BATTLETECH: The Black Marauder

In the world of #Battletech, there is a frightening history and reputation surrounding one mech, whose armour is as black as night. This #Marauder stalks through the #Periphery, and even the #InnerSphere, as a great unknonwable horror. To many it may be an urban-legend, but the truth of the matter is far darker, and far more concerning.
The #StarLeague, in its time, made many great wonders, and great terrors as well. Perhaps none worse than a single #Battlemech... one which pilots itself... and may control its #Mechwarriors as well.
The #BlackMarauder, or the #DarkOne.
#SpookyTech #Spookitech #Battletech #Mechwarrior #HouseDavion #HouseCameron #HouseKurita #FederatedSuns #DraconisCombine #TaurianConcordat #TerranHegemony #HiddenWar #SuccessionWars #WordofBlake #Comstar #Pirates #Halloween #HalloweenTech #Clan #ClanSeafox #ClanWolf #KevinLangstrum
All links to resources used to make this video, and portions associated with it, will be linked in the description below.
0:00 Opening
4:18 Menoetius (Doomed Power)
28:02 Best Left Forgotten
42:21 The Rise of the Obsidian King
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Note: I am not associated with the Battletech / Mechwarrior IP, and create this under fair-use. Ownership of the Battletech IP resides with several companies at this time. I support all official releases.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Resources used to make this video. Black Marauder resources: Marauder Anthology by Lance Scarinci: store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-marauder-by-lance-scarinci-a-battletech-anthology Shrapnel Issue 10: store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-shrapnel-issue-10-the-official-battletech-magazine The Star League: (for Hidden Wars related information) store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-star-league-pdf Outer Space Shots in video by Starkiteckt Designs: starkiteckt.artstation.com/ Current Metal Marauder Sculpt from IWM: www.ironwindmetals.com/index.php/categories/cat-battletech/cat-bt-nr/product/battletech-20-5216/category_pathway-2 If you want a Marauder miniature in plastic, it is currently available in the Inner Sphere Command Lance: store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-forcepack-inner-sphere

[@Adamwofford]

Now I want the black Marauder in mechwarrior mercenaries 5, which can cause madness to my enemies

[@goliath4802]

PLEASE PLEASE Do a part 2!!!

[@afitz34]

The original Star League sourcebook is fantastic. I had it for many years. It’s probably my still at a friends place since the 90’s. I would re”order it if it were available in paperback format.

[@Generic_Ninja]

This video was fantastic. Thanks!

[@loreman2803]

So an Early AI prototype melded with a poor Neuro helmet prototype. Perhaps imprinted with a Will of violence, wether programed or Instilled through the Pilots who were used in it with the prototype helm

[@Tzilandi]

"I don't like this mech, boss. There's something wrong with it." "It's fine; just get it fixed." "No, I'm telling you, something is off with this thing." "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME." "..." "..." "... you're right, boss. There is NOTHING WRONG with this Marauder. Also, I'm handing in my two week's notice, and taking out all my remaining holidays, ok?" "... sure, you do that, kid."

[@Johnpinckney98]

To people who don't know: the clans have mechwarriors with certain "tattoos" that, when activated, allows the mech to be remotely controlled up to a certain distance. The drawback: over time, with each use, the user slowly goes mad. The clans just made a 2.0 project of project butterfly and I'm absolutely stoked at how frightening they took the message for it!

[@luizguerra8054]

That implies they are not mad to begin with

[@AaronLitz]

I'm sorry, but Clan Enhanced Imaging Neural Implants _absolutely do not_ allow a MechWarrior to remotely pilot a BattleMech from outside the cockpit. They just replace the need for a neurohelmet and provide a type of stripped down "virtual reality" interface in 'Mechs equipped with Enhanced Imaging Displays.

[@hoorayforhawksbills]

Enhanced Imaging actually changes the art style of the universe itself, generally from cut rate 90s cel animation to second gen CGI. It's very impressive and both clanners and FedCom seem to be able to do it.

[@K3flyn]

Honestly, this could be a good Halloween tradition... continued tales of "The Black Marauder". Not enough spooky stories in Battletech.

[@BigRed40TECH]

2spooky lol

[@jimvenanzio6561]

@@BigRed40TECH 3Spooky this is the sort of thing that used to make urban legends in small groups of players who used to sit up into the late night swapping theories and stories about things they heard about it on forums--or even in the back of school buses heading back from school. Its mysterious enough to enthrall and inspire people to make their own stories. Create their own legends of the Black Marauder. In my local gameshop, there were stories swapped between the older Neckbeards at the time about stufflikethat. Hearing offhand remarks about it sucked me in and made me start listening intently to these players during sessions. I never tried asking, since they were in the middle of their wargaming sessions, but it nevertheless made me curious about how, if, or when these Tabletop Cryptids would emerge on the field.

[@Roadford01]

Do it!!!!

[@ThatSlowTypingGuy]

Yes, do continue!

