My thoughts on the latest issue of Shrapnel

[Atlas3060]

One last favor:  I haven't had a chance to play destiny yet, but this tiny one-shot is so perfectly written I'm probably going to adapt it for waterdeep!  well done by the writer to make a VERY battletech specific adventure yet write it well enough we can steal the ideas for other games.  good suff!

Glad to hear it, that was kind of the original intent. "Mechless first timer mission to help folks get a starting contract" was the idea I wanted to work with.
Let me know how it translates to Waterdeep, I'm always curious to see how these things play out in different titles. 

[rebs]

Atlas3060, you are one of the other first-timers I take it?  Great stuff, man!

And fivecorparty, thank you for your most complimentary review on my story as well.  When I read in one of the Rec Guides that Clan Wolf was harvesting Solaris gladiators, I knew right away what I wanted to write. 

Maybe one day in the future we'll see what happens to Daniel Wolf next.

[Atlas3060]

Atlas3060, you are one of the other first-timers I take it?  Great stuff, man!

And fivecorparty, thank you for your most complimentary review on my story as well.  When I read in one of the Rec Guides that Clan Wolf was harvesting Solaris gladiators, I knew right away what I wanted to write. 

Maybe one day in the future we'll see what happens to Daniel Wolf next.

Yup I am and Daniel Wolf's story was very entertaining! 

[rebs]

Yup I am and Daniel Wolf's story was very entertaining! 

Thank you, sir. 

My spider sense tells me Daniel has to face REAL adversity next time.  (Aside from getting his butt kicked repeatedly by Marva Sender.)

[five_corparty]

And fivecorparty, thank you for your most complimentary review on my story as well.  When I read in one of the Rec Guides that Clan Wolf was harvesting Solaris gladiators, I knew right away what I wanted to write. 

Well, when you write good stories, I give good reviews. 

No, but seriously, to all the authors: I really enjoyed #7, I think it was a strong issue overall, so don't think because I didn't gush I didn't like yours- I did, just some connected with me more, and that's ok!  the world would be VERY BORING if all y'all liked everything I liked, you know? :-)

[Swankmotron]

"The Kodiak reached out, aiming its laser-battery claws rights right at Nicks." I swear that I felt what Katie was feeling at that moment. But Arkee comes in with the save. Bravo Mister Young, bravo. I didn't see that coming. I hope you know that fake out means you cannot kill Dexter or any other character off until you pen the Fox Patrol novel. So Fox Patrol is banged up but survives. It turns out the planetary government has no money to pay them. The Kodiak pilot escapes so we'll definitely be seeing them later. Potential ally, rival, frenemy?

I'm left with only one question. Spotlight On: The Fox Patrol when?

Thanks for the kind words. And there is definitely more Fox Patrol in the pipeline!

[rebs]

I really liked this issue 7.  Can't wait to read what comes next in March.

One story I noticed that did not get a review so far (unless I missed it)

Vengeance Games by Craig Reed Jr.

I love stories like this.  Something about it is very John Wick-esque.  We need more stories like that, with convoluted plotlines, lots of action, and nobles getting in the way of everything.  Riordan Mallory isn't bad (I like historians and other studious types), but the Hasek guy?  Mmmmmmm...  I don't know.  Maybe he can turn things around and remove his head from his wazoo before the story wraps up in the next two installments.   

Anyway, this made me go back and re-read the first installment in Shrapnel 6.   Good stuff.

Protector of the Blood by Charles Gideon.

It's not hard to make me get misty-eyed while reading, but I still like it when a story does that to me.  Makes me feel...  I don't know, alive?  Or human?  Maybe I'm just too emo for my own damn good.  I felt sorry for every broken bone the protagonist took, every bruise, scrape and the burns, oh god, the burns...  Ouch.  But when his charge rescued him (yeah, maybe she was doing too much for her age, but I agree with fivecorparty, she's a little sib munchkin, and a Wolf Exile as well, so hey, it worked for me), and all was right.  What got me was when our protagonist woke up on the dropship. 

Here's to hoping Lowella reappears in the future as Dual-Citizen Wolf/Kell Hound.

Behind the Curtain: The Exituri's Holiday Traditions by Ettiene Charron-Willard

What the hell is a huge universe like BattleTech without a secretive, apocalyptic, Messianic religious sect that lives right under our noses?  Bland, that's what.  I liked this little write-up/report.  Adds a lot of color to the game and to this issue. 

[rebs]

Wow!

