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Zaodai posted:I really can't think of a good supervillain analog.  How about this guy?
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Sep 1, 2017 01:50
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Olothreutes posted:
If they're a Venture Bros villain, they're probably more Sergeant Hatred. Apparently right down to the unfortunate diddling of children. 
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Sep 1, 2017 01:52
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Zaodai posted:If they're a Venture Bros villain, they're probably more Sergeant Hatred. Apparently right down to the unfortunate diddling of children. Ah, true. I was just going for the "laughably incompetent villain" angle. But that applies to everyone in Venture Bros.
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Sep 1, 2017 01:54
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Chapter 17 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 6 September 3056 Colonel Camacho, Chandrasekhar Kurita, and the 17th Recon are watching two companies of the regiment drill (in typical Caballeros style). Don Carlos says he wants to show Uncle Chandy what he’s paying for, so in addition to a game of BattleMech Paintball they’re also roasting a goat on a spit. Some of the 17th’s friends from the 9th Ghost Regiment have been invited to the barbecue because the 17th genuinely like them. No-Name is with them, he is the butt of jokes because he chooses to root for the side whose pennant is more common where he’s sitting. Buntaro Mayne is rooting for Cowboy, because he’s the only one allowed to kick Cowboy’s rear end. The festival air turns Lainie nostalgic, so we get her backstory here. She was a Yakuza princess until her father’s lieutenant assassinated him and took over. Her Oyabun on Hachiman is also her cousin, who took her in after her father’s death. She hates her cousin for very valid reasons, and is zealously devoted to Theodore Kurita for giving her an ‘out.’ The exercise begins, and the 17th are terrible (but enthusiastic) shots. Part of this is deceptive, they can absolutely land shots in the heat of battle, but mostly it’s because they’re just loving around.   Kali is a referee and gives a BattleMaster a leg throw when the pilot gets a little too uppity and tries to actually punch an opponent. Things are going quite well until Patsy gets mentioned in Don Carlos’s presence, causing Colonel Camacho to shut down emotionally. We cut to Archie Weston and Captain Father Doctor Roberto “Call Me Bob” Garcia, SJ. Archie knows a lot about Chandrasekhar Kurita (because he is an MI4 Spy), and they lament the state of affairs in the Federated Commonwealth. Bob tells Archie that the referees are all women because the 17th is, among other things, very chauvinistic (he uses “chivalrous,” but chauvinistic is used liberally earlier in the novel). Archie wonders where Cassie is.  Between Davion Spy Archie Weston and his camerawoman Mariska Savage, only Savage will prove to be important in the long term. Archie is just a stand-in so dumb gringos like me can get some much needed explanation of southwestern culture. Adalante company wins, so Buntaro Mayne wins the betting pool. Most of the 9th Ghost Regiment bet on the OpForce because Cowboy was in Adalante. Chapter 18 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 6 September 3056 Cassie is busy while the Caballeros are playing BattleMech Lucha Libre (the novel’s words, one of Cochise Company’s commanders wears an ancestral Lucha mask at all times ). Her waitress job actually turned up direct info, so she’s scouting a warehouse where the Yakuza are meeting “someone important.”The local Oyabun, Lainie’s hated cousin, is meeting with the most carefully described character in the novel. Yes, that’s right, men get physical descriptions as often as women.  He’s backed by DEST ninjas. Cassie does not stay because she knows given enough time DEST will catch her if she sticks around to try for an audio recording. Cassie is familiar with DEST gear, which is functionally similar to BattleMech huds insofar as it provides the wearer with 360 degrees of vision but tends to compress the sides and rear enough that it’s little better than a fancy motion detector. Cassie blunders into a DEST commando while escaping, because they’re better than she is at being stealthy. They’re not far separated but DEST gear is bulletproof and stab (but not cut) resistant. Cassie breaks his neck with Pencak Silat while the DEST Ninja is drawing his submachinegun. DEST are not accustomed to people running towards them. Cassie escapes and we cut to Kali and some of the other Caballeras who are contemplating checking out local strip joints because it’s Lady’s Night. We get an honest appraisal of how most of the regiment views Cassie from one of Kali’s friends (Cassie is “spooky”), and Kali isn’t too interested in watching male strippers. She’s half worried they’ll blunder on Cassie working as a stripper (she’s right to be, because Cassie actually has been, although tonight she’s at a warehouse Fight-and-Flighting away from Ninjas). Kali isn’t interested, but gets talked into going in anyway. She’s an alcoholic, but she’s actively working on “drying out.” It’s never said directly but Kali’s attempts to fix her own life are the reason why she’s working so hard to befriend Cassie. Because Cassie’s