1
BattleMechs / Re: Cyclops "Pirate" CP-13-A, Pirate Radio Station
« Last post by Tyler Jorgensson on Today at 14:51:02 »Need to hire an ex-Northwind Highlander to help broadcast the bagpipes to the entire planet.
Recent Posts
2
General BattleTech Discussion / Re: What was FedCom's Strategy During Clan Invasion?
« Last post by Hellraiser on Today at 14:48:57 »In the 3040s, when the District of Donegal, Tamar Pact and Federation of Skye had their borders redrawn and the District was carved up.
Same answer, when it lost all power.
Katrina, not Katherine. You know, that whole business with Alessandro?
Katrina's plan was to strap rockets to young talent and have them push old wood out. Unfortunately, her successors didn't follow through; Hanse didn't have the patience and just tried to put Davions in charge, while Melissa didn't have the spine to keep forcing people out, hence we get Nondi Steiner not being put out to pasture after her brain got broken in 3039.
As I said above. They didn't. No one changed the "Tamar Pact".
They changed the MILITARY deployment zones.
They created a more defensible system, or so the sourcebooks say, by using the FS examples, that had more "layers" if you will.
It doesn't mean the leader of the Tamar Pact lost his worlds that were historically part of the Tamar Pact.
Yes, and they managed to confirm KATIE 50 years later, so how had they lost power or been disbanded?
Nondi was still one of the best military minds of her generation & you don't just remove the Archon's Sister/Aunt because she isn't 100% perfect.
The shear volume of Steiners & Bradfords floating around the AFFC says they couldn't all be incompetent if Hanse was just replacing everyone as you say.
(Looks at your username)
The AFFC was a work in progress, or do you just assume that from 3040-3050 the entirety of 2 governments & militaries can do a 180 change & fully integrate w/o a single flaw?
3
Fan Fiction / Re: Kerensky's Lost Hope - A Kapteyn Universe Novel
« Last post by Blacknova on Today at 14:48:24 »Part 2: Of Gladiators and Gunslingers
Chapter 41
The Terran Hegemony spent its first five years focused on what were touch stones, both to its own past and the legacy of the Star League. Projects in the Terran system like those at Geneva, Unity City, Mars, Titan and Venus were notable for the significant public support each generated. The upside of these large projects was that they reenforced Terrans own view of themselves, and the people of Earth carried this confidence to the rest of the Hegemon beginning the process of stitching the realm back together.
- Les Héros de l’Hégémonie. Colonel Xavier Lugherini, Hegemony Press, 3040.
Aphros Plateau, Venus, Terran Hegemony
20 November, 3028
“It’s really not much to look at, is it?” Lieutenant-Colonel Silvia Mark’s comment was understated to say the least.
Steph could not disagree. On the large, hot and wind-swept plateau there was not a lot to break the monotony. The collapse of the Venusian atmosphere since the Star League had reduced life up here to scrubby bushes and mosses, and much of the land was barren. The atmosphere was now recovering, and would be breathable again in about twelve months though for now, any outside activity required respirators. The view from the Commandant’s window was currently bleak, but not without its own rugged beauty, and it was one of the highest vantage points within the Aphros Academy. Below and to the east lay the planetary capital, and that too was a mere shadow of what it had once been. Though only a fifth of the old facility was back online, it was more than enough for their current needs, and though the lack of a dome over the site was a problem until the atmosphere was back in hand, it would be an advantage once it was.
“And to think we’re named after the froth from Uranus’s genitals.” Said Silvia matter-of-factly.
Steph gave her a hard look. “And why do I need to know that?”
“Information is half the battle General.”
“Of course it is.” She frowned at her subordinate. “And speaking of information, do we have the dossiers on the first batch?”
Steph turned from the window to her rather well-appointed office. It was the nicest she had ever had. Deep green carpet, near white walls, soft but adequate lighting, solid but not flashy timber furniture, and many of the remaining artefacts from the gunslingers of the SLDF decorated the room, alongside pictures and paintings of the original HAF in action. She liked both the decoration and the space, which was large without being overstated. Master Seargent Cheryl McCarthy had come with her from Outreach and was most approving of the new set up. Cheryl would not be part of the program though, joining as attached support, too old now to go through the academy. Steph herself was only a couple of years under the cut off age of thirty-five, which had been reinstated after a review of the old SLDF materials regarding the program.
“Yes General, we have thirty candidates for the First Gunslinger Class of twelve, and we’ll get another twelve slots to fill every six months, with the program lasting eighteen months. You and I will go through with the first-class, so technically we only have to choose ten, since we have the tick already.”
