The Coming Storm

by Robert Merlow

3020. Eight years before the 4th Succession War. With the Inner Sphere on the precipice, a new player enters the great game. Two interlopers, united by hardship and displaced in a galaxy of perpetual war are set to completely up-end the balance and thrust the galaxy into a future that was once written. Based on the BattleTech roundtable "An Entry with a Bang" from spacebattles.

5. Supplemental - ISA Technology Primer

ISA Technology Primer

Foreword

The technological prowess of the Independent Systems Alliance was forged and founded through rigorous hardship over decades of inter-universal wandering. Forced from their home universe, they utilized every tool at their disposal to ensure their survival and ability to thrive in all conditions. From the largest vessels in the Migrant Fleet to the ubiquitous cybernetic technologies in use at every level of society, the technological edge honed over time and conflict resulted in the wonders of warfare they wield to this day. Any and every opportunity to further develop the technologies/techniques of the ISA were taken from their travels: battlefield salvage gained fighting against the savage Brotherhood; alien ruins catalogued and studied for new methods and ideas; ancient programs from the beginnings of the collective histories of the nations of the Migrant Fleet picked apart and analyzed for their viability. No figurative and literal stone was left unturned in their travels.

With the inclusion of a twenty-first century Earth and more novel approaches in technology from the Helm and New Dallas Memory Cores, technological development has increased in a rate not seen since the founding of the original nations of the Alliance. Earth, with the revelation that they are no longer trapped on their world and the renaissance that comes with severe technological infusion, has contributed large swaths of innovation to the ISA at large.

Catalogued are some of the fruits of the long migration. This list is ever expanding, with new discoveries and past projects added as their importance is recognized.

Dreadnaught Vessels

· Atredies-Class Vessel

Atredies-class vessels are the most advanced Dreadnaughts in the Independent Systems Alliance. Constructed over the years in the safest place in the multiverse (an artificially sustained bubble universe), these vessels were designed to surpass the capitol ships of their home universe. These vessels can sustain deep space operations for extended periods of time, often operating more as space stations rather than a typical dreadnaught. That isn't to say that these vessels are incapable of direct combat. These are the most maneuverable and heavily armed dreadnaughts in human space. Supported by an internal swarm of fighter and bomber craft, they are estimated to have the equivalent firepower of other nation's entire fleets. These vessels also are the flagships of their respective fleets, representing the military might of the ISA in one vessel.

· Corrino-Class Vessel

Corrino-class vessels are those dreadnaughts that were incorporated into the ISA from the other nations that fled with the Migrant Fleet away from imminent disaster. The result is what appears to be a ramshackle group of dreadnaughts from all over. This disorganization is only skin deep. Decades of service and refits have standardized the technology and armament of these ships. Each of these vessels has a very similar armament, use similar computer systems, and operate using the same tactics as one another. The differences that remained remind all members of the ISA of their diverse background. These vessels are capable of extended missions and are often utilized as the flagships of fleets.

· Fremen-Class Vessel

Fremen-class vessels are dedicated planetary carriers designed specifically for planetary invasion and planetary defense maneuvers. Lessons learned in the numerous conflicts conducted by and against the ISA necessitated the resurrection and reimagining of an old concept of naval warfare: the carrier. While existing dreadnaughts carried their own compliments of aerospace assets, they were lacking in the ability to quickly deploy ground forces to a battlefield. The standard compliment of marines on capitol ships were not enough to conduct a real campaign on a planet. The Fremen-class was developed to meet this gap in the naval arsenal. These vessels are noted for their expanded fabrication capabilities and their large troop and fighter capacity. Reduced somewhat in terms of pure firepower, it is considered even more powerful than the Atredies-class or the Corrino-class in terms of projected power. The ability of the Fremen-class to land a Corps-worth of infantry and vehicles with orbital platforms and aerospace fighter/bomber support make the Fremen-class the most feared of the ISA's dreadnaught-sized vessels.

Cruiser Vessels

· Harkonnen-Class Vessel

Harkonnen-class vessels are the workhorses of the ISA. These vessels operate all over ISA and disputed systems as peacekeepers and explorers. The primary mission of Harkonnen skippers is to maintain order and be military ambassadors to the groups they have direct contact with. These vessels are a hardy class, capable of holding the line until the rest of the fleet can respond, able to shrug off unbelievable amounts of damage while responding in kind with their own withering firepower. Skippers of these vessels have the authorization to command small flotillas and take command of larger fleets if the need arises.

· Gesserit-Class Vessel

Gesserit-class vessels are the stealth cruisers of the ISA Navy. Based off the classified Liberty destroyer LSV Artemis, these ships are the ISA's go to infiltration/special operations vessels. Specially designed for extended independent operations, they can be out of contact for years at a time and be light years away from ISA space. In fleet actions, the Gesserit class is utilized to harass flanks and isolated ships, allowing the main body to maintain cohesion and conduct their primary assault. It is not uncommon for Gesserit class skippers to be very independent and be tasked with transporting special operations groups deep behind enemy lines. There are significantly less Gesserit-class vessels than the venerable workhorse Harkonnens, but more are considered for construction as the ISA reestablishes itself and retools for large scale naval production.

Destroyer Vessels

· Sardaukar-Class Vessel

Sardaukar-class vessels are the multi-purpose destroyers that allow for additional firepower that fighters and bombers cannot provide, along with important screening and support roles. Against larger capitol ships, these destroyers utilize massive anti-capitol ship torpedoes: missiles with large warheads designed to pierce shields and hit the armor of a vessel. Against fighters and bombers, the Sardaukar-class uses its compliment of smaller lasers and missiles to keep up with and destroy the smaller craft, effectively screening larger vessels against the potential swarms of aerospace fighters and bombers.

