Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

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NickAragua
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Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

January 5, 3052
Tairakana Plains, Luthien

While our rapid response unit returns to base - Assassin and Firestarter back into the action within an hour, the Spider within a few hours - the Phoenix Hawk will take until the next day to patch up due to extensive leg actuator damage - the rest of our mechs are deployed alongside Kurita, Wolf's Dragoons and Kell Hounds forces, backing up units that are short on firepower. The clans have basically finished landing most of their dropships, with a few stray units still battling it out in the upper atmosphere. Kurita aerospace forces have taken heavy casualties, but have mostly held their own and remain combat effective.

Calling the region "plains" is fairly generous - there's a good number of hills, rivers and forests to break up the flat terrain. Which is just as well when there's a trinary (15) of clan mechs coming our way. Our deployment across the theatre is a little disorganized, which is how nine of our mechwarriors from across three companies wind up to the south of three lances of Kurita units, facing down a large number of clan mediums and heavies (and a pair of assaults).

Thanks to our recon assistance earlier, we're able to plot out the projected route of the clan force and plant minefields. Additionally, the Kurita military has appropriated a large number of industrial mechs, which have been "disguised" (pretty poorly) as heavier mechs of comparable speed. To really help sell it, they even mounted some weapons on them. They've set up remote control rigs in each one of them and we're able to link up to the "little buddy" mechs and operate them remotely - although control latency and the fact that they're crappy industrial mechs make such operation a little bit difficult. The best use for them seems to be to attract fire while our actual mechs move into optimal position, then try to self-destruct them and maybe take out some elementals.

There will be a company of Kurita units operating to our north, and we are sternly ordered to "stay in our lane". They're mostly mediums and heavies, with a pair of assaults (a Battlemaster and an Awesome). They also all have paired industrial mechs. Technologically speaking, they're not too impressive, with only a single high-tech mech in there - a "Wolf Trap", which is a brand new Kurita design packing an LBX autocannon and an XL engine. They really missed the boat on jump jets with that one, but that's par for the course for House Kurita.

---

Initial map state (ignore the red/green coloration, it's an artifact):
Spoiler:
Enlarge Image
The scenario objective is to destroy or force withdrawal of all clan units.

Our deployment zone is anywhere to the east of column 16. Kurita mechs + buddies deploy to the north of column 18 while our mechs + buddies deploy to the south of column 17.


To begin with, each player will:
- pick a Kurita mech (it has a pre-determined paired industrial mech buddy)
- pick an industrial mech buddy for your mech
- pick a deployment hex in the relevant deployment zone for your mech and buddy, plus the Kurita mech and buddy

There are more Kurita mechs than players, so three players will wind up driving two Kurita mechs + buddies. Due to "engine limitations", we can't switch who controls which industrial mech beyond the start.

Available "little buddy" mechs (main stats are in the stats block post, but they're all slow and a single large laser blast will take off a limb or most of a torso section):
3x medium laser x2
2x SRM/6
2x LRM/5
2x large laser

Additionally, both the Kurita and our forces each have 4 vibrabombs configured for 50 tons and 4 density 30 minefields, so you will want to, as a group, decide where the mines go, within the relevant deployment zone.

Rules refresher and stat blocks to follow.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I messed up the stats blocks.
Last edited by NickAragua on Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

Stat Blocks:

Cpt. Demesu "Leraje" Jafar
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Terrain Master (Mountaineer), Cluster Hitter, Gunnery Specialization - Energy
Black Knight BL-6b-KNT (C)
75 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 17 (34)
Armor: 224 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER PPC - Right Arm - 15 - 10 - 7/14/23
ER Large Laser (Clan) x2 - Left Torso/Right Torso - 12 - 10 - 8/15/25
Medium Laser x4 - Left Arm/Right Arm/Left Torso/Right Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Beagle Active Probe - negates one point of intervening woods
Mech Quirks:
Command Mech

