Battletech/Mechwarrior Lore - Tex Talks Battletech : The Marauder
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
- #Battletech #BattletechHistory #BattletechLore
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 of the COPYRIGHT ACT of 1976
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, Allowance is made for “Fair Use” for the purposes of Criticism, Comment, News Reporting, Teaching, Scholarship and Research. Fair use is therefore Permitted by Copyright Statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-Profit, Educational or Personal use tips the balance in favor of “Fair Use”
DISCLAIMER:
TEX TALKS BATTLETECH is a fan-based parody/attempt at education for a setting that deserves much love. Battletech, Mechwarrior, and all other material are owned by CGL, Topps, Tornante, PGI, their various subsidiaries and a million shareholders (though not harmony gold, fuck those guys). No challenge to their ownership status is being made or intended by the creation of this work. Battletech is owned by the company, but the fanbase is what keeps it alive. Let us hope they forgive us for what fun we have. Tex Talks Battletech is a semi-serious take on Battletech, its setting, lore, and history in an attempt to bring people into one of the greatest franchises ever envisioned and should not in any way represent the official stance of any corporation, conglomerate, megacorp, holding company, or cartel which currently owns the franchise.
TL;DR: this is the opinion of one guy who loves a setting, and is dead-set on bringing it to everyone who cares to hear about it.
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MUSIC in ORDER USED:
Kitt - Mark Dee (Storyblocks)
Bones in Old Van Zandt - Goatburger
Tex Talks Battletech Theme - Kumakin
Escaping Forever - Michael Vignola (Storyblocks)
Komm, Süßer Tod - Kumakin
Mirrors - Will Van De Crommert (Storyblocks)
The New World - Wolgang Woehrle - (Storyblocks)
Whimsical and Playful 1 - Gavin Luke (Epidemic Sound)
The New World - Wolgang Woehrle - (Storyblocks)
Dying Wish - Lance Conrad (Storyblocks)
Neon Raceway - ELFL (Epidemic Sound)
Dying Wish - Lance Conrad (Storyblocks)
Not Our War - Will Van De Crommert (Storyblocks)
Sad Piano Cello and Violin - Valentina Gribanova (Storyblocks)
The Villain - Phoenix Tail (Epidemic Sound)
High Fever (Disco Funk) - Jonathan Paris (Storyblocks)
P I N K B I K I N I - Kumakin
Particle Emission - Silver Maple (Epidemic Sound)
Lumina - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen (Epidemic Sound)
Traditional - Handel Sarabande (Epidemic Sound)
Azimuth - Kumakin
The River Crossing - Vinnie Camilleri (Storyblocks)
Highland Sights - Trabant 33 (Epidemic Sound)
Triumph Hill - Hector Posser (Epidemic Sound)
The Arms Race - Bonnie Grace (Epidemic Sound)
I Think I Was There - Emil Axelsson (Epidemic Sound)
The Rider - Dandroid (Epidemic Sound)
Crossing Manhattan 3 - Martin Gauffin (Epidemic Sound)
Down the Alleyway - Damon Greene (Epidemic Sound)
Galatic Battles - Bonnie Grace (Epidemic Sound)
Deep into the Night - Aleksandar Srb (Storyblocks)
Cold War Games - Gabriel Lewis (Epidemic Sound)
Work Undone - Pearce Roswell (Epidemic Sound)
Stratosphere Voyage - Spirits Of Our Dreams (Epidemic Sound)
And The Sky Shall Unfold 1 - Johannes Bornlof (Epidemic Sound)
Root Cellar Blues - Dan Robinson - (Storyblocks)
Gypsy Jazz - Colodymyr Piddubnyk (Storyblocks)
Enter the Sphere - Gerardo Garcia Jr. (Storyblocks)
Fantasia - Mark Dee (Storyblocks)
Bones in Old Van Zandt - Goatburger
Kitt - Mark Dee (Storyblocks)
Course Syllabus:
Intro - 00:00:00
Part 1: The Madness of the 25th and 26th Centuries - 00:05:54
Part 2: It's always a Cameron behind these sorts of things - 00:18:37
Part 3: General Motors: From Fusion to Firepower - 00:26:22
Intermission - 00:28:02
Part 4: The Marauder - 00:35:14
Part 5: But how many Marauders are there, really? - 00:48:41
Part 6: Historical Influence - 01:04:02
Part 7: Conclusion - 01:08:56
Final Thoughts - 01:11:03
Commercials - 1:13:38
Credits - 01:23:59
GOAT'S BONES IN THE OCEAN - SUBSCRIBE! REQUEST MUSIC! BUY HIM HATS! czcams.com/video/6M_9h5PEiFo/video.html
Based space shanty man
My God. If that is legit, you guys are going to be swarmed and swamped.
I LOVE THIS !!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤👍
YOU ALL GIVE YOURSELFS A PAT ON THE BACK!
Tex, I'm sorry, I hate to be "that asshole" but has there been a massive retcon of lostech? You show TRO3025 variants with ferro-fiberous (3D, 3L, 3M) and CASE (3L, 3M). Isnt that still lostech for that era? Since Sarna sources the ilClan guids for the the -2T so I think it is a resurrection (and a good one), though. I think you missed the -4A, to.
I would say please don't kill me, but I also think the 1911 like the SAA at this point is range toy for cosplay. Steampunk antiques! :P (Kidding, I just have short thumbs so I'm pettty)
HOLY COW TEX That intro made feel like I was 9 years old again and I LOVED IT! Edit: Hey I really think y'all have something special with the end PnP shadowrun skit, I would watch that.. alot.
59 gigs. 4k. Madness.
You are a legend Tex
It is a powerfull thing...
Woot! Lol now you and Mike can get sleep. Well as much as ya'll can with normal jobs...
My body is READY.
SWEET MOTHER OF GOD....
mere mortals such as ourselves aren't worthy of 20 gigs, let alone FIFTY NINE.
Our hearts are with you and Mike. We do not deserve such benefactors
I love that GM made specific design considerations for melee combat, not because it was in any way tactically sound, but because if you put a bunch of amphetamine-fueled jarheads in giant mech walkers they are going to want to hit eachother with them.
