The Scorpion Empire : Plus Ultra

[Weirdo]

The difference between you and the vast majority of Clambers is that you can acknowledge the potential value of said stuff.

[Doc Swift]

Seekers: SPACE LIBRARIANS!

[Weirdo]

If they actually deign to let you check something out, do NOT bring it back late. The late fees are a killer.

[Sartris]

my grad school advisor had a replica sign on her desk from a Spanish ecclesiastical library that threatened excommunication for failing to return library materials

it's like that

[MrPig]

I have to say, I had no idea that Goliath Scorpions were as popular as they are until recently when I met 2 people who swear by them.

[Turaglas]

You should drop by the EBT discord, they're one of the more lively groups.

[MrPig]

You should drop by the EBT discord, they're one of the more lively groups.

I have, I'm pretty sure that's where I met some!

[Turaglas]

Oh right we just spoke about the Nova Cat role.

[pat_hdx]

I have to say, I had no idea that Goliath Scorpions were as popular as they are until recently when I met 2 people who swear by them.

They never did too much meat head stuff, the Seeker element has always made them fun. They know their Combined Arms, and Ben Rome turned them into something really flavorful and different when he turned them into the Imperio. 

[Weirdo]

Agreed. Before the Wars of Reading, the Scorpions were a little kooky, but overall just another Clan. Only the Seekers pushed them into the realm of mildly interesting. After the Readings, when they fled the Homeworlds and formed the Imperial? That's when they became REALLY interesting.

[Doc Swift]

Agreed. Before the Wars of Reading, the Scorpions were a little kooky, but overall just another Clan. Only the Seekers pushed them into the realm of mildly interesting. After the Readings, when they fled the Homeworlds and formed the Imperial? That's when they became REALLY interesting.

Ah, yes, the Wars of Reading. Who can forget the Illiteracy Bandits, never able to read the street signs directing them to their chosen target, or the Effete Snobs, insisting on reading everything in Classical Latin. Fie 'pon the churlish Picture Book Mafia and their lowbrow selections. So many books, so little time. Thank the Founder for the Seekers, SPACE LIBRARIANS!

[Weirdo]

Now I have the urge to watch The Librarian again. Or Warehouse 13.

[Stormy]

Conan the Librarian was a Seeker, confirmed!

Scorpions are awesome, the storylines are interesting, and they have the best t-shirt...

[DOC_Agren]

So would that mean that Jack Marshak was a Seeker? 

I have to say, I had no idea that Goliath Scorpions were as popular as they are until recently when I met 2 people who swear by them.

I have come to them for my clan faction, because I love the Seeker operations...  I still want Cranston Snord to be one

[MrPig]

So would that mean that Jack Marshak was a Seeker?  I have come to them for my clan faction, because I love the Seeker operations...  I still want Cranston Snord to be one

We have a growing number of them on the RP I have linked in my signature, and there are plans to make them one of the Clan factions you can play for.

[Drewbacca]

I have to say, I had no idea that Goliath Scorpions were as popular as they are until recently when I met 2 people who swear by them.

Off on a tangent hier but why do we not have a Scorpion IIC or Goliath IIC? Seems like a no brainer.

[Sharpnel]

Off on a tangent hier but why do we not have a Scorpion IIC or Goliath IIC? Seems like a no brainer.

I could see the Horses designing these as well as the Scorpions.

[Weirdo]

Off on a tangent hier but why do we not have a Scorpion IIC or Goliath IIC? Seems like a no brainer.

It looks like the Scorpion was never very popular with the SLDF, so it's possible that it was simply allowed to die out in Clan space, especially with the Griffin and Shadow Hawk IICs able to fulfill the same role. It could also be argued that the later Stalking Spider and Thunder Stallion *are* Scorpion and Goliath IICs respectively, and the Goliath Scorpions are known to use the latter.

[Stormy]

I’d like to pick up a thread I dropped a while ago about the mechs taken on by the Empire from the Hansa.

I was thinking about the volume of PHX-1s (and -3Ss) presumably recovered by the Empire, and the future prospect for more C and C 2 variants in the Empire. The same largely follows for Locusts and Wasps.

The Banshee 3S and Rifleman 3N are also in the top 6 but lag a bit. Converting Surturs seems like a different issue.

I figure WVRs is a bit different, as well, for cultural reasons.

So, right now there are PHX Cs, Locust Cs and RFL Cs in the MUL.

I’m curious about where other people sit on increasing volume of conversions (Wasp Cs, Phoenix Hawk C 2s, et al)

...it’s self serving since I’m working on Omega Galaxy from my KS mechs as a place I can toss almost any mech.

[five_corparty]

I’d like to pick up a thread I dropped a while ago about the mechs taken on by the Empire from the Hansa.

I was thinking about the volume of PHX-1s (and -3Ss) presumably recovered by the Empire, and the future prospect for more C and C 2 variants in the Empire. The same largely follows for Locusts and Wasps.

The Banshee 3S and Rifleman 3N are also in the top 6 but lag a bit. Converting Surturs seems like a different issue.

I figure WVRs is a bit different, as well, for cultural reasons.

So, right now there are PHX Cs, Locust Cs and RFL Cs in the MUL.

