Because there isn't much overlap between the people who like western mech sims and the people who like japanese mecha games. Or rather, the two sub-genres are pretty different and we're talking about the former.
In any case this game looks quite a bit slower than the recent AC games, which is great in my opinion. Can't wait to see more gameplay footage.
Mechwarrior has lore? I just liked it better than earthsiege because of the mech designs, and how they felt they actually had weight.
Yea, it has lore. A lot of lore.
A single man ruled and controlled 3,000 star systems.
The Lords of Davion, Kurita, Steiner, Marik, and Liao deferred to his will.
After the explosive spread of mankind through the stars and before the chaos of the Succession Wars was a golden age of advancement. Unequalled levels of technology, human rights, and prosperity were reached. Planets bent to the will of man, as terraforming and weather control became both possible and economical. Agro-technology fed billions. The average human lifespan was extended to 108 standard years by medical science. But those same advances carried a curse, for the engines of war from the Star League era possessed power unequalled in the Successor States today.
And in that time of great deeds stood the greatest warrior of all time, Aleksandr Kerensky.
INTERVIEW WITH THE ADMIRAL
As I floated through the hatchway into the bridge, I peered into the dimness but saw no silhouette that matched James McKenna's frame. When I looked up suddenly, I was startled to see the Fleet Admiral floating just above my head in his Captain’s chair. I had forgotten that in Zero-G the “ceiling” was just another stretch of deck to which chairs and instruments were bolted. It was logical but disorienting to see men and women sitting on the ceiling working instruments while the Admiral of the Alliance looked down into my upturned face. With his help, I floated up to him and strapped myself into a chair.
The Admiral was every bit as imposing as he appeared in the holos. He was tall and muscular, with long, unkempt blond hair that tended to float about him like a halo in Zero-G. He was gregarious, but it was easy to see the intelligence and calculation in his eyes.
MARTHA DEANS: Admiral McKenna, this is the most impressive vessel I have ever seen. But there are many people in the Alliance who wonder just why the Dreadnought was built. Weapons are usually built with a specific target or enemy in mind. Who or what is the Dreadnought’s target?
MCKENNA: Well, ignorance for one. People used to believe that it was beyond the abilities of man to build such a massive ship. I believed otherwise, and I wanted to prove it.
DEANS: Do you always act so forcefully on your beliefs?
MCKENNA: Of course. How will you ever know if what you believe is right unless you have to get out there and prove it?
DEANS: There are many who say that’s one of the reasons the Alliance is in such a political snarl.
They think that fanatical belief in such things as political parties is the cause of all mankind’s pain.
MCKENNA: I’m inclined to agree. Believing in a political party is not a sign of a person’s intelligence, just his willingness to be led about by the nose. Individual conviction and decisive actions are the signs of true intelligence.
DEANS: How do you balance your personal beliefs with your duty to the Alliance?
MCKENNA: It isn’t easy, and there are times when I seriously consider chucking all this for the Canadian wilderness.
DEANS: What keeps you here, then?
MCKENNA: I think the main reason for sticking around is in case fate steps in to give me and these ships an opportunity for action, or to do something that would improve life back on Terra and the other Alliance worlds.
DEANS: What would you do, given this opportunity?
MCKENNA: Now that depends on the situation, don’t you think?
-From Good Morning Canada, holonews broadcast, September 15, 2313
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF OPERATION MUSCLEBOUND, EXPERIMENT 45-B, DECEMBER 21, 2350
Experiment Summary: Professor Atlas and Team Musclebound-consisting of five section leaders and 14 assistants-are testing a new type of myomer bundle, smaller and requiring less motivating energy than previous models. The new myomer bundle, dubbed "The Schwarzenegger Bicep," was a collection of myomer strings interwoven with a new, electrically soluble nerve circuitry. The team hoped this would solve a problem that had plagued them for the past ten months: the uncoordinated contraction of individual myomer fibers, resulting in uncontrollable and useless twitching.
The myomer bundle, about two meters long and ten centimeters thick, was attached to the test harness, which was little more than a universal gym system using lead weights from a local health spa. The myomer bundle was attached with one end anchored to the concrete floor and the other to the pulley system of the test harness so that, if the contraction succeeded, the strength of the bundle could be measured by how much the bundle could lift.
ATLAS: Is everything all set? Unauthorized personnel out?...Everyone behind the safety barriers?...All right. Good luck, everyone. O.K. Devers, charge the myomer bundle.
DEVERS: Myomer bundle charge at 100 percent.
ATLAS: Trethers, measuring instruments ready?
TRETHERS: Yes, sir.
ATLAS: Fine. Iona, turn on the cameras. Countdown from five, four, three, two, one, discharge.
[Professor Atlas pushed the discharge switch. Immediately, all the potential energy stored in the myomer bundle became one swift and powerful contraction as the electric current traveled through it. The new myomer bundle composition of "Schwarzenegger's Bicep" contracted into a mass one-tenth its original size. It ripped the thick metal tubing of the test harness to shreds, causing ten-kilogram lead weights to be tossed into the air like confetti. Some of the scientists had to run for their lives to avoid the falling weights.]
ATLAS: My God. Am I hallucinating?
TRETHERS: Professor, the contraction was off the scale of my instruments!
ATLAS: Which means what?
TRETHERS: A pull of over one metric ton!
ATLAS: I think it's time to get rip-snorting drunk, don't you?
FIRST COMBAT RUN
[Editor's note: On February 5, 2439, the first BattleMech received its baptism of fire on a desolate series of steppes near the North American city of Yakima. The BattleMech, a joint effort by more than 20 of the best weapons manufacturers in the Hegemony, was tested against four ancient Merkava heavy tanks specially fitted with remote control devices. The commander of the BattleMech and the first MechWarrior was Colonel Charles Kincaid.
The few people allowed to witness the first combat run of the BattleMech were debriefed. What follows is a transcript of a verbal report filed by Professor Htov Gbarleman, chief research scientist for Karena's Fiber Optics Interstellar, manufacturer of the BattleMech's sensor systems.]
Colonel Kincaid, with his usual impatience, rushed through the pre-test warmup and nearly ripped apart one of his umbilical connections trying to get the test started. As I began to monitor the sensor output, I noticed that the BattleMech's myomer-neural feedback circuits were faithfully echoing Colonel Kincaid's brain wave patterns. It was eerie - almost as though the 'Mech were technically alive and Kincaid was its spark of divinity. The Colonel's howl of sheer pleasure quickly cleared my head of that notion. He pushed the Mackie forward in a trot straight into the test range where four tanks waited among low, rolling hills.
One of the tanks opened fire. Its shot was true and hit the 'Mech just above the right hip. Everyone in the brightly lit bunker seemed to hold his breath as all the readouts fuzzed into snow at the blast interference. No damage! A piece of steel no thicker than my finger, strengthened by radiation casting techniques and impregnated with a sheet of woven diamond fibers, had stopped cold an armor-piercing shell. That same shell would have gone straight through a third of a meter of normal steel.
The tracking cameras watched as the Colonel swiveled his chest to bring his weapons to bear. Twenty years of my life seemed to focus into a single action that would take no more than five seconds. I watched as Colonel Kincaid used his sensors-my sensor-to pick out the tank hidden behind a group of small trees and bushes. He fired both his PPC and autocannon. Both shots were direct hits and the tank erupted into a ball of flame.
A thunderous cheer swept the bunker, while everyone present began to slap me on the back. Instead of feeling pleased at the 'Mech's performance, I felt increasingly sad.
I didn't realize why until Kincaid began to track down the last tank. The tank operator was sitting at his remote control panel next to me. I'll never forget the expression on the young man's face.
Outside, Kincaid had disabled the last tank. As he stood over it, he raised the 'Mech's right foot and brought it crashing down onto the tank. Before the hunk had a chance to explode, Kincaid twisted the 'Mech's foot deeper into the tank's carcass. Next to me, the operator of the tank was trying so hard not to show his fear that tears were streaming down his cheeks.
It hit me than that my colleagues and I had just turned loose one of the most powerful weapons ever conceived by man, but we were celebrating like giddy children. While my companions jumped up and down with glee, that poor boy was trying to hide the fact that in the instant his screens went black, he had wet his pants.
-From Terran Hegemony Document 0324610.04, Hegemony Research and Development Department, Military Weapon Systems Division, ComStar Archives, Terra.
CASTLE BRIAN FORTRESSES
"Well, cadets, the topic for today's discussion is defensive fortifications, namely the Hegemony's Castles Brian. First, who can tell me how many there are? Cadet Jackson?"
"As of last year, there were more than 120 Castle Brians. The six on the world of Lambrecht represent the most on any single planet."
"Very good, Cadet Jackson. Now, who can tell me the average firepower and unit strength of a Castle Brian. Cadet Ivey?"
"Each Castle Brian has a minimum of 20 heavily armed turrets carrying an assortment of weapons and missiles. In addition to these active fortifications is the passive strength of the fortress itself, which is usually built deep inside a mountain and is virtually impregnable to anything but a full-scale nuclear blast."
