Author Topic: Sell Me On Your FWL Region (Read 6040 times)

jklantern · « **on:** 26 March 2017, 13:25:13 »

All right, so one of these threads probably comes up once a year, and in fact, I think I may have done one several years ago. But, lately I've been in an FWL State of Mind. So I just wanted to hear your take on the regions of the FWL. And I'm not talking about just the major players, either. Whatever region you happen to like in the FWL, what pulls you to them?

The Eagle · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 March 2017, 13:54:30 »

Why pick just one? Federal service means you can travel around the whole League, experience the full gamut of cultures! Visit the famed botanical gardens of Jojoken, on Andurien! Take a walk back in time with the Indian-inspired architecture of Regulus! Visit the Southwest Worlds and enjoy an authentic dude ranch! Get a little culture with the famed art museums and sport of falconry on Tamarind!

After all, it is the Free Worlds, so why not experience all of them?

Scotty · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 March 2017, 15:52:18 »

Because not all of them are worth experiencing. ^-^ *coughs in Andurian's general direction*

Meow Liao · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 March 2017, 16:13:04 »

Join me on the yellow submarine as we explore Octopus's Gardens in the oceans of Silver. Or watch the parades as Sergeant Pepper leads the greatest military band in the Inner Sphere. Enjoy the country fairs during the Strawberry Fields Festival on Maxwell. Abbey District pretty much sells itself.

All we are saying is give peace a chance. :)

Meow Liao

Iron Mongoose · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 March 2017, 22:17:38 »

On the one hand, the joy is to taste the rainbow. Plus, know your enemy as yourself, so even if you have one you like you still have to keep abreast of all of them.

For me, the choice is more between federalist and states rights. I was once very pro Regulus, very much anti Marik family, but overtime I've come to know the value of having a League of Free Worlds and not just a bunch of even freer worlds with no league (one way to know if you love something is to lose is, after all).

And in the modern era, there are questions about who's a "real" Marik and who's a pretender or an imposter or a fake or what have you. The "fake" Mariks seem to have won, but I've still got a soft spot for the "real" Mariks that are left.

Tai Dai Cultist · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 March 2017, 23:16:18 »

The Southwest Trinity worlds.

Won't try to sell it; if you don't like cowboys in your BattleTech that's your business.

JadedFalcon · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 March 2017, 01:15:15 »

Much of the charm of the Trinity Worlds is translated into Camacho's 17th Recon, which, is the spiritual successor to the bandit kingdom origins of the region. Complications with the law seems to be a recurring theme for inhabitants of the Trinity Worlds.

Andurien has always postured as the cool kids of the Free Worlds. Kept their own ranks, decorations, and culture (and probably hairstyles, too) in the pre-Tommy era before the pinball wizard got in their way. And the Defenders of Andurien were rockin combined arms back when red-haired Hansey-boy was only reading about it in stolen library books. Originally a Capellan world, Andurien has had no problem with invading the CapCon twice in less than a century (though maybe not the best decision in either case), and is noteworthy for being the prize that kicked off the Age of War and later set the stage for the formation of the Star League. And what other Free Worlder faction has mercilessly gunned down a Captain-General of the League while they were attempting to surrender? 8)

Karimancer · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 March 2017, 06:45:38 »

I like the Regulans. Always have. Their whole thing seems to be, "Nukes? Who said nukes? We have nukes. We like nukes. Want us to 'share' them with you?" Along with, "DIE WORD OF BLAKE! DIE!!!!"

The Eagle · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 March 2017, 08:19:01 »

Quote from: Iron Mongoose on 26 March 2017, 22:17:38

The "fake" Mariks seem to have won, but I've still got a soft spot for the "real" Mariks that are left.

Me too. I'm still hoping Kenyon II gets more spotlight in the future, maybe even wresting control away from Jessica's daughters (or perhaps sharing them via dynastic marriage to Nikol).

jklantern · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 March 2017, 19:59:08 »

Quote from: Tai Dai Cultist on 26 March 2017, 23:16:18

The Southwest Trinity worlds.

Won't try to sell it; if you don't like cowboys in your BattleTech that's your business.

I gotta say, I LOVE the Caballeros, and I LOVE the concept of cowboys in Battletech.

Colt Ward · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 March 2017, 21:00:19 »

Regulus, because who cannot appreciate the motto- Nuke it till they glow!

