Author Topic: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top  (Read 4455 times)

Colt Ward

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Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« on: 08 September 2017, 17:35:32 »
Dusted off the old MCG disc and found a way to get it to play by my modern Windows PC.  The graphics are a bit off due to the screen size not matching up but it was fun to start playing it again . . . but it made me think, it would be really easy as the start for a merc unit rather than part of the Davion Guards.

Keeping in mind they had some things which go against canon with the Smoke Jaguars-
like 'Bondsmen' forces
the use of IS mechs
IS vehicles without any Clan ones
only 1 Clan secondline design, the HBK IIC
limited selection of mechs & armor, understandable for a PC game

I would figure that the 'bondsmen' forces would straight convert to two things- training clusters and garrison clusters.  They would be equipped with a variety of equipment to compare well with the actual MCG missions.

For instance . . . the first mission has the 3 mechs hot dropped onto the battlefield.  They face 2 mechs, a Commando and a Kit Fox W along with some vehicles- armored cars, J Edgar hovertanks, and maybe a heavier tank.

What SL or secondline Clan equipment should be substituted for-
Commando
Firestarter
Hollander
Hunchback
Centurion
Catapult
Jagermech
Awesome
Atlas
Armored Cars
Harasser
Bulldog
LRM Carriers
Strikers
SRM Carriers
AeroStrike Vehicles
Saracens
Savannah Masters

More vehicles as I remember them, lol.
Colt Ward
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pensiveswetness

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #1 on: 08 September 2017, 19:32:02 »
First off, I would use the Chaos Rules set as the guide lines. Second, you have to think compression when you try to place the various objectives onto a typical 2x2, 2x3 or 4x4 sized map area (I had the same limitations when I was making my table top version of MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries several years ago). And don't nerf yourself when you decide what foes to use (the game was limited because of data limits of 90's era CD)...

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #2 on: 08 September 2017, 20:43:49 »
Yeah, that is why I am talking about mixing SL & secondline equipment to represent training/garrison troops as the 'bondsmen' while the more dangerous forces and Omni equipped troops would be the frontline cluster on planet.  The maps and some of the limitations get very interesting-for instance hovercraft do not travel across water in MCG, nor do the mechs.

For instance in conversion the Commando and Firestarter would be replaced by Locust IICs, Horned Owls, Incubus, Piranha, Jenner IIC and SL mechs like Firefly, Mongoose, Mercury, Thorn & others.
Colt Ward
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"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

glitterboy2098

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #3 on: 09 September 2017, 15:45:12 »
actually, on OZ worlds the clans did deploy Provisional garrison clusters, which were units of freeborns, or old/disgraced trueborns. think Solhama, but not intended to redeem the members or give them honorable deaths in battle.
their equipment was usually pretty poor, with lower tech IS tech units being common, either through drawing on the brian caches or through capture/salvage of equipment in the OZ.  this freed up proper garrison clusters (which the clans did not have enough of) for the more important worlds.

since the clans (especially the Jaguars) didn't really put a lot of effort into building up their garrison forces (not enough to meet the need they had, at least), it is likely these PGC's would still have been around even during Bulldog.

i suspect this was what the game meant when talking about 'bondsmen forces'.. avoiding having to explain part of a complex organizational structure as to why the clans were using standard IS designs.

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #4 on: 09 September 2017, 17:25:47 »
I know of the PGCs . . . problem is the Jaguars did not take freeborns at the time per numerous sources.  I also doubt they were equipped with IS equipment since Howell was getting it shipped back to Huntress for 'study' by scientists but was actually using it to equip his garrison galaxies.  By what we seen in the novels & Bulldog/Serpent sourcebooks the Jaguars were undermanned for frontline clusters let alone bodies to fill secondline- except for that bit of throwing out the Revival survivors.

It would make a interesting dynamic in the campaign- veteran warriors in bad equipment who should have some specialization that you face first while the 'elite' units are more likely to be regulars led by those veterans who are politically in and all of them will have the best equipment but not the hardest forces to face outside of that equipment.

I randomly rolled 3 mechs from the Merc's C list which got my a pretty solid force- Wolfhound 1 (3/5), Spider 7M (4/4) and a Commando 5S (5/6).  The last was ironic since you start off with a PPC equipped Firestarter and 2 Commandos.  This missing recon mech will be a Scarabus, first thing I could find above the C list that had ECM or BAP.