coping method is murder, not alcoholism. Chapter 19 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 7 September 3056 Cassie has managed another meeting with Mirza Abdulsattah. Cassie doesn’t know who the red-haired man is, but the Mirza does, and he’s terrified. The Mirza does not explain but immediately leads Cassie to a meeting with Chandrasekhar Kurita himself. Close Quarters posted:Amid [the silk cushions] sprawled Chandrasekhar Kurita, a vast baby doll in a scarlet robe Uncle Chandy invites Cassie to sit with him, and she opts to sit out of reach out of fear he’ll try to do something she’d have to kill him for. Uncle Chandy reveals that the red-haired man is, wait for it. Ninyu Kerai Indrahar. Son of Subhash Indrahar, the Smiling One. Quite possibly the second or third most dangerous man in the Inner Sphere. Uncle Chandy asks Cassie what she thinks, and she believes DEST must be using the local Yakuza as a ‘base’ from which to stage a covert operation, likely to assassinate Chandrasekhar Kurita. Chandrasekhar remains likeable throughout the entire scene, both soliciting Cassie’s input and making light of “his corpulent self.” She thinks the ISF suspects something but has no proof (if they had proof, the family name wouldn’t matter, but as they only suspect treason the ISF can’t be tied to Chandrasekhar Kurita’s death, out of respect for the Kurita name). Cassie then asks without asking whether Uncle Chandy is committing treason. He is, but he lies with the truth: what he’s doing is in the Combine’s best interests. Uncle Chandy also volunteers that the warehouse where the meeting took place was owned by his direct competitor, Tanadi Computers.  Uncle Chandy, a competent Donald Trump.  Uncle Chandy.  Best Kurita. We cut to Ninyu Kerai Indrahar, who muses about the state of ComStar and the Word of Blake. This is one of the novels that suggests the impending Word of Blake Jihad—which was almost certainly delayed by the events of 9/11, with the relatively haphazard FedCom Civil War happening instead. Subhash Indrahar is not concerned about the intruder that infiltrated Ninyu’s mission. Ninyu is proceeding as planned. We cut back to Cassie who is practicing martial arts because she is (rightly) terrified of what Ninyu Kerai Indrahar’s presence represents and violence is her only emotional outlet. She has another emotional breakdown and the teddy bear Kali gave her is her only comfort. Chapter 20 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 21 September 3056 This is one of the bigger time-skips in the novel. Cassie’s back at the spaceport, and one of her prostitute informants is certain that a Clanner has come through the spaceport. Cassie does not know what this means, it’s a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit. As she’s contemplating, her paranoia kicks in and tells her she’s being stalked. She is not, and has no trouble returning to the HTE compound for a meeting with Uncle Chandy. Cassie’s senses are so over-tuned that she’s starting to pick up threats that aren’t real. Cassie tells Uncle Chandy about the Clanners and he asks the Mirza to drop everything to look into it (i.e. to murder everyone who leaked the information to Cassie). Mirza Abdulsattah then intimates that Tanadi is the only one on-world with the resources to smuggle Clanners in, and Uncle Chandy plants the seed that Subhash Indrahar is trying to destroy Uncle Chandy for a crime that Chapter 21 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 21 September 3056 Cassie nearly kills one of the Caballeros children when they throw a ball at her. Kids like Cassie because she is willing to play with them, and it’s easy to understand why Don Carlos’ wife, La Dame Muerta, does not like this. Cassie is a live hand grenade. Archie Weston approaches and calls for her help since two Caballeros are engaged in a knife fight. Archie’s in a panic while his camerawoman is filming the fight because she has guts. Cassie doesn’t move to stop things either, because knife and/or pistol duels are still less dangerous than if they’d decided to go at it in BattleMechs. The fight doesn’t end in a death and honor is satisfied, leaving Archie once again perplexed.   Archie is upset that Cassie dodges him again, while both Kali and Father Doctor Bob encourage him not to pursue her (romantically). Even Kali’s upset by the news that Ninyu Kerai Indrahar wants them all dead, but they’re all worried about Don Carlos, who is brooding more and more about Patsy’s death. He cannot let her go and it’s slowly killing him and the whole of the 17th. They’re interrupted because HTE is in the news, having supposedly discovered a breakthrough in Faster Than Light communications that will finally end the ComStar monopoly. This is not something HTE is working on. The ISF has thrown down the gauntlet, and their chosen weapon... … Is the Word of Blake.
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Sep 1, 2017 02:45
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Could Uncle Chandy actually body a bunch of highly skilled fighters like the Kingpin?
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Sep 1, 2017 03:07
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I'm really digging this interlude PTN! I've never actually read any of the Battletech novels, a and this one seems actually decent vs the tragi- comedy that some of the earlier one featured in the thread were.