That pic of the assembly area somewhere in this video shows just how much space for padding is in those fist/pods, and just how overexcited GM knew pilots would get.
Its like the Galil and the bottle opener on the foregrip. They know they’re going to do it, so make it a design feature. Pragmatism wins out.
Grunt-proofing your tech is a vital part of any MIC designer's task.
As a Jarhead myself...I fully agree with you.
Amphetamine really is an amazing vitamin lol
It amazes me that whoever proposed the MAD-3D for House Davion wasn't immediately charged with treason for depriving a mech of its autocannon.
Maybe they were running low on ammunition at the time.
Meanwhile, it's my own favorite version of the Marauder.
ironically enough, despite the very common memes about davion loving cannons (they do, dont get me wrong) their combined arms units are easily the most effective in the sphere during the SW era... optimizing a war machine to be totally independent of ammo chains allows said ammo to funnel into places that need it, like BJ and RF firing lines on the kuritan border space (gotta love those bonzai charges into a hail of shells)
Its not that bad of an idea. Fewer logistic requirements, no ammo that can blow up. Reduced firepower a bit, but hey its not that bad. 2 PPCs and a Large Laser are still quite the punch.
@@Alvi410 indeed it is... and oc course, it allows all those precious autocannon shells to go to other units
“General Motors gained a reputation as a mostly reasonable company”
The entire city of Flint, Michigan would like to know your location
I love the fact that all proceeds for this go to St Judes, as they could always use it. They helped me with my cancer, and where I would be dead today, I’m typing this instead thanks to them. Help them out any way you can, kids like me appreciate it.
Same, they saved my nieces life 3 years ago, and she's on the calendar this year for them.
Tex is the proof that texans love weapons, freedom AND life!
They are an exceptionallry worthy charity, and I am humbled to be able to help
You like Trains? o.o
@@GhostWolfPrimal Yeah
I hope Tex holds GM responsible for missing the 2020 deadline for fusion reactors
Wuhan put them back about 16 months. I have every confidence they will release the new engines in Late August.
Next earnings call someone needs to call on and ask!
@@john-paulsilke893 If we aren't designing clean renewable energy for the purpose of smashing robots together like 10 year olds; what the hell are we even doing here?
@@zakwert8916 Exactly, the Starleague isnt going to just collapse itself we need those mechs
Instead of a revaluationised engine............. we get the Corona
You know the Marauder is an S-tier mech when several hundred years later it can go toe to toe with Clan mechs and come out on top
Well The mechanics of battletech more or less limits how bad or how good a mech can be :P
@@tiagodagostini more talking lore wise i thnk, as marauders were like the mbts of battlemechs, angled armor instead of a large humanoid shape, better than average maneuverability and weapons targetting due to its weapon pods, and it was easily refittable and repairable on top of all that
The Marauder can handle Clan 'mechs. KALM
There are Clan Marauders. PANIK
I still remember my first game in years in College. Big group battle during Freshman Orientation. I had the Marauder and jumped behind another player who was trying to corner me. He yelled out in surprise: "Marauders can't jump!" That memory and the one turn kill of his assault mech will always warm my heart. None of us had seen the 3050 Mechs before. We were all used to the 3025 Mechs and what they could and couldn't do.
or just speaks to how shit Clan mechs or to the general lack of intelligence showed by your average Clan MechWarrior
In a historical sense, I get this impression. The mackie was the equivalent to the introduction of the tank to the battlefield. The marauder is the introduction of the MBT. Same principles but designed as an all rounder
Why are there so many historians in this fandom?
@@Tula-cs1ef The creators and writers of the BattleTech universe put real effort into trying to imagine future history based on repeating patterns of the past. Many history buffs can't help but appreciate it.
Whats MBT?
@@Dracobyte Main Battle Tank - "main" because it's a standard that does everything okay and doesn't specialize.
@@Dracobyte Main Battle Tank. Basically a general purpose tank. Think of the Abrams for a modern example
"It's also sad because Capellans made it... Moving on."
I am wheezing.
It's the truth
@@theblackpantslegion Sometimes the truth is hilarious.
@@theblackpantslegion I don't fully know why capellans and Kurita are dicks, but I know I hate them
@@dillongrabley9937 Warrior Trilogy. All you need to know
@@tarron3237 lemme do the research, thanks mate
This is a doozy of an episode folks! Can't wait to show off all the BPL's hard work. I put in well over 200 hours on it by myself; maybe even more than that. It's hard to keep track after a while. The SLDF Black Watch title card art was over 40 hours alone!
Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
The hard work shows, already makes me actually want to paint tartan on my minis
Beautiful art for the splash page, can't wait to see the rest!
You guys are the best!
Eldonios, this is all going to like visual candy. I will eat it up and love every second of it.
Kudos to GM for having a sense of humor and playing along, their letters are just great.
GM got the Warhammer and the Marauder, I am going to say that they were rewarded well for playing along.
If the Mackie is the Mk. IV awkwardly creeping its way across the trenches of France, then the Marauder is the Centurion, practically redefining the role of vehicles of its type. God, I want one.
one, why stop there... build a mercenary unit around them....
(in MW5M i have multiple lances of marauders and MAD IIs )
No, no. Centurions are the Centurions.
@@brayachdragonbane7529 Miller's/Barber's Maraurders......
It's the abrams
The warhammer would then be the t55?
Tex, at this rate, you'll become the David Attenborough of battletech lore. Now, be good and take a nap.
He already is.
No naps.
Alcohol induced coma then?
@@theblackpantslegion Tex, you gotta rest or we'll make another gofundme
Just remember Attenborough had a rare parrot shag the back of his head ... what would a mech do to Tex lol
"I bid the minefield comstar put at the jump point"
I just can't stop laughing.
Also, I thought Elemental Guy was Smoke Jaguar, but the wrecked Madcat we saw crash down from space was Jade Falcon... I mean, they are both the Asshole clans
@@weldonwin pretty sure it's Star Colonel Paul Moon, it's the cover of "Grave Covenant Twilight of the Clans" book two or three.
I just realized that's why they emerged within visual range of the planet. They used a pirate point.
IT'S RAINING SALVAGE!
