Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

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$iljanus
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by $iljanus »

El Guapo wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:06 pm
$iljanus wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 3:54 pm Well, that could have gone better...

I'd leave it up to Wolf. But if Wolf returns he shouldn't take the Clan mech since I think they will take a dim view of being ripped off.
Honestly, kind of what I was expecting. We won the most important battle of the last two, though.
True dat!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

$iljanus wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 6:21 pm
El Guapo wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:06 pm
$iljanus wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 3:54 pm Well, that could have gone better...

I'd leave it up to Wolf. But if Wolf returns he shouldn't take the Clan mech since I think they will take a dim view of being ripped off.
Honestly, kind of what I was expecting. We won the most important battle of the last two, though.
True dat!
I'd sort of hoped we'd fair a little better. At least knock 1-2 of them out, make a real fight of it. Now they're just going to say they were right about me being solamha. And 3 of our people don't have a choice about returning with us.

Up to Wolf's character what he does, but yeah, leave the upgraded mech behind. Don't want to void our right to leave.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by NickAragua »

"Yeah. I can't stand them, either. All this blathering about restoring the Star League, but I can tell - they'll cut each others' throats the second they get the chance." Wolf extends a hand to Zenn7, helping him up, the older mechwarrior limping as the two begin to walk off the mech. "You guys coming?"

The three others look at each other. "Neg. But we won't stop you going." one of them says. "Seyla, Mechwarrior. Kerensky go with you."

Wolf smirks. "Maybe. I'll see you around, I'm sure. And watch those contractions."

Our mechwarriors catch a ride back on the salvage flatbeds, returning to our dropships shortly before we lift off, leaving this deadly, dry rock behind. To our relief, the Jade Falcon warships make no move to intercept us.

Cylus returns to the ships just before liftoff, driving a box truck with both driver and passenger doors missing, and looking like a mech ripped the top part of the cargo space off to convert it into a pickup.

---

"So how'd you get out of clan ... prison or whatever?" Scrub asks Cylus as the two sit, buckled up, while the dropship pours on the thrust to break free of the planet's gravity.

The mechwarrior smirks. "Apparently, forty eight is too old to be a clan mechwarrior. They got wind that I had some experience maintaining my own mech, so the punted me off to a re-education camp. I picked the lock on my cuffs, climbed out the back, then punted the dumbass driving the truck out. He tried to hold on to the door, but a tree sorted him out."

"What about the back of the truck?" Scrub asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, that was fun." Cylus chuckles. "Clan mech caught up and got a good piece of me, but then I was able to get into a tunnel. Guy must have gotten bored - he just collapsed the entrance, and there wasn't anybody waiting for me on the other side."

Scrub lets out a breath. "Well, I'm just glad you made it back."

Cylus' gives a crooked smile. "I'm your unofficial self-proclaimed bodyguard. Of course I made it back."

---

We spend our time en route to the jump point and at the next jump recharge holding funeral services for our fallen mechwarriors (of particular note being Archinerd Mk III and Xwraith Mk IV) and taking account of our equipment, and making future plans.

Scrub, Cylus and Zenn7 spend some time looking at the wreck of Zenn7's Awesome, the elder mechwarrior shedding several tears over the machine that's taken him through three decades of combat. Scrub shakes her head.

"I gotta say, I think it might be time for us to hang up the neurohelmet." She looks at the stump of her arm. "I know that's it for me. I'll get a replacement arm, but... it's just not the same."

Zenn7 nods. "And with you gone, it'll be just me, of the original crew." He shakes his head and sighs. "Even if I get another Awesome, it won't be the same, either."

Scrub chuckles. "Yeah, you'll have to turn off half the heat sinks, and get that ass groove broken in again..."

The older mechwarrior's eyes grow unfocused and his posture relaxes. "I'm not sure I'll want to. Maybe it's time to pass the baton."

Cylus nods, watching Cujo and Leraje and Akalon discussing something in the other end of the hangar while waving clipboards at each other, Cujo still sporting bandages around her right arm and leg. "If we do, I think they'll do fine."

---

A few jumps spinward, we finally get to a system that's neither clan-controlled nor uninhabited, and are able to get an update from the local HPG. News reports indicate that the clans have halted their invasion for some reason, holding on to territory but making no further moves into the Inner Sphere.

We also get an interesting electronic message.

From: jwolf@wolfs.dragoons.merc.net <routed via ComStar nodes lc-81; lc-95, dc-42, frr-03 ...>
To: zpappathanassiou@octopus.overlords.merc.net
Subject: Outreach Conference Invitation

Greetings, Major.

I understand that your unit has fought a substantial engagement against the forces of Clan Jade Falcon. Let me extend my congratulations for holding your own against a skilled and technologically superior opponent, even in the face of cowardice and incompetence displayed by your allies and employers. Your unit is a credit to mercenaries across the Inner Sphere.

I understand that you have taken substantial losses in personnel and materiel, and it will take some time to bring your unit back up to full strength. As such, I would like to invite you to visit Outreach and take advantage of our facilities there to repair, refit and re-arm. Finally, while there, I would like for you to participate in a conference that we are holding. Your experience fighting the Clans will be invaluable in the days and years ahead, and I make no exaggeration when I say that sharing it with the other conference attendees will be of benefit to the entire Inner Sphere, for we face a threat unlike that which have faced before.

If you choose to participate in further efforts against the Clans, you will have the opportunity to refit some of your BattleMechs with advanced technology - it won't come cheaply, but we have the expertise and equipment to get it done. Otherwise, we will still appreciate your sharing your experiences, battle ROMs and advice, but understand that we must reserve our limited stores of Star League level tech for forces intending to combat the invaders.

I await your response and look forward to meeting you in person should you choose to visit.
Jaime Wolf

P.S. Please use at least 512-bit asymmetric encryption prior to transmitting your response if sending it via HPG.

---

Thus ends the first generation of the Octopus Overlords mercenary company. I want to thank all of you that took the time to read this and participate, from the very first mission where the company's founder got blown to bits, to that horrific high-gravity world during the 4th Succession War where we popped actuators non-stop, to the airless rock in Marik space where we salvaged enough mechs to turn our force from a company into a battalion, to our tours of duty in the Ronin Wars and War of '39, all the way to here, at the very beginning of the Clan Invasion.

With Scrub hanging up the neurohelmet, this is a good stopping point. Expect a "what if" scenario, a "how it's made" post and epilogues for those mechwarriors that choose to retire.

The Octopus Overlords will return - we do, after all, have another hundred+ years of setting to go through. We might not be able to change history, but it's still a fun ride, and I hope you'll join me in the next thread when we get back in the mechwarrior's chair, put the neurohelmet on and say the password so the mech will turn on.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by AWS260 »

Holy crap, Nick. This run has been incredible. A regular source of joy and entertainment. Thank you so much.
NickAragua wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 2:17 pm "Just you guys and me, I guess." Archinerd states. "Should have listened to AWS."
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Cylus Maxii »

Thanks for the entertaining read! Its been a lot of fun.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Freyland »

Thank you for everything.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Hyena »

Nick, this has been the greatest "game" I've ever played over this forum. It is also the only thread in nearly 20 years of OO and GG viewership that I've flagged to keep track of. You are a masterful storyteller, a dedicated game master, and amazing Battletech guru. It has been a blast, and please sign me up for whenever the Overlords make a return to the cockpits!

Overlords Forever!

P.S. I am still waiting for you to volunteer your services to my BattleTech campaign on the PC, but your secretary isn't returning my calls...
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by gbasden »

I know I've said this multiple times, but this has been an ongoing joy to read and participate in. You are an amazing writer and storyteller, and this thread has been one daily bright spot during the last not very fun year.

Thank you!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

Nick, thank you for your dedication to providing us with the hours worth of entertainment during these miserable times. I definitely look forward to the part two (and three and four, etc) of the OO escapades.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by El Guapo »

Thanks for running this - it's been a ton of fun.

Also - from the 'what if' / alternate history stuff...sounds like we'll get a chance to change history and fuck things up for the whole inner sphere?
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zarathud »

This has been incredibly entertaining and just pure joy. Thank you.

May your mechs always be Awesome and your PPCs strike true.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

Thanks Nick, this has been an amazing adventure! I'm saddened that this chapter is over but eagerly looking forward to the next chapter!

Sign me up for the next chapter. In the heaviest thing I can pilot again. :)
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

Zenn7 wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:09 am Sign me up for the next chapter. In the heaviest thing I can pilot again. :)
May I recommend the true terror of the field, the mighty UM-R60L!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

Leraje wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:20 am
Zenn7 wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:09 am Sign me up for the next chapter. In the heaviest thing I can pilot again. :)
May I recommend the true terror of the field, the mighty UM-R60L!
I said heaviest!
(Hence, I figured you'd pick the Charger I think it is? the "fast" assault mech with 5 small lasers).
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

Zenn7 wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:57 am
Leraje wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:20 am
Zenn7 wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:09 am Sign me up for the next chapter. In the heaviest thing I can pilot again. :)
May I recommend the true terror of the field, the mighty UM-R60L!
I said heaviest!
(Hence, I figured you'd pick the Charger I think it is? the "fast" assault mech with 5 small lasers).
Yup, that's the one. 77.5T of frame, engine and armour with unparalleled 2.5T of top-of-the-line small lasers.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by moleymoleymoley »

Nick this was phenomenal, this page has been the only constantly open chrome tab on my phone for the last few years, and it's survived 3 different handsets in that time. You've made this a rich, entertaining and compelling read for nearly 4 years :shock:

You can't get this sort of entertaining narrative outside of a skilled GM, which sadly I'll never have, so this has been a blessing.

Fingers crossed the mekHQ track system and persistent opfor in the future lets us get a little closer, but it still won't be as awesome as this. I eagerly await more from you in future!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Isgrimnur »

Agreed with all of the above. Thank you for letting us inhabit your universe.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Stefan Stirzaker »

Thanks nick. Ive loved every post
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by $iljanus »

This was a welcome distraction and a ton of fun! You put a lot of work into it and I always looked forward to the latest post about our adventures. Thanks for including me! It was truly a pleasure.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by xwraith »

Thank you Nick so much for the hard work you put in on this over the past few years!

I'm going to miss reading this almost every day.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by NickAragua »

"Behind the Scenes"

As a bit of "bonus content" before starting things back up, I'm going to spend a little time talking about how the sausage is made (mostly in between waiting for my work code to build/web sites to load).

On a given contract, I have a general plot-line. The location (planet, biomes) and opposing forces are determined by random roll, as is the nature of the contract ("objective raid", "garrison duty", etc), but I have to make it work within the context of the setting. This means having to work out why, for example, we're carrying out an objective raid for FedCom on the Draconis Combine during peace time. My general approach is that we're not able to change historical outcomes, but I have no problem interacting with canon units and events - using the Tharkad series of missions in Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries as an example (at the end, Spectre mentions that history didn't record the mercenaries who helped Peter Steiner-Davion defeat Nondi Steiner, but that's ok - they got paid pretty well and got hooked up with a retainer contract). For a setting as saturated as BattleTech it's still surprisingly easy to find places to insert a random merc batallion.

Once we're on planet, the first step is to run MekHQ until a scenario comes up, handling unit purchases, repairs and so on. I use an overhaul of the "Against the Bot" ruleset to govern scenario generation, so, while on-contract, each week, I roll on a series of tables to determine, roughly in the following order:

How many scenarios occur, and in which region?
Which type of scenario?
When exactly during the week? (this my result in the possibility of forces from one scenario being able to reinforce a subsequent scenario)
Content of any allied/opposing forces (this is handled automatically, thankfully, otherwise the rate of updates would slow by about 50-75%)
How many and what type of modifiers apply to the scenario? (e.g. extra lance of bad guy tanks/allied mechs, presence of turrets/river boats, terrain/weather/temperature changes)

Now I've got some number of scenarios that'll happen during the week. If there aren't any, great - we move on to the next week.

