Author Topic: Playing Clan: Without the Tech  (Read 14390 times)

Fear Factory

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Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« on: 08 March 2011, 19:55:15 »
A little bit of a hypothetical situation with a question:

Exodus still happens up until the end of Operation: Klondike meaning the Clans were founded and such.  Now, let's say that the wars were much more harsh resulting in no weapon improvement.  It ends up being Introductory Technology across the board because of its ease of maintenance and production.

Would you guys still play the Clans?

For me, I could care less about the technology.  Clan battle practices and philosophy appeals to me.

I think an AU like this would be very interesting.  Say that the Inner Sphere ends up crumbling much faster than it did due to some kind of conspiracy or WMD action.  The Clans end up coming and invade at all sides.  The truce would still happen only it would halt the invasion with a circle around Terra.  Falcons still fight with the Wolves and I don't know where to go from that.

EDIT:

Just thought of this.

What do you think your Clan would use if it was limited to Introductory Technology?  Any equipment or unit preferences?  Any ideas on what the RAT would probably look like?

« Last Edit: 08 March 2011, 21:02:48 by Fear Factory »
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #1 on: 08 March 2011, 20:41:23 »
Would you guys still play the Clans?

Yep.

Nanaki

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #2 on: 08 March 2011, 20:43:59 »
Sure, I would, but I imagine it would be a lot harder to make the Clans a credible threat if they can only use 3025-era stuff... You would have to come up with something pretty whacky to explain why a culture with only around a billion people total can threaten the Inner Sphere.

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #3 on: 08 March 2011, 20:44:24 »
Absolutely.  It's the truly, spectacularly, WONKY Clan culture that has me playing them.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #4 on: 08 March 2011, 20:48:58 »
Seems to me that it goes against the Clan aesthetic for them not to have advanced war tech.  I could definitely go for SL era though.  They need to be more advanced than the IS, but the Clans dropping on the IS with Royals when the IS is still experimenting with the first recovered bits of FoundTech would be plenty for me.  No ClanTech, no Wolverine PPCs, just 2750 and Royals.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #5 on: 08 March 2011, 20:50:58 »
In 3050, things were pretty much balanced. The Clans had superior technology, superior skill, but fought with an honour system, and had fewer numbers. If you took out the numbers or the honour system, the Clans would have steamrolled the Inner Sphere, because at the time, there was very little level 2 technology around. It existed, but it was in short supply. To give the Clans level 1 technology as well, you’d have to have all or certainly far more Clanners invading, or have the use Inner Sphere tactics to keep the war balanced.

Though, no matter what you do, in the end, the Inner Sphere’s superior numbers, superior economy, and shorter supply line would make it nigh impossible for the Clans to successfully conquer the entire Inner Sphere.
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Fear Factory

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #6 on: 08 March 2011, 21:00:48 »
Sure, I would, but I imagine it would be a lot harder to make the Clans a credible threat if they can only use 3025-era stuff... You would have to come up with something pretty whacky to explain why a culture with only around a billion people total can threaten the Inner Sphere.

That goes with the AU I'm thinking of, though.  I would expect the IS to have beaten itself into such a hole that the Clans are basically a larger threat.  On top of that, I would have ALL of them invade in different parts of the Inner Sphere.

EDIT:  I put some more questions in my first post.
« Last Edit: 08 March 2011, 21:03:19 by Fear Factory »
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #7 on: 09 March 2011, 01:41:18 »
I think it would depend on if the Clans were still recognizable as Clans, even with the changes needed to balance them.
If you have to remove Clan honor and play the number games to compensate for lower tech levels, would they even be like the Clans we know?
The other option where you shatter the Inner Sphere worse, also has its problems, since that one seems to take the tech decay too far and would probably see the Inner Sphere reduced to petty bandit kingdoms.

So, to me it seems like a change that would lead to a major rewrite of the whole universe. I am worried that the result would be too much like the Dark Age.


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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #8 on: 09 March 2011, 01:42:20 »
I suppose I'd say yes, but the presentation matters. Certainly Clan Wolf and Jade Falcon would be interesting enough for me to still choose either. The other Clans just wouldn't stand out enough from the Inner Sphere factions to draw me towards them, however.

