Eyrie and Newt Clusters- Good or bad idea?

[Alan Grant]

The concept behind the Jade Falcon Eyrie and the Steel Viper Newt Clusters seems sound enough, at least in theory. Send sibko cadets who have learned how to be warriors individually (and proven their skill at this via a ToP) to a unit where they are taught how to work as a team in a unit. Then they are sent on to a true combat unit.

So it begs the question, why didn't more Clans pick this up? Or did these two Clans make a mistake in going this route?

I know this is more opinion than anything, but what are your thoughts?

[Archangel]

The reasoning varies depending upon the Clan.  Resource poor Clans frequently can't afford such an extravagance.  Clan Ice Hellion's clusters are frequently understrength so new graduates are directly assigned to their units.  Clan Blood Spirit would consider such a unit against its traditions if they could afford it.  Larger Clans likely viewed it as unnecessary and an extravagant waste trusting in their training to get them ready.  Any additional training would be completed once they reach their unit.

[Diablo48]

I would also expect it to vary some based on how the Clan trains their cadets.  For example, I would expect the Bears to do a lot more in the way of teamwork training than the Falcons do based on their view of the Clan as one big (and sleepy) family, so they would not need the additional teamwork training.

[Archangel]

I would also expect it to vary some based on how the Clan trains their cadets.  For example, I would expect the Bears to do a lot more in the way of teamwork training than the Falcons do based on their view of the Clan as one big (and sleepy) family, so they would not need the additional teamwork training.

Well with the Bears it wasn't a problem of too little teamwork but rather too much.  When Stars are split up, it apparently takes them a while to build new bonds with their new starmates so whenever possible the Bears transfer whole stars between units rather than a single individual.

[Trajan Helmer]

The Falcon drive to compete and win is so strong I can see the wisdom in assigning some of the newest, most vainglorious mechwarriors to further Eyrie cluster training.

[cold1]

Traditional doctrine would be put the newbies with the veterans to increase their knowledge.  But in the clans everyone wants  to take what the other guys has by fighting so te penchant for newbies to fight the veterans over listening to them is there. The more common sense clans can probably make it work just fine.

[Archangel]

Additional problems arise from the younger generations viewing the older generations as failures (especially in the early post-Tukayyid years) and holding them in contempt.  This contempt might lead them to ignore hard-earned knowledge that the older generations are trying to pass on.

[Stormfury]

At least in the case of the Eyrie Clusters (possibly the Newts as well, I forget) the formation is used for warriors who didn't do all that well in their Trial of Position; they qualified, but not as well as was hoped and more seasoning /testing was needed before sending them on to a front-line unit if ultimately worthy, or a second-line unit if not. Warriors who did well in their Trial were sent straight to a front-line command, though.

[Death by Zeus]

Why did I see Eye of Newt Clusters?  Is this a hitherto unknown coven of witches amongst the Clans?  :D

[WeaponX]

So it begs the question, why didn't more Clans pick this up? Or did these two Clans make a mistake in going this route?

I know this is more opinion than anything, but what are your thoughts?

Most Clans put their new bloods into something like the Bears' Provisional Garrison Clusters, which has a few experienced older/on the way down warriors to help balance out the "green" factor, something the Falcons have actually come to do as well by the 3130s with their Mixed Clusters, which was pioneered by Alexander Hazen.