Taurian Concordat

To: Lord Grover Shrapnel, Protector

You will find the requested files attached to this message. All told, they compile an accurate historical account and current readiness report on the Taurian Defense Force. Detailed regimental descriptions are also included so that you may better know the men and women you now command.

You will forgive me for saying so, but it might have been better to review such information before committing the Concordat to diplomatic talks, an alliance and a war.

Yes, we struck back at House Davion, repaying them for many earlier debts whether or not they were involved in the death of Protector Jeffrey Calderon. Yes, the new technology that is finally trickling into the Concordat improves our overall readiness. But as you will see, our military forces have suffered greatly in the recent hostilities, a fact which must negate such lackluster gains. Despite your assurances that taking the "long view" will result in a stronger Concordat, it is a vision I do not-cannot-share.

For such reasons, including your continued reluctance to name Jeffrey's young son as heir to the Protectorship, this must be my last official act as Marshal of the Taurian Guard and Acting-Senior Marshal of the Taurian Defense Force. The storm clouds are gathering on the horizon. While I will not allow my distant ties to the Protector's line to be used to split the Concordat, I cannot support your ambitions any longer. Accept this as my official resignation.

Marshal Brenda Calderon
Retired 4 July 3063

History

The Final Frontier

In 2253, Samantha Calderon's fleet of JumpShips discovered and settled the Hyades Cluster. The mineral-rich worlds of the Cluster gave settlers access to incredible amounts of resources, allowing them to form the strong nucleus of a new realm. Calling themselves the Taurians, the settlers also identified and claimed nearby resource-rich planets to serve as strong colonial possessions.

The refugees, driven out by the "consolidation conflicts" that formed the five Great Houses, continued to flee rimward from the Inner Sphere and contributed to a population boom that swelled the region to over a billion people scattered among a few dozen worlds. The Concordat began as a loose association of these independent worlds, each pledging itself to the mutual defense of the others. The Taurian Defense Force, activated in 2360, was designed to answer the menace posed by nearby House Davion. Though they remained unnoticed by the Federated Suns, the Calderon family knew they could escape notice only so long.

Coming of Age

In 2368, fighting between the Davions and House Liao spilled over into Concordat space, bringing the Federated Suns into direct conflict with the Taurians. Though ill equipped to take on the full might of a Great House, the Taurian Navy acquitted itself admirably in this skirmish by employing more maneuverable corvettes against heavier Davion vessels. Destroying two warships and capturing a third, the Concordat's Defense Force claimed an astounding victory from its first real military engagement.

For two years following the battle, the Federated Suns forced the Taurians into a series of costly naval battles, although House Davion thought they fought only an "organized band of pirates." When Reynard Davion finally left off pursuit of the Taurians to refocus on House Liao, the knowledge of having been discovered by the Federated Suns continued to spike fear of a coming invasion throughout the Concordat. The next battle, however, found the Taurian Defense Force fighting against House Liao, not the Davions.

As House Liao fought to expand the Capellan realm, they looked upon the planets that made up the Concordat as easy prey, discounting the Taurian Defense Force as they tried to push the local defenders aside. Brutal battles ensued, both in space and on the ground, which introduced the Taurians to a new level of savagery in warfare. Cruelty to Taurian prisoners-of-war and massacres of the civilian population were but a few of the harsh punishments visited upon the Concordat by the Capellans. Rather than lose heart, however, the Taurians pitched back with greater resistance and forced a Pyrrhic victory onto the Confederation.

Martial Maturity

A century and a half of peaceful coexistence followed these early military encounters, during which time the Taurian Defense Force entered the modern age of warfare. BattleMech designs proliferated throughout the Inner Sphere. In order to attain these designs, the Concordat played on its neutrality, offering a safe haven to Capellan and Free Worlds League dissidents who paid their way with stolen blueprints. While far from an elegant solution, it did solve the problem.

Unfortunately, it only fueled the avarice of House Davion, who was waiting for a chance to take advantage of the weaker Periphery states. That opportunity came in 2573, when a squadron of Taurian warships mistakenly strayed into a neutral system jointly administered by the Federated Suns and the Concordat. The Davions responded to the trespass with an assault that all but destroyed the squadron. The Federated Suns clung to the incident despite attempts by the Protector to explain and even make amends, promoting it as one of the fundamental arguments for the Star League's Pollux Proclamation.

[This tendency to assign the Federated Suns the most malicious intentions is an example of the "Davion bogeyman complex" I've warned you about. I've shown some of your top aides long-buried evidence that the navigation error may have been deliberate, to gauge Davion resolve. If so, we almost handed them the instrument of our own destruction. -BC]

All Grown Up

Morals are one thing. Survival is everything.

Samantha Calderon
October 2252
Modern Explorers

In the two years leading up to the Pollux Proclamation, the Star League tried first to woo the Concordat with empty bribes and then to punish them into submission with trade sanctions. Neither tactic was effective, prompting the suggestion that the Star League had finally made up its mind to handle the "Periphery mess." When the First Lord announced that the independent states would be brought into the Star League "despite their reluctance, for the good of all," Protector Mitchell Calderon calmly prepared his nation for war.

Clearly outmatched in raw strength, the Taurian Defense Force launched Case Amber in 2577 as a preemptive strike against the building Star League invasion force. Designed to buy time for the TDF, it also landed a telling blow right in the lap of House Davion.