· Tleilax-Class Vessel

Tleilax-class vessels are a continuation of the Liberty LSV Artemis. The stealth technology pioneered on the Artemis allowed for the wide proliferation of Stealth Drive technology among the ISA Armed Forces. Despite this, it was not discounted those small, nimble reconnaissance vessels were still needed in the fleet. The original design was compact and completely dedicated to recon and deep space assignment. The design team in charge of the Tleilax-class took the Artemis design, upscaled it by a factor of two, and expanded its mission parameters. No longer pigeonholed into the original mission parameters, the Tleilax-class can fulfill vital roles in fleet maneuvers and combat previously not considered. With their oversized jump drives for their size, they are significantly more maneuverable than other ships of their size. They are also heavily armed for their size, featuring weapons usually reserved for cruisers. Despite the obvious advantages of the design, there are far fewer Tleilax-classes in service in comparison to the Sadaukar, mostly due to the complexity of the design and the material requirements. Enough exist for the ISA to field four Task Groups-worth of vessels, each lead by a Gesserit-class. The ISA still prefers to utilize the Tleilax in its original mission role: deep reconnaissance.

Transport Vessels

· Baliset-Class Vessel

Baliset-class vessels are the ISA's primary troop carrier. These transports are equipped with their own jump drive, pulse lasers, stealth drive, and missiles. Their standard compliment includes two Ix Main Battle Tanks, two Vernius Infantry Fighting Vehicles, accompanying crews, and four squads of infantry. This leaves plenty of space for additional equipment, cargo needs, shared quarters, even basic amenities such as showers and restrooms. This was deemed necessary as Balisets may be expected to carry out long distance and long-term deployments either behind enemy lines or deep in enemy space. If necessary, larger vessels such as Gesserits or Dreadnaught-sized vessels can leave behind fully crewed Balisets and have those transports meet them in another system.

· Kitsune-Class Vessel

Kitsune-class vessels are the ISA's first attempt at a flexible space-borne transport for civilians and dignitaries. Much of the ISA's history and reliance on their military arm for most matters shelved the idea of lightly armed and armored transports. Civilian and military leaders opted to rely on capitol ships for their heavy transport needs, as trade with other nations wasn't possible over the decades of wandering. With the establishment of a permanent settlement on Cradle, the incorporation of an early twenty-first century Earth into the ISA, and close contact with other nations, the ISA saw it necessary to establish true logistics that were capable of self-defense without the dedication of a full naval task group. Enter the Kitsune. Produced natively on Cradle and designed by MSI's Naval Design Bureau, it is capable of immense cargo capacity without leaving the vessel defenseless. Shields, batteries of rail guns, pulse lasers, missiles and torpedoes allow the vessel to defend itself against potential pirates and marauding ne'er do wells. The modularity of the cargo pods design allows for a mix of carrying capacity, passenger capacity, passenger comfort, or anything the mission requires. These vessels are the first vessels in decades to not be dedicated to military service.

· Gram-Class Vessel

Named after the mythological sword that slew the dragon Fafnir, the Gram-class is a new class of vessel based on the Excalibur DropShip. SAAB and Daimler-Chrysler identified the need for a new class of vessel known in the source material as a Pocket WarShip. Though the industrial capacity of Earth and the expanding Independent Systems Alliance severely outpaced the rest of the Inner Sphere, it was acknowledged that even with the full naval might of the ISA deployed they would still be hard pressed to provide adequate protection to their expanding borders. Given said territory expansion and the potential of widespread warfare, the need for an economic option for interstellar combat was identified. The Excalibur-class DropShip was identified as a suitable basis for Earth's first production Pocket WarShips. The vehicle and 'mech bays along with the troop decks were replaced by aerospace hangars, more weapons, and increased armor and defense systems. The hull was redesigned to allow for the rapid deployment of the stored two aerospace squadrons in atmosphere and for interstellar conflict. The primary weapon systems of the Gram are a spinally installed rail gun and a battery of anti-capitol ship torpedoes complimented by pulse lasers, particle accelerators, missile batteries, and drones. The Gram also carries a company of infantry to deal with local security and boarding attempts. This vessel is also capable of independently jumping, same as all Earth and ISA DropShips to allow for independent operation and to alleviate concerns of being stranded if the JumpShip or supporting naval vessels must be redeployed to other theatres.

· Citadel-Class Vessel

Dassault, member of the Lockheed Consortium, recognized the need of Earth and the ISA to have DropShips capable of clearing their own landing zone. While the Baliset was impressive, capable of extended operations and rapid deployment, they did not have the raw carry capacity of many of the DropShips in the Inner Sphere. To rectify this, engineers and designers looked at the schematics of the Fortress-class DropShip. The impressive capability of the vessel to land with twelve 'mechs, twelve vehicles, three platoons of infantry, and enough firepower to ward off hostiles made the design the perfect starting point for their new class of vessel. The Citadel-class carries an impressive array of rotary rail guns, missiles, pulse lasers, particle accelerators and twin auto-loading artillery pieces to clear the landing zone and provide fire support to the combined arms force along with ISA-spec shields and ISA/Star League composite armor to resist attack. Space saved with hybrid ISA/Star League material science breakthroughs allow for a full four platoons of infantry and sufficient luxuries for the crew and soldiers within. The Citadel-class is designed to be a local command and control center to coordinate forces on the ground while also synchronizing with the rest of the military apparatus at large.

· Dragon-Class Vessel

Lockheed and Mikoyan worked together on the Dragon-class and its sister the Wyvern-class. Both vessels use the designs of the Leopard CV and Buccaneer DropShips as a basis with important differences. The wings are placed above the main fuselage rather than below, the capacity has been expanded to accommodate more combat space, and improved stability. The stability was essential in the primary mission of the Dragon-class: fire support. Given the success of the original three Leopard CV DropShips converted into gunships, they sought to create a better dedicated gunship platform. The Leopard CV's small wingspan limited the ability of the craft to maintain sustained fire on enemy forces. Designers took this into account and built the Dragon-class with this mission in mind. The broadside armament of the converted Leopard CVs is maintained, with eight rotary rail guns and six auto-loading one hundred fifty-five-millimeter artillery pieces with fabricators to match. Added into the broadside armament are four pulse laser arrays to quickly slice through lighter armor and pinpoint targets if area effect weapons are unnecessary. To facilitate target engagement, the entire broadside platform can rotate about the fuselage to fire from either side of the craft. For self-defense, the Dragon has a number of pulse lasers, missile pods, ISA/Star League composite armor, and ISA-spec shields.

