Wheel


Wheel
← 3135
3151
Wheel 3151.svg
Wheel nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates−30.512 : 264.911[e]
Star namesValdis[1]
Spectral classK0[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith (Wheel station)[1]
Planet(s)2[1]

The Wheel system was home to at least one habitable world or construct and as of June 3152 was located in the Clan Hell's Horses Occupation Zone.[2]

System Description[edit]

The Wheel system is located near the Perrot and Rastaban systems and is Coreward from Terra. The system contains two planets and three asteroid belts orbiting a K0 class sun. The asteroid belts are littered with heavy mining operations.[3][4]

System History[edit]

The Wheel system was originally settled by the Metals of the Earth corporation who started up the first mining operation in the system at sometime during the 24th Century. However, the system would not show up on most star charts until the Star League era.[5][3]

Apocryphal Content Starts

The information after this notice comes from apocryphal sources; the canonicity of such information is uncertain.
Please view the reference page for information regarding their canonicity.

A rather detailed apocryphal description of the Wheel system was published in BattleTechnology, Issue #0201, pages 5–7, as part of that magazine's "Worldbook" series. According to this article, the system's actual name is Valdis, Catalog #NSC D 4-983-873. It is named "Wheel" after the massive recharge station and habitat at its zenith jump point (featuring a vast, wheel-shaped 460 meter diameter grav deck around its needle-shaped core) that also serves as administrative and government center for the system, and as a free port. The station also houses the system's Class B HPG.

The system was settled no later than 2403, when a base was established on the large asteroid Rikerstrike, though independent asteroid miners may have been active in the system even before that. Rikerstrike has stores as well as port and recreation facilities at Rikerstown and Joyport.

The planet Valdis I ("Rock") features ore mining (especially titanium), a local administrative center named Port Red, and the Red Alpha and Red Beta storage facilities. It has a surface gravity of 0.988 g, but only a trace atmosphere of inert gases.

The inhospitable planet Valdis II ("Giant" or "Hard Place") features the Valdis II Orbital facility for gas and ice mining, water processing and hydrocarbon extraction.

The population given was 2,400, though that probably refers to Wheel station only.

Apocryphal Content Ends

Political Affiliation[edit]

Wheel Station[edit]

Wheel
Government and Infrastructure
CapitalHub[15]
HPG ClassClass B[34]

Description[edit]

The station that gives the system it's name originally started out as a standard recharge station near the zenith jump point. However, over the centuries during the reign of the Star League the station was expanded and became a technological marvel unlike anywhere else in the Inner Sphere. Its slender body, while still maintaining its solar sails for recharging JumpShips, became the central support to a ring structure nearly 1.5 kilometers in diameter connected via two "spokes". The ring rotates around the central body to create 0.8 G via centrifugal force. In its heyday, tens of thousands lived within the ring structure under a transparent ceiling, but that number was reduced to a few thousand by the time of the 4th Succession War. Though the inhabited areas still boasted a large park area with a lake and small VTOLs could fly within the enclosed the space.[34]

The central hub of Wheel Station is simple called the Hub and it serves as the capital city of the entire system. The populated area of the rim is called Wheel City. As the station is a transit hub for traders and various organizations, there is a high transient population. While the station is garrisoned with various troops, the very nature of the Wheel precludes heavy combat. A stray shot could puncture the ring and the life support system for thousands could be destroyed and never replaced.[34]

Station History[edit]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

In July 3028, an explosion in the capital city, Hub, resulted in the death of one of Chancellor Takashi Kurita's concubines. Although the explosion was actually the result of a bomb planted by the Tyr resistance movement, investigations pointed at the local garrison forces. When the investigators failed to identify a guilty party, Takashi Kurita was sufficiently angry that he had the entire garrison redeployed to Luthien so that the Internal Security Force director, Subhash Indrahar, could personally interrogate the soldiers until the truth was uncovered. With the militia infantry and armor regiments away undergoing investigation, the garrison of the entire Wheel system was reduced to ten militia infantry regiments populated by aging grandparents and their grandchildren, six Sholagar aerospace fighters piloted by amateurs and a single mercenary command, the Tooth of Ymir, commanded by Colonel Davis Heller.[15]

Military Deployment[edit]

3025[edit]

3028[edit]

Station Locations[edit]

  • Hub: system capital and civilian admin center[15]
  • Wheel City: residential area on the rim of Wheel Station where the military/security centers of the system are located.[34]

Companies and Industries[edit]

Valdis I (Rock)[edit]

Rock
Astrophysical
Also known asValdis I
Government and Infrastructure
Political LeaderPlanetary Chairman
Military CommanderMilitary Governor

Description[edit]

The Rock is a crater-scarred world with no atmosphere nor indigenous life. Its day measures about 30 hours and temperatures reach 150 degrees Celsius during the day and negative 50 at night. Inhabited areas are environmentally sealed locations centered on mining operations.[36]

Planetary History[edit]

Fourth Succession War[edit]

When the Fourth Succession War erupted in August 3028, the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces assigned the invasion of the Wheel system to Hansen's Roughriders and the First Narhal Raiders, two mercenary units commanded by Colonel Gerhardt Hansen and Leutnant-General William Matthews respectively, accompanied by a number of armor and infantry regiments. Aware of his predicament after many of this troops were recalled to Luthien after the terrorist bombing on Wheel Station, Colonel Heller contacted the inbound task force and explained his situation while also requesting that the battle for the Wheel system be conducted "with the old rules - 'Mechs against 'Mechs, warriors against warriors. Thus letting honor among professionals save the lives of the innocents."[15]

