Empire of the Nerds: The Niops Association Thread

[Giovanni Blasini]

1 regiment of Mechs is a good number to deter any raiders, especially if it is 1/3 Star League Mechs and 2/3 Retro or intro Mechs. Since they buy from the Hegemony, Lyrans and former FWL, for Retrotech, the Centurion, Sarissa, Ostwar, Patron and Arbiter will be common.

Right.  Which certainly is an answer to what they're probably doing in canon: salvaging their own crap, stripping Blakist salvage for parts, and buying from my neighbors.  My question was more in terms of if you're trying to restore some domestic production, what do you build?

Also, the problem with one regiment at 85% strength is that they've got three planets to defend, not one.

[Elmoth]

Also, the problem with one regiment at 85% strength is that they've got three planets to defend, not one.

This. It is 2 companies or a batallion per planet, not a regiment. Niops woud do well having a VERY strong naval arm, or ASF force.

[tapdancingbeavers]

This. It is 2 companies or a batallion per planet, not a regiment. Niops woud do well having a VERY strong naval arm, or ASF force.

With the Outworlds Alliance being Clan now I think that would be an interesting direction to take Niops; a lower tech, scrappy ASF nation.

[ArkRoyalRavager]

Right.  Which certainly is an answer to what they're probably doing in canon: salvaging their own crap, stripping Blakist salvage for parts, and buying from my neighbors.  My question was more in terms of if you're trying to restore some domestic production, what do you build?

Oops sorry. Any of the SLDF Mechs from TRO3050U or the Royals would be fine if they still retain the data. Perhaps licensing the Orion from the neoFWL for a solid heavy.

Royal P-Hawk for a mobile generalist.

Also, the problem with one regiment at 85% strength is that they've got three planets to defend, not one.

As others pointed out, they need a strong aero complement. If they don't, a short-term solution would be loaning DropShips from IE.

[Niopsian]

I'm not a Kickstarter backer, so I didn't see this.  Could you provide a synopsis?

Tis me!

Name: Alexander Elias Temper
Profession: Businessman/Merc Owner

Pithy Quote: "It doesn't take a genius to realize that the Space Romans are coming for us eventually. Fortunately for us, I AM a genius, and I have a plan."

Yeah, he's a bit of a jerk, but hopefully of the Tony Stark variety.  ;)

Which brings up the interesting question...

We know Niops has a militia in 3145.  They even have a military academy.  What they reportedly lack are the old Project Workshops.

Say you're in charge of military procurement for the Niops Association.  You know the new germanium mining operations in the belt of the Niops system could attract some attention.  Your goal, then, is to restore some degree of self-sufficiency to the Niops Association in terms of military hardware production and procurement.

What military hardware lines do you try to obtain production for?  For simplicity's sake, let's stick to canon designs, and ones that other parties are likely to be willing to part with (say, because they're lower tech) or ones you can scrape together from thr ruins of the workshop.  Thoughts?

I'd lean heavily into the partnership with IE and start with an effort to restore the Association Militia's Aerospace arm and build new orbital facilities dedicated to servicing JumpShips and DropShips. Make Niops the go-to system for IE's Anti-Spinward exploration. Strike a deal for IE to front the initial cost for mercenaries to defend the burgeoning orbital repair facilities and spend precious national funds on hiring techs, astechs and engineers to come help salvage the Project Workshops and/or start teaching the new graduating classes how to build the tools to build the lines to produce level 1 tech base 'Mechs. Focus on three chassis (heavy scout, workman medium, closeup heavy/assault) and focus on getting back up to the goal of one new 'Mech per semester. Save the Star League era designs for later, once we've got the basics up and running.

By the end of first ten years we have a company's worth of new local 'Mech production, a NAM augmented by IE fronted mercenaries and the potential of becoming a rest and refit site for Mercs joining or leaving IE contracts, further bolstering the system's defenses.

Long term, I would leverage that expanded aerospace maintenance capability to start working on a home-produced Dropship design intended for PWS duties. It's goal isn't to destroy, necessarily, but to so shred incoming enemy Dropships so that anything that does make it planetside has been streaming atmosphere and bodies all the way in-system.

But, yeah, I'd go aerospace heavy to start.

