Editing Philip Capet

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| name                = Philip Capet
| birthdate           = 
| died                = 26 May [[3027]]
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[Federated Suns]]
| rank                = [[Sergeant]]<ref name=WeGc8>''Warrior: En Garde'', ch. 8</ref>
| title               = [[Solaris Grand Champion]]
| position            = 
| profession          = [[Arena Gladiator]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
A native of [[Uravan]] in the [[Federated Suns]]' [[Capellan March]], '''Philip Capet''' was an early [[thirty-first-century]] [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]], and later a champion in the [[Solaris Games]] [[Class Six Champions|Grand Champion]].

==History==
===AFFS Service===
While in service with the [[AFFS]], [[Sergeant]] Capet became a celebrated hero in the Capellan March of the Federated Suns in the 3020s following his actions during a [[Capellan Confederation]] raid on his homeworld Uravan, during which it is said he downed dozens of Capellan 'Mechs, winning time for his men to withdraw from an ambush. He was awarded the [[Golden Sunburst]] of the Federated Suns.

The actual truth of the matter was that Capet had disobeyed orders and gotten half a dozen fellow MechWarriors killed in a reckless and futile action, trying to save his home village and family during the raid. But he failed: The attacking Capellan forces, apparently enraged by Capet's attack, leveled the town and killed all his family. [[Hanse Davion]] had given Capet the medal due to his celebrity status in the Capellan March and hoped he would retire. However, Capet refused to retire; perceived as a troublemaker he was then given a position of command of a MechWarrior training company on [[Kittery]].

Capet's commanding officer on Kittery, [[Major]] [[Justin Allard]], was of half-Capellan descent, and Capet openly voiced his disrespect and prejudice. Allard eventually dismissed him from military service when he discovered that Capet was planning to hijack a [[JumpShip]] and go on a private mission of revenge against the Capellan Confederation, though that only incensed the embittered Capet further.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', p. 5: Major Allard talks to cadet Craon about the real story of Philip Capet</ref>

It remains unclear if Capet really saw himself as the hero he was officially portrayed as, or if he was aware that it was seen as a staged act for publicity purposes by his superiors.

===Solaris VII===
Capet moved to the gaming world of Solaris VII in the [[Lyran Commonwealth]]. There he became a [[House Davion]]-aligned MechWarrior champion, fighting battles in the arena and surrounding himself with a string of would-be champions to fight with him in what he began to call the "[[Capellan Mafia]]",<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', p. 240</ref> a group of Davion-affiliated arena fighters. House Davion summarily regarded Capet and his Capellan Mafia as troublemakers and problem cases, but tolerated them because of their successes in the arenas and the associated glory. (Other named members were [[Peter Armstrong]] and [[Billy Wolfson]], both of whom were also considered "major competitors"<ref name=SOLARISPB13>''Solaris VII: The Game World – Player's Book'', p. 13: "The Great Ones"</ref> for the championship.)

Capet was listed as the Solaris Champion for [[3026]] and [[3027]], though he would lose both the title and his life to Justin Xiang Allard in 3027 (who was subsequently also listed as champion for 3027, in addition to Capet's preceding 3026-3027 championship).<ref>''Solaris VII: The Game World – Player's Book'', p. 14</ref>

In January of 3027, Capet faced off in his ''[[Rifleman]]'' against two ''[[Vindicator]]''s belonging to the Liao-affiliated brothers [[Fuh Teng]] and [[Sze Teng]] in the [[Steiner Stadium]]. He won the fight and killed Sze Teng in the process; Capet may or may not have been aware that it was a fixed fight where Sze Teng was supposed to die.

