BattleTech 3057 - Recruiting players and co-GMs for new run.

[Wargtass]

The year is 3057.
The place is the Inner Sphere.
The business is War.

Humanity has long ago set out from Terra in revolutionary JumpShips, colonizing the stars for many many lightyears around them and establishing empires spanning many thousands of stars, called the Inner Sphere. As man has set out to advance in their expansion and technology, so they have evolved on the battlefield. Tanks and planes are no longer the spearhead of war, no longer the tool with which to take ground, having instead been reduced to a supposrting role like infantry was many centuries earlier. BattleMechs rule the fields of war now, titanic bipedal monstrosities capable of carrying a whole company's worth of weaponry into the field. There are as many variants of 'Mechs as there are roles for it in war, ranging from the small and agile scouts called Light 'Mechs to the colossal plodding warmachines known as Assault 'Mechs.

Like the long forgotten world of Alexander the Great, the Inner Sphere was united under the Star League. Like Alexander, the Star League died before its time. Like the successors of Alexander, the Great Noble Houses fought many wars to take its place, tearing humanity back from the high technology of the Star League to a darker age where the only things keeping humanity from losing contact with each other are the HyperPulse Generators, sending communication pulses between the stars.

Only ComStar, a blooming communications company turned mysterious religious order, knows how to maintain these machinery and use that knowledge to police the actions of the Great Houses, impending communication blackouts on anyone that grows too powerful or too ambitious. Even so, the Inner Sphere has seen four wars of succession in the last few centuries. The Fourth was ended just about three decades ago, in 3030.

The embers of the Fourth Succession War had barely cooled, yet new turmoil threatened to engulf the Inner Sphere once more. Returning from their long selfimposed exile, Kerensky's Star League Defence Force and their decendants invaded the Inner Sphere, now as the aweinspiring and highly technological Clans. To destroy them the Great Houses had to put aside their differences and stand united against the onslaught of superior BattleMechs. Old grudges die hard though and it was a race against time as every day the Clanners come closer to their ultimate goal: Terra.

After almost three years of conflict the Clans were finally stopped in their tracks at the Battle of Tukayyid by the concentrated effort of the ComGuards, the military arm of ComStar, and forced them to a 15 year long truce with the Inner Sphere. While the Clans remain in the territories that they have conquered, they can only make war amongst each other. This victory was overshadowed by the reveal of ComStar's treachery. Their highest ranking leader, the Primus, had effectively planned and steered the Clans towards destroying the Great Houses of the Inner Sphere. Even though the ComGuards had stopped this treachery as well, the damage was already done. It would take very long before the Inner Sphere fully trusted them again.

Since then, as always, war has been a constant factor. It is a time where entrepreneurs and adventurers find themselves held in high regard as each faction tries to scramble their military might and either desperately try to hold on to what they have left or grab as much space as they can before the besieged can retaliate. Lone Wolves and Mercenary Companies can pretty much pick and choose their employers and missions as they want, because the demand is pressing ever higher while the supply dwindles with every month. This is where you come in, MechWarrior. You are in possession of the greatest warmachines humanity has ever mustered and the skills to do terrifying things in them. You are an asset, a resource and an invaluable treasure.

Are you ready to claim your destiny?


What is this?
If you haven't played the BattleTech tabletop wargame, the MechWarrior video game series or the A Time of War P&P RPG, do not fear. The most important thing is that you see giant Mechs and fall in love with them. Even so, if you want to enjoy playing around with a whole bunch of BattleTech-nerds you are better off knowing a little bit more about the game and setting of BattleTech. If you are not familiar with BattleTech or MechWarrior at all, be ready for a proper reading session. You could go to Sarna BattleTech Wiki and delve its depths, but I recommend you read the 101 courses below. They contain the basics (still quite a read) and if something strikes you as particularly interesting you can always go to Sarna and take an advance course there. Still here? Good! Let us begin...

Setting and History 101

The game is set in the 31st century and centers around the human empires, the Successor States, of the Inner Sphere, a vast portion of space within 500 lightyears surrounding Earth (Terra). As the name implies, they are the successors of the Star League Era, a portion of BattleTech history that saw the most widespread peace the Inner Sphere has ever known thanks to the Star League Council. These factions are separated by cultural, political and social variation and ruled by five great noble houses, based on a feudal system and class societies. Power is often inherited, be it titles or BattleMechs. Only a few small states exist outside of their direct influence, which will be mentioned in the Factions section later on.

Outside of the Inner Sphere is the Periphery, several independant states that sometimes predate the Successor States and rivals some of them in size, though being far from as influential and powerful economically and military-wise. Most however are only moderate in size and the political and social aspects vary from the feudal of the Inner Sphere to even great democracies.

Beyond that lies the Deep Periphery, unknown space colonized by a few human societies and a dark shadow looming over the Inner Sphere in the form of the Clans, the remnants of the Star League Defence Force that left the Inner Sphere in a self-imposed exile, vowing to return when the time was right to make peace once more. At the year 3050, that time came and as they say; si vis pacem, parabellum.

