Clan Blood Spirit: Get Off Our Lawn

[ColBosch]

One could easily take most of the IS mechs from CI and fluff/paint them up as 2nd line mechs for any of the smaller clans.  Some simple weapon upgrades and HS/armor tweaking and you are talking some solid machines.  They would have good guns and learn to play the heat curve quickly.

Really, between the huge amount of materiel the Smoke Jaguars shipped to Huntress, whatever the Steel Vipers and Hell's Horses brought back with them following their expulsions, and the ever-present merchant-warriors of Clan Diamond Shark, there's a chance that pretty much any Inner Sphere 'Mech up to about 3067ish found its way to the Homeworlds. Out of the current plastic line, I think the only 'Mechs I'd consider hard no's are Sneed's FrankenMech (since it's unique) and the Regent (because it's post-Wars of Reaving).

[Crimson Dynamo]

TRO:3055U notes the presence of designs like the Dart among the Jaguar forces on Huntress despite no records of any of those 'Mechs lost in action against that Clan, and it was theorized the Clans were indeed trading IS equipment amongst themselves.

[Wolf72]

Really, between the huge amount of materiel the Smoke Jaguars shipped to Huntress, whatever the Steel Vipers and Hell's Horses brought back with them following their expulsions, and the ever-present merchant-warriors of Clan Diamond Shark, there's a chance that pretty much any Inner Sphere 'Mech up to about 3067ish found its way to the Homeworlds. Out of the current plastic line, I think the only 'Mechs I'd consider hard no's are Sneed's FrankenMech (since it's unique) and the Regent (because it's post-Wars of Reaving).

doh, I should have noted I was referencing the amount of SL tech left from the Exodus that they could have kept up or relied upon.  There's TRO Golden Century which skins a lot of mechs for Clan use.

[Metallgewitter]

Another example: the Cobras aquired a wrecked axample of the Tarantula and then based a new 4-legged Mech on it. Plus the Recguide IlClan Classics stated that the clans often pressed captured IS Mechs into service with their garrisons though they would often upgrade said Mechs

[Stormlion1]

Parts are cheap and the Techs have the time and the need to do refit to at least Royals standard.

[Metallgewitter]

More like upgrading them with Clan weapons and a swap of the heatsinks to the common Double heatsinks while perhaps slapping on some more armor to boot. That alone turns any IS Mech into a more potent one considering the more compact Clan weaponry. Heck just take a Lonbgow and then swap the LRM batteries with their Clan counterparts. That frees up so much tonnage you probably don't know what to do with

[Wolf72]

More like upgrading them with Clan weapons and a swap of the heatsinks to the common Double heatsinks while perhaps slapping on some more armor to boot. That alone turns any IS Mech into a more potent one considering the more compact Clan weaponry. Heck just take a Lonbgow and then swap the LRM batteries with their Clan counterparts. That frees up so much tonnage you probably don't know what to do with

lol, easy ... go cheap.  Instead of going to DHS, keep the SHS and just add more (works for many mechs). Don't forget the Improved versions of intro (level 1) weapons.  Short lived but would help keep BV2 down.  Systems I'd swap for clan standard: MGs & Flamers.

[StCptMara]

lol, easy ... go cheap.  Instead of going to DHS, keep the SHS and just add more (works for many mechs). Don't forget the Improved versions of intro (level 1) weapons.  Short lived but would help keep BV2 down.  Systems I'd swap for clan standard: MGs & Flamers.

BV only exists In Universe for the Arcade Rangers, though...No-one is going "We will use this less efficient thing to keep BV down." They are going "What do we have around that we can use? As we are Clan, we have plenty of Double Sinks..let's swap those in, and then see about other stuff..Think we can put in CASE for the ammo weapons, and, you know, that is all the ammoo systems we have, anyway..."

[Wolf72]

available supply, 'cost' effectiveness, production ability/speed/reliability, etc (ie I can't think of other reason) ... all could fair reasons for SHS.  Keeping SHS would be a much faster upgrade I think

you are correct, though.  DHS makes everything more palatable, especially when it comes to energy weapons.

[StCptMara]

available supply, 'cost' effectiveness, production ability/speed/reliability, etc (ie I can't think of other reason) ... all could fair reasons for SHS.  Keeping SHS would be a much faster upgrade I think

you are correct, though.  DHS makes everything more palatable, especially when it comes to energy weapons.

And Blood Spirits love our energy weapons, especially ER Large Lasers and Heavy Lasers. I would think that, because of that, DHS are almost assured on any Blood Spirit refits, if for no other reason than the heat generation. Also, just the making a new factory to manufacture Single Sinks, and engines with single sinks, would be an issue in the long run.

[HobbesHurlbut]

During the Clan invasion I doubt it.  Although they had a large collection of Star League era mechs.

