BATTLETECH: The Death of Comstar

[@SunSwipePrime]

Not a Comstar fan, but definitively removing such a historic piece from the story going forward seems short sighted. Having a shadowy force in the background adds flavor to the setting. One of the things that makes for a great setting to explore is loose threads and mysteries, and snipping things off like this feels like a homogenization of the setting. Some of the great mysteries from the lore have been fertile ground for stories. What happened to the SLDF? Where did Wolf's Dragoons come from? What happened to the survivors' of Clan Wolverine? They should be leaving lots of loose threads when possible, not snipping them off.

[@Furzkampfbomber]

I am not that familiar with the Battletech lore, but with _what_ I know, I was always under the impression that Comstar, although maybe shady, not only added some stability to this constantly changing world, it also seemed to provide a failsafe. Wrote yourself into a corner? Well, you could always hit the 'delete' button and then let Comstar provide what is needed to build a new world. With that gone, there seems no stability left.

[@RenegadeVile]

Yeah, a lot of settings have shadowy organizations that rarely act openly for a reason. It adds intrigue, and it's also just a convenient plot device to have. From time to time, these factions WILL act openly, and usually for good reason. Even if you're just playing an RPG session, factions like Comstar are interesting. The party's activities start interfering with theirs and they have to somehow survive being on Comstar's shit list for a while.

[@cesaravegah3787]

On real life after an event so savage as the Word of Blake Jihad I think that Comstar would be forced to disband shortly after it

[@Chromevod]

The loss of ComStar in any form whatsoever strips the setting of an important and interesting perspective. If nothing else, it takes away from the possible variety.

[@TheSmileyGI]

I’m mixed on this. On one hand, I absolutely love ComStar-they’re such great techno-bad guys. On the other, as long as there’s some sort of successor faction that makes sense to migrate to, I think this is a good/healthy thing to kill off a faction every once and a while. It raises the stakes of the setting-unlike Marvel where fan favorites can be magically brought back to life as long as the actors sign a new contract, thereby killing the concept of death, if CGL is willing to go through with this, I’ll definitely respect that decision. It honestly bugs me a little that the Smoke Jags were brought back for this reason, but I’m willing to see where they go with it.

[@TheBloodedCat]

The good thing about being quality writer is you get to write inspirational unifying messages. The downside of being in a quality writer occasionally are asked to write eulogies.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Yea, it's just especially bad when I see so much story potential for them, and it's just wasted.

[@robbybarbera]

Well ComStar and the Word of Blake might be gone in CGL’s mind and future plans. But Blake’s words shall always remain in my heart and games. May Blake be with us all!

[@BigRed40TECH]

May his wisdom bring you peace, RobbyBarbera! And thank you!

[@robbybarbera]

@@BigRed40TECH You as well and thank you for such wonderful videos.

[@cobalt968]

You never know when ComStar might become resurgent again. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. With the reformed Star League and the newly reconstituted FWL coming into conflict with each other, one wonders if that might one day lead to Marik joining the League and then pressuring the other Successor states into doing the same, as it did in times long past. Perhaps there will be a need for another Jerome Blake in the future when the League eventually splits apart again.

[@BigRed40TECH]

FWL's not going to split apart again imo.

[@cobalt968]

@@BigRed40TECH sorry, meant to clarify that I was talking about the Star League.

[@jamesricker3997]

Only one faction would give Blessed Order survivors shelter The Word of Blake There will be hell to pay in the future

[@imperator8125]

First you and then Tex 2 days from now? Y'all are spoiling us!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Looks like a Merry Christmas in coming. lol

[@imperator8125]

@@BigRed40TECH Merry Christmas to you as well!

[@asimplenobody7797]

Damn it, you beat me to it. Merry Christmas, Red

[@topcatcoast2coast579]

Mage Leader is working on a new script too.

[@Hinokaze]

Tex would call it death of space at&t

[@arcdraconis9579]

com star has been a pain in everyone's ass and single handly caused inner sphere tech stagnation. But I am gonna miss space Comcast.

[@duanewong1527]

Amazing work man, you and Tex turning into the Steve Irwin and Sir David Attenborough of Battletech respectively

[@BigRed40TECH]

I don't know which one of us is which out of that. XD

[@aylamaiia]

​@BigRed40TECH I love Tex, but like me, he's a foul mouthed merc, and historian. You'd be Sir David Attenborough.

[@Alpha_Digamma]

Comstar and the HPG Network are two of the most distinctive components of the IP. To take them out of the equation is a major mistake to say the least. At least if you value the lore and love the novels. If you just want to push some figures over a table and roll some dice...it doesn't matter as much.

[@jtjames79]

I'm working on a Homebrew alternate history campaign, where instead of asking for a ceasefire, Comstar gets the technology for Omnimechs. The clans were already stretched thin. Having a ceasefire to reinforce was the best thing that could happen to them. I like to imagine they would have still taken Terra. But then get smashed in a giant pincher maneuver. Then a crusade of vengeance. A unified volunteer force of all the houses, with Clan Tech, deputized into the new SLDF. Then basically do the war in the Pacific with the US side being the SLDF, and the Clans get to be the Japanese. And instead of the Republic of the Sphere, something something New Star League. And then everything implodes again. And the game becomes OG Battle Droids, grim dark and post-apocalyptic, everything is about salvage. Mad Max meets giant robots.

