|
Jimmy4400nav posted:I mean, considering their founder was a military general whose brilliant solution to the collapse of the Star League was to take as many people and shiny objects as they could carry on a multi-year journey into uncharted space with no know places to stop and resupply or settle down in safety, they seem pretty par for the course. Given that they had a shitton of equipment and supplies with them (oh hey, those ridiculously spacious cargo bays in SL-era ships actually helps for once!) and that the Exodus fleet contains significant non-combat Star League personnel, including brilliant scientists and other such people, and that the Star League was able to terraform Venus into a paradise vacation world, I think it's not unreasonable to believe that they would have found at least one planet that with the resources available they could make habitable. I'm surprised it took as long as it did, but still. The Exodus is definitely not one of the headbangers of Battletech lore, at least not in my opinion. Oh, and how spacious are the bays of those ships, you might ask? Well, take the Texas-class Battleship. It has over 300,000 tons of cargo space. Its total mass, fully loaded, is 1,560,000 tons. There is enough tonnage there that you could, I kid you not, double its entire weapons loadout and still have room for ~100k tons of cargo.
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 20:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 9, 2024 17:13 |
|
|
The clans have jumpships, is there some reason why they couldn't just make a jump to a system which might be non-habitable but resource rich, send their dropships off to collect it then jump it home once they're all full up? Repurpose some of those warships into mining vessels?
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 20:55
|
|
|
Tindahbawx posted:The clans have jumpships, is there some reason why they couldn't just make a jump to a system which might be non-habitable but resource rich, send their dropships off to collect it then jump it home once they're all full up? Because the people who created Battletech didn't really understand hard sci-fi or economics, I'd wager.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 21:02
|
|
|
Shoeless posted:Because the people who created Battletech didn't really understand hard sci-fi or economics, I'd wager. Alternatively (though that's probably true as well), because I don't think we ever see a sign of remote automation in Battletech, do we? So you actually have to set up manned mining operations on said uninhabitable worlds. Which means you have to set up some sort of outpost, unless you're expecting your miners to just work out of the dropship itself. Oh, and there's the slight issue of said mining operations probably taking years to set up if you're starting from scratch. And similarly months at least if you're restarting operations at an abandoned preexisting mine.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 21:16
|
|
|
Lord Koth posted:Alternatively (though that's probably true as well), because I don't think we ever see a sign of remote automation in Battletech, do we? So you actually have to set up manned mining operations on said uninhabitable worlds. Which means you have to set up some sort of outpost, unless you're expecting your miners to just work out of the dropship itself. Oh, and there's the slight issue of said mining operations probably taking years to set up if you're starting from scratch. And similarly months at least if you're restarting operations at an abandoned preexisting mine. There is remote automation. That's what the Star League Space Defense Systems were; automated fighters, dropships and even warships. Plus later on there's automated robot cockpits for mechs. But it's not really a focus of the setting nor really used for anything but combat.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 21:30
|
|
|
Shoeless posted:There is remote automation. That's what the Star League Space Defense Systems were; automated fighters, dropships and even warships. Plus later on there's automated robot cockpits for mechs. But it's not really a focus of the setting nor really used for anything but combat. Yeah, I really wasn't clear as to what I meant. Stuff like Caspar SDS and the like exists, but industrial uses of that technology seems nonexistent - that's why we have stuff like agrimechs and mining mechs, because everything has to be about mechs even when it doesn't make any sense (on any level).
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 21:53
|
|
|
Agrimechs and so on only make sense of the worlds with the fifty ton aurochs, outside of that, they are even more ridiculous. Regarding space mining, retrofitting an entire refinery into a spaceship is perhaps a little more effort than projected, and without the refinery, the benefits can't justify the costs? Except for Belters, whoare apparently the only genuinely smart people in the setting because they've decided to just sit on the sidelines, outside of everyone's sight, and shove fistfulls of popcorn in their mouths while watching the fireworks. Also, genemodding to live to live to 200-odd and make the mousiest Belter schoolgirl able to beat an elemental into paste with only moderate effort while taking no significant damage.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 22:15
|
|
|
Just weld a docking collar onto the asteroid of choice, connect it up to your jump ship, jump it home and let those wee elemental dudes pew pew it into smaller bits with their lasers. Edit: actually what am I saying, the ability to make new docking collars is probably lostech or something. Tindahbawx fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Mar 28, 2018 |
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 22:18
|
|
|
Tindahbawx posted:Just weld a docking collar onto the asteroid of choice, connect it up to your jump ship, jump it home and let those wee elemental dudes pew pew it into smaller bits with their lasers. Ice cartels already do essentially that, but slower and cheaper, by strapping rockets or dropships to a space ice cube (or asteroid every now and then) and shoving it somewhere useful, like a planetary orbit where it can get cut apart and shuttled down to well-paying end-users.
