Clan Blood Spirit: Get Off Our Lawn

[Wolf72]

If brute force doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough.

Maybe not the most clan philosophy, but no more playing nice with snakes.

[truetanker]

Well what else do you have that could go with it?

A Mars supporting this makes a great companion, but so does a SLDF Burke...

TT

[DaveMac]

Yeah, I felt the Spirits’ canon fate to be one of the worst parts of the WoR book. Not because of my love for them, but because it was simply bland, predictable and lackluster. I too felt it would’ve been much more entertaining to see them reach rapprochement with the Adders by destroying (or helping to destroy) the resurgent Burrocks. Yet they were destroyed instead, and the Coyotes were ludicrously allowed to survive betraying the Clans. It’s what put me off BattleTech for a while.

For what its worth me too

[Stormlion1]

Well what else do you have that could go with it?

A Mars supporting this makes a great companion, but so does a SLDF Burke...

TT

Funny you mention the Mars. I got one...missing the turret.

[Schwerpunkt Prinzip]

Yeah, I felt the Spirits’ canon fate to be one of the worst parts of the WoR book. Not because of my love for them, but because it was simply bland, predictable and lackluster. I too felt it would’ve been much more entertaining to see them reach rapprochement with the Adders by destroying (or helping to destroy) the resurgent Burrocks. Yet they were destroyed instead, and the Coyotes were ludicrously allowed to survive betraying the Clans. It’s what put me off BattleTech for a while.

For what its worth me too

Agreed. 'Ludicrous' is a good word to describe the survival of the Coyotes in context of the Wars of Reaving, generally, and the demise of the Blood Spirits, specifically. 'Farcical' is another.

[Stormlion1]

For those with a interest, my year long goal to paint a Trinary of Alpha Galaxy is almost at a end. Only a Blood Kite is left. I would be done already but I ran out of a certain paint i needed.

[Sjhernan3060]

For those with a interest, my year long goal to paint a Trinary of Alpha Galaxy is almost at a end. Only a Blood Kite is left. I would be done already but I ran out of a certain paint i needed.

Congrats! Any Picts to share?

[Stormlion1]

Give me a week or two. I want to finish the Blood Kite first.

[Sjhernan3060]

If the spirits had saved their strength and not jumped into the burrock absorption what would have been good targets for them to take and hold during the wars of possession?

[Stormlion1]

I do not know why, but I just cannot get motivated to paint the Blood Kite. It really needs a better sculpt!

[Wolf72]

Jags.

I read something a long while back where I believe one of the PTBs (Bryan Nystul?) was running a tournament, and do to poor showing in the IS the Smoke Jaguars were replaced by the Blood Spirits.  That could somehow totally fall into the Great Refusal pt 2.

[Sjhernan3060]

Jags.

I read something a long while back where I believe one of the PTBs (Bryan Nystul?) was running a tournament, and do to poor showing in the IS the Smoke Jaguars were replaced by the Blood Spirits.  That could somehow totally fall into the Great Refusal pt 2.

Interesting.... can you tell me any more?

[Wolf72]

sure I can tell you more ... It might mean burning a few brain cells.  Well, not really.

Basically, there was an idea (that didn't pan out, way to difficult to implement) where results from a tournament/convention would influence the game universe.

the Jags went up against the DCMS and did not perform as well any clan thought they should have.  When they got pulled, it was the Blood Spirits who replaced them in their section of the invasion corridor.  After that I have no details.

[wavy scooby-doo]
 ... Imagine in that replacement phase the 2nd Star League makes a push into what remains of the SJ territory and makes it to the Homeworlds, hits Huntress, then goes for the Trial of Refusal.  Even if stymied again, (being a BS fan ... hah! BS fan, love the pun) I would at least give them a draw.  Especially since they now have a slice of pie.

That gives the BS a whole lot of wiggle room and survival opportunities.  Harvest Trials and Wars of Reaving take on a whole new narrative.  With a limited fleet, perhaps they contract a lot more with Sharks and Ravens.  Now, when they have a beef with the Adders, the Adders no longer get to play biggest kid on the block with a serious enough injury to dominate every other clan.  Still toss in Society, renegade Burrocks, a weakened but not dead Viper. ... Save some Mandrills (absorbed by our beloved BS-ers).

