Battletech Lore: Primer - Clan Smoke Jaguar (Get ready for Mechwarrior 5: Clans!)

Celebrating the launch of Mechwarrior 5 Clans, we look into the perspective of those we will be playing as. Experience the origins of Clan Smoke Jaguar, why they are the way they are, and immerse yourself into this brutal martial Clan.
Twitter: / madcat529

[@maddmikeyr9337]

An EXCELLENT Primer for one of the Clans Quiaff? Keep them coming!

[@Madcat529]

Aff! Definitely will be looking into it after I wrap up the mainline lore for a temporary checkpoint! There is lots of things I want to try. I appreciate your voice adding to the desires of others and myself! :)

[@tonyblitz1]

Something my friend pointed out was that he couldn't find any content creators that have produced a playlist of convenient, thorough, primers on the history and culture of each individual clan. Specifically he vibed with my cliff notes on Nova Cat, and then couldn't really find a well delivered lore video anywhere.

[@Madcat529]

🤔 Hmm.... Actually something I've been considering whenever I take a break from my Mainline stuff. Not all factions would get a 30 minutes long video (just not enough content) but something like that can certainly be done.

[@armoredcore6Roks]

​@Madcat529 thanks for the hard work madcat. Star adder would be interesting though

[@dantauche7917]

A primer on each clan would be fucking amazing

[@nodu9303]

What happened to Clan Nova Cat...no one wants to talk about..they became Kurita Kittycat.....in a time where Kurita and Davion became best friends..the tried to merge Falcons and Wolfes..they screwed everything...tho they started Jihad...😂

[@dantauche7917]

This was an amazing video, the lore within superb. A series like this, focusing on each clan, would be a dream!!

[@Madcat529]

@@dantauche7917 Thank you very much for watching! I'm definitely considering it after the reception this one is getting

[@xani666]

Clan Smoke Jaguar's inner sphere invasion is what happens when you forget what therapy is

[@Madcat529]

This made me chuckle

[@chazzwozzio]

Therapy is Unclanlike behavior! No trueborn would talk to a lesser caste about their problems! They burn them away in the crucible of battle!! Queraff?

[@manwithhat7981]

"I want to join clan jade falcon." "No, we have a clan at home." Gets to Huntress..... "Well we HAD a clan at home."

[@harvestblades]

Nice primer for those new & refresher for the veterans. I'm really stoked for this to come out & as badly as I want to play it as I cut my teeth on the OG MW2 I can't see buying a console or PC & then investing the time so I'll hopefully be watching you're streams whike I'm working. I'm really excited for the campaign story!

[@Ikrit122]

Hey, I watched this right before MW5: Clans came out, and it was a good primer for someone who played MW5: Mercs and has a vague understanding of BattleTech lore. I played the first couple missions, and I understood most everything because of this video! It gave me a good understanding of Smoke Jaguar and the history of the clan, as well as the events leading up to the game.

[@Madcat529]

Glad the video did what it was designed to do, thanks for watching!!

[@Pigeonbutt]

I’m in the same boat as you. I’m really enjoying this universe

[@Raist474]

Fun tidbit: use of slang and contractions is actually frowned upon in official radio communications. Brevity is the name of the game. Anyone who has seen the artillery scene in Generation Kill knows that violating radio protocol is a huge deal.

[@nikushim6665]

And before anyone jumps in saying "Clans use contractions all the time", Compounds and Portmanteaus are not contractions.

[@mementomori771]

Finished the game and started getting into the lore and while people may shit on Smoke Jaguar I like em Emilie Wimmer is mommy

[@KillerOrca]

Ah yes, the Eden Insurrection: aka "Elizabeth Hazen Goes Full Scot On The Cappies"

[@robertthompson2601]

Because in the famous words of black pants legion you don't f*** with the Black watch.

[@dmora2386]

This is excellent! Thank you for the back story!