BattleMechs 101

While early BattleMechs in the tabletop wargame used Macross designs, the similarities to the Japanese Mecha genre ends there. While Mecha's are usually quick, agile and action packed, BattleMechs (or more commonly referred to as 'Mechs) are generally slow, lumbering and more down to earth. They are large warmachines consisting of four key elements; Internal Structure, Actuators, Engine and Gyro.

The Internal Stucture is the skeleton in the 'Mech, keeping the construct together and distributing the weight. It makes up most of the bulk of a 'Mech. Internal Structure come in standard and Endo-Steel, which is lighter, stronger but more expensive to buy and maintain.

Actuators are the joints of the 'Mech, artificial "musculature" consisting largely of myomers, bundles of polymer fiber which contracts in the presence of electrical currents. As such, just like in our own bodies, the myomers contract and relax to move the Internal Structure.

Engines are without exception (in the scope of what you will encounter at least) fusion reactors which powers the actuators and weapons of the 'Mech. Yes, nuclear fusion, be glad you are properly shielded in your cockpits.

The Gyro makes sure weight is properly balanced and distributed when the 'Mech is in motion. Without it the 'Mech and its pilot would land on their pretty faces.

Added to this is of course armor plates, weaponry and heatsinks. Weapons are attached to hard points allocated so that weight balance is maintained as much as possible. Armor comes in standard and Ferro-Fibrous, which is lighter and tougher but more expensive, just like the Endo-Steel internal structure. Armor plates are discarded and replaced when damaged. Heat sinks reduce and expel the heat building up in the engine from using weapons and moving the 'Mech around. Heat sinks can be damaged by excessive heat and if a 'Mech overheats it is usually put in a powered down mode until the heat sinks can expel enough heat for the 'Mech to function without failing.

There is also a cockpit for the MechWarrior, the pilot of the 'Mech. Much like its counterpart in an airplane it contains a myriad of instruments and controls as well as a Neurohelmet, a device which allows the MechWarrior to control the balance of the 'Mech. It uses the human brain's instinctual sense of balance to control the gyro. It also displays a HUD as well as allowing the MechWarrior some control of the 'Mech's visual input, giving him overviews and 'Mech perceptions that are otherwise a nuisance at best to aquire from within the cockpit.

'Mechs come in four classes. Light, Medium, Heavy and Assault.

Light that are mostly used for recon and hit and run tactics and spans from 20 to 35 tons. Their greater speed and agility makes them very much suited for this task, but they can only carry a limited amount of weaponry.

Mediums are the most numerous class weighing in at 40 to 55 tons. They fall between the Light and Heavy classes and are generally considered the infantryman of the BattleMechs, a sentiment reinforced by the fact that most military powers sport these as a majority of their forces.

Heavy 'Mechs are those designed for frontline combat duty, and weigh in between 60 and 75 tons. Their slower speed is countered by an impressive arsenal. Most often used to break through lines and give support to their lighter brothers and sisters.

Finally the Assault 'Mechs are the centerpieces of any 'Mech Company. They weigh in at between 80 and 100 tons and often sports half their weight in weaponry. There are not many that exceeds 50 km/h, which means they often slow down any advance to a crawl. When it get there however, they dominate the battlefield. Commanders often take seat in these as they carry superior armor, important when you are the one coordinating the attack and giving orders.

Weapons 101

The weaponry commonly used in BattleMechs come in three categories; Ballistic, Energy, Missile. Ballistic Weapons fire high-speed, unguided projectiles designed to inflict kinetic and/or explosive damage. When compared to Energy Weapons, ballistic weapons produce far less heat, but are generally bulkier and dependent upon limited ammunition. Energy Weapons deal damage by directing a concentrated beam of particles or radiation against a target. Unlike Ballistic Weapons, energy weapons are extremely light and compact and when linked a fusion reactor are ammunition free, but produce very large amounts of waste heat. Missile Weapons are Rockets and Missiles that are fired from tubes and include an engine in the projectile. Some of these weapons travel a flat trajectory, others have an arcing trajectory that allows them to clear terrain features.

Personal arms like pistols, machineguns and assault rifles are all ballistic weapons, as well as the Autocannons that the 'Mechs and other vehicles are armed with. They are often classified as AC/x where x=damage in the tabletop wargame. While it doesn't make much sense in the setting, they are still classified as such. The most common types are the AC/2, AC/5, AC/10 and AC/20. Three more exotic variants in the Inner Sphere are the Ultra AC/5 (UAC5), which has a higher rate of fire but more prone to jamming than the regular AC/5, the LB 10-X AC (LBX10), which is basically a large caliber shotgun which delivers devastating damage at close range but it deteriorates the farther away the target is, and the Gauss Rifle, which shoots a small projectile through magnetic coils, projecting it at supersonic speeds to cause devastating damage. The actual calibers of the different autocannons vary depending on manufacturer but generally range from 30mm (AC/2) up to 203mm (AC/20).

Energy weapons generally come in three variants. Lasers, flamers and Particle Projection Cannons (PPC).

Lasers come in three sizes as well, small, medium and large. As a point of comparison with ballistic weapons, Small Lasers do 3 points of damage in tabletop, Medium Lasers 5 and Large Lasers 8. The larger the laser the more heat it produces and the longer recharge rate it has. Lasers also come in Pulse format in the same sizes. Pulse Lasers differ from traditional laser weaponry, in that instead of firing one powerful beam, they maintain several laser beams fired off in quick succession. While offering an overall increased rate of fire, the heat output also increases accordingly. Pulse lasers increase damage because they allow vaporized armor to dissipate from the location of damage. This allows subsequent pulses to reach the target area without being diffused by the vapor. Point of reference: Small Pulse Lasers 4, Medium Pulse Lasers 6, Large Pulse Lasers 9.