Following the strike, the Taurians faked the withdrawal of their ships. Fooled by this tactic, the Federated Suns launched an early strike and found their main fleet cut off by a Taurian blockade. Trapped and outgunned, the Davions fought several desperate battles in an attempt to regain their own space. In the end, Case Amber cost the Federated Suns over two dozen warships either destroyed or captured in battle, versus only three Concordat ships damaged.

The Taurian Defense Force kept up this kind of resistive effort throughout the war. While they occasionally won a battle, their goal was to make every Star League victory a costly one. With Case Amber keeping the Davion war fleet busy, Star League forces had a harder fight on their way into every major planetary system.

The Taurians, however, didn't restrict their resistance to the skies. Once on the ground, the invaders met fanatical defenders who fought to their dying breaths to take a few more League regulars with them. This fanaticism was the legacy of battles fought with House Liao, and now served to imbue the TDF with a stamina and dedication that the Star League was hard pressed to match. In a Concordat counter-assault aimed at retaking the world Diefenbaker, the largest 'Mech-vs.-'Mech battle of the entire war unfolded. In the end, though the Taurian Defense Force was left with only fifty functioning BattleMechs, the Star League lost over three hundred of their war machines, gutting the once-mighty Terran Third Corps.

Still, by 2590 the Taurian Defense Force had no more reserves to draw upon, despite their spirited and brutal defensive machinations. They were forced to retreat into the nebula that hid the Hyades Cluster. It took the Star League another six years to pierce this final defense, with the Cluster's protective asteroid field stringing broken ships and bodies through the void. Rather than face annihilation from a bitter military opponent, the Concordat delivered its fate into the hands of the Star League politicians by surrendering on 22 September 2596. What had been predicted as a six-month campaign had taken nearly twenty years and cost more in machines and lives than anyone had possibly foreseen.

Succession Wars

Though the Taurian Concordat did not directly participate, the Succession Wars still left their mark on the Periphery realm and its fighting force. As the Inner Sphere turned its attention away from the outlying states, the Concordat and Magistracy of Canopus broke away from the old Star League-era treaty and solved their border disputes in the old-fashioned way-War. What became known as the "nineteen-days war" commenced, so-called because the actual time in combat was measured out to nineteen days. Other popular monikers are the "two hundred hours war" (though there was actually only one hundred eighty two hours of combat) and the "shoving-match war." After only three poorly executed maneuvers, both sides settled on a new treaty identical in all respects to the old one.

This initial incompetence-understandable, after so long at peace-would not hold sway forever. The Fourth Succession War provided a much-needed temporary boon to the Defense Force. Already worried about Davion aggression, the Federated Suns' near-conquest of House Liao turned Protector Thomas Calderon's fear of the Davions into paranoia. [Though it was imprudent to suggest that such was the case until Jeffrey's ascension to the Protectorship, I have to wonder why it has grown impolitic again since your ascension. -BC] Hampering other sectors of Concordat life, including the long-standing Taurian emphasis on colonial expansion, alerts and constant-training maneuvers sharpened the Concordat's military skill sets. The monies poured into defense also brought about an expansion in material readiness that proved to serve the Concordat well.

Marching in Place

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Ancient Terran Proverb; quoted by Marshal Hadji Doru
24 April 3055, in his address backing the early ascension of
Jeffrey Calderon to the role of Protector

It seems destined that all major conflicts with the Federated Suns are birthed from a mistake. In 3047, a freighter registered in the Federated Commonwealth (née Suns) misjumped into Concordat space. Defense Force pilots, fearing a Davion reconnaissance mission, destroyed the freighter before the truth could be learned. Convinced that it was a precursor to invasion, Protector Thomas Calderon placed the Taurian Defense Force on an alert that would remain for eight long years. In that time the heightened status of the military provoked several skirmishes with the Steiner-Davion AFFC, though the feared invasion never materialized.

Marshal Hadji Doru, commander of the Taurian Guard, was forced to declare Thomas Calderon unfit to rule in 3055 and helped install Thomas' son, Jeffrey, as Protector. This was the Marshal's last act, as he voluntarily exiled himself from the Concordat rather than taint Jeffrey Calderon's early rule with allusions to a military coup.

[Despite Marshal Doru's fine example of personal honor and dedication to the Concordat state, his reappearance in the Magistracy of Canopus as a military advisor, a position the late Danai Centrella shamed him into accepting, must be viewed with some worry. He knows much of the Taurian Defense Force's operating procedures and his personal honor will not allow him to do less than his best for the MAF. He should be considered a security breach. -BC]

Attention to Detail

Since the Clan invasion did not directly impact the Taurian Defense Force, Protector Jeffrey Calderon was able to invest more time and energy into streamlining the Concordat military. Wasteful expenditures begun in his father's time were redirected into better training facilities and production of war materials. His motto for this period was, "Men and machines. Anything else is wasteful." These efforts included the acquisition of new design concepts and technology from the larger Inner Sphere realms whenever possible, though many of the coveted most-advanced materials remained unavailable until recently.