[/end wavy scooby-doo]

I (kinda) get the need for less clans, but I was a big fan of the many.

[Shin_Fenris]

sure I can tell you more ... It might mean burning a few brain cells.  Well, not really.

Basically, there was an idea (that didn't pan out, way to difficult to implement) where results from a tournament/convention would influence the game universe.

That sort of worked for the Legend of the Five Rings CCG, but BattleTech's sweeping story arcs and whatnot don't play well against tournament outcomes.

But it would have been nice to see a canon Blood Spirit utilization that amounted to a bit more than... Basically backdrop. Which I suppose is typical of every fan of every faction that doesn't get 90% of the screen time.

[Stormlion1]

That sort of worked for the Legend of the Five Rings CCG, but BattleTech's sweeping story arcs and whatnot don't play well against tournament outcomes.

But it would have been nice to see a canon Blood Spirit utilization that amounted to a bit more than... Basically backdrop. Which I suppose is typical of every fan of every faction that doesn't get 90% of the screen time.

We got quite a bit of fiction in comparison to some other Clan's on the old official fiction site. Whose name escapes me at this moment.

[Shin_Fenris]

We got quite a bit of fiction in comparison to some other Clan's on the old official fiction site. Whose name escapes me at this moment.

Sure, we had some BattleCorps fiction and whatnot, but that's not really what I was talking about. My aforementioned L5R reference - in their tournaments, if a player of Super Evil Faction A were to win a tourney, it would significantly alter where the storyline went, as opposed to a win by Super Good Faction Z. And I believe these tournaments were held a couple of times a year, so the company would leave themselves open story pivots to change direction (sometimes small changes, sometimes large ones) based on these.

So following Wolf72's line of comment, replacing the Jags with the Blood Spirits, even if they were wiped out at some point later, would be a fairly significant change and impact to the universe. Spirits getting a section in two Field Manuals and then annihilated in a sourcebook a few in-universe years later, as a footnote, after not accomplishing much, is back drop. St Ives made more of a splash.

Which is fine - not every single faction introduced into a game can be a mover and a shaker, and it wouldn't have made much sense for the Spirits to have been a huge driving storyline force like the Wolves or the Draconis Combine. Just for me, as a fan, and thinking aloud, I'd have liked to see more done with them. Not written about them (I'm sure the Burrocks, the Widowmakers, and the Mongeese, have had much less word count), but done with them.

[Wolf72]

a-annihilated? *What you talkin' bout Willis!*

crap-on-a-stick; at least that's better than the way we went out anyway.  I'd like to some sort of survival/heritage out there. 

[DaveMac]

a-annihilated? *What you talkin' bout Willis!*

crap-on-a-stick; at least that's better than the way we went out anyway.  I'd like to some sort of survival/heritage out there.

So would I

The way the Spirits were treated completely turned me off CBT for years, and I've been involved with it to some degree since the 1980s

[Sjhernan3060]

I want to preface this question by assuming any responses would be conjecture and that is totally fine.

Re: the big battle of Albion during the Burrock absorption. Did the burrocks and adders bid away the use of warships?

I mean they were clearly in use but did they just transport until the spirits jumped in?

Albion is where the burrocks fought very hard against the adders so assuming Albion has a space defense system why was that not used? That question goes double for when the spirits attacked.

Best

[Stormlion1]

I want to preface this question by assuming any responses would be conjecture and that is totally fine.

Re: the big battle of Albion during the Burrock absorption. Did the burrocks and adders bid away the use of warships?

I mean they were clearly in use but did they just transport until the spirits jumped in?

Albion is where the burrocks fought very hard against the adders so assuming Albion has a space defense system why was that not used? That question goes double for when the spirits attacked.

Best

Even money was the SDS was probably not manned at that time with Burrock staff turning the station over Star Adder troops. By the time a warrior could take control the Adders wouldnt have had time to intercept properly. That and by that point the orbital defences might have been destroyed by Blood Spirit Aerospace assets. Its also possible the Blood Spirits jumped in away from Burrock/Star Adder warships at a Pirate Point and dropped there dropships then moved away to intercept and/or evade the Burrock/Star Adder warships.

