Clan Steel Viper

While the annihilation of the Steel Vipers was ongoing, the Wolverines rescued a massive number of civilians and lower ranked warriors. The whole “nobody fled New Kent” before it was destroyed likely was a result of this situation. Relocating the Clan to the three planets of Dawn, Dusk and Noon, the Steel Vipers settled their “capital” on Noon, which was the most valuable of the worlds.

With a culture which promoted Trueborn above all, the Vipers had a hard time fitting in the Wolverine Union at first. The masses of vatgrown made them weary that their savior might be too different from True Clans. The first Khan of the exiled Steel Viper, Jerome Thibaudeau, challenged this view by explaining to his warriors that there were too many differences between vatgrown and trueborn warriors. With the setting up of the first Iron Womb Networks on Viper worlds, the more hardline Trueborn challenged Thibaudeau’s leadership, leading to a purge of these undesirable elements by 3086.

Steel Viper history in the Union

Jerome Thibaudeau

Khan Jerome Thibaudeau presided over this transition to a new “way of life” for his Clan, importing large amounts of vatgrown from other Union worlds to provide raw materials for his Clan. This let many labor caste members transition into more important roles in the Steel Viper economy, with increasing the merchant and tech caste significantly. Using funds set aside for them by the Union, Jerome Thibaudeau had two Mech production plants built, one on Dawn and one on Dusk, while Noon concentrated on ship building, with a orbital drydock for larger JumpShips and even Warships.

Sunny Moffat rule

In 3097, Jerome Thibaudeau was retired by a challenge to his leadership by Sunny Moffat, who took his place as Khan. Sunny Moffat made sure her predecessor was not killed in the trial between them and had the older warrior serve as ambassador to the Republic-In-Exile until his death in 3108. Khan Moffat was even more aggressive in the expansion of her Clan resources, literally removing the Labor Caste altogether from her Clan, having it completely replaced by vatgrowns. The Warrior Caste was expanded in response, giving “test downs” and failures opportunities to join tank crews and paramilitary police in larger amounts.

This military focus by Sunny Moffat led the Steel Vipers to be the premiere military outfit of the Wolverine Union, a benchmark by which all other forces had to be measured. Joint training exercises between all other rescued Clans, the Wolverines and the Republic Military Arm became common sight. Expansion of the ship building capabilities of Noon continued throughout the 32^nd century, with the facilities becoming fully self-sufficient thanks to asteroid mining.

Hartford Zalman rule

Sunny Moffat had an unfortunate accident while surveying the Noon shipyards in 3131, leaving her paralyzed. Her saKhan, Hartford Zalman, took leadership in response. Zalman was less of a hard-liner than the previous two Khans, but saw that an assault on the Clan Homeworlds and the Inner Sphere was in the very near future. Hartford Zalman began a process amongst the warrior caste to separate the warriors who could (or would) control bioroid units and those who were going to follow traditional zellbrigen. Bioroid commanders were given priority for new machines and equipment, while traditionalists were given more opportunities for trials and fighting.

When the call to strike came, the Steel Vipers under Khan Zalman bid for the opportunity to test their might against the Marian Hegemony. Building a supply line to their worlds, the Steel Vipers readied for probing attacks against the Marians to learn more about their deployment and strategies, before planning more in-depth strikes and the potential capture of Alphard.

Culture

The Steel Vipers still have a very low opinion of freeborns, which puts them at odds with many of the Wolverine Union tenets. The Steel Vipers have one of the largest percentages of their iron wombs used to create Trueborn compared to other Union members, which leads them to purchase a lot of vatgrowns from other member states. The incompetence of the Steel Vipers which led to their annihilation in Clan space and their joining the Union is still an open wound to them. The three post-Operation REVIVAL Khans are reviled and shown as cautionary tales to all Viper warriors.

The training regimen for new warriors in the Clan is strict and difficult. Unlike the previous incarnation of the Steel Vipers, with the removal of the Labor caste, many tested down warriors are still given additional chances to become infantry, tank crew or paramilitary police. Freeborn are now allowed to serve in the touman, but are still viewed as inferior to trueborn warrior.

Military

The Steel Vipers have been hard at work to rebuild their touman, concentrating on producing their own equipment as much as possible. Unlike other exiled Clans, the Steel Viper put into place a warship production program, leading to the construction of the Essex block III destroyers and multiple Volga transports to help with the deployment of troops. Regular “super-jumpships” are also built at the facilities at Noon, helping with the Union navy.

The Steel Viper have concentrated most of their BattleMech production towards the production of more basic BattleMech designs, with the Battle Cobra and Hellbringer being the only Omnimechs walking off assembly plants on Dusk and Dawn. New Bioroid Command version of those omnimechs have become available, however. Many of the more common IIC designs are also being redesigned for bioroid usage or command, with the Steel Viper embracing this new technology wholeheartedly.

Current National Data

Steel Viper Demographics
Affiliation: Exiled Clan
Population (Clan Space): 1.8 billion (3153) (counting vatgrown)
Population growth rate: 10.3 percent
Self-Sufficiency Index: 88 percent and dropping (food shortages)

Leaders:
Khan: Hartford Zalman
saKhan: Kathya Olezko
Loremaster: Rumond Masters

Military:
Clusters: 22 (4 Galaxies)
WarShips: 8 (6 Essex Block III, 2 Volga)

Controlled worlds:

Noon

Dusk

Dawn

Currency: Republican Dinar