The /btg/ is dead, long live the /btg/!
Drac awareness edition
Old thread: >>44185596
=====================
>/btg/ does a TRO.
http://builtforwar.blog(not spam) spot.com/
>The Happening has Happened and it was glorious:
http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/drop-pod-sequence-initiatedthree-two-one/
>How do I do this Against the Bot thing?
http://pastebin.com/pE2f7TR5 (embed)
>Can I get an overview of the major factions?
http://bg.battletech.com/universe/great-houses/
http://bg.battletech.com/universe/the-clans/
http://bg.battletech.com/universe/other-powers/
>How do I find out what mechs a faction has?
http://masterunitlist.info/
>Map of /btg/ players (WIP):
https://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=1116217&add=1
>Battletech Introductory Info and PDFs
http://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=400
>Rookie guides
http://pastebin.com/HZvGKuGx (embed)
>Sarna.net - Battletech Wiki
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page
>Megamek - computer version of Battletech. Play with AI or other players
http://megamek.info/
>SSW Mech Designer
http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com/
>Battletech IRC
#battletech on irc.rizon.net
>PDF Folders
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/9q792hobnbpw3/Battletech
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/sdckg6j645z4j/Battletech
>>44219911
No, /pol/.
>>44220259
None of these comparisons ever fit perfectly.
>>44225109
>implying Austria-Hungary weren't the true villains of the Great War
>>44225133
>implying they had desire or forethought to be villains
>implying the Serbs didn't start it
>>44225133
Not really, the Serbian military started it and this was confirmed when the Serbian government investigated and had trials for those involved. /pol/ just likes to blame Austria because they have a fear of multicultural states.
>>44225099
What would be a realistic way for the Taurians to get back from their Dark Age slump? I was thinking a military coup that unifies with the Calderon Protectorate, but there are a lot of problems like the overall lack of industry. No nearby power is willing to help as the Magistracy and Capellans are busy with the Suns, the Suns is facing a two pronged invasion, and the Ravens are mercurial.
>>44226030
Xin Sheng
>>44225314
>>44225109
>/pol/ blames Austria-Hungary
/pol/ack here, news to me
>>44226167
>/pol/ack here
no one cares about your racist club
what faction do you play?
>>44226030
>What would be a realistic way for the Taurians to get back from their Dark Age slump?
Going hat in hand to the Calderon Protectorate or the Capellans. But I think you already knew that.
The Concordat, as result of its extremely longstanding characterisation, really fucked itself over during the Jihad. It's lucky to exist at all any more. To avoid getting into that situation you basically need to rewrite the faction completely.
>>44225279
>>44225314
You can't blame slavs for being slavs.
You can, however, blame the dumbasses that ran to daddy Germany and waffled for a month and singlehandedly turned an act of terror into an international incident by practically forcing Russia's hand
>>44227135
>You can't blame slavs for being slavs.
I can say the same thing about Davions. Doesn't mean people aren't going to blame them for being the worst faction in the game.
>>44227135
Maybe if you're an idiot, since most of the Austrian government was against an actual war but it was German militarists that empowered their army by giving a blank cheque of support for war.
Tell you what, make a thread about this on /his/ or /pol/ and we can all hash it out there instead of derailing BattleTech.
>>44226030
Step one would be to somehow get medron pryde and the boys to quit battletech, for the taurian's (mis)fortunes are inextricably linked with the OF.
Step two is to cash in their "once per faction inexplicable rearmament" card to get the factories working again. Step three is reunification, getting their old colonies back in and buddying up to whoever they can (maybe flitvert, Randis? I dunno)
But it's not going to happen, because everybody doing the writing really doesn't like them
>>44227718
wait, so if I go on the OF and champion a faction while acting like a real asshat, I can get the writers to fuck said faction over
It begins.
OperationUn-Bear-able
>>44227792
If you are able to become the major voice of the faction on the OF and keep it up non-stop for years on end without getting banned, along with several other guys who are the same way, and entirely shitopilize one of the subforums, it can be done, yes. But you aren't (probably nobody here is) autistic enough to pull it off
>>44227718
>Step one would be to somehow get medron pryde and the boys to quit battletech, for the taurian's (mis)fortunes are inextricably linked with the OF.
Whilst it would be funny for that to be true, it isn't.
Medron Pryde and company went on and on for years about how the TDF would own the Suns up one side and down the other because muh nukes, muh Pleiades, and muh no signing of the Ares Convention, but the reality is that the Concordat was written as paranoid xenophobes who while the shit kings of turd mountain as far as the Periphery went were still a god damn Periphery faction.
Not everything that happens to a faction is the writers giving someone the middle finger, hard as that is to comprehend.
Things _not_ going down the way they did would have been the bigger surprise.
The Periphery factions have only ever been relevant when interacting with the Sphere. When you've got a militant, paranoic, xenophobic outfit with a beef over worlds that have been in the hands of their enemy for longer than they were ever in Taurian hands going up against the then heavyweight champions of military strength, competence, experience, and technology it was only ever be the result we got.
Don't get me wrong, the schadenfreude of watching the most militant Taurian fans getting all assblasted about things was absolutely delicious. I just can't see it having been done because of that.
The real problem is that the vocal Taurian fans have this bizarro-world, completely unsupported view of the Concordat being this bastion of education, scientific advancement, and heavy industry that never ever starts shit with anyone else, and get all bent out of shape if anyone dares to suggest otherwise. Especially if they cite sources for what they're saying. Because as we all know, FASA wrote the one true canon book about the Periphery (Periphery 1E) and everything after that is non-canon stuff written by people who hate FUN.
>>44228450
Were their arguments regarding the TDF on the offensive or defensive? Because they burned through a lot of units in their Pleiades Campaign that made defending the Concordat more difficult later during the Jihad.
>>44225099
I just started playing Mech Warrior Online.
Which grorious faction should I join?
Are the Clans commies?
Please advice.
>>44228450
Jesus Christ bud, why are you so mad?
>>44228581
>Which grorious faction should I join?
I think you've anseled youl own question.
>>44228581
The clans are an autismal commie psychopath's magical realm, yeah
Join the free rasalhague republic, they are best faction. FWL is second-best
>>44228645
Do the clans make any sense or are they really that bad?
They get shit on in theg ame territory wise and I am inclined to go for underdogs.
>>44228623
Which japanese?
The Japanese or the viking-japanese?
Thoughts on using either a HBK-4G or HBK-4P in a DCMS force? Star League - Clan Era
>>44228696
It's an IS General mech, so no problems there, and while it falls into a weight class the Dracs don't use a lot of, the -4G's a solid anchor to your shitty Dragons, with the -4P being a reasonable ML spam workhorse..
>>44228616
How is any of that "mad"? That's an actual, rational, response. Disagreeing with you doesn't make somebody "mad".
>>44228526
On the offensive.
The TDF was supposed to just roll over all opposition because nukes.
Same way it was supposed to magically stonewall any and all invaders, because nukes.
The TDF just doesn't have enough ASFs or JumpShips/DropShips to manage a successful defence.
Occupying the place might be more difficult, but crushing it militarily was never going to be an issue for any non-Periphery power that wanted to do so. Of course, if the goal is to make the annoying little fuckers go away for good, you don't need to occupy their worlds any way, you can just smash their military and factories then watch the place collapse, which is what happened in the Jihad.