[Sjhernan3060]

Even money was the SDS was probably not manned at that time with Burrock staff turning the station over Star Adder troops. By the time a warrior could take control the Adders wouldnt have had time to intercept properly. That and by that point the orbital defences might have been destroyed by Blood Spirit Aerospace assets. Its also possible the Blood Spirits jumped in away from Burrock/Star Adder warships at a Pirate Point and dropped there dropships then moved away to intercept and/or evade the Burrock/Star Adder warships.

I would think they would have used a pirate point and I would also think their aero arm was mauled as badly as their ground arm.

Albion should have been the largest naval battle of the absorption right?

[Stormlion1]

I would think they would have used a pirate point and I would also think their aero arm was mauled as badly as their ground arm.

Albion should have been the largest naval battle of the absorption right?

I believe so.

[Maelwys]

So I've been working on a timeline of events for the Blood Spirits via the Wars of Reaving and just finished off the book, anyone care to see what I've got?

[Deadborder]

Please do. As much as I love WoR, its lack of an overall timeline is frustrating

[Natasha Kerensky]

Seconded.

[Maelwys]

3062
September - Blood Spirits support Cobra side of Diet debate

3063
Clan Star Adder authorizes raids on York

3064
August - Clan Star Adder invades York

3066
Spirits gain a foothold on Arcadia

3067
Blood Spirits discover the Colleen System
Spirit WarShips sortie and destroy Adder WarShip Vritra
Iota Galaxy, with help from Fire Mandrills, attacks Adders on Tathis
ilChi Jas Keller manipulates the Fire Mandrills to create Kindraa Mick-Kreese-Kline
December - saKhan Troy Boques nominates Khan Garrett Sainze (Fire Mandrills) to the post of ilKhan
Blood Spirits vote in Grand Council to invade the IS after evidence of nuclear assault on Tharkad provided by Snow Ravens

3068
January - small Chrysaor factory comes online on Honor
Genetic repository built on Honor
Bood Spirits lose Elemental Facility 4 on York (their last Battle Armor Factory)
saKhan Boques bargains for and wins the Snow Raven's entire Zeta Galaxy, and a sibko of Aerospace pilots
September - Blood Spirits put Zeta to use and retakes Elemental Facility 4.

3069
Blood Spirits lose the Crimson Hawk and the scientific team building it to the Diamond Sharks in a Trial
Khan Karianna Schmitt leads Blood Guard Keshi to Arcadia, joinign Omicron Galaxy and captures several industrial Complexes. Material is distributed among York, Haven and Honor.
Blood Spirits push all of the Adders off of York except for a single enclave. The CSA Stellar Serpent remains in geosynchronous orbit
Khan Karianna Schmitt leads Alpha and Iota Galaxies to Albion and take 40% of the planet, including the Chrysaor factory
Khan Schmitt takes Alpha Galaxy to Arcadia and Trials for and wins the Steel Vipers' Roc factory.
5 November 3069 - Blood Spirits vote for the Steel Vipers' proposal that the Jade Falcons should be expelled from the Homeworlds

3070
March - Blood Spirits vote against the Vote of No Confidence in Grand Council.
Blood Spirits gain an enclave on Brim due to an arrangement with CSR
Blood Spirits lose an enclave on Brim to CSA.
April - Blood Spirits and Kindraa Sainze forces attack CSA Forces on Albion.
CCC's Delta Galaxy attacks and seizes CBS's ProtoMech factory on Arcadia, looting it before retreating
August - saKhan Boques and Loremaster Campbell go to Barcella with Omega Galaxy. Loremaster Campbell is killed in fighting against the Ice Hellions.
Star Colonel Constans Cluff is elected as Blood Spirit Loremaster
Blood Spirits gain several Raven enclaves on Circe, as well as thousands of lower castemen.
Blood Spirit forces gather on Albion
Star Adders attack Circe, with Blood Spirits defending with Omega, Sigma and Zeta Galaxies.

