Battletech/Mechwarrior Lore - Tex Talks Battletech : The Charger
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- #Battletech #TexTalksBattletech #BattletechLore
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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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SOUNDTRACK:
Segersta - Spring Gang
Gaining Season - Lupus Nocte
Tex Talks Battletech Theme - Kumakin
Where's My Umbrella - Franz Gordon
Happy Minor Watlz - Franz Gordon
Une Histoire D'Armour - Franz Gordon
Old Vienna - Leimoti
The Road Less Travelled - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
Interlude No 1 - Peter Sandburg
Drawn to You - Vincent Vega
Komm, Süßer Tod - Kumakin
Enemy Territory - Dream Cave
Covert Affairs - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
Behind Bars - Wendel Scherer
Dark Outside - Farrell Wooten
Stellar Minds - DEX 1200
Pomp and Circumstance at Home - Crowind
Azimuth - Kumakin
P I N K B I K I N I - Kumakin
Tex Talks Battletech - Kumakin
I think I was There - Emil Axelsson
Mister Magical - Spring Gang
Yanayi - DEX 1200
Floating in Space - Etienne Roussel
Sarabande - George Frideric Handel
Stratosphere Voyage - Spirits of Our Dreams
What Now - Golden Age Radio
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Gaining Season - Lupus Nocte
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Развлечения
I think I get it now. The Charger is the Florida Man of BattleMechs. It's not dangerous because of what it _can_ do, it's dangerous because of what it's _willing_ to do.
Honestly, goes to show the insanity of the pilots. Bitches genuinely are throwing down with the heaviest scout mech ever...and are willing to play wrestling with it!
As a Florida man I respect and condemn that comment
Sweet mother mercy, I never thought of it like that... a A Florida Man, I think I know what mech I need in my arsenal now
Now you get it! Take it from me, a guy who loves the Charger, and Banshee, and Urbie, without memes even being involved. It's not the mech, but what the hell you do with it.
@@bombomos 🤣😎
"Fading into the fog of war like a cryptid made of dying men's nightmares." That is a LINE
Personal fan of the "like the third monkey up the ramp of Noah's ark and the rain just started falling"
Tex is a glorious wordsmith.
Haha I liked the war crimes unexplained
@@MrTexaspreacher "and BROTHER, it's startin' to RAIN!" Fucking classic.
At 34:40 for those who wish to hear it
"If the universe is so big than why wont it fight me?" -Terry Ford, Pilot of Charger Lucky Seven.
"I am a periphery historian with a clanner ex-wife"
This man lives his life looking over his shoulder constantly.
Actually no. Tex elaborated on Checkers' relationship with his Clanner Elemental Ex-wife on a stream not long ago. Basically she was stuck doing garrison duty on a backwater planet that had no real value, she felt dishonored by this and when Tex and his merc company showed up she found a way out. She suited up, gave a good fight and then surrendered, and was taken as a bondsman of sorts by the Mercs. There she bonded with them more literally became the 'Mama Bear' of the company, became smitten with Checkers, wed him and then sometime later when the Clan mumbo jumbo was settling down had to go back to her planet, so she and Checkers had an amicable divorce and went their separate ways, but clearly keep in touch.
As for ripping off someone's arm... that I gotta admit I didn't notice the first dozen times I watched/listened to this episode, though tbh I often have in on another monitor, so yeah. But I do recall Checkers having a prosthetic arm soooo I think it's safe to say that's his? When he lost it I don't know, wouldn't surprise me if his Ex in her Elemental Armor jumped on his Awesome, broke into the cockpit, ripped his arm off and left him for dead, only for him to survive and see future husband material in him with starry love struck eyes.
Hell maybe Checkers had those same stars in his eyes too? Love is a funny thing like that.
@@JakeCWolf "Nice people... kinda clingy..." -Tex
How many hip bones did he get fractured...
@@EpicSave Don't know, but we do know that he lost an arm out of that relationship!
@@NewsOfTheInnerSphere Love me a clanner woman.
For the Love of Ian Cameron: DO. NOT. CHANGE. THE. 80's STYLE OF THESE INTROS. Fits right in with 80's home of Battletech.
I support this statement
@@EricDKaufmantruer words rarely spoken
Thirded, motion passed
(The following episode proceeds to have a 70s style intro)
I just want ONE change to it.
VHS MONO AUDIO QUALITY! I want that shit audio, yknow the one!
The image of a Charger elbow-dropping an Atlas is. Truly phenomenal
Glad you liked it!
Also works with the "normal conversation" format.
The atlas is too heavy for a charger to make an atlas fall. It would hit an unmovable object.
@@robertagren9360 r/woosh
@Robert Ågren What a ridiculous statement.
You get behind the wheel of an 100 ton walking tank, while I'm behind the wheel of an 80 ton walking tank, and try to remain up right as I proceed to pummel you with Fists the size and weight of Mini Vans.
Charger 1A1 veterans are terrifying. They’re fast, insane, and basically suicidal. The small lasers aren’t the issue. Those are for clearing the birds from the view. It’s the feet and fists you have to worry about.
"Rock Em Sock Em Robots" is no joke.
Aren't those the kind of people were use in the battle against the Clanners in the very same method even though it wasn't pretty but it worked.
@@mikecampos1193 Charger + Urban Environment = Using a Kitfox' legs as Nunchuks.
I modified one on MegaMek to remove the lasers and just add 2.5 tons more armor. It's ridiculous.
Anyone who thinks the 1A1 Charger sucks has never used one properly.
Tex: Be weary of the person who finds a charger appealing.
Me: I want that.
Lucky Number Seven in MW5 is a very solid 'Mech, oddly enough.
Time to engage in capellian optimum Ranged combat! I cast fist!
@@Deriduschargers are quick and durable, a good charger refit is an S tier mech.
@@PeachDragon_ Why'd you call it Shit-tier if you just said it was a good 'mech?
