The /btg/ is dead, long live the /btg/!
Crab Edition
Old thread: >>44419163
=====================
>/btg/ does a TRO.
http://builtforwar.blog(not spam) spot.com/
>What's Happening In the Future
http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/drop-pod-sequence-initiatedthree-two-one/
http://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/
>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 BattleMechs 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
Hold my Butte, please!
>>44471452
A Taurian Butte Hold would be superior.
>>44471467
I mean, you aren't wrong.
riding a horse all day is pretty good for your butte
cowboy butts, y'all
>>44471467
Apologies. I just wanted to be the guy who did the Butte Hold "joke" at the start of a new thread.
I'll go now...
>>44471012
If your players expect to fight solely against black hats in BattleTech, war crimes are the only option. It gets boring quite frequently though, so they've had to endure such exciting games as "Greenburg's Godzillas are too expensive! We'll hire you to make a Kaiju flick!" and so on. Mostly it's just because if there's ever large scale military actions in the setting, someone is getting either nuked or hit with 100 ton LAMs.
>>44471535
Your games don't sound like much fun, honestly
>>44470660
Sorry, i didn't seee there was a new thread.
I can give a look at your IRL ship-to-space stuff if you like, anon, but it may not make much sense. Pushing a 103 fever (102.7 last check).
>>44471582
Different strokes and so on. My primary group enjoys large scale warzones, while the one I play with at my FLGS is mostly interested in one off games to unwind. Though my favorite game is still the one where a bunch of Sea Foxes, Pirates and Prospectors had a naval battle over the wrecked hull of an SLDF ship.
>>44471638
hey NEA, mind if I throw some naval designs from that AU that I've been messing with for the last few months at you?
these would be the capital weapon PWS that I was asking for suggestions on
>>44471394
Crab is best mech.
Right after Crab LAM
>>44471524
it's just a joke, I don't mean nothing by it either. Why you gotta think I'm meaner than a skilletfull of rattlesnakes.
>>44472136
Because something something Taurians something something Rommels!
:-P
>>44471638
I mean rest up, it's not like I'm impatient for it.
>>44472180
Ain't it the sad and sorry truth? Shucks.
>>44471528
>You're forgetting that the TDF manufactured shittons of Rommels, though.
Not sure if bait or serious.
The Taurian Concordat has long been stated to have never manufactured the Rommel/Patton. They were originally thought to have had it because a Merc command that was testing the Rommel/Patton for the Lyrans (Little Richard's Panzer Brigade, IIRC) went into Taurian employ with those vehicles. They didn't have any of their own until after Katherine Steiner-Davion seceded.
Likewise, they were stated not to have manufactured the Hatchetman until some point in the 3050s, and that was the Introductory tech one from the 3020s, though they were buying the 3050 version since the Lyrans dumped a ton of them onto the open market after realising it was fucked five ways from Sunday against the Clans.
>>44472040
>>44472195
Yeah, thats ok. I'll get to it tomorrow morning, if thats ok.
>>44472546
he was baiting you, taurianhatefag
The official forums have a ban on LAM threads.
Maybe we should have a ban on discussing the Taurians, at all. Ever.
>>44472590
no problem NEA. get well soon pal
>>44472691
nah, why let this guy ruin things for a the taurian fans here, who outnumber him about 10:1?
instead, I'd say we should tag all relevant posts with
[trigger warning: Taurian Concordat] so that he can avoid the distress that it clearly causes him to read about the TC
>>44472691
Come on, that's not fair to the normal fans that are the majority.
We didn't ban purple bird during the Lyran shitposter's reign of terror.
>>44472799
I like this idea
>>44472612
>not taurianhatefag
>respond politely any way, figuring that they might have missed the retcons and be working on outdated, incorrect information
Whatever, man.
>>44472799
Or, and I realise this might be a radical idea, maybe don't engage in any kind of faction baiting? For any faction?
>in b4 go back to your OF hugbox faggot
>>44472799
>>44473493
>>44473518
Guys, guys, let's just bring it down a notch. We don't need to have the same arguments for 3 or 4 threads.
What's your favorite 'mech, vee or battle armor from TRO 3058?
Make a variant of it to keep it relevant in the new era.
>>44473518
literally ANY mention of the TC sets this guy off, though.
>>44472812
Yeah but that was the FWL, and who really cares about them?
*shots fired!*
>>44473587
>What's your favorite 'mech, vee or battle armor from TRO 3058?
BA: Kage. I love the idea of battle armour guys with fold-out jump packs and katanas. Yes, I'm a 40K fan. :-P
Vee: Zhukov!
IS 'Mech: Bushwacker... Avatar? Devastator? Not sure.
Clan 'Mech: Night Gyr. Duh!
Star League 'Mech: Starslayer! Although the Talon's pretty close!
>>44473615
And yet you're the only one going off the deep end. We just had a discussion in the last thread where the most vitriolic it got was people saying "OK, but I disagree" and that was despite what now looks like copypasta baiting about the Rommel/Patton in it too.
You definitely need to bring it down a notch.
>>44473587
>What's your favorite 'mech, vee or battle armor from TRO 3058?
IS 'Mech: Black Hawk-KU. Even if only the Prime really makes a go of matching the Clan 'Mech it was based on, that Prime is still a beatstick nonetheless.
Clan 'Mech: Cauldron-Born. Much as I have learned to hate the leg armour, I still have an unhealthy love of the thing.
Vees: Alacorn Mark VII.
BA: Kanazuchi. It was rapidly outclassed, but it was fun while it lasted.
>>44474427
How about this: in the spirit of Christmas just-passed, we make a deal. Taurian fans don't insult or deliberately bait you, and you ignore future discussion of the TC et am?
How does that sound? Live and let live
>>44474599
So what was suggested in the last thread, but which didn't even make it through that before baitposting about the Rommel?
Seriously, all the needs to happen is that neither side goes apoplectic. And we've seen that it can happen.
Let it go already. Find something else to talk about.
>>44474599
>Live and let live
When Taurians fans stop being delusional and paranoid that the writers hate their faction and that everyone is out to get them as players, then the shit-flinging can stop. You may as well as Capellan fans to stop shitting on Davions while you're at it.
>>44474694
Why does the Draconis Combine produce the most honorable and skilled and brave mechwarriors even more honorable then clanner scum or dav pig
>>44474783
Oh, FFS.FWIW, I actually am the guy who made and has thus far held to the proposal mentioned in >>44474694. I'm seriously starting to think that the majority of the problem isn't that there's a taurianhatefag, but that since we're all anons here anyone who wants to shit-stir can do so with ease.
>>44474813
Space Samurai. Duh.
>>44474868
There is no faction which will not cause trolling. Battletech is a game of factional hatred, and nothing can change that.
>>44474783
lol
>>44474427
>IS 'Mech: Black Hawk-KU. Even if only the Prime really makes a go of matching the Clan 'Mech it was based on, that Prime is still a beatstick nonetheless.
Have to disagree somewhat. I like the BH-KU a lot too, but the primary variant plays a lot different to the Clans' Nova Prime. The Black Hawk KU O is a knife-fighting brawler that will usually be trying to jump behind something to pulse it up. The Nova on the other hand has all cER medium lasers, so it's effective from mid-range in. It can knife fight but is more of a skirmisher (with the notorious 'wail and bail' tactic of unloading a shit ton of lasers on one turn and jumping behind cover to cool down the next).
