TRO 3145--Federated Suns

[Kitsune413]

Mostly I'm just waiting out this run before giving up on the game. I get enough abuse and hopelessness in my everyday life without investing in year 21 of the same old BS.

So, out of curiousity, what is it that you want to happen?

[Stormlion1]

I have to say I love the Atlas III. It looks lethal and the fact it can drop the RAC/2 is kind of awesome. I think I'm gonna like small shields too. I really hope this is a mini soon.  :)
Other than that I like the new Black Knight and for some reason the Prey Seeker looks like a fun ride to have. Just needs racing stripes. The Hollander III looks like a good harassing unit and the Templar III (whats with all the III's? What's next a Devastator III?) looks to be my new favorite DA Ride.

[Korzon77]

So what do they get aerospace wise?

[Kitsune413]

(whats with all the III's?

I believe, because Mechwarrior DA assumed when making the units enough time had passed for II to have passed. The Vulture is a MK IV now. Which leads one to question where II and III are at. In an attempt to make the age of some of their mechs obvious.

[Kitsune413]

So what do they get aerospace wise?

Two amazing new fighters. :)

[Trace Coburn]

So what do they get aerospace wise?

Two amazing new fighters. :)

  To expand on Kitsune413's answer a little, those birds are the Rondel and the Cutlass.  Both look sleek, lean, and mean - David White really outdid himself with these bad boys!  The Rondel feels like an upsized Dagger - heavily armoured (with reflective armour, no less!) and packing a RAC/5 in the nose.  The Cutlass looks like a Stuka that hit the gym really, really hard and came out a lot lighter, but far more ripped; between the heavy coat of reflec armour, the Gauss Rifle, the battery of ER lasers, and the full EW suite, I can work with that puppy.  }:)

[greatsarcasmo]

Let us keep the discussion on the new toys of the AFFS, rather than what we would like to see the faction in the near (in-universe) future.
 [copper]

[The Hawk]

Gotta agree that the Davions are losing their wars because someone in the Quartermaster's office is apparently taking kickbacks from XXL manufacturers and Sea Fox suppliers of Clantech lasers.

What is particularly bizarre is that this is the Federated Suns we're talking about, once undisputed masters of the medium weight class and possessors of fine lights such as the Valkyrie and the Javelin.  Yet here, below 50 tons, we have two superlight, delicate, and hyperexpensive XXL 'Mechs (the Gunsmith has a role I can appreciate, at least, but the Prey Seeker leaves me cold); an XL'ed version of a 'Mech from 90 years ago (and if you like the big-gun-on-small-'Mech concept -- and I do -- don't you just want an original Hollander instead?); a super-secret stealth 'Mech with the rather dubious purpose of killing infantry; and a quad so narrowly focused I seriously question how anyone ever green-lit it, particularly at the once-profitable StarCorps.

What's up, FedSuns?  (And while we're on the subject of those five, is the Hollander III missing a right arm?)

Fortunately, the Omni-Centurion makes up for a lot.  In fact, in stark contrast to the DC TRO, most of the Dark Age models inherited for this one are some of the best units in the book (excepting the Hanse, I suppose).  The Zibler is a beast, I like the Kruger a lot (and particularly dig the bits of "this is a Succession Wars unit we dug out and dusted off!" we're getting in each of these mini-TROs), and I'm happy to see the Marten, long the forgotten cousin of common late Succession Wars VTOLs, still banging around in 3145.

[Stormlion1]

I can't lie, the Hanse MBT's only real problem is the lack of a turret, which just makes it a Tank Destroyer to me. Beyond that its a pretty solid unit, no matter what the write up says.

[Kitsune413]

What is particularly bizarre is that this is the Federated Suns we're talking about, once undisputed masters of the medium weight class and possessors of fine lights such as the Valkyrie and the Javelin.  Yet here, below 50 tons, we have two superlight, delicate, and hyperexpensive XXL 'Mechs (the Gunsmith has a role I can appreciate, at least, but the Prey Seeker leaves me cold);

If those mechs got hit while running they were dead anyways. But the fluff of the Prey Seeker says they are wondering that too. Also the GunSmith is beautiful.

an XL'ed version of a 'Mech from 90 years ago (and if you like the big-gun-on-small-'Mech concept -- and I do -- don't you just want an original Hollander instead?);

Supercharger. Original Hollander can't beat this one in a Drag Race.

a super-secret stealth 'Mech with the rather dubious purpose of killing infantry;

Lots of infantry and battle armor in the dark ages...

and a quad so narrowly focused I seriously question how anyone ever green-lit it, particularly at the once-profitable StarCorps.

