IMPORTANT NOTICE: Can you please let me know how many ads you got during the video (not including start/end). I cannot control mid-video ad breaks as normal because of the music used. How obtrusive were they? Were they placed during the pauses or at seemingly random intervals? If there was an ad every 3-4 minutes, that is intolerable to me. Your answers will help me determine how I use music in future videos. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the final chapter of the Star League Civil War series. Thanks for watching.

And thus ends the greatest documentary about a fictional universe ever made. Sven van der Plank, everyone. The man, the myth, the legend.

With this, Kerensky made the toughest decision of his life: leaving the Inner Sphere with a good majority of the SLDF with him. They would return...but they would be drastically different from their ancestors. Well done Sven, to you and all who collaborated with this video series.

Poor General Aleksandr Sergeyivich Kerensky. A man so honorable, so dedicated and idealistic that it genuinely never occurred to him that the other leaders of Star League could be even half as grasping, venal, petty and greedy as they were (except Kenyon Marik, he had at least some idea how awful he was). In trying to uphold the ideals he had fought so hard for, he ended up burying what was left of Star League, not realising until it was far too late that Amaris was just a symptom of a far more serious and older disease.

Pink floyd playing the kerensky led SLDF out in a sort of melancholic moment of goodbye to the inner sphere and done in Kuritas territory as a sort of final moment of retribution but of "what have I done" moment for kurita, it's fitting really, feels like something out of a movie franchise that's just wrapped everything up in a nice bow. You should feel proud of yourself Sven you did great, this will probably become the comprehensive star league civil war saga video.

That Atom Heart Mother Suite quietly going on in the background is so fitting and chill-inducing...

Great narration, as always. It's such a fascinating story.

10/10, would roadtrip with these guys again.

the end of the starleague honestly almost brings me to tears

Masterpiece. I love this part of the history of Battletech. I can only imagine what was going on inside Kerensky's head. After all the horrors and the years of non stop war, to finally give up and leave. And the saddest part, is that the vices of the Innersphere go with them. It just never ends.

I absolutely love the BattleTech community coming together like this. You have done exceptionally well! Great work!

Spectacular documentary, The Blessed Blake himself couldn't have done better

This has been a heck of a journey and a great deep dive in to the lore. I had no idea how detailed the various engagements were. I'm excited for you to get in to the Succession Wars. I don't think any of the major channels have delved in to them in the same way you did the Star League era.

Sven, as always your killing it. This was great. I liked Tex's, but the details you added to everything that happened, I loved. I am curious how you are going to handle the inbred weirdo's that are he Clans.

Fantastic video! It's great to see so many members of our community working on this together. Both the quality and quantity of content currently available for Battletech is beyond what we could have imagined a few years ago. I remember when there were only a few tiny websites struggling to keep the lights on when so many thought Battletech was fading away. This is a true renaissance ! Thanks to all of those involved who are truly making that renaissance happen.

What a trip it has been. I look forward to seeing any future videos covering the Succession Wars and the development of the Clans where the SLDF Exodus settled, and possibly beyond.

Your content is absolutely a must watch for anyone who loves the setting or wants an in-depth primer on the eras you have covered. Thank you very much for the hard work!

Of all the important figures in the history of Battletech, Alexander Kerensky most likely stands as one of the most tragic. Fought through the horror of multiple wars and gave his all for the government which he believed in to the bitter end, and the Great Houses in return all but spat in his face for his efforts. And even when he left with what remained of the SLDF, he never truly gave up on the dream of a re-ascendant Star League. The fact that his son Nicholas would one day pervert the SLDF's legacy into something twisted out of recognition is perhaps the last and worst nail in the coffin for everything Alexander had fought and hoped for. Did the Star League deserve to endure? In light of what it did in the name of human unity and progress, probably not. But one cannot help but admire and pity the leader of the once-mighty SLDF for attempting to do everything to the best of his ability and duty in the face of what now appears to all of us to be an inevitable collapse. He did not cave in to despair and he did not waver from what he felt was the best course of action for the Star League and humanity as a whole. He could have taken the easy way out and simply grabbed the seat of the First Lord for himself in a military coup. But he did not. He did what he believed to be the right thing in spite of all the difficulties he faced and all the trials he endured. That more than anything deserves admiration and respect for his character.

i love how this is like a sort of character driven epilogue to the absolute insanity of the star league civil war. this was fantastic, and i think this community is so lucky to have someone like you at the helm of such a project! keep up the good work!!!!!

