Hi all, longtime lurker, first-time poster. I'm running a narrative campaign (first time!) this year with a group, and am trying to have a fun gimmick/twist for every mission. This month we're doing a supply convoy escort through a canyon, and while I was looking at different train options, I stumbled onto a Dropzone Commander miniature that was very intriguing:
Basically an aircraft carrier. With tank treads. It is immensely stupid and impractical, so I thought -
perfect for Battletech!
It takes up about three hexes using Heroscape 1.75" terrain. Now, it's my first time designing a unit in any tabletop game, much less Battletech. To my interpretation, it's a Super-heavy Support vehicle, with double AC/5 on each side, plus 2 LRM-10s on the top. I decided the command bridge would be the "turret" and slapped a Gauss Rifle on-top. Please let me know if this doesn't make sense.
Now, and this is where this gets very silly, I ginned up the idea (I know the scale is off, but bear with me) that it could store a lance of 'Mechs (or maybe just two) in it's hull instead of cargo... and deploy them from the flight deck, giving them a +2 boost to their Jumping MP for their first movement - so now you can charge to the front line, mechs safely stored away, and then launch them directly into the fray!
I get that a lot of this is homebrew, but I was hoping for your input on how to make this "work" with the specifics. I started a record sheet but I keep going back and forth on armor, and not sure what to do about the fact that it takes up 3 hexes. It's not really a "Mobile Structure" I don't think? I figured I could make it work with 3/5 Cruising/Flank MP, and let mechs stand on top of the deck as Level 2 terrain (or behind it, as mobile cover)
My plan for the scenario is that it starts out disguised as simply a hardened superheavy cargo carrier "Banal Bringer of Cargo" alongside some standard supply trucks. The launch deck folds up, so it doesn't look like a carrier deck. Like this:
Partway through the scenario, as they're getting bogged down with the Clan lance assaulting them, the carrier basically turns hard left/right and blocks the narrow canyon path for the unwitting supply trucks - before revealing it's true identity as a mobile Battletech carrier, and launching a 'Mech piloted by the humiliated mercenary they defeated last scenario; who saw all his comrades killed and jumped into a recently emptied nuclear missile silo to try and escape - only to have his jumpjets malfunction on the way down, breaking every bone in his body, and the evil weapons R&D company that is haunting the shadows of the campaign hooks him up with military grade experimental prosthesis and straps him into a new 'Mech, hiding in the bay of this experimental Land-Carrier prototype, ready for combat trials.
So, the "Banal Bringer of Cargo" is now the "Ballistic Battlemech land-Carrier"-76. And if they manage to defeat it, they can salvage it and use it for the rest of the campaign - with some possible upgrades. I was thinking, being able to up the JJ boost MP from launching, adding a new weapon to the turret, upgrading the engine for added MP, more armor, some sort of targeting boost?, or just scrapping the deck and replacing them with artillery cannons. All of these would be pretty expensive and forcing my players to pool their money.
Please let me know what you think! Any input is greatly appreciated. I'm still working on a Record Sheet, but I'd love your thoughts on it.