Glad everyone seems to be liking Airs Above!
To answer one question, no, we were told not to use the KS names for any stories (I offered to change the names in my story to support the KS requirements)
I have -NO- idea on what the future plan is, but I gather TPTB want to take a deliberate, thoughtful approach instead of inserting the names out randomly. For that, as a fan, I totally approve. :-)
I am really liking the Ghost Bear story about Point Commander Lauren on a Rasie world in 3050. A better look at the garrison during the Invasion with a call back to the Ronin War, the fact that it explains why she is not just a 'mechwarrior' in title but called a Point Commander. She is in a command position of a 'nova point' and as the military governor on planet. I LOVE that a salvaged design is converted to a IIC, or nearly- the techs dropped a ton of ammo for another ERML. Which means Highlanders, Guillotines, and all the other IICs that retain the original design's wait could have been refit when they fell into the Clans' hands.
For the record, this becomes a Wyvern-C, what I'm told is the designation for upgunned IS salvage. Modding into a full-fledged IIC was in my initial draft, but it was noted that a IIC is (technically) a totally different chassis. Upgunning to a -C, though, is well within the capabilities of some smart techs with a field mechbay and plenty of time. As a side note, I try to make all my stories legal within the RPG and game rules, so swapping out weapons is also something a few decent techs could do in-game (and many of you probably HAVE ;) so I was cool with altering the story. I decided that the story techs wouldn't be able to swap from IS CASE to Clan CASE, so that's why this has less ammo but gains a laser (which is still a fair trade, IMHO :thumbsup:
For what it's worth, I started sketching this story out YEARS ago in Afghanistan back in 2012. Long enough that I was able to slip in a note into the FM:SLDF about Lipizzans. ;) This story also takes place in that very tiny period when the Vipers are helping the GBs before they pull forces forward and the Vipers get fully activated. I liked the drama of having a Point Commander having to dance on rules as she has someone that outranks her answering to her.
I also wrote the theater-elective scene before last year's movie was ever put into production; that was a happy coincidence, because, outside of Shakespeare, there's only a few plays I think will be performed FOREVER- but that's one of them. :D
Finally-
The tactic the badguys are using is a combination of actual Taliban and PLO techniques, but never actually combined like this story (to my knowledge). Kevin Killiany and I discussed once how accurate a story should be- how violent, how destructive, how illegal. It's hard for a writer to know where the line is- we owe you (the readers) authenticity, but we also would rather not end up on FBI watch lists, ya know? ;-P I thought this technique met the criteria of authentic without being easily duplicatable.
As a writer, glad you guys like mine; as a fan, I'm digging all of the rest, too!! :) :)