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2018 22:21
|
|
|
Tindahbawx posted:The clans have jumpships, is there some reason why they couldn't just make a jump to a system which might be non-habitable but resource rich, send their dropships off to collect it then jump it home once they're all full up? You gotta remember, the Clans care little for aspects of their society that doesn't involve The Glory of Combat. All of the reasons suggested here have likely been brought to the Clans attention by the lower castes, but if there's one thing many of the Clans are good at, it's ignoring the words of those they consider lesser. There's also the fact that any given Clan needs to protect the outposts they set up, automated or not, or else some other Clan is just gonna come along and claim it for themselves. Plus they need a force on site to keep any lower caste scum in line. The Clans are descendants of the SLDF, and if there's one thing we've learned about the Star League, is that they were big time control freaks. Can't let those pesky lesser states/powers/casts expand beyond your ability to police after all.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 00:47
|
|
|
 This is Action 49 News with a breaking story right here on Freisland! F1rst Try Solutions, the merc outfit that has successfully defended our breadbasket for the last several months against those predatory pirates have just announced that tomorrow morning they will be hosting a press conference at the spaceport. Action 49 understand that FST will present an item they have found that in their own words 'will put Freisland back on the map!' John Guziki, the companies CEO and Commanding Officer, went on to say: 'What we will reveal tomorrow will change life for the people of Freisland forever. Such an unprecedented discovery cannot go unnoticed across the Inner Sphere. Hanse Davion himself will want to know how this object arrived on the planet!' You heard it here first folks! Lorekeeper Desmond of ComStar gave the following statement: "This is nothing but empty hyperbole on the part of this mercenary, FST are rumored to be heavily in debt to ComStar (something I can't possibly comment on) and this is probably some stupid stunt to try and avoid paying their dues." Others are optimistic, Professor Karen Ficher of the Human Arceotech Department at Friesland First Polytechnic says: "There have been rumors of a cache of Lostech here on Friesland for centuries. I am certain there was a Star League research facility located on this planet once, although my requests for more information from other educational institutions to corroborate this never seem to get replies... is it possible that this mercenary company have stumbled upon something monumental?" Governer Orlist, Captain Micheals of the Planetary Militia and even the local ComStar Precentor Milawi will all be attending the press conference. Will this be a turning point in the history of our planet or will it be a colossal embarrassment? Join us tomorrow for a live report to find out! Troy and Guziki have bashed out a rough plan. The press conference tomorrow will climax with Guziki presenting the Toro to the Precentor, citing the great debt the company owes him for the opportunity to work this contract and prove ourselves. Troy and Vance have worked hard to repaint the 'Mech, making it appear factory new. Stovepipe, unanimously voted the most distinguished looking MechWarrior in the unit, will pilot the Toro, appearing from concealment to surprise the attendees. Vance has knocked together a small plinth that Guziki will pretend holds the 'artifact' to be presented. The extraction team have rented some hovercars, under the guise of needing a little R&R, and have jetted off towards the battle site. Inspector has taken the Locust and is speeding out towards it as well. He can quickly scout for survivors but the lack of arms and hands on the 'Mech means that he will need to dismount to render first aid. Once the Toro is revealed to the public the team will move in and try and take advantage of the distraction. Screech has taken the rest of the company, mostly our dependents, and is going to hijack a Heavy Lifter to try and recover the ShadowHawk. Time is of the essence.  (I am not planning on doing a megamech mission or anything, but I might do something to represent this rescue attempt.)
