing raids and depredations their worlds were suffering to Circinus. These refugees discovered the world already host to pirates and mercenaries, most notably Colonel Zachariah Cirion's Black Warriors. The two groups realized they had much to offer each other: the refugees could provide Circinus stability, sustainability and the veneer of a respectable agricultural colony, while the Black Warriors could provide protection and covertly raid nearby worlds to secure the goods the colonists needed.[8]

For decades the Federation persisted as a single-world state. Unfortunately for the Circinians, as the Second Succession War reached a lull, the forces of the Free Worlds League were freed up to address the Circinians raiding.[8] In 2853, Marik forces, spearheaded by the Eridani Light Horse, invaded the Federation. Charles Marik intended to put an end to Circinian banditry, but also to use Circinus as a stepping stone to attempt to bypass the Lyran stronghold of Poulsbo. The average Circinian could have easily been won over, but the occupiers instead chose to extensively loot the planet and permit their troops to freely abuse local civilians. Centuries later, the average Circinian still holds a grudge against House Marik. Circinian insurgents managed to force the Leaguers to withdraw in 2871.[9] It only took a few months before piracy resumed.[8]

Expansion[edit]

Between 2990 and 3020, President C. J. McIntyre began a program of colonization which would see the Federation gain eight additional systems.[7] A ninth, Dersidatz, was briefly settled by the Circinians but wound up a protectorate of the Lothian League instead.[10] With his bargaining position improved, C. J. McIntyre pursued reconciliation with his neighbors. The Presidents diplomatic skill, willingness to release captives and campaign of denial where it came to the Federation's past crimes helped stave off Lyran or Free Worlder intervention against Circinus. The most important factor though was the mutual distrust between the Successor States, something C. J. was able to exploit to its fullest.[8]

The Federation never actually stopped raiding it's neighbours during C. J.'s tenure as President. Indeed, the diversion of troops by the Third and Fourth succession wars meant the Black Warriors could strike with virtual impunity, and piracy was increasingly profitable. Between the raids and the resources colonization added to the Federation, by 3032 the Warriors had grown to three regiments in strength.[8] C. J.'s dream of turning Circinus into a true interstellar power was only derailed by his sudden death in the August of that year from a heart attack.[11]

Circinian–Illyrian War[edit]

C. J.'s son, H. R. "Little Bob" McIntyre, was the Federation's next president. With the help of Adam Cirion he rapidly consolidated power[11] to the point most members of the government now considered the Federation a dictatorship.[12] Once his position was secure, H. R. announced his intentions to continue his father's work of building a Circinian empire. The next step of his father's plan had been to conquer the neighbouring Illyrian Palatinate, but in 3032, the invasion was delayed for a second time when Adam Cirion perished in a tavern brawl. House Cirion had always by tradition commanded the Black Warriors, but Adam's heir, Michael Cirion, was considered too young and inexperienced at the time to lead. H. R. instead announced himself as the new head of the military, despite possessing little to no military experience himself.[11] In addition to this, intelligence gathered in early 3033 suggested the Palatinate's defenses were much stronger than the Federation realized.[13] H. R. decided to delay the invasion for a year in order to train in a BattleMech and consolidate his grip over the military.[11]

The long awaited invasion began in 3034, and rapidly proved to be a disaster for the Federation. The Federation's war plans had been based on faulty intelligence and failed to account for the Illyrians having an extra year to prepare their defenses. As Illyrian mercenaries began to mount heavy losses on forces he needed to preserve, H. R. quickly ordered a retreat from Illyrian space. Fearing this defeat might destabilize his regime, H. R. decided to redirect his forces to an invasion of Dersidatz. Though that world possessed few resources and no strategic value, seizing a world boosted the President's popularity enough to keep him in power.[10]

H. R. planned a second invasion of the Palatinate in 3036, but was prevented from attempting one by news that an uprising had overrun the Circinian garrison on Dersidatz. H. R.'s response was delayed for several months by Marik and Federated Commonwealth troop movements pinning the Black Warriors in defensive positions. By the time the Federation returned to Dersidatz the rebels had prepared, and the Warriors became bogged down in a protracted guerilla war. Despite failing to end the insurrection H. R. declared victory over the rebels in 3040, withdrew the majority of his forces, and resumed work on his invasion plans.[14]

Civil War[edit]