Someone clearly forgot to pay the HPG bill, unless they did something else to piss off Comstar
As a refugee from 40k and GW setting their own ship on fire, I thank you for having such in depth and amusing documentaries on this setting and especially so for making them so open to new fans with zero prior knowledge of the setting.
Welcome, we're happy to have you.
I’m in the same boat. Been playing a shit ton of MWO. Still preferring mechs like the Marauder and King Crab cuz they have the same form as titans lol but before all this GW bullshit, I put off learning battletech cuz the lore was massive.
Thanks GW for exposing me to a new rich universe
Battletech has one of the most welcoming communities I’ve come across, and that’s saying something. I’ve been a very casual enjoyer of the series in the past, played Mechwarrior 4 on PC and Mechassault on consoles, but lately I’ve been getting more invested in it myself. It’s quite refreshing how accommodating and willing to answer questions the “old guard” is.
Welcome Brother.
All are welcome here from almost all fandoms. Except clanners and bronies.
(Im joking of course hahahahaha)
@@warhawk4494 Eh...some clanners are better than others. Still, Inner Sphere for life
"The design philosophy is 'F*ck you, I'm fabulous.'" Brilliant!
None of this training config bullshit
Dudes that 80's music and styled intro is impressive.
And the multilayered panning shots (no clue what they are called). Just wow. The shots where the image is really 3 or 4 stacked and they are dragged at different speeds to fake 3d. Probably easier than how they shot the opening of Bambi, but still impressive as it is not even called into attention
@@collinbarker Can you give a time code to what you mean?
@Overonator 2:38 has an example along with 18:10 .
@@collinbarker Oh yeah you are right. That is cool.
👍
The whole "Tex's ex wife is an elemental" thing has to be my favorite running gag in this whole series.
So does that make the smoke Jaguar guy likely an in-law?
@@lanasmith4795 I headcannon that the Jaguar guy was her first Ex.
Nothing ruins a marriage like a psycho Ex-Husband stalking you.
@@csmead209 -- Tex DID compare his marriage "an extended trial of positon". Using the term loosely - a mock battle to assign caste and rank within Clan society.
It's a pretty backhanded way to say he "married up" - but there you go.
@@lanasmith4795 -- According to an announcement on the Sarna wiki, Tex's Ex-wife was from Clan Ghost Bear. Which makes a lot of sense considering Tex is a military historian and part-time mercenary whose lectures can all be boiled down to "pragmatism good".
I headcanon this union as the source of Clan Snek-Cobra 🐍
"There is nothing new under the sun." As humans are just as imperfect now as they ever were, war will always be with us this side of eternity. That does not mean we should not strive to be better, for, as Vince Lombardi once put it, "In chasing perfection, we may catch excellence." That, at least, is achievable. Never perfect, but sometimes better.
There is something I realized through a lot of modern media, villains, anti-heroes, stories of madness, of love.
To reach perfection, is to end. True perfection, is to reach a point in which nothing can be improved, nothing can be made better. To reach perfection is to have 2 outcomes, to go nowhere, forever, or eventually go down as there is no other option.
There for, the marauder is as near perfect a design as you can get, because it can always accept any new improvements well. It is so versatile, so iconic, so viable, that all you need to do is bring it up to spec with what is, and it will become the ideal command mech once more. A good example is clan tech, while there is a cannon MAD-3R(C) it sucks, but it would not be hard to improve on the marauder's base design with clan tech, and if you made something even stronger and/or lighter then the already stronger lighter clan tech, then you could use that.
Any mech that can so easily be logically retooled with new tech, not rebuilt, not redesigned but simply retooled like the marauder or warhamner, then you have made as close to a perfect mech as possible, for true perfection is to never reach perfection, but be able to keep growing with the curve.
That was the part of Romantic philosophy that frustrated people. No, we could not, and weren't really meant to achieve our ideals, but by trying we made ourselves better. But that's hard and doesn't always leave noticeable progress so we decided it was easier to say "Fuck it, nothing matters. " and embraced Nihilism.
I must have missed it, but someone had to have commented on GM, “doing a rail of Canopus Battle Powder” and laughing their asses off. That one got me!
I did too! 🤣
Press S to snort!
Black Pants Legion: Setting the bar for all channels mega fucking high
And for that, we shall be ignored by the algorithm. Makes a man scratch his head
@@theblackpantslegion That's because it seems to favor the mediocre for some reason.
@@gelenor2961 medicore middle of the road shit is profitable and non-offensive. Also, The BPL isn't monetized so wh would this current incarnation of CZcams give a fuck... the bastards.
@@EricDKaufman it doesn't. That was what I was saying.
@@theblackpantslegion Please consider coming to Odysee.
"I bid the minefield COMSTAR put at our jump point after we made them mad."
Spare parts for days BOIS!
And better yet, its Clan Tech, so that means the Van Zandt militia will potentially seriously outgun the next pirate assholes who rock up
And warship scrap is sooooo vauluable.
@@bthsr7113 Even if its just to set up the weapon systems as improvised Orbital Defence Batteries, to serve as the ultimate in *(Racks Shotgun)* "You Best Be Head'n Back The Way Yah Came..."
It's rainin' salvage!
@@ineednochannelyoutube5384 HALLEUAH!!!
Good gravy. That Rasalhague IKEA commercial hit me like a ton of bricks.
Hilarious stuff.
"Custom Marauders are the stuff of nightmares"
Oh boy, Tex is right. My own refit ended up with a LBX10 AC with 2 tons of ammo, 2 PPC's, 2 ER medium Lasers and a Flamer for warcrimes. Its unlikely to see use as the fledgling UK scene is just not ready for it.
Also the evil lauch in the background with Amaris, you made me choke on my drink you git.
Honestly that just sounds like an MAD-2T, so I'm here for it.
I prefer AC/10, 2 LLs, and 2 MLs.
I occasionally run one with AC20, snub PPCs and the default twin medium lasers on MWO. Fun but pretty silly for turning the Marauder into a close up brawler.
@@MoreEvilThanYahweh I am kinda surprised that you can fit all that in there without complications.
@@Xalerdane Light engine and endosteel
It's almost as if every successive TTBT is going to be more expansive and holy-shit-this-is-awesome in depth that the last one will make even the most minute topic seem grand and awe inspiring.
