The Free Worlds League: Winning with what we've got!

[GreekFire]

All I want is a good ERLM vehicle. Maybe based off of the Ontos or something?

[Scotty]

Aside from cases where Dark Age materials forced bad designs, I think the last time we got insultingly bad, obvious garbage was the WLF-3M and that was a few years ago.

What do you have against the Main Gauche? ;)

[Weirdo]

My perfect ELRM unit would be a low-end medium with a pair of E-10s, and a semi-respectable defensive array. Something like an overweight Hammer, that wouldn't cost to much to put into a force in terms of BV. That's enough firepower that if you start reassigning down on a camper, they can't just ignore it, but not so much that you're tempted to make it the clue ouch of your force. I see ELRMs as being a supplement to standard fire support, not a replacement.

On the other hand, an Apollo-4M and a couple Longinus-mag squads is pretty cheap, and a recipe for much hilarity. :)

[The Eagle]

My perfect ELRM unit would be a low-end medium with a pair of E-10s, and a semi-respectable defensive array. Something like an overweight Hammer, that wouldn't cost to much to put into a force in terms of BV. That's enough firepower that if you start reassigning down on a camper, they can't just ignore it, but not so much that you're tempted to make it the clue ouch of your force. I see ELRMs as being a supplement to standard fire support, not a replacement.

On the other hand, an Apollo-4M and a couple Longinus-mag squads is pretty cheap, and a recipe for much hilarity. :)

So. . . it sounds like you want a Stalker II at half the mass.

[Weirdo]

For fights of a couple lances up to a company or so, yeah. For truly big fights, I'll go ahead and take the Stalker. I'm not worried about it's piloting issues, since it's meant to hang way back and pour in missiles.

I need to check the rules on going hull-down, see if it helps bipeds any with stability. If so, a kneeling Stalker II might actually be a pretty nasty customer for anyone wanting to silence the missiles.

[GreekFire]

My perfect ELRM unit would be a low-end medium with a pair of E-10s, and a semi-respectable defensive array. Something like an overweight Hammer, that wouldn't cost to much to put into a force in terms of BV. That's enough firepower that if you start reassigning down on a camper, they can't just ignore it, but not so much that you're tempted to make it the clue ouch of your force. I see ELRMs as being a supplement to standard fire support, not a replacement.

An ELRM Whitworth? Why yes, I do think I'll take a dozen!

[The Eagle]

For fights of a couple lances up to a company or so, yeah. For truly big fights, I'll go ahead and take the Stalker. I'm not worried about it's piloting issues, since it's meant to hang way back and pour in missiles.

I need to check the rules on going hull-down, see if it helps bipeds any with stability. If so, a kneeling Stalker II might actually be a pretty nasty customer for anyone wanting to silence the missiles.

Eh.  In which case you're getting the same firepower out of a Stalker II that you can get out of a Whitworth.  That's the trap with the Stalker II and why I'm hesitant to field it.  It's anemic at range and is too slow to close easily within range of its primary weapons (the lasers).

[GespenstM]

That's about what I would want out of ELRMs too.

As for the Main Gauche, unsure why you're bringing it up. I actually like its LGR variant. Prior to ELRMs showing up in our production units, I would often use a Main Gauche to park at 25 hexes and plink my opponent's hill-camped Thunder Hawks. They eventually got the hint and came out to play.

[Scotty]

I brought it up because the Wolfhound -3M is a Main Gauche with legs. :P

For fights of a couple lances up to a company or so, yeah. For truly big fights, I'll go ahead and take the Stalker. I'm not worried about it's piloting issues, since it's meant to hang way back and pour in missiles.

I need to check the rules on going hull-down, see if it helps bipeds any with stability. If so, a kneeling Stalker II might actually be a pretty nasty customer for anyone wanting to silence the missiles.

If I remember right, you can transition from prone to hull down without risking damage, and from hull down to standing likewise without risking damage.  It takes a bit longer, but you can stand up without risking knocking the pilot out against the dashboard.

[GespenstM]

Ahh. Clever. Well, the WLF might be that... but with a few key differences. The Main Gauche has enough ammo to serve in this 'anti-camp' role. 32 shots means you can park all day. WLF-3M runs out too fast. Lower BV too.

[Alexander Knight]

Hey, at least it isn't the HER-6D.  "Herp derp, let's have a RAC/5 with one ton of ammo!"

--At least it's only the Feds who're stuck with that piece of garbage.

[GreekFire]

I need to check the rules on going hull-down, see if it helps bipeds any with stability. If so, a kneeling Stalker II might actually be a pretty nasty customer for anyone wanting to silence the missiles.