The Circinian military had begun to divide into factions even before the Illyrian debacle due to H. R.'s flouting of tradition and demonstrated incompetence at keeping the Federation's piracy covert.[11] In the opening days of 3041 one of these factions, secretly led by Michael Cirion, attempted to seize power in a coup d'etat. The President narrowly escaped the putsch and triumphed in the ensuing civil war, but two of the Federation's three regiments were destroyed in the fighting. Michael Cirion was tried for treason but found innocent due to insufficient evidence of his involvement in the rebellion.[14]

In 3042 the Federation received another setback when Hopper Morrison led his faction to defect and form his own pirate operation, Morrison's Extractors. Several attempts by the Federation to hunt down the renegades failed. With his military in tatters, H. R. was forced to shelve any plans for invading the Palatinate and refocus on banditry.[14]

Marian-Circinian War[edit]

The Federation had long enjoyed lukewarm relations with the Marian Hegemony, but this changed after Julius O'Reilly rose to power. The new Caesar viewed Circinus as his next conquest, and had colonized the world of Valerius on the Federation's border in order to create the jumping off point needed to do so.[15] When Circinian diplomats began returning home from the Hegemony in bodybags, President H.R. McIntyre realized that a war with the Hegemony was inevitable. H.R. McIntrye reached out to the Magistracy of Canopus and Rim Commonality within the Free Worlds League in hopes of finding allies, but Circinus' long history of raiding their neighbours meant neither were willing to aid the Federation beyond discreetly hiring a few small mercenary outfits to fight on its behalf. The Federation was however able to find a more generous patron - the Word of Blake. The Word provided the Circinian military with fresh battlemechs and advanced technology, even building the Federation it's first Battlemech factory on Baltazar III.[16]

When the Marian invasion arrived in 3066, the Circinians put up a much fiercer resistance than the Caesar had thought possible.[15] Though Blantleff and Maximillian were overrun, with their population greeting the Marians as liberators,[15] Circinian counterattacks managed to stall the Marian Legions and eventually force them to withdraw from Circinus itself. The Federation had survived the Marian onslaught, but at the price of becoming dependent on its Blakist allies.[16]

Just after the fighting stopped, H.R. McIntyre suddenly died (officially of a heart attack) and was replaced by his son Calvin McIntyre. At the same time the Black Warriors disappeared, and increasing amounts of Blakist personnel began to be sighted on Circinus. The more suspicious locals saw a connection between these events, but resistance to the Blakists was muted due to their role in maintaining the Federation's independence.[17]

Jihad & Destruction[edit]

During the Jihad the Federation was reduced to little more than a Blakist vassal. Devlin Stone's coalition didn't even consider it an independent state.[18] Calvin McIntyre proved to be a popular president due to the resources his Word of Blake allies were willing to invest in the Federation, but also a totalitarian one. It was widely rumored that dissidents were subjected to illegal experimentation, while the McIntyre House Guards were recorded massacring entire towns that dared resist the President. Calvin provided citizens with basic municipal amenities for the first time, which helped the Circinians tolerate his turning Blakism into the state religion.[19]

In 3069, massive rebellions broke out in the Lothian and Illyrian provinces of the Marian Hegemony. The Caesar became convinced that the rebels were being supported by the Blakists within the Circinian Federation. Raids against the Federation's worlds of Clayborne II and Zorn's Keep produced no measurable weakening of the rebellions, however, and Winfield's Regiment was almost entirely destroyed when it attempted an attack on Circinus. A force of Manei Domini raided Blantleff in August 3070, seemingly coming to the defense of their Circinian allies. Undeterred, Julius planned a second full-scale invasion of the Federation in 3071.[20]

The Marian Hegemony's continued hostility to the Circinians during the Jihad resulted in the Blakists attacking their capital of Alphard with nuclear weapons.[21] This attack wiped out most of the Hegemony's government, and Caesar Julius' plans of conquering the Federation died with him.[20][22] The Marians instead suffered a major Circinian offensive, but despite their chain of command being decapitated the Marian Legions were able to rally and fight the Circinians to a standstill. The rise of a new Caesar, Cassius O'Reilly, enabled the Hegemony to rally and push the Federation back across the border, though Blantleff and Maximillian were lost. Federation troops during this conflict increasingly sported cybernetic implants and resorted to suicide or terror tactics. There was some evidence Circinian suicide bombers weren't volunteers, but somehow were being controlled remotely.[23]

Circinian troops also launched an offensive into Lyran space in 3075, claiming Khon Kaen and Poulsbo. A joint LCAF-FWLM counterrattack discovered proof from this invasion that the Word of Blake was raising new Shadow Divisions from the Federation's people.[24][25]