Flamers are simply flamethrowers, but instead of being fueled by gases or volatile fluids it is powered by the fusion engine. Flamers are mainly used as anti-infantry weapons and won't do much damage to 'Mechs.

The Particle Projector Cannon is a unique energy weapon. PPCs fire a concentrated stream of protons or ions at a target, causing damage through both thermal and kinetic energy. As such, despite being an energy weapon, it produces recoil and very high heat levels. The lethality of the weapon rivals that of a higher-caliber autocannon; just three shots from a PPC will vaporize two tons of standard military-grade armor. Targets hit by multiple, simultaneous PPCs can also suffer electrical side-effects, such as overloaded computer systems or targeting sensors. The ion beam also extends to much farther ranges than autocannon fire, though PPCs generate large amounts of waste heat. PPCs are equipped with a Field Inhibitor to prevent feedback which could damage the firing unit's electronic systems. This inhibitor degrades the performance of the weapon at close ranges of less than 90 meters. Point of reference: 10 points of damage.

Missile Weapons generally come in three variants. Long Range Missiles (LRM), Short Range Missiles (SRM) and Streak Missile Launchers (Streak SRM or just Streaks). Missile weapons, like ballistics, are denoted with a number, but denotes number of missiles fired in a volley rather than damage. LRMs come in groups of 5 (LRM 5, 10, 15 and 20) while SRMs come in groups of 2 (SRM 2, 4 and 6). Streaks come only in 2. All these launcher types has an automatic reload system which means the Mech can fire several volleys before running out of ammunition.

Long Range Missiles are designed to engage the enemy at great distances at the expense of damage dealt, these missiles are capable of indirect fire and disperse over a smaller area than Short Range Missiles. LRM launchers achieve this range by firing at a ballistic launch angle, making them less accurate at close range.

Short Range Missiles are direct-fire missiles that sacrifice range for hitting power, these missiles are less sophisticated than Long Range Missiles and particularly effective against infantry and combat vehicles. The unguided nature of the missile means it comes in a natural spread like a shotgun effect, which often means several missiles in the volley may miss. SRMs also come as an Infantry support weapons, technically a shoulder mounted SRM 1 without autoloader.

The Streak SRM Launcher is relatively similar to the standard SRM launcher but linked to a unique fire control system. This system is designed to guarantee a hit against any target onto which the pilot can get a lock, a special feature of this system preventing the weapon from firing at a target when there is no lock-on, saving ammunition by preventing shots that would miss.

A fourth type is the Rocket Launcher, which is a single fire weapon that has become obsolete in the Inner Sphere but are still popular in the Periphery where times are not as dandy.

Factions 101

It is important to note that no single faction is made up entirely by one single race. Scottish decendants can be found in the very Chinese dominated Capellan Combine and many of Japanese heritage live in the Free Rasalhague Republic. Do not feel restricted by your chosen faction when you pick out the heritage and background of your character. Likewise, the Cultural Influences are not a definite parallel but rather the factions are caricatures of these nations.

Inner Sphere

Capellan Confederation: The Capellan Confederation is the smallest Successor State, ruled by the Chancellor, the leader of House Liao. The Capellan Confederation started out as collection of states united for common defense & well-being, but over hundreds of years, through the influences of certain schools of philosophy and the leadership of House Liao, it has evolved to become an autocratic state with a controlled economy. The lives of the regular Capellans are dystopian, were citizenship is not given at birth but rather earned through worth of skill and ability in an exam given as the young come of age. Should an applicant fail several times they become indentured servants of the state. A majority of the population are of Chinese and Russian heritage.
Cultural Influence: Soviet Union, People's Republic of China

Draconis Combine: The Combine is ruled by the Coordinator, the head of House Kurita. Unlike most Successor states it is a military dictatorship guided by the warrior codes of Bushido and each soldier is dedicated to the point of death to the Coordinator. It still operates on the basis of a feudal system however, so most governmental apparatuses are roughly similar. The main difference for the common person is that they have no rights, only duties. Enlistment in the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery is seen as the fastest way to get ahead in the world, as every person in the military, even a lowly rifleman, is respected. A majority of the population are of Japanese heritage.
Cultural Influence: Imperial Japan, Tokugawa Shogunate

Federated Suns: The Federated Suns is the most powerful and largest of the Successor States, ruled by House Davion. It could best be described as a hereditary and constitutional monarchy. Officially the High Council, a group of both democratic, hereditary, and other officials chosen by the leadership of the member-worlds of the Federated Suns, presided over the nation. It is however nothing more than a "rubber stamp" used by the First Prince. The Suns have very few allies since they have aggressively expanded in to the Capellan Federation and made enemies of House Kurita. They did however have a strong ally in the Lyran Commonwealth due to the Federated Commonwealth Alliance and intermarriages between the two. Since their split however, they have grown increasingly colder against each other. A majority of the population are of British and French heritage.
Cultural Influence: British Empire, French Empire

Lyran Commonwealth: Perhaps the most BattleMech-heavy of all states due to its powerful industrial capabilities, the Commonwealth is ruled by House Steiner. The Lyran Commonwealth is renowned for its strong economy, powerful nobility, and its military policy of promotion based on pedigree as well as talent. It is basically a feudal monarchy with an assembly that served in a largely advisory capacity. This does not mean, however, that the people do not have rights and freedoms. The Steiner Archons have traditionally been rather liberal rulers, allowing their people the right to assembly, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press. Indeed, occasions in which these rights were taken away have been cause for crisis in and of themselves. A majority of the population are of German heritage.
Cultural Influence: Holy Roman Empire, German Confederation.

