System: Merope

[2580] During the Reunification War, after months of a fairly cautious campaign, General Wexworth advanced into the Pleiades Cluster with the Star League's 4th Corps under his personal command. As expected, the Taurian defense was fierce, and the two sides fought a three-day naval duel that destroyed 13 Taurian and 15 League ships.

Having disposed of the Taurian navy guarding the Pleiades, albeit at heavy cost, the 4th Corps began simultaneous landings against the industrial worlds of the cluster during May 2580. In every case, including that of Merope, the scenario was the same. After an uncontested landing, the troops would barely have time to form up before wave after wave of Concordat Regulars, seeming to have come from nowhere, began to assault the League BattleMechs with any means at their disposal.

When the Cluster was finally pacified in September 2580, the 4th Corps effective strength had been reduced by 40%.

Many stories and observations have accumulated over the years, which have made scholar's wonder what really happened to the SLDF. The disappearance of the Clinton Cutthroats, the Minnesota Tribe, and the Vandenberg White Wings are such incidents.

The Disappearing Battleship of Merope is another such story, regarding a Black Lion class WarShip that was seen and filmed orbiting Merope, but then vanished when ships from the Federated Suns came to investigate.

It is uncertain whether these stories are the wishful thinking of men and women tired of the conflict of the Succession Wars, or whether they are factual sightings.

[3066] Expecting a Davion invasion of the Taurian Concordat which never came, the now paranoid Protector Shraplen ordered his own strikes deep into the Federated Suns. At first his regiments made remarkable progress, having attacked a region of space where the AFFS had few resources remaining - most being tied up in the ongoing civil war. These successes prompted further strikes with the Taurian regiments now believing they could reclaim their ancient homeworlds, and pay the Federated Suns back for their losses in the Reunification Wars.

By early 3067 however, and with the civil war coming to an end, Duke George Hasek was able to send a massive force of AFFS regulars and mercenary units to cut the Taurians off and repel them. By March of 3067 the Federated Suns had retaken and pacified every world except the Cluster worlds, leaving the Concordat with slippery footholds on these remaining planets.

Protector Shraplen is determined to keep a foothold within the Cluster, and believes resistance has to last until the upcoming Star League conference. There, Taurian grievances can finally be addressed and, with House Liao's backing, the Protector will push for nothing less than the proper return of the Pleiades Cluster to Taurian rule.

There are no functional factories located on this planet.