Add to the MekHQ events in the daily log

[BLOODWOLF]

When I get home from work today I plan on adding to the universe.xml I think is where they are stored?  But add in events for when the various wars begin and end, when new technology becomes available and goes extinct (like double heatsinks), and when the factions change such as when the FS and LC become the FC and then dissolve.  Maybe even when important people in the universe are born, die, or are appointed to high positions in their faction like Victor Steiner-Davion when he takes the reins of the FC and later joins Comstar.  If you all would like to contribute just post the "event" and date and I can put all this together and put it on github and submit it.  Just to add more immersion to the game and also lessen how much research the player has to do like with when new technologies become available.

[yurisarreth]

This will be most welcome by me atleast.. As a guide might I suggest these series of pages from Sarna http://www.sarna.net/wiki/3028  They list most of the major happenings in easy to see format I think.

[PurpleDragon]

How far back in the timeline you going to go?  How far forward as well? 

[BLOODWOLF]

I want to knock out the 31st century first.........kind just realized how huge of a project this could be.  Also want to have an event for every time a factory introduces a new mech or unit as well.

[Vampire_Seraphin]

This stuff is actually stored in the News.XML if you want it to show up in your daily log as an event.

[BLOODWOLF]

Ah ha! Im at work and couldnt remember where those are stored, thanks Vamp.  In the future I see running into the problem of needing to have an IS and a clan news.xml so that things like Clan Coyote developing streak-LRMs doesn't need to show up on an IS player's news feed.

[BLOODWOLF]

I'm going to get through at least the 3000-3025 events that are listed for the timeline events on sarna.  If people want to pitch in, one can take 31st century weapons and equipment intro and extinct date news entries, mech and unit intro and extinct dates including the factory that produced the variant, important persons (royalty) birth, death, and significant events (when they come into the throne of their faction), begin and end dates of all the wars, operations (bulldog), and when new states rise up and when they fall(St. Ives).  I think the earliest we would create stuff for is maybe when the Mackie was created and then on into the dark age.  And then we would need the "above" for the clans side as well.

[scJazz]

Item 1) on this to do list... double check with Jayof9s I think or perhaps Hammer to see what is already included.

Item 2) Get one of the Devs to implement the News in a better manner. Like Last Entries in the Daily Log instead of first so it doesn't get masked by Maintenance, etc.

[Hammer]

Item 1) on this to do list... double check with Jayof9s I think or perhaps Hammer to see what is already included.

I gotta nadda for news stuff.  But if Jayof9s isn't able to I'll get it committed.

[BLOODWOLF]

Well there already are news feeds in everybody's data/universe/news.xml and I wont overwrite what is already there but, only goes from 3009-3068.

[BLOODWOLF]

Ok I got through three years tonight.....this is gonna take a while.  Proof-read please if any body is bored, spell-check doesn't seem to be working correctly with my Gedit.