Hansen and Matthews accepted the offer immediately, and instructed their supporting forces to stay in their drop zones. The two mercenary commands then fought against the Tooth of Ymir for three days in a region of Valdis I known locally as Red Desert Flats. By the time the Raiders and Roughriders had managed to surround the Tooth of Ymir, the Tooth had lost a battalion of 'Mechs. A swiftly arranged ceasefire and conference ended with Colonel Heller's agreement to leave the Wheel system. Following the departure of the Tooth of Ymir the Lyran forces took control of Wheel.[15]

Clan Invasion[edit]

In late December 3051, the Wheel system was invaded by Clan Wolf as part of the Fifth Wave of Operation REVIVAL. The Gurbeng Garrison Cluster confronted the First Wheel Mechanized Militia and the Free Wheelers, a corporate regiment composed of two light 'Mech companies, at Ryonna, Caderton and Vinckin. While both the militia and corporate formations were actually better trained than other similar garrison forces, they failed utterly to coordinate their actions, even when defending the same defensive line. This disorganization allowed the second-line Clan forces to defeat them easily and secure the planet for Clan Wolf.[20]

Dark Age[edit]

Wheel remained under Wolf rule until that Clan abandoned its Occupation Zone in 3137, after which the planet was annexed by Clan Jade Falcon.[29] [30]

ilClan Era[edit]

Stripped of a proper garrison when the Falcon touman departed for its assault on Terra, Wheel's paramilitary police was easily swept aside in early 3151 when Clan Hell's Horses took the system during Operation STAMPEDE.[33]

Military Deployment[edit]

3025[edit]

3028[edit]

  • Ten militia infantry regiments[15]
  • Six Sholagar aerospace fighters[15]

3051[edit]

3079[edit]

3085[edit]

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Alfa: major mining installation[36]
  • Beta: major mining installation[36]
  • Caderton: site of a battle during the Clan Invasion[20]
  • Port Red: inhabited area and only location on world with DropShip facilities.[36]
  • Red Desert Flats: this is the local name for a region formed from the floor of a dormant volcano on Valdis I[15]
  • Ryonna: site of a battle during the Clan Invasion[20]
  • Vinckin: site of a battle during the Clan Invasion[20]

Valdis II (Hard Place)[edit]

Hard Place
Astrophysical
Also known asValdis II

Description[edit]

Valdis II is a gas giant with multiple gas and ice mining operations centered on the Valdis II Orbital Complex.[4]

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 52 systems (49 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Rastaban 3.7 Perrot 4.9 Suk 8.9 Bessarabia 12.9
Thun 13.7 Biota 15.7 Hyperion 16.5 Domain 16.9
Hainfeld 17.4 Galuzzo 20.5 Kobe 22.7 Karston 23.5
Maestu 24.5 Cusset 26.7 La Grave 27.3 Volders 27.6
Montmarault 28.7 Carse 29.8 Quarell 32.3 Thannhausen 34.9
Orkney 35.0 Heiligendreuz 36.2 Satalice 36.7 Weingarten 37.1
Shardayne 39.3 Laurent 40.4 Benfled 42.6 Diosd 44.4
Lamar 45.3 Jabuka 45.5 Tomans 47.3 Lothan 48.8
Colmar 49.5 Gunzburg 49.8 Sevren 50.3 Nox 50.4
Crimond 51.2 Ramsau 52.1 Tamar 52.2 Rasalgethi 53.9
Moritz 54.6 Skandia 54.9 Ballynure 54.9 Fort Loudon 55.9
Dompaire 56.5 Memmingen 57.2 Skokie 58.7 Ueda 59.3
Sudeten 59.5 Altenmarkt 60.4 Tukayyid 60.4 Utrecht 61.1

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 BattleTechnology #0201, pp. 5–7
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tamar Rising, p. 72: "The Hinterlands June 3152" (Map)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Era Report: 2750, p. 37: "Inner Sphere - [2750] Map"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Rock and a Hard Place, Chapter 7
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Rock and a Hard Place, Chapter 9
  6. ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. xi: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  7. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 10: "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  8. ↑ First Succession War, pp. 24–25: "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  9. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 36: "Lyran Commonwealth after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  10. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  11. ↑ First Succession War, pp. 112–113: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  12. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 40: "Lyran Commonwealth after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  13. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 47: "Lyran Commonwealth after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  14. ↑ House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), foldout: "Draconis Combine Map - [3025]"
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 48: "Wheel"
  16. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 56: "Lyran Commonwealth after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  17. ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 103: "Free Rasalhague Republic map 3034"
  18. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 132: "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  19. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3050] Map"
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Wolf Clan Sourcebook, p. 67
  21. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 23: "Inner Sphere - [3052] Map"
  22. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3057] Map"
  23. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 29: "Inner Sphere - [3063] Map"
  24. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 43: "Inner Sphere - [3067] Map"
  25. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 65: "Inner Sphere - [3075] Map"
  26. ↑ Field Report: Clans, p. 27: "Clan Wolf/Clan Hell's Horses Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  27. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63: "Inner Sphere - [3081] Map"
  28. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [3085] Map"
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3135] Map"
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 39: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  31. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  32. ↑ Shattered Fortress, pp. 102–103: "Inner Sphere - [3151] Map"
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Tamar Rising, p. 58
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 A Rock and a Hard Place
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 135: "Unit Deployment Table"
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 A Rock and a Hard Place, Chapter 8
  37. ↑ Field Report: Clans, p. 21: "Clan Wolf Deployment Status"
  38. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 126: "Deployment Table - 3085"

Bibliography[edit]

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