THE HIGHLANDER | 90 tons of angry, Scottish, Inner Sphere assault mech

Generic greetings and welcome to the highlander, a famous Inner Sphere assault mech that will put you in the ground figuratively, and if you're unlucky enough to hear the blare of bagpipes, literally. A mech with an illustrious history overshadowed by the even more ridiculous special tactic its pilots specialize in.
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[@scienceinsanity6927]

The bagpipes were a mistake. I acknowledge that the video would be better without them. If you don't like them that's perfectly fine. But i left them in because Steve was having so much fun and he wanted them. So no, i will not be apologizing for it or changing it.

[@the_algo_rhythm]

As a kilt-wearing stompy robot nerd, I approve of the bagpipes.

[@zolo124]

​@the_algo_rhythm Same here. Should've gotten one of us to do the intro, though.

[@TheJasonDonald]

Hey it’s fine it was a entertaining and funny video regardless. So no worries lol. With that said a side note. SCOTLAND FOREVER! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@arfbark3924]

Bagpipes good

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

No no I laughed every single time. Go Steve.

[@lynchkid003]

It's not the Bagpipes that the audience is loving... It's how Steve is trolling the fuck out of Sci that we're finding hilarious.

[@rishoh]

The Audience did in fact find the bagpipe bit hilarious.

[@Deadly021]

incredibly, it was even better when sci realized he said highlander.

[@ishidan01]

I sure did. After the intro I started counting to see how long it would take to hit. Then it straight up Wile E Coyoted us. "The Higlandersomethingsomething goddamnit I said it again -bagpipe music plays-

[@ishidan01]

​@@Deadly021"and the Highlandersonofabitch" -bagpipes- oh god I laughed

[@Deadly021]

@@ishidan01 oh my god when he did that I lost it I was laughing so hard.

[@bartlester591]

Remember, there can be only one

[@omarsyed1980]

The Highlander runs on cold fusion boosted by whiskey. Real whiskey. Scottish single malt. That's where the extra 8 km/h comes from.

[@danielseelye6005]

"What is that?" "Whiskey! Thins the mix, gives us another 200 RPM!" 😁

[@entr0physt]

an' ye no ken why th' fuel tank be empty sooner dennit ough? a least now when ya ha' to leave you ca' still get DRONK while ye run. Dronk 'n cook'd a bi'

[@M4st3rDuck]

@@danielseelye6005 Underrated movie!

[@mackenziebeeney3764]

And this fuel has to be made in Scotland. The planet or the nation.

[@eriktarte2743]

Hell i figured it was the promise of sheep over the next ridge

[@rishoh]

Just watched a second time, cause I was curious. Bagpipe count=16, with a missed bagpipe at 27:30, so it should have been 17.

[@drakkenmensch]

there were several highlanders that went unbagpiped because the sound clip hadn't been downloaded yet.

[@badluck-cp8bv]

He missied one? Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!

[@robustdelirium9277]

Sci realizing what he’d done half a second after he’d done it was just * chefs kiss *. Very good trolling.

[@ch0s688]

I don't know what's funnier The bagpipes Or Sci's reaction to the bagpipes.

[@xendakakorva3267]

It's BOTH

[@Squirl513]

YES

[@ragnarrocksoft9096]

It's the sheer joy eminating from Steve when he gets to hit the button

[@GregPrice-ep2dk]

HIGHLANDER!HIGHLANDERHIGHLANDER!!! *sits back to listen to bagpipes...

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

if only the audio quality of that bit was better... sounds almost midi-like...

[@TheJasonDonald]

HIGHLANDER! Scotland FOREVER!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 *Bagpipes*

[@Animalover205]

The pipes were absolutely hilarious, I was laughing so hard I nearly burned my dinner 😂 Side note, as someone of Scottish decent, I truly appreciate that Battletech/Mechwarrior had not only a planet of Scottsmen and a Scottish Battlemech. The only thing that would make it better was if they had an Assult Claymore.

[@brent8491]

If only the Mech named the Black Watch wasn't terrible. Critical Rocket did a good breakdown on LoreWarrior

[@elchjol2777]

There's a variant that has a sword. It's rather scary in MW 5 in urban combat.

