The silliest & scariest mechwarrior in the setting | Battletech lore

[@tannerblack4498]

Ladies and Gentlemen, we've done it..... We've found the Player Character.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Except in the HBS game.

[@empoweredshemphoward]

I took out the bountyhunter in mw5 and took his marauder.

[@mightypancake2211]

@@empoweredshemphoward Is it a specific marauder or yaml addition?

[@empoweredshemphoward]

@@mightypancake2211 hero marauder in base game, a good energy platform.

[@Atlas3060]

Fun fact: There was a show called Immortal Warrior (think every action cliche you can imagine) that did some movies based on the Bounty Hunter's stories, but the Hunter himself didn't enjoy the adaptations of his work being credited to this Immortal Warrior character. So he contacted the actor and asked how up to date his life insurance policy was. That subtle threat immediately had the studios come out with a director's cut of the films to show that the Immortal Warrior was totally working with the Bounty Hunter and they're really good work pals and they totally wouldn't steal his credit, no sir, not at all. I love the fact he's such a threat that Space Hollywood is all "Nope, I like breathing, we're making changes."

[@gmradio2436]

I heard a slightly different version. Immortal Warrior was a HPG show that was very popular at the time and the Bounty Hunter was a fan. Then they did an episode featuring the Bounty Hunter and he was not impressed. So he does what ever rational mercenary does and called them up with a complaint and a script. Apparently the studio crash shot that episode in less than a week. The best part is the studio was on the Lyrn homeworld. When the next episode went live, the studio got a call from the Bounty Hunter and he liked the episode, but the call was from the same city as the studio. Apparently he left notes for his next appearance in the series. And he would be waiting for it.

[@nickbarrett3163]

I think I've seen that. Didn't they try to tie it into the Knife Fight City universe at one point?

[@patrickcoyle5469]

Nicolai Malthus didn't have nearly such good results when he objected to Tharkad Broadcasting's "misrepresentation" of him.

[@jumpinghunter9152]

Just like how Pelinal Whitestrake is often called "the first ever recorded instance of player character in tamriel", the Bounty Hunter could be fittingly called "the first ever recorded instance of Mechwarrior game player character in Battletech universe".

[@jtjames79]

I feel like I'm one of the mentioned turbo nerds for understanding exactly what you're talking about.

[@KillerOrca]

He's a DMNPC

[@TheHawk2210]

"Pelinal" god yes the elfs should of had it worst

[@crashstudi0s]

The way you described the Bounty Hunter, how every time he's seen a new "incarnation", the need for close support to keep things under control and anonimus, and acces to inner sphere tech, possibly to commstar... Dude, I can't stop thinking "that sounds like the battletech protagonist"

[@mastergreenfox6004]

The Bounty Hunter is just the canonical Player Character of that universe with his other PC friends joining in from time to time. And the rest of the sphere and clanners are just the NPC's confused and terrified by said PC's ability to do more than any normal NPC can.

[@robinburt5735]

Natasha Kerensky was pretty hardcore, but i think she was something like 85 when she died. For a clanner that's like ancient.

[@robinburt5735]

She was killed in the Trial of refusal against Jade Falcon i think (3057)

[@johannesmakila2459]

@@robinburt5735 Yeah by angry old bird named Joanna who had been Aiden Pryde's mentor in a way.

[@memnarch129]

@@robinburt5735 And it was a dirty kill. If I remember it was a PUNCH to the Cockpit, which anyone who knows Clan rules of engagement knows Melee is a dishonorable method of combat to Clanners.

[@Enneige]

@@memnarch129 It was Joanna using the leg-mounted jump jet in one of her Summoner's legs to BBQ the Black Widow. It was not so much as a dirty kill than a move of desperation/Falcon MALDING coming in clutch.

[@Victor-056]

...She was also Clan Wolf, which if memory serves, are largely respective of their elders.

[@Attaxalotl]

The Inner Sphere's silliest clown, fighting it's funniest battles

[@Johnny_Isometric]

It’s the Dread Pirate Robert’s, but with a giant robot and an chip on his shoulder.