@@PeachDragon_Rather just get an Awesome. 9 times out of 10 I can blast a Charger to pieces a before it gets into range and if it does get close enough, my battle fist will finish the argument.
Probably my favorite of the BattleTechnology short stories is one I believe was called "A Useless Mech", about a Kuritan mechwarrior who winds up finding a Charger, and having nothing else, is forced to use it. He winds up being one the crazies that sticks with it, refusing a different (and better, because it isn't a charger) mech when Theodore offers him one.
I looked it up because you mentioned it; thank you
One or two of the novels was about a _Charger_ pilot. The first one with the character was _Main Event_ where he gets the _Charger_ and fights on Solaris, but he ends up fighting the clans with it later. Then he electrocutes an Elemental. That's all I remember about that character except that he had a girlfriend dropship pilot named MacCloud instead of MacLeod, because somehow that's how I learned how "MacLeod" is pronounced.
@@meshuggahshirtAny idea where to find it?
@@theduchyofmilanball3157 scribd has a pdf, Sarna might have a copy too
The battlemech equivalent of "I am naked, armed with a weapon, and terrified for my life. I proceed to take eight lives singlehandedly before getting shot by police."
Sooo... yeah, the Florida Man of Battletech.
I'm just picturing Brock Sampson from the Venture bros, myself. Standing there with a knife, just SOAKED in blood, eye twitching, and saying 'Go on, TAKE IT FROM ME!' to the security guards at a UN facility.
There is also the 'why are you naked' scene which comes to mind as well.
"you laugh at my charger but you won't laugh at my AC/20"-me
@@allthenamesiwantedweretaken Plus Bath salts.
"I have no idea where I am, why I am here, or what my name is. All I know is I must kill"
The story of Mr. Ford and Lucky Number 7 had me genuinely feel kinda bad and happy for a mech that may or may not have committed suicide to be with its friend again.
Suicide? Nah, it's just waiting for a salvager bold enough to repair it
Don't be sad. Mr Ford and LN7 are busy fist fighting god, the devil, and every dead clanner in the afterlife.
it thought it saw a new target to DFA at and went for it
I like to think it saw the same Longbow that Ford had been killed trying to DFA, and decided to just go for it. Because why not?
That or it saw a bug it REALLY wanted to kill.
*UnClan-like squealing* How did Professor Tex know I wanted a Battletech lecture for Christmas?!
I would pay to see an Elemental squealing like an excited little girl portrayed in the lore somewhere, hahahaha
@Druid of Scosglen Definitely
It’s because he clearly is not a ComStar agent.
@Druid of Scosglen Ghost Bear Elemental waifu's got me acting UnClan like.
Who doesn't?
A presentation that makes the Charger look good while simultaneously acknowledging its flaws is a great Christmas present, indeed.
"Some of you didn't hear a word I just said because you heard Amaris and stopped listening"
When Tex mentioned the Charger could catch anything all I could think was "What!? I thought you said it was heavily armored assault mech! Why is it fast?!" Then the true danger of the machine sunk in.
the rifleman thought he was safe, then 10 seconds later his left arm was being used to beat him and he knew he had goofed.
"It was at this moment he knew... he fucked up." :D
Yea... You know the meme about Steiner scout squads being made of assault mechs? Yea... Someone took that a little... Literally? And now we have an 80+ ton battering ram ready to send you and whatever else it collides with to meet Jesus.
The Charger exists to remind people who have grown too comfortable, that being beaten to death with your own severed arm is always a possibility.
I think that about sums it up.
@@egoalter1276 Except using a limb as a club requires two hands, and the _Charger_ only has one. Likewise, punches with that handless arm do half damage. Seems like a terrible idea, right? But it's by design. The _Charger_ is supposed to CHARGE, doing (80/10)x 1 per hex damage for 8x8=64 damage, then kick the 'Mech while it's on the ground because getting charged causes a piloting roll and every 20 points of damage adds a +1 penalty to it, so they're probably not still standing after that if they're even still functional.
The Charger is the personification of “drinking bourbon all day and looking for a fight.”
One addendum worth making: The Great Houses didn't just watch the chair of First Lord destroy the Camerons, they then watched as Stefan Amaris drove himself to madness and ruin trying to hold onto that chair, destroying both the Rimworlds Republic and Earthsphere in the process. And still, they coveted it. Because it was apparently a really nice chair.
It got a cupholder AND a square socket for holding your popcorn, it is a one of a kind lostech chair.
The dark age is in fact known as such, because of how many great house leaders dropped their popcorn during movie night!
Truly a chair worth any price!
@@Elenrai you think that’s good? It’s also got cushion cooling somehow, so that your butt won’t sweat sitting down on it for a long time
With the size of those armrests, you just know it had controls for heating, cooling, reclining, massage settings, the works.
@Ironeagle 777 what else do you think the wars of succ was about? That crown?
@Ironeagle 777 in reality, the succession wars were about the executive position in the star league, with each of the houses wanting its superiority over the others. I just like to imagine the causus beli was the chair of the Cameron’s, mainly because the succession wars was a war over attempting to fill a power vacuum that amaris created.
Ah, the Battletech equivalent of 'Speed limit enforced by aircraft'; 'Park patrolled by Atlas'
SLDF: "All great houses must have no more than twenty mech lances. Half must be scout lances!"
Steiner:
Deutschland Über Allies begins playing on accordion
That would explain so. Fucking. Much.
"Hello. I'm in the market for an assault 'Mech."
"Of course, sir. Are there any specifications you require?"
"I'm suicidal."
"I've got just the thing..."
*Slaps the hood of a Charger* "This baby can kill people so damn hard"
Forgive the late response, but I can't pass by without stating "Call me Ishmael...Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet;"
As a 50 year old man who bought aero tech in 1985 because it looked liked robotech, I have watched everyone of your videos a Damon times. Thank you so much.
