My thoughts on the latest issue of Shrapnel

[five_corparty]

Used one of those executioners: facind down a whole lance by itself, I alpha striked, went up about, oh, 20ish on the heat scale, shut down, died.

so, ah, be careful when using them. ;-P 

[Elmoth]

After reading Colt Ward's report on his Astrokaszy campaign I went ahead and bought th last issue of Shrapnel ahead of the time I had planned to do it. Lovely issue on general perusal, but I have only read the campaign.

A few things about the Astrikaszy thing:

1. Do you think it would be OK to play using Alpha Strike? AS has higher damage to machines than classic most of the time, so I am unsure here.

2. Am I correct in that you can ONLY repair oa mech utterly dismantling a mech you destroyed on the tabletop? So, if you do not kill 4 mechs per encounter your lance cannot be fully repaired?

3. What if you keep some of those destroyed Shervanis mechs around? Can you repair them and add them to your lance?

[nckestrel]

After reading Colt Ward's report on his Astrokaszy campaign I went ahead and bought th last issue of Shrapnel ahead of the time I had planned to do it. Lovely issue on general perusal, but I have only read the campaign.

A few things about the Astrokaszy thing:

1. Do you think it would be OK to play using Alpha Strike? AS has higher damage to machines than classic most of the time, so I am unsure here.

Depends on your definition of OK.  In addition to balancing differences for different rulesets, the missions assign mapsheets, and the equipment swap options would be more complicated in AS (and possibly have no AS effect). The battles are rather small for AS, and so can also be much more "swingy" than assumed.  I wouldn't say you couldn't use AS, but it is definitely not built to take advantage of AS's strengths.

2. Am I correct in that you can ONLY repair oa mech utterly dismantling a mech you destroyed on the tabletop? So, if you do not kill 4 mechs per encounter your lance cannot be fully repaired?

Yep on the first.  The second depends on how many 'mechs you get damaged (beyond just armor/structure/ammo) of course, but you've got the general idea.  The major points were 1) simple and 2) encouraging being frugal with repairs and making entering combat with minor damage a likely event.  I would hope that every player that goes through the campaign has to struggle with the choice at least once, whether a 'mech with a minor critical effect is worth repairing or not.

3. What if you keep some of those destroyed Shervanis mechs around? Can you repair them and add them to your lance?

Not as written.  The goal was to emphasize you want to get off planet, you and your 'mechs. And to keep it simple.  So salvage is purely to repair your 'Mechs.  Perhaps it's part of the contract in return for the armor/structure/ammo repairs.  Didn't want to get into that level of detail for this campaign, but to focus on simple and what you start with making it off planet.

You're welcome to do with the campaign as you want though.

[Elmoth]

Ok, on Astrokaszy repairs (again) I might have bene reading the repairs part wrongly, and considering them to be overly harsh when they are not. To be sure:

a. All armor and internal (not critical) damage and ammo are repaired/reloaded for free after each mission.
b. You need to destroy an enemy mech to repair all critical hits one of your mechs.

Is that correct?

I was reading that in order to repair ANYTHING (from the first point of armor lost onwards) you needed to destroy an enemy mech and thought it was very punshing for your force, but maybe it is not so bad after all...

[Stinger]

The Art of Salvage - Matthew Cross

Another entry in the ongoing lecture series set in 3125.  It's interesting that the focus is on rigging up sleds for 'Mechs to haul wrecks back to field repair centers or rear area depots for salvage.  Other stories (and Wizards of the Coast cards) have featured teams of technicians going out into the field and stripping wrecks there.  I guess hauling the whole carcass back lets you get internal structure and other items that field stripping teams wouldn't have the carrying capacity for.  This lecture seems to presume, however, that 'Mech recovery vehicles won't be available in any quantity, since a flatbed with manipulator arms seems like a better alternative to a combat unit hauling a sled full of parts rather than continuing to engage the enemy.

So, I never really got to respond here, but the main focus of this lecture series is  BattleMech Engineering for MechWarriors.  I put extra focus on what a MechWarrior would be doing during a salvage op compared to having some salvage vehicles in the field, but I can definitely see how it came off as recovery vehicles aren't as available. 

I can't wait to see what you guys think of my article in #9, as I think its the best yet!

[five_corparty]

Okay, about half-way through 9 and I am loving everything so far.  It's downstairs, so I don't have titles and authors and such, just some thoughts (I'll be more comprehensive on a later post)

some things I love:
- another weapons thing by Craig Reed! I've been digging these because, here and there in fiction, I've been able to put names to things like "she tucked her sniper rifle into her shoulder pocket..."
- Bryan Young's ongoing Fox Patrol: will this series ever end? hope not!  I love everything about this series, and this story in particular was a return to form for Young, the apparently charmed commander continuing her Cinderella run on luck and Charisma, and the URBANMECH drink?  It was PERFECT!
- A FIRE MANDRILL STORY.  I can't tell you how much I almost screamed seeing that.  Now, I ain't no monkey-Clan stan, but I -do- love when Clans that have had very little "facetime" over the past 30 years get a moment in the sun.  A well crafted story, captures both Clans PERFECTLY, a lot to love here.
- I really enjoyed that little Merc Write-up.  Good tone, and fleshes out the 2SW a little more.  Good stuff.

anywhoo, that's where I am and what i can remember, more in a couple of days.  Overall, looks to be another winning issue from the team, and can't wait for the double-sized number 10!!

[Daryk]

I've got a couple of questions in to Craig via PM about the latest weapon article before posting the TW conversions.  I'm hoping for typos.  If not, Support Lasers are now Standard weapons... 

[five_corparty]

I've got a couple of questions in to Craig via PM about the latest weapon article before posting the TW conversions.  I'm hoping for typos.  If not, Support Lasers are now Standard weapons... 

FWIW, I've been lurking and digging those, too. :-)

[Daryk]

Glad you're enjoying those threads! 

[Firebird]

Really liked "Meat, Metal, Ham" in this one, strong writing and an interesting tone. Very unromantic look at the business. Looks like it was a debut writer? Good stuff.