Zion

Zion
← 3135
3151
Zion 3151.svg
Zion nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates15.246 : -83.285[e]
Spectral classF7III[1]
Recharge time178 hours[1]
Recharge station(s)Nadir[1]

The Zion system was home to at least one habitable world, Zion II, and as of June 3152 was located in the Tikonov Commonality of the Capellan Confederation.[2]

System Description[edit]

Zion is located near the Bhaktapur and New Canton systems.

Political Affiliation[edit]

Zion II[edit]

Zion II
Zion Flag.jpg
Astrophysical
System positionSecond[1]
Jump Point distance12.89 days[1]
Moons2 (Talit, Bimah)[1]
Geophysical
Surface gravity1.1[1]
Atmospheric pressureLow (Breathable)[1]
Equatorial temperature51°C (Arid)[1]
Surface water35%[1]
Highest native lifeReptiles[1]
History and Culture
Population925,000,000 (3067)[1]
Government and Infrastructure
Military CommanderMilitary Governor
CapitalBeersheba[38]
HPG ClassB[1]

Planetary History[edit]

Early History[edit]

A contemporary of the nearby world of Liao, by 2202 Zion was importing considerable quantities of cattle, sheep, thoroughbred horses and cattle from Liao, or, as it was known until the death of Elias Liao, Cynthiana.[3] As one of the worlds outside the boundary of the Terran Alliance following the Demarcation Declaration issued in 2240 Zion became an independent world.[4] Zion was one of a number of client states that joined the Capellan Hegemony in the 2280s and 2290s, and along with Asuncion constituted one of the Capellan Hegemony worlds closest to Terra.[5]

Age of War[edit]

Captain-General Allan Marik fought a four-year war between 2366 and 2369 that conquered a number of worlds controlled by the Capellan Confederation, including Andurien, Berenson and Zion. Allan Marik's conquests subsequently became the subject of decades of conflict between the Confederation and the League.[8]

Second Succession War[edit]

In 2832 the Free Worlds League was already at war with the Lyran Commonwealth at the time, but Captain-General Charles Marik felt confident enough that he was prepared to open a second front and attacked the Capellan Confederation.[46] Zion was captured along with the worlds of Berenson and Kyrkbacken by what proved to be a hugely successful Free Worlds League Military offensive led by the Fusiliers of Oriente that struck the Sarna Commonality.[22] In addition to capturing the three significant worlds the FWLM forces also heavily damaged several other Capellan worlds[46] but were unable to capture the worlds of Elnath and Ventabren.[47]

Third Succession War[edit]

In 2910 Zion was struck by the noted Free Worlds League Military Red Rover task force in the culmination of a series of deep penetration raids conducted against the Capellan Confederation from 2901 onward. Red Rover contained units from both the Defenders of Andurien and the Orloff Grenadiers and launched a series of raids targeting key Capellan Confederation Armed Forces supply depots, although the strong reserve forces established by Chancellor Otto Liao stopped the FWLM forces from remaining on any of the Capellan worlds.[24] Having already hit the worlds of Aldebaran, Shensi and Nanking[48] the Red Rover forces captured a fully-laden iceship named the Silver Frost[24][49] in the Buenos Aires system,[24] before then attacking Zion with a multipronged assault that saw the defenders routed from their fortified bases[24][49] in the Gapston mountain range.[24] The CCAF forces were able to tie most of the attackers thanks to Long Tom fire from the Liao fortifications. Mark forces sent eight platoons of Galleon tanks among the attacker forces. The Liao defenders did not consider them a threat and after taking massive damage, the Galleons breached the walled fortress and were able to knocked out several of the Long Tom defending systems. This action was what won the day.[50]

In 2941 agents operating on behalf of Captain-General Samuel Marik convinced Vincente Sian-Marik to sign a treaty with the Free Worlds League transferring his allegiance and those of the worlds he administered to the League. In addition to being the planetary administrator of Kyrkbacken, Ohrensen, Suzano, Ventabren and Zion, Sian-Marik was a distant relative of the Marik line; while the CCAF garrisons on the five worlds didn't try to resist the transfer of worlds, they did engage in widespread scorched-earth operations on each world to inflict as much damage as possible prior to the transfer. As a consequence the acquisition of the five worlds saddled the Free Worlds League with a significant and expensive rebuilding program.[25][48] Given that Sian-Marik's ancestors had fled the Free Worlds League after a failed campaign of terrorism and atrocities conducted against civilians and House Marik in an attempt to secure what they saw as their birthright in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth centuries Vincente was never trusted by Samuel Marik, and the worlds Vincente brought with him, which constituted the Sian-Marik family holdings, were instead carved up to form two new League provinces based out of Ohrensen and Zion.[51]

Clan Invasion Era[edit]

