/btg/ is dead, long live /btg/!triggering autists stealth edition
WizKids was the best thing to happen to BT Edition
Old Thread: >>47768894
================================================
>/btg/ does a TRO:
http://builtforwar.blog(not spam)spot.com/
>How do I do this Against the Bot thing?
http://pastebin.com/pE2f7TR5
>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
>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/
Unit Designing Softwares
>SSW Mech Designer
http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com/
>MegaMek Lab
http://megameklab.sourceforge.net/
>BattleTech IRC
#battletech on irc.rizon.net
>PDF Folders
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/9q792hobnbpw3/Battletech
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/sdckg6j645z4j/Battletech
We still have 7 pages left on the other thread
Sage and report
Anyone working on BT related things this weekend?
>>47838109
I'm trying to finish the MWO crusader orthographic, though it's ridiculously hard after having done 60 hour work week.
B-butte Hold?
B-bone Norman?
>>47838109
I'm converting some RPG hybrid sheets to Alpha Strike so I can go full retard with a narrative Battletech Campaign using total chaos campaign rules to let players wreck shit.
As a dumb teenager, I got into battletech through the Wizkids game. And I loved it. It was simple, fast and dumb, I could play games against my friends and my brother during lunch at school. Now I've graduated to classic, but clickymechs still hold a fond place in my heart, and I still have a couple of hundred of the fucking things in my attic.
>>47839652
Bone Hold, Butte Norman.
>>47839687
Kinda surprised there hasn't been (unless I am blind which is entirely possible) an official supplement of converting the Alpha Strike stuff to the warchest&things campaigns.
>>47839705
having once seen a buttplug get used as a proxy for a Stalker i can think of no real reason you shouldn't still be able to use those clickytech minis in classic
>>47839975
The difference in scale is the biggest issue. I've been keeping an eye out for larger hexgrids that could sub in, and I might eventually just go and rebase all the clickytech mechs as much as possible, but it's a bit of a hassle.
>>47839975
there's a story here, and I think you should share it anon
>>47840294
not much to tell. gary wanted to play a stalker and could not remember where he left his actual minis and said that this worked better as a proxy than the saltshaker or a shotglass because it had an unambiguous front and back so nobody could lose track of which way it was facing.
>>47839705
Clickytech is cool
Most of the minis are also very pretty too.
>>47837174
>WizKids was the best thing to happen to BT Edition
This implies that anything good has ever happened to Battletech.
Also, this implies that you don't know that WizKids is the re-branding of FASA. They're the Trump of gaming, and not in a good way.
Aside from raising the visibility of BTech after being buried by the 40k landslide, the Clix version was a typical Weisman clusterfuck.
>>47840871
>>47837174
more like "triggered autist" edition judging from that op
folks,where can I find rules to build 31-50 ton VTOL? I've seen some units over TW limit but I couldn't find if there are rules in TactOps or if they were built using Support VTOL rules
>>47841372
>getting triggered about someone getting triggered about triggering someone
wew, lad. we are getting too meta
>>47841959
>an observation is being triggeredyou sound triggered :^)
What's your favorite mech designs /btg/?
Campaign companion fucking when?
>>47842030
Mostly Capellan makes, they tend to be better.
>>47842029
I am triggered about you being triggered about OP being triggered about people getting triggered
>>47842171
>>47842030
Varies depending on circumstance but I've had some serious love for the MAD-5S lately.
That and the Crab 27sl.
I'm making a Taurian lance out of the introbox, using NEA's pdf as a guide.
With their average weight being heavy, how's this sound:
>Banshee -3E
>Quickdraw -4G
>Enforcer -4R
>Vindicator -1R
>>47842030
Most of them are so close to being perfect, but yet some details diverge them from the source material and detract from the result.
Wolverine is one design that I otherwise love, but hate the box under the cockpit where the turret should be.
>>47842030
I'm a huge fan of the 4/6 heavy trooper, maybe too big of a fan.
Specifically, my very favorite is the Thunderbolt, with the hound (which is incidentally weirdly similar to a mech I designed well before the hound came out) in a close second. also up there are the Cestus, some of the later warhammers, the Penthaselia (or however it's spelled), and the merlin.
There's also the Bandersnatch (which is really more of a fire support machine) and the archer (also definitely a fire support mech)
>>47842283
I'd trade the enforcer for a hunchback IMO. One salvage machine (the vindie) is fine, but two are pushing it.
Also, if you want to play taurians, you should REALLY try and dig up some unseen, because until 3058, literally every mech they produced aside from the commando was unseen.
I recommend either grabbing the 3e box set mechs from eBay or picking up some Robotech Tactics box sets (gets you an archer, longbow, rifleman and warhammer, all of which are generally available mechs that would make sense for the taurians, and they specifically produce archers and warhammers, both of which are quite common in their military)
>>47842283
So that's what life in the Taurian Cuckordat looks like?
Shit, dystopian, and filled with dune baboons?
>>47842481
I was actually thinking on a Hunchback but wasn't sure if it would be 'common' enough. I'm planning to get some Unseen though since like you say, there are a lot of absent essentials.
>>47842489
Dune baboons?
>>47842538
>but wasn't sure if it would be 'common' enough
Hunchback is one of the most common non-unseen machines, actually
>>47842489
dune baboons are canonically from the Canopus system
>>47842557
Oh, excellent. For some reason I was thinking of it as a Steiner mech so thought pairing it with a Banshee would be too much.
>>47842610
I think actually the biggest users of the Hunchback are Kurita and Liao. Maybe Marik, too.
>>47842191
>>47842171
>>47842029
>>47841959
>>47842639
It's iconic for Marik. Who do you think makes them? Kalidasa, same planet as the Orion super factory.All under Wolf control now unfortunately.
The Combine made them at one time but their factory was destroyed in the early succession wars.
>>47842557
>Hunchback is one of the most common non-unseen machines, actually
More like it's know for having a shit ton of variants, like the archer. People like to play with its loadout.
>>47842819
>Nicoletta Malthus
Would you dare refuse her batchall?
>>47842844
That too, but it really does show up all over the place in pretty much everyone's hands
>>47842823
Oh, fun fact. The iconic Marik Treb production is on that planet too.
>>47842823
>>47842954
lol I don't mean this personally since I realize /btg/ is purple bird central, but Marik seriously has almost no luck
Which other introbox mechs would make sense for a taurian unit?
>>47842557
>>47842844
Not sure about in-fluff, but in the real world it's also one of the most iconic Battletech designs, up there with the Mad Cat, Atlas, and Uziel
>>47842993
Can we really call the Uziel "iconic" if it only showed up on the box of one shitty video game?
>>47843076
if that shitty video game is one of the most famous products of the franchise, why not?
>>47842992
In general almost anything that is either general enough in terms of dating back to the Star League or falls under the Liao/Davion columns.
So Assassin, Clint, Whitworth, Vindicator, Enforcer, Hunchback, Dervish, Quickdraw, Catapult, JagerMech, Grasshopper, Awesome, Cyclops, Banshee and Atlas.
>>47842992
I guess Davion salvage, like a centurion or something, thought that would mean they had to win some fights in the outback. Like the other guy said, their production is pretty much nothing but unseen and they would have a few oddball SLDF dregs in their forces on top of those designs.
I got my 3025 confirmed factory sheet here. Can't recall if it takes into account the Periphery retcons but this is what the Taurians supposedly made.
All 3 bugs
Commando
Griffin
Thunderbolt
Archer
Warhammer
Marauder
Which is a pretty good spread for a space cowboy periphery nation.