Cpt. Patrick "El Guapo" Allain
Gunnery/Piloting: 1/2, Dodge, Multi-Tasker, Terrain Master [Forest Ranger], Weapon Specialist - PPC
Marauder MAD-5S (O)
75 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 15 (30)
Armor: 184 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 15 - 10 - 7/14/23
Gauss Rifle - Left Torso - 1 - 15 - 7/15/22 (16 shots, minimum range 2)
Medium Pulse Laser x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 4 - 6 - 2/4/6
Mech Quirks:
Command Mech
Hyper-Extending Actuators
Narrow/Low Profile

Pvt Gurudasa "Isgrimnur" Naimish
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Thug THG-11E (O)
80 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 14 (double: 28)
Armor: 247 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
SRM/6 x2 - Left Torso/Right Torso - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9 (30 shots)
Mech Quirks:
No Torso Twist

Lt. SG Daniel "Moley" Adepapo
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3, Terrain Master (Frogman)
Thunderbolt TDR-5SE
65 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 17
Armor: 208 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Large Laser - Right Arm - 8 - 8 - 5/10/15
LRM/10 - Left Torso - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (24 shots)
Medium Laser x3 - Left Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Multi-trac

Lt. Nathan "Lich" Kang
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Hopping Jack
Griffin GRF-3M (C)
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 14 (28)
Armor: 179 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER PPC (Clan) - Right Arm - 15 - 15 - 7/14/23
ER Medium Laser x2 (Clan) - Right Arm - 5 - 7 - 5/10/15
LRM/15 - Right Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (16 shots)
Guardian ECM

Pvt. Tessa "TheMix" Eng
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Crusader CRD-3L (O)
65 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 10 (20)
Armor: 208 points
LRM/10 x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (24 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Machine Gun x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (100 shots)
Streak SRM/2 x2 - Left Leg/Right Leg - 2 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9 (50 shots)
AMS - Head - reduces cluster rolls for incoming missile salvos
Streak SRM - only fires and generates heat if the attack hits

Lt. SG. Omer "Siljanus" Nanji
Gunnery/Piloting: 1/2, Weapon Specialist - PPC, Oblique Artilleryman
Mackie MSK-8B (O)
100 tons
Movement: 3/5
Heat Sinks: 21
Armor: 307 points
PPC x2 - Left Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Gauss Rifle - Right Arm - 1 - 15 - 7/15/22 (16 shots, minimum range 2)
Medium Laser x2 - Center Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Protected Actuators

Pvt. Allen "Stefan" Nattore
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Terrain Master (Swamp Beast)
Trebuchet TBT-3C
50 tons
Movement: 6/9
Heat Sinks: 10 (20)
Armor: 136 points
LRM/15 x2 - Left Arm/Right Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (24 shots) (Artemis IV)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm x2/Right Arm x2 - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Artemis IV - improves missile cluster rolls; negated by ECM field

Pvt. Alice "WestOrEast" Rabenek
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Hatamoto-Hi
80 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 19
Armor: 247 points
PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Medium Pulse Laser x2 - Left Torso x2/Right Torso x2 - 4 - 6 - 2/4/6

Remote Industrialmech Drones
20 tons
Gunnery/Piloting: as per operator, +2
Movement: 2/3
Armor: 36
Heat Sinks: 10
One of the following weapons:
PPC, AC/5, Large Laser, LRM/5, SRM/6, 2x Medium Laser, all in right torso
Can self destruct end of next movement phase after declaring

Allied DCMS Units
Battlemaster BLR-1G
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
85 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 18
Armor: 185
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC - Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Medium Laser x4 - Left Torso, Right Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Medium Laser x2 -Left Torso, Right Torso, Rear Facing - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
SRM/6 - Left Torso - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9 (15 shots)
Machine Gun x2 - Left Arm - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (200 shots)

Awesome AWS-8Q
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/4
80 tons
Movement: 3/5
Heat Sinks: 28
Armor: 240 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x3 - Left Torso/Right Torso/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Small Laser - Head - 1 - 3 - 1/2/3
Quirks:
Battle Fist (Left Arm)

Marauder MAD-3R
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
75 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 16
Armor: 184 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
AC/5 - Right Torso - 1 - 5 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3) (20 shots)
Quirks:
Command Mech
Hyper-Extending Actuators
Narrow/Low Profile