I appreciate their attitude of telling those who disagree with them exactly where they can go. Plus the Indian military melange is fun to play with . . . just like Marauder 9M2s.

sadlerbw · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 March 2017, 13:01:48 »

I'm a fan of the Silver Hawks coalition, although the sad truth is that it's because I think they have the best pain schemes. The half-silver-half-purple of Callison and Marcus are my favorite, but the black/gold of Kalidasa, New Hope, and Alkes is also very pretty. Amity and Concord are crap though. Orange and Gold? Ugh, wouldn't be the FWL without that one dude off doing his own thing!

Plus, even though they tend to scream 'Home Defense!' quite a bit, they are often close to the action. Being located right up against the Terran 'zone' there is almost always a war going on within a couple jumps. The Lyrans and Hegemony are right next door, and later the Chaos March and the Wolves are causing trouble. The Silver Hawks are one of the best places to be in FWL space...if you want to fight someone other than a different piece of the FWL!

Also, they pissed the RotS off bad enough by trying to reclaim New Hope that the Sphere declared it would be considered an act of war if the FWL ever re-created the shattered Silver Hawks regiments! Just the name was an act of war! So of course they DID get re-formed just as soon at the RotS couldn't do anything about it, just in time to get beat up by the Wolves and the Republic remnants. They may be small, but the Silver Hawks are always close to the action.

JadeHellbringer · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 March 2017, 13:56:27 »

"Oriente. Because ****** Regulus."

Karimancer · « **Reply #13 on:** 28 March 2017, 14:01:51 »

What?! I'll show you what happens to those who insult Regulus.

The Eagle · « **Reply #14 on:** 28 March 2017, 18:30:30 »

Yet as of TRO:3150, Regulus is once again part of the Free Worlds. I guess you guys ran out of those bombs, eh?

Sartris · « **Reply #15 on:** 28 March 2017, 19:29:32 »

Join the First Free Worlds Guard!

Suffer demoralizing setbacks!

Be like, the only IS unit to lose to the clans in the great refusal!

Get tricked into doing Blake's dirty work and suffer debilitating guilt for years!

THIS GAME IS SO MUCH FUN

E. Icaza · « **Reply #16 on:** 28 March 2017, 20:28:01 »

I've always been fond of the Rim Commonality. It's that little chunk at the edge of the FWL struggling not to get thrown off of the carousel and into the Periphery.

Iron Mongoose · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 March 2017, 22:50:59 »

If the big kids want to spin things faster, you've just got to either get off or hold on tighter. (My daughter would approve; in the park the other day, she picked hold on tighter)

Scotty · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 March 2017, 23:01:32 »

I'm actually most drawn to the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth, largely because of a couple factors. First, they're the province that is actually the seat of FWL governance, containing Atreus itself. Since I fancy myself a supporter of the federal government ahead of any one province (or family, for that matter), this matters a fair bit. Second, they give us three of the best designs to ever grace to rolls of the FWLM in the form of the R10 Mechanized ICV, the greatest infantry combat vehicle ever devised; the Anzu, one of the greatest heavy troopers ever conceived; and the Juliano, one of the best Assault 'Mechs ever made. They also designed and produced the Seleucus DropShip, one of very, very few dedicated infantry carriers in the game, capable of carrying a company of light vehicles (likely R10s, if they have any sense at all) and a full FWL sized battle armor company of 20 squads.

Don Lunardi · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 March 2017, 09:17:35 »

Well, since someone has to represent it...Andurien!

Arguably one of the most influential pieces of space not just in the FWL, but for the Inner Sphere as a whole. Age of War? Started right there in 2398. Formation of the Star League? Handed over as a prize from Albert Marik to Liao to get them to sign on (which probably goes a long way to explaining how the Humphreys went from being strong Marik supporters to bitter opponents over the intervening centuries). Defenders of Andurien? Derided as something of a parade formation in the first House Marik book, but proved to be tenacious enough to be reconstituted as the basis of the Free Worlds Legionnaires and even gaining prominence over some old standard bearer units (*cough* FW Guards).

Andurien. When the only word you know is "No!"

*drops Mic*

sadlerbw · « **Reply #20 on:** 29 March 2017, 09:52:57 »

Quote from: Sartris on 28 March 2017, 19:29:32

Join the First Free Worlds Guard!

Suffer demoralizing setbacks!

Be like, the only IS unit to lose to the clans in the great refusal!

Get tricked into doing Blake's dirty work and suffer debilitating guilt for years!

THIS GAME IS SO MUCH FUN

Or, you know, if you really, really like purple and have always had a secret desire to weaponize Barney the dinosaur. "Hey Kids! I Love you, you love me...we ain't got no P...P..C's!"

