The Inner Sphere: Solaris, the Game World

Starting on Solaris

In the world of Solaris, the true goal of is to gain wealth and reputation among its population. As it is such a vague goal, there are many ways in which to accomplish it. With the right skills you may never even have to put your life at risk to win riches and glory, but then again no one is truly safe in a world where conspiracy is the rule and death is, quite literally, a game.

However, there are always other places where you can go in debt, most notably, within the vast gambling network that has always been a part of the games. In order to keep yourself from going broke it is often best to get a job as one of the following:

MechWarrior:
A MechWarrior has two options in Solaris City: he or she can go freelance or join a stable. By far the easiest option is to join a stable, though this considerably limits a Mechwarrior's independence and freedom to accept matches.

Freelancing is rather impossible for a new MechWarrior due to the simple fact that new visitors generally do not have mechs. This option is there, however, for those that become wealthy and reputable enough to support themselves without help from a stable or co-op.

Neither course in entirely risk-free, but despite the odds against a new Mechwarrior making a name on Solaris, eager young warriors continue to flock there, hoping to find the limelight and stand proudly with the elite at Valhalla or Hr 66.

Finding a Patron

Most 'Mech pilots on Solaris require the backing of a patron, usually the head of an established mech stable and should be used to seek out employment. Once a potential employer has been sought out, he or she should be contacted and a contract should be negotiated.

Tech:
Just as MechWarriors are constantly taking their machines into battle, techs constantly work in the background to repair and keep up these mammoth machines so that the games can go on. Although lacking the luster of a MechWarrior's fame and fortune, these jobs are necessary and fundametal to the survival of Solaris.

Manager:
All of the many businesses, co-ops, and stables all are managed by one or more persons, who may or may not necessarily be the owners of those establishments. When you have enough money and a good base of support, MechWarriors have been known to buy into one of these reputable businesses. Having stock in a business allows them to own a small part of that business, which, when it makes money, will return to them a share of the profit.

Having enough shares of a business to control a majority of votes is considered ownership of a business and that one person may make all the decisions that concern it. Otherwise the shareholders meet to discuss action before it is taken by the appointed CEO of the business.

Stock has a value all its own and extremely variable from day to day, depending on the demand and supply of it, which is usually proportional to the success of the business. Certain shady reason exist for the opposite to be true however.

Other:
During peoples' stay on Solaris, they will no doubt invent numerous more ways to earn a profit. Buying and selling goods, services is quite legal here. However, for those that would venture outside the legal bounds of this profiting arena, higher profits await, if they dare to test their skill with the authorities that comb endlessly for black-marketeers and ruthless assassins, yakuza and saboteurs.

Weight Classes

The games in Solaris are divided into weight classes for ease of setting up relatively fair fights. These classes are:

Past Champions of Solaris

* Name *     * Years as Champion *    * Name *     * Years as Champion *
--------     ---------------------    --------     ---------------------
~Cabol Hirsch          2812 - 2814    Daryoush Sabahi        2937 - 2938
~Marco Moliotti        2815 - 2818    Arthur Rames           2939
Andrea Haskell         2819           Noburu Kuichi          2940
Drew Onada             2820           Margaret Portillo      2941
Falai Fouadi           2821           David Ewell            2942
Victoria Ghandell      2822           Norman Bales           2943 - 2945
Francois Drullet       2823 - 2824    Rideto Moriyasu        2946 - 2947
Ghinobu Ranedo         2825           Rex Falconburg         2948
Xin Lee Riang          2826           Julie Baumgartner      2949
Peter Grigg            2828 - 2829    Bennet Hammond         2950 - 2951
Charlene Madan         2830 - 2831    Alberto Diez           2952
~Casai Iusang          2832 - 2835    Gary Markstaller       2953
Tetsuo Ronawa          2836           Alan Stubbs            2954 - 2955
~Oliver Two Horse      2837 - 2838    Robert Cramer          2956 - 2957
Maki Murahashi         2839           Henry Curman           2958
~Oliver Two Horse      2840 - 2841    Desiree Careaga        2959
Michael Craddock       2842           Rajid Malool           2960
Robert Gingharai       2843 - 2845    Corneliu Dlocea        2961 - 2963
Shola Umoja            2846           Faezeh Djeyfrouddi     2964
Shih Fenh              2847           Duane McComas          2965 
Robin Wolfram          2848 - 2849    Rosemary Rubenstein    2966 - 2968
Trent Barton           2850           Diane Byassee          2969
Cuatemoc Cardenas      2851           Jame Caggiano          2970
Viktor Petrov          2852           Kevin Langworthy       2971 - 2973
Mohammed al Ibrahim    2853           Tomas Breissman        2974
Arleta Gordon          2854 - 2855    Jas Czesla             2975 - 2976
Winston Carter         2856           Masud Ahmaddi          2977
Roger Bostwick         2857 - 2858    Rafael Marella         2978 - 2979
Harriet Granger        2859           Astrid Schagler        2980
Yi Jiang               2860           John Mahpehpah         2981
Danielle Jenner        2861           Sidney Lakey           2982
Martin Essex           2862 - 2864    Thomas Moe             2983 - 2984
Letitia Donovan        2865           Charles Fagen          2985
Kyle Burton            2866 - 2867    Ernest Burroughs       2986
Arvid Ghiner           2868           Hector Garcia          2987
Samui Chichi           2869           Gloria Lillehaugen     2988 - 2989
~Paul Fokker           2870 - 2874    Michael D. Martin      2990
Jenette Hart           2875           Dale Krueger           2991 - 2993
Drake Morder           2876           Gordon Marquand        2994 - 2995
Clinton Finn           2877           Nita Krevando          2996
Steven Mak             2878           Akia Toyoshima         2997 - 2999
Shanda Rambeaux        2879 - 2880    Brett Bartenberger     3000
~Harrison Kent         2881 - 2884    Hans Schleinning       3001
Edmond Arens           2885           ~Terri Bates           3002 - 3005
Sheila Marie Bellows   2886           Phyllis Barnes         3006
Gunther Bellows        2887 - 2888    Danh Daravivanh        3007 - 3008
Tag Burton             2889           ~James O'Gordon        3009 - 3012
Richard Rapier         2890           Orlando Perez          3013
Linda Schwartz         2891 - 2892    Joel Groshong          3014
Echigo Rama            2893           Maxwell Boddi          3015
Shelley Bine           2894           ~Gray Norton           3016 - 3022
~Paul Reese            2895 - 2898    Manuel Delvalle        3023
David Sells            2899           Hans Moder             3024 - 3025
Charles Tabey          2900           Phillip Capet          3026 - 3027
Erica Smale            2901 - 2903    Justin Xiang           3027
Rwan Tong Ngo          2904 - 2905    Chaka Mobuto           3028
Susan Beitz            2906           Anya Terrel            3029
Michael Ross           2907 - 2909    Allen Fitz             3030
Joseph Miracle         2910           Maurice Potter         3031
~Kan Sho               2911 - 2915    Richard Townsend       3032
Nance Logan            2916           Taleb Rammadi          3033
Brent East             2917           Debra Fromherz         3034 - 3035
~Meyer Bellagiorre     2918 - 2921    Andrew McCaffrey       3036
Fritz Schleiffer       2922 - 2923    Bao Zhan Fu            3037
Thar Drickle           2924           Matthew Balcomb        3038 - 3039
Sandra Higgins         2925           ~Amanda Hamilton       3040 - 3043
Steph. Van der Kellen  2926           Niculcea Dumitrescu    3044
Rico Totze             2927           Kyle Isaacs            3045
~Rhian Caselton        2928 - 2931    Julia Marroquin        3046 - 3047
Michael Plevant        2932 - 2933    Michael Romney         3048
Lars Tebbit            2934           Brady Riefer           3049
Cara Brafwallner       2935           Jason Bloch            3050
Francis Rypczynski     2936           Elizabeth and Tanya O'Bannon
                                      (Co-Champions)         3051 - 3053
                 Kai Allard-Liao        3054 -

Note:
Any of the champions with the ~ symbol before their names are considered to be among the legends of the Solaris champions.