The Pleiades campaign's casualties were pretty much inevitable. You had nepotism going on with the force commanders ascension to their posts and at least tacit support for them "going rogue" to "liberate" the Cluster. Even if Cham Kithrong and/or Hadji Doru had been in charge of the Concordat at the time I don't think they could have salvaged anything, the whole place was clown shoes top to bottom and people who aren't are in a minuscule minority.
About the only difference a smarter leader might make would have been not using the Vendetta as the Taurians did in canon. Nuking the shit out of Davion worlds pissed the Feddies off something fierce, without that they might have been satisfied with MATADOR being limited to re-taking worlds they'd lost to the Taurians. But even that would probably only save them a regiment or two and the Concordat would be devastated by other things, so still on extremely shaky ground.
>>44228687
>Which japanese?
>The Japanese or the viking-japanese?
Japs? who said anything about Japs? I thought you were making a Grorious Xin Sheng reference and were totes Capellan
>Based Capcha, a single capital 'N'. Based.
>>44228755
Yes, well. This is another aspect of the problem. If you disagree with anything a Taurian fan said, you're mad and wrong and hate FUN and so on and so forth.
>>44228755
I mean, you typed up a multi-paragraph wall of factional shitflinging over basically nothing. Unless you have it saved to copypasta, which'd actually be worse
>>44228765
I don't know shit, sorry.
>>44228581
PURPLE BIRD (WAIFU)
>>44228929
Will read up on them, thanks same with the republic.
Thanks guys.
>>44228801
You are aware that it's possible - nay probable, even - that it's necessary to talk about some issues with more than two sentences or a meme image, right?
>>44229056
No it's not. If you want to go masturbate to your own prose, post on the OF. Nobody here wants to read more than a line or two about anything.
Alright, let's stop talking about the taurians before somebody gets really mad
How would you model pic related in battletech?
I was kind of thinking of making it like a shittier version of BA; attacks have a chance of hitting the exposed pilot and it can't jump, but it's a lot cheaper.
Thoughts?
>>44229263
Fuck, and I forgot the pic
>>44229263
>Alright, let's stop talking about the taurians before somebody gets really mad
>>44229263
>>44229276
A light BA with 1 or 2 points of armor, ground speed increases, and an MG of some sort?
>>44229416
I feel like a bit more armor than that. Also, from the game, it can also mount something roughly like a SRM-4 instead of the MG
Maybe make it a BA build option? Like, the driver can get critted in exchange for a big discount and a max ground speed of 4?
>>44229486
>Max ground speed of 4
So... more than pretty much everything than short of the Buraq and the Sylph variants?
>>44229486
So I could design the suits from Edge of Tomorrow? Ok i'd be alright with that.
>>44229510
In exchange for say a 1/6 chance of hitting the pilot with each attack? I think that's a more than fair trade
>>44229510
Eh, mech JBs give anything 4 movement.
4/1 is actually a favorite movement profile of mine on medium suits.
>>44229263
>>44229276
>>44229416
>>44229486
Better idea: Walker Gears are the Inner Sphere's answer to protomechs: you have the 2-15 ton Walker Gear full of weapons and equipment.
and then do you know what you have?
you have the pilot.
in battle armor.
so that they can be hanging off the back and survive lucky hits
>>44227718
>Step one would be to somehow get medron pryde and the boys to quit battletech, for the taurian's (mis)fortunes are inextricably linked with the OF.
Did BattleTech even have a main forum back in 2002? Because that's when clicky came out, and clicky was the game that decided the fate of the Concordat.
>>44229276
Mechanized Infantry is the best answer if you don't want to create new rules
>>44230918
yes, I believe it did, though they lost all the archives like two years ago.
also, medron pryde has been active in the battletech fan community online since AT LEAST 1999 or so; I remember him from my very earliest days seeking out fellow battletech fans online, for what that's worth.
I really don't remember about how forum drama was back then, as to that guy's claim, but a shit leopard very rarely changes it's spots, so I suspect him and master arminas and all the other big-name taurianfags were just as bad then
wither this has anything to do with wizkids clicklytech decision-making is not a question that I can answer, though
>>44231261
wouldn't motorized infantry be closer?
>>44230480
...did you just say Protomechs with Interface Cockpits?
>>44231458
I'm asking 'cause I checked the wayback machine and the old classicbattletech.com site only came out in late 2001. That said, I dunno what might have existed before it.
>>44228929
>>44228971
NOT JUST ONE WAIFU. TWIN WAIFU ACTION, because PURPLE BIRD STRONK!
>>44231460
no. I said gunboxes with tiny legs and a guy in battle armor hanging off the back.
there's no cockpit, which is the beauty of the thing; you've saved two tons even if the guy is in a ISS suit
>>44231458
>master arminas
Ever read his fanfics?
Goliath Scorpions are the Taurians of the clans
>>44232010
>Ever read his fanfics?
yes. they're amazingly bad and wanktastic
>Goliath Scorpions are the Taurians of the clans
I would go so far as to say that they are worse (at least when he's writing them)
>>44231633
oh man, I can't remember too well. it might have been an "unofficial-official" kind of thing? like there was a big fansite that even the devs used?
>>44232151
I read one because I didn't know who he was.
The part where the Scorpion warrior tore through a full Trinary of Jaguar keshik warriors had me laughing at how wanktastic it was.
>>44232182
oh man, you should read some of his taurian stuff. I think the "time traveling taurian battleship" one is hard to top for sheer silliness
>>44232151
>>oh man, I can't remember too well. it might have been an "unofficial-official" kind of thing? like there was a big fansite that even the devs used?
It was a fansite that then got turned into something official
>>44232010
>Goliath Scorpions are the Taurians of the clans
Screw you, the Scorps are awesome. 'Specially as the Imperio.
And hey, at least they *actually* produce the Commando, unlike what Taurian fans would like you to believe...
>>44232301
yeah, that's the ticket.
y'all remember what it was called?
>>44232392
taurians producing the commando was actually NEVER retconned. it's the hatchetman and (especially) the Patton that causes all the shitstorms
>>44228581
Urbanmechs just got released for C-Bill purchase, so remember to buy all three chassis and use them in CW.
>>44231458
>wouldn't motorized infantry be closer?
Maybe? I don't remember which one is which...
>>44232418
Why IS the hatchetman/Patton such a shitshow among taurianfags anyhow?
>>44232971
Periphery 1st ed. giveth, periphery 2nd ed. taketh away.
>>44233050
Is it the XL hatchetman?
>>44233071
It's the no-engine, no-chassis, no-armor and no-weapon Hatchetman.
>>44232971
>>44233050
well, not quite.
periphery 1e gave the hatchetman and Patton
TRO:3050 almost immediately retconned the hatchetman
the Patton held on much longer; I don't think it was actually retconned in any book, but by Word Of God, then finally published in TRO:3039, I think. the problem is that a few products (inducing periphery 2e) operated under the assumption that the patton was very common in the periphery, and therefore presumably being produced somewhere in the periphery, presumably the TC where periphery 1e said it was made.
when this was retconned it was annoying to a few folks for various reasons, mostly "why you take away best tank?"
also, taurianfags occasionally claim that the TC is the only faction to have it's production capacity retconned DOWN ("loosing" the hatchetman and patton and loosing the Fulcrum, which I only found out was retconned out of taurian hands in this very thread)
wither this is true or just butthurt whining is not something that I know. could anyone else chime in on if retcons like that happened elsewhere? I suspect objective raids produced similar fuckups outside the TC, but don't have the book to check
(as a side note, I, personally, retcon the patton's high periphery availability to come from the helm core killing it's intended market as a mech replacement for the successor states, so it was exported en-mass to the periphery, instead. maybe the taurians started building knock-offs somewhere along the line or something)
>>44233128
I'm sure those inbred hicks could at least manufacture medium lasers and AC/10s
>>44231714
But they're the same person.