And according to my sheet, nothing changes there up through the end of the clan invasion in 3053.
So really hard to play a proper Taurian force without a good chunk of unseen in that period.
>>47842992
Well, they make the commando, so those should show up reasonably often, mostly as bug substitutes. They apparently have a few panthers, but presumably not very many. I suppose a Clint or or whitworth or cicada could feasibly show up, and the hunchback is common all over. Salvaged vindicators or enforcers have already been mentioned, as has the quickdraw. Maybe a jagermech or catapult as salvage. The grasshopper is pretty widespread, so one of those could work. For assaults, an old awesome might show up, as might a Cyclops. The banshee would likely be the most common introbox assault for them, and I suppose an old SLDF atlas might turn up from time to time
>>47842963
Basically each major state of the Free Worlds League has one or two really good factory sites.
So when they lose one, it completely cripples that member state. And the type of production isn't equally spread out either. Like when Andurien as a whole state fucks off in rebellion, you lose a full half of your aerospace production for the entire FWL.
You lose all your Marauder and Warhammer production plus your main assault dropship factories when Regulus tells everyone to fuck off.
It's just a clusterfuck,and that's why we love it.
>>47843186
>. Can't recall if it takes into account the Periphery retcons
Well, the hatchetman isn't there so I'd say it has
>>47843387
Purple birb stronke
OK, so we know about mechs now.
What kind of vehicles do the taurians use?
>>47842055
2021 at earliest, assuming CGL hasn't went out of business by then.
(The sad part is that this is the optimistic assessment...)
All this talk about mechs is cool but what are you favorite aerospace fighters?
NEA and other AeroTech players, I summon you.
>>47844187
"Okay."
<ARTILLERY FIRE INTENSIFIES>
>>47843916
Quickcell shit, APC's, Savannah Masters, technicals and weapon carriers. Plus the odd J. Edgar from Outworlds surplus or Combine Skulker for command units or Davion Goblin for heavy infantry support or Davion Partisan for AA duty or if you're really lucky a Davion Behemoth.
But like 9/10, you'll be running Scorpions and Vedettes with some kind of missile carrier backup.
>>47844187
>>47844227
>>47844045
I've always liked the Lightning, Thunderbird and Vulcan, myself. Don't play a whole ton of aerospace, though.
>>47843916
They like hovercraft a lot, and like their mechs, their armor forces are fairly heavy overall, though they use their assault-weight tanks almost exclusively for urban defense. Honestly, their armor units would look pretty much like everyone elses, but with most of their lighter tanks being hoverers. Also, they would probably have slightly more manticores (the MoC makes them IIRC) and would have a decent number of pikes (also from the MoC)
>>47844187
>>47844285
And some I made for MWO.
>>47844314
The Kodiak was fun.
>>47844045
Clans: Sulla, Visigoth, Turk, Sabutai
Inner Sphere: Corsair, Dagger, Stingray, Huscarl
>>47844045
Depends on the mission.
I prefer light stuff as scouts. Thrushes and Sparrowhawks are my goto. They can burn in and out fast plus fuel pods don't drag down their thrust too much.
I prefer mobile heavies in space combat 4/6 or 5/8. I like the ones that mount PPC's/Gauss/Long range autocannon/large LRM racks with backup medium/pulse short brackets. You can mount plenty of external ordinance to dump early in the fight like Anti-Ship Arrow IV's and they can take a good beating while being able to outmanuever most dropships and still dogfight lighter stuff decently. Stuff like the upgraded Transit comes to mind.
I prefer decently armored mediums for low atmosphere. Have enough thrust to pull crazy shit without a million lawn dart checks. And there I just like a lot of stuff that will hit. Something like an old Samurai or a Corsair is pretty good for this. Definitely willing to take something lighter and dump extra BV into the pilot for this kind of fight. Keeping a decent velocity of 3 or 4 on a ground map can really let you terrorize the mudsloggers too.
>>47844314
>>47844330
>>47844398
STARE.
>>47844030
>>47842055
>Mentioned on GhostBear's Facebook
>And with that, principle writing work is complete on Campaign Operations. (Editing and layout to finish shortly.) It's all in the hands of Ray and Aaron now; fingers crossed for GenCon pre-release.
>When I started my particular section, I guesstimated 22,500 words. Ended up at 21,400.
>Now to get back to my original universe material and novel.
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=52280.msg1227890#msg1227890
>>47844045
You just posted it. It's 10/10 on looks alone, though the thin armor and shallow tank make it a little less reliable in anything but Trials. From the same book, the Visigoth and Kirghiz are pretty boss too. As for the IS side, the Slayer, Shiva and Eisensturm are my go tos, though the Slayer suffers from not really getting a great upgrade. A Gauss variant like so would be solid, though it can run hot.
>>47843387
>Like when Andurien as a whole state fucks off in rebellion, you lose a full half of your aerospace production for the entire FWL.
Uh, why didn't the purple birds just nationalize and relocate most of that shit after they suppressed the Andurien bid for independence?
So where can I find a 3D artist who ist able to convert this most awesome picture of the 4th edition Awesome into a printable 3D model?
And how much do I have to pay for that?
>>47839801
The companion has uses for Support Points, that you can get via the warchest thingie from total chaos, so that's what I am using.
>>47845334
Because moving tens of millions of tons of stuff across space is haaaaaaaaaard.
I can only recall one example of a factory in battletech being taken apart and being reassembled part by part somewhere else, not counting the handful of factory ships that have existed
Plus it's not just where you build shit, it's also where all the supporting infrastructure is and the top flight academies in the FWL. Andurien is aero central for everything but the Atrean Warship crowd. They even make most of the ammunition for that operation theater on Lopezor they did before it got Blaked off the map
Not to mention, if you did it for all that aero stuff, you're probably need to do the same for the major mech manufacturing complexes on Xanthe and Shiro III.
Andurien is just a really rich sector in general.You can see why it was so fun to take from the Capellans back in the Succession Wars.
>>47845334
>Battletech
>making sense
>ever
I have two words for youSucc.Wars
>>47845697
Pretty much.
>>47843387
>'''''''''''Free'''''''''''
>'''''''''''Worlds'''''''''''
>'''''''''''League'''''''''''
>>47844841
I will remind you of their record breaking editorial turnaround times. Exhibit A, a little known book about the Draconis Combine...
>>47846246
I'm just the messenger, anon
hnnnnnnng
>>47841959
>or if they were built using Support VTOL rules
You can do that or you can use the Superheavy rules from TacOps.
Support vee is probably better though.
>>47844045
Was the Slayer, but then the rules changed and now it's irredeemable shit.
Stingray has always been pretty good.
Eisensturm if I have to go WarShip hunting. 29 damage as a squadron with 19 bomb hardpoints each. Even with a full bomb load (Alamo and 9 RL-10s, for maximum FUCK YOU) you can still move as fast as some WarShips, or blow your load of 32 capital damage in RLs alone then get back up to 4/6 which matches most of the "fast" WarShips before ramming nukes up their ass.
>>47847707
>no chin ball turret
>no handheld gun
>no briefcase
DROPPED
>>47847955
Doesn't have the snout either, and the head is hard mounted where it can't articulate. Makes me think shimmy never held an original design one in his hands if he thought all the tubing was part of the chest.
Otherwise, just wish the gun was handheld. The rest is fine.
>>47837174
Mechwarrior Dark Age was so fun and easy for me to play as a kid. I was able to go to gamestores around town and play and have a lot of fun. I still have so many models.
Will anything like it ever happen again?
