3025 lance

[black magic battalion]

for a campaign starting in 3025 you are allowed four Mechs,
you can have either 1 heavy 2 mediums and 1 light
or 4 medium Mechs
What Mechs would make up your lance and why?

name specific Mechs and remember to keep it to 3025 models and keep it faction specific if you can

[worktroll]

I'd take the heavy, 2 mediums and a light - just in terms of the added flexibility. Sometimes it's nice to have a big bruiser in the lance, and a speed freak.

In terms of specific 'Mechs, it would depend a lot on what the lance was meant to be doing. But assuming I had no idea, and wanted a good generalist lance, I might well go for:

GRH-5N Grasshopper. The jumping zombie that replaces the LL & LRM with a PPC & additional ML.
PHX-1D Phoenix Hawk - drops the MGs for more HS.
HBK-4G Hunchback - because in 3025 you gotta fear the Big Dakka
JR7-F Jenner - the one that drops the SRM for more armour.

It's pretty munchtastic for a stock 3025 era lance, and it's got no LRMs, but it's got enough speed & maneuverability to handle pretty much anything. And with the exception of the Hunchie, it's ammo-independant.

W.

[klinktastic]

Worktroll got you off to a great start.  My only recommendation, drop the Hunchback in favor of either the Crab CRB-27 (which is an awesome laser zombie) or the Griffin 1S, which drops the PPC for a large laser, medium laser and a heat sink.  It's more balanced than the Griffin 1N, which should provide suitable long, mid, and short range mobile power.  The Hunchback is too hit or miss with it's large gun for me.  Sure an AC 20 is nice, but it will most likely get crushed every game as it stands out as a high priority target.

[black magic battalion]

for the campaign setting your a one lance Mercenary unit so your lance has to do everything for itself basically

[klinktastic]

Yup.  In 3025 there's no CASE and ammo explosions pretty much mean you'll have an arm and a leg to salvage.  I'd be leary of any ammo dependent 'Mechs.  Addition to the boom factor, laser zombies require no ammo, which is cheaper and better in no-resupply situations.  Also, jump jets are awesome, the more jump jets the better.  Increases the tactical flexibility of your lance.

[Dave Talley]

WTs version works with a couple changes

the pixie swap for a  Wolverine 6m
and the hunchie needs to be the 4P,
ammo? we dont need no steenkin ammo! possibly twice the damage output of the 4G


DT

[TigerShark]

for a campaign starting in 3025 you are allowed four Mechs,
you can have either 1 heavy 2 mediums and 1 light
or 4 medium Mechs
What Mechs would make up your lance and why?

name specific Mechs and remember to keep it to 3025 models and keep it faction specific if you can

What's the terrain? Gravity? Temperature? Tech level?

[worktroll]

Worktroll got you off to a great start ... Sure an AC 20 is nice, but it will most likely get crushed every game as it stands out as a high priority target.

Thanks, Klinktastic. I actually had a big think about whether to go with a GRF-1N Griffin or the Hunchback (I'm a big fan of the original). I wanted a big gun in the lance - why I pushed for the 5N 'Hopper; in 3025 era play, 10 points is big - but I ended up going with the Hunchie just because of the primal fear it tends to induce in players. How many times have you seen "No, I can't go there to backshot the Phoenix Hawk, because that's 8 hexes from the Hunchback!", even if the Hunchie's to-hit would be 10 or higher?

The Griffin's still a great choice though, and with it you have an all-jump-capable lance - definitely something not to be underestimated, by any means. Although if I was looking at the GRF-1S, I'd probably take the WLV-6M Wolverine instead ...

W.

[black magic battalion]

What's the terrain? Gravity? Temperature? Tech level?

its not just for a single campaign on a single world it will be an ongoing campagn with the unit taking employment with different houses so it could encounter any extremes of gravity and temperature
as for tech keep it 3025 standard

[Ruger]

I'd take the heavy, 2 mediums and a light - just in terms of the added flexibility. Sometimes it's nice to have a big bruiser in the lance, and a speed freak.

Normally, I would agree with WT, but I'm feeling a little different right now, so I'll say 4 mediums.

Wolverine-6M
Gladiator-4R
Griffin-1N
Griffin-1N

Ruger

[Marwynn]

Jenner JR7-D
Wolverine WVR-6M
Griffin GRF-1N
Warhammer WHM-6K

Energy-based, mostly, with plenty of mobility and in-fighting potential. Strong armour for the most part.

[Sigma]

Dervish 6M
Griffin 1N
Valkyrie QA
Thunderbolt 5S

Yes she's ammo dependent, and not really optimized but it has the kind of character I like. A merc needs to scrounge in a campaign and consider dumping ammo or getting out of dodge when the armor gets flayed.

[Daedalus]

In my opinion the all around merc-lance really needs a bit more of everything, not only good anti-mech-performance.
May be you can add some anti-inf and anti-vee capabilities.
So my suggestion would be:

Light: FS9-M Firestarter to add some anti-inf with its 2 MGs
Med 1: WVR-6M Wolverine, as one of the best 3025 brawlers, which can add some crit-seeking (standard srm) or anti-vee with infernos
Med 2: GRF-1N Griffin for some long range punch and a small taste of anti-air with its long range weapons
Heavy: GLT-4L Guillotine as a quiet mobile heavy mech for lvl 1 play

[Atlas3060]

Grasshopper 5N (PPCs and Medium lasers with jets on it)
Enforcer 4R
Laser boat Hunchback
Firestarter FS9-H

This way at least 3/4 of my lance has Jump Jets, the Firestarter and Enforcer can scout with the Firestarter handling infantry.
Grasshopper and Hunchback play the hammer role and send more lasers into the field than a cheap disco hall could ever dream.

