Battletech/Mechwarrior Lore Tex Talks Battletech : - A Primer on the Clans [Part 1]

#Battletech #BattletechHistory #BattletechLore
Tex of the Black Pants Legion here. This episode of Tex Talks Battletech was initially on elementals and only elementals. However, viewer interest and many questions persuaded me to expand the scope of the lesson to include a primer on the clans. This is Part 1 of that series, entitled Exodus to Elementals: A Relatively brief Primer on the clans. Exodus to Elementals will cover the history of the SLDF from pre-exodus to landfall in the Kerensky Cluster, and beyond. Exodus to Elementals will cover their history, culture, and way of life. Part 1 of this series took a hell of a lot of effort and was only possible through the efforts of my team, and the amazing support of my fanbase. Further, to write this series I did consult with the actual author of the material, and heard their opinions and insight before finishing my initial draft. Thanks to Blaine Pardoe for his wit and wisdom, and if you don't know who he is - shame on you. Anyways, here's part one of a guide series on clan lore, clan history, clan weird stuff, the end of the SLDF and anything else I got lost on.
That being said, Welcome to Exodus to Elementals: A relatively brief primer on the clans (Part 1)
MUSIC SPECIAL LINKS (Hire these people, they're damn good music people):
GOAT
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KUMAKIN
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ALSO
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DR. JEKYLL
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GEORGE LEDOUX is a great man. Hire his ass here.
www.georgeledoux.com/
Music used (in order, but people will still ask because they can't be bothered to look stuff up)
Tex Talks Battletech Theme - Kumakin
Azimuth Menu Theme - Kumakin
Lost Memories - Epidemic Sound
Aspire to Inspire - Epidemic Sound
Weight of Indecision - Kumakin
Tex Talks Battletech More Big - Kumakin
Voices of War 2 - Epidemic Sound
Highland Sights - Epidemic Sound
Enrich - Epidemic Sound
Somewhere in Space - Epidemic Sound
P I N K B I K I N I - Kumakin
Down by the Alleyway - Epidemic Sound
Voices of War 1 -Epidemic Sound
To War - Epidemic Sound
The Eternal War - Epidemic Sound
Space Station 13 Theme via Clown - Dr Jekyll
Sights of the Toyko Tower - Epidemic Sound
German National Anthem 3 - Epidemic Sound
Violin Sonata No 2 - Brahms
Afternoon Swing 1 - Epidemic Sound
Battle Hymn of the Mechwarrior - Goatburger
The Courtesy Flush - Where StAr TrAk is played, and mike (The glorious editor) makes his home.
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The Patreon, where you fund this stuff. Think twice about this, I mean, afterall I hope you're doing your best for yourself before sending money to a stranger on the internet.
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The Twitter. Which is used for shitposting. Seldom will I say anything of note there.
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Want to know what the hell is going on or what I'm working on? The Patreon and BPL Community Page on youtube are your best bets for that information.
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This channel is not brought to you by Audible, Skillshare, Dollar Shave Club (men don't shave), Raid Shadow Legends or any of that crap. This channel IS brought to you by the fanbase and only the fanbase. Like PBS but with a hell of a lot more swearing.
Oh, and clan-fans... please consider this is a work of opinion. I did present both sides of many arguments, but I reserve the right to hate fictional space weirdos hell bent on pushing genetic purity as a test of excellence or leadership-by-arrogance.

[@michaelman957]

Did you ever hear the tragedy of General Kerensky the Just? I'm not surprised; it's not a story the Capellans would tell you... because they don't have schools.

[@swytchblayd]

They have schools. They just use them for indoctrination instead of education.

[@Mechabang]

Or money

[@ettibbet5493]

We have schools, but Davion keeps blowing them up

[@ettibbet5493]

Q

[@SniperTeamTango]

@@ettibbet5493 sounds like you should stop picking fights with Davion then

[@jonskowitz]

50% more anticipated than the last Star Wars movie. 100% less likely to disappoint.

[@ZacHawkins42]

Top comment

[@gwem1979]

More love and passion went into this than any disney era star wars movie

[@KobraSnake0813]

Bruh. I stopped watching the movies when 7 came out and shit all over the fandom, making the prequels look okay. Battletech has become my favorite universe thanks to BPL. I'm going through the books, first 6 finished.

[@mq5731]

@@gwem1979 Probably more research and consideration for the lore as well. At least Midi-Chlorians only stuck around for 1 episode. Nowadays, we get the fine privilege of watching Mary Sue and Mr. Racial Inclusivity prance about and destroy everything George Lucas built. At least they had the decency to kill Han Solo so he didn't have to watch this shit. I only feel bad about Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Anakin who are all watching this as force ghosts and dying a second time of cringe.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I think I could write a better star wars movie.

[@Synthonym]

I find it beautifully ironic that Kerensky furnished Blake with an army whose descendants would, centuries later, defend the inner sphere successfully from Kerensky's own progeny

[@theblackpantslegion]

such beautiful irony as well

[@SnakebitSTI]

It was perhaps the one part of Kerensky's legacy which went kind of sort of to plan.

[@RRVCrinale]

There exists an extra layer of irony in the fact that the legacy of Blake himself also led to...shenanigans, as well. Star League is a crown that _does things_ to the heads that wear it. Not always bad things - there are Camerons that prove that - but Great Father, do we like to talk about the bad things.

[@SnakebitSTI]

@@RRVCrinale That's the problem with crowns in general. Just because one leader is great doesn't mean their progeny won't be colossal fuckups.

[@connormclernon26]

@@SnakebitSTIall it takes is one idiot in an absolute monarchy to bring everything to shit.

[@YehudaShapira]

"Violence was never the answer. Violence is a question, and the answer is inevitably yes." - Tex

[@theblackpantslegion]

I aint wrong

[@willdavis3802]

​@@theblackpantslegion The answer is invariably also a question "How much?"

[@brad506th]

@@willdavis3802 According to my old drill Sergeant, ALL of it.

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

That is a James Mattis quote

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

I'm a bigger fan of "If violence isn't the answer, you're asking the wrong question."

[@logandarklighter]

Yknow... there's an old anime - Area 88. And it is singularly unique in my personal experience for expanding on a particular curse of soldiers - whether uniformed or mercenary. Other shows - both anime and live action - have shown that war is hell and shown the immediate cost. But Area 88 is one of only a handful that address a particular problem: *That soldiers are often cursed to dream of peace when at war. And to dream of war when they are at peace.* I think that's a BIG part of what happened to the SLDF when they tried to settle down after the Exodus. Thank you for highlighting this - even if indirectly.

[@theblackpantslegion]

You are most welcome sir

[@Solon_The_Lich]

Both the anime versions are pretty good.

[@johnoaker1232]

@@Solon_The_Lich I prefer the OVA

[@weldonwin]

I knew of Area 88 from the video game on the Super Nintendo back in the 90's (Released here in the UK as UN Squadron), but I never got to see the anime. Is there anywhere its available online?

[@infernalstryfe]

As veterans, we dream of peace, because most of us are young, & naive about a great many things. Also, it's our asses out on the two-way rifle range. Then, for those of us who do get back, we are thrown away, & forgotten, because we have secured peace for the citizenry, objectives for our perspective governments, & have outlived our usefulness, & purpose to them. Not quite a hero's welcome, we were promised. We were disposable then, & we are even moreso, disposable, now. At least war make sense. You know someone is out to kill you, & likewise, you are out to kill them. There's a sense of structure, duty, & purpose to this, even under the most bat-shit, chaotic, moments when everything is absolutely FUBAR. The civilian life, of peace, is an undisciplined structural mess at best. At its worst, a passive aggressive shit-show of hurt fee-fees, that lead to mission failure everytime, & with the added stress of not being allowed to zero out the people that desperately need to be dealt with, because laws of civility, protect such useless, & worthless dumbasses lives. I'd prefer Hell, (war) over purgatory (peace) any day. At least there's a chance of having some good clean fun, while getting my hands dirty in Hell.

[@RF-jh7mb]

"No man is immortal" Except the Black Watch, they have more plot armor than they know what to do with.

[@boxtank5288]

Part of what I like in the setting, EVERYONE gets moments of badass and there are plenty of plot Atlas wielding people on ALL SIDES.

