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CourValant posted:So, the Lancers are no longer the elite showpiece of the CapCon? Are you sure you aren't confusing the St. Ives Lancers with the Red Lancers?
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Apr 28, 2017 01:48
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Defiance Industries posted:Are you sure you aren't confusing the St. Ives Lancers with the Red Lancers? Or possibly confusing them with Burl Ives, HERO OF THE
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Apr 28, 2017 01:50
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mekilljoydammit posted:Linked from the Battletech forum so... I have to assume it's legit. Thanks! sebmojo posted:and wildcats? Only if they're on the prowl. . . . The Second St. Ives were approaching, And the wind began to howl . . . Defiance Industries posted:Are you sure you aren't confusing the St. Ives Lancers with the Red Lancers? Zaodai posted:Or possibly confusing them with Burl Ives, HERO OF THE I'm just going by the Sarna entries; CapCon was never a favorite of mine, so I never paid much attention to their TO&E. http://www.sarna.net/wiki/1st_St._Ives_Lancers http://www.sarna.net/wiki/2nd_St._Ives_Lancers
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Apr 28, 2017 02:09
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The 1st St. Ives Lancers were the showpiece unit for the St. Ives Compact while it was a thing, but they're more analogous to the 4th Skye Rangers or the 6th Syrtis Fusiliers. The Red Lancers are the CCAF's showpiece unit, no question.
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Apr 28, 2017 02:13
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PoptartsNinja posted:Urbanmechs aren't that bad in Alpha Strike. My only hope is that it's because they're dropped from space as combat meteoroids.
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Apr 28, 2017 02:21
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There's a lot of sprite work this update, I'm going to try to have everything done and ready by Sunday but I'm not making any promises.
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Apr 29, 2017 03:39
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TildeATH posted:My only hope is that it's because they're dropped from space as combat meteoroids. I read this as combat metroids and it seemed completely in character for the Capellans.
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Apr 29, 2017 04:06
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PoptartsNinja posted:There's a lot of sprite work this update, I'm going to try to have everything done and ready by Sunday but I'm not making any promises. That's ok, take your time PTN, your games make it worth the wait 
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Apr 30, 2017 00:01
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Combat Theater Vote Results Operation Rabies Shot results in a well-planned counterattack with 50 votes! The Line in the Sand is fuzzy and hard to see with only 22 votes! Operation Nemesis and the Cherenkov Plan suffer unexpected results with 9 votes each! Captain Dancey squeezed his eyes shut as his Shadow Hawk began to rattle. Leaving wasn’t so bad, but he’d always hated atmospheric reentries. Only the fact that he—and the rest of the Sirdar Militia—were returning home offered any solace. As the vibrations intensified the Shadow Hawk shook in its moorings, grinding ceramic-steel armor plates against the armatures which kept it, in theory, secure. Dancey had once had his `Mech break free mid-landing. He’d woken up a week later after the medtechs had induced a coma to save his life. He still couldn’t remember the accident, but he’d been fit to return to duty so straight back into the fire he’d marched. Twice he heard the telltale detonation of autocannon rounds striking the hull of the Union-class DropShip Sagebrush but his worst fears went unfulfilled: he never felt the bone-shaking rush of the Mechbay depressurizing. He’d lost more than one Mechwarrior that way. A sudden flash, and man and machine had simply been replaced with an open hole to hell. A DropShip could survive reentry even with a massive hull breach, the uncontrolled descents of the early spaceflight era were a thing of the past, but it was not a comfortable experience. Neither was recovering the remains of a BattleMech after. A `Mech could survive such a drop, provided the ship was low enough. The warrior inside couldn’t. The rattling settled as the Sagebrush settled atop its thrust column. The CCAF’s aerospace forces weren’t brave enough to risk an atmospheric transition to pursue them—in their defense chasing a DropShip into a planet’s atmosphere went beyond bravery. A Union-class vessel like the Sagebrush had more than enough anti-aircraft fire to wipe out a company of fighters flying the suicidal straight-line paths necessary to survive reentry and most military captains relished a chance to permanently swat a few of the mosquitos that otherwise plagued their vessels. “We’ll be the first ones down,” Dancey transmitted through the Shadow Hawk’s hard-wired link to the Sagebrush. “We’ve got a pretty good idea where the Capellans will be based, so as soon as we’re down I want a textbook deployment into the Yanling Valley. We need to take out their scouts: the rest of the regiment is going to have a hell of a time if the Cappies have artillery plotted to take them as soon as the DropShip hatches open.” “The Cappies won’t be able to take the risk of an advance artillery deployment if we eliminate their `Mech forces and threaten to roll through the peak artillery positions ourselves,” Corporal Bystrom cut in. “Smash the `Mechs and the mudrollers’ll flee for sure.” “Stick to the OOB and follow SOP,” Dancey squelched Bystrom’s broadcast before he could drum up the younger pilots’ bloodlust. “And don’t do anything stupid unless you have to. That means you, Fungi. Taking out the `Mechs will be our back-up plan if we let an enemy scout leak through.” The Map  4th Sirdar DNS Militia Tango Lance   Lambada Lance   Ballet Lance    Forced Withdrawal - `Mechs and Vehicles which suffer more than 50% structure damage must attempt to retreat off the nearest friendly board edge. Units with only 1 point of structure will withdraw if all of their armor is destroyed.Primary Objectives - Destroy or Drive Off All Enemy Scouts (0/8 remaining) or - Destroy or Drive Off All Enemy `Mechs (0/12 remaining) Expected Resistance - 1st St. Ives Lancers scout forces - 1st St. Ives Lancers emergency first-responders Pilot List Sparq Mekilljoydammit chutche2 Moleboy Realbarrow Skoll Alternates Jew it to it! CourValant Yakumo PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 00:35 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 00:21
