08:58, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 8 using 2d6.  Light Mech.

08:58, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 7 using 2d6.  Light Mech.

08:58, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 4 using 2d6.  Light Mech.

08:58, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 5 using 2d6.  Medium Mech.

08:57, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 10 using 2d6.  Heavy Mech.

08:59, Today: Precentor Kitty rolled 9,12,12,8,9 using 2d6+2,2d6+2,2d6+2,2d6+2,2d6+2.

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So using your buying selection, i ended up with...

Locust
Wasp
Valkyrie
Centurion
Maurader

My pilots are (2) Veterans, (2) Regulars, and (1) Green.  Of which, I make one of the Veterans an Officer.  Adding 'myself' to the list, I have (3) Veterans.

So... my best 'lance' from these rolls are...

Maurader  - Veteran Officer - Pirate Leader
Centurion - Veteran Officer -
Valkyrie  - Veteran
Locust    - Regular


Base Cost to deploy them planetside, is the tonnage of the mechs (175 tons), which would cost me 175 CBills, doubled to 350 CB, since i Dont have an Operational Base on turn one.

The theory is that we both paid to deployed and ran into each other almost immediately.

I’m not surprised about the Crusader.

It’s a solid mech that can hit at every range, has decent armour for its tonnage and heat sinks to allow the range bands to fire relatively well.  It’s biggest ‘flaws’ are no jump jets and absolutely needs a supply line cause so many of its weapons require ammo.

And yeah Cicadas suck unless you’re up against Wasps, Stingers, Locusts, Thorns or Fleas.

As for using your list for the any mech I’ll simply pick another Combine mech - Panther.

I’ve got to run into work now but I’ll pop on my phone at lunch to see anything new.

Another thing you could add to spending c-bills on at start is 'buying' yourself a plus or minus 1 to your roll (or 2 or 3 if you want to mimic the piloting skill rolls) allowing more choice in potential starting mechs.  Personally I'd say limit it to plus or minus 1.  That gives you 3 options for mechs...what you rolled along with one above and one below.

---

Assuming I go with the Panther to keep parity (rather than going larger with that mech roll of 12) for this trial run and my pirate says 'Gee fellahs why don't I take you greenhorns out to make sure you can walk straight in those machines...'

Crusader - Veteran Officer - Pirate Leader Kusanagi Nagamichi
Panther  - Regular
Jenner   - Green
Commando - Green

A deploy cost of 320 CB (160 tons = 160 CB, 160 CB x2 no Base = 320) will get them planet-side and accidentally running into your guys right off the bat.

You know what, why dont you take that '12' roll, and roll again on the Medium Mech table.

I like that concept ALOT more than letting them pick one of hundreds of mechs that i'll have to make stats for and have to track individually.

Really, on average you shouldn't have to complain to hard, that you're rolling again if it's on a larger mech chart, I think i'm going to make that modification to the charts when i have a moment.

Thoughts on the process so far?  Regarding the unit formation bits, and the rules i have up currently.

I've absolutely dumped the concept of heat management, which is good for some mechs, and bad for others.  Everyone will be on a learning curve to figure out the 'good' mechs again.

MG's no longer suck, presuming you dont mind engaging in brutal Over Run combat.  In battle tech this is around Physical Combat, which is why larger mechs naturally have a higher rating, though MGs, rattle off quite a few rounds (per Solaris Rules) and are pretty brutal when factoring in for damage.

I expect maps to be TINY, like a 10 hex by 10 hex diamond, with units entering the map from 'their corner'.

A 'free' upgrade on a 12 isn't a bad way to go.

19:11, Today: Kusanagi Nagamichi rolled 4 using 2d6.  12 roll on Light mech table, now on Medium.
Trebuchet

So Crusader, Trebuchet, Jenner, Commando.  That's one missile heavy lance.  Also your Crusader has a movement of 4 and needs to be bumped down to a 2.  Definitely going to need to get used to the altered movement/combat style.  Like you said...learning curve all over again.