Solaris VII Slang

As with any language, new words and new meanings for old words develop in response to current events and technology. The MechWarrior games have spawned many slang expressions peculiar to Solaris. Those considered "hip" and part of the "in crowd" like to use the following phrases in their almost-constant discussions of the latest, and upcoming, duels. 

Arrowhead:     Aerospace pilot
Blood pit:     Small, undistinguished 'Mech arena, usually outside of
                 Solaris City.
Dead Zone:     Anywhere where nothing is going on. In reference to person,
                 suggests supidity.
Divorce Court: The Federated Commonwealth. A reference to the current
                 state of relations between Houses Steiner and Davion.
DOA:           A clearly outmatched MechWarrior.
Farmer:        One who pilots a 'Tractor' (see below).
Frakker:       All-purpose epithet, along the lines of "dipstick" and
                 "lamebrain."
Fringer:       Anyone from the outlands, i.e., not a resident of the five
                  major sectors.
Ghost:         An undercover agent for a Successor State, criminal cartel, or
                 corporation.
Gremlin:       A thug working for a crime syndicate.
Headhunter:    Derogatory term for a MechWarrior who seems to favor killing
                 his opponents.
Hillies:       Davionists from the Black Hills sector.
Hitman:        A MechWarrior who enjoys injuring or killing his opponents.
                 After "Hitman" Hirsch, the first major 'Mech champion.
Jack in 
   the box:    MechWarrior who favors jumping from behind cover to
                 fire down on his opponents.
Knievel:       A reckless or glory-hungry MechWarrior who takes unnecessary
                 risks.
Mayflies:      Young MechWarriors who advance too quickly to high-level
                 competition, only to be defeated and forgotten.
Mechbunny:     A somewhat derogatory term for fans who enjoy associating
                 with MechWarriors. Both male and female Mechbunnies exist
                 Also known as wannabes.
No-hitter:     A dull 'Mech fight, particularly one in which no weapon hits
                 are scored.
Peeker:        An individual who comes to watch the 'Mech games but does not
               bet.
Pinball 
   Machine:    A particularly flashy or extensively modified
                BattleMech.
Pinball 
   Wizard:     A highly skilled 'Mech tech. Also simply "Wizard."
Rackit:        To overheat a 'Mech, specifically when all the weapons are fired
                 in an all-or-nothing shot at a quick victory. Also, to push
                 anything to its absolute limit.
Rats:          The inhabitants of the slums of the Black Hills and Cathay.
Romans:        Silesians. A reference to the Roman-inspired Steiner Stadium.
Sawbones:      A cheap 'Mech repairman.
Scavs:         Scrap merchants who deal in wrecked BattleMechs.
Scrappers:     Montenegrans. A reference to the numerous pieces of wrecked
                 buildings and scrap metal scattered around the quarter.
Seatfiller:    A low-class MechWarrior recruited at the last minute to
                 fill up a fight card.
Spinner:       A flamboyant MechWarrior given to fanciful moves and maneuvers;
                 usually applied to light 'Mech pilots.
Splitter:      A MechWarrior who fights in the arenas solely as a means of
                 hooking up with a mercenary unit or finding work elsewhere.
Timey:         A MechWarrior past his prime. See "Zombie."
Toilet Paper:  Solaris scrip.
Tractor:       A worthless or badly designed 'Mech such as the CGR-1A1 Charger
Tumor:         An upper-class Solaran. In some circles, a "healthy tumor" 
                 refers to a dead upper-class Solaran.
Ugly:          A vicious or particularly violent 'Mech battle.
Vampire:       A 'Mech broker.
Wizard:        A particularly successful or talented technician. See Pinball
                 Wizard.
WrenchWarrior: Battlemech technician.
Zombie:        A burned-out or washed-up MechWarrior who continues to fight
                 (perhaps hoping to be killed in the arena). See "timey."

Comstar, BattleTech, MechWarrior, `Mech, BattleMech and select information provided in these web pages are Registered Trademarks of FASA Corporation. BattleTech is Copyright © 1996 FASA Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Usage here is not with permission and should not be viewed as a challenge to those copyrights and trademarks.

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