"Excellent. Now for the big question. What is the purpose of a Castle Brian? Cadet Green?"
"To prevent the invasion and takeover of a Hegemony planet?"
"Absolutely incorrect. It has always been a failing of strategists to believe that a fortress protects and prevents the surrounding land from being taken over by an enemy. A fortress could only do that if it was built completely around the countryside it was to protect. Just look at what a mess the Maginot Line caused the French. They thought that building a huge network of fortresses would keep the Germans out. Trouble was, they were so confident of their Line that they didn't even bother to see it finished to the Atlantic coast. When the Germans wanted to invade France, all they had to do was run around the northern end of the Maginot Line into France. The French were so sure of their fortifications that they hadn't even bothered to design Maginot Line turrets to swivel around and fire into France. No, Castles Brian aren't meant to protect anything but themselves. Cadet Guilliam?"
"A Castle Brian is meant to be a permanent hindrance against an enemy taking the planet."
"Can you expand on that thought?"
"Castles Brian, with their stockpile of weapons, food, and men, represent a permanent threat to any enemy attempting to seize control of the planet. Because more than one Castle Brian is on most border worlds, they represent a major hidden force than can attack the enemy almost at will. If an enemy really wanted to take a Hegemony world protected by Castles Brian, it would have to do so with a huge force of men and equipment and would have to remain on that planet for a very long time. It is a price most enemies are not willing to pay."
"Excellent, Cadet Guilliam. It's good to see that someone studied the material."
-Mars Military Academy, 2423
The Cameron Star
During the months before the formal declaration of the Star League, an attempt was made to come up with a fitting symbol of the new realm. Many designs were created. Some were simple, many were ornately complicated, yet none caught the eye of Ian Cameron, the future First Lord.
The obvious symbol, a radiant starburst, was dismissed from the beginning because it resembled the Federated Suns' sunburst. Other star designs were tried. One, a central star, surrounded by five smaller stars, was considered favorable until someone asked whether the symbol would be redesigned once the Periphery realms joined the League.
The eventual symbol was discovered one day as Ian Cameron was visiting his niece, Tomasina Cameron-Havley, at a day care center. As he approached, he saw the little girl lost in concentration, desperately trying to draw a symmetrical star like the one her teacher had done. She could not and was left with a star with two of its rays longer than the others. When she gave up in frustration, the child noticed her uncle and held up the star to him. "This is a bad star," she said peevishly. Ian Cameron said that it wasn't, that it was grand because "it's a Cameron Star."
Ian Cameron took the child's drawing to several artists who developed and embellished it. Cameron then took these and sent copies to the rulers of the other houses with a letter explaining the story behind the design. All, even Coordinator Hehiro Kurita of the Draconis Combine, were enchanted by the story and the star and thus was Cameron's Star adopted as the official symbol of the Star League.
--From A Reader's Digest History of the Star League, by Vandreesen Joa, Lyran Public Press, Donegal 3002
TEXT OF THE POLLUX PROCLAMATION, 2572
My Lords and Ladies:
We stand poised on the verge of a great era, a time of realized potential, of peace, security, and freedom for every man and woman. We have taken strides toward these goals that are unprecedented in Human history by setting aside our regional, parochial differences and forging a union vaster and stronger than any previously devised.
In the course of this mighty achievement, we have struck down many barriers to harmony and understanding. One barrier that remains is the isolationism of certain areas that refuse to join in with this union, and thereby jeopardize everything for which it stands.
There is no good reason for the intransigence of people who will not recognize the greater good of laying down their independence for the sake of joining our League. There is no good reason for people to insist on resisting the superior wisdom of those who have come before them into the fold, now is there reason for them to continue to seek their own lonely course far from the centers of culture and civilization.
This course of action is temporary. This course of action is provincial.
Furthermore, in consideration of the common goals we share, we must set aside our differences and pool our resources for the common good, once and for all.
The Star League stands for a unified Humanity. As First Lord of the Star League, it is my solemn responsibility to protect the welfare of that Humanity wherever it may be found, be it on Sian or Santiago, New Vandenberg or New Avalon, Andurien or Apollo, Castor or Canopus. Though me, the Star League assumes the awesome task of safeguarding the welfare of Humanity. It is a responsibility from which the League will never shrink, a responsibility it shall never lay down. The dark days of barbarism are over-we will not let them return again.
The only way to ensure equal protection for all, the only way to safeguard the liberties of each individual, is for every Human being to accept the benefits we offer, freely and openly. So long as a solitary individual of the most distant planet in the Periphery remains uneducated, impoverished, or disadvantaged, all are equally stricken.
This situation is not now, nor shall it ever be, acceptable. We intend to see that the majority is not denied the benefits of culture and progress at the hands of a minority of radicak isolationists. We intend to extend our benevolent protection into every corner of Human-occupied space, whatever the cost, until every man, woman, and child prospers and flourishes. Let no one stand in the way of Human progress. The time for reunification has come, but some have made the grievous error of failing to heed the call. Instead, as if they chant, jeer, and jump about claming independence, as if they were somehow beyond the grasp of their mother world. It is truly sad, but it seems that the cost of a united Humanity will be paid in blood.
To the poor people of the Periphery who live under the thumb of isolationists, my message is as follows: Take heart! The true light of Humanity will soon come your way and rip away the darkness that has shackled your lives for so long.
To the isolationist governments of the Periphery, my message is as follows: As you have shown by your uncivilized refusal to negotiate in good faith for better relations between us, I no longer restrain those of us who believe punishment is in order.
The purpose of the Star League is peace. The ideal of the Star League is peace. The Star League is eternally committed to the principles of peace. If the recalcitrant leaders of the Periphery force our hand and require us to go to war, the war will be total. No prisoners will be taken. No holds will be barred. If the Star League is forced to fight for peace, it will be a fight to the death.
ON THE QUESTION OF NOBILITY
[EDITOR’S NOTE: What follows is an excerpt of a conversation between General Aleksandr Kerensky and First Lord Richard Cameron II on April 19, 2757. The conversation was held in the General’s quarters and was captured on his personal recording system, apparently without the First Lord’s knowledge.]
GENERAL KERENSKY: You mentioned yesterday about "the nobility of the spirit." What did you mean?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Nobility...You know, that something people are born with that makes them either good or bad, rich or poor.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Born with? Can someone start out common but become noble?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I don't think so.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Could you be a friend to someone who had committed a crime, or was poor?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I doubt it.
GENERAL KERENSKY: No hope of redemption for the weary sinner, eh?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I don't follow.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Never mind. Look out there, your Highness; what do you see?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: The Aegis about a klick to port, the Michigan to starboard. Several destroyers and a few DropShips.
GENERAL KERENSKY: And what do they represent to you?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: The might of the Star League, the force by which the League can smite its enemies and create justice.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Justice can be created?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Of course.
GENERAL KERENSKY: How? Justice is justice. It is the indefinable purpose of God we look for in life. It's not something we can create.
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Don't be funny, Aleksandr. Everyone knows that justice is one of the spoils of victory.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Might is right?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: It is the noble way, isn't it?
GENERAL KERENSKY: According to whose definition?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Lord Amaris. He says that nobility is often just blind confidence.
GENERAL KERENSKY: And when you believe you are right, then anything you do is right?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Exactly. Why do you shake your head that way?
KERENSKY’S FLIGHT
For MechWarrior Nicholas Henson and everyone of the 2234th Battle Regiment (The Star Vikings), the uprising came as a shock. Two weeks before the rebellion on New Vandenburg, he had been carousing with his classmates, celebrating their graduation and wondeirng where they would be assigned. Though he had hopes for action upon learning that he was Periphery-bound, Henson was given the boring job of patrolling the warehouses.
Henson had been listening to the news for further word from Fort Gorki when the station went dead. He flipped through the dial looking for another, but all the civilian stations had gone silent. Just then his CO popped up.
“Henson, this is the situation. The whole planet seems to have gone up in arms over the Fort Gorki fighting. General Kerensky’s headquarters are under attack. He and his staff are headed here. Go to Warehouse 5 and open it up so that our Techs can get in there and start powering up some of those ‘Mechs. When you’re done, look for the General’s convoy and guard it. Understood?”
Henson spent the next half hour assisting the Techs as they powered up a Wolverine II and an Atlas II. Using power they drained from his Warhammer’s reactor, they inserted live fuel cores into the two ‘Mechs and started them up. Just as the Techs were disconnecting the last power cord, a laser-scarred and blackened hovertank pulled into the warehouse. The hatches of the vehicle opened, and its occupants got out.
MechWarrior Henson recognized General Kerensky. The tall, muscular man stepped down from the vehicle and walked toward Henson and his ‘Mech.
“At ease, at ease,” came the General’s voice through the speakers of Henson’s helmet. “This isn’t a parade. What’s your name, warrior?” The voice was remarkably gentle for all the authority it carried, and the slight slavic accent gave it an unusual cadence.
