silky_octopus's review
4.0
Available in electronic format only, this was the fifth in a new series of faction-specific publications intended to accompany the main Star League-era sourcebooks and focuses on the state of the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces (LCAF) as of 2765. The book is written from an in-universe point of view, presented in the first instance as a report from the Star League Intelligence Command (SLIC) to the Commanding-General of the SLDF, with an additional introduction written three hundred years later by a Brigadier working within the Republic Armed Forces HQ, providing the original report as a contextual document for study by RAF units in an effort to better understand the history and character of the LCAF.
In common with the other books in this series, this book begins with a general overview of the state of the LCAF and the Lyran Commonwealth, giving strategic and logistical updates on the state of the military incorporating details on the various military academies scattered around the realm, the role of mercenaries, the Commonwealth's black water navy and the underlying state infrastucture. The main portion of the book is a breakdown of the various brigades of the LCAF via a series of one and two-page entries. This is followed by a brief rules annex, including random assignment tables, and a single Technical Readout-style entry for a new WarShip, the Commonwealth-class destroyer, followed by a deployment map before finishing with record sheets for the new WarShip. Other than the record sheets and some illustrations the book is in colour throughout, with illustrations of the unit insignia for each Brigade, plus the Commonwealth and a full-page illustration of a Lyran Social General doing what he does best.
This Field Report is one of the more interesting Field Reports. Two new LCAF brigades are introduced - the Odessa Regulars and the York Regulars - while the Hesperus Guard receives some detail for the first time since a passing mention in a much older sourcebook. Each regiment receives some attention within the brigade writeups, gaining nicknames and enough background detail to create hooks for those looking to find a regiment to adopt. There are some useful references to older formations such as the Tamar Marines that no longer exist by the time of the Field Report, but which could usefully be used in earlier Age of War battles, although it feels like an opportunity to mention the Tamar Fusiliers mentioned in earlier books was missed.
The detail on the LCAF navy is limited to a single sidebar, but despite that remains useful. Whilst no individual WarShips are actually named, a breakdown of the fleet by WarShip class is given, as well as a description of the number of fleets, their traditional stamping grounds and the average makeup of each fleet. That makes this Field Report very useful for those looking to create canonically-representative BattleSpace games set around this time.
This Field Report is also one of only two in the series to introduce just a single new WarShip (the other being Field Report 2765: FWLM) although the Commonwealth is an interesting WarShip from a historical point of view and an effective unit in games.
The various background articles and unit writeups provide some useful background on Operation CATALOG, making this possibly the most useful sourcebook for those interested in this particular operation, and are a nice piece of background detail given that the Lyran Commonwealth was one of the less-aggressive states at the time; whereas those interested in other states already had documented examples of military engagements above the level of bandit raids that could be used as inspiration for games, CATALOG is the only major event of the era that affected the Commonwealth.
The only thing really missing from this Field Report is a second new WarShip entry, but that's a very minor quibble.
In common with the other books in this series, this book begins with a general overview of the state of the LCAF and the Lyran Commonwealth, giving strategic and logistical updates on the state of the military incorporating details on the various military academies scattered around the realm, the role of mercenaries, the Commonwealth's black water navy and the underlying state infrastucture. The main portion of the book is a breakdown of the various brigades of the LCAF via a series of one and two-page entries. This is followed by a brief rules annex, including random assignment tables, and a single Technical Readout-style entry for a new WarShip, the Commonwealth-class destroyer, followed by a deployment map before finishing with record sheets for the new WarShip. Other than the record sheets and some illustrations the book is in colour throughout, with illustrations of the unit insignia for each Brigade, plus the Commonwealth and a full-page illustration of a Lyran Social General doing what he does best.
This Field Report is one of the more interesting Field Reports. Two new LCAF brigades are introduced - the Odessa Regulars and the York Regulars - while the Hesperus Guard receives some detail for the first time since a passing mention in a much older sourcebook. Each regiment receives some attention within the brigade writeups, gaining nicknames and enough background detail to create hooks for those looking to find a regiment to adopt. There are some useful references to older formations such as the Tamar Marines that no longer exist by the time of the Field Report, but which could usefully be used in earlier Age of War battles, although it feels like an opportunity to mention the Tamar Fusiliers mentioned in earlier books was missed.
The detail on the LCAF navy is limited to a single sidebar, but despite that remains useful. Whilst no individual WarShips are actually named, a breakdown of the fleet by WarShip class is given, as well as a description of the number of fleets, their traditional stamping grounds and the average makeup of each fleet. That makes this Field Report very useful for those looking to create canonically-representative BattleSpace games set around this time.
This Field Report is also one of only two in the series to introduce just a single new WarShip (the other being Field Report 2765: FWLM) although the Commonwealth is an interesting WarShip from a historical point of view and an effective unit in games.
The various background articles and unit writeups provide some useful background on Operation CATALOG, making this possibly the most useful sourcebook for those interested in this particular operation, and are a nice piece of background detail given that the Lyran Commonwealth was one of the less-aggressive states at the time; whereas those interested in other states already had documented examples of military engagements above the level of bandit raids that could be used as inspiration for games, CATALOG is the only major event of the era that affected the Commonwealth.
The only thing really missing from this Field Report is a second new WarShip entry, but that's a very minor quibble.
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