· United-Class Vessel

Spearheaded by the Lockheed Consortium, the United-class vessels are Earth's first domestically produced interstellar ships. Designed for the civilian market, the United still carries enough armament to deter pirate bands and small naval task units. Utilizing breakthroughs from the Memory Cores and ISA technical assistance, the vessel is capable of large cargo capacity and designed to mate with Earth-designed and Inner Sphere-designed DropShips. The design also incorporates entirely Earth-produced weapons, armor, shields and Transit Drives, the Earth variant of ISA jump drives. The United maintains the relative luxury as standard on ISA vessels but at almost half the material requirement of the Kitsune-class. Though it only carries two-thirds the cargo of the MSI design, the material requirement reduction along with docking capability with DropShips were deemed a sufficient trade for the sheer protection and survivability of the Kitsune. This reduction in material requirement also allows for faster construction of additional vessels. Lockheed and its partners predict a rate of construction of six a year, with construction increasing as the construction process improves over time.

Aerospace Craft

· Fedaykin-Class Fighter

The F-11 Fedaykin-class fighter are the latest in a proud line of ISA stealth fighter craft. Able to mount a small rail gun, pulse lasers, and missiles, the Fedaykin are the last word in aerospace superiority. With a stealth drive, these fighters are unable to be targeted by every kind of known sensor suite. Using this active sensor shielding, Fedaykin can either close the distance and engage with their lasers or simply stay at stand-off ranges and engage with a railgun and missiles. Against naval threats, the Fedaykin is generally considered a support player, screening bombers and taking out more nimble threats so the swarms of bombers and destroyers can engage their targets. These fighters are fitted with microfabricator technology and a small jump drive. This allows for extended deployment periods and the ability to disengage even without the immediate presence of friendly forces.

· Lightning III-Class Multirole Fighter

The F-12 Lightning III-class multirole fighter is one of the newest aerospace craft introduced into the arsenal of the ISA. Developed by Lockheed Martin in a bid to compete with the Fedaykin fighter, it is a paradoxically less expensive alternative to the mainline aerospace superiority fighter. The Lightning III has a similar armament capability to the Fedaykin and similar microfabricator technology. Ditching the comparatively complex stealth drive and independent jump capability of the Fedaykin in favor of domestically produced stealth armor composites and expanded internal weapons bays. These concessions allow the F-12 to be a competitive option to the F-11 when the need for independent operation is unnecessary and to reduce production costs. Notable potential adoption of the F-12 includes many of the former 'western' nation-states of Earth. Widespread adoption remains limited in mainline ISA fleets, but may increase as material cost considerations and manufacturing capacity ramps up. ISA mission planners estimate production capacity of the fighter at two-and-a-half to one in comparison to the Fedaykin in terms of materials and assembly time.

· Su-60-Class Fighter

The F-13 Su-60-class fighter, called Felon by former NATO observers, is the Sukhoi Corporation's latest in aerospace technology. Derived from their T-50 project, enhanced by ISA technological assistance, the Su-60 represents Russia's greatest technological achievement in aerospace to date. Designed to lead Russian forces in aerospace missions, the craft kept the jump capability of the Fedaykin and dropped the stealth drive, sticking with a stealth armor composite. Considered near comparable to the Fedaykin in terms of the maneuverability and armament, the Su-60 is meant to be fielded by first-line pilots and for similar mission profiles as the Fedaykin. The stealth armor composite is considered more than sufficient to obscure the fighter in combat and strike their targets with reduced chance of retaliation. More complex than the MiG-50, it is still considered a contender for ISA member-state adoption for its capabilities and the pride of being one of Earth's most capable aerospace craft produced domestically. ISA mission planners see production capacity at one-and-one-half to one compared to the Fedaykin in terms of materials and assembly time. Plans are already in place to produce a frontline squadron of Su-60s for Earth's first domestically produced interstellar fleet.

· MiG-50-Class Aerospace Interceptor

The F-14 MiG-50-class aerospace interceptor, called Foxhunter by former NATO observers, is Mikoyan's entry into the aerospace defense arena. Like their compatriots at Lockheed Martin, the MiG-50 forgoes the stealth drive and independent jump capabilities for stealth armor composites and increased internal weapons capacity. Spurred on by ISA technological assistance and the Lockheed Consortium's sharing of their stealth technology, the MiG-50 reintroduces the simplicity and reliability of the venerable MiG-21 to the arsenal of the member-states of the ISA. While somewhat less capable in all aspects compared to the Fedaykin, it is more than compensated by the relative simplicity of design and the capabilities of the optional VTOL systems in a dogfight. Estimates made by ISA mission planners see the production capacity of MiG-50s at an impressive four-to-one compared to the Fedaykin in terms of materials and assembly time. Pilot training times are also considered lower as the electronics and sensor suite are simplified for potential pilots and any discrepancies are compensated by the neuro-helmet design. Member-states with smaller pilot pools and more limited maintenance capacity have already lined up to purchase fighters and licenses to manufacture the MiG-50 to help keep pace in a potentially hostile galaxy.