[@Quincy_Morris]

Ah because he wears power armor on his shoulder.

[@bthsr7113]

The way I see it, there's no logical way the Bounty Hunters and Comstar didn't have a longstanding arrangement. A lineage of mercenaries/mercenary groups this good and this professional behind the action scenes, that's quite potentially a threat to Comstar and/or their attempts to finesse the great game. Especially if the Bounty Hunters had reliable access to lostech before the GDL found Helm's prize I don't fully know what to hypothesize for the terms of the agreement, but given when the first Bounty Hunter widely known to have made a splash debuted, their legend was born under the untold eyes and ears of an entrenched and well established Comstar. As for how the Bounty Hunters get around without drawing more attention, I wouldn't be surprised if that book had tables for calculating pirate points.

[@marley7868]

or specialized lair or two maybe one of which was built by comstar in exchange for say taking out two generals who were abit too competant

[@bthsr7113]

Well since Tex probably isn't going to get around to this for at least 5 years, let's get in on the grand legacy of the character/s who are special enough to have multiple custom mad cats.

[@Crescent-gh9sg]

I think you meant the bounty hunter in his power armor vs a clan elemental in the soon to be bounty hunter's power armor.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Good luck piloting that if you do not have gigantism.

[@wolf2965]

@@dubuyajay9964 Kai Allard-Liao managed, though admittedly he did have technical help from actual Elementals to get it properly fitted - apparently the power armor is adjustable enough.

[@Crescent-gh9sg]

@@dubuyajay9964 salvage or use, the bounty hunter does not care typically. It looks valuable and he killed the operator, so...

[@jasonames145]

The black widow does eventually get the upper hand and kills the bounty hunter, but then hands the armor and his book off to a person with vendetta to Takashi kurita, and so the legend continues. eventually that person then hands the persona and resources to one of his retenue and so on.

[@Prich319]

That person she passed the armor to? Michi Noketsuna, the protégé of Minobu Testuhara. He became one of the only known Bounty Hunters between the battle of Misery and the death of Takashi Kurita.

[@jasonames145]

@@Prich319 thank you! names are always fuzzy to me :)

[@Darqshadow]

​@@Prich319 wasn't that the same Samurai who was forced into a battle due to an arrogant warlord, lost, and committed seppuku with Jaime Wolf as his second? Damn

[@caalsigo]

@@Darqshadow If you are refering to Minobu, you are correct

[@fetusdeletus9266]

I know the joke of The Bounty Hunter being the first Player Character in the setting has been run into the ground but literally the tradition is just a walkthrough guidebook with the most effective Meta strategies in the game.

[@calvinbutler1919]

I just finished the encounter with the Bounty Hunter on Mech Warrior 5. It's scary how tactical and lowdown the Bounty Hunter is.

[@MM22966]

When you want to have Boba Fett in your franchise, but he isn't as easy to just grab and run with as Harmony Gold mech designs...

[@shenandoahreynolds6921]

Good old SLDF! I still some pre "Phoenix" source books😂

[@jlokison]

FASA had the rights from the Japanese animation studios before Harmony Gold got into the anime business. Harmony Golds claims have all been dealt with in court, unfortunately FASA and several other game and anime translate and distribution companies had gone out of business before the last cases and their appeals were settled several years ago. I am not sure of other property rights but as of more than a year ago now Harmony Gold has lost all of rights to Macross and can no longer block the Japanese animation studios that made the original and all the sequel series from subbing and dubbing their productions for distribution in the USA. Harmony Gold also lost all claims against the Battletech franchise and what Catalyst Game Labs produces.

[@DIEGhostfish]

​@jlokison ahahahaha. Neither FASA nor HG bought the original designs or show from people who had the rights to actually SELL them. Thus all this bullshit. Microsoft, Paradox, HBS, Pirahna, Catalyst anf Topps/fanatics finally beat HG in court on the designs. Then HG went and bought or licensed the overseas rights to the original show from the ACTUAL company. And now Big West can't put Minmei or anything else from Macross 1 in their own mobile game overseas. The Unseen do seem permanently safe despite that later deal.

