Solaris
- This article is about the Solaris system. For the boxed set for duelling on Solaris VII or for the Solaris Games as such, see Solaris VII: The Game World and Solaris Games.
This article needs to be updated with material from First Succession War (Source Book). Once these titles clear the Moratorium period, or if they already have, please consider revisiting this article and updating it with the new material. |
Solaris | |
---|---|
← 3135 3151 | |
System Information | |
X:Y Coordinates | -122.31 : -7.02[e] |
Spectral class | K1V[1] |
Recharge time | 185 hours[1] |
Recharge station(s) | Zenith/Nadir[1] |
Planet(s) | 12[2] |
Contents
Overview
Solaris is a system on the Lyran border to the Free Worlds League. The system contains twelve planets of which two are inhabited, and a two more planets with a poisonous atmosphere.[2]
- Solaris IV is an airless planet with an extensive but not very profitable mining colony. The world's only inhabitants are the miners and the few others maintaining services in the planet.[3][2]
- Solaris VII a terran size planet that is famous throughout the whole Inner Sphere for its BattleMech fights, which are operated there as a sport in the Solaris Games.[3]
The Gaming World
- see also: Solaris Games
Solaris VII is known across the galaxy for its 'Mech fights. Gamblers place exorbitant amounts of money on longshot bets, and fortunes are won and lost daily. Solaris City, in particular, hosts six major arenas and numerous MechWarrior stables. Every year there is a Grand Tournament, which culminates with the naming of the year’s champion (notable champions include Gray Noton and Kai Allard-Liao). However, the games were all but suspended following the breakout of inter-House hostilities within Solaris City in 3063, resulting in numerous casualties and precipitating the FedCom Civil War.
Template:InfoBoxPlanetStandard
Geography
Solaris VII is the largest planet in the system and is a rainy, water-rich world consisting only of two continents:
- Greyland, which is heavily populated, owns large lakes and wide rivers. It features a vast taiga in the north and open grassland in the south, separated by large coniferous forests in the middle. The climate in the center of the continent, the location of Solaris City, is wet and cool. The rainy season there lasts almost all year in contrast to the temperate climate of the south coast.
- Equatus, the second continent, is dry and mountainous.
Solaris VII has several cities and town, though the most known is the capital of the planet. Some of the cities and towns of Solaris are:
- Solaris City, home to the most known arenas in the world.
- Chiba is seacoast town in the same continent as Solaris City.[4]
- The town of Mitchell is located southeast of Solaris City.[5]
- The town of Nowhere has a small 'Mech arena and sponsors its own games between local MechWarriors.[6] The town also sponsors Exoskeleton matches (Class 1).[7]
- The town of Sophia has a small 'Mech arena and sponsors its own games between local MechWarriors.[6]
- The town of Vacaville has a small 'Mech arena on its edge consisting of a 100-meter-square clearing.[6]
- The city of Aerlan holds Clio Lane, the Overlord Stables training facility.[8]
- The city of Xandria[9]
Local Fauna
History
Early Time
Solaris VII has always been a highly industrialized world and, as such, was a natural choice for BattleMech factories and testing areas. At the time of the Star League, competing BattleMech manufacturers began to let their new models fight each other in front of highly-placed Star League representatives to encourage the purchase of the 'Mechs; the first fight took place between a Phoenix Hawk and a Sentinel in 2695. It was not long until the Events were broadcast on the planet and bets were placed on the outcomes of the fighting in a serious way. Mercenaries used Solaris as a training ground and the Gunslingers and Ronin used the world as a neutral place for their bitter fighting during the First Hidden War. The popularity of the fighting grew steadily and, at the time of the Amaris Coup, Solaris was already famous for its duels, some of them shown around the Inner Sphere.