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You have Ballet and Tango lances mixed up (the pictures vs the labels). Also, I hope the cappies have a whole poo poo load more than 3 Urbies, because they are so loving dead if not. [EDIT] I don't know if I'm hoping those Urbies make up almost fully half of the laughably outnumbered recon forces, meaning the first objective will be a relative cakewalk, or that they're a quarter of the second wave and thus only coming in after poo poo has gotten real anyway. [EDIT2] And either this is another S-K op, or the Green Knight got copy pasted back into the Secondary Objectives by mistake. Zaodai fucked around with this message at 00:33 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 00:28
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Someone please walk the idiots among us such as myself through the key translation factors between the old school and alpha strike record cards. How is the weapon balance addressed? What does size mean? Is running still a thing? What even is range any more?
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May 1, 2017 00:38
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Ohhh, jumping heavies. Am excite.
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May 1, 2017 00:45
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I'm so confused about the new cards. 
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May 1, 2017 00:50
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The marauder is a skirmisher?
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May 1, 2017 00:52
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You can't just topple over from losing a leg anymore huh?
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May 1, 2017 01:06
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goatface posted:Someone please walk the idiots among us such as myself through the key translation factors between the old school and alpha strike record cards. How is the weapon balance addressed? What does size mean? Is running still a thing? What even is range any more? OK; weapons mix is abstracted down to damage at various ranges - if you hit you do that damage. Short is 0-3 hexes, medium is 4-12, long is 13-21 for everything, the old weapon ranges are boiled down to how much damage the mech does at those ranges. Size basically corresponds to the old light/medium/heavy/assault classifications. The movement ability affects how hard things are to hit now, rather than just how far it *did* move - that's the TMM (target move modifier) on the card, and movement is just the flat number - I think rotations are free now? There's an advanced rule on sprinting that gets you to an extra 50% move if you don't fire, but I don't know that we're using that. Things like AC1/1 or SRM1/1 denote that that much of the damage comes from that source, so an AMS can negate that 1/1 SRM damage, or stuff like that. I don't know what the pilot specials do.
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May 1, 2017 01:07
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How to read an Alpha Strike card: Unit and Unit type are obvious, points are a machine's relative threat. Higher-point machines can either deal more damage or take more damage. Role is semi-fluff and explains how a `Mech is intended to be used, but also determines what sort of lances a `Mech can join. You probably won't see a scout lance made up entirely of Juggernauts. A unit's Size (1 for lights, 2 for mediums, etc) is also its base melee damage. TMM is the unit's Target Movement Modifier, which is added to the enemy's skill for to-hit rolls. TMM is added whether the `Mech moves or not, and jumping adds a bonus +1 to the TMM (just like normal BattleTech). TMM is your potential to dodge incoming fire and you receive the bonus even if you do not move (unlike standard play). Skill is your base chance to-hit. There is no falling in Alpha Strike. Low skill is good. MV is a unit's movement allowance. Each hex costs 1 movement, and as with standard play trees and elevation changes cost 1 additional movement. !!! Turning does not cost movement in Alpha Strike !!! so units simply pick a hex within their movement range (subtracting any extra costs from trees or hills) and then picks their facing afterwards. If a unit has a 'j' next to their movement that means they can jump. Jumping adds +1 to their TMM but also adds a +2 penalty to their own attacks. It's a bad idea to jump and attack a high TMM enemy, it's a good idea to jump and attack a low TMM enemy. Range is fixed in Alpha Strike. Short range is 0-3 hexes, medium range is 3-12 hexes, and long range is 13-21 hexes. Units do their damage value for their range to targets in that range, so the Shadow Hawk does 1 damage at long range and 2 damage to targets within 12 hexes. OV is a unit's Overheat Value, you can add your OV to attacks made at Short and Medium range. Each point of OV adds 1 to your heat, so a `Mech that has OV4 can go straight from fine to shut-down. `Mechs dissipate 1 heat per turn unless they shut down, a shut down `Mech vents all heat on a turn it's shut down. Heat adds