[@memnarch129]

@@DIEGhostfish Notice he didnt say BOUGHT. You have to look at Japanese business practices at the time. At the time in Japan ones word was bond. So FASA getting the VERBAL go ahead from BW to use the Macross designs, as well as the others, was as good as a diamond engraved contract in the eyes of the Japanese. The problem started when HG licensed the distribution rights for SDFM in the US and EU and renamed it Robotech. HG knowing how US and EU laws worked they could argue that FASA and others where encroching on their license, even though that was BS.

[@bartlester591]

Sounds like to me this is the BattleTech version of Boba Fett. And once upon a time I created a mercenary unit for Mech warrior in the unit was called the cash and carry Calvary CCC the motto of the cavalry was long as you have the cash we have the time.

[@bthsr7113]

There are similarities, but there are numerous other key differences.

[@mikecampos1193]

Rumor says he ex-clanner or Comstar agent or just a badass that kills and owns the better Mechs in the Inner Sphere.

[@jakeg3733]

I always thought clanner, from their pre-Dragoons recon mission (Intelser) which didn't work out very well. Too cautious of an approach, and it seems at least some of the people they sent to the IS "went native". My guess would be this guy is one of them. His skills both in and out of a mech cockpit (including technical ability) are just too good, and his "IDGAF I do it for lulz" attitude fits with someone who both loathes and doesn't give a shit about anyone in the IS at the same time. Either that, or he's a space-Texan... I could definitely see that

[@soldio4143]

I feel like it's more likely sponsored or directly operated by the New Avalon Institute of Science; as a means to train; test and examine pieces of equipment in search of lost tech that lead to the bounty's notoriety. Their actions seem very reminiscent of the hit on the Ravager Corsair and it's pirate band.

[@mrfawkes9110]

I never saw The Bounty Hunter as a corporation so much as "The setting's Dread Pirate Roberts" as Tex says (I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere 20 years ago though). Also, can you think of a single instance of him taking a bounty alive? I cant think of one.

[@mikecampos1193]

Or maybe professor Tex sometimes suits up that green armor and shoots up enough capellans and pretends I don't know that guy did it was The Bounty Hunter.

[@Stoffstoffer]

isn't there in one of the novels, Michi Noketsuna was the BH, and he handed over the book with all the lore etc to the next one - so very dread pirate roberts

[@bthsr7113]

I mean, even with the Dread Pirates Roberts, they weren't alone. They still needed full crews. Sure, they were the best of their crews and were the leaders, but they didn't do their escapades alone. So both work.

[@Atlas3060]

@@Stoffstoffer Yup, Heir to the Dragon was the book. Grieg Samsonov sure didn't last long when that happened. Then Michi's associate, Vic Travers took it over and that guy was grooming a successor but some Word of Blake shenanigans caused that guy to end up dead.

[@jakeg3733]

Would you? I mean, if you can achieve your goal by simply vaporizing them why take a risk trying to capture and transport a dangerous individual

[@cyranus10]

I always liked the idea that the bounty hunter was another offshoot of Wolf's Dragons like Snords Irregulars. Might not work with the timeline but explains a lot. Working to eliminate major threats and create stability once the Dragoons decided to help the IS houses

[@GraniteGhost778]

This man is the Battletech equivalent of Dread Pirate Roberts. Also I think MW5 might lend some credence to your idea. In that game, the Bounty Hunter is literally contracting your character to get him information on other mercenary units. That's his entire purpose in the game is to provide him with information on the various mercenary units you fight. That implies that your idea of the Bounty Hunter employing a network of allies or agents is quite plausible.