[@concordetconstabulary219]

Here’s a show down for ya. Black watch versus Davion. Davion led by Devlin Stone and Black Watch by Elizabeth Hazen. Who wins.

[@sivalon1]

@@concordetconstabulary219 Universe falls apart due to the amount of concentrated fucking awesome in one place. So, we all win.

[@Deridus]

@@sivalon1 Winners: Humanity. Losers: Liao.

[@Sk0lzky]

The toughest plot armour of the universe is worn by IS houses lmao

[@FlickTakFlakAttack]

Huh, it just hit me. Tukayyid was the Clans vs Com Star, which was basically two facets of the Star League fighting themselves. Star League vs Star League.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Yes, full circle!

[@immaswissdude2611]

Humanitys greatest enemy is Humanity

[@willdavis3802]

In this corner Christians, and in the opposing corner Muslims! Guest appearing as "the we wish we had an actual referee" their daddy neither one cares to openly admit - Jews! Same thing. Deadly enemies from the same spawning point.

[@rainyvideos3684]

@@willdavis3802 That's not even close. This is more communism vs fascism. Both are forms of socialism and both fighting for which is the true vision of it.

[@IKMojito]

@@rainyvideos3684 you're even farther from the point, both points from you two are stupid and don't apply in the slightest

[@jamesricker3997]

Don't forget Nicholas kerensky grew up on occupied Terra. Growing he would have been fed Amaris propaganda . Stephen Amaris might be one of the silent fathers of the Clans

[@theblackpantslegion]

A keen observation.

[@vilhelmpuddintain9295]

*Amaris' insane laughter echoes in the distance*

[@SMAXZO]

@@vilhelmpuddintain9295 In the end...Amaris had one victory over Kerensky.

[@lanasmith4795]

That's a scary thought

[@Deridus]

This is quite an unsettling revelation. I wonder how the Stone Rhino's creators would react to that?

[@rainmakerroar4014]

Prinz Eugen Crew: *mutinies* Kerensky: *summons the Black Watch* Prinz Eugen Crew member: why are there bagpipes noises in space?!

[@abcj17]

When you are Black Watch even the cold, empty void of space realizes it should show some respect.

[@weldonwin]

*(Hears that music and instantly Stands to Attention)*

[@Prich319]

@@abcj17 yes, Capellens learned that the hard way.

[@Morachnyion]

The pipes! THE PIPES ARE GETTING LOUDER!!

[@weldonwin]

@@Morachnyion *(Airlock Blows Open)* "KNOCK KNOCK MOTHER F**KERS!!!"

[@malusignatius]

"The Black Watch however, had Bat-Shit Crazy on their side." Nice.

[@michaelcowling9928]

Resistance fighter minding their own business while blowing away the establishment - [hears bagpipes playing off in the distance] - "I surrender" drops weapon and throws hands up...

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thanks!

[@Alachaas]

Nope just Scottish

[@drakkenmensch]

When Hazen charged the capellans with her katana, the capellans did a critical mistake: *they brought guns to a Blackwatch fight.*

[@civildisorder]

Dumb people in Battletech: "I'm gonna eff around with weapons of war." Also dumb people in Battletech: "Why do I hear bagpipes?"

[@metalmadness5851]

"In space no one can hear you scream" *Bagpipes can be heard in space* Xenomorph: *Sweats acid profusely*

[@theblackpantslegion]

The black watch would kick the shit out of xenomorphs.

[@WTFisTingispingis]

@@theblackpantslegion If the Blackwatch were the USCM in Aliens, that movie would've been thirty to forty minutes tops of mad scottish space marines burning everything.

[@weldonwin]

@@WTFisTingispingis And now I can only imagine Elizabeth Hazen, just straight up beating the Alien Queen to death with her bare fists, straddling its neck and just wailing on it over and over, while it struggles and screeches for help, but the rest of the hive are just cowering in the darkest holes they can find, just desperately hoping she doesn't find them next

[@kingdomofvinland8827]

I want to see the black watch fight Xenomorphs

[@thil2894]

@@kingdomofvinland8827 don't.... they made aliens and predators vs everything.... just don't

[@romulusnuma116]

The Exodus Civil war is the most heart breaking thing to me

[@theblackpantslegion]

It is true tragedy

[@igor_kossov]

It turns out that when Terran apes go to the stars, they drag their evolutionary history, red in tooth and claw, with them.

[@PenTheMighty]

Kerensky didn't die of a heart attack, but a broken heart. Everything he'd fought for turned to ash before his very eyes. Battletech, come for the mechs, stay for the tragedies.

[@robertivey7644]

I have this feeling he found out Nikky his son was behind the whole thing and his heart broke in a thousand pieces.

[@11amasuperboy]

The Urbanmech: Why not both?

[@ClnlBogey]

Coronation Street has a higher body count, but not as much heart break. Here there be Dragoons.

[@GhostBear3067]

I could have sworn I read somewhere that he died from a stroke, probably due to the elevated blood pressure from the stress of dealing with Nickolas's shenanigans.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Its a beautiful tragedy

[@THEGRUMPTRUCK]

Upon witnessing DeChevalier's death, Elizabeth Hazen, as legends say, promptly "Lost her shit."

[@Zyzyx442]

Love that battletech is just humans being humans, mankind stuff, pushed to the extreme, but still everything plausible and familiar yet horrific and glorious.

[@PrinceAlhorian]

Eulogy for General De Chevalier (and a warning to all Capellans): The most terrifying force of death, comes from the hands of Men who wanted to be left Alone. They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love.They resist every impulse to fight back, knowing the forced and permanent change of life that will come from it. They know, that the moment they fight back, their lives as they have lived them, are over. The moment the Men who wanted to be left alone are forced to fight back, it is a form of suicide. They are literally killing off who they used to be. Which is why, when forced to take up violence, these Men who wanted to be left alone, fight with unholy vengeance against those who murdered their former lives. They fight with raw hate, and a drive that cannot be fathomed by those who are merely play-acting at politics and terror. TRUE TERROR will arrive at these people's door, and they will cry, scream, and beg for mercy... but it will fall upon the deaf ears of the Men who just wanted to be left alone. General De Chevalier was such man, finally believing the killing fields was behind him, 3500 light years away, those Capellan frackers dragged him back to it against his will. Let he be an example to all those who disturb the peace, let the Black Watch who marched beside him channel this man's fury. Woe to the imbeciles who antagonize the Vetran heroes of the SLDF, the men and woman whom just wanted to be left alone...

[@randomcenturion7264]

Too right. Sometimes it’s just better to leave well enough alone

[@the_hope_of_balarat1109]

Damn. Well said.

[@chthulu27]

Excellent rhetoric.

[@SulliMike23]

To sum it up in a quote from Godfather part III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

[@insaniam_convertunt_scientiam]

There’s always going home again assuming one survives humanities stupidest game.

[@patrickcoyle5469]

Alternate title: "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Social Engineering by A Batshit Madman."

[@samuelblackthorne9122]

If you were forced to to join a social engineered caste system to survive who would you hope to be assigned too?

[@handles_are_a_bit_rubbish]

@@samuelblackthorne9122 Diamond Shark, Merchant Caste. Can I offer you a Harjel in these trying times?

[@claytonhess5512]

This confirms it: Nicholas Kerensky is Bernie Sanders.

[@DCJMS]

at least there's Snu-Snu

[@patrickcoyle5469]

@@samuelblackthorne9122 Hmm... Diamond Shark merchant could be a sweet gig, but probably as competitive as the warrior caste. I'd go with Ghost Bear scientist or merchant, because most of my skills are academic, and the Bears actually give a shit about their civilians.

[@badpreacher7529]

I actually got my grandma hooked to your battletech series. When i told her this was coming out, she cancelled her plans for tomorrow and is waiting...This is gonna be fun!!

[@theblackpantslegion]

Tell gramma hi for me.

[@liammackenzie9283]

Did the same with my mom, she now loves the black watch and northwind highlanders, lol

[@MrLeforian]

I love your grandma

[@NathanielWinkelmann]

Can I play battle tech with all y'alls' maternal figures?

[@exiledadrian103]

BlackPantsLegion Tex, are you part Scotch/Irish yourself?

