Canonical List of Errors in the BattleTech Animated Series
Quelle: BattleTech Bay #216 ( http://www.schwag.org/~rocky/btech/ )
Version 1.0 2002-07-07
Started by: Rocqueforte "Rocky" O'Leary
Introduction
Having finally acquired all 13 episodes of the Battletech Animated
Series, I thought it might be amusing to attempt to catalog all the errors
that were in the series. The rules for deciding if something was an
error were:
- The element under inspection contradicts previously published
BattleTech source material
- The element under inspection is JustPlainWrong [tm] (a good example of
something that is JustPlainWrong is the incredible 'MechButt escalator
used by Star Colonel Kristen Redmond in episode 4)
Note that this means "It sucked" is not an error (merely a valid critism),
and "the plot had logic holes you could drive a Fortress class DropShip
through" likewise doesn't count. After each error the episode the error
occured in is listed in brackets (for cases where the same error occured in
multiple episodes, the keyword "Multi" is used). For those errors that the
1st Somerset Strikers sourcebook attempted to rationalise or explain, an
asterix has been placed after the episode number.
The Errors
- Apparent age of Star Colonel Kristen Redmond is incorrect. The Jade Falcon
sourcebook puts her age at just past 60 in 3053, but in the cartoon she
looks no older that her mid-thirties (Multi).
- The timing of the invasion of Somerset, Dustball, Apollo, Romulus and
Trellwan does not match dates given in Jade Falcon sourcebook. (Multi)
- Uniforms worn by Clan warriors do not match those given in Jade Falcon
sourcebook (Multi).
- Use of Maulers by AFFC contradicts Technical Readout 3050 (it's a Draconis
Combine only 'Mech) (Multi *).
- Shape of the Thor OmniMech doesn't match illustration in Technical Readout
3050 (amongst many others) (Multi).
- Elemental battlesuits are not controlled by voice commands and take
considerable time and modification to be used by non-elementals (see Kai
Allard-Liao's training in "Lost Destiny") (Ep.6 and 7).
- 'Mechs don't use escape pods - in most 'mechs, the command couch forms
the ejection seat (the Wolfhound is a notable exception) (Multi).
- Wolfhound ejection system comprises of the entire head, not just an escape
pod (see TR: 3050 and "Lethal Heritage") (Multi).
- Diversity of 'Mechs illustrated (or rather, not illustrated!) does not
match published source material (Multi *).
- Space inside 'Mech cockpit far more generious than described in other
source materials.
- AFFC officers use incorrect titles for their ranks - the AFFC uses German
rather than English rank titles. All "Captains" (Miles Hawkins, Galen
Cox) should be "Hauptmanns", all "Majors" (Adam Steiner, Victor
Steiner-Davion) should be "Kommandants", all "Colonels" (Colonel Hartman)
should be "Hauptmann Generals" etc. (Multi)
- All planets in the series seem unable to detect incoming Jumpships - I lost
count of the number of times the first thing planetary defenders knew about an
approaching enemy was the combat drop over the defender's space port (Multi).
- All combat seems to be a variant of 18th century "stand and shoot/stand
and be shot at" warfare, which contradicts all other BattleTech fiction (Multi).
- LRMs tend to be depicted as firing a single missile per launch, rather than
multiple missiles per launch (for example, a Vulture's LRM rack should launch
20 missiles per firing) (Multi).
- The series repeatedly over-emphasises the effects of heat on 'Mechs (Multi).
- Exterior shot of Kwaidan as Major Adam Steiner addresses it's crew for the
first time is of a Warship, not an Invader class Jumpship (Ep.1).
- Valten Ryder appears in brawl on Kwaidan, well before Somerset Strikers
recruit him on Dustball (Ep.1)
[This is hard to see - in my AVI copy of the episode, he appears
behind the table in the center of the screen 12 minutes 13 seconds
into the episode and more clearly to the left of Franklin Sakamoto 12
minutes 16 seconds into the episode].
- Uniforms of Somerset Strikers don't match published FedCom uniforms
(Multi).
- Uniforms of Prince Victor Steiner-Davion and sub-ordinates don't match
published FedCom uniforms (Multi).
- Franklin Sakamoto's communication that resulted in the mercenary ambush
in the Hamilton system could not have reached the Hamilton system in
time frame indictated (a message from the jump point would have taken a
few hours to reach Tharkad, and then it would have had to wait until
ComStar sent the next batch of messages to Hamilton) (Ep.1).
