Battletech - When Politics and Power Collide - Looking for new players

[Captain Whitebread]

Battletech...  I've heard it described as 'Game of Thrones with big stompy robots.

It's a little more complex than that but it makes a good starting point.

Characters will be part of the military and will have a prestigious role as one of the elite members of any combat force: Mechwarrirors.

The setting is 3025, after man has expanded well into the stars.  Finding nothing else to fight, he continued to fight himself, fracturing the inhabited galaxies into five great houses.

Davion
Kurita
Liao
Marik
Steiner

On certain rare planets, all five houses have a toehold.  These planets are incredibly valuable, as they are the places where information, material and money can change hands easily between the major powers.  Control of these planets is highly sought after and occasionally the balance of power lies in the hands of a very few.

Guess who gets to play those few?

The premise is more based on politics than fighting, so if you're looking for a fight based scenario, this is not the game for you.

The thread belongs to ThisOneGal  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=53822 but I will be GMing.  I've been playing and running Battletech since the mid 80s, and  I'm more than willing to help people who don't know the game well to familiarize themselves.  Contact either ThisOneGal or me to learn more.

[ThisOneGal]

I'm game, obviously. ^^

Old thread link for future reference.

[Chaosfox]

Love this idea. Played the Mech games on the computer never realized there was a board game until I found the books. But I do love the universe. Have read a few of the books but they have always been good reads.

[Captain Whitebread]

Welcome to the battle, ChaosFox.

Follow the Old thread link in ThisOneGal's post and tell us about your character and their mech....

[Chaosfox]

I will think on for the day and try and get a rough idea  tonight. Need to really look over the tech for that era before I decde on anything.

[Captain Whitebread]

If the words double, pulse or the letters XL or ER appear in the name, that weapon, engine or heat sink isn't available.

[Chaosfox]

Im still interested in this I have come down with something and spent all day working on yard stuff yesterday which has not helped me. Just thought I would let yo both know.

[Captain Whitebread]

We are patient.  Get well soon and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

[Chaosfox]

Thanks and why I don't have any fine details yet I have a couple of ideas For my character concept and narrowed down  to 5 different Mechs they might use.

[Muse]

  What version of the game are you using, captain?  And how fast do you want your game to move? 

[WhatLiesAbove]

I'm interested! Is there a link where I can read up on where you guys are in the game currently?

[Captain Whitebread]

The game has not yet begun, as we are still in the recruiting and concept generation stage.

As per ThisOneGAl's parameters, only wealthy nobles have the resources to maintain mechs, which are rare relics of a bygone age.  Your character is a minor one of these nobles.  A unit as small as a lance will have an enormous affect on the balance of power, when each side holds no more than a company of light and medium mechs.

I'm not using any particular system to run this.  There will be no character sheets or dice rolling.  We're all mature enough to be able to create characters that are not all stellar pilots with unmatched gunnery.  Even Natasha Kerensky was a novice in the beginning.

Any 3025 light or medium mech is permissible.  You'll need to talk me into letting you have a heavy and you'll need to bribe me to get an assault. 

[Muse]

Oh, darn.  Never mind then.  I hope you have a good game. 

[Captain Whitebread]

No battle is over until the assault mechs have finished playing.

[Phaia]

HMmm 3025 ya say. I grew up with a father, uncle and brothers that were huge battletech fans. So I have to ask which planet you are referring too that was contested by all 5 houses. Only Solaris the game world came close. I am sure one close to Terra can fit the bill for the story. Denoban or New Terra of course those worlds have been heavily fought over. Your change to making mechs owned only by the rich and titled means that mechs are much rarer and also discounts the great armies of each House that owned most of the mechs in their army. All that aside I am interested in your setting and how you planned on handling things. I have no problem with a story that at best includes fast and furious combat in mechs and the rest is plot driven.
I do have a concept in mind ...would you allow a Stinger LAM as the mech. Lextatech still made them in 3025.

Phaia

[TheGlyphstone]

What kind of bribes do you accept? I love Battletech games, and pounce on them whenever they appear, but I just adore the old King Crab too much to not at least take a shot in the dark at being able to translate over a character I've used in previous BT E-games.

Is it also safe to assume that this version of BT lacks the mercenaries/mercenary groups that are a central part of the 'regular' setting, since battlemechs are so much rarer and owned exclusively by the nobility?

[Etah dna Evol]

I'm game. Been a Davion loyalist for a long time.

[Primarch]

I'm super interested, though I'm entirely unfamiliar with the setting. The most I know is that someone showed me a bunch of Mechs like a billion years ago and I know I like a Mech that was either called the Wildcat or Madcat.
Games with politics that involve powermongering & kingmaking always interest me, especially if its Game of Thrones in space...and the valyrian steel swords are traded in for giant warmachines.

[Captain Whitebread]

Wow, I certainly didn't expect so many responses in one day.


@Etah dna Evol, your character looks pretty good.  As the first character to with a declared allegiance, it looks like we're going Davion.

@TheGlypstone, the usual.  Cash.  Sexual favours.  Insider trading tips.  I might be willing to give you a King Crab but it would be such a game changer on the battlefield that every other faction on the planet would be competing to steal it, corrupt your loyalty or destroy it to maintain the balance of power.  It WILL start out in very rough shape and WILL be destroyed very quickly in the game, as a plot point.  This would leave you dispossessed, unless you had something very small as a back-up.

@Phaia, the planet does not exist in Canon because in this game there are several like it, probably clustered around the core.  The Great Houses exist but have been forced to rely on (gasp) politics and intrigue.  The disputed planets have the advantage of being places where information and favours can be traded as easily as loyalties.  Anyone faction being lost on a planet excludes that House from participating in the politics of that region, so maintaining the status quo is very important.  That doesn't mean there aren't squabbles, because that is what war has evolved into.  A LAM would be very rare and would also be a target for theft or conversion rather than outright destruction.  It won't face immediate destruction like an assault mech but owning it will certainly make your life interesting.

