Editing Minnesota Tribe

{{Update Needed|[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]|[[Handbook: House Kurita]]|[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)]]}}
{{InfoBoxConflict
| conflict = Minnesota Tribe
| partof = [[Succession Wars]]
| image = 
| caption = 
| date = 2825
| place = 
| planet = Several Draconis Combine planets
| faction1 = Minnesota Tribe
| faction2 = [[Draconis Combine]]
| commander1 = Unknown
| commander2 = [[Coordinator]] [[Jinjiro Kurita]]
| forces1= Unknown
| forces2= [[Svelvik]] Draconis Combine militia,<br>[[20th Rasalhague Regulars]],<br>Other Draconis Combine militias
| forces3 = 
| result = Minnesota Tribe forces won each battle
| environment = Standard
| conditions = Normal
}}

Appearing without warning just prior to the [[Second Succession War]], the so-called '''Minnesota Tribe''' were a mysterious warband who fought a line of engagements across the [[Inner Sphere]] and then vanished.

Within the [[BattleTech]] universe, they are counted among the most prominent unresolved mysteries; out-of-universe, they have been confirmed to have been a remnant of [[Clan Wolverine]] who escaped annihilation. Their ultimate fate remains unknown.

== History ==
===Appearance of the Minnesota Tribe===
In [[2825]], a strange but highly skilled unit using [[SLDF]] tactics, painted in regular army colors and bearing the insignia of the North American state of Minnesota (associated with the SLDF's [[331st Royal BattleMech Division]], a unit that had joined [[Aleksandr Kerensky]]'s [[Operation Exodus]]), attacked four [[Draconis Combine]] worlds, stole resources, and left.

The first target was [[Svelvik]], attacked 9 October 2825. The previously unknown army unit refused to communicate with the Draconis Combine militia, took what they wanted, and left the system.<ref name=HKTDC-64>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 64: "History - Second Succession War - The Minnesota Tribe and the Chahar Profit"</ref><ref name=SL-98>''The Star League'', p. 98: "History - Aftermath"</ref><ref name="1SW126">''First Succession War'', pp. 126–127: "The Minnesota Tribe"</ref>

They next attacked [[Trondheim (FRR)|Trondheim]] on 17 December, where the [[20th Rasalhague Regulars]] were stationed. They defeated the regular unit, again refusing communication, even to the extreme of individual [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarriors]] committing suicide before they could be captured. This scared [[Coordinator]] [[Jinjiro Kurita]], because he believed that they could be an advance unit for the return of Kerensky's troops, so he shifted forces to the Periphery borders of both his [[Pesht Military District|Pesht]] and [[Rasalhague Military District]]s. This possibility also caused trepidation for [[Primus of ComStar]] [[Conrad Toyama]], who feared [[ComStar]]'s desired role as technological savior of the [[Inner Sphere]] would be undone. Toyama thus ordered [[ROM]] to shadow and attempt to discover the origins of the unknown unit. Led by [[Precentor]] [[Emilio Travis]] and equipped with a small quantity of [['Mech]]s and [[aerospace fighter]]s from the Blessed Order's SLDF stockpiles as a precaution, ROM dispatched a fleet of [[JumpShip]]s to search for any trace of the unit or its likely direction of travel.<ref name=HKTDC-64/><ref name=SL-98/><ref name=CS1>''ComStar'', p. 22: "History - A New Order - The Word of Blake"</ref><ref name=FMCS-11>''Field Manual: ComStar'', pp. 11–12: "The Com Guards - History - Eye of the Storm"</ref><ref name=TCWoK-13>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', pp. 13–14: "The Secret History of the Clans - Wolverine Treachery"</ref><ref name=1SW126/>

The mysterious unit, which had now been labeled the "Minnesota Tribe," attacked [[Jarett]] next on 19 August 2826, this time using massed aerospace fighters to keep the Draconis Combine BattleMechs out of the fight.<ref name=1SW126/>