to your penalty to-hit. A `Mech that pushes itself up to Overheat 3 is at a +3 penalty to all attacks and is useless for 3 turns (unless it shuts itself down with more overheat, then it's only useless for two turns). !!! If you have a high OV it can sometimes be better to force a shutdown than to stay active at high heat !!! but beware, because a shutdown target is immobile and its TMM becomes -4 until it powers back up. The space next to overheat is reserved for a unit's most relevant special attack (if any). The Shadow Hawk can perform an indirect fire attack if another `Mech spots for it, but an attack value of 0* means its indirect fire only has a 1/3 chance of doing a single point of damage. Armor is obvious, Structure is obvious, Units suffer a critical chance for each point of structure damage they take. Critical damage can generate extra heat; reduce a unit's movement, damage, or accuracy; set off an ammunition explosion; or kill the unit outright. There's also a chance a successful critical hit will do nothing, even to a BattleMech. Special Pilot Abilities grant the Unit some sort of bonus, either to movement or attack. In the Shadow Hawk's case, it has Marksman: it can attack a target for 1 point of damage for a chance at scoring a critical hit without penetrating the target's armor. Special at the bottom are any special abilities the `Mech has. For example:  The Wolfhound has the ENE and the Rear specials. - ENE means it's carrying all energy weapons and is outright immune to ammunition explosions (an ammo explosion crit roll does nothing to a Wolfhound). - Rear1/1/- means the Wolfhound can attack targets behind it as long as they're in short or medium range There are more abilities but I won't list them all. I will be telling pilots what each of their `Mech's abilities do, and will answer questions about the OpForce as normal. There is no torso twisting in Alpha Strike. Instead, the fire arcs look like this:  There are no side arcs in Alpha Strike. Instead, when enemies shoot at you, this is all that matters:  You deal 1 extra point of damage if you shoot a target in the back. So there are your basics: Movement is easier, firing arcs are easier, and to-hits are much more consistent. Damage is fixed and all-or-nothing which means players know what sort of calculated risks they can take. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 01:18 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 01:13
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Are you gonna be sending out that Idiots Guide to Piloting soonish? Just asking because this is my first time and I've never played Alpha Strike. I'll brush up on it over the week though as I might have the PDF.
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May 1, 2017 01:17
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^^^ I usually send out the pilot primer right after the first actual mission post, but most of the important basics are in the post above yours.Leperflesh posted:The marauder is a skirmisher? That one is. Most Marauders are Snipers, but roll changes depending on the loadout. For example: half of the Hunchbacks are Juggernauts and half of the Hunchbacks are brawlers. Role sometimes dictates what sort of lance a `Mech can join but that's it, a skirmisher with 3 long range damage is just as dangerous as a sniper with 3 long range damage. The only reason that particular Marauder isn't a brawler is because it has an XL Engine, which halves its structure points. XL Engines make a `Mech fragile and usually preclude them from becoming Juggernauts or Brawlers. Nearly every Clan `Mech is a Skirmisher which really limits the formations available to them. The Inner Sphere has numerous 50 ton Juggernauts (and the lightest Juggernaut in the game is the 40 ton Whitworth. Yeah, a `Mech that is a dumpster fire in normal play is a solid mini-assault `Mech in Alpha Strike). Meanwhile, the lightest Juggernaut the Clans get is the 85 ton Savage Coyote. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 01:30 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 01:19
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Ah okay, it's mostly a flavorful designation, makes sense.
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May 1, 2017 01:21
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What is the Cauldron Born considered in Alpha Strike out of curiosity. A Brawler?
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May 1, 2017 01:35
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Zaodai posted:What is the Cauldron Born considered in Alpha Strike out of curiosity. A Brawler? Prime, A, and D are Skirmishers, B is a Sniper, C is a Missile Boat. The D is the most dangerous of the lot though, by far. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 01:42 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 01:37
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I keep forgetting the AC/10 variant isn't the stock one. 
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May 1, 2017 02:05
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Wait are you telling us rear mounted weapons are actually okay in this? And all it took was to make a completely new game? I'm okay with that because the Wolfhound is a cool mech. What's the relevancy of AC specials? Some kind of anti-ballistic armor? Rounded Urbanmechs actually being good against shells?
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May 1, 2017 02:49
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So are there mechs that perform well in standard, but poorly in Alpha Strike (and vice versa)? Tried only a few games with my friends, and did not really have a chance to really sink my teeth into the system.
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May 1, 2017 02:53
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I'm ok with sitting this one out, but didn't you promise me a make-up seat on this game since I jammed my ammo on turn 1 last game?
