IMPORTANT NOTICE: Can you please let me know how many ads you got during the video (not including start/end). I cannot control mid-video ad breaks as normal because of the music used. How obtrusive were they? Were they placed during the pauses or at seemingly random intervals? If there was an ad every 3-4 minutes, that is intolerable to me. Your answers will help me determine how I use music in future videos. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the final chapter of the Star League Civil War series. Thanks for watching.
So you've covered this so far from the perspective of the IS. Are you going to cover clan history from their perspective? It only makes sense until we get to the Clan Invasion and on.
Sven, you should pin this question. I recieved no ads on the second replay. I can't comment on the first as it was just left running when i had to leave the room for a few hours.
@@rainyvideos3684 i mean the clan side. which sven not talking about. we can follow sven for his succession war. i ignored the clan invasion side of tex. but tex do talk about thing that add into the clan invasion. now we need sven to finish talking about the all 4 succession war and then go into the clan PS: i really like tex talk about the road to exodus homeworld and clan formattion.
With this, Kerensky made the toughest decision of his life: leaving the Inner Sphere with a good majority of the SLDF with him. They would return...but they would be drastically different from their ancestors. Well done Sven, to you and all who collaborated with this video series.
Poor General Aleksandr Sergeyivich Kerensky. A man so honorable, so dedicated and idealistic that it genuinely never occurred to him that the other leaders of Star League could be even half as grasping, venal, petty and greedy as they were (except Kenyon Marik, he had at least some idea how awful he was). In trying to uphold the ideals he had fought so hard for, he ended up burying what was left of Star League, not realising until it was far too late that Amaris was just a symptom of a far more serious and older disease.
Pink floyd playing the kerensky led SLDF out in a sort of melancholic moment of goodbye to the inner sphere and done in Kuritas territory as a sort of final moment of retribution but of "what have I done" moment for kurita, it's fitting really, feels like something out of a movie franchise that's just wrapped everything up in a nice bow. You should feel proud of yourself Sven you did great, this will probably become the comprehensive star league civil war saga video.
Masterpiece. I love this part of the history of Battletech. I can only imagine what was going on inside Kerensky's head. After all the horrors and the years of non stop war, to finally give up and leave. And the saddest part, is that the vices of the Innersphere go with them. It just never ends.
He couldn't win. No matter what he decided, the Star League had been lost years before, when the House Lords decided to divvy up the Hegemony. Without the Hegemony to act as a balancing point, and a massive economic center to draw from, you had nothing solid to rebuild the league atop of, only the mutual agreement of the House Lords. If such a thing was viable, the Amaris Empire would have been a sham from the outset.
Imagine what a gut-wrenching decision he must have had when DeChavilier presented him with the option for a coup. I don't think a single person outside of the First Lords would have questioned anything, and Kenrensky would have certainly been a principled leader. But on the other hand, he must have seen Stephen Amiris in that moment, and he probably simply couldn't do it. He must have known that any hope of the Star League returning would die without a coup from him.
@@seanmac1793 Amaris wasn't alone, though. The RWR was as powerful as most of the member States, and had spent generations preparing for the coup. Kerensky had an army he couldn't pay, armed with equipment he couldn't replace, and whose only territory was a scattering of supply caches and a shattered, bloodied Terra. They'd taken the Hegemony, the bureaucracy, the economy... Everything except his army. He could win battles - a lot of battles - but he was in no position to win another war. Not with all five Council Lords against him. If any one had backed him, then there's room to debate. But this wasn't James McKenna looking outwards from Terra, hoping to reclaim a dividend and fragmented Galaxy. The Successor Lords were too strong, and too consolidated.
@@watchm4ker He probably could have saved the Hegemony and let the other House Lords elect a new First (or leave, if they so wanted). But then thete wouls be fewer wars and less story...
@@jamesperkins191 The dissolution of the Hegemony came while the SLDF was engaged with Amaris's forces. To stop it, he would have had to pull his own forces off the line and use them to establish relief efforts for the humanitarian disasters Amaris had left in his wake. Splitting his forces at that point might have cost him Terra, and the liberation efforts entirely. It would certainly have ensured that whatever SLDF forces were left would have been truly exhausted. However, had he accomplished this, AND had the support of just one Great House, that could tip the balance back to the Star League. That'd be the best hope of a return to an imperfect Status Quo.
This and the Succession Wars series have been some of the finest deep dives into a hobby's setting in a good while. The collaboration was what made this most exceptional. Thank you for making this as excellent as it has been, and keep making lore dive gold! ❤🔥
Of all the important figures in the history of Battletech, Alexander Kerensky most likely stands as one of the most tragic. Fought through the horror of multiple wars and gave his all for the government which he believed in to the bitter end, and the Great Houses in return all but spat in his face for his efforts. And even when he left with what remained of the SLDF, he never truly gave up on the dream of a re-ascendant Star League. The fact that his son Nicholas would one day pervert the SLDF's legacy into something twisted out of recognition is perhaps the last and worst nail in the coffin for everything Alexander had fought and hoped for. Did the Star League deserve to endure? In light of what it did in the name of human unity and progress, probably not. But one cannot help but admire and pity the leader of the once-mighty SLDF for attempting to do everything to the best of his ability and duty in the face of what now appears to all of us to be an inevitable collapse. He did not cave in to despair and he did not waver from what he felt was the best course of action for the Star League and humanity as a whole. He could have taken the easy way out and simply grabbed the seat of the First Lord for himself in a military coup. But he did not. He did what he believed to be the right thing in spite of all the difficulties he faced and all the trials he endured. That more than anything deserves admiration and respect for his character.
