Clan Nova Cat - Zombie Catgirl Extravaganza

[cmerwin]

I'm still building my pre-Abjuration Nova Cats and have been wondering something. Would the Nova Cat Keshik, as part of the Alpha Galaxy, use a) the same camo scheme as Alpha, b) a modified Alpha camo scheme, or c) something completely unique and different?

As the "honor guard" for the Khan, it would seem like either a) or b). I can't really see the Keshik as using the standard Nova Cat camo, and given that they are a part of Alpha, it seems like maybe it would be either the same as Alpha or the Alpha scheme with some unique elements to make it identifiable as the Keshik.


Thoughts?

[Crimson Dynamo]

I would lean towards B, personally. Not something so different that any layman could tell them apart from the standard scheme, yet different enough to distinguish them as members of the elite among their own Warriors. Some variant CNC Alpha schemes I've considered include black with the blue stream of stars replaced by purple, the standard scheme with red stars, and a flipped scheme of blue with a black stream of stars on the CT.

[cmerwin]

I would lean towards B, personally. Not something so different that any layman could tell them apart from the standard scheme, yet different enough to distinguish them as members of the elite among their own Warriors. Some variant CNC Alpha schemes I've considered include black with the blue stream of stars replaced by purple, the standard scheme with red stars, and a flipped scheme of blue with a black stream of stars on the CT.

Oh, I like this a lot. Still the same color palette, but slightly different enough so that those who know, know. Plus, purple as the color of royalty fits nicely for the Khan's guard. I've always imagined the Cats as more reserved among the clans - given their voting and record. But also given their bent towards mysticism (and [failed] desire to become ilClan), maybe purple is a good solution. Thanks!

[cmerwin]

I just realized that every time I see the image of SaKhan Lucian Carns (especially on Sarna), I hear the voice of actor Lance Reddick, and now I *really* want to see Lance Reddick playing him in a Clan Invasion film/video game! Not sure who they would cast as Khan Severen Leroux

[Istal_Devalis]

Matt Broderick...I mean, have you SEEN Severen's original art?

[cmerwin]

Matt Broderick...I mean, have you SEEN Severen's original art?

Oh totally! The I<3NYC mug from Luthien?!?  ;D

[wantec]

Looking at the fluff for Dagda for reasons, I spotted something. The world would be utterly unlivable or barely habitable because its a Super Earth and has 2g of gravity.

Even with the futuristic construction materials, that's gonna be hellish, and Mechs would be useless because congrats your Dire Wolf now weights 200 tons and all its actuators just exploded.

I assume we can politely ignore this fluff and maybe make it slightly higher but not 2G?

Just curious where you've seen this. I checked Operation Klondike, Wars of Reaving, and The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, and they all say 1.1 G

[cmerwin]

Just curious where you've seen this. I checked Operation Klondike, Wars of Reaving, and The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, and they all say 1.1 G

Sarna has Dagda listed as 2.0, although you are right, when I cross reference to Warriors of Kerensky (p. 112), and Wars of Reaving (p. 232) Dagda is listed as 1.1 in both. Which leads me to believe it was a typo on Sarna and should be listed as 1.1.

[wantec]

Hmm... interesting. Operation Klondike has the line for moons listed right above the gravity line and there Dagda has 2 moons. Maybe that's where the typo came from.

[Istal_Devalis]

Oh totally! The I<3NYC mug from Luthien?!?  ;D

That's the one. My head canon is that was from his younger days and he started shaving the head later down the line. But then, his history is a bit all over the place with some blatant contradictions.

[cmerwin]

That's the one. My head canon is that was from his younger days and he started shaving the head later down the line. But then, his history is a bit all over the place with some blatant contradictions.

Yeah, that's my sense too. There's also no way that the image in the Luthien sourcebook was him at that age. According to Era Report 3052, both he and Carns were born in 2978, in which case they were both 74 during the battle of Luthien. But my head cannon also says that he was a bit of a maverick when he was younger, and becoming more measured. As far as I know the only Clan leadership ever older than the two of them was Natasha Kerensky at 77, but Nova Cats have always done things their own way.  >:D

[Jellico]

What was Clan Nova Cat up to between 3052 and 3059?
I get they were used as a Not Smoke Jaguar Clan for Draconis Combine focused novels, but anything more specific? If you aren't reading the novels it feels like going from licking wounds after Tukayyid to joining Bulldog.

