Centrally located, well away from any border, Alshain is far smaller in size and population that Radstadt or Rubigen, but contributes positively to the overall economic and military strength of the Combine. It's worlds are orderly and loyal, with substantial industrial and agricultural output, and do not normally require massive garrison forces.

The current Tai-Sho (General/Sub-Warlord) of Alshain Prefecture is Takari's father, Shirou Tanida. He presides of the DCMS from his headquarters on Alshain, which is also the seat of civil administration, and if the rumors are true, a major ISF base. As befits such an important world it is heavily defended. It alos enjoys a central and strategically valuable position within the prefecture, and indeed the entire western reaches of the Combine.

The world of MARAWI is currently lacking a proper mech garrison, the resident regiment having been moved to the Kirchback prefecture. While not the most valuable of targets, it could prove to be a suitable target for a show of force mission. The Tai-Sho would lose much face, was one of his worlds to prove defenseless.

More conventional targets include CASERE and CAESONG. Both are prosperous worlds, loyal to the Dragon and properly defended, but not so heavily fortified as to be impregnable. CASERE is thought to be a staging ground for the 3rd Sword of Light, which is acting as a mobile reserve. If the 3rd can be drawn away, a regimental drop group should be able to do good work. CAESONG is less well defended, but Lyran intelligence suspects that it has recently been reinforced by a mercenary company of unknown size.

Located rimward and beyond Kirchback, the Trondheim district is both remote and peaceful. Targeted primarily by strategic strikes in the 1st and 2nd Wars, Trondheim has largely escaped the ravages of the 3rd Succession War. It remains remote and underdeveloped. It is probably too distant to be a good target, but on the other hand resistance should be lighter, and a greater degree of surprise could be achieved. Lyran intelligence has few reliable assets in this region.

The world of RICHMOND is a pleasant terrestrial world that serves at the main military base along the frontier. A line battalion of Kuritan mechs provide a thin red line against the treacherous denizens of the Periphery. Taking out this garrison would expose the Combine to raids and pirate activity from the Periphery. The prefecture capital is located on TRONDHEIM, which is said to be well defended by mech and conventional regiments. Anything less that a 3-regiment drop will probably amount to very little.

Other worlds, such as PINNACLE and IDLEWIND, are thought to have only light - if any - mech forces present, and the local conventional units are not thought to be high quality. Battalion-level strikes against these targets may have some merit, in that they would be low risk despite the great distance for Commonwealth space.

The world of GARSTEDT is a heavily defended military staging area and logistics waypoint. It commands a key position on the route towards the Combine's heart, including the world of Luthien. A raid here is highly dangerous, but could thoroughly unsettle the Dragon's offensive spirit.

Located rimward on the Commonwealth border, Kirchbach is less heavily fortified than Radstad or Rubingen, but still well defended. After the events on Harvest the prefecture is on high alert, and has received substantial reinforcements from the Pesht district. Still, it is a region well known to Lyran intelligence, and not every world can be heavily garrisoned. Kirchbach is sometimes the target of Periphery pirate raids, but is more frequently the target of trade with the Hanse (Deep Periphery traders).

Key worlds include HARVEST, (formerly) the site a mechwarrior training cadre facility and the target of the Lancer's first raid, and RODIGO, the seat of House RICOL, a samurai clan of some renown. Harvest has received a "substantial" garrison of mechs, and the Ricols are said to command an "entire legion" of mechs, whatever that means (Lyran intelligence is poorly informed about affairs on Rodigo). The prefecture capital is located on KIRCHBACH, a world of little importance, save for its role as administrative and military center. As prefecture capitals go its lightly garrisoned, except for a truly massive aerospace presence.

Other possible raid sites include the former Commonwealth worlds of NEW CALEDONIA (old battleground, Terran), CSESZTREG (resource rich, rugged) and VERTHANDI (agriculture, jungle). Lyran intelligence has particularly accurate surveys and reports from these three worlds. All three seem suitably for attack by reinforced companies or battalion-level commands.

The world of ST. JOHN is suggested by the WOLF as a good raiding target. It has a potent mech garrison of one battalion, guarding one of the Combine's infamous reeducation gulags. The Lancers already have detailed nav charts (pirate points included) for this particular world.