<news>
###Year 3000
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New Commander Of The Otomo</headline>
      <date>3000-01-20</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Takashi Kurita has been named the new Commander of the Otomo as of January 1st 3000.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Kalidasa Raided</headline>
      <date>3000-04-21</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Free Worlds League planet, Kalidasa, was raided by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Twelfth Battle For Hesperus II</headline>
      <date>3000-04-28</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Kurita dropped three 'mech regiments with support on Hesperus II in another invasion attempt.  The Eridani Light Horse 1st Support Company was able hold open a space port long enough for Steiner reinforcements to arrive and repel the invaders.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Confederation Captures Suzano</headline>
      <date>3000-05-05</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Liao capitalizes on House Marik's decision to strip the bulk of Suzano's defending 'mech forces to combat the Lyran threat.  Defended only by a few light 'mech lances and infantry, the Capellans crush the defenders and now plan to occupy Suzano permanently.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Suzano Liberated</headline>
      <date>3000-08-04</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Suzano's 3rd and 5th Infantry Support Companies who were in the wilderness for training when the Capellans arrived, pushed back the invaders after a three month-long insurgency campaign.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New Davion</headline>
      <date>3000-11-17</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Yvonne Davion gave birth to her third child on November 1st 3000, a healthy boy named Jackson.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
###Year 3001
   <newsItem>
      <headline>King Karnov</headline>
      <date>3001-01-12</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Lockheed/CBM Industries of Gibbs begins it's product line with the KC-5 dubbed "King Karnov" due to it's resemblance to NETC's Karnov VTOL.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Astrokaszy Recognized</headline>
      <date>3001-01-19/date>
      <desc><![CDATA[For the first time in the history of the planet Astrokaszy, a stable federal government has been formed and recognized by the Inner Sphere and Comstar.  Under the leadership of Caliph Shervanis the colony has also been connected to the HPG network.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Conflict On Lincoln</headline>
      <date>3001-01-26</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Warrior Houses of Imarra and Lu Sann drove off the superior forces of the 7th Crucis Lancers in defense of Lincoln.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
###Year 3002
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New MechBuster Fighter</headline>
      <date>3002-01-11</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Kurita has introduced a new conventional fighter at Gorton, Kingsley, and Thorpe Enterprises.  Named the MechBuster, it's primary asset is the Zeus 75 AC/20 firing four-round bursts of HDUAP(hyper-velocity depleted uranium penetrators).]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Duke Of Procyon</headline>
      <date>3002-01-18</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Anton Marik has recieved the title of Duke of Procyon and now commands the Capellan front of the Free Worlds League.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Coordinator's Nephew Crashed</headline>
      <date>3002-01-25</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Akiro Kurita, nephew of Coordinator Hohiro Kurtia, was killed during an accident while piloting the Combine's Sholagar aerospace fighter.  Sources indicate a flaw with the circular wing design in atmospheric flight that had been reported over a decade ago but, those reports were ignored.  The Combine now plans to phase out the Sholagar after this tragic accident.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Attack On Loric</headline>
      <date>3002-03-22</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Captain-General Janos Marik ordered an attack on the Lyran world of Loric this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Janos Marik Attacks Solaris VII</headline>
      <date>3002-09-27</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[FWLM troops attacked the Lyran world of Solaris VII this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Operation Concentrated Weakness</headline>
      <date>3002-10-25</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Archon Alessandro has pulled numerous troops from within the Commonwealth and deployed them along the Free Worlds League border to repel any further attacks from House Marik.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Marik Pulls Out Of Loric</headline>
      <date>3002-11-22</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Captain-General Janos Marik ordered a retreat of all FWLM forces from the Lyran planet of Loric this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Fox Trap</headline>
      <date>3002-11-29</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Warrior House Ijori has trapped Davion troops on Cammal.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Donegal's Save Solaris VII</headline>
      <date>3002-12-06</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Donegal Guards counter assaulted and repelled the House Marik invaders from Solaris VII.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Gordon's Highland Captured</headline>
      <date>3002-12-13</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The 2nd St. Ives Lancers captured the entire Gordon's Highland Light mercenary unit during reconnaissance of Pinard, netting the Lancers twelve rare Panther battlemechs.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Gen. Willis Crawford Blamed</headline>
      <date>3002-12-20</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[After the failed offensive against the Lyran Commonwealth, General Willis Crawford has been court-martialled and sentenced to death on July 1, 3003.  This will be the first military execution to occur in the Free Worlds League in over a century.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Coordinator's Second Son Deceased</headline>
      <date>3002-12-27</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Coordinator Hohiro Kurita's son Miyamoto Kurita died honorably in battle.  He is survived by his son Isoroku Kurita who along with the entire royal family mourn his passing.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
###Year 3003

Update.

[Jayof9s]

One thing to consider is adding some lag time. News doesn't travel through the Battletech Universe in real-time. It has to disseminate through the HPG network and some news, like military invasions is likely to be delayed a bit due to operational security. As a result, I tended to date mine a few weeks after the fact  and just had the date it occurred in the 'article' itself.

