Clan Jade Falcon III: Admittedly, We May Have Falconed a Little Too Hard

[Geg]

The sibko-grab seems to have been basically just a start but an extremely dangerous, if not even impossible, stunt to repeat.

It only worked because the Bears had concentrated so many Sibkos into a single location.  In smaller numbers you risk having more warriors die, than  the number of cadets you would gain.

[Metallgewitter]

It only worked because the Bears had concentrated so many Sibkos into a single location.  In smaller numbers you risk having more warriors die, than  the number of cadets you would gain.

That begs the question: why go for sibkos? Wouldn't harvest trials for trained warriors be a better option in the short term to shore up the touman? Or would they be too resistant to integration?

The again this was probably a high return strike to get more cadets at once

[tassa_kay]

That begs the question: why go for sibkos? Wouldn't harvest trials for trained warriors be a better option in the short term to shore up the touman? Or would they be too resistant to integration?

To be fair, it's easier to train puppies cubs than dogs bears.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I think the main point was that sibkos can be molded to accept Falcon ideology relatively easy, whereas harvest trials would wind up getting you a bunch of grown warriors who could easily become a power bloc (especially in a force as small as the Remnant Falcons).  It's why the Falcons spun off the Jade Wolves after the Refusal War and the Adders spun off the Stone Lions after the Wars of Reaving.

[CJC070]

That begs the question: why go for sibkos? Wouldn't harvest trials for trained warriors be a better option in the short term to shore up the touman? Or would they be too resistant to integration?

The again this was probably a high return strike to get more cadets at once

The Jade Falcons need to be rebuild from the ground up.  Sure they could have harvested older warriors but most would have 5-10 years before they’re put to pasture.  Not to mention some may have committed bondsref.

[Empyrus]

There's also that a sibko's psychology can be adjusted. A trained warrior is frozen on their tracks. They don't adopt new ideas.

Jiyi knows to survive and grow, the Falcons need to change. Young minds are more willing to do that.

[Natasha Kerensky]

That begs the question: why go for sibkos? Wouldn't harvest trials for trained warriors be a better option in the short term to shore up the touman? Or would they be too resistant to integration?

It may just be where the gap exists in Jiyi’s warrior caste demographics.  If Malvina took all the Falcon sibkin old enough to fight with her to Terra to get them blooded and boost her manpower (the Falcons did this at Coventry last century), then there may be a hole in the Jiyi’s teenage warrior caste population but not in the age groups on either side.  He has freebirths, solahma, dezgra, and test-downs above, say, 18 years of age.  And he may have trueborn sibkin below, say, 13 years of age.  But Jiyi may have no warrior caste in between, which leaves his touman vulnerable if it takes a beating and there’s no one old enough to test out and replace casualties.  So Jiyi decided to requisition at gunpoint some teenage abtakha sibkin from the Bears (or Horses).

Of course, in the real world, such captured foreign troops are unlikely to fight well for their new nation, and that would probably be especially true of children taken from their homes.  A real-world Jiyi would likely be better off recruiting the best from his worlds’ industrialmech handlers and the like, who would be invested in Jiyi’s nation.  But this is BT, where Clanners, mercs, even some House troops, and especially the Northwind Highlanders change sides easier than some people change which sports teams they root for.

[five_corparty]

But this is BT, where Clanners, mercs, even some House troops, and especially the Northwind Highlanders change sides easier than some people change which sports teams they root for.

-laughing-

It really is easier to have the Dragoons or Highlanders break a contract than to get a college football fan to say ANYTHING nice about their rivals! ;-) hahaha

[JAMES_PRYDE]

But this is BT, where Clanners, mercs, even some House troops, and especially the Northwind Highlanders change sides easier than some people change which sports teams they root for.

Its the Way of the Clans  ;D, simply change the flag above your head if captured. As if it is something large scale, it will change back soon ;D More easily done though with the Civilian Castes

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Comstar HPG Lost

[Weirdo]

++MODERATOR NOTICE++

Please keep customs, including custom Omni configs, down in the Fan Designs section that was created for them.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

++MODERATOR NOTICE++

Please keep customs, including custom Omni configs, down in the Fan Designs section that was created for them.

Apologies 8)

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Question for the Falcons: has anyone used a Wakizashi on the table (or MM) and if so how’d it do?

And secondly: anyone have the actual IWM mini and how well does it look assembled?

Trying to assemble a Falcon Trinary and filling out the Assault Star.

[Natasha Kerensky]

Question for the Falcons: has anyone used a Wakizashi on the table (or MM) and if so how’d it do?

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/fan-articles/mech-of-the-week-wakizashi/msg1370473/#msg1370473

Moonsword’s review is about right.  The Wakizashi is a little light on firepower at range, and there’s modern Clan heavy cav out there that can keep the range open while outgunning (if not outpunching) the Wakizashi.  But in restricted terrain, on smaller mapboards, or against slow/stationary opponents where the Wakizashi can bring its LB 20-X and ER Mediums to bear, it has the survivability (SFE and max armor), jump jets, and freezers (can alpha strike without negative heat effects but you’ll usually leave one ER Medium out) to cripple/destroy opponents.  If you can make a Stalker work, you’ll definitely be able to make a Wakizashi work.

[MarauderCH IIC]

What is everyone's thoughts on the new Stormbird BA? It appeared on the MUL today. I've been waiting for the AS stats for this unit. It's XMEC ability is fantastic. I can mount it on all the non omni units.

