Poll

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

Rim Worlds Republic (Destroyed in Star League era)
43 (6.9%)
Terran Hegemony (Destroyed in Star League era)
47 (7.6%)
Clan Wolverine (Destroyed in Succession Wars era)
57 (9.2%)
Clan Widowmaker (Destroyed in Succession Wars era)
9 (1.4%)
Clan Mongoose (Destroyed in Succession Wars era)
12 (1.9%)
Oberon Confederation (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
27 (4.3%)
Greater Valkyrate (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
14 (2.3%)
Elysian Fields (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
2 (0.3%)
Lothian League (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
4 (0.6%)
Illyrian Palatinate (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
2 (0.3%)
Clan Burrock (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
4 (0.6%)
Clan Smoke Jaguar (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)
36 (5.8%)
St. Ives Compact (Destroyed in Civil War era)
43 (6.9%)
Federated Commonwealth (Destroyed in Civil War era)
57 (9.2%)
Free Rasalhague Republic (Destroyed in Jihad era)
36 (5.8%)
Word of Blake (Destroyed in Jihad era)
64 (10.3%)
Circinus Federation (Destroyed in Jihad era)
12 (1.9%)
Free Worlds League (Destroyed in Jihad era)
59 (9.5%)
Clan Blood Spirit (Destroyed in Jihad era)
39 (6.3%)
Clan Steel Viper (Destroyed in Jihad era)
13 (2.1%)
Clan Ice Hellion (Destroyed in Jihad era)
6 (1%)
Clan Fire Mandrill (Destroyed in Jihad era)
3 (0.5%)
Clan Golath Scorpion (Destroyed in Jihad era)
28 (4.5%)
Other (Specify in comments)
5 (0.8%)

Total Members Voted: 237

Voting closed: 14 May 2012, 19:58:38

Author Topic: April 2012 Poll! Favorite fallen factions in the BattleTech universe of 3090!  (Read 26651 times)

Khymerion

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I think my favorites have always been the ones who have really shook the pillars of the heavens over the ages... either in life or in their death throws.

TH because... well... it is the Terran Hegemony.   It is the birthplace of anything interesting out there... and really was the shining light of the Star League.  Closest thing to a high sci-fi space opera in the sheer scale of the game.  Wars that were a blast in terms of it's potential.

The Federated Commonwealth...   because it actually DID something... unlike so many others.   I always give cheers to a group who can actually manage to do more than just maintain the status quo.   They were a nice center of technology and a strong point when they were needed.   Really looked like a possible end of the wars.   Source of infinite fun and back stabbing.   When it finally died...  it went out with a nice big bang.  Plenty of conflict and in ways that the normal houses or clans could not really provide.

The Word of Blake...  well...   How can you not like a good and proper villain.   Short of having Cobra or the Decepticons show up, they were it for the modern day.   They blew up our sand castles, came out of nowhere like the Spanish Inquisition, kicked a few puppies, war the likes not seen since the days of old and didn't hide behind any form of fake honor, and murdered mary sue units for the joy of it...  how can you NOT love to hate them?   And like any proper villain, even in defeat... you are not sure they are gone.   If anything, I wish I could as a GM vote for them three times.
"Any sufficiently rigorously defined magic is indistinguishable from technology."  - Larry Niven... far too appropriate at times here.

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Iovenn

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First I have to pick the FWL after all it is one of the Great Five Houses. But it will come back in 3139 so that is okay.

Second I picked the Greater Valkyrate just because they were really unlucky to be where they were.

And last I picked the Wolverines just because I really like their totem.

Stormlion1

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Clan Wolverine gets a vote and so do the Burrocks, The Wolverines because for a Clan with so little known info that there considered legends even unto the modern day and the Burrocks, there was something about this Clan I liked, they made the perfect Bully's. My last vote was for the Blood Spirits, like many have said, there rage and brotherhood were what the Clans should have been about, and to die so ignominiously seemed a tragic waste, the Clans themselves were lessened by the loss of such a Clan.
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Pokeweed

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United Hindu Collective:  Do they count as "deceased" if they've been folded in?  Thought they were cool.  Most important to me is the fact that they weren't Scottish.  ;)  Hmm.  There should be a Free UHC movement springing up.  Could there?  Pretty please?

Circinus Federation:  I liked them.  Had a few McIntyre House Guard painted up.  Liked the balance between piracy and galactic politics.

Greater Valkyrate:  It's like the MoC's crazy little sister, or something.

Honorable Mention:  Free Rasalhague and Outworlds Alliance.  I hope a large swath of "Clan Culture" gets broken by the native "Spheroid Culture".  Not all.  Just a large swath.

« Last Edit: 19 April 2012, 07:13:38 by Pokeweed »

phlop

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Clan Blood Spirit
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Bondsman

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There have been a number of "destroyed" factions, and while I can certainly understand some being written off for various purposes (if only to show the mortality of a nation in the BT universe), there's been a fair number of actually interesting factions which have been written out in recent fiction. It comes off that this is for the purpose to merely emphasize the point that some factions are dangerous, and this doesn't sound like a good standpoint.