>>47842243
>Crab 27sl.
Did record sheets of ER 2750 ever get released?
>>47848300
Probably not, at least not for this game. Alpha strike can revive some of those memories, or you can still play clickytech.
>>47848300
I doubt it, but I play backyard games of Alpha Strike with the ones I have. It's a lot of fun. Just multiply the movement rates by 2.5 (so 5" per BT movement point) and you'll be playing in something close to the actual BT ground scale. A backyard is big enough to get some real terrain going, and winds up being the equivalent of about a 2x2 map or so. You've gotta mow it first, of course, and you can leave half-mowed areas as your woods and shit.
>>47848300
Mechwarrior Dark Age (and later AoD) was a good game...it was just held back by some really hamfisted ideas and carried over rules from Mage Knight. I doubt there will ever be a revival, but even being as much of a BattleTech-diehard that I am, I'd certainly welcome it.
That, and another fucking single-player MechWarrior computer game and a MechCommander game. *sigh*
>>47850507
The Harebrained Schemes game is shaping up nicely, at least.
>>47850602
Funnily enough, there's a minimum of FASA/WizKids/CGL staff involved with that.
>>47850602
I haven't been hearing anything about it, actually. What have you seen/heard?
>>47850965
Disclaimer, I backed the kickstarter.
But apparently they are good friends with some streaming company called Hyper RPG, and they do some pseudo press release videos where they show stuff off.
Hyper RPG is also running a mechwarrior rpg show with 3d mwo printed battlemechs, which is pretty good. Set in 3025 in the Periphery, too.
>>47846092
shitposter
Dear /btg/
What are your favorite field modifications?
>>47852487
Machine Guns + Ammo for SPLs or armour.
uPLs when those become available.
>>47845655
Moving factories to interiors has happened a bunch of times. When so much of a valuable industry is in one province you'd think steps would be taken to either move some of it or vastly expand production elsewhere. Though granted an Andurien secession didn't seem likely again since (at the time of the writing) it had been entirely driven by the motivations of a single person.
Also the top flight academies aren't in Andurien and there isn't a mech factory on Xanthe III.
Around Eagles, _______ _________
>>47852962
Turns out SAFE is smarter than we thought.
>>47844314
>>47844330
>>47844398
>>47844769
Some more.
>>47853618
Maybe they've only been pretending to be retarded. Victor thought they were and then they FRANTISKA'd him.
good morning, btg
have you ascended to heaven yet?
>>47856018
No. But I did think about painting mechs for a bit.
>>47856018
Based Capellan story grows greater
>>47843076
Do you not have a copy of TacOps?
>>47856018
Naw. But I'm pretty comfortably HELLBOUND
>>47842283
New to battletech here, what's NEA and how do i find this pdf you're talking about?
>>47858053
>NEA
that's a "who", not a "what"
Not Entirely Anon is an ex-demo agent that regularly posts here. This pdf, IIRC, has some ways to split the introductory box mechs into forces of different factions
>>47858053
NEA stands for Not Entirely Anon, a guy who posts here. As for the PDF, I'm on my phone and don't have a copy, but I'm sure someone else here does
>>47858053
>what's NEA
A "Who" not a "what". NEA (Not Entirely Anon) is one of the VERY few people associate with CGL who is in any way a worthwhile human being and who is in any way marginally competent. He did a PDF breaking up the Introbox Mechs by faction that's actually a really nice product, and CGL won't pick it up for the sole reason that he's no longer associated with the demo team. PDF attached.
Since you're new, our namefags in BTG are actually not completely reviled. They're generally helpful and knowledgable, and while each one has their specific blind spots (Muninn is a huge FWL fanboy, CampaignAnon is an SLDF and total war fan to the exclusion of sanity, and NEA remains easy to bait because he takes posts at face value and tries to help people out), they're welcome here, unlike most other namefags in other threads on /tg/.
Last, unless you're making some sort of relatively major contribution to the game or board culture, or you're associated with the game development (like Xotl, who does errata for CGL and get needed info fed to him here) don't put on a name and think you'll be welcomed. Our namefags have all earned what respect they get (this IS still 4chan).
>>47852487
>Dear /btg/
>What are your favorite field modifications?
Rip out a 1t MG ammo bin, replace with MG and a half-ton bin. Yes, I realize it's a higher-level refit, but it's still quite useful.
See also my WHM-6R(rt) Rattletrap: Swap the SLs for MGs, potentially with the aforementioned ammo-for-gun swap. Gives it a mean close-range punch against anyone who tries to get in kicking range, reduces the heat burden, and makes it slightly less dangerous to pilot. Alternately, swap the SLs and MGs for vehicle flamers and ammo. Who really >needs< that many flamer shots anyway?
>>47858053
>New to battletech here, what's NEA
Former demo agent and one of the few people out here who's actually committed to spreading the game. Also on the shortlist of folks who play AeroTech, and has a dedicated coterie of fanboys/haters (like any tripfag).
> and how do i find this pdf you're talking about?
(someone apparently already uploaded it, nvm)
>>47858304
>>47858324
>>47858462
>that's a "who", not a "what"
I-I'm sorry
>>47858559
Eh, no worries. The BT thread is really fucking laid-back most of the time (that or an incestuous cesspit of old hates left over from the eighties). Only reason I don't namefag anymore is that I come here to get >away< from "look at my e-peen" culture elsewhere on the web. Plus it's a lot of work.Although it you want to find my posts, look for proper grammar and overuse of the word "actually", always accompanied by a picture. Often with an amusing name.
So, uh, welcome to the thread. You got any burning questions about BT?
>>47852487
Well, back when it was still a bay-level refit, removing a heat sink or MG to add CASE was a ubiquitous modification for mechs that didn't already have it. My other main ones were streaks to MLs, and SPLs to MLs, and PPC for LL+2ML
>>47858462
That PDF's shit anyway. It should have included ways to simultaneously have a lance all 5 successor states, Comstar, and the 3 major Periphery states out of the Introbox mechs without repeating any of the designs.
>>47858687
Wait one. Are you calling it shit because it doesn't provide you a way to break down 26 Mechs into 9 units of 4 Mechs each?
>>47858559
don't worry, new bro
besides the occasional autist (he like's something I don't, retcon Dark Age retcon Clans my faction is better than yours REEEEEEEE) we are very chill
welcome and enjoy your stay
>>47858716
Yes.
I wanted 9 Lances out of the product so I could represent all important factions, and I didn't get it. therefore, it's shit.
>>47858673
>You got any burning questions about BT?
Well, is there any reason to take mechs over tanks or aircrafts or combined arms? Whats a good army composition? I've already got the introductory box so i'm trying to decide what to buy next and there are so many models that i can't make a choice.
>>47858716
I think he might be taking the piss.
>>47858788
>Well, is there any reason to take mechs over tanks or aircrafts or combined arms?
Mechs are MUCH more durable than other unit types, generally pack more gear for the same weight, have much greater terrain flexibility and can use tech that other units can't. Other unit types are mostly good in specialist roles, but mechs are the backbone of any good battletech force
>>47858788
>is there any reason to take mechs over tanks or aircrafts or combined arms?
the game is about mechs, that's that
BT isn't WYSIWYG, you can use as many proxies you want. The intro box has everything you need to play for a while. If you really want new miniatures the Alpha Strike Lance Packs or even another Intro Box are a good deal
>>47858788
OK, BattleTech is different than most other wargames insofar as it's FAR closer to a "historicals" game than something like Warhammer 40K. Your "army comp" isn't really a thing, except that it's nice to have units which can complement each other.