Despite the expectations of many, a large upsizing in military forces was not seen. This was mainly due to the Protector's other interest: the budding Taurian-Magistracy alliance. Under the terms, the two nations settled several new colonies while providing for their defense. In this manner, the Colonial Marshals were formed. The Marshals themselves would come out of the Canopian Institute of War, while the Concordat provided 'Mechs and armored vehicles and other material concerns. It harnessed the strengths of both nations while promoting several years of close ties and the hope of a strong future alliance.

Changing of the Guard

House Liao awarded favored status to the Magistracy of Canopus in 3058, trading valuable resources and technology for limited military support and thereby eclipsing Concordat efforts. When the Capellans advanced tentative offers toward the Concordat while seeking assistance in fighting their war with the St. Ives Compact, the Protector stood adamantly against extending strong diplomatic ties any further than the Magistracy. Plans for the New Colony Region moved forward, working with the Canopians and, when necessary, House Liao, but the Concordat [then] wanted no part in a new Inner Sphere struggle.

After Sherman Maltin's failed uprising in the New Colony Region and Protector Calderon's untimely death, the reins of state fell into the hands of Lord Grover Shraplen. Early [circumstantial] evidence pointing to Davion involvement rallied a majority of the Taurian Defense Force behind Protector Shraplen, who expelled the Federated Suns' ambassador and entered into negotiations with House Liao. In August 3062, The Taurian Concordat entered into a three-way alliance with the Capellan Confederation and Magistracy of Canopus.

Costs and Commitments

The immediate cost of the so-called 'Trinity Alliance' was support for the Capellan war against the St. Ives Compact. The Taurian Velites and Concordat Jaegers were committed to the struggle immediately, seeing battle in September and finding themselves in almost non-stop fighting until the cease-fire in June 3062. The Concordat Cuirassiers and mercenary Longwood's Bluecoats were added during the last four months fighting. The Bluecoats were eventually pulled back to garrison Taurian interests at the Liao-Concordat border. The Cuirassiers never made it back.

Though they paid a high price for admission, the Protector expects many advantages through the Concordat alliances with House Liao and the Magistracy of Canopus. The situation in the long run promises favorable trade status, access to higher levels of technology and an upgraded military, one on par with any Successor State army. For some, this cannot happen soon enough. Others, while hopeful, doubt it will ever happen at all. Regardless, the Concordat has committed itself and, as it has proven throughout its history, Taurians will see their commitments through to the end.

Taurian Defense Force

The Taurian Defense Force is, arguably, the best-trained and most experienced military in the Periphery. The Canopian MAF may show stronger numbers, but it still runs a close second. The Taurian citizens invest a great deal of pride in their military, an honor earned by the men and women who serve the Concordat.

The Protectorship

The single most important person related to the Taurian Defense Force is without doubt the Protector, who is commander-in-chief and usually serves as Senior Marshal of the armies. Lord Shraplen, however, assigns the military duties to his chief marshal, as he is a political leader, not a soldier, by nature.

Lord Shraplen's assumption of the Protectorship has been controversial. An outspoken critic of Jeffrey Calderon, he has reversed several standing policies-most notably, those dealing with House Liao-which does not sit well with many senior officers. His obvious fear of House Davion is also reminiscent of Thomas Calderon and reminds everyone of the excesses taken during the military's eight year standing alert.

There is the matter of the three possible Calderon heirs to the position. The first is Thomas Calderon's sister, Janice, who removed herself from the line of succession once before because she was too physically ill to rule (though rumors have been circulating that the Federated Suns have discovered a possible cure for Brisbane Virus). The second is Jeffrey's illegitimate son, Erik, born to a senior officer of the mercenary Prey's Divisional. Though only five years of age, Lord Shraplen could have named him regent.

The third heir was discovered after Jeffrey's death. Richard Calderon, the son of Felix Calderon, was born on an outpost colony the deep Periphery. Felix was thought lost during a star-mapping mission in 3046. The only sister of Magestrix Emma Centrella found Richard and prevailed upon him to return to the Concordat. Tragically, a pirate attack just short of Concordat space claimed the life of both Richard Calderon and Lorelei Centrella. Though foul play is not even remotely suspected, it still leaves a stain upon Protector Grover Shraplen that there may be other close relations to Jeffrey Calderon rightfully inline for the Protectorship.

Military-Industrial Complex

Since the end of hostilities between the Capellan Confederation and St. Ives Commonality, new technologies have slowly begun to trickle into the Taurian Concordat, along with the engineers and instructors to make them lasting developments.

Though materials and weapons may also be requisitioned from the production site developed on Detroit by House Liao and the Magistracy of Canopus, the Concordat's late entry into the alliance places it at a lower priority than the other members. At this time, it is still simpler to purchase excess production from the Liao factories on Victoria, thereby giving the TDF access to technology that even the Magistracy has not yet fielded, even though it also means hiring in extra technical support from House Liao. The cost of upgrading is not cheap, but the Defense Force has forever been maintained as the leading Periphery military. That is not a title it wishes to relinquish.

Esprit De Corps

Always thought of as a strong and cohesive force, recent trials have forced fracture lines into the Taurian military. Much of this originates from the controversy surrounding the new Protector, but other pressures at work include mistrust of House Liao and even of the Magistracy.

The Taurian Guard

Always considered the showcase corps of the TDF, the Taurian Guard's primary ward is the Hyades Cluster itself. The Guard rotates up to two battalions out at a time for patrols or pirate hunting duty, though with the loss of the Taurian Velites that rotation has been scaled back to a single battalion.