I do wonder something...if you don't mind me jumping to the modern era... How would Kerensky view the Ilclan era? Would it be a justice due? Or would he be horrified at how much his ideals where mutilated by his son Nicolas? What about the inner sphere's Second Star League?
@@kyokyodisaster4842 I suspect much of what Nicholas did would have horrified and disgusted his father in equal measure, and the same goes for the Clans as well. A lot of what Nicholas instituted in shaping the Clans is pretty much the antithesis of what Alexander considered the SLDF to stand for (And yes, that especially includes the shenanigans Nicholas pulled in regards to Clan Wolverine). I do not think the Clans and what they inflicted upon the Inner Sphere would have met with their so-called "Great Father's" approval. As for the second Star League? It lasted a mere NINE YEARS. The only things Alexander would have likely carried away from its fall would be: - How the old problems of the human condition that plagued the Inner Sphere continued to persist - The terrible irony that the Second Star League formed in response as a protection against the remnants of what was supposed to be the very entity created to help protect the Star League.
Thank you so much for this and I look forward to so much more. I built a Battletech MUX in the late 90's and early-2000's. One of the last big ones I hear. I spent my youth playing tabletop and reading a massive pile of sourcebook's. 3-4 boxes worth. During a difficult time in my life I left them in one state over as I had to move only to find 6 months later they were left by a now bygone "good" friend in the back of his reposessed SUV and he just failed to mention it to me. Lost forever a pile of books which I used to create source based rules in my MUX hardcode (I taught myself to program in my youth in C/C++ via Battletech...) and tote around me in my suitcase flying around for work in an instant... I have so many vague recollection I cannot make specific again from memory.. including the Grateful Dead references in the House Kurita sourcebook and so many other easter eggs and hat tips in a depth of Novels and writings that was a whole world bigger than these "Games of Thrones" and other such things people reage about these days that can't put a drop in the bucket of "what the big robot video game?" everyone dismisses. No one realize how accurate to the large scale human condition and pertintent and wise some of the concepts in these stories are even to our modern world. Lessons that could be learned and thought that should be delved into. I've had to shun my old love out of shame for losing my sourcebooks I used to read and re-read for comfort; only other battletechers know they aren't game rules we were reading. The shame went deep and the potential investment to acquire it all again was daunting and nigh impossible. I binged this whole series. When I can I will find your patreon. Please continue to make this content. I have never these kinds of words. I don't think anything on TH-cam has gotten to me for real the way this series has.. it let's me explore a thing I thought lost. Whenever you kept saying you coudl go into 10x the time in detail... all I thought was "Why not? I need to donate to him to convince him to". If I could have all the battletech sourcebooks and novels in audiobook form... I wouldn't need audible or any other content. Thank you so much. I did not realize this was out there.. I need to find more.. there are more content creators making this kind of content? Discussing these things? Is there a whole community out there devling into these subjects? I can't stop absorbing this material now.. must..find.. MOAR!!!!! :) Thank you.
What a trip it has been. I look forward to seeing any future videos covering the Succession Wars and the development of the Clans where the SLDF Exodus settled, and possibly beyond.
This has been a heck of a journey and a great deep dive in to the lore. I had no idea how detailed the various engagements were. I'm excited for you to get in to the Succession Wars. I don't think any of the major channels have delved in to them in the same way you did the Star League era.
Powerful stuff here and well done. When I try to describe Battletech to other table top hobbyists this is the type of stories I try to relate. The Machiavellian Machinations that happen in Battletech set it apart from many Science Fiction/Fantasy IPs. Your videos are a great encapsulation of these events and I can't thank you enough for creating them. Thanks again Sven.
Great video for today and yesterday Sven. I look forward to the Succession Wars chapters of your battletech series and do hope you'll cover the infamous "wedding" of a certian fox. Take some time off though if need be.
Holy. Crap. I had no idea the depth of field of the Battletech universe. Kerensky basically initiated the birth of the clans by taking his followers out of the inner sphere. I have been following Battletech my whole life and I had no idea how important the Star League was to the timeline until you dropped that last line right on my head. 30 years later it’s all starting to make sense. I’ve been watching and listening to these on my work commutes and the level of detail you provide is insane. You must have put your heart and soul into this project. I appreciate the work you do as well as all the content creators that collaborated, you guys are legends. Keep up the great work ❤
Fantastic video! It's great to see so many members of our community working on this together. Both the quality and quantity of content currently available for Battletech is beyond what we could have imagined a few years ago. I remember when there were only a few tiny websites struggling to keep the lights on when so many thought Battletech was fading away. This is a true renaissance ! Thanks to all of those involved who are truly making that renaissance happen.