[@Jamhael1]

Not only of the Black Marauder, but ghost mechs, abandoned warships, Star League era blacksites, haunted planets, urban legends, and the list goes on...

[@135forte]

My head canon is that it looks like an Unseen Marauder and that is why it is recognizable but wrong. Maybe escaping the retcon is what did it.

[@Chris_Sizemore]

Don't be fooled. That is the last gasp from the dying Knight Industries. It wanders from battlefield to battlefield. Looking for its pilot. If hear a voice calling for "Michael" and you see a Black Marauder with a glowing red canopy, face the beast and look deep into the abyss and you may live. Turn your back and attempt to flee and this mechanical beast will cut you down where you stand. And if the beast beckons you to enter its belly, know there is no salvation besides the grave.

[@warkardz]

The void simply wants snackies. Meat bag snackies.

[@bthsr7113]

The what it speaks through Langstrom about being a Marauder makes me chuckle for the unintentional implication that the project failed because of the make of mech. As if choosing to use a Galahad for this experiment would have been a grand success, imparting knightly virtue into the mech.

[@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus]

I wonder what would happen if it was a charger or a mad cat . . . Or better yet *an urbie*

[@bthsr7113]

@@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus If names determine the beast's mindset, I could see a Charger exemplifying the battering ram mindset and punching a lot, while either the Timberwolf would seek out its kin to hunt as a pack, or the Mad Cat would lash out at all, reveling in the violence. As for actual enhancements, given how even a 70 ton iconic chassis could disappear, a Dark Urbanmech would be an absolute nightmare. A nearly undetectable phantom who stalks large mechs through cities, striking without warning, always in the most effective position despite a low land speed and no jump jet thermal signatures. Sliding in and out of the battlefield, only to be seen when firing or resting. A Dark Charger would move improbably fast for extremely improbable durations while taking much more damage to hinder than one would expect. A Dark Timberwolf.... well I wonder if it wouldn't so much refit its omnipods as shift their contents. And I suspect the prime config machine guns would be used to acquire sustenance with regularity.

[@spartanalex9006]

Could have been worse. Imagine trying this with a Firestarter.

[@bthsr7113]

@@spartanalex9006 Yeah, that would be been messy enough to make Wobbies and the Sword of Light blink.

[@gokbay3057]

I mean I could kinda see closer neural link project be worse off because of the use of wrong type of mech. Perhaps a more humanoid design than the Marauder (maybe one of those who seem to hold guns in their hands like the Battlemaster) would have worked better.

[@lesjames2478]

"if this is the apocalypse, I want the devil by my side" is 40 lbs balls put into words if I ever heard it. Also I love how Grange recognizes that it is a bad idea to try and use the Black Marauder and basically says "YOLO" anyways...what an absolute Chad

[@BigRed40TECH]

Absolutely. lmao

[@bthsr7113]

You can't say he was wrong. It is true that the devil in your corner can turn the tide, and that his gut was right about him being wrong.

[@thorveim1174]

Also gotta remember its that one conflict that shouldnt be named because youtube here... A war where nukes and other weapons of mass destruction get used left and right by the Blakists. Comparing it to the apocalypse is apt.

[@Mavairo]

So, for one of my factions, I had a former clanner, who went dark caste shortly after being told to find the Dragoons and bring them back to the clans, before the invasion. I'd toyed with the idea that he and his binary had found this thing, and a battletech slasher flick ensued, and he was the sole survivor and became "the ghost of Sanctuary". This vid pretty much cemented it for me. He's not spoken a word aloud to anyone since, and was so maimed by it that his mechs all walk with a slight limp. He only communicates with text, or a modulator, because he can't speak to the horrors he saw at this things "hands". Then it surfaces in 3073.

[@SupComKoni]

The line "He was a M A R A U D E R" at 1:10:15 has no right to hit that hard. Very well done BigRed, your voice acting has gone way, way up in the past year. Seeing this after your Origin and Death of Comstar videos shows how much you've grown and continue to perfect your style. Love it

[@BigRed40TECH]

I still love the Death of Comstar video, and I think the voice-work in it is really good. Just a very different story to tell this time.

[@ampgp03d]

Once the “He was a Marauder” thought went through his mind. Kevin was gone in my opinion. He and the mech had become one. Major Kletus Cassidy/ Carnage vibes there too.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Very much agreed Amp.

[@neoisolationist8790]

Agreed. The story telling around the 55-minute mark was excellent. Well-done, Big Red.

[@canislupus3655]

The Black Marauder is the only miniature of mine which has ever drawn my blood. I was hospitalized after having cut a Marauder's torso from its legs, but yet I recombined it and adorned it with the darkest black paint I had available. It was almost a compulsion. Why shouldn't I?

[@BigRed40TECH]

I hope your okay! lol

[@canislupus3655]

@@BigRed40TECH Thank you for your concern; it wasn't anything a few stitches couldn't fix. Regardless, it is quite fitting that the Black Marauder was the first mini to do me in, lol

[@johngavin3180]

​@canislupus3655 hey, man I think you should take some time away from that mini... you seem not like yourself.

