BattleTech: The Periphery - An Early History

Today we're going to take a deep dive into the original Periphery sourcebook for some historical background on the origins of the Periphery planets and states. Their impact on the history of the Inner Sphere is undeniable. Let's check it out.
#Battletech #Lore #Mechwarrior #CatalystGameLabs

[@dayaninikhaton]

Holy crap Firefly is the EARLIEST Battletech story era.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Mind, blown.

[@Kaiju-Driver]

The periphery is quickly becoming my colors of choice. I just admire their tenacity.

[@MechanicalFrog]

There's a lot to admire as we live in an increasingly micro-managed world.

[@nibblitman]

Yeah periphery and various Merc units are my personal pick though I like to have some Combine forces cause it’s fun to be the bad guy sometimes

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@nibblitman As a clan jade Falcon fan, I agree.

[@Kaiju-Driver]

@@nibblitman I hear that. I keep threatening my friends with Comstar calls. Lol

[@nibblitman]

@@MechanicalFrog No one will refuse your batchall

[@bthsr7113]

Something has struck me is that these are the nations best positioned to grow largest if given time. They don't completely engulf the outer borders of the major powers, but being on the outer border of the map gives them an edge in finding and settling new worlds with time.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Quite possible, especially if the new Star League is a basketcase.

[@bthsr7113]

To be honest, I wonder if that was a long term fear of the Camerons. They already had to work to keep ahead in science and technology because short of taking worlds from the Great Houses, they'd reached max size. The Star League kept the Terran Hegemony relevant as the leading nation, but that could stop working if the outer borders continued to grow for long enough.

[@daviddevault8700]

I figured that the reason for the StarLeauge was that the Terran Hemogony was surrounded. They also manufactured most of the advanced weapons within the Hemogony.

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

A really well put together history of the early periphery history. Love your commentary and the overall atmosphere of the video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it. More to come.

[@matthewpena3932]

Awesome video and that pioneer archetype is 100% what I feel they were going for in that book in the later part of the 80s. The Taurian social egalitarianism really holds true to the frontier life of everyone working together as a community. Right into them using a Monarchy as an allegory for the mayor or the one strong notable wealthy family in town. I'm still working on how not to paint them like hot dogs. :) Also thanks for doing this as there are few videos on the periphery.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Psychohistorian42]

God, those old House books were amazing. I desperately need to pick up the Periphery book.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's worth it for the bed nightstand reading.

[@TheHussmanStuff]

The Periphery is the place to be in the BattleTech Universe

[@MechanicalFrog]

Lots of great stories out here to tell.

[@cptstarboob7508]

I love the talk about the early lore when humanity first started out towards the star. I get the same way when reading about the pre Great Crusade 40k fluff. Guess I just have a thing for non existing patchy lore.

[@MechanicalFrog]

The 80s fluff just hits a little different. It's a bit more raw and unpredictable.

[@VaciliNikoMavich]

Beautiful story telling, I enjoy the Periphery folks, almost as if they are the rational humans.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@madlark8458]

Thank you so much for these videos. As I'm relatively new to the setting and am hoping to run a campaign of my own one day, these are a tremendous help in understanding the lore, especially since there is so much source material out there it is overwhelming.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad to hear you're getting into the BT universe. There's so much great stuff out there.

[@tripwire31]

Amazing vid on not just the early Periphery, but on the early history of the Inner Sphere!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. I hope it was a fun watch.

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

It's the little details. Like when the Terran Alliance collapsed under the weight of its own corruption and McKenna's coup, the last US president was lynched in front of a burning White House by an angry mob.

[@Bluehairedgirl89]

Thank you very much for the work you put into this video! It was a awesome watch. I’m a proud citizen of the Magistracy and I genuinely love all the Periphery states more than the inner sphere states and a LOT more than the damn clans. It’s nice to see them get some love.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you for the kind feedback. I will always try to give factions a fair shake.