The Tribe made its last attack against [[Richmond]], 9 March. Here they freed a large number of political prisoners, though it is unclear whether they knew about the jail that housed the prisoners before they freed them. The Tribe loaded the freed prisoners up in their [[DropShip]]s and left, never making their presence known in the [[Inner Sphere]] again.<ref name=1SW126/>

ComStar continued to track the Tribe as it traveled through the [[Periphery]] towards the [[Federated Suns]], but ultimately lost the trail near [[Valentina]]. While Primus Toyama relaxed after they disappeared, Jinjiro Kurita was forced to step up his preparations for what would become the [[Second Succession War]] in an attempt to tighten control of his population, as the belief the Tribe were the forerunners of the returning SLDF began to spread through the civilian population of the Combine.<ref name=HKTDC-64/><ref name=SL-98/><ref name=CS1/><ref name=TCWoK-13/>

==Evidence and leads==
Though not realized until centuries later in the wake of the [[Clan Invasion]], based on their use of combat tactics and equipment similar to the SLDF and coincidental timing of the Tribe's appearance in the very year of Clan Wolverine's [[Trial of Annihilation]], many would openly suspect that the Minnesota Tribe were the unaccounted survivors of the Wolverines who escaped the [[Clan Homeworlds]].<ref name=WCS-21>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 21: "History of the Clans - Birth of the Clan - Clan Wolverine"</ref> The case was only reinforced after ComStar's public unveiling of much of its history in the wake of the [[ComStar Schism|Schism]] with the publication of a curious report penned by Emilio Travis on the clothing worn by a Minnesota Tribe MechWarrior killed in the fighting on Richmond. Piloting a pristine ''[[Lancelot]]'', the warrior was clad in a more advanced version of the SLDF's [[MechWarrior Cooling Suit|full body coolant suits]] which displayed two patches, the Minnesota tribe's insignia with the numbers "331" stitched on it, appearing to be a revised version of the insignia of the 331st Royal BattleMech Division, and the other of a white Terran Wolverine with bloodied fangs.<ref name=CS2>''ComStar'', p. 23: "Who Were Those Masked Men?"</ref>

When the [[Explorer Corps (ComStar)|Explorer Corps]] had found and superficially surveyed [[Barbados]] in [[3041]] they noted a 63% match of the dead MechWarrior's tattoo with an unknown crest found on an ancient wrecked 'Mech on Barbados—according to its description, this was the Clan Wolverine crest.<ref>''Betrayal of Ideals'' epilogue (2016 edition; this epilogue was added later and was not in the initial [[BattleCorps]] edition)</ref>

In [[3095]], explorers working with [[Interstellar Expeditions]] discovered a large, partly underground base on an otherwise uninhabited unnamed world 22.7 lightyears coreward from [[McEvedy's Folly]]. They retrieved substantial amounts of equipment and data from the abandoned facility, including what was referred to as the "[[w:Rosetta Stone|Rosetta Stone]]" datapad of the Minnesota Tribe. However, a sleeper agent from within the team alerted the [[Word of Blake]] who sought to keep the world's secret at all costs. On 15 June 3095 a massive strike force destroyed the team's [[DropShip]]s and attacked the dig site in what appeared to be either carpet bombing or a nuclear weapon. It is implied that all evidence was destroyed and the entire research team killed before they could inform anyone else of the find.<ref>''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', pp. 4–6</ref>