[@bombomos]

You are playing with fire

[@jamesbeard5513]

I think the answer is yes, Langstrom and the Marauder were master and servant. Langstrom, despite what nobility he may have professed in public, was highly aggressive and always desired to be in combat and the Black Marauder needed a pilot to truly reach its capabilities, someone more in tune with its desires than the prior two attempts with the religious and the disciplined. Little disappointed you didn't include the Tortuga chapter, as that brought true horror of Langstrom and the Marauder to the fore. Perhaps next year. The real question is how, in 3151, is Kevin Langstrom still 'here'? Is it a corpse in control of the mech, an empty, decaying flesh puppet? Or does the Marauder abduct the unwary, selecting new bodies for Kevin Langstrom to possess or to rewrite their personalities and memories with Langstrom's.

[@BigRed40TECH]

The Knights thought it was one of his descendents piloting it, but they never found out.

[@bthsr7113]

I was about to say, it may be a new soul entirely. A new potential monster having their dark destiny cemented by sitting in that thing's cockpit.

[@flakzuludeusex2365]

@@bthsr7113 So what your saying is the Black marauder eats it's pilots that is attuned with it and as it learns new strategy, skill and most importantly more bodies and pilots to keep it functioning to feed the it more souls for the beast.

[@bombomos]

I dont think the mech needs a pilot. But wants one

[@666kingdrummer]

There needs to be a whole series about all of the horrible things that can happen to you in the Battletech Universe (Beyond just dying in combat). Like a 'Catastrophic Misjump' for example, which can see your ship catapulted via FTLT, and time is distorted to such an extreme that your ship might disappear, never to be seen again.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Misjumps is how you meet Bird People.

[@Ironknuckle100]

@@BigRed40TECHor lose an entire Battlecruiser by the name of Merope.

[@mattikuokkanen]

Novel Far Country is about this, and BigRed40TECH makes a reference to it. Then is the disappearance of Lyran battlecruiser which then makes reappearance on the side of Word of Blake. Tex from the BlackPantsLegion made a video about derelict WarShip found in time of Succession Wars and its destruction by fighters of unknown origin.

[@ssjjshawn]

​​​@@mattikuokkanenthats the Turpits, the Black Lion (2) Class Warship. But when you look into Comstar's actual positioning of the ComGuard units thye had in the 2990s, the entire story falls apart. The nearest units that the ComGuards have that could have matched the description of the "Vandenberg White Wings" was almost a full year away due to Jump times. While the ship is nearby to the world of New Vandenberg, the most famous Aerospace focused planet outside of the Inner Sphere. A full year where its only a couple weeks away tops from one of the few planets left in existence with an even remote chance of removing it. Or of striping it for parts. A command circuit would have been impossible at the height if the 3rd Succession War, or at least impossible without being caught. For Comstar at least. Then of course the fact of where this info comes from is a Blakist source during the Blakist era, which is famous for its misinformation. If there is any truth to it, it would be purely that the Taurains found an abandoned Warship they had no idea how it got there.

[@Boseeinsteinshake]

Oh man. Battletechs very own demon engine.

[@RomanvonUngernSternbergnrmfvus]

As long as we have no demon core or daemonculaba we will be just fine

[@privatename5788]

Very nicely done. You picked up on a few things that I haven't seen other people mention. I'd like to see a follow up, because I want to see if anyone can put together all of the clues in Wolf Pelts and Raven Feathers, not only of the past, but the future. I don't know if many people know about that story. If they don't get Shrapnel, they're missing out on more than just my work. When it comes to the Marauder, it's the legend that important. I do have a full back story for it, but it's much better to let people use it as they will. I'm glad I could make something that so many people enjoy.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I may do a part 2. We'll have to see.

[@cscrossman]

@privatename5788 "my work" Lance? Is that you?

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@cscrossman If its not him, then it's probably the Marauder O.O

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

So Couple things: I adore the mystic portions of battletech. It's not magic per se or outright supernatural stuff, but rather the moments when things happen in defiance of what the setting tells us about the physics of the setting; things like this, the founding of the explorer core, the Nova cats visions, the phantom mech incident... these are such wonderful additions to this setting. Second, I would adore hearing the continuation of this story.

[@spartanalex9006]

Same here, I love that while it’s never the spotlight, there’s just something else happening in the Inner Sphere and Periphery that just isn’t right. Those ambiguously supernatural elements are just my vibe and one of my favorite types of horror.

[@mrthinktank448]

What was the phantom mech incident?

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

@@mrthinktank448 The phantom mech incident occurred during a duel between Morgan Kell and a Kuritan general, during which their mechs (an archer and a warhammer) beat the crap out of each other until a point came when Morgan was caught dead to rights at optimal range for an alpha strike. The mercenary should have been annihilated but for some inexplicable reason his mech disappered from sensors. It was still there, still visually present but for whatever reason the warhammer couldn't "see" it. The warhammer fired twice at the archer and missed both times, with the fight ending with the archer bowing to it's opponent. There is no tech from that era (Pre- helm memory core) that would have accounted for this. The Warhammer had been hurt but it was still functional enough that it otherwise tested fine.

