House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)

House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth) provides an overview of the history of the Steiner family and of the Lyran Commonwealth through 3025.

From the back cover
"''ComStar answers all...


 * Who was Claudius the Cruel?
 * What is the hottest rock group in the Inner Sphere?
 * Which mercenary leader has a crush on Melissa Steiner?

Precariously poised between the fierce eagle of House Marik and the voracious dragon of House Kurita, House Steiner fights a desperate battle to protect the worlds, industries, and peoples of the Lyran Commonwealth. One of the five Successor States of the fallen Star League, the Commonwealth is noted for having the strongest economy and the weakest military leadership of all the realms. Nevertheless, its clenched fist is a symbol of defiance to those who would swallow the Commonwealth whole.

Compiled from ComStar records both ancient and modern comes this sourcebook on the Lyran Commonwealth and House Steiner. Included are dozens of full-color illustrations depicting Commonwealth rank insignias, unit crests, medals, personalities, and more. Classified documents on the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces' deployment from the Tamar Theater to Tharkad, military structure, and political intrigues are also provided. The extensive history section stretches from Terra's first steps into interstellar space to Melissa Steiner's betrothal to Hanse Davion.

Discover the skeletons in the Steiners' closets..."

Contents

 * INTRODUCTION
 * HISTORY
 * Introduction
 * Dawn of a New Age
 * Founding Fathers
 * Hegemony, Prosperity, and Foundation
 * Chaos and Corruption
 * Marsden in Power
 * Dawning of the Age of War
 * The 'Social Generals'
 * The Reluctant Archon
 * The First Steiner
 * Birth of a Dynasty
 * Early Steiner Archons 
 * Steiner Family Background
 * The Steiner Way
 * The BattleMech Era
 * Operation Prometheus
 * The Bloodthirsty General
 * Lyran Military Superiority
 * Long March, Hard March
 * The Dark Years 
 * Trial of Duke Reynolds
 * Order of Magnitude
 * Steven Steiner
 * The Tharkan Witch
 * Eagles Cry
 * Repaying Old Debts
 * The Star League Era 
 * Prelude
 * Minor Adjustments
 * Disillusionment
 * Operation Mailed Fist
 * The Archon Kidnapped
 * Berserker
 * Day of Rage
 * The Good Years
 * Decline and Fall of the Star League 
 * Babe Among Wolves
 * Territorial Troubles
 * Idealism and Villainy
 * The Usurper
 * Final Acts
 * Exodus
 * First Succession War 
 * Military Readiness
 * Declarations of War
 * Patterns of War
 * Tigers and Stealths
 * Attacks on Hesperus II
 * The Military Realities
 * Bella I
 * Lambs to the Slaughter
 * Terms of Exhaustion
 * The Second Succession War 
 * Reconstruction Efforts
 * One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
 * Rescue of the Chahar Profit
 * State of War
 * Tales of Grimm
 * Claudius the Cruel
 * Death of the Fourth
 * Operation Praying Mantis
 * The Triumvirate
 * "What, Me Worry?"
 * Elizabeth Steiner
 * The Third Succession War 
 * Lull
 * Once More Into the Breach
 * Hanging On
 * Three Steps in the Right Direction
 * The Battle for Skye
 * Calling All Citizens
 * The Cost of Freedom
 * The Open Wound
 * The Traitor Tertren
 * The Reign of Giovanni Steiner
 * The Battle for Loric
 * Alessandro Steiner
 * Hesperus Revisited
 * The Policy of Concentrated Weakness
 * Ouster
 * Current Events 
 * Conclusion 


 * '''SOCIOPOLITICAL STRUCTURE
 * The Archonshlp 
 * The Commonwealth Council 
 * The Royal Court 
 * Nobility 
 * The Estates General 
 * Provinces 
 * The Federation of Skye
 * The Tamar Pact
 * The Protectorate of Donegal
 * The Commonwealth Judiciary 
 * Internal Politics and Policies 
 * The Lyran Commonwealth Civil Service 
 * Overt Political Goals 
 * Interstellar Relations 
 * The Free Worlds League
 * The Capellan Confederation
 * The Federated Suns
 * The Draconis Combine
 * The Periphery
 * ComStar
 * Covert Political Goals 
 * The Archon
 * The Lyran Intelligence Corps
 * The Royal Court
 * The Estates General
 * Strengths and Weaknesses 


 * RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
 * Judaism 
 * Christianity 
 * Islam
 * Hinduism
 * Buddhism
 * The One Star Faith and Other Beliefs 
 * Relations Between Religions 
 * Myths and Legends 
 * Strengths and Weaknesses 


 * MILITARY FORCES
 * Uniforms in the LCAF 
 * The Structure of the LCAF 
 * Military Education
 * The Rep-Dep Corps
 * The Judge Advocate General's Office
 * The Quartermaster Corps
 * Transport Division
 * Military Intelligence
 * The Strategies and Tactics Division
 * The Commonwealth Navy
 * The Commonwealth AeroSpace Force
 * The Reserve Corps
 * House Troops Liaison
 * Mercenary Troops Liaison
 * The Commonwealth Army
 * The Commonwealth Medical Corps
 * The Administrative Section
 * The High Command
 * Deployment of LCAF Forces 
 * Typical Commonwealth Units
 * Weapons Industries 
 * Military Supplies
 * Major Military Academies 
 * Medals and Decorations 
 * Strengths and Weaknesses of the LCAF 


 * CULTURE AND ARTS
 * Education 
 * Research Universities
 * The Arts
 * Daily Life and Culture
 * Public Media
 * Societal Problems
 * ComStar and the Lyran People
 * General Relations
 * Political Influence
 * Commonwealth Threats to ComStar


 * SOCIOECONOMICS
 * '''Governmental Attitude
 * '''Political Aims of the Economy
 * Consumer Goods
 * Corporate Profiles
 * Other Major Commonwealth Industries
 * '''Trade with Other Successor States
 * Free Worlds League
 * The Draconis Combine
 * The Capellan Confederation
 * The Federated Suns
 * Strengths and Weaknesses


 * PERSONALITIES
 * A BRIEF ATLAS
 * The Protectorate of Donegal
 * The Federation of Skye
 * The Tamar Pact


 * MAP OF THE LYRAN COMMONWEALTH
 * STEINER FAMILY TREE