"Geographical" features of the Inner Sphere space

[Empyrus]

While pondering how to assign landmarks in a BattleTech scenario for Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (more on that in another thread and time), I started wondering about what kind of space each Successor State occupies.
I believe Handbook: House Kurita notes that there's this massive "Draconis Rift" (if i'm not mixing it with something else) in the Draconis Combine that is sparsely settled, a stellar desert if you will. Also, DC worlds in general seem to be somewhat resource poor. I think other Handbooks made some remarks about the planets in general in the other Successor States...
Do other sections of space in the Inner Sphere have their own traits? Artificial or natural things, both are accepted.

The worlds nearest to Earth, the Hegemony worlds, were all advanced, well terraformed thanks to the Hegemony technology. A paradise of the Inner Sphere... until its pillaging once the Hegemony was gone.

If i recall correctly, the Kerensky Cluster is overall rather hostile and has limited resources. I do wonder if this means the worlds were poorly suited for human life in general or metal-poor or both, or something like that. In any case, it is also a stellar wasteland of sorts.

I'm also under impression that the Periphery worlds in general are poorer than those of the Inner Sphere, though it is a bit unclear if the IS is kind of a stellar paradise as a whole with a lot of good worlds to settle in or if the Periphery's issues merely stem from their lack of technological sophistication.

A lot of the Federated Suns worlds are relatively undeveloped but again, this seems to be a quirk of the nation rather than the planets there being exceptionally well suited for this.

Anything else?


Given Battletech's kind of realistic trappings, i think the space in BTU is generally rather homogeneous and lacking easily distinguished sections mostly, unlikely some science fiction works (eg the Unknown Regions of Star Wars where it is almost impossible to travel in hyperspace). But it is interesting to find those rare oddities.

[Nerroth]

There are four sector maps for the Deep Periphery in Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions; each of which shows a range of "terrain features" extending out from beyond the edge of the Inner Sphere. (So far as I'm aware, ISP3 is the first publication to show the spinward, anti-spinward, and rimward Deep Periphery sectors in that level of detail.)

[Empyrus]

Sarna has that map, i think. Probably a book i should get at some point, is it any good? It is pretty damn interesting map for sure. Inspiring... though for other things than my scenario.
I am mostly interested in Inner Sphere features with some actual details (if possible), some place merely having a "nebula" isn't telling much. That said, i'm not opposed to discussing here either, will be interesting to see if this discussion will take off and if so, how it will evolve.

Speaking of nebulas, there's this small "Dark Nebula" or such in the Lyran space... or well, now Clan-space. Not sure what it does or contains or is though.

[ColBosch]

ISP3 is fantastic. Lots of yummy sci-fi goodness!

[Empyrus]

Do i need ISP 1 and 2 or are they all unrelated other than in name?

[ColBosch]

Unrelated but in name. Each is basically stand-alone.

[Empyrus]

Oh, good. So each one has a different theme.
I will keep ISP3 in mind the next time i'll be shopping for BT books.

(I got my Jihad books today, minus Hot Spots '72 which i needed to get elsewhere. That's a lot of reading there...)

So, back to geographical features... or is it spatiographical? Stellagraphical?

[Nerroth]

If you have any sort of interest in the Periphery - or in the after-echoes of the Blakist Jihad or Clan Wars of Reaving - it's a highly recommended volume.

Also, I find it interesting that people think of the Dark Nebula as being in "Lyran" space, since it had been part of the Rim Worlds Republic prior to Operation ALMARIC. But the nebula does have historical relevance, since Camelot Command (the former SLDF base dramatized in an episode of that holo adventure series based on a young Adam Steiner's exploits) was located in its depths.

[Empyrus]

Well, once the Lyrans took over the Rim World territory, it became part of the Inner Sphere. At least in my mind. The border between the IS and Periphery is largely arbitrary after all.

*Writes down: Camelot Command in Dark Nebula, some sort bonus from SMAC equivalent*

[Kentares]

The old Explorers Corp book gives many "rumours" (sort of ISP books) about the periphery also IIRC...

[Sartris]

Do i need ISP 1 and 2 or are they all unrelated other than in name?