Once the PRINCIPALITY OF RASALHAGUE, the Rasalhague (sometimes Alshain) Military District forms part of the vast border between the Draconis Combine and the Lyran Commonwealth. Solward lies the Dieron District, the other keystone in the defense against the Steiner dogs. Beyond Rasalhague lies the Benjamin and Pesht districts, the glittering heart of the Combine.

Greatly simplified overview of the prefectures of Rasalhague [neighboring districts shown]:

[PERIPHERY]

KIRCHBACH TRONDHEIM [PESHT)

RADSTADT ALSHAIN [PESHT)

RUBINGEN [BENJAMIN]

[DIERON] [BENJAMIN]

[SOL/TERRA]

While many of the core worlds of Rasalhague were originally settled by people from the Scandinavian countries, it would be wrong to call current day Rasalhague "Scandinavian". So many centuries have passed since the Combine absorbed Rasalhague, that there is no cultural difference between this district and say Pesht or Benjamin. Only on some worlds does the dream of "independence" continue to linger, in no small part thanks to Lyran clandestine ops. Finally there are many worlds with no Scandinavian heritage at all, having been settled by other peoples. In Kirchbach and elsewhere, for example, there are strong Arabic traditions dating back nearly a thousand years. Quite a few border worlds once belonged to the Lyran Commonwealth, having been conquered by the Dragons of ages past.

Alessandro Steiner (b. 2957) was born on Furillo, the Steiner family fiefdom, only 2 jumps out from Hesperus. He spent most of his youth attending the most prestigious schools in the Commonwealth, before attending the Nagelring Academy, where he graduated top of his class in 2976 (judging by his later exploits, it was not entirely a "social" accomplishment).

He rose quickly through the ranks, thanks in part to his pedigree, but also in no small part because of his charismatic leadership and courage under fire. Prior to his father's untimely death, Alessandro had achieved the rank of Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) and commanded the 1st Assault Battalion of the Second Royal Guards. It is not difficult to envision that he would have continued to climb the rank ladder had he been given the opportunity.

Instead Alessandro inherited the Archonship in 2980 after his father, Giovanni Steiner, died in an "equestrian accident" according to Lyran officials (in the Combine this event was celebrated event at court, involving several promotions, perhaps indicating involvement in an assassination plot).

Alessandro (unlike his father, the late Archon Giovanni) was a military man by nature, and his first priority was to build up the military in an effort to blunt the generations-long Combine offensives near Skye and Tamar and to rebuild the strength of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces on the Free Worlds League border.

To achieve this he immediately increased the amount of revenue that went to the military, financing it primarily through increased taxes (mostly by reversing reforms instituted by his father) and increasing federal oversight of commerce (to ensure said taxes were paid in full). This "caused concern among the common folk" according to Lyran media.

In reality it was not the commoners, but the nobility, the military high command and industrial magnates (who were largely drawn from the same bloodlines) that were concerned: limited war - and low taxes - are good for business. Totaler krieg - and government interference with the acquisition of wealth and power - is very bad.

In 2987 the Archon secretly ordered the "Deep Raid", which began with an attack on the Marik 'Mech factory on Ling, then struck five more worlds before returning. Despite heavy losses, the mission was wildly successful, and the Archon's popular support soared. The Lyran high command, however, was furious at having been kept out of the loop.

Over the course of the next decade the LCAF pushed repeatedly into Draconis space, along the Tamar and Skye fronts, recapturing several lost worlds, but failing to reach the lofty goals set by the Archon. The realities of offensive operations were by now taking a toll even on the common people, for the rich are loathe to suffer taxation without compensation. The Archon's popularity began to dwindle.

In 2997 the Free Worlds attempted to pay the Archon back for the Deep Raid, striking at Hesperus II with a regimental combat team (the 10th Battle of Hesperus). It was turned back by young, dashing Katrina Steiner and the 10th Lyran Guards. Suddenly the public had a new, exiting heroine, cousin to the Archon, commander of mechs and destroyer of invaders.

