The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.
Woodland Skirmish [Battletech]
Inquisitor
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Fluff
The year is 3061. Tension along the Capellan and St. Ives border has been growing for years. However, after the supposed St. Ives attack on Hustaing the situation is growing hot. Star League Defense Troops came into the region as a peacekeeping force, but now in the fall they are being pulled off the line and replaced with CCAF regulars. Any veneer of this being a peacekeeping mission is gone, this is a war of reconquest. But where there is war, there is money for mercenaries like you.
The CCAF have begun mounting a full offensive on the planets of Indicass, Denbar, Milos, Vestallas and Brighton. St. Ives has no illusion of being able to hold these planets for long, but they need time to get critical resources and supplies off planet. Of most import is Vestallas, a rich mining world. St. Ives requires as much time as possible to get these war essential resources off planet.
This is where you come in, undermanned and undergunned, St. Ives has hired you to help maintain the rear-guard while they evac as much as possible. The CCAF is on planet and you have gone on several patrols so far with no contacts, but something tells you that your luck can only hold out for so long.
Game Stuff
Okay! So we are going to be playing this scenario using the double blind rules from TacOps. This essentially means that you can only see what your mech can draw Line of Sight to. Same goes for the enemy.
We are also going to be using the rules for concealing information. This means that if you see a Catapult-C1 you will just be told that you see a Catapult. If you have active sensors on your mech (and you should until you get crit) you will get the enemy armor percentage in terms of
100-90 = Green
90-50 = Yellow
50-10 = Red
10-0 = Black
Similarly you will get the enemies heat level in terms of:
0-7 Blue
11-14 Green
15-21 Yellow
22+: Red
If the enemy is ever in range of an active probe you can see their record sheet until such as time that they exit the probes effect radius.
Furthermore, during the end step of every turn you can use the sensors you are using on one enemy in range to nominate one target and ask one question about the target unit such as: How much armor in a specific location, what is its specific model number. How much ammunition is remaining for a particular weapon. What are its movement abilities, etc.
If the enemy is under ECM, you need to first defeat the ECM by rolling 2d6 and getting an 8 or higher.
If you are within 3 hexes of the enemy you can visually scan them to ask your question, but do need to worry about ECM mucking it up.
The next big thing is spotting and sensors.
Basically, at the end of the movement for each unit the game checks to see if you can see an enemy visually (LOS) or with your mech special sensors. Each mech has:
IR Sensors, Magscan Sensors, Radar, and Seismic Sensors. At deployment you will decide what sensor mode you will begin the game is. During each turn you can decide what sensor mode you will be in for the next turn. Each sensor has it's quirks, but all of them allow you to ignore standard LOS rules to a degree.
Every turn when you use a sensor you roll, and based on that die roll your sensors are operating in a certain range band and ONLY in that certain range band.
The range bands are:
IR/Magscan: Short 1-10, Medium 11-20, Long: 21-30
The hotter the target is the wider the range band becomes for IR.
Units that are not “hot” cannot be detected by an IR sensor scan.
The larger the target is the wider the range band becomes for Magscan.
Hills and buildings block Magscan and it can not detect conventional foot and jump infantry.
Radar: Short 1-8, Medium 9-16, Long 17-24
Doesn't play well with buildings.
Seismic Sensor: Short 1-2, Medium 3-4, Long 5-6
The unit must have expended MP to be detected, can not detect fully airborne units.
Woods lowers the ranges for Heat and Radar. But not Magscan or Seismic.
On a 2d6 roll of 7-8 your sensor is working at short range, 5-6 at medium range, 2-4 at long range. Any other roll and your sensors do not function. Keep in mind that if your Magscan is working at long range it is ONLY detecting things within the 21-30 range band, it is not detecting anything within 0-20 hexes of you.
I will tell you at the start of each turn what range band your sensors are currently operating in.
I think that covers all the rules, maybe I forgot something. If something is unclear or if you have questions please let me know.
Now, unique to this is that while you all will be sharing vision I will be giving specific information to specific players. If you take a laser to the head you and only you will be informed of that fact in PM. If your have sensor range to an enemy, you and only you will be told their current armor condition in terms of colors. If you want to relay this information to your team you will need to post in the thread. However, you are limited to 25 words per turn, and this limit also represents the words you can use to coordinate strategies. When it is your initiative you will get to decide which mech to move for that initiative pass. You can discuss this over comms, but, of course, if someone posts a movement order to the thread, that order will be executed, regardless of what the plan over comms was. You may wish to designate a lance leader.
