Timeline of the Hanseatic League

[Shiro15]

I am trying to put the timeline-information of the Hanseatic League together.
If anyone has further information it would be great if they are added here.


Hanseatic League, Deep Periphery State, Mercantile Alliance ruled by the “Council of Merchants”.
Military: Hanseatic Defense Force, organized in 6 Regional Defense Forces (RDF) and 1 Convoy Defense Force (CDF)
Capital World: Bremen, Controlled Systems: 29

History:

• Ca. 2865: During the reign of Archon Elisabeth Steiner (2859-2895) a large number of Lyrans fled from the Lyran Commonwealth in the Periphery.
• Ca. 2870: They finally settled on a planet they called because of their german heritage “Bremen”. In this region no Hyper Pulse Generators existed. The refugees organized themselves as merchants and travelled to the neighboring (often poorly colonized) systems.
• 2891: Their influence increased and in 2891 the Hanseatic league officially was founded. The Hanseatic League draws its name from the historical terran german “Hanseatische Liga” (short “Hanse”).
• 2920: The ruling Council of Merchants laid the foundation of the “Hanseatic Defense Force” with the decision to recruit mercenary forces.
• Ca. 2950: The Hanseatic league was able obtain enough equipment from the Inner Sphere to form its own army, the “Hanseatic Security Force”. Also a small military industry was established: Bordello Military Goods Inc. is the only manufacturer of military materials in the Hanseatic League and is located on the planet Antwerp. Production line: Mechs: Locust, Wasp, PhoenixHawk, Wolverine; Vehicles: AC/2-Carrier, Tiger, Vedette; Aerospacefighter: Centurion-ASF, Vulcan-ASF; Dropship: Manatee.
• 3011: The ruling Council of Merchants decided open up three worlds to outside trade, guarded by one of the Hanseatic Regional Defense Forces.
• Ca. 3050: Clan merchants appearing openly in the 3050s.
• 3055: Skirmish near the Chainelane Isles against Clan Diamond Sharks: The Hanse lost 2 Jumpships and several Dropships. Since this skirmish, the Hansa has attempted to avoid conflict with the Clans, and merchants have a tendency to direct mercantile interests anti-spinward and rimward (away from the Clan Homeworlds).
• 3067: The Council appointed Captain-General Albert Snow, cousin of the head of the Council of Merchants, Liam Snow, to the position of head of the HSF. Albert began the transformation of the HSF from a simple convoy protection force into a relatively well-trained military command.
• 3067-3081: Jihad
• 3073: Raid of Clan Ice Hellion against Antwerp. The hanseatic RDF2 under Albert Snow successfully defends Antwerp.
• 3074 (?) During the Jihad the HSF launched a disastrous expedition to try and drive Clan Diamond Shark out of the Chainlaine Isles. RDF 1 and RDF 3 are suffering heavy losses.
• ?: The discovery by the Umayyads and the Castilians that the Hanse were manipulating them to keep them locked in a war for the control of Nueva Castile led to constant raids by Umayyad forces, keeping hanseatic RDFs busy. These raids ended in 3080 with the destruction of the Umayyad Caliphate.
• 3080: Formation of the “Escorpion Imperio”. After Clan Goliath Scorpion was abjured they left Clan Space and conquered the realms of Nueva Castile and the Umayyad Caliphate.
• ?:  The Convoy Protection Force found itself tangling increasingly frequently with Clan Diamond Shark forces and taking significant casualties as a result.
• 3088/3089: Clan Star Adder struck several systems in the Hanseatic League in a long term reconnaissance operation. Most of the Adder's Epsilon and Gamma Galaxies were involved, as was a complete naval Star. They returned without two Clusters and a WarShip.

3140: Goliath Scorpion starts its invasion against the Hanseatic League
3141: After 15 months of bitter fights the Hanse has to surrender and is absorbed in the newly formed "Scorpion Empire"

[/list]

[Offworlder]

Indeed. As far as I know that is the limit of information given about the Hansa. They are also mentioned in an offhand manner in certain novels and as the dispensers of black box tech in the Caliphate. But that is all.

Unfortunately, something is happening there post Homeworld Clan incursion which has not been revealed. It seems that post Jihad there is little contact between the IS and the Hansa...

[Wrangler]

I wonder if any thing will come out what left of the Hanseatic League?  I'm sure they're not doing great if they survived with their neighbors being the Empire and the Star Adders trying hose down anyone coming from the Inner Sphere.  Their not the Home Clans, so it's remote chance of that.

[CJC070]

It depends on the Homeworld Clans.  Do they want territory or do they want someone to sharpen their teeth on.  There is also the fact that we haven't "heard" anything since 3100, hence we don't know what is going on.

