What makes the Arkab Legions different?

[Colt Ward]

Simple-

What makes the Arkab Legions different than the rest of the DCMS?

in 3050?

in 3070?

in 3130s?

[glitterboy2098]

DCMS = Space Samurai!
Arkab legions = Space Arabs!

it's a cultural thing.. the main DCMS is big on Ancient/"Modern" Japanese culture... the Arkabs are more Middle Eastern Islamic culture.

the Arkab's are Arabic peoples who settled various desert type worlds in (what would become) Combine space, and they raise and maintain their own military units under the DCMS because their cultural requirements make them hard to integrate directly into other DCMS units. the fact they operate these units though is, IIRC, one of the reasons they are allowed to retain their own faith and non-japanese culture within the combine.

you might want to look for Mohammed As`Zaman Bey here on the forums, he is one of the most knowledgeable people i know of about the Arkab worlds and Legions.

[foxbat]

Tactics; Unlike the DCMS that excels in pitched battles, the Arkhab Legions shine in rezzous, traditional raids hitting an ennemy's weak points and grabbing his ressources. Their machines reflect this doctrine, with a marked preference for fast light and medium units.

[Alan Grant]

I think the above two responses say it best. More than anything, they just have a unique cultural framework. I mean the FWL has several distinctly islamic worlds, such as Mosiro, and yet no culturally distinct units based around that. In fact that describes all the Great Houses except the Combine. In that the Arkab Legions are unique to BT lore.

[Nerroth]

I think the above two responses say it best. More than anything, they just have a unique cultural framework. I mean the FWL has several distinctly islamic worlds, such as Mosiro, and yet no culturally distinct units based around that. In fact that describes all the Great Houses except the Combine. In that the Arkab Legions are unique to BT lore.

There is also the Axumite Providence, a Deep Periphery realm detailed in ISP3 which despite the name primarily draws its Terran ancestry from the Maghreb.

I would also mention the Umayyads in Nueva Castile, but they seemed more to adopt the trappings of Al-Andalus after their initial wave of conquest in the region rather than bringing it with them. Depending on which version of events one chooses to believe regarding their origins, that is.

Plus, doesn't the Rim Commonality have a proportionally large Muslim population, not counting the locals on Astrokaszy who were absorbed into that (sub-)realm post-Jihad? (Although, I think most of the Muslims in the Commonality may be of Turkish drather than Arab descent.)

[glitterboy2098]

those are periphery realms, which generally don't get much attention. the Arkab's are not only part of a major successor state and have a unique part in that state.. but they've also gotten plenty of mention in novels since day one. that is part of it.. the Arkab's have had a lot more mention and involvement in the metaplot of Btech than any other Arabic based group in the game setting.

[Colt Ward]

I know they are an Arab culture, I was looking for more on their military practices.  The light/med raider/strike/cavalry did ring a bell.  I am also curious in how they would treat the opposition.

[Alan Grant]

Honestly I feel like not much has been written about them. To my knowledge they haven't been the centerpoint of any novel or fiction. What we know mostly comes from the Old Kurita Handbook, and FM: DC.

Paraphrasing FM: DC. The people of those worlds were renowned for their fierce resistance to invaders, even among citizens. A fair comparison might be made to Taurians in this regard. They fight with the passion of religious fervor. They were outfitted with light and medium machines which suited their lightning style of fighting. They are regarded as questionable loyal to the Dragon because while they serve the Combine they effectively stand alone. This means they aren't always treated well by the DC quartermasters and tend to be low on the priority list.

I read the above to mean, these are fierce and determined fighters, even more so when they are on the defensive.

As of FM: DC the makeup of the Arkab Legion was 30 percent light machines, 40 percent medium machines, and 30 percent heavy machines, with the heaviest using things like MASC. This was actually an uptick in weight percentages from previous eras. The increased speed potential of advanced technology brought the weight of the Arkab Legions up a bit since heavier machines were now capable of moving faster.

Most of the individual Arkab Legions emphasize raiding, recon, stealthy movement, fast strikes, and so forth. That kind of terminology pops up a lot.

That's really all there is, FM: Draconis Combine has some good info on these units but I think we've covered the major talking points. Anything not covered, I think you would have a lot of latitude to decide for some creative license. Hope that helps.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

The different cultures and tactics were touched on above..

I'll also add that they're a privileged subset of not just the Combine as a whole, but also the Pillar of Steel (including the DCMS).  They are a 'foreign state' that is allowed to exist within the Combine in exchange for tribute in the form of troops.  Those troops ultimately take their orders from High Command but are  recruited, trained, equipped, and manned by the Azami themselves.  An interesting piece of fluff that illustrates this distinction rather well is that the Arkab Legions are not permitted to display the Kurita Dragon on their hardware.

