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1

Off Topic / Re: Naval Pictures X: Underway on Nuclear Power

« Last post by glitterboy2098 on Today at 18:50:02 »

This popped up on Reddit.   HMS Hood under construction in Clydebank, Scotland, approximately 1916-1917.



Found this interesting, given the John Brown shipyard has so many cranes surrounding the ship being built.  I hadn't realized they needed so many back then.

When you think about it, makes sense - everything needs to be lifted into the hull, and more cranes means more progress per day.

looks like there are 3 empty construction slips alongside.. but the slip it is in still has something like 8 cranes. which no doubt were working round the clock. of course at the time the ships were literally built keel up from frames and plates in situe.. you needed a lot of cranes and workers to assemble them in a reasonable time. modern ships tend to be built more as vertical slices end to end, or at least in large chunks. with the chunks being built elsewhere then moves into place. which lets them get away with one or two very large cranes, and fewer workers, but also produce much larger ships.
(hopefulyl these pics show up)

2

BattleMechs / Re: Dark Age/IlClan AC-2, -5, -10, -20 Challenge

« Last post by Hazard Pay on Today at 18:39:09 »

Oof that Pinion

A Mauler rebuild the DCMS has been throwing together to use of old equipment and chassis lying around. While much more survivable, the frames are seen more as garrison/punishment duty for those Samurai that failed one too many times. Often these Mauler stick around bases as defensive units.

Code: [Select]

Mauler MAL-AZ

Mass: 90 tons
Chassis: Alshain Class 101
Power Plant: Hermes 270 XL
Cruising Speed: 21.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 32.4 kph
Jump Jets: None
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: New Samarkand Royal Ferro-Fibrous with CASE
Armament:
     2 Light PPC
     2 MRM 20
     4 AC/2
Manufacturer: Luthien Armor Works, Luthien Armor Works
     Primary Factory: New Samarkand,Luthien
Communication System: Sipher Security Plus mk.II
Targeting & Tracking System: Matabushi SuperSentinel
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-X-E
Cost: 19,139,650 C-bills

Type: Mauler
Technology Base: Mixed (Advanced)
Tonnage: 90
Battle Value: 1,634

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                    9
Engine                        270 XL                7.5
Walking MP: 2
Running MP: 3
Jumping MP: 0
Double Heat Sink              10 [20]                 0
Gyro                                                  3
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor (Ferro)          259                  14.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    3         9     
     Center Torso            29        40   
     Center Torso (rear)               12   
     R/L Torso               19        27   
     R/L Torso (rear)                  9     
     R/L Arm                 15        28   
     R/L Leg                 19        35   


Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm

Weapons
and Ammo                        Location  Critical   Heat    Tonnage
Modular Armor                      CT        1        -       1.0   
Precision AC/2 Ammo (44)           RT        2        -       2.0   
MRM 20                             RT        3        6       7.0   
CASE II                            RT        1        -       1.0   
Armor-Piercing AC/2 Ammo (22)      RT        1        -       1.0   
2 AC/2                             RT        2        1       12.0 
Light PPC                          LA        2        5       3.0   
MRM 20                             LT        3        6       7.0   
CASE II                            LT        1        -       1.0   
Flak AC/2 Ammo (45)                LT        1        -       1.0   
MRM 20 Ammo (24)                   LT        2        -       2.0   
2 AC/2                             LT        2        1       12.0 
Light PPC                          RA        2        5       3.0   




3

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Project Aphrodite

« Last post by ColBosch on Today at 18:36:15 »

The limit seems to be the "mermaids" of Frobisher, who are dying out. The Genecaste are fun, but definitively don't exist in universe (the recent Clan Spaniel sourcebook explains the origin of that conspiracy theory).

4

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Project Aphrodite

« Last post by cray on Today at 18:32:58 »

Jihad Hot Spots: Terra explicitly says that in the 2060s, the Western Alliance developed genetic vaccines against malaria and AIDS...

I can't find any sources about engineering for harsher environments, but there was at least some active genetic modification of the species as a whole, hence James McKenna's whole "homo stellaris" propaganda. But to quote JHS:Terra again (this time directly from Bertram Habeas himself), "JumpShips, a few genetic vaccines, and a pretty speech do not a new species make."

Weird to see my writing quoted to settle matters.

Yes, the genetic engineering performed on humans to make homo stellaris (and various Clan warrior phenotypes) was pretty modest. Humans have also pushed life spans to 150 or so years on advanced worlds, which requires mild genetic engineering.

One of the Interstellar Expeditions books introduced the rumor of heavily engineered people who could live on Venus or Titan and the like, but that was in the same book that had tabloid rumors about hyperspace monsters eating JumpShips. That's beyond the canon limit of what human genetic engineering has accomplished in BT.

5

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: New to Alpha Strike.

« Last post by Nerroth on Today at 18:30:22 »

Of the various boxes referred to in the links above, I would say that the Alpha Strike Boxed Set makes a solid case for being a good first jump-on point - both in terms of how many 'Mech minis you get for the price, but in how it supports both Alpha Strike play (using the rules and Unit Cards in the box) and the opportunity to later branch over to Total Warfare scale play (not least since CGL have conveniently compiled a PDF with Record Sheets to match the aforementioned Unit Cards).

-----

Actually, there are a few differences between TW and AS which might make some 'Mechs more, or less, useful in certain roles than others, depending on which game system is being used.

For example: both games have the concept of a to-hit modifier based on the movement of the target unit. However, in TW, this Target Movement Modifier depends on how fast the unit actually moves, increasing at certain move brackets; in AS, there is but a single TMM modifier per unit, which is the same even if the unit moves the bare minimum amount needed to trigger it.

How big a deal is this? I defer to the experts, in terms of actually playing both games on the tabletop. But, again, the variety of units in the AS Boxed Set might help you gauge what a helpful variety of different Inner Sphere and Clan designs each have to offer in this regard.

6

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Upcoming Releases XXIX: First Annual 29th Birthday

« Last post by Prometheum5 on Today at 18:27:57 »

No new announcements, no response to any of the issues with recently released items... crickets.

7

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Upcoming Releases XXIX: First Annual 29th Birthday

« Last post by Nerroth on Today at 18:19:08 »

To that end, I'm not sure if this review makes it easier, or more difficult, to wait for one of the more high-profile books-on-the-way to start showing up at retail...

(Apologies if this link has been posted in another thread already.)

8

Clan Chatterweb / Re: Clan Jade Falcon III: Admittedly, We May Have Falconed a Little Too Hard

« Last post by Bren on Today at 18:04:41 »

I always liked the OG sourcebook logo the best -- my best try at it on the left. Newer one is a bit squished in the x-axis as well.

9

MechWarrior and BattleTech Computer | Console Games / Re: MWO - Bullshark - new 'Mech

« Last post by Deadborder on Today at 17:50:06 »

Completely unexpected. Well played, HBS

10

General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Upcoming Releases XXIX: First Annual 29th Birthday

« Last post by MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on Today at 17:45:44 »

Do you think that the simultaneous release of a few dozen products a month or so from now will make up for that?

No, because that's later and I want stuff now!