I'm 48 and I got the Battletech box from my mother while recovering from Chickenpox when I was 11, it was a second edition with the cardboard standees. I have been a near life-long fan who recently bought a new set of minifigs and paints. Thank you Tex, this old Grognard appreciates what you do for this community.
I'm 26 and played Mechwarrior 3 on my dad's computer when I was a little kid. Looking forward to new vid.
I'm 50 as well this year and came into Battletech later in life in the 1991-ish era, being poor, at uni and a box set from a 2nd hand book store with cardboard cut outs for $5. It filled in some late nights with our destitute share house, the remaining 5 bucks in the entertainment pool was a big box of cheap wine.
I'm still rubbish at Battletech, but I no longer drink cheap wine
I'm 54, got the original Battletech boxed set in 85.
Over the years we had 2 basic boxed sets, 1 Aerotech (we didn't use it much), 3 boxes of the Reinforcements, 2 City Tech, 1 Battletroops, 4 3025 TROs, and 1 of every other TRO that came out until 1996 when our group broke up to go to University all in our late 20s.
@@beojack4592 lol thats exactly how I got into it 10 yrs ago!
The Charger was actually one of the first mechs I used as a kid. I think it’s a perfect vehicle for starter players…
At 29:06 I can just imagine Tex doing an O'Neill impression.
*Points at Charger*
"This is a weapon of Terror. It is meant to Intimidate the enemy.
*Points at Awesome*
"This is a weapon of War. It is meant to Kill the enemy."
I suddenly imagine Natasha Kerensky and Samantha Carter switching places for a day... fun times.
So, what you're saying, is the Awesome should hide behind a nice comfortable line of Chargers.
@@aprinnyonbreak1290 See, I was thinking a crapload of Blackjacks with Chargers to keep the enemies from getting close. Maybe Awesomes and Marauders for the mud-range stuff.
Stargate SG1 reference for anyone who didn't get it in the replies.
@@templarw20 U ironically that plinking ability while everyone is distracted by the big ol assault mechs would work wonders
The Charger is a great example of Napoleon's famous maxim. "Morale is to material as three is to one."
I'm having a hard time deciphering this one
@@737215 In this example, the batshit madness of the pilot is three times more important than the mech being used. Though in general, it more or less means that the willingness of a soldier to fight is much more important than the weapon they have to fight with. A lunatic in a charger that is willing to throw down will perform better on the field than someone in a much better mech whose heart isnt in it.
@@737215 It's more valuable to have a force willing to fight with whatever weapons they have at hand, than a well-armed force who'll drop those nice guns the second they make contact with the enemy or surrender the day the enemy promised not to be too rough.
I like this quote. Gonna add it to my list of favorites.
@@737215 >
Ahhhh so this was that mech chasing down my locust in MWO and slicing off my legs with small lasers.
I still love the whole “… however, I am a periphery historian with a claner ex-wife and regret is not a theme of this lecture…” made me cackle the first time, still does on rewatch
The developing lore of the in-world Tex is fascinating!
Also, second time around I realized that photo (of what I assume is his ex wife) has an arm in a jar. Anyone else remember which arm Tex replaced with an augmetic?
@@alexs1954 left arm
@@joethesquatch9867 15:15 “Catching up with an old friend” and that sure looks like a left arm to me.
@@alexs1954 she wants the authentic "message"
I love how the first chapter of this episode was in such a sober tone. It is somber and menacing to illustrate a very dark time of Battletech history. And then the utter madness in music and intonation for the Charger in action. I am enamored by this series
One of the things I always liked about Battletech is that they weren't afraid to put bad designs in the Tech Readouts, give them a backstory that reinforced them as bad, and then let the players figure out what they could do with them. I love the Charger for this, as well as it's bigger, also over-engined brother the Banshee.
It helps that a good number of those 'bad' designs are there to pointedly show you what you can do with gameplay mechanics. The Charger was introduced at the same time as rules for charging as a melee attack, and it's very, very good at it. The Urbie is pretty terrible if you're playing a fairly standard map with a good amount of long sight lines, but if you're in dense urban terrain with no line of sight and you're not bothering to turn on a road anyway (because turning on a road risks falling over) because you have jump jets, it's a quite effective mech for its price.
The Banshee is easily fixed.
2x LL, ML Galore, HS.
Not knowing much about the greater battletech world while playing HBS Battletech some years back, the charger was the first assault mech I got a hold of and I proceeded to strip it of weapons but for a few flamers and bolt on ton after ton of armor on it and use it as a battering ram and damage sponge rotating our mostly lucky pilots. Glad to know I was doing it right all these years later. :)
Truly you have the soul of a Charger.
Full flamer machine guns combo is the way to go.
@@formdoggie5 At that range I'm surprised you don't equip the mech equivalent of Brass Knuckles.
Whoever wrote those final lines in the conclusion about Crazy deserves an award. That was a hell of a speech.
This video was chock-full of stone cold lines.
The people’s elbow of justice
@@josephneider7332 Peak Tex Writing
That charger animation at the end is everything I never knew I needed.
If we ever get a Battletech movie
I want it to be as sythwave as these intros
I think a series would be better, a grand Game of Thrones style epic because certainly there is plenty of scope for the crazy in there
@@weldonwin dead set, GRR Martin got the idea for Cersei Lannister from Katherine Steiner-Davion
@@jamesperkins191 More likely I got the idea from the Wars of the Roses, since both Battletech and GoT draw a LOT from actual history
@@weldonwin I don't think there's an example of a powerful, sibling-attracted woman like Katherine or Cersei in history though... I could be wrong.
@@jamesperkins191 If I remember correctly there was a Russian empress at some point that had a lot of similar - though probably false - accusations thrown around by her detractors. May be the ultimate starting point for either.
I love how each video this year the presentation's location has slowly improved. From a run down building in a warehouse district to a full on theatre. Brings a tear to an old mechwarrior's eye.
