The original Periphery book had the Taurians making the Griffin and the Hatchetman. With all the retcon, that was a Comstar mistake stuff it would be easy to replace those lines. The Griffin could become the Toros, almost the same mech, just smaller and supposedly mass produced by the Taurians. The Talos could easily be called a mistaken Hatchetman line, 5 tons size difference, AC 10 as main weapon for both.
The Magistracy has a similar problem. They finally get around to producing the Calliope and Penthesilea but they could have done that as down tech versions centuries earlier. The Calliope could use the Hermes II chassis and a large laser, SRM 4 and LRM 5 in place of its 3050 weapon array. The Penthesilea could just have weapons downgraded and a slower move. That would have given them the three bugs, a fast 40 tonner, the Shadowhawk and a 75 ton Penthesilea.
The Capellans would have benefitted from just adding the Thunderbolt and Battlemaster lines since they are said to love them, have many and want more. The Firebee line getting resurrected would have been perfect for their lighter forces. Seriously, a 35 tonner with a large laser and 4 SRM 2's. Not just retconning was a mistake.
Anyone think the Draconis Gladiator was a great mech? How about the Lyran Crossbow (fast LRM boat with a back up PPC) and the Ymir? Anyone wonder why no Longbow lines survived? Even though 4, IIRC, houses built it. How did the Combine never redesign the Charger into the Hatamoto Chi centuries before they did.
So many missed opportunities. Probably something like, screw the Succession Wars, we have clans coming just sweep it under the rug.