Your content is absolutely a must watch for anyone who loves the setting or wants an in-depth primer on the eras you have covered. Thank you very much for the hard work!
i love how this is like a sort of character driven epilogue to the absolute insanity of the star league civil war. this was fantastic, and i think this community is so lucky to have someone like you at the helm of such a project! keep up the good work!!!!!
Truly fantastic work by all of you. This could have been turned into a Lord of the Rings style epic movie series. All of you did the community proud. This is both the greatest story, and the saddest tale in a fictional universe. You all did so well... bravo!
Sven van der Plank wow that last chapter was Fannnnntastic you are very good, don't stop and great work to your collaborator as well Keep doing this and I will be there again watching whats coming next!👏👏🔥
@@kiepyon1 No sir, I'll leave that for the experts. I was shooting for a much more niche series, kind of like what Mechanical Frog is doing with the Periphery stuff.
Once again my man, an absolute MASTERpiece. i can't wait to see what you do in the future, cause given your style of presentation i'll watch it all ravenously even if i already know everything within 😅 You really do have a gift for this👍
An absolutely AMAZING series! I just love these "in universe" lore videos. It just gives the events such a gravity and weight a more "removed" style of video would have. And Sven the amount of effort you put into these really shows! You have truly made something special with this and i cannot wait to see what you have next! But seriously feel free to have a well earned rest. You've earned it!
Thank you for doing this project. You and all of your contributors have done an amazing job in bringing to life a table top game that first came out when I was a teenager and the sourcebooks and novels were first appearing. Amazing job and I am looking forward to seeing more awesome content in the future!!!!!
Your videos have been absolutely amazing in every way. I just got my toes into Battletech, and these have greatly deepened my interest in the universe. Awesome work.
Such a great story telling. Thank you and to all the guys who help you create this videos. Keep it up. This brings me back the 1st time i fell in love with Battletech/Mechwarrior/MechCommander way back in 1998. Again, thank you for this amazing content. 👏
Sven, as always your killing it. This was great. I liked Tex's, but the details you added to everything that happened, I loved. I am curious how you are going to handle the inbred weirdo's that are he Clans.
Tbis series is THE place I send people for a lore primer on BattleTech. Tex, Rocket and the others are always next on the list I'm stoked the Succession Wars are next. Thank you for your videos. They are a delight.
Love it all man, thanks for the great work, and looking forward to the Succession Wars! I've made the offer before, but now I'm REALLY putting it out there- if you get into the Eridani Light Horse as the vids go forward I volunteer any and all help I may be able to give, as they are far and away my favorite unit in all of BT lore and I'd LOVE to give voice them!
Hats off in using Pink Floyd as the theme music for the end of the Star League Civil War. It captures the 70's/80's mythos building around the Star League as a backdrop to the Succession Wars that were to follow. Did you have that music chosen for the ending beforehand, or did someone else suggest it? Hearing it reminds me of all the early Battletech stories I read back in the late 80's, particularly in Mechwarrior First Edition RPG, Citytech and in TR3025. The Jury-Rigged/Road-Warrior/Post-Apocalyptic feel of Battletech is almost a thing of the past. The Music you chose captured that aesthetic around the glorious (and failed) promise of the Star League, and the grungy reality of the grind that was to become the Succession Wars. Thank you for your amazing delve into the History of Humanity within the Battletech Universe.
Thank you for the very kind donation, I really appreciate it. As for Pink Floyd, I made an offhand comment about them in the compilation video for the Reunification War series early in 2022. A month or two later I listened to Atom Heart Mother for the first time in many years (I don't really care for that album too much) and that particular 10 minute segment of the suite I fell in love with. From that first listen I knew I wanted to use it as the finale for the Star League. Exactly how I would do so slowly took form over many months as I wrote the series and imagined the ending in my head. It ended up becoming my most listened to song on Spotify last year as I would motivate myself to work on it by listening to the song and picturing that ending in my head. By July/August I'd settled on "and they were never seen again" as the final line and timing it to coincide with that slight flourish as the drums come in, then slow fade and harsh cut to black at the transition between Mother Fore and Funky Dung, then title when the guitar hit. I'm very happy I finally managed to get that out there for other folks to see, even if it ended up getting the video demonetised (or rather, Pink Floyd is getting the ad revenue, lol).
Absolutely awesome! Mechwarrior 2 was my very first game I ever played on PC, and that got me into the BattleTech universe. I got into the books, but it's harder to find them nowadays. All you guys have proven to me that, while I may have been away, and not heard much, that the love of BattleTech is still very much alive and well! I hope you all have a great day today, and a great rest of the year!
Since I picked up MechWarrior 5, I've watched many different videos about the legends and history of the Inner Sphere. While I understand why many people have their favorites amongst the community, from Big Red with his mote technical approach, to Tex with his eccentric wiles. But for me, your videos are the frontrunner. I only wish mote of my friends were as into long content as I am. While buzzing around the Inner Sphere kicking seven shades of crap out of bandits, and the Kuritans, I frequently play your videos in the background. I can't congratulate you enough on the growth you as a creator, and as a channel have gained. I will return, hungry for more. May your clients be generous and your contracts plentiful, Commander.
