Just sitting here thinking about how nice it would have been if all the IIC mechs had been as well done as the ones that actually resemble their IS originals. Like, the primary Griffin IIC isn't a bad loadout, but the design doesn't look anything like the Griffin (hell compare the Owens to the Jenner!).
Meanwhile compare the 'Hawks to, like, the Highlanders and Warhammers and Marauders. Completely different mechs.
Like, gimme a Shadow Hawk IIC with a LB 10-X, S-SRM-6s in the head and non-gun torso, and MPLs in the non-gun torso and arm. And another variant with a gauss rifle and LRMs spread across the head and non-gauss torso and arm, maybe with a random SPL somewhere. Like, gimme something that at least tries to feel like the base mech.
Fucking Phoenix Hawk IIC weighing almost twice as much and nothing but dakka. The fuck is this? Oh it's got "modules" that aren't quite omnipods but are relatively easy to swap between various pairs of big weapons, creating lots of common variants? So you took a perfectly good Catapult IIC and gave it arms, that's what you did.
Serious, take the Phoenix Hawk IIC, move the "main guns" to the arms, put a MPL in each side torso and a pair ERSLs in the CT and have each variant just be a different pair of big main guns. Catapult IIC.
NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited November 2020
The Urbie is such a happy little 'Mech, and he looks so good with a right-sized cannon and upgraded laser arm! I look forward to maybe-possibly magnetizing one of mine to allow for the full repoirtare of wacky options, like a different cannon...and that other cannon...and that other cannon...
I had to downsize the laser arm a smidge, though. It turns out even if you painstakingly measure things, that doesn't mean an upscaled version of the same thing will look right!
That's awesome and I bet you could do the Catapult like that as well
That's the plan. I've got a couple potential model files lined up, and need to prep and print them to see which ones work/look the best.
Edit: I also think I need to invest in a cheap ultrasonic cleaner. Can't quite get all the excess goo off these parts with just a tub of soapy water and a toothbrush...
NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited November 2020
I'm curious what @HydroSqueegee and y'all think of these K2 arms:
The top set of arms are part of a kit based off the MWO model, and the bottom arms are custom-drawn to fit the AGOAC model. I think the MWO arms might look a bit much on the AGOAC model and be a bit more fiddly to fit, but the other pair (while scaled very nicely) are borderline too sleek.
I'm going to print and look at both, but what do you guys think?
(Also, sorry for spamming the thread with these LOLhuge pics. Gotten too used to looking at the thread on mobile, and it's nowhere near as bad!)
I think the top one definitely says "PPC" moreso than the bottom, though I like that the bottom has the bumps on the back, that look like they could be capacitor banks. Other than those bumps, the bottom one to me looks more like an AC, though that could just be the length (and also I'd be curious to see your Urbie arm with them for comparison).
NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited November 2020
Tragedy! My combo print of the Corsair and Bull Shark resulted in the B-Shark failing in a very strange way. It's like the slicer program is seeing some weird extrapolated geometry from the model that doesn't actually exist, and doesn't see some of the geometry that does exist in the visible model, resulting in....some amazing weirdness I've not seen in my short time doing this.
Imagine putting a Bull Shark in a standing pose, and then having the back 1/3rd of the model either selectively not existing, or also existing only of solid struts extrapolated backward from the front 2/3rds of the model's geometry. I just....what? I'm either going to have to trash this print (for which I don't have an alternate STL model to print a new one from), or try and save it with old-fashioned hand sculpting. Not exciting either way!
In a bit of happy news, it looks like the Corsair printed right, despite me inexpertly messing with the model in Blender (to remove a Left Arm that shouldn't be there IMO, dangit) prior to printing. So yay!
So my kids and I are continuing our "Learning Battletech" journey, and are now up to the Elite rules in the quickstart guide (?), where you've got a mixed force of mechs, vehicles, battle armor, and infantry.
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
One of the first things we did when I started playing again was to use clear plastic sleeves for the record sheets so we could use a dry erase marker for ammo and heat.
+5
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
So my kids and I are continuing our "Learning Battletech" journey, and are now up to the Elite rules in the quickstart guide (?), where you've got a mixed force of mechs, vehicles, battle armor, and infantry.
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
Movement: Use the rubric the BattleMech Manual describes:
Heat: Mark the sheet on the Heat Scale track, using a pencil and eraser. Easy peasy. My group always plays with paper copies of the 'Mech sheets, though, so this is feasible.
Weapon tracking: Usually you're focus-firing all your weapons on one target, so it's easy enough to go unit by unit, down each list of declared weapons fired. Maybe you very rarely go for a secondary target. When my group plays, as we go through the initiative order a player will announce all of their Weapons Firing/Targets/To-Hit, then do all the rolls right after. Declaring everything then going back and doing rolls in order is unnecessarily slow for most games.
