FRR Dislike?

[Samskara]

I suspect that when the writers created the FRR they hadn't decided to do the Clan invasion there yet.

You mean it's not all preplanned and line blocked out by the writers ahead of time so that everything meshes and they all know where the greater BT story is going?

 

[Brother Diogenes]

You mean it's not all preplanned and line blocked out by the writers ahead of time so that everything meshes and they all know where the greater BT story is going?

Truly though, that's one of the things I like about the whole BT universe, and the way it's evolved. Like real history, sometimes people are completely at the mercy of forces beyond their control, sometimes we never get an explanation, and sometimes when things are at their highest or lowest, a cosmic coin toss turns it all around.

 

[BloodKite]

If you're a novel reader, the FRR came in in the BoK Trilogy for the first time, though it was briefly mentioned in the Warrior Trilogy.

Our first real interaction with them was as nothing more than 'Merc Haters' via the Tor. You're pretty much taught there an then to 'hate' them generally - except for Tyra. Then the Clans beat them senseless in short order.

I feel a bit more background was needed on the Ronin Wars to fully appreciate them as a State and not just a way to counteract the merging of the LC and FS on the DC border.

 

[WhiteChapel]

Actually, they're introduced in Heir to the Dragon and giving up Ralhague got Teddy Kurita the mechs for the Ghost Regiments from Comstar.

 

[BloodKite]

Apologies, you're right - it's been a long time since I've read Heir

I guess my impression from that came from the BoK Trilogy being more well known? I feel that it was the first impression a lot of people had coming into BTech at that time.

 

[Kereminde]

I know who could dislike the Free Rasalhague Republic, in lore. The people of the Tamar March, who basically got "shafted" by the whole deal. The more you read of the lore, the more interesting it gets with layers in there. Of course, there's some really crazy stuff to justify some reactions but still. There are people in the Combine and in the Commonwealth who don't like what amounts to a new power cropping up and suddenly there's a new player in the game when it used to be "simple".

 

[Mendrugo]

If you want to read more about the pre-Clan FRR:

Memory's Surprises (BattleTechnology #10, Stefan Paul Melin-Dempsey) - 3033
Broken Brotherhood (BattleCorps, Chris Hussey) - 3034
Harvest of Deception (BattleCorps, Kevin Killiany) - 3034
A Moment of Honesty (BattleCorps, Jason Hansa) - 3034
Historical: Brush Wars (section on the Ronin War)
Comrades at Arms (BattleTechnology #10, Hilary Ayer) - 3035

MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries missions (dips into FRR politics in the mission briefings - you can view them on YouTube "Let's Play" videos)
- Tiger Hunt (Engadine)
- Tick Tock (New Oslo)
- Leg Breaker (Rasalhague)
- Dawn Watch, Snow Fort, and Starlight Hunt (Liezen)
- Night Wolf (Rasalhague)
- Brother's Keeper (New Caledonia)

 

[Exemplar Voss]

I just dislike how narratively unnecessary they were. More independent than the most rabid separatists and even more Merc hating than the most anti Merc hatemongers. And then, boot. But then it turned out to be a kind, gentle boot, because reasons.

 

[Tnarien]

I just dislike how narratively unnecessary they were.

Some of the most interesting, and impactful, cultures, factions or groups in fiction have started with a throwaway entity for a minor plot point somewhere non-important. These yahoos are no different.

 

[Exemplar Voss]

Apart from not being impactful or interesting, and lasting almost no time at all. Plus, it still doesn't address the problem of thematic redundancy- there is only so much conceptual space for factions, and the Isle of Skye is basically right next door, much better established and handles most of the same themes.

 

[Tnarien]

Apart from not being impactful or interesting, and lasting almost no time at all. Plus, it still doesn't address the problem of thematic redundancy- there is only so much conceptual space for factions, and the Isle of Skye is basically right next door, much better established and handles most of the same themes.

Space Vikings and Space Scotsmen are two very different cliches.

Plus the lore background is very, very different. Skye was one of the founding entities of the Lyran state. Rasalhague was an independent realm consumed by the Kuritan expansion.