[While I understand that my resignation will likely have some effect of the official loyalty ratings of the unit, I will go so far as to remind you that their loyalty will remain yours so long as you do not force them to choose otherwise. -BC]

I CORPS: Typically, I Corps fields one regiment to each active border with a third available for troubleshooting. Senior Marshal Brenda Calderon folded what was left of the Taurian Velites into the wounded Concordat Jaegers, giving I Corps one of the most experienced regiments within the entire Defense Force. Reposting both TDF regiments to the New Colony Region border, the mercenary Gordon's Armored Cavalry remains at large for most of the wider-ranging patrols. The Armored Cavalry is well suited as roving problem-solvers, with their hard-hitting style feared by many lighter units.

II CORPS: Usually a steadfast and reliable corps, the regular regiments traditionally guarded a large part of the border between the Concordat and Federated Suns. II Corps relies on the old code of "Unit, Corps, God, Country," spelling out their ultimate loyalties and resolving potential conflicts. They are good soldiers to have behind you.

Unfortunately, the Concordat Cuirassiers were lost to the Capellan civil war, leaving a large hole in Concordat defenses. In addition, the mercenary Longwood's Bluecoats have never been the most reliable troops-some believe that House Liao may be attempting to woo the Bluecoats over by tempting them with technology upgrades.

III CORPS: With long-standing ties to Protector Shraplen and his supporters, III Corps has recently shifted to a 'Fanatical' loyalty rating. Protector Shraplen has the mercenary Bannockburn's Bandits holding his personal fief of MacLeod's Land, while the regular regiments are placed as a shield between the Hyades Cluster and House Davion. In this position, they also hold open the "bottleneck" linking the Hyades Cluster with House Liao. A new mercenary regiment, Olson's Rangers, was picked up because they have worked well with House Liao for many years and came highly recommended.

IV CORPS: With the Taurian Velites smashed in the Capellan conflict and the Jaegers recalled by Brenda Calderon, Protector Shraplen designated IV Corps as the Concordat's military aide to House Liao. Both regiments of IV Corps are on extended maneuvers within the Confederation, enjoying technology upgrades and acquiring much-needed experience to bring back to the Taurian Defense Force.

V CORPS: The newly raised Third Taurian Lancers was added to V Corps to augment what had, until now, been a purely mercenary corps. A fierce rivalry has sparked between the Third and mercenary Vandelay's Valkyries. This is a potential problem, as V Corps anchors the Concordat's far border where Davion treachery and pirate activity are both strong possibilities. Fortunately, the mercenary regiment Summer's Storm is keeping its mind on business.

VI CORPS: Originally designated as a 'catch-all' special-operating corps, VI Corps divided its forces between colonial outposts and border duty. Always loyal to the Protector, people have underestimated how much of that loyalty was pledged directly to Jeffrey Calderon. With Grover Shraplen ascending to the Protectorship and ignoring Jeffrey Calderon's son, VI Corps abandoned their original duty assignments and pulled back into the furthest reaches of the Concordat. Now they are in borderline rebellion, refusing to answer orders to relocate and claiming they will continue to act in the Concordat's best interests.

Mercenaries: With the painful losses of two line regiments, the Taurian Defense Force has come to rely heavily on mercenary units to augment their rosters. Hiring mercenaries on long-term contracts has always been an accepted substitute in the Concordat, with each regiment traditionally assigned to a corps with the exception of the Taurian Guard (as noted above). Unfortunately, the cost may soon become prohibitive if any more units are hired.

Colonial Marshals: Despite their first failed bid for independence, the New Colony Region has continued to agitate for recognition as a free state. Most analysts call it a foolhardy notion, since the NCR is so dependent on outside support. With the Canopians now making noises of supporting at least a trial period of independence for the region, however, the idea is looking more likely. Since the majority of the Colonial Marshals are Canopian-born and trained, their ultimate outlook will certainly reflect Magistracy sentiments.

In token protest of the move, the Concordat has since cut off any further military support to the Colonial Marshals. With functioning 'Mech factories on Detroit, courtesy of House Liao and the Magistracy, it is uncertain how much that protest will be felt. Economic aid will continue to be provided until such time that the New Colony Region officially cuts ties to the Concordat.

Organizational Doctrine

The Taurian Defense Force does not follow a true combined-arms approach to warfare. This is due to the thin-spread and often-rotating nature of their BattleMech and Aerospace assets. Supporting forces must always be ready to act on their own, with little or no relief forthcoming. Only the infantry and armor corps work together seamlessly, and in such cases the TDF owns a serious advantage. Any efforts of unit coordination involving BattleMechs and Aerospace assets are almost solely dependent on the individual MechWarrior or pilot.

Warriors

Perhaps the Taurian Defense Force's greatest asset is the average soldier's pride in their military. Known as fanatical defenders, few militaries that know their history would not shudder at the idea of taking a Concordat world. While never condoning atrocities in an offensive strategy, in the Reunification War the Taurians were known to employ more liberal definitions in the defense of their homeland. The few times surrenders were offered to the Taurians, they were not always accepted. "Headhunting" tactics were common, and if a JumpShip could be destroyed before it had a chance to disgorge the traveling army, so much the better. Those who demanded the Defense Force fight by the invader's rules always forgot a very important fact: the Taurians never signed the Ares Conventions.

