Ok, I finally had a chance to sit down this holiday weekend and read ER: 3145 (getting the FM this weekend). I...AM...STOKED!
Now, I never played MWDA, I'm now sad to say. I had the typical grognard "Ewww, clicky-tech" reaction to what had been done to MY game (I've gotten better!). That's a shame, because, it might have been different, but it was still a game. I did read about a third to half of the fiction that came out under the DA brand. I didn't hate it, but I wasn't thrilled either. I was too lost; too many weird things going on. What the Hell is a Jihad? Etc. I was out of my element.
Reading ER:3145 this weekend, though...it was nostalgic in a sense. It was like when I was reading the first House books back in the 80s and "Operation: Doppelganger" was mentioned without any details, but I knew what that was because I'd read The Sword and the Dagger. I had that same sense of "getting it." Suddenly, everything clicked. Yeah, I still get teary-eyed that some of my favorite units are dead and buried (15th Dracon, 1st Marik Militia, House Ma-Tsu Kai, Knights of the Inner Sphere, ComStar), but they had their run. Everything is new again, and it can go anywhere.
I had another realization this weekend. The original setup was unsustainable. Five Great Houses. Then the FedCom turns it into 4. Even with the FRR as a buffer state, it's no help. If the FRR protects the Combine from the Lyran half of the FC, the reverse is also true. The CC is swallowed up, and then the FWL and finally the Combine. Even the Clans don't change it that much.
But the new map of 3145, just look at! The CC is a player. The new FLW still lacks Regulus and Andurien. We have no idea what's going on with the CC and MoC: could they still merge? Davion's taken a hit but is not out. The Wolf Empire threatens the LC, FWL, the RoS (when the Fortress drops, anyway). The states are all about the same size; balkanization is good for warfare!
And ComStar? Dead? Hah! We have no idea what's going on inside Fortress Republic. ComStar might have seized control (doubtful, but possible, even if improbable)!
And to be honest, I'm really liking the RoS. The Remnant is taking it hard, but who knows what's going on in Terra. I might just go Republican!
Anyway, I for one am glad that the future is here!