And so concludes another chapter in the history of the Inner Sphere and Battletech . But now, so begins the next journey. So starts the first Succesion war, let the casualties and destruction live up to its name.
Thank you. I'm always trying to make small improvements. Even going back to the start of the series I notice quite a few things that changed throughout the project.
I got so curious jumped into one video that tex talk about the exodus --> clan formation--> clan invasion. Now i need to see the succession war to add everything up
This was really really good!! Can’t wait for your blow-by-blow retelling of the succession wars! And btw, may i congratulate you on your choice of music at the end? My fav piece of music from the floyd, even if they don’t think so.
Very enjoyable! Ive always liked btech but never understood it's lore or stuff before. I have no idea if you have plans for it in the future but I'd love to see something on the Clan Wars as well :)
to answer your request, I only had one set of commercials. I swapped devices about 10 minutes in, not sure if that matters. Thanks for the great video!
“Kerensky was a fool in many ways; the existence of the accursed Clans is proof of his divine madness. The Word of Blake views Kerensky as the man who single-handedly destroyed the Star League when he abandoned the inner sphere forever, taking most of the Star League army with him.”
Great end to a amazing series. But it should be named Kerensky's Betrayal, because that's what he and the SLDF did. They betrayed those they had sworn to protect.
Kerensky left because he and those who supported him did not want to make Terra for example a prime target. Wherever he and his troops were would more than likely be targeted first and foremost in the coming war which was The First Succession War. You can blame Minorou Kurita for that one. That whole house have always been collosal assholes. And this is coming from a Free Worlds League fan.
Given that there are several known Amaris family descendants in the modern era, not at all. As for the first one, I think it's probable that they were hunted and killed by the Empire. Amaris had no qualms about killing his actual daughter, any illegitimate children wouldn't have even made it to the throne room massacre. Even if there was a survivor, the issue is the same. Any claims to power come from an extremely distant link to dead nations and institutions.
This is truly a Greek tragedy. In hoping to prevent further bloodshed and war, he left the world he fought and led troops to die for. In turn, he set in motion the bloodiest path, the succession wars and the CLAN. If he had stayed, he could have prevented the succession wars from being what it was.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Can you please let me know how many ads you got during the video (not including start/end). I cannot control mid-video ad breaks as normal because of the music used. How obtrusive were they? Were they placed during the pauses or at seemingly random intervals? If there was an ad every 3-4 minutes, that is intolerable to me. Your answers will help me determine how I use music in future videos. Thank you.
I hope you enjoy the final chapter of the Star League Civil War series. Thanks for watching.
Clan war?
So you've covered this so far from the perspective of the IS. Are you going to cover clan history from their perspective? It only makes sense until we get to the Clan Invasion and on.
@@rainyvideos3684 Jihad era?
Sven, you should pin this question. I recieved no ads on the second replay. I can't comment on the first as it was just left running when i had to leave the room for a few hours.
@@kiepyon1 Sure why not. There's plenty to cover before we reach the ilclan era
And thus ends the greatest documentary about a fictional universe ever made.
Sven van der Plank, everyone. The man, the myth, the legend.
Not yet. There's still the formation of the Clans and the succession Wars.
@@Rellana1 That's a separate documentary,
Tex have them cover
@@kiepyon1 It's not the same. Tex does it in an entertaining way. Sven covers the content better.
@@rainyvideos3684 i mean the clan side. which sven not talking about. we can follow sven for his succession war. i ignored the clan invasion side of tex. but tex do talk about thing that add into the clan invasion. now we need sven to finish talking about the all 4 succession war and then go into the clan
PS: i really like tex talk about the road to exodus homeworld and clan formattion.
With this, Kerensky made the toughest decision of his life: leaving the Inner Sphere with a good majority of the SLDF with him. They would return...but they would be drastically different from their ancestors. Well done Sven, to you and all who collaborated with this video series.
Seyla, they will return...
They will return indeed...
I actually checked on this and i was so spoiled and lol
I dunno, they seem just as bad as their telecom cousins.
Hindsight being 20/20 (and Nicholas being....Nicholas) I'd say it was the single worst decision he ever made.
Poor General Aleksandr Sergeyivich Kerensky. A man so honorable, so dedicated and idealistic that it genuinely never occurred to him that the other leaders of Star League could be even half as grasping, venal, petty and greedy as they were (except Kenyon Marik, he had at least some idea how awful he was). In trying to uphold the ideals he had fought so hard for, he ended up burying what was left of Star League, not realising until it was far too late that Amaris was just a symptom of a far more serious and older disease.
Pink floyd playing the kerensky led SLDF out in a sort of melancholic moment of goodbye to the inner sphere and done in Kuritas territory as a sort of final moment of retribution but of "what have I done" moment for kurita, it's fitting really, feels like something out of a movie franchise that's just wrapped everything up in a nice bow.
You should feel proud of yourself Sven you did great, this will probably become the comprehensive star league civil war saga video.
10/10, would roadtrip with these guys again.
