Warrior House

The Capellan Warrior Houses are semi-religious military orders within the Capellan Confederation. They are a unique feature of the Capellan military, and well known and feared throughout the Inner Sphere.

Overview

The first Warrior House, Imarra, was formed by the Chancellor's Decree of Martial Unity in 2864. Sworn "to the Chancellor and to the Confederation" and fanatically loyal to House Liao, the Warrior Houses are autonomous monastic organisations operating as combined arms regiments, typically pairing highly trained infantry with one or two bataillons of 'Mechs, and occasionally armour elements. They are not considered part of the regular Capellan Confederation Armed Forces and operate under traditional House laws based on Warrior House guidelines created by Colonel Hiritza Hikaru from a somewhat revised concept of the Lorix Order, and modeled along the Korvin Doctrine.

The Warrior Houses played an important role in Maximilian Liao's reach for power in 2990, and he authorized an increase of established Warrior House regiments from four to eight the following year.

Owing to their structure, the Warrior Houses are mainly used as special forces rather than frontline troops, and have access to the best equipment that the Confederation has to offer. For this, they had a strained relationship with the regular Capellan military most of the time.

Membership in a Warrior House is regarded as a great honour. Members wear long Katana blades (at least with their ceremonial uniforms) and are trained experts in a wide variety of martial skills, including piloting a BattleMech, infantry training, infiltration, espionage and specialist training.

Each Warrior House is led by a House Master with subordinate Mentors. Suitable membership candidates are chosed at the age of 12 by the House Master, and then educated and trained by the House for a lifetime of service. It is very rare, although not unheard of, for a House member to leave the order. Warrior House pupils lead a life apart from normal society; each House strives to inculcate basic martial philosophy and discipline, and each member is required to take various House Vows.

There is no formal ranking among the Warrior House Orders, although House Imarra is considered the first among equals. The eight major Houses, in order of seniority, are as follows:

House Imarra

Founded by philosopher-soldier Kamachi Imarra in 2864, the first Warrior House regiment performed beyond all expectations against the Goliaths of the Oriente Hussars when House Marik attacked Sirius in a deep penetration rain in 2901. Through superior tactical handling of their light Falcons and audacious use of jump infantry, the Imarra troops inflicted heavy damage on the attackers, driving them off.

They also contained and later drove off superior forces of the 7th Crucis Lanciers together with WH LuSann in a defense on Lincoln in 3001.

House Imarra is entrusted with the defence of Sian and permanently stationed there; the other Warrior House battalions rotate to Sian periodically for special training.

House Imarra 'Mechs were among the very first to be equipped with the new Triple Strength Myomer that the Federated Suns leaked to the Capellans on purpose. In the daring raid on Sian to rescue Justin Xiang Allard at the conclusion of the Fourth Succession War in 3029, the Davion DropShips launched missiles with a gaseous agent that destroyed the myomer, incapacitating the Imarra 'Mechs before they could mount an effective defense.

Until 3015, the House Master of House Imarra was Icarra Sung, an expert killer and martial artist who went on to command the Death Commandos by 3025. He was succeeded by Karl Yaquinto Yadi who remained House Master of Imarra at least until 3025. Karl Yadi was in turn succeeded by Ion Rush.

House Kamata

• Based on Betelgeuse and entrusted with the defense of the 'Mech factories there.
• Relieved St. Ives from Davion mercenary units Kingston's Commandos and Tristram's Terrorists in 3019 together with WH LuSann, utterly destroying the attackers.

House Hiritsu

• Based on Tigress (Laurel's World) as of 3025.

House LuSann

• Took part in the defense of Spica against a Davion offensive in 2910.
• Contained and later drove off superior forces of the 7th Crucis Lanciers together with WH Imarra in a defense on Lincoln in 3001.
• Relieved St. Ives from Davion mercenary units Kingston's Commandos and Tristram's Terrorists in 3019 together with WH Kamata, utterly destroying the attackers.

Ordered on special maneuvers on Liao around 3025.

House Daidachi

• Based on Nanking and Drozan as of 3025.

House Fujita

• Based on Styk since shortly before 3025.

Styk was overrun by Davion forces during the Fourth Succession War. A bomb planted by a Davion spy destroyed the WH Fujita Overlord-class DropShip Empress Ting in September 3028 when it tried to lift off from Styk, destroying most of what remained of the regiment at the time. A single Fujita MechWarrior who had not reached the evacuation ship in time survived, and later managed to kill a Davion Wolverine pilot and assume his identity with his skills at infiltration. He went on to free numerous other prisoners from Davion captivity, including Techs and other personnell from WH Fujita, and even steal a Mammoth class dropship loaded with BattleMechs in a daring escape.

House Matsukai

• Based on Bithinia and entrusted with guarding the industrial complexes there.

House Ijori

• Based on Aldebaran.
• Avenged the destruction of the Ariana Grenadiers regiment that was caught unawares and hammered to pieces on Ingersoll by the Free Worlds Guard in 2874.
• Turned the tide against a Marik Militia regiment on Hsien in 2943, relieving the 1st Kearny Highlanders.
• Closed a trap on Davion troops on Cammal in 3002.
• Caught and mauled a Davion mercenary regiment on Tsanna in 3003, capturing a large number of BattleMechs in the process.

Other Houses

It is thought that the Capellan Chancellor can create or disband Houses at any time, and there may be minor Warrior Houses in existence in addition to the aforementioned eight major Houses.

Some also consider the Capellan Death Commandos to be a Warrior House in the wider sense, or at least a related institution. However, it should be noted that the Death Commandos are part of the regular Capellan military and have a particularly strained relationship with the Warrior Houses; they are often set against the Warrior Houses in political maneuvering. Yet, they exclusively recruited (or drafted) their personnell from the Warrior Houses until they opened up for qualified personnell from regular line regiments in 3003.