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Ground Combat / Re: Favorite hauler for assault BA (Inner Sphere, Clan, and Comstar/WoB)?
« Last post by Luciora on Today at 15:40:50 »Only the finest lostech SL TP.
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Ground Combat / Re: Favorite hauler for assault BA (Inner Sphere, Clan, and Comstar/WoB)?
« Last post by Hellraiser on Today at 15:22:56 »I believe they used to have separate "fluff" in the TROs.
Some would say CARGO, while others called out INFANTRY BAY.
My understanding is that TW clarified it is "all the same" at the TW scale.
That said, Alpha Strike turns around & does separate them back out as CT & IT respectively.
Though they also have an "optional rule" that makes them interchangeable if both sides agree.
For simplicity sake I think anything should be equally usable as both.
If I want to stuff my grunts in the back of a pick up truck then I can, and if I want to load my Maxim full of TP Boxes, then I can do that too.
It's just easier for game play.
Some would say CARGO, while others called out INFANTRY BAY.
My understanding is that TW clarified it is "all the same" at the TW scale.
That said, Alpha Strike turns around & does separate them back out as CT & IT respectively.
Though they also have an "optional rule" that makes them interchangeable if both sides agree.
For simplicity sake I think anything should be equally usable as both.
If I want to stuff my grunts in the back of a pick up truck then I can, and if I want to load my Maxim full of TP Boxes, then I can do that too.
It's just easier for game play.
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Aerospace Combat / Re: Fleet Recon
« Last post by monbvol on Today at 15:13:10 »I think we have to agree that one of the conceits of the universe is that you do have to get very close to gather anything meaningfully. In theory you can just park a satellite somewhere between the Oort cloud and the system proper, even a few light minutes away, and just hoover up all the EM that oozes out over time. But then sigint is basically just 2,000 satellites per House/faction, and their intel gathering is amazing.
We know that capability doesn't exist, so have to accept that along with crap weapon ranges and 'Mechs being king, signint requires true liability in proximity to your intended targets.
I'll offer a thought on this particular point:
Yes you can insert a satellite like that and hoover up all sorts of intel but it has the problem of then that information is not useful until it gets back to your mission planers, which are going to be in a different system 99.999999% of the time.
Since the conceit of the setting is Black Boxes and HPGs are not that common(and for the later are not under your nation's control in most cases) that means that you have some decisions to make on how to make that information actually useful.
The tactic I see here is you jump in somewhere between the local Oort cloud equivelant but still more than 15 AU from any known inhabited bodies/known stations.
Deploy the satellite on a long slow coasting trajectory, maybe a couple others to do line of sight communications around celestial bodies, and have a controller ship sitting say about 30 AU out.
Communications delay will be a few hours by that point but done right no one would even notice it when the intel ship jumped in or out and the satellites could easily go unnoticed for years.
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Fan Articles / Re: Mech of the Week: HEL Helios
« Last post by MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on Today at 15:05:49 »The Helios also uses Endo Steel.
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Off Topic / Re: What are we Reading Now: Conan the Librarian
« Last post by MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on Today at 15:03:29 »Religious discussions are one of the fastest ways to get moderators swarming on a thread. So let's not.
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Novel and Sourcebook Reviews / Re: Without Question
« Last post by MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on Today at 15:00:10 »I also enjoyed the Fox Patrol cameo. Honesty, I feel like Katie and Star Commander Alexis should be pen pals or something.
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Aerospace Combat / Re: Fleet Recon
« Last post by Paul on Today at 14:54:49 »I keep trying to leave the Pirate Point argument-because it's irrelevant to the topic.
I agree about 50% with you.
Quote
But then, that's why you pack fuel and consumables-because your spy ships don't NEED to arrive that close, to do their job. Their job benefits from arriving at a distance outside the detection grid, then coming in at newtonian under it.
I agree that this would cover the bulk of the missions you wouldn't do by having people simply travel to the target planet to do observation in person.
I think there is meaningful disagreement on 2 points:
- Sometimes, you're in a big hurry to get information right now. A slowboat mission could take weeks, even months to get in position and gather information. Often, that's not an issue at all. But when it is, and you need your signint 5 minutes ago, you better get crafty with pirate points for insertion.
- Secondly, even when you slowboat in, you need to have a strategy to jump out. Just because you've found a nice spot interstitial in the system somewhere doesn't mean it's also suitable to jump out of at a moment's notice. Especially if you're using some kind of satellite body somewhere to obscure direct observation. And a run back to the regular proximity limit, regardless of which direction you're aiming, could take too long. So if you're able to get the best of both worlds, you found a hidey spot that at least makes a jump out plausible.
Quote
and that's only if you REALLY want to get close to get those real-time images instead of light delayed.
I think we have to agree that one of the conceits of the universe is that you do have to get very close to gather anything meaningfully. In theory you can just park a satellite somewhere between the Oort cloud and the system proper, even a few light minutes away, and just hoover up all the EM that oozes out over time. But then sigint is basically just 2,000 satellites per House/faction, and their intel gathering is amazing.
We know that capability doesn't exist, so have to accept that along with crap weapon ranges and 'Mechs being king, signint requires true liability in proximity to your intended targets.
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General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Upcoming Releases XXIX: First Annual 29th Birthday
« Last post by OrokuSaki on Today at 14:47:20 »I received my Command Lance today. The Orion actually looks nice! Unfortunately, it doesn't fit in with my "plastic grey" unit scheme...
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Fan Articles / Re: Mech of the Week: HEL Helios
« Last post by DragonKhan55 on Today at 14:45:32 »Is it actually that much cheaper than a Victor-9D? Their capabilities aren’t quite identical, but they’re similar enough that I’d think just building more Victors would make more sense than developing a whole new mech that has…a few more SRM tubes and a lot less armor.
Cost is a factor in actual BT. A Helios-3D is about 5.7 million C-Bills, a VTR-9D will run you 8.5 million and requires Endo-Steel as well which can only be spun and forged in Zero-G conditions.
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Fan Fiction / Re: Hidden Hope (Golden Lion AU, Part 4)
« Last post by AlphaMirage on Today at 14:27:02 »03:38
An MP motorcycle with two riders motored running dark and silent as they approached the iron gate that covered the entrance to the former Nashan Diversified timberyard, now mostly empty ersatz Clan airbase. Its contingent of Nova Fox fighters were either lost or docked above on their dropships. Katya’s attack helicopters were deployed forward with the rest of the 37th Strikers and most of the motor and tech pool was secreted in the forest in between.
Orbital space remained contested above squadrons of fighters jockeyed for position, warship crews engaged in repairs, and all were held in reserve for the eventual escort or interception of the impending invasion force. The MPs guarding the gate stepped forward but unlike the others they didn’t reach for a flashlight and instead had their carbines readied, “This is a restricted area, present ID, and state your business.”
Diana took the lead as Ranna held a gloved finger just over off her SMG’s trigger as she handed them the documents, both women looked similar enough and every female Warrior had grown their hair out since Katya wasn’t a stickler for the rules and regs, except they looked to perfect. “We are searching for saboteurs on orders of the Sheriff.”
Something about them seemed off, Ranna fought her training, everyone was a threat here, but this was the first time someone had felt off. They were so close; Diana slipped her hand back to her sidearm as the MPs neared but Ranna pushed it back. The guards kept a clear line of fire between them as a machine gun truck pulled up behind them with a remote turret on the roof. “There are no saboteurs.
Patrols have been running the perimeter all night. We would’ve seen them.” At that utterance the other woman looked strangely at her companion who contorted herself.
Ranna clutched Diana’s vest as she gripped the handlebars, “I hear that some can hide in plain sight or become invisible.”
“We think you might have missed a few.”
“Shoot them!” The cycle’s high beam headlights flicked on, blinding the truck and its weapon’s operator. They sped off to Ranna fired back at the guards dropping some but unfortunately only hitting them on the vest. Both ROM women rallied and jumped into the truck which burned rubber and engaged its headlights while Diana turned hers of and evaded incoming machine gun fire erupting around them.
“I told you something was up!” Ranna screamed over the intermittent fire and return fire she was doing with her pistol.