[@Masterbaade]

“Violence is a question. And the answer is inevitably yes.” TEX

[@theblackpantslegion]

I can be attributed to a few terrible quotes

[@Masterbaade]

BlackPantsLegion I am listening to the whole series again while working to prepare myself for the newest Tex talks battletech. Don’t want to miss anything

[@alericantonelli4656]

@@theblackpantslegion its not a terribly eloquent quote, but its a damn good one.

[@GrimmShadowsII]

@@alericantonelli4656 I heard a longer version somewhere, possibly a battletech/mechwarrior card or book. "Violence is never the the answer, it is the question and the answer is invariably yes"

[@darklordmalthric9814]

@@theblackpantslegion you should cover the succession wars

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

A quote to start with, when you do the Succession Wars: "But the princes, putting the words of their wise men to naught, thought each to himself: If I but strike quickly enough, and in secret, I shall destroy those others in their sleep, and there will be none to fight back; the earth shall be mine. Such was the folly of princes, and there followed the Flame Deluge." Kinda fitting.

[@PandorasFolly]

This is a very good quote to kind of explain the ridiculousness of the inner sphere since the star league's fall. You know how patterns get set by people and history. I think like how from the fall of Rome to 20th century so many were trying to be a Caesar, in the Inner Sphere everyone was trying to be Amaris.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

@@PandorasFolly And in both cases, as well as many others, people had learned the wrong lessons from history. People wanted to become Caesar, forgetting that Caesar was ultimately betrayed by his friends and rivals and was stabbed to death. People want to be Oda Nobunaga, but he was betrayed and killed by one of his vassals shortly before he could succeed in uniting all of Japan. The Great Houses want to be Amaris, but forget that Amaris was ultimately defeated and overthrown within his own lifetime, and had little time to enjoy his conquest since he had to spend years struggling, and failing, to keep what he had taken, and in the process of doing so destroyed Star League and everything that was good in the Inner Sphere.

[@jtnachos16]

@@FirstLast-cg2nk At least in Nobunaga's case there wasn't a super-obvious concrete reason (AFAIK with my research) for why Mitsuhide Akechi offed him. Oh sure there's plenty of guesses, and some of them even have reasonable logic behind them, but we don't KNOW. Also Nobunaga's (and Caeser's for that matter, him being more akin to if Kerensky had taken the offer to use the SLDF to grab martial law) situation is quite a bit different in general, as while he gained his power through war, he did actually build up support base and validity, as opposed to Amaris, who smoothtalked his way into power and then assassinated someone. Both of them also had greater ambitions and planned reforms than what Amaris did. Amaris wanted power for the sake of power, Caesar and Nobunaga both had a vision of a better nation, albeit perhaps an overwillingness to use violence to get there (which is honestly something typical in people who spend most their lives fighting wars. Cynicism tends to crush Idealism, the only real question is how long it takes to do so).

[@KellAnderson]

A Canticle For Leibowitz is a gorram classic.

[@blainepardoe4758]

Great episode. Shit - I have a lot of blood on my hands!

[@theblackpantslegion]

You did this blaine.

[@Mauther]

Sure showed your high school guidance councilor!

[@dond4375]

I still have almost all the "historical records" by Blaine and the others that gave Battletech such flavor. Lots of respect.

[@robertivey7644]

Hey the Blackjack is a work of art man it totally murders entire battalions of Kurita light mechs with dakka!!!

[@charlesgideon8056]

It's not the quantity but the quality and you give the heroes and villains their due respect. Makes me hope you get some more blood on that keyboard of yours.

[@thepbg8453]

Clan history 101 Some dudes left, got super nostalgic in deep space, had a war, then went super native, then decided being nice wasn't cool, made a number of fraternity's, and then decided to go back home to show those posers who kicked them out who the cool kids were.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

And failed...

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@SonsOfLorgar I guess you didn't read the Prefaces of the TROs for Succession and Clan Wars.

[@roadside_fury2631]

Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht called collect from Space AT&T, He wanted to remind you of the battle of Tukayyid. Hippity hoppity, get of my property.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@roadside_fury2631 Again, did you read the prefaces of the latest TROs which are after Tukkayid? Oh, and Comstar is extinct. Great success.

[@roadside_fury2631]

@@dubuyajay9964 Did you watch Tex Talks Battletech: Battle of Tukayyid? Because perhaps you missed the joke. And I could give two shits about the most recent TROs.

[@GaldirEonai]

"The Black Watch, however, had Batshit Crazy on their side." That's probably the best way to summarize them.

[@hitomisalazar4073]

Ah Clanners.... I love clanners. Mostly because when I played battletech with my friends back in my school days? I was the only one who didn't want to play clanners. I remember one particular campaign, which might as well be lore because it was so typically... clannish. We were running the Battletech RPG at the time. And lo and behold, I alone didn't bring a Clanner... no I made a noble member of the Draconis Combine. The true heroes of the setting. ;) At least I call them that because unlike the other factions... they're honest about being terrible people. In a setting where everyone is just downright horrible... the honest horrible faction reigns supreme. So they decided that the way to have this campaign start was in the Clan Invasion. Where the DCMS withdrew everything but a few light ground troop elements, and my MechWarrior in a Firestarter, to focus the troops and supplies evacuated to more critical battles like Luthien. The idea was the Clanners were going to come down, challenge me to a battle, kick my ass, and then make me their slave MechWarrior pet... ... I warned them that I would try my best. They laughed since all I had to my command was a couple of infantry companies, an artillery company, and an engineer company, all foot slogging, and a single 35 ton mech. ... the lightest thing any of the clanners had was a 75 ton Madcat. Most were in 100 ton assault mechs. So they put out their challenge. And I dictated the battlefield where I'd meet them. Inside an evacuated city. I let them swagger up, full of confidence. And like so many Clanner Warriors I knew, they did exactly what I suspected they'd do. "Heat sinks? Why bother. More ammo please!". They are enamored with their toys and their destruction, instead of their safety. I isolated their mechs. I used the cover of the city. One by one I overheated them into helplessness... and had my infantry units shell their helpless mechs to death from ambush with mines and artillery fire. I was most terrified that they'd bring Elementals against me. Or other light, fast mechs I couldn't out manuever. But they demanded the ponderous heavy and assault mechs. They let me pick them apart, one by one with speed and audacity to exploit their tendency to focus on nothing but size and firepower. End of the battle saw four mech warriors ejecting and captured by DCMS infantry companies. Over 350 tons of mechs taken out by one that was one tenth its size, but also one tenth its foolishness. This campaign continued. For 2 months lances were deployed to take down the lone Draconis Combine Mech Warrior. Sure that superior technology and gene-coding would win. Failing to adapt to the tactics I used. Just trying to brute force it. By the end of the campaign, the Clans had lost over 2000 tons of battlemech on that forgotten planet, and a good 30 or so Mech Warriors that had been taken prisoner after ejecting safely. The firestarter was barely holding itself together with patchwork, emergency repairs. They cursed me as dishonorable. Implied I was cheating. But they're clanners. They never knew how to fight a war. Only how to fight a straight forward duel. The Inner Sphere however knows how to fight a War.

[@Starman_Dx]

First the primer of the clans, then... The origins of Clan Snek Cobra.

[@JSRLPadre]

Especially Clan Snek Cobra's victorious exploits at Tukayyid that Comstar has tried really hard to erase.....

[@JSRLPadre]

@@remickunderwood515 Ha haha...Trying to get me to reveal my sources on an open channel. I see you, Word of Blake. I see you....{accidentally pokes eyes trying to make a gesture)

[@Rellana1]

And after that Clan Wolverine.

[@jonkerr7959]

Is this an open carry planet ?

@@Rellana1 Who all wear yellow spandex and call each other "Bub"

[@f14uubercat]

From this history, we start to see where the Clan's sense of warfare came from, and why it seemed Sane to them. After fighting three apocalyptic conflicts and enduring two exoduses, the remnants of the SLDF were probably willing to accept anything that seemed to be half way stable, even if it was the stability of a mad man playing god to remake Humanity... Cause at least it was not Amaris, or the House Lords, or any of the rest of it... Just, people, driven insane by an insane series of events, over and over and over and over and over again, broken, repaired, broken again, repaired, so damaged that the Clans seemed like a good fucking idea.

