A truly fearsome beast, the great viper of Arcadia possesses strength and tenacity
unmatched by any other predator on that world. It coils around its prey in a crushing
embrace, then finishes its kill with a deadly poison. The warriors of the Clan I name
Steel Viper show remarkable tenacity in battle and in their service to our great mission.
May they continue to serve with unshakable faith, and may their opponents learn to fear
the fangs of the Steel Vipers.
-- From Birth of a New Society: The Collected Writings of Nicholas Kerensky, Strana
Mechty Press, 3025
Clan Steel Viper presents something of a paradox. They follow more fiercely the Clan
way and the code of the warrior than any other Clan, and at the same time believe in a
unique vision that may ultimately temper the aggression of the Clans. This seeming paradox
rises from the Vipers' deeply held conviction that they alone understand that Nicholas
Kerensky's true vision called for the Clans to conquer the former worlds of the Terran
Hegemony and then to restore the Star League, not by coercing the people of the Inner
Sphere to accept Clan leadership, but by cooperating with the existing Great Houses to
reestablish one proper government. Because they alone understand this vision, the Viper
also believe that their destiny is to lead the restoration of the Star League as ilKlan.
Though the results of the trials on Strana Mechty to determine the invading Clans
restricted Clan Steel Viper to reserve status during the initial stages of the Inner
Sphere campaign, the Vipers went on to achieve notable successes in the fifth wave and
even after the Battle of Tukayyid. They took a number of worlds from Clan Jade Falcon,
whose invasion corridor they share, and now stand as the Clan closest to Terra. The Clan's
leaders have displayed remarkable aplomb in negotiating the recent political and military
storms swirling around them, and many observers expect Clan Steel Viper to emerge as a
dominant force when the Clans next move against the Inner Sphere.
The Tukayyid battle plan called for the Vipers to take Kozice Ranch Station and Kelly
Springs. Learning from Clan Smoke Jaguar's mistake of dropping too near to its target
cities on Tukayyid, the Vipers opted for a conservative strategy, dropping far from their
objectives. Khan Breen sent her main forces marching toward the city of Kozice Ranch
Station. Despite continuous artillery and aerospace barrages, the Viper 'Mechs proceeded
steadily toward their primary objective, unaware of the hazards awaiting them in the
intervening land known as Devil's Bath. A horrific 18-kilometer stretch of geysers,
boiling mud and massive granite columns, the Bath would prove the Viper's undoing.
As the Vipers reached the fringes of the Bath, they encountered the ComGuards' Sixth
Division, which appeared to break after an initial exchange of fire. Thirsting for a quick
victory, Breen led her warriors in pursuit of the following 'Mechs. Within minutes, she
realized her headlong rush had led her troops into a trap. Entire Stars began to sink in
the mud, their long-range weapons made useless by the surrounding forest of granite
pillars. As Breen hesitated, unsure whether to retreat from the treacherous terrain or
pursue the enemy, the ComGuard command broadcast an insulting public challenge to her via
a satellite link established in his 'Mech. Enraged by the challenge and eager to save face
before the other Clans, Breen resumed the attack.
The Vipers inflicted heavy losses on the ComGuard troops, but took heavy losses
themselves and has expended most of their ammunition when they finally reached the end of
the Devil's Bath. There, they faced fresh ComGuard units which broke through the Viper
lines and occupied the Clan machines while ComGuard reinforcements massed at Kozice Ranch
Station and Kelly Springs. By that point, one of every four Viper units had been destroyed
and both Khan Breen and saKhan Zalman had been wounded. Only kilometers away from her
Clan's objectives, Breen nonetheless ordered her troops to retreat to their DropShips and
lift from the planet. Humiliated by the total rout of her troops on Tukayyid and still
laboring to dispel the cloud of her Clan's poor performance in the combat trials to win a
position as a primary invading Clan, Khan Breen resigned her position.
The Remembrance is an ongoing heroic saga detailing Clan history from the time of the
Exodus from the Inner Sphere to the present day. The Remembrance is continually expanded
to include contemporary events. Each Clan has a slightly different version reflecting
their own opinions and experiences. All Clan warriors can quote whole verses of this
marvelous epic from memory, and it is common to see passages from the book lovingly
painted on the sides of OmniMechs, fighters, and even battle armor.
From the ranks of many she rose,
Pre-eminent among all others.
Foe after foe fell before the young warrior
For destiny guided her sword.
When our Leader called, she rose
And became the head of the mighty Serpent.
She guided the Viper alongside the Wolf,
Along the path of the True Vision.
Let us forever honor the First Khan, who showed the way.
Let us remain faithful to the True Path she marked for the Viper.
-- The Remembrance (Clan Steel Viper), Passage 3, Verse 5, Lines 6-15
Clan Steel Viper uses certain nonstandard unit designations and often creates
special-purpose Stars, as described in the below table.