There is a Black Hawk KU that's armed with just IS ER medium lasers, it's not that great.
>>44474783
>fans stop being delusional and paranoid that the writers hate their faction
Literally never going to happen as long as the fanbase continues to have lots of people with more ego than sense.
>>44475035
>posting 9fag content
And the thread hits a new low before 50 posts.
>>44475009
I feel bad for people who believe that. I don't hate any of the factions, and I can see why each is so likable. Fact is, I have trouble picking a favorite!
>>44475106
>And the thread hits a new low before 50 posts.
letting pic quality match post quality
>>44474813
As a longtime dracfag, I wish this were true.
But according to the Field Manuals training-wise it goes Clans > Capellans > Suns > Dracs > FWL > Lyrans. Experience level wise the Clan skill bonus puts them at the top and the AFFS is usually the most battle-hardened of the IS state militaries.
Honour-wise, I guess it depends on how you feel about the return to honorabu supaasu samurai death-or-glory charges. If you like that then the Dracs as of the DA will be your jam.
>>44475056
>I like the BH-KU a lot too, but the primary variant plays a lot different to the Clans' Nova Prime.
Yeah, but I don't think it's necessarily a *bad* kind of different. I think the BH-KU Prime is a bit over-costed, but for what it is it's not bad. Bit of a pity that there's no Komodo-type config that just relies on standard ML spam, preferably with a C3 slave, and a fair number of the other configs derp it up because the additional mass of IS gear prevent it from having a decent secondary array, but oh well.
Kinda wish the Sharkfoxes or someone would have made a Mark II of the Nova as well. I know it's not as iconic as the Timber Wolf or Mad Dog, but still.
>>44475701
>Bit of a pity that there's no Komodo-type config that just relies on standard ML spam
As luck would have it, the KU is an OmniMech, so you can change it!
>>44475139
I mostly feel the same way, but fuck if would ever suffer a Knights of the Inner Sphere fan to go untrolled.
You'll always get die-hard fantards in any nerdy fanbase, but with BT some of the faction bitching starts from interpersonal bitching. People disagree on interpretations or just have a clash of personalities, start flinging shit, drag their respective favourite factions into it, and it goes full retard really quickly. Shit gets dragged here from the OF and back. If they were faction fantards in the first place then the effects are magnified, it's like a feedback loop.
>>44474813
Because the Sun Zhang academy graduates 400 cadets per year into the cadre regiments, which in turn graduate less than 270 per year.
>>44475035
Clan Burrock?!
>>44475701
>according to the Field Manuals training-wise it goes Clans > Capellans > Suns > Dracs > FWL > Lyrans.
Samurai getting dragged down by yakuza lowlifes and second-stringer dregs.
>>44475816
>As luck would have it, the KU is an OmniMech, so you can change it!
My group plays canon only for pretty much every game :(
>>44476014
>Samurai getting dragged down by yakuza lowlifes and second-stringer dregs.
Nah, this was purely about state-based military training.
Even though the books all talk about how badass the Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy program is and a lot of factions base their own elite-level training on it, nearly half the Sphere is better on it is own merits because reasons.
I don't even try to make sense of it, I just file it under codex creep with each Field Manual making its respective faction better than the last.
>>44476188
>My group plays canon only for pretty much every game :(
Bitch at the techs to get a weapon loadout you actually want, balance is what BV is for.
>>44476188
Your group needs to be less stickinthemud when it comes to Omnis. I mean, that's the reason why Omni's exist.
If we were talking custom non-Omni's then fine - thems things should be difficult to mod - but Omnis? To only allow canon variants defeats the very purpose of the whole Omni system.
>>44476627
>Omni's
>Omni's
stop, please
>>44476188
But omnis can canonically be reconfigured with ease. If you're group isnt allowing custom omni variants then they might as well just ditch the whole concept and play standard IS and IIC mechs only
>>44473587
have two merlins and two lineholders
(one 3050-style merlin refit and one jihad model, one license-built lineholder and one post-jihad merc model)
>>44475701
it still mildly amazes me how the CCAF went from utterly rekt in the 4sw, and actually being threatened by a periphery military to somehow the most elite in the sphere
>>44476014
well, that and a lot of their best being killed by the clans
>I don't even try to make sense of it, I just file it under codex creep with each Field Manual making its respective faction better than the last.
yeah, basically (although FM:FWL gave them the pants-shittingly insane Therea and it was only the second, but that's probably an outlier)
>>44477039
haha disregard that, here's a version with some typos fixed
>>44477039
>that and a lot of their best being killed by the clans
>stills mildly amazes me how the CCAF went from rekt to most elite
Your answer to that should be simple:
>that and a lot of their best being killed by the davions
It's a suitable explanation that the capellan old guard who expected this to be another succession war gave way to a new generation who had their baptism of fire through the Davion way of war.
And it's easy to imagine that a lot of heads were flying in Sian after the 4th SW war.
>>44477903
that doesn't really explain how they got elite, though. even if the new recruits and commanders are used to davion fighting ways, the massive casualties should have lead to a overall fairly green CCAF
what is the real mystery is how they got so good during the period of 3050-3061 WITHOUT DOING ANY FIGHTING except for some minor stuff in gurrerro.
if all it took was training for troops to go from green to elite, then how the hell were there any none-elite FWLM units at the time? all they DID was sit around and train
but anyways, it is how it is and that's that
on the subject of mechs and refits, does anyone want a pile of very basic field refits that I came up with for some old 3050s merc games?
>>44478242
Grorious Xin Sheng! Enrightened Tlaining Methods to boost skirrs of tloops!
>>44478299
Back to the porch, coleman
>>44478242
Sure. Post em.
>>44478467
there are a LOT. which do you want to see first?
I have
Warhammer
Archer
Thunderbolt
Marauder
Hunchback (two kinds)
Stalker
Griffin
Shad
Rifleman
Stalker
Pixie
I'm gonna post them four at a time, so pick 4 to go first
>>44478467
>>44478554
anyhow, here's five;
Stalker
Warhammer
Archer
Thud
Marauder
please note, these are old designs; they probably wouldn't work as field refits under CGL's current clusterfuck, but back when I wrote them and Merc Handbook 3055 was the reigning authority, these were all (except for the Marauder) perfectly legitimate Class B (repair platform) refit kits. the Marauder is Class A due to the FF armor, though a non-FF variant is also perfectly feasible
>>44475009
Society, anyone?
>>44476692
Why? Are you a little ol' groggy who hates it when someone mentions Clantech?
>>44479217
No, the pointless apostrophes make his post almost as bad as that one guy on the OF that does all the MotWs.
>>44478467
>>44478554
>>44478988
here's the other six
if anyone wants, I also have a 3050 Marauder II that fits the era and is actually good instead of sucking
>>44479296
Wow. Checking someone's grammar.
I bow to you, oh Lord o'er the Internet.
Idiot...
>>44478988
>stalker
>one ton of gauss ammo per gun
m8
>>44479433
these aren't meant to be super GOOD; they're meant to fit in with the rest of the 3050 stuff.
there's a subvariant that drops the SRMs to 4s for more gauss ammo, if you want that (it was actually a player custom, but it's a basic enough refit-refit)
>>44479433
>>44479494
and here it is
>>44479562
That thing must eat mechs alive at close range.
