Unit:Equestria Royal Guard



=Equestria Royal Guard=

The Equestria Royal Guard is an English speaking international online gaming community based on the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic franchise. We are recruiting mature members over the age of eighteen (18), with all interests and backgrounds.

First and foremost we are gamers, but among our numbers we also have artists, musicians, writers, and roleplayers. The EQRG has a presence in a number of games, and we are always open to new suggestions. If it’s a lot of fun we’ll play it!

At this time, the following games (in alphabetical order) are considered our primary focus: MechWarrior Online, PlanetSide 2, Star Citizen, and War Thunder.

We are a large and varied group, with members active in all over the world, ranging from US/Canada to England, Germany, Australia, Russia and Afghanistan. We will all do our best to welcome new members and be inclusive, and with over 300 members, there are enough of us that you are almost certain to find someone you connect with. Most of our activity takes place on our Teamspeak server, and even if you don’t have a microphone you can hop on and use the built in text function of the service to talk with us.

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Goal
Some of the features we pride ourselves upon are:


 * Constantly changing and adapting brony community
 * Website forum and live chat
 * High quality voice service (TeamSpeak)
 * Expert BT Lore Masters
 * Weekly Pilot Training
 * Weekly events
 * Sections for RP, graphic design, gaming discussions etc.

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Community
Website: http://www.equestriaroyalguard.com

Steam: http://http://steamcommunity.com/groups/equestriaroyalguard

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/equestriaroyalguard

deviantART: http://eqrg.deviantart.com

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=Propaganda=





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=Official Colors=



Primary: Tyrian

Secondary: Camo Light Blue

Tertiary: Phranken Light Yellow

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=Timeline=

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Timeline Part I
Present Day to the Solar Empire

2000: Luna returns from exile

2020: First manned mission to space (Astronaut and former Wonderbolts Captain Spitfire piloting Friendship 7 capsule)

2025: First base on the moon (Astronaut and current Wonderbolts Captain Rainbow Dash commanding Luna 11 spacecraft)

2033: The IEMR (International Experimental Mana Reactor) goes online. Under the direction of Minister of Scientific Development Apple Bloom

2047: Twilight Sparkle publishes The magical manipulation of teleportation fields whose theories form the basis for modern spacecraft jump drives.

2051: Equestria, the Griffin Conclave and the Zebra Kingdoms sign the Canterlot Accords, a universal declaration of friendship and the rights of all intelligent beings, establishing the Planetary Council. Rarity is first councilwoman for Equestria.

2057: Dragon tribe subjugation. (Surrender treaty brokered by Equestrian Ambassador Fluttershy)

2088: Colonization of the solar system

2107: P.C.S. Pathfinder uses its Sparkle-Bloom drive for the first time, Utilizing over 40 mana reactors to generate nearly 10^9 C's of power. (One Billion Celestias) The teleport is successful, with the vessel phasing back in near the termination shock of the Tau Ceti star system, some 12 light years distant.

2108-2235: Colonization era. The races of the Homeworld spread out to found new homes in the stars, most within a 120 light year radius.

2128: Diamond Sun, great great granddaughter of Twilight Sparkle and chancellor of the Planetary Council, writes the Articles of Unity, which declare that all races shall now acknowledge Princess Celestia and Luna as spiritual leaders of the Homeworld. The popularity of the princesses throughout the planet makes this decision essentially a formality. Nationalism between the member nations is at an all time low as widespread cultural and technological exchange has blurred traditional boundaries separating universal friendship.

2150-2235: Contact with the periphery colonies becomes increasingly difficult as all communication is dependent on spacecraft. Colonies will sometimes go for years without receiving any messages from the Homeworld. The Planetary Council is renamed the Solar Federation to reflect its multi-planet stewardship.

