Marian Hegemony 3058 Update

In 3056, Julius O'Reilly entered the Collegium Bellorum Imperium. Intelligent and studious, the young man soon distinguished himself as a tactician and a 'Mech pilot. His talents brought him to the notice of General Ambrose Kelly, the Collegium's premier lecturer on military strategy. The general, a former privateer turned MechWarrior, was the mastermind behind many of the Hegemony's most brilliant and successful raids during the 3030s, and turned to teaching rather than retire completely from military service. General Kelly found Julius to be a promising student, not only of tactics but also of military and political philosophy. The two began spending occasional time together outside of class, and the general wrote glowing reports to the Caesar of his son's progress in his studies.

Though neither teacher nor student expected it, General Kelly became the catalyst for the first real conflict between the Caesar and his heir. During a class lecture, a question by one of the students led the general to a broad discussion of the proper uses of military power, in the course of which he made some injudicious statements about the dangers of too great an imbalance between military and civilian authority. The Caesar, hearing of the lecture and remembering General Kelly's close association with Imperator Marius, ordered him arrested and executed for treason. Julius interceded on his mentor's behalf, arguing eloquently and forcefully that no treason had been intended. The general had made no specific criticism of the Caesar's government, and had proven his loyalty to the Hegemony through long service to the nation. The Caesar responded by offering to spare the general as a gift for Julius's upcoming seventeenth birthday. Three days later, General Kelly was set at liberty, but stripped of his rank and banished from the Collegium.

In the year since this incident, Julius has treated the Caesar with cool civility. For his own part, the Caesar has begun to keep close tabs on his eldest son's activities and associates. Though neither shows the other any open distrust, the strain between father and son is apparent. Remembering his stormy relationship with his own father, the Caesar may find it all too easy to believe that his her intends him harm - particularly if the rumors about Sean's hand in the Imperator's death are true.

According to what our agents have been able to learn, the danger Julius poses so far exists largely in the Caesar's imagination. However, Julius does appear to be making an effort to distance himself from his father's excesses. A few individuals and groups known to oppose the Caesar are also keeping close watch on Julius, possibly hoping he will begin to actively work against his father within the next few years.

Sociopolitical Structure

The idea of a Roman empire in the barbaric Periphery conjures a variety of images, few of them encouraging. A closer look at the republican ideal as implemented in the Hegemony, however, reveals that the structure is not too far removed from the feudal system in place throughout much of the Inner Sphere and parts of the Periphery. Most Marian citizens accept the system without complaint, acknowledging that it beats the harsh dictatorships suffered by most of their neighbors.

People

All people in the Hegemony can be divided into three distinct social classes. The patricians, or upper class, the plebs, or lower class, and slaves. At first, the patricians were simply defined as those who owned land, with all other citizens falling into the pleb class. Early on, wealthy plebs began buying land and titles, becoming patricians themselves. Patrician status is now hereditary, a nobility that differs little from the systems across the Inner Sphere. Since land ownership generally passed from parent to child anyway, few complained about the new order.

Only patricians may vote or hold political office, attain high military rank, or own real estate. In effect, they represent the Hegemony's legally perpetuated upper class. This system remains viable because the majority of patricians realize that they retain their position only on the sufferance of the plebs, and treat their slaves and employees fairly. Under the increasingly harsh leadership of Caesar Sean and his supporters, however, the possibility of rebellion becomes more real with each passing day.

Slavery is not uncommon in the Periphery, though the Hegemony is one of the largest states to condone it. Because it is illegal to buy or sell a citizen of the Hegemony, slaves are most often prisoners of war. Given enough time and a generous owner, a slave may eventually petition the Senate for citizenship, though shuch requests are rarely made and even more rarely granted. In order to win his freedom, a slave must prove his worth to the Hegemony and his ability to sustain himself and his family - in both cases, this usually amounts to a large bribe to the proper senatorial council.

The Senate

The ruling body of the Marian Hegemony is the Senate. Each senator is elected by the patricians of his senatorial district, a geographical subdivision roughly equal to a small continent or large island. Depending on a planet's landmass and population, each planet supports between ten and twenty senators. Though they are re-elected annually, most senators retain their positions for life. In addition, the generals of each legion possess the rank of senator and wield power equal to those senators elected by the citizenry.