I also tended to set them as being delivered from one of the existing news organizations (whichever made sense based on the event) and I had a list of those somewhere if you'd like to try and do them in a similar format to the other entries currently in MHQ.

[BLOODWOLF]

Yes I would like to have that list please.  And sarna is very vague on many of the dates if it gives them at all.  And since there isn't a way to separate IS news from Clan news I was thinking of approaching this for HQ from more of the "god" point of view as the player.  Since they will be reading about events on both sides.

[Sir Chaos]

Yes I would like to have that list please.  And sarna is very vague on many of the dates if it gives them at all.  And since there isn't a way to separate IS news from Clan news I was thinking of approaching this for HQ from more of the "god" point of view as the player.  Since they will be reading about events on both sides.

Maybe tag each news item as "IS or "Clan", and have a setting in Game Options which one you want shown?

Possibly also a "Secret" tag - so without secret news items enabled, you get news that Thomas Marik showed up alive some time after that bomb went off, and with secret news it says that this is only an imposter while ComStar keeps the real one under wraps.

[Vampire_Seraphin]

I don't know a ton about Java, but that does not sound to hard, just added two new flags, clan, and secret, which the player has to select in the campaign options.

Blood, the Sarna Timeline is by nature going to be vague. The only sources I know off the top of my head that use actually news report formats are the Jihad books, which have many, and the old scenario packs, which couch much of their fluff as interviews.

Basically, to fit with what already exists, you need to take each event, and write an actual news story about it. I'd suggest writing it yourself, that avoids any sort of copyright bug bears from lifting directly from the source books. As you might imagine, that's quite a bit of work. Instead of lifting from the Sarna timeline, I'd suggest picking source books, and working through them one at a time. For example, you might choose to use TRO 3025 and hit everything news worthy from there before moving on to the next book. For military actions, you could use Sarna and read the entries for each combat unit and do a few per day.

I'd be willing to write up some of these.

[BLOODWOLF]

Hm, ok well first I want to get an outline finished, just short and sweet "Double Heat-Sink technology is now in production" or "The Third Succession War has ended".  And then go in and add more detailed stories. 

[PurpleDragon]

This sounds like doing the headlines first.  Then once they are done, going back and adding the beef of the report. 

[scJazz]

just add an xml tag for Clan/IS/secret ... the code can ignore it for now

[BLOODWOLF]

LA doesnt form till 3057, once I get up to yr3020 Ill figure out where this goes, Jay?

   <newsItem>
      <headline>Lyran Alliance Founds New War College</headline>
      <date>3020-10-15</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Lyran Alliance welcomes the first class to be enrolled in the War College of Buena on Fort Buena. The grueling schedule includes not only combat skills as well as academic studies but also technical and logistics managment courses. The intent is to produce officers who are knowledgeable in all aspects of warfare. Only time will tell if these students will live up to the high expectations of the LAAF commanders.]]></desc>
      <service>TBC</service>
      <location>Tharkad</location>
   </newsItem>
   
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New Member of the Royal Family!</headline>
      <date>3030-05-01</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Federated Commonwealth has a new member of the royal family. On 12 April 3030 Archon-Designate Melissa Steiner-Davion and First Prince Hanse Davion welcomed Victor Steiner-Davion to the world. The new Prince has a long road ahead of him to see the continuation of the Federated Commonwealth into the next generation. All of us here at the TBC wish the Prince a long and joyous life and congratulate the the royal family on its new member. ]]></desc>
      <service>TBC</service>
      <location>Tharkad</location>
   </newsItem>

[scJazz]

It might give the News events more visibility if was written at the end of the Daily Log.

Does that make sense to try?

[Downslide]

It might give the News events more visibility if was written at the end of the Daily Log.

Does that make sense to try?

