Some finds from FM Crusader Clans which I thought was pretty interesting.
Blood Spirit (page 23-24, Field Manual Crusader Clans)
The third Khan of the Clan (Ceana Boques) responded to Coyote’s new OmniMech technology in 2854 with a series of reforms. “Khan Boques' fifth and final program dealt with the scientist caste. Having seen lackluster results so far in technological design and genetics, she instituted stringent measures to increase the quality of the genetics program and to force the Scientist caste to maximize the usage of existing technology in new 'Mech designs.†Eventually the Clan struck a deal with Kindraa Smythe-Jewel of the Fire Mandrills to obtain the OmniMech around the year 2866.
Curiously on page 28 under Khan Karianna Schmitt there is a follow up to the first part which I think could suggest some kind of advanced cloning process. “Many Blood Spirits have commented on the eerie resemblance between Khan Karianna Schmitt and founding Khan Colleen Schmitt. In accordance with the reforms instituted by Khan Ceana Boques, the scientist caste has made great strides in their attempt to perfect the warrior breeding program, yet even these advances do not fully explain the unnatural likeness-particularly the same brilliant mind and short fuse, which The Remembrance records in detail.â€
Fire Mandrill
(page 39, Field Manual Crusader Clans)
Not many blurbs mentioning scientists for this Clan who like Smoke Jaguar must have taken most of their innovations rather than actually invented something “The Kindraa Smythe-Jewel in particular launched a devastating attack, taking as isorla OmniMech salvage, the production specifications for three different designs, and, according to rumor, two Coyote scientists. Though the Coyote leadership remained strangely silent over the affair, complaints voiced by Coyote warriors spoke of questionable bidding techniques and relaxed zellbrigen.â€
Also in the Regarding Other Clans sidebar it speaks of Cloud Cobra “We disapprove of their Warden views, but we still owe them for genetic assistance from their scientist caste.â€
Page 43 which talks of each Kindraa says “Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga also has the best-developed scientist caste of any Kindraa. They indulge in selective breeding, using prime specimens taken from other Clans in Trials of Possession. However, the scientists are not trueborn from iron wombs as warriors are.â€
Page 47 which has the military breakdown of Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga repeats this claim “They give partial credit for their higher numbers of quality warriors, and the higher average age their warriors reach, to the scientist caste, though they do not say whether this means better breeding programs or improvements to the iron wombs.â€
Finally, page 48 under Kindraa Payne is revealing “Even when the Kindraa does win new genetic material, it has never been sufficient to reverse the inbreeding problems that continue to develop. Rumor has it that the scientist caste is experimenting with new methods of genetic alteration and combination to counteract existing weaknesses.â€
Ice Hellion
(page 75, Field Manual Crusader Clans)
We have some interesting notes on this Clan concerning its scientist caste from its early history before the Golden Century concerning saKhan Lucius Moore sinister successes. “Khan Cage learned that his saKhan had obtained performance-enhancing drugs from several members of the Ice Hellion scientist caste and had issued them to his most loyal warriors-almost a fifth of the Clan.†After engaging these drug enhanced warriors in combat and defeating them the Clan “lost many of our brightest minds in the subsequent purge of the scientist caste.†This would seemingly set them up poorly for the Golden Century when it comes to scientific discovery.
However, on the very next page the Clan makes a characteristically speedy recovery as there are two paragraphs on page 76 which directly address the Hellion’s progress “Khan [Mia] Taney kept the Ice Hellions motivated and cohesive enough to compete for them in Trials of Possession. As one of the first Clans to develop the OmniMech after winning the technology from Clan Coyote, the Ice Hellion forces greatly increased their battlefield flexibility. The Hellions also pioneered improvements in ferro-fibrous and endo-steel construction, aiding them in strengthening their smaller machines. Increasing prosperity enabled our Clan to establish several new manufacturing centers, which turned out more and more machines for our growing 'Mech and aerospace forces.
Clan Ice Hellion took a long time to acquire and develop the necessary technologies for creating Elemental warriors. Though the Clan possessed the technical know-how to manufacture the heavy and powerful battle armor, they lacked the genetic material to produce warriors large enough to effectively use the suits. Ice Hellion warriors, generally smaller and swifter than most, lacked the necessary body mass. Hellion scientists experimented with lighter-weight suits, but such prototypes could not mount the heavy weapons that made standard battle armor so devastating in the field. Attempts to gain Elemental genetic materials from Clan Hell 's Horses proved difficult, so the Ice Hellions were forced to find other means of creating and fielding their own Elemental Stars. Most of the Clan's first Elementals were freeborns, warriors not genetically engineered.
The sheer difficulties of creating Elemental warriors made many Hellion commanders undervalue the advantages provided by the armored soldiers, seeing them as too slow and inflexible. The growing disdain of freeborns by genetically bred trueborn warriors contributed to the anti-Elemental feeling in the Clan. Over time, however, Elementals turned the tide against the Ice Hellions in enough battles to make their value clear to even the most skeptical Hellion commander. As Ice Hellion scientists made progress in creating a smaller, faster version of Elemental battle armor that fit more closely with the Clan's love of speed and maneuverability, Elemental warriors became more accepted among Ice Hellion forces.â€