Difference between revisions of "Tharkad"
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{{Update Needed|[[Second Succession War (Sourcebook)]]}}
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{{Otheruses|the planetary system|the WarShip|Tharkad (WarShip class)}}
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{{Otheruses|the planet|the WarShip|Tharkad (WarShip)}}
 
  
 
{{InfoBoxSystem
 
{{InfoBoxSystem
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| coord              = -212.999 : 151.773{{e}}
 
| coord              = -212.999 : 151.773{{e}}
 
| stars              =  
 
| stars              =  
−
| class              = G6V<ref name="O:LAp25">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 25, "Tharkad"</ref>
+
| class              = G6V<ref name="O:LAp25">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 25: "Tharkad"</ref>
 
| recharge            = 187 hours<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| recharge            = 187 hours<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| recharge stations  = Zenith, Nadir<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| recharge stations  = Zenith, Nadir<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| planets            =  
 
| planets            =  
 
}}
 
}}
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''Note: X and Y are coordinates (light years on XY plane) relative to [[Terra]] at (0, 0)''
+
The '''Tharkad''' system is the location of at least one habitable world, '''Tharkad V''', and as of June [[3152]] was the national capital of the [[Lyran Commonwealth]], located in the [[Donegal Province]].<ref name=TRp72/>
 +
{{TOC limit|3}}
 +
 
 +
==System Description==
 +
Tharkad is located near the [[Forkas]] and [[Eutin]] systems.
  
 
==Political Affiliation==
 
==Political Affiliation==
−
* [[2340]] - [[Protectorate of Donegal]]<ref name=HBHS13>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 13, "Protectorate of Donegal world within the Lyran Commonwealth befor [2340] and after at their founding in [2341]"</ref>
+
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
 +
* [[2340]] - [[Protectorate of Donegal]]<ref name=HBHS13>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 13</ref>
 
* [[2341]] - [[Lyran Commonwealth]]<ref name=HBHS13/>
 
* [[2341]] - [[Lyran Commonwealth]]<ref name=HBHS13/>
−
* [[2571]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp25>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 25, "Lyran Commonwealth after Age of War [2571]"</ref>
+
* [[2571]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp25>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 25</ref>
−
* [[2596]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name=HRWp158>''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 158, "Inner Sphere Map [2596]"</ref>
+
* [[2596]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name=HRWp158>''Historical: Reunification War'', p. 158</ref>
−
* [[2750]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:MPSp25">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 25, "Rim Worlds Republic At the Fall of the Star League [2750]"</ref><ref name="ER:2750p36">''Era Report: 2750'', p. 36, "Inner Sphere - 2750"</ref>
+
* [[2750]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:MPSp25">''Handbook: Major Periphery States'', p. 25</ref><ref name="ER:2750p36">''Era Report: 2750'', p. 36</ref>
−
* [[2764]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="FM:SLDFpvii">''Field Manual: SLDF'', p. vii, "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"</ref>
+
* [[2764]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="FM:SLDFpvii">''Field Manual: SLDF'', p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"</ref>
−
* [[2765]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="H:LoTV1p10">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', p. 10, "Inner Sphere - 2765"</ref>
+
* [[2765]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="H:LoTV1p10">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1'', p. 10</ref>
−
* [[2786]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="FSW(SB)p24-25">''First Succession War (Source Book)'', pp. 24-25, "Inner Sphere - [2786] Map"</ref>
+
* [[2786]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="FSW(SB)p24-25">''First Succession War'', pp. 24–25"</ref>
−
* [[2822]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp36">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 36, "Lyran Commonwealth after First Succession War [2822]"</ref><ref name="H:LoTV2p122">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', p. 122-123, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"</ref><ref name="FSW(SB)p112-113">''First Succession War (Source Book)'', pp. 112-113, "Inner Sphere - [2822] Map"</ref>
+
* [[2822]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp36">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 36</ref><ref name="H:LoTV2p122">''Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2'', pp. 122–123</ref><ref name="FSW(SB)p112-113">''First Succession War'', pp. 112–113</ref>
−
* [[2864]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp40">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 40, "Lyran Commonwealth after Second Succession War [2822]"</ref>
+
* [[2864]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp40">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 40</ref>
−
* [[3025]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp47">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 47, "Lyran Commonwealth after Third Succession War [3025]"</ref>
+
* [[3025]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp47">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 47</ref>
−
* [[3030]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp56">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 56, "Lyran Commonwealth after Fourth Succession War [3030]"</ref>
+
* [[3030]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp56">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 56</ref>
−
* [[3040]] - [[Federated Commonwealth]] <ref name="HB:HSp59">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 59, "Lyran Commonwealth after War of 39 [3040]"</ref><ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 132, "Inner Sphere - 3040"</ref>
+
* [[3040]] - [[Federated Commonwealth]]<ref name="HB:HSp59">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 59</ref><ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 132</ref>
−
* [[3050]] - Federated Commonwealth <ref name="ER3052p11">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 3050"</ref>
+
* [[3050]] - Federated Commonwealth<ref name="ER3052p11">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 11</ref>
−
* [[3052]] - Federated Commonwealth <ref name="HB:HSp61">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 61, "Lyran Commonwealth after Clan Invasion [3052]"</ref><ref name="ER3052p23">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 23, "Inner Sphere - 3052"</ref>
+
* [[3052]] - Federated Commonwealth<ref name="HB:HSp61">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 61</ref><ref name="ER3052p23">''Era Report: 3052'', p. 23</ref>
−
* [[3057]] - [[Lyran Alliance]] <ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 11, "Inner Sphere Map [3057]"</ref>
+
* [[3045]] - Federated Commonwealth<ref name=FP>''Foolproof''</ref>
−
* [[3063]] - Lyran Alliance <ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 29, "Inner Sphere Map [3063]"</ref>
+
* [[3057]] - [[Lyran Alliance]]<ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 11</ref>
−
* [[3067]] - Lyran Alliance <ref name="HB:HSp70">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 70, "Lyran Commonwealth after FedCom Civil War [3067]"</ref>
+
* [[3063]] - Lyran Alliance<ref>''Era Report: 3062'', p. 29</ref>
−
* [[3075]] - Lyran Alliance <ref name="JS:TBDp64>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 64, "Inner Sphere [3075]"</ref>
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* [[3067]] - Lyran Alliance<ref name="HB:HSp70">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 70</ref>
−
* [[3079]] - Lyran Alliance <ref name="FR:LAAFp19">''Field Report: LAAF'', p. 21, "Lyran Alliance Armed Forces Deployment Map - August 3079"</ref>
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* [[3075]] - Lyran Alliance<ref name="JS:TBDp64>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 64</ref>
−
* [[3081]] - Lyran Alliance <ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 63, "Inner Sphere Map - [March 3081]"</ref>
+
* [[3079]] - Lyran Alliance<ref name="FR:LAAFp19">''Field Report: LAAF'', p. 21</ref>
−
* [[3085]] - Lyran Alliance <ref>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. vii, "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"</ref>
+
* [[3081]] - Lyran Alliance<ref>''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 63</ref>
−
* [[3135]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="ER:3145p11">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 3135"</ref>
+
* [[3085]] - Lyran Alliance<ref>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. vii: "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"</ref>
−
* [[3145]] - Lyran Commonwealth <ref name="ER:3145p39">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 39, "Inner Sphere - 3145"</ref>
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* [[3135]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="ER:3145p11">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 11</ref>
 +
* [[3145]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name="ER:3145p39">''Era Report: 3145'', p. 39</ref>
 +
* [[3150]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref>''Shrapnel Issue #3'': "Voices of the Sphere: Star League Day"</ref>
 +
* [[3151]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref>''Shrapnel Issue #4'': "Voices of the Sphere: Cryogenics"</ref>
 +
* [[3152]] - Lyran Commonwealth<ref name=TRpm>''Tamar Rising'', poster map</ref><ref name=TRp72>''Tamar Rising'', p. 72</ref>
 +
{{div col end}}
  
 +
-------------------------------------
 
==Tharkad V==
 
==Tharkad V==
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{{InfoBoxPlanetStandard
+
{{InfoBoxPlanet
 
| image              = Tharkad.jpg
 
| image              = Tharkad.jpg
−
| caption            = Orbital view of Tharkad
 
 
| name                = Tharkad V
 
| name                = Tharkad V
−
| position            = 5th<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 93, "House Steiner Key Worlds"</ref>
+
| othernames          =
 +
| position            = Fifth<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 94: "Tharkad"</ref>
 
| distance            = 7.01 days<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| distance            = 7.01 days<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
−
| moons              = 1 (Marsden)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| moons              = 1 (Marsden)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| day                =
+
| gravity            = 1.1<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| gravity            = 1.1<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| pressure            = Standard (Breathable)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| pressure            = Standard (Breathable)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| temperature        = 20°C (Arctic)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| temperature        = 20°C (Arctic)<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| water              = 80%<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| water              = 80%<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| life                = Reptilian (3075)<ref name=MM94/><br>Mammals (3079)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
−
| life                = Reptilian (3075)<ref name=MM93/><br>Mammals (3079)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
+
| continents          = 5 (Bremen, Franz, Grolsch, Heidelberg, Sutherland)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
−
| date                =  
+
| colonized          =
−
| year                = 3079
+
| demonym            = Tharkan<ref name="HS(TLC)p129">''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 129 - Mention of the "Tharkan Boy's Choir"</ref>
 +
| language            =
 +
| religion            =  
 +
| population          = 7,000,000,000 (3061),<ref name="BT:25Yp167">''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction'', p. 167: "Tharkad Profile"</ref><br>7,000,000,000 (3067),<ref name=JTPT3-4>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', pp. 3–4: "Tharkad" (map)</ref><br>6,991,320,000 (3076),<ref name=MM94/><br>6,892,000,000 (3079)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
 
| ruler              = [[Duke of Tharkad]]
 
| ruler              = [[Duke of Tharkad]]
−
| capital            = Tharkad City<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| political          =  
−
| population          = 7,000,000,000 (3061)<ref name="BT:25Yp167">''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction'', p. 167, "Tharkad Profile"</ref><br>7,000,000,000 (3067)<ref name=JTPT3-4>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', pp. 3-4, "Tharkad" (map)</ref><br>6,991,320,000<ref name=MM93/><br>6,892,000,000 (3079)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
+
| commander          =  
−
| USIIR              = A-A-A-A-A (3061)<ref name="BT:25Yp167"/>A-A-A-A-C (3067)<ref name=JTPT3-4/><br>A-A-A-A-C (3076)<ref name=MM93/><br>A-A-A-A-C (3079)<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
+
| capital            = Tharkad City<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
−
| hpg                = A<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM93/>
+
| hpg                = A<ref name="O:LAp25"/><ref name=MM94/>
 +
| hpgrep              =
 
}}
 
}}
 +
===Planetary History===
 +
Discovered in [[2310]], Tharkad rapidly came under the control of [[Seth Marsden]]. Marsden imported a number of cold-weather plants and animals from [[Terra]] and elsewhere, making it somewhat similar to Scandinavia on Terra during the twentieth century. It became the capital of the Lyran Commonwealth in September of [[2407]]<ref>''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction''</ref> and a large space was cleared north of the major city of Olympia to house the governmental buildings, called the Triad. It was here that the [[Star League]] was reconstituted at the [[Whitting Conference]] in [[3058]]. Subsequent Whitting Conferences were held here in [[3061]] and [[3067]] (the [[3064]] conference was held on [[Marik]], due to the [[FedCom Civil War]]).
  