[@firtee_adorabold]

Painted up my first mechs a few weeks ago, and quickly became overwhelmed at the different factions and times. Then saw there's pirates, and I know what a pirate looks like! So that's been my anchor into all of this lol

[@MechanicalFrog]

When in doubt, resort to piracy...

[@lukedudley5030]

I'm inner sphere forever but my heart is turian :-) gotta love a periphery nation that stands up to the sldf and doesn't blink :-) great overview :-)

[@MechanicalFrog]

I have a newfound respect for the Taurians after doing this vid.

[@anselmoffrisia2930]

Another great synopsis video. These have been a huge help to wrap my head around the history!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad to help! I've learned a lot too from digging through these old sourcebooks.

[@Kotch111]

Loving this content. Rarely played the Periphery pre-Clans in BattleTech due to the scarcity of material. It was great for the Mechwarrior RPG for much the same reason.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. The Periphery is a fun sandbox. I hope CGL takes advantage of it in the future.

[@jamieblacksmith6935]

I had that old manual with that marauder on it. Plus an old black and white TV as well. Yes I am old lol! Another great vid Mech Frog!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Did I tug on a few nostalgia strings? :D My first TV watching was done on a Black and White set about 12 inches wide.

[@jamieblacksmith6935]

That did bring back good memories. I got back into Battletech because of just that. I miss those days of analog phones and no instant gratification. I do love how you can connect with so many folks that love this hobby now. That's the upside.

[@Makaan]

Funny how we change our views. When first discovering Battletech inthe early 90s i was all Freeworlds League and Kurita. Over the years with more lore becoming available who would have tought that my preferences would shift towards the Periphery States after realizing how full of poop the sucessor states really are.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Quite right.

[@jiriz0r]

I wonder how people from the Periphery react to being called "spheroids" by a Clanner.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Probably not well.

[@VaciliNikoMavich]

*Angry Independent noises* 😉

[@Ironhold_Watch]

This is why we just use freebirth

[@oneproudbrowncoat]

Really goes to show why the League deserved the punishment they got from Stefan. He didn't do anything to the Terrans that they hadn't already done to the Periphery.

[@MechanicalFrog]

It sure does muddy the waters as how great the Star League was really depends on who you ask and who benefitted the most from it.

[@oneproudbrowncoat]

@@MechanicalFrog Oh, it seems pretty clear. The Independents didn't invade the Terran Alliance. The outer worlds never even tried to land any force on Terra, during the Hegemony. And of course there's the League's 'Reunification War'.

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@oneproudbrowncoat In the interest of fairness, there were some really scummy things going on in the Periphery states, piracy, slavery and such.

[@oneproudbrowncoat]

​@@MechanicalFrog No insult intended, but yes, those things did happen. Piracy (ie, the attack and destruction/capture of unarmed civilian vessels) was certainly going on (see 04:50), as was slavery (see 01:24). I'm sure you'd agree that "picking up some locals for entertainment" is pretty scummy, since we all know what it refers to, and the locals involved pretty assuredly weren't thinking "oh god, I hope I get to party with this squad of Marines who threw me out of my home". Of course, that was the Alliance. The Periphery nations got treated much better under the League, since they were then under the protection of the Ares Accords- hence the reason things were more humane at Santiago. 😉

[@harbingerx7793]

Just wanted to say, this video was an unexpected treat!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. I put a ton of work into it and am glad that people are enjoying it.

[@elonwhatever]

Some engagement for a well put together project

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you for giving it a go.

[@donmak1614]

It's a shame I found this channel just coulple days ago. History of Periphery is great to listen when painting a lance of Canopian Fusilliers

[@MechanicalFrog]

Well, they say it doesn't matter when you get here, just what time. Welcome to the fray, Mechwarrior.

[@caboosethegoose]

Great video Frog! The periphery is such a fascinating part of battletech lore

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@williamjanak2013]

Periphery just doesn't give enough love in Battletech. Great video.

[@willbbwluvr]

Y'all, need to understand the words: "hippity hoppity, get the f$&k offa mah property!" *giggles in deep periphery while picking "bones in old van zandt" on a banjo*

[@kierdalemodels]

That was excellent stuff. Thank you very much for making it. I’m working on a RWR lance now but am now tempted to do some Taurians in the future too🤔

[@MechanicalFrog]

I definitely see a lance of Taurians in my future.

[@martyh360]

Well done, mechanical frog!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. I hope it was entertaining.

[@tuppytheducky]

“Go make the world a slightly better place today and tomorrow” no. I refuse I am an agent of chaos and I must slightly inconvenience everyone mildly

[@Arron-S]

*sighs*

[@tuppytheducky]

@@Arron-S my work here is done

[@MechanicalFrog]

You crack me up.

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

My favorite place to run a MechWarrior campaign.

[@MechanicalFrog]

A great sandbox for all sort of shenanigans.

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

Exactly

[@marsar1775]

when i started getting into the lore and games originally, i was a star league/Fed Suns guy. as my understanding of the lore and i myself have grown too, ive learned my true home and people are the Taurians "Real men and women dont need Terra. And we are willing to die if necessary to prove it!"

[@MechanicalFrog]

I gained a lot of respect for the Taurians in doing this video.

[@marsar1775]

@@MechanicalFrog its hard not to emphasize with them on some level lol

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@marsar1775 I can empathize quite a bit with the idea of just wanting to be left alone for 5 minutes.

[@marsar1775]

@@MechanicalFrog god same. oldest sibling moment

[@mathewkelly9968]

The periphery is a relative term listening about the 3 minute mark and yup planets like Ryde , Freedom and Sakhalin where once periphery and then pretty soon after the Terran Alliance

[@MechanicalFrog]

Indeed.

[@Ikuconodule]

Beautiful video mate. It stuns me how nuanced detailed, complex and yet believable the world-building of this universe is. Truly on another level.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks! More to come. BT lore is so rich there's no shortage of things to talk about.

[@Ikuconodule]

@@MechanicalFrog Hell yeah! Bless your froggie soul.

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@Ikuconodule 🐸

[@anja2792]

I'm really curious to hear more about the terraforming in this universe. It seems like a lot of them is like what's described in Firefly where colonists are dropped off without much supply, but was there a system for getting atmosphere and forests going?

[@soupcake3092]

I love the periphery I love having the most freedoms and the highest literacy rate outside of terra.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Reading is fundamental.

[@lexington476]

Just found your channel. Random KZbin recommendation. I can't believe I haven't found your channel before now. You got a new subscriber and I got a lot of videos to watch.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks a lot! If you're into the Periphery stuff, check out the New Explorer Corps series. It's not canon but I do my best to make it feel like it could be.

[@lebe5894]

I really want to hear about my fave Roman larping Irish the Marian Hegemony.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Sounds like a mission.

[@das_gruuben]

Great video, my amphibious friend! I'm a Concordat fan myself, because SPACE-MARICA, FUCK YEAH! Mess with the bull and you get the HORNS, YEAH!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you much!

[@chief5861]

If they insist on fucking around in Taurian Space, they will most certainly find out, now get off my lawn you Cappellan Assholes.

[@Madvillain2010]

I'm new to Battletech, but when I got into it I fell in love with the Periphery. Now I play as mercs who ply their trade only to small communities outside of the reach of the Inner sphere. Nobles wouldn't know freedom if it slapped them in the face. Give me the Periphery or Give me Death!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Excellent! Now that my glorious Jade Falcons are nearly eradicated, I've found myself gravitating more toward the Periphery.

[@Madvillain2010]

@@MechanicalFrog Hey it's a great place to be! I think of the Periphery as "Come for the Freedom, Stay for the adventure!". Also I've always assumed that this far out would have a wild west vibe, so the best chili would be out here which is another plus!

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@Madvillain2010 Plus, where else am I going to be able to buy several hundred pallets of Inferno missiles at fire sale prices and not end up on a Lyran Commonwealth registry?

[@Madvillain2010]

@@MechanicalFrog *Chefs Kiss* Spot on !

[@TroySeward]

Great video.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@xensoldier]

commenting] for further traffic growth, good video :)

[@MechanicalFrog]

Responding for community engagement. :D

[@sharlin648]

absolutely superb stuff!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Glad you think so! Take care!

[@oleksaderzybis9052]

Wonderful video, thanks a lot. As a Periphery-man myself, I hope there will be more. The Reunification War, Jihad and especially ilClan.

[@munster1404]

Santiago Massacre and the historic Boston Massacre have a lot in common.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Lots of American History connections in the Periphery stuff.

[@jacobbronsky464]

There's a planet called Pinard in the Concordat. That's all, thank you.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Should I go find out what's on it?

[@jacobbronsky464]

@@MechanicalFrog Some wonderful and barely irradiated vineyards, that's for sure ! (It's slang for okay-ish wine in french.)

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@jacobbronsky464 A little fallout never hurt anyone.

[@kevinw925]

The Periphery is highly underrated.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Agreed.

[@owainkenway]

This is really good - bravo!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you! I'm so happy people seem to be enjoying it.

[@gradinian9569]

Great video mate. Keep it up.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks a lot. Will do.

[@DarthHippygaming]

We respect and admire you periphery folks resilience and durability to live on any god forsaken planet we send you to.....out there, sign here!

[@MechanicalFrog]

At least they don't have to live in Australia where every animal is venomous and wants to kill you.

[@rho1581]

Nicely put together.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. 🙂

[@frankfrankerson782]

The more I learn the less sympathy I have for the star league. We need to get some mech factories up and running in the periphery.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Indeed.

[@cmdrhatchy9611]

Well done! I think it was worth the effort.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thank you. Your opinion is highly valued. 🙂

[@cmdrhatchy9611]

@@MechanicalFrog I almost believe you : p

[@haligaz9119]

Kinda unrelated but do you think you could cover going about making a custom mech? I’m not looking to forge one from scratch, just customize existing builds/variations of mechs like you can in the video games, namely MW5. I love customizing and tweaking my mechs in that game and would love to do the same on the tabletop, but I’m unsure how. Thanks I’m advance!

[@MechanicalFrog]

I can ponder that one. Do you have the Battlemech Manual?

[@haligaz9119]

@@MechanicalFrog It is on my list of things to acquire

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@haligaz9119 It's a good book for such mech tweaking shenanigans.

[@warlynx5644]

Nerdy Overanalyzed has a video about making custom mechs that focuses more on the game balancing and archetype respecting rather the in-depth stuff like refit types. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaXaZKKtgdGLqqMsi=PzkYYQGRv2GRYAGY

[@derekburge5294]

Come to Canopus for catgirls and ubercoke, stay for nearly unparalleled civil rights. I fly the Magistracy's colors proudly. When, uh, *not* dressing in turkey green.

[@MechanicalFrog]

There is a video specifically on the Magistracy in the works.

[@derekburge5294]

@@MechanicalFrog You are a scholar and gentleman, good sir.

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@derekburge5294 I know what my viewers want.

[@yttryff6159]

Not a single alien I would have expected

[@MechanicalFrog]

There are big carnisour creatures on some planets... :D

[@PreemoPez]

Bruhh 💯💯💯

[@MechanicalFrog]

I'll take this as an endorsement to keep going.

[@NewsOfTheInnerSphere]

Star League: "We are here to liberate you... please do not resist..."

[@MechanicalFrog]

"Stop...struggling..."

[@jeffd7976]

Awesome. IMHO Battletech always got wrong what "The Expanse" got right. BT always lacked a realistic representation of diverse cultures. Even pirates have motivations. Now I'm going to paint a lowrider lance.

[@MechanicalFrog]

I'm not sure. It sure seems like there are lots of different peoples out there in the wild edge of space.

