BattleTech Lore & History - Second Succession War: Echoes from the Past (MechWarrior Lore)

[@thevoidlookspretty7079]

“My mental state is failing. So I better start a war.” - Kurita.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Flawless Kurita logic.

[@Fenris77]

Yeah, that sounds logical...

[@ArawnNox]

I love how you presented LCS Yo' Mama with no change in inflection. Just totally serious. My sides hurt from laughing.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

There is no humour on this channel. It is verboten.

[@Rellana1]

@@SvenVanDerPlank Is this the last mention of the Minnesota Tribe?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

They will not be mentioned again until after 3025, which is the year this history series is told from. They've been fairly strongly linked with a certain faction later on but that's beyond what we're covering at this stage.

[@case-1846]

​@SvenVanDerPlank I figured I'd google their story a bit more and found out what they became. What's most intriguing is the timelines as their "evolution" had already occurred beyond the periphery if I am not mistaken. This raiding party described in your video almost seems like group that decided to stay behind and not go with the rest of the exodus.

[@PenTheMighty]

@@case-1846 I think the Minnesota Tribe (331) are supposed to be Clan Wolverine, or what's left of them after their Trial of annihilation. From what I've read on the lore, I think Comstar took them in and settled them on Mars.

[@theravenslibrarian6655]

-Who's attacking us? -It's Yo' Mama, sir. -Oh god no! How did she find me?!

[@tillerzeit]

The poor DCMS guy having to explain that the stealths made another attack and knowing he's gonna lose his head when he answers which ship they came in on

[@theelectricgamer9889]

I find it hilarious that Battletech is simultaneously super serious while also having a unit called Yo Mama.

[@sinjin8576]

Cause it was made in the 80s where that kind of shit happened all the time.

[@jimmers123]

The 80's were an awesome time to live. @@sinjin8576

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

Often when he shows the galactic map I see a planet name that would argue against 'super serious' :D

[@jamesperkins191]

​@@Valkanna.Nubletthat happens so often in BT lore, someone gave a Planet / system a joke name just to fill empty space on a map, and only later does its history get filled out, sometimes decades later. BattleTech is FORTY this year!

[@Archangelm127]

It's great at mirroring the tragedy, absurdity, and normalcy of real life like that. Battletech feels more "real" to me as a setting than any other in sci-fi.

[@Siegerzkranz]

After the apocalyptic tone of the 1st SW series, I like how the music and visual transitions give a more moderate, relaxed tone, as if the Sphere is getting a deep breath, even with everything ahead nothing would be quite as bad as what just happened.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I'm happy you feel that way; I do too. I was very happy with the way the First Succession War series came together, especially in some of the darker moments, but I was craving something different this time around. Changing the music has given this one a totally different vibe which I'm really digging.

[@Cowboycomando54]

"Hello, this is Com Star calling to remind you to pay your bills. Also (insert rival house) thinks your lame and have no balls."

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Outrageous! I hereby officially declare war!

[@Plaprad]

And the best part, that's the exact message. It was assigned to an intern who didn't know how to do the autofill blocks so every message said (insert rival house).

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Are you telling me that all four of the rival houses think I'm lame?! I cannot let that stand.

[@Plaprad]

@@SvenVanDerPlank "Sir I'm pretty sure that's spam. Remember the mechs you sold to the Prince in Canopis? It's like that." "But... All four houses think I smell funny! WAR!!!"

[@NotThereJustGone]

There's absolutely no way they'll repeat this "succession war" business, right guys?

[@MM22966]

Look, you can't have a war if everybody's dead, right? That's just logic.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

This is the ComStar way of thinking.

[@jaredrabon175]

No, that'd be crazy, I mean what would they even fight with? It would make things even worse, we'd start losing basic infrastructure!

[@HalIOfFamer]

"All warfare is based..." -Sun Tzu and Toyama probably.

[@sinjin8576]

Even if it were to there's *no way* it'll happen 2 more times after that.

[@Disastromatic]

Kerensky's Star League, in this time of strained peace, in this part of the Draconis Combine, located entirely within a handful of seemingly unrelated planets? Yes! May I see them? No.

