Author Topic: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?  (Read 5346 times)

Wrangler

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #30 on: 21 October 2017, 20:41:08 »
hmmm...that would certainly be a backfill moment since we rules wise never had mobile structure when that fluff was written.
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Paul

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #31 on: 22 October 2017, 00:02:14 »
What does it take? Caring enough about them to bother. It's only hard if you lack artillery weapons. Failing that, you get yourself a unit that can push a solid 100-150 damage at range, and you shell away at the same hex until you begin to burrow inside. You'll take a few losses (that'll teach you to not bring artillery) but its death is inevitable.
This presumes a situation where you also brought enough to counteract the escort those things must have for them to not totally suck.

Or if they move predictably enough, dig a big trench and trap the thing. Then, I dunno. Flood it maybe. You never have to see the thing anyway. Starve the occupants out; do whatever you do to take out a static target.

The Wyrm has a purpose. The Destrier and Rattler are pointless and shouldn't exist. Still, they could make for a decent boss bottle if you want something wacky. JHB used a mini platform in a game once to good effect as an objective; definitely one of the better games he's run.

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I am Belch II

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #32 on: 22 October 2017, 03:59:01 »
A lot of firepower!
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Caedis Animus

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #33 on: 22 October 2017, 04:40:34 »
While artillery may work, it doesn't take into account that said mobile structure will likely have screening forces making sure that it isn't destroyed that easily. And if you brought artillery, you were likely going to deal with significant forces anyways, so the presence of a mobile structure just means you have a more mobile target.

Taking it out via combat engineering (Building trenches in front of it) likely won't work very well. Humankind developed tactics for going over trenches a very long time ago; In fact, over 100 years ago. It consisted of... Big metal boxes with tracks. What makes someone think that a big trench will stop an EVEN BIGGER metal box? Even then, that big of a trench would be a complete waste of man-hours. And if it's big enough to have something that's wider than 60 meters fall into it and get stuck, the crew will likely notice and avoid it. That's also assuming that the screening force didn't notice it minutes or hours in advance. Mines and whatnot are fair game, but those have the similar problem of assuming the enemy Commander is completely incompetent.

I understand that the factions of Battletech grab the idiot ball a lot, but even they aren't stupid enough to get a 90-meter-wide machine stuck in a 30-meter-across hole, or drive a gigantic, super-noticable landcrawler into the middle of a freaking warzone. Especially considering these platforms are typically not mobile enough and more than expensive enough to only be deployed on bases as a defensive measure, whether at a major FoB or at the central base on a world; Acting as self-contained mobile artillery pieces, subcapital defenses, or more standard roles. You will almost never be facing just one, or one without other units acting in defense, in any role.

Long story short; If the enemy commander was so stupid as to bring the damn thing to the front lines without support  unless the front lines are at the doorstep, they must be a flunky from Warhammer 40K. Because that sort of idiocy, despite factions making stupid decisions all the time, is only present with Author Fiat, or by making the world so stupidly grimdark that hundreds of thousands of tons of resources are getting wasted because 'LUL DRIVE THE LANDCRAWLER FORWARD, I WANNA WHACK EM WITH MY SWORD'.

As for my suggestion to kill one, Artillery Spam, if at all possible.


RunandFindOut

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #34 on: 22 October 2017, 09:57:37 »
A little messy of a solution though, if you have concerns about things like 'collateral damage' or 'using the land again for a few hundred years'.
Nukes aren't that bad, that's accidentally blew up the fission waste storage facility, not lit off a nuclear bomb.  I would point out that both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were rebuilt and are thriving cities it hasn't been centuries there, and the only harmful long-term result of that is an elevated cancer rate you only notice doing statistical analysis on population data.  And those were with fission bombs quite a bit dirtier than the pure fusion weapons BT uses. 
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Col Toda

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #35 on: 22 October 2017, 10:23:46 »
The Combination of LRM launched minefields in front of its path . Anything the mobile structure has will be too close to clear the field tying down it's outriding units to ckear them . That should slow it down enough for Artillery to work very well . Minefields are AE damage so double damage to unarmored buildings . Other than a mobile dropship landing platforms the true efficacy vs resources for mobile buildings for any combat role is a question . Mobile mining or drilling resource gathering and processing units . As such there is a huge incentive to capture intact for invaders and a moving target for an objective raid in which up to date intelligence is hard to get and when a raid jump signature shows up it can pull up stakes and move to a more defensible or hidden location . As a combat unit not sure how good you can get . Look at the Lysander in the Vehicle Annex TRO that is a nice mobile Aerospace Fighter base . Where can you show me a mobile structure that is remotely worthwhile building and why .

RunandFindOut

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #36 on: 22 October 2017, 10:33:38 »
The only real combat role I have ever seen as practical for mobile structures has been as anti-orbital platforms.  Mobile sub-cap weapon platforms that can redeploy to cover gaps in defenses or deny intelligence about their position. 
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Daryk

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #37 on: 22 October 2017, 11:11:19 »
The only real combat role I have ever seen as practical for mobile structures has been as anti-orbital platforms.  Mobile sub-cap weapon platforms that can redeploy to cover gaps in defenses or deny intelligence about their position.
I think this hits the nail on the head.  Everything else can be made mobile in a much smaller package. [/thread drift]

grimlock1

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #38 on: 23 October 2017, 01:59:12 »
I suppose there's no value in pointing out that the opening post asked  "Who has killed one of the things, and how did you do it?"

I as kinda hoping to avoid a long, theoretical discussion.
Sorry for digging a pothole in the road.
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Col Toda

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #39 on: 23 October 2017, 06:07:01 »
I still think the LRM launched mine fields and Artillery is the most expedient means of reducing one and the Sub Cap platform did answer my question as the likelihood of me ever encountering them at all . Short of a Nuke which is a legal headache is the most expedient way of dealing with such . Since both are AE damage .

Terminax

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #40 on: 23 October 2017, 09:21:53 »
Yes, I've killed mobile structures and all it's taken is regular old direct attacks. No artillery, no mines, no aerospace and no fancy tricks.


Wrangler

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #42 on: 24 October 2017, 15:12:57 »
Wow, that's pretty cool scratch build!
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
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Punishermark

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Re: What does it take to Kill mobile structures?
« Reply #43 on: 24 October 2017, 15:26:59 »
Turret spins too!

 

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