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Sep 1, 2017 04:12
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Zaodai posted:I wouldn't want to live in any part of Battletech space. Even being assured that you get to be a giant stompy robot pilot and some degree of plot armor wouldn't be worth it. If I wanted to live in a Battletech style state, I could just move to Southeast Asia or something. All the tech of the 80s, today! Live in a hovel under totalitarian rule! Maybe buy importance in the local area because you have the equivalent of $42 American dollars! TBH life on any planet with a USIIR of A-A-*-*-A is pretty loving sweet.You get well-preserved Star League infrastructure and by the 3040s there's comparable new civilian tech being built, work, health care and such are all plentiful and food is readily available. Even in repressive governments, the people in charge tend to know citizens of these worlds are used to not being hosed with and they get left alone. According to the extended profile on Terra from JHS: Terra, life there is loving amazing. Basically all industry has been moved underground or into space, there's no poverty, the average work week is 15 hours, environmental damage caused by industrialization has been reversed, people live in goddamn Jetsons houses and they only deal with ComStar through an intermediary organization that is a successor state to the U.N. Zaodai posted:Could Uncle Chandy actually body a bunch of highly skilled fighters like the Kingpin? Possibly but we'll never know. Unlike the Kingpin, when people decided to kill Uncle Chandy they just shot him a bunch of times with guns instead of trying to punch him.
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Sep 1, 2017 05:36
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Sure, Terra is always either a holy world or a nuclear wasteland in sci fi. Outside of that though, I have a comfortable place to live and food to eat here, and not much chance of getting hit by missiles or black bagged by state police. Plus I'm typing this nerd post on a computer more powerful than every computer in battletech combined. 
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Sep 1, 2017 05:40
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But does it make holograms? Somehow despite their anemic power every computer in BattleTech can generate perfect holographic images.
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Sep 1, 2017 05:42
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To be fair, the odds of being nuked or black-bagged on most state or even provincial capitals was drat near non-existent until the Jihad, and might happen once every two hundred years.
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Sep 1, 2017 05:42
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Defiance Industries posted:But does it make holograms? Somehow despite their anemic power every computer in BattleTech can generate perfect holographic images. So can the trash can ones in Star Wars. One neat parlor trick doesn't particularly move me.
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Sep 1, 2017 05:53
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Defiance Industries posted:Possibly but we'll never know. Unlike the Kingpin, when people decided to kill Uncle Chandy they just shot him a bunch of times with guns instead of trying to punch him. To be fair, that's because he did a face turn and decided to use his supervillainy against the Word of Blake.
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Sep 1, 2017 06:15
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Defiance Industries posted:TBH life on any planet with a USIIR of A-A-*-*-A is pretty loving sweet.
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Sep 1, 2017 15:28
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CourValant posted:It wasn't that the Clans didn't place an embargo on the imports (Clan civilians are little more than slaves and aren't allowed luxuries, period. Their society simply doesn't produce that class of goods for them. The latent demand drove a massive black market which worked to destabilize the 'worker class', through both subversion and education about outside world. This was all feasible because the good were provided at a loss to Clan space). Got to disagree with you there on Clan Civilians. You're right that luxury goods don't necessarily exist, but the highest-grade castemembers of the Clans can get pretty nice digs (private houses). Your average laborer will almost never meet a warrior in their life, except for the paramilitary police warriors, and Clan society does allow civilians to save up their "credit" for a few months to get "more expensive items" (The Clans, Warriors of Kerensky Sourcebook). So long as civilians work, they get all their needs taken care of, and scientists and merchants can get pretty fat off the hog. There is a black market in most I.S. Clan space for luxury goods, I can't deny that. But even in Ghost Bear space in 3145 with that Freeminder movement, most civilians remain heavily loyal to their Clan, even if they would like some things to change.
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Sep 1, 2017 15:41
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PoptartsNinja posted:Cassie then asks without asking whether Uncle Chandy is committing treason. Beautiful.
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Sep 1, 2017 15:59
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AAAAA! Real Muenster posted:Who the what now? Its the Battletech Universal Socio-Industrial Index Rating, or, how nice is your planet? http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Universal_Socio-Industrial_Index_Rating So, - Advanced world - Moderately industrialized - Mostly self-sufficient - High Output - Modest agriculture A decent place to live, better than most, worst than some. ***** Edit ***** Crazy Joe Wilson posted:Got to disagree with you there on Clan Civilians. Point taken, I suppose I should have been more specific. By Clan Civilian, I was referring to the Worker Caste, the Dregs, the Peons, the Peasants, as opposed to the Merchant Caste or Scientist Caste (I don't really consider them civilians in the traditional sense, even though the definition differs). Because at the end of the day, it was the Worker Caste that Uncle Chandy was trying to foment into rebellion. CourValant fucked around with this message at 16:34 on Sep 1, 2017 |
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Sep 1, 2017 16:24
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CourValant posted:Its the Battletech Universal Socio-Industrial Index Rating, or, how nice is your planet?