==Speculation about the Tribe's fate==
One of the great mysteries of the [[Succession Wars era]], the ultimate fate of the so-called Minnesota Tribe has spawned a wide range of [[canon rumor]] explanations and theories:
* '''Alien Protector Theory''' - A post–Clan Invasion mutation of a Succession War theory originally posited about the fate of the entire Exodus Fleet, some hold the belief the Minnesota Tribe are holding off an onslaught of alien marauders, protecting both the Inner Sphere and Clans.<ref name=IP-11>''Interstellar Players'', p. 11: "The Darkness of Light"</ref>
* '''Kilisaka Theory''' - Part of an academic roundtable at the [[Pesht University of Military Science]] discussing theories as to what was occurring on the Clan Homeworlds during the Word of Blake Jihad, retired DCMS ''[[Tai-i]]'' Robert Kilisaka put forward the theory based solely around past excavations that the [[Home Clans]] were under attack by a resurgent and hyper-advanced Clan "Wolverine". Kilisaka's theory was largely driven by his hatred of [[Clan Nova Cat]] elements within the Combine's borders, advocating their elimination to avoid earning the ire of the Tribe's descendants, totally unaware of the [[Wars of Reaving|real reason of the Homeworlds' silence]].<ref name=TBD-65>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', pp. 65–68: "Around the Sphere - The Clans - Homeworld: Theories"</ref>
* '''ComStar Hoax''' - Among the various pieces of information recovered from the secret journal of secular ComStar [[Precentor ROM]] [[Victoria Parrdeau]] secured by [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]] during the latter half of the Jihad was the claim the whole "Minnesota Tribe" incident was staged by militant elements of ROM within ComStar, pulling the wool over the eyes of both Jinjiro Kurita and Conrad Toyama. Parrdeau was apparently highly amused that Interstellar Expeditions was spending such time and money researching the hoax.<ref name=TBD-115>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 115: "Through the Looking Glass"</ref>
* '''The Tanites''' - A claim apparently forthcoming from Ivan Lier, a supposed former [[Loki (Intelligence agency)|Loki]] member, was the claim that Minnesota Tribe/Wolverines made a complete circuit of the Inner Sphere, eventually settling on a former [[Rim Worlds Republic]] industrial system erased from the maps, before heading back to settle on the [[Tanite Worlds]], using them as a base from which to destroy the Clan way of life from within.<ref name=IP2->''Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2'', p. 95: "Minor Players - The Tanites"</ref>
* '''Deep Periphery Raiders''' - A [[StarCorps Industries]] review of the Deep Periphery states in the second half of the Jihad discussed the [[Hanseatic League]] and the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] increasingly encountering unknown forces, including the belief of some that were remnants of the Minnesota Tribe.<ref name=MM-227>''Masters and Minions", p. 227: "Minor Powers - Deeper Secrets"</ref>
* '''Wolf's Dragoons''' - Rumors in [[3008]] suggested that [[Wolf's Dragoons]] were a part of the Minnesota Tribe, acting as a reconnaissance force for the Tribe.<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'', p. 13</ref> (The Clan Invasion revealed that they were indeed a recon force, but for the Clans.)
* '''Clan Recon Mission''' - A theory Inner Sphere analysts came up with to explain the equally mysterious origins of the Clan Nova Cat developed ''[[Jenner IIC]]'', with the original ''[[Jenner]]'' only just introduced as the [[Operation Exodus|Exodus Fleet]] fled the Inner Sphere, was that the Minnesota Tribe was a Clan recon mission with Nova Cat warriors among their number capturing some Combine 'Mechs for study and spawning the [[IIC]] remake.<ref name=TRO3055U-108>''Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade'', p. 108: "Clan “Phoenix” BattleMechs - Jenner IIC-4"</ref>

===The Uncle Chandy Document - The Blood===
During the Word of Blake Jihad, [[Chandrasekhar Kurita]] — "Uncle Chandy" — would uncover a series of [[Canon Rumor|unconfirmed documents of questionable provenance]] that apparently revealed the fate of the Wolverines, and indicating the survivors who fled Clan-space—supposedly almost a fifth of the Clan's personnel<ref name=TBD-121>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 121: "The Not-Named"</ref>—indeed reached the [[Inner Sphere]] as the so-called "Minnesota Tribe", the document claims that in June [[2826]] ComStar, rather than losing the trail, met and offered the Wolverines refuge. Upon reaching Terra and settling on [[Terra|Mars]], while many of the Wolverines were content to merely rest, scientist and leader of the exiled Clan's civilian population [[Peter Marillier]] forged a plan that would transform the Wolverines into a secret faction within ComStar — the so-called [[The Blood|Blood]] — that would first aid then co-opt the organization from within, directing it to ultimate dominion over both the Inner Sphere and Clans.<ref name=TBD-119>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', pp. 129–134: "The Not-Named"</ref>