In one of their last actions in the Jihad, the Word of Blake subjected the Circinian world of Andiron to a massive orbital bombardment. Their reasons for doing so remain unknown.[26] Shortly thereafter in 3081, forces of the Principality of Regulus finished off both the Circinus Federation and Thomas Marik by bombarding Circinus with salted nuclear weapons. This brought the Jihad, one of the worst wars in human history, to a close.[1]

Politics[edit]

The Federation was, at least theoretically, a representative democracy. No legislative branch of the government existed, but the Central Council, consisting of the planetary governors and president, met on Circinus once a month to vote on law and policy. Smaller settlements and rural regions were governed by local Farmers Unions.[4]

Eventually, however, the Federation declined into a de-facto dictatorship. Democratic backsliding began during President C. J. McIntyre's colonization program. Though the program succeeded in expanding the Federation's territory, many of the colonists (or even ordinary citizens who owed back taxes) found themselves indentured servants owned by the government but rented out to corporate interests or local landowners[4]. When H. R. McIntyre appointed himself the Black Warriors' commanding officer and began intimidating the planetary governors, the transition to dictatorship was complete. The Central Council was reduced to a rubber stamp, the military was under the President's direct control, and although the Farmers Unions could dissent, none of them actually challenged the ruling regime.[27]

President[edit]

The President was the Circinus Federation's head of state. The President was elected once every ten years, but no incumbent President ever failed to secure reelection, and since the Circinians tended to vote for the former President's eldest child the position de-facto served as a hereditary possession of House McIntyre. The President's power was theoretically limited to casting tie-breaking votes in the Federation Central Council, but in practice the President often held substantial influence over the Planetary governors.[12]

Federation Central Council[edit]

The President, Planetary Governors and Commander of the Black Warriors formed the Central Council. Planetary Governors were elected once every five years. The Council met once a month to vote on matters of law and policy. Planetary governors had very little autonomy due to attending the Council forming the bulk of their duties.[12]

Military[edit]

For most of the Federation's history, the entirety of their military needs were met by the Black Warriors. In 3041 the military effectively split in two. The Warriors continued raids & covert operations, while the McIntyre House Guard was created to serve as the nation's defensive force. Despite this, the entire force continued to be referred to as the Black Warriors by the Federation's people.[5]

Ranks & Organization[edit]

Owing to the Black Warriors origins in the Star League Defense Force, the Circinian military maintained SLDF ranks and organization. Due to a lack of formations larger than a regiment, the highest ranking members of the Circinian military were colonels, each of whom reported directly to the Federation President.[5]

Following the split between the Black Warriors and McIntyre House Guards, the Circinian military began to fight in different ways. The Black Warriors usually operated on the scale of companies, with attached combined arms units subordinated to the mech company's Captain. The House Guard usually fought as battalions, and did not integrate their support elements under company-scale command.[5]

Training[edit]

The Circinian military recruited from three main sources; children who inherited their parents war machines, techs or other support personnel who demonstrated ability, and former members of other state or mercenary forces. Recruits and soldiers on refresher training made extensive use of Star League-era training facilities on Circinus. The most promising recruits were sent to the Warriors, where they would undergo secretive and brutal hazing rituals. Recruits the Warriors passed over were sent to the House Guards.[5]

Uniforms & Insignias[edit]

The Black Warriors traditionally operated covertly, and their lack of participation in public functions led to them failing to adopt a consistent uniform. Warriors do not wear the Federation's insignia and instead identified each other via hand signals, black armbands, jolly rodger pins, artwork on their jackets or discreet tattoos celebrating their achievements on raids. In the field, Warriors wore typical flak jackets, cooling vests and other military accoutrements, but often sported the insignias of whatever military they were impersonating at the time.[5]

The House Guards wore a simple, basic field uniform, but developed a more elaborate dress for public ceremonies. The House Guard's dress uniform consisted of black pants and a dark gray shirt over black boots. The Federation's crest was worn on the right hand side of the chest, while House McIntyre's crest, a reaping hook, was worn on the left hand side. Battalion and company insignias were worn on the right shoulder, while various combinations of skulls and crossbones marking rank were worn on the left.[5]

Economy[edit]

The Federation's largest industry was agriculture, with metallic ore and gemstone mining as distant seconds. Several breadbasket worlds proved able to provide the food aid needed to keep the less fertile worlds from starvation and simultaneously export luxury foodstuffs to the Lyran Commonwealth. Circinian worlds were typically metal poor, with Zorn's Keep being the only major exception and the source of most of the Federation's mineral production. Circinus also had rich local supplies of gemstones, despite false rumors that the planet had long since been mined out. Although bordering the Free Worlds League, hard feelings over the occupation of Circinus in the 29th century meant that very little trade existed between these two realms.[28]

