/btg/ - Battletech General

Sort of interesting read, but not paying for anything until ilkhan.

Awww, poor wittle innersphere double surat.

Both are reasonably common.

Bear in mind that the Dracs have a bias against medium 'Mechs, believing they are a shit compromise between the speed of a light and the firepower of a heavy. Don't spend to long thinking about that and how dumb it is then that their favourite Light is the Panther and their favourite heavy is the Dragon. That way madness lies.

Any way. Which one of the two you'd be more likely to see in a given force depends on how prestigious a unit is. A highly favoured unit like the Sword of Light will be more likely to have the Thunderbolt because mediums are shit and they don't want them around. Not impossible to see it there, but a lot less likely considering they can requisition better stuff more easily.

A unit on the Legion of Vega's end of the spectrum would be more likely to have the Hunchback since mediums are shit and they can fuck right off to the worst-supplied retard units. Again, the Thunderbolt is not impossible to see there but since the Legions of Vega get the dregs, that makes the Hunchback the more likely to pop up.

Since I'm using SoL colours, it'll probs be a Thud then.

It really is up to you to break the cycle and not have kids with your sister or cousin.

But I can't just STOP being an American...

Is that where all her Stravags came from?

>>/pol/
>>/int/
>>/out/

To expand upon what he said a little, the Arkab Legions are low on the supply totem pole for the Snakes, but they're unlikely to use a Hunchie or a stock Thud because of their low speed. Arkabs would probably use the -5SE Thunderbolt, though, since it's a durable raider with a 4/6/4 profile. Ghost units would be happy to take a Hunchie too.

BULLDOG BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

Speaking of dracs, would this be a reasonable periphery border garrison lance for them?
Merlin-1A
Panther-9K
Griffin-3S
Locust-1V

And by Griffin-3S, I mean -1S. Dunno how I got that wrong

Basically their Periphery garrison units are gonna be whatever they make a TON of, and have lying around, so keep that in mind when you build them. Most of them are probably two Panthers strong at least.

Good point. Think I should swap the locust for a second panther, then?
I figured all the dragons would be assigned to better, more important units and these guys would be stuck with substitute standard stuff like captured griffins and merlins and such

Yeah being a border unit they will have salvage. My general rule with stuff like this is:

-Pick two mass production Light 'Mechs
-Pick one common workhorse (typically a medium, but in the case of the Dracs, another Panther or possibly a Jenner)
-Pick something you like they could salvage to mix it up (the Merlin is a good choice here)

What you have fits, but it depends on HOW Drac you want it to be.

Wouldn't a Charger also work, since they're mostly assigned to low-priority forces?

So, three panthers and a Merlin?
Or maybe two panthers, a shad-K and a Merlin.
I think I like the second one, very drac but still a decent threat to my players, though triple panthers is pretty silly in a good way

Snake Chargers are mostly sold to Liao. As far as unwanted shit you send to the Periphery though, a captured hatchetman is pretty high up on the list.

His list also depends on where he's stationed. The only really big periphery base for the snakes I can recall is on Bad News, so the Outworlds Merlin makes sense there.

Periphery garrison-wise, I almost feel like a bug is obligatory.

My Marik space Periphery lance in a recent game was a Quickdraw, Wolverine, Hermes II and Locust, and frankly I was generous on weight.

This is for the late 40s, and by then most of the dracs chargers had either been converted into configs that don't suck, or sold to the liaos. You have given me an idea, though.
Maybe their commander's ride should be an assault, but a shitty one. Maybe an original-model Mauler?

I'd go with a couple of Panthers (always a solidly Drac choice) and a pair of mediums (since they get get no love in the Combine) like a Shadow Hawk-K or a Wolverine-K. If they have a salvaged unit, Merlins are a good option if they're one of those poor bastards of the 7th Pesht or that other lot on... Nowhere, IIRC (both face the direction of the OA and could reasonably have salvaged Merlins from pirates). Almost anything goes if they're on the Rasalhague periphery since they've got the bandit kingdoms to select from.

Damn, missed this one. If you want a fluff-compliant assault but don't want it to suck, I'd suggest a Victor. The Dracs took the big Vic factory in the war of 3039 but since the Victor's so associated with the FS, they're given to dishonorabru units (Ghosts, the Legions of Vega) and the ones low on the supply totem pole (which would describe the thumb-twirlers on the Periphery border very well).

Where does the MUL get some of its dates for when mechs are introduced? The example I'm looking at is the Jackal -55. It says 3066 but I can't find that date in any of the TROs.

Depends on the story you cook up. Are these samurai with family mechs defending their home that in bygone days wasn't such a garbage backwater? Are they gymnasium scrubs with state mechs assigned to pirate hunting duty? That affects the composition way more than anything.