[@ZombieX13]

My beloved Clan Wolverine. ❤

[@DenienN]

*Clan Ghost Bear wants to know your location*

[@NewsOfTheInnerSphere]

@@DenienN you and the rest of the Clans. 🤣

[@ZombieX13]

@@DenienN Somewhere around Minnesota

[@spartanalex9006]

I'm sure that the Issue of Star League Succession will be resolved this time.

[@theelectricgamer9889]

Maybe dare I say peacefully.

[@Echo1608.]

I'm loving these small unknown dangerous forces that just appear every now and then throughout the lore. Minnesota Tribe just showing up out of nowhere and causing chaos sounds like an AMAZING setting for a novel or campaign.

[@Deridus]

Ah, Kurita. Never change. If they ever do, I'll have one fewer Great House to utterly hate.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

How can you hate them, the lovable scamps?

[@Deridus]

Easilly. Very, very easily. Also, that last dramatic picture? I call Bull-Shark!

[@Archangelm127]

@@SvenVanDerPlank If their whole "honor" thing wasn't something they can turn on and off as it pleases them (in my personal experience contracting with the assholes) then I'd have a lot more time for them.

[@Sierra026]

Comstar News Bureau: Fair and Balanced

[@Archangelm127]

Very fake news. 🤣

[@robdead4550]

Another great work. Your commentary and your outtro give such insight. The second Succession war is almost a blank in my historical knowledge. I, like many others, believed in the Peace of Blake...Please don't shatter it for me....

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I'm sure you're not the only one. First Succession War, folks are vaguely aware that there was mass WMD usage and billions died. But the Second? Who knows what went down. More of the First? Or something else? I guess we'll find out.

[@thecommuterzombie]

I am learning a lot about the SWs from these videos and the quality is consistently excellent. Thanks for putting in the work!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

You're welcome. Glad you've found them interesting.

[@thomasrose4523]

Love the fact that the "Minnesota Tribe" visited a system with the same name as my town, Richmond! Brought a smile to my face. That, and as @ArawnNox pointed out, your delivery of LCS Yo' Mama.

[@topsmug3409]

Must have been getting sick of Nickys ban on “trendy, fowl tasting hipster IPAs” and stopped by triple crossing brewery.

[@gregbird5684]

Thank you for my daily battletech fix 😊

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

You're welcome. Wish they were daily uploads, perhaps then I'd actually get to read some of the new material, but sadly that's simply not possible.

[@bthsr7113]

Comstar: If the Great houses outside of Kurita are more reluctant to resume full warfare than expected, maybe we could actually help build a long peace? What with our growing influence and ability to highlight why continuing to fight would only be a prolonged nightmare for known space NAH! Let's inflame resentments and bolster Jinjiro's efforts! And probably kill diplomats with a flagless attack!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

But don't you see, if we let them not fight today, they'll fight even worse in the future.

[@Wrangler-fp4ei]

Love care you take with your historical review, it's wonderful.

[@CommunistGuerrilla]

Thank you for all the hard work you put into these. Quality work 👏

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Cheers. Glad you like them.

[@shawnarmitage7955]

God, guns, and Battletech. LCS Yo' Mama, my sons and I laughed so hard. Thank you for the great work, my friend.

[@TheDevolutionary]

ComStar really do rank quite high in the list of reprehensible monsters in the setting.

[@jamesperkins191]

Don't blame me, I voted for Amaris

[@Archangelm127]

@@jamesperkins191 Well, I voted for Kerensky, but he went all Tecumseh Sherman on us.

[@Demolitiondude]

[Ancient aliens guy] Minnesota tribe!

[@tmorton42]

Very fun listen!! Nicely done.

[@natahx2787]

I’m so glad that as soon as I got back into battletech you started this history series! Can’t wait for clan invasion! Are you going to do a separate history of the clans exploits before 3050?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I will do a series on their history, but my plan is to go back and cover them after the Clan Invasion.

[@manicthunder]

Bro thank you I really enjoy your vids they get me through my work day

[@TKUltra971]

Ah yes, I adore your channel and your reading of the lore. I lost the pulse of this franchise for like 20 some odd years and its refreshing to get caught up. I brought snacks!

