Battlemech Primer Episode 29: The Zeus and the Myth of Lyran Incompetence

[@jasoncabral3831]

Remember, it was a pair of Steiner's who ultimately defeated the Clans

[@Ratkill9000]

And they got Focht hard for it

[@lexington476]

Victor and who is the other?

[@jasoncabral3831]

@@lexington476 Anastasius Focht, precentor martial.of ComStar, also known as Frederick Steiner, Victors maternal great uncle

[@lexington476]

@@jasoncabral3831 oh yeah, I knew that; you passed the test 😀.

[@jasoncabral3831]

@@lexington476 I'd hope so, I've been playing this game since 1988

[@matthewmarek1467]

A fair and accurate representation of Lyran social generals. One other point is that Steiner forces tend to be a little heavier than other houses, but that's using a Griffin as a scout leader instead of the Clint/Hermes II/Assassin. Your Zeus analysis is dead on correct, it's a versatile platform that is everywhere because it can do almost any job you ask of it.

[@z3r0_35]

tbf, they do have more assault mechs than the other houses...but it's not that big of a difference. I remember seeing a table that listed the percentages of each weight class that each House Army fielded as of 3025, and the Lyrans were unsurprisingly at the top at a whopping 15% of their total forces. The lowest number was, surprisingly, the Free Worlds League, at iirc around 8% (but they made up for this with a larger than average proportion of heavy mechs).

[@matthewmarek1467]

@@z3r0_35 They do indeed sir. I think you are talking about info from the Random Assignment and Rarity Tables. And while having the greatest percentage of their mechs being assaults, they have the lowest percentage of their forces in light mechs (20% vs 30% for most other houses). And while these are notable differences, they aren't wildly out of sync with their competing houses, just trending a bit heavier.

[@TheMajorActual]

_“A man is not rich unless he can raise an army at his own expense”_ -- Marcus Licinius Crassus

[@jmullner76]

"He can buy and army, but does he know how to use it?" - The Parthians

[@cantembargo]

The most amusing thing about the Steiner scout lance meme is not how poorly it reflects the real nature of House Steiner, it's how old that joke is. I remember first seeing the Orbital Insertion meme at 1:39 almost 15 years ago now, along with a few others ragging on the LC for similar reasons. That horse is so dead and beaten that it might as well be a museum piece.

[@kazekamiha]

Something to note is that Steiner might encourage the meme... After all when a general expects 'The Steiner Scout Squad' and prepares for that and ends up facing a more balanced force...

[@bubbasbigblast8563]

It's going off of older materials I'll admit, but the Lyrian strategy was referred to as "the wall of steel" for a reason: the Lyrians very much didn't bother with advanced strategies, relying instead on massive pushes that were equal parts offensive and defensive. They had officers who broke from this, of course, but the "overwhelming-and-expensive push" reputation is rooted in history. Focht is also a demonstration of why "social general" is a thing: his military competence did nothing for him when he got played like a fool in politics, which is how he got exiled to Comstar in the first place. It's not that all Lyrian officers are incompetent, but that being a good officer can mean very little when you get blackmailed by someone better at politics than you, which the Lyrians have a reputation for doing. There's a very good reason that it was the Lyrians who stole the Mackie's plans, and why Loki is feared across the IS: the LC can be a very treacherous place...

[@heyseed1673]

Counter argument, if the Lyrans are so competent, how have they allowed me and the pack of maniacal idiots I drop with to steal so much of their stuff over the years? Great episode as always though, Mage, can't wait for the next lol.

[@havoc3742]

Further supporting evidence to your argument, the entire existence of Thomas Hogarth.

[@gusty9053]

I have to disagree "the steiner scout lance" is hilarious :)). Even though we should not forget they also created the Commando and the Wolfhound two of the most successful light mechs ever made.

[@dubuyajay9964]

And were co-founders of the Hatchetman. Barely a medium.

[@KageRyuu6]

@@dubuyajay9964 It is solidly Medium at 45t, the only way to get more Medium is to create a Franken-mech at 47.5t.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

​@dubuyajay9964 medium in weight, heavy in speed, light in armor and weapons. It couldn't afford to carry something as heavy as an AC10 after using up weight to the hatchet and JJ's. A PPC, LL, or multiple missile racks would have served it much better, like the LRM's on the Axeman.

[@infernum5646]

Great video. As a Lyran fan, it is refreshing to see someone NOT shit on said house all the time. And the Zeus is one of my favorite battlemechs, so a double win for me with this one.

[@z3r0_35]

Especially nowadays when a combination of the newcomers taking the meme at face value and CGL's writers being Clan fanboys gives them an excuse to flanderize the Lyrans and have them job for the Clans.

[@z3r0_35]

Something that should be noted is that though the Lyrans invented the light mech, this doesn't necessarily make them scouts. Lyran light mechs like the Commando and Wolfhound are designed more for direct combat than the more dedicated scouts or support mechs produced elsewhere, which allows them to punch well above their weight but often comes at the cost of something else that would be useful for scouting. The Commando, for example, can't jump, which combined with an average top speed for a light mech of its era makes it one of the less mobile light mechs around by the 31st Century (to be fair, mech scale jump jets didn't exist when the Commando debuted), but it packs enough firepower to be a serious threat to a mech twice or even thrice its tonnage under the right circumstances. The Wolfhound is another example, but it was pretty clear when it debuted that it was built specifically to kill Kuritan light mechs like the Jenner and Panther that had been a thorn in the LCAF's side for centuries, with scouting as a secondary role. I suppose the issue with creating such a versatile assault mech can be summed up with an old adage: when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

[@sgtbuckwheat]

When you put it like that, the Zeus sounds like the Heavy from TF2. "Some people think they can outsmart me. Maybe, maybe. I have yet to meet one who can outsmart bullet."

[@mageleader3699]

It took great restraint to keep from making that reference.

[@kazekamiha]

I would say all the Houses have both competent and incompetent leaders in their ranks. Steiner just gets a few more then usual.

[@grayboats7741]

Not enough lights don't help them either. That said digging out a defensive Steiner unit a real pain with medium mechs.

[@sngooms]

Another thing to remember is the Lyran military is much more of a defensive army than an offensive one, which funny enough assault mechs are more fitted for

[@pit2444]

Ah the Zeus, the mech with a cudgel for an arm; for when the enemy didn't get the memo to retreat 80 seconds ago.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

It only carries 8 reloads for that LRM-15, which is actually a great thing in TT battles. If your enemy is still at long range 8 rounds in, you're not playing TT. Fire it dry, then wade in and punch.

[@ambientlight3876]

I'm fairly fond of the Zeus. An assault 'mech that functions well in both Assault and heavy roles and can engage targets at almost any range. Sure, its not Battlemaster up close, nor does it have the raw firepower and armor of an Awesome or Stalker, but then again, it was never intended to be. Cheaper (for an Assault), well armed and fast for its weight class, the Zeus is such a flexible and capable design that its no wonder that it was so popular,

[@Demolitiondude]

Steiner scout squad is confirmed. Mechcommander 2 Intro A bandit army comprised of light battlemechs. First mech you see. Atlas.

[@andreykuzmin4355]

My experience to Battletech is mostly limited by Hairbrains game and tabletop. In the former I created a Lyran protagonist. He went from meme Lyran (lot of lucky heavy+assault salvage, including Banshee, King Crab and Zeus) into an actual Lyran commander. It's fun to send in 4 assault mechs, until you go broke for paying 250k C-bills in repairs per deployment. Then you learn to field more flexible and practical lances, saving your "scout lance" for entrenched enemy bases or "hail Mary" pitched battles. This experience got me fast out of meme mentality and I start to read more about how Lyran Commonwealth actually works.

[@Athlon2736]

"FUCK YOU." Gods damnit I was studying and I had to stop to laugh

[@cantembargo]

That bit got me good too. Had to go back a few seconds right afterwards to watch it a second time.

