Author Topic: April 2012 Poll! Favorite fallen factions in the BattleTech universe of 3090! (Read 26722 times)

HABeas2 · « **on:** 14 April 2012, 19:58:38 »

Hello,

Here is another poll constructed merely for my own curiosity. This time around, however, I decided to try something a little bit different.

As many of our fan base are aware, the BattleTech setting is driven by a very much living timeline, and one in which empire rise and empires actually do fall. Throughout the history of the Inner Sphere since the dawn of the Star League, in fact, it seems that at least 23 factions of various sizes have vanished from the maps for one reason or another (including outright destruction, absorption into other factions, or dissolution by internal conflicts).

So, for the next thirty days, we ask: Of these fallen factions, what are YOUR top three favorites? You needn't expound on the whys of this inquiry, but I'm, leaving discussion open for comments. And if you don't see a faction on this list (sorry; I simply do not see any one mercenary force as a "faction"), feel free to toss in an "Other" vote and tell us who you feel we missed.

That's it! Happy voting!

Thank you,

- Herbert Beas
BattleTech
Catalyst Game Labs

mikecj · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 April 2012, 20:13:25 »

Two mysterious bogeymen and a Rim Worlds that gets more interesting with each book

Weirdo · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 April 2012, 20:17:00 »

My votes for the Free Worlds League and Terran Hegemony should come as no surprise to anyone who's read any of my posts, though they might perhaps be cheating since I know both come back, the FWL in the Dark Age, and the Hegemony as the Republic of the Sphere. For my third, I had to vote Other, for the elephant that must have snuck out of the poll, probably on an outbound DropShip: The Star League. 8)

Honorable mentions go to the Star League II, Electric Boogaloo(It had so much potential as a faction, but was apathied to death before it got to do anything on its' own. Seriously, the coolest thing about it was the mention of Fury Team actions in Covert Ops, and I was hoping for more like that, plus trying to ride herd on House Lord politics), and some of the now-dead minor Periphery realms like the Lothians and Elysians. More potential to be unique there, but we just know so little about them at this point.

HABeas2 · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 April 2012, 20:31:16 »

Hello,

While I considered it, was the Star League (or the Second Star League) truly a faction, or just an amalgamation of the extant factions of the day?

Thank you,

- Herbert Beas
BattleTech
Catalyst Game Labs

Weirdo · « **Reply #4 on:** 14 April 2012, 20:40:49 »

I'd say initially an Amalgam, but once you have bored Kuritans specifically challenging Star League warriors to duels or facing off against 'pirate' forces from all five houses, I'm fairly certain you're a separate faction. My guess would be that the Star League could truly be considered a separate faction after the Reunification War, kinda like how the American Civil War was the transition between "the Unites States are" to "the United States is". And yes, I'm aware that metaphor probably cannot stand up to much poking.

The 2nd SL was probably still in the amalgam stage when it died, but it was starting to head towards its own identity. Having a non-House Lord in charge towards the end helped that, as did the slow creation of an SLDF that wasn't loyal to any House.

Atlas3060 · « **Reply #5 on:** 14 April 2012, 23:30:40 »

FedCom, Terran Hegemony, and the FWL.
I actually did like the thought of merchant warrior Lyrans joining with the white hat professional baby eater FedSuns.
The Terran Hegemony showed us they'll love and cooperation you to death which made for an interesting setting considering how 'new' the other Houses were at that time.
FWL because I actually think it might have worked. The fake Thomas could have federalized enough of the League to fight the Blakists with the same energy the Inner Sphere used to fight the Clans initially. Poor faction, you fell to the internalisation that made you so quirky.

Frabby · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 April 2012, 02:29:05 »

#1 - Oberon Confederation. A former pirate state on the verge of becoming a legitimate power intrigued me, and it was my second-favourite affiliation after House Liao.

#2 - ("Other") The Belt Pirates of Star's End (new and old) - because a civilisation of space-faring pirates is not only cool; when you think about it, these guys were the very reason why so many pirate bands could exist. Star's End is the only rogue shipyard known, the ultimate pirate haven. The Belt Pirates didn't actually have to loot themselves (much), they presumably provided service to all those bloodthirsty pirate bands who bore the brund of the fighting. Smart.

#3 - The Free Worlds League. Because I'm a traditionalist - there's five Houses to the Inner Sphere (Clans need not apply)

I liked the Free Rasalhague Republic and to a lesser extent St. Ives. They were fleshed out well enough to have their own national feel like the Successor States (y'know, simple and easily recognizable cultural templates). They felt "right", felt akin to the Successor States, and existed long enough to get noticed.