[cmerwin]

Even the novels don't mention a whole lot. The novel D.R.T. is set in 3057 and a good deal of the book takes place in the Nova Cat occupation zone, and follows the actions of the 46 Nova Cat Cavaliers as they try to bring online some manufacturing facilities.


In Grave Covenant, which is set in 3059, in a conversation between Theodore Kurita and Focht, Kurita mentions that the DC has been in talks with the Cats for two years, and that numerous of the Nova Cat visions have aligned with holovids of the re-founding of the Star League. Khan Leroux is also the first to second the nomination of Lincoln Osis as ilKhan, but then in a masterful display in the Hall of Khans, later manages to completely maneuver Osis into looking like a manipulative jerk.

There's also an amazing scene with a Nova Cat Star Colonel who predicts a coin toss by calling the coin landing on its edge (which it does), because it had been foreseen.

So, while there isn't a whole lot, I think the implication is that the Cats knew that they were probably going to go over to the new SLDF and that they had both been watching the signs and prepping for that. This also, at least for me, explains how they were able to move most of their Clan to the IS before the official Abjuration.

The short answer to your question seems to be that they were rebuilding and preparing to return to the Inner Sphere.

[Metallgewitter]

Wasn't there also a mention that they had a somewhat tense relationship with their neighbours the Smoke Jaguars (similar to how the Vipers and Falcons acted towards each other) but somehow managed to work together?
Though there is no mention on how they treated their captured civilians though they had to deal with partisan attacks as well as raiding parties from the DCMS

[Crimson Dynamo]

Wasn't there also a mention that they had a somewhat tense relationship with their neighbours the Smoke Jaguars (similar to how the Vipers and Falcons acted towards each other) but somehow managed to work together?
Though there is no mention on how they treated their captured civilians though they had to deal with partisan attacks as well as raiding parties from the DCMS

If by somewhat tense you mean each absolutely loathed the idea of the other drawing breath, then absolutely. That cooperation was the (almost certainly grudging) agreement to simply hand over worlds in the SJOZ for the Nova Cats to base from until they took worlds for themselves, to avoid wasting resources Trialing for each and every one as the Vipers had to against the Falcons. The Cats, very coincidentally, were given the most rebellious of the systems already taken in the invasion.

[cmerwin]

Wasn't there also a mention that they had a somewhat tense relationship with their neighbours the Smoke Jaguars (similar to how the Vipers and Falcons acted towards each other) but somehow managed to work together?
Though there is no mention on how they treated their captured civilians though they had to deal with partisan attacks as well as raiding parties from the DCMS

Heh, yeah, have to agree with Crimson Dynamo's great comment. The Cats and Jags loath each other, and have for over a century, despite once being very close. I wouldn't say they managed to work together at all. They were constantly raiding each other and doing everything they could to throw each other under the proverbial bus/Dire Wolf. Khan Osis had a personal mission to destroy the Nova Cats (admittedly, Khan Leroux was constantly baiting him).


I doubt the Cats were raiding the DCMS much, given that they were already in negotiations with them. It is mentioned that the Cats were generally very good to their civilian populations (they shared similar ideas to the Not-Named-Clan), both in the home worlds and in the IS.

What isn't mentioned much is their change from Crusader to Warden after Tukayyid or what impact this had on the Cats. The Cats have always been considered different by the other Clans, so it's hard to say.

[Istal_Devalis]

The Crusader aspect was always more of a 'We can make more money off this' push stemming from the Merchant caste (reminder that the Nova Cat Merchants were pretty high up there in the social order in the Nova Cats, if not as important as the Diamond Sharks were in their clan). A bit of a mute point now that they're part of said market.

Not that it worked out in the long term.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Not that it worked out in the long term.

Well then stop poking the Bear!

[Jellico]

For things to work out in the long term you have to survive the short term. No shame in that.

[Istal_Devalis]

Well then stop poking the Bear!

The Bear having a genocidal temper tantrum after simple raiding didnt help, no. 

