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Clan Chatterweb / Re: Raven Alliance: The Shiny Red Button of Orbital Doom
« Last post by mikecj on 06 February 2023, 23:52:33 »You could do it with a Belter-faction that went west instead of toward Kowloon
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Clan Chatterweb / Re: Raven Alliance: The Shiny Red Button of Orbital Doom
« Last post by Cannonshop on 06 February 2023, 23:49:24 »Glad to hear you've considered it!
I've mainly considered it in light of issues I've seen growing, my most recent considering of it, being how circumstances aren't good for giving the Snow Ravens a rival faction that matches their canon traits sufficiently to BE a rival.
I can't make Andurien, the Cappies, or the Feddies bend to fit that, though Andurien would've been the best option for a rival naval power in the region before the most recent sourcebooks. (not because they have a navy, because they, too, don't...but because they had the background to make developing one actually rational and fitting to the setting without stomping all over the rest of the development.)
I'd say, if you wanted a 'ngo-alike' rival/enemy for the Snow Ravens (to give them something worth it to fight and flex ALL their assets on) your best bet is to put them in the FWL, up near the Duchy (or former Duchy) of Andurien, somewhere still FWL aligned, but on a border that exerts the kind of pressures you need to make the choices economically, with enough trade to make it viable.
Then, because we're trying NOT to be horribly intrusive, a Dropship-and-jumpships navy that's working on a limited class of warship designs on the lighter end-corvettes that aren't that useful for orbital bombardment but ARE useful for commerce protection, scouting, and interdiction.
Basically a frigate navy that can test the inherited battleship navy the Ravens have in some significant way, just close enough to be 'in the area' but just far enough away to be a strain on the Ravens to suppress directly through immediate invasion-creating a situation where you can get conflicts and encounters, but nothing truly decisive or sustained as this rival grows in.
Thus, giving room for the main plotline of ilClan to proceed on the canon meta, without impacting too much, but still giving the Snow Ravens some decent fights in their strongest aspect.
Maybe as a centerpiece for a series of fan-made scenarios and TRO type products supporting and shoring up interest in the aerospace side of the game without overshadowing the developer line of 'mechs are king', since it would be brush-war scale conflicts over distant holdings and maybe local influence on the Periphery states along that stretch of the Sphere.
A bit like how the Great Powers of Europe were technically not at war, but their navies still clashed in the New World or among and within the Asian sphere during the early age of imperialism.
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BattleTech Miniatures / My (Almost) Finished Battlemaster
« Last post by SANSd20 on 06 February 2023, 23:48:34 »Still got some final bits to do (Stand, decals, ect) but it is so close to being finished. I tried to mask the stripes, but that was a disaster. End up having too freehand them. This is my 3rd (almost) finished mech, and my 4 mini overall.
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Fan Fiction / Re: BattleTech FanFiction Tribble Emporium 2.0: expanded premises!
« Last post by Greatclub on 06 February 2023, 23:45:19 »The problem with putting the people into academies is that they are teaching their (bad) values to the next generation of officers. So cadets who have heard stories about the glorious Lyran military are also learning that arm candy soon becomes a job requirement. For male cadets they are expected to have a mistress, and female cadets are expected to have a toy, or the reverse if they prefer. Or they partner up if necessary.Your officers being leechers, while hardly minor, is far from the greatest problem that would cause when you’re in active hostilities with the DC.
I’d be more worried about them reflexively defaulting to ‘wall of metal’ at the slightest provocation, and promoting each other based solely on CHA-linked skills
Glad to have helped, Greatclub...Much appreciated.
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Fan Designs and Rules / Re: MechWarrior Second Edition Optional rule.
« Last post by victor_shaw on 06 February 2023, 23:40:26 »I'm just considering a life path where the character washes out but comes back later to finish. I think it would make more sense if each semester/year builds on the previous ones.
As for "fiddly", I get the main bonus is the ongoing reduction in costs, but that doesn't necessarily reduce the complexity in character creation.
As I said they are no longer life paths, they are stages.
If you are washed-out you are not coming back later to finish.
What I was saying is you don't lose completed semesters from Washing-out.
What I was suggesting is: If you finish your Semester 4 package time and saves, then you fail you Semester 6 or 8 package (one or the other you don't do both), you pay for and gain the effects of the Semester 4 package.