If some one has heard something please leave a note on where this information can be read.

[Nibs]

Good timing! There is a new product being released detailing a conflict between the Hanseatic League and the Scorpion Empire in the 3140s.

[CJC070]

Good timing! There is a new product being released detailing a conflict between the Hanseatic League and the Scorpion Empire in the 3140s.

Just got the E-mail Friday Aug. 7 and the iClan MIGHT be in 2020 fourth quarter.

[Wrangler]

Well we will get a interesting bunch of updates for the League.

[Red Pins]

Just got the E-mail Friday Aug. 7 and the iClan MIGHT be in 2020 fourth quarter.

don't

I went out on a limb quite a while ago and said, 4Q 2020 - 2Q 2021.  I kinda doubt it, even if it would be a great birthday present.

[Elmoth]

• Ca. 2950: The Hanseatic league was able obtain enough equipment from the Inner Sphere to form its own army, the “Hanseatic Security Force”. Also a small military industry was established: Bordello Military Goods Inc. is the only manufacturer of military materials in the Hanseatic League and is located on the planet Antwerp. Production line: Mechs: Locust, Wasp, PhoenixHawk, Wolverine; Vehicles: AC/2-Carrier, Tiger, Vedette; Aerospacefighter: Centurion-ASF, Vulcan-ASF; Dropship: Manatee.

Nice combination of Level 1 stuff here. Except that I like the griffin I could build a whole unit of the hansa easily gibven my mech preferences....
Only that I do not like much how the hansa is portrayed. [/list]

[Shiro15]

I still ask myself how the Hanseatic league could destroy 2 full clusters of Omni-Mechs of Clan Star Adder and especially how the Star Adders lost a Warship.
Maybe the warship was lost by accident...

But to be realistic I dont see great hope to survive a Clan Invasion.

The Hanseatic League has no Hyperpulse generators. So there is a too long reaction time if an invasion occurs.

Their produced military equipment seems to be obsolete.
But especially the Aerospacefighters are excellent:
The Centurion-ASF is a light fighter with a superb armor and a good weapon arrangement (3 med Lasers).
The heavy Vulcan-ASF was once produced in the Rim Republic and has an impressive friepower.

But neither can the Hanseatic League produce the equipment in the same numbers as the Clans. Also the avarage HL-pilot is surely inferior trained compared to a Clan-Frontline Warrior.

The Diamond Sharks has beaten the Hanseatic League multiple times in so called battles. This Clan seems simply not interested to conquer the Hanseatic League.

Clan Star Adder has run a long recon operation through the Hanseatic realm. So its likely that an attack will follow and against such a mighty Clan I fear that the HL will vanish like the Free Rasalhague Republic did during the first Clan Invasion.

Also the Escorpion Imperio is a great danger for the Hanseatic League. The remnants of Clan Goliath Scorpion had absorbed the neighbors of the Hanseatic League ( Nueva Castile and the Umayyad Caliphate) and are now in strike-distance to the HL.

I am quite curious what will happen next.  8)

[glitterboy2098]

I still ask myself how the Hanseatic league could destroy 2 full clusters of Omni-Mechs of Clan Star Adder and especially how the Star Adders lost a Warship.
Maybe the warship was lost by accident...

depends on the warship. as you mentioned the League ASF arm is pretty solid, it is possible that they took out much of those two clusters before they even hit the ground, and a lot of the smaller warships in clan service aren't terribly good at dealing with fighters.
and there is also the very likely situation that the League would not be as loath to deploy nuclear anti-shipping munitions like the Alamo as the IS was during the invasion. if used according to the Ares conventions specifications regarding distance from planetary surfaces, it could well have let them get away with killing a warship without the Adders being willing to devote the resources needed to escalate the conflict.

[wantec]

It also could have been something like a jump "accident" by one of the League ships. That could have been a big enough loss the commander decided the mission was over.

[Wrangler]

Jumpship accidentally jumping where a WarShip is certainly would wipe out that thing.
It would be hideous loss for the League, though since JumpShips aren't exactly super common or in production the Deep Periphery.

[Minemech]

 They also could have increased their stockpiles of old SLDF fighters through negotiations with fleeing Blakists. They could have even found a large SLDF cache.

[Nerroth]

While it's somewhat of a relief that the Hanseatic League at least survives through to 3140, I'd worry if the Hansa have not used the last few decades to diversify from, or at least to relocate, those facilities shown to exist on Antwerp in Objectives: Periphery.

Antwerp lies uncomfortably close to the side of Hansa space facing towards Nueva Castile - and, for that matter, to those four systems which the Star Adders had briefly occupied (which themselves might well lie within the Scorpions' planned invasion corridor).