[@kirkkeichinger4534]

What I would like to see with the new smoke Jaguar clan is a both redemption/revenge storyline of them taking on the Draconis Combine and being the once to finally put that house down with a revived nova cat clan too that smoke Jaguar help revived.

[@armacombat15]

Crazy how people are ganging up on smoke jaguar like they’re the worst monster ever when the draconis combine exist, and the inner sphere spent 200 years war crimming each other

[@Cytl-bu3nq]

Funny how you go after the Combine, when Davion pretends to hold up its ideals but constantly likes to take technology from others, something that Smoke Jaguar does, they constantly blame the Combine for their problems, just like CSJ does, ir's interesting considering that quite a bunch of the bloodlines in CSJ come from House Davion. I guess the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree.

[@TheFightingNemo]

That's the cool thing about Battletech; there's more than one space nation-state full of assholes who everyone can love to hate... Capellans, Combine, Jade Falcons, Jags, Word of Blake...

[@stephanteisen8198]

Awesome as always friend, your channel was the one that reintroduced me to battletech, which I hadnt followed since "MECHASSAULT" - you then Tex and BigRed.... Keep the fire alive :)

[@Madcat529]

@@stephanteisen8198 🥹

[@jimh2067]

A great overview! Thanks for the background in a conscience story.

[@kurtisdaywalt5719]

Appreciate the music from mechassault 2 lone wolf that you threw in the video

[@graetestfanever1]

"hey smoke(d) Jaguar. Remember when you had a clan!"

[@Madcat529]

@@graetestfanever1 *Cough* 3151 baybeeeeeeeeeee

[@EricDKaufman]

May 20th, Never Forget!!!

[@armoredcore6Roks]

Remember when u Needed comstar to help out in the is?

[@nineballmk2]

jags are back in the new era

[@ObiwanNekody]

The writers decided they deserved to have one again :/

[@gabrieliacoboni6951]

Clan Smoke Jaguar got what they deserved in the end.

[@aickavon]

If you haven’t committed a war crime during your morning coffee then can you really claim to be smoke jaguar?

[@Madcat529]

Beatings will continue until morale improves.

[@BushyKal]

That Pirates moon opening goosebumps every time

[@M0rtunodos]

Welcome back! Nice vid!

[@JanJansen985]

I got my start by reading the jade falcon books I played the ghost bear game later and enjoyed more clan stuff Then i lwarned the histories of the rest of the clans and still have decided i love Smoke Jaguar the most

[@R4V3-0N]

Clan mongone. Overall a fantastic primer. It made me more pumped for the events of MW5:C than I already was!

[@Its_Croaker]

wait a second the end of Clan Smoke Kitties is missing? Or is it coming in a second video? However it was nice to learn about the background of this Clan

[@Madcat529]

@@Its_Croaker Not missing. This is a Primer, which is a type of introduction for Canon and Mechwarrior 5 Clans. I've already covered Smoke Jaguars temporary end (they return in 3151) twice now.

[@-Kidzin]

Hey Madcat, weren't you playing with us SJ back in the day in MWLL?

[@Madcat529]

Never played MWLL

[@shrshred2323]

whats the name of intro music track? i think its from mechcommander, but which??

[@Madcat529]

@@shrshred2323 Mechwarrior 3

[@shrshred2323]

@@Madcat529 thanks

[@solothurn20mm31]

Cloud Cobra mentioned

[@whatwouldoptimusdo]

Thank you for creating this

[@Madcat529]

Thank you for watching!

[@MatanuskaMechworks]

Nice job!

[@SANSd20]

Where are the backgrounds from?

[@Madcat529]

images from Sarna, B-Roll footage is all from MW5 Mercs

[@wolfofnowhere]

Wait Mason was a clanner? Fuck I need to finish the story for mercenaries

[@Madcat529]

Yup. Vanilla story in MW5 Mercs!