This. If they show at the top and they aren't on a Monday or First of the Month, they will get passed on by.

[Jayof9s]

Sorry, I briefly forgot I was going to share this and then it took a while for me to find since it has been... a while since I used it.

Here is the listing of canon news agencies by faction.

[Vampire_Seraphin]

Sorry, I briefly forgot I was going to share this and then it took a while for me to find since it has been... a while since I used it.

Here is the listing of canon news agencies by faction.

Thanks, I was actually looking for a list like this a few days ago.

[BLOODWOLF]

<news>
###Year 3000
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New Commander Of The Otomo</headline>
      <date>3000-01-27</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Takashi Kurita has been named the new Commander of the Otomo as of January 1st 3000.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Kalidasa Attacked!</headline>
      <date>3000-04-07</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Kalidasa, located in the Free Worlds League, had a 'Mech factory come under attack by an unknown force recently.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Kalidasa Raided</headline>
      <date>3000-04-28</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Free Worlds League planet, Kalidasa, was raided by the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Twelfth Battle For Hesperus II</headline>
      <date>3000-09-22</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Kurita dropped three 'mech regiments with support on Hesperus II in another invasion attempt.  The Eridani Light Horse 1st Support Company was able hold open a space port long enough for Steiner reinforcements to arrive and repel the invaders.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Confederation Captures Suzano</headline>
      <date>3000-09-29</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Liao capitalizes on House Marik's decision to strip the bulk of Suzano's defending 'mech forces to combat the Lyran threat.  Defended only by a few light 'mech lances and infantry, the Capellans crush the defenders and now plan to occupy Suzano permanently.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New Davion</headline>
      <date>3000-11-24</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Yvonne Davion gave birth to her third child on November 1st 3000, a healthy boy named Jackson.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Suzano Liberated</headline>
      <date>3000-12-22</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Suzano's 3rd and 5th Infantry Support Companies who were in the wilderness for training when the Capellans arrived, pushed back the invaders after a three month-long insurgency campaign.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Hi-Scout Drone Carrier</headline>
      <date>3000-12-29</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[ScolTek Associates(LC) have produced the Hi-Scout Draone Carrier, a reconnaissance combat vehicle that can launch and control six reconnaissance drones.  The carrier has a sophisticated sensor suite which includes, infrared, seismic, sound, motion, radio, radar, and hyperpulse.  Capable of detecting units within 60 kilometers, it's three NapFind and three PathTrack drones are used to create a "sensor chain" boosting the units detection range over 100%.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
###Year 3001
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Conflict On Lincoln</headline>
      <date>3001-12-07</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Warrior Houses of Imarra and Lu Sann drove off the superior forces of the 7th Crucis Lancers in defense of Lincoln.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Astrokaszy Recognized</headline>
      <date>3001-12-14</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[For the first time in the history of the planet Astrokaszy, a stable federal government has been formed and recognized by the Inner Sphere and Comstar.  Under the leadership of Caliph Shervanis the colony has also been connected to the HPG network.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Brutus Assault Tank (LRM)</headline>
      <date>3001-12-21</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Kressly Warworks of Epsilon Eridani(CC) have produced a new LRM variant to the Confederations Brutus Assault Tank.  The LRM variant replaces the Large Lasers with a pair of LRM-20 launchers mounted in the turret.  Six tons of ammunition and increased armor protection will keep this variant going in battle.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun (LRM)</headline>
      <date>3001-12-28</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[A new refit for the Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun has recently been developed, turning the Hetzer into a long-range fire support vehicle.  The LRM variant replaces the AC/20 with two LRM-15s and four tons of ammunition.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
###Year 3002
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Duke Of Procyon</headline>
