Difference between revisions of "BattleTech eras"

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[[Catalyst Game Labs]], the current owners of [[BattleTech]], have divided history into eras and sub-eras. The products they release are grouped in this manner.<ref name=bt_eras>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras]</ref>
+
[[Catalyst Game Labs]], the current owners of [[BattleTech]], have divided history into eras and sub-eras. The products they release are grouped in this manner.<ref name=bt_eras>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras]</ref> To reflect how the 1,000 lightyear separation between the Inner Sphere and the Clans renders Inner Sphere-centric era titles meaningless, Catalyst created a concurrent but disparate Clan Homeworlds Era in 2021.<ref name="HF-BTE">''Heretic's Faith (2021 Edition)'': "BattleTech Eras"</ref>
 
 
  
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<div style=display:inline-table>
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:95%; overflow: auto;"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:95%; overflow: auto;"
|- style="font-weight:bold;"  
+
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
 
! Era
 
! Era
 
! Symbol<ref name=bt_eras/>
 
! Symbol<ref name=bt_eras/>
! Sub Era
+
! Chronology
 
! Years
 
! Years
 
! Description
 
! Description
|-
+
|- {{anchor|Pre–Star League}}
| rowspan="2" | Pre-Star League
+
| rowspan="2" | Pre–Star League
 
| rowspan="2" |  
 
| rowspan="2" |  
 
| Pre-Spaceflight
 
| Pre-Spaceflight
 
| Before 1950
 
| Before 1950
| style="text-align:left;" | Earliest era referenced - when humanity only resides on its planet of origin, Terra.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | Earliest era referenced - when humanity only resides on its planet of origin, [[Terra]].
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Early Spaceflight
 
| Early Spaceflight
 
| 1950 – 2005
 
| 1950 – 2005
 
| style="text-align:left;" | Early spaceflight, restricted to the bounds of Sol. Notable events include the [[Cold Wars|Second Cold War]] and reestablished Soviet Union.
 
| style="text-align:left;" | Early spaceflight, restricted to the bounds of Sol. Notable events include the [[Cold Wars|Second Cold War]] and reestablished Soviet Union.
|-
+
|- {{anchor|Age of War}}
| rowspan="2" | [[Star League]]<ref name=sl_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-star-league-2/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Star League]</ref>
+
| rowspan="2" | Star League<ref name=sl_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-star-league-2/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Star League]</ref>
 
| rowspan="2" | [[Image:Star league era-BW.jpg]]
 
| rowspan="2" | [[Image:Star league era-BW.jpg]]
| [[Age of War]]  
+
| [[Age of War (Chronology)]]
 
| [[2005]] – [[2570]]<ref name=sl_era/>
 
| [[2005]] – [[2570]]<ref name=sl_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The age of the [[Terran Alliance]], the fall thereof, the [[Terran Hegemony]] and the [[Ares Conventions]].
+
| style="text-align:left;" | The era of the [[Terran Alliance]], the colonization of the [[Inner Sphere]], the formation of the [[Successor States|Great Houses]], and the [[Age of War]].
  
[[KF Drive]] tech is proven, beginning the [[Terran Exoduses]] in the 22nd century. By the 23rd, unrest sparks the [[Outer Reaches Rebellion]], the Alliance loses, and the [[Demarcation Declaration]] invokes the Second Terran Exodus. The first independent interstellar nations are born, the [[Periphery]] is settled, and an age of consolidation takes hold over the 24th century.
+
[[KF Drive]] tech is introduced, beginning the [[Terran Exoduses|First Terran Exodus]] in the [[twenty-second century]]. In [[2235]] unrest sparks the [[Outer Reaches Rebellion]], the Alliance loses and issues the [[Demarcation Declaration]], setting most colonies free and sparking the Second Terran Exodus. Throughout the [[twenty-third century|twenty-third]] and [[twenty-fourth century|twenty-fourth centuries]] the first independent interstellar nations are founded throughout the Inner Sphere, and the [[Periphery]] is settled.
  
The Alliance would morph into the Hegemony, and many Great Houses are formed. The outbreak of the Age of War itself sweeps the [[Inner Sphere]] in [[2398]].  
+
The Alliance transforms into the more powerful [[Terran Hegemony]] and the Great Houses forge their own empires as neo-feudalism becomes dominant. The Age of War begins in [[2398]] and will last until the [[twenty-sixth century|mid-twenty-sixth century]].
  
The [[Ares Conventions]] would regulate warfare in [[2412]], and in [[2439]] the [[Terran Hegemony]] would assert dominance by fielding the [[BattleMech]] - the [[Mackie]].
+
The [[Ares Conventions]] are introduced in [[2412]] to regulate warfare, and in [[2439]] the Terran Hegemony introduces the [[Mackie]], the first [[BattleMech]] design, revolutionizing warfare.
|-
+
|- {{anchor|Star League}}
| Star League
+
| [[Star League (Chronology)]]
 
| [[2571]] – [[2780]]<ref name=sl_era/>
 
| [[2571]] – [[2780]]<ref name=sl_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The time of the First Star League as established in [[2571]], to the fall of the [[Amaris Empire]] in [[2780]].
+
| style="text-align:left;" | The time of the [[Star League|First Star League]] from its founding in [[2571]] to the fall of the Usurper [[Amaris Empire]] in [[2780]].
  
The [[Reunification War]] is waged, bringing the [[Periphery]] in line, and for nearly two centuries humanity is united under a single banner. Advancements in science and engineering backed by the greatest military in history uphold nearly two centuries of peace and prosperity across all settled worlds. Save for chafing such as the [[First Hidden War]], the [[SLDF]] would rarely see true conflict until the 28th century, during the [[New Vandenberg Uprising|Periphery revolts]].
+
[[House Cameron]] of the Terran Hegemony unifies the other five [[Inner Sphere]] states by [[2571]] and then orchestrates the [[Reunification War]] to bring the recalcitrant [[Periphery]] nations into the union.
  