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #9 on: 09 March 2011, 01:58:24 »
The other option where you shatter the Inner Sphere worse, also has its problems, since that one seems to take the tech decay too far and would probably see the Inner Sphere reduced to petty bandit kingdoms.

[Clan Persona]What need is there for a reduction if the Inner Sphere is already populated exclusively by Bandit Kingdoms, petty and otherwise.[/Clan Persona]
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ColBosch

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #10 on: 09 March 2011, 02:12:41 »
The Clans are so ridiculous that only their advanced tech makes them at all interesting to play. When the Inner Sphere catches up. I won;t care.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #11 on: 09 March 2011, 02:23:23 »
The Clans are different from the Inner Sphere, Periphery, Mercenaries, and Pirates. They’re an interesting addition. But it would be a different proposition if they had inner sphere tech. Clan Smoke Jaguar would still appeal to me at that technology level. There are some others that would probably survive that kind of a rewrite, but a lot of the Clans are pretty bland / too similar to other Clans.
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MechTheDane

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #12 on: 09 March 2011, 04:22:11 »
I'd still definitely play clan.
I always liked the idea of all clans invading from all sides.

I wonder if having normal to inferior tech would make them more clan or less clan.
A sort of underdog mentality that fosters greater attachment to their ways,
or a survival mentality that forces them to quickly surrender their ways for the Inner Sphere's, in order to stay legitimate in battle.

Diablo48

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #13 on: 09 March 2011, 05:32:26 »
Absolutely.  It's the truly, spectacularly, WONKY Clan culture that has me playing them.

Same here.  The IS has always been too normal and boring for me so it was the unique Clan culture that drew me in.

As for the Invasion, it would only take one small change to make the Clans totally unstoppable even with lvl 1 tech, and you would not even need to play with the IS.  Allow WarShips.  In 3050, the Clans have the only real fleet around, so if they did not bid naval assets away they could sit back and shell the IS into the ground before moving in to mop up the survivors and there would be absolutely nothing the IS could do about it.


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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #14 on: 09 March 2011, 05:58:09 »
And that would create the most incredibly boring universe and campaign possible.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #15 on: 09 March 2011, 07:27:05 »
Sure, I would, but I imagine it would be a lot harder to make the Clans a credible threat if they can only use 3025-era stuff... You would have to come up with something pretty whacky to explain why a culture with only around a billion people total can threaten the Inner Sphere.
No tech improvement do not mean the clan lost the Star League knowledge ;). They could still have a serious advance on the 3025's IS. Another point is the capacity to maintains, repair and produce new machines. The clans have largely superior technician team than IS and in a "mechanized" war it's also a decisive factor.
When a clan machine is almost fully rebuild with brand new part or even replaced by a new mech, IS mainly rely on salvage and scraped spare parts to repare 100/200 years old stuff.

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #16 on: 09 March 2011, 09:42:33 »
I don't play Clan for the tech, but I can't say I'd be part of the Clans today if their Warships didn't bring me in for a closer look. If they took "Clan Tech" away from us, I'd still play Clan.

The thing I've always loved most about the game was the Interstellar political intrigue. The concept of the Clans without the tech could then focus more on the idea of us returning as the Star League in Exile, and MAYBE, in the Invasion, you would have seen more Clans to compensate for the missing tech?

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #17 on: 09 March 2011, 11:18:16 »
Seems to me that it goes against the Clan aesthetic for them not to have advanced war tech.  I could definitely go for SL era though.  They need to be more advanced than the IS, but the Clans dropping on the IS with Royals when the IS is still experimenting with the first recovered bits of FoundTech would be plenty for me.  No ClanTech, no Wolverine PPCs, just 2750 and Royals.
[stupid]

Yeah, I would still play Clan.  Its the culture and the honor system that attracts me to them. 

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #18 on: 09 March 2011, 12:49:39 »
No tech improvement do not mean the clan lost the Star League knowledge ;). They could still have a serious advance on the 3025's IS. Another point is the capacity to maintains, repair and produce new machines. The clans have largely superior technician team than IS and in a "mechanized" war it's also a decisive factor.
When a clan machine is almost fully rebuild with brand new part or even replaced by a new mech, IS mainly rely on salvage and scraped spare parts to repare 100/200 years old stuff.