Orion ON1-K
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/3
75 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 231 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
SRM/4 - Left Torso - 3 - 8 (4x2) - 3/6/9 (25 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
AC/10 - Right Torso - 3 - 10 - 5/10/15 (20 shots)
LRM/15 - Left Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (16 shots)

Warhammer WHM-6R
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
70 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 18
Armor: 160 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Torso, Right Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Small Laser x2 - Left Torso, Right Torso - 1 - 3 - 1/2/3
Machine Gun x2 - Left Torso/Right Torso - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (200 shots)
SRM/6 - Right Torso - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9 (15 shots)
Quirks:
Stable

Archer ARC-2R
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
70 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 208 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
LRM/20 x2 - Left Torso/Right Torso - 6 - 20 (4x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (24 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Medium Laser x2 - Center Torso Rear Facing - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Battle Fists (Left/Right Arm)
Command Mech
Stable

Thunderbolt TDR-5S
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
65 tons
Movement: 46
Heat Sinks: 15
Armor: 208 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Machine Gun x2 - Left Arm x2 - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (200 shots)
Large Laser - Left Arm - 8 - 8 - 5/10/15
Medium Laser x3 - Left Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
LRM/15 - Right Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (16 shots)
SRM/2 - Right Torso - 2 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9 (50 shots)

Crusader CRD-3R
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/5
65 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 192 points
LRM/15 x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (24 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Machine Gun x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (200 shots)
SRM/6 x2 - Left Leg/Right Leg - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9 (15 shots)

Wolverine WVR-6R
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 12
Armor: 152 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
AC/5 - Right Arm - 1 - 5 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3) (20 shots)
Medium Laser - Head - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
SRM/6 - Head - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Command Mech
Extended Torso Twist
Protected Actuators
Cramped Cockpit

Shadow Hawk SHD-2H
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/5
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/3
Heat Sinks: 12
Armor: 152 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
AC/5 - Left Torso - 1 - 5 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3) (20 shots)
Medium Laser - Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
LRM/5 - Right Torso - 2 - 5 - 7/14/21 (25 shots)
SRM/2 - Head - 2 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9 (50 shots)
Quirks:
Battle Fist (Left Arm, Right Arm)

Wolf Trap WFT-1
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/5
45 tons
Movement: 6/9
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 120 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
LB 10-X AC - Right Arm - 2 - 10 - (10 shots slug, 10 shots cluster)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
LRM/10 - Center Torso - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (12 shots)
CASE
LBX slug ammo behaves like standard autocannon ammo
LBC cluster ammo delivers 10 1-point hits, and gets a +1 to hit

Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
Gunnery/Piloting: 4/4
45 tons
Movement: 6/9/6
Heat Sinks: 12
Armor: 128 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Large Laser - Right Arm - 8 - 8 - 5/10/15
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Machine Gun x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3 (100 shots)
Last edited by NickAragua on Mon Sep 27, 2021 3:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Quick questions...

"elementals"? Context suggests those are the Clan mechs. But is there more to the term?

What is the intent of the Clans? As I understand it they are inner sphere? Are they equivalent to the Houses? Or something different? And do they want to subjugate to expand their territory? Or do they just want to kill everyone for "reasons"?

As for assignments, I don't have enough knowledge to have a preference. I wasn't expecting to have to control the Kurita forces too.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

Special Pilot Abilities:
Terrain Master (Mountaineer): -1 MP to elevation changes
Cluster Hitter: +2 on cluster roll table
Dodge: May forego melee attacks to impart penalty to incoming melee attacks
Multi-tasker: no penalty for shooting at secondary targets (reduced penalty in non-front arc)
Terrain Master (Forest Ranger): -1 MP to move into woods; -1 penalty to incoming attack rolls if used at least one MP and in woods
Weapon Specialist: +2 to attack rolls with specific weapon
Hopping Jack: Reduce attack penalties from jumping by 1
Terrain Master (Swamp Beast): -1 MP to move into swamp; bonus to swamp-related piloting skill rolls

