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

[Blobbe]

Obviously I can't speak for Warg, but I'd say that none of the 'Mechs listed there are going to be available. However, I personally really like the Archer that you came up with and it adds up from what you've given us. I'd say go with that, but obviously that's up to you and Warg.

[TheGlyphstone]

The Archer works for sure...the only reason I'd even suggested the Marauder in the first place was because its visual profile was already spot-on for what you were describing, and would probably in-universe be far cheaper than paying for what would basically amount to a waist-up rebuild of the Archer chassis to mount the Gauss Rifle you were keen on.

[PaladinZenaku]

Well the archer was a design I made out of boredom at work. I made other custom variants of mechs too. A wolverine, rifleman, crab and a highlander. I really wasnt going to have LRMs on the archer but in the shoulder there was going to be 2 SRM-4s with 2 tons of ammo or so. I had some free time when I wasnt a sargent but when I got promoted my free time flew away.

Edit
I wanted to find a mech that fits my play style of being a juggernaut or long range fighter. In most games I play I am the tank or sniper. I also love trying to get better at things I aint good at just to laugh when I crash a plane or sinking my own boat. Dont ask.

[Andi]

Just to throw my few cents in, that sounds like the niche the Warhammer or Marauder fill. Archer is more of an artillery support 'Mech. Not a bad one, but he certainly is not a sniper or long-range assault.

[PaladinZenaku]

I think I might step off and talk with warg through PM to do something. Oh I forgot to add the mad dog to the list and I will mention the idea of the marauder was good and i liked it alot but doubt has gotten into my mind now due to the quotes of its thin side armor. On the other hand I always like to face my opponent to BRING ALL GUNS TO BARE.

[Blobbe]

Truth is? There's nothign at all wrong with the Marauder's side armour.

[Kadigan]

Spoke with War a bit, decided to give it a go after all. Reposting profile with a few minor changes.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Name:  Kendra Wheeler
Sex: F
Homeworld: Atreus
Original Faction: Free World League

Description: Kendra is around 5’4, 144 pounds, with dark skin and long black hair. She tries to keep in good shape, as piloting a mech can be strenuous work as well.

Background: If there was anything remarkable about Kendra' early childhood memories, she can’t find them. She was born to, while not a lap of luxury, to a modestly successful lawyer and former dancer, who’d found his own career in the holovids. for a time, being one of the few remaining direct descendants of the Santee tribe from Terra.
   At the age of fifteen, she began to experiment and fiddle around with several Mech sims, doing amazingly well. Better then anyone would have expected. Soon, thanks to her father's contacts in the entertainment industry and some of her mother’s rather upscale clients, she began to enter various competitions and auditioning for advertising contracts, becoming the public face of a Mech manufacturer. She did quite well, becoming something of a minor celebrity in the Mech circle, doing the equivalent of air and trade shows with them. She was afforded some private instructors as part of her training and advertising, becoming a fairly skilled pilot.
   When her mother was indicted along with the company she was currently working for, her family lost almost everything. Her prospects almost immediately dried up, and the only thing she owned outright, her Mech, was nearly taken from her. Thanks to the few remaining credits she had stashed away, she managed to get off planet before it could be seized. Desperate for money, she put to use her best talent, bouncing from planet to planet, amassing what she could, finding most of it had to go right back into the Mech, before falling in with a new group of pilots.


Personality: She’s fun loving but not what one would call bubbly, coming from the entertainment industry she knows how to blend into wild parties and upper class society just as well.She’s never seem to let her circumstances get her down, at least on the outside.

Speciality Skills: She can read a contract like nobody’s business, owing to her years spent in said industry prior to becoming a mech pilot full time. She can perform minor repairs on her Mech, but couldn’t rebuild or do heavy repair work on it. She’s also a halfway decent marksmen with a pistol.

BattleMech Characteristics

BattleMech: Hellbringer
Weight Class:  Heavy
Callsign: Braddox
Description: The mech is painted in a bright green color, There are several swatches of blue running across the mech, almost as if someone a giant hand in paint and slid it across.

