Magistracy of Canopus

The Magistracy of Canopus is an interstellar nation in the fictional setting of BattleTech.

The Beginnings
The history of the Magistracy began with Kossandra Centrella, a former captain of the Free Worlds League's Defenders of Andurien. She fled Free Worlds League space because she felt that there was unpunished incompetence on the part of her superiors.

Shortly after the founding the Magistracy of Canopus, Kossandra knew that without expansion, Houses Marik and Liao would attempt to conquer her newly-created state. After making contact with the leaders of the League and the Confederation, she was able to negotiate deals with the two houses that led to the rule of six more planets. A mere twenty years into the life span of the Magistracy, Kossandra was ruling a nation of thirty-six star systems

As years and decades passed, successive Magestrixes continued to build upon the foundation she created.

Reunification War
During the leadership of Magestrix Floral, the Star League began to conquer the Periphery states.

Floral believed that the neutral stance from the reform she initiated would defer any threat Canopus may have been seen as. The "neutral stance," though entertaining, did nothing to turn the eyes of Ian Cameron from having all human worlds under one rule. The League was adamant on forcing the Periphery realms to join, based on the belief that it was "for their own good." Despite this, many realms refused to join. The league began a war on four fronts, beginning the Reunification War.

The SLDF Seventh Corps, along with twelve Marik regiments, began an invasion of the Magistracy of Canopus in 2577. The invading forces believed that the war would last a mere year, forgetting the reasons that the Periphery realms had for leaving the Inner Sphere and the great houses behind.

With a fanatical belief of the ideals of freedom, and with the hardiness of the Periphery peoples, the League would have a Pyrrhic victory, which in return would require the League to spend two decades and millions of lives to subjugate the Periphery.

Ironically, the same planets that the creator of the Magistracy fought and lived for became the seat of the Star League governor, Melissa Humphreys of Adurien. Melissa, believing in the ideals of the Star League, helped restore the war torn Magistracy to its former glory, and then surpassing it. After regaining control of their own realm once more, the Magistracy enjoyed a Golden Age along with the rest of humanity.

Sadly, in 2722 this era came to an end when the Star League's Council of Lords forgot, or chose to ignore, the ideals of the League by enacting legislation that hurt the Periphery through unfair taxations in an effort to bolster their own economies. Over time, the Periphery began to revolt against the unfair treatment of the Houses. Soon open rebellion would occur if there was no end to the exploitation. The point of no return occurred for the Periphery when the New Vandenberg revolt of 2765 sparked a conflagration that spread over the Periphery like a wildfire. The revolt caused the destruction of over fifty Star League Defense Force Divisions before its end.

The SLDF soon began to gear up up for a massive retaliatory strike in 2766, but it never come because Richard Cameron and the entire Cameron line was murdered by Stefan Amaris, the leader of the Rim Worlds Republic. The Periphery realm sighed in relief as the military might was turned to counter the threat of Amaris.

The Succession Wars
After the would be coup of Amaris, the Council of Lords waged an unending war using any method needed to weaken their foe. Unlike their Inner Sphere opposites the Periphery realms experienced very little in actual combat. The notable exception to this was a brief exchange of invasions between the Canopian state and the Taurian Concordat. Both sides were completely ineffectual, so they quickly agreed on a truce. Despite the lack of combat, trade and supply routes, and communication lines were sundered, thus leaving the Periphery to their meager living once more.

The disruption of the JumpShips was felt especially hard by the Magistracy since it relied on entertainment/tourism trade. However, the Periphery continued forth.

Canopus-Andurien War
Shortly after the end of the Fourth Succession War, Magistrix Kyalla Centrella sought to expand her nation at the expense of the reeling Capellan Confederation. Believing that the Magistracy of Canopus could vanquish a long-time threat to her nation while still expanding it she allied with the recently-seceded Duchy of Andurien. The two launched a two-prong attack with most early victories going to the Duchy of Andurien since the Canopian forces were not well versed in Inner Sphere tactics, but was still successful at first.

Canopus and the break-away duchy saw the Confederation as weak, but still a danger to their survival. Canopus, with limited amount of troops and experience, invaded only a small corner of the Successor State, unlike the duchy, which pushed through the center of Liao territory and made raids throughout the coreward territory to divert the Capellans.

The Magistracy knew that the fanaticism of the people that was inspired by the Liao government would mean that every planet they took would meet with resistance, not just from actual military units, but the populace too. Just like a rat backed into a corner, the Capellan Confederation forces fought far more fiercely then they had to date.

The soon and inevitable defeat of the Canopus-Andurien forces would play a major part in the removal of Kyalla.

Changing of the Magistrix
At end of the Canopus-Andurien War, Magistrix Kyalla was embarrassed of her loss to House Liao, so she turned toward her enemies within Canopus. She began to purge the Magistracy of her opponents and critics. Of all these purges the most painful of all was the attempted assassination of Emma Centrella, with no doubt was ordered by her own mother, th attempt was felt by all of the Magistracy.