>>44233404
canonically, the concordat starts building knock-off hatchetmen in the middle '50s after reverse engineering the ones they had
>>44233388
I don't see why the Axel needed to stay a Rasalhague only tank. Just retcon the Pattons made by the TC to be Axel style ICE variants. That would possibly take away some of the butthurt.
>>44233419
SHHHHH. We're trying to get new recruits to the glory of the FWL here, not deal in silly things like "facts"
>>44233912
Yeah, making the Ael more common makes a lot of sense, I just figured the TC wouldn't have much trouble with the standard Patton, seeing as they're cranking out tons of 260s for their tons'o thuds anyhow
But the MoC or Marians or whoever building axels makes total sense
It seems like every other Lyran unit has ECM.
Are they known for that or do I just have a biased view of them?
>>44226316
Capellans
>>44231458
>master arminas
now there's a name I've not heard in a long time
>>44231633
Search the Usenet archives. The 90's battletech fan internet presence was mostly dominated by mega-cunt Camille and others bitching about the cartoon and how even more retarded the aerospace rules were then.
>>44234860
Indeed. I had basically zero interaction with the battletech online fanbase from 2004-2012, and when I saw him again after the hiatus my reaction was more or less, to quote a david bowie song;
"I thought you died alone, a long long time ago"
but I guess he evidently doesn't have much else to do.
>>44235237
oh man, that was before even my time. how bad was it?
What's your favorite 55-ton mech that uses an Earthwerks GRF chassis that isn't a Griffin?
>>44235863
>oh man, that was before even my time. how bad was it?
Found this while hunting around a bit. Enjoy.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/rec.games.mecha
>>44235973
oh man. I'm gonna scroll all the way back to when DA came out and relive the rage
>>44235237
>mega-cunt Camille
this has piqued my curiosity
oh man.
have a 2002 era cheesemech
>>44235863
rec.games.mecha era was great
It was pretty much like /btg/ in the sense that there was no real official oversight, but with less anonymous trolling and shitposting. And also unfortunately with the incredibly fellatious attitude towards certain individuals of status (in /btg/'s case namefags who often don't deserve it at all, which just goes to prove how far we haven't come at all)
>>44235931
Is that just the Bushwacker or did the GRF chassis get used for anything else?
>>44236170
>And also unfortunately with the incredibly fellatious attitude towards certain individuals of status (in /btg/'s case namefags who often don't deserve it at all
1) our namefags aren't really fellated, except for NEA, who is only really fellated on the topic of aerotech and/or obscure historical navies.
2) Our namefags are pretty good overall
3) Our namefags troll right back, so maybe it is you who are the trolled
>>44236153
>composite internals
>XXL
>Hatchet
>TSM
>TarComp with a bunch of Clan pulses
What is that thing's BV
>>44236320
Total Cost: 121,180,666 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,128
this is BV 1.0, so I dunno the modern BV
>>44236288
I love how you said that "our namefags aren't really fellated" while you scramble to defend them against the most obtuse of criticism
Also when I say that Muninn and CampaignAnon and Shimmy are fucking worthless pieces of shit just you watch as people start flinging themselves on their dicks.
>>44236397
>>44236288
>1) our namefags aren't really fellated, except for NEA, who is only really fellated on the topic of aerotech and/or obscure historical navies.
and even there it's only done where justified, as he has been wrong from time to time
>>44236397
They can and do get annoying. Muninn fucking grates with his FWL fellating.
but they are doing work as well, with the TRO. And as far as I know, that is not a shitshow like all the other fan TROs turn out to be. So far.
>>44236468
>Muninn fucking grates with his FWL fellating.
True, but it's the same with /btg/ in general. I'm a FWL fan but I wish all the "hurr PURPLE BIRD" folks would shut the fuck up and stop posting that waifu shit too.
>>44236170
The only namefag I'd ever fellate is Vroom
I'd take his 5-ton hovercraft for a drive if ya know what i mean
>>44236468
Muninn doesn't go on about the FWL that much really. It's a maymay by this point.if anything he's a WoBfag
>>44236468
>Muninn fucking grates with his FWL fellating.
too easy man, too easy
>>44236529Blakistlives matter
>>44236397
Say that to my blue dog anon.Would it help if I said that Taurianfags irritate me and the only good faction was the Terran Alliance?
>>44236545
Hey.
The Albatross sucks. So does the Grand Titan.
Fight me.
>>44236574
He can't, he's too busy fracturing over which of the sub states pays for dinner.
>>44236574
No they don't, you just don't know how to play them right.
>>44236135
Camille Klein. She's credited in the Intelligence Operations Handbook. She fought a trial of grievance against then-line-developer Bryan Nystul over the cartoon. He created and used Gausszilla specifically for the fight and trounced her.
She had a reputation on rec.games. mecha of being a bitch. Very few dared cross her, probably because most nerds would never stand up to a bossy woman, which led to her becoming even more of a bully.
>>44236574
ill rek u m8 sware on me mum
Just let me finish these Regulans...
>>44236742
There ain't no right way to play the stock Grand Titan. 'Mech sucks yo.
>>44236759
Going through her posts there...at least she was straightforward when it came to calling out shitheads. Honestly looks better than some of the other posters there.
>>44236759
>She had a reputation on rec.games. mecha of being a bitch. Very few dared cross her, probably because most nerds would never stand up to a bossy woman, which led to her becoming even more of a bully.
Nerds have a fetish for bitchy dominatrixes
>>44236759
IIRC, she was also the reason hockey threads were banned on the OF for the longest time. But she seems to have disappeared from BT; I'm not sure when or why, or she has another ID on the forums nowadays.
You're young cadet Joe Snuffy and your planet's militia has four 'Mechs free for new members. Luckily you showed up first and get to call dibs on one.
Which do you pick?
>Phoenix Hawk
>Shadow Hawk
>Griffin
>Wolverine
>>44236135
People only rag on Camille because she's a woman and gaming in general is still rabidly misogynist. She was no worse (and quite a bit better, really) than any other opinionated BT fan, and a quality player who wore her CapCon (and Urbie) love on her sleeve.
All the modern day annoying as shit CC fans wish they could be half as fucking great as Camille. She was at least a fan before Loren and Herb just fiat'ed them everything.
If she posted on /btg/ this place would eat her up until they found out she was a woman. Considering how much this place shits on CGL, they'd probably worship someone who tried to pull a trial of refusal over something they wrote like she did over the cartoon.
>>44236961
We can tell it's you, Camille.
>>44236886
probably FedComGirl
>>44236961
she sounds alright to me
Except for the whole CC/Urbie love thing.
>>44236886
She used to post as acidqueen on the older forums...don't think she's around anymore.
>>44236742
Even as an up gunned heavy, I'd rather have a Thud than an Albatross.
Which brings me to the crux of my issue with the entire concept. Mediums that play like oversized lights are great. The Wraith is awesome, until it gets eclipsed by the Uziel 8S, and I love me some full-retard Blitzkriegs every now and again.
Heavies that play like mediums are so widespread that they have their own name and playstyle, and the Mad Cat is still considered one of the best mechs in the game.