And I am here for all of it. Bravo, Tex and crew. Now go take a goddamn nap.
NO. NO NAPS.
@Kingwolf Time traveler here. "Tableware of the Clanners," wins an Oscar in 2035. Also, don't eat cheese in 2022. Cya!
@@Ashasverus Which cheese? Edam? Gouda? Parmesano Reggiano? Cream cheese? Pepperjack?
@@theblackpantslegion how about a fax break?
@@theblackpantslegion Immediate naps!
I feel like this presentation needs a "Please Be Kind & Rewind" as the endplate.
This feels like I’m getting a legit history lesson on space mech warfare from a cowboy and I love every second of it.
I will never be tired of hearing the words "The God Damn Blackwatch"
I feel like that should be the official title...
lol "In the early years of the Star League, there was a problem with the Draconis Combine because, they were the Draconis Combine"..........might be one of my new favorite Battletech related quotes ever.
Its always the Draconis Combine, except when its Cappellans, its always one of those two
@@weldonwin Got keep true to the Yellow Panic theme of old Battletech lore after all.
@@disgraced101They'll need to work on correcting that with new Lore if they really want the franchise to see a wide resurgence. It is racist, whether intentional or not.
@@bthsr7113 Well Lyrans all Portrayed as corrupt and inbred , is a good step ^^ but ofcourse Davion hasnt gotten something like that yet right ?
The "Yellow Panic" theme was outdated even for the time that early Btech lore was written, wasn't it?
I know it was before the anime "weeaboo" madness hit pretty much the entire world, but even so, it was already the late 80s. Japan was already an ally of the United States for almost two generations, and China wasn't seen as a rival of any sort yet, not even an economic one (much less political or military).
Regardless, when the lore was first written, I don't think FASA thought BattleTech would ever get that big, or remain relevant for this long.
For reference, I'm ethnic Chinese, but I've never been to China (my grandparents are from there).. and to me I see it all as a curiosity in my favorite big stompy robot franchise setting. At least up until the Dark Age timeskip, not a big fan of that.
These intros continue to be even more aggressively eighties and I’m HERE FOR IT.
I don't think I have ever gotten so emotional over anything until 14:23. So perfectly composed with the music, the tempo of tex's voice, and just the Bible quotation. Damn near brought me to tears
As a Battletech newbie, I am so glad that I discovered this setting (cause I love giant robots) and this upstanding pillar of the community. Haven't bought my own mechs yet *financial issues of a recent move*, but once that clears up I am going to get that Beginner Box. Rock on Tex!🤘
If you are short on cash try getting Battletech on steam, it's quite often on sale. The base game is fun if a little on a simple side when it comes to mechanics, but the modding community... oh gods the modding took a swing at it and created something glorious with roguetech and many other mods.
What does that mean? Is that weird code for buying MW 2 or 5 Mercenaries? Are you going old school and buying ghost bears legacy? I mean that was pretty amazing. Or are you doing to 3d print irl mechs? I can't even tell anymore.
The Bandersnatch: With two rear-facing lasers. Meant for mercs working for Capellans.
For when backstabbers need to be stabbed by backs.
two rear facing lasers for fuck around and find out Capellan.
aren't the capellans the most reliable and trustworthy when it comes to hiring mercs? something like a third of their standing forces are mercs at certain times, and those mercs were more than willing to stay on. if anything it's the combine that loves to fuck over mercs (and some of the constituent states of the FWL)
@@FlameQwert The Capellans have the most consistent *need* of mercs, but they also have a history of deciding that the best method of paying mercs is with ammunition delivered at high speeds, often when the merc's back is turned.
@@FirstLast-cg2nk Never works out when they try it with the Northwind Highlanders though.
Seriously, Dwight D goddamn Eisenhower will live forever just on that quote alone.
damn Ian Cameron got me feeling some type of way... and I'm straight.
Republicans all sucked after him
I lived on Eisenhower Street in Reservoir, Victoria, Australia.
As will Carl von Clausewitz xD
Well there was that whole WW2 thing as well.
@@razorburn645 oh yeah that thing
"Grayson Carlyle heavily favored the design." He stole one when he was what, 21? And wasn't even cleared as a mechwarrior by his dads unit before they were destroyed? Yeah, he loved his salvaged heavy mech. Hell, he loved the Shadow Hawk, and it is objectively a piece of shit in combat compared to other 55 ton mechs. He loved it because it was his Dads heaviest mech before they got screwed by a Kurita border skirmish.
I love my Shadowhawk. Assault 'mechs don't realize I'm there to kill them in particular and always get so confused when I charge them, then get even more confused when they can't break my armor as easily as they think that they should.
The Shadow Hawk is good at any range. Not excellent, but good.
As someone who just came to the setting and finding the Taurian Concordat to be the closest thing to a home, I am guilty of straight binge watching all of these vids.
Space Texas rules
LOOKING FOR A BATTLETECH COMMUNITY?:
1. Sarna. If you know what Sarna is, congrats. You are patrician tier in terms of wiki taste. Sarna is the Battletech
wiki. It has been around forever, and has served as a news hub for Battletech for quite a long time. Of latest, Sarna has set up an official discord to discuss history and lore, as well as coordination for wiki-efforts to help maintain our beloved Battletech resource in its best possible state. If interested in helping them out, or hanging out, I'd recommend joining Sarna's Discord here - > discord.gg/CPjUMCbk36 KEEP IN MIND this is NOT a Tex Fan Discord, so please act accordingly. This is just an awesome battletech resource and I want to help them have as MUCH support as possible. I hang out in there and shitpost sometimes and that's okay. I have a shitposting license.
2. www.everythingbattletech.com/ or their Discord here - discord.gg/C6CraMCfRt
This is where there is a BPL Outpost, a Forum, and many points of contact across the Broad Battletech community. From artists to forums discussing your favorite and least favorite factions, and huge discord group. The Everything Battletech discord can be found on their site, and you will find a room/group to discuss your favorite faction. Tell David Vivas Tex says hi.