[@frankb3347]

A Steiner Scout Lance would be made of Savannah Masters, Packrats, or Warrior H-7s. People don't realize how many vehicles they designed/built. For Mech Scouts it would just be the same Ubiquitous Mechs everybody uses (Locust, Stinger, Wasp, Phoenix Hawk) with maybe a Commando or Firestarter for extra firepower.

[@argokarrus2731]

Or if purely a 'Mech scout force, Commandos and Wolfhounds, with one of those being so deadly even the Clans had a hard time dealing with it

[@z3r0_35]

@@argokarrus2731 Clan Wolf liked the Wolfhound so much that they rebuilt Phellan Kell's Wolfhound with their own tech. He would take it into battle at Tukayyid with these upgrades.

[@QwertyCaesar]

An interesting aspect to the Zeus that is simultaneously a strength and a weakness is that the most common variant uses all three varieties of primary weapon types: energy, ballistic, and missile. While there's a risk of running out of ammunition for two types of weapons the odds are that if you find a mech tech they're going to be able to handle maintaining and/or repairing and/or rearming at least one weapon system type. If you've got an Awesome it might not run out of ammo and sound more reliable on paper but if it gets damaged heat sinks or a PPC system gets fried and the only mech tech you have nearby is unfamiliar with it then you're out of luck.

[@baker90338]

If you’ve ever had to explain over HPG transmissions how to repair a PPC in the free world’s league, you’ll understand the pain mentioned. It took my several thousand cBills just to explain how to ground the cannon so the tech wouldn’t be electrocuted.

[@derekburge5294]

Protip: if you ever need to sneak into a Steiner social gathering, just polish some scrap metal chunks and bullet casings, and glue them onto a blue dress jacket. Then strut in. If anyone gets too close or asks you a question, roar at them in your best command voice, "Ich fordere eine Tasse flusspferdsuppe zum essen, JETZ!"

[@goingforgold_8536]

I literally laughed out loud at that perfectly timed "fu ck you" Good stuff ML, you're definitely improving in your delivery buddy

[@Disgruntled_Dave]

I did not know about the practice of social generals. I actually was under the impression that military command could be _bought,_ so I appreciate you taking the time to correct this notion. And while I never took the "Steiner scout lance" meme quite literally, I think I did put too much stock into the misconception of House Steiner simply throwing tonnage at things until the problem went away with little-to-no thought as to the functionality each ton was bringing to the table. Well done, sir! I now have a better understanding of both the 'mech and the House in question.

[@ZontarDow]

The FedCom Alliance taught Davion to treat subjects better, and Steiner that competency is important

[@harvestblades]

Thanks for your down to Earth (Terra) overviews of the houses & their signature 'mechs. You have broken down the pervasive memes & for those of us new to Classic BT & the expansive lore it has been very educational. I do like your 20 plus minute video & am patiently awaiting your 2 5 hour FRR/Rasalhague Dominion video! Long live BLP!

[@MechanicalFrog]

So the big question is, which is more played out. The Steiner Scout Lance or the Urbanmech Stanning?

[@mageleader3699]

Urbie, for sure. But this is a close second.

[@frankb3347]

or the Canopian Cat Girls **rolls eyes**

[@joebyrnes9254]

Strapping into the cockpit of a Zeus was the first time I ever piloted an assault mech. My Lance had gotten hit me as a reward for helping the cheeky space Germans. My experience with it genuinely surprised me. The mech requires discipline with its weapons as the LRM can build up a lot of heat when fired in rapid succession. But when I figured out how to live in the way this Titan dances. You have a wall of steel that will continually batter an opponent like a thunder storm. The Zeus is what you send in when you want to make the enemy second guess their ability to defeat you.

[@InquisitorJack]

Great work as usual Mage Leader Don’t be obtuse, pilot a Zeus!

[@JustSomeWeirdo]

So what I got from this video was that a Steiner scout lance isn’t four atlases but rather four Zeus’s? Is that what these 20 minutes were about?

[@frankb3347]

Lore wise a classic Steiner scout lance would be something like a Wasp, Commando, Firestarter, and Phoenix Hawk. Alternatively Steiner builds/uses Savannah Masters, Packrat Patrol Vehicles, and Warrior VTOLs. All of which are backed up by four Zeuses once those scouts report in.

