Battlemech Distribution

[FedRatCowboy]

This is a question which I have been mulling over in my head. How long would it take for a version of a battlemech to be disturbed to far flung places. For example, how likely would a Griffin-6S in 3072 be part of a planet's militia mech force? Say the planet is Pattison in the FedSun outback.

Would/could the Battlemech show up in the militia forces, or does there need to be an explanation for it? Like the Mech Warrior's father sent it to her as a "Your being cut off from the family for staying in the FedSun. This is the last gift you will ever get from us. Godspeed.)

The other Battlemechs in the lance are a Dervish-7D from 3047, an Enforcer-5D from 3051, and a Blackjack-1 from 3002 but is upgraded with 2 LBX-2 guns (1 ton of ammo in LT with no CASE), 2 med lasers and 2 small lasers with increased armor.

[AlphaMirage]

I'd say there are easy explanations for it but remember many new production models could be distributed as upgrades to an existing stock of militia units. Now a GRF-6S is a very bespoke design but it's possible for some merc that made bank in the Clan Campaign or during the Civil War/Jihad to have ended up most anywhere. I mean heck it could just be some noble's replacement mech for one lost during campaign or a one off upgrade by commission for an existing 1DS.

[Metallgewitter]

It can just be that said Mech was carried there by the wagaries of war. For example the TRO 3075 states that the Tamerlane strike slede made in the Magistracy uses a bubble cockpit the engineers reverse engineered from a SM1 (which is build by the Nova Cats in the Combine) that somehow landed in the Magistracy due to the warring state of the IS (Jihad at this point). So it can happen that said MEch can land in a milita. Though it certainly stands out as a Phoenix design Mech in a lance of older designs

[VanVelding]

I use a rarity for custom 'mechs that ranges from "Ubiquitous" to "Singular." Availability falls off according to various factors, such as Clan/InnerSphere, neighbor, non-neighbor, no longer in production, etc.

As a general rule of thumb, any one 'mech that's not singular could wind up just about anywhere. Favors get traded, 'mechs get sold into and out of merc units, and sometimes a lot of scrap has a salvageable chassis in it.

[MadCapellan]

Honestly it seems unlikely. Field Manual Updates indicates many bottom-tier line formations are lacking in even Star League tech. A brand new design seems extremely unlikely to show up on a FedSuns backwater world only a few years after its debut, & in the middle of the Jihad no less!

Certainly, if this is something you want for a named character in a campaign, it wouldn't be impossible to have happen, but it certainly would be seen as wildly unusual.

[Caesar Steiner for Archon]

That's an astonishingly well-equipped militia for most planets in the Jihad, let alone one in the FS outback. This is the same era where there are line units stuck using RetroTech because that's literally all anyone has to give them. There's already been a couple waves of the Regular Army press-ganging militia or picking them clean for equipment. That Blackjack with the LB-2Xs would be the pride and joy of your entire planet, not the worst unit you can field.

[Hellraiser]

This is a question which I have been mulling over in my head. How long would it take for a version of a battlemech to be disturbed to far flung places. For example, how likely would a Griffin-6S in 3072 be part of a planet's militia mech force? Say the planet is Pattison in the FedSun outback. 

You might need to check around for the source of this, but I could swear I saw that the 6S was produced in the Suns at Talon/Werke till it got nuked.
Might be TRO:Phoenix, might be the FS Housebook from 3060's, but I'm fairly certain I saw that note somewhere.
So with that in mind, "not that hard".
Now, on the other hand, If I'm mistaken & it really was only from DefHes, well, you've got a small window at the end of the Civil War to account for it crossing the nations.


I don't think I'm wrong though given what the MUL says about Faction Availability, so you should always check there first.

Civil War (3062 - 3067)
  Draconis Combine
  Federated Commonwealth
  Federated Suns
  Free Rasalhague Republic
  Kell Hounds
  Lyran Alliance
  Mercenary
  Wolf's Dragoons

[Metallgewitter]

The 6S is a Lyran manufactured variant of the Griffin (which debuted in 3065). So I would think it won't be produced on Talon unless they aquired a license for this particular versionb

[Hellraiser]

Actually, its Project Phoenix variant which are not at all house exclusive in many cases regardless of the letter designator.

Like I said, check the sources, SARNA is quoting TRO:Project Phoenix & has it on both Talon & Marduk.

See the list from the MUL as well.   Lots of factions.    Its also noted as 3066 intro year.

[Caesar Steiner for Archon]

The AFFS was building them, but TRO:PP also says they were also directing them to their top line units. The Davion Brigade and the 1st FSAC are the examples given, so quite a large gap between that and "backwater planetary militia"

[Hellraiser]

The AFFS was building them, but TRO:PP also says they were also directing them to their top line units. The Davion Brigade and the 1st FSAC are the examples given, so quite a large gap between that and "backwater planetary militia"

Totally agreed.   He also listed the year as 3072, not 3066, so there's some time there to get them passed down.

Also, if the theory is some family Noble has the $$ to buy the mech to pass down to the PC, then they probably have the $$ to do the same thing from an even closer factory.

End result is, both the House in question & Mercs have it listed on the MUL so with 6 years time, or even just ability to have a Refit Kit of that model ordered, I'd say its at least POSSIBLE to end up in the Militia even if its not super probable.

[Metallgewitter]

You're right, the Project Phoneix book states the 6S is build in three nations. Sarna just states the "Lyran 6S" is using this and this technology so I assumed it is a pure Lyran variant.

[MarauderD]

I'd say that in a narrative setting, it could get there.  I think it would be the fanciest mech on planet by a factor of 10, but it could get there.

1. Produced in FedSuns
2. Produced for 6 years
3. Began in Civil War period where warriors are moving all along the interior of the state
4. Jihad sees even more upheaval and death. 

That Griffin and the custom Blackjack could exist on a backwater world, sure.