@Primarch, the MadCat and WildCat both come from the Clans, which means they are advanced tech, from 25 years in the future and therefore not available.  Did I mention I hate advanced tech AND the clans?  Send me a PM and we can figure out what mech fits your character.  This will be far more power struggle than open war.  Of that I can assure you.

[TheGlyphstone]

That seems kind of pointless to bother with then - I had a vision of this sort of setting using its tiny number of Assault-grade mechs as siege-breakers, rather than field units - lights as scouts as skirmishers, mediums as the bulk of combatants, rare heavies as spearheads/cavalry analogues, and assaults as formation centerpieces or siege units. It's one reason I like the KGC-001 in particular over 'better' assaults like the Zeus or Atlas, because it's a much 'purer' vision of what I think an Assault 'Mech should be - a brawler with clearly defined countermeasures, not a walking firepower depot at all ranges. If they are so valuable that every other faction would be competing to destroy or steal it, I'd expect that 'our' faction would be investing as much effort into protecting it and maintaining it, so dangling that sort of carrot with scripted intent to take it away (basically removing the character from play, since a Dispossessed warrior in this barebones version of Battletech is completely worthless) looks weird. So I'll just take that whole bit as a very long-winded 'no, you can't have it if you want to stay a player in the game'...which is fine, but would have been a lot easier to type.

The concept I had anyways was for a minor Kuritan nobleman, really not transferable to Davion. Ah well.


EDIT: If Mechs are far less common/valuable, do other units, like Tanks and Aerospace, have a larger role in combat when it happens? Rather than gearing up to a 'bigger' mech, I could see some big potential for intrigue/plotting/politics in the role of the commander of a tank squadron...

[Etah dna Evol]

The concept I had anyways was for a minor Kuritan nobleman, really not transferable to Davion. Ah well.

I think a minor Kuritan that finds himself in the service of House Davion and against people that share his culture and blood could be very interesting. Maybe your father was dishonored and disinherited for some reason or another and your family turned to Davion to retain their ancestral lands on this planet.

[TheGlyphstone]

I think a minor Kuritan that finds himself in the service of House Davion and against people that share his culture and blood could be very interesting. Maybe your father was dishonored and disinherited for some reason or another and your family turned to Davion to retain their ancestral lands on this planet.

I'm not against being a Kuritan ex-patriate, it's just that the specific backstory I had in mind was very Kuritan and wouldn't work for a Davion-aligned character. It's something to consider, depending on how Captain feels about tanks (normally relegated to an inferior/support role in regular BT, but here they might form the bulk of armies with the rare-and-precious battlemechs supporting them instead).

[Etah dna Evol]

I would be down for a PC tank commander as part of our group. Maybe Davion recruited you into the Federated Suns with land and title because you brought a tank company with you. Gotta wait for the story tellers though.

To the story tellers, I had mentioned in PM that I was interested in a Griffin. Even though that's a medium mech is that too big? Is there a negative correlation between the size of the mech and how good of shape they are in?

[Phaia]

I am not real trilled with being in any house with the setting. I had an idea as well for a Kurita background. Though it did include her being 'offically' disinherited over a political set up that did dishonor her and could have embrassd her famous grandfather, a general with one of the 'Sword of Light' regiments. Since there is no large miliatry ...no sword of light that swears to serve the Kurita family, and that knocks a lot of holes in my idea.

The problem I see is that with the way the setting seems to be developing there are weak states and powerful lords. If the states ie House Davion does not have mechs and they are all in the hands of nobles then the nobles have a huge amount of power. The innersphere becomes a very feudal setting.

Being part of a state is find but instead of just House davion. Maybe it should be one of the lords on planet that have Davion colors under thier own colors. We will have to ignore all the rich hostory of the innersphere. With mechs being in the hands of nobles there would be no Wolf's dragoons, or any other large mech merc unit. There would be as much war amoung the nobles as against each state. So with that a divided planet works well. Though it needs to be further divided into factions within a House.

Example: Baron Bahhh had 2 mechs both mediums. Duke frrsdd needs those mechs to sercure a planet from a different lord... Bahhh can wring all sorts of deals from the duke or not agree at all.

There would also be far less jumpships, since a good percentage resst with various nation-states to move parts of thier miliatry.

To really create a background I need more info then what has been given. Since all I have are a few bits and pieces.

I am going to hold off on going any further to see what else develops here.

Phaia

[Captain Whitebread]

ThatOneGal is defining the venue.  I'm just presenting the stage within the parameters that I have been given.  The ability to produce mechs has been destroyed.  The grand regiments are a thing of the past.  That doesn't mean that they didn't exist.

Which House the characters belong to is irrelevant to me.  Davion was the first one chosen but if the majority prefer another house, I'm flexible.

In ThisOneGal's Battletech, each noble supports their own mech.  There are no grand armies of mechs, so infantry and tanks carry the majority of the weight.  Yes, tanks will be making a huge portion of the military.  If you want to play a non-noble tank character (or even a dispossessed noble)  I have no problem with that.  One of my favourite BT characters drove a 25 ton Harrasser, so yeah, I'm good with tanks.

Medium mechs are fine.  It will be a little beaten up but fully functional.    Think of it this way.  Mech + spare parts = 55 tons

Assault mechs are one step short of unavailable  After double checking, the King Crab is off the table because it has advanced tech.  Any 3025 assault mech is acceptable.  Just be aware that a mech like that will be a target and will not be fully operational....

Did I address everybody's questions?  Poke me if I didn't.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

[Etah dna Evol]

Any movement on this?

[Captain Whitebread]

So far I've got three character concepts submitted.

EDE had an interesting idea that I refuse to take credit for.

