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Difference between revisions of "Taurian Concordat"

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{{Update Needed|[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)]]|[[Shattered Fortress]]}}
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''(Author: BattleTech 3056 MUSE)''
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| image = Taurian_Concordat_1.jpg
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| crest = [[Image:Taurian_Concordat_1.jpg|300px]]
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| Founded = [[2335]]
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| factionname = Taurian Concordat
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| Dissolved =
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| year = 3063
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| capital = [[Taurus]]
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| timeperiod = [[2335]] - present
 
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| classification = [[Periphery State]]
 
 
| systems = 56+
 
| systems = 56+
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| capital = [[Taurus]]
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| currency =
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| rulertitle = [[Protector of the Realm]]
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| language =  
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| military = [[Taurian Defense Forces]] (TDF)
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| demonym =
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| secretservice = [[Taurian Ministry of Intelligence]]
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| Head of State = [[Protector of the Realm]]
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| cintel =
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| army = [[Taurian Defense Force]] (TDF)
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| navy =
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| mintel = [[Taurian Ministry of Intelligence]] (TMI)
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''Taurian Concordat''' is an interstellar nation located in the [[Periphery]].  Founded as a constitutional monarchy under the leadership of [[House Calderon]], the Taurian Concordat is one of the oldest surviving realms since the collapse of the [[Terran Alliance]].  Taurian citizens enjoy extensive freedoms guaranteed by the Concordat Charter and take pride in defending those freedoms through compulsory service. The Taurian Concordat has had an antagonistic relationship with the [[Inner Sphere]], particularly against the [[Federated Suns]], and is driven by a desire to expand its borders through colonization and protect its hard-won freedoms from outside aggression.
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The '''Taurian Concordat''' is a major Periphery realm located rimward and spinward of [[Terra]], in a region of space known as the [[Periphery|Hyades Rim]].  Of the many states in the [[Periphery]], the Taurian Concordat maintains the closest resemblance to a [[Successor State]]. Under the direction of [[House Calderon]], the highly independent Taurians have a strong central government, a high literacy rate, and a strong military. They appear to be the [[Periphery]] community most likely to survive the next century, as well as to become a leader in [[Periphery]] affairs and even an influence on the [[Inner Sphere]].
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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{{main|History of the Taurian Concordat}}
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The Taurian Concordat traces its beginnings to [[Samantha Calderon]], a woman whose family was murdered by the [[Terran Alliance]] and soon found herself in dire straits when that government's collapse left the Outer Reaches in chaos.  After securing sufficient funding for a deep-space exploration effort, the Calderon Expedition left known space in [[2250]].  Nearly two years later, they reached the [[Hyades Cluster]], with Samantha the first to step foot on [[Taurus]] on 23 January, [[2253]].  Over the next century the Taurians thrived in their isolation, expanding out to colonize the rest of the Hyades Cluster and outlying systems, while at the same time running into refugees fleeing war and oppression in the [[Inner Sphere]].  In [[2335]], [[Richard Calderon (24th c.)|Richard Calderon]] announced the creation of the Taurian Concordat, allowing those systems which joined to maintain their internal affairs while pledging to come to the common defense of all.
  
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===Origins===
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As the Concordat expanded, so did it come into more regular contact with the Inner Sphere.  Due to a series of unfortunate events involving the [[Capellan Confederation]] and the [[Federated Suns]], the Concordat became embroiled in conflict with the Federation, an event which would spark centuries of animosity towards House Davion.  After the [[Great Houses]] banded together to form the [[Star League]] in [[2570]], they tried to convince the Taurian Concordat and other major powers of the [[Periphery]] to join as well, an offer which was politely but strongly declined.  Eventually, the Star League gave them a final choice: [[Pollux Proclamation|join us or else]].  The Periphery refused, and for twenty-five years the [[Reunification War]] raged, causing immense destruction within the Concordat as both the Taurians and Star League fought with every tool at their disposal, including [[nuclear weapon]]s. By the conflict's end, one in five Taurians were dead and the Concordat was made a Territorial State of the Star League.
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The Taurian Concordat began as a desperate venture into the unexplored space of the [[Hyades Cluster]] by widow-heiress [[Samantha Calderon]].  A fleet of 25 [[Jumpship|Jumpships]] traveled from [[Aix-la-Chapelle]], through [[Robinson]], [[Victoria]] and [[New Syrtis]], and through a nebula (later named [[Flannagan's Nebula]]).  The nebula has proven to be extremely difficult to navigate, as it conceals a very large debris field - Calderon's expedition lost 8% (2 ships) of its flotilla due to debris collisions.  Beyond the nebula, and the reach of [[Inner Sphere]] governments, the Calderon expedition settled Taurus on 23 January 2253, the first of several mineral-rich worlds, and quickly transformed them into centers of political and social equality.
 
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In turn, Taurian worlds attracted thousands of refugees uprooted by wars in the [[Inner Sphere]].  In [[2331]], Taurian explorers discovered the first of 18 neighboring refugee settlements.  For example, the worlds [[Deifenbaker]] was settled by refugees of the war between the [[Sarna Supremacy]] and the [[Capellan Hegemony]].  Expecting hostilities from larger Inner Sphere aggressors, [[Richard Calderon]] negotiated a new government in the first year of his reign, [[2335]]; Richard became the first [[Protector of the Realm]] of the Taurian Concordat - Concordat military would be centrally governed, but planetary affairs would be completely autonomous.  The nascent Concordat consisted of 17 refugee settlements and all 12 colonized Taurian worlds.  Only [[Mandarce]] declined the invitation to join the Concordat.
 
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===Inner Sphere Hostilities===
 
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The Taurians began preparations for war when an exploration and survey mission led by [[Tracy Ashton]] discovered and freed 15,000 slave laborers from the [[Federated Suns]] world of [[Tentativa]] in [[2360]].  The prisoners had been taken captive during a [[Federated Suns]] assault on the [[Sarna Supremacy]] world [[Bell]] in [[2355]].  Convinced of the barbarism of the Inner Sphere, by [[2368]], the Taurian Concordat was prepared when it was inadvertently discovered by "Freicorps" retainers of the [[Tikonov Union]] noble Lord [[Tormassov]] fleeing the [[Capellan Confederation]].  Pursuing Capellan forces commanded by [[Anthony LeBlanc]] discovered the "Freicorps" in Taurian space, forcing the Tikonov troops to commandeer Taurian vessels and flee - into a [[Federated Suns]] flotilla stationed at [[Sanurcha]].  Though the Tikonov "Freicorps" were able to escape (and were never heard from again), the Capellan pursuit also encountered the flotilla and was destroyed.  The [[Federated Suns]] navy began probing its periphery border expecting to find Capellan colonies - and discovered the Concordat.  The Taurians were forced to fight off the [[Davion]] invasion through [[2371]].
 
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The Concord maintained a tense state of armed neutrality in the [[Age of War]] but, unlike its [[Inner Sphere]] counterparts, it also devoted a major portion of its resources toward improving life for its citizens. On occasion, the success of the Taurian way of life benefited the [[Inner Sphere]] as well.  Economically, the [[Capellan Confederation]], the [[Federated Suns]] and the Taurian Concordat all prospered by trading together during the late 25th and early 26th centuries.  [[Jasmine Liao]] improved the Capellan education system by modeling it on that of the Concord in the 25th century, and the [[Federated Suns]] revamped its educational system along Taurian lines in the first decade of the new millennium.
 
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At the birth of the Star League, the Concord posed something of a problem.  The Taurians, unlike every other major Periphery realm, boasted better a economy, a superb education system, and finer artistic achievements than some of the Great House.  Further, the TDF posed an actual threat, being both well-equipped, well-trained, and fiercely patriotic.  Starting in [[2573]], the Taurians were forced to fight for more than two decades against [[Inner Sphere]] forces under the banner of the [[Star League]].  Hostilities began when a Taurian fleet accidently entered the neutral [[Malagrotta]] system.  Negotiated in [[2511]], the [[Omsol Accord]] stipulated the titanium rich moon of Fontana was jointly mined by Federated Suns and Taurian mining operations.  A Davion armada entered the system in response, destroying two ships and capturing a third.  Months later, [[Caterina Calderon]] offered an apology, but too late.
 
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{{Main|Reunification War}}
 
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Though the Taurian Concordat fought a long, bitter struggle with the SLDF, the inevitable outcome of the Reunification War left the Concord in ruin.  The Taurian Concordat was left with planets either spared war by the surrender of Protector [[Marantha Calderon]] in [[2596]], or were left with ravaged populations, industries and environments by the scorched-earth military campaign of General [[Amos Forlough]].  Choice worlds conquered but not destroyed by the SLDF were annexed by the neighboring [[Federated Suns]], leaving the Concordat a specter of its former glory.  Even battered into submission, and stripped of most of its territory, the Taurians never renounced their dream of a free and independent state.
 
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===Territorial Period===
 
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Left with a shattered realm, the the reality that any ruler established after the suicide of [[Marantha Calderon]] might not be accepted, Marantha's distant nephew [[Henry Calderon]] became the next Protector of the Realm in [[2596]].  Though he did not want the position, Henry realized that without a Protector, the Taurian people would face extreme hardship as a [[Star League]] [[Territorial State]].  Henry cemented his people's love through two actions:
 
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* Henry negotiated the removal of Star League garrison forces by [[2605]].  Henry argued that the SLDF was required elsewhere, and that the presence of foreign garrisons provoked further panic among the Taurian people.
 
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* During a heated trade debate in the [[Star League]] [[High Council]] between the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] and the [[Terran Hegemony]], Henry offered the views of the Taurian people.  When Henry was reproached for his actions, he replied, "You fought to force my people to be represented here.  You will not keep my voice from representing them."
 
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33 years into his reign, Henry decided he wanted to have an unambiguous and legitimate succession.  A vote was held, each citizen of the Concord given a single vote.  The Taurian people overwhelmingly endorsed Henry to choose his own successor.  Henry chose his four-year old niece [[Consuelo Calderon|Consuelo]], and her uncle, [[Carlos Calderon]], as "Protector, to the Protector".  Consuelo would assume full Protectorship in [[2650]], at which time Carlos became her representative to the [[Star League]] [[High Council]], the only member that did not rule a realm.  Consuelo was a great stateswoman.  After the death of Carlos, Consuelo represented herself on the High Council, and in [[2667]] became the first Periphery sovereign to preside over the Star League High Council during the a First Lord's absence.
 