“What about the instructors?”
“Commanding General is signing off on those this week, and then we can choose instructors from graduating classes as well. Eventually we might have thirty-six MechWarriors in the program at any one time, along with an instructor company. Applications for the supporting armour and infantry battalions and the aerospace wing will come along with the applicants for the second Mech class.”
“About two years to build up. I can live with that. Be nice to be part of a company again, though we are tiny compared to the SLDF program. How many Gunslingers did they have on the rolls?”
“About five hundred active at any one time, with more in the higher ranks who did not duel anymore. Similar numbers in the other arms. Aphros graduated about sixty per year into the Mech arm, more in the others. We are smaller compared to the old Gunslingers, but not so much as the HAF is compared to the SLDF, more like the HAF to the Royal Command.”
“It’ll take time. At least General Escarrà got the facility up and running, or at least that part we needed to use. Did we get a response on any expansion?”
“General Millray says not before 3033, probably 3035 if we’re lucky. After the Olympiad and the planning for the 3032 games, and with the upgrades and new builds for the fleet, the raising of new regiments and all the other expenditure, there will not be a lot more to go around. This is it.”
“What of the training tech, has it arrived yet?”
“No, we’ve got manufacturing delays. Krupp and Skobel say they can reproduce it, but looks like their claims were a bit more fanciful than reality allowed for. Earliest date now is late February.”
“Then we train old school.” Steph said as she ran her hands through her hair.
“There is plenty of space for that, General.”
“Before then we need people though, so let’s have a look. Did you do the preliminary screen?”
“Yes General, there are eight stand outs from the twenty-eight that are not us, leaving us two slots to fill if those eight meet your approval. They are all aces and include the next four most prolific Mech killers in the HAF after yourself, all of whom are double digit aces as well.”
“Who are they?” Steph asked. She was not concerned about remaining the HAF’s BattleMech Ace-of-Aces, but there was a little, tiny piece of her that was happy to be competitive for the sheer sake of it.
“Lieutenant Keti Snel of the of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders, Captain Izanagi Radev of the 3rd Northwind Highlanders, Lieutenant Thiago Armati of the 9991st Cuirassiers, and Major Mònica Frank of the 182nd Combat Brigade Group. They have fifteen, twelve, eleven and ten kills each.”
“Two Highlanders?”
“Advantage of a mercenary career General. A lot of candidates for the first couple of classes are young ex-mercs from those regiments that joined the HAF. We have a mix of troops in those two classes that includes more than a few from the Knights of St. Cameron, Eridani Light Horse, Lexington Combat Group, and Blue Star Irregulars, and then some from the Sirian Lancers and Laurel's Legion as well, with the rest from the broader HAF.”
“This should be interesting If some of the old allegiances boil over. It is not like it’s not happening in other formations.”
“True, but it is pretty low key overall. It might be a bigger problem longer term if there is not a proper outside threat forcing us to all unite, but with what we’ll be doing it should weld our unit together pretty quick. I expect we may be something of a poster child for the new Hegemony.”
“Oh, you can bet on that. We’ll be on posters from here to Schedar in no time at all. Better hope you like signing autographs Colonel, there’ll be more than a few once we get out and about.”
“Speaking from experience?”
“Bitter experience.” Steph acknowledged. “No, wait, that’s wrong. I am not a fan of the attention, but I do understand why it’s needed. We need people who everyone else can use as a touchstone to what it means to be part of the new Hegemony. So that puts the Gunslingers front and centre. Any others on the list that stand out.”
“Not really,” Silvia said, as she passed the first set of ten across, “The other six in this pile all have strong service records. After that, things get a little murkier, but there is no one who is a fool or fumbler, the HID and High Command saw to that in the first weeding out process.”
Steph took the folders and began to leaf through the top few, opening the jackets to see some of the detail inside and who was who.
At the seventh she stopped. “Stian Christensen! I served with him on Helen. He’s a poser of the first order. Not a bad pilot, and he was coming along as an officer, but he’s a bit taken with his own looks.”
“He would make a good pin-up boy.” Silvia said with a smile.
“Do try and control yourself, Colonel.”
“Oh, I won’t be touching the crew, but you could cut yourself on those cheek bones.” She smiled slyly at Steph.
“I’m sure you could. I’ll want to look at his service and CO reports a bit more closely to see if he’s outgrown his old habits. Along with the rest of them. There’s a good day or two in all of this.”