But it was more believing in the DC that led to the Nova Cat's long term survival issues. Especially since the Nova Cats look to have been operating in good faith for most of it. But nope, thrown under the bus once it was convenient to the leadership.

[GuyIncognito]

When's the Merchant stake in things come up, again? Mostly I recall the Cats being pretty Warden-y until the Outbound Light scare tactics as well as a number of particularly wacky visions.

[cmerwin]

When's the Merchant stake in things come up, again? Mostly I recall the Cats being pretty Warden-y until the Outbound Light scare tactics as well as a number of particularly wacky visions.

Yeah, although, that said, I think the wacky visions from Oathmaster Winters were actually discouraging the Cats from invading, but Khans Leroux and Carns thought that the Cats should be at the vanguard in order to win ilClan, or at least deny the Jags from attaining the ilClan which Khan (Leo) Showers wanted so badly. Still, most of the sourcebooks seem to imply that of all the Crusader clans, the Cats were closer to being Wardens along the political spectrum, even before Tukayyid.

[Jellico]

First paragraph of Invading Clans.

Other Clans often point to the fact that Clan Nova Cat was
the only Clan forged by a member of the Exodus who did not
belong to the Star League Defense Force to explain that Clan's
unconventional nature and sometimes disturbing customs. The
freedom they allow their merchant caste, their emphasis and
reliance on innovative economic measures,

Some early leaders were heavily involved in the merchant caste. The early PTB seemed to have limited knowledge of economics, so relied on buzzwords. So where the Falcons got "banking" the Nova Cats got "futures trading". After the Wolves became noble colonisers you get the feeling the writers became desperate to explain how other Clans made their coin without repeating themselves.

Another interesting source is the Carack. Some bright spark mentioned the Cats had hundreds of ships in their fleet. Right at the time fleets were being codified as much smaller affairs. So the Carack (Merchant) exists to soak up those numbers in a totally non combat format and show off the merchant's power.

[cmerwin]

First paragraph of Invading Clans.

Some early leaders were heavily involved in the merchant caste. The early PTB seemed to have limited knowledge of economics, so relied on buzzwords. So where the Falcons got "banking" the Nova Cats got "futures trading". After the Wolves became noble colonisers you get the feeling the writers became desperate to explain how other Clans made their coin without repeating themselves.

Another interesting source is the Carack. Some bright spark mentioned the Cats had hundreds of ships in their fleet. Right at the time fleets were being codified as much smaller affairs. So the Carack (Merchant) exists to soak up those numbers in a totally non combat format and show off the merchant's power.

Heh. Now I am almost imagining the Cats as the Fremen of BattleTech, which almost seems right.  >:D

[GuyIncognito]

Jellico: I appreciate the breakdown (the Carack band-aid is new and interesting to me) but if I need to clarify I was asking about Istal's remark about the merchants pushing for the Nova Cats' dabbling in Crusading. I don't recall hearing about that like we did with Sennet's efforts in the IS during the Invasion for the Diamond Sharks, so I was curious in getting a source and checking it out myself if I have access to the material.

[Jellico]

Invading Clans again

By 2980, the Clans had chosen sides in the politically
charged issue of the promised return to the Inner Sphere. The

"Crusaders" called for an immediate invasion of the Successor
States, citing Kerensky's writings and The Remembrance to
prove that the time was ripe to re-establish the Star League.
Clan Nova Cat fell firmly into this camp, enthusiastically sup-
ported by their merchant caste, which stood ready to begin
exploiting new worlds at a moment's notice.

By establishing more amicable relations with the popula-
tions on their garrisoned worlds, Clan Nova Cat was able to
implement a supply system similar to that of Clan Wolf. They
established secure supply lines from the homeworlds to the
Inner Sphere, but made each Galaxy responsible for finding
additional supplies when they ran short. The Galaxy comman-
ders promptly turned over this task to the members of the mer-
chant caste who had accompanied the invasion force into the
Inner Sphere. Initially skeptical about the feasibility of scroung-
ing sufficient usable materiel from garrisoned worlds, the mer-
chant caste in turn struck a bargain with the technician caste to
draw on its members' expertise with jury-rigging repairs and
ammunition compatibility to determine what was worth collect-
ing. Though rumors occasionally surface that Nova Cat mer-
chants are taking advantage of this free-trade arrangement to
supply Clan equipment to rebels on worlds held jointly by Clan
Smoke Jaguar in an effort to weaken their Clan's rivals, these
remain no more than rumors.