“Henson, is it? Well, MechWarrior Henson, we’re faced with what my people back home would call a snowy choice. The entire planet has rebelled and apparently has more than enough weaponry to give us a run for our money.
“I’m guessing the enemy ‘Mechs are after me and will soon attack the spaceport. My DropShip is coming, but I don’t know when. It will be close. Until then, I want to be able to fight, which is why you’ve been helping these good Techs to power up these ‘Mechs. Excuse me a moment.”
The Atlas, Warhammer, and Wolverine walked out of the warehouse and looked upon the inferno that had once been the spaceport. Suddenly, General Kerensky’s aide called out that his sensors had picked up a fighter coming in from behind. Henson ran for the warehouse but stopped abruptly when he realized that no one was following him.
General Kerensky, in his Atlas, took a few steps forward and away from his aide. Both faced the approaching fighter and calmly waited. The fighter, a Thrush, dove and waited until the last instant to let loose a volley of missiles and laser fire at the two ‘Mechs standing so defiantly below.
An instant before the enemy missiles reached them, General Kerensky and his aide let loose a salvo of their own missile and cannon fire. Then, with a speed and precision Henson never seen before, Kerensky and his aide dodged their ‘Mechs out of the way as the enemy missiles exploded into the ground where they had been standing.
An instant later, the fighter erupted into a ball of flames as it passed over and crashed into one of the warehouses behind them. Sheepishly, Henson walked back from the warehouse and approached the two warriors, who, he could hear, were quibbling over whose missile had brought the fighter down.
“There you are, MechWarrior Henson. A wise move to hide. Don’t worry. We’re just too old to really care anymore.”
There was a barrage of artillery shells that whistled over their heads and exploded nearby, demolishing several warehouses.
“Well, Henson, looks as if the enemy wants to save us the trouble of blowing up our stores. Let’s find your company and lend them a hand. Lead the way.”
The next 30 minutes became a blur of impressions and sensations for the young MechWarrior. The shock of arriving at the runway’s edge and linking up with the remainder of his company just in time to see enemy ‘Mechs appear across the runway, their weapons searing the ground and air about him. The crazy chase as the enemy ‘Mechs pursued them through the maze of warehouses and buildings, every blind intersection becoming a potential ambush. The horror of seeing three friends being cut down. The anger he felt as he launched a Headhunter at an enemy ‘Mech, and the elation he felt as he saw the cockpit explode and the ‘Mech collapse, smoke billowing from where the head had been.
Just as the remaining SLDF forces were surrounded and the noose was beginning to tighten, the ground began to shake, a hot gale came down over them, and a shadow fell over the Star League ‘Mechs. Moving impossibly slowly over their heads was a Fortress DropShip, so close Henson felt he could touch it.
“Ah, good,” was General Kerensky’s only comment on their rescuer’s appearance.
The loading onto the DropShip was eerily quiet, considering what had been happening in the battle just moments before. General Kerensky walked up to Henson, who was desperately trying to compose himself.
“I feel for you, Henson. To have such a disaster for your first battle is a difficult way for you to begin your career. You did very well today. Unfortunately, it looks as if disasters may be what we will be getting for a while. It is going to be a long and stupid war."
-Excerpt from the novelization, Brian Henson, MechWarrior, by Vincent DeVries, New Avalon Press, 2788
ADMIRAL BRASO’S LAST TRANSMISSION
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The Thirty-fourth Royal BattleMech Division was aided in its attempt to win back the Hegemony by the 568th Armed Transport Flotilla. The flotilla consisted of a single Black Lion Class battlecruiser, two Aegis Class cruisers, four Lola Class destroyers, one Potemkin Class cruiser/transport, and 20 transports and service vessels.
Commanding the 568th was Admiral Amanda Braso, a 30-year veteran of the Star League Navy and recipient of the Naval Medal of Valor, for her action during the Battle of D’Van’s Star. What follows is her last transmission. The message was received and recorded by a small trading vessel that was watching the battle from a jump point. The message was forwarded to the Periphery.]
This is Admiral Braso, commander of the 568th Armed Transport Flotilla. I’m hoping that someone friendly to the Star League might be listening in and relay my message to the General. He has to know what has happened.
We materialized into the Epsilon Indi system on July 1 at 0900 hours at both the zenith and nadir jump points. No resistance.
We high-geed it to Epsilon Indi in two groups, I in my flagship and Vice Admiral Mitchell Justin in his cruiser, the E. Presley. A day away from Indi, we picked up a challenge from a drone warship. We gave the proper response. To no one’s surprise, it refused our ID code. Our computer programmers took over at that point and attempted to worm their way into the controls of the Space Defense System. They tried everything but were rebuked by the computer’s security system each time. My hat’s off to whoever built the SDS; they built quality stuff, damn them.
As we drew nearer, more Caspars left their posts on the far side of the planet until all 56 were ready and waiting for us. There was no way to avoid a fight. I ordered Justin and his ships to change course and try to make it to the far side of the planet while my group would bear the brunt of the fighting. I was hoping that he might have a chance to unload his troops unopposed.
The Caspars, looking for all the world like warships from hell, are incredible to watch. They took the initiative, which surprised me, and performed an incredibly swift raking pass at my ships. Our gunners found it difficult to aim at the drone ships because of their speed and maneuverability. After they passed my ship, they concentrated on the Rex, a destroyer. Her commander made a fatal error and tried to run away. Like sharks around a whale, the drones encircled the Rex and sliced her to pieces. They went after the transports next. We managed to scatter the drones by diving into the middle of the fray, but not before they had gotten two troop transports. The gunners on my ship, bless their hearts, managed to get two of them by aiming at their tails. There seems to be an unusual weakness there that might be exploited by whoever follows us.
I ordered the remaining transports to launch their DropShips and ‘Mechs, hoping that so many targets would confuse the SDS and that some would get through. The Caspars split into two groups, one to engage us and the other to slice through the cloud of DropShips and ‘Mechs, their weapons firing at even the smallest tank-carrier. Many ‘Mechs were lost, but some survived.
Then, without warning, one of the drone ships rammed the Huston, an Aegis Class cruiser. I was horrified to see both ships explode. I then watched helplessly the ground-based SDS lasers and missiles picked off our remaining ‘Mechs and DropShips like so many kernels of corn thrown into a fire. One by one, ‘Mechs and DropShips were singled out and destroyed. I estimated that of all the DropShips and ‘Mechs I had in my group, maybe 10 percent actually reached the ground. Justin’s last report said that his group fared a little better, but not much. I do not hold out much hope for those that did reach the surface.
I don’t know how we are going to overcome these SDSes. The only way I can see to combat them is just hunting its warships down and destroying them all, then bombarding the hell out of the planet in hopes of destroying the laser and missile batteries on the planet’s surface. I…
What? Evasive action to port! Gunners fire, maximum spread. Prepare for collision. (Sounds of explosions)
End of transmission.
LIBERATION OF TERRA
The Reagan Space Defense System was many times larger and more powerful than the others, and the engineers and scientists of the SLDF could offer General Kerensky no short cuts to defeat it. Brute force was the only way through the Reagan Space Defense System.
The General and his staff spent months of conferences to shape the plans for capturing Terra. Code-named Operation Liberation, the resulting risky plan was to swamp the Reagan Space Defense System with so many targets that most of Kerensky’s forces would be able to reach Terra’s surface.
While his troops were preparing for the operation, General Kerensky issued a statement to Terra giving Stefan Amaris a chance to surrender. Amaris, by then almost totally insane, sent a long, rambling reply that, among other curious things, called General Kerensky the angel of death. Taking the reply as a no, the Regular Army continued to prepare for the assault. This could be the final battle and no doubt the biggest.
On January 23, 2777, soldiers on eight worlds loaded onto their DropShips. General Kerensky, in his flagship, the McKenna’s Pride, watched as ships began gathering around the zenith jump point of New Earth. Twenty minutes before Operation Liberation was to commence, a taped message was flashed to all ships.
“Soldiers of the Star League, I’ve a few words to say before we begin. We’ve come a long way, my friends. From the far Periphery to just outside home, we have fought battle after battle. We’ve seen our enemy fall before us. We’ve seen our friends die. Now tired, bloodied, and battered, we are about to enter a battle that many have said is impossible to win. Perhaps they are right. Perhaps freeing Terra from the Usurper is humanly impossible. If it is, I’m not worried. I have long known that the men and women whom it has been my honor to command are more than just flesh and blood. That they are more than the sum of their physical parts. An unalloyed spirit runs through you like the sparks in diamonds. It is hard to put this into words but when I look into the eyes of even the lowest-rank trooper, I see the Star League. And I know that the worth of the Star League lies with the fact that it gave birth to and nurtured men and women like you. Friends, it is time to go home. Godspeed to all of you.”
Because there isn't much overlap between the people who like western mech sims and the people who like japanese mecha games. Or rather, the two sub-genres are pretty different and we're talking about the former.
