Field Manual: Periphery

Description
The tenth in the Field Manual series, Field Manual: Periphery details the military units of various Periphery nation as of 3064, and updates the history of those nations and their armed forces to the same year. (The Periphery, 2nd Edition, published in 1996, had previously been the last volume to cover these.)

This was apparently the last book that FASA produced for BattleTech, right before closing their doors and licensing the BattleTech rights to WizKids and FanPro. The imprint indicates the book is from 2000, but listings suggest it was actually only released in 2001. FanPro reprinted the book in 2003 with a slightly altered cover, and with a new production code (FanPro #10982) and ISBN (3-89064-982-3).

Field Manual: Periphery introduced rules for the Rocket Launcher, a single-shot weapon, in 10-, 15-, and 20-point varieties. It also saw the debut of the Anubis BattleMech, as well as old 'Mechs modified to use the Rocket Launchers. As with previous Field Manuals, new Periphery-specific life paths and affiliations were provided for character creation in MechWarrior RPG games.

According to its preface, the book is an in-universe report by Precentor Martial Cameron St. Jamais to the Word of Blake's shadowy "Master", dated 01 January 3064.

From the back cover
"Beyond the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere lies the untamed Periphery. Filled with young souls seeking adventure and freedom, the Periphery is a watershed for every stripe of humanity. This diversity has spawned powerful Inner Sphere-like political coalitions, roving pirates, one-world lesser powers and bandit kingdoms striving for legitimacy. Wild, uncivilized and deadly, the Periphery is a turbulent frontier where any warrior who dares can be king.

BattleTech Field Manual: Periphery describes the various factions that make up the Periphery: Magistracy of Canopus, Taurian Concordat, Marian Hegemony, Outworlds Alliance, Circinus Federation, the Lesser Periphery States, Bandit Kingdoms and the Deep Periphery. This sourcebook describes the history, military doctrine, traditions and tactics of each Periphery faction, plus special rules that reflect the exclusive capabilities of each Periphery regiment, as well as new weapons and 'Mechs unique to the Periphery."

Contents

 * "Hardest of Times"
 * Introduction
 * Outside Looking In
 * Military Disorganization
 * Command
 * Combat Forces
 * Training
 * Periphery Rosters
 * Magistracy of Canopus
 * History of the Matriarchs
 * Magistracy Armed Forces
 * Raventhir's Iron Hand: Undying Service
 * First Canopian Cuirassiers: Defenders of Canopus
 * Second Canopian Cuirassiers: United in Freedom
 * First Canopian Light Horse: Defiance at all Cost
 * Second Canopian Light Horse: Centrella Honor
 * Third Canopian Light Horse: Defiant to the End
 * First Canopian Fusiliers: Defenders of the Realm
 * Second Canopian Fusiliers: League Killers
 * Third Canopian Fusiliers: Pirate Hunters
 * Magistracy Cavaliers: Thraxa's Own 39
 * First Magistracy Highlanders: Long's Light Lancers
 * Second Magistracy Highlanders: Nellie's Naughties
 * First Raventhir Cuirassiers: A New Order
 * Second Raventhir Cuirassiers: Warrior Diplomats
 * First Canopian Brigade: Farmers of the Outback
 * Colonial Marshals: Lone Stars
 * Awards and Decorations
 * Academies
 * Personalities
 * Units
 * Taurian Concordat
 * The Final Frontier
 * Taurian Defense Force
 * Organizational Doctrine
 * Uniforms, Insignia & Decorations
 * The Taurian Military Academy
 * Personalities
 * Units
 * Taurian Guard: Hell's Heart Regiment
 * Concordat Commandos: By the Homs
 * Concordat Jaegers: Strength Through Adversity
 * Red Chasseurs: Bright Flame Regiment
 * Hyades Light Infantry: Taurian Nomads
 * Pleiades Hussars: The Challenge of Brinkmanship
 * First Taurian Lancers:Battlefield Brethren
 * Pleiades Lancers: On the Warpath
 * Second Taurian Lancers: Starbright Regiment
 * Third Taurian Lancers: Growing Pains
 * First Taurian Pride: The New Colony Lancers
 * Second Taurian Pride: Walking Softly
 * The Marian Hegemony
 * Nova Roma
 * Legiones Marianes
 * I Legio Martia Victrix: The Praetorian Guard
 * II Legio Cataphract!: The Caesar's Own
 * III Legio Limitane!: Sentinels of the Reaches
 * IV Legio Comitatensls: Imperial Legionnaires
 * V Legio Ripariensis: Wheel of Fire
 * VI Legio Ripariensis: The Caesar's Cavalry
 * Cohors Morituri: Cohort of the Dead
 * Uniforms and Insignias
 * Ars Militaria
 * Personalities
 * Units
 * Outworlds Alliance
 * Historical Overview
 * Organization
 * AMC Rank System
 * Uniforms
 * Awards
 * Academies
 * Personalities
 * Units
 * First Alliance Air Wing: The Flying Nightmares
 * Second Alliance Air Wing: The Thunderbirds
 * Third Alliance Air Wing: Dark Rain
 * Fourth Alliance Air Wing: The Diamondbacks
 * Fifth Alliance Air Wing: The Joyless Rogers
 * Circinus Federation
 * History
 * Circinian Military
 * Black Warriors: Covert Bandits
 * McIntyre House Guard: Balance of Power
 * Personalities
 * Units
 * The Brotherhood of Randis
 * Fiefdom Military Forces
 * Larsen's Loners
 * Nelson's Longbows
 * Niops Association Militia
 * Able's Aces


 * Lesser Periphery States
 * Astrokaszy
 * Fiefdom of Randis
 * Franklin Fiefs
 * Mica Majority
 * New St. Andrews
 * Niops Association
 * Rim Collection
 * Periphery Independents
 * Militaries of the Lesser States
 * Pirate Units
 * Lady Death:Haven's Dame
 * Vance Rezak:Band of the Damned
 * Morrison's Extractors:New King on the Block
 * New Belt Pirates:Harassing the Clans
 * Tortuga Fusiliers:Pride of the Dominions
 * Shen-Sè Tian:The Dark Days Band
 * Deep Periphery
 * Hanseatic League
 * Hanseatic Security Force Units
 * Nueva Castile
 * Umayyad Units
 * Castilian Units


 * Rules
 * Unit Assignment Tables
 * Periphery Regiments


 * MechWarrior Rules
 * Rank Trait
 * Additional Affiliations
 * Additional Life Paths
 * New Equipment
 * Rocket Launchers
 * BattleMech Variants
 * ABS-3L Anubis