Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

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Zenn7
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Zenn7 »

TheMix wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 6:54 pm
$iljanus wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:05 pm
NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:07 pm If we win this one, any units we want to re-deploy will be available for redeployment for the next non-aerospace battle: this looks like the final clan push out of this particular landing zone.

Otherwise, we'll have to keep those units in the area to prevent the clan force from breaking out any further.
So it seems that it’s in our best interest to blunt their breakout so like TotallyNotEvil suggested I’m for sending…

[X] Send one aerospace lance
[X] Send two mech lances
I'd back this (I can't remember if I've already responded - it's been a hectic day). But I think we should also have the aerospace guys make a limited number of passes and have them bug out before they get too much attention. It sounds like we may need them more in the near future. And they aren't very replaceable.
Sounds good.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

TheMix wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 6:54 pm
$iljanus wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 5:05 pm
NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:07 pm If we win this one, any units we want to re-deploy will be available for redeployment for the next non-aerospace battle: this looks like the final clan push out of this particular landing zone.

Otherwise, we'll have to keep those units in the area to prevent the clan force from breaking out any further.
So it seems that it’s in our best interest to blunt their breakout so like TotallyNotEvil suggested I’m for sending…

[X] Send one aerospace lance
[X] Send two mech lances
I'd back this (I can't remember if I've already responded - it's been a hectic day). But I think we should also have the aerospace guys make a limited number of passes and have them bug out before they get too much attention. It sounds like we may need them more in the near future. And they aren't very replaceable.
It makes sense, drop bombs and bug out, but is that a proviso we can make re:MegaMek, Nick?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 10:13 am It makes sense, drop bombs and bug out, but is that a proviso we can make re:MegaMek, Nick?
Definitely.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

Do Kurita casualties matter for us in game for the campaign? Storywise they should, since the more mechs that Kurita loses the less of a fight they can muster against the clans, also meaning more enemies for us to fight. But I'm wondering whether MegaMek models how Kurita is doing overall and whether that impacts our battle scenarios.

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

[X] Send one aerospace lance
-[X] Bombs only, and bug out.
[X] Send two mech lances

[X] Trade no salvage
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TheMix »

El Guapo wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 2:03 pm Do Kurita casualties matter for us in game for the campaign? Storywise they should, since the more mechs that Kurita loses the less of a fight they can muster against the clans, also meaning more enemies for us to fight. But I'm wondering whether MegaMek models how Kurita is doing overall and whether that impacts our battle scenarios.

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To some extent, I'd imagine. But I'd also think that, with this being one of their worlds, in their space (it is, isn't it?), that for practical purposes they have unlimited resources available - long term (it may take time to get more mechs on planet). And I'd hope that they have a significant presence locally. Hopefully enough to survive the losses they are taking. At the end of the day, we are contracted because we are more expendable (I assume). But if we are better and manage not to die, well too bad for them. :D

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by moleymoleymoley »

Get the bombs out for the lads
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

I don't know about you folks, but the routine of logging in every day to check the progress on the battle still hasn't worn away.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Freyland »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:20 am I don't know about you folks, but the routine of logging in every day to check the progress on the battle still hasn't worn away.
Nope, first thing I look for, multiple times per day.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TheMix »

This is the only thread that I actually follow. But I log in daily anyway. I usually have OO up on my personal computer, which has its screen right next to my work screen. Except on weekends if I'm engrossed in playing. Then I fall behind on my checking.

But that thread I was keeping a close eye on. Definitely.

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

Vote Results:
Spoiler:
Don't trade |||
Trade for Mad Dog ||

2 mech lances |
1 mech, 1 aerospace flight ||||
2 mech, 1 aerospace ||||
January 5, 3052, 0816 hours
Tairakana Plains, Luthien

We instruct Gamma-Strike flight to load up on fuel-air bombs to take care of the Elementals. Beta-Fire lance will provide the ground component of this force, with a clan-tech Thunderbolt borrowed from Beta-Hunter lance taking the place of TheMix's beat-up Crusader. Cylus brings the Grasshopper, while the other two mechs are a Stalker and the BattleAxe, which, despite our best efforts to upgrade it with modern technology, just hasn't performed all that well.