>>44479706
oh, it surely did
I think the player racked up 21 or 22 kills with it before it got cored out by CERPPCs. he switched to a Nightstar afterwords
>>44478988
>>44479562
>>44479706
>>44479734
>flippy gauss rifles
>>44471638
How do you get sick so much?
>>44480921
IIRC, NEA's got a kid just into school (4-6 range). You wouldn't believe how often kids bring that shit home. I had two in that age range at the same time, and I ended up sick for something like 6 months straight at one point. As soon as I got over something, I'd get something else from them. Schools are festering pits of disease, much like theyour faction here.
>>44477039
>it still mildly amazes me how the CCAF went from utterly rekt in the 4sw, and actually being threatened by a periphery military to somehow the most elite in the sphere
They had to be in order to explain their success in Guerrero and later St. Ives.
>get rekt in the 4th SW
>get rekt again during the Andurien Secession
>Romano Liao is purging the officer corps of anyone with half a brain because they might pose a threat
>Sun-Tzu takes over and magically turns everything around
>Promotes Talon Zahn out of nowhere and he's nearly as good as Hanse or Anastasius
>seriously guys even though the CCAF has seen fuck all action for 30 years, it's practiced hard enough to be the equal of battle-tested veteran units from every other State, because Coleman said so
>>44476873
OTOH, every time we see a custom Omni in canon it's in use by someone who would have the pull to get their ride customised no matter what. And those who do have a custom Omni config for long enough that you can point to there being a pattern are fighting in standard configs any way, rather than using the Hohiro, Prometheus, Widowmaker* or whatever.
*Admittedly this later becomes a standard variant, but Natasha took to the field in standard configs far more often than custom ones.
>>44481315
>OTOH, every time we see a custom Omni in canon it's in use by someone who would have the pull to get their ride customised no matter what. And those who do have a custom Omni config for long enough that you can point to there being a pattern are fighting in standard configs any way, rather than using the Hohiro, Prometheus, Widowmaker* or whatever.
That's not exactly correct. In Way of the Clans, Aidan and Marthe were allowed to customize their Summoners before their Trial of Position, and Phelan was able to customize his Nova in his Bloodname fight against the pilot chick. In Path of Glory, Zane get's his Pack Hunter customized, and I don't think he was that important of a pilot.
While we see big name pilots running the custom stuff primarily in the fiction, we also follow the big name pilots for the most part.
Happy New Years you daft buggers
>>44481594
They were allowed to customise their Omins for their Trial... and then Marthe spent her life in standard configs, while the next time Aidan runs a custom job is at Tukayyid. Phelan is Phelan, and aside from his ToP and maybe that Bloodname fight (though I was under the impression he was just running the LRM/LB-X Nova?) every other time he shows up in an Omni it's a standard config. Path of Glory is literally about Zane.
In theory, anyone can reconfigure an Omni into a custom model, given 30 minutes and the necessary pods. In practice, custom configs are rarely used, even by the warriors who are known for having a custom config they created themselves.
I find it irritating in my group that you're not allowed to do sensible custom configs, but then again it also prevents the 5/8/8 Timber Wolf with 3 LPLs and a targeting computer, and canon is very much on the side of custom configurations being far from the norm too.
>>44481962
Fuckin' fireworks have kept me awake for the last two and half hours. Too many drunk asshats with access to illegal items in my neighbourhood.
>>44482533
I can get 2 LPL's + TargComp on a 75 5/8/8 ClanTech ride, but 3's pushing it.
>>44482837
Eh, forgot to account for the armour.
Still, even 5/8/5 with 2 LPLs, 3 MPLs, a TC and a Flamer is pretty bullshit. The canon-only rule was bought in to counter certain members of the group who were power-gamers of the highest order and couldn't contain themselves when allowed to use customs.
Is there a mech loadout that would make you go "Uh you cheeky fucker!" if you went up against it.
>>44483238
>Uh
*Ah
>>44483238
Several.
A number of canon designs do that already, you don't even need custom 6/9 (12)/9 movers with Clan MPLs, TCs, and Boosted C3 or Stealth Armour/Null-Sig+CLPS to get that effect.
Battlebump
>>44479302
>a 3050 Marauder II that fits the era and is actually good instead of sucking
how bout posting it?
>>44484765
hah! I memed!
So proud...
>>44482533
>Fuckin' fireworks have kept me awake for the last two and half hours. Too many drunk asshats with access to illegal items in my neighbourhood.
Why do you hate freedom?
I don't WANT to memorize every single cannon configuration of every single mech in existence. I'm not some insecure nerd who needs to display his dominance by showing everyone my encyclopedic knowledge of TRO's.
If you're not playing battletech on a computer grid, you're doing it wrong. Classic Battletech is way too complex to play on tabletop.
The game is slow enough as it is, and using cannon mechs and disallowing customs only makes the game drag on even longer. There is nothing wrong with a little power gaming.
>>44486665
>>44486665
Those are some hot opinions and whatever, but could you please spell canon correctly? "Cannon" makes you look like a total mong.
>>44486751
>>44486751
>"Cannon" makes you look like a total mong.
No, wait! You've missed the point. Clearly he's referring to Mech's that prominently mount ballistics.
See, 'Cannon Mechs' can be subject to game ending magazine crits that speed the game up.
He disallows customs so people don't ditch the explosive magazines for more lazers so his games can randomly end quickly and with a bang.
>>44479350
>helping someone being less stupid makes apostrophe anon an idiot
Jesus fuck, this thread is beyond help
>>44484995
Not that anon, but here.
>>44484995
as that anon, here's mine
it started life as the "ace custom" piloted by major barber, of Barber's Marauder IIs, though in later campaigns it just became a standard variant of the MAD-II because it sucks a lot less than the canon model
>>44488652
I like those MADs
>>44475701
>But according to the Field Manuals training-wise it goes Clans > Capellans > Suns > Dracs > FWL > Lyrans
What part of the FMs exactly says this?
Happy new year you filthy animals
>>44486665
>NumericalRatingOfColeman'sFinancialAcumen/10
>>44489627
The Training section in FM:CC says their troops are the best in the Sphere. Warrior House training is roughly on par with Clan Trueborn training.
FM: FS says their troops are amongst the best-trained in the Sphere.
The remainder is a well-educated guess based on how good the DCMS used to be (despite being repeatedly portrayed as ineffective buffoons) and how well the other two go.
>>44486665
>using cannon mechs and disallowing customs only makes the game drag on even longer.
You say that like half of us don't know most of the introtech mechs by rote.
I have a question for any of the old breed grogs around here: what was the reaction to FM:CC and all the shit in it like when it came out?
>>44490290
Nowhere near as salty as today, because buttflustered trolls aren't everywhere constantly stirring the damn pot.
>>44490348
Oh they were still there its just that we remembered to have fun with it.
>>44490056
>despite being repeatedly portrayed as ineffective buffoons
Wasn't the schtick with the Dracs that their pilots were individually usually quite skilled but hidebound leadership and adherence to stupid tactics pretty much negated any advantage that might have given them?
>>44490290
>but that's retarded, it doesn't even make sense
>Coleman wrote it
>oh
>>44490290
Minimal, because nobody bought it because nobody fucking cares about the CapCon.
It was the Capellan Solution novels that preceded it that we thought were pure bullshit.
>>44490479
In theory, that's how it was supposed to be, yeah.
In practice they were shat on from great heights in the individual pilot skill department because the focus of much of the game's early plot was the FedCom, only later turning to the Capellans and FedSuns for the IS side of things.
