Remove ads

The Lords of Ruin -- Battletech/Killzone

Reader mode
Remove ads
Vote closed
  • Voting
    • Scheduled vote count started by prometheus110 on Jan 30, 2023 at 6:47 AM, finished with 149 posts and 34 votes.
    • [x] Plan: Mandate and Outback Prep
      [X]Blitzkrieg
      [X]Blitzkrieg
      -[X] Sunflower Harbours: Temporary assemblages of metal and composite in the shape of the eponymous flower, sunflower harbours are useful for the short-term in-situ support of naval vessels. [+6 Naval Support Capacity]
      -[X] Plant False Intelligence [Easy]: By hiding our real manoeuvres and planting false intelligence amongst Concordat and Coalition civilians, we can disguise the scale of our operations and convince the Mandate that we mean to attack elsewhere should it be looking.
      -[X] Target Will to Fight [Easy]: By targeting Mandate loyalists with propaganda, we can hopefully attack their will to fight against rebels and possibly even convince some to swap sides.
      -[X] Survey Loyalist defences [Medium]: Using agents already embedded in the Mandate, we can survey their defences ahead of time and dramatically reduce their effectiveness so long as the intel is no more than 3 months old.
      -[X] Ammunition and Supply Sabotage [Easy]: By laying the groundwork ahead of time, we can trigger a widescale sabotage of Mandate ammunition and supplies at the worst possible moment.
      -[X] Mass Decapitation Strike [Medium]: By covertly deploying cybernetically-enhanced special forces units through rebel-held space and holding them near the targets, we can trigger a massive decapitation strike against Mandate personnel at our leisure
      -[X] Air and Space Monitoring Disruption [Medium]: Using those agents not forced to evacuate due to the chaos of the civil war, we can attempt to blind Mandate Air and Space sensors during the initial invasion period.
      -[X] Sabotage Nuclear Defences [Hard]: Using agents across the Mandate, we can attempt to sabotage all known and suspected nuclear weapon systems before they can be turned against our forces.
      -[X] Emplace And Prepare Assault Forces (9 Noctis BG, 9 Damascus, 12 Hasta IIId, 4th Army, 3 divisions 2nd Army, 14 Battlemech regiments, 1 MAWLR II pack): With every member of the ORDI contributing to Operation Pluto, we should probably assign forces sooner rather than later…
      -[X] Begin Operation Pluto.
      -[X] EX-108 "Wildfire"
      -[X] CD-1 'Bjorn'
      -[X]SAD-03 'Facehugger'
      [x] License Production of Advanced Ammunition: Giving the Confederation blueprints for the construction of specialist ballistic rounds and missiles will allow them to produce a number of projectile types for use by their military. Though the nation lacks the kind of facilities needed to construct these in large quantities, enough could be produced to provide a notable benefit. [-2 influence]
      [x] Sunflower Harbours: Temporary assemblages of metal and composite in the shape of the eponymous flower, sunflower harbours are useful for the short-term in-situ support of naval vessels. [Bonus to naval supply situation in a totally hypothetical future conflict]
      [x] Construct a military defence station over [LOCATION]
      -[x] Mantharaka
      [x] Dispatch Material Aid (Combat Vehicles, Mandate): With the Celestial Mandate undergoing a civil war, rebel forces need heavy metal to help level the playing field. On the plus side, we no longer need to smuggle them in! [-40,000,000 C-Bills]
      [x] Dispatch "Trainers" (Mandate): By dispatching a battalion of cybernetically-enhanced special forces units to assist rebel forces, the Republic can covertly strike against targets that would otherwise be impregnable to them.
      [x] Prepare War Material Stockpiles: In order to ensure ORDI units fighting in Mandate space will have access to all the resources they need, we should build up stockpiles in nearby systems that can be drawn on as needed. [+0.5 ground support capacity]
      [x] Preplaced Petrusite Supplies: By moving Petrusite stocks ahead of the Republic's forces and building depots in strategic areas, we can more effectively support both naval and ground forces. [+0.25 Ground Support Capacity, +1 Naval Support Capacity]
      [x] Plant False Intelligence [Easy]: By hiding our real manoeuvres and planting false intelligence amongst Concordat and Coalition civilians, we can disguise the scale of our operations and convince the Mandate that we mean to attack elsewhere should it be looking.
      [x] Emplace And Prepare Assault Forces (specify the forces being deployed): With every member of the ORDI contributing to Operation Pluto, we should probably assign forces sooner rather than later…
      -[x] Ground forces:
      -[x] Naval forces:
      [x] Sabotage Nuclear Defences [Hard]: Using agents across the Mandate, we can attempt to sabotage all known and suspected nuclear weapon systems before they can be turned against our forces.
      [x] CD-1 'Bjorn'
      [x] 'Mace' Squad Support Platform
      [x] Shoulder-mounted micro-missile launchers (MiML)
      [x] EX-017 "Auger"
    Click to expand...
     
