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I broke down and ordered a Battletech Beginner Box today.
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Mar 28, 2023 21:18
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CirclMastr posted:I broke down and ordered a Battletech Beginner Box today. One of us! One of us!
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Mar 29, 2023 08:25
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Eliminate Pirate Lance: Turn 8 The pirate Javelin crumpled as Jenna’s lasers finally punched through its weakened chest. With its engine and gyro reduced to molten slag, the little mech folded up like a wet paper towel. At almost the exact same moment, Charles’s Gladiator delivered a vicious kick to the Shadow Hawk’s damaged left leg. The limb buckled as the Gladiator’s armoured foot slammed into its shin, myomer bundles parting as the force of the impact sheared the mech’s leg off above the knee. The Shadow Hawk fell heavily, the impact driving the stump of its left leg up into its torso. Armour shattered, sparks flew, and a few fingers of smoke rose from the downed mech, but that was it. Despite its pilot’s efforts, the Shadow Hawk died with a whimper. An odd stillness settled over the battlefield. The last echoes of gunfire faded, replaced by the soft rustle of a westerly breeze. The corpse of the Whitworth continued to burn, but the other pirate mechs lay where they had fallen, broken by the superior tactics and firepower of Sable Lance. “Is it over…?” Charles asked, his Gladiator twisting back and forth like a streetfighter anticipating another right hook. “I’m not getting any more sensor readings.” Alexander replied. “Great job, team!” Jenna panted, grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll contact HQ and let them know we need a salvage team out here ASAP. Those pirate mechs aren’t going to haul themselves back to New Villastellone.”  Stinger STG-3G (Player) attempts to reverse into Hex 0613 but does not have enough MP; movement ends in Hex 0713!   Weapons fire for Gladiator GLD-4R (Player): -Fires Medium Laser at Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 6: Misses! -Fires Medium Laser at Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 3: Misses! -Fires SRM 6 at Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 2: Misses! Weapons fire for Panther PNT-9R (Player): -Fires PPC at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 10, rolls 7: Misses! Weapons fire for Wolverine WVR-6M (Player): -Fires Large Laser at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 11: Hits Right Arm! Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers) takes 8 damage to Right Arm, 0/6 Armour, 3/5 Structure remaining. Critical Chance! --Critical Chance in Right Arm x2! Critical Hit on Shoulder! Critical Hit on Upper Arm! -Fires Medium Laser at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 10, rolls 10: Hits Left Arm! 5 damage transfers to Left Torso, Centre Torso, 0/10 Structure remaining. Centre Torso destroyed! Mech destroyed by damage! -Fires Medium Laser at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 10, rolls 5: Misses! Weapons fire for Stinger STG-3G (Player): -Fires Medium Laser at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 4: Misses! -Fires Medium Laser at Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 8: Hits Left Torso, but Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers) has already been destroyed. Weapons fire for Javelin JVN-10N (Prowlers): -Fires SRM 6 at Wolverine WVR-6M (Player); needs 8, rolls 9: 2 missiles Hit Centre Torso (18/25 Armour remaining, Through Armour Critical!), Right Torso (11/13 Structure remaining, Critical Chance!) --Critical Chance in Centre Torso! No critical hit sustained. --Critical Chance in Right Torso! No critical hit sustained. Weapons fire for Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers): -Fires Medium Laser at Wolverine WVR-6M (Player); needs 8, rolls 6: Misses! -Fires AC/5 at Wolverine WVR-6M (Player); needs 6, rolls 8: Hits Centre Torso, 13/25 Armour remaining. Through Armour Critical! --Critical Chance in Centre Torso! No critical hit sustained. -Fires LRM 5 at Wolverine WVR-6M (Player); needs 8, rolls 10: 4 missiles Hit Right Arm, 1/18 Armour remaining. -Fires SRM 2 at Wolverine WVR-6M (Player); needs 8, rolls 2: Misses!  Physical attacks for Gladiator GLD-4R (Player): -Kicks Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers); needs 8, rolls 9: Hits Left Leg! Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers) takes 11 damage to Left Leg, 0/13 Structure remaining. Left Leg destroyed! 9 damage transfers to Left Torso, 0/18 Armour, 9/13 Structure remaining. Critical Chance! --Critical Chance in Left Torso! No critical hit sustained. ---Mech destroyed by leg destruction! Physical attacks for Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers): -Punches Gladiator GLD-4R (Player) with Left Arm; needs 8, rolls 3: Misses!  