The reasons behind such a lack of conventional military deportment and the near-fanatical resistance traditionally displayed by the TDF are covered extensively in the Concordat's military history. No excuses are offered-no dirty trick excepted. For this reason, every TDF soldier also gets an extensive education on the Defense Force's heritage.

Concordat Constabulary

A paramilitary force normally used for internal security purposes, the Constabulary is one step above the local police but not quite a professional military group. These troubleshooters still receive some battlefield training and can be mobilized in a time of war. Typically, the constabulary is trained in guerilla tactics, organizing irregulars and developing planetary resistance for an invasion. Their successes are well documented from the Reunification War, and their ability to turn average people into a military nuisance makes counting their numbers nearly impossible.

BattleMech Assets

What do you mean, the infantry aren't pulling their weight? Who's the one out here wearing a metal suit worth a hundred million C-Bills?

Brigadier Michael Rock, First Taurian Lancers
14 May 3059, during training maneuvers

The Taurian Defense Force currently lists twelve regular line regiments of BattleMechs. These units follow a typical organizational structure with four 'Mechs to a lance and three lances to a company. They deviate from this model in placing four companies in a battalion. Independent command units are not employed as a rule, except at regimental and corps level. A regimental commander typically fields an independent lance meant for protection duties as much as combat. A corps marshal often fields a mixed company of 'Mechs and armor, employing the armor only for scouting purposes.

While typically the TDF relies on medium weight BattleMechs, light and heavy 'Mechs are fairly common. Assault machines are rare and valued far above their nominal worth. The Defense Force has always preferred the more robust designs when possible, but this old stand-by is being largely ignored as the military upgrades with new technology. In battle, the MechWarriors work themselves into positions where support forces grant them the biggest advantage and where they can also look after their weaker cousins. Here their extensive training pays off, often granting them the limited advantage of a combined arms unit.

Aerospace Assets

If the Concordat military has a weakness, it is in their routine aerospace forces. Good fighter pilots are hard to find and harder still to train to any degree of ability. Traditionally, the Defense Force has contracted with outside advisors such as the Outworlds Alliance to bring in excellent instructors. This has created a situation where pilots tend to be very good, very expensive and always lacking in numbers.

The average weight class of TDF aerospace fighters has crept up over the centuries, until lightweight fighters are practically non-existent and heavy fightercraft are the norm. This has been done specifically to better to protect the pilot, since it is almost easier to replace the fighter than the warrior inside. Aerospace fighters are receiving very little attention in the way of offensive upgrades at this time, though any good defensive option would likely be instituted at once. Aerospace fighters are organized two to an air lance, two lances to a flight, two flights to a wing and either two or three wings to an air division, the largest organization. In a combined-arms situation, pilots have less to worry about, as they rarely require ground-based combat support. They can then concentrate on where to best deliver their firepower.

WarShip and Conventional Fleet Support

The Defense Force conventional navy is actually considered the Concordat's first line of defense. Standard strategic doctrine demands that the fleet forces engage the enemy as far forward as possible, sacrificing themselves if necessary to blunt any invasion and turn the attackers away from the Hyades Cluster. Enemy JumpShips, when part of an invading force, are considered viable targets.

Perhaps the greatest military treasure saved from the Concordat's past is the TCW Vandenberg, a Vincent-Class Corvette. Missed in the final assault on the Hyades Cluster, the Vandenberg has since been kept hidden inside the nebula. Barely operable and in no way battle worthy, the recent alliance with House Liao has made it possible to begin restoring this ancient vessel. However, the high cost of the small amount of repairs and refurbishment already done to the Vandenberg has already become a serious drain on the budget. Though Liao engineers remain optimistic that she will see service again once the brittle, irradiated armor is replaced, the drive overhauled, weapons upgraded and the entire vessel rewired, many in the navy are already referring to it as the "TCW Albatross."

Armor Assets

Every Concordat world, including colony worlds, is assigned at least one armor battalion for defense. Any important world is going to boast one or more armored regiments. Because of their cheaper production and maintenance costs, the armor corps saw upgrades in technology long before TDF BattleMechs. In fact, a few Concordat-produced vehicles are in high demand by Inner Sphere mercenaries and some House units. The TDF employs armored vehicles ranging from light to heavy weight-class, with a preference for hovercraft-equipped vehicles. Tanks greater than seventy tons are very rare and likely to be found in garrison on heavily populated worlds.

Armor is organized with two tanks to a maniple, three maniples to a lance, three lances to a company and three companies to a battalion. To promote an edge in survivability, regimental commanders do not employ a separate command unit. Instead, they hide among the rank and file, acting like a regular line unit in all aspects.

When fighting alongside infantry, the tank crews enjoy being the anchor points for the battle. This shifts radically when BattleMechs take the field however, as crews are expected to sacrifice their own vehicles if it means saving a 'Mech.

Infantry Assets

The Concordat's military has not forgotten the heroic sacrifices made by the infantry during the Reunification War, nor do they allow the common soldier to forget. Their reputation for fanatical defenses, spending themselves to the last man if necessary, is what made them such a feared fighting force. Whether or not that is true today remains to be tested.