You and all the other creators you collaborate with are making amazing content. Just wanted to say thank you and I look forward to more in the future.

Fantastic work, I never heard of Battletech until you started this series.

Powerful stuff here and well done. When I try to describe Battletech to other table top hobbyists this is the type of stories I try to relate. The Machiavellian Machinations that happen in Battletech set it apart from many Science Fiction/Fantasy IPs. Your videos are a great encapsulation of these events and I can't thank you enough for creating them. Thanks again Sven.

The Pink Floyd at the end really sold the gravity of the story.

Great video for today and yesterday Sven. I look forward to the Succession Wars chapters of your battletech series and do hope you'll cover the infamous "wedding" of a certian fox. Take some time off though if need be.

Brilliantly done. Thank you.

Amazing work, well done!

It's been a hell of a ride. Great job Sven.

That was awsome well done to all involved 👏👏👏👏👏👏

Absolutely love these videos thank you so much for them Sven!

Another great lore video, thank you so much for you efforts!

Great video. Liked your stuff since finding your channel

This was fantastic!

Amazing work.

excellent job looking forward to whats next

This was awesome, as always. You're a credit to the community, Sven. Wish i hadn't missed the live.

Since I picked up MechWarrior 5, I've watched many different videos about the legends and history of the Inner Sphere. While I understand why many people have their favorites amongst the community, from Big Red with his mote technical approach, to Tex with his eccentric wiles. But for me, your videos are the frontrunner. I only wish mote of my friends were as into long content as I am. While buzzing around the Inner Sphere kicking seven shades of crap out of bandits, and the Kuritans, I frequently play your videos in the background. I can't congratulate you enough on the growth you as a creator, and as a channel have gained. I will return, hungry for more. May your clients be generous and your contracts plentiful, Commander.

A lovely finish to a great series

Dude, this is awesome. Your videos were the reason why I got interested on BattleTech. Please keep up the amazing work 😀

Amazing work. Your videos have made new Battletech fans in my friends whom I've shared your work with. We cant wait for your Succession Wars series!

Thank you for doing this project. You and all of your contributors have done an amazing job in bringing to life a table top game that first came out when I was a teenager and the sourcebooks and novels were first appearing. Amazing job and I am looking forward to seeing more awesome content in the future!!!!!

Standing ovation, cheers and lamentations to you on high, Wonderful job. Looking forward to future content for battle tech and beyond. Brazo🎉🎉🎉

Very well done

Sven van der Plank wow that last chapter was Fannnnntastic you are very good, don't stop and great work to your collaborator as well Keep doing this and I will be there again watching whats coming next!👏👏🔥

Excellent work and a hell of a series. I really like how well you present the subject material.

Once again my man, an absolute MASTERpiece. i can't wait to see what you do in the future, cause given your style of presentation i'll watch it all ravenously even if i already know everything within 😅 You really do have a gift for this👍

And so concludes another chapter in the history of the Inner Sphere and Battletech . But now, so begins the next journey. So starts the first Succesion war, let the casualties and destruction live up to its name.

Holy. Crap. I had no idea the depth of field of the Battletech universe. Kerensky basically initiated the birth of the clans by taking his followers out of the inner sphere. I have been following Battletech my whole life and I had no idea how important the Star League was to the timeline until you dropped that last line right on my head. 30 years later it’s all starting to make sense. I’ve been watching and listening to these on my work commutes and the level of detail you provide is insane. You must have put your heart and soul into this project. I appreciate the work you do as well as all the content creators that collaborated, you guys are legends. Keep up the great work ❤

An absolutely AMAZING series! I just love these "in universe" lore videos. It just gives the events such a gravity and weight a more "removed" style of video would have. And Sven the amount of effort you put into these really shows! You have truly made something special with this and i cannot wait to see what you have next! But seriously feel free to have a well earned rest. You've earned it!

