heh... i'm only EW LAM deep, i'm stepping back from command.

As a primary...

100 Accuracy
100 Physical
050 Mental

025 Edge
075 X-Train Aero
025 X-Train Tech
025 Tinker
025 Noble

2.7 million
2.47 million LAM

230 k for equipment... picked from Penny... probably the Elite Ferret/Infantry, Plug suit, Endo Steel... in that order of priority, though to get the ferret i'd have to pick up rank... budget... super tight.

Swap Noble for Leader, if i was going for a Unit Commander role.. .which i'm not.

---

As an alt...

100 Accuracy
100 Physical
025 Mental

075 X-Train Aero
025 X-Train Tech
025 X-Train Tinker

2.2 Million
2.1 Million 15t EW LAM

... mmm ... start looking at PS or Endo for the future development... i suppose...  tigher...
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:16, Wed 01 July 2015.

I will still see myself out, not because i cant be a heavy, its because I am burnt out on this and I lost that spark for it, But maybe one day I will come back, either way, im going, see ya'll another time.

No worries, wil honor your wishes and hope you prosper.

If you feel the urge please look us up. will remove your ID in a few days when i clean up the cast list.

As a new-ish player in this game, I have been going back and forth if it is worthwhile for me to make any changes to my character.  Reading the comments in this thread, and some of the debate over light vs non-light, I wonder if I did not create a character that fits into the overall cohesion of the game.

Most of the games I have played/run in my time were on the Heavy/Assault side with some Mediums sprinkled in.  As was pointed out, most players liked tons of weapons and armor, but due to either heat buildup or just general 'Mech slowness there was not much close-in fighting.  I personally wanted to use a Hatchetman or the like, but was never able to close the distance to make it worthwhile.  And I wonder if that "tainted" my views on how to run things.

I was never really into the idea of running light 'Mechs before this game. And I think part of my issues when I first started came from the mindset of "find a spot with some cover and fire away" school of battle.

With that in mind, I have been wondering if I need/should adjust my skills and possibly even my 'Mech. It is definitely slower then what most people are running. And one of the reasons I took it was for the LRMs. Since I would have range and could fire across the map. But that style does not seem to fit in to what the others are using/playing towards.

Anyone have any thoughts on that? Or might be able to present me with some alternatives?

This is the first online Battletech, and indeed the first I have played at ALL in about 6 years. It is different then those I am used to, and I need to adjust my mindset to fit. Just wondering if anyone is willing to give me some help with that change.

Storm, I think most of it comes down to how you want to play the game.

The "take cover and blast things with LRM fire" option works perfectly with how I was running the Ironswords XO unit, and will ideally be running the Spectres. Since with Hawkeye LRMs, you can actually be in full cover and also don't need line of sight to the enemy.

Key thing is to identify how you want to play, close up hand to hand, knife fighting with weapons, the mid range game, the long range game, or something else like EW? Long range in this campaign tends to IMO be tough to do, unless you are indeed doing something like TAG + Hawkeyes, and even that can be hard to maintain on some maps, due to them being smaller size and not a lot of cover.

Thank you for the input.  I think from my own experience the LRM "fire and hide" method is not working for me. So I mightlook for something that can move faster and maybe mid-or close range.

Also, at the risk of sounding dumb, what is "EW"?

Besides the sound you make when a slug crawls over your skin.

EW is short for Electronic Warfare.

Using Beagle Probes and Guardian Suites for scouting or jamming, etc. There was a lot of the ECM/Guardian stuff going on in the Academy mission with Penny and the Pegasus hover craft.

As noted...

There is no single way to play this campaign.

The whitworth is certainly larger and lighter, but the jump jets help it along, and your willingness to work with the game plan in the form of providing Hawkeye support helps to endear you to your commander.

The real question you should be asking yourself, is, are you happy with your role in the campaign.  If youre comfortable with your role in the unit, i dont see a problem.  You Functioned perfectly on the last mission, you provided support, and when the call went out to step up and move in to absorb your share of punishment as the 'heavy' reserve, you didnt hesistate and you were rolling in to break the back of the Op Force.

4/6/4 is really the minimal movement profile players should consider.  Slower and you better be bringing something outstanding to the unit.

I would consider the 'average' speed for the campaign to be 5/8/5 or 8/12/0

The ability to reach +3 Def or +4 Def Modifier is usually pretty vital to making certain you arent sectioned out as a slow moving target and death by the BM.  The whitworth is slow... but it's got good armor, and weapons that function at all range.

If you want to play a Hatchetman, the campaign does allow for the use of melee weapons.

I would suggest the Valkyrie as platform.  It's quicker than the Hatchetman and will close easier.  The weight is perfect for weapons since, 30tons is the breaking point for the Hatchet and Sword installation.  Removal of the Valks LRM gives you 6 tons, 2 tons for the melee weapon and you have 4 tons left to tweak the Valkyrie, and 3 criticals in the CT.

Going CAT, Physical Combat, and Mech Specialist for options is a pretty uber combination.  You're closing to whack them with your weapon and using CAT as you close to do it... nothing wrong with that at all.

It's a build i've considered... but never had a chance to play... cause... well... so many builds... so few alts (you're limited to one alt)

or... very little of it, with them canceling each other out...

Ah, EW makes sense now. I knew it had to be something simple.