[Colt Ward]

I'd lean heavily into the partnership with IE and start with an effort to restore the Association Militia's Aerospace arm and build new orbital facilities dedicated to servicing JumpShips and DropShips. Make Niops the go-to system for IE's Anti-Spinward exploration. Strike a deal for IE to front the initial cost for mercenaries to defend the burgeoning orbital repair facilities and spend precious national funds on hiring techs, astechs and engineers to come help salvage the Project Workshops and/or start teaching the new graduating classes how to build the tools to build the lines to produce level 1 tech base 'Mechs. Focus on three chassis (heavy scout, workman medium, closeup heavy/assault) and focus on getting back up to the goal of one new 'Mech per semester. Save the Star League era designs for later, once we've got the basics up and running.

By the end of first ten years we have a company's worth of new local 'Mech production, a NAM augmented by IE fronted mercenaries and the potential of becoming a rest and refit site for Mercs joining or leaving IE contracts, further bolstering the system's defenses.

Long term, I would leverage that expanded aerospace maintenance capability to start working on a home-produced Dropship design intended for PWS duties. It's goal isn't to destroy, necessarily, but to so shred incoming enemy Dropships so that anything that does make it planetside has been streaming atmosphere and bodies all the way in-system.

But, yeah, I'd go aerospace heavy to start.

Here is something I was wondering about honestly . . . they should have the knowledge base to do a lot while they may lack the infrastructure or the population to turn things out.

But why not buy retromechs that are build on standard engines, gyro, and structure?  They make a solid foundation.

Primitive Cockpit?  Primitive Armor?  Single Heat Sinks?  Standard Weapons?  All of that can be improved and with a smaller infrastructure footprint- particularly if you are buying weapons or DHS from Rim Commonality, Marians, Kendall, and Magistry of Canopus?  New production arrives with such chassis, strip the armor (hey, used it in fixed fortifications), heat sinks and head/cockpit to get a improved design from the base.

Bluntly I think some of those Retro producers should have been doing this after the Jihad, sell the low-tech designs to mercs and militias.  One of the selling points is after-market modification . . . and hey, we have plans w/instructional videos & manuals . . . even kits we can sell you!  Mercs could have bought them to bulk with the later intention of upgrading  . . . AC/5s & SHS to LB-10X & DHS FREX.

[glitterboy2098]

working on the idea of picking up a design that manufacturers are dropping post-jihad..

perhaps the MN2-A Sarissa? getting it from the regulans might be tricky politically but the mech can be built on an industrialmech line while still having modern engine, armor, and cockpit (prettym uch only the chassis is still primitive)
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Sarissa
plus its mostly energy loadout so would reduce logistics (and you could easily work up a variant dropping the MG)

and a 4/6 50t medium with a headcapper laser would fair well against the 4/6 50t medium with an LB10X the Marian's would be relying on (their CN9-H Centurions)

[Giovanni Blasini]

Tis me!

Name: Alexander Elias Temper
Profession: Businessman/Merc Owner

Pithy Quote: "It doesn't take a genius to realize that the Space Romans are coming for us eventually. Fortunately for us, I AM a genius, and I have a plan."

Yeah, he's a bit of a jerk, but hopefully of the Tony Stark variety.  ;)

This is why I should have backed the Kickstarter.

I'd lean heavily into the partnership with IE and start with an effort to restore the Association Militia's Aerospace arm and build new orbital facilities dedicated to servicing JumpShips and DropShips. Make Niops the go-to system for IE's Anti-Spinward exploration. Strike a deal for IE to front the initial cost for mercenaries to defend the burgeoning orbital repair facilities and spend precious national funds on hiring techs, astechs and engineers to come help salvage the Project Workshops and/or start teaching the new graduating classes how to build the tools to build the lines to produce level 1 tech base 'Mechs. Focus on three chassis (heavy scout, workman medium, closeup heavy/assault) and focus on getting back up to the goal of one new 'Mech per semester. Save the Star League era designs for later, once we've got the basics up and running.

Most of this sounds good, although I'm worried about how well Niops would take to the idea of mercenaries, given their history with mercs.  That said, if they were willing to buy military hardware from the Marian Hegemony, they might be willing to hire mercenaries, too.

Beyond that, I ave to hand it to whichever author thought of pairing the Niops Association with Interstellar Expeditions.  Really, it's a brilliant choice, given the obvious synergies between the two.

What's funny is, if you're going for IntroTech, there are three obvious 'Mechs you could use fo those roles that're still Star League themed:

Heavy Scout/Trainer:  TRC-4B Chameleon
Trooper: CRB-20 Crab
Heavy/Assault: Your choice of BL-7-KNT/BL-7-KNT-L Black Knight or HGN-733P Highlander.

By the end of first ten years we have a company's worth of new local 'Mech production, a NAM augmented by IE fronted mercenaries and the potential of becoming a rest and refit site for Mercs joining or leaving IE contracts, further bolstering the system's defenses.

