Mal's Browcoats. Feedback wanted

[Elmoth]

Hello there.

Using the minis in the kickstarter and only those (even if some mechs can be made to represent other things if you want) I have decided to assemble the Firefly crew. Obviously they come from the planet Serenity in the capellan marches and use the leopard dropship Firefly. Yeah, I know thwere are Drost IIA that fits the aesthetic of Serenity better, but a 4 lance of scrappy mechs sounds like a leopard to me.

Anyway, I come to you for mech selection. I have the IS mechs for wave 1 (including the box of legends with the MAD and ARC), and the following mech packs for wave 2:
- support lance (Dragon, cyclops, thug, spider)
- heavy lance (banshee, centurion, hatchetman, grasshopper)
- 2 striker lance (panther, Jenner, blackjack, wolfhound)

Most mechs already found a home in the lyran, DCMS and merc units, but I am open to shuffle them around.

I have this idea for the Browncoats. Let's see if you have better suggestions.

MALCOLM REYNOLDS: Marauder. he is a good shot, but he is not the best in close combat.

ZOE WASHBURNE: Phoenix Hawk. she is certainly manoeuverable and can take a hit, so not a liught mech. She has a more tactical mind than Mal or Jayne herself.

JAYNE COBB: Centurion. long range and a big gun for short range. Since he is better than Mal in close combat I might even mod it as a Yen Lo Wang version with the Melee quirk.

RIVER TAM: Nightsky/Hatchetman. I am fairly sure that we will agre that Rivedr needs a close combat manoeuverable mech. The problem with the hatchetman is that it is just a HORRIBLE mech design: slow and cannot take a bad look before coming apart. The nightsky could be a "counts as" hatchetman substitute since I am using Alpha strike here, so exact weaponry and location is not as relevant as in classic BT. The Nightsky jumps and is faster,something that I consider a good thing for a mech representing River Tam. And if you do not like it you can always use it as a Hatchetman

Any other options and suggestions? I started with Jayne in a Thug, but it looked overkill for a scrappy merc unit. Same with Zoe in an Archer; shee seems more close combat oriented. Maybe a Catapult for Zoe?

[Elmoth]

I finally decided to downgrade Malcolm to a Blackjack DB (more brawler-y) and I am considering putting Zoe in. Wolverine. The marauder did not fit to ml, that is a gunslinger, not a long range marksman.

 Zoe seems able to engage at short range better than at long, and here a SRM for her shotgun looks good. She can use stealth, but also mean fighting.


For I ara and Wash I m considering generic ASF. Centurions, Sabres, Corsairs or Lightnings. Any suggestion welcome.


Color scheme will be similar to that of the colonial Marshalls.

[Sharpnel]

If they are former Marshals, I figure Inara and River are from the Magistracy, while Mal, Zoe and Wash are from somewhere in the Concordat. Jayne could be from either are some small independent world like Herotitus/Detroit or one of the Aurigan worlds. I can see Wash in Sabres/Centurions as they are available just about anywhere in the Sphere or Periphery.

[Elmoth]

I meant that they will be painted in browns, like the marshals, and operate in the area, but they are not necessarily marshals. Or they do not need to be. I have not delved into that part of their background yet I will take your suggestion into consideration. Thank you!

Having them be washouts of the MoC/Andurien - Capellan war can certainly be a thing. Probably Capellan citizens that supported the invaders because they were fed up with Capellan rule. And things did not work very well for them.

[kindalas]

You should put Jayne in the Banshee.

He is big and tough but also not as good as Mal in his Marauder.

[Major Headcase]

You should put Jayne in the Banshee.

He is big and tough but also not as good as Mal in his Marauder.

I also pictured Jayne in an old beat up Banshee.  with "Vera" stenciled on the side. Happily wading in to punch mechs in the face. 
Mal I picture in a Grasshopper. Mobile, not too powerful, but deadly in the hands of a precision pilot.

[Elmoth]

Might be somewhat too powerful,no? Those are low tier mercs we are talking here...

[Major Headcase]

Might be somewhat too powerful,no? Those are low tier mercs we are talking here...

