Battletech Legends Ideal War

DOWN IN THE MUD AND BLOOD... Captain Paul Masters, a knight of the House of Marik, is well versed in the art of BattleMech combat. A veteran of countless battles, he personifies the virtues of the Inner Sphere MechWarrior. But when he is sent to evaluate a counterinsurgency operation on a backwater planet, he doesn't find the ideal war he expects. Instead of valiant patriots fighting villainous rebels, he discovers a guerrilla war—both sides have abandoned decency for expediency, ideals for body counts, and honor for victory. It's a dirty, dirty war...and Masters will have to draw on every scrap of combat knowledge he possesses if he's going to find a way out of this mess...

Captain Paul Master, a knight of the House of Marik, is in over his head, when he journeys to a backwater planet to study a counterinsurgency operation and finds himself in the middle of a guerrilla war. Original.

DREAMS OF GLORY... On the planet Epsilon Eridani, young Tybalt Kelly dreams of one day becoming a MechWarrior—no matter how much his father hates the idea. When the local County Shu Militia starts recruiting for warrior training, Tybalt finally gets his wish. But he might not live to regret it. SHATTERED BY REALITY. Because the raw, untested forces of the Shu are about to meet their baptism by fire. Unidentified 'Mech raiders have been hitting cities and supply depots, destroying and plundering at will. And the newly fitted MechWarriors are going after them. Now Tybalt is about to discover the hard truth that some battles have no winner—and in war, glory may be fleeting, but death is forever...

IN A TIME OF PEACE… For generations, the Republic of the Sphere has known a Golden Age of peace. Mighty BattleMechs, once kings of the battlefields, now aid the reconstruction of war-torn worlds. But when terrorists destroy the interstellar communications net, each planet is thrust into isolation. Suddenly old hatreds resurface, and a people who have never known war face the prospect of it firsthand… A MYSTERIOUS NEW THREAT ARISES… Sam Donelly is one of the best LumberMech jockeys on the planet, wielding his 'Mech's fifteen-foot chainsaw with the grace and precision of a surgeon. Caught in a skirmish with revolutionaries, he soon finds himself a rebel recruit. But Sam is no mere lumberjack, and if his true identity is discovered, the repercussions could be disastrous not only for Sam, but for the entire Republic…

HEAVY IS THE HEAD THAT WEARS THE CROWN.... Along with the throne of the Federated Commonwealth, Prince Victor Steiner-Davion inherited a number of problems. Foremost among them is the Clans' threat to the peace of the Inner Sphere—and a treacherous sister who wants to supplant him. The expected demise of Joshua Marik—heir to the Free Worlds League, whose very presence maintained peace—also endangers harmony. Victor's idea is to use a double for Joshua, a deception that will prevent war. But secret duplicity is hard to maintain, and war erupts anyway, splitting the Inner Sphere and leaving the Federated Commonwealth defenseless. And when Victor thinks things can get no worse, word comes that the Clans, once again, have brought war to the Inner Sphere...

This compilation features a trio of explosive yarns that show the Senior Service at its best, from the English Channel to the Far East.

IN A TIME OF PEACE... For generations, the Republic of the Sphere has known a Golden Age of peace. Mighty BattleMechs, once kings of the battlefields, now aid the reconstruction of war-torn worlds. But when terrorists destroy the interstellar communications net, each planet is thrust into isolation. Suddenly old hatreds resurface, and a people who have never known war face the prospect of it firsthand... A MYSTERIOUS NEW THREAT ARISES... Sam Donelly is one of the best LumberMech jockeys on the planet, wielding his 'Mech's fifteen-foot chainsaw with the grace and precision of a surgeon. Caught in a skirmish with revolutionaries, he soon finds himself a rebel recruit. But Sam is no mere lumberjack, and if his true identity is discovered, the repercussions could be disastrous not only for Sam, but for the entire Republic...