A place for everything related to the BattleTech gaming group "357th Infernal Division," based out of Omaha, Nebraska. Will include player profiles, character dossiers, unit listings and crunchy fun stuff.
ISP
Friday, August 17, 2018
Terror of the Depths - Unit Spotlight: Clan Diamond Shark
I never intended the Sharks to be a conquering force, instead using them for trials and/or making it so that any player who wants to purchase Clantech from them would end up RPing the encounter, either as a fellow Clan player prior to the 5th SW/Jihad/Reaving, or a general player during the age of the Sea Fox.
But, Beta Galaxy is a pretty scheme and with the Wolves relinquishing control of Unzmarkt to a Shark enclave, the traders have the opportunity to eventually carve out their own niche, much like the Clan Protectorate in the Dark Ages.
I didn't set this up like the canon Pearl Skate intentionally, because as I've stated numerous times, purely Frontline Clusters don't allow to mix and match BattleMechs with OmniMechs in the way that I like, but especially with Clan Diamond Shark, makers of the "Pissed Kitty Mk 3000" line. The Cluster Command Star is entirely Secondline designs, built around the LRM-10/LRM-20 sandblasting paradigm. I feel like Raven Ghiberti would really appreciate my approach to that. Lives, and ammo, are cheap; 'Mechs are not.
Clan Diamond Shark, Beta Galaxy "Predator Galaxy"
Beta Command Cluster "Pearl Skate"
Commander - Galaxy Commander Raven Ghiberti
Aide de Camp - Star Captain Lisbet Fangxiao
Location - Chainlane Isles/"The Reef"
Cluster Command Nova
• Mad Cat Mk II* - Galaxy Commander Raven Ghiberti
• Ha Otoko*
• Kodiak 4*
• Tundra Wolf*
• Bowman 2*
• Gnome LRM Point*
• Gnome LRM Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
Trinary Alpha, OmniBattle Star
• Huntsman/Nobori-nin N - Star Captain Lisbet Fangxiao
• Cauldron-born/Ebon Jaguar B
• Stooping Hawk A
• Mad Cat/Timberwolf H
• Linebacker Prime
Trinary Alpha, OmniFire Star
• Blood Asp A - Star Commander Fentanyl Hawker*
• Loki/Hellbringer II Prime*
• Thor/Summoner II D*
• Flamberge A*
• Blood Asp A*
Trinary Alpha, OmniStrike Nova
• Wendigo Prime* - Nova Commander Kent Clarke
• Grendel/Mongrel Prime
• Ryoken/Storm Crow Prime*
• Dragonfly/Viper D
• Dragonfly/Viper D
• Elemental Point*
• Elemental Point*
• Elemental Point*
• Elemental Point*
• Elemental Point*
Trinary Gamma, Command Star
• Cave Lion* - ovKhan Gar Labov
• Piranha 2*
• Piranha 2*
• Spirit*
• Spirit*
Trinary Gamma, Assault Nova
• Mad Cat Mk II 3* - Nova Commander Amadeus Fangxiao
• Warhammer IIC 8
• Guillotine IIC*
• Ha Otoko 3*
• Wyvern IIC 2*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
• Undine Upgrade Point*
Trinary Gamma, Strike Star
• Sun Cobra 2* - Star Commander Giraurd Kalasa
• Baboon/Howler 3 "Devil"*
• Ocelot 2
• Crimson Hawk*
• Solitaire*
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Random BattleTech Thoughts 2018 Edition
One of my favorite things about BattleTech is that, if it came down to it, you could strip all of the background information entirely from the game, grab handfuls of miniatures, and rebuild the setting to your liking or just dump any semblance of it entirely. This was a bathroom thought I had, where you just use the basic rules, grab some intro box plastics, and paint them in five separate colors to represent five nations on a single planet or something. -I- wouldn't, personally, but that's only because I'm very invested into the fiction of BattleTech.
Speaking of that, the two newest novellas, "The Anvil" and "A Splinter of Hope," were awesome. Pardoe is my favorite BTech writer by far, and following up with "Shattered Fortress" after reading the two stories was fairly immersive in the late Dark Ages period. I don't care much for most of the current crop of characters (I miss Katana Tormark, so basically Alaric and Anastasia are all I have left) but post-"Bonfire of Worlds," I'm really getting into things. I do have to go back and complete my Dark Ages novel collection though. One used book at a time, if need be. Seeing all of the devastation and how clustereffed the map is in 3150 sure did bring a smile to my face.
I like luring in new players (which I'm switching solely to Alpha Strike to teach, I think) by getting their favorite color schemes and/or preferred nationalities, and then either assigning them units/factions that sync up or building new units. This has become way too costly for me to maintain right now, as my financial situation isn't where I would like it to be in regards to my gaming desires, but it has been a successful-ish strategy in the past. You show them some shiny purple 'Mechs or describe a faction as "Klingons with space Viking flavor," gets the nerds every time.
Of course, I also have a hard time just generalizing by current national identities. Saying the Lyran Alliance is like Germany works, but tends to omit how much Scottish or Irish other sections of the LA have. Same with Japanese Draconis Combine not mentioning Arabic Azami worlds. The Free Worlds League is too much of a cluster to generalize. Calling the FedSuns the Brits and the CapCon the Chinese/Russians works though. Especially if you want to see which of your friends is a dirty Commie by how quickly they play Capellan. I kid. The CapCon is cool in my book.
When naming characters, I use a random name generator, anime, or historical figures. The Draconis Combine gets the brunt of this, thanks to so much mecha anime and so many awesome samurai. Sorry not sorry.
Like with my Chronicles/World of Darkness projects though, sometimes named MechWarriors are inspired by people I know. Or, in at least one case, were characters that friends have used in the past, along with their backstories, progressed forward. An example of this is Shinigami, my old roommate's main pilot character. Things happened to him and he'll eventually be showcased in a unit profile later on.
I've been playing for well over half my life, and have seen numerous line developers & writers work on the setting, as well as multiple companies own it. In all that time, with all of the loose plot threads that never went anywhere or the bankruptcies and embezzlements and whatnot, I've never lost faith in the game as a whole and still try to buy all of the products as they come out. I haven't, unfortunately, as there are at least ten sourcebooks I can think of off of the top of my head that I don't own, but I've always made the attempt. Mostly for Ironwind Metals.
Who, by the way, sometimes makes minis with waaaaaay too many pieces and I get intimidated. I have something in the neighborhood of 600 painted hex bases worth of 'Mechs, infantry, and vees, which is a metric fuckload when you consider we usually play 4 v 4 games, and nothing has made me shudder at assembly quite like the Sarath, except maybe the Omega (mostly the cost of the mini) or the Word of Blake Spectral LAMs (of which, I've only assembled one, despite owning three). I know its for custom posing and stuff, just gets daunting when it takes an hour of assembly before I can even prime and shit.
I'd like to play more campaigns. My interest in a 5th Succession War/Jihad campaign has waxed and waned a lot over the years, currently sitting in a waning period despite my rules work, but having lost (only temporarily, I hope), my two biggest group core members, and that we're all adults with limited gaming time due to family & work obligations, it's tough getting anything set up for a regular basis. Getting together for one-offs and pick up games doesn't take any real planning but doing Operation: Nachtfalke would require coordinating up to 7 different schedules (not counting spouses and whatnot) and that's just daunting. I loved the Outreach campaign Rachel and I did, which could still use a mop up mission or two to really call it good, since it gave the Word control over most of the Chaos March. More mini-campaigns with specific players on specific planets or regions of space would be great. Operation: Annwyn Rising though.
Eventually, I want to get back into fiction writing, polishing up my older "Fen Files" and "Further Adventures of the Kuroi Kaze" stories, as well as writing more background fluff on current non-canon units. I was thinking about the Operation: Ice Storm novellas, and really would love to do something similar with the Annwyn campaign. Because, bringing it back around to the point I made at the start, whilst you can entirely divorce the game from the setting, actively incorporating a fiction-driven narrative in this rich and fantastic universe really kind of ups the stakes of each game. I've written other posts about building non-canon units or characters in the game to make players more attached to them on the tabletop and I really feel like fiction is the superglue that makes BattleTech more special than video games or even something like Magic that has fiction but whose fiction doesn't usually impact deck building.