[@theblackpantslegion]

It's an interesting consideration, to say the least. What means would you take to fix the cycles of destruction?

[@DeviousRedbeard]

@@theblackpantslegion It's been said Mankind has long experienced this chaos and that we're a civilization with amnesia, doomed to repeat our failures. It's alleged we've nearly wiped ourselves out many times, which isn't hard to believe given our propensity for self-destruction. You asked how we might fix that? We can't. It's what drives us to explore and facilitates our continued existence. Our willingness to fight and survive is how we've managed to move beyond the primordial goo and conquer the galaxy. It's doubtful that'll ever change... and would we want it to? I think not! I enjoy my view from the cockpit and without conflict, there would be no opportunity for Honor and Glory!

[@WavveBoi]

@@DeviousRedbeard peace is merely an intermission to war. Pressure creates diamonds.

[@p_serdiuk]

@@theblackpantslegion The Periphery War, the Amaris Civil War, the Exodus Civil War, and the Clan Invasion were all waged by people who really, really wanted every other human they could reach to live in their benevolent state, for their own benefit of course. Same could be said of the Alexander's empire, Roman Empire, the Third Reich, USSR, Yugoslavia, and many other real-world examples. Maybe we should, as a species, agree not to do that. Border skirmishes and territorial wars seem to be the result of basic human nature, but total wars are always waged in the name of higher ideals and could be avoided if we stopped believing that war can create a better world.

[@Athrun82]

That is true but at the same time the Clans forgot what war really is: a brutal and dirty business. I mean just look how the Clans (except the Hells Horses) treat conventional forces like tanks and infantry: they are just supporters of the real knights (Mechwarriors). They also forgot that war needs more then just the supplies you carry with you. Their bidding system ritualizes warfare and also "heals" wounds before they appear. They only use what they bid (except in the most desperate situation). The Inner Sphere on the other hand fights with everything they have. Deception, tricks and so on. This also leads to a change within in the Clans which would later lead to the Reaving Wars: a believe that contact with the Inner Sphere poisoned the Clans and that they needed to reave themselves of such "Impurities".

[@WavveBoi]

SLDF officers: I think imma head out The black watch: *amazing Grace on bagpipes*

[@theblackpantslegion]

Poor choices ensue

[@DarkKnightCuron]

"Long journies into the unknown do strange things to the human soul." Freaking spine-chilling quote.

[@dolomaticus1180]

Tex, you know the sad thing about Kerensky? He was trying to fight the tide and couldn't stop it. Once the power vacuum had formed, war was going to happen no matter what he could do. But to give him all credit he still tried and that was the best raging against the dying of the light. (Salutes to the Old Russian.)

[@theblackpantslegion]

It is a beautiful tragedy

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

It's why the Clans revere the name of Kerensky the way the Welsh and North Britons revered the name of Arthur. Not all struggles of the Light against the Dark have to be successful to be celebrated.

[@sophiehatter3111]

He gave it one hell of a goddamn try

[@Spartan120]

"Tex doesn't watch anime and had to have the word 'senpai' explained to him." I bet that made clanner lingo like batchall sound mild in comparison. Then again, House Kurita exists in Battletech, and this is the same setting where Victor Steiner-Davion decapitates the Khan of Clan Smoked Jaguar with a drawcut of a katana and then tearfully says that the last Smoked Jaguar died. Btw, newcomer here. I'm glad I stumbled across your content. Gave me a newfound appreciation for Battletech and thanks to your vids, I now measure the cost of mechs in Urbanmechs. Seriously, why buy a Mad Cat when you can have 4 full lances of well-equipped Urbies?

[@theblackpantslegion]

amen.

[@absalomdraconis]

@Evilmike42 : With almost anything they want.

[@tkent68]

I think that's more on the line of logic of why buy the Ferrari Testarossa... instead of eight Prius... Damn it! What is the plural of Prius is it like deer or moose? Because Priuses sounds wrong...

[@NeoMaddy]

@@tkent68 Pri-i

[@Bustermachine]

'Senpai' has the excuse of a naturally evolved cultural heritage (when, you know, used in an appropriate cultural context) whereas Clanner Lingo emerged from the delusional minds of the damage Kerensky siblings . . . Although to his credit Andery seems to have possessed at least a little of his father's general okayness, unfortunately lacking the spine to call his brother on his bullshit.

[@avidian888]

Damn the research done for this must have been insane! I read like 80 books about this universe and didn’t know half of what was told here...

[@theblackpantslegion]

Months and months of research, friendo.

[@UristBeardhammer]

Tex, you're a feckin' genius, and your voice is great. That being said: Creating the Clans was totally worth it, as without them, Battletech would have 200% less Genetically Engineered Amazon Snu-Snu.

[@combativeThinker]

All the degeneracy of the Magistracy of Canopus is worth it for the chance to settle down with a wholesome catgirl waifu.

[@Morec0]

@@combativeThinker You dare to refuse her fuchall?

[@chrisgibson6061]

As a huge jade falcon fan, I'd just like to say I love all your work and dont let any whiney clan people stop you from insulting them

[@theblackpantslegion]

They've flooded my inbox already.

[@lockend2]

Elementals or how to build a warrior who will hate other people for literally being born

[@weldonwin]

Alternately, "What happens when someone Roid-Rages Harder Than Any Man In The History Of Substance Abuse"

[@theblackpantslegion]

Yep. That sums it up

[@CharlesUrban]

"I'M HUUUGE! YOU'RE GONNA DIE 'CAUSE I'M HUUUGE!" "Okay, wait. Can we settle this with a football game? Even if we lose, that'll let you win without everyone on my planet...exploding." "HEY, THAT'S THE ONE THING I ACTUALLY LIKE! 'CAUSE I'M HUUUGE!" "I figured as much. What are you, 500 pounds?" "TOUCHDOOOWN, HUUUGE!"

[@THEGRUMPTRUCK]

Elementals don't hate you because you exist. *They hate you because THEY exist.*

[@christopherwall2121]

@@THEGRUMPTRUCK they hate you because everyone else in their Clan thinks they must be stupid just because they're big and strong and don't pilot 'Mechs, and treat them as such. Still, could be worse; could be a Clan Aerotech warrior

[@StarShadowPrimal]

And so, he picked some of the most violent and aggressive governments in history, sorted through their weirdest and worst philosophies and principles, and decided to form a society based on those.

[@ashwhiteforest9078]

It almost paid off. The irony being, the one seemingly good facet of the entire ideology, that of honor, led to the inevitable decay of its vessel. In both its inability to fight the enemies who refused this code of conduct for sake of the clans' downfall, and eagerness to fight its allies who broke it for their own good.

[@Roddy229]

The clip of a House Steiner Atlas scaring the hell out of Kuritan nobles was epic 😂

[@marseldagistani1989]

And Squad Steiner scouted the Clans and Kuritans into a new grave

[@mrmeanjeans5929]

Honestly, full credit to everyone working on this, the amount of effort is remarkable. This TTBT content converts my friends to AT LEAST the games, though I would love for them to try tabletop. (also request Crowind to keep on the Daggerfall content or more straight up give him an Elder Scrolls vertical)... yup I am drunk and look forward to this in ~20 hours

[@theblackpantslegion]

We go insane on these, because it pleases us to. That it pleases you guys is a huge bonus

[@redacted5985]

@@theblackpantslegion you guys are beautiful madmen for the amount of effort and quality you bring to these videos. Every long-haul TTBT vid released is like a little holiday for me and probably lots of others.

[@asealyon6514]

"Thanks to GM for actually reaching out, being nice, and not suing the living hell out of us..." Wait, WHAT? GM had something to say about that?

[@theblackpantslegion]

Google GM Blackjack. You'll see why.

[@WolfHreda]

@@theblackpantslegion I wonder if someone who works at GM grew up loving Battletech and finally saw their chance.

[@karode8051]

Not enough dakka

[@elenorefangirl3389]

@@theblackpantslegion What did GM have to say?

[@asealyon6514]

@@theblackpantslegion ...HAH. Now that's some tasty serendipity, there.

[@traviswebb3532]

"Raisins to wine" just an amazing way to compare the oldest son to the great general.