Several years and a few mutinies along the way, it all worked out in the end.
@@SvenVanDerPlank I mean, us Capellans had to start shit at some point
@@TheR00k someone has to make things interesting
@@marsar1775someone had to be the entertainment, lol
Masterpiece.
I love this part of the history of Battletech. I can only imagine what was going on inside Kerensky's head. After all the horrors and the years of non stop war, to finally give up and leave.
And the saddest part, is that the vices of the Innersphere go with them. It just never ends.
He couldn't win. No matter what he decided, the Star League had been lost years before, when the House Lords decided to divvy up the Hegemony. Without the Hegemony to act as a balancing point, and a massive economic center to draw from, you had nothing solid to rebuild the league atop of, only the mutual agreement of the House Lords. If such a thing was viable, the Amaris Empire would have been a sham from the outset.
Imagine what a gut-wrenching decision he must have had when DeChavilier presented him with the option for a coup. I don't think a single person outside of the First Lords would have questioned anything, and Kenrensky would have certainly been a principled leader. But on the other hand, he must have seen Stephen Amiris in that moment, and he probably simply couldn't do it. He must have known that any hope of the Star League returning would die without a coup from him.
@@seanmac1793 Amaris wasn't alone, though. The RWR was as powerful as most of the member States, and had spent generations preparing for the coup. Kerensky had an army he couldn't pay, armed with equipment he couldn't replace, and whose only territory was a scattering of supply caches and a shattered, bloodied Terra.
They'd taken the Hegemony, the bureaucracy, the economy... Everything except his army. He could win battles - a lot of battles - but he was in no position to win another war. Not with all five Council Lords against him.
If any one had backed him, then there's room to debate. But this wasn't James McKenna looking outwards from Terra, hoping to reclaim a dividend and fragmented Galaxy. The Successor Lords were too strong, and too consolidated.
@@watchm4ker He probably could have saved the Hegemony and let the other House Lords elect a new First (or leave, if they so wanted). But then thete wouls be fewer wars and less story...
@@jamesperkins191 The dissolution of the Hegemony came while the SLDF was engaged with Amaris's forces. To stop it, he would have had to pull his own forces off the line and use them to establish relief efforts for the humanitarian disasters Amaris had left in his wake.
Splitting his forces at that point might have cost him Terra, and the liberation efforts entirely. It would certainly have ensured that whatever SLDF forces were left would have been truly exhausted.
However, had he accomplished this, AND had the support of just one Great House, that could tip the balance back to the Star League. That'd be the best hope of a return to an imperfect Status Quo.
Great narration, as always. It's such a fascinating story.
That Atom Heart Mother Suite quietly going on in the background is so fitting and chill-inducing...
This and the Succession Wars series have been some of the finest deep dives into a hobby's setting in a good while. The collaboration was what made this most exceptional. Thank you for making this as excellent as it has been, and keep making lore dive gold! ❤🔥
Of all the important figures in the history of Battletech, Alexander Kerensky most likely stands as one of the most tragic. Fought through the horror of multiple wars and gave his all for the government which he believed in to the bitter end, and the Great Houses in return all but spat in his face for his efforts. And even when he left with what remained of the SLDF, he never truly gave up on the dream of a re-ascendant Star League. The fact that his son Nicholas would one day pervert the SLDF's legacy into something twisted out of recognition is perhaps the last and worst nail in the coffin for everything Alexander had fought and hoped for.
Did the Star League deserve to endure? In light of what it did in the name of human unity and progress, probably not. But one cannot help but admire and pity the leader of the once-mighty SLDF for attempting to do everything to the best of his ability and duty in the face of what now appears to all of us to be an inevitable collapse. He did not cave in to despair and he did not waver from what he felt was the best course of action for the Star League and humanity as a whole. He could have taken the easy way out and simply grabbed the seat of the First Lord for himself in a military coup. But he did not. He did what he believed to be the right thing in spite of all the difficulties he faced and all the trials he endured. That more than anything deserves admiration and respect for his character.
I do wonder something...if you don't mind me jumping to the modern era...
How would Kerensky view the Ilclan era? Would it be a justice due? Or would he be horrified at how much his ideals where mutilated by his son Nicolas? What about the inner sphere's Second Star League?
@@kyokyodisaster4842 I suspect much of what Nicholas did would have horrified and disgusted his father in equal measure, and the same goes for the Clans as well. A lot of what Nicholas instituted in shaping the Clans is pretty much the antithesis of what Alexander considered the SLDF to stand for (And yes, that especially includes the shenanigans Nicholas pulled in regards to Clan Wolverine). I do not think the Clans and what they inflicted upon the Inner Sphere would have met with their so-called "Great Father's" approval.
As for the second Star League? It lasted a mere NINE YEARS. The only things Alexander would have likely carried away from its fall would be:
- How the old problems of the human condition that plagued the Inner Sphere continued to persist
- The terrible irony that the Second Star League formed in response as a protection against the remnants of what was supposed to be the very entity created to help protect the Star League.
@@kyokyodisaster4842 that nicholas bustard
I absolutely love the BattleTech community coming together like this. You have done exceptionally well! Great work!
