HBS Expansion Thread- its time for II (spoilers)

[DarkSpade]

Personally, I prefer the hard points.   Getting a Centurion isn't nearly as rewarding if you can just slap an AC10 on a Trebuchet.   Hard points keep the different chassis unique.

[Colt Ward]

Yup, gone the same sort of way with campaign customs for table top . . . one of my favorites is replacing the Wolverine 7D's SHS with Doubles and swapping the UAC/5 for a Plasma Rifle.  Now your cooking!

[Triptych]

Personally, I prefer the hard points.   Getting a Centurion isn't nearly as rewarding if you can just slap an AC10 on a Trebuchet.   Hard points keep the different chassis unique.

Tinkering with mechs is one of the reasons I like BT. I love to tailor fit my unit using my own play style like I was able to do with Mech Commander. The classic tabletop rules allow it too- so thats what they should have gone with.

Forcing the hardpoints down to specific weapon types makes these mechs seem more primitive than they are- yeah, yeah I get its 3025 and all, but I've always found the notion of lost knowledge to be a little iffy- if mechs still exist, then tech know how about them ought to progress.

[Nightlord01]

Tinkering with mechs is one of the reasons I like BT. I love to tailor fit my unit using my own play style like I was able to do with Mech Commander. The classic tabletop rules allow it too- so thats what they should have gone with.

Forcing the hardpoints down to specific weapon types makes these mechs seem more primitive than they are- yeah, yeah I get its 3025 and all, but I've always found the notion of lost knowledge to be a little iffy- if mechs still exist, then tech know how about them ought to progress.

If HBS copied BTs construction rules, there is zero reason to have any more than one mech of each weight group. In BT if you want your Griffin to be outfitted as a Wolverine, you can, and vice versa. Eventually, HBS would run out of new things to add in with expansions so I can see why they have the hardpoints.

I'm not the biggest fan of the hardpoint system, but it's not really that bad, you can do old field refits, but no deep refurbs, without a substantial difference between mechs there's no point going for different designs in the same weight group.

[DarkSpade]

That's a good point.  Who cares if they introduce a new mech when you can already spec out an existing chassis the exact same way?  Without hard points, Omni Mechs become pointless too.

And customizing your units is still totally possible.  I barely run anything stock.  My laserboat hunchback is a sniper with it's large lasers while my shadowhawk is a close is brawler with its SRMs and small lasers.  The only mech you're supper limited on is their new Hatchetman.  It desperately needs a couple more hard points. Even a single missile port would help.

[Moonsword]

That's a good point.  Who cares if they introduce a new mech when you can already spec out an existing chassis the exact same way?

Because Orions and Black Knights just don't have that classic Marauder strut, that's why.

More seriously, I like customizing things, although I run a mix between aggressive customization and stock.  For instance, after a certain point, I fit out Kintaros as Trebuchet replacements for the extra toughness, plus I wound up with an AC/5 and LL Centurion combo because I didn't have an AC/10 handy for repairs; that mod worked out pretty well for a long time and I've used it as a starting point for an Orion loadout, too, when I had a very good AC/5 and LRM 15 to load on.

On the other hand, my Highlander, Atlas, and Awesome are mostly stock, mainly just swapping out the basic guns for improved mounts, and I think the BNC-3M is, too.  In addition to nostalgic fondness for Atlas Cola Classic, I've found the Atlas's mix of an LRM 20, thick armor, and a brutal short-range armament makes it a great pinch-hitter in an assault lance, able to make a meaningful contribution at range while it's getting into range.  It frequently swaps into the point man role once battle is joined with a Master Tactician at the controls.

[Triptych]

If HBS copied BTs construction rules, there is zero reason to have any more than one mech of each weight group. In BT if you want your Griffin to be outfitted as a Wolverine, you can, and vice versa. Eventually, HBS would run out of new things to add in with expansions so I can see why they have the hardpoints.

I'm not the biggest fan of the hardpoint system, but it's not really that bad, you can do old field refits, but no deep refurbs, without a substantial difference between mechs there's no point going for different designs in the same weight group.

Well if you look at it from a meta standpoint, these mechs are all really just skins, so HBS can just sell expansion packs as such.

How many expansion packs are they planning anyway? With like 5-6 mechs per pack that would go on forever and most players will move on to other games.

If I were them I'd ditch the hardpoints for PvE and just sell expansion mech packs on a singular basis, say $1 for a new mech type. People will buy just skins.

[Colt Ward]

Because the expansion packs are not just new mechs.  Its new battle maps and some other dynamics.

Heck, I want to see the Clan Invasion . . . but I am not sure that is going to happen.  We got the 1st expansion and we are still in the same universe map area.