  • Voting
    • Also why aren't we using our Carriers for the assault force? They're useful both for locking down space and directly attacking planetary targets.
     
    Forgothrax said:
    Not shielded, so vulnerable to nuking.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    You know we really should fix that.

    It would probably be a good idea to upgrade our artillery since we're still using the same type that we had at the start of the quest so the technology we have now is a bit more advanced.

    A close air support VTOL of some kind might be good as well.
     
    Forgothrax said:
    Not shielded, so vulnerable to nuking.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    ...They're carrying over 100 strikecraft, ~each~. Short of the entire Mandate "Navy" all in one place plus a barrage of suddenly rediscovered cruise missiles I ~heavily~ doubt anything would get close enough to pop off a nuke. Even if they did they have Anti Missile Systems just for that ocasion and squadron of escorts.

    And although laughably poorly armed for a warship they are menace to dropships and aerospace fighters.

    Edit: it's over 100 not 200.
     
    Last edited:
    Forgo's thoughts:

    -It might be a good idea to see if we can commit a limited upgrade of our Damascus-class ships to add shields and improved point defense for a single "peace turn" AP. Up to Prometheus.

    -We should be taking at least one station upgrade action per turn. We should have stations over Contrilla and Manthraka at minimum. Upgrading Rogue to Medium and Mir to Large would be good as well; Mir is where our jump yards are located and will be a primary target for any pirates in our space, and Medium stations are really the minimum to defend a planet against more than a very limited incursion. If we can spare the AP, upgrading both Contrilla and Manthraka to Medium as well as Rogue plus Mir to large (6 AP, 5 after this turn) would be ideal. I fully expect the FS to be willing to consider a Doolittle Raid with mercs if they think they can get away with it.

    -While I think that we should kick off the invasion next war turn, maximum investment into prep actions to allow us to roll over the mandate ASAP will be invaluable. I think we have enough force to do so, but being prepared to decapitate them and hit their fortresses would be wise.

    -The real elephant in the room, and what we should be focusing on, is preparing resources in Taurian space to deal with the FS. That should be our priority.

    -Taking an action to hire every single mercenary available next war turn would be a good idea. This is less because we need the forces ourselves, and more because I don't want the Feddies or Mandate hiring them.

    -Later in the year, assuming that we have the free actions to do so, we should probably start rebuilding our FS intelligence network.

    -We should probably shift our non-shielded ships (so Toxotai, Arcs, and Damascus) to homeland defense or piracy patrols. Toxotai and Damascus can easily overwhelm any conceivable pirates.
    F0lkL0re said:
    You know we really should fix that.

    It would probably be a good idea to upgrade our artillery since we're still using the same type that we had at the start of the quest so the technology we have now is a bit more advanced.

    A close air support VTOL of some kind might be good as well.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Question pending with Prom to fix that, yes.

    Hmm, I could have sworn that we had looked at improved SPGs...

    Warer said:
    ...They're carrying over 200 strikecraft, ~each~. Short of the entire Mandate "Navy" all in one place plus a barrage of suddenly rediscovered cruise missiles I ~heavily~ doubt anything would get close enough to pop off a nuke. Even if they did they have Anti Missile Systems just for that ocasion and squadron of escorts.

    And although laughably poorly armed for a warship they are menace to dropships and aerospace fighters.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    All true, but they would be much more capable of independent operation were they to be shielded. Right now they would need to be escorted by a shielded warship to safely picket a system. Hastas and Nocti can singlehandedly picket most systems without fear. I have a question pending with Prom to see if we can upgrade them to a shield and large quantities of laser AMS (because their current AMS is just enough to handle ASF-carried single nukes right now and can conceivably run out of ammo) with 1 peacetime AP.
     