Now, it's time to adapt this to the on-going narrative. For each scenario, I have to figure out why exactly it's related to our on-going contract, why we'd be engaging this group of hostile units, etc. Sometimes it's easy - the first scenario of the contract is a blockade run: this means that we didn't make it to the planetary surface unchallenged. Sometimes, it's not - I've already written that we've set up at the landing zone and suddenly I roll up a scenario with one of our dropships needing to be defended in a completely different operational area.

At this point, I also need to resolve any choices that were voted on in the previous update. Sometimes it's something easy like assigning a mech to someone, while sometimes, well, there's writing involved.

I'll write up the setup, then introduce some pilot banter, aka "character development". Each mechwarrior has some defining characteristics and quirks that I consider when writing their dialogue (e.g. AWS is a motor-mouth nerd with no filter, Scrub is a recovered noble brat turned actual leader with a habit of drinking dropship reactor room hooch, El Guapo and Isgrimnur are obsessed with (verbally) sniping at each other with El Guapo favoring blimps while Isgrimnur favors mech melee weapons, Wolf has an eye on doing better than slogging through some backwater, Zenn7 likes spicy food and saunas and standard PPCs, etc.) Sometimes, it's just observational banter, sometimes I'll have some thought on my mind (e.g. what trid shows do mechwarriors watch, what's people's favorite brand of lubricant for cybernetic limb replacements, how do you deal with your head itching under the neurohelmet, other "every-day" nonsense).

Sometimes I'll pre-roll scenarios for the rest of the month as well, to give me the ability to construct a longer, more consistent narrative. Going beyond the end of the month isn't practical, because every month there's an enemy morale roll. Sometimes it goes straight to rout (which is either a total contract end or a several-month calm period) or very low morale (at least a month-long pause), sometimes it goes up to invincible (hostile attacks on our base of operations/landing zone non-stop), but there's no way to predict that because it very much depends on success/failure during the month's scenarios.

With the scenario set up, it's time to run it in MegaMek. I usually play out the movement and most of the firing phase, then either take a screenshot or wait for the physical phase. Sometimes I either plain forget or miscalculate and there's no physical phase, in which case we either wind up with a missing screenshot or one from the start of the next turn. The great part about narrating these scenarios is that it's pretty unpredictable. You just never know when somebody's going to roll a 2 on a PSR and fall on their ass or roll a 12 on the hit location and take/deliver a head shot. It also takes some effort to introduce variety into the battle descriptions, so I don't write about "armor streaming down in rivulets" fifty times. Recently, I found that I had trouble describing the air combat meaningfully, so I settled on representing it as pilot chatter instead.

I generally try to give PCs an even amount of time in scenarios, but the higher-rank ones and the ones that are better at shooting tend to get more "story time", on account of doing more stuff.

After the scenario is resolved, it's time to write up the aftermath. Sometimes, a mechwarrior dies or is captured or loses their mech. I also look at the upcoming scenarios, and consider some questions like - is there a subsequent scenario that we can skip? Is the force that just fought in any shape for a follow-up fight? Do we have any real good salvage but are over our salvage budget? Capture any amazing mechwarriors? Is there a super-difficult scenario coming up that we want to try to deploy some reinforcements to? Did we get offered a second contract on the same planet? Are we done with the contract but there's a scenario with some juice salvage coming up? Basically, things that might make for interesting choices, narratively or tactically.

