Adapting the Clan Nova unit concept with purely IS tech.

[Terrace]

Have an idea for a mercenary commander who fought a Clan Nova (OmniMech/Elemental combo) in his backstory who decided the concept was nice enough to steal when he built his own unit.

Now, since an OmniMech/Battle Armor mix is pretty simple to describe, it's the fiddly details that can trip you up. First, he's gotta use Inner Sphere OmniMechs and Battle Armor. Second, how big can such a unit really be? Since Novas go up to Trinary size (essentially fifteen OmniMechs with an equal amount of Elemental squads) I think it should be capped at Company size (12 'Mechs and 12 BA Squads), but where is he going to get a Company's worth of Omnis? That's not even going into how Omnis are apparently rare even in House units, and this should probably be a Jihad or post-Jihad unit simply to justify there being enough Battle Armor (and operators of such) around for them to field 12 Squads of them at once (including spare suits).

Cutting the unit size down could ease the difficulty of finding sufficient units, but I want to at least try to maintain a semblance of standard IS military organization (beyond what they're already doing).

I do think the IS Standard should be the BA they end up using, but everything else is still fluid.

[Archangel]

Have you considered copying the CCAF's augmented lances? Note that your proposed unit of 12 'Mechs and 12 BA squads is going to cause you transportation headaches down the road (a Union is too small while an Overlord might be too big)

[Terrace]

Not sure. According to the rules for Infantry Bays, you could get the required space on a Union (with plenty of extra) just by yanking out one of the fighter cubicles, and still have over 50 tons to play with. Heck, yank both and use some of the freed-up storage for spare suits/parts!

It's not like "Modify the DropShip" is somehow forbidden, right?

[worktroll]

If you can get hold of some Fa Shih suits, you'll make life easier. However, the CapCon keeps a pretty firm grip on them, according to the MUL.

The other option is to use the Omnis which no-one really loves - and that means the Owens, Strider, Arctic Fox, and (slightly less unwanted) the Firestarter Omni. All of these can be found in mercenary units in the Clan Invasion era, and from the general feel are being more or less sold to anyone showing interest. ("First prize, a Strider OmniMech! Second prize, a lance of Strider OmniMechs!" ;) )

Yes, you'll need to be a reasonably well-heeled merc - perhaps you managed to capture some ClanTech goodies from a supply base, but didn't have the tech capabilities to use it. So you converted it to C-bills with the nearest Successor House, and went on a shopping spree.

No reason not to go with IS Standards, but consider a platoon of Gray Death Scout suits as well.

W.

[Terrace]

If you can get hold of some Fa Shih suits, you'll make life easier. However, the CapCon keeps a pretty firm grip on them, according to the MUL.

Don't really care much for that suit anyway, so no harm done.  ::)

The other option is to use the Omnis which no-one really loves - and that means the Owens, Strider, Arctic Fox, and (slightly less unwanted) the Firestarter Omni. All of these can be found in mercenary units in the Clan Invasion era, and from the general feel are being more or less sold to anyone showing interest. ("First prize, a Strider OmniMech! Second prize, a lance of Strider OmniMechs!" ;) )

Hmm. That sounds like a good idea, and lets me give some love to Omnis that I haven't looked at much.

Yes, you'll need to be a reasonably well-heeled merc - perhaps you managed to capture some ClanTech goodies from a supply base, but didn't have the tech capabilities to use it. So you converted it to C-bills with the nearest Successor House, and went on a shopping spree.

Well, since he was specifically inspired by his experience fighting a Supernova, this fits seamlessly with his backstory. Sure, the Clan unit was beaten, but the Nova Captain did far better than than a pure 'Mech unit would have. At least in the merc commander's opinion.  8)

No reason not to go with IS Standards, but consider a platoon of Gray Death Scout suits as well.

Hey, I like the IS Standard. Though I won't say no to some scouts.

Ok, I think I got a basic ToO&E set up.