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Through the Territorial Period, the Concord was able to maintain its identity through two ways.  During the beginning of Henry Calderon's reign, Taurian nationalism was under fire.  Taurian nationalism was initially maintained through the reemergence of wandering Taurian troubadours.  Though outlaws, troubadours would travel from world to world, invading (disinterested) local authorities, and singing ballads about Taurian history.  Even after Henry's reign, Star League propaganda throughout the Periphery tended to encourage loyalty among Periphery denizens not to one's nation, but to the Star League itself.  The second factor in maintaining Taurian national identity was the educational reforms of [[Reginald Calderon]] in his [[Education Reform Act]] of [[2678]].  The Act helped in two ways
 
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* The educational system within the Concord has maintained the highest literacy rates in the [[Human Sphere]] since Reginald Calderon.
 
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* Star League sponsored education through the Periphery, though ubiquitous, really was an instrument of indoctrination.
 
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As a result of increasingly harsh rule under the [[Star League]], tensions with the [[Star League]] began to grow increasingly strained.  After the death of [[Simon Cameron]], the situation escalated.  With the ascension of [[Richard Cameron II|Richard Cameron]] in [[2762]], Territorial States (indeed all States within the Human Sphere) were unilaterally subjected to steep tax hikes.  Suspecting another invasion was imminent, Protector [[Nicoletta Calderon]] diverted her economy to arms production.  In the midst of a Sphere-wide arms build-up, the [[New Vandenburg Crisis]] began in early [[2765]].  Protector [[Nicoletta Calderon]] gave 18 Taurian worlds her blessing to secede from the [[Star League]].  Because the [[Taurian Concordat]] at least nominally remained a "loyal" Territorial State, the [[SLDF]], dispatched by [[Richard Cameron II|First Lord Richard]], could not simply invade.  The standoff drew [[Aleksandr Kerensky|Aleksandr Kerensky's]] attention, and required the redeployment of enough troops that, in December, the [[Rim Worlds Republic]] garrisoned the entire [[Terran Hegemony]], and [[Stefan Amaris]] assassinated the First Lord.
 
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{{Main|Amaris Civil War}}
 
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In the wake of the [[Amaris Civil War]], Nicoletta left perhaps her most important legacy, when during the final session of the [[Star League]] [[High Council]], she proposed the formation of [[Comstar]] under the leadership of [[Jerome Blake]].  Her reasoning was sound - without a neutral, central body to maintain communication and technology, it was debatable if Humanity would ever re-achieve the pinnacle from which it was in clear decline.  The communications, so crucial for diplomacy and central government, remained free, despite the horrors of the [[Succession Wars]] yet to come.
 
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With the fall of the League and the start of the [[Succession Wars]], the Taurians became free of interference from the House Lords of the [[Inner Sphere]], and their independence has grown stronger.
 
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===Periphery Politics===
 
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In the last two centuries, however, the Taurians have had to defend themselves against foreign invasion from another part of space. Because of clashes with the [[Magistracy of Canopus]] over disputed border worlds, as well as incursions by renegade mercenary units and pirates, the Concord is obliged to maintain a large and efficient military.
 
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With the rise of the [[Far Lookers]], a philosophical sect advocating the exploration of space beyond its charted limits, the Concord has expanded its borders, settling worlds beyond the notice of the rapacious [[Inner Sphere]]. [[ComStar]] is unsure of how many worlds have been settled so far, although we can be sure that none of them is sufficiently developed to be incorporated into the Concord itself. No significant benefits have come to the Concord from these new colonies as yet, but the potential of unexplored space is potentially unlimited. Some estimates have indicated that when the new map of the Concord is drawn, it may be comparable in size to the [[Capellan Confederation]], though nowhere near as densely populated.
 
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==Sphere of Influence==
 
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The Taurian Concordat contains over 30 inhabited planets in a zone of space roughly 80 parsecs in diameter extending from the [[Hyades Cluster]]. The Taurians also control a variety of small outposts that extend in an arc from the edge of the [[Magistracy of Canopus]] to the [[Verdigreis]] system of the [[Federated Suns]]. Beginning in the late [[2900]]s, the Taurians have resumed space exploration, resulting in the founding of several new colony worlds on systems past the [[Hyades Cluster]].
 
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==Sociopolitical Structure==
 
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The Taurian Concordat is a collection of representative democracies coupled with a constitutional monarchy. Similar in some ways to the [[House Davion]]- [[Federated Suns]] arrangement, the hereditary Protector-ship of [[House Calderon]] grants autonomy to individual member worlds. Charged with promoting the general welfare of the Concord, the [[Protector of the Realm]] maintains supreme control of the Concord military establishment.
 
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===Government Structure===
 
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Each of the major governmental divisions of the Concord are described briefly below.
 
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; '''Protectorship:'''
 
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: The [[Protector of the Realm]] is the chief executive of the Taurian Concordat. The eldest member of [[House Calderon]], the Protector is the commander-in-chief of all Taurian military forces and the primary policy-maker in both internal and external affairs. Under normal circumstances, the Protector rules with the consent of the Concordia Courts, which periodically review the statutes the Protector has enacted. In time of war, the Protector can invoke emergency powers that permit full and complete authority over matters of state to prosecute the war effort.
 
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; '''Privy Council:'''
 
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: Originally drawn from the chief family members of the original Calderon expedition, the Privy Council has evolved into an advisory board to the Protector. It consists of a representative from each of the major Taurian governmental departments, as well as other councilors that the Protector may appoint. The Privy Council meets monthly to review matters of state and makes recommendations to the Protector, who is in no way bound to follow such recommendations.
 
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; '''Ministry of Defense:'''
 
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: The Ministry of Defense is a board of advisors and military specialists-- staffed by both civilian and military personnel--charged with the coordination of defense policy, training new recruits, equipping units in the field, research and development, and economic liaison with the private sector for the acquisition of materiel. Its major concern is the constant revision of contingency plans to be used in the event of invasion.
 
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; '''Exchequer:'''
 
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: The Taurian Exchequer, under the direction of the Treasury Director, formulates policies to maintain the Concord economy and manages fiscal affairs relating to member planets. In addition, the Exchequer manages the [[Concord Bank of Taurus]], the government mint, and the [[Taurian Treasury Reserve]] located on the Concord capital.
 
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; '''Ministry of the Interior:'''
 
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: The Ministry of the Interior is concerned with matters of internal security. The Minister commands the [[Concord Constabulary]], a paramilitary force responsible for maintaining civil order on all Concord worlds, as well as guarding against infiltration by foreign agents. He is also charged with gathering intelligence pertaining to civil and military order within the Concord.
 
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; '''Ministry of Education:'''
 
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: The Ministry of Education provides for the education of the Taurian people, from elementary through university levels. To this end, the Ministry is responsible for maintaining literacy standards throughout the Concord, appointing and promoting instructors and administrators, and developing new educational and research institutions within the state.
 
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; '''Ministry of Trade and Colonization:'''
 
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: The Ministry of Trade is responsible for stimulating trade and commerce within the Concord. It is also directly involved with the charting and colonizing of new worlds.
 
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; '''Concord Courts:'''
 
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: The Concord Court system is the judicial branch of government. There is a civil court for every ten thousand inhabitants on each Concord world, with a Planetary Court of Appeal for every three worlds. A separate Court of Judicial Review periodically reviews statutes and decrees of the Protector and other government branches, with the power to strike down any legislation that might threaten individual civil liberties.
 
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; '''Concord Functionaries:'''
 
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: In the Concord, the term "functionary" refers to a variety of civil servants empowered to carry out a wide range of administrative duties. Functionaries are divided into two general categories: Auditors and Masters of Requests. An Auditor's function is similar to that of the ancient office of Inspector General. Masters of Requests make up the majority of the Taurian bureaucracy, handling the enormous load of paperwork required to keep the government afloat.
 
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===Internal Politics===
 
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By law, the Taurian Concordat government guarantees a free and open society, individual rights, and the general welfare of its citizens. All citizens can move about freely within the Concord, without the need for passes or work permits, and individuals can pursue their own economic and social goals without regulation. In return for government-sponsored education and protection, Concord citizens must serve in some capacity to defend their state for a period of four years. Beyond this obligation, Taurian citizens are free to lead their lives as they please. Planetary governments may adopt the form of representation they deem appropriate, as long as each maintains a viable, working allegiance to the Protector and the Concord.
 
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===Political Goals===
 
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The primary goal of the Taurian Concordat is to preserve the independence and safety of the individual Concord citizen. Beyond this, the [[Protector of the Realm]] is also concerned with the expansion of the Taurian state through colonization at the edge of the [[Periphery]], rather than at the expense of his neighbors. Though attempting to maintain peaceful interstellar relations, Concord leaders view renewed hostilities as a very real possibility. Thus, a strong military is a major priority for what they perceive as the continued security of the Concord.
 
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===Interstellar Relations===
 
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The following is a summary of the Taurian Concordat's relations with its neighbors.
 
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; '''[[Capellan Confederation]]:'''
 
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: Having fought several minor skirmishes with the Capellan government, the Concord is mistrustful of [[House Liao]]. Though a Capellan Consulate operates in the Taurian capital, Concord officials are suspicious of the Capellans' desire for peaceful coexistence. Most feel that [[Maximilian Liao]] intends to use acquisitions won at gunpoint from the Concord as staging areas for strikes against the [[Federated Suns]].
 
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; '''[[Federated Suns]]:'''
 
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: Of all the opponents of the Taurian Concordat, the [[Federated Suns]] is the primary threat to the Taurian state. Few in the Concord are willing to forget or forgive the [[Federated Suns]]' role in the [[Reunification War]], and fewer still are willing to concede that peace between the two states is possible. Since gaining independence, the Concord has deployed its military to meet any new invasion from [[Davion]] space. To upset [[House Davion]], the Taurians have recently resumed diplomatic relations--however tenuous-- with the [[Capellan Confederation]], while rejecting similar gestures from the [[Federated Suns]]. Lord Calderon has rejected secret proposals by [[Michael Hasek-Davion]] for a mutual defense pact against the Capellans.
 