3. The Sietch - You want an old-school Forum for sci-fi? This is about peak 1999 and chock full of Nostalgia for me but the Sietch is fun www.the-sietch.com/index.php I'd recommend checking it out. Plenty of wonderful world-crafting and shitposting therein.
I like how your marriage to that elemental in on the homepage right now :-)
Sarna is the best. I'm on there quite frequently reading all things Battletech.
@BlackPantsLegion So GM pretty much said lets take the armor, and firpower of a t-34 - 85 and the cheap and highly versatile yet easy to maintian design of sherman and put it on legs
I can dig that !
@@chuckbuck5002 Except it came out as good as a Tiger II. Marauder FTW
One huge mistake I think FASA made was with Inner Sphere pulse lasers. The Clan pulse lasers' range was derived from their ER lasers, whereas the Inner Sphere pulse lasers' range were derived from standard lasers. So they were doubly screwed. I think had they made them, in lore, derived from ER lasers inherently, and given them similar range proportions, they could have actually been useful. As it was, Inner Sphere pulse lasers are 100% garbage and effectively useless. Their -2 to hit is offset by the fact that they're at +4 range modifier when a standard laser is at +2. So, greater weight, greater heat, and less potential range so you can't even hit with a Hail Mary shot.
Im looking forward to this more then any Hollywood releases
It'll also be significantly better than any recent Hollywood release; BPL always delivers.
It's too bad the legion laughs at Hollywood virtue signaling, they could hire Tex and crew to do a Battletech movie right, but they would be reeeing so much no one would be able to hear anything. A St Jude's fund raiser is the proper way to virtue signal. Wait a sec! Now I think about it almost everything they want signaled was already in battletech back in the 80s! Oh, wait. The strong women are believable, can't have that.
I hear that. Hell, I'm looking forward to this more than anything that has come out in the previous 5 years too. I know Tex and Co. will deliver amazing things to me.
The true power of internet content creation is that people can make laser targeted content for small audiences.
@ Daniel M-
"The strong women are believable, can't have that"
Black Widow - Natasha Kerensky has now entered the chat....
Real take though. Lived in Pensacola, Florida when I was a kid and we had an Aztec, highkey the best drive around and hang out car ever made. The rear tailgate had seats carved out in it, it had back firing speakers to blast music out of its ass, it even had an auxiliary set of radio controls in the trunk. That weird plastic skirt all around it was to protect the metal from sand being kicked up, and it worked! Well! The thing was a beach monster. I don't care if anyone thinks its ugly as sin, it was a utilitarian masterpiece, and it was easily the most fun car my family ever had.
Hello BPL
Ah, the Marauder. Iconic, adorable, and deadly.
I have used Marauders since the beginning of the game, back in 1984. I still like it and use it whenever I can lay my hands upon them. Although a design with serious heat issues during the 3025 Era, it was still a good design and one that stood out on the battlefields from almost all others by its profile.
As technology improved in the Inner Sphere, the Marauder benefited from then increased capabilities of the rapid 'ramp up' of efficiency in the technologies.
I could easily go on a 'rant' about all the various designs and both their benefits and flaws, as well as overall efficiencies. But I will not do so here. I merely mention that the Marauder has always been one of my favorite designs and probably always will.
The Marauder II became an instant 'fave' when it was released as part of the game. Along with up-teched Awesomes, and a Gauss-zilla, they became my favored command Mechs for Assault Lances.
Yes, I 'tinkered' with the Marauder during the early years of the game. Who didn't? And given the limitations of 3025 tech base, I felt the Marauder's heat issues were it's primary weakness. So, I did a bit of weapons swapping... exchanging the PPCs for Large Lasers, and the AC-5 for a PPC. These changed allowed the Mech to run cooler, and only barely affected it's ranged performance. A more efficient Mech meant more damage down range every turn and more damage output overall over the course of a battle.
And until the 3050, 3055, and 3057 TRO releases, that was what I used. After that date? Oh, I went 'whole hog' into redesigning every Mech in my possession. And even those not.
How? You say? Well, at one time I had six, 'slant-D' three ring binders, each 3 inches thick. Within these binders were every Mech design ever released by the game. But that only filled two of the binders. The other four were filled with Mech Sheets of my own design. I spent literally hundreds of hours calculating mass and filling critical slots, creating new Mech designs out of published designs and their variants.
To say that I have 'some experience' in designing Mechs is to put is mildly. I was obsessed with making designs more 'efficient' and thus more useful on the tabletop. Enough so, that I had well over 40 such designs that were totally banned by my Playing Group as being 'no fun to play against', or 'cant beat that, so ban it'.
Keep on making these videos! Professor Tex is a most excellent 'teacher' and presents the data in an interesting manner, even if it is 'slanted' a bit by his, and to be fair, my own dislike of Capellans and the Clans.
BTW: Discount Dan is BANNED from attempting to do any transactions of 'business' within the Stygian System of Styx, and anywhere else where the Ghost Lions Legion has primacy in the marketplace.
Since Dicount Dan is a citizen of Van Zandt, the Legion has yet to 'show him out the airlock, sans suit', merely because the Legion does not wish to commit a 'war crime' against Van Zandt by killing one of it's citizens. Although, in the Legion's defense, it would be a 'Justifiable Homicide' according to the Legion Legal System.
Tex, however, is welcome to lecture on Hades, at the Hades Mech Museum at almost any time. Just give us some advance warning of his arrival to prepare. Tex will be 'wined, dined', and treated like the celebrity he is. As well as the knowledgeable and professional historian we all know him to be.
spoken, Frank-ly
I'd love to see some of those banned sheets. My most tilt-inducing design is the Tigger, a 100 ton experimental TSM melee mech with 10 jump (mechanical jump boosters!) and max armor. It just lays a huge template of death around it until it activates. Definitely curious what other people come up with for "broken" designs
"Can't beat that, so bak it."
That's not very Battletech. In BT, if you can't beat it, buy it. Or nuke the production factory. Either is fine.
"i bid the minefield comstar placed" -this is the type of line that needs to exist in a mechwarrior game.
That is Focht levels of great. Shame the Smoked Jaguar idiot's dead, though: he was hilarious when coupled with Tex's dry humor.
...If Tex has a real-life wife, can she play the tsundere Ghost Bear Elemental? I want to see passive-aggressive romantic comedy.