Say I've got a Battlemaster, and its turn comes around on the initiative. I've already determined (while waiting for my/this unit's turn) what I want to fire and where, along with To-Hit numbers, and I'll say:
"My Battlemaster is up. Firing the PPC and four Medium Lasers at Ryan's Awesome, the two Machine Guns and the SRM-6 at Mike's Shadow Hawk.
PPC and Medium Lasers are 6 and 8's To-Hit. (If necessary, I'll walk through the To-Hit Calculation if requested, but I'll already have done it on paper. Remember, GATOR!)
PPC. *rolls* Seven, hits.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Four, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Six, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Ten, hit.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Three, miss.
Rolling location for PPC. *rolls* Seven, Center Torso, Ten Damage.
Medium Laser *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Five Damage.
On Mike's Shadow Hawk, SRM-6 and Machine Guns are 7 and 11's To-Hit.
SRM-6. *rolls* Nine, hit.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Seven, miss.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Eight, miss.
Number of missiles on SRM-6: *rolls* Eight. Four missiles hit.
Missile number one. *rolls* Eleven, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number two. *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number three. *rolls* Six, Right Torso, Two Damage.
Missile number four. *rolls* Ten, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Done! Who's next?"
Yes, this is a lot. With enough practice and experience, though, you start to fly right through the process.
So, color me annoyed.
I wanted to stat up the Corsair and the Bull Shark for tabletop play. The frankenMech was super easy; I used the stats on the COR-5R, and it came out pretty much exactly as statted. Thanks, MWO, for adhering to the basics of TT 'Mech design!
The Bull Shark: God Damnit, HBS. I'm not the only one to go down this road, and based on previous discussions online this thing deserves the Quirk: ILLEGAL like basically right from the jump. *Sigh*
One of the first things we did when I started playing again was to use clear plastic sleeves for the record sheets so we could use a dry erase marker for ammo and heat.
This has been basically a requirement for decades. There's probably an app for it by now but yay dry erase.
So my kids and I are continuing our "Learning Battletech" journey, and are now up to the Elite rules in the quickstart guide (?), where you've got a mixed force of mechs, vehicles, battle armor, and infantry.
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
Movement: Use the rubric the BattleMech Manual describes:
Heat: Mark the sheet on the Heat Scale track, using a pencil and eraser. Easy peasy. My group always plays with paper copies of the 'Mech sheets, though, so this is feasible.
Weapon tracking: Usually you're focus-firing all your weapons on one target, so it's easy enough to go unit by unit, down each list of declared weapons fired. Maybe you very rarely go for a secondary target. When my group plays, as we go through the initiative order a player will announce all of their Weapons Firing/Targets/To-Hit, then do all the rolls right after. Declaring everything then going back and doing rolls in order is unnecessarily slow for most games.
Say I've got a Battlemaster, and its turn comes around on the initiative. I've already determined (while waiting for my/this unit's turn) what I want to fire and where, along with To-Hit numbers, and I'll say:
"My Battlemaster is up. Firing the PPC and four Medium Lasers at Ryan's Awesome, the two Machine Guns and the SRM-6 at Mike's Shadow Hawk.
PPC and Medium Lasers are 6 and 8's To-Hit. (If necessary, I'll walk through the To-Hit Calculation if requested, but I'll already have done it on paper. Remember, GATOR!)
PPC. *rolls* Seven, hits.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Four, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Six, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Ten, hit.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Three, miss.
Rolling location for PPC. *rolls* Seven, Center Torso, Ten Damage.
Medium Laser *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Five Damage.
On Mike's Shadow Hawk, SRM-6 and Machine Guns are 7 and 11's To-Hit.
SRM-6. *rolls* Nine, hit.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Seven, miss.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Eight, miss.
Number of missiles on SRM-6: *rolls* Eight. Four missiles hit.
Missile number one. *rolls* Eleven, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number two. *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number three. *rolls* Six, Right Torso, Two Damage.
Missile number four. *rolls* Ten, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Done! Who's next?"
Yes, this is a lot. With enough practice and experience, though, you start to fly right through the process.
So, color me annoyed.
I wanted to stat up the Corsair and the Bull Shark for tabletop play. The frankenMech was super easy; I used the stats on the COR-5R, and it came out pretty much exactly as statted. Thanks, MWO, for adhering to the basics of TT 'Mech design!
The Bull Shark: God Damnit, HBS. I'm not the only one to go down this road, and based on previous discussions online this thing deserves the Quirk: ILLEGAL like basically right from the jump. *Sigh*
That spoiler brought back so many memories of High School. I so can't wait to try and play a match with the Battletech minis I have on order.
So what you are saying is that PGI did something right for once and HBS messed things up? I don't know what is going on now. Down is Up?
If you've ever fired up the skirmish mode (or just the mech bay for it) the Bull Shark is worth something like 30 million c-bills which is worth more than twice an atlas.
One of the first things we did when I started playing again was to use clear plastic sleeves for the record sheets so we could use a dry erase marker for ammo and heat.