This one really is a step up, with a more mature feeling look at the Star League. A good future video could analyze why the First Succession War kinda basically _had_ to happen after Kerensky left, because the Inner Sphere economy was _completely wrecked_ by the loss of the Terran Hegemony and the Star League Central Banking System, which had tied all of the House's economies and monetary systems tightly together.
And why some of the House Lords acted the way they did during the Civil War and 1stSW. Takiro Kurita _hated_ Amaris, but Amaris was holding his grandnephew hostage so Kurita couldn't openly support Kerensky, so instead he aided him in subtle ways throughout the Civil War.
John Davion had very legitimate reasons for being pissed at the Star League, which a few years earlier had just sat on its hands during the "War of Davion Succession" as the Federated Suns was invaded by the Draconis Combine, until finally sending in the SLDF after several years of Drac raids and rampaging. He believed in the Star League but felt his duty was to protect the Federated Suns first and foremost, and even Kerensky considered him a good and honorable man. After Kerensky _abandoned_ the Hegemony worlds with The Exodus, John tried to gather up former Hegemony worlds using peaceful means to protect them from conquest by the Dracs or Cappies, who would strip away all their traditional freedoms and turn them into peasants that only served the state.
(Yes, I am a proudly dedicated FedeRat.)
Lies
Old mechwarriors do not exist
@@wiltchamberlain1928 Except Tex. Tex is an old hand.
The sneak-peak of the Ex-Wife was just a wonderful bonus, Professor.
As all us grateful yet ingrate-students are still curious to the more-than-personal story of how if she couldn't keep you... she obviously keeps a part of you close--at hand, even!
She seemed really happy in the wedding photo, I'll say.
@@jjtninja She knows where to find the rest when she wants it..
Dear Tex and Black Pants Legion community,
I would like to thank you for providing my 1 year old daughter her naps. She will listen intently and fall asleep almost every night listening to Tex talk about mechs. This is her favorite video I think so far. Maybe the opening? She likes it and says AGOOMGOOM whenever the music starts. She also likes All Guardsmen Party and Guardbro's Veil Riders, but she's been all about battletech lately. So, thank you for a bit of sanity from daddy and I'm sure Carolina thanks you for the zzz's.
Cheers!
That young lady has awesome taste. She’ll grow up to be a mighty fine mechwarrior or Princep.
I love these deep dives but as an adult. I guess I'm old fashioned because i don't think it's appropriate for a 1 year old to listen to curse words at that age.
@@mingodingo lol what? Babies don't even understand the concept of words at that age
Tex really does have a storyteller's voice.
@@MrLookatmyhat Sounds like you don't know what you're talking about.
I'm going to need a 10 hour version of the Charger Run, that was great
Also known as the 10K Dash!
That Urbie with Tanks for roller blades...
Well what are the odds...
Stay tuned ;D
@@Deridus That is actually a really good way of attempting to speed up the Urbie. It sadly only works on hard surfaces, but then that is exactly what roads in a city are.
@@Muck006 Stop giving away vital military secrets!
This is by far the best analysis of the Charger. It’s perfection by someone who gets the Charger and it’s place in Battletech. Nothing beats turning the corner in your charger and finding a demolisher waiting for you.
Awesome early 80's opening ✔
Historical recap for topicality and perspective ✔
Deep dive into subject matter ✔
Amazingly savage and on point satire of the Military Industrial Complex and corpo-government graft. ✔
Canopus battle powder fueled indepth and humorous narrative ✔
My undivided and lazer locked attention for an hour and a quarter + to include credits ✔
Tex and the BPL putting all 6 in the 10 ring ✔✔
Thanks for this Christmas present. You guys are doing the Lords work for charity. Drive on Fellas.
Scouts Out
can someone please explain "graft" because this video is my first exposure to that word being used like this.
@@andrewmiddleton3487 Graft is basically when a politician or businessman uses funds that are not technically their own (usually provided by the government or business they are supposed to be running) to advance their own career. They might be getting paid in straight cash or receiving perks like PR boosts or ludicrous vacations, but either way it's a win for them since it's not _their own_ money they're giving away.
In the context of the military-industrial complex, I think graft refers to the money being dumped into a project that is not actually beneficial to the army that is (unwittingly) funding it. Said project would have been green-lit because some high-ranking official has been effectively bribed into doing so, rather than the project having any actual merit that would benefit the army it's being developed for.
It is the most accurate response I have read
We also got to see what the ex-Ms.Tex looked like :D I like to think she keeps the arm as a memento and that he lost it in the batchal to her but won the fight. Seeing such commitment would make any proud clanner woman consider at least half taking a dive for a batchal for their pants. Or at least consider petitioning adding that level of commitment, tenacity and swinging above one’s weight class to be a very good addition to the gene banks of the smitten woman’s clan.
@@andrewmiddleton3487. go look up the battle of Athens USA or the scam behind traffic cameras if you want to see what graft looks like in our era and the very appropriate and American solution to graft that the vets in Athens USA used when they came home from fighting one occupying force only to find another had taken over their home.
Jesus Christ Tex. I was not expecting the Macho Man Randy Savage bit.
Easily the hardest laugh I've had all goddamn year. Bless you.
You know what makes this channel so fucking great? The guys doing this aren’t out doing stupid clickbait shit, trying to get rich. BPL is like one of the last holdouts from that era of RUclips when people were just making shit out of love for just making cool content.
God I love this fucking channel.
Yup
Back in the 3030s, I was piloting a Blackjack as a part of a Merc company that got hired to do some pirate hunting. The pirate king had a custom Charger, a minor variant of the -1A1. All he did was swap most of the small lasers for mediums and one for a flamer. It cost a couple of tonnes of armour but considering that it mostly when up against the bugs, urbies, militia-"mechs" and barely literate colonists, it was quite a beast. Still went done fairly quick to a lance of proper mechs.