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Sep 1, 2017 16:35
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AAAAA! Real Muenster posted:Oh wow, never saw that page in Sarna or a sourcebook, thank you. You're very welcome! Here to help! 
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Sep 1, 2017 16:44
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The USIIR doesn't get into details - like New Kyoto being home to the most dangerous wildlife and the largest Buddha statue in the IS - but it's a great shorthand. Much like the Universal Planet Profile for Traveller. Super helpful for the RPG when figuring availability of items and for coming up with general descriptions of towns/cities/etc.
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Sep 1, 2017 17:44
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Cascade Jones posted:Much like the Universal Planet Profile for Traveller. Super helpful for the RPG when figuring availability of items and for coming up with general descriptions of towns/cities/etc.
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Sep 1, 2017 18:12
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Cascade Jones posted:. . . like New Kyoto being home to the most dangerous wildlife and the largest Buddha statue in the IS . . . The New Kyoto Armor Bear just has a bad rep; deep down they're soft little sweethearts. My Grandpa had one as a pet, raised him from a cub. Just, don't touch them. Or feed them. Or look at them. Or be within a mile of them. Other than that, you're fine.
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Sep 1, 2017 20:43
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Like a giant Pallas cat.
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Sep 1, 2017 21:06
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PoptartsNinja posted:This is one of the novels that suggests the impending Word of Blake Jihad—which was almost certainly delayed by the events of 9/11, with the relatively haphazard FedCom Civil War happening instead. Given this was likely the case - I agree with your evaluation here - does that mean your AU may well wind up allowing for the Word of Blake to factionize more quickly apace? Its been a bit since we've had Comstar centric plot and votes, so forgive me if you've already been laying that groundwork and I'm just a forgetful
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Sep 1, 2017 22:08
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Ronin Of Dreams posted:does that mean your AU may well wind up allowing for the Word of Blake to factionize more quickly apace? Why would they need to, when they've had no impetus to secularize or break up? ComStar is the Word of Blake. This is what Close Quarters has to say about the Wobbies.  Written in 1994. PoptartsNinja fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Sep 2, 2017 |
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Sep 2, 2017 02:29
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PoptartsNinja posted:Why would they need to, when they've had no impetus to secularize or break up? It's true
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Sep 2, 2017 02:36
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It's not quite the "Seyla" moment in Wolves on the Border, but it's not far off.
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Sep 2, 2017 02:36
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Chapter 22 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 23 September 3056 Ninyu Kerai Indrahar is chilling in the mansion of the local planetary governor, Percival Uyehara Fillington III (eat the rich). He has the same duty vs. human sentiment (Giri vs. ninjo) debate that every Kurita character is by interstellar law required to contemplate or at least mention at least once per BattleTech novel. He is exactly like Cassie, insofar as Ninyu Kerai does not have an appreciation or art or nature or beautiful things. His art is violence and rather than it being his emotional outlet, it is simply how he communicates with the world around him. Ninyu Kerai Indrahar is not a human being. He’s approached by another member of the ISF, Enrico Katsuyama (yes, a Hispanic Kurita). Katsuyama owns the 3000 year old stopwatch that appeared on the TV show 60 minutes, because he’s about to talk about propaganda and needs a prop children who grew up in the 90s would recognize.  Nerd. He talks about the invention of media manipulation, while Ninyu Kerai Indrahar doubts that the stopwatch is actually 3,000 year old. Enrico is guileless enough that he doesn’t suspect it could be fake (his entire collection is implied to be fake ). Earl Percival Fillington III interrupts. He’s a “green” noble, recently come to power, and is in his early 30s. Poor Percy is so gullible he believes the news story that Hachiman Taro Enterprises has cracked HPG technology. It would also bring in ROM (it doesn’t). Ninyu reveals that they’ve given permission for Word of Blake to handle “other matters” in exchange for leaving ComStar alone. Odds that they will leave ComStar alone: 0%, they’re the main secondary antagonist of the 17th Recon novels. We will see them again in Hearts of Chaos. We cut to Don Carlos on the phone with his son. Gavilan Camacho is whining about the living conditions at the sportsplex where most of the Caballeros are staying.   