Clan Jade Falcon III: Admittedly, We May Have Falconed a Little Too Hard

[tassa_kay]

But in the meantime, still sticking to the remnants & merchants.

I myself don't really care for Jiyi's faction, but I think the AMC has a lot of potential to be something interesting. I get we've already got the Foxes for the Clan merchant angle, but with the AMC, we actually get a Clan faction where the warrior caste isn't at the top of the pyramid, and I think that's neat.

[Metallgewitter]

I myself don't really care for Jiyi's faction, but I think the AMC has a lot of potential to be something interesting. I get we've already got the Foxes for the Clan merchant angle, but with the AMC, we actually get a Clan faction where the warrior caste isn't at the top of the pyramid, and I think that's neat.

And it would fit these particular Falcons as the Jade Falcons were said to be some of the best bankers in the original Clan society. Though perhaps the AMC moves away from banking and goes more in the trading area

[Von Jankmon]

I myself don't really care for Jiyi's faction, but I think the AMC has a lot of potential to be something interesting. I get we've already got the Foxes for the Clan merchant angle, but with the AMC, we actually get a Clan faction where the warrior caste isn't at the top of the pyramid, and I think that's neat.

To be honest I think that has a lot of potential.  With three Jade Falcon factions and all different they can and will come to blows (because Battletech) but there is a very good chance they will at some time reunite and become a very strong unified clan with a reformed structure.

There are foreshadows of this with the Society, which was at its heart a Jade Falcon schism.  While the Society itself must stay dead the technology need not, and the scientist caste can re-emerge once more likely under the auspices of the AMC, and I can see the AMC resurrecting the pinnacle technology the Society made their own.
The AMC will need to tread carefully to avoid predation from other clans, but assuming they hold and survive they could well be the true catalyst and driving force behind a resurgent Jade Falcon clan.  This is a good time to tell the warrior class to 'Be mighty on the battlefield, but your BS stops when you get back home.  Leave us to build the uber tech and the economy, we did a good job while you were away.  Also your warrior ways only applies to offensive operations.  Warrior caste: You pick your battles and you run your ceremonies your way.  If we are attacked we all fight and have joint leadership in diplomatic ventures and domestic policy.'

[Elcor05]

Super random. Are there any notable Warden Jade Falcon units or people? Even if they were units who got absorbed into another Clan (reverse Harvest Wars I guess.)

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I can't think of any.  More than any other Clan, the Falcons seem to have been portrayed as politically monolithic until Malvina.

[tassa_kay]

I can't think of any.  More than any other Clan, the Falcons seem to have been portrayed as politically monolithic until Malvina.

Not quite accurate, but close. Post-Jihad/WoR and pre-Malvina, the Falcons were largely divided into two political factions, the Slips (who wanted war nownowNOW) and the Jesses (who were only slightly less warmongery). Malvina's predecessor as Khan seemed to be aligned with the Jesses, and Loremaster Julia Buhallin was aligned with the Slips. The Jade Falcon desant was in fact conceived by Jana Pryde to, among other reasons (i.e., exile her political rivals), appease the Slips' calls to war. Malvina, who was both admired and detested for varying reasons by both sides, formed a third political grouping amongst the Falcons with the Mongols, and she wasn't even the head Mongol in charge until she took the Khanship.

[Weirdo]

Looks like we're getting a panini in the cookbook.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Looks like we're getting a panini in the cookbook.

If I didn’t know what you were talking about that would be a very weird statement to just suddenly say lol

[Von Jankmon]

Super random. Are there any notable Warden Jade Falcon units or people? Even if they were units who got absorbed into another Clan (reverse Harvest Wars I guess.)

Yes.  There was a very liberal warrior mentioned in the Jade Falcon sourcebook:  Devinnia Guili.
I say very liberal and frankly closet-Warden as her opinions were almost certainly toned down from what they actually are.

Here is her bio:
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Devinnia_Guili

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Yes.  There was a very liberal warrior mentioned in the Jade Falcon sourcebook:  Devinnia Guili.
I say very liberal and frankly closet-Warden as her opinions were almost certainly toned down from what they actually are.

Here is her bio:
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Devinnia_Guili

Nice

My primary character is Warden too

[Bren]

From the last Newsday episode ...

[JAMES_PRYDE]

From the last Newsday episode ...

Go Stephanie ! 

Newsday ? as in official Falcon stuff ?

[nckestrel]

Go Stephanie ! 

Newsday ? as in official Falcon stuff ?

Tuesday Newsday is a weekly stream from CGL with updates on what's going on with CGL.  This Tuesday the guest was Brent Evens, art director for CGL, and he showed off a bunch of upcoming art.
https://youtu.be/vJ5A8QqLfAw?feature=shared   

[Deckard_2049]

Nice art, I hope we eventually get official art for 1st Falcon Sentinels. I was surprised flipping through the Tamar Rising sourcebook there was 0 art of them, though thankfully they did put a mercantile milita summoner in there.

[Weirdo]

There's an official color scheme for them up on Camo Specs. It's pretty, but far too complex for most painters.

[Empyrus]

There's an official color scheme for them up on Camo Specs. It's pretty, but far too complex for most painters.