- Mercenary fighters that attack the Jumpship Katana in Hamilton system
have Draconis Combine markings (Ep.1).
- Victor Steiner-Davion didn't join the 10th Lyran Guard until after
Trellwan i.e. after Ep 6. Note that Ep 6 correctly lists his unit as the
12th Donegal Guard (Ep.1 and 6).
- The autocannon in the right arm of Valten Ryder's Centurion appears
to also be a pulse laser of some description! (Ep.2).
- Range of Clan LRMs incorrectly stated as "2.3 kilometres" (Ep.2).
- Mechs can rotate more than 120 degrees - in fact, Star Colonel Kristen
Redmond's Vulture can do 360 degree torso twists! (Ep.2).
- Valten Ryder's Centurion changes colour (Ep.2).
- Juan Martinez's battalion is a lot bigger than a battalion (I counted
~20 Union class dropships in ther fly by sequence!) (Ep.2).
- Speaking of the Dustball rescue battalion, how did they manage to arrive
on the scene so fast ? Only a few minutes passed between the jail break
and their arrival! This is a particularlly glaring error when one
considers that Juan had to go to ComStar to communicate with his
battalion, suggesting that the battalion was in another system (Ep.2)
- I never knew one got into the cockpit of a Thor via it's crotch (Ep.4).
[1 minute 14 seconds into the episode in my AVI copy].
- In a similar vein, I never knew that Vultures had escalators in their
butts (Ep.4).
- Just how did Rachel, Adam and Valten get into the roof to evade the
Clanners during their jail break on Twycross ? The distance between the
floor in the corridor and it's ceiling is at least 2 1/2 times the height
of Adam or Valten (Ep.5).
- I would have thought that activating Elemental jump jets inside a
elevator would be a BadIdea(tm) - especially since the roof (and
presumably all the elevator motor equipment at the top of the lift)
was still intact (Ep.5).
- Victor Steiner-Davion's first encounter with the Clans on Trellwan doesn't
match description of battle in "Lethal Heritage" (Ep.6).
- Victor Steiner-Davion's conversation with General Hawksworth doesn't match
conversation in "Lethal Heritage" (Ep.6).
- Victor Steiner-Davion appears taller than 1.6 metres (height given in
"Lethal Heritage") (Ep.6).
- Galen Cox's hair colour is wrong ("Lethal Heritage" describes it as
"sandy"), as are his eyes ("Lethal Heritage" describes them as "blue") (Ep.6).
- Fire extingishers in space would not use water (think about how bad using
water in a zero or neglible gravity environment would be) - they would
most likely use halon (Ep.6).
- The quartermaster NCO's refusal to hand over supplies should have resulted
in the military police being called in (it's called "Refusing the Orders
of a Superior Officer") (Ep.7).
- Is the same quartermaster NCO illiterate ? How come he didn't recognise
Adam Steiner's name on the equipment requisition forms (since he falls
all over the Striker's once they receive the message from the Archon)?
(Ep.7)
- This quartermaster is just asking to get shot! Whilst introducting the
Strikers to their new equipment, he *twice* announces his intentions to
abandon his post (Ep.7).
- Hawk dismounts from his 'Mech to attempt to commincate with Franklin
and Kylie - hasn't he heard of radio ? (Ep.7)
- Star Captain Kristen Redmond wins the bid to defeat the 1st Somerset
Strikers by bidding "...[attacking] with my Vulture's lasers
deactivated...", however she uses her lasers as soon as the battle with
the Strikers starts (Ep.7).
- Star Captain Kristen Redmond refers to her 'Mech as a "Vulture". The
correct Clan name for her 'Mech is "Mad Dog" (Ep.7).
- Star Colonel Nicholai Malthus refers to his 'Mech as "Thor". The correct
Clan name for his mech is "Summoner" (Ep.7).
- Why do LRM equipped 'Mechs have a large "LRM Remote Detonation" in their
cockpits ? I would have thought the only way your LRM's remotely detonate
is when they hit your intended target (or nearby trees, ground, innocent
bystanders etc etc) (Ep.7).
- Adam Steiner mentions that LRM missiles "target infrared signatures".
Oh no they don't - not unless they're iLRMs, introduced by House Marik
well after the events in the cartoon (Ep.7).
