Blackwell Industries

[Cazaril]

Maybe those of you who know Wolf's Dragoons history a little better than me can help with this...

Blackwell Industries was "Originally a small subcontractor with ties to both the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth, the company has quietly grown from manufacturing actuator components to producing a full line of infantry weapons and vehicles" (pg 100, Wolf's Dragoons - 1631)

My question is... Where are they located in 3025? TRO:3039 suggests New Valencia, but Sarna.net (citing TRO:3050U, TRO:3055U and TRO:3058) seems to suggest that they are on Outreach...

So were they always on New Valencia? Did they move to Outreach at some point? or did they open a second facility on Outreach?

Any help would be appreciated.

Caz

[Marwynn]

General Motors was on New Valencia. Blackwell Industries was always on Outreach. The Dragoons went there in 3007, they signed up some deals. Since New Valencia was the Dragoons' home base while working for the Davions, and they were working on a GM product, GM and Blackwell partnered up.

I believe the Marauder II line was a joint effort by GM and Blackwell, and that partnership continued after the Dragoons gained Outreach.

[Cazaril]

General Motors was on New Valencia. Blackwell Industries was always on Outreach.

So... an industry in the Capellan Confederation with ties to both the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth in 3025, selling military actuators? Any chance you could cite the source (this isn't an attempt to be a jerk, I'm actually citing sources in what I'm working on).

As to the Marauder II, my impression was that they were upgrading/retro-fitting 75 ton Marauders in 3025, and not producing new 100 ton ones. The whole GM/Blackwell venture came later (and I want to say eventually Blackwell went under and GM bought out the Marauder facility).

Caz

[MadCapellan]

Blackwell was originally from New Valencia.  They relocated to Outreach alongside the Dragoons post 4th Succession War.  The Blackwell/GM plant was a later development.

[Marwynn]

According to the writeup of the Marauder II, it started production in 3012.

No idea how or why the Dragoons contacted Blackwell. I'm going by memory and sarna.net mostly.

Blackwell was originally from New Valencia.  They relocated to Outreach alongside the Dragoons post 4th Succession War.  The Blackwell/GM plant was a later development.

So, the New Valencia plant was created later than 3012?

[MadCapellan]

According to the writeup of the Marauder II, it started production in 3012.

No idea how or why the Dragoons contacted Blackwell. I'm going by memory and sarna.net mostly.

So, the New Valencia plant was created later than 3012?

You're going to make me drag out my notes!   ;D

Okay, New Valencia was first. They did relocate most of their operations to Outreach with the Dragoons Post 4th Succession War.  The Marauder II was a product of the GM/Blackwell joint plant and was created in 3012, ergo the New Valencia plant has been there since at least that long ago.

[Frabby]

Going from memory, but I'm pretty sure this is all from canonical sources:
Blackwell was a minor parts dealer who supplied the Dragoons. I believe (but am not 100% sure on this) that the Dragoons bought shares of the firm or entered into a joint venture or something with the Marauder II.

After the 4th Succession War the Dragoons requested Outreach which was known for its Star League factories; however, it was generally assumed these factories had been stripped bare already. Hanse Davion was suspicious though, and he wanted the issue checked out. Katrina Steiner loaned him a unit that was perfectly suited to the job, the renowned LosTech prospectors and treasure hunters of Snord's Irregulars - they were sent to Outreach with orders to make sure there was nothing there that the Houses had overlooked. Seriously, that's described in the Snord's Irregulars sourcebook. ;D
Snord then flat out lied to his boss(es) and said the world was clean, while giving a truthful report to his real boss Jaime. The Dragoons then moved in and brought in their trusted buddies from Blackwell to refurbish the factories. At that point they had lost their Hephaistos space station with its ARC-2W assembly line, but kickstarted 'Mech production on Outreach in no time. I think with some SL tech even.

[Thatguybil]

Going from memory, but I'm pretty sure this is all from canonical sources:
Blackwell was a minor parts dealer who supplied the Dragoons. I believe (but am not 100% sure on this) that the Dragoons bought shares of the firm or entered into a joint venture or something with the Marauder II.

After the 4th Succession War the Dragoons requested Outreach which was known for its Star League factories; however, it was generally assumed these factories had been stripped bare already. Hanse Davion was suspicious though, and he wanted the issue checked out. Katrina Steiner loaned him a unit that was perfectly suited to the job, the renowned LosTech prospectors and treasure hunters of Snord's Irregulars - they were sent to Outreach with orders to make sure there was nothing there that the Houses had overlooked. Seriously, that's described in the Snord's Irregulars sourcebook. ;D
Snord then flat out lied to his boss(es) and said the world was clean, while giving a truthful report to his real boss Jaime. The Dragoons then moved in and brought in their trusted buddies from Blackwell to refurbish the factories. At that point they had lost their Hephaistos space station with its ARC-2W assembly line, but kickstarted 'Mech production on Outreach in no time. I think with some SL tech even.

Talk about having the fox guard the henhouse....
(Pun intended!)

[Archangel]

Wolf's Dragoons arrived in the Inner Sphere in 3005 and were initially posted to New Valencia.  Prior to establishing business ties with Blackwell Industries, the Dragoons undoubtedly conducted intensive research into Blackwell (and any other possible suppliers) before opening negotiations with Blackwell Industries.