Army Reports 3025: FWLM, DCMS, AFFS, LCAF and CCAF!

[worktroll]

You're very welcome, Katya!

[Cowdragon]

these are fantastic! Thanks for working so hard on them. :)

[mitchberthelson]

First off,
Thanks a bunch for these, Worktroll. I plan on making extensive use. :)

A few questions:

1. Why is the EXT-4A Exterminator listed on the Davion rarity chart in 3025, but not on the Liao one? It was produced starting in 3007 by Kallon Industries on Nanking, which wasn't taken by House Davion until the 4th Succession War after the Tikonov Free Republic was absorbed.

2. Why does Steiner not get the Highlander 733 in 3025? I thought they retained a facility to produce small numbers, just like Liao did. Did that not come online until after 3025? (I don't have 3050 Upgrade, so if the answer is in there, please let me know).

3. Now that those two are out of the way, would you be able to share your general thought process on how the Star League downgrades were parcelled out? I figure it would be clear cut if the House in question manufactured the design (like Marik with the Thug and Guillotine), but what about those who didn't manufacture the designs on their tables (like the same Guillotines on the Liao table)? I'm very curious as to how that all came about.

Again, great job, and thanks for saving us all so much time.

[worktroll]

Mitch,

You need to direct those questions to Xotl - I used his random assignment tables to generate the simple RATs and availability lists.

If I had to give an answer on Xotl's behalf, it would come down to how many of that design remained in operation in the given House & time period. The RATs in the Army Reports are purely meant to allow generation of representative forces; the availability lists give a finer-grain idea of the possible. I'm sure there's a King Crab somewhere in the FWL in that era, but the odds of meeting it are just too small to include in a common/uncommon matrix. And so on.

Cheers,

W.

[mitchberthelson]

Mitch,

You need to direct those questions to Xotl - I used his random assignment tables to generate the simple RATs and availability lists.

If I had to give an answer on Xotl's behalf, it would come down to how many of that design remained in operation in the given House & time period. The RATs in the Army Reports are purely meant to allow generation of representative forces; the availability lists give a finer-grain idea of the possible. I'm sure there's a King Crab somewhere in the FWL in that era, but the odds of meeting it are just too small to include in a common/uncommon matrix. And so on.

Cheers,

W.

Thanks. I'll direct those questions to him. Is there a particular thread for his fan product where I can do so?

[martian]

1. Why is the EXT-4A Exterminator listed on the Davion rarity chart in 3025, but not on the Liao one? It was produced starting in 3007 by Kallon Industries on Nanking, which wasn't taken by House Davion until the 4th Succession War after the Tikonov Free Republic was absorbed.

EXT-4A was produced by Kallon on Thermopolis, so no Liaos or Davions, but Mariks were users of this Succession Wars model. (per TRO: 3050U and Handbook: House Marik)

[Frabby]

Thanks. I'll direct those questions to him. Is there a particular thread for his fan product where I can do so?

Xotl's excellent RAT project thread is found here:
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,1219.0.html

[mitchberthelson]

EXT-4A was produced by Kallon on Thermopolis, so no Liaos or Davions, but Mariks were users of this Succession Wars model. (per TRO: 3050U and Handbook: House Marik)

OK, Sarna.net should be updated, then. They list it as Nanking in both the Exterminator's own article and the article on Kallon Industries. I still need to get 3050U. Will probably do that this week. Supposedly, the Nanking reference comes from Tech Readout: 3025 Revised. Don't have that book either (since I was trying to get by with both the original 3025 and the original 3050). Did that get retconned or was it just wrong?

[worktroll]

Sarna's a great place to start looking, but for minutia at this level I'd be wary. Sarna is only as good as the people who contribute, so if you find an issue, why not fix it?  I've done a few things myself - and if I can do it ;)

[mitchberthelson]

Sarna's a great place to start looking, but for minutia at this level I'd be wary. Sarna is only as good as the people who contribute, so if you find an issue, why not fix it?  I've done a few things myself - and if I can do it ;)

Yeah. Once I get the books in question, I may do so, since I already have HB: Marik and I'll have the other primary sources involved. As someone who's had work published in peer-reviewed journals, I'm well aware of the pitfalls of anything with "wiki" in its title, but I figured I'd take a shot at leaning on it because I was hesitant to buy the books that were referenced. I'll see what I can do about that issue once I get them. The EXT's been one of my favorite machines since I was 12, and it would be a fitting first contribution.

[Panthros]

This material is great.  Any update on new books?  3025 is an awesome period.  I would love to see a mercenary book.  Keep up the great work!!!

[Wrangler]

I'd like see alternate eras used too.  Arguably these enhanced Army Reports, based on old House Books are best fan products out there for this time period.  Gives actual fact what variants are in use and how scares they maybe.  I'd rather have a listing like this used in CGL producted books, but i guess this more product of love than something that can turn profit.

Thank you again, worktroll.

[worktroll]

You're all very welcome.

the Field Manuals sort of replicate this for the other eras. The intent was that you could start with 3025 & the basic rules using the Army Reports, then move to the FMs and a more detailed set of information. These were very much intended to help transition people from either no BT background, or background in more traditional minis games which imposed far more structure, into the more open BT environment.

And yes, I should consider picking up the Mercs book again.

