Sharpening the sword

MekWerks Factory, City of Fiana: September 3rd 3030

   How much longer will this take? Can you believe this guy? He is lucky to HAVE a Mech, don't get on my case about how long it will take to get it working. This Warhammer rebuild was not going as well as we hoped. Many parts had to be reworked to get them to fit since they were taken from other Mechs. Not sure how that Bical SRM 6 was going to work in place of the original Holly, what with having to move it to the left torso due to the damage from the feed system. Reworking that took much longer than anticipated but the techs assure me that it will work even better than before. Of course they always say that. We won't really know until we get it out in the field. Thats when the pilot won't be asking when his Mech will be ready, he will be asking if he was going to blow up next time he pulls the trigger. This was  not really a danger but it doesn't hurt to keep those pilots a little nervous. They need to respect these machines and how hard we have worked to make them. Since Ceres Metals last shipment of parts had already been used up, we have been making due with whatever salvage the Patrol brings in. Some parts were just not designed to go together but that isn't their problem, it was ours. All they had to to was keep the Mechs coming in and we would work our magic. 

   Once we get the Fort supplied, hopefully things will ease off and we can work on streamlining the process, although truth be told, these were some of the most intuitive techs he had ever worked with. Those old vids of Keelan O'Connor talking about how he bypassed systems back in the Star League was a real find. Fortunately the family had give us access to those along with the factory. If it wasn't for the fact that the infrastructure was already in place, I doubt this would have worked at all. For now all we can do is fall back on that good old Capellan stubbornness and get through these tough times. Its not as bad as on other worlds according to the scuttlebutt coming from the ship Captains. Most of the other sectors are being protected by units so worn out or under strength, its a wonder House Davion hasn't finished what they started. Ah well, that kind of thinking won't get this done, we will do what we have always done and push through. Nothing else to do but that. When they attack though, they will not find an undefended world ready for capture, they will find our swords will bite deep and make them pay for every inch of Glasgow soil they tread on. 

Dawn on Glasgow

MekWerks Factory, City of Fiana: August 30th 3030

   I still can't get over this new tech, if we could only mass produce this for the whole Confederation we would never have to fear invasion again. Max looked up at the Vindicator and marveled at the changes the ComStar techs had made in his old Mech. It was a solid old workhorse before, but now it was much more. 

   They stripped it down to the bare bones and reworked it all. First they replaced all of the myomers with the new triple strength ones still being perfected by Ceres Metals. These were fixed, unlike the prototypes used during the Davion invasion of Sian. Next they replaced all of the armor with Ferro Fibrous which saved enough weight to install C.A.S.E. in the left torso to protect the LRM ammo. 

   He had heard about some of this lost tech but never thought he would see it, let alone use it. Here in the backwaters of House Liao, we are used to making due with what we have. The old Smasher PPC was replaced with a new kind, or rather an old kind as the ComStar master tech told him. They called it a Snub-nosed PPC; shorter range overall but no minimum and this one comes with an extra surprise, a capacitor to super charge it. Wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that shot. 

   All of this was pretty fancy stuff for what Max had grown up with, but the last thing left all the rest behind. They said it was part of something called a Chameleon Light Polarization Shield. It wasn't a full system but the parts they installed still amazed Max. It made the Mech change color to blend in perfectly with the surrounding terrain. Nowhere near true invisibility but it would certainly allow the pilot to sneak up on an unwary enemy and take them down quickly. These upgrades were all designed to do just that, allow the Lost Patrol to infiltrate Davion staging areas and kill off some of the bastards quickly and quietly and bring back as much of their Mechs as could be dragged back to the Leopard. 

   Once back here, the MekWerks Techs would take it and build something suitable for the dispossessed pilots. According to Bentley, all of the Glasgow Techs were getting an updated course on Mech construction from a ComStar scientist named Sing. He was some kind of genius even in their own organisation, which is saying a lot. These field tests would work out any bugs and give House Liao some new tools to use against House Davion. "Sneaky Capellan" would take on a whole new meaning to those murdering bastards once Max and his crew of similarly equipped pilots landed in their back yards. They would regret ever setting foot on Capellan soil.

   This "Arberghast" would make certain of that. Max named it in the old tongue still spoken on Glasgow in many of the remote areas where he had been born. Roughly translated it meant "the source of ghosts". With the Polarization shield, this Mech was a ghost and it would seek vengeance in the name of all those Capellans lost to the war mongering Davion animals who destroyed his home. The Lost Patrol would do their part to keep their homelands free.

   Even though the Lost Patrol was an independent unit, they still considered themselves loyal to the Glasgow and would gladly fight by their side wherever and whenever they needed  them. For now the Patrol was doing what it needed to do to feed the planet pilots and Mechs. Soon there would be enough forces to strike back into Davion space and when they do, many man Davions will know the wrath of Glasgow. 

Beating plowshares into swords...

