Been a while since I made a good Battletech post. I just finished Mr. Pardoe's recent novella "Divided We Fall". It's a great BT yarn, exciting, fast moving, engaging, and a real page turner. Also it has a special charm for me, as, in it, I am one of the fans Mr. Pardoe honors with an official alter ego in the Battletech Universe.
I've loved the game since it was first shown to me in 1987... Ah, High School, a terrible time in many respects, but my first friends were made over games of Battletech, and the universe has had my, sometimes near obsessive, attention ever since. Lord knows how much mayhem my imaginary other world self has caused, though I take pride in knowing I've always done all I could to minimize casualties, avoid the Civvies, and uphold the Aries Conventions...
I couldn't be more jazzed that a Character with my name is now a Cannonical part of the Universe; Brianne Elizabeth Lyons (Battletech Me) is a Colonel in Wolf's Dragoons! the best of the best! assigned to Logistics, which is exciting to me because I love thinking about Battletech logistics and strategic problems, and always imagined myself in that universe doing Operational Planning more than tactical field work. And, to boot, the Character pilots one of my favorite of all Battlemechs; the Urbanmech. I couldn't have asked for a more delightful and perfect representation, and it was all unasked, making it all the sweeter! Thank you Mr. P! You made one of my dreams a reality!
Anyhow, in the real world I've never quite felt comfortable with other super fans of the franchise, being a transwoman kinda has it's complications, even if they are usually inner ones, and I've shunned the community for the most part. It certainly doesn't help that the one tournament I entered; Amigocon '89, was ruined for me when I had to abandon the game because my Dad showed up and made me leave as we entered the final heat. I am sure I would have placed, but the cost to my familial relationships would have been severe... You know when you are really "in the zone" on something? you can see a few moves ahead, you know exactly what to do, and how to do it, and you can feel the victory in your fist? yeah, it's a rare exhilaration, I've felt it a few times, some hard fought chess games, and a couple of really busy Battletech games... And that day I totally had it. my Lance of Mediums; my Griffin, my pals playing an Assassin, a Centurion, and a Hunchback, we'd bested Warhammers, Riflemen, Marauders, and were still in good shape, fighting on a neat underground terrain board, using first rate tactics; scooting and shooting with care... it was a good free for all, and I would give my eyeteeth to see how it would have ended if I'd been allowed to stay and finish. it's my third greatest regret in my life. Well, that's all ancient history and water under the bridge as they say.
Times have changed since the late 80s... in the real world and in the game world. The Dragoons have a new logo...classic mech designs are re-imagined, and the clans have come, changing everything, everything except the one eternal truth; there will always be war so long as humanity remains...human.
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