That really depends on the level of games you intend to play? When I make my starting demo style Lance's for pick up games and campaigns, I make my Lance's 1 Assault, 1 Heavy, 1 Medium, and 1 Light, (balanced by BV/PV) That way the unit has a mech for all needs but also work together well. The new box set worked great for my purposes that way! 
From a fluff point of view, there ARE some heavy and assault mechs that are "relatively" common in the merc market; usually older weaker models, of course. I remember in the early Mercs Guide the 65 ton Crusader was one of the easiest mechs to get in unit creation!
But again: it really depends in what kind of games you intend to play them in?

[Decoy]

Hrrm.... Going off what I think.

Mal, Firefly C "Serenity"
How could I not?

Zoe, BLD-XX Blade
Quick on her feet and good with a gun.

Jayne, PNT-10K2 Panther
Big and intimidating for a light 'mech.

Kaylee, COM-2Dr Commando
If Kaylee were a 'mechwarrior, I think she'd have something that would be more of a project for her to tinker with

River, SDR-8Xr Spider
Sword equipped and VERY maneuverable. It's a very good 'mech for a dance style fighter

Simon, WSP-3S Wasp
More reconnaissance oriented, I wanted to go with an Ostscout, but this seemed cheaper and I think I was using too many 35 tonners already.

Shepard Book, STG-3P Stinger
I don't know what to give Shepard Book, I almost gave him a chameleon for...reasons.

[kindalas]

Might be somewhat too powerful,no? Those are low tier mercs we are talking here...

I was thinking of the intro tech versions of the mechs with a scattering of advanced equipment here and there.

Maybe only giving River the advanced tech Nightsky because she is a good representation of "advanced tech" maybe the 5S model (the one without jump jets) but with X pulse lasers in place of the usual models.

[Elmoth]

Since me and my group use Alpha Strike as our game of choice, most minor nuances in mech weaponry are lost in the conversion.

My current choice of mechs is basically this one:
- MALCOLM: Rifleman or Shadow Hawk. Maybe a Blackjack? Generalist mech, not a lot of killing power
- JAYNE: Centurion or Thunderbolt. Tough, dependable, big gun, brawler mech.
- ZOE: Wolverine or Phoenix Hawk. Faster than the other 2.
- RIVER: Nightsky 4S. Using the Hatchetman miniature with "improved components" to represent an elite experimental mech. Fast, well armed and with a nice big thing to cleave into enemy machines.

For ASF (Inara and Wash) I am considering Stingrays, Corsairs and Lightnings. I was going to take Centurions, but there is no miniature, and the Sabre is just a winged coffin in the AS Commanders Edition rules

[wanderer25]

I meant that they will be painted in browns, like the marshals, and operate in the area, but they are not necessarily marshals. Or they do not need to be. I have not delved into that part of their background yet I will take your suggestion into consideration. Thank you!

Having them be washouts of the MoC/Andurien - Capellan war can certainly be a thing. Probably Capellan citizens that supported the invaders because they were fed up with Capellan rule. And things did not work very well for them.

If you look at old TC maps there is a Serenity star system listed!  It's near the Pirate haven cluster.

[Elmoth]

Thanks all.

I am waiting for wave 2 to paint them up. I finally followed you advise and have Jayne a Banshee 3S. It is as subtly brutal and ponderous as the character.

So the current outfit looks like this:
Mal: Blackjack 1
Jayne: Banshee 3S or Thunderbolt.
Zoe. Wolverine 6R
River. Nightsky 4S (using the Hatchetman mini and implying this is an experimental design).

I will decide on Jayne's once si have the minis to compare them.

[Daryk]

I'd swap Zoe's Wolverine for a 6M model, personally.

[Elmoth]

Zoe uses a shotgun and is quite grounded. I do not see her using much fancy tech, just being good with regular tools. But given their background as a unit born in the Andurien invasion of the Copies (Cappie citizens that switched sides to support the Anduriens, and were left hanging on the wind when things went south for the Anduriens) a 6M could also work

[Daryk]

You know... Zoe preferring a shotgun suggests an Artillery Cannon would fit her best.  Too bad no canon 'mechs use them.  A Wolverine with one would be just perfect.