      <date>3002-01-25</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Anton Marik has recieved the title of Duke of Procyon and now commands the Capellan front of the Free Worlds League.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Attack On Loric</headline>
      <date>3002-03-29</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Captain-General Janos Marik ordered an attack on the Lyran world of Loric this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Janos Marik Attacks Solaris VII</headline>
      <date>3002-09-27</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[FWLM troops attacked the Lyran world of Solaris VII this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>           
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Fox Trap!</headline>
      <date>3002-10-11</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Warrior House Ijori has trapped Davion troops on Cammal.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Donegal's Save Solaris VII</headline>
      <date>3002-10-18</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The Donegal Guards counter assaulted and repelled the House Marik invaders from Solaris VII.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Gordon's Highland Captured</headline>
      <date>3002-10-25</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[The 2nd St. Ives Lancers captured the entire Gordon's Highland Light mercenary unit during reconnaissance of Pinard, netting the Lancers twelve rare Panther battlemechs.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Operation Concentrated Weakness</headline>
      <date>3002-11-01</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Archon Alessandro has pulled numerous troops from within the Commonwealth and deployed them along the Free Worlds League border to repel any further attacks from House Marik.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Coordinator's Nephew Crashed</headline>
      <date>3002-11-08</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Akiro Kurita, nephew of Coordinator Hohiro Kurtia, was killed during an accident while piloting the Combine's Sholagar aerospace fighter.  Sources indicate a flaw with the circular wing design in atmospheric flight that had been reported over a decade ago but, those reports were ignored.  The Combine now plans to phase out the Sholagar after this tragic accident.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Coordinator's Second Son Deceased</headline>
      <date>3002-11-15</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Coordinator Hohiro Kurita's son Miyamoto Kurita died honorably in battle.  He is survived by his son Isoroku Kurita who along with the entire royal family mourn his passing.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Marik Pulls Out Of Loric</headline>
      <date>3002-11-22</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Captain-General Janos Marik ordered a retreat of all FWLM forces from the Lyran planet of Loric this month.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Gen. Willis Crawford Blamed</headline>
      <date>3002-11-29</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[After the failed offensive against the Lyran Commonwealth, General Willis Crawford has been court-martialled and sentenced to death on July 1, 3003.  This will be the first military execution to occur in the Free Worlds League in over a century.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Quickdraw QKD-5A</headline>
      <date>3002-12-06</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Production has begun on the QKD-5A variant of the highly mobile Quickdraw this year.  Seeking to give the Quickdraw more endurance for extended missions, the LRM-10 has been replaced with another pair of forward firing medium lasers along with four additional heatsinks.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Von Luckner Heavy Tank VNL-K100</headline>
      <date>3002-12-13</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[HartfordCo Industries introduces the VNL-K100 varaint to their heavy-hitting Von Luckner Heavy Tank this year.  Replacing all of the weapons except for the AC/20 and a SRM-6, the VNL-K100 mounts a second AC/20 to the turret making the heavy tank even more deadly at close range.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>Partisan Heavy Tank (AC2)</headline>
      <date>3002-12-20</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[Kallon Industries introduced an experiment with increasing the effectiveness of their already successful Partisan Heavy Tank.  This new AC/2 variant drops the quad AC/5s replaces them with five AC/2s.  Giving the anti-aircraft tank increased range and rate of fire.]]></desc>
   </newsItem>
   <newsItem>
      <headline>New MechBuster Fighter</headline>
      <date>3002-12-27</date>
      <desc><![CDATA[House Kurita has introduced a new conventional fighter at Gorton, Kingsley, and Thorpe Enterprises.  Named the MechBuster, it's primary asset is the Zeus 75 AC/20 firing four-round bursts of HDUAP(hyper-velocity depleted uranium penetrators).]]></desc>
   </newsItem>

[Akjosch]

Looking through the NewsML-G2 IPTC standard for news exchange, the following data might be useful to optionally record (even if it's not used yet) in addition to the date, headlines and the actual news text, if someone wants to put the work into it. In no particular order ...