Also in 3027, Justin Allard arrived on Solaris VII after being exiled from House Davion's Federated Suns. Now calling himself Justin Xiang, he started a gladiator career of his own. Openly siding with House Liao's Capellan Confederation, Xiang began to take down every Davion warrior he faced. Capet still resented him for sending him away and felt his prejudices confirmed by the trial and subsequent exile of Justin Xiang Allard. Thus, Capet sent people to confront and challenge Xiang, and even went so far to eventually tell them they wouldn't be a "man" if they did not disable the ejection system. Xiang killed at least six Davion gladiators including Billy Wolfson and Peter Armstrong in various fights over the year. Hanse Davion sent a communication offering Capet a world and a regiment to command if he killed Xiang.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', pp. 210-211: Hanse Davion is briefed on Justin's activities on Solaris and orders a high priority communication sent to Capet to have him kill Justin, offering a reward</ref>

After word of the death of Solaris VII icon [[Gray Noton]] reached Capet, he went to claim Noton's alcove in [[Valhalla]], the champions' high society club, feeling he was now the up-and-coming champion. Xiang stopped him and told him that he had no right, and also that his glory seeking here on Solaris and back on Uravan had led to the death of his men and that he had ultimately murdered his own family.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', p. 240: Xiang pits the blame for Capet's failures on Capet's glory seeking including the death of his own family</ref> Provoked in this fashion, Capet challenged Xiang to a duel—which was exactly what Xiang wanted as he was not yet famous enough to challenge someone of Capet's standing himself.

On 26 May 3027, they agreed to fight in the [[Ishiyama]] Arena. On the prefight talk show ''Pregame Palaver'', Capet declared that he was going to kill Xiang and had a surprise or two waiting for him.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', pp. 287-288: Interview with Justin Xiang and Philip Capet</ref> He meant it. During the match, Capet led Xiang to a tunnel with steep three level crevasses where two of his Capellan Mafia colleagues were waiting in ambush in a ''[[Firestarter (BattleMech)|Firestarter]]''  and an ''[[UrbanMech]]''.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', p. 290: Capet's ambush is sprung on Xiang</ref> Xiang, piloting the late Gray Noton's heavy ''[[Rifleman]]'' (''[[Legend-Killer]]'') at the time, was able to dispatch the two light 'Mechs. Capet's plan was for them to inflict damage on ''Legend-Killer'', giving him the opportunity for an easy killing blow, but Xiang moved deeper into the caverns. Capet hid his ''Rifleman'' during the ambush. Hidden in a location where Xiang would pass though a narrow tunnel, he would step out and shoot at ''Legend-Killer'''s thin rear armor. Xiang's 'Mech passed him, and he opened up with [[Alpha strike (Tactic)|all his weapons]] at ''Legend-Killer'', but only hit armor—Xiang expected that, and Capet had been fooled by Xiang's tactic of walking his 'Mech backwards with his 'Mech's arms flipped over. Xiang returned fire and knocked Capet unconscious, then simply shot Capet's 'Mech in the head with autocannon shells, killing him instantly.<ref>''Warrior: En Garde'', p. 309: Philip Capet's last duel with Justin Xiang</ref>

==Notes==
* Philip Capet is incorrectly spelled Phi'''l'''lip Capet in the ''Player's Book'' from the ''[[Solaris VII: The Game World]]'' box set.
* In the [[Dark Age]], on the "Remembrance Wall" of the [[Cracked Canopy]] bar on Solaris a Kallon Industries autocannon in full casing was on exhibit with the name ''Justin Xiang'' stenciled on it with red crosshairs. It was said to be from Capet's ''Rifleman'', but its authenticity has not been determined.<ref>''Shrapnel Issue 3'', p. 105 (''Tales from the Cracked Canopy: The Razor's Edge of Opportunity'')</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[The Razor's Edge of Opportunity]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Solaris VII: The Game World]] – Player's Book''
* ''[[Warrior: En Garde]]'' (novel)


[[Category: Federated Suns Characters|Capet, Philip]]
[[Category: Solaris Games Characters|Capet, Philip]]
[[Category:Solaris Games MechWarriors|Capet, Philip‎]]
[[Category:Notable Rifleman Pilots|Capet, Philip‎]]