[@robertfrith771]

Regarding Aaron DeChavilier and his death 'Then up spoke bold Horatius, the Captain of the Gate, Saying, "Death comes to every man, no matter soon nor late, And how can a man die better, than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his gods". Very well done Tex and team. Very well done indeed.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Well said.

[@slayeroflore221]

Tex. Thanks bro. Ignore the bullshit and keep on trucking. I love the respect and passion you bring to this. You and the BPL are often the high points during low times. So thank you.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I appreciate hearing this, thank you for sharing.

[@nivlac0calvin]

I was always into the videogames, but watching these made me start painting the models. I can't identify what half the mechs are because I swear to god that they're original 1980s manufacture and they look nothing like what's on Sarna, but I have them now. Which is cool. Even started prepping to DM a Battletech campaign where each player is one of the officers in a merc company. And all that lost productivity is your fault. I hope you're happy.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I am

[@V2011F]

Girls: Urgh he didn't cry at the end of Titanic what's wrong with him? Boys: Crying at what happened to Kerensky and his plan.

[@DJB3lfry]

Alternatively: Boys: Aw man DeChavilier's death sucked :( Girls: *Dismembering hordes of Capellan rebels with a katana while bagpipes shriek in the background*

[@boxtank5288]

@@DJB3lfry and considering the possibility DeChaviler and her were closer than friends....Yeah, I honestly would have done the same, probably subjected their leaders to torture too.

[@IRMentat]

Some damp tart thief and her bit of rough? I yawn. The besmirching of a mans legacy turning a hard journey into a gaggle of tantrum riddled idiots with zero mental acumen and no good sense to take on only what you can take without consequence while using the inner sphere infighting against itself. I wish it wasn’t raining today, inside, mid summer.

[@seand.g423]

@@boxtank5288 well, to be fair, not much you can do to any of the survivors with a katana before you end up killing them... A tanto, on the other hand... now _that_ comes with some options...

[@boxtank5288]

@@seand.g423 Yubitsume, Castration, lopping off wrists, stabbing non-vitals to pin them down?

[@sd501st5]

- Elizabeth Hazen, a noted falconer(her falcon's name was Turkina), snapping and subsequently carving through rebels with a Katana-like blade, surviving because Royal Black Watch I present to you the founder of Clan Jade Falcon, and how their Clan Iconography started I might be a Ghost Bear and value the comraderie of Tseng and Jorgensson more, but Elizabeth Hazen is worthy of the moniker "badass".

[@dubuyajay9964]

For Hazen. Even if Blood Spirit claims to be the true heirs of the Black Watch. Seylah. 🤺🦅⚔🗡

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

I just gotta say, after a few re-watches, that Nicolas didn't necessarily have the wrong idea: Clearly, after everything that had happened since the Exodus, and everything that would happen in the Inner Sphere during this time, there's clearly something fundamentally wrong with the culture and society of the Inner Sphere that is ultimately self-destructive. While his changes were ultimately the wrong idea, they came from the recognition of a problem and the intent to solve it.

[@theblackpantslegion]

The issue I find is the utopian ideal - trying to think you can reach dreams that are inherently impossibly by trying super hard. The human condition is inherently impossible to correct.The pursuit is noble.

[@formdoggie5]

@@theblackpantslegion precisely why you train your children for the pursuit, rather than attempt to force them on or down the path. This is, inevitably, why freedom always wins--it's chosen.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

@Evilmike42 If it were merely "being human", mankind would never have progressed past stone weaponry before beating each other to death until no one was left. In human history, whenever we've come to the brink of a mutually destructive war, we've seen that it was a sucker's game and turned back. Meanwhile, in Battletech/Mechwarrior, the men in high places fail to see the suckers game, and always went all in.

[@Fiskarsmurfen]

Nicholas most definetly had a point about what was wrong with the Inner Sphere. Unfortunatly he bungled the solution.

[@jamesricker3997]

I think the problem may be the nural helmet. I don't think anyone ever did any research on the long-term psychological side effects of piloting a battlemech. The neurofeedback might make the MechWarrior see themselves as above humanity and unbound by human laws if they want something, they feel like they can just take it

[@Zoologhffc77]

The blackwatch will forever be my favorite moments in battletech history thanks to you. The bagpipes get me everytime

[@____________838]

So... My wife’s a member of the Campbell clan, so we wear Blackwatch tartan. Get this: the bagpipe music that plays, its the Campbell clan’s own theme.

[@sethhale8828]

Can't thumbs up enough

[@Zoologhffc77]

@@____________838 if that's legit that has to be the best coincidence ever

[@CyclonerM]

Actually, for how the story was told, in all its apparent madness the creation of this new society had its logic: maybe the only way to make sure a militarized society isolated and competing over scarce resources (compared to the inner sphere) would survive without annihilating itself was to not only eo away with old allegiances but to institutionalize warfare and set strong rules and limits to it, enforced by cultural norms and collective actions.

[@sid2112]

Where the problem comes in is when you set the rules and go invade someone who doesn't use them, it all falls apart. BPL's Tukayyid video describes this succinctly.

[@LordJackass]

I love this series, massive fan of Battletech. That being said, Clan Wolverine seems like an afterthought swept under the rug to be forgotten by the annals of time. Can we talk about them? They were probably the most likable of any of the Clans.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Oh, I will get to them.

[@LordJackass]

BlackPantsLegion I also wanted to add a couple things, I love your guys’s work and your brand of humor. And the AWS-8Q, that’s a solid pick for a favorite mech.

[@TheNerdForAllSeasons]

Anytime I hear German music i start looking over my shoulder for Atlases

[@theblackpantslegion]

as one does

[@salvete-bellum-aeturnum]

As one should.

[@WastelandSeven]

As one must. Especially if they are Capellans.

[@depthcharge126]

RenaissanceNerd117 Hans. Get ze assault mech.

[@philtkaswahl2124]

You look behind you, and see nothing. You look forward again. Atlases are suddenly in front of you.

[@moriskurth628]

What Aleksander Kerensky failed to accomplish in the end, the one piece he missed to fulfill his goal, is give the SLDF-in-Exile a new identity, a new, unifying ideal to prevent the Exodus Civil War. Maybe call them "Exodites" or "Exilants" or something, and provide them with an idea of unity and solidarity in a "Whoever you were before, you are an Exilant now, leave your past behind, your new life begins now." kind of way. Had he done that, there'd probably be some conflict down the line, but it wouldn't have been as destructive due to the Exilants' shared identity. Really, Nationalism can, on occasion, be a good thing to prevent internal strife. Also, the new "Steiner Scout Lance" sketch had me chuckling again. The Draconians deserve it. After what they did on Kentares IV, murdering more people than Genghis Khan, Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Zedong in their whole careers *combined* in an expressively deliberate action really makes anything the Lyrans could do to them look like Peanuts by comparison. Really, I'd rather go drinking with a Capellan and risk getting my Lyran ass poisoned, or end up roofied (because you never know with Capellans), than ever, *ever* supporting a Draconian Noble or Military Member.

[@liljenborg2517]

Totally agree with your assessment on the one thing Kerensky missed. It was something he took utterly for granted, because he viewed himself and his troops as utterly loyal to the Leauge. If 4 Atlases are a "scout lance" what do you Lyrans call an "Assault Squad"? My Davion ass ended up married to a disgraced Draconian Noble. We both had a lot of fun curb stomping Capellans in the 4th succession war.

[@KhanCipher]

imho, even then, Aleksander Kerensky was taking troops that for the last 20ish years have seen one of the most brutal wars up to that point out of known space. And add to the fact that it's very possible that they might've brute forced a sizable population of people that wanted nothing to do with it into doing so (it's hinted that the exodus fleet may have brute forced civilian ships to join along the way out of the inner sphere), thus turning it into a powder keg waiting to be set off, and the great General completely failing to see what was right in front of him. Pretty much the SLDF-in-exile was going to end up fighting a brutal civil war no matter how you cut it. After Aleksander died, Nick ended up being just as blind as Aleksander was (though a lot more insane), and the troops that went went Nick became just as blind as well. Until Wolverine committed the sin of hurting Nick's ego. Like seriously, Wolverine's annihilation was done purely because they hurt Nick's ego, and wanted him to know that they did it. Which in turn got Wolverine stereotyped as the goto explanation whenever some spooky secret shit happens when the writer doesn't feel like actually writing an explanation. See: Bull Shark from HBS BT's Heavy Metal dlc, the Word of Blake's actions, hell it wouldn't surprise me one bit that Wolverine was somehow responsible for the HPG blackout in the dark age era.