Mentioning IWM, the Ryoken-III/"Skinwalker" was part of their Wolf Empire lance pack for GenCon exclusives, meaning it will be out in general distribution 1st quarter 2019, if my supplier is correct. I've been waiting for that to be released since 2016, and it's the last two minis I need to finish my Clan Wolf Golden Keshik Binary. Vlad Ward's "Suffer Unto the Locust" command star has been ready to eviscerate the Inner Sphere for a while now, and I have two of the five 'Mechs of the second star done, so once these little guys are good to go, ooooh yeah. They also have a variant sculpt for the Warwolf H, which is my preferred config, so I might look at adding another star to either my DA Beta Galaxy unit or my Omegas. Or, I mean, down the road sometime, I maaaay do another Galaxy of Wolves. Sure, I currently have 4 forces represented, totaling at least a full Cluster, but there's always room for more. Delta Galaxy's DA Howl Keshik mayhaps, if a color scheme comes out for them, or the Blue Keshik if not? Since Delta becomes the Steel Wolves in the post-Republic era, I'd go with that scheme but "Steel Wolves use an overall silvery steel color with swatches of hide brown with or without 'fur' patterns over portions of the upper surfaces" sounds too similar to Omega Galaxy for me.
Of course, I have to complete current units before I think that far ahead. I have so much painting to get done, and Song's Sentinels, for instance, needs another lance to be functionally complete, whilst I only have a single star for Clan Diamond Shark's Beta Galaxy, despite having a Cluster sketched out. I just like 'Mechs and this is my main hobby so...
Going on hiatus from other games is going to help all of my time and money issues, at least towards gaming, I think. An average pack of Magic cards is only $4-5 depending, but I can get one new 'Mech for every 2 to 4 packs I buy, and since I'm only going to get one good card per pack if I'm lucky (and I am VERY lucky with my Mythic pulls), I'm probably better off just buying singles if I need more cards & focusing much more on my table top front. The downside is that too many of my friends are dedicated Magic players & it's hard to get them to spend several hours on BattleTech, but meh. Maybe I just need new friends!
I'm kidding. I love my friends.
Except when I loan them sourcebooks and three years later, still haven't seen them, but what can you do?
I may edit this more down the road with other thoughts I have, but for the moment, this has been some nice therapy where I don't need to speak & no one is forced to listen to my gaming pontificating.
9/26/18 edit - I think I'm more interested in expanding my Omega Galaxy Wolves than in building a new force. Also, Skinwalker B configs are out already, so now I just have to finish painting my Golden Keshik. Diamond Sharks are sitting at about two Trinaries instead of a Star now. Sketching out other forces that may or may not see building before 2020, but I also want to get a house soon, so I may just clear out my backlog (which is still massive) and then hold off on all gaming purchases until after that. But speaking of...
Picking up "used" miniatures is a great way to bulk out forces and build new ones. Downside is that you're limited in what you can find/buy, but upside is Blood Asp A for $8 beats $16.95, especially if their "used" status is just that they aren't in the original blister pack, not that they've been assembled or painted. A Star of Jade of Falcons made up of 2 Pinions and 3 Spirits for $30? That's an insanely good deal.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Bane of Goldilocks - Unit Spotlight: Clan Ghost Bear
I picked Tau Galaxy because I felt comfortable in doing the paint scheme, mostly, and I tried to plan it out more up front than my normal organic strategy of just buying everything and then deciding what to do with it later. Each star has a task, but of course, they can still be mixed and matched. Despite Tau's status as a second line Galaxy, the 1st Bear Regs field a decent amount of OmniMechs, concentrated mostly in Galaxy Commander Cote's command star. I actually prefer a lot of Clan Ghost Bear's standard BattleMechs for their awesomeness, but especially the Ursus, Arcas, and Grizzly. Just missing a Kodiak and some newer tech like the Bruin for total domination. In addition to the canon Cote, I built a single non-canon NPC in Star Commander Brynhildr Jorgensson. I mean, nothing says "vikings in space!" like a Valkyrie at the helm of a Stone Rhino, quiaff?
Clan Ghost Bear, Tau Galaxy, 1st Bear Regulars
Unit Commander - Galaxy Commander Francois Cote
Aide de Camp - Star Commander Brynhildr Jorgensson
Location - Stanzach, Ghost Bear Dominion
Gladiator/Executioner - Galaxy Commander Francois Cote
Gladiator/Executioner
Karhu
Vulture/Mad Dog
Ryoken/Storm Crow
Assault Star
Behemoth/Stone Rhino - Star Commander Brynhildr Jorgensson
Arcas
Arcas
Supernova
Beowulf IIC
Ursus
Grizzly
Wyvern IIC
Griffin IIC
Bear Cub
Recon Star
Dasher/Fire Moth
Dasher/Fire Moth
Solitaire
Solitaire
Stinger IIC
Salt of the Earth Star
Gnome Point
Gnome Point
Gnome Point
Gnome Point
Gnome Point
(Yeah, I have these, they just aren't... done.)
Rasalhague Galaxy
Omega Galaxy, 3rd Bear Regulars
Kodiak
Kodiak II
Bruin
Bruin
Viking IIC
Monday, April 23, 2018
Painting List
This isn't a real blog post, I just need a place online to store what colors/brands of paint I used for each of my current units so that when/if I decide to expand, I know what I need to get.
2020 Edit - Also including the Army Painter color equivalent where I can so I can eventually phase out a lot of the Citadel and odds/ends stuff.
2022 Edit - Adding new units, more switching over to Army Painter, etc
MERCS
4th Tau Ceti Rangers - Black prime, Runelord Brass (C), Bright Gold (AP), Skorne Red (P3)
Gray Death Legion - Gray Prime, Necromancer's Cloak (AP), matte coat, dark wash, red accents
Hansen's Roughriders- Black prime, Deep Blue (AP)
Khaos Cevaliers - Abbadon Black (C), Pumpkin (Delta)
Kuroi Kaze - Abaddon Black (C), Evil Sunz Scarlett (C), Administratum Grey (C)
Jack's Murderhobos - Black prime, Nightscales M (AP), Royal Purple M (AP), Gemstone M (AP) l, White
Northwind Highlanders - Uniform Gray (AP) prime, Woodland Camo (APF) base, Military Shader (AP), Voidshield Blue (AP) cockpit, matte varnish.