The authors either don't know how to or didn't care enough to write that sort of complication into the books, so instead the protagonists just got all the advantages in every department over the antagonists.
>>44490056
It's written with an in-universe POV though. Or is it in the rules section in the back?
There was a big piece of black and white artwork that was in one of the books around the time the Jihad books were coming out that depicted a Clan invasion of another Clan world (it may have even been the first inkling of the Wars of Reaving).
It was a multi-panel picture showing the invasion force leaving, then arriving and so on.
Can anyone remember what book that was in?
>>44490290
well, at the time I was a mere grogling of 20-ish, but as I recall it was basically like this:
>the guy who was big into the novels was like "they let fucking COLEMAN write FM:CC? after the capellan solution? no wonder it's so wank". he was also a MoC fan, so he was steamed for that reason, too
>the clan and lyran fans absolutely didn't give a shit aside from one guy who was like "warrior house as good as trueborns? total bullshit"
>as a FWL/periphery fan, I was rather pissed at the "MoC eats sun-tzu's shit up" thing. I hadn't been following the novels aside from Camacho's Caballeros, so I'd missed coleman's writing so far and was therefor unaware of that shit happening
it was FM:P that REALLY got periphery fans mad, though
I feel like that was the era where AU shit hit the battletech fanbase full force, what with periphery anger and smoke jaguar fans who wanted a living faction, plus the DA stuff that happened almost immediately after.
that was around the time that medron pryde really got going with his Human Sphere shit, IIRC
>>44491353
It all kinda makes sense. Crappy in-universe writing will beget AUs by the score. I've never done one but I can see the appeal.
>>44491477
indeed. I had a bunch then, and I'm actually working on one at this moment.
I mean, people have been running "AUs" based on their campaigns going chronologically past the "present day" of the time and not matching what later came out; I know that's how I started, by saying "yeah, I'm just going to ignore where FM:CC and FM:P took things because it's already 3063 in my game"
but from what I remember, that was kind of the start of people posting huge piles of writing for those AUs online
>>44491766
What's your AU about?
>>44491809
well, there's a few things. it's "present day" is 3099, but the AU stiff dates back to the late 50s as plot goes, with AU tech dating back to 3028
overall, it's mostly focused on the periphery (as possibly 90% of AUs are), somewhat on the FWL and also on the early days of the RoTS
here's a few elements:
>TC/MoC allied with st.ives in 3058, rather than the CC, so st.ives is still around
>the RoTS is plagued by rebellions on account of the whole forced relocations thing, and gunrunning into the RoTS is a huge thing
>there are more WarShips around, and they're all the old SLDF/TH-era classes (I just like them better than the new ones)
>the WoB nuked the piss out of parts of the suns outback and capcon periphery border region so bad that they ended up disintegrating into this neo-chaos march
>mercenary units establishing their own mini-states
> the Blood Spirits making a run for it before getting finished off and setting up shop in the periphery out by the brotherhood of randis-ish
>the major periphery states basically end up sitting the jihad out aside from getting nuked a bit by the WoB and being constantly harassed by WoB-backed pirates
>the Snow Ravens set up shop in the Outworlds Wastes and the OA doesn't feel like merging, but they are still sort-of allied
>the leftovers of the FRR still stay stubbornly independent and become the new home for what's left of C*
>groups within the FWL are actively working towards reunification from the late 80s on, and the Davion-Mariks play a fairly important role
>helm core included most WarShip technology except for compact cores;more warships, faster
>tech recovery is a bit faster and more widespread; as of 3058, the upgrade percentages look roughly so:
>great houses: 70(CC)-85(FWL)
>mercenaries: nearly 50
>periphery:major: 30,minor:20
>there are more mech regiments and factories, too, so that most house militaries are 20-33% larger when the jiad ends
there's even more, too. want any more on any particular part?
>>44492304
>there's even more, too. want any more on any particular part?
Sure Anon, Tell us all about your AU. It's NYE and we're hanging out on 4chan, so this'll help us while away the hours.
>>44491029
Written in-universe, by Coleman, and supporting the way that the CCAF, last seen getting rekt by literally everyone, is magically able to fight better than the AFFS, SIMC, and veteran SLDF units bought in to defend St. Ives.
If you seriously don't think Coleman had the authorial pull back then (or even now, really- he's still one of the company owners) to make his statement about how good the CCAF's training was canon, I dunno what else to say.
>>44491477
FM: P isn't crappy, though. It just kind of demarcates the point at which FASA/FanPro/CGL starts to make it abundantly clear that despite what certain fans think, the Periphery just doesn't work that way.
>>44492536
I genuinely can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.
I'm on a train for the next hour or so, before I do actual new years things, so which thing do you want to know about?
>>44492606
>I genuinely can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.
I couldn't either, but let's assume I'm being earnest. It's nicer that way.
Sounds like you have some custom tech. Tell me about that incl rules, fluff, and playtest results.
Failing that, you could yammer on about the Ravens and the OA.
>>44492553
It's not that I don't think Coleman has pull, but it has an in-universe bias so it's not an infallible truth.
>>44490290
As a Capellan player, we loved it. We finally were getting some of our own back. And back then even our opponents were respectfully polite in anything they took issue with.
Like >>44490348 says, there wasn't the same autismal hatred of the Confederation that exists today.
I think the only faction that gets more hate is Clan Ghost Bear since at least the CapCon has lost a war or two.
Really I don't mind the clans too much since they saved us though. As long as the new FWL doesn't start throwing Clansmen at us, anyway.
Anyone interested in this?
>>44493040
does anyone else not really care about all the turning points they keep pushing out?
>>44492655
I actually don't have much at all in the way of pure custom tech; I have Heavy Rockets, which are based on the Thunderbolt from Unbound, which was a single-shot weapon, unlike the later thunderbolt missile, and I have some ideas about mounting proper capital weapons on a PWS-type vessel, but I want to bounce those off NEA before I really do anything with that
as for the snow ravens, I had this idea that, since the regular OA didn't have much interest in letting a clan set up shop, so they basically moved into a bunch of fucked-up worlds that USED to be part of the OA and were more amiable to having clanners around if it'd stop the neverending pirate attacks.
so we have the ravens sitting on the OA boarder, constantly trying them to talk them into more and more trade and closer relations, but the OA isn't really having it. compounding this situation is the fact that the OA has finally opened up to mercs, at least in the boarder regions, and with high mercenary unemployment in the era of disarmament, the OA doesn't quite need the ravens for security as much.
the ravens do a fair amount of long-distance trading with the Blood Spirits, who are in of course terrible economic shape.
they are also constantly patrolling the periphery spacelanes, worried by rumors of pirate WarShips and blakist leftovers
as a side note, I've always ran batttletech with way the hell more DropShips and JumpShips, and them being roughly 75% cheaper than under standard rules; about 90% of mercs will own their own DS, and about 50% their own JS; because mercenomics, as written don't really work otherwise
>>44493040
I'm sort of interested? I used EE a lot when I was running chaos march games, so more info in it might be nice if the book has that.
otherwise, meh
as a side note
>>44493099
Depends on the battle. This one doesn't really interest me unless there are exciting revelations about ComStar or other conspiracy stuff.
>>44493192
I believe its only going to cover the Republic vs ComStar battle.