As Bosch said, ISP is a standalone series. They primary act as half sourcebook, half GM plothooks generator that allow you to integrate the conspiratorial side of the BTU. They are designed to be as canon as you want them to be in your own campaigns (but may or may not be actually true).

[Frabby]

Check the Sarna entry for the Dark Nebula. Besides Camelot Command, by method of elimination we determined it also harbor the Erit Cluster (of Decision at Thunder Rift fame) and perhaps even the Lyran fleet base of Drune II.

[skiltao]

A lot of the Federated Suns worlds are relatively undeveloped but again, this seems to be a quirk of the nation rather than the planets there being exceptionally well suited for this.

Habitable star systems are spread more thinly in the Suns than in other realms, which makes them harder to develop than worlds of other realms. (Also harder to administer and defend.)

Also, DC worlds in general seem to be somewhat resource poor. I think other Handbooks made some remarks about the planets in general in the other Successor States...

The original worlds of the Alliance of Galedon were poor, and Drac worlds are (like everyone else) poorer than Lyran worlds; I'm not sure how poor the rest of Combine would be, though. Mendrugo has made a good argument for that being a result of policy.

I believe Handbook: House Kurita notes that there's this massive "Draconis Rift" (if i'm not mixing it with something else) in the Draconis Combine that is sparsely settled, a stellar desert if you will.
<snip>
I'm also under impression that the Periphery worlds in general are poorer than those of the Inner Sphere, though it is a bit unclear if the IS is kind of a stellar paradise as a whole with a lot of good worlds to settle in or if the Periphery's issues merely stem from their lack of technological sophistication.

IIRC, the Draconis Rift marks the Combine's periphery border, and there's another rift on the edge of Rim Worlds Republic (née Rift Republic) space. (House Marik: The Free Worlds League also mentions a big gap in Lyran space between Smolnik and Tharkad.) So, to a certain extent, the Periphery really does have fewer habitable worlds than an equivalent slice of Inner Sphere space. But not as many worlds in the Periphery were made habitable by terraforming, either, and the Periphery nations find it harder to support marginal colonies than the Successor States do.

Here's MW1e's account of colonization:
By 2116, first permanent space colony established on Tau Ceti IV (New Earth).
In 2172, more than 100 settled Human colonies spread across a sphere 80 LY in diameter.
2177 onward, Rudolph Ryan stimulates colonization of many worlds previously believed uninhabitable.
In 2235, more than 600 worlds have Human colonies.
Latter half of the 23rd Century sees over 1500 new planets and extends the Human Sphere beyond 150 LY from Sol.
In 2314, the Terran Alliance collapses (presumably ending Terran colonization).
From 2398 to 2597, nations are mostly at war.
Between 2600 and 2700, more than 750 new worlds had been settled, including Inner Sphere worlds it wasn't economical to settle before. This new wave of colonization continues at least until 2750.
In 2751, Simon Cameron dies, and everyone's thoughts turn to war.

Incidentally, the Ceti Hussars entry in House Davion: The Federated Suns calls New Earth "a small world in the Emporia star system." It makes me think the New Earth Trading Company turned Tau Ceti into a system-wide emporium.

I've been examining the Free Worlds League pretty closely, and big provinces appear to be more densely populated than independent worlds, especially the farther you get from Terra. The 3025 FWL has "over 400" settled worlds, and only 333 star systems marked on its map. The FWL is unique in having such a large water-purification corporation (Curtiss Hydrosystems, with the remains of the Ryan Cartel) which may explain why it has so many worlds.

In the old House sourcebooks, the Draconis Combine claims about 350 settled worlds, but has 400-some stars marked on its map; the Lyran Commonwealth is similar. At least one of the Lyran stars (CMO#26) is probably unsettled, and BattleTechnology had one of the named Draconis systems inhabited only by a space habitat.

The Capellans average 2 worlds per inhabited star system, and are more densely populated than the worlds of other states. It's not clear how much is due to differences in natural habitability, terraforming, or state policy.

Anything else?

The modern Outworlds Alliance is at the center of a region of space called "The Outer Sphere," which possibly stretches from the Draconian Rift down to Tortuga.