State troopers especially won't have nice things in the Periphery. They'll have relatively new things in pretty good shape like lots of Panthers, but not assaults.

The amount of Chargers sold to Liao would be extremely small, because they're specifically noted as post-Kaeptyn Accord (3022) sales by Wells Tech (closed 3027). That's a pretty small window already, and then doubly so when you consider that in the middle of that is the 4th Succession War, where Kurita probably isn't selling even the shittiest of mechs and trade is going to be heavily disrupted to boot.

In any case, Chargers would be great for the Periphery, yes. Sadly, out there it could be a commander's mech or something.

Once they declared the MUL its own canon, they stopped having to have proper references for all models and can just throw in whatever date they want.

Some things they just make up. As long as it doesn't fuck with anything else (ie, some character was meant to have one in 3062 according to a novel, or the tech on the machine didn't exist for 100 years after its intro date) I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks user and Satan. It did seem random but at least know why. And knowing is half the battle.

>Where does the MUL get some of its dates for when mechs are introduced?
Direct input from the line developers, for anything that's not already got a book date. They like the MUL because it's waaay easier to errata than a book.

Just checked TRO:3055U and it says the Jackal-55 is "recently unveiled" while the book is dated at 3067. So 3066 makes sense.

Yeah I made my peace with it. As long the MUL is 100% canon I'm good.

hey folks, so the recent BTGRO preview has inspired me to take my pile of old designs and redo them into a more TRO-style format, rather than just HMP readouts. however, I can't draw and I'm not going to commission art for something that's basically entirely for my own private amusement, so I'm wondering what I should stick in the space where art goes in a regular TRO layout.
I was maybe thinking of either a chunk of IS map showing the world(s) where the unit is produced, or maybe like a one-paragraph description and force listing for a tiny (1-2 lance) mercenary unit
any thoughts or suggestions?

>so I'm wondering what I should stick in the space where art goes in a regular TRO layout.

Photos of your conversions you did up to represent those units?

Playing ATB, unit has been going for a couple of years but I've hit a point that the game is just not refreshing the data on things like the hangar or mission screen properly. I mean, I can view the hangar if I click it, minimise it for a second then scroll down the list or change how it's organised, but if I don't it just looks blank and appears to have frozen. Advance Day also doesn't show updates.

Anything I can do about this? Second time I've had the problem so I assume it's something shitty to do with java or the code just stacking up too much shit. Moving the save between game versions does nothing either. I assume this is not just me...

>Photos of your conversions you did up to represent those units?
I actually looked for those, but couldn't find them. Probably lost in one move or another in the decade where I wasn't playing. When the shimseen are out, I'll make some new ones, but I'm kinda stuck for now, hence the desire for placeholder things

For the user in the last thread, I thought this might make a good purple bird take on the dualgauss Grand Titan.

So it's a crappy KCG-001?

I thought crappy was the goal, being a purple bird ride. I could just make a run of the mill dualgauss for you if you'd prefer.

fuck you dad I'ma fuck who ever's cousin I want while downloading copyrighted material on the innnnternet

I would probably jam with a 4/6 if I was gonna just jam LGR on the thing.

FWL needs a quad LGR machine, honestly

Make it bro.

I dunno, I guess I just don't get the Marik 4/6 and LGR obsession.

Speaking of lances doing garrison on the Periphery, what kind of 'Mechs would I find in a Davion version?

Say for 3025, 3050 and 3067.

The Lyran fan TRO has one
As a Faf variant, hilariously enough

>tfw Sea Fox creates a special Hellstar for the FWL, using LGR instead of PPCs
Is thats doable?

XXLFE is required, at least to move 4/6. Ugh, I feel dirty.

>what kind of 'Mechs would I find in a Davion version?
>3025
Shad-Ds
Bugs
Centurions
Blackjacks
Riflemen
Definitely at least one Archer
Captured Vindicators, maybe?
Crusaders
Maybe a Assassin
Maybe *A* Clint
Maybe a Banshee or striker for a command mech
A Warhammer or Thud captured from pirates could also show up
A merlin might also show up if they're up on the OA side of the periphery, or a captured thud or marauder or Shad-H if they're down south
>3050
About the same, plus Cataphract-1Xs. By 3055, add a bunch of Watchmen if they're in the more drac-ward parts of the periphery. The BJs and maybe Shads and Archers could be upgraded, but probably not.
'67 is a bit beyond my expertise, unfortunately

>Speaking of lances doing garrison on the Periphery, what kind of 'Mechs would I find in a Davion version?
>Say for 3025
Cap-Taurian border: Valkyries (New Syrtis replaced nearly all of the non-Bug lights and Mediums in their second-line forces with Valks to beef up the "prestige" units), Bugs, a Rifleman or JaegerMech, maybe a Blackjack or Vindicator, Davion Crusaders or Marauders, and the odd Shadow Hawk D.
All along the Taurian border you've got access to most of the Unseen from the Taurian factories (jacked though they may be).
The Drac-OW-FS border, you're looking more at second-hand Drac lights, a dragon or two, and SHD-2Ds in place of the Cap and Taurian 'Mechs. And of course, the delightful Enforcer/Centurion/Dervish team. You might even find a few Primitive Swordsmen or Dervishes out in the boonies.