>>44493281
yeah, I know. I just hope we might get some history/background/fluff on EE
>>44493325
Oh, yeah that's always one the best things about Turning Points. The Touring the Stars E-Pubs are my most anticipated new BattleTech line.
Rate me.
Rate me as hard as you want to.
>>44493040
Shill on, Adrian.
>>44493099
I'll care when we have a non-beta IntOps and ilClan. Until then, I don't really care about anything they do.
>>44493192
>I have some ideas about mounting proper capital weapons on a PWS-type vessel, but I want to bounce those off NEA before I really do anything with that
Just use Sub-Capital weapons. Full Capitals cause so much heat and weigh so much that Sub-Capitals are better mechanically. If you want to see how silly Sub-Capital vessels can get, look no further than the Castrum, which has the firepower and armour to 1v1 anything short of an Aegis and spank it like a red-haired stepchild.
Part of that is how shit most canon WarShips are, but a fair part of it is how good the Castrum is. And really, the Castrum's not pushing the edge of optimisation too hard either.
>>44493613
I dunno. AFFS March Militia battalion/10? I guess?
>>44493920
>clan mechs
>Federated suns
you must be on a mobile....
>>44493897
>Sub-Capitals are better mechanically
I'm not especially interested in how mechanically good it would be; remember that I'm dumping all post-2800 WarShips (except for the clan ones, but the last lev eats it from a wrasslehog terrorist nuke in '83, so those are gone). I'd probably dump the really 2stronk PWS to go with that, too
besides, this would mean big iron PWS BEFORE the jihad, which I happen to like; I was thinking there to be a pre-clan generation of big, capital weapon PWS that go up against clan WarShips.
that, and after the jihad, it'd be more efficient to arm new production PWS with the same weapons that you're using to fix up your WarShips
>>44482533
Phelan used an un-published Nova variant (at least, at the time) during the Trial of Refusal--3 MPLs in each arm, and I think a TC paid for by the smaller number of DHS.
>>44479296
I hope that one guy isn't me, otherwise I have a lot of retroactive editing to do.
>>44494264
No, I saw them. That was the joke.
>>44494660
Answer's still the same. From a design standpoint full Capital weapons are too heavy and create too much heat to be useful on a DropShip. They're also going to cause a lot more issues with fire control tonnage if you exceed the 12 weapon limit per arc.
Sub-Capitals are just way better for the job, which isn't surprising since that's what they're for.
>>44495358
yeah, you got a valid point. might just dump sub-caps altogether
honestly, for the naval game in this AU, I just kind of want to keep things star league-level, but without the TOTAL SLDF DOMINATION aspect
How the FUCK do I settle on a paint scheme?
Happy 3151, /btg/!!!
Any anons know of an online mech editor? I'm currently using REMlab but it's very limited.
>>44496652
Roll 2D6 and consult the relevant table.
>>44496656
Just get Solaris Skunk Works, it's in the OP.
>>44497242
I would but I need something that I can run on a mobile phone.
>>44492304
>>44493192
well, it isn't bad
on the plus side, no %FACTION STRONK, and you've actually got something kind of interesting with unrest in the republic and the new chaos march thingy
the blood spirits are a bit of an odd thing, but at least that's kind of new
of course, the rest is pretty standard "periphery stays separate from great house stuff" stuff as about twenty other guys in this general alone have come up with, as is the 'MOAR AEROSPACE' so that keeps it closer to a 5.
overall, 6.5/10, not too bad
>>44493613
So, why did the clans decide to put an armor plate directly on top of some mechs? Were they afraid of falling rocks or aerial bombardment or something?
>>44486427
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=822Nq5ugStE
>>44499051
So we are getting Superheavy Mechs in MWO...there is no way this will go well.
>>44498208
because the art dev thought is was cool
>>44499096
Nein, das ist a fan made animation using the 3D model shimmy used for the Ares
>>44499130
dang, is the model available? could have some fun with that.
battlebump
>>44500281
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WHEN ATLASMANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU?!
>>44500407
we need a TSM lucha atlas
What do you guys think of the Wolf's Dragoons icon 'mechs?
Annihilator, Shogun, Firefly, War Dog, Imp, Marauder II, Falcon, Gallowglas, etc?
I'm working on a merc company to the theme of MW4 Mercenaries, where they're sponsored by a major unit. Trying to figure which mechs are half-decent.
>>44501154
Annihilator is love annihilator is life
>>44499099
Fuck that "art" shit. If a Mech isn't totally realistic in looks, motion, and probability of existing, then it's completely and objectively wrong.
Just saying that something is OK because it looks good is bullshit.
>>44501154
Annihilator is a hot mess. Firepower is great, speed is abysmal, armour is just terrible on a 100-tonner. We've posted fixed Marauder IIs, so have a fixed Annihilator.
The Shogun is a nice idea fucked up by SHS, at least in the LosTech era.
Firefly and Falcon are meh.
Marauder II is great in 3025 but completely goes to shit until the Phoenix upgrades fix it. Ammo in the opposite torso to the CASE, SHS + XL Engine... bitch, please. The whole point of the Marauder II in 3025 was that it was a jumping energy zombie that could sink most of its heat most of the time. Randomly giving it ballistic weapons, screwing up its heat sinking, and making it vulnerable thanks to the XL misses the point completely.
The Gallowglas is solid but uninteresting, aside maybe from the 3 Jump instead of 4.
The War Dog is a FedCom 'Mech. That aside, it's screwed by two factors: it has two Streak SRM-2 OS launchers instead of two normal Streaks and a ton of ammo, and it has 5 (!) tons of ammo for the Gauss. I'm a believer in having at least 18 shots per weapon, but that's excessive.
>>44501401
>almost all mechs that weren't designed in the past 5 years or so
OOST SCOOT
>>44501609
>Implying Mechs are realistic at all
TRUCK STRONK
ONLY BT WITHOUT MECHS IS GOOD
>>44501417
>Firefly and Falcon are meh.
Well throwing something together from bits of the ones that you would actually write home about shouldn't be too hard.
>>44501301
>>44501417
What books have RATs with the Annihilator and Firefly in them? I'm trying to figure out what letter grade they fall under to see if they fit for me.
>>44501713
Since the Firefly was pretty much a Dragoons only mech, it doesn't appear on too many RATs. The -1X Annihilator only appears on the A and C rated RATs in Operation Klondike, at 12 and 9 respectively.
>>44501417
>Firefly and Falcon are meh.
Personally how would you rate the Firefly compared to the three bugs?
Building up a Vee force, but I'm having a bit
of a memory lapse.
The PPC/LB-10X is a well known combo for 'Mechs, but are there any canon vehicles that
use it? I've had a look through my TROs, but there's always the chance that I missed a variant.
>>44501713
I don't think either really appear on a table. The Wolf Dragons are A for equipment and in FM: Mercs terms roll on the A-grade table, but all of their 'Mechs by 3067 are upgraded with some kind of Clan equipment. None of the Dragoon-exclusive machines appear on RATs until after Project Phoenix. The Annihilator starts popping up elsewhere after the Dragoons relocated to Arc-Royal, primarily among other mercs.
The basic rule of thumb with anything but the Marauder II prior to the Jihad is "Are you the Dragoons? Have as many as you like. Are you someone else? Then you can't have any."
The Marauder II before Project Phoenix is mostly "Are you the FedSuns, Marians, Dragoons or Barber's Marauder IIs? Then you can have some. Are you anyone else? Lol get fucked."
