Draconis Combine



In the fictional BattleTech universe, the Draconis Combine is one of the Successor States in the "North-East" quarter of the Inner Sphere. The Draconis Combine has been ruled by House Kurita since its founding in 2319 by Shiro Kurita, perhaps a descendant of Takeo Kurita. The Chief of State, called the Coordinator, is the head of the Kurita Household. The Coordinator is a hereditary dictator who rules over his domain armed with a well-equipped, fanatical military on the one hand and an ever-pervasive, all-seeing civilian bureaucracy on the other. Two rival intelligence agencies, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) and the Order of the Five Pillars (O5P) keep watch against any potential internal threat from lowly commoners, ambitious nobles, and members of the Coordinator's own family. (However, the physical protection of the Coordinator falls to his own personal cohort, the Otomo, who are recruited from the military, not the intelligence services.)

The idée fixe of the Combine and the Coordinator is conquest. Since the days of Takashi Kurita, the Coordinator has been called the Unifier of Worlds. This is ironic: under Takashi's rule, many worlds slipped from the Combine's hands, first to the cession of Rasalhague Prefecture (now the Free Rasalhague Republic), then to the invasions by Clans Smoke Jaguar, Nova Cat and Ghost Bear. Under the leadership of his son, Theodore Kurita, the Combine has regained some of its worlds and its fearsome reputation. Nonetheless, dissatisfaction with the current regime has led to the emergence of the Kokuryukai, also known as Black Dragon Society, a widespread conspiracy against the new Coordinator and his current policy of détente with House Kurita's traditional rival, House Davion.

Recently, the Combine has earned the ire of Clan Snow Raven by destroying one of their most prized WarShips as it attempted to dock with a Combine recharge station. The Snow Ravens, following a nuclear attack that devastated their fleet, attacked the Draconis Combine world of Galedon V before learning that the attack had been orchestrated by the omnipresent Word of Blake.

The Combine's military structure consists of four traditional military districts: Benjamin, Pesht, New Samarkand, and Dieron. Each commanded by a Warlord who is obstensively answerable to the Coordinator. In recent history, the Dieron Military District had been ceded in the creation of the Republic of the Sphere. However, with the rise of the Dragon's Fury Faction within Republic space, the district has been re-established with Katana Tormark as its new Tai-shu (Warlord).

Luthien
Luthien is a heavily industrialized world that is traditionally the seat of power for the ruling family of the Draconis Combine, House Kurita. It remained relatively untouched during the succession wars, but during the Clan invasion (specifically year 3052) Luthien was invaded by Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Nova Cat. They were defeated by the Combine's warriors and the last minute additions of the mercenary units The Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons. The ensuing battle left Luthien heavily scarred and remained so for many years despite the population's reconstructive efforts. During 3059 the newly formed Star League Defense Force under Victor Steiner-Davion used Luthien as a staging ground for Operation Bulldog, driving the Smoke Jaguar for Draconis Combine. During the Jihad the Word Of Blake savagely attacked Luthien with nuclear and chemical weapons.