This has been basically a requirement for decades. There's probably an app for it by now but yay dry erase.
Yes, there is. If you go to https://sheets.flechs.net you can add record sheets for the mechs used and if you click on the big yellow gear icon to enable automations, it will walk you through every turn phase, automatically rolling dice (if you want), allowing you to designate weapons fire for each target, tracking movement, cover, heat, etc modifiers, and it will auto apply damage on those targets on their sheets if they hit.
You can use it to play an entire game without ever touching dice or marking a record sheet. You can even use it to play a game across the internet (you know they aren't cheating their dice rolls if you let the system roll for you). Or you could use it as nothing more than a digital record sheet, manually marking things off as you play normally. Downside is that it is currently mechs-only. No support for combined arms.
SiliconStew on
Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
+6
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NipsHe/HimLuxuriating in existential crisis.Registered Userregular
edited November 2020
There's also an Android app called "Mech Factory" I discovered recently that shows promise, but I haven't had a chance to really kick the tires on it.
In happier news, my newly-statted Corsair will fit right in with some other Thick Bois. Maybe not last as long, mind, but at least it looks the part!
Yeah the Bullshark is illegal as all hell in BTech rules. I think there was a variant that doesn't have the big honkin artillery piece but I don't remember. I'd probably stat that weapon as either a Long Tom Cannon or a Thunderbolt LRM. Worth noting that Sarna seems to be showing it's heavily suggested to be Clan tech developed by Wolverine
e: there's also the non-cannon variant (snicker)
BSK-M3
Outfitted with conventional Inner Sphere weaponry, the M3 lacks the long-range artillery piece of the "standard" BSK-MAZ. Instead, each arm is fitted with an Autocannon/10 and an Autocannon/5, and both side torsos mount two standard Medium Lasers and a pair of LRM-5s. It also carries two tons of LRM ammo, one ton of AC/5 ammo, and two tons of AC/10 ammo. In addition, the double heat sinks in the engine have been replaced by standard inner sphere single models.
I got a lot of the newer Battletech stuff, but I just came across this Clan kickstarter. I can get into the late pledge but does it add a lot that it's worth it?
I got a lot of the newer Battletech stuff, but I just came across this Clan kickstarter. I can get into the late pledge but does it add a lot that it's worth it?
The only stuff that's KS exclusive is the art on the Box Set, the Legendary mechwarriors pack, the keychain, the dog tag, Mechwarrior Pilot Cards sets II & III, some of the posters, the leather dice bag (which is only available as an add-on), a digital novella, and 5 digital scenarios.
I guess it depends what you mean by "does it add a lot" a lot of what?
I got a lot of the newer Battletech stuff, but I just came across this Clan kickstarter. I can get into the late pledge but does it add a lot that it's worth it?
The only stuff that's KS exclusive is the art on the Box Set, the Legendary mechwarriors pack, the keychain, the dog tag, Mechwarrior Pilot Cards sets II & III, some of the posters, the leather dice bag (which is only available as an add-on), a digital novella, and 5 digital scenarios.
I guess it depends what you mean by "does it add a lot" a lot of what?
No idea. I'm pretty new into Battletech, but I also like like buying RPG books and Mech figures. I guess to simplify "anything cool?"
Yeah the Bullshark is illegal as all hell in BTech rules. I think there was a variant that doesn't have the big honkin artillery piece but I don't remember. I'd probably stat that weapon as either a Long Tom Cannon or a Thunderbolt LRM. Worth noting that Sarna seems to be showing it's heavily suggested to be Clan tech developed by Wolverine
e: there's also the non-cannon variant (snicker)
BSK-M3
Outfitted with conventional Inner Sphere weaponry, the M3 lacks the long-range artillery piece of the "standard" BSK-MAZ. Instead, each arm is fitted with an Autocannon/10 and an Autocannon/5, and both side torsos mount two standard Medium Lasers and a pair of LRM-5s. It also carries two tons of LRM ammo, one ton of AC/5 ammo, and two tons of AC/10 ammo. In addition, the double heat sinks in the engine have been replaced by standard inner sphere single models.
2 tons of ammo for 2 LRM5? Just how long a game are they planning? And only 1 ton ammo for the 2 ac5?
Go home Bullshark, you’re drunk 🥴
Edit: wait, 2 LRM5 per side so 4 total, still seems like too much, but I guess they don’t do half tons and 1 would seem light.
Should probably downgrade the ac5s and ammo to AC2 so that everything can fit, maybe upgrade the LRM5 or MLAS to use up the tonnage or add more HS/ammo
Man I tried stating out the MAH at one point and I just couldn't get it to work. At bare minimum it's Clan tech, and even assuming that the big gun really is a Thumper you end up seriously crit and tonnage starved.
I'd probably rework the M3 to put the AC/10s in the side torsos to make it "legal" and at that point it'd be a pretty solid TT mech.
