I just finished BattleTech’s Anthology – Legacy it’s a great book a real credit to the universe. Unlike almost every other BattleTech book the human characters take a back seat and it is the BattleMech that takes centre stage in this case the BattleMech is a Grasshopper.
The first story “What’s in a name†is set on Bryant in 2779 and establishes that this is one of the first Grasshopper’s to be built in the development lab. This lab comes under attack and the BattleMech gains its name from one of the builders of the Mech.
The next story “Swords of Light and Darkness†takes the Grasshopper on one of its darkest moments set in 2797 the BattleMech is in the possession of the Draconis Combine and is involved in the Kentares Massacre.
By 2840 the Grasshopper has passed into the hands of the Capellan Confederation which is where “Fates and Fortunes†the third story is set. The Grasshopper has shown some wear and tear and is almost sent back to the lab that developed it before that lab is targeted and destroyed.
“The Forgotten Places†takes place in 2973 and takes the BattleMech back into the Federated Suns. Its pilot descends from Combine blood and is essentially a slave to her Federated Suns masters. In another dark chapter the Grasshopper is eventually found in an abandoned DropShip and fights in a raid on the planet by Combine forces.
Set after the turn of the 31st Century in 3004 “One Man’s Trash†is set in the Free Worlds League. The pilot in the seat doesn’t appreciate the Grasshopper to start with knowing he is filling a seat of a dead MechWarrior but over the course of the story and during a fight with the Lyrans he learns that there’s something special about the Mech.
The next story takes the Grasshopper into the Lyran Commonwealth. “Lightning Strike†is set 34 years after the last story in 3038 and comes to a pilot who has recently trained with the NAIS as the tactics of the Federated Suns spread over the Lyran realm. In this story the Grasshopper has been “upgraded†and given improved weapons unfortunately raiding the Draconis Combine doesn’t entirely go to plan.
“Choices and Chances†keeps the Grasshopper in the Federated Commonwealth and takes the story into 3049 to a pilot who suffers from the Grasshopper’s “Survivor Complex†surviving the loss of her unit. In this story the Grasshopper passes into the Periphery. The Grasshopper eventually passes into the hands of the Jade Falcon Clan and is one of the nicest stories which gives a nice resolution.
Our next story is set 7 years after the last ends and the Grashopper has passed back into Inner Sphere possession returning to the Capellan Confederation in “The Third Pillar.†This story is set as the Lyran Alliance splits from the Federated Commonwealth and the Grasshopper is assigned to Lyran warriors who refuse to abandon the Federated Commonwealth. I won’t give it away but this is one of the most satisfying stories and leaves a lot of potential for follow up stories at the end.
“Earthbound†is set in 3060 on the planet Huntress during Task Force Serpent’s assault on Clan Smoke Jaguar. Of the stories it is one of the more obscure and interesting as it tells the story of a Jade Falcon aerospace pilot who has joined the Smoke Jaguars and is now one of the first ProtoMech pilots. The Grasshopper is the invader in this story and unlike the other stories we don’t actually find out this pilot’s name.
Our next story takes us into the FedCom Civil War in 3063 and tells the story of a pilot defending her home on Newtown Square. “Underfoot†is a story that shows the damage that a wider conflict like the Civil War does to individual planets. One thing I found interesting about this story was the drone news cameras of the reporter and the humanitarian organisation “Doctors under Fire.†Of all the Grasshopper’s stories this one has one of the saddest endings but not in the way you think.
This book could have ended in “Homecoming†set during the Jihad in 3078 the Grasshopper returns to Bryant for the first time in this book taking the Mech full circle. Joining the Draconis Combine’s assault forces that are coming to liberate the world.
“End of the Road†is our Grasshopper’s swansong and brings us to the Liberation of Terra in 3078. As part of the Stone’s Lament. With walk-on and off appearances by Devlin Stone “End of the Road†brings the Grasshopper to one of its most brutal fights. This story brings the Grasshopper to the end of its working life.
The Epologue is set in 3084 in the Republic of the Sphere on the world of Terra and shows the continued impact of the Grasshopper has on the future generations.
Each story tells a story of a different pilot and each one scores their name on a plate within the Grasshopper’s cockpit. What I’d have loved was for there to be a list at the back of the book which had each pilot’s name, their service dates and how the BattleMech got there originally but that’s not a criticism of the book which is a really great read the stories stand up on their own and fit perfectly with the story of the Grasshopper.
Grasshopper, in spring
Arises like the Phoenix.
In fall, harvested.
- Sho-sa Saburo Atsuda 2925
