Filling in the Syberian AutoMechs (Open Thread)

[RifleMech]

Other than take off and landing where are the rules for hovering?

[HABeas2]

Other than take off and landing where are the rules for hovering?

I don't think there are rules for hovering aerospace fighters as such...but, tbh, my familiarity with the rules has waned a LOT over a decade-plus of not playing.

- Herb

[Charistoph]

I don't think there are rules for hovering aerospace fighters as such...but, tbh, my familiarity with the rules has waned a LOT over a decade-plus of not playing.

- Herb

There have been such rules, but I can't recall where they used to be.  They could have been in AeroTech, Compendium, or Master Rules.  It's literally been decades since I read them.

Since I don't have any AeroSpace models at present, I haven't tried learning even Total Warfare's rules on AeroSpace, much less the more advanced rule books of Aerospace.

[Daryk]

Other than take off and landing where are the rules for hovering?

TW, page 84:

Fighters, aerodyne DropShips and aerodyne small craft that drop to a Velocity of 0 stall. Stalled units fall one altitude and must make a Control Roll. Units equipped with VSTOL do not stall if their Velocity is 0, provided they can still expend thrust. If the aerospace fighter, aerodyne small craft or DropShip still has unspent thrust for this turn they may expend thrust to hover, requiring 2 Thrust Points to do so. If insufficient thrust is available to hover then the craft will stall. If hovering thrust expenditure causes the craft to exceed safe thrust for the turn a control roll is required.

[RifleMech]

TW, page 84:

Cool! Thanks!  :thumbsup:   Unfortunately, I'm not sure how that helps here. I was hoping there'd be rules for hovering like there are for taxiing.

[Daryk]

What do you mean?  You simply pay 2 thrust points to hover with 0 velocity, more if you want to change facing...

[RifleMech]

When the fighter is taxing it's treated as a ground unit. Thrust becomes cruise/flank. I would have thought that, while hovering, the fighter would be treated the same, only as a VTOL than as a wheeled vehicle. As it is the fighter even when hovering is still on the aerospace side of things.

[Daryk]

That way lies Fan Rules...  8)

[glitterboy2098]

given the size of aerospace maps (even the atmosppheric ones) per hex, i'm not sure that the perpendicular mobility of a VTOL fighter in a hover would even register. and IRL it is noteworthy that most non-rotor based VTOL craft aren't particularly mobile in a hover. at least not in the side to side or front and back directions.

[RifleMech]

That way lies Fan Rules...  8)

True :)

given the size of aerospace maps (even the atmosppheric ones) per hex, I'm not sure that the perpendicular mobility of a VTOL fighter in a hover would even register. and IRL it is noteworthy that most non-rotor based VTOL craft aren't particularly mobile in a hover. at least not in the side to side or front and back directions.

That's the thing though, most of the time you see these aircraft hovering, it's when they're close to the ground where VTOLs would be operating. Only they aren't operating on the ground map but the aerospace map. Granted I don't think anyone ever thought someone would want use a VTOL fighter to shoot at infantry inside a building or hover along side and shoot at a command truck but if these fighters can be used that way, why not have rules for it?

[idea weenie]

That's the thing though, most of the time you see these aircraft hovering, it's when they're close to the ground where VTOLs would be operating. Only they aren't operating on the ground map but the aerospace map. Granted I don't think anyone ever thought someone would want use a VTOL fighter to shoot at infantry inside a building or hover along side and shoot at a command truck but if these fighters can be used that way, why not have rules for it?

I see someone wants to recreate a certain movie scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g1Td351PWc

[RifleMech]

I see someone wants to recreate a certain movie scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g1Td351PWc

LOL!  ;D  I don't know if I want to recreate it but I did have it in mind.  ;)   It would also make Clan duals more interesting.

[RifleMech]

I know Tilt-Rotor/Tilt-Wing Aircraft have been discussed in other threads but I have been wondering about them. In real life, tilting the rotors/wings forward makes the VTOL fly faster. There aren't any game rules for them though. They're just VTOLs. Still it'd be nice to make them a bit different than regular VTOLs. It'd have to be a quirk so not to invalidate any currant  Tilt-Rotor/Tilt-Wing. I think I suggested a +1 when the Rotors are forward but I'm wondering if the cruise speed should be doubled instead? Plus a roll to determine if the rotor mechanism gets jammed or not?