Gladiator GLD-4R (Player) gains 12 heat, sinks 12 heat and is now at 0 heat. Panther PNT-9R (Player) gains 11 heat, sinks 11 heat and is now at 0 heat. Stinger STG-3G (Player) gains 7 heat, sinks 7 heat and is now at 0 heat. Wolverine WVR-6M (Player) gains 15 heat, sinks 14 heat and is now at 4 heat.  Piloting checks for Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers): Leg destroyed: Automatic Failure! -Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers) falls on its right side, suffering 6 damage. --Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers) takes 5 damage to Left Leg, transfers to Left Torso, 4/13 Structure remaining. Critical Chance! ---Critical Chance in Left Torso! No critical hit sustained. --Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Prowlers) takes 1 damage to Centre Torso, 17/23 Armour remaining. ---Lucas Shaw must roll a 10 to avoid a pilot hit; rolls 9: Fails! Takes a Hit! -- Lucas Shaw ( Shadow Hawk SHD-2H ) has taken 1 damage this turn! Lucas Shaw must pass a consciousness test or fall unconscious! -Lucas Shaw must roll a 5+ to remain conscious! Rolls 6: Succeeds!   Player Status  Enemy Status  Primary Objectives: -Destroy Pirate Lance (4/4): Complete! Special Abilities: -Toughness: Grants bonus to consciousness rolls. -Small Pilot: Negates ‘Cramped Cockpit’ penalties. --- And that’s the first mission wrapped up! Congratulations to all of the pilots who took part, especially the newcomers who hadn’t played before. Your orders were clear and always on time, which I really appreciate. Overall I’m pretty happy with how this mission went. I wanted to start things off simply – just a knock-down, drag-out brawl between two light / medium lances – and I think it went pretty well. Having my light mechs crippled in the opening rounds and then losing the Whitworth early was a blow for me, and probably shortened the fight by three or four turns, but hey, this is Battletech, and poo poo like that just happens sometimes. I’m going to write up an after-action report / salvage update to cap the mission off. In the meantime, I’d like you guys to vote for this mission’s MVPs, one for the players and one for the OpFor.
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Mar 29, 2023 13:43
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And that is a clean sweep. We're probably only going to get spare parts from the Light 'Mechs and that Whitworth is probably a total lose, but it shouldn't be too hard to repair that Shadow Hawk and put it back into service. As for our own damage, we got off pretty light. Some internal structure damage on the Wolverine, and a couple of our pilots got knocked around by unlucky headshots, but no damaged components to replace. All in all, an ideal start for a Merc unit.
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Mar 29, 2023 20:03
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Scintilla posted:Eliminate Pirate Lance: Turn 8 Voting for Otter Madness/Alexander Hahn/Stinger STG-3G for blowing up that SRM20 bin, mostly for the fireworks. Shame about the salvage, though. As for the OpFor, Lucas Shaw/Shadow Hawk SHD-2H, for the coordination on Turn 4, and for the headshot on the Wolverine.
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Mar 29, 2023 20:23
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Same, Voting for the STG taking down an entire WTH-1 with a lucky TAC and not getting hit. OPFOR, the SHD for dealing some damage before it went out.
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Mar 29, 2023 22:52
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Space Kablooey posted:Voting for Otter Madness/Alexander Hahn/Stinger STG-3G for blowing up that SRM20 bin, mostly for the fireworks. Shame about the salvage, though. Amechwarrior posted:Same, nth
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Mar 30, 2023 00:07
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Voting Circlmaster/Yukiko Ishimura/Panther PNT-9R for JUSTICE FOOT through the spine of the Wasp, the kill we can salvage from. Opfor vote Lucas Shaw/Shadow Hawk SHD-2H, for being willing to fight it out to the end even as everyone else was crippled and exploded around him.
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Mar 30, 2023 00:25
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Space Kablooey posted:Voting for Otter Madness/Alexander Hahn/Stinger STG-3G for blowing up that SRM20 bin, mostly for the fireworks. Shame about the salvage, though. Same
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Mar 30, 2023 00:27
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Voting Nekomata for critting the SRM out of the Javelin on turn 1; between that and the CT hit from Sable with the Wolverine, it gave Sable Lance all the momentum in the fight. The Javelin was basically out of the fight from the get-go, which really let the players press their advantage. Space Kablooey posted:As for the OpFor, Lucas Shaw/Shadow Hawk SHD-2H, for the coordination on Turn 4, and for the headshot on the Wolverine.