... Mechwarriors were complaining about combined arms? ... Just drool over the Zibler and don't question this. >.>

(And while we're on the subject of those five, is the Hollander III missing a right arm?)

I know a clan that will sell you that right arm. For a Price.

[Stormcrow]

I've only glanced at the TRO, but consider me underwhelmed. I can now see why the FedSuns performed so badly against the DC. Their mechs are inferior in any number of ways. Rally now a RAC2 on an Atlas. At least there is a HAG 30 variant. The Centurion Omni stats well but doesn't look good. Black Knight runs too hot and is slower than before. I can't see how Julian prevails over the Dracs much less the Cappies with the garbage he has to work with.

[Kitsune413]

Trade More Planets for Mechs?  O:-)

[Deadborder]

I'm kind of surprised that the funky DA Enforcer isn't in there. Also I'm very surprised that the Gravedigger isn't, given that we've had one "undead" per TRO so far.

[SteveRestless]

for the hollander, Section wise, there IS a Right Arm section, but I'd call it more of a shield masquerading as an arm (and critsink) than anything

[Stormcrow]

I'm kind of surprised that the funky DA Enforcer isn't in there. Also I'm very surprised that the Gravedigger isn't, given that we've had one "undead" per TRO so far.

That's why the Scarecrow is in this TRO. I'm guessing it covers the 'undead' quota.

[Liam's Ghost]

It was the mostly likely one of the Foxes to die since we never knew if its jump engine ever got repaired. And it was basically in orbit around New Syrtis. Though I wish someone else would lose their warships for once.

The entire nova cat warship fleet would like to have words with you.

[Welshman]

The Cutlass looks like a Stuka that hit the gym really, really hard and came out a lot lighter, but far more ripped; between the heavy coat of reflec armour, the Gauss Rifle, the battery of ER lasers, and the full EW suite, I can work with that puppy.  }:)

David dig an excellent job taking the stats and art design notes and creating the Cutlass. It is exactly what Trace says it looks like, they took a Stuka and put it on a diet, then sent it to the gym.

[FedSunsBorn]

Shiny. ^-^

I absolutely love all of the new BA since they flesh out the AFFS's already solid BA corp. Definitely would have loved an upgrade to replace the Cavalier but in the end its good. All the other excellent suits make up for it really.

The vehicles were pretty good with the Zibler omni being the crown jewel so to speak in my book. That this seems like the new standard for hover vehicle omni's imo.

The mechs went from awesome like the Templar III, Centurion Omni, BlackKnight, Vulpes and the Atlas III-D2 to the ones that made me go  ???.

Prime examples would be the Hollander III(this mech already sucked...why make another one...), the Scarecrow and the Antlion(the last two being way too specialized in my book).

Both fighters, however, make the book worthwhile just for them alone.....the Cutlass is now my new favorite fighter and fills the heavy interceptor and air supremacy role that the AFFS has lacked for a long time imo.

[BirdofPrey]

I do agree, the medium category seems a bit empty.

As for the Hollander III, it can actually get around the map just a bit.

[phoenixalpha]

Is it just me or are a lot of the units in this TRO now being built for the "enemy"? With so many planets under CapCon/Combine control a significant proportion of the units in this book will now be being built (if the lines are still producing) for the CCAF/DCMS.

Surely it shouldn't be TRO: FS it should be TRO : CC/DC Pt 2.

Oh and don't get me started on how craptastic a lot of the units are in here.... *cough - Atlas*

[Aldous]

I get the feeling Clan Sea Fox will be the new Davion Quartermaster for the foreseeable future.

btw... any word on units in Palmyra and elsewhere?

[Nebfer]

Any effect on other armors?