“Closer to two is what it took me General, and then you’ve got my recommendations on top of what I read.”
“Better get to work then.”
<<<<<<<<<<<–>>>>>>>>>>>
It took a week, but eventually Steph had her first ten candidates. The four top aces they had discussed, and six others, including what appeared to be a much-improved Stian Christensen, who seemed to have matured since she last had served with the man. Orders were sent and the first ten candidates for the program joined Steph and Sylvia with the company arriving in mid-December, all ready and more than eager to take part in the rebirth of a legend from the golden years of the Star League.
Aphros Plateau, Venus, Terran Hegemony
18 December, 3028
The Parade Ground of the Military Academy of Aphros was, like much of the landscape around it, spare and dry, and for now, it was housed inside a large tent. That set up would enable the Gunslinger Company the ability to undertake some form of physical training without environmental gear for the next year while the Venusian atmosphere was taken back under control. Arrayed on the acre that had been tented and filled with a breathable air were the ten new Gunslinger hopefuls, who were facing both Steph and Sylvia. Master Seargent McCarthy stood before a second contingent of troops, those who worked to support the Academy itself and did the administrative work.
Sylvia had brought the company to attention and Steph had then placed them at ease, after accepting the Colonel’s salute. It was time to address them as a unit for the first time.
“Welcome to Aphros. Welcome to the reborn Gunslinger Program.” She paused as she saw slight smiles appear on more than a few faces and was forced to push down her own that tried to rise in response. “I am Brigadier General Stephanie Moore, and you and I follow in the footsteps of legends. We follow those like Donovan Fresnel, Daniel Allison, Kaiyo Matsumoto, Hani Schmidt, and Aleksandr Kerensky. We carry the flame of not only the Hegemony Armed Forces, but also that of the finest of the Star League Defence Force. We were brought here as we are the best the Hegemony has to offer. We will leave here as the best MechWarriors to be found in the Inner Sphere. Over the next eighteen months, we twelve, we lucky twelve, will train together as we strive to be worthy of the Gunslinger name and gain the coveted badge that we can wear with pride. None of us here have the right to stay or earn any accolade unless we gain them through dedication, skill and perseverance. None of us are Gunslingers yet, none of us will be for another eighteen months. In that time, you will learn all there is to know about a BattleMech, how it moves, fights and runs. You will learn new theories of what it means to be a MechWarrior, new ways to think and you will be pushed as hard mentally as you will be physically. I will be beside you all the way, as I too must earn my right to be here, and after a year and a half if I cannot measure up, my time here will be done.”
She paused, looking across the single rank of ten MechWarriors, all standing tall and confident, but also all now well aware of their situation. They could take nothing for granted. “Are there any questions?”
“General.” Said Lieutenant Pranav Jonaitytė, the last one to be accepted and the pilot of a King Crab.
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
“Will we be going to the Combine border to duel their Samurai?”
“No. We have a détente with the Dragon Throne at the moment, so that’s not going to be our destination.”
“Do we have an eventual destination, General?” Asked Major Mònica Frank, the commander of the third lance and a devastatingly effective Mongoose pilot.
“We have an idea, but it still requires final approval and the acquisition of several assets. Did you want to appraise the company of our possible destination when and if they graduate Colonel Mark?”
“Yes, General, it would be my pleasure.” Silvia said, and Steph could hear the smile in her voice. “To prove how good we really are, each graduating class will be sent to Solaris VII for a yearlong tour. Every nation has duellists, and we are going to not only fight them, but we are also going to best them!”
There were stunned looks at that announcement. No nation officially sent MechWarriors to Solaris, but from what the Colonel had just said that seemed destined to change.
“Will we be allowed?” Blurted out Lieutenant Leonie Hegedűs, one of Steph’s new lance mates.
“Not normally no, though each of you will be granted a non-penalised one-year release from the HAF to join the Gunslinger Stable. That stable has not been set up as yet, but it soon will be, and it will join the other Hegemony stables that are starting to appear on the Game World. Once your tour is complete, you will return to the HAF for either formal service with us, posting as the official champion of a regiment in the HAF, or for those who earn the right, selection to serve in the Royal Black Watch.”