Then, the [[Amaris Civil War]] would bring the end of everything.
+
For nearly two centuries humanity is united under a single government. Advancements in science and engineering backed by the greatest military in history uphold nearly two centuries of peace and prosperity across all settled worlds. Save for minor conflicts dubbed the [[Hidden Wars]], the [[SLDF]] rarely sees true conflict until [[New Vandenberg Uprising|Periphery revolts]] break out in [[2765]].
|-
+
 
| rowspan="3" | [[Succession Wars]] <ref name=ss_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-succession-wars/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Succession Wars]</ref>
+
These rebellions enable [[Stefan Amaris]] to destroy the Cameron dynasty and seize the Star League throne for himself, resulting in the [[Amaris Civil War]]. Although [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] and his SLDF ultimately defeat Amaris, the Hegemony and Star League are irreparably ruined.
 +
|- {{anchor|Succession Wars}}
 +
| rowspan="3" | Succession Wars<ref name=ss_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-succession-wars/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Succession Wars]</ref>
 
| rowspan="3" | [[Image:Succession wars era-BW.jpg]]
 
| rowspan="3" | [[Image:Succession wars era-BW.jpg]]
| Early Succession Wars
+
| [[Early Succession War (Chronology)]]
 
| [[2781]] – [[2900]]<ref name=ss_era/>
 
| [[2781]] – [[2900]]<ref name=ss_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The collapse of the Star League is followed a few short years later by the beginning of the [[Succession Wars]] - in this timeframe, the [[First Succession War|First]] and [[Second Succession War|Second]].
+
| style="text-align:left;" | The collapse of the Star League is followed by two devastating [[Succession Wars]].
 +
 
 +
Following the Star League's dissolution Kerensky and most of the [[SLDF]] [[Operation EXODUS|leave]] the Inner Sphere in [[2784]]. Within two years the five [[Successor States]] are waging total war (including heavy usage of [[Nuclear Weapons|nuclear weapons]]), each aiming to restore the Star League with its own dynasty at its head. The resulting [[First Succession War|First]] and [[Second Succession War|Second Succession Wars]] span three generations and result in the loss of billions of lives, hundreds of worlds depopulated, and much scientific knowledge lost.
 +
 
 +
[[ComStar]] emerges from the last surviving ministry of the Star League, and by the end of the era has become a quasi-religious order. Establishing itself on [[Terra]] the outwardly neutral order utilizes its monopoly on [[Hyperpulse Generator|interstellar communications]] to manipulate the ongoing wars for its own agenda.
  
The Star League is gone; the [[SLDF]] [[Operation EXODUS|vanishes]] by [[2784]]. Hardly more than half a decade goes by before the [[First Succession War]] begins, and nine years pass before the [[Second Succession War]]. Billions would die between the two conflicts, and generations of knowledge are blown away in in the [[Nuclear Weapons|nuclear fires]] set by all involved factions. The [[Third Succession War]] begins in the latter half of the 29th century lacking much of what had once been known.
+
Beginning in [[2866]], the [[Third Succession War]] reflects the general decay across the Inner Sphere as it is an ongoing state of low-level conflict involving small units and raids rather than large armies and massive offensives.
  
[[ComStar]] emerges as the last surviving ministry of the Star League, and by the end of the era devolves - or perhaps, ''evolves'' - into a pseudo-religious order.
 
 
|-
 
|-
| Late Succession Wars – [[LosTech]]
+
| [[Late Succession War - LosTech (Chronology)]]
 
| [[2901]] – [[3019]]<ref name=ss_era/>
 
| [[2901]] – [[3019]]<ref name=ss_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | With much of the Star League's knowledge blown away on irradiated winds, the [[Third Succession War]] continues.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | With much of the Star League's knowledge gone, the [[Third Succession War]] continues.
  
Advanced technologies have been rendered [[LosTech]], and in contrast to the preceding conflicts the Third Succession War is more of a constant low-intensity conflict - one that spans nearly two centuries. Combat grows more ritualized and medieval amongst 'Mechs, and at times duels are fought between [[MechWarriors]] for the sake of retaining what still worked. Neo-feudal societies arise, and progress stagnates if not decaying further.
+
Advanced technologies have become [[LosTech]], and in contrast to the preceding wars the Third Succession War is a constant low-intensity conflict throughout this period. Combat grows more ritualized and medieval amongst 'Mechs, with duels being fought between [[MechWarrior|MechWarriors]] in an effort to preserve what technology remains.
 
|-
 
|-
| Late Succession Wars – Renaissance
+
| [[Late Succession War - Renaissance (Chronology)]]
 
| [[3020]] – [[3049]]<ref name=ss_era/>
 
| [[3020]] – [[3049]]<ref name=ss_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The [[Third Succession War]] ends, the [[Helm Memory Core]] is rediscovered, and the contents spread across the Inner Sphere, beginning a techno-industrial renaissance.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | The [[Third Succession War]] ends, [[House Steiner-Davion]] becomes the Inner Sphere's most powerful dynasty, and the [[Helm Memory Core]] is rediscovered, beginning a techno-industrial renaissance.
  
Repair of ancient 'Mech tech is not just possible, but a reality for the Great House Militaries, and production is restarted and upswings in the start of a resurgence.
+
The status quo is upended with the marriage of [[Hanse Davion]] and [[Melissa Steiner]] and the resulting union of the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] and the [[Federated Suns]]. In the ensuing [[Fourth Succession War]] the [[Capellan Confederation]] is reduced to a rump state and the [[Draconis Combine]] suffers heavy losses.
  