[@Arcterran]

In other words, don't let memes dictate your knowledge of History. Which is funny given that effect also applies to IRL History in many many examples. Well done mage! This is probably your best one yet!

[@grayboats7741]

Social generals also came from early days of the commonwealth, they used general as the title rather than something like ambassador. Top heavy mech units due to the factories that made smaller mechs being dusted in 1st & 2nd wars. Plus some of the incompetent officers were promoted to keep them away from real combat operations. The joys of influential parents.

[@Funkin_Disher]

It should also be noted that the Zeus, like most 4-speed 80 and 85 tonners, is pretty much just a slightly larger heavy mech like most 4-speed 70 and 75 tonners (just look at the free tonnage after engine). So of course they are solid line mechs.

[@TheCADDGUY]

the stiener scout lance was old and moldy of a meme back in the mid 2000s - back when everyone was communicating through the official battletech forums

[@garlicbread529]

I always thought that the Lyran Commonwealth is filled with social generals who just get authority by buying it. I didn't know about the part of the Commonwealth having brilliant minds and having some prestigious military academies. I probably would still think they are just a bunch of incompetents relying on brute force and luck if it weren't for this video. Good job on this one. I hope to see more like this in the future.

[@mageleader3699]

A lot of people assume that about the Lyrans. The memes have largely replaced the actual lore for them. I'm glad you learned something.

[@gbladewarrior6884]

Purchasing a commission was common in pre industrial armies and it had many practical reasons.

[@mageleader3699]

That is true, though the Lyran Commonwealth doesn't actually use a purchase system.

[@havoc3742]

Counter Argument to your Argument, Thomas Hogarth.

[@Lieutenant_Dude]

Something I have never considered the Zeus is a big bruiser. Ac5 and lrm15 screams sniper skirmisher. The laser battery just helps back up its primary weapons. It’s basically the atlas on a diet with lots of cardio.

[@dayaninikhaton]

You've upped your game, Mage. Sullivan Chu is most pleased.

[@douglasrood2650]

House Steiner was my first faction in Battletech and the first mechs I built and painted were all the Atlas variants LOL!

[@yecnay25]

Hate to say it because I’m a fan, but if you want an example of a military where buying commissions fucked things up look no further than the Andurien Crisis and the Magistracy Armed Forces performance there in. Their primary opposition prior too had been the pirates and the odd raid from the Taurians, Cappellans, or Free Worlds League. They and the Anduriens didn’t train for fighting a peer power, much less a stronger opponent. They underestimated the CCAF believing them broken from the Fourth War, and they paid for it in blood. Not building a proper Military Academy until the 3050s and relying on a glorified apprentice system where old officers trained younger who’s major qualifications were passing basic training, and having money to buy a Commission. The Lyrans have, as you said, some of the best officer training schools in the setting. Naergling, Blackjack, etc. The Lyrans actually know War. They wouldn’t be a Stellar Empire if they didn’t.

[@thestabbybrit4798]

The beauty of the Steiner meme is that while everyone is watching for the Banshee, nobody sees the Wolfhound coming.

[@JPG.01]

The problem of the social general is, that their sons at some point enroll in military academies and then keep failing upward due to who their Dad is. Measure of a Hero had a man exactly like that. Of course they are a minority or else the LC would have been gobbled up by the FWL and DC from both sides. And they would not be the major player in all interstellar political events if it were otherwise.

[@mageleader3699]

A good amount of that was weeded out in the intervening years and it's a problem that is far from exclusive to Steiner, but you are correct.

[@jasoncabral3831]

@@mageleader3699 the FedCom alliance weeded out a lot of the dumber Lyran officers and exposed them to Davion levels of competancy

[@mageleader3699]

@@jasoncabral3831 Most of the weeding was already done by that point.