" the world was a resource rich world in the Periphery and it was constantly being raided by bandits and was under threat of acquisition by several successor states. So the planet invited tertiary nobles from all five great successor states to the planet. They gave them land, title and control over one of the planets industries in exchange for producing a single, fully operational battle mech which could be called into service by the planet at any time, usually to defend the planet from bandits.

This would protect the planet because it would import a formidable military to the planet and no successor state would be able to take over the planet without declaring war on every other successor state. Each of the minor nobles could be Lords in the planets legislative body where much intrigue would take place.

That way we could be from any House we wanted to."

This works and gives characters from more than one house a reason to work together.  I'm willing to run this scenario, if everyone likes the idea.  It will require me to juggle the current stock of NPCs to rebalance the factions but that is no problem since I've got them all set up in an Excel spreadsheet.

[Primarch]

Sounds good to me.

[TheGlyphstone]

Sounds good.

As far as tanks go - the Manticore I would be my first pick as the core fighting-unit of a tank battalion, with decent armor and a good all-round weapons package. 60-ton heavy vehicle.

If there's some reason that can't work, the Marsden II is also a decent platform. Being dependent on solid (and volatile) ammunition is a drawback. Also a 60-ton heavy.

Last-resort, the Drillson (older I.C.E. variant) would be acceptable; a lighter weapons package, but the hover capability could be an interesting tactical option depending on the planet's geography.

Considering a modern-day M1 Abrams weighs 68 tons, I really can't consider anything less than 50 tons to be a 'tank',but I'm welcome to other suggestions for a MBT to command a group of. My ideal 'formation' for this RP would be a core group of one of the above, in descending order of preference, with some light vehicles for scouts and some long-range artillery. I would be 'controlling' a dozen or two dozen 'units' (in a very loose sense of control, since this is narrative-driven and combat-light), but the fun benefit of having a bunch of relatively fragile units is the ability to gleefully kill your own stuff during battle scenes when it makes for good story while still having backups.


As far as the character, definitely a Dispossessed noble, but one who's come to accept and embrace his new position in life instead of constantly dreaming of returning to Mechwarrior status. Resentful of the elite status of the Mechs and their pilots relative to how little they actually matter on a battlefield (as he sees it), so ripe for internal intrigue if it means earning more prestige and funding for his tanks.

[Captain Whitebread]

Manticore is a bad-ass tank.  I have NO problem with it.

[TheGlyphstone]

Manticore it shall be then - one Company's worth (three 4-tank platoons and a command tank), two scout platoons of something light and speedy (Skulker scout cars look good), and one platoon of LRM carriers for support.

Tentatively going to have Lyran Commonwealth loyalties, even if I can't have any Lyran Scout Mechs to back me up.

[Captain Whitebread]

You're probably got a mixed platoon with some infantry if you're lucky.  You might have a second Manticore under your command but you're more likely to have something like a bulldog, a couple of Strikers and a Pegasus. The missile carriers are too vulnerable to be used in the field, seeing as how they are slower than molasses and their armour is pretty much tissue paper on three of four sides.  They're set up for base defense but not more than that.  They're likely parked at the star port in carefully constructed bunkers that give them a well protected firing position at the expense of limiting their range or fire. 

I'm sure I could find several scout mechs available to give you things to shoot at... or maybe that should be find you things to shoot at.  How does a lance of stock Chargers sound?  Sorry, no modifying NPC mechs....

[TheGlyphstone]

We're really that hard up for combat-effective firepower? Having mechs be rare and valuable is thematically appropriate to the game, but if a Great House can't even muster a full platoon of matched tanks, let alone a company or a battalion...will our infantry be fighting with swords and shields next, because bullets for their sidearms are priceless relics? :D

And the best use for Chargers is stacking them in rivers to make a bridge for real fighting vehicles.

[Captain Whitebread]

What?  You don't see Chargers as Lords of the Battlefield?  But they're so well armed.....

The Grand Armies are pretty much made of tanks.  The problem is, you're on some backwater planet with no major strategic value.  You're working with the dregs of the armed forces, not battle hardened front line units....

[TheGlyphstone]

Would you prefer I downgrade to all Bulldogs then? Having a tank unit - even if it's just a platoon - all be of one model is kinda crucial for it to actually function as an effective fighting unit, by means of only needing fewer spare parts if nothing else. Run-down, old tanks with occasional maintenance issues I can see for backwater dregs, but they've got to be of similar enough design to be capable of using swapping out parts or drawing from a single stockpile of spares. Else I'd just be some sort of bandit chief taking a House's money, not a serious (however marginalized) member of an actual House military.

[Captain Whitebread]

Stick with your Manticore.  You're not going to be part of a full company.  There is at least one other Manticore but there certainly isn't going to be a company of them.  The best you're going to get is a lance but most likely just a pair...

[TheGlyphstone]

Honestly, I'm feeling this less and less as a game I want to play in at this point. I get that you want to limit how much firepower player characters have, to encourage the politicking, but a tank commander without tanks, plural, to command is just as much of a non-character as a Mech pilot without a Mech - I think you're overcompensating on the low-supplies/weapons front, and it's making it extremely discouraging to try and make concepts that keep having their teeth retroactively pulled. Mechs are supposed to be priceless, to the point where it takes our entire planet to maintain and supply one, but none of the five Houses can bother to contribute more than junkyard scraps to protect said Mech and its supply base from bandits or raiders.

If you're really not willing to budge on this, even to the point of a single platoon/lance of identical combat vehicles, I'll have to withdraw interest - the strictures of the game will have moved too far away from anything I can reasonably accept as Battletech for me to have fun.

[Captain Whitebread]

So you're wanting to control twelve times the firepower of any other character?