Quirks:
Narrow/Low Profile: getting hit with a margin of 0 or 1 halves the damage received, rounded down
Hyper-extending Actuators: may flip arms backwards to fire into rear arc instead of torso-twisting
No Torso Twist: no torso twist
Multi-trac: no penalty for shooting at secondary targets
Battlefist: +1 to attack roll when punching with that arm
Extended Torso Twist: can torso twist two hex sides instead of one
Stable: +1 to PSRs vs getting knocked over by melee attacks

Special rules:
Each player gets control of "their" mech, plus a disguised industrial mech. On your turn, you can operate either the industrial mech or your own mech, but not both. The industrial mech operates at your gunnery/piloting + 2 (due to lag and the fact that it's a crappy industrial mech). Due to "game engine limitations", you can't switch to controlling another industrial mech (mostly because you can't change gunnery/piloting on the fly).

During your turn, you may declare that an industrial mech will self-destruct. It will then explode (if you roll 7+ on a 2d6) at the end of the following firing phase.

All non-industrial mechs are operating under forced withdrawal rules. There are a bunch of criteria, including:
- internal damage to 3+ limbs
- internal damage to 2+ torso sections from the front
- loss of torso section
- gyro + engine hit
- 2 engine hits (?)
- 4+ pilot hits
- no functional main weapons remaining (small lasers + MGs don't count)

Once you hit forced withdrawal (I'll let you know), you are required to move towards your "home" edge (east in this case) at least one hex per turn if possible.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:50 pm Quick questions...

"elementals"? Context suggests those are the Clan mechs. But is there more to the term?

What is the intent of the Clans? As I understand it they are inner sphere? Are they equivalent to the Houses? Or something different? And do they want to subjugate to expand their territory? Or do they just want to kill everyone for "reasons"?

As for assignments, I don't have enough knowledge to have a preference. I wasn't expecting to have to control the Kurita forces too.
Elementals are clan battle armor. Basically power-armored infantry that can swarm on mechs and do major damage that way, or pepper away with SRMs from medium range.

As far as the point of the clans, they're descendants of the Star League Defense Force, which departed the Inner Sphere several hundred years ago (precipitating the Succession Wars), and have now decided to come back and retake Terra. For (much more) detailed reading: https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Clans

You can always pass on controlling the extra Kurita mech + buddy, or just issue more general orders (instead of "move to hex 1317 and face northeast, firing X weapons at Y target", you can just say "move west into the woods and engage target Y" and I'll do my best to make it happen).
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

Rules refresher:

Target at weapon's
short range: +0
medium range: +2
long range: +4
minimum range: (minimum weapon range - range to target + 1)
e.g. if you're firing a PPC at something 3 hexes away, the to-hit modifier is 3 - 3 + 1

Modifiers for "to-hit" target numbers:
You walked: +1
You ran: +2
You jumped: +3
You sprinted: can't fire

Target moved:
3-4 spaces: +1
5-6 spaces: +2
7-9 spaces: +3
10-17 spaces: +4
18+ spaces: +5
Jumped: Extra +1

Woods between you and your target (not including your hex):
+1 per light woods
+2 per heavy smoke

Smoke between you and your target (not including your hex):
+1 per light smoke
+2 per heavy smoke

Mech standing directly behind partial cover (level 1 hill, level 1 building) from attacker on the same level: +1, leg hits negated

3 or more points of woods/smoke *between* you and your target obstructs LOS.

A unit may attempt to fire on woods with the intention of setting a fire. Attack is handled normally, then a 2d6 is rolled to see whether you set the fire succesfully. Lasers are better at this than missiles and autocannons.

Artemis IV is negated when fired at a unit within an ECM bubble.

Minefields can be detected by units with active probes.

Vibrabombs detonate when a unit with the requisite mass steps on the hex. Heavier units trigger vibrabombs from 1 hex away per 10 tons over the vibrabomb's setting, rounded down.