 +
====Star League====
 +
The Tharkad system served as the homeport for the [[8th Fleet (Star League)|Eighth Fleet]] during the final years of the Star League. This served to remind the Commonwealth of the Star League's protective presence. It also was there to remind the Lyrans of the forces they would have to contest if on the extremely unlikely case the Lyran Commonwealth declaring war on the Star League. The fleet presence also assisted the [[Nagelring]] in training their cadets by having WarShip assets in-system for training on a regular basis.<ref>''Field Manual: SLDF'', p. 114: "Homeport"</ref>
  
 +
In addition, there was a sizable ground garrison as well with a BattleMech Division stationed on-world.<ref name=FMSLDFp255>''Field Manual: SLDF'', p. 255: "SLDF - Lyran Commonwealth Military Command Map"</ref>
  
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===The Triad===
+
====Post First Succession War====
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The Triad is a sprawling governmental complex that is bounded on three sides by the Royal Palace, the Government House, and the Royal Court. Over 300 buildings make up the complex, which also contains hospitals, churches, and botanical gardens.
+
In response to [[Richard Steiner (29th c.)|Richard Steiner's]] attempt to tax [[ComStar]], [[Primus of ComStar|Primus]] [[Conrad Toyama]] placed Tharkad under [[Interdiction]] in October [[2823]]. The [[Exclusion of Tharkad|Interdiction of Tharkad]] sorely hampered the Lyran government during the year it was in force, until public pressure forced the Lyran Commonwealth to acquiesce to ComStar's exemption from taxation.<ref>''Second Succession War'', p. 15</ref>
−
 
 
−
The Royal Court contained a very interesting sight during the [[Third Succession War|Third]] and [[Fourth Succession War|Fourth Succession Wars]] - two ''[[Griffin]]'' [[BattleMech|BattleMechs]] guarded either side of the Archon's throne during court functions. During the reign of Victor Steiner-Davion, they would be replaced with a [[Crusader]] and [[Marauder]] painted in the colors of the [[1st Kathil Uhlans]] and [[Kell Hounds]]. By 3062, Archon Katherine had replaced them with a pair of [[Hauptmann]] OmniMechs. <ref name=FM:LAAFp96>''Field Manual: Lyran Alliance'', p. 96, "1st Royal Guards"</ref>. [[Peter Steiner-Davion]] would replace the Griffins after the [[FedCom Civil War.]]<ref name=HB:HS>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 177</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
In [[3145]], responsibility for protecting the Archon's throne would be a duty shared between all four regiments of the [[Royal Guards]]. A [[Defiance]] from the [[1st Royal Guards]] and a [[Warhammer]] from the [[3rd Royal Guards]] stand to the right and left of the throne, respectively, while a [[2nd Royal Guards]] [[Fafnir]] is on permanent guard duty in front of the entrance to the Royal Court. Finally, a squad of [[Fenrir]] suits from the [[4th Royal Guards]] form a last line of defense for Archon [[Trillian Steiner]]. <ref name=FM:3145p124>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 124, "Royal Guards"</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
Mount Wotan, situated near the Triad, contains Asgard, the military high command complex.
 
  
−
==History==
+
====Second Succession War====
−
Discovered in [[2310]], '''Tharkad''' rapidly came under the control of [[Seth Marsden]]. Marsden imported a number of cold-weather plants and animals from [[Terra]] and elsewhere, making it somewhat similar to Scandinavia on Terra during the 20th century. It became the capital of the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] in September of [[2407]]<ref>''BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction''</ref> and a large space was cleared north of the major city of Olympia to house the governmental buildings, called the Triad. It was here that the [[Star League]] was reconstituted at the [[Whitting Conference]] in [[3058]]. Subsequent Whitting Conferences were held here in [[3061]] and [[3067]] (the [[3064]] conference was held on [[Marik]], due to the [[FedCom Civil War]]).
+
[[Claudius Steiner]] staged a coup on Tharkad against his sister-in-law [[Melissa Nin]] in [[2845]], taking control of the Commonwealth. During his five year reign Claudius used [[Loki (Intelligence agency)|Loki]] to terrorize Tharkad's population, weeding out dissenters and procuring test subjects for his torture sessions using Star League-era medical equipment.<ref name=SSWp60-92>''Second Succession War'', pp. 60, 92</ref>
  
−
===Star League===
+
====Third Succession War====
−
The Tharkad system served as the homeport for the [[8th Fleet (SLDF)]] during the final years of the Star League.  This served to remind the Commonwealth of the Star League's protective presence.  It also was there to remind the Lyrans of the forces they would have to contest if on the extremely unlikely case the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] declaring war on the Star League.  The fleet presence also assisted the [[Nagelring]] in training their cadets by having warship assets in system for training on a regular basis.<ref>Field Manual: SLDF, p. 114, "Homeport"</ref>
+
Tharkad's Government House was the scene of a failed assassination attempt mounted by [[SAFE]] against [[Elizabeth Steiner]] in [[2867]].<ref>''Second Succession War'', p. 86</ref>
  
−
In addition, there was a sizable ground garrison as well with a BattleMech Division stationed on-world.<ref>Field Manual: SLDF, p. 255, "SLDF - Lyran Commonwealth Military Command Map"</ref>  
+
====Post Fourth Succession War====
 +
In March [[3032]], [[Colonel]] [[Wayne Waco]] of the [[Waco Rangers]] confronted [[Cranston Snord]] in a small bar demanding to know the relationship between [[Snord's Irregulars]] and Waco's sworn enemies, the [[Wolf's Dragoons]].  Cranston replied that it was none of Waco's business, but he and [[Jaime Wolf]], commander of the Dragoons, were good friends.  This flippant response would drive the Rangers to break their contract with the Lyran Commonwealth and sign up with the [[Free Worlds League]] the next day.<ref name=RIp8>''Rhonda's Irregulars'', p. 8: "Waco's Vengeance"</ref>
  
−
===FedCom Civil War===
+
====FedCom Civil War====
−
Being an interior world, Tharkad was spared the ravages of the [[Age of War]] and the Succession Wars. That did not save it from later wars, however. Tharkad was home to one of the final battles of the [[FedCom Civil War]]. As the war drew to a close, supporters of [[Victor Steiner-Davion]] over his sister [[Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine]] realized that they needed to claim the Lyran capital. Grand Duke [[Morgan Kell]] played kingmaker for [[Peter Steiner-Davion]], bringing him out of a self-imposed exile on [[Zaniah]]. When Peter landed on Tharkad and asked Katherine's regent [[Nondi Steiner]] to back him, she flatly refused.  
+
Being an interior world, Tharkad was spared the ravages of the [[Age of War]] and the Succession Wars. That did not save it from later wars, however. Tharkad was home to one of the final battles of the [[FedCom Civil War]]. As the war drew to a close, supporters of [[Victor Steiner-Davion]] over his sister [[Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine]] realized that they needed to claim the Lyran capital. Grand Duke [[Morgan Kell]] played kingmaker for [[Peter Steiner-Davion]], bringing him out of a self-imposed exile on [[Zaniah]]. When Peter landed on Tharkad and asked Katherine's regent [[Nondi Steiner]] to back him, she flatly refused.
  
−
Within a week, Peter's forces entered the Tharkad system and engaged the defenders in a brutal naval battle. The pride of the Lyran fleet, the [[Mjolnir#Named Vessels|LAS ''Yggdrasil'']], was captured by [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]] forces. Morgan was able to land with a pan-Lyran coalition composed of [[Phelan Kell]] and his [[4th Wolf Guards]] Assault Cluster, the [[20th Arcturan Guards]], both regiments of the [[Blue Star Irregulars]], and the 1st Regiment of the [[Kell Hounds]]. These were joined by the [[4th Skye Rangers]] RCT after the Skye secession seemed doomed to failure. Opposing Peter was the [[1st Royal Guards|1st]] and [[2nd Royal Guards]] RCTs, the [[24th Lyran Guards]] RCT, [[1st Alarion Jaegers]], [[11th Arcturan Guards]] RCT, and [[ComStar]]'s [[66th Division (ComStar)|66th Divison]].
+
Within a week, Peter's forces entered the Tharkad system and engaged the defenders in a brutal naval battle. The pride of the Lyran fleet, the [[Yggdrasil (Individual Mjolnir-class WarShip)|LAS ''Yggdrasil'']], was captured by [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]] forces. Morgan was able to land with a pan-Lyran coalition composed of [[Phelan Kell]] and his [[Fourth Wolf Guards]] Assault Cluster, the [[Twentieth Arcturan Guards]], both regiments of the [[Blue Star Irregulars]], and the First Regiment of the [[Kell Hounds]]. These were joined by the [[Fourth Skye Rangers]] RCT after the Skye secession seemed doomed to failure. Opposing Peter was the [[1st Royal Guards|First]] and [[Second Royal Guards]] RCTs, the [[Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards]] RCT, [[First Alarion Jaegers]], [[Eleventh Arcturan Guards]] RCT, and [[ComStar]]'s [[66th Division (ComStar)|Sixty-sixth Division]].
  