I will be testing this out shortly to see if it can be balanced . . . granted the first one is supposed to be a walk over for the invaders as they establish themselves on Port Arthur but the real test will be can the scenarios remain balanced- especially without MFB or base repair bays.  Or fuel tanks blowing up, b/c sometimes you had to use the terrain to solve the problem.

For the first encounter I am thinking of replacing MCG's Commando with a Stinger 3Gb (off MUL) on the high end, or a salvaged Kurita-available Wasp or Stinger with a green pilot (4/5?  5/5?).  The light mech would be supported on the 2nd objective by a laser turret and nearby would be a pair of light tanks guarding a shipping container of small lasers- or something else valuable.

I decided to stick with the Kit Fox Prime defending the 3rd Objective, and might always place a Omni in the scenario if its the 1st time it appeared in the game- like on mission 3's Timberwolf everyone always tries to salvage.  The Kit Fox, piloted by a Clan rookie . . . thinking either 4/4 or maybe give it some specialization for a single weapon- like AC specialization.
Colt Ward
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"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

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Sartris

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #5 on: 10 September 2017, 13:38:06 »
i'm not up on the specific proscriptions of non-mech Jaguar touman construction so take these with a grain of salt

Armored Cars - meant to be cannon fodder units, except in those missions where you had to sneak around with 15 tons of units. Just use the standard APC?
Harasser - Lightning / Zephyr / Asshur
Bulldog - Von Luckner, Oro
LRM Carriers - Rhino? Hachiman. Ares?
Strikers - Chevalier. The Zorya is a little slower but has comparable punch
SRM Carriers - no good substitute... too bad the JES I wasn't a thing yet.
AeroStrike Vehicles - using something like an Asshur to call in close air support might reproduce the terror of the MC aero spotters
Saracens - too bad the Bandit (C) is goons-exclusive. you got have gotten great mileage out of them
Savannah Masters - Shamash?

You also have the Indra and Svantovit for BA transport. Maybe an old Turhan for equipment-strapped forces. The Ku and Ishtar are both interesting MBTish / fire support choices too. There is a clan Demolisher with dual LB-20s if you really want to put the fear of god into somebody.

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glitterboy2098

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #6 on: 10 September 2017, 16:59:41 »
I know of the PGCs . . . problem is the Jaguars did not take freeborns at the time per numerous sources.  I also doubt they were equipped with IS equipment since Howell was getting it shipped back to Huntress for 'study' by scientists but was actually using it to equip his garrison galaxies.  By what we seen in the novels & Bulldog/Serpent sourcebooks the Jaguars were undermanned for frontline clusters let alone bodies to fill secondline- except for that bit of throwing out the Revival survivors.

but they still used PGC's. they'd just be expendable trueborns instead of freeborns. heck, they could well be filling them with trueborn bondsmen from other clans.

and IIRC, the thing with Howell wasn't the use of IS equipment, it was the use of IS equipment in the Homeworlds.. he couldn't get enough clan made gear (or even brian cache gear) to defend Huntress because the jags were sending it all to the OZ. so he was arranging to have captured and salvages IS gear sent to huntress for 'study' and using it to equip his forces.

at no point does that preclude the jags from using IS made (especially Succession wars grade) hardware to arm up a PGC on there less notable worlds. if anything, using IS gear for the PGC's on out of the way worlds like Port Arthur.

it is also worth noting that while MC1 itself wasn't canon, many of the details of it, including the Identity of the 168th Garrison Cluster, and the bondsman forces in IS mechs, were canonized in several sourcebooks, such as The Dragon Roars.

Vonshroom

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #7 on: 10 September 2017, 22:15:08 »
Sounds like fun Colt!

I actually have used missions from Mechcommander as well as a starting point for mercenary groups. What you bring up does present a bit of a challenge.