But the fat heavy has never worked for me except in very specific circumstances (barring cheater "I can use an XL and survive side torso destruction" Clan designs). It's fine when the mech is 80-85 tons and it is literally just a fat heavy and can pack an SFE without too much trouble. But the 95-ton 4/6 with an XL and thin armor runs into too many situations where it's equalled or outmatched by designs 20 tons lighter than it, and it dies too easily for me to ever truly like the thing.
Also all the 4/6 Atlases suck, and people keep making more of the things and it's just kind of sad to see the chassis associated with such pieces of shit.
>>44237119
Depends on whether you play with BV or not. No BV? The Albatross can't compete against other assaults, and has to go up against weaker heavies. With BV? The Albatross is superb. You mentioned Thunderbolts - I'd take a -3U Albatross in a 1v1 fight against any Thud that has its BV or less and expect to win.
>>44237119
the one 4/6 nightstar is decent; if you switch to endo, you can add some LRMs and basically make it a fat Bandersnatch, which it is pretty good at.
(in fact the nightstar in general benefits a lot from switching to endo)
>>44237430
He's not saying that 4/6 XL'd assault are bad (at least I hope not, that'd be absurd), but that they're bad when they have less armor to go along with it.
>>44236574
The Grand Titan is so awesome that it broke the construction rules
>>44237376
As far as all-range bracket-firing 4/6s go?
Penetrator. Easy.
Maybe doesn't have quite the long-range throw, but its short game, my god.
And the Uziel 8S is still incredibly good, if it comes with a gunnery bonus to match BVs
>>44237618
But the long-ranged game is important in a 4/6 battle, especially when the Penetrator's secondary firepower only reaches out to 6 hexes. That gives the Albatross a huge 7-10 hex range where it deals a shitton more damage, on top of still being able to outdamage the Penetrator at short range.
And c'mon, you can't start talking about a jumping backstabber...they fill completely different roles here. If you want to talk about 4/6 'Mechs, then talk about 4/6 'Mechs. Otherwise you might as well say that they all get countered in a 1v1 fight by the Uziel -8S.
>>44237618
Oh, and the Wulfen A and Yingpingchingchong with P/G upgrades.
But both of those mechs are custom made to win any sort of "1v1 me fgt" equal BV scenario, so they don't count.
>>44237480
well, yeah. fast,underarmored designs at practically any tonnage over like 30 are bad ideas
>>44237777
Yeah but... I'd rather have a Penetrator in a team battle. It might lose out to the Alb in a 1v1 scenario, but I'd rather sit a Penetrator in with my LRM boats for protection from backstabbers than an Albatross.
Which is, I guess, my problem with the thing. It may be better than a Penetrator at the long game, and a Salamander at the short. But unless I'm going up against a shit load of vees where the LB 10-X will overperform, I'd rather have a Salamander and Penetrator than two Albs.
>>44237910
I guess that's where we're different. I use Albatrosses as a way to pad out my heavy trooper lances, give them a command 'Mech that can thrash opposing heavies at nearly any range. Alternatively, I'll add them to a well-rounded assault lance to give them a bit more flexibility if VTOLs, hovercraft or light 'Mechs start showing up.
>>44238095
I suppose we should agree to disagree.
Also, my go-to BV-padder has GOT to be the Hound. That thing is a fantastic all-rounder and an incredible steal BV-wise.
>>44238143
The Hound does look nice, though I think we're also bumping into factional preferences here. I largely play League, while from the looks of things it seems like you play with...Steiner or Davion stuff more, maybe? I don't even think I've used the Hound once yet, desu.
>>44236567
WESTERN ALLIANCE STRONK
Terran Alliance sucks. I mean, they got booted out by a guy that looks like this
>>44238191
Steiner mostly, although the Wraith is a fucking gift from the Lord above.
lore/mechanics question, considering the use of the Tengu as a testbed do you think it would be appropriate and non-twinky to have a variant where the JJs are traded our for an MJB? this would turn it into a 3/1 heavy with 11 points of armor.
this leaves it about 50 kilos underweight when equipped with a medium laser in the DWP, not sure if I want to leave it underweight or also put in some battleclaws at this point.
general opinions?
>>44238242
*3/1 after the laser is dropped, although... is the movement boost from the MJB applied before or after the DWP drops the movement from 2 to 1?
>>44238235
Oh, nice. You up for ever playing some games? You seem like a chill guy, and my regular MegaMek bud just left for China. I don't have anyone to play against anymore, and it's bloody terrible.
>>44238191
The hound is fairly similar to some of the early model cataphracts, so if you want a hound-a-like for other factions, an upgraded early-model cataphract with hound-ish stats is a lore friendly way to use a thing with a similar setup
>>44238242
Firedrake. 50 kilos of hatred, which is apparently exactly what you have available.
>>44238278I am actually in Cancun right now, and don't have access to my computer
Why haven't you killed a 'goon today, /btg/?
>>44238363
Ahh well, have a nice vacation, bro. Still, if you're interested drop a line here in /tg/ when you get back to your comp.
And if anyone else is looking for someone to play regularly over MegaMek...I'm looking.
>>44238440
Because I don't have four months to spare just to get to where they operate
>>44238440
Because I can't get any contracts against them in AtB, and it isn't sophisticated enough for me to just drop on them like a ton of bricks.
>>44238363
that does fit nicely!
another option would be turning one of the basic manipulators into a battle claw and tossing in a magnetic clamp system.
is it better to have a 3/1 doing anti-mech or anti-infantry?
just a question of how far I want to stray from the canon Tengus, JJs to MJB is already such a big change.
What would the Battletech equivalent of metal gear be?
>>44239100
any nuke-equipped wobblie mech?
>>44239100
In terms of function, a WarShip
>>44229234
Quick! Use the word "autist" to complete the bullshit put down. It'll show just how tough you are.
Guys I think I have a problem. I am unable to design battlearmor without a firedrake, like, it goes on before I fiddle with armor and speed.
>>44239431
Nothing wrong with that. Even just the weapon's name sounds cool.
>>44239431
I suspect you have caught a severe case of Steiner Disease. I suggest you abandon the use of all mechs heavier than 30 tons.
>>44238273
based on the line from Tac Ops, "Heavy and Assault suits suffer a -2 Ground MP penalty. These penalties can be slightly offset by the use of Battle Armor Mechanical Jump Booster."
I think a 2-base land speed Heavy with both a DWP and an MJB would move 2.
>>44239485
*since a speed-2 BA is only reduced to 1
>>44239455
I concur
>>44239431
I'm recommending a strict diet of bugs and sub-40 ton hovercraft; in early stages I would recommend moderate use of commandos in order to reduce the risk of system shock
>>44239100
>Needing nuclear weapons.
Get on my level.
>>44239455
I have replaced all light mechs with Uziel 8Ss and Hunchback 7Ss. These mechs are now purple. What do?
>>44239440
Its really one of the greatest weapons from BT. Its as if someone saw the plasma rifle and pondered on the question, "how do I make this even more horrifying for infantry"?
what are some good assault trooper designs?
>>44239888
Any factional preferences?
>>44240007
generally-available mechs are best, then FWL, then lyran, than suns. no real interest in laio or kurita mechs or clanshit
(if anyone has homebrew that fits the bill, by all means post it)
>>44233388
But that doesn't make any sense. The original, first-printing TRO 3025 went to great lengths in the fluff for both the Hatchetman and the Patton/Rommel to point out that they were brand-spanking new Steiner designs, which were suspected of being shared with Hanse.
