Author Topic: Mook Mechs  (Read 4902 times)

Kit deSummersville

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #30 on: 03 December 2019, 12:06:02 »
There's always the Quasit and the Targe.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #31 on: 03 December 2019, 13:47:52 »
The Quasit wouldn't make much sense in the proposed scenario, and as for the Targe, well there have to be some standards.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #32 on: 03 December 2019, 15:51:54 »
Any 3025 Rifleman variant except for the twin AC 10 variant. That one is good, the rest don't have the armor or firepower to be dangerous without overheating quickly.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #33 on: 03 December 2019, 16:33:32 »
If you're not overheating in a Rifleman, you're not trying hard enough.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #34 on: 03 December 2019, 18:06:01 »
A friend of mine survived an ammo explosion in a Rifleman... I don't remember if it was induced by heat or a critical hit, though...  ^-^

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #35 on: 03 December 2019, 18:16:31 »
much like when you play tabletop RPGs you should place lower level adversaries based on the BVs.

If you have a 1,000 BVs mech, place an unit with 500 BVs or so.

Sartris

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #36 on: 04 December 2019, 16:06:27 »
If you're not overheating in a Rifleman, you're not trying hard enough.

You pretty much do that by starting it up

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #37 on: 04 December 2019, 16:24:46 »
Really? i'm the first person to say the Clint is a mook 'mech? yikes. There's also the Fireball and Snake, depending on the location, either one is sitting on fairly sub-ideal weapon loadouts and an ammo bomb they can't simply toss out.

also giving an otherwise good 'mech an engine crit to mother can be a big handicap.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #38 on: 04 December 2019, 16:40:48 »
Hatchetman HCT-3F might not be an awful choice. Any of the Primitive Mechs or Backyard technical Industrial Mechs might work too.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #39 on: 04 December 2019, 17:48:24 »
Well, a Jagermech in urban warfare or a UrbanMech in open ground are mook mechs. Other way around, not so much...

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #40 on: 04 December 2019, 19:26:32 »
Only if the JagerMech is being used against other mechs.  If it's doing its specialist anti-air thing, or you load it with flechette or incendiary rounds and send it against enemy infantry, it's pretty good at its job.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #41 on: 05 December 2019, 09:44:12 »
Really? i'm the first person to say the Clint is a mook 'mech? yikes.
The Clint is a fairly decent Light 'Mech, the only problem being that its weight puts it into the Medium category.  It's still not bad as a "mook", unless the players are running Lights.  Match it up with a Vulcan, an Assassin, and a Cicada, and it makes for a Lance that's nearly impossible to pin down and destroy, but isn't that much of an actual threat.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #42 on: 05 December 2019, 10:11:59 »
i've always considered 40 tonners more "super lights" than true mediums so classifying the clint as a light checks out for me.

but isn't that much of an actual threat.

tell that to the PBI and tankers that watched that lance blow up/burn down the supply depot  ;D
« Last Edit: 05 December 2019, 10:53:19 by Sartris »

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #43 on: 05 December 2019, 13:11:33 »
tell that to the PBI and tankers that watched that lance blow up/burn down the supply depot  ;D
Amend that that read "not much of a threat to the players' 'Mechs".  That would be a nasty group to throw at an armored or infantry-heavy force, especially if the Assassin was loaded with Infernos.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #44 on: 05 December 2019, 14:17:47 »
That depends entirely on the players. Plenty have talked smack about the Atlas' limitations on this forum, doesn't means it's not dangerous.

Tanks and PBI have plenty of limits to this game compaired to mechs in this game by design as mechs are the dominant fighting vehicle in this universe. Doesn't mean they are not dangerous but these units shouldn't be hunting down players units in small numbers unless something has gone horrible wrong.
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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #45 on: 05 December 2019, 14:42:38 »
I think a partial definition of mook mechs would be that they are unlikely to be used effectively by accident. Most of the "weaker" Mechs listed here can be incredibly dangerous when the player knows how to use them. I don't think anyone will argue that.

I believe what the OP is looking to do, however, is run them with half his brain tied behind his back. He doesn't want to annihilate his players, he wants to give them a bit of a cakewalk. That is where the weaker Mechs also will do well--by dying fairly quickly. Equipment to avoid in order to prevent accidental success include AC20's, gauss rifles, Clan ERPPC's, heavy PPC's, and large numbers of SRMs (avoid large numbers of hit location rolls).


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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #46 on: 05 December 2019, 15:35:28 »
If you're doing, say lance vs lance, then I'd suggest doing a couple things to make a "mook" opponent that also won't telegraph that you're making a mook opponent.

1.  Downshift one of the mechs by a weight class, even if you go to a good design it's still probably less powerful.  If your players have 2 heavies and 2 mediums, you can have 2 heavies, a medium, and a light.  "Line" mechs such as Centurions and Panthers are good for this.  If a PC is piloting a Thunderbolt, then a lighter mech like an Enforcer can still look tough while being outclassed.

2.  Go with the AC-5 variant.  If there's not a variant, create one.  A Griffin is a good design.  A Griffin that swaps its PPC for an AC-5 (dropping 2 HS for 1 ton of ammo) is just kind of okay.  There's no reason a PPC couldn't have been damaged and they didn't have a replacement.

3.  Look for mechs with ammo bombs.  Crusaders, Marauders, anything that has a side torso with only ammo in it.  These mechs have a shorter life expectancy than they would otherwise.  With 3050 tech, look for Inner Sphere mechs with XL engines and mediocre side torso armor.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #47 on: 06 December 2019, 00:55:03 »
mostly I'll be trying to follow the setup in wolf and blake. which is roll 1D6, consult the chart for the mission, and that's what you're fighting. I'll probably be scaling it so that there's fewer mechs on the board - for example take the withdraw mission. roll a six. that's 6 PC mechs, enemies get three heavies and four assaults.

Scaled down, that's 4 PC mechs; 2 enemy heavies, and 2.7 assault, the fraction probably rounding to a medium. That's pretty much worst case scenario, since they start pretty much on top of the players.

where I'm willing to fudge is what of each class they face. 3050 grasshopper 'upgrade,' a good ostroc or ostsol, charger 3k, grand titan, ER-PPC clint. Fast enough to keep up with a lot of forces, fairly tough, but easy(ish) to outgun or survive while running.

Thanks for the ideas, BTW.

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #48 on: 06 December 2019, 08:16:43 »
Take a Hatchetman replace Axe/Hatchet with mace shaped like a baseball bat  w Louisville  Slugger written on it . Should get the feel you are looking  for

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Re: Mook Mechs
« Reply #49 on: 06 December 2019, 13:52:28 »
Take a Hatchetman replace Axe/Hatchet with mace shaped like a baseball bat  w Louisville  Slugger written on it . Should get the feel you are looking  for

Something like this?