Song's Sentinels - Squid Pink (Game Color), Murderous Magenta (P3), Greatcoat Grey (P3)
CLANS
Blood Spirit Alpha - White prime, Paratrooper Tan (AP), Strong Tone wash, Resplendent Red (AP), Azure Magic (AP) cockpits
Blood Spirit Zeta - White prime, bright yellow, standard red, black
Cloud Cobra Beta, 97th Cobra Guards - Black prime, Royal Purple M (AP)
Cloud Cobra Pharaoh Keshik (B) - Xereus Purple (C), Shining Gold (C) Pool Blue (AppleB)
Diamond Shark Beta Galaxy - Cygnar Blue (P3), Iosan Green (P3)
Diamond Shark Omega Galaxy - Dark Emerald (AP), Pure Red (APF)
Ghost Bear Rasalhague Galaxy- Black prime, Cool Ranch (TD), Shining Silver (AP), Bright Gold (AP)
Ghost Bear Tau - Ultramarines Blue (C), Codex Grey (C)
Jade Falcon Generic - Camo Green (C), Snakebite Leather (C)
Jade Falcon Turkina Keshik (B) - Jade Green (Reaper), Scorpion Green (C)
Jade Falcon Omega - Black prime, Kabalite Green (C) base, Gun Metal base, Gordian Knot (TD) upper half, Voidshield Blue (AP) cockpit
Nova Cat Spirit Cats - Black prime, Shining Silver (AP), Matte White (AP)
Smoke Jaguar Delta - Gray prime, Matte Black (AP), matte coat, Sunburst Yellow (C)
Snow Raven Beta - White prime, Turquoise Siren (APF), Blue Wash (APF), Sunburst Yellow (C), Ironhull Grey (P3)
Steel Viper Alpha (B) - Boltgun Metal (C), Skorne Red (P3)
Wolf Alpha - Goblin Green (C) Trail Tan (Ceramcoat), Shining Gold (C)
Wolf Beta (DA) - Umbral Umber (P3), Khador Red Highlight (P3)
Wolf Beta, 13th Wolf Guards (Non-DA) - Matte Black (AP), Pure Red (AP)
Wolf Golden Keshik (B) - Greatcoat Grey (P3), Exile Blue (P3), Shining Gold (C)
Wolf Omega (B) - Boltgun Metal (C), Shining Gold (C)
INNER SPHERE AND PERIPHERY
CC Three Kingdoms Lancers - Scorpion Green (C), Sunburst Yellow (C)
ComStar -
DC 1st Genyosha - Greatcoat Grey (P3)
DC 8th Arkab Legion - Black prime, Desert Yellow (APF), Oak Brown (APF), Angel Green (APF), Soft Tone (AP)
DC Otomo - Abbadon Black (C), Shining Gold (C)
DC Ryuken-go - Deep Grey (APF), Cobalt Blue (APF), Grimdark Wash (AP), Cool Ranch (TD), Vermilion cockpits (APF)
FS 3rd Crucis Lancers - Black prime, Army Green (APF)
FWL 1st Regulan Hussars - White prime, Jokaero Orange (C), Yriel Yellow (C), Light Tone (AP)
FWL 19th Marik Militia - Xereus Purple (C), Evil Sunz Scarlett (C), Ultramarines Blue (C)
FWL Marik Defenders - White prime, Alien Purple (APA, AP), Purple Tone (AP), Matte Black (AP), Bright Gold (AP)
LC 17th Donegal Guards -
MH I Legio - Regal Blue (C), Codex Grey (C), Skull White (C), Evil Sunz Scarlett (C)
Word Light of Mankind - Skull White (C), Abaddon Black (C), Evil Sunz Scarlett (C)
Word 49th Shadow - Greatcoat Grey (P3), Codex Grey (C), Xereus Purple (C)
Friday, April 20, 2018
Operation: Nachtfalke Advanced Rules and Expansions
ADVANCED RULES
After the end of a battle where damage has been taken, do the reverse of above - for each point of armor damage, apply 20 points randomly in 5 point clusters, rerolling any location that would cause internal damage, unless your Alpha Strike card also has internal structure boxes marked off. "MP" critical hits can be applied to a random leg actuator, with each "Weapons" hit applied at random to 10 points worth of potential weapon damage (ie, mark off critical hits on one Inner Sphere ER PPC or two ER Medium Lasers per AS critical).
Salvage
Any 'Mech that is left on a node becomes the salvage of the player that controls the node at the end of a battle. Because Alpha Strike abstracts the damage model, a salvaged 'Mech can only be considered "Crippled" or "Destroyed" per standard Operation: Nachtfalke rules. A 'Mech that loses all of its "MP" critical boxes, or Structure boxes (but has not taken an "Engine" critical) is "Crippled." Loss of all Structure boxes + an "Engine" critical is "Destroyed." Any other outcome, you should be getting your 'Mech the heck out of Dodge. As in standard O: N, only 'Mechs may be salvaged in such a way.
Overview
Operation: Nachtfalke runs on the presupposition that multiple factions are vying for control of the node-based map, without making assumptions as to which factions are sending/are able to send expeditionary forces. For players that would like their choice of faction to impact the narrative of the game, the below abilities are available. Faction Special Abilities stack with node bonuses and Special Piloting Abilities, where applicable.
Note 3: If one player uses an FSA, ALL players must. For balance. However, players aren't obligated to take both of the Generic ability AND their specific SFA, See below.
Note 4: It's hard coming up with flavorful factional abilities that don't give too huge an advantage or disadvantage. All Inner Sphere/Periphery forces may choose to take "Million Man Militia" in addition to their factional ability. All Clan forces may choose to take "Omni Mastery" in addition to their factional ability.
Inner Sphere
Inner Sphere (Generic): "Million Man Militia" - Home turf advantage rules. Inner Sphere factions may increase their maximum force size to 36 instead of 24, but if so, may only field a maximum of 24 'Mechs. The remaining 12 slots must either be infantry formations or vehicles.
Capellan Confederation: "Iron Defender" - Any time the Capellans are the defender of a node, they may choose to deploy up to 4 20-point (3 point if using Alpha Strike rules) minefields per mapsheet used. The Capellan player must write down which map and which hex each minefield is in before play. When an opposing unit moves into these hexes, roll on the Cluster hit table, under the 20 column and apply damage in 5 pt groupings using the Kick hit location table. Their weakness as expansionists shows, applying a -2 modifier to all Initiative rolls (including during the Movement Phase) once they control 5 or more nodes.
ComStar: "Phone Company Blues" - C* gains +1 WP from each SC node they occupy, as well as 1 WP from an allied faction's SC nodes to represent their management of infrastructure on many worlds. Lacking the unified academic structure of the Houses, they pay a 10% increase in purchasing improved pilots or training current ones.
Draconis Combine: "Honor is Life" - The busosenshi of the Combine know that failure is rarely an option, and receive a 10% reduction on the cost for Special Piloting Abilities. That blade cuts both ways, as a Combine unit cannot willingly retreat from the field of battle unless at the "Crippled" stage when the Defender of a node.
Federated Suns: "Strong in Command" - Harboring some of the most extensive academies in the Inner Sphere, FedSuns pilots are trained in a variety of techniques, giving them a 50% reduction in cost on Special Piloting Abilities with the Piloting or Command trait, as well as -1 WP on the cost for reloading ballistic weapons. Because of their rabid hatred of their neighbors, FedSuns units cannot enter into alliances with the Capellan Confederation, Draconis Combine, or Word of Blake. They receive a +1 TN penalty on to-hit rolls against these opponents, as well as a +2 bonus to their Initiative to reflect their snap reactions from this hatred.
Free Worlds League: "Fractional Accounting" - Utilizing the strongest Inner Sphere economy post-Clan Invasion, the FWL is in a better position to send resources to expeditionary forces. During the Resource Phase, (2d10 + 4) x 10 WP are added to the force's treasury. With their own house in disarray, they're an ersartz ally, and FWL units add an extra +1 TN on to-hit rolls in any node where they have to coordinate with an allied faction.
Inner Sphere (Minor)/Periphery: "Master Exploder" - As experts in the art of doing more with less, Minor and Periphery factions receive a 10% reduction, rounded up, in the cost of repairing Crippled or Destroyed 'Mechs. Lacking the unified academic structure of the Houses, they pay a 10% increase in purchasing Special Piloting Abilities.
Lyran Alliance: "Bigger is Better" - Lyran Alliance players receive a 10% discount on constructing Inner Sphere Assault 'Mechs, and can move them between nodes for 16WP. Due to their disdain for lighter forces, however, Inner Sphere Medium and Heavy 'Mechs are 10% more expensive.
Mercenary: "Almighty Dollar" - Once a month (4 turns) a Mercenary force can change their allegiance to any other listed Inner Sphere power at the start of the Resources Phase, gaining their abilities for the next month, or until they choose another allegiance. However, for the first two weeks (2 turns) with a new employer, they receive (2d10 - 2) x 10 resources. This may result in 0 resources gained outside of tax revenue in a turn. This does not apply to a Mercenary force's first campaign turn with their starting allegience.
Ex; Sam starts the campaign as Mercenary/Free Worlds League, gaining "Fractional Accounting" and rolls (2d10 + 4) x 10 for his Warchest Points in the first 4 turns of play. At the beginning of the 5th turn, he decides that the Free Worlds League isn't doing it for him, and decides to jump to the Lyran Alliance. He loses "Fractional Accounting" and receives "Bigger is Better," but for turn 5 and 6 of the campaign, he rolls (2d10 - 2) x 10 for WP. For turn 7 and 8, he'll go back to the standard 2d10 x 10.
Word of Blake: "Peace of Blake" - The Word has access to the Manei Domini enhancement table below, and as the largest users of combined arms at the tactical level, receive a +1 Initiative bonus when using more than one type of combat unit in a single battle. Counting few allies amongst other factions, they lose any Initiative bonus when joining forces with the Free Worlds League, and take a -2 Initiative penalty when allying with any other faction during a battle.
