1st Landing Guards (ATOW & TW set in 3022)

[Sonicfear]

I'm teaching some new players the game and we're doing a mix of the rpg and tabletop, this is what's happened so far.

1st Landing Guards (ATOW & TW rules set in 3022):

Founded by farmers led by a one-legged retired merc/tech named "Old Bill" on a backwater periphery planet called Landing.  The unit was formed after a ragged scout group of pesky pirates got overconfident, and were caught by locals while out of their mechs celebrating their latest plunders.  They were taken apart rather quickly by hunting dogs and rifles.  The Locust pilot on watch, who was later found sleeping in his mech with an empty bottle, was beaten and shanghaied into service after given some unpleasant options. The now ex-pirate, realizing he could never go back to his boss after his mistake,  also gratefully gave over the security start-up codes for the remaining parked mechs and quickly became everyone's best friend.  After looking over the poorly-cared for rusty machines the pirates called mechs that had killed so many neighbors and livestock, "Old Bill" decided enough was enough.

A short time later the 1st Landing Guards was born.  It is now the job of a few half-trained farmers, an untrustworthy ex-pirate, and a one- legged old merc to protect the quiet little planet from a now very pissed off pirate boss. 

Lct-1v Locust (low MG ammo)
Wsp-1a Wasp (no SRM ammo)
Stg-3r Stinger (low MG ammo, busted jump jets)
Com-2d Commando (no SRM ammo)

And "Old Bills" mothballed family heirloom, whos fusion engine was powering his hot-water heater:

Cplt-C1 Catapult (no LRM ammo, half-busted gyro, home to a family of squirrels)


 O0 Full of cheese, but its good old fashion beer and pretzel "salvage what you can" Battletech.

I'm trying to work out a paint scheme now, considering the limited resource environment I'm tempted to rust them up and patchwork them until things get a bit more economically stable down the road.

Any ideas?

I was thinking guerrilla warfare against a larger force, on foot and in cockpit. meanwhile they can bribe a shady merchant family for supplies, parts, and communications with civilized space.

[Dave Talley]

TAG!
this sounds fun

[Nav_Alpha]

Love it! Classic Mad Max-esque feel that games of that era should feel like. (Hell, I've run quiet a few similar units in my time).

I'd suggest no standard paint job - mainly rust with primer and slaps of greens and browns over the top as an attempt at camo.
But allow the warriors to personalize their rides with "nose art" - some of it graphic and obscene, other bits naive and cutsey.

I could also see them making use of Agro and other Industrialmechs as part of their guerrilla action, as well as training the locals into a backwoods militia - some armed with nothing much more than old muzzleloaders, flintlocks, bows and axes.

[Sonicfear]

Hmm modified agromechs is a cool idea...also could use civilian vehicles/hovercraft jury rigged with heavy MGs and petro flamers...although that could be suicide unless they're fast as hell

Rusty patchy camo paint scheme it is then thanks!

[Braasch]

TAG

I love such units...  O0 O0 O0

[SCC]

Very nice, especially how your not using the old time "Fusion engines are rare" thing and seem instead to be going with gyro's.

One problem but, MG they shouldn't have trouble getting MG Ammo, they can probably MAKE it themselves, heck under the old Mad-Max style the ammo from their hunting rifles will do the job

[Tiki Monkey]

Please keep us posted on how they fare. This is the style of B-T I love to see.

[Hawkeye Jim]

Interesting....a Catapult with a half-busted gyro and a one -legged pilot. Sounds like a half-assed protector.....are the squirrels listed as part of the technical crew?

[Sonicfear]

The idea behind the catapult was to dangle a carrot to the players to give them something heavy and nasty they could work on piece by piece and possibly field at just the right time as a secret weapon. The family of squirrels happend accidentally as an rpg prop, but I'm going to have fun with that, maybe as a secondary security system for the mech.

The story behind the one-legged merc is that he retired 20 odd years ago after being the lone survivor of his unit in a bloody border skirmish between the great houses.  His beloved family heirloom was shot up, and his leg got crushed along with its gyro.  He said screw it, and spent the last of his earnings transporting himself and his busted mech to a little-known backwater periphery planet and became a quiet farmer.  Being a skilled tech and metal worker though, he's spent a bit of his free time over 20 years tinkering with the catapult and repairing what he could.  He was actually using the valuable fusion engine in the mech to power his backwoods house and workshop.  I figure he could get his leg fixed sometime as the role playing end of it progresses, or at least mod the mech to allow for use. 

There is a lot of cool directions this could go, but I really am leaving it up to the players to decide their own fate and use what resources they can find in creative ways.

I'll post updates as they happen, and thanks for the feedback!

[Sir Chaos]

...are the squirrels listed as part of the technical crew?

They halve the penalty to PSR for the gyro damage, because they move around the mech torso, helping keep it upright by shifting its center of mass.


For the unit logo, I vote for a crossed torch and pitchfork.

[snakespinner]

Tag
Beware the Squirrels. >:D

[Nav_Alpha]

I'd also feed the pcs rumors of a local merc or pirate unit that includes several working heavy mechs. Dangle THAT carrot in from of them but semi off screen...

Also, maybe your one legged merc can use some sort of peg leg arrangement to reach his cockpit pedals?

[Sir Chaos]

I'd also feed the pcs rumors of a local merc or pirate unit that includes several working heavy mechs. Dangle THAT carrot in from of them but semi off screen...

Also, maybe your one legged merc can use some sort of peg leg arrangement to reach his cockpit pedals?

Cockpit pedals are one more thing where a family of squirrels comes in handy...

[Hotwire]

Awesome. BattleTech as it was meant to be played.  O0 Keep us posted.

[RunandFindOut]

Awesome. BattleTech as it was meant to be played.  O0 Keep us posted.

O0 O0Double-Plus Good

What he said, Battletech in the original spirit.  Love playing the little crappy units.  Just remember your technicals, can't have a crappy little Mad Max campaign without technicals and at least one crazy voodoo shaman with a hunting rifle.