I think if you assume the -M3 is a "Golden Century" era Early Clan prototype, it works if you use the LB 10 X stats, give it slug ammo and it works out just fine.
The Bullshark is absolutely clan tech. And it's 19.5 empty tonnage means it has Endo Steel and an XL engine. The non-canon cut down "Thumper" is a problem, but you can replace it with 2 Mech Mortar/8's with 2 tons of ammo and fit all that in the right torso. That sort of gives a similar usage feel to what's in game. If you do that, and assume it is all clan tech, everything else from its loadout in game fits and actually winds up being 1 ton under weight.
Bullshark BSK-MAZ
Mass: 95 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Advanced Rules
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-D-D
Production Year: 3070
Dry Cost: 21,625,500 C-Bills
Total Cost: 21,757,500 C-Bills
Battle Value: 2,177
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 285 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 LB 10-X ACs
2 Ultra AC/5s
4 ER Medium Lasers
2 Mech Mortar 8s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 145 points 5.00
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 2 CT, 2 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 285 8.50
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 248 15.50
CASE Locations: LT, RT, LL, RL 0.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 30 40
Center Torso (rear) 11
L/R Torso 20 31
L/R Torso (rear) 9
L/R Arm 16 28
L/R Leg 20 26
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultra AC/5 RA 1 3 7.00
LB 10-X AC RA 2 5 10.00
Ultra AC/5 LA 1 3 7.00
LB 10-X AC LA 2 5 10.00
2 ER Medium Lasers RT 10 2 2.00
2 Mech Mortar 8s RT 20 6 10.00
2 ER Medium Lasers LT 10 2 2.00
@Mortar 8 (Armor Piercing) (8) RT - 2 2.00
@Ultra AC/5 (40) LT - 2 2.00
@Ultra AC/5 (20) RL - 1 1.00
@LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) RL - 1 1.00
@Ultra AC/5 (20) LL - 1 1.00
@LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) LL - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 0
Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
So my kids and I are continuing our "Learning Battletech" journey, and are now up to the Elite rules in the quickstart guide (?), where you've got a mixed force of mechs, vehicles, battle armor, and infantry.
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
Movement: Use the rubric the BattleMech Manual describes:
Heat: Mark the sheet on the Heat Scale track, using a pencil and eraser. Easy peasy. My group always plays with paper copies of the 'Mech sheets, though, so this is feasible.
Yeah - the movement one is one of the tricks that I've definitely been using, and is what made me think that there's gotta be other, similar tricks.
For heat, using a dry-erase and a plastic sheet makes a lot of sense; Battletech "character sheets" seem like they would get updated a whole lot more during play than D&D character sheets do, and I already put those in plastic protectors. (I usually track HP, consumables, etc., on separate pieces of notepaper.) That being said, printing off new sheets for each game isn't that big of an issue; I mostly think erasing pencil-filled heat boxes would take too long, if that makes sense?
Weapon tracking: Usually you're focus-firing all your weapons on one target, so it's easy enough to go unit by unit, down each list of declared weapons fired. Maybe you very rarely go for a secondary target. When my group plays, as we go through the initiative order a player will announce all of their Weapons Firing/Targets/To-Hit, then do all the rolls right after. Declaring everything then going back and doing rolls in order is unnecessarily slow for most games.
This is the one I don't get; aren't you supposed to declare attacks and targets for all weapons for all platforms before shooting anything? So you can't, e.g., use the results of your 'mech's attacks to determine whether or not your tank shoots one target or the other? Or are you saying that that is an issue so rarely that it's easier to just skip it?
So my kids and I are continuing our "Learning Battletech" journey, and are now up to the Elite rules in the quickstart guide (?), where you've got a mixed force of mechs, vehicles, battle armor, and infantry.
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
Movement: Use the rubric the BattleMech Manual describes:
Heat: Mark the sheet on the Heat Scale track, using a pencil and eraser. Easy peasy. My group always plays with paper copies of the 'Mech sheets, though, so this is feasible.
Yeah - the movement one is one of the tricks that I've definitely been using, and is what made me think that there's gotta be other, similar tricks.
For heat, using a dry-erase and a plastic sheet makes a lot of sense; Battletech "character sheets" seem like they would get updated a whole lot more during play than D&D character sheets do, and I already put those in plastic protectors. (I usually track HP, consumables, etc., on separate pieces of notepaper.) That being said, printing off new sheets for each game isn't that big of an issue; I mostly think erasing pencil-filled heat boxes would take too long, if that makes sense?
Weapon tracking: Usually you're focus-firing all your weapons on one target, so it's easy enough to go unit by unit, down each list of declared weapons fired. Maybe you very rarely go for a secondary target. When my group plays, as we go through the initiative order a player will announce all of their Weapons Firing/Targets/To-Hit, then do all the rolls right after. Declaring everything then going back and doing rolls in order is unnecessarily slow for most games.
