History of Clan Cloud Cobra

Where the Nova Cats were the mystics of the Clans, the Cloud Cobras are its clergy. The Cobra's first Khan, Windham Khatib, was often referred to as the "Pope-in-Exile" for his deeply spiritual beliefs. It is through his efforts, both during and after his tenure as Khan, that the Cloud Cobra's built a society that is unique amongst the war-like Clans.

Founding

As Nicholas Kerensky formed the basis of the Clans, he selected Captain Windham Khatib, formerly of the 335th BattleMech Division, to be Khan of the newly formed Clan Cloud Cobra. Khatib, despite his best efforts, was not a warrior born and bred, so Nicholas assigned Vice Admiral Rafe Kardaan to be saKhan for the nascent Clan. Together, the two men forged thirty-eight others into a fighting force that was one in form and spirit. When Operation Klondike began, the Cloud Cobra's were assigned the planet Babylon.

The Clan's initial victories gave way to several near-defeats, one of which cost the Clan half its members. Only the aerospace forces, led by saKhan Kardaan, prevented the destruction of the Clan. Assisted by Clans Ice Hellion, Coyote and Sea Fox, the Cobra's were able to crush the rebels and begin building a new order. From the city of Hope, Cloud Cobra Khans strove tirelessly to integrate the people of Babylon into their new lives as Clansmen and to build up their Touman.

The Cobra's were beset, however, by rebels within the lower caste who espoused ideas that spread discontent amongst the entire Clan. The movement spread to the warrior caste, as well, and the Khans were forced to execute many hundreds of people to save the Clan from self-destructing.

Golden Century

After several years, Khan Khatib stepped down from his post to see to the spiritual well-being of the Clans. His efforts led to the founding of the Great Cloisters that grew to several million worshippers from all the Clans' lower castes. Meanwhile, Khan Kardaan led the Cloud Cobra's to numerous developments, including perfecting the iron womb technology and improved laser weapons.

The Cloud Cobra's refinements on the iron womb led to numerous Trials against the other Clans, who strove to gain the technology. The Trials against the Coyotes proved the most brutal and set the stage for a feud which has lasted over two centuries.

It was also during this time that Clans Cloud Cobra and Burrock were sent to stop a group of Burrock warriors and civilians from defecting to the bandit caste. The mission lasted two years and, for the Cloud Cobras at least, resulted in the destruction of many dark caste bandits. The Burrocks also reported the destruction of their targets. Two centuries later, this false claim would come back to haunt the Burrocks.

By the mid 2800's, the Cloud Cobras fielded several Trinaries of OmniMech's and, shortly, the first Elementals emerged from the iron wombs. The Clan also gained a number of Mongoose Bloodrights after the Smoke Jaguars Absorbed the Clan. The Smoke Jaguars were furious over the loss of over seventies legacies, but could do nothing to stop the Cloud Cobras from adding the legacies to eleven Bloodhouses. The Cloud Cobra Touman would triple in size, while the Smoke Jaguars allowed the Mongoose Bloodlines to fall into disuse.

During the 2900's, the various Cloisters began their rise to power within the Clan. Every warrior soon belonged to one of the Cloister as did the bulk of the Cobra's lower castes. The influence of the Way is such that many lower caste members from other Clans soon joined the Cloisters. At present, there are millions of followers of the Way scattered throughout the nineteen Cloisters.

The Cloisters spread their influence another way that directly affected the Clan. As the power of each Cloister built up, they began to form their own sibkos. The warriors of these Cloisters soon took up the Crusader and Warden causes, effectively splitting the Clan. The Cloud Cobra's are rated as Warden, even though almost half the warrior caste belongs to Cloisters with Crusader beliefs.

Also, in the 2900's, the Cloud Cobra's stumbled upon three inhabited worlds founded by Star League colonists. The Tanites refused the Clan's initial offer to join the Way. What the Cloud Cobra's could not do with debate, they did with force. The Tanite worlds eventually became part of Clan Cloud Cobra, but would require that the Clan initiate a defense contract with Clan Burrock. The Tanite's rebellions forced Khan Taran Kon-Dakar to cede resource rights to the Burrocks in return for their help in securing the worlds.