[@Alpha_Digamma]

@@jtjames79 I agree, the Clans simply lack the ability to actually conquer, hold and govern the craddle of mankind. Sure they can take some "backwater" planets like they did in the original clan invasion and thanks to their tactics and technology they may even be able to make retaking them for inner sphere powers too costly compaired to the gains. But given their industrial and manpower power bases...that's about it. What CGL did with the ilClan era map...just is ridiculous in my opinion. Clan Wolf never could mount a simultanious occupation of dozens if not hundred of core worlds. Especially not "over night" as they did according to recent lore. - Some of those planets house billions of people. Compare this to current day earth. Even if the clans invaded and and managed to conquer all of Europe and Africa...would people in Asia or the Americas just roll over and consider themselves defeated? Especially China and the US? But then again, the Republic of the Sphere/ Dark Age beforehand wasn't any better. And don't get me started on the Jihad.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Clan wolf's conquests in the heart of the IS was Wizkids.

[@Alpha_Digamma]

@@BigRed40TECH I apologize for misplacing this atrocity of plot development. And yes, I do despise the Lyrans roling over that much.

[@rainyvideos3684]

I disagree, it holds back setting advancement as we move forward to the IlClan Era and once things settle the truth will come out with what the Wobbies did. Do you really think anyone reasonable will want any remnant of that institution (Comstar) around when clan Techs can replace them just fine?

[@Raist474]

Imagine the pure salt and rage from outcast Wobbies somehow still alive from the Jihad learning that Blake's greatest work got bought out by Clannerscum at a Black Friday discount.

[@BigRed40TECH]

It's not the kind of salt I enjoy.

[@jamesricker3997]

At the end of the J conflict, some Word of Blake forces were unaccounted for. They're out there and I expect them to return with a vengeance

[@BoisegangGaming]

@@BigRed40TECH So it's the shitty restaurant salt that doesn't even come out no matter how hard you shake it?

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@jamesricker3997 They're not. Not within the next 20-30 years IRL

[@Angel7black]

@@BigRed40TECH its the kinda salt i sure as hell do. At the end of the day comstar were just insane toaster fuckers who stunted the growth of the innersphere for better or worse and only stopped the clan invasion so they could be the far greater evil and do more damage. The Word of Blake werent just some fringe comstar subfaction, they were the base of comstar are responsible for the screwed up timeline we ended up getting after Jihad. I’ll state my bias up front, I love the clans, Also love Mercenaries. Im iffy to the Great houses but i generally fuck with FedSuns/FedComs heavy and like post invasion Kurita with Theodore in charge and all the cool IS omnis they built. No matter who im siding with i genuinely disdain comstar and see them as the real enemies in universe. Tbf far, i like them as the true central enemy, but the Great Houses, Mercs and Clans never decide to put there differences aside and really handle them all together so comstar got a pass for years to just be the worst a even when all their dirty laundry were out there. Ideally how they went down is now how i wouldve wanted them to go down, id had like the wobbies being such a threat to everybody it forced the IS and Clan factions to settle their difference and form a Star League that actually lasts and get into a new age with dif ideas or something or just end the franchise and let it sit a while before a reboot. But thats not how things work, and at some point comstar/wob had to get what they deserved

[@ChaosTicket]

ComStar must live for Battletech to live.

[@conflicthorizon]

It's the new era, and catalyst hates them. Now everything is sea fox. I hated the Blake plot line at the time. It mirrored too much of real-world political thoughts at the time. It was cool that it was set up from the very start of battletech, but it was a bad time to execute the plot line in the early 2000s. I look back now and realize how cool and what bad ass the idea of the blakist was. It could have been a great reset for the property, but the ilclan era is now an exact rehash/odd roboot of the 3000s. Leave all those factions and mercs dead or where they are. Truly make a new era.

[@leeflorence3838]

Thanks for bringing that to life, I used to read ALL the novels, but Dark age killed the setting for me and I haven't dove back in yet. So these videos are a great help getting to know what's been going on. This one was HARD to listen to, so tragic. Gonna miss Comstar, The wobbies can rot in hell tho. Thanks again!

[@BigRed40TECH]

I miss Comstar, the Blessed Order, and the Word of Blake myself :(

[@AzrealMaximus]

If they retcon the setting, what IS bills are used? Who ran the Mercenary review board? HPG goes Kurita/Davion black box? They even had their own sourcebook🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[@Inquisitor-Yog-Sothoth]

This hurt, Comstar is my favorite faction. I fell in love with them at Tukayyid, this just left a bitter taste in my mouth.

[@pudge131]

Thanks for all of your battletech work! Top notch material!

[@yourseatatthetable]

I found the video interesting as well as entertaining. The later half, the end of Word of Blake, the nationalization of Comstar by the Republic, and the Blessed Order are areas that I have yet to read about, so present a gap in my knowledge of the lore. That said: if we learn nothing from the "behind the scenes" control of the Battle tech franchise history of change, dissolution, and vision, it is my opinion that even CGL can no more guarantee that something is final, that "they" are finished with a faction, place, etc, that we can. The future is vast, and so are it's possiblites. A second personal opinion: for the player base, a faction can return or never leave. That the players version of lore is also endless. For me, Comstar and it's various spawn have joined history and mythology, in the company of Clan Wolverine, Houses Amaris and Cameron, and Rasalhauges independence. Gone but not forgotten.

[@nathanparis3573]

Press F for respect... Not a huge Comstar fan but what a bad way to go. It should have been better Great and informative video by the way. Thanks again for all your hard work!

[@BigRed40TECH]

I just think factions need successors. Especially if they are the last piece of their unique branch. :\

[@OptimusJedi]

Awesome video. I’m a big ComStar fan. It is bittersweet but I still learned a lot about the Blessed Order and the overall lore.

[@ssjjshawn]

Once again an amazing Video, even if it covers a dower subject. May Blake's Words and Blessings be with those lost on Epsilon Eridani, and to those players who lost their favorite faction for decades

[@rafale1981]

You really did them justice. The whole affair had a „Last Stand at the Alamo“ flair to it

[@BigRed40TECH]

Only there is no one coming to pick up the pieces :\

[@Timberjac]

Honestly, I still hope that some small group of the Blessed Order has survived. It is too sad for me that Comstar ends in such a disastrous way... to the extent that I think it is the only thing for which I am really glad that the Republic has been crushed. Although honestly, there are too many things that I do not like since shortly before the Federated Commonwealth was divided through the events in Kurita, the end of the Nova Cats ...

[@BigRed40TECH]

I'd hoped the same, but have been informed that they have not.

[@Timberjac]

@@BigRed40TECH At least it will live on in our hearts. :)

[@duanewong1527]

I don't think we've seen the last of Comstar and the WoB yet. The people may have died, but the idea of Comstar and WoB itself is incredibly hard to kill.

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@duanewong1527 The WOB may show up after 3250. Comstar's dead unless they change their minds. But for real, it's dusted.

[@bryy2053]

Such badass artwork you present. Its makes everything come to life . There are so many cool pics

[@franksmedley7372]

Hello Red. Yeah, a painful video to make. I do understand. Com Star lasted over 500 years, in one form or another, and was a 'major player' behind the scenes for most of that period. Without Com Star, communications across the Sphere and beyond, will be harder to accomplish and be far less reliable. This, alone, will contribute to the disorganization and Balkanization of the Inner Sphere and Periphery. Keep on making videos, my friend. Even when, and perhaps especially when, I personally do not agree with your views, you do make content worth listening to and thinking about. This old 'Grey Warrior' salutes you for your dedication to our shared passion.

[@jonathaneytchison6841]

Aww man! I didn't know Comstar was gone in the latest material. That really is a huge downer. They really brought something special to the setting. Once again, fantastic video. I really appreciate learning more if the lore of Battletech through these videos.

[@MarkZX14R]

Red.. this was brilliant. I was moving house over the last week or two so it took me a few sessions to get through this but it was worth every second. Thanks and keep up the great work :)

[@AnonymousONIagent]

43:49 for a sick headshot delivered by yours truly. Truly I am the greatest of Blake's warriors, and by blessed Blake's glorious word, my PPC bolt shall always find its mark.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Blake guided that cannon round, so you can only take so much credit. ;)

[@Eulemunin]

I wonder how much of Comstar and WOB are sacrifices to continually when dealing with the Dark age clicks games.

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

You could be right! WOTC made a big deal about Dark Age when they launched Clicktech back in the day. The time-line may have been adjusted to accommodate the random pull click army. (Three hundred points wasn' enough, it took six hundred to get a force large enough to feel right.)

[@dogofwar6769]

I watched a live steam with that BLP guy a while back. He's been involved with BTech for a while and according to him when Topps bought Btech as a table top game they were just told to shove the time line forward and basically to hell with the lore. But there was still enough people that cared enough for Battletech to at least try and make it work and they crafted a fairly decent canon around it, at least IMO.

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

@@dogofwar6769 It could have been a lot worse. But it was back to 3025 in a sense, with a ruthless board cleaning. There were a lot of hurt feelings over some of the changes. But they can never take my old regiment away from me!

[@jameshojnowski8455]

Eh, the Jihad was telegraphed really hard way back in FASA days. And after that Comstar's days were always going to be numbered.

[@goliathxanatos706]

The Death of ComStar. Such sweet words to my ears. But seriously, awesome video as always. The events are like time capsules that embody different segments of an era. The war again the Clans, the Word of Blake revealing themselves from the shadows, the dismantlement and neutering of ComStar by Delvin Stone, the secret sect Blessed Order forming from devote loyalists and their eventual and inevitable death at the hands of the Republic. All in all they got what was coming to them I say. While they may never return, it’s not like they never existed in the first place right? Their prime was in the Succession Wars era I say, where they were a aloof and detached state from the rest of the Inner Sphere. I never cared for them becoming more out in the open with all this deception, mass murder, ritualistic cult nonsense. It wasn’t appealing to me. But hey, perhaps a different group that embodies Comstar’s ideals will emerge without it actually being ComStar. You never know. As always, great video 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@BigRed40TECH]

The Blessed Order didn't do what the WOBies did. And they were a rekindling of the idea of Comstar, even if they did some shitty things, they didn't do anything near what the other Blakists had. I dunno if they deserved to be burned alive along with their families.

[@goliathxanatos706]

@@BigRed40TECH ik. Nevertheless I'm fine with them being burned and buried. Just means something newer and better can emerge from the ashes.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Nothing is coming from the ashes. That's the problem.

[@gary9346]

@@BigRed40TECH sorry. They deserved to die. No mercy for Wobbies.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Well, I feel bad for their players not having a faction anymore. Just like I feel bad for the Pubs not having a faction anymore.

[@Skadooch]

Bad guys you love to hate, fly space robes... I miss Comstar.

[@Xenibalt]

this is why the clans are so good

[@TheGiggityG]

Without the HPG network there can be no battletech. 3162 feels like a reboot and a return to a post Amaris civil war setting minus Comstar and the star league. However, without the HPG based economy the houses will become unstoppable and the clans will become just another smaller house. The setting seems to have lost its magic.

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

Thanks for stepping up to the member request challenge! It was very good!

[@JohnDoe-sx6iw]

Though I view Comstar as the mary sues before the wolves, it makes more sense to me that the MAIN sects of Comstar would fall as it had agruably grown to big for its breeches. That point aside, if Comstar could schism once it could schism again, and now any player can play their own "AT&T cultist". I agree with many in the comments section that for a wargame, killing off a faction and army is not a great game plan. I would have made it so that they were now a minor power rebuilding their power base (All three sects mind you). Since 3150 is Clan Invasion 2 Electric Boogaloo and all, Comstar should rise like a phoenix from the ashes. They got their shit kicked in (which they truly deserved; here is hoping the wolves are next), now let them come back. Great video by the way!

[@BigRed40TECH]

I largely agree with that premise. There is huge potential to tell stories from the Blakists right now, and they're just... not going to. It's very frustrating.

[@MOrab46019]

Loved the music at the Death of Comstar at the end. Nice pick. Thank you for this video.

[@pandanolivefre3166]

A great video full of drama. I'll be missing Comstar, but I will not forget its achievements. Thanks for your great job 😉

[@bradjohnston8825]

ComStar as a faction had a great arc. That being said, with virtually every aspect of it defeated, it seems appropriate that it ceases to have any relevance moving forward. With the passing of comstar, it will make the way for a new faction to focus on. Something to remember is that empires come and go, ideas, live on. From the perspective of someone returning to Battletech Lore after not following it since the early 90s. The IP has changed hands several times, and to its credit, the lore has remained pretty consistent. Things that made sense to have as part of the lore in the 1980s and 1990s may not make as much sense in the 2020s, one of the perils of the idea of a shared universe is that you may not always like where the creative minds that have been charged with maintaining it will take it. Your videos are very, very good. You approach the material with reverence, and with great skill. Keep up the amazing work.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I'm not on side with the idea that removing the Blakists was good for the setting, myself. I think something unique and decent was lost, and something that could have been very easily reimagined, especially since it kind of made up the 3rd pillar of the setting. With it gone, the setting as a whole feels lesser for it. Replacing them with Sea Fox, a faction so foul I can barely read them due to how outlandishly badly they've been written, is a downer for me as well.

[@freeranger00]

Wonderful video. I appreciated that you provided your thoughts at the end.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I did for the Clan Wolverine video too. When I've covered something conclusively, I tend to add my thoughts at the end.

[@freeranger00]

@@BigRed40TECH I liked it then as well. I enjoy your editorializing and would actually be very happy to see a couple more videos with some of your general thoughts on factions and such in Battletech. Either way, I've liked all your content, thank you for all that you do for your fellow BT fans!

[@archangel2709]

Comstar was such a fascinating part of the setting..the idea of this mysterious outside faction that had its own secret goals and motives was so cool. Especially in the early lore before they were fully fleshed out. There was alot of mystic there. I don't understand why you would get rid of such an interesting faction with such a potential for intrigue in the setting it's just bizzare and kinda Sar

[@vana.johnson8845]

Great Video Big Red between you and Black Pants Legions Tex, you make it more then just a table top game of my youth. 🙋🏽✊🏾👊🏾☝🏾🙌🏾👏🏾

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you Van!

[@october_v4676]

Wow, masterfully done. Amazing presentation.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you kindly!

[@Elrigger]

Great video I am also sad that Comstar is no longer a faction it's a dead faction as is Republic of the sphere there were certain things that I liked about it Comstar always made that good shadowy enemy in campaigns and with the Republic of the sphere they had some elements about them in their organization like the paladins that I like but running your own campaign you don't exactly have to follow what the developers have in mind you can always establish another world where Comstar is strong and alive or word of Blake is strong and alive

[@BigRed40TECH]

People homebrew all the time. But those homebrews don't give cool new stories for these factions in the same way, unfortunately.

[@leohalivan861]

Maybe I'm just showing my age, but I swear to Thor, I fully expected you to say, "Because of contributions to your PBS station by viewers like you." I heard that shit in my head....

[@BigRed40TECH]

XD

[@MemeatorMotivatoroftheMemes]

What a blessed early Christmas present!

[@No1_OfConsequence]

The wonderful thing about this setting is that you're not limited to the history if you want. The RPG element lets you write your own history, should you so choose. Battletech is great that way.

[@Phoolery]

Blake’s Word will never be silent.

[@RouterChain]

Indeed!

[@hams_oldway]

Love your videos. Your voice sounds like the clan wolf voice in Mechwarrior 2. Awesome job. Very sad about the end of Comstar. They were legendary. Agree with you that they were the yin to the clans' yang.

[@idiom2805]

Finally got around to watching this. Nice video, man.

[@ericdoane4020]

It does seem so odd that this feels like a true end to them. The current IP owners seemed so determined to bring back a lot of the pre-jihad characters, it seems out of place to stamp out ComStar. They are like HYDRA in Marvel, no matter how final it seems, or how sure you are they are done, they will always pop up somewhere. My hope is that the IP owners plan to create a new faction that will fill a similar role in the near future. Even then it would be a shame not to here Blake's name invoked somewhere down the line. Awesome video!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks Eric!

[@warhawk4494]

Thank you for all your hard work

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thank you for enjoying it. :)

[@birdlawyer4885]

good lord, so much content! thanks for everything you do Big Red

[@piedpiper1172]

Thanks for this video. It perfectly captures my feelings as a new fan that has bounced off the setting. Had they left any successor group in the Blakist tree, I would be visiting my local gaming store to buy models and books this weekend. Instead I just ordered an Imperial Knight and a 3rd party Sisters of Battle cosmetic set for it. I really appreciate you expressing the idea that the total deletion of a faction pillar harms players and pushes people out. I’ve seen people in your comments saying “just strip the models and repaint” and man is that a major turn off. There are factions jn 40k I actively loath (ex: black Templars, dark Eldar), but I’d never tell a person who put in time painting them to just strip & repaint. Nor would I celebrate them being told their factions were dead without heir and to switch to someone else or leave the hobby. I’m gonna finish a few more of your videos, but I don’t want to subscribe cus it’ll hurt your metrics when I don’t watch new uploads. I hope your channel continues to grow and that you never lose your love for this setting. Sorry we didn’t end up sharing a love for it.

[@BigRed40TECH]

There is a ton to love in Battletech, it's a shame to see you leave, but I understand it.

[@MWImmortalking]

The Illclan era is crazy no comstar, no republic, Steiner space is in shambles, Kurita holds New Avalon, Interested in seeing what happens.

[@BigRed40TECH]

To some degree, yes. There is a lot good, and some bad. What's good is great, but what sucks... really sucks. I'm hopeful for the future, but what comes after Dominions Divided really needs to impress me tbh.

[@ZontarDow]

Catalyst can claim that Comstar is gone forever all they want, we all know they're just a stroke of the pen away from rationalising them having somehow survived since Clans have come back from worst.

[@rahjar]

I feel like im out of sync with the comments I've read so far, I don't miss Comstar's mysticism , I miss Comstar keeping Earth away from the other factions

[@VoiceofKerensky]

Outstanding Video!! I think this is one of your best so far, Red. I know these take a lot of work, so thank you for your dedication to putting out quality content.

[@WulfgarOpenthroat]

They've really done a thorough job purging the setting of everything interesting and distinct that long time fans were invested in, haven't they? I didn't even like comstar, but they were a cornerstone of the setting's flavour.

[@BigRed40TECH]

There's still a lot good in the setting. But the lack of any kind of Blakists as a playable faction is in my opinion, a mistake.

[@captaeh]

Great video. I don't mind the death of the faction itself, but I definitely feel there should be elements of them within other factions...at least keeping the option of some kind of return open.

[@BraindeadCRY]

I despise comstar, but I also kinda miss them. Battletech without comstar takes getting used to

[@ThugShakers4Christ]

Ironically, it was the start of this era that ended my time in the fandom. I never had the chance to try out the table top, so when the books basically dropped Victor as a character, I had a hard time keeping interested. The switch over to the Mechawarrior line of novels was really what killed it off for me. I had gotten used to the grand space opera starting in the Hanse Davion days and through the end of the Civil War, so I never got used to the smaller scale stories.

[@Overworkedandunderpaid]

Love that you used music from MW4 Vengeance. I knew this sound track well.

[@Papercut337]

I enjoy Comstar. Their blend of shadowy conspiracy, religious fanaticism, interstellar military, and corporate telecommunications is unique, and engaging.

[@AWholeLegionary]

When I sat on my chair and turned on this video, my cat came to watch it with me. Think she likes Battletech.

[@NishidateKitsune]

Actually, it was Toyama who changed the order to a quasi-religious thingamajig when he took over after Blake. Toyama studied Blake as a person and almost "worshipped" him. It was Toyama who actually wrote the "holy texts" and quoted in them Blake's sayings. The mysticism part of the order wasn't Blake's design at all. But other than that, great clip as usual!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Read the 2nd Succession War sourcebook. Blake wanted it to become a religion, he just didn't realize how badly Toyama would fuck it up.

[@NishidateKitsune]

@@BigRed40TECH Nice. Think I would. The earlier sourcebooks mentioned otherwise TBH. This sounds like another of their "new revelations" thing yet again.

[@RyeFields]

This is a sad but lovely Blakemas gift. Praise Blake

[@frankb3347]

While I'm not a ComStar fan they have more of a place in the Inner Sphere then the Clans ever will. Sad day indeed.

[@Xenibalt]

lol salt clans are cool

[@canislupus3655]

They're two sides of the same coin; decrepit remnants of the Star League, seeking power and prestige that can never be regained

[@randomnetsurfer]

I've said it before, but your dramatic voice continues to develop. Good job! This is an era of Battletech I am not familiar with so it was lovely to hear it told so well.

[@BigRed40TECH]

It's literally just me reading out loud the same way I read in my head. :\

[@randomnetsurfer]

@@BigRed40TECH Well then that's great - it works! It must be pretty cool to have your life narrated by such a dramatic inner voice. :)

[@Morec0]

Shit like this is why I dwell WELL before the Clan Invasion. Second Secession War is best Secession War.

[@Doribi117]

I will admit, post-tukayyid Battletech is one of my less knowlegeable parts of the setting, but from what I heard about the Blakeists and the Blessed Order from this video I honestly am saddened by their loss from the setting, ah well, time to fan-wank them into existance with stolen battlemechs, vehicles and the like, they may not be official factions but that won't stop me from fanfic'ing them into existence.

[@andrewthompson9988]

The Word of Blake escaped with four full divisions and three of the Final Five worlds are still secret. Some form of them is still around, but I’m afraid they’ll be the Wolverines 2.0

[@BigRed40TECH]

There is no intention on using the WOB until at least 3250, if they ever get used at all. That's 15-25 years from now.

[@jtd8719]

I imagine that there were small mercenary companies, secretly part of the Blessed Order / ComGuards' training organization, but who were too green, out of communications or simply too far away distance-wise from the base, at the time of the Republic's assault, to join in the defense of Epsilon Eridani. They eventually learn of the destruction of the Order (and the subsequent purging and effective dissolution of the corporate Comstar). Many of these "trainees", having literally lost everything dear to them except their 'Mechs, seek out mercenary contracts against the RIS with the goal of taking vengeance or finding their own death (if not both). After the end of the RIS, the surviving mercenaries from these companies continue to roam around the IS and Periphery biding time, nursing their anguish, keeping their past hidden and honing their skills until such time as they are called together by forces or circumstances yet unknown.

[@Sirmoth108]

Seeing all of this I'm tempted to "play" as comstar in mechwarrior and battletech

[@Atlas3060]

Great video as typical, I passed along your first Comstar video to someone wanting to know about them and I'll probably hand them this one to show the swan song. Personally I kind of relish their death, from fanatics, corporation, and The Blessed Order because they were the backdrop for a long while. Much like how the Star League was just the backdrop, this faction eventually needed to die to lose so much power they could be humbled. I do however agree that Smoke Jags coming back to life is frustrating and confusing, because their own deaths were a good object lesson in being too blood thirsty. The Republic literally burning stuff down and acting the way they did was a bit much though, but they have a Blakist phobia cranked up to 20, still they hade more on their plate elsewhere they could have handled. I guess their death is well deserved in the bigger scheme of things too. Buhl's attempts to bring something back was him flailing into the darkness, which might have worked out had Gray Monday not happened as it did. Still I like the idea of Sea Fox buying up Comstar because maybe that'll give us something to play with down the road. Quite honestly though I agree with some of the writers who said "Word of Blake was Comstar" and the more secular version was just people playing pretend. The moment the Jihad ended the Blakists, we lost Comstar. Now we lost them, let's turn our gazes at the Clanners who still cling to their old ways, mostly Wolf in parts, let's see how we can shape them. Then both inheritors of the backdrop known as the Star League will be gone so we can see what comes up in the new era.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I think Wargames generally shouldn't delete factions without having somewhere for players to land. The setting is for a game. Remember, until they realized it'd be devastating, the original plan for the Ilclan era was to delete all the Houses and have Alaric and the Clans conquer the entire Inner Sphere. You were more likely to get that, then the Clans being defeated by the Houses. Remember this.

[@Atlas3060]

@@BigRed40TECH "The setting is for a game." That's kind of the push and pull here, it's a combat game sure but it's also a living universe and sometimes nations will die or, like the case of the FRR, get a chance to come into the light. For the folks that like insane cybernetics you still have the Great Houses and even the Magistracy of Canopus. Granted they aren't as religious minded but some of that tech is still around. Also I am aware of the old 3250 discussions and honestly I feel like they didn't really leave that direction, its just going to happen differently, but until we get there my worries are just theories. But then again maybe the Clans will change so much they won't be like the old Clans, again I'm hoping.

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@Atlas3060 They literally had plans, and were moving towards deleting the Houses. That changed when some staff changed and after realizing it would be financially foolish in the extreme. But make no mistake. They were going to delete the Houses and the Periphery States, not the Clans. That was the original plan.

[@135forte]

Listening to these in downloads and I thought for a second you were doing VA work for Star Wars vs 40k. Real mind screw.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Hm?

[@135forte]

@@BigRed40TECH It's a fanfiction (though I hate to call it that as it is higher quality than a lot of novels I have paid to read) by AFanWithTooMuchTime. Going from what is easily one of if not the best voice acted parts to your quoted dialogue had me thinking it was a pleasantly surprising crossover until you got to some Battletech specific words.

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@135forte I'm not much of a Star Wars guy, so I just dunno. lol

[@wolf_of_korriban8567]

Damn good job on this one 🤘🐺

[@osogitzgraymane72]

Wargames do need to evolve and expand but it really hurts when your Army is removed. Back before Age of Sigmar, I was looking to try to revitalize my drive for WHFB and I was looking at getting into Wood Elves. Then, not even a year after AoS was out, 90% of the army disappeared. I've spent the last year or so trying to figure out how to run the twilight sisters wood elf Army and now there are rumors that with the forth coming Dawn Crusaders Army rumored to release in June, all the wood elf left overs will disappear. This kills my mood to even start the project. Long story short, I understand the feeling of homelessness.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I just want to point out, there are successors to Wood Elves in AOS. There are no successors to Comstar, in Battletech. This is the crux of the problem. This is why I point it out. Killing off factions is fine, so long as fans have somewhere to land.

[@osogitzgraymane72]

@@BigRed40TECH you are both correct and incorrect. Wood elves are going down the same road if the rumors hold true. Right now, wood elves are divided between Cities of Sigmar and Sylvaneth. With the elves being in Cities and The tree kin being in Sylvaneth. With sylvaneth attempting to be the true successor. However, sylvaneth plays nothing like wood elves did. Infact, if you still have your wood elf Army, chances are you couldn't run 75%ish of it in sylvaneth and had to run them mostly as counts as in CoS. The rumor is that all wanderer units (high elf units that aren't Phoenix guard and all wood elf units) will be removed in the next CoS book. Thus leaving wood elf players with no home

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@osogitzgraymane72 You misunderstand what I mean. What I mean is, if Comstar dies, and there is another Blakist faction, they're not going to run the HPG's, they're not going to control Terra. They're going to have to be fundamentally different from Comstar. But at least they will be successors to it, and give people somewhere to go.

[@Vessekx]

@@BigRed40TECH, “there are no successors to ComStar.” Yet. Just like there was no successor to Kerensky’s SLDF for so long. The successor will come. The power vacuum left behind guarantees it. We just don’t know who it will be, yet, or how they will wield the associated power.

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@Vessekx No, we know whose succeeding their role in the story. Clan Sea Fox. Which is lame in ways I can't begin to describe.

[@wowliker642]

Comstar Motto: “REDDE CREDITORI TUO, FUCKO”

[@armundojones]

This is the first time I had ever heard of the Blessed Order. The last I had known of them was they had lost the comguard and were just handling the HPGs after the Jihad with everyone leery of them... So I got to see them come back and get snuffed out in one video. Of course there's lot of Comstar personel outside the territory of the short lived Republic of the Sphere perhaps in time they'll get something together.

[@BigRed40TECH]

They won't is the problem.

[@stormcrow28]

Excellent job. I suspect the replacement for Comstar in a much different form is shaping up to be Sea Fox. They're becoming the power behind many groups, and their focus on rebuilding the HPGs as well as controlling the flow of armaments to their customers will ultimately form the new Star Leauge. How that happens is the twist. I will always miss Comstar and the Word of Blake in all their myriad forms, as they represent something the Clans and the IS needed: a real threat.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Oh, I know. I personally don't like Sea Fox at this point, and I'm not really interested in Clanners taking on these roles and pushing out a whole subset of factions while they do it. Just doesn't do anything for me. Too many fingers in too many pots, too much success. It's not as bad as Wolf, but they're on my "dislike" list, and have been for a while.

[@LupusGr3y]

Oh, I didn't know that. That actually sound pretty interesting

[@davemilner5504]

Past 3067 I'm not much for the lore. That said this was a very well done video and one supposes a look at one interpretation of what happened, 'after.'

[@BigRed40TECH]

It's a very bittersweet video for me, because I think having no Blakists in the setting is a mistake, but I very much am proud of this video.

[@GhostBearCommander]

Even as a die hard Ghost Bear fan, the death of Comstar (such an important and flavorful aspect of the Battletech Universe) feels just absolutely wrong. Anyone who can beat us like they did on Tukkayid still deserves the respect of a truly worthy enemy.

[@jollyjohnthepirate3168]

They were always a great tool to use in a Mechwarrior campaign. Who read all the messages sent by HPG across the sphere? Who killed anyone who happened to find any piece of technology from the Star League Era? Who sent assassination teams to kill anyone who questioned the faith of Blake? Why it was Com Star.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Blake be praised O.O

[@brentbartley6838]

Gotta love KZbin closed captioning. Your pronunciation of Anastasius Focht is read as "a nastiest fart".

[@BigRed40TECH]

I mean, is google wrong? lol

[@RouterChain]

CC got fochted into the oblivion.

[@holyhandgrenade661]

As a FWL loyalist. A loyalist of the ideals of the League and the ideals of not Marik, but the idea of unity. Comstar took advantage of that deal and ideals, made weaknesses out of the differences that made us strong and the puppet Thomas Marik was a better leader than any blood-member of that house. From the gassing of the Knights of the Inner Sphere to their centuries of backstabbing and duplicity. They deserved every lick of flame that burned them in the end. May the League rise again. May the ashes of Comstar and the Blakes but ground into dust and cast into history like they did the lives of the people they manipulated and the wars they fomented the moment that peace seemed a possibility. The ghost of the League claws out of it's grave. If Comstar does the same, know this League mercenary will be more than happy to remind them of the flames of Epison Eridani. Remember 1st Knights! Show them the same mercy the gave us in the gassing of Atreus!

[@BigRed40TECH]

I'm a big FWL fan. Factions however, are more than just their rivalries or the bad things they do to one another, they're vessels for people to enjoy. Killing off factions, especially popular ones, just is counterproductive.

[@sgttau977]

I haven't heard Battletech lore since the old Stackpole novels with Victor and crew. It was nice to hear the universe still lives.

[@journeyintohappiness.7657]

Very interesting. I love your videos. Live been playing Battletech on and off since it came out. I got back into it just over a year ago. I have missed so much! One question, and I accept I could just be being thick, where is the membership link?

[@BigRed40TECH]

On PC it should be next to the subscribe button, just says "Join" I believe. Also, thank you for the kind words! I forgot to add this while I was trying to find where the button is. It took me a minuite. lmao

[@deadwolf2978]

I see why Battletech is such a wonderful and unique setting. It doesn't have God's who are plying on the galaxy size tabletop, but it shows human side of war, power of beliefs and power of doing the right thing. ❤

[@SHDW-nf2ki]

The death of comstar is one of the many reasons I dislike the Illclan era. It feels like the writers removed every single link to the Star League era then threw their hands into the air and said "THE CLANS WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG ACTUALLY!"

[@enddhabzen9278]

amazing video like always

[@BigRed40TECH]

Thanks you! I put a lot of work into this one.

[@dietplain7542]

GREAT STUFF!

[@BigRed40TECH]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Scaevola9449]

I've always reviled ComStar and and what it represents. "Le ebin space atnt hurdur pay your bills oh whoops you found lostech we'll disappear you now" got old really, really quickly.

[@BigRed40TECH]

I don't really like the "memes" of Comstar. I much prefer the shadow-CIA-cult, than the "Pay your bills" meme that's appeared.

[@Scaevola9449]

@@BigRed40TECH The Shadow Techwizard CIA Cult interpretation just makes me even more predisposed towards wishing for their annihilation.

[@BigRed40TECH]

@@Scaevola9449 Alright then. Well, different strokes for different folks.

[@Scaevola9449]

@@BigRed40TECH In short: Hello from slavistan Battletech goes hard I hate the CIA so much it's unreal

[@RichtorLazlo]

The blessed Blake be with you

[@krieg4017]

Praise be to our savior Blake! *Detonates a thermonuclear device* Good.

[@AGS363]

Well, at least I can have my headcanon about remnants of the Shadow Divisions, still operating in the untamed Periphery...

[@shagakhan9442]

Excellent video

[@roguehandle1688]

Another great video!

[@TroySeward]

Great video sad ending to Comstar.

[@Logan912]

I think the setting is due for either ComStar to return in some new form or for an entirely new faction to take its place in a similar way in the future (aside from Clan Sea Fox who are kinda playing ComStar's old role at least with the economy and the HPG network) because, imo, the ilClan is destined to fail spectacularly. In fact, a new "Star League golden age" itself might be impossible at this point because the Succession Wars opened Pandora's Box to the Great Houses, and the FedCom Civil War just made things worse about the Houses trusting each other's rule. They even realized way back that the Second Star League was basically a joke after the Great Refusal. Not to mention that Clan Wolf has made way too many enemies in the Inner Sphere since the Clan Invasion.

[@nilswassem7209]

To be honest, i hated WoB as a faction, and during Myndo waterlys reign i wasnt very fund of comstar either. But i think there is a hole now, and at this time, a hole that wont be filled anytime soon. Now there is only one religios fanatic left, and thats daoshen liao. I'd prefer some blakists.

[@thomasrobson6370]

I'm more of Clan Wolf / Wolf's Dragoons, but with that said there could be Comstar "cashes" hidden away, "sleepers", "deep moles", or "Neo" Comstar / Word of Blake / The Blessed Order factions of people who were never part of the afore mentioned organizations but are drawn to their ideologies or the like that could rise up.

[@BigRed40TECH]

There should be- But there isn't :\

[@thomasrobson6370]

@@BigRed40TECH The winds (whims) of change. something may be "set in stone", but the stone can be shattered. 😛😛🤣🤣

[@santillo1]

Great content, love the vid! I have had little time to read the books after having a little free birth of my own i appreciate the lore update. I think cgl may want to set up seafox or another clan as the defacto ComStar, trying to death back into this universe. I do find it confusing the way they kind of altered boundaries. But I would think that this would be some attempt to make clans interfere, and interact more with other states. My ultimate hope is the L clan era leads to the demise of clan wolf as a child. They were my cousin faction. But as my brain formed, I decided moved to the FRR; I’ll need to eventually find them once again, subjugated by a more powerful girl military in the republic of the sphere era. I think there’s a president in battle tech for states and powerful actors to go away, but I think the loss of ComStar there’s a very bold move by catalyst game labs while I’m not in love with it; I would, thank you they are willing to do the very large moves. They’ve been doing in the il clan era we get kind of a bloodbath of the old Mary Sue states / clans. I feel like the history of this setting is we’re going to have a state or character climb that mountain and achieve success but only so that we can shut them off the cliff

[@BigRed40TECH]

"Trying to put death back into the universe" I hate to say it, and this isn't meant to be insulting, they're doing a piss poor job when Clan Smoke Jaguar and it looks like Clan Nova Cat are both being resurrected. :\

[@adambloom8019]

Looking forward to you doing mechs like the Nighstar, or the Ebon Jaguar

[@STSGingie]

I appreciate how making this video makes you feel. It's not fun an aspect of something you enjoy goes away and the Blakists are a fun and interesting part of Battletech. I feel similarly about the Republic of the Sphere. However, I feel the spirit of Comstar is alive, if not a blakists one, in the character of Tucker Harwell. I feel he is a successor of a sort and I'm keeping an eye out for hints to what he is up to.

[@BigRed40TECH]

For the record, I think there should have been a successor faction to the Republic too, which is also not going to happen, I just don't care as much. But I am consistent on these things.

[@STSGingie]

@@BigRed40TECH For the moment we must content ourselves with minor factions and merc remnants.

[@BigRed40TECH]

Merc remnants are going to be it for the ROTS, unless you count the Area that rejoined the FWL under the Rousette Mariks. But that's not really been explored at all.

[@STSGingie]

@@BigRed40TECH Wasn't that region repatriated under a rebel senator? I'm reading through the Jihad and haven't reached the RoS books yet.

[@BigRed40TECH]

They were repatriated to the FWL after the Wall went up. They felt very betrayed because they'd been local to the Republic, but the Pubs didn't stay loyal to them.