In any case this game looks quite a bit slower than the recent AC games, which is great in my opinion. Can't wait to see more gameplay footage.
Yeah, the older AC games were a bit slower, but they were also a bit more complicated to play from what I recall. The newer AC games are faster and more arcade style play.
This game reminds me far more of AC than mechwarrior.
Steiner will forever hold a place in my heart. Screw the Federated Commonwealth! Steiner Separatist forever!
Your name looks suspiciously similar to Davion, though...
When I played Battletech I went by the moniker Tomcatt. As I got older I found several people using that name. Well after I played my last Battletech game I starting messing around with a random name generator trying to find a new alias for myself. This popped up. I didn't even connect the two in my head until much later.
Dyvion on
Steam: No Safety In Life
PSN: Dyvion -- Eternal: Dyvion+9393 -- Genshin Impact: Dyvion
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edited April 2011
Delta.
The only way you could be more awesome is if you were a chick.
Mechwarrior has lore? I just liked it better than earthsiege because of the mech designs, and how they felt they actually had weight.
This game looks, to be frank, a lot like the newer Armored Core games (why do people keep saying they haven't seen a mech game in 10 years?) with more retro visuals: non-positional damage, basically a left/right weapon system, spend a lot of time flying around, etc. Another comparison would be that Front Mission game that came out last year.
In short, you're in a mech, but it doesn't really feel "mechy" to me, I guess.
I think it's just two different approaches to the concept of mechs. The prevailing Japanese idea is oversized infantry, using infantry tactics, with infantry aesthetics (Zakus use German helmet elements in their head design, various Gundams and other mobile suits are very obviously influenced by samurai, for example). The gameplay reflects this, with the games feeling more like a third-person shooter.
Mechwarrior and its ilk approach them more as walking tanks. Tank and combined arms tactics, slower paced combat, little vertical action, often independent torso twist (I hope that's in Hawken...) and less of a focus on singular heroes as opposed to factions.
And of course there are the mech games that come around every so often that're just FPSs with a cockpit drawn around you.
Edit: I guess my point is, games in the second category are what people are complaining about not getting released. Chromehounds died fast, Steel Battalion's a thing of the past, and that's about it off the top of my head.
Well, there's probably someone out there who didn't know about the lore. I regret nothing.
Inner sphere. Screw the clan and their engineering.
Well I was like... twelve when I played Mercenaries. So I started off believing the Clans were the main bad guys. Then I played the first Mechwarrior and was shocked to be playing as Clan Wolf and they act all heroic and shit.
I didn't know what Battletech was until Mechassault really. And hell, I still have no idea what's going on in Battletech. I have no tabletop culture, so its hard to picture no reall good guy and bad guy.
Cantido on
3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
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DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
Because there isn't much overlap between the people who like western mech sims and the people who like japanese mecha games. Or rather, the two sub-genres are pretty different and we're talking about the former.
In any case this game looks quite a bit slower than the recent AC games, which is great in my opinion. Can't wait to see more gameplay footage.
Yeah, the older AC games were a bit slower, but they were also a bit more complicated to play from what I recall. The newer AC games are faster and more arcade style play.
This game reminds me far more of AC than mechwarrior.
Mechwarrior has lore? I just liked it better than earthsiege because of the mech designs, and how they felt they actually had weight.
Yea, it has lore. A lot of lore
tl:dr
Sarcasm, you have failed me on the internet for the last time! But I'll give you another chance later.
I've played the board game a lot, and read though most of the tech manuals for the stats, so I'm somewhat aware of the lore.
Of note for the Earthsiege series, they did eventually inspire (how, I'm not sure) the greatest game to ever be made, Tribes.
In Starsiege (which is fucking awesome, gameplay and story wise. Delta Assault can go roll a doughnut.), the Cybrids are basically stomping all over humanity. At one point in the game, it's been a while but I'm thinking it was the climax of the second act, it's looking so bad that we take all that's left of our civilian population and pack them into makeshift colony ships and send them as far away as we can. The hope was that if we couldn't hold the Solar System then at least mankind may find a chance among the stars. And thus were born the Tribes.
Chromehounds was taken away from us before it's time. I'll miss it always, and cherish the memories we had
I got drunk playing halo a couple weeks ago and the next day when i went to watch some netflix i noticed chromehounds was in my xbox...i have a feeling tears where shed that night that i dont remember
Chromehounds was taken away from us before it's time. I'll miss it always, and cherish the memories we had
I got drunk playing halo a couple weeks ago and the next day when i went to watch some netflix i noticed chromehounds was in my xbox...i have a feeling tears where shed that night that i dont remember
Before I found Brutal Legend, Chromehounds was exactly what I wanted in a console strategy game. It reminded me of a cross between Mechwarrior and Natural Selection. I did the whole campaign with care in preparation for online play, and when I finally start, I could not get into a single match.
If that game had preset mechs and non mandatory clans, Id probably still be playing it...
My favorite part of chromhounds was the customization and how everyones mech was different. The clan part was annoying if you tried to join someone elses and couldnt because you had switched sides too recently.
heckels on
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Lord_AsmodeusgoeticSobriquet:Here is your magical cryptic riddle-tumour: I AM A TIME MACHINERegistered Userregular
Because there isn't much overlap between the people who like western mech sims and the people who like japanese mecha games. Or rather, the two sub-genres are pretty different and we're talking about the former.
In any case this game looks quite a bit slower than the recent AC games, which is great in my opinion. Can't wait to see more gameplay footage.
Yeah, the older AC games were a bit slower, but they were also a bit more complicated to play from what I recall. The newer AC games are faster and more arcade style play.
This game reminds me far more of AC than mechwarrior.
Mechwarrior has lore? I just liked it better than earthsiege because of the mech designs, and how they felt they actually had weight.
Yea, it has lore. A lot of lore
tl:dr
Sarcasm, you have failed me on the internet for the last time! But I'll give you another chance later.
I've played the board game a lot, and read though most of the tech manuals for the stats, so I'm somewhat aware of the lore.
Of note for the Earthsiege series, they did eventually inspire (how, I'm not sure) the greatest game to ever be made, Tribes.
In Starsiege (which is fucking awesome, gameplay and story wise. Delta Assault can go roll a doughnut.), the Cybrids are basically stomping all over humanity. At one point in the game, it's been a while but I'm thinking it was the climax of the second act, it's looking so bad that we take all that's left of our civilian population and pack them into makeshift colony ships and send them as far away as we can. The hope was that if we couldn't hold the Solar System then at least mankind may find a chance among the stars. And thus were born the Tribes.
I remember playing Starsiege and thinking it was awesome. I never knew Tribes and Cyberstorm (never played Tribes, fucking love Cyberstorm games) were part of that awesome universe. There really needs to be a new game set in the universe, maybe where they go through that jumpgate and encounter the aliens that left the caches on the other side, who invade through the portal to conquer all, and the Cybrids and Humans must join forces to fight the alien menace, meanwhile the BioDerms plot their independence. It could be another game like Cyberstorm, or it could be a first person Mech game where you are yourself a BioDerm who must balance your war to save the solar system and all that is in it with your desire to free yourself from your slavery, fighting along side Cybrids you learn more about them and together you formulate a plan to free the BioDerms from slavery so that both can flee to the Outer Rim once the Alien War is over, and plan to ensure the Humans never create more slaves for them to rule and discard as they please...
I think it would be cool anyway.
Lord_Asmodeus on
Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. - Lincoln
I watched both of them. This game sounds really fantastic. Some fun details:
No ammo, weapons just overheat.
No unlocking/leveling up BS, you distribute your customization points at the beginning of the round and those are all you get.
You can increase speed, offense, and defense so far (I think maybe they have other kinds of customization by the time they release).
8 or 9 maps I think? And 4 or 5 distinct sort of art styles, so it's not just going to be that city over and over.
Lots of other good stuff, too. They're taking the whole "we don't want to bite off more than we can chew and we want to work on it until it's done" approach and I'm pumped. This looks like fun, and the RTS-esque features they've hinted at a few times sound neat.
This looks and sounds amazing. The weapon impact sounds and even just the movement sounds are incredibly immersive. But the gameplay looks like a typical multiplayer fps with robot suits on. Yeah the jumpjets are cool, but powersliding giant robots? I guess I am just a fan of the Mechwarrior style of mech game. Giant, heavy, cumbersome walking armories blasting each other until they can't stand up, with locational damage, systems management etc. I like a little sim mixed in with my fps.
I watched both of them. This game sounds really fantastic. Some fun details:
No ammo, weapons just overheat.
No unlocking/leveling up BS, you distribute your customization points at the beginning of the round and those are all you get.
You can increase speed, offense, and defense so far (I think maybe they have other kinds of customization by the time they release).
8 or 9 maps I think? And 4 or 5 distinct sort of art styles, so it's not just going to be that city over and over.
Lots of other good stuff, too. They're taking the whole "we don't want to bite off more than we can chew and we want to work on it until it's done" approach and I'm pumped. This looks like fun, and the RTS-esque features they've hinted at a few times sound neat.