I am pleased with the way the last mission worked out, and my role in it.  I felt I was not contributiing as much, but that is more on my inexperience with the group I think. Seeing everyone rushing up and trying to close and I was falling behind made me feel I was not helping much.  But at the end I definately saw that change when I was able to move in and take some of the heat.

I do like the idea of working on modifying the Valkyrie.  I have not looked much into modifications in this game, so I am not sure how complicated it would be.  But I will look over and play with some of the archetypes and see if I find something I might want to switch into.

Mech mod Thread...

link to a message in another game

not terrible.

The Valkyrie is the easiest mech to modify, you drop the LRM 10 and ammo.

That gives you 6 tons and 2 + 1 torso criticals to use, as well as the arm criticals for new equipment... subject to available parts.  At the start you can modify with standard tech without concern for availability, you start making availability rolls if you want advance tech stuff.

A big stick to whack someone in the head with, is pretty low tech, but also not common in the military either (if we were on solaris that's different), so you might need to make a modest roll for those.

Swords are easier to come by, because the skill challenged Omni locals, find them easier to use than the Hatchet.

On a Valkyrie the Hatchet does 6 damage with a -1 attack bonus, the sword does 4 damage with a -2 Attack Bonus.  Read up on physical weapons and the notes on how to use them here...
link to a message in another game

Physical weapons are based on Pilot Skill... not accuracy.  Bad for your ability to shoot stuff with weapons, good if you want to try and win initiative more.

Hey Kitten! I do not see Alaric in your to-do list thread. Are we good, or should he be up there as well?

Over sight was arranged by unit from last mission and forgot to add you

Hey Kitten, I should have my ES installed at this point yes?  If not, it sounds like we have an opportunity now to have it installed.

Assuming I'm able to get my hands on that 0.5t BTC we salvaged (is anyone else from my mission interested in it?) that should still leave me 1.25t short of 35tons.

Yes, you'll have time to have the tech crews at the academy do it for you.

(checks calendar... It's July.)

So i'll start working on this aggressively starting tommorrow.

The only light lancer that has returned is Roger, Still hopes for Pax, Dono, and Svend, but for now i'm listing them as MIA.

Two units.

The Ironswords and the Spectres

Pick one, or stay a floating Freelancer, which isnt necessarily bad if that's what you want.

(Sorta like being single, everyone nudges you to get married, but really theres nothing wrong with being single if that's what you want.)

Good enough.  When you're ready I can fill in the last 1.25t

Of the two units, which one has the down & dirty, git 'er done mindset?  That's the one I would like to join.

Ironswords.

We'll do the job till we're dead or you find someone better.

That's the motto from back when Zoe Hargrieve first made the unit, to when it was taken over by Lucius McMurphy, to when I took it over.  It's not that we can't finesse our way through things but more often than not we know shit goes to hell and a handbasket ;)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Wed 01 July 2015.

I'm pretty sure I've been in that unit before, under your command as well.  Regardless, I'm in.  Let's shoot stuff!

I was XO in a Urbanmech a the time and technically it was called the Rat Pack under Zenha Grey's command. ;)

and then... there was the divine wind known as the ferret pilot, and an ammo explosion later, you werent.

A lucky Ferret hit, and the mech was gone, not I...well mostly as we know he had half his limbs replaced with artificial replacements but those are the costs of doing business as a mechwarrior :P

 I was in the Iron swords with my other mechs..Not sure if i would be useful back there again. No idea about the Specters unit but if not then i guess i would shift into the freelance pool?.

As I mentioned in the meant to be humorous recruiting speech and poster...Ironswords are a melting pot and we can find use for just about anyone.  What are you in these days Roger?  Javelin or something else?



Currently the Ironswords have the following Mechs:

Adam Carlyle ~ Hatchetman, 45 tons, 4/6/4, 2 AC/6's, 2 Medium Lasers
David Crain ~ Jenner, 35 tons, 7/11/5, 4 Medium Lasers

---

Currently the Ironswords have the following Support:

Elite Tractor-Trailer, 50 ton transport that can haul away 38.5 tons of salvage
Regular Karnov, 15 ton transport that can haul away 9.5 tons of salvage
Regular Heavy Ferret, 7.5 ton transport that can haul away 4.25 tons of salvage

Since it probably got buried in the other thread I'll throw it out here.

Spectres is a light weight force recon style unit, which focuses on rapid response, scouting, and quick strike missions.

Light mech fire power is complemented by carrying TAG for Hawkeye fire support provided by one or two missile heavy mechs, and conventional VTOLs. This enables the light units to effectively scout as well as spot for the units providing fire support. Which can in turn, then focus on indirect fire and avoid heavy return fire and line of sight issues.

Ideally EW support complements the unit, protecting and if need be countering enemy ECM.

---

Overall a more specialized unit, that requires a bit of cooperation and coordination between members when it comes to mech designs and other support aspects to function optimally.

Currently the Spectres consist of:

Akarian Euclid - Falcon 30 tons, 7/11/6, Light TAG, 3 Medium Lasers.
Joaquin Cortez - Spider 30 tons, 8/12/0, Light TAG, 4 Medium Lasers.


Conventional support and transports are still being confirmed.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:16, Thu 02 July 2015.

 Roger is piloting a Javelin 10N, slightly modified by removal of one bank of srm 6's, in trade for extra armor over the delicate parts of my mech.