Clan Nova Cat - Zombie Catgirl Extravaganza

[Kitsune413]

It's adorable.

[Pa Weasley]

Hmmm ... can squeeze in dual ER smalls, small streak launcher with five shots, decent amount of armor, and 7/11 movement profile if you get the size right. And I want a stuffed version.

[Dragon Cat]

Hmmm ... can squeeze in dual ER smalls, small streak launcher with five shots, decent amount of armor, and 7/11 movement profile if you get the size right. And I want a stuffed version.

At least twelve tons I'd say go for something that can hold its own

[Sharpnel]

Here's a Nova Cat BA I worked up. It's only assault class though and not a Quad proto that is supposed to be. I still think it' pretty bad ass.

[Dreaming Kitten]

H-hello? I hope I am not violating any anti-thread-necromancy* rules that I have not noticed in the forum rules on my very first post here, but I figured, after coming back to BattleTech after like thirteen years and promptly discarding any plans I might have had way back for associating myself with other factions in favour of the noble Nova Cat, it would be just befitting to come here and see if there are still any sibkin around!

And - just so there is more substance to this post than just me introducing myself - a question regarding our clan that I have not been able to find any information on on my own: How do the Nova Cats treat freeborn, compared to other clans? I know we are more fair-handed than most when it comes to caste differences, but where do we fall when it comes to that ancient trueborn-freeborn divide?

My guess would be "probably more egalitarian than most as well", simply because the Smoke Jaguars were amongst the most extremely anti-freeborn clans out there, and I have found that more often than not, our clan and the Jaguars are polar opposites when it comes to simply everything, but is there any proper information on that out there?



* Though admittedly, this very thread by its name and subject already dabbles in necromancy, so I figure I should be safe. From breaking anti-necromancy rules, that is. Perhaps not so much from the zombie catgirls.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

"zombie" is more a reference to some of the developments that have happened to the Nova Cats during your absence.  If you're not aware of the events of the 32nd century... well you may want to ease into reading up on them.  Or get it all at once like a band aid or jumping into a cold lake.  I dunno :]

As for thread necromancy: every faction has a fan thread and this one is the Nova Cats'.  No harm done, I'm sure.  Things have just been a little quiet is all.

Welcome back to BattleTech!

[Dreaming Kitten]

Thanks for the welcome!  :)

I have been reading these forums quietly before joining for a while now - and also the Sarna wiki - but it is a lot of history to take in. But yes, I do understand the meaning of the thread's title, and the simmering rage of the trothkin posting in this thread. I count myself lucky that the other BattleTech players around here much prefer the 3050ies, so I am still at a point in time where all of this can be prevented! :P (also, they are all Smoke Jaguar enthusiasts, so not only are they unlikely to desire pushing the timeline into the 3060ies and their own extinction, but also provide me with a perfect opportunity to bring glory to the clan in our century-old feud)!

In all honesty though, it is rather astounding to me - back then, MechWarrior: Dark Age and, with it, the whole Jihad and all of the changes wrought upon the universe, were still quite new and, near as I could tell, pretty much universally rejected by all Classic BattleTech players. Now, CBT appears to have not only caught up with it, but to also have filled in a whole lot of detail and complexity into the 32nd century setting - I am still struggling with convincing myself that the Jihad and the ruin of everything I knew before is not just some nightmare from some other game that no CBT player cares about anyway, but has actually become proper, generally accepted canon now. Or at least, that is the impression I get.

Makes for an exciting (even if oftentimes tragic) new world for me, though. So much has changed! So much to discover!

[Deadborder]

To answer the question asked; the Nova Cats were one of the more Liberal clans and generally tended towards being nicer towars Freebirths and heir lower Castes. For example, the Cats had the third strongest Merchant Caste of the Clans pre-abjuration. Even though they tended to flip-flop between Crusader an Warden, they were pretty consistently liberal

[Dragon Cat]

Opertunistic is a term I'd use to describe them

They see where the wind is blowing but now where it leads them

[Dreaming Kitten]

To answer the question asked; the Nova Cats were one of the more Liberal clans and generally tended towards being nicer towars Freebirths and heir lower Castes. For example, the Cats had the third strongest Merchant Caste of the Clans pre-abjuration. Even though they tended to flip-flop between Crusader an Warden, they were pretty consistently liberal

So can one generally assume that a clan that is liberal towards its lower castes is also going to be more liberal towards freeborn? Because I could easily imagine a clan that is just fine with treating its lower castes fairly and respectfully - but only as long as they know their place and do not try to reach above their station.

