The Rasalhague Dominion: Friend of a Friend (but not your Friend)

[ANS Kamas P81]

So here's a noodle to chew on.  The Kungsarme, by 3085, has been switched into a Clan format, each regiment now making up a Cluster.  How far do you guys personally carry the conversion, and do you roll with a pure Clan organization or throw in a more mixed force?  I'm still looking at the 3rd Drakons, obviously, but giving them enough of a Ghost Bear flavor to fit the post-Jihad era and carry it into the Dark Age.

Per FM3085, 22% of the force is Omni, though it's a secondline unit...so it'll make the RATs interesting.  As they're on the DCMS border, there's always the potential for salvage, especially after the Vega annexation, so a little extra wasabi on your swedish meatballs is to be expected.  And I'm guessing it'd still count as a "heavy" Cluster, so that's gonna be a lot of Mad Dogs...

[Jellico]

Well I would start by ignoring RATs when you have the better force levels available.

It is a Drakøn. Artillery and close quarters.

It is hard to find cannon clubs with Clantech so there is half your IS 'Mechs there. Look at what they were using previously. DCMS and Steiner, plus a diet of acceptable WoB left overs more recently.

They have good access to artillery for the first time with Hueys. They have a very solid replacement MBT. Remember they are running Huscarls so  that's a chunk of Omni there. What is their infantry like?

How much are they trusted. I don't have my books handy. What did they do after Grumium?

[ANS Kamas P81]

Well I would start by ignoring RATs when you have the better force levels available.

Eh, sometimes it's fun to see what happens - and the RATs did tell me something interesting; out of the two foreign machines I got (the Hitotsume Kozo and Scourge) everything jumps.  Some of them jump a lot.  The Bears really like their mobility, I see...

It is a Drakøn. Artillery and close quarters.

Berserker charges under LRM and Arrow barrages then.  Noted.

It is hard to find cannon clubs with Clantech so there is half your IS 'Mechs there. Look at what they were using previously. DCMS and Steiner, plus a diet of acceptable WoB left overs more recently.

Fortunately in that regard, 3rd Drakøn gets a special rule of 'drop whatever spare gear you want, add a hatchet if you have a hand actuator' on all star commander machines.  Simple means of gaming the system, assign all normally hatchet-equipped machines to non-star commanders, then mod those specifically. 

They have good access to artillery for the first time with Hueys. They have a very solid replacement MBT. Remember they are running Huscarls so  that's a chunk of Omni there. What is their infantry like?

Well, going by the few notes on CGB organization, and 'retaining their vehicle trinaries' I'm gonna roll with a mech trinary, two mech supernova trinaries, an aerospace binary, and a vehicle trinary for the cluster. 

How much are they trusted. I don't have my books handy. What did they do after Grumium?

I'm not sure.  What exactly happened at Grumium; was that the hunt for Marco Radick or something else?

Shame there's not a Shilone C out there, that would be cool for the 3rd's air wing to still run them. 

[Jellico]

The cadets at Frihet Training Academy mutinied in 3071. The Kungsarme was cycled around based on how they reacted. I forget what the 3rd Drakøn did.


Sounds like a good force make up. Look at Supernovering the tank Trinary rather than the 'Mechs. You are not running a lot of Omnis and that is where your Tyrs are.

I hate that add an ax rule. If you are targeting post 3080 just bite the bullet and take a few Karhus Primes to complement your Axmen and Berserkers. Without TSM your physical combat ability won't be a priority anyway. Heck, even in 3145 when you are running Combine surplus in the role the close quarter 'Mechs are just distractions from the Vikings, Mad Dogs, and Hueys bringing the rain.

You don't need Shilone Cs. Ammon 2s are your bird. They must be as common as dirt after the Leviathan program. As noted before look to Huscarls, they got a Clantech variant.  Look to Seydlitz and Sholagars for your IS lights. RATs will give you Clantech. Shilones and Ammons.

[ANS Kamas P81]

The cadets at Frihet Training Academy mutinied in 3071. The Kungsarme was cycled around based on how they reacted. I forget what the 3rd Drakøn did.

Doesn't appear to have affected them at all, according to Sarna.

Sounds like a good force make up. Look at Supernovering the tank Trinary rather than the 'Mechs. You are not running a lot of Omnis and that is where your Tyrs are.

