Little tidbits of info from Rasalhague

Tyr Regiment

"A secret 'Mech regiment was commissioned in 3025 and remained mysterious until its debut in the war. Rumors abounded that the regiment was made up of women, of ex-Combine warriors, of warriors with Scandinavian heritage, and others. All that was known for certain was that the entire regiment was made up of assault 'Mechs. It fought in Operation Thor 3026 with skill and an almost insane determination."

"In early 3026, the LIC reported a surge of discontent in the Rasalhague District of the Draconis Combine. A new underground had formed. Named the Tyr, for the Norse god of war and justice, the movement engineered the assassinations of several important officials, including Prefect Mahar Lowell of Kirchbach. Tyr members also organized a sudden upsurge of demonstrations and strikes. For Mies Kurita, the District Governor of Rasalhague, the change was frightening.

The LIC detected no response from Luthien to Mies Kurita's request for more troops. Lyran analysists believed that Mies had been overstating the unrest in his district for years, and Luthien did not believe his cries of alarm anymore. Even the commanders of DCMS regiments in his district, those who knew how bad things were getting, were ignoring the District Governor's pleas for assistance.

The LIC and the Military Intelligence section of the LCAF took full advantage of the situation by infiltrating the district with operatives. Lyran agents established contact with the Tyr, and sympathetic Lyran traders were smuggling weapons to the dissidents by 3027. Tyr members slipped, using Commonwealth trader ships, from Combine to the Commonwealth to be trained by the Loki, the LIC's unconventional warfare specialists."

Attack to Östersund/Kirchbach:

"The secret regiment was the Tyr BattleMech regiment. Its huge assault 'Mechs were painted dark blue and bore the seals of the Tyr underground movement (Gold viking helm above the silver star representing the Rasalhague Principality). Piloting the 'Mechs were members of the Tyr underground movement or men and women whose ancestry had strong ties to the Principality of Rasalhague." - 4th succession war, p 60

Rasalhague Regulars
The Rasalhague Regulars form the core of forces in the Rasalhague Military District. Their eight regiments (5th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 17th, 20th, 22nd) face off with the Lyran Commonwealth and must also protect a large border along the Periphery.

Special conditions color the Rasalhague Regulars' actions. Rasalhague has always been a hotbed of political discontent. Its large European population has long chafed under the Oriental system of the Kuritas. As a result political upheaval is a common occurrence in this section of the Draconis Combine.

The loyalty of the Rasalhague Regulars is of vital concern to the Kurita family, and subject to constant scrutiny. As much as the Coordinator would like to man these units with dependably loyal, hand-picked troops (Namely, Orientals) that would be dangerous if not disasterous. Nothing would galvanize the anti-Kurita sentiment of the Rasalhague public more quickly than to make every MechWarrior in the Rasalhague Regulars an Oriental. It would not take long for the Rasalhagians to believe that the units were there to watch them instead of protecting them from Lyran aggression.

Most MechWarriors of the Rasalhague Regulars are of European descent, with Orientals forming a small minority. To be eligible, these Warriors must pass an examination of their political learnings as tough as that given to men entering the Sword of Light regiments.

This constant scrutiny of the Rasalhague Regulars has several effects. One is that the units are almost uniformly paranoid. Almost all their actions off the battlefield are planned to keep agents of the ISF from criticizing their propriety.

Another effect of this surveillance is to create delays in the flow of supplies from Procurement to the Rasalhague Regulars. ISF agents carefully scan every request the unit makes for parts and equipment to prevent the unit from attempting to stockpile equipment. As a result, the Techs of the Rasalhague Regulars have become magnificient scroungers, capable of amazing feats of rigged repairs.

The Rasalhague units have the highest MechWarrior turnover rate among the five districts, mostly because of the strain caused by the constant surveillance. This attrition makes it difficult for the Rasalhague Regulars to act as true units and not just a collection of MechWarriors. Though their unit skills tend to be poor, they are acceptable to Lord Kurita, who apparently fears rebellion more than he does the Lyran Commonwealth.

The units also suit the appearance of their 'Mechs to local terrain or weather conditions. On formal occasions, the Rasalhague Regulars choose white with jade-green striping.

The patch of the Rasalhague Regulars shows a red "R" against targetting cross-hairs.


Many of the FRR planets saw military action during 4th Succession War, including all of the current FRR planets.

The Ronin Wars
The withdrawal of Combine troops from its former Rasalhague Military District did not go smoothly. Many Combine soldiers refused to leave because of their violent disagreement with the decision to cede worlds to the FRR. Others refused to abandon citizens of Oriental heritage to the danger of backlash from Scandinavians, a threat that became a reality. Other unit commanders felt too many Kurita troops had died defending these worlds to now just give them up without a struggle.