The Kurita force is a good mix of heavy and medium mechs, while the clan force has a few mechs we haven't seen before, but nothing terribly monstrous.

Round 1:
Spoiler:
Image
The clanners open fire at longer range than the Kurita units, as usual. We'll need to close the distance if we want to inflict damage on them, but they'll need to actually hit us if they want to inflict damage on us.

Round 2:
Spoiler:
Image
Our Stalker catches a lot of focused fire, armor flaking off as PPC blasts and LRMs impact the assault mech. An overly enthusiastic Ice Ferret runs forward, dropping off some Elementals in the middle of the field. Nobody's sure what the point of that was, but one of the battle-armored troopers takes a PPC blast from our BattleAxe and doesn't get up.

The Ice Ferret is a very fast 45-ton mech (33% faster than a Phoenix Hawk), and packs an extended-range particle cannon. And also a pair of smaller weapons for backup. So, a long-range sniper threat in other words.

Round 3:
Spoiler:
Image
Cylus sighs, forgetting for a second that the Grasshopper's jump jets are located in the legs, and the mechwarrior has to walk out of the lake, taking some aggression out on the Ice Ferret with a large laser to the left leg and a couple of LRMs to the center of mass.

One of the Kurita mechs, a Shadow Hawk, appears to have some kind of explosive weapons malfunction, as its autocannon blows up and the mechwarrior's ejection seat flies upwards. Our Stalker pilot, absorbing a little less firepower this time (but still taking a right "arm" armor breach and a large laser head shot) shakes her head - the Kurita mech wasn't even getting shot at. Shoddy maintenance? Whatever it is, we're down a mech, and the fight hasn't even degenerated into a melee yet.

Round 4:
Spoiler:
Image
Our aerospace fighters come in to deliver their thermobaric explosives. Anti-aircraft fire dings the Lightning's engine, which would have forced the fighter to retreat even if it hadn't been planning to. And then the bombs drop. The densely packed clan units take some serious damage, with four battle armor squads completely wiped out, while a Timber Wolf's gyro and engine are knocked out, disabling the mech. The same happens to a Ryoken, while the Huntsman takes heavy damage.

As the bombs drop, our Stalker takes a leg shot from the Ice Ferret's PPC - the limb crumples, and so does our mech. At least it does so behind a hill, although a few LRMs from a Timber Wolf knock out one of our mech's SRM launchers, while laser and autocannon fire from a Huntsman (Nobori-nin) cracks the center torso armor and some engine shielding.

To the south, our Thunderbolt engages a Hellbringer, taking a right arm armor breach, but removing the clan mech's left arm in response.

Round 5:
Spoiler:
Image
Our BattleAxe hops up to an Arctic Cheetah (a small 30-ton mech with a pair of Streak SRM/6 launchers for its main armament). The clanner blasts a nearby Kurita Griffin, wrecking its PPC and right shoulder actuator with an SRM salvo, effectively disabling the 55-tonner. Our mech is unable to connect any of its attacks, however.

Cylus gets partial revenge on the Ice Ferret as it moves back west, blasting one of its legs with a laser and frying an actuator.

With the Stalker "safely" out of sight behind a hill, our Thunderbolt becomes the next target, taking a left leg armor breach and dropping to a knee as the mech lurches, armor melting and spalling under PPC and LRM fire. Our mechwarrior manages to inflict some more damage on the nearby Hellbringer, but it's going to be time to go hide behind a hill in a second.

Round 6:
Spoiler:
Image
Cylus runs in behind the Ice Ferret and blasts through its rear armor with the Grasshopper's lasers, cracking the engine shielding, although our mechwarrior is unable to seal the deal with physical attacks.

To the north, chaos continues among the Kurita ranks as a lone Arctic Cheetah jumps in, avoiding basically all weapons fire, trips a Hatomoto-Chi and pings a BattleMaster with SRMs to the head.