Truly fantastic work by all of you. This could have been turned into a Lord of the Rings style epic movie series. All of you did the community proud. This is both the greatest story, and the saddest tale in a fictional universe. You all did so well... bravo!

Sir you deserve way more views and subs!!

Love it all man, thanks for the great work, and looking forward to the Succession Wars! I've made the offer before, but now I'm REALLY putting it out there- if you get into the Eridani Light Horse as the vids go forward I volunteer any and all help I may be able to give, as they are far and away my favorite unit in all of BT lore and I'd LOVE to give voice them!

Congratulations on finishing the civil war storyline, it was an amazing journey sven

Rock star. I love this community from you Sven to Tex to Red. Love the lore and detail.

Now you got to do when the SLDF in exile or the Session wars. I enjoyed all the videos you did on the history of Battletech.

Brilliant 👏 absolutely brilliant I am inspired by your dedication and hard work hands down my favorite community battletech projects

Such a great story telling. Thank you and to all the guys who help you create this videos. Keep it up. This brings me back the 1st time i fell in love with Battletech/Mechwarrior/MechCommander way back in 1998. Again, thank you for this amazing content. 👏

I enjoyed this series so much. I can't even imagine the amount of work this took.

Excellent job,

Amazing. If more is to come then I will be there for it!

This was really really good!! Can’t wait for your blow-by-blow retelling of the succession wars! And btw, may i congratulate you on your choice of music at the end? My fav piece of music from the floyd, even if they don’t think so.

Absolutely awesome! Mechwarrior 2 was my very first game I ever played on PC, and that got me into the BattleTech universe. I got into the books, but it's harder to find them nowadays. All you guys have proven to me that, while I may have been away, and not heard much, that the love of BattleTech is still very much alive and well! I hope you all have a great day today, and a great rest of the year!

Absolutely amazing. I can't wait for the next series. Yours and others have inspired me to start thinking about my own lore series.

Really been enjoying this series, I hope it keeps going, maybe even joining up to the current Il Clan era ; )

I got so curious jumped into one video that tex talk about the exodus --> clan formation--> clan invasion. Now i need to see the succession war to add everything up

Loving the vibe of the finale, I think it marks a new chapter in your style and presentation. Excellent use of music to convey emotion.

Your videos have been absolutely amazing in every way. I just got my toes into Battletech, and these have greatly deepened my interest in the universe. Awesome work.

I am saddened to know this ends the tale, but what an ending it was. You've alleviated many days' boredom. Bravo, and well done.

Very enjoyable! Ive always liked btech but never understood it's lore or stuff before. I have no idea if you have plans for it in the future but I'd love to see something on the Clan Wars as well :)