“I never said you were wrong. I just DIDN’T want to get involved!”
She fired off a few shots toward the headlights that both blinded her but gave her a rough idea of the target zone. “Well, we are involved now.”
“All I wanted was a quiet night where I can get off easy, meet some people, try on some new clothes, have a few drinks, perhaps handle a few rough characters if necessary, and then everything goes according to plan. Is that too much to ask!”
More truck began to appear with red and blue flashing lights, “What are the odds we can convince them that ROM had replaced a patrol?”
“I’d say poor as long as our opponents can speak.”
Ranna pulled the last magazine from her chest rig, the ones in her BDU pants were already expended. “You wouldn’t happen to have more ammo then, would you?”
“You already used your one twenty!? And its still not handled!?” A burst of machine gun fire ripped into the asphalt beside them sending up chunks of bitumen selling the point.
“It’s an armored truck Diana!” Ranna fired in the direction of the driver’s window squinting in the light as she unsteadily held it out while racing along the runway. “These pistol rounds aren’t going to do anything to it.”
“There’s a compartment in the saddle bags with a flare gun. Ensure it is loaded then pass it up.”
“What are you going to do with a flare gun?”
“Sink an armored truck and playing chicken with a bunch of machine gunners.”
“WHAT!?”
“Don’t worry they won’t shoot if the truck is right behind us, crossfire and all.”
The river was coming up quickly, more gun trucks took up position nearby to cut them off, deploying even more armed guards on the side of a desolate darkened runway with only a single N&D branded Cavalier Fast Courier Dropship parked alongside. Their lights concealed the fact that the perimeter fence was right there and not much further beyond it was the N&D canal where timber was barged in and out of Alba. Ranna passed the flare gun forward, “Hang on!”
They kept speeding onward into the barricade before Diana powerslid the bike beneath them lining up a shot against their pursuer. She held fast to the saddle beneath her as the blinding projectile splattered incendiary material onto the front window. Sparks erupted as the racing motorcycle’s frame hit the asphalt below as Diana failed to regain control, slowing just enough that Diana and Ranna were tossed onto but not smashed into the runway.
MPs scattered as a speeding MRAP smashed into their lighter jeeps and a motorcycle flipped out of control toward them. Both women slid across the tarmac turtling up on their armored vests and trying to keep their head and limbs off the ground coming to a stop just as they heard a splash and gargle as the heavy MRAP sank to the bottom.
Their vests were ripped up and both women ditched them right before the remaining MPs rushed to their location, pulling them to their knees and handcuffing them in the process.
“Hey! Hands off!”
“Yeah, we are on your side.”
Both were pulled to their feet and shoved into the back of a jeep beside the legs of a machine gunner as the jeep rolled back to base. Two more waited to see if anyone in the MRAP came back to the surface. Its heavy doors were hard to handle in goods times and would only be more difficult if you were surrounded by water, but they did have an air supply in the cabin assuming it was still intact. It was however unlikely that a salvage truck would be onsite anytime soon with the impending combat, so they had time.
Ranna whispered, “Where is the rest of your team?”
“If they were paying attention.
Already inside.”
An MP motorcycle with two riders motored running dark and silent as they approached the iron gate that covered the entrance to the former Nashan Diversified timberyard, now mostly empty ersatz Clan airbase. Its contingent of Nova Fox fighters were either lost or docked above on their dropships. Katya’s attack helicopters were deployed forward with the rest of the 37th Strikers and most of the motor and tech pool was secreted in the forest in between.
Orbital space remained contested above squadrons of fighters jockeyed for position, warship crews engaged in repairs, and all were held in reserve for the eventual escort or interception of the impending invasion force. The MPs guarding the gate stepped forward but unlike the others they didn’t reach for a flashlight and instead had their carbines readied, “This is a restricted area, present ID, and state your business.”
Diana took the lead as Ranna held a gloved finger just over off her SMG’s trigger as she handed them the documents, both women looked similar enough and every female Warrior had grown their hair out since Katya wasn’t a stickler for the rules and regs, except they looked to perfect. “We are searching for saboteurs on orders of the Sheriff.”