Having lived under Capellan rule in the past, the population of Zion viewed itself facing the prospect of a dynastic union between House Liao and House Marik following the engagement between Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao and Isis Marik. Resentment at the idea boiled over into open rebellion in the mid-3050s, when both Zion and the other worlds of the Zion province erupted in a violent rebellion, which was promptly put down in a bloody campaign waged by FWLM forces. The effects of the rebellion were particularly profoundly felt in the Negbek Desert, where the water pipeline that transported water from Lake Aleppo to the various outlying settlements around the desert was still sundered in several places.[1]

Zion remained under martial law until at least 3067. Engineers were able to repair the pipeline in the Negbeck Desert during the military occupation, and by 3067 the economy had made a surprising recovery, thanks in part to the hands-off approach taken to commercial matters by the military governor, General Géné Ward. Zion was actively trading with both the Federated Suns and with worlds in the Chaos March, and some merchants from the Confederation also traded on Zion, although they kept a low profile and rarely ventured outside enclaves within Beersheba.[1]

The military government had remained in place for so many years because of the ongoing terrorist attacks launched by radicals amongst the population; the radicals lacked popular support, being seen as opportunists rather than as true supporters of Zion's anti-Capellan stance, and the population tolerated the military occupation while the FWLM garrison continued to hunt down terrorist cells.

The Jihad[edit]

In late June 3070, the planetary government and military forces on Zion switched their allegiance to the Word of Blake, bringing the world into the Word of Blake Protectorate; Zion was one of six worlds to declare for the Blakists in the space of a week, pushing the Protectorate into Free Worlds League space.[36]

In 3070, the Third Free Worlds Guards lifted off Zion without orders to launch an attack into Capellan space. As the League dissolved into chaos, Barrett's Fusiliers were told by the planetary government on Zion that as a temporary measure, the Zion government would be assuming control of their contract, and ordered the Fusiliers to secure Asuncion and put down a rebellion on that planet.[52]

The Fusiliers deployed to Asuncion as ordered, and were surprised to find the Sixth Orloff Grenadiers in place and garrisoning the world. The Sixth attempted to block the Fusiliers using their AeroSpace assets, and then walked into an ambush set up by the Fusiliers shortly after the mercenaries landed. The Fusiliers allowed the survivors of the Grenadiers to leave Asuncion, but confiscated their equipment. The Fusiliers then imposed martial law on Asuncion in the name of the Zion government and rebuilt using the seized equipment while waiting for new elections to be held on the world.[52]

Following their retreat from Wasat in 3071, the Blackhearts mercenary unit retreated in secret to Zion, foiling any attempts to track their movements. Under the command of Colonel Glen Stryker the Blackhearts rebuilt and began infiltrating the government and strategic facilities and organizations across Zion. The Blackhearts also began recruiting and training a resistance movement on Zion, based around independent insurgent units that could operate against the Word of Blake and their sympathizers. When Operation SCOUR began in early 3077, Stryker had the insurgency rise up, and between the Blackhearts' infiltration of the fabric of Zion's government and the resistance movement it took just two months for the Word of Blake and their sympathizers to be driven from Zion—or executed, in the case of all those captured.[38]

When forces from the Capellan Confederation later arrived to conquer the planet, the local government claimed to have thrown off the Blakist government. The CCAF forces ignored the claims and attacked, only to find themselves facing a partially active SDS network and fierce defenses.[53]

Military Deployment[edit]

2765[edit]

2786[edit]

  • Sixth "Zion" Lancers[55]

3025[edit]

3038[edit]

3050[edit]

  • Third Free Worlds Guards[58]

3054[edit]

  • Third Free Worlds Guards[59]

3059[edit]

  • Third Free Worlds Guards[60]

3067[edit]

3070[edit]

3079[edit]

3145[edit]

- The unit was at 75% of full strength.

Planetary Locations[edit]

  • Beersheba: planetary capital[1]
  • Gapston[50]
  • Lake Aleppo[1]
  • Negbek Desert[1]