[@calebsmith4530]

The Highlander-VEST is the absolute best mech in MW5. Give it a Claymore and 3 PPC-X and an LB-10X. With a MASC it can go upwards of 96kph!

[@matthewheistand2340]

Every time Steve hit sci with the Bagpipes, I couldn’t help but laugh 🤣

[@csbonepatem]

The bagpipes were to best!!! Thank you Steve!!!

[@bthsr7113]

Mech crushing, cockpit sniping, nuke defying, tyrant traumatizing.

[@eddapultstab2078]

Normally when I hear or deploy a highlander, i hear "princes of the universe" playing in the background. Heres my highlander themed joke. I used to own two highlanders, but there can be ONLY ONE!

[@woodse0651]

Or the Braveheart theme

[@eddapultstab2078]

@@woodse0651 that works too

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

for me it is either "Scotland the Brave" - for obvious reasons, OR (admittedly weirdly enough) The Final Countdown, especially the intro and first verse while picturing the Royal Black Watch making their last stand.

[@hentaioverwhelming]

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!

[@Duchess_Van_Hoof]

That song is epic.

[@Alizardwithdaftideas]

I can confirm the bagpipes were hilarious.

[@scrooge6975]

TOO ANGRY TO DIE

[@michaelmoolick9419]

The bagpipe running ga was great. There is a strong reason the Harebrained Schemes game gives you the Star League version of Highlander, it more than lofts its weight in the tough fights.

[@Funkin_Disher]

You're also fighting against a coup so it's on theme considering its history

[@ohuckabee]

"One half-hour of Science Insanity Mechwarrior lore occasionally broken by bagpipe music."

[@GraniteGhost778]

Occasionally? Incessantly!

[@VallornDeathblade]

10/10 performance Steve

[@EpicSOB_]

The bagpipes had me rolling on the floor, best gag!

[@hakonsgaming535]

To quote a Heinlein character: funny once, the first time you're a wit, the second time you're a half wit, logarithmic progression.

[@n8zog584]

No the reactions of sci to the bagpipes only get funnier. If he wasnt reacting to them tho, it would've gotten old on like the third time

[@erikthorup4336]

Best eposoid so far. Bag Pipes are never a mistake.

[@jasonfarley9025]

Bagpipes are not cringe Bagpipes are glory

[@evilned1]

Bagpipes are an ill wind that nobody blows good.

[@valor1omega]

Only men in skirts like the bagpipes, lol.

[@jasonfarley9025]

@@valor1omega weak mean fear true power

[@valor1omega]

​@@jasonfarley9025 Who the heck fears bagpipes or men in plaid skirts while playing the bagpipes? That's like an Archer being scared of an Urbie from long range, lol

[@jasonfarley9025]

@@valor1omega only the ignorant don't Please, carry on, show the rest of the world how little you know of history

[@sohrabroozbahani4700]

😅 i see Steve's new ration working with outstanding outcome 😅 Let's be honest, Grasshopper and Highlan... 🔊🔊🔊🔊 🤣 i was saying, these two are actually my upward weight favourite mechs...

[@andrewweltlich9065]

Who knew Steve was such a troll lol

[@vidfan1701]

You have to watch the quiet guys, they can be surprising.

[@SLDFMechWarrior]

Oh no Not the bagpipes!!

[@weldonwin]

Nukes are merely an inconvenience...

[@SlenderNSK]

the bagpipes were wonderful, but each time that Sci caught him self saying Highlander right before them was the best part

[@veszekium5693]

SCOTLAND FOREVEEEEVERRR!!!!!!!!!!!

[@gigz44]

We find it hilarious!

[@barrybend7189]

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!

[@vidfan1701]

Hey Steve! Highlander!

[@scrooge6975]

STEVE THE MIGHTIEST HIGHLANDER !!!

[@EricDKaufman]

I'm laughing my ass off at the bagpipes bitm.