· Fish Dancer-Class Bomber

The B-7 Fish Dancer-class bomber is the ISA's workhorse bomber. Unlike the venerable Fedaykin fighters, Fish Dancer design hasn't changed much in the last fifty years. Obvious upgrades such as the inclusion of a stealth drive and the increase of payloads were done, but the design of the bomber has remained the same. Capable of anti-capital ship missions or surface bombing, the Fish Dancers are versatile and deadly. In atmosphere, they can directly bomb targets with precision weapons, standard gravity bombs, or guided high-yield missiles. In space, the standard armament always includes anti-capital ship torpedoes, capable of inflicting hellish damage to a ship's hull.

Vehicles

· Ix Main Battle Tank

The MBT-9 Ix Main Battle Tank is the hammer of the ISA's ground craft. With the myriad of ground vehicles in the ISA arsenal, it was necessary to standardize on a single main battle tank design. Utilizing experiences from multiple conflicts, the design was finalized after the last major war the ISA participated in. The Ix was designed to be faster, more heavily armored, and more easily deployable than other tanks of its class. Tracked and weighing in at eighty metric tons, the Ix armament includes: a main rail gun; three pulse lasers, one turret mounted, two hull mounted; and a missile rack with built-in fabricator. The tank's main advantage is its deployment capability. Two Ix tanks can be loaded comfortably aboard Baliset-class transports, with a maximum of four if the internals of the transport are reconfigured.

· Vernius Infantry Fighting Vehicle

The IFV-12 Vernius Infantry Fighting Vehicle is the ISA's multi-purpose fighting vehicle. Originally developed as a test bed for the ISA's self-repairing armor technology, the wheeled Vernius has evolved into a multitude of roles. Command, emergency response, light artillery, fire support, the modular design allows it to be refit for a variety of mission types at a moment's notice. The base model weighs in at thirty-five metric tons and is capable of deploying a standard squad of twelve infantry or eight Erinyes-equipped power armor infantry. Notable are reconnaissance variants of the vehicle fitted for rapid insertion within Tleilax-class destroyers.

· MacArthur Main Battle Tank

While many of the other nations of Earth were tooling up for 'mech production, the United States military saw fit to replace its now completely outmoded armored forces. Before the invasion of Earth, the United States sported what could be termed the most high-tech military force on the planet. After, they found that if they didn't have the assistance of the ISA, they would have been completely outmatched in a straight slugging match. To rectify this, designers at General Dynamics looked to the Memory Cores and ISA assistance to create a new main battle tank design. The M2 MacArthur is the product of this collaboration. Weighing in at seventy-five metric tons, the MacArthur took the revolutionary rotary rail gun technology and built the tank around that. It rounded out the rest of its weapons with a roof-mounted pulse laser, a coaxial pulse laser, and a pair of turret-mounted missile pods. The armor profile is a ferro-fibrous ISA composite that grants more protection per ton than the original ferro-fibrous specifications. This defensive compliment is rounded out with an ISA-spec shield system. All ammunition-dependent weapons are fitted with fabricators and auto-loading systems to maintain fire rate and ensure deployment endurance without sacrificing internal space. To simplify maintenance and potential mechanical failures, the power pack of the tank (transmission, engine, etc.) is able to be hot-swapped and crew survivability is maintained by having each of its three crew members having a 'mech inspired ejection system. All this combat capability is augmented by VI support and a roof-mounted drone that can provide close in fire support and repair duties in battle.

· Black Panther Light BattleMech

Following the disastrous war waged by Beijing in their attempt to seize Russian gold and oil in Siberia, the Chinese military was in desperate need to rebuild its armed forces. The losses incurred from the United States Air Force and entrenched Russian armor forced a reorganization of the Chinese military and exacerbated a need for new armored vehicles. To meet this demand, Norinco was tasked with creating China's first generation of BattleMechs to replace the savaged Type-96 and Type-99 Main Battle Tank divisions. Wanting to maintain current armored doctrine of mobile warfare, the thirty-five metric ton Type-9 Black Panther Light BattleMech is designed for rapid deployment and mobile fire. To achieve this, its main weapon is an arm-mounted one-hundred-five-millimeter rifled rotary cannon inspired by the rotary rail guns pioneered before the second invasion of Earth. This reliance on conventional ammunition limits the effectiveness of the onboard fabricators and the volatility of ammunition does have the potential for explosion, but this is mitigated by the size of the ammunition and the installation of storage solutions derived from Star League cellular ammunition storage equipment technology. The use of a more conventional cannon also allows for ammunition flexibility and compatibility with existing stocks of NATO ammunitions considered outmoded by ISA railgun technology. The rest of the weapons loadout consists of head-mounted QCJ-88 heavy machine guns, and twin arm-mounted upgraded Inner Sphere lasers. The defensive compliment consists of ISA-spec shields, ferro-fibrous ISA composite, and jump jets for improved mobility. Unlike the overwhelming majority of ISA vehicles, the anti-missile duty is handled by the machine guns which are in a quad-mount array. The decision to rely on more conventional weapons and upgrade packs for Inner Sphere-spec lasers allow the Black Panther to be produced in incredible numbers, which the Chinese desperately need in order to rebuild their military forces and to provide the ISA an inexpensive 'mech for second-line deployment.

· Nergal Light BattleMech

The 'Gods of War' BattleMech line demanded a light 'mech to provide fire support to infantry and the new Erinyes Power Armor system along with fulfilling a reconnaissance role. The BML-3 Nergal was designed to meet that goal. Maintaining the quadrupedal design of the 'Gods of War' line, the Nergal is fitted with a center-mounted missile pod and twin arm-mounted pulse lasers as standard. Gone is the rotary rail gun of the Bishamonten, instead replaced by two small deployable drones. This allows the 'mech to maintain superior survivability expected of ISA platforms and helps increase battlefield visibility. The two drones are armed with a pair of Inkvine launchers and a minifabricator that allows for a respectable rate of fire and battlefield presence. The RAM composite armor remains, along with an active ECM system to allow the Nergal to infiltrate enemy lines and fulfil its reconnaissance role. The jump jets are preserved and downsized to match the thirty-five metric ton chassis. Modularity is maintained, but the standard loadout is determined to fulfill the roles intended and provide the most firepower for the appropriate level of investment.

