tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post8350076219081862583..comments2023-07-02T08:01:38.043-07:00Comments on The Battletech Reader: 'Mechs in the era of Devlin StoneSteven Satakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-83593816065617833252011-06-25T14:46:03.157-07:002011-06-25T14:46:03.157-07:00Dan,
Sorry, but if you order a copy, it won't...Dan,<br /><br />Sorry, but if you order a copy, it won't be from me. I dropped that idea once it became apparent to Bill and I that we'd probably be sued by CGL for doing so. Hell, we might get a cease and desist letter from them over issue of the PDF. You can get that for free, however, when it comes out. Along with the Record Sheet Annex, of course.Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-53672279271993818622011-06-25T14:29:23.092-07:002011-06-25T14:29:23.092-07:00Steve, I stumbled on to your blog here after diggi...Steve, I stumbled on to your blog here after digging up some info on Battletech after years of languishing in Battletech/Mechwarrior No Man's Land. I cut my gaming teeth playing MW2 (years into the process for you, I know) and branched out to the books and eventually the tabletop game.<br /><br />Let me just say that your undertaking is truly breathtaking. <br /><br />I *WILL* be ordering a copy of your TRO.<br /><br />DanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-39302974071636973072010-04-04T23:17:47.286-07:002010-04-04T23:17:47.286-07:00I don't pretend to know very much about the in...I don't pretend to know very much about the incipient Era of Peace, but you are correct, it would make sense to keep Solaris going. It is profitable after all, and Lyrans are nothing if not about the C-bill.<br /><br />That said, the 'Mech is not going away in the sense that it is suddenly being junked. It's just that the demand for them is going to drop precipitously - no Succession War, no Clan Invasion, no crazy toaster worship - and the companies making them will gradually diversify as everyone stocks up.<br /><br />Frankly, I see a lot of used 'Mechs on the market in 3088, and fewer and fewer after that. Yeah, they can last for hundreds of years, if you have the spare parts in constant production. Think of the BattleMech in 3115 like you would a Hudson Step-Down from 1953. You might get one in pristine condition in 2010, but the minute a part breaks, you are hosed. Plenty of cars around, and Schuck's is right down the street, but you ain't finding that tie rod for your antique.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Solaris market is profitable largely because 'Mechs and their support networks are quite prevalent. When the parts dry up and the spare chasses become harder to come by, you may see fewer combats between the 'Mechs and more military-maneuver style combat between tanks. <br /><br />The 'Mechs might even be modified Industrial units, which are still quite common, can be upgunned somewhat and come in sizes all the way up to around fifty tons (that last is a guess on my part; the biggest ForestryMech I have used in my stories so far is a 45-tonner, not much on the BattleMech scale but quite suited to harvesting redwoods).Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-89685746363300406362010-04-04T22:15:01.695-07:002010-04-04T22:15:01.695-07:00I liked the fanfic, myself. I thought it made it&#...I liked the fanfic, myself. I thought it made it's point and illustrated what you were trying to get across very well.<br /><br />There is one thing I don't understand about the whole Devlin Stone era... What happened to Solaris? I mean, I would think at the very least Solaris mechs would still be popular. It's NASCAR <b>and</b> Pro-Wrestling all rolled into one. That's not something I see dying during peace time. <br /><br />I have to admit, I've not kept up with the whole Jihad storyline, and so if it's described there, let me know. Nonetheless, I still can't understand how there's no BattleMechs duking it out in the arenas. I would think that would keep the 'Mechs alive and well even during the whole "Devlin Era".Shepherd Gunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01032233445979445204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-5406495278494409702010-04-02T23:45:59.954-07:002010-04-02T23:45:59.954-07:00I am curious - what part prompted the 'philoso...I am curious - what part prompted the 'philosopher' part of your comment?Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-2159228543552193692010-04-02T18:40:47.981-07:002010-04-02T18:40:47.981-07:00So, time to stop working on your Ph.D. in art his...So, time to stop working on your Ph.D. in art history; and switch to a Ph.D. in philosophy. You have not started your dissertation yet, so most of the credits should transfer without issue. If the academic department chair gives you any grief, just read them that post... :)Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03998250095212737819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-70097259642237458552010-04-02T18:37:42.858-07:002010-04-02T18:37:42.858-07:00You know, after reading that whole entry now, I th...You know, after reading that whole entry now, I think you are on your way to being <i>The BattleTech Philosopher</i>.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03998250095212737819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-21673350691512268172010-03-31T22:11:55.495-07:002010-03-31T22:11:55.495-07:00By the way, I usually avoid putting up fanfic. Di...By the way, I usually avoid putting up fanfic. Did anyone find that bit entertaining or useful as an illustration of my point?<br /><br />I originally thought it might be a good idea to put a few fanfic pieces in there, ones which were well-written. But the TRO was to hew closer to the older style of books and not so much resemble the current crop of product coming out of CGL. I like stories; just, not in a TRO and not my own (really, I like my own stuff, it's just a little too self-serving).<br /><br />I wrote one story for another fellow's TRO about two years back. It finally appeared but the formatting was... off and he had used a version which was not completely edited. But it was a good story nonetheless and to frank, I still get a kick out of reading it. <br /><br />You know the Grandfather in my example here? That short story featured *his* grandfather in a 3025-era Valkyrie.Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-53916384458654941142010-03-31T18:25:10.728-07:002010-03-31T18:25:10.728-07:00I think Steve is just starting to show his age...
...I think Steve is just starting to show his age...<br /><br />Steve, how often do you yell at kids to get off your lawn?<br /><br />Even better is that Steve starts all of his stories with one of the following:<br /><br /><i>"When <b>I</b> was in the Navy..."</i><br /><br />'Back in my day...'<br /><br />'This one time, at band camp...'Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03998250095212737819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-30496185564506559082010-03-31T16:22:51.385-07:002010-03-31T16:22:51.385-07:00@ Pink:
I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, a lot o...@ Pink:<br /><br />I agree wholeheartedly. In fact, a lot of folks are going to reminisce fondly about the heat sink capacity of 'real BattleMechs' in 3025 after piloting a hastily-converted ForestryMech with one or two (!) double heatsinks.Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-19732665346670914232010-03-31T12:21:45.680-07:002010-03-31T12:21:45.680-07:00I think the low power, quirky industrial mech batt...I think the low power, quirky industrial mech battle is going to just as enjoyable as the uber Clan mech versus WoB versus Inner Sphere X-model mech that the Jihad offers us now. After all, in 3025 nothing much was really uber fantastic and we all enjoyed the heroic fights in well mangle machines that we played then. Otherwise we wouldn't be here now. Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13666947574653683678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-20536533298310037352010-03-31T08:51:22.732-07:002010-03-31T08:51:22.732-07:00Check out these folks here in metro Detroit:
http...Check out these folks here in metro Detroit:<br /><br />http://www.gobretail.com/<br /><br />Prices:<br /><br />http://www.gobretail.com/copy.phpDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03998250095212737819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-9209062460481645892010-03-29T21:03:31.577-07:002010-03-29T21:03:31.577-07:00Lulu cannot make the landscape version I have plan...Lulu cannot make the landscape version I have planned. That is the format for all previous TROs; I see no reason to change it.<br /><br />I will have to find a local CopyMax, but it is worth a shot. Hope they can do Perfect binding.Steven Satakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03621308678106707775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23852428.post-90814233017528652382010-03-29T19:06:19.628-07:002010-03-29T19:06:19.628-07:00Try Lulu or Cafe Press for quotes as well. Take th...Try Lulu or Cafe Press for quotes as well. Take the quote to a Copy Max and see if they'll try to beat it.Xynarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02097463097474858275noreply@blogger.com