[@robertivey7644]

I’m pretty sure it didn’t matter thanks to his crazy son.

[@everyonethinksyoureadeathm5773]

@@KhanCipher I'm not saying it's Clan Wolverine but it's Clan Wolverine. Though to be fair the clan did get out of the Kenersky cluster and disappeared in Kurtan space. They had to Rob and sell whatever they could to survive. Makes me wonder how some rediscoveries happen. The blakeist were always nuts and just like the Capellains, never trust a Marik who was always trying to infiltrate the first circuit.

[@TymersRealm]

@@liljenborg2517 Scout Squad is Lyran for an Assualt Lance...

[@SubBrief]

Love the Lore videos. Keep them coming.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thanks buddy. I like your channel too. I learned a lot about sub stuff!

[@alericantonelli4656]

@@theblackpantslegion hey tex, Just double checking; have there been any videos post2d aince the marauder? Nothing from BPL is showing up ony front page for about a week now. ALSO: this series is my favorite work white noise, and my immediate recommendation for others coming in from 40k (im an immigrant myself)

[@avsbes98]

@@alericantonelli4656 As far as i knwo a Video on the Warhammer is in the works, but it still takes time.

[@EricDKaufman]

Seriously, is Jingles on this? He love big stompy robots

[@davidboothe9620]

Tex my man...i listen to this series...star league 1 and 2 plugs this nearly every day on my route. I deliver mail and listening to this series makes my day fly. Thanks for entertaining an old battledroid player.

[@theblackpantslegion]

You are most welcome sir.

[@GeorgeLedoux]

I used to deliver mail as well! Did it for 11 years. All walking.

[@davidboothe9620]

@@GeorgeLedoux I'm a bigger fan now then ever.

[@barrybend7189]

This gets me harder than terminator armor.

[@Edmar_Fecler]

Ah, a man of culture I see.

[@jeremyprimrose]

harder than an elementals abbs on core strength day here

[@Deridus]

"No." You know who.

[@nikolajsteffensen6578]

Harder then Santodes smooth well rounded Auramite Chassis.

[@mq5731]

*Pillarman Theme starts playing*

[@claytonhess5512]

18:14 Lauren Hayes was the very model of a modern Major-General.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical

[@claytonhess5512]

@@theblackpantslegion Al Yes? Can you hear me?

[@theblackpantslegion]

I can hear you

[@liljenborg2517]

@@theblackpantslegion I'm very good at integral and differential calculus I know the scientific names of beans and humonculus About binomial theorem I am teaming with a lot of news with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. I thought only Gilbert and Sullivan could write something this nerdy and hilarious, then I discovered Tex Talks Battletech . . .

[@Bustermachine]

The very model of a Modern Com Guard General!

[@jamesperkins191]

12:59 - De Chevalier's plan was nuts, it just means the Succession Wars start earlier and end up even more bloody because there's the SLDF fighting too.

[@Atlas3060]

Oh it was a nutso batshit crazy plan but it's also glorious. The folks that have the game's license made a April Fool's release called Empires Aflame that tackles this very subject. Kerensky dies due to a bullet, De Chevalier just grabs the reigns and established a sixth house with Blake running the Communications and Intelligence agency. If anyone is curious about it, give it a look. I think it's a free purchase. It feels really weird calling Nicholas Kerensky a general of the Terran Supremacy Defense Force, but here we are.

[@MadnessHEROReverend]

Well, if we set aside the April fools release tackling the subject, and write the Campaign like Alexander Kerensky would have actually planned it according to his character, I feel he would have literally been able to out Ameris Ameris on just about all the Noble Houses. Just Imagine, out of the 100 or so companies of troops/Mechwarriors he had, sends 20 full companies to each of the homeworlds of the Noble Houses. Then simultaneously, each of 20 companies takes the Noble Houses captive, and forced them to reach a consensus on who gets to be 1st Lord (probably Gerome Blake). At worst it might end with Alexander's execution if he fails, or his governmental pardon by the new 1st lord if he succeeds.

[@trevbee2316]

Yes and no? The SLDF with actual war fighting experience would win. Bloody? Yes. Starts sooner? Yes. But they'd also be ended centuries sooner as well.

[@canislupus3655]

​@@MadnessHEROReverend The full might of the SLDF could hardly wage a three prong war against periphery powers. How in the hell could Kerensky win the Succession Wars?

[@MadnessHEROReverend]

@@trevbee2316 lol I think everyone's misunderstanding the whole idea behind what I call Operation Starfall. The idea behind it is not a military coup, but a hit and run kidnapping of the Heads of the great houses, using half the companies sent to each house as information and Infiltration, and the other half act as an invading force to distract from the real goal, taking the house leaders alive.

[@theojones3345]

100% 'Rivited' to this story, i had no idea that the game i played on a borrowed disk in 2000 had this much lore. Thank you BlackPants!

[@Corwin404]

I still find it amazing that you get George Ledoux into basically all of these now. Amazing work.

[@theblackpantslegion]

he's a friend.

[@GeorgeLedoux]

BlackPantsLegion and he LOVES working with Tex

[@SonsOfLorgar]

And we love the results of your friendship!

[@retrophone5249]

A reminder to those of us who like the Clans: We failed Alexander Kerensky, we failed his dream of reuniting the Inner Sphere as better people. This kinda feels like failing Fred Rodgers, you suck and know you are better than that.

[@absalomdraconis]

Well, if it helps, Kerensky himself failed first. He was charged with overseeing the Cameron heir, and he did poorly. Amaris took _advantage_ of the mistakes the Kerensky had _already_ made. So, in this case, Fred Rogers failed before you did.

[@Nonsensical_Mecha]

Jared Maddox Honestly dude, Kerensky did everything he could with Cameron: Cameron still chose Amaris over him. Not even Kerensky can fix stupid and inexperience when it chooses not to fix itself. Fred Rogers didn’t fail. People chose not to listen.

[@RRVCrinale]

Sirede Coucy As someone who quite likes the Warden Clans, I do have this to offer: The lesson to take ultimately is that we are the scars we bear, the battles we've survived and the tragedies we've had to bear. We go into life knowing we might lose, but as long as we keep showing up we're bound to pick up at least a few wins. That we keep contesting matters more than anything, and that we keep improving all is the most important thing at all. You have to believe you'll get there somehow. We're standing on Fred Rogers' shoulders and someday someone will stand on ours, standing on his. The search for our better selves means we haven't failed - we're just not finished yet.

[@juliomontega2868]

The only sign of reason to bring to the table is to turn pirate and steal the high-tech stuff for personal or political merit. Yarr!

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@RRVCrinale Seylah.

[@dankoz6340]

My god the bagpipes. That sold me on the Black Watch being true bat shit crazy.

[@Shark0115]

It's crazy how Hayes and the 12th stayed behind created the Comguards; and hundreds of years later Defeated those that left and created the Clans.

[@scottl9660]

God bless Comstar, Discount Dan, and that glorious scouting lance

[@weldonwin]

What I want to know is, are the Kuritans so blitheringly incompetent that they failed to notice an Atlas sneaking up on them, or are Steiner Scout Lance just *THAT* good? Or is the the truth somewhere in between?

[@KenS1267]

@@weldonwin Did the Atlases charge at them shouting challenges in Japanese while brandishing katanas? No? Then, as far as the average DCMS officer is concerned, that is a stealthy advance. I'm sure there was some Gunsho trying to convince them the Atlases were there but when has a DCMS officer ever listened to an enlisted man??

[@JSRLPadre]

Speaking as a guy who tabletopped Kurita habitually, SOP was walk up to opposing lance, kick lead mech in the shin, THEN mad dash to my mauler cockpit for the anime intro, complete with J-Metal blaring from a tape player. Sneaking 4 Atlases (Atli?) into a Kuritan province is as easy as landing.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Don't bless Discount Dan. He's insane.

[@cedryc44]

This is like waiting for Christmas morning. I think Tex has just a tad bit of sadist in him. Well played good sir, well played.

