WHAT IS THE BPL?
A question we have been answering since 2008.
THE ORIGIN
“That is a complex question, but we will answer it here as best we can from the memories we possess.”
Originally the Black Pants Legion was started as a statement during the Great Recession (2008–??) against the numerous awful jobs required to get anywhere in the world. Most of those jobs had the same requirements: Be present, be on time, be sober, and be in possession of black pants.
As a symbol of that time — and the people who did what they had to get by, putting their plans if not their dreams on hold — the black pants became our symbol. For who has not worked, toiled, or struggled just to make ends meet?
In time, the early BPL was just another gamer clan. We never tried to be the best or lead a leaderboard. Instead, we opted to do what we felt games were for: to have fun, and to share that fun with friends, even if the game was imperfect. Many a very serious military simulation was ruined by BPL members recreating things seen in Kelly’s Heroes or mainstream wrestling. Back then, as it is now, things were frequently silly.
The dawn of YouTube is where most people first became aware of the BPL. Space Station 13, strategy games, and older titles formed the foundation of what would become a very C-/D+ YouTube channel — and along the way, something more.
WHO WE ARE
Along the way the BPL has tried to give back in appreciation for any success it has achieved. Saving houses, feeding the hungry, paying for funerals outright, and raising oceans of cold hard cash for charity through its biggest series.
The BPL has tried to demonstrate that success should never forget gratitude or kindness — and to repay it tenfold wherever possible.
It even legitimately tried to buy the Albanian Air Force at one point — but that’s another story altogether.
At current, the BPL is a multigenerational entity planning its best for the future, with one foot in older internet culture and another firmly planted in what may yet be.
THE GREATER BPL
The BPL is more than one channel or one voice:
- WBPL76 — The auxiliary channel and second voice of the Legion.
- The Aux — Extended community content and operations.
- MegaMek Tournaments — Competitive BattleTech played the way it was meant to be.
[Community links — to be added]
WHAT WE MAKE
TEX TALKS BATTLETECH
This series started as an answer to the statement: “Battletech is dying.” Tex’s response was: “We shall see.” The rest speaks for itself. [Playlist — to be added]
RPGS — MAGISTRATUM MUNDANUS & BEYOND
We believe RPGs should be fun. Taking them too seriously — or trying not to have a good time for the sake of dramatic purpose — is a bit lofty for what should be nerd shit pure and simple. When we play games we aim to have fun, take nothing too terribly seriously, and share it with the world. [Playlist — to be added]
POETRY
The BPL believes that true poetry speaks better than any book or text — felt in ways no amount of prose can efficiently define. From the accidentally hilarious to the genuinely moving, we love the words we love. See: Elegy for a Long Distance Train Man, Invictus, I Have a Rendezvous with Death.
LONG FORM BRAIN DROPPINGS
Tex and crew possess a wealth of knowledge across a profane number of cursed subjects. Multiple series highlight this — to educate, inform, and most of all make people smile in recognition. [Whaleguns Mods and Friendship — Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts — Art Review with George Ledoux]
SPACE STATION 13
Tex is one of the last remaining Generation One spacemen, having played without any substantial breaks since 2011. He has recorded the bulk of available SS13 content online and still plays, frequently on BPL14 — a whitelisted server that is by volume half farts and half madness (caused by farts). From preserving its history to interviewing the original developers, the BPL has endeavored to always be “a good spaceman.” [Playlist — to be added]
ABOUT THE BLACK PANTS LEGION:
The BPL is an independent content creation organization operating since approximately 2008. We are not affiliated with any corporate entity. All opinions expressed are our own. All charitable work is done independently and without institutional backing.
The Black Pants Legion — we are not the best. We are just the most committed to having the best time.
Tex Talks BattleTech — [Playlist link to be added]
RPGs — Magistratum Mundanus — [Playlist link to be added]
Space Station 13 — [Playlist link to be added]
Long Form — Whaleguns Mods and Friendship — [Link to be added]
Long Form — Ultimate Admiral Dreadnoughts — [Link to be added]
Art Review with George Ledoux — [Link to be added]
BPL Patreon — https://www.patreon.com/BPLTEX
THE BPL PODCAST CAN BE FOUND ON ANCHOR FM — https://anchor.fm/blackpantslegion
OR just Google Black Pants Legion Podcast.
WBPL76 — [Channel link to be added]
The Aux — [Link to be added]
MegaMek Tournaments — [Link to be added]
