Doesn't hurt that the game also finally has new, far more economical and frankly better-looking minis coming out in real numbers, and is getting carried reasonably well by US distribution (which has become an enormous issue for many companies over five years or so). It's taken 38 years but I can finally point new players at BT and feel happy about recommending the minis. There's also a not-inconsiderable influx of new/returning players who've come over from Games Workshop, in part due to their own incredibly stupid decision to stifle fan support rather than permit and even encourage it. That said, I strongly disagree with your assessment of the ilClan era stuff. It's just another of many historical periods you can play BT in, and is neither better nor worse than any other. It does, at least, have its own identity in terms of very different available tech and mech design norms. I prefer the less complex earlier eras myself, but I'm not going to begrudge anyone who prefers later time periods, and I certainly won't criticize CG for opening up another era for people to experiment with.

@@richmcgee434 you're right, but I'm not a fan of IlClan Era. I get that Catalyst is just continuing the timeline, playing with the cards they were dealt, but the IlClan storylibe is built on the back of a whole bunch of flaming garbage- 2 whole eras of line that was either frantic "what can we do that is drastically wacky enough to keep the ship afloat?" (Jihad) or just plain lazy and incompetent (Dark Age) decisions. I should also clarify that, while I have played tabletop, my love of the IP comes from the fiction, the storyline, and the machinations of the Universe rather than the dice-rolling aspects (and the video games). In 30+ years of reading, I've consumed almost everything the universe has spit out. So, while I get the love of the cool tech and new mechs, my hate of anything post-Sepent/Bulldog cones from the fact that the "in-universe" story, decisions, etc are just an utterly dumpster fire of lazy, ridiculous movements and tone-deaf decisions. I'm a big proponent of retconning the story to right the wrongs (but not the ability or support to play tabletop with those tech levels) because of that fact. I also know most of the pushback/hate I get on it is from tabletop players who love the tech levels, which is fine: that's the beauty of 4 decades of development- you can come at this from a variety of positions. I'd love to see Catalyst keep churning out support, miniatures and readouts from ALL current eras for the gamers under the "legends" banner, but take the "in-universe" storyline back to when it wasn't just "well, let's do what we can with this pile of flaming garbage."

@@jasonashman9534 Well, I certainly can't disagree with your take on the Jihad/Dark Age issues (although I know a few who would) but there's just no way they'll somehow be retconned out of existence. IlClan might turn out equally as dreadful in the long run, but so far it hasn't been as terrible as I'd feared. Not really my cup of tea (I prefer either pre-Clan IS myself, or Wars of Reaving if I want to push around Clanners) but some folks seem pretty enthusiastic, and it's early days yet, maybe it'll grow on me. If nothing else seeing some differentiation between armor types in widespread use is a grossly overdue development - I can remember writing snail mail letters to FASA when the game was still Battledroids suggesting they do armor that worked better or worse against broad weapon types (eg energy, kinetic & explosive). Agreed that it would be nice if all the eras saw more support in terms of "historical" scenarios, though. I'm under the impression that Shrapnel's still doing that for the fiction end of things, but perhaps I'm wrong? The new era will inevitably get the most attention (since it's still being fleshed out) but no reason we can't look backward as well.

@@richmcgee434 to my knowledge, Shrapnel/Battlecorps are still releasing anthologies, but it is very hit and miss (although its gotten better), and, to give Catalyst its props, they've gone back to pushing fiction from those earlier eras (Bill Keith's recent Grey Death Legion story, the Kell Hounds and part of the ELH stories, etc) that were quite good. Like I said, different perspectives. 🤷‍♂️

I do agree with you about the armor types and some other developments; I always thought the storyline over-focused on the mechs, when conventional weaponry capable of serious anti-mech warfare clearly exist. Laser sighting by ground troops for guided missles were used in the first Gulf War, so I really cannot see how artillery guidance and long-distance munitions weren't utilized more, especially lately. Same with drones, satellites, etc. I know they all exist in-universe, and they are obvious and easy-to-implement force multipliers, especially in defensive situations, yet you never see them. The common explanation is that- especially with large payload guided missles- they're too much of a multiplier.... which is fine, until you write an entire Era where nukes and orbital bombardment are the norm. Since there has now been three of those (Amaris, SW 1/2, and Jihad) you can probably bring them in. Same with anti-mech infantry tactics; I LOVED the GDL/Caryle Commando's use of satchel charges, but how is that the ONLY legitimate infantry-based anti-mech weapon capable of crippling a mech? In a thousand years, no one thought "let's just build a Claymore mine, but to kill mechs!"? No one picked up a Jane's or other military tech manual in the 80s, and they've continued that trend today, so they have no real base for the tech. I asked a simple question awhile back: What, in-universe, differentiates one AC/20 from another? Because if there's 40 manufacturers, each autocannon would be different- different calibres, different ranges, different reliad times, different muzzle velocities, relaibility, repairability, etc etc etc. "In-universe" there is an entire arms industry continually fighting for contracts, making innovation, and looking for that edge. So, who builds the best AC/20? No one could answer me. Sure, EVERYONE knew it does X,Y,Z in the tabletop, but no one could tell me how it transferred "in-universe" beyond a very basic calibre spreadsheet gleaned from the old novels and readouts. As a storyline guy, this is what I want to know.... which is also why I dig this episode so much: it's logistics and numbers and data, built into the story; stuff that gets overlooked by many of the fans, but that is very much the mark of some writer(s) doing EXACTLY what they are supposed to be doing for line and story development.