Kestrel and Bandit(whoop, was an existing clan before Dragoons, my bad) are an odd duck in that respect. Even if they're not Mechs.

[HobbesHurlbut]

Posted a fast transport for ProtoMech based on Donar: https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,83305.0.html
Slapped together a short fluff for it. So not necessarily final.

[Stormlion1]

Don't forget the huge numbers of Star League era mechs the Spirits got from the Ravens in exchange for warships. The Spirits had decades of experience in upgrading designs to be effective.

[Wolf72]

And Blood Spirits love our energy weapons, especially ER Large Lasers and Heavy Lasers. I would think that, because of that, DHS are almost assured on any Blood Spirit refits, if for no other reason than the heat generation. Also, just the making a new factory to manufacture Single Sinks, and engines with single sinks, would be an issue in the long run.

True, true ... but we're also resource strapped, so to speak.  Upgrade what you can, use the left overs too.  I like the flavor of SHS for 2nd line and training (basically 3rd tier for clans imo) equipment and DHS for front line -- but that's not how the fiction goes.  DHS units are definitely sexier.

[alex blood spirit]

here's an idea after the clan invasion  thr Spirits WERE able to get the hands on new Inner sphere designa and were able to improve them . my idea would be for a light mech light the Holander with alternate main weapons such a energy based

[Stormlion1]

The Blood Spirits for a long time were pretty much in isolation which would give the Clan a long time to tinker with technology and designs. It was only the raw material issue that caused them issues.

[tassa_kay]

I think it's both, actually. WoK notes that not only have the Spirits had less access to modern technology due to their isolation, but they were horrified to learn that the Inner Sphere's technological level ranged from near-parity to surpassing them in some areas. Their development of ProtoMechs (not to mention the ProtoMechWarrior phenotype) was the only notable technological development we've really seen from them since then.

[Sjhernan3060]

Really, between the huge amount of materiel the Smoke Jaguars shipped to Huntress, whatever the Steel Vipers and Hell's Horses brought back with them following their expulsions, and the ever-present merchant-warriors of Clan Diamond Shark, there's a chance that pretty much any Inner Sphere 'Mech up to about 3067ish found its way to the Homeworlds. Out of the current plastic line, I think the only 'Mechs I'd consider hard no's are Sneed's FrankenMech (since it's unique) and the Regent (because it's post-Wars of Reaving).

I gotta think some entrepreneurial tech and some hard driving warriors came up with some wacky frankenmechs during the hard times

[alex blood spirit]

TO bad could work a deal with the sharks or Scorpions for raw materials or the opportunity togain new territory

[Stormlion1]

For a lot of the time the Blood Spirits existed they didn't trial or even attend council meetings. They only had the gear they had from there early years which meant that there probably was a lot of tinkering with weapons tech. Anyone wonder if the Spirits came up with something interesting but couldn't do anything with it because lack of rescources?

[alex blood spirit]

true resources were limited but what the Spirit's needed a were a few leaders with some vision and foresight

[alex blood spirit]

how often did the Spirit's take bondsman ? was it common or rare opportunity

[Wolf72]

how often did the Spirit's take bondsman ? was it common or rare opportunity

I think it was rare on both sides of the equation

[tassa_kay]

how often did the Spirit's take bondsman ? was it common or rare opportunity

Per WoK: "To describe the Blood Spirits as insular would be an understatement. They rarely take bondsmen, and often attempt bondsref rather than be taken in by other Clans. Those few taken by other Clans rival the Fire Mandrills in their lack of cooperation."

[rebs]

The only Spirit bondsman I know of from canon was from before they were detailed - Sumner Johns, an ASF pilot from the Wolf Clan sourcebook.

Basically an anomaly. 

[alex blood spirit]

[t seems like there could be some benefit for the clan if they took a few bondsmen  because they could bring in new ldeas that could help

[Middcore]

[t seems like there could be some benefit for the clan if they took a few bondsmen  because they could bring in new ldeas that could help

Benefit from new ideas?

Maybe you don't really get the Blood Spirits' whole thing. 

[alex blood spirit]

it was a random thought some times i  think the spirits need  a good swift kick to get them going

[ColBosch]

it was a random thought some times i  think the spirits need  a good swift kick to get them going

So did Clan Star Adder.

[alex blood spirit]

At the time of the wolverine annihilation what  if the Spirit's worked out a behind  closed doors to save some of Clan Wolverine members and threw settling new worlds that they did not tell other clan's. the discovery of new planes was a joint venture between the 2 clans with sharing of resources and new tech. After the trial was finished and if any questions were asked about the number of dead wolverines the Spirits could say sloppy accounting  on the Widowmaker clan or Clan Mongoose were blinded by there due to their zell and hatred of Clan Wolverine. Which could give the Spirit's new resources in the future and use trails t claim Wolverine terriory and equipment