MekWerks Factory, City of Fiana: August 26th 3030

   “What do you mean we don't have anymore heat sinks?” *sigh* “Ok, ok, just slap another ton of armor on it 'til the Patrol comes back with the next shipment. Hopefully they will have some more parts so we can get this one done and prep the next one.” Master Tech Bentley just knew it was going to be one of those days, but why should that surprise him, they were all one of THOSE days lately. Endless hours of work, just to get these Mechs working, had left him with a short temper and a shorter set of parts. They had pulled every part from every warehouse in Tara and still they came up short. Glasgow was just not equipped to service so many Mechs. They never had to, but now with the real threat of Davion hanging just over the border, they knew it was time to take care of their own protection. The old MekWerks factory was being refurbished to cobble new Mechs together, but until it was ready for full production again, they would just have to make do with the temporary scaffolding erected outside of the factory grounds.

   Old Keelan O'Connor probably never imagined his personal hobby of building new Mechs from random spare parts would one day form the foundation of Glasgow's defense network. Never had the need been so high, though, so you had to work with what you had, but Capellans had always lived that way. It was core to their being, really. Overcoming adversity by bonding together as a people was common on nearly every planet in House Liao space. Even with the primarily independent minded Glasgoweans, they could still put aside their anarchistic streak to work together for the betterment of Glasgow, as well as the Capellan Confederation. We had never been the poster children for blind obedience to the state, but we were always loyal Capellans in our hearts. Sometimes you needed people who took matters into their own hands to get things done, especially when the machine of the state was too slow.

   Oh, to be sure, we tried to contact Sian and request proper defensive units to shore up our world, but after the devastation wrought by the thrice damned Davions two years before, there were no units available anywhere to send. House Liao's forces were stretched beyond thin everywhere. If it wasn't for Max O'Connor and his ComStar friends, Glasgow would simply be waiting for the next wave of invaders to waltz in and take our home.

   Strange times require even stranger solutions to a problem. The loss of the Northwind Highlanders was certainly a tipping point in the war. One could even argue that had they kept their solemn vows to protect the people of the Confederation, the war would have gone differently. Alas, they showed themselves to be true mercenaries at heart. With the carrot of Northwind dangled before their eyes, they gave away the last of the honor they had earned over the years for the easy satisfaction of fulfilling their desire for a homeworld. But not all were traitorous bastards. There were some who would not give in and break their word. Those few were scattered throughout Capellan space, as well as the recently conquered territories, but, stripped of their means to protect House Liao, they were lost until Max had come home with a plan to find them.

   Using his contacts in ComStar, they had helped to track down the refugees from the Highlanders still in Capellan space and brought them here to Glasgow to form a new defense unit. 

What they didn't have were Mechs and that is where Master Tech Bentley came in. He was in charge of putting together workable Mechs from the parts brought back by the Lost Patrol from raids into Davion Space. They might not be pretty, but by GOD they worked, and that was all any warrior could ask for when it came to a weapon. Ceres Metals had sent a few token batches of parts to help with our effort, but they could only do so much, what with them now being the primary Mech production facility for the entire Confederation. They couldn't send the majority of their supplies to one world. The Strategos would not allow that to happen.

   Rumors of Romano Liao's rise to power came down the pipeline these days. No one doubted the blessed mother's intentions. Harsh times required a strong hand, and our beloved leader Maximilian had not been seen for months. The great war was too hard on him and he had succumbed to the pressures of caring for the Confederation alone. Fortunately he had a strong child to take over for him. Cursed be the name of his other feckless children who turned away from their birthright when we needed them. You would do well not to mention the names of Candice or Tormano in public on Glasgow, unless of course, it is followed by a curse and spit. They were blamed almost as much as the Devil Hanse, for the condition of House Liao.

   We would pull through, we always do, and once the next shipment of parts comes in from the latest raid, Master Tech Bentley would finally be able to get these Mechs done and into the hands of loyal warriors. He knew his job was important for the support and defense of Glasgow, just as everyone working in the factory knew it. We were all Capellans, from the lowest worker who swept the floors at night, to the warriors who shed their blood on the battlefield to keep House Liao free.

   Glasgow would show Davion that our plows could cut deeply when sharpened and honed by the fires of dedication. Our swords may not be pretty, but when they are plunged deep into the chest of your enemy, what does it matter how they look, only that they can kill?

Glasgow rising...

Glasgow Fort Facility, City of Fiana: June 15th 3030

   Pride swelled in the hearts of the people again; how long had it been since they felt that? So many had gone out to fight the Davion invasion, so many failed to return. The best of Glasgow's children sacrificed on the alter to stem the tide with their lives. This is what it meant to be Capellan. "Never give in, always fight". The Motto of The Fort endured even now. With the loss of their meager fighting force ground up in the 4th succession war, they had waited for the next wave but it never came. Always watching, ready to do what they could if the enemy set foot on their beloved soil, the people of Glasgow held firm in their resolve but not until now did they have the means to fight back. Word had gone out that some of their people had come home to rebuild but who were these others they brought with them? 

