Author Topic: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising  (Read 151978 times)

jklantern

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #450 on: 07 October 2018, 18:32:15 »
The New Van had been in Taurian hands for centuries, yes, they had been unable to repair its transit drives.

Question of my own, is it specified anywhere what 'mech Grover Shraplen drove?

I was not aware he was a MechWarrior, or rather, a career MechWarrior.  Planetary Governor and Protector, sure, but he never struck me as a "lead from the front" kind of guy.
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Deadborder

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #451 on: 08 October 2018, 01:43:56 »
Question of my own, is it specified anywhere what 'mech Grover Shraplen drove?

It never has been, no.
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Elmoth

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #452 on: 08 October 2018, 02:40:19 »
For what I know I am not sure he was a MechWarrior at all.

DOC_Agren

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #453 on: 21 October 2018, 19:42:29 »
Grover Shraplen I've always thought was a monday morning mechwarrior
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wanderer25

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #454 on: 22 November 2018, 23:25:21 »
 

The TC has a  4 yr conscription for all citizens. Either the military or some public service.  As a planetary noble/ruler  it unlikely he spent it in the infantry, or as a teacher.

They do have a Navy and  aerospace arm so those are viable options too. Being an ASF pilot or dropship captain does carry some prestige?

 

carlisimo

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #455 on: 31 December 2018, 05:09:58 »
New player, signing up.  I suspect reading the (intimidating quantity of) background material for this game will make the great houses seem more interesting, but from my initial reading I'd rather be here!  And a friend started explaining the concept of totem mechs, and of the ones he mentioned the Toro was by far the best-looking to me. 

Then I figured out this era thing, and the MUL.  Okay, I can live with shelving the Toros when I get the upcoming intro box and play 3025 battles.  My friends play Jihad era too, and might get into the current timeline.  Is it common to use the same minis across all three eras?  Just pick a paint scheme that doesn't belong to a regiment that disappeared?  (I liked the 2nd Taurian Lancers' blue, so that's a pity.  Might go with bronze as a flashy take on the Taurian Guards.)

Anyway, back to the Toro.  It looks like the -A-6 might as well not exist because it's Star League-era only, and the -A-1 looks slow and difficult to use.  Is it pointless to try to take one?  How would one use it, fire the large laser from afar while saving the SRMs for the late game?  But how do you make it to the late game?  And what kind of lance can make use of one or two?  (Okay, that last question probably belongs somewhere else in this forum.  It's one aspect of the game I still don't understand well at all.)

Thanks for the help!

AlphaMirage

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #456 on: 31 December 2018, 12:01:58 »
New player, signing up.  I suspect reading the (intimidating quantity of) background material for this game will make the great houses seem more interesting, but from my initial reading I'd rather be here!  And a friend started explaining the concept of totem mechs, and of the ones he mentioned the Toro was by far the best-looking to me. 

Then I figured out this era thing, and the MUL.  Okay, I can live with shelving the Toros when I get the upcoming intro box and play 3025 battles.  My friends play Jihad era too, and might get into the current timeline.  Is it common to use the same minis across all three eras?  Just pick a paint scheme that doesn't belong to a regiment that disappeared?  (I liked the 2nd Taurian Lancers' blue, so that's a pity.  Might go with bronze as a flashy take on the Taurian Guards.)

Anyway, back to the Toro.  It looks like the -A-6 might as well not exist because it's Star League-era only, and the -A-1 looks slow and difficult to use.  Is it pointless to try to take one?  How would one use it, fire the large laser from afar while saving the SRMs for the late game?  But how do you make it to the late game?  And what kind of lance can make use of one or two?  (Okay, that last question probably belongs somewhere else in this forum.  It's one aspect of the game I still don't understand well at all.)

Thanks for the help!

Welcome to Battletech where there are far too many questions than answers.  I would worry about the eras to much especially for this Mech it is entirely Succession Wars tech.  The minis are just tokens for the players, the record sheets are what's really important to the game so feel free.

Concerning the Toro the A6 is very similar to the Panther which has long been a Kurita standby with good reason.  In fact the Panther 9LAG version is almost the same mech, just substituting the LRM-5 for SRM-4 and dropping heat sinks for weapons, in fact a lance of 3 Toro A6s and 1 SRM Carrying Toro would give me pause in 3025.  The 1A version is inferior because of the primitive armor so use the A6 version.

Use the missiles frequently, the PPC/Missile combo is one of the best known in the game.  With two launchers and two ammo bins you have lots of options and can use special and regular ammo in the same turn if you want.  With two tons of ammo fire with impunity as long as you can take the heat to clear those bins and reduce the chance of a mech shattered ammo critical hit. I would load Smoke LRM rounds in one and use those to provide cover for allies.
If your group allows custom jobs a pair of SRM-4s with one ton of infernos and the other regular would be equally nasty especially in 3025 but even in the Jihad its a nice way to deal with Battle Armor and Vehicles. 

