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Secret Mech exchange and campaign play
Dec. 18th, 2025 03:50 pm I got a double lance of mechs from the Secret mech exchange at our FLGS. Apparently my secret Mech exchanger does batch painting and wanted to know what I had, and partner told him 'not much'. So I got a double lance of 2nd Canopian Fusiliers.
They're fricking amazing.
And a cool letter with an explanation of all the mechs. I was initially pleased because if G, who did/does a lot of tournaments and is really good at this gives me a promotion, then I take it. I believe this makes me a Commander in the Magistry Armed Forces (MAF), because my other forces are all mercs, and I can now be commanding a company.
I read the whole letter later on, and I may have entered into some sort of unholy alliance with House Davion/Federated Suns by accepting them (G has been playing FedSuns lately)
I was initially concerned, but honestly, I don't believe G has a mean bone in him. ...Insert Hanse Davion meme here.
I also spent some time looking up the 2nd Fusiliers, and Canopian military so I can have an outfit to wear with it, especially if I take it to Adepticon. Turns out the 2nd Fusiliers were made to fight the StarLeague, and we all know I hate the StarLeague with a passion. The lore is all on-point. Best choice, G. Also, G gave my my first mech, it was a Toyama, contingent on accepting the Word of Blake.
He's my favorite now, sorry my Taurian Sib from another Crib.
(I'll add the Hanse Davion meme when I find it, but it basically comes down to "oh, Hanse won't be any problem" Hanse: becomes the whole problem)
++
I also got to play the first Wolf's Dragoon's game on Tuesday (it'll be monthly ish)
My ability to be a team player in a unit specializing in broken field and small unit tactics was immensely useful. My inability to take an order or direction without a smart ass comment or fuck you response was also duly noted. B says he's fine with this, I'm not sure he means that long term.
I always feel I'm bringing the team down, because I keep ending up in multiple mech scenarios where I'm running 3-4 mechs, and so is everyone else, and after about 2 rounds, I'm brained out. Apparently I do great when I'm just minding one mech and the field. It's good to know. My brain isn't the best on any day, and after work on Tuesday is about as bad as it gets, and this campaign is one mech per person on the field.
Followup to yesterday
Nov. 26th, 2025 07:54 amI got to meetup with my BattleTech group last night and I am feeling better about things. Apparently {remaining guy} is on the Mod watchlist now, I was not the only non-male person who expressed that the server was no longer a safe place and perhaps it was time to leave, and they don't want it to turn into a 'Boy's club'. I also learned that {remaining guy} isn't popular with our group in specific, and for many of the reasons he displayed on the server- apparently this is how he is in person as well.
Lovely.
And let's be super clear- I play with the LGBTQ+ boardgames group on Tuesdays, not the Battletechers. We have some "socially awkward"/autistic folks (mostly guys) who could make a room full of Colorado School of Mines Engineers look neurotypical.
Those guys get games every single day they come. Some of them have people waiting to get a game with them.
It's not because they magically got less socially awkward, though some of them have apparently made outside friends here. Some of them still struggle quite a bit with interacting, because social cues can be hard, especially in a fringe setting like an LGBTQ+ group where coded language is common. But you know what really helped? NAMETAGS where people put their (gasp!) name they want to be called! And their pronouns!
We have 2 guys with the same name who are both really sweet, super good at games, very autistic, and very bad at introducing themselves and getting others to join them. I may have started a rumor that if you want a fun game you should get one of the SAMENAME guys to join you. Apparently some of the other less socially adept guys now have the same reputation.
And all they had to do was put forth a little good faith and make an attempt to make a friendly connection.
I'm not buying the 'socially awkward' excuse, if you're that bad at understanding how to interact with other people as an adult, it's likely deliberate. They obviously have enough time and disposable income to play Battletech and travel to games. That indicates a job. They can get by socially well enough to keep a job, which means they understand how to not be an asshole to people at work, so it's a choice to be a dick here.
So I stand by my statement from yesterday. I picked the correct Periphery state. We are Ares Compliant. If we meet in person, and I see this behavior around my people, I promise, you will wish I had decided to be a Taurian. I don't always have energy to game, but by Blake's weeping ghost, I will make sure to give you the full Canopus experience, and you'll wish you'd just gotten nuked instead.
Lovely.
And let's be super clear- I play with the LGBTQ+ boardgames group on Tuesdays, not the Battletechers. We have some "socially awkward"/autistic folks (mostly guys) who could make a room full of Colorado School of Mines Engineers look neurotypical.
Those guys get games every single day they come. Some of them have people waiting to get a game with them.
It's not because they magically got less socially awkward, though some of them have apparently made outside friends here. Some of them still struggle quite a bit with interacting, because social cues can be hard, especially in a fringe setting like an LGBTQ+ group where coded language is common. But you know what really helped? NAMETAGS where people put their (gasp!) name they want to be called! And their pronouns!
We have 2 guys with the same name who are both really sweet, super good at games, very autistic, and very bad at introducing themselves and getting others to join them. I may have started a rumor that if you want a fun game you should get one of the SAMENAME guys to join you. Apparently some of the other less socially adept guys now have the same reputation.
And all they had to do was put forth a little good faith and make an attempt to make a friendly connection.
I'm not buying the 'socially awkward' excuse, if you're that bad at understanding how to interact with other people as an adult, it's likely deliberate. They obviously have enough time and disposable income to play Battletech and travel to games. That indicates a job. They can get by socially well enough to keep a job, which means they understand how to not be an asshole to people at work, so it's a choice to be a dick here.
