The Nagelring

The Nagelring is the Lyran Commonwealth’s premiere military academy ever since the Star League era. While there is a strong split between nobility and lower-class students, the entrance exams into the academy are very strict and focus now on skill rather than “quality of character”. Due to recent damage to the faculty, open-air classes have been more common and field exercises have become routine, even in the rough winter months.

Recent History

The Nagelring was heavily damaged during the Battle of Tharkad between Clan Wolf and the Steiner family. Roughly 50 of the staff and students had been killed, while the facilities themselves were almost a complete loss. Massive investment from alumni and The Nagelring Foundation allowed for the core to be rebuilt by 3145, and the first new class to be admitted later in that year. A lot of training exercises in those early years were just repairs and rebuilding of the facility while the new instructors learned the curriculum and implemented new rules. It wasn’t until 3148 that the semblance of a standard course began in earnest, with the first crop of new recruits joining the LCAF.

The Nagelring has worked hard to rebuild their image at the same time as their faculty. While the Lyran nobility was happy to keep pushing their weight around through donations, the training program took a turn into promoting more based on competence than on bloodlines. The inclusion of a few dezgra Clan instructors allowed for the change in the curriculum over time. By 3155, The Nagelring is operating at about 85% of its peak efficiency.

Training

With a full set of skills being trained, The Nagelring can properly scout and develop talent in their recruits. The Secondary Program of the school ranges from 12 to 15 years old and is built around training the mind and body of the prospective students. While in some programs the training includes prospective training in BattleMech, BattleArmor and simple ASF assets, it mainly allows to direct the recruit into one of the specialized programs from the Training Program.

The Training Program is for 16 to 18 years old and focuses more on field training with the dedicated machine of choice to make sure the young officer will be ready for service. After the destruction of the faculty by the Wolves, part of this training now focuses on somewhat Clan-like live-fire exercises and special forces operations. At the end of the training, the trainee is given a commission from the LCAF depending on his results and rank within the Commonwealth.

Alumni

The list of notable alumni of The Nagelring is long and illustrious. It ranges from the likes of Aleksandr Kerensky for the SLDF to most Archons of the Lyran Commonwealth and even brilliant mercenary commanders like Morgan Kell. In recent years, there was a downturn in brilliant students mostly due to the difficulties of the life in the Republican Era and the constant military threats to the state.

Nagelring Training Brigade

After the fight against Clan Wolf, the LCAF invested significant amounts in rebuilding the Nagelring Training Brigade. They equipped the unit with some of the most advanced machines available, importing them mostly from Defiance, StarCorp and Robinson MechWorks. While the ‘mechs are meant for training and exercises, the Training Brigade now includes a full-time combat veteran company which also serves as Aggressors during exercises, but also to protect the faculty.

The Nagelring Training Brigade’s paint scheme reflects the colors of the school, with all ‘Mechs parade gear including a blue tartan fabric sash.