Oh shi-
If it's anywhere near as well implemented as Battlezone I'll take my copy of Brutal Legend outside and smash it. Battlezone is the holy grail of action RTS hybrids.
I watched both of them. This game sounds really fantastic. Some fun details:
No ammo, weapons just overheat.
No unlocking/leveling up BS, you distribute your customization points at the beginning of the round and those are all you get.
You can increase speed, offense, and defense so far (I think maybe they have other kinds of customization by the time they release).
8 or 9 maps I think? And 4 or 5 distinct sort of art styles, so it's not just going to be that city over and over.
Lots of other good stuff, too. They're taking the whole "we don't want to bite off more than we can chew and we want to work on it until it's done" approach and I'm pumped. This looks like fun, and the RTS-esque features they've hinted at a few times sound neat.
Oh shi-
If it's anywhere near as well implemented as Battlezone I'll take my copy of Brutal Legend outside and smash it. Battlezone is the holy grail of action RTS hybrids.
Uh, nothing that extensive it looks like. It sounds like all the powerups are purchased with currency that is earned by controlling specific points on the map. They might also have a game mode focused on that kind of stuff, I think. It's not Battlezone/Natural Selection/Savage/anything like that.
I watched both of them. This game sounds really fantastic. Some fun details:
No ammo, weapons just overheat.
No unlocking/leveling up BS, you distribute your customization points at the beginning of the round and those are all you get.
You can increase speed, offense, and defense so far (I think maybe they have other kinds of customization by the time they release).
8 or 9 maps I think? And 4 or 5 distinct sort of art styles, so it's not just going to be that city over and over.
Lots of other good stuff, too. They're taking the whole "we don't want to bite off more than we can chew and we want to work on it until it's done" approach and I'm pumped. This looks like fun, and the RTS-esque features they've hinted at a few times sound neat.
Oh shi-
If it's anywhere near as well implemented as Battlezone I'll take my copy of Brutal Legend outside and smash it. Battlezone is the holy grail of action RTS hybrids.
Uh, nothing that extensive it looks like. It sounds like all the powerups are purchased with currency that is earned by controlling specific points on the map. They might also have a game mode focused on that kind of stuff, I think. It's not Battlezone/Natural Selection/Savage/anything like that.
Ah, well that's for the best. In Battlezone you could sit there and build your whole base and customize the loadout of every little hovertank and mech. But if matches are going to be a little faster than thirty minutes, that's just not feasible. Hawken looks absolutely outstanding though.
Just watched the 2nd vid and the designer mentioned Kow Yokoyama as an influence. This gets better and better.
Hiryu02 on
Sev: Your gameplay is the most heavily yomi based around. Usually you look for characters that allow you to force guessing situations for big dmg. Even if the guess is mathematically nowhere near in your favor lol. You're happiest when you have either a 50/50, 33/33/33 or even a 75/25 situation to go crazy with. And you will take big risks to force those situations to come up.
Dear god this looks awesome. They need to add the ability to design the flying battleships.
Lord_Mordja on
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Mostlyjoe13Evil, Evil, Jump for joy!Registered Userregular
edited June 2011
After reading the Kotaku article I ran across this gem.
Another trick is that the game's first-person perspective allows them to "fudge" the fidelity of Hawken's graphics. Built on Epic's Unreal Engine, it only employs DirectX 9 (as it's hoped they can port the game straight over to Xbox 360 and/or PS3), and for most textures doesn't even use normal or specular mapping. "That's just one example of what we do here to cut corners without sacrificing visual fidelity. In the end, it's about the overall view and not the close up details."
And more importantly... are there going to be any Assault 'Mechs? Those are the kings of the battlefield. So fearsome are these behemoths in battle that one assault 'Mech is often equal to an entire lance of lighter 'Mechs. A well-designed assault 'Mech fears no opponent in the field, and its physical attacks can cripple just about any target.
Delta Assault on
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L Ron HowardThe duckMinnesotaRegistered Userregular
edited June 2011
Two light Mechs circle strafing around an assault mech... Mmmmmmm.
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In any case this game looks quite a bit slower than the recent AC games, which is great in my opinion. Can't wait to see more gameplay footage.
Yea, it has lore. A lot of lore.
A single man ruled and controlled 3,000 star systems.
The Lords of Davion, Kurita, Steiner, Marik, and Liao deferred to his will.
After the explosive spread of mankind through the stars and before the chaos of the Succession Wars was a golden age of advancement. Unequalled levels of technology, human rights, and prosperity were reached. Planets bent to the will of man, as terraforming and weather control became both possible and economical. Agro-technology fed billions. The average human lifespan was extended to 108 standard years by medical science. But those same advances carried a curse, for the engines of war from the Star League era possessed power unequalled in the Successor States today.
And in that time of great deeds stood the greatest warrior of all time, Aleksandr Kerensky.
As I floated through the hatchway into the bridge, I peered into the dimness but saw no silhouette that matched James McKenna's frame. When I looked up suddenly, I was startled to see the Fleet Admiral floating just above my head in his Captain’s chair. I had forgotten that in Zero-G the “ceiling” was just another stretch of deck to which chairs and instruments were bolted. It was logical but disorienting to see men and women sitting on the ceiling working instruments while the Admiral of the Alliance looked down into my upturned face. With his help, I floated up to him and strapped myself into a chair.
The Admiral was every bit as imposing as he appeared in the holos. He was tall and muscular, with long, unkempt blond hair that tended to float about him like a halo in Zero-G. He was gregarious, but it was easy to see the intelligence and calculation in his eyes.
MARTHA DEANS: Admiral McKenna, this is the most impressive vessel I have ever seen. But there are many people in the Alliance who wonder just why the Dreadnought was built. Weapons are usually built with a specific target or enemy in mind. Who or what is the Dreadnought’s target?
MCKENNA: Well, ignorance for one. People used to believe that it was beyond the abilities of man to build such a massive ship. I believed otherwise, and I wanted to prove it.
DEANS: Do you always act so forcefully on your beliefs?
MCKENNA: Of course. How will you ever know if what you believe is right unless you have to get out there and prove it?
DEANS: There are many who say that’s one of the reasons the Alliance is in such a political snarl.
They think that fanatical belief in such things as political parties is the cause of all mankind’s pain.
MCKENNA: I’m inclined to agree. Believing in a political party is not a sign of a person’s intelligence, just his willingness to be led about by the nose. Individual conviction and decisive actions are the signs of true intelligence.
DEANS: How do you balance your personal beliefs with your duty to the Alliance?
MCKENNA: It isn’t easy, and there are times when I seriously consider chucking all this for the Canadian wilderness.
DEANS: What keeps you here, then?
MCKENNA: I think the main reason for sticking around is in case fate steps in to give me and these ships an opportunity for action, or to do something that would improve life back on Terra and the other Alliance worlds.
DEANS: What would you do, given this opportunity?
MCKENNA: Now that depends on the situation, don’t you think?
-From Good Morning Canada, holonews broadcast, September 15, 2313
Experiment Summary: Professor Atlas and Team Musclebound-consisting of five section leaders and 14 assistants-are testing a new type of myomer bundle, smaller and requiring less motivating energy than previous models. The new myomer bundle, dubbed "The Schwarzenegger Bicep," was a collection of myomer strings interwoven with a new, electrically soluble nerve circuitry. The team hoped this would solve a problem that had plagued them for the past ten months: the uncoordinated contraction of individual myomer fibers, resulting in uncontrollable and useless twitching.
The myomer bundle, about two meters long and ten centimeters thick, was attached to the test harness, which was little more than a universal gym system using lead weights from a local health spa. The myomer bundle was attached with one end anchored to the concrete floor and the other to the pulley system of the test harness so that, if the contraction succeeded, the strength of the bundle could be measured by how much the bundle could lift.
ATLAS: Is everything all set? Unauthorized personnel out?...Everyone behind the safety barriers?...All right. Good luck, everyone. O.K. Devers, charge the myomer bundle.
DEVERS: Myomer bundle charge at 100 percent.
ATLAS: Trethers, measuring instruments ready?
TRETHERS: Yes, sir.
ATLAS: Fine. Iona, turn on the cameras. Countdown from five, four, three, two, one, discharge.
[Professor Atlas pushed the discharge switch. Immediately, all the potential energy stored in the myomer bundle became one swift and powerful contraction as the electric current traveled through it. The new myomer bundle composition of "Schwarzenegger's Bicep" contracted into a mass one-tenth its original size. It ripped the thick metal tubing of the test harness to shreds, causing ten-kilogram lead weights to be tossed into the air like confetti. Some of the scientists had to run for their lives to avoid the falling weights.]
ATLAS: My God. Am I hallucinating?
TRETHERS: Professor, the contraction was off the scale of my instruments!
ATLAS: Which means what?
TRETHERS: A pull of over one metric ton!
ATLAS: I think it's time to get rip-snorting drunk, don't you?