Hull Down:
costs 2 MP
cannot kick
having partial cover grants an additional +1 penalty to hit hull-down units
costs 2 MP and a PSR to get back up (failure results in remaining hull down)

Entering depth 1 water costs 3MP, and you cannot go into a run
(1MP for movement, 1 MP for changing height, 1 MP for water)

Sprint: move at 2x your walk MP, but take penalties to PSR, are easier to hit and cannot fire weapons.

Mechs can climb/jump down up to two levels.

Stacking rules:
One mech per hex. Max two allied units per hex.

Pass-through rules:
Can pass through allied units freely.
Cannot pass through hostile units.

Partial Heat Chart:
5: -1MP
8: -1 to attack rolls
10: -2MP
13: -2 to attack rolls
14: shutdown check, trivial
15: -3 MP
17: -3 to attack rolls
18: shutdown check, easy
19: ammo explosion check
20: -4 MP
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 1:03 pm
TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:50 pm Quick questions...

"elementals"? Context suggests those are the Clan mechs. But is there more to the term?

What is the intent of the Clans? As I understand it they are inner sphere? Are they equivalent to the Houses? Or something different? And do they want to subjugate to expand their territory? Or do they just want to kill everyone for "reasons"?

As for assignments, I don't have enough knowledge to have a preference. I wasn't expecting to have to control the Kurita forces too.
Elementals are clan battle armor. Basically power-armored infantry that can swarm on mechs and do major damage that way, or pepper away with SRMs from medium range.

As far as the point of the clans, they're descendants of the Star League Defense Force, which departed the Inner Sphere several hundred years ago (precipitating the Succession Wars), and have now decided to come back and retake Terra. For (much more) detailed reading: https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Clans

You can always pass on controlling the extra Kurita mech + buddy, or just issue more general orders (instead of "move to hex 1317 and face northeast, firing X weapons at Y target", you can just say "move west into the woods and engage target Y" and I'll do my best to make it happen).
Heh. Your best is probably likely to work a lot better than my complete lack of any experience. :)

Also, thanks for the info. Are the elementals just a guarantee? Will there always be some? Or do they get called out specifically?

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:46 pm Black Knight BL-6b-KNT (C)
75 tons
Movement: 4/6
Shouldn't the movement profile be 4/6/4?
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

Yep, this scenario will have five elemental squads. Fixed the Black Knight stat block.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

I'll go with Drac ON1-K + LL bait.


BL-KNT 3925, facing W

ON1-K 2504, facing W

BAIT 2308, facing towards the nearest Dra... sorry, Clanner that is. :)
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

To be clear, two baits, two mechs.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 2:20 pm To be clear, two baits, two mechs.
Right, BAIT_2 2330
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

I feel like I'm missing something.

I will be controlling my mech plus my bait, and a Kurita mech plus its bait? So 4 mechs total, but can only take action on one mech each turn?

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Also, assuming I'm reading things correctly, we can either operate a mech or a bait on a turn. Does that mean that the other part of the pair is going to do nothing? That seems like it will really hurt us. I assume the enemy is going to all go every turn. This sounds like half our forces are sitting out every turn.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 2:55 pm I feel like I'm missing something.

I will be controlling my mech plus my bait, and a Kurita mech plus its bait? So 4 mechs total, but can only take action on one mech each turn?
One set of actions per pair mech-bait. E.g. Mech_1 move/fire, Bait_2 move/fire.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

What Leraje said. On your turn, you move:
a) either your Crusader or its bait
AND
b) either your Kurita mech or its bait

Between the two of your groups, you've got 21 mechs and 21 pieces of bait, so you outnumber the clan force quite considerably overall are pretty even on BV.

(the scenario as originally written had JUST the 12 Kurita mechs + bait + minefields against the 15 clan mechs. I tried playing it out against the bot and I managed to get two of the Ryokens and a pair of battle armor units, and the clan BV was ~43k vs ~20k of inner sphere BV. No wonder people complained about the clans as being unbalanced.)
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:46 pm
Lt. Nathan "Lich" Kang
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Hopping Jack
Griffin GRF-3M (C)
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 14 (28)
Armor: 179 points
ER PPC (Clan) - Right Arm - 15 - 15 - 7/14/23
ER Medium Laser x2 - Right Arm - 7 - 5 - 5/10/15
LRM/15 - Right Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (16 shots)
Guardian ECM
Are the stats for the ERMLs swapped? I think it should read 5 - 7 if it's Heat - Damage.