[@extremesheepdawg6379]

Bagpipes heard over the crunching sound of a Highlander burial…and a good many of them have a slight radioactive glow in those hard to reach cracks and crevasses. Nukes are just an inconvenience. They don’t even interrupt the pipers.

[@leohalivan861]

It's not the bagpipe bit itself that I find hilarious. Yes, it's funny. But the fact that you know gods damned good and well that the Black Watch would have done the same shit is what's hilarious.

[@franksol428]

Bagpipes for the win!

[@elchjol2777]

Ah I have one of theses in Hairbrain's Battletech game. A Star League one that I have upgraded with a Gauss that weighs two tons less than normal freed up weight for extra armor and a flamer, a destroyed double heat sink was replaced with a second flamer when I realized that amount if double heat sinks was rather overkill anyway for heat dissipation. The Bellum Draconis is one mean Highlander. *Bagpipes insue*

[@antagonist99]

"You really have to put yourself in the position of the enemy"? That sounds like something a Highlander driver would do.

[@justanotheragamuffin]

This was absolutely grand!

[@Prich319]

Ah, the Highlander. A mech made for me as my DFA rolls in tt are amazingly good. Also in HBS Battletech, my Glitch is undisputedly the best of all Glitches. She performed a Highlander burial on a pristine Atlas. Goomba stomped cleanly on it's head! *THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!*

[@imadethistopostponi]

Battletech is a Scottish powerfantasy

[@weldonwin]

Well, I mean sure the Inner Sphere was ruled by a Scottish family, until they got wiped out by Fat Genghis Khan

[@snakes3425]

Highlander Pilot: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!

[@blackspyguy]

LOVE IT THANKS STEVE

[@johnsmithfakename8422]

I came for bagpipes ... I was satisfied.

[@SRTifiable]

It’s all fun and games until the trees start playing bagpipes.

[@jackthripper9989]

Checking my subs, Sci uploads a vid on my fav inner sphere mech and Steve is trolling him with bagpipes, what a day

[@callen1904]

My God, I was listening to this while i drove home from the hardware store and almost wrecked my car I was laughing so hard.😂😂😂😂

[@averywhitaker3513]

In battletech the tabletop rpg, speed is rounded. So you have the base walking speed which is engine rating divided by tonnage (in this case, 270/90=3) and then you have running speed, which is walking speed multiplied by 1.5 and rounded up. (In this case, 3x1.5=4.5 which rounds up to 5). Also, each point of speed per turn is 10.8 kph, and dashing is an optional rule for (walking speed x2) Iirc, the sarna wiki uses tabletop rules and stats for all of its entries

[@khosegier3182]

I think the funniest part is when SCI called himself out on the first couple 'highlander' goofs that it seemed Steve missed.

[@jaredragland4707]

"It was desii--fuck, I said it again" [Highland Laddie]

[@scottwalker6947]

I remember a game of BT back in the day, when one of my buddies stepped off a cliff, and did a full Highlander Burial on an enemy light mech.

[@brianmacario2224]

2:58 that got me laughing for days

[@ibm355]

When steve desides to be the best side guy in all the videos and now is doing his job for once and we all cryed laughing

[@tx31]

The highlander, for when you like playing with mechs, and Mario games a bit too much. Bonus when bagpipes plays whenever you jump

[@oliverdouglas4065]

The bagpipes got me to subscribe.

[@ronmiller5968]

I just played a highlander yesterday in a battle of classic and it rocked the whole enemy lance! This is the cherry on the top while i paint more miniatures

[@108WARDOG]

Absolutely hilarious episode, favorite part was the Bagpipes everytime Highlander was said. Outstanding!

[@Lady-norune]

omg i laughed sooo hard hearing Steve laugh in the background of the bagpipes XD too good

[@johnkell5033]

Honestly the bagpipes in this episode made it the best so far, Keep it up steve. Just do it whenever the black watch are mentioned

[@tv_tim]

This was 'bagpipes intensify' the episode.

[@robertmorse2510]

Bagpipes were great. Loved it every time.

[@mcchuggernaut9378]

As an American of 2-family Scottish descent, I approve of this video. Did you know, despite our propensity for foul language, hard drinking and fighting everything that moves, even ourselves, that we STILL managed to produce more inventions than nearly any nation in history, only beaten by the ancient Greeks, who had a LOT more low-hanging fruit things to invent that were not around yet? Also managed to hold off one of the greatest powers the world had ever known which happened to be situated right next door (The English and the Romans before that.) for a few hundred years with vastly inferior technology and weaponry until along came a man who had a claim to both the Scottish throne and English throne, and basically united the 2 countries, CREATING the damn United Kingdom - the Union Jack flag being the mashing together of the Scottish and English flags. Then the British Empire after including Scottish techno-barbarians into their ranks went on to outlaw slavery, and basically end the world-wide slave trade by force for the first time in human history. Yeah, nothing is more dangerous and innovative than a Scot trying to deal with a problem. They'll brute-force you first, while they build a super-weapon you never expected in a shed somewhere piss wasted on a random Tuesday out of shit they stole from a junkyard. I leave you with this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYOZe5amlNuMjMk

[@shengetter1]

Great job Steve!

[@alexs5814]

I don't know if i already said this here but "FREEEEEDAAAAAAM!!!" Thanks for this deep lore dive of the mech. It helps a lot to flesh out the lore of the universe.

[@entr0physt]

AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAh Haud yer weesht, gonny no dae that accustical plumbery, aye? 'Ere was by FAR the best one yet. Well met, Steve.

[@Hedron-Design]

Well he was right, us viewers fell out many times at the cursing just before the inevitable bagpipes! Also great commentary on this mech and its history.

[@glennallen3859]

See, this is how I know you weren't a theatre kid growing up. A theatre kid just pivots to calling it The Scottish Mech, and gloats while he circumvents the madness 😂

[@arcdecibel9986]

Clearly not military, either, since the proper designation is HGN-732B.

[@AdaberemchiAjaOnu]

The bagpipes are possibly the best part of the episode, especially when Sci catches himself half a second later. The best episode by far. Might turn out to be the most-played episode eventually. 🤣

[@SpiritWolf1966]

I enjoy all of Science Insanity videos

[@FPAlpha]

One of the most hilarious BT videos i ever saw, well done!

[@camerongunn7906]

The only thing funnier than the random bagpipes is the expletive laden exasperations of Sci just after stepping on a landmine. 😂😂😂 One of your best videos yet.👍

[@lukasz88888888]

I used to play as the Northwind Highlanders. One had a Highlander "wearing" a kilt made of leftover armor from defeated enemies.

[@Verdis_deMosays]

The bagpipes were hilarious, Steve got his revenge, we loved it. Also, SC.I stands for Subscribe, Comment, and Invest (by becoming a patreon). That gives you access to MORE bagpipe themed content.

[@primusstar5995]

I can only hope that someday you both cover LANCER and its crazy shit! especially describing anything made by HORUS.

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

There can be only one. Let it be, THE HIGHLANDER.

[@johndoe-qn2mm]

Finished video. I am the type ta enjoy this. You got my subscribe

[@charleshenderson5951]

The bagpipes are awesome! By 11 minutes in, I am dying with laughter!

[@renegadeleader1]

So... After watching this early in the week I decided to use one of the Highlanders in my local groups matches. In four turns it headshot killed a Cyclops with a gauss rifle, gave a Highlander burial to a Thug, and finished off a Nightstar that had already been headshot by a Catapult K2K's ERPPC with yet another gauss rifle head shot. Bless you Science Insanity, bless you.

[@primusstar5995]

Now this. this gonna be good.

[@Sevarrius]

Scottish has two t's pal. Just finished the black Watch Episode so I was pleased to see this upload. I'm Scottish myself and have a personal connection to the Black Watch as it was my Grandads Regiment, a WWII veteran who served in North Africa, Survived the D-day landings and fought across Europe as well as some other small conflicts after the end of WWII.

