*chuckles*

Well Einar will never, that much I can tell you with no doubt, ever become a Merc as long as the FRR exists in some fashion.  Be it the Republic like it is now or the Ghost Bear Dominion later...at which point in time I won't need to worry about not having access to Clan tech anyway :P

haha I'll just be happy to fly through a swarm of the clanners and survive to the other side.

As long as we get at least 3055 IS tech I can make due with the DIY version of the Inner Sphere Fire Moth, but the clan ERSLs really are an important part of the plan so those will be going in my collection as quickly as possible.

You do realize... that we have (craptastic) version of the {beta} Targeting computer, and inner sphere version of the ER small lasers in the campaign?

Obviously... not as good as Clan, but for peeps looking for something for... say CAT, or an edge in targeting.  It is an option to look at, available ... for a favor here and there, with out waiting for Clans.

There are also light ballistic weapons that make the ballistic weapon spec not totally useless on a light mech.

A pretty standard campaign variant swaps out the Machine guns for AC/2 light, which is a more favorable anti mech weapon.

So soon I need to get a targeting computer and some better lasers see what room I have and what I can lose and still get them.


Might need to kill a bigger mech Than my wolfhound and trick it out. This wolf will be good for now. Get something nice in the 55 ton range and trick it out for energy and targeting comp. Then I can go headhunting as the saying goes. With the beta computers we able to target locations.

We're a Light Mech Company Galen :)

You 'upgrade' to a 55ton mech and you get transferred out of the 325th and into another one...ending that particular characters play in this particular campaign.  Also likely transfered right into the meat grinder versus front line Clanner pilots and mechs that will chew up that 55 ton IS mech up and spit it out leaving you dead or dispossessed.

And no you can't target specific locations with the existing IS targeting computers.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Thu 17 Mar 2016.

hehe I can. Sector 0616, 0716, 0815, 0915, 1014. Perhaps with a earth shattering kaboom.

So what is the biggest toy I can ride a 45 hatchetman or something

Actually the targeting function works at short range...  the hit bonus at range medium and long.  so if youre close enough you can.

you dont get 'both' effects with it though.

Your Mech Specialty is for 35 and 40 ton mechs, larger or smaller and you lose that particular bonus.

This is why i insist people make their own characters, when you have someone do it for you, the fine print is often overlooked.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:32, Thu 17 Mar 2016.

Kewl, I knew you didn't get both but I like targeting soft spots.

Looks like I need to find 1 ton somewhere.

Interested in dropping my rear medium laser, and maybe get the new armor for hopefully a 1 ton saving.

Then once I get my DHS would have a large laser, 3 medium lasers with targeting computer.

So after this mission will need some help on how to go about getting those new toys.

Not quite.

Old campaign was you took a contract, which ran 3 or so mission, then you had a break for bookkeeping and downtime.

That's when you got a chance to spend your money as a merc, or in this case call in favors to get things done.

You wont get a chance to do anything with your mech till, around after mission 3 is my expectation when this set of Ronin missions runs out.

At that point i'll decide if i want to do another set or Ronin Missions or just start the Clan missions.  i need certain things in play before starting the Clan mission, most notably a few stable battlemasters capable of running missions without my assistance.

At the moment it's just me an Tau, by then... hopefully i should have two more, and maybe.. a few more players.  Never know.


I've learned not to over plan things.  They rarely turn out the way you expect anyway so easier to go with the flow when you dont over plan.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:41, Thu 17 Mar 2016.

The mech spec we roll d7's while in that type of mech right.

What type of rolls do we get it for just piloting to keep feet or for physical combat etc. Sure it is not for initiative.

Want better idea so will know when I get that d7 so much better stuff we can do then.

no.  Mech Spec, you add one to all pilot checks, while youre in that mech.  Your pilot skill goes down without it.

d7s are for weapons.  To hit at extreme range you need to roll a 13+

Ok so the better score for pilot, was listed as bigger die size also so was confused. With my energy spec am at d8's already.