Clan absorption of factions is something of a temporary measure, given the tendency not to waste the civilian working populace and leaving the likely coming option of nationalist revolution/renaissance. Compared to more permanent destruction, it's agreeable - as well as "historical" pre-3000 annihilations - but instead of factions falling, I'd like to see more of a process of balkanization even among the clans. This leaves the prospect of revival and looks less like a show execution.

Alex Keller

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Clan Smoke Jaguar - They were tagged as the "ruthless" clan and so they made a great bad guy.  Lots of memories playing against these guys.

Word of Blake - Warmed up to this faction in the Jihad era.  I like the 'mechs as well as the complexities they had.

St. Ives - They never got the treatment they deserved. 

HABeas2

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Hello,

There have been a number of "destroyed" factions, and while I can certainly understand some being written off for various purposes (if only to show the mortality of a nation in the BT universe), there's been a fair number of actually interesting factions which have been written out in recent fiction. It comes off that this is for the purpose to merely emphasize the point that some factions are dangerous, and this doesn't sound like a good standpoint.

Clan absorption of factions is something of a temporary measure, given the tendency not to waste the civilian working populace and leaving the likely coming option of nationalist revolution/renaissance. Compared to more permanent destruction, it's agreeable - as well as "historical" pre-3000 annihilations - but instead of factions falling, I'd like to see more of a process of balkanization even among the clans. This leaves the prospect of revival and looks less like a show execution.

I'm sorry; was there supposed to be a question here, or is this mere observation?

Thank you,

- Herbert Beas
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Mattlov

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I will always miss my Blakists.
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Hessian

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I am a Clanner at heart, so I choose Clans Blood Spirit, Goliath Scorpion and Smoke Jaguar.

Ciao
Hessian

blackjack

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Circinus Federation, laid low just when they had started to realize that they could be more than just thugs with questionable morals. I hope that some days the sons & daughters of Circinus that were scattered to the stars will unite & forge a new Federation

Clan Ice Hellion perfect clan for the player that prefers light fast moving mechs. just enough paranoia & crazy to be entertaining.

Clan Steep Viper Arrogance at its finest. Cool mech designs.
#704

Bondsman

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Quote
I'm sorry; was there supposed to be a question here, or is this mere observation?

Nothing but personal observations and mildly era-favoritistic opinions.  :)

Sartris

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The FWL is only mostly dead.  I also took WoB (I like their mechs) and Circinus (the Black Warriors are cool)

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Rainbow 6

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Well i voted -

Free Worlds League (which will come back)
Lotharian League (which will come back)
Greater Valkyriate (Well Ryan's Rebels anyway, given that Susie Ryan was still alive last i heard i'm hoping she/they will be back to)

sherlox

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Clan Goliath Scorpion - personal favorite, no idea why
St. Ives - for punching well above its weight, and spitting in the eye of 2 Great Houses time and time again.
Clan Burrock - for being wonderfully unClanlike and embodying the most and least human aspects

RGCavScout

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I only voted for one faction that was destroyed - Clan Wolverine.

While I can appreciate the air of mystery that surrounds them, I think they deserve better for telling Nicholas Kerensky to get bent. . .if that was indeed what they did. . .

"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."  Dread Pirate Roberts

The Hawk

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The RWR and Wolverines were easy choices, but the third was a great deal harder.  I finally went with the Smoke Jags because I was disappointed we never got to see more of them.

Magi1

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I voted for:

Clan Wolverine: Because of the mystery of what happened to them AFTER they played the switcheroo, and beat feat out of Clan space.

Clan Smoke Jaguar: Mainly because I like the name, but also, they seemed like the Clan's one clan to almost fear.

Federated Commonwealth: I liked them because they kicked butt.

I started playing BattleTech back when it came out as BattleTech. I played for a quite a few years, then the ex-wife made me quit. I just recently came back, and I brought my 2 sons and my new wife with me. We all enjoy it, and have started making our own Lances.

I hope everyone welcomes my family to the game (and me back to the game), and Happy Hunting!

Col.Hengist

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I voted for:

Clan Wolverine: Because of the mystery of what happened to them AFTER they played the switcheroo, and beat feat out of Clan space.

Clan Smoke Jaguar: Mainly because I like the name, but also, they seemed like the Clan's one clan to almost fear.

Federated Commonwealth: I liked them because they kicked butt.

I started playing BattleTech back when it came out as BattleTech. I played for a quite a few years, then the ex-wife made me quit. I just recently came back, and I brought my 2 sons and my new wife with me. We all enjoy it, and have started making our own Lances.

I hope everyone welcomes my family to the game (and me back to the game), and Happy Hunting!

 welcome back!
Lyran Commonwealth,6th Donegal Guards-Nightstar
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Clan Hell's Horses, Gamma Galaxy-Summoner
Clan Grinch goat- gamma goat.

Demos

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WoB
FWL
St Ives

Could be realistically resurrected and not be a game-changer like Fedcom.
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LightGuard

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I know we don't have to explain, but...