The Succession Wars
Originally a world of the Free Worlds League, the planet suffered in the early throes of the Succession Wars. At the outbreak of fighting, Solaris turned to the Lyran Commonwealth during the First Succession War. However, a Marik fleet in retaliation bombed the planet with nuclear weapons.[11] In the subsequent Succession Wars Solaris also suffered severe devastation, including the near-destruction of Blue Shot Weapons in 2998 when FWL used the 4th Marik Militia first attacked the International Zone and then retreated to Roland Fields.[12]
In 3002 the LCAF struck down a major Marik offensive on Solaris. [13] The attack was stopped easily by the LCAF. Loki sabotaged one of the Marik Dropships crippling a Battalion of 'Mechs while the rest of the defenders easily isolated the rest of the invading force. The only successo of the fight was by change, where two Lances destroyed some small factories in Xolara.[12]
The duels on Solaris suffered from this only in the beginning because of the lack of idle MechWarriors due to the wars. Until 2800 the world had recovered from the stagnation again, mainly because the concept to build five BattleMech arenas in Solaris City, each of them representing one of the Great Houses, in which the Warriors of the Successor States should fight for the honor of their nation. Leading to the first real Solaris Championship in 2812. Since then, the championship is held every year.
Fourth Succession War
In October 3028 the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces repositioned a number of frontline units as the Free Worlds League Military launched Operation Dagger. One of the units repositioned were the Thirty-second Lyran Guards, who were relocated to Zaniah, leaving Solaris guarded by the Tenth Skye Rangers. The LCAF strategic intent wasn't to prevent a League invasion, but rather to make invading forces pay more dearly for any gains and slow the progress of any breakthrough.[14]
Solaris Riots
Just prior to the outbreak of the FedCom Civil War in 15 August 3062, friction between Davion- & Lyran-Loyalists heated into city wide riot in streets of Solaris City. ComStar garrison forces had been transferred off the planet at command of the LAAF Archon.
The FedSuns-aligned Solaris citizens and MechWarriors formed alliances to fend off with the Archon-Princess Katrina Steiner-Davion loyal Stables. These group formed after the two factions' quasi-champions Michael Searcy & Victor Vandergriff fought their championship match in the Steiner Stadium, which spilled over into the streets. The factions made an alliance between stables and cooperatives forming makeshift battalions fighting through the city. LAAF Peacekeepers, 32nd Lyran Guards,[15][16] failed to contain the fighting (with their commanding officer dead) and were consolidated with Steiner Loyalist forces. It was not until champions Searny and Vandgriff fought yet again in the darkened ruins of the Steiner Stadium did the initial fighting end in their mutual annihilation of each other.
Fighting between the two factions briefly ended, however the fighting would continue occasionally for several more years.[17] LAAF High Command later dispatched the 17th Arcturan Guards to reinforce the peace and also to keep the fighting from flaring up.[18]
Jihad
The Word of Blake invaded Solaris suddenly on the 16th of June 3068, taking advantage of both the chaos caused by the war between the Free Worlds League and the Skye and Bolan Provinces of the Lyran Alliance, as well as the absence of the Com Guards detachment previously assigned to Solaris but which had been recalled to take part in the disastrous Case White operation.[19][20] The Blakists referred to the invasion as Operation SHOWTIME,[21] and while the Word of Blake forces initially managed to escape being identified, the sheer number of free agents and stables on Solaris quickly led to an underground resistance movement[19] which came to be known as the "Solaris Home Defense League".[22]
Following the occupation of Solaris the Solaris Home Defense League engaged in months of low-level resistance.[23] Initially, the resistance suffered from a lack of resources - particularly ammunition, weaponry and the transport capabilities to move either ammunition or weapons. In June 3070 the resistance used a number of Savior Repair Vehicles as transport vehicles to move several platoons of infantry and Dispossessed MechWarriors into position to launch raids on a number of Blakist supply caches located throughout the International Zone. Having captured important quantities of ammunition, parts and BattleMechs, the resistance then used the Saviors to move the supplies out of Blakist territory. Although two Saviors were hit badly enough by Blakist infantry to trigger internal ammunition explosions, the CASE systems aboard the vessels protected both the embarked resistance fighters and much of the supplies.[21] The local yakuza families came to an agreement with the SHDL to provide equipment and ammunition.[24][25]
The level of resistance activity changed dramatically on the 3rd of May 3071, when Home Defense League forces launched a daring assault on Solaris City itself, securing the International Zone. This was just the beginning of a campaign to recapture the entire city, and the Home Defense League managed to push the defending Blakist forces out of Solaris City by the 11th of June, although not before the planetary HPG had been destroyed by the retreating Blakists.[23][26]