* A unique ID per news item
  MekHQ can generate it, but specifying one means it can be referenced later.
* The news agency providing the news
* Publication location(s)
  That is, where the news was made public. A list of planets, factions or faction groups (IS, Clan). It's basically assumed that these places got the news released at the same day (the publication date) and then spread through the HPG network - something MekHQ already has the required data for simulating.
* Editorial note (basically, stuff for future editors of the news item)
* Links to other news related to this one (unique IDs, see first item)
* Story location (already a data field in MekHQ)
* Information sources (agencies, people and so on)
* Author (in-universe) of the news item
* Priority (how important the news is; low-priority news spread slower and are displayed below high-priority ones)

Also, the actual news text could have a language attribute (defaulting to lang="en"), so that people could write translated versions of it - but that would require code support, as opposed to the items above.

[BLOODWOLF]

Maybe even allow it to have a picture from the fluff folder for the mech/unit or a portrait of the person each article is about like off sarna.

[Southernskies]

Had a strange though about the daily logs; would it be possible to add tab filtering?

ie: Unique Events / Personnel Events / Repair Rolls

Unique Events should contain MekHQ dated items, AtB market reports, Equipment orders that have arrived and births/deaths etc  (all the things that auto-generate or take long periods before they turn up and you need to catch).

Personnel Events include healing, xp gain/spend etc

[Vampire_Seraphin]

I'm going to start working my way through the TROs. Unlike BW, I really like the fluff stuff, feel like it makes the world live and breath a lot more. Here are the stories I've completed for TRO 3025 light mechs so far as a sample.

Feb 15, 2463, Coventry Defense Conglomerate Press Statement, Coventry

Lighter, Faster, Stronger

Coventry Defense Conglomerate is proud to announce the unveiling of their new flagship product, the COM-1A Commando. This new battlemech is the first of a new breed. Built for reconnaissance with a bite, this battlemech weighs a mere 25 tons, and can run at sustained speeds of over 80 KPH, twice that of the Hegemony’s white elephant, the Mackie. Powered by a tireless fusion plant and armed with a long range, large bore laser, this mech can roam far and wide as the eyes, and teeth, of its battalion.

August 11, 2630, Free Wotan Underground Press, Wotan

SLDF Killers Raid our Homes and Cities!

Continue the fight free people of Wotan! Do not let the SLDF oppressors trample your lives and your hopes! The SLDF has sent their vicious attack dog, the XXX Corps, to fight us. We do not fear these “Fingers of Death” and will face them with a cloak of righteousness. Already we have destroyed two of their puny Hussar battlemechs. They thought they could defeat us by dropping behind the rebel lines and hitting us where we are weak. But we are not weak! And we will defeat them. Do not be afraid citizens of Wotan, the rebellion wil… <transmission ends at source>

January 30th, 2650, INN, Terra

New Battlemech in Record Time?

Last year the SLDF asked contractors to bid on a project to design a new light mech for elite SLDF commando teams. In a speech given from Unity City, General Carmen Trevena announced Newhart Interstellar Industries were the winner today in an unexpectedly fast turnaround. Their mech design, the Spider, is an extremely mobile all energy design with full articulated hands. The SLDF expects it to become an excellent scout and light raider.
Other defense contractors have made allegations of corruption in the procurement process. Many had not even finished prototyping initial designs yet. Newhart Interstellar Industries claims that the timing was simply good, and they had been working on a fast light mech for some time.

March 30, 2796, Voice of the Dragon, Kentares

Davion Treachery

The Davion dogs have ambushed and destroyed a company of brave samurai on Kentares. Our proud mechwarriors, en route to their duty on the front lines, were attacked from behind by the cowards of Davion’s Bunk’s lance who then fled their crime. When our forces pursued, they were attacked by heavy Davion mechs lying in wait.
The Dragon will withstand this treachery and reprisals against the people of Kentares will continue. The planet will run red with blood until the loss of the coordinator is repaid.

July 15, 2798, INN, Sendai

Kill the Messenger?

