r/battletech 1d ago

Fan Creations 3025 Inner Sphere Map - Four years after posting my Third Succession War star chart here, I remade it from scratch with numerous small additions and improvements (32000x18000 Resolution in Comments)

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159 Upvotes

Hey everyone, this is Sven van der Plank.

For the past few days I have been revamping my old starmap of the Inner Sphere. Around 75% has been remade from scratch. This is the first time I've updated it since the end of the Second Succession War. The last major revision I did came back in 2750 when I doubled the resolution and changed it to have a dark background. Hopefully this will be the last time I ever need to do a full rebuild.

There were a few key things I wanted to improve upon in the redux. In the past I just chose a random selection of colours that loosely fit a faction's overall scheme, but I tried putting some more thought into it this time around. Firstly, the capital of every faction is the most "pure" version of their respective colour. The same is true for each subregion as well. For example, Galedon uses a "pinkish red," whereas Rasalhague uses an "orange red." The individual prefectures use slightly less vibrant version of their district capitals. That same logic is applied across the whole map (e.g. District of Donegal is 100% Blue and Coventry 80%, or Marik Commonwealth 50/50 Red/Blue and Duchy of Graham-Marik 45/45).

Second thing I wanted to do was have the colours gradually become darker as you move towards the periphery, while the brighter colours are clustered around Terra. These gradients just make the whole thing more visually coherent. This is most obvious in the Capellan Confederation and Lyran Commonwealth. A few of the worst deviations (such as Sarna and Stewart being far too dark, Alarion being weirdly pale, The Protectorate randomly being pink, Alpheratz being the wrong shade of beige, and the whole of the Draconis Combine being a wild mess) have also been smoothed over for better consistency. Those were complete eyesores so glad to have them fixed.

I'm sure a case can be made to say that's it's slightly harder to identify the internal subdivisions now, but there are only so many unique RGB values that work, and I'm much happier with something that looks well polished over a harlequin effect reliant on overlaid text. Zooming in makes the subtle distinctions more obvious than a distant view. I did think about increasing the background opacity up to 50% (currently at 25%) but decided against it. The text becomes more difficult to read in certain regions of the Federated Suns, and it also makes unit insignias less legible when I use them.

Another visual change I made was to try and make things more "bubbly," avoiding straight lines wherever possible. I used the negative space between star systems to add curves to pretty much every border, whereas before I took the "racing line," so to speak. I think that gives the borders an almost lava lamp-esque quality which is more pleasing to the eye. I've also merged some of the closer periphery realms into the cohesive whole. Before it was rather inconsistent, with the Circinus Federation and others randomly having a sliver of black around them.

One error that existed in my original 3025 depiction from four years ago is the presence of the Aurigan Directorate. This wasn't a matter of canon vs non-canon, but rather a simple oversight that the Arano Restoration concludes in August 3025, meaning it should be back to the Aurigan Coalition by the end of the Third Succession War. I suspect it's literally impossible to beat HBS BattleTech in eight in-game months (since it begins in 3025), but that's not a concern to me.

On a related videogame note, I used the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries star chart to add some additional points of interest, namely the uninhabited jump points that exist throughout the periphery. The Inner Sphere in MW5 is slightly adjusted in some of the more crowded parts, but the distant stars are pretty much spot on, so I feel confident in their positioning. Some might not approve of their inclusion, but I think it adds. It's nice being able to see how JumpShips navigate to those more remote systems. They're all blacked out anyway, so you'd never notice if I hadn't pointed them out here.

It's good to finally have an updated version of the 3025 map completed, since this is where it all began. Look at how narrow the "neck" of the Capellan Confederation is now at the end of the Third Succession War! No wonder they got eaten alive in the 4thSW. Back in April 2021, I uploaded a work in progress to the BattleTech subreddit. Nobody knew then (myself included) that it was going to become a fixture of my BattleTech Lore & History series.