I have to give a shout out to Anchors Aweigh, by J. D. Neil.

I like this one a lot.  A bright, up-and-coming mechwarrior gets an invite into a brand-new Star League Special Forces combined arms unit.  Since he was just dumped by his girl back home, he goes for it without taking time to think it over.  And he pulls his tech along for the ride.

I expect to see this one continued down the line.  At least, I hope so!

[five_corparty]

Shrapnel 8 is available on kindle, whoot!! :-)

[Mendrugo]

Interesting that this issue includes a previously out-of-print BattleCorps story.  This could be the new way those get re-introduced back into the roster of available products, rather than anthologies.  I'm all in favor of getting those out of the file drawers and back into circulation, and having it occupy just 20 pages in a 228 page book means it's in no danger of displacing new content.

[Wrangler]

So far with Shrapnel #8, i love the short story featured around the LRM Carrier crew & their sister units.  Makes you think bout human cost when one those carriers are lost.    I do think their vet/elite almost given how well they did in the story.
I'm slowly reading through it.

[Mendrugo]

Yeah, I really liked John-David Karnitz's focus on the support units.  When I put them on the board, those thin-skinned carriers are pretty much always expected to die, with just the hope that they'll kick out enough damage to be worth deploying before they get wiped out and the crew dies.  This nicely encapsulates their proper role in the field and the suffering they go through when things go pear shaped and they get in direct exchanges of fire.

[five_corparty]

Yeah, I really liked John-David Karnitz's focus on the support units.  When I put them on the board, those thin-skinned carriers are pretty much always expected to die, with just the hope that they'll kick out enough damage to be worth deploying before they get wiped out and the crew dies.  This nicely encapsulates their proper role in the field and the suffering they go through when things go pear shaped and they get in direct exchanges of fire.

Absolutely a good story.  I also thought the setting and fight sequences in Hollow Glory were superb.  I'm slowly working though it- Mixed-tech was interesting, I wish the gladiator b was a bit longer, kinda more like "the mech of the week," but it's a great article for newcomers to the franchise.  Operation Hollywood is REALLY interesting, i dug that a LOT, and I hope you guys enjoy "Old Rules" as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I've been working on that one for years, honestly, it never really seemed to come together right until when I finished it last fall.
 Part of the problem was, it's a story about 2 brilliant colonels at the top of their game trying to outsmart each other, which means I had to be smarter than BOTH of them to write it!

[Mendrugo]

The back and forth, with each commander doing their level beat to outfox each other, put me in the old Spy vs. Spy mindset, with excellent use of canon equipment that has never before hit the page.  Well done!  My only initial point of puzzlement was the title change between fact check and publication.

[Daryk]

You guys are almost making me buy the issues after #1... One author will at least get me to buy two more issues... 

[five_corparty]

The back and forth, with each commander doing their level beat to outfox each other, put me in the old Spy vs. Spy mindset, with excellent use of canon equipment that has never before hit the page.  Well done!  My only initial point of puzzlement was the title change between fact check and publication.

That was John, he asked me to change it and a few other tweaks at the last second- I liked the historical reference, but he wanted to tie it closer to the story.  and I get it, it's like a band having to put parenthesis after a song - Escape (The Pina Colada song) for example - for people to be able to find it.
I rolled my eyes because I, like all writers, am incredibly arrogant and thought my story perfect, but I complied anyways. ;-) hahaha

[five_corparty]

with excellent use of canon equipment that has never before hit the page.  Well done!

Oh, and thanks for the compliments!  I need to get better at using the full breadth of BattleMechs available- I should have used something Capellan instead of that Stinger, for example, to keep putting fresh stuff out there - but since this was one of my older stories I just finally finished, I kinda give myself a pass on it.  My ELH stories, though, I really worked to get a LOT of stuff that had never seen screentime before onto the page! :-)

[Mendrugo]

You guys are almost making me buy the issues after #1... One author will at least get me to buy two more issues... 

E.L. James?

[Daryk]

I used to help edit his stuff, but  I can't claim any credit for helping with his publshed stories.  I'll keep that private unless he decides otherwise.

[Mendrugo]

That’s cool, then.

However, the response I was trying to set up was “50 Shades of Gray Death Legion.”   