This is the one I don't get; aren't you supposed to declare attacks and targets for all weapons for all platforms before shooting anything? So you can't, e.g., use the results of your 'mech's attacks to determine whether or not your tank shoots one target or the other? Or are you saying that that is an issue so rarely that it's easier to just skip it?
If you're being a hardass, then technically yes: all weapon declarations must be made before any rolls are made, across the entire board. This is RAW.
Typically though, you'll only see that level of enforcement at tournaments and the like, and then only when opposing sides have very few units. It's a level of strict bookkeeping that's hard to manage otherwise.
In practice, the number of times this will matter is dwindlingly small and most games will go just fine using the Declare&Roll method. It's faster to resolve, and on the upside you can have units that get downed early in initiative go out in an unplanned blazing Alpha Strike for funsies!
Typically though, you'll only see that level of enforcement at tournaments and the like, and then only when opposing sides have very few units. It's a level of strict bookkeeping that's hard to manage otherwise.
Ahah. I figured people had a system like the movement dice (different colored tokens with numbers or whatever?) that they were using to track declared targets.
I got a lot of the newer Battletech stuff, but I just came across this Clan kickstarter. I can get into the late pledge but does it add a lot that it's worth it?
The only stuff that's KS exclusive is the art on the Box Set, the Legendary mechwarriors pack, the keychain, the dog tag, Mechwarrior Pilot Cards sets II & III, some of the posters, the leather dice bag (which is only available as an add-on), a digital novella, and 5 digital scenarios.
I guess it depends what you mean by "does it add a lot" a lot of what?
No idea. I'm pretty new into Battletech, but I also like like buying RPG books and Mech figures. I guess to simplify "anything cool?"
The Urbie for the cool factor? The starter Clan box set for the books? Yeah the only true exclusive for what you are saying is the Legendary Mechwarriors pack. I can't remember if the Urbie is special since it is by itself.
Typically though, you'll only see that level of enforcement at tournaments and the like, and then only when opposing sides have very few units. It's a level of strict bookkeeping that's hard to manage otherwise.
Ahah. I figured people had a system like the movement dice (different colored tokens with numbers or whatever?) that they were using to track declared targets.
Skipping it makes things so much easier.
The only adjunct thing I've seen used is at the really big Con games, like a Battle of Tukayyid size game, is having target markers for each unit.
For instance, say I'm controlling a Thunderbolt among the (again, numerous) forces. There'll be a tiny slip of paper that says "Thunderbolt" on it (or whatever), to designate this particular unique 'Mech. Then in the Declaring Weapons Fire step, I'll take that tiny slip of paper and stick in/on/under/next to the target for that Thud's weapons fire. I'll go do all my math, and then when the Resolving Weapons Fire step comes up, I'll find my target's owner and rattle off the declarations and then make my rolls. Once done, pick up the slip and proceed into the next steps.
This helps keep the Con-size games moving with a modicum of adherence to the "Declare, Then Resolve" requirements of RAW.
It also adds extra hilarity when there's a priority target on the board, and then at the start of the Declaring Weapons Fire step like twenty slips get slapped down on a single target. YOLO, buddy, you're probably deeeaaad.
Posts
Meanwhile compare the 'Hawks to, like, the Highlanders and Warhammers and Marauders. Completely different mechs.
Like, gimme a Shadow Hawk IIC with a LB 10-X, S-SRM-6s in the head and non-gun torso, and MPLs in the non-gun torso and arm. And another variant with a gauss rifle and LRMs spread across the head and non-gauss torso and arm, maybe with a random SPL somewhere. Like, gimme something that at least tries to feel like the base mech.
Fucking Phoenix Hawk IIC weighing almost twice as much and nothing but dakka. The fuck is this? Oh it's got "modules" that aren't quite omnipods but are relatively easy to swap between various pairs of big weapons, creating lots of common variants? So you took a perfectly good Catapult IIC and gave it arms, that's what you did.
Serious, take the Phoenix Hawk IIC, move the "main guns" to the arms, put a MPL in each side torso and a pair ERSLs in the CT and have each variant just be a different pair of big main guns. Catapult IIC.
Fucking Phoenix Hawk IIC. Did you mean Incubus?
I had to downsize the laser arm a smidge, though. It turns out even if you painstakingly measure things, that doesn't mean an upscaled version of the same thing will look right!
I would legit toss money at some K2 PPC arms
That's the plan. I've got a couple potential model files lined up, and need to prep and print them to see which ones work/look the best.
Edit: I also think I need to invest in a cheap ultrasonic cleaner. Can't quite get all the excess goo off these parts with just a tub of soapy water and a toothbrush...
Steam: betsuni7
The top set of arms are part of a kit based off the MWO model, and the bottom arms are custom-drawn to fit the AGOAC model. I think the MWO arms might look a bit much on the AGOAC model and be a bit more fiddly to fit, but the other pair (while scaled very nicely) are borderline too sleek.
I'm going to print and look at both, but what do you guys think?