Still, having missed out on being covered in any real detail in ISP3, I'm hoping that this might finally be an opportunity for the largest non-Clan realm in the Deep Periphery to be explored in more detail - for its own sake, not just as a target for Clan ambitions of conquest.

[Shiro15]

They also could have increased their stockpiles of old SLDF fighters through negotiations with fleeing Blakists. They could have even found a large SLDF cache.

The Hanseatic league already has quite good designs, which they produce by themself:
1. The light Centurion-fighter is superior - compared with IS-designs like the Thrush, the Seydlitz, the Cheetah or the Sabre. It is also better than SLDF fighters like the Trident, and the Swift.
2. And the heavy Vulcan ASF has a really good punch with its 2x AC10, the Large + Medium Laser and the SRM6.

I also asume that the pilots are well trained in the Convoi Protection Force.

But what means "well trained" in relation to a periphery-state?
I consider an avarage pilot of the hanseatic League as inferior - compared to an IS-pilot who (for example) completed the Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy.
And the Clan-Pilots are geneticly enhanced.

Also the Clans have superior hardware. Just take the Batu ConfB with all its Pulse Lasers.

To counter these advantages of the Clans (better pilots and better hardware) the Hanseatic League would need a numerical superiority to keep the balance. And the manufacturer on Antwerp is producing the hardware in low numbers.

So they have to adjust their tactics and to try fight in asymetric warfare. Attacking supply routes and so on.
Or - as mentioned before - they have to use nuclear weapons (which would be the tactic of a fanatic state which would not hesitate to use the scorched-earth-tactic. I personally doubt that the mercantile Hanseatic League would use such a tactic)

We should also keep in mind that the planets of the Hanseatic League are not so populated and dont have the same infrastructure like those of the IS-major powers.
The HL does not even have Hyperpuls-Generator-Technology.

I cant await Aug 7th, when the Operation turning Points "Hanseatic crusade" will be published.

[Minemech]

 The advantage of Star League fighters is not so much that they are great, but rather that they are bountiful. Caches are a common plot device in the BattleTech universe. Finding them is considered good. Heck, they could claim to have simply found a large stockpile, and no one would ask too many questions. The Word of Blake could have easily mothballed many of its old fighters in the deep periphery, with the intention of some campaign against the Clans. A periphery state fielding a large assortment of them would not attract too much attention.

[Offworlder]

Well it has been hinted that the HL is able to actually acquire a modicum of 'advanced' weapons. We know they built the original RDFs through smuggling. We also know that by 3065 they had acquired a number of SL systems as attested in FM:Updates - one can speculate that it was WoB's doing or more smuggling or outright purchase in the IS. We also know that post Jihad/Wars of Reaving, they were acquiring stuff from Jarnvolk who were going through the debris left of the Clan invasion corridor.

As to WoB caches, I think its a 3 to 1 chance that any actually exist. It seems that a lot of stuff was sent to Waypoint 532 (if I remember well) which was taken by the Scorpions on the move to Castille. On the other hand Albert Snow is actually married to a Wobbie and may obtain some information about caches.

Lastly, one must consider that when the Clan raiders arrived post Reaving, they actually found a heavily damaged but battle hardened force facing them. The warship (a Vincent class) was actually swarmed bay ASF - standard tactic adopted throughout the IS, so nothing out of the ordinary. Also keep in mind that the raiders hit 4 planets and that basically they were, relatively speaking, spread thin. Its also obvious from clan comments that their fights resembled those of the original invasion of the IS, essentially pitting quality against quantity. And we all know that even in the initial Clan onslaught on the IS, IS powers actually managed to thwart if not outright win a few battles. It was in a way a replay of 3050 only with the defenders having a modicum of information about the attackers - which is no small advantage.

Also, keep in mind that the Hansa has black box tech and therefore any attack would be known in Bremen in a question of days. The HL also has one mobile force (RDF 6) that could have reacted relatively rapidly (ie a few weeks) from the invasion not allowing consolidation of clan forces until such time as the rest of the RDFs mobilized and moved to the threatened area.

And finally there is a small side fact about which nothing much was written but seems to exist in this part of the universe as well - mercenary forces. We are told that the HL 'regulated' or arranged merc contracts in this area. When they wanted to bolster their forces, the HSF actually absorbed mercs with one in particular, becoming a regimental commander. There is no information as to who they are or where they originated, or what sort of equipment they used. So if they were able to actually hire more, especially from the IS which is hostile to mercs post Stone reforms, they may have been able to actually attract second rate merc forces capable of inflicting some losses.

Of course all this above comes with a lot of conditionals as it is difficult to discern what's happening out there precisely because of the distances involved...

