Clan Watch membership

[Gaiiten]

There's not a lot of published info about the composition of the IntelSer reconnaissance crews during the 2970s-3040s, but I would speculate that Goliath Scorpion Seekers would have jumped at the chance to lurk around the Periphery.

Given their history in pre-Klondike reconnaissance  I would speculate that the Star Adders did strongly their part to IntelSer.

[ColBosch]

Note that I said "not a lot of published info"...

I'm picking up what you're putting down.

[cmerwin]

There's not a lot of published info about the composition of the IntelSer reconnaissance crews during the 2970s-3040s, but I would speculate that Goliath Scorpion Seekers would have jumped at the chance to lurk around the Periphery.

That seems right. Also, we do know that there were some Nova Cat freeborn members of IntelSer.

Now this might be a bit of a stretch, but Khan Philip Drummond was a senior ranking Intelligence officer before Exodus. Of the Clan high-command who could appreciate the value of (and have the institutional knowledge and training) about Intelligence, it would be him. So the Nova Cat connection to early IntelSer might also be right there alongside Scorpion Seekers. But again, just wild speculation.

[Metallgewitter]

Given their history in pre-Klondike reconnaissance  I would speculate that the Star Adders did strongly their part to IntelSer.

I would also think that the Ravens playeda part as they also appreciate the gathering of information. And if they did space missions the "space Clan" might be the go-to source for special equipment / missions

[cmerwin]

InterSel is a criminally unexplored corner of the universe.

To be fair, that's true of the entire Golden and Political Centuries. There's 200 years of rife story telling potential that has - yet - to be tapped.

[Mendrugo]

To be fair, that's true of the entire Golden and Political Centuries. There's 200 years of rife story telling potential that has - yet - to be tapped.

Not entirely unexplored:

Golden Century:
Era Digest: Golden Century
Proliferation Cycle: The Trickster
Dezgra (Shrapnel #9)
Half of a Warrior (BattleCorps)
Whispering Death (BattleCorps)
Turning Points: Tokasha

Political Century:
Emerald Sword
Scavenger's Blood (Shrapnel #2)
Seven Years' Bad Luck (BattleCorps)
Zeroing In (BattleCorps)
Way of the Clans
Bloodname
Exodus Road (Prelude chapter)
Jaguar's Leap

[cmerwin]

Not entirely unexplored:

Golden Century:
Era Digest: Golden Century
Proliferation Cycle: The Trickster
Dezgra (Shrapnel #9)
Half of a Warrior (BattleCorps)
Whispering Death (BattleCorps)
Turning Points: Tokasha

Political Century:
Emerald Sword
Scavenger's Blood (Shrapnel #2)
Seven Years' Bad Luck (BattleCorps)
Zeroing In (BattleCorps)
Way of the Clans
Bloodname
Exodus Road (Prelude chapter)
Jaguar's Leap

Fair, and you aren't wrong. Many of these are quite short though. Even Era Digest: Golden Century only hints at a century where A LOT was going on. I wasn't suggesting there wasn't representation, there is, and I am grateful to the authors who wrote about these. It's just not in depth (and I think of the four novels you list at the end as more about the Invasion, than about the Political Century).

My emphasis was to express that it would be really cool to see a few novels, a trilogy even, set in the Homeworlds before 3019 and the Dragoons resupply run. There's so much that happened from the death of Nicholas to the Dragoon Compromise that could fill whole novels.

[cmerwin]

Not entirely unexplored:

Political Century:
Emerald Sword

Also, thanks for the Emerald Sword reference. I think that is the only one on the list I haven't previously read and now I am psyched to!

[Nerroth]

Technically, one could also count Operational Turning Points: REVIVAL Trials as a Political Century sourcebook, as it takes place (just) prior to the Clan Invasion proper.

Actually, I wonder if it might one day be an option to see a future OTP volume which looked at the events surrounding the Dragoon Compromise.

[Luciora]

A certain Malthus perhaps?

Thanks for this. I'll have to see if I can track down a copy.

In looking through my copy of Intelligence Operations Handbook, it does mention that Watch commanders (but not operatives) are Mechwarriors nearing the end of their active service and in the case of Jade Falcon, even includes a Bloodnamed Star Colonel.

[Krieghund]

It was Kael Pershaw. No idea what the Watch looked like after say, Civil War era, but the Falcons were said to have the best analytical team in the Clans. Which, by IS standards was pretty ehhhhhh, but baby steps.

[ColBosch]

It was Kael Pershaw. No idea what the Watch looked like after say, Civil War era, but the Falcons were said to have the best analytical team in the Clans. Which, by IS standards was pretty ehhhhhh, but baby steps.

Kael would've been an exceptional intelligence director, had the Clans any real knowledge of tradecraft. He had good instincts for when something seemed off and came pretty dang close to blowing the lid off the Society.

[tassa_kay]

Beckett Malthus was said to have built the Falcon Watch into a fairly effective secret police in the Dark Age era.

[cmerwin]

A certain Malthus perhaps?

Star Colonel Kael Pershaw, and the Falcons seemed to have pretty good Military Intelligence, from an 80s-90s standpoint. Know and think like your enemy, but don't invest too much in HUMINT (ie "informants"), which is in keeping with the Falcons. The Wolves seemed to have leaned into their HUMINT assets, at least from Khan Phelan onwards.

[Frabby]

I feel there’s a yet-unmentioned elephant in the room:

Every intelligence service ever has a great intrinsic desire to remain overlooked or at least underestimated. They’re better the fewer good things you hear about them. (Said a real-world military intelligence officer who then rolled his eyes and added that by this standard, German intelligence services are very very good.)

With the Watch you face the conundrum that they are the antithesis of the usual Warrior caste bruhaha.
The rare elite Warrior who understands administration, logistics and intelligence to any degree may become Khan or Loremaster. But having these skills and not being an elite warrior means your're the nerd of your sibko and get pounced on by the "honorable warrior" jerks. And maybe you’re smart enough to realize where true power lies and opt for a different career.
After all, Watch membership supposedly means you effectively forfeit your Warrior privileges. But that could only happen if anyone knows you’re with the Watch.

Beyond that not-drawback I can only see perks: You operate in the shadows to a degree that gives you unprecedented freedom in Clan society. You may have the solahma stigma past 35 but in reality can continue to have a long and fulfilling work life. You can even transcend caste boundaries to a degree, which should make service attractive for non-Warriors.

Ultimately, the Watch should be a dream job for the same breed of Clanners that later form The Society: Those who have understood the shortcomings of their rigid culture and how to play the system to get the most out of it.
Of course nobody is going to say that out loud.