There was stunned silence when the Colonel finished speaking. Steph had been as surprised as the troops were when she had first heard the idea. It had been Silvia’s, and the young woman had been forced to talk hard and fast to bring her General around to support the idea. Silvia was not just spit balling though, she had thoroughly investigated the opportunity when she had holidayed on Solaris, where she had spoken to the newly formed Hegemony stables, as well as many others. Her plan had more than just merit, it could be another way in which the Hegemony could show its strength and its rights to the laurels of both its own past and that of the Star League. The two then took the plan to the Commanding General, who had provisionally green lit the idea pending the approval of the Director-General. If Gus supported the program, there would not only be Gunslingers in the HAF, but duellists who had fought the best on Solaris in the great arenas and made their mark.
“This has not been confirmed as yet, so don’t get too excited, but we will be pushing for it. In the meantime, we will, along with the SAS BattleMech Detachment and the THN Marine Demi-Regiment, form a special reserve of elite Hegemony formations to be used in key hot spots. Finally, the new Black Watch will be drawn from those formations and the Northwind Highlanders. The Black Watch won’t necessarily operate with us, but if they do, they too will form part of the special forces. The Men of Terra are also to be nominally under our command, but as a reserve, and they’ll be more an administrative note than a real force that we would work with. None of that will happen until this company is operational though. Are there any other questions?” No one said a word. “Very well then, you are dismissed.”
The formation came to attention and saluted, before they turned inwards as a group and began talking animatedly. Steph raised her voice, “Colonel Mark, Major Frank, if you could join me, please.”
The other two senior officers walked over to Steph and stopped in front of her. Where Silvia was pale and blonde, Frank was dark haired and sharp featured in a severe way, and very much a contrast in personality as well. The Major was no nonsense, and Steph had found not a trace of a sense of humour in the woman. “We start tomorrow, let’s get them up an hour early and put the acid on from the get-go. Oh four hundred and straight into the tent for a good two hours before breakfast. We might not have the technology for the advanced training here yet, but we do have the theory, physical training and we can do plenty of Mech work. The High Command is sending a mixed battalion from the Eridani Light Horse as our initial OpFor, and they’ll arrive in a month, so we bet be ready to put on a show, as those Eridani are sharp operators and will not let us get away with performances that are not up to what the SLDF would have demanded. I will not in any way let us show anything but the highest standards in front of the Eridani. They are the last true bastion of the ideals of the League and are taking their service as part of the HAF with extreme seriousness. We cannot mess up even one iota here, and that means having the company ready to roll in four weeks. That’s easier said than done, as we are not a large field force, we are small unit and individual duelling specialists, so let’s use that to our advantage and put out best skills and abilities on display when the Light Horse arrive. Understood?”
“Yes General.” Said Silvia.
“Of course, General. We’ll be more than ready for them.”
“Good. Now get the kids all together, tonight is going to be a big celebration, so we see how they go in the morning under severe distress.”
“Bit nasty ma’am.” Said Silvia.
“Perhaps, but if folks are going to break, let’s break them in the first month, we don’t have time to mess around wondering if folks can hack it with us. We have the time before the Eridani and our high-tech training kit gets here, so let’s use that to our advantage. We’ll throw plenty of Mech and theoretical time in as well, but we are going to work this crew from dawn to dusk under all sorts of duress to see if they are as good as they think they are and want to be.
Chapter 41
The Terran Hegemony spent its first five years focused on what were touch stones, both to its own past and the legacy of the Star League. Projects in the Terran system like those at Geneva, Unity City, Mars, Titan and Venus were notable for the significant public support each generated. The upside of these large projects was that they reenforced Terrans own view of themselves, and the people of Earth carried this confidence to the rest of the Hegemon beginning the process of stitching the realm back together.
- Les Héros de l’Hégémonie. Colonel Xavier Lugherini, Hegemony Press, 3040.
Aphros Plateau, Venus, Terran Hegemony
20 November, 3028
“It’s really not much to look at, is it?” Lieutenant-Colonel Silvia Mark’s comment was understated to say the least.
Steph could not disagree. On the large, hot and wind-swept plateau there was not a lot to break the monotony. The collapse of the Venusian atmosphere since the Star League had reduced life up here to scrubby bushes and mosses, and much of the land was barren. The atmosphere was now recovering, and would be breathable again in about twelve months though for now, any outside activity required respirators. The view from the Commandant’s window was currently bleak, but not without its own rugged beauty, and it was one of the highest vantage points within the Aphros Academy. Below and to the east lay the planetary capital, and that too was a mere shadow of what it had once been. Though only a fifth of the old facility was back online, it was more than enough for their current needs, and though the lack of a dome over the site was a problem until the atmosphere was back in hand, it would be an advantage once it was.
“And to think we’re named after the froth from Uranus’s genitals.” Said Silvia matter-of-factly.