First off I would like to say that the presence of inner sphere mechs in the second line Jaguar "Garrison Clusters" would be pretty high. With the gains the Jags made in the initial invasion of the inner sphere they would have literally regiments of scrapped inner sphere mechs lying around after the battles. So the prevalence of Atlas's, Centurions, Hunchbacks, Catapults, Jagermechs, Commandos, etc. might not actually be a problem at all. I might vary it a bit by throwing in some old star league designs here and there, or secondline clan units. Fluff and In Universe perspective points towards this making sense as well. I mean after all would you rather pilot some crappy second line clan light mech or low end medium as a freebirth solahma warrior, or take an IS Atlas with 3050+ tech?

Also don't forget that in the Blood of Kerensky books, units with the Jade Falcon garrison cluster was mainly using Inner Sphere mechs. Its been a while since I've read it, but I am almost 95% positive that the books about task force serpent included many a Jaguar piloting captured Inner Sphere mechs.

There is also the "C" refits of many an inner sphere mech. I'd imagine these were mechs that were so prevalent in the toumans of the various clans that the modifications were given an official variant.
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glitterboy2098

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #8 on: 10 September 2017, 22:42:01 »
personally i'm hoping to adapt the Mechcommander 2 campaign if/when i get a chance to run my Hsein based campaign..

i liked the three way struggle of it.

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #9 on: 11 September 2017, 00:24:32 »
Yeah, lots of backfill now about what could be floating around in secondline and garrison clusters . . . but you have to take into account the Jag's pride.  I was planning to weed out the Commandos and consider the PPC armed Firestarters to really be Panthers but I think the Dracs would have been more likely to lose Dragons than Centurions just b/c of their make up.

Proud Jaguar warriors would take Clan equipment over IS any day, and they did by the books which is why it was a flap about the Huntress garrison- it wounded Osis pride.  As a Clan warrior I would much rather have a Locust IIC 3 or Incubus 1/2 over a AS7-D or -K.  Or even a Howler from trade with the Falcons.

Though I had forgotten about the C refits as a option.  Lots of good choices for the secondline forces to offer variety and challenge.
Colt Ward
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"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

glitterboy2098

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #10 on: 11 September 2017, 01:16:03 »
this could probably help regularize things..
MUL: Combine, late succession war+tech renaissance (basically the stuff they would have when the clans arrived)

the PPC firestarters for Panthers fits i think. the Commando's.. maybe Thorn's? or Javelin's? (actually, given how often the Commando showed up, i'd say use thorns, javelins, and wasps as a whole to replace them.)
hmm
For the clan side:
Commando (Light - 25 tons) - Thorn, Wasps, maybe a few Javelins.
Firestarter (Light - 30 tons) - Panther.
Raven (Light - 35 tons) - Jenner. (you lose the sensors though), maybe an Ostscout when you need the sensors?
Hollander II (Medium - 45 tons) - Phoenix hawks, maybe Crabs?
Hunchback (Medium - 50 tons) - `doesn't need changing.
Centurion (Medium - 55 tons) - probably doesn't need changing, Shadow hawks if you do?
Catapult (Heavy - 65 tons) - doesn't need changing. (maybe slip a few K2's in there..)
JagerMech (Heavy - 70 tons) - Rifleman.
Awesome (Assault - 80 tons) - Hatamoto-chi?
Atlas (Assault - 100 tons) - probably can leave alone, just use a combine variant.

and from the Gold version:
Stiletto (Light - 35 tons) - Jenner.
Bushwacker (Medium - 55 tons) - Shadow hawk or Griffon?
Mauler (Assault - 90 tons) - use the Daboku
« Last Edit: 11 September 2017, 01:18:45 by glitterboy2098 »

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #11 on: 11 September 2017, 01:26:19 »
Each of those IS mechs had the three versions . . . for instance, the jumping Firestarter was really like the regular one.  The W was armed with a PPC and except for being too fast could be a Panther or perhaps a SL Nighthawk.  The Commando?  SL Thorns, Wasps, Javelin and maybe a token Valkyrie as salvage.

They have so many Hunchbacks, I think they really fill in for Centurions, Enforcers and Hunchbacks.  Outside of the close look at the Firestarter I have not really compared how armed the A/W/J versions are to see what they might be comparable to though you could say the Cent-J could be any of the classic trio.  I was using the MUL to compile a list for some randomness of what could be substituted for what IS mech or when there are Omnis what secondline CLan design.  Full Omni would only appear in missions with Elementals or towards the end as a way to increase the difficulty.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

mbear

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #12 on: 11 September 2017, 08:52:52 »
Sounds like fun Colt!