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

fun fact: I have been .mentoring a youtuber through a playthrough of HBS-Battletech where he put me in as one of the mechwarriors in his outfit. Specifically with a sniper-build geared toward maximum initiative and accuracy on called shots while utilizing a retrofitted MAD-2R with a bunch of lostech built into it. And at some point during the flashpoint-missions you also run into the Bounty Hunter (luring him into a three-way-battle between the Bounty hunter's outfit, the Black Widow Company, and the player's merc outfit.) To say that battle can be very difficult is putting it lightly. Even so, the mission ended in a success and as I have done a couple times during that playthrough, I wrote down a bit of a combat-log in the comments - at the end of which I had my character claim a certain green suit as his prize - therefore implying that now that the playthrough was over, he would take up the mantle of the Bounty Hunter - at least to those familiar with the lore. This is all the more amusing to me considering the backstory for that character was that he used to serve under one Frederick Steiner who got sent on a suicide-mission against the dracs. Only reason why the character survived is that at the time he was seconded to a different unit as instructor and then got lost in Steiner bureaucracy, which allowed him to get away - to embark on a quest for vengeance for his old unit who - to his knowledge - was killed to the last man. So here we have a terrifyingly competent Lyran Mechwarrior who served under the man who would become Anastasius Focht taking up the mantle of the Bounty Hunter.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Artillery and ECM. Run up on top of the plateau on the West Edge of the map and group your mortar shots the best you can to hit multiple mechs per shot. ECM (if you have 2 or more) makes it harder for them to target you. Makes a nightmare run into a fun one.

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

@@dubuyajay9964 Viable approach. He ended up doing something similar from that plateau: Rain down artillery on whatever came in range, and have me snipe the mechs after they were softened up. Gauss-Rifle++ and ER-M-Lasers ftw.

[@dubuyajay9964]

@ranekeisenkralle8265 Yeah, I was alternating between mortars, ER PPC, ER L Las, Gauss, and LRM depending on number of targets available. You don't want to waste Bull Shark or manually installed single mortar rounds on a single target. It helped it was a three way fight.

[@ranekeisenkralle8265]

@@dubuyajay9964 Agreed. but what also helped a lot in the playthrough I am talking about is said Marauder and its inherent called-shot bonus. Add to hat a pilot with both Tactics-perks for even better initiative and you can take enemy heavies or assoults off the board fairly reliably (33-35% chances on called headshots in a Marauder) Reason being, this can take out a mech without having to chew through all of its armor.. That build is a supremely useful tactical asset (third skill being bulwark for increased resilience btw.)

[@dubuyajay9964]

I hope the Bounty Hunter gets the Black Marauder. It would be a fitting "award" for him.

[@Executioner9000]

Oh that's down right terrifying....

[@bthsr7113]

I'd prefer a duel between the two, with the Bounty Hunter recognizing that this thing is dangerous. Not necessarily questing to kill it, capture it, or even avoid it, just a mutual respect and caution between two of the most dangerous opponents you can find yourself facing in the setting.

[@nurgle333]

What's that?

[@gregdomenico1891]

​@@nurgle333Mech Frog has a video on it; think a Demon Engine from 40K, but as a pitch black Marauder

[@lornbaker1083]

​@@Executioner9000 The black demon from beyond the void would finally have a worthy master

[@GeofftheIronwolf]

Love your idea it's a company backing and helping the Hunter.

[@dubuyajay9964]

He fought in a Lance he led in the HBS game.

[@youtmeme]

It's true. There's no other way...

[@gorgon28]

so he's basically the player of whatever game just came out in our universe.

[@EvelynNdenial]

using PPC's, zipping through and around a whole frontline, chewing up assault mechs, 1 v everybody-ing. it's me when i finally got good at MWO. when i was really in the zone i occasionally managed to take the entire enemy team by hit and running them with my shadowcat, i dont think ill ever find a high better than what i felt back then.

[@ariesdarkmage2987]

For seeing how for seeing how you've made this I will give you your real serious props and have total respect for all the details and yet insanely cool stuff you add to it I'm going to be watching hardcore

[@j.vermilye3816]

17:30 he's also dual wielding RIFLE caliber heavy pistols which is just amazing

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

The Combine's "death to mercenaries" proclamation only happened in 3028 when Jaime Wolf publicly shamed the Coordinator during the FedCom Wedding on Terra

[@gregdomenico1891]

That was the Official Proclamation. The Combine has been screwing over Merc's since the 1st Succession War. Their Feud with the Eradani Light Horse started about the middle of the 1st, after the Combine slaughtered some of the Light Horses dependents

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

@@gregdomenico1891 Company storing and the like, sure. But the "death to mercenaries" decree went a lot further than that by comparison.