I so hate paint schemes with excessively details like those falcon images (Steel Viper snake scales are another good example). Along with fades, terrible things.
But even without that the paint scheme is pretty lame. Just Delta Galaxy redux.
Alyina Mercantile League's paint scheme is likewise a bit boring. So Gamma Galaxy with two trim colors rather than one?

Links to Jiyi's and AML's schemes:
https://camospecs.com/unit/1st-falcon-sentinels/
https://camospecs.com/unit/mercantile-militia/

[Weirdo]

I so hate paint schemes with excessively details like those falcon images (Steel Viper snake scales are another good example). Along with fades, terrible things.

We are in 100% agreement here.

[Deckard_2049]

I kinda like the colors for the two splinter factions but I do wish the falcon mural stuff was kept to just star commanders or leadership. Having to paint murals on every mech is a bit much.

[tassa_kay]

To be fair, no one has to paint anything they don't want to paint on their models. I can't imagine 99.9% of gaming tables are going to police that sort of thing, and if they did, would you really want to play at that table in the first place?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

To be fair, no one has to paint anything they don't want to paint on their models. I can't imagine 99.9% of gaming tables are going to police that sort of thing, and if they did, would you really want to play at that table in the first place?

Yeah, this.  At the very least, you can justify it as some hotshot ristar Star Captain who's got a custom paint job on their mech.

[worktroll]

I'm going to do a unit of Falcon Sentinels. But "after the Tech revolution."  Instead of full falcon head, I'll just be doing beak and eyes.

(The techs hated the time painting the scheme, so they just served nutriloaf to the warriors for 3 meals a day until the warriors acknowledged the situation ...)

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I feel sorry for anyone who decides to raid that planet in the next week.

And also for whatever tech is stuck on latrine duty.

[Scotty]

To be fair, no one has to paint anything they don't want to paint on their models. I can't imagine 99.9% of gaming tables are going to police that sort of thing, and if they did, would you really want to play at that table in the first place?

For the same reason I'm going to use mechs that I have the minis for and that I like to have specific models that match variants: I like it when I have the "right" stuff for my space historicals and it's frustrating to have such a difficult barrier to being able to do that.

You might as well ask why bother painting a unit in BT at all, no one is making you.

[tassa_kay]

For the same reason I'm going to use mechs that I have the minis for and that I like to have specific models that match variants: I like it when I have the "right" stuff for my space historicals and it's frustrating to have such a difficult barrier to being able to do that.

I get that, but sometimes that's the price you pay when you want everything to be right: occasionally running into a paint scheme that's above one's particular skill level. One can either learn how to do it "right" or accept a compromise. I don't see anything wrong with some units having more advanced paint schemes, especially since they're pretty few and far between in BattleTech.

[rebs]

Respect to everyone who pulls off those gorgeous Falcon paint schemes, when possible.

And respect to those who try.

And respect to those who know their limitations.

It's not easy being green.

[Jal Phoenix]

What bothers me most is that there are lots of tutorials. Lots and lots and lots of videos for all skill sets, to help people improve. But people won't watch them.

[worktroll]

Because most tutorials for advanced techniques only make sense if you have the skills/knowledge already in hand. I still remember the absolute leap of faith it took to drybrush for the first time. No amount of explanations made sense, until I'd done it. (Much like parenting.) Tutorials can help with basic techniques, and may make intermediate techniques accessible to many.

The other thing is lacking the level of eye/hand coordination to achieve the falcon feathering on what is really a small area. Some folk have it, some folk don't. I know I don't; I'd rather feel good about what I do, than feel bad about failing.

[Scotty]

What bothers me most is that there are lots of tutorials. Lots and lots and lots of videos for all skill sets, to help people improve. But people won't watch them.

Yeah and there are plenty of videos out there about how to make your own knives from a block of steel, for all skill levels.  This does not make "just make your own" a helpful response to someone saying they need a knife, either on its own or relative to the effort required to do it.

At a certain point it's not even a matter of capable it's a matter of this sucks with how much effort is required.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

And there's plenty of people who just don't want to paint something that complex.

[Weirdo]

For the same reason I'm going to use mechs that I have the minis for and that I like to have specific models that match variants: I like it when I have the "right" stuff for my space historicals and it's frustrating to have such a difficult barrier to being able to do that.

You might as well ask why bother painting a unit in BT at all, no one is making you.

Very much this. For folks who actually like painting stuff to match a canon scheme, having an entire faction gatekeeped behind an expert-level scheme is incredibly disheartening.

The 'All Sudeten Falcons use this' part is what I hate. I don't mind expert patterns for elite units, top-level command formations, or unique pilots. You don't see me complaining about Legend-Killer or Phantom, even though both have absolutely insane paint jobs. Those are single machines, not entire brigades or whole factions marked "big kids only, all others need not apply".

What bothers me most is that there are lots of tutorials. Lots and lots and lots of videos for all skill sets, to help people improve. But people won't watch them.

For me at least, there's two issues:

1 - There's no advertising. This forum is where I get 99% of my information, so if nothing's posted here when one gets put up, I have no idea they exist.

2 - They're videos. Videos are a pain in the ass. Now a tutorial posted somewhere with pictures and text? I'm sold!