Though I guess the most common reason for a clan's warriors treating the other castes like, well, people, would be those warriors being less full of themselves than usual, so it would be natural for decent treatment of other castes and freeborn to go hand in hand.

Also, third strongest merchant caste? So, with Diamond Foxes/Sea Sharks obviously being the frontrunners, who is number two, then? I had always thought that was the Cats. Is it the Snow Ravens, then, with their giant fleet capacities? Somebody else?

Opertunistic is a term I'd use to describe them

They see where the wind is blowing but now where it leads them

I prefer to think of it as, those amongst them who do recognize where it leads them are the ones who end up making the right choice and go whereever destiny wants them to go, with the others, sadly, turning dust and legend. After all, did not the Founder choose the nova cat for its keen sense for danger? And did not, every time that disaster befell the Cats, some of them get away and survive elsewhere? Give it some more generations, and those who survive will end up honing their sense for which path to take to preternatural sharpness, by sheer not-quite-so-natural selection. :P

[roosterboy]

Also, third strongest merchant caste? So, with Diamond Foxes/Sea Sharks obviously being the frontrunners, who is number two, then? I had always thought that was the Cats. Is it the Snow Ravens, then, with their giant fleet capacities? Somebody else?

Jade Falcons

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Jade Falcon Bonds are described once or twice as being considered in-universe as being a sure bet.

[Jaim Magnus]

I don't think there are many examples of the Nova Cat views, positive or negative, about freeborns. I know the Nova Cat enclaves in the Republic certainly go liberal enough to support both the bloodnaming and election as leader of Kev Rosse. He was a freeborn, only one of his parents was even from the Clan, the other was a Republic warrior.

[Dragon Cat]

I don't think there are many examples of the Nova Cat views, positive or negative, about freeborns. I know the Nova Cat enclaves in the Republic certainly go liberal enough to support both the bloodnaming and election as leader of Kev Rosse. He was a freeborn, only one of his parents was even from the Clan, the other was a Republic warrior.

In the novel Path of Glory MechWarrior Zane watches a freeborn family with what I would describe curiosity more than disdain he sees them more alien than anything he doesn't really understand them

I guess it's more of a general Clan view for trueborns the concept of a mother father children family unit is not normal to them

[Dreaming Kitten]

Oh, right, the Falcons. Now that I think about it, I believe I remember reading some proverbs about Jade Falcon bankers that essentially made the Jade Falcons sound exactly like the Lannisters.  ;D

Alright, those examples of Nova Cat fair-handedness towards freeborn certainly do sound convincing. I am rather glad to hear our clan shows wisdom in this regard, too. :)


Another question: I have read multiple times that, unlike all other Clans, the Nova Cats do recognize the wisdom of old age and tend not to cycle out their warriors quite as early as other Clans do. On the other hand, I also remember reading about Nova Cat solahma units nonetheless being a thing that exists. How do those two things fit together? Do Nova Cat solahmas simply consist of warriors who are truly ancient? Or are Nova Cat solahmas an aberration, maybe something that only came up before the fluff had fully settled and details about the Nova Cats been established? And, if Nova Cat warriors last longer than normal, is there any information on what the typical age for them to be mustered out actually is?

Also, would not the Nova Cat touman be quite a bit larger than it normally should be, in comparison with other Clans, if they graduated a comparable number of new warriors from their sibkos, but then kept those warriors in service for appreciably longer?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Oh, right, the Falcons. Now that I think about it, I believe I remember reading some proverbs about Jade Falcon bankers that essentially made the Jade Falcons sound exactly like the Lannisters.  ;D

Alright, those examples of Nova Cat fair-handedness towards freeborn certainly do sound convincing. I am rather glad to hear our clan shows wisdom in this regard, too. :)


Another question: I have read multiple times that, unlike all other Clans, the Nova Cats do recognize the wisdom of old age and tend not to cycle out their warriors quite as early as other Clans do. On the other hand, I also remember reading about Nova Cat solahma units nonetheless being a thing that exists. How do those two things fit together? Do Nova Cat solahmas simply consist of warriors who are truly ancient? Or are Nova Cat solahmas an aberration, maybe something that only came up before the fluff had fully settled and details about the Nova Cats been established? And, if Nova Cat warriors last longer than normal, is there any information on what the typical age for them to be mustered out actually is?