Mechs in general are the most well-rounded units in the game. They can move over practically any terrain, and are immensely durable (damage gets spread between a whole LOT of locations).
Vehicles can usually do a single offensive thing at a level equal to or better than a Mech (for example, provide missile support), but that's usually ALL they can do. Vehicles tend to be specialists, and they're more limited by terrain and environmental conditions. They're also subject to debilitating critical hits, and while they can mount a crapton of armor, damage doesn't spread out like it does on Mechs, so between those, they actually end up more fragile.
If you're new, don't bother with fighters just yet. Get a solid handle on the Mech game first. Fighters (conventional or AeroSpace) complicate things immensely, and they *force* you to change tactics when facing them or they become tremendously strong. Of course, fighters are also subject to deconstructive lithobraking, so one unlucky roll can lose you a very large asset.
Further purchases should probably be indicated by a faction; different units are MORE COMMON in certain factions (but aren't usually hard-limited like they are in other wargames; Eldar can't take Space Marine Terminators in their force). If there's a faction you like the sound of, start by building a lance or a company of that faction.
>I have to go for Father's Day steak; others will help you with composition if there's a faction you like.
Good luck and welcome to /btg./
>>47858924
>>47858890
>>47858859
Thanks for the infos, i see that bt is a lot less strict with army composition than 40k or fow and more about playing what you like. I will look into those lance packs once i can.
>>47858784
>all nine important factions
>nine important factions
Cucknopian detected
>>47859066
If you're looking in to expanding, I'd really recommend checking eBay for a set of 3e introbox mechs; they are all the "unseen", which are some of the most common mechs in the lore, and some of the best basic backbone mechs on the table
>>47859102
Joke's on you, in the Magistracy being a cuck is accepted as a fetish.
>>47859118
I wonder if it's cheaper to go with them or warhansa these days?
Favourite tanks, /btg/?
>>47859407
Personal fan of the Rommel. A fine, if unexciting, MBT.
Also, the Mars XL: because the Hell's Horses are insane.
>>47859407
The Rommel, Patton, Challenger X and Manticore are all solid MBTs, and I like the Alacorn and Demolisher and Schrek as high-impact blasters. The Brutus is a great high-firepower all-rounder, as is the Ontos. The Fulcrum and drillson are both great fast-attack tanks, and the Partisan is just great at killing pretty much anything that isn't a mech, and not bad for mechs, either
>>47859407
Demolisher with Gauss rifles.
It's a brick of armour with a couple of hard hitting, long range guns. Simplicity itself really.
Is it true that in the olden days, vehicles were more realistically powerful and thus a lot of people would win games against 'Mech players by just fielding a ton of cheaper, quicker, more effective vehicles and picking off the lumbering robots one by one? Which apparently led to several rounds of vehicle nerfs?
>>47859847
It was more the methods of balancing were not as refined before the creation of the Battle Value and then BV2 points systems, so stacking up stuff by tonnage or cbills or whatever could mean a lance of mechs facing a fuckton of cheap, light, heavily armed vehicles.
I think if anything vehicles have slowly had options for being less disposable added in, changing up the critical hits chart as well as other survivability optional rules added.
>>47859847
What? No, not at all. Somebody's been telling you some real bullshit, buddy.
What IS true is that in pure 3025 play, the gap between Fusion Engine tanks and mechs was the smallest that it ever was, in terms of performance per ton. But even then, such vehicles would also COST about as much as a mech of similar performance, so swarming wouldn't be possible.
And for another thing, there's never been a "big vehicle Nerf". In fact, the most recent set of rulebooks include optional rules to make vehicles MORE durable, because many folks consider them to be UNDERPOWERED
>>47859847
Not really true. The round of vehicle nerfs is more a taste-based thing from one of the developers. The real problem was with people taking massive swarms of cheap vehicles and abusing the stacking/movement rules (which require you to stop when you enter a hex with an enemy unit in it regardless of type). That let them completely dictate movement and abuse damage distribution against players who weren't prepared to deal with the tactic; in particular, 'Mechs optimized for dealing with other 'Mechs have only a couple of weapons realistically capable of one-shotting even the lightest fast hovercraft, and most people don't know how to split fire. Meanwhile, because of the way that initiative works, the swarmer can choose to fuck with the other player pretty hardcore regardless of whether he wins the roll or not. So you'd wind up with swarms of cheap vees overrunning your position and hammering you with huge numbers of paper cuts, unable to move, and unable to kill enough enemies to make a difference.
It's like being pecked to death by ducks, and it's no fun for anyone but the dickweed who's playing the hovers.
Anyway, they introduced the motive crit rules to make tanks less effective even though they already were, because the line dev didn't think tanks, planes, or spaceships belong in a game with robots in. The swarm thing was dealt with (for about six years) by a rule that gave you penalties for taking more units than the other guy. Now that trying the tactic is a one-way trip to the Land of Punched Faces (Population: You), they got rid of the swarm penalty but keep the vehicle hate-on.
There are alternate rules in Tactical Operations that beef vees up some, but they have no points increase associated with them so it can unbalance a scenario created with the new vee points costs (which do include a rebate for vees being a bit shittier).
Does this ever see any use on the table?
And how is it compared to the Republic Super-Heavy mechs?
>>47859847
>Is it true that in the olden days, vehicles were more realistically powerful and thus a lot of people would win games against 'Mech players by just fielding a ton of cheaper, quicker, more effective vehicles and picking off the lumbering robots one by one?
As someone who was there, no. The closest thing that happened was that sometimes people would be dumb and say "let's balance by tonnage, tanks count half" and the guy they were playing would show up with a bunch of "battlemech without legs" tanks or a billion fucking savannah masters and kick the first guy's ass, but that had nothing to do with the rules and everything to do with people not knowing how to balance a damn match. Maybe you heard some of those stories but all garbled up and confused
>>47860187
>Maybe you heard some of those stories but all garbled up and confused
Either this or possibly some of the same rumors I used to occasionally hear spread by guys who weren't into Battletech, the intent being to spread an idea of "hurr battletech developers couldn't make giant robots practical in their own game about giant robots"
>>47860317
>or possibly some of the same rumors I used to occasionally hear spread by guys who weren't into Battletech, the intent being to spread an idea of "hurr battletech developers couldn't make giant robots practical in their own game about giant robots"
Yeah, that sounds about right
>>47860187
So tell us, old grog, how did people balance games back in the days before the BV system?
>>47860099
Here, and >>47860187
has the right of it, basically.
Now, as for what vehicles lose out on against 'Mechs:
• Shittier line of sight. Vees are only 1 level high, 'Mechs are 2. Makes them easier to hide, but harder to concentrate fire with, and fire concentration is life in BT. See below for more on this, also.
• Movement modes. Hovers are relatively fast, but have most terrain blocked; they die instantly if they get immob'd on water, even though they also treat it as Clear terrain. They get slightly higher Target Movement Modifiers in the open, but have to turn (and therefore skid) a lot more than most units. They also can't use Woods, the most common cover in the game - so they NEED that speed to stay alive. Wheels are fast on roads but can't go in woods, and lose the extra speed and water options that hovers have - sort of the worst of both worlds. On the other hand, they're cheap. Tracks are slow but have the advantage of using hard cover in a way that the others can't.
• 'Mechs can damage enemies in close combat without taking damage themselves. In particular, a 'Mech can move into the same hex as a Vee and kick the shit out of it, while vees only get the option to ram - which has a very good chance in anything over 30t of causing motive crits or otherwise fucking you up, while only damaging the 'Mechs legs. Good tactically with a bunch of cheap suicide units, bad strategically and generally silly.
• While vehicles get rebates on heat control, they can't use most equipment 'Mechs use for getting extra weight, including DHS. That means most Vees are either exploiting otherwise inefficient ballistics (like the Demolisher), or using a mixed armament with ~10 heat (for a fusion engine's natural sinks) worth of energy, plus ballistics. They also have to sink 100% of their generated heat - no spiking heat one turn and cooling off later, so no real hit-and-run tactics.
>>47860402
For pickup games, you really only had tonnage (which breaks down with inefficient designs like the Banshee and Assassin, or the hyper-efficient BNC-3S), cost (rare, since the rules for that were introduced in an expensive sourcebook), or "feel" - which only works after you've got a lot of games under your belt. "Feel" also incorporates things like victory conditions, the interoperation of units as opposed to considering each in isolation, that sort of thing. Unfortunately, it's a massive pain in the ass and still highly subjective.
There were a lot of historical re-fights back in the day, though. Those were (allegedly) balanced by the feel-factors coupled with playtesting, but skewed so that the "hero" units would win most of the time. Still not so much fun for a lot of people, unless you've both read the books and are just trying to do better than the historical examples the enemy set therewhich was never very fucking hard with Stackpole in the room...
BV is, IMO, a WAY better system even if it's fucking irritating in practice.
>>47860402
Well, before BV there was a system introduced in the all-but-forgotten Tactical Handbook in 93 or so called Combat Value, which was kinda like BV 0.1. It wasn't very good, but it was something. Before that, there was an even worse system from the old battletechnology magazine called Combat Efficiency Factors or something like that, which came out sometime in the late 80s. Before that, it probably really was just straight tonnage (I only started in 89 or 90, so I can't tell you as to that far back).
But primarily, the main balancing mechanism was that if you were an asshole, nobody would play against you.
For the guys I was playing with back then, we had our own thing, which was that before a game, both guys would give their lists to a third party who'd look at them both and if they were too cheesy you'd be given it back and told to make another or use one of several prebuilt lists that the store kept handy for this sort of thing. Custom designs were subject to the same process. Worked well enough back then. But BV is great for people you don't know, I gotta say
Check out some of the new IWM sculpts, anons. Just got them assembled (and the fucking Dragoon's knee slipped, I hate that assembly).
>>47860816
is that the Black Knight from XTRO Most Wanted? What they did to the poor mech? Looks terrible
>>47860111
On most tables? No. It's a bunker buster more than a tank. Thus the "Siege Vehicle" designation. It's also slow, and 3000 BV for a Vehicle that has limited tactical value unless attacking a fixed base.
>>47861259
Looks like they just flipped the torso around, bulked the knees and head up a bit, and just said "fuck my shit up." As for that RFL-III... the barrels are too big for a 100 ton mech with quad gauss. The Dragoon is a damn shame, and whoever sculpted that should be told to do it again, but less shit. Quasimodo is an eh sculpt, though it's a good clone of the art.
>>47860816
I know we're losing detail to blur/lighting but wow that Black Knight in particular is really plain looking.
Could we get some individual/close up shots please?
>>47861259
Yeah, it's the Black Knight "Red Reaper". I actually sorta like it, in a derpy way. It isn't their finest work, I'll say that.
>>47861426
The Rifleman III looks *exactly* like its artwork, which is why the barrels are so big.
The Dragoon... is way worse than I wanted it to be. I love the Dragoon but this sculpt is miserable.
The Quasimodo is slick, actually. Get one and you'll see, it's actually pretty great looking.
>>47861733
Sure, gimme a sec to take them. I'm assembling a new sculpt Centurion at present, but I'll get those pics first.
>>47861762
>The Quasimodo is slick, actually. Get one and you'll see, it's actually pretty great looking.
It's the skinny arms. I know it's in the art though. I also can't justify getting a Quasi until I figure out what to put in its lance.
>The Rifleman III looks *exactly* like its artwork, which is why the barrels are so big.
Except the art has smaller barrels with a big shroud, which that grainy photo doesn't show.
>>47861733
Black Knight
>>47850279
When I was a kid and first getting into BT, a friend of my dad's had a bunch of 12 inch wooden models he'd built for his group so they could play BT in a field
>>47861818
Why the fuck did it rotate the pic? Sorry anons, phone is retarded.
Close up on the Quasimodo.
>>47861847
Fucking phone. Won't stop rotating the pics.
Dragoon.
>>47861879
Rifleman III.
>>47861847
Let me guess, iPhone
>>47861912
Yeah, it was free. I'm not a big fan.
Hey, all this talk of introbox lists and what new folks should be buying after it has got me thinking. How about we put together some "Introbox Plus" lances and stuff? Like say some lances for introbox+3e mechs, or introbox plus RTT or simply two introboxes
it seems some guy called orko_one is making these
I don't know anything apart the picture, I just saw it on
The new Centurion. I really like it, think it looks solid.
>>47858924
>If you're new, don't bother with fighters just yet. Get a solid handle on the Mech game first. Fighters (conventional or AeroSpace) complicate things immensely, and they *force* you to change tactics when facing them or they become tremendously strong. Of course, fighters are also subject to deconstructive lithobraking, so one unlucky roll can lose you a very large asset.
Ironically, I'm introducing a guy to the game who, while he likes 'Mechs fine enough, is actually even more into the ASFs, DropShips, and WarShips.
>>47862278
I would think that the starter box and 3e mechs combo would be best, just on account of it would have the most possibilities, including proper periphery lances and maybe even one for pirates
Has Vega always been a dump?
The books make it seem like it's deserving of being the dumping ground it was when the Combine was still running things there.
For those who have ventured into it, what's your favorite BT fanfic?
>>47864046
Hyper entropic warfare is my favorite BT fan anything.
What is the best clan invasion era assault mech?
>>47864046
>OOH ARCHON-PRINCE VICTOR
>a battletech fan fiction
>Federated Commonwealth I am home now and also my cooling jacket opened?
>Ooh Archon-Prince Victor ooh *swoon*
>Let's do it.
>Yes.
>And I will leave my neurohelmet on.
>*gaze*
>MEANWHILE IN A 20 LIGHT YEAR RADIUS OF THE EVENT
>REACTORS STACKPOLING
>*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
>CLANNERS BECOMING DEZGRA
>STRAVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG
>It was amazing.
>the end
>>47864046
I can't venture into official BT fiction because how bad it is, let alone fanfiction
Have there been any updates to the sourcebooks for the FedCom Civil War era?
>>47864141
Dire Wolf, I believe
Its prime configuration has one Marauder on each arm
>>47864295
not that I am aware, no
>>47864145
10/10
>>47864196
For a fan of the game you're missing out if you haven't read "Wolves on the Border"
>>47864046
I occasionally enjoy drakinsis' wide range of "hanse davion teams up with _____ to molest the capcon even more thoroughly then in canon" fanfic when I'm feeling silly
>>47864046
I vaguely recall one RWBY fic that hilariously missed the point of the clans
>>47864295
The various Handbooks are set in '67, right on the tail end of the FCCW.
>>47864141
That the IS saw? Dire Wolf.
The War Hawk is gimped by fixed DHS (and to a lesser extent, Ferro over Endo). The Gargoyle is outdone in every way by the Timber Wolf. The Executioner has shit armour and wastes pod space on integral JJs and MASC. The later Turkina does the same thing with its JJs, and the Kingfisher though old IC doesn't show up for a while OOC.