Circinian space had very little domestic industry, and was reliant on imports or banditry to supply itself with finished goods. In 3066, it had no known military-industrial complex.[28] The Word of Blake's mech factory on Baltazar III marked the Federation's first significant military production.[16][6]

Society and Culture[edit]

The first Circinians were mercenaries nursing a grudge against the Free Worlds League and refugees fleeing the the Lyran Commonwealth's Alarion Province. These people had several things in common: they were self reliant, used to living far away from centers of power or industry, and had experience starting over from scratch. The alliance of bandits and farmers passed on a legacy of independence, resilience, and an unwillingness to question the source of good fortune that would remain deeply embedded in Circinian culture.[7]

When the Federation began expanding in the 2990s, the population swelled with immigrants seeking their fortunes on the frontier. Many sought out homesteading, prospecting or the criminal underworld, but the most successful colonists created powerful mining corporations or Farmer's Unions. The newcomers ultimately would assimilate into the famous Circinian culture of machismo, a prevailing "tough guy" attitude that despite it's name was far from confined to the male gender.[7]

The most popular entertainments in Circinian space were gambling, hard drinking, and bloodsports, the most famous of which being the MechWarrior games of Zorn's Keep. When Circinians want to express themselves, though, they often turned to music. Circinian life didn't provide many opportunities for other forms of artistic expression, so most citizens learned to play an instrument and carry a tune. Circinian folk ballads, often about the tragedies of life on the rim, were popular in Lyran or Marik space. The Circinians for their part found Spheroid interest in their art confusing, given how little the average citizen of a Successor State could relate to their way of life.[7]

Circinian Justice[edit]

The Circinian legal system was famously participatory and revenge-oriented. Communities either elected or randomly selected a sherrif responsible for law enforcement. Planetary Governors were required ratify the community's choice for the sherrif to be legitimate, but only rarely refused. Sheriffs meted out justice and deputized members of the community as needed to serve as their subordinates. Citizens were legally permitted to shoot first and ask questions later when it came to trespassers on their property unless said trespasser identified themselves as a law enforcement agent or member of the military.[7]

Circinian laws were based off the principle of an eye for an eye. Should a citizen damage another's property, the injured party was allowed to damage theirs. Injury of another citizen could be settled by paying hefty monetary compensation or infliction of an equivalent injury. Murder on the other hand was always a hanging offense in Circinian space. If a crime was committed against a law enforcer or military service person, additional monetary compensation was demanded from the criminal (or, if they've been executed, their family).[7]

Gallery[edit]

  • Emblem of the Circinus Federation, ca. 3059 and prior

  • Circinus Federation MechWarrior Portrait

Historical Map Gallery[edit]

  • Circinus Federation as of 3050

  • Circinus Federation in 3067

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 First Succession War, p. 100: "The Circinus Federation"
  2. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 162
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Field Manual: Periphery, pp. 98–102: "Circinus Federation"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 169: "Government"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 170–171: "Military"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Guide to Covert Ops, p. 97: "Federal Intelligence Command (FIC)"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 172–173: "Society and Culture"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 The Periphery, 2nd Edition, p. 63: "Origins and History"
  9. ↑ Second Succession War, p. 69: "Running on Empty"
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Periphery, 2nd Edition, p. 64: "Palatinate Invasion"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 The Periphery, 2nd Edition, pp. 63–64: "Rising Son"
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 The Periperhy, 2nd Edition, p. 67: "Political Structure"
  13. ↑ Commerce Is All
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 The Peripery, 2nd Edition, pp. 64–66: "On the Defensive"
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Field Manual: Updates, pp. 194–195: "Historical: Brief"
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Field Manual: Updates, p. 197: "The Caesar's War"
  17. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 167–168: "Circinus Federation"
  18. ↑ Field Report: Periphery, p. 1
  19. ↑ Masters and Minions: The Star Corps Dossiers, p. 232: "Calvin McIntyre"
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 197–198: "Warnings of the Word"
  21. ↑ Field Report: Periphery, p.7
  22. ↑ Field Report: Periphery, p.5
  23. ↑ Masters and Minions: The Star Corps Dossiers, p. 198: "Death and Rebirth"
  24. ↑ Masters and Minions: The Star Corps Dossiers, p. 228: "Circinus Federation"
  25. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53
  26. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 61
  27. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 170: "Government"
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 171: "Economy"

Bibliography[edit]

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