>>44501983
1v1 it should beat most of them until the later designs like the gottagofast Locusts or Stealth Bugs. On its own merits? It's basically a jumping Thorn, so yeah. Pretty ordinary. I'd rather a Locust or Wasp/Stinger for recon, and I'd rather a Valkyrie if I needed missile support in my light lances.
>>44501983
Not particularly. Both are relatively slow for their size and spend a lot of their available mass poorly. The Firefly's LRM-5 isn't going to help you much unless you have a long time to lay down minefields or really want smoke, and the Falcon's MPL and SLs don't even frighten many other Lights.
Both are really products of their era, the shitty use of tech in TR 3050 hampers them badly.
>>44502128
Vees tend to use the GR and A/C-10 mix for the IS (Ajax and Challenger X immediately spring to mind) and for the Clans the only one I can think of in a similar vein is the Mars, with its ER Large/LB-10X pairing.
Someone help me out, FM:U has the Firestarter FS9-O in the FWL's light mech column. What's the deal? Is there a corrected RAT for them?
And if that's supposed to be a zero, what is the FS9-0?
Anon who was talking about running a BT game day about a week ago here.
I've currently set up a quartet of IS lances that I'd be bringing along for local players to use.
They're all roughly 4.9-5k BV, using Introtech only.
I also tried to include some variety in unit weights.
Would these be reasonably balanced and fun to play against each other?
>Lance 1:
AS-7D (3/5) - 2276
RFL-3N (4/5) - 1039
HCT-3F (4/4) - 982
COM-2D (3/5) – 649
Total BV: 4946
>Lance 2:
ZEU-6S (3/4) - 1860
DRG-1N (4/5) - 1125
DV-6M (4/5) - 1146
PNT-9R (4/5) - 769
Total BV: 4900
>Lance 3:
BLR-1G (4/4) - 1746
GHR-5H (/) - 1427
TBT-5N (/) - 1191
SDR-5V (/) - 622
Total BV: 4986
>Lance 4:
CP-10-Z (3/5) - 1580
CPLT-C1 (4/5) - 1399
HBK-4G (4/5) - 1041
JR7-D (4/5) - 875
Total BV: 4895
>>44502932
The missing skills in lance 3 are supposed to be 4/5, for what it's worth.
I also tried putting something Clan together, but at 5K, that would normally make a heavy+light pair if you want to give them 3/4 or 4/4 skills.
I'm not sure how much fun that would be to play.
>>44471394
If nothing else, the newer designs from MWO have been really good.
>>44502486
It's an error. I'd personally replace it with the Venom or something and call it a day.
But honestly you shouldn't use the FM:U RATs in the first place. They're kind of shit.
>>44503017
Yeah the more I look at them the more I'm realizing it.
Any recommended RATs or do you just kinda disregard them?
>>44503050
For the 3067 era? Don't really know of anything worth recommending, I just make forces using the MUL and stuff.
>>44503143
Doesn't StratOps have 3067ish RATs? I don't know if you'd count those as "worth recommending" or not, personally I got kinda spoiled by Xotl and everything else seems disappointing in comparison.
>>44503601
StratOps might, but I can't say I've ever used them. Don't even remember what they look like, to be completely honest.
If anyone loves playing with TO&E's, I rolled a random battalion of mixed Clan/IS mechs and I'm curious how some folks might like to organize them. All Clanner mechs are primes unless you choose another config. Lance names I just chose at random too. I just placed them in the order I rolled them.
>Command Lance
Summoner Prime
P1C Perseus
ALB-4U Albatross
Hellbringer A
>>Able Company
>Dirk Lance
Masakari Prime
ALB-4U Albatross
BJ2-O Blackjack
BSW-X1 Bushwacker
>Sword Lance
MR-5M Cerberus
APL-1M Apollo
PTR-4D Penetrator
Ryoken
>Crossbow Lance
HRC-LS-9000 Hercules
ON1-M Orion
WHM-7M Warhammer
ARC-4M Archer
>>Baker Company
>Cutlass Lance
T-IT-N10M Grand Titan
Daishi
BLR-3M BattleMaster
AWS-9M Awesome
>Claymore Lance
HGN-732 Highlander
TR1 Wraith
Masakari
Mad Cat
>Howitzer Lance
Vulture
SHD-5M Shadow Hawk
Black Hawk
TBT-7M Trebuchet
>>Charlie Company
>Carronade Lance
Hunchback IIC
Behemoth
Vulture
Mad Cat
>Halberd Lance
Highlander IIC
TDR-7M Thunderbolt
Griffin IIC
Shadow Hawk IIC
>Rapier Lance
WR-DG-02FC War Dog
Griffin IIC
Puma
Koshi
Hey BTG new to all this, what's the difference between a regular and prime clan mech?
>>44505452
Clan omnimechs have plug-and-play weapon packs.
The equipped loadout is stated after the 'mech name.
Prime is the default set of weapons.
A, b, etc. are alternate weapons configurations.
>>44488868
>LT Gauss Rifle
[triggered].
That said, it looks a lot like an upgunned/armored Bandersnatch, which is one of my favorite things ever.
>>44488652
Those're just plain mean. I'd probably take the triple-PPC one over the other two, but I like the way the middle one apes the Marauder II's actual model layout.
[DCMS mode engaged]
>Sensibre Maladel lefit
We have one too! Look, uses new tech and evlything.
>>44505807
>27 SHS
never change, dracs
>>44493613
Jagfagging, post reaving Coydogs, or full-on Society?
Either way the paint is nice and the shanks on the Dragonflies are amusing, but you need more air support if you're going to have any.
>>44493040
>Anyone interested in this?
Vaguely. Mostly for reference though.
>>44496652
>How the FUCK do I settle on a paint scheme?
Open Camospecs. Surf. Pull down images of schemes you like and look up the unit on Sarna.Weep as you discover they were destroyed in the Jihad and/or fall of the Star LeagueRepeat.
Or just use a couple of different camo schemes - desert, urban, woodland - to designate forces. Once you're more invested, you can strip them and repaint, or get more and build a "parade" force for later.
>>44501154
>What do you guys think of the Wolf's Dragoons icon 'mechs?
>Annihilator
Fun but worthless outside a dedicated assault unit.
>Shogun
They never shared the damned things. It's an okay all-rounder, like the Orion but bigger and jumpy, and can profitably be swapped for one most of the time.
>Firefly
Hilariously shit, but if it's good enough for Gentleman Johnny it's good enough for you. Also, widely available on the merc market.
>War Dog
Fucking osSSRM-2s in the legs, man. Variants are all right, and the 'Goons are dumping them on the secondary market because of the Civil War leaving a bad taste in their collective mouth.
>Imp
[Fast Erection Switch engaged]
>Marauder II
Love it, but it's (again) better as the Zombie in an assault unit than in the main line. Even with the jets it's slow, and most early variants are undergunned. Great pointman though.
>Falcon
It's a sawed-off PHX, and it's pretty decent.
>Gallowglas
Another good all-rounder, works well as part of a lance.
>>44495148
Naw, it's Marauder648
>>44506099>Weep as you discover they were destroyed in the Jihad and/or fall of the Star League'Twas how I wound up with Snow Ravens for my Clan Mechs.:(
>>44493613
I'm guessing Wolf... in Exile?