Our Kurita friends are largely packing some real quality machines there. Everything but the Shadow Hawk and Wolf Trap you could probably call an "A Lister", and the Trap has thin armor, but really solid weaponry.

@edit: Who the hell walks around with a non-K Wolverine? Damn Kuritas.

Also, 15 Clanners in mediums and heavies + 5 elemental squads (5 guys per squad?) vs 12 decent L1 mechs is absolutely ridiculous, yeah. I believe that the rule of thumb for a Clan mech is to expect the mobility of a lower weight class, the armor their toughest their weight has to offer and the firepower of a mech one weight class higher.

So their mediums move like lights, hit like heavies and are as tough as mediums can be, from the perspective of the IS.

As for our deployment zone, if I'm reading this right we can be anywhere to the right of the red line?
Spoiler:
Image
As far as strategy goes, a Griffin is usually a mech that will hop to make itself hard to hit and snipe from range, possibily eventually moving around for a backstab through all the jumping around the edges. At least, that's how I usually play it. I am able to Jump 5 + ERPPC + LRM15 indefinitely as far as heat goes, that's not an insignificant punch, and I think I can reach nearly anywhere if I'm roughly in the middle of the map.

So I can see two possible partners to take with me: another 5/8/5, which I'd be super happy if it were the good Wolverine as opposed to the bad one, or someone that could counter-charge if someone makes a bee-line for me as I try to flank and be too tough and hard hitting to ignore. Something like a Victor would be great for that. I don't have too intituive a grasp of the distances involved tho.

@edit2: Or someone that's dangerous and tough enough to create a flanking opportunity. If the clans show up in a tight little death ball, we might be fucked in that regard, but if they spread out, maybe we can do something.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Okay. So we are beefing up our number of units, but limiting our moves by half.

I guess to make things easier (for someone), I can go with the Kurita Crusader as well. If the pairing with the industrial mechs doesn't matter, then whatever next one is up for grabs.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 3:36 pm As for our deployment zone, if I'm reading this right we can be anywhere to the right of the red line?
Spoiler:
Image
Correct, with the additional restriction that "our" units deploy on the south half of the map while the Kurita units deploy on the north half of the map, and they've issued instructions for us to "stay in our lane", so to speak.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

Any suggestions on where to plop down my Marauder? I'm inclined to start in / near woods to take advantage of my Forest Master terrain ability, though I notice that the Kurita forces have reserved the heavily wooded side of the map. There's some woods in the south, but that would put me considerably ahead of the hill that Leraje is defending.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

I've been reading up on history.

The Battle of Tukayyid takes place in 3052. But am I correct in assuming that it hasn't happened yet (since it's only Jan 5)? So the 15 year truce is not in effect yet?

Also, damn. The clans have limited numbers of "active" mech warriors, but have entire worlds to pull replacements from. So it kind of is like fighting another House.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:42 pm I've been reading up on history.

The Battle of Tukayyid takes place in 3052. But am I correct in assuming that it hasn't happened yet (since it's only Jan 5)? So the 15 year truce is not in effect yet?

Also, damn. The clans have limited numbers of "active" mech warriors, but have entire worlds to pull replacements from. So it kind of is like fighting another House.
The good news is that Wikipedia tells me that Kurita wins this battle, so that gives me some comfort.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by WestorEast »

The closest I have gotten to playing this system is enjoying the Battletech computer game half a year ago, so do not expect the world from me! But I'll put my H-H on the top of the southern hill, since all my weapons are LOS. And I'll take my Kurita guy to be the P. Hawk in the woods, next to the river.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

El Guapo wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:41 pm Any suggestions on where to plop down my Marauder? I'm inclined to start in / near woods to take advantage of my Forest Master terrain ability, though I notice that the Kurita forces have reserved the heavily wooded side of the map. There's some woods in the south, but that would put me considerably ahead of the hill that Leraje is defending.
The woods around 3020 probably would be the best bet for you. Seem to be the only clump of the woods with decent firing lanes that does not put you right in the clanner grill.

