Where should this mech go?

[Weirdo]

So the amazing fan art posted in the Hatamoto Chi Shin thread has inspired me to paint up my lone Hatamoto mini...except that I don't really play House Kurita, and I'd rather place the mech with one of the factions I do play. Mechs can have weird histories though, so there's no telling where one might end up. With that in mind, which of these ideas is your favorite?

Republic of the Sphere (Hastati Sentinels) : Possibly the most straightforward of the choices, this would be the ride of one of the warriors transferred from the DCMS to the fledgling RAF.

Northwind Highlanders (1st Kearny): This would be the case of a warrior that met a Highlander during their employment in the 3060s, and they fell in love and married. Due to the excellent relations between the DCMS and NWH at the time, the Mechwarrior was allowed to resign from Combine service and join the Highlanders, though the mech had to be bought. (Nobody at the time knew the Highlanders would be withdrawing from Combine service any time soon, so he was likely seen as continuing to serve the Dragon in a fashion, while also binding the powerful mercenary unit closer to them.)

Free Worlds League (Atrean Dragoons): This Mechwarrior saw a report implicating his brother as a supporter of the Black Dragons(or Katana Tormark, depending on era) and immediately fled with his family and mech, fearing the ISF. Unwilling to become a masterless ronin, he chose to offer his services to the FWLM due to their historical acceptance of outsiders and the fact that as a nominal ally of the Combine, he'd in a way still be working to advance the Dragon's interests.

Clan Jade Falcon (Kappa Galaxy): I've actually got nothing here, but if you can think of something good, feel free to share!

Escorpion Imperio (Beta Galaxy): I'll admit, things are getting weird here. This machine's history would start with the Second Star League Defense Force as part of the Huntress Embassy's garrison which was eventually Absorbed by Clan Goliath Scorpion. The pilot may have perished in the Wars of Reaving, but the mech was repairable and is now prized because it is relatively easy to repair even with the Imperio's reduced industrial base.

Society: Yeah, even weirder. This is one of the machines captured during REVIVAL and shipped back to the Homeworlds to end up in the Huntress garrison. After the fall of the Smoke Jaguars the mech and its pilot fell in with the bandit Jaguar, until the mech was eventually traded to the Society who, as above, prized it for its durability and ease of repair.

[Iron Mongoose]

Damn, lots of good crazy options.  The Huntress garison (or some similar third string garison post) offers a way into the Falcons, too.  The story of an embittered surviving Jaguar isn't new, but it to me remains a classic. 

That said, I'd probably vote for the Escorpions, since I've been fairly into them of late, and though the story is a bit round about, it is also entirely plausable, and the Scorpions would be a position to keep such a mech in service more I think than most of the others.

[wantec]

Clan Jade Falcon. The Hatamoto was the personal 'Mech of a warrior who part of a DCMS unit that was on a planet conquered by the Smoke Jaguars. Rather than make it into battle, the MechWarrior was cut down by an Elemental before he could get in the cockpit. The Elemental had no use for the 'Mech and none of the Jaguar MechWarriors wanted it. The weapons and ammo were removed so it couldn't be used by Combine rebels, but it was otherwise left in the 'Mechbay where it stood. When the Nova Cats helped the SLDF drive out the Jaguars a scouting party discovered the 'Mech and made sure it was brought back with the Nova Cat forces.

From there the Hatamoto entered service with the Nova Cats until the Nova Cat - Ghost Bear war. It was taken as isorla and sent to a former FRR unit where it was put to use. It survived many years in Ghost Bear service until the Wolves departed their occupation zone. From there it was taken as isorla again, this time by the Hell's Horses in a battle over ownership of former Wolf planet. Shuffled to a second-line unit, the Hatamoto was captured and claimed as isorla by the Jade Falcons in a raid after the breakup of the Horse/Falcon alliance. Currently it is assigned to a freebirth warrior who has performed well enough to hold his/her current position, but not well enough to warrant a "true Clan 'Mech".

[Luciora]

A Falcon probably wouldn't turn down a mech with a katana, if won in a particularly honorable or storied battle.  I'd think they'd have some cultural attachment because of the founder and Wakazashi as well.

[RoundTop]

ROTS is even easier: The nova cats were provided mechs by the DCMS. Many of them went to the republic (about 1/3 of the clan) when it formed. So easy in for that mech.

That said, the hatamoto is a "totem" mech of the DCMS, and they didn't like parting with them.

[worktroll]

Jade Falcon - but Gamma or Epsilon, not Kappa.
FWLM - "we can buy you wholesale" is adequate explanation, but someone who'd had past liaison work with the League makes it work.

And for off the wall ... MUL shows in Jihad era, Word of Blake! Militia. LoM, or Shadow Division, bring that unique styling to the party!

W.