2235: Economic policies lead to the Outer Reaches Rebellion, namely the imperialistic trade practices of the Solar Federation which forced many colonies to barter valuable natural resources for badly needed infrastructure improvements and complex equipment at inflated prices since only the Homeworlds could easily produce them. This rebellion led the Solar Federation to withdraw its jurisdiction to a mere 30 light years around the solar system, leaving the periphery colonies to fend for themselves. Solar Federation Defense Force is established during this period. Rainbow laser weaponry developed.

2235-2314: Deprived of its easy access to outsystem materials, the Homeworlds in the solar system and some of the oldest and most resource hungry colonies are forced to partition what little undeveloped space remains under the rule of the Solar Federation. It is not enough to sustain what over the centuries have become essentially planet sized cities, with populations almost entirely dependent on even bare essentials like food and water to be shipped in from offworld.

2314: Resource scarcity in the Federation leads to civil war, despite the best efforts of the High Council.

2315: The SFDF restore peace, choosing to place Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as twin Consuls of an interim government, establishing a state of rulership not seen since 21st century Equestria. This interim government remains in place since none of the former factions in the civil war can agree on a new Council. Eventually, the evenhanded and effective benevolence of the Sister Princesses is even seen as preferable by a large and growing percentage of the population.

2424: The Interim Consul Government is ratified as the permanent seat of power in the core systems.

The Solar Empire is founded.

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Timeline Part II
Solar Empire to Clan Invasion

2450: The Solar Empire, seeing the weakened and desolate state of its former colonies, launches a campaign of reclamation. The Periphery States set aside their squabbles and fight back, the old hatred and memory of their oppression at the hands of the Solar Federation still in living memory. What began as a humanitarian mission quickly escalates into a slogging bloodbath, as Solar Empire forces are made to fight for every square yard of each planet they attempt to take back.

2456: The technological superiority of the Solar Empire military results in a change in tactics by the Periphery States from traditional warfare to scorched earth policies. This culminates in the near-extinction of the population of the Capellan Confederation world of Tintavel, both by Solar Empire forces from orbit, and by the Capellan military choosing to launch a Megaspell strike on any city in which the Solar Empire made planetfall rather than attempting to contest them directly.

2457: Horrified by the atrocities being committed by both sides on the front lines, the Princesses declare a ceasefire and request that the heads of the Inner Sphere Houses meet on the Empire border world of Ares for a summit. In the Planetary Capital of New Olympia, representatives of the Solar Empire, Capellan Confederation, Free Worlds League, Rim Worlds Republic, Federated Suns, Principality of Raselhague, Lyran Commonwealth, and Draconis Combine met to iron out what would come to be known as the Ares Conventions, the first body of laws governing the rules of interstellar warfare. Major concerns were the prohibition of destruction of civilian targets and infrastructure, and an outright ban on the use of Biological, Chemical or Megaspell Mana Weapons.

2470: Because of the restrictions placed upon the number of combatants that can be brought to a battle, as well as limitations on the use of strategic bombardment set by the Ares Conventions, the Solar Empire begins development of a mobile weapons platform that can transform a single soldier into something capable of engaging and destroying enemy infantry, vehicles and aircraft, while remaining immune to most conventional attacks. Several designs are proposed, but only the large quadrupedal walker built by Apple Family Armorworks passes all trials.

2472: Princess Celestia declares the Apple Family Armorworks Macintosh "Mackie" MSK-6S the first "BattleMech" of the Solar Empire. In a speech to all citizens of the Inner Sphere Princess Celestia declares: "With this new tool, our brave warriors will be able to engage those who would seek to prolong the long night of disharmony that has blanketed the worlds of pony, zebra, and griffinkind. With the Ares Conventions to guide our conduct, and the awesome power of these BattleMechs at our disposal, we will strike down those who forestall the return of peace and universal friendship, and do so without inflicting terrible suffering upon the peoples we are endeavoring to save. This achievement brings me no joy, but it does bring me a small measure of comfort, knowing the atrocities of Tintavel and numerous other worlds will not happen again."