Gabby is a Nagelring graduate, while Patsy went through the New Avalon Military Academy. Gabby is a garbage pilot while Patsy is amazing. Preeeeeety sure Gabby must’ve trained under Major Adam Steiner. And then we come to the real crux of the novel, a little throwaway paragraph that tells us who this novel is actually about  [Don Carlos] could never forgive Patsy for being better than Gavilan, and could never forgive Gavilan for not being Patsy. This is why he’s destroying himself, he sees Patsy’s sacrifice saving the entire regiment from the Smoke Jaguars not as heroism but as a suicide. Carlos gets a call from the Mirza and hangs up with his son, The Mirza warns him about the fake HPG story, and Don Carlos wonders if they can expect an attack from los ateos soon. “The Atheists,” Word of Blake. The Mirza asks if any of the Caballeros will have problems killing Word of Blake, who are technically their Free Worlds League countrymen. Carlos reveals that there’s no conflict of interest, as he backed Duggan Marik in the civil war against Thomas and Duncan. Duggin and Janos (and later Thomas) were assassinated in a car bombing and Don Carlos left FWL service. The 17th fears Thomas Marik means to institute the Word of Blake as the Free Worlds League’s official state religion (he never does), and so most will fight the Wobbies to the death without concern. Don Carlos increases security at HTE from one company to one battalion, and hangs up.  PTSD isn’t a known illness in the Inner Sphere. Don Carlos has it. His wife La Dame Muerta brings him tea and gives him a neck massage. We have not met Marisol Cabrera in person before, all we have to go on are Cassie’s complaints. Marisol Cabrera is a conscientious and understanding woman who loves her husband a great deal. Her presence is what calms Don Carlos’s PTSD. Don Carlos seriously contemplates retiring, but he’d be leaving the regiment in the hands of Gavilan Camacho, and that frightens him more than the nightmares his daughter’s death has caused him. Chapter 23 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 15 October 3056 Word of Blake attacks through the subway tunnels, wearing HTE uniforms given to them by the ISF.  Wobbies all get gunned down in the subway by 17th Recon astechs on guard duty, but this isn’t there only attack. The 17th has carefully staggered their guard changes to not coincide with any of the Hachiman Taro Enterprises shift changes. We also learn something interesting: the 17th’s battalions have six companies rather than the typical three (the 17th Recon is an oversized regiment, with somewhere around 160 `Mechs at any given time). Bronco Company (Kali’s command) is on duty tonight. Cassie is driving around on the most 90s anime of all vehicles, a Honda-Rheinmetall motorcycle ( ). Cassie actually spares a moment to worry about Kali’s safety, something she hasn’t done for anyone since Patsy died. We cut to Kali, who is responding to a big hole the Wobbies have blown in the compound’s outer wall. A Caballero BattleMech has already taken an SRM to the cockpit and isn’t moving. The Wobbies are using SRM infantry which was, at the time the book was written, the most dangerous form of infantry by far.We get a brief glimpse into Kali’s mind. She suffers from depression so deeply seated that she actually hears voices telling her she’s stupid and a failure. She’s learned she needs to tune them out, but they will be a problem she will not solve in this book. Cassie is convinced the attack on the north wall is a feint. It’s big and flashy and busy enough that it doesn’t look like a feint. She’s pretty sure the wall was breached by a van- or truck-carried fertilizer and fuel-oil suicide bomb. The Oaklahoma City Bombing was in 1995, incidentally, nearly a year after this novel was written. A Caballero JagerMech does one of the two things its designed for, firing its autocannons at infantry trying to storm the breach in the wall.  That is not bad logic. Cassie calls for Don Carlos but he’s not on the regimental comm. net yet. Colonel Gordon Baird answers, and since Cassie hates him she immediately burns a bridge mid-battle by asking if there’s anyone else she can speak to. Kali chimes in before Gordon can get too pissy, and Cassie immediately broadcasts in the clear to every member of the regiment that she thinks the northern breach is a diversion. Cassie calls for Scout Platoon to head to the south wall, gets threatened by Gordo, but scout company complies anyway because all real soldiers hate intelligence officers.  We then cut to Don Carlos, who’s actually in his cockpit and listening in, but paralyzed by his PTSD. He’s trapped in flashbacks to the 17th Recon’s battle with the Smoke Jaguars on Jeronimo.  