The ramp-up begins just in time for the marriage of [[Hanse Davion]] and [[Melissa Steiner]] to begin the [[Fourth Succession War]], and solidify the union of the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] and the [[Federated Suns]]. The [[Capellan Confederation]] is crippled for decades to come, and [[Wolf's Dragoons]] are granted the world of [[Outreach]] for their service to the Federated Suns. The nascent [[Federated Commonwealth]] would continue on to hammer the [[Draconis Combine]] in the [[War of 3039]], but the efforts of [[Theodore Kurita]] and [[ComStar]] would stonewall them into a peace treaty.
+
As a result of his nation's defeats [[Theodore Kurita (31st c.)|Theodore Kurita]] reforms the Combine military with ComStar's aid and grants independence to the [[Free Rasalhague Republic]]. His efforts ensure that the nascent [[Federated Commonwealth]] fails to win a similar victory against the Combine in the [[War of 3039]], though it remains the overwhelmingly dominant state in the Inner Sphere. By [[3049]] a Fifth Succession War and/or [[House Steiner-Davion|House Steiner-Davion's]] reestablishment of the Star League seems likely.
  
Nonetheless, the Federated Commonwealth was born, and dominated the Inner Sphere like none since the Star League.
+
The discovery of the [[Helm Memory Core]] in [[3028]], coupled with other scientific efforts, begins a technological renaissance during the next two decades. The Inner Sphere slowly begins climbing back towards Star League-era levels of technology.
|-
+
|- {{anchor|Clan Invasion}}
| [[Clan Invasion]] <ref name=ci_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-clan-invasion/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Clan Invasion]</ref>
+
| Clan Invasion<ref name=ci_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-clan-invasion/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Clan Invasion]</ref>
 
| [[Image:Clan invasion era-BW.jpg]]
 
| [[Image:Clan invasion era-BW.jpg]]
|  
+
| [[Clan Invasion (Chronology)]]
 
| [[3050]] – [[3061]]<ref name=ci_era/>
 
| [[3050]] – [[3061]]<ref name=ci_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | Coreward of the Inner Sphere, a force struck from the [[Deep Periphery]] and carved a path towards [[Terra]].  
+
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Galactic Directions|Coreward]] of the Inner Sphere, a new faction strikes from the [[Deep Periphery]] in early [[3050]] and changes the Inner Sphere forever.
  
Armed with superior technology, superior genetics, and aggressive tactics, they called themselves the [[Clans]]. Their unique [[OmniMech]] designs and [[Elemental]] warriors were unlike anything the Sphere had seen since the Star League Defense Force - and in fact, that was who they once were. Descendants of [[Star League-in-Exile|General Kerensky's exodus forces]], the Clan Invasion was a crusade to the heart of the Sphere that was utlimately put on hold by the [[ComGuard]].
+
With superior weaponry, unique [[OmniMech]] designs, [[Elemental (Battle Armor)|Elemental]] infantry, and warriors [[Trueborn|genetically bred]] for war, the [[Clans]] cut through all opposition. During this [[Operation REVIVAL]] the Draconis Combine and Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth lose many worlds, while the Free Rasalhague Republic is almost subsumed entirely. Eventually these invaders' origins become known: they are the descendants of the [[Star League-in-Exile]] returned to reestablish the Star League.
  
The [[Battle of Tukayyid]] and ensuing [[Truce of Tukayyid|truce]] cost many lives, but bought valuable time.
+
In the climactic [[Battle of Tukayyid (3052)|Battle of Tukayyid]] ComStar's [[Com Guards|military arm]] win a victory and a [[Truce of Tukayyid|truce]] which halts the invaders for fifteen years. The Successor States frantically upgrade their armies for the inevitable hostilities while the Clans seethe at the enforced peace. ComStar undergoes reforms aimed at secularizing the organization, but dissident zealots exile themselves and form the fanatical [[Word of Blake]] in response, later seizing [[Terra]].
  
[[Clan Wolf]] and [[Clan Jade Falcon]] would wage the [[Refusal War]] in the intervening years, resulting in a split clan, an exhausted Jade Falcon - and the [[Jade Falcon Incursion (3058)|Battle of Coventry]]. The [[Second Star League]] was born in the aftermath, [[Operation BULLDOG]] was fought, [[Task Force Serpent]] deployed - and [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]] was annihilated.
+
The next two major conflicts erupt in [[3057]]. [[Clan Wolf]] wages the [[Refusal War]] against [[Clan Jade Falcon]] to prevent a resumption of the invasion. At the same time [[Operation GUERRERO]] results in the [[Free Worlds League]] and [[Capellan Confederation]] reclaiming worlds lost during the Fourth Succession War - and sundering the Federated Commonwealth when [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]] orchestrates the secession of the rechristened [[Lyran Alliance]].
  
The [[Great Refusal]] was then fought and won by the second SLDF, and the Inner Sphere had reestablished a technical knowledge base approximate of the First Star League.
+
The [[Jade Falcon Incursion (3058)|Battle of Coventry]] in 3058 leads to the Successor States forging the [[Second Star League]], with the express purpose of ending the Clan Invasion. They accomplish this when [[Operation BULLDOG]] and [[Task Force Serpent]] conclude with the annihilation of [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]]. After the reborn SLDF wins the [[Great Refusal]], the other Clans agree to end the invasion permanently.
|-
+
 
| [[FedCom Civil War|Civil War]] <ref name=cw_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-civil-war/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Civil War]</ref>
+
|- {{anchor|Civil War}}
 +
| Civil War <ref name=cw_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-civil-war/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Civil War]</ref>
 
| [[Image:Civil war era-BW.jpg]]
 
| [[Image:Civil war era-BW.jpg]]
|  
+
| [[Civil War (Chronology)]]
 
| [[3062]] – [[3067]]<ref name=cw_era/>
 
| [[3062]] – [[3067]]<ref name=cw_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | While the [[Great Refusal]] ended the Clan Invasion, the following era would see the Inner Sphere fall on old habits.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | While the Clan threat is ended, the new Star League does not herald a new era of peace but several wars within the Inner Sphere itself.
  