Also, would not the Nova Cat touman be quite a bit larger than it normally should be, in comparison with other Clans, if they graduated a comparable number of new warriors from their sibkos, but then kept those warriors in service for appreciably longer?

They did have a rather large Touman prior to and just after REVIVAL, and that might have been part of the reason.  I'd suspect a bigger reason was the stronger (than most Clans') economic situation being able to equip/maintain the larger pool of materiel, however.  Especially their WarShip fleet, which again was not THE largest but one of the largest.

Unfortunately for the Nova Cats, that impressively-large touman began taking major hits due to political decisions.  They had a talent for being attacked with extreme prejudice (Abjured, Ghost Bear feud, and finally the DC Civil War) and while they gave away command discretion of their forces on numerous occasions (to the SLDF, to the DCMS) they actually literally gave away half their Touman entirely to Stone and the Republic.  (which in turn helped cement the inevitability of their role in the DC Civil War)

[Dragon Cat]

Still think it would have been better for the Cats to put two fingers up to the Combine during the Jihad and pulled a Ghost Bear relocating everything they had to the Republic.  It would have been truly in Nova Cat style to completely switch sides.

Unfortunately ClickyTech fluff had Cats in the Combine so that was never going to happen.

Now unfortunately one of the stand out Nova Cat enclaves in the Republic turned out to be on Shitara which got steamrolled by the Combine.

The Spirit Cats remain but they aren't in the best position as close to the Wolf Empire as they are

[Jaim Magnus]

True (re Spirit Cats), but at least a slim hope is better than no hope.

And then there's whatever happened to Mystic Kisho. I'm crossing my fingers that we find out what happened to him one day.

[Dragon Cat]

True (re Spirit Cats), but at least a slim hope is better than no hope.

And then there's whatever happened to Mystic Kisho. I'm crossing my fingers that we find out what happened to him one day.

He retreated to the Nova Cat's secret periphery base where they are building Clusters of Orca Colossal class BattleMechs and 2.5 Million WarShips capable of landing on top of the Inner Sphere's largest cities crushing them... Starting with Luthien... >:D

[Jaim Magnus]

He retreated to the Nova Cat's secret periphery base where they are building Clusters of Orca Colossal class BattleMechs and 2.5 Million WarShips capable of landing on top of the Inner Sphere's largest cities crushing them... Starting with Luthien... >:D

Works for me :D

[Deadborder]

Another question: I have read multiple times that, unlike all other Clans, the Nova Cats do recognize the wisdom of old age and tend not to cycle out their warriors quite as early as other Clans do. On the other hand, I also remember reading about Nova Cat solahma units nonetheless being a thing that exists. How do those two things fit together? Do Nova Cat solahmas simply consist of warriors who are truly ancient? Or are Nova Cat solahmas an aberration, maybe something that only came up before the fluff had fully settled and details about the Nova Cats been established? And, if Nova Cat warriors last longer than normal, is there any information on what the typical age for them to be mustered out actually is?

Also, would not the Nova Cat touman be quite a bit larger than it normally should be, in comparison with other Clans, if they graduated a comparable number of new warriors from their sibkos, but then kept those warriors in service for appreciably longer?

It's one of those things that's not fantasically explained or expanded upon. I'd imagine that it's some sort of midway between the two. An older, unblooded Nova Cat might be treated better then his counterpart in another Clan; less obvious pressure, less bias, less disdain and the like. However, they are still competing with younger warriors at every stage still; even if they're not being openly sneered at (cf Star Commander Pytor) they still have to fight trials to keep their spots against the young guns. So a Nova Cat slohama cluster would still be made up of older warriors who have failed trials to keep their positions.

Conversely, a Bloodnamed Nova Cat would have a lot more respect and probably not face the same degree of pressure from below. Rather and older, Bloodnamed, Nova Cat warrior is treated with respect more then in any other Clan, and would not have the same need to prove themselves as they would elsewhere.

Bearing in mind, this is just my own theory. Your mileage may vary.

Also, Falcon Bankers are terrifying

[Caedis Animus]

Also, Falcon Bankers are terrifying

I know, right? Only a madman would wear a bird costume to work.