[Bren]

Very important now that the Falcons use so many normal Mechs. I really appreciate the unique feel the Stormbird has.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

It’s a beefier Fire Resistant Elemental, that’s a little slower but can mechanize on anything.

Losing its TMM doesn’t feel great, but an extra one doesn’t hurt it too much in AS and keeps it cheaper than the FR Elemental.

[Bren]

It’s a beefier Fire Resistant Elemental, that’s a little slower but can mechanize on anything.

I dunno, in my opinion the disparity in missile armament (reloads, anyway) really changes the feel between the two.

[worktroll]

XMEC is magic, but I see the limited movement of the Stormbird doesn't look as useful as say the Fa Shih, or magnetic Longinus does.

[Weirdo]

To me, it's a replacement for the Gnome, with the capabilities being different, but roughly equivalent.

Speed is exactly the same, with the addition of XMEC.
You lose a few points of armor, but gain fire resistance.
The APGR loses a couple points of damage, but gains in range and antipersonnel damage.
The SRM rack loses range, but gains raw damage, ammo, and inferno capability.

These are the suits that complement Eyries, Gyrfalcons, and Shrikes, while the newer Omnis stick to Elementals and Rabids, and Ironholds travel via Mk.VII-Cs. >:D

EDIT: Hell, the BV is almost exactly the same, with a Stormbird Point only costing 6 more BV than a Gnome Point. That's not 6bv per suit, that's for the whole squad.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Ironholds travel in what now?

[Weirdo]

Ironholds travel in what now?

Mk VII-C Landing Craft from 3057r. It moves at the speed of Aero, can land vertically, has the armor to survive contested airspace, the guns to deal with light(and some medium) fighters, the cargo space to carry six full Points(three if you use the TacOps weights), and thanks to BADCs, can air drop any battlesuit in existence.

Oh, and between the IS and Clan models, they're universally available. :)

[Angrii]

What is everyone's thoughts on the new Stormbird BA? It appeared on the MUL today. I've been waiting for the AS stats for this unit. It's XMEC ability is fantastic. I can mount it on all the non omni units.

It must also be said: the art is sexy as hell!

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

So, what Falcon 2nd-line mechs would be good for playing taxi to it?

[Kerfuffin(925)]

So, what Falcon 2nd-line mechs would be good for playing taxi to it?

It adds about 50% more armor to the Eyrie. And it covers infantry which it can’t do. Although they’ll cover up the ER lasers, in classic anyway. In AS you lose distance, but don’t change your TMM so it’s still pretty annoying to hit the carrier.

The Gyrfalcon can carry them to reinforce its sniping position, and nothing will be blocked in classic. In AS it’s probably better in the role, it can harass at medium range, and drop the kids off, which can (through the magic of conversion) add on some significant damage. They have just enough armor to not be one shot.

Warhammer C3 isn’t bad, anyone who tries to close will suffer, although with them attached it’s best to be  sniper until you drop them.

All the assaults basically can’t deal with infantry/BA in classic, and have large enough damage values that they shouldn’t want to in AS. But they’d all be pretty slow with BA attached. Imo they’d be best served with those types of mechs as being a ambusher/flanker deterrent

[Jal Phoenix]

It may just be where the gap exists in Jiyi’s warrior caste demographics.  If Malvina took all the Falcon sibkin old enough to fight with her to Terra to get them blooded and boost her manpower (the Falcons did this at Coventry last century), then there may be a hole in the Jiyi’s teenage warrior caste population but not in the age groups on either side.  He has freebirths, solahma, dezgra, and test-downs above, say, 18 years of age.  And he may have trueborn sibkin below, say, 13 years of age.  But Jiyi may have no warrior caste in between, which leaves his touman vulnerable if it takes a beating and there’s no one old enough to test out and replace casualties.  So Jiyi decided to requisition at gunpoint some teenage abtakha sibkin from the Bears (or Horses).

This is part of the reasoning, but more so it that Jiyi determined that trialing for sibkos would cost him less than trialing for full warriors. I don't remember what made it into Tamar Rising, but my idea was that Jiyi promised that every one of the sibkin he took would serve as warriors. There would be no testing down or washing out to a lower caste. Passing their ToP would put them into their branch of service, but failing it meant simply reassignment to infantry instead of a lower caste. Knowing that they would hold warrior status no matter what the outcome of their ToP goes a long way to ensuring the loyalty of the ones worried about their skills.

Jiyi also admired the sense of family that the Ghost Bears had. He spent a lot of time in the Dominion aboard his VaultShip. He wanted that strength for his Falcons. Grabbing sibkin raised in the Bear way, then training them in Falcon tactics is easier than getting adult Bear warriors set in their ways.

[Weirdo]

So, what Falcon 2nd-line mechs would be good for playing taxi to it?

If you're looking for something fast to forward-deploy them, Locust IICs or Roadrunners(if any are left) would do the trick. Spirits are a little slower, but like the Locust they pack heavy close-range firepower, so they can put hurt into any threats in the immediate drop-off area.

Another approach is to pair them with big snipers like the Kraken. They can ride on the big mech until it gets to its desired firing position, then drop off and advance under their own power, forming an advance line of defense for your support mechs.

Don't forget that XMEC means you can ride vees as well. Nacons and Kites! >:D

[Crimson Dynamo]

Not to sound like a rube, but what's a Stormbird? New BA from where?

[tassa_kay]

Not to sound like a rube, but what's a Stormbird? New BA from where?

It's from one of the newer RecGuides. 30, IIRC?

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Yeah, RG30. It just hit the MUL