For the record, I don't care about the Clans. At all. As far as I'm concerned, every dead Clan is an improvement to the universe. The Successor States were at least based on ~~believable~~ recognizable real cultures. The Clans are a decidedly unfunny carricature of something that doesn't exist. Which made for their "alien" feel and probably seemed an ok idea to begin with, but to me they remain alien within the game.

St.George · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 April 2012, 06:19:09 »

missing the ol'TH,,,,it's "Home" by the way. ;D

Then the Jags and Wobbies,cuz every good story needs the "Bad guys" to hate. >:D

still,I could have picked a half dozen more,all for good reasons weather good or bad

A question to Big'H,,,was the OA ever conciderd seeing my beloved Snow Ravens took-over? O0

Gaiiten · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 April 2012, 12:22:17 »

Hmm, I have to say none.
Each of the listed factions had its purpose when they "existed", but that ended and I do not miss any of them.

And something unique of each faction has survived.

Neufeld · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 April 2012, 16:25:41 »

With these choices the FWL, the Scorpions and the Spirits. (I would not really count the two first as dead, but they are among my favorites from this list.)

BTW, no Comstar or Society options?

roosterboy · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 April 2012, 16:37:01 »

Quote from: Neufeld on 15 April 2012, 16:25:41

BTW, no Comstar or Society options?

ComStar's not dead.

HABeas2 · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 April 2012, 16:39:30 »

Hello,

ComStar is not a destroyed faction, and the Society is debatably not a faction so much as a resistance movement. Since I did not want to start listing off "Free Capella" as a faction, that's why we don't see the Society there.

Thank you,

- Herbert Beas
BattleTech
Catalyst Game Labs

Col. Chiang · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 April 2012, 20:13:44 »

I picked the Circinus Federation, because who doesn't like Rome...IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!? Seriously, though, they had a lot of potential to become a shining example of what pirates who go straight can aspire to before they fell in with the Blakists.

My second choice was the Oberon Confederation. Hendrik Grimm was one of my favorite characters--even to the point of caricature--and his realm was, again, on the doorstep to becoming a straight player (well, as close as it gets in the Periphery, anyway) as possible before it went under.

Finally, I chose "Other", because the Tikonov Free Republic was an interesting idea that never really got enough of a chance, in my opinion. Instead of having the FC juggernaut be the 800-pound gorilla (and having to beef up its opponents to make them be able to stand up to it) of the Inner Sphere for twenty years, why not have it cut in half and see what that does to internal cohesion. Sure, it got done in the FC Civil War era, but that only lasted a few years. Instead, see what happens when the FC instead has to cut bites out of the FWL and DC to try and connect its halves. Can anyone say "Fifth Succession War"?

GreyWolfActual · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 April 2012, 22:27:50 »

Quote from: Col. Chiang on 15 April 2012, 20:13:44

I picked the Circinus Federation, because who doesn't like Rome...IN SPAAAAAAAAAAAACE!? Seriously, though, they had a lot of potential to become a shining example of what pirates who go straight can aspire to before they fell in with the Blakists.

Um, that's the Marian Hegemony and they're still around. Circinus was founded by pirates and farmers, not too unlike Oberon.

M-Rex · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 April 2012, 22:31:57 »

All the chicks dig the Word of Blake. We have the best rides.

Col.Hengist · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 April 2012, 22:40:02 »

I picked only one faction.There was only one that i really cared about from the poll and that was Clan BloodSpirit. So much rage, so much potential, so much emo, and in the end, they died from orbital bombardment... Such a waste and a trajedy. I love the faction and so hoped for better.

avon1985 · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 April 2012, 22:55:54 »

Terran Hegemony, Fed Com and the Wolverines. My votes, although it could be argued the Hegemony is reborn in the RoS.

Jaim Magnus · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 April 2012, 08:47:07 »

Clan Widowmaker... had some interesting potential.
Clan Blood Spirit... really, what's not to like?
St. Ives Compact... a Capellan state that didn't suffer from crazy leaders?! Awesome!

I don't really consider the FWL a fallen faction... it's just on hiatus until 3139 ;)

Terminax · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 April 2012, 10:16:57 »

Clan Blood Spirit

Rim World Republic

Oberon Confederation

Crunch · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 April 2012, 10:22:11 »

I voted Other for the Outworld Alliance.

mechwarriorgarya · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 April 2012, 10:49:02 »

Sounds crazy, but I love the Elysian Fields. A little area organized by members of the Inheritors Movement as a protectorate of the Oberon Confederation.