For LRMs get within 7 Hexes of the bad guy to get that sweet short range then shoot everything but alternate LRM-5s and PPCs within 18 to 7 hexes or you will overheat fast. 
SRMs give you a viable weapon at close range when the PPC has an accuracy penalty while utilizing the PPC's long range to lay down fire, alternate fire if you are within 9 hexes.  A pair of SRM-4s will hit with similar damage but dispersed while allowing you to cool down from movement heat just like the LRMs.

The Toro is potent fire support but has to be used wisely or it will heat up dramatically and slow down.  Slow light mechs are just targets that can't take the hit.  For best results always be moving to a better position and take cover when you need to cool down (LRMs can indirect fire which means you're not out of the fight while behind cover so use it).

Happy Hunting

carlisimo

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #457 on: 31 December 2018, 12:23:45 »
Maybe I’m missing something fundamental, but isn’t the -A6 completely extinct and unavailable? 

I don’t get why IWM would make a model of a variant that doesn’t exist in any era anyone actually plays.  The -A1 would look pretty similar though, right?  Better than the Talos, which you can’t do anything with.


AlphaMirage

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #458 on: 31 December 2018, 12:28:48 »
Maybe I’m missing something fundamental, but isn’t the -A6 completely extinct and unavailable? 

I don’t get why IWM would make a model of a variant that doesn’t exist in any era anyone actually plays.  The -A1 would look pretty similar though, right?  Better than the Talos, which you can’t do anything with.

Battletech is an amazingly plastic game, it has to be because a tabletop battle can take place in any of nearly 700 years and nearly 10 distinct eras.  The mini is just a token because this is not a what you see is what you have kind of game like Warhammer 40K. 
The Toro is Succession War tech that could be built from modified Panther or Hollander chassis relatively simply.  Just because its not made widely anymore doesn't mean it can't be resurrected, whether it is extinct is an entirely arbitrary decision by the TPTB,  Multiple designs got 'returned' to production during the Jihad but they were still new because they didn't have a history prior to when the Jihad books were released.

IWM is not affiliated with Catalyst so there is very little talk between the two organizations on what is available.  Use what you like as long as your fellow players are okay with that.

Robroy

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #459 on: 31 December 2018, 14:56:14 »
Also in this universe it is not unheard of to have a mech hundreds of years old fighting side by side a mech fresh off the assembly line.

Same could be said for an old paint job, just say it is the unit great great grand whoever served in.

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carlisimo

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #460 on: 31 December 2018, 15:04:12 »
Much appreciated. This will take some getting used to!

skiltao

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #461 on: 01 January 2019, 21:05:49 »
Maybe I’m missing something fundamental, but isn’t the -A6 completely extinct and unavailable? 

I don’t get why IWM would make a model of a variant that doesn’t exist in any era anyone actually plays.  The -A1 would look pretty similar though, right?  Better than the Talos, which you can’t do anything with.

Traditionally, "era" wasn't as important to players as the general tech level of the 'Mech. For most people, picking a year to play is primarily just a way of saying what tech/rules you want to have in play, as well as a convenient (and somewhat arbitrary) way to cut the number of 'Mech choices down to something manageable.
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ANS Kamas P81

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #462 on: 02 January 2019, 21:47:02 »
Eras and settings are mostly to give battles a theme - if you just want to put a lance or two of 'Mechs together and fight it out, just because you like the way those machines look, there's absolutely nothing stopping you - even if your choices are as varied as putting a KV-2, Centurion Sho't, AMX-40, and an M3 Stuart in the same tank platoon.  Like it's been said, it's not a WYSIWYG game, and as long as you have counters of some kind, record sheets, a map, and dice, you're buenolicious.

That said, a lot of folks like certain eras of the game for story reasons, and like to play out battles that might be in that era, from certain faction sides.  Sometimes it's fun to limit yourself to what might be available to one side, and have an opponent who does the same, so that you can fight your heroic defense against those damn dirty Davion invaders.  "How do I make this work with what I have" mindsets, basically.

But don't let any of that stop you from taking whatever you think is cool on the field, as long as your opponent is cool with it and as long as you're cool with what they bring.  Have fun, don't worry, and don't roll snake-eyes.
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timrstl

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #463 on: 03 December 2019, 20:47:46 »
I'm a recent convert to the Taurian cause. I honestly think I ignored them for so long because of the mulleted man that was my first impression of them. But now I'm sold. I do find it frustrating at times that I can't find details that I want to build my own units, but then again that means that there's a lot more room for creativity.

Maelwys

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #464 on: 04 December 2019, 00:39:20 »
Field Manual Periphery has the details on basic composition, while the MUL can give you an idea as to what they're utilizing. If you like the original Unseen, the Taurians are a good choice as they produce half of them through the Jihad it seems.

The biggest thing with unit composition is that when it comes to Mechs they have 4 Companies per Battalion, rather than the standard 3.

