Recent Posts

21

Fan Designs and Rules / Re: Is it time for an Underwater Rules Overhaul (?)

« Last post by Retry on 27 April 2024, 22:54:46 »

Nah, it effectively reduces the water game to rocket tag between quasi Savannah Master expies (and as an accidental side effect means the existing canon submarine designs, from the Manta & Moray to the Neptune, nonsensible in retrospect

Brown and green water warfare feels very one-note since it ends up boiling down to who has more Submarine Masters with few other tactical considerations.  I tried to rectify this with navy-themed equipment years ago, and while it helped a bit with variety it still fell short (Submarine Master Superiority remained). 

22

Fan Fiction / Re: Opalescent Reflections

« Last post by Giovanni Blasini on 27 April 2024, 22:48:31 »

Actually, in the foreword of the House Davion sourcebook, the writer says the following:

So it's highly probable there are actual descendants of Stefan Amaris around, children born from his concubines.

What's funny is that they (the steel vipers) thought there was just one descendant. How does that make sense at all?

Worse, in this case, they're not just going for descendants of Stefan Amaris, but, just ask Kerensky had all members of the Amaris family that the SLDF could find executed, the Clans have pledged to eliminate anyone with any blood or genetic relation to Stefan Amaris.  That means going back to common ancestors.

That doesn't take long: in the real world, you need only go back to the ninth century for everyone of European descent to have a common set of ancestors, even if in many cases they no longer have any of their genetic material.

23

Fan Articles / Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I

« Last post by Starfury on 27 April 2024, 22:47:27 »

Nice article @Darthmetool.  The Hermes is fairly typical of Marik 3050 and earlier lights, combining fast ground speed with a scout focused armament. You can add one to a Marik scout lance as a command mech combined with Fleas and Locusts, a heavy scout for heavier units, or as a nasty backstabber with the 3057 and later units.

24

Ground Combat / Re: Favorite hauler for assault BA (Inner Sphere, Clan, and Comstar/WoB)?

« Last post by Hellraiser on 27 April 2024, 22:38:24 »

Heavy APCs are cheap and do the job well enough... that said, Worktroll has a really good point too! :)

Agreed on both counts.

Heavy APC isn't something I normally run in my games but its for sure something I fluff as most Militia using.

Meanwhile WT mentioned the Mantef-D above which is a beast & I love it, but, I also don't own the mini & would find some issue with justifying my cheapo mercs having access to them with their "new" (for the CI/CW eras) production limited house access & pricey XL engine when those mercs can use ICE powered cheapo Maxims/Karnovs that are more effective than the Heavy APC lines but also not touching the XL-HeavyOmni pricetag either.

That said, for a 1-off game playing FedCom House unit in the Jihad,  oh yes, please, she is PURTY.

25

Off Topic / Re: Anyone else remember Hypernauts?

« Last post by beachhead1985 on 27 April 2024, 22:31:06 »

Ho-lee-cow...

YES I REMEMBER THIS SHOW!

...I did not remember the title, but the show? Yes. I remember thinking it was pretty okay for the time. I only caught it a few times, but I *think* that was actually on YTV, up in Canada? Could have been ABC as well, but I think it was YTV.

26

Ground Combat / Re: Favorite hauler for assault BA (Inner Sphere, Clan, and Comstar/WoB)?

« Last post by Hellraiser on 27 April 2024, 22:30:19 »

Hellraiser, how do your Karnovs survive when the heat is on?

Surprisingly well actually 

Of course, I tend to use Flank Speed (or Sprint if that rule is in use) and blocking terrain for a turn or 2 to get them to deployment point & then RUN AWAY RUN AWAY for the rest of the game to my own backfield & hide.

I use my Karnovs for their large cargo room & ability to go over hills/trees, but if they heat is on, they drop & hide.

27

General BattleTech Discussion / In a tech raid against the Clans in the early 3050s . . .

« Last post by Colt Ward on 27 April 2024, 22:25:05 »

Early 3050s (pre-3055 but after Tukayyid) you are hired by a mech/weapon manufacturer to get samples of Clan technology for them to reverse engineer.  They want to be able to improve their knowledge base to produce more advanced weapons than the standard/3025 models they are currently producing at their factories.  The contract, of course, pays more the better sources of information you can provide along with a variety of samples- depth & breath of Clans' tech- which will be overseen by the company's liaison which has oversight.

The mission plan calls for bypassing the Clan frontlines, trying to get the raiders into the 'rear' of the Occupation Zones where garrison units are stationed and supplies could be getting shuttled forward from wherever the Clans are from.  You might even be able to find a repair facility where the Clans are rebuilding/refitting their mechs away from the frontlines.  The merc raiders and their supports have very little specific intelligence about what can be expected on each world, using some information gleaned from Twycross and Teniente along with other House raids for projections.  They have a advisor paid for by the company that has experienced combat against the Clans.

Also to consider . . . whatever the mercs end up recovering, they are going to have on the same dropships/jumpship until they get back around the Clan/House frontlines.  The mercs will go their own way while the company's jumpship & dropship will continue back to their HQ.  So . . . a few weeks . . . maybe months . . . being able to look at what they won from the Clans.

I am asking this b/c I was a bit surprised by the answers in this- https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=84792.0 poll.

28

Combat Vehicles / Re: Weight Budget Challenge

« Last post by Ramblefire on 27 April 2024, 22:24:04 »

Code: [Select]

Mayfly Swarm Tank

Mass: 15 tons
Movement Type: Wheeled
Power Plant: 85 ICE
Cruising Speed: 75.6 kph
Maximum Speed: 118.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     1 SRM 4
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3000
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-C-C-C
Cost: 188,931 C-bills

Type: Mayfly
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Wheeled
Tonnage: 15
Battle Value: 287

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  1.5
Engine                        85 ICE                  5
Cruising MP: 7
Flank MP: 11
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  1.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             0.5
Armor Factor                  64                      4

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   2         15   
     R/L Side               2/2      12/12   
     Rear                    2         10   
     Turret                  2         15   


Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
SRM 4                  Turret       2.0     
SRM 4 Ammo (25)         Body        1.0     
I've adapted my old Mayfly swarm tank to be 15 tons. It's a bit slower but it carries an SRM4 now which is a decent enough punch I suppose. It has as much armor as a scorpion. It's about half the cost of a scorpion.
Perfect for giving to those drafted from portions of the population that that nobody gives a damn about. Orphans, homeless, debtors, working class drug addicts, neurodivergent, imprisoned persons, etc.

29

Off Topic / Re: What Are We Listening To: This List Goes Up To Eleven!

« Last post by MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on 27 April 2024, 22:21:29 »

Patient Number 9- Ozzy Osbourne

30

Ground Combat / Re: Favorite hauler for assault BA (Inner Sphere, Clan, and Comstar/WoB)?

« Last post by Charistoph on 27 April 2024, 22:13:56 »

In AlphaStrike, one can exchange CT (cargo transport) for IT (infantry transport) by agreement before a game. I don't know page references for similar in TW, but expect they're in one of the supplements (probably TO?) Either way, I imagine welding tubing for the suits to hang onto should be simple enough ;)

Even with that, we need rules for them getting out of said Flat Bed like Mechanized while not being actually Mechanized, rather than just assuming they exist.  It's not like the CAR rules in Alpha Strike allow the Infantry to get out easier than a normal Infantry Bay.