Thank you so much for this and I look forward to so much more. I built a Battletech MUX in the late 90's and early-2000's. One of the last big ones I hear. I spent my youth playing tabletop and reading a massive pile of sourcebook's. 3-4 boxes worth. During a difficult time in my life I left them in one state over as I had to move only to find 6 months later they were left by a now bygone "good" friend in the back of his reposessed SUV and he just failed to mention it to me. Lost forever a pile of books which I used to create source based rules in my MUX hardcode (I taught myself to program in my youth in C/C++ via Battletech...) and tote around me in my suitcase flying around for work in an instant... I have so many vague recollection I cannot make specific again from memory.. including the Grateful Dead references in the House Kurita sourcebook and so many other easter eggs and hat tips in a depth of Novels and writings that was a whole world bigger than these "Games of Thrones" and other such things people reage about these days that can't put a drop in the bucket of "what the big robot video game?" everyone dismisses. No one realize how accurate to the large scale human condition and pertintent and wise some of the concepts in these stories are even to our modern world. Lessons that could be learned and thought that should be delved into. I've had to shun my old love out of shame for losing my sourcebooks I used to read and re-read for comfort; only other battletechers know they aren't game rules we were reading. The shame went deep and the potential investment to acquire it all again was daunting and nigh impossible. I binged this whole series. When I can I will find your patreon. Please continue to make this content. I have never these kinds of words. I don't think anything on KZfaq has gotten to me for real the way this series has.. it let's me explore a thing I thought lost. Whenever you kept saying you coudl go into 10x the time in detail... all I thought was "Why not? I need to donate to him to convince him to". If I could have all the battletech sourcebooks and novels in audiobook form... I wouldn't need audible or any other content. Thank you so much. I did not realize this was out there.. I need to find more.. there are more content creators making this kind of content? Discussing these things? Is there a whole community out there devling into these subjects? I can't stop absorbing this material now.. must..find.. MOAR!!!!! :) Thank you.

Tbis series is THE place I send people for a lore primer on BattleTech. Tex, Rocket and the others are always next on the list I'm stoked the Succession Wars are next. Thank you for your videos. They are a delight.

good job

This series has been great, lookin forward to the Succession Wars series 😁

Awesome!

I've heard comments help videos perform lol, great video

I absolutely loved this series! Are you planning to do more battletech series following the story and lore?

Can't wait for the Succession wars. Excellent work.

Previous video: I only have to do this once. Next month: Every time I get out they pull me back in! 😂

Hats off in using Pink Floyd as the theme music for the end of the Star League Civil War. It captures the 70's/80's mythos building around the Star League as a backdrop to the Succession Wars that were to follow. Did you have that music chosen for the ending beforehand, or did someone else suggest it? Hearing it reminds me of all the early Battletech stories I read back in the late 80's, particularly in Mechwarrior First Edition RPG, Citytech and in TR3025. The Jury-Rigged/Road-Warrior/Post-Apocalyptic feel of Battletech is almost a thing of the past. The Music you chose captured that aesthetic around the glorious (and failed) promise of the Star League, and the grungy reality of the grind that was to become the Succession Wars. Thank you for your amazing delve into the History of Humanity within the Battletech Universe.

well that was wonderful

"Never to be seen again..." ...if only... rip Free Rasalhague. At least the only good clan got you, and sort of kept you around.

Masterclass!!!!!

Bravo, bravo!

This is truly a Greek tragedy. In hoping to prevent further bloodshed and war, he left the world he fought and led troops to die for. In turn, he set in motion the bloodiest path, the succession wars and the CLAN. If he had stayed, he could have prevented the succession wars from being what it was.

This great. Goddamnit THAT's why New Samarkand has the Corpse of Amaris.

Ok I’m ready for the Succession Wars!

Love it

On my way baby

to answer your request, I only had one set of commercials. I swapped devices about 10 minutes in, not sure if that matters. Thanks for the great video!

And thus, the rise of the clans begins.

nice

2 ideas. 1.) What if Richard had a bastard? 2.) How would a Amaris bastard effect the setting?

god i love battletech lore

The fall of rhe star league and the civil was as well as the Cameron survivor legend, reminds me of the fall of the Russian Empire and the rumours of a Romanov survivor.

So now are you going to do a documentary similar to this about each of the succession wars leading up to the current timeline?

Great end to a amazing series. But it should be named Kerensky's Betrayal, because that's what he and the SLDF did. They betrayed those they had sworn to protect.

Succession wars series please!!!!

here before the video, lets do this

Looking forward to more lore, mostly the clan invasion

“Kerensky was a fool in many ways; the existence of the accursed Clans is proof of his divine madness. The Word of Blake views Kerensky as the man who single-handedly destroyed the Star League when he abandoned the inner sphere forever, taking most of the Star League army with him.”

Finally! Now we can get to the real lore.