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+Title: A Study of Mechs in Four Games
+Category: Gaming
+Date: 2026-06-08
+Tags: battletech, flamesoforion, lancer, salvageunion
+
+Mech games are having a renaissance lately, or so it would seem. Battletech, one
+of my absolute favorite games, is being played more than maybe it ever has been.
+Flames of Orion has captured the imagination of the indy scene. On the RPG side,
+Lancer is a go to for crunchy mech roleplay and Salvage Union is seeing new
+releases for the first time in many months. I cannot look at the RPG rack of my
+FLGS without looking at numerous mech-related games from Home to Apocalypse
+Frame to Ion Heart. I could not possibly name all of the games I've encountered.
+
+The first four games I mentioned, Battletech, Flames of Orion, Salvage Union and
+Lancer have become for me a quadrant chart for mech gaming. While I far and away
+play more Battletech than any other game (across all games), I constantly read
+and occasionally play the other three. Split evenly between miniature and
+roleplaying games, each of them provides a different view of gaming, be it in
+their settings, their mechanics or their sensibilities.
+
+* Game Style
+* Mechanics
+* Setting and Lore
+* Aesthetics
+
+What do mech games have in common?
+
+* mechs
+* heat
+* pilots
+* manufacturers
+* build-outs
+
+Can we score on features?
+
+* lore
+* complexity
+
+## Battletech
+
+type: war game
+vibe: sprawling inter-planetary conflict
+complexity: high
+lore: extensive
+
+I never meant to be a mech player. A couple of years ago, early versions of
+Flames of Orion were being shared. New Battletech force packs were being stocked
+at my FLGS, so I picked up the Inner Sphere Direct Fire Lance with the intention
+of painting them for Flames. In truth, I just wanted to paint mechs.
+
+--- picture of mercenary mechs ---
+
+I was stoked to have the models, but I was curious what playing Battletech would
+be like. What are these mechs, what world do they inhabit? Within the next
+couple of weeks, I found the Battletech Essentials box on sale for ~$12, which
+contained two more models and some basic rules. I liked what I found! The
+included rules were simplified - edited, not altered - and I found I could
+reason about them.  What little lore I'd encountered I found inscrutible, but I
+was interested in the game itself. This was enough for me to buy the core
+rulebook, Total Warfare, and get stuck in. I bought a few more models, painted
+them, and found someone at my local game store to play my first game. Since
+then, I play at least a couple of times a month.
+
+what do I like?
+
+* sprawling lore
+    * huge wiki
+    * loads of fiction, awesome authors
+    * many supplements
+    * all tie together, no retcons
+* crunchy game play
+    * modular rules
+    * rules make sense
+* friends to play
+    * huge local scene
+    * one really great friend
+
+## Flames of Orion
+
+type: war game
+Vibe: post-apocalyptic space
+complexity: low
+lore: low, with a shockingly brief timeline
+
+## Salvage Union
+
+type: rpg
+Vibe: cozy post-apocalypse
+complexity: low
+lore: limited
+
+## Lancer
+
+type: rpg
+vibe: interplanetary conflict + "magic"
+complexity: high
+lore: large