Ex; Rachel is in a battle on a node with three 'Mechs. She rolls her dice and gets an Initiative of 9. Had she deployed two 'Mechs and a tank, her Initiative would be 10 (9+1). With or without the tank, her Initiative would be 9 if fighting alongside a Free Worlds League force, or 7 (9-2) if allied with any other faction.
Clan
Clan (Generic): "Omni Mastery" - As the innovators behind OmniPod technology, Clan factions only pay 10% of an OmniMech's construction cost to reconfigure them. Ammunition reload costs are doubled. Thanks, Tukayyid.
Clan Blood Spirit: "This is Sparta!" - Spirit forces are known to have some of the toughest training regimes amongst the Clans, and this is reflected in a 10% reduction, rounded up, to the cost of purchasing improved pilots or training current ones. Due to their preference for standard BattleMechs, they must pay 15%, rounded up, of an OmniMech's construction cost to reconfigure them, and their isolationist nature prevents them from alliances with any faction other than Clan Cloud Cobra, Fire Mandrill, or Snow Raven.
Clan Cloud Cobra: "The Way" - The Babylon Diet gave Clan Cloud Cobra more insight into relations with the Inner Sphere, despite Homeworld Clan interference. Any time the Cobras ally with an Inner Sphere power, they don't suffer the penalty to Initiative whilst in allied combat, and have a 10% reduced cost on any Special Piloting Ability with the Melee or Other trait.. Clan Fire Mandrill, Hells Horses, Ice Hellion, Jade Falcon, and Wolf (Crusader) & Clan Coyote (Warden) receive a +2 Initiative modifier in combat against them.
Clan Diamond Shark: "Blood in the Water" - Consummate business professionals, even when raining down destruction on their enemies, the Sharks can share resources with any other faction to which they are allied, regardless of Clan or Inner Sphere. In addition, their strong Labor Caste gives them 15 WP from Industrial Complexes per turn, instead of 10 WP. Unfortunately, this openness has also made them a target to other Clans, who enjoy a -1 TN on their to-hit rolls against Diamond Shark units.
Clan Ghost Bear: "Enter the Den" - Whilst the Bears have no problem being an offensive force, only a truly foolish enemy would attack them at home. Military Bases the Ghost Bears control provide 10% more WP and their units receive a -1 TN on to-hit rolls when they are the Defender on a Military Base, Industrial Complex, or Mine node. Cautious in their occupying actions, Ghost Bears increase the cost to move all unit types by +1 WP per node.
Clan Jade Falcon: "Turkina's Talons" - Staunch traditionalists, the Falcons seek to employ Zellbrigen as often as possible. Any time a Jade Falcon unit targets an enemy unit, solo and that hasn't been declared as a target by any other unit previously unless that unit was destroyed, on the second and following consecutive turns, the Jade Falcon unit receives a -2 modifier on to-hit rolls against the target of their duel. This is lost and cannot be regained by any Falcon unit if multiple Falcon units fire on any one target in the course of the battle, as a free-for-all will have been opened. That traditionalism imposes a +2 TN modifier for any physical attacks and doubles the cost of all Melee Special Piloting Abilities. In addition, Falcon units cannot retreat from a node where they are the Defender unless at the "Crippled" level.
Clan (Other): "Mankind Redefined" - Clans not listed with a faction ability may take the SPA "Foot Cavalry" for all of their battle armor points at no cost. It's kind of lame, but they also don't get any negative trait, either, so.
Clan Wolf/CWiE: "Heirs of Kerensky" - Wolves of both stripes receive a 10% reduction in the cost of Special Piloting Abilities with the Gunnery or Command traits. An extensive logistics train has hampered their ability to expand their OZ, represented by rolling (2d10 - 1) x 10 WP at the start of each Resource Phase.
Note 5: MechWarriors may have two Special Piloting Abilities max, two SPAs plus one MDE, or one SPA and two MDE, or just two MDEs. At no point may a MechWarrior benefit from more than three total enhancements, or more than two of one type.
| Enhancement | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Buffered VDNI | 40 WP | -1 to Gunnery, may ignore +1 on Small Cockpits, roll 2d6 when component is crit, take pilot damage on 8+ |
| Enhanced Multi-Modal | 30 WP | 2-hex Active Probe, or +3-hex range if unit has AP |
| Multi-Modal Cybernetic | 20 WP | 2-hex Active Probe, or +1-hex range if unit has AP |
| Myomer Full-Body Implant | 20 WP | Battle Armor can take one extra point of damage, Infantry only |
| Pain Shunt | 30 WP | Pilot ignores damage from ammo explosion, heat, or VDNI feedback. No consciousness rolls made. |
| Prosthetic Leg MASC | 20 WP | +1 MP, Infantry only |
| Triple-Core Processor | 40 WP | +2 Initiative each turn, does not stack multiple times |
| Vehicular Direct Neural Interface | 50 WP | Pilot receives -1/-1 to skills, must roll 2d6 on internal hit, taking pilot damage on any 8+ roll |
OmniMech Reconfiguration
One of the biggest improvements in 'Mech design came as a shock to the Inner Sphere in 3049 - the OmniMech. With the ability to be repaired and an entire weapons loadout switched in a matter of hours instead of weeks, Clan OmniMechs more than made up for their smaller numbers. During the Allocations Phase, players with previously-constructed OmniMechs may reconfigure them into a different version for 20% of the OmniMech's construction cost, to represent the need for the components required.
Ex; Fen is running Clan Wolf, Alpha Galaxy. Having played a few turns, he realizes his Timberwolf Prime's long range weaponry isn't as appropriate for the inevitable city fight it is going to soon get into, and thus he wants to swap to the Timberwolf H config. A Clan 75 ton 'Mech costs 170 WP, so to reconfigure it would cost 34 WP. If his current campaign is using Faction Special Abilities, this is reduced to 17 WP by way of "Omni Mastery."
With the release of more support for SPAs, in the Alpha Strike Companion and Campaign Operations, there is now a host of further customization options for pilot improvement.
Note 6; I didn't want to redo the entire existing table to add these, but the list can be used without any other Advanced Rules. Campaign Operations has expanded explanations on SPAs where they aren't clear.
| Skill | Cost | Effect | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cluster Hitter | 50 WP | +1 on Cluster Table OR Aimed Shot, all rolled Cluster hit same location | G |
| Combat Intuition | 60 WP | Take 1 pt pilot damage at end of turn, next turn may move last OR move/shoot at any point | P or G |
| Eagle's Eyes | 30 WP | 1 hex Active Probe, or +1 to existing. -2 to Cluster table for minefields, -2 TN to clear minefield. | O |
| Foot Cavalry | 20 WP | +1 MP and +1 node move for battle armor | O |
| Golden Goose | 20 WP | VTOL only, -1 TN against ground targets, -2 TN on bombing to-hit rolls | O |
| Melee Master | 40 WP | May make an additional physical attack per turn | M |
| Oblique Attacker | 40 WP | -1 TN for indirect firing, no spotter required | G |
| Rangemaster | 50 WP | Can trade Medium or Long Range modifiers with Short, +4/+2/+0 or +2/+0/+4 | G |
| Sandblaster | 40 WP | +2 Cluster table rolls at Long, +3 at Med, +4 at Short | G |
| Sniper | 40 WP | May make Aimed Shots with Direct Fire weapon, -2 TN if also using TargComp | G |
| Stand Aside | 30 WP | PSR at +2 TN, may move through hex occupied by enemy for +1 MP cost | P |
| Strategic Genius | 30 WP | May reroll Initiative, second roll stands even if worse | C |
| Street Figher | 40 WP | May make physical attack in shooting phase, instead of physical attack phase | M |
| Swordmaster | 40 WP | May make Aimed Shots with melee weapon, or Armor Piercing attack at +2 TN to-hit, extra crit check at -1 if armor remains | M |
| Urban Guerilla | 20 WP | +1 TN to-hit infantry units on urban mapsheets | O |
| Zweihander | 40 WP | Two-handed physical attack, does normal damage + 1 pt/10 tons of attacking unit (+2 pts/10 tons with TSM) | M |
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
ISiF - Prelude to War
As much as it pains me to write it, these past six months have shown that there is truly no turning back.