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Mar 30, 2023 02:09
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AJ_Impy posted:Voting Circlmaster/Yukiko Ishimura/Panther PNT-9R for JUSTICE FOOT through the spine of the Wasp, the kill we can salvage from. I am voting for this as well, though I think the early PPC shot that hit the Wasp in the engine was a big difference maker. It couldn't shoot and build up a good move mod on the same turn because of the +5 heat.
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Mar 30, 2023 16:42
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also voting Circlmaster/Yukiko Ishimura/Panther PNT-9R for basically taking a unit out of the fight right off the bat, and Lucas Shaw/Shadow Hawk SHD-2H for always being the scariest thing on the field and using all his tools whenever they were handy
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Mar 31, 2023 00:29
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Eliminate Pirate Lance: After Action Report On the whole, this mission went very well for the players. Damage to Sable Lance was mostly superficial. The Wolverine is the most heavily damaged unit, but since no internal components were hit the company’s techs can fix it up in a day or two. Ammunition expenditure was quite low, and all of it can be replenished from existing stocks. Jenna and Yukiko took a single pilot hit each, so they will be receiving some medical attention, but their injuries are light enough that they should be back in action very soon.  Here’s a list of confirmed kills. Each player managed to nail a target, making the list nice and neat. MegaMek can be a bit weird about assigning kills sometimes, especially when mechs are destroyed due to falls or ammunition explosions, but I can use my GM superpowers to assign kills manually if it happens in the future.  Three of the four enemy mechwarriors were rounded up and captured after the battle. Thabo Ngumo ejected before the end of the battle, causing MegaMek to consider him to be in retreat and preventing him from appearing on the list. Narratively, he’s managed to escape into the wilderness and is currently on the run. We’ll decide what to do with the prisoners at the end of the contract. Most of them will probably wind up being ransomed, but some might be willing to join the company instead.  No doubt this is the bit you’ve all been waiting for. The wrecks have all been retrieved, and now it’s time to pick out which ones will go to the company and which ones will be left for the employer. A quick primer on salvage. Units labelled ‘Damaged’ or ‘Inoperable’ can be repaired and pressed back into service as long as the company has the money and/or spare parts to refit them. Units marked ‘Salvage’ have been irreparably damaged and can only be sold or scrapped for parts. Units that suffer an ammunition explosion are totally destroyed and won’t even show up on the list. There is also a contractual limit to how much the company can salvage, which is calculated as a percentage value of the units in the list. The current contract is quite favourable for the company, with our mercenaries entitled to 60% of the total salvage. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the units available for salvage, including their value as a percentage:  Don’t worry! Salvaging the Shadow Hawk is still possible, even though it will push the company’s salvage take above 60%. This is because the salvage ratio carries over between missions, allowing the company to make up the deficit with fresh salvage from their next sortie. Obviously, this doesn’t apply for the final mission in a contract – if the company is still in deficit after that, they will suffer a contract breach and be forced to pay back the difference in C-Bills. I’ll let you guys vote on what to salvage, although I’m sure the Shadow Hawk is a shoe-in. Bear in mind that repairing it will involve purchasing parts and ammunition from off-world, so it might be some time before it’s combat-ready. -- Salvage Vote Which units should Sterling and Sable salvage? Once you have made your choice, please indicate whether the units should be Sold, Stripped, or Repaired. The company’s current salvage ratio is 0% / 60%.
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Mar 31, 2023 19:43
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Obviously we should go for the Shadow Hawk (though it probably could use a different weapon loadout if possible).
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Mar 31, 2023 20:11
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Yeah, grab the Shadow Hawk.
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Mar 31, 2023 20:17
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Grab the shadowhawk and we’ll want to rework it to not carry a drat ac/5
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Mar 31, 2023 20:25
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Go for the Shadowhawk!
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Mar 31, 2023 20:29
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Captain Foo posted:Grab the shadowhawk and we’ll want to rework it to not carry a drat ac/5 Good call, I think this is the play. We can stick an AC2 in there instead.
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Mar 31, 2023 21:42
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aniviron posted:Good call, I think this is the play. We can stick an AC2 in there instead. I agree with salvaging the Shadowhawk. We should see about refitting it to the -2K variant, to replace its horrendous bracket build with a PPC + LRM-5. It's not optimal, but it is a canon configuration. It's also massively oversinked (17 heat sinks). Unfortunately there are no good Shadowhawk variants...
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Mar 31, 2023 22:24
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There aren't any good shadowhawks, but they're all very repairable.
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Mar 31, 2023 23:14
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i put a lot of effort into breaking that shadow hawk and now i would like to put effort into unbreaking it
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Apr 1, 2023 01:26
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I took that SHawk down with two kicks, let's pick it back up.
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Apr 1, 2023 03:44
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aniviron posted:Good call, I think this is the play. We can stick an AC2 in there instead. 
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Apr 1, 2023 04:36
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Since the topic of the Shadow Hawk's shortcomings has come up I think I'll quickly go over some of our options as regards to modifications / refits. Shadow Hawk SHD-2H This is the stock Shadow Hawk, aka what the company has just fought / is about to salvage. Those who have played Harebrained Schemes' Battletech game might remember it as a pretty solid all-rounder, with a good spread of weapons that made it dangerous at most ranges. Unfortunately, while the tabletop version is intended to play a similar role, in reality it isn't nearly as good. HBS buffed the damage for pretty much every weapon, including the AC/5, which in the tabletop is pretty anemic, dealing the same damage as the humble Medium Laser while weighing eight times as much. The 2H's overall damage output is pretty lacklustre in general; it can theoretically do 19 damage per turn, which isn't too bad, but in reality its divergent range brackets and the vagaries of the cluster hit table mean you'll be lucky to deal half that. It's not the worst mech in the game - it's not even the worst Shadow Hawk variant - but it is thoroughly mediocre and not good at its intended job. Shadow Hawk SHD-2K This version is a Kuritan refit that strips out every weapon except the LRM-5 and replaces them with a PPC and five extra heat sinks. It's described in-universe as a poor man's Griffin, but it's actually a pretty decent sniper, with better punch and a more reliable damage output than the 2H. It's not perfect - as Remmon mentioned earlier, it carries more heat sinks than it could possibly need. Both of its weapons also have minimum ranges, so it struggles to fight anything capable of getting up in its face. Shadow Hawk SHD-2D We don't talk about this one. ...Okay, maybe we should. The SHD-2D is the worst Shadow Hawk variant, and a contender for one of the worst mechs in the game. The 2D adds a second SRM-2, a second Medium Laser, doubles the amount of SRM-2 ammo and adds two extra heat sinks. In exchange, it strips off five tons of armour. For reference, this gives it roughly the same armour coverage as a Locust, a mech 35 tons lighter. The 2D has more damage potential than the 2H, but it dies to a stiff breeze and is only really good for a single volley ambush. -- In the campaign, it is possible to buy refit kits that will allow the company's techs to switch the Shadow Hawk's loadout to another canon variant. It'll need to be fully repaired first though, so it may be a while before the option is available.
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Apr 1, 2023 08:12
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It's kind of amazing that *none* of the Great Houses decided to stick a Large Laser on that AC/5 mount instead and use the saved tonnage for something else.
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Apr 1, 2023 12:02
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Scintilla posted:HBS buffed the damage for pretty much every weapon, including the AC/5, which in the tabletop is pretty anemic, dealing the same damage as the humble Medium Laser while weighing eight times as much. There's an option in the "Advanced Combat" tab of the Megamek options for "(unofficial) Increased AC Damage" that gives 1 extra damage to the AC/2 and AC/5. You can also use the "Tacops Rapidfire Autocannon" rule to allow regular ACs to fire as if they were Ultras, but with an higher jam chance than a true UAC. These go a long way, in my experience, toward making them (and the mechs built around them) more viable even if they're not a total HBS rebalance.
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Apr 1, 2023 12:08
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Koorisch posted:It's kind of amazing that *none* of the Great Houses decided to stick a Large Laser on that AC/5 mount instead and use the saved tonnage for something else. I know, it’s the obvious fix!! That being said, we should probably repair it and work on getting a 5k kit if we’re not able to do custom modifications with our tech levels
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Apr 1, 2023 14:50
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Voting for salvaging the SHD and repairing it up. The modification can come after it's able to walk again in case we need something right away.
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Apr 1, 2023 18:10
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MVP Vote Results Player MVP: We actually have two winners this time! Both Yukiko Ishimura (Panther PNT-9R) (Player – CirclMaster) and Alexander Hanh (Stinger STG-3G) (Player – Otter Madness) score a draw with four votes apiece. Both pilots gain 4 Bonus XP! OpFor MVP: Lucas Shaw (Shadow Hawk SHD-2H) Salvage Vote Results: Javelin JVN-10N and Wasp WSP-1A handed over to employer. Shadow Hawk SHD-2H claimed by the company, scheduled to be Repaired. -- Eliminate Preston’s Prowlers - Intermission I January 1st, 3015 – New Villastellone, Mech Bay The mech bay was a blizzard of activity. The battlemechs of Sable Lance had returned to base about an hour ago, and a legion of Astechs and other workers had gathered to assist in the repair and reloading process. Dozens of men and women dressed in dark grey overalls rushed hither and thither, carting stacks of fresh armour plates and crates of ammunition to wherever they were needed. Amidst the noise and the chaos, one figure stood apart. Samuel Kost strode across the mech bay as if he was a king and the scurrying Astechs were his subjects, barking out instructions and cursing furiously at anyone who didn’t comply quickly enough. Every now and then a booming cough would rumble up from deep within his chest, punctuating his acidic tirades like an ancient Terran war drum. His sunken eyes were constantly on the move, scanning the building for anyone who looked like they might be slacking off. As Samuel stomped across the mech bay his gaze was drawn to the Wolverine. The heavy scout mech had suffered the worst of the battle damage, and so that was where the most Astechs had gathered. Samuel studied the crowd intently. In his experience, the place with the most activity was usually where the lazy and incompetent liked to hide, using the bustling crowd as camouflage. It didn’t take long for Samuel to spot the first slacker. An Astech loitered in the shadow of the Wolverine’s right leg, partially concealed behind a stack of armour plates. He was a young man, dark haired and pale skinned, and he stood with the hunched, indolent posture that was so typical of the youth of today. Samuel didn’t recognise him, which meant he must be one of the new hires. He was pretending to replace a damaged plate, but never actually picked up his welding tool. He would place the plate against its socket, wiggle it around a bit, put it back down again, then repeat. Lip curling, Samuel began forging a path towards the Wolverine. He was not a large man, but his presence extended beyond his physical form. Technicians and workers scrambled out of the way as he stormed across the mech bay, sensing that he was on the warpath and not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. “Oi! You there!” he shouted, jabbing an accusing finger at the young Astech. “What the gently caress are you doing?” The Astech started and let go of the plate he was holding. Samuel swore and grabbed it before it could fall and crush the young man’s leg. “S-sorry sir!” the youngster stammered. “I was… I’m having t-trouble replacing the armour, sir!” “What do you mean you’re having trouble?” Samuel growled. “You’re putting a new plate in! It’s the easiest fuckin’ job in the world! My fuckin’ gran could do it, and she’s been dead for thirty fuckin’ years!” The Astech wilted under Samuel’s glare. “It… it won’t fit, sir. I keep trying, but it-” “Get out of the way,” Samuel grunted, shoving the young man aside so that he could examine the socket. A single glance told him that the chassis beneath was fine, meaning the problem had to be around the rim. He reached into the gap and ran a gnarled, callused finger around the smooth inner edge of the socket, feeling for a warp or a bend that might be causing the problem. Halfway around he felt something rough scrape against his skin. “C’mere, boy!” he barked. The Astech leaned in hesitantly, then yelped when Samuel grasped him by the scruff of his neck and pushed his head into the hole. “See that?” Samuel said, tapping the piece of jagged metal he’d found under the rim. “That’s part of the old plate. Fuckin’ lasers do that. Heat fatigue makes ‘em fracture around the edges. When you take the old one out, bits of it break off and stick to the rim sometimes. Understand?” The Astech nodded frantically. Samuel released him and said, “Good! Now get me a fuckin’ prybar.” The young man handed him the tool, and Samuel quickly pried the lump of metal out of the socket. It made a pure sound as it hit the ground, like the chime of a xylophone. Samuel scooped it up and prodded the Astech hard in the chest with it. “Always check for crap like this before putting a new plate in. Now let’s see if you can actually do that.” Samuel stood back and watched as the young man manoeuvred the fresh plate into place. “It’s an armoured plate, boy, not your mum’s crockery!” he said as the boy gingerly pushed the plate into its socket. “Give it some fuckin’ wellie!” The Astech gritted his teeth and stamped down on the plate, forcing it completely into the socket. “Good!” Samuel thrusted a welding tool into the young man’s hands. “Now get it fixed. I’ll be checking it later to make sure you haven’t hosed it up.” “Yes sir!” Samuel scowled as he walked away. “And don’t call me ‘sir’! I’m not your fuckin’ dad. Fuckin’ kids these days, I swear…” As he groused and grumbled a familiar craving suddenly overtook him, a deep and sustained need that demanded immediate satisfaction. Instinctively, he dug deep into the pockets of his orange and grey overalls, his scarred and burned hands seeking the one thing that could lighten his perpetually sour mood. After a brief struggle he fished out the small cloth wrap containing the cigarettes he had rolled that morning. “Oh, sweet Nicole,” Samuel sighed as he lit up. Technically, smoking was prohibited in the mech bay, but nobody was brave enough to challenge him. He brought the cigarette to his lips and took a long, slow drag, holding the smoke inside his lungs for as long as he could before expelling it. All of life’s stresses seemed to fall away as the nicotine swirled through his bloodstream, lifting his spirits even as the carcinogens and toxic tar ate away at his health. Dr. Forsyth kept badgering him to quit, or at least switch to a professional brand, but Samuel didn’t care. He wasn’t delusional. He knew he was shortening his life. But cigarettes were a comfort, and life wasn’t worth living without a few of those. -- January 4th, 3015 – New Villastellone, Johann Schneider’s Office If there was one thing Johann Schneider valued above everything else, it was Order. Johann Schneider was an Orderly man. Every day, he woke up at exactly 8:00 AM. He would shower for precisely fifteen minutes before eating breakfast, making sure to consume the optimal number of calories for a man of his BMI. After some light exercise he would shut himself up in his office and work through the day’s paperwork. At lunch he always ate two cheese sandwiches and a pot of mixed salad he had made the previous evening. He would finish work at 5:00 PM and go to bed at 9:00 PM. Johann’s old schoolmates at the Gibbs Military Academy had nicknamed him ‘the Clockwork Man’ for his insistence on leading such a strictly regimented life. In both life and work, Order was the highest virtue. It simplified what was complex and gave structure to that which was formless. Orderly things had their own unique beauty; the metric system, decimal pricing, the golden ratio, laminar flow; even something mundane like a paper form signed in triplicate made Johann feel satisfied on an emotional level. The logic of it steadied him, made him feel grounded, reassured him that the world was governed by a coherent set of rules.  Johann smiled as he reviewed the documentation for the company’s first engagement. Everything was neat and tidy. The prisoners had been processed, the battlemechs had been retrieved, and compensation for damages had been paid promptly and in full.  So it was really quite disheartening that repairing the Shadow Hawk should have turned out to be such a Disorderly affair. Johann’s smile faded as he reviewed the list of required parts yet again. Everything had been so much simpler in the Lyran Guards. Back then a single requisition form would have seen the replacement parts delivered directly from the Guards’ own stockpile, usually within days and sometimes even within hours. It had all been very smooth, very efficient, and very Orderly. Now Johann had to send out a dozen different forms to a dozen different suppliers on a dozen different worlds, then spend weeks waiting for the parts to arrive. Those parts would also need to be checked for defects and potentially sent back if they were not up to standard, causing more delays and disputes. It was all very Disorderly.  After a long pause Johann shook his head ruefully and began signing off on the forms one by one. There was no use dwelling on the past. Running a mercenary company meant tolerating a certain amount of Disorder. He was sure that Rost was probably just as irked about it as he was; while not quite as fastidious as Johann, he still understood the importance of Order. After signing the forms Johann pulled out his noteputer and began paging through his spreadsheets. Perhaps he should run a cost-benefit analysis on a factory refurbishment versus using multiple local imports? That might make things a bit more Orderly in the future. -- February 10th, 3015 – New Villastellone, Officer’s Common Room The coffee machine gurgled and shook, then spat a thick stream of steaming black liquid into the awaiting plasti-foam cup. Roger Sterling heaved a satisfied sigh as the dusky scent of freshly roasted coffee beans filled the air. He had been working all morning, and after four hours of studying maps and reading reconnaissance reports the urge to fill himself with enough caffeine to kill a horse had become overpowering. After mixing the most powerful expresso known to man Roger sat down in his usual chair, crossed his legs and allowed himself a few minutes of relaxation. The officer’s common room was hardly the lap of luxury, but the furnishings were comfortable, the lighting was excellent, and the Tri-Vid set was a top-of-the-range model that could be tuned to both civilian and military channels. In fact, the atmosphere was so good that Roger found he worked more efficiently in the common room than his own private quarters. Just as he was about to get back to work he heard voices in the corridor outside. Moments