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 01:25
|
|
|
Shoeless posted:Because the people who created Battletech didn't really understand hard sci-fi or economics, I'd wager. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-3DjxhGaUg
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 01:56
|
|
|
This won't go badly. Definitely not
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 02:04
|
|
|
Scalding Coffee posted:Even if the internet was not around in its primitive years, there were still theories on how humanity can dominate space. Oh, absolutely. I'm just implying that Jordan and the others who created Battletech were ignorant of these theories. Battletech did start out as a way for Jordan Weisman and his friends to recreate the battles from their favorite (then) modern anime, rather than a well thought out and planned hard look into the future of humanity.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 02:16
|
|
|
It would have been a sight to perform surgery with a 'Mech and not being a qualified doctor, but sticking to human dexterity might be a better choice.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 02:19
|
|
|
Time to pop the popcorn.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 02:22
|
|
|
Leith Maclaine posted:Time to pop the popcorn.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 02:25
|
|
|
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 04:33
|
|
|
 One way or another, this is going to be spectacular.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 07:03
|
|
|
We shoulda called this plan Operation Backfire.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 12:16
|
|
|
this is a great setup
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 12:37
|
|
|
Soo Han waves his arms frantically as he is talking to Screech a couple of blocks from the Lifter yard, "No, this will work, I have a great idea for distracting the guards, I'm sure they are on high alert with the end of the contract but I'm not going to do anything wrong. I will just be so suspicious that they will assume I am up to something and focus all their attention onto me. Cho is almost done cooking the pork fried rice and the smell of it is almost too good to resist. They will be sure that anything smelling that good that none of them ordered is a trap. No of course, none of them ordered Chinese, it is obviously an attempt to poison all of them with sleeping drugs, but since the food will be clean, and all of their focus will be on me, it will allow the rest of you to sneak around and snap the lifter while they are interrogating me. Use the prejudice against Capellans around here to our advantage." Han looks smugly as Cho hands him a paper bag full of Chinese food. "Okay, off I go." (OOC Comment: Go Big or Go Home, this is sure to work.)
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 13:28
|
|
|
Leith Maclaine posted:Time to pop the popcorn. 
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2018 19:05
|
|
|
*sings the Muppet Show theme*
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 07:32
|
|
|
Don't know about the rest of you guys but I am super looking forward to being disappeared by a ROM death squad in the not too distant future.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 08:42
|
|
|
Scintilla posted:Don't know about the rest of you guys but I am super looking forward to being disappeared by a ROM death squad in the not too distant future. Then we change perspective to that of the ROM unit and get into some serious black ops stuff! 
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 08:50
|
|
|
So playing some more MekHQ and hot drat PPC's are scary. I have a pair of Panther mechs whose officers habe proficient gunnery skills and their PPCs working in tandem have slagged so many mechs above threir weight class (to say nothing of exploding smaller mechs into oblivion).
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 11:59
|
|
|
My standard 'Soldier' mech is a Griffin GRF-1N-S modified where i rip out the LRM 10, install 2 more heat sinks, 2 medium lasers, 2 srm 4s. MekHQ throws so many Griffins at me, that i have 7 built to this across 3 lances with one spare for repairs. The lasers and missiles are in the chest, so if things get under my PPC and in my face, both battlefist perked fists can punch in melee while alpha striking with the chest at optimum range. if you get a pilot with a jump jet perk, they get sick for those one on one duels. I used to use Panthers, but the Griffin is the same thing, but better in every way.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 13:40
|
|
|
Jimmy4400nav posted:So playing some more MekHQ and hot drat PPC's are scary. I have a pair of Panther mechs whose officers habe proficient gunnery skills and their PPCs working in tandem have slagged so many mechs above threir weight class (to say nothing of exploding smaller mechs into oblivion). PPCs are indeed mighty weapons. They eat heat sinks like candy, but they're an awesome combination of damage, range and not needing ammo. Plus Panthers are just really really good mechs. They're one of the premier mini-heavies (the other being the Vindicator) and a solid staple mech for almost any unit.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 15:03
|
|
|
Jimmy4400nav posted:So playing some more MekHQ and hot drat PPC's are scary. I have a pair of Panther mechs whose officers habe proficient gunnery skills and their PPCs working in tandem have slagged so many mechs above threir weight class (to say nothing of exploding smaller mechs into oblivion). There's a reason why PPCs are considered the premiere energy weapons of the setting.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 20:41
|
|
|
Man-made lightning