Free Worlds League: The League is ruled by a Captain-General, leaders of House Marik. The Free Worlds League is notable as the first successor state founded in the Inner Sphere. It is multicultural, with strong European, Oriental, American and Hindu influences. It also traditionally offered great autonomy to its component regions. The government of the Free Worlds League is a representative democracy operating under martial law. The League is generally looked down upon by the other Successors because of its "unruly" population. There is some truth in it of course, as secessions and civil war is an everyday occurance in the League. There are no real racial majority in the Free Worlds League.
Cultural Influence: United States of America, Middle and South American states.

Free Rasalhague Republic: The Free Rasalhague Republic is a nation born in the wake of the Fourth Succession War were the Draconis Combine and Lyran Commonwealth convinced by ComStar to grant the Rasalhagueans independence. All positions of power and responsibility are either directly or indirectly elected by the people, even the Nobles and Prince of the realm. No position is hereditary save if the son of the current holder impresses the electoral population and is raised to the parent's honors. The Republic suffered the most during the Clan Invasion and barely even exists anymore thanks to a treaty for ComStar's protection. The majority of the population are of Scandinavian heritage.
Cultural Influences: Scandinavia.

St.Ives Compact: The Compact is a secessionist of the Capellan Confederation and protectorate of the Federated Suns, ruled by Prime Minister Duchess Candace Liao. The Compact was formed in 3029, as a direct result of the Fourth Succession War. Duchess Candace Liao fell in love with Justin Xiang Allard, a Federated Suns spy. Rather than stay in the Capellan Confederation with a double-agent who helped the Suns conquer a third of it, she fled the Confederation and took the St. Ives Commonality with her. The majority of the population are of Chinese heritage.
Cultural Influences: Taiwan, Thirteen Colonies.

ComStar: Not really a true nation but rather a telecommunications-company turned semi-religious sect, ComStar nonetheless enjoys massive influence over the Inner Sphere due to their monopoly on the knowledge of the workings and maintainence of the HyperPulse technology that enables interstellar communication. They often use this as an "encouragement" against particularly ambitious and aggressive Successor States to maintain a status quo between the factions and keep peace in the Inner Sphere, when it suits their own purposes of course. They are based out of Terra, which is the only world under their direct control.
Cultural Influences: Knights Templar if they were a telephone company.

Q&A and Guidelines

Q: Can I play a Clanner and/or with a Clan BattleMech/Tech?
A: To a degree, yes. The focus will be on a mercenary company, so a bonded clanner is fully possible. As for the 'Mechs and Techs, I will be a little restrictive. A non Clanner is less likely to have a Timberwolf/Mad Cat and even a Clanner will have problems finding replacements for their damaged tech. In the end, ask if you are unsure.

Q: Don't you already lead one of these BattleTech games?
A: I did. It finally died down after 664 posts. My goal was always larger than that but I will take the mistakes and lessons to heart with this new installment.

Q: How many players do you accept?
A: As many as possible. For every company (8-12 'Mechs) I will need another volunteer co-GM though. If you are interested or know someone who might be, PM me.

Q: Which BattleMechs will you allow.
A: Any class, any tonnage, as available in 3057, with some discretion to the more exotic and rare samples. If you are unsure, ask.

Q: Can I make a custom 'Mech?
A: No. The available BattleMechs more than make for a long list of varieties. Pick an existing 'Mech and modify it as you want, as long as it follows tonnage, availability, etc. More so, the existing 'Mechs are classic staples and any BT-nerd will know what an Atlas or Vulture is and looks like by name alone. It just tickles our spines to hear and imagine those names.

Q: Which section will this be in?
A: Light: Human Small Groups or Bondage: Human Small Groups depending on the players.

Q: What gender roles/sexualities are accepted.
A: EVERY SINGLE ONE within human possibilities. BattleTech is a human-only universe (*cough* Far Country *cough*).

Q: How will the plot progress?
A: Partial sandbox with an overlying meta-plot. Players will have a choice of missions that they can take on and it is up to them to complete or fail them.

Q: Will there be a system?
A: Still on the fence about this. If there will be it should be as simple as possible.

Q: Can I ask further questions?
A: Yes you can!

