Timbuktu Collective

Timbuktu Collective
State Profile
Founding Year June 3148
Capital world: Timbuktu[1]
Controlled system(s): 17 (as of March 3151)[2] [3]
Demonym(s) Timbuktuan[4]
Government
Head of State Duke of Timbuktu[5]
Military
Army Collective Armed Guards (CAG)[4]

The Timbuktu Collective is a protective alliance formed in June 3148 from the merger of the Rim Collection and five worlds from the Lyran Commonwealth's Timbuktu Theater.[6]

History[edit]

Founding[edit]

The Timbuktu Theater was struck by a resurgence in secessionist sentiment among its ruling class in 3133.[7] In 3146 this sentiment spilled into neighbouring Buena Province, which suffered a major rebellion. Renegade Margrave of Timbuktu Diego Widmer justified his attempt at secession by claiming that the Commonwealth was unwilling to protect the region from piracy or the Free Worlds League. Archon Trillian Steiner would dispatch a force that succeeded at putting this rebellion down, but ironically this convinced many that Widmer had been right: the LCAF could spare the forces necessary to defend their region, but had chosen to prioritize other borders instead.[8] Just a few months later on 24 June, 3148, Timbuktu and four neighbouring worlds decided to leave what appeared to be a sinking ship.[4] The secessionists chose to merge with the nearby Rim Collection[6], whose democratic government had long been viewed as a model to emulate by many in the Timbuktu Theater,[9] and form a new Periphery state: the Timbuktu Collective.[6]

Expansion[edit]

The Collective steadily expanded its borders over the next three years. In September 3150 Pocologan and Viborg defected to the Collective. Despite chafing at the loss of more worlds to the separatist state, Archon Trillian Steiner lacked the resources to simultaneously reconquer the Collective and address more dangerous threats to the Commonwealth.[10]

In early January 3151, a pirate band manage to conquer nearby Sapienza, destroying entire cities in the process. The LCAF failed to respond to Sapienza's plight, but a battalion of nearby Timbuktu Guards arrived by the end of the month, offering their support in exchange for Sapienza's annexation. The liberation of Sapienza by the CAG rather than Lyran troops convinced the governments of Firenze and Kladnitsa to defect to Timbuktu three weeks later.[3] The Collective's expansion went uncontested for six months, but in August Margrave Ludwig Steiner dispatched the Buena Volunteers to reverse Timbuktu's expansion. The CAG was able to resist for two months but was ultimately forced to withdraw from all three worlds.[11] Fears that the Commonwealth would continue the offensive and reconquer Timbuktu prompted the Collective's planetary governments to reach out to Clan Sea Fox in pursuit of additional mercenary forces.[5]

Politics[edit]

The Collective is nominally ruled by the Duchess of Timbuktu. Its' government primarily concerns itself with the mutual defense of its member worlds.[5]

Military[edit]

Main article: Collective Armed Guards

The Collective Armed Guards serves as the Collective's regular military. The CAG's first BattleMech unit was formed from the defection of the Florida Timbuktu Theater Militia to Timbuktu,[4] but after the battle of Sapienza the CAG saw a surge in enlistment from within the Collective.[3]

Since the CAG remains too small to adequately garrison the Collectives' territory, the state hires large numbers of mercenaries. The Collective's need for mercenaries is so great that it is even willing to sponsor the creation of new outfits, provided a candidate has demonstrated ability in the arenas of All Dawn and is willing to sign a seven year contract. This program has been unexpectedly successful in recruiting disgruntled Lyran mechwarriors, so in 3152 the Collective is in the midst of expanding it.[12]

Economy[edit]

The Collective's region of space had for centuries been highly dependent on ComStar subsidizing JumpShip traffic in their region for trade and exchange of information. The collapse of ComStar saw most JumpShip captains move on to more profitable regions, leaving the worlds that would become the Collective reliant on the occasional independent or Sea Fox trader. Due to this drop in traffic by 3152 the economy was struggling, and some citizens questioned whether their old way of life would ever return[13].

References[edit]

  1. ↑ BattleTech Universe, p. 174 "The Inner Sphere 3151"
  2. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 102, "Inner Sphere - 3151" (Map)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 IlClan, p. 111, "Further Assimilation"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Shattered Fortress, p. 48, "Timbuktu Collective, Florida TTM Formed"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 ilKhan's Eyes Only, p. 145: "Timbuktu Collective: Biting Off More Than It Can Chew"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shattered Fortress, p. 90, "Dissidents and Breakaway States"
  7. ↑ Era Digest: Dark Age, pp. 6-8: "3133: Maneuvers"
  8. ↑ IlClan, p. 111-112: "Prize or Punishment?"
  9. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p.128: "Democracy Now"
  10. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 91
  11. ↑ ilKhan's Eyes Only, p. 144: "Regaining Confidence"
  12. ↑ Shrapnel: Issue 17, p.137, "The Unknown: Arenas of the Inner Sphere"
  13. ↑ Shrapnel: Issue 14, p. 20, "Voices of the Sphere: ComStar"

Bibliography[edit]

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