later the common room door opened, and several of his former subordinates pushed their way inside. “…so then I said, that’s not a CattleMaster! That’s my-” Archibald Grumman’s easy grin faded as he noticed Roger was present. At once he snapped to attention. Behind him, Louis Belkof and Veronica Esperanti quickly followed suit. Roger felt a tinge of pride. Even now, almost a year after they had left the Lyran Guards, his old colleagues still maintained their discipline. “At ease, chaps,” he said, smiling genially. “I just stopped by for a coffee.” The three newcomers relaxed. “You always struck me as a tea man, sir,” Archibald quipped, his grin returning as he and his companions sat down opposite. Roger raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, I do enjoy a nice Chamomile every now and then, but when it comes to pick-me-ups you just can’t beat a good coffee.” To punctuate he raised his cup to his lips and drank. The bitter taste rolled over his tongue, electrifying his nerves and shocking his brain back to lucidity. Louis’s dark eyes riveted to the reports in the crook of Roger’s arm. “How is the reconnaissance, sir? Has Clements found anything yet?” “Nothing yet, I’m afraid. The Prowlers are doing an excellent job of laying low. We still don’t even know where their DropShip landed.” Roger took another sip of coffee, then continued, “I’ll be sending Ruby Lance out again soon though. A weather satellite detected some discrepancies about a hundred klicks north-east of where Sable Lance intercepted those pirates. It could be nothing, but it’s the only lead we have at the moment. At the very least it’ll stop the Yeoung brothers from getting into bar fights for a while.” “Speaking of Capellan shenanigans, have you read this?” Archibald asked, sliding a copy of the New Villastellone Times across the table towards him. Roger leant forwards, squinting down at the headline. It read, ‘Anton Marik colludes with Confederation’. “Hunh,” Roger grunted. His interest piqued, he put down his reports and scooped up the newspaper. It was clearly fresh off the presses; the paper smelled new, and some of the ink rubbed off on his fingers.  “Well, well…” Roger murmured, stroking his moustache thoughtfully. “The plot thickens.” Archibald leaned forwards, an excited gleam in his pale eyes. This was exactly the kind of intrigue he loved to talk about. “The only one who benefits from this war is Max Liao. If Anton wins, the League becomes his puppet. If Janos wins, the chaos will weaken House Marik for a generation. Either way, the Confederation comes out ahead.” Louis nodded in agreement. “Even if Maximillian didn’t light the fire, sending the Dragoons to help Anton is the same as pouring rocket fuel on it. Those guys are pros. They could tip the scales in Anton’s favour all by themselves.” “Wolf’s Dragoons…” Veronica murmured, a faraway look in her eyes. “Who do you guys think they are, anyway?” “That’s the million C-Bill question, isn’t it?” Roger remarked. Wolf’s Dragoons were a complete enigma, a totally unknown unit that had exploded into existence just over a decade ago. They had no history, no pedigree, and yet they fought with a discipline and ferocity that rivalled the best House units. They fielded mechs that hadn’t been seen in the Inner Sphere since the days of the Star League and never seemed to run out of supplies. The Dragoons themselves were tight-lipped about their origins, which led to rampant speculation about exactly who – or what – they were. That speculation quickly took over the conversation. Archibald was convinced that the Dragoons were actually the Minnesota Tribe, working in league with ComStar as part of some galaxy-wide conspiracy to undermine and eventually overthrow the Great Houses. They all had a good chuckle at that – everyone knew that ComStar were neutral, and the Minnesota Tribe, whoever they had been, were surely long dead by now. Louis’s suggestion, that they were a former House unit who went rogue and discovered a Brian Cache or even a functioning mech factory in the Deep Periphery, was one Roger privately agreed with. It would explain their unwillingness to talk about their past, as well as their seemingly endless supply of mechs and material. Eventually Roger cleared his throat and brought the speculation to an end. The Dragoons were a puzzle with half its pieces missing, and they had practical matters to discuss. “Since you’re here, Veronica, mind telling me how the repairs on the Shadow Hawk are going?” The young woman flashed a triumphant smile. “The mech’s as good as new, sir. Sam worked through the night to get the leg attached, then Sado and I did the rest.”   “Excellent.” Roger nodded approvingly. The Shadow Hawk wasn’t the best battlemech in the world, but at least they now had some insurance in case one of their mechwarriors was shot out of their machine. -- Next Mission Briefing:  Player Units:  Map:  Players, please check your PM's! Next mission will begin on Sunday 9th! Scintilla fucked around with this message at 18:59 on Apr 5, 2023 |
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Apr 5, 2023 16:13
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lots of terrain height differences on this map compared to last one, will be interesting to see how that affects things good luck ruby lance!
