Good to see that it didn't drag you down Olaf :)

Wasp's make for fine machines as long as you realize that they are scout machines and have to engage on their own circumstances.  If they don't they get crushed by larger things.  Jarold engaged last mission a Grasshopper repeatedly from behind in his six small laser Wasp and tore it apart.  If Kitten has some Endo and double heat sinks lying around they can become decent energy beasts...but that's the key they are energy platforms unless you go really low profile AC/2 Lights and LRM5's when you get into mods.

Mission thread up.

you have a minimum of 48 hours before i close the thread to start Op Force placement.

After which you may roll initiative to start the first turn of combat.

I will be looser on the pacing for the first turn or two, since everyone is out of practice (myself included), but you can expect quicker, and more aggressive pacing that has become a standard of the campaign after things shake out.  If you have questions, best ask them sooner than later.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:30, Thu 18 Feb 2016.

Glad to see things starting back up, just saying hi.

I'm still watching what is happening over here occasionally.

Currently in the middle of a house buying offer, but some other parts of life are settling down into routine. Hoping to close and move late April, if enough things settle hoping I might be able to come back playing and possibly BMing around June now.

Anyways, carry on, and enjoy! I miss ya all :)

Miss ya, but i understand.

Life gets in the way sometimes, hope to see you down the line.

In reply to Lucius McMurphy (msg # 425):

Thanks Luc, all makes sense to me.

Working through the new char sheet - I'll have it posted up shortly.  Are we still not allowed to roll for Endo and Ferro Fib during character creation?

The predicament that we had was our carefully laid out mods sat while RL kicked us in the privates.  So Kitten hand waved away the detail and gave us all some mods to our mechs for no cost...but also we didn't get to pick what they were to help keep down her bookkeeping overhead.  So best you decide your ride and where your XP goes and let Kitten tell you if the extra funds will sit or will find use.

Beauty, I love the new approach... less number crunching for everyone.  Here is my Olaf reboot for audit and comment:

Olaf Oleeson
“Berserker”
Wasp WSP-1A
Bug Warrior Archetype

Attributes:
Accuracy - 4 (200xp)
Physical - 2 (50xp)
Mental - 2 (50xp)

Edge - 1 (300,000 cb)

Skills:
(1) Tactics - 1 (25xp)
(2) Physical Attacks - 1 (25xp)
(3) Hazard Checks - 1 (25xp)
(4) Light Mech Spec - 1 (25 xp) : Born to fly (15 xp)

Mech Perks 3fp (30,000 cb)
(1) Mech fu - in your face

Xp Record:
+ 400 Bug Warrior Archetype = 400
+ 20 character reboot = 420
- 300 Attributes = 120
- 100 Skills = 20
- 15 Born to fly = 5 xp

Bank:
+ 2,700,000 starting bank = 2,700,000
+ 200,000 character reboot = 2,900,000
- 1,646,640 mech WSP-1A = 1,053,360
- 300,000 Edge buy up = 753,360
- 30,000 Mech perks = 723,360 cb

Skill Check Base Tns:
Initiative 5+
Pilot 5+
Gunnery  4+
Scout 8+

Edit: wasn't sure if I could buy rank using this archetype.  If I can, I'll shell out the 100K for another 25xp...
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Your Wasp mods...
Drop SRM 2 and ammo ~> +1 ton Armor and ML in LA


If youre willing to name your Wasp, you may also
Add Endo (gain one ton for what you please) or convert (2) HS (RT/LT) to (2) IS HS.


Go place your self on the mission map.


Actually...
(EVERYONE SHOULD PLACE THEM SELVES ON THE MISSION MAP)
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:35, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Great Kitten. I'll dub this bug "Grendel" and take the HS upgrades.

I don't think I have access to the mission thread.

My bad, you should now.

I can see it now.  Will post up my starting hex and facing shortly.