There is no in-between gains during this process. You don't gain the Semester 4 package then move to the Semester 6 package.
You either gain the Semester 4 package or you gain the Semester 6 package
You only gain the final package you saved for they are not linked in any other way, other then you can try for the next highest package if you allotted the points.
Now in "Academy Days" it does work that way as you actual gain the skills one level at a time and get a refund on skills you didn't gain from your major before you fail out.
The problem with progression being smooth in MW2 is that not the way skills work.
The skill progression is 1 point, 3 points, 6 points, 10 points, etc..
So to get the cost progression where I want it 9,12,15,18,21,24 the balance needs the change in skill numbers.
There is also the skill cost reduction issue (2/3 cost) from the Innersphere packages that has to be addressed meaning that packages have to equal multiples of 4 for it to work right or you come up with fractions.
Lastly, you have the issues that the packages are limited to total cost based on the priority table, max skill points 24.
As for Fast/Slow Learner, not sure how this changes the complexity in character creation in any way.
Characters in the "2nd Edition Advanced Rules" already carry bonus points from one stage to the next.
This is just adding or subtracting 3 points from that.
Unlike in AToW and 3rd, in the 2nd Edition Advanced Rules skills, attributes, and advantages are finalized at the end of each Stage.
For attributes and advantages this is easy as they are full point gains.
For skills, a skill must be brought to the next level barring LRN restrictions, or the points fall into the bonus skill pool.
The skill pool is used to bring skill to the next level if still below LRN, or bring Dedicated skill gains up to the next level in spite of LRN, Pay for extra rerolls on the event tables (3 Skill points, yes you can use Fast Learner for this), Traded for advantage or Rank/Wealth/Vehicle points on a 4 for 1 bases (End of final stage only).
Dedicated skill: Normally bonus skill points are gained in groups that can be assigned to any skill under that group (Basic Training, MOS, Etc.), but some skills are granted as Dedicated skill where all points must be spent on that skill. this is the only case where a skill may exceed the PCs LRN during Stages 1-3, but may not gain more then 2 levels above LRN or 2 levels in a single Stage.
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General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Recognition Guide: ilClan Discussion Part 6 - New Kickstarter, New Volumes?
« Last post by Scotty on 06 February 2023, 23:28:18 »After taking some time to think on it, I still don't get the Callisto (specifically the A variants). If it had come pre-jihad, the support mount and the range offered by the laser would be something. In an ilclan-era setting though, it doesn't move the needle for me when we've already got stuff like the Corona, Zou, Chuculainn, Phalanx C, etc. that can pack that firepower individually. It feels like it gives up a lot versus the base Elemental without getting as much back. Am I missing something here?
The Callisto A [ER Laser] is 347 BV for a point and an Elemental [ERMicroL] is 426 BV for a point. Or in other words, the Callisto is 25% cheaper in exchange for being slightly less capable.
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Clan Chatterweb / Re: Raven Alliance: The Shiny Red Button of Orbital Doom
« Last post by Known Glitch on 06 February 2023, 23:26:01 »Glad to hear you've considered it!
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General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Battle Armour Preferences
« Last post by Cannonshop on 06 February 2023, 23:25:41 »I guess I'm the only one who likes the idea of Nighthawk, but not the only one who likes GD Standard with its good ground movement..and HANDS.
er, well, 'manipulators' but y'know what I mean-it's not a quad.
er, well, 'manipulators' but y'know what I mean-it's not a quad.
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BattleTech Miniatures / Re: What's the best way to assemble the scorpion?
« Last post by CranstonSnord on 06 February 2023, 23:23:57 »Dry fit and file down the hip ball joints until they're all close fits, then pin each and every one of them. I glue the back two legs first, with a narrow piece of wood or foamcore under the front so the back feet sit level. Let it set up for an hour or so, then glue the front legs with the shim under the middle for support.
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General BattleTech Discussion / Re: Recognition Guide: ilClan Discussion Part 6 - New Kickstarter, New Volumes?
« Last post by Luciora on 06 February 2023, 23:22:32 »Yeah, just need the Kuritan mechs.
A cartoon lance you say? I'd like that. But we have several of the mechs already right?