It's not the only time I saw a Charger on that job. While tracking down the pirate's base, we stopped on an all but forgotten colony, and they barely remember the rest of humanity. However, they still had a working power gird! I got curious, and decided to track down how they had kept it working, and in the end, I discovered that the "generator" was an all but rotted out charger. The engine still worked and someone had hooked it into the power gird centuries ago. I didn't tell the boss about it though; A charger is still a battlemech and she would have demanded that we take it with us.
I loved the one in an old custom Let's Play scenario titled "King of the Pirates" which had weird Mad Max-esque Mechs with everything from primitive to Clantech running around. The Charger in question had two small lasers, a head-mounted Flamer, jump jets and hardened armor. And special rules that allowed it to pull full-on WWE moves against other Mechs.
The pilot's callsign was Randy and the Mech was nicknamed Savage. And yes, it had a paintjob that made it look like it was wearing a bandana and shades, and the flamer was mounted in such a way that it looked like it was spitting fire. 🤣
I'm using this for my pirate boss in my periphery campaign. Thank you!
@@MrDmitriRavenoff Let me know how it goes.
Now THIS is unexpected and appreciated.
Oh yeah the cream of the crop will rise to the top. Because you better learn to expect the unexpected in the kingdom of madness yeahh, DIG IT! WHEN YOU STEP INTO THE SQUARED CIRCLE YOU BETTER HAVE YOUR FIESTA PAIL AND YOUR CANDIED MILK READY BROTHER BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE SHITPOSTING FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT!
Now this is podracing
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one - Evil Space Wizard
So Terry Ford basically gave Lucky #7 a Machine Spirit.
Also thank you so much for the Disco Elysium shoutout; I love it when the people who make things I like turn out to like other things I like.
What was the disco elysium reference?
@@JackMcLeary He showed the main protagonist with "the expression"
Never in my 10-year old imagination when Battledroids was unleashed upon the world did I imagine that there would one day be a 75-minute documentary on the Charger. Thank you sir.
The Charger: When you take the "Lyran scout lance" meme just a touch too seriously.
As a Tennessean and an avid Battletech fan, I am proud to see the Grand Ole Opry (and Shooting Range) introduced in the BPL Universe!
I first started playing this in November of '91, fell hard for the setting but lost touch when FASA disappeared. So with that context, thank you Tex, for helping to spread the joys of giant stompy mechs.
I am pilot who firmly believes the Archer is best used to punch people in the face, and named my favorite one "Kick Puncher" because of that. So I am also a fan of mechs like the Banshee and, of course, the Charger. Guns are fun, but fists finish fights.
That kind of thing is why I love Battletech so much. Specifically the Succession Wars and Clan Invasion eras. Its all about fighting with what you have, not what you want. That's where otherwise stupid designs like the Charger and Urbanmech can shine. And in those situations, its usually the craziest lunatics that pilot them who come out on top. And those characters always have fun stories.
No one really remembers an Archer getting another kill with its lasers and missiles. But when one picks up its own severed arm, and proceeds to beat the guy who dared to shoot it off to death with it, THAT, you remember.
I tip my hat to ya, one mechfu master to another
Kind regards
-melee marauder pilot
I would like to politely rebuke and refute your statement about the urbie being stupid. When used properly in an urban setting on tabletop they are HORRENDOUSLY effective. I also reference the second Urbie video text did.
I keep coming back to this video because it really speaks to me. My friends always say that I have a habit of turning Battletech in to Rockem Sockem Robots, so yes, I do in fact find a charger appealing. There is NOTHING better than charging across a battlefield in order to dole out good old fashioned, grade A, rated E for everyone hands until the enemy is a broken pile.
Thoughts on the hunchback?
@joshuasitzema9920 one of my absolute favorite mediums, for the same reason really. I truly do enjoy brawling.
@@sirskellyman5658 personally I'm a marauder pilot. Hull down with the AC, then PPC and Lasers, then battering ram the cockpit with the over armored gun pods
@joshuasitzema9920 do love a marauder. A timeless classic of classics as the man himself has stated. But, as much as it has probably my favorite design image wise, I will always go with something up close and crazy.
@@sirskellyman5658 That's perfectly fair! Battletech is one of my first loves for table top because it has so many things for everybody. Heck, one of my favorite tanks was a kuritan design with a triple PPC turret XD
Thank you Tex and the rest of the BPL. Best Christmas present a boy could ask for.
Now to start my tradition of watching every single TTB before the release of the newest one 😂
That is getting to be a tall order indeed! If he keeps it up it could rival the Lord of the Rings Director's cut!
@@michaelprice3905 I’m here for it! 😁
@Michael Price you are acting like that's a bad thing haha 😄
@@michaelprice3905 He is at about 17 hours by my rough and conservative estimate
Lucky No. 7 had me weirdly emotional, when I learned it, seemingly with no pilot inside, annihilated itself by dropping from high-altitude/low orbit out of a dropship, because it was lonely. o7
I had a hunch this might come just in time for Christmas. Looking forward to it already!
*Edit:* HOLY SMOKES, Tex finally got the 100k subscribers mark!
Strap in lads, we're about to finally find out if the Play Button contains candy or not!
Can finally find out if that thing has candy in it
Nah man , the play button is sent by Fiesta pail , it's got refried beans in it 🤣🤣
Be surprised if RUclips would send it. Since Tex has spoken with Arch. Stupid as that idea might sound. RUclips is managed by flawed people, and that means they might just let petty opinions cloud their decisions.
@@PatchyConvert I think you vastly overestimate how relevant Arch is or how relevant a single cooperation on a video with Arch is.
Tex' stance on shitposting gloriously and just not giving a shit about ad revenue would be a bigger hindrance, but I doubt RUclips really cares even then.
I wouldn't mind having one of those buttons... so long as it dropped a nuke on some random Liao world.
