Nicolai Malthus
Sarna News
- HEXTECH Review - Wave 3 Brings More Urban Options To Your Battlefield
- Your BattleTech News Round-Up For March, 2024
- Crashing 'Mechs With Jennifer Brozek, Author Of The Rogue Academy Trilogy
- Getting The Word Out With Rem Alternis, Catalyst Community & Marketing Director
- Bad 'Mechs - Yeoman
- Read more →
 | This article needs to be updated with material from Era Report: 3052. Once these titles clear the Moratorium period, or if they already have, please consider revisiting this article and updating it with the new material. |
Nicolai Malthus | |
|---|---|
| Nicolai Malthus | |
| Personal | |
| Affiliation | Clan Jade Falcon |
| Profile | |
| Profession | Star Colonel |
Described as one of Clan Jade Falcon's "most unbalanced Crusaders" and commander of the Falcon's Claws Keshik, Star Colonel[1] Nicolai Malthus was a MechWarrior early in the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere, piloting a Summoner (Thor). His 'Mech fell in battle on Somerset and was captured by FedCom troops.[2]
It was Nicolai Malthus who, as the local Clan commander, lost a Trial of Possession against Adam Steiner, leading to the (brief) re-capture of Somerset. However, Malthus had only bargained for the planet, and not for the population which the Jade Falcons abducted wholesale, leaving Steiner to win an empty world.[3]
Canonicity
Nicolai Malthus was the primary antagonist in the 1994 BattleTech Animated Series, which as such is not considered canonical, but rather an inaccurate in-universe propaganda holovid loosely based on real events.
To reconcile as much content as possible from the show with established canon, the 1st Somerset Strikers sourcebook provided some "real" in-universe background for the events, technologies and characters from the show. Star Colonel Nicolai Malthus was thus canonized through that book's canonical parts. He is also mentioned (as a former pilot of his Thor) in a fully canonical MWDA pilot card.[2]
However, very few of his exploits were expressly canonized and his exploits as depicted in the show thus remain largely apocryphal:
Apocryphal information
Nicolai Malthus' major accomplishments during the invasion were conquering Somerset, Wotan, Romulus, and Twycross. On Romulus he encountered his nemesis Adam Steiner and the 1st Somerset Strikers. While his accomplishments were a success in the invasion, he became the first Star Colonel to lose several pieces of Clan technology, notably Elemental Armor, to the Inner Sphere, thus narrowing the technology gap between the Clans and the Inner Sphere forces fighting the Clans.
His lust for revenge and deep hatred towards Adam Steiner clouded his code of honor, and he eventually defied orders from Galaxy Commander Chistu to lure Adam to the planet Apollo by commandeering the Federated Commonwealth JumpShip Excelsior and forcing its captain to give coordinates to the location where Adam's brother, Andrew Steiner, was located. The plan backfired as his Galaxy Commander sent forces to capture him in any condition.
Malthus faced off against Adam Steiner on Somerset in a Trial of Possession for the planet, in which both combatants would fight in the North Country, without radar or outside reconnaissance, in 'Mechs. Malthus was successful in destroying Steiner's Awesome, but lost his own Thor to a cliff. He went on to lose the trial after striking an electrical cable of his downed 'Mech. His parting words to Adam he would honor the agreement to the letter, and took the planet's population with him.[4]
| “ | Crush these defectives who believe themselves equal to the task of attacking us. | ” |
--Star Colonel Nicolai Malthus, Clan Jade Falcon, Somerset, Dec 3050
References
- ↑ Rank and command of the Falcon's Claws Keshik confirmed in the canonical parts 1st Somerset Strikers sourcebook such as the transcript of the bidding for Somerset, 4 July 3049 (p. 9)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Antonia Chinn's MWDA pilot card
- ↑ 1st Somerset Strikers sourcebook, p. 45 (sidebar) and p. 47 (sidebar)
- ↑ 1st Somerset Strikers, p. 61