Something about them seemed off, Ranna fought her training, everyone was a threat here, but this was the first time someone had felt off. They were so close; Diana slipped her hand back to her sidearm as the MPs neared but Ranna pushed it back. The guards kept a clear line of fire between them as a machine gun truck pulled up behind them with a remote turret on the roof. “There are no saboteurs.
Patrols have been running the perimeter all night. We would’ve seen them.” At that utterance the other woman looked strangely at her companion who contorted herself.
Ranna clutched Diana’s vest as she gripped the handlebars, “I hear that some can hide in plain sight or become invisible.”
“We think you might have missed a few.”
“Shoot them!” The cycle’s high beam headlights flicked on, blinding the truck and its weapon’s operator. They sped off to Ranna fired back at the guards dropping some but unfortunately only hitting them on the vest. Both ROM women rallied and jumped into the truck which burned rubber and engaged its headlights while Diana turned hers of and evaded incoming machine gun fire erupting around them.
“I told you something was up!” Ranna screamed over the intermittent fire and return fire she was doing with her pistol.
“I never said you were wrong. I just DIDN’T want to get involved!”
She fired off a few shots toward the headlights that both blinded her but gave her a rough idea of the target zone. “Well, we are involved now.”
“All I wanted was a quiet night where I can get off easy, meet some people, try on some new clothes, have a few drinks, perhaps handle a few rough characters if necessary, and then everything goes according to plan. Is that too much to ask!”
More truck began to appear with red and blue flashing lights, “What are the odds we can convince them that ROM had replaced a patrol?”
“I’d say poor as long as our opponents can speak.”
Ranna pulled the last magazine from her chest rig, the ones in her BDU pants were already expended. “You wouldn’t happen to have more ammo then, would you?”
“You already used your one twenty!? And its still not handled!?” A burst of machine gun fire ripped into the asphalt beside them sending up chunks of bitumen selling the point.
“It’s an armored truck Diana!” Ranna fired in the direction of the driver’s window squinting in the light as she unsteadily held it out while racing along the runway. “These pistol rounds aren’t going to do anything to it.”
“There’s a compartment in the saddle bags with a flare gun. Ensure it is loaded then pass it up.”
“What are you going to do with a flare gun?”
“Sink an armored truck and playing chicken with a bunch of machine gunners.”
“WHAT!?”
“Don’t worry they won’t shoot if the truck is right behind us, crossfire and all.”
The river was coming up quickly, more gun trucks took up position nearby to cut them off, deploying even more armed guards on the side of a desolate darkened runway with only a single N&D branded Cavalier Fast Courier Dropship parked alongside. Their lights concealed the fact that the perimeter fence was right there and not much further beyond it was the N&D canal where timber was barged in and out of Alba. Ranna passed the flare gun forward, “Hang on!”
They kept speeding onward into the barricade before Diana powerslid the bike beneath them lining up a shot against their pursuer. She held fast to the saddle beneath her as the blinding projectile splattered incendiary material onto the front window. Sparks erupted as the racing motorcycle’s frame hit the asphalt below as Diana failed to regain control, slowing just enough that Diana and Ranna were tossed onto but not smashed into the runway.
MPs scattered as a speeding MRAP smashed into their lighter jeeps and a motorcycle flipped out of control toward them. Both women slid across the tarmac turtling up on their armored vests and trying to keep their head and limbs off the ground coming to a stop just as they heard a splash and gargle as the heavy MRAP sank to the bottom.
Their vests were ripped up and both women ditched them right before the remaining MPs rushed to their location, pulling them to their knees and handcuffing them in the process.
“Hey! Hands off!”
“Yeah, we are on your side.”
Both were pulled to their feet and shoved into the back of a jeep beside the legs of a machine gunner as the jeep rolled back to base. Two more waited to see if anyone in the MRAP came back to the surface. Its heavy doors were hard to handle in goods times and would only be more difficult if you were surrounded by water, but they did have an air supply in the cabin assuming it was still intact. It was however unlikely that a salvage truck would be onsite anytime soon with the impending combat, so they had time.
Ranna whispered, “Where is the rest of your team?”
“If they were paying attention.
Already inside.”