There was never, ever an opportunity for TC to have been producing them all along.
>>44235237
Oh, wow, I remember Camille Klein!
I wonder if she's still around anywhere. Probably preaching zin zing, and all that.
>>44240058
I'm aware it doesn't make much sense. I'm merely explaining the thinking behind taurianfag butthurt on those topics.
I don't see any reason for the designs, especially the patton, being such a bloody great tank and not especially difficult to build, to proliferate (see: the axel), but people other than the lyrans producing them in 3025 is complete nonsense, sure
>>44237618
After Galen's Solaris match, BT authors seemed to jump all over the Penetrator. I guess because the weapons layout was simpler to write.
>>44240113
>especially the patton, being such a bloody great tank and not especially difficult to build, to proliferate (see: the axel
The Axel has an ICE engine. I think it gives up some weapons and armour in addition to the speed.
The Fusion Engine in the Rommel/Patton was a bottleneck for the Lyrans, and they have the heaviest manufacturing base in the setting. It took the Lyrans until like 3039 to get that sorted out and they were only in that position because of the Helm revival, neither of which applies to the Concordat.
OTOH, getting worked up about vees is kinda silly any way since most of them are Vedettes any way. Having other options is nice but fluff-wise it's not like the Taurians are really any the poorer for not being able to build the Rommel/Patton since they have native manufacturing for the Vedette.
>>44240042
Assuming Early Republic Era, and with Merc availability...definitions might vary, but I generally look for a movement of 4/6, with or without an XL engine. It should have solid armor, and firepower that can cover all ranges. With that in mind, some 'Mechs to look at could be the:
-BattleMaster 1Gb/1Gc/3M
-Cyclops 11-G
-Zeus 9T
-Atlas AS7-K2
If you want more League stuff (without Merc availability), there's the Juliano, Grand Titan -11-M, and Cerberus -5M. For the Lyrans...nearly any Zeus and their 4/6 Banshees. The 4/6 Nightstar would be another good one as well.
3/5 'Mechs can work, but I personally prefer the 4/6 movement profile to keep my troopers mobile. I enjoy having that extra speed to better choose the engagement range against charging 3/5 zombies or mostly static gunboats.
>>44240392
the taurians at least build the 260 for the thud, so that would be at least mildly less troublesome to also build pattons
>helm revival doesn't apply to the concordat
where do you get that impression? I've never heard anything along the lines of the helm info never reaching the periphery? is this from something that came out recently?
>>44240392
>The Fusion Engine in the Rommel/Patton was a bottleneck for the Lyrans
In 3025, yeah. Since everybody and their brother was building SFE and even XLFE tanks by 3058, evidently it got much easier over time
>>44240497
Sure you've got the Helm Core. You don't have the factories, or the factories to make the factories, however. And even then, it took a good decade for the Core to really proliferate, IIRC.
>>44240394
>cyclops 11G
that actually looks pretty nice, and I've always had a soft sport for the cyclops
>>44240527
they evidently had the ability to do some serious factory upgrading, though, unless they were able to produce heavy mechs by the truckload in the 3020s, which is a whole nother can of worms
>>44240497
>the taurians at least build the 260 for the thud, so that would be at least mildly less troublesome to also build pattons
The Lyrans build the both the Crusader and Thunderbolt. It didn't help them with their supply issues, and they're a shit ton more industrialised than the Concordat.
>where do you get that impression? I've never heard anything along the lines of the helm info never reaching the periphery?
I said Helm Revival, not Helm Core info, though AFAIK they didn't get that until the Trinity Alliance any way. There are charts in MercSup II detailing when the various factions get what technologies and the entry at the back of the Periphery FM stating that the Periphery nations didn't redevelop anything on their own, that the Concordat was slightly ahead on Ferro, MPL, and SSRM-2 tech by getting those back in the mid to late '50s, and that the tech the rest of the Sphere had in the late 3030s was around 30 years slower in reaching the Periphery.
TL; DR: No matter what way you slice it, it makes zero sense for the Taurians to be building Rommel/Pattons. If the IS nation with the heaviest industry and most factories is struggling until 3039ish, the Concordat isn't going to have the capability to handle it until at least the Trinity Alliance, probably the Jihad, and by that stage they have other things to worry about.
I feel like this whole argument boils down to a disagreement as to how hard it is to build new factories in the various eras.
I mean, the capcon's industrial base was probably worse off than the concordat's in the 3030s, but they rebuilt just fine. I figure it ought to be about that easy for everybody. I don't really see any issue with the dozens of new mech lines appearing between 3050 and 60, so I don't see how one or two more would be problem
maybe it's because I got into the game during the era of "look at everybody building ALL THIS NEW STUFF" (that is to say, the 3050s) and am also a big user of homebrew mechs, rather than starting in the 3025 mad max no construction allowed days.
I dunno.
do you want to agree to both run our games our way and agree to disagree before this argument turns pointless?
>>44240781
>I mean, the capcon's industrial base was probably worse off than the concordat's in the 3030s, but they rebuilt just fine.
Even after being reamed by Hanse, the CapCon is still a Great House.
There's a massive power gap between the shittiest Great House at its lowest ebb and the strongest of the Periphery nations at the same time.
When the Rommel/Patton debuted, everyone else was ripping fusion engines out of vees to keep ASFs and 'Mechs running. The Lyrans building a new tank that relied on a Fusion Engine was a big deal, but it took even them a long time to iron out the kinks involved.
Whatever you want to do in your own games is fine, but don't make the mistake of thinking that what you do equals canon. That way lies Medron Pryde and his "I'm happy for you, FedCom, and I'ma let you finish, but the Taurian Concordat is the most advanced faction with the best military and most factories of all time. OF ALL TIME!" madness.
>>44240895
I try very hard not to go that far; I basically think of periphery states as existing in the same world as merc units and the chaos march and such, while the great houses are in a completely separate league.
I just think that because you're minor league doesn't mean you don't get fun stuff. that's basically all I'm saying.
maybe that makes me read the canon material with a slight bias, I dunno
I will say, 90% of the designs that I ever ascribe to the TC and/or MoC are theirs because I want them to be merc general stuff, and TRO:3050 colored my option of the TC for almost everything after as a big supplier of merc mechs.
I've got probably about 10 times more stuff coming from the FWL, Lyrans, Suns and even a few things from the chaos march and FRR.
(on a FWL and Patton related note, swapping the AC/10 for a LGR is just absolutely lovely as a long-range high-mobility tank)
hell, I have a damn AU mostly concerned with the minor powers and literally the only major involvement the great houses have is having a few shit-ass outback worlds break free to go neo-chaos march after getting shit on by the WoB and being essentially ignored during the jihad. the TC and MoC are completely occupied fighting blakist-backed pirates alone, for christ's sake. I really try not to slip into the medron pryde way of doing things. if anything, I'd say I'm a purple burd fanboy; I have the FWL on the verge of reunification by the turn of the century.
I just like the TC because it's a great place for space western stuff and trooper mechs
>>44241031
> I just think that because you're minor league doesn't mean you don't get fun stuff. that's basically all I'm saying.
Except it does. The Periphery has always been small potatoes production wise. Building Mechs has been noted as being incredibly difficult, and that the major Periphery powers can build even the ancient Star League gear at all is pretty much enough to make them "major."