One could argue that the Inner Sphere has suffered continual conflicts since the fall of the original Star League, but since the Clan Invasion in 3049, many worlds have experienced a near constant barrage of war. From Operation Guerrero, which created the Chaos March, to Operation: Bulldog, through the Capellan Confederation's Xin Sheng reconquista and the Combine-Ghost Bear War, to the FedCom Civil War, the past two decades have seen a dramatic upsurge in battles crossing multiple interstellar borders.
The reformation of the Star League, initially to stop the threat of Clan aggression, only aided Sun-Tzu Liao's re-absorption of the St Ives Compact, and did nothing to prevent the two halves of the sundered Federated Commonwealth from coming to blows.
And it was the rulers of these three nations: the Capellan Confederation; Lyran Alliance; and Federated Suns, that decided to withdraw from the League. The remaining members elevated the Word of Blake and others as full members of the Council, but even then, could not gather the votes needed, and the Council was dissolved.
Incensed, the Word of Blake issued an ultimatum to the Council - keep the Star League together, or suffer the consequences. Never taken as seriously as they should have been, the Word's threat was ignored and they tipped their hand to their true might, unleashing the Invincible, a refurbished Tharkad-class WarShip on the planet. A nuclear strike at the heart of the capitol city was only the prelude to what would befall the Sphere.
With the Chaos March secured, previously-unknown Divisions of Word 'Mechs launched forth, easily taking control of many worlds close to Terra. New Avalon felt the sting of invasion, as did Luthien, though the latter claims to be in support of the ruling Kurita family.
Elsewhere, tensions between neighbors have exploded. The Free Worlds League and Lyran Alliance have sent regiments to invade one another, starting with a terrorist assassination of a beloved Marik general. Liao and Davion are currently massing forces on their respective borders, with the FedSuns finally looking at retaking Tikonov back from the CapCon. Mercenary hiring is also at a fervor not witnessed since the start of the Clan Invasion.
Speaking of mercenaries, the loss of Outreach to the Word of Blake prior to the Star League council has turned Galatea and Solaris VII into new Meccas of hiring. Even down on their luck company-sized and smaller commands are being snatched up by hungry House recruiters.
The Clans have not been idle during the coming storm. Vlad Ward's ominous warning that the Wolves would only respect the 15 year Truce of Tukayyid, and not the Great Refusal, has come to fruition as Wolf Galaxies have been seen launching Trials against their neighbors in a much greater frequency. And, in the Deep Periphery, rumors swirl of new Clans coming to invade.
The Inner Sphere will weather what is being referred to as the '5th Succession War' like all others, but at what cost? When peace returns, will the butcher's bill rival that of the 1st? Only time will tell."
-- John Broward, INN Special Corespondent, Orestes, 3068
3067
- October 15th: Harlech Uprising - Waco's Rangers and four total regiments of rogue mercenaries launch assaults on Harlech City, Outreach. Though defeated, Colonel Wolf is killed. The Dragoons blame Word actions.
- December 5th: The 4th Whitting Conference, the reformed Star League is disbanded.
- December 5th: The Word of Blake assaults Tharkad, with a bombardment by the LCS Invincible.
- December 5th: The Word of Blake assaults New Avalon.
- December 7th: The Battle of Mars sees Wolfs Dragoons invade the Terra system. The Word, though caught unprepared, quickly rallies and destroys multiple Dragoon WarShips, as well as wiping out the invasion forces.
- December 11th: The Battle of McCarel Farm takes place on New Avalon.
- Mid-December: The Clan Grand Council debates renewal of the
invasion following the death of the Second Star League. A vote to elect a
new ilKhan fails and talk of invasion is tabled for now. Several Clan leaders meet outside of council chambers to discuss unilateral actions.
- December 30th: The Black Dragons gain control over Luthien.
- December 15th: The Northwind Highlanders are blockaded on Northwind by the Word of Blake
- December 20th: Word of Blake forces retaliate against Wolf's Dragoons by invading Outreach. After months of fighting, the Word pacifies the planet and takes control of remaining Dragoon industrial capacity.
- December 21st: Clan Nova Cat forces across Draconis Combine space suddenly return to the Irece Prefecture.
- December 24th: General Helen Thrall of the FWLM is assassinated by the Lyran Alliance.
- December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Epsilon Indi.
- December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Fletcher.
- December 30th: Blakist forces conquer Tall Trees.
3068
- January 1st: The Black Dragon's Second Sword of Light seizes the Imperial Palace on Luthien.
- January 1st: Word of Blake ground and black water naval forces assault Luthien.
- January 21st: Word of Blake forces devastate the 21st Centauri Lancers and other units on Tukayyid.
- February 2nd: Clan Wolf cedes control of Unzmarkt to Clan Diamond Shark, after Trials which net the Wolves several Clusters of Shark-produced 'Mechs.
- February 4th: Renegade Free Worlds League forces raid Skye.
- February 4th: Word of Blake forces assault Dieron.
- February 4th: Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner of Skye declares war on the Free Worlds League, this marks the start of Operation: UBERSCHATTEN.
- February 20th: The CSV Invisible Truth is ambushed en route to Case WHITE, Victor Steiner-Davion is killed.
- March: The Word of Blake conducts raids against Hesperus II, this marks the start of Operation: STEEL HAMMER.
- March 9th: The Case White invasion begins, ending in disaster for the ComGuard.
- March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Cascade.
- March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Megrez.
- March 10th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces assault Togwotee.
- March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Coventry.
- March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Donegal.
- March 14th-17th: Word of Blake forces assault Hesperus II.
- March 20th: Clan Wolf Beta and Gamma Galaxies win Trials for Zoetermeer and Leskovik.
- March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Colfax.
- March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Pingree.
- March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Sheridan.
- March 30th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Thermopolis.
- April: Blakist forces strike Addicks
- April: Blakist forces strike Edasich.
- April: Blakist forces strike New Valencia.
- April: Blakist forces strike Talcott.
- April 16th: A DCMS task force commanded by Hohiro Kurita assaults Dieron.
- May: Raventhir's Iron Hand is destroyed by the Word of Blake's 34th Division in the vicinity of Crimson on Canopus.
- May 15th: Word of Blake forces depart New Avalon under mysterious circumstances, ending six months of occupation. They take with them enough salvageable materials to build or expand multiple Divisions.
- May 20th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer McAffe.
- May 20th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Preston.
- May 20th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Rexburg.
- June 16th: Solaris VII is invaded by Word of Blake forces.
- June 18th: Opacus Venatori captures Hohiro Kurita and the planet Dieron surrenders to the Word of Blake.
- June 19th-21st: The Word of Blake conquers Altair.
- June 19th-21st: The Word of Blake conquers Asta.
- June 19th-21st: The Word of Blake conquers Fomalhaut.
- June 19th-21st: The Word of Blake conquers Yorii.
- June 28th: Duke George Hasek launches Operation SOVEREIGN JUSTICE against the Capellan Confederation.
- June 28th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Gallatin.
- June 28th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Ideyld.
- June 28th: Forces from the Skye and Bolan provinces conquer Shasta.
- June 28th: The Free Worlds League conquers Preston.
- July 1st: Yvonne Steiner-Davion, Princess-Regent of the Federated Suns, returns to a triumphant New Avalon with the body of Victor retrieved during her journey from Tharkad. A toxin introduced into her system at an unknown time takes effect, killing her as she touches the ground on New Avalon.
- July 4th: Following the assassination of the Princess-Regent, Conrad Jerric Davion is instilled with the powers and title of First Prince. A reorganization and redistribution of power in the Federated Suns occurs shortly thereafter.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Fen's Advice for New Players in 3067
Capellan Confederation - Probably one of those Romance of the Three Kingdoms fans, or big into China/Russia, or maybe you just like having uphill battles. Much respect there. Despite having the smallest territory of the "Major" IS powers, the CapCon does have a lot going for it. Play it up, the sneaky, underhandedness of it all. Get your allies to do much of the dirty work, but then reward them well. Your smaller size can be a boon, since it makes your regiments more concentrated into a tighter area, limiting the time reinforcements take to get from one system to another. And mines. Oh, man, do you guys love minefields, from Fa Shih battle armor, that also has magnetic clamps to ride cavalry on any 'Mech, to mine-laying Long Range Missiles, you are the ultimate defensive player. Don't be afraid to lay down the mines, and then utilize Stealth Armor and Electronic Counter Measure suites to confound your enemy's attempts. Add in some Triple-Strength Myomer to take advantage of the hot running armor, and you'll be just fine.
As the head of the Trinity Alliance, remember that you also have access to the worlds and forces of the Magistracy of Canopus and the Taurian Concordat in the Periphery section. The CapCon and MoC have incredibly close ties (marriage close), even into 3150, so they can be intimately trusted. It would take some absolutely stupidly huge shark jumping, like of massively, stupidly huge proportions, for the MoC to turn against you. The TC, on the other hand, is an alliance of convenience, and so long as you're focused on giving them some tech that they can use to batter down the Federated Suns, they'll be happy with you.
Draconis Combine - If this is the faction you're leaning towards, let me just applaud your refined and discerning taste. You might be a bit of a weaboo, or maybe you just like Japanese culture, but in either case, this is the place for you. Weapons you're going to want to learn to use are the Heavy PPC, Medium Range Missiles, and Swords. Yeah, sometimes you end up with an HPPC and a Sword on the same 'Mech (the HPPC penalizes your shots at close range), but you're a samurai, so suck it up, buttercup, and get those decapitation swings going. MRMs are like dummy fire rockets - you take a penalty to hit your enemy due to lack of guidance, but make up for it by being able to potentially fire a metric assload of missiles in one turn. If you're a big fan of coordinating pieces to maximize firing potential, say hello to C3 Computers, guaranteed to have you going dakka dakka dakka on your enemy. Moreso than any other Inner Sphere power, excepting the Lyran Alliance and possibly ComStar/Word of Blake, you have access to a ton of Clantech to refit your OmniMechs with, as well as to put into the field wholesale. Plus, be prepared to send large amounts of supplies to Clan Diamond Shark to purchase parts and replacement 'Mechs on Itabaiana.
But don't stop there! The Combine is dominated by House Kurita's Japanese flavor, but that's not all it has to offer. Two sub-factions, Clan Nova Cat and the Azami, season to perfection what is already a spicy bowl of ramen. The Azami worlds were originally settled by North African Arabs, and retain that definite feel too them. Never truly conquered by the Dragon, they nonetheless are an important part of the Combine, lending their bad-ass Arkab Legions to the communal defense. These guys are really awesome! Clan Nova Cat is detailed more in the IS Clans section but in a campaign context, you will most likely be responsible for the care and feeding of your pet Clan and I highly, hiiiighly recommend that you take a page out of the Azami-relations handbook - treat them with honor, and respect befitting a partner and not a vassal state. Give both subfactions some leeway and support them, and don't let the Black Dragon Society or fear of a Civil War lessen your honor towards them. Provided another player isn't representing either of them, anyway. If they are, make sure you're a team to be reckoned with. The two sub-factions share borders with Clan Ghost Bear and the Federated Suns respectively, so supporting them as they defend you is incredibly important.
Federated Suns - I could go on a diatribe about the munchkin nature of the Suns, but honestly, ever since 3052 or so, other than Victor Steiner-Davion's "instant win" button, the FS has taken as many licks as anyone else. You have more planets than anyone else from the get go, but many of them are also kind of worthless, and you'll always have to keep an eye on the risk vs reward with your huge borders. Fortunately, you do have a ton of regiments with which to defend yourself, you'll just have to stay creative with their deployment and keep a flexible mind going into anything. On the battlefield, expect to see a LOT of your 'Mechs with some combination of Ultra Autocannon 2/5/10, LB-X Autocannon, or Rotary Autocannon 2/5. Or even just a plain old Autocannon 2/5/10. AC20s are less a Federated Suns thing, but overall, ballistic weaponry, in addition to Targeting Computers and/or Pulse Lasers, are what the FS likes to build. With Precision and Armor Piercing rounds available, don't think any less of those standard AC2/5/10s, as they can be incredibly useful. You haven't faced a Clan opponent in any context since 3061 for salvage, and the recent Civil War denuded even further your stockpiles, but you still have more access to Clantech than either the CapCon or the Free Worlds League.
You'll need those edges, with the Draconis Combine perched "north" of you, the Capellan Confederation directly to the "west," the Taurian Concordat "beneath" you, the Outworld's Alliance/Clan Snow Raven on your "northeast" border, and the Word of Blake occupying your capitol of New Avalon. Relations are still strained with the Lyran Alliance, who also has their own problems, but maybe you can find a way to work with them to take some of the pressure off of your holdings. You have your own internal disputes between March Lords of the Capellan March and Draconis March, but you aren't entirely friendless in the universe, so it's best to sue for at least some non-aggression treaties with your neighbors, even if it means sacrificing some less important worlds or making other concessions.
Free Worlds League - Strength through Diversity is the motto of the League and if you're playing them, it's either because the color purple really appeals to you, or you love that each different region within the League has its own awesome little flavor. Or maybe you just dislike every other faction and they seemed the least offensive to your delicate snowflake sensibilities. No judgement. You gotta love massed Long Range Missile spam, if you're a Marik person. Matched up with Extended Range Lasers and Light Gauss Rifles, your key to victory is going to be in dictating range and keeping it to the extremes. Since you'll more than likely be dealing with heavier units, mobility will win you more battles than anything. Plus, your WarShip fleet is the largest of any Inner Sphere power, and if you assign your most important battle groups a WarShip escort, well, try to save some salvage opportunities.
Strength through Diversity has a flip side though, and it's subfactional divide. The Marik Commonwealth, Duchy of Andurien, Principality of Regulus, and Duchy of Oriente all tend to jockey for position within, though they can all usually be counted on to band together in the face of outside adversity. The Capellan Confederation, though a nominal ally, hasn't forgotten when the Duchy of Andurien joined with the Magistracy of Canopus to invade them after the 4th Succession War. An ongoing war with the Lyran Alliance demands focus, as well as a semi-to-hostile border with the Marian Hegemony on the Periphery side of the League. Your greatest ally is the Word of Blake, so long as you don't attempt to cross them. Requesting aid for your wars, and supplying them with worlds to buffer their Protectorate is a solid strategy, but like any other faction with a dark and twisted side, don't rely on them any more than you absolutely have to.
Lyran Alliance - "85 tons? Oh, a scout 'Mech!" sums up the Lyran "Wall of Steel" philosophy to combat. You've a surfeit of assault 'Mechs available to you, from the not-all-that-great-but-still-iconic Banshee, to the probably-gonna-murder-everything Fafnir. Light Fusion Engines stolen from Wolf's Dragoons and Heavy Gauss Rifles that will hammer through armor like a hot knife through butter, along with variations on the Autocannon-20 are your forte. Don't ever let anyone tell you that bigger isn't better, but despite the bias towards heavier machines, the Lyrans also have some great lights and mediums, probably inherited from their time joined at the hip with the Federated Suns. Bring that German and Scottish heritage out and goose step to the bagpipes during all your combat sorties. You pay for great tactical choices with shitty strategic ones, since Lyran "Social Generals" have a hard time fighting their way out of a wet paper bag. Hey, no one is perfect.
But watch out for Isle of Skye separatists, Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Wolf to your "east," the continued Free Worlds League threat to the "south," and the Word of Blake naval blockade around Tharkad. You can open tighter relations with your cousins in the Federated Suns, who still have a handful of your decimated regiments on their worlds, support a rebuilding of the Free Rasalhague Republic, or throw everyone for a loop by supporting the Capellan Confederation in exchange for them taking some of the heat from the League. Wash that Steiner-Davion taint out of your mouth and get a real Archon in the form of Adam Steiner. Use, but don't full trust, your pet Clan Wolf-in-Exile and hope the real Wolves don't come to eat them any time soon.