−
Peter's experienced forces proved to be more than a match for Nondi's defenders. His supporters were able to claim the Nagelring, then moved on to Tharkad City. In the end, bitter street-to-street fighting damaged the capital city of the [[Lyran Alliance]]. After eight months of battle, Peter killed his great-aunt in a one-on-one duel, ending that Battle of Tharkad.<ref name="Endgame">''Endgame'', p.??{{cn}}</ref>
+
Peter's experienced forces proved to be more than a match for Nondi's defenders. His supporters were able to claim the Nagelring, then moved on to Tharkad City. In the end, bitter street-to-street fighting damaged the capital city of the [[Lyran Alliance]]. After eight months of battle, Peter killed his great-aunt in a one-on-one duel, ending that Battle of Tharkad.<ref name="Endgame">''Endgame'', p. ??{{cn}}</ref>
−
[[File:Tharkad Flag.jpg|right|thumb|Planetary Flag of Tharkad]]
 
  
−
===Jihad===
+
====Jihad====
−
While it was one of the last battles of the [[FedCom Civil War]], the Battle for Tharkad was one of the first in the [[Word of Blake]]'s [[Jihad]]. When the Second [[Star League]] dissolved in [[3067]] on Tharkad, the Word immediately went on the offensive.<ref name="TCp47">''Total Chaos'', p. 47-49, "Tharkad (sidebar)"</ref> They saw the [[Federated Suns]] and the [[Lyran Alliance]] as the culprits, since they claimed they could no longer afford to support the League with the massive rebuilding they needed to do after the war. The Blakists attempted to cow Lyran Archon [[Peter Steiner-Davion]] into returning to the League with a show of force in the form of the [[Tharkad (Warship)|LCS ''Invincible'']].<ref name="J:FRp44"/> The Word had found and refit the last [[WarShip]] lost during the Succession Wars, and intended to return it to the Lyrans as a gift.<ref name="TCp47"/> With the dissolution of the Star League, however, the interpretation of a prophecy that the dominant faction of the Word believed in was destroyed, which provoked them to violence.
+
While it was one of the last battles of the [[FedCom Civil War]], the Battle for Tharkad was one of the first in the [[Word of Blake]]'s [[Jihad]]. When the Second [[Star League]] dissolved in [[3067]] on Tharkad, the Word immediately went on the offensive.<ref name="TCp47">''Total Chaos'', pp. 47–49: "Tharkad (sidebar)"</ref> They saw the [[Federated Suns]] and the [[Lyran Alliance]] as the culprits, since they claimed they could no longer afford to support the League with the massive rebuilding they needed to do after the war. The Blakists attempted to cow Lyran [[Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth|Archon]] [[Peter Steiner-Davion]] into returning to the League with a show of force in the form of the [[Tharkad (WarShip class)|LCS ''Invincible'']].<ref name="J:FRp44"/> The Word had found and refit the last [[WarShip]] lost during the Succession Wars, and intended to return it to the Lyrans as a gift.<ref name="TCp47"/> With the dissolution of the Star League, however, the interpretation of a prophecy that the dominant faction of the Word believed in was destroyed, which provoked them to violence.
  
−
The Alliance Naval Command did detect some man-made objects on space that where not "aligned" with the delegations present on Tharkad, but they were not very worried on this as commented by [[Admiral]] [[Casey Martine]]. Unfortunately they were proven wrong.<ref>''BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [01/12/3067]: "Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System"''</ref>
+
The Alliance Naval Command, as well as Professor [[Blaine Dwyer]] and amateur astronomer [[James Franzaglio]], did detect some manmade objects on space that where not "aligned" with the delegations present on Tharkad, but they were not very worried on this as commented by [[Admiral]] [[Casey Martine]]. Unfortunately they were proven wrong.<ref name=Mystery_Ships>''BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [01/12/3067]: "Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System"''</ref>
  
−
When Archon Peter was unshaken by the implied threat of the ''Invincible'', the Blakists rained down fire upon the capital city of the Lyran Alliance. This assault damaged the nuclear reactor under the Triad and caused a meltdown, though confused early reports believed the Blakists had launched a nuclear weapon.<ref name="J:FRp44">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 44, "The Jihad In Review"</ref> The ''Invincible'' and at least three other Blakist WarShips - the ''[[McKenna (WarShip class)|McKenna]]''-class battleship [[Blake's Sword|WoBS ''Blake's Sword'']], the ''[[Sovetskii Soyuz]]''-class [[Stalwart Defender|WoBS ''Stalwart Defender'']] and the ''[[Essex]]''-class destroyer [[Deliverance|WoBS ''Deliverance'']] - formed a naval blockade that formed the backdrop for a four-year-long siege of the Lyran capital that was typified by Blakist orbital bombardment clearing space for their ground troops to secure a beachhead, who were then defeated by Lyran troops. Although the ''Blake's Sword'', ''Stalwart Defender'' and ''Deliverance'' were all withdrawn for other tasks in [[3068]], the blockade in place on Tharkad remained highly effective.<ref name="TCp47"/> The [[LCAF]] made a major but ultimately unsuccessful effort to breach the Blakist blockade on the 18th of March [[3069]] with an [[AeroSpace Fighter]] and [[DropShip]] task force<ref name="J:FRp46">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 46, "The Jihad In Review"</ref> in an effort mounted from [[Coventry]]. The ''Invincible'' also proved equally destructive when used against any gathering of resistance forces on the surface of Tharkad, bombarding a number of targets and at one point destroying the ''[[Luftenburg]]''-class blue water carrier believed to be transporting the Archon.<ref name="TCp47"/>
+
When Archon Peter was unshaken by the implied threat of the ''Invincible'', the Blakists rained down fire upon the capital city of the Lyran Alliance. This assault damaged the nuclear reactor under the Triad and caused a meltdown, though confused early reports believed the Blakists had launched a nuclear weapon.<ref name="J:FRp44">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 44: "The Jihad in Review"</ref> The ''Invincible'' and at least three other Blakist WarShips—the ''[[McKenna (WarShip class)|McKenna]]''-class battleship [[Blake's Sword|WoBS ''Blake's Sword'']], the ''[[Sovetskii Soyuz (WarShip class)|Sovetskii Soyuz]]''-class [[Stalwart Defender|WoBS ''Stalwart Defender'']], and the ''[[Essex]]''-class destroyer [[Deliverance|WoBS ''Deliverance'']]—formed a naval blockade that formed the backdrop for a four-year siege of the Lyran capital that was typified by Blakist orbital bombardment clearing space for their ground troops to secure a beachhead, who were then defeated by Lyran troops. Although the ''Blake's Sword'', ''Stalwart Defender'', and ''Deliverance'' were all withdrawn for other tasks in [[3068]], the blockade in place on Tharkad remained highly effective.<ref name="TCp47"/> The [[Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces]] made a major but ultimately unsuccessful effort to breach the Blakist blockade on the 18th of March [[3069]] with an [[aerospace fighter]] and [[DropShip]] task force<ref name="J:FRp46">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 46: "The Jihad in Review"</ref> in an effort mounted from [[Coventry]]. The ''Invincible'' also proved equally destructive when used against any gathering of resistance forces on the surface of Tharkad, bombarding a number of targets and at one point destroying the [[Luftenburg]]-class blue water carrier believed to be transporting the Archon.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
 
The Word's blockade was so successful that the Archon was effectively cut off from his people. A rescue mission sent by General of the Armies [[Adam Steiner]] was only able to get out with a message of hope from Peter, confirmation that he was still alive.
 
The Word's blockade was so successful that the Archon was effectively cut off from his people. A rescue mission sent by General of the Armies [[Adam Steiner]] was only able to get out with a message of hope from Peter, confirmation that he was still alive.
Line 102: Line 115:
 
Despite the effectiveness of the Blakist blockade, the resistance remained a constant and active threat, supported by the local population and determined to harry the Blakist occupiers. Using their intimate knowledge of the terrain and climate of Tharkad, the resistance fiercely resisted the occupation, despite facing the [[37th Division (Word of Blake)|Thirty-seventh Militia Division]], [[Fortieth Shadow Division]] and the mercenary unit known as ''[[Lowbräu]]''. Despite the relatively low numbers the resistance was apparently capable of mustering, it managed a degree of success that outstripped its strength; at one point, the resistance, specifically the tank unit ''[[EISENJÄGER]]'',<ref name=Eisen>''Eisenjäger''</ref> successfully ambushed and annihilated [[Precentor]] McKinnsey and his [[Level II]], throwing the Blakist forces into confusion and turmoil until Precentor Kishimoto took command. The resistance continued to fight despite the steady influx of Blakist reinforcements and the lack of any real prospect of ousting the Word from their occupation.<ref name="TCp47"/>
 
