Coventry Academy

History (c. 3061)

"Originally known simply as he Coventry Academy, the Coventry Military Academy has never been a large school. The damage sustained in Clan Jade Falcon's 3058 attack on the industrial world might have been far more injurious, except for the actions of the cadets and instructors alike. When the academy was attacked, they fought a bitter engagement against the invaders in the grounds of the academy itself. The defenders deliberately destroyed several buildings to prevent the structures from falling into Clan hands before they themselves were taken as bondsmen, only to be released when the Falcons withdrew.

To reward the heroism of the cadets and instructors, Archon Katherine ordered that no expense be spared in rebuilding the academy. The rebuilding commenced almost immediately, but still took almost 2 years to be completed. During that time the surviving cadets transferred to the Nagelring or to active service. The classes currently being educated at the academy are taught about the exploits of their predecessors and make use of the new, state-of-the-art training equipment. The first class of the reformed Coventry Academy is scheduled to graduate in the summer of 3063.

Atmosphere

Once regarded as a minor Mechwarrior training facility, the valor and self-sacrifice of the cadets in the Coventry Campaign has brought considerable attention to the academy. Recruitment has doubled since classes resumed, and the commander has been forced to turn promising recruits away. The new students promise to be among the best in the Alliance, striving to match the now-legendary exploits of their forebears. This sense of history, accomplishment and determination pervades the academy.

The planetary ruler, Duke Thomas Bradford, is a staunch opponent of Katherine Steiner-Davion. He has worked hard to undermine the Archon's influence in the academy, creating a generation of freethinkers rather than mindless robots. His clashes with General Piper, a staunch Katrinist, have taken an increasingly bitter tone as the Alliance continues its slide into war. Only time will tell whether the cadets choose to side with Katherine or Victor.

Coventry's school rag is brown.

Special Notes

Thanks to considerable investment by the LAAF and close ties to the Coventry Metal Works, the CMA is equipped with the best and most modern equipment of any Alliance academy. Almost a full battalion of BattleMechs stands ready for use by the cadets, ranging from Chameleon trainers to the latest OmniMechs like the FS9-0 Firestarter and the HA1-0 Hauptmann. The prevalence of the latter has meant that CMA is the first Lyran academy to guarantee its graduates are qualified in OmniMech operation."

Coventry Academy