Organize this force?

[Weirdo]

I'm trying to group my SLDF mech minis into specific lances, and could use some outside help. What would you do with this force?

Note: Red means I do not actually own that mini yet, and those are the only ones I will consider removing from the list if given sufficient cause. Please do not ask about removing any of the others. I'm also not interested in expanding this force beyond two battalions, though I might be convinced to shift the Exterminator to a command lance as a 5th member, leaving a slot open. I'm happy with lances 1, 2, 9, and 13, so please consider those locked in.

Also, please note: This force is meant for an independent regiment, so the lack of homogenous lances is intentional.

1st Lance 2nd Lance 3rd Lance 4th Lance 5th Lance 6th Lance 7th Lance 8th Lance 9th Lance 10th Lance 11th Lance 12th Lance 13th Lance 14th Lance 15th Lance 16th Lance 17th Lance 18th Lance

Black Knight Mackie Guillotine Falcon Warhammer Warhammer Warhammer Warhammer Atlas Stalker Stalker King Crab Highlander Highlander Shogun Pillager Exterminator Crockett Crockett Cyclops Marauder Orion Rifleman Guillotine Thug Thug Crusader Crusader Catapult Wyvern Flashman Dragon Kyudo Crab Crab Crab Bombardier Griffin Kintaro Kintaro Champion Champion Wolverine Shadow Hawk Shadow Hawk Starslayer Firefly Phoenix Hawk Lancelot Lancelot Sentinel Sentinel Phoenix Hawk Thorn Wasp Assassin Sling Spider Ostscout Cicada Locust Mercury Locust Hermes Helepolis Helepolis Lynx Hussar Phoenix Hawk LAM Phoenix Hawk LAM Wasp LAM Stinger LAM

Thoughts? Aside from the fact that I need to relearn how to format these things?

[marcussmythe]

What size formations do they usually operate in?  IE:  Do they deploy by lances, by companies...

Lance-by-lance, those setups are very homogenous - powerful, but inflexible.  If your deploying by at least company, you could mix-and-match a company of fire support, main battle, and recon lances and be great.

[Weirdo]

These guys will most likely see action in Alpha Strike, so company-level deployments are going to be most common. A bunch of lances, and prior to a game I'll group some of those lances into a company that best suits that particular game.

And don't worry, this unit has plenty of conventional support, I'm just looking at the mechs right now.

[Daryk]

I totally agree with lances 1, 2, 9 and 13.  My recommendations for the rest are below:

Lance 3: I recommend moving the Cyclops into it in place of the King Crab (though the King Crab would complement the others very well, there's no better place for the Cyclops).

Lance 4: The Highlander would be fine, or you could move a Crockett in there.

Lance 5: The Exterminator is completely out of place.  It really belongs with your Command Lance as an extra 'mech, like you suggested.  Pulling it and the Cylcops leaves a pair of Crocketts that would mesh really well with Lance 4.  Either two 3-mech lances or a 6-mech demi-company would be quite frightening.

Lance 6: Swap the Guillotine for the Bombardier in Lance 10.  The Guillotine goes to Lance 8.

Lance 7: A thing of beauty, leave it be...

Lance 8: The Flashman and Dragon belong together, as do the Catapult and Wyvern.  Bring the Guillotine from Lance 6 into this lance, and find another 4/6/4 to go with them.  The Flashman and Dragon go to Lance 11.

Lance 9: Good to go, as already mentioned.

Lance 10: Leave the Griffin, but pull in the Wolverine, Starslayer and Lynx.  The Bombardier goes to Lance 6.

Lance 11: Keep the two Champions, and pull in the Flashman and Dragon from Lance 8. The Wolverine goes to Lance 10, and the Shadow Hawk to Lance 12.

Lance 12: Keep the Shadow Hawk.  Bring in the other Shadow Hawk to replace the Starslayer.  Then bring in the two Kintaros from Lance 10.  More on the Firefly and Phoenix Hawk below.

Lance 13: Good to go, as already mentioned.

Lance 14: Swap out the Assassin for the Phoenix Hawk from Lance 12.

Lance 15: Swap out the Cicada for the Assassin from Lance 14.  This way, the Sling has a battle buddy.

Lance 16: Swap out the Hermes for the Cicada from Lance 15.  Now the whole lance moves 8/12.

Lance 17: Put the Hermes from Lance 16 in for the Lynx that was sent to Lance 10.  This pairs up with the Hussar nicely.

Lance 18: Why wasn't this on your list of lances you're happy with? :)

Leftovers: The only holes left after the above moves are a 4/6/4 'mech in Lance 8, and a pair of 3/5/3s in Lances 4 and 5.  And of course there's the "bonus" Exterminator.

Please let me know what you think...

[Tai Dai Cultist]

18 lances.. is the goal two standard sized battalions?  (27 would be three/a regiment)

[Daryk]

Darn it, just realized I forgot the Firefly...

Hmm... It could fit in lance 8, though it's a bit light...

[Hellraiser]

I'm trying to group my SLDF mech minis into specific lances, and could use some outside help. What would you do with this force?

Note: Red means I do not actually own that mini yet, and those are the only ones I will consider removing from the list if given sufficient cause. Please do not ask about removing any of the others. I'm also not interested in expanding this force beyond two battalions, though I might be convinced to shift the Exterminator to a command lance as a 5th member, leaving a slot open. I'm happy with lances 1, 2, 9, and 13, so please consider those locked in.

Also, please note: This force is meant for an independent regiment, so the lack of homogenous lances is intentional.


Thoughts? Aside from the fact that I need to relearn how to format these things?

So, I didn't exactly obey the instructions....   But I hope you like the focus I gave to the lances anyway.

I didnt use any of the RED units & I capped the formation at 48 units giving you a full battalion reinforced with Command, Support, & AirRecon lances.

HQ Company
Black Knight
Mackie
2x Thug

2x Helepolis
2x Stalker

2x Phoenix Hawk LAM
Stinger LAM
Wasp LAM


Assault Company
2x Crockett
Highlander
Shogun

4x Warhammer

2x Guillotine
Starslayer
Wyvern


Battle Company
Flashman
3x Crab

2x Crusader
Bombardier
Kyudo

2x Champion
2x Shadow Hawk


Striker Company
2x Phoenix Hawk
Falcon
Thorn

2x Lancelot
2x Sentinel

Hermes
Mercury
2x Locust



The remainder of the list below is almost entirely 3025 General & can be used for other factions or could form more lances.

Atlas, Cyclops, Pillager, Rifleman
Marauder, Orion, Catapult,  ?
Wolverine, Griffin, Firefly, Wasp
Assassin, Cicada, Spider,  ?

[Weirdo]

So, I didn't exactly obey the instructions....

Then please don't post in the thread.

[Weirdo]

Please let me know what you think...

I rather like it! Lance 8 actually looks pretty good to me. Everything's fairly durable, the group isn't fast but is maneuverable as hell, has plenty of LRMs to keep folks honest at range, and good lord the close in firepower...

Lance 5 has the only hole, since it's currently the King Crab and twin Crocketts...maybe a Battlemaster, since I don't currently have any particular plans for the one coming in the GoAC box. I could call it a -1Gc, and say that the battalion's intel officer rides in the second seat in order to get reports from the front line as quickly as possible.

At this point, the only lance I'm not really happy with is 17. Having an integral scout/spotter in an artillery lance is fine, but two fast scouts for two ArtyMechs seems a bit much, and a waste of the scouts. Fortunately, there's a bit of leeway since I don't actually own a Hussar yet. This unit has more than enough artillery(you should see the Infantry section), so I don't want a third Helepolis...maybe a bodyguard. Helepoloi have the guns to defend themselves, but a bodyguard could turn the lance into a veritable hornets' nest, eliminating the need to assign a dedicated defense lance. Another Firefly might work well here, or perhaps the GoaC box Awesome if I want to throw subtlety to the wind?

18 lances.. is the goal two standard sized battalions?  (27 would be three/a regiment)

Bingo. My final plan is for two mech battalions, one armor battalion plus HQ and support company, and an infantry regiment. Not sure yet what the final aero strength will be.

The full force will almost certainly never see action all at once, but it should give me enough variety to play almost any scenario imaginable, and look really cool. 8)

[Daryk]

Here's my second attempt, trying to hew closer to your original, and taking a shot at an easier to read format.  I agree having the pair of scouts in the Artillery lance could be seen as a waste, but in the below I'm throwing them into the Command Company, which already has a wonky organization due to the bonus Exterminator.  Having them paired up makes them easier to detach.  For a bodyguard, maybe the Bombardier?  That would leave two holes in Lance 5, though.  Of  course, if you're willing to pick up another pair of 3/5/3 'mechs, that could work...