Alessandro, undaunted as always, continued with his plans, but found it increasingly difficult to assemble the forces he needed. The nobles and military leaders stubbornly resisted his attempts at reform. His "Doktrin der Umverteilung von Mech-Kerneinheiten auf entscheidende Schlachtfelder" was ridiculed as "The Doctrine of Concentrated Weakness", while in reality it was quite the opposite, seeking to gather line mech regiments into combat groups, while forcing the nobles to garrison their own fiefs with house troops or mercs.

To show his determination and to lead by example, Alessandro shipped the traditional Hesperus garrison - the 10th, 11th and 12th Lyran Guards, along with Katrina Steiner - to the Marik front for active duty. In their stead he placed mercenaries, primarily three regiments of Eridani Light Horse. Duke Brewster of Hesperus did not, however, increase his own guard as requested, quoting back to the Archon his own words "Hesperus is safe for the time being".

Alessandro incorrectly assumed there would be no further attacks on Hesperus for a while. In reality the Marik attack had only been a probe, or feint if you will, for Anton Marik was well aware of the political and military situation in the Commonwealth. With the Lyran Guards out of the way the Free Worlds attacked with five regiments (11th Battle of Hesperus). They were later joined by three (four if you count the Crimson Wolverines mercenary company) Combine regiments, including the 2nd Sword of Light (12th Battle of Hesperus).

Were it not for the stubborn defence of the Eridani Light Horse and the smaller Black Wolf Lancers, the remaining Lyran militia regiments would surely have been overwhelmed. Instead the bold mercenaries first blocked the main Marik advances, before regrouping to not only turn back the Kuritans, but to deal the 2nd Sword of Light a mortal blow. By the time Katrina Steiner returned with her three regiments, the fighting was all but over, much to everyone's surprise.

In the aftermath of the battle Katrina Steiner disappeared from view. Some speculate that she's gone to ground, possibly to prepare for a coup. Others claim the Archon took her out - or that the snakes did. Be that as it may. What is more important is the fact that the Archon's strategy - and his prestige - has taken a severe blow, from which it might never recover. The Guards regiments can NEVER be moved from Hesperus again in Alessandro's lifetime, and the battles there have "proven" how dangerous "Concentrated Weakness" is.

Perhaps in an attempt to restore some of the lost prestige of the Archonate and his own person, Alessandro invited every peer and a myriad important personae from across the Commonwealth and beyond, to attend his birthday on October 1st 2999. It was a grand festival, lasting a full week, plus many smaller events both before and after. It was indeed the social event of a lifetime. While it may have improved Alessandro's popularity with the small folk, it did nothing to restore his prestige in the eyes of the nobility. He remains marginalized, and true power now rests with the military-industrial magnates and the Lyran High Command. Perhaps an abdication would be for the better - the Commonwealth is not well served by having a figurehead Archon.

---

The Archon is a tall, athletic man. He is only middle aged, but the years as a sovereign have taken their toll: his dark hair is greying and his face gaunt. His eyes have lost none of their intensity, however, nor has his personal charisma faded. Even his enemies cannot deny that he is a great orator and a fine military leader.

Mercenary Hearts is the title of the epic reality show that follows the Black Wolf Lancers' exploits.

It's produced by Channel 7, The Voice Of Solaris VII, and distributed many major networks across the Inner Sphere and beyond (with the notable exception of the Combine).

The anchorwoman so to speak is Joyce Lloyd, who has followed the Lancers since their inception on Solaris VII back in 2997.

The show has aired one full season, with a second season being aired. The show is steadily rising in popularity, and a third season is already in production.

The first season focused mostly on the birth of the Lancers and the actions of the Yellow Katanas. The second season is broader in scope, taking in many more Lancer characters. The third season expands the setting even further, following some mercenary wannabes on Solaris that try to qualify to join the Lancers.

The show has a lot of real combat fotage, expertly edited, but it also scores high on relationships. It's the combination of these two elements that has made the show quite popular.

Emmerson Conte, "Black Wolf", was formerly the commander of the Taurian Guards 3^rd Battalion, a formation with proud traditions all the way back to before the Reunification War. He was honorably discharged from his Taurian commission in 2997 after he got an offer from natalia Chesterton: to command her 5 regiments. He and Natalia go way back, and seem to have renewed their acquaintance after her divorce.

