Hibernaculum: (Vacation) Home of Clan Star Adder

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

...
I like the adders too, so if there was a good story involving them reaching the sphere, I’d be game for it.

They don't need to reach the Inner Sphere, they just need to get in contact with someone from the Inner Sphere and there are loads of ways to make happen

In fact them (and others) showing up again shouldn't be central storyline because that was already done, having it be a side story would work much better


Here's a quick pitch for Star Adders resurfacing and also getting whole lotta other folks into the mosh pit as a bonus:

Old invasion corridor turns out to be loaded with something valuable (germanium, har-gej, whatever...) and it catches Spheroid attention

So the RasDom/Kuritans are all like: "All that stuff will be very helpful with generating income and useful for killing those honorless Kuritan/RasDom dogs even better. Yes it's a bit close for comfort to Clan Homeworlds but who cares what they think!"

And Star Adders and Homies are like: "You are waaaay too close for comfort and all that stuff is hours because we are pure and uncorrupted!"

Then you have Scorpions going all: "All of you are too close for comfort and that expensive stuff belongs to the Empire anyway! Great Father himself told us so. Just last week. In our vision."

And Hell's Horses are like: "Those Stone Lion posers are ripping off our style and is that a sweat lodge? Do they think they are Nova Cats or something! Dezgra culture and resources thieves!"

And Oberon is all: "We ain't gotta clue what's happening here but this looks like a perfect time to steal some s**t! YARRRRRRR MATEY!!!!"

And do I even need to explain why Lyrans would be interested in getting in on the action in light of their newfound fiscal insolvency?

And just like that Homies are back in the shooting gallery with everyone else without breaking ongoing storyline...

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Like I said, a new conflict area

[Gaiiten]

It would be interesting. The military of the Home Clöans should be far, far more powerful than that of the Scorpions. Even in 3090 the Adders had more galaxies and clusters than the Empire.

[tassa_kay]

It would be interesting. The military of the Home Clöans should be far, far more powerful than that of the Scorpions. Even in 3090 the Adders had more galaxies and clusters than the Empire.

That's assuming that since the Adders weren't allowed to continue their invasion plans for the Hanseatic League because of the moratorium, they haven't all simply eaten each other for lack of an enemy to fight. The Aggressors have had more than enough time to age into positions of power and start making real trouble for the Bastions.

[Metallgewitter]

Who knows maybe the Adders underwent a civil war of their own weakening them for the forseeable future. Or all the Homies wiped themselves out leaving only ruins behind

[Gaiiten]

Or they have been frantically rebuilding their toumans because they know they need the same military might as all Clans had in 3050.
This would meet the Adders`way of strategic thinking.

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

Or they are alive and well, their touman also but are busy with something else entirely, it's a big galaxy

We know they drew a line and said that there will be no crossing that line but saying that isn't enough by itself, you need to stand all along that line to make sure nothing crosses it and looking at the map it would be a pretty big line which means a decent chunk of their touman would have to man it

Especially if they are also keeping all the data from crossing as well which means that they also wouldn't have a clue what's happening outside

Their own theories could be ranging from "Entire Inner Sphere nuked itself into extinction" to "Entire Inner Sphere is coming to nuke us into extinction" (part of it tried to before)

How dark did they go, intel wise?

And where exactly is that no-go line? How many Deep Periphery planets are on the inside? Inner Sphere is tainted but Deep Periphery isn't supposed to be so would they be doing something with them? There would be resources and populations on those planets.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Untapped story potential for ilClan Era, but yes I agree with you, technically Deep Perhipery is not Inner Sphere, and Scorpions are on their radar, and the Scorps are always ready for them in case they show up, thus creating the "Garrison Caste". They could launch intel per say into Periphery to see whats going on in the Sphere ?

Evolved Clan Culture reveal, more Protomech stuff perhaps ?

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

Untapped story potential for ilClan Era, but yes I agree with you, technically Deep Perhipery is not Inner Sphere, and Scorpions are on their radar, and the Scorps are always ready for them in case they show up, thus creating the "Garrison Caste". They could launch intel per say into Periphery to see whats going on in the Sphere ?

Evolved Clan Culture reveal, more Protomech stuff perhaps ?

Exactly!!! (Maybe even protomechs that don't look like D'n'D dungeon staff and don't have whacky pilots? Man can dream...)

Keeping the taint out is important but doing it by completely ignoring events outside is foolish.

They would have to make effort to collect intel from beyond the separation line and Clan Watch should be making this their top priority.

I have no doubt that once designers do decide to bring back Star Adders and Home Clans they will write that they kept the tabs on Inner Sphere all that time by sneaking through Periphery, nabbing random people for interrogation (like Scorpions do with pirates) and listening in on all sorts comms. Perhaps even sending operatives inside for first hand accounts.

As for Star Adders, Homies and Scorpion Empire while active Watch operations have been stamped out by both sides in decades since I have no doubt that there are still agents on the ground laying low, taking notes and reporting back to the Homeworlds. Scorpions would definitely have general idea about the situation in the Homeworlds as well. Spying is still a thing and Dark Caste ships that slip out would be targeted for information gathering just as much as Inner Sphere pirates are and Homeworld and Empire's spaceships would be running into each other way out there in the deep from time to time before bailing (weaker side pulls out) and going home to report on what happened.

Knowledge of situation in the Homeworlds would be high value data that Scorpion Watch wouldn't be making public or just give away to anyone because that's not regular news, it's national security stuff. Just like Sea Foxes share the news reports from the Inner Sphere when they visit but don't disclose knowledge of events like Invasion of Republic by Wolves and Falcons or Annihilation of Nova Cats by Combine because it's military intel.

Crusade wouldn't be launched without making sure that everything is relatively stable in Coreward direction and that would require reliable information from the other side.

At the very least Star Adders plus Homies and Scorpions (their Watch units that is) are regularly and studiously watching each other's "TV stations" to stay in the loop and are going through each and every frame and sentence with fine tooth comb.


And good of you to remember Garrison Caste in the Empire, everyone keeps counting Scorpion galaxies and clusters (7 and 42) but they all ignore Garrison Caste PGCs which are hefty. It's never just touman with them anymore when it comes to home defense, it's touman + grunts and together they add up to something very sizable (it's called Imperio Militar for a reason but this is topic for different tread)

[Gaiiten]

Exactly!!! (Maybe even protomechs that don't look like D'n'D dungeon staff and don't have whacky pilots? Man can dream..

.

Matt Plog did some awesome looking variants of the Protomechs.
https://www.deviantart.com/mattplog/art/Comm-Production-Minotaur-696460448

Search his gallery for more.

However, I would rather see that the Home Clans have Mechs with Interface Cockpits (as to the Skinwalker Omnimech) as standard.

Keeping the taint out is important but doing it by completely ignoring events outside is foolish.

They would have to make effort to collect intel from beyond the separation line and Clan Watch should be making this their top priority.

I have no doubt that once designers do decide to bring back Star Adders and Home Clans they will write that they kept the tabs on Inner Sphere all that time by sneaking through Periphery, nabbing random people for interrogation (like Scorpions do with pirates) and listening in on all sorts comms. Perhaps even sending operatives inside for first hand accounts.

I do not think that the Scorpion does know what is going on with the Home Clans.

And good of you to remember Garrison Caste in the Empire, everyone keeps counting Scorpion galaxies and clusters (7 and 42) but they all ignore Garrison Caste PGCs which are hefty. It's never just touman with them anymore when it comes to home defense, it's touman + grunts and together they add up to something very sizable (it's called Imperio Militar for a reason but this is topic for different tread)

When in the WoR "civilian" castes tried to oppose the warriors and their resistance was too heavy to be subdued by ground forces, orbital bombardements was the usual solution to solve this problem.

[CJC070]

Sadly no one knows what is going on in the Homeworld.  Both the Scorpion Empire and Hells Horses had some contact but it has been silent for 60+ years.  Either they are waiting for the right moment to strike or they are barley hanging on with what they had.  Remember most of the planets in the Homeworld are barley livable and they lost a third due to the Wars of Reaving.  Only time and the right writer will tell us what’s been happening.

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

.Matt Plog did some awesome looking variants of the Protomechs.
https://www.deviantart.com/mattplog/art/Comm-Production-Minotaur-696460448

Search his gallery for more.

However, I would rather see that the Home Clans have Mechs with Interface Cockpits (as to the Skinwalker Omnimech) as standard.

I've seen those designs, excellent stuff, this is exactly how they should look like.

Good call on interface cockpits but they would still need to do something about pilots going bonkers first (it's just a matter of writer saying that they fixed it, it's not a new game rule being added or anything)

Protomech pilots have a tendency to go postal after a while, now imagine some guy who is plugged into something like Blood Asp going postal? It's a problem in dire need of fixing.