Despite the effectiveness of the Blakist blockade, the resistance remained a constant and active threat, supported by the local population and determined to harry the Blakist occupiers. Using their intimate knowledge of the terrain and climate of Tharkad, the resistance fiercely resisted the occupation, despite facing the [[37th Division (Word of Blake)|Thirty-seventh Militia Division]], [[Fortieth Shadow Division]] and the mercenary unit known as ''[[Lowbräu]]''. Despite the relatively low numbers the resistance was apparently capable of mustering, it managed a degree of success that outstripped its strength; at one point, the resistance, specifically the tank unit ''[[EISENJÄGER]]'',<ref name=Eisen>''Eisenjäger''</ref> successfully ambushed and annihilated [[Precentor]] McKinnsey and his [[Level II]], throwing the Blakist forces into confusion and turmoil until Precentor Kishimoto took command. The resistance continued to fight despite the steady influx of Blakist reinforcements and the lack of any real prospect of ousting the Word from their occupation.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
−
In [[3071]], Peter abdicated so that the Blakists could no longer symbolically control the Archon. In his place, he designated Adam Steiner as his successor. Now-Archon Steiner was able to liberate Tharkad in January [[3072]], complete with the capture of the LCS ''Invincible''. The force Adam led to liberate Tharkad on the 11th of January was primarily a Lyran attack force augmented by elements drawn from a variety of other groups, including [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]], [[Wolf's Dragoons]], the [[Kell Hounds]], the [[Grave Walkers]]<ref name="TCp47"/> and even a token [[Clan Jade Falcon]] formation.<ref name="JHS3076p21">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 21, "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp50">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 50, "The Jihad In Review"</ref><ref>''Total Chaos'', pp. 48, 110-111, 114-115</ref> The liberation had to begin by breaching the naval blockade; Adam Steiner had assembled a considerable DropShip and aerospace force, which was backed up by a trio of WarShips - the ''[[Mjolnir]]''-class battlecruisers [[Fylgia|LCS ''Fylgia'']] and [[Yggdrasil (Individual Mjolnir-class WarShip)|LCS ''Yggdrasil'']] and the ''[[Fox (WarShip class)|Fox]]''-class corvette [[Ian McQuiston (Individual Fox-class WarShip)|LCS ''Ian McQuiston'']]. The two ''Mjolnirs'' led the attack on the ''Invincible'', their presence masking Adam Steiner's true plan for dealing with the ''Invincible''; with the battlecruisers drawing the Blakists attention, two hundred marines were delivered onto the ''Invincible'' via more than twenty assault shuttles that had concealed themselves among the clouds of fighters surrounding the ''Mjolnirs''. The marines fought a savage deck-by-deck battle that saw more than three-quarters of them killed, but which left them in command of the ''Invincible'', returning her to the Lyran navy for the first time in centuries.<ref name="TCp47"/>
+
In [[3071]], Peter abdicated so that the Blakists could no longer symbolically control the Archon. In his place, he designated Adam Steiner as his successor. Now-Archon Steiner was able to liberate Tharkad in January [[3072]], complete with the capture of the LCS ''Invincible''. The force Adam led to liberate Tharkad on the 11th of January was primarily a Lyran attack force augmented by elements drawn from a variety of other groups, including [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile]], [[Wolf's Dragoons]], the [[Kell Hounds]], the [[Grave Walkers]]<ref name="TCp47"/> and even a token [[Clan Jade Falcon]] formation.<ref name="JHS3076p21">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 21: "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp50">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 50: "The Jihad in Review"</ref><ref>''Total Chaos'', pp. 48, 110–111, 114–115</ref> The liberation had to begin by breaching the naval blockade; Adam Steiner had assembled a considerable DropShip and aerospace force, which was backed up by a trio of WarShips: the ''[[Mjolnir (WarShip class)|Mjolnir]]''-class battlecruisers [[Fylgia|LCS ''Fylgia'']] and LCS ''Yggdrasil'' and the ''[[Fox (WarShip class)|Fox]]''-class corvette [[Ian McQuiston (Individual Fox-class WarShip)|LCS ''Ian McQuiston'']]. The two ''Mjolnirs'' led the attack on the ''Invincible'', their presence masking Adam Steiner's true plan for dealing with the ''Invincible''; with the battlecruisers drawing the Blakists attention, two hundred marines were delivered onto the ''Invincible'' via more than twenty assault shuttles that had concealed themselves among the clouds of fighters surrounding the ''Mjolnirs''. The marines fought a savage deck-by-deck battle that saw more than three-quarters of them killed, but which left them in command of the ''Invincible'', returning her to the Lyran navy for the first time in centuries.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
−
With the blockade breached, the ''Ian McQuiston'' escorted the bulk of the assault force to Tharkad, only to encounter a wave of Blakist [[Pocket WarShip]]s. The ''Ian McQuiston'' was able to easily defeat the individual ''[[Leopard]]'', ''[[Mule]]'' and ''[[Union]]''-class Pocket WarShips, but was destroyed by a swam of nuclear missiles. Adam Steiner had remained on his ''[[Overlord]]''-class DropShip during the assault, in accordance with ancient practices drawn up for assaults, and survived the destruction of the ''Ian McQuiston''; the [[Third Lyran Guards]] were the first formation to land, their orbital drop pointing the regiment down in the outskirts of Tharkad city itself. The Third's drop zone was deliberately chosen to allow them to disrupt the Blakist operations and keep the occupiers attentions on the Third, allowing the remaining units in the task force - the [[1st Royal Guards|First]], [[2nd Royal Guards|Second]] and [[Third Royal Guards]], [[Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards]], [[11th Arcturan Guards|Eleventh]] and [[Twentieth Arcturan Guards]] [[RCT]]s, the [[First Kell Hounds]], the [[13th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)|Thirteenth Wolf Guards]], [[Wolf's Dragoons]], the [[Grave Walkers]] and the token Jade Falcon Nova to land.<ref name="TCp47"/>
+
With the blockade breached, the ''Ian McQuiston'' escorted the bulk of the assault force to Tharkad, only to encounter a wave of Blakist [[Pocket WarShip]]s. The ''Ian McQuiston'' was able to easily defeat the individual ''[[Leopard]]'', ''[[Mule]]'', and ''[[Union]]''-class Pocket WarShips, but was destroyed by a swam of nuclear missiles. Adam Steiner had remained on his ''[[Overlord]]''-class DropShip during the assault, in accordance with ancient practices drawn up for assaults, and survived the destruction of the ''Ian McQuiston''; the [[Third Lyran Guards]] were the first formation to land, their orbital drop pointing the regiment down in the outskirts of Tharkad city itself. The Third's drop zone was deliberately chosen to allow them to disrupt the Blakist operations and keep the occupiers attentions on the Third, allowing the remaining units in the task force—the [[1st Royal Guards|First]], [[2nd Royal Guards|Second]], and [[Third Royal Guards]], [[Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards]], [[11th Arcturan Guards|Eleventh]] and [[Twentieth Arcturan Guards]] [[RCT]]s, the [[First Kell Hounds]], the [[13th Wolf Guards (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)|Thirteenth Wolf Guards]], [[Wolf's Dragoons]], the [[Grave Walkers]] and the token Jade Falcon Nova—to land.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
−
As the Third Lyran Guards and the Jade Falcon Nova commanded by [[Star Commander]] [[Tara Helmer]] sold themselves dearly against the Blakists the remainder of the Lyran task force launched a brutally efficient attack against the Thirty-seventh Militia Division. The Twentieth Arcturans caused problems for the task force; taking it upon themselves to investigate reports of the location of Peter Steiner-Davion, the Twentieth moved out of their assigned operational area and recovered the former Archon and insisted on escorting him to the allied staging grounds, only returning to the main conflict after threats of court-martial. The Thirty-seventh was driven onto the waiting guns of the Thirteenth Wolf Guards by the Third Lyran Guards, and the efforts made by the Blakists to withdraw in order and retreat were constantly hampered by the Kell Hounds and Wolfs Dragoons. By the time of the Blakist defeat at the end of January 3072, less than two [[Level III]]s had managed to retreat off-world.<ref name="TCp47"/>
+
As the Third Lyran Guards and the Jade Falcon Nova commanded by [[Star Commander]] [[Tara Helmer]] sold themselves dearly against the Blakists the remainder of the Lyran task force launched a brutally efficient attack against the Thirty-seventh Militia Division. The Twentieth Arcturans caused problems for the task force; taking it upon themselves to investigate reports of the location of Peter Steiner-Davion, the Twentieth moved out of their assigned operational area and recovered the former Archon and insisted on escorting him to the allied staging grounds, only returning to the main conflict after threats of court martial. The Thirty-seventh was driven onto the waiting guns of the Thirteenth Wolf Guards by the Third Lyran Guards, and the efforts made by the Blakists to withdraw in order and retreat were constantly hampered by the Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons. By the time of the Blakist defeat at the end of January 3072, less than two [[Level III]]s had managed to retreat off-world.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
 
With Tharkad liberated, Adam Steiner called on all the surviving defenders to gather together at Tharkad City; the combined surviving resistance forces that assembled at Tharkad after four long years of war amounted to just a combined-arms battalion of surviving line-troops, corporate soldiers, mercenaries and local resistance fighters.<ref name="TCp47"/>
 
With Tharkad liberated, Adam Steiner called on all the surviving defenders to gather together at Tharkad City; the combined surviving resistance forces that assembled at Tharkad after four long years of war amounted to just a combined-arms battalion of surviving line-troops, corporate soldiers, mercenaries and local resistance fighters.<ref name="TCp47"/>
  
−
Adam gave the Archonship back to Peter following the liberation of Tharkad. With the chaos of the Jihad, Peter decided to decentralize power in "archonettes." Following the defeat of the Blakists in [[3081]], Tharkad reclaimed its place as the only Lyran capital.{{cn}}
+
Adam gave the Archonship back to Peter following the liberation of Tharkad. With the chaos of the Jihad, Peter decided to decentralize power in archonettes. Following the defeat of the Blakists in [[3081]], Tharkad reclaimed its place as the only Lyran capital.{{cn}}
  
−
On the 11th of December [[3074]] Tharkad was host to an understated wedding ceremony between Archon Adam Steiner and his fiancée, Baroness [[Heather Fyhne]] of [[Arcturus]], followed in days by an announcement that the Baroness was pregnant with their first child.<ref name="JHS3076p55">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 55, "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp53">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 53, "The Jihad In Review"</ref>
+
On 11 December [[3074]], Tharkad was host to an understated wedding ceremony between Archon Adam Steiner and his fiancée, Baroness [[Heather Fyhne]] of [[Arcturus]], followed in days by an announcement that the Baroness was pregnant with their first child.<ref name="JHS3076p55">''Jihad Hot Spots: 3076'', p. 55: "Timeline of the Jihad"</ref><ref name="J:FRp53">''Jihad: Final Reckoning'', p. 53: "The Jihad in Review"</ref>
  
−
By the end of the Jihad there wasn't a major manufacturing facility on Tharkad that had taken less than 75% damage during the course of the conflict. By [[3079]] the most productive plant on Tharkad was the Defiance Motors plant, running at 40% of pre-Jihad capacity.<ref name="O:LAp3">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 3, "State of the Industry at a Glance (Dec 3079)"</ref>
+
By the end of the Jihad there wasn't a major manufacturing facility on Tharkad that had taken less than 75% damage during the course of the conflict. By [[3079]], the most productive plant on Tharkad was the Defiance Motors plant, running at 40% of pre-Jihad capacity.<ref name="O:LAp3">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 3: "State of the Industry at a Glance (Dec 3079)"</ref>
  
−
===Post Jihad Era===
+
====Post-Jihad====
−
Efforts to rebuild Tharkad were underway by the end of the Jihad, including work on restoring the Triad, irradiated though it was. With Lyran pride on the line, no expense was being spared; while the restoration work was going on, the government was operating out of what had been the summer court in the tropical Tatyana islands. Still operating on Tharkad in 3079 were Defiance Motors, Lockheed/CBM Corp., Tharhes Industries and Tharkad AeroSpace Group.<ref name="O:LAp25"/>  
+
Efforts to rebuild Tharkad were underway by the end of the Jihad, including work on restoring the Triad, irradiated though it was. With Lyran pride on the line, no expense was being spared; while the restoration work was going on, the government was operating out of what had been the summer court in the tropical Tatyana islands. Still operating on Tharkad in 3079 were Defiance Motors, Lockheed/CBM Corp., TharHes Industries, and Tharkad Aerospace Group.<ref name="O:LAp25"/>
  