ComStar - If you're playing ComStar, you're going to be in for a rough time. True, you still have a few WarShips left and some great Star League 'Mech designs in your ranks, but post-Case White, your military is not what it once was. However, don't let that discourage you! Basing yourself out of Tukayyid in the Free Rasalhague Republic, and administering the HyperPulse Generators of the Lyran Alliance, Federated Suns, Draconis Combine, and most Periphery realms, you have access to resources to start rebuilding your numbers. Coordinate your forces as best you can with Improved C3 computers and the best supplies that the Inner Sphere will sell you. My best advice is honestly to find a better faction, but if you're sold on ComStar, forget about sacrificing what you have left against the Word of Blake at least from the start. Rely on your HPG revenue and your contacts to get your power base strengthened. Work with the Free Rasalhague Republic to retake some of their lost territory, and then subjugate them utterly when no one is looking. Hell, you're going to die out at some point and just become a 'Mech-less corporation by 3145, so be a BAMF until that happens.
Free Rasalhague Republic - I gotta admit to a fondness for the FRR. Way back when I started in the BattleTech universe, I was involved with a mercenary unit called The Blacksheep, and part of their backstory was that they were working with the FRR movement in the Draconis Combine's Rasalhague Military District. So, take everything great about Lyran 'Mechs, Combine 'Mechs, and ComStar stock, and mash it together, and you get the Little Viking State that could. From the 1st Tyr BattleMech Regiment to the 3rd Drakons, you have some great units left in your little rump state, and working with ComStar, you might actually be able to retake some of your lost glory. Of course, in canon BattleTech, what's left of the FRR gets absorbed by Clan Ghost Bear to form the Rasalhague Dominion, so maybe you might want to mosey on down that way now...
Mercenary - "No Gods or Kings, Only Man" mercenaries are too diverse to make generalizations, and in a campaign sense, are usually forced to either pick a faction to represent or support, or used as a bargained-for ready reserve to fill in when no one else is available. That means an unrivaled flexibility to use what designs make the most sense for you, as well as not being tied down to a philosophy that you may tire of eventually. All non-Clan factions make use of mercs and your talents will never go unused. Unless you're Wolf's Dragoons or a member of the Allied Mercenary Command. Then your talents are best left at the bottom of the nuclear crater along with your 'Mechs and your sense of self worth.
Word of Blake - Ah, clearly you like being both the underdog in a fight, and a merciless force of nature, at the same time. Since you sit at the dead center of the Inner Sphere, alliances are your primary bet from the get-go. Ties are strained with the Capellan Confederation/Trinity Alliance and can be hit or miss with the Free Worlds League, but this is your most powerful political block and if you, plus the players of these two factions, work diligently, you will be the premier movers and shakers of the universe. That's, of course, if you can get your internal factions all in a row. The Word of Blake has lots of secrets (see separate post about that) but overall, your greatest strength is novelty. ComStar and the Word are the only factions that use a base six for their formations, and the Improved C3 computer system allows for unprecedented coordination. Remember, you don't need six 'Mechs to use iC3, just that you can max at six. Depending on the type of pick up game or campaign you're playing, feel free to introduce your opponents to the joys of cybernetically enhanced Manei Domini MechWarriors, and remember - you have access to a LOT of other factions' toys. Superheavy 'Mechs and Land-Air 'Mechs, Drone 'Mechs, Celestial-series OmniMechs, Variable-Speed Pulse Lasers, all of these are solely yours to use. And you have a TON of WarShips which, take my advice here, are best used if you create naval battle groups (or naval level IIs) of 6 WarShips, attendant combat DropShips, and swarms of Spectral-series OmniFighters to ensure local space superiority during any conquests.
Through your political ties and memberships, the Circinus Federation, outlined in the Periphery section is actually a vassal state, the Chaos March is practically yours, you have a few Hidden Worlds out there, and the only thing that can really stop you is spreading yourself too thin. Make some moves, take some worlds, then turtle up and flesh out your Divisions even more.As you have a blockade going against the capitol of the Lyran Alliance, are engaged in a three way battle on the capitol of the Draconis Combine, and are occupying the capitol of the Federated Suns, my advice would be to either heavily reinforce all spots with a WarShip II and at least a handful more Divisions, or to cut your losses, make a few final "fuck you" gestures on each planet, and consolidate closer to your Protectorate worlds. Winning a handful of morale boosting battles is great, but not at a cost of losing the war.
Magistracy of Canopus
Marian Hegemony - Romans. In. Spaaaaaaaace! Absolutely, 100%, do not fail to do so, please, make sure you're quoting "Gladiator" every opportunity that you can. Please. I beg of you. So you're a former bandit kingdom, turned to a degree of legitimacy. Compared to even the smallest of Inner Sphere powers, you're fairly week, but you have character, and a crap ton of one-shot Rocket Launchers on your 'Mechs, so that is cool. The Word of Blake was once your ally, and they probably still deal with your HyperPulse Generators for you, but relations have cooled significantly since your war with the Circinus Federation. So, gotta watch out for them. The Magistracy of Canopus doesn't like you much either. Sorry, bro. At least the Free Worlds League is ripe for raiding whilst they're distracted with other problems. Your tech level isn't the greatest but you do have a fairly large overall force size for the amount of planets you control, and when you're hitting the table top, make sure that you're focusing fire between as many RL carries as you can.
Outworld's Alliance
Taurian Concordat
Diamond Shark - Mon-ay for nothin' and your chicks for freeeee. It's all about the bottom line with the Sharks, and your 'Mech selection really exemplifies that. From the large amount of Mad Cat II/III/IV/V/VI/XXX you have, to the collection of upgraded IIC models, everyone wants your wares. In fact, you're the number one source for Homeworld Clan product, like Heavy Lasers in the IS, so milk the crap out of it as you can with Trials for whatever campaign supply point type resources whenever possible. You only control a couple of IS worlds, and, more than likely, won't be in a position to be a conquering force, so these points will be the lifeblood of your efforts. However, also remember that as of 3067, you're basically in control of the Chainlane Isles ("The Reef") and probably have a crapload of production facilities being moved into there. The Sharks really like top of the line and highly mobile units so expect to field faster examples in every weight class, or 'Mechs with lots of jump capability. You deserve to be pampered with nothing but the best.
Your big trading hubs are Twycross in Clan Jade Falcon space, Trondheim in Clan Ghost Bear territory, and Itabaiana in the Draconis Combine. Yes, you read that right, the Combine. Because you've been selling the DC the Ha Otoko BattleMech since 3062, and as of 3066, have been selling both the DC and Lyran Alliance small amounts of Mad Cat Mk IIs. Damned traitors to Kerensky's vision. But really, you could hold several factions in the palm of your hand for scraps of Clantech. I heard a rumor that if you approach Clan Wolf for a series of trials, putting up some clusters worth of 'Mechs in exchange for control of a planet, that you could probably score Unzmarkt fairly easily.
Ghost Bear - Did you come here because the Free Rasalhague Republic sounded awesome but is in kind of a shitty position? That's okay! Clan Ghost Bear is all the Nordic fun of the FRR with all the Klingon rahhhh smash argh you love about the Clans, and that is alright alright alright. Your single biggest advantage over your fellow Inner Sphere Clans is that your entire touman (that's military force) beyond a single honor guard force, is in your Dominion. That doesn't necessarily mean a whole lot in a Total Warfare or Alpha Strike game, but for a campaign? That generally means that you have more Clusters available for deployment than anyone else in your neck of the woods. You can attempt to absorb what's left of the FRR before the Wolves do, pushing you into conflict with IS powers down that way, or drive Clan Nova Cat to extinction, take as much of the Draconis Comhine as possible, you have options, playa! Leviathan WarShips aid in moving your population, or as a deterrent to attack, despite their anemic attack for their size. Second-line 'Mechs such as the Grizzly, Arcas, Stone Rhino, Stinger IIC, Ursus, and Kodiak are your bread and butter. In fact, some of these are better than front-line OmniMechs, so don't be afraid to use them to their fullest.
Every Clan is at once an ally and an enemy, but the Ghost Bears maintain relatively good ties with Clan Diamond Shark and Clan Snow Raven, the former because everyone needs the Diamond Shark's goods and the latter due to years of working together on the Leviathans, as well as both of their totems being arctic, which sounds like a superficial thing but it's the Clans, who knows why they are the way they are.