2481: The Solar Empire proceeds to smash apart the defenses of the Draconis Combine, sweeping aside their conventional military forces under the combined Infantry-armor-mech brigades of the Solar Empire Defense Forces. Over a dozen worlds fall within the first two years alone. Some worlds surrender without a fight, and though the Combine government threatens to use its stockpiled chemical weapons, public outcry in their own population at the potential violation of the Ares Conventions and the fear of returning to a state of total war make their threat an idle one. True to their design promises, mech combat away from population centers keeps casualties and collateral damages to a minimum.

2484: The plans for the original Macintosh BattleMech are stolen from a Lunar mech factory by a team of Zebra commandos from the Lyran Commonwealth, within 5 years the technical understanding to build BatteMechs is disseminated throughout the Periphery through conquest and espionage.

2536: Ian "Iggy" Cameron, the current Director-General of the Solar Empire, persuades Chancellor Toffee Liao of the Capellan Confederation and General Amber Marik of the Free Worlds League to set aside their longstanding conflict over the Terminus Verge and resume trade.

2571: The Solar Empire, The Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation become the first members of the Star League in a ceremony in Canterlot on the Homeworld, establishing a forum whereby the various nations of the Inner Sphere can share their grievances peacefully. It is modeled after the ancient body of the Planetary Council, the last great political organization in history universally acknowledged to be fair and just in its stewardship of the Sol System during the 21st and 22nd centuries. Princess Luna makes a circuit throughout the other great powers of the Periphery, appealing them to join as well so that all might have representation within the council of the Star League.

2572-2810: Star League Era. Regarded by historians as the zenith of civilization, it was marked by a steady reduction in interstellar conflict. Technology advanced quickly, and led to such innovations as the Hyperpulse Communication Network in 2605, which allowed faster-than-light communication throughout the Inner Sphere. Advancements in medicine and magitechnology lead to longer lifespans and more comfortable lives for ponies, zebras and griffins everywhere. The Solar Empire Defense Forces became the de-facto peacekeeping entity throughout Inner Sphere space. Princess Celestia stepped down as co-leader of the Solar Empire to retire to Equestria, only to be called up in 2710 by the Council of the Star League to serve as arbiter of succession for the First Lord after the death of Magnolia Cameron.

2821: Almond Kerensky is named Executor-General of the SEDF

2835: The cargo transport jumpship Errant Venture teleports into the Sol system and after charging its mana reactors for a week in orbit around the Homeworld, suddenly and violently deorbits itself over Equestria, striking the planet in the vicinity of the Manehattan Megacity Spire. Princess Celestia is believed to have been on the ground when it happened, attempting to use the Elements of Harmony, an ancient and barely understood weapon from the pre-spaceflight era to halt the stricken transport's descent. Princess Celestia and the entire population of Manehattan are annihilated in an instant. The ash cloud from the detonation eventually blots out the sun across the entire planet for several months. Evidence is recovered from transmissions sent moments before the transport went down, implicating the Rim Worlds Republic as being responsible.

2835-2848: Border War years. Princess Luna launches a full scale invasion and cleansing of the Rim Worlds Republic, the other nations of the Star League Council are initially supportive of the attack, outraged by the death of Celestia. But as the war progresses, and the Solar Empire's numerous violations of the Ares Conventions perpetrated upon the populations of Republic worlds come to light, and their outrage turns to disgust.

2848: The Great Houses withdraw from the Star League. Princess Luna declares them traitors to Celestia's memory and invades them as well.

2850: General Almond Kerensky, fighting in the Periphery, beings to doubt the righteousness of this war. He does not believe Celestia would have wished for her death to be fuel for what is fast becoming the utter destruction of the Inner Sphere. He and several of his commanders beseech Princess Luna to sue for peace, before it is too late.

2852: An assassination attempt on General Kerensky by his own second in command fails. Under interrogation, she claims that the order to do so came from the Solar Empire High Command itself, that General Kerensky was a traitor. Deciding that Princess Luna had been driven mad by fear for her own life and anger at the death of her sister, Kerensky did the unthinkable. He disengaged his forces from their current battle and marched on the Sol System.