Long term, I would leverage that expanded aerospace maintenance capability to start working on a home-produced Dropship design intended for PWS duties. It's goal isn't to destroy, necessarily, but to so shred incoming enemy Dropships so that anything that does make it planetside has been streaming atmosphere and bodies all the way in-system.

But, yeah, I'd go aerospace heavy to start.

I wonder if they've got blueprints for the old Star League era Mule Q-Ship conversion.

[Giovanni Blasini]

working on the idea of picking up a design that manufacturers are dropping post-jihad..

perhaps the MN2-A Sarissa? getting it from the regulans might be tricky politically but the mech can be built on an industrialmech line while still having modern engine, armor, and cockpit (prettym uch only the chassis is still primitive)
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Sarissa
plus its mostly energy loadout so would reduce logistics (and you could easily work up a variant dropping the MG)

and a 4/6 50t medium with a headcapper laser would fair well against the 4/6 50t medium with an LB10X the Marian's would be relying on (their CN9-H Centurions)

Isn't the Sarissa the super Regulan pride 'Mech, though?  I mean, I know they got folded back into the FWL, basically at gunpoint, but I'm not sure we wouldn't end up seeing another Gladiator/Von Rohrs, where the design basically dies off because of politics.

[Giovanni Blasini]

An-2s loaded down with RL-10s

This is entirely your fault.

I like the cut of your jib.

And you.  Don't encourage him.  Or me.  >:D

Edit: That said, the equivalent of doing this with canon designs is the Karnov, which comes in a variety of versions, including the Periphery rocket launcher variety, the Thumper artillery variety, the AC/20 variety, the...

[chanman]

This is entirely your fault.

And you.  Don't encourage him.  Or me.  >:D

Edit: That said, the equivalent of doing this with canon designs is the Karnov, which comes in a variety of versions, including the Periphery rocket launcher variety, the Thumper artillery variety, the AC/20 variety, the...

Hear me out: You make the An-2 a convertible (it's not a monocoque airframe) with a big roof hatch. Then instead of mounting weapons, you give some sturdy handholds and a big ol' gyroscope. And you just have a BA inside that stands up to launch attacks with BA-scale weapons! It's like some twisted future drive-by shooting!

[glitterboy2098]

Isn't the Sarissa the super Regulan pride 'Mech, though?  I mean, I know they got folded back into the FWL, basically at gunpoint, but I'm not sure we wouldn't end up seeing another Gladiator/Von Rohrs, where the design basically dies off because of politics.

as i understand it, the Sarissa was ressurected as a stopgap design during the Jihad to make up for insufficient production of regular battlmechs, since the Sarissa could be thrown together using Industrialmech lines. which is basically what the design was originally created to do back in the age of war (to make up for slow production of the Mackie and icarus)

[Giovanni Blasini]

OK, hear me out here...

Niops had their own little civil war, then a short war against the Marians, then a short brutal war against the Word of Blake, then took their time getting their crap together over the next five or six decades, right?  But, hey, they're all united now, and they're working with Interstellar Expeditions, and spending more time in space than ever before.  They may have lost their workshops, but they've got access to a variety of technical data, and while they'll probably build out plenty of conventional forces, having a ready space force and BattleMech force are both rather important.

Three relatively ubiquitous intro-tech BattleMech designs that could still see a great deal of utility in the 3140s are the following:

RFL-series Rifleman: The RFL-1N was reintroduced during the Jihad era, and while it's mainly pirates using it during the 3130s and later per the MUL, it should be possible to get ahold of that tooling.  The RFL-3N, meanwhile, is still out there, and even on the Periphery General list per the MUL, so getting a production license form Kallon may be possible.

ARC-series Archer:  The ARC-1A primitive version got reintroduced during the Jihad, too, and while it appears to have fallen off in terms of production, it may be possible to get the tooling.  The ARC-2R Archer is also out there still, and on the MUL for the Periphery General.  It might be possible to get tooling for that, too.

WHM-series Warhammer:  No primitive version, but the WHM-6R is common as dirt, and still on the Periphery MUL list.  You may be able to start building that, too, if you can get a license and tooling.