From Era Report 3145, which describes the system, but dose not provide rules.
They only work on Reflective armor, but it dose defeat it's protective quality's. So effectively while you might be able to get two large lasers for the weight of a Large Re-Engineered laser, but they would only do 4 damage each to targets with Reflective armors, the LRRL would do 9 damage. Fluff wise their an attempt in matting the capability's of Clan Heavy Lasers with Pulse lasers.

The Large Re-Engineered laser stats are
Mass: 8t
Damage: 9
Crits: 5
Heat: 10
Range: 5/10/15/20

It's a specialist weapon, facing a lot of units with reflective armor, use these, other wise regular weapons are better...
Though we will know a bit more when the actual rules come out.

Also the Radical Heat Sink found on the Atlas III is effectively a multi use coolant pod, though it seems to suffer from repeated use, it weighs 4 tons.

[Flaresnake]

Just going by what's in the preview PDF, I'd be interested to see if the Foxhunt will be mentioned in Field Manual: 3145.

whats that?

[Aldous]

From Era Report 3145, which describes the system, but dose not provide rules.
They only work on Reflective armor, but it dose defeat it's protective quality's. So effectively while you might be able to get two large lasers for the weight of a Large Re-Engineered laser, but they would only do 4 damage each to targets with Reflective armors, the LRRL would do 9 damage. Fluff wise their an attempt in matting the capability's of Clan Heavy Lasers with Pulse lasers.

The Large Re-Engineered laser stats are
Mass: 8t
Damage: 9
Crits: 5
Heat: 10
Range: 5/10/15/20

It's a specialist weapon, facing a lot of units with reflective armor, use these, other wise regular weapons are better...
Though we will know a bit more when the actual rules come out.

Also the Radical Heat Sink found on the Atlas III is effectively a multi use coolant pod, though it seems to suffer from repeated use, it weighs 4 tons.

Your better off with a Heavy PPC.

[ScannerError]

Your better off with a Heavy PPC.

Better off with a weapon that weighs 2 more tons, generates 5 more heat, and does a point less damage against the problem armor?  (remember: you round down with reflective/reactive).  The BV on the HPPC is almost certainly more as well.  Shorter range on the RE lasers is actually fine, as you want to close to melee with most reflective armored designs anyway thanks to double physical damage against their armor. 

That said, the RELL is a very niche weapon and is mostly useless unless you know your opponent uses reflective.  The REML would be, except for the use it has against the DC's new BA forces.  Two REML hits on a Zou kills it, and an LBX cluster blast followed by REMLs hits will kill off entire units of Kishis.  I note that one of the Templar III's configs seems to have just such an armament. 

[Nebfer]

Better off with a weapon that weighs 2 more tons, generates 5 more heat, and does a point less damage against the problem armor?  (remember: you round down with reflective/reactive).  The BV on the HPPC is almost certainly more as well.  Shorter range on the RE lasers is actually fine, as you want to close to melee with most reflective armored designs anyway thanks to double physical damage against their armor. 

That said, the RELL is a very niche weapon and is mostly useless unless you know your opponent uses reflective.  The REML would be, except for the use it has against the DC's new BA forces.  Two REML hits on a Zou kills it, and an LBX cluster blast followed by REMLs hits will kill off entire units of Kishis.  I note that one of the Templar III's configs seems to have just such an armament. 

Two damage actually, the RELL deals 9 damage while a Heavy PPC would only deal 7 (15/2 =7.5 round down to 7). It is as you say a bit of a niche weapon, wimpy out side it's specialized anti armor role (unless theirs an ability not shown yet...).

[SCC]

You guys are missing something, Reflective Armor isn't any better against Autocannons and the like, and what a the FedSuns known for using?

[Aldous]

Hardened Armor seems to be the default DCMS tech now.

[ScannerError]

You guys are missing something, Reflective Armor isn't any better against Autocannons and the like, and what a the FedSuns known for using?

Autcannons and energy boats.  Ask most of the Davion variants of the un/reseen, Warlord, Sagittaire, Fennec, Osiris, Cestus, Wolfhound, Lynx, Maelstrom, Penetrator, and the Black Knight III if the AFFS uses energy boats.  That's just off the top of my head. 

[Jellico]

Gotta agree that the Davions are losing their wars because someone in the Quartermaster's office is apparently taking kickbacks from XXL manufacturers and Sea Fox suppliers of Clantech lasers.

As noted before. Check your brands.