   The betrayal of the Northwind Highlanders had devastated House Liao's ability to defend the borders. So many lives lost because of a broken promise. But not all of the Highlanders were without honor. Many had chosen to stay and fight, to keep their vow to House Liao and now they needed a new home. They were not many, but the ones who stayed began to gather here at The Fort.

   Rumor has it that they were found by a small unit that risked everything to track these brave soldiers down and bring them back here to fulfill their duty to the Capellan people. They are called The Lost Patrol, led by a young native of Fiana named Max O'Connor, he was the last graduate of The Fort and now they use it as a base of operations until the larger facility being built in Tara can be finished. With the old MekWerks factory being refurbished to build Mechs again, Glasgow would finally be able to defend herself as in the old days of the Star League.

   ComStar had lent their aid in tracking down the loyalist Highlanders still in Capellan space and offered to transport them here. Suspicious of the robed acolytes, the people were grateful of their actions, even if they did not understand why they would do this. The people of Glasgow are an independent and isolated group and they do not trust easily but actions always speak louder than empty words and this is what they look for to judge someone. For now, allies were needed and ComStar had sent dropships and technical support that overloaded the small spaceport in Edinburgh, the capital. What Glasgow needed were MechWarriors and Mechs. Word had gone out to recruit anyone who could serve and wanted a chance to pilot the multi-ton war machines.. The Fort had been the only MechWarrior training facility on Glasgow for centuries but it could only take in 10 students per year, and most of the graduates left to serve in other Capellan units stationed on other worlds. Glasgow's location in the heart of the Capellan Confederation had meant there were other planets that could shoulder the burden of protecting the inner worlds, but now the borders had changed and Glasgow was on the front lines.

   Recruitment posters went out to all the cities and outlying towns for young men and women to make their way to Edinburgh to begin the selection process. Glasgow would rise to the occasion and the people would do their duty as true Capellans.

   

Saga of the Lost Patrol

The Lost Patrol by Big Country

"Lost Patrol"

We lay the night in anguish
Snakes drawn out by the tide
The compass of decision
Falls always on one side

But many went before us
And still the cries are clear
There is no beauty here
Just the stench of wine and beer

We save no souls
We break no promises

We can do nothing more than move
Headlong through the gloom
The thorn between our lips
Is the missionaries tune

Men with open arms
Turn their faces half away
Observe as we approach
We have not come to save

We stand as thick as vines
Though the fruit is torn away
There is no beauty here friends
Just death and dark decay

We save no souls
We break no promises

We save no souls
We break no promise

Way back in 1987 my Brother in Law, friend at the time, Greg and I came up with this unit for Battletech based on the song Lost Patrol by Big Country. The haunting melodies tugged at our Celtic roots and spoke to us on a deeply spiritual level. We never really got around to running a full game with our unit, real life got in the way, but now I want to create a blog dedicated to our unit so that I can share my vision of the Battletech universe with other fans. We all have a special way of seeing the world around us and this is my effort to show you mine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

The Lost Patrol, mission one

The money was good, they said, it will be easy, they said, they only have old tanks, they said. When would Max learn to stop listening to politicians? The contract was straight forward; raiders had been harassing the locals a few times a year, they got tired of this and collected enough money to hire Mercs to protect them. Looked like something right up the Lost Patrol's alley. They were a small and untried unit recently formed in the last year, but they boasted some powerful equipment. This alone made them attractive to potential employers who could overlook their inexperience in return for the firepower they bring to the table.
   It was their first real job after forming up on Glasgow and they had already bitten off more than they planned for. Not a good start to a new unit but rarely does a Merc's life pan out as they thought. Its a dangerous job and you can't make the big bucks if you don't stick your neck out. The trick is to pull it back intact so you can enjoy your hard won money later.
   Once the contract was signed and registered with the commission, the unit loaded their equipment on their Leopard Class Dropship and they headed out to the jump point. Transition to the planet was uneventful and after landing at their new temporary base of operations, the Patrol offloaded their mechs. Max and his Marauder established a secure zone before the other 3 mechs came out of the ship. Even though this was supposed to be a cake walk, Max wasn't taking any chances. Once he was satisfied it was safe to offload the rest of the unit, he called back to the ship to have their Rifleman walk out and establish an over-watch on the ship and landing pad. Jensen was one of the best gunners Max had ever seen, so he knew the unit was in good hands as he saw to the rest of the unloading.
   They had four Mechs, one Aerospace fighter and two Galleon support tanks which gave them a lot of firepower and flexibility. The other mechs were an old but serviceable Hoplite piloted by Max's wife, Carrie and an ancient Clint, piloted by his best friend Chuck.