[DaveMac]

If mercenary I'd go as energy dependent as possible

Grasshopper
Griffin
Phoenix Hawk
Fire Javelin

All jump capable and little or no munitions to go bang

[LastChanceCav]

I would definitely prefer the  Heavy, 2 Med, 1 Light lance as well. One of my favorites from on of my past merc units was:

Orion
Wolverine-M
Phoenix Hawk-D
Jenner-F

You could make it more of a cavalry unit and give more DCMS flair:
Dragon
Wolverine
Phoenix Hawk
Jenner

Or go with:
Orion
Wolverine-M
Trebuchet
Spider
for a more FWL feel.

Cheers,
LCC

[Onisuzume]

Dragon, Panther, Panther, Jenner.
(Panthers are pretty much medium 'mechs anyhow.)

[massey]

Archer, Griffin, Hunchback, Jenner for a good all around anti-mech force.

[JPArbiter]

For the HMML Lance I would suggest a JM-6S Jagermech for long reach and anti aircraft capability, a CN9-A Centurion for general ball busting, DV-6M Dervish with the usual SRM ammunition reduction in favor of more LRM ammo or armor for Missile support, and a VLK-QA Valkyrie for more Missile support.  keep a Flamer on standbye so you can swap the laser as needed on missions.

for an all medium lance it really depends on what you want your mission to be, but I think it would be a good time to go for all four mechs being the same 50-55 ton model, like centurions, or Griffins.

you can throw them for a loop by having a lance of Centurions, 2 being the Traditional CN9-A, one being the CN9-AH, and one being the CN9-AL

[Ruger]

If you want a Capellan flavor to your lance, you could do either of the following:

4 x Vindicator-1R

or

Crusader-3L
2 x Vindicator-1R
and to be really crazy, go with a Firebee-2E for the light 'Mech...otherwise, a Fire Javelin-10F

Ruger

[Skyth]

I would go a 2S Archer, a Trebuchet, a Wolverine, and a Wolfhound.

Archer isn't the best choice, but I love my archers, what can I say? :)

[massey]

Black Mage, White Mage, Fighter, Black Belt

[Nibs]

Dervish 6M
Griffin 1N
Valkyrie QA
Thunderbolt 5S

Yes she's ammo dependent, and not really optimized but it has the kind of character I like. A merc needs to scrounge in a campaign and consider dumping ammo or getting out of dodge when the armor gets flayed.

There's a great deal of long range firepower there. Not worried about short range?

[Kobold]

I'd be really happy with the following:

WLF-1
GRF-1S
GRF-1N
GHR-5N

[House Davie Merc]

Grasshopper GHR-5N
Wolverine WVR-6M
Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
Firestarter FS9-M  "Mirage "


If improved pilots were available I'd consider switching the Grasshopper for
an Archer ARC-2R  or possibly a Warhammer WHM-6D .
If it was 4 mediums :

Wolverine WVR-6M
Wolverine WVR-6M
Griffin GRF-1N
Phoenix Hawk PXH-1

[worktroll]

Looking at the responses, and given the generalist nature of the requirement ("cope with anything"), it's pretty obvious why the 'Hopper 5N, Wolverine 6M, Griffin 1N and Pheenie Hawk get some loving. :)

W.

[Saint]

I'd go for four mediums

Wolverine 6M   Good armor, mobile, solid weapons, and heat disapation

Kintaro 18    Good armor, solid speed, nasty weapons (inferno's [rockon]), runs hot though

Crab    Good armor, solid speed, good weapons, and heat disapation

Dervish          Good speed, mobility, long range weapons, and can defend itself up close

Not optimized but should work very well together. :)

[Force of Nature]

Thunderbolt 5S        Good all ranges mech/drop SRM ammo down to 5 shots/drop MG ammo down to 4 shots
Wolverine 6M          Jumping infighter/supports the Hunchie
Hunchback 4P          Scare the heck out of your opponent/area denial/come give me a big hug in city environments
Wolfhound               With the Wolverine and Hunchie as primary threats, the Wolfhound when played right, is the real killer/My fave light mech

Also the Thud and the Wolfhound have always gone down hard.

Force

[Sigma]

There's a great deal of long range firepower there. Not worried about short range?

The Griffin and Valk are lacking in short range firepower but the Valk shouldn't be tearing it up in short range anyhow if you want to keep it.

The Griffin can always disengage it's field inhibitor and hot load its LRM's if it really finds itself in a knife fight.

Best part about my lance is super common parts. All those Grasshopper lovers would be screwed if I was GM when it came time to refit and repair. Oh, and the 5N isn't a 3025 variant even if it only uses level 1 tech. Suckers are stuck with the 5H.

[Akalabeth]

A Liao based lance (not sure on the Jav)

Warhammer 6L
Vindicator 1R
Vindicator 1R
Javelin 10N


Warhammer for firepower & AI, Vindicators for just general trooper mechs and the Jav for following up with SRM crit seekers.