Colt Ward · « **Reply #21 on:** 30 March 2017, 13:04:53 »

Oh, that is good . . . and I thought Barney was already a sonic based weapon.

Lord greystroke · « **Reply #22 on:** 30 March 2017, 13:12:58 »

the Duchy of Orloff is the way forward the best academy in the FWL and duelling so style is important

Wotan · « **Reply #23 on:** 30 March 2017, 14:24:50 »

Irian - if you have it, you need nothing else. ;)

Sartris · « **Reply #24 on:** 30 March 2017, 14:41:24 »

Quote from: sadlerbw on 29 March 2017, 09:52:57

Or, you know, if you really, really like purple and have always had a secret desire to weaponize Barney the dinosaur. "Hey Kids! I Love you, you love me...we ain't got no P...P..C's!"

Here in the 1st we relegated purple to a secondary color and have adopted a much more masochistic white. Only the most frustrating color to paint for us!

Don Lunardi · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 March 2017, 15:02:32 »

Quote from: Sartris on 30 March 2017, 14:41:24

Here in the 1st we relegated purple to a secondary color and have adopted a much more masochistic white. Only the most frustrating color to paint for us!

So ComStar called... ;)

Honestly, if I ever get around to doing any FW Guards, I plan to take some artistic liberties and go with a base of light/metallic grey with secondary purple and gold accents like on the cover of the revised House Marik book. Looks way sharper IMO.

Karimancer · « **Reply #26 on:** 30 March 2017, 15:14:26 »

Quote from: Wotan on 30 March 2017, 14:24:50

Irian - if you have it, you need nothing else. ;)

Except food.

The Eagle · « **Reply #27 on:** 30 March 2017, 15:43:45 »

Quote from: Lord greystroke on 30 March 2017, 13:12:58

the Duchy of Orloff is the way forward the best academy in the FWL and duelling so style is important

The also duel at Princefield. All OMA is really known for is volume, contributing to the "Orloff Mafia" that pervades the FWLM officer corps. If I had to rate any of the academies in the League as "the best," it'd actually be AMI. Princefield is as much a finishing school as it is a military academy, and is stuffed to bursting with nobility. AMI's entrance criteria is more than "be rich and famous," with final approval of cadets actually done by the C-G himself.

Nav_Alpha · « **Reply #28 on:** 30 March 2017, 17:48:25 »

No love for the Silver Hawks Coalition? Scrappy, mix mashed and battered by just about everyone.
So belirigent even the Republic of the Sphere attacked them!

The Eagle · « **Reply #29 on:** 30 March 2017, 17:50:00 »

Quote from: Nav_Alpha on 30 March 2017, 17:48:25

No love for the Silver Hawks Coalition? Scrappy, mix mashed and battered by just about everyone.
So belirigent even the Republic of the Sphere attacked them!

Ahem.

Quote from: sadlerbw on 28 March 2017, 13:01:48

I'm a fan of the Silver Hawks coalition, although the sad truth is that it's because I think they have the best pain schemes. The half-silver-half-purple of Callison and Marcus are my favorite, but the black/gold of Kalidasa, New Hope, and Alkes is also very pretty. Amity and Concord are crap though. Orange and Gold? Ugh, wouldn't be the FWL without that one dude off doing his own thing!

Plus, even though they tend to scream 'Home Defense!' quite a bit, they are often close to the action. Being located right up against the Terran 'zone' there is almost always a war going on within a couple jumps. The Lyrans and Hegemony are right next door, and later the Chaos March and the Wolves are causing trouble. The Silver Hawks are one of the best places to be in FWL space...if you want to fight someone other than a different piece of the FWL!

Also, they pissed the RotS off bad enough by trying to reclaim New Hope that the Sphere declared it would be considered an act of war if the FWL ever re-created the shattered Silver Hawks regiments! Just the name was an act of war! So of course they DID get re-formed just as soon at the RotS couldn't do anything about it, just in time to get beat up by the Wolves and the Republic remnants. They may be small, but the Silver Hawks are always close to the action.

Sartris · « **Reply #30 on:** 30 March 2017, 18:05:05 »

Quote from: Don Lunardi on 30 March 2017, 15:02:32

So ComStar called... ;)

THE EXTREMISTS GET WHAT THEY DESERVE

Quote

Honestly, if I ever get around to doing any FW Guards, I plan to take some artistic liberties and go with a base of light/metallic grey with secondary purple and gold accents like on the cover of the revised House Marik book. Looks way sharper IMO.

This is intriguing

Kojak · « **Reply #31 on:** 01 April 2017, 15:43:56 »

I'll be honest, I'm an Oriente man through and through. They're the backbone of the League, the one state without which the League could not properly be called such.

The Eagle · « **Reply #32 on:** 01 April 2017, 15:57:19 »

Quote from: Kojak on 01 April 2017, 15:43:56

I'll be honest, I'm an Oriente man through and through. They're the backbone of the League, the one state without which the League could not properly be called such.

And I'd argue that Oriente shares that claim with the Marik Commonwealth and Principality of Regulus. When the League was founded, the Commonwealth brought military strength; Oriente brought culture and learning; and Regulus brought wealth and trade. Together, they birthed a well-rounded state, and the League just doesn't seem like the League without all three working together. I can admit that Regulus is my least favorite of the three founding provinces, but I appreciate the need for the Mariks to have a foil, and I'm glad that the post-Jihad madness is apparently over with now that Regulus has been re-incorporated.

Kojak · « **Reply #33 on:** 01 April 2017, 16:03:42 »

There's a reason it was Oriente and not the other two states that successfully re-established the League after its downfall; it's because Oriente was and always has been the strongest of those three states, not just culturally but militarily too. The Fusiliers of Oriente have always been the elite of the provincial forces for as long as they've been portrayed. And with the Oriente Hussars to boot, it leaves the Duchy as the one province that can field two full brigades of crack troops; the others can field one at best.

The Eagle · « **Reply #34 on:** 02 April 2017, 00:47:29 »

Quote from: Kojak on 01 April 2017, 16:03:42

There's a reason it was Oriente and not the other two states that successfully re-established the League after its downfall; it's because Oriente was and always has been the strongest of those three states, not just culturally but militarily too. The Fusiliers of Oriente have always been the elite of the provincial forces for as long as they've been portrayed. And with the Oriente Hussars to boot, it leaves the Duchy as the one province that can field two full brigades of crack troops; the others can field one at best.

The reason Oriente was the only Free Worlds remnant state in a position to re-establish the League is not because it was the most powerful; it's because the MSC was too busy getting double-teamed by the Wolves and Lyrans. I'm not denigrating Oriente, but the MSC possessed Keystone (site of Earthwerks-FWL, the largest 'Mech manufacturer in the League zone), and Stewart (home of Corean Enterprises, one of its most advanced 'Mech manufacturers), Atreus (points for being the League capital, plus there's the Eagle Corps and SAFE headquarters to consider; plus the Athene Combat School, Atreus OCS, and Free Worlds Technical Institute), and New Olympia (home of both the Allison MechWarrior Institute and Lloyd-Marik Stanley Academy). That's a lot of military, government, and educational assets under the MSC's suzerainty. Oriente was stacked with excellent combat units, sure, but so was the MSC. The difference was that Oriente faced a CapCon focused on the opposite direction and an Andurien content to leave well enough alone. The MSC had the Lyrans and the Wolves beating down the front door while the Regulans were sneaking in the back.

Sartris · « **Reply #35 on:** 02 April 2017, 00:52:33 »

i feel like it took far too long for an argument to break out in a thread about FWL parochialism. we have failed as a nation.

jklantern · « **Reply #36 on:** 02 April 2017, 13:06:26 »

Y'know, I don't recall seeing a dedicated Oriente fan on here. They're a faction that I WANT to like; they have the Crazy Second, they're Greco-Italian...but for some reason, I just have trouble getting into them.

The Eagle · « **Reply #37 on:** 02 April 2017, 13:46:32 »

When I first settled on the FWL as the "faction for me," I initially latched on to Oriente. Harlan Allison was a tragic war hero, the Halas family has been a fixture of League leadership, both government and military, ever since. Their military is large, well-equipped, and has lots of character (Ducal Guard? Zero-G operators. 1st Fusiliers? Crazy and inventive. 3rd Fusiliers? Planetary assault specialists. 1st Hussars? Heavy-weight bruisers. 2nd Hussars? They're crazy. 3rd Hussars? Experts at pre-planned operations under radio silence.). But like you said, JK, I just had some trouble really feeling an attachment. I decided to embrace the Free Worlds as a whole instead, and I've been a Parliamentary Federalist ever since.

Colt Ward · « **Reply #38 on:** 02 April 2017, 22:10:51 »

The Eagle, the MSC did not get Stewart back until they were nearly dead from Hammerfall . . . it was never a asset they could use post-Jihad. Its why the Silverhawks got stomped IIRC. And when Anson tried to grab it, he got burned by the Foxes & locals.

Natasha Kerensky · « **Reply #39 on:** 02 April 2017, 23:08:37 »

House Selaj and the Scourge of Death. Regulan, but old school.