The Inheritors, a bunch of survivalists, give me a good laugh as their philosophy that the successor states would destroy each other, and then a periphery raised army would conquer the Inner Sphere.

Well ultimate irony abounds, one day in 3049 an army raised in the periphery comes knocking and wipes them out. Though that army fell short of conquering the Inner Sphere.

Savage Coyote · « **Reply #21 on:** 16 April 2012, 11:16:35 »

Lets see...

Blood Spirits: I like the paint schemes... the awesome 'mechs... and the bitter fight back till the end attitude.
Smoke Jaguars: I used to despise the faction, but over time I've come to be somewhat curious about them and wish we'd have seem a Field Manual style write up for them outside of Invader Clans. It's also unfortunate that, at least to me, they were kind of a cardboard cut out, one dimensional faction before their demise. Recent products have helped to flesh them out more, though I think there could still be some more information put down.
FedCom: They were around when I got into the game and then sundered shortly after, but I enjoyed the faction immensely as a large group of people trying to struggle with their identity and coming together (which of course, did not work!)

Col. Chiang · « **Reply #22 on:** 16 April 2012, 11:47:49 »

Quote from: GreyWolfActual on 15 April 2012, 22:27:50

Um, that's the Marian Hegemony and they're still around. Circinus was founded by pirates and farmers, not too unlike Oberon.

:-[ Well, I'm an idiot. Ignore the above on Circinus. Sorry about that.

Scotty · « **Reply #23 on:** 16 April 2012, 14:32:40 »

I bleed purple, so it should come as no surprise that the Free Worlds League headed up my list.

The Word of Blake followed shortly after, mostly because I loved how they interacted with ComStar when they weren't nuking the hell out of the entire Inner Sphere.

Greater Valkyrate got the third vote because names don't really get much more awesome than that, and none of the other factions on the list appealed to me except perhaps the Federated Commonwealth, and I still get both halves of that anyway.

Garlon · « **Reply #24 on:** 16 April 2012, 18:02:04 »

Gave the FedCom my vote as although I started out as a mercenary I got drawn into the FedSuns and really enjoyed the FedCom when it came along so was not happy when Katherine turned the LC side into the LA. Always hoped it would be reformed but the civil war put paid to that. :(

Wrangler · « **Reply #25 on:** 16 April 2012, 18:26:11 »

Clan Wolverine - It had so much potential if had survived, become opposing force against Clans itself. It was last throngs (arguably) of the SLDF jabbering of its Khan can be believed to be true.

Terran Hegemony - Alot history (House SL) with alot interesting characters coming from it until its last days where it got ruling leadership stupid and careless allowed itself be taken over.

Clan Blood Spirit - I liked how it did what none of the other clans should been doing in the first place, Exploring and Colonizing.

Red Pins · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 April 2012, 19:51:48 »

I voted for the bad guys, the Rim Worlds Republic and the Word of Blake, as well as my favorite, Clan Blood Spirit.

DaveMac · « **Reply #27 on:** 17 April 2012, 09:49:56 »

Blood Spirits

A barbaric ending for an interesting Clan that started out with such high ideals

Nerroth · « **Reply #28 on:** 17 April 2012, 10:31:37 »

Since the Lothian League re-establishes its independence from the Marian Hegemony in 3087, might it no longer count as a deceased facton by 3090?

And since the Scorpions were/are still alive in the Imperio by 3085, I'm not overly sure why they are on this list; they are no more "dead" than the Ghost Bears or Snow Ravens, two Clans which also take part in hybrid realms after departing the Homeworlds, and which aren't on the list either. Unless there is meant to be some information in the upcoming Wars of Reaving Supplemental which bodes ill for the Scorpions by the year of this poll...

(Although I suppose you could count both the Castilian Principalities and the Umayyad Caliphate as deceased, since they have both been forcibly absorbed into the Imperio.)

Voting-wise, I went for the FWL, and picked "other" to cover both the Castilian and Umayyad realms.

E. Icaza · « **Reply #29 on:** 17 April 2012, 18:26:26 »

Clan Fire Mandrill

Poll

Which of the following are your favorite three DECEASED factions (as of 3090)?

Author Topic: April 2012 Poll! Favorite fallen factions in the BattleTech universe of 3090! (Read 26722 times)