[@jaynalley77]

I'm still very new to the BT universe but am a big fan of the Expanse. In my head I have kind of thought that the Expanse could be a sort of very early history of mans expansion into BT type of future.

[@sebastiang.5032]

Both the Expanse and Battletech paint very detailed hard scifi futures. I do love both.

[@kcmacc]

I feel that Battletech actually leaves the universe open to stronger representation than it gets credit for. It takes place over 1000 years after “present day” and every race and culture has bred with one another over the many many generations so you can find every culture within every planet/system/house. Best example that comes to mind (I believe Tex had mentioned in a podcast) is that you can have a darker skinned, muslim, belonging to house Kurita shouting Japanese curses at the Hispanic, Catgirl, of the periphery sacrificing themself for their King/Queen and it’s all just accepted. While a lot of that isn’t directly shown compared to something like the expanse it does exist. It would be nice for people seeking that stuff out to see some of that diversity in the novels and sourcebooks however, but Battletech has always been a slow moving setting, I’m sure that it is coming.

[@jeffd7976]

@@kcmacc Well said

[@mitch7235]

Oh no, as soon as I saw the thumbnail I could not help but think of a song 😂😅. The song that plays on some of BPL’s videos 😂🤣!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body?

[@mitch7235]

@@MechanicalFrog nah, it’s the slow, sort of derpy sounding country song (at least I think it’s country) that plays during a couple of Tex Talks.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Heh.

[@joeg875]

Good work sir!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks for watching!

[@kinggeo8545]

When will we talk about targeting computers?

[@MechanicalFrog]

I'll put that on the list. The C3 has never been my favorite thing due to the positioning required on the table to make it work.

[@thurin84]

if only the busybodies would learn and stop poking the bear.

[@jamesarmyvet]

Awesome job❤

[@MechanicalFrog]

Thanks 😄

[@genetix250]

👍

[@mimief7969]

Long live the Outworlds Alliance!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Huzzah!

[@ligerstripe99]

that speech can apply to a certain real life country who has undue influence over special interest groups and lobbying...

[@TheGiggityG]

Big red sent me, fantastic stuff! Does anyone know of a battletech game that is focused on the lore and history rather than the big stompy lovable robots? The politics of this franchise is very interesting.

[@MechanicalFrog]

Welcome to the fray. I did see something a while back that looked like a Succession War board game. Not sure when/if it's coming out.

[@Mechabang]

Hippity, Hopity, inner sphere get off my property

[@MechanicalFrog]

If the periphery had a report card, the teacher's note would read, "Does not play well with others..."

[@daltoncates7296]

hippity hoppity get off my property !!!

[@MechanicalFrog]

Good fences make good neighbors.

[@overlord2304]

Is it just me or did you skip over the OA's founding?

[@MechanicalFrog]

It's possible. There is a lot of ground to cover in such a broad topic.

[@overlord2304]

@@MechanicalFrog Aslong as we get a full-length biopic on the life and times of Julius Santiago Avellar all will be forgiven friendo

[@MechanicalFrog]

@@overlord2304 Will get right to work on that.

[@thomasrobson6370]

Australia is/was a "Periphery" colony.

[@MechanicalFrog]

That would explain why all the animals there are venomous and want to kill me.

[@jamesstaggs4160]

So they were basically taxing anyone who wanted to leave earth. Sounds a lot like California.

[@MechanicalFrog]

The government always takes its pound of flesh. That is a universal constant.

[@CDMJDMHHC]

All hail mechwarrior catgirls!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MechanicalFrog]

What about the mermaids?

[@CDMJDMHHC]

that too@@MechanicalFrog

[@beskar66]

Hello beautiful come to pappa give me that Mech Frog Lore

[@MechanicalFrog]

I hope you enjoy the vid!

[@WiseOwl_1408]

Extremely cringe progressive nonsense interpretation

[@MechanicalFrog]

Heh, ok.

[@MechanicalFrog]

How so?