Also, please attach this reflective sticker to your mech's rear CT - it'll serve as a rangefinder designation. :D
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Okay. In order to once again prove I have no idea what is going on...

Where are you getting the numbers? I tried looking at the image that was posted in the original post, but if there are numbers there, then they are too small for me to see.

Also, is there a list of the industrial mech names?

I feel like I'm only getting half the picture here and missed something obvious.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:45 pm Okay. In order to once again prove I have no idea what is going on...

Where are you getting the numbers? I tried looking at the image that was posted in the original post, but if there are numbers there, then they are too small for me to see.

Also, is there a list of the industrial mech names?

I feel like I'm only getting half the picture here and missed something obvious.
You can always open the map in a new browser window and zoom in on it.

Industrial mechs
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Leraje wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:57 pm
TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:45 pm Okay. In order to once again prove I have no idea what is going on...

Where are you getting the numbers? I tried looking at the image that was posted in the original post, but if there are numbers there, then they are too small for me to see.

Also, is there a list of the industrial mech names?

I feel like I'm only getting half the picture here and missed something obvious.
You can always open the map in a new browser window and zoom in on it.

Industrial mechs
I did. It opened in Imgur. And only had one level of zoom. But now I see. Don't click on it to open it in a new tab, right click and select open in a new tab. Thanks. That helps.

As for the industrial mechs, I understand the concept. I don't understand how I can "pick an industrial mech buddy". "Pick" suggests there is a list. Oh. Are we just supposed to pick what equipment we want? I thought "LL" was a designation, but it appears that you are just calling all of your industrial mechs "bait". That seems like it will make it difficult to know which bait is controlled by which pilot.

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Leraje »

TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:13 pm
Leraje wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:57 pm
TheMix wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:45 pm Okay. In order to once again prove I have no idea what is going on...

Where are you getting the numbers? I tried looking at the image that was posted in the original post, but if there are numbers there, then they are too small for me to see.

Also, is there a list of the industrial mech names?

I feel like I'm only getting half the picture here and missed something obvious.
You can always open the map in a new browser window and zoom in on it.

Industrial mechs
I did. It opened in Imgur. And only had one level of zoom. But now I see. Don't click on it to open it in a new tab, right click and select open in a new tab. Thanks. That helps.

As for the industrial mechs, I understand the concept. I don't understand how I can "pick an industrial mech buddy". "Pick" suggests there is a list. Oh. Are we just supposed to pick what equipment we want? I thought "LL" was a designation, but it appears that you are just calling all of your industrial mechs "bait". That seems like it will make it difficult to know which bait is controlled by which pilot.
You just pick what weapons you want on your RC tonka-mech :) LL is Large Laser equipped one.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Our deployment zone is anywhere to the east of column 16. Kurita mechs + buddies deploy to the north of column 18 while our mechs + buddies deploy to the south of column 17.
So it looks like columns are numbered from west to east. So we get the eastern 2/3rds of the map to set up.
But the second part, is that rows? It looks on the map like they count down from the top. Meaning that 17 is above 18. So are the values exclusive? Kurita gets the top third, from 01 through 17, and we get the bottom 2/3rds from 18 through 34? Do we have any inkling where the Clan forces will be coming from?

...Okay, I opened up the map on one computer so that I could read the thread on the other. At least I now see where Leraje is setting up. Is there a plan? Feels like as a private I should be taking direction from one of the captains. ;)

Seems like the rough plan is to position Kurita forces closer to the terminator and our forces use the big hill try and control the bottom. They'll have to negotiate the river and be exposed before getting to us.

Looks like my weapons aren't too useful at those kinds of ranges. However, it would let me spend the first few turns controlling the bait. So bait with longer range weapons would be better. If we are "letting" the Kurita forces set up potentially closer, then I'd say stick the industrials with shorter range weapons with them.