Loadout: The Hellbringer has 4 large lasers, 4 Medium lasers, 2 LRM missile pods, and a pair of machine guns, designed to take out infantry and light tanks 

Modules:  Kendra’s Hellbringer carries a retractable blade along with an ECM module to baffle enemy sensors. 

Upgrades:

[Anathanasia]

I think I might step off and talk with warg through PM to do something. Oh I forgot to add the mad dog to the list and I will mention the idea of the marauder was good and i liked it alot but doubt has gotten into my mind now due to the quotes of its thin side armor. On the other hand I always like to face my opponent to BRING ALL GUNS TO BARE.

Solaris Skunkwerks is a bit of a pain (I much prefer The Drawing Board for ease of use), but something like that could help you out.

I took the liberty of making adjustments to the MAD-5S Marauder based on what I've read here, and here's what you can do:

"Downgrade" the medium pulse lasers to medium lasers = 2 free tons
Remove CASE (this is a dodgey mod, as some might argue it's too structural, but let's assume it's fine based on what Wargtass said) = 0.5 free tons (2.5 free tons total) and 1 free critical space (15 free critical spaces total)

Max out the armour (really, like 1 point leftover) with ferro-fibrous = +1.5 tons armour and 14 critical spaces
Add 1 ton of Gauss Rifle ammo to the left torso magazine.

You've got no leftover weight or space, and max armour. You've also doubled your shots with the gauss rifle.

So, you know, there you go! A lightly less crazy modification of a 'stock' Lyran Marauder with huge guns! :)

[Inash]

I would appreciate any comments or feedback on this:

Pilot

Name: Gregory Schmidt
Sex: Male
Homeworld: Tharkad
Original Faction: Steiner
Callsign: Inash

[b

Description:[/b] ]
He is average height and fairly thin with dishwater blonde hair and brown eyes.  He is usually clean shaven and has no significant scars.

[b

Background:[/b] ]
Gregory started his career as a mech pilot working for TharHes Industries.  He did tests and sales demonstrations.  Old Bones was one of the clients he demonstrated for.  When he decided it was time to leave TharHes, he purchased an old demonstration Bushwaker and left to try and start life as a mercenary.

[b

Personality:[/b]]
Though he seems fairly quiet and reserved when you first meet him, he can be quite gregarious and a bit silly when around people he knows well. 

[b

Speciality Skills:[/b] ]
Adequate cook
Adequate poker player
decent mechanic in a pinch (i.e. knows which end of the wrench to use, but not too much else)
General outdoorsmanship
Mediocre chess player
Attempting to write a mystery novel (poorly)

BattleMech Characteristics
Bushwacker BSW-X1(with plans to upgrade to a Marauder, and eventually a Marauder II if possible)  Information on Bushwacker from:  http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Bushwacker

Bushwacker BSW-X1

BSW-X1 Bushwacker (modified with light gauss rifle instead of AC/10, scratch that, it appears the light gauss can only be mounted on inner sphere omnimechs.)
55 tons 
BV: 1,073
Cost: 9,766,137 C-bills

Movement: 5/8  (86.4 km/h)
Engine: 275 XL  (8 T)
Heat Sinks: 11 [22] (1 T)
Gyro: Standard Gyro (3T)
Cockpit:               (3T)

Internal:  (5.5 T)
Armor: 161 (9 T)
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Head                        3        9
Center Torso               18       26
Center Torso (rear)                 8
Right Torso                13       22
Right Torso (rear)                  4
Left Torso                 12       22
Left Torso (rear)                   4
Right Arm                  9       11
Left Arm                   9       11
Right Leg                  13      22
Left Leg                   13       22

Weapon                         Loc  Heat      Critical     Tonnage
———————————————————————
Autocannon/10           RA     1            5                 12
LRM 5                           LA     2           1                  2
LRM 5                            LT     2           1                    2
ER Large Laser               CT     12           2                    5
Machine Gun                 RT       0            1                   .5
Machine Gun                 LT       0            1                  .5

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
AC/10 Ammo               RT    10               1                1
MG Ammo                      RT     100             1                  .5
LRM 5 Ammo                     LT    24            1                  1
CASE                           RT & LT                  2                  1

[Sara Nilsson]

tbh, since it is a freeform RP trying to add a ton of armour here or there is kinda pointless. last time we did this 99% of all damage we took was from our own writing anyway and i dont think wargtass will go.. haha! you didnt have enough armour.. you are dead.

[Blobbe]

BSW-X1 Bushwacker (modified with light gauss rifle instead of AC/10, scratch that, it appears the light gauss can only be mounted on inner sphere omnimechs.)

Looks good apart from that bit. I don't know where you got the info from, but there's nothing stopping you from putting a Light Gauss on a Bushwhacker.

Obviously it's your choice what you want to do, but I figure if you want the LGR, then go for it. Of course, again, I'm biased since i love the Bushwhacker, so...

[TheGlyphstone]

tbh, since it is a freeform RP trying to add a ton of armour here or there is kinda pointless. last time we did this 99% of all damage we took was from our own writing anyway and i dont think wargtass will go.. haha! you didnt have enough armour.. you are dead.

Nah, more armor means we can be more descriptive when we injure ourselves.

[PaladinZenaku]

Solaris Skunkwerks is a bit of a pain (I much prefer The Drawing Board for ease of use), but something like that could help you out.

I took the liberty of making adjustments to the MAD-5S Marauder based on what I've read here, and here's what you can do:

"Downgrade" the medium pulse lasers to medium lasers = 2 free tons
Remove CASE (this is a dodgey mod, as some might argue it's too structural, but let's assume it's fine based on what Wargtass said) = 0.5 free tons (2.5 free tons total) and 1 free critical space (15 free critical spaces total)

Max out the armour (really, like 1 point leftover) with ferro-fibrous = +1.5 tons armour and 14 critical spaces
Add 1 ton of Gauss Rifle ammo to the left torso magazine.

You've got no leftover weight or space, and max armour. You've also doubled your shots with the gauss rifle.

So, you know, there you go! A lightly less crazy modification of a 'stock' Lyran Marauder with huge guns! :)

Ok what changes do I need to make in this mech chart to show that.

Marauder MAD-5S

Mass: 75 tons
Chassis: GM Marauder
Power Plant: GM 300 XL
Cruising Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Valiant Lamellor with CASE
Armament:
    1 Poland Main Model A Gauss Rifle
    2 Defiance 1001 ER PPCs
    2 Defiance P5M Medium Pulse Lasers
Manufacturer(s):
    Bowie Industries (Carlisle / FC)
Communications System: Dalban Micronics
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban HiRez

Overview:

Type: MAD-5S Marauder
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 2 3050
Tonnage: 75


               
Equipment      Mass
Internal Structure:            7.5
Engine:   300 XL         9.5
   Walking MP:   4
   Running MP:   6
   Jumping MP:   0
Heat Sinks:   16 [32]         6.0
Gyro:            3.0
Cockpit:            3.0
Armor Factor:   184          11.5
      Internal   Armor
      Structure   Value
   Head:   3   9
   Center Torso:   23   35
   Center Torso (Rear):      10
   R/L Torso:   16   17
   R/L Torso (Rear):      8
   R/L Arm:   12   22
   R/L Leg:   16   18

BV : 1466 Cost : 15498000
Weapons and Ammo      Location   Critical   Heat   Mass
Gauss Rifle      RT   7   1   15.0
@Gauss Rifle (8)      LT   1   0   1.0
ER PPC      RA   3   15   7.0
Medium Pulse Laser      RA   1   4   2.0
ER PPC      LA   3   15   7.0
Medium Pulse Laser      LA   1   4   2.0
CASE      RT   1   0   0.5

[Inash]

Looks good apart from that bit. I don't know where you got the info from, but there's nothing stopping you from putting a Light Gauss on a Bushwhacker.

Obviously it's your choice what you want to do, but I figure if you want the LGR, then go for it. Of course, again, I'm biased since i love the Bushwhacker, so...

When I tried to set it up in skunkworks with the LGR it wouldn't let me.  (I'm a mac user so it looks like Skunkworks is my only option.) 

[Anathanasia]

tbh, since it is a freeform RP trying to add a ton of armour here or there is kinda pointless. last time we did this 99% of all damage we took was from our own writing anyway and i dont think wargtass will go.. haha! you didnt have enough armour.. you are dead.

I disagree. Even if we're on the honour system since this is freeform RP, we need to keep in mind our own mechs limitations. We can't have someone piloting a Tarantula posting about soaking up fire from a gauss rifle, obviously, and likewise even the heavy mechs should be aware of their own limits. For me, it becomes a matter of where to draw the line, and even if we're freeforming it, the difference between 17 points of armour and 22 points in a location can be quite significant. The latter is an extra medium laser hit, or two blasts from a PPC without any internal damage, you know?

It's good to know these things so we can not only write creatively, but accurately.

Ok what changes do I need to make in this mech chart to show that.

It would look like this:

Marauder MAD-5S-PZ (for PaladinZenaku)

Mass: 75 tons
Chassis: GM Marauder
Power Plant: GM 300 XL
Cruising Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Valiant Lamellor ferro-fibrous (side note: check the 3025 tech readout description, kind of reads like Marauders originally had ferro-fibrous armour)
Armament:
    1 Poland Main Model A Gauss Rifle
    2 Defiance 1001 ER PPCs
    2 Magna mk II Medium Lasers
Manufacturer(s):
    Bowie Industries (Carlisle / FC)
Communications System: Dalban Micronics
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban HiRez

Overview:

Type: MAD-5S-PZ Marauder
Technology Base: Inner Sphere Level 2 3050
Tonnage: 75


               
Equipment      Mass
Internal Structure:            7.5
Engine:   300 XL         9.5
   Walking MP:   4
   Running MP:   6
   Jumping MP:   0
Heat Sinks:   16 [32]         6.0
Gyro:            3.0
Cockpit:            3.0
Armor Factor:   231          13.0
      Internal   Armor
      Structure   Value
   Head:   3   9
   Center Torso:   23   35
   Center Torso (Rear):      11
   R/L Torso:   16   24
   R/L Torso (Rear):      8
   R/L Arm:   12   24
   R/L Leg:   16   32

BV : 1980 Cost : 15,559,250
Weapons and Ammo      Location   Critical   Heat   Mass
Gauss Rifle      RT   7   1   15.0
@Gauss Rifle (16)      LT   2   0   2.0
ER PPC      RA   3   15   7.0
Medium Laser      RA   1   3   1.0
ER PPC      LA   3   15   7.0
Medium Laser      LA   1   3   1.0

[Inash]

Ok, I got a look at the TechManual, and there is no reason, in the rules, I couldn't mount a LGR instead of an Autocannon.  I'll go back and update my mech in a bit.

[Blobbe]

I disagree. Even if we're on the honour system since this is freeform RP, we need to keep in mind our own mechs limitations. We can't have someone piloting a Tarantula posting about soaking up fire from a gauss rifle, obviously, and likewise even the heavy mechs should be aware of their own limits. For me, it becomes a matter of where to draw the line, and even if we're freeforming it, the difference between 17 points of armour and 22 points in a location can be quite significant. The latter is an extra medium laser hit, or two blasts from a PPC without any internal damage, you know?

It's good to know these things so we can not only write creatively, but accurately.

I've had the pleasure of talking with an actual Battletech writer about the writing process. They admitted that they don't really care either about exact armour values or weapon damages or the like when writing. As long as it looks about right and suits the story, then it's what they go with. There's no need to obsessively game out every single battle or mark off every bit of armour that's being destroyed, as long as the results a) look about right and b) serve the needs of the story.

And really, that's the sort of approach I'd be taking here. Don't worry about every last finnicky detail of every 'Mech, don't worry about how much side torso armour a Marauder has or the like. Just as long as it seems about right and everyone has fun, then that's what's important.

[Andi]

This, I suspect, is why so many 'Mechs get "cored" in the BT fiction... much more dramatic than sputtering out and being salvaged.

[Anathanasia]

I've had the pleasure of talking with an actual Battletech writer about the writing process. They admitted that they don't really care either about exact armour values or weapon damages or the like when writing. As long as it looks about right and suits the story, then it's what they go with. There's no need to obsessively game out every single battle or mark off every bit of armour that's being destroyed, as long as the results a) look about right and b) serve the needs of the story.

And really, that's the sort of approach I'd be taking here. Don't worry about every last finnicky detail of every 'Mech, don't worry about how much side torso armour a Marauder has or the like. Just as long as it seems about right and everyone has fun, then that's what's important.

I like consistency, not just for myself, but for the game as a whole. I take a look at these numbers and use them as benchmarks not just for myself, but hopefully what everyone else can expect from me as well.

It's important to me because of the possible scenario where identical mechs are taking identical fire, such as gauss rifle, or the many different mechs armed with a pair of PPCs. I find it very immersion breaking if they begin to take the same amount of damage in the same places, but with wildly different results. It's only worse if we're talking about the kind of damage that would flat out remove a limb or a torso location on a lighter mech, such as an AC/20 or even a gauss rifle.

The numbers, even if we don't use them with mathematical precision (which I agree we really don't need to), give all of us a common point of reference so we can have some consistency between our individual posts. A PPC should do impressive damage no matter who's posting, right? All I'm saying is that we use the tools provided by this being based off a tabletop game in order to work together to post in such a way that we are all on the same page as far as what to expect when a lightly armoured mech gets hit by a large laser blast compared to how that would affect an assault mech.

Does that make sense?

Naturally, I defer to the moderator, but that's my two cents.

[Wargtass]

I will do as I usually do with these kinds of debates and cite some historical anecdotes from the world of armored warfare.

During the Battle of the Korsun–Cherkasy Pocket in 1944 a company of Soviet T-34/85's surprised a group of five German Panzer IV's that were parked on a line while their crew was maintaining them. The command T-34 fired twice, hitting two PzIV at the same place in the mid hull behind the tracks where it would penetrate the ammunition lockers and cause a devastating explosion. The first tank blew up just like so, but when he fired the second shot, just a few seconds afterwards, it didn't penetrate the second tank. It got the commander thinking once they were done shooting the Germans to pieces, why? It had been the exact same distance, the exact same ammunition, shot in an almost indistinguishable angle at the same sort of tanks. Yet, one bounced while the other didn't. Why?

Truth is, the results can vary from shot to shot depending on a multitude of factors. In the above example, we have already eliminated differing positions, angles, types of target and other variables such as cover and if the target has already been shot at. However, there are hidden variables. It might have been that there was a flaw in the steel composition of the first tank (a common problem with late war German tanks since their resources were dwindling). The second shot itself might have been flawed in a certain way, or the shell had just a tiny bit less propellant than the first shot. Once you come down to it, it might just have been pure dumb luck.

In the same way one can never say that two identical 'Mechs can take the same identical fire. Even in such seemingly precise things as energy weapons all you need is a little difference in the output of one circuit and the variable has been drawn to one way or another. We must not (and probably cannot even if we wanted to) sacrifice storytelling to mathematics. Consistency is one thing, counting armor down to the points and comparing it to the damage of a weapon a whole other.

In the end we are role-playing here, interacting with characters we have created that pilot 'Mechs that we want with availability (no matter how rare) as our only guideline. We are not playing a tabletop game. We are not professional writers either (or at least I don't think so). One ton of armor and what it protects against is not that important to me at least and I won't hold it against any of you if you shrug off a PPC bolt in your Heavy or dodge a gauss round with your Light. As long as it is within the plausible realm and serves a purpose in the scene, I am as happy as could be. Everything else is what we have edit-buttons and OOC-threads for. In that regard I agree fully with Kayla's insider info: As long as it looks about right and suits the story, then it's what we go with.

[Sara Nilsson]

wargypoo? Question, will we all at least know eachother or will those of us with new characters just enter the company without knowing anyone?

[Anathanasia]

In the same way one can never say that two identical 'Mechs can take the same identical fire. Even in such seemingly precise things as energy weapons all you need is a little difference in the output of one circuit and the variable has been drawn to one way or another. We must not (and probably cannot even if we wanted to) sacrifice storytelling to mathematics. Consistency is one thing, counting armor down to the points and comparing it to the damage of a weapon a whole other.

That's what I meant by not needing to do precise math. Use the resources we have as a common reference point, a set of guidelines, but no, we don't need to fully recreate the tabletop. I'm totally on board with that.

Also, that was a neat WWII story.

In the end we are role-playing here, interacting with characters we have created that pilot 'Mechs that we want with availability (no matter how rare) as our only guideline. We are not playing a tabletop game. We are not professional writers either (or at least I don't think so). One ton of armor and what it protects against is not that important to me at least and I won't hold it against any of you if you shrug off a PPC bolt in your Heavy or dodge a gauss round with your Light. As long as it is within the plausible realm and serves a purpose in the scene, I am as happy as could be. Everything else is what we have edit-buttons and OOC-threads for. In that regard I agree fully with Kayla's insider info: As long as it looks about right and suits the story, then it's what we go with.

Roger that.

One of the things I always liked about the fiction is how the writers often allowed mechs to have the full mobility of a humanoid figure. The tabletop kind of did, especially if you used miniature rules instead of a hex grid, but I always liked the idea of using cover better with mechs. Without at least some of the mobility and flexibility of a humanoid form, wouldn't you simply be better off in a tank?

Also, any ideas or suggestions about my character? What changes need to be made (besides some names and timeline issues)?

[Wargtass]

wargypoo? Question, will we all at least know eachother or will those of us with new characters just enter the company without knowing anyone?

I haven't decided yet and if you all want to decide on it you are welcome to do so. Or at least tell me your preferences.

Paladin, I actually have nothing against you using the Galahad (Glass Spider) or Puma (Adder). If you'd rather play the Marauder and later go for one of these as the salvage allows (Fortune is a dirty mistress) then I'd say go for it. The point remains as always, play what you want.

Anathanasia, I am pretty happy with the outline of your character as such, just need to change some things around to reflect the story of our game. That Warhammer looks tasty btw, I would want to meet it in a dark alley. 

[TheGlyphstone]

One of the things I always liked about the fiction is how the writers often allowed mechs to have the full mobility of a humanoid figure. The tabletop kind of did, especially if you used miniature rules instead of a hex grid, but I always liked the idea of using cover better with mechs. Without at least some of the mobility and flexibility of a humanoid form, wouldn't you simply be better off in a tank?

Also, any ideas or suggestions about my character? What changes need to be made (besides some names and timeline issues)?

Absolutely. I think the designers are on record somewhere, actually, as saying that if you actually approached things from a strict logical and realistic perspective, tanks would be superior to Mechs in almost every way, so the technology/tactics in BT is intentionally designed to make non-mech units inferior.

[orderNchaos]

Ok, so I finally decided after much musing that I am going to bring Ranna back for the new launch...with the caveat to Wargtass that the pilots who have been with the unit since that first painful mission need to be promoted in some substantial way!

Kayla I think it's time you and I sat down and figured out where Ranna and Elisa finally sat down and 'got to know each other'.  If we can't RP it, at least we can figure things out. 

Otherwise, I hope the newbies are ready to see some real pilots in action!