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Apr 5, 2023 18:17
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Drakanel has bowed out - Space Kablooey, you are now up in the Vulcan!
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Apr 5, 2023 18:51
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oh god i'm in a jenner and going to die. I'd like to deploy to 0323 or 1823 facing up so i can start running around like an idiot if that's alright since most of us seem to be in run around and try backshot style mechs
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Apr 5, 2023 19:25
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ilmucche posted:oh god i'm in a jenner and going to die. I was going to make a joke but then realized the toy brand is Kenner, not Jenner, so never mind.
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Apr 5, 2023 20:11
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ilmucche posted:oh god i'm in a jenner and going to die. I know how you feel, I'm right with you in the second Locust. The LCT-3V removes even more armor than a stock LCT-1V. At least I have an extra ML. Our tactics need to be moving at LEAST 7 hexes every turn to maintain the +3 to hit. We might want do this even if we can't get a solid firing position. Your Jenner can run hot so you can play "cavalry" by running in, shooting to overheat by 4 then run away for a turn at max speed. The LCTs can't overheat but our armor is so light we won't want to get into melee range, or any range really. Can anyone break down our Mechs quirks? The Sarna page lists the effects for Alpha Strike, but not sure how if affects classic BT. Like Narrow Profile says it makes the LCT harder to hit, but doesn't list the number. Amechwarrior fucked around with this message at 21:00 on Apr 5, 2023 |
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Apr 5, 2023 20:49
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Scintilla posted:Drakanel has bowed out - Space Kablooey, you are now up in the Vulcan! Roger that!
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Apr 5, 2023 20:58
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You can tell how good an early IS design is by how many medium lasers it has.
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Apr 5, 2023 20:58
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It's a squishy lance, yes, but a fast one. Keep your speed up, get backshots, be aggressive.
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Apr 5, 2023 21:06
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Johann should just put in a bulk order of like fifty medium lasers just so we're set in replacements
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Apr 5, 2023 21:07
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Amechwarrior posted:Can anyone break down our Mechs quirks? The Sarna page lists the effects for Alpha Strike, but not sure how if affects classic BT. Like Narrow Profile says it makes the LCT harder to hit, but doesn't list the number. No problem! Here are what the quirks do. Narrow Profile: This is probably one of the best quirks in the game, especially for speedy light mechs. What it does is, if an opponent manages to hit you, and the margin of success is either 1 or 0 (ie, the enemy needs a 10+ to hit and scores either a 10 or 11), the shot counts as a glancing blow and only deals half damage. Needless to say, this is a huge advantage for fragile light mechs like the ones the players will be using for this mission. Compact Mech: Not really relevant here, but it means the mech only takes up half the usual space in a DropShip. Minimal Arms: The mech's arms are almost non-existent. It cannot punch and suffers a piloting penalty if it needs to stand up, although this penalty does not apply if the unit uses the 'stand carefully' rule. Cramped Cockpit: The mech has a very uncomfortable cockpit and therefore suffers penalties during piloting rolls. Weak Legs: The mech has weak legs and may suffer a critical hit if it either makes a death from above attack or is kicked by another mech. Note that this only applies to incoming kicks; kicks performed by the mech with the quirk are performed as normal. Also, don't worry, you'll be facing off against mostly other light mechs and light vehicles, so the OpFor is also going to be fairly fragile.
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Apr 5, 2023 21:14
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The Jenner is one of the meanest light mechanics around. Freaky fast, jumpy, and weapons that much heavier units are jealous of. Biggest weakness is heat.
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Apr 5, 2023 21:42
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