[@jasoncabral3831]

@@mageleader3699 yes and no. The Galahad Exercises that began in 3023 exposed Lyran officers to Davion doctrine and ideas, which is where the weeding out began. Most of it was done by 3028 when Hanse married Melissa, and the rest was accomplished by attrition during the 4th Succession War

[@YycGrumpyGamerDad]

Okay I laughed my ass off during this video! Awesome job Mage!!!

[@retrosquadchannel2.050]

Also it worth mentioning, that war path of Zeus started at the very factory, where mech was created. But that part of story can be used to describe Hunchbacks and Blackjacks, for they did the same thing. One more name to mention: Morgan Kell. Although he comes from Draconis Combine, but, as the story goes, he is a distant relative of house Steiner. And look: who gave those furry assclowns a beating on Luthien along Jaime Wolf? Kell's Hounds, led by Morgan himself. Also Phelan Kell as Clan Wolf-in-exile Khan he is a lyran and along father kicked those jaded birds out in the space. Victor Ian Steiner-Davion, the First Prince of the Federated Commonwealth after death of Hanse "Sly Fox" Davion and Melissa Steiner, has no need for introduction. And the worst ruler of FedCom - Katrina Steiner-Davion. That bitch is a true representative of that meme about throwing lots of money into obstacle.

[@commissarstanley3055]

This video was awesome!!!! Can't wait for more!!!!

[@GamingWithADHD]

Well done! Lots of fun.

[@dhshdhsh3224]

Keeping it honest Mage, I love your channel. Keep it up.

[@fallout44454]

This one is going into the favorites

[@MausGMR]

Fight the memes! Well done sir, you have a subscriber from me

[@ChaosTicket]

The Zeus is basically an upgraded Centurion. Its powerful for the era with weapons for all ranges, plenty of heat sinks, and is decently well armored. Its only serious flaw is just it could be more armored by about 35%. There are more specialized units. The Longbow is a better missile support. The Awesome lasts longer in combat. The Atlas has almost double the armor and firepower. If the Zeus has been only 5tons lighter it would have been classed in the Heavy category and compared more favorably to similar designs such as the Dragon, Thunderbolt, and Orion.

[@lexington476]

4:39 like Colonel Sanders 😎.

[@tenchraven]

And even when the Lyrans have bad general officers and insane nobility, their real officers like their NCOs are professionals. When combined with good gear and enough of it, that's a winning combo. But remember, they have Griffins gaurding the throne, not Atlases or Awesomes or even Zueses, Griffins. If the myth was true, pretty sure there would be different mechs on that duty.

[@matthewbeale5083]

I would argue that this speaks to Steiner incompetence. Griffin-1N's carry a PPC and an LRM, which are *not* anti-personnel weapons and which suffer severe targeting penalties at point blank range. Griffins are terrible bodyguard Mechs for a throne room! They'd be better off with Locusts or P-hawks that carry, you know, machine guns.

[@NewsOfTheInnerSphere]

Just remember; it took a Davion to hold off the Clans' advance within Steiner space. 😜

[@nationalsocialism3504]

It's not a myth... "Lyran incompetence" is the fundamental structure of the Lore since otherwise the Lyrans autowin & the game doesn't exist. Lyran are the best Industrialized Society which means they win Industrialized Warfare... they can outproduce everyone else which means that Lyrans have to be nerfed at the military command since that's the only way they don't roll over everyone else.

[@robrib2682]

the Steiners have a consent for making and designing amazing light mechs, from what I know the lyran faction before the illclan era was more akin to a sleeping giant with a rampant military industrial complex that goes nuts with production whenever they go to war because that means more money.

[@spacewolfblackmane19]

Honestly I never quite liked the Zuse, I have one played against it on table top. But it's just something about the Zuse that I just could never quite come to love. It's big, it's tough, and depending on the load out, can even have a respectable level of fire power. But it just never quite seems to have as much as I want for an assault mech.