· Bishamonten Medium BattleMech

After extensive fighting on Antallos, the Kartikeya proved its worth though it was not without flaws. First generation Radar Absorbent Material composite armor proved it was much more susceptible to the elements than the designers would have liked. The joints in the arms and legs required more repair in extended deployments. The jump jets were underpowered and strained to propel the heavy 'mech the three-hundred meters a bound as stated in the specifications. While refits to the Kartikeya were ongoing, MSI decided to expand their line of 'mechs to cover every weight class in the Inner Sphere. The BMM-2 Bishamonten is the medium variant of the 'Gods of War' BattleMech line. Downsizing the rotary rail gun to fit the smaller chassis and maintaining the same jump jets used in the heavy 'mech, the rest of the standard armament has been shifted to energy or particle weaponry. Twin arm-mounted particle cannons and four center-mounted small pulse lasers give this 'mech serious punch while increasing its mobility over its larger counterpart. Upgraded RAM composite armor cut the sensor signature to near nothing, forcing enemies to utilize manual targeting while the systems of the Bishamonten remain just as lethal. The jump jets originally fitted to the Kartikeya allow for mobility of the platform that can easily match its larger counterpart and even allow for shorter intervals between jumps. Due to the heat requirements of more energy weapon systems and the possibility of more jumps, this 'mech has been fitted with an active heat management system not dissimilar to Star League coolant pods, just more sophisticated in design and deployment. Loadout flexibility is maintained, as is standard with ISA native platforms. The interchangeability of a majority of the components with the rest of the 'Gods of War' line allow for more rapid manufacture and reduced logistical strain.

· Kartikeya Heavy BattleMech

The BMH-1 Kartikeya is the ISA's first foray into BattleMech design. Upright, walking 'mech design was something that Malakitona State Industries had been toying with for decades. Prototypes, simulated models, methods of construction, optimal legged layout, many lessons were learned from years of experimentation. With the opportunity to study the numerous examples of 'mechs within the Inner Sphere, the ISA came up with a design that aims to solve many of the shortcomings of 'mechs in combat. Something they noted was the prevalence of bipedal designs. There were no quadrupedal designs in the examples presented to them in their initial encounters, and bipeds suffer from stability problems when a force is applied to the taller areas of the chassis. To solve stability problems and improve mobility, MSI's RnD Division went with a quadrupedal design. Jump Jets come standard, allowing the 'mech to move up to an impressive three-hundred meters in a single bound. Its armament is a single rotary rail gun; twin arm-mounted pulse lasers; and twin missile pods with fabricators to match. Armor profile is ISA standard, except for upgraded Radar Absorbent Material based on Earth's technology. Weighing in at seventy-five metric tons, the ISA has broken into 'mech production. The Kartikeya serves as the basis for all native ISA BattleMech design.

· Inanna Assault BattleMech

The designers at MSI had a different idea for their assault 'mech. While Earth's designers and the rest of the Inner Sphere focused on the assault as being the eye of the storm, they saw a platform that could serve as the center of its own formation. The BMA-4 Inanna defies the common use-case of a hundred metric ton platform and has created a near independent drone swarm controller. The Inanna foregoes the arms of the rest of the 'Gods of War' and replaces them with drone launch pods. Each pod holds ten combat drones, with another ten mounted on the main body. The remaining ten are hybrid command-and-control drones responsible for finer coordination within the drone swarm though those responsibilities can be managed by the Inanna if all are rendered nonfunctional. Though its primary armament is the drone swarm, it still maintains a respectable compliment of four center-mounted pulse lasers and twin shoulder-mounted rotary rail guns for direct engagements. The quadrupedal design and increased bulk of one hundred metric tons allow the platform to maintain sustained fire with the rail guns while the pulse lasers deal with missiles and close-in threats. The improved RAM composite armor allows the Inanna to focus on the drone swarm while remaining hidden from enemy sensor suites. The jump jets were abandoned for increased drone capacity. If the mission necessitates it, it can be refit for a more traditional direct engagement role with more weapons and equipment swaps, but the strength of the Inanna is its ability to strike unseen while the drones do the hard work of engaging the enemy.

· Gundam Medium BattleMech

Visually based off the signature mecha from the anime series of the same name, the bipedal fifty metric ton Type-08M Gundam medium BattleMech is among the first of Earth's native forays into BattleMech design. Spearheaded by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and the Japanese Ministry of Defense, supported by Japan Steel Works, Daikin Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu, and NEC (with design licensed from Bandai-Namco), the medium BattleMech is designed to be a relatively inexpensive mainline fighter with the ability to be refitted for a multitude of mission types as needed with minimal complexity. The relative lack of expense comes from the less demanding armament and smaller weight class. Equipped with an advanced sensor suite; jump capability to three-hundred meters a bound; ISA-spec regenerative armor; ISA-standard energy shields; twin twenty-millimeter head-mounted cannons; twin pulse lasers in the arms; and an ISA-spec shoulder-mounted rail gun as standard, the Gundam is capable of being refit for close-range or longer-range engagements. Close-range equipment options consist of a composite-armor deployable shield which operates as cover for the 'mech and friendly forces; extendable monofilament vibroblade for melee fighting; and twin chest-mounted multi-missile system. Long-range equipment options consist of a second shoulder-mounted rail gun for direct fire engagements; twin one-hundred-fifty-five-millimeter artillery pieces for indirect fire missions; and a rear-mounted multiple-launch-rocket-system derived from the M270 MLRS in current service upgraded with ISA-spec munitions. The 'mech must be deployed when mounted with its twin rail gun, artillery, or MLRS configuration in order to maintain stability when firing. ISA mission planners doubt the necessity for a BattleMech sized melee weapon but concede the possibility of messy close-range engagements where such a weapon may prove useful.

