Kampfgruppe Steiner Operation: Götterdämmerung or how we survived the Dark Age.

[JadedFalcon]

The Errata or MUL threads might be a better place to ask about the MUL criteria.

My own baseless conjecture: The FedSuns liked to supply the mercenary market, so it's conceivable Enforcers were openly sold to mercs. It's also reasonable to imagine that Lyran business interests might buy mechs off the mercenary market and then resell them to under-equipped militia and military regiments (thinking Lyran Regulars as a potential buyer). Hell, Galatea was in the Lyran Commonwealth, so anyone putting serious effort into profiting off of the merc trade during the Succession Wars is going to have sales agents operating there.

Otherwise, they're mostly re-salvaged from Kurita invasions. Or maybe a lot were left behind after the FedSuns attacked Hesperus.

[Archangel]

Well House Steiner and House Davion shared a common hatred for the Dragon so it does make sense that if the FedSuns would export their 'Mechs anywhere it would be to the Lyrans (even without the Steiner-Davion alliance).  Plus with their strong economy you knew they would pay the balance owned (its during the negotiations that they had to watch out  ;)).

[Flieger]

Thanks for the answers!

Now another short Mech-question: what BattleMech(s) did Katrina Steiner pilot?

[jackson123]

Warhawk?

[False Son]

Warhawk?

I think he meant Katrina Steiner, not Katherine.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Didn't she pilot a Warhammer?

[ANS Kamas P81]

Blue Warhammer, yes; the same one Melissa got some training in (but apparently wasn't very proficient with).

[Top Sergeant]

Hello fellow Lyrans!

I'm going to build a Lightning Company (Blitzkompanie) and I what I need help with is not what mechs to use, but which Regiment to build it in. I already have companies in the 6th Lyran Guard, 4th Lyran Regulars and 11th Arcturan Guard. I'd like to use a different unit for this Lightning Company, and I'm open to suggestions.  :) (And don't forget to tell me why you recommend the Regiment).

My chief criteria is that you take into account the Regiment's special rule, if it has one (most do).

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

What era?

[Top Sergeant]

What era?

I am most familiar with pre-Dark Age but I'll consider any gallant Lyran regiment.

[Xiwo Xerase]

I'm going to build a Lightning Company (Blitzkompanie) and I what I need help with is not what mechs to use, but which Regiment to build it in.

Depending on how you want to build the company, I would consider the 2nd Donegal Guards.  Sarna states their special is:  (I'm at work so I can't look this up in FM:LA myself.)

The Second Donegal Guard possessed a reputation for unorthodox, yet effective, tactics. They preferred high-speed combat over the usual Lyran "mountain of metal" tactics, as well as the heavy use of aerospace assets.

I picked the 2nd Donegal Guards when planning a force because I wanted to do less traditional force (which is also why I picked the 2nd St. Ives Lancers for a Capellan Confederation unit).  The relatively simple paint scheme doesn't hurt either since I'm inexperienced at painting.

[Kit deSummersville]

Celebrate the eras CGL is working on now (early succession wars and dark age) by painting up the 4th Royal Guard!

I can't remember what their special ability is but I'm pretty sure I gave them something cool.

[Flieger]

Blue Warhammer, yes; the same one Melissa got some training in (but apparently wasn't very proficient with).

Thanks! That is interesting because it is a relatively light Mech compared to the Mechs of her peers. With the exception of Takashi Kurita in the Battle of Luthien, head of states usually drive heavier Mechs, and Takashi decision was surely symbolic.
Think about the Wall of Steel / Atlas Scout Lance stereotypes, and an Archon in a Warhammer is not what I would have expected. Not that I saw her in an Atlas; I saw her in one of the more mobile assaults.

I'm going to build a Lightning Company (Blitzkompanie) and I what I need help with is not what mechs to use, but which Regiment to build it in. I already have companies in the 6th Lyran Guard, 4th Lyran Regulars and 11th Arcturan Guard. I'd like to use a different unit for this Lightning Company, and I'm open to suggestions.  :) (And don't forget to tell me why you recommend the Regiment).

My chief criteria is that you take into account the Regiment's special rule, if it has one (most do).

3rd Royal Guards in the 4th SW

According to the Atlas, most Lightning Companies in this war were exclusively composed of light Mechs. But the Royal Guards have two Lightning Companies, and the First of them is pretty heavy. It has two medium lances of Assassins, Phoenix Hawks, and Centurions; plus one lance of Wasps, Stingers, and Javelins. This light lance represents a typical force composition of LCs in the 4th SW, though throwing in a few Valkyries should not be a problem considering they were already produced in the Commonwealth. The Commando is absent for being incapable of jumping, I guess, but that is why I personally would exclude the Centurion too (and perhaps replace it with an Enforcer). Furthermore I think Clints and Shadowhawks are valid choices in the medium class, as long as they are not the majority. Vulcan and Firestarter are not my first choice, because their anti-infantry focus may not be what a Lightning Company is for, but one of those will not hurt.

I like the Third Royals for being an elite trouble shooter unit, which is always given the toughest nuts to crack and does not just sit on Tharkad. Due to their innovative tactics they get an inititive bonus.

[Top Sergeant]

I picked the 2nd Donegal Guards when planning a force because I wanted to do less traditional force (which is also why I picked the 2nd St. Ives Lancers for a Capellan Confederation unit).

Off Map movement is a very handy ability.