If the Clans come in to the south, Kurita will flank from the north. If they come in from the north.... well, we'll get there as soon as we can.

Mine fields? In the open approaches to the river? Where is the most useful?

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by TheMix »

Leraje wrote: Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:36 pm You just pick what weapons you want on your RC tonka-mech :) LL is Large Laser equipped one.
I'm thinking that they aren't going to last very long and should have long range weapons (presumably that can engage sooner than I can). And that heat or running out of ammo isn't likely to be an issue. So PPC or AC/5? Or possibly LRMs?

Also, where would you like me, sir? I was looking at the valley to the north between the hills. From there I can move forward into LRM range and use the trees for cover?

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by $iljanus »

I’d like to take the Kurita Warhammer and I’ll stick a LL on my bait. (But in the mech listing I thought the industrial mechs could also be outfitted with a PPC and if so I’d like that) I don’t have to choose weaponry for the Kurita bait mech, right?

I’ll need to think about placement and can give you an answer tomorrow. Much to ponder…
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by moleymoleymoley »

Controlling 4 mechs?! Sweet baby Jesus :shock:

What does terrain master frogman do? It would be cool to mount an underwater ambush. Although I'm guessing you don't play with double blind.

TheMix, I think you're right, the north and south setup instructions should be Row rather than Column.

I'm tempted to just take my Thunderbolt and a decoy tbh, not sure I have the brainpower to control the kuritan as well.

Is there any chance you can zip the save file up for download so we can work out moves before submitting? Might make it easier on you when I inevitably try to shoot something that's behind a 2 height hill.

Very cool idea though, I'm excited to play.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

moleymoleymoley wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 4:32 am Is there any chance you can zip the save file up for download so we can work out moves before submitting? Might make it easier on you when I inevitably try to shoot something that's behind a 2 height hill.
Not a bad idea - although I'm using the "bleeding edge nightly" build, so if you want to play around with the save you're likely to have to download a nightly build as well and probably install java 11. I'll put up some links when we actually start doing turns.

I think I'll give folks until the end of the day/tomorrow morning to post their deployments.

Also, it looks like I may have misjudged the scenario and overall BT experience level - if you guys want to stick to just controlling OO units (and attached mechs), that's fine as well.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by Freyland »

moleymoleymoley wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 4:32 am Controlling 4 mechs?! Sweet baby Jesus :shock:
One "moley" too many, obviously.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

Yeah, I'll put my marauder in 3020, facing SW. Also allows me to move up to the forest by the hills or back to the mountain area.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

And on the Kurita forces, I'll take the Awesome, if that's not yet claimed. Start it in 3713, facing SW.

I'll take an Industrial Mech PPC buddy, which I'll put in 2525, facing NW.

The Kurita industrial mech buddy will go in 3014, facing SW.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

One question - does my guy's Industrial Mech PPC buddy benefit from my PPC weapon specialization or from my Forest terrain bonus? If the idea is that I'm "remote controlling" it when it moves and fires, I would think it would at least benefit from PPC specialization. The Forest Terrain benefit is a little more unclear, though.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by NickAragua »

El Guapo wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:22 pm One question - does my guy's Industrial Mech PPC buddy benefit from my PPC weapon specialization or from my Forest terrain bonus? If the idea is that I'm "remote controlling" it when it moves and fires, I would think it would at least benefit from PPC specialization. The Forest Terrain benefit is a little more unclear, though.
Sure, why not.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by $iljanus »

NickAragua wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:34 pm
El Guapo wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:22 pm One question - does my guy's Industrial Mech PPC buddy benefit from my PPC weapon specialization or from my Forest terrain bonus? If the idea is that I'm "remote controlling" it when it moves and fires, I would think it would at least benefit from PPC specialization. The Forest Terrain benefit is a little more unclear, though.
Sure, why not.
Oh yeah! Then most definitely I’d like my little mech buds to have a PPC on board. I’m liking our chances already! (Well at least for the opening turns)
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XII

Post by El Guapo »

I feel like if anyone can get a kill with their industrial mech buddy, that they should get a bonus.
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