The regular infantry is organized with maniples of five soldiers, two maniples in a squad, three squads in a platoon and three platoons to a company. This regularly escalates to regiments of over eight hundred fighting men and women. Since infantry forces rarely rotate off world, they are most often trained as specialists. Each battalion claims an advantage in certain terrain types or in tactical maneuvers. Anti-Mech training is included in every unit at battalion strength or greater. Regiments always possess a commando platoon trained in anti-terrorism, sniping, demolitions and infiltration techniques.

Special Forces

Beyond the regular infantry, even beyond the occasional commando platoon, the TDF employs two types of special infantry. The first is the Taurian Special Asteroid Support Forces, or SASF. This five thousand-man volunteer force is trained and deployed on zero-G assault platforms stationed throughout the Hyades Cluster's vast asteroid field. Any invading force trying to work through this protective shell will have to clear the SASF in personal (often hand-to-hand) combat or else suffer an intense system of hit-and-fade strikes that could cripple even a WarShip.

The second special force is new to the Periphery but not the Inner Sphere. These are the power-armor warriors, introduced by the Clans and proven effective even against BattleMechs. The Concordat is years away from developing and producing their own line of battlesuits, and so relies on the generosity of the Capellan Confederation which sells its older suits as military surplus. Battlesuit squads of four soldiers are not unknown among the more high-profile infantry regiments, but only infantry regiments currently working with BattleMech forces in a combat zone can expect to ever see a platoon of sixteen battlesuit soldiers.

Uniforms, Insignia and Decorations

The Taurian Defense Force authorizes three uniforms: standard, dress and field fatigues. Utility uniforms, also called "undress blues" or "military undress," are not standardized and can range from overalls to clean-pressed dungarees. Local resources dictate the type of utility uniform worn. Differences between officer and enlisted uniforms are also purposefully subtle, making the uniforms easier to procure.

Standard uniforms consist of a colored tunic with silver buttons and trim for enlisted, gold for officers. The tunic may be red (ground forces) or navy blue (aerospace). Officers tuck black trousers into calf-high boots-female officers are allowed high-heeled boots at social functions. Enlisted personnel wear industrial safety-shoe footwear. Most soldiers wear field caps (or forage caps) also colored to match the tunic. Officers, including all MechWarriors and Special Forces, are allowed black berets. Rank insignia is worn on the lapel. Decorations are not worn with the standard uniform.

A properly cleaned and pressed standard uniform is modified for dress uniform occasions, again for the ease of procurement. All personnel are allowed black berets, though the forage cap is not considered inappropriate. Officers wear white gloves and add a gold sash to their tunic. Enlisted personnel wear white leggings and a silver-colored sash, similar to the officers' sashes but slightly thinner. Marshals of the TDF also wear gold aiguillettes on both shoulders. All awards and decorations are displayed on the sash.

Field uniforms for enlisted and officers are camouflage fatigues with rank insignia worn on the lapel. They vary in design and coloration depending on local climate and terrain. The standard field uniform for the TDF is burgundy fatigues, good for most occasions and climates.

Battle Gear

Designs for personal battle gear, such as flight suits, neurohelmets and tank crew uniforms are based on older Liao or Davion designs. They vary slightly from unit to unit, depending on the local resources available. The only real standard that is maintained in this gear is red for ground forces and blue for aerospace.

TDF Rank Structure and Insignia

In the entries that follow, the second title corresponds to the equivalent rank in aerospace forces. If there is no second title, the rank structure is the same. The rank of marshal is the exception, as an admiralty commodore answers directly to a corps marshal.

Enlisted Ranks

Recruit: By law, all men and women of the Concordat must serve two years in the TDF beginning at age eighteen. These recruits receive basic training and are assigned to provisional training battalions, which are really little more than enforced public service, where litter patrol is more likely than field patrol. Those who wish to enter the military proper are separated and given eighteen weeks of basic training before being assigned to a regular-line field unit. Recruits wear a single silver ring as their rank insignia.

Corporal: Corporals lead five-man infantry units' known as maniples or serve as tank crew commanders. This rank also denotes junior-grade levels of specialist positions (as techs, corpsmen, etc.). Corporals wear a silver ring with a red center.

Section Leader: This rank is awarded to commanders of infantry squads, tank maniples and non-com senior specialist positions. The insignia for this rank is a single horn attached to a hollow ring.

Force Sergeant: Force sergeants command infantry platoons and armor lances. It is also awarded to junior aerospace pilots and designates low-level management in support branches. The insignia for a force sergeant is the same as for the section leader, only with a red center for the ring.

Lance Sergeant: Lance sergeants have the same command duties as a force sergeant but also serve as assistant company commanders. This rank also denotes an air lance leader. Support branches award this rank to their workhorse management positions. MechWarriors in training are given the honorary rank of lance sergeant. The insignia is a plain silver ring with two horns.

Battalion Chief-Sergeant/Air Chief: The battalion chief-sergeant is the senior NCO in any Taurian unit, ground, naval, or support branch. Duties follow in line with force sergeant, but with more administrative responsibilities. For combat aerospace, an air chief commands a flight of two air lances. MechWarriors are promoted to battalion chief-sergeant on graduation. This rank's insignia is the same as for the lance sergeant, only with a red center in the ring.