(Also, sorry for spamming the thread with these LOLhuge pics. Gotten too used to looking at the thread on mobile, and it's nowhere near as bad!)
Steam: betsuni7
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Imagine putting a Bull Shark in a standing pose, and then having the back 1/3rd of the model either selectively not existing, or also existing only of solid struts extrapolated backward from the front 2/3rds of the model's geometry. I just....what? I'm either going to have to trash this print (for which I don't have an alternate STL model to print a new one from), or try and save it with old-fashioned hand sculpting. Not exciting either way!
In a bit of happy news, it looks like the Corsair printed right, despite me inexpertly messing with the model in Blender (to remove a Left Arm that shouldn't be there IMO, dangit) prior to printing. So yay!
So, as we begin to move into the next steps - with things like tracking mech heat, etc. - I'm starting to wonder ... uh ... how do people actually play the game?
Like, what game management tricks to people use? I'm thinking of things like the use of different colored dice to show movement speed and distance from where you started. How do you keep track of heat from round to round, and how do you track which weapons have been called for which targets?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Movement: Use the rubric the BattleMech Manual describes:
Heat: Mark the sheet on the Heat Scale track, using a pencil and eraser. Easy peasy. My group always plays with paper copies of the 'Mech sheets, though, so this is feasible.
Weapon tracking: Usually you're focus-firing all your weapons on one target, so it's easy enough to go unit by unit, down each list of declared weapons fired. Maybe you very rarely go for a secondary target. When my group plays, as we go through the initiative order a player will announce all of their Weapons Firing/Targets/To-Hit, then do all the rolls right after. Declaring everything then going back and doing rolls in order is unnecessarily slow for most games.
Say I've got a Battlemaster, and its turn comes around on the initiative. I've already determined (while waiting for my/this unit's turn) what I want to fire and where, along with To-Hit numbers, and I'll say:
PPC and Medium Lasers are 6 and 8's To-Hit.
(If necessary, I'll walk through the To-Hit Calculation if requested, but I'll already have done it on paper. Remember, GATOR!)
PPC. *rolls* Seven, hits.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Four, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Six, miss.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Ten, hit.
Medium Laser. *rolls* Three, miss.
Rolling location for PPC. *rolls* Seven, Center Torso, Ten Damage.
Medium Laser *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Five Damage.
On Mike's Shadow Hawk, SRM-6 and Machine Guns are 7 and 11's To-Hit.
SRM-6. *rolls* Nine, hit.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Seven, miss.
Machine Gun. *rolls* Eight, miss.
Number of missiles on SRM-6: *rolls* Eight. Four missiles hit.
Missile number one. *rolls* Eleven, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number two. *rolls* Four, Right Arm, Two Damage.
Missile number three. *rolls* Six, Right Torso, Two Damage.
Missile number four. *rolls* Ten, Left Arm, Two Damage.
Done! Who's next?"
Yes, this is a lot. With enough practice and experience, though, you start to fly right through the process.
So, color me annoyed.
I wanted to stat up the Corsair and the Bull Shark for tabletop play. The frankenMech was super easy; I used the stats on the COR-5R, and it came out pretty much exactly as statted. Thanks, MWO, for adhering to the basics of TT 'Mech design!
The Bull Shark: God Damnit, HBS. I'm not the only one to go down this road, and based on previous discussions online this thing deserves the Quirk: ILLEGAL like basically right from the jump. *Sigh*
This has been basically a requirement for decades. There's probably an app for it by now but yay dry erase.
That spoiler brought back so many memories of High School. I so can't wait to try and play a match with the Battletech minis I have on order.
So what you are saying is that PGI did something right for once and HBS messed things up? I don't know what is going on now. Down is Up?
Steam: betsuni7
Yes, there is. If you go to https://sheets.flechs.net you can add record sheets for the mechs used and if you click on the big yellow gear icon to enable automations, it will walk you through every turn phase, automatically rolling dice (if you want), allowing you to designate weapons fire for each target, tracking movement, cover, heat, etc modifiers, and it will auto apply damage on those targets on their sheets if they hit.
You can use it to play an entire game without ever touching dice or marking a record sheet. You can even use it to play a game across the internet (you know they aren't cheating their dice rolls if you let the system roll for you). Or you could use it as nothing more than a digital record sheet, manually marking things off as you play normally. Downside is that it is currently mechs-only. No support for combined arms.
In happier news, my newly-statted Corsair will fit right in with some other Thick Bois. Maybe not last as long, mind, but at least it looks the part!
Damn, that Dire Wolf heckin' CHONKY.
e: there's also the non-cannon variant (snicker)
*salty*
Well if you want a LEGAL modification...