[TheGlyphstone]

I did point out that half the fun of multiple fragile units is the freedom to kill them off easily for a more compelling narrative - yes, far more firepower, but on a number of vastly more fragile platforms - any Medium 'Mech can survive the firepower it'd take to obliterate four heavy tanks, so it's entirely justifiable for me to lose an entire tank, or two, in the same fight where I might suffer a badly damaged arm with a Mech. I don't know how much more clear I can make it that I'm not interested in trying to 'win' with super combat ability, especially since you said this is an intrigue/politics game (which implies there won't be a great deal of fighting, making the amount of firepower anyone controls not impactful). Heck, if Battletech is Game of Thrones with giant mecha, I'd be more like Gregor Clegane - has the most 'firepower' of any single character in the cast, but is a political non-entity compared to physically weaker but better-connected nobles. I liked the story potential of a tank commander who prefers a balance of power/prestige slanted towards combat vehicles, and thus has a ready built-in reason to intrigue against Mechwarrior nobles and disrupt the status quo. But a commander without anything to his name to command...isn't. I even offered to downgrade the unit if you weren't comfortable with a full lance of Manticores, to something lighter/smaller.

[Captain Whitebread]

I've always been of the opinion that tanks should not be popcorn.  Hell something like six out of eleven hit locations produce a critical of some sort, which is utterly ridiculous.

I checked my notes and yes, there is another Manticore in one of the factions armoured assets.  Even with only a pair of Manticores, with the other tanks under your command, you'll have control over a greater tonnage than if you commanded a lance of mechs.

[TheGlyphstone]

I am too - I don't think anyone should be building Mechs at all when you could be building Bolos instead. But it's a core conceit of the setting, so I just run with it unless told otherwise.

I did say I'm not concerned with tonnage so much as verisimilitude; if the other tanks I'd control are close enough in design to the Manticore/Bulldog/whatever for them to all reasonably draw from a similar store of spare parts - unless you're suggesting that I'd be 'commanding', at least in theory, the units of multiple Houses in one formation. I've been assuming my company would be drawn purely from the reserve assets of a single House, which was why the motley mix hurt immersion; being unwilling to provide a matched set of hulls, but happily willing to keep three or four entirely separate designs supplied with parts. But if 'my' formation is supposed to be a patchwork Frankenstein of hulls from multiple Houses, that makes a lot more sense.

[Captain Whitebread]

When you look at how the typical mech battalion is put together, you begin to realize that the lunatics are running the asylum.  The dregs are sent here, to work together to defend the planet from pirates.  Obviously something valuable but not too rare is on this planet, otherwise they wouldn't be cooperating.....

[TheGlyphstone]

..was that a yes then? Or is it an intentional mystery/plot point as to why a single House detachment is being made up of four+ disjointed tank patterns with wildly different supply and parts needs, when it'd be more economical to standardize?

[Captain Whitebread]

When has the military EVER been economical?

I can see the 'ground troops' being a far more unified force than the mechwarrirors, if for no other reason than survival.  I'll give you that the tanks are a unit mixed form the houses or potentially mercenary....

[TheGlyphstone]

Well, there's not-economical due to negligence/laziness/graft and then there's "just plain crazy" when it comes to deliberately and intentionally complicating supply requirements (increasing vulnerability and cost at the same time), which is why I was asking. As long as there's a reason for them to be acting that illogically (a mixed-House unit, or a merc detachment, or whatever), it's workable.

I'd imagine this universe's ground troops are much more professional both for survival and because, in most cases, they really are the ones doing the brunt of the fighting (and the dying). The Mechwarriors just show up to steal the credit and engage in duels with each other.

[Captain Whitebread]

Which is why the infantry stops fighting each other when the mechs show up....

I think we've got enough to get the ball rolling on this.  One day either this week or next I'll be posting a link to the RP thread.

[TheGlyphstone]

Cool. I'll have a character profile up by the end of the week then.

Can you reiterate the other units in my lance/platoon alongside the Manticore? I can draft up thumbnail NPC descriptions of the other tankers I'd be interacting with on a regular basis to lighten the load a bit, but I'd need to know their crew complements.

[Captain Whitebread]

I have the npc profiles already.... something in the neighbourhood of 60.   I'm only detailing the tank commanders.

Manticore "Chimera" - Jaswinder Patel (used to be  a doctor - stripped of his license for drinking) - favours <cough> surgical strikes, knows when to stop arguing for a different plan

Striker "Molly's Hatchet" - Molly Green (Rumoured to be a serial killer that beat the charges on a technicality) - will tenaciously harass anything she's told to attack, doesn't like being called off before the kill.
Striker "Heaven's Rift" - Brody Delaney (Army brat who grew up with tanks) - not much of an original thinker.  does what she's told

LRM 10 and SRM 6 ammo for both tanks......  NO energy weapons on the Striker but it is faster than the Manticore

This is the information you have on the tank 'lance' you'll be taking command of.  Any other personnel files you'll need to get from Colonel Newburg, your counterpart in tank command.  Decorated war hero.  He just doesn't play politics particularly well, mainly because he has a low tolerance for bullshit.

[TheGlyphstone]

A second Manticore, a pair of Strikers. That's pretty good - will they all be from the same House?

Also, any real scouts/outriders? Maybe a couple of Darters or Skulkers?

Can I detail my own tank's crew?

[Captain Whitebread]

You can detail your crew.

The majority of the tanks are from separate Houses.  The Strikers came as a pair from Davion.

[Annaamarth]

Interest.

The impression I am under after skimming this thread is that we are a military detachment loyal to a house, Great or otherwise, possibly Davion, in the 3025 era.  The emphasis the group has so far been drawn to is armoured cavalry warfare- in a word, tanks.

So, I have some roles I'd like to ask about and thoughts I'd like to proffer.

1) SIGINT.  Is anyone doing this in a politicking game?  Because I'd be happy to take over the role of the CIC and signals analysis.

2) HUMINT.  Is anyone doing this in a politicking game?  Because I'd be happy to take over the role of the JBs (James Jason Jack Bond Bourne Bauer).

