War College of Buena

War College of Buena
War College of Buena logo
War College of Buena logo
Academy Information
Location Buena
Founding Year Succession War era
Course Information
Technician ca. 3020s
BattleMech ca. 3020s
Aerospace


A relatively young center of learning, the War College of Buena is a military academy that served the Lyran Commonwealth, Federated Commonwealth and Lyran Alliance.

Officers[edit]

Rank Name Command
War College of Buena
Leutnant-General Ridley Matthews 3067[1]

History[edit]

Founded in 3020 on the Alarion Province world of Buena, the time the War College of Buena originally specialized in technician courses but was also recognized for training MechWarriors. As of 3025, its Kommandant was Leutnant-General Melissa Waverly.[2][3][4]

The War College would benefit immensely from the amalgamation of the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns with the combined militaries pouring in a massive volume of investment that allowed the War College of Buena to expand both its facilities and curriculum greatly, adding an aerospace fighter program and a Davion-style Training Battalion. By the Clan Invasion, though still best known for the quality of its technicians, the War College's MechWarriors and aerospace fighter pilots were also well respected in the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth. Though its graduates lacked the prestige and noble and social ties used by those of the Nagelring or Sanglamore to easily reach the Lyran High Command and other high positions, Buena-trained troops and technicians would form the backbone of the newly-formed Lyran Alliance Armed Forces thanks to their high level of competence.[3][4]

Mostly remaining aloof from the FedCom Civil War, the main event to strike War College during this period was the death of its long-term commanding office Melissa Waverly, the 90-plus old officer having remained in full command of the WCB and her faculties right up until her death, despite repeated demands for her retirement and the fact she had been confined to a wheelchair for many years. Her replacement was Leutnant-General Ridley Matthews.[3][4]

Among its most storied graduates would be Roderick Steiner.

Training[edit]

Buena's technicians are acknowledged as the best produced in the Alliance. Although the academy's only combat programs are for MechWarriors and Aerospace pilots, the technical staff learns to maintain everything from small arms and electrical equipment to BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles, all cadets required to be proficient in multiple technical fields before being allowed to graduate.[3][4]

Practical experience forms a major part of education at the War College of Buena, with each cadet spending six months in the Buena Training Battalion with the unit staging of live-fire exercises on Buena itself as well as anti-pirate missions along the Periphery border.[3][5]

Atmosphere[edit]

Virtually devoid of the "Social Generals" that infest the Lyran military, the War College of Buena is a no-nonsense academy, placing considerable emphasis on practical work and personal development. Its courses are mentally, physically and emotionally challenging, the College's instructors are also harsh and authoritarian, with upperclassmen encouraged to make life difficult for new recruits as well as means of pushing the cadets to the limits to insure they attain their maximum potential. As a result, even with the academy's stringent prescreening of recruits, the dropout rate in the first few weeks can run as high as thirty percent, but those who survive the introductory period almost always graduate on their first attempt.[3]

Buena's school rag is made up of a green and blue checked pattern.[3]

Buena War College Training Battalion[edit]

See the Buena War College Training Battalion page for more detailed information.

As part of the amalgamation of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces into the combined AFFC, the overhaul of training procedures saw War College of Buena encouraged to follow the Davion model and create its own training battalion to ensure more hands-on training for its cadets. Despite the disdain shown to such Training Battalions by the LAAF, the War College prided itself on the practical training opportunities it offered, with each cadet irrespective of final assignment as a warrior or technician serving a six month stint in the training battalion.[5]

References[edit]

  1. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 109
  2. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 126: "Military Forces - Major Military Academies - The War College of Buena"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 38: "New Blood - Military Acadamies - War College of Buena"
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 109: "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces - Major Training Centers - War College of Buena"
  5. 5.0 5.1 Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 122: "Training Units - Buena War College Training Battalion"

Bibliography[edit]