The potential salvage is really good. I wouldn't mind jumping into one of those suckers.
Which lance was present when the convoy was attacked?
[X] Alpha Lance
We need the heavy metal in place to hold things down.
Which lance is acting as the reinforcement?
[X] Delta Lance
Gotta give the new mech a shakedown.
After this battle, should I skip over fights if they aren't interesting? We've got, like, over a year and tons of fighting left on this contract.
I'd say up to you.
Ah shit. We're gonna have to try and keep the suicidal arseholes from the Baron's guard alive, and they're all apart from the Panther pilot in thin-skinned close-range mechs. Welp, minor contract violations ahoy!
Also, I had hoped that the Catapult the 1/2 mechwarrior was in was a standard -C1 model - a lot to hope for from the Combine, I admit, but then Mr Big'n'Scary would only have a ton of ammo. But no, it's the Kuritan-special mounting the two PPCs that has the ace warrior in it. Fun.
Also, what is it with these Combine forces and putting Mechwarriors who are good-to-great at piloting, but middling-to-shit at gunnery in their Panthers? Considering Panthers are not exactly strenuous to pilot, but you really need to be able to land hits with them, you'd think it would be the other way around.
We're probably not going to have to worry about that Wasp too much as far as its weapons are concerned, even less than usual for a Bug mech, considering Mechwarrior Du's Gunnery.
I fully expect that Kintaro to fall flat on its face at least once. A 5/8/5 SRM boat with a 6/6 pilot? Yeah, that thing's falling down while it tries to close. But dammit, it's the -20! Those're the ones the toaster worshippers gave the Combine, so they've got DHS and an extra Large Laser for firepower!
That Banshee's not gonna hit shit, but then it's a Banshee, the guns aren't what worries you. And that guy's a damn good pilot.
*sigh* Everybody better watch their heat with that Firestarter around. That thing's gonna be annoying.
Huh, that Dragon has a pilot exactly my equal in it, in the mech designed to compete with mine, that succeeded only in that they're both aggressively mediocre in their classic configs.
Also, @everyone voting for Alpha and Delta instead of Bravo and Charlie, could we hear your reasoning please? Corn pointed out that Alpha won't keep up with the convoy once they spot enemies, and that Charlie is good for woodland ambushes. I get the reasoning for Alpha - heaviest mechs, most firepower, lots'o'enemies, makes sense, especially now that Corn can hit shit semi-reliably - but do you guys not think keeping up with the convoy is important, or that it's wasted effort anyway since the Kuritans will focus on us and slower mechs give the convoy more of a chance not to draw aggro, or what? And why Delta lance, apart from giving my new triple-torso-bomb SHawk a shakedown run? Ivan's Warhammer to match the Catapult (except for the pilot not being able to keep up) and for the novelty of having three Warhammers in one battle, the Lightning having particular utility here since there seems to be no air-defence mechs in the OpFor, wanting to see the baby-Banshee Trebuchet-7K go up against something that weighs almost twice as much and has literally twice as much armour but actually has slightly less firepower?
I'm willing to change my vote, if someone convinces me it's a good idea, or that Corn's idea isn't a good one, but I'd like to know why.
The woods will likely prevent the APCs and convoy ground units from going anywhere fast, so I don't think the Atlases will have trouble keeping up. Also, the heavily wooded nature of the convoy map means that units equipped with short-range high-yield weapons (AC/20s) will perform better than PPC-equipped units like the Warhammer and Katapult. So, that's my rationale for Alpha.
As for Delta, I'd want to see that Lightning loaded up with HE bombs so it can drop those on somebody's head. If we have a faster lance with a higher proportion of jump capable/flying units, I could see using that as well, since, again, the heavily-wooded nature of the map means that ground-bound mechs will have a hard time getting to the fight (beyond the fact that they won't show up for like seven turns).