Clan Wolverine: Even with some of the mystique removed through the recent Operation Klondike and various Jihad books, Clan Wolverine/Minnesota Tribe is still one of the longest in-game mysteries and always a favorite of theorists.

Federated Commonwealth: I started playing when the Fourth Boxed Set was published by FASA, so these were my White Hats. Then the Civil War happened...

Clan Goliath Scorpion: Don't care what you say, the amalgamation of Goliath Scorpion, Umayyad, and Castile factions is not Clan Goliath Scorpion. The Rasalhague Dominion and Raven Alliance still rely heavily on Clan traditions while we have no idea if Escorpio Imperio even pays lipservice to the Way of the Clans, and may never know...
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Fatebringer

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Greater Valkyrate (Destroyed in Clan Invasion era)

Redjack Ryan was one of the only Pirates I rooted for :)

St. Ives Compact (Destroyed in Civil War era)

All things Capellan are Awesome and the birth and death of the tiny realm were pivotal to the metaplot :)

Clan Ice Hellion (Destroyed in Jihad era)

It's really sad that they got so much crap, their pack Zell tactics are actually quite sound and I rarely lost while proxying for them. Small fast Clan Mechs pack nearly as much firepower as heavies and Assults when used in groups and are EXTREMELY deadly in Quick Strike. (Five 2 pt Hovertanks will make shortwork of a 50 PT assault in no time)

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martian

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Free Worlds League - what have you expected?

Clan Blood Spirit - they aimed high ... Somehow, their end showed what's wrong with Clan society.

Oberon Confederation - something from the past. Interesting nation, a kind of proto-state. Who knows, perhaps the Confederation will be re-established after the defeat of the Clans. Yeah, definitely!


Ruger

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Clan Mongoose: Not completely sure why, but I've just felt a calling to this faction even though we have little info for it...but then again, they also used a Du Shi Wang-class battleship to defeat a McKenna-class battleship...and developed the Chippewa IIC aerospace fighter...

Clam Smoke Jaguar: such a cool faction...loved the emblem, the attitude...and did you take a gander at what a WarShip fleet they once had?

Circinus Federation: as mentioned by others, these were bad boys with such potential...and besides, I loved their rank emblems...

Ruger

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Taurevanime

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Well my first vote would have to go to the Free Rasalhague Republic. Mainly because it was "Oh my God a new faction on the scene? This could get interesting." And that got swiftly followed by them getting reduced to a rump state before they ever really could establish a culture and a flavour for themselves.

The second one goes to the St. Ives Compact. It might have started as a Federated Suns satelite state almost. But was getting increasingly more independent. And it could have become a faction that wielded more power than it had the right too. Mainly because both the Federated Suns and the Capellan Confederation would try to woo them into their camp. Which would have been akin to certain Cold War states. And Battletech is afterall 1980s in space.

My final vote goes to Clan Steel Viper. (Though sadly it seems to have tallied my vote for clan blood spirit. Which is also interesting but I find it less so. So please in your mind regard the Steel Vipers as having one more vote than they actually do.) What interested me in them was their beliefs. A very warden like stance in that they wanted to cooperate with the Inner Sphere to return the Star League. But had the very crusader stance of utter disdain for any freeborn. And outright barring them from military service. This duality greatly interested me and I saw a lot of potential in it.
And though they did get to share an invasion corridor. I do not think they actually ever fought against the Inner Sphere factions outside of Tukayyid and never got in contact with their politics. Two things that I imagine would have been quite the culture shock to them.


I have to say a lot of these other dead factions are interesting as well. And if this poll ever has any baring on old factions coming back or new factions appearing like some of these older ones. The one thing I wold like to see isn't military strength, but more political. Much like the Raven Alliance seems to be. The back door dealings and cloak and dagger stuff were some of my favourite story arcs. Because it was the stories that ultimately drew me into Battletech.

LastChanceCav

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WoB, FWL, and CSJ. So many good toys ...

Cheers,
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cold1

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Smoke Jaguar because they were my first faction and I still have great memories of adult grognards whinning about them being on the table being run by a 13 year old kid.

FWL  cuz its a major house and it seems weir dfor them to be gone.  They also have some cool toys.

Clan Blood Spirit.  I''ve said it before here,  I like the Spirits.  I didnt like the way they went out and they were unique in the home worlds.


To the patient go the spoils

Sawbones12

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1) Blood Spirits for the same reasons posted by most of their voters.
2) Wolverines - the name, the ongoing mystery...
3) Ice Hellions - fast, light mechs, new tactics, a bit crazy/rabid

ntin

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Word of Blake for sure the one true heroes of the man kind that got overwhelmed by thoughtslaves of the great houses.

serrate

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D'oh, too late to vote, but I would've picked the following:

Rim Worlds Republic - I'd love to see a return
Free Worlds League - If they're splintered, how relevant can they really be? Unify!
Word of Blake - Games aren't the same without the ever-present threat of seeing Darrian pull out the Nuke Template.