I understand perfectly. WK is relying on a weak plot device to keep their storyline going rather than actually advancing things and continuing the rich storytelling of the Battletech universe. That does not excuse anything and is a pathetic defense.

Not to mention Delrio's latest book should have given the Republic a bit of a clue you would think. You know, the whole "invading the Republic captial" thing?

If it's a software problem they could have some troubles, those Hyper Pulse Generators are from the SL era so some of those things would be nearing their 400 year in service. Odds are a lot of the software was corrupted or hidden or simply lost over a while. Comstar had a good chunk of it but I bet a lot of it was lost during the Jihad, then the forces eliminating the Word od Blake may have inadvertently destroyed some of the software in their haste to eliminate the Word of Blake.

Therefore they may only be one or two copies of the software or they're may be none at all, if that is the case then they may need to rebuild the software from partial copies, and pieces of uncorrupted data, it's not like they can ask the Clans really nicely and they'll give them a copy or two.

That and those guys only have a twenty light year range and you'd have to string a lot of them out to reach every Prefectures capital.

Towne and Achernar both have operational HPGs. You would figure you could pull copies of their software if you did not have the "install disc," so to speak. The WoB destroying a bunch of ComStar material is almost a given but, unlike the rest of the Inner Sphere, ComStar was focused on preserving their technology during the Succession Wars. It would make no sense for them to have lost the ability to maintain their prime selling point during that period, and that includes the software.

Also, the Republic only has a radius of 120 light years from Terra. The Prefecture capitals are all closer than that. That is not a huge number of stations required, as a percentage of the whole network.

I am not saying things should be "all better" by now, but for there to be absolutely no sign of improvement is very strange.

Wait a second... The Clan homeworld HPGs should be up and running, quiaff? At least you, SturmPanzer, seem to indicate they are/should be. If this is the case then the HPGs in Clan Space should be operational before the ones in the rest of the Inner Sphere, quiaff? The Clans took with them the know-how to build HPGs and since they did not fight the technologically traumatizing Succession wars they should still have the know-how to build/repair/maintain/operate HPGs. So Could it be possible the Clan occupied HPGs are back up? Would Clan Wolf (in Exile) help the Arc-Royal Defese Cordon, and the Lyrans bring back up their HPG grid? Either way, it sounds to me like the Clans have nothing to lose from re-launching a massive invasion of the Inner Sphere.

Uh, not according to Wizkids. I read the Delrio books and the ROTS now know of a hostile force on Tigress that was unsuccessful in their assault on Terra, but instead of sending in teh Knights and Sentinels they are going to let them refit and rearm. And remember that the books are canon.

Yes it would be a good time to renew the invasion. Acording to Delrio Terra has no defenders on it at all.

And before you say that Delrio is a no-talent hack that know nothing about mechwarrior (which is true) don't forget that hsi books were read and edited by Wizkids continuity editor. You know that CriticalMass Kelly chick that everyone drools over.

I'm starting to believe that she might be the worst thing to happen to Battletech. Maybe it's she that knows nothing of the universe, hmmmmm.

The Clans should have no trouble getting their own HPGs up and running (if they ever were down in the first place). They would not have to wory about ComStar.

Certain Clan ships (like the Hunter-class jumpships) even have HPGs of their own.

Whew, glad I wasnt the only one confused over this!!

Although the books state that the clans had "reversed their ways", I am of the belief that the clans would have just shut down mech facilities and parts facilities and stowed their knowledge somewhere. I mean whos going to tell a genetically bred warrior, "hey you... um, flower?"

This is the basis for a story I am thinking of. If the clans said "sure we disabled everything", and compairing them to our modern people, like Sadam ( a warlord in his own right), do you think they would have believed the Clans?

Thats like asking me to stop jer... er we wont go into that... ehhe.

So, I would think that the Clans would have some stuff just sitting there. If I remember right, they were never subject to a "UN Investigation" or what ever.

I hope WizKids fills in these big blanks.

I mean it is concevable for the HPG net to go down, and in 6 mo rebelions start, then 2 years later most of the HPGs are repaired, but its too late...

