Pirates and Bandit Kingdoms circa 3150

[Empyrus]

Just what canonical pirates there are around circa the Dark Age?
Because, unless we count the Marians as pirates, i don't know any. Is Tortuga still around?

Plus what would be recommended reading material, beyond Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions (even if it is unfortunately some 60-70 years behind the current time)?

This question popped in my mind today, got a vague idea for something pirate related but i realized all i know about them was that there was Oberon Confederation and others in coreward Periphery. Until the Clans wiped those out.

[CJC070]

Just what canonical pirates there are around circa the Dark Age?
Because, unless we count the Marians as pirates, i don't know any. Is Tortuga still around?

Plus what would be recommended reading material, beyond Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions (even if it is unfortunately some 60-70 years behind the current time)?

This question popped in my mind today, got a vague idea for something pirate related but i realized all i know about them was that there was Oberon Confederation and others in coreward Periphery. Until the Clans wiped those out.

The Oberon Confederation along with four other micro-states exist in that area of the Periphery (now called the Barrens) since the Clans left.  Some groups have approached the Hells Horses for assistance in pirate raids for the most part the only contact are merchants form the Sea Foxes.  Some of the Hells Horses forces on the border have been made aware of the pirate attacks but most only see combat from their Falcon neighbours.  Someone has supplied the Oberon Confederation with Battlemechs in 3140 but little has been done or heard since.

[Empyrus]

Wait, it came back?
I need sources, i have ideas  ;D

[kaliban]

I am not a fan at of Il Clan but probably the invasion of Earth by the Clans will trigger new conflicts in the Inner Sphere making the life easier for pirates and smugglers in the Periphery

[CJC070]

Wait, it came back?
I need sources, i have ideas  ;D

Sarna.net has most of this information.  Interstellar Expeditions is you want to be specific.

[Empyrus]

Sarna's articles tend to stop at Jihad, unfortunately. Hard to follow up without delving into books randomly.

ISP3 is on my re-read list but even then that is over 50 years behind the current times.

[glitterboy2098]

some articles have dark age materials. the moritorium period for using new sourcebooks and the fact that we don't really have a lot of info on a lot of the less major places so far mean there often just isn't anything to put.

[Empyrus]

some articles have dark age materials. the moritorium period for using new sourcebooks and the fact that we don't really have a lot of info on a lot of the less major places so far mean there often just isn't anything to put.

Sure, that i understand. Though i've noticed that there are articles with notes about needing expansion once moratorium is over... for products that were released a decade ago even.


Anyway. Started rethinking the possibility of playing Scorpions, and a pirate-themed OpFor would be more very nice.
It seems that closest organized potential enemies (ignoring small independent no-name bands and the Sea Foxes in the Chaine Cluster) are in the Barrens? Since there doesn't seem to be anything of note in the near anti-spinward Deep Periphery.
And these would be the New Oberon Confederation... and some others. I need a logo and a colored section in a map to stuff impressed to my mind to some extent at least... The Oberon Confederation presumably uses its old logo still.

EDIT But there doesn't seem to be any solid military information about the place.
Interstellar Expeditions implies Oberonias have a mix of Inner Sphere and Clan equipment, uses conventional equipment for defense, uses Clan-style organization (which i find weird even if they were occupied for a time)... but that's about it. No colors, no details.

[Metallgewitter]

There is also a mention that some of the "pirate" worlds have gotten some fortifications before the Clans left. I think it was implied that those realms were meant as a sort of speed bump / early warning post should the homeworld Clans ever come knocking.

[MDFification]

The current largest bandit kingdom (if you don't count the Marians) is the Rim Territories, who in 3150 are busying themselves successfully invading the Lyran Commonwealth.

Sadly there's not a lot of lore one these guys. They're based out of what used to be Morrison's Extractors turf, they've got a population descended from Lyran refugees but ruled over by pirates a la Circinus... but they haven't really been in the spotlight, so all we can do is speculate as to what it's actually like to live there or who's in charge. They like to rename planets they colonize from their old Rim Worlds Republic era names to edgy stuff like "Pain" or "Garrote" and are very much not welcomed as liberators on the Lyran worlds they seize. That's pretty much all we know about their characterization.

[Adacas]

Just what canonical pirates there are around circa the Dark Age?
Because, unless we count the Marians as pirates, i don't know any. Is Tortuga still around?

Plus what would be recommended reading material, beyond Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions (even if it is unfortunately some 60-70 years behind the current time)?

This question popped in my mind today, got a vague idea for something pirate related but i realized all i know about them was that there was Oberon Confederation and others in coreward Periphery. Until the Clans wiped those out.

No the Marians are not pirates whatever the FWL say

As for Pirates, I think that Tortuga is still there and unless they occupy and leave garrison in the worlds of Tortuga they will resurface again.