Code: [Select]

Command 1st Lance 17th Lance 18th Lance     
Company Black Knight Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
3/5/0 Mackie Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
Guillotine Hermes Wasp LAM
Falcon Hussar Stinger LAM
Exterminator
---------------------------------------------------------
Hammer 2nd Lance 6th Lance 7th Lance
Company Warhammer Marauder Thug
4/6/0 Warhammer Orion Thug
Warhammer Rifleman Crusader
Warhammer Cyclops Crusader
---------------------------------------------------------
Anvil 3rd Lance 4th Lance 5th Lance
Company Atlas Highlander ???
3/5/0 Stalker Highlander Crockett
Stalker Shogun Crockett
King Crab Pillager Bombardier
---------------------------------------------------------
Cavalry 9th Lance 11th Lance 12th Lance
Company Kyudo Champion Shadow Hawk
5/8/0 Crab Champion Shadow Hawk
Crab Flashman Kintaro
Crab Dragon Kintaro
---------------------------------------------------------
Jump 8th Lance 10th Lance 15th Lance
Company Catapult Wolverine Sling
4/6/4 Wyvern Griffin Spider
Guillotine Starslayer Ostscout
Firefly Lynx Assassin
---------------------------------------------------------
Maneuver 13th Lance 14th Lance 16th Lance
Company Lancelot Phoenix Hawk Locust
6/9/0 Lancelot Thorn Mercury
Sentinel Wasp Locust
Sentinel Phoenix Hawk Cicada

[Weirdo]

How about using one of the Kintaros as a bodyguard, and putting the Bombardier in the resulting gap? That would spread out my NARC platforms, and give the Cavalry Company more integral fire support. It does indeed leave two open slots in Lance 5, but it's not like the SLDF has any shortage of tough bruisers to fill those gaps, even if I don't want to go with-hmmm... I do have a spare Victor with no clear purpose...

[Daryk]

A Victor would be a great bodyguard for a pair of Helepoli... Though it would also fit just fine into Anvil Company... Decisions, decisions...  :-\  :)

The only problem I see with moving the Bombardier into the Cavalry company would be reducing the overall movement of the Company to 4/6/0.

You know, between the Victor and the Bombardier, you'd have both close and long range bodyguard duties covered.  That would leave the question of where to stuff two 9/14 movers, though leaving them in the Command Company as "bonus" runners like the Exterminator isn't a bad idea either.  That'd leave two holes in Anvil Company, though...

[Weirdo]

Bombardiers are 5/8. :)

[Daryk]

Well then, ignore my non-3025 ignorance! :)

So, something like this, then?

Code: [Select]

Command 1st Lance 17th Lance 18th Lance     
Company Black Knight Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
3/5/0 Mackie Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
Guillotine Kintaro Wasp LAM
Falcon Victor Stinger LAM

Bonus Exterminator Hermes Hussar
---------------------------------------------------------
Hammer 2nd Lance 6th Lance 7th Lance
Company Warhammer Marauder Thug
4/6/0 Warhammer Orion Thug
Warhammer Rifleman Crusader
Warhammer Cyclops Crusader
---------------------------------------------------------
Anvil 3rd Lance 4th Lance 5th Lance
Company Atlas Highlander Crockett
3/5/0 Stalker Highlander Crockett
Stalker Shogun ???
King Crab Pillager ???
---------------------------------------------------------
Cavalry 9th Lance 11th Lance 12th Lance
Company Kyudo Champion Shadow Hawk
5/8/0 Crab Champion Shadow Hawk
Crab Flashman Kintaro
Crab Dragon Bombardier
---------------------------------------------------------
Jump 8th Lance 10th Lance 15th Lance
Company Catapult Wolverine Sling
4/6/4 Wyvern Griffin Spider
Guillotine Starslayer Ostscout
Firefly Lynx Assassin
---------------------------------------------------------
Maneuver 13th Lance 14th Lance 16th Lance
Company Lancelot Phoenix Hawk Locust
6/9/0 Lancelot Thorn Mercury
Sentinel Wasp Locust
Sentinel Phoenix Hawk Cicada


[Weirdo]

How about this?

Code: [Select]

Command 1st Lance 17th Lance 18th Lance     
Company Black Knight Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
3/5/0 Mackie Helepolis Phoenix Hawk LAM
Guillotine Kintaro Wasp LAM
Falcon Hermes Stinger LAM