−
The Nagelring was still offering training programs, although the bulk of the planetary militia consisted of the majority of those guerrilla fighters who didn't end up joining the various formations of the [[Royal Guards]]. The rolls of the militia included all those injured either physically or mentally during the fighting against the Blakists on the planet; this allowed those individuals access to jobs, counseling and medical aid, with both the support and blessings of the planetary government. At this point, the Militia was focusing a large part of its time ensuring that during the clean up and reconstruction work going on around the Triad civilian safety wasn't compromised.<ref name="O:LAp26">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 26, "Tharkad"</ref>
+
The Nagelring was still offering training programs, although the bulk of the planetary militia consisted of the majority of those guerrilla fighters who didn't end up joining the various formations of the [[Royal Guards]]. The rolls of the militia included all those injured either physically or mentally during the fighting against the Blakists on the planet; this allowed those individuals access to jobs, counseling and medical aid, with both the support and blessings of the planetary government. At this point, the Militia was focusing a large part of its time ensuring that during the cleanup and reconstruction work going on around the Triad civilian safety wasn't compromised.<ref name="O:LAp26">''Objectives: Lyran Alliance'', p. 26: "Tharkad"</ref>
  
 
===Military Deployment===
 
===Military Deployment===
 +
{{columns-start|num=3}}
 
====2764====
 
====2764====
−
* [[142nd BattleMech Division]]<ref>Field Manual: SLDF, p. 255, "SLDF - Lyran Commonwealth Military Command Map"</ref>
+
* [[142nd BattleMech Division]]<ref name=FMSLDFp255>''Field Manual: SLDF'', p. 255: "SLDF - Lyran Commonwealth Military Command Map"</ref>
  
 
====2765====
 
====2765====
−
* [[Tenth Arcturan Guards]]<ref name="FM2765:LCp9">''Field Report: Lyran Commonwealth 2765'', p. 9, "Regimental Status"</ref>
+
* [[Tenth Arcturan Guards]]<ref name="FM2765:LCp9">''Field Report 2765: LCAF'', p. 9: "Regimental Status"</ref>
−
* [[First Royal Guards]]<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp17>''Field Report 2765: LCAF'', p. 17, "Royal Guards" - Regimental Status</ref>
+
* [[First Royal Guards]]<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp17>''Field Report 2765: LCAF'', p. 17: "Royal Guards" - Regimental Status</ref>
 
* [[Second Royal Guards]]<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp17/>
 
* [[Second Royal Guards]]<ref name=FR:2765LCAFp17/>
  
 
====2786====
 
====2786====
−
* Tenth Arcturan Guards<ref name="FSWp139">''First Succession War (Source Book)'', p. 139, "First Succession War Deployment Table - LCAF"</ref>
+
* Tenth Arcturan Guards<ref name="FSWp139">''First Succession War'', p. 139: "First Succession War Deployment Table - LCAF"</ref>
 
* [[Tenth Lyran Guards]]<ref name="FSWp139"/>
 
* [[Tenth Lyran Guards]]<ref name="FSWp139"/>
 
* First Royal Guards<ref name="FSWp139"/>
 
* First Royal Guards<ref name="FSWp139"/>
Line 143: Line 157:
  
 
====3025====
 
====3025====
−
* [[Third Lyran Guards]]<ref name="NAIS4SWp44">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 44, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"</ref>
+
* [[Third Lyran Guards]]<ref name="NAIS4SWp44">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 44: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"</ref>
−
* First Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p.45, "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"</ref>
+
* First Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45">''NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1'', p. 45: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"</ref>
 
* Second Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
 
* Second Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
 
* [[Richard's Panzer Brigade]]<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
 
* [[Richard's Panzer Brigade]]<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
−
 
+
{{column}}
 
====3028====
 
====3028====
 
* Second Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
 
* Second Royal Guards<ref name="NAIS4SWp45"/>
  
 
====3038====
 
====3038====
−
* [[Third Lyran Guards]] [[RCT]]<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 137, "Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* [[Third Lyran Guards]] [[RCT]]<ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 137: "Deployment Table"</ref>
−
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=H:Wo3039>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 138, "Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=H:Wo3039>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 138: "Deployment Table"</ref>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=H:Wo3039/>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=H:Wo3039/>
  
 
====3050====
 
====3050====
−
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=20YU29>''20 Year Update'', p. 29, "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=20YU29>''20 Year Update'', p. 29: "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"</ref>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=20YU29/>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=20YU29/>
−
* [[282nd Division (ComStar)|282nd Division]]<ref name=20YU71>''20 Year Update'', p. 71, "Com Guards Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* [[282nd Division (ComStar)|282nd Division]]<ref name=20YU71>''20 Year Update'', p. 71: "Com Guards Deployment Table"</ref>
  
 
====3054====
 
====3054====
−
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref>''Objective Raids'', p. 82, "Unit Note"</ref>
+
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref>''Objective Raids'', p. 82: "Unit Note"</ref>
  
 
====3055====
 
====3055====
−
* [[66th Division (ComStar)|Sixty-Sixth Division]]<ref name=CS85>''ComStar (sourcebook)'', p. 85, "Com Guards Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* [[66th Division (ComStar)|Sixty-Sixth Division]]<ref name=CS85>''ComStar'', p. 85: "Com Guards Deployment Table"</ref>
  
 
====3062====
 
====3062====
−
* Sixty-Sixth Division<ref name=FMCS126>''Field Manual: ComStar'', p. 126, "ComGuard Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* Sixty-Sixth Division<ref name=FMCS126>''Field Manual: ComStar'', p. 126: "Com Guards Deployment Table"</ref>
−
 
+
{{column}}
 
====3067====
 
====3067====
 
* [[Thorin FTM]]<ref name=FMU178/>
 
* [[Thorin FTM]]<ref name=FMU178/>
−
* [[Eleventh Arcturan Guards]] RCT<ref name=FMU178>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 178, "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table"</ref>
+
* [[Eleventh Arcturan Guards]] RCT<ref name=FMU178>''Field Manual: Updates'', p. 178: "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table"</ref>
 
* [[Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards]] RCT<ref name=FMU178/>
 
* [[Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards]] RCT<ref name=FMU178/>
 
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FMU178/>
 
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FMU178/>
Line 182: Line 196:
  
 
====3085====
 
====3085====
−
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 109, "Deployment Table - 3085"</ref>
+
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108>''Field Manual: 3085'', p. 109: "Deployment Table - 3085"</ref>
−
* [[Third Royal Guards]] RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108/>  
+
* [[Third Royal Guards]] RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108/>
−
* [[Fourth Royal Guards]] RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108/>  
+
* [[Fourth Royal Guards]] RCT<ref name=FM:3085p108/>
  
 
====3136====
 
====3136====
−
* [[Rock Brigade]]<ref name="DALNAp55-56">''Dark Age: LinkNet Articles (3136)'', p. 55-56, "Letters From Home -- Week 09"</ref>
+
* [[Rock Brigade]]<ref name="DALNAp55-56">''Dark Age: LinkNet Articles (3136)'', pp. 55–56: "Letters From Home -- Week 09"</ref>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT
  
 
====3145====
 
====3145====
−
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3145p133>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 133, "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces - Donegal Province"</ref>
+
* First Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3145p133>''Field Manual: 3145'', p. 133: "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces - Donegal Province"</ref>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3145p133/>
 
* Second Royal Guards RCT<ref name=FM:3145p133/>
 
* [[Fifteenth Arcturan Guards]]<ref name=FM:3145p133/>
 
* [[Fifteenth Arcturan Guards]]<ref name=FM:3145p133/>
 +
{{columns-end}}
  
−
==Geography==
+
===Geography===
−
Tharkad is a icy and rugged planet, similar to the arctic wilderness of [[Terra]]. The planet consists of five major continents and three major island chains. The largest continent is Bremen and is home to Tharkad City, capital of the world and the Lyran Commonwealth, and Olympia, a major city. Asgard, the military command center of the [[LCAF]], lies on the crest of Mount Wotan<ref name=JTPL-5>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 5, "Tharkad"</ref> The other four continents are Franz, Grolsch, Heidelberg and Sutherland.<ref name="O:LAp25"/> Tatyana Islands, one of the island chains, is situated in a tropical zone and was once a major [[Star League]] storage depot.
+
Tharkad is an icy and rugged planet, similar to the arctic wilderness of [[Terra]]. The planet consists of five major continents and three major island chains. The largest continent is Bremen and is home to Tharkad City, capital of the world and the Lyran Commonwealth, and Olympia, a major city. Asgard, the military command center of the LCAF, lies on the crest of Mount Wotan.<ref name=JTPL-5>''Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad'', p. 5: "Tharkad"</ref> The other four continents are Franz, Grolsch, Heidelberg, and Sutherland.<ref name="O:LAp25"/> Tatyana Islands, one of the island chains, is situated in a tropical zone and was once a major [[Star League]] storage depot.
  
 
===Planetary Locations===
 
===Planetary Locations===
−
{{scrollbox|
+
[[File:Tharkad Planetary Map.png|right|450px|thumb|Planetary Map of Tharkad]]
−
[[File:Tharkad.png|right|380px|thumb|''Tharkad'' World Map]]
+
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
−
* Bremen (continent) <ref name=JTPT3-4/>
+
* Aesiria Station (orbital)<ref name=H:HSp147>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 147: "Tharkad Aerospace Group (TAGCorp) - TharHes Industries (TharHes)"</ref>
−
** Asgard: A Star League era fortress built into the side of Mount Wotan..<ref name=OEc12>"Operation Excalibur", Ch. 12</ref>
+
* Bremen (continent)
−
** [[Cold Creek]] (city)
+
:* Alessandro Memorial Auditorium<ref name="DotJp42">''Dawn of the Jihad'', p. 42: "Star League Disbands!"</ref>
−
** Methow Valley
+
:* [[Cold Creek]] (city)
−
** [[Nagelring]]
+
:* Methow Valley
−
** [[New Jerusalem]] (city)
+
:* Mount Wotan: situated near the Triad
−
** Olympia
+
::* Asgard: a Star League–era fortress built into the side of Mt. Wotan<ref name=OEc12>''Operation Excalibur'', ch. 12</ref>
−
** [[Otisburg]] (city)  
+
:* [[Nagelring]]
−
** [[Tharkad City]] (capital city)
+
:* [[New Jerusalem]] (city)
−
** [[Tharkad University]]
+
:* Olympia
−
** Triad
+
:* [[Otisburg]] (city)
−
** Alessandro Memorial Auditorium<ref name="DotJp42">''Dawn of the Jihad'', p. 42, " STAR LEAGUE DISBANDS!"</ref>
+
:* [[Tharkad City]] (capital city)
−
** [[Weibetal]] (city)
+
:* [[Tharkad University]]
 +
:* [[Weibetal]] (city)
 +
:* Triad: a sprawling governmental complex that is bounded on three sides by the Royal Palace, the Government House, and the Royal Court. Over 300 buildings make up the complex, which also contains hospitals, churches, and botanical gardens. From [[2529]] onward, BattleMechs stood guard over the Royal Court's throne. See also: [[Royal Guards#Guardian Duty|Guardian Duty]]
 +
 
 
* Bremen Ocean
 
* Bremen Ocean
 
* Dinear Ocean
 
* Dinear Ocean
 +
* Sutherland (continent)
 
* Franz (continent)
 
* Franz (continent)
−
** [[Tesseraburg]] (city)
+
:* [[Tesseraburg]] (city)
−
** Tessera Valley
+
:* Tessera Valley
−
** [[Wheeler's Limit]] (city)
+
:* [[Wheeler's Limit]] (city)
 
* Glatte Sea
 
* Glatte Sea
 
* Grolsch (continent)
 
* Grolsch (continent)
−
** [[Gomel]] (city)
+
:* [[Gomel]] (city)
−
** [[Lancashire]] (city)
+
:* [[Lancashire]] (city)
 
* Heidelberg (continent)
 
* Heidelberg (continent)
−
** Mako Valley <ref name=Eisen/>
+
:* Mako Valley<ref name=Eisen/>
−
*** [[Mako City]] (city)
+
::* [[Mako City]] (city)
−
** [[Marsden]] (city)
+
:* [[Marsden (city)|Marsden]] (city)
−
** [[Rewland]] (city)
+
:* [[Rewland]] (city)
−
** [[Stevensville]] (city)
+
::*[[Rewland College of Fine Arts on Tharkad]]<ref name="HB:HSp118">''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 118: "Rewland College of Fine Arts on Tharkad"</ref>
 +
:* [[Stevensville]] (city)
 
* Marsden Sea
 
* Marsden Sea
 
* New Bismark Archipelago
 
* New Bismark Archipelago
−
** Goodman Island
+
:* Goodman Island
−
** Steiner Island
+
:* Steiner Island
−
* Tatyana (continent)
+
* Tatyana (island chain)
−
** Elizabeth Island
+
:* Elizabeth Island<ref name=H:HSp141>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 141: "Defiance Industries"</ref>
−
** [[Tropicana]] city
+
:* [[Tropicana]] city
−
* Sutherland (continent)
+
{{div col end}}
−
}}
 
  
−
===Industrial Centers===
+
===Companies and Industries===
−
* [[Bauer Enterprises]]{{cn}}
+
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
−
* [[Defiance Motors]]{{cn}}
+
* [[Bauer Enterprises]]<ref name=TRO3050Up244>''Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade'', p. 244: "RPR-100 Rapier"</ref>
−
* [[Lockheed-CBM Corporation]]{{cn}}
+
* [[Defiance Motors]]<ref name=H:HSp141/>
−
* [[Semier Data Tron]]{{cn}}
+
* [[Investigations Press]]<ref name=WDSp29>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 29: "An Ting Base"</ref>
 +
* [[Lockheed-CBM Corporation]]<ref name=H:HSp144>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 144: "Lockheed/CBM Corporation (LCBMC)"</ref>
 +
* [[Lyran Free Traders Association]]<ref name=H:HSp137>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 137: "Lyran Free Traders Association (LyFrTr)"</ref>
 +
* [[Quo Medical Technologies]]<ref name=SLp164>''The Star League'', p. 164: "Top Ten Hegemony Companies - [Quo Medical Technologies]"</ref>
 +
* [[Semier Data Tron]]<ref name=H:HSp145>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 145: "Semier Data Tron (SeDaTron)"</ref>
 +
* [[SeraVideo Entertainments Incorporated]]<ref>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 142: "Major Commonwealth Industries"</ref>
 
* [[Taatyana Trans-Oceanic Shipyards]]{{cn}}
 
* [[Taatyana Trans-Oceanic Shipyards]]{{cn}}
−
* [[TAG-Manufacturing]]{{cn}}
+
* [[TharHes Industries]]<ref name=H:HSp147/>
−
* [[TharHes Industries]]{{cn}}
+
* [[Tharkad Aerospace Group]]<ref name=H:HSp147/>
−
* [[Lyran Free Traders Association]]<ref>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 146, "Major Commonwealth Industries"</ref>
+
* [[Tharkan Media Associates]]<ref name=H:HSp139>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 139: "Tharkan Media Associates (ThaMeS)"</ref>
−
* [[Investigations Press]]<ref name=WDSp29>''Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)'', p. 29, "An Ting Base"</ref>
+
* [[Ulsop Robotics]]<ref name=SLp163>''The Star League'', p. 163: "Top Ten Hegemony Companies - [Ulsop Robotics]"</ref>
−
* [[SeraVideo Entertainments Incorporated]]<ref>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 142, "Major Commonwealth Industries"</ref>
+
{{div col end}}
−
* [[Tharkan Media Associates]]<ref>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 139 "Economics - Major Industries - Tharkan Media Associates"</ref>
+
 
 +
===Local Flora and Fauna===
 +
* [[Tharkan Gazelle]]<ref name=HHSp156>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 156: "Creatures"</ref>
  
−
===Local Fauna===
+
===Image gallery===
−
* [[Tharkan Gazelle]]<ref name=HHSp156>''Handbook: House Steiner'', p. 156, "Creatures"</ref>
+
<gallery>
 +
Tharkad Flag.jpg|Planetary Flag of Tharkad
 +
Tharkad Planetary Map.png|Planetary Map of Tharkad
 +
Tharkad Planetary Map BW.png|Black and white planetary map from ''[[Inner Sphere (sourcebook)|Inner Sphere]]''
 +
</gallery>
  
 
==Map Gallery==
 
==Map Gallery==
Line 333: Line 363:
  
 
==Bibliography==
 
==Bibliography==
 +
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
 
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
 
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
−
* ''[[BattleCorps#Solaris Broadcasting Co.|BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [01/12/3067]: "Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System"]]''
+
* ''[[List of Solaris Broadcasting Co. articles#Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System|BattleCorps Solaris Broadcasting Co., 01/12/3067: "Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System"]]''
 
* ''[[BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction]]''
 
* ''[[BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction]]''
 
* ''[[ComStar (sourcebook)|ComStar]]''
 
* ''[[ComStar (sourcebook)|ComStar]]''
 
* ''[[Dawn of the Jihad]]''
 
* ''[[Dawn of the Jihad]]''
 
* ''[[Eisenjäger (short story)|Eisenjäger]]'' (in: ''[[Total Warfare]]'')
 
* ''[[Eisenjäger (short story)|Eisenjäger]]'' (in: ''[[Total Warfare]]'')
−
* ''[[Endgame]]''  
+
* ''[[Endgame]]''
−
* ''[[Era Report: 2750]]''  
+
* ''[[Era Report: 2750]]''
 
* ''[[Era Report: 3052]]''
 
* ''[[Era Report: 3052]]''
 
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
 
* ''[[Era Report: 3062]]''
Line 350: Line 381:
 
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
 
* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
 
* ''[[Field Report: LAAF]]''
 
* ''[[Field Report: LAAF]]''
−
* ''[[Field Report 2765: Lyran Commonwealth]]''
+
* ''[[Field Report 2765: LCAF]]''
−
* ''[[First Succession War (Source Book)]]''
+
* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)|First Succession War]]''
 
* ''[[Handbook: House Steiner]]''
 
* ''[[Handbook: House Steiner]]''
 
* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
 
* ''[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]''
Line 368: Line 399:
 
* ''[[Objectives: Lyran Alliance]]''
 
* ''[[Objectives: Lyran Alliance]]''
 
* ''[[Operation Excalibur]]'' (novel)
 
* ''[[Operation Excalibur]]'' (novel)
 +
* ''[[Rhonda's Irregulars (scenario pack)|Rhonda's Irregulars]]
 +
* ''[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)|Second Succession War]]''
 +
* ''[[Shattered Fortress]]''
 +
* ''[[Shrapnel Issue 3]]''
 +
* ''[[Shrapnel Issue 4]]''
 +
* ''[[Tamar Rising]]''
 
* ''[[Total Chaos]]''
 
* ''[[Total Chaos]]''
−
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)]]''
+
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]''
 +
{{div col end}}
  
 
[[Category:Systems|Tharkad]]
 
[[Category:Systems|Tharkad]]
−
[[Category: Federated Commonwealth Planets]]
+
[[Category: Federated Commonwealth Systems]]
−
[[Category: Lyran Alliance Planets]]
+
[[Category: Lyran Alliance Systems]]
−
[[Category: Lyran Commonwealth Planets]]
+
[[Category: Lyran Commonwealth Systems]]
−
[[Category: Protectorate of Donegal Planets]]
+
[[Category: Protectorate of Donegal Systems]]

Latest revision as of 08:32, 23 April 2024

This article is about the planetary system. For the WarShip, see Tharkad (WarShip class).


Tharkad
← 3135
3151
Tharkad 3151.svg
Tharkad nearby systems
(Map Legend)
System Information
X:Y Coordinates-212.999 : 151.773[e]
Spectral classG6V[1]
Recharge time187 hours[1]
Recharge station(s)Zenith, Nadir[1]

The Tharkad system is the location of at least one habitable world, Tharkad V, and as of June 3152 was the national capital of the Lyran Commonwealth, located in the Donegal Province.[2]

System Description[edit]

Tharkad is located near the Forkas and Eutin systems.

Political Affiliation[edit]

Tharkad V[edit]

Tharkad V
Tharkad.jpg
Astrophysical
System positionFifth[1][35]
Jump Point distance7.01 days[1]
Moons1 (Marsden)[1][35]
Geophysical
Surface gravity1.1[1][35]
Atmospheric pressureStandard (Breathable)[1][35]
Equatorial temperature20°C (Arctic)[1][35]
Surface water80%[1][35]
Highest native lifeReptilian (3075)[35]
Mammals (3079)[1]
Landmasses5 (Bremen, Franz, Grolsch, Heidelberg, Sutherland)[1]
History and Culture
Demonym(s)Tharkan[36]
Population7,000,000,000 (3061),[37]
7,000,000,000 (3067),[38]
6,991,320,000 (3076),[35]
6,892,000,000 (3079)[1]
Government and Infrastructure
Noble RulerDuke of Tharkad
CapitalTharkad City[1][35]
HPG ClassA[1][35]

Planetary History[edit]

Discovered in 2310, Tharkad rapidly came under the control of Seth Marsden. Marsden imported a number of cold-weather plants and animals from Terra and elsewhere, making it somewhat similar to Scandinavia on Terra during the twentieth century. It became the capital of the Lyran Commonwealth in September of 2407[39] and a large space was cleared north of the major city of Olympia to house the governmental buildings, called the Triad. It was here that the Star League was reconstituted at the Whitting Conference in 3058. Subsequent Whitting Conferences were held here in 3061 and 3067 (the 3064 conference was held on Marik, due to the FedCom Civil War).

