Questions regarding Rasalhague

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Hello all

So as the title says a couple questions about the Greater Rasalhague District, Principality, Republic, and overall area. I’m writing an AU and trying to get some ideas/information/suggestions.

1) Field Report 2765 lists the DCA Fleet and gives a ‘basic’ breakdown of the classes in the fleet. The eight Fleets are organized around a single Samarkand Carrier. Obviously we don’t have the stats for them (sad face) but they don’t list the breakdowns of the rest of the ships per fleet. Considering Rasalhague was a less trusted area of the Combine… why do YOU think went in those two DCA Fleets? Just asking opinions BUT if you have sources I missed please share lol

For reference: five Aegis, two Cruisers, five Baron’s, Five Essex-I’s, Five Lola-I’s, and four Vincent Mk. 39’s (I’ve eliminated the Narukami and the Vigilant because the FM notates there assignments).


2) Tamar was a major Lyran world for almost its entire history. Obviously raids occurred there by the DCMS over the years: Sarna notes it was taken by them in 2915 (House Kurita Book). Do you think that if Rasalhague was an independent nation back in the Succession Wars era it would have been a major target for them? Or do you think Alshain would have occupied them more? Or both?


3) Rasalhague has a lot of industry in the post Clan era: ComStar, SLDF, eventually Ghost Bears contributing to their development. I dont have access to those PDF’s that showed manufacturer (Objectives?). Was there one for Rasalhague (FRR or Ghost Bear Dominion) at any point?


4) Had they existed for a period of time during the Age of the SLDF: they’d still have been treated as a ‘Periphery Power’ by the SLDF and the Five Houses. It’s not even a question really, no matter how many planets they had (80’ish) they never would be a ‘major power’. But that begs the question: do you think they would have rebelled with the rest of the Periphery Powers in those various wars? Would they have sided with the SLDF? I’d tend to say against as they are portrayed as independent people but I’m just always curious on people’s opinions.


Thanks in advance

[PsihoKekec]

Independent Rasalhague would try not to piss off any of it's much larger neighbours, so it's unlikely they would try to raid Tamar or Alshain.

Squezzed as they would be between DC and LC, I reckon they would go along with Pollux Proclamation. Or maybe not, they are proud and stubborn people.

[Frabby]

On the Steiner/Kurita front it was typically Kurita on the offensive and Steiner defending. By and large, the Lyran Commonwealth strikes me as the one Successor State that was not a rabid warmonger.

Which is to say, the Draconis Combine would never cease to attack Rasalhague with the intent to conquer. The Lyran Commonwealth would be a natural ally for Rasalhague, if they wouldn't outright seek to join them for protection.

[BrianDavion]

during the 3040s the FRR's diplomatic stance was to attempt to appease both sides without appeasing one side over the other two much, maintaining sort of a "Friendly neutrality" to both the FedCom And Combine at the same time, knowing that if they where perceived to have become overly friendly to one it would be seen as being an enemy of the other and ending up taking the brunt of the next war. I imagine this would be the Rassalhaugian approch had they been granted independance earlier. or simply maintained it before hand. as for how the star league would have treated them, it's honestly a very simple question "Would they have joined the Star League?"

If yes they would have been treated well, if no they would have been crushed and made to join as a vassel. frankly that question applies to some degree to everyone, had one of the sucessor states held out, it likely would have had it's arm twisted and pressure, up to military pressure, brought to bear

[Natasha Kerensky]

1) Two ways the composition of the two fleets assigned to the Rasalhague District might be different from the other six DCMS fleets:

One, the Rasalhague fleets might have extra surveillance assets for keeping tabs on the untrusted and unruly Rasalhague population.  For the SLDF navy at that time, this meant Bug-Eye warships (and Nightwing/Tracker warships before the Bug-Eye).  I’m not sure what it would mean for the DCMS navy.  Maybe just dropships with lots of surveillance equipment or even just surveillance satellites.  These assets might not even be DCMS fleet assets, but ISF assets deployed by the DCMS fleets.