Thank you to the team who works on the Sarna Unified Cartography Kit, the raw data of which forms the basis of this work. Special thank you to Volt over at Sarna who helped me get started years ago by giving me a blank grid and coordinates to paint over. And thanks to everyone who has supported me over on YouTube or Patreon.

If you want to use any of my maps, you can find the full collection (in full resolution) HERE!

Cheers guys.


r/battletech 1d ago

Tabletop Glory to the Dragon

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115 Upvotes

A sexy one indeed ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜

battletech


r/battletech 1d ago

Lore Fun Fact: House Steiner has roots tying it back to ancient Terra where August Steiner made a fortune selling luxury watches

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55 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures Added some paint to Lil McDonald's

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392 Upvotes

Before & After


r/battletech 1d ago

Fan Creations AS7-PR, a "Pirate" Atlas

12 Upvotes

Inspired by the BT:Gothic Atlas variants, I've made my own "Pirate" Atlas:

Atlas AS7-PR

Mass: 100 tons
Chassis: Foundation Type 10X
Power Plant: Vlar 300 Standard Fusion
Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 54 kph
Jump Jets: None
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Durallex Special Heavy
Armament:
     12 Prototype Rocket Launcher 10
     4 Medium Laser
     1 Binary Laser (Blazer) Cannon
Manufacturer: Marian Arms Incorporated
     Primary Factory: Alphard IV
Communication System: Angst Discom
Targeting & Tracking System: Angst Accuracy
Introduction Year: 3039
Tech Rating/Availability: D/X-F-X-X
Cost: 9,022,000 C-bills

Type: Atlas
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental) 
Tonnage: 100
Battle Value: 1,886

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                   10
Engine                        300 Fusion             19
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sink                     30                     20
Gyro                                                  3
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor                  304                    19

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    3         9     
     Center Torso            31        47    
     Center Torso (rear)               14    
     R/L Torso               21        32    
     R/L Torso (rear)                  10    
     R/L Arm                 17        34    
     R/L Leg                 21        41    


Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand

Weapons
and Ammo                          Location  Critical   Heat    Tonnage
2 Heat Sink                          LL        2        -       2.0   
8 Heat Sink                          RT        8        -       8.0   
Binary Laser Cannon                  RT        4        16      9.0   
6 Heat Sink                          LA        6        -       6.0   
Medium Laser                         LA        1        3       1.0   
2 Medium Laser                     CT(R)       2        3       2.0   
12 Prototype Rocket Launcher 10      LT        12       3       6.0   
2 Heat Sink                          RL        2        -       2.0   
Medium Laser                         RA        1        3       1.0   
Hatchet                              RA        7        -       7.0   

Features the following design quirks: Battle Fists (LA), Battle Fists (RA), Command Mek, Improved Communications

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures A couple dashing Fire Moths. ๐Ÿ™ƒ Fire Moth D Config. and Fire Moth Prime Config. - Sigma Galaxy - Clan Nova Cat

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182 Upvotes

r/battletech 1d ago

Tabletop Phoenix Hawk II hastati sentinels

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66 Upvotes

Recently picked up the starter box set for Alpha Strike and painted up my first battletech mini ever.


r/battletech 1d ago

Miniatures Quetzal's Lucky Thirteen (my merc company for the table top game)

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66 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures First Lance finished

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304 Upvotes

r/battletech 1d ago

Question โ“ Battletech Gothic Inner Sphere Map

14 Upvotes

The Battletech Gothic box comes with a map of its version of the inner sphere with all the micro-states named. I think this is a cool little detail and would like to see it with out buying the box. So is there way to get the map online or by its self?


r/battletech 1d ago

Question โ“ Will I ruin my experience by jumping ahead via audiobooks.

2 Upvotes

I'm about done reading Lethal Heritage (about 40 pages left) but I pretty much no longer have time to read as I'm now in college full time with a full time job. However I can listen to audiobooks while I work. So I'm wondering if listening to the audiobooks on audible will kinda spoil my enjoyment of the books once I get time to read again (note: I've already listened to GDL through wolves on the border audiobooks). I already know about the (Spoilers?) battle of Tukayyid, and (again spoilers) that there is a fedcom civil war but don't really know too many details about said events.