[@spartanonxy]

@@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285 There isn't even post Helm that fits the bill. Everything that could do so has caveats that rule it out. The only option that could possibly work would be Null sig issue there is that tech is gone pretty much completely even now.

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

@@spartanonxy My Theory, in as much as I can guess (and which doesn't fully explain this but might come closer then most) is that the mech is running an atypical neural helmet; We know that when engineers try and exceed the normal levels of neural interface there is a consistent result of pilot's becoming increasingly psychotic; This behavior is seen in enhanced imaging (the system utilized by the clans) and Direct neural interface (The Wobbies vrsion) as well as what was going on with the Prometheus. Now, that by itself would be bad...but it's possible that it actually got worse by virtue of the mech not purging neural data from previous pilots so as a result you wind up with a mech that "learns" like a chatbot but what it's learning comes with an unhealthy dose of psychosis from those pilots. Effectively, it just keeps making it's pilots exponentially more deranged and blood thirsty as time goes on, a never ending exponential equation of violence.

[@jasonmcquain7821]

I love the shadowy little corners of the lore like this.

[@RyeFields]

I'm surprised more horror elements aren't explored in the Battletech universe. Seems like theres so much room for it even if it tends to stray from the harsh military sci-fi Battletech tries to stick to.

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

There’s multiple places in the system that are pretty much total mysteries as to what’s on them, like Leviathan’s Rest. IIRC there’s lore somewhere that talks about how some planets have creatures on it that are able to consume Assault mechs in one bite. The Battletech Horror short “Hellbringer” (I think that’s it’s name) delves into this a bit.

[@ZackHeise]

My guess is that the Animated Series tinged the hue toward 90s comic relief

[@HalIOfFamer]

there isn't really that much to explore imo. We had aliens once and everybody hated it so much they redconed it. There isn't much space magic or science so advanced it could be mistaken for magic. Established lore does not really allow for much conventional horror. Unless we go for cognicent AI but that would have to happen in the 32nd century onwards and therfore not attract much attention as everybody mostly focuses on the 3025-3062 bracket and even this bracket itself is mostly skewed to the 4th succesion war era. This black marauder piece is honestly the closest we can get to horror and it still does not hold a candle to real sci fi horror like alien, the thing, event horizon and so on. Maybe if they got into the real fucked up human experiment of ww2 side of things, that could work. But I dont think they wanna be connected with that stuff. newer lore is all but absent of the warcrimes that characterize the early lore.

[@Beanibirb]

Just last year they added another horror mech named Onikuma, essentially a haunted Kodiak that ests other mechs and it was pretty terrifying

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

@@Beanibirb Haunted... Kodiak? God I love my Clan brothers.

[@Arvyn992]

Imagine the Black Marauder was meant to be a friend something similar to a dog for someone who was lonely

[@Arvyn992]

Instead of a dutiful Dog it was a demon/devil Dog with a thirst for blood and carnage

[@beskar66]

Spooky scare is coming for us all

[@Docthewrench]

What?? Do you get skeerd? Things spook you? You startle very easy None of those work on me. Too well trained and I tell people don't try to scare me to startle. I will launch a attack. Too well trained to attack and destroy. My legs react very fast .. Best to not lol

[@metalmadness5851]

A note to the curious, the Draconis Combine really didn't want to join the Star League. But when faced with the entire rest of the galaxy turning their guns on them, they didn't have a choice.

[@bthsr7113]

Yeah, because they wanted to conquer it all, and reality threatened to cave in their collective face. Heck, if it hadn't been the Periphery, I dare say the Dragon would have been the first feast of the SLDF.

[@metalmadness5851]

​@@bthsr7113 Everyone wanted to conquer it all. Houses Steiner, Liao, Marik, Davion, and Cameron, had all been fighting the Age of War to conquer and dominate their enemies so they could empower themselves. Everyone had different excuses, but it was what they all wanted. Kurita has been, at least, honest about it.

[@matthewmclean836]

Ok, straight up, I'm dying for more of this. I need part 2 desperately. This was fantastic, definitely going to be the highlight of this spoopy week

[@tonyblitz1]

I've been fascinated by the "superstitious sailor" angle of mechwarriors and mechtechs for a while, so this absolutely hit all the right notes for me. Why should the Word of Blake have sole claim over spooky, scary machines? "Ooooooh this tank is painted blood red and uses napalm! it's gonna commit warcriiiiimes!" This is Black Marauder haunting it's way around the setting is cooler and way more fun to hear about. It's one of the reasons I love that when they redacted "phantom mech" powers they turned them into superstitious legends. (Or maybe they're reeeeaaal)

[@tiberiusnod]

During my Mechwarrior: Destiny RPG campaign I had my players face the Dark One. It was lurking around their Lance, while they explored a so called doomed world. Their sensors acted weird, pings appearing here and there. Finally it pounced on them, killing all of them. Seconds later, they woke up in there cockpits completely unharmed, with their lance mates trying to call them via comms asking why they stopped their mechs. This story isn't over....