· Zaku Heavy BattleMech

Another Japanese BattleMech with visuals based off the Gundam anime series, the seventy-five metric ton Type-08H Zaku Heavy BattleMech is a bipedal design with a narrower mission purpose: heavy breakthrough. Japanese military strategists wanted a platform capable of withstanding heavy fire and being the breakthrough element of an advance. The concept, borrowed from the heavy tanks of World War Two, was largely discarded in modern military doctrine as such a vehicle was traditionally not as mobile as modern main battle tanks. With the injection of technology from the ISA and the discovery of the Helm and New Dallas Memory Cores, the concept has been revived once again. The Zaku is first and foremost an extremely survivable BattleMech platform. With redundant shielding systems, hybrid ferro-fibrous/ISA-spec armor, and deployable composite-armor shield as standard defensive measures, it is capable of weathering consecutive direct nuclear blasts, not to mention conventional weapons. Standard armament includes one shoulder mounted rotary rail gun, twin chest mounted pulse lasers, and a shoulder mounted missile pod. The Japanese obsession with 'mech melee combat continues with an extendable monofilament vibroblade in one arm and a 'mech sized 'shotgun' in the other, derived from LBX blueprints and refined with ISA assistance. It is capable of jumping one hundred meters a bound, limited by the increased armor and the heatsinks necessary for redundant shielding systems.

· Pantyukhov Light BattleMech

The Russian Federation's first 'mech design, the TL-08 Pantyukhov light BattleMech is the first in the Armata line of 'mechs. Designed and produced by UralVagonZavod, the largest main battle tank manufacturer on Earth, its primary purpose is as an inexpensive reconnaissance and infantry support platform with the ability to be fitted for a variety of missions according to the need of the purchaser. Weighing in at thirty-five metric tons and featuring a bipedal design, the standard armament for Earth-based production is: one arm-mounted particle accelerator; a chest mounted missile pod with ISA-spec fabricators; and twin arm-mounted pulse lasers. Defensive compliment consists of: ISA-spec regenerative armor; ISA-standard energy shields; jump jets that allow for multiple jumps of three-hundred meters (capable of even longer jumps if pushed to the absolute limit); with the pulse lasers able to be set to auto-target incoming missiles. The Pantyukhov lacks the ability to be quickly field-refitted, but that is by design to allow for rapid manufacture and for export to the rest of the Inner Sphere. For Inner Sphere export, the design drops all the advantages of ISA-level technology and ships with no weapons, standard Inner Sphere-spec armor, standard Inner Sphere-spec jump jets, and no shields. The Armata Universal Combat Platform was originally to be designated for Russia's next generation of tracked heavy combat vehicles, but with the discovery of the Memory Cores and the assistance of ISA technology the Armata line was redesignated for the first generation of Russian universal BattleMech design. Being the smallest in the line, engineers predict a production rate of four-to-one in comparison to the Konev heavy BattleMech simply due to significantly less material used.

· Konev Heavy BattleMech

The TH-08 Konev heavy BattleMech is the Russian Federation's heavy variant in the Armata line of 'mechs. The Helm and New Dallas Memory Cores revealed the blueprints of a variety of 'mechs fielded by the Star League and Inner Sphere. Study of these blueprints lead the designers and engineers at UralVagonZavod to pursue something similar to the venerable Marauder, a versatile machine capable for a variety of mission profiles while also being capable of mass production. They kept with the bird-legged bipedal design and heavy armor profile but allowed for more versatility with weapon profiles. The angular nature of the Marauder gave way to a more curved armor profile, reminiscent of the turret of the T-54 main battle tank. Revolutions in casting techniques with the Memory Cores and ISA assistance along with the use of industrial fabricators allowed for this deviation in design. ISA-spec armor, lightened by Star League ferro-fibrous techniques, allow this machine to field more armor than the original Inner Sphere General Motors design. Shields and highly advanced VI assistance give the Konev the ability to withstand withering firepower while also responding with its own compliment. The standard compliment is a pair of pulse lasers (one in each arm), a pair of particle accelerators (one in each arm), and a rotary rail gun center-mounted on the top of the 'mech. The problems in the original Marauder design, namely the centerline weapon linkage and the rotation rings with the leg assemblies, were alleviated in manufacturing and the lessons learned from MSI's decades of tinkering. The result is a seventy-five metric ton monster capable, while not capable of flight, of dominating the battlefield. The nature of Armata 'mechs also means that many of the base components are interchangeable between models, allowing one production line to produce parts for the entire lineup of 'mechs. This optimization foresees thousands of every class of Armata BattleMech to roll off the production lines in the years to come.

· Zhukov Assault BattleMech

The Russians were the first Earth nation to develop and manufacture assault-class BattleMechs. The want for a more capable weapon, a bigger gun, pushed the designers at UVZ to create the TA-08 Zhukov. Weighing in at ninety metric tons, to the untrained eye the Zhukov looks like an amalgamation of the Stalker and the Marauder. The Zhukov maintains the shoulder-mounted missile batteries of the Stalker but upgrades them to ISA-spec with fabricators and increased volley sizes. This is augmented with arm-mounted twin large pulse lasers which also double as anti-missile countermeasures. This is capped off with a battery of standard pulse lasers in the center, allowing the 'mech to deal with close-in threats with ease. All of this comes with ISA-spec armor, shields, and VI assistance which allows this behemoth to stand at either the center of formations as the lightning rod of enemy fire or as a devastating long-range platform which can deliver explosive payloads kilometers away. Like the Konev, the Zhukov can be refit with ease to adapt the platform for the mission at hand. The shoulder-mounted missile platforms can be switched out for twin rotary rail guns for direct fire support, or completely replacing the ballistic and missile weaponry with energy weapons if the battlefield conditions call for it. Like the Konev, the Zhukov does not mount jump jets but that does not stop it in terms of sheer battlefield mobility. Like other 'mechs of the Armata line, it shares many base components. Though the largest in the line, engineers at UVZ predict this 'mech to be produced in similar number to the Konev.