[Marveryn]

Absolutely a good story.  I also thought the setting and fight sequences in Hollow Glory were superb.  I'm slowly working though it- Mixed-tech was interesting, I wish the gladiator b was a bit longer, kinda more like "the mech of the week," but it's a great article for newcomers to the franchise.  Operation Hollywood is REALLY interesting, i dug that a LOT, and I hope you guys enjoy "Old Rules" as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I've been working on that one for years, honestly, it never really seemed to come together right until when I finished it last fall.
 Part of the problem was, it's a story about 2 brilliant colonels at the top of their game trying to outsmart each other, which means I had to be smarter than BOTH of them to write it!

on old rules, i appreciate that you gave both commander a chance to shine.  One issue i always have with some stories is when the good guys win cause the bad guys is an idiot.  One of the reason i enjoy Master and commander on the far sea (film, never read the book).  I understand that writing two good commanders are always ben an issue but in battle while mistake are made you are not going to win just cause the guy your fighting was an idiot.  Sometimes you get someone who smarter and you have to roll the dice.

[five_corparty]

on old rules, i appreciate that you gave both commander a chance to shine.  One issue i always have with some stories is when the good guys win cause the bad guys is an idiot.

Thanks!
I have a couple of threads around here about writing, and one of the rules I've mentioned I try to obey when writing in Battletech is that (unless the character is otherwise noted as a rookie or whatever) these are professional armies.  They have been trained, they are experienced, and while they may make ERRORS, they are not STUPID.

It can make stories challenging to write - it would be SO much easier to give the antagonists stupid pills!! haha- but I think it's more realistic, and therefore, a better story for the readers, when they can see that the heroes had to EARN their victory.  That's just one of MY personal rules, not everyone writes that way and nor SHOULD they, Shrapnel is more interesting with the different voices of the different writers.  it's just my way, and I'm glad it worked for you. :-)

[Wrangler]

Old rules really also made long for playing larger games.  The tactics used with such unusual/unique units was fascinating.  It was nice also see Capellan commander who wasn't blind by the faction's typical behavior it usually undertakes.

[Kit deSummersville]

Did anyone get to peruse the article on Exofauna? If so, would you like to see more for your tabletop experiences?

[Mendrugo]

Did anyone get to peruse the article on Exofauna? If so, would you like to see more for your tabletop experiences?

Exoflora was great - good rules for alternate hex types, especially on the Alien Worlds maps, but still applicable to regular ones.  I’d love to see writeups for some of the previously detailed exoflora, such as the methane plants that can detonate when shot or the walking trees from the old Capellan SB.

I noticed it said that supertall trees could damage Mech armor with falling branches.  Any suggestions for simulating that?

[DarkISI]

I noticed it said that supertall trees could damage Mech armor with falling branches.  Any suggestions for simulating that?

I'd think it is covered by being treated as a building falling on you when they get cleared.

[mikecj]

Did anyone get to peruse the article on Exofauna? If so, would you like to see more for your tabletop experiences?

 I liked them... it makes a world alien.

[five_corparty]

Exoflora was great - good rules for alternate hex types, especially on the Alien Worlds maps, but still applicable to regular ones.  I’d love to see writeups for some of the previously detailed exoflora, such as the methane plants that can detonate when shot or the walking trees from the old Capellan SB.

I noticed it said that supertall trees could damage Mech armor with falling branches.  Any suggestions for simulating that?

if I'd seen the article BEFORE my story, I -totally- would have bonked some of the CRC mechs with branches... ;-) hahaha

[Jal Phoenix]

Exoflora was great - good rules for alternate hex types, especially on the Alien Worlds maps, but still applicable to regular ones.  I’d love to see writeups for some of the previously detailed exoflora, such as the methane plants that can detonate when shot or the walking trees from the old Capellan SB.

I noticed it said that supertall trees could damage Mech armor with falling branches.  Any suggestions for simulating that?

There was one world, I think detailed in one of the battle report sections of either Invading Clans or the Wolf and JF sourcebooks, that talked about a world with low gravity and incredibly tall trees. The canopy was said to be a LAM's paradise. I'd like to see more stuff about that kind of environment.

[Mendrugo]

Well, if we're allowed to fish for commentary:

Malthus Confederation - thoughts?  What's your personal Free Guild combo of color and natural feature/flora?  "We represent the Chartreuse Meat-Lettuce Guild."

Canopian Pleasure Circuses - how do they stack up against the Disney Starcruiser experience?  Are they actually spacefaring dens of evil or is SAFE just being paranoid?

The Great UrbanMech Uprising - yes, the Davion slums scene was an homage to Hitchcock's "The Birds"