And minor point - fans aren't in any way obliged to do anything to support the game. But I can say it's a whole lot of fun, and satisfaction, bringing an effort like this to completion - and a real blast when real live people^TM
get some use out of it!

Cheers,

W.

[greatsarcasmo]

Need to looks these over for an AS game sometime.

[Scotty]

Have you ever considered adding these to the Battlecorps store with a $0 price tag to gauge community receptiveness and interest to an actual product of this nature?

[worktroll]

I had pitched the idea to Herb Beas, the line developer, way back when. The main issue was in order to go up on the BattleShop, the products would have to get professional layout. Layout is one of the production bottlenecks, and these would have taken up a layout person's time time better spent on work that made the company money.

I was OK with this; I asked if it was OK for me to do this as a fan-work, and Herb kindly agreed. As the ARs are based on
- information freely available through the old House Book PDFs
- public domain work like Xotl's RATs

it wasn't like I was competing directly with new product, even the Era Reports for similar periods.

So, shorter answer: No, and this way, I can make my own mistakes and not cause CGL problems ;) Interestingly enough, if you look in the back of Alpha Strike, you'll find representative companies for the Clan Invasion period. Maybe I had some small influence there? (Formally - I doubt it; it's the sort of thing you'd put in that book anyway, even if I hadn't done my ARs ;) )

Although I think their companies are more flavour-driven than pure stats-driven - 'Mechs particularly associated with that faction.

W.

[Scotty]

I tend to think that a product like this could be slapped up for a hefty $0 without any layout changes at all, just to gauge interest.  I know that I was most certainly helped by it during my formative period in BattleTech, and it's really an excellent resource even after.

[Trace Coburn]

I tend to think that a product like this could be slapped up for a hefty $0 without any layout changes at all, just to gauge interest.  I know that I was most certainly helped by it during my formative period in BattleTech, and it's really an excellent resource even after.

  Whether electronic or dead-trees, the publishing industry just doesn’t work that way.  When a company puts a product on its web-store, even as a freebie, the customer automatically assumes that it meets that company’s quality-control standards and reflects its degree of dedication to its craft.  If your ‘free tastes’ look like something thrown together in someone’s living-room in the fifteen minutes between dinner and Monday Night Football*, it sends a message about your company’s skill, professionalism and how much you love what you do.  That being so, it becomes imperative that any product you intend to release doesn’t go out to the public until it does meet your standards.

  If you’ll pardon the language, the TL;DR version is “free or not, every product put on the BattleShop has to get full layout treatment, or it’ll look like CGL doesn’t give a shit about doing things properly”.


* That’s a general comment, worktroll, not a slam on the ARs; IMO, there are many publishers in the Pathfinder 3PP industry who could stand to take some pointers from you.  O0

[Rainbow 6]

Sorry for the thread necromancy, Worktroll i was wondering if you've had any time to do a periphery one of these? Or hoped to in the future?

[StCptMara]

Sorry for the thread necromancy, Worktroll i was wondering if you've had any time to do a periphery one of these? Or hoped to in the future?

Well...he *DID* do a FWLM one...isn't that kind of the same thing?
*ducks!*

[SCC]

Well...he *DID* do a FWLM one...isn't that kind of the same thing?
*ducks!*

If it was for the period where the FWL was broken up it would make sense

[StCptMara]

If it was for the period where the FWL was broken up it would make sense

no..the FWL matters very little, even then, in terms of effect on the universe. So, it
 is very much a Periphery state, even though they have delusions that they are an
actual Successor State.

[Rainbow 6]

no..the FWL matters very little, even then, in terms of effect on the universe. So, it
 is very much a Periphery state, even though they have delusions that they are an
actual Successor State.

Bit harsh.

[martian]

Bit harsh.

But true.

[Issamuel]

But true.

Unfortunately.

Although it does mean for that 3145 FWLers can arguably roll on the Periphery General RAT, and Pirate RAT.  :D More variety so to speak.

[Wrangler]

I'd like pipe in and say, I still love this work, Worktroll.  I'm sad it never was made into canon product, but i having it makes these awesome.

I wish you were able round out rest of the series with Periphery, Mercenaries and etc!

[Red Pins]

I'd like pipe in and say, I still love this work, Worktroll.  I'm sad it never was made into canon product, but i having it makes these awesome.

I wish you were able round out rest of the series with Periphery, Mercenaries and etc!

Amen.

[StoneRhino]

Just saw this from a link in the main area. Great stuff. While going over the Kurita file I found myself a new unit, the Legion of Vega. I'm sure I have read it before at some point but right now I'm looking for another unit to paint and this really popped out.

[worktroll]

Every time I see a reply like this it makes me really glad I did these. Thank you so much, StoneRhino!

Being on the mini side myself - having graduated decades ago from ancients and Napoleonic minis combat - I've always been aware of the Heritage books, and how important they were for allowing new gamers to explore those convoluted historical periods, units and combats. The idea of doing a BT Heritage series - swoon! But in the meantime, hence the Army Reports - some small shadow of that great tradition.

W.

[noisenerd]

Saw this on my "recent unread" list, and popped in to say: thanks for these, worktroll! Since I realized I haven't yet.

P.S. How is this thread not stickied?