Steph gave her a hard look. “And why do I need to know that?”
“Information is half the battle General.”
“Of course it is.” She frowned at her subordinate. “And speaking of information, do we have the dossiers on the first batch?”
Steph turned from the window to her rather well-appointed office. It was the nicest she had ever had. Deep green carpet, near white walls, soft but adequate lighting, solid but not flashy timber furniture, and many of the remaining artefacts from the gunslingers of the SLDF decorated the room, alongside pictures and paintings of the original HAF in action. She liked both the decoration and the space, which was large without being overstated. Master Seargent Cheryl McCarthy had come with her from Outreach and was most approving of the new set up. Cheryl would not be part of the program though, joining as attached support, too old now to go through the academy. Steph herself was only a couple of years under the cut off age of thirty-five, which had been reinstated after a review of the old SLDF materials regarding the program.
“Yes General, we have thirty candidates for the First Gunslinger Class of twelve, and we’ll get another twelve slots to fill every six months, with the program lasting eighteen months. You and I will go through with the first-class, so technically we only have to choose ten, since we have the tick already.”
“What about the instructors?”
“Commanding General is signing off on those this week, and then we can choose instructors from graduating classes as well. Eventually we might have thirty-six MechWarriors in the program at any one time, along with an instructor company. Applications for the supporting armour and infantry battalions and the aerospace wing will come along with the applicants for the second Mech class.”
“About two years to build up. I can live with that. Be nice to be part of a company again, though we are tiny compared to the SLDF program. How many Gunslingers did they have on the rolls?”
“About five hundred active at any one time, with more in the higher ranks who did not duel anymore. Similar numbers in the other arms. Aphros graduated about sixty per year into the Mech arm, more in the others. We are smaller compared to the old Gunslingers, but not so much as the HAF is compared to the SLDF, more like the HAF to the Royal Command.”
“It’ll take time. At least General Escarrà got the facility up and running, or at least that part we needed to use. Did we get a response on any expansion?”
“General Millray says not before 3033, probably 3035 if we’re lucky. After the Olympiad and the planning for the 3032 games, and with the upgrades and new builds for the fleet, the raising of new regiments and all the other expenditure, there will not be a lot more to go around. This is it.”
“What of the training tech, has it arrived yet?”
“No, we’ve got manufacturing delays. Krupp and Skobel say they can reproduce it, but looks like their claims were a bit more fanciful than reality allowed for. Earliest date now is late February.”
“Then we train old school.” Steph said as she ran her hands through her hair.
“There is plenty of space for that, General.”
“Before then we need people though, so let’s have a look. Did you do the preliminary screen?”
“Yes General, there are eight stand outs from the twenty-eight that are not us, leaving us two slots to fill if those eight meet your approval. They are all aces and include the next four most prolific Mech killers in the HAF after yourself, all of whom are double digit aces as well.”
“Who are they?” Steph asked. She was not concerned about remaining the HAF’s BattleMech Ace-of-Aces, but there was a little, tiny piece of her that was happy to be competitive for the sheer sake of it.
“Lieutenant Keti Snel of the of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders, Captain Izanagi Radev of the 3rd Northwind Highlanders, Lieutenant Thiago Armati of the 9991st Cuirassiers, and Major Mònica Frank of the 182nd Combat Brigade Group. They have fifteen, twelve, eleven and ten kills each.”
“Two Highlanders?”
“Advantage of a mercenary career General. A lot of candidates for the first couple of classes are young ex-mercs from those regiments that joined the HAF. We have a mix of troops in those two classes that includes more than a few from the Knights of St. Cameron, Eridani Light Horse, Lexington Combat Group, and Blue Star Irregulars, and then some from the Sirian Lancers and Laurel's Legion as well, with the rest from the broader HAF.”
“This should be interesting If some of the old allegiances boil over. It is not like it’s not happening in other formations.”
“True, but it is pretty low key overall. It might be a bigger problem longer term if there is not a proper outside threat forcing us to all unite, but with what we’ll be doing it should weld our unit together pretty quick. I expect we may be something of a poster child for the new Hegemony.”
“Oh, you can bet on that. We’ll be on posters from here to Schedar in no time at all. Better hope you like signing autographs Colonel, there’ll be more than a few once we get out and about.”
“Speaking from experience?”
“Bitter experience.” Steph acknowledged. “No, wait, that’s wrong. I am not a fan of the attention, but I do understand why it’s needed. We need people who everyone else can use as a touchstone to what it means to be part of the new Hegemony. So that puts the Gunslingers front and centre. Any others on the list that stand out.”