Movement orders should be posted to the thread, as, they do need to be executed in a fixed order. Shooting orders, on the other hand, can be PMed to me, as they do not require being done in a specific sequence. (Because due to double blind new information may be gained at the end of every movement.)
Here is the area of ground that you will be fighting over, you will be deploying in the South and the enemy is deploying in the North. You do not know what the enemy specifically will be bringing but you know that they have landed combined armed forces that consists of mechs, tanks, battle armor and conventional infantry. They do have aerospace fighters but you are told that those are currently engaged in a battle for air superiority elsewhere.
So, for now pick your mechs and decide on where you want to deploy. I believe there were discussions about having a C3 network.
And just to let you know the general composition of the enemy forces has been decided on, it's simply what specific BV I need to tune it to in order to make it an even fight. I won't be counter picking your list ideas.
Also, this is a big old beta test / trial run of this idea. If as we are playing we think something isn't working, I am totally fine with changing how it works. I fully expect that we will have a few hiccups along the way
@Nips @RiemannLives @DaMoonRulz @MegaMek
Edit: oh, almost forgot, I am going to try using frontloaded initiative. Basically, my force is going to outnumber yours due to being combined arms, and I basically don't want to lame out against you guys having an initiative sink. So I will have to do my moves involving multiple units for outnumbering you at the START of the turn, rather than at the end.
The year is 3061. Tension along the Capellan and St. Ives border has been growing for years. However, after the supposed St. Ives attack on Hustaing the situation is growing hot. Star League Defense Troops came into the region as a peacekeeping force, but now in the fall they are being pulled off the line and replaced with CCAF regulars. Any veneer of this being a peacekeeping mission is gone, this is a war of reconquest. But where there is war, there is money for mercenaries like you.
The CCAF have begun mounting a full offensive on the planets of Indicass, Denbar, Milos, Vestallas and Brighton. St. Ives has no illusion of being able to hold these planets for long, but they need time to get critical resources and supplies off planet. Of most import is Vestallas, a rich mining world. St. Ives requires as much time as possible to get these war essential resources off planet.
This is where you come in, undermanned and undergunned, St. Ives has hired you to help maintain the rear-guard while they evac as much as possible. The CCAF is on planet and you have gone on several patrols so far with no contacts, but something tells you that your luck can only hold out for so long.
Game Stuff
Okay! So we are going to be playing this scenario using the double blind rules from TacOps. This essentially means that you can only see what your mech can draw Line of Sight to. Same goes for the enemy.
We are also going to be using the rules for concealing information. This means that if you see a Catapult-C1 you will just be told that you see a Catapult. If you have active sensors on your mech (and you should until you get crit) you will get the enemy armor percentage in terms of
100-90 = Green
90-50 = Yellow
50-10 = Red
10-0 = Black
Similarly you will get the enemies heat level in terms of:
0-7 Blue
11-14 Green
15-21 Yellow
22+: Red
If the enemy is ever in range of an active probe you can see their record sheet until such as time that they exit the probes effect radius.
Furthermore, during the end step of every turn you can use the sensors you are using on one enemy in range to nominate one target and ask one question about the target unit such as: How much armor in a specific location, what is its specific model number. How much ammunition is remaining for a particular weapon. What are its movement abilities, etc.
If the enemy is under ECM, you need to first defeat the ECM by rolling 2d6 and getting an 8 or higher.
If you are within 3 hexes of the enemy you can visually scan them to ask your question, but do need to worry about ECM mucking it up.
The next big thing is spotting and sensors.
Basically, at the end of the movement for each unit the game checks to see if you can see an enemy visually (LOS) or with your mech special sensors. Each mech has:
IR Sensors, Magscan Sensors, Radar, and Seismic Sensors. At deployment you will decide what sensor mode you will begin the game is. During each turn you can decide what sensor mode you will be in for the next turn. Each sensor has it's quirks, but all of them allow you to ignore standard LOS rules to a degree.
Every turn when you use a sensor you roll, and based on that die roll your sensors are operating in a certain range band and ONLY in that certain range band.
The range bands are:
IR/Magscan: Short 1-10, Medium 11-20, Long: 21-30
The hotter the target is the wider the range band becomes for IR.
Units that are not “hot” cannot be detected by an IR sensor scan.
The larger the target is the wider the range band becomes for Magscan.
Hills and buildings block Magscan and it can not detect conventional foot and jump infantry.
Radar: Short 1-8, Medium 9-16, Long 17-24
Doesn't play well with buildings.
Seismic Sensor: Short 1-2, Medium 3-4, Long 5-6
The unit must have expended MP to be detected, can not detect fully airborne units.
