Author Topic: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?  (Read 2126 times)

Rookerie

  • Recruit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« on: 21 February 2020, 08:26:06 »
One thing I’ve always been curious about is when and how did FASA decide the SLDF would return as the Clans?  I think they had left the door open for a return very early on. And the Wolf’s Dragoons appears to have been created with the SLDF’s return in mind (ie not retconned into the role of SLDF spies (even if not clearly clanners at the time)).

I’m just wondering if anybody knows the background.

grimlock1

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2087
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #1 on: 21 February 2020, 10:17:15 »
If I ever hit the Powerball, one of the items on my To Do list is to get the original FASA crew together and ply them with 90 year old Scotch and whatever other (legal) vices are required to answer this and MANY other questions.  :-)
I'm rarely right... Except when I am.  ---  Idle question.  What is the BV2 of dread?
Apollo's Law- if it needs Clan tech to make it useable, It doesn't deserve those resources in the first place.
Sure it isn't the most practical 'mech ever designed, but it's a hundred ton axe-murderer. If loving that is wrong I don't wanna be right.

RifleMech

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4444
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #2 on: 21 February 2020, 12:03:36 »
Id I had the money I'd hop in a TARDIS and go ask them questions as they create the game.

I do think that there was always a plan for the SLDF to return in some form and that the Wolf's Dragoons were a part of that. Beyond that, I don't know.

grimlock1

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2087
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #3 on: 21 February 2020, 13:16:57 »
Id I had the money I'd hop in a TARDIS and go ask them questions as they create the game.

I do think that there was always a plan for the SLDF to return in some form and that the Wolf's Dragoons were a part of that. Beyond that, I don't know.

Well, Natasha Kerensky was a pretty unsubtle way of saying, "THIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT!!!!!!!!"  That and the Minnesota tribe.

And Comstar was always written as the hidden big bad. A friend had an epileptic trees hypothesis that the devs were dropping hints about the Jihad as far back as the Warrior novels. Even strong hints about Operation Odysseus and some fairly specific aspects of the Jihad.  Grain, salt, you know what to do.
I'm rarely right... Except when I am.  ---  Idle question.  What is the BV2 of dread?
Apollo's Law- if it needs Clan tech to make it useable, It doesn't deserve those resources in the first place.
Sure it isn't the most practical 'mech ever designed, but it's a hundred ton axe-murderer. If loving that is wrong I don't wanna be right.

Empyrus

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9098
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #4 on: 21 February 2020, 13:48:27 »
I would suggest taking a look at Blaine Lee Pardoe's latest blog, has some notes on early BT stuff:
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2020/02/21/snords-irregulars-the-inside-story/

Frabby

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4241
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #5 on: 21 February 2020, 15:03:12 »
One thing I’ve always been curious about is when and how did FASA decide the SLDF would return as the Clans?  I think they had left the door open for a return very early on. And the Wolf’s Dragoons appears to have been created with the SLDF’s return in mind (ie not retconned into the role of SLDF spies (even if not clearly clanners at the time)).

I’m just wondering if anybody knows the background.
This was discussed and answered here before, in this thread.
Sarna.net BattleTechWiki Admin
Author of the BattleCorps stories Feather vs. Mountain, Rise and Shine, Proprietary, Trial of Faith & scenario Twins

Rookerie

  • Recruit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #6 on: 21 February 2020, 22:33:24 »
Thanks Frabby.  It's interesting that the game seemed to follow the fiction in this regard.  I always figured it would be the other way around.  Micheal Stackpole was much more formative to the BU than I thought.   

massey

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2445
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #7 on: 22 February 2020, 08:40:11 »
Well, Natasha Kerensky was a pretty unsubtle way of saying, "THIS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT!!!!!!!!"

Yeah that's true.

Quote
And Comstar was always written as the hidden big bad. A friend had an epileptic trees hypothesis that the devs were dropping hints about the Jihad as far back as the Warrior novels. Even strong hints about Operation Odysseus and some fairly specific aspects of the Jihad.  Grain, salt, you know what to do.

Well, the problem there is that the Jihad writers would go digging back through old books and tried to shoehorn in as many references as they could.  So it's really hard to know what was intended originally, and what is somebody's after the fact version.

Hellraiser

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13011
  • Cry Havoc and Unleash the Gods of Fiat.
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #8 on: 11 March 2020, 23:40:42 »
Battletech was released in the mid 80's.

From the beginning you had Natasha Kerensky & hits of SLDF remnants.

The Clans arrived with TRO3050 in 89-90? I forget exactly what month.


I'm going to go ahead & say they had this in mind from day one.

Maybe not the full Genghis Khan feel, Formations of 5, Named for Stellar Bodies,  etc etc.

But that they were coming back & that they would be Different & Angry, was likely on the books from Day 1
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Frabby

  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 4241
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #9 on: 12 March 2020, 08:18:53 »
They didn't plan this from day one. We have Stackpole's and Weisman's "testimony" on this - the SLDF and Kerensky's surname were just some open plot hooks initially, and the idea to create the Clans from these was formed between the two men as they spoke during a trade show in 1988.

(See the threads I linked above for details.)
Sarna.net BattleTechWiki Admin
Author of the BattleCorps stories Feather vs. Mountain, Rise and Shine, Proprietary, Trial of Faith & scenario Twins

Hellraiser

  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 13011
  • Cry Havoc and Unleash the Gods of Fiat.
Re: When did the SLDF become the Clans (in real life)?
« Reply #10 on: 16 March 2020, 02:45:49 »
Yeah, I've read the one about the trade show before but I couldn't remember the specifics of it

I also seem to recall something from Jordan saying the SLDF hook was always planned on a return of some kind.

But as noted, not as "the Clans", just an idea of a return.

3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

 

Register