In the wake of [[Operation GUERRERO]],  the [[Lyran Alliance]] seceded from the [[Federated Commonwealth]]. Formerly supported by the FedCom, the [[St. Ives Compact]] was weakened by the fracturing of their allied state. Exploiting the shift in power, First Lord [[Sun-Tzu Liao]] would instigate the [[Capellan-St. Ives War|Xin Sheng Campaign]] - and it is in GUERRERO, the Alliance, and aborption of St. Ives that the stage is set for the true civil war.
+
Taking advantage of the rift in the former [[Federated Commonwealth]] and his own realm's ''[[Xin Sheng]]'' movement, Chancellor [[Sun-Tzu Liao]] continues reclaiming former Capellan worlds. His efforts culminate in the [[Capellan-St. Ives War]] which ends with the reabsorption of the [[St. Ives Compact]] into the Confederation.
  
Erupting in [[3062]], the [[FedCom Civil War]] theoretically pitted [[Loyalist]] Lyran forces against the pro-[[Federated Suns|FedSuns]] [[Allies]]. In practice, it opened to dozens of meat-grinders, fratricidal contests within the same units, battles over worlds once shared, and militiamen with contested loyalties.  
+
While [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]] secures the throne of the Davion half of her parents' realm, her tyrannical rule and tensions within both states finally erupt in [[3062]]. The five-year [[FedCom Civil War]] between Katherine's [[Loyalist|Loyalists]] and [[Victor Steiner-Davion|Victor Steiner-Davion's]] [[Allies (FCCW)|Allies]] intent on dethroning her ravages both realms and their militaries before Katherine is finally defeated.
  
It defined the entire era, and secondary conflicts such as the ''[[Kokuryu-kai]]''-instigated [[First Combine-Dominion War|Combine-Dominion War]] would start and end before it was over.
+
Numerous smaller conflicts are fought around the Inner Sphere during this period, most of them derived from the larger civil war. The Jade Falcons [[Jade Falcon Incursion (3064)|attack]] the Lyran Alliance again, while the Draconis Combine finds itself mired in border wars with both [[Clan Ghost Bear]] and the Federated Commonwealth's [[Draconis March]].
|-
+
 
| [[Jihad]] <ref name=ji_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-jihad/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Jihad]</ref>
+
During these years the [[Word of Blake]] expands its power base outward from Terra, as well as building up its military might. Dismissing the fanatics as posing little danger, the rest of the Inner Sphere does not interfere.
 +
 
 +
|- {{anchor|Jihad}}
 +
| Jihad<ref name=ji_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-jihad/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Jihad]</ref>
 
| [[Image:Jihad era-BW.jpg]]
 
| [[Image:Jihad era-BW.jpg]]
|  
+
| [[Jihad (Chronology)]]
| [[3068]] – [[3080]] <ref name=ji_era/>
+
| [[3068]] – [[3080]]<ref name=ji_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The time period known as the Jihad refers to a major interstellar war that involved all major factions, mainly consisting of the faction called the [[Word of Blake]] attacking capitals and   other, important industrial worlds to hamper their enemies' capacity to wage war. They created a "white-out" of the HPG grid that forced regional leaders to take a more active role, then manipulated those leaders to create chaos and warfare that distracted their enemies from the Word's activities. Using [[Shadow Divisions|"hidden" armies]] they hit former [[Chaos March]] worlds in the vicinity of Terra, which led to the formation of the new state, the [[Word of Blake Protectorate]]. The Jihad was not only of the Word of Blake assaulting foreign powers, but also civil conflicts that erupted between states due to the chaos and the actions of the factions.
+
| style="text-align:left;" |The Second Star League dissolves, prompting the Word of Blake to begin a [[Jihad]] that engulfs the entire Inner Sphere.
|-
+
 
| rowspan="2" | [[Dark Age]] <ref name=da_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-dark-age/ New to Battletech? - BattleTech Eras - Dark Age]</ref>
+
Acknowledging that the weak Second Star League is now purposeless, its members vote to end its existence. The Blakists impulsively react to the news by attacking [[Tharkad]] and [[New Avalon]], beginning a war that eventually pits the Word against the rest of the Inner Sphere. The Blakists also target other capitals and important industrial worlds, create a "white-out" of the [[HPG]] network that adds to the chaos, and using their [[Shadow Divisions|"hidden" armies]] carve out a [[Word of Blake Protectorate|Protectorate]] at the heart of the Inner Sphere.
 +
 
 +
Multiple border wars erupt elsewhere in the Inner Sphere, and the Draconis Combine is savaged by a three-way conflict involving the Blakists, the rebel [[Black Dragon Society|Black Dragons]] and Kuritan loyalists. The [[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captain-General]] of the [[Free Worlds League]], [[Thomas Marik (False)|Thomas Marik]], is exposed as an imposter, destabilizing the League and leading to its fragmentation in [[3079]]. The [[Invading Clans]] become embroiled in the [[Wars of Reaving]] that sunder them from the [[Clan Homeworlds|Homeworlds]] before joining in the fight against the Blakists.
 +
 
 +
Eventually a [[Stone's Coalition|coalition]] of nearly every major power in the Inner Sphere forms under the leadership of the mysterious [[Devlin Stone]]. Stone and his allies crush the Blakists and liberate their conquered worlds, but the Inner Sphere has suffered massive industrial and military damage, and entire worlds have been rendered uninhabitable.
 +
 