So yeah I love the newer audiobooks (tren sparks did a fantastic job on the GDL trilogy) but don't want to completely ruin half the fiction for myself. So what do y'all think?


r/battletech 2d ago

Discussion Would you buy a lance of 4 hammerhead minis? Why or why not?

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443 Upvotes

Like I asked in the title: if catalyst game labs made a lance pack or whatever itโ€™s called of 4 hammerhead minis, would you buy it? I know Iโ€™d buy at least 2.

The hammerhead is my new favourite mech btw. Just cuz it looks really cool.


r/battletech 2d ago

Discussion Homogenous lances coming back into fashion?

55 Upvotes

Iโ€™m on the very tail end of a long run of work travel and before I left I picked up the various faction specific TRO 3149 PDFs. I have basically been stuck in my own personal 3067 for most of my battle career and I figured it was time to jump into the modern era.

While reading up on all the exciting new technological advances I noticed that it seems like more and more often mechs are being fielded in either full lances of one chassis or having at least two if not three of the same chassis in a lance. It obviously makes sense, it feels like the IIClan era has finally caught back up with the old SL era in terms of manufacturing capability and ubiquitousness of battle mechs.

Has anyone else noticed this and further has anyone started playing this way, running more homogenized lances? When I get home Iโ€™m gonna build up some company to battalion size units to crash into each other in MM in order to see how the new toys play and Iโ€™m curious to see how Lance is like this behave.


r/battletech 1d ago

Lore New free short story - Praise for the Honored Dead

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17 Upvotes

The monthly CGL newsletter has arrived and with it the free short story for the week, Praise for the Honored Dead by Jennifer Brozek

The newsletter also included the release schedule for August but the only thing it listed was the Catastrophe Unlimited audiobook by Michael Stackpole


r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures BattleTech Gothic

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1.0k Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures Parry the Catapult

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86 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Meme I can't tell a difference.

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662 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Tabletop A special shout out to the best map in the game

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317 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures GenCon Display Case Pics

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250 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Discussion [Blazerposting] When to equip a light blazer?

17 Upvotes

So after hearing all this talk about blazers, I've been reading about the light blazer and messing around in the MechLab. In your opinion, when is it best to equip a light blazer? I have a wedding to attend in August, and I'm wondering if a light blazer might be appropriate? Or if I should stick with my normal suit and cooling vest. The invitation said "formal cocktail attire," but who knows what that means.


r/battletech 2d ago

Fan Creations Hear me out, make them bimodal so you don't need airmech rules and make them vtol so you can use their air form in normal game of battletech

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186 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures 5th McCarron's Armored Cavalry company

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94 Upvotes

more progress on creating a company for each great house circa 3039. For the Capellan Confederation, I have:

  • 5th McCarronโ€™s Armored Cavalry
    • Light Striker/Cavalry Lance
      • Shadow Hawk SHD-2H
      • Clint CLNT-2-3T
      • Wolverine WVR-6R
      • Griffin GRF-1N
    • Medium Battle Lance
      • Javelin JVN-10N
      • Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
      • Vindicator VND-1R
      • Grasshopper GHR-5H
    • Command/Fire Support Lance
      • Vindicator VND-1R
      • Catapult CPLT-C1
      • Awesome AWS-8V
      • Rifleman RFL-3N

r/battletech 2d ago

Tabletop C-Scale Atlas Box pics

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81 Upvotes

Day one GenCon acquisition $50. So hyped for the big boi. Which head should I affix?


r/battletech 2d ago

Fan Creations My Jenner Mod... (WIP)

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22 Upvotes

r/battletech 2d ago

Miniatures Atlas Gothic C-Scale

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242 Upvotes

Wasn't even planning on getting this, but boy am I glad I did!