A full meeting of the Senate occurs twice a year, in which senators discuss matters affecting the entire Hegemony and cast an official vote on those matters. The senators devote the remainder of their working year to various councils, each responsible for specific governmental functions. The head of each council is nominated by the Caesar and ratified by the full senate. This leader then chooses the other members of his council. The only exception to this system is the Military Council, which is always led by the Caesar himself.

The various Senate councils possess the authority to create and manage lesser governmental departments, in effect creating a form of local government. These officials may be drawn form the ranks of both patricians and plebs, and can wield considerable power within their own sphere of influence. For example, all military officers are chosen by the Military Council, while magistrates and police commanders are chosen by the Law Enforcement Council. The judicious assignment of these high-paying jobs serves as an important way for senators to maintain their power base.

The Caesar

Until the rise to power of Sean O'Reilly, the Marian Hegemony was ruled by an Imperator. The title of Imperator was a hereditary position passed to the current ruler's eldest son. The Imperator commanded the Hegemony military and presided over hte Senate, where he could cast a tie-breaking vote as well as veto decisions he felt were not in the best interest of the state. The Imperator's real power came in the form of his ability to make "declarations." The Imperator could present an issue to the law. This ability was a strange compromise between a republic and a monarchy, apparently designed by the Hegemony's founder as a way to maintain a king's power while giving the founder as a way to maintain a king's power while giving the impression of self-rule to the people. So far, it has worked.

Because Sean O'Reilly made no declaration changing the power of his position when he altered the name of the position, it must be assumed taht the Caesar commands the same power as the Imperators before him. Sean claims he made this symbolic change to represent the Hegemony's growth into a true interstellar power, though some among the Senate believe that the Caesar intends for the title change to be more than cosmetic and that he will eventually try to exercise power beyond the current parameters of his station.

Interstellar Relations

Sean O'Reilly has made few friends for his realm, though the recent conquest of the Lothian League may open up markets for such Lothian products as copper and iron ores. Political relations with most Periphery states are poor to nonexistent and trade is minimal. The Caesar may do better both economically and politically with the Successor States, whose need for germanium has grown with their increasing production of JumpShips. The nations of the Inner Sphere are also less inclined than Periphery nations to fear a Hegemony attack, as the Caesar is far more likely to attempt conquest of his smaller and less powerful Periphery neighbors.

Successor States

The Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation are the only two Successor States that have any formal relations with the Marian Hegemony. In the past, Marian raids on Free Worlds League border planets kept relations between them chilly. The recent Taurian-Canopian alliance, however, has prompted Thomas Marik toward friendlier ties with the Hegemony as a possible counter to aggressive moves by the Magistracy of Canopus. Trade between the two states remains as healthy as it has always been; Marik merchants eagerly buy germanium from the Hegemony, and sell any number of League-made goods to Hegemony customers. It is frequently said in the Hegemony that Marik merchants own the bazaars on the world of Seutonius.

Following Thomas Marik's lead, the Capellan Confederation has also strengthened its ties to the Marian state. The Taurian-Canopian alliance represents a potential threat to Capellan as well as to League worlds; in addition, Chancellor Sun-Tzu may find the Marian Legions useful allies should he decide to strike at the Concordat or the Magistracy. With so many of his own troops bogged down in the Chaos March, the Marian Legions could prove necessary to any such scheme of conquest - provided Sun-Tzu can talk the Caesar out of trying to keep the captured worlds for his own realm.

In the interests of beefing up his war machine, Sun-Tzu Liao has recently begun buying large quantities of Marian germanium. Marian miners discovered another rich vein of the element in 3057, and the mine has just begun working at full capacity. Current rumors abound that the Capellan Confederation has expressed interest in constructing a BattleMech factory on the Marian world of Pompey in exchange for germanium supplies at a somewhat reduced price.

ComStar and the Word of Blake

ComStar has historically had little influence in the Marian state, not least because of the Marian government's insistence on charging a hefty fee for our operations. We have retained tenuous control over the HPG facility on Alphard, but the Caesar has begun to make noises about taking the HPG under direct Imperial control. He has made no overt moves so far, and the situation remains in an uneasy stalemate. Given the necessity of deploying all the Com Guards elsewhere - plus the risk of provoking a confrontation by bringing even a small detachment into Hegemony space - we may need to consider alternative methods of keeping an eye on developments in Marian space.