[@nikkiramey2148]

Thanks!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Thank you very much for the donation, Nikki. I'm glad to have your support.

[@level98bearhuntingarmor]

LCS Yo' Mama lol

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I feel like that name should have been reserved for a fucking huge battlecruiser of something, not a crummy JumpShip.

[@Deridus]

The fact he said it without laughing is commendable.

[@ThomasUfnalCrowlake]

At 4:38 and other places - do you have a huge map of planets and garrisoning units that you zoom onto? Or do you prepare those visualisations specifically for those areas you are covering? Edit: I guess 6:40 answers that lol. I'd love to get a chance to see and toy with those beautiful maps as full images Edit2: and only now do I read the description xD I have been working on a similar map but with movable unit tokens and I love your effort much more than anything I've ever managed!!!

[@sper1585]

Great presentation, keep them coming.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Working on it. Many more to come.

[@afitz34]

I knew some key parts of the first war, but know next to nothing about the events of the second. I'll have to get that sourcebook as well at some point. It's unbelievable how much Space Comcast got away with. Good stuff.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I think most folks have a blind spot in their knowledge when it comes to the 2ndSW. They know the early Succession Wars unleashed mass destruction and caused a technological regression, but the actual details are a mystery.

[@azou5th]

Another great video that just makes me wait for the next one.

[@blackspade1]

I'd forgotten how scummy Comstar really was... Great vid as always!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

How can you forget a thing like that?

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

Yo Mama's so scary that even the Atlas shrugged and ran away.

[@ampgp03d]

Once again, freaking kurita. You had at least 3 shots at stopping the “Minnesota Tribe”. You bring dishonor again to Kerensky’s name for not doing this. Dishonor.

[@nickthenuker7916]

Dishonour on you! Dishonour on your cow!

[@Archangelm127]

Never heard of the Minnesota Tribe, but I can't help thinking they might be remains of Clan Wolverine. Does that match up timeline-wise, or am I way off?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

You are correct. It's been heavily implied in numerous sourcebooks that's who they were. Where they went is still up for debate, with different books suggesting different things.

[@Archangelm127]

@@SvenVanDerPlank Thanks! I wish them well. :)

[@chrisshockey3218]

Ok… I’m betting on humanities better angels and peace breaking out….. let’s see how it goes.

[@Archangelm127]

That is a bet you will lose every single time until Judgement Day.

[@JPG.01]

How many takes were necessary to deliver LCS Yo' Mama in the way recorded in the video? You have my deepest respect there Sir. That takes some control. I had to rewind the video more than once to make sure I did not misunderstand you.

[@lukechaplin3263]

Can't wait for the next one ❤

[@Grotonomus]

Shout out to my MWO merc unit, Armored Combat Escalation Services A.C.E.S.!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I had read that some of the Mercenary groups from the sourcebook were fan suggestions. Funny to see somebody in the comments who recognised one of them.

[@Ironclockwork]

You know how f-ed up things are when your local friendly phone company is making you feel like picking fights with your neighbors.

[@solaraura8278]

Things are really heating up! Looking forward to the next chapter

[@Szoki86]

I cannot wait to once again hear how much things suck for everyone and how they just keep sucking more, only this time with a shady phone company also doing their part!

[@ebla83]

Excellent work Sven! Yo Momma!!!🤣

[@marsar1775]

i really enjoyed this episode, as i have the previous entries in the history but "Yo mama" threw me, i had to stop what i was doing and rewind this is like the third time youve done that to me

[@florianlucs7229]

Where the battemechs that borked the negotiations between marik and steiner painted white?

[@jasonfarley9025]

THAT'S the good stuff!

[@truckingjoe7715]

Ah, pre clan wolverine....

[@jamesperkins191]

Does The Minnesota Tribe pre-date The Clans in real-world publishing terms?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Yes. Minnesota Tribe was first mentioned in the Kurita Housebook in 1987, but they were already hypothesised to be SLDF remnants. Clans were introduced in 1989, Wolverine and their destruction in 1991. You had sourcebooks already linking the proximity of those two events in the early 90s so FASA had already decided they were the probable explanation by that point.