Code Select Expand

[font=arial black]Pilot[/font]

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Sex:[/b]
[b]Homeworld:[/b]
[b]Original Faction:[/b]

[b]Description:[/b] (A few sentences describing the physical characteristics of the pilot)

[b]Background:[/b] (A paragraph or two about the pilot's history and career)

[b]Personality:[/b] (Just a few sentences on the pilot's personality)

[b]Speciality Skills:[/b] (Anything that doesn't have to do with piloting a 'Mech)

[font=arial black]BattleMech Characteristics[/font]

[b]BattleMech:[/b]
[b]Weight Class:[/b]
[b]Callsign:[/b]
[b]Description:[/b] (A few sentences describing the looks of your mech. Any special paint scheme or extra bits for looks?)

[b]Loadout:[/b] (Listing the armament of the 'Mech)

[b]Modules:[/b] (Module upgrades of the 'Mech's systems as well as secondary systems, i.e. Anti Missile Systems, Artemis, BAP, etc.)

[b]Upgrades:[/b] (All upgrades to the structure itself, including Ferro-fibrous armor, Endoskeleton, DHS, etc.)



If the sheets look overly simplistic to you, good. It's not a battle report, it's a descriptive action RP.

With that said, here are some general rules as well.

- Oath of Drake applies.
- Use the character sheet supplied. Make it prettier if you want but cover all points in the CS.
- Post your CS here in the thread. If there are certain points you want to keep secret, PM me the details.



Good links and stuff:
Sarna.net: The unofficial wiki, excellent for scouting for that 'Mech you've been dreaming of!
Master Unit list: Great for cross reference to 'Mechs and their availability through the ages. Remember, 5057 and down are mostly fine with some exceptions.
Solaris Skunk Werks: A program for building and tinkering out your Mech. I find their own archives for existing 'Mechs to be lackluster and recommend HMP.
Heavy Metal Pro Archives: A program like SSW, but it costs money. All their 'Mech Archives are available for free though. The link takes you to the archive, the BattleMechs are a few scrolls down.

[Wargtass]

KILROY OL' BONES MERCENARY CORP
The Ol' Bones origin lies within the exploratory corps of ComStar and the then hidden ComGuards. Kilroy Bones, a gutter child turned MechWarrior, was a lieutenant in the ComGuards at the time and befriended Kevin Perkins who was a nobleborn DropShip commander in the exploratory corps. They served diligently through their years but were retired after a disastrous DropShip accident, after which they founded the mercenary company in 3028 just before the Fourth Succession War. With Kilroy's determination and balls-to-the-wall command and Perkins' ingenuity in finances and administration they grew steadily until 3049 when Kilroy was killed in action along with a majority of the corp during a routine mission. It would become the first of many botched and downright unfortunate missions and far from the last with fatal results.

The new commander Walter Veijer, a hardy halfbreed Kuritan of Rasalhaguean stock, took a while to grow into his role, resulting in a temporary dip of activity and success for the company. They were among the first to encounter Clanners and specifically Clan Elemental Armors and managed to capture one, which was used for their own research and later sold off to the Gray Death Legion for a healthy sum. In early 3051 Kevin Perkins was killed by his own daughter Sera Perkins, a ComStar separatist agent, which left command soley up to Walter but with an immense boost in capital from the Perkin's estate. With the Clan Invasion in full effect the company bloomed, with their past experiences fighting Clanners being in high demand around the Clan frontlines.

The company once more enjoyed a brief but lucrative exchange between themselves and the Gray Death Legion in 3052, further boosting the capital and enabling them to grow into a fully fledged Mercenary Corp. After the end of the Invasion, the Ol' Bones held a full Lance equivalent of Clanners on their payrole, being one of the first corps to integrate Clanners and their technology into their numbers and tactics. Known as an honorable bunch with a propensity for initiative and unorthodox tactics, the Ol' Bones have after the Invasion become rather popular in demand with ComStar, the Davions and Steiners. With new conflict brewing between the three however, it is about time they decided which side to support, if any.



COMPOSITION

   SHIPS

1 Invader Class JumpShip
   Citadel, Drop Ship Capacity: 3, Standard weapons configuration with hydroponics dome and two STU-K5 Stuka Heavy ASFs in the launch bay.

2 Union Class Drop Ships
   Bastion, Command configuration fitted with upgraded communication suites and Mechbays replaced with ASF-bays. Carries 12 Corsair AeroSpace Fighters of varying configuration.
   Keep, Ground support configuration fitted with upgraded life support systems and MechBays replaced with Infantry quarters and Vehicle Bays. Can carry a company of infantry or an armoured company of tanks and mobile artillery.

1 Overlord Class Drop Ship
   Redoubt, Standard configuration capable of housing 36 Mechs and 6 STU-K5 Stuka Heavy ASFs.


   MECHS

TBA


   AEROSPACE FIGHTERS

TBA


   GROUND SUPPORT

TBA



PERSONNEL

Walter Veijer

NPC

Name: Walter Veijer
Sex: Male
Homeworld: Trondheim
Original Faction: Free Rasalhague Republic

Description: Walter's mixed heritage really shows through. While on one hand he's built like the old Norse from the Rasalhague propaganda-posters with bulging muscles and blazing red hair, his slanted eyes, high cheek bones and tall forehead tell of his mixed heritage. The streaks of grey and the wrinkles are starting to show, but he tells himself that at least he isn't Erich.

Background: There is no way to tip toe around it. Walter's father was a minor nobleman of House Kurita. During his childhood and teens he heard Mongrel more times than he could count on a thousand hands. Didn't matter that even he thought his father was a cruel and vicious monster. It didn't matter that he lead a revolt against him. It didn't matter that he held up his head to a cheering crowd of his fellow Rasalhague's. He was always Mongrel. In the end he took his mother's maiden name and signed all his letters Walter Mongrel Veijer. He turned it into his pride instead of their mockery.

His actions in the revolt caught the eyes of the RRA once the Republic earned its independence. He was picked up as an officer in the 4th Drakøns and served there several years before retiring from the position, opting instead to pick up mercenary work in a bid to fight the Draconis Combine. The Mercenary company he ended up with was the Kilroy Ol' Bones, headed by the two old ComStar veterans Kilroy Bones and Kevin Perkins. Over the years he became very good friends with them and as they died off he became head of the company.

After a rough start in the mercenary business the Ol' Bones became a favorite of both ComStar and the Federated Commonwealth, fighting skirmishes against the Clans along the whole border during the Invasion. Somewhere along the line he realized that he was becoming a bit too jarred in the head to properly pilot 'Mechs and as such decided to retire to the position of full corp commander. Now with a JumpShip and several DropShips under his command the Ol' Bones have become a rather prominent nomadic mercenary corp.

Personality: Calm and contemplative, rarely whipped up into anything more than raising his voice. Once he was a bit more lively, when he was part of the "company proper". Now that he's behind a desk and at the helm he feel trmoved from his friends. Perhaps he made the wrong choice after all.

Speciality Skills: Haiku, calligraphy and playing kokyu. Just about the only good parts he received from his father during his childhood. He has become quite the businessman over the years though, more out of necessity than anything else.

Janos Ilyanovich Wu

NPC

Name: Janos Ilyanovich Wu
Sex: Male
Homeworld: Tikonov
Original Faction: Capellan Confederation

Description: Rather average for the typical Capellan mix of Rus and Chinese, but with a rather slender jawline. His slim 5'6" may not look like much in his strict robes but his nimble body and classic education (which includes martial arts) has made sure he hides some surprises for the overly curious. Some accidents relating to experimental 'Mechs have left their traces as well, with a large patch of a burnscar on his chest and back, a scar across the nose and one more down the left side of his mouth, leaving a few teeth missing.

Background: Born to two military engineers on Tikonov in 3023, Janos grew up surrounded by mechs. In particular he grew up together with the Cataphract prototypes which were built and tested by his father's engineering team. He was only five when the Fourth Succession War began, the FedSuns marking the event by invading his homeworld. His mother died during the struggles and he was taken away along with his father with an emergency evac-shuttle as the battles were raging around them. They were taken to Betelguese where they lived through the 4th Succession War.

As he grew up Janos kept sharing his free hours with his father, who fought tooth and nail to revive the Cataphract facilities on Betelguese. He spent many hours being told by his father what monsters House Davion and their new fellows the Steiners were, even more so than he heard in his schooling. Finally in 3032 his father got his will through and resurrected the production on Betelguese. Janos helped the engineers and mechanics as good as he could and even started earning his early degrees in the same field. It would seem that the young patriot would follow in his father's footsteps all the way.

However his head seemed to go in strange directions. As he entered his teen years he became very arrogant and ostentatious. He started building up a cult following of his own in the school, which brought down the wrath of the local government. After several reprimands he was booted from the academy and threatened with servitorship. Nothing seemed to be able to stop his ambitions however. He became enthralled with the idea of perfecting the Cataphract design, warping it into something akin to what the FedSuns had done to it. He took part of smaller skirmishes as a test pilot for his new models, which the industrial magnates of House Liao were very interested with. Janos was given resources and praise without even having passed his evaluation for citizenship, something that further angered those that had come to resent him.

His luck ran out during an urban battle in which he found himself cornered by an Assault mech and flanked by several lights. His current build was unable to counter them and he was brutally beaten, his Cataphract left for scraps. He escaped with scars and a nasty concussion which he took several weeks to recover from. His new designs with a Gauss Rifle and smaller complementary weapons was not deemed adequate by the magnates and Janos lost his backing. His personal cult disappeared and he consequently failed his evaluation. He worked hard for two years to earn his citizenship at his second trial, but his old rivals and enemies made sure he failed once more. Faced with becoming servitor he contacted one of his initial investors, a mercenary financier by the name Kevin Perkins, for a way out of Capellan space.

After a rather nasty breakout he became part of the Ol' Bones and their chief engineer. As the company grew over the years he became more and more infatuated with the idea of creating his own 'Mech prototype and with the introduction of OmniMechs and Battle Armors his fervor was further increased to a fever pitch. While still part of the merc corp, Janos now works planetside on a secret location with his engineering marvels and rediculous doodads after a little accident with a Gauss Rifle inside of one of the DropShips.

Personality: Eternally positive and always with a new engineering scheme, Janos is a beloved asset to the company while at the same time being a reckless risk if kept alone for too long with his own creations. Experiments like the Pulse PPC (exploded in his face without any applicable results), Ultra Gauss (likewise) and the auto-recoilless rifle (partial success when fired one shot at a time) would make any commander fire him at the spot. But his friendly demeanor and willingness to always give a damaged 'Mech a helping hand makes him part of the Bones' family. He is still a bit of a diva rockstar, especially since his little cooperation with the GDL (truth be told he didn't play a huge role in the development of their Battle Armors, but he pretends he did). Occasionally his Capellan roots shine through (once indoctrinated, always indoctrinated) but now at least he recognize it and stops himself before he gets too annoying about it. Even so, his self-esteem remains a bit too great for his own good.

Speciality Skills: Janos knows just about everything that goes into the construction of a 'Mech. The mechanics, engineering, physics, weapons, everything. He dreams of one day designing the most versatile and powerful BattleMech in history. He has classical education, which includes beating the snot out of people in a highly stylistic and fluid manner as well as dance.

[Wargtass]

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[Wargtass]

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[Kadigan]

I'd be interested if there was no system.

[Blobbe]

The Master Unit list is a great resource for finding 'Mechs. It lists by production era, date of production and availability, which can really help narrow down what's available when and to whom.

[Wargtass]

I'd be interested if there was no system.

We had no system last time around and it worked pretty well. People just tended to treat themselves as masochistic punching-bag and their enemies like piñatas. 

[TheGlyphstone]

Tagged so I don't miss out on updates. I'll be bringing back Alroy, 7 years older but not much wiser.

The Master Unit list is a great resource for finding 'Mechs. It lists by production era, date of production and availability, which can really help narrow down what's available when and to whom.

And don't forget http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page, the unofficial Battletech wiki with detailed info, history, and tech specs on pretty much anything you can imagine.

We had no system last time around and it worked pretty well. People just tended to treat themselves as masochistic punching-bag and their enemies like piñatas. 

Hey, maiming our own mechs is half the fun, though I'll admit some people did get carried away..*shifty eyes*.

[Sel Nar]

Hey, maiming our own mechs is half the fun, though I'll admit some people did get carried away..*shifty eyes*.

Some 'mechs are designed to take metric fucktons of abuse, too. (mostly high-end heavies and Assault-weight)

[Kadigan]

I won't lie, the last thing I played in this universe was Mechwarrior 2, so my knowledge is going to be a little rough.

[TheGlyphstone]

Meh. Anything you feel like you need to know, you can find on Sarna.net, or in the blurb Warg posted.

Ironically, MW2's chronological setting is right when this game is set, though the game is an internal Clan fight while this RP will be about Inner Sphere mercs (mostly).

[Baalborn87]

I put interest into this in the older game that you ran (but didn't feel up to it as I have limited knowledge and it was a 'running/established' game). But as this is new and shiny, colour me interested. Will get started on a character.


Was thinking a young (17/18) scout/mechanical prodigy.

[Thorne]

I'm up for the reboot - think I'll keep Ailis, she has possibilities. A little older, a little wiser - and probably a lot more suspicious of coincidence. *snert*

FYI, she's recon, and unless she can fight her way into a Nova (... not unlikely, but somewhat improbable), she runs a Wolfhound.

[Blobbe]

If you have questions then feel free to ask; we're happy to answer!

[Wheresmycow]

I'm interested, but I'll need to do a whole lot of reading first.  Tentatively, I either want to attempt either a sniper mech with like a gauss rifle, or a bruiser.

[PaladinZenaku]

I am up for the revamp with my old character and hope I dont get writers block like last time but want to choose a different mech or....that custom archer I showed you. Still thinking though.

[Wargtass]

Was thinking a young (17/18) scout/mechanical prodigy.

18. No Mercenary Corp registered with the MRBC (Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission) may hire personnel underneath the age of 18. Even there it is highly unlikely.

I'm up for the reboot - think I'll keep Ailis, she has possibilities. A little older, a little wiser - and probably a lot more suspicious of coincidence. *snert*

FYI, she's recon, and unless she can fight her way into a Nova (... not unlikely, but somewhat improbable), she runs a Wolfhound.

Someone else is aiming for a Nova as well. Could be fun to see a pair of them darting around, but seems even more unlikely.

I'm interested, but I'll need to do a whole lot of reading first.  Tentatively, I either want to attempt either a sniper mech with like a gauss rifle, or a bruiser.

Why not both? 

That said, if you want to specifically be a dedicated "sniper" I'd look into a Jägermech. Should be able to cram in two Gausses in that, but not much more.

I am up for the revamp with my old character and hope I dont get writers block like last time but want to choose a different mech or....that custom archer I showed you. Still thinking though.

Post the Archer and I'll have a look at it again, can't say I rightly remember every detail of it.

Updating the main post with links to Solaris Skunk Werks and the Heavy Metal Pro 'Mech Archives.

[Sel Nar]

Corollaries and addenda;

If a mercenary unit happens to have family members in the same unit, it's commonplace for those under 18 to gain hands-on training with the technical staff, so they're still doing something, but staying out of hazard pay areas, for the most part.

Remember the main flaw of the Nova, other than it being bullshit clan tech (and, therefore, costing roughly the same amount of time, maintenance-wise as two Atlas), is that it cannot torso twist at all, and if it alphastrikes it automatically hits the shutdown threshold. If whatever you shot at isn't dead, it'll get to stomp all over you while you cool down.

Troll response for a 'sniper' 'mech; Hollander. 35 tons, 1 gauss rifle, and that's it. Paper-thin armour and slow as molasses, especially for a light 'mech.

The Jaegermech, in all its variants, is a good way to go kablam; it has less armour than the 45-ton Phoenix hawk, and lots of ammo bins that like to go up in a mech-disintegrating firework display if someone looks at them funny.

The issue with a 'sniper' unit is that you're stuck with either the Autocannon 2, which is basically a 6-ton BB gun with range that out-reaches Long-range missiles, or you're stuck with the Gauss rifle, which means that if you're in something weighing less than 75 tons, you've lost out on things such as 'Secondary weapons' or 'Armour'. Personally, I'd consider the 3055-released Gunslinger or Cerberus; both are assault-weight (85 and 95 tons, respectively), but they both have a pair of gauss rifles, a huge stockpile of ammo, and enough secondary weapons to deter sneaky lights from trying to get the drop on you at point-blank range.

Of course, both those 'mechs are hilariously, stupidly expensive. (Gunslinger's nearly 17 million C-bills, Cerberus is over 25 million. In comparison, the classic Atlas rolls in at just over 9 million C-bills. The main reason for the price hikes in newer 'mechs is because everyone and their mother loves XL engines, despite them doubling the price of the 'mech, and halving its survival time. So, cum grano salis.)

[Blobbe]

There actually is a twin-gauss JaegerMech, the JM6-DG. It first appears c3054 and is pretty widely available.

Clantech won't be widely seen in the Inner Sphere until the 3060s when the Diamond Sharks start making exploratory advances onto the market. Before then, any Clan 'Mechs would a) have to be salvaged and b) will be very expensive to support, as spare parts for them will also need to be salvaged.

Of course, by the 3140s, every man and his dog can get a Koshi, Black Hawk or Warhammer IIC

[Thorne]

There actually is a twin-gauss JaegerMech, the JM6-DG. It first appears c3054 and is pretty widely available.

Clantech won't be widely seen in the Inner Sphere until the 3060s when the Diamond Sharks start making exploratory advances onto the market. Before then, any Clan 'Mechs would a) have to be salvaged and b) will be very expensive to support, as spare parts for them will also need to be salvaged.

Of course, by the 3140s, every man and his dog can get a Koshi, Black Hawk or Warhammer IIC

Salvaged, or you get to spend a lot of time in Trials of Possession for your spare parts.

Not sure that's worth it to Ailis, although /I/ am hugely amused at the 'oh, god, not YOU again' possibilities inherent there. I'm also easily amused. YMMV.

[TheGlyphstone]

So I'm going to keep the King Crab, but I'm considering modifying it a bit by swapping one of the AC-20's for a Gauss Rifle (losing 1 ton of armor in the process). It'll cut my close-in hammer blow in half, but give me a vicious punch at close or long range, and it fits thematically/canonically as a halfway compromise between the original KGC-000 and the dual-gauss 'Clanbuster' variant. Tactical suicide, or a decent strategy?

[Wargtass]

I have never heard of the torso-twist neglect on the Nova. Expensive as fuck, sure, but it shouldn't be the primary concern when we are playing a game. For fun. Sure, paychecks will be cut to shreds, but that only give opportunities for roleplay. And if we are going to play the expense game, a Gunslinger and Cerberus is waaay more expensive than a Jager. Neither of those two or the Atlas are meant to be long range snipers either, while the Jager is.

Putting two Gauss in a Jager might seem a little overboard though, but one is perfectly good.

[Blobbe]

See that's the thing. I find that if you field an army of min-maxed (and often dual guass) 'Mechs like the Gunslinger or Cerberus or, god help you, the Thunder Hawk, then it gets boring very quickly. Having less then optimal 'Mechs can often be a lot more fun and rewarding.

With that being said, personally, I wouldn't be allowing players to have Clan tech in this time period, but that's just me.

When 'Mech design quirks were introduced in Strategic Operations, the Black Hawk was cited as an example of the "no torso twist" trait.

Oh, and the easiest way to slug a Gauss Rifle on a King Crab? Take out one of the heat sinks. You'll need them a lot less anyway

[TheGlyphstone]

Huh, that's a good point, I can keep the armor that way. Still, the question would be if splitting the firepower would be a good idea, or if it'd just leave me hamstrung in both range brackets.


As for clan-tech...it's been 5 years since Tukayyid and the end of the Invasion, that's long enough IMO for bits and pieces of Clantech to have started filtering out on the black market from the salvage taken during the Invasion. Whole 'Mechs should be rare as balls, but individual items wouldn't be unreasonable depending on what they were (energy weapons would be easier to keep/maintain than ballistic or missile weapons, for example.)

[Thorne]

I have a miniature for the Nova. The way it's put together (which is a pain in the ass at that scale, lemme tell you), it's not possible for it to twist.
I suspect a skilled pilot could more than make up for that drawback, but it's an interesting little 'Mech. I wouldn't use it with the prime configuration - that's too much laser for my likings - but that's me.

And, hell... it's not like it's a Timber Wolf, right? >.>

Seriously though, without a reliable source for parts, for a MechWarrior like Ailis, the shiny is not worth the aggravation. The Wolfhound - possibly with some 'borrowed' *cough* tech will do quite nicely.