In August 3071, the Word of Blake forces launched a blitzkrieg-style assault on the International Zone, reclaiming control of the zone on the 17th. It took until the 15th of October for the Solaris Home Defense League to push the Word of Blake forces back out of the city and into the Reaches.[27][28][29][26] The Word of Blake forces would finally concede control of Solaris and leave the world on the 11th of December 3071.[29][30][31]
Post-Jihad Era
In 3079 only one company on Solaris was capable of continuing to design and build anything other than RetroTech 'Mechs; the Vining Engineering and Salvage Team. Based out of the city of Xolara on Greyland, Vining were busily recruiting experienced and skilled personnel from other firms as the Jihad drew to a close.[1]
While the bulk of the Lyran Alliance's Skye Province joined the Republic of the Sphere shortly after the signing of the Republic Formation Treaty, the Lyran government insisted on retaining Solaris within the Alliance. Despite the nearly total devastation of Solaris' military industrial base, the Lyran government was loathe to interfere with the fact that the industry rebuilding on Solaris in the wake of the Jihad focused on supplying the arenas; the arenas were enough of a financial boon to render them the preeminent Lyran interest, even ahead of the military production.[32]
Military Deployment
2786
3025
3028
3038
- Thirty-second Lyran Guards[37]
3050
- Thirty-second Lyran Guards RCT[38]
- Fifty-sixth Division of the ComGuard[39]
3054
- Thirty-second Lyran Guards RCT[40]
3062
- Fifty-sixth Division[41]
3067
- Fifty-sixth Division[42]
3079
- - At this point in time the Third Lyran Guards were deployed across Solaris and Rahne. The 3rd was at 75% of full strength, with 90% of their equipment featuring upgraded technology. The 3rd Lyran Guards preferred to avoid Solaris City and the chaos that surrounded it, instead camping and patrolling on the more sparsely-populated Equatus continent.
- Planetary Militia[1]
- - The Planetary Militia was still rebuilding at this point, and was formed from a mix of surviving members of the pre-Jihad Solaran security forces and elements of the Solaris Home Defense League which formed the bulk of the resistance to the Word of Blake. The Planetary Militia had the unenviable task of patrolling and securing the badly damaged Solaris City and surrounding areas as reconstruction efforts continued.[1]
3085
3145
Industrial Centers
- Doctor Géné Lyndon
- Blue Shot Weapons
- Innovative Design Concepts
- Norse-Storm Technologies Incorporated
- O'Neil BattleMechs
- Omnitech Industries
- Silver Wyrm, Ltd.
- Solaris Arms
- Vining Engineering and Salvage Team[1]
- Snorkel's[46]
- Warner Mechwarrior Academy[47]
- Barrymore Munitions[48]
- Rakker's Machine Shop[49]
- Ryder's Modifications[50]
- Matani's 'Mechs[51]
- Kramer's Parts and Machinery[52]
Political Affiliation
- 2271 - Inhabited world [53]
- 2341 - Inhabited world [54]
- 2571 - Free Worlds League [55]
- 2596 - Free Worlds League [56]
- 2750 - Free Worlds League [57]
- 2765 - Free Worlds League [58]
- 2786 - Free Worlds League [59]
- 2822 - Lyran Commonwealth [60]
- 2864 - Lyran Commonwealth[citation needed]
- 3002 - Free Worlds League [61]
- 3025 - Lyran Commonwealth[citation needed]
- 3030 - Lyran Commonwealth[citation needed]
- 3040 - Federated Commonwealth [62]
- 3052 - Federated Commonwealth[citation needed]
- 3057 - Lyran Alliance[citation needed]
- 3062 - Lyran Alliance[citation needed]
- 3067 - Lyran Alliance[citation needed]
- 3079 - Lyran Alliance [63]
- 3130 - Lyran Commonwealth [64]
- 3135 - Lyran Commonwealth [65]
- 3145 - Wolf Empire [66]
Nearby Planets
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 29, "Solaris VII"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 MechWarrior's Guide to Solaris VII, p. 65 "A brief history of Solaris VII - The system"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Solaris VII: The Game World - Solaris Player's Book, p. 6 "Overview"
- ↑ Solaris VII: The Game World: Game Master book, p. 17 "Fitzhugh Stables"
- ↑ Solaris VII: Box Set - Gamemaster's Book, p. 19 "DeLon Stables"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Solaris VII: Box Set - Gamemaster's Book, p. 12 "Arena Classes"
- ↑ Solaris VII: The Game World - Player's Handbook, p. 21 "Gambling"
- ↑ Solaris VII: The Game World - Game Master book, p. 20 "Overlord Stables"
- ↑ Solaris VII: The Game World - Players book, p. 7 "Greyland MapKey"
- ↑ A Time of War Companion, p. 130, "Advanced Creatures - Vodnik"
- ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 90, "Solaris VII"
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Solaris: The Reaches, pp. 5-6 "History - Rebirth"
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 18, "Timeline Of The Antons Revolt"
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 63, "Overview"
- ↑ FedCom Civil War (Sourcebook), p. 183, "Deployment tables" - Unit status between 3062 & 3064
- ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 83, "32nd Lyran Guards" - Information about the unit failure to keep riots from getting out of control.