    Forgothrax said:
    Forgo's thoughts:

    -It might be a good idea to see if we can commit a limited upgrade of our Damascus-class ships to add shields and improved point defense for a single "peace turn" AP. Up to Prometheus.

    -We should be taking at least one station upgrade action per turn. We should have stations over Contrilla and Manthraka at minimum. Upgrading Rogue to Medium and Mir to Large would be good as well; Mir is where our jump yards are located and will be a primary target for any pirates in our space, and Medium stations are really the minimum to defend a planet against more than a very limited incursion. If we can spare the AP, upgrading both Contrilla and Manthraka to Medium as well as Rogue plus Mir to large (6 AP, 5 after this turn) would be ideal. I fully expect the FS to be willing to consider a Doolittle Raid with mercs if they think they can get away with it.

    -While I think that we should kick off the invasion next war turn, maximum investment into prep actions to allow us to roll over the mandate ASAP will be invaluable. I think we have enough force to do so, but being prepared to decapitate them and hit their fortresses would be wise.

    -The real elephant in the room, and what we should be focusing on, is preparing resources in Taurian space to deal with the FS. That should be our priority.

    -Taking an action to hire every single mercenary available next war turn would be a good idea. This is less because we need the forces ourselves, and more because I don't want the Feddies or Mandate hiring them.

    -Later in the year, assuming that we have the free actions to do so, we should probably start rebuilding our FS intelligence network.

    -We should probably shift our non-shielded ships (so Toxotai, Arcs, and Damascus) to homeland defense or piracy patrols. Toxotai and Damascus can easily overwhelm any conceivable pirates.


    Question pending with Prom to fix that, yes.

    Hmm, I could have sworn that we had looked at improved SPGs...



    All true, but they would be much more capable of independent operation were they to be shielded. Right now they would need to be escorted by a shielded warship to safely picket a system. Hastas and Nocti can singlehandedly picket most systems without fear. I have a question pending with Prom to see if we can upgrade them to a shield and large quantities of laser AMS (because their current AMS is just enough to handle ASF-carried single nukes right now and can conceivably run out of ammo) with 1 peacetime AP.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Personally I think the shields might be a bit much for a what 3 month refit? But slapping a bunch of half ton AMS on seems like a no brainer. Honestly we should just make 100k design that's just hundereds of Laser AMS strapped to an engine block.

    Edit:I think we should spend at least one more turn preparing for the Mandate but in the context of the Outback I can see why you'd want to rush, still think it'd be incorrect though.
     
    Last edited:
    F0lkL0re said:
    You know we really should fix that.

    It would probably be a good idea to upgrade our artillery since we're still using the same type that we had at the start of the quest so the technology we have now is a bit more advanced.

    A close air support VTOL of some kind might be good as well.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    We are waiting until we have our heavy shield and quick recovery techs done I imagine.
     
    F0lkL0re said:
    You know we really should fix that.

    It would probably be a good idea to upgrade our artillery since we're still using the same type that we had at the start of the quest so the technology we have now is a bit more advanced.

    A close air support VTOL of some kind might be good as well.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I assume our artillery has been getting make work updates as out tech advances, barrels out of better materials, shells filled with new fillers etc. Just no radical redesigns to the entire system/s.
     
    We should go attack next turn the rebels will need help and our allies will be amped up to go to the fight already especially the capellins.
     
    Warer said:
    Personally I think the shields might be a bit much for a what 3 month refit? But slapping a bunch of half ton AMS on seems like a no brainer. Honestly we should just make 100k design that's just hundereds of Laser AMS strapped to an engine block.

    Edit:I think we should spend at least one more turn preparing for the Mandate but in the context of the Outback I can see why you'd want to rush, still think it'd be incorrect though.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    It's a peacetime AP I'm suggesting, which means the refits would take place over a year. We can refit 6 Hasta with a much more involved process with 1 AP, I'm hopeful that limiting the refit to AMS and shields only plus some heatsinks would be enough that we could refit them with 1 AP.

