Battletech Battletech Morality ranking!

[Bear Ribs]

Huh, all this time I thought it was an acronym but it's really just an odd name.

Umm what is NIOS?

Edit: Fuck mistyped NIOPS. Guess that means I wouldn't want to live there, since I'm probably under the IQ cut off lol.

Niops Association

Niops Association

www.sarna.net

Basically, it was a Star League research outpost spread across three habitable planets in the same system, and when the Amaris coup and all the coup stuff went down, the head scientists quietly pulled the bunker door shut and hunkered down to wait things out until Kerensky was done. Then Kerensky vanished too, they got some refugees from the Capellan Confederation fleeing the horrors of the Succession Wars, and went "Uninstall that plan, we're staying hidden."

The head scientists then instituted a "Rule by the smart" political system and they've been practicing security through anonymity ever since. They're actually pretty well-armed despite their manufacturing limitations due to not losing any material in battle since the Star League era. They do extremely well for themselves up until the Blakists armed the Marian Hegemony and pointed it at them. After that, being only one star system, they've been pretty beleaguered though it's notable that even in the mid-32nd century they still managed to hold on via superior tech.

All in all a very interesting and criminally underutilized piece of the setting. Unfortunately, they're so very... very unutilized there's actually not that much to know, it's never developed or fluffed out, they don't even have any original designs even though of the entire setting they seem the most likely to invent entirely new designs.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

Well, that and the Stupid Pills they took at the time of the Jihad. Pretty much had a civil war going on prior to the Marions attacking. They did repel the MH forces, but the Niopians have since gutted themselves in their stupidity.

 

[King Arts]

Huh, all this time I thought it was an acronym but it's really just an odd name.

Niops Association

Niops Association

www.sarna.net

Basically, it was a Star League research outpost spread across three habitable planets in the same system, and when the Amaris coup and all the coup stuff went down, the head scientists quietly pulled the bunker door shut and hunkered down to wait things out until Kerensky was done. Then Kerensky vanished too, they got some refugees from the Capellan Confederation fleeing the horrors of the Succession Wars, and went "Uninstall that plan, we're staying hidden."

The head scientists then instituted a "Rule by the smart" political system and they've been practicing security through anonymity ever since. They're actually pretty well-armed despite their manufacturing limitations due to not losing any material in battle since the Star League era. They do extremely well for themselves up until the Blakists armed the Marian Hegemony and pointed it at them. After that, being only one star system, they've been pretty beleaguered though it's notable that even in the mid-32nd century they still managed to hold on via superior tech.

All in all a very interesting and criminally underutilized piece of the setting. Unfortunately, they're so very... very unutilized there's actually not that much to know, it's never developed or fluffed out, they don't even have any original designs even though of the entire setting they seem the most likely to invent entirely new designs.

You lost the right to vote.

Well, that and the Stupid Pills they took at the time of the Jihad. Pretty much had a civil war going on prior to the Marions attacking. They did repel the MH forces, but the Niopians have sinse gutted themselves in their stupidity.

Guess no one is allowed to vote now.

 

[Bear Ribs]

You lost the right to vote.


Guess no one is allowed to vote now.

They're suffering from the age-old problem that writers cannot write characters smarter than themselves.

 

[PsihoKekec]

Didn't Niops also produce Nightawk PALs?

 

[The Whispering Monk]

Yes, they never lost the ability to make them along with a lot of other tech.

 

[Airedale260]

So I don't know too much about Battletech except the absolute basics of the Inner Sphere nations. But I'm curious let's say you are reincarnated into the Battletech world and you get too choose which nation in the Inner sphere you would be born into, you would be minor nobility your family only in control of one planet. Which option is the best and why? Free World League, Capellan Confederation, Federated Suns, Draconis Combine, or Lyran Commonwealth?

Also would your answer change if you were a commoner?

Short answer: Davion if noble, as for commoner, it would depend on whether I could choose the world I’d live on.

To clarify:

As @S’task points out, a long-standing tradition of personal liberty, pushing for knowledge as much for knowledge’s sake as regaining the SL era heights of technology, and having a professional and formidable military. They’re also my favorite faction in the setting so, yeah.

There are, however, a couple things to note.

First, they absolutely do have a black ops force (the Rabid Foxes, the AFFS’ special forces) and do employ them from time to time, but as the Chris Trossen (the author of the House Davion handbook -the updated one to 3067) put it in a conversation: “They’re obviously not Loki. But they will absolutely do what needs to be done.” And any political manipulation is more subtly done, especially when the two worst factions in the setting are their neighbors (Space North Korea/China and Space Feudal/WW2-era Japan), so…yeah, nobody is really going to complain much because they know how good they have it.