Star League[edit]

The Tharkad system served as the homeport for the Eighth Fleet during the final years of the Star League. This served to remind the Commonwealth of the Star League's protective presence. It also was there to remind the Lyrans of the forces they would have to contest if on the extremely unlikely case the Lyran Commonwealth declaring war on the Star League. The fleet presence also assisted the Nagelring in training their cadets by having WarShip assets in-system for training on a regular basis.[40]

In addition, there was a sizable ground garrison as well with a BattleMech Division stationed on-world.[41]

Post First Succession War[edit]

In response to Richard Steiner's attempt to tax ComStar, Primus Conrad Toyama placed Tharkad under Interdiction in October 2823. The Interdiction of Tharkad sorely hampered the Lyran government during the year it was in force, until public pressure forced the Lyran Commonwealth to acquiesce to ComStar's exemption from taxation.[42]

Second Succession War[edit]

Claudius Steiner staged a coup on Tharkad against his sister-in-law Melissa Nin in 2845, taking control of the Commonwealth. During his five year reign Claudius used Loki to terrorize Tharkad's population, weeding out dissenters and procuring test subjects for his torture sessions using Star League-era medical equipment.[43]

Third Succession War[edit]

Tharkad's Government House was the scene of a failed assassination attempt mounted by SAFE against Elizabeth Steiner in 2867.[44]

Post Fourth Succession War[edit]

In March 3032, Colonel Wayne Waco of the Waco Rangers confronted Cranston Snord in a small bar demanding to know the relationship between Snord's Irregulars and Waco's sworn enemies, the Wolf's Dragoons. Cranston replied that it was none of Waco's business, but he and Jaime Wolf, commander of the Dragoons, were good friends. This flippant response would drive the Rangers to break their contract with the Lyran Commonwealth and sign up with the Free Worlds League the next day.[45]

FedCom Civil War[edit]

Being an interior world, Tharkad was spared the ravages of the Age of War and the Succession Wars. That did not save it from later wars, however. Tharkad was home to one of the final battles of the FedCom Civil War. As the war drew to a close, supporters of Victor Steiner-Davion over his sister Katherine realized that they needed to claim the Lyran capital. Grand Duke Morgan Kell played kingmaker for Peter Steiner-Davion, bringing him out of a self-imposed exile on Zaniah. When Peter landed on Tharkad and asked Katherine's regent Nondi Steiner to back him, she flatly refused.

Within a week, Peter's forces entered the Tharkad system and engaged the defenders in a brutal naval battle. The pride of the Lyran fleet, the LAS Yggdrasil, was captured by Clan Wolf-in-Exile forces. Morgan was able to land with a pan-Lyran coalition composed of Phelan Kell and his Fourth Wolf Guards Assault Cluster, the Twentieth Arcturan Guards, both regiments of the Blue Star Irregulars, and the First Regiment of the Kell Hounds. These were joined by the Fourth Skye Rangers RCT after the Skye secession seemed doomed to failure. Opposing Peter was the First and Second Royal Guards RCTs, the Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards RCT, First Alarion Jaegers, Eleventh Arcturan Guards RCT, and ComStar's Sixty-sixth Division.

Peter's experienced forces proved to be more than a match for Nondi's defenders. His supporters were able to claim the Nagelring, then moved on to Tharkad City. In the end, bitter street-to-street fighting damaged the capital city of the Lyran Alliance. After eight months of battle, Peter killed his great-aunt in a one-on-one duel, ending that Battle of Tharkad.[46]

Jihad[edit]

While it was one of the last battles of the FedCom Civil War, the Battle for Tharkad was one of the first in the Word of Blake's Jihad. When the Second Star League dissolved in 3067 on Tharkad, the Word immediately went on the offensive.[47] They saw the Federated Suns and the Lyran Alliance as the culprits, since they claimed they could no longer afford to support the League with the massive rebuilding they needed to do after the war. The Blakists attempted to cow Lyran Archon Peter Steiner-Davion into returning to the League with a show of force in the form of the LCS Invincible.[48] The Word had found and refit the last WarShip lost during the Succession Wars, and intended to return it to the Lyrans as a gift.[47] With the dissolution of the Star League, however, the interpretation of a prophecy that the dominant faction of the Word believed in was destroyed, which provoked them to violence.

The Alliance Naval Command, as well as Professor Blaine Dwyer and amateur astronomer James Franzaglio, did detect some manmade objects on space that where not "aligned" with the delegations present on Tharkad, but they were not very worried on this as commented by Admiral Casey Martine. Unfortunately they were proven wrong.[49]

When Archon Peter was unshaken by the implied threat of the Invincible, the Blakists rained down fire upon the capital city of the Lyran Alliance. This assault damaged the nuclear reactor under the Triad and caused a meltdown, though confused early reports believed the Blakists had launched a nuclear weapon.[48] The Invincible and at least three other Blakist WarShips—the McKenna-class battleship WoBS Blake's Sword, the Sovetskii Soyuz-class WoBS Stalwart Defender, and the Essex-class destroyer WoBS Deliverance—formed a naval blockade that formed the backdrop for a four-year siege of the Lyran capital that was typified by Blakist orbital bombardment clearing space for their ground troops to secure a beachhead, who were then defeated by Lyran troops. Although the Blake's Sword, Stalwart Defender, and Deliverance were all withdrawn for other tasks in 3068, the blockade in place on Tharkad remained highly effective.[47] The Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces made a major but ultimately unsuccessful effort to breach the Blakist blockade on the 18th of March 3069 with an aerospace fighter and DropShip task force[50] in an effort mounted from Coventry. The Invincible also proved equally destructive when used against any gathering of resistance forces on the surface of Tharkad, bombarding a number of targets and at one point destroying the Luftenburg-class blue water carrier believed to be transporting the Archon.[47]

The Word's blockade was so successful that the Archon was effectively cut off from his people. A rescue mission sent by General of the Armies Adam Steiner was only able to get out with a message of hope from Peter, confirmation that he was still alive.

Despite the effectiveness of the Blakist blockade, the resistance remained a constant and active threat, supported by the local population and determined to harry the Blakist occupiers. Using their intimate knowledge of the terrain and climate of Tharkad, the resistance fiercely resisted the occupation, despite facing the Thirty-seventh Militia Division, Fortieth Shadow Division and the mercenary unit known as Lowbräu. Despite the relatively low numbers the resistance was apparently capable of mustering, it managed a degree of success that outstripped its strength; at one point, the resistance, specifically the tank unit EISENJÄGER,[51] successfully ambushed and annihilated Precentor McKinnsey and his Level II, throwing the Blakist forces into confusion and turmoil until Precentor Kishimoto took command. The resistance continued to fight despite the steady influx of Blakist reinforcements and the lack of any real prospect of ousting the Word from their occupation.[47]

In 3071, Peter abdicated so that the Blakists could no longer symbolically control the Archon. In his place, he designated Adam Steiner as his successor. Now-Archon Steiner was able to liberate Tharkad in January 3072, complete with the capture of the LCS Invincible. The force Adam led to liberate Tharkad on the 11th of January was primarily a Lyran attack force augmented by elements drawn from a variety of other groups, including Clan Wolf-in-Exile, Wolf's Dragoons, the Kell Hounds, the Grave Walkers[47] and even a token Clan Jade Falcon formation.[52][53][54] The liberation had to begin by breaching the naval blockade; Adam Steiner had assembled a considerable DropShip and aerospace force, which was backed up by a trio of WarShips: the Mjolnir-class battlecruisers LCS Fylgia and LCS Yggdrasil and the Fox-class corvette LCS Ian McQuiston. The two Mjolnirs led the attack on the Invincible, their presence masking Adam Steiner's true plan for dealing with the Invincible; with the battlecruisers drawing the Blakists attention, two hundred marines were delivered onto the Invincible via more than twenty assault shuttles that had concealed themselves among the clouds of fighters surrounding the Mjolnirs. The marines fought a savage deck-by-deck battle that saw more than three-quarters of them killed, but which left them in command of the Invincible, returning her to the Lyran navy for the first time in centuries.[47]

With the blockade breached, the Ian McQuiston escorted the bulk of the assault force to Tharkad, only to encounter a wave of Blakist Pocket WarShips. The Ian McQuiston was able to easily defeat the individual Leopard, Mule, and Union-class Pocket WarShips, but was destroyed by a swam of nuclear missiles. Adam Steiner had remained on his Overlord-class DropShip during the assault, in accordance with ancient practices drawn up for assaults, and survived the destruction of the Ian McQuiston; the Third Lyran Guards were the first formation to land, their orbital drop pointing the regiment down in the outskirts of Tharkad city itself. The Third's drop zone was deliberately chosen to allow them to disrupt the Blakist operations and keep the occupiers attentions on the Third, allowing the remaining units in the task force—the First, Second, and Third Royal Guards, Twenty-fourth Lyran Guards, Eleventh and Twentieth Arcturan Guards RCTs, the First Kell Hounds, the Thirteenth Wolf Guards, Wolf's Dragoons, the Grave Walkers and the token Jade Falcon Nova—to land.[47]

As the Third Lyran Guards and the Jade Falcon Nova commanded by Star Commander Tara Helmer sold themselves dearly against the Blakists the remainder of the Lyran task force launched a brutally efficient attack against the Thirty-seventh Militia Division. The Twentieth Arcturans caused problems for the task force; taking it upon themselves to investigate reports of the location of Peter Steiner-Davion, the Twentieth moved out of their assigned operational area and recovered the former Archon and insisted on escorting him to the allied staging grounds, only returning to the main conflict after threats of court martial. The Thirty-seventh was driven onto the waiting guns of the Thirteenth Wolf Guards by the Third Lyran Guards, and the efforts made by the Blakists to withdraw in order and retreat were constantly hampered by the Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons. By the time of the Blakist defeat at the end of January 3072, less than two Level IIIs had managed to retreat off-world.[47]

With Tharkad liberated, Adam Steiner called on all the surviving defenders to gather together at Tharkad City; the combined surviving resistance forces that assembled at Tharkad after four long years of war amounted to just a combined-arms battalion of surviving line-troops, corporate soldiers, mercenaries and local resistance fighters.[47]