[glitterboy2098]

sources/citations on the Adder warship being a vincent, and the league having black boxes?

[haesslich]

sources/citations on the Adder warship being a vincent, and the league having black boxes?

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=515.msg589527#msg589527

This is the only reference that I can find about Black Boxes. I don't have access to the novel to confirm of that's what they say there.

[Shiro15]

Thank you for all these detailed information.

I checked the Distant-Thunder-novel - sadly it was never completed and ended in a cliffhanger.

The black boxes were mentioned in sentences like  "You will find my daughter and bring me back my schwarzer Kasten, or I will (...) ".  (For me as a german this was funny to read :) ).
Also the Hanse seems to have WoB technologie which they exported as Hanse-technology to the Ummayids and the Nueva Castile.

I am still a little bit sceptical how the Hanse will be able to compensate the pilot-quality-gap, compared with Clan-trained forces. But in some weeks we know if the hanse will survive ;)

[glitterboy2098]

singular would be "hansa" i beleive. old latin loan word for "Convoy". the original Hanseatic league was a collection of market guilds and ports along the coast of northern europe which cooperated to dominate regional oceanic trade. the merchant guilds became known as "hansa" due to the way the merchant guild affiliated ships would typically travel in groups from port to port.

[Shiro15]

In the Hanseatic League the used language was middle-german. In middle german the term is (Deutsche or Düdesche) Hanse with E. In Dutch it was called De Hanze - also with E at the end.
In latin it was called Hansa Teutonica with A.

https://www.hanse.org/hansestaedte/

So if they dont use the english word for black boxes and instead call it "Schwarzer Kasten" in the novels, then it is not so unlikely that they would use the old german term Hanse instead of Hansa when speaking german :)

[Elmoth]

I wa about to point out that Shiro15 claimed to be German, so he surely would know about the hansa better than most of us, but he posted faster ;)

[glitterboy2098]

and yet the BT sourcebooks use "hansa"

[Shiro15]

You are correct - the BT-sourcebooks use the term "Hansa". For me as a german this word feels strange so I use the term "Hanse" - so take it as a strange german accent of a strange german user :)

I also honestly admit that I am a little bit inconsequent because I never accepted the german translation of the Battlemech-names in the german BT-novels.
Here I prefer the original english names.

Example: The "IMP-3E Imp" is translated in the german novels with "GFZ-3E Giftzwerg" which is IMHO ridiculous, because Giftzwerg could also be translated as "Poisoned Dwarf". You cant drink enough to give an 100 tons assault Mech the Name Dwarf. On the other hand there was the german WW2-super-tank "Maus"... :)

[kato]

singular would be "hansa" i beleive. old latin loan word for "Convoy".

Ethymologically:

• "Hanse" derives from Old High German "Hansa" used since the 9th century, with "Hansa" originally used by the Hanse themselves. Middle High German later switched the vowel.
• During this time "hansa" as a word was used generally as a German translation of the latin concept "cohors" (group/band/troop), and expressed much the same as the dual civilian/military meaning of "company" in Modern English today.
• "Cohors" in latin, with "hansa" as its translation, had multiple meanings to include "ship crew" or "landhold".
• "hansa" used as such originally derives from proto-Germanic "hanso" which described a band of men living together.
• "Hanse" in modern high German is a singular-only word.

[Korzon77]

Do they have any ability to produce jumpships?  I mean, if they're a trading power, then they either need a way to buy them, or produce them, because you'll have a certain amount of lossage.

[rebs]

We will possibly find out soon if the Hansa can build jumpships or if they buy them.  I would also like to know if they have orbital yards that can at least repair jumpships. 

[Offworlder]

Do they have any ability to produce jumpships?  I mean, if they're a trading power, then they either need a way to buy them, or produce them, because you'll have a certain amount of lossage.

Actually such facilities are never mentioned. However, they do have 'militarised jumpships' (what that means is never really explained) so maybe they do have the ability to upgrade/modify ships.

Interestingly in one blurb that mentions a Blakist ship that suffered a misjump whilst looking for a star system with a Hansa installed recharge station (still looking for it but can't find it). It is not specified if the station was of Hansa origin or if they just put it together with Blakist parts or actually took it from another system and put there at that particular system.

They also seem to be able mine asteroids, another pointer towards them having the ability to build stuff in zero-g.

However, the above can only be educated guesses/conjecture. In my opinion, if there is a yard in Hansa space (and that would make some sense given that the merchant's power depended upon their monopoly of transport and communication in the area), it would make sense that is sits around Bremen. If not, maybe they use the one in RWR outpost though this has never been mentioned, even though its near enough to the HL.