I actually have used missions from Mechcommander as well as a starting point for mercenary groups. What you bring up does present a bit of a challenge.

First off I would like to say that the presence of inner sphere mechs in the second line Jaguar "Garrison Clusters" would be pretty high. With the gains the Jags made in the initial invasion of the inner sphere they would have literally regiments of scrapped inner sphere mechs lying around after the battles. So the prevalence of Atlas's, Centurions, Hunchbacks, Catapults, Jagermechs, Commandos, etc. might not actually be a problem at all. I might vary it a bit by throwing in some old star league designs here and there, or secondline clan units. Fluff and In Universe perspective points towards this making sense as well. I mean after all would you rather pilot some crappy second line clan light mech or low end medium as a freebirth solahma warrior, or take an IS Atlas with 3050+ tech?

Also don't forget that in the Blood of Kerensky books, units with the Jade Falcon garrison cluster was mainly using Inner Sphere mechs. Its been a while since I've read it, but I am almost 95% positive that the books about task force serpent included many a Jaguar piloting captured Inner Sphere mechs.

There is also the "C" refits of many an inner sphere mech. I'd imagine these were mechs that were so prevalent in the toumans of the various clans that the modifications were given an official variant.

The "C" refits exist for Archers, Warhammers, and Rifleman class 'Mechs. They were originally introduced in The Battle for Twycross, but I think later record sheet books have them. They'd be good inspiration for you I think.

Edit: Found them in Record Sheets 3085: Project Phoenix. They're basically Inner Sphere chassis with Clan weapon swaps, so it should be easy to refit a Centurion or Hunchback the same way. Swapping in Clan LRMs or ACs isn't going to be difficult for Clan techs.
« Last Edit: 11 September 2017, 08:55:22 by mbear »
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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #13 on: 11 September 2017, 11:39:45 »
Yeah, lots of backfill now about what could be floating around in secondline and garrison clusters . . . but you have to take into account the Jag's pride.  I was planning to weed out the Commandos and consider the PPC armed Firestarters to really be Panthers but I think the Dracs would have been more likely to lose Dragons than Centurions just b/c of their make up.

Proud Jaguar warriors would take Clan equipment over IS any day, and they did by the books which is why it was a flap about the Huntress garrison- it wounded Osis pride.  As a Clan warrior I would much rather have a Locust IIC 3 or Incubus 1/2 over a AS7-D or -K.  Or even a Howler from trade with the Falcons.

Though I had forgotten about the C refits as a option.  Lots of good choices for the secondline forces to offer variety and challenge.

Its up to you, after all its your scenario. I am just saying that I would not be surprised if there was a large amount of IS machines being fielded by the Jags during this time. I don't think that solahma troopers would shun the inner sphere mechs as much as you think, especially if refitted with clan tech. Think about someone like Ter Roshak in the Jade Pheonix trilogy. This was a Falconer Commander, maybe not the most prestigious rank, but they sent him out to die with an assault rifle, and he gladly took it into battle. I don't think that these extreme backwater solahma units are going to object to an Inner Sphere mech instead of a assault rifle.

I think that C refits are your friend, homebrew ones would be easy too, just swap inner sphere equipment for clan stuff like MBear said.

I would also look at subbing in some more Smoke Jaguar specific mechs, here are some I would specifically look at adding in to the game. All should be common Jag machines and fill a niche or roll of an IS mech or clan mech in the OG game.

Arctic Cheetah           Firestarter / Raven / Uller / Cougar
Mist Lynx                  Firestarter / Raven / Uller / Cougar
Great Wyrm              Centurion / Hunchback / Hollander II
Ebon Jaguar              Loki / Thor / Mad Dog / Jagermech
Horned Owl               Firestarter (especially the W)     
Stormcrow                Hunchback / Catapult / Jagermech
Dire Wolf                   Atlas / Masakari / Awesome

I would drop all of the Hollander II's and replace them straight across with the Gauss Kit Fox (A I believe).