80 tons X 8 hexes = 64 points of charge damage; it's like getting hit by 13 medium lasers. That's it. That's the entire explanation of why the Charger actually exists. Its a meme-mech made to exploit the rules for charging. Hence the name. I know that explanation is too meta for Tex's histories which are in character for the universe, but anyone wondering why the Charger is in the game, that's the reason.
You'd think it would have a quirk that made it take less damage from charging
That and if you dfa a charger, it's 80 tons falling on you at a hell of a long range and with plenty of height for cliffs.
@@argentstorm2861
That's the strat.
Rip off the Small Lasers and some armor, take 2 jump jets.
Nice! Hadn't thought of it that way as I've never actually attempted a charge before, didn't realize it could do so much damage!
@@aprinnyonbreak1290 I wish you could use jump jets to accelerate your mech lol, it's just thrust after all
Your description of the Charger in the Succession Wars made me think of Mad Jack Churchill. A legendary commando officer in WW2 who led landings carrying, among other things, a broadsword, a longbow, and a set of bagpipes. He'd be a damn fine Charger pilot, provided he could wear his sword in the cockpit. "Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed."
This is the man who walked 150km from his concentration camp until he found an ally, and who was said to be unhappy with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not because it was an astounding loss of life with a practically unimaginable weapon, but because "If it wasn't for those damn Yanks, we could have kept the war going another ten years!"
So yeah, he'd have made his Charger dance. He probably would've been angry if they couldn't figure out a way to give it bagpipes; because fuck logic, he's Mad Jack and he'll do what he wants. And mostly, he wants to beat people to death and play the bagpipes among their corpses.
I love hearing about that lunatic mad lad.
Perhaps not being able to get mech sized bagpipes, mad jack would likely have to settle for a loudspeaker system and a microphone inside the cockpit somewhere... also with a tandem set up. Why? Because authentic bagpipes amplified is clearly the way to go, if a mech sized one is not availible. and he's too busy driving the mech, so having the second mech pilot dedicated soley to the bagpipes is an upgrade.
Also... mech sized melee weapons are a thing in battletech.
@@Destroyer_V0 I would love to see a mech armed with a longbow.
@@Furzkampfbomber Good god. I know battletech has some advanced materials science. But making an actual longbow for mech scale, would need suspension bridge cable for the string, and... fuck only knows what metal is flexible enough at scale, for the bowlimbs. Let alone the arrows!
But if you could make it work... might actually be kinda effective. The sheer mass of the arrows would likely stagger most mechs, and likely cripple limbs with lucky hits to the joints. Slap a balistic arc calculator into the mech, ripped out from an artilery piece, and it would even be reasonably accurate at mid range combat.
@@Destroyer_V0 Maybe myomer fiber could work?
I guess this is the right place to say this. Thank you all. Thanks for these works of art/shit posts. I am another 50 year old man, who remembers wanting BattleDroids when he saw the box at the local game store(only miles from Warzone-Matrix). I bought my first box set in the mid 1980s. Played though high school, college and beyond. Those friends are still my friends. I had my piles and piles of battletech books packed away for years. About a year ago I started seeing BPL TexTalks. The serious/not serious way these are presented is awesome. Tex's approach and rational makes me think maybe... just maybe.. I am sane. At least there are others with my malady! Yay, we share a condition! It always has been a great community, and you guys only make it better. Anyways, I hope Catalyst is appreciative of you guys. I have to assume I am not the only old dude throwing money at them for product, because of your inspiration. This ramble is nearly complete. Thank you Tex, Mike, Goat, and all bpls I am failing to remember from the high speed credits. Have a great holiday. Thanks for making me feel like a kid all excited for Christmas. Thanks.
Congrats on hitting 100K!
I would suggest finding an alternate source of models and etc.
Catalyst did Blaine Pardoe dirty.
"just maybe... I am sane." Spoken just like a true batshit crazy mech pilot hahha. Marry Christmas bud
Watching tex talks battletech got me and brother back to playing it again last year
@@bombomos 😚 Yes... and Merry Christmas too you too!
The Charger, the mech absolutely no one asked for but the Kuritans made work.
I suppose just this once we can acknowledge that Kurita occasionally does good things.
its not the hero they want, or the hero they need, it is infact not a hero... but they're stuck with it
@@temp3608 if other assault mechs continue to enter the squared circle then the charger will always be needed.
I thought the Capellans did that, or at least they were the first to try and make a real assault mech out of the Charger and then the Kuritans basically rebuilt is from the ground up as the Hatamoto-Chi and its siblings
@@weldonwin oh dont worry, the capellans arent the only ones who make horrible mechs
kurita made the charger
they realized it sucked, so when they got thugs, they made the new hatamoto chi chassis with thug parts from modified charger chassis
the mauler was also a charger re-make i think
but pretty much they took the charger, and slapped some thug parts into it, made it look cooler, hatamoto chi
*depression instantly gone for a moment upon seeing a new "tex talks"*
you doing ok man?
Hope you are already in therapy.. If not, make an appointment with a local psychiatrist
Been walking through some valleys of life myself lately, hope you’re okay and have good people around you. If not…I know where you can find some.
@@SRTifiable not around me ,those are the problem often enough but i atleast got friends to talk to that are good to me
@@magr7424
Why? So they can push pills at him? He needs the love of his family and friends, not worthless psychobabble.
Interesting notion that Wells was marketing toward counter-insurgency. That's my personal theory on how the Stinger/Wasp were originally sold as well- infantry support for COIN, able to traverse rugged terrain quickly with their jump jets, able to put holes in bunkers or melt technicals. It makes more sense than selling them as recon, really.
Of course, their biggest threats at the time were angry rimworlders who think they deserve human dignity and a Charger is perfect in that being cheap and lightly armed but heavily armored meant even if you lost the mech to the enemy, you weren't giving away a true monstrosity like an Orion or Awesome with weapons that can contest your claim.
This is a reason why Nazi weapons had such a heavy logistical footprint wasn't just because they believe in quality weapons for their fascist boners but to make sure their inferiors were befuddled at how to feed the same monster sent to kill them.