Round 7:
Spoiler:
Image
The Kurita Battlemaster continues taking damage, its right arm PPC knocked out by a shot from the Ice Ferret. Our Thunderbolt continues engaging the Hellbringer, the two mechs exchanging laser blasts. The Thunderbolt takes a right torso armor breach while the Hellbringer loses it active probe and a PPC, although its anti-missile system knocks the Thunderbolt's SRMs out of the air. The brief obstruction of sight, however, allows our 65-ton mech to run in and deliver a kick, cracking one of the Hellbringer's lower leg actuators and an a-pod. As the mech keels over, its left torso section generates some pyrotechnics and flames whoosh out, the engine shielding having taken some major damage.

Round 8:
Spoiler:
Image
With the Hellbringer retreating and the bulk of the clan force swinging around to the south of the lake, our Thunderbolt takes the opportunity to pull back.

Round 9:
Spoiler:
Image
Not far enough though - a clan Mad Dog unloads with pulse lasers and cuts our 65-tonner's left arm off, along with disabling the left torso section entirely.

To the north, one of the clan light mechs, the Arctic Cheetah, gets blasted apart when it slips up a little. The Kurita Battlemaster loses its right arm, but it'd already lost the PPC there, so that's not really a big deal.

Round 10:
Spoiler:
Image
One of the Clan Mad Dogs has its cockpit caved in, first by a PPC from the Kurita Marauder and then by an LRM salvo from the Thunderbolt. Cylus frowns as said Thunderbolt takes multiple pulse lasers to the center of mass, cracking its engine shielding, but it's still going strong for now.

To the north, the clan Ice Ferret is disabled somehow and drops to the ground - later review of battle ROM footage shows that the Kurita Wolverine clustered an incredible three (!) head shots with its SRM launcher, knocking the mechwarrior out, then tripped it.

Round 11:
Spoiler:
Image
The Kurita forces to the north, having eliminated two light mechs with a reinforced company of mediums and heavies, now finally push to the south.

Round 12:
Spoiler:
Image
It looks like the clans are actually out-firepowered at this point: a PPC blast from the Marauder, followed by a burst from its autocannon, takes the right arm off a Vulture, wrecking the giant LRM rack on the right torso as well.

Round 13:
Spoiler:
Image
The Nova makes a tactical mistake, wading through the lake and taking the Kurita Thunderbolt's head off with a couple of bursts from the ultra autocannon. However, its action brings it within the firing line of basically every weapon barrel and lens within 270 meters, which results in most of the torso disappearing - after the smoke clears, all that's left is spreading ripples and a pile of steam, and probably some scrap metal that'll need to be lifted out of the lake.

The Kurita Marauder takes a gauss rifle from the Gargoyle to the west, losing a leg, but it's too little too late. The remaining clan force decides they won't be able to break through, and they start retreating.

The Kurita forces briefly give chase, prompting Cylus to remark on their relative bravery before taking stock of the damage/salvage situation.

We're able to help the Stalker to its feet, enabling it to limp home with one functional leg and one that we "lock up" after strategically welding a few bits together so it doesn't just give out. The Thunderbolt will make it home just fine on its own, although it won't be fighting in this invasion any more. The Lightning has taken extensive damage as well and the pilot got dinged up, but the Eagle and Corsair are still intact and ready for further orders. Cylus' Grasshopper and the Battleaxe are also good to go other than some armor damage.

Those fuel-air bombs really turned things around, otherwise we'd have had to face a swarm of Elementals trying to climb up our mechs and cut through the cockpit glass.

Our salvage is a Timber Wolf with a busted left hip and near total engine damage, plus a Stormcrow with slightly less engine damage but a lot more of the mech missing. None of the battle armor our fuel-air bombs destroyed remains intact (other than blackened scorchmarks on the ground), but that's ok.

The Kurita guys lost three mechs total - nothing irrecoverable, but this success will allow us to re-assign our non-shot-up mechs to other engagements later in the day.