For a scout design, Niops could standardize on a design that could doble both as a scout 'Mech and an aerospace fighter, and go with one of the following:

WSP-1## series Wasp LAM
STG-A#series Stinger LAM
PHX-HK# series Phoenix Hawk LAM

Since these would be fielded by a united Niops Association, and quite often in space, either supporting the asteroid mining or otherwise, you could even shuffle them into a new division of the Niops Association Militia, the United Niops Space Army, or UN Spacy for short.  ;D

[ArkRoyalRavager]

Then build an SDF-1 from a WarShip hulk to house the LAMs. Those are plentiful from the Jihad ;D

[Sharpnel]

Preferably on a Thera-based hull

[ArkRoyalRavager]

216 LAMs would be ruinous to maintain, but imagine those transforming fighters on parade every year :D

[Niopsian]

This is why I should have backed the Kickstarter.

At least you'll have a face to blame when I'm single-handedly responsible for dragging the faction down in flames.

Most of this sounds good, although I'm worried about how well Niops would take to the idea of mercenaries, given their history with mercs.  That said, if they were willing to buy military hardware from the Marian Hegemony, they might be willing to hire mercenaries, too.

The Black Heart Roses drama might have soured the government on mercenaries but it apparently didn't keep the rebels on Niops VI from contracting help for their actions against Niops VII. I don't think we'd see anything like the Rasalhague reaction to 'Mercs, post founding of the FRR, but I guess it's possible. Certainly the xenophobia seems to have stuck around for a while.

Beyond that, I ave to hand it to whichever author thought of pairing the Niops Association with Interstellar Expeditions.  Really, it's a brilliant choice, given the obvious synergies between the two.

What's funny is, if you're going for IntroTech, there are three obvious 'Mechs you could use fo those roles that're still Star League themed:

Heavy Scout/Trainer:  TRC-4B Chameleon
Trooper: CRB-20 Crab
Heavy/Assault: Your choice of BL-7-KNT/BL-7-KNT-L Black Knight or HGN-733P Highlander.

I wonder if they've got blueprints for the old Star League era Mule Q-Ship conversion.

Those are great choices.

Here is something I was wondering about honestly . . . they should have the knowledge base to do a lot while they may lack the infrastructure or the population to turn things out.

But why not buy retromechs that are build on standard engines, gyro, and structure?  They make a solid foundation.

Primitive Cockpit?  Primitive Armor?  Single Heat Sinks?  Standard Weapons?  All of that can be improved and with a smaller infrastructure footprint- particularly if you are buying weapons or DHS from Rim Commonality, Marians, Kendall, and Magistry of Canopus?  New production arrives with such chassis, strip the armor (hey, used it in fixed fortifications), heat sinks and head/cockpit to get a improved design from the base.

Bluntly I think some of those Retro producers should have been doing this after the Jihad, sell the low-tech designs to mercs and militias.  One of the selling points is after-market modification . . . and hey, we have plans w/instructional videos & manuals . . . even kits we can sell you!  Mercs could have bought them to bulk with the later intention of upgrading  . . . AC/5s & SHS to LB-10X & DHS FREX.

This is also a really great idea. The only downside I could see is the 3150 Niops government being able to scrape up the cash to do so. The original buildup was funded by the sale of centuries worth of astronomical data, which I imagine was a one-time source of revenue. There are the joint-venture germanium prospects, but would that be enough to fund an import based buildup?

Maybe some trades could be arranged? License out the specs for the Nighthawk XXII armor in exchange for favorable purchasing conditions on the buyer's 'Mech production lines?

[DOC_Agren]

An-2s loaded down with RL-10s

;D ;D 8)

For a scout design, Niops could standardize on a design that could doble both as a scout 'Mech and an aerospace fighter, and go with one of the following:

WSP-1## series Wasp LAM
STG-A#series Stinger LAM
PHX-HK# series Phoenix Hawk LAM

Since these would be fielded by a united Niops Association, and quite often in space, either supporting the asteroid mining or otherwise, you could even shuffle them into a new division of the Niops Association Militia, the United Niops Space Army, or UN Spacy for short.  ;D

Well my suggestion was for a Stinger/Wasp mech..  but if you can build LAMs count me in.  :beer:

[Colt Ward]

This is also a really great idea. The only downside I could see is the 3150 Niops government being able to scrape up the cash to do so. The original buildup was funded by the sale of centuries worth of astronomical data, which I imagine was a one-time source of revenue. There are the joint-venture germanium prospects, but would that be enough to fund an import based buildup?

Maybe some trades could be arranged? License out the specs for the Nighthawk XXII armor in exchange for favorable purchasing conditions on the buyer's 'Mech production lines?

Which is why I suggested buying a primitive with 'good bones' . . . and it can be done on a 'as able' basis.  Really the time to do that would have been during the retirement of those primitive chassis.