Y'know, I always thought so but I can't find any rules that support that...I just checked megamek, and they don't have Hull-Down 'Mechs do any sort of PSR from damage but that might be a bug more than anything. Might have to go to the rules forum for this one.

This talk has inspired me to try using a Hull-Down/Prone Stalker II as a shield for some long-ranged glass cannons...maybe some Gauss DI Morgans? At least then the Stalker II's ridiculous armor would actually be forced into play.

[Weirdo]

Having gotten off my ass and actually looked up the rules...

There's no extra stability, though you can go from prone to hull-down without a PSR, definitely something to keep in mind with that Stalker. Maybe call it Chumbawumba or something. :)

Now if we want something that can provide fire support, but can be a holy terror when fighting from its knees, we should look to the Goliath-6M. :)

[GespenstM]

Since someone finally asked me (I was waiting!), I'll go ahead and answer here as well so everyone can know: My current avatar line is a nod to an old video game. The main character of "Art of Fighting" says something like, translated from Japanese, "If I fight against armed forces, I'll be forced to use 'Haoh Sho Ko Ken'" ('Haoh Sho Ko Ken' being the name of his ultimate martial arts technique, translating to something utterly ridiculous like Conquering-Overlord Flying Roar Fist).

With a few words changed, I have it at something like: "If I fight against Wolf Mech Forces, I'll be forced to use '(Name of Mech in my avatar image)'"

A native Japanese speaker didn't laugh at me when I used the line to poke fun at some of the old Japanese art for BattleTech, so I figure I wasn't too far off in my attempt to parody the famous quote.

[Sartris]

I ran an Ostsol 8M in a campaign that earned the nickname 'Murder Machine' due to its TSM head-punchy goodness. I've also been known to terrorize with Tarantulas and Bloodhounds.

[Kojak]

I know many FWL players aren't a fan of it, but I really dig the classic Sirocco When you put it in the center of a 3/5 assault lance (so its flanks are covered by its lancemates), I find it to be fine battering ram in the style of the Legacy (which as a WoB player I'm also a big fan of). I've also had fun using it in defensive scenarios; when the enemy has to come to it (to get at an objective of some kind), camp that sucker behind some partial cover (ideally in some woods too) and suddenly fifty percent of the shots that "hit" it get blocked by terrain. Meanwhile, your enemies impale themselves on the constant spray of ten-point blasts it's spraying out. Of course, you still need to give it some flank protection, but that's just about arranging your forces intelligently.

[Molossian Dog IIC]

I think Molosian just doesn't want a repeat of Phoenix, where suddenly everything is light gauss equipped.  Marik has the Apollo and the Pandarus with ELRMs.  It doesn't really need a Shadow Hawk, Griffin, Warhammer, Marauder, Battlemaster, etc all with ELRMs.

You are correct. Actually I like the ELRMs, just hope the next two TROs have something else to offer. (Which it looks like they will.)

Hey, at least it isn't the HER-6D.  "Herp derp, let's have a RAC/5 with one ton of ammo!"

--At least it's only the Feds who're stuck with that piece of garbage.

The Shadowhawk -5M that dumbs a gazillion of tons into a LRM/20 and brings only 6 shots says hi.

I hope by now we have exported all of them to some gullible periphery nation, so we never have to look at its stupid face again.

[False Son]

Hey, at least it isn't the HER-6D.  "Herp derp, let's have a RAC/5 with one ton of ammo!"

--At least it's only the Feds who're stuck with that piece of garbage.

To be fair, that's just a day ending in y when it comes to the Hermes II.  That chasis just seems to attract bad decisions.

I know I shouldn't like the Orion ON1-M, but it has served me well in the past.  The ON1-MA is a decent derivative, but some times I do like having Narc.

[Weirdo]

I rather like the Hermes II. The original is a solid scout that trades speed for armor, and a main gun with above-average accuracy at what would traditionally be medium range at the time. (Translation: Fight at 4-12 hexes when possible, so that most other scouts will have medium and long range shots, while yours are at medium or short.) The Mercury is just sublime, and only its rarity leads me to recommend using it as a headhunter instead of your default scout. The -4K isn't one of ours, but I wish it was. Two large lasers on a fast chassis, that can keep heat under control with a 2-1-2-0 firing pattern? I'm sold!

The 3050 model is a disappointment to some, but I like it. Unlike some other mechs from that era, it's a solid upgrade that enhances the existing capabilities, without compromising it with too many new toys. I'm not a fan of the Mercury Elite, but can see how it'd be used like the original, using the LGR's improved range bands to get superior range mods closer in, as opposed to sniping from far out. I truly wish the -5C were still around, that thing's just beautiful. Gonna be the backbone of my medium forces the next time I pay a WoB force.

