The Periphery (sourcebook)

The Periphery is also referred to as Guide to the Periphery. It was updated in The Periphery, 2nd Edition, published in 1996.

From the back cover
"For centuries, the powers of the Inner Sphere have looked down on their brethren in the Periphery with thinly-veiled disgust. To the "civilized" worlds of humanity, the Periphery is a backwater, not a place where any respectable person would want to live. And many still remember that the nations of the Periphery fought tooth-and-nail against the Star League's attempt to unite all of humanity in a new golden age. Full of hardship, immorality, lawlessness and danger, it is a vast and little-understood region of space.

But that's not the whole story. The Periphery is all of the things that people say about it, but it is also much more. The Taurian Concordat has a better educational system than most Successor States. The citizens of the Magistracy of Canopus enjoy more freedoms than their counterparts in the Inner Sphere. Even the bandit kingdoms are getting into the act, with realms such as the Circinus Federation and the Marian Hegemony making moves towards legitimacy.

ComStar continues its series of sourcebooks detailing human space with a look at the Periphery in all its facets, good and ill. Learn the history of the various nations beyond the Inner Sphere, including the Rim Worlds Republic, home to the treacherous Amaris clan. See how life differs out in the wilds, where every danger is balanced by the freedom to live unfettered by the petty oppressions of the Successor States."

Canonicity
This sourcebook is known for containing a handful of prominent factual errors. Line Developer Herbert A. Beas II once made a statement to the effect that certain products including this one are considered "secondary sources" by the writers staff, but this should not be construed to mean they are not canonical. It is standard procedure in cases of conflicting information to treat later publications as accurate over earlier publications. "And, if Sarna used the Luthien scenario pack as a resource there, the fact is, that book proved to be so riddled with errors, it--like First Edition Periphery and Objective Raids--is now seen by our staff as a "secondary source": Canon only in areas where it does not clash with other canon."

- Herbert A. Beas, BattleTech Line Developer, 08 Jul 2012

Contents

 * Introduction
 * History
 * Introduction
 * The Piranha Principle
 * Death of a Premier
 * Terran Alliance
 * First Exodus
 * Outer Reaches Rebellion
 * Beyond the Farthest Star
 * Calderon Expedition
 * Birth of the Rim Worlds Republic
 * Inner Sphere Politics
 * Taurian Concordat
 * Davion and Calderon
 * From Rim to Tamar
 * Mishka's Diplomacy
 * Age of War
 * Struggle with Liao
 * Benign Neglect
 * The First Amaris
 * Expanding Frontiers
 * Outworlds Alliance
 * Magistracy of Canopus
 * Star League era
 * The Malagrotta Affair
 * Rebellion in the Rim
 * The Santiago Massacre
 * Reunification War
 * Concordat War
 * Case Amber
 * Debacle
 * A New Commander
 * Retreat into the Nebula
 * War for the Outworlds Alliance
 * The Pitcairn Legion
 * Strategy of Savagery
 * Campaign Against the Magistracy
 * Buquoy's Ploy
 * Conquest of the Rim Worlds Republic
 * Operation Mailed Fist
 * Territorial Status
 * "Good Neighbor" Policy
 * Taurian Bootstraps
 * Second Invasion
 * Palace Coup
 * Avellar Economics
 * "Prince Charming"
 * Amaris Politics
 * Years of Detente
 * Consuelo the Fair
 * Canopus in Mid-Century
 * Educational Reforms
 * The Crucial Year
 * Canopian Triplets
 * The Beatrician Era
 * Nicoletta Takes Over
 * Wheels Within Wheels
 * Winter of Discontent
 * Dark Clouds
 * Seduction of Richard Cameron
 * The Amaris Crisis
 * A Small Paradox
 * The Succession Wars
 * First Succession War and the Periphery
 * A Low Profile
 * Difference of Opinion
 * Concordat-Magistracy War
 * The Bandit Kingdoms
 * Second Succession War
 * Tactical Developments
 * Conquest of Circinus
 * Ignatius Calderon
 * Third Succession War
 * Ronaine Avellar
 * Renaissance in Philosophy
 * Conclusion


 * Taurian Concordat
 * Sphere of Influence
 * Sociopolitical Structure
 * Government Structure
 * Internal Politics
 * Political Goals
 * Interstellar Relations
 * Taurian Nobility
 * Strengths And Weaknesses
 * Religion And Philosophy
 * Military Forces
 * Uniforms
 * Ranks
 * Structure of the TDF
 * Unit Profiles
 * Special Forces
 * Deployment of TDF Forces
 * Weapons Industries
 * Taurian Military Academies
 * Strengths And Weaknesses
 * Culture And Arts
 * Socioeconomics
 * Corporate Profiles
 * Personalities
 * A Brief Altas


 * The Magistracy of Canopus
 * Sphere of Influence
 * Sociopolitical Structure
 * Government Structure
 * Magistracy Nobility
 * Internal Politics
 * Interstellar Relations
 * Political Goals
 * Strengths and Weaknesses
 * Religion And Philosophy
 * Military Forces
 * Uniforms
 * Ranks
 * Structure of the MAF
 * Typical MAF Units
 * Unit Profiles
 * Deployment of MAF Forces
 * Weapons Industries
 * Strengths and Weaknesses
 * Culture and Arts
 * Socioeconomics

Corporate Profiles
 * Personalities

A Brief Atlas
 * The Outworlds Alliance
 * Sphere of Influence
 * Sociopolitical Structure
 * Government Structure
 * Political Goals
 * Interstellar Relations
 * Strengths and Weaknesses
 * Religion and Philosophy
 * Military Forces
 * Uniforms
 * Ranks.
 * Structure of the AMC
 * Unit Profiles
 * Deployment of AMC Forces
 * Weapons Industries
 * Strengths And Weaknesses
 * Culture and Arts
 * Socioeconomics
 * Corporate Profiles
 * Personalities
 * A Brief Atlas


 * Periphery Independents
 * Astrokaszy
 * Barony of Strang
 * Elysian Fields
 * Fiefdom of Randis
 * Franklin Territories
 * Herotitus
 * Illyrian Palatinate
 * Lothian League
 * Mica Majority
 * New St. Andrews
 * Niops Association
 * Port Krin


 * Bandit Kingdoms
 * Belt Pirates
 * Circinus Federation
 * Marian Hegemony
 * Morgraine's Valkyrate
 * Oberon Confederation
 * Pirates of Butte Hold
 * Santander's World
 * Tortuga Dominions


 * Index
 * Map of the Periphery