Their conventional armor is also done differently, with 2 tanks per maniple, 3 maniples per lance, 3 lances per company, and 3 companies per battalion, for 54 tanks per Battalion.

carlisimo

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #465 on: 04 December 2019, 15:00:26 »
Welcome!  A few months ago I was asking a bunch of questions about force composition, and at this point I think I can help a little.  Definitely start with Xotl's tables - there's a vehicle and a mech table each for the Taurians in the 3025/'28-3050 era.
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0
Of those, several are actually built within the Concordat.  As far as I can tell, that includes the Locust, Wasp, Stinger, Commando, Phoenix Hawk, Griffin, Wolverine, Thunderbolt, Ostroc, Warhammer, Archer, and Marauder.  In the mid-3050s they briefly make the Hatchetman, too, and then the Marshal around 3060.  Then in the Jihad (3067+) the list explodes to include a bunch of primitive designs (e.g. Griffin, Phoenix, Toro, Xanthos), more advanced variants of mechs (sometimes Marik variants with Word of Blake help) like the Clint, Griffin, Shadow Hawk, and Thunderbolt.
They also have rocket launcher versions of some mechs, like the Stinger, Ostroc, and Archer.  I'm not sure when those enter production but they might've been there the whole time.  The Periphery likes rocket launchers.

Maelwys

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #466 on: 04 December 2019, 21:11:17 »
Oh, I also forgot to mention that their conventional infantry is slightly different as well. They have 5 men to a Maniple, 2 Maniples per squad, 3 squads per platoon, for 30 man platoons rather than the usual 28.

VhenRa

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #467 on: 07 December 2019, 07:24:56 »
Oh, I also forgot to mention that their conventional infantry is slightly different as well. They have 5 men to a Maniple, 2 Maniples per squad, 3 squads per platoon, for 30 man platoons rather than the usual 28.

I'll note, that is not actually quite true in the original Periphery Sourcebook, which indicated 25-man platoons.

Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #468 on: 16 February 2020, 16:55:20 »
got a new question for the taurian thread here , since the protector is the national leader . who were the leaders of the political units known as unions....ie title , rank within the taurian governmental system ? would they be an appointed governor-general or an elected position .

Maelwys

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #469 on: 17 February 2020, 00:12:41 »
got a new question for the taurian thread here , since the protector is the national leader . who were the leaders of the political units known as unions....ie title , rank within the taurian governmental system ? would they be an appointed governor-general or an elected position .

I assume you're talking about the geographical divisions that show up in the print version of HB:MPS (but strangely not the PDF version I think). The Magistracy has provinces as well. I don't think those divisions are mentioned any place other than those maps (feel free to correct me).

lrose

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #470 on: 17 February 2020, 07:25:30 »
I assume you're talking about the geographical divisions that show up in the print version of HB:MPS (but strangely not the PDF version I think). The Magistracy has provinces as well. I don't think those divisions are mentioned any place other than those maps (feel free to correct me).

The Taurian Provinces are mentioned in Periphery 1e- the text describes Robsart as a "provincial capital".  The book does not include any other information about the provinces.

Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #471 on: 17 February 2020, 09:28:05 »
thanks guys , was just hoping one of you other members might have some info i don't .

Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #472 on: 17 February 2020, 11:01:56 »
well , i guess union and province mean about the same thing , just in official documents the term union is used .if this is the case , shouldn't each union or province have it's own militia kind of like each march in the FS . with the govonor , premier or whatever their title have basic control over their own militia resources as a backup to the national forces ?

Maelwys

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #473 on: 17 February 2020, 21:40:53 »
Union was for the Taurians, Provinces for the Magistracy IIRC. The problem is there's just absolutely no details on them, so its really whatever works for your game.

Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #474 on: 19 February 2020, 22:36:24 »
another question for those in the know . when was the taurian navy formally commissioned . since the 1st winchester was commissioned in 2364 , would roughly 2344 sound about right for the commissioning of their navy or was it earlier ?

lrose

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #475 on: 21 February 2020, 07:21:25 »
Periphery 1e implies the Navy was founded sometime around 2360.

Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #476 on: 21 February 2020, 08:23:24 »
thanks irose , the periphery has never been very well documented in any way except a little snippet here or there .

Colt Ward

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #477 on: 21 February 2020, 10:33:13 »
If you need it for your story, its likely there was some prior sort of service- like a Taurian Space Guard & Rescue- that split off personnel & equipment to form the foundation of the navy when they were needed.
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Hairbear541

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #478 on: 21 February 2020, 13:39:09 »
yah , i always wondered what ever happened to all the spacers that got the calderon expedition to taurus  . though i think from what you just posited that the split would have gone the other way around . 75% for tcn and 25% for tsg .

Colt Ward

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Re: Taking the Bull By the Horns: Taurus Rising
« Reply #479 on: 21 February 2020, 16:44:08 »
No . . . what I was suggesting was that initially a colony would have a search and rescue service.  As population increases, more infrastructure ends up in space, the economy increases and you begin to engage in trade with neighbors . . . that is when you might split off the more militant members of the space rescue to form your new navy.  It works better b/c they bring over institutional knowledge about operations rather than starting from scratch and transferring your cadre from say . . . the Army.  Because a old general, now Admiral is going to commit ground-based thinking mistakes trying to give orders to ships in a 3D environment.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."