I'd rank the Kingfisher at a tier below the Dire Wolf, maybe slightly edging the War Hawk out because while the War Hawk gets two good configs (Prime and C) the Kingfisher uses its pod space better than most even if the base chassis is not fantastic.
>>47860099
>It's like being nibbled to death by cats
[centauri noises]
>>47862306
>. I really like it, think it looks solid.
That's.. that's actually not half bad. Might pick up a couple.
>>47862278
>Hey, all this talk of introbox lists and what new folks should be buying after it has got me thinking. How about we put together some "Introbox Plus" lances and stuff? Like say some lances for introbox+3e mechs, or introbox plus RTT or simply two introboxes
I've been doing something similar for a bit now.
Let me get my notes together, and I'll field some suggestions once that's up
>>47863532
>I would think that the starter box and 3e mechs combo would be best,
Maybe, but not everyone's got $120-150 to spend on that combo of introbox and 3e stuff. Plus, we still don't know what's going to be in the Alpha Strike box yet; that will likely have some but not all of the 'Mechs from the 3e set, and I'd rather work with that assumption than with a rapidly-depleting supply of thirty-year old components of limited quality.
>>47864835
Actually, I'm quoting a Dave Barry article from the '80s, but Straz was quoting from the same thing.
>>47865288
Using 3e as a guidline seems like a good idea to me partially because I still occasionally see a set sitting around the used section of various gaming stores, partially because they aren't that hard to find second-hand, and also because lists built for it would work for most "so I found some old unseen and picked them up" situations.
But obviously once the shimseen alpha strike introbox comes out, it'll be the best choice to go with the introbox (unless we also get shimseen lance packs)
>>47865440
>Using 3e as a guidline seems like a good idea to me partially because I still occasionally see a set sitting around the used section of various gaming stores, partially because they aren't that hard to find second-hand, and also because lists built for it would work for most "so I found some old unseen and picked them up" situations.
Yeah, I agree on that.
I just basically assume a new player is willing to spend about a hundred bucks to get familiar with a game before they toss it or start spending more, and people generally aren't willing to go more than about 10-15 minutes out of their way to get anything (that's based on a series of studies done by the American Bowling Association, of all things, but I find the numbers super useful). Most of them aren't going to go much farther than eBay and Minimarket to get their shit (and even that's pushing it). Overall, I prefer an intro scenario where they have to wait less than a week to get into it, if at all possible.
That said, the list is going to be for >all< the plastic BT stuff, where to find it, average prices, and factions, along with a basic buying suggestion based on how much money you have and what factions you want to play (as well as some good ideas for OPFOR to give to a friend). So it's not a small project.
>>47864345
>I believe
Its prime configuration has one Marauder on each arm
More than that, the Dire Whale Prime packs an ultra AC/5 in each along with the lasers. Blake help the mechwarrior that gets alpha'd by a Daishi.
>>47864046
Kerensky and Kurita by Master Arminas is a solid read. Not perfect, but very enjoyable by AU standards.
>>47864046
There's that Battletech LP over on something awful that's a pretty fun read.
Which of the unseen are available from Warhansa? That might be a good alternative to the 3e models
>>47867287
>Which of the unseen are available from Warhansa? That might be a good alternative to the 3e models
Only a couple. The "Matador" is $10/model, and the ONLY plastic Marauder option that isn't utter ass. It's also not based on the MWO art, but..
The Shad, Thud, and BLR are the only other Unseen up, and I'm not really a fan of the design changes.
The Robotech Tactics heavies run about $5-9 a pop (depending on the source), and cover the WHM/RFL and the ARC/LGB. Better bang for the buck IMO.
>>47852487
PPC for ERLL and 2 DHS. For a slight damage drop, you get better range brackets, no min range, and a net increase in heat dissipation.
>>47852487
Dropping LRM 20s down to LRM 15s to mount CASE
>>47852487
Swapping LRM 20's for MRM 30's
>>47838109
I've been working on some miniatures.
>>47868436
Say! I really like that. Reminds me of MW4
>>47868502
Thanks. It's a custom one of a kind piece that I made. I took this pic before I painted the cockpit.
>>47868636
..dude. Focus, crop. The camera is picking up on the wood grain instead of your mini. You can help a bit by putting a piece of white paper behind it, and making sure you're in Macro mode (the little flower) before you take the shot.
Not bad work for a hybrid 3d print (if what I can make out is actually what's going on). Most phone software has an "edit" mode built into the gallery preview, and it's super easy to crop down. If it's just a digicam.. man, even mspaint is decent at cropping.
If you want more photo tips, check the OP of the WiP thread. I'm not perfect, but you can still do better methinks.
Oh, and I really like your base effect. That just crackle medium, or something more sculptured?
>>47868737
Thanks for the advice. My phone has a decent camera for large things but can't focus on small. I can edit pictures yes which I forgot about. The base effect is a paint from games workshop in their technical range. I forget the name bit its name has martian in it.
>>47868737
Is this any better?
So, anybody here unironically fans of the Wobbies?
>>47868737
Forgot image
>>47868737
Better?
>>47868831
My images are washed-out, too blue, and the head of the laser on the far left one is out of focus, but you can still see all the detail on black-primed minis. Like I said, not perfect, but it's better-cropped and actually something you can see all the deets on. Way better than some of my earlier pics, even if I'm still having trouble getting back to this whole painting thing after breaking my hand.
>>47868737
>>47868871
I think you're just a better painter than I am. But yeah I see what you mean about cropping but I don't think my phone has the best camera for taking pictures of small things.
>>47868876
It's a bit out of focus, but those two images are still way better at showing the colors and general shape.
This pic is way worse than the Marauder up there, and it's fro mbefore I built my (shitty) lightbox or learned to take slightly better pics. Still not great.
I think you're also taking your images from farther away too.
>>47868913
Was a tabletop Mad Dog variant ever made to represent having the MW4 chin turret?
>>47868907
Dude that paint job is rad! Ive always liked the unseen shadowhawk. Dougram was the shit next to armored trooper.
>>47868922
I don't believe so. I made my own vulture based on the MW4 version. Even my version is not exactly the same as mw4. There are details that i added. Especially on the legs. But its still very recognizable. I plan on selling this model on eBay at some point soon.
What we really need to do is somehow get 3D models of the shimseen to warhansa so as to avoid the inevitable bullshit CGL delays
>>47868957
I've been meaning to ask, why "Shimseen"?
>>47868968
They're new versions of the "unseen" by shimmeringsword, who we call shimmy around here. Hence shimseen
>>47868983
I figured it had something to do with the unseen due to the name, but never heard of shimmeringsword. It's why I was asking.
>>47868990
Ah, well. He's an artist, does a lot of battletech stuff, including commissions for the /btgro/ and, recently, new versions of the classic unseen
>>47868841
Yep.
>>47868841
Absolutely, heretic.
>>47868924
>Dude that paint job is rad! Ive always liked the unseen shadowhawk. Dougram was the shit next to armored trooper.
Thank you! I have a full unit based on the color scheme; according to my research, it's probably Santander's Killers, the bandit government of Santander V. It was on the cover of Reinforcements, a boxed set of cardboard minis. You'll notice the crest on "lisa" there in the center is Helmar Valasek's crest of the crowned skull with twin daggers against a diamond.