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May 1, 2017 03:28
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Weissritter posted:So are there mechs that perform well in standard, but poorly in Alpha Strike (and vice versa)? Alpha Strike is simpler, so even `Mechs that tend to have dumb overcomplicated gimmicks in standard play can perform alright. There are still bad `Mechs but they're fewer and farther between. The Hellstar's still a bastard no matter what.
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May 1, 2017 03:28
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Hrm. Quick strike to disrupt artillery and possibly place your own? Sounds Familiar. Hopefully it'll take you guys less time that I took! 
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May 1, 2017 05:03
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It's a simpler system, but I hope there's a bit of a handicap compared to normal to make up for it being a major transition. Too bad it's not the Texans, we've never played them. Otoh Syrtians fighting for the Concordat is just delicious. Is Comstar providing other forms of support than continued intel? RA Rx fucked around with this message at 12:25 on May 1, 2017 |
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May 1, 2017 07:02
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RA Rx posted:It's a simpler system, but I hope there's a bit of a handicap compared to normal to make up for it being a major transition. I still auto-lose initiative, that's a pretty big handicap even in Alpha Strike. Moving and positioning still matter and the line of sight rules are unchanged.
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May 1, 2017 15:38
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Ballet Lance reporting. Ready to take pointe.Volmarias posted:I'm ok with sitting this one out, but didn't you promise me a make-up seat on this game since I jammed my ammo on turn 1 last game? ...Unless Volmarias does indeed need a spot to make up for his misfortune last game, in which case I'm okay with him taking mine this round, because I feel like paying it forward today.
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May 1, 2017 17:15
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Volmarias posted:I'm ok with sitting this one out, but didn't you promise me a make-up seat on this game since I jammed my ammo on turn 1 last game? I forgot completely. I've already assigned pilots, I'll make sure you wind up in the next mission or are up first if we get a no-show.
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May 1, 2017 20:34
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Tango ready to dance. I'll try not to trip too much, I think I'm going to be a lousy Alpha Strike dancer.
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May 1, 2017 21:59
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Well, count me interested in seeing how Alpha Strike plays out. Hopefully, I'll get used to it enough via watching it being used here in case the mission during my second go around uses it. And I had only gotten really used to base BattleTech rules two years ago after playing a mock game at PAX East too. Still, flying by the seat of your pants in a mission where the rules don't really matter and the fluff was really great (HOGARTH! Cini-crits! No heat! The Summer Winter Palace! The Red Corsair! The Ghost of Richard Cameron in the ghostly Behemoth! Crossing the streams! So many Lyran stereotype characters! "My Home Planet!" TA Fields! Stay Puft Marshmallow Suburbanmech! Vazquez Banshee Berzerk Mode biting off an arm and a leg! Colonel Shultz buying it dramatically right as we competed the mission so as the lend narrative impact! Other amazing poo poo that I'm forgetting!) was a great introduction to BT as well. Just glad my mission wasn't one that a lot more important narrative things were riding on, since I 'd rather not want to screw the pooch then, though glorious fuckups make for the best narrative for PTN to write fluff for (and sometimes new players wind up atop a mountain of mech skulls all on their own through help of dice luck and well designed mechs and talking through tactics that wind up working very well).
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May 1, 2017 23:29
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PoptartsNinja posted:I forgot completely. Thanks!
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May 2, 2017 00:09
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The TMM is one of the things that stuck with me after playing this at PAX West. That dodgey mech isn't going to have a bad turn where it couldn't build up a high mod. Alpha Strike really makes mechs feel more maneuverable.
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May 2, 2017 21:56
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Farseli posted:The TMM is one of the things that stuck with me after playing this at PAX West. That dodgey mech isn't going to have a bad turn where it couldn't build up a high mod. Alpha Strike really makes mechs feel more maneuverable. It also means they're not penalized if they decide to make use of cover, and can stand and fight when they need to and players don't have to remember how many hexes they moved, which is actually a real problem when you're playing tabletop and don't have the benefit of .jpgs with lines drawn on them like I do. So, what I'm saying is, TMM is a good mechanic.
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May 2, 2017 23:08
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Yeah, something as simple as having a set "dodge rating" based on a unit's movement scores, but not dependent on actual movement, opens up a lot of possibilities.
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May 2, 2017 23:38
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PoptartsNinja posted:So, what I'm saying is, TMM is a good mechanic. Xarbala posted:. . . something as simple as having a set "dodge rating" based on a unit's movement scores . . . In my head I'm imagining 'mechs doing jumping jacks, running in place/laps, burpees, etc., in their hex to 'build up' their movement modifier. You know, the good old Dodge Duck Dip Dive Dodge.
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May 2, 2017 23:51
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TMM accurately simulates bad netcode making small fast mechs good?
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May 3, 2017 00:34
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