[Dreaming Kitten]

They did have a rather large Touman prior to and just after REVIVAL, and that might have been part of the reason.  I'd suspect a bigger reason was the stronger (than most Clans') economic situation being able to equip/maintain the larger pool of materiel, however.

It definitely is the aspect that is stressed far more often about the Nova Cats, indeed.

Especially their WarShip fleet, which again was not THE largest but one of the largest.

No kidding, given that Field Manual: ComStar states they had the third largest WarShip fleet amongst the Clans and the fourth largest one in known space.  :o

Bearing in mind, this is just my own theory. Your mileage may vary.

Definitely sounds very plausible though. I shall henceforth consider that head canon as well. :)

I know, right? Only a madman would wear a bird costume to work.

I know, right? Why cannot they just wear cat costumes like all reasonable people instead? :P

[Pa Weasley]

Welcome aboard! Please enjoy your complimentary Huntsman and supply of cookies. *Psst, your can store the cookies in the 'Mech's back fin. That's why it's there.*

[Caedis Animus]

Honestly, I love the Huntsman's fin. Great place to put insults and taunts for all to see.

[Dreaming Kitten]

Woo! Cookies! Thank you so much! *nom*
...wait, cookies are something that can be stored?  :o

Coincidentally, I actually primed my first two Huntsmen just yesterday. And yes, those fins are awesome. Now I will just have to decide whether to go with my original plan and paint that akin to the red-yellow-pattern of a nova cat's mane, or whether to pick up Caedis_Animus' suggestion, which most certainly is not without merit either. ;D

[Caedis Animus]

If you want to go with something more friendly, you could go with a passage of the remembrance. Or a simple Nova Cat emblem.

It does kind of bother me that there really isn't a real reason for the fin to exist, and I imagine that thing gets shot off frequently.

[Dreaming Kitten]

Oh, I am definitely putting the Nova Cat emblem somewhere on the 'Mech - I do so with all of them. Whether it goes on the fin - which, indeed, seems to offer itself for that - or on a shoulder as with most of my 'Mechs, I shall see once I get to that point.

As for the actual use of the fin, I imagine it has to exist either to specifically serve as a place to put Clan, unit and/or personal emblems, or to house some sort of sensor or communications array, or (my first guess when I saw the Huntsman) to work as the radiator of some elaborate cooling mechanism, akin to the sail of a dimetrodon.

Or maybe - to tie in to your comment that it likely gets shot off frequently - it deliberately serves no purpose, but since no enemy would ever expect that, they may be wasting valuable time and ammo shooting it off, rather than parts of the 'Mech that actually do things. :P

[Pa Weasley]

The Huntsman is a Nova upgraded with ferro fibrous armor and awesomeness. The awesomeness is mostly in the fin.

[Dreaming Kitten]

That would explain that then, would it not? Between the usual stuff and the single jump jet, there just were not enough criticals left in the central torso to install all of the awesomeness, so they had to add a whole new peripheral part to the 'Mech just to create the necessary space! :)



Now, even though I have little desire to tear open old wounds, or otherwise bring up sad topics, I do have a few questions regarding the Abjuration:
 1) When the Grand Council abjured us, why did we not demand a Test of Refusal? Even if the odds had been terrible, given that the other clans would presumably have bid amongst each other, it might have ended up being something beatable anyway.
 2) Speaking of which, why did the other Warden clans not stand more firmly with us? According to the wiki, they did vote down Clan Star Adder's original proposal to call for a Test of Annihilation, so why did they not cast their votes with the Cats again when it came to Abjuration? After all, while I completely understand that to a Crusader, what Clan Nova Cat did would seem like straight-up betrayal of the Clans, I would think Wardens should have quite a lot of sympathy for what the Nova Cats did - in fact, if they did not at least consider doing exactly the same, why, in my eyes they could hardly call themselves Wardens at all! (Unless I fundamentally misunderstand the way Clans in general and Wardens in particular think)
 3) And even if they did not see fit to vote in favour of the Cats in the Grand Council, how come they just allowed the Crusaders to get away scot-free with everything the Crusaders did afterwards? Dishonoring the grace period is, well, dishonorable enough, but then refusing zellbrigen and, most critically, performing genocide on the Nova Cats' lower castes? Are these not precisely the actions that usually mark a Clan as fallen and ripe for Annihilation?