3) Air support.  Do we have access to, perhaps, VTOLs in small numbers?  Not even straight combat choppers, but medevac units, heavy lifters, combat team insertion vehicles?

4) BlOps.  Do we have blackboots on the ground, loaded with demo and intent to sabotage?

5)  Aerospace support.  So far I've seen a tremendous amount of ordnance asked for by others.  Do we have Dropship support on station?  Can we relocate on the continental scale as required?  Do we have eyes-in-the-sky?

6) Logistics.  The fact that mass-production of standardized parts is no longer really a thing is recognized- do we have scrounger teams?  Mechanic support?  Off-world supply to any degree?  Local contracts?  Popular support with a local faction?

Because yes.  Interest.

[summoner2183]

Is this still open? And how about characters? How do we submit them?

[TheGlyphstone]

I think I'm the only person doing the armored-cav thing right now, mainly because it seems a more prominent part of the universe than canon Battletech. Presumably everyone else is playing Mech pilots.

[Captain Whitebread]

Interest.
Always a good thing.

The impression I am under after skimming this thread is that we are a military detachment loyal to a house, Great or otherwise, possibly Davion, in the 3025 era.  The emphasis the group has so far been drawn to is armoured cavalry warfare- in a word, tanks.

Not all the characters are loyal to Davion.  FS was the first loyalty declared but several have given an indication that they wanted to be from DC.  Given that the premise is a planet protected by forces from all teh houses, that works for me.

So, I have some roles I'd like to ask about and thoughts I'd like to proffer.

Ask away.

1) SIGINT.  Is anyone doing this in a politicking game?  Because I'd be happy to take over the role of the CIC and signals analysis.

So far no one has indicated any interest in playing the analyst card.

2) HUMINT.  Is anyone doing this in a politicking game?  Because I'd be happy to take over the role of the JBs (James Jason Jack Bond Bourne Bauer).

Nobody has tossed the spy card either.

3) Air support.  Do we have access to, perhaps, VTOLs in small numbers?  Not even straight combat choppers, but medevac units, heavy lifters, combat team insertion vehicles?

Currently air support comes from a small squardon of light aerospace fighters and two squadrons of conventional aircraft, with some VTOLs thrown in for good measure.  There are several med-evac choppers...

4) BlOps.  Do we have blackboots on the ground, loaded with demo and intent to sabotage?

There are some specialist infantry units, ranging from snipers to scouts to demolition experts.

5)  Aerospace support.  So far I've seen a tremendous amount of ordnance asked for by others.  Do we have Dropship support on station?  Can we relocate on the continental scale as required?  Do we have eyes-in-the-sky?

No dedicated drop ship assets.  Relocation will rely on local infrastructure 

6) Logistics.  The fact that mass-production of standardized parts is no longer really a thing is recognized- do we have scrounger teams?  Mechanic support?  Off-world supply to any degree?  Local contracts?  Popular support with a local faction?

Characters will have (and will need to detail) their own support staff.  Obviously there are some NPCs that could be relied on.

Because yes.  Interest.

Interest is always good.  Feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[Captain Whitebread]

Is this still open? And how about characters? How do we submit them?

Submit your character concept to me.  I'm not requiring a character sheet, just a basic bio.  Light and medium mechs (3025 tech) are available at no extra charge.

[Annaamarth]

Via PM, I have now submitted a... well.  To call it a character concept would be disingenuous.  Let's call it a unit concept.

After all, if I am the scion of a noble house I'd not have been sent alone.  We have a tank company here in force, so why not a lance of light mechs (with a single fast medium thrown in for weight)?  I detailed to some degree support elements ranging from spotting planes to foot infantry, with the assumption that Whitebread or the Gal will tell me which bits they like and which they think I'm going overboard on.

Glyphstone, assuming that we are not opposing each other I think I will be able to provide outrider support- even if only my light 'mech platoon is approved.  After all, 'mechs can handle terrain more effectively than tanks, and even that medium can hit nearly 90 kph without sprinting.

If any or all of those additional units are provided then it just gives me more tools in the toolbox, but they're really tools.  If you want tools that look like guns, then you're looking to the wrong person!

[summoner2183]

What units or positions are still available... or needed?

[TheGlyphstone]

The multiple Mechs will probably be shot down, IMO - the paradigm we're going here is that individual Mechs are near-priceless relics, to the point where only nobility can even afford even a light or Medium 'Mech, only Great Houses can afford to fund and deploy Heavies, and entire wars are fought over who owns an Assault.

Even my tank 'company' is actually just a slightly oversized lance of 4, in large part because we are also on a backwater nowhere planet as well.

[Annaamarth]

What units or positions are still available... or needed?

Do what interests you.  We could use more fast movers or brawlers - I kinda aimed to fill the harrasser role, and Glyphstones armour has the linebreaker role.

I also aimed to fill the SIGINT role.  We could use someone aiming for the spymaster, HUMINT role.

Alternatively, aim to do what interests you! This might be more of a rule zero game in a lot of ways. Remember that combat is secondary to the political arena.

[Captain Whitebread]

What units or positions are still available... or needed?

Any and all concepts will be considered.  Light and medium mechs.

[Captain Whitebread]

Via PM, I have now submitted a... well.  To call it a character concept would be disingenuous.  Let's call it a unit concept.

After all, if I am the scion of a noble house I'd not have been sent alone.  We have a tank company here in force, so why not a lance of light mechs (with a single fast medium thrown in for weight)?  I detailed to some degree support elements ranging from spotting planes to foot infantry, with the assumption that Whitebread or the Gal will tell me which bits they like and which they think I'm going overboard on.

Glyphstone, assuming that we are not opposing each other I think I will be able to provide outrider support- even if only my light 'mech platoon is approved.  After all, 'mechs can handle terrain more effectively than tanks, and even that medium can hit nearly 90 kph without sprinting.