Woods lowers the ranges for Heat and Radar. But not Magscan or Seismic.
On a 2d6 roll of 7-8 your sensor is working at short range, 5-6 at medium range, 2-4 at long range. Any other roll and your sensors do not function. Keep in mind that if your Magscan is working at long range it is ONLY detecting things within the 21-30 range band, it is not detecting anything within 0-20 hexes of you.
I will tell you at the start of each turn what range band your sensors are currently operating in.
I think that covers all the rules, maybe I forgot something. If something is unclear or if you have questions please let me know.
Now, unique to this is that while you all will be sharing vision I will be giving specific information to specific players. If you take a laser to the head you and only you will be informed of that fact in PM. If your have sensor range to an enemy, you and only you will be told their current armor condition in terms of colors. If you want to relay this information to your team you will need to post in the thread. However, you are limited to 25 words per turn, and this limit also represents the words you can use to coordinate strategies. When it is your initiative you will get to decide which mech to move for that initiative pass. You can discuss this over comms, but, of course, if someone posts a movement order to the thread, that order will be executed, regardless of what the plan over comms was. You may wish to designate a lance leader.
Movement orders should be posted to the thread, as, they do need to be executed in a fixed order. Shooting orders, on the other hand, can be PMed to me, as they do not require being done in a specific sequence. (Because due to double blind new information may be gained at the end of every movement.)
Here is the area of ground that you will be fighting over, you will be deploying in the South and the enemy is deploying in the North. You do not know what the enemy specifically will be bringing but you know that they have landed combined armed forces that consists of mechs, tanks, battle armor and conventional infantry. They do have aerospace fighters but you are told that those are currently engaged in a battle for air superiority elsewhere.
So, for now pick your mechs and decide on where you want to deploy. I believe there were discussions about having a C3 network.
And just to let you know the general composition of the enemy forces has been decided on, it's simply what specific BV I need to tune it to in order to make it an even fight. I won't be counter picking your list ideas.
Also, this is a big old beta test / trial run of this idea. If as we are playing we think something isn't working, I am totally fine with changing how it works. I fully expect that we will have a few hiccups along the way
@Nips @RiemannLives @DaMoonRulz @MegaMek
Edit: oh, almost forgot, I am going to try using frontloaded initiative. Basically, my force is going to outnumber yours due to being combined arms, and I basically don't want to lame out against you guys having an initiative sink. So I will have to do my moves involving multiple units for outnumbering you at the START of the turn, rather than at the end.
Inquisitor on
+4
Posts
I'm inclined to pilot something light, or medium and fast. Not sure yet, but a Raven might be on my docket. I need to check some of the black markets...is there a Craigslist in the space future?
I tend to agree with Nips. If anyone takes a C3 then everyone should to try and make up for the cost. And those also tend towards high value heavy or assault mechs.
Nips: Thinking about bringing a Raven against Capellans eh? Well they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
If we go C3 then an Avatar AV1-OC. It's far from ideal but there actually isn't much to choose from with C3 master rigs. Costs 1406 BV before pilot skill modifiers.
Otherwise an Avatar AV1-O. Has a better weapons layout than the OC. I think it will do very well against tanks and infantry. Costs 1395.
Edit: reading is hard.
Our choices for C3 master are, as far as I can tell, as follows:
-Atlas CM: 100 tons, BV 2036
-Naginata C3A: 95 tons, BV 1954
-Tai-sho 7S: 85 tons, BV 1774
-Shugenja 7D: 75 tons, BV 1656
-Sunder B: 90 tons, BV 1597
-Hatamoto-Hi CM: 80 tons, BV 1573
-Cyclops 11-C: 90 tons, BV 1553
-Avatar OC: 70 tons, BV 1406
Personally, I like my C3 masters to stay at a distance, so I recommend the Atlas (gauss, lrm 20 and er large laser) or Naginata (3 artemis lrm15s, erppc), maybe the Tai-sho (2 erppcs).
If we end up not going the C3 route my choice of mech won't change, so y'all discuss amongst yourselves. I say the bonuses are worth the cost.
If you can end up deciding your composition before the end of tomorrow that would be rad.
I don't have an opinion on going C3. Primary choice is Grand Dragon either 1G or C. If @Nips wants to start a little lighter while we get used to the format, then I'll bump down to Centurion.
I'm doubling down on the "No C3". What are we, Combine snakes?
Also, unless someone has a better suggestion for a suitable scout-role 'Mech, I'm settling on the Raven RVN-3L. I have a feeling we'll need the EW gear to make up for our completely shite sensors.