[Decoy]

Didn't the DF Shockwave make it into Canon?

[Daryk]

I haven't heard of that... source? 

[SulliMike23]

Well one thing's for sure, you can't keep the sky from them.

[Decoy]

I haven't heard of that... source? 

It's the SKW-8X Shockwave. It's from the 3145 Newtech New upgrades section.

[Daryk]

Ah... one of those new fangled designs... 

[Decoy]

New fangled, you say? It's technically twenty years old. Only Arty piece in MW:DA that could hold it's own pogs.

[Daryk]

"New" as in "post 4th SW"... I'm one of THOSE guys... 

[Elmoth]

Ah right. I made a mistake by not stating the time frame. My group plays in pre-clan invasion. or post-clan but in the periphery (so same tech, really). The WVR's SRMs are in fact the equivalent of a real mechs-sized shotgun, but i still wanted something that had dakka more than precision strikes. The one doing precision sniper work in the show is Jayne, not Zoe. She is a short range fighter in the show. I know a large laser is not a long range weapon, but a low tech weapon liks an AC seems appropriate for a ragtag bunch like this.

I can change my opinion for sure, but this is how I am seeing this right now. But I have changed Jayne's and Mal's mech like 5 times already, so this is far from set

[Sir Chaos]

Ah right. I made a mistake by not stating the time frame. My group plays in pre-clan invasion. or post-clan but in the periphery (so same tech, really). The WVR's SRMs are in fact the equivalent of a real mechs-sized shotgun, but i still wanted something that had dakka more than precision strikes. The one doing precision sniper work in the show is Jayne, not Zoe. She is a short range fighter in the show. I know a large laser is not a long range weapon, but a low tech weapon liks an AC seems appropriate for a ragtag bunch like this.

I can change my opinion for sure, but this is how I am seeing this right now. But I have changed Jayne's and Mal's mech like 5 times already, so this is far from set

I gather that you want short-range firepower, agility and toughness for Zoe. Sounds like a job for the Victor to me.

Alternatively, depending on how short the "short range" is supposed to be, the Enforcer or Grasshopper or Guillotine could fit the bill. The SRM-armed Whitworth probably isn´t tough enough.

[Daryk]

A Thumper Artillery Cannon will indeed fit on a Wolverine chassis.  It's both dakka and AoE, and extra special if you can lay hands on Fuel-Air Explosive ammunition (Interstellar Operations, pages 165-166 refers). Two (or three, if you're good with the heat) Medium Lasers will also fit as back up... 

[truetanker]

"New" as in "post 4th SW"... I'm one of THOSE guys... 

Isn't that called a grognard?

Your a Grognard, Daryk...

Now I sound like Starfire from Teen Titans...

TT

[DOC_Agren]

A Thumper Artillery Cannon will indeed fit on a Wolverine chassis.  It's both dakka and AoE, and extra special if you can lay hands on Fuel-Air Explosive ammunition (Interstellar Operations, pages 165-166 refers). Two (or three, if you're good with the heat) Medium Lasers will also fit as back up... 

Wow not a Blazer?

[Daryk]

Blazer Cannons TOTALLY fit on Wolverines!   

But they're most useful when you're hunting 'mechs (headcap damage FTW!).  AOE weapons are good for ALL kinds of targets... 

[Decoy]

The thing that keeps knocking around in my brain is that THERE NEEDS TO BE A FIREFLY. So, with adjustments for tech level and the like....here's my take I get that there's non kickstarter 'mechs but....there needs to be a Firefly.

"Combatants"
Mal Reynolds, FFL-4A Firefly "Serenity"
Zoe Washburne, JVL-10N Javelin
Jayne Cobb, PNT-9R Panther "Vera"
River Tam, ASN-21 Assassin
"The Others"
Derrial Book, FS9-H Firestarter
Simon Tam,  OTT-7J Ostscout
Hoban Washburn, SDR-5V "Soaring Leaf"
Kaylee Frye, WSP-1A Wasp