2853-2855: The siege of the Sol System. Along the way in from the Periphery, General Kerensky collected most of the currently engaged SEDF forces and brought them back to the home systems to confront the Imperial Government on the Homeworld, and Princess Luna, for their crimes against ponykind. Titanic mech battles between the Lunar Guard forces and the SEDF took place both on the moon and the Homeworld itself, culminating in Princess Luna ordering the carpet detonation of Megaspell bombs in low orbit to destroy hundreds of SEDF spacecraft, and poison the atmosphere into a radioactive, toxic soup.

2856: General Kerensky and his personal command battalion break through the Lunar and Celestial Guard lines and enter the Imperial Palace in what remains of Canterlot. Fighting their way to the crystal caverns beneath the Palace, they finally confront Princess Luna, hiding in a cave. Delirious with rage, it is reported that by this point she was almost beyond coherence. She flung herself at Kerensky's battle armor escort, tearing several apart, screaming that Kerensky and his men were not her soldiers, but ancient enemies that wore the faces of friends and loved ones. General Kerensky was forced to execute her before she could wipe out his entire squad.

2857: Taking the Solar Empire's civil war as an opportunity, the other Great Houses of the Inner Sphere began a land grab for the Solar Empire's battered systems. First under the guise of humanitarian aid, then more openly seizing major industrial and trade hubs, if only to keep them from falling into the hands of their neighbors. By the time General Kerensky left the Sol System, the Solar Empire was lost, despite his best efforts and the deaths of millions of his soldiers, and the total destruction of the Homeworld. Gathering what remained of his forces, he jumped out for uncharted space, declaring that he would someday return to bring Celestia's vision of a Brighter Future to the Inner Sphere once and for all.

2858-3047: Succession Wars. With the Star League collapsed, each head of state in the various Great Houses declared themselves rightful ruler of the Inner Sphere. The wars that followed in the next 200 years were long and vicious, mimicking the bloody conflicts of the 25th century and resulted in the destruction of numerous technological achievements of the Star League era, including most of the Hyperpulse Communication Network and even the the technology to make all but the most basic of BattleMech and jumpship designs. Star League era equipment, including mechs became irreplaceable treasures and marks of status and wealth.

2910: The remnants of the Celestial Guard and Lunar Guard, who fought against the rebel SEDF during the civil war but refused to take part in the siege of the Homeworld against Kerensky, and were therefore spared the total annihilation suffered by Guard forces during the final battle, return to the Sol System to set up bases in the blasted ruins of Equestria and in the burned out husks of the orbital facilities in space. Recognizing that they were party to a terrible evil, they choose to change their name to the Equestrian Conclave of the Solar Empire and seek to preserve the teachings of the Canterlot Library and repair the Hyperpulse Network. By the 3rd millennium they had developed into a quasi-religious order dedicated to maintaining the balance of power in the Inner Sphere by controlling interstellar communications.

2953: Lunar Guard Commander Midnight Rain gathers a substantial following for his Luna apologist cult, which believes that Princess Luna has been treated unfairly by history, and that her actions during the Border War were not only justified, but the only way to bring the decadent and lawless Inner Sphere to heel. He and his followers even go so far as to claim that the Ares conventions, and Celestia's decision to adopt them, was a mistake that doomed the Solar Empire's efforts to recapture her colonies in the 25th century. It would not be until 3050 that these murmurs of discontent within the ranks of the Conclave would result in full fledged Schism, and the creation of the New Lunar Republic and the Word Of Luna.

3022: Equestria Royal Guard, a splinter faction of the Conclave begin their tenure as a Mercenary Company on Solaris VII. Dedicated to the objectives of the Conclave, but electing to take a more active role than behind-the-scenes manipulation, they hire themselves out to those in need of protection from the rampaging armies of the Inner Sphere nations. This brings them into frequent and disharmonious contact with the various mercenary commands of the New Lunar Republic and the Word Of Luna.

3047: Contact with the Free Rasalhague Republic border world of Orion's Reach is lost.

The Clan Invasion begins.