[@BigRed40TECH]

It never is O.O

[@tiberiusnod]

And today IT continues... They thought they left the planet and ran away from the horrors... But....

[@guitarhausdoesntknowwhatac3285]

Also, If I was going to conjecture what the hell this thing's deal was, I'd say that it had something to do with a more penetrative neural interface; Like we know from other instances of this that go past the normal interface of a neural helmet (IE enhanced imaging and DNI) mental instability becomes a factor and in the case of the Black Marauder I'd speculate that it taps deeper into primal aspects of the human psyche in order to give the pilot more edge in combat. Add in the possibility that the system's onboard ROM doesn't purge the information from previous pilots and you have a recipe for complete and utter Psychopathy in a 70 ton murder machine.

[@infernum5646]

Malicious AI with a DNI, or possessing horror brought in by tech gone to far. Who can tell. Good stuff as always Red.

[@warkardz]

And they want to implant neural jacks into our brains

[@Jamhael1]

Star League era tech could do amazing stuff, so...

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

An unmarked mech, found on a random asteroid near a relatively unremarkable (though conflicted) and average-tech system with zero traces of how it got there or… who it belonged to. I’ve always had this small theory that the Black Marauder is the only mech that was made by some kind of shadow sect in ComStar’s ROM (similar to the Blakists), utilizing secret Star League tech. ComStar would then try to sweep it under the rug, hiding it on the damn-near edge of the Sphere, in an attempt to not let it get out.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Likely made by the Star League, but still terrifying. lol

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

@@BigRed40TECHHonestly, if it *is* Star League tech in origin, that makes the Star League way more terrifying to me if they possessed this kind of tech that the Black Marauder has. Makes ya wonder if they hid anything else like the Black Marauder… *What could be on Leviathan’s Rest?* oOoOooh~

[@bthsr7113]

@@allthenamesiwantedweretaken Well, there are apocryphal tales of an erratic Piranha moving wrong while stalking the streets of Solaris 7, being pursued by an oblivious old man and Elemental. Hopefully the Marauder doesn't have clan tech offspring.

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

@@bthsr7113 I could only dream of a Black Marauder IIC {:

[@liljenborg2517]

The question then becomes, why hide it? If you're trying to "sweep it under the rug", just drop the damn thing into a star, or even a gas giant. You only hide it, like a pirate buries treasure, when you intend to come back later and get it.

[@TheDubDisciple]

Personally I believe due to the sensitive nature of this neural link that it may contain imprints of the previous pilots last moments or even trapped their sentience inside the machine itself. Both would explain the whole "if you make a hole in someone's home they get mad at you and yell at you back through the hole". The only part where this falls apart is the Marauder obviously choosing Kevin and having a much more insidious relationship with him. That doesn't really fit dead ex-pilots stuck in the machine and is much more along the lines of extra-dimensional horror finds a compatible soul to corrupt

[@BigRed40TECH]

I think project Bee involved the Marauder itself, having an AI installed personally.

[@TheDubDisciple]

@@BigRed40TECH Maybe but it’s too far in the background. AI companions are usually pretty overt in how they operate the machine and tend to follow in-world rules about how a machine can function. Firing the PPC with a cold reactor isn’t something an AI could do 🤐 unless I wildly misunderstand what AI is capable of in Battletech universe

[@bthsr7113]

@@TheDubDisciple Maybe with a PPC capacitor... but even then, it would be extremely negligent to leave that capacitor ready, and even if the mercs had test fired the PPC before.... that was still decades before the PPC capacitor was developed. Nah, the writing is being far too coy and murky about how the mech does the impossible, and if it were merely an errant AI with a dangerous neurohelmet, well the mech could be disassembled to remove said components and turned into a safe frontline Marauder while the systems were either scrapped or studied. For the entire thing to be consigned to a barren asteroid in a star system with only gas giants for planets.... nah. This thing scared the SLDF. Scared them in a special way. And I just don't think an AI incorporating mech would be scary enough to do that.

[@Wastelandman7000]

Or it just needs an exorcist LOL

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@TheDubDisciple It's never turned off. It's always aware. It can power-up without people knowing.

[@tuppytheducky]

Blake has praised us this day

[@BigRed40TECH]

Spookitech is real!

[@mikewarden5777]

Wow, you knocked this one out of the park, Red. Fantastic work.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you kindly!

[@Seeric85]

This was much better than expected. I like the way the Black Marauder is played relatively straight in-universe instead of being a "Halloween Special" kind of whacky spook story.