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; '''[[Magistracy of Canopus]]:'''
 
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: The [[Magistracy of Canopus]] is the state most closely allied, however informally, with the Taurian Concordat. Though the two governments have clashed over various border worlds in the past, such disagreements have generally been worked out through diplomatic channels. The Taurians have even made formal overtures for the formation of a mutual defense pact with the [[Canopians]]. As the survival of the Magistracy is in the best interests of the Concord, the Taurians are likely to come to its aid should it be invaded, whether or not a formal agreement between the two states exists.
 
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; '''[[Outworlds Alliance]]:'''
 
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: Distance has historically limited the extent to which the Taurians have maintained contact with the [[Outworlds Alliance]]. In the last century, however, trade contacts have resumed at the behest of the Alliance. More recently, the Alliance has promoted an exchange program in which military "advisors," specifically Alliance [[AeroSpace Pilots]], have journeyed to the Concord to work with their Taurian counterparts in exchange for a corresponding number of educational specialists.
 
  
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; '''[[ComStar]]:'''
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The Taurian Concordat chafed under the rule of the Star League: slight increases in living standards and fewer pirate attacks were not worth the cost of being exploited and oppressed by distant masters.  When [[Stefan Amaris]] of the [[Rim Worlds Republic]] approached the other Periphery leaders about a conspiracy to win their freedom, they agreed. The [[New Vandenberg Uprising]] began in [[2765]] when [[Nicoletta Calderon]] allowed several Concordat worlds to secede from the Star League, an act which would lead directly to the [[Star League Civil War]]. Though Stefan Amaris went back on his word and tried to retain the Periphery in his new "Amaris Empire," in the end the dissolution of the Star League in [[2780]] finally won the Concordat its freedom.
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: Relations between the Taurians and [[ComStar]] have been both cautious and cool over the last century. While permitting [[ComStar]] presence on various Taurian worlds and acknowledging the benefits that [[ComStar]] can bring to the [[Periphery]], the Taurians remain suspicious of [[ComStar]]'s real motives. Few [[ComStar]] officials are permitted positions of authority in the Concord, and those allowed to serve in the Taurian government do so in a strictly advisory capacity only.
 
  
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===Taurian Nobility===
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Though the Taurian Concordat was not directly affected by the devastating [[Succession Wars (History)|Succession Wars]], they nevertheless still felt its effects: severe disruptions in trade and communication, increasing numbers of refugees and pirates spilling into its borders, and [[LosTech|a general loss in knowledge and technology]].  A constant vigil was maintained against any aggression by House Davion, though more often than not any attacks on the Concordat came from its Periphery neighbors, including the [[Magistracy of Canopus]].
  
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Taurian nobility is bestowed on those individuals who render special service to the state (i.e., the Taurian people rather than the government). Many nobilities are hereditary, while some nobles have achieved recognition in the areas of education and administration. All titles reflect the notion that aristocrats must serve the people they command.
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When Houses Davion and [[House Steiner|Steiner]] joined to form the [[Federated Commonwealth]] in [[3028]], fears that this new superstate would once again try to conquer the Concordat spurred [[Thomas Calderon]] to put the [[Taurian Defense Force]] on high alert and vastly increase military funding at the expense of other programs.  This state of affairs, coupled with Thomas blaming every setback on "Davion saboteurs," put him in opposition to members of the [[Far Lookers]] group and members of his own government. Even the [[Clan Invasion]] was first dismissed as a plot hatched by the Davions to distract the Periphery. His death in [[3055]] and [[Jeffrey Calderon]]'s ascension brought relief from these policies and a change towards greater cooperation, first with the Magistracy and then the Capellan Confederation. The [[Trinity Alliance]] would bring greater access to technology and resources to the Concordat, in exchange for allowing some TDF forces to participate in the [[Capellan-St. Ives War]].
  
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Nobles have few material advantages compared to their [[Inner Sphere]] counterparts, a condition unique to the Concord social structure. This mirrors the Taurian social concept that an enlightened aristocracy provides the greatest good to the greatest number. Specific titles are similar to those used in the [[Successor States]].
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Eighty-one years after the [[Calderon Protectorate]] was formed, on 29 August [[3147]], Protector [[Sam Calderon]] and [[Kaff Doru]] announced that Doru's twelve-year-old daughter Reva and Calderon's eight-year-old son Bryant would marry once Bryant turned eighteen. This meant that in [[3157]] the Calderon Protectorate and Taurian Concordat were scheduled to reunify as one nation again. Until then, the two nations would expand their trade relations and engage in mutual defense operations, with additional safeguards to prevent events like the [[Bromhead Massacre]] of [[3067]].<ref>''Shattered Fortress'', p. 45</ref>
  
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===Strengths and Weaknesses===
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==Politics==
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The political structure of the Taurian Concordat is in many ways ironically similar to that of the Federated Suns.  While the national government is headed by a constitutional monarch, individual worlds are given the autonomy to govern themselves as they see fit so long as they maintain a working allegiance to the Concordat and the Protector.  Most planets therefore are run as representative democracies, with many variations in how they operate.<ref name=TP71>''The Periphery'', p. 71</ref><ref name=HMPS105>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 105</ref>
  
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The Taurian Concordat has a strong central government backed by a service- oriented nobility concerned with the welfare of its citizens. Viewed as a servant of the Concord citizenry, each branch of the government operates with a well-defined sense of mutual obligation. The greatest strength of the Concord may be the dedication its government has shown to ensuring individual rights. In doing so, it has eschewed the short-term benefits of the police state (law and order, simplified governmental structure) in favor of the greater creativity and productivity of people allowed to follow their own inclinations. Indeed, this may be the greatest single reason that the Concord continues to be a growing, healthy entity despite the depredations of the [[Succession Wars]]. In light of this, the uneasiness many Taurians feel about the growing power of the [[Concord Constabulary]] is understandable.
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===Government===
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The [[Protector of the Realm]], or simply the '''Protector''', is the chief executive officer of the Concordat and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. A title bestowed upon the eldest member of House Calderon, the Protector is responsible for all matters foreign and domestic. To guard against tyranny, all statutes passed by the Protector are subject to periodic review by the Concordat Courts, which have the power to strike down any deemed unconstitutional, though during times of war the Protector can evoke temporary emergency powers which grant them supreme authority.<ref name=TP71/><ref name=HMPS105/>
  
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The Concord government has taken on problems that it might have avoided, however. The other side of the exploration issue, for example, is that it is a gamble. Though the potential of new colonies may eventually bring in greater wealth for the Taurian people and greater power to the government, the Concord may be overextending itself, creating indefensible borders and expending enormous sums on colonies that may never pay off.
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Advising the Protector is the [[Privy Council (Taurian Concordat)|Privy Council]], which meets on a monthly basis to review matters of state and recommend courses of action for the Protector to take. At first the Council was composed of the original financiers of the Calderon expedition, but evolved to be composed of representatives from each of the major government departments as well as personal appointees by the Protector.<ref name=TP71/><ref name=HMPS105/>  In the event a suitable member of House Calderon is not available, the Privy Council also has the power (in consultation with the planetary governments) to choose a Protector themselves, as was the case with [[Grover Shraplen]].<ref name=HMPS105/>
  
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All in all, the Taurians are playing a dangerous game. Their continued growth could one day make them a new superpower, but it also makes them a more tempting target in the here and now.
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The government bureaucracy's primary goal is to ensure the individual liberty and general welfare of every Taurian citizen.  Civil servants are known as "functionaries" and generally divided into two groups: Masters of Request who handle most government affairs, and Auditors who operate as inspectors general.  The major government departments include:<ref name=TP72>''The Periphery'', p. 72</ref><ref name=HMPS106>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 106</ref>
 +
* '''Ministry of Defense''' - Provides civilian oversight and administration of the armed forces.
 +
* '''Exchequer''' - Sets monetary policy and oversees financial affairs between member worlds.  Manages the government mint, Concordat Bank of Taurus, and Taurian Treasury Reserve on Taurus.
 +
* '''Ministry of the Interior''' - Responsible for internal security. Manages the [[Concordat Constabulary]], a ''gendarmerie'' which in times of war supplements the armed forces.
 +
* '''Ministry of Education''' - Oversees the educational system from preschool to university level.
 +
* '''Ministry of Trade and Colonization''' - Promotes commerce within the Concordat and the chartering of new colony worlds.  This included the development of the [[New Colony Region]] and creation of the [[Colonial Marshals]].
  