In another troubling development, Word of Blake ROM agents appear to be frequent visitors to the Imperial residence, and we have reason to believe that the Caesar is negotiating with them to build HPG stations on other Marian worlds. If this is the case, the Word of Blake will certainly use those facilities to further their own plans.

Periphery Nations

The Magistracy of Canopus and the Taurian Concordat are the Hegemony's main antagonists in the Periphery, particularly since their recent alliance. Marian pirates have made a practice of raiding Canopian worlds almost since the Hegemony's inception, and the Caesar's increased military strength clearly makes Magestrix Emma Centrella concerned for Canopian border planets. The Hegemony's ruthless war against the Lothian League outraged the Protector of the Taurian Concordat, and Jeffrey Calderon has joined the Magestrix in publicly condemning the Marian Hegemony as "a pariah state ruled by a conscienceless criminal, whose actions threaten the stability of the entire Periphery." The Magestrix has warned Caesar O'Reilly that any move against the Magistracy or its ally will have "grave consequences" for the Hegemony, and Protector Calderon fully supports Emma Centralla's declaration.

The Illyrian Palatinate, fearing that it may become the Marian Hegemony's next target, is taking steps to increase its armed forces by hiring mercenary units to defend its four worlds. Palatinate Administrator Ernest Wick has publicly declared that his people will fight for every inch of soil, making any attempt to take the Palatinate extremely costly and ultimately worthless. Even if a military victory wac achieved, the conquerors would be left with nothing but devastated cities and a rebellious population.

Of all the Periphery states, only the Circinus Federation has any real ties to the Marian Hegemony, but even these are strained. Both realms maintain trade relations with the other, but President H. R. McIntyre of the Federation has yet to hear any response to his proposal for a joint invasion and equal division of the Palatinate. According to the rumor mill on Alphard, local bookies are taking bets on whether the Caesar will invade the Illyrian Palatinate or Circinus Federation first. Odds on the Palatinate are running considerably lower than those on the Federation, but a substantial number of Hegemony citizens seem to think that an invasion of the Circinus Federation is likely.

Marian Hegemony Military

Though the Marian Legions suffered some losses in the final battle for the Lothian League, they have nearly rebuilt to their former strength. Because of Caesar O'Reilly's reorganization of the armed forces, precise equivalents are not possible, but current Marian military strength amounts to roughly three BattleMech regiments, with nearly three times that number in conventional forces. Competent and aggressive, the Legions are a fearsome, potent force. Most of the legionnaires are solidly loyal to the Caesar, as the military owes much of its current power and prestige to him.

The Caesar recently commissioned the building of another military academy, primarily intended to train aerospace pilots. The Flight Academy of Alphard is expected to open its doors in 3059, and boasts three former Outworlds Alliance pilots among its staff. By training cadres of aerospace pilots, Caesar O'Reilly hopes to bridge the Marian Legions' only remaining weakness.

Force Composition and Tactics

Originally, the First Marian Legion was organized in the same fashion as standard Inner Sphere BattleMech units. After Caesar O'Reilly expanded the military, he reorganized the Legions along the lines of the armies of the ancient Roman Empire that once dominated Terra. The basic unit is the maniple, which consists of five BattleMechs or vehicles. Two maniples make a century, and five centuries make up a cohort. Legions consist of two or more cohorts, along with associated support staff and equipment. Each legion also contains combined vehicle and infantry cohorts numbering two to three times its BattleMech forces.

Non-BattleMech units have similar organization, though with a few significant differences. Infantry maniples consist of fifty troops, which are further broken down into five squads of ten. Aerospace craft operate in two-fighter teams. Five of these teams comprise an air maniple, and two air maniples make a wing. Five wings combine into a squadron, though a formation of fighters this large is rarely seen due to the Marian Legions' meager aerospace assets.

Despite its name, the Marian Legions operate most often in cohort-sized units. Each unit is stationed separately from others in its legion and function completely independently, in much the same way as a mercenary battalion.

A typical cohort is a highly flexible unit consisting of two light centuries made up of fast-moving light and medium 'Mechs, two medium centuries containing medium and heavy 'Mechs of moderate speed, and a single heavy century of slower heavy and assault 'Mechs.