Patsy engaged the four other `Mechs of the Clan star to keep them from dueling her and prevent the others from rushing past her to attack the Caballeros DropShips. Patsy is killed in the process and even in his flashback Don Carlos breaks, grabs the Clan Star Commander’s Mad Cat by the arm, and shoots it in the cockpit with his BattleMaster’s PPC. Don Carlos does not recover from his PTSD. Chapter 24 Masamori, Hachiman Galedon District, Draconis Combine 15 October 3056 The 9th Ghost Regiment gears up to help the 17th, but gets ordered to stand down by the planetary government. Lainie is pissed. Cassie is at the south wall, and notices that there are a lot of HTE security where the fighting isn’t happening. On the spur of the moment, Cassie shoots the first patrol of Uncle Chandy’s guards she comes across with an assault rifle. Cassie is a mentally broken individual, she does not share her suspicions with anyone who can help her confirm them. She simply opens fire because it’s the quickest way to see whether or not she’s correct. The people she shoots are wearing body armor, which HTE security forces do not. The ISF is better at infiltrating than the Word of Blake. Gavilan Camacho immediately responds to the new crisis by assuming field command. Gabby immediately criticizes Don Carlos’s leadership, he thinks his father is a coward for “leading from the rear” rather than finding the most dangerous fight and leading by example. Gabby is a loving idiot, if he’d gone to the NAMA he would’ve been a good friend of Victor Davion.  Instead he makes Gabby fight in a Shadow Hawk, a BattleMech known only for his mediocrity. Gabby is a shadow of his sister, and so his `Mech is a Shadow (Hawk) of her Phoenix Hawk. This is not subtle but it is easy to overlook, and it is the crux of the novel’s actual main plot. Everything with Cassie is the distraction, a misdirection from the story of a grieving father struggling and failing to connect with his estranged, arrogant son. Cassie is the wheel that moves the story along, but Don Carlos is the 17th Recon Regiment and Gavilan Camacho is its future. As he is now, Gavilan Camacho is doomed to failure.  We cut to Archie and Mariska. Archie Archie body slams another gunman, but gets kicked in the dick by a ninja. Zuma shoots the ninja in the face (which is unarmored, thanks to the security disguise). The other DEST ninja takes a little girl hostage. Zuma distracts her by putting his shotgun down long enough for unarmed-seeming Diana Vasquez to shoot the commando in the face. This is the straw that breaks Mariska Savage, who is horrified that the Caballeros opened fire when the children were hostage.  This is the Caballero mindset. This is what it takes to be a semi-successful mercenary regiment in the Inner Sphere. It’s badass but it’s also terrifying, we’re meant to agree with Mariska’s view of the scene: this is not a good way to live. A Phoenix Hawk shows up while Cassie is fighting at the wall, she’s able to identify it based on the way the pulse laser in the arm is loving up due to a faulty installation. It gets shot up with inferno missiles and the pilot punches out, the DEST commandos shoot him in his parachute. The scene cuts back to Lainie. She gets confirmation that the Ghosts are not allowed to help. The wording of the order is “no `Mechs are to move to aid the HTE compound.” Lainie is a badass.  Gabby is back up and in the fight, stomping on Wobbie infantry to avenge the Pixie pilot’s death. The only time he is not overshadowed by a Phoenix Hawk is after its pilot has been killed. This is more symbolism. The Caballeros win the battle of the HTE compound before the Lainie and her Ghosts can arrive to help them.
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Sep 2, 2017 04:18
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Battlemaster orders in, advancing to 1626, torso twist and firing on Purple Donar with secondary orders for the Yellow Donar.
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Sep 2, 2017 04:26
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quote:Gabby is a shadow of his sister, and so his `Mech is a Shadow (Hawk) of her Phoenix Hawk. This is not subtle but it is easy to overlook, and it is the crux of the novel’s actual main plot. I have read that goddamned book three times and never quite copped to the Shadow (Hawk) Of A Phoenix Hawk thing. 
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Sep 2, 2017 04:34
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Mukaikubo posted:I have read that goddamned book three times and never quite copped to the Shadow (Hawk) Of A Phoenix Hawk thing. I agree, it's a drat good metaphor that I wouldn't expect in brand fiction like this, but then again, it wouldn't make sense in any other other context without the specific big stompy robots providing the comparison. GhostStalker fucked around with this message at 05:24 on Sep 2, 2017 |
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Sep 2, 2017 05:20
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Victor Milan's BattleMech combat isn't very exciting. It's all straightforward and it's doubtful he's ever played the tabletop game. So most of his `Mech fights, at least in Close Quarters, are extended metaphors for the health of the 17th Recon Regiment. Don Carlos, the past and present of the regiment, gets caught up in the past at the worst time forcing Gavilan to take command. Gabby Camacho, the regiment's future, isn't fit to lead. The very first thing he does after taking field command is trip over his own feet and fall flat on his face.