 +
|- {{anchor|Dark Age}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | Dark Age<ref name=da_era>[https://bg.battletech.com/new-to-the-board-game/battletech-eras/era-dark-age/ New to BattleTech? - BattleTech Eras - Dark Age]</ref>
 
| rowspan="2" | [[Image:Dark age era-BW.jpg]]
 
| rowspan="2" | [[Image:Dark age era-BW.jpg]]
| Republic
+
| [[Republic Age (Chronology)]]
| [[3081]] – [[3130]] <ref name=da_era/>
+
| [[3081]] – [[3130]]<ref name=da_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | With the Word Of Blake's defeat at the start of this era using [[Stone's Coalition|coalition forces]] made possible through unifying efforts of [[Devlin Stone]] and [[David Lear]] to crush them. The formation of the [[Republic of the Sphere]] out of the ashes of the Word of Blake Protectorate created a new buffer state between the various Inner Sphere powers. Additionally the Republic [[Military Materiel Redemption Program|set in motion a plan]] with the other major factions to decommission BattleMechs and other tools of warfare, downsizing armies and removing any such material from the hands of private individuals.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | Devlin Stone's reforms usher in a new era of peace as the Inner Sphere rebuilds after the Jihad.
 +
 
 +
Following the Word of Blake's defeat by [[Stone's Coalition]], [[Devlin Stone]] and [[David Lear]] form the [[Republic of the Sphere]] from the liberated worlds of the Word of Blake Protectorate. This new power at the center of the Inner Sphere leads a [[Military Materiel Redemption Program|disarmament program]] that decommissions BattleMechs and other tools of warfare, downsizes armies and removes any such matériel from the hands of private individuals. Stone and Lear attempt to build a new kind of nation, with the Republic home to citizens originating from all major Houses and Clans.
 +
 
 +
While raiding and some small-scale wars occur during this time, the overall state of affairs throughout the Inner Sphere is one of peace. Devlin Stone disappears in 3130 but his ideals are expected to continue upholding the status quo.
 
|-
 
|-
| Dark Age
+
| [[Dark Age (Chronology)]]
| [[3131]] - [[3152]] <ref name=da_era/>
+
| [[3131]] - [[3150]]<ref name=da_era/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The time since [[Blackout|the collapse of the HPG network]] caused political chaos in The Republic of the Sphere that led to the militarization of [[Industrial Mech]]s and other civilian equipment. Then the  steady advancement of the Great Houses and Clans themselves began to take back worlds they ceded to the Republic, as the fragmented and stumbling Republic made an easy target. Finally ending with the [[ilClan Trial]] being  fought on Terra, days after the broadcasted disbanding of the Republic.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Blackout|The collapse of the HPG network]] opens a new age of war with massive changes to the Inner Sphere.
|-
+
 
| [[IlClan (Era)|ilClan]]<ref name="RS Clan Invasion">''Record Sheets: Clan Invasion'', p. 4: "Battletech Eras"</ref>
+
The chaos in the Republic of the Sphere arising from the HPG Blackout leads to the militarization of [[IndustrialMech|IndustrialMechs]] and other civilian equipment, as splinter factions fight to advance their own agendas. The Great Houses and the Clans attack the Republic and each other, with wars engulfing the entire Inner Sphere by the mid-3130s.
 +
 
 +
The Republic's [[Prefecture X|core systems]] isolate themselves via [[The Wall|the Wall]], an impenetrable barrier to JumpShips, with the remaining Republic worlds abandoned to its neighbors. The Lyran Commonwealth invades the former Free Worlds League along with Clan Wolf, which abandons its occupation zone to migrate ''en masse'' farther into the Inner Sphere. The League's former members reunite in [[3139]], while the Wolves turn on their allies and carve out the [[Wolf Empire]] from its new conquests. Clan Jade Falcon takes off, under the leadership of [[Malvina Hazen]], with the [[Mongol Doctrine]] of terror warfare. The Lyran Commonwealth survives constant attacks from the Wolf Empire and Jade Falcons but is left severely weakened.
 +
 
 +
The Draconis Combine undergoes [[Draconis Combine Civil War|a civil war]] ending in the annihilation of [[Clan Nova Cat]], following which it mounts an all-out invasion of the Federated Suns that culminates in the fall of New Avalon. Attacked by the Capellan Confederation as well, the Federated Suns manages to avoid total destruction but is left on the brink of collapse.
 +
 
 +
Devlin Stone emerges from cryogenic storage to resume control of the Republic, and drops the Wall in [[3149]] to unleash new forces upon the Republic's enemies. But despite some setbacks both Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon position themselves right on Terra's doorstep, ready to claim humanity's homeworld.
 +
 
 +
|- {{anchor|IlClan}}
 +
| ilClan<ref name="RS Clan Invasion">''Record Sheets: Clan Invasion'', p. 4: "BattleTech Eras"</ref>
 
| [[Image:ILClan_Era.jpg]]
 
| [[Image:ILClan_Era.jpg]]
| ilClan
+
| [[IlClan (Chronology)]]
| [[3152]] – ???? <ref name="RS Clan Invasion"/>
+
| [[3151]] – Present<ref name="RS Clan Invasion"/>
| style="text-align:left;" | The once-invulnerable Republic of the Sphere lies in ruins, torn apart by the Great Houses and the Clans. As [[Fortress Republic]] collapses, the Clans race toward Terra to create a supreme authority which will rule the [[Inner Sphere]] by any means necessary.
+
| style="text-align:left;" | The once-invulnerable [[Republic of the Sphere]] lies in ruins, torn apart by the Great Houses and the Clans as they wage war against each other on a scale not seen in nearly a century. Mercenaries flourish once more, selling their might to the highest bidder. As [[Fortress Republic]] collapses, the Clans race toward Terra to claim their long-denied birthright and create a supreme authority that will fulfill the dream of [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] and rule the [[Inner Sphere]] by any means necessary: the ilClan.
 +
 