[@gregdomenico1891]

@@MoreEvilThanYahweh True, but Takeshi's state of mind after Misery didn't help either. And all that Proclamation did was hurt the Combine at the wrong time; right before FEDCOM Mechs started landing on his planets.

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

@@gregdomenico1891 I never said it was a good idea. Just that the Combine was sorta fine with mercenaries and incidents like the ELH are infamous because they stood out in history. At least until that proclamation.

[@havenkendrick458]

As the official voice of The Bounty Hunter, I found this incredibly informative and entertaining. Consider yourself back-stab immune for the next decade.

[@jesperstrid4316]

I´ve been waiting for you to cover "The Bounty Hunter"! Thank you for doing it.

[@BCWasbrough]

To be fair to Doomguy, he's pretty cool too. Yeah, he's running around on foot, but he's pretty successful at what he does. :)

[@LostInNumbers]

Doomguy is also faster than most mechs.

[@missjayspeechley9213]

I like that the Bounty Hunter's mech bares the C bill symbol. Heraldry is meant to show what someone is fighting for, and in the Bounty Hunter's case, the heraldry is honest As for Bounty Hunter v's Elemental. I have to go Elemental

[@seanbrazell7095]

I'm convinced that this is the elder AI Skippy just moonlighting in other universes for shits and giggles.

[@SulliMike23]

The Bounty Hunter is basically the Battletech equivalent of the Dread Pirate Roberts.

[@Attaxalotl]

Dread Pilot Roberts

[@NemFX]

The Bounty Hunter is literally just one of us, a player character in the world of Battletech.

[@jaymaxwell8645]

00:44 guy in giant robot that can be destroyed vs super humanoids who canonically destroy giant robots. Brilliant!

[@ecbrown6151]

So the Bounty Hunter is the IRL internet personified. Got it

[@jmneo4635]

The bounty hunter is a mirror to the players of the many games in the universe, Rocking heavily customized mechs with technology and loudouts fit for the job. this is mostly likely mirroring the endgame players where we just have fun for shits a giggles and being petty assholes in game.

[@geoclisymmk2135]

You know ... with those last word of yours.......... your in green power armour aren't you.

[@sarahpreston4558]

i'm stuck in bed with covid at the moment and let me just say... there's nothing like being sick and miserable but then finding a new-to-you youtube channel that explains lore from sci-fi franchises you've never interacted with 💪

[@maube8007]

Also Master Chief Jon Halo has been known to pilot the odd giant stompy robot.

[@elchjol2777]

Ah the Bounty Hunter, one half of my favorite fight in HBS's Battletech game. Takeing on him,his lance, Natasha Kerensky and her lance in a big three way fight was epic. Expect BH went down only firing one volley at an archer, due to being the target of the alpha stikes of two Bull sharks (One custom M3 and one MAZ), a Star League Atlas and a Royal Highlander. Never seen a mech in so many little pieces. Oh and cut Natasha's Warhammer in half at the waist with that custom M3. Two AC-10s,Two AC-5s, four MLs and more armor than a Star League Atlas tend to do that, though it took two rounds to do it.

[@elizabethptrevenkoy2121]

Perfect timing with this since this guy just asked me to send him shit in mech warrior 5

[@loganthrasher4702]

And here I thought The bounty hunter was just BattleTech's personification of death just dicking around and having fun.

[@hogfry]

I've always wanted a duel between the Bounty Hunter and the Black Marauder.

[@4G12]

TLDR: The bounty hunter is basically the Golgo 13 of Battletech, the Professional that makes the impossible dream possible.

[@DIEGhostfish]

8:31 If this was before his beef with Natasha it was before the Death to Mercenaries order.

[@sgtrock2175]

Thanks for this. I wrote a story for BattleCorps featuring the Bounty Hunter called "A Guy Walks Into a Bar on Solaris VII". He was a fun character to write. I had a follow-up started that fleshed out his capture of Kai Allard Liao, but I sort of moved on to other things for a while and never finished it. In my story, he kidnapped Kai's family and blackmailed him into surrendering peacefully, which is, coincidentally, the way the story ended up being written later by another author. At the end of my story, he passed the armor, the 'Mech and the book along to his protégé, then met a glorious end against some Death Commandos... or did he?