The woods will likely prevent the APCs and convoy ground units from going anywhere fast, so I don't think the Atlases will have trouble keeping up. Also, the heavily wooded nature of the convoy map means that units equipped with short-range high-yield weapons (AC/20s) will perform better than PPC-equipped units like the Warhammer and Katapult. So, that's my rationale for Alpha.
As for Delta, I'd want to see that Lightning loaded up with HE bombs so it can drop those on somebody's head. If we have a faster lance with a higher proportion of jump capable/flying units, I could see using that as well, since, again, the heavily-wooded nature of the map means that ground-bound mechs will have a hard time getting to the fight (beyond the fact that they won't show up for like seven turns).
But wait, I'm confused. Alpha only has one real short-range mech or AC/20. Admittedly, it's got the best pilot in it, but Corn's AS7-K is a long-range variant (although it's still three-quarters as good as an AC/20 up-close until you hit min range, where an Atlas can just beat you to death instead), Emy's Orion-M has an SRM4 and 2 MLs, yes, but most of the tonnage is spent on the LRM20 and LB-X 10 (which thankfully has no minimum range), and Ostrich's Marauder-3R is a Marauder, so not exactly the best at infighting, with both of its main guns having minimum range and its AC/5 being an AC/5
Bravo Lance has two AC/20s and a decent infighter in Hansan's Talos, although they've got a lot less armour than Alpha lance total, and have the Scorpion and Locust which might be a liability in forests now that you mention it, so maybe not...
I can see your reasoning for Delta now, but our heaviest unit is the Warhammer, so not what you want in a forest fight, and Ghost's Trebuchet has an AC/5 and a PPC - now if it was a 5S model it would be perfect here...
Charlie might be better than Delta at what you want Delta to do in every way, except that the Lightning is in Delta...
I'm starting to think Alpha and Charlie, except that the main reason you said you wanted Delta was because of loading up the Lightning with bombs - how useful would that be? Enough to outweigh the rest of Delta not really being that useful, as all but my Shadow Hawk are configured for long-range combat?
Don't think I'm refusing your reasoning, I just have no knowledge of how useful an ASF is in this situation, so I'm having trouble weighing Charlie vs Delta. I think I'm onboard with Alpha rather than Bravo, though - although fully half of the company's AC/20s are in Bravo...
@RecklessPrudence I guess I wasn't really paying attention to the specific loadouts of the individual mechs. My bad. My point is that, due to the terrain conditions, we should maximize our short-range firepower and armor on the primary lance and non-ground mobility on the reinforcement lance.
@RecklessPrudence I guess I wasn't really paying attention to the specific loadouts of the individual mechs. My bad. My point is that, due to the terrain conditions, we should maximize our short-range firepower and armor on the primary lance and non-ground mobility on the reinforcement lance.
Wait, goddamn it, Delta lance has the Warhammer and Trebuchet, not Bravo.
That means we should probably start off with Delta on the field (Warhammer, Trebuchet (even if the pilot is terrible), Shadow Hawk are all solid midweights, and the Lightning is an airborne AC/20 capable of blapping things but needs to be careful AF to not get shrekt by the 1/2 Catapult.
Then send in either Bravo as reinforcements - though Bidoof in the Urbanmech is basically useless outside of the urban environment because the urbie is terrible - or Alpha because they've got the most long-range armaments including indirect-fire LRM-20s.
But it depends which direction they'd reinforce from, I guess.
Ahead of the convoy? Alpha, because that means everything comes towards them.
Either side? Probably Charlie or Bravo (minus Bidoof)
Rear? Definitely Charlie because they're zippy af.
Wait, goddamn it, Delta lance has the Warhammer and Trebuchet, not Bravo.
That means we should probably start off with Delta on the field (Warhammer, Trebuchet (even if the pilot is terrible), Shadow Hawk are all solid midweights, and the Lightning is an airborne AC/20 capable of blapping things but needs to be careful AF to not get shrekt by the 1/2 Catapult.
All but the Lightning have a significant portion of their armament with minimum ranges - will they be okay in the woods? I'm getting the feeling from what people are saying that the Lightning will be really useful, but is it worth bringing all those min-range weapons into a this?