Nova Company

Able Lance
Avatar AV1-O
Avatar AV1-O
Blackjack BJ2-O
Blackjack BJ2-O
4x IS Standard BA Squads

Bravo Lance
Firestarter FS9-O
Firestarter FS9-O
Arctic Fox AF1
Arctic Fox AF1
4x IS Standard BA Squads

Charlie Lance
Strider SR1-O
Strider SR1-O
Owens OW-1
Owens OW-1
4x Gray Death Scout Squads

Union (3055) - Starburst (Remove ASF Bays for Battle Armor Bay and extra cargo/spare parts)

Hmm. Looks good. Though now I have to boot up SSW and make a proper Strider C3 Master configuration so the Slave units on the pair of Owens aren't dead weight. Hmm, maybe modify the C config by dropping a ton of ammo and downgrading the Large Laser to a pair of Small Pulses so I can upgrade the C3 Slave to a Master...

[worktroll]

Take the C, and replace the C3 slave and LL with C3M and ML.

I would stick to three lance C3 formations; the extra tonnage to convert to cover the full company probably isn't worth it to a merc unit.

Sounds solid!

[Terrace]

Take the C, and replace the C3 slave and LL with C3M and ML.

I would stick to three lance C3 formations; the extra tonnage to convert to cover the full company probably isn't worth it to a merc unit.

Sounds solid!

Eh, probably keep the C3 to just the one lance. The Firestarter doesn't have enough spare tonnage for a substantial warload once you factor in the C3 Master unit (I can only fit an ER PPC and a Guardian ECM Suite on, and I have to store the Master unit in the right arm!), and the Arctic Fox doesn't have any canon configurations with C3 either.

Besides, I like the idea of giving Able Lance a pair of Avatar As with Blackjack Primes running fire support.

[worktroll]

I do love the Avatar C. 20 LRM tubes, a PPC, and a UAC-5, plus the paired MLs, is a good warload, considering there's a C3M in there too.

And any Blackjack Omni is a thing of joy. You can basically replace any 3025 era heavy with one of the BJO's configs.

W.

[Aposiopesis]

A little late to the party, but as an alternative to the above, you could possibly see tighter integration in the IS units, and to get a closer scale to a Nova you could have something like this:

Nova Company:

Lance 1

Avatar
Blackjack
Battle Armor 1
Battle Armor 2

Lance 2

Firestarter
Arctic Fox
Battle Armor 3
Battle Armor 4

Lance 3

Strider
Owens
Battle Armor 5
Battle Armor 6

The usual balance post invasion is Company vs Binary (12 mechs vs 10 mechs), so I think this compares well (6 mechs and 24 suits of battle armor vs 5 mechs and 25 suits of battle armor). A little weak on the IS side maybe but if you're using C3 it gets closer.

Or, if you want just a bit more umf in the concept, you could also go with a reinforced company sized unit and do:

Lance 1:

Avatar
Blackjack
Firestarter
Arctic Fox

Lance 2:

Strider
Strider
Owens
Owens

(Or whatever for the mech choices--I'm just thinking Nova philosophy, so mostly fast mechs to move the BA around)

Platoon 1:

BAx4

Platoon 2:

BAx4

This comes out to a balance of 8 mechs vs 5 mechs and 32 BA vs 25 BA. Not only that, but 8 mechs and 2 BA platoons fit nicely to an Onion, and you can even keep your aeros and free up some extra cargo space for all those spare parts the BA's are going to be 'rescuing' from the OpFor. This also fits well in the typical IS rank structure, as you would have a Captain (or equivalent) commanding the company, a senior Lieutenant commanding the lead BA platoon and acting as company 2nd, and junior Lt's commanding the 2nd mech/BA platoons. No need to shove an extra officer into the company level pay scale, just stuff a few more enlisted men in there.

This second option also expands well into a 'Supernova Binary/Trinary' type Batallion. Dock 2-3 Onions on a Merchant or Invader and send a Batallion of these buggers as a task force. Nasty.

If you're fortunate enough to have one, you could even fit all 16 mechs and 16 BA squads of a 'Supernova Binary Company' into a Fortress, have artillery support. Hell, you've even got enough space left over in the Fortress to bring along a decent contingent of support vehicles of the repair/rearm/etc variety. Bring along a Leopard on a merchant for a wing of air support on your Merchant. Or maybe this is your scout/beachhead force and you've got 2 unions from your Invader flying in with another 2 companies of mechs...

[Hellraiser]

I would consider something a little different.

Have the IS commander so in love with the Nova formation that he full on flips for 5 unit base.

Drop 2 Mech cubicles for the BA bays & cargo & even a couple support vehicles.

Keep the ASF bays to provide cover for the Dropship.  Also use the original Union, far more common to mercs than the upgrade.

Also just go 1 Nova w/ a normal Mech star since both Omni's & Battle Armor are rare & don't encompass the entire unit.




Something like this:


Command Star
Cyclops-11C
Victor-C
Marauder-5D
Archer-4M
Warhammer-7S


Striker Nova:
Firestarter-OD
Strider-JJs
Owens-?
Arctic Fox (6-9-6?)
Raptor-E
2 IS Standard Squads
2 GDL Standard Squads
1 GDL Scout Squad


Aero Support:
Union (Original)
2x Hellcat-313



You get a solid 3050 era Heavy/Assault lance with a pair of gauss for C3 firesupport.
You also get a 3060's era Striker unit of Light/Medium omnis backed up by 5 BA squads.
Either "Star" can handle an IS Lance & the entire "Binary" can handle an IS Company, and you keep your Aero Support.
The C3 Network is only a single lance for BV & rarity considerations but gives you a couple extra accurate guns in the company.

[truetanker]

Sorry for Necro...

But have you taken a look at the newer dropships out there in the era of conceivement?

Such as the Trojan?

TT

[Kasaga]

You are tracking that a Nova is a star each of Omni's and Battle Armor.  Not a Star of Omni's and a point of Battle Armor.

So if you went with IS org it should look something like this.

Lance 1
Omni 1
Omni 2
Omni 3
Omni 4
Point 1 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 2 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 3 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 4 IS Standard (4x suits)

Lance 2
Omni 1
Omni 2
Omni 3
Omni 4
Point 1 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 2 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 3 IS Standard (4x suits)
Point 4 IS Standard (4x suits)

Just giving you ideas.  Otherwise what you are showing is the CCAF Augmented Lance or the Clan Mixed Stars where you will have 3-4 Mech's with 1-2 points of Battle Armor.  Also Clan Wolf has the strategic command stars with 3 Omni's, 1 point Battle Armor (5 suits) and 1 aero point (2 aerospace fighters)

[Daryk]

Personally, I've always figured the IS BA squad being four suits was based on IS 'mechs being able to "lift" (with hands or otherwise) one BA suit per 'mech in a lance without movement penalty.  That's obviously not a "Nova", but makes sense to me.

[truetanker]

The Merc could also have been working for Comstar and had learned the Way of the Six...

Early Choir and all...

TT

[LastChanceCav]

For the FWL I run "convocations" (a gathering of eagles). A company of IS omnis, usuallly  a mix of Perseus, BHKUs, and Firestarters and a mixed company of Achileus, IS Standard, and Phalanx.

Cheers,
LCC

[Decoy]

I'm just gonna set the Fa Sure version of the IS Standard right over here. Adding magclamps only prevents it from using the Small Laser configuration. All the others are good to go. Then again, the Fa Sure is I don't know how old and how available. Should be pretty common though. it's not hard to do.

[worktroll]

And always an excuse for raids into the CapCon for spare parts! Don't forget, the Fa Sure has mines as well.

The Longinus mag version is a tough but short-ranged brawler, and worth considering.

LCC, would you take stock Longinus instead of IS Standard?

[Decoy]

No. The Fa Sure is a version of the IS Standard Battle Armor that has magclamps and is made by Andurien. it was introduced in 3150. Also, Mercenaries get the support version of the Fa  Shih sometime about 3085. Also, there's the Spectre and the Minirauder for other Magclamp units past 3130ish

[Hellraiser]

No. The Fa Sure is a version of the IS Standard Battle Armor that has magclamps and is made by Andurien. it was introduced in 3150.

I don't have the RS but Sarna doesn't mention Mag Clamps, it mentions a Mine Dispensor.

Fa Sure
This Dark Age variant is used by the Duchy of Andurien. It carries a Mine Dispenser instead of the Modular Weapon Mount of the original.[12]

Does it for sure have MagClamps?

[worktroll]

Yup. I designed it ;)

[Decoy]

Gar. wrong bit of equipment. My mistake. ><

[worktroll]

Mag clamps and mine dispensers, both. Reduced weapons load, but still modular.