There are some minor statistical variations on how the D7s and D8s function when compared to the +1 or +2 counter parts, some of which are made slightly less similar due to RPOL's already quirky Dice Roller code but taken as an average they should have almost exactly the net effect same in the long run.

haha Need a 8? How about a 7 its pretty close! hahaha The greatest trickster is the Dice Roller.

Correct.

But there are some advantages for the use of D7s and D8s over +1 and +2

For one thing, 2's always fail, and considered a roleplaying fumble of some sort leading to ununsual events.

For things like a AC/5 gunnery jam, it's much less likely to roll on d7s and d8s.

Most notably, i use d7s an D8s as a means to use Extreme range, with out making them over powered.

So statistically they're similiar, but they allow the use of campaign statistics.


They were looked at for piloting, but deemed unecessary, since there is no extreme range for piloting... or some such.

So Tau was talking about movement in the the other thread, and it dawned on me..

Why don't we have sideways movement in VTOLs? I mean we're flying helicopters like fixed wing aircraft.

I know battletech doesn't cover it, but wow it really doesn't make sense, and it really robs one of the other advantages in mobility that helicopters actually have.

I was actually surprised that VTOL's don't have the same option that Scorpion battlemechs have in the sidestep where they use 2 MP to shift to one of the four possible side hexes.

You are right that it makes sense for them to be able to do it, but you're also right that they don't cover it.  Mainly because it's always been that Battletech focuses the prestige, power and capability on Mechs and not on other things.

Ah true, forgot about the quad mechs..

Hmm, yeah battletech never has shown a lot of love to the mixed arms side of thing really.

Always wanted to play a Scorpion in one of Kitten's games but they are both way too expensive cause of the massive engine and way too heavy for any of her flavor of games.  The fact that I was just barely able to play that Shadow Hawk due to the bonus cash from being around for everything was fun but the fact that you loose out on both options (in being forced to take Lyran to have enough money) as well as specs really hurts.  Since 55 ton mechs are beyond her normal play access you can't even take advantage of something like Mech Spec to let them roll around with d7/d8 piloting.

Then on top of it vanilla versions are not combat effective, add a bunch of tonnage to your own lance and correspondingly to the enemy OpFor and the low xp start making you worth less in combat is a heavy price to pay.  Even more so in the Merc version because while you get pay increases from going up in mech size (Kitten versions 20t Light +1, 25-30t Medium +2, 35-40 Heavy +3, 45-50 Assault +4) when you hit 55 you get nothing as the increased cost of upkeep goes beyond any benefit and simply is a break even spot.  So you can theoretically under a Blue Moon be allowed to play one/upgrade into one (not so much in this game though) it very much is an end game sort of goal with little actual forward play in them.

That though is one big tangent...

Battletech is Battletech cause of the focus on mechs as Kings of the Battlefield.

haha I'm just jazzed that Kitten still allows LAMs to be more than a figment of the past. I've always loved the idea of variable fighter/mechs but their original IP makes them so fiddly its ridiculous. Millions of Micro missiles on a F-16 that then becomes a skyscraper tall robot that still houses all those missiles but is expected to get in 'fist' fights? Meh.

Btechs versions as wonky, experimental versatile to the point of no one really knowing what to do with them masterpieces.  In my brain a squad of LAMs should be scouts or snatch and grab squads.

And movement is a mess yes. But its simplified so you don't have to learn yet another new thing if you put a tank on the field. Its curious in my eyes but not a game changer as I get stuck back in.

LAM's are best used in a much more focused RPG version of the game than this is as as part of the players all being a SpecOps team.  Then they fill the role of versatile insertion vehicle to get them in places that a vehicle or mech cannot to then hide them and head out on foot to do their wetwork.  In a pinch they can be used for 'normal' mech combat but the hybrid nature makes them pound for pound weaker than either a mech or an aerofighter meaning they need to have either excessive skill or a handful of advanced tech replacing standard gear to give them a surprise edge.

I can see your point there. Good evac units for saboteur units.