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We're all Stravags now - [Battletech - MekHQ]

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Well this is going to be grand, isn't it?

On the other hand: hurray, ASF! And some pretty sexy firepower on it, too.
 
On the plus side, if we win, the scrap will probably be worth enough to pay for repairs and filling the ranks back up.
 
The hell? The Dracs manage to actually supply their raiders here and we only get told after the fact? If you ever get up to shooting those idiot nobles, Commander, I´ll be more than happy to vaporize a bunch of turncoat techicians at the same time. Expediency and all that.
Or maybe we should also have a bunch of incompetent spooks shot as an example. They somehow keep missing things until the last moment.
*sigh* Sorry sir, not in the best mood right now.
 
Okay, the battle was so large that I'll have to do it as a series of vignettes rather than a point-by-point breakdown. Rest assured that shit was wild and that a lot of Snakes died.
 
The best part is that those FedCom guys think that small laser and flamer turrets provide meaningful defense against enemy mechs. Or tanks. Or anything.
 
Designing a turret for use against DCMS infantry is like designing a turret for use against small rodents, complete overkill.

The average DCMS infantry soldier, like small rodents, is disliked by everyone, and is forced to scavenge for scraps. Lay out a cup of rice to attract them, and once the platoon gathers around for the largest meal they had all month, you hit them in the head with a hammer.
 
Cornuthaum said:
TBH I wouldn't want to be DCMS infantry trying to take that, I *guess*.
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True. Unless they happen to have a weapon with a range longer than 90 meters (three hexes), such as laser rifles or any kinds of missile launchers.

But, it's a moot point in this scenario. I don't think they're going for a capture.
 
I have some questions for people more used to battlemech than me (I've got some experience but not with the actual boardgame. Hopefully that's gonna change when the new box sets release and I can get some purty plastics):
  1. I realise that mechs are the main players here, but how useful/interesting are other forces, especially infantry?
  2. How effective is combined arms as a concept? I realise it takes a mild move away from the focus of giant robots shooting each other, but a girl has to ask.
  3. I'm mainly asking because I'd be interested in pushing our mercenary company in lots of different ways. An armoured lance, a company of infantry, aerospace units. I'd like to be able to have these backing up the main fighting units if possible. Obviously the focus shouldn't pull away from the mechs, but it'd still be nice to be able to have, say, an artillery battery on the field.
I've downloaded mekhq and i'm having a lot of fun working out how all of this works. @prometheus110 I'm assuming we have a full complement of support staff and that. What does the mechtech sitch look like? Who's our doctor?
 
Vehicles (tanks, hovercraft, VTOLs) run the gamut from useless to annoying to deadly. I'm looking at you, SRM Carrier. The problem with these is that they're really easy to disable and are very situational and require multiple crew members. And are also not as cool.

Aerospace units can be amazing. Load them up with cluster bombs and drop said bombs on big groups of enemy tanks for some serious damage. Just have to watch out for incoming fire and stuff that makes you do pilot skill rolls, because your aircraft is likely to wind up as a lawn dart in that case. Most don't survive "unintended" contact with the ground. Unless it's a Lucifer LCF-R15. Those are the best.

Artillery is a mixed bag. It's highly inaccurate unless firing at pre-sighted hexes, and the shells have a long flight time (at least two movement turns), so you have to "lead" your targets. Which is almost impossible. What I've read is that you basically use it as an area denial tool and to keep the other team moving. When arty does hit, it packs a wallop, but I generally don't consider it worthwhile.

Infantry is not that great for a merc company. They can be pretty obnoxious in urban combat, but they usually don't have the speed to keep up with the mechs, the damage output to make a difference or the ability to absorb damage, really.
 
NickAragua said:
Unless it's a Lucifer LCF-R15. Those are the best.
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Except the whole "no ejection seat" thing. Lockheed-CBM deserves to have its designers taken out back and shot for that fuckup. And it's the R20 that's the invincible flying armor brick, at the cost of being outgunned by Corsairs.

HMS Sophia said:
I have some questions for people more used to battlemech than me (I've got some experience but not with the actual boardgame. Hopefully that's gonna change when the new box sets release and I can get some purty plastics):
  1. I realise that mechs are the main players here, but how useful/interesting are other forces, especially infantry?
  2. How effective is combined arms as a concept? I realise it takes a mild move away from the focus of giant robots shooting each other, but a girl has to ask.
  3. I'm mainly asking because I'd be interested in pushing our mercenary company in lots of different ways. An armoured lance, a company of infantry, aerospace units. I'd like to be able to have these backing up the main fighting units if possible. Obviously the focus shouldn't pull away from the mechs, but it'd still be nice to be able to have, say, an artillery battery on the field.
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1: Infantry exist to exploit building damage reduction by sitting in hardened buildings and laughing at incoming fire defend things. The downside is that they're slow, and thus work best when mechanized with a fast transport (the "mechanized infantry" infantry type aren't that great, just shove a platoon of foot infantry in an Heavy APC and they'll actually be able to keep up with the rest of the force). Tanks vary depending on the type, hovercraft are fast and fragile and generally best as scouts and harassment. Wheeled and tracked ones can get quite nasty if you're willing to pay for the good ones (a Manticore packs the firepower of a high-end medium mech at about half the price and has decent armor, a Vedette is an overengined piece of junk that somehow became the standard medium tank despite an armament and armor that can be found on light tanks (you can literally make a better Vedette by taking a Striker and pulling the missiles for an AC5, despite the Striker being 15 tons lighter and several hundred thousand c-bills cheaper). And ambush types (SRM Carriers, Demolishers) are not something you want to find around a corner in an urban fight. Aeros are good for covering in bombs and ruining people's days, and you can usually do it for cheap if you only use conventional fighters instead of aerospace ones. Artillery exists to stop those assholes who park their Thunder Hawks in Heavy Woods hexes deny good positions and discourage the enemy from clumping up.
2: Pretty effective, as long as you've got good gear.
 
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HMS Sophia said:
I have some questions for people more used to battlemech than me (I've got some experience but not with the actual boardgame. Hopefully that's gonna change when the new box sets release and I can get some purty plastics):
  1. I realise that mechs are the main players here, but how useful/interesting are other forces, especially infantry?
  2. How effective is combined arms as a concept? I realise it takes a mild move away from the focus of giant robots shooting each other, but a girl has to ask.
  3. I'm mainly asking because I'd be interested in pushing our mercenary company in lots of different ways. An armoured lance, a company of infantry, aerospace units. I'd like to be able to have these backing up the main fighting units if possible. Obviously the focus shouldn't pull away from the mechs, but it'd still be nice to be able to have, say, an artillery battery on the field.
I've downloaded mekhq and i'm having a lot of fun working out how all of this works. @prometheus110 I'm assuming we have a full complement of support staff and that. What does the mechtech sitch look like? Who's our doctor?
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You have 13 mechtechs and an aerotech, each of which has a full staff of 4 assisstants and is assigned to a single vehicle. There's 4 doctors for the company.

I've been thinking about introducing ground vehicles and infantry to the company, and I'll probably call a vote on what to buy next update.
 
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Night said:
I can fly!

And I have an AC/20!

The strafing runs will be devestating.
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Weapons fire for Lightning LTN-G15 (SV Campaign)
Medium Laser at Wasp WSP-1A (Draconis Combine Force #2); needs 4, rolls 11 : hits RL
Wasp WSP-1A (Draconis Combine Force #2) takes 5 damage to RL.
Armor destroyed.
2 Internal Structure remaining.
Critical hit on RL. Roll is 3; no effect.


AC/20 at Wasp WSP-1A (Draconis Combine Force #2); needs 4, rolls 6 : hits LT
Wasp WSP-1A (Draconis Combine Force #2) takes 20 damage to LT.
Armor destroyed.
SECTION DESTROYED.
LIMB BLOWN OFF Left Arm blown off.
12 damage transfers to CT.
Critical hit on LT. Roll is 12; 3 locations.
CRITICAL HIT on Heat Sink.
CRITICAL HIT on Heat Sink.
CRITICAL HIT on SRM 2 Ammo (46).
*** SRM 2 Ammo EXPLODES! 184 DAMAGE! ***
>Wasp WSP-1A (Draconis Combine Force #2) suffers catastrophic damage, but the autoeject system was engaged.
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BRRRRRRRRRT
 
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