What about VTOLMechs? There are TFs that are based on Tilt-Rotors. Other than putting the Rotors in the side torsos, would they be handled like vehicles or would they be more complicated with extra weight and crits for the rotation mechanisms? Would tilting the rotor/wings forward gain the VTOLMech any additional speed? If there are crits for the rotation and one is hit, can it still convert? If it's a Prop, would it have to convert or crash if stuck forward while a Jet could still land with a runway?

I suppose, if there are HydrofoilMechs a similar question would apply to them and their hydrofoils.

[HABeas2]

Part 3 of Endless Loop posted up on the fanfic board.

Have funsies!

- Herb

[Daryk]

Totally worth the read!  8)

[Wrangler]

So so cool.  Star Train Beta sounds like he annoyed.  I do find myself wondering why he doesn't have any remote Battle Armor drones he could attack the Autobops.

Wasn't  Magnum Ultra a Leader Class AutoMech?  I was having trouble telling if he was or wasn't.

[HABeas2]

So so cool.  Star Train Beta sounds like he annoyed.  I do find myself wondering why he doesn't have any remote Battle Armor drones he could attack the Autobops.

Nope. Beta's basically a DropShip with a brain and a giant, thousand-ton cargo bay to play taxi with. It has a partner unit--Star Train Alpha--but the two can operate independently and often do. We'll be seeing another "triple-changer-partners" group in the next chapter, as well as a mini drone.

Wasn't  Magnum Ultra a Leader Class AutoMech?  I was having trouble telling if he was or wasn't.

Yes, Magnum Ultra is a Leader class. A slight problem with the classes and their names is that the ones we've been using are names the IE teams gave to the various chassis types as they identified them. Rather than introduce a clump of alternate names in this series, though, I have been using more generic type names or career names for the various Mechs (e.g. AerofighterMech/FighterMech for those that transform into aerospace fighters; WheelMechs for anything that becomes a vehicle Mech; TrackMech for tread-driven alt moders; TankMech for those that become dedicated tanks of any type; MaintenanceMech/DoctorMech for units specialized in repairs, and so on.) Magnum, in this case, would end up being called a WheelMech, a CommandMech, or just an AssaultMech.

Also, Magnum Ultra uses a different weapon payload from Primus Optimal. Where Optimal has a Gauss Rifle, LPL, and Hatchet, Magnum carries an Ultra AC/5, an ERLL, and two Streak-6s. When Magnum Alpha-Striked Swindle, everything hit, since they were basically 1 hex apart and Magnum has an effective Gunnery Skill of 1.

- Herb

[HABeas2]

And, speaking of the next chapter...

It's up on the fan fic board.

- Herb

[Daryk]

And it's good too!  :thumbsup:

[HABeas2]

And now, the Endless Loop comes to its close! Final chapter posted on the fan fic board!

- Herb

[I am Belch II]

Always some good reading. Thanks

[Daryk]

Totally worth the read, too!  :thumbsup:

[HABeas2]

Okay, so...

Try not to get too distracted by the placeholder art, but here is a preliminary PDF of the Syberia TRO I've been talking about. No specs in this part; it's all about explaining what's what and where we are...

- Herb

[Luciora]

What!  I have to change all my decals now?!?   :flame: :bang:

 ;D ;D

[I am Belch II]

Okay, so...

Try not to get too distracted by the placeholder art, but here is a preliminary PDF of the Syberia TRO I've been talking about. No specs in this part; it's all about explaining what's what and where we are...

- Herb

Wow is that awesome. cant wait to see more.

[HABeas2]

What!  I have to change all my decals now?!?   :flame: :bang:

 ;D ;D

I won't tell if you won't. ;)

- Herb

[Daryk]

Awesome, Herb!  :thumbsup:

Thanks for the nod in the credits, and LOVE the placeholder art at the end!  ;D

[Luciora]

I was hoping to have Cosmos done this week, but apparently I lost the Sholagar mini I had prepped for the project somewhere on the work table.  Blackout is primed and just needs paint.

[idea weenie]

Okay, so...

Try not to get too distracted by the placeholder art, but here is a preliminary PDF of the Syberia TRO I've been talking about. No specs in this part; it's all about explaining what's what and where we are...

- Herb

I like how when I open the file in Firefox, the tab title at the top starts with "Rise of the Tetakuni"   :D

[HABeas2]

I like how when I open the file in Firefox, the tab title at the top starts with "Rise of the Tetakuni"   :D

Then you can see what I was using as my base template. ;)

- Herb