I do not think that the Scorpion does know what is going on with the Home Clans.

It's definitely official line at the moment

But if Home Clans come back writers will have to explain such a colossal radio silence which could be a hassle so I'm definitely putting my money on writers going with option that both sides were spying on each other and were simply keeping the info classified.

Keeps the story straightforward.

When in the WoR "civilian" castes tried to oppose the warriors and their resistance was too heavy to be subdued by ground forces, orbital bombardements was the usual solution to solve this problem.

True that but those civilians were just that - civilians and they obviously didn't have stuff like anti-orbital defenses, aerospace/space assets and reinforcements en route

Or just general stuff like interstellar nation and full size military armed to the teeth (on top of seven decades prep time)

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

Sadly no one knows what is going on in the Homeworld.  Both the Scorpion Empire and Hells Horses had some contact but it has been silent for 60+ years.  Either they are waiting for the right moment to strike or they are barley hanging on with what they had.  Remember most of the planets in the Homeworld are barley livable and they lost a third due to the Wars of Reaving.  Only time and the right writer will tell us what’s been happening.

Yeah their planets were trashed

I often see people going only with two options: they are coming with Invasion 2.0 or they are all dead and I just don't subscribe to it, there has to be a middle ground

If their planets are irrecoverably damaged it doesn't mean they are gone, we seen factions like Wolverines or Wobbies who were actively hunted and still managed to slip through

Home Clans have all the tools, skills and resources needed to survive

If situation is bad enough they would simply come to a conclusion that it's time to bail and relocate somewhere else just like so many before

They could have simply set up shop somewhere like Yarnfolk neighborhood North of the Combine, it would keep them alive and explain radio silence, there's no shortage of un-roasted planets in Deep Periphery

I just can't accept the possibility of them being gone, it doesn't compute

[Gaiiten]

Good call on interface cockpits but they would still need to do something about pilots going bonkers first (it's just a matter of writer saying that they fixed it, it's not a new game rule being added or anything).
Protomech pilots have a tendency to go postal after a while, now imagine some guy who is plugged into something like Blood Asp going postal? It's a problem in dire need of fixing.

Agreed.
However, the writers could achieve this with certain technological improvements/enhancements. Even with genetics.

It's definitely official line at the moment

But if Home Clans come back writers will have to explain such a colossal radio silence which could be a hassle so I'm definitely putting my money on writers going with option that both sides were spying on each other and were simply keeping the info classified.

This is an idea.
However, if the Home Clans do not send any message via HPG in direction of the Inner Sphere- or Scorpion Empire, there would be nothing to receive.
Radio messages does need very long a time in such interstellar distances.

True that but those civilians were just that - civilians and they obviously didn't have stuff like anti-orbital defenses, aerospace/space assets and reinforcements en route
Or just general stuff like interstellar nation and full size military armed to the teeth (on top of seven decades prep time)

The Home Clans have had seven decades of prep time either. And they could begin from far better basics (industrial capacities, manpower (civilian and military), aerospace and naval power, science).
If they do not accept the garrison caste as part of the touman and declaring them dezgra, it will be a very bloody business. It will be a genocide.

Nevertheless, it is a thrilling situation there.
Conquering the Empire is far away from being a piece of cake, look forward what is up to get happened with the Empire and the Home Clans.

[Metallgewitter]

Yeah their planets were trashed

Several but not all of them. Two planets of the original Pentagon are now "dead" and also some of the "better" one in the Kerensky cluter. but after the Reavings those planets that are left should be enough to feed a much reduced population.Of course what could have happened would be another set of unrestricted warfare ravaging what is left. Heck maybe we get this scenario: a hasty invasion of whatever is left due to a rapid decline of the Homeworlds. Kindof like what the Horses did during the Jihad: an offensive with a hasty exodus as Khan Cobb saw the writing on the wall

[Gaiiten]

The Home Clans do not need to build great settlements on the planets, industrial enclaves would be sufficed. And given their expertise in automated industries, these enclaves even would not need much manpower.
Much of the abandoned enclaves and their industries could be reactivated. Beginning from a base is better than start from something completely new.