The most suspected cause on the attempt of her life was that Emma, was against the war seeing that it was unjust, came to power after the war shortly. Gaining the power through trust of the military and the populace, Emma Centrella disposed of her own mother in May of 3040, fully becoming the Magistrix of the Magistracy of Canopus.

With wisdom, Emma cast a shadow none of her predecessors could claim by easing tensions with the Free Worlds League, which was concerned with the Magistracy's one-time ally, the Duchy of the Andurien.

With the rebuilding of Canopus, Emma spent her own personal wealth in of the rebuilding of the nation. Within nearly a decade of negotiations and much dealings would help Emma create her founding achievement. The Treaty of Taurus with the Taurian Concordat in 3056, combining the two most powerful realms in the Periphery. The treaty opened trade of cultural and scientific exchanges, including a joint-colonization project.

The Trinity Alliance
With the help of majority of House Liao, and some what with the Taurian Concordat, Both worked in cooperation but used House Liao with most dealings or concerns each other had with each other. Emma felt that joining with the Capellan Confederation and the Taurian Concordat would create a force that could rival any other Inner Sphere nation.

Several opposed, commenting that Canopus troops would have to fight in many wars that would bring no advantage to the Magistracy. Soon after the Alliance began, resources and money began to flow into the Canopus in return for its support. this in return quelled many opponents to the alliance and further helped the Magistracy build itself as leading nation among the Periphery

The Armed Forces of the Magistracy of Canopus
Just as all military forces within the Periphery the Magistracy Armed Forces struggled to defend the Magistracy from outside forces. Following sections detail on the different organizations of the MAF, as with a description of the duties of the each department within the MAF.

Due to the small size of the Magistracy military, the streamlined command has few distinctions between branches. The Trinity Alliance demands the multiple aspects of the MAF to work along side their counterparts. With the growth of the Magistracy as a whole its expected that the MAF will expand as will.
 * MAF Command Structure

The heart, mind, and soul of the MAF, the Magestrix Command Center (MCC) is in control of all strategic planning as well as defense initiatives. The MCC answers only to the Magestrix. Traditionally the MCC consisted of three senior Colonels and two Rear Admirals, but recently three Generals and two Admirals have become common.
 * Magestrix Command Center

All ground forces, ranging from infantry, 'Mech and armor, fall under the Magistracy Army. Slight differences between branches as noted before is becoming more announced.
 * Magistracy Army

Mechs In the Magistracy the BattleMech is treated as if more precious than gold. Leaving most forward units as mostly vehicles and infantry.

Most tactics fielded by Canopus tacticians is by using the cheaper units, which are easier to replace. Thus giving the Canopus the second largest 'Mech force in the Periphery.

Armor Most regiments have one supporting battalion permanently attached. Most being older models, reports from battles have recorded that some have entered barely together.

Infantry Within the MAF, Infantry have varied wildly in composition, size, and task. Sizes usually range in differences of about 10 to 15 percent.

Platoon- 30-50 Company- 120-180

Since the Trinity Alliance, the MAF has been working to standardize its armed forces.The MAF has few battle armor but are buying several form the Capellan Confederation.

Just as most Periphery realms have few naval assets, civilian jumpships and dropships are hired to serve the MAF needs during mass movements of troops. There are two Fleets of the Magistracy Navy.
 * Magistracy Navy

Aerospace Fighters A mere 100 fighters serve in the MAF, most being light to medium. Due to the scarcity of fighter, this allows operational commanders to be centered within the navy.

Dropships and Jumpships Divided into two fleets, with two squadrons have two flotillas each. Each fleet has specific roles. The Canopian Battle Fleet(CBT) is stationed at the most likely targets of an invasion force, while the Canopian Reserve Fleet(CRF) is always stationed at Canopus IV, in case of any breaches in Magistracy space.

Warships There are currently none in the Magistracy Navy. Attempts to gain any have been futile at best. Future attempts are impossible since the nearest Houses have been supported by the Blakeists prior to the Jihad.

The most recent addition to the MAF. Militia Battalions answer directly to the MCC and represents the first and last defense of Magistracy.
 * Militia Defense Corps

This is the pride of the MAF. The Medical Corps is were the Magistracy surpasses even the vaunted forces of the greatest Inner Sphere Houses.
 * Magistracy Medical Corps

Most personal are sent to other realms in return for other skills. Most are usually on lease deals. Canopus Medical personal have been found all over the Inner Sphere, even in the Outworlds Alliance.

A catch-all division, the Support Corps is made up of all non-combat duties of the MAF, also including the training of combat personal. One of the final responsibilities of the MSC is Research & development.
 * Magistracy Support Corps

Purpose is to keep track of all MAF forces outside of the Canopus border.
 * Magistracy Alliance Liaison