Bull Shark M3.5 (Plinkerton) Mass: 95 tons Tech Base: Inner Sphere Chassis Config: Biped Rules Level: Tournament Legal Era: Succession Wars Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D-D Production Year: 3025 Dry Cost: 6,846,125 C-Bills Total Cost: 6,919,125 C-Bills Battle Value: 1,551 Chassis: Unknown Standard Power Plant: Unknown 190 Fusion Engine Walking Speed: 21.6 km/h Maximum Speed: 32.4 km/h Jump Jets: Unknown Jump Capacity: 60 meters Armor: Unknown Standard Armor Armament: 2 Autocannon/10s 2 Medium Lasers 2 LRM-5s 2 Autocannon/2s Manufacturer: Unknown Primary Factory: Unknown Communications System: Unknown Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown ================================================================================ Equipment Type Rating Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal Structure: Standard 145 points 9.50 Engine: Fusion Engine 190 7.50 Walking MP: 2 Running MP: 3 Jumping MP: 2 Standard Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT 4.00 Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 14 4.00 Heat Sink Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT Gyro: Standard 2.00 Cockpit: Standard 3.00 Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA Armor: Standard Armor AV - 288 18.00 Internal Armor Structure Factor Head 3 9 Center Torso 30 47 Center Torso (rear) 12 L/R Torso 20 30 L/R Torso (rear) 10 L/R Arm 16 31 L/R Leg 20 39 ================================================================================ Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medium Laser RT 3 1 1.00 LRM-5 RT 2 1 2.00 Medium Laser LT 3 1 1.00 LRM-5 LT 2 1 2.00 Autocannon/10 RA 3 7 12.00 Autocannon/2 RA 1 1 6.00 Autocannon/10 LA 3 7 12.00 Autocannon/2 LA 1 1 6.00 @AC/2 (45) CT - 1 1.00 @LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00 @AC/10 (10) RT - 1 1.00 @AC/10 (10) LT - 1 1.00 @LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00 Free Critical Slots: 17Bull Shark M2.22222 (Plinkertons' Revenge) Mass: 95 tons Tech Base: Inner Sphere Chassis Config: Biped Rules Level: Tournament Legal Era: Succession Wars Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D-D Production Year: 3025 Dry Cost: 6,651,125 C-Bills Total Cost: 6,714,125 C-Bills Battle Value: 1,464 Chassis: Unknown Standard Power Plant: Unknown 190 Fusion Engine Walking Speed: 21.6 km/h Maximum Speed: 32.4 km/h Jump Jets: Unknown Jump Capacity: 60 meters Armor: Unknown Standard Armor Armament: 2 Medium Lasers 2 LRM-5s 6 Autocannon/2s Manufacturer: Unknown Primary Factory: Unknown Communications System: Unknown Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown ================================================================================ Equipment Type Rating Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal Structure: Standard 145 points 9.50 Engine: Fusion Engine 190 7.50 Walking MP: 2 Running MP: 3 Jumping MP: 2 Standard Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT 4.00 Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 14 4.00 Heat Sink Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT Gyro: Standard 2.00 Cockpit: Standard 3.00 Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA Armor: Standard Armor AV - 288 18.00 Internal Armor Structure Factor Head 3 9 Center Torso 30 47 Center Torso (rear) 12 L/R Torso 20 30 L/R Torso (rear) 10 L/R Arm 16 31 L/R Leg 20 39 ================================================================================ Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Medium Laser RT 3 1 1.00 LRM-5 RT 2 1 2.00 Medium Laser LT 3 1 1.00 LRM-5 LT 2 1 2.00 3 Autocannon/2s RA 3 3 18.00 3 Autocannon/2s LA 3 3 18.00 @AC/2 (45) CT - 1 1.00 @LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00 @AC/2 (45) RT - 1 1.00 @LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00 @AC/2 (45) LT - 1 1.00 Free Critical Slots: 27 BattleForce Statistics MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 10 Points: 15 2j 3 3 2 0 4 0 Structure: 8 Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, AC 1/1/1, IF 1I'd just use the LB 10-X and AC/5, all with slug ammo.
But now I'm gonna make my own variant just for the lulz
Selling Board Games for Medical Bills
The only stuff that's KS exclusive is the art on the Box Set, the Legendary mechwarriors pack, the keychain, the dog tag, Mechwarrior Pilot Cards sets II & III, some of the posters, the leather dice bag (which is only available as an add-on), a digital novella, and 5 digital scenarios.
I guess it depends what you mean by "does it add a lot" a lot of what?
No idea. I'm pretty new into Battletech, but I also like like buying RPG books and Mech figures. I guess to simplify "anything cool?"
Selling Board Games for Medical Bills
2 tons of ammo for 2 LRM5? Just how long a game are they planning? And only 1 ton ammo for the 2 ac5?
Go home Bullshark, you’re drunk 🥴
Edit: wait, 2 LRM5 per side so 4 total, still seems like too much, but I guess they don’t do half tons and 1 would seem light.
Should probably downgrade the ac5s and ammo to AC2 so that everything can fit, maybe upgrade the LRM5 or MLAS to use up the tonnage or add more HS/ammo
MWO: Adamski
I'd probably rework the M3 to put the AC/10s in the side torsos to make it "legal" and at that point it'd be a pretty solid TT mech.