Crusade

As Ghost Bear Khan Nadia Winson began the Great Debate to return to the Inner Sphere, the Cloud Cobra Cloisters, now firmly in control of the Clan, were even more divided than the other Clans. The Ka'an and Josian Cloisters, two of the largest, were in favor of invasion, but the Tongo Cloister was too powerful politically to vote in favor of the invasion. The Cloud Cobra's quickly embraced Khan Kherlin Ward's Dragoon Compromise. The various Cloisters all agreed that intelligence regarding the current state of the Inner Sphere was sadly lacking. When the Dragoons departed for the Successor States, they left with the support of the Cloud Cobra's.

The Cloisters worked to build up their touman for the eventual invasion. They lacked sufficient quantities of OmniMechs and other war materiels and worked tirelessly to gain them from other Clans. The Clan was able to build another Galaxy, but it still left them short of their desired strength.

The arrival of the Outbound Light in 3048 changed everything for all the Clans. Smoke Jaguar Khan Leo Showers used the opportunity to raise the question of invasion again, this time adding damning evidence that convinced the other Clans that the Inner Sphere would soon arrive to invade the Pentagon worlds. The cry for invasion soon overwhelmed the Warden faction despite their best efforts.

Khan Steiner spoke eloquently in favor of invasion during the Grand Kurultai, forcing many of the remaining Khans who were doubtful about the enterprise to vote in favor of invasion. The Cloud Cobra's desire to participate in the invasion was abruptly shattered when Khan Din Steiner removed the Clan from the early bidding process. This provoked a great deal of anger and numerous Trials of Greivance, but the Khans stood firm in the stance. Once again, the Way proved them right.

The early advances made by the invasion force seemed to prove that the Crusaders were right about the Inner Sphere. However, several setbacks, notably the death of ilKhan Leo Showers at Radstadt, forced the Clan to reconsider its initial fervor. The Inner Sphere was rapidly adjusting to Clan tactics and the early technological gap was beginning to show signs of closing. The battle of Tukayyid and its encumbent fifteen-year truce gives the Clans time to renew themselves and ready for the next invasion.

Death of a Clan

The setback at Tukayyid did not affect the invading Clan's desire for power. The Refusal War which devastated Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon and the Absorption of Clan Burrock by Clan Star Adder were early signs of what was to come for the remaining Clans.

The Inner Sphere operation, Operation Bulldog, was more proof that the Inner Sphere was no longer standing idly by waiting for the resumption of hostilities. The battle of Coventry in 3058 led the Great House leaders to the conclusion that the only way to stop the Clan invasion was to destroy a Clan. To do this, they agreed to reform the Star League. This show of force would make the Clans reconsider their position.

The invasion of the Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone was led by the Draconis Combine's forces and was backed by elite regiments from all across the Inner Sphere. For the first time in over two hundred years, the Star League banner flew across the worlds of the Inner Sphere. The collusion of Clan Nova Cat was shocking but not entirely expected considering their mystical tendings.

The invasion of the Smoke Jaguar homeworld of Huntress showed the Clans the reality of their method of warfare. Insulated from the harshness of total warfare by a system that minimized losses, the Clans were totally unprepared for the "total warfare" concept that the Star League unleashed on the Smoke Jaguars. With the total destruction of the Jaguar's warrior caste, the remaining Clans quickly vied for that Clans remaining holdings. The Goliath Scorpions won the continent of Abysmal and, with it, Proto-Mech technology. Only Clans Star Adder and Coyote now have samples of this new technology.

In late 3060, the Cloud Cobra scientist caste also revealed the new Sylph battle armor. This design fits in with the Cobra's strong aerospace leanings. The new armor, which is not yet deployed in significant numbers, increases mobility at the cost of armor and firepower. The Sylph is unique in that it is capable of VTOL flight capabilities and carries a single round bomb rack.

The Cloud Cobra Touman is not as strong mechwise as other Clans, but with its strong aerospace forces and the new Sylph battle armor, it will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.

*the following text is taken from the Field Manual: Warden Clans. Copyright 1999 FASA Corporation. All rights reserved.

Bloodnames

This is a list of the exclusive Bloodnames in use by the Cloud Cobras.
A list of the non-exclusive Bloodnames will be listed when it becomes available.

Front-line Unit Summary

The Cloud Cobra Touman is one of the smallest in the Clans. They also field the fewest OmniMech and BattleMech forces, preferring to rely on aerospace assets to achieve their goals. The new Sylph battle has yet to be deployed in any significant numbers, due to manufacturing and training requirements.