I would go with that, but this is just a big blank spot in the universal story line of mechwarrior, as it were.

Well, when the Clans "disarmed" the first time (building their new society after the Exodus), they stuck everything in Brian Caches until they were needed again. Clan society is built around avoiding waste.

Even then, if the Clans did do that, they could quickly and easily restart/rebuild.

I dont know how long it takes to build a mech, but I would assume maybe 6mo to a year.
Then, 6 mo for building factories, same 6mo for gathering resources.
Another 6mo to build the parts (lasers, gauss rifles, energy source, etc), and maybe 1 year to build a fully functioning mech.

This would be possible if the plans for all this were stored away.

It would be dumb to assume people would be sitting on their thumbs waiting for someone to come roll over their world/land with agromechs...

*me have big metal mech with pointy stick, bow down to me*

Sabrel, you are tlakinga bout before the Exodus Civil war, quiaff? The CLANS *never* disarmed (at least to my knowledge.) The Star League Defense Force, however, did. The Clans were built on battle and war, but sanctining such things to reduce waste. It was pure genius of Nicholas Kerensky to incorporate one of man's basic flaws: the need for conflict, into his society.

Nicholas Kerensky, knew that war could never be taken out of man. This is why he formed the Clan Trials, so there would be less waste of valuable technology. This was after the Pentagon wars and resources were at a premium.

Aff. That is what I am saying. It was a stroke of genius. Although it might seem barbaric, it is a whole lot better than the sort of unrestricted war that raged in the Inner Sphere for what, three hundred years?

1. IIRC, in either/both the Clan Wolf or Ghost Bear nation (I forget the name) it mentions that the Clan Occupational Zones are for some reason cut off from the homeworlds, so the home Clans might not even know about the HPG crisis.

2. There is still occassional warfare in the Clan OZs, but mainly in alot of Trials.

3. Towne does not have an operational HPG as in it can send to other systems, but it can transmit locally. The article that stated that that other system (I forget what, the local HPG node) had it's HPG working, there was a practical storm of people anticipating that Towne's HPG was working, but it also stated that it didn't work yet.

4. Didn't it say that only about 90% was out about a year after the Blackout, so maybe it's now 80%, but if there aren't many HPG within range of another, it doesn't matter much.

5. At least at the end of the original Clan invasion, ComStar had spare parts, since at the end of the last novel of the series (I forget the name) the Precenant Martial said he expected the Word of Blake (or what would become the WoB) to maintain relations with ComStar, if only for spare parts.

6. About the MW4: Merc referance to WoB, a demo of it was at GenCon when MW: DA was released.

Now the real question is why hasn't the Federated Suns or the Lyran Commonwealth just invaded and destroyed the Republic. Neither realms military uses Hpgs, but rather thier mysterious Fax machine/Black Box system which given technology as a whole has improved is probably as good if not better then HPG's. Hell if this peacetime scenario really existed why don't those governments make use of them for Peace Time communication? Think of the large fortune the Lyrans could make entering into the communications industry and directly competing with Comstar.

On another note all Clan Warships were equiped with HPG's and I believe a good deal of thier jumpships as well.
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LIST OF TOYOTA MANUFACTURING FACILITIES SPECIFICATIONS

First, the Federated Suns are helping the Republic against House Liao, second if either one invaded it could start off the fifth Succession war. Lastly, times are much more dangers then they ever were, and another Succession war is the last thing any of them wish to partake in.



I am not sure about this "Black Box technology" you speak of, but it is my understanding that all the major Houses are under the ComStar HPG communication grid. They have been for decades. And so, they are enduring the same darkness as the Republic, which would explain, House Liao’s incursion.

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Hell if this peacetime scenario really existed why don't those governments make use of them for Peace Time communication? Think of the large fortune the Lyrans could make entering into the communications industry and directly competing with Comstar.

The Lyrans have a partnership with ComStar Communication Network. Though, ComStar profits more from their broadcast than the Lyrans. That was before the collapse of the HPG grid.

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On another note all Clan Warships were equiped with HPG's and I believe a good deal of thier jumpships as well.

quite true.