Thank you so much for this and I look forward to so much more.
I built a Battletech MUX in the late 90's and early-2000's. One of the last big ones I hear. I spent my youth playing tabletop and reading a massive pile of sourcebook's. 3-4 boxes worth. During a difficult time in my life I left them in one state over as I had to move only to find 6 months later they were left by a now bygone "good" friend in the back of his reposessed SUV and he just failed to mention it to me. Lost forever a pile of books which I used to create source based rules in my MUX hardcode (I taught myself to program in my youth in C/C++ via Battletech...) and tote around me in my suitcase flying around for work in an instant... I have so many vague recollection I cannot make specific again from memory.. including the Grateful Dead references in the House Kurita sourcebook and so many other easter eggs and hat tips in a depth of Novels and writings that was a whole world bigger than these "Games of Thrones" and other such things people reage about these days that can't put a drop in the bucket of "what the big robot video game?" everyone dismisses. No one realize how accurate to the large scale human condition and pertintent and wise some of the concepts in these stories are even to our modern world. Lessons that could be learned and thought that should be delved into.
I've had to shun my old love out of shame for losing my sourcebooks I used to read and re-read for comfort; only other battletechers know they aren't game rules we were reading. The shame went deep and the potential investment to acquire it all again was daunting and nigh impossible.
I binged this whole series. When I can I will find your patreon. Please continue to make this content. I have never these kinds of words. I don't think anything on TH-cam has gotten to me for real the way this series has.. it let's me explore a thing I thought lost. Whenever you kept saying you coudl go into 10x the time in detail... all I thought was "Why not? I need to donate to him to convince him to". If I could have all the battletech sourcebooks and novels in audiobook form... I wouldn't need audible or any other content.
Thank you so much. I did not realize this was out there.. I need to find more.. there are more content creators making this kind of content? Discussing these things? Is there a whole community out there devling into these subjects? I can't stop absorbing this material now.. must..find.. MOAR!!!!! :)
Thank you.
What a trip it has been. I look forward to seeing any future videos covering the Succession Wars and the development of the Clans where the SLDF Exodus settled, and possibly beyond.
There already have a video on that by the black panther
This has been a heck of a journey and a great deep dive in to the lore. I had no idea how detailed the various engagements were.
I'm excited for you to get in to the Succession Wars. I don't think any of the major channels have delved in to them in the same way you did the Star League era.
I am saddened to know this ends the tale, but what an ending it was.
You've alleviated many days' boredom. Bravo, and well done.
Powerful stuff here and well done. When I try to describe Battletech to other table top hobbyists this is the type of stories I try to relate. The Machiavellian Machinations that happen in Battletech set it apart from many Science Fiction/Fantasy IPs.
Your videos are a great encapsulation of these events and I can't thank you enough for creating them.
Thanks again Sven.
Great video for today and yesterday Sven. I look forward to the Succession Wars chapters of your battletech series and do hope you'll cover the infamous "wedding" of a certian fox.
Take some time off though if need be.
Holy. Crap.
I had no idea the depth of field of the Battletech universe. Kerensky basically initiated the birth of the clans by taking his followers out of the inner sphere. I have been following Battletech my whole life and I had no idea how important the Star League was to the timeline until you dropped that last line right on my head. 30 years later it’s all starting to make sense.
I’ve been watching and listening to these on my work commutes and the level of detail you provide is insane. You must have put your heart and soul into this project. I appreciate the work you do as well as all the content creators that collaborated, you guys are legends. Keep up the great work ❤
Fantastic video! It's great to see so many members of our community working on this together.
Both the quality and quantity of content currently available for Battletech is beyond what
we could have imagined a few years ago.
I remember when there were only a few tiny websites struggling to keep the lights on
when so many thought Battletech was fading away. This is a true renaissance !
Thanks to all of those involved who are truly making that renaissance happen.
Your content is absolutely a must watch for anyone who loves the setting or wants an in-depth primer on the eras you have covered. Thank you very much for the hard work!
Fantastic work, I never heard of Battletech until you started this series.
You and all the other creators you collaborate with are making amazing content. Just wanted to say thank you and I look forward to more in the future.
i love how this is like a sort of character driven epilogue to the absolute insanity of the star league civil war. this was fantastic, and i think this community is so lucky to have someone like you at the helm of such a project! keep up the good work!!!!!
Dude, this is awesome. Your videos were the reason why I got interested on BattleTech. Please keep up the amazing work 😀
Truly fantastic work by all of you. This could have been turned into a Lord of the Rings style epic movie series. All of you did the community proud. This is both the greatest story, and the saddest tale in a fictional universe. You all did so well... bravo!
A lovely finish to a great series
Sven van der Plank wow that last chapter was Fannnnntastic
you are very good, don't stop and great work to your collaborator as well
Keep doing this and I will be there again watching whats coming next!👏👏🔥
It's been a hell of a ride. Great job Sven.
Brilliantly done. Thank you.
Absolutely amazing. I can't wait for the next series. Yours and others have inspired me to start thinking about my own lore series.