[@daniel_f4050]

Excellent video. Subscribed. I prefer the First Succession War era. To the point where I won’t even go near the Star League upgrades or Clans. I will always prefer a PPC mounted on a Warhammer that is the design from Macross over an ER Ultra Mega Heavy Pulse Laser on an unfinished line drawing from someone’s ass. Your video really makes me regret walking away from the BT universe when that became the focus. Particularly as I had been playing the game since Battledroids. I never thought I’d say this again, but I miss FASA. Sure Jordan Wiseman (sp?) oversaw the introduction of all those icky things. But still I would much rather play the FASA version of Battletech based on just the Succession Wars. 😢

[@TheStraycat74]

17:34 I literally have Fur Affinity open in another window as you said this... LOVE Clanner Tech, hate clanner "society"

[@Onlooker891]

What's that song that starts at 17:00?

[@mageleader3699]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYrYkHuQrceZjpo

[@Lieutenant_Dude]

Something I also noted, the Zeus has imo a worse weapon loadout than the Orion. But I like using a big robot for big brawling.

[@willc.8456]

Maybe I just suck, but almost any time I deploy a Zeus it gets shot to pieces. Can anyone think of something I might be missing that would improve my performance with the Zeus?

[@KillerOrca]

The Zeus is no joke, and neither are the Lyrans. Its all funny "ha ha Scout Lance"...until they actually deploy a properly formatted military unit onto your head and you realize JUST how efficent Hesperus II is at making shit.

[@savage0987654321]

most mercenaries come from Lyran Commonwealth, and those mercenaries are tend to punch above their weight, just look at Gray Death Legion, Kell Hounds, and Avanti Angels

[@panzermkii7675]

Is there any official lore or data on Mech production and industrial output of the 'Great Houses' from Star League to Ilclan?

[@archmagosreductorsethyrh7558]

Underestimating them is not smart. Reminder where Focht came from.

[@jasoncabral3831]

And Victor

[@greydeathangel]

Really quite enjoy the mech videos. Are you going to be continuing the Mage Squadron story series? If so might I ask what is the timeline that the story is set in? Hope you have a great day.... The Zeus is a very solid mech that the Steiners made.

[@jasonthomas9596]

I know we all make fun of the Steiners and we all make fun of their stupidity when it happens but let's be real. It's all fun and games until the Steiner's show up and out ton you and beat the brakes off of you. And also let's not forget the wolfhound is one of them greatest light mix of its are and that's a Steiner creation. I will admit that it has some influence from the davion's but it's call the wolfhound for.

[@Eulemunin]

Keep up the good work,

[@revermen3580]

This was very interesting

[@thegunslinger8806]

There seems to be a misunderstanding among some newcomers to the lore, steiner isn't bad or idiots, there just a science fiction version of the old German empire only they took all the things that made that empire efficient, successful and sometimes inefficient and elevated it to 11 just like Capellans and Federated sun's and the draconis combine and my favorite the free world's league (and no Red the free world's league is not a dictatorship, it's much more complicated than that) it's all meant to be war and politics in the far flung alternate future and trust me if you put some effort into it the lore and some of the implications of it in the lore are fascinating, just like actual history.

[@gabrieliacoboni6951]

The myth of the Lyran assault scout lance is not a myth. That said, any government which can create an economic juggernaut and have the luxury of throwing endless metal at you until you say Uncle cannot be considered incompetent. Ask Russia in WWII for clarification.

[@mageleader3699]

It is a myth. When Lyrans build a scout lance they use light 'mechs like anyone else. They invented scout 'mechs.

[@gabrieliacoboni6951]

@@mageleader3699 That assumes their general has any tactical skill. Some did. Some didn't.

[@mageleader3699]

@@gabrieliacoboni6951 It doesn't take much skill to know that you use fast 'mechs for scouting. Besides that the composition isn't even something a field commander determines. They have doctrines and SOPs.

[@gabrieliacoboni6951]

@@mageleader3699 Well, I mean, they are social generals for a reason.

[@mageleader3699]

@@gabrieliacoboni6951 as I addressed in the video, social generals are largely non-existent beyond 2800. Your average field commander of the Lyran Commonwealth might not be a genius, but they are capable of organizing a scouting force as dictated by established combat doctrine.

[@ericjohnson2024]

Much like Kentucky handing out Colonelships - not a real field-grade commission, but just an honorary title. .