3071
January - Interference by Kindraa Mick-Kline-Kreese in the fighting between CSA and CSR on Circe causes CSA to declare the trial between CBS and CSA broken, and revokes Zellbringen, catching Spirit forces off guard. Blood Spirits lose nearly 2 Galaxies of troops. Hegira is requested, but not allowed.
Khan Schmitt rebukes SaKhan Kline and prepares to bring CSA's actions to the Grand Council.
February - Garrett Sainze elected ilKhan
4 March - New Grand Council meeting to elect new ilKhan
10 April - Blood Spirit Warriors are killed by Steel Viper Star Captain Dale Hoskins after objecting to him not declaring a proper Trial of Annihilation before killing Wolf Scientists in empty Wolf Blood chapels
May - Blood Spirits' 42nd Crimson Vanguard Cluster arrives on Dagda to lay claim to W-9 Complex. Three-way fighting between CW and CCC and CBS forces results in an explosion, destroying  the Blood Spirit and Wolf forces
CBS' 66th Blood Hussars arrive on Eden, destroying the Wolf Forces on planet, losing a ProtoMech Star
Blood Spirit forces attack and fail to destroy Wolf forces on Tranquil
1 December - Blood Spirits vote in the affirmative to refute the Great Refusal
Blood Spirits vote to elect Khan Brett Andrews of the Steel Vipers to ilKhan
4 December 3071 - Star Captain Ross Boques duels Akule Wolf in Svoboda Zemylya, Strana Mechty
December - Adder enclave on Strana Mechty is assaulted by Blood Spirit forces, killing saKhan Dante Truscott
20 December - Blood Spirits' Scarlet Guards land on Paxon and declare a batchall for the Coyote (former Wolf) enclave. Blood Spirits push the Coyotes back, but stumble into a CDS civilian encampment, killing some of the civilians. CDS attacks the Blood Spirit forces, and the attack devolves into a three way. CBS destroys several CDS DropShips that are retreating, but loses to the Coyotes, leaving the Scarlet Guards with a Star of ProtoMechs.

3072
Early January - CBS Khan Karianna Schmitt arrives at Arcadia with Alpha Galaxy, CBS Stooping Hawk and CBS Rocinante to negotiate with the Ghost Bears for the Arcadia enclave. They are rebuffed, and fire a warning shot. In an attempt to prevent Ghost Bear ships from jumping out, the CBS Stooping Hawk movs close to the Alshain Sunset, a fully-loaded Star Lord. The Sunset refuses to stand down, and attempts to jump out. The Stooping Hawk destroys the Sunset. The Rocinante is swamped and severely damaged as the Ghost Bears launch everything. Khan Schmitt is critically wounded, her back broken.

Karianna Schmitt loses Khanship due to injuries, reduced to Star Colonel
Khan Boques and saKhan Constans Cluff in charge
Blood Spirits take advantage of the relative calm and move more civilians and material to Honor and Haven

Mid January - First open strike by the Society is on Ironhold
Blood Spirit holdings on Albion come under several attacks, but remain under Spirit control
End of February - spirit enclaves on Arcadia are cut off from York.
March - Spirit merchant caste vessel reports both enclaves on Arcadia are destroyed
Uknown - Blood Spirit Merchant convoy barely escapes an ambush at the Zenith point of Arcadia, losing 2 out of three vessels in their victory.
Late May - New Volga on Hallgate and its 4 million civilians are handed over to the Blood Spirits from the Snow Ravens
July-September - Dagdan brain fever  spreads through the Homeworlds, targeting the Morales, Beckett and Eaker genetic lines and killing 8000 civilians on Homer in the city of Troy.
3 August 3072 - Star Adder fleet arrives and engages the Exsanguine and a recharge station. Star Adders leave the Exsanguine behind once its crippled.
Blood Spirits throw everything at the invading Naval force, incuding civilian ships. 3 Merchant Unions hit the Tehuantepec, destroying it.
6 August - Star Adders begin a 22 day bombardment of York, killing 90% of the world's industry and 75% of the population. Only the 66th Blood Hussars and the 181st Crimson Guards maintain enough unit cohesion to survive.
Late September/Early October - Blood Spirit forces seize 3 out of 4 Ice Hellion enclaves on Barcella in a series of wrestling matches. Fire mandrill attack the 79th Blood Hussars at the recently taken Reston. During the fighting, several storage tanks explode. Both sides blame the otherr, and the two groups violently fight each other. Blood Spirits win, but at the loss of a Trinary of troops.
Late October - Bandit Caste forces arrrive on Barcella, and over a week of fighting, manage to take all enclaves, other than the Steel Viper one, where a stalemate is achieved.
Late in year - Hellgate has fallen into turmoil with no Warrior Caste to rule the remaining civilians. The Society has taken over and attacks the Steel Vipers, who respond by orbitally bombarding the planet, leaving 50,000 alive. No mention of Blood Spirits.