[Editor's note: On February 5, 2439, the first BattleMech received its baptism of fire on a desolate series of steppes near the North American city of Yakima. The BattleMech, a joint effort by more than 20 of the best weapons manufacturers in the Hegemony, was tested against four ancient Merkava heavy tanks specially fitted with remote control devices. The commander of the BattleMech and the first MechWarrior was Colonel Charles Kincaid.
The few people allowed to witness the first combat run of the BattleMech were debriefed. What follows is a transcript of a verbal report filed by Professor Htov Gbarleman, chief research scientist for Karena's Fiber Optics Interstellar, manufacturer of the BattleMech's sensor systems.]
Colonel Kincaid, with his usual impatience, rushed through the pre-test warmup and nearly ripped apart one of his umbilical connections trying to get the test started. As I began to monitor the sensor output, I noticed that the BattleMech's myomer-neural feedback circuits were faithfully echoing Colonel Kincaid's brain wave patterns. It was eerie - almost as though the 'Mech were technically alive and Kincaid was its spark of divinity. The Colonel's howl of sheer pleasure quickly cleared my head of that notion. He pushed the Mackie forward in a trot straight into the test range where four tanks waited among low, rolling hills.
One of the tanks opened fire. Its shot was true and hit the 'Mech just above the right hip. Everyone in the brightly lit bunker seemed to hold his breath as all the readouts fuzzed into snow at the blast interference. No damage! A piece of steel no thicker than my finger, strengthened by radiation casting techniques and impregnated with a sheet of woven diamond fibers, had stopped cold an armor-piercing shell. That same shell would have gone straight through a third of a meter of normal steel.
The tracking cameras watched as the Colonel swiveled his chest to bring his weapons to bear. Twenty years of my life seemed to focus into a single action that would take no more than five seconds. I watched as Colonel Kincaid used his sensors-my sensor-to pick out the tank hidden behind a group of small trees and bushes. He fired both his PPC and autocannon. Both shots were direct hits and the tank erupted into a ball of flame.
A thunderous cheer swept the bunker, while everyone present began to slap me on the back. Instead of feeling pleased at the 'Mech's performance, I felt increasingly sad.
I didn't realize why until Kincaid began to track down the last tank. The tank operator was sitting at his remote control panel next to me. I'll never forget the expression on the young man's face.
Outside, Kincaid had disabled the last tank. As he stood over it, he raised the 'Mech's right foot and brought it crashing down onto the tank. Before the hunk had a chance to explode, Kincaid twisted the 'Mech's foot deeper into the tank's carcass. Next to me, the operator of the tank was trying so hard not to show his fear that tears were streaming down his cheeks.
It hit me than that my colleagues and I had just turned loose one of the most powerful weapons ever conceived by man, but we were celebrating like giddy children. While my companions jumped up and down with glee, that poor boy was trying to hide the fact that in the instant his screens went black, he had wet his pants.
-From Terran Hegemony Document 0324610.04, Hegemony Research and Development Department, Military Weapon Systems Division, ComStar Archives, Terra.
"Well, cadets, the topic for today's discussion is defensive fortifications, namely the Hegemony's Castles Brian. First, who can tell me how many there are? Cadet Jackson?"
"As of last year, there were more than 120 Castle Brians. The six on the world of Lambrecht represent the most on any single planet."
"Very good, Cadet Jackson. Now, who can tell me the average firepower and unit strength of a Castle Brian. Cadet Ivey?"
"Each Castle Brian has a minimum of 20 heavily armed turrets carrying an assortment of weapons and missiles. In addition to these active fortifications is the passive strength of the fortress itself, which is usually built deep inside a mountain and is virtually impregnable to anything but a full-scale nuclear blast."
"Excellent. Now for the big question. What is the purpose of a Castle Brian? Cadet Green?"
"To prevent the invasion and takeover of a Hegemony planet?"
"Absolutely incorrect. It has always been a failing of strategists to believe that a fortress protects and prevents the surrounding land from being taken over by an enemy. A fortress could only do that if it was built completely around the countryside it was to protect. Just look at what a mess the Maginot Line caused the French. They thought that building a huge network of fortresses would keep the Germans out. Trouble was, they were so confident of their Line that they didn't even bother to see it finished to the Atlantic coast. When the Germans wanted to invade France, all they had to do was run around the northern end of the Maginot Line into France. The French were so sure of their fortifications that they hadn't even bothered to design Maginot Line turrets to swivel around and fire into France. No, Castles Brian aren't meant to protect anything but themselves. Cadet Guilliam?"
"A Castle Brian is meant to be a permanent hindrance against an enemy taking the planet."
"Can you expand on that thought?"
"Castles Brian, with their stockpile of weapons, food, and men, represent a permanent threat to any enemy attempting to seize control of the planet. Because more than one Castle Brian is on most border worlds, they represent a major hidden force than can attack the enemy almost at will. If an enemy really wanted to take a Hegemony world protected by Castles Brian, it would have to do so with a huge force of men and equipment and would have to remain on that planet for a very long time. It is a price most enemies are not willing to pay."
"Excellent, Cadet Guilliam. It's good to see that someone studied the material."
-Mars Military Academy, 2423
The Cameron Star
During the months before the formal declaration of the Star League, an attempt was made to come up with a fitting symbol of the new realm. Many designs were created. Some were simple, many were ornately complicated, yet none caught the eye of Ian Cameron, the future First Lord.
The obvious symbol, a radiant starburst, was dismissed from the beginning because it resembled the Federated Suns' sunburst. Other star designs were tried. One, a central star, surrounded by five smaller stars, was considered favorable until someone asked whether the symbol would be redesigned once the Periphery realms joined the League.
The eventual symbol was discovered one day as Ian Cameron was visiting his niece, Tomasina Cameron-Havley, at a day care center. As he approached, he saw the little girl lost in concentration, desperately trying to draw a symmetrical star like the one her teacher had done. She could not and was left with a star with two of its rays longer than the others. When she gave up in frustration, the child noticed her uncle and held up the star to him. "This is a bad star," she said peevishly. Ian Cameron said that it wasn't, that it was grand because "it's a Cameron Star."
Ian Cameron took the child's drawing to several artists who developed and embellished it. Cameron then took these and sent copies to the rulers of the other houses with a letter explaining the story behind the design. All, even Coordinator Hehiro Kurita of the Draconis Combine, were enchanted by the story and the star and thus was Cameron's Star adopted as the official symbol of the Star League.
--From A Reader's Digest History of the Star League, by Vandreesen Joa, Lyran Public Press, Donegal 3002
My Lords and Ladies:
We stand poised on the verge of a great era, a time of realized potential, of peace, security, and freedom for every man and woman. We have taken strides toward these goals that are unprecedented in Human history by setting aside our regional, parochial differences and forging a union vaster and stronger than any previously devised.
In the course of this mighty achievement, we have struck down many barriers to harmony and understanding. One barrier that remains is the isolationism of certain areas that refuse to join in with this union, and thereby jeopardize everything for which it stands.
There is no good reason for the intransigence of people who will not recognize the greater good of laying down their independence for the sake of joining our League. There is no good reason for people to insist on resisting the superior wisdom of those who have come before them into the fold, now is there reason for them to continue to seek their own lonely course far from the centers of culture and civilization.
This course of action is temporary. This course of action is provincial.
Furthermore, in consideration of the common goals we share, we must set aside our differences and pool our resources for the common good, once and for all.
The Star League stands for a unified Humanity. As First Lord of the Star League, it is my solemn responsibility to protect the welfare of that Humanity wherever it may be found, be it on Sian or Santiago, New Vandenberg or New Avalon, Andurien or Apollo, Castor or Canopus. Though me, the Star League assumes the awesome task of safeguarding the welfare of Humanity. It is a responsibility from which the League will never shrink, a responsibility it shall never lay down. The dark days of barbarism are over-we will not let them return again.
The only way to ensure equal protection for all, the only way to safeguard the liberties of each individual, is for every Human being to accept the benefits we offer, freely and openly. So long as a solitary individual of the most distant planet in the Periphery remains uneducated, impoverished, or disadvantaged, all are equally stricken.
This situation is not now, nor shall it ever be, acceptable. We intend to see that the majority is not denied the benefits of culture and progress at the hands of a minority of radicak isolationists. We intend to extend our benevolent protection into every corner of Human-occupied space, whatever the cost, until every man, woman, and child prospers and flourishes. Let no one stand in the way of Human progress. The time for reunification has come, but some have made the grievous error of failing to heed the call. Instead, as if they chant, jeer, and jump about claming independence, as if they were somehow beyond the grasp of their mother world. It is truly sad, but it seems that the cost of a united Humanity will be paid in blood.
To the poor people of the Periphery who live under the thumb of isolationists, my message is as follows: Take heart! The true light of Humanity will soon come your way and rip away the darkness that has shackled your lives for so long.
To the isolationist governments of the Periphery, my message is as follows: As you have shown by your uncivilized refusal to negotiate in good faith for better relations between us, I no longer restrain those of us who believe punishment is in order.