[Triptych]

Then they should treat those as separate. Sell scenario packs with maps and new mechs but also allow players to buy mechs on a singular basis, like on an online store.

[DarkSpade]

There's 3 expansions.  Flash points is out already, Urban warfare I believe is this summer, and the third hasn't had any info released beyond the announcement that it will exist.

I had held out hope for mini expacs with just mechs and felt $5 per mech was a fair price, but so far the closest we got was a $4 paint job and it only works for 1 mech.  xp

[Luciora]

New chassis cost money to develop in game and the existing ones from MWO would need to be licensed from them.  Unfortunately, as modders have already included them as unofficial downloads, some players may feel charging for a "free chassis" they already have would be a money grab. 

[Colt Ward]

Well, I am looking for the announcement of what the release is going to be this summer . . . and really hope its a Warhammer or better yet a Marauder.  Oh and a Phoenix Hawk.  While I can make a Marauder from a Orion . . . and I think a Warhammer from a Cataphract (or go a bit heavier and use that Orion again)? . . . we do not have a medium chassis that can duplicate the Phoenix Hawk.  I would love for the Urban Warfare release coming up to have a Marauder, Phoenix Hawk, and . . . Javelin?

[XaosGorilla]

It is possible to put 2 large lasers, 2 med lasers, and 4 small lasers on a blackjack.  If that isn't enough overheat for you well....

As for the hard point system, I'm good with it.  I just run with the mechs that better fit my play style.

[Luciora]

HBS did announce no Classics for Urban Warfare, but they did say they had some other surprises in the works I believe.

[Colt Ward]

They said no Warhammer or Marauder . . . we could still see some that ended up in the latest box set.

[IAMCLANWOLF]

P-Hawk, and or Crusader would really melt my butter.

[Luciora]

I'm still waiting for an acceptable version of the Crusader that goes back to shoulder mounted LRMs instead of the cufflink launchers we've been getting.  I'm tempted to get another 8L and do another Mandrill arm kitbash if only the hips were designed to support the SRM addons.

P-Hawk, and or Crusader would really melt my butter.

[Charistoph]

It would be possible to set up a way to either move or alter a hard point, unless skins are set up to recognize the change in weapons.  The possibility comes via having the 'Mech be down for a long time while the change is made (say, 2-3 missions).  It can also be set up to require specific (and difficult/rare to obtain) resources to even consider having the chance to make the adjustment, then add on a Tech/Engineer/Scientist who can manage the work and/or a workshop that can handle such a modification.  It can even be specific to the weapon mount desired, such as a missile mount for above-mentioned Hatchetman, and you'll only get several, over all, in the entire campaign.

Where Omnimechs gain is that you don't need the mounts, per se, as they come with the Clan Weapons (kind of like CASE for their ammo), your standard repair bay can handle the conversion, and it would only be out of rotation for a single mission for the change.  Alternatively, instead of having specific mount types, they just have Weapon Mounts that anything can connect to, ala MechWarrior 4.

[Nightlord01]

It would be possible to set up a way to either move or alter a hard point, unless skins are set up to recognize the change in weapons.  The possibility comes via having the 'Mech be down for a long time while the change is made (say, 2-3 missions).  It can also be set up to require specific (and difficult/rare to obtain) resources to even consider having the chance to make the adjustment, then add on a Tech/Engineer/Scientist who can manage the work and/or a workshop that can handle such a modification.  It can even be specific to the weapon mount desired, such as a missile mount for above-mentioned Hatchetman, and you'll only get several, over all, in the entire campaign.

Where Omnimechs gain is that you don't need the mounts, per se, as they come with the Clan Weapons (kind of like CASE for their ammo), your standard repair bay can handle the conversion, and it would only be out of rotation for a single mission for the change.  Alternatively, instead of having specific mount types, they just have Weapon Mounts that anything can connect to, ala MechWarrior 4.

IMO MWO handles the Omnimech nicely, with different configurations having different hard points, where you can change component configurations more or less on the fly.

This could change many things, with a far more agile force at play with less chassis at the ready state.

Well if you look at it from a meta standpoint, these mechs are all really just skins, so HBS can just sell expansion packs as such.

How many expansion packs are they planning anyway? With like 5-6 mechs per pack that would go on forever and most players will move on to other games.

If I were them I'd ditch the hardpoints for PvE and just sell expansion mech packs on a singular basis, say $1 for a new mech type. People will buy just skins.

From a meta standpoint, your mechs don't have interchangeable engines, so there would be enough mechs to fill out one chassis for each motive system.

But, that's not really the point, is it? I'm certain, however, that the objective isn't to use new mechs as selling points, Paradox expansions tend to add game modes as well as new units. The ultimate ideal is to make each chassis play uniquely, so that players can work out what they like to work with, using the BT construction rules means that there's nothing truly unique about any given chassis.