[@foxdavion6865]

When I got the 732b (Basically a version of the Heavy Metal or SLDF variant, *extremely* rare mech) - a Gauss Rifle + LRM20 monster version of the Highlander in HBS Battletech, it pretty much became my main mech for pretty much the rest of the game, used it until I hit the timeline cap after completing all the post campaign flashpoint missions. Also, it won 50% of engagements instantly by headshotting enemy mechs from 12 hexes away with said Gauss Rifle. And once in brawling range it is still just as scary as it was at ranged, with 3 medium lasers along with it's SRM6, melee and DFA, terrifying mech. Only downside, everything in it is absolutely irreplaceable because it is all lostech in 3025, meaning soon as my armour was gone I had to high tail it to the backlines, because not just the Gauss Rifle which itself is lostech, but all the other weapons too are lostech variants.

[@themisspultone]

As I recall in the flavor text, they had to reinforce the leg design as " You put jump jets on a 90T mech some hot-shot WAS going to try to land it on another sooner or later (usually sooner)"

[@Nostroman_Praetor]

I told a new friend of mine I met on a discord server about the Highlander cause we were playing MWO. He bought the HGN-732 and started modding it to hell. In his first match with it he got 3 kills and stunned me with his performance.

[@Esifex]

Now I'm just waiting to see if Steve is ready and waiting in the future videos JUST IN CASE you drop another reference to the Highlander to serenade you with more bagpipes. Also still loving the excellent use of Hardspace music for your outros, fits the feeling perfectly

[@shampravda]

Bagpipes everytime the 'Mech was mentioned was indeed funny

[@WolfHreda]

Is it the most powerful assault 'mech? No. It's not the fastest, best armed, or best armored. But it is pure class. And the Highlander IIC is an absolutely worthy successor. In BT engine calculations, you multiply the mass of the 'mech by your desired walking speed to get the engine rating. In this case, 90×3=270. Your running/flanking speed is then calculated by multiplying your walk speed by 1.5, rounding up. Hence, standard movement profiles without use of MASC, Supercharger, or TSM are 2/3, 3/5, 4/6, 5/8, 6/9, 7/11, and 8/12. The maximum amount of standard jump jets you can mount on a 'mech makes your jump speed equal to your walk speed. It doesn't have to, but it can. The Highlander's movement profile is thus 3/5/3. Notable 'mechs that do not mount their full compliment of jump jets are the Jenner (7/11/5) and Shadow Hawk (5/8/3).

[@brothersgt.grauwolff6716]

you've never run a Highlander properly in a table top Battletech game until you perform a successful Highlander Burial!

[@Ju66alo4Life]

I was dying every time the bagpipes played LOL😂😂😂

[@Nathan5027]

Firstly, it wouldn't be a millennial as it not the turn of the millennium, it would be a centurion. Secondly, the bagpipes were hilarious, especially since I was listening in the supermarket and trying not to laugh out loud like a crazy person

[@tonk5711]

At first i was like "Hey! Why thete is no bagpipe music in the background" but when Steve brought bagpipes i was happy again. Long live Steve

[@Blindshot951]

I hate the damn bag pipes but i love your reaction to them... so overall win. Great video as always guys

[@tban4122]

Need a capellan mech next and blast kpop when mentioned. Or maybe an atlas 2 video and use a waltz

[@mathewkelly9968]

Considering it's a Hollis Industries design it kinda is Capellan

[@frodo7287]

Ex Canadian military here. Bagpipes are my secret favorite instrument

[@jesperstrid4316]

To me, Steve´s wheezing is a tad better than Sci´s mental state eroding a little bit more every time Steve hits the button.

[@BigSwede7403]

It is the suffering of Sci that makes it funny. Well, that and Steve being an absolute troll about it.

[@Gabezilla-eb2so]

the bagpipes are PERFECT

[@aetherial87]

I'm shocked Sci didn't hear the bagpipes coming, hahaha

[@gwensdad2003]

We will now call it THE SCOTTISH MECH

[@Vardyversity]

It has finally happened! The episode of SCIENCE INSANITY where the host actually went insane.

[@Herpter_91]

The most fun I’ve head with a battletech vid since Tex released the Urbie vid

[@ryanlorenzo5003]

It's one of these moments that I appreciate you put in audio spectrum visualizers if only to further accentuate the comedy of sudden bagpipes.