 +
After the [[Battle of Terra (3151)|fighting on Terra]] ends with the Republic and Stone's downfall, Clan Wolf wins the [[ilClan Trial]] to become ilClan. [[Alaric Ward]] declares himself First Lord of a [[Star League (3151–)|new Star League]], with the Jade Falcon survivors and reborn Clan Smoke Jaguar swearing allegiance to him. As news of these events slowly spread across the Inner Sphere, numerous other wars rage. The defenseless Jade Falcon Occupation Zone becomes the [[Hinterlands]], a zone fought over by new proto-states and adjacent powers. The Free Worlds League spars with its neighbors as local factions within that realm begin seizing worlds from the beleaguered [[Wolf Empire]]. The [[Federated Suns]] reclaims its capital and drives the [[Draconis Combine]] out of its heartland while fighting a [[Pleiades War|short war]] with the [[Taurian Concordat]]. A referendum on joining the new Star League plunges a divided Rasalhague Dominion into a [[Dominion Civil War|short but brutal civil war]].
 
|}
 
|}
  
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:95%; overflow: auto;"
 +
|- style="font-weight:bold;"
 +
! Era
 +
! Symbol<ref name="HF-BTE"/>
 +
! Sub Era
 +
! Years
 +
! Description
 +
|- {{anchor|Clan Homeworlds}}
 +
| rowspan="2" | Clan Homeworlds
 +
| rowspan="2" | [[Image:Clan Homeworlds era-BW.jpg|50px]]
 +
| [[Clan Homeworlds (Chronology)]]
 +
| [[2786]] – Present<ref name="HF-BTE"/>
 +
| style="text-align:left;" | In [[2784]] General [[Aleksandr Kerensky]] launched [[Operation EXODUS]], and led most of the [[Star League Defense Force]] out of the Inner Sphere in search of a new world, far away from the strife of the Great Houses.  After more than two years and thousands of light years, they arrived at the [[Pentagon Worlds]]. Over the next two-and-a-half centuries, internal dissent and civil war led to the creation of a brutal new society—the Clans.  And in 3049, they returned to the Inner Sphere with one goal—the complete conquest of the Great Houses.<ref name="HF-BTE"/>
 +
|}
 +
</div>
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
 
<references />
 
<references />
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
:*[[Blake Ascending: A Jihad Compilation]]
+
:* ''[[Blake Ascending: A Jihad Compilation]]''
:*[[Era Digest: Age of War]]
+
:* ''[[Dominions Divided]]''
:*[[Era Report: 2750]]
+
:* ''[[Era Digest: Age of War]]''
:*[[Field Manual: 3085]]
+
:* ''[[Era Report: 2750]]''
:*[[Field Manual: 3145]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
:*[[Field Manual: Crusader Clans]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: 3145]]''
:*[[Field Manual: SLDF]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: Crusader Clans]]''
:*[[Field Manual: Updates]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: SLDF]]''
:*[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
:*[[Handbook: House Davion]]
+
:* ''[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]''
:*[[Handbook: House Kurita]]
+
:* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)|First Succession War]]''
:*[[Handbook: House Liao]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: House Davion]]''
:*[[Handbook: House Marik]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: House Kurita]]''
:*[[Handbook: House Steiner]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: House Liao]]''
:*[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: House Marik]]''
:*[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: House Steiner]]''
:*[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2]]
+
:* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
:*[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]
+
:* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1]]''
:*[[First Succession War (Sourcebook)|The First Succession War]]
+
:* ''[[Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2]]''
:*[[Second Succession War (Sourcebook)|The Second Succession War]]
+
:* ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]''
 +
:* ''[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)|Second Succession War]]''
  
  
 
[[Category:Time Periods]]
 
[[Category:Time Periods]]
 
[[Category:History]]
 
[[Category:History]]
[[Category: Miscellaneous]]
 

Latest revision as of 16:01, 11 April 2024

Catalyst Game Labs, the current owners of BattleTech, have divided history into eras and sub-eras. The products they release are grouped in this manner.[1] To reflect how the 1,000 lightyear separation between the Inner Sphere and the Clans renders Inner Sphere-centric era titles meaningless, Catalyst created a concurrent but disparate Clan Homeworlds Era in 2021.[2]

Era Symbol[1] Chronology Years Description
Pre–Star League Pre-Spaceflight Before 1950 Earliest era referenced - when humanity only resides on its planet of origin, Terra.
Early Spaceflight 1950 – 2005 Early spaceflight, restricted to the bounds of Sol. Notable events include the Second Cold War and reestablished Soviet Union.
Star League[3] Star league era-BW.jpg Age of War (Chronology) 20052570[3] The era of the Terran Alliance, the colonization of the Inner Sphere, the formation of the Great Houses, and the Age of War.

KF Drive tech is introduced, beginning the First Terran Exodus in the twenty-second century. In 2235 unrest sparks the Outer Reaches Rebellion, the Alliance loses and issues the Demarcation Declaration, setting most colonies free and sparking the Second Terran Exodus. Throughout the twenty-third and twenty-fourth centuries the first independent interstellar nations are founded throughout the Inner Sphere, and the Periphery is settled.

The Alliance transforms into the more powerful Terran Hegemony and the Great Houses forge their own empires as neo-feudalism becomes dominant. The Age of War begins in 2398 and will last until the mid-twenty-sixth century.

The Ares Conventions are introduced in 2412 to regulate warfare, and in 2439 the Terran Hegemony introduces the Mackie, the first BattleMech design, revolutionizing warfare.

Star League (Chronology) 25712780[3] The time of the First Star League from its founding in 2571 to the fall of the Usurper Amaris Empire in 2780.

House Cameron of the Terran Hegemony unifies the other five Inner Sphere states by 2571 and then orchestrates the Reunification War to bring the recalcitrant Periphery nations into the union.