You wanna do the exodus to clan invasion series? Lol😊
@@kiepyon1 No sir, I'll leave that for the experts. I was shooting for a much more niche series, kind of like what Mechanical Frog is doing with the Periphery stuff.
Once again my man, an absolute MASTERpiece. i can't wait to see what you do in the future, cause given your style of presentation i'll watch it all ravenously even if i already know everything within 😅
You really do have a gift for this👍
An absolutely AMAZING series!
I just love these "in universe" lore videos.
It just gives the events such a gravity and weight a more "removed" style of video would have.
And Sven the amount of effort you put into these really shows! You have truly made something special with this and i cannot wait to see what you have next!
But seriously feel free to have a well earned rest. You've earned it!
Thank you for doing this project. You and all of your contributors have done an amazing job in bringing to life a table top game that first came out when I was a teenager and the sourcebooks and novels were first appearing. Amazing job and I am looking forward to seeing more awesome content in the future!!!!!
Brilliant 👏 absolutely brilliant I am inspired by your dedication and hard work hands down my favorite community battletech projects
the end of the starleague honestly almost brings me to tears
Your videos have been absolutely amazing in every way. I just got my toes into Battletech, and these have greatly deepened my interest in the universe. Awesome work.
Thank you, I'm really glad I've been able to introduce you to some of the game's early history.
Rock star. I love this community from you Sven to Tex to Red. Love the lore and detail.
Standing ovation, cheers and lamentations to you on high, Wonderful job.
Looking forward to future content for battle tech and beyond. Brazo🎉🎉🎉
Such a great story telling. Thank you and to all the guys who help you create this videos. Keep it up.
This brings me back the 1st time i fell in love with Battletech/Mechwarrior/MechCommander way back in 1998. Again, thank you for this amazing content. 👏
Amazing work. Your videos have made new Battletech fans in my friends whom I've shared your work with. We cant wait for your Succession Wars series!
Now you got to do when the SLDF in exile or the Session wars. I enjoyed all the videos you did on the history of Battletech.
Sven, as always your killing it. This was great. I liked Tex's, but the details you added to everything that happened, I loved. I am curious how you are going to handle the inbred weirdo's that are he Clans.
He’s said before that he won’t be covering Clan history till it becomes relevant to the IS history so probably as a mini series after Clan Invasion.
Tbis series is THE place I send people for a lore primer on BattleTech. Tex, Rocket and the others are always next on the list
I'm stoked the Succession Wars are next.
Thank you for your videos. They are a delight.
No problem, I'm really pleased you've been enjoying them. Thank you very much for sharing the vids as discovery can be tricky and it helps a lot.
Really been enjoying this series, I hope it keeps going, maybe even joining up to the current Il Clan era ; )
I enjoyed this series so much. I can't even imagine the amount of work this took.
Absolute chills with the ending man
Cheers. I had this specific vision for the ending in my head for a full year while I was working on this series. Was glad I was able to execute it.
Love it all man, thanks for the great work, and looking forward to the Succession Wars!
I've made the offer before, but now I'm REALLY putting it out there- if you get into the Eridani Light Horse as the vids go forward I volunteer any and all help I may be able to give, as they are far and away my favorite unit in all of BT lore and I'd LOVE to give voice them!
This was awesome, as always. You're a credit to the community, Sven. Wish i hadn't missed the live.
Hats off in using Pink Floyd as the theme music for the end of the Star League Civil War. It captures the 70's/80's mythos building around the Star League as a backdrop to the Succession Wars that were to follow.
Did you have that music chosen for the ending beforehand, or did someone else suggest it?
Hearing it reminds me of all the early Battletech stories I read back in the late 80's, particularly in Mechwarrior First Edition RPG, Citytech and in TR3025.
The Jury-Rigged/Road-Warrior/Post-Apocalyptic feel of Battletech is almost a thing of the past. The Music you chose captured that aesthetic around the glorious (and failed) promise of the Star League, and the grungy reality of the grind that was to become the Succession Wars.
Thank you for your amazing delve into the History of Humanity within the Battletech Universe.
Thank you for the very kind donation, I really appreciate it.
As for Pink Floyd, I made an offhand comment about them in the compilation video for the Reunification War series early in 2022. A month or two later I listened to Atom Heart Mother for the first time in many years (I don't really care for that album too much) and that particular 10 minute segment of the suite I fell in love with. From that first listen I knew I wanted to use it as the finale for the Star League. Exactly how I would do so slowly took form over many months as I wrote the series and imagined the ending in my head. It ended up becoming my most listened to song on Spotify last year as I would motivate myself to work on it by listening to the song and picturing that ending in my head. By July/August I'd settled on "and they were never seen again" as the final line and timing it to coincide with that slight flourish as the drums come in, then slow fade and harsh cut to black at the transition between Mother Fore and Funky Dung, then title when the guitar hit. I'm very happy I finally managed to get that out there for other folks to see, even if it ended up getting the video demonetised (or rather, Pink Floyd is getting the ad revenue, lol).
Spectacular documentary, The Blessed Blake himself couldn't have done better
Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent work and a hell of a series. I really like how well you present the subject material.