The purpose of the Star League is peace. The ideal of the Star League is peace. The Star League is eternally committed to the principles of peace. If the recalcitrant leaders of the Periphery force our hand and require us to go to war, the war will be total. No prisoners will be taken. No holds will be barred. If the Star League is forced to fight for peace, it will be a fight to the death.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: What follows is an excerpt of a conversation between General Aleksandr Kerensky and First Lord Richard Cameron II on April 19, 2757. The conversation was held in the General’s quarters and was captured on his personal recording system, apparently without the First Lord’s knowledge.]
GENERAL KERENSKY: You mentioned yesterday about "the nobility of the spirit." What did you mean?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Nobility...You know, that something people are born with that makes them either good or bad, rich or poor.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Born with? Can someone start out common but become noble?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I don't think so.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Could you be a friend to someone who had committed a crime, or was poor?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I doubt it.
GENERAL KERENSKY: No hope of redemption for the weary sinner, eh?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: I don't follow.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Never mind. Look out there, your Highness; what do you see?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: The Aegis about a klick to port, the Michigan to starboard. Several destroyers and a few DropShips.
GENERAL KERENSKY: And what do they represent to you?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: The might of the Star League, the force by which the League can smite its enemies and create justice.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Justice can be created?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Of course.
GENERAL KERENSKY: How? Justice is justice. It is the indefinable purpose of God we look for in life. It's not something we can create.
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Don't be funny, Aleksandr. Everyone knows that justice is one of the spoils of victory.
GENERAL KERENSKY: Might is right?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: It is the noble way, isn't it?
GENERAL KERENSKY: According to whose definition?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Lord Amaris. He says that nobility is often just blind confidence.
GENERAL KERENSKY: And when you believe you are right, then anything you do is right?
LORD RICHARD CAMERON: Exactly. Why do you shake your head that way?
For MechWarrior Nicholas Henson and everyone of the 2234th Battle Regiment (The Star Vikings), the uprising came as a shock. Two weeks before the rebellion on New Vandenburg, he had been carousing with his classmates, celebrating their graduation and wondeirng where they would be assigned. Though he had hopes for action upon learning that he was Periphery-bound, Henson was given the boring job of patrolling the warehouses.
Henson had been listening to the news for further word from Fort Gorki when the station went dead. He flipped through the dial looking for another, but all the civilian stations had gone silent. Just then his CO popped up.
“Henson, this is the situation. The whole planet seems to have gone up in arms over the Fort Gorki fighting. General Kerensky’s headquarters are under attack. He and his staff are headed here. Go to Warehouse 5 and open it up so that our Techs can get in there and start powering up some of those ‘Mechs. When you’re done, look for the General’s convoy and guard it. Understood?”
Henson spent the next half hour assisting the Techs as they powered up a Wolverine II and an Atlas II. Using power they drained from his Warhammer’s reactor, they inserted live fuel cores into the two ‘Mechs and started them up. Just as the Techs were disconnecting the last power cord, a laser-scarred and blackened hovertank pulled into the warehouse. The hatches of the vehicle opened, and its occupants got out.
MechWarrior Henson recognized General Kerensky. The tall, muscular man stepped down from the vehicle and walked toward Henson and his ‘Mech.
“At ease, at ease,” came the General’s voice through the speakers of Henson’s helmet. “This isn’t a parade. What’s your name, warrior?” The voice was remarkably gentle for all the authority it carried, and the slight slavic accent gave it an unusual cadence.
“Henson, is it? Well, MechWarrior Henson, we’re faced with what my people back home would call a snowy choice. The entire planet has rebelled and apparently has more than enough weaponry to give us a run for our money.
“I’m guessing the enemy ‘Mechs are after me and will soon attack the spaceport. My DropShip is coming, but I don’t know when. It will be close. Until then, I want to be able to fight, which is why you’ve been helping these good Techs to power up these ‘Mechs. Excuse me a moment.”
The Atlas, Warhammer, and Wolverine walked out of the warehouse and looked upon the inferno that had once been the spaceport. Suddenly, General Kerensky’s aide called out that his sensors had picked up a fighter coming in from behind. Henson ran for the warehouse but stopped abruptly when he realized that no one was following him.
General Kerensky, in his Atlas, took a few steps forward and away from his aide. Both faced the approaching fighter and calmly waited. The fighter, a Thrush, dove and waited until the last instant to let loose a volley of missiles and laser fire at the two ‘Mechs standing so defiantly below.
An instant before the enemy missiles reached them, General Kerensky and his aide let loose a salvo of their own missile and cannon fire. Then, with a speed and precision Henson never seen before, Kerensky and his aide dodged their ‘Mechs out of the way as the enemy missiles exploded into the ground where they had been standing.
An instant later, the fighter erupted into a ball of flames as it passed over and crashed into one of the warehouses behind them. Sheepishly, Henson walked back from the warehouse and approached the two warriors, who, he could hear, were quibbling over whose missile had brought the fighter down.
“There you are, MechWarrior Henson. A wise move to hide. Don’t worry. We’re just too old to really care anymore.”
There was a barrage of artillery shells that whistled over their heads and exploded nearby, demolishing several warehouses.
“Well, Henson, looks as if the enemy wants to save us the trouble of blowing up our stores. Let’s find your company and lend them a hand. Lead the way.”
The next 30 minutes became a blur of impressions and sensations for the young MechWarrior. The shock of arriving at the runway’s edge and linking up with the remainder of his company just in time to see enemy ‘Mechs appear across the runway, their weapons searing the ground and air about him. The crazy chase as the enemy ‘Mechs pursued them through the maze of warehouses and buildings, every blind intersection becoming a potential ambush. The horror of seeing three friends being cut down. The anger he felt as he launched a Headhunter at an enemy ‘Mech, and the elation he felt as he saw the cockpit explode and the ‘Mech collapse, smoke billowing from where the head had been.
Just as the remaining SLDF forces were surrounded and the noose was beginning to tighten, the ground began to shake, a hot gale came down over them, and a shadow fell over the Star League ‘Mechs. Moving impossibly slowly over their heads was a Fortress DropShip, so close Henson felt he could touch it.
“Ah, good,” was General Kerensky’s only comment on their rescuer’s appearance.
The loading onto the DropShip was eerily quiet, considering what had been happening in the battle just moments before. General Kerensky walked up to Henson, who was desperately trying to compose himself.
“I feel for you, Henson. To have such a disaster for your first battle is a difficult way for you to begin your career. You did very well today. Unfortunately, it looks as if disasters may be what we will be getting for a while. It is going to be a long and stupid war."
-Excerpt from the novelization, Brian Henson, MechWarrior, by Vincent DeVries, New Avalon Press, 2788
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The Thirty-fourth Royal BattleMech Division was aided in its attempt to win back the Hegemony by the 568th Armed Transport Flotilla. The flotilla consisted of a single Black Lion Class battlecruiser, two Aegis Class cruisers, four Lola Class destroyers, one Potemkin Class cruiser/transport, and 20 transports and service vessels.
Commanding the 568th was Admiral Amanda Braso, a 30-year veteran of the Star League Navy and recipient of the Naval Medal of Valor, for her action during the Battle of D’Van’s Star. What follows is her last transmission. The message was received and recorded by a small trading vessel that was watching the battle from a jump point. The message was forwarded to the Periphery.]
This is Admiral Braso, commander of the 568th Armed Transport Flotilla. I’m hoping that someone friendly to the Star League might be listening in and relay my message to the General. He has to know what has happened.
We materialized into the Epsilon Indi system on July 1 at 0900 hours at both the zenith and nadir jump points. No resistance.
We high-geed it to Epsilon Indi in two groups, I in my flagship and Vice Admiral Mitchell Justin in his cruiser, the E. Presley. A day away from Indi, we picked up a challenge from a drone warship. We gave the proper response. To no one’s surprise, it refused our ID code. Our computer programmers took over at that point and attempted to worm their way into the controls of the Space Defense System. They tried everything but were rebuked by the computer’s security system each time. My hat’s off to whoever built the SDS; they built quality stuff, damn them.
As we drew nearer, more Caspars left their posts on the far side of the planet until all 56 were ready and waiting for us. There was no way to avoid a fight. I ordered Justin and his ships to change course and try to make it to the far side of the planet while my group would bear the brunt of the fighting. I was hoping that he might have a chance to unload his troops unopposed.
The Caspars, looking for all the world like warships from hell, are incredible to watch. They took the initiative, which surprised me, and performed an incredibly swift raking pass at my ships. Our gunners found it difficult to aim at the drone ships because of their speed and maneuverability. After they passed my ship, they concentrated on the Rex, a destroyer. Her commander made a fatal error and tried to run away. Like sharks around a whale, the drones encircled the Rex and sliced her to pieces. They went after the transports next. We managed to scatter the drones by diving into the middle of the fray, but not before they had gotten two troop transports. The gunners on my ship, bless their hearts, managed to get two of them by aiming at their tails. There seems to be an unusual weakness there that might be exploited by whoever follows us.