[@macuss87]

ahem "A tad bit sadist"????? A TAD bit??? Fukker gets off on making us squirm!

[@SRTifiable]

Let’s be honest, Tex is a Sadomasochist.

[@michaelkimberling7307]

Nothing wrong with a little schadenfreude from time to time.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I aint had a good Christmas in forever, but I remember that feeling. The warmth of a well stoked fire. Everyone happy. Maybe a little hung over. Food in the oven.

[@lonewolfandcub668]

It's shocking how under subscribed this channel is

[@temp3608]

a few ships : decide to break off from the fleet and go home the blackwatch : **plays bagpipes with malicious intent**

[@SteelRaven11]

Founding of the Clans= Playing Rimworld only with more guns and more crazy. Hats off to you for this near god level fan production with more depth than many KZbin accounts of the American Civil War. I would have been happy with more Tex talk Battlemech and Duncan Fisher lighting the occasional hobo on fire but you once again have gone above and beyond.

[@talinpeacy7222]

Dear God, now I want to get my hands on a RimWorld mod that adds battlemechs.

[@solvdrage1456]

Aleksandr Kerensky: Great man. One of the greatest men in history, actually. Nicolas Kerensky: Uh. He has some of Aleksandr's genes?

[@rylian21]

Insane furry bastard...

[@Inglonias]

If only he had his father's jeans instead. He would have been able to put on the fucking big boy pants

[@RoKKr023i]

@@Inglonias Unfortunately he sold them all to Discount Dan for an Urban mech with a minigun and flashy lights.

[@theodorelehman]

This reasoning is the entire basis for the trueborn system.

[@matohibiki]

@@Inglonias We all know that idiot would have turned them into jorts.

[@philipkelly7369]

I don't know why I cracked up so hard at the phrase "Community Service Theater"

[@theblackpantslegion]

I laughed writing it.

[@Self-replicating_whatnot]

"I am not my brother's keeper" - Nicholas Kerensky, probably.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

Watching this kinda reminds me of something I read in the March Upcountry series: A group of very devoutly religious people set out to establish a new colony, intent of getting away from the "corrupting" influences of the rest of the universe, believing that if everyone was of the same religion and with no outside influences, they could create a utopia. Instead, within a few decades, they had schisms, inquisitions, and global warfare. Simply put, you can't create a Utopia if you plan on having people in it. *We Are Our Own Worst Enemy.*

[@absalomdraconis]

Yep, that's the problem with _both_ Kerenskys: too little self-awareness, too much ideology.

[@weldonwin]

Fun fact, the word Utopia comes from a Greek word meaning 'No-Where'. It came from a novel by Sir Thomas More, written in 1516 and was kind of a cynical injoke, that there was no such thing as a perfect peaceful society

[@Bustermachine]

@@weldonwin Ultimately, this is probably not exactly what More was getting at by naming it Utopia seeing as other countries named in the text include "Nolandia" and "Happiland" when translated from Greek. Mainly, it was probably an in joke for people who spoke Greek. In fact Mores motives are one of the most debated aspects of the book. Any-who, Nicholaus society was unfortunately ahead of the game as it managed to achieve some sort of meta-stability rather than instantly imploding.

[@weldonwin]

@@Bustermachine I would actually say that, the Clan system of highly focused warfare and trials is actually a big part of how they remained as stable as they did, that Nicholaus Kerensky, kinda recognized that conflict was just a part of human nature, so he actually planned for and incorporated it into the Clans. He didn't plan for a completely peaceful society, he planned for violence as a go-to and just sought to focus and control it.

[@Bustermachine]

@@weldonwin On the other hand, there are so many ways for that to go wrong it beggers belief. I think one of the conceits that allows it to be an acceptable break from reality, as opposed to most real world martial cultures (and this doesn't mean it would actually work, just that it offers a reasonable excuse). Is the SibKo system. Most warriors have no attachment to their progeny beyond the compusion to compete for the honor of having them, so they have no particular reason to engage in one of the most common forms of corruption. Nepitism. Likewise, most warriors have no attachement to their biological progenitors. Other than, perhaps, desiring to defeat them in honorable combat if they're not too long in the tooth or too dead in combat, and take their place. It also means there's no messy intergenerational ties to prevent one Clan leader from calling another out if they or their clan is caught cheating. Idealy. There's no messy family politics to get between the individual and the larger society. I don't think it would work out that way. But I think it's acceptable fictional conceit for the clans.

[@EnderPryde]

1:33:30 That feel when Blood Spirit gets left out of the scrolling clans despite being one of the direct inheritors of the Black Watch

[@dubuyajay9964]

But Hazen was the first IlKhan of Jade Falcon

[@EnderPryde]

@@dubuyajay9964 Hazen was *never* ilKhan - she was a regular Khan. The first Jade Falcon ilKhan (that we know about) was Elias Crichell in 3058 Also. You are actively forgetting Colleen Schmitt, granddaughter of Hanni Schmitt (Tex got it wrong, not mother-daughter) was the first Khan of Blood Spirit and how they are actively related to the Black Watch in multiple sources.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@EnderPryde Nonetheless, Hazen was the founder. Naming the Clan due to her love of falconry.

[@EnderPryde]

@@dubuyajay9964 irrelevant. Jade Falcon has a Black Watch member as their first Khan, but they do not view themselves as the descendants/inheritors of the Black Watch. Lets put it this way: Jade Falcon does not name its units after ancient Gaelic + Celtic Folklore in reverence to their Black Watch roots.

[@Sigmar_Heldenhammer]

Didn't Blood Spirit get absorbed/wiped out by the Wolves?

[@priszilla7928]

“[Theyd]seen enough nukes to find them frankly, fucking boring.” Absolute poetry

[@sasha1mama]

"The god. Damned. Blackwatch." I love that. No frills, no gilding. Just *emphasis.* And honestly, when you're badass enough to merit that emphasis, it's the highest gilding achievable. Oo-rah. Yeah, no, I can see Tex's concarry being a .44. Just reach into his jacket and unlimber this god-awful engine of kinetic impaction from a shoulder holster and level it. "Now, you're going to want to ask yourself whether or not you wanted a fist-sized hole in your torso today. Because that's what's going to happen if you don't immediately fuck off." Never argue with a man with a hand cannon. Also, I'm glad to see he also likes to dual-wield wheelgats. Gotta learn to gun kata and twirl them, though, if you want to be effective in combat and accrue style-points simply for breathing. Kerensky should have kept them all enlisted instead of testing people out. The military mind wants for structure, even when not so battered, beleaguered, and soul-dead as the SLDF survivors. Keep everyone in, and assign them to construction, agricultire, and infrastructure projects. Make them all work as Seabees, basically - keeps them task-oriented, eases them into a demil'd life a step at a time, and heads off any of the allegiant backsliding they canonically fell to. But at no point muster anyone out. Just gradually ease in a blur between mil life and civ life, and let people choose for themselves what they want to do, stay in or discharge, after everything is up and running for a few years. Probably institute a soft propaganda campaign (which isn't really much above regular mil recruiting commercials and posters) to foster and maintain unity and allegiance to the SL and DF.

[@jameslonghurst5914]

The Mrs. And I are making some dinner so we can sit down and watch our favorite space documentary. Thanks Tex!

[@theblackpantslegion]

That's wholesome as fuck

[@jameslonghurst5914]

Id make you some spaghetti too, but emailing it seems to crash my computer...

[@theblackpantslegion]

that's fair.

[@tjbarke6086]

She's a keeper for sure.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Sounds like when I introduced my spouse to Star Wars and the Sci-Fi genre in general. Good on both of you :)

[@nolanglahn8528]

Between Star Trak and this you guys help me keep my sanity while building wire harnesses. Seriously, thank y'all.

[@theblackpantslegion]

welcome.

[@WolfHreda]

Wire harnesses... *shudder* Godspeed, man. O7

[@dubuyajay9964]

What about Shadowrun?

[@theblackpantslegion]

@@dubuyajay9964 I do play that. On that stream.

[@lanasmith4795]

That image of Aaron de Chevalier makes me think on the difference between a citizen and a civilian

[@johndoe-qn2mm]

Thank you to the people who force Tex to take breaks!