The second is that the Federated Suns has what is probably the largest development divide between its worlds…economically developed ones closer to the core, versus the Outback worlds, which are some of the poorest and worst in all of known space. Yes, political liberties are great…but to the average commoner in the Outback? They’re effectively seen as (and in a lot of cases are) the worst stereotypes of Appalachia or other heavily impoverished regions of the United States. Sure, you can try and escape by joining the AFFS, and some do…assuming you can meet the standards, which not everyone can since many of these places are at best late 1990s standards of living and more often early to late 19th century or worse. And if you do? You can pretty much forget about any chance of being a MechWarrior or attending an academy…education in the Outback is almost non existent and largely relies on what are called Vagabond Schools: DropShips that travel from system to system, staying for some months to a year and trying to teach at least basic math and reading skills to anyone who can show up (and given how many of these places are subsistence levels that means time not spent trying to survive), from five-year-olds to senior citizens. Or you might live in conditions that are effectively a company town from the Gilded Age…and businesses will absolutely go full Pinkerton on your ass for daring to complain while the local and federal authorities look the other way.

There’s an old joke about going hunting for one’s dinner with a bow and arrow and then cooking it in the microwave, and another about riding your horse to the DropPort in order to go to another planet.

So, don’t get me wrong…the Fed Suns is the most politically free and has some of the most developed and pleasant worlds…but it’s also got as many if not more backwater shitholes. So, if I’m a commoner and I can’t pick where I’d live? Pass. I’d honestly rather live on Earth/Terra under the Toaster Worshipers than risk winding up in the Outback. Failing that…probably House Steiner. Anywhere else…nah. The Taurians are fucking nuts, the Magistracy of Canopus has way too much misandry for me to be comfortable), and the rest of the Periphery…blech. As with the Confederation or worse the Combine…I’d rather chug a bottle of Drano.

(If the answer is “yes, I get to choose” then I’d be a commoner on New Avalon). If noble…one of the Golden or Core Worlds, but even an Outback noble would be OK, at least if I retain my knowledge of the setting (especially pre-Fourth Succession War).

 

[King Arts]

Short answer: Davion if noble, as for commoner, it would depend on whether I could choose the world I’d live on.

To clarify:

As @S’task points out, a long-standing tradition of personal liberty, pushing for knowledge as much for knowledge’s sake as regaining the SL era heights of technology, and having a professional and formidable military. They’re also my favorite faction in the setting so, yeah.

There are, however, a couple things to note.

First, they absolutely do have a black ops force (the Rabid Foxes, the AFFS’ special forces) and do employ them from time to time, but as the Chris Trossen (the author of the House Davion handbook -the updated one to 3067) put it in a conversation: “They’re obviously not Loki. But they will absolutely do what needs to be done.” And any political manipulation is more subtly done, especially when the two worst factions in the setting are their neighbors (Space North Korea/China and Space Feudal/WW2-era Japan), so…yeah, nobody is really going to complain much because they know how good they have it.

The second is that the Federated Suns has what is probably the largest development divide between its worlds…economically developed ones closer to the core, versus the Outback worlds, which are some of the poorest and worst in all of known space. Yes, political liberties are great…but to the average commoner in the Outback? They’re effectively seen as (and in a lot of cases are) the worst stereotypes of Appalachia or other heavily impoverished regions of the United States. Sure, you can try and escape by joining the AFFS, and some do…assuming you can meet the standards, which not everyone can since many of these places are at best late 1990s standards of living and more often early to late 19th century or worse. And if you do? You can pretty much forget about any chance of being a MechWarrior or attending an academy…education in the Outback is almost non existent and largely relies on what are called Vagabond Schools: DropShips that travel from system to system, staying for some months to a year and trying to teach at least basic math and reading skills to anyone who can show up (and given how many of these places are subsistence levels that means time not spent trying to survive), from five-year-olds to senior citizens. Or you might live in conditions that are effectively a company town from the Gilded Age…and businesses will absolutely go full Pinkerton on your ass for daring to complain while the local and federal authorities look the other way.

There’s an old joke about going hunting for one’s dinner with a bow and arrow and then cooking it in the microwave, and another about riding your horse to the DropPort in order to go to another planet.