Good lord the production value is through the roof, every single one just gets better and better. Good show Tex! Good show indeed!
Seriously... I have no idea how it can get any better than this, but goddamn Tex is going to try anyway.
Yeah, the intro alone was AAA. The Inner Sphere great house territory thing at the start was just so good. And the rest of the video keeps the bar just as high.
Can't wait for the Stalker and Warhammer.
@@erloriel -- I'm writing this barely 3 minutes into the video and the intro is the best thing ever. Totally worth a 5 month wait.
Somebody needs to get Jason Wiesman to do a "Van Zandt" expansion for Mechwarrior 5.
I've just started getting into Battletech after hearing about it since I was a kid, and these videos are the perfect way to recline and just... sink into the lore, stats, mechanics, and tactics.
Same here. Always had it in the back of my head since I watched the MW2Mercs intro video as a kid, but was too dumb for the actual game. Man that video burned itself into my brain and gave me feels. Now with Tex' videos and all the new games I can just dive into it head first. Even started to read the novels. I yet need someone to play that beginners Box with me.
Joint with the Awesome as my favourite battlemech. I love the concept of "one of us is getting cooked here, I'm betting on you" that comes with the Marauder's immense energy load out. You don't need to stay cool, you merely need to be cooler than the melting enemy before you.
Snacks: check
Beer: check
Whiskey: check
Kids in bed: GET YOUR REARS IN BED THE TV IS MINE!!!!!!!
As a fellow Andrew, I must point out that it is in our bylaws to introduce, or at least heavily subject, our offspring to the games and lore that we enjoy. Failure to do so can be grounds for ejection from our most esteemed society, and revocation of your first name.
@@andrewamann2821 Amen. My oldest is 3 I’m counting down the days till he can roll the dice without trying to eat them.
@@andrewpantke1533 you could always tell them bedtime stories about the Exodus, or the Amaris coup... Tell them tales of The Blackwatch, or the founding of the Star League... Tell them that Santa delivers Christmas presents in an Urbanmech...
The baby Schmitt with nerdy glasses and hair staring up in awe at the gunslinger recruitment poster is a goddamn beautiful touch.
As one of the most gracious new arrivals from 40k and Star Wars before that, I humbly thank you for packing so much extra lore into these vids. So many others would give the bare minimum context and leave the video with more questions than answers or paint an incomplete picture.
Glory to the Black Pants Legion!
As someone that lives in Memphis, Home of St. Jude, thank you. Thank you immensely. As always, Battletech lore perfection. You never cease to please and impress. Cheers a shot of bourbon with a piece of bacon in it.
First mech I was ever introduced to via "Decision at Thunder Rift" novel in High school. Been Battleteching for over 20 years now. Can't wait Tex. Thank you for what you do.
Same as myself. I still have my old copy of it.
Welcome!
Wasn't the first mech actually introduced by name a Pheonix Hawk or Shadow Hawk or one of the bugs? I think all of Grey's dad's lance was introduced before the Marauder actually got given a name.
@@nathanbrown8680 the Marauder was on the cover. Front view looking up at the cockpit.
@@nathanbrown8680 Carlyle's Commandos were a Phoenix Hawk, Locust, Wasp and Stinger I think, plus techs and infantry.
~checks calendar~ It's still May 20th in my heart.
Thanks for the forgiveness. We wanted more time to polish it. Better a good video than a rushed one. A bad product is bad forever.
@@theblackpantslegion Worth the wait
The Marauder is my all-time favorite mech. It brings me no end of joy to see it broken down in such detail.
Holy shit, this is still the best non-fan film fan content ever made. Not, some of the, *THE* best.
Of course I'm still not sure what part is more impressive. That Tex can make a fucking documentary length video on a single 'mech or the fact that lore is so god damned amazing that there's enough history on them that Tex can make a fucking full documentary on one.
Also, BlackPantsLegion fan film when? Because a full on fan film featuring the in universe Legion would be fucking awesome.
So much art...
It was fun to work on. Love the Marauder to death.
Hope you guys enjoy it all!
You did very good
@@theblackpantslegion Thank you boss! Its always an honor!
My favorite rendition of the Marauder in this video. Great work.
My father's favorite 'Mech, he used to take great pleasure in popping cockpits with the autocannon. He used to say it was the cheapest way to get the best battlefield salvage, "Just drop in a new cockpit and a new Mechwarrior and you've got a working mech."
You'd think that the cockpit would be the third most expensive thing to replace, besides the reactor and the weapons. But I don't know mechs.
@@csmead209 I would agree. That's where all the precision electronics are.
@@bthsr7113 Without which, I would keep shooting myself in my foot thought the cockpit.
@@csmead209 I think it would depend on how expensive neurohelmets are, and if they can be/are normally bought separately from the cockpit. I imagine they are probably bought sort of like any other helmet or article of clothing, but much more expensive. After all, if it doesn't fit the individual pilot well, what good is it?
You can have pilots of all different head sizes pilot the same variant of a 'mech, because the mech is probably universal. So it's the helmet and maybe the seat that are not.
@@adamofblastworks1517 By the 3rd Sucession war they were robust but awful, clunky but durable electronics, often with a hodgepode of salvaged circuit boards and hand-wiring.
Thanks to The Rageaholic uploading his audiobook of "Ideal War" I wanted to get into Battletech, well GW shitting the bed and all over 40k is additional motivation. I saw your talk with Arch, now I'm here. Thank you for your work.
I've listened to that exact audiobook over three times now. Something about it is absolutely fantastic.
Man, this is still the most visually stunning intro y'all have ever done. I honestly could see it as an intro for a Battletech movie or television show.
Tex, you singlehandedly re-ignited my passion for Battletech when you released the Urbanmech video (the first one to pop up in my feed at random). You've now covered every one of my favorites (Urbie, Catapault, Rifleman, and now Marauder!) barring the Bushmaster, and I've faith that's coming yet. So... thank you. Thank you very much.
And if you're even mildly curious why this post is a couple days late: I needed to find the time to have a quiet evening with a bottle of single malt to *properly* enjoy a feature length masterpiece. I'm sure you understand. ;)
I do understand.