I expect combat to be pretty brutal and nasty with several ways for mechs to be disabled.

Aside from the obvious Armor and Internals to soad damage, a mech can be forced into submissions.  If they have their movement reduced to Zero and become stationary, life will suck for them.

Mech Warrior endurance is a real thing too, since having them take damage will reduce their skill level, and possibly lead to unconsciousness or having them out right killed.

Test battle to see how lethal things are will be sort of key.

I need a day or so to work out a map and then i need to find a place to post it, maybe my Deviant Art account.

Map will be small, units few, and facing wont be an issue, so i'm hoping i wont have to make updated maps for stuff.

Players can just 'meet' and bludgeon each other into submission, and i'll collect the results for campaign bookkeeping.

I havent decided if i want to roll up a unit to join as well for the fun, or if i should just run the Noble Garrison units, and watch the mayhem as an impartial judge.

With just you and me you could toss it up in your GDrive and share it as far as the map goes.

I'm going to need a 'set' of maps anyway.

First map I'm going to make will be 'plains'

So mostly blank map with two or three clumps of trees to fight around.

I mostly need to work out the dimensions of the map first.

After we square out a practice game, and i have a demo to put up i'll actually put it out for advertisement and we'll see what interest will be.

It's not TRUE battle tech, but it will run quick and easy, and also have a battletech feel.

Obviously not true battletech but the people that come may be good candidates if you choose to shift from something like this to your old campaigns that are closer to regular battletech.

no. not looking to run my old campaign, i dont have the time for it.

the bookkeeping on that was murder.

like the twilight campaign, looking back, i have no idea how i did it the first time around.

Right.  We have a 'Plains' map now to work with, located at...

http://fav.me/dcukbdz

This is going to be the 'standard' size for tactical combat.

Largest unit you will ever be able to field is 'six' mechs, which is why there are six deployment hexs.

The 'edges' for the deployment hexes also serve as a 'retreat' hex.  You may only retreat if there is another mech providing cover (rear guard) and if there is no enemy mechs at range three or less of the hex being used to retreat.

Exception:  Your opponent indicates they will allow the retreating mech to withdraw.


To keep this interesting, I'm inclined to make this a 'capture the flag mission.  In each of the heavy woods is a 'flag'.  You recover the flag by entering the woods and spending a turn 'searching' for it (no movement but you may make weapon fire).  After one turn of non-movement you have found the flag.

If the mech is considered a 'scout' you may recover it and move immediately.  If the mech is not a scout, you must spend another turn recovering the flag.

In the event of a tie, standard victory rules are in play.


Standard victory.  Compare the Tonnage of mechs eliminated by both sides.  The side with the greater score, wins.  If the score is the same, the mission ends in a draw.

You may draw units from your unit list, and i will do the same.

Defender (Blue) deploys First.

Attacker (Red) deploys Second.

Questions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:26, Sun 16 Dec 2018.

Sorry for the slight delay on my end.  Found out my in-laws are coming for Christmas and staying for about three months.

Cleaning has ensued and we’re changing a study into a second bedroom.

——

No questions now, likely later once we’re in the scrum.

On my phone so slow posting at best during the day.

No worries, holidays are in, and no one else is around so we can pace this however we like.

So here’s a question...

When you ‘hit’ do you do the damage listed in your range band?  So the Crusader who hit at long range on a target would take 3 damage, 2 of which would be to armour and 1 to internals?

—

Gonna stick to seeing the spread for this trial run/group.  Want to get the full feel of a crappy unit versus a good one in pilot skill.

Crusader - Vet Officer - Pirate Leader Kusanagi Nagamichi
Trebuchet  - Regular
Jenner   - Green
Commando - Green

A deploy cost of 350 CB (175 tons = 175 CB, 175 CB x2 no Base = 350) will get them planet-side and accidentally running into your guys right off the bat.

