Continuing alternate timeline stuff I developed during my stint with a particular company. Here are timeline notes for BattleTech’s story year 3149, developed as background for a now-abandoned project.

The complete timeline, which was developed prior to the book in order to set up the backstories included therein, was provided to writers during the solicitation. This way, context was provided for their writing prompts. This working timeline was a collaborative effort as I relied on the support knowledge of three other prominent writers of the line at the time.

Suffice to say, this isn’t official any more as it became obsolete the moment I resigned from the company.

I’ll be dropping a new year (hopefully) every Tuesday (#TimelineTuesday) for the next few weeks. Enjoy a glimpse into BattleTech’s 32nd century, as I envisioned it.

3149

[Jan] Devlin Stone, seeing the weakened state of the Inner Sphere and unable to wait any longer to build up his forces, finally brings down the walls of Fortress Republic. He uses a combination of backroom deals, covert operations, extortion and blackmail, and sometimes outright military action to recover lost Republic worlds and win the other powers over to his new order. His immediate tasks are to 1. Support Julian with a drive towards the liberation of Robinson, and 2. Prepare for the inevitable assault by the Capellans and the Wolves/Falcons.

[Feb] Daoshen learns of the Wall’s fall and orders preparations to first neuter the Suns by retaking New Syrtis (the Confederation can kill them later) and then to launch a full-scale invasion into the Republic and Terra. Daoshen is convinced that breaking the Suns morale would inspire his people to greater heights and allow them to utterly crush Stone and his Republic.

[Mar] The RAF, under command of Paladin [Unknown], liberates several worlds on the Davion/Combine border as Stone honors his agreement with Julian. The Combine, caught somewhat unprepared, rallies on Exeter, though Warlord [Unknown] is killed. The RAF’s initial arc stretches from Dieron to Ozawa.

[Apr] Reassured with word of Stone’s move into the Suns (and thinking towards New Avalon), Julian shares the news with Erik and the two agree to move forward with PERCEVAL’s next phase. Coloma is quickly liberated along with its neighbors.

[May – Oct] Paladin [Unknown]’s task force slowly moves through Combine space with the goal of liberating Robinson by the end of the year.

[May – Dec] Clan Wolf begins a series of escalation raids against the Republic, testing its defenses and forces now that the Wall is down.

[May] Menke, Columbine, and Zanzibar fall to AFFS forces, though they take heavy losses. The AFFS tries to supplement with additional mercenary forces but finds the cost exceptionally high after perceptions of New Syrtis. Planetary militias are stripped of men and material to help stave off the bleeding, but to limited effect. (This will also not endear the populace to Julian.) After taking higher-than-predicted losses, CERBERUS is put on hold and Julian falls back to New Syrtis. Menke, Columbine, and Zanzibar are reclaimed by the Confederation less than a month later.

[Jun] Clan Wolf seizes Dubhe from Redburn’s remnants, leaving them with just Callison, Marcus and Castor. The Fidelis WarShip Flatus makes it back to Callison with the surviving Republic forces, but has to be scuttled.

[Jul] Clan Sea Fox finalizes the acquisition of all ComStar assets in the Free Worlds League. ComStar has no resources to fight it and quietly acquiesces.

[Aug] Damien Redburn, changed by his long years outside the Fortress and no longer seeing in Stone the man he once called friend, opposes Stone’s request to join the Republic and refuses Janella Lakewood’s task force upon arrival at Callison. Levin arrives a short time later with full intent to annex the Remnant and Redburn opposes him with a show of force at the landing zone. Levin, under orders from Stone to bring the situation to a swift conclusion, forces the issue and a short firefight erupts. Redburn is killed and the Remnant is claimed by the Republic.

[Sep] Clan Wolf arrives at [Republic world] only to discover evidence of a massive naval fleet near the system fringe. Rather than tangle with such a flotilla, the Wolves pull back and are content with smaller probing attacks, wary of the Republic armada. A few months later, the Watch discovers the “flotilla” is actually a large-scale deception.

[Oct] Julian Davion faces a massive Capellan counterattack on New Syrtis. Not quite as large as the battle the previous year, the AFFS is hard-pressed to defend the world. (Julian is injured and now incapable of fostering any heirs, and begins a slow slide to death.) To help elevate the Capellan forces to victory, members of a Thuggee cult—part of a Death Commando unit participating in the assault—detonate a series of biological and chemical bombs that eventually kills several hundred thousand civilians. (The Thuggees believed the “sacrifices” would pave the way to total conquest of the world with their goddess’ help.) Thugee death squads maraud at night, evading capture attempts, targeting and destroying small villages and towns not associated with military targets in their quest to increase the blood count. (“Blood for the blood god!”) The attack drives civilians into armed defiance. Dani Centrella-Liao, sensing that the Confederation couldn’t hold the world even if it won, negotiates a cease-fire and pulls the remaining CCAF back.

In protest, Ki-linn Liao and seven members of her personal household immolate themselves on the steps of the palace on Sian.

[Nov] MIIO agents a new wave of riots and rebellion in systems around New Syrtis. The Capellan answer—armed suppression—only adds fuel to the fire. The Confederation reluctantly pulls off these worlds (maybe 4-5 surrounding New Syrtis), which are of no strategic or industrial value anyway.

[Nov] Robinson is liberated by the RAF as the DCMS quickly abandons the march capital. A few RAF regiments remain on the world, awaiting AFFS reinforcements. The remainder quickly depart for parts unknown.