What you have to be really careful about is adding too many clan machines to the mix, especially at the beginning. In mechcommander the results weren't as skewed, and oftentimes by a couple missions in my forces were equipped primarily with clan tech. On table top, a single clan light is going to wreck your lighter units, Firestarters, Commandos, etc. So it will be important to ration the amount of clan machines you inject into the scenarios. Either that, or allow for a larger mercenary force of your own mechs to go up against them. I'm not saying to make it a cakewalk, but the scenarios are going to be challenging as it is.


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Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #14 on: 11 September 2017, 13:42:19 »
I will be replacing the Hollander IIs with Royal Sentinels and maybe a Vindicator . . . or perhaps Enforcers, something that has a BFG to pack a big single hit.  I know the 1st time the Hollander II shows up it will be the Royal Sentinel.

I really think Honor rule restrictions will balance some of the advantages of Clan equipment, though the question is when the Jaguars would abandon it calling the IS forces on planet dezgra.  I will be testing the first battle some time soon via MM.
Colt Ward
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"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #15 on: 11 September 2017, 14:28:42 »
I will be replacing the Hollander IIs with Royal Sentinels and maybe a Vindicator . . . or perhaps Enforcers, something that has a BFG to pack a big single hit.  I know the 1st time the Hollander II shows up it will be the Royal Sentinel.


What about a Panther-C refit that uses a Clan Large Pulse Laser or ER PPC? That's a BFG for sure.
Be the Loremaster:

Battletech transport rules take a very feline approach to moving troops in a combat zone: If they fits, they ships.

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your BT experience. Now what? (Thanks Sartis!)

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #16 on: 11 September 2017, 23:43:01 »
So I ran the test using the Royal Stinger and Kit Fox Prime as the mech opposition.

First used MG armed APCs as the armored cars.  Cleared the pair of them from 'Objective 1' with a few dings to the armor.  Then instead of going to Objective 2 and taking damage before facing the Kit Fox Prime at Objective 3 . . . I went to hit the Kit Fox.  Put some decent damage on it in the furball and destroyed a leg as well as opening the CT.  Unfortunately the Kit Fox's green Clan pilot hit the Wolfhound's head with the ERLL in the 3rd round of fire, got a crit . . . hit the sensors.  Then in the same turn a single LBX pellet also hits the head . . . 1 IS left, rolled up 2 crits . . . sensors and life support.  Overall the mech had minor armor damage, but it was concentrated in two places . . . the head and a leg where a crit cut the mobility in half.

The Kit Fox fell but eventually stood up and was able to fire everything on the Wolfhound which was dragging a leg in its direction to take out the damaged leg and knock the mech down.  Pilot KO'd . . . needed 7 for the 3 pilot damage, rolled 4.

The Spider led the Commando off to Objective 2 chasing down the green (4/5) Stinger which was lighting up the Commando . . . until precise fire from the two lights took a leg off the Stinger to KO the Jaguar garrison pilot.  The APC got knocked out.

Which leaves the 2 J Edgar Light Hovertanks guarding a weapons stockpile.  With their speed I am not sure even the restricting terrain would allow the two remaining mechs to defeat the J Edgars to take the stockpile.

Seems decently balanced for that scenario.  I managed to knock out all three objectives even though I did not do them in order and after some time in the shop I should have some decent salvage and my originals will be back in operation.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #17 on: 19 September 2017, 18:20:53 »
So I have mission 1 & 2 working- salvage in mission 2 is rough, never realized how dangerous that single Gauss Rifle was to the lights that were fleeing it.

Now on to Mission 3, finding your scout mech . . .

It would need to be a LARGE area . . . looking for MM, 9x9 standard BT map sheets, Table Top would of course have to adjust it from that collection.  The large area allows the PCs to tackle each individual defensive position (or avoid them) as they wish as well as having to search for the missing scout mech in its shut down position.

Its also the opportunity to salvage a Timberwolf if you have the stones & luck.  In the game its basically a 'I win' button for the rest of the 1st half of that Operation since it has the speed to keep up with your lights, carries more weapons and the weapons hit harder.  The game version is a cross between the LRMs of the Prime and the ERPPCs of the A, its potent but we never see it as a canon or even close.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #18 on: 20 September 2017, 23:46:24 »
Tried running against the opposition in Mission 3 without any fuel tanks or artillery . . . against Princess the merc force- Wolverine 6K, Kit Fox Prime and Commando 5S- managed to take down what would be the least risky path but they get pretty damaged just from the vehicles and if they face any of the ambush forces it can get bad.  The vehicles do not pop as easily as they do in the game which makes me wonder if the players needed to start off with at least 1 medium mech to build from rather than just starting with lights.