−
==Religion and Philosophy==
+
The government is also responsible for bestowing titles of [[Nobility#Taurian Concordat|nobility]].  While often hereditary, such patents may first be granted only to individuals who have performed an important service to the people (not necessarily the government).  Distinctly, Taurian nobles receive much smaller financial gains compared to the nobility of the Inner Sphere, an outgrowth of the idea that wealth disparities are harmful to a free society.<ref name=TP73/><ref name=HMPS107>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 107</ref>
  
−
All forms of religious and philosophical expression are tolerated within the Taurian Concordat, reflecting centuries of tradition and popular precedent. Unique to the Concord, however, is official support of a state religion, Deism (in keeping with many of the social trappings of the [[Terra]]n Age of Reason that the Taurians have adopted). Though no citizen is forced to belong to the [[Taurian Deist Church]], and indeed many question the point of even having a Deist "church" at all, this institution receives government support and can boast the largest following of any religious persuasion in the Concord.
+
===Judiciary===
 +
An extensive court system upholds Taurian law and ensures the rights of the Concordat's citizens.  For every ten thousand citizens there are civil courts on every member planet, while a Planetary Court of Appeal for every three worlds serves an appellate function. A separate Court of Judicial Review, known as the '''Concordat Courts''', periodically reviews all statues passed by the Protector or any government department. If any are determined to be a threat to individual liberty, such legislation can be struck down.<ref name=TP72/><ref name=HMPS107/>
  
−
In the last century, two philosophical creeds, the [[Far Lookers]] and the [[Inheritors]], have gained prominence in the Concord. Both owe their growth to the Calderon family, and both seek to establish a pragmatic approach to daily life in the [[Periphery]].
+
The Concordat Constabulary, in addition to its role of protecting against foreign intrusion, works alongside local police units to enforce the law on member worlds.  While there are variations in what different municipalities and provinces determine is legal and illegal, all major crimes (e.g. murder) have uniform definitions.<ref name=TP72/><ref name=HMPS107/>
  
−
The creed of the [[Far Lookers]] suggests that life in the [[Periphery]] should not be as static as it has been. Just as the original founders of the [[Periphery]] states settled the Taurian Concordat, so, too, the [[Far Lookers]] insist, should contemporary Taurians explore new worlds at the edge of the known galaxy. They argue that expanding the boundaries of the state is necessary to keep it vital and strong. As one of the few [[Periphery]] states with the resources and a sufficiently integrated economy to do so, the Taurian Concordat is more likely than any other to move in the direction the [[Far Lookers]] suggest.
+
===Citizenship===
−
 
+
The rights of the average Taurian citizen are guaranteed in the Concordat Charter, which include: freedom of speech, association, and religion; freedom from unwarranted searches, the right to remain silent, to a trial by a jury of their peers and to competent counsel; the right to move about freely and pursue economic activity; the right to free education, to free or low-cost healthcare, and to a living wage. In return, citizens are obligated to serve the state for a period of four years, often in the military but also in any of the civilian branches too.<ref name=TP72/><ref name=HMPS106/>
−
The [[Inheritors]] accept the philosophical premises of the [[Far Lookers]], but they go one step farther. The [[Inheritors]] posit that the age of the [[Inner Sphere]] is over, and that Humanity is on the verge of a galaxy-wide cataclysm. When this happens, the [[Inheritors]] predict that the enlightened peoples of the [[Periphery]] will pick up the pieces, resettling and repopulating the [[Inner Sphere]] to bring about a new and more vibrant social order.
 
  
 
==Military==
 
==Military==
 +
The [[Taurian Defense Force]] is a well-organized, well-trained and highly motivated military, especially by Periphery standards.  The military-industrial capacity of the Taurian Concordat, combined with the Taurian pride shown in the TDF, ensured that the TDF has traditionally been the largest and best-equipped army in the Periphery.
  
−
The well-organized and well-trained [[Taurian Defense Force]] (TDF) is arranged along the principles of 19th-century Napoleonic armies. A total of twelve [[BattleMech]] regiments are grouped into four separate operations corps: The First, Second, Third, and [[Taurian Guard Corps]]. Naval elements are attached directly to Corps Commanders, with each fleet divided further into two demi- squadrons each. There is also the [[Concord Constabulary]], a paramilitary force normally used for internal security purposes, but which can be mobilized in time of war. Overall, the TDF is a highly motivated force of professional soldiery supported by a variety of heavy industries.
+
The arrangement of the TDF is modeled after that of the Napoleonic armies, with a [[thirty-first-century]] feel: [[BattleMech]]s, infantry, and armor assets are divided into operational Corps, with naval elements, primarily utilized for transportation and defense, attached directly to and under the command of the Corps commanders. The Concordat Constabulary, a paramilitary force used for intelligence gathering and internal security, can be mobilized to supplement the TDF during times of war. Finally there are a variety of armed groups, from planetary militias to the private armies of various nobles and corporations, which might lack in uniform quality and equipment but will not waver in coming to the defense of the realm.<ref>''The Periphery'', p. 74</ref><ref>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 112</ref>
−
 
 
−
===Uniforms===
 
−
 
 
−
The traditional dress uniform of the Concord military is a red tunic with silver buttons (gold for officers), black trousers, and black lapels. Distinctions between branches are denoted by the colors of oversized berets or field caps: dark green for infantry light green for armor, brown for [[BattleMech]], sky blue for navy, and light gray for all support services. In the field, troops wear a standard dull-red or burgundy fatigue uniform with rank insignia on their uniform lapels. Designs for personal gear such as neurohelmets and flight gear have been borrowed from [[Liao]] and [[Davion]] models, with slight modifications from unit to unit.
 
−
 
 
−
Dress uniforms within the TDF correspond to standard uniform styles, with silver sashes and white gloves for all enlisted ranks and gold sashes and white gloves for officers. Marshals of the Concord are further denoted by gold lanyards on both shoulders.
 
−
 
 
−
===Ranks===
 
−
 
 
−
Ranks within the TDF are organized along a six-level tier for both officers and enlisted personnel. Individual titles draw heavily upon the influence of French and English armed forces of the 18th century.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Enlisted Ranks:'''
 
−
: The six enlisted ranks are Recruit, Corporal, Section Leader, Force Sergeant, Lance Sergeant, and Battalion Chief-Sergeant.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Recruit:''
 
−
:: By Concord-wide law, all individuals, male and female, are required at age 18 to join the TDF. Planetary geographical districts (cantons) assemble individuals into provisional training battalions. Each Recruit receives 18 weeks of basic training before being assigned to a unit in the field. A black silhouette denoting one point of a five-pointed star signifies Recruits. All rank silhouettes are black to commemorate those who have died to defend the Taurian systems.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Corporal:''
 
−
:: In infantry formations, Corporals serve as maniple leaders, one maniple consisting of five troopers, with two maniples to a squad. In armor units, Corporals are tank commanders. In all other services, the rank denotes a junior position involving one or more specialist positions. Two points of a five-pointed star denote the Corporal, who wears his insignia on his left lapel.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Section Leader:''
 
−
:: Section Leaders in the TDF infantry are squad commanders, while in Taurian armor units, they command a maniple of two armored fighting vehicles (three maniples to a lance). In all other services, the rank denotes senior specialist positions. Section Leaders wear three points of a five-pointed star.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Force Sergeant:''
 
−
:: A Force Sergeant commands a platoon of 25 men (two squads). In TDF armor units, a Force Sergeant commands an armor lance of three maniples (six vehicles). This rank is also used to denote junior [[AeroSpace Pilots]] in the Taurian [[AeroSpace]] Arm. Four points of a five-pointed star denote the Force Sergeant.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Lance Sergeant:''
 
−
:: A Lance Sergeant serves as assistant platoon leader to a Cornet officer. In armor units, he acts as assistant company commander to a Sub-Altern. In the [[AeroSpace]] Arm, Lance Sergeants are pilots in charge of an air lance. A five-pointed star on the lapel denotes this rank.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Battalion Chief-Sergeant/Air Master:''
 
−
:: Battalion Chief-Sergeants are the senior battalion NCOs in all Taurian ground units. The equivalent rank of Air Master is used in the [[AeroSpace]] Arm to denote junior flight commanders controlling two air lances. The insignia for both ranks is a five-pointed star surrounded by laurel leaves
 
−
 
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Officer Ranks:'''
 
−
: The six commissioned ranks are Cornet, Subaltern, Brigadier, Colonel, Comptroller, and Marshal.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Cornet:''
 
−
:: The Cornet is the lowest-ranking junior officer in the TDF. Cornets serving in ground units typically act as company commanders. Aboard ship, they are assistant department heads, and in the [[AeroSpace]] Arm, they command a wing of two air lances. In [[BattleMech]] units, Cornets serve as [[MechWarrior]]s. A crescent moon on the lapel denotes the Cornet.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Subaltern/AirMaster, Junior Grade:''
 
−
:: Subalterns are battalion commanders in the Taurian ground forces and assistant commanders of air divisions (consisting of two wings of four lances each) in the [[AeroSpace]] Arm. In [[BattleMech]] units, Subalterns command lances of four [[BattleMech]]s. Air Masters, junior grade, act as department heads aboard naval vessels. Subalterns wear two crescent moons, face to face.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Brigadier/Air Master, Senior Grade:''
 
−
:: Brigadiers act as regimental executive officers. Often, they lead commands of four or more companies into battle, depending on assigned mission tasks. Senior grade Air Masters command an aerospace corps consisting of three aerospace wings. The insignia for both ranks is four crescent moons, two facing right and two facing left.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Colonel/Space Master:''
 
−
:: A Colonel is a senior regimental commander. Space Masters act as ship captains aboard Taurian naval vessels. All officers of this rank wear a full moon on each lapel.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Comptroller/Commodore:''
 
−
:: A purely organizational rank, the Comptroller belongs to senior command and planning staff found at the corps level. In certain circumstances, a Comptroller may be delegated to command a regiment or part of a regiment for special missions. Commodores command demi-squadrons, which are a collection of naval vessels assembled according to the dictates of specific mission requirements. A black eagle on each lapel denotes both ranks.
 
−
 
 
−
;; ''Marshal:''
 
−
:: At present, there are five Marshals in the Concord military, one commanding each corps, and one Senior Marshal, a hereditary rank given to the Protector in his role as Commander-in-Chief. Two oak leaves denote a corps commander, and three oak leaves denote the Senior Marshal.
 