@@theblackpantslegion Bulleit... What can I say, I'm a simple farm boy.
"An elegant weapon from a much more civilized age" all said with a catgirl sitting on the side, ah, a man of culture i see.
Just means its a Marauder operating out of Canopus
Does Canopus also have fox girls?
@@Red-S-267 I believe so, as well as snake-girls and mermaids. It is, after all a nation that dedicates about 80% of its economy to the "Pleasure Industry" and is the single largest producer of pornography in the entire Inner Sphere, to the point that the Canopus Adult Entertainment Industry, receives government subsidies
@@weldonwin And if that catgirl has enough C-Bills, she can also buy herself an officer's rank in the Magistracy Armed Forces. And she doesn't have to pay as much money as a man would, because of her sex.
Interesting Welp I know where my Merc is retiring. Lets be honest the only two real options are the Aurigan Reach or Canopus
The origin of the Gunslinger Program is really cool. Very good writing by the makers of the setting.
Handel's Sarabande playing as Tex talks about duels and "knightly orders" is a very subtle touch.
Best belated Tukayyid Day present ever.
Blake's word does not approve this message. Get ready o be nuked.
As a Clanner (Wolf, warden philosophy) I agree. :)
A big thanks to Tex and the BPL for making this!
@@andrewgause6971 thus it shall stand until we all shall fall.
As a GM in Shadowrun with a, let's call it a team full of interesting appraoches, I can totally relate to that bit.
Been there, hehe
We had a guy end a campaign when he responded to a police raid on his hideout by setting off the absolutely ludicrous amounts of explosives he'd hidden throughout the inner-city neighborhood around said hideout.
This took out most of a Lone Star precinct, some SWAT guys, a bunch of feds and a small surveillance team of Tir Ghosts who also wanted that guy's head.
Oh, and a couple hundred assorted civilians.
From unknown to #1 Most Wanted of two countries in a single push of a button.
The next session was the rest of us racing to kill the guy before he could escape and before the combined power of the UCAS and Tir Tairngire rolled over us. After that, the characters had to be retired since although we got away, we ended up having to ditch our identities and pretty much all of our collected assets and spend the rest of our lives hiding in awakened siberia.
@@GaldirEonai Wow! I don't know how to respond besides, "Wow!"
Hey there chummer
The Marauder II’s 5B slapped a goddamn Gauss Rifle on the hull. And with twinned ER PPCs, it’s so ranged and sexy.
oh my god i LOVE the whole 80s vibe for this, i want a battletech movie NOW god damn it with this music from the intro!
I'm giddier than a mechpilot in an urbie store during 1/2 off ac 20's day.
Theoretically an Urban Mech with an ARROW-4 launcher could fire nuclear attack bees
@@mq5731 THEY HAVE CHOSEN THE BEES
"...One of the finest war machines mankind could ever hope for."
But Tex, you already did an episode on the Catapult.
Catapult, the mech where you play “will it fit in the box” with your weapon systems
Zantetsu13, your Capellan blood is showing.
Catapult drivers unite!
Oi filthy round eyes. You desecrate the mighty catapult. The capellans never invented it. THE KURITANS DID. *proceeds to dab with his CLPT-K2 variant mech*
You spelt urbanmech wrong
38:30 You mention the "base Marauder" had two PPCs, two medium lasers, and a SRM-6. I thought this was odd, and when I looked it up there actually was a Marauder variant with SRMs - the MAD-4X, an experimental version cooked up by the folks at Ronin Incorporated. I kind of wish we got the timeline where the stock Marauder came with SRMs now.
The MAD-5D had a Streak SRM2 in the left torso... Completely negating the 3D's legacy of zero ammo explosions.
Know what I love most about your videos, Tex? The tongue-in-cheek 80's/90's Sci-Fi intros and music. Reminds me of the halcyon days of when I was young enough to think the future would be faster, brighter and better, instead of the boring dystopia and impending environmental and economic collapse we got instead.
"Use Shotguns on people, and go back the way they came."
"I understood that reference" XD
What to, i probably know but want confimation
@@barclaybower512 Its a double reference
One to a family guy skit where a person is trying to find there way back to town.
Another is I referenced it in one of his old videos and its a pretty thrummed up comment :P
"...and those people were denied the use of precision tools and the right to proper education."
So.......Capellans?
Says the warriors that don't even learn how to use the infernos, minefields, chemical warfare, or ambushes untill well after grade four
yea you would think capellans. but it was designed by New Avalon Institute of Science. so it was a Federated Suns mech
@@phoenixraider42 tinfoilhat mode active: those scientists were capellan spies!
@@JCDFlex Like the one that tried to infiltrate the Mackie program?
Capellans have the best education system in the sphere when it comes to general population.
I normally don’t leave comments at all but I have to give credit where credit is due.
As a life long Battletech fan who remembers going to the local hobby store and spending countless hours pouring over the technical readout manuals, painstakingly painting the table top miniatures and getting lost in the novels, I have to say I’m seriously impressed with the quality of this video. 👍
You can really tell that this was made by people who truly do love the lore. ❤️ 🤖
Kudos to all the time and effort it must have taken to make this.
Thank you Zoidberg
Tex, I just want to say that for me, the experience of watching these videos becomes more enjoyable with each rewatch. You & everyone you work with to make them do an exceptional job, and I eagerly look forward to everything to come!
He and his team do an amazing job.
"I bid a Comstar mine field"
Well played Tex, well played! Kind of killing two birds with one stone eh? MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
There's no way Comstar skimped that much ;)
Proud of everyone that was involved in this, you rock guys
Thank you, it was an amazing effort
The Marauder is the F-16 of Battletech that's why it is such a useful machine.
15:00 - "To become an historian is to suffer the Curse of Cassandra." --Me
I once made a custom Marauder II. Went back to a standard Fusion Engine with 16 double heatsinks and put in a Gauss Rifle with CASE, ER Medium Lasers, and 2x ER PPCs. Endo Steel, max armor, and kept the jump jets. This thing was NASTY. It was virtually unkillable.
I'd scrap the ER Med Lasers for just more double heat sinks so you could roll heavy with those PPCs and also give a heat-buffer for any flamers you may encounter.