Officer Ranks

Cornet/Ensign: Typically serving as company commander inside infantry and tank units, this rank is also attained automatically by a trained MechWarrior. In support branches or aboard ship, they serve as assistant department heads. In the navy's aerospace arm this rank serves as wing commander over two flights. Cornets wear a single gold ring as a rank identifier.

Subaltern/Air Master, Junior Grade: The subalterns serve as battalion commanders in conventional ground forces, company commanders among BattleMech contingents and department heads within support branches. Air masters, junior grade act as department heads aboard naval vessels, while in aerospace combat they serve as assistant commanders of air divisions. The insignia for subalterns is a single gold ring with a red center.

Brigadier/Air Master, Senior Grade: The rank of brigadier denotes executive officers within ground-based conventional regiments and support branches and battalion commanders within 'Mech units. Since most 'Mech regiments spread themselves around in battalion size, this rank is considered the workhorse officer of the MechWarrior military branch. In the naval forces, a senior grade air master might serve as a ship's executive officer or command an air division. Brigadiers wear an insignia pin of single gold ring with one horn.

Colonel/Space Master: Colonels are regimental commanders among BattleMech and conventional forces. Space master denotes a ship's captain who would also have authority over any aerospace officers. Colonels wear the same insignia as the brigadier, only with a red center in the ring.

Comptroller/Commodore: Largely an organizational rank among the conventional forces of infantry and armor, a comptroller is usually responsible for large, multi-world military districts. In BattleMech forces, a comptroller may command a full regiment with permanently attached support forces or serve as an administrative aide to the corps marshal. Commodores are responsible for demi-squadrons of naval vessels, the exact composition of which depends on the purpose. Commodores report directly to the local marshal. Comptrollers wear a plain gold ring with two horns.

Marshal: Each military corps is commanded by one of the seven marshals. The Taurian Guard Corps is commanded by the senior marshal (traditionally, though not currently, the Protector) who is also overall commander of the armed forces. The insignia for the marshal adds a red center to the comptroller's ring and horns. The Concordat's senior marshal wears a stylized bull's head in gold.

Awards and Decorations

The Taurian Defense Force has never been much on empty pomp and circumstance. Campaign and special-achievement ribbons are commonplace and treated as such. Awards are rare and confer upon the recipient recognition for a valuable level of accomplishment. All awards are presented in the presence of the corps marshal, though one demands the presence of the Protector.

The Taurian Brand

This is based on a long-established tradition in which soldiers are allowed to use body art to signify a great event. Older even than the Concordat and thought to have its origins in the 'Native American' ethnic group from Terra, it was first introduced as a military tradition during the Taurians' first run-in with House Davion. During that battle, a popular naval commander was scarred by laser fire across his brow, the burn creating a mask-like scar and robbing him of his sight. To honor their commander and commemorate the event, many survivors tattooed a red mask around their eyes.

When a regiment or special command has performed a feat or been involved in an action that confers on them the instant acclaim of the Taurian people, this privilege must be requested by a regimental commander. The Senior Marshal awards it to the entire unit, though recipients must also have the permission of their battalion commander. One direct, name bearing descendent per generation may take the Brand. MechWarriors are also allowed to paint the Brand on their machines.

The Hyades Heart

This decoration is given to individuals who have undergone great personal sacrifice in defending the Concordat. In the name of valiant final stands, it is often award posthumously. The few living recipients range from those left scarred and disabled to one soldier who was forced to lead a fight through his village, and who has to live with the fact that he was responsible for sacrificing his family and most of his friends.

The award is a white heart trimmed in gold leaf, dangling from a gold and blood red ribbon.

The Standard of Taurus

For those who somehow epitomize a standard to which all Taurian soldiers might hope to aspire, this award may be given. Extreme bravery, proven dedication, exceptional talent, an unimpeachable moral code; these are all possible inspirations for the award. Indeed, a Standard of Taurus has been won for each of them several times over.

The senior marshal or a corps marshal hands out the award. It is the Concordat emblem hanging from a gold bar.

Concordat Sunburst

Awarded to an individual or dedicated to a group who managed to win an awe-inspiring victory for the Concordat. Such a victory is usually in the face of seemingly impossible odds, nearly thwarted by unforeseen conditions, or otherwise of such a magnitude of success that it demands attention. A request for the Taurian Brand often follows the reception of this award.

The sunburst is a gold disk with eight gold tines radiating outward (total diameter, ten centimeters). The tines are edged in red enamel. In the center of the disk is the emblem of the Taurian Concordat. The Protector presents this award.

The Taurian Military Academy

The Concordat maintains a military academy on every major world for use in training conventional garrison troops and their support forces. For more advanced training, the TDF has concentrated its resources into three distinct schools: the École Militaire for army, the Naval Institute and the Concordat Aerospace Flight School. While not quite so specialized as the new Canopian Institute of War, the Taurian academies provide a higher level of training than the average Periphery soldier would receive. As the exchange-student program with the Magistracy and Capellan Confederation improves, this should give Taurian officers the chance for even better training.

Enrollment

All three are large academies, able to take upwards of five hundred personnel each. Initial requirements demand at least average physical health and mental faculties. The academies take foreign student applications as a means of generating extra operating capital. Concordat applicants are given a slight boost to their chances for admission, though at least ten percent of enrolled students will be foreigners. At the Aerospace School, the percentage runs closer to forty percent foreigners, as the Concordat cannot find enough good pilot trainees.