Since I've got that 700K cb burning a hole in my pocket can I spend 200K on Sergeant stripes (rank buy up)?  If I can I'll pick-up Shoot on the Fly with the extra xp.

If you have the leadership/noble to back it, sure.

You do realize, the infantry is pretty effective this mission, each point of damage they inflict is a dead bug, so at full strength a squad can kill two bugs each.  That's as much damage as some of the mechs...

Withdrawing them early is going to dramatically reduce your DPS
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:47, Fri 19 Feb 2016.

Really?

I figured that since they were laser troops they'd follow the same line as energy weapons.  1 dead bug per 7 man team.  And they need to let those bugs get really close being infantry...infantry that can only run 1 hex a round while the bugs can walk 2 or run 3 and run them down like a bad (or good) rendition of Starship Troopers...

In reply to Kitten (msg # 436):

No need to put up a pair of bars and fill up my evenings with all them fancy dress shindigs in the officers' mess.  I'm more than happy to stay a non-com.  Mental 2 / Tactics 1 should meet the pre-requisites all the way up to Staff Sergeant or am I misreading the table?

She's almost never allowed the non-com buy up at start to my remembrances.  Those have come in-game.

Luc is correct.

Infantry damage is always full damage to other infantry.

Seven infantry men shooting seven times, kill two men, seems about right?

If they were armed with MGs they would get a MG bonus though.

Ahh the standard kill 2d6 men cause it's a lot of flying lead bonus.  Got it.

Still could use them, just a little later in the mission is my thought.

count five on the map, Teri seems to be missing of the ones i expected, she'll be late reinforcements then if she doesnt check in.

intiative starts tomorrow, after i place the ants you get to roll initiative.

She asked in the ready room today about where would be a good place to drop so maybe she'll get it to you later tonight.

That's fine, i'm posting ants in the morning if she's not ready, she starts on the SE dropship.

Can we stomp the ants if they try to swarm? What is the procedure going to be for kicking a swarm?

I imagine if they swarm the option is the same as if you were dealing with an infantry swarm.

You can use your physical round to 'brush' them off.  You get two PSR's, one for each arm, as long as you fired no arm mounted weapons adding a +4 to each roll in addition to any other mods.  A successful roll forces them off and the infantry take punch damage and most importantly...unlike non-infanty weapon attacks against conventional infantry the damage is applied as if from another infantry unit...aka full damage.

Say they swarm my Hawk, I brush them off with my large battle fists and they take 6 damage aka 6 of them die.

Problem with that of course is the swarm is in the firing phase and they could do an internal crit that makes your life a living hell...even if you do crush them all after the fact.

Mind...

That is how Total Warfare deals with it for infantry.  These things aren't infantry par-say so our fists might not be as good against them...well at least the ones that actually have fists ;)

Regarding swarms, mostly what Luc said.
These things are faster... stronger... and cling much better than infantry naturally.

Complete rules wont be revealed till it actually happens, but really... really... really... you dont want to be the guinea pig to discover the rules.


In addition, just cause it's good roleplaying, i will let mechs 'step on' ants (ie Kick) that are at range one.  Regardless of size or weight you only get to kill one ant, but you never know, when killing that last ant can be handy.

---

added a more complete unit store.

You are far far far far away from home.

ALL UNIT MODS... will be done using the inventory available at...

link to a message in this game

Effectively,
Presume normal armor/internals is not an issue till i say otherwise.
Presume standard ammo is not an issue till i say otherwise.

After this mission you will be allowed to modify your mechs a little using these stores.
ie.
1)  You of course must follow the standard campaign guidelines on allowed modifications.
2)  You may remove one piece of equipment on your mech.
3)  Using (as a unit) the stores available you may mount new equipment on your mech.
4)  Your first change ammo is not considered a modification.
5)  Changing more than one type of ammo is considered a modification.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:22, Sat 20 Feb 2016.

I hate to be a bother but how badly did I miss my drop to land in 1511 instead of my specified 0511?