>TRO:3050 colored my option of the TC for almost everything after as a big supplier of merc mechs.
Despite my enjoyment of some of the art (I like the lanky look of the mechs), TRO 3050 is now pretty much obsolete fluff wise, being that it's all from before the Retcon, and the book and other sources never adequately explain how the hell the Taurians can actually get their product to the IS.
>I just like the TC because it's a great place for space western stuff and trooper mechs
You don't need the TC for that, especially as the faction grinds slowly into a paranoia fueled madhouse as the timeline advances. Everything's a western in the Periphery.
>>44240781
>I feel like this whole argument boils down to a disagreement as to how hard it is to build new factories in the various eras.
And the answer in all eras is "hard enough that sending regiments to take them is still considered worth it".
>>44241227
>being that it's all from before the Retcon
this is honestly driving me nuts. has there been some big retcon that I've missed during the Wizkids/Fanpro era, since I really wasn't paying any attention at all to that shit? A DA book making direct references to how things were a century ago? sourcebooks that directly retcon previous ones? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. could y'all point me to where this shit happens?
>You don't need the TC for that
but I like the TC's (pre-jihad, really pre xin-sheng) style and character.
plus the Colonial Marshals are the best campaign hook that never got any exposition and nobody else has anything like them
Space Texas Rangers? that's a goddamn great campaign premise
>>44241374
>this is honestly driving me nuts. has there been some big retcon that I've missed during the Wizkids/Fanpro era, since I really wasn't paying any attention at all to that shit? A DA book making direct references to how things were a century ago? sourcebooks that directly retcon previous ones? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. could y'all point me to where this shit happens?
War of 3039 directly states that the DCMS and the AFFC were deploying upgraded technologies that were being developed by their respective Successor States, retconning the early Clan Invasion where everyone is panicking over Clan ER weapons and DHS as being wunderwaffen. Instead they're just more advanced (which is still impressive in it of itself). Additionally some of the newer tech mechs had their release dates pushed back to reflect this, like the Hunchback -5M being deployed starting in 3046.
>>44241433
ah, OK. that's some bullshit right there, but I see. I don't quite see how it retcons the periphery being able to produce anything but boots for their own asses and endless supplies of jobbing, but I see that we're into big retcon territory here so I'll accept that as it is
(on a side note, one thing that really threw my perception of periphery tech levels was the Fulcrum, which I only was told recently was retconned out of being a TC machine, so that's another "misconception" that I've been operating on for years and years)
anyhow, on another side note, will we ever get a Bush Wars-style book that covers Operation Guerrero? I kind of want to see the FWL's one shining military triumph in detail and it seems like CGL is stalling for time before having to advance the timeline, I hope that we might actually get it
>>44241530
>ah, OK. that's some bullshit right there, but I see. I don't quite see how it retcons the periphery being able to produce anything but boots for their own asses and endless supplies of jobbing, but I see that we're into big retcon territory here so I'll accept that as it is
That's always been there. As in "it's not news." Major Periphery powers were such *because* they could produce mechs.
>>44241648
>Major Periphery powers were such *because* they could produce mechs.
yes, absolutely. that's why the marian hegemony isn't major but the OA is.
I just don't see what's so wrong with them producing *new* designs in addition to/instead of more of old designs.
How many of you faggots actually use AUs? You motherfuckers are always bitching about the canon universe, so I'm wondering
>>44241965
I tend to not use AUs so much as just homebrew units and scenarios and play those. The main canon storyline is fun and all but the adventures of Mercy McMercyton and his Merciless Mercs are enough entertainment without concerning myself with the far-reaching political repercussions of the fights they get into.
>>44241965
I've been AU for a decade and I've got no reason to stop now
>>44241754
>I just don't see what's so wrong with them producing *new* designs in addition to/instead of more of old designs.
Literally all of the new 'Mechs in the SW-3049 era are from the IS. They all required massive investment, literal polymath geniuses, FrankenMeching, or actually being a reskinned production variant of an existing 'Mech to get into the field.
The Merlin is built at a retooled Periphery site by an IS-based firm, not by a Periphery power.
Producing new designs prior to the Trinity Alliance is really freakin' unlikely, as in right next to impossible.
>>44241031
>>44241227
>Periphery production for Mercs
The Houses were the primary suppliers for mercs until 3050. The Periphery was barely keeping up with what its own forces required. What happens in 3050 is that the Houses all direct their production to their own forces (or for the FWL, to the FedCom and Dracs in addition to their own units) to deal with losses to the Clans. Mercs had no other option but to buy from the Periphery for a while.
>>44241530
>will we ever get a Bush Wars-style book that covers Operation Guerrero?
Maybe, but the amount of work needed to unfuck Guerrero would be obscene. Despite the PURPLE BURD STRONK posting, the FWL literally wins purely because Katherine Steiner-Davion lets them. The Capellan front makes even less sense since the AFFS easily has the forces in the region to repulse them.
Brush Wars is in part as good as it is because the battles didn't have the kind of effects Guerrero did and all the actions made sense before being fleshed out.
>>44242087
>Literally all of the new 'Mechs in the SW-3049 era are from the IS.
I was speaking mostly of 3055/58 designs, FWIW.
nothing I designed was in major production in the periphery until 3054 or later, I agree that 3049 or earlier SL-tech is only for the great house at the absolute limit.
the 3050s saw a tech explosion of the likes that has never been seen before or since, so that I don't see any problem with the periphery states getting in on it.
even still, they're going 1/5-1/10 or worse against the IS for "new mechs by era"
>Periphery production for Mercs
the fact still remains, the TC must be producing a LOT of Thuds, Marauders and Warhammers, not to mention bugs, to be able to take over supplying the main merc market from the Great House
>>44242166
>so that I don't see any problem with the periphery states getting in on it.
Up to you for your AU, but canonically they didn't. They needed a lot of external help or espionage to start building stuff for themselves.
>the fact still remains, the TC must be producing a LOT of Thuds, Marauders and Warhammers, not to mention bugs, to be able to take over supplying the main merc market from the Great House
No, the mercs just didn't have anywhere else to go. Periphery manufacturing is small potatoes compared to the Houses, but when the Houses stopped selling altogether and mercs wanted to buy new stuff there was only one place to get it. That doesn't mean they were selling a shit ton of stuff to mercs, especially since the Periphery nations were already struggling to keep up with the demands of their national militaries.
>In b4 but Combat Operations says that the Taurian Concordat has more factories and more output than the Lyran Alliance
Haha no. Erroneous product is erroneous.
at any rate, I'm willing to coincide that I'm a "it was better in my day" peripheryfag/purplebirdstronk/warship fag
to be honest, I've never really liked any of the post-wizkids clickytech shit, and I'm not going to apologize for not being into that shit.
I like some of the base ideas about Dark Age, but overall I'm not sold, ESPECIALLY the magic powers of the RoTS to go full soviet relocation without resistance nor disarmament without people going hard to the death as most hardcore mechwarriors would.
now, that's some great 3090s adventure hooks, but it doesn't make a ton of sense as era background without actual reactionfrankly, I'm drunk after a good pal's "it's christmastime, motherfuckers" thing, and I'm willing to dispense them red-hot opinions, but I don't want to start no fight here on /btg/
>>44242350
>>In b4 but Combat Operations says that the Taurian Concordat has more factories and more output than the Lyran Alliance
man, Inner Sphere In Flames is a hell of a drug
It really deserves the Medron Pryde Seal of Approval as the ultimate "man, we really didn't think this through" product
>>44242386
You joke, but medron literally cited ISIF as proof that the TC had more industrial stronk then anyone else
I just had a silly idea. It's a Berserker refit with a Lance, Gauss Rifle and two LRM-5s.