−
 
 
−
===Structure of the TDF===
 
−
 
 
−
The following is a brief description of the major divisions of the [[Taurian Defense Force]].
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Concord Army:'''
 
−
: The Concord Army consists of twelve [[BattleMech]] regiments (30 battalions). Nine are line units, and three are mercenary regiments with long-term contracts. [[Oriente]]d toward lances of light-to-medium [[BattleMech]]s, Taurian units are similar in composition to their counterparts in the [[Successor States]]. Units are routinely trained as Special Task Groups. In the first days of an invasion, battalions not engaged with enemy forces would be earmarked for special STG strike missions, as local counterattack teams or as deep-space raiders directed at vulnerable communication and supply points. The flexibility of this military response remains to be seen, especially as more and more Taurian units are being committed to permanent garrisons each year.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Concord Navy:'''
 
−
: The Concord Navy currently consists of 117 [[DropShip]]s and [[JumpShips]] divided into four fleets, each fleet being assigned to a corps front commander. Taurian naval personnel are typically long-term volunteers, with officers serving from about four to seven years. In time of war, the Navy is expected to serve as the first line of defense against any aggressor. In a departure from [[Reunification War]] doctrine, all four fleet components, including that of the [[Taurian Guard Corps]], are expected to engage the enemy as far forward as possible, sacrificing themselves to blunt the enemy's invasion as far from the [[Hyades Cluster]] as possible. Few vessels would be retained to defend the Taurian home worlds.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''[[AeroSpace]] Arm:'''
 
−
: Though staffed, like its naval counterpart, with long-term professionals, the [[AeroSpace]] Arm remains the weakest of three principal military branches. A general lack of equipment and experience against modern combat tactics leaves this organization at a distinct disadvantage against its [[Inner Sphere]] counterparts. As a result, the [[AeroSpace]] Arm concentrates on ground-support roles. In recent years, the Concord has brought in advisers from the [[Outworlds Alliance]] to help modernize the arm, though it may be years before the Taurians are on par with their potential opponents.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Medical Division:'''
 
−
: The Medical Division is concerned with the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded personnel in the field. At present, the medical service available to the average Concord soldier is comparable to that of the [[Inner Sphere]]. Emphasis is placed on the quick retrieval of wounded personnel close to the forward edge of battle, and the division is fully capable of deploying emergency medical and surgical support stations via support craft at a moment's notice.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Transport and Service Division:'''
 
−
: The Transport and Services Division is responsible for the transportation of men and material to battle areas. In addition, it can provide recovery and repair of battle-damaged craft and machines, as well as transport reserves capable of maintaining the integrity of units in the field. Except for those vessels directly assigned to specific regiments, military [[DropShip]]s and [[JumpShips]] are under the control of this division.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Administrative Corps:'''
 
−
: The Administrative Corps is responsible for all matters pertaining to personnel and administrative functions in the armed forces, including disbursement of funds, recordkeeping, promotion review boards, and the acquisition and management of mercenary units.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Propaganda Division:'''
 
−
: With the task of maintaining good morale within the armed services, the Propaganda Division is an independent arm of government that disseminates information regarding the positive aspects of Concord life and discounts rumors instigated by enemy agents.
 
−
 
 
−
===Special Forces===
 
−
 
 
−
The following summarizes the three wings of TDF Special Forces: the [[Concord Constabulary]], the Taurian ASF, and the Noble Family Regiments.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Concord Costabulary:'''
 
−
: The [[Concord Constabulary]] is a dual-function local defense force, charged with intelligence-gathering and internal security operations. It is also a source of conventionally armed troops in time of war, when each Taurian planetary system reverts to martial law under the control of the Constabulary. The military potential of the Constabulary is two to six battalions of conventional troops (600 men each) available for active duty on each Taurian world.
 
−
 
 
−
In addition, the Constabulary retains the services of a special Engineer Company (125 men) on each planet outside the [[Hyades Cluster]]. These individuals are charged with maintaining planetary defenses and fortifications. All Constabulary units also maintain at least one company of armor in the capital of each inhabited world.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Taurian SASF:'''
 
−
: The [[Taurian Special Asteroid Support Force]] is a body of five thousand soldiers and naval personnel trained on Zero-g defense platforms throughout the [[Hyades Cluster]] asteroid belt, from which they can attack invading forces. As the survival potential of forces in combat is low, the Taurian SASF is a voluntary force of individuals motivated by the highest degree of patriotism.
 
−
 
 
−
; '''Noble Family Regiments:'''
 
−
: In the event of war, the Taurian aristocracy is expected to raise and equip local defense regiments at their own expense. The number and quality of these "Home Guards" cannot be estimated at this time, but their strength in the [[Reunification War]] suggests the possibility of from one to two dozen such units, ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 conventional troops.
 
−
 
 
−
===Taurian Military Academies===
 
−
 
 
−
Alone of all the [[Periphery]] states, the Taurian Concordat maintains large military training academies. At present, there is one academy for each major combat branch: the Army, Navy, and [[AeroSpace]] Arms. The army training academy is the Taurian Ecole Militaire, located on [[Taurus]]. The [[Taurian Naval Institute]] and the [[Concord AeroSpace Flight School]] are located on [[New Vandenburg]] and [[Samantha]], respectively. Each has well-developed training programs for both NCOs and officers and can accommodate upward of five hundred personnel.
 
−
 
 
−
===Strengths and Weaknesses===
 
−
 
 
−
On the whole, the Taurian military consists of highly trained and well-motivated individuals. It nevertheless suffers from several debilitating factors. The shrunken size of the Concord, in comparison with its original holdings in the 2500s, means that in any full-scale war, the Taurians will be unable to trade space for time as they did in the [[Reunification War]]. Within the first few months of fighting, the Taurians can expect to lose several key planetary systems, after which they will be forced into either a desperate counterattack or a withdrawal into the [[Hyades Cluster]]. Many of the Taurians' key industrial centers are located outside the Hyades zone, making them prime targets of occupation. The protection of these manufacturing centers forces the Taurians to commit most of their battalions to a relatively static role.
 
−
 
 
−
==Culture and Arts==
 
  
−
The Taurian Concordat has retained the highest literacy rate in the [[Periphery]]. Indeed, the Taurian educational system has served as a model for other states, including those of the [[Inner Sphere]]. The Concord government has traditionally given the educational system a high priority. During the [[Reunification War]], many of the Taurians' largest educational institutions were lost when the [[Star League]] forces overran planets where the schools were located. In the years of the Concord's Territorial status, the [[Star League]] attempted unsuccessfully to modify the educational structure to emphasize the benefits of membership in the [[Star League]]. Since regaining their independence, the Taurians have rebuilt their schools to pre-[[Star League]] levels. They can now boast no fewer than six universities. These universities, located on [[Taurus]], [[Samantha]], [[Pinard]], [[New Vandenburg]], [[MacLeod's Land]], and [[Euschelus]], graduate an average of over forty thousand students annually.
+
The Taurian Defense Force has not maintained a fleet of [[WarShip]]s since the Reunification War, only possessing a single surviving (barely functional) WarShip, the ''[[Vincent (WarShip class)|Vincent Mk 39]]''-class [[Vandenberg (Individual Vincent-class WarShip)|TCW ''Vandenberg'']], which survived by hiding in the Hyades asteroid field.
  
−
Viewing itself largely as a servant of the people, the Taurian government has traditionally refrained from censoring its media, even in time of war. Throughout the Concord, individuals retain the right to free expression without the threat of government intervention, as long as such expression cannot be proven libelous. The average Taurian can expect free medical care, old age pensions, and a living allowance. There are also guaranteed death benefits to surviving family members at the government's expense.
+
==Society and Culture==
 +
Taurians are proud to live in not only one of the oldest but what they see as the freest society in known space.  Freedom of speech and the press not only allows the average citizen to express their views without fear of government censorship but for the creation of a multitude of news sources and political parties who have made arguing over everything something of a sport.  Freedom of religion has allowed all faiths to flourish within Taurian society, and though some localities of like-minded individuals may create laws based on their particular interpretations the national government is wholly secular. Perhaps the largest religious following in the Concordat is [[w:Deism|Deism]] (which, despite reports to the contrary, is not the official state religion but has received personal support by various Protectors over the years), while the philosophy of the [[Far Lookers]] plays on traditional Taurian beliefs in their pioneering founders' courage and man's destiny to conquer the stars.<ref name=TP73>''The Periphery'', p. 73</ref><ref name=TP83>''The Periphery'', p. 83</ref><ref name=HMPS123>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 122–123</ref>
  
−
Like most free societies throughout history, the Taurian Concordat has been inconsistent about producing major artists. One generation may see a flowering of great visual artists, followed by a generation of great writers. Currently, there is a renaissance of novelists producing exceptional work. Unlike most such artistic trends, the Taurian novelists are not part of a single movement, but have divided themselves into two camps, the Realists and the Futurists. The Realists advocate essentially the same principles as other such movements in the past, whereas the Futurists tend more toward symbolic representations of realistic situations, some of which are almost hallucinogenic in their intensity. Debate surrounding these two schools of writing have spread to literati as far away as [[New Avalon]], [[Atreus]], and the [[Outworlds Alliance]].
+
This love of liberty also explains in part the virulent anti-[[House Davion|Davion]] strain in Taurian culture, beyond the history of aggressive acts (both real and imagined) committed against the Concordat. Many see the Davions as hypocrites, espousing ideals like democracy and freedom but operating for all intents and purposes as a military dictatorship.<ref name=HMPS123/>  On worlds with interconnected computer networks, the most popular MMO (massively multiplayer online) games are those which recreate the Reunification War or otherwise feature the Davions as antagonists.<ref name=HMPS124>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 124</ref>  This hatred and suspicion of the Davions permeates the government as well, with the military ever-ready to fight its counterpart in the Federated Suns and some foreign policy initiatives based simply on tweaking the nose of House Davion.<ref name=TP72/>
  
−
==Socioeconomics==
+
Perhaps the only thing Taurians value more than their liberty is the education needed to sustain it.  Even before the Reunification War the Concordat's educational system was one of the best, serving even as a model for Houses Davion and Liao.  During their occupation the Star League attempted to enforce a curriculum more favorable to their viewpoint, but many Taurians resisted such attempts and when their independence was regained the government quickly moved to rebuild the system to its former glory.  Ample funding ensures that even the poorest planet is able to provide public education for everyone ages three to eighteen, along with many alternatives such as private academies and homeschooling.  After graduating from secondary school Taurians can begin their compulsory state service, apply to one of the many professional schools for additional technical training, or apply to one of the prestigious universities.  In [[3025]] the Concordat had six universities, graduating on average 40,000 students each year, with a seventh added in [[3068]].<ref name=TP83/><ref name=HMPS123/>
  
−
The Taurian government has traditionally maintained a laissez-faire approach to monetary policies. Though government-sponsored institutions such as the [[Bank of Taurus]], the [[Concord Mint]], and the [[Taurian Treasury Reserve]], do exist within Taurian space, they serve only to maintain the stability of the Taurian monetary system. The government intervenes only when unusual circumstances threaten runaway inflation or economic recession.
+
The Concordat also boasts a lively arts and entertainment scene, none more so than its publishing industry. Love of the written word is fed by a very high literacy rate, while the income authors derive from their published works is considered tax-exempt.  Another prominent feature are the Concordat Games, a triennial competition celebrating the ancient martial arts: sharpshooting, hand-to-hand combat, and swordsmanship are among the various war games celebrated by the Games. The ultimate competition is a ten-team paintball battle with the winning side earning the title of Concordat's Defenders.<ref name=HMPS124/>
  
