(From Off the Circuit - Illegal BattleMech Duels, Free Galatea Press)
The first incarnation of Fletcher's BattleMech dueling
circuit has its origins in the collapse of the world's central government in
the early 3060s. Coinciding with the world's rise as a hiring hall for less than
reputable mercenaries amid the ongoing wars between its city stares, many of
the early duels were far from organised affairs. Rather, they often resulted
from disagreements between mercenaries, both units and at the individual level.
The combination of an abundance of military grade hardware and a lack of
central authority (the Fletcher hiring hall was largely self-regulated) often
made violence the first option for resolving such clashes.
Within a few years a somewhat organised competition had
grown up, populated mostly by mercenaries that had been drawn to the local
trade. While not officially sanctioned by any of the City States, at the same
time the competition proved profitable through betting and associated side
businesses. For the most part, the City States themselves stayed out of the
competition proper, but supplies destined for their militaries often wound up
finding their way into the hands of competitors instead.