We can do a little salvage trading, but we've already got most of the good stuff. The Nova is similar to the ones we saw, but this variant has a large pulse laser and an ultra AC/5 for its main guns, a somewhat questionable reduction in firepower - but at least it doesn't have the nightmarish heat issues of the "standard" model. The Arctic Cheetah has the speed of a Spider but 150% the armor and twin streak SRM/6 launchers. Both are pretty shot-up. We still owe the Kurita guys 5 tons of mech if we do do a trade.

Kurita salvage for trade:
[] Nova - 50 tons; easy to maintain, questionable armament
[] Arctic Cheetah - 30 tons; nightmare to maintain, ultra-fast

Our salvage for trade:
[] Timber Wolf - 75 tons; we could always use the spare parts
[] Stormcrow - 55 tons

Our other decision is whether to respond to a pending Wolf's Dragoons request for additional aerospace fighters. Seems that a mixed group of Dragoons and Kell Hounds aerospace fighters are about to engage an equal number of Nova Cat and Smoke Jaguar fighters, and would like some help making it an uneven fight. This will establish air superiority over the Imperial City defense zone. Or, at least, prevent clan fighters from flying in at will and dropping inferno bombs on our mech formations (and the Imperial City itself).

Gamma-Strike squadron still has two fully operational fighters, with only minor armor damage on the Eagle, so we could send those in. Delta-Intercept's Hellcat is functional as well, although its left wing armor is about two laser blasts short of a breach. Still, we can send it in as well and make it an "even" Capellan-style flight.

That being said, those are our last three aerospace fighters. After that, our ground pounders are on their own, at least for the rest of today.

[] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[] Pass
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Leraje
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Leraje »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:40 pm [x] No trading

[x] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[] Pass
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

How likely is it that we have another engagement today?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TheMix »

Leraje wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:37 pm
NickAragua wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:40 pm [x] No trading

[x] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[] Pass
Agreed. I guess. I'm a bit nervous about losing our air support if things go bad. But I guess we have to play nice with these guys.

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Leraje »

TheMix wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:47 pm I'm a bit nervous about losing our air support if things go bad. .
We need this loaded with these...
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

El Guapo wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:42 pm How likely is it that we have another engagement today?
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 700% probability.

Basically, the clans are making an all-out push to break out of their landing zones. This isn't the standard "slow-burn" Inner Sphere warfare, they're throwing everything they've brought at us.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by gbasden »

Leraje wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:37 pm
NickAragua wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:40 pm [x] No trading

[x] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[] Pass
Agreed.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by moleymoleymoley »

gbasden wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:50 am
Leraje wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 11:37 pm
NickAragua wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:40 pm [x] No trading

[x] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[] Pass
Agreed.
Same
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

NickAragua wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:40 pm [x] No trading

[] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[X] Pass
I dunno. Unless the Wolf's Dragoons will sanction / punish us in some way for not sending a flight, seems better to use them on our fights then use them on some other fight and hope for some incidental benefits.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

[x] No trading

[X] Pass

Guys and gals, we have like three fighters left, and bombing has been show to be tremendously effective, especially against Elementals, which are often very, very annoying to deal with using our mech-fighting focused mechs.

If we are getting shot down piecemeal on bombing runs then a straight up dogfight will almost certainly cost us multiple machines, maybe all of them.

Two~three fighters isn't going to make much of a difference in a fifty fighter dogfight, but it's night-and-day for our ground battles.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by $iljanus »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:46 am [x] No trading

[X] Pass

Guys and gals, we have like three fighters left, and bombing has been show to be tremendously effective, especially against Elementals, which are often very, very annoying to deal with using our mech-fighting focused mechs.

If we are getting shot down piecemeal on bombing runs then a straight up dogfight will almost certainly cost us multiple machines, maybe all of them.

Two~three fighters isn't going to make much of a difference in a fifty fighter dogfight, but it's night-and-day for our ground battles.
I can see the benefit of having air superiority over the city but as it has been said will three fighters really make a difference? Best to report our air assets as “combat ineffective” and save them for our own engagements. It’s not like we’ve been sitting on our asses.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TheMix »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:46 am Two~three fighters isn't going to make much of a difference in a fifty fighter dogfight, but it's night-and-day for our ground battles.
The fight is going to be that many fighters? Then I agree, our few aren't going to make a difference.