I ordered the remaining transports to launch their DropShips and ‘Mechs, hoping that so many targets would confuse the SDS and that some would get through. The Caspars split into two groups, one to engage us and the other to slice through the cloud of DropShips and ‘Mechs, their weapons firing at even the smallest tank-carrier. Many ‘Mechs were lost, but some survived.
Then, without warning, one of the drone ships rammed the Huston, an Aegis Class cruiser. I was horrified to see both ships explode. I then watched helplessly the ground-based SDS lasers and missiles picked off our remaining ‘Mechs and DropShips like so many kernels of corn thrown into a fire. One by one, ‘Mechs and DropShips were singled out and destroyed. I estimated that of all the DropShips and ‘Mechs I had in my group, maybe 10 percent actually reached the ground. Justin’s last report said that his group fared a little better, but not much. I do not hold out much hope for those that did reach the surface.
I don’t know how we are going to overcome these SDSes. The only way I can see to combat them is just hunting its warships down and destroying them all, then bombarding the hell out of the planet in hopes of destroying the laser and missile batteries on the planet’s surface. I…
What? Evasive action to port! Gunners fire, maximum spread. Prepare for collision. (Sounds of explosions)
End of transmission.
The Reagan Space Defense System was many times larger and more powerful than the others, and the engineers and scientists of the SLDF could offer General Kerensky no short cuts to defeat it. Brute force was the only way through the Reagan Space Defense System.
The General and his staff spent months of conferences to shape the plans for capturing Terra. Code-named Operation Liberation, the resulting risky plan was to swamp the Reagan Space Defense System with so many targets that most of Kerensky’s forces would be able to reach Terra’s surface.
While his troops were preparing for the operation, General Kerensky issued a statement to Terra giving Stefan Amaris a chance to surrender. Amaris, by then almost totally insane, sent a long, rambling reply that, among other curious things, called General Kerensky the angel of death. Taking the reply as a no, the Regular Army continued to prepare for the assault. This could be the final battle and no doubt the biggest.
On January 23, 2777, soldiers on eight worlds loaded onto their DropShips. General Kerensky, in his flagship, the McKenna’s Pride, watched as ships began gathering around the zenith jump point of New Earth. Twenty minutes before Operation Liberation was to commence, a taped message was flashed to all ships.
“Soldiers of the Star League, I’ve a few words to say before we begin. We’ve come a long way, my friends. From the far Periphery to just outside home, we have fought battle after battle. We’ve seen our enemy fall before us. We’ve seen our friends die. Now tired, bloodied, and battered, we are about to enter a battle that many have said is impossible to win. Perhaps they are right. Perhaps freeing Terra from the Usurper is humanly impossible. If it is, I’m not worried. I have long known that the men and women whom it has been my honor to command are more than just flesh and blood. That they are more than the sum of their physical parts. An unalloyed spirit runs through you like the sparks in diamonds. It is hard to put this into words but when I look into the eyes of even the lowest-rank trooper, I see the Star League. And I know that the worth of the Star League lies with the fact that it gave birth to and nurtured men and women like you. Friends, it is time to go home. Godspeed to all of you.”
Edit: Well poot.
PSN: Dyvion -- Eternal: Dyvion+9393 -- Genshin Impact: Dyvion
Your name looks suspiciously similar to Davion, though...
This game reminds me far more of AC than mechwarrior.
Sarcasm, you have failed me on the internet for the last time! But I'll give you another chance later.
I've played the board game a lot, and read though most of the tech manuals for the stats, so I'm somewhat aware of the lore.
Of note for the Earthsiege series, they did eventually inspire (how, I'm not sure) the greatest game to ever be made, Tribes.
When I played Battletech I went by the moniker Tomcatt. As I got older I found several people using that name. Well after I played my last Battletech game I starting messing around with a random name generator trying to find a new alias for myself. This popped up. I didn't even connect the two in my head until much later.
PSN: Dyvion -- Eternal: Dyvion+9393 -- Genshin Impact: Dyvion
The only way you could be more awesome is if you were a chick.
So I could marry you.
And we could have tons and tons of babies.
To spread more Battletech awesomeness.
I think it's just two different approaches to the concept of mechs. The prevailing Japanese idea is oversized infantry, using infantry tactics, with infantry aesthetics (Zakus use German helmet elements in their head design, various Gundams and other mobile suits are very obviously influenced by samurai, for example). The gameplay reflects this, with the games feeling more like a third-person shooter.
Mechwarrior and its ilk approach them more as walking tanks. Tank and combined arms tactics, slower paced combat, little vertical action, often independent torso twist (I hope that's in Hawken...) and less of a focus on singular heroes as opposed to factions.
And of course there are the mech games that come around every so often that're just FPSs with a cockpit drawn around you.
Edit: I guess my point is, games in the second category are what people are complaining about not getting released. Chromehounds died fast, Steel Battalion's a thing of the past, and that's about it off the top of my head.
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
Well I was like... twelve when I played Mercenaries. So I started off believing the Clans were the main bad guys. Then I played the first Mechwarrior and was shocked to be playing as Clan Wolf and they act all heroic and shit.
I didn't know what Battletech was until Mechassault really. And hell, I still have no idea what's going on in Battletech. I have no tabletop culture, so its hard to picture no reall good guy and bad guy.
In Starsiege (which is fucking awesome, gameplay and story wise. Delta Assault can go roll a doughnut.), the Cybrids are basically stomping all over humanity. At one point in the game, it's been a while but I'm thinking it was the climax of the second act, it's looking so bad that we take all that's left of our civilian population and pack them into makeshift colony ships and send them as far away as we can. The hope was that if we couldn't hold the Solar System then at least mankind may find a chance among the stars. And thus were born the Tribes.
I got drunk playing halo a couple weeks ago and the next day when i went to watch some netflix i noticed chromehounds was in my xbox...i have a feeling tears where shed that night that i dont remember
Before I found Brutal Legend, Chromehounds was exactly what I wanted in a console strategy game. It reminded me of a cross between Mechwarrior and Natural Selection. I did the whole campaign with care in preparation for online play, and when I finally start, I could not get into a single match.
If that game had preset mechs and non mandatory clans, Id probably still be playing it...
I remember playing Starsiege and thinking it was awesome. I never knew Tribes and Cyberstorm (never played Tribes, fucking love Cyberstorm games) were part of that awesome universe. There really needs to be a new game set in the universe, maybe where they go through that jumpgate and encounter the aliens that left the caches on the other side, who invade through the portal to conquer all, and the Cybrids and Humans must join forces to fight the alien menace, meanwhile the BioDerms plot their independence. It could be another game like Cyberstorm, or it could be a first person Mech game where you are yourself a BioDerm who must balance your war to save the solar system and all that is in it with your desire to free yourself from your slavery, fighting along side Cybrids you learn more about them and together you formulate a plan to free the BioDerms from slavery so that both can flee to the Outer Rim once the Alien War is over, and plan to ensure the Humans never create more slaves for them to rule and discard as they please...
I think it would be cool anyway.
http://www.g4tv.com/videos/52755/hawken-first-look-preview/?quality=hd
Nice find. I'll be sure to link it in the OP.
I wasn't able to turn up the audio while I was at work. Is there any new info in this?
Design Goals Walkthru: Part 1
Design Goald Walkthru: Part 2
No ammo, weapons just overheat.
No unlocking/leveling up BS, you distribute your customization points at the beginning of the round and those are all you get.
You can increase speed, offense, and defense so far (I think maybe they have other kinds of customization by the time they release).
8 or 9 maps I think? And 4 or 5 distinct sort of art styles, so it's not just going to be that city over and over.
Lots of other good stuff, too. They're taking the whole "we don't want to bite off more than we can chew and we want to work on it until it's done" approach and I'm pumped. This looks like fun, and the RTS-esque features they've hinted at a few times sound neat.
Oh shi-
If it's anywhere near as well implemented as Battlezone I'll take my copy of Brutal Legend outside and smash it. Battlezone is the holy grail of action RTS hybrids.
This is an RTS...in first person Hovertanks!
Ah, well that's for the best. In Battlezone you could sit there and build your whole base and customize the loadout of every little hovertank and mech. But if matches are going to be a little faster than thirty minutes, that's just not feasible. Hawken looks absolutely outstanding though.
Got it.
Dear god this looks awesome. They need to add the ability to design the flying battleships.
Mmmm. PS3/Xbox ports. Yessss.
My referral link (reserve gamertag with 3 referrals.)
EDIT: That's all three, thanks chaps. You get email notifications when people use them so I will update as necessary.
Or if you prefer a direct link
https://playhawken.com/
I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
And here is mine! (use his first. One link can hook up three people.}
https://playhawken.com/?ref=qns1ogbz
I'm gonna pilot a giant robot while protecting defensive towers like a mofo.
https://playhawken.com/?ref=ozoj74un