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The last two of my IWM mechs I've been working on this holiday break. An Eisenfaust and a Carronade.  I might be done with metals at this point. I like their weight, but they are fiddly as gently caress and they fall apart if you breathe on them.
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Dec 28, 2023 09:25
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| # ? May 31, 2024 19:39 |
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They're really huge ones, and it looks like that Eisenfaust is one of them, definitely add an extra layer of difficulty. You did better than me though, a lot of mine end up standing in really goofy stances because I can't get the legs right.
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Dec 28, 2023 09:43
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Defiance Industries posted:They're really huge ones, and it looks like that Eisenfaust is one of them, definitely add an extra layer of difficulty. You did better than me though, a lot of mine end up standing in really goofy stances because I can't get the legs right. The absolute worst are ones like the Anubis because the toes are sculpted into the base and man gently caress that.
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Dec 28, 2023 09:55
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Is there a decent Comlang dictionary and/or primer out on some forgotten geocities site? I need a reference for roleplaying a filthy Clanner.
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Dec 29, 2023 04:40
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I painted some LAMs!
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Dec 29, 2023 09:17
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Those are some interesting LAMs. 3D prints of some kind?
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Dec 29, 2023 13:55
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a cyborg mug posted:God drat I should not have told my cousin I gifted an IS Heavy Battle Lance to what the (8) next to his Cataphract’s movement meant. He used MASC absolutely recklessly and ruthlessly to outmaneuver my Stalker and got dang blew it up with an ammo crit, cutting off my escape route. I remember when 2750 came out, and we started optimizing Mechs for TT. We all though MASC was useless, and were in love with Streak SRM-2s. lol
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Dec 29, 2023 14:04
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Arquinsiel posted:Those are some interesting LAMs. 3D prints of some kind? Yeah, my buddy printed them for me because my kid learned they existed and demanded we have a set. Speaking of, where are the actual rules for using these monstrosities?
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Dec 29, 2023 14:17
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I think they're in the second half of StratOps, but they can be summarised as "don't".
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Dec 29, 2023 14:49
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Ok if I was going to whip something up to appease a 7 year old what would you suggest? A movement point to change forms? Increased MP and modifiers to hit in each form but access to fewer weapons? Increased damage when it's in the aerospace form?
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Dec 29, 2023 14:55
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Atlas Hugged posted:Yeah, my buddy printed them for me because my kid learned they existed and demanded we have a set. You won't use fighter mode, probably, but if you do they behave like normal Aerospace fighters. In Mech mode, they function just like BattleMechs. In AirMech mode, they have a ground speed (usually 2/3) and a Wing In Ground Effect speed which is usually represented 2/3/Cruise/Flank, and they lose their Mech mode jump MP. They move exactly like WiGE vehicles, so they constantly move at height 1 above the surrounding terrain and gain height automatically over elevation changes. They can only make 1 level elevation changes going up (i.e. they can go from height 2 to height 3 but not from height 2 to height 4 the way a normal Mech can) but don't have to pay MP to increase their height the way more traditional VTOLs do. They can also make unlimited downward elevation changes without issue (they could transition from height 15 to height 0 in a single hex and remain 1 height above the surrounding terrain). They can also opt to spend double MP to keep their height, so they could use a hill as a ramp to pass over a group of enemies but can't just jump over a group of 'Mechs unassisted (because, as mentioned, in Airmech they lose their jump MP); but if they don't drop down to their normal height by the end of their movement they automatically drop back down to the normal 1 height above surrounding terrain--Airmechs can't fly forever. WiGE vehicles also have some of the same restrictions as hovercraft/VTOLs. WiGE vehicles aren't that tricky, but I'd definitely read up on them in Total Warfare and make sure you know the rules well before using LAMs. You may want to play with a couple of normal WiGE vehicles first. LAM Airmech mode is interesting enough that I do sort-of wish that building a non-transforming Airmech was possible. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 15:09 on Dec 29, 2023 |
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Dec 29, 2023 15:05
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The rules are in Interstellar Operations. I want to say Cruise is 3x jump jets and Flank is 1.5x Cruise. I also think they use the turn modes rules when using that movement. LAM rules are a mess and I wish they'd just go away forever.
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Dec 29, 2023 21:05
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They're really not that bad unless you're using their Aerospace Fighter Modes, and that's just because the Aerospace Fighter ground combat rules are a mess and their movement is basically a rating of how many mapsheets they cross. They're also easy enough to game-ify and houserule: if a LAM in Aerospace mode leaves the board, it can return in 1+weight class turns, so 2 turns for lights, 3 turns for mediums, and there are no heavy or assault LAMs but they'd be 4 and 5 turns respectively. If it's on the map it can convert from fighter to Airmech and then it has to stay on the map like everything else.
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Dec 29, 2023 21:39
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Alpha strike seems to handle it fine, so I'm not real fussed. Gonna field an urbie lam.
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Dec 29, 2023 21:50
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My buddy hosed up the 3D print on those LAMs, so he ended up giving me the ones that didn't turn out quite right. Fortunately, I had some spare parts on hand and know how to bend a staple into an antenna, so they look pretty much like they were designed to look this way. This is the other complete set of LAMs I have.  This is the third BattleMech mode one I've done. There weren't any Aerospace or AirMech mode models to go with this guy, so he's just one off.  These two didn't end up with guns when they printed, so I used spare parts from the IWM Wolverine kit as they were the right size and intended to be mounted to a right arm. I guess this makes them apocryphal variants.  All three of the BattleMech modes together. You can see the obvious difference in the right-arm guns here.  A group shot of the whole LAM "squadron". 
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Dec 30, 2023 06:06
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As someone whos never used LAMs before, whats the advantage? they can just transform from aerospace to mech right?
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Dec 31, 2023 03:38
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Saint Celestine posted:As someone whos never used LAMs before, whats the advantage? they can just transform from aerospace to mech right? They're directly ripped from robotech: plane, mech, hybrid They have no real advantages over just deploying a plane or mech (not that that stops me from using them in my scout lances in mekhq)
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Dec 31, 2023 03:53
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Atlas Hugged posted:The last two of my IWM mechs I've been working on this holiday break. An Eisenfaust and a Carronade. My experience with this one:   Taught me that for these metals to really work, they need not just glue but epoxy and steel pins to really give them a chance of holding together. On top of that, the base required additional weight to be added to keep it from falling over. I think I would up hammering two lead .375 cal musket balls into flat disks to accomplish this.
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Dec 31, 2023 03:56
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Azhais posted:They're directly ripped from robotech: plane, mech, hybrid They're a weak 'Mech or a weak Aerospace fighter (with more hitzones); or they're an extremely fast hovercraft and fill nearly all the same roles a really fast hovercraft does but with hands.
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Dec 31, 2023 03:57
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I'm literally only using LAMs because my kid thinks they're cool looking. I would otherwise never bother.
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Dec 31, 2023 04:11
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Take the Wobbie Wasp and use it to nuke something sometime. It's a pretty hilarious thing you can do with them.
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Dec 31, 2023 04:20
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When looking up the alternate ammo for Vehicular Grenade Launchers (I was interested in the smoke ammo) I realized that the smoke and incendiary ammo options for them can be equipped by Battle Armor grenade launchers. This instantly elevates them to a much higher tier for me. Even the Infiltrator Mk. I now has a use since it can lay down the equivalent of a light woods each turn wherever you want! Plus Wobbies (best faction don't @ me) get the Nighthawk Mk. XXIII which has standard stealth, jumps 3, and has a micro grenade launcher. Comstar and RotS gets a Kobold variant that also has TAG, all Spheroids get Tunnel Rat GL variants (though you have to choose between mechanize/AM attacks or an AP weapon because a variant with 2 armored gloves was too hard I guess). And Dracs and all Clans get the Constable, which has two, letting it lay down the equivalent of a heavy woods (two light smokes in one hex equals heavy) in one turn! Edit: Canopians (second best faction) also have the Theseus Killshot (also has 9 rockets but a micro launcher) and the Shen Long Popup Mine (has two heavy launchers and 11 mimetic armor, making it the most durable and annoying of all of them!) Theoretically you can also bring standard and incendiary ammo along, but the unit needs to have been noted as equipping extra ammo. I don't think any of them do. Which is a shame because one mag of grenades is just 5 kilograms which a lot of these variants have to spare anyway. And I'm pretty sure even just having your dudes carry a few extra mags is technically a custom unit. BattleMaster fucked around with this message at 14:09 on Dec 31, 2023 |
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Dec 31, 2023 13:59
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THE VAN ZANDT ANNUAL URBIE DERBIE I very much appreciate having all 4 time spans of Urbi participate.
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Jan 1, 2024 06:59
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Comstar posted:THE VAN ZANDT ANNUAL URBIE DERBIE Surely you mean all 5? I'm definitely on Team Dumpster
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Jan 1, 2024 08:22
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I took a Nightsky today and that is a fun little mech to run. I took a hatchet to the rear armor of a Warhammer and managed to score a critical on its SRM ammo. That was a good feeling.
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Jan 2, 2024 12:51
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It's great when you get a hatchet in like that. I very rarely manage it, but I have mostly been using Hatchetman and Axeman variants.
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Jan 2, 2024 13:17
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PoptartsNinja posted:They're a weak 'Mech or a weak Aerospace fighter (with more hitzones); or they're an extremely fast hovercraft and fill nearly all the same roles a really fast hovercraft does but with hands. Crossover chat but BEX for Steam BattleTech recently added LAMs into their mod, I got a LAM Urbanmech. Sold it immediately (For $3 million).