[@wolfofnowhere]

Yeah I'm definitely going to need to focus down the story now

[@myles5276]

❤ woot woot 🎉 getting hyped.

[@omegavulture8379]

Smoke ’em if you jaguar ’em!

[@Jehdintek]

Jaguars forever

[@hexapuma12]

Though if you read the books they’re basically back now.

[@Madcat529]

@@hexapuma12 oh I'm well aware and happy 😁

[@hexapuma12]

@@Madcat529I apologize I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t know that. More like other folks. I’m not a fan of how they’re doing Julian Davion now but I like that they’re back. It’s a great story line.

[@mikesurlygentlemanwalton]

The evil kitties before they were they the evil kitties.

[@EricDKaufman]

ARE YOU FUCKING READY FOR THIS. I was Meh... iffy... thinking it was going to be mediocre to alright. But know I ask... WHY DID THEY KEEP THIS FROM US ALL THIS TIME??? Explorer Corp jumping in Smoke(d) Jaguar's homeworld! The debate of Crusaders vs. Wardens! Someone becoming a Bondsman! Nuking of Turtle Bay! Kamikaze attack on the ilKhan! (I bet the is the ending cut scene that takes things back to Clanner Space... and sets up MW6: Tukayyid & MW6: Bulldog if the game does well enough) OMG Tex's future ex-wife's Elemental LOOKED AMAZING!!! Now... Questions..... Was that Phelen Kell at one point and then Natasha Kerensky towards the end? Was she that old at that point??? And a serious question has to be asked.... Tex's last lecture basically is going to cover a significant part of this game. Was he is cohoots with Piranha for an epic surprise like this, or is Piranha just furious at the moment Tex beat them to the punch. We haven't done the Clan Invasion since 1995's MW2: Mercenaries!!! Still the best video game in the series. 29 years! LETS FUCKING GO!!!

[@Madcat529]

Not Phelan, he looks far different. Possible Natasha appearance, she was fucking ancient by the time of Clan Invasion. 80's or older IIRC. No, not in cahoots. The Clan Invasion is very well documented in novels and sourcebooks. Even most of Mech5 Clans will be known to people. It's the micro details that are untold. That's where MW5: Clans' story gets to bloom.

[@aickavon]

Natasha was in her 70’s during the invasion, and the old woman was wearing black/red plus had reddish brown hair. On top of that, it would make sense for the characters to join wolf’s dragoons if they go the ‘good guy route’. Seems the story will go on a ‘crisis of identity’ kinda vibe.

[@EricDKaufman]

​@@Madcat529nah. You are all in cahoots. And I love it

[@armoredcore6Roks]

Yeah! Let's go! 🐈🐱🐆

[@Beargeek616]

Inner Sphere For Ever! F*ck the CLANS! Subscribed ;-)

[@coreystockdale6287]

I missed the canadian man telling me about space eugenitists

[@Madcat529]

If there's one thing I'm known for on the internet...

[@thegunslinger8806]

Hey! Hey smoke jaguar! Whats your favorite BBQ dish? Is it smoked jaguar? 😂

[@Madcat529]

🙄

[@_ENOVA]

Kerensky will return

[@ADobbin1]

This game portrays the clans as a highly efficient and serious uniformed military and industrial power, but when I was a kid I always got the impression they were disjointed and disorganized paramilitary types like you would find in central and south american insurgencies. Well armed, trained and aggressive, but poorly organized, focused more on looting and personal glory than on any national or supranational goals.

[@dabluflcn]

Samesies. They had more in common with the Klingons from Star Trek in my head.

[@mementomori771]

I view them as that, but with manifest destiny, you got to remember they were a whole society for decades before invading

[@codyblazejackson3077]

I'm starting to get the feeling none of the Mechwarrior Lore channels have read any of the "Dark Age" novels? 🤦

[@Ironhold_Watch]

Rawr

[@banebeard]

Remember Edo

[@nodu9303]

When you read Invading clans Sourcebook...what clan would you choose? Wolf or Smoke Jaguar or fucking flying Rats? ;)

[@armoredcore6Roks]

Nikolai mason is mw5 merc's mason's dad?