[@NightSentinel51]

Two of my greatest loves (Battletech & Lovecraft) came together to create my new nightmare. At least I can sleep knowing it was not a haunted Urbanmech. 🤣🤣🤣

[@canadianweez]

I kind of like the idea that it has somehow, over time, absorbed a little bit of the personality of whoever has piloted it. Through the neurohelmet bits of aggression, panic, survival instinct and hunting have made their way into the innards of the main computer systems. When a new pilot connects to the mech he/she is subtlety poked and prodded by the remains of the lost emotions, pushing the mechwarrior to acts they may have never considered before. Eventually the pilot oversteps and is killed and the cycle begins again.

[@ewfisher89]

I was listening to this while playing MechWarrior 5, piloting a nearly all black Marauder (black and dark gray razzledazzle camo).

[@K3flyn]

The Marauder is one of my favorite mechs in general and a fan favorite at my player's table at the J-Kerfuffel campaign I GM... good times. Thanks for doing this!

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

Big Red's Spooktakular.😅

[@Dracobyte]

Time for a Spoopy mech story!

[@robrib2682]

a great Davion story. it hit all points: a distant threat, a noble sense of honor, technological innovation that only serves to make new horrors of war despite its intentions when implemented, and Davion showing us all why the Aries Conventions were written in the first place Edit: remember, Davion is the good guys people.... disregard the noticeable barbaric savagery they keep inventing for the inner sphere

[@gregdomenico1891]

Just some thoughts( probably way off): Project Butterfly- Early attempts at Enhanced Imaging; we know the first pilots went nuts; after that they had to take meds to keep from going psycotic. Project Bee-Advanced AI; And it went rogue. Add the two together, and yeah. Also, damn you Red, this started at 1 AM my time! (Asia/Pacific). I gotta get up in 3 hours for work. ( But it was worth it).

[@BigRed40TECH]

Project Butterfly is mostly about the neural helmet. No need for tattoos, just plugs right in. Project Bee is clearly the Marauder itself... but what it means beyond that? We don't know.

[@JefferyCuddletrousers]

Bee for Biotech? Living Myomer that can regenerate? Shoggoth in a Marauder Shell?

[@Gigas0101]

Gotta love how the writers manage to murder a few "Capellans", even when they're fedrats. The Black Marauder is now my favourite character, and this is an amazing video! Thanks for this and happy Halloween, Red!

[@paladinslash4721]

I met this... Marauder with this blood red, cockpit and... the blackest paint - the Devil's paint. I spent eight years trying to reach it, and then another seven trying to keep it locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that mech’s paint was purely and simply... evil.

[@Andrewlik]

I have got to say, this is my favorite video of yours after the Comstar ones. The voice acting and menacing tone was ON POINT. I'll definitely listen to this again except all in one sitting down the line

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks! :)

[@bthsr7113]

There are depths where even the brightest minds shouldn't delve. And if they do, they should not dredge. To take what they dredged from the forbidden deeps and then stuff them into an engine of destruction...... is the deepest folly.

[@spartanalex9006]

You know, rundowns of the Spacer’s Tales and Canon Conspiracies would be a great Halloween and April Fools activities of a channel like this.

[@tenchraven]

"As if it wasn't a real Marauder" has always jumped out at me with the Black Marauder. So it's a Marauder-like thing. Or... Thing? It's always been reputed to move oddly. I like the AI theory, I like the "something" theory as well, and there is nothing to say it couldn't be both.

[@reecedignan8365]

Amazing work Red and of course we need a part 2 to this, you can’t do a black marauder video and just include it’s origins, it’s origins are what give us the legend, the stories that come after are what make us wonder if it is truly lurking around us. As for what it is…. weirdly I actually do enjoy the more mystical side to this with a dark horror science tale. Not an AI, but a scientist going way to far in his neural science and torture that he in many ways creates a daemon. Not an AI, but a actual soul from all the dead and… broken pilots that the helmet has touched. And it accepting Kevin in the end is but it finally finding a true matching link - cause while people can have a good neural connection to run a mech properly, some people have such a bonded link with a mech it feels almost like a natural body. And in many ways, combine the soul of a deamon with the soul of someone who was destined to connect with that mech perfectly… well you get two souls unified in 1 body… just that body is both a human one and a machine one.

[@jwoellhof]

This is your best work. Great timing well done and thanks for making my afternoon at work more fun, as usual, or even more than usual.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Wow, thank you!

[@Grooveworthy]

This was a fantastic change of pace. I think you're well suited for the more narrative storytelling videos as well as the informative lecture-type videos. If you wanted to do a part 2, by all means do it, but at the same time, this video felt complete enough as it is, so if you don't, it's not a big deal.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I've done them before! People just usually don't really enjoy or embrace my content more like this. XD

[@adamsee4144]

Saint Black Marauder did nothing wrong! It was a kind and gentle mech, that only wanted the best for Kevin, the Taurian Concordat, and the pirates!

[@BigRed40TECH]

It's going to take care of Kevin. Because Kevin took care of it.

[@freeranger00]

Well done! You did a good job creating an appropriately eerie feeling. I'm of the opinion that the Black Marauder is probably the marriage of project Bee's AI with project Butterfly's improved neural interface. The AI was probably twisted by the messed up nature of the interface, thus giving Kevin an extremely difficult experience, complete with the rage of the ghosts of the past. That's more palatable than a demon-possessed machine, but possession is my second choice.

[@BigRed40TECH]

This is very much close to my opinioin as well.

[@JiyuKishiParn]

I like to take the third stance...it's both, the effects of the first inviting and then hiding the second.

[@HouseDavieMerc]

Fantastic video Perhaps the Black Marauder is an AI. One that was programed with fragments of memories that were taken from test subjects that died or went insane during secret experiments.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I concur.

[@thorveim1174]

The one issue is that the AI doesnt explain everything, like how it does things that should be flat out impossible like making its own pilot vanish in its seat or apparently moving in ways that should be impossible for a marauder when shrouded in darkness, up to and including opening a jaw full of serrated teeth... If those are more than the result of an unreliable narrator, then an AI cant be the full explanation. Also a simple AI cant explain how it managed to make the pilot of an enemy summoner it defeated vanish while the cockpit was sealed from the inside...

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@thorveim1174 Remember, it is told from the perspective of Grange, what he says, may not amount to the exact events. It's told this way on purpose to leave things vague.

[@thorveim1174]

@@BigRed40TECH fully agree for the weird sightings. I find the case of the clanner gone inside his sealed Summoner cockpit after meeting the Dark One to be much harder to shore up to someone's mind playing tricks on them (apparently was in an ilclan recognition guide for this one event so not sure its from the same PoV as the novels). But hey thats what makes the Dark One so interesting to me. There is possible explanations for what it is, but none perfect, be it because the setting is usually completely void of anything supernatural or because all events happening around it cant easily be explained by one-of-a-kind technology, especially as the narrator may not be reliable at all. One thing is for sure though, that marauder sure gets a lot of headshots on its opponents!

[@danwehmeier9717]

Wonky AI? Eldritch horror? Why not both!?

[@Reznore587]

This has been one of my favorite books from battletech and I’m glad you did a video on it

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks! :)

[@kathilmechworks4895]

Kind of reminds me of a shadows ship from Babylon 5. Black as night and seems as if from the underworld. Uses a living being as its cpu and once you go in you are never quite whole again.

[@marsar1775]

Whatever happened to Mister Garibaldi? :) refrences aside though, you raise an excellent point, and im sad i didnt see this comment sooner. Maybe the black marauders PPCs are tinted purple

[@gearstark2479]

Damn that was crazy! Great video. The outer space background in each section got creeper as it went on. Some one was channeling their inner Lovecraft when they created the Black Marauder. If you do continue this tale in the future, I’ll be there

[@TreyaTheKobold]

Oh dang. This story's finally available? I was searching for it a year or two ago and it was dead dead, i hit up Lance directly even and he said it was in rights limbo and he wasnt comfortable showing it to other people because job reasons

[@BigRed40TECH]

Links are in the top comment. To the Black Marauder Anthology, and Shrapnel issue 10. Between the 2, all 5 stories are there.

[@sempermilites87]

I like the idea of The Dark One being Battletech's version of Stephen King's "Christine."

[@TheRedshirt93]

I loved this video, loved the Black Marauder, and I absolutely want a Part 2! you stopped before the really good parts, IMO.

[@BigRed40TECH]

There was a lot of reasons. FIrst of all, the time budget to get it done. Video length (it's already over an hour, and I was unsure if people would like this content), and because I also wanted people to check out the books for themselves too. :) I may do part 2 / 3 in the future. We'll see. But it'd not be right away.

[@Bhaalspawn]

This was fantastic. Thank you so much for making this!

[@Primearch-GG]

Well, I said it wasn't a mech you'd want to meet in a dark alley at night, but that was the underestimate of the year, this mech would take on the IRS, which even Joker isn't crazy enough for...😱😱😱😱😱

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

I don't know if this is your best video. But it is your most entertaining video!! I loved it a lot, and it was a great Halloween themed story.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you Observations! A ton of work went into this.

[@enricopaolocoronado2511]

So, basically, this entire thing happened because the Dracs got a little too prideful and the SLDF decided to make their own version of Human-PLUS in retaliation which would eventually culminate in this absolute unit of a BattleMech. Perfect and just in time for Spoopy Month.

[@BigRed40TECH]

It was fun putting it all together :)

[@spencerjones841]

when you see this battlemech call in the orbital support ASAP and you might live.

[@chrisbritt4266]

Nested on the deck came out because KZbin didn't give me the notification after I signed up for the notification. But man, that was a great video. Hope you do more, that was awesome. Great video

[@mirrorsandstuff]

BattleTech has so much scope for horror - the whole lost glory/nightmarish science from centuries ago/post apocalyptica vibes really can be exploited.

[@toddcarr.]