[@syrusmarks1]

See, i knew i wasnt compleatly crazy!

[@BobSmith-oo7ei]

More interesting than the meme's huh? Does that also apply to Kurita and the clans? 😉

[@mageleader3699]

Yes, it does. I might cover them as well to a similar extent.

[@MrElath]

@@mageleader3699 really everyone gets screwed this way, like the Capellans "hur dur, use tanks cause no mechs"

[@BobSmith-oo7ei]

@@mageleader3699 Fair enough.

[@operkoi8954]

@@MrElath Honorable Mention to the meme of the Free World Leagues warring with themselves constantly and only stopping when the Lyrans start ogling the border and drooling.

[@MrElath]

@@operkoi8954 I mean, that depends on your definition of war, outright combat is unlikely but political shenanigans are pretty common, and as we know war is just politics by other means

[@DocDelray]

I love videos like these, where mech I've always slept on gets highlighted and I have to rethink how I feel about it. Like, no lie, your video has me thinking I need to add one of these to my drop ship. Question is, who's getting replaced on the Assault roster?

[@mageleader3699]

Just keep in mind that it works differently from other assault 'mechs. It's meant to hit and fade rather than to wade in like an unstoppable god of death.

[@DocDelray]

@@mageleader3699 I was thinking I'd slap a gauss rifle on that big fella and have him backline snipe. Maybe swap out the LRM for some SRMs to slap anyone that tries to get close.

[@mageleader3699]

@@DocDelray That can work.

[@DocDelray]

@@mageleader3699 hell yeah, give'em the ol'boom club

[@Marbo306]

No jokes about Lyrans eating glue? That's not right!

[@lucendacier6851]

I'd always dismissed the Zeus as being kind of meh - less firepower than 'Mechs lighter than it, no big show-stopping weapon. That said, it's good to see a different take on this machine, and an explanation for why it's around. Keep up the good work, Mage.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

You said the Lyran's mostly stayed neutral during the Ameris civil war. I guess that's true except what happened to the Rim World's Alliance?

[@mathewkelly9968]

No one said the Lyrans are incompetent at design , its strategy and to a lesser extent tactics they are ordinary at

[@starsiegeplayer]

Nice video.

[@NateTheBald591]

The lyran scout Lance has been a joke long before tex talks battletech. The first time I heard it was the mid 90's. That being said the Zeus has always been serviceable if not spectacular. Granted you can do much the same with 70 ton frame.

[@ardanblade641]

The Lyrans have always struggled with politics taking precedence over military matters. This enabled figures such as Alessandro Steiner, Aldo Lestrade, the Kelswa-Steiners, and even Katherine Steiner-Davion to make a mess of the Lyran territory over the years. Focht was an example of the results of those machinations gone wrong multiple times for a true military man. Thus I cannot agree with your assessment on “Social Generals”, as nobles playing politics with military pawns is exactly the issue they bring up. As for the Zeus itself, it is a tough, rugged design with some formidable qualities, but it never really impressed me with its default loadout. I would point to the AC 5 for this issue, as it’s just not an Assault Mech weapon. Until the Ultra becomes available, it just doesn’t have the kick to justify dropping it for a Large Laser or PPC. Beyond that, it’s a solid, good looking design.

[@baker90338]

The reason you might want to keep the Autocannon is simple. Not everyone knows how to repair (or worse, replace) a laser, even if it’s quite common. Autocannon ammo is still relatively cheap and common, and simple.

[@ardanblade641]

@@baker90338 A fair point. They are reportedly simple, and I can see why they would be favored from a strictly maintenance and cost standpoint. Not a big fan of them though.

[@MrDmitriRavenoff]

Zeus isn't a bad mech from stock, but its not great. Once it gets the PPC instead of the AC-5 and some DHS it is pretty formidable. It really has some lighter armor though. Not as bad as a Victor, but still a bit too light.

[@davemilner5504]

If, 'all' Lyran .mil leaders were bloated incompetents the alliance wouldn't retain its huge size. The Wolfhound also comes from Steiner space so Mage Leader does make good points.