For nearly two centuries humanity is united under a single government. Advancements in science and engineering backed by the greatest military in history uphold nearly two centuries of peace and prosperity across all settled worlds. Save for minor conflicts dubbed the Hidden Wars, the SLDF rarely sees true conflict until Periphery revolts break out in 2765.

These rebellions enable Stefan Amaris to destroy the Cameron dynasty and seize the Star League throne for himself, resulting in the Amaris Civil War. Although Aleksandr Kerensky and his SLDF ultimately defeat Amaris, the Hegemony and Star League are irreparably ruined.

Succession Wars[4] Succession wars era-BW.jpg Early Succession War (Chronology) 27812900[4] The collapse of the Star League is followed by two devastating Succession Wars.

Following the Star League's dissolution Kerensky and most of the SLDF leave the Inner Sphere in 2784. Within two years the five Successor States are waging total war (including heavy usage of nuclear weapons), each aiming to restore the Star League with its own dynasty at its head. The resulting First and Second Succession Wars span three generations and result in the loss of billions of lives, hundreds of worlds depopulated, and much scientific knowledge lost.

ComStar emerges from the last surviving ministry of the Star League, and by the end of the era has become a quasi-religious order. Establishing itself on Terra the outwardly neutral order utilizes its monopoly on interstellar communications to manipulate the ongoing wars for its own agenda.

Beginning in 2866, the Third Succession War reflects the general decay across the Inner Sphere as it is an ongoing state of low-level conflict involving small units and raids rather than large armies and massive offensives.

Late Succession War - LosTech (Chronology) 29013019[4] With much of the Star League's knowledge gone, the Third Succession War continues.

Advanced technologies have become LosTech, and in contrast to the preceding wars the Third Succession War is a constant low-intensity conflict throughout this period. Combat grows more ritualized and medieval amongst 'Mechs, with duels being fought between MechWarriors in an effort to preserve what technology remains.

Late Succession War - Renaissance (Chronology) 30203049[4] The Third Succession War ends, House Steiner-Davion becomes the Inner Sphere's most powerful dynasty, and the Helm Memory Core is rediscovered, beginning a techno-industrial renaissance.

The status quo is upended with the marriage of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner and the resulting union of the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns. In the ensuing Fourth Succession War the Capellan Confederation is reduced to a rump state and the Draconis Combine suffers heavy losses.

As a result of his nation's defeats Theodore Kurita reforms the Combine military with ComStar's aid and grants independence to the Free Rasalhague Republic. His efforts ensure that the nascent Federated Commonwealth fails to win a similar victory against the Combine in the War of 3039, though it remains the overwhelmingly dominant state in the Inner Sphere. By 3049 a Fifth Succession War and/or House Steiner-Davion's reestablishment of the Star League seems likely.

The discovery of the Helm Memory Core in 3028, coupled with other scientific efforts, begins a technological renaissance during the next two decades. The Inner Sphere slowly begins climbing back towards Star League-era levels of technology.

Clan Invasion[5] Clan invasion era-BW.jpg Clan Invasion (Chronology) 30503061[5] Coreward of the Inner Sphere, a new faction strikes from the Deep Periphery in early 3050 and changes the Inner Sphere forever.

With superior weaponry, unique OmniMech designs, Elemental infantry, and warriors genetically bred for war, the Clans cut through all opposition. During this Operation REVIVAL the Draconis Combine and Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth lose many worlds, while the Free Rasalhague Republic is almost subsumed entirely. Eventually these invaders' origins become known: they are the descendants of the Star League-in-Exile returned to reestablish the Star League.

In the climactic Battle of Tukayyid ComStar's military arm win a victory and a truce which halts the invaders for fifteen years. The Successor States frantically upgrade their armies for the inevitable hostilities while the Clans seethe at the enforced peace. ComStar undergoes reforms aimed at secularizing the organization, but dissident zealots exile themselves and form the fanatical Word of Blake in response, later seizing Terra.

The next two major conflicts erupt in 3057. Clan Wolf wages the Refusal War against Clan Jade Falcon to prevent a resumption of the invasion. At the same time Operation GUERRERO results in the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation reclaiming worlds lost during the Fourth Succession War - and sundering the Federated Commonwealth when Katherine Steiner-Davion orchestrates the secession of the rechristened Lyran Alliance.

The Battle of Coventry in 3058 leads to the Successor States forging the Second Star League, with the express purpose of ending the Clan Invasion. They accomplish this when Operation BULLDOG and Task Force Serpent conclude with the annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar. After the reborn SLDF wins the Great Refusal, the other Clans agree to end the invasion permanently.

Civil War [6] Civil war era-BW.jpg Civil War (Chronology) 30623067[6] While the Clan threat is ended, the new Star League does not herald a new era of peace but several wars within the Inner Sphere itself.

Taking advantage of the rift in the former Federated Commonwealth and his own realm's Xin Sheng movement, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao continues reclaiming former Capellan worlds. His efforts culminate in the Capellan-St. Ives War which ends with the reabsorption of the St. Ives Compact into the Confederation.

While Katherine Steiner-Davion secures the throne of the Davion half of her parents' realm, her tyrannical rule and tensions within both states finally erupt in 3062. The five-year FedCom Civil War between Katherine's Loyalists and Victor Steiner-Davion's Allies intent on dethroning her ravages both realms and their militaries before Katherine is finally defeated.

Numerous smaller conflicts are fought around the Inner Sphere during this period, most of them derived from the larger civil war. The Jade Falcons attack the Lyran Alliance again, while the Draconis Combine finds itself mired in border wars with both Clan Ghost Bear and the Federated Commonwealth's Draconis March.

During these years the Word of Blake expands its power base outward from Terra, as well as building up its military might. Dismissing the fanatics as posing little danger, the rest of the Inner Sphere does not interfere.