For my version I added a good bit of red to spice it up, and used the old manga-illustration technique of overlaying thin white lines to get a glazed appearance on the cockpits. I also have a couple Griffins, a Crud, and a PHX in this scheme, along with a Stalker, a modded Wasp, and some other things on the paint table. The really funky-looking Shad custom in >>47868737 (second from the right) is fluffed as a Shad rebuilt to the Wolverine spec, with a command electronics package and some minor weapon swapping (the SRM-6 is mounted on his backpack, and I kept the arm-mounted ML just to keep the number of refit hours down).
Yeah, Dougram is the shit. I liked Macross a lot as a kid, but as an older veteran 08th MS Team and Dougram speak to me more.
>>47868922
>Was a tabletop Mad Dog variant ever made to represent having the MW4 chin turret?
Yeah, the Vulture 2 or 3 was done up to represent that. Can't remember which but it's out there.
>>47868841
>anybody here unironically fans of the Wobbies?
Does enjoying using them as OPFOR count? Cause they're fun as fuck for that.
>>47869410
I did up a special Victor to represent one of Valasek's lieutenants, Deb Malgur. Still need to re-ink the base on her, now that I look at this.
>>47869410
>>47869451
And Valasek's Jolly Roger. Not my favorite BT pirate flag (see next post), but I love the fluff on the unit.
>>47869466
Tell me this shit ain't awesome. One of the reasons I wound up as a foreverGM in Battletech is that I love playing pirates every now and again, but everyone in a campaign wants to play noble hardscrabble mercs out to make some enemies and get dem titties and beer.
>>47869410
Dougram, Blockhead, Full Armor VF-1, and a VF-1.
No wonder FASA got sued.
>>47869482
Eh, FASA bought the rights, just that the whole situation surrounding Macross is STILL an unresolved clusterfuck and it was much, much worse back then. There's a reason they didn't get sued until the 90s, too.
Ironically, as of a court decision a few years ago, the company that sold Harmony Gold their bullshit license-in-perpetuity never had the legal right to do so to begin with, so with enough cash you could actually finally strip them of that horseshit. Unfortunately, there's a sealed court decision from the end of the original FASA case that specifically prevents any organization related to BT from >ever< re-opening the case, because out-of-court settlements.
Even more ironically, Catalyst actually HAS the legal rights for the Dougram and Crusher Joe units back, but Topps won't let them publish them because they're gun-shy about dealing with JP rights-holders ever again.
The VMI stuff is its own special hell.
So yeah. Magical.
>>47868922
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Vulture_Mk_III
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Mad_Dog_Mk_IV_(Vulture_Mk_IV)
Both packing chin turrets.
>>47869662
Alas, those production years.
>>47868841
Why not? They were right.
>>47868983
Is there a gallery available of his take on the Unseen?
>>47870288
>Is there a gallery available of his take on the Unseen?
Not yet. I'm on my way to bed, but I'll ost whatever the rest of the anons miss tomorrow morning. The covers of Int Ops, Combat Manual: Mercs and Historical: Succession Wars all have Shimmy's designs on them, though.
Well seeing as there's been some pics of people's painted mechs I thought I'd join in. Group shot of my Wolf Dragoons Lance with my Robotech unseen awaiting painting for a proper game, and not the DOA tactics.
Been a Dragoon since the 90's even belonged to Mechforce UK as a paid up member of the Dragoons :)
>>47870349
Currently we have an in-cockpit view of his RFL (pic)
lineart for the following:
Warhammer, Marauder, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Ostscout, Wasp, Valkyrie, Locust
Color images of:
Battlemaster, Griffin, Locust, Shad, Marauder, Warhammer, Ostscout
Prototype mini of:
Warhammer. Expect more at GenCon, probably including the Marauder since it's always been a flagship design.
>>47870361
Gotta admit, as much shit as I've seen people give the Dragoons, I love their color scheme.
>>47870288
We've got some of them from the MUL as well. Have an Ostscout.
>>47870397
>Dragoons.
That's just the Black Widows. The rest of the Dragoons have pretty bland schemes.
>>47870397
Yeah I think it's just popular to hate on them. I found the old black widows book so I'm going to replace the battle master and MadCat with Griffin and Crusader from the 3rd Ed plastics I've got to have the proper Black Widows command Lance
>>47870418
Shim's Warhammer.
>>47870426
His Shad, which I think is his weakest one.
>>47870431
>>47870418
>We've got some of them from the MUL as well.
I am upset how that first batch popped up there before CM Mercs was actually released, yet none of the stuff from 1stSW has been put in yet.
Shit, the Marauder art still hasn't been published in anything yet.
>>47870397
Well you can't deny they reached pretty mythic levels of sue until the jihad smacked them back down a couple notches.
>>47870423
>Yeah I think it's just popular to hate on them.
That might just be the kiddies that weren't around back when we were constantly given reasons to roll our eyes at the Dragoons.
>>47870480
Yeah they were kinda sue like and I get you. Though they never got to Space Marine sue or Ultramarine levels of hatred :) think the knock down happened at the right time to stop that, but maybe a little overkill. Glad to see they are still around, but it's also nice about this game that you can play whatever setting is right for you. Glad RRPGT happened, and massively flopped, as it's meant I have refound BT. Such a good game, and now that the live affair with GW has ended I've been catching up with this survivor of a game :)
>>47869544
>Unfortunately, there's a sealed court decision from the end of the original FASA case that specifically prevents any organization related to BT from >ever< re-opening the case, because out-of-court settlements.
What the fuck
>>47868841
The Master did nothing wrong. I like playing WoB that's why I play GM and Wobbies as OpFor
>>47871596
The sealed decision from FASA v Playmates is absolutely insane. For one, it's not actually *available* for CGL/Topps to peruse; it was sealed so that only the court, the plaintiff (FASA - *NOT* Catalyst and Topps) and the defendants (Playmates/HG) could reference it at all.
Remember when CGL tried to bring back the unseen in 2010(ish) and got shot in dick for doing so? They literally didn't know what was in the court case, or who was bound by it until HG sicced their lawyers on CGL/Topps for breaching a legal decision that CGL/Topps didn't know existed. They had no legal way to know that because they were now producing the BattleTech property, they were bound by the case result even though they were a completely different company.
To make a strained analogy: Imagine if I was sued by my neighbor and to settle the suit, I agreed that my car was never to go faster than 30mph ever again, and as part of the case I agreed never to talk about this decision to anyone else. Then I sell my car to you, but because I'm bound not to talk about it, I don't tell you that the car isn't allowed to go over 30mph. My neighbor sees you driving my car down the street at 60mph (in a 60mph zone, so as far as you know it's legal), comes to *your* house with a lawyer, and tells you that you're still bound by the agreement *I* made about the car, because the decision follows the *car*, not the owner.
So yeah, "what the fuck" is a good descriptor.
>>47873626
EDIT: I spoke poorly there.
There is a decision by the court from FASAvPlaymates that is an open record (essentially, deciding as a result of an out-of-court settlement).
There is *also* an out-of-court settlement that is sealed and available only to the defendant, plaintiff, and IIRC the court. This is the "decision" to which I referred to above. The post was poorly worded in this regard (I was trying to stay under the character limit) and I apologize.
>>47873626
>>47873668
Which is why Catalyst needs to disband, Topps recovers the license, hires a team to put a bullet in the back of Loren coleman's head and the head of everyone with a beemer on the OF, sell the license to a moderately competent game company (which will be a big improvement over Catalyst), who then reboots it under a new name but keeping all the fluff and basic rules structure thus escaping all of that bullshit license stuff. All of those perpetual agreements FASA made in the 90s are just goddamn terrible and they need to figure out a way around them.
Hey is the campaign companion out?