[CJC070]

Yeah their planets were trashed

I often see people going only with two options: they are coming with Invasion 2.0 or they are all dead and I just don't subscribe to it, there has to be a middle ground

If their planets are irrecoverably damaged it doesn't mean they are gone, we seen factions like Wolverines or Wobbies who were actively hunted and still managed to slip through

Home Clans have all the tools, skills and resources needed to survive

If situation is bad enough they would simply come to a conclusion that it's time to bail and relocate somewhere else just like so many before

They could have simply set up shop somewhere like Yarnfolk neighborhood North of the Combine, it would keep them alive and explain radio silence, there's no shortage of un-roasted planets in Deep Periphery

I just can't accept the possibility of them being gone, it doesn't compute

I agree that they’re still alive and semi-well.  The question is are they preparing for invasion 2.0 or are they so strapped for resources it’s the Third Succession War but with Clan tech.

[Gaiiten]

Somehow when thinking about the Home Clans I have to think of Marabunta (Army ants). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_ant)

[BG-4U]

They don't need to reach the Inner Sphere, they just need to get in contact with someone from the Inner Sphere and there are loads of ways to make happen

In fact them (and others) showing up again shouldn't be central storyline because that was already done, having it be a side story would work much better


Here's a quick pitch for Star Adders resurfacing and also getting whole lotta other folks into the mosh pit as a bonus:

Old invasion corridor turns out to be loaded with something valuable (germanium, har-gej, whatever...) and it catches Spheroid attention

So the RasDom/Kuritans are all like: "All that stuff will be very helpful with generating income and useful for killing those honorless Kuritan/RasDom dogs even better. Yes it's a bit close for comfort to Clan Homeworlds but who cares what they think!"

And Star Adders and Homies are like: "You are waaaay too close for comfort and all that stuff is hours because we are pure and uncorrupted!"

Then you have Scorpions going all: "All of you are too close for comfort and that expensive stuff belongs to the Empire anyway! Great Father himself told us so. Just last week. In our vision."

And Hell's Horses are like: "Those Stone Lion posers are ripping off our style and is that a sweat lodge? Do they think they are Nova Cats or something! Dezgra culture and resources thieves!"

And Oberon is all: "We ain't gotta clue what's happening here but this looks like a perfect time to steal some s**t! YARRRRRRR MATEY!!!!"

And do I even need to explain why Lyrans would be interested in getting in on the action in light of their newfound fiscal insolvency?

And just like that Homies are back in the shooting gallery with everyone else without breaking ongoing storyline...

That would be the safest approach for the writers to test the waters of the HWCs coming back and give players some side action away from Clan Wolf.

[Gaiiten]

IMHO a future battlefield might be the Tanite worlds.
Depopulated in the WoR and being reported as deserted in the WoR aftermath but still rich in resources (raw materials and industrial facalities) they are a good price to fight for.
And they are a good stepstone to the Inner Sphere and to the Clan Home worlds respectively.

[Orwell84]

Interesting speculation above, but alas I fear it'll be years before we see the Homies again in print, and that's including Brush Wars: Burrock Absorption (damn mercs)

IMHO a future battlefield might be the Tanite worlds.
Depopulated in the WoR and being reported as deserted in the WoR aftermath but still rich in resources (raw materials and industrial facalities) they are a good price to fight for.
And they are a good stepstone to the Inner Sphere and to the Clan Home worlds respectively.

Not to mention being much more livable than the Pentagon or Cluster worlds themselves apparently, or at least self-sufficient according to the WOR Supplemental. Prime real estate like that, the Tanite worlds ought to be the first worlds re-settled. Restoring the Clan population to pre-Reaving levels might be easier on worlds where the environment isn't actively trying to kill the settlers, after all.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Interesting speculation above, but alas I fear it'll be years before we see the Homies again in print, and that's including Brush Wars: Burrock Absorption (damn mercs)

Oh? Have I missed an announcement somewhere?

[Orwell84]

Oh? Have I missed an announcement somewhere?

It was some time ago but there was a post in upcoming releases that BW: Burrock Absorption has been pushed back to season 4 of Brush Wars, with mercenary-themed items being released first due to the kickstarter.

[Gaiiten]

Given that TPTB like to publish products which are connected with each other in theme and ing-game timeline, these Clan-related Brush Wars events might get published when we might hear something about the Home Clans again.

[Gaiiten]

Brethren of Kerensky`s True Idea, I wish you a Happy New Year!

May the Stars of the Home Clans aglow again.

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

Brethren of Kerensky`s True Idea, I wish you a Happy New Year!

May the Stars of the Home Clans aglow again.

Seyla, throtkin!