Nah, the bugs were genuinely sold as light recon plattforms. Were they not terribly well optimised for that job? Well, yeah. Those were about the *first* light Mechs to ever be designed, after all. Can't hit it out of the park on first try every time.
@@magni5648 as a first gen they're more acceptable and understandable, at that point they're still competing more with vehicles than other mechs. So their rough terrain capacity and fusion power offers a distinct advantage over tracked/wheeled scouts.
I mean stick it onto the side of a cliff wall with enough engineering applied and you got a cliffside forward observer, pretty impractical as most military men tend to get cold sweats when you tell them to invade Norway, actually yea am convinced this mech is made for basically Norway, a place so harsh most muricans do not quite comprehend how nice their garden of eden is, and how soft their "hard" men are ;) @@Joshf4phan
Other than watching the cartoon when younger I had no real knowledge of Battletech. Through the Tex Talks series, that I found completely at random, I've really been drawn into the universe. There are plenty of great lore channels out there for various franchises, but Tex just nails it so much. It's not just that they are presented in-universe either (though damn I love it), There is just so much passion for the setting you can't help but be drawn in.
My favorite thing about the cartoon is that it’s _canon_ to the setting.
@Xalerdane I know! I learned that from Tex and I love that fact!
This was a pure joy to watch. The script, animations, and art were all incredible. The 80's style effects and music was nostalgic as hell, and the speech about crazy was award winning.
I was NOT expecting to feel any sort of sympathy or respect for the Charger OR to get a lecture about the truth of Star League's Golden Age and how "no really shitty mechs are good." This was a stellar video and I'm always ecstatic to see these videos when they're available. Bless everybody involved for the hard work and incredible art/research/production value.
That's what I like about tex's videos. It's easy to trash talk many designs but it takes real passion to talk about a fictional unit without bias and put it in context. I watched some other channels talking about mechs and you can see the bias a mile away
@@eddapultstab2078 what makes Tex work is his time in the military and understand why do military field such weapons vs an armchair tabletop general who looks at their loadout and not their intention.
@@MrAsaqe also the mech building rules are pretty meta and assumes everything works properly. So most gamers are spoiled and don't understand that reality is not that simple.
I think it’s amazing more charger pilots didn’t just get rid of the hand held small laser for melee weapons
By rules there's simply no tonnage available for one on a 1A1 Charger without stripping armor. Hatchet weighs in for it around 6 tons, a sword would be 4. Best it could hope for it to grab a tree or hope a 'Mech limb is laying around.
@@Imerias2 … HOW DOES AN ARM WEIGH LESS THAN A SWORD OR AXE. This game sometimes smh 😂😂
@JacatackLP Think of overloading your truck to get down the street, against what it does to that truck to take it down the street. An average battle is very short, vs the hours from hanger till it returns.
Retractable blade and a handheld ac.
I'm going to say it: I approve of how Kurita delt with Wells' Industries. I can imagine the last meeting was something like, "we were good to you and made you rich...and you do this? You dishonorable, traitorous...guards, these gentlemen are all feeling severe headaches. Relieve them."
The Charger is a weird one, but it eventually earned a modicum of respect in my lance. One of our early games of MW5 included an exchange like this.
Lancemate 1: Contact; Charger.
Lancemate 2: Lawl, save it for last then.
Lance Leader: Guys that Charger's a refit.
Lancemate 4: Shit, targeting!
My charger has an AC/20, two SRM 6s and i have a death wish, face me at your peril, marauder normie
@@PeachDragon_*giggles in Artmeis IV control group in an Archer*
I gave my Charger two ER Large Lasers and TSM, which means he's great at range AND a wrecking ball.
Fun times.
@@JB-pu8ik Now with melee in MW5, I wonder if it's way more of a danger than vanilla.
I'd say "Couldn't afford a Hunchback?" But those are also like, really cheap and plentiful? So honestly I'm just confused as to why you went that direction.
The way you manage to outdo themselves each time is outstanding! I'm really happy that I was able to help even tiniest bit. Thank you for opportunity!
This is a pleasant surprise. Three tex talks battletechs in a year. Not bad.
ikr? And to get it on Christmas only adds sauce to the goose. Or something like that.
I never really understood all the hate the Charger got. After watching the video I understand now.....I am that crazy Charger pilot that will run up and punch you in the face while laughing maniacally. Thanks Tex and the BPL. Merry Christmas to all
BROTHER! LET US CHARGE IN! FOR _WE_ ARE THE GIANTS NOW! FOR _QUIXOTE!!!_
So essentially a charger is a slightly smaller and differently equipped first run Banshee. Both are assault mechs, have lots of armor, chase people down and rain down fists until it stops or whatever it's hitting stops.
God, the first time I earned a Banshee I was so befuddled. I couldn’t believe that an assault mech had so few and disappointing weapons
@@ben2741 And then you punch a mech with one.
And Tex, with his amazing voice, has somehow sold me on the Charger. These are strange times.
Oh I can't wait to hear what Tex has to say about the assault scout. And he get's to share his opinion about Kurita some more. This will be fun.
Did not disappoint.
Less than 2 hours and laser focused. This is a masterpiece of both research and editing. Truely this team puts out great work!
OH MAN. This will be fun.
Also very Christmas.
Edit: 59:47 - 1:01:48 The speech on Crazy along with summing up the Charger's pilots is both awesome and hilarious.
Charger *shows up and commits war crimes*
Charger *refuses to elaborate*
Charger *leaves*
I'm happy this wild ride is a thing and I get to tag along. As always, l=excellent work and I look forward to the next one :)
Love to see a Tex Talks on my favorite mech. The Locust!
I have never used the Charger in a game of Battletech, thinking it wasn't worth my time. But after seeing this video I'm starting to rethink my opinion and I just might have to give it a try sometime! Knowing more about it's capabilities and how it could be useful definitely swayed me, so thank you for making me more informed on the subject.