My only hang up is that I don't fully understand our relationship/responsibility to Wolf's Dragoons. Weren't they the ones that "invited" us here? i.e. Do we get in "trouble" if we don't help? If there are no repercussions, then I'd much rather be a
[] Send in Gamma-Strike
[] Send in Gamma-Strike + Hellcat
[X] Pass

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by AWS260 »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:46 am [x] No trading

[X] Pass
I agree with this.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

What's the deal with Inferno bombs, by the way? Seems like they don't inflict physical damage but cause a dramatic heat spike (which then triggers mech shutdowns and the like) - is that right? How much of a heat bump do they cause specifically?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

El Guapo wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 4:32 pm What's the deal with Inferno bombs, by the way? Seems like they don't inflict physical damage but cause a dramatic heat spike (which then triggers mech shutdowns and the like) - is that right? How much of a heat bump do they cause specifically?
I believe you get 10 per bomb, for a maximum of 15 total. It also is guaranteed to set the hex on fire if there's any kind of "flammable material" present (woods, building, planted fields etc). So, pretty disruptive to intro-tech units with crappy cooling like the Phoenix Hawk and Archer, but an Awesome could just hold two PPCs and not care.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

And, of course, when everyone has DHS, not a big deal... unless they insta-kill PA?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Zenn7 »

Inferno bombs don't sound like a big deal... for the clan.

Pretty sure most of our mechs will be somewhat less functional if they are given 10-15 points of heat to start with. It's not like this is a 1 round penalty, just don't fire 2 ppcs this round and the Awesome's fine. Thought this heat lasted 2-3 rounds?

Then we can go back to normal, with whatever firepower we have left that wasn't available to start shooting the clans up a couple rounds earlier.

Translation - impact might be more than I think many of you are considering.

Send our 3 fighters.

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

Heh, with one other external vote, this comes to a tie. Anybody want to serve as a tie-breaker or flip a coin/roll a die? Heads/high number = air scenario occurs.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

Roll = 2: pass
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

Sorry guys, running into some technical difficulties (ran into a bug where I can't load a saved game, which is a problem when I'm halfway through the fight then the power goes out). I'll try to sort them out tonight.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

NickAragua wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:19 pm Sorry guys, running into some technical difficulties (ran into a bug where I can't load a saved game, which is a problem when I'm halfway through the fight then the power goes out). I'll try to sort them out tonight.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by $iljanus »

NickAragua wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 5:19 pm Sorry guys, running into some technical difficulties (ran into a bug where I can't load a saved game, which is a problem when I'm halfway through the fight then the power goes out). I'll try to sort them out tonight.
Did you piss off ComStar?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by NickAragua »

Clan h@xx0rz!

Did you piss off ComStar?
A little from column A, a little from column B. Took a little finagling to sort the hidden unit rules out, but I finally did it.

Vote Results:
Spoiler:
No trade ||||||||
Trade stormcrow for cheetah |

Gamma-Strike |||
Gamma-Strike+Hellcat ||
pass |||||
"Sorry, Captain, no can do." the Lieutenant in charge of Gamma-Strike responds. "We got shot up pretty bad in our last engagement, and we're running on fumes. Wish we could help out more, but these clanners are really running us through the grinder."

"Understood, Lieutenant." the Dragoons Captain responds. "Clear skies."

"Clear skies, Captain."

And that's the last we hear of those guys - post-battle chatter indicates that they basically got wiped out, with about half of the flight group shot down or destroyed, the other half forced to retreat. The clans lost two fighters in the engagement.

