The campaign to take the periphery lasted from 3049 to 3050. The 
conquest of the Inner Sphere by the clans lasted until 3055, when they 
were stopped by the Truce of Tukayyid. A good answer is to set the piece 
after the 15-year long truce ends, setting the periphery fighting about 
21 years back.

	That would probably be a bad idea, considering everything that's going 
on in the novels set in 3057-8.  We have no idea what the future looks like.

To put it another way, the Inner Sphere bites. When I play the IS, I 
demand at least a 2 to 1 'mech ratio. That give me a one in three chance 
of winning, and then ONLY if I come up with real sneaky and devious ideas.
   FASA made the Clans, and got all excited, and then realized they had 
built themselves a nice little box. There is no reasonable way for the 
clans to lose.

	There are lots of unreasonable ways, though.  My particular 
favorites include the funny ordinance from the later supplements.  EMP 
warheads can make a mess of anyone, particularly if you hit someone with 
at least two salvos of LRM 20 fire.  You've got decent odds of causing 
ammo explosions.
 ______
{B-{=__
rmckenzi@euclid.ucsd.edu : The White-Robed Mathematician