I'd really like it if the game forced stock mechs or upgrades, so normal energy weapons could be upgraded to ER, ACs could be upgraded to UAC or Gauss, LRMs/SRMs could have larger racks, but no swaps between, maybe a swap for MRMs when they come in.

[Colt Ward]

So . . . did my first flashpoint . . . and I was given a Small Pulse Laser as the rare weapon- woo hoo.  But a few interesting other things in the grab bag- a piece of a Royal Black Knight.  Wonder if I will ever get to assemble it.

[Sir Chaos]

It would be possible to set up a way to either move or alter a hard point, unless skins are set up to recognize the change in weapons.  The possibility comes via having the 'Mech be down for a long time while the change is made (say, 2-3 missions).  It can also be set up to require specific (and difficult/rare to obtain) resources to even consider having the chance to make the adjustment, then add on a Tech/Engineer/Scientist who can manage the work and/or a workshop that can handle such a modification.  It can even be specific to the weapon mount desired, such as a missile mount for above-mentioned Hatchetman, and you'll only get several, over all, in the entire campaign.

Where Omnimechs gain is that you don't need the mounts, per se, as they come with the Clan Weapons (kind of like CASE for their ammo), your standard repair bay can handle the conversion, and it would only be out of rotation for a single mission for the change.  Alternatively, instead of having specific mount types, they just have Weapon Mounts that anything can connect to, ala MechWarrior 4.

The way I see OmniMechs being implemented is to introduce omni-hardpoints - i.e. hardpoints that can take any weapon category as well as equipment - and a mechanic by which any refit that involves only omni-hardpoints is completed immediately, rather than taking a number of days.

[Luciora]

The is an omni flag that can be set on each hardpoint in each chassis, if you dig in the files, but at this time, i'm not quite sure how it will be inplemented.  So they quite possibly are looking at being able to add clan tech at a future time perhaps, as well as other options such as the ability to add Area Effect damage, quite possibly from how the game engine was developed. 

This means they could possibly implement LBX damage as well as a nerfed Arrow or snub cannons.  A modder could probably do it as well.

The way I see OmniMechs being implemented is to introduce omni-hardpoints - i.e. hardpoints that can take any weapon category as well as equipment - and a mechanic by which any refit that involves only omni-hardpoints is completed immediately, rather than taking a number of days.

[Triptych]

OK I got the mod and its working.  ;D

Did an assassination job and my light-medium lance went up against 2 thunderbolts, a hunchback and a griffin. I don't know how I got out of that, but I won, even though my heaviest mech the shadowhawk (which I outfitted as a griffin) went down in turn 6 or something.

[Hammer]

This just up on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOl1CvdcOew

[Empyrus]

Urban Warfare DLC release date June 4
Adds ECM, urban environments, the Raven and Javelin.

[IAMCLANWOLF]

Underwhelmed...  :(

Hope is better than the last DLC.

[Empyrus]

Third DLC, Heavy Metal, Winter 2019, apparently adds the Unseen.

Underwhelmed...  :(

Hope is better than the last DLC.

I'll note we don't yet know what kind of quests and other content it adds. Though i suppose it is reasonable not to expect much.

I feel that Battletech is the kind of game that gets better in a sequel, if one is ever done. First one's "almost but not quite".

[IAMCLANWOLF]

I feel that Battletech is the kind of game that gets better in a sequel, if one is ever done. First one's "almost but not quite".

Oh, I am one of the few here that absolutely loves the core game. The source of many, many hours of enjoyment for me.
Flashpoint on the other hand was just a few short hours of content by comparison. I didn't feel it was worth the money.
This trailer doesn't appear promising. Looks cobbled together. And the animations of the mechwarriors in canopy-- whoa???

[Colt Ward]

The spores terrain was interesting in the last DLC, at least it popped up with a red icon when the cursor went over it.

Only two mechs?  Interesting that both are lights- Javelin will be interesting w/6 ML or 2 SRM6.  Wonder if we will see more UrbanMechs as opposition?

I think the Raven w/ ECM will stand a good chance of being a game changer- can it block a sensor lock?  If so that is going to change a LOT of the game for folks.  Is it BT ECM or will it be the EW suite?

Btw, anyone run into the Flashpoint mechs in the original campaign?  I am still wondering if that is possible as a random find.


Heavy Metal . . . sounds like we will get more mechs than this one- Marauder, Warhammer, Crusader, Phoenix Hawk?

[Alexander Knight]

Urban Warfare DLC release date June 4
Adds ECM, urban environments, the Raven and Javelin.

Also adds the Rotunda, Packrat, and Gallant (from the Reunification War)