Bullshark BSK-MAZ Mass: 95 tons Tech Base: Clan Chassis Config: Biped Rules Level: Advanced Rules Era: Clan Invasion Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-X-D-D Production Year: 3070 Dry Cost: 21,625,500 C-Bills Total Cost: 21,757,500 C-Bills Battle Value: 2,177 Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel Power Plant: Unknown 285 Fusion XL Engine Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h Jump Jets: None Jump Capacity: 0 meters Armor: Unknown Standard Armor Armament: 2 LB 10-X ACs 2 Ultra AC/5s 4 ER Medium Lasers 2 Mech Mortar 8s Manufacturer: Unknown Primary Factory: Unknown Communications System: Unknown Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown ================================================================================ Equipment Type Rating Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 145 points 5.00 Internal Locations: 1 HD, 2 CT, 2 LT, 1 LA, 1 RA Engine: XL Fusion Engine 285 8.50 Walking MP: 3 Running MP: 5 Jumping MP: 0 Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00 Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT Gyro: Standard 3.00 Cockpit: Standard 3.00 Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA Armor: Standard Armor AV - 248 15.50 CASE Locations: LT, RT, LL, RL 0.00 Internal Armor Structure Factor Head 3 9 Center Torso 30 40 Center Torso (rear) 11 L/R Torso 20 31 L/R Torso (rear) 9 L/R Arm 16 28 L/R Leg 20 26 ================================================================================ Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ultra AC/5 RA 1 3 7.00 LB 10-X AC RA 2 5 10.00 Ultra AC/5 LA 1 3 7.00 LB 10-X AC LA 2 5 10.00 2 ER Medium Lasers RT 10 2 2.00 2 Mech Mortar 8s RT 20 6 10.00 2 ER Medium Lasers LT 10 2 2.00 @Mortar 8 (Armor Piercing) (8) RT - 2 2.00 @Ultra AC/5 (40) LT - 2 2.00 @Ultra AC/5 (20) RL - 1 1.00 @LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) RL - 1 1.00 @Ultra AC/5 (20) LL - 1 1.00 @LB 10-X (Cluster) (10) LL - 1 1.00 Free Critical Slots: 0Yeah - the movement one is one of the tricks that I've definitely been using, and is what made me think that there's gotta be other, similar tricks.
For heat, using a dry-erase and a plastic sheet makes a lot of sense; Battletech "character sheets" seem like they would get updated a whole lot more during play than D&D character sheets do, and I already put those in plastic protectors. (I usually track HP, consumables, etc., on separate pieces of notepaper.) That being said, printing off new sheets for each game isn't that big of an issue; I mostly think erasing pencil-filled heat boxes would take too long, if that makes sense?
This is the one I don't get; aren't you supposed to declare attacks and targets for all weapons for all platforms before shooting anything? So you can't, e.g., use the results of your 'mech's attacks to determine whether or not your tank shoots one target or the other? Or are you saying that that is an issue so rarely that it's easier to just skip it?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
If you're being a hardass, then technically yes: all weapon declarations must be made before any rolls are made, across the entire board. This is RAW.
Typically though, you'll only see that level of enforcement at tournaments and the like, and then only when opposing sides have very few units. It's a level of strict bookkeeping that's hard to manage otherwise.
In practice, the number of times this will matter is dwindlingly small and most games will go just fine using the Declare&Roll method. It's faster to resolve, and on the upside you can have units that get downed early in initiative go out in an unplanned blazing Alpha Strike for funsies!
Ahah. I figured people had a system like the movement dice (different colored tokens with numbers or whatever?) that they were using to track declared targets.
Skipping it makes things so much easier.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
The Urbie for the cool factor? The starter Clan box set for the books? Yeah the only true exclusive for what you are saying is the Legendary Mechwarriors pack. I can't remember if the Urbie is special since it is by itself.
Steam: betsuni7
The only adjunct thing I've seen used is at the really big Con games, like a Battle of Tukayyid size game, is having target markers for each unit.
For instance, say I'm controlling a Thunderbolt among the (again, numerous) forces. There'll be a tiny slip of paper that says "Thunderbolt" on it (or whatever), to designate this particular unique 'Mech. Then in the Declaring Weapons Fire step, I'll take that tiny slip of paper and stick in/on/under/next to the target for that Thud's weapons fire. I'll go do all my math, and then when the Resolving Weapons Fire step comes up, I'll find my target's owner and rattle off the declarations and then make my rolls. Once done, pick up the slip and proceed into the next steps.
This helps keep the Con-size games moving with a modicum of adherence to the "Declare, Then Resolve" requirements of RAW.
It also adds extra hilarity when there's a priority target on the board, and then at the start of the Declaring Weapons Fire step like twenty slips get slapped down on a single target. YOLO, buddy, you're probably deeeaaad.