This Was Easier on the Tabletop - a Battletech SI Fic

[Sir Chaos]

There´s even odds, at least, that Melissa trolls him by arranging a Locust or UrbanMech to be substituted for his new ride.

[Adventwolf]

The way I see it for mechs is either a Marauder again just upgraded with a different load out, a Nightstar which they have several of again upgraded with a new load out, a Marauder II with some SL gear installed, or a slow mech with long range weapons like an Awesome to try and keep him out of a direct fight.

[PsihoKekec]

It's a Kallon mech, so either Jagermech or Rifleman

[Tegyrius]

There´s even odds, at least, that Melissa trolls him by arranging a Locust or UrbanMech to be substituted for his new ride.

Given Hanse's off-handed reference to the source being more "a friendly" than "a friend," I don't think Mel is the lady whose trollish ways should concern our protagonist...

[Sir Chaos]

Given Hanse's off-handed reference to the source being more "a friendly" than "a friend," I don't think Mel is the lady whose trollish ways should concern our protagonist...

Or it´s both of them.  >:D

[truetanker]

It's a Kallon mech, so either Jagermech or Rifleman

Exterminator blueprints discovered during excavations in 3007.

TT

[Red Pins]

Hm.  I suppose if he wanted to be completely off the wall, it could be from Banzai, Wolf, or Snord.  That would really increase the possible units and be really surprising, and from his comments we know he's assigned to the Dragoons as  liaison in the future, driving a borrowed Warhammer to pretend he's Natasha.  Can't remember if it's on Dieron or New Samarkand (sp.), though.

Exterminator blueprints discovered during excavations in 3007.

TT

Ugh.  Hope not.

[truetanker]

The Royal variant...

TT

[paulobrito]

I can think of two - Natasha or Katrina.
My personal bet is Katrina.

[Shadow_Wraith]

Or it could be from Patrick Kell,  the Orion that Theodore piloted?   Someone else had pointed it out.  Could be a maybe if Patrick realizes that it was the least he can thank John for him leering he has a son.

[worktroll]

I did wonder about a Mad Cat (sourced from the 'Goons), but nah, that would send too direct a message to you-know-who I reckon.

[Daryk]

I agree with the earlier assessment of it being a Command 'mech.  Is a Mad Cat one of those?  ???

[Sir Chaos]

Or it could be from Patrick Kell,  the Orion that Theodore piloted?   Someone else had pointed it out.  Could be a maybe if Patrick realizes that it was the least he can thank John for him leering he has a son.

That Orion is the one he got in "Heir to the Dragon", i.e. formerly Alexander Kerensky´s personal ride? Yes, that would be a fitting gift.

[Red Pins]

The Royal variant...

TT

Still no.

Didn't think of the Orion, but I guess so.  I still favour the Marauder II with more command stuff, myself.

[Adventwolf]

It's a Kallon mech, so either Jagermech or Rifleman

No it isn't. He got offers from every mech manufacturer in the FedCom. He just read the Kallon offer first.

The person is not Hanse, Mel, Katrina, or Morgan. All those people are firmly in the friends camp, not "friendly". The Dragoons, Kell Hounds, Nondi, and a handful of other nobles should be friendly enough to supply a new mech.

[Red Pins]

I wonder how long we'll have to wait this time? It was so long I was going to unfollow on SB. 

[PsihoKekec]

It will take as long as it will take, you can't hurry the muse.

[Red Pins]

Yeah, he's had some difficulties he says.  I can commiserate.  It's been a couple months since I touched mine.

[J-H]

Very happy to see an update!

Given that John is explicitly in the know, I'm expecting something with some Clantech under the hood.  WD owes him a lot.  I don't think they're likely to be hand-making Daishi/Dire Wolfs yet, otherwise it'd be that.  Maybe a moderately disguised Marauder IIC?

[Red Pins]

Third PPC is too hard to hide, given they hit at extended range people will add 2+2 pretty quick, I think.

[Daryk]

DHS, IS ER PPCs and a Gauss Rifle should fit just fine.

[idea weenie]

Very happy to see an update!

Given that John is explicitly in the know, I'm expecting something with some Clantech under the hood.  WD owes him a lot.  I don't think they're likely to be hand-making Daishi/Dire Wolfs yet, otherwise it'd be that.  Maybe a moderately disguised Marauder IIC?

John might go for something with an XL engine, Clan-tech DHS, and Clan-tech Targeting Computer.  To me those would provide the best benefits, as they can be used to benefit anything.  AMS might be a useful tech item if it can be used to protect Mechs near him and not just himself.

So an IS ERPPC or two, controlled by the Clan-tech Targeting Computer, with maybe a few LRM launchers to provide support in the form of Thunder, Smoke, or similar specialized munitions.  Toss a few Medium Lasers on the torso in case someone wants to get close, plus they would serve as crit sinks to help protect the XL engine.  Internal Structure and armor would be standard to make maintenance and repairs easier.

Other options might be putting in additional communications equipment so John's Mech can serve as a comms relay to allow John to be able to spot potential ambushes ahead of time (similar to how he spotted the LRM ambush).

[Daryk]

An XL engine is actually a downgrade on a Marauder II...  :P

[worktroll]

Who's going to maintain all that Clantech in the field, when no-one (outside the inner circle) knows the Clans even exist?

While emotionally I'm still Team Nightstar, the MAD II makes considerable sense.

[Ammonios]

Hello,

Welcome back. And thank you for announcing your comeback with a remarkable follow-up chapter.

[Kujo]

Chris

AWESOME new chapter, please continue when you can!

as for his mech, if it was from the 'Troll' queen Melissa (AKA MEL!) she wouldn't put him in something he could easily get killed in, OH NO! it would have to be able to take massive damage!  On the extreme 'defensive' concept to be cruel it would be an Awesome or worse Charger...

MEL is many things but she is not cruel to her subjects let alone her friends!  So we keep hearing Nightsky or Marauder II, and of course clan tech, to paraphrase Damon Killian from Running Man "hard times make for hard choices and this Mech is a hard @ss" the Berserker and as Mr. Smith is wont to engage in melee "at extremely close range"  :) he may as well have a mech that can achieve it without the whole ram enemy mech, breach fusion engine, eject, coma chain of events.  Plus it's well armored, it does have a decent medium to longish range energy battery (2x LPLs and one ER PPC), he can run away a bit faster with MASC (or use it to plus up his melee damage), and to keep him alive even better it has a AMS and ECM suite!  That and it's 'distracting' (a useful quirk).  So Melissa being the evil Super Genius Troll Queen (who is actually GOOD!) she would present John with her best Nobel level sales job on the Charger and then when John is about to buy it out of guilt, charisma and shear goddess level trolling, she proceeds to 'pretend' to offer him a choice she shows him the Awesome and once he's goes for the 'better' mech, Mel then very understatedly presents him the true mech the Berserker and Mel being MEL she could tell him all three are his, so he best not have the 'best' one shot out from under him as the 'others' are the only other Mechs he will be getting!

Thank you for your time!

[Red Pins]

Hmm.  No.  Give him an Urbie. ;D

[Dave Talley]

A Banshee
 Not a 3S, but a upgraded normal model to maintain the speed

[PsihoKekec]

As the John Smith himself said, it's either Rifleman or Jagermech

Doug Glendover encapsulating my feelings on Jagermech

[Daryk]

 :toofunny: