Author Topic: Improved Blazer  (Read 1469 times)

Syzyx

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Improved Blazer
« on: 21 September 2023, 10:46:15 »
In my MechWarrior game we have a player who has poured a very great deal of effort and XP into the skills needed to start researching recovering and improving existing technologies. Nevermind that the group can't figure out why it seems there are bounty hunters after them on every major world they visit, the player in question has turned their attention to the oft-maligned Binary Laser Cannon. I've been wrangling with exactly how to lay this out as I do not want to bring this boondoggle up to par with SL tech, but some room for improvement must exist.

Improved Binary Laser Cannon

Weight: 10 Tons
Crits: 6
Range: 0/5/10/15
Damage:12
Heat: 14

Overall I got in the track of applying a laser insulator to each of the dual laser cores, which is what we have here. Any thoughts or disagreements?
But as a matter of fact I was quite busy getting potty-trained at the time and had no time for interstellar politics.- ykonoclast

AlphaMirage

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #1 on: 21 September 2023, 10:51:29 »
I'd actually make it a general improvement and reduce the weight to 9 tons and 5 crits. It is competing to much against LBX-10 autocannons at its present mass range while at 9 tons its going against the IS LPL. and heavy PPC

Grand_dm

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #2 on: 21 September 2023, 12:20:08 »
Big ideas and gaming outside the box. #Gametavern proprietor. Plus Ultra.

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #3 on: 21 September 2023, 16:24:29 »
As written, it looks like just a Blazer Cannon and one DHS... ???

Retry

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #4 on: 21 September 2023, 19:02:06 »
A blazer with one clan DHS, or one IS DHS with a 1 crit kickback.  Seems mostly pointless to be honest.

The easy/lazy way to get an improved blazer would be a quirk that makes the gun more accurate, equipped with an improved cooling jacket, or stabilized.

Sabelkatten

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #5 on: 22 September 2023, 03:54:00 »
Headcapping is valued at ~15-20% extra damage. Given that the standard LL is somewhat lackluster in 3050 already, I don't think it would be any balance problem with either just increasing the damage to 14 (better focusing?) or increasing the damage to 13 and dropping the heat to 14 (more efficient power conversion?).

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #6 on: 22 September 2023, 06:19:36 »
Having now checked the Laser Insulator rules, I don't see a problem with installing two of them on a Blazer, but would make the player roll two of those possible critical checks every time they fire it.  I'd be more inclined to let him install two "Improved Cooling Jacket" quirks (for the appropriate amount of XP, of course).

Syzyx

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #7 on: 22 September 2023, 08:35:56 »
Thank you all for your input. I don't think I was at all clear in my initial post, the game is set in 3018 so lostech is still a thing and I was trying not to go too far overboard with the Improved Blazer. But you've brought up a good array of points, thus I present take 2:

Improved Binary Laser Cannon

Weight: 9 Tons
Crits: 5
Range: 0/5/10/15
Damage:12
Heat: 13

I didn't want this to become something that would outshine the Heavy PPC (not that that is available, but as a benchmark) but maybe be a less ideal option in place of just like the conventional large laser is to the normal PPC.

What are the community's thoughts?
But as a matter of fact I was quite busy getting potty-trained at the time and had no time for interstellar politics.- ykonoclast

AlphaMirage

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #8 on: 22 September 2023, 09:54:25 »
I like that much better, the Binary Laser doesn't get any real benefits over 2 LLs. Arguably it is a downgrade as at least with that you'd have two chances to hit. This is something that occupies the same niche as the HPPC during the Succession Wars (heavy, hot, but powerful).

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #9 on: 22 September 2023, 10:59:06 »
So, a triple Improved Cooling Jacket? ???

Grand_dm

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #10 on: 23 September 2023, 09:09:07 »
I would probably add some chance for the jury-rigged insulators to fry. If you roll a 2-3 for example on the attack roll. Then it goes back to being a normal blazer the remainder of the scenario. Otherwise people would be mass producing the lower heat version.
Big ideas and gaming outside the box. #Gametavern proprietor. Plus Ultra.

Mechanis

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #11 on: 27 September 2023, 18:24:03 »
I would suggest first (re-)inventing the Improved Large Laser, which, being only 4 tons rather than 5 drops the weight to a much more palatable 7 tons; the Chemical Blazer is also a theoretical option, and also gives you Chem Lasers in the nadir of the Succwars where they're potentially an actual significant upgrade for many designs.

Something else you might consider is a Light Blazer based on the humble Medium Laser.
This would, assuming you use the same multipliers, produce a weapon which weighs 2 tons, occupies 2 slots, and inflicts 8 damage for 6 heat generated at a range of 3/6/9; which I'm sure you'll agree sounds mighty tempting in the 30-teens and 3020s.

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #12 on: 27 September 2023, 18:37:23 »
Being SW era, I recommend 7 damage vice 8... :)

Hellraiser

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #13 on: 27 September 2023, 19:03:41 »
Hmm, interesting thought about that Med-Blazer.

Based on the Large Blazer ratios..

2 Tons   (Round up from 1.8 Tons)
2 Crits
6 Heat
8 Damage   (Round up from 7.5 Damage)
9 Range

It's a bit heavy but does a smidge more damage than a flat 50% boost.

I debate if I'd use it over 2 Mediums, but it does seem different for sure.
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #14 on: 27 September 2023, 19:15:15 »
8 damage makes it just a short range Large Laser.  7 is definitely something worth skipping, which is what you'd expect from a SW era design.

Hellraiser

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #15 on: 27 September 2023, 19:35:56 »
The problem I see is if you penalize the tonnage then you don't want to penalize the damage.

So either its 1.5 Tons for 7 Damage or 2 Tons for 8 Damage & the 2nd one was less "change" in the rounding over all.
3041: General Lance Hawkins: The Equalizers
3053: Star Colonel Rexor Kerensky: The Silver Wolves

"I don't shoot Urbanmechs, I walk up, stomp on their foot, wait for the head to pop open & drop in a hand grenade (or Elemental)" - Joel47
Against mechs, infantry have two options: Run screaming from Godzilla, or giggle under your breath as the arrogant fools blunder into your trap. - Weirdo

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #16 on: 27 September 2023, 19:38:46 »
I see penalized rounding as the "same" kind (up for tonnage, down for damage).

five_corparty

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #17 on: 27 September 2023, 20:50:36 »
Hmm, interesting thought about that Med-Blazer.

Based on the Large Blazer ratios..

2 Tons   (Round up from 1.8 Tons)
2 Crits
6 Heat
8 Damage   (Round up from 7.5 Damage)
9 Range

It's a bit heavy but does a smidge more damage than a flat 50% boost.

I debate if I'd use it over 2 Mediums, but it does seem different for sure.

I dig it.  I also dig the 2nd Blazer, because a mech could still have a quirk to improve it even more.

Mechanis

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #18 on: 28 September 2023, 11:11:48 »
I see penalized rounding as the "same" kind (up for tonnage, down for damage).
Canon damage rounding is very nearly always round up; basically the only thing I can think of that isn't is the AC 2 (which is, if one considers things, “actually” an AC 2.5)

Everything else rounds up.

In honesty a Light/Medium Blazer is effectively an Inner Sphere flavor heavy laser.

Edit: On a completely different note, you might consider MMLs or modestly improved LRMs- the former were canonically put together from spare parts in a Mechbay by a bunch of mercinary MechTechs, while the latter could really use the extraionus weight shaved off the larger racks (4t LRM 10, 6t LRM 15, 8t LRM 20) so it's no longer incentivised to mount stacks of LRM 5s if you're not putting Artemis on the things.
Similarly, MMLs with slightly better tube count would be great (even just going 9→ 10 on the largest size to keep the ×1.5-round-down theme going), or rounding up for 5, 8, 12 (which makes them feel more “inner sphere ATMs”)
« Last Edit: 28 September 2023, 11:22:18 by Mechanis »

Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #19 on: 28 September 2023, 18:31:03 »
Blazers LOST the tech race.  They SHOULD be worse.

Grand_dm

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #20 on: 28 September 2023, 20:49:09 »
Blazers LOST the tech race.  They SHOULD be worse.

This.

I fiddled with them and came to the same conclusion. That said, I still love them.
Big ideas and gaming outside the box. #Gametavern proprietor. Plus Ultra.

DOC_Agren

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #21 on: 27 November 2023, 18:13:58 »
Blazers LOST the tech race.  They SHOULD be worse.
Aren't you one of the founding members of Blazer Mafia???
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Daryk

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Re: Improved Blazer
« Reply #22 on: 27 November 2023, 18:53:31 »
100%!  But that doesn't mean Blazer Cannons should have won the tech race.  Heavy PPCs got there first, and I don't begrudge them that.  Of course, I don't play in an era where they exist by choice.  Blazer Cannons have been around continuously since 2812 (if only as "experimental" tech)... ;)

 

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