In reply to Kusanagi Nagamichi (msg # 23):

you roll a d6 for each point in your range band, and each hit does 1 damage.

Tally up the damage for the salvo and every third is an internal.

So the crusader at long range will roll 3 dice and each one that hits will be a point of damage.  It sounds bad, but all you have to do is put 3d6 into the roller and have it show all rolls and count the hits.

No that makes sense now.

Each range band has a ‘composite’ average of the sort of average damage can be done.  No facing for attack or defense means being able to dilute armour and internals to a single set of numbers.

Like I said I’ll roll with my greenies so we can see if the hit possibilities feel too harsh or just right rather than automatically sporting my ‘best’ pilots.

Yeah the Cicada sucks but...wouldn’t it also be a scout despite its mass?  That is it’s job after all.  That and vaguely surviving longer than a Wasp.

The numbers for green are pretty harsh.

They're based off the basic rule books.

Greens are like 5/6 or 6/6

Regs were the 'base' at 4/5

Veterans are around 3/4 ish and elites are perhaps around 2/3 ish.

Okay i'm going to post a separate thread for this, and leave it as an example of tactical combat then.

A bunch of mechs i need to make stats for, so short delay in start till i have them ready.  I actually have to go out after lunch to buy some late xmas presents before it becomes a serious zoo, so i may not get to this today.

I had a thought...

I was thinking as a restriction for unit formations, that each one be limited to 'one' officer.  This will help keep people from putting all their best eggs in one basket and spreading  out the talent.

This makes sense to me, cause officers are suppose to lead units, so what's the point of putting them in the same unit.

Concur?
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:03, Wed 19 Dec 2018.

Yeah, it would.  I was making various mech traits, and had yet to assign them all properly.

ie.  The p-hawk, would be both a scout and a leadership mech.

I do need to sit down and finish the TRO before we start in earnest.

I think one officer fits for four or fewer mechs.  For five or six I could see a second one in the vein of a junior officer ala xo or a ranking nco...if officer just is a broad term of knows how to lead better.  Since were never talking about more than six in a given mission that seems to be a fair spread.

It only really becomes an issue if it’s similar to the most recent PC Battletech game that has so called ‘flash points’ where there isn’t time for re-arm and repair.  So you’re forced to split your people accordingly.  Representing overlapping engagements or the like.  Otherwise you’ll never have a need for a second officer cause your pirate leader will always deploy.

Take whatever time you need.  I’ll be around.

'Six' in a given mission, presumes the maximum of all possible factors.

4 for an elite
1 for an officer
1 for an leadership mech

A unit is presumed to be a single entity, not two, and an officer a leader of such an entity, so, if you were to add such to a unit, i suppose it should be allowed, but he would lose his officer status for the duration of such an assignment seems a reasonable ruling.

Yup.

Their presence in a unit with five or six is there specifically under the idea that if the commander goes down they step up and finish out a mission.  Obviously if the unit folds on the death/incapacitation of the leader then it’s a moot point.

Sorry i've left this for so long.

The holidays and a road trip to Boston derailed most of my energy from the campaign.

The good news is i got to test the rules with my friend in boston and it tested really well.  Some grey details were worked out on how to handle woods, and some suggestions were made on how to do things, but it was noted that it really did feel like battletech when you played and many battletech concerns and strategies did translate well to this version of the game.

So... I'm going to take all my spare time and make the TRO now with new motivation!

No worries.

You know I’m among the most patient of sorts.  I’m glad you got in some actual play testing to iron out some things.  It’s always best when you can face to face go over and through issues that crop up and thoughts that arise from it all.  Do whatcha need and you know I’m here when we’re good to go for our play test run through here.

:-)

Right, just finished the TRO for Light, Medium, and Heavy mechs.

Will revise the mission and we'll have a go at it starting tomorrow then.

^.6