If any or all of those additional units are provided then it just gives me more tools in the toolbox, but they're really tools.  If you want tools that look like guns, then you're looking to the wrong person!

You are not a scion.  You are one step up from being the red headed step child.  Anything beyond your primary character that you hand me goes into my NPC stable.  Any mechs 'accompanying you' will be drawn from the existing NPC roster (subject to a little adjustment)

[summoner2183]

Any and all concepts will be considered.  Light and medium mechs.

I see... well, so do we create a single character that is a Mech pilot or the leader of a small lance?

[Annaamarth]

You are not a scion.  You are one step up from being the red headed step child.  Anything beyond your primary character that you hand me goes into my NPC stable.  Any mechs 'accompanying you' will be drawn from the existing NPC roster (subject to a little adjustment)

Redheaded stepchild? Well, yeah! That's why I said second son, and naturally I expect the GM to use whatever I provide, or discard it, at whim.

However, a lot of my inspiration for what I'm putting together comes from reading scifi involving future nobility. March Upcountry and the Falkenberg chronicle especially. I would expect tho have some number of retainers of varying degrees of loyalty, based on how important this investment of force is to my parent nobility.

I'm also drawing inspirayion from Crusader Kings 2. As a second son, if I want to inherit anything I'll have to carve it out for myself.

I'm thinking my pilot is skilled but unproven, undisciplined,  and something of a dilettante.

[Captain Whitebread]

I see... well, so do we create a single character that is a Mech pilot or the leader of a small lance?

Your character is a noble who pilots a mech based on their position and wealth.  All mech pilots are nobles.  We're playing a little loose with the history.    Okay, a lot loose.  Any secondary characters you create become mine to control...

[Captain Whitebread]

I'm thinking my pilot is skilled but unproven, undisciplined,  and something of a dilettante.

All acceptable but I'd think more 3rd son.  The heir, the spare and then you...

[summoner2183]

Your character is a noble who pilots a mech based on their position and wealth.  All mech pilots are nobles.  We're playing a little loose with the history.    Okay, a lot loose.  Any secondary characters you create become mine to control...

I see... is there a character sheet for me to PM to you to?

[TheGlyphstone]

I'm just going to go with an outright acknowledged bastard of a mid-sized noble family. Not disliked by his family, but the cushy jobs and the Mechs go to the legitimate nobles, this is the best they can pull strings to get him - a decent-sized command on a backwater world where he can accrue time-in-rank and experience without much risk. And he's totally okay with that.

[Captain Whitebread]

I'm just going to go with an outright acknowledged bastard of a mid-sized noble family. Not disliked by his family, but the cushy jobs and the Mechs go to the legitimate nobles, this is the best they can pull strings to get him - a decent-sized command on a backwater world where he can accrue time-in-rank and experience without much risk. And he's totally okay with that.

You know nothing, John Snow... lol

[Captain Whitebread]

I see... is there a character sheet for me to PM to you to?

No character sheet.  Just a character bio and concept.  Not everyone is a crack shot and a stellar pilot.  I'm grateful that so far everyone's concept has been reasonable.

[Annaamarth]

I'm just going to go with an outright acknowledged bastard of a mid-sized noble family. Not disliked by his family, but the cushy jobs and the Mechs go to the legitimate nobles, this is the best they can pull strings to get him - a decent-sized command on a backwater world where he can accrue time-in-rank and experience without much risk. And he's totally okay with that.

So are we FedSuns military proper? The unit I submitted was based on the idea of bannermen in service to another dynasty, vassalized to Davion, a minor house.

Because if we're bannermen, time in rank or service means precisely nothing.  This is why more of the profiles I put together had Sirs or Dames than actual ranks.

[TheGlyphstone]

So are we FedSuns military proper? The unit I submitted was based on the idea of bannermen in service to another dynasty, vassalized to Davion, a minor house.

Because if we're bannermen, time in rank or service means precisely nothing.  This is why more of the profiles I put together had Sirs or Dames than actual ranks.

I'm in the FedSun military, you can be a Davion bannerman if you'd like. The core concept is that the five houses are each sending a contingent (read, the dregs they can do without) to collectively defend this one planet and its 'Mech facilities.

[Annaamarth]

Collectively defend seems... odd.  Perhaps collectively compete for control over would be more likely, unless there is some premise I'm missing.  There are a few pirate groups who operate in the core, but if this is Game of Thrones with 'mechs, there will be competition.  There may be an uneasy detente, but... that may change.  Battle lines will be drawn.

As FedSuns, I expect us to be automatically aligned against the Combine and the Confederacy.  The League contingent, being Leaguers, will be up to who knows what, because they're so bloody factionalized it's mad.  The Commonwealth, the traditional ally to the Suns, will probably be our closest ally, but we'll see how that pans out.

Those would be the obvious, however, so I'm keeping my awareness open.  The Lyran social generals occasionally get up to stupid things with their reliance on weight of metal, and they have their own factions.  If I see a bunch of Skye natives, I'm polishing my rifle.  Those guys never settle down.

[TheGlyphstone]

Honestly, who knows by this point. This is really more 'loosely inspired by Battletech' than anything taking a strong adherence to the canon universe as we'd otherwise know it, so who's friends/allies with who is up in the air.

But at last mention, the houses are cooperatively protecting this planet from bandits of some kind.

[summoner2183]

No character sheet.  Just a character bio and concept.  Not everyone is a crack shot and a stellar pilot.  I'm grateful that so far everyone's concept has been reasonable.

Is there an example I can use as a reference?

[Captain Whitebread]

An bare bones example.  Be as detailed as you like.




Captain  Lord Wilhelm Hasek
Second son of the Duke of Kathil
Born on Kathil
Attended the Warrior's Hall
Attended the War College of Goshen
1st Kathil Uhlans  "Lions of Davion"

Just a summary. I'll probably chose a commonly available 55 ton mech like a Griffin.