[@michaelthomas5433]

Hey look! It's Clan Wolverine. Maybe? Could be? Perhaps they can return and save the Inner Sphere from the ridiculous Wolf Star League and the Uber Capellan Confederation. Now if I understand Battletech logic if say give or take two regiments escaped all those years ago from the clans that should mean there are trillions of Wolverines now with even more advanced technology. Yup. Makes sense.

[@jamesperkins191]

The Rim Worlds will rise again...

[@jamesperkins191]

But I think we're still going to be stuck with the Third League until at least the 3260s

[@michaelthomas5433]

@@jamesperkins191 :(

[@jameskazd9951]

I love battletech and it feels a lot more "real" than a lot of sci fi, but one thing that always bugged me just a bit was how fast human expansion and population growth happens/happened

[@jamesperkins191]

@@jameskazd9951 Well, on an empty world with good agricultural conditions, a couple can and often will be able to have a large number of children, and so populations can grow very quickly The Clans have their Iron Wombs, so a pair of warriors can have hundreds of children every year, the vast majority of whom will muster out of the Warrior Caste

[@garysnook3591]

That is one big inner sphere.

[@nukenuked5749]

thanks mate top video

[@AAX11111]

I will be honest. This series on the Succession Wars has really made me HATE all of the "Great Houses".

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

So you're a Clanner now then? Or one of those Periphery weirdos?

[@AAX11111]

Am Periphery. Clans are also horrific beyond words.

[@ThugShakers4Christ]

Still need a video that tells the truth about Amaris, the Martyr

[@Axemantitan]

10:48 I guess FASA couldn't call it the Comstar News Network, because then it would be CNN.

[@Darthhorse98]

May the Peace of Blake be with you! Clearly!!

[@DadalorianCreates]

We originally played the Minn Tribe as a Comstar Unit sent to stir s**things**t up and do the ol ComStar destabilization. then jumped repainted their gear and went back to guarding HPGs

[@EricDKaufman]

Minnesota TTribe ---> Van Zandt Free State Militia. Would explain sooooo much. From why they were wipped off the star chart by ComStar out of pure spite, to Prof. Tex's thing for elemental women. Don't think it explains Tom Fucking Tombadil from motorpool though. 🙂🙂🙂

[@nathanparis3573]

Bloodname ancestor was a fighter pilot? I hear those guys are all crazy...

[@jamesperkins191]

Nah, they're just a remnant of the Rim World's Republic, I'm not sure the Wolverines would be inclined to be that kind to them

[@spartanalex9006]

@@jamesperkins191I mean, Nova Cat was founded mainly by Rim Worlders. Every Clan would likely have had RWA Defectors.

[@jamesperkins191]

@@spartanalex9006 Defectors is the key word there though... Van Zant is a RWR remnant world, nostalgic for their fallen Republic even if not the actual Amaraises

[@z3r0_35]

LCS Yo' Mama... Oh, Battletech, never change...

[@qetiogusliriope7436]

when is MW5 and BT on the timeline?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

MW5 begins in 3015 (technically 3012 if you count the tutorial). As for the DLCs: Call to Arms is 3025 Kestrel Lancers is 3028-3029 Rise of Rasalhague is 3031-3034 Dragon's Gambit is 3038-3039 HBS BattleTech begins in 3022, then jumps three years to 3025 once you've completed the tutorial section of the game.

[@bthsr7113]

Jinjiro: I have this condition. I'm crazy. And (even) when I'm crazy, I'm a fighting machine! If you got that reference, I'm so very sorry, but I needed to type it to get it out of my head.

[@HalIOfFamer]

LCS Yo'Mama is just the name I'd give a giant lumbering space ship.

[@Disastromatic]

"What was that rumbling sound?" "Yo'Mama has made planetfall, Sir."