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 72 systems (70 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Bhaktapur 10.4 New Canton 12.5 Manennaia 13.9 Belluevue 15.6
Kyrkbacken 16.2 Saiph 18.6 Snailzar 19.0 Menkalinan 19.8
Zurich 20.7 Asuncion 20.9 Aldebaran 21.2 Tall Trees 22.0
Cynthiana 24.1 Kristiandsund 24.4 Gan Singh 26.6 Styk 30.4
Hsien 30.5 Suzano 30.7 Ilmachna 31.3 Berenson 31.4
Sichuan 32.2 Nanking 32.4 Myrvoll 33.3 Genoa 33.5
Chisholm 35.1 Mandal 36.4 Pleione 36.4 Second Try 37.7
Bernardo 38.2 Jilin 38.2 Shensi 39.6 Ibstock 40.7
Bex 40.9 Ventabren 41.8 Arboris 42.3 Ningpo 42.4
Capolla 42.5 Elnath 44.1 Tsitsang 44.6 Yunnah 45.3
Wasat 45.4 Poznan 47.3 Hall 48.8 Ohrensen 49.7
Azha 49.9 Terra Firma 50.2 Acamar 50.9 Hamilton 51.0
Blue Sava 51.3 Outreach 51.9 Algol 52.0 Park Place 52.6
Slocum 52.9 Corey 53.3 St. Andre 53.3 Brownsville 54.2
New Aragon 54.5 Palos 54.5 Woodstock 54.8 Shui-pào 55.9
Buchlau 56.7 Phact 56.8 Achilles 57.1 Hunan 57.4
Kansu 57.5 Halloran 58.0 Wazan 58.2 Augustine 59.3
Ulan Bator 59.8 Old Kentucky 59.9 Second Chance 60.1 Bharat 60.3

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Handbook: House Marik, p. 73: "Zion" planet profile
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 IlKhan's Eyes Only, pp. 170–171: "Inner Sphere - 3152" (Map)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 8: "New Beginnings"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 16: "Free Worlds League Founding - [2271] Map"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 14: "Seeds of Destruction"
  6. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 17: "Capellan Confederation Founding - [2366] Map"
  7. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 13: "Timeline: Capellan Zone 2367"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 17: "Timeline: Ancient History"
  9. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 25: "Capellan Confederation after Age of War - [2571] Map"
  10. ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 159: "Inner Sphere - [2596] Map"
  11. ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 37: "Inner Sphere - [2750] Map"
  12. ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  13. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [2765] Map"
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 138: "Operation LIBERATION Wave 1 [July 2772 - December 2774]"
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, p. 118: "Digesting The Hegemony"
  16. ↑ First Succession War, p. 25: "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
  17. ↑ First Succession War, p. 95: "Federated Suns Counteroffensives 2801–2818"
  18. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 31: "Capellan Confederation after First Succession War - [2822] Map"
  19. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  20. ↑ First Succession War, p. 113: "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
  21. ↑ Second Succession War, pp. 18–19: "Inner Sphere - 2830"
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 32: "At War With ComStar"
  23. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 39: "Capellan Confederation after Second Succession War - [2864] Map"
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 39: "The Great Compromiser"
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 41: "Reign of Samuel Marik"
  26. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 40: "Capellan Confederation after Third Succession War - [3025] Map"
  27. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 49: "Capellan Confederation after Fourth Succession War - [3030] Map"
  28. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 132: "Inner Sphere - [3040] Map"
  29. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 10: Inner Sphere - [3050] Map
  30. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 22: Inner Sphere - [3052] Map
  31. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 10: Inner Sphere - [3057] Map
  32. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 60: "Capellan Confederation after Operation Guerrero - [3058] Map"
  33. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 29: "Inner Sphere - [3063] Map"
  34. ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 68: "Capellan Confederation after FedCom Civil War - [3067] Map"
  35. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 43: "Inner Sphere - [3067] Map"
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 48: "The Jihad In Review"
  37. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 64: "Inner Sphere - [3075] Map"
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 45: "Zion Freed"
  39. ↑ Field Report: FWLM, p. 17: "Free Worlds League Military Deployment Map - [August 3079]"
  40. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63: "Inner Sphere - [3081] Map"
  41. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [3085] Map"
  42. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 11: "Inner Sphere - [3135] Map"
  43. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 39: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  44. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. VI: "Inner Sphere - [3145] Map"
  45. ↑ Shattered Fortress, pp. 102–103: "Inner Sphere - 3151" (Map)
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 36: "Second Succession War"
  47. ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 39: "Timeline: Second Succession War"
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 43: "Timeline: Third Succession War"
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 41: "Third Succession War"
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Technical Readout 3025, p. 182: "GAL-100 GALLEON LIGHT TANK"
  51. ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 14: "Sian-Marik: Born Killers"
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 29: "Barrett's Fusiliers"
  53. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 58: "The Jihad in Review"
  54. ↑ Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 12: "Regimental Status"
  55. ↑ First Succession War, p. 136: "First Succession War Deployment Table - CCAF"
  56. ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 108: "Unit Deployment Table"
  57. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 140: "Deployment Table"
  58. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 56: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  59. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 37: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  60. ↑ Field Manual: Free Worlds League, p. 110: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  61. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 159: "Free Worlds League Deployment Table"
  62. ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental, p. 69: "Mercenary Employment Table"
  63. ↑ Field Report: FWLM, p. 14: "Regimental Status"
  64. ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 47: "Capellan Confederation Armed Forces Deployment Table - 3145"

Bibliography[edit]

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