[@Dragon_Werks]

In the BT universe, they make Bounty Hunter jokes instead of Chuck Norris jokes. Although, it's strongly suspected that at least the original Bounty Hunter was a clone of Chuck Norris.

[@---jx3ql]

I remember only one incident with the bounty hunter in all books i read and there he worked with natascha to escape from a canyon or so

[@captainteutonica5474]

I surmise that the bounty hunter is a vengeful spirit, born of every mech warrior who died before their time.

[@sasha1mama]

I've done some contract work for this guy. He's okay. Li'l spooky, but he pays me in Star League-era lostech and gave me a sweet paintjob to slap on my Murdy (the blue-black one, not the money one). Still anticipating the inevitable heelturn; three guesses how that's gonna go for him.

[@talscorner3696]

I'm not afraid pf the Bounty Hunter because they can kill anything on sight. I'm afraid of the Bounty Hunter because they have the logistical capacity to yoink their victims' loot *by the volume* xD

[@chrisshockey3218]

This was awesome. Thanks for doing this!

[@Kaiber_Phoenix]

The bounty hunter is just the player character playing new game+ and yeah thats a thing in mechwarrior 5. Have a merry christmas

[@cropathfinder]

I believe there is a semi-canon story of bounty hunter taking on a clan elemental on foot and basically dunking on em. Also an easy explanation for BH. backing is that he likely has a deal with comstar to facilitate that, something like they keep him a shadow and they get to use him as an attack dog when they need a problem solved

[@oldguycantgame]

Battletech's version of Dredd Pirate Roberts

[@ZOIMIBiIE]

“We are legion. We are many” -Bounty hunter. Maybe.

[@Paul-cu9lu]

My theory is that the bounty hunter's organization has access to the complete material from the Gunslinger program. Maybe even simulators and other training tools. That would explain how each and every one of them are so ridiculously skilled.

[@aaronhuff2813]

I always figured The old Hunters and crews became "The man in the chair" masters of technology and combat bring their successors information and aiding in the planning of strikes.

[@Ardox_the_fatebreaker]

So this guy is basically the "raven" from armored core of battletech

[@lornbaker1083]

Pretty much. Except with a far far more loose sense of ethics and morality if you could even call it that. I see him more like 621 from armor corps 5.He's there for the job for the money.Screwing over other people is just the Icing on top of the cake.That is his Pay check

[@michaelmoolick9419]

Now we all know the elemental goes down when the first any only shot of the engagement is applied to the back of their head.

[@89BlackGatomon]

The bounty hunter seem logically in my opinion to be a ComSpark black project.

[@Battlemagi212]

the Dread Pirate Roberts of Battletech

[@MartyrPandaGaming]

When you said that the Bounty Hunter brought a Lance with him, that would mean 3, 4 at the most, other guys to form that Lance if it didn't include him. It's the Clans that drop in 5s, while IS drops in 4s. There are only 2 ways that action could have involved more than 4 Mechs. The first being that the Lance was already planetside when they started the job. Highly unlikely. The other way would be with a DropShip designed to carry more than a single Lance. A small DropShip, for a single Lance, would have been the optimal way of inserting. The only other way I could see him pulling it off and doing so in his style, would be large, modified, Small Craft used to insert a single Mech.

[@MrRay568]

I think the worst part of figuring out what bounty hunter you're fighting, is their org (Most likely for funsies) could just rotate the position on who the Bounty hunter is for that particular period so one week/month the BH is doing nothing but sniping then the next week/month they could be going full silverback gorilla on some hapless mech warrior with a close combat setup when they're expecting the long-range strategy

[@Grizabeebles]

I prefer the explanation that the Mercenary Review Board simply posts missions completed by outfits which prefer to remain anonymous as "Bounty Hunter". ...which turned into an in-universe joke to play on rookies that "the Bounty Hunter" was an actual merc outfit run by a 29th-century Batman. But... since 200+ years of social isolation made Clanners crazy, they couldn't understand why somebody would want *just* the giant pile of fuck-you money and not the double honour burger with extra honour and a side of honour. So they thought the meme was real and died by the swarm in stupid honour duels against the best mercs the Inner Sphere could shove into pesto power armour.