Jade Falcon - Back in the day, the Falcons were the biggest douchebags in the entire BattleTech universe. Well, after the Federated Suns, anyway. Because they had shit leadership and a whiny fanbase and that whole Refusal War with Clan Wolf left a bad taste in my mouth. However, you have Marthe Pryde and Samantha Clees as Khan & saKhan respectively in 3067, and they're both enjoyably well-written characters. No, no really, I mean that. In fact, Vlad Ward of the Wolves thought Marthe was VERY enjoyable that one time on Strana Metchy, if you know what I'm sayin'. Actually, for a guy that isn't even statted with a high charisma, the fact that Vlad bagged both the Khan of the Clan that has been the Wolves' biggest enemy since the get-go, AND Katherine Steiner-Davion, you gotta give him mad props. Oh, uh, right. Clan Jade Falcon are usually considered staunch traditionalists in books where they appear, right up until the Dark Ages when suddenly they're using chemical weapons and dropped WarShips into planets. Not sure where that happened, but you can change that fate. Your Scientist Caste is a bit of a handful, keep an eye on them. The Dark Nebula is a sore point, with the Star League Camelot Command Naval Station inside of it, so at some point, you're going to want to address that, even though it has probably been retconned out of the universe by this point. I dunno, Falcons aren't too bad of a Clan, as Clans go. I've actually read them described as the Lannisters of the BattleTech universe, and that's pretty apt, in that they fuck their brothers.
By '67, I think that the relationship with Clan Wolf is more grudging respect both ways than full on antagonism. In canon, when the Council of Six is formed, and the Wolves give their big "fuck you!" to the Grand Council on Strana Metchy, Marthe Pryde actually applauds Vlad Ward, for more than just his size and stamina, so there's that. Which is a good thing, since the Lyran Alliance is going to bear watching. With Tharkad blockaded by the Word of Blake, you might be able to expand your territory to the "west." Be mindful of Homeworld Clans, however, both in the Homeworlds, which you should vacate eventually, and returning to the Inner Sphere. Operation: Ice Storm in canon saw Clan Ice Hellion and Clan Hells Horses invade, but if you're playing our 5th Succession War, prepare your anus for Operation: Annwyn Rising and Clan Blood Spirit/Clan Cloud Cobra.
Nova Cat - Not gonna lie to you, in canon, post-Jihad and into the Dark Ages, the Nova Cats get a pretty raw, barebacked gangbang of a deal. You guys did it to yourself though, so my biggest piece of advice is don't do it. First, don't be dicks and learn to exist in the Irece Prefecture. Second, if a guy name Stone comes asking for troops, tell him to piss off. Third, work with the Dragon, not against the Dragon. Fo real. The Star League is dead, and you've already pledged yourself to defend the Draconis Combine border with Clan Ghost Bear, so do it. The Cats invented the Clantech Extended Range Large Laser by the by, and are noted for the marksmanship abilities, so go with that. Kill them with kindness a kilometer away. The mystic angle, which can feel like a tacked on shtick but which is actually pretty cool, should be used without being abused. In fact, there's probably a rule somewhere about vision quests giving you some kind of a bonus. Otherwise, you have sweet designs like the Nova Cat, Huntsman, Sphinx, Cave Lion, Wendigo, and Avalanche to look forward to using, and teaming up with Luthien Armor Works will help you max out your touman to thwart those pesky Bears or the Word of Blake.
Which obviously indicates that Clan Ghost Bear is your primary threat, as well as the Black Dragon Society of the Combine. The ultra-traditionalists disagree with Theodore Kurita allowing you to control, for the most part, the Irece Prefecture, and will stop at nothing to see you dead. That could spell disaster for you if the Combine player wants to be an ultra-traditionalist, so I'd recommend making sure they're more of a moderate. Unless YOU are playing the Combine, in which case, all my remarks above still hold - the Nova Cats are important and, treated properly like good kitties, will bring many dividends. Just don't let them wander off and blitzkrieg the Bears without your support. Look for Clan Diamond Shark traders to land on a world near you, and if some new Homeworld Clans happen to stop by, just remember you were abjured and they will come at you harder than Ron Jeremy at a high school prom.
Snow Raven - Reapers of the Void, also co-holders of the "crappiest at 'Mech fighting on the ground" title. Recently scouting out a niche for themselves in the Inner Sphere, as of 3067, the Ravens found themselves in a bit of a pissing match with the Outworld's Alliance, and much to their surprise, the OA's AeroSpace Fighters actually kicked the hell out of them. Which isn't actually that shocking, since the Ravens are known as the "WarShip Clan" as opposed to the "AeroSpace Fighter Clan" aka Clan Cloud Cobra. Any other Clan would probably have made the Alliance their space bitch but instead, the Ravens are looking to move in, maybe eat all their sammiches, probably put the moves on their wives, you know, the things Clanners do. The Raven Alliance, much like the Rasalhague Dominion, becomes one of those weird Clan/Sphere hybrid realms where the civilians really just hate everyone. But, yeah, so you look cool in your Raven uniforms, you have WarShips up the ass, and you make space-adapted versions of most OmniMechs, plus have some really interesting designs like the Omen and the Deimos.
No one really likes you much in the Inner Sphere except for Clan Ghost Bear and Clan Diamond Shark, and the latter really just because they have raging wood for everyone. The Outworlds Alliance only likes you because you're big and strong and can ball gag them properly, but most of their civilians, who are basically pacifists anyway, aren't fans. The Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns, due to their shared borders with the Alliance, are going to be both really defensive, and really great possible victims as need be. But again, your ability to scorch worlds doesn't really play well back home and doesn't earn you much territory so even if you're only semi-capable fighters, just do your best.
Wolf - Nicholas Kerensky's chosen Clan, you got some serious weight of history on your back. Straight up, first and foremost, since this is the Clan I play most, let me lay this out for you - can't have one foot in the Homeworlds and one foot in the Inner Sphere. Eventually, you have to make a choice, and the correct choice is the Sphere. Load up on Timberwolves, phase out your reliance on Dire Wolves in favor of Tomahawks/Tomahawk IIs. Bring in more mobile factory platforms, or capture them from other Clans, but give yourself more self reliance in the Wolf Occupation Zone. Wardens suck, but you have them, so use them. Not as sacrificial lambs but as honored participants in glorious last stands. Watch your Periphery border, because a storm is brewing.
Clan Ghost Bear and Clan Jade Falcon are the perennial thorns in your side, but don't count ComStar or the Free Rasalhague Republic out of the fight just yet. In fact, I would recommend in any campaign that taking the last worlds of the FRR before the Ghost Bears do would be in your best interests, especially if the Bears are busy with the Draconis Combine or Clan Nova Cat. Like any other faction in the game, you'll have the most luck with misdirection, whilst still keeping your honor intact. The Falcons have always been your biggest rivals and their worlds sure look mighty fine, even if you're playing the 5th Succession War campaign and Clan Blood Spirits/Clan Cloud Cobra are on their way. And I heard that you could score some sweet, sweet 'Mechs in exchange for Unzmarkt is you Trial Clan Diamond Shark. On the Homeworld front, if you choose to stay in, make sure to work with Clan Coyote as much as possible, going so far as to trade for entire Galaxies of their troops in exchange for some genetic legacies. Will be much worthwhile.
Wolf-in-Exile - Okay, after thinking long and hard about Stackpole's shark-jumping pseudo-Clan experiment, and what advice I could possibly give someone interested in them, here it is. You have three Clan Galaxies of troops, and control a section of Arc-Royal in the Lyran Alliance. Plus a couple of WarShips. Initiate a "Trial of Homecoming." Challenge Vlad Ward to a five on five full Zellbrigen duel, Clan Wolf's Golden Keshik command star vs Phelan Kell's Clan Wolf-in-Exile Golden Keshik command star. Then, have all MechWarriors on the WiE side shoot someone else's opponent, opening up a grand melee, before ejecting, and leaving Phelan to 1 v 5. Then, after he inevitably dies and those three Galaxies plus WarShips go to the real Clan Wolf, start playing them as a faction. WiE is basically "Clan Lyran Alliance Mercenary" and they blow. Just don't play them.
Cloud Cobra
Coyote
Fire Mandrill
Goliath Scorpion
Hells Horses
Ice Hellion
Star Adder
Steel Viper




