    As far as preparing the Mandate goes, I think my answer is going to depend on how the rebels are doing and what the CapCon wants to do. The feeling I get from the text is that an actual invasion by us into the Mandate is only going to happen if the rebels can't do the work by themselves. Therefore, if they do well this turn and the CapCon isn't showing any indicators of wanting to kick off the invasion themselves, then we can certainly wait to do so. However, the last thing that I would want is for us to fight a battle on two fronts simultaneously. The Mandate can be fairly easily rolled. They cannot be so easily rolled if the Feddies start shit at the same time and we are possibly trying to handle the Mandate, Feddies, and potentially trying to stop the FWL from munching some more Capellan territory. If the rebels are stalling out, then I would want to punch in a bunch of prep actions and roll our units ASAP before anyone else can capitalize on this.
     
    Last edited:
    Eh, refitting the Hastas made sense since we needed to increase our number of shielded warships quickly due to the likely confrontation with the FedSuns, we could do a lot of them quickly (12 refits per AP), and we had a large number of them (almost 50, IIRC?).
    IMO the same factors just don't apply for the Damascus or Toxotai; they're too small in number, and they'd be comparatively slow to refit (6 per AP instead of 12). I'd be much more inclined to just keep churning out Noctis or even new Hastas, bump the D/Ts down to rear-line duties like anti-piracy patrols or the like, or just outright surplus them once we've hit our ship-cap, and turn them into civilian vessels of some sort, sell them off to our allies, or both.
     
    Forgothrax said:
    hey cannot be so easily rolled if the Feddies start shit at the same time and we are possibly trying to handle the Mandate, Feddies, and potentially trying to stop the FWL from munching some more Capellan territory
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yeah i forget the FWL could decide to do some further adventurism there. As i mentioned before the Manadates flank is pretty much WIDE open with zero defences. If the FWL wanted to they can just slide in and face almost no opposition. taking the worlds of Shiba, Niomede, Principia, Sax, and Axdarmax in like one swift assault. They got the regiments to pull it off. After witch they can then jump to Turin and Drozan for the most populated and militaraly important systems before leaning back to defend their gains.

    And as i explained Sax, Turin and Drozen not only have high population centers, and logastical importance, they also are recuitment centers for the Mandates conventional forces called Duchy RTCs. So Either we ourselves take that corrador, or the FWL does. Oh and unless the mandate moved said mech forces (Highly likely consdering out reports) Drozen also is home to the Warrior House Dai Da Chi, Add in the Class A HPPG on a world of over 5 billion people And the FWL would be missing out not trying to take those systems. Heres a map btw.

    Edit: Second map, sure 21 years out of date but it gives a general idea of where Forces are usually deployed, mostly the home origin of some Commands. So we can expect the Defenders of Andurien regiments to be the first ones to deploy in any commitment to taking mandate systems.
    www.reddit.com

    r/battletech - [OC] Inner Sphere Force Deployment 3025

    273 votes and 40 comments so far on Reddit
    www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
     
    Last edited:
    Warer said:
    I assume our artillery has been getting make work updates as out tech advances, barrels out of better materials, shells filled with new fillers etc. Just no radical redesigns to the entire system/s.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Nope that hasn't happened at any point in this quest so if we want things to get upgraded then we have to actively work on them unless @prometheus110 says otherwise.
     
    Warer said:
    I assume our artillery has been getting make work updates as out tech advances, barrels out of better materials, shells filled with new fillers etc. Just no radical redesigns to the entire system/s.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    F0lkL0re said:
    Nope that hasn't happened at any point in this quest so if we want things to get upgraded then we have to actively work on them unless @prometheus110 says otherwise.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    "Why would we need Artillery if a Warship or Malwer does the same job but better?"
    Helghan military adviser, on the topic of the negligent state of the artillery corps.
     
    Last edited:
    Aztez Fan said:
    "Why would we need Artillery is a Warship or Malwer does the same job but better?"
    Helghan military adviser, on the topic of the negligent state of the artillery corps.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    "[Censored] those bean counting [Censored] munching [Censored] [Censored] [Censored] and their precious [Censored] spreadsheets! They can [Censored] [Censored] [Censored] [Censored] with a yack!"
    Helghan artillerist
     
    Artillery is a background element that simply doesn't receive much focus, in part likely because neither Battletech nor Killzone actually focus much on artillery themselves, and in a much larger part because the vast majority of the players also doesn't particularly care about it.

    So, yes; we've absolutely upgraded our artillery as new technologies became available, just as we've upgraded everything else, it just hasn't shown up "on screen".

    If people are actually interested in trying to upgrade it further, we could take up my old suggestion of designing gauss-/railgun-based artillery guns, mortars, etc.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top