The thing is that the MH is not that powerful. It is by periphery standards, but the number of legions it has is limited (regardless of the quality or lack thereof of its equipment). The MH has grabbed A LOT of territory in the last century, but it's legions have not expanded accordingly, basically because the grabbed territory is periphery quality, not triple A planets. I think the number of legions should be somewhat larger (or the number of canopian regiments lower) but the main problem is that, that the size of the military is small, so a long war is problematic. It is effective in a blitzkrieg, but it is a force that cannot stand a war of attrition.
If that makes it into a mook faction or not depends on your POV. I dislike the MH because of its slaver and falcon-like abuse of conquered populations trappings. Otherwise I would consider it to be a great faction worth playing.
To me. For being a mook faction they have been enjoying quite some time in the sunlight Inthe last 100 years. Compare that to how the FWL a supposedly core faction, fared. :)
Nevermind. Gonna shorten it down a lot so I sound less like a sleep deprived madman.
I disagree on the limelight and other points. Marians have recovered and nosedived from the Jihad and a secession where as the FWL fractured in a civil war and was reformed, while outlasting a two-part invasion, with pet clanners who can handwaive narrative conflicts by throwing a warship at them. They are doing spectacularly at the moment by comparison compared to the Marians since the Jihad. Battle armor and conventional arms upgrades are great, but they don't compare in anyway to
that of the lack of manufacturing specifications we've been griping about for who knows how long on mechs. The relative scope from Great House to Medium/major periphery power is obvious, but we are also talking in relevant terms of a province or other periphery powers.
Troop wise we're okay. None of the periphery realms are at a level that can take on a full great house. Rereading SF can gleam insight into the tactical filler blunder we have: Two legions, IV and VI split off from Tamarind and attacked the RC and Magistry for whatever ingenious reason. Legio V was destroyed because of an ambush while it was too green. Legio I (minus the tertia cohort which is kia) and the Morituri still in reserve while II and III are fighting the massed bulk of mercs and Tamarind forces between Illyria and the contested Tamarind worlds captured. So we spread too thin in a short time.
Also going to say that the context of 3025 to post 4th succession wars the BT morale compass is relative and as you said factions are based on perspective, but I believe that is just what shade of morale grey you think someone is. When you read into the MH the amount of raids since the nation legitimized from a pirate kingdom sort of slows down, and slavery laws are regulated similarly to the Clan's indentured servitude of bondsmen. You should be able to tell the nuances from being a freed Plebian in the MH or ranking out and up to warrior in a clan. Everyone raids in this setting, piracy to mercenaries to House and clan invasions is a moot opinion to stand a chair leg on.
Lastly, the MHAF learned not to mistreat planets they conquered from Julius. The Lothian uprising and secession was from the Jihad after the bombings and the Wobbies and culminated with a different direction going along with the trend of enhancing the diverse backgrounds of periphery minor factions. This has had the unfortunate consequence of somewhat stunting the Taurians and Marians development wise.
I meant the neoFWL and Andurien might both go for a land grab in Liao space if they throw most of the CCAF against Terra.
I dunno why Andurien would go after Liao space but I don't know a lot still. I'm not really sure what the political goal of the FWL once the Andurien/Regulan situation is resolved but my guess would be stabilization and maybe arms buildup in response to the Wolf Empire becoming Ilclan.
I suspect the hinted Wolf worlds who want to return to the FWL from the recguide might instigate a counter invasion, who knows.