One of the reasons that 'absorbing' the Nova Cats appeared to make sense (for a while) was that the xenophobic Combine already had succesfully integrated an alien warrior culture: the Azami.

[Taurevanime]

Didn't the Word of Blake try to get the Arkab worlds to rebel during the Jihad by dropping an asteroid on them. When the Azami (This little group of Arab worlds in the Combine) requested aid, the Combine was too busy to respond. So the worlds tried to rebel.

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

  Canon information on the Azami faction is spotty and sometimes contradictory. One reference says that the Arkab was a corruption of the word Arab but that isn't true -The Azami settled in the Arkab system, a star named by Arabs thousands of years ago.

  The Azami are not Arabs. They are North Africans; Riffian, Tuaregs, Berbers (A European name, they actually refer to themselves as Amazigen, based on their ancient language), Hausa (Black Africans) and Fulbe (North African/Black mix). While many North Africans may have Arabic blood, due to the Islamic invasion of the region but they have a distinctly different culture and language base. They would have their own native languages but may be united in speaking Arabic as a liturgical language.

  Canon Arkab Legion tactics are envisioned as fast, hit-and-run operations using energy weapons for long-term missions. By coincidence the Azami settled on several desert worlds so they also specialize in desert combat.

  FM: DC (FASA1698) Comes out and says that the Azami and the Combine are "separate realms" and operate as allies instead of subjects (pg100). When the DCMS is late in fulfilling their supply obligations, the Arkab Legions remove their DCMS insignia in protest. The 6th Arkab Legion does not display DCMS insignia.

  Early Arkab Legion TOE used 60% light, 30% medium and 10% heavy 'Mechs including Star League 'Mechs secretly preserved for centuries. Later, post-invasion TOE is 30%/40%/30% with heavier units modified with MASC and TSM. They have also embraced Omnimechs.

  The Azami people are united by their religion, based upon Messianic Shia sect; Azami = "The Illuminated or Enlightened"

  As of AToW, the Azami are an independent faction.

This list of Azami Confederation worlds and possible Azami enclaves:
From some research, these are Azami worlds:

Arkab (DC)
Albalii (DC)
Algedi (DC)
Al Hillah (FRR)
Al Na'ir (DC)
Dabih (DC)
Deneb Algedi
Camlann (DC/GB)
Markab (FS)
Tukayyid (FRR)

Possible:
Al Jubaylah (FWL)
Sadalbari (DC)

  In my research on the Azami I have had the pleasure of corresponding with North Africans and use the information I have gleaned in my fanfic, which I use as a vehicle to add details to an often glossed over faction.

Edit: In case you are interested, these are on the Heavy Metal Pro site:
Young Mohammed stories:

Travels With Uncle Ahmed

Travels With Uncle Ahmed 2

Travels With Uncle Ahmed 3

Travels With Uncle Ahmed -The Road to Graduation

8th Arkab Legion:

Footnote

Footnote 2, The 8th Arkab Legion on Luthien

Forging the Sword

Related short story:

…The Compassionate, the Merciful…

I hope this helps.

MB

[Top Sergeant]

With the advent of even more technological advancements in the current era, have TPTB assigned any Assault class 'mechs to the Arkab Legions (provided that they have a high enough movement profile, of course)?

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

With the advent of even more technological advancements in the current era, have TPTB assigned any Assault class 'mechs to the Arkab Legions (provided that they have a high enough movement profile, of course)?

  I haven't seen any canon sources yet, although the Azami would have no qualms about using captured Clan machines.

[Colt Ward]

Someone said they stepped up to more heavies, so having a Gargoyle or two would make sense as time goes on.

Interestingly, some of the 'newer' Drac heavy designs could work well for the Arkab.

[Klat]

I wonder if the Legions got any of the Nova Cat remains...

Give them a Sphinx and watch what happens  >:D

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

I wonder if the Legions got any of the Nova Cat remains...

Give them a Sphinx and watch what happens  >:D

  I do recall a good relationship between the Azami and Nova Cats, built up during the Jihad. Anything is possible.

[Klat]

Sphinx does appear possible, Legion tech ratings are all over the place. This thread has again piqued my interest; thank you, Mohammed As`Zaman Bey for providing info on the Arkab background.

EDIT: I wonder, is there any chance one might find people of Druze descent among the Azami?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

The Arkab Legions would be a prime destination for Chargers and Charger refits.

[Colt Ward]

Chargers, Gargoyles, 3050 Clan heavy/med/light Omni, Ninja-To, salvaged Thanatos & Rakshasa, the new Avalanche Omni, Black Hawk Ku, standard Black Hawks . . .

Lots of fun for them as the time line advances.

[Klat]

Rokurokubi with caligraphy on the Nobori  ^-^

EDIT: Reference

[ipopal]

They are Arab and the xenophobic Combine hasn't exterminated them yet?

[Top Sergeant]

They are Arab and the xenophobic Combine hasn't exterminated them yet?

They're actually more Taureg and Berber.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

They are Arab and the xenophobic Combine hasn't exterminated them yet?

Short answer: Because the Combine is more pragmatic than xenophobic.

Longer answer:  They DID try to assimilate them.  But due to diseases native to their world(s), foreign (Combine) troops would keep getting decimated whenever they invaded.  Once medical technology solved that problem, the Combine was so impressed by the fighting spirit of the Azami they allowed them semi-autonomy in exchange for tribute in the form of the troops they so admired.

Some more background info: The Azami are a fictional sect of Islam, separate from the real-world Shia and Sunni.  Part of the general backstory of the universe is that Islamic colonization is under-represented among the Inner Sphere directly because those two sects (in the fictional setting) both disapproved of living off-world.  (Difficulties in accomplishing the Hajj and all.. not to mention figuring out which way Mecca is for prayer)  The Azami is a fictional splinter sect that had no such compunctions about living away from Terra, and so many (if not most) Islamic colonies in the BTU are neither Sunni nor Shia but Azami.    While those worlds across the Inner Sphere have much in common culturally with Arkab, politically speaking they have little or nothing in common with the semi-autonomous region in that part of the Combine.

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

They are Arab and the xenophobic Combine hasn't exterminated them yet?

  The Combine tried and failed miserably, losing two regiments' worth of 'Mechs to them. I find the "latent blood disease" excuse rather weak. If the Azami still carried a Terran plague in their blood they'd be quarantined from travel and definitely not welcome on a battlefield.

  The Azami ran a war of insurgency against the superior, modern equipment fielded by the Combine and fought them to a standstill, with the Combine units holing up in the defendable cities and towns while the tribesmen ruled everywhere else -A scenario that's played out several times throughout history.

  Eventually the Combine gave up and the Azami took the first steps in forming an alliance after the Kurita family deposed the von Rohr usurpers. I'd imagine the Kuritas would welcome people who gave the von Rohrs a bloody nose.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

I find the "latent blood disease" excuse rather weak.

Granted, the Kuritan propagandists likely inflated the role the disease had in their defeats.  Until the cure, it did have an impact, but I'd agree with you that the larger impact was the military proficiency of the Azami.

[DoctorMonkey]

  The Combine tried and failed miserably, losing a regiment worth of 'Mechs to them. I find the "latent blood disease" excuse rather weak. If the Azami still carried a Terran plague in their blood they'd be quarantined from travel and definitely not welcome on a battlefield.

  The Azami ran a war of insurgency against the superior, modern equipment fielded by the Combine and fought them to a standstill, with the Combine units holing up in the defendable cities and towns while the tribesmen ruled everywhere else -A scenario that's played out several times throughout history.

  Eventually the Combine gave up and the Azami took the first steps in forming an alliance after the Kurita family deposed the von Rohr usurpers. I'd imagine the Kuritas would welcome people who gave the von Rohrs a bloody nose.

Malaria puts a lie to that - it isn't just where/how it is endemic but the mode of infection and an evolved survival trait might be like thalassaemia or sickle cell traits


But it could well be that they decided not to try again after the combination of malaria and getting their asses handed to them when they first tried to conquer them in a manner similar to the British with the Gurkhas

[Klat]

FR:DCMS 2765 seems to indicate that both factors contributed to the Dragon making peace with the Azami. I love what the RATs have as available for the Legion on boxcars BTW  [drool]

Slightly off topic would an Arkab Legion Mechwarrior be allowed to carry a Daisho if he went through a DCMS academy? While most of the Legion seems to be locally trained the above source made reference to a few attending DCMS schools.

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

Malaria puts a lie to that - it isn't just where/how it is endemic but the mode of infection and an evolved survival trait might be like thalassaemia or sickle cell traits

  Malaria doesn't have a 100% mortality rate in a matter of hours after exposure as presented in Azami fluff.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Slightly off topic would an Arkab Legion Mechwarrior be allowed to carry a Daisho if he went through a DCMS academy? While most of the Legion seems to be locally trained the above source made reference to a few attending DCMS schools.

I'd think so, yes.   No reason to deny permission to the individual an honor earned.

[Klat]

I'd think so, yes.   No reason to deny permission to the individual an honor earned.

That's my line of thinking too  O0

I would think the Azami would adapt well to DCMS academies; in the small amount of reading I've done I found intriguing parallels between Islam and bushido.