[Maelwys]

3073
Early 3073 - CBS redploys 4 of Omicron Galaxy's ProtoMech Clusters to Eden, overwhelming CSA and CHH enclaves.
Omicron moves on to Arcadia joining saKhan Cluff and the remnants of Omeega Galaxy. CBS forces find that none of the Clan holdings had any survivors, and most of the factories and warehouses were stripped of material. Civilians had been left to die of exposure and starvation, while the few survivors were found to be insane (perhaps from Society testing).
Late April - Omicron and Omega Galaxies arrive at Albion, and defeat the Cobras in a Star on Star duel to allow safe passage.
Omicron Galaxy drops ontop the Adder enclave of Indicass Beta, securing storage warehouses full of foodstuffs, parts and other resources, which they load onto the DropShips.
Omicron attacks Indicass Alpha. Star Adders use armed civilians in their defense, and booby trap the city, killing 7000 Adder civilians. Blood Spirit forces withdraw, and the Exsanguine orbitally bombard both Indicass Alpha and Indicass Beta.
Mid 3073 - Khan Boques and Alpha Galaxy arrive at Niles and land. Coyote forces on planet refuse to respond to batchalls. Galaxy Commander John Church is killed and the Khan is injured in a midnight assault by the Coyote forces. Blood Spirits seize Site Facility 3-C and the city of Raptis. Spirits secure an alliance with CHH and Kindraa Mattila-Carrol forces on planet and seize industrial facilities from the Coyotes. CHH and CFM forces are absorbed into CBS and added to Zeta Galaxy.
Late August - CDS Titanic and Swift Strike arrive at York to deliver supplies to the Blood Spirits, but are stopped by CSA. Half of the Titanic's DropShips make it to York.
October 3073 - Zeta Galaxy travels to Vinton, making contact with the lone surviving Shark facility. CBS renders aid and transport the survivors and Shark Merchant Factor Lorenzo to Haven. Lorenzo and Spirit Factor Yasia make a deal, with Lorenzo winning transportation to Albion.


3074
15 January 3074 - CSA Loremaster recommends orbital bombardment to kill any Blood Spirit lower caste isorla
Late 3074 - Blood Spirit Zeta Galazy arrives at Atrues, finding all Steel Vipers dead, several thousand live civilians and less thatn two Clusters of Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga froces. Blood Spirits absorb the Kindraa forces and by October had finished clearing out the enclaves.
Late September - CBS are bargaining for Horse and Scorpion holdings on Tokasha when the Steel Vipers arrive at  and issue a Trial of Possession for the entire planet. CBS agrees and bids Omicron, Omega and Zeta Galaxies. Vipers bid 4 Galaxies (Alpha, Beta, Nu, ??) and give little honor and break Zellbringen at any offense, real or imagined. Khan Boques fights the Viper ilKhan in a duel and loses. Most Blood Spirit warriors choose death over becoming Steel Viper laborers.