Adam gave the Archonship back to Peter following the liberation of Tharkad. With the chaos of the Jihad, Peter decided to decentralize power in archonettes. Following the defeat of the Blakists in 3081, Tharkad reclaimed its place as the only Lyran capital.[citation needed]

On 11 December 3074, Tharkad was host to an understated wedding ceremony between Archon Adam Steiner and his fiancée, Baroness Heather Fyhne of Arcturus, followed in days by an announcement that the Baroness was pregnant with their first child.[55][56]

By the end of the Jihad there wasn't a major manufacturing facility on Tharkad that had taken less than 75% damage during the course of the conflict. By 3079, the most productive plant on Tharkad was the Defiance Motors plant, running at 40% of pre-Jihad capacity.[57]

Post-Jihad[edit]

Efforts to rebuild Tharkad were underway by the end of the Jihad, including work on restoring the Triad, irradiated though it was. With Lyran pride on the line, no expense was being spared; while the restoration work was going on, the government was operating out of what had been the summer court in the tropical Tatyana islands. Still operating on Tharkad in 3079 were Defiance Motors, Lockheed/CBM Corp., TharHes Industries, and Tharkad Aerospace Group.[1]

The Nagelring was still offering training programs, although the bulk of the planetary militia consisted of the majority of those guerrilla fighters who didn't end up joining the various formations of the Royal Guards. The rolls of the militia included all those injured either physically or mentally during the fighting against the Blakists on the planet; this allowed those individuals access to jobs, counseling and medical aid, with both the support and blessings of the planetary government. At this point, the Militia was focusing a large part of its time ensuring that during the cleanup and reconstruction work going on around the Triad civilian safety wasn't compromised.[58]

Military Deployment[edit]

2764[edit]

2765[edit]

2786[edit]

2821[edit]

  • Tenth Arcturan Guards[61]
  • Tenth Lyran Guards[61]
  • First Royal Guards[61]
  • Second Royal Guards[61]

3025[edit]

3028[edit]

  • Second Royal Guards[63]

3038[edit]

3050[edit]

3054[edit]

  • First Royal Guards RCT[68]

3055[edit]

3062[edit]

  • Sixty-Sixth Division[70]

3067[edit]

3079[edit]

  • First Royal Guards RCT[1]
  • Second Royal Guards RCT[1]

3085[edit]

3136[edit]

3145[edit]

Geography[edit]

Tharkad is an icy and rugged planet, similar to the arctic wilderness of Terra. The planet consists of five major continents and three major island chains. The largest continent is Bremen and is home to Tharkad City, capital of the world and the Lyran Commonwealth, and Olympia, a major city. Asgard, the military command center of the LCAF, lies on the crest of Mount Wotan.[75] The other four continents are Franz, Grolsch, Heidelberg, and Sutherland.[1] Tatyana Islands, one of the island chains, is situated in a tropical zone and was once a major Star League storage depot.

Planetary Locations[edit]

Planetary Map of Tharkad
  • Aesiria Station (orbital)[76]
  • Bremen (continent)
  • Alessandro Memorial Auditorium[77]
  • Cold Creek (city)
  • Methow Valley
  • Mount Wotan: situated near the Triad
  • Asgard: a Star League–era fortress built into the side of Mt. Wotan[78]
  • Nagelring
  • New Jerusalem (city)
  • Olympia
  • Otisburg (city)
  • Tharkad City (capital city)
  • Tharkad University
  • Weibetal (city)
  • Triad: a sprawling governmental complex that is bounded on three sides by the Royal Palace, the Government House, and the Royal Court. Over 300 buildings make up the complex, which also contains hospitals, churches, and botanical gardens. From 2529 onward, BattleMechs stood guard over the Royal Court's throne. See also: Guardian Duty
  • Bremen Ocean
  • Dinear Ocean
  • Sutherland (continent)
  • Franz (continent)
  • Glatte Sea
  • Grolsch (continent)
  • Heidelberg (continent)
  • Marsden Sea
  • New Bismark Archipelago
  • Goodman Island
  • Steiner Island
  • Tatyana (island chain)

Companies and Industries[edit]

Local Flora and Fauna[edit]

Image gallery[edit]

  • Planetary Flag of Tharkad

  • Planetary Map of Tharkad

  • Black and white planetary map from Inner Sphere

Map Gallery[edit]

Nearby Systems[edit]

Closest 28 systems (25 within 60 light-years)
Distance in light years, closest systems first:
Forkas 8.4 Eutin 10.0 Tetersen 12.1 Gibbs 13.4
Greenlaw 16.4 Westerstede 19.1 Horneburg 19.6 Graz 25.2
Donegal 31.5 Vorzel 35.9 Hegel 37.1 Thuban 37.9
Upano 41.0 Minderoo 42.8 Cameron 42.9 Lintz 43.0
Bayis 43.7 Alma Alta 45.2 Gallery 45.9 Warrumbungle 47.4
Pobeda 49.1 Duran 50.7 Dagda 51.8 Conley's Patch 54.5
Smolnik 57.5 Incukalns 62.3 Tsinan 62.5 Callisto 63.0

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 25: "Tharkad"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tamar Rising, p. 72
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 13
  4. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 25
  5. ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 158
  6. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 25
  7. ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 36
  8. ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. vii: "Inner Sphere - [2764] Map"
  9. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1, p. 10
  10. ↑ First Succession War, pp. 24–25"
  11. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 36
  12. ↑ Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 2, pp. 122–123
  13. ↑ First Succession War, pp. 112–113
  14. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 40
  15. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 47
  16. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 56
  17. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 59
  18. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 132
  19. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 11
  20. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 61
  21. ↑ Era Report: 3052, p. 23
  22. ↑ Foolproof
  23. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 11
  24. ↑ Era Report: 3062, p. 29
  25. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 70
  26. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 64
  27. ↑ Field Report: LAAF, p. 21
  28. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 63
  29. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. vii: "Inner Sphere Map - [October 3085]"
  30. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 11
  31. ↑ Era Report: 3145, p. 39
  32. ↑ Shrapnel Issue #3: "Voices of the Sphere: Star League Day"
  33. ↑ Shrapnel Issue #4: "Voices of the Sphere: Cryogenics"
  34. ↑ Tamar Rising, poster map
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 35.6 35.7 35.8 35.9 Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 94: "Tharkad"
  36. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 129 - Mention of the "Tharkan Boy's Choir"
  37. ↑ BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction, p. 167: "Tharkad Profile"
  38. ↑ Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, pp. 3–4: "Tharkad" (map)
  39. ↑ BattleTech: 25 Years of Art & Fiction
  40. ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. 114: "Homeport"
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Field Manual: SLDF, p. 255: "SLDF - Lyran Commonwealth Military Command Map"
  42. ↑ Second Succession War, p. 15
  43. ↑ Second Succession War, pp. 60, 92
  44. ↑ Second Succession War, p. 86
  45. ↑ Rhonda's Irregulars, p. 8: "Waco's Vengeance"
  46. ↑ Endgame, p. ??[citation needed]
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 47.3 47.4 47.5 47.6 47.7 47.8 47.9 Total Chaos, pp. 47–49: "Tharkad (sidebar)"
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 44: "The Jihad in Review"
  49. ↑ BattleCorps: INN Newscast (Solaris Broadcasting Co. section), news item published [01/12/3067]: "Mystery Ships Spotted in Tharkad System"
  50. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46: "The Jihad in Review"
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 Eisenjäger
  52. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 21: "Timeline of the Jihad"
  53. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 50: "The Jihad in Review"
  54. ↑ Total Chaos, pp. 48, 110–111, 114–115
  55. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: 3076, p. 55: "Timeline of the Jihad"
  56. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 53: "The Jihad in Review"
  57. ↑ Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 3: "State of the Industry at a Glance (Dec 3079)"
  58. ↑ Objectives: Lyran Alliance, p. 26: "Tharkad"
  59. ↑ Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 9: "Regimental Status"
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 Field Report 2765: LCAF, p. 17: "Royal Guards" - Regimental Status
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 61.5 61.6 61.7 First Succession War, p. 139: "First Succession War Deployment Table - LCAF"
  62. ↑ NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 44: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
  63. ↑ 63.0 63.1 63.2 63.3 NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 1, p. 45: "Operation GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG"
  64. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, p. 137: "Deployment Table"
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Historical: War of 3039, p. 138: "Deployment Table"
  66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 20 Year Update, p. 29: "Federated Commonwealth Deployment Table"
  67. ↑ 20 Year Update, p. 71: "Com Guards Deployment Table"
  68. ↑ Objective Raids, p. 82: "Unit Note"
  69. ↑ ComStar, p. 85: "Com Guards Deployment Table"
  70. ↑ Field Manual: ComStar, p. 126: "Com Guards Deployment Table"
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 71.2 71.3 71.4 Field Manual: Updates, p. 178: "Lyran Alliance Deployment Table"
  72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 72.2 Field Manual: 3085, p. 109: "Deployment Table - 3085"
  73. ↑ Dark Age: LinkNet Articles (3136), pp. 55–56: "Letters From Home -- Week 09"
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 74.2 Field Manual: 3145, p. 133: "Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces - Donegal Province"
  75. ↑ Jihad Turning Points: Tharkad, p. 5: "Tharkad"
  76. ↑ 76.0 76.1 76.2 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 147: "Tharkad Aerospace Group (TAGCorp) - TharHes Industries (TharHes)"
  77. ↑ Dawn of the Jihad, p. 42: "Star League Disbands!"
  78. ↑ Operation Excalibur, ch. 12
  79. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 118: "Rewland College of Fine Arts on Tharkad"
  80. ↑ 80.0 80.1 Handbook: House Steiner, p. 141: "Defiance Industries"
  81. ↑ Technical Readout: 3050 Upgrade, p. 244: "RPR-100 Rapier"
  82. ↑ Wolf's Dragoons, p. 29: "An Ting Base"
  83. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 144: "Lockheed/CBM Corporation (LCBMC)"
  84. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 137: "Lyran Free Traders Association (LyFrTr)"
  85. ↑ The Star League, p. 164: "Top Ten Hegemony Companies - [Quo Medical Technologies]"
  86. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 145: "Semier Data Tron (SeDaTron)"
  87. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 142: "Major Commonwealth Industries"
  88. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 139: "Tharkan Media Associates (ThaMeS)"
  89. ↑ The Star League, p. 163: "Top Ten Hegemony Companies - [Ulsop Robotics]"
  90. ↑ Handbook: House Steiner, p. 156: "Creatures"

Bibliography[edit]

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