Considering how painfully mobile said 'Mechs are, especially by 3145, yeah.  Okay, so three vanilla 'Mech trinaries, one aero binary, one vehicle trinary supernova.  Fortunately, AFVs come two per point so I can mix in transports with gunboats in each star.

I hate that add an ax rule. If you are targeting post 3080 just bite the bullet and take a few Karhus Primes to complement your Axmen and Berserkers. Without TSM your physical combat ability won't be a priority anyway. Heck, even in 3145 when you are running Combine surplus in the role the close quarter 'Mechs are just distractions from the Vikings, Mad Dogs, and Hueys bringing the rain.

Eh, the axe rule is a "may equip" rather than a requirement, but it's a fun little permission in the rules to go customize 'Mechs.  The RATs in 3145 were fantastically mobile, and out of 45 'Mechs all but five had jump jets, which happened to be the DCMS and LCAF 'salvage' options.  So fast, heavy mobile warfare with gigantic piles of LRMs, especially Clan LRMs, and then just charge.  I'll throw bones on the '85 RATs just to see what happens for giggles sake, again more to get a snapshot of the build concept than an actual THIS AND THAT.  Also all the really cool RasDom mechs are assaults, waah.

You don't need Shilone Cs. Ammon 2s are your bird. They must be as common as dirt after the Leviathan program. As noted before look to Huscarls, they got a Clantech variant.  Look to Seydlitz and Sholagars for your IS lights. RATs will give you Clantech. Shilones and Ammons.

Yeah, but at least right up through 3067 the Holy Valkyrie squadron (best name ever) refused everything but Shilones, even "repeatedly" turning down Huscarls.  It's a Tyra Miraborg thing.  Granted, by the time of the RasDom it's a case of "the Clan demands it."  Now, I don't have any experience with aero, especially in support on the ground map, so I'm wide open there.

[Deadborder]

Looking at it, I'd say that a 3145 Rasalhaugian cluster would be a mix of IS and Clan tech. I'd say start with the FM3145 RATs and then expand to the MUL and have fun

[marauder648]

Looking at it, I'd say that a 3145 Rasalhaugian cluster would be a mix of IS and Clan tech. I'd say start with the FM3145 RATs and then expand to the MUL and have fun

Aye, you'd probably see Ursiiiiissisisseses rubbing shoulders with Shadow Hawk 12Cs and the like as well as Kuma's and Karhu's, Arcas' and lots of IIC stuff filling out the assault roles with the Warhammer and Marauder IIC being most predominant.  A cluster would also probably have a Kodiak as a command mech.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Kodiak II for the Cluster commander, definitely.  So...do you guys like mixing together individual mechs at star level, or making more homogenous and building your trinaries as combining 3 types?

I still need to find more info on the Drakons, especially since they were completely rebuilt from the ground up prior to the beginnings of the RasDom and the eventual upgrades into more modern machines.  Berserker, axe-wielding, heavy mechs are described...so.  For a Ghost Bear cluster, 3 trinaries of mechs, how would you guys break down a "heavy" force?  How many machines of each weight class, or just go random?

[Jellico]

Warhammer? Really? I think there are a few local assaults first.

[Kojak]

All I can imagine now after reading this conversation is a 3rd Drakons Kirghiz with hatchets pod-mounted onto the wings.

[Smegish]

All I can imagine now after reading this conversation is a 3rd Drakons Kirghiz with hatchets pod-mounted onto the wings.

Rather then having them pod-mounted, maybe they are on the bomb racks?

*Pictures a full bomb-load of 1-ton hatchets being dropped on a very confused Kuritan mechwarrior*

[ANS Kamas P81]

Rather then having them pod-mounted, maybe they are on the bomb racks?

*Pictures a full bomb-load of 1-ton hatchets being dropped on a very confused Kuritan mechwarrior*

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found a rule that is NOT in tacops.

[marauder648]

Ladies and gentlemen, we have found a rule that is NOT in tacops.

For now...

[ANS Kamas P81]

So outside of the Dom-Com wars, and some raids against the Wolves, Rasalhague really has just sat down and rebuilt a lot.  Has anyone plumbed 3145 and 3150 to see where it's going?

[Jellico]

Typically I run
3 Assaults, 2 Heavies
1 Assault, 2 Heavies, 2 Mediums
1 Heavy, 2 Mediums, 1 Light.

Unless it is something like Delta Galaxy. It is a little heavier than Total Warfare suggests, but it seems to run very light.

