Raven Alliance: The Shiny Red Button of Orbital Doom

[Broken_Metal_Dreaming]

So for much of their history the Outworld's Alliance Mech units were asssigned to their Air wings.

From field Manual Periphery- The grenadiers are part of the 5th air wing's Joyless Rodgers. The flag of the air wing is a frowning skull on black with shattered crossbones.

From Camospecs- https://camospecs.com/unit/5th-alliance-air-wing/
The 5th AAW uses a combination of black, grey, blue-grey or silver creating bands on the aft half of fighters with black vertical stabilizers. Forward section color is dependent on the Regiment but uses one of the four colors. Squadrons use a highlight color to trim stabilizers and leading edges.

It does note that the commander of the air wing is eccentric and dresses in an age of sail uniform. So you might look to naval uniforms of the 18th and 19th centuries for inspiration on scheme beyond the colors and aerospace examples.

Individual battallion insignias are described on Sarna. The only colors mentioned are white and gold in the command battallion insignia- which is the only mech battallion as of 3064.

As of 3064 they are a combined arms regiment, 1 of mechs, 1 jump infantry, one other infantry.

It is unclear if the batallions remain combined arms in FM: 3145 but they have been detatched from the 5th air wing as part of the Raven Alliance.

[jimdigris]

Does anyone recognize the Raven ships in the top and bottom left? Nice Nasagawas!

[tassa_kay]

It's weird too because while I can tell they're both Nagasawas, they look like two completely different ships, and neither of them even look like the TRO artwork. The bottom left one practically looks like an A-wing, LOL.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

I love that Visigoth picture/ paint scheme

[Crimson Dynamo]

Within the Raven Alliance, are machines like the Charger C and the Merlin C mainly for Raven Clusters, AMC units, both? What might the average Raven Warrior think about being assigned such a mahine? Would being in the Watch change said Warrior's opinion?

[tassa_kay]

Within the Raven Alliance, are machines like the Charger C and the Merlin C mainly for Raven Clusters, AMC units, both?

We really don't get much detail on how these two designs are distributed, but FWIW, the Merlin C entry does note that the Merlin C is starting to reach the Ravens' garrison Clusters.

If I had to guess, though... both. The text of the Merlin C implies to me that the earlier production model, the MLN-1D, might have been used in a fire support role in the Raven touman, and again FWIW, that model of Merlin is on the Raven Alliance RATs in FM3145 (though to be fair, FM3145 came out years before the ilClan era or the RecGuides, as I suspect the Merlin and Charger C both would be on there now).

What might the average Raven Warrior think about being assigned such a mahine?

We don't have any evidence to say for certain, but given the fact that 1) it's a second-line machine 2) built by not just Spheroids but Peripherats 3) who the Ravens don't appear to truly respect and are just using for mutual benefit/a place to roost, I'd say that they'd probably be at least somewhat disappointed.

Would being in the Watch change said Warrior's opinion?

How so?

[Crimson Dynamo]

That's the direction I was leaning in, but I don't feel like I have a good understanding of the whole 'Raven Alliance' thing, the interactions of it's two halves, and the mindset of Raven Warriors (AKA the interesting half, IMO). I appreciate the more considered insight, as ever.

How so?

I guess what I mean to ask is, assuming there is bias against upgraded IS designs, can you think of any reason why these wouldn't be considered fair for use by the Raven Watch? I keep thinking of the Red Raven in his White Raven, or Ramil Kerensky in his Dire Wolf when I think of Clan Watch rides.

[tassa_kay]

I guess what I mean to ask is, assuming there is bias against upgraded IS designs, can you think of any reason why these wouldn't be considered fair for use by the Raven Watch? I keep thinking of the Red Raven in his White Raven, or Ramil Kerensky in his Dire Wolf when I think of Clan Watch rides.

I wouldn't necessarily use either of those two examples as "baseline" Watch agents; they were both fairly exceptional people. But yeah, I'd totally say that these designs would be fair use for Watch MechWarriors.

[Warmind_SR]

Greetings, fellow Significantly Chilly Magpies, I'm newer to the setting, but not totally illiterate, and having read mostly Sarna articles, RecGuides for mechs, and history, found I liked WarShips, ASF, and the scrappy, scheming nature of the Ravens and Outworlds, which leads me to ask, where should I start making forces and reading any additional lore beyond Sarna for the Ravens? Help is appreciated, I generally get that the Alliance is more of a vaguely convenient thing where the Ravens get free berths, housing, and access to factories in return for the Alliance getting a real military this time, and I'd love to know more about what is quickly becoming my favorite faction

[Church14]

Greetings, fellow Significantly Chilly Magpies, I'm newer to the setting, but not totally illiterate, and having read mostly Sarna articles, RecGuides for mechs, and history, found I liked WarShips, ASF, and the scrappy, scheming nature of the Ravens and Outworlds, which leads me to ask, where should I start making forces and reading any additional lore beyond Sarna for the Ravens? Help is appreciated, I generally get that the Alliance is more of a vaguely convenient thing where the Ravens get free berths, housing, and access to factories in return for the Alliance getting a real military this time, and I'd love to know more about what is quickly becoming my favorite faction

Ravens during their time in the sphere would mostly be found in:
Field Manual 3085
Field Manual 3145
Era Report 3145
Shattered Fortress

Unfortunately for you, none of those focus on the Ravens, but it will cover the Raven Alliance for you.

Also, I think it's generally assumed that they will be prominent in the upcoming Ilkhan's Eyes Only sourcebook. Though that may be a while, so I'd focus on the other listed.

[jklantern]

Do we know when that's coming out yet? 

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Do we know when that's coming out yet?