I also chose to meet the tonnage drop limit of 115t (dropped w/ 110t) rather than using most capable mechs- which would swap out the Commando for the Wolfhound.  Or even taking a whole lance using one of the pilots 'rescued' from the POW Barn in Mission 2.
Colt Ward
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"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #19 on: 28 September 2017, 23:19:25 »
Force balance is definitely going to be harder than making a straight conversion.

Already caught signs of that in Mission 2, but Mission 3 to rescue your recon mech is proving a tough nut- even with swapping a starter light for a med on the initial draw.  The vehicles do not blow up as easy as the game and while you CAN wade through them, its death by papercuts as they grind your mechs down though I have not tried to put fuel tanks in the games for explosive fun.  A straight one for one of the vehicles is not working so I will have to reduce their numbers, at least until the PC equipment & skills advance enough to have some stand off range.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Mech Salvager

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #20 on: 30 September 2017, 12:37:55 »
Force balance is definitely going to be harder than making a straight conversion.

Already caught signs of that in Mission 2, but Mission 3 to rescue your recon mech is proving a tough nut- even with swapping a starter light for a med on the initial draw.  The vehicles do not blow up as easy as the game and while you CAN wade through them, its death by papercuts as they grind your mechs down though I have not tried to put fuel tanks in the games for explosive fun.  A straight one for one of the vehicles is not working so I will have to reduce their numbers, at least until the PC equipment & skills advance enough to have some stand off range.

This will only get worse in later missions. At most, you get to field 12 units in MechCommander 1 (though I don't think I ever did that, I tended to run out of tonnage long before)....but are often forced up again something like 20-30 clan mechs in the last few missions. The ai will be very different too, as one can't use the trigger system that it relied on in the PC game.

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #21 on: 03 October 2017, 21:46:09 »
Well, Operation1 Mission4 which was supposed to be a bit of a turkey shoot turned a bit rough.  A early TAC to my Lineholder's leg left it a gimpy 2/3 a long way from the objective, same turn the Spider 7M took its own leg TAC from a SRM Carrier.  On the objective Princess surprised me with a pair of SRM Carriers that were moving up the opposite side of the river from the Jaguar base.  The pair KO'd the modified Wolverine 7K I had been using for the last two missions though it survived a Hezter's blast to the CT, it ate the missile spread though did not take a crit to that open CT.  Sitting unmoving in range of a pair of SRM Carriers is not pleasant . . . they proceeded to kill the pilot and pound the prone immobile mech into scrap, with missiles coring it out.  Techs will have to see what can be salvaged from the wreckage.  They also caught a damaged Commando in the base, coring it but at least the pilot survived.

On the upside, I managed to clip the head off a Wyvern IIC that was the guard to the HQ.

I think the Wyvern should be scrapped,it does not have much advanced equipment, slow and meh on the armor.  Its weapons can be used to improve other mechs though unfortunately the one I wanted to upgrade is a pile of scrap.  It was taken pretty much intact though so the idea of scraping such a mech is questionable.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

mbear

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #22 on: 05 October 2017, 06:50:27 »
Is it MechCommander or MechCommander 2 that has the mission where you attack the big gas distribution facility? It's like the fourth or fifth mission. I ask because I've been on a fortress building kick recently and I'd like to know how you do it for the tabletop.
Be the Loremaster:

Battletech transport rules take a very feline approach to moving troops in a combat zone: If they fits, they ships.

You bought the box set and are ready to expand your BT experience. Now what? (Thanks Sartis!)

Colt Ward

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Re: Converting MechCommander Gold scenarios into Table Top
« Reply #23 on: 05 October 2017, 10:25:29 »
MechCommander has one like that, you basically have to fight the guards/garrison of a refinery that you need mostly intact to keep the planet active in the Bulldog war effort.  You capture several wells, there are fields of tanks and the Jaguars will use them to deny the wells.  It has several secured zones and even a airfield with a few Subati ASF.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

 

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