[Weirdo]

For the Falcons, my chosen Galaxies are Delta and Kappa, and I really don't see anyone as stuck up as the Deltas willingly driving a Hatamoto.

Not all that interested in doing more Blakist stuff right now, but that does give me an idea for another story idea. After all, the Scorpions did help themselves to a large Blakist cache before settling down in Nueva Castille... :)

[Deadborder]

The RAF makes the most sense, and their colour schemes are rather underappreciated IMO

[Nav_Alpha]

Second the RAF or the Highlanders - either way, the Mech will end up in the Republic.
And that actually gives you rather a few options. Everything from Hastati through to an Errant Lance.

[pensiveswetness]

Escorpion Imperio (Beta Galaxy): I'll admit, things are getting weird here. This machine's history would start with the Second Star League Defense Force as part of the Huntress Embassy's garrison which was eventually Absorbed by Clan Goliath Scorpion. The pilot may have perished in the Wars of Reaving, but the mech was repairable and is now prized because it is relatively easy to repair even with the Imperio's reduced industrial base.

I voted for this. Though I am not a fan of this faction, I think you should paint it in EcI colors. DC colors are vanilla but EcI? Go wild, Seeker (presuming they are still into that...)!

[Weirdo]

ECL? ???

[Caedis Animus]

Society, all the way. It'd be one of a kind.

[Hayden.]

I voted Northwind Highlanders, as I think you could do some really fun kilt/tartan effects.

[SteelRaven]

I voted Republic, though how many units have we seen in Black Dragon colors?

[pensiveswetness]

ECL? ???

Escorpion Imperio

[StoneRhino]

Why do you have to make me hate the choices available?  :-\ As a Kurita player I'll have to go with FWL. At the very least it is fluffed to be connected to it's rightful owner in some way. >:D

[mbear]

Why do you have to make me hate the choices available?  :-\ As a Kurita player I'll have to go with FWL. At the very least it is fluffed to be connected to it's rightful owner in some way. >:D

You know it's entirely possible that the Hatamoto pilot was inspired by the actions of the Knights of the Inner Sphere and saw service to the FWL as an honor. LCCC wanted to get the pilot's anti-Clan experience to as many FWL troops as possible, so assigned him to the Atrean Dragoons.

[Weirdo]

Escorpion Imperio

Yeah, there's no way on earth I'd ever get that without actually living between your ears. I'm ruling out the Scorpions right now, in hopes that I'll never think of it again. My brain hurts.

[GermanSumo]

Yeah, there's no way on earth I'd ever get that without actually living between your ears. I'm ruling out the Scorpions right now, in hopes that I'll never think of it again. My brain hurts.

what a pity, weirdo. a hatamoto in the hands of the esorpio is just an awesome thought and history for the mech. i petition you to do it! :)

[Scotty]

I vote Delta Falcons, claimed during the Falcons' desant from the IX Hastati (by way of DCMS per Weirdo's initial thought).  The young (Freeborn) Zeta warrior displayed great honor, and earned a berth in a more prestigious galaxy for her efforts.

[Archangel]

Not all that interested in doing more Blakist stuff right now, but that does give me an idea for another story idea. After all, the Scorpions did help themselves to a large Blakist cache before settling down in Nueva Castille... :)

Its doubtful that the Blakists would send a Hatamoto-Chi against the Clan Homeworlds unless they were trying to masquerade as DCMS to trick them.  Given that their stated goal was to destroy the Clans I find that highly improbable.  What 'Mechs were contained in the Blakists cache were more likely Blakist in origin to replace combat losses if they had had launched their invasion of the Clan Homeworlds.  On the other hand, the Jags likely brought a couple back from the IS before their destruction and the Scorpions did take a portion of Huntress.

There are a handful of ways a Hatamoto-Chi could have made its way into Highlanders hands.  Aside from the obvious combat spoils from the field of battle, acquired from a 'Mech dealer or the AFFS/C quartermaster or possibly even purchased directly from the Combine (after the Highlanders' victory on Wayside of course).

[JadeHellbringer]

Clan Stone Rhino. How did it get here? "We... do not discuss it."  ;)

[Weirdo]

I don't play Rhinos, but that sounds like a perfect excuse for the Falcons! ;D

[JadeHellbringer]

I don't play Rhinos, but that sounds like a perfect excuse for the Falcons! ;D

You know... if you pick up a Shiro/Rokurokubi back-banner for the miniature, the obvious thing would be to put the Clan logo on it... but if you wanted to cheat, a green banner with black squiggly-lines on it (to look like written text) would look really good too. Why? Because this Mech is literally carrying portions of The Remembrance into battle.

[Col Toda]

When most of Uncle Coalition got absorbed by Devlin Stone's Any number of Hatamoto mechs could of ended up in the Republic of the Sphere order of Battle . Many Draconis Combine units from the absorbed forner Combine territory would also have them.