---

January 5, 3052, 1230 hours
Waseda Hills, Luthien

The clan forces make a concerted push towards the Imperial City. While we've stopped a large Smoke Jaguar group (about an Overlord's worth) from breaking out of their initial landing zone, the same cannot be said for other forces. The Kell Hounds have requested a fast-moving and hard-hitting lance to assist them in containing a Nova Cat breakout from a Union-class aiming to link up with a much larger force that's already engaging the Imperial City's outer defenses. We've got a medium-heavy company of units camped out in the woods along the Nova Cats' projected route, while the clanners have two stars of heavies and mediums, half of which appear to be carrying Elementals.

Aerospace units are currently skirmishing above, although the clan forces have the upper hand. Still, according to comms chatter, we can expect a couple bombing runs from both sides to come into this sector once the shooting starts.

As we camp out, mechs connected to each other directly via shielded cable to avoid radio transmissions, the mechwarriors in Freyland's Delta-Ranger lance note a particular Archer in the Kell Hounds group.

"Hey, wait a sec... I recognize that one. No way, is that the actual Morgan Kell?" Ranger-Three calls out.

"Holy shit! I heard if you target his mech, he can just twitch an eyebrow and make your computer fuzz up!" Ranger-Four joins in.

"Yeah? I heard he spent three days dueling some Kurita samurai dude, except they couldn't hit each other, and at the end, when the Kurita guy ran out of ammo, he got out of the mech and committed seppuku, and Kell was his second!" Ranger-Two pipes up.

"... sepu what now?" comes a response after a couple of seconds awkward silence.

"Seppuku. Ritual suicide. I hear Kurita guys love doing that stuff when they're forced to retreat from battle or get their asses kicked. Basically, you take your samurai sword, and cut yourself open like a pinata, and then your second cuts your head off." Ranger-Two explains.

"Wow man, that's fucked up." Ranger Three states after a few seconds.

"Yeah, well." Ranger-Four states, somberly. "I heard one of his kids got captured by the clans and decided to join them."

"... still fucked up." Ranger-three repeats.

"You'll get no argument from me." Freyland briefly joins the conversation.

"Hey, Captain, didn't you use to be from around here?" Ranger-Four asks.

"Yes. Not any more, for multiple reasons." Freyland ends the conversation. "Now let's focus. We have clanners on scopes."

Round 4:
Spoiler:
Image
The clan force moves towards our hidden mechs - our hope here is that they'll get pretty close before we spring the ambush, letting us negate their range advantage.

No such luck though - four clan fighters come screaming in, revealing the positions of several of our units. We deliver some anti-aircraft fire, including deadly-accurate shots from the Archer and Catapult, but then the Clan fighters drop their bomb load on said Archer, which detonates under multiple secondary explosions.

"Did they just... " Ranger-Three asks in disbelief.

"No." Freyland snorts. "It's not even the right paintjob. Now focus."

The allied aircraft retaliate, a Shilone dropping enough bombs on a Nova to destroy both it and the Elementals riding on it.

Round 5:
Spoiler:
Image
This is where things get messy. Freyland and our Phoenix Hawk team up on a Timber Wolf advancing along the western edge of the battlefield, the Phoenix Hawk scoring multiple hits on the 75-ton mech's rear, while Freyland runs one of the Quickdraw's lasers over its head, scowling when the Mad Cat's anti-missile system knocks his SRMs out of the air. Still, the clan mech is unable to retain its balance and drops to a knee.

Our Griffin, having been previously concealed by ECM, gets spotted by a clanner aerospace fighter and promptly strafed, its engine shutting down after both arms are sawed off by lasers which also wreck the right torso section and disable a leck - it collapses into a heap.

The Kell Hounds aeros engage the clan aeros, a Slayer blasting away at a Batu with the AC/10 and multiple lasers, while another Slayer circles around the back of a clan Mad Dog and blasts through its rear armor, severely damaging its engine shielding.

A Kell Hounds Centurion levers its AC/10 at an advancing Thor, putting a round through the cockpit to drop the clan mech.

Round 6:
Spoiler:
Image
"They're pushing through!" Freyland calls out over comms. "Take out as many as you can, focus fire on individual targets."

