Akarian:
1) Is the (0) Availability rolls correct, and is the CB spend for starting conventional correct?
2) I'm assuming the CB spend portion isn't correct, given 30-33 ton tanks cost more than 320k cb, and Air Cavalry VTOL types are already specified.
3) Also i'm assuming we're late 3040's, is tech like Stream SRM2's (Re-invented in the 30's), ER Large Lasers (3037) now available as "standard equipment" without need for availability rolls? I know this was asked earlier a bit, but it seemed to be talking about Endo/Fib and more late stage/beta level tech.
1) I consider the starting availability roll for cavalry to be fair, i am letting them pick out their lancemates, which would normally be an availability roll each. For Air Cavalry it's a less fair in that you only have a wingman, so i will grant Air Cavalry Archetypes (2) Availability rolls.
2)Starting CB is incorrect. I'm going to reduce it to 160k cb. This should be sufficient to cover rank bumps (which for cavalry is only 10k cb), and leave them enough CB lying about for modest weapon twinks. This works because i'm assigning them a limited choice of conventionals to just 'pick'. At this stage, price is not an issue, and may never be. We're no longer a merc unit, so availability of equipment and how you go about gathering parts may be less nickel and dime counting and might simply be related to something simplier. This is definitely going to be the case for conventional units. I'm not sure if it'll be so with mechs.
I'm looking at options to reduce the overhead bookkeeping, while keeping the flavor and challenge of previous campaigns. I'm taking this new campaign reset opportunity to really look at things from the ground up, which is why assumptions of what was allowed in previous campaigns (like engine modifications) should not be presumed a part of this campaign. I really do try not to make the same mistakes twice.
3) I presume that streams, is a typo and should be Streak. While Stream SRMs actually sound sort of cool, i've never heard of them before. As for the rest A little of both. Advance stuff will cost you an availability roll, but for start up i'll presume you instantly make your roll. Real Ferro Armor and Endo Steel is in use now, not that bastardized beta crap. Players may start and refit as much standard armor as they want with Ferro Fib, at the cost of 1 availability roll for 5 tons of Ferro Fib. Two availability rolls should cover most units. They may also use 1 availability roll for 1/2 ton of Endo Steel. Two availability rolls will endo a but, three will cover a valk.
For those of you going the C3 Route, I'm going to charge you (2) Availability rolls for the concept, one for the slave, and one for the master. Dirt cheap when you consider the availability of the stuff by the old rules.
Anything else you ask, and i'll tell you. Stuff that are not in use... off the top of my head... power loaders are gone, plug suits, are gone. If they appear it'll be in game.
I am thinking that i will allow players to spend two availability roll at start up to allow a rank buy up, for 100k cb. Something ive never allowed before, but seems reasonable to allow some diversity of rank among characters.