Personnel Equipment

· Kindjal Infantry Weapon

The M-7 Kindjal Infantry Weapon is the primary infantry weapon of the ISA. Utilizing the ubiquitous rail gun technology pioneered by Malakitona State Industries, this system is one of the most reliable and hard-hitting weapons ever wielded by any infantry in human history. The engineers at MSI strove to create a simple, reliable, light weapon capable of being fielded in any environment and they succeeded in spades. Development of the Kinjal began during the formation of the ISA, when the combined militaries of the Sirius Sector fled their first universe. The militaries of the Sirius Sector had differing equipment and tactics revolving around their technologies and it was determined that a unified standard was necessary for the survival of their now stranded peoples. The Kindjal represented the first and most arduous step in the process. The nascent MSI devoted their limited resources to the development of this weapons system which took the better part of two decades to perfect over at least two universes and numerous conflicts. Capable of controllable burst fire and sustained automatic fire with the heat magazine module with an ammunition supply considered limitless in sustained combat (standard combat loadout of four ammunition magazines hold the equivalent of thirty-six-thousand shots) the Kindjal in the ISA's last word in infantry combat.

· CrysTech Technological System

CrysTech refers to all systems embedded with the aforementioned technology. Usually utilized by high-ranking members of the ISA and special operations forces, CrysTech allows for the near instantaneous destruction of a piece of kit embedded with the technology when its bonded user is compromised along with other integration capabilities. Users bonded with CrysTech devices can utilize the devices in ways normal implanted cybernetic technology cannot. Depending on the gear, users can utilize the sensors of devices to gain an enhanced view of their surroundings; trigger weapons without physical interaction within ranges specified by the device; allow transfer of user authorization to another individual; remote destruction of devices if necessary; and other actions dependent on the device. CrysTech is scalable, but usually kept to devices used by individuals as it was determined that scaling to devices used by multiple users increased the chances of small but advanced pieces of ISA technology to fall into the hands of undesirable factions. It was determined that more limited variants of CrysTech were enough to ensure security in most ISA technology.

· Inkvine Anti-Armor/Anti-Air System

The HW-3 Inkvine Anti-Armor/Anti-Air System was the brainchild of Doctor Inderpal "Lance" Arissen, the ISA's foremost weapons research specialist. The necessity of infantry being able to disable or destroy armored and aerospace threats in a cost-effective manner was noted during the nascent years of the ISA. They knew they had a distinct technological advantage but were also keenly aware of their personnel shortfalls during any conflict. Based on Rheinland's Multi-Purpose, Multi-Aspect Missile Model Nine, Doctor Lance spearheaded the Inkvine Initiative to create an appropriate infantry-fielded weapon that could fill both roles cost-effectively. The result of over a decade's research and development was the vaunted Inkvine warhead. Capable of determining what kind of target it was approaching thanks to a suite of advanced sensors and the Inkvine warhead which changes payload distribution depending on the sensor data and initial launch setting. This weapons system has been proven and refined over the subsequent years and has been distilled into the weapon wielded by the infantry of the ISA.

· Susanoo Power Armor System

The PA-404 Susanoo power armor system is the latest in ISA power armor technology, given exclusively to Special Forces Operators and other elite members in the Independent Systems Alliance. Equipped with optical and other active stealth measures, the Susanoo can give its user enhanced capabilities on the battlefield: shrugging off unbelievable amounts of firepower; enhanced detection capabilities; built-in jump-jets for improved mobility; the list of capabilities goes on. The armor can replace clothing worn by the user through nanomachine technology, rebuilding and incorporating the material into the armor itself with no loss of capability. The largest inhibitor to widespread adoption is the sheer complexity and manufacturing requirements of the armor. This limits deployment to the elite echelons of the ISA military. Despite this, judicious application of forces equipped with this power armor has proven to change the course of engagements in the past and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future.

· Erinyes Power Armor System

With the discovery of working power armor in the Inner Sphere and the ISA's existing experience with the Susanoo, the decision was made to create a mass-producible power armor for standard infantry. Based off the Nighthawk power armor discovered on Antallos and with the discovery of two Memory Cores, the ISA has put forth what is estimated to be at least a match with Clan Elemental Battle Armor. Imbued with armor technology pioneered on ISA vehicles and a small shield system, it is estimated that Erinyes can withstand blows from 'mech-sized weapons. Weapon systems considered too heavy for standard infantry to carry can be mounted to the system and allow a soldier the capability of going head-to-head with armored opponents. The bulkier nature of the armor also allows for the installation of heavier jump-jets which can carry the occupant further and faster than standard infantry. Tactics developed from decades of Susanoo use have been implemented as the basis of Erinyes combat doctrine with an emphasis on combined arms operation. Susanoo tactics were developed for special operations implementation, and the Erinyes was not designed for subtlety in mind. Mass-production weapons are hammers, and this system embodies that to its core.