Soon TM

[Elcor05]

Am I missing any omnimechs that the Ravens are producing in the ilClan era? I’ve got:

Light:
Kit Fox

Medium:
Carrion Crow
Stormcrow

Heavy:
War Crow

Assault:
Deimos
Blood Asp
Kingfisher

Any that I’m missing?

[tassa_kay]

Looks pretty complete to me.

[Rainbow 6]

Reading the Woodsman entry in TRO:GC it wouldn't surprise me if the Ravens begin building them as some point.

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

Reading the Woodsman entry in TRO:GC it wouldn't surprise me if the Ravens begin building them as some point.

I do love when pragmatic folks dig through the archives and send something cheap and proven into production instead of burning cash they might need elsewhere

[Tyler Jorgensson]

I’m surprised I haven’t seen any Ravens start a conversation on IKEO: y’all get some big screen time and some cool news about your Naval Stars

[jimdigris]

Two warship classes thought extinct are extinct no more.  :evil:
Give it a couple of days for everyone to read through and properly digest everything.

[Metallgewitter]

Yeah I find it somewhat suprising to read that the Ravens dug up a SECOND Newgrange class ship as well as a Luxor class (the class went extinct during the amaris civil war) plus a Bug-Eye.

[Cannonshop]

Yeah I find it somewhat suprising to read that the Ravens dug up a SECOND Newgrange class ship as well as a Luxor class (the class went extinct during the amaris civil war) plus a Bug-Eye.

It actually wouldn't be hard to justify.  The ships lost at the liberation of Terra were only the ships that could actually GO there.  a vessel damaged beforehand would not be included in the cited operation, and may not have been remembered outside of archives taken with Kerensky during the Desertion er, abandonment Exodus! right...

there's no telling what may have been abandoned during that decade or so of war...

[Mendrugo]

So, the Ravens are pulling out all the stops looking for...something.  Any guesses?

[Cannonshop]

So, the Ravens are pulling out all the stops looking for...something.  Any guesses?

a huge ship with a big ass mass driver that disappeared at the end of the Jihad.  Let's be real here; nobody has a navy that can compete, never mind challenge, the Snow Ravens...but that monster? that's the kind of threat they need to make sure doesn't show up in the wrong hands (any hands but theirs).

Erinyes is unaccounted for, and one of the few things that can pose enough threat to justify their navy's still being in existence.

[Cannonshop]

Okay, after perusing IKEO...

amend to "if the Ravens would actually use their navy competently, nobody has a navy that could compete, much less Challenge, them."

It's really obvious that fourteen generations of mothball and no serious opposition wore them down in terms of doctrine and quality.

[Ghaz]

Love the Beta Galaxy Carrion Crow on page 197, it's helping finalize what colors I'm going to use for my Ravens (off to the Vallejo Model Color Chart to find the appropriate paints :smilie_happy_thumbup:).

[Metallgewitter]

Okay, after perusing IKEO...

amend to "if the Ravens would actually use their navy competently, nobody has a navy that could compete, much less Challenge, them."

It's really obvious that fourteen generations of mothball and no serious opposition wore them down in terms of doctrine and quality.

Right now they seem to operate according to the doctrine of the old Hegemony navy "Victory through superior firepower" Which is kinda easy when you have no real opposition (unless someone throws fleets of pocket warships mixed with fireships in their path)

[Cannonshop]

Right now they seem to operate according to the doctrine of the old Hegemony navy "Victory through superior firepower" Which is kinda easy when you have no real opposition (unless someone throws fleets of pocket warships mixed with fireships in their path)

The problem of PWS really shows when they don't have nice, safe ports with lots of similar vessels to blend in with before launching their attacks.  I will say, the naval engagements fit my projections on how they have to run when everyone is relying on dropships to do Warship jobs.

[Metallgewitter]

I wonder when the first nation will come up with the idea to use space mines again. That's how the Fedsuns crippled the Vendetta during the Jihad. And once the ship was in the mindefield they let loose with their own PWS naval rockets. Though the Ravcnes don't operate in single ship flotillas they move as one big hammer. Which is a boon and a curse. After all, those ships can't be everywhere at once

[Cannonshop]

I wonder when the first nation will come up with the idea to use space mines again. That's how the Fedsuns crippled the Vendetta during the Jihad. And once the ship was in the mindefield they let loose with their own PWS naval rockets. Though the Ravcnes don't operate in single ship flotillas they move as one big hammer. Which is a boon and a curse. After all, those ships can't be everywhere at once

Warship without Teamwork is an expensive range target, they're moving in groups because it's better than eating defeat in detail.

which is something I'm still waiting for someone who isn't a Clan to figure out.  They probably won't, because that would require diverting some of the budget from candidates for "Immortal Warrior" guest episodes and Solaris Tourneys into actual military training.

[DOC_Agren]

Warship without Teamwork is an expensive range target, they're moving in groups because it's better than eating defeat in detail.

which is something I'm still waiting for someone who isn't a Clan to figure out.  They probably won't, because that would require diverting some of the budget from candidates for "Immortal Warrior" guest episodes and Solaris Tourneys into actual military training.

Hey if I have a multi billion dollar warship, you expect me to spend more to build support ships??
Do you know how many Mechs I won't have because I'm spending my defense budget on extra warships.

Warships that can't be deployed everywhere, were as I can divide my Mech Force by planets.

[Cannonshop]

Hey if I have a multi billion dollar warship, you expect me to spend more to build support ships??
Do you know how many Mechs I won't have because I'm spending my defense budget on extra warships.

Warships that can't be deployed everywhere, were as I can divide my Mech Force by planets.

I kind of implied it couldn't happen, you just demonstrated why.  Thanks?    :smiley: