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Oh my, that Cerebus is a nice machine. Only sinking 10 heat a turn means I'll have to hold off on the MPLs, but that's okay; the twin Gauss Rifles should be fun for all and sundry. ...I recommend we do all possible to keep those neutral units neutral, for the record.
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Jun 14, 2015 07:31
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Well, this looks like an interesting scenario. The Sha Yu has Stealth Armour, so watch out for that. Ditto the ComStar mechs with their Ace pilots. Also, there's no way one medium / light lance is all the OpFor has.
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Jun 14, 2015 07:54
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GoonLance's BV totals out to 9320; OpFor plus the Neutrals comes out to 8891. If the neutrals are probably going to stop being neutral, then we might be looking at not-quite-parity and can probably expect minimal reinforcements; if they're designed to stay neutral, well, OpFor comes out to 4961, which is leaving a good chunk of reinforcements and nasty surprises yet to come. This is assuming near-parity levels between PTN's forces and Goon forces; I seem to recall that he weights BV more heavily for one side or the other but I genuinely can't recall which side gets the weighting, so I could be even further off than I think.
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Jun 14, 2015 08:10
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OpFor usually has much higher BV due to always losing initiative and fluff driving how they fight.
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Jun 14, 2015 08:13
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I love how Goonlance's mechs look like they just came straight from the Mechwarrior PC games, with how many Gauss Rifles they're packing.
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Jun 14, 2015 08:21
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With this sort of force, it's a decent idea to keep a tight formation, and try to keep at 7 hexes from whatever you want to kill, as a unit. That's universally the sweet spot for all of these mechs; your backup weapons are shorter-ranged, but keeping at 7 means the OPFOR is mostly at mediurm range or worse, whereas your big guns are at short range. Take advantage of that, and don't be afraid to spend a turn backing up; everything can at least back up 3 while turning once on flat ground for a +1 modifier against, so use that too. Be sure to plan a turn ahead and have at least one possible move where you can either walk 3 hexes or run 5, if at all possible. There will probably be other baddies than this first lance, so try to brush this first wave aside as cleanly as possible. Mostly your big guns should be using walk speed unless something weird happens, in order to land decent shots; you've got plenty of armor to use, and a range advantage to boot - leverage both of those. The Maelstrom has 5/8 speed, so Narsham should feel free to keep either a bit out front or a bit wide in order to keep higher movement modifiers; that Maelstrom should, ideally, be at least moving 5 hexes a turn for a +2. (As an aside: that's my favorite Maelstrom variant. Though every Maelstrom is good, that one's the most useful, I think - though this version is undersinked, it's still great.) That variant is pretty drat tough for an XL-engined 5/8 heavy (i.e. my favorite variety of heavy) so it can survive not being supported well for a turn. So long as you keep your speed up, it can handle whatever little damage you do take. It's also the best candidate to run ahead and kick off legs; you have a very severe weight advantage on this first leg, so use it. Keep the buildings/hills in mind; ues them where you can to block LOS to the baddies and focus fire on whatever baddies aren't blocked. You already have a firepower advantage, so if you can also leverage a temporary numbers advantage via terrain, you can really break the OPFOR. Last, the neutrals are both very good. The Grim Reaper is a great cavalry medium that has the same sweet spot as your mechs; the Lightray can run around and plink at will, so if it becomes active against you guys you'll need to box it in/bracket it with threats on all sides in order to deal with it. Fraction Jackson fucked around with this message at 08:41 on Jun 14, 2015 |
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Jun 14, 2015 08:38
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PBJ posted:I love how Goonlance's mechs look like they just came straight from the Mechwarrior PC games, with how many Gauss Rifles they're packing. Nah man, that's just how mechs from TRO:3055 and 3058 were. You would think the drat thing had just come out of something.
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Jun 14, 2015 08:53
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The amount of Gauss Rifles and Pulse Lasers being brandished here (and the most-unusual opfor BV) is giving me  vibes like nothing else.I'd probably suggest not blowing all of your Gauss load on what's on the field right now. Team Neutral is likely going to bring (not-so-)friends once they see who's knocking on the door (and knocking around the initial opfor).
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Jun 14, 2015 09:37
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Pooncha posted:The amount of Gauss Rifles and Pulse Lasers being brandished here (and the most-unusual opfor BV) is giving me Most of the player mechs aren't in any danger of running out of ammo. A huge maybe for the Cerberus if this ends up dragging out like Ultimatum. With only a single lance of player mechs, that's not going to happen.
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Jun 14, 2015 09:49
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Yeah, of the three Gauss-packin' Mechs my Cerebus can fire for effect for the smallest number of rounds... namely, sixteen. I deeply suspect that if there are more than sixteen turns of shooting then something has gone horribly wrong. Upon further reading of the fluff, Carlos' men are basically stranded here, and they need the FWL to mount a counterattack. They aren't the counterattack. So assuming that ComStar is still being dicks about getting messages to the FWL, I suspect our mission objective is going to be something along the lines of "take command of the HPG so we can call home and say 'hey guys there are only a few enemies here come take this planet and also pick us up.'" So I'm betting those neutrals ain't staying neutral. That said, I don't know if they'll tick over into being enemies only after we make a move for the HPG, or if they'll go hostile at a set turn or something; I don't think we can marry ourselves to the idea of saying "let's defeat the Capellans in detail and then go after the ComGuard." It may - and this is probably something to be decided by the people that know what they're doing - be wiser to rush the neutrals ASAP before the Capellan scouts have too many opportunities to open holes in us for the ComGuard to exploit, I'm really not certain. Just something to speculate on while we await actual mission objectives.
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Jun 14, 2015 10:32
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I guess getting back out alive with as many mechs as possible is certainly an objective.
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Jun 14, 2015 10:35
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Tank Boy Ken posted:I guess getting back out alive with as many mechs as possible is certainly an objective. Pretty sure PTN has said that "survive" will never be an objective again.
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Jun 14, 2015 10:37
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Sadly, I'm going to have to tag in one of the alternates for this and hope I end up with a scenario and mech as suited for a Battletech newb fond of maneuver. Almost-comrades, keep in mind that PTN often has to try to control the battlefield through threat, which at the start here will be setting up areas where the enemy can focus-fire. Especially with heavier mechs, you may need to pick a turn to move in and take the best position despite the risk. Just make sure to be moving faster on that turn and to take as many mechs into the best positions under threat and get the maximum reward for the risk taken. You may be able to pick off one or two OpForce mechs on the approach, and there may be bigger guns waiting in the wings.
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Jun 14, 2015 11:21
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One thing that stands out to me is the utter lack of critseekers on the player side, with really only 2 of the OpFor significantly threatened by single gauss hits (the Sha Yu's big, arm mounted guns/crittable legs and the Flea generally falling apart). Expect them to keep going a good bit longer than you'd think they would against enemies twice their weight..
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Jun 14, 2015 11:54
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DivineCoffeeBinge posted:Oh my, that Cerebus is a nice machine. Only sinking 10 heat a turn means I'll have to hold off on the MPLs, but that's okay; the twin Gauss Rifles should be fun for all and sundry. Oh whoops, that's a typo. I'll fix that when I get home, the Cerberus absolutely has double heat sinks.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:05
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Don't let the cool dude die, Goonlance. Good luck.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:18
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PoptartsNinja posted:Oh whoops, that's a typo. I'll fix that when I get home, the Cerberus absolutely has double heat sinks. The Grim Reaper also has DHS.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:19
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dis astranagant posted:One thing that stands out to me is the utter lack of critseekers on the player side, with really only 2 of the OpFor significantly threatened by single gauss hits (the Sha Yu's big, arm mounted guns/crittable legs and the Flea generally falling apart). Expect them to keep going a good bit longer than you'd think they would against enemies twice their weight.. How many OpFor locations can take two gauss hits? We don't need to crit what isn't there.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:31
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Something to keep in mind is the scenario name. How easy is it going to be to resupply with new gauss ammo for the protagonists? On paper forty rounds of fire is a lot, but what if there's fluff guerilla war consequences if they run dry or near dry by the end? Or start with limited ammo.
Velius fucked around with this message at 12:37 on Jun 14, 2015 |
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Jun 14, 2015 12:31
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AJ_Impy posted:How many OpFor locations can take two gauss hits? We don't need to crit what isn't there. Lots of locations that hang on by a thread and would get taken out by critseekers just as well as a second gauss hit.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:36
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On the other hand the players have a lot of headchoppers on their side. Doesn't matter how much punishment a mech can take if its cockpit gets obliterated.
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Jun 14, 2015 12:47
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PBJ posted:I love how Goonlance's mechs look like they just came straight from the Mechwarrior PC games, with how many Gauss Rifles they're packing. No joke the Cerberus is one of my favorite Assault `Mechs. Sexiest legs in the business.
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Jun 14, 2015 14:31
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 Those are indeed some shapely hips.
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Jun 14, 2015 14:45
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Scrap metal collectors are going to enjoy cleaning up after the remnants of this fight, what with all the Gauss slugs flying around.
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Jun 14, 2015 14:49
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I don't know if it will be possible to keep ComStar neutral, but not pissing off an Ace Lightray would go a long way to ensuring your continued survival. That is one of the most terrifying mechs in the game with initiative, especially with a 3/4 pilot.
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Jun 14, 2015 15:11
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Scintilla posted:Those are indeed some shapely hips. My favorite twin-Gauss `Mech remains the Gunslinger though. It's got a deck! 
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Jun 14, 2015 16:16
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PoptartsNinja posted:My favorite twin-Gauss `Mech remains the Gunslinger though. It looks like the factory ran out of normal 'Mech heads, so they scrounged around until they came to the section that made tugboats, looked at the front half of one and said "Yep...that'll do!"
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Jun 14, 2015 16:29
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Goonstar running some beasts out there. That Cerberus is scary. Should be a interesting map! Good luck guys.
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Jun 14, 2015 17:23
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PoptartsNinja posted:My favorite twin-Gauss `Mech remains the Gunslinger though. I like the comically oversized, rifled gauss barrels.
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Jun 14, 2015 17:30
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I made a skyscraper sprite: It came out a bit flat. Maybe it can inspire / become the base of something better.
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Jun 15, 2015 18:41
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So many Gauss Rifles on the players' side, I expect to see many headshots in the near future.
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Jun 16, 2015 07:48
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Back Hack posted:So many Gauss Rifles on the players' side, I expect to see many headshots in the near future. Not unless PTN changed his dice.
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Jun 16, 2015 08:11
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Behind Enemy Lines: Tactical Update 1 “Alright, we’ll hit town in another sixty seconds. ComStar put their HPG about as far from the production plants as was practicable, so there’s a good bet the Capellans have already seen this coming.” “We know the plan, Boss,” Soren Barthelson’s voice crackled over the radios. Even over the span of several meters the heavy metal deposits and echoes from the lance’s pair of ECMs turned his voice into a tinny mess. “Callsigns only, Bad,” Lieutenant Khalil Coronado grunted. “Remember, the Capellans almost certainly recovered our regimental FOC. The longer we can keep them guessing which company we are, the better for the Captain.” “Yeah, yeah. Slipped my mind. Sorry, Hellhound.” “Just keep it in mind: the Captain’s not going to have ten tons of armor to protect him from enemy fire—and we’re probably not going to know which car he’s in until he pulls up at the ComStar compound. Timing’s going to be tight: we have to take out the Capellan checkpoint so the Captain can drive through without stopping. Preferably with a Capellan `Mech between you and the thing so we can make it look like an accident, so don’t just level it with a full volley or you’ll give the whole game away from the outset. Stomping on it’d work too, I guess, just be careful not to trip. I don’t want to lose any pilots or machines on this run but if we can get a little vengeance for the rest of the regiment I won’t complain. Understood?” A chorus of affirmations filled the comms. “Good,” Khalil continued, “because this last bit is so important I shouldn’t need to spell it out: don’t antagonize ComStar. That means you hold fire if the only backstop for your shots is the HPG, their compound on Abadan doesn’t have a wall or dome and not only will damaging it delay our rescue but it’ll probably make them “lose” our transmission. So unless you like the thought of spending the rest of your life in a Capellan POW Camp do not fire if an enemy machine is directly between you and the HPG.” Khalil paused to let that sink in, before finishing with “This whole thing’s gotta look like a failed supply raid. There’s a `Mechbay near the edge of town, property of the old Free Worlds governor. The Mandarin never had a chance to investigate all the old man’s holdings. I’m told the `Mech inside is in a rather poor state so we’re going to crack it open and let the Capellans have a look-see. With any luck, a shiny BattleMech to salvage will distract them from the HPG.” “Shouldn’t we take the `Mech for ourselves?” Bergit Lowe asked. “It bothers me to leave the Capellans anything they can use against us.” “Lumberjack, if we clear out the enemy presence then sure, we’ll grab it,” Khalil replied after a moment of thought. “But my priorities are: seeing the Captain in and out safely, getting all of you out alive, and getting all of our machines out intact. In that order. Everything else is secondary, but the primary objective comes first. If we don’t get a message off Abadan we’re all going to die here.”   Player Status:  Opposing Force Status:  Neutral Status  Mission Objective: - Protect Carlos Marik (0/1) Secondary Objectives: - Damage but don’t destroy the Civillian `Mechbay in hex 0517 (0/1) - Destroy the Capellan Checkpoint in hex 1418 (0/1) - - Make it look like an accident (0/1) - Avoid Antagonizing ComStar (0/1) Vengeance Counter: 0 Special Rules:  Dusk – This mission takes place at dusk, applying a +1 penalty to-hit. This penalty may worsen if the mission lasts long enough for night to fall. Escort Mission – This mission has a mobile objective that must be defended.Orders Due: Midnight Saturday! Attention, Mechwarriors! You will be receiving a PM / E-Mail soon.
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Jun 17, 2015 18:06
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Well, that's a thing. I wonder what would happen if the Capellan's miss a shot and hit/skim the HPG station by 'accident'?
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Jun 17, 2015 18:18
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I wonder how "bored" and "lazy" that lance of medium mechs will feel the moment they spot your mixed heavy/assault lance breathing down their necks. Also, would it be possible to just "accidentally" step all over the Capellan checkpoint?
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Jun 17, 2015 18:19
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PoptartsNinja posted:
Any mission with a vengeance counter is automatically a contender for Best Mission.
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Jun 17, 2015 18:24
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Looks like the players are going to have to watch their cross-hairs for this one!
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Jun 17, 2015 18:31
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Oh this looks good. The HPG-backstop issue means positioning will be more important than "find optimal range and fire all guns" which is cool. It's "find optimal range and fire all guns from a certain angle" instead! 
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Jun 17, 2015 18:32
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Well, the way the buildings are positioned it's less an issue unless someone decides to level a few to clear some firing lanes or the Capellans figure out what the players are doing. Speaking of which: using the HPG as a backstop isn't the only way to antagonize ComStar, it's just the one most likely to trip someone up by accident. Edit: Or the players decide to aim up given that the dish itself is about height 5-6. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 18:54 on Jun 17, 2015 |
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Jun 17, 2015 18:43
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So the car they're escorting is the vehicle in 2104, right? Are the other vehicles full of civilians?
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Jun 17, 2015 19:07
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