I’m curious about where other people sit on increasing volume of conversions (Wasp Cs, Phoenix Hawk C 2s, et al)

...it’s self serving since I’m working on Omega Galaxy from my KS mechs as a place I can toss almost any mech.

Do you mean one-offs or "productions," because with the Light Horse Mechs probably getting massive amounts of upgrades, there was probably a ton of one-offs from a Cerberus C (COL Barclay's 'Mech) on down.  Most of them are probably destroyed by the invasion, of course, but I'd imagine that, as long as they have the parts, the Scorpions will upgrade as much as they can.

Just my thoughts...

[Stormy]

My logic is that having banks of upgradable mechs is a faster path to recovering postwar than doing from-scratch production runs.

It’s broad and imprecise, but it’s a lot of fun in headcanon land. Opens up the recguides beyond the MUL. 

[CJC070]

My logic is that having banks of upgradable mechs is a faster path to recovering postwar than doing from-scratch production runs.

It’s broad and imprecise, but it’s a lot of fun in headcanon land. Opens up the recguides beyond the MUL.

I do hope we get to see a Sutur C variant.  Considering the additional challenges the Scorpions face,  it to mention their more traditional stance we won’t (hopefully) see many new mechs just upgraded variants of what already exists.

[Weirdo]

My suspicion is that we'll see C variants eventually, but for the time immediately after the Crusade and for several years afterwards the focus will be on rebuilding the Galaxies involved in that war, as well as creating large numbers of new units to garrison the Empire's greatly expanded holdings. I'm fairly confident that for the near future at least, that means producing the mechs those Hansa factories are already tooled for, as well as large conventional forces. Upgrading to Clantech is a luxury that can wait until after things stabilize.

This could also be a way to help integrate RDF survivors into the Imperial Touman. Having the same equipment as before and the same mission as before gives them a continuity they can hold on to while the rest of the world changes around them. And as long as those IS-tech machines are in service, bits of spare Clantech production can be used as rewards.

"Warrior Jose went above and beyond the call of duty in using himself as a distraction to draw those pirates away from the mines that are the lifeblood of this community. When he gets out of the hospital, he will find that Imperial Technicians have completely repaired his Phoenix Hawk to brand-new status, and that his machine guns are now lighter top of the line models that allow the Clan to thicken the armor over his cockpit and ammunition bin."

Also, the best part of the whole Crusade? Vastly more opportunities to use the word "imperial" when talking about Battletech. :thumbsup:

[Doc Swift]

I'll note that the only real traditional folks in the Empire are the Seekers, and their take on "traditional" is, shall we say, unique? They care about SL-era artifacts, but won't concern themselves much with preserving non-SL stuff from a nation they conquered. I, personally, would expect them to start upgrading immediately wherever possible. Given that they defeated the Hansa, who fielded what the League could produce, then relying on that same production to defend against some potentially greater foe, would be folly. The native Hansa will have to go through the bondsman process before joining the touman as warriors. The indoctrination should weed out those who seek to disrupt the consolidation of the former League worlds. Those new warriors of the Clan will look down on non-ClanTech as a slight on their honor and they will Trial for the best stuff available. The Hansa factories suffered minimal damage, so Scorpion techs and scientists should be able to inspect and upgrade them fairly easily, I should think.

[Sartris]

I, personally, would expect them to start upgrading immediately wherever possible.

*Slams fist on table*

BRING ME CLAN T-12 TIGERS

[Doc Swift]

I think I'd rather see Clan Purifier Points.

[Weirdo]

Revived Purifier Terra would be cool, but the Scorpions have enough suits, they deserve something else. Maybe a long-range conventional fighter? There's plenty of infrastructure far training pilots, and in addition to defending worlds, a small recon camera would make them a useful tool for the Scorpions to survey all their new holdings.

[MDFification]

I just realized something after reading up on the Hanseatic Crusade (that y'all probablly all knew, but I'm going to say it anyway).

Goliath Scorpion currently has far more territory, a larger population pool, and a larger economy than all the homeworld clans combined. It also hasn't suffered the technological regression the homeworld clans have since the Wars of Reaving (it's eugenics program never got shut down, their HPGs are still functional, their ability to produce clantech military gear bounced back quickly etc). More importantly, their scientist caste never got purged (it actually expanded considerably without losing quality while integrating their conquered populations) so they'll likely maintain a technological edge going forward. The only edge the homeworld clans might have is in Warships, but I don't actually know how many they or the Scorpions have left, or if any shipyards capable of building them are still operational in the Deep Periphery. If the Scorpion Empire wanted to, it seems like they could build a touman larger and more sophisticated than the homeworld clans and probably conquer them with their sheer numbers/logistics advantage... if they could trust the Empire's world not to revolt while the warrior caste was off on campaign.

Give the Scorpion Empire a few decades to consolidate, and I'd say the homeworld clans might be in seriously deep shit. If the writers long term plans is as "Clan invaders vs Star League" repeat like people have been saying, the clan side might be just Goliath Scorpion & wretched vassals.

[rebs]

Remember: In addition to not purging their scientists, the Scorpions are the most likely faction to be harboring survivors of the Society. 

Who but the devs and writers know what that may mean for the future of tech in the Empire.

[Doc Swift]

Their eugenics program might not have been shut down, but it certainly got put on pause for a while. In other words, there might be more than political expediency behind creating new Bloodhouses... ;)