“Not really,” Silvia said, as she passed the first set of ten across, “The other six in this pile all have strong service records. After that, things get a little murkier, but there is no one who is a fool or fumbler, the HID and High Command saw to that in the first weeding out process.”
Steph took the folders and began to leaf through the top few, opening the jackets to see some of the detail inside and who was who.
At the seventh she stopped. “Stian Christensen! I served with him on Helen. He’s a poser of the first order. Not a bad pilot, and he was coming along as an officer, but he’s a bit taken with his own looks.”
“He would make a good pin-up boy.” Silvia said with a smile.
“Do try and control yourself, Colonel.”
“Oh, I won’t be touching the crew, but you could cut yourself on those cheek bones.” She smiled slyly at Steph.
“I’m sure you could. I’ll want to look at his service and CO reports a bit more closely to see if he’s outgrown his old habits. Along with the rest of them. There’s a good day or two in all of this.”
“Closer to two is what it took me General, and then you’ve got my recommendations on top of what I read.”
“Better get to work then.”
<<<<<<<<<<<–>>>>>>>>>>>
It took a week, but eventually Steph had her first ten candidates. The four top aces they had discussed, and six others, including what appeared to be a much-improved Stian Christensen, who seemed to have matured since she last had served with the man. Orders were sent and the first ten candidates for the program joined Steph and Sylvia with the company arriving in mid-December, all ready and more than eager to take part in the rebirth of a legend from the golden years of the Star League.
Aphros Plateau, Venus, Terran Hegemony
18 December, 3028
The Parade Ground of the Military Academy of Aphros was, like much of the landscape around it, spare and dry, and for now, it was housed inside a large tent. That set up would enable the Gunslinger Company the ability to undertake some form of physical training without environmental gear for the next year while the Venusian atmosphere was taken back under control. Arrayed on the acre that had been tented and filled with a breathable air were the ten new Gunslinger hopefuls, who were facing both Steph and Sylvia. Master Seargent McCarthy stood before a second contingent of troops, those who worked to support the Academy itself and did the administrative work.
Sylvia had brought the company to attention and Steph had then placed them at ease, after accepting the Colonel’s salute. It was time to address them as a unit for the first time.
“Welcome to Aphros. Welcome to the reborn Gunslinger Program.” She paused as she saw slight smiles appear on more than a few faces and was forced to push down her own that tried to rise in response. “I am Brigadier General Stephanie Moore, and you and I follow in the footsteps of legends. We follow those like Donovan Fresnel, Daniel Allison, Kaiyo Matsumoto, Hani Schmidt, and Aleksandr Kerensky. We carry the flame of not only the Hegemony Armed Forces, but also that of the finest of the Star League Defence Force. We were brought here as we are the best the Hegemony has to offer. We will leave here as the best MechWarriors to be found in the Inner Sphere. Over the next eighteen months, we twelve, we lucky twelve, will train together as we strive to be worthy of the Gunslinger name and gain the coveted badge that we can wear with pride. None of us here have the right to stay or earn any accolade unless we gain them through dedication, skill and perseverance. None of us are Gunslingers yet, none of us will be for another eighteen months. In that time, you will learn all there is to know about a BattleMech, how it moves, fights and runs. You will learn new theories of what it means to be a MechWarrior, new ways to think and you will be pushed as hard mentally as you will be physically. I will be beside you all the way, as I too must earn my right to be here, and after a year and a half if I cannot measure up, my time here will be done.”
She paused, looking across the single rank of ten MechWarriors, all standing tall and confident, but also all now well aware of their situation. They could take nothing for granted. “Are there any questions?”
“General.” Said Lieutenant Pranav Jonaitytė, the last one to be accepted and the pilot of a King Crab.
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
“Will we be going to the Combine border to duel their Samurai?”
“No. We have a détente with the Dragon Throne at the moment, so that’s not going to be our destination.”
“Do we have an eventual destination, General?” Asked Major Mònica Frank, the commander of the third lance and a devastatingly effective Mongoose pilot.
“We have an idea, but it still requires final approval and the acquisition of several assets. Did you want to appraise the company of our possible destination when and if they graduate Colonel Mark?”
“Yes, General, it would be my pleasure.” Silvia said, and Steph could hear the smile in her voice. “To prove how good we really are, each graduating class will be sent to Solaris VII for a yearlong tour. Every nation has duellists, and we are going to not only fight them, but we are also going to best them!”
There were stunned looks at that announcement. No nation officially sent MechWarriors to Solaris, but from what the Colonel had just said that seemed destined to change.
“Will we be allowed?” Blurted out Lieutenant Leonie Hegedűs, one of Steph’s new lance mates.
“Not normally no, though each of you will be granted a non-penalised one-year release from the HAF to join the Gunslinger Stable. That stable has not been set up as yet, but it soon will be, and it will join the other Hegemony stables that are starting to appear on the Game World. Once your tour is complete, you will return to the HAF for either formal service with us, posting as the official champion of a regiment in the HAF, or for those who earn the right, selection to serve in the Royal Black Watch.”
There was stunned silence when the Colonel finished speaking. Steph had been as surprised as the troops were when she had first heard the idea. It had been Silvia’s, and the young woman had been forced to talk hard and fast to bring her General around to support the idea. Silvia was not just spit balling though, she had thoroughly investigated the opportunity when she had holidayed on Solaris, where she had spoken to the newly formed Hegemony stables, as well as many others. Her plan had more than just merit, it could be another way in which the Hegemony could show its strength and its rights to the laurels of both its own past and that of the Star League. The two then took the plan to the Commanding General, who had provisionally green lit the idea pending the approval of the Director-General. If Gus supported the program, there would not only be Gunslingers in the HAF, but duellists who had fought the best on Solaris in the great arenas and made their mark.
“This has not been confirmed as yet, so don’t get too excited, but we will be pushing for it. In the meantime, we will, along with the SAS BattleMech Detachment and the THN Marine Demi-Regiment, form a special reserve of elite Hegemony formations to be used in key hot spots. Finally, the new Black Watch will be drawn from those formations and the Northwind Highlanders. The Black Watch won’t necessarily operate with us, but if they do, they too will form part of the special forces. The Men of Terra are also to be nominally under our command, but as a reserve, and they’ll be more an administrative note than a real force that we would work with. None of that will happen until this company is operational though. Are there any other questions?” No one said a word. “Very well then, you are dismissed.”
The formation came to attention and saluted, before they turned inwards as a group and began talking animatedly. Steph raised her voice, “Colonel Mark, Major Frank, if you could join me, please.”
The other two senior officers walked over to Steph and stopped in front of her. Where Silvia was pale and blonde, Frank was dark haired and sharp featured in a severe way, and very much a contrast in personality as well. The Major was no nonsense, and Steph had found not a trace of a sense of humour in the woman. “We start tomorrow, let’s get them up an hour early and put the acid on from the get-go. Oh four hundred and straight into the tent for a good two hours before breakfast. We might not have the technology for the advanced training here yet, but we do have the theory, physical training and we can do plenty of Mech work. The High Command is sending a mixed battalion from the Eridani Light Horse as our initial OpFor, and they’ll arrive in a month, so we bet be ready to put on a show, as those Eridani are sharp operators and will not let us get away with performances that are not up to what the SLDF would have demanded. I will not in any way let us show anything but the highest standards in front of the Eridani. They are the last true bastion of the ideals of the League and are taking their service as part of the HAF with extreme seriousness. We cannot mess up even one iota here, and that means having the company ready to roll in four weeks. That’s easier said than done, as we are not a large field force, we are small unit and individual duelling specialists, so let’s use that to our advantage and put out best skills and abilities on display when the Light Horse arrive. Understood?”
“Yes General.” Said Silvia.
“Of course, General. We’ll be more than ready for them.”
“Good. Now get the kids all together, tonight is going to be a big celebration, so we see how they go in the morning under severe distress.”
“Bit nasty ma’am.” Said Silvia.
“Perhaps, but if folks are going to break, let’s break them in the first month, we don’t have time to mess around wondering if folks can hack it with us. We have the time before the Eridani and our high-tech training kit gets here, so let’s use that to our advantage. We’ll throw plenty of Mech and theoretical time in as well, but we are going to work this crew from dawn to dusk under all sorts of duress to see if they are as good as they think they are and want to be.
4
BattleTech Miniatures / Mech Every Day: My BattleTech Miniatures Blog
« Last post by ColBosch on Today at 14:47:30 »I can't believe that it's been a month and a half since I started it, but I haven't mentioned my daily miniatures blog. Yes, every day I've been posting a painted BattleTech miniature. I'll start reposting the images here as well, but the blog also includes painting information and discussion posts on the weekends. You can find the link in my signature.
Here are the first four miniatures from the start of January, a Marik Militia recon lance. Each name is a link.