[@phelanbutonyoutube]

LCS Yo Mama had me lmkst spit out my coffee haha

[@HawkTheRed]

I want to see the alternate takes of you trying to say "LCS Yo' Mama" with a straight tone and face, and failing

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I wish I had kept a compilation of outtakes from over the years but most just get trimmed out before I even save the .wav file. I have one I shared with a friend of me reading "the Lyran Regulars arrived at... How the fuck do you pronounce Zdice?" and the sharp contrast between my narrator voice and my normal way of speaking always makes me laugh listening to it back. The 'c' in Zdice is a 'ch' sound if you're curious. I think it's a city in Czechia if I remember correctly.

[@HawkTheRed]

@@SvenVanDerPlank Maybe a future idea, you keep the outtakes so you can have a compilation of it for fun? Also, even with you breaking it down, "Zdice" is throwing me through a loop as well.

[@ebla83]

@@SvenVanDerPlank remember the Duncan Fisher outtakes from MW4 Mercenaries?

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

I've never played any of the MechWarrior games, believe it or not. I plan to go through them when I reach that point in the timeline.

[@ebla83]

@@SvenVanDerPlank MW4 Mercenaries was a gem that aged very well. You can replay it many different ways including fighting in gladiator style combat. Duncan Fisher is the announcer and he is a gem.

[@pgwchaos]

Invasion from beyond the Inner Sphere? Please, that is just Periphery tall tales and something like that would never happen.

[@reecedignan8365]

House Kurita players “who do house Davion and Steiner always pick on us and say that we always shit stur and start wars” Also House Kurita “so, how bout those boarder raids”

[@wazup85]

👍

[@MysteryMastery69]

Woop woop

[@Direrain72]

so the important question is...How many takes did LCS Yo' Mama require? XD

[@verysilentmouse]

Who were those masked peoples raiding kurita.....😂

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Probably those weirdo Canopians.

[@HalIOfFamer]

Whoever they were, peace of Blake be upon them ;)

[@verysilentmouse]

@@SvenVanDerPlank more gd furries

[@AGS363]

14:40 One thing is clear: They did not join ComStar, that was proven to be a Kurita PsyOp.

[@EricDKaufman]

Free State of Van Zandt Militia. Would explain why they were wiped of the star charts out of pure spite... for not joining them... and thus why no one knows where Van Zandt is. :-) LOL It is more of a state of mind though, than a physical place, as far as you would want any one else to know. Now get the fuck out!

[@jamesperkins191]

Well, notwithstanding that the Combine might have been just making crap up to get the Ghost Bears to ally with them to fight the Word Of Blake... they were still correct. The Wolverines became the Minnesota Tribe who got taken in by a ComStar clique, later became the Word Of Blake, and later still became The Clave... It's not clear that the Combibe could have actually known that, but that's absolutely what happened.

[@AGS363]

​@@jamesperkins191 No, you should really read "Ghosts of Obeedah".

[@jamesperkins191]

​@@AGS363 Not much about in on Sarna, what's it say?

[@Smeghead76]

F'in ComStar...

[@briandouglas9980]

LCS Yo Mama 😅

[@EricDKaufman]

Chain Gang Missions 2828 = Russia 2022

[@MaxCanyon-h4x]

LCS Yo'Mama would have sounded even funnier if you pronounced it like a name, like "io-ma-MAAH" but it sounded funny straight deadpan too. I really look foreward to the third succession war - as that is what was going on when I first started battletech a long time ago in 3025... Everything shredded, busted, salvaged.. ad-hoc assemblages of units that survived the last two wars just mishmashed together until it takes a feudal anarchy to keep the galaxy together. As far as the SECOND one; I think the incident between the Lyrans and the diplomatic travesty with the FWL was incited by a third party. the Combine was tickling its fingers in both of its neighbors, so causing a war between the Lyrans and the FWL would make the Lyrans an even easier target as now they are also fighting on two fronts, much like the Kuritans were doing. The strategic idea here is that if you keep everyone else busy fighting someone else, you can get away with even more fuggery on their borders. Mysterious mechs of unknown faction shoowing up to sew doubt and mistrust - IT WAS Mthe LIAO FAMILY ALL ALONG! Ninja, assassins, false wars. They cannot survive the other four great houses so make them all fight each other :D