Future references get built off there.

[GuyIncognito]

Thanks much

[Empyrus]

Had a sudden urge to create a mixed Nova Cat Trinary. Opted to cap available units to Second Combine-Ghost Bear war, so 3098 at most.

Currently thinking this, based on Nova Cat/IS Clan General Early Repbulic list on MUL and what i like. The vehicle Star will contain this Trinary's battle armor transports as i wasn't intending this unit to have any OmniMechs nor separate transport assets/Star. (All vehicles must be 50 tons or lighter, and i'm going by assumption that Clan vehicle Points always have vehicles of same type.)
Figure that this all should fit in a Union-C, assuming some cubicle conversions.

Unfortunately Nova Cats have real limited transport choices, generic APCs aside. Figured the Svantovit seems to be passable option as i don't really want to go for the generic types.
R10 Mechanized ICV would a better option as it is Omni and would allow reducing transport complement to two points. But it has no miniature yet and i'm a bit leery of XLFE vehicle.
Before you ask, no, during the Early Republic era and afterwards the Nova Cats don't have access to Anhurs or Karnov URs.

I'm not sure what other vehicles to use. Also rather uncertain if i want four vehicles of one type or two vehicles of different types. Primary options i've been considering are the SM1 Tank Destroyer, Joust Medium Tank and Balac Strike VTOL. The Chevalier tank, Striker and Donar VTOL are secondary options.
The SM1 would be natural fit as it is a Nova Cat design and hover type would fit nicely with the Svantovits. But they're a bit expensive in BV.
The Joust is slower but could work as sort of light anvil in the Trinary.
The Balac Strike VTOL is cool and would work nicely as a recon asset but something about it makes me uncertain.

Not 100% on the Void though i feel it is thematically very fitting. Rabids, Thunderbirds and Voids would be fully Nova Cat Battle Armor types, rather than anything "generic". A Point of Gnomes could be an option, but at the same time it feels that if i want a "BA anvil", i need more than a point.

Code: [Select]

Alpha Star:
Ocelot
Arbalest
Black Hawk (Standard)
Koshi (Standard)
Mad Cat III

Beta Star:
Clan Medium Battle Armor "Rabid"
Clan Medium Battle Armor "Rabid"
Thunderbird (Upgrade)
Thunderbird (Upgrade)
Void (Nova Cat)

Gamma Star:
2xSvantovit?
2xSvantovit?
2xSvantovit?
2x???
2x???

[Dragon Cat]

I'd have paired Shoden's, SM1s and Jousts keep 2 pairs of transporta for the Thunderbirds

Edit reread your rules nothing over 50 for vehicles

One of the last points of Nova Cat ProtoMechs?

[Empyrus]

Yeah, vehicles should fit in a light vehicle bay. Though i may relax this. Figure it may be doable, though given the general trend for speed, i'm inclined to keep vehicles speedy as well, and that would mean lighter vehicles anyway.

Also since there's no Omnis, i figure i need 3 Points of transports for all the BA, as each one can move one Point of BA (really disappointing there's no 10t or 15t capacity transports available R10 ICV aside). True, Voids and Clan Mediums have 4 jump range but that's not exactly fast.

Didn't actually think of ProtoMechs. Interesting idea, though given that the Nova Cats stop using them after the 2nd Combine-Ghost Bear war, i'm disinclined to include them. I'll consider it though.

I may need to reconsider those BA as well. So much easier to use them with OmniMechs rather than with lacking selection of transports. I didn't pick any OmniMechs as i figured this was to be a "lesser" Trinary, and i wanted to avoid any i've already got for a different unit.

I picked the 2nd Combine-Ghost Bear war as a cut-off as the other option would be the Nova Cat rebellion during the Dark Age (seriously, the Nova Cats don't do much between these two things). More units, also so many i like actually picking only some was difficult. Too many favorites.

I may end up overhauling this concept completely though.