Absolutely awesome! Mechwarrior 2 was my very first game I ever played on PC, and that got me into the BattleTech universe. I got into the books, but it's harder to find them nowadays. All you guys have proven to me that, while I may have been away, and not heard much, that the love of BattleTech is still very much alive and well! I hope you all have a great day today, and a great rest of the year!
Since I picked up MechWarrior 5, I've watched many different videos about the legends and history of the Inner Sphere. While I understand why many people have their favorites amongst the community, from Big Red with his mote technical approach, to Tex with his eccentric wiles. But for me, your videos are the frontrunner. I only wish mote of my friends were as into long content as I am.
While buzzing around the Inner Sphere kicking seven shades of crap out of bandits, and the Kuritans, I frequently play your videos in the background. I can't congratulate you enough on the growth you as a creator, and as a channel have gained. I will return, hungry for more.
May your clients be generous and your contracts plentiful, Commander.
Thank you. I'm really pleased you're enjoying the videos.
And so concludes another chapter in the history of the Inner Sphere and Battletech .
But now, so begins the next journey. So starts the first Succesion war, let the casualties and destruction live up to its name.
That was awsome well done to all involved 👏👏👏👏👏👏
Loving the vibe of the finale, I think it marks a new chapter in your style and presentation. Excellent use of music to convey emotion.
Thank you. I'm always trying to make small improvements. Even going back to the start of the series I notice quite a few things that changed throughout the project.
Sir you deserve way more views and subs!!
Congratulations on finishing the civil war storyline, it was an amazing journey sven
Absolutely love these videos thank you so much for them Sven!
Another great lore video, thank you so much for you efforts!
Great video. Liked your stuff since finding your channel
excellent job looking forward to whats next
Amazing. If more is to come then I will be there for it!
There certainly will be more in the future. One day I might even have covered the entire timeline.
I got so curious jumped into one video that tex talk about the exodus --> clan formation--> clan invasion. Now i need to see the succession war to add everything up
This was really really good!!
Can’t wait for your blow-by-blow retelling of the succession wars!
And btw, may i congratulate you on your choice of music at the end? My fav piece of music from the floyd, even if they don’t think so.
This series has been great, lookin forward to the Succession Wars series 😁
Very well done
This was fantastic!
Very enjoyable! Ive always liked btech but never understood it's lore or stuff before. I have no idea if you have plans for it in the future but I'd love to see something on the Clan Wars as well :)
Can't wait for the Succession wars. Excellent work.
Amazing work.
Amazing work, well done!
I've heard comments help videos perform lol, great video
I absolutely loved this series! Are you planning to do more battletech series following the story and lore?
Excellent job,
well that was wonderful
to answer your request, I only had one set of commercials. I swapped devices about 10 minutes in, not sure if that matters. Thanks for the great video!
The Pink Floyd at the end really sold the gravity of the story.
Ok I’m ready for the Succession Wars!
good job
Awesome!
“Kerensky was a fool in many ways; the existence of the accursed Clans is proof of his divine madness. The Word of Blake views Kerensky as the man who single-handedly destroyed the Star League when he abandoned the inner sphere forever, taking most of the Star League army with him.”
Who are you quoting here?
@@SulliMike23 The true followers of the blessed prophet Jerome Blake!
And thus, the rise of the clans begins.
On my way baby
here before the video, lets do this
it was amazing!
Great end to a amazing series. But it should be named Kerensky's Betrayal, because that's what he and the SLDF did. They betrayed those they had sworn to protect.
Kerensky left because he and those who supported him did not want to make Terra for example a prime target. Wherever he and his troops were would more than likely be targeted first and foremost in the coming war which was The First Succession War. You can blame Minorou Kurita for that one. That whole house have always been collosal assholes. And this is coming from a Free Worlds League fan.
Masterclass!!!!!
Bravo, bravo!
god i love battletech lore
This great. Goddamnit THAT's why New Samarkand has the Corpse of Amaris.
Love it
So now are you going to do a documentary similar to this about each of the succession wars leading up to the current timeline?
That is the plan. Already began work on the First Succession War.
"Never to be seen again..." ...if only... rip Free Rasalhague. At least the only good clan got you, and sort of kept you around.
Finally! Now we can get to the real lore.
So when do you think the next video is coming out?
Later this month. But no date in mind as of yet.
2 ideas. 1.) What if Richard had a bastard?
2.) How would a Amaris bastard effect the setting?
Given that there are several known Amaris family descendants in the modern era, not at all.
As for the first one, I think it's probable that they were hunted and killed by the Empire. Amaris had no qualms about killing his actual daughter, any illegitimate children wouldn't have even made it to the throne room massacre.
Even if there was a survivor, the issue is the same. Any claims to power come from an extremely distant link to dead nations and institutions.
Previous video: I only have to do this once.
Next month: Every time I get out they pull me back in!
😂
This is truly a Greek tragedy. In hoping to prevent further bloodshed and war, he left the world he fought and led troops to die for. In turn, he set in motion the bloodiest path, the succession wars and the CLAN. If he had stayed, he could have prevented the succession wars from being what it was.
nice