>>44505807
>>LT Gauss Rifle
>[triggered].
yeah, my bad, I goofed it during the transition from paper to HMP, sorry. you could always flip the side torsos with precisely no difference
>That said, it looks a lot like an upgunned/armored Bandersnatch, which is one of my favorite things ever.
my main man. I also love the bandersnatch, probably a little too much
have a Bandershatch II
Anyone else make hyper-entropy based warfare mech designs?
>>44508882
Nice meme!
>>44507503
Oh, God. His articles.
Especially his WarShip ones. It's painfully obvious he doesn't fully understand how the game works, but since the Fan Articles are HUGBOX SUPREME you're not even allowed to explain where and why he's going wrong.
>>44508412
>have a Bandershatch II
I've got a similar one with an SBGR and a standard GR (to preserve the Bandie's lance role), as well as a version with twin MMLs, quad LAC-5s in the arms with a ton of ammo for each (mostly for air-denial and AP ammo shenanningans), and a trio of MLs backing them up. Whacked that latter one back to an LFE to let it make a fighting withdrawal if the CASE goes off early. No matter how sweet the extra 5t is, I'd rather be able to avoid my commander getting captured if possible.
>>44509617
those all sound pretty neat. post them?
>>44509716
One on the left is a custom unit fielded by an Anti-'Goon Alliance officer who was hunting the PCs. The one on the right belongs to the commander of one of my long-running merc units - she got tired of that one guy who thought bringing shitloads of militia armor to games was funny and loaded up with Infernos and AP ammo. Then he tried to bring three aeros to the next game, and between her and the LB-10X in the command lance he was suddenly slighted by about 4000 BV. Good times.
Basically the second one is supposed to be an all-role "pocket omni" for a Merc unit that routinely winds up dealing with irregulars in the Chaos March and/or Blakie/Periphery/urban fuckery.
>>44509486
>>44507503
>>44495148
I never had that much interest in the fan sections of the OF, which of the fan articles make for good reading?
http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3535
Anyone buying it?
>>44510464
The mech/vehicle/aerospace etc of the week are pretty good.
>>44510619
Maybe. Thats a bit of Republic/DA history i'm interested in reading more about.
>>44510464
MotW is usually good.
>>44509972
nice. I've always kind of wondered if there was a connection between loving the bandersnatch and how often you went up against combined-arms enemies.
I mean, most of the games that I created all these custom mechs for were mostly focused around the periphery and chaos march, which probably explains the love of LBX-10s and the bandy.
also, have a LFE bandersnatch that manages to keep both LBX-10s. it's only two million less, but it's a decent bit tougher. lore-wise, this variant was custom-ordered by the Kell Hounds for use by units in the ARDC
(as a side note, quite a few 3/5XL assaults are better off if you drop the XL for Endo. AND they're like 50% cheaper. it's amazing)
>>44509972
>>44510719
aaand it looks like I forgot the mech
>>44510464
Most of the XotW articles are well done.
A few are obviously just them talking out of their ass, but the majority of the articles are by people with knowledge of the thing in question. Like Greek Fire's protomech articles are some of my favorite.
>>44509486
Not everyone's the best, but at least he's writing. More than you can say about most people.
As for the hugbox shit...I posted this thread early last year: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=44740.10
Turned out fine. Only problem is some people apparently leapt on the chance to shit on JadeHellbringer via PM...why someone would PM a mod crap like that is beyond me, but who the fuck knows.
Seriously though, if you've got a problem with current MotWs, speak up or start writing. I've PM'd marauder with suggestions and he took them fine. You'll be ok as long as you aren't a complete asshole about it.
>>44510809
Thanks dude, appreciate it. I put a lot of effort into those.
>>44511056
I really loved those proto articles of yours too. I'd collected thirty of damn things before I realized I didn't know how to use em. I had just started to look around for more info on them when you started your article project. Was so happy whenever a new one came out. I still can't call myself an expert on their use but thanks to your articles I understand them a lot more.
What mech should I round out my lance with? I have a Zeus, Enforcer and Phoenix Hawk.
>>44511642
Who are you playing? Feels Steiner to me, Griffin always a great investment of BV.
>>44511642
Hunchback
>>44511664
It's actually a private guard lance on a Marik border world. All the mechs are meant to be hand-me-downs or battlefield salvage.
>>44511670
Why a hunchie?
>>44511725
which era?
>>44511744
3058ish. Got inspired by the last thread to start a campaign in that era.
>>44511725
>Why a hunchie?
No good reason, just the first 'Mech that sprang to mind.
>>44510464
If you've got crippling Battletech autism like me, then anything that collates info and presents it straight, like my article about oddball Nova formations.
There are some decent interpretative articles too, like the overviews of various factions' Aerospace forces. I quite liked the character studies though I didn't always agree with them.
MotWs vary a lot in quality. Some of them are too conversational, too one-sided, and end up giving a rather shallow analysis. I always smile when a 'how do you fight against one?' section is a single wafflly line that boils down to "shoot it lots".
>>44511642
Orion or Awesome
>>44511803
alrighty, cool
which variants of zeus, enforcer and hawk are you using?
a Thunderbolt (either -5S, 5SS or -7M) would be a good choice, as would be a Griffin (any variant). an Archer, either a -4M, 2R or -2S is always a good choice, as would be a Warhammer-6R.
if you don't want to go Unseen, a Cataphract (a bit FedCom, but then, so's the enforcer) is an excellent choice
>>44511815
Fair enough. I had it in mind too.
>>44511952
Orion is a fair option. Awesome is awesome, but I'm gonna steer from another assault.
>>44511999
Considering Thunderbolt or Griffin. Hmmm.
>>44511056
>Thanks dude, appreciate it. I put a lot of effort into those.
It shows.
>>44511531
> I'd collected thirty of damn things before I realized I didn't know how to use em. I had just started to look around for more info on them when you started your article project.
I was in a similar boat, started playing them while running OPFOR for a SERPENT campaign and then fell in love with the Gorgon. I felt my way around into effective tactics for the 1st-gens (and got them banned from my LGS even though I was only taking one Point into games ¬_¬), but kinda lost steam after that. picked them back up after the articles started coming out, and while I have a few disagreements with him on the fine points, they're an excellent primer.
>>44510719
>drop the XL for Endo
Yes, it's a delightful upgrade for most of the stuff that needs tonnage more than crits, like beefy Heavies and light Assaults.
> I've always kind of wondered if there was a connection between loving the bandersnatch and how often you went up against combined-arms enemies.
It's actually pretty good as sandblasting support for a command lance, which is how I cottoned on to it in the first place (along with someone offering to sell me a model for $5). Even without specialty ammo it's a great bodyguard for one of the beefier mercMechs like the Gallowglas, or a missile-support lance - nothing fast enough to get to them wants to tangle with the kind of firepower it brings to the table. It's also good for saturating all those 6/9 or 7/11 headhunter 'Mechs with enough shots to actually wing them. Even if it's too slow to go hunting for 'em.
..and then I used it against VTOLs. Dear Lord.
>>44512248
>and then I used it against VTOLs. Dear Lord.