Jihad[7] Jihad era-BW.jpg Jihad (Chronology) 30683080[7] The Second Star League dissolves, prompting the Word of Blake to begin a Jihad that engulfs the entire Inner Sphere.

Acknowledging that the weak Second Star League is now purposeless, its members vote to end its existence. The Blakists impulsively react to the news by attacking Tharkad and New Avalon, beginning a war that eventually pits the Word against the rest of the Inner Sphere. The Blakists also target other capitals and important industrial worlds, create a "white-out" of the HPG network that adds to the chaos, and using their "hidden" armies carve out a Protectorate at the heart of the Inner Sphere.

Multiple border wars erupt elsewhere in the Inner Sphere, and the Draconis Combine is savaged by a three-way conflict involving the Blakists, the rebel Black Dragons and Kuritan loyalists. The Captain-General of the Free Worlds League, Thomas Marik, is exposed as an imposter, destabilizing the League and leading to its fragmentation in 3079. The Invading Clans become embroiled in the Wars of Reaving that sunder them from the Homeworlds before joining in the fight against the Blakists.

Eventually a coalition of nearly every major power in the Inner Sphere forms under the leadership of the mysterious Devlin Stone. Stone and his allies crush the Blakists and liberate their conquered worlds, but the Inner Sphere has suffered massive industrial and military damage, and entire worlds have been rendered uninhabitable.

Dark Age[8] Dark age era-BW.jpg Republic Age (Chronology) 30813130[8] Devlin Stone's reforms usher in a new era of peace as the Inner Sphere rebuilds after the Jihad.

Following the Word of Blake's defeat by Stone's Coalition, Devlin Stone and David Lear form the Republic of the Sphere from the liberated worlds of the Word of Blake Protectorate. This new power at the center of the Inner Sphere leads a disarmament program that decommissions BattleMechs and other tools of warfare, downsizes armies and removes any such matériel from the hands of private individuals. Stone and Lear attempt to build a new kind of nation, with the Republic home to citizens originating from all major Houses and Clans.

While raiding and some small-scale wars occur during this time, the overall state of affairs throughout the Inner Sphere is one of peace. Devlin Stone disappears in 3130 but his ideals are expected to continue upholding the status quo.

Dark Age (Chronology) 3131 - 3150[8] The collapse of the HPG network opens a new age of war with massive changes to the Inner Sphere.

The chaos in the Republic of the Sphere arising from the HPG Blackout leads to the militarization of IndustrialMechs and other civilian equipment, as splinter factions fight to advance their own agendas. The Great Houses and the Clans attack the Republic and each other, with wars engulfing the entire Inner Sphere by the mid-3130s.

The Republic's core systems isolate themselves via the Wall, an impenetrable barrier to JumpShips, with the remaining Republic worlds abandoned to its neighbors. The Lyran Commonwealth invades the former Free Worlds League along with Clan Wolf, which abandons its occupation zone to migrate en masse farther into the Inner Sphere. The League's former members reunite in 3139, while the Wolves turn on their allies and carve out the Wolf Empire from its new conquests. Clan Jade Falcon takes off, under the leadership of Malvina Hazen, with the Mongol Doctrine of terror warfare. The Lyran Commonwealth survives constant attacks from the Wolf Empire and Jade Falcons but is left severely weakened.

The Draconis Combine undergoes a civil war ending in the annihilation of Clan Nova Cat, following which it mounts an all-out invasion of the Federated Suns that culminates in the fall of New Avalon. Attacked by the Capellan Confederation as well, the Federated Suns manages to avoid total destruction but is left on the brink of collapse.

Devlin Stone emerges from cryogenic storage to resume control of the Republic, and drops the Wall in 3149 to unleash new forces upon the Republic's enemies. But despite some setbacks both Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon position themselves right on Terra's doorstep, ready to claim humanity's homeworld.

ilClan[9] ILClan Era.jpg IlClan (Chronology) 3151 – Present[9] The once-invulnerable Republic of the Sphere lies in ruins, torn apart by the Great Houses and the Clans as they wage war against each other on a scale not seen in nearly a century. Mercenaries flourish once more, selling their might to the highest bidder. As Fortress Republic collapses, the Clans race toward Terra to claim their long-denied birthright and create a supreme authority that will fulfill the dream of Aleksandr Kerensky and rule the Inner Sphere by any means necessary: the ilClan.

After the fighting on Terra ends with the Republic and Stone's downfall, Clan Wolf wins the ilClan Trial to become ilClan. Alaric Ward declares himself First Lord of a new Star League, with the Jade Falcon survivors and reborn Clan Smoke Jaguar swearing allegiance to him. As news of these events slowly spread across the Inner Sphere, numerous other wars rage. The defenseless Jade Falcon Occupation Zone becomes the Hinterlands, a zone fought over by new proto-states and adjacent powers. The Free Worlds League spars with its neighbors as local factions within that realm begin seizing worlds from the beleaguered Wolf Empire. The Federated Suns reclaims its capital and drives the Draconis Combine out of its heartland while fighting a short war with the Taurian Concordat. A referendum on joining the new Star League plunges a divided Rasalhague Dominion into a short but brutal civil war.

Era Symbol[2] Sub Era Years Description
Clan Homeworlds Clan Homeworlds era-BW.jpg Clan Homeworlds (Chronology) 2786 – Present[2] In 2784 General Aleksandr Kerensky launched Operation EXODUS, and led most of the Star League Defense Force out of the Inner Sphere in search of a new world, far away from the strife of the Great Houses. After more than two years and thousands of light years, they arrived at the Pentagon Worlds. Over the next two-and-a-half centuries, internal dissent and civil war led to the creation of a brutal new society—the Clans. And in 3049, they returned to the Inner Sphere with one goal—the complete conquest of the Great Houses.[2]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]