I have some questions about the periphery.
The plan is to have a nice little campaign around the year 3000 within the area which will later be the Oberon Confederation.
First of the technology.
How is it possible that bandits and pirates are able to go on raids in neighboring systems and even against the Lyrans and the Combine?
How do they manage the logistical aspect?
Do they have actual Jumpships?
And if so how do they maintain them and prevent them from falling apart in space after all these centuries?
I mean if even the inner sphere has problems in keeping their stuff operational, how can a bunch of pirates, that at best manages to steal some spare parts on their raids achieve that?
Same goes for armor and mechs.
Sure most of them will just use old designs, jury rigging their stuff etc.
But still, if we take the area of later Oberon Confederation then the last time they got actual, working tech was when Hendrik Grimm and his 65th Lyran Regulars deserted to the area in 2829.
To my knowledge they have no proper factories or other possibilities of actual maintenance in the minor periphery worlds.
How do they manage to still do what they do?
Next is the population.
Oberon IV for example is not even scraping on the 100.000.
How?
Yes there may be plagues and bandits and life is hard and stuff.
But most of these planets are populated for several hundreds of years.
On top of that the former Rim Worlds Republic planets, as far as I know, haven't been nuked in the reunification war. The only bad thing that ever happened to them was being roflstomped by Kerensky's SLDF units during the amaris civil war.
Yes factories got destroyed as well as infrastructure, but there was no "kill everything" going on.
And even if, that also would have been 230 years in the past.
More that enough time to raise the population count.
I am currently reading through several sourcebooks but I am unable to find any explanations for the problems above.
>>47875857
Chill. It just left the writer's hands, they still have to do layout and "editing", plus probably finish commissioning art. Got a month or six yet before it's ready, although they'll probably have a preview or a beta up for Gen Con.
>>47876697
Yes, pirates have jumpships.
They maintain them the same way civilian commercial concerns do: in jumper yards, and with basic modular tech like all the rest of the Star League's magic machines. In addition, there are a couple of pirate yards out there, especially in bandit kingdoms - they can refurb even if they can't build.
Pirates also steal jumpers in boarding actions, or snag parts.
>Armor and Mechs
Steal, jerry-rig. You can look at Wilson's Hussars after they escaped their term as pirate contractors, or the Santander's Killers raiding party in Tales of the Black Widow company to see how fucked up pirate units can wind up being, but not everyone is that badly-off (and of course, some are even more fucked).
>To my knowledge they have no factories.
That's the problem; your knowledge. The Concordat outright sells to pirates, for starters. The Marians actually >have< factories, and Lady Death cobbles a refit line together in the 3050s. You're also forgetting that they have outlaw techs - the same kinds of people responsible for keeping the Solaris VII games running for so long. And, again, the resilience of Star League tech. After all, the Lyrans have been keeping many 'Mechs contemporary to Grimm's batch running with no running factories for that model (Starslayer et. al.). We know that a good machine shop can fabricate enough parts to keep even weirdo designs like the Clint running long after the line should have been dead.
Then, you have a steady trickle of failed mercs, thieves, and outlaws hopping out to the Periphery to reinforce pirates - look at how Redjack Ryan started.
TL:DR not only do they have factories, they're not that far behind where the Successor States are in the early 31st Century.
>>47876697
>Population issues
That's just FASA being retarded, ignore it. Especially the stuff from Periphery 1e, they were really still feeling out the universe at that point. I'd definitely get ahold of Field Manual: Periphery, Explorer Corps, and Historical: Brush Wars. Interstellar Players 3: Interstellar Expeditions also has some tasty Periphery nuggets, but it's post-Jihad so if you want to avoid main plotline spoilers it's best to skip that for a bit.
>>47876919
>>47877049
I knew about the major periphery states having factories. But as said I am more interested in the small states, independent worlds and pirate bands.
However that they use jumpships so blatantly was new and quite surprising to me.
Thank you for your answers and suggestions. Time do to some more reading.
>>47877303
>Thank you for your answers and suggestions. Time do to some more reading.
Always happy to help. The JumpShips thing is honestly a surprise to a lot of people, especially since FASA made up an extremely silly number early on and had to retcon the shit out of it. But really, even merc units and commercial outfits already have them, and for "space piracy" to function, the pirates >have< to have jumpers. If it's any help, most of the realms I've found any kind of data on generally have only one or two, usually hijacked by the band's founders, and operate mostly by stealing >drop<ships. Pirates should also be way more careful than most about doing speed-charges or stupid jumps - they lose the core, they're completely fucked. One of the reasons the Marian Hegemony gains so much power and becomes a legit state in its own right is that they have access to a shitload of germanium for jump cores.
I've got a document at home that I put together for my last Periphery campaign. It catalogues the damaged 'Mechs in scenario packs, as well as the percentage of 'Mechs of each type that show up.
I've put that info together into a second doc - a random table for generating pirate/peripherat/Mad Max-era 'Mechs with problems, if you're interested in either.
Oh, and the ComStar sourcebook mentions their shadow campaigns in the Periphery during the late 30th/early 31st centuries. Basically they handed off 'Mechs and logisitical support to a few pirate groups to keep the Successor States on their toes, but for some reason trusting a bunch of murderous cutthroats didn't work out so well for them. Can't imagine why.
>>47877627
>Documents
>if you're interested in either
You can bet! I am thankful for everything I can get my hands on.
>>47876697
>Do they have actual Jumpships?
Yes. They have quite a few
>And if so how do they maintain them and prevent them from falling apart in space after all these centuries?
Because battletech tech is fucking indestructible
>mean if even the inner sphere has problems in keeping their stuff operational,
The problem is more that they have trouble building jumpers and coordinating logistics than they do in keeping them flying
>>47868004
I heard the Robotech Tactics minis are too big.
>>47877960
They're a little big, but you can work with them. It is noticeable though.
>>47877960
It's only really the marauder that's a little big the warhammers spot on
>>47877960
Aside from the Marauder and veritech, they're actually near-perfect
>>47878401
That's not true; Siembedia said so explicitly in one of the kickstarter emails. Plus if you use them for Battletech, you're doing so illegally and opening yourself up to a lawsuit from Palladium. Your license to use the Robotech Tactics minis only extends to using them for Robotech-branded games, in perpetuity.
>>47879024
9/10, very good
>>47879024
You are cute
>>47879024
9/10 job, but the rest of you DO know that Siembeda has sued people for stuff pretty close to that, right? Single-sentences that are coped from a rulebook and put on a website or a forum, or quoting the rules have all been targeted into lawsuits from that fucked-up bastard.
I can see him actually doing that, saying that purchasing minis for RT:T is an agreement to use them only for that game. It's not like he doesn't already hate battletech to the point of calling Gencon convention security to get people wearing CGL tshirts out of his booth, you know.
>>47843102
If only because there was nothing to come after it and supersede it for over a decade. Kind of a win by default, there.
On the plus side, the game was bad enough that my disappointment led me to looking into /tg/ Battletech as an alternative.
>>47843102
MW3 was better
>>47870480
I would actually say the Northwind Highlanders are the most sue merc unit. I mean the Dragoons at least suffered massive casualties in several campaign, like Misery, Anton's Revolt & the following assault on Hesperus II, and at least 50% losses fighting the Clans on Luthien.
Northwind Highlanders, on the other hand, somehow were talked up as being honorable and famous despite turning on their employers, having author wank out the wazoo, and practically sat out the Jihad without hardly any losses.
Let's see what /btg/ says on the matter:
http://www.strawpoll.me/10539540