Bonus Exterminator
---------------------------------------------------------
Hammer 2nd Lance 6th Lance 7th Lance
Company Warhammer Marauder Thug
4/6/0 Warhammer Orion Thug
Warhammer Rifleman Crusader
Warhammer Cyclops Crusader
---------------------------------------------------------
Anvil 3rd Lance 4th Lance 5th Lance
Company Atlas Highlander Crockett
3/5/0 Stalker Highlander Crockett
Stalker Shogun Victor
King Crab Pillager ???
---------------------------------------------------------
Cavalry 9th Lance 11th Lance 12th Lance
Company Kyudo Champion Shadow Hawk
5/8/0 Crab Champion Shadow Hawk
Crab Flashman Kintaro
Crab Dragon Bombardier
---------------------------------------------------------
Jump 8th Lance 10th Lance 15th Lance
Company Catapult Wolverine Sling
4/6/4 Wyvern Griffin Spider
Guillotine Starslayer Ostscout
Firefly Lynx Assassin
---------------------------------------------------------
Maneuver 13th Lance 14th Lance 16th Lance
Company Lancelot Phoenix Hawk Locust
6/9/0 Lancelot Thorn Mercury
Sentinel Wasp Locust
Sentinel Phoenix Hawk Cicada

I can find some other jumping bruiser to fill out Lance 5, even if it's not an assault mech.

[Sartris]

Bombardiers are 5/8. :)

convenient for when they expend all 12 of their LRM-20 rounds and have to run away  :))

I might recommend an Emperor 6A to fill the gap in lance 5 if you're in the market to acquire one.

[Daryk]

How about this?

*snip*

I can find some other jumping bruiser to fill out Lance 5, even if it's not an assault mech.

I like it!  I hadn't considered dropping the Hussar in favor of the Victor, and one scout is more than enough for a pair of artillery pieces.  One more jumping bruiser is exactly what the doctor ordered! :)

Thank you, btw, for giving me something useful to do while I wait for 12 GB to download...  8)

[Weirdo]

convenient for when they expend all 12 of their LRM-20 rounds and have to run away  :))

I might recommend an Emperor 6A to fill the gap in lance 5 if you're in the market to acquire one.

I actually already have an Emperor mini, but it's slated for a corpsec force for Imperator. Will definitely consider a second one though, or see if the SLDF used any jumping Thunderbolts.

[Daryk]

Given the Eridani T-Bolt, I'd have to imagine they did.  Whether it's canon or not (and thus usable for you) is another question entirely.

EDIT: Sarna says no... The SE was introduced in 2910...  :-\

[Weirdo]

Seems like no according to the MUL, but I'm increasingly liking the Emperor idea. Anvil Company is going to be one scary wall of heavy metal...

[Daryk]

Dang... just finished editing my previous post when you posted... But yeah, an Emperor would make that one hell of an Anvil!

[Weirdo]

Makes sense. This group is supposed to be part of a Dragoon regiment, and one that is not known for subtlety... >:D

[Daryk]

Heh... I just realized exactly how much dakka that 5th Lance is going have... :shivers:  :drool:

[Weirdo]

You didn't really need those tanks or fighters, did you? >:D

You think that's bad, imagine all those clusterguns following up the six AC/20s and two Gauss Rifles(or four and four, depending on the Pillager model) that are found elsewhere in that company. Critseekers galore!

[Daryk]

Hmmm... I think four Gauss Rifles is the way to go there...  That spreads the pain out across all the range bands...  >:D

[Weirdo]

That's the best part of this being a minis force as opposed to an ironed out campaign unit - I don't have to stick with a single variant, I can print out a new sheet any time I want, no salvage or Warchest Points or anything needed. :)

[Daryk]

Even better!  :thumbsup:

[worktroll]

Bingo. My final plan is for two mech battalions, one armor battalion plus HQ and support company, and an infantry regiment. Not sure yet what the final aero strength will be.

And I thought I was ambitious completing a mini Cluster!  :o

[Weirdo]

Well, for my Falcons... O:-)

[Weirdo]

For the record, here's the planned armor section.

1st Battalion 1st Company 1st Lance 2nd Lance 3rd Lance 2nd Company      1st Lance 2nd Lance 3rd Lance 3rd Company 1st Lance 2nd Lance 3rd Lance HQ Lance Support Co. 1st Lance 2nd Lance 3rd Lance

Fury Merkava Merkava Von Luckner Puma Puma Alacorn Alacorn Rhino Rhino Rhino Rhino Demon Demon Demon Demon Bulldog Bulldog Bulldog Bulldog Chevalier Chevalier Chevalier Chevalier Scimitar/LTV-4 Scimitar/LTV-4 Condor Condor Zephyr Zephyr Zephyr Zephyr Lightning Lightning Lightning Lightning Mobile HQ Coolant Truck Coolant Truck ? Vehicle Cobra Cobra ? VTOL ? VTOL MASH MASH MASH MASH Sherpa Armored Truck Sherpa Armored Truck Sherpa Armored Truck Sherpa Armored Truck