Author Topic: A-pod query  (Read 6269 times)

SteelRaven

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #30 on: 21 November 2017, 13:40:23 »
I get that A-Pods are GREAT for swarms of infantry, I loved the idea when I first read up on the A-Pod (mech mounted Claymors) but after 23 years of playing, I have never once been swarmed by standard infantry. It's a very niche weapon.
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JadeHellbringer

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #31 on: 21 November 2017, 13:52:04 »
I get that A-Pods are GREAT for swarms of infantry, I loved the idea when I first read up on the A-Pod (mech mounted Claymors) but after 23 years of playing, I have never once been swarmed by standard infantry. It's a very niche weapon.

It's one of those things that makes a TON of sense in-universe, not as much in gameplay. Look at the setup for an RCT- one regiment of Mechs, three of vehicles, FIVE of infantry. That's a whole lot of grunts. That's how most non-Clan militaries are laid out in the universe, there's a lot more conventional forces than Mech forces, even in the Civil War-era of huge Mech armies. Just how it is- economically, it's a lot easier to hand Billy Bob a rifle and tell him to kill the guys over there than it is to train him to operate an expensive walking tank. So that means most battlefields are going to be swarming (heh) with infantry- and thus the A-pod makes a ton of sense.

But in a tabletop game, most players tend to avoid using infantry- many even prefer not to use anything BUT Mechs (which is a shame, to me, but to each their own). So if you don't FACE infantry, you don't need that half-ton used on a silly A-pod that never will go off. It's one of those disconnects between the table and the books, unfortunately- hardly the most serious one, of course, but one regardless.

Now, for me, I'd like to see the ability to set A/B/M pods as mines, but that might get a little ugly.
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Empyrus

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #32 on: 21 November 2017, 15:29:02 »
A-pods should have been standard equipment from Star League-era onward to make some sense as they are, i mean, they're simple enough Spheroids copied them with no differences...
Better yet, they should be effectively B-pods but with A-pod statistics (half a ton weight, no explosion if hit), might've made them more useful and sensible, especially if introduced by Clans.

Side note: I didn't realize just much infantry BT actually has.
Five regiments of infantry per RCT? That is nearly 4000 soldiers.
...
Deploying that much infantry on a table would be funny... (EDIT 5 regiments of infantry formed from standard platoons is 3780 troops. Split that platoons, you get total of 135 platoons of infantry. The opponent should bring a lot of artillery, no 'Mech is gonna wade into that.)
« Last Edit: 21 November 2017, 15:31:25 by Empyrus »

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #33 on: 21 November 2017, 16:13:57 »
Who would operate the trailer? Typically it is the vehicle crew

Trailers within the Battletech rules are simply vehicles with no engine, or just a minimal one for power, and a trailer hitch in the front. They have their own crew, just like any other vee.
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Empyrus

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #34 on: 21 November 2017, 16:37:48 »
Are robot/drone trailers allowed...?
I mean, vehicle drones are allowed so logically that applies to trailers as well.

Sorry for the digression, i just had an idea and started wondering.

JadeHellbringer

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #35 on: 21 November 2017, 22:44:54 »
Are robot/drone trailers allowed...?
I mean, vehicle drones are allowed so logically that applies to trailers as well.

Sorry for the digression, i just had an idea and started wondering.

If not (and I rightly don't know, though it would make SENSE), that's what penal colony crews are for.

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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #36 on: 21 November 2017, 23:07:42 »
How do you get penal colony crews to actually shoot what they're supposed to instead of backstabbing the regular troops or just running away?
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Empyrus

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #37 on: 22 November 2017, 01:17:23 »
How do you get penal colony crews to actually shoot what they're supposed to instead of backstabbing the regular troops or just running away?
This is my thinking. I don't trust conscription, and prisoner army even less. I mean, pointing guns at guys who are getting sent to face guns doesn't really work. And offering them freedom or even other rewards is dubious since there are no guarantees they get to enjoy those.
I would remind what happened with Kuritan Chain-Gangs during the Succession Wars. (The only ones that worked were drugged out of their minds or insane to begin with, me thinks.)

Dronified-ambush-trailers are much more reliable, ignoring ECM...

SteelRaven

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #38 on: 22 November 2017, 02:18:46 »

Now, for me, I'd like to see the ability to set A/B/M pods as mines, but that might get a little ugly.

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Liam's Ghost

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #39 on: 22 November 2017, 03:08:38 »
How do you get penal colony crews to actually shoot what they're supposed to instead of backstabbing the regular troops or just running away?