[@Madcat529]

@@armoredcore6Roks yeah, established in the first 5 minutes of Mech 5 Mercs

[@megasxlr2X]

@@Madcat529 shit, had no clue honestly.

[@Madcat529]

@@megasxlr2X people forget there's story to Mercs, so honestly, don't feel bad 😅

[@armoredcore6Roks]

​@@Madcat529haha. I fell asleep during the cutscenes.

[@armoredcore6Roks]

​@@megasxlr2Xhaha

[@shadewolf0075]

Unfortunately my sympathies for smoke jaguar is on the same levels I have for the capellans and kuritans -9999999999999999 Unfortunately for me the fedsuns got kicked in the nuts twice during the dark age so I can’t really do anything but plan defense operations in case the vape cats decide to join snow raven in attacking

[@Athrun82]

The good news is that the Suns at least managed to kick the Kuritas of many of their worlds (though also thanks to the Republic and their Operation Eruptio)

[@shadewolf0075]

@@Athrun82 yeah. There’s that, I just hope they can get their strength back in time to repel snow raven since the fedsuns are among the successor states that can mass produce clan tech

[@Athrun82]

@@shadewolf0075 Unfortunately Clan Snow Raven has what almost no one else has: a fleet of Warships. But the good thing is that those Behemoths need regular maintenance and the Snow Raven Ground Forces are small. Might be interesting to see how the battle hardened AFFS fare against Clanners who haven't seen much combat so far. Though in regards to Clantech: the Lyran Commonwealth produces quiet a lot themself and the Free Worlds League is about to devour the Wolf Empire taking valuable Clan facilities (Keystone alone would be a huge win as several iconic Wolf Mechs are produced there)

[@oldman747]

smoked jaguar amiright?

[@Madcat529]

Jaguars 3060: Call an ambulance Jaguars 3151: But not for me

[@oldman747]

@@Madcat529 jaguars in 3050 (when game takes place): why do i keep hearing sirens every time i get closer to terra?

[@nodu9303]

It is so fucking sad what happened to Battletech..at least we still get good Video games

[@Madcat529]

What do you mean? BT has been on the rise past handful of years! :)

[@JonathanFlexx]

I hope the player character and his star defect to the Wolf's Dragoons and kick the shit out of Jaguar.

[@Madcat529]

Really hope they stick to their guns on this, because otherwise it'll be another Star Wars Battlefront 2 issue of "Hey! Imperial storyline!" only to toss that out the window on the second mission. I know it won't happen that quick but... i really want them to stick with CSJ for the entire narrative.

[@KillerOrca]

​@@Madcat529They could be captured at Tukayiid. That would work.

[@Madcat529]

@@KillerOrca Fair.

[@JonathanFlexx]

@@Madcat529 Let's be honest in this day and age with current day politics coarsing through every sort of entertainment media I'd be very surprised if we as player characters stand by and let all the horrible, HORRIBLE, warcrimes happen. It'd be cool in a way, but as for my own bias I'd like to punish some Jaguars :P

[@Berek71182]

Or they could be slowly turned around just like Trent, the one smoke jaguar guy who recreated the route to the clan-Worlds and sold them to Comstar..