So I stand by my statement from yesterday. I picked the correct Periphery state. We are Ares Compliant. If we meet in person, and I see this behavior around my people, I promise, you will wish I had decided to be a Taurian. I don't always have energy to game, but by Blake's weeping ghost, I will make sure to give you the full Canopus experience, and you'll wish you'd just gotten nuked instead.
How we got where we are
Nov. 25th, 2025 03:41 pm Quick rant, because apparently I need to talk about it.
I have started playing Battletech relatively recently with my boyfriend. Battletech is a largely male-dominated game. It's been fine, the local group is amazing- queer friendly, welcoming to new players, etc. With BF's encouragement, I joined the queer BattleTech discord, which is also super cool. Great people and community. Welcoming, filled with transwomen, and a large queer space. I feel right at home.
I'm missing a lot of local events and chatter that I'm hearing about third hand or from others on Tuesday night, so I join the state discord so I can get on the local channel. I give my table name (a server rule, to facilitate in-person games because that is the purpose of the server)- not my real name but the name people regularly call me in the group at the table. It's great, I get to chat with the local group online now, they're funny and inclusive. I never feel weird, or like BF's girlfriend they 'have to include' or as though they're tolerating the 'girl' or even stupid because I'm very new and my brain isn't always the most cooperative. This is really fun. I'm sorry I can't play more often.
Yesterday, a new guy joins the server. This happens a lot. Local area is big. He (and I am assuming here because this person didn't have any pronouns listed, but at one point refers to themselves as a 'big black man') He doesn't want to give a table name for 'privacy'.
I beg your fucking pardon? Privacy? Give a first name or a table name people can call you or GTFO, stated as soon as you sign up on the server. If you have a stalker or other concerns, DM a mod.
When pressed, {new guy} gives the name of a convicted celebrity r*pist, and when it is gently suggested that it isn't perhaps the most friendly name, gives a Chinese name that translates to "Big Black Man" and insists it be inflected properly. One of the members of the server, {friend} with a male name, tells him that {friend} doesn't feel comfortable playing {new guy} if he shows up at our FLGS, as {new guy} has already joined that server as well. {New guy} insists 'it's happening'. When told no, {new guy} says that {friend} doesn't have a choice.
Wow, red flags everywhere here. Mods step in and boot him from the server, because he's a bad actor. Seems like everything's fine, FLGS won't stand for him.
I beg your fucking pardon? Privacy? Give a first name or a table name people can call you or GTFO, stated as soon as you sign up on the server. If you have a stalker or other concerns, DM a mod.
When pressed, {new guy} gives the name of a convicted celebrity r*pist, and when it is gently suggested that it isn't perhaps the most friendly name, gives a Chinese name that translates to "Big Black Man" and insists it be inflected properly. One of the members of the server, {friend} with a male name, tells him that {friend} doesn't feel comfortable playing {new guy} if he shows up at our FLGS, as {new guy} has already joined that server as well. {New guy} insists 'it's happening'. When told no, {new guy} says that {friend} doesn't have a choice.
Wow, red flags everywhere here. Mods step in and boot him from the server, because he's a bad actor. Seems like everything's fine, FLGS won't stand for him.
Then. THEN. One longtime member of the server {remaining guy} aggressively defends his behavior and says that he's just socially awkward and the mods didn't give him a chance. For HOURS. Over and over and over and over, even after being told to drop it.
Apparently the inability to not accept no for an answer is just 'socially awkward' now, not a giant 🚩.
Apparently the inability to not accept no for an answer wasn't the reason they booted the other guy, it was because he didn't follow directions.
Apparently the inability to not accept no for an answer wasn't the reason they booted the other guy, it was because he didn't follow directions.
{Remaining guy} is still on the server. He can't accept no as an answer either it seems, and is determined to arbitrate this whole thing to death. The server feels a lot less safe. I'm now permanently invisible for other reasons, but it actually feels safer there too.
I'm sticking to the local channels mostly, because at least {remaining guy} isn't in my local area. I feel stupid, because I know better. BT has the rep it has FOR A REASON, I knew the local group was likely a unicorn. But FUCK, I hoped for better.
I strongly considered leaving the server altogether. BF talked me out of it, and I blocked {remaining guy}. It's been 24 hours, I'm still pissed about it.
BF has promised to point him out to me if he comes up for cons. That may be a poor choice, I will actively shun the fuck out of this guy.
Unlike the rest of our kind and friendly group, I have the morals and mores of a personal assistant who has been personally charged with making sure the boss never takes a call. My social skills are bad, but I have them, and I only use them for evil.
In the words of Grendel Roberts: Rest up, conserve your strength, and kiss your children goodbye.
In the words of Grendel Roberts: Rest up, conserve your strength, and kiss your children goodbye.
God, I'm old.
Oct. 29th, 2025 09:29 am I told my friends about forgetting about why Heyerdahl was such a bastard last night. They've never heard of him.
I mean, Good.
I knew they were young, but I forgot they were born after he was long dead.
Then I made the Schliemann joke about giving a powerpoint if they annoyed me.
They hadn't heard of Schliemann either, even after saying he was the guy that found Troy.
They made me give the powerpoint.
(I don't actually have a powerpoint, but I do know a lot about bad archaeology and was able to illustrate the subject. They were suitably appalled)
I mean, Good.
I knew they were young, but I forgot they were born after he was long dead.
Then I made the Schliemann joke about giving a powerpoint if they annoyed me.
They hadn't heard of Schliemann either, even after saying he was the guy that found Troy.
They made me give the powerpoint.
(I don't actually have a powerpoint, but I do know a lot about bad archaeology and was able to illustrate the subject. They were suitably appalled)
Writing stories
Oct. 28th, 2025 03:30 pmIt's been a long time since I've written a lot, and the last year and a half haven't made it easy. ( Rambling past here )