I call it the Violator.
>>44242444
Just some of his other greatest hits:
-The Taurian Concordat's level of literacy means its citizens are the most highly educated of all factions, and its universities shit on the NAIS from a great height
-The Taurian Concordat was actually the first nation to recover and mass produce DHS/Freezers, Ferro-Fibrous Armour, Pulse Lasers, and Streak SRMs
-His version of HB: MPS says the Taurians had WarShip facilities all through the Succession Wars and were capable of building a fleet but didn't because they didn't want to give the Houses a reason to attack them
-His version of HB: MPS also says the Rommel/Patton and Hatchetman were always produced there due to a long-standing deal with the Lyrans
-The Taurian Concordat always had the ability to operate and build its own HPGs, and none of the Houses ever bothered to get that knowledge for themselves. ROM and ComStar were totally OK with this, because reasons
-You can totally trust me on this stuff even though the books say otherwise for some reason, I'm a fact checker and signed off on the original prints, I don't know why everything was changed between then and the hard copies/electronic versions being produced
-CGL saying the Taurian Concordat isn't as awesome as I think it is means anything FASA didn't produce is non-canon
-Also anything that FASA made that says the Concordat isn't as awesome as I think is an error or non canon
>Captcha: Select all images with fish
>All images are of cooked foods or soups with indistinct ingredients
>Get it wrong because fucked if I know what has fish in and what doesn't
>Select all images with grass
>Literally no images with grass in, select images that are mostly green instead
>YOU ARE NOT A ROBOT! POST APPROVED!
I'm curious, have there been any notable bounty hunters in BT other than The Bounty Hunter and the known people he/they would work with at times?
>>44243350
Not really, no. The 51st Dark Panzer Jaegers made a name for themselves as pirate hunters and IIRC there's another unit in MercSup: Update that's a bounty-hunting command for the most part, but the industry as a whole hasn't really been detailed much.
>>44243222
I just don't get why Medron had to pick the Concordat to be autistic over. It's a great periphery faction that doesn't deserve him muddying its name.
>>44239685
>I have replaced all light mechs with Uziel 8Ss and Hunchback 7Ss
>All
But then how will you field Scarabuses and Wolfhounds and Spectors and all the other great Lyran lights?
>>44242777
>I just had a silly idea. It's a Berserker refit with a Lance, Gauss Rifle and two LRM-5s.
>I call it the Violator.
That's a whole shit ton better than the canon Violator mech we have.
>>44240195
It's also just really good.
It's like if you took everything good about the Grasshopper and cranked it up to 11.
All it needs is ECM and more armor and it would be perfect in my book
So how would you guys build the ultimate Commando?
Hardmode: it needs to have two differently sized launchers like its parent.
>>44236955
please respond
>>44245429
The Griffin, pretty easily.
>>44236955
>>44245429
Phoenix Hawk.
>>44243707
On that topic, didn't we have an "unfuck the Violator" challenge back when it first came out? I have a marginally unfucked refit (on another computer, of course.) But I can't remember if there were others.
>>44236955
In order of preference...
1) Wolverine
2) Griffin
3) Shadow Hawk
4) Phoenix Hawk
By the time my pilot gets to his forth choice he may as well just shoot himself in the head and call it good. I have shit luck with Phawks.
>>44246201
>forth
fourth damnit.
>>44245906
Well, the biggest thing that could be done would be to replace a mining drill with another Claw.
>>44246360
Then add MMLs instead of the SRM/LRM combo or the MRMs to get the most bang for your buck out of the missiles, and TSM or MASC to move faster as needed.
>>44246382
>>44236955
I pickSquirtle.
But seriously, in order of preference:
1. Phoenix Hawk
2. Griffin
3. Wolverine
4. Shadow Hawk
>>44245906
We should host a battle of the terrible 3145 mechs.
>Violator
>Storm Raider
>Rokurokubi
>...Gunsmith?
>The Caps didn't get a bad 3145 mech
Who would win?
>>44247126
To be fair, the Gunsmith only sucks if its MASC fails and it gets that doubled falling damage.
And throw the Stalker II in there to make a point.
>>44243222
Is it bad that I can remember reading him posting each and every one of those statements?
His fanfiction is a goddamn laugh riot, too
>>44247320
I was going for lights/mediums.
And I was actually thinking of the Prey Seeker.
Also I think the SII complaints are a bit presumptuous when the TRO contained mechs as good as the Juliano and the Carronade.
>>44247126
I am not sure how the Gunsmith counts as a terrible mech.
>Oh no I cant shoot all my guns forever
>Dont mind me I will just run away with max TMM even with the -2 movement lol
Davion go and stay go.
>>44247848
As I said, I got it and the Prey Seeker mixed up.
Also, LCAF all the way bro.
>>44247802
>>44247848
>Prey Seeker
Oh, carry on then.
The SII could be fixed if it got rid of the ELRMS or they could take alternate ammo. Doesnt help the authors forgot about all the penalties to PSR. But other than that its not an entirely awful mech. You also forgot the Anzu. Marik TRO is pretty GOAT.
>>44247966
The Anzu is pretty great, but I can't really say I love it despite the LPPC+Cap and the TAG.
It commits the (in my opinion) cardinal sin of mounting a UAC/10 instead of the LB-10X.
>>44247126
Don't forget the Cadaver
>>44248173
The Cadaver might win just by virtue of having a couple ER meds.
Don't get me wrong, it's bad. But it isn't RAC/2 and Mace bad.
>>44247126
>The Caps didn't get a bad 3145 mech
Are you actually saying the Mortis -1A and Vandal configs are good? Not to mention the Catapult II or Lu Wei Bing...
>>44248412
The Mortis and Vandal had okay configs.
The Cat II is shit.
Why would anyone complain about the Lu Wei? It's literally a Victor.
>>44248278
ER meds AND MRMs, though
> But it isn't RAC/2 and Mace bad.
Yeah, fair enough.
>>44248136
The way I look at it, the Anzu is built for supporting itself so it can get in range for maximum burst damage. You can have a whole lance of them and they can support each other. While the LBX is generally better, the UAC is useful as a pocket AC20 when you dont have the tonnage and want some range, same goes for the LPPC+Cap.
After all that being said, I prefer the variant with RAC5 and snubbie simply because I have an unhealthy lust for them.
>>44248496
You're gonna have to tell me which Vandal configs are ok, 'cause I'm not seeing it. They're overpriced, undergunned, and waste way too much tonnage on random doodads.
As for the Lu Wei Bing...it's more of a personal problem I have with it. I've found that it's way too easy to knock the LBX out of order. The Yu Huang can still offer a good showing even after losing its big gun, but the Lu Wei Bing? Forget about it. And then by that point the survivability offered by the Light Engine is mostly pointless.
Then there's the issue with the Right Torso. The six tons of CASE II'd ammo sitting there make it a massive deathtrap for any pilots...I've lost the Lu Wei Bing to pilot death at least half of the times I've used it. So overall...not impressed. I prefer to use the Yu Huang.
>>44248657
The Vandal prime is mediocre but passable. Certainly not Violator-tier. It really just sucks for the same reason the Mongrel does; it has some dumb thing jacking up the BV.