@@theblackpantslegion because nothing says "fuck you AND the mech you rode in on" like dual ER PPCs with plenty of heat shedding capacity to back them up.
the only thing nastier than a Marauder II is an Awesome 9Q!
4x PPC's and the Heatsinks to use them!
fired in a 4x3 rotation, I barely scratch the Heat Scale and can pretty much melt almost anything that gets in its way.
If you're interested in durability I'd drop the Gauss altogether. As good as it is it's the equivalent of strapping a brick of C4 to your chest.
Gauss rifles benifit from CASE?
My introduction to the Battletech Universe was a copy of Mechwarrior 2 with my Microsoft Sidewinder force feedback joystick. Since that day I've loved the franchise and it's great to see the BPL keeping it alive and continuing to educate us all
MW2 Mercenaries here. I had to jump back to Mech Warrior 2 after Mercenaries. And yes, same joystick.
MW4 for me.
I still use my sidewinder 2
I had a copy of the console version of mw 2 on my Sega genesis 32 x. It wasn't as good as the pc version but I loved it! Finally got a gaming pc when mw 4 came out. My allegiance is Clan Wolf. If I have to go IS I'm a Davion from the FEDCOM days!
Was introduced to Battletech when I saw my father play Mechcommander and my brother play Mechcommander 2. I've been playing Mechcommander 2 recently.
I don't know how many times I've listened to this, but I just noticed the mayor says "zan vondt free radio". That's awesome, but so is this video. Thanks to every one involved with this video and all the others in making them phenomenal!
5 months since the last one. Please Tex, we need more mech talks.
And somewhere, Grissom Miller sheds a single tear of remembrance for the men and machines lost.
And Barber’s Marauder 2s Bow their spiritual heads in reference!!!
Yay, more lore.
*INJECT IT STRAIGHT INTO MY EYEBALLS PLEASE*
Another great episode, fantastic work from the whole BPL team!
Also want to say that I've gotten into painting miniatures in the past few years, and this series is mostly at fault for making me want to find some Battletech minis to paint up. At the very least one each of my favorite mechs so I can have my own little stompy robots in my colors. I'd have to see if anyone around me plays though.
I just have to say.... The opening to this one is one of the greatest things yet produced for this series. Getting the Instrumental version of KITT is wonderful. And the opening visuals are just so deliciously 80s.
I do love that the Pontiac Aztek remains the whipping boy and continued shorthand for 'GM dun goofed'.
Also, almost 21K for charity from this documentary alone, hot damn! Excellent work everyone!
The Aztek started as a pretty good concept but got committee’d and bean-counter’d into what it became.
@@mechcommander7876 see also: colt after the 1970's, Ruger up until the 2000's, etc.
@@mechcommander7876 As much as I try to be objective with hardware, the appearance is too disdainful. The Aztek will forever be butt-ugly.
my brother had one and loved it.
Honestly, it was a pretty cool trucklet when it came to all the extra widgets.
Just in time for my birthday -- a hearty thanks to Tex and everyone else at the BPL.
You are most welcome
Happy Birthday.
The Joint Strike Fighter would like to say: "Shot's Fired!"
Shots missed, and now my canopy is cracked, as is the cannon housing. Returning for maintenance.
The F-35 will someday be synonymous with "military boondoggle".
I love the retro 80's intro to this documentary. (and yes I qualify this as a documentary, excellent work)
This was amazing, although that wasn't surprising! Marauder's are such a good looking mech. I must say, the art of the SLDF Black Watch in dress uniforms with their Marauders was the stand out for me, that is just distilled bad-assery.
I am definately gonna use "I wager the minefield you just jumped into." in the future.
Oh yeah... definitely... now I just have to figure out how to make cost effective stealth mines in Space D&D and deploy them in some traps. I do play as a former space DARPA field test commander promoted to spec ops commander in wartime (now rear admiral), with an R&D background mixed with heavy inspiration from Mikhail Kalashnikov. So if anyone can do it, it'll be me.
Tex, I humbly BEG of you to do an episode on the Highlander. Not only is it by far my favorite ‘Mech in BattleTech, but it would give you yet another glorious excuse to talk about the GOD. DAMN. B L A C K W A T C H.
35:43 - "And being that this is academia, I must now *prove* that assertion."
Oh Tex, you beautiful optimist, you.
A professor from a better age. A more civilized one.
...And the primary reason I abandoned my career path in to academia and now just work whatever jobs make ends meet, searching desperately for a purpose to my life, trapped as I am with my understanding of the futility of it all in grand nihilistic fashion.
So anyway, the Marauder is pretty kickass.
Smash that reminder button, boys. Praise z0rg and pass the autocannon ammo.
I demand incendiary gauss rifle ammo!
I shall pass you some AC20 candy happily
Load up the Urbies bots and girls! It's time to go pillaging!
PRAISE Z0RG!!! :)
Anyone got LRM ammo to spare?
Ah yes, the Mighty Zentradi Officer Battle Pod.. I mean Marauder :)
I am now one GOOB COIN richer!
I knew I've seen this somewhere else before. Harmony copper can eat shit until that company goes tits up.
Khyron jumping out of the ravine and landing made me fall in love with the Marauder.
That's Roiquonmi Glaug, thank you very much. ;)
Interestingly enough, with the destruction of the Roiquonmi factory in the Second Supervision Army War, the Glaug was lostech for 3,700 years!
Yack! Deculture!
This, the grey death books and a beautiful design are why I love this mech so much!
Been playing the Battletech computer game lately. The Marauder has become my go to head hunter, and it’s been working fantastically.
They are awesome.
This video is why I sought it out.
Tex says it's going to be a history lesson then YT cuts to an ad that starts with "One year before the Mayflower landed.."
Ad block is your friend.
30:50 "Please don't simp for Tex. It makes him uncomfortable."
Tex as a vtuber when?
Only fans? Jk
Ok, someone needs to make Tex an Urbanmech vtuber avatar. It'll only show up once, if ever, but it needs to be done anyways.
@@absalomdraconis no, an Awesome. That's his fave.
I thank you, and your whole team, for producing this. Grinning like a fool for the whole thing. Time well spent.