[@franksmedley8619]

Hello Madcat. So, the insane vaporous kitties are your choice? Not one I would have taken. If I HAD to pick a Clan to play, it would probably be the Wolves. Or, perhaps Wolverine. Yes, I know the Wolverines are 'gone', but I am a Michigan native, and loyal to the State's animal. Wolves at least to not wantonly kill their prey off. They 'manage' the herds, culling the week for their food. Smoke Jaguars it seems, have lost that sense of natural balance, and thus the Jaguar homeworld, even though mostly jungle and deserts, must have been a hell world that only a Catachan (wild race of humans in Warhammer 40,000 that basically is an entire race of Ah-nolds, Norris, and Rambos) would love. Thank anything you deem 'holy' that I never saw the point of playing Clans. The Clans are not really anything 'special'. Due to their incessant and brutal training from birth, they have better pilots on average, and they have a tech advantage over the regressed Inner Sphere, or did for a time at least. No, I prefer to play Mercenaries. Especially my own creations. Let me explain a bit here... 'back in the day' everyone played for Houses or Mercs. This was before the Clan Invasion. When the Clans invaded, and their TROs were introduced, a lot of players hopped on the bandwagon and played them exclusively. Soon, most were crowing about their great 'prowess' in battle, and how they were better 'generals' than any other players. I mean, come on, really... Give ME that tech, and those kind of pilots, and I'd win too. So, I took a lot of pleasure in defeating Clan players on the tabletops. Especially so when the Helm Memory Core was found and spread, and Inner Sphere tech approached Clan levels of efficiency. I still play (sometimes) today, even after 40 years. Yes, that means I've been playing since the game was first released in the first boxed set, back in 1984 ( I was 24 at the time). Now, I am an older man of 64, and still run into those puffed up types that think that their tech advantages make them such good battlefield commanders, and that the given edge of their pilots over everyone else is a mere bagatelle and not worthy of reflection. So, I still enjoy rubbing their faces into their defeats at my hands and 'lesser' tech. So, play the proud and massively brutal smoke kitties. If I ever meet you in battle, I will NOT hold back. You, will be swarmed. You have been warned. Alexander Leonidas Granger III, Tyrant of the Stygian Compact, (located somewhere inside the Perseus-Cepherus cloud complex) General of the Ghost Lions Legions, Styx, Sheol III, Stygia System. Outer Periphery. P.S. Good video. I enjoyed your 'take' on the origins of this Clan.

[@Madcat529]

Fascinating. Thanks for sharing! I wanna mention the "Take" here, there isn't one. I removed all bias for this video because I wanted people to see the Clan Smoke Jaguar as they are, rather than what they see themselves. To mirror your sharing, I chose Smoke Jaguar because despite alot of their brutality, I agree with alot of their ideals and methods. I won't soapbox here too much, but I like the idea of a Martial Society. Would I be at the top? Fuckin definitely not, I would be oppressed. But my autistic mind sees the value of "Those who can do, will" and it's perfect. I delegate people on my own Development team like this. Those who are best at something, get to do that thing. There are times where I see CSJ's reactions as overly dramatic and "too much", but I also believe the best way to stop something from happening, is to cull it in full as soon as possible. Do I agree with glassing Edo? No. Do I agree that the Jaguars should have continued strong-arming annoying dissdients? Yes. The Jaguars follow rules that make sense, and go against those that don't. I do this IRL every day and seeing a Clan follow that so closely in the ways I do, is amazing. As a bonus, having them come back as tempered wardens in 3151, agreeing that after their hard-learned lessons that there is room for levity and pride in "being servants to those worthy" is an incredibly turn in character development, that I also, have gone through in life. CSJ for better or for worse has been my experience in life. So they're the closest to me as I've ever come across in gaming.

[@franksmedley8619]

@@Madcat529 : You raise some fine points that I just cannot argue with. Especially the 3151 version of the Jags when they turn Warden. I know I am still a bit biased about the Clans as a whole, due to the players attitudes and snarky demeanor during the first decades after their debut. This has caused me to have a 'bad taste' about the whole subject over the past 40 years. I DO apologize if my comments came off as a 'flame'. I did not mean it in that manner. Post 3150s? There are a few Clans I would play. But after all this time, my Ghost Lions Legions would be my 'go to' choice for the vast majority of any games that I'd play. That's just me, and not a comment against the Clans.