Game, The: Shadowbane and Battletech? Related?

Shadowbane and Battletech? Related?

Whoa!

There are lots of sources that we are accused of pastiching (to use a polite term), but this is definitely a new one.

I'm very familiar with Battletech (what gamer from the 1980's wasn't?), but alas have never played it. I expect that they and we both mined the same sources while crafting our backstory.