−
Much of the Concord's private sector operates on the profit motive, but with curious limitations. Though trade is encouraged with [[Periphery]] neighbors, the Taurians have drastically curtailed their trade with the [[Successor States]], viewing such trade as politically undesirable. Consequently, the Taurians often suffer from a lack of venture capital for investment in local industries. Despite this, renewed colonization along the edge of the [[Periphery]] by government and private concerns may yield enough new raw materials to stimulate the economy.
+
==Economy==
 +
The Taurian economy can in many ways be described as "capitalism with a human face."  When it comes to monetary policy the Concordat adopts a ''laissez-faire'' approach, with government bodies like the Bank of Taurus and the Taurian Treasury Reserve there only to ensure monetary stability or directly intervene in the most unusual of circumstances. However, strong regulations exists to ensure fair play and protect the rights of workers: a living wage, pensions, unemployment assistance and other benefits are guaranteed by the Concordat Charter.  Businesses are largely accepting of these rules, partly out of their own self-interest, and partly from the memories of rampant, predatory exploitation which occurred during the waning years of the Star League when regulatory safeguards were removed.<ref name=TP83>''The Periphery'', p. 83</ref><ref name=HMPS117-118>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 117–118</ref><ref name=ER2750>''Era Report: 2750'', p. 65</ref>  There also exists a strong belief within Taurian society that too great of a wealth disparity is destructive to a free democracy.<ref name=HMPS107>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 107</ref>
  
−
==3050 Update==
+
The Taurian economy is built on a strong manufacturing sector, colonial expansion, and intra-Periphery trade in key technologies, with its largest trading partner historically being the [[Magistracy of Canopus]].  For many years trade with the [[Inner Sphere]] was severely curtailed and viewed as politically undesirable, but that began to change during the thirty-first century, particularly with the signing of the [[Trinity Alliance]].  By [[3067]], Taurian trading firms had succeeded in penetrating the markets in the [[Capellan Confederation]] and [[Free Worlds League]], while (to the Magistracy's annoyance) exploratory efforts were made at increasing trade with the budding [[Marian Hegemony]].<ref name=TP83>''The Periphery'', p. 83</ref><ref name=HMPS117-118>''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', pp. 117–118</ref>
  
−
[Prepared by Major C.G. Toho, [[Periphery]] expert for [[Wolfnet]], Military Intelligence Division. [[Seventh Kommando]].
+
===Manufacturing Centers===
 +
A diverse array of industries make up the Taurian economy, from aquaculture to mining to publishing, but the largest are the military-industrial complex, second only to consumer goods and electronics in size and importance. With a variety of weapons manufacturers, some of whom remained operational in secret during the Star League era, the Taurian Concordat can produce everything from [[BattleMechs]] and [[Combat Vehicles]] to [[aerospace fighters]] and [[DropShips]] for its armed forces.  Unfortunately many key industrial centers are located outside the protective area of the Hyades zone, a fact which forces the TDF to deploy its units in a static defensive role to protect them from attack.<ref name=TP83/><ref name=HMPS117-118/>
  
−
[[Thomas Calderon]], Protector of the Concord, has become increasingly paranoid about the safety of his realm. Most observers point to the death of his eldest son, [[Edward Calderon]], in a [[DropShip]] accident in [[3034]] as the reason for his mental decline. Though [[Thomas Calderon]] always considered the [[Federated Suns]] to be the major threat to his realm, the unification of [[House Davion]] and [[House Steiner]] thoroughly terrifies him, as did the [[Canopus]]-[[Andurien]] alliance.
+
====3067====
 +
;Major Defense Industries
 +
* [[Sterope Defense Industries]]<ref>''Objective Raids'', p. 161</ref>
 +
* [[Pinard Protectorates Limited]]<ref name=TO17>''Tactical Operations'', p. 17</ref>
 +
* [[Taurus Territorial Industries]]<ref name=TO17/>
 +
* [[Vandenberg Mechanized Industries]]<ref name=TO17/>
 +
* [[Wingman Enterprises Limited]]<ref name=TO17/>
  
−
His fears have led to even greater tensions with his neighbors, especially the [[Federated Suns]]. In [[3042]], a commercial freighter registered in the [[Federated Suns]] made a miss-jump into the Landmark star system. Aeropilots from the Red Chasseurs of the [[Taurian Defense Force]]s overreacted and destroyed the ship before it could identify itself. In [[3045]], the now- defunct mercenary company Dedrickson's Devils raided the Concord world of [[Pinard]]. Though the Devils were under contract to [[House Davion]], they had gone renegade over a pay dispute, a fact later verified by a [[ComStar]] Board of Inquiry. [[Thomas Calderon]], however, considered it an attack by the [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns | AFFS]].
+
==Fact Sheets==
 +
;3130<ref>''Dark Age: Touring the Stars (3130)'', p. 91</ref>
 +
* Founding Year: [[2335]] (Concordat; [[2253]] as Taurian Homeworlds); [[3066]] (Protectorate)
 +
* Capital (City, World): New Samantha, [[Taurus]] (Concordat); New Taurus, [[Erod's Escape]] (Protectorate)
 +
* National Symbol (Both): A bull’s head with exaggerated horns that curl downward and encompass three gold five-pointed stars (Calderon Protectorate uses black stars.)
 +
* Location ([[Terra]] relative): Rimward, beyond [[Capellan Confederation]] and [[Federated Suns]]
 +
* Total (Inhabited) Systems: 22 (Concordat); 13 (Protectorate)
 +
* Estimated Population ([[3130]]): 33,031,000,000 (Concordat);15,310,000,000 (Protectorate)
 +
* Government: Democracy (currently under military rule, Concordat); Democracy (Protectorate)
 +
* Ruler: [[Protector of the Realm|Protector]] [[Kaff Doru]] (Concordat); Protector [[Sam Calderon]] (Protectorate)
 +
* Dominant Language(s): English, Spanish, French
 +
* Dominant Religion(s): Deism (official), Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism
 +
* Unit of Currency: Bull (1 bull = 0.12 C-bills)
  
−
In December [[3049]], he ordered the [[Taurian Defense Force]]s on alert. He was certain that the [[Federated Commonwealth]] was using the [[Future Victor 49]] military exercises being held near [[Lindsay]] and [[Brockway]] on the Concord border as cover for an invasion of the Concord. The TDF has been on alert ever since.
+
==Maps==
 +
<gallery>
 +
Image: Taurian Concordat partial 2366.png|Border between the Taurian Concordat and the Capellan Confederation during the Second Exodus (2366)
 +
Image: TC_2571.png|Taurian Concordat and neighboring states after the Age of War (2571)
 +
Image: TC_2578.png|Taurian Concordat and neighboring states (2578)
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_2596.png|Taurian Concordat after the Reunification War (2596)
 +
Image: TC_2750.png|Taurian Concordat before the Fall of the Star League (2750)
 +
Image: Taurian-Concordat-2764.png|Taurian Concordat in 2764
 +
File:Taurian Concordat - 2767.jpg|Taurian Concordat in [[2767]]
 +
Image: Taurian Concordat partial 2822.png|Taurian Concordat after the First Succession War (2822)
 +
Image: Taurian Concordat partial 2864.png|Taurian Concordat after the Second Succession War (2864)
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_3025.png|Taurian Concordat after the Third Succession War (3025)
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_3040.png|Taurian Concordat after the modern colonization drive (3040)
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_3067.png|Taurian Concordat after the FedCom Civil War (3067)
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_Jihad_gains.png|Taurian Concordat conquered territory during the Jihad
 +
Image: Taurian Concordat 3079.jpg|Taurian Concordat after the Jihad (3079)
 +
Image: Taurian-Concordat-3085.png|Taurian Concordat in 3085
 +
Image: Taurian_Concordat_3130.png|Taurian Concordat at the beginning of the Dark Age (3130)
 +
</gallery>
  
−
Marshal [[Hadji Doru]] is Calderon's chief political opponent. A handsome man and an eloquent speaker, he has been using his position as commander of the Taurian Guard to gain support. The Marshal believes in the wisdom of military preparedness, but he believes an even better defense against the [[Federated Commonwealth]] would be to make the Concord a major economic and trading interest of that great state.
+
==Historical: Maps==
  
−
Protector [[Thomas Calderon]] has yet to move against Marshal Doru, but a confrontation seems inevitable.
+
<gallery>
 +
File:TC-2596.png|after [[Reunification War]]
 +
File:TC-2750.png|[[Star League]] Era
 +
File:TC-2822.png|after [[First Succession War]]
 +
File:TC-2864.png|after [[Second Succession War]]
 +
File:TC-3025.png|after [[Third Succession War]]
 +
File:TC-3030.png|after [[Fourth Succession War]]
 +
File:TC-3040.png|after [[War of 3039]]
 +
File:TC-3050.png|before [[Clan Invasion]]
 +
File:TC-3052.png|after [[Clan Invasion]]
 +
File:TC-3057.png|in [[3057]]
 +
File:TC-3063.png|after [[Operation Guerrero]]
 +
File:TC-3067.png|during [[Second Star League]]
 +
File:TC-3075.png|during [[Jihad]]
 +
File:TC-3079.png|after [[Jihad]]
 +
File:TC-3081.png|in [[3081]]
 +
File:TC-3085.png|creation of the [[Republic of the Sphere]]
 +
File:TC-3130.png|before [[Gray Monday]]
 +
File:TC-3135.png|in [[3135]]
 +
File:TC-3145.png|in [[3145]]
  
−
==Rulers==
+
</gallery>
  
−
{| class="wikitable"
+
==References==
−
|-
+
<references />
−
! scope="col" width="150" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
 