As for where the Dominion is going? Who knows.

[marauder648]

Probably keeping a windward eye on the Dracs as well as their coreward border to ward against anything coming a calling from the Homeworlds.

I doubt that the Homeworld Clans are in any position for the Ilkhanship due to their population and industry taking a massive kicking in the wars of the Reaving as well as the dominance of the very isolationist Bastion idea.  The Bears for the most part seem content to basically keep their space as their own and not take any off others unless its grabbed from them one and then they tend to go ape and hit back FAR harder.  The Bears instead seem to be concentrating on consolidating their hold on the FRR and complete integration of their society and the spheroid one until I doubt they will be distinguishable in a few years maybe a decade. 

It seems that the Falcons and Horses are also wary of poking them because i'm going to guess they know that fundementally they are outnumbered and if they poked the bears too much the Bears would just go;

"Fine..you want to fight? Here have a multiple Galaxy scale assault on your space. And yes we are angry."

I doubt the Bears would go full on RAEG ATTACK! like when they did against the Wobbies but if Malvina was even more nuts and tried something Mongol shaped against the Bears I think that would provoke a VERY strong reaction. 

[Rainbow 6]

It seems that the Falcons and Horses are also wary of poking them because i'm going to guess they know that fundementally they are outnumbered and if they poked the bears too much the Bears would just go;

"Fine..you want to fight? Here have a multiple Galaxy scale assault on your space. And yes we are angry."

I doubt the Bears would go full on RAEG ATTACK! like when they did against the Wobbies but if Malvina was even more nuts and tried something Mongol shaped against the Bears I think that would provoke a VERY strong reaction.

This is actually something I would like to see.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Typically I run
3 Assaults, 2 Heavies
1 Assault, 2 Heavies, 2 Mediums
1 Heavy, 2 Mediums, 1 Light.

that's per trinary, across the cluster? (since, well, three mech trinaries per)  I threw bones on the TW trinary/star weight lists, came up with 7 assaults, 30 heavy, 3 medium and 5 light mechs.  Extrapolating yours out, 12 assaults, 15 heavies, 12 mediums, 3 lights...I like that a bit better myself.

Wait a minute, you've only got 4 in your last star.  12/15/15/3 or 12/15/12/6?  The latter would give me a decent recon star or two, hrm...

As for where the Dominion is going? Who knows.

Well the devs do obviously, but I was wondering if anyone'd gone through TRO3150 yet and found any clues as to what's happened since 3145 - or if there even is any mention to look for.  If there's not, you could save us some time...  8)

[marauder648]

This is actually something I would like to see.

If the bears could ever be summed up its this.

http://www.davidslog.com/85147034020/osoru-slowly-approaching-bear-meta18-the

You don't want to get it to a case of "HAVE LOST VISUAL ON BEAR!!!" 

[Natasha Kerensky]

If the bears could ever be summed up its this.

Those pix are like an evolution from Kodiak to Executioner to Mad Dog to Karhu to Viper and finally to Fire Moth.

[Jellico]

Sorry yeah 2 lights to the Striker star in the Trinary.

The other thing to look at is pairing.

Going back a long time the RATs paired a trooper with a fast mover. Eg a Black Knight and a Champion. A Grizzly and a Thresher. A Mad Dog and a Summoner. A Wyvern IIC and a SHawk IIC 2. A Kingfisher and an Executioner. You get the idea.

The 5th Star member is support. Fire Support, spotter, flanker, as the rest of the Star dictates.

So you end up with 2 pinners, 2 exploiters, and a specialist.

[marauder648]

Those pix are like an evolution from Kodiak to Executioner to Mad Dog to Karhu to Viper and finally to Fire Moth.

Oh god yes....it all makes sense!

[ANS Kamas P81]

Sorry yeah 2 lights to the Striker star in the Trinary.

The other thing to look at is pairing.

Going back a long time the RATs paired a trooper with a fast mover. Eg a Black Knight and a Champion. A Grizzly and a Thresher. A Mad Dog and a Summoner. A Wyvern IIC and a SHawk IIC 2. A Kingfisher and an Executioner. You get the idea.

The 5th Star member is support. Fire Support, spotter, flanker, as the rest of the Star dictates.

So you end up with 2 pinners, 2 exploiters, and a specialist.