Two, security measures would be higher in the Rasalhague fleets.  Doubled marine complements on board warships.  Extra ISF personnel.  More small craft and fighter patrols and the extra small craft and fighters to support them.  Limited or no naval  personnel from the Rasalhague District assigned to the Rasalhagian fleets.  Restrictions on shore leave.  Etc.  The point is to prevent rebellious elements in the Rasalhague District from getting their hands on or doing damage to dangerous and expensive DCMS fleet assets.

Unless there was a DCMS equivalent of the Bug-Eye, I don’t think the actual warship composition of the Rasalhague District fleets would be different from the other six fleets.  It’s not like the US Navy moves ships around based on protests on the US mainland.  Naval ships are moved around in response to overseas threats and maintenance cycles.  The same should hold true for the DCMS fleets — the warship composition of the District fleets would only be different if the threats from Lyran space or Periphery were different than the threats coming from the Combine’s other borders.

2) Agree with the other posters that an independent Rasalhague state that is wedged between two much more powerful Successor States would maintain a policy of neutrality and non-aggression towards both.  Rasalhague won’t go after Tamar or Alshain.  That’s suicide.  To do so would demand that the Elsies or Snakesinvade and annex Rasalhague and surrounding worlds, ending any independent Rasalhague state.  (See what happened to the Nova Cats when they went after the Ghost Bears on Alshain.)  The only way Rasalhague goes after Tamar or Alshain is if Rasalhague is already in a pitched war for survival against the Elsies or Snakes and thinks that a strike against those provincial capitals will force a Lyran or Combine retreat or cessation of hostilities.

3) Gordon, Kingsley, and Thorpe (GTK) was the primary/only battlemech manufacturer in Rasalhagian space prior to the Clan invasion.  Back then, they made Panthers, P-Hawks, and Archers on Rasalhague and Satalice, and, IIRC, AC/10s for the Hatchetman built in Lyran space.  Presumably GKT, or at least its factories under different ownership, existed during the Star League Era and prior to the Succession Wars, but that’s not in print anywhere, AFAIK.  Some firm also built the Axel tank (a clone of the Rommel) in Rasalhagian space prior to the Clan invasion, but I don’t think we know who.  In addition to this domestic production, the 20-Year Update states that the FRR buys mech production in equal quantities from Lyran and Combine manufacturers, leading to unusual pairings like Commandos/Panthers and Dragons/Zeuses in the Rasalhague TO&Es.  I imagine the same would hold true for an independent Rasalhague during the Star League Era.

All the other mech production in Rasalhagian space — Locust IIC by Bergman Industries, Marauder IIC 7 by GKT, Viking by Grumium Creations, Beowulf by Odin Manufacturing, etc. — is a product of Clan Wolf, Clan Ghost Bear, and/or ComStar taking over Rasalhague worlds and so doesn’t apply to an independent Rasalhague during the Star League Era.

4) Because the Draconis Combine was part of the Star League, Rasalhagians (at least the rebellious ones) viewed the Star League suspiciously and clashed with SLDF units on Rasalhagian worlds.  In fact, the history of the predecessor of the Eridani Light Horse — the SLDF’s 3rd Regimental Combat Team — starts with occupation of Rasalhagian worlds (most specifically Trondheim) after the Prince of Rasalhague has the 3rd RCT’s commander assassinated.

If Rasalhague has been independent all along and Rasalhagians don’t associate the Star League and SLDF with Combine oppression and the DCMS, it’s not clear what the relationship would have been between the Star League and Rasalhague.  My guess is that Rasalhague would have sought some sort of mutual defense relationship/treaty/protectorate status with the Star League and SLDF as a counterweight to Combine or Lyran interests that would otherwise gobble up Rasalhague and end its independence.  Rasalhague wants independence from the Combine and Lyran states above all.  But unlike the major Periphery states, Rasalhague doesn’t necessarily want independence from all Inner Sphere states.  If an alliance with the Terran Hegemony or some of the other three Great Houses allows the Rasalhagians to keep DCMS and LCAF forces off their worlds, then I think that’s what the Rasalhagians would do, rather than play the purely independent part of a major Periphery state.  And I’m sure the Terran Hegemony, FedSuns, and FWL would be more than happy to keep an independent Rasalhague as a thorn in the side of the Combine and Lyran states.