Despite a lack of any solid proof and large question marks as to its providence, Chandrasekhar Kurita and [[Devlin Stone]] would pass this document to [[Clan Ghost Bear]] in [[3074]], taking the Bears by complete surprise. While previously staying aloof from the maelstrom of the Jihad, the apparent revelation that their most sworn enemy were the driving force behind the Word of Blake prompted them to plunge full-force into the conflict. Despite Ghost Bear scientists genetically testing the remains of every Blakist defeated to try and authenticate the report, no conclusive evidence was ever found linking the Word of Blake to Clan Wolverine.<ref name=TWoR-173>''The Wars of Reaving'', pp. 173–174: "Founder's Future - Clan Ghost Bear"</ref>

===Interstellar Expeditions===
{{main|Interstellar Expeditions}}
In [[2974]], several groups of archaeologists, historians, and anthropologists merged to form [[Interstellar Expeditions]]. Ostensibly created to research and advance knowledge of humanity's past, one of its primary (private) missions would be to learn everything possible about the so-called "Minnesota Tribe."<ref name=IP-38>''Interstellar Players'', p. 38: "Interstellar Expeditions - Operations - Goals and Fundamental Assumptions"</ref> As late as [[3045]], IE was making "Grand Tours" every ten years, retracing the Minnesota Tribe's known path through the Inner Sphere, visiting the same worlds and sites.<ref name=IP-46>''Interstellar Players'', pp. 46-47: "Interstellar Expeditions - Gamemaster's Section - Known Facts - Minnesota Tribe"</ref> Over the years, IE has collected a great number of Minnesota Tribe artifacts, including patches, uniforms, personal equipment, even tissue samples and one corpse. No Clansman is aware of this cache, though IE has made some contacts in Clan space during several [[Clan Cloud Cobra#The Babylon Diet|Babylon Diet]]s. IE is almost certain that the Minnesota Tribe is in fact the Not-Named Clan — [[Clan Wolverine]].<ref name=IP-46 />

==True origins==
The Minnesota Tribe have long been suspected to be remnants of Clan Wolverine following that Clan's purge, but this connection remains unproven within the BattleTech universe.

However, out-of-universe, the connection to Clan Wolverine has been established through the novel ''[[Betrayal of Ideals]]'' and statements from then-[[Line Developer]] [[Randall N. Bills]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAaO4hrGo1I BattleTech Q&A]] by [[Harebrained Schemes]] at Hyper RPG (12 October 2016), at 31:53</ref> confirming that the novel contains information about the Minnesota Tribe, marking as fact what is only presented as hints and evidence in the novel. [[Ray Arrastia]], Bills's successor as Line Developer, later expressly confirmed in a posting on the [[BattleTech Forum]] that the Minnesota Tribe were in fact Clan Wolverine survivors.<ref>In [http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57905.msg1337023#msg1337023 this] posting (as "Adrian Gideon", dated 21 July 2017) on the official BattleTech Forum: "''That mystery was resolved: Minnesota Tribe was Clan Wolverine.''"</ref>

==See Also==
* [[Disappearing Battleship of Merope]]
* [[Vandenberg White Wings]]

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* ''[[Betrayal of Ideals]]''
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]''
* [[ComStar (sourcebook)|''ComStar'']]
* ''[[Field Manual: ComStar]]''
* ''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
* ''[[Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3]]''
* ''[[Interstellar Players]]''
* ''[[Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
* ''[[Shades and Spirits]]'' (short story)
* ''[[The Star League]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3055 Upgrade]]''
* ''[[The Wars of Reaving]]''
* ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]''
* ''[[Wolf's Dragoons (sourcebook)|Wolf's Dragoons]]''
{{div col end}}


[[Category:Rumors]]
[[Category:Second Succession War Era Military Operations]]