Emmerson has many years of command experience under his belt. His callsign is a reference to an incident when he was a young mechwarrior. He was garrisoning a Taurian world that was the victim of particularly vicious pirate raid. Emmerson hunted down those responsible and challenged each of them to single combat. Those few who accepted he defeated, but let live. Those who refused he mercilessly butchered. Throughout the process he wore only black and his mech was painted the same color (his mech is still black). Thus was born the legend of the Black Wolf.

His current rank is General-Oberst (Brigadier). He still pilots his trusty jump-capable Thunderbolt in the regimental command lance.

Ilsa Chesterton-Liao (b. 2978), "Princess”, is the daughter Natalia Chesterton, the founder-owner of the Lancers, and Lama (Marquis) Wolfgang Liao (from a cadet branch of House Liao). 

Ilsa resembles her mother, but is "heavier", with clear Caucasian features, whereas Natalia is more slender and more Asiatic looking. The eyes and the dark hair are the same though. She’s something of a wild child, a late bloomer that’s trying to find her place in a world where her mother takes a lot of space. She’s estranged from her father, whom she blames for her parent’s divorce.

She’s a highly trained, if somewhat inexperienced, mechwarrior and commander. Both her parents are nobles from old mechwarrior dynasties. The men used to call her “Princess” behind her back. She’d rather have a cool, epic callsign, but unfortunately you don’t get to decide that for yourself. The callsign stuck, and now it's second nature and hardly derogatory anymore. The Lancers love their Princess (way more han they'll ever love "the scary bitch") and would do anything to keep her safe.

She has the rank of Major and technically commands the 3rd battalion from her Battlemaster. She's currently taken a leave of absence (from her mother mostly) and resides in London, Terra.

Natalia Chesterton was the third daughter of Baroness Moira Chesterton, vassal to the Countess of Luxen in the the Magistracy of Caonopus. With no real hope of inheriting the title and family wealth, Natalia was dissatisfied with the career choices made for her my her mother: modeling and legal work. She secretly arranged for mechwarrior training, and when she came of age she ran away.

She eventually wound up in the Taurian Concordat, where she fell into the arms of dashing young Lieutenant Emmerson Conte (who would later be called 'the Black Wolf'). Her life took a sudden and very unexpected turn when her mother and elder sisters all died within a short time. Recalled to Canopus to claim her title, the pull of blood and duty proved stronger than love, and she parted ways with Emmerson.

Natalia married slightly above her station, taking Lama (Marquis) Wolfgang Liao of the Capellan Confederation for her husband. It caused quite the ruckus at the Sian court, as the House of Hargreaves felt slighted by a Liao (however far down the line of succession) choosing to marry a Chesterton. Within a year of their marriage they had a daughter, Ilsa.

The couple divorced when Ilsa was 10. The reason was never publicly announced, but in the event it was related to rare hereditary genetic disorder. A disease that made neural interfacing - there therefore piloting - impossible. It was a selfless thing: to give up her marriage to save Wolfgang's descendants from this genetic curse. Rumor has it that she walked away with quite a bit of money.

In 2997 she registered the Black Wolf Lancers as a battalion-sized mercenary company with the Mercenary Review Board on Galatea. Commanding Officer: Emmerson Conte. Owners: Natalia Chesterton (75%), Ilsa Chesterton-Liao (10%), Emmerson Conte (10%), Konrad Satyanarayana (5%).

Natalia Chesterton, former mechwarrior, founder and chief owner of Black Wolf Lancers, photographed at Valhalla, Solaris 7, 2997.

The NAIS is the Federated Sun’s most prestigious center of higher learning. In addition to traditional academic pursuits, the NAIS is a premier researcher of lostech, and works closely with the AFFS on many projects.

GM notes: In this campaign NAIS isn’t something invented by Hanse Davion to magically process repositories of lostech data conveniently landing in his lap. Instead it’s more like Oxford, but with close ties to the industrial-military complex. On occasion the NAIS actually manages to recover some lostech, and the have been known to engineer some reasonably successful new mech variants from time to time.