One of the more amusing things that I run into (a little more frequently than I'd like) is MegaMek/MekHQ bugs. Sometimes, it's just a showstopper and I have to pause and either fix it or work around it. Sometimes, though it's not a showstopper and makes for a fun narrative so I roll with it. For example, the AA targeting quirk on Isgrimnur's Hatchetman kept disappearing, so I worked it into the story. There was a whole bunch of bugs in MekHQ involving ammo reloads - by the time I realized what was going on, I'd blown through several tons of autocannon ammo trying to reload a bugged-out AC/10 (it was eating the ammo but not actually reloading the autocannon). Or another time when, after a refit, an autocannon was linked to an SRM ammo bin for some reason. Or that one time when half-ton MG ammo bins refused to accept reloads from MG ammo bought for full-ton MG ammo bins.

Experimentally, I've found that having a lance or two per battle allows me to resolve scenarios in a reasonable time, which means that bigger battles are for special occasions.

What if: we had chosen the blockade run?

Well, we get intercepted by a Whirlwind destroyer, a relatively small 520,000 ton craft (some warships go up into the millions) packing multiple naval autocannons and naval gauss rifles. It also carries ten fighters. Our dropships have already spent a good amount of time accelerating, so the Whirlwind only has a narrow interception window.

Round 1:
Spoiler:
Image
We split our dropships into two groups - the two Unions and Seeker are one group, the Overlord and Jumbo are the second. The Whirlwind chooses to go after the Unions. Its naval autocannons flash briefly, sending high-velocity projectiles in the Sparrow's direction. The first one breaches the hull and flies out the other side, causing little actual damage, but the second one detonates inside the craft, taking it out.

Our gunners attempt to swat the clan fighters, forcing one of them out of control while the others make a single pass then fly out of range.

Round 2:
Spoiler:
Image
A naval gauss round plows into the Moonraker, turning it into a drifting hulk, leaving the Seeker as the sole remaining dropship in that group.

Round 3:
Spoiler:
Image
The Seeker, being a little faster than the Unions, fires its engines up at maximum thrust, and is able to clear the Whirlwind's maximum weapons range, although a lone fighter continues picking at it.

Round 4:
Spoiler:
Image
The lone Clan fighter eventually breaks off after a couple of armor breaches inflicted by the Seeker's gunners.

So, as it turns out, challenging the clan force for a trial was a better option. In the trial, we only took a few casualties and lost a couple of lances of mechs. Here, two whole companies of mechs, not to mention the mechwarriors, support personnel would have gotten wiped out, not to mention the dropship crews. I actually ran this a couple of times for practice, because I've never fought warships before "live" and it's pretty crazy - those naval autocannons basically wipe out a dropship in one or two hits, while dropship guns barely scratch the paint on a warship. My best performance was losing "just" one Union. So it's basically a scenario about going full burn, evading and hoping you get lucky.

Pretty sure we're coming back within the next couple of weeks.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Freyland »

I have discovered, since the completion of our campaign, that the "Video Games" forum has felt very empty to me. Thanks for posting some additional interesting stuff!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

Yay! Withdrawal syndrome staved for a couple of days :D
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Hyena »

Am I the only one that got excited when I saw he posted something in here? No? Yes? :mrgreen:

For everything that you have generating the numbers for you, it is still a marvel to me how you were able to turn that collection of mumbo-jumbo into a cohesive, entertaining, and basically kick-ass storyline that lasted for damn near what, 4 years? You rock, sir.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by gbasden »

Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:05 pm Yay! Withdrawal syndrome staved for a couple of days :D
Indeed! Thanks for running us through your process!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

Hyena wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:18 pm Am I the only one that got excited when I saw he posted something in here? No? Yes? :mrgreen:

For everything that you have generating the numbers for you, it is still a marvel to me how you were able to turn that collection of mumbo-jumbo into a cohesive, entertaining, and basically kick-ass storyline that lasted for damn near what, 4 years? You rock, sir.
DEFINITELY NO, you are not the only one. :)

This is likely the highlight of my day if not my whole week.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by El Guapo »

I bet that blockade run would've worked better if we'd distracted the warship with space blimps.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Stefan Stirzaker »

Zenn7 wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 4:31 pm
Hyena wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 3:18 pm Am I the only one that got excited when I saw he posted something in here? No? Yes? :mrgreen:

For everything that you have generating the numbers for you, it is still a marvel to me how you were able to turn that collection of mumbo-jumbo into a cohesive, entertaining, and basically kick-ass storyline that lasted for damn near what, 4 years? You rock, sir.
DEFINITELY NO, you are not the only one. :)

This is likely the highlight of my day if not my whole week.
Ditto

Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by $iljanus »

El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 4:53 pm I bet that blockade run would've worked better if we'd distracted the warship with space blimps.
At that point Zenn7 starts to chase El Guapo around the hanger deck while the rest of the company laughs. The scene freezes with El Guapo in mid leap over a mech arm laying on the deck and...roll credits!
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by $iljanus »

Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I hear they get all the channels on their warship.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

$iljanus wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:46 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I hear they get all the channels on their warship.
Only if you are in upper management, otherwise it's "Holy word of Blake" televangelism 24/7. :shock:
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by El Guapo »

Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I have to say I don't totally understand how there was such massive technological loss during the Succession War period. Weren't schematics and technological knowledge saved across a billion computers all across the Inner Sphere? I get that most of the warships left with Kerensky, but there were some left, plus scientists and various governments that were all highly motivated to spend money on war technology. It's not like there was technical backsliding during the carnage of World War II (quite the opposite), or during the 100 years war.

Unless all the scientists and mechanics left with Kerensky too?
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Leraje »

El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I have to say I don't totally understand how there was such massive technological loss during the Succession War period. Weren't schematics and technological knowledge saved across a billion computers all across the Inner Sphere? I get that most of the warships left with Kerensky, but there were some left, plus scientists and various governments that were all highly motivated to spend money on war technology. It's not like there was technical backsliding during the carnage of World War II (quite the opposite), or during the 100 years war.

Unless all the scientists and mechanics left with Kerensky too?
Granted, it is a bit contrived, but indiscriminate and deliberate nuking, orbital bombardments and etc of industrial centers and infrastructure for well over a century would do the trick. The holy "ComCast" also massively contributed to technology decline by activity sabotaging attempts to recover tech - destroying what they could not recover themselves, tampering with transmissions and so on. Pretty much it's a case of humans doing what we do best - being stupid.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:02 pm
El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I have to say I don't totally understand how there was such massive technological loss during the Succession War period. Weren't schematics and technological knowledge saved across a billion computers all across the Inner Sphere? I get that most of the warships left with Kerensky, but there were some left, plus scientists and various governments that were all highly motivated to spend money on war technology. It's not like there was technical backsliding during the carnage of World War II (quite the opposite), or during the 100 years war.

Unless all the scientists and mechanics left with Kerensky too?
Granted, it is a bit contrived, but indiscriminate and deliberate nuking, orbital bombardments and etc of industrial centers and infrastructure for well over a century would do the trick. The holy "ComCast" also massively contributed to technology decline by activity sabotaging attempts to recover tech - destroying what they could not recover themselves, tampering with transmissions and so on. Pretty much it's a case of humans doing what we do best - being stupid.
Just looking at the real world today, you can find most anything on the internet, but guessing you can't find the tech specs/blue prints to build most of our higher tech toys. While we might be able to build a car or computer, if every facility on the planet that currently could build a car or a computer was destroyed, and all their offsite technical backups and engineering worksites were destroyed - I'd think we'd have a hell of a lot of trouble making more that meet our currently available specs. Even though we might have many of the engineers and certainly some of the workers who built the stuff. They aren't going to have their blueprints/notes/tools, it's just what they have in their head still.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Zenn7 »

$iljanus wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:17 pm
El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 4:53 pm I bet that blockade run would've worked better if we'd distracted the warship with space blimps.
At that point Zenn7 starts to chase El Guapo around the hanger deck while the rest of the company laughs. The scene freezes with El Guapo in mid leap over a mech arm laying on the deck and...roll credits!
I'm chasing him around encouraging him to pilot one of the blimps?
I've been advocating for him to lead his blimp brigade from the blimp pilot seat.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by El Guapo »