Traditionally, the Soviet method was to set up machine gun crews behind them to deal with anybody running the wrong way. In this crazy mixed up scifi world of ours... well, I will point out that the explosive suicide implant is readily available to all factions in all eras and can be remotely detonated.
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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #40 on: 22 November 2017, 03:20:18 »
In this crazy mixed up scifi world of ours... well, I will point out that the explosive suicide implant is readily available to all factions in all eras and can be remotely detonated.

It's one less step to simply wire the trailer full of explosives for remote detonation than to wire the guy who's supposed to operate the trailer full of explosives for remote detonation.  Though perhaps not as funny.
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marauder648

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #41 on: 22 November 2017, 03:45:45 »
Wouldn't A-Pods basically be better if they had 'ammo'.  Instead of being one HUGE Claymore, banks of them so they can be fired repeatedly. That would explain why the damn thing weighs half a ton.
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JadeHellbringer

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #42 on: 22 November 2017, 06:23:50 »
Wouldn't A-Pods basically be better if they had 'ammo'.  Instead of being one HUGE Claymore, banks of them so they can be fired repeatedly. That would explain why the damn thing weighs half a ton.

Yeah, getting down into quarter-ton setups is messy for construction purposes (particularly with fractional accounting gone), but if it's going to be half a ton I expect a little more bang for my buck.

As-is, I just presume it's the shaped charge, shrapnel, casing, and a whole lot of confetti. SURPRIIIISE!!!
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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #43 on: 22 November 2017, 09:19:45 »
Traditionally, the Soviet method was to set up machine gun crews behind them to deal with anybody running the wrong way. In this crazy mixed up scifi world of ours... well, I will point out that the explosive suicide implant is readily available to all factions in all eras and can be remotely detonated.

The Marians are described as doing exactly this in the Testudo's fluff.

My preference is to convince to trailer crews that there's a plan behind all this, and they're not getting left there to die. Being truthful when you tell them this is also nice, but I'll admit it's not strictly mandatory every time, especially in this setting.
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JadeHellbringer

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #44 on: 22 November 2017, 10:00:00 »
The Marians are described as doing exactly this in the Testudo's fluff.

My preference is to convince to trailer crews that there's a plan behind all this, and they're not getting left there to die. Being truthful when you tell them this is also nice, but I'll admit it's not strictly mandatory every time, especially in this setting.

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #45 on: 22 November 2017, 10:04:42 »
In-universe, that's probably exactly how the conversation goes.
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guardiandashi

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #46 on: 22 November 2017, 19:15:20 »
Yeah, getting down into quarter-ton setups is messy for construction purposes (particularly with fractional accounting gone), but if it's going to be half a ton I expect a little more bang for my buck.

As-is, I just presume it's the shaped charge, shrapnel, casing, and a whole lot of confetti. SURPRIIIISE!!!
I'll admit at my table I still use 1/4 ton fractions when building things, but I find them easy enough to track and remember.
I will say that if it was me on the Timberwolf prime I would have reduced the MG ammo instead of dropping the error small laser... but that's me

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #47 on: 22 November 2017, 19:16:40 »
I think I'm going to start referring to ER lasers as error lasers from now on. ;D
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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #48 on: 22 November 2017, 21:44:38 »
Only way to unsuck them is to have them prevent the Swarm attack if they inflict any damage, and even then you prob still need to bump them to 2d6 damage.
Of course, swarm attacks are also nerfed in to irrelevance, so there's that.

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I think that's an ongoing problem with BT's balance for infantry, infantry have been kept/made so powerless that once BV and especially the later versions that infantry are so cheap you can put a horde of them on the table.

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #49 on: 22 November 2017, 22:49:44 »
I think that's an ongoing problem with BT's balance for infantry, infantry have been kept/made so powerless that once BV and especially the later versions that infantry are so cheap you can put a horde of them on the table.
I don't remember what the other side of the table looked like but I've heard of games where one player had gave up a bunch of mechs for something like 20 platoons of infantry.  Oh and they were fighting in a city :-\
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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #50 on: 22 November 2017, 23:26:31 »
At that point, you insist on fire rules being in play and just burn the whole place down.
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Re: A-pod query
« Reply #51 on: 22 November 2017, 23:44:16 »
I don't remember what the other side of the table looked like but I've heard of games where one player had gave up a bunch of mechs for something like 20 platoons of infantry.  Oh and they were fighting in a city :-\

Ah, the "A gun behind every blade of grass" strategy. I did that a couple times, mixed in some light armor and offboard artillery too, and they were all hidden. Still lost, my opponents turned the city into a moonscape.
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