News reports have reached our affiliates in the Draconis March that the elite Eridani Light Horse, formerly of the SLDF have turned on their employer. Details are still sketchy, but we at INN believe that the Combine government attempted to hold the Horsemen’s dependents hostage.

In response, the 8th Recon, and 50th Heavy Cavalry battalions decimated the DCMS government and garrison last month. During the fighting, the 8th Recon’s Mercury mech company was reported destroyed. Not all casualties of what we are now calling the Succession War will be human. With the destruction of their mechs, the last large concentration of the Mercury design in the Inner Sphere has been lost. Only scattered examples of this SLDF masterpiece are believed to have survived the last 12 years of intense fighting.

October 25, 2934, Oriente Observer, Styk

Militia Turns Heads

The Marik Militia severly embarrassed House Liao last week on Styk. An elite Liao infantry battalion was garrisoning the city of Devonshire, guarding the supply warehouses there. A small number of green militia mechs dropped onto Styk and used their mobility to drive the Liao forces from their positions in the industrial district. Our brave Marik Spiders proving far too mobile to pin down. With friendly forces in temporary control of the district, Marik forces spent the entire afternoon loading plunder, and stripped the warehouses bare. The Liao forces vaunted skill was nowhere to be seen as militia force claimed eight vehicle kills against zero losses.

November 15, 2970, Tharkad Broadcast Corporation, LaBlon

Star Guard on the Rise

The year closes out on a high note for the 12th Star Guard, currently in Lyran employ. The mercenaries raided the warehouses of LaBlon in the Draconis Combine last month. Sensing an opportunity, the Guards sent several swift Spider battlemechs behind the DCMS forces, distracting them long enough for the guard to get a foot hold, then push the Kuritans out of the city.

12 March, 3000, Federated Suns News Service, New Avalon

Repair Facility Laid Waste!

7th Company of the 1st Davion Guards returned home in triumph this month. They were dispatched last year to raid the Marik world of Sirius, and capture Spider battlemechs undergoing repair there. The Spider is a highly effective raider, and there are few examples in good condition in the Federated Suns. The 1st Davion captured five intact Spiders, and burned the Marik repair facility to the ground. House Davion hopes to reverse engineer the design, and begin local production in a few years.

December 31, 3002, New Avalon News Service, Cylene II

A Federated Suns Christmas

DCMS forces evacuated Cylene II today after weeks of pitched fighting. NANS has spoken to the commander on site, Marshall Jacob Achernar, of the Fourth Deneb Light Cavalry.

“The decisive battle of this campaign was Waterhole Number Nine. We knew the snake advance would pass near the lake, and stationed several recon lances underwater at that location. We had a large number of Javelins, and we outfitted them with torpedo launchers for this battle. After that, we pulled back to the far side of the lake, and let the snake have the water. They moved into the lake to cool down their heavy machines, which were running hot. Then we let them have our Christmas present, *the Marshall mimes firing a pistol at the camera with his finger*, a wall of torpedoes right into their legs. I’ve heard Prince Ian loved it.”

May 10, 3011, Donegal Broadcast Company, Sevren

Fighting Spirit!

The Winfield Guards were shattered on Sevren this week in new battles with House Kurita. Trapped in a mountain pass, they were bombed and strafed by DCMS fighters, losing four battalions of mechs. Most of the unit has withdrawn for repairs, but several recon pilots have stayed behind to prepare the way for the 2nd Donegal Guards. We have reports that these brave pilots are fighting in damaged machines, but are still calling for all local pathfinders to join them as they guide the Donegal mechs, who are still new to the world, in a counter attack.

Godspeed pilots.

[Hammer]

Can I offer a suggestion for collecting these.

Set up a shared google docs or google spreadsheet so people can add them in a single location.

[Dalthius]

I know I'm reviving a lot of old threads around here, but how is this coming along? I'm all about adding deep fluff to my games.