[@thenickshark1]

Is there anyone else who thinks the Bounty Hunter just has a secret stash some where where he has like one of every mech, equipment and weapon?

[@OptimusJedi]

Too bad Steve missed this one. Great video!

[@jasonsinclair9615]

Why no one calls out that bounty hunter is obviously a comstar/blake agent is beyond me.

[@aetherial87]

I miss Steve. Did you lose the key to his basement cell?

[@jacknemo8021]

I always thought the Hunter actually was Comstar.

[@kitty5104]

In short, if your in the Kersensky line you have the strongest plot armor money can buy XD

[@CheffBryan]

LMAO I love that pose with two pistols is straight up JoJo territory

[@sayrebonifield4663]

No one in the Battletech universe was even 10% as scary as the assassin in the Stackpole novels.

[@tadecker82]

I've always theorized that the Bounty Hunter legend began at a jump point in the deep periphery, with a family Merchant class Jumpship, a skeleton crew, and a Union class dropship. Assume this was part of Kerensky's exodus flotilla. He made orders to create the Brian Caches on their way out of town. What if the jumpship had a K.F. drive malfunction, or a torn solar sail? The crew chooses to stay and make repairs while the rest of the flotilla continues on. That's roughly 60 people between the jumpship and dropship, assuming all the civilians left aboard another dropship and docked with an outbound jumpship. The crew spends months trying to make repairs, regularly taking the dropship back to the Brian Cache to scavenge parts. Eventually, the highest in command says f**k it, we're going to just live on this planet where the Brian cache is. A couple of years pass, and the jumpship is now fixed. They take what they can from the Brian cache and head back because they know there's no way to catch up with the exodus fleet. They get back (nobody notices the tiny Merchant class jumpship), and the First Succession War is in full swing. Information is spotty at best (they ARE still in the periphery, mind you), so they take the Union planetside to do some recon. They find out about the vicious band of pirate mechwarriors in the area, and decide to take them out. The senior most Mechwarrior takes them and their equipment in for the bounty, and to gather information. ...and that's how the "Bounty Hunter" legend began. To do what the Bounty Hunter does would require SLDF tech, like automated repair bays, a massive stockpile of replacement parts and mech, a base of operations, and the means to travel inconspicuously, with parts, ammunition, and mechs to spare. So, having hyper-accurate maps of jump points from the SLDF, an entire Brian cache (most left in "decomissioned" SLDF bases) worth of technology and spare parts, an inconspicuous jumpship (Merchant class), and one of the most-produced dropships in existence (Union class), all the requirements are fulfilled. Hell, having the dropship and jumpship crews doing regular shipping and transport would be a great cover for the Bounty Hunter to do his thing. When they get a particularly good haul, they head all the way back out to their home base, rest, and refit. By the 3050s, the original exodus crews could have reproduced to the point of having a few hundred living at the Brian cache/SLDF base. The money from bounties, salvage, and the legitimate work that the dropship and jumpship crews were doing would easily cover all the needs of the growing population. The next Bounty Hunter is probably selected from candidates from that pool. Most have probably been using SLDF sim pods since they could walk.

[@KageRyuu6]

Actually, that's the Mauser 960 Assault System, a Star League era infantry rifle which is a Pulse Laser Rifle with an integrated Grenade Launcher and retractable Vibroblade bayonet. So wouldn't say it's an anti-mech weapon, but it can still do 1 damage up to 6 hexes away to vehicles and infantry alike. And sadly, in most situations the Bounty Hunter loses against an Elemental as his Nighthawk PAL only has 2 points of Armor and no Jump Jets. So while he can still move 3 hexes on ground, he's an easier to hit, less armored, and less threatening target. Really the only way he could win is in an open field after somehow dodging both SRM 2 volleys coming his way. Then maybe he can use his superior range to whittle down the Elemental.