Then send in either Bravo as reinforcements - though Bidoof in the Urbanmech is basically useless outside of the urban environment because the urbie is terrible - or Alpha because they've got the most long-range armaments including indirect-fire LRM-20s.
But it depends which direction they'd reinforce from, I guess.
Ahead of the convoy? Alpha, because that means everything comes towards them.
Either side? Probably Charlie or Bravo (minus Bidoof)
Rear? Definitely Charlie because they're zippy af.
I was assuming they'd come in from the rear since that's where our base is, but I guess our reinforcements were likely on patrol rather than at base, since otherwise we'd likely have two lances coming, with one staying at base just in case.
Hey, y'all. Sorry to do this too you, but I have to make an executive decision and go with Alpha and Delta lances over Bravo and Charlie as it's a pretty rough fight.
Hey, y'all. Sorry to do this too you, but I have to make an executive decision and go with Alpha and Delta lances over Bravo and Charlie as it's a pretty rough fight.
I noticed that too - I'm assuming he was too badarse to kill, and fought a fighting retreat with the remnants of his baka commander's force, salvaging as much as he could, fighting with both honour and courage, and generally being an exemplar of bushido, only to have his seppuku demanded by superiors attempting to save face, as all of the Combine's best and most honourable and moral warriors inevitably have happen to them.
I noticed that too - I'm assuming he was too badarse to kill, and fought a fighting retreat with the remnants of his baka commander's force, salvaging as much as he could, fighting with both honour and courage, and generally being an exemplar of bushido, only to have his seppuku demanded by superiors attempting to save face, as all of the Combine's best and most honourable and moral warriors inevitably have happen to them.
Nah, after kicking the head off the Dragon, Emy shot the Catapult with a medium laser; criting the centre torso and causing the machinegun ammo inside to explode and deal 400 damage. Then, after the pilot ejected, Emy captured them (oddly, the 1/2 guy didn't show up in the post-battle list so I may just edit them in).
Medium Laser at Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine); needs 6, rolls 6 : hits CT (critical)
Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) takes 5 damage to CT (critical).
15 Internal Structure remaining.
Critical hit on CT. Roll is 8; 1 location.
CRITICAL HIT on Machine Gun Ammo (200).
*** Machine Gun Ammo EXPLODES! 400 DAMAGE! ***
>Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) suffers catastrophic damage, but the autoeject system was engaged.
Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) must make a piloting skill check (landing in clear terrain).
Needs 1 [2 (ejecting) + 1 (automatic ejection) - 2 (landing in clear terrain)], rolls 8 : succeeds.
The pilot ejects safely!
*** Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) DESTROYED by ejection! ***
Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) takes 400 damage to CT.
SECTION DESTROYED.
Critical hit on CT. Roll is 5; no effect.
Pilot of Catapult CPLT-K2 (Draconis Combine) "Tenshin Karani" has ejected, so no damage is dealt!
Critical hit on CT. Roll is 6; no effect.
Nah, after kicking the head off the Dragon, Emy shot the Catapult with a medium laser; criting the centre torso and causing the machinegun ammo inside to explode and deal 400 damage. Then, after the pilot ejected, Emy captured them (oddly, the 1/2 guy didn't show up in the post-battle list so I may just edit them in).
Two pairs of Warhammers, and honestly: Not the good ones, anything but.... The 6D and 7K variants at this point are soft-skinned machines that will have a very hard time on post-3050 battlefields, never mind trying to face clans.
The current 6K that is one the team is going to get its legs shot out from underneath it
I'd say keep one of them, but use the other to finance a rebuild of your current two Warhammers to 7K standards, on top of this I'd suggest you try and get some more jump-capable assaults and/or heavies -MekHQ loves throwing you in cliffs, mud, or muddy cliffs or cities). You have a windfall, use it.