Taurians do not have to pay for their schooling. However, a healthy 'endowment' to the academy will purchase points for any applicant toward admission. This legal bribery is a necessary feature to keep the academies operating at such a high level of effectiveness. Since it is accepted that such events would happen regardless, it is considered to be better to channel the funds into the school budgets rather than the pockets of corrupt administrators.

Curriculum

The military academies possess well-developed military training programs to accommodate any specialty. As with Inner Sphere schools, the recruit starts with basic training. However, more emphasis is placed on this area here than in most academies, improving the recruit's knowledge of military history and allowing for a few martial electives.

Following basic training, a student must choose from among the military occupations. In all likelihood, this choice was made during the application process and decided by aptitude, though a student can always change his or her mind so long as they meet the requirements. Exceptional students may be offered special training or even Officer Candidate School. MechWarriors are assured an automatic commission. Gifted MechWarriors may be offered OCS anyway, to improve their command ability. All other specialties must be chosen for such an honor.

Instructors are Taurians when possible, though the Naval and Aerospace schools have a large number of instructors leased from the Outworlds Alliance.

Atmosphere

Though the pressures of military training were always thought to be average among academies, those few students who have gone on to attend a Liao academy and returned report that the Taurian schools are far less stressful. The trade off seems to be that the Capellan schools demand a much higher level of personal investment, but burn out far too many potential soldiers for such tactics to be efficient in the Periphery.

Graduation

From training, most soldiers enter the military keeping their rank of "recruit." Aerospace pilots are promoted directly to corporal, MechWarriors to cornet. Of the few Liao and Magistracy soldiers who have trained in the Concordat, some are offered positions within the Taurian Defense Force. This is to help promote the alliance and to bring into the TDF new skills and different visions. The occasional Magistracy soldier has accepted, though so far none have from the Confederation.

Special Notes

Anyone who qualifies for a Taurian military academy may request transfer into one of the Capellan schools open to Taurians. Of those chosen, most are selected after basic training but repeat the Capellan basics anyway. Though it means several years away from the Concordat, such outside experience is considered a benefit when it comes time for promotion within the TDF.

Personalities

Grover Shraplen

Long-standing ruler of the planet MacLeod's Land and an outspoken critic of Jeffrey Calderon, Lord Shraplen assumed the Protectorship on Calderon's death. Though he never sought the position, he has actively campaigned against Jeffrey's policies. That he did not take a regency for Jeffrey's son, Erik, also leaves open some speculation to Protector Shraplen's ambitions.

An eloquent speaker, Protector Shraplen is known and respected by a large portion of the Concordat nobility and commoners alike. His stand on personal freedoms is as well known as his deep-seated fear of House Davion. Akin to the paranoia that drove Thomas Calderon to military excesses, Grover Shraplen's paranoia seems more rooted in his desire to protect the lifestyle and freedom of his people-first those on MacLeod's Land, now, of the people of the entire Concordat.

Brenda Calderon

Distant kin to Jeffrey Calderon, Brenda's lineage has never been considered in line for the Protectorship. If her name has earned her anything, it has been a reasonable amount of distrust that her accomplishments and advancements are from favoritism. In fact, this is far from the case. Brenda Calderon has overcome much in the way of prejudice due to her family name, earning the position of corps marshal at the youngest age ever.

Well into her retirement years, Brenda Calderon held onto her position as senior marshal at Jeffrey's request. Known to disagree with Protector Grover Shraplen and fearing that traditionalists might try to champion her as a replacement, Brenda Calderon has resigned her position and established herself on her well-earned New Vandenberg estates. Her position there, surrounded by I Corps, causes Protector Shraplen some concern.

Janice Calderon

Once the heir to the Concordat, Janice Calderon contracted Brisbane Virus, a degenerative nerve disease, when she was eighteen. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, she continued to fight the disease while acting as senior advisor to her brother Jeffrey. In 3055, she traveled to the Magistracy of Canopus to undertake a promising experimental treatment. The procedure has helped somewhat, but requires constant re-treatments that have forced her to remain on Canopus.

Rumors have circulated lately that the Federated Suns NAIS University has found not only a cure for Brisbane Virus, but also a procedure for reversing damage to the nerves. This might enable Janice, now only forty-four, to recover some of her strength and retake the Protectorship. Unfortunately, relations between the Canopians and House Davion are strained by their alliance with the Capellan Confederation. Protector Shraplen has so far refused to readmit the Federated Suns ambassador.

Marshal (Baron) Cham Kithrong

An important man in the Concordat, Baron Cham Kithrong oversees a large potion of Taurian space and serves as one of the seven marshals. A fanatical supporter of Jeffrey Calderon, he was the first to publicly disapprove of Grover Shraplen's actions in accepting the Protectorship.

Marshal Kithrong has since accepted the title of regent to Erik Martens (Calderon) pending an official investigation into the child's parentage. Despite waiting for the formalities, Cham Kithrong has made his personal belief clear. "I knew of Jeffrey's relationship with Talia Martens as well as his plans to eventually adopt Erik and recognize him as his heir once the lad was older. Until this is resolved, VI Corps will keep Erik Martens (Calderon) in its care."

Writing Credits:
Field Manual Periphery: Taurian Concordat
Loren L. Coleman