[@soldio4143]

I feel like it's more likely sponsored or directly operated by the New Avalon Institute of Science; as a means to train; test and examine pieces of equipment in search of lost tech that lead to the bounty's notoriety. Their actions seem very reminiscent of the hit on the Ravager Corsair and it's pirate band.

[@Kanas83]

The Black Widow got his Warhammer and he Got her old Marader

[@davidheitzenrater9027]

I'm actually disappointed that they "retire" a lot of their crew, I was hoping for a Dread Pirate Roberts style scenario. Get stupid wealthy, find a successor, tell them "Actually, my name is Ryan, I inherited the title of Bounty Hunter from a gal named Samantha, the real Bounty Hunter has been retired for 80 years and is living fat in the Magestry of Canopus."

[@theangrygermanlad1328]

He is the definition of “Yoink”

[@flounder2760]

Protip arrange the patreons in alphabetical and record you reading them then you only need to edit them out of the soundbite when they drop patron status or record 1 name to add to the sound bite .

[@n8zog584]

This is basically just the dread pirate roberts from the princess bride

[@chrisshockey3218]

Feels like only Comstar would have the stability and scope to create a proxy named bounty hunter. That would add unlimited intelligence to each mission as well.

[@hariman7727]

Bribing the guards and security staff to make sure you have soft targets and people will look the other way is an excellent way to use the billions you get from hunting high risk bounties. ;)

[@Grizabeebles]

Re: "the lore is malleable" Jordan Weisman, creator of the Battlech setting has himself said that The Star League started out as just an excuse to have one set of models shared among all the factions. The resulting in-universe centuries of deep lore is all the result of "asceneded fanon" - with him bring the first fan.

[@Elinbemyname]

I think as often as not when the bounty hunter retires those of his staff that want to retire get the change to actually rotate out as well. Their associates know his and his successor's skillset. Only fools would go against them for money when they are likely already obscenely wealthy. Of course there are the psychopath and paranoid bounty hunters and yea, those will shoot you in the back of they suspect you of thinking funny

[@vladh5192]

I too believe in the power of $money$. And more so in the gear that Scrooge McDuck levels of money can furnish and so I have more gauss rifles than the rest of the periphery combined.

[@Magikarp-4ever]

Bruh the mutha fuckin bounty hunter gilded paint on MW5 is the shizniz it's so boss I love it it's totally absurd fuck yeah

[@evanoiser3058]

Man literally to greedy to die

[@jrwilliams7534]

Hit me while working. Could the First Bounty Hunter be a Wolverine Survivor?

[@josephmontanaro2350]

This dude is legit a freaking fallout/elder scrolls/dnd murder hobo protagonist

[@charleshenderson5951]

Battletech version of Dread Pirate Roberts....

[@ASNS117Zero]

"The best mechwarrior in all of battletech." No, that's objectively commander Mason from MW5. >_>;

[@burnttoast.2017]

He indirectly ends up killing his father out of greed Spectre from 4 is better imo

[@Seriona1]

My head canon is The Bounty Hunter is a Comstar Agent gone rogue or he is part of Comstar.

[@c3nty2]

He's Battletech Chuck Norris. Got it.

[@dallassukerkin6878]

For me, the holder of the titles of silliest and scariest MechWarrior has to be Morgan Kell. The Bounty Hunter is acceptable as a Mafia-like organisation that thrives on it's own publicity but Morgan Kell ... a setting breaking ability like that was so Left-Field and potent that it was never brought up again!

[@roguedexx938]

Bounty Hunter never knew about him till recently…

[@andrewowens4421]

Obviously the Bounty Hunter is an Isekai protagonist who had been playing the game from the start and knows all the strats.

[@feldamar2]

The way The Bounty Hunter would win the fight with the Elemental is easy. Landmines. No way would an A Honor Duel minded Clanner would think the Bounty hunter would have 50kg of explosives shaped charge their way through the Elementals crotch. It would be a toss up on whether the clanner even knew the "duel" had even started yet.