That's really opened an eye to doctrine.  I'm too used to IS style fighting with organizing by lance or company for specific jobs, rather than using the star as the total tactical package.  It's an interesting way to rethink things...that said, what about other trinary sizes?  Heavy trinaries as you specified, how do you prefer to weight Assault, Medium, or Light?

[marauder648]

The Bears have a thing for big mechs, and speedy ones so expect an assault trinary to consist of that, assaults and heavies.  Back in 3050 it would have probably been a mix of Gladiator/Executioners and Mad Dogs as they didn't really seem to like the Summoner/Hellbie

By now you'd expect to see a mix of Karhu's Arcas, Kuma's and Executioners as well as probably a Kodiak for the commander, maybe a Grizzly in a second line unit and probably a Bruin or two as well as part of the 'slow' element and probably assigned to the Kodiak as bodyguards.

[Jellico]

And Mad Dogs. Always Mad Dogs.

I would probably avoid Kumas as too niche and limited.

Let's be clear here. The RATs were designed to make you think what is available as much as anything else.

If I was building a front line Battle Star in 3145 I would start with a Karhu and a type of Mad Dog (1 or 3 most likely). Historically I would have looked at a Stormcrow /Nova Viper combo but these days those are thin on the ground so it is probably a pair of solid std mediums. The assault is where you add the twist. Eg an Executioner is a fast and mobile back stabber. A Kingfisher is an up the middle brawler. A Warhawk is fire support. In 3145 the later two are rare but you can imagine how different assaults change things.

In a front line assault Star I am going to run 2 Executioners with the third assault providing the twist. Executioners can operate in nearly any role but the Bear's historical lack of armour meant thay Executioners would usually have to play trooper with a pair of Mad Dogs as fire support. There have always been heavies that can keep up with the Executioners like Timberwolves, and Summoners, and now Karhus so it becomes a judgement call as to how to balance the Star. For example if the 3rd assault is a Viking it might be better to have a trooper heavy.

[marauder648]

Go with a Karhu A if you're going for a Clanner driving it, they won't touch the Prime due to its melee weapon.

[ANS Kamas P81]

That's all solid frontline stuff, I'm looking more secondline.  I'm playing up more of the Kungsarme side of the RasDom, rather than the true Clanner's aspect.  So, maybe a trinary commander get a Mad Dog or Karhu, but everyone else gets secondary rides. Kodiak IIs for cluster commanders, certainly. 

As it is, just from digging through the RATs, damn near everything jumps, some jump a LOT, and Marauder IIC7s are god's own gift to war crimes.  Assault stars of two of those to pin, two Arcases for exploiters, and a Viking on cleanup is one brutally tough unit, and is going to crit the hell out of things.  Not the fastest, but one hard to stop berserker charge.

[marauder648]

Hrm for second line/Kungsarmee then you could go with many flavour of Ursiiiisisisisisisis I II and mebbe even some PR's as they make sense for garrison forces being in essence mega police mech's. 

The Kuma was built as a unifier for the Clan and Kungsarmee and would be used by both, its also a standard mech and not an omni, and whilst it lacks punch its good in a cavalry role and is faster than a fair few mediums. You could see large numbers of IIC's running around as well as well as those machines produced by Odin for export (there's a Shadow Hawk thats made there, and its used by the DCMS and Dominion, its got a heavy PPC).  The big backstop though would be those Marauder IIC's and some Warhammer IIC's.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Yeah, no kidding.  The Arcas is a fine ride, I just wish it didn't look...like it does, shall we say.  Same with the Ursus/Ursus II. Beowulf IICs, Viking IICs, the other IICs I can happily roll with aesthetically.  And of course there's the classic and gorgeous Mad Dog...

Statswise, Mad IIC 7 and Whammy IIC 6 are both fantastic.  The latter makes a great holepuncher, the former bats cleanup, and the Rifleman IIC 8 joins in the fun in heavy stars.  Bruins also bring the same weapon set, and it's just...delicious.  What makes me giggle is seeding a Hunchback IIC into a star with those.  It really gives me plans for how to fit out proper RasDom Mad Dog and Karhu omni designs. 

I see the Arcas in the same line as those, with the heavy energy weapons backed up by a big barrage of SSRMs, I just...can't stand the look.  Maybe if i win the lottery I'll hire Shimmy to design an Arcas III with the same stats as the others, lol.

[Jellico]

Have a Trinary builder (based on TW with FM:WC CGB Weight bonuses).
And a review.