Now in 3150?  One of Niops most lucrative opportunites is just not up to creating much revenue- as a good crossroads for trade between MoC & Rim/FWL.  Unless you want to theorize as a 'neutral' port it could have a lot of actors from each side setting up gray trade deals/actions through Niops.  SAFE vs Ebon Magistrate on Niops . . . with some Marians thrown in, think of all those WWII setting novels replaying Casablanca or even a Berlin Warning type RP plot.

[chanman]

Which is why I suggested buying a primitive with 'good bones' . . . and it can be done on a 'as able' basis.  Really the time to do that would have been during the retirement of those primitive chassis.

Toyota Hilux? Toyota Hilux!

Now in 3150?  One of Niops most lucrative opportunites is just not up to creating much revenue- as a good crossroads for trade between MoC & Rim/FWL.  Unless you want to theorize as a 'neutral' port it could have a lot of actors from each side setting up gray trade deals/actions through Niops.  SAFE vs Ebon Magistrate on Niops . . . with some Marians thrown in, think of all those WWII setting novels replaying Casablanca or even a Berlin Warning type RP plot.

Those kinds of places only survive for as long as it's convenient for all their neighbours. Once they're not, they're often easily shut down.

But since we're on the topic... bizzaro Periphery Solaris crossed with wacky game shows?

[Colt Ward]

Toyota Hilux? Toyota Hilux!

Those kinds of places only survive for as long as it's convenient for all their neighbours. Once they're not, they're often easily shut down.

But since we're on the topic... bizzaro Periphery Solaris crossed with wacky game shows?

Lol, if you want to . . . basically thinking of designs like the Rook, which had a standard engine, not sure on structure, but primitive armor and basic weapons.  Later releases had standard armor which allowed a larger engine & more heatsinks or the upgrade kit that gave the primitive hybrid advanced weapons.  The Gladiator 1R had a lot of production start up in the Jihad, cannot find if the engine or structure was primitive, if not it would be a candidate.

Regarding a neutral port . . . yeah, if both sides were at peace they could have legimate trade between the MoC and Rim Commonality & more periphery regions of the League along with the MH.  The more Terra-ward portions of the League would just trade going through the non-aligned systems & Andurien.  Trade would still happen when they were belligerent there would just be a increase of cost due to needing more middlemen on Niops to facilitate (We have no idea how those Irian DHS ended up in the Magistry!  We sold them to a end user on Niops who wanted them to refurbish some salvage). 

[truetanker]

Heavy Industrial Armor equals BAR10 aka Mech scale Plate Armor.

TT

[Giovanni Blasini]

Y'now, it's not a stock design, but Niops could always try building one of their old designs as an Industrial-tech MilitiaMech.  Like, oh, the Highlander  ;D

On a more serious note from something chanman and I had been talking about on earlier (since building capital missiles with 'Mech drop pods as a warhead might be a bit much), Niops could also license the subcapital-armed version of the Triton missile submarine from the Draconis Combine as an aerospace defense supplement.

[glitterboy2098]

do the niopsian worlds even have much in the way of surface water?

[ArkRoyalRavager]

They could also buy Kalki launchers from the Suns.

[Giovanni Blasini]

do the niopsian worlds even have much in the way of surface water?

On Niops VII at least, the highest native life forms are described as "fish".

They could also buy Kalki launchers from the Suns.

Can't do surface-to-orbit fire, unlike the version of the Triton packing Piranha launchers.

[chanman]

do the niopsian worlds even have much in the way of surface water?

You're right. Land battleships/subterranean monoliths with orbital weapons would be way more anime

[truetanker]

Niops would totally be awesome in 31XX...

Leviathan Airship battles...

IndyMech combatants...

Massive use of Mass Drivers from Ground base facilities...

TT

[Giovanni Blasini]

OMG.  After jokingly posting an industrial Highlander, I bought Technical Readout: Irregulars, and discovered the FLN-366 St. Florian FireMech and also its FLN-366-M armed MOD variant.

So, that's a thing that exists.  And Niops used to build Highlanders.  They may be able to put a variant of that in production.

[chanman]

OMG.  After jokingly posting an industrial Highlander, I bought Technical Readout: Irregulars, and discovered the FLN-366 St. Florian FireMech and also its FLN-366-M armed MOD variant.

So, that's a thing that exists.  And Niops used to build Highlanders.  They may be able to put a variant of that in production.

Right, but there needs to be at least one version powered by an ICE engine. Because ICE engines burn hydrocarbons and ethanol is a hydrocarbon, and whisky has ethanol (especially the raw undiluted distillate). And what the world needs is whisky-powered Highlanders chugging spirits straight from their fuel casks. Or something.