So, don’t get me wrong…the Fed Suns is the most politically free and has some of the most developed and pleasant worlds…but it’s also got as many if not more backwater shitholes. So, if I’m a commoner and I can’t pick where I’d live? Pass. I’d honestly rather live on Earth/Terra under the Toaster Worshipers than risk winding up in the Outback. Failing that…probably House Steiner. Anywhere else…nah. The Taurians are fucking nuts, the Magistracy of Canopus has way too much misandry for me to be comfortable), and the rest of the Periphery…blech. As with the Confederation or worse the Combine…I’d rather chug a bottle of Drano.

(If the answer is “yes, I get to choose” then I’d be a commoner on New Avalon). If noble…one of the Golden or Core Worlds, but even an Outback noble would be OK, at least if I retain my knowledge of the setting (especially pre-Fourth Succession War).

Hmm interesting. Why are the Taurians nuts? They seem to be space America/Texas(though they do have a monarchy instead of a Republic with house Calderon) but besides hating Davion's and the Fed Suns what is bad about them.
As for the Draconis Combine yup the Japs are pretty bad here, it's a shame, and same for the Capellan's though some of them are good according to some people like Barbara Liao.

 

[Airedale260]

Hmm interesting. Why are the Taurians nuts? They seem to be space America/Texas(though they do have a monarchy instead of a Republic with house Calderon) but besides hating Davion's and the Fed Suns what is bad about them.
As for the Draconis Combine yup the J*** are pretty bad here, it's a shame, and same for the Capellan's though some of them are good according to some people like Barbara Liao.

First, FYI, “J-word” probably isn’t something you want to throw around. Just saying.

The Taurians are not only incredibly paranoid (specifically, their leadership, including Grover Shraplen who is ABSOLUTELY FUCKING LOONEY TUNES), but they’re also the only faction that routinely issues nuclear weapons in their unit TO&Es. Nobody, not even the friggin’ Combine goes that far.

They’re kind of Space Texas in that they’re fiercely independent (which, okay, that’s fair), but they also bully the rest of the Rimward Periphery, including the Magistracy of Canopus. So…yeah, their citizens on average have it OK in terms of politics, but in terms of quality of life, it’s as bad as the Outback. And the Taurians, despite their protestations, absolutely will attack the Federated Suns on the flimsiest of excuses. Case in point: The Word of Blake launched a very obvious false-flag attack on Taurus’ capital city. Despite the fact that the AFFS was quite clearly engaged in the fight of its life against the Word of Blake (to the point New Avalon itself had been invaded) and quite obviously focusing on other parts of the realm, the Taurians immediately blamed House Davion and responded by wiping out entire planets with nuclear saturation strikes, and the worlds they didn’t level, they occupied and in some cases conquered. Despite the entire rest of humanity AND a significant slice of their own people telling them they were in the wrong and fucking assholes, they refused to apologize or make any amends.

So, no. Fuck the Taurians.

 

[Simonbob]

So, no. Fuck the Taurians.

The problem with the Taurians, is depending on the time period, they're either the best place to live, with the best education, as good or better political aspects, good, but never great, tech.

However, when things go bad for them, either because of bad leadership, or invasion, everything dives into the shitter, and swims for the darkest bit.


They'd be a great place to live, in their better times.

 

[Airedale260]

The problem with the Taurians, is depending on the time period, they're either the best place to live, with the best education, as good or better political aspects, good, but never great, tech.

However, when things go bad for them, either because of bad leadership, or invasion, everything dives into the shitter, and swims for the darkest bit.

They'd be a great place to live, in their better times.

Taurus itself, sure (its socioeconomic ratings are As across the board except for agriculture, which is a B (not breadbasket but at least able to feed itself with a little leftover for export) but there are still shitty pockets even there (same with any real life city/country).

The rest of it is decidedly “meh” to “high chance of dying horribly and you’ll be lucky to hit 60.”

And a lot of the Taurians’ problems since the Star League era are ultimately their own damn fault. Sure, they booted out the Star League that conquered them (edit: And given how they were treated it’s understandable). Problem was, when that happened, their stunts brought down the entire Star League, wound up having most of their industry and tech base wiped out because they couldn’t stop shooting at the SLDF on their worlds and never bothered to consider the implications of “Hey, we are totally dependent economically on everyone else, just like the rest of the Star League. What happens if we succeed in booting them out?” And only “won” in the end when the SLDF went after Amaris and the Rim Worlds Republic…finding out the hard way that their economy had been ruined. And that was before the Succession Wars kicked off. Meanwhile their various misadventures in the Periphery kept biting them in the ass even as they persisted…and they never bothered to try and just take a breather until they were forced.