- How much time did Malthus and his Star spend waiting for the crashed
dropship to respond to Malthus's demand for surrender ? From the countdown, it
looks like a very short period of time, but the Somerset Strikers had enough
time to conduct a sub-orbital hop and a march to the rear of Malthus's forces
(i.e. quite a bit of time). (Ep. 8)
- In the enhanced imaging battle near the crashed dropship, the dropship
doesn't appear! (Ep.8)
- Since when do Awesomes have 4 PPCs (4 smoking PPC ports visible at approx 7min 6secs) ? (ep.8)
- According to other Battletech source material, Clan Jade Falcon is one of
the most conservative Clans. So why did they adopt Ciro into the clan when
his only link to them comes via a medal one of his ancestors was presented
by General Kerensky ? (Ep.8).
- When the Strikers are searching for the escaped Kirsten Redmond, you can
see that the fighter bay doors are open, even though the dropship is currently
travelling through space (!) (Ep. 8)
- Once adopted into Clan Jade Falcon, Ciro should be refered to as just
"Ciro" (or "MechWarrior Ciro"), yet Nicolai Malthus still refers to him
as "Ciro Ramirez" (Ep.8).
- How did Kristen Redmond get out of her handcuffs whilst in the escape pod ? (Ep. 8)
- The discovery of Camelot Command by the 1st Somerset Strikers contradicts
the information in "Rhonda's Irregulars" (Ep.9).
- Creation of the Clans as described by the Camelot Command computer
contradicts all Clan sourcebooks (Ep.9).
- The departure point of Kerensky's Exodus as described by the Camelot
Command computer contradicts all Clan sourcebooks and Star League
sourcebook (Ep.9).
- A Clan Wolf Elemental refers to another by the rank of "Lieutant". No
such rank exists in the Clans. (Ep.9).
- Val's impersonation of General Kerensky and the Clan troops reaction
is just so *wrong*..... (Ep.9).
- Aerospace fighters defending the FedCom jumpship Excelsior have
Draconis Combine markings (Ep.10).
- No signs of explosive decompression when Elementals cut into (and
board) the Excelsior (Ep.10)
- Galaxy Commander Chitsu's warship is easily within Nicolai Malthus'
jumpship's K-F field when Malthus' ship attempts to jump - this should
cause BadThings (tm) to happen to both ships (Ep.10).
- The Excelsior's captain speaks to Adam Steiner in real-time, even tho'
it appears that his jumpship is not in the same system as Adam Steiner's
(Ep.10).
- Speaking of this real-time conversation, since when did Inner Sphere
jumpships come equipped with hyperpulse generators ? (Ep.10).
- Two fighters do not make a "squadron" - you'd think Major Adam Steiner
would at least know his military terminology! (Ep.10).
- When piloted by Franklin, the Awesome's PPCs appear to be located in
the right torso, right arm and left arm (the left arm PPC should actually
be in the left torso) (Ep.10).
- Hohiro Kurita's first encounter with the Clans on Turtle Bay doesn't
match description of battle in "Lethal Heritage" (Ep.11).
- Shin Yodama piloted a Phoenix Hawk in his first encounter with the
Clans, not a Centurion. (Ep.11).
- Hohiro Kurita piloted a Grand Dragon in his first encounter with the Clans,
not a Hatamoto-Chi (Ep.11).
- Some dodgy symbols on a sword are hardly reason to believe that you
are the bastard son of the Heir-Designate to the Draconis Combine
(Ep.11).
- How exactly does Kylie hack into the Somerset military academy with a
noteputer that has only numeric keys ? (Ep.12)
- According to episode 7 (and the Somerset Strikers sourcebook), Infiltrator
suits are armed with grenade launchers - so how come the Inflitrator has a
pulse laser of some description when piloted by Franklin Sakamoto ? (Ep.12)
- Did the Clan guards at the Somerset Military Academy learn how to shoot
from Star Wars stormtroopers ? The escaping Strikers are running across open
ground, yet the guards are unable to even wound one of them. Sheesh! (Ep.12)
- How did Kristen Redmond and the other prisoners get out of their cells
prior to Ciro freeing them ? In episode 11 we see Kristen and co. in the cells,
in epsode 12 they're being held out in the open. (Ep.12)
- Adam Steiner places the charges on the side of the trees facing the
clearing, yet when the charges go off, the tress fall into the clearing -
surely most of them would fall away from the clearing ? (Ep.13)
- When Adam Steiner gets out of the river, he is not wet (Ep.13)
Note: Surprisingly, episode 3 seems to be free of any non-"Multi" errors, and
episodes 12 and 13 are relatively error free too. I guess 3 out of 13 is still
kinda pathetic....
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