[Top Sergeant]

As for era, I have found I often create a 16-mech company so that I'll have 8-12 I can use in almost any era. BT is handy that way, for example my Stalker mini can be a 3025 design or a 3075 design or a 3125 design. It depends on the mech sheet, not the miniature :)

*edit* Upon review Skye Rangers are out. Sorry.  ;)

[Col.Hengist]

I'll second the 2nd DG. Originally I was thinking a Jager unit because they were originally built using older stuff and it probably wouldn't be very heavy.


 

[Top Sergeant]

Keep suggesting a Regiment, and while that's being pondered I have gone through my bin of already purchased 'Mechs and what I have on hand that would be eligible are the following. Feel free to let me know what you would use for a Lightning Company, and also add in an extra Lance (so 4 lances in total)

Wolverine
Enfield
Lynx
Cicada
Assassin
Phoenix Hawk
Uziel
Griffin
Vulcan
Strider
Dervish
Blitzkreig
Crab
Firestarter Omni
Dart
Dart
Spector
Spector
Fireball
Commando
Commando
Hornet
Hornet
Stinger


Would fast Heavies (6/9/0) be in a Lightning Company?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Only problem that I can see with that is that there aren't too many Lyran heavies that move 6/9.

[Col.Hengist]

I'm having a hard time thinking of a heavy that we produce that moves 6/9. The 3050 dragon, but we don't produce it. I think some 5/8/? Heavies wouldn't be bad in there.

[Flieger]

6/9 is an excessive demand for most heavy Mechs anyway since 70 and 75 tonners cannot even reach that speed without MASC, TSM, or supercharger. And 60/65 tonners with such a huge engine (360/390) are relatively uncommon. And in Lyran hands... You may argue for some captured Grand Dragon or a Lancelot found in a cache, but those would be rare. However if you have an ARDC-unit like the 20th or 23rd Arcturan Guards, you perhaps could use Mechs from Clan WiE like the Linebacker. But again, it would not be typical.

5/8 is totally fine for a fast heavy Mech group, and the Lyrans have a nice selection in that field.

[Top Sergeant]

OK, then would 5/8 Heavies be found in a Lightning Company?

[Col.Hengist]

I am of the opinion that they could possibly be. Heavy cavalry mechs would be very effective in this type of company.  2 lances of 7/11 + to mess with them and the heavy cav mechs to clean up.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

OK, then would 5/8 Heavies be found in a Lightning Company?

The Falconer and Verfolger both immediately come to mind.

[Flieger]

The Falconer and Verfolger both immediately come to mind.

And they are excellent choices. Another very Lyran choice would be the Barghest. I personally like the Maelstrom, build by Norse Storm. Sometimes overlooked is that the Flashman was build by Defiance - primarily for ComStar but also for the Alliance. And there are even more to chose from.
Contrary to the wall of steel stereotype, the Lyrans have a number of good cavalry Mechs.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The Lyran unofficial motto should be "whatever type of mech you favor, we build it too and ours is probably better."

[Top Sergeant]

The Lyran unofficial motto should be "whatever type of mech you favor, we build it too and ours is probably better."

Dang skippy! And it'll be delivered by a beautiful woman and we'll leave a case of scotch or Timbiqui Dark in the cockpit, your choice!

Why would you want to be any other Faction?  8)

[Caedis Animus]

So... How bad would it be to paint a Tomahawk II in Royal Guard colors?

With some proper Lyran modifications to loadout, obviously.

[Kit deSummersville]

Celebrate the eras CGL is working on now (early succession wars and dark age) by painting up the 4th Royal Guard!

I can't remember what their special ability is but I'm pretty sure I gave them something cool.

Aha! I remembered to look it up. When attacking, copy one from an opponent; when defending, delete one from your opponent.

[Flieger]

Strange: the MUL says the Dragon -7N is available for the Lyran Alliance. It is the only Dragon variant, so ordinary salvage does not explain it. What is the history of that Dragon variant in Lyran service (some 20 years)? Or is it a simple mistake?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Strange: the MUL says the Dragon -7N is available for the Lyran Alliance. It is the only Dragon variant, so ordinary salvage does not explain it. What is the history of that Dragon variant in Lyran service (some 20 years)? Or is it a simple mistake?

It's a curious find.  Sure, a simple mistake could be the explanation, but I find it poor practice to use "it must be in error" to be the first go-to explanation.

It does appear to me that when availability is given to a faction via "lots of salvage available", its availability goes away as time progresses.  This example does fit that trajectory as it quits being available to Steiner as of the Dark Age whereas it continues being available to the Combine, where it was presumably still in production and/or always had been available in greater numbers.

But since we don't see other Dragon variants showing up as available for Steiner, that probably isn't the whole story.  Rather than saying it's suggestive that salvage can't be the explanation, I'm thinking it actually could still sensibly be.  If, that is, you think about what variants were like in the Succession Wars: an aftermarket refit/jury rig to existing machines, rather than designing and manufacturing new machines entirely.  It certainly seems that Steiner should have one of the larger fleets of Dragon-class mechs in the inner sphere outside the DCMS, simply by having fought with Kurita for centuries.  Steiner may simply have undergone an upgrade program to take all their salvaged Dragons and upgraded them to the same standard, which happens to be a board-game-level-of-granularity match for what Kurita called the -7N.

Of course, there's also the more direct possibility:  Kurita simply exported a few production runs to Steiner.  This wouldn't be the first time neighboring IS states sold one another mechs. The -7N was never a prestige ride for Kurita pilots, so I don't see why it couldn't have been exported.  It *is* on the Merc availability list afterall, which certainly could indicate substantial production not scooped up by the DCMS.