Finally, we get to the -5Sr. Perfection, utter perfection. Between this and the Cicada-3P, post-Jihad medium FWLM forces must be an utter nightmare to face.

As for the Sirocco, I love it. There's a member of my local gaming group who fears them, simply because one time he faced them, they proved nigh-impossible to kill.

[Molossian Dog IIC]

I want to like the UAC/10. There is a certain allure in the "AC/20 with range" sale pitch. And then there is its dakka-ness. But my dice are jinxed with them. (Those of my fellow players, too. Tried that.)

But beyond that I do like the Sirocco. Not despite, but because of its somewhat goofy look.
(As you saw in my PinataMech pic.)

And I tend to view QuadMechs as something very typical of FWL forces. Even the bad ones. Who am I kidding, especially the bad ones. (The good ones usually go to the Elsies.) Fondness of experimentation is clearly a League trait. But the way I read the fluff they are still not very common sights. But in fact I consider them awesome. Just think of how many turns your bipedals where derping and flopping on the ground like fish on land. Those are countless turns your Quads could have spent shooting at the enemy. Aaand there is the hilarity that is the mule kick!

One of my deepest BT related regrets is that I haven´t found an opportunity to field a Sarath in a real game. People can nitpick whatever they want about it, the concept is beyond awesome, the art is superb and the regulan vibes I get from it just make me grin like an idiot.

[Weirdo]

You want fun with Ultra-10s? Give em to infantry as towed field guns. In that use, they can't jam. :)

[Alexander Knight]

You want fun with Ultra-10s? Give em to infantry as towed field guns. In that use, they can't jam. :)

Even more fun?  The infantry platoon can have two of them!  >:D

[Weirdo]

At this point, the only question is, should I model them as Napoleonic artillery gone horribly right, or just find some teeny-eeeny StuGs? >:D

[Scotty]

At this point, the only question is, should I model them as Napoleonic artillery gone horribly right, or just find some teeny-eeeny StuGs? >:D

Puma!

[Alexander Knight]

At this point, the only question is, should I model them as Napoleonic artillery gone horribly right, or just find some teeny-eeeny StuGs? >:D

While the StuG life chose me, Napoleonic artillery would look quite spiffy next to your pith helmet-wearing Branth Cavalry....

[Weirdo]

Come to think of it, I think I was gonna use Napoleonics for Medium Rifle infantry. Won't do much to vehicles, but five or six guns that do full damage to battle armor out to 15 hexes...could be useful for dealing with Elementals or Black Wolves. :)

[GespenstM]

Yes, most of our quads suck. Our new ones are a step in the right direction though. The Sarath is good, and is one of my favorite things about Regulus rejoining the band. I like to name my Saraths "Propane Nightmare" in honor of the song and/or Hank Hill's Stand.

The Tarantula isn't too bad either. Super fragile, but I can find uses for most of its variants doing SOMETHING of note.

The Sirocco I just can't bring myself to like. I would be more upset about this, except the Trebaruna is such a good replacement for it that I no longer care. Seriously, aside from my feeling it's not a very good 'protagonist' machine (as in, I think it would be boring to write or read a book about a Trebaruna pilot)... it's one of my overall favorites in play.

[Weirdo]

What are your thoughts on the Goliath-6M?

[GespenstM]

It has an Ultra AC/10, it su-- *Shot dead mid-post*

*Revives*

Let's try that again.

It's... not bad for the BV, I guess. I interpret it as a Heavy rather than an Assault at that BV, and a 3/5/0 Heavy with

...How the hell did my post get cut off there?

EDIT: To finish that thought, "with acceptable ammo for its guns, it does about 23 damage at long range and most of that is on a turret. I treat this as a Heavy that does rear-line anchoring fire support, which is what a Quad of its movement profile ought to be doing anyway. It's not bad at all. I don't LIKE it, but it's not bad. Would be genuinely willing to play this unit in roles I normally reserve for the WHM-8D Warhammer which is interesting since they have near-identical BV. The leg lasers anger me because kicking is one of the best things about quads, but other than that it's an okay machine.

[Weirdo]

I'm not a fan of the leg lasers either, mostly because those smalls are pretty obvious to me they are meant for anti-infantry work, but small VSPLs don't actually do near as much to infantry as regular pulse lasers do. Much rather see them swapped for SPLs, and the rest of the tonnage put into armor.

That being said, overall that's a minor quibble compared to the overall mech, and definitely not enough to make me avoid it.