And a HUGE thank you to whoever's idea it was to include the names of the songs and their respective artists in the video description! One of the many things I love about these videos is the amazing music you guys use (I even have a playlist exclusively made up of my favorite songs from all the Tex Talks Battletech videos!), and this made tracking down the music for further listening incredibly easy!
And of course, thank you to everyone who helped make this video and all the ones before it possible. These videos are always a treat and always entertaining, and have given me an effective way to share my love of Battletech with my friends, my family, and anyone who will listen, in a way that explains it far better then I could on my own. Again, thank you all for the great videos and stay safe out there!
The production quality just keeps getting better and better with each release
Damn it! Now I'm not going to be able to sleep UNTIL Christmas Eve!
Tex and the BPL: The Legends we don't deserve. Thank you!
I remember hopping into a Virtual-World cockpit with my dad when I was 3-4, my child fingers fumbling the keys for coolant. Been hooked ever since.
Managed to get this on the TV on my Xmas Getaway in front of my Military History obsessed Dad and Brother-in-law and they loved it, even though they were a little confused at first. :) Thanks for all the hard work Tex and the BPL, another Battletech Banger! I'll be watching it again tonight.
I feel Tex's description of the golden age is a veiled eulogy for our real modern and twilight era.
First Christmas dinner, retired from my family and now perusing my Whisky cabinet to pick out something to pair with Tex and Battlemechs. Truelly this is the season.
Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy Hogmanay.
I love this. This is what it looks like when an artist hits their stride and begins making their best work. The word choice, the alliteration, the sound design, is all coming together perfectly and you guys are creating masterpieces where your efforts are really shining. Thank you guys all so much, this is my favorite Christmas present in quite a few years.
Honestly Tex you and the BPL and your videos have been a real boon to my mental health. Through the loss of a family member, medical school, loss of my grants and being forced to drop out and adjusting to a new job that while not what I wanted to do I don't hate and actually enjoy for the most part, your videos, the BPL podcast, the twitch channel and the entire BPL have gotten me through it. You've talked before about your own troubles and it has all helped. Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and all of the BPL
Keep strong friend. Loss sucks. Ner normal is rough. I've been there too. Much luck to you.
I wasted too many years of my life regretting a failure or two that were completely my fault. Life throws you wildcards; take them and keep moving. Learn the lesson from each day and someday you will see that, while it isn't what you expected, it's what you needed. You're on the right path; just make sure you learn whatever lesson today is trying to teach you.
I'm sorry my fellow mechwarrior; that must be exceedingly challenging and distressing. We'll make it through each day one at a time and, when things are better, use these hardships to maintain perspective. It'll all pass, maybe like a kidney stone, but it will pass. Stay strong and don't let the Cappellan Fuckery grind you down.
I don't even play BT nor never have , I just listen to this cause I like your excellent presentation style and I'm into sci-fi and fantasy , I'm sure you heard a thousand times, you should do audiobooks
Happy to have you here with us
He does, actually.
I will start by saying this was the best produced Tex Talks Battletech and an ungodly amount of effort has shown through it.
But, holy shit that ending animation was amazing. I could just have it running on a loop.
honestly guys ... I'm out of new ways to say thank you for everything you've done so ill just remind you that your a fucking beautiful group of humans, I appreciate you deeply and love you lot at the bpl merry Christmas you filthy animals
The production quality just gets better every time! And Tex, how dare you make me ACTUALLY WANT a Charger!? I didn't think it possible... I have loved BattleTech since 1990... and Tex and the BPL just adds fuel to that fire... Awesome work, everyone!
It is the end of the year, and time for me to re-indulge in one of my favorite Battletech lore videos, I listened to this one on my way home from Christmas in 2022 and it has established itself as my favorite Tex talks battletech video. Thank you Tex, this video has been a returning favorite for me.
I've had my ass handed to me by a Lance of Chargers. Albeit, refit ones that are a lot tougher, but still, with the right tech and pilots, any mech can be a deadly one.
Well done Mr. Tex. Another amazing lesson.
Tex and crew giving us a godamn fine gift for christmas. Thank every single one of you godman madlads and madlases
Simply amazing, that speech about crazy and the various ways it manifests across the Inner Sphere and beyond got me pumped for this undergunned titan! Terry Ford's story was interesting too, strange events like that are pretty neato!
As an Original Fan of the game, Battledroids, Lucas be Damned, the multiple IP owners of the game do not deserve your fandom, but we fans do. Thanks to you and the entire Black Pant Legion for the outstanding & brilliant high quality 'Historical' documentaries.
I salute you Sir. Skoal & Cheers!
I really hope that you guys release a standalone version of the ending as a 10 hour loop
YES PLEASE :D
So I'm unfortunately a charger pilot.
Unfortunate for you.
man I got a new tagline out of this one. Very good episode.
That was great. "3rd monkey on Noah's ark, and it's starting to rain" about killed me. Merry Christmas, and happy birthday to Digs.
always top quality Tex and crew, very well done!
From a Cancer and heart transplant survivor. Greatly appreciated
Tex, you're videos got me from knowing nothing about BattleTech aside from a bit of MechWarrior growing up to having a full trinary painted up and doing Kerensky proud on the table top. Keep up the good work and have a great holiday.
Glory to karensky's children brother.
"... it's frequently the lunatic that found the Charger appealing that you need to be concerned with..."
From a Crazy Gecko to a Crazy Professor, you did a Crazy job both with this Crazy 'Mech and if the Crazy definition of "Crazy"!
👍👍👍
I am now imagining Macho Man Randy Savage pulling his "Cream of the Crop" routine, as he boards a Charger.
I bet this took longer than expected because there's an hour long tangent on the 1st succession war and I for one cannot fucking wait.
It's just a minor 1 hour tangent. But bear with him, it'll all tie in nicely.