"Roger that." one of the Kell Hounds Slayers responds, blasting a Hellbringer in the back with the nose-mounted autocannon - the left arm comes off and the mech drops to the ground, its engine shuts down.

"Didn't mean you... salvage-stealing bastard." Our mechwarrior mutters as he works on the Timber Wolf, while a clan aerospace fighter blows the right LRM rack off a nearby Catapult.

The heroic Centurion that took out the Thor gets pounded pretty hard, its center torso looking pretty opened up while its right arm autocannon hangs limp. The Kell Hounds Wolverine also takes some lasers from a Gargoyle to one of its legs, wrecking several actuators and bring it down.

Round 7:
Spoiler:
Image
Freyland continues chasing down the Timber WOlf, cracking its right arm armor and disabling the large laser there while also delivering a solid kick to the left leg, breaching its armor protection. With a clan fighter taking off its left missile launcher and nearly half the left torso with it, the Kell Hounds Catapult calls it a day. Especially after a pulse laser detonates its LRM ammo.

Round 8:
Spoiler:
Image
Freyland does a double take, as the Timber Wolf looks a lot more damaged after the smoke clears - while all the limbs are attached, multiple armor breaches emit flames and smoke. Thus, he and our Phoenix Hawk focus on the nearby Stormcrow instead, with a Kell Hound Panther getting in a PPC shot through the medium mech's center torso armor, cracking the gyro housing. The gyro damage causes the 55-tonner to fall on its back.

A Kell Hounds Crusader goes up in smoke after being strafed by a clan aerospace fighter - those guys are really doing a number on us, more so than their mech counterparts.

To the east, the damaged Kell Hounds Wolverine suffers an ammo explosion after a beat-up Mad Dog targets it with pulse lasers. Said Mad Dog is having a little trouble, too, having fallen behind its buddies, but it's still intact.

Round 9:
Spoiler:
Image
With the Stormcrow and Timber Wolf combat ineffective, Freyland moves to the center of the battlefield to help out, noting with some amusement the Stormcrow failing to get up and then stop moving entirely.

One of the clan aerospace fighters is forced off the field by a hit to the fuel tank after strafing a Kell Hounds Jenner, which drops to the ground. The clan aero jocks are holding their own pretty well overall though, shooting down a Kell Hounds slayer, which leaves the aerospace battle at 3:2 in favor of the clans.

Our Wolverine pursues the Huntsman to the south, but is outclassed and pulls back after taking a pair of armor breaches.

Round 10:
Spoiler:
Image
Pursuing the Gargoyle, Freyland blasts it in the back with a salvo from the Quickdraw's LRM launcher - having taken some damage breaking through the cluster of lighter Kell Hounds units, the 80-ton assault mech's armor doesn't hold up and it takes major engine shielding damage, an opening which a Kell Hounds Wolfhound exploits by planting a medium laser in its back. The mech shuts down, crushing most of an Elemental squad riding on it as it falls.

Our Wolverine drops back from the Huntsman, targeting the Vulture. The two mechs exchange fire, the Wolverine puncturing an LRM ammo bin with the large laser, while a salvo of SRMs severs the right leg and pings the head. Return fire knocks off the Wolverine's left arm, leaving both mechs combat ineffective.

Only a Hellbringer is able to clear the field, while up above another clan fighter takes multiple fuel tank hits and is forced to withdraw. Directly into the ground.

Freyland gets one more kill, detonating a Hellbringer's streak SRM ammo bin with a couple of laser blasts to the rear as it tries to get away. So far, we've seen quite a few Hellbringers get taken down by this - normally clan mechs just "shrug off" ammo explosions, but the Hellbringer gets ripped apart.

Salvage is basically non-existent (we've got two shared kills and the rest of our confirmed kills either exploded or got away), but we prevented all but one of the clan mechs from breaking through (without major damage). Not bad. The Kell Hounds lost a lance of heavies (turns out it wasn't *actually* Morgan Kell in that Archer) and a light, plus an aerospace fighter but the clans lost seven mechs completely, two escaping with major damage. And an aerospace fighter as well. It would have probably been worse for the clanners if they hadn't spoiled our ambush - but there's no way they wouldn't have: the Hellbringer has an active probe.