Phoenix Hawk
Wasp
Ostscout
Spider
Let me know if you can't see the pictures or if there's any problems. If everything is working, then I'll post the rest of the miniatures I've already uploaded.
Here are the first four miniatures from the start of January, a Marik Militia recon lance. Each name is a link.
Phoenix Hawk
Wasp
Ostscout
Spider
Let me know if you can't see the pictures or if there's any problems. If everything is working, then I'll post the rest of the miniatures I've already uploaded.
5
General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Never-Seen: The Legend Continues...
« Last post by Frabby on Today at 14:42:36 »Your entry for Ultralytes has a typo; it should presumably read "machines they deliberately resemble", not "assemble".
You’re missing the Mule AgroMech from If Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot.
Fireship is a role, not a design.
Similarly, Iceship seems to be a role, and/or a wide range of tanker vessels, and/or the entirety of a coordinated JumpShip fleet transpoting an iceberg.
You’re missing the Mule AgroMech from If Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot.
Fireship is a role, not a design.
Similarly, Iceship seems to be a role, and/or a wide range of tanker vessels, and/or the entirety of a coordinated JumpShip fleet transpoting an iceberg.
6
Clan Chatterweb / Re: Rasalhague Dominion: The voting will continue until morale improves!
« Last post by truetanker on Today at 14:15:25 »I had good success with a Mad Dog S last year.
I am trying to show off new units to a 3067 focused group. Maps we have seen in the past are canyons and Steiner Stadium type setups. They try and block lines of sight to encourage small vicious brawls. Long shot do happen though.
Mech selection is basically unlimited. Pilots OTOH are limited by weight. So 100 tons = 5/6, 95 tons = 5/5, etc. You really want something under 80 tons that can apply a lot of damage then get out of trouble. I have considered a Mad Dog III, but I don't think it will be mobile enough. I don't want to take a Karhu. I have used that before too.
I will note a Bear Cub survived to the final rounds one year so there is something to be said for hiding.
Griffin IIC 2 and Shadow Hawk IIC 2 and 3 both will give you your money's worth.
TT
7
BattleTech Miniatures / Re: Dawn Guard units
« Last post by Luciora on Today at 14:08:24 »I didn't have a particularly difficult time assembling them. Just didn't like the posture as it doesn't leave much leeway for the arms.
Nice stuff! Shout out the Mad 5R: RAC's are so fun. That 3PL is a killer as well.
Curious: how did you like the Inferno minis. Were they a pleasure or pain to work with?
8
Fan Designs and Rules / Re: Designs for 'From a Ristar to a Lady'
« Last post by lowrolling on Today at 13:58:37 »Thanks and sorry for not catching this for so long. Spencer has a very tough looking ride.
9
Challenges and Gatherings / Re: BattleTech Long Island IV
« Last post by Kem on Today at 13:58:01 »Oh, there are random numbers on that map lol. On my phone I was like 'What is she talking about, key, it has all the words'. I will get the pins set up for those and I figured that about the top map, I don't have an easy way to make the map work better for a NSEW style map so it's more about placing the maps in relation to each other for the bottom ones, then the top one is just there to show the whole northern hemisphere. The Hilo map I can add easily.
Do we think that having it be a separate map might be good? I'll see about doing that before placing any pins so that the pins don't change location too much.
Nejiro itself seems to be either in the "Western" or "Eastern" Hemisphere. It it's the western, I don't know what is in the South-East Hemisphere. So, I will still have a gap and some weirdness. But I'm not worried about that.
Do we think that having it be a separate map might be good? I'll see about doing that before placing any pins so that the pins don't change location too much.
Nejiro itself seems to be either in the "Western" or "Eastern" Hemisphere. It it's the western, I don't know what is in the South-East Hemisphere. So, I will still have a gap and some weirdness. But I'm not worried about that.
10
General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Never-Seen: The Legend Continues...
« Last post by truetanker on Today at 13:51:49 »No problem BH!
To be fair, most of the old FASA Reinforcements Volume 5: Vehicles has most of the RS for the various Support/Civilian jobs. Only thing wrong is many are "off", old construction rules.
And only base stats...
And IIRC, Enryes was stated in Jihad Hot Spots (?).
To be fair, most of the old FASA Reinforcements Volume 5: Vehicles has most of the RS for the various Support/Civilian jobs. Only thing wrong is many are "off", old construction rules.
And only base stats...
And IIRC, Enryes was stated in Jihad Hot Spots (?).