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Jan 2, 2024 14:00
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Crazy Joe Wilson posted:Crossover chat but BEX for Steam BattleTech recently added LAMs into their mod, I got a LAM Urbanmech. Sold it immediately (For $3 million). gently caress, if there was anything that could make me come back to that it's this.
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Jan 2, 2024 15:10
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What's the best way to strip primer from a catalyst mini? Google suggests LAs totally awesome but I want to make sure that won't ruin the model
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Jan 2, 2024 15:56
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Len posted:What's the best way to strip primer from a catalyst mini? Google suggests LAs totally awesome but I want to make sure that won't ruin the model If it's plastic or metal, 95% Isopropyl alcohol. You may want to separate the mini from the base first, I've been told GW bases get soft if they're in IPA for too long. I haven't had any issues with that with BattleTech's bases so I can't say for sure if that's true. If it's resin, don't. Pray it's a thin paint layer and prime over it. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 19:00 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Jan 2, 2024 16:05
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Haven't noticed any issues with iso on catalyst minis I've done but ymmv obviously
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Jan 2, 2024 17:57
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Len posted:What's the best way to strip primer from a catalyst mini? Google suggests LAs totally awesome but I want to make sure that won't ruin the model I've repeatedly stripped catalyst minis using LA,'s and it does no damage to them.
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Jan 2, 2024 19:08
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LAs works excellent, even on the resin figures I’ve printed. Takes everything off except some primers, had issues with some of army painters gray primer. Do recommend.
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Jan 2, 2024 19:09
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I have reached Exodus Road, or, "Why January 6th was Both Good and Necessary", by Blaine Pardoe.
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Jan 3, 2024 02:29
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Arquinsiel posted:I have reached Exodus Road, or, "Why January 6th was Both Good and Necessary", by Blaine Pardoe. That bad, huh?
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Jan 3, 2024 04:30
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So while the author isn't actually dead, it's kind of funny to be able to draw parallels to the dude's mindset whereever it finds ink
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Jan 3, 2024 05:51
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I finally feel confident enough in my son's understanding of the core mechanics that I felt I could introduce levels. It didn't overwhelm him and he seemed to get going up and down pretty intuitively. I'll need to brush up on how they effect lines of sight again as I remember it can get kind of goofy. Also, having a painted mech collection really sells this game more than anything else. This went surprisingly poorly for the Commando at first as it couldn't land any of its shots.  He was a bit hesitant to commit with his Wasp, so I had to flush it out with the Cicada. However, he learned being able to jump and fire all weapons every turn could be quite annoying even when the weapon loadout isn't particularly aggressive.  I sent in the Cicada to relieve Commando once the Shadow Hawk could tangle with the Wasp directly.  His Dragon made short work of the damaged Commando.  With the Wasp taken care of, it was a final 2 vs 1.  The Dragon could not deal with the combined pressure from the Shadow Hawk and Cicada and peaced out. Also, my son refuses to use his LAMs in Alpha Strike where the rules are all conveniently in one book, so I guess I need to get: Total Warfare for WiGE (how is this pronounced?) rules and Strategic Ops for Aerospace rules? Looking at Sarna and some PDFs of older editions, I can't find a section that is explicitly "this is how LAMs work" so it seems it's more like... I have to read the separate rules for each movement and combat type and put them together in my head?
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Jan 3, 2024 07:47
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Strategic Ops is for space combat, which you probably aren’t looking for right now. You want the book Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras which has rules for all kinds of more experimental tech, including a full section on LAMs.
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Jan 3, 2024 08:32
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I love StratOps space combat. I would never play it without MM to do all the bookkeeping for me.
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Jan 3, 2024 09:09
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| # ? May 31, 2024 19:39 |
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a cyborg mug posted:Strategic Ops is for space combat, which you probably aren’t looking for right now. You want the book Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras which has rules for all kinds of more experimental tech, including a full section on LAMs. Thank you. I had been pointed to Strategic Ops earlier and while lots of aerospace stuff was in there, it wasn't focused on LAMs at all and I assumed I was just stupid. This is exactly what I'm looking for. My kid is a loving master negotiator though. "I really want the book with LAM rules in it for my birthday." "That doesn't make sense. Why waste your birthday present on a rulebook that I'm going to be the one to read just so we can use one new type of mech? Wouldn't you rather get a present you can use, like a storybook or action figure?" "Well, Mommy is going to get me a birthday present. My friends are going to get me birthday presents. Grandma and Grandpa too. I don't need an action figure or storybook from you. I want to use my Airmech. I don't even want the plane mode." So that's where I'm at.
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Jan 3, 2024 09:23
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