Policy:Fanon

See also: Policy:Canon and BattleTechWiki:Policies, Essays, Procedures & Projects

The Sarna.net BattleTechWiki (BTW) started out as a fan site. Technically, it remains a fan site and falls under our own definition of meta-source.

Accordingly, fan-created content was allowed on BTW until 2011, when the site owner sanctioned a user consensus to purge fanon/fan fiction content from the wiki to improve the site's quality as a BattleTech resource. As a result, fan fiction on BTW—such as short stories and custom designs—is to be removed from this site and migrated to the BattleTech Fanon Wiki.

Fanon policy[edit]

BTW does not publish fanon. Articles on BTW violate this policy if they contain fanon.
All fan fiction should be put on the BattleTech Fanon Wiki instead.

Fanon definition[edit]

In this context, the word fanon is used synonymously with "fan fiction". It covers any and all information that does not stem from official BattleTech products or sources, be they canonical or apocryphal, print or online, or other. Specifically, it includes (but is not limited to):

  • fan-made stories, scenarios, characters, units, etc.;
  • custom 'Mechs, vehicles, and other playing pieces;
  • custom items and game rules ("house rules");
  • artwork (graphical or otherwise).

Exceptions[edit]

  • Articles are permissible if they cover (i.e. are written about) an aspect of fanon that is sufficiently notable. A fanon subject may be notable if the fanbase as a whole is generally using it as a tool or reference or is at least aware of it; otherwise, it may be notable because of its author or special circumstances. The question of notability is a subjective one and each individual case may ultimately require user consensus.
  • In the absence of suitable canonical/official art, fan-made art is permissible if it was created by the same user who uploads it, and is required or at least highly useful to explain the subject at hand (for instance, a user-created map to illustrate the course of a border war in an article about the same, or user renditions of rank insignia which have been described, but never actually depicted in canon). Such user-created images should be tagged with the Template:Fanon.
  • The BattleTech Essays on Sarna BattleTechWiki arguably skirt the edge of the policy not to publish fan fiction. However, essays will (usually) not aim to add fanon content but instead inform articles about (otherwise canonical or at least inferred) information; they seek to explain canon, not to add to it.