It is crazy the devastation the SLDF suffers, but I do feel the numbers don't really add up, especially in the next episode. The Periphery Uprising is undertaken by a far less cohesive force than during the Reunification War. And yet they are able to destroy twice as many SLDF units in comparison to their own losses. That doesn't seem possible without the judicious use of WMDs, something which the sources tell us were actually far more restrained than during the RW. The only way I can justify it is if the periphery "regiments" were actually FAR larger than their SLDF equivalents (which could make sense for irregulars). They also made a point of going after the command units so maybe a loss of division command results in the loss of the whole unit in the figures.

It really didn't help that even if described as a good general in-universe, Kerensky meatgrindered the SLDF in reality as far as strategy and deployments went.

Could you give some examples? I don't think I agree. His strategic decisions seem pretty sound to me.

@@SvenVanDerPlank YT comment section wouldn't begin to contain everything I and others have noted. While I understand there were logistics concerns about why the SLDF as a whole could not just charge back into the Hegemony or go straight for Terra... If you can go all the way from the Rimward to Coreward Periphery without the RWR's factories and supplies you can do probing/spoiling/beachhead establishing attacks on some Hegemony worlds en route as well, faffing about for years in the RWR without doing likewise as well, not bypassing and just seiging occupied Castles and bases as soon as they had local/orbital superiority, letting the Hegemony RWR dig in to the extent they did, charging into enemy guns time and again like a conscript army rather than the supposedly elite SLDF, etc. On the subject of the largest obstacle for example, the SDS and Caspars. A real and competent military wouldn't have stopped probing the state of the SDS (they have Bugeyes and L-F batteries), even after that one SLDF group went rogue and charged to their deaths on one of the few systems that Amaris didn't need a few years to gain control over. They would have noticed the vulnerability early on and at least tried spoiling attacks or establishing a sustainable foothold in the Hegemony itself that could fend off the RWR fleet alone (since the Caspars wouldn't be used offensively given the whole jump weakness) to help the proper offensive later on. Just look at all the operations and fronts the Western Allies fought between the fall of France and Overlord/the invasion of continental Europe. They didn't just faff about in the intervening years. I'm not gonna pretend to be able to cite chapter and verse better than you at particular events, though I don't think Kerensky's march to Terra was that detailed outside of particular battles like taking Sol and Terra itself. I consider it out another case of a writer or writers being unable to get into the head or realistically write the actions of a character that's actually smarter or more knowledgeable than themselves in a subject/field. That said, I generally consider Kerensky as the good leader they intended rather than what we actually got. Chalk it up to a variant of FASAnomics. Others also note that while he was a good pilot/gunslinger and a charismatic officer loved by the troops, he was ultimately promoted too fast, was only experienced in peacekeeping operations prior to the coup and unable/incapable of managing the amount of forces he had across the fronts being fought on. It's like if Eisenhower in WW2 only had the experience of his 30 year old self as Supreme Allied Commander (IIRC, that's when Kerensky became head general). Doesn't help that he came from the Nagelring and we all know what kind of general Lyrans produce... James McKenna also rose too quickly and too young, which is what I guess was the writers telling us "look how ultra competent and talented they are!" but comes off as a red flag when you apply a smidgen of real world scrutiny to the narrative. You could say he was the right guy and a good officer for the time he was commissioned in, but not the best for when it came time to kick the Fat Man off Terra.

@@MoreEvilThanYahweh While I can neither agree or disagree with your points, I appreciate your logic and reason. Very well-said.

Thank you for the kind words.

I want to hate you because of your profile picture, but I'll let it slide. Regardless, your words are extremely nice to hear. (Federated Suns Loyalist here.)

There is a stupid amount written about them in Field Manual: SLDF. It's something like 250+ pages, and like only a couple dozen of the 450 divisions will ever get mentioned by name again.