Outside of that there are many more pirates

The Worlds of Circinus are a pirate's cave, as well as the area of ​​space behind them, between New St Andrews and towards the former worlds of the RWR behind Lira, this in the Fluff Marian of 3145, the I Legio and another Legio that I do not remember were dedicated to making at least Four Campaigns to decimate what came out of that area, the I Legion was in charge of 10/15 bands of variable size in those campaigns and the troops of New St Andres quite often collide with various bands pirates, ditto the Lotharians

There are also pirates in the areas surrounding the Fronc, and another area where there are mentions of piracy are in the independent worlds of Marik that did not join the NFWL between the Rim Commonality and Andurien, if we are to the case there are mentions of small pirate gangs in worlds close to the Republic, to know if those are pirates or Black Ops from one of the many states in the area

[Colt Ward]

The current largest bandit kingdom (if you don't count the Marians) is the Rim Territories, who in 3150 are busying themselves successfully invading the Lyran Commonwealth.

Sadly there's not a lot of lore one these guys. They're based out of what used to be Morrison's Extractors turf, they've got a population descended from Lyran refugees but ruled over by pirates a la Circinus... but they haven't really been in the spotlight, so all we can do is speculate as to what it's actually like to live there or who's in charge. They like to rename planets they colonize from their old Rim Worlds Republic era names to edgy stuff like "Pain" or "Garrote" and are very much not welcomed as liberators on the Lyran worlds they seize. That's pretty much all we know about their characterization.

The Rim Territories get interesting if you compare it to the Chaos Irregulars stories- 2 of the founding members (Engadine & Main Street) are part of the coalition and then invade the 3rd that was hiring pirates back at that time.  Considering the set up in that story, what happens by 10 years later is a convoluted path.  Morrison was the one who renamed the worlds of Pain & Rack- one of which was actually a Star League Corp of Engineer world rather than a RWR.

Most you can get for their background is from By Blood Betrayed & Endgame at Engadine.

[MDFification]

Most you can get for their background is from By Blood Betrayed & Endgame at Engadine.

I didn't know about the Chaos Irregulars connection. Thanks! More Periphery lore is never a bad thing. Don't tell the devs I said that. They might write more, and then I'll have no choice but to buy it instead of paying rent.

[Pondering Radish]

I've been interested in the pirates that are active in ilClan and have been trying to track down what's currently active. So far all I've seen is the New Oberon Confederation, the Tortuga Dominions (probably), and the Black Dragon Society with how rough things have for them. Seems like a lot of bandit groups died in the fires of the Jihad as is tradition for many things in BattleTech. I'm wondering if I missed anything since I'm very interested in painting up an opfor with a pirate group that is currently active.

[Colt Ward]

Do not dismiss NOC, IIRC that is the faction founded by the new Red Hunter . . .

[Giovanni Blasini]

You know, this is the perfect opportunity for an Interstellar Expeditions 2 book that talks about the more longstanding Periphery factions that don't always get a lot of facetime in the mainline Periphery books, like New St. Andrew's, Randis, the Rim/Timbuktu Collection, Niops Association, and other dinky factions closer to the Inner Sphere than the last round of more far-flung worlds.

[CJC070]

I've been interested in the pirates that are active in ilClan and have been trying to track down what's currently active. So far all I've seen is the New Oberon Confederation, the Tortuga Dominions (probably), and the Black Dragon Society with how rough things have for them. Seems like a lot of bandit groups died in the fires of the Jihad as is tradition for many things in BattleTech. I'm wondering if I missed anything since I'm very interested in painting up an opfor with a pirate group that is currently active.

Can’t go wrong with the Oberon Confederation.  Someone supplied them with Battlemechs and considering the other barren factions were only supplied with tanks via the Clan Jade Falcons and Clan Hells Horses.  You could also use the colours of Bannsons Raiders since many of them have followed the Red Hunter into the Periphery.

[tassa_kay]

One of the RecGuide entries references stuff from the Black Marauder story about the Raven Alliance and Brotherhood of Randis teaming up to conduct ops against Tortuga.

[Gorgon]

There's also the Rim Territories, but we have even less info on them than the NOC. Hopefully we get a bit more on them in the future, if the Hinterlands get a bit more attention.

[DOC_Agren]

One of the RecGuide entries references stuff from the Black Marauder story about the Raven Alliance and Brotherhood of Randis teaming up to conduct ops against Tortuga.

Interesting team up.. 

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Can’t go wrong with the Oberon Confederation.  Someone supplied them with Battlemechs and considering the other barren factions were only supplied with tanks via the Clan Jade Falcons and Clan Hells Horses.  You could also use the colours of Bannsons Raiders since many of them have followed the Red Hunter into the Periphery.

The Hommies are behind it ;D

[Baldur Mekorig]

Interesting team up..

There have been some interesting alliances in that space sector. First Randis, the Calderon Protectorade and Filtvelt to deal with Tortuga. And then the Raven helping the Randis Knights with some pirates too. At least the Raven Watch.

[glitterboy2098]

The Hommies are behind it ;D

nah.. i'd vote Scorpion Empire. or the Sharkfoxes.

[CJC070]

The Hommies are behind it ;D

Ah yes the Homeworld Clans with their classic signature mechs the Quasit and Carbine.  And let’s not forget about half the mechs you can pick up in the periphery are stock models…. from 3039.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Ah yes the Homeworld Clans with their classic signature mechs the Quasit and Carbine.  And let’s not forget about half the mechs you can pick up in the periphery are stock models…. from 3039.

They of course cannot make it obvious, hence "inferior" mechs