Could use some criticism for this one. Tried to design a Mech' that could conceivably take on Clan Lights with a degree of parity. Average armor, average speed/mobility, no electronics, but a good weapons load.
It was only afterwards I noticed I basically put the loadout of a Valkyrie and Panther in one Mech.
>>44248893
The eclectic missile Loadout does it no favors, and having so many 9 hex weapons means a lot of its potential damage is bottlenecked by a range disadvantage that it's speed just can't make up for.
>>44248893
Well uh, it's 6/9, so the only thing you're keeping up with speed wise is an Uller, and while you do have a decent chunk of firepower, you're unlikely to cause a PSR to slow the Clanners down. The LRM-5s are chosen obviously to get around the 5 ton LRM-10, but now you've got a problem where your other 10 points of damage is unreliable. The SSRM-2 (imo) is superfluous, so I'd drop it for EWAR gear or another ML.
>>44248963
Honestly I think he would be best served by tearing everything else out and jamming two ERPPCs on the thing.
It should be able to fit another three doubles, which is enough to 2-2-1 the thing pretty easily. Torso-mount the PPCs and you could rearrange the armor to better protect the vulnerables.
What Raged weapon is best suited to punching through armor?
>>44249093
I was thinking along similar lines of ripping everything out. Turn the speed up to 8/12 and use a pair of snubPPCs. Max armor. It ends up being an additional 120BV.
>>44249245
>Raged
*ranged
>>44249245
Anything that does its damage in single chunks. 10+ damage is ideal.
>>44249248
Yeah, going for a quick PSR has got to be the way to go.
Either that or just introducing them to mr. Medium laser or RL 10 spam and trying to get in close for a single devastating alpha.
>>44248893
>>44248956
>>44248963
Bumping the speed up to 7/11 took less weight than I thought, took your advice and tried to concentrate on long-range.
>>44249328
I mean, you're always gonna lose the range game to the Clans, but you're going to be outranged period if you try and play the "I've got a big bag of fuck you... under 9 hexes." game.
>>44249245
>>44249245
>What Raged Weapon.
I'm going to go with the retractable blade 'cause with good rolls you can TAC pretty easily with it and you gotta be pretty angry to get into melee.
>>44249296
Goood, The loadout I'm looking at for the Batter (100 Tons) gives it a Mace (duh), a Gauss rifle in one arm, two MLs and a LRM-5 in each side torso and a MASC
>>44249373
That was a typo you dozy bugger.
>>44249456
Bad news friendo. Cant equip a mace cause that will take up 10 crits.
>>44249456
>Goood, The loadout I'm looking at for the Batter (100 Tons) gives it a Mace (duh)
80 tons is the maximum weight you can have a mace on a mech. Gotta have a hand, and the mace takes up 8 crits, which is all of the arm.
>>44249493
>>44249489
Cock. Ah well I suppose a Claw could be used in that case.
>>44249546
Hatchets are love anon. At 100t your hatchet is doing 20 damage. Claws are cool an all but for raw damage you ar enot gonna beat the tried an true hatchet.
>>44249347
The problem with trying to match the Clans at long range seems to be that I'm either deficient in heat dissipation, damage, or ammo. If I go to the extreme end of the range curve, I just end up making an improved Hollander or an LRM boat. Is there any way around that I'm missing?
>>44249620
Why not swap the snubbie in the other arm for a Hatchet?
>>44249669
Nope. However, you should note that Clan Lights often trade Armor for Speed and Firepower, so if you can hit them, they rarely can tank the damage.
>>44249740
Because I already have 1 hatchet? Its part of the TSM setup so that hatchet is doing 32 damage a swing. You do know how melee rules work right?
>>44249620
>raw damage
Actually, two claw swipes deal more total damage than a single hatchet blow. Claws, along with maces and talons, are really the only way to deal more damage than 1 point per 5 tons or 2 per with TSM (yes, I know punches technically deal more damage because they round up.)
>>44249669
Stealth armor is always an option.
>>44249789
Hm. Then the only thing I can think to do is go heavier, maybe the 40-45ton range and use MASC to still get the space I'd need while keeping a decent movement curve.
>>44250026
>>Stealth Armor
That's an option too.
>>44246404
>>44246382
>>44246360
I think the challenge itself required the mech to look the same as the art. I do like that -U5 though, Two 14-point claws is nothing to sneeze at, even if they are a bit hard to hit.
>>44250026
But anon wanted a gauss rifle in the other arm, cant fit a claw in there. Otherwise yea, claws would be the way to go.
>>44241965
5SW anon reporting in, full of the joy of spheroids smacking spheroids the old school way, only with much shinier toys. Isis Marik-Liao is best waifu, btw.
>>44250157
Well, claws and mining drills weigh the same for it so swap one out for the other as needed.
>>44250287
>marrying best girl to worst chancellor
>>44241433
I don't see a retcon there. Everybody was panicking because the Clan tech was miles better than even the then-rare SL tech that the Houses were starting to build.
All of those IS refits and designs from TRO 3050 (any version) didn't come out of thin air during the invasion--many of them were already in development, using weapons and tech that had been slowly rediscovered throughout the '30s and '40s, but weren't in large-scale production yet.
Heck, Stackpole had Victor respond to the Clan=Alium thing by referencing a crash of a Hammerhead prototype in the '40s.
So, where's the retcon?
>>44241433
>>44250439
FWIW, I just pulled my 1st-run TRO 3050 out of the closet, and it gives no dates for the HBK-5M, or any reference to it being in reaction to the Clans. I don't see 3046 as being anything shocking; in fact, given how bad a design it is, it makes perfect sense for the trial-and-error days of the '40s.
>>44242777
Meh, I still like the Berserker TSM+talon (Lyrans would call them spurs, of course) McKicksalot variant that I'm sure just about every player has drawn up at some point in time. 60 points to a leg *after* the weapons phase puts anything but the luckiest Atlas or a Hardened Armor monster on the ground, permanently.
>>44246201
Or alternately, just wait. I've had a lot of PHX head removal incidents, to the degree that I consider piloting one a sentence of "death by combat".
>>44250660
Why did this remind me of the kick attack you can do in Paint the Town Red? Keep in mind this a game where you can kick someone so hard their head explodes (It's a pub fighting simulator, if that clears anything up).
>>44244214
Well, pre-Clan, it would have been a monster. Post-Clan, the damage is a little lacking; only 16 beyond 6 hexes. I've grown disillusioned with IS MPLs for anything other than ASFs (with their fixed brackets, lack of cover, and tendency to close in to a dogfight) compared to MLs, as well.
That said, if you swap out the weapons for Clan ones, it becomes very respectable both as a sniper and as a brawler.
>>44250660
All we need is for some merc mechanic to recover the legs of a Sir Kicksalot 'Serker, and combine them with the ultimate punchmech (sans its legs). and see what comes out the other end.
>>44250434
Well yes, Sun Tzu wins the worst husbando competition without even signing up, but that doesn't mean Isis isn't best waifu. Maybe even makes her that much better, being willing to coexist with THAT.
>>44250026
2 claws also = 2 chances for a 6.
I prefer talons+TSM for the nigh-guaranteed legging capability, but ignoring that, I'd go for claws+TSM for two chances at a headcap.
>>44250838
Well, if you want a Solaris UFC (physical-only matches) mech, do TSM+Supercharger+Claws+Talons.