3075
February - Blood Spirits (along with every other HW Clan) vote in Grand Council that the IS Clans are abjured and Bloodnamed are Tainted and subject to Trial of Reaving.
spirits provide evidence of Coyote involvement in the caste revolts and Dark Caste actions. CBS put forth motions to find some sort of resolution, including the Annhiliation of the entire scientist caste of Clan Coyote as well as some resolution about which warriors coluuded with the underground movements.
Blood spirits object to the measure to only abjure the Horses in the IS, rather than all Horses.
The Trials of Cleansing are done by the middle of April, while the Trial of Annhiliation was completed by 30 April.
29 July 3075 - Blood Spirits vote against the Trial of Reaving of the Steel Vipers
"2 months later" - CBS votes against CSA motion that the Viper Annihilation should be open to all Clans
30 October - Multi-Clan fleet arives at Circe
CBS loses nearly half their landing forces to ground battery fire.
Alpha Galaxy drops on one of the batteries, then moves north with CCS forces, before being overrun by the Viper's Beta Galaxy
Spirit forces catch Viper saKhan George Merver in the open and kill him.
Mid-December - Clan forces arrive at New Kent
CBS Beta Galaxy, comprised of 2 Clusters, lead the way to the ground assault, but ground batteries kill saKhan Schmitt and a large portion of 258th Crimson Guards.
CBS Khan Forrest Campbell leads Spirit and Lion forces to seize lightly-defended ground batteries.

3076
10 February 3076 - ilKhan declares the Trial of Annihilation of Clan Steel Viper complete.

Post Wars of Reaving
Bryce Schmitt elected to saKhan.
CBS decides to take what it can from its holdings in the Kerensky Cluster and withdraw to Colleen
Only the Spirit enclave on Strana Mechty remains in contact with the other Clans

3080 York becomes untenable

3082 - Stone Lion scout vessel arrives at Colleen's nadir point
Cloud Cobras Trial for 2 enclaves on Honor's southern continent

3083
clan Council extends ban on using the Boques, Campbell, Church and Johns Legacies
Cobras have 2 "bustling" colonies on Honor.
19 March - Several 9.0+ earthquakes hit Honor. Heavy volcanic activity and tidal waves damage most Clan holdings and detroy the two Cobra enclaves and the Spirit's largest city.
Fewer than 15,000 survive and are evacuated.
April - Stone Lion and Coyote forces arrive at Haven, trialing for most of the holdings.
End of June - 2 Spirit holdings remain, Kan Boques is dead.
CBS Exsanguine is destroyed by the Coyotes Spirit in the Sky
Coyotes and Stone Lions have trouble integrating Blood Spirit civilians.
August - Khan Schmitt attacks Coyote holdings using armed civilians. Stone Lions order the civilian populations to stand down, executing those civilians found with weapons.

Khan Koga calls for a Grand Council and cite evidence of Spirit's "unclanlike way of arming civilians."
Grand Council calls for a measure to Abjure the Spirits
Adders try to call for an Annihilation of the spirits, but fail, eventually calling for a Trial of Absorption. Adders win the right to absorb the Blood Spirits.
Blood Spirit enclave on Strana Mechty is wiped out; Adders execute those who survive.
spirit survivors and equipment on Honor are transported to Haven by the Cobras, including Beta Galaxy

5 October 3084 Adders arrive; Blood spirits have 3 Clusters of Warriors and around 5 full Clusters of armed civilians, Adders arrive with Gamma, Epsilon and Xi Galaxies.
Alpha Galaxy is wiped out.
Adders load up supplies and pull back
End of November - Adders begin to orbitally bombard Haven
Mid-December - All Spirit holdings on Haven are destroyed or burning or crippled.
Adder task force moves to Honor and continues their actions
Seventeenth Crimson Guards are wiped out.
CSA leaves Sovereign Right in the system to guard the system, which destroys some DropShips a month later

July 3085 - Honor has gone "dark" a few months ago, while Haven shows only minimal signs of life.
October 3085 - Adders target the side of Mount Schmitt near Glasgow and bury the Spirits genetic repository under rock and ice

[Maelwys]

That's it. Went into a bit more detail at the end than I did the beginning, its been a long off and on again project.

And I just noticed I forgot to delete the wrong reference to the Exsanguine being destroyed...

Obviously some of the timing is questionable at times. Or pretty generic.

[rebs]

That's OK.  WoR was intentionally vague and contradictory.  Nice timeline. 

[Natasha Kerensky]

Good stuff, Maelwys.