Seeing this military insurrection as a direct challenge to his future rule of the Draconis Combine, Kanrei Theodore Kurita declared all disobedient units Ronin. With Prince Magnusson's permission, he led a force of loyal regiments back into the Republic to battle the Ronin units.

The Ronin Wars, as they became known, were a series of short, violent clashes between the Ronin, which added to about eight regiments, and the allied forces of Rasalhague Kungsarme and DCMS units led by Warlord Theodore Kurita. The Kungsarme, just weeks old, recieved its baptism by fire defending its homeworlds and cities from Ronin units, many of which were skilled and experienced. The Kungsarme fought better than expected, due in part to assistance from Combine and Lyran officers present in Republic to help build the military. On many occasions, these visiting officers stepped in to assume command of Rasalhague units against the Ronin at a crucial moment.

Even more violent were the clashes betweed troops loyal to Warlord Theodore and the Ronin, most of whom were led by officers loyal to General Marcus Kurita (Banished from Luthien for a failed coup attempt) and Warlord Ivan Sorenson of the Rasalhague Military District, who was assasinated at the beginning of the Ronin rebellion.

Mercenaries
The Ronin Wars created a deep hatred for mercenaries among the FRR's citizens. Because of poorly negotiated contracts, some mercenaries refused to enter battle because they claimed the requirements of their contracts had already been fulfilled. Though mercenaries were usually within their rights, the people did not see it that way. Ironically, the FRR later had to hire more mercenaries, some of whom made huge demands on the government, to combat growing pirate activity on the Republic's border with the Periphery. This need peaking with the return of the Clans.

Even many people in the high command of the Republic suffered wounds, both physical and mental. Most notable example was Tor Miraborg who lost the use of his legs in combats of the Ronin wars.

It is from these times that the practice of separating mercenaries from population stemmed from. If mercenaries are employed, they are placed into grim reservations which usually include bars and refreshment centers (Though more often then not, these are strangely absent) away from the populace. Although mercenaries are granted leaves to usually nearby population centers, though they must return to the reservation before the nightfall, more so to protect them from the violent outbursts of populace, rather than out of any contempt.

Other successor states often consider these conditions inhumane. Usually the contracts settled with Rasalhague are nowadays among the most shrewd and rarely do you see mercenaries protecting anything but marginally important targets.

Word 'fair' is often forgotten when dealing with mercenaries, and general populace despise them and hold nothing but contempt for them in their hearts. Though due to the current situation with the Clans they are viewed as a lesser one of the many evils, so FRR will be a bit more lenient to them, but this does not mean that their living conditions or the general populaces opinion will change, even in the dire conditions citizens of the Republic choose to bear the grudge they feel is justified.

The Even Scale Policy

The Even Scale Policy has been Prince Magnusson's term for his economic relations with the Draconis Combine and the Lyran Commonwealth. Ever mindful not to give preference to one neighbor's products, the Prince ordered a strict one-to-one relationship between imports and exports with Lyrans and the Combine. (This is clearly reflected in the technology gains by the Republic) The number of traders from both realms has been strictly controlled to ensure neither side has an advantage. Every ton of food, every crane or holoset imported from one neighbor obligates the FRR to buy something of equal value from the other. Though this could have been reasonable in theory, it is a nightmare in practice. Just keeping tabs on imports from the Commonwealth and the Combine is beyond the capabilities of the FRR's bureaucracy.

This nightmare of red tape is one reason the government begun to trade with other states. Indeed, trade with the Free World League and the Federated Suns has been brisk over the years. Trade with the Federated Suns changed slightly more complicated, however, as that realm become more closely joined with the Lyran Commonwealth.

W ith the sudden appaerance of Clans and resulting losses, The Even Scale Policy has begun to erode, by necessity. No longer able to buy where they want, Rasalhague buys where they can get lucrative deals and top of the line technology. The source does not matter as much as the goods themselves do, in the face of extinction one must compromise.

Academy
Knights Oath:

'..Unbidden, his oath from Radstadt Academy echoed in his mind. He recalled the first time he had proudly sworn it, his words reverberating in the torchlit vastness of the Academy Riddaresal, or Knights' Hall.

"Strike at our enemies like the Hammer of Thor, like the Thunderbolts of Odin... never falter, never surrender... Long live Rasalhague!"'

Miraborg/Radstadt scar: A scar running from temple to chin, sometimes through the eye displaying loyalty to the Republic. Often the Cadets of Academy maim themselves in such way, to imitate the scar on Tor Miraborg's face and his great sacrifices to the Republic.

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