Other Technology/Projects

· Fabricators

Without a doubt the most important technology in the ISA is the ubiquitous fabricator. Derived from ruins on the world that Malakitona State Industries named itself after, the fabricator has taken the immense capabilities of the Independent Systems Alliance and made them much more Independent. The ruins held a remarkably well-preserved alien laboratory from which the ISA discovered many new avenues of science and solved the biggest problem that has plagued humanity for its entire existence: logistics. Whether providing for civilians or military, the logistics of getting people what they need when they need it was always an issue. The nature of the Migrant Fleet meant that even though there were over a billion people in cryogenic storage, they still needed to be tended by those still awake. Those people needed necessities and those were in short supply after the Exodus. Fabricator technology derived from these ruins allowed the ISA to not only survive but thrive in the remote nature of multi-universal travel. Fabricators take energy and matter on hand and repurpose it into whatever is needed. If the database of the device has the proper 'blueprint' of what needs to be created and there is sufficient material (energy and matter) it can manufacture anything that can be imagined. Though less efficient than a dedicated production line for items or materials, it enables a level of strategic independence unmatched by any faction at any point in human history. If necessary, matter is completely unneeded as long as enough energy can be generated to produce an item, although this method is extremely inefficient and takes markedly longer than providing matter to a fabricator for manufacture. This marvel of modern science has enabled everything from the near independence of ISA Strike Groups on long range patrol to the seemingly impossible speeds in which the ISA can establish a foothold in a location and industrialize it. For new technologies, prototyping to mass manufacture times have been cut down by years. Retooling large-scale production lines no longer takes months or years, instead the time required has been slashed down to weeks or months. Personnel serving aboard even the humble destroyers of the ISA Fleet enjoy fresh meals unheard of on deep space deployments. Battlefield ammunition concerns are mitigated by the extremely short logistics chain enabled with this revolutionary discovery. It cannot be overstated the importance of this technology to the ability of the ISA to thrive in any environment.

· Reverend Mother Program

A project pursued by the nation of Liberty's controversial Human Development Division, this 'breeding program' was designed to produce more naturally gifted people. This was done by screening the population for naturally gifted individuals, obtaining their genetic material, and combining it in artificial wombs to increase the number of people in the population that could benefit the nation as a whole. Originally called the Reverend Program, it was renamed to Reverend Mother due to the significantly higher rate of biologically female individuals born with increased abilities. To ensure a high rate of gifted people, the Human Development Division induced solely biologically female births after twenty years of testing. The program was created mere decades after Liberty established itself in its home system of New York in order to accelerate the development of their fledgling nation after their people were forced from the Sol System. Over the centuries it has resulted in the nation of Liberty having a much higher percentage of exceptional women in positions of influence. The ISA has covertly co-opted the program and has continued its goal of producing exceptional individuals to benefit their population.

· Ghola Program

A truly multinational effort utilizing centuries of research of the founding nations of the ISA, the Ghola program was originally pursued as a faster alternative to the Reverend Mother program. By cloning existing exceptional individuals and cybernetically imprinting them with the memories of the original person they hoped to maintain the population while also maintaining the exceptional individuals within. This notion was quickly dispatched as it was found that imprinting a brain with memories during rapid gestation resulted in subjects that were brain-dead when they reached maturity. Instead, the clones were grown with no memory of their original host, then imprinted after a period of training in an ISA dark site. The number of successes was high, with the most notable being the bridge crew that follows Bashar Yuki Nagato. The implementation of the program is not widespread, but there are already proposals to attempt engineering the genetics of future subjects through selective combinations of material from different hosts.

· Mentat Program

The advent of widespread cybernetic technology early in the development of Sirius Sector nations resulted in a myriad of projects. The Mentat program is the combination and distillation of all these projects into the enhancement of humanity. The major nations of Liberty, Bretonnia, Kusari, Rheinland, and Hispania along with the myriad of independent nations who participated in the Exodus all had their own top-secret cybernetics programs. Over the early years of multi-universal wandering, the 'dark' departments of each of the founding nations of the Independent Systems Alliance shared information from their respective projects: Liberty's SHARP (SuperHuman Aptitude Revision Program); Bretonnia's Green Knights; Kusari's Kami; Rheinland's Imperiales übermenschliches Programm (Imperial Superhuman Program); and the competing Hispanian Programa de Adaptación Ambiental (Environmental Adaptation Program) and the

Proyecto de Ascensión Transhumana (Transhuman Ascension Project). These centuries-long programs formed the foundation of the pinnacle of ISA cybernetics recipients, the Mentats. Capable of superhuman reaction, strength, logic, and essentially immortal, the result of this program is a classification of humanity able to do the previously thought impossible. In combat, Mentats are capable of feats reserved for beings of myth and legend. In leadership positions, the implants allow for rapid information analysis and the capability to implement plans efficiently with coprocessing from exterior virtual intelligences. Every native member of the ISA has cybernetics in some form or another, all dependent on their position in society and level of responsibility. All this technology is as a result of the Mentat Program.

· Virtual Intelligence

Computing technology, expanded and refined over centuries, gave birth to what the ISA calls 'Virtual Intelligence.' Though treading into the depths of what would be considered fully aware artificial intelligence, virtual intelligence programs are interactive collectives of software that assist at every level of society. The sheer amount of data needed, collated, and processed for everything in society has necessitated the use of increasingly more sophisticated software to parse and analyze this data to provide optimal solutions to the myriad of problems faced by the ISA. From the highly sophisticated VIs dedicated to the battlefield to the rudimentary household assistant, VIs are everywhere. This reliance on such assets on the battlefield also necessitated the creation of cyberwarfare suites dedicated to protecting everything from the individual drone to whole fleets.

· Stealth Drive

Stealth Drive systems utilized by almost every single vessel in the Independent Systems Alliance are capable of obscuring said vessels from near every sensor type known to the Independent Systems Alliance. This allows a level of tactical, operational, and strategic flexibility unparalleled in human history. The technology was pioneered by all the founding nations of the ISA, each pursuing a different avenue and focusing on specific sensor types. The LSV Artemis was the most successful implementation of early stealth drive technology and served as the basis for the system. When the Migrant Fleet formed, it was acknowledged that such technology would be necessary to ensure their survival. Within a decade of the ISA's founding, the first stealth drives were installed on the sleeper ships. As the technology was refined over the subsequent decades, the technology proliferated down to the ground level. The highly advanced Susanoo power armor uses a variant of the system alongside sophisticated optical camouflage systems. The ubiquity of the technology does not indicate its complexity. It requires a significant material investment to create these systems, thus paradoxically it is more economic to install it in larger deployments, such as capitol ships or military bases.