−
! scope="col" width="150" style="background: #dedede;" | Reign
 
−
! scope="col" style="background: #dedede;" | Descent
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="3" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Protector [[2253]] - [[2335]]'''
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Samantha Calderon]]||[[2253]] - [[2268]]||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Timothy Calderon]]||[[2268]] - [[2330]]||Son of [[Samantha Calderon|Samantha]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Sandra Calderon]]||[[2330]] - [[2335]]||Daughter of [[Timothy Calderon|Timothy]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| colspan="3" style="background: #efefef;" | '''Protector of the Realm [[2335]] - present'''
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Richard Calderon]]||[[2335]] - [[2387]]||Son of [[Sandra Calderon|Sandra]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Daniel Calderon]]||[[2387]] - [[2390]]||Son of [[Richard Calderon|Richard]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Sigur Fonn]]||[[2390]] - ****||Regent for [[Amanda Calderon|Amanda]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Amanda Calderon]]||**** - ****||Daughter of [[Daniel Calderon|Daniel]]
 
−
|-
 
−
|****||**** - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Caterina Calderon]]||**** - c. [[2575]]||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Mitchell Calderon]]||c. [[2575]] - [[2588]]||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Marantha Calderon]]||[[2588]] - [[2596]]||Daughter of [[Mitchell Calderon|Mitchell]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Henry Calderon]]||[[2596]] - [[2629]]||Nephew of [[Marantha Calderon|Marantha]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| '''"Protector, to the Protector" (Regent)''' [[Carlos Calderon]]||[[2629]] - [[2650]]||Cousin of [[Henry Calderon|Henry]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Consuelo Calderon]]||[[2650]] - [[2671]]||Niece of [[Henry Calderon|Henry]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Reginald Calderon]]||[[2671]] - [[2687]]||Great Grandson of [[Marantha Calderon|Marantha]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Jentarra Calderon]]||[[2687]] - [[2694]]||Daughter of [[Reginald Calderon|Reginald]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Brandon Calderon]]||[[2694]] - [[2725]]||Brother of [[Jentarra Calderon|Jentarra]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Hampton Calderon]]||[[2725]] - [[2726]]||Son of [[Brandon Calderon|Brandon]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Nicoletta Calderon]]||[[2726]] - c. [[2800]]||Daughter of ****, Protector during the [[Amaris Civil War|Amaris Crisis]]
 
−
|-
 
−
|****||**** - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Semyon Calderon]]||**** - ****||Son of ****, Protector during the [[First Succession War|1st Succession War]]
 
−
|-
 
−
|****||**** - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Ignatius Calderon]]||[[2842]] - [[2884]]||
 
−
|-
 
−
|****||**** - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Thomas Calderon]]||**** - [[3055]]||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Jeffrey Calderon]]||[[3055]] - [[3061]]||Son of [[Thomas Calderon|Thomas]] - Assasinated on [[Detroit]]
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Grover Shraplen]]||[[3061]] - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| **** ||**** - ****||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[Kaff Doru]]<ref>[[Touring the Stars]] - Taurian Concordat/Calderon Protectorate section</ref>||**** - ****|| [[Dark Age]] era Leader
 
−
|}
 
  
−
==Sources==
+
==Bibliography==
 +
* ''[[BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction]]''
 +
* ''[[Dark Age: Touring the Stars (3130)]]''
 +
* ''[[Field Manual: Periphery]]''
 +
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
 +
* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
 +
* ''[[Historical: Reunification War]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
 +
* ''[[Mercenaries Supplemental Update]]''
 +
* ''[[The Periphery (sourcebook)|The Periphery, First Edition]]''
 +
* ''[[The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook)|The Periphery, Second Edition]]''
 +
* ''[[Shattered Fortress]]''
 +
* ''[[Tactical Operations]]''
  
−
* [[The Periphery (sourcebook)]]
 
−
* [[The Periphery, 2nd Edition (sourcebook)]]
 
−
* [[Field Manual: Periphery]]
 
−
* [[Touring the Stars]]
 
−
<references/>
 
  
−
[[Category: Periphery realms]]
+
[[Category:Nation States]]
−
[[Category:CBT Factions]]
 

Latest revision as of 18:52, 25 February 2024

Crest of Taurian Concordat
Taurian Concordat
State Profile
Founding Year 2335
Capital world: Taurus
Controlled system(s): 56+
Government
Head of State Protector of the Realm
Military
Army Taurian Defense Force (TDF)
Military Intelligence Taurian Ministry of Intelligence (TMI)

The Taurian Concordat is an interstellar nation located in the Periphery. Founded as a constitutional monarchy under the leadership of House Calderon, the Taurian Concordat is one of the oldest surviving realms since the collapse of the Terran Alliance. Taurian citizens enjoy extensive freedoms guaranteed by the Concordat Charter and take pride in defending those freedoms through compulsory service. The Taurian Concordat has had an antagonistic relationship with the Inner Sphere, particularly against the Federated Suns, and is driven by a desire to expand its borders through colonization and protect its hard-won freedoms from outside aggression.

History[edit]

Main article: History of the Taurian Concordat

The Taurian Concordat traces its beginnings to Samantha Calderon, a woman whose family was murdered by the Terran Alliance and soon found herself in dire straits when that government's collapse left the Outer Reaches in chaos. After securing sufficient funding for a deep-space exploration effort, the Calderon Expedition left known space in 2250. Nearly two years later, they reached the Hyades Cluster, with Samantha the first to step foot on Taurus on 23 January, 2253. Over the next century the Taurians thrived in their isolation, expanding out to colonize the rest of the Hyades Cluster and outlying systems, while at the same time running into refugees fleeing war and oppression in the Inner Sphere. In 2335, Richard Calderon announced the creation of the Taurian Concordat, allowing those systems which joined to maintain their internal affairs while pledging to come to the common defense of all.

As the Concordat expanded, so did it come into more regular contact with the Inner Sphere. Due to a series of unfortunate events involving the Capellan Confederation and the Federated Suns, the Concordat became embroiled in conflict with the Federation, an event which would spark centuries of animosity towards House Davion. After the Great Houses banded together to form the Star League in 2570, they tried to convince the Taurian Concordat and other major powers of the Periphery to join as well, an offer which was politely but strongly declined. Eventually, the Star League gave them a final choice: join us or else. The Periphery refused, and for twenty-five years the Reunification War raged, causing immense destruction within the Concordat as both the Taurians and Star League fought with every tool at their disposal, including nuclear weapons. By the conflict's end, one in five Taurians were dead and the Concordat was made a Territorial State of the Star League.

The Taurian Concordat chafed under the rule of the Star League: slight increases in living standards and fewer pirate attacks were not worth the cost of being exploited and oppressed by distant masters. When Stefan Amaris of the Rim Worlds Republic approached the other Periphery leaders about a conspiracy to win their freedom, they agreed. The New Vandenberg Uprising began in 2765 when Nicoletta Calderon allowed several Concordat worlds to secede from the Star League, an act which would lead directly to the Star League Civil War. Though Stefan Amaris went back on his word and tried to retain the Periphery in his new "Amaris Empire," in the end the dissolution of the Star League in 2780 finally won the Concordat its freedom.

Though the Taurian Concordat was not directly affected by the devastating Succession Wars, they nevertheless still felt its effects: severe disruptions in trade and communication, increasing numbers of refugees and pirates spilling into its borders, and a general loss in knowledge and technology. A constant vigil was maintained against any aggression by House Davion, though more often than not any attacks on the Concordat came from its Periphery neighbors, including the Magistracy of Canopus.

When Houses Davion and Steiner joined to form the Federated Commonwealth in 3028, fears that this new superstate would once again try to conquer the Concordat spurred Thomas Calderon to put the Taurian Defense Force on high alert and vastly increase military funding at the expense of other programs. This state of affairs, coupled with Thomas blaming every setback on "Davion saboteurs," put him in opposition to members of the Far Lookers group and members of his own government. Even the Clan Invasion was first dismissed as a plot hatched by the Davions to distract the Periphery. His death in 3055 and Jeffrey Calderon's ascension brought relief from these policies and a change towards greater cooperation, first with the Magistracy and then the Capellan Confederation. The Trinity Alliance would bring greater access to technology and resources to the Concordat, in exchange for allowing some TDF forces to participate in the Capellan-St. Ives War.

Eighty-one years after the Calderon Protectorate was formed, on 29 August 3147, Protector Sam Calderon and Kaff Doru announced that Doru's twelve-year-old daughter Reva and Calderon's eight-year-old son Bryant would marry once Bryant turned eighteen. This meant that in 3157 the Calderon Protectorate and Taurian Concordat were scheduled to reunify as one nation again. Until then, the two nations would expand their trade relations and engage in mutual defense operations, with additional safeguards to prevent events like the Bromhead Massacre of 3067.[1]

Politics[edit]

The political structure of the Taurian Concordat is in many ways ironically similar to that of the Federated Suns. While the national government is headed by a constitutional monarch, individual worlds are given the autonomy to govern themselves as they see fit so long as they maintain a working allegiance to the Concordat and the Protector. Most planets therefore are run as representative democracies, with many variations in how they operate.[2][3]

Government[edit]

The Protector of the Realm, or simply the Protector, is the chief executive officer of the Concordat and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. A title bestowed upon the eldest member of House Calderon, the Protector is responsible for all matters foreign and domestic. To guard against tyranny, all statutes passed by the Protector are subject to periodic review by the Concordat Courts, which have the power to strike down any deemed unconstitutional, though during times of war the Protector can evoke temporary emergency powers which grant them supreme authority.[2][3]

Advising the Protector is the Privy Council, which meets on a monthly basis to review matters of state and recommend courses of action for the Protector to take. At first the Council was composed of the original financiers of the Calderon expedition, but evolved to be composed of representatives from each of the major government departments as well as personal appointees by the Protector.[2][3] In the event a suitable member of House Calderon is not available, the Privy Council also has the power (in consultation with the planetary governments) to choose a Protector themselves, as was the case with Grover Shraplen.[3]

The government bureaucracy's primary goal is to ensure the individual liberty and general welfare of every Taurian citizen. Civil servants are known as "functionaries" and generally divided into two groups: Masters of Request who handle most government affairs, and Auditors who operate as inspectors general. The major government departments include:[4][5]

  • Ministry of Defense - Provides civilian oversight and administration of the armed forces.
  • Exchequer - Sets monetary policy and oversees financial affairs between member worlds. Manages the government mint, Concordat Bank of Taurus, and Taurian Treasury Reserve on Taurus.
  • Ministry of the Interior - Responsible for internal security. Manages the Concordat Constabulary, a gendarmerie which in times of war supplements the armed forces.
  • Ministry of Education - Oversees the educational system from preschool to university level.
  • Ministry of Trade and Colonization - Promotes commerce within the Concordat and the chartering of new colony worlds. This included the development of the New Colony Region and creation of the Colonial Marshals.