The one wild card here is the Rim Worlds Republic.  It’s possible that there might be an alliance between the RWR and Rasalhague.  The RWR capital of Apollo is not that far away, and presumably the RWR had some economic and military strength that could help Rasalhague maintain its independence.  But I’m not sure what’s in it for the RWR.  Unless Rasalhague specifically fit into Stefan Amaris’s plans or some other RWR scheme, I think RWR support for Rasalhague would be modest compared to the Terran Hegemony, FedSuns, and FWL.

Hope this helps... FWIW.

[Caesar Steiner for Archon]

The eight Fleets are organized around a single Samarkand Carrier. Obviously we don’t have the stats for them (sad face)

The Samarkand carrier, both versions, is in TRO: 3075

[Tyler Jorgensson]

The Samarkand carrier, both versions, is in TRO: 3075

I’m dumb… I have that book five feet away from me…. Thank you for pointing that out

Thanks to everyone for their replies and info. I’ll be looking at it over!

Also found some potentially cool information in 1SW. It actually gave a listing of the ships operating with the DCA Radstadt of the Sixth fleet, which participated in the Battle of Dieron. One Aegis, two Lola-I’s, and two Essex-I’s.

[Hellraiser]

1) Field Report 2765 lists the DCA Fleet and gives a ‘basic’ breakdown of the classes in the fleet. The eight Fleets are organized around a single Samarkand Carrier. Obviously we don’t have the stats for them (sad face) but they don’t list the breakdowns of the rest of the ships per fleet. Considering Rasalhague was a less trusted area of the Combine… why do YOU think went in those two DCA Fleets? Just asking opinions BUT if you have sources I missed please share lol

For reference: five Aegis, two Cruisers, five Baron’s, Five Essex-I’s, Five Lola-I’s, and four Vincent Mk. 39’s (I’ve eliminated the Narukami and the Vigilant because the FM notates there assignments).

Also found some potentially cool information in 1SW. It actually gave a listing of the ships operating with the DCA Radstadt of the Sixth fleet, which participated in the Battle of Dieron. One Aegis, two Lola-I’s, and two Essex-I’s.

With only 26 Ships spread around to 8 fleets & each Fleet commanded by a Carrier there isn't a lot of room for much variation.

That is barely 3 ships each, meaning each "Fleet" is really going to average out to a 4 ship "Squadron" in size.

The 6th Fleet is going to be an example of about as big as I can see it get with a full 5 ships added & none of them being a Corvette.

With only 7 "cruiser" sized ships, I doubt you'd see a double up of those and 1 fleet wont even have a larger ship.

Just throwing out some simple ideas w/ "pairs" of ships for logistics reasons & to match the 6th example on a smaller scale.

1-   Cruiser,   Baron *2
2-    Cruiser,   Baron *2
3-    Barron,   Essex-I,   Lola-I
4-   Aegis,   Essex-I *2
5-   Aegis,   Lola-I *2
6-   Aegis,   Essex-I *2,   Lola-I *2
7-   Aegis,   Vincent-39 *2
8-   Aegis,   Vincent-39 *2

The above gives you a trio of Destroyers for the 1 fleet that lacks a cruiser & every other fleet has a pair of Destroyers/Corvettes except the 6th which as noted had 2 pairs.

I don't have the DC book to know what fleet goes where so they could be mixed around in order to put "recon" ships like the Vincent on hostile borders or "newer"/"bigger"  ships like the Lola/Aegis also on hostile borders.
Weaker fleets could be inner/periphery locations.