Freyland's Quickdraw is mostly undamaged, so he'll be able to continue participating, but the Griffin and Wolverine are done for a while. The Phoenix Hawk's MASC allowed it to greatly increase its mobility, but with leg actuator damage, it's not going to be able to travel any meaningful distance.

With 8 fully operational mech lances left, our next request for assistance is a raid into clan-controlled territory, intended to disrupt their lines of retreat as the bulk of the Nova Cat and Smoke Jaguar forces head towards Imperial City. We'll be aiming to "sneak" in (as much as 30-ton combat walkers can), hit a picturesque staging area, then run off. Currently, recon reports two medium stars (10 mechs) there, with a couple of lights and heavies. With our lance, the Kurita force will outnumber them. The main question is how "light" we want to go.

[] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?
[] Delta-Sweep: 4 light mechs; should be enough for the job, but clan mechs are tough and have pulse lasers, so the speed won't make as much difference.
[] Alpha-Ranger: 4 "heavier" medium mechs; Lich's mech has some armor damage, could definitely be used elsewhere
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El Guapo
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by El Guapo »

NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 4:34 pm
[X] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?
[] Delta-Sweep: 4 light mechs; should be enough for the job, but clan mechs are tough and have pulse lasers, so the speed won't make as much difference.
[] Alpha-Ranger: 4 "heavier" medium mechs; Lich's mech has some armor damage, could definitely be used elsewhere
As an alternative, if we do want to send Delta-Sweep I feel like we could save time and just detonate the mechs ourselves.
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TheMix »

And that's the last we hear of those guys - post-battle chatter indicates that they basically got wiped out, with about half of the flight group shot down or destroyed, the other half forced to retreat. The clans lost two fighters in the engagement.
Sheeeee....it. And that was even numbers? Don't think our three would have made a difference. And they would be gone.

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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

Poor aerojocks, the disparity in tech seems to be even worse in the air than in the ground.

We would have lost our fighters for nothing, given that kind of result. Then again, "even odds" against Clans is essentially "twice their weight", not an actual even number of units. No wonder they were massacred.

Did the fighter that hit out Griffin carry like GRs? Because that's a truckload of damage.
El Guapo wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 5:25 pm
NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 4:34 pm
[X] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?
[] Delta-Sweep: 4 light mechs; should be enough for the job, but clan mechs are tough and have pulse lasers, so the speed won't make as much difference.
[] Alpha-Ranger: 4 "heavier" medium mechs; Lich's mech has some armor damage, could definitely be used elsewhere
As an alternative, if we do want to send Delta-Sweep I feel like we could save time and just detonate the mechs ourselves.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

[X] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?

Seems Delta-Sweep is kind of shit, so sure, let's send Gamma-Probe if they are more than enough for the job. I'd rather reserve Alpha-Ranger for a really dire situation.

No way to repair armor between battles, huh?
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by AWS260 »

NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 4:34 pm [X] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?
[] Delta-Sweep: 4 light mechs; should be enough for the job, but clan mechs are tough and have pulse lasers, so the speed won't make as much difference.
[] Alpha-Ranger: 4 "heavier" medium mechs; Lich's mech has some armor damage, could definitely be used elsewhere
[/quote]
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by $iljanus »

AWS260 wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 7:06 pm
NickAragua wrote: Fri Nov 19, 2021 4:34 pm [X] Gamma-Probe: 4 medium mechs; more than enough for the job, but could be used elsewhere later?
[] Delta-Sweep: 4 light mechs; should be enough for the job, but clan mechs are tough and have pulse lasers, so the speed won't make as much difference.
[] Alpha-Ranger: 4 "heavier" medium mechs; Lich's mech has some armor damage, could definitely be used elsewhere
[/quote]

Send in the probe!
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Re: Let's Play: Battletech via MegaMek (G2)

Post by Freyland »

I haven't seen me for awhile! Go me! (Me largely shooting mech's in the back, but hey....)
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