I know, right?
one of my most hilarious bandersnatch moments was when I was up against a guy who loved to field a lance of Yellowjackets alongside his mechs, because a gauss rifle with wings is the most annoying way to spend about 1000BV, especially when a lot of other players are clanners. I brought pair of bandys, and a custom shad; between the four of them, they had five LBX-10s. in the very first round of shooting, I managed to toast ALL FOUR of his goddamn flying gauss rifles, which freed me from having to deal with four 1/36 instadeath chances a round. the rest of his shit got mopped up pretty quick after that, I'll tell you.
but yeah, it's a great guard for slower long-range stuff. I was always a big fan of the following fire-support lance:
>Archer
>Archer (both are either -4Ms or the -2MG from upthread)
>Bandersnatch
>varies, treb or Apollo, usually
Hey purple burd fans, since there's so many of you here, what are your favorite purple burd mechs?
Particularly of the ones designed between 3050 and 3067?
>>44512781
I've always liked the heracles, and basically all of the -M 3050 mechs are great. the Albatross, running joke aside, is actually a pretty good mech, though in no way cost efficient C-bill wise
>>44512781
Hmm...designed between 3050 and 3067 is tough. Most of my favorite Marik 'Mechs are updated versions of older designs.
I know this is terribly stereotypical, but I'd have to go for the Albatross.
>>44512781
Tempest!
Quick, name the best 40 tonner!
Hard mode: No Cicadas.
>>44513589
But the answer is always the Hermes II
>>44513589
Trick question, it's still the Cicada.
Honorary mention goes to the Araña.
>>44513589
Arctic wolf is first to mind.
Dat SRM spam.
>>44513589
Pouncer.
2 CERPPCs tar comp and JJ's
It's flying rape as long as it doesn't get hit.
>>44512781
Tempest followed by Huron Warrior and Grand Crusader.
>>44513787
The Pouncer F is a beautiful work of art. I love it.
>>44513888
>Huron Warrior
Uhh...isn't that a CapCon 'Mech?
>>44513589
>No Cicadas
Fine, the Targe then
Runner Up: Light Gauss Vulcan
>>44513787
Good call on the Pouncer.
I'd also say the Dragonfly, but that is basically the Clan Cicada, so maybe that's cheating.
>>44514134
>Viper
>good
Dirty dumb Mandrill scum.
>>44513589
>All of these incorrect answers
It's the royal Sentinel, you retards
>>44514173
Classy.
The A and D are fine 'Mechs.
>>44514384
The F is also very nice.
>>44512781
Albatross, leading a lance of Hercs.
>>44513901
Is it?
>>44510619
http://www.mediafire.com/view/jdcd0y1bv32na9x/E-CAT35TP019_Battletech_Turning_Points_Epsilon_Eridani.pdf
Happy New Years anon. Highlights includeproof that someone is capable of building the Dragoon, and that the ComStar has gone full Blakist since the Jihad.
>>44517341
Blake be praised
>>44471394
>>44472123
I've never understood putting guns inside a claw or a hand. I mean, that's a good way to blow off your fingers. Sure, you can give it systems that prevents the gun firing when the claw is augmented or the claw working when the gun is being fired, but that's one more system to screw up and fuck you for no gain over just mounting the gun next to the claw.
>>44517341
BLAKE ELEISON!
>>44517341
>someone is capable of building the Dragoon
Not necessarily, they had an SL cache from immediately after the Coup to work with - possibly one of Hayes' dump sites. Refitting with C* tech is much more likely than rebuilding the damned things - especially since it's a Krupp design, not something from Kressely.
Posted
>>44502932
yesterday. Would anyone be so kind as to provide some feedback?
battle bump
>>44517341
>>44518114
>>44518230
Give praise to Blake!
>>44518784
Lance 1 has an A/C-20 and two lances have no real reply. Lance 4 has two A/C-20s which means they can potentially wreck the other three lances in three turns or less.
Lance 2 is hilariously shit and is gonna get straight-up pwned by the other three. Lance 3 is way better than the other three and absent a game-changing A/C-20 hit is going to carry a massive advantage against them.
BV should in theory balance games. In practice it is a very wonky system.
>>44513116
>he likes the Tempest
>>44520262
I was about to say that lance 2 wasn't that bad, but then I noticed that it has the 6S and 1N instead of the wildly superior PPC versions.
Are there traveller-style rules for interstellar merchanting anywhere in battletech/mechwarrior
>>44521773
I can only imagine the nightmare trying to be a merchant in the world of FASAnomics is. I'd say if you want to do it, just take whatever Traveller has to say about the subject and staple it onto BT as best you can.
>>44520262
>>44520734
Okay, that pretty much matches what I was sorta feeling.
I'm having a fair bit of trouble creating several lists from my collection and making sure they're decently balanced against each other.
Sticking to one each of light, medium, heavy and assault weight probably isn't all that effective either.
What would be some 'mech combinations (mostly from the intro box) that you guys would recommend for balanced machups? Maybe 2 or 3 'mechs that would work well together, which could then be brought up to 5000 BV by improving the pilots or adding another 'mech?
Somebody should really take NEA's Intro Box Matchups List and pastebin it and add it to the OP.
>>44522101
I've actually been looking at those for my own lists, but I'm sorta limited by the fact that I want to build 4 lists and already have my minis painted in the colours of two different factions.
Still, it's a pretty good idea in general.
TP: EE has some nice stuff. Like the Pollux II ADA. Turreted AIV and SBGR, with two SXPLs and ECM.
>>44522154
and dat Dragoon. LB-10X, Plasma Rifle, 2 MXPLs, C3i UNDER FERRO LAM
>>44522192
wait...Ferro Lam? I missed that. Damn thats nice.
>>44503730
Here you go, mainly based on speed and role
Command Lance
Highlander IIC CO
BLR-3M BattleMaster XO
Hunchback IIC
BJ2-O Blackjack change to C as AAA
first company
skirmish lance
SHD-5M Shadow Hawk
Griffin IIC
Shadow Hawk IIC
Griffin IIC
fire lance
Masakari Prime change to C
WHM-7M Warhammer
ALB-4U Albatross
P1C Perseus change to B
command lance
ON1-M Orion
ALB-4U Albatross
T-IT-N10M Grand Titan
TDR-7M Thunderbolt
second company
runner lance
koshi
puma
TR1 Wraith
ryoken
indirect lance
ARC-4M Archer
Vulture
APL-1M Apollo
Vulture
cavalry lance
Mad Cat
Mad Cat
Hellbringer A
Summoner Prime
third company
first wave
BSW-X1 Bushwacker
HRC-LS-9000 Hercules
TBT-7M Trebuchet
Black Hawk
second wave
PTR-4D Penetrator
MR-5M Cerberus
Masakari change to C
WR-DG-02FC War Dog
third wave
Daishi
AWS-9M Awesome
Behemoth
HGN-732 Highlander
>>44522192
Wait, did it lose a big gun?
What engine does it run?
Either way, that sounds nice.
>>44523640
Judging by the production code, it's a brand new variant. And yes, it dropped a big gun for backup guns, electronics and more armor. And EWAR gear for a C3 carrier! Praise Blake, someone must have heard me!
Are either of the Black Watch versions good?
I'm getting into the game and settled on Steiner as my starting faction. Is it important to read up on the lore to play?
I've got the book "House Steiner, the Lyran Commonwealth" for starters and I'm about done with the history section.
Most of my experience is in the computer games, namely MechWarrior 3. I've played the tabletop game a few times though.
What's the best method for making a player character? Or selecting a homeworld?
>>44524708
>first one has both MRMs and an LGR
>second one has 1 ton of ammo for its GR
I don't think you really needed to ask, anon.