[@spencerjones841]

Ah yes the totally not a low tech rampage knockoff design

[@Iknowtoomuchable]

Ok, but who puts an LRM 15 in the arm?

[@JPG.01]

Ask that the Catapult that has 2 Lrm 15 for arms.

[@Iknowtoomuchable]

@@JPG.01 Except your example proves my point. The Catapult's "arms" can hardly be described as such, since they have minimal articulation at best. This is because they don't need to be; LRM15s don't benefit from articulation. The Zeus has a complex, fully articulated limb to support a long-range weapon that doesn't need it at all. That's a huge amount of unnecessary maintenance.

[@baker90338]

@@Iknowtoomuchable it’s for when the ammo runs out. As it turns out, being able to hammer hand someone is a rather nice feature. Also it helps you in hot loading situations where you don’t have the targeting technology for close ranged firepower.

[@matthewbeale5083]

*laughs in Crusader*

[@oneproudbrowncoat]

Frederick Steiner.

[@billtrent6520]

1:48 wait poeple getting into a Hobbie though the memes not reliazeing that the factions is more than just the meme were have seen that before? So this what 40k Grognards must feel.

[@nationalsocialism3504]

Lyrans are NOT Germans... the Germans are part of the Federated Suns. Steiner is the maiden name of the women who reverted after her Scottish husband who was Archon died in battle... there is no significant German populations anywhere in Lyran Commonwealth, it's all an affectation from the Archon name.

[@imperialzealot2939]

Why don't you try upload in Spotify?

[@mageleader3699]

That requires being an actual artist with an agent and license agreements.

[@stillstartreking]

gotta be honest, i really did enjoy your Primers. But then i found you on socials after watching this, twitter in my case, and well. I cant and wont stand to even watch anymore of a person that so blatantly hates on people. So thanks for the ride, it was... interesting? and best of luck

[@mageleader3699]

Thanks for watching.

[@DOUG455FB]

it is funny still

[@ryanjones6384]

Now just convince the writers to stop blasting the commonwealth into bits. The Suns are a big, fat, untouched yellow blob on the map, how about they get a turn? Everyone else looks like swiss cheese.

[@ghostfear2011]

You might get your wish.

[@baker90338]

Hey, the eternal Anglo has to deal with English/French food. They suffer enough

[@mrfawkes9110]

Not a fan of the Zeus, a Mad-3R is a million c-bills cheaper, has the same armor, is 10 tons lighter, moves at the same speed and outguns every common variant of the Zeus, and it's a smaller target to boot. Zeus is an assault mech that's out gunned by heavies and out armored by a few mediums. It's just a cheaper Cyclops without looking cool. Hell the Cyclops outguns it, and can keep up with it while only losing 1.5 tons of armor. This machine should be viewed in the same light as a Cyclops; if you have a choice, just don't.

[@mrfawkes9110]

The thing about the Lyrans is that the gap between their incompetent and competent generals is MUCH wider than the other houses. So most of us only ever get to interact with the morons, I've never met a Lyran general that was smarter than my dog but they have to exist or the commonwealth wouldn't be a thing.

[@lexington476]

Is Mage Leader a social general? or maybe social colonel?

[@justinhammer3196]

I'm sure once the Commonwealth is completely incorporated into the so-called "Wolf Empire", that test tube clanner thing is your rightful Archon after all, proper scout lances will be organized and used on the Battlefield. Aff?

[@bobbrown5460]

Weirdo space furries😂

[@abaddonblack1294]

Zeus 'Lyran battlemech' or Rampage 'ripoff'?

[@WayoftheFerret]

The "Steiner Scout Lance" is one of the most over-used and unfunny jokes in the fandom, thank you for pushing back against it. Thank you for the fair representation of Lyran tactics; it was the Lyrans that made the Commando, after all.

[@scorpia6117]

i was first this time!

[@foff3804]

ZZZZZZZZ.....ZZZZZZZZ.... 😴. Oh sorry I dozed off. Must have been because getting preached at because of hurt fee fees in a make believe universe is BOORING