- ↑ FedCom Civil War (sourcebook), p. 21, "Brief information on fighting in Solaris in 3062".
- ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 57, "17th Arcturan Guards" - Unit arrival it taking over lead of the garrison on Solaris.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 45, "The Jihad In Review"
- ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 59, 100
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries, p. 24, "Savior Repair Vehicle"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 100
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 16, "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Blood Price
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 71
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Total Chaos, p. 101
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 17, "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 49, "The Jihad In Review"
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 50, "The Jihad In Review"
- ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 20, "Timeline of the Jihad"
- ↑ Total Chaos, p. 102
- ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 85, "Bolan Province"
- ↑ First Succession War (Source Book), p. 138, "First Succession War Deployment Table - FWLM"
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 117, "Unit Deployment Table"
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p.45, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p.44, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
- ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 137, "Deployment Table"
- ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 27, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
- ↑ ComStar (sourcebook), p. 85, "Com Guards Deployment Table"
- ↑ Objective Raids, p. 19, "FedCom Deployment Table"
- ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 126, "ComGuard Deployment Table"
- ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 98, "Com Guards Deployment Table"
- ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 12, "Lyran Guards Regimental Status"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 107, "Deployment Table - 3085"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 171, "Clan Force Deployments - Wolf Empire"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 39 "Snorkel's"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 37, "Warner Mechwarrior Academy"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 34 "Barrymore Munitions Works"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 30 "Rakker's Machine Shop"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 26-27 "Ryder's Modifications"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 24 "Matani's 'Mechs"
- ↑ Solaris: The Reaches, p. 27-29 "Kramer's Parts and Machinery"
- ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 16, "Free Worlds League Founding [2271]"
- ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13,
- ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 24, "Free Worlds League after Age of War [2571] Map"
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 158, "Inner Sphere - 2596"
- ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 37, "Inner Sphere - 2750"
- ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 2765"
- ↑ First Succession War (Source Book), pp. 24-25, "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"
- ↑ First Succession War (Source Book), pp. 112-113, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3025 Revised p.146
- ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 133, "Inner Sphere - 3040"
- ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 19, "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces Deployment Map - August 3079"
- ↑ Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
- ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 10, "Inner Sphere - 3135"
- ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 39, "Inner Sphere - 3145"
Bibliography
- A Time of War Companion
- 20 Year Update
- Blood Price
- ComStar (sourcebook)
- Era Report: 2750
- Era Report: 3145
- FedCom Civil War
- Field Manual: 3145
- Field Manual: ComStar
- Field Manual: 3085
- Field Manual: Lyran Alliance
- Field Manual: Updates
- Field Report: LAAF
- First Succession War
- Handbook: House Marik
- Handbook: House Steiner
- House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)
- Historical: Brush Wars
- Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1
- Historical: Reunification War
- Historical: War of 3039
- Illusions of Victory
- Jihad: Final Reckoning
- Jihad Hot Spots: 3076
- Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
- Mappack: Solaris VII
- NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1
- Objective Raids
- Objectives: Lyran Alliance
- Solaris VII: The Game World
- Technical Readout: 3025 Revised
- Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries
- Total Chaos
- Warrior: En Garde