Great story and something different is always refreshing to see. Thanks for the great vid.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@plainsfox]

There is nothing scarier than human horror. No outer dimensional beings to blame it on. No otherworldy urgings. Just frail humanity puttering along.

[@bthsr7113]

In some ways yes, but in others, something beyond us that can bring out our darkness is more scary.

[@commandermcnash5137]

I was just building some Flayed Ones, adding them some monoliths and obelisk, and skulls, and this started in the playlist... Yeah, I think this project will be good.

[@TheRay21420]

"... Pure Evil. When she crossed over she was just a mech, but when she came back.... she was alive. Look at her, Sergeant. Isn't she beautiful?"

[@dubuyajay9964]

Oh goody...Lovecraft mech. 👻👿☠️🤖

[@BigRed40TECH]

It just wants to show you colour beyond colour.

[@rookiemechwarrior]

Holy cow I knew that a link was made between IE tatoos and The Black Mauauder was made in shrapnel, but I hadn't caught on that Kevin was exhibiting the same side effects as augmented clanners during the story itself until now.

[@S-G-zm3uu]

This reminds me of a movie i watched awhile ago about a russian tank commander during world war 2 hunting down this "ghost tank" a seemingly impervious white tiger tank that would appear on the battlefield and destroy its enemies and mysteriously disappear afterward. i think it was loosely based on a real myth going around during world war 2 of a similar tiger tank. movie's called white tiger and its a pretty good watch.

[@nexusofice9135]

That Marauder drives people Mad.

[@scottmccool7242]

Ha! Thanks for this. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to hear this.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I'm glad I was able to make that happen. :)

[@leroyottersberg7151]

In it's attempt to keep it's edge, the SLDF unleashed a 75 ton demon from Hell.

[@GrammarTron3000]

As we all know, black is the spookiest of colors

[@BigRed40TECH]

2Spooky4u

[@vikingkicker4026]

An excellent video. Perfect for Halloween!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Oh yea man. It's the only time of year I could do something like this. lol

[@oz4087]

I remember that time Rexman slipped on that pool of oil and made a complete fool of himself, I laughed, the crew laughed, and then the Marauder started laughing...

[@Cavemandave99]

Just finished this one. I had no idea the Black Marader was a thing. I love it!!! Part 2 please!!!

[@sterner626]

You knocked this one out of the park, Red. Absolutely loved this!

[@ShagShaggio]

Awesome! Cheers!

[@pa_gaming_dad2810]

Great telling of a Halloween story! I know my next painting project. I vote for a follow-up video.

[@chrisb3585]

Excellent rendition of the tale of the Black Marauder, very entertaining! Honestly I'm not sure what would be scarier, a rouge SLDF experiment gone wrong, a man-made monstrosity far beyond the intentions and scope of its developers. Or an insidious inhuman intelligence that somehow manifested or possessed a war machine to serve its own malicious ends. A combination of both?

[@karmadyllic]

Absolutely excellent storytelling sir. Thanks muchly!

[@tapioperala3010]

Love this video. Absolutely brilliant and would love to see more like it 🤩

[@benjaminkirkley6730]

One of the best "ghost" stories ever

[@CodenameVillain]

I am so stoked for this vid! Happy Halloween!

[@richter6699]

Dude, you put a crazy amount of effort into these and it is very mucj appreciated! You're the man

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks very much! I appreciate it!

[@allones3078]

Great video honestly one of the best you have made so far.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you. It was tons of work. The source material helps too, which is why I thanked Lance for his work on the books. :)

[@cody1570]

Love these necromos is another personal favorite. Changing up the craziness of all the battle tech lore. Another favorite are the nova cats making their protomechs animal supersoldier hybrids that were capable of tearing down a medium mech, ripping their way into the cockpit of pilots. These stories are awesome

[@jwwillis3]

If the Black Marauder has an AI I am just scared to think how many jumps that AI has gone through while being active. If so it is certainly something different than the AI that goes berserk after a jump that the SLDF discovered.

[@aelreth-]

Granger wanted the Devil by his side, he forgets the devil casts away his toys when he is done with them. Devil doesn't like being discarded a second time.

[@therakshasan8547]

Happy Halloween Big Red-40TECH . Great reading .

[@Notabotbear]

Glad I found this.. 7 months later. I liked your use of vocal distortion, very immersive.

[@Tellos]

Very fun Video I'd love you to do a part 2.

[@JustinPivinski-cm2rh]

I'd say go with part 2 for sure. I enjoyed this

[@Not.Jason.from.the.southwest]

I love the story of the Combine vs Star League duals. A friendly reminder that in order to achieve close parity with the raw samurai bad assedness of a Combine mechwarrior the SLDF had to create a whole new industrial and training system, and then design the perfect mech.

[@Gwagia]

That was awesome! Battletech Horror is something i need more of now.

[@spotH3D]

Well done and spooky, great job.

[@Timberjac]

A great video. Perfect for this day.

[@Kaiju-Driver]

Battletech and Lovecraftian vibes!!!! Dope!