Sarna Challenge 1: Dark Age Era Reading

This challenge (started on 05 June 2021) is to create an essay (i.e., a page not within the usual BattleTechWiki article space) that will help guide readers unfamiliar with the Dark Age Era through that period, in preparation for the ilClan Era. The focus of this essay (which will be featured on the Sarna Main Page and relevant articles) is to chronologize all the products on CGL's Recommended Reading list (and those that are not) for the era, with brief descriptions of how the product advances the timeline or important events, people, technologies, etc., within.

Additionally, using the consensus process, each of these products will be rated as to how important they are to the reader to understand the Dark Age. (To be clear: we're not rating the product, but the importance of its contents to its influence on the Dark Age era.) The categories are:

• Recommended
• Optional
• Unnecessary

This is a group challenge, so early Editors will have the advantage in guiding how it is presented. This challenge is being hosted for collaboration purposes on the Sarna Discord Community, so Editors should check both this challenge's discussion tab and the Discord channel (#wiki-challenge1) prior to making major editorial changes.

The challenge will run until the team of volunteers feel the essay is ready for "prime time", with all material placed between the two broad lines below this statement. Editors, on your keyboards...get set...go!

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Title	Years	Type	Synopsis	Importance
Dark Age Turning Points: Liao	3134	Scenario Pack		Unnecessary (ex)
Ghost War	3132 – 3133	Novel
Call to Arms, A	3133	Novel
Flight of the Falcon	3134	Novel
Target of Opportunity	3135	Novel
Sword of Sedition	3134 - 3135	Novel
Surrender Your Dreams	3135 - 3138	Novel
Masters of War	3136 - 3137	Novel
Rending of Falcons, A	3135 - 3136	Novel
Bonfire of Worlds, A	3139 - 3143	Novel
Forever Faithful	3060 - 3130	Novel	Former Clan Smoke Jaguar Star Colonel Paul Moon and the former Smoke Jaguar Star Captain Trent set aside their feud to preserve what's left of Clan Smoke Jaguar and lead them away from the Clan Homeworlds before the rival Clans absorb what is left of their Clan. This novel shows the exodus of Clan Smoke Jaguar and its transformation into the Fidelis. Significance: This novel adds background on how Clan Smoke Jaguar ended up as special forces of the Republic of the Sphere	Optional
Splinter of Hope, A	3147 - 3148	Novel
Anvil, The	3148	Novella	Clan Jade Falcon Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu is ordered to conquer the Lyran Commonwealth planet Coventry. She receives a strict set of orders from the Jade Falcon Khan Malvina Hazen to force Chistu to fall in line with the Mongol Doctrine. The Lyran defenders are led by General of the Armies Roderick Steiner and General Jasek Kelswa-Steiner. Significance: This novella introduces future Jade Falcon Khan Stephanie Chistu as an opposing force to Khan Malvina Hazen and her use of the Mongol Doctrine.	Optional
Divided We Fall	3149 - 3150	Novella	Clan Wolf Star Captain Marotta Kerensky is sent on a mission to win Wolf's Dragoons support in the upcoming fight for Terra. A century after the original Clan Invasion there are still some members of Wolf's Dragoons who are willing to return to Clan Wolf, this leads to a conflict in the leadership of the mercenary unit. This novella introduces the Dominator Clan BattleMech Significance: This novella adds some background on how Wolf's Dragoons joined in on the invasion of Terra by Clan Wolf.	Optional
Blood of the Isle	3134 - 3135	Novel
Scorpion Jar, The	3134 - 3135	Novel
Fortress Republic	3135	Novel
Wolf Hunters		Novel
Rock of the Republic	3145 - 3149	Novella
Grey Watch Protocol - The Highlander Covenant (series) part 1	3150	Novel
Paid in Blood - The Highlander Covenant (series) part 2	3150	Novel
Honor's Gauntlet	3150 - 3151	Novella
Children of Kerensky	3121 - 3151	Novel	This novel tells the story of how Clan Wolf Khan Alaric Ward and Jade Falcon Khan Malvina Hazen prepared themselves and worked towards fulfilling the ultimate goal of the Clans - conquering Terra and making their Clan become ilClan. It also tells the reader how a way through The Wall was found. Significance: Leads up directly to Hour of the Wolf and introduces many characters featured in Hour of the Wolf.	Recommended
Icons of War	3071 - 3077	Novella	Clan Wolf Khan Vlad Ward orders Elemental warrior Garmen Kerensky to retrieve the body of Aleksandr Kerensky all the while the Wars of Reaving break out in the Clan Homeworlds and Clan Wolf evacuates Clan Space. Significance: This novella adds background on how Clan Wolf managed to get in possession of the McKenna's Pride which is used as Clan Wolf flagship during the events of Hour of the Wolf.	Optional
Hour of the Wolf	3151	Novel	The Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon invade Terra and destroy what remains of the Republic of the Sphere on Terra. After the defeat of the Republic, the Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon hold a Trial of Possession over Terra to determine which Clan has the right to be called "ilClan". Significance: This novel ends the Dark Age and marks the beginning of the ilClan Era.	Recommended
"Grand Theft Agro"	3133	Short Story
"The Running Man"	3098	Short Story
By Temptations and By War	3134	Novel
Fire at Will	3136 - 3138	Novel
The Last Charge	3138	Novel
To Ride the Chimera	3138 - 3139	Novel
Dark Age Turning Points: Vega	3133 - 3137	Scenario Pack
Era Digest: Dark Age	3128 - 3134	Sourcebook
Era Report: 3145	3132 - 3145	Sourcebook
Experimental Technical Readout: Most Wanted		Technical Readout
Experimental Technical Readout: Republic, Volume 1		Technical Readout
Field Manual: 3145	3132 - 3145	Sourcebook
Historical: Wars of the Republic Era	3085 - 3145	Sourcebook
Technical Readout: 3085		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3085 Supplemental		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: Prototypes		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Capellan Confederation		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 The Clans		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3145 Republic of the Sphere		Technical Readout
Technical Readout: 3150		Technical Readout
Shattered Fortress	3146 - 3150	Sourcebook	This sourcebook shows the latest developments and military campaigns in the Inner Sphere towards the end of the Dark Age and the ultimate conquest of Terra by the Clans. It also contains scenarios and profiles for selected units.	Recommended
Redemption Rift	3138 - 3140	Novel	Wolf's Dragoons are once again employed by House Kurita to fight against House Davion, events from Wolves on the Border are referenced frequently.	Optional
Blood Will Tell	3148 - 3149	Novel	Danai Liao-Centrella leads troops of the Capellan Confederation in a campaign against the Republic of the Sphere. At the same time, she needs to learn how to become a leader for the people of the Capellan Confederation beyond her duties as a military officer.	Optional
Iron Dawn Rogue Academy Trilogy Book 1	3150	Novel		Unnecessary
Ghost Hour Rogue Academy Trilogy Book 2	3150	Novel		Unnecessary
Crimson Night Rogue Academy Trilogy Book 3	3150	Novel		Unnecessary
Fortress of Lies	3134	Novel

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