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

I was actually waiting for Tex's next video so I could request the story of "How the Descendants Of Kerensky Took A Massive Flaming Crap All Over His Legacy And Became The Antithesis Of Everything He Stood For", but Tex went and beat me to it.

[@patrickcoyle5469]

Poor Aleksandr. He's kicked out of office after spending the last years of his career fighting Space Hitler, only for his son to become a eugenics-obsessed nut with an 18 Charisma and a dream of restoring a lost empire. In other words, ANOTHER Space Hitler.

[@adamblakeslee5301]

Patrick Coyle fun fact. The Timberwolf factory on Strana mechty is powered by Kerensky rolling over in his grave.

[@robertivey7644]

To be fair it’s Amaris’ fault that his kid created the clans...

[@malachai1381]

@@adamblakeslee5301 *The Mad Cat factory* There we go, fixed it for you, Godless Clanner

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@malachai1381 Go screw your cousin. Sphereoid cave man.

[@Ihasanart]

Tex and Co, never stop these masterpieces. This was simply beautiful. The sheer quality you guys put into these (and the intermissions, and those goddamn amazing commercials) are what make paying for your coffee and taxes on your patreon more than worthwhile (those U-boat paintings are classy). Oh man that RogueTech line at the end, I can't wait for your VO pack.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I think the lines are in? I dont know. Ask in the roguetech discord

[@Ihasanart]

@@theblackpantslegion They are, I just installed the latest updated version and its in, fucking sweet.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Now do your best to not let me die

[@Ihasanart]

@@theblackpantslegion But then how will we hear your death scream?

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@theblackpantslegion the lines are good, though, if you feel like it and can find the time and energy for it, a few alternate lines on missing the target would make the early contracts in the Osmium pre-beta a bit less repetative ;) It takes time to salvage proper FCS, sensors and ECM hardware XD

[@PenumbranWolf]

That Mech Pail commercial reminded me of Phantom Crash for the X-Box... The first one. It was an anime-style-ish mech fighting game with wildly customizable mechs called SCVs or "Scoobies" and you could even add stuff to your cockpit like mini-fridges, little models of your mech or whatever, air fresheners, tea making stations, tiny bonzai gardens, shrines... All sorts of wacky stuff that as far as I know didn't do anything but add weight. That was a great, underrated, and criminally forgotten game. I'd say go buy it but as far as I know there's no re-release or anything and it's most definitely out of print.

[@mkosmala1309]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate Tex's awesome uboat art in the intermission? I think we can.

[@jimdee5319]

Damn it Tex, despite your best efforts your presentation made me like the Kerensky boys. Why did you do this? I was loyal Inner Sphere.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Be loyal to no man. Be loyal to the Paycheck.

[@WastelandSeven]

@@theblackpantslegion And drop once more. ;)

[@spyrelle3970]

@@theblackpantslegion From this point on, you are a raven.

[@jamesperkins191]

@@theblackpantslegion well, the Clans don't hire Mercs, so that means IS by default.

[@calico.5588]

@@spyrelle3970 based AC reference

[@AncientSlugThrower]

Great shit as always. It's nice filling in the lore holes I've carried since Mechwarrior 2. Looking forward to part 2.

[@theblackpantslegion]

more will follow!

[@heckinmemes6430]

Jesus man, I don't even play this setting/system and I've been plowing through your videos. This is some top level stuff.

[@cromwell300]

Just so you know Tex, I am currently reading through my old beat up copy of the Battletech technical readout 3058, and started to randomly read the overview capabilities and deployment of random mechs (in this case the FS9-0 Firestarter) and inside my head I read the whole damn thing in your voice complete with jabs at Clanner scum and Kuritas assholes. Thats all. Have a nice day.

[@theblackpantslegion]

ha!

[@everythingsgonnabealright8888]

Truly, the voice of Battletech Renaissance.

[@stone9302]

I'd like to thank you Tex. I only knew of Battletech through one of the MechWarrior games that my uncle had when I was a kid of 3 or 4. It was only through seeing your video on the Mad Cat, one of two Mechs I would of recognized all these years later, that I got to learn what an awesome setting it was. I am now proud to call myself a citizen of the Federated Suns. Maybe someday the Inner Sphere will realize that the Davions are the obvious choice for ruling the Inner Sphere. Anyway, I thank you for your great videos, and for properly introducing me to Battletech. Keep up the good work.

[@claytonhess5512]

MechWarrior 2.

[@stone9302]

@@claytonhess5512 MechWarrior 3

[@JSRLPadre]

@@stone9302 *Kurita should be running IS....

[@stone9302]

@@JSRLPadre We don't need more planetary purges because our new ruler's dad was dumb enough to step out of his mech in a warzone. Remember Kentares! P.S. Correct me if I got that wrong. I'm still new to Battletech

[@j.g.woitas841]

*sits staring at screen, while eating popcorn* THIS is going to be great!!

[@theblackpantslegion]

Hope it was everything you wanted, sir.

[@j.g.woitas841]

@@theblackpantslegion You have no idea! TTBT has now officially been added to the "podcast playlist" of my Electricial crew as we wire up our cabinets. You have somehow found yourself with a dozen new fans, clamoring for more great content!! Please keep up the fanstastic work!!

[@DCJMS]

The words of a dead Star League official being interpret as Gospel, sounds familiar.

[@theblackpantslegion]

Parallelism.

[@jamesricker3997]

Blessed be the Word of Blake

[@sukul3889]

A masterpiece of film. I love how thorough this was. Also the implementation of several meme phrases

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thank you kindly sir.

[@radudumitriu9444]

How I missed that soothing, whisky voice telling me of times of future past, war crimes and general tragedy. Well worth the wait, sir, well worth the wait.

[@ootnboot218]

Watched this while painting a Star of Falcon Mechs. Can't wait for 'Part 2: When Things Start to Get Out of Hand.'

[@dubuyajay9964]

For founder Hazen. Selah.

[@elijahsnow3119]

Knowing now that Randolph Checkers married an Elemental… I think I begin to understand how profound his rage must have been when he saw the full picture of Nicholas Kerensky did.

[@dannicasey1548]

JFC: how does this channel 'only' have 80k subs? i gave up on Battletech in my teens, but i can listen to Tex talk about it for hours: one of the best gaming lore channels on KZbin. Lol, my husband is getting jealous of me using Tex as ASMR. Thanks guys.

[@beemoney19]

Great episode you madman. Also, the correct answer to "who does Nicholas Kerensky look like?" is "Pete Postlethwaite". I'll take "Sci-Fi Lookalikes" for $400, Alex.

[@theblackpantslegion]

ha

[@Greyawl]

Bogart...kids. Lots of tracing in those days.

[@daishi0001]

Hell yes, time for more of Tex's honey gravel voice talking about robots.

[@Funkin_Disher]

daishi0001 honeyed gravel. I didnt know the proper depiction for Tex’s voice, but now I do and so it shall remain.

[@daishi0001]

@@Funkin_Disher My work here is complete.

[@theblackpantslegion]

They're more like tanks but I'll take it

[@fleetmastereddie6306]

Comstar is in a way Kerensky's last gift to the innersphere. One final defense, one final shield.

[@LasseROM]

I keep rewatching your lore videos from time to time. And the passion the lore is delivered with, both audibly and visually, moves me every time. Tex and his team have done a fabulous job with these lectures. Battletech is truly a setting worth learning about.

[@MultiMilitia]

An excellent thing to see, having just started Falcon Guard! Love the work you guys all put in this episode (and others, past and to come!). I'll raise a glass of Talisker Skye to all of you mad bastards.

[@theblackpantslegion]

*clink*

[@alexanderstanfield5845]

1:18:37 when your the last living mech on your team in MWO

[@jasonames145]

I've read these stories and heard them narrated so many times, and it never fails to bring out the feels. Tex is the best narrator yet, however☺️

[@theblackpantslegion]

Thank you sir!

[@ChristopherSloane]

Out of all the BPL vids these are the ones Tex seems most impassioned about as in when he narrates these videos it seems to deeper emotional narration, it does the story justice. Most BPL vids are lighthearted and funny so this is an extra special treat.

[@theblackpantslegion]

I'm a man of contrast. But I believe you've gathered that.