You know, that wouldn’t be too bad for me. In fact, it’d create a whole new dimension for me. The year is 3050, most of the Inner Sphere has dilapidated, broken down, repaired at infinitum, level one versions of Star League ‘Mechs. Then the Clans come, sporting minty fresh, pristine condition level  2, Star League vintage, and even experimental ‘Mechs that they took with them. The Star League has returned and they’re calling themselves Clans? Some of the IS citizenry would actually root for and help them in that situation.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #19 on: 09 March 2011, 13:31:44 »
When you have every Clan pack it up and invade it would be quite the surprise.  I can see some kind of ilClan debate/rush happening at the final streach that would give the Spheroids enough delay to take the fight back into their own hands.

I was also thinking, with the technology being the same all along, the Spheroids may be sent into chaos believing that their long time enemies are assaulting them.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #20 on: 10 March 2011, 12:59:24 »
this is actually a tough question and i would have to say it depends. As far as fiction and universe progression i am and would be clan fan hands down, all their quirks and customs are beyond interesting. as far as playing the game goes however, i don't feel like using their fighting customs is 'enough' for me, and i would get board using the same mechs for such interesting factions. I personally love clan equipment, not necessarily because its superior, but because its just so damn cool, just look at mechs like the nova and gargoyle, how much more badass could you get.

so as is the case when answering any good question; it depends
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #21 on: 10 March 2011, 13:01:37 »
I'd keep playing clans. the tech is cool, but it's not what keeps me attached to them.

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #22 on: 10 March 2011, 18:10:51 »
I think it's where most of us Clan players fall.

Anyway...  I think I'm going to give this AU a shot.  It will be basic intro tech all around.  Here's about as advanced I would get for the Clans:

Clans:

OmniTechnology - They will have the primary configurations of every introtech configuration out there which would simply have omni capabilities.
Battle Armor - Exoskeletons are as far as I will go.
EI Implants - It will operate the same only the side effects relating to insanity won't exist.  I would have it apply to OmniMechs, OmniVehicles, OmniFighters and Battle Armor.

Inner Sphere, I'm really not too sure...  I may give them specialty ammo.

 
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #23 on: 10 March 2011, 22:05:23 »
Would I still play them if they didn't have the tech? sure. But the tech options are part of what I really like about them, and I think it'd be a whole different ballgame without the tech differential.

Frankly, I think they should have had even better technology than they got. this is just a step up, imagine if they had something REALLY shockingly advanced, balance be damned.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #24 on: 11 March 2011, 01:28:57 »
I have always thought that a key part of the Clans is their arrogance and superiority. (I know, ironic, coming from a Davion...) That in part comes from their superior technology and their superior training as individual fighters. They not only believe that they are superior but they can prove it for the most part unless certain tactics are applied. And without their tech, I don't know if they can pull it off as well. I do know that they wouldn't be as scary and as menacing since the technology wouldn't be any more advanced then what Comstar has.

However, the idea of invasions across the entire Inner Sphere sounds interesting since that would mean Clan fronts against the Davion side of the FedCom, the CapCon and the FWL and, of course, the Periphery states as well.
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #25 on: 11 March 2011, 01:34:02 »
I'm actually trying to think of what each Clan would use if they were limited to introductory tech...  I can see Clan Burrock using the Wyvern and Highlander with a preference for light and medium Class.  Maybe the Commando, Panther, Assassin, Jenner...  pretty interesting to think about.  }:) 
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #26 on: 11 March 2011, 01:41:48 »
Hmm, with Star League tech, what would Clan Smoke Jaguar operate?
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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #27 on: 11 March 2011, 02:07:33 »
Hmm, with Star League tech, what would Clan Smoke Jaguar operate?

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #28 on: 11 March 2011, 02:15:56 »
The Rampage. ;D

You know, now I'm wondering why I don't pilot a Rampage.
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Urban Kufahl

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Re: Playing Clan: Without the Tech
« Reply #29 on: 11 March 2011, 08:37:47 »
They could also have developed there (or theyre never know  :D) own design (even with SL tech), like a Timber Wolf using SL tech only ;)