Krait Assault Star (heavy to assault weight 'Mechs)
Boa Battle Star (medium to heavy weight 'Mechs)
Mamba Striker Star (light to medium weight 'Mechs)
Rattler Reinforced Star of five OmniMechs and five Elementals
Cobra Elemental Star
Adder AeroSpace fighter Star
Molt Combined forces Star
Head Command Star
Triasch Command Star
K Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Tau (Star Captain Fenias Ahmad)
Kraits 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Omega (Star Captain Danielle Andrews)
Boas 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Zeta (Star Captain Dorothy Moffat)
Mambas 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Rho (Star Captain Christos Grimani)
Cobras 1, 2 and 3 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Kiatia Masters)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (10 Fighters each)
1 Congress Class Frigate: Snake Leader
Naval Command Star 1 (Star Commodore Tonya Zhukov)
1 Monolith Class JumpShip: Forked Vengeance I; 1 Star Lord Class
JumpShip: Annaconda's Nest I; 5 Invader Class JumpShips: Heart of Steel
I, Vipers Haven I, Dawn Strike, Snake in the Grass, Deadly Hiss
Naval Command Star 2 (Star Commodore Richard Tamm)
2 Monolith Class JumpShips: Forked Vengeance II, Forked Vengeance III;
2 Star Lord Class JumpShips: Anaconda's Nest II, Anaconda's Nest III;
2 Invader Class JumpShips: Heart of Steel II, Vipers Haven II
Galaxy Command Star
A Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Cluster Command Star
A1V Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Benjamin)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Beth)
Krait, Boa, Mamba (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Michaela)
Krait, Boa, Mamba (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Deanne)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Pueblo)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Cluster Command Star
A2V Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Frank)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain John)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Rea)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Elke)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Martin)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
A4V Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Samuel)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Donald)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Peter)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Patrick)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Angela)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
AA Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Liam Callaghan)
Kraits 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Ronan McDougall)
Kraits 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain William Moffat)
Boas 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Robert Grimani)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Iman Quesnel)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Galaxy Command Star
B Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Cluster Command Star
BVF Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Tim)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Alexa)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Maureen)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Jenn)
Mambas 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Mi'tiyu)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
BSC Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Vlad)
Krait, Boa, Mamba (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Eric)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Justin)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Margeret)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Honas)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
BSC Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Josh)
Kraits 1, 2 and 3 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Franz)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain U'rki)
Rattlers 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobra (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Teg'ra)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Keith)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Galaxy Command Star
G Com Head (5 BattleMechs)
Cluster Command Star
G423 Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Lillith)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Samuel)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Adolfo)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Randalf)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Damian)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
G428 Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Mel)
Krait, Boa, Mamba (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Eric)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Jistake)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Justine)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Hoyt)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
G51 Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Arnold)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Phranc)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Kurc)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain B'fhardt)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Elroy)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
G94 Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Olivia)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Lucia)
Kraits 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Brandon)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Thomas)
Mambas 1 and 2, Boa (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Li'Tio)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Cluster Command Star
G57 Com Head (5 OmniMechs)
Trinary Alpha (Star Captain Dolph)
Krait, Boa, Mamba (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Bravo (Star Captain Phyllis)
Krait, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Charlie (Star Captain Ali)
Rattler (5 OmniMechs, 5 Elemental Points), Cobras 1 and 2 (5 Elemental Points each)
Trinary Delta (Star Captain Marjorie)
Mamba, Boas 1 and 2 (5 OmniMechs each)
Trinary Echo (Star Captain Luke)
Adders 1, 2 and 3 (5 Fighters each)
Though the Steel Vipers met defeat at the hands of their Inner Sphere opponents on
Tukayyid, their position nearest Terra on the front line of the invasion allows them to
continue to believe that they will someday lead the Inner Sphere to accept the rebirth of
the Star League. The Steel Viper warriors have found a tangible reason to respect their
Inner Sphere foes as Khan Mercer prophesied they should, and this respect - along with the
Vipers' current position as a front-line Clan an even more deadly opponent when the
invasion resumes.
The waning power of the Wolves and the Jade Falcons has created a power vacuum among
the invading Clans, leading to further instability as other Clans in the invasion force
jockey for power. At present, the Ghost Bears seem the most likely to lead a renewed
invasion. The Bears have bolstered their troops with reinforcements from the Clan
homeworlds, a development that poses a grave threat to the Draconis Combine worlds that
lie above the truce line.
Kurita raiders have staged near-constant raids against Clan Smoke Jaguar in recent
years, which have prevented that Clan from effectively recovering from the heavy
casualties it suffered on Tukayyid. Nova Cat raiders have begun harassing Smoke Jaguar
forces recently as well, further hampering the Clan's attempts to rebuild. As a result,
the Smoke Jaguars seem unlikely to challenge the Ghost Bears for leadership of the Clans.
Clan Smoke Jaguar's weakness has filled its warriors with frustration and a fierce desire
to prove they are still a force to be reckoned with - which makes the Jaguars a
potentially dangerous enemy for their Clan brethren and Inner Sphere powers.
Neither the Steel Vipers nor the Nova Cats have the strength to challenge the Ghost
Bears, but both Clans are far from harmless. The Viper Khan, Perigard Zalman, has shown
remarkable restraint while patiently rebuilding his Clan, which marks him as a canny and
dangerous leader. Meanwhile, the Nova Cats continue to rebuild following their losses on
Luthien and Tukayyid. Their weakened condition, however, has not prevented them from
raiding worlds located above the truce line.
[Back to Clan History]
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