[Captain Whitebread]

The situation is this:

The planet is valuable but not so valuable that any one house is willing to risk losing access by making a bid for total control.

All Houses have a presence that works in uneasy alliance to protect the planet from piracy.

The situation exists for several reasons.  There are several planets that have all five houses present, so that materials and favours can be passed back and forth with out the usual difficulties.  Slipping a spy across the 'border' is as simple as walking across the street.  Passing information is as simple as bumping into someone on the street, rather than ships meeting at jump points.

Think of it as Casablanca during the early years of WW II...

Your characters can be from any house.  I had submissions from Davion and Kurita.  Of course rivalries will be expected...

[summoner2183]

An bare bones example.  Be as detailed as you like.




Captain  Lord Wilhelm Hasek
Second son of the Duke of Kathil
Born on Kathil
Attended the Warrior's Hall
Attended the War College of Goshen
1st Kathil Uhlans  "Lions of Davion"

Just a summary. I'll probably chose a commonly available 55 ton mech like a Griffin.

What are some Noble titles that a son of the nobility of a planet can have btw? Earl, Viscount, Baron... that sort of thing? And I am planning to play as  a Davion supporter... so what family names are common within thr Federated Suns?

[Captain Whitebread]

I certainly would expect an Earl or Duke to be here but certainly any of the lesser titles Count, Viscount Baron, Baronet etc...

Davion tends toward French names

[summoner2183]

Thanks... already sent you the profile so to speak.

[Captain Whitebread]

And I replied.

Looks like we have primarily Davion characters with a few Kurita....

[TheGlyphstone]

I had originally been planning for the Lyrans, but Davion works just as well, and having the potential for in-House political squabbling is a definite benefit.

[Annaamarth]

For public consumption, all subject to change and GM revision:

Alaric/Guenevere Whitecliff, third in line for the Duchy of Emerald Shore,
third child of Duke Emerald Shore, His Grace Alistair Whitecliff, vassal to House Davion,
daughter to Harataki Rikona of the Harataki family,
mounting the Durandel, a modified PNT-9R Panther light battlemech.

There are a few other people who come with this, but this is my PC.  I haven't settled on gender one way or the other, though I am leaning towards the feminine.  For those who maintain awareness of people who are third in line to inherit ducal and baronial titles, this minor scion of the Whitecliff dynasty has a reputation as something of an arrogant dilettante, a ne'er-do-well.  For those with decent spymasters, the mother, Rikona, is a distant relation to the Kuritas and Emerald Shore's second wife by arranged marriage... and known to be ambitious and cunning.  She is not trusted, and the youngest Whitecliff, half-sibling to the seniors, may be more loyal to Mom than Dad according to reports.  While Whitecliff makes appearances at all the expected events, she always wears an expression of barely-concealed boredom.  Whitecliff does occasionally attend theatre and can be seen gambling on occasion, but not terribly well.

Whitecliff leads a lance of Davion battlemechs, mostly fast units- in fact, the Durandel is the slowest of them.  They are suitable for scouting and harassment, and have an attached Cobra VTOL equipped with a recon camera, communications equipment and troop capacity allows them to perform commando raids as well.

Retainers include a master-at-arms mounting a Trebuchet and a manservant with a wardrobe.

I'm posting this so that you can see the sorts of things I'm going for, as well as to demonstrate how one might develop a character, family relationships, and enhance the political scene.  Also so that you can see whether you and I might have any history or interactions.

I had originally been planning for the Lyrans, but Davion works just as well, and having the potential for in-House political squabbling is a definite benefit.

If it's all Kurita and Davion then that draws some specific battlelines in the political scene.  If we get a Lyran or Capellan in here, that shakes things up- which might be cool.  That said, having another Davion around to think I'm an agent for my Drac spy mother also lends opportunity for Fun.

[ThisOneGal]

Hello all.
Captain appears to be deferring to my vision a lot, and I've been effectively deferring to him because of connectivity issues.

Just want to mention: I'd rather have a game that doesn't fully match what I originally posted but people are interested in than have one that perfectly matches but only I'm enjoying.

Also, my tablet does not like this website, so my replies will be very limited even when i can connect.

[Ghostraven]

I interested in participating; assuming I can craft a suitable character for the game. :-)

I'm just a little confused as to what role the characters are intended to play in the game.
I'm getting that they are all minor nobles on some Casablanca like planet; but are they all part of the same multi-house unit or are they all just on the same seemingly back water but valuable planet? I get the sense that they are supposed to be working together but of course may have other goals directed from back home or just personal. Or is it more of a place where the houses can put the third string nobles and trouble makers to keep them out of the court politics and keep an eye on them.

TTYL

Ghostraven

[Annaamarth]

It's a place to keep such people out of the way, but also potentially profitable for any one of the houses.  Also a convenient place for intelligence operatives to go for backchannel communications, so there might be some serious House operatives in town, noble or otherwise.

Just because some of us are 3rd string nobility doesn't mean that someone can't be 1st string nobility undercover... or non-nobility under orders from the left hand of some House Lord or another.

That's my view, anyway.

[Captain Whitebread]

You aren't technically part of the same unit.  You just have a tendency to end up on the same battlefields shooting at the same enemies.

[Ghostraven]

Ok; let me see what I can cook up. :-)

[Annaamarth]

You aren't technically part of the same unit.  You just have a tendency to end up on the same battlefields shooting at the same enemies.

This makes sense to me. We may not like each other, but ain't nobody likes pirates.

[TheGlyphstone]

I guess that cinches my decision to be Davion-aligned, then, since it means I'll at least have an actual understrength lance under my nominal authority, instead of three 'allied' tanks who don't actually have to follow my orders. Plus, leading a band of merry-misfit tankers tickles my fancy, with the profiles you've provided for the two NPC tank commanders.

[Captain Whitebread]

Okay, so here are the characters currently submitted....