True Star League will rise again, Happy New Year

[Crimson Dynamo]

May the Stars of the Home Clans aglow again.

Seyla! Also, Happy New Year!

[Gaiiten]

On Sarna.net is a nice story about the Hellfire Battlemech:

https://www.sarna.net/news/bad-mechs-hellfire/

A mech only for tough Warriors 

[Gaiiten]

At sarna.net there is an interesting long interview with Ray Arrastia and Aaron Cahall (Line Developer and Assistant Line Developer).
https://www.sarna.net/news/battletech-in-2024-an-interview-with-line-developer-ray-arrastia-assistant-line-developer-aaron-cahall/

Among some other info, they were asked about the Home Clans and they answered

*snip*
Sean: What’s up with the Home Clans? Are we gonna hear from them again?

Ray: Odds are we will hear from them again in the future. That said, the reason that they haven’t come back yet is there’s no interesting story there. There is some demand; people have factions back there that they’re interested in. I do as well, but there is just no interesting story.

It’s sort of like how the Golden Century wouldn’t have been a fertile place for stories while we were in the Third Succession War. If there’s no conflict, why do we care what’s going on out there? The focus isn’t there. So why do we go back and focus on the homeworlds? That’s what needs to be answered. Why? What interesting things can we say with them?

Aaron: So many of the ideas we get are just a variant of the Clan Invasion: Part 2 or Task Force Serpent. So you have to answer that question Ray just asked without using any words that make me think we’re invading one way or the other.

Well then we won’t invade, we’ll just do a Homeworlds-only story that has nothing to do with the Inner Sphere. And you’re into his other question, okay, why? It has to be so compelling—and I mean compelling, like without debasing the setting with aliens or something.

So we’re not invading the Inner Sphere. They’re not invading us. We have to have conflict in the homeworlds. That isn’t the Wars of Reaving ‘cause we’ve already done that, and it can’t be aliens. Once you start putting up guardrails, even very basic ones, it gets hard.

I worry that we’re at a place with the Home Clans—people won’t like me saying this, sorry, Ray—I worry that we’re at a place with the Home Clans where we are with the Minnesota Tribe. We’ve stopped answering that question, or rather, we answer now only in terms of any answer we give will be wrong to some significant portion of the fan base. So we don’t answer. We’re just not going to go down that road. Anything we say will be unsatisfying, so we’re just letting it lie. That’s easy with the Minnesota Tribe, ‘cause there’s been pokes at conspiracies and answers and other stuff.

The Home Clans I worry are entering that territory where any answer we give to them will be unsatisfying and wrong to a pretty significant part of the fan base. So anyone listening or reading, it has to be like the best idea we’ve ever heard to have us do something and not “Oh, I’ve an interesting variation on Task Force Serpent.” It’s got to be something that makes me literally sit up.

Ray: It’s kind of a long answer and Aaron and I could go even further, but it’s because it has been discussed. It’s been discussed to death. We haven’t forgotten about them. And as a reminder, it was sort of handed to us that they’ve been quiet for 80 years or so. Nobody’s had contact with them.

We’re focusing on the Inner Sphere, and we’ve moved 15, 20 years from that point in Dark Age. We will probably see them again someday, but it needs to be fun and interesting.

Sean: For now they can just have another Golden Century and we’ll just not talk about it because it’s kind of boring.

Aaron: And we’re going back with fiction to fill in some of those stories. You may have noticed, Randall’s last Founding of the Clans novel carried a Clan Homeworld symbol. John wants to do more in the home worlds, but not post-3085.

Mmhh, maybe how the Wars of Reavings was done they regret now. The Home Clans seem have to be moved in a dead end now.

[Alan Grant]

I'm actually glad they don't just want to do Clan Invasion 2.0 or a variation of Taskforce Serpent. I think that's smart and commendable. Battletech can be a little too fond of repeating history (of its own history even).

It would be easy to take this information as glass half empty, I'm trying to be a little glass half full here. They are looking for a GREAT story idea or angle and they just haven't found it yet. They don't want to just dream up some half-baked story. That's actually good news in my book. There's lots of ways that they could bring back the Homeworld Clans that would illicit nothing but eye rolls from this crowd. In recent years and decades I've watched a few of the fandoms that I've been a part of fall prey to bad products, bad writing, bad stories/movies etc. Enough so to recognize that there is value in taking your time and doing it right.

Also there is references to telling stories from the Homeworlds in past eras. I'm quite excited to hear that.