Piloting 4, Gunnery 4. Nobody ever expected me to use my guns, did they?
(Also, I finally bookmarked the thread, so I'll see when things happen :P Silly me.)
And I'll drop my gunnery to 3, since the MRM already has an attack penalty.
The TNS-4S is 75 tons 5/8/5 with 1 ER LL, 1 MPL, 2 ER ML, 1 MRM 20 and Guardian ECM
The AV1-O is 70 tons 4/6 with 2x MPL, 2x LRM 10, 2x Machinegun, 2x ML, and 1x LBX 10
RVN-3L is 35 tons, 6/9 with Narc, TAG, Beagle Active Probe, Guardian ECM, 2x ML and 1x SRM 6
That should give you some more info to work with when picking the last mech for the lance @DaMoonRulz
I agree with Nips, if he's going to be in the 35 ton mech he should probably not be designated lance leader. Looking at the current mechs either the Avatar or the Thanatos would work well.
Speaking of ECM, the TacOps rules for ECCM will be on, which means you can opt to change your ECM from protecting you to canceling out enemy ECM within the bubble.
Since DaMoon is set on his Dragon, I can switch over if everyone's cool with that.
If you do that, just be sure to tell me what mix of ammo you'd like to bring. You'll need semi-guided to take advantage of the tag, narc-capable to take advantage of the narc, or artemis-capable ammo if you just want to use the built in artemis FCS.
That goes for everyone as well, if you want special ammo load outs, let me know.
I'm tempted to roll one of those NARC bins as Explosive Pods, but I think I'll just play it straight for now.
LBX Autocannon, capable of firing a single solid shell, or a 10-pellet spread of 'Mech-sized buckshot.
At least with the way MegaMek (the program, not the player) what ammo you have available to you seems based on the year the mech was made. So depending on which model of dragon you pick you may have ammo varieties available or not.
That said, there isn't any real downside to carry semi-guided ammo over regular, for example. If the TAG hits you get a bonus, if the TAG doesn't they function as regular LRM missiles.
Ohhhh I just noticed the 1G is the classic and 5K is the newer model. Is there enough of a performance difference to switch from 1G to 5K?
SPACE. SHOTGUN.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I points da laser at da target, and da target goes boom.
Seriously, not hard.
The 5K gets 6/9 movement as opposed to the 1G's 5/8 movement. But the 5K also has an XL engine so those side torsos going will kill you. The 5K also upgrades the PCC to an ER PCC, but oddly decides to mount one additional medium laser facing backwards (so 1 forward, 2 back compared to the 1Gs 2 forward, 1 back). Both have the same amount of armor, and the 5K can take advanced ammo while the 1G can not. The 5K also upgrades from single to double heat sinks, and mounts one extra sink, taking your heat dissipation from 12 to 26.
So up to you.
Hypothetically we are looking at
@Nips : Raven-3L, standard ammo load out, 4/4 pilot
@RiemannLives : Avatar-O, standard ammo load out 4/5 pilot (unless you want to tweak that)
@MegaMek : Archer-5R, 1 ton narc, 1 ton semi guided, 2 tons artemis LRMS, and a 3/5 pilot (assuming you still wanted the higher stats)
DaMoonRulz: Grand Dragon-5K, 2 tons semi guided ammo, 4/4 pilot
Total BV: 5712
Here is a more zoomed in version of your deployment area:
Let me know where you want to deploy and we can get this show on the road, I've already got the OpFor starting positions figured out
Forgot that I wanted to check this for you. The big differences are the 5K uses an XL engine (lighter, and actually faster), an ER-PPC instead of a standard, and has almost enough double heat sinks to handle the heat load (as opposed to having not nearly enough singles, on the 1G).
The XL makes the 5G more fragile, but it's definitely got better heat management, and therefore punch.
I'm thinking we start in/near 1733, basically in the middle. Once we're on board, I'll start making moves toward the peak to the NE of this position at 2222 to see if I can get eyes on targets.
Next question: how do I fire a UAC5
When you declare your fire, you state whether you're firing normally or double-tapping. If you double-tap, there's a small chance that the gun jams (ruining it for the entire scenario), but then a chance that one or two shells impact on a successful attack roll.
Basically worth doing almost every attack, unless you are taking some kinda "only hit on 12" potshot for the heck of it.
Alright, changing you over a 5N, with 2 tons of semi-guided LRMs, and a 4/4 pilot (I really like this mech choice btw, I'm just a big fan of Dragons in general. If I wasn't building a Liao force I'd be building a Combine force).
This brings your new BV total to 5557, barring any pilot tweaks on Riemann's part.