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2018 23:31
|
|
|
Y'all glom onto the PPC but for all its glitz and glamour, the Medium Laser is where it's at for energy weapons. Lightweight with excellent damage to tonnage ratios, there's a reason it's probably the most common weapon in the entire setting. That Griffin might be tough with its PPC and LRM 10 but something with a bunch of Medium Lasers getting in close will ruin its day, and the same goes for the Marauder and Whammy. Medium Lasers: never be without several.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 00:52
|
|
|
No Stability Damage tho
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 00:59
|
|
|
Shoeless posted:Y'all glom onto the PPC but for all its glitz and glamour, the Medium Laser is where it's at for energy weapons. Lightweight with excellent damage to tonnage ratios, there's a reason it's probably the most common weapon in the entire setting. That Griffin might be tough with its PPC and LRM 10 but something with a bunch of Medium Lasers getting in close will ruin its day, and the same goes for the Marauder and Whammy. Medium Lasers: never be without several. Oh no, I agree - the ML is the gold standard for weapons. It's why the Swayback is the best Hunchback. But the PPC is still top tier, no denying that.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 01:41
|
|
|
Tempest_56 posted:Oh no, I agree - the ML is the gold standard for weapons. It's why the Swayback is the best Hunchback. But the PPC is still top tier, no denying that. In all seriousness though, I think I prefer the Large Laser. Not just due to the lack of minimum range, but because for2 tons less you only lose 2 damage and heat. Still has the same heat to damage ratio as the PPC, but a much better damage to tonnage ratio and those 2 tons you save can easily go towards other weapons, heat sinks, armor, whatever you need. Granted, you won't go internals and force a crit check when you hit the head like a PPC will, but I do think the pros outweigh the cons and make for a better weapon. At least, in the tabletop. PPCs giving the target a debuff on hit definitely makes it more appealing.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 02:33
|
|
|
Yea, in the world where SHS/L1 tech is the norm, I'm taking the large laser almost any time over the PPC for anything in the heavy or higher weight medium range. Assaults built around energy weapons can afford the weight for sinks and need the extra range and punch, while if you're building a light around a single weapon it too needs to have good range and punch, + your engine sinks are enough. Outside of the assaults every ton is so precious because you have none of the weight saving techs at all available. So if you're trying to do something like make a fast heavy, 5/8, you could put efficient max armor, twin large lasers, and enough sinks to fire both while running for 4 turns in a row before needing to spend a turn only firing one to avoid movement penalties. If you wanted to do PPCs instead though you end up having to drop both multiple tons of armor and heat sinks to where you instantly overheat from firing both.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 03:21
|
|
|
Those 2 extra points of damage are what makes the PPC good, though. Sure, the large laser has advantages - but 10 point hits are a huge deal. Not just in that it'll bust open a head and get a crit roll, but also that those line mechs packing 2xPPCs can cause a piloting check at 18 hexes. Which is not to say the LL doesn't have an important place - it's much better on mediums and trooper-type mechs, but that can't touch the raw hole-punching knockdown power of a Warhammer or Marauder at range.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 03:30
|
|
|
I used a Panther in a light mech tabletop burlybrawl where the last person standing got to take home the mini as their prize. I proceeded to hunt down and tear every other player apart in like two shots, that was a fun time for me at least.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 03:41
|
|
|
Sure it can cause a crit roll on heads but I don't think it's really worth sacrificing more consistent damage for better ohko potential, as much as I love battletech happening once in a while.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 03:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 9, 2024 17:13 |
|
|
Regardless of the spreadsheet potential any given weapons loadout. From talks about them it feels like proper PPC usage is as much for showing off "Hey, MY mech can afford to run PPCs hot. Do you even HAVE PPCs?". Then watching people debate tactics to counter PPCs over the still cooling remains of your targets. "Behold the grim spectacle of man made lightning!" "Actually if you look at the after action report, our large laser mech is vastly outperforming-" "MAN MADE LIGHTNING!"Dreadwroth posted:I used a Panther in a light mech tabletop burlybrawl where the last person standing got to take home the mini as their prize. I proceeded to hunt down and tear every other player apart in like two shots, that was a fun time for me at least. There is the impression that If you have to honestly worry about the drawbacks of PPCs hurting your odds of victory, you probably have bigger problems than picking PPCs vs Large Lasers to worry about. Whether it's a free for all or more standard lance standoff. Like say, being loving horrible with heat management even in the "We gave you a coolant flush meter as a crutch" Mechwarrior games  Though I figure a mentality of treating PPCs as a violent fashion statement as much as a weapon, probably fits the tone of the setting. Section Z fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Mar 31, 2018 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2018 04:58
|
|