ThisOneGal
Countess Lieutentant Kathryn Foss
House Davion/Federated Suns

Ghostraven
Duchess Tai-i (Captain) Kurumi Tatsu Kurita
House Kurita/Draconis Combine

Summoner2183
Vicount Leftenant Edward DuPierre
House Davion/Federated Suns

Annaamarth
Marquis Captain Alaric/Guenevere Whitecliff
House Davion/Federated Suns

Etah Dna Evol
Marquis Captain Wilhelm Hasek
House Davion/Federated Suns

One other player has yet to submit a concept but we've been discussing mechs.  I just have to integrate the submitted NPCs into the current NPC roster, which won't take long.  I've been obscenely busy with work and have a surprise in-law visit this weekend, so it may take a little longer than expected to get the game up and running.  In the meantime, maybe the Feddies can start conspiring against the lone Snake....

[TheGlyphstone]

I've got a family event tomorrow too, but I'll have a bio/profile up for you tomorrow evening.

[Ghostraven]

In the meantime, maybe the Feddies can start conspiring against the lone Snake....

Feel the love...  :P

[Annaamarth]

Oh, I'm a Marquis?  I'd not thought I'd have a title.  After all, just 'cuz Dad's a duke doesn't mean that I'm anything at all.

As for our lone Kurita, well... Hello, cousin!  I think my mother's great-great-grandmother was your great-great-grandfather's third older sister.  Or something.

[Captain Whitebread]

You have a title.  You're a noble, unlike our fifth character:

Glyphstone
First Leutnant Felix Von Schreiner
House Steiner/Lyran Commonwealth
-an untitled acknowledged bastard

[Ghostraven]

As for our lone Kurita, well... Hello, cousin!  I think my mother's great-great-grandmother was your great-great-grandfather's third older sister.  Or something.

So is that the definition of distant cousin? :-)

[Captain Whitebread]

By more than one definition of 'distant'...

[ThisOneGal]

Reference Stuff

On Nobility: http://roleplayingtips.com/readissue.php?number=394#tips
Noble titles/ranks: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Nobility
Military Ranks: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Military_Ranks

TL;DR:

The Captains outrank the Lieutenants. Within those groupings you're pretty much tied.

Noble ranks from high to low are:

Duke/Duchess
Marquis/Marquess
Count/Countess
Viscount/Viscountess
...
Untitled

The Duchess is 'your Grace', the counts/viscounts are 'your Excellency'. Can't find one for the Marquis; best guess is also Excellency. Bastard doesn't have a title, probably should be addressed by military rank.

Of course, their are more complexities than that. The Drac outranks everyone, but since no other PC is a Drac, can't command anyone. The bastard doesn't even have a title, but is the only Lyran, so can't be commanded by any of the PCs. Whitecliff and Hasek have the exact same rank/title, with Foss one under and DuPierre like half a title (but not rank) under her. Of course, then there are issues of 'lateral' command structure; just because you outrank someone doesn't mean they're *yours* to command; that might be someone else's purview.

[Ghostraven]

Thinks we need more Kurita players of Marquis/Marquess rank or below...  O:)

So her Kurita title is Shogun (Duchess)

[Captain Whitebread]

The Role-playing Page https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=241174.0

The OOC Page https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=241175.0

I started this while home sick from work, so if there are problems, let me know and I'll fix them....

[TheGlyphstone]

No problems, but an NPC index of some kind would be handy when you've got the time. I can't imagine any of us are going in 100% blind as to the people we'll be interacting with and/or holding command over.

[Ghostraven]

No problems, but an NPC index of some kind would be handy when you've got the time. I can't imagine any of us are going in 100% blind as to the people we'll be interacting with and/or holding command over.

Seconded; I'd like to know who's in my lance.  ;D

So I'm assuming that one Drop-ship is Kurita and the other Davion?
Also what is the planet like? I'm guessing based on the opening that it's not overly populated; but there is a space port and apparently there must be a city divided into distinct enclaves for each of the houses. I'd have to assume that there a 'free zone' as well around the space port and between the enclaves where the shadowier dealings happen.

[Captain Whitebread]

Exactly.

I am assuming that the majority of the players are newcomers, incoming on either this ship or the previous one.  Lyran contingent has arrived a few days earlier and didn't have to face the gauntlet of social events due to their lower status.

I will PM people the relevant NPCs in their faction, unless you want the posted in the ooc board

[TheGlyphstone]

I'd prefer an OOC post just for easier reference, so I don't have to go rummaging in my PM box. You can put them in spoilers if you don't trust us not to peek.

[ThisOneGal]

My ISP has delayed setting up my connection *again*. Supposedly they'll set it up tomorrow, but who knows at this point. Replies and such are delayed at least another day, but don't be surprised if its longer.

[Annaamarth]

Drafting a post now.  I'm going accept input for this, because I am so very on the fence:  Spoiled rich boy or spoiled rich girl?

[ThisOneGal]

My vote goes for spoiled rich boy.

[Annaamarth]

There's a draft post in OOC.  Let me know what you think.

[Captain Whitebread]

Factions are mostly sorted.

Some hold clear advantage, others hold a single proverbial ace....

They'll be introduced at the 'welcoming' feast, or at least you'll get their names as they are introduced in order of precedence.  If anyone sounds interesting (out of the list of almost 60) feel free to talk to them.  As usual, I have gone overboard and have details on each of them.  Sometimes I hate my passion for RPing.........

[orderNchaos]

Are you still looking for players??  I always love myself a good BT game....besides, any chance to rub metal with Glyph is a good story!!

[Captain Whitebread]

Always.

We're just getting started (literally we are less than ten posts in) so feel free to send me a character concept.

1 If you are a mechwarrior, you are also a noble of whatever house you choose.
2 You can choose any 3025 era light or medium mech.  Anything heavier will require bribing me.