Clan Crystal Spider

 Hey Folks We’re playing a little bit of hooky today. As part of Thanksgiving Week, we’re goofing a bit, (we’ll have a full boat of our normal content again next week). Today we finish up our new clans with the Crystal Spiders. 

As stated, this is a FAN PROJECT. This is not official CGL material, nor is it endorsed by the powers that be at Battletech, but it is something that I find interesting. It’s also a “My Dudes are cool” sort of project. Like the previous project, this is an Ilclan Era expansion of the Homeworld Clans. Let’s see how this plays out, shall we?

So, what the hell is Clan Crystal Spider, why are they, and where do they come from?  

Why Clan Crystal Spider?

Our strength is a fellowship, and it is long since time our numbers grew again. I submit that each of our clans will apportion warriors, technicians, merchants, laborers, and scientists to grow our fellowship, and return our numbers. For far too long, we have been four. Now we shall be eight.  

Illkhan Hannibal Bannacek, 

January 9th 3101.  

Clan Crystal Spider was spun off from the Cloud Cobras following the Illkhan’s declaration. Taking 3 clusters of the Cobras Gamma Galaxy, and approximately 35% of the other castes, Clan Crystal Spider was also gifted with Atreus as a homeworld. One of many worlds abandoned by the clans following the Reaving, the Spiders went to work immediately.

An Auspicious Start

Khan Khatib Steiner and his 3 Clusters found themselves bored out of their minds. The Civilians busied themselves with the tasks of building enclaves, training new warriors, and otherwise running a government, (Though she would deny it later, Cloud Cobra Khan Janille Steiner suspected that Khatib had an undiagnosed case of ADHD).

The three Clusters formed the core of three Galaxies, and when the Spiders couldnt find people to get into fights with from other clans, they started trialing each other. Khan Khatib loved this turn of events and instituted a quarterly version of the martial olympiad. Initial losses ran approximately 20% of operational machines, but their individual skills improved dramatically.  

The warriors of Alpha Galaxy had a disastrous encounter with the Star Adders that cost them a dropship full of Omnimechs and 6 technical teams, Khatib examined rhis failure. The Spiders had spent so much time drilling individually that their command structure fell apart. The Adders stronger discipline held and they made sport of the Spiders.  

Khatib redoubled his efforts and trained his commanders until they were some of the finest warriors in the homeworlds. This would have exhilarating long term consequences.

Friends Everywhere

In the 3120s, after years of grinding away at Atreus, the Crystal Spiders finally made a splash into clan society. They claimed an abandoned Ice Hellion Enclave on Strana Mechty and deployed one of their front line galaxies to the site. Their civilian castes made themselves available to assist any project that the other clans needed help with. The surprisingly cheerful nature of these helpers was very well received in the beginning. However, there were a couple of issues.  

Firstly, Khan Steiner's ADHD seemed to have afflicted his clan, and that meant this warriors were easily bored while on defensive operations, (even their offensive operations had targets of opportunity built in). They were usually found “near” their posts, but they could be found far afield in the wrong circumstances.  

Secondly, they absolutely loved to test their skills against warriors of other clans. This meant they frequently engaged of trials of possession for the most inane things, (one trial is listed as having been fought over the last case of whiskey in a favorite bar in the Stone Lions section of Strana Mechty, while another was for control of a local broadcast station controlled by the Star Adders).  

The Crystal Spiders behavior would have gotten them censured except for one important factor. Crystal Spider civilians, without the strict oversight of the Warrior Caste, built an astonishing mercantile position. They had luxury commodities produced on Atreus that were otherwise unavailable in clan space. The other clans put up with the Spider warrior caste to take advantage of their civilian products.

Right off a Cliff

Khan Khatib's mental quirks got the Spiders into hot water in the spring of 3133. While planning the Founding celebrations for the following year, Khatib became extraordinarily belligerent in a grand council session and challenged the Illkhan personally to single combat for the right to direct the festivities. IllKhan Bannacek, ancient at 94, sighed and accepted the challenge.  

As the Illkhan prepared for this challenge, he was found dead in his bed. Unfortunately, the grand old man didn't die peacefully, he'd been poisoned. Suspicion immediately fell upon the Crystal Spiders because of the ferocity Of Khatibs's challenge. Pre emptive trials were declared against the Spiders but the Ebon Keshik quashed all trials until their investigation was completed.  

It took a tense month, but the Spiders were exonerated of the crime. The mystery of who killed the Illkhan was never solved, but the Steel Crabs are still investigating. Khatib, under the advisement of his Loremaster and Sakhan, resigned his position and retired to a small commune on Atreus to contemplate the universe.

New Directions 

Newly elected Khan Federico McCloud attempted to focus his absent minded clan. He raised additional clusters and units to maintain their enclaves, constructed new jumpships to carry Spider goods around the cluster, and cut down on the most egregious of their trial behavior.  

Spider Enclaves can be found on most worlds in the cluster. They eschew the orbitals of the Void Krakens and keep their people on the ground. They were mostly successful at these operations, and other than the occasional battle with dark caste operators, their battles were ceremonial in most situations.  

As the mid century marks time, the Crystal Spiders have become an essential part of life in the Cluster. They produce consumer goods that even the Sea Foxes would have been envious of in their heyday. They are strict with their economic policies, ans refuse trade with outsiders.  

Crystal Spider Touman 

The Crystal Spiders only operate 3 Frontline Galaxies. Epsilon, Iota and Kappa Galaxies handle most Crystal Spider operations. Omega and Tau Provisional Galaxies maintain defensive cordons on Atreus. Upsilon Galaxy maintains the defenses on their other Enclaves, though these are typically star and binary sized deployments.  

Crystal Spider Navy

The Crystal Spiders use small groups of HPG equipped Jumpships to move commercial goods throughout the Cluster. 

 They maintain a small Warship Fleet.

Wisdom of Antiquity (McKenna Class)

Wanderlust (Sovetski Soyuz Class)

Pack Rat (Potemkin Class)

Consternation (Aegis Class)

Combat Doctrine

The Crystal Spiders have probably the most elite warriors among the homeworlds. They test themselves regularly against the best ajd brightest warriors of every other clan. They love to fight. Unlike the rest of the Clans, the Crystal Spiders deploy Omnimechs exclusively. They prefer light to medium weight machines, though their Provisional Galaxies tend towards heavier units.    

Freeborns make up approximately 30% of the total Touman. 

Crystal Spider Culture

The Crystal Spider warrior Caste is regarded with a combination of delight and dread. They have a well earned reputation for being elite warriors, but that's tempered with a reputation for being easily distracted. Their neighbors tend to find something to keep them occupied out of the cockpit so as to not get drowned in trials

The civilian castes of the Crystal Spiders have the most latitude of the clans. Khan Khatib's rule gave the civilians a self governance that let them effectively rule themselves while meeting Spider production quotas and deadlines. They're OBNOXIOUSLY cheerful.

Crystal Spider Colors

The Crystal Spiders use gunmetal as a Primary color with color coded webbing by Galaxy. Epsilon uses a midnight blue, Iota uses black, and Kappa uses a blood red. Provisional Galaxies use a dark red right arm to identify themselves.  

(So, that’s what I've got for Clan Crystal Spider for right now. This is an alternate future for the battletech timeline of what “Could” be happening in the clan homeworlds in the aftermath of the Reaving. Does this sound cool? Would you like to know more? Should I continue working on this idea? Let me know folks.)  

Y’all have fun, and stay safe out there!