On the attack, standard cohort tactics call for the medium centuries to stay together as the main force in fairly tight formation, with the heavy century following close behind. The light centuries flank the main body of the force on either side, ranging forward to scout out hidden units but never engaging the enemy directly. Once the medium centuries have engaged, the light centuries come around the flanks in a clasic "horns of the bull" maneuver. This is intended to pin the enemy force in place until the heavy century arrives to deliver the coup de grace. Then the heavy units hold the position until infantry arrives, while the main force moves on.

Uniforms

The basic Marian duty uniform consists of a tunic and trousers of a gray bullet-resistant fabric. Various equipment belts adorn the uniform, as well as a heavy piece of armor emblazoned with the soldier's rank insignia and worn on the left soldier. The uniforms of each different service branch also contain small unique variations.

Marian dress uniforms are cut along similar lines, although they are fashioned of lighter materials and feature purple sashes in place of the equipment belts.

Officer Ranks

The unusual Romanlike organization of the Marian Legions creates an equally unusual hierarchy of rank. Almost unique among Inner Sphere militaries is the complete lack of enlisted ranks. All non-officer troops are ranked as legionnaires, though this classification encompasses many different positions, including technicians, MechWarriors, infantry, tank crews, and so on. Each of these groups holds a certain level of presige in the Legion but officially holds the simple rank of legionnaire. Troops receive assignments to these various positions based on skill, seniority, and social status. Plebs rarely become MechWarriors or officers, and those who do never gain the clout to advance beyond centurion in rank.

Legionnaire
All enlisted troops receive the rank of legionnaire, though each one performs differing duties based on his station and seniority. Apart from the uniform appropriate to his position, a legionnaire wears no rank insignia.

Principes
Roughly equivalent to a lieutenant, a principes commands a single maniple.

Centurion
A centurion, a position most commonly filled by a patrician, commands each century. In the Marian navy, a centurion commands a wing of fighters or a DropShip.

Legatus
Only the most cunning patrician centurions advance to the rank of legatus and gain command of a cohort, because the rank carries as much political clout as military. A legatus inspires fear and respect on the planet where his cohort is stationed, and usually serves as a senator as well. A naval legatus commands a JumpShip or fighter squadron.

General
The most powerful officers in the Marian Hegemony, the generals each command a legion. The First Marian Legion falls under the direct command of the Caesar. A general also serves as a senator, and, in fact, possesses far more influence on the Senate than civilian politicians. Because the cohorts of a legion tend to operate independently, the generals commonly spend more time in court on Alphard than in the field commanding their troops.

Caesar
The traditional ruler of the Marian Hegemony took the title of Imperator and also commanded the army. When Sean O'Reilly ascended as Imperator and reorganized the military, he changed his title to Caesar. According to his new order, the Caesar leads the Hegemony and functions as the supreme commander of the armed forces. In addition to overall command, the Caesar also commands the prestigious First Marian Legion, and may assume personal control of its First Cohort in battle.

Marian Hegemony Force Listing

(Deployment as of 3058)

Commander: Caesar Sean O'Reilly
Aide: General Adolf Burake
Regular Mech Strength: 3 Regiments, 1 Battalion, 1 Lance
Mercenary Mech Strength: 0 Regiments

Unit Name                        Experience   Regiments  Homeworld    
First Marian Legion
  (CO: Caesar Sean O'Reilly)
     1st Cohort                  Veteran       0.42      Alphard
       (CO: Legatus William Arex)
     2nd Cohort                  Regular       0.42      Pompey
       (CO: Legatus Katherine Applegate)
Second Marian Legion
  (CO: General Adolf Burake)
     1st Cohort                  Veteran       0.42      Logan Prime
       (CO: Legatus Gwen Hustang)
     2nd Cohort                  Regular       0.42      Lordinax
       (CO: Legatus Richard Kanny)
     3rd Cohort                  Green         0.42      Leximon
       (CO: Legatus Quentin D'Abo)
Third Marian Legion
  (CO: General Hallis Stepford)
     1st Cohort                  Regular       0.42      Baccalieu
       (CO: Legatus Susanne Pentmark)
     2nd Cohort                  Green         0.42      Lothario
       (CO: Legatus Dwayne "Bloody Hand" Baske)
     3rd Cohort                  Green         0.42      Islington
       (CO: Legatus Marcus Kendall)

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#include <stddiscl.h>

Will Day < wd@firstcircuit.net >
John Dutka < jdutka@pcnet.com >
Sep 23, 1996