@@SvenVanDerPlank to be fair... The amount of detail in the clan invasion is ridiculous too

@@RyeFields Correction, the amount of detail in this IP is huge.

Thank you. What it really showed me is how much the SLDF was set up to keep everyone under constant surveillance. Nowhere was safe and you weren't allowed to step out of line. Was very much an army of occupation.

Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for participating, I really appreciate your volunteering your time and creating some of your own lines as well.

@@SvenVanDerPlank Truly, it was an honor to contribute in any small way. I'll also be more than happy to participate in the future.

Lore videos such as these tend to draw me back numerous times as there is always something I usually miss during the first few viewings.

I'll keep that in mind for future videos.

They wrote seven sourcebooks on the military situation in 2765, which is why this video is as long as it is. And next weekend, I'm releasing the 15 minutes I cut out of this one as a bonus.

Ha, never made that connection before. Wonder if that was a deliberate reference.

@@SvenVanDerPlank I never thought there would be any. But I happened to pause the video during a focus on the Taurians, and spotted the planet. Eerie similarity when you don't think to hard about it.

Thank you, I'm really pleased I could introduce you to some of deeper lore behind the setting.

I'm right behind you :)

They get a brief cameo in the next episode as well but... it doesn't go well for them.

@@SvenVanDerPlank yep I like playing as the underdogs. In terms on Battletech the outworlds alliance is almost the poster children of the concept of underdogs.

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. The maps are a fair amount of work. Took a day or two to make the base map and just recently made the three dozen variations I'd need for the upcoming liberation campaign which took another 6-8 hours. But making the maps is one of my favourite bits so it doesn't bother me.

@@SvenVanDerPlank I'm excited to hear that you've got more on the way in terms of content. I don't know if it's feasible, but I'd gladly lend my voice to projects like this. I'm not a pro by any standard, but I've been told many times that my voice is great for narration. Not sure how I'd go about it, but if you're looking for a good reader, I'd like to do something for the community that got me I to Battletech.

That's very kind of you to offer. I think I have the rest of this series covered already but maybe in a future project down the line I'll return to the idea of having others on as "historians."

B bc I R

Thank you, that's very high praise and I appreciate your support.

Possibly, but then I don't think there was quite enough of them. The Atlas II was actually just entering early production at the outset of the war. One actually features in the next episode.

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. I'm really pleased your enjoying it.

I think his talents (however diabolical) are underappreciated. He wasn't the bumbling fool he is often talked about as. Like there are bits in the lore that make me go "really now?" but Amaris' rise to power isn't one of them anymore. It's just handled masterfully and I fully buy that he was able to do what he did.

@@SvenVanDerPlank I like the idea Tex put forth in his Amaris Civil War video that the events with the Blackwatch and how he very nearly could have been thwarted and killed were what caused him to go insane.

Regrettably, the artwork simply does not exist. Most are units that exist only in this short time period. Vast majority are about to be wiped out next episode. Only the handful that make it to the modern setting have sigils/coat of arms.

Thanks, glad to see people don't think it's OTT. Happy to hear you enjoyed it.

@@SvenVanDerPlank Nah, I think it's right where it should be. That sweet spot between BPL cinematic and Sarna dry reading. Keep it up, mate!

No problem. You're the first person to mention the MechCommander soundtrack. I used it on a whim during the Reunification War series when I was laying out all the units on the board (so to speak) and really liked the way it sounded. I decided that going forwards, every major conflict like this I cover, I'll use the same two songs for the same overview chapter.

@@SvenVanDerPlank soon as i heard the music i had instant flashbacks of playing mechcommander on the old msn gaming zone those where the days 😀

Thank you, that's kind of you to say.

New Vandenberg kicks off the next episode. The Coup us the focus the fourth chapter. Then it's the Rim Worlds campaign, two on the Hegemony Campaign, one on Earth and then the finale.

Aren't they that new Merc unit from Trellwan? Doubt they'll be able to find it. Last I heard they were heading to the Draconis Combine on a contract they're not likely to return from.

@@SvenVanDerPlank Weirder things have happened in the Sphere, though. I mean, who would have thought that almost all of the SLDF would simply pack up and head for parts unknown after the Council Lords chose to rip the Star League apart rather than see anyone else as First Lord?

You know what's coming. It's too late to stop it now. I tried to have a sense of impending doom build throughout the first three episodes going into the Coup.

@@SvenVanDerPlank Yeah, I know. But it still gets me. BattleTech is one of the few IPs I've managed to stay excited about through the years. You've done a good job with that building sense of dread. I think this one might be the biggest, "Oh no," tease. I knew the Star League era slung around a lot of metal but I never realized just how much tonnage there was.

Tex kindly recorded a number of lines throughout the Fall of the Star League series.