Two pairs of Warhammers, and honestly: Not the good ones, anything but.... The 6D and 7K variants at this point are soft-skinned machines that will have a very hard time on post-3050 battlefields, never mind trying to face clans.
The current 6K that is one the team is going to get its legs shot out from underneath it
I'd say keep one of them, but use the other to finance a rebuild of your current two Warhammers to 7K standards, on top of this I'd suggest you try and get some more jump-capable assaults and/or heavies -MekHQ loves throwing you in cliffs, mud, or muddy cliffs or cities). You have a windfall, use it.
Honestly there are some 3025-tech Heavies that just swapping their Singles for Doubles and ditching the new excess cooling in favour of Jump Jets and armour tonnage makes a much better machine, even without tweaking the weapons. If you decide to adjust weaponry too, some of them only need relatively minor tweaks after having done that first (usually reducing overgunnage). Fr'ex, ditching a Black Knight-7's two LLs and useless SL in favour of a second PPC and fifth ML, with both PPCs going where the LLs where and the fifth ML going where the PPC was. Since you already beefed up the -7's armour in the first step, you've now got a tougher, jumping Warhammer-6D, with the -6d's two SLs swapped for three MLs, that runs a hell of a lot cooler than it did with only SHS. If they try and get under your PPC's range, just hit 'em with a wall of laser fire that goes in the holes you poked earlier. Ultimate Hopping Zombie 'Mech short of doing the same thing to a Battlemaster.
Although how is the -6D the soft-skinned variant, when it's got the thickest armour of the 6-series at fourteen tons, which I think I remember being max armour for a 70-tonner (not at my MML machine to double-check)? And did you mean to say that the 7K wasn't good, then recommend to rebuild our Warhammers to those same 7Ks?
Two pairs of Warhammers, and honestly: Not the good ones, anything but.... The 6D and 7K variants at this point are soft-skinned machines that will have a very hard time on post-3050 battlefields, never mind trying to face clans.
The current 6K that is one the team is going to get its legs shot out from underneath it
I'd say keep one of them, but use the other to finance a rebuild of your current two Warhammers to 7K standards, on top of this I'd suggest you try and get some more jump-capable assaults and/or heavies -MekHQ loves throwing you in cliffs, mud, or muddy cliffs or cities). You have a windfall, use it.
Honestly there are some 3025-tech Heavies that just swapping their Singles for Doubles and ditching the new excess cooling in favour of Jump Jets and armour tonnage makes a much better machine, even without tweaking the weapons. If you decide to adjust weaponry too, some of them only need relatively minor tweaks after having done that first (usually reducing overgunnage). Fr'ex, ditching a Black Knight-7's two LLs and useless SL in favour of a second PPC and fifth ML, with both PPCs going where the LLs where and the fifth ML going where the PPC was. Since you already beefed up the -7's armour in the first step, you've now got a tougher, jumping Warhammer-6D, with the -6d's two SLs swapped for three MLs, that runs a hell of a lot cooler than it did with only SHS. If they try and get under your PPC's range, just hit 'em with a wall of laser fire that goes in the holes you poked earlier. Ultimate Hopping Zombie 'Mech short of doing the same thing to a Battlemaster.
Although how is the -6D the soft-skinned variant, when it's got the thickest armour of the 6-series at fourteen tons, which I think I remember being max armour for a 70-tonner (not at my MML machine to double-check)? And did you mean to say that the 7K wasn't good, then recommend to rebuild our Warhammers to those same 7Ks?
Ooohhhh! I get it now! I read it as "Not the good ones, anything but..." meaning our variants were anything but good, and "The 6D and 7K variants at this point are soft-skinned machines", meaning those named were soft-skinned, rather than as "anything but... *thinks* the 6D and 7K variants at this point are soft-skinned", meaning that since ours weren't the named variants, they were the poorly-armoured ones. If the trailing off was after the 'the', or had an 'uh' before it, I would have gotten it, but the way I interpreted what you said was as two separate statements.
Now that I know what you're actually saying, yeah, I agree completely.