The government is also responsible for bestowing titles of nobility. While often hereditary, such patents may first be granted only to individuals who have performed an important service to the people (not necessarily the government). Distinctly, Taurian nobles receive much smaller financial gains compared to the nobility of the Inner Sphere, an outgrowth of the idea that wealth disparities are harmful to a free society.[6][7]

Judiciary[edit]

An extensive court system upholds Taurian law and ensures the rights of the Concordat's citizens. For every ten thousand citizens there are civil courts on every member planet, while a Planetary Court of Appeal for every three worlds serves an appellate function. A separate Court of Judicial Review, known as the Concordat Courts, periodically reviews all statues passed by the Protector or any government department. If any are determined to be a threat to individual liberty, such legislation can be struck down.[4][7]

The Concordat Constabulary, in addition to its role of protecting against foreign intrusion, works alongside local police units to enforce the law on member worlds. While there are variations in what different municipalities and provinces determine is legal and illegal, all major crimes (e.g. murder) have uniform definitions.[4][7]

Citizenship[edit]

The rights of the average Taurian citizen are guaranteed in the Concordat Charter, which include: freedom of speech, association, and religion; freedom from unwarranted searches, the right to remain silent, to a trial by a jury of their peers and to competent counsel; the right to move about freely and pursue economic activity; the right to free education, to free or low-cost healthcare, and to a living wage. In return, citizens are obligated to serve the state for a period of four years, often in the military but also in any of the civilian branches too.[4][5]

Military[edit]

The Taurian Defense Force is a well-organized, well-trained and highly motivated military, especially by Periphery standards. The military-industrial capacity of the Taurian Concordat, combined with the Taurian pride shown in the TDF, ensured that the TDF has traditionally been the largest and best-equipped army in the Periphery.

The arrangement of the TDF is modeled after that of the Napoleonic armies, with a thirty-first-century feel: BattleMechs, infantry, and armor assets are divided into operational Corps, with naval elements, primarily utilized for transportation and defense, attached directly to and under the command of the Corps commanders. The Concordat Constabulary, a paramilitary force used for intelligence gathering and internal security, can be mobilized to supplement the TDF during times of war. Finally there are a variety of armed groups, from planetary militias to the private armies of various nobles and corporations, which might lack in uniform quality and equipment but will not waver in coming to the defense of the realm.[8][9]

The Taurian Defense Force has not maintained a fleet of WarShips since the Reunification War, only possessing a single surviving (barely functional) WarShip, the Vincent Mk 39-class TCW Vandenberg, which survived by hiding in the Hyades asteroid field.

Society and Culture[edit]

Taurians are proud to live in not only one of the oldest but what they see as the freest society in known space. Freedom of speech and the press not only allows the average citizen to express their views without fear of government censorship but for the creation of a multitude of news sources and political parties who have made arguing over everything something of a sport. Freedom of religion has allowed all faiths to flourish within Taurian society, and though some localities of like-minded individuals may create laws based on their particular interpretations the national government is wholly secular. Perhaps the largest religious following in the Concordat is Deism (which, despite reports to the contrary, is not the official state religion but has received personal support by various Protectors over the years), while the philosophy of the Far Lookers plays on traditional Taurian beliefs in their pioneering founders' courage and man's destiny to conquer the stars.[6][10][11]

This love of liberty also explains in part the virulent anti-Davion strain in Taurian culture, beyond the history of aggressive acts (both real and imagined) committed against the Concordat. Many see the Davions as hypocrites, espousing ideals like democracy and freedom but operating for all intents and purposes as a military dictatorship.[11] On worlds with interconnected computer networks, the most popular MMO (massively multiplayer online) games are those which recreate the Reunification War or otherwise feature the Davions as antagonists.[12] This hatred and suspicion of the Davions permeates the government as well, with the military ever-ready to fight its counterpart in the Federated Suns and some foreign policy initiatives based simply on tweaking the nose of House Davion.[4]

Perhaps the only thing Taurians value more than their liberty is the education needed to sustain it. Even before the Reunification War the Concordat's educational system was one of the best, serving even as a model for Houses Davion and Liao. During their occupation the Star League attempted to enforce a curriculum more favorable to their viewpoint, but many Taurians resisted such attempts and when their independence was regained the government quickly moved to rebuild the system to its former glory. Ample funding ensures that even the poorest planet is able to provide public education for everyone ages three to eighteen, along with many alternatives such as private academies and homeschooling. After graduating from secondary school Taurians can begin their compulsory state service, apply to one of the many professional schools for additional technical training, or apply to one of the prestigious universities. In 3025 the Concordat had six universities, graduating on average 40,000 students each year, with a seventh added in 3068.[10][11]

The Concordat also boasts a lively arts and entertainment scene, none more so than its publishing industry. Love of the written word is fed by a very high literacy rate, while the income authors derive from their published works is considered tax-exempt. Another prominent feature are the Concordat Games, a triennial competition celebrating the ancient martial arts: sharpshooting, hand-to-hand combat, and swordsmanship are among the various war games celebrated by the Games. The ultimate competition is a ten-team paintball battle with the winning side earning the title of Concordat's Defenders.[12]

Economy[edit]

The Taurian economy can in many ways be described as "capitalism with a human face." When it comes to monetary policy the Concordat adopts a laissez-faire approach, with government bodies like the Bank of Taurus and the Taurian Treasury Reserve there only to ensure monetary stability or directly intervene in the most unusual of circumstances. However, strong regulations exists to ensure fair play and protect the rights of workers: a living wage, pensions, unemployment assistance and other benefits are guaranteed by the Concordat Charter. Businesses are largely accepting of these rules, partly out of their own self-interest, and partly from the memories of rampant, predatory exploitation which occurred during the waning years of the Star League when regulatory safeguards were removed.[10][13][14] There also exists a strong belief within Taurian society that too great of a wealth disparity is destructive to a free democracy.[7]

The Taurian economy is built on a strong manufacturing sector, colonial expansion, and intra-Periphery trade in key technologies, with its largest trading partner historically being the Magistracy of Canopus. For many years trade with the Inner Sphere was severely curtailed and viewed as politically undesirable, but that began to change during the thirty-first century, particularly with the signing of the Trinity Alliance. By 3067, Taurian trading firms had succeeded in penetrating the markets in the Capellan Confederation and Free Worlds League, while (to the Magistracy's annoyance) exploratory efforts were made at increasing trade with the budding Marian Hegemony.[10][13]

Manufacturing Centers[edit]

A diverse array of industries make up the Taurian economy, from aquaculture to mining to publishing, but the largest are the military-industrial complex, second only to consumer goods and electronics in size and importance. With a variety of weapons manufacturers, some of whom remained operational in secret during the Star League era, the Taurian Concordat can produce everything from BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles to aerospace fighters and DropShips for its armed forces. Unfortunately many key industrial centers are located outside the protective area of the Hyades zone, a fact which forces the TDF to deploy its units in a static defensive role to protect them from attack.[10][13]

3067[edit]

Major Defense Industries

Fact Sheets[edit]

3130[17]
  • Founding Year: 2335 (Concordat; 2253 as Taurian Homeworlds); 3066 (Protectorate)
  • Capital (City, World): New Samantha, Taurus (Concordat); New Taurus, Erod's Escape (Protectorate)
  • National Symbol (Both): A bull’s head with exaggerated horns that curl downward and encompass three gold five-pointed stars (Calderon Protectorate uses black stars.)
  • Location (Terra relative): Rimward, beyond Capellan Confederation and Federated Suns
  • Total (Inhabited) Systems: 22 (Concordat); 13 (Protectorate)
  • Estimated Population (3130): 33,031,000,000 (Concordat);15,310,000,000 (Protectorate)
  • Government: Democracy (currently under military rule, Concordat); Democracy (Protectorate)
  • Ruler: Protector Kaff Doru (Concordat); Protector Sam Calderon (Protectorate)
  • Dominant Language(s): English, Spanish, French
  • Dominant Religion(s): Deism (official), Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism
  • Unit of Currency: Bull (1 bull = 0.12 C-bills)

Maps[edit]

  • Border between the Taurian Concordat and the Capellan Confederation during the Second Exodus (2366)

  • Taurian Concordat and neighboring states after the Age of War (2571)

  • Taurian Concordat and neighboring states (2578)

  • Taurian Concordat after the Reunification War (2596)

  • Taurian Concordat before the Fall of the Star League (2750)

  • Taurian Concordat in 2764

  • Taurian Concordat in 2767

  • Taurian Concordat after the First Succession War (2822)

  • Taurian Concordat after the Second Succession War (2864)

  • Taurian Concordat after the Third Succession War (3025)

  • Taurian Concordat after the modern colonization drive (3040)

  • Taurian Concordat after the FedCom Civil War (3067)

  • Taurian Concordat conquered territory during the Jihad

  • Taurian Concordat after the Jihad (3079)

  • Taurian Concordat in 3085

  • Taurian Concordat at the beginning of the Dark Age (3130)

Historical: Maps[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Shattered Fortress, p. 45
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Periphery, p. 71
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 105
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Periphery, p. 72
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 106
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Periphery, p. 73
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 107
  8. ↑ The Periphery, p. 74
  9. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 112
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 The Periphery, p. 83
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 122–123
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 124
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Handbook: Major Periphery States, pp. 117–118
  14. ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 65
  15. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 161
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Tactical Operations, p. 17
  17. ↑ Dark Age: Touring the Stars (3130), p. 91

Bibliography[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.sarna.net/wiki/index.php?title=Taurian_Concordat&oldid=1056903"