Zenn7 wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:02 pm
El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm Also why dont the houses have warships to defend planets or jump points?
They don't have any. Most WS left with Kerensky during Exodus, and whatever was left behind got destroyed over 200+ years of near-constant warfare along with the high-tech infrastructure needed to build more. The only ones in IS with real warships is Com(Cast)Star, but that's a secret.
I have to say I don't totally understand how there was such massive technological loss during the Succession War period. Weren't schematics and technological knowledge saved across a billion computers all across the Inner Sphere? I get that most of the warships left with Kerensky, but there were some left, plus scientists and various governments that were all highly motivated to spend money on war technology. It's not like there was technical backsliding during the carnage of World War II (quite the opposite), or during the 100 years war.

Unless all the scientists and mechanics left with Kerensky too?
Granted, it is a bit contrived, but indiscriminate and deliberate nuking, orbital bombardments and etc of industrial centers and infrastructure for well over a century would do the trick. The holy "ComCast" also massively contributed to technology decline by activity sabotaging attempts to recover tech - destroying what they could not recover themselves, tampering with transmissions and so on. Pretty much it's a case of humans doing what we do best - being stupid.
Just looking at the real world today, you can find most anything on the internet, but guessing you can't find the tech specs/blue prints to build most of our higher tech toys. While we might be able to build a car or computer, if every facility on the planet that currently could build a car or a computer was destroyed, and all their offsite technical backups and engineering worksites were destroyed - I'd think we'd have a hell of a lot of trouble making more that meet our currently available specs. Even though we might have many of the engineers and certainly some of the workers who built the stuff. They aren't going to have their blueprints/notes/tools, it's just what they have in their head still.
Taking out every computer on the planet that has saved on it how to build a tank, along with every relevant person who knows how to do that, all while you have various warring parties very much interested in making sure that they are making the newest and best tanks, while not ending civilization altogether? I guess it's not impossible, but seems very, very unlikely. I'm also not aware of any historical parallels for that kind of thing.

Anyway, I know it's just part of the Battletech universe, it's just always something that I've found a little odd.
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Re: Let's play: Battletech via MegaMek

Post by Hyena »

El Guapo wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:23 am
Zenn7 wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:02 pm
El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:41 pm
Leraje wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:01 pm
Stefan Stirzaker wrote: Thu Apr 08, 2021 5:13 pm stuff
stuff
stuff
stuff
Just looking at the real world today, you can find most anything on the internet, but guessing you can't find the tech specs/blue prints to build most of our higher tech toys. While we might be able to build a car or computer, if every facility on the planet that currently could build a car or a computer was destroyed, and all their offsite technical backups and engineering worksites were destroyed - I'd think we'd have a hell of a lot of trouble making more that meet our currently available specs. Even though we might have many of the engineers and certainly some of the workers who built the stuff. They aren't going to have their blueprints/notes/tools, it's just what they have in their head still.
Taking out every computer on the planet that has saved on it how to build a tank, along with every relevant person who knows how to do that, all while you have various warring parties very much interested in making sure that they are making the newest and best tanks, while not ending civilization altogether? I guess it's not impossible, but seems very, very unlikely. I'm also not aware of any historical parallels for that kind of thing.

Anyway, I know it's just part of the Battletech universe, it's just always something that I've found a little odd.
Technically, we don't have a lot of the information from Egyptian time. We would struggle to build the pyramids today, as well as the lost art of mummification or even true Damascus steel. Also, in much more modern times, the Germans during WWII were onto some very cutting-edge stuff, things that we still don't can't figure out today. I definitely get what you're talking about, but intricate, technical stuff the size of a skyscraper would definitely be difficult to reproduce, even WITH the right manufacturing buildings/equipment. Finally, when the nasty stuff went down in the wars, I'm sure many of the upper-echelon engineers and such were targeted to prevent the enemy from building stuff, which is akin to technology suicide for BOTH sides.
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