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Sep 2, 2017 11:39
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PoptartsNinja posted:Victor Milan's BattleMech combat isn't very exciting. It's all straightforward and it's doubtful he's ever played the tabletop game. So most of his `Mech fights, at least in Close Quarters, are extended metaphors for the health of the 17th Recon Regiment. Having the action develop the characters seems way too advanced for a Battletech novel
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Sep 2, 2017 17:53
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AAAAA! Real Muenster posted:Oh wow, never saw that page in Sarna or a sourcebook, thank you. I feel like it was introduced in Objective Raids, or maybe the House handbook series. Once they started having more books with sections that were basically just a planetary gazette they needed a classification system for them. CourValant posted:The New Kyoto Armor Bear just has a bad rep; deep down they're soft little sweethearts. My Grandpa had one as a pet, raised him from a cub. Just, don't touch them. Or feed them. Or look at them. Or be within a mile of them. Other than that, you're fine. Fun fact: keeping it totally illegal to export wildlife off New Kyoto is maybe the only piece of interstellar law that every single power agrees on. Yes, even the Word of Blake.
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Sep 3, 2017 01:48
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Orders Submitted ‘Sag' will turn to face 1617, and fire x2 LPL, x2 MPL, and the SPL at the Donar MSH #4 in 1216. Captain DuPont will suggest on the lance frequency, “Your Majesty, given what these Rough-Necks just did, it might be worth considering making them the face of the resistance for the invasion.” Defiance Industries posted:Fun fact: keeping it totally illegal to export wildlife off New Kyoto is maybe the only piece of interstellar law that every single power agrees on. Yes, even the Word of Blake. That's because the Wobbies used them as 'Counselors' in their 'Reeducation' Centers.
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Sep 3, 2017 04:14
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They utterly destroy any biosphere they're released in so I assume the WoB didn't just release them on planets because they couldn't find a way to transport them without the animals getting loose and killing them all on the way in.
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Sep 3, 2017 05:10
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Defiance Industries posted:They utterly destroy any biosphere they're released in so I assume the WoB didn't just release them on planets because they couldn't find a way to transport them without the animals getting loose and killing them all on the way in. Considering the other things that WOB was happy to do to planets I feel like this is the only conclusion possible.
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Sep 3, 2017 05:30
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Konpei Island Update 15 The last helicopter came about, dipping its nose as the pilot put on as much speed as she could manage. The counter-rotating blades of the Clan vehicle’s rotors moved so quickly that Robert couldn’t even make them out on the Neurohelmet’s disorienting circle-vision strip. He brought the Roughneck to a halt and, for the first time since he’d taken those Gauss Rifle hits, checked his damage diagnostic diagram. He suppressed the urge to whistle, the Roughneck had been hammered, but the armor hadn’t breached. “Technical Lance,” Robert broadcast, “do not pursue. We can’t catch up with a helicopter.” He turned, raising the Roughneck’s right arm to point at the distant BattleMaster. Robert wasn’t certain who was in charge of the invaders but they’d cared enough about their people to stage a rescue, which meant they weren’t Clan. The BattleMaster was simply the biggest `Mech he could see. The Roughneck’s hand was basic, lacking in fingers, a claw-like clamp that could be closed and anchored tightly to the arm. It was reinforced for punching, and well suited to prying things up and hauling, but lacked the capacity for fine manipulation most BattleMech hands possessed. He opened the claw, doing his best to point with the upper portion. “I don’t know who’s in charge over there,” he paused, then repeated himself after turning on the Roughneck’s external speakers. “But thank you, for not killing any plant employees.”    Shooting Phase Monitor #11 - Holds fire! BattleMaster (Player) - Fires PPC at Donar MS3 (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, miss! - Fires PPC at Donar MS3 (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 10): rolled 6, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 10): rolled 6, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 10): rolled 10, hit Front (4/16 armor remaining)! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement = 10): rolled 8, miss! - Gains 32 heat, sinks 32! Sagittaire (Player) - Torso-twists to threaten hex 1517 - Fires Large Pulse Laser at Donar MS4 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 1 pulse laser = 6): rolled 8, hit Rotors (1/3 structure remaining)! TAC! - Fires Large Pulse Laser at Donar MS4 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 1 pulse laser = 6): rolled 8, hit Rotors (0/3 structure remaining)! Vehicle destroyed! - Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Donar MS4 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 1 pulse laser = 6): rolled 3, miss! - Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Donar MS4 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 1 pulse laser = 6): rolled 6, hit Front (9/16 armor remaining)! - Fires Small Pulse Laser at Donar MS4 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 1 pulse laser = 6): rolled 8, hit Left Side (7/14 armor remaining)! - Gains 41 heat, sinks 34! Overheating! Mauler (Player) - Holds fire! - Gains 22 heat, sinks 22! Hunchback (Player) - Torso-twists to threaten hex 1030! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (1 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 9, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (1 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 2, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (1 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 8, miss! - Fires Medium Laser at Donar MS3 (1 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 6, miss! - Gains 2 heat, sinks 24! Naginata (Player) - Torso-twists to threaten hex 1333! - Fires ER PPC at Donar MS3 (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 9, miss! - Fires LRM-15 at Donar MS3 (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 5, miss! - Gains 19 heat, sinks 30! JagerMech (Player) - Fires ER Light Autocannon at Donar MS3 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 2 anti-aircraft targeting = 7): rolled 7, hit Front (0/16 armor, 2/3 structure remaining)! Crit! - Fires ER Light Autocannon at Donar MS3 (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 2 anti-aircraft targeting = 7): rolled 6, miss! - Fires Light Autocannon at Donar MS3 (3 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 2 anti-aircraft targeting = 9): rolled 9, hit Front (0/3 structure remaining)! Vehicle destroyed! - Fires Light Autocannon at Donar MS3 (3 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target - 2 anti-aircraft targeting = 9): rolled 12, hit Right Side (3/14 armor remaining)! - Gains 5 heat, sinks 20! Donar CS1 - Holds fire! Donar MS3 - Fires ATM-12 (HE) at BattleMaster (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, miss! Donar MS4 - Fires ATM-12 (HE) at Roughneck 1 (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement = 6): rolled 8, 8 missiles hit Right Torso (19/22 armor remaining), Left Torso (19/22 armor remaining), Left Leg (24/27 armor remaining), Left Arm (15/18 armor remaining), Right Arm (15/18 armor remaining), Left Leg (21/27 armor remaining), Left Arm (12/18 armor remaining), Left Torso (16/22 armor remaining)! Roughneck 1 - Torso-twists to threaten hex 0818! - Fires Machine Gun at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 11): rolled 8, miss! - Fires Machine Gun at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 11): rolled 11, hit Rear (6/11 armor remaining)! - Gains 2 heat, sinks 14! Roughneck 2 - Torso-twists to threaten hex 1920! - Fires Machine Gun at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 11): rolled 11, hit Rear (1/11 armor remaining)! - Gains 4 heat, sinks 14! Roughneck 3 - Holds fire! - Gains 2 heat, sinks 14! Roughneck 4 - Torso-twists to threaten hex 0720! - Fires SRM-6 at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 8, miss! - Fires SRM-6 at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 5, miss! - Fires Machine Gun at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 4, miss! - Fires Machine Gun at Donar CS1 (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 airborn target = 10): rolled 7, miss! - Gains 9 heat, sinks 14! End Phase: Sagittaire Must pass a 4+ test to avoid shutdown: rolled 11, succeeds!   Player Status:   Ally? Status:  Opposing Force Status:   Special Rules Special weapon and minimum range rules are in effect! Primary Objectives - Join forces with Isoroku Kurita (Complete) - All Enemy Units Destroyed or Fled (Complete!)! Secondary Objectives - Avoid damaging the Luthien Armor Works Facility (13/17 remaining) - Secure the Monitor Naval Vessels (8/16) After-Action Report: Well, those last few turns went far worse for me than I’d planned. The reinforcements were meant to be more of a timer than anything else, giving the players a good chance for victory while under fire and too battered to engage the Stone Rhino. And then I lost both my surviving BattleMechs to Classic BattleTech™ and with only a sole surviving VTOL with incredibly short range, sticking it out wouldn't have worked out. I had quite a bit of fun with the rules shuffling this mission, but we'll be back to mostly standard rules for the second (and final) campaign mission. There will be a vote, so I guarantee you'll have a chance to shake things up. Next mission, all weapons will be back to normal--but we'll be using fixed range brackets like Aerospace Fighters do. In my experience this is a buff to weapons that can push themselves into a slightly higher bracket, and gives the AC/2 an interesting niche as one of a handful of weapons that can attack into Extreme Range. As usual: one player MVP, one OpForce MVP. The Roughnecks don't count.
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Sep 3, 2017 23:05
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Fantastic fight. Good work, everyone.
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Sep 3, 2017 23:10
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detailed thoughts later, but for now: Excellent work, everyone. It has been pleasure to play with all of you. Muk, Knox - you guys kicked rear end. Player MVP: Mauler. OPFOR MVP: Dunno. Maybe glass spider?
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Sep 3, 2017 23:29
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| # ? Apr 28, 2024 00:11 |
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Player MVP is a tie between Jagermom and the Mauler, and it'd be a crime to say for sure which one it was. OpFor MVP is probably the Summoner, on account of getting the only player kill.
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Sep 3, 2017 23:31
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