>3050
About the same, but the percentage of good heavies and mediums would drop soon after. The Davions really pushed most of their decent 'Mechs up to the frontlines and burned out a lot of their legacy Heavies in 3039 and the early Invasion. The odd "Steiner" unit will also start showing up.

>3067.
Watchmen stop being exclusive property of the Cap march and getting shuffled off to militia duties all over the Suns in the 3060s. You're also likely to see a heavier weight distribution, as the Davions switch over to the Enforcer III, Jager II, and upgrades of all the Unseen (plus all their other new shit) while shuffling the remaining legacy heavies and assaults and the 3030-50s desperation refits out of front-line units. Same thing with older salvage, you're gonna see a much higher percentage of the "crappy" (by comparison) short-upgrade models from the Caps and Dracs near their respoctive borders, as well as "tainted" Steiner 'Mechs once the Civil War is over and the Davs start restructuring.

Have there been any good mech games since MW4? I'm dying for something that isn't free to play trash.

>Unseen from the Taurian factories (jacked though they may be).
Eh?

So what kind of Heavy and Assault Mechs did the Taurians have access to at the time of the Succession Wars?

They actually had some surprising decent shit like Thundebolts, Warhammers and Marauders.

And to add on to this, what was the disparity between the Taurians and Canopians in terms of mechs and military units like Tanks, Fighters and what not?

TDF was something like twice as big as the MAF easy. Pretty poor on aerospace assets but the MAF probably wasn't much better. TDF was also massively better equipped and trained. Something like 80% or more of Canopian produced mechs were just bugs, and the average reading level in the MAF was at the 6th grade.

Then Calderon paranoia went too far and the Canopians acquired residual porchbux in the 3050s and the rest is history.

Does that mean the Taurians always came out better in whatever conflicts they had with the Canopians.

I think he means hijacked, as in salvaged, implying shitty condition
>Heavies
Thuds (lots of them, the backbone of the TDF)
Warhammers (in reasonable numbers)
Marauders (quite a few; three factories)
Archers (lots, just like everyone else)
These are the ones they actually produce, and they produce a lot of them (they seem to use heavies to make up for their shortage of mediums, I'd imagine they've got a lot of stinger, wasp, thud, marauder and such lances)
They've also of course got the same large quantities of crusaders and riflemen as everyone else, and probably a few captured davion Jaegermechs and maybe an ex-liao catapult or two. Probably also a few grasshoppers, as they can be found all over the place
For assaults, it's gonna be Stalkers, strikers, Longbows, Banshees, a few Awesomes. Probably a few battlemasters, a few salvaged Victors, and the occasional cyclops and atlas. Personally, I'd also throw a few -7 and -8 series mackies in there for a little color, but that's non-canon.
I personally also figure that the periphery armies should have somewhat more in the way of downgraded SLDF machines than the IS, especially in the assault range, for reasons I can explain in another post if anyone cares, but no real canon support for that beyond the fact that they're said to have Wyverns like everyone else, and some Guillotines that they put in second-line units cause they don't like em.

It would make sense but I'm not too read up on their history. I do recall the one "war" they did have involved small numbers of troops and both sides generally getting nothing done before hastily ending the whole thing.

>Does that mean the Taurians always came out better in whatever conflicts they had with the Canopians.
Thing is, they didn't HAVE any of those except for a tiny tiff during the 1SW when they were a lot closer to military parity, and they both ended up essentially fucking up and gaining absolutely nothing

Why do people keep whining about a Davion bias when they've been a punching bag for literally over a decade in the real world now?

Usually?

>because muh faction had it worse in the factional dick measuring contest.

It's exactly like social justice warriors arguing about "privilege" it doesn't matter if you're winning so long as somebody racks up more misery points, you're still getting off too easy.

>MAF probably wasn't much better.
The MAF's aerospace assets were absolutely wretched all the way up until probably after the jihad; IIRC in 3025 they had a hot hundred ASFs in their entire military and were either producing none at all or had a single line going, I don't remember, not to mention their poor quality of training.

Hey I found your thread on the OF:
bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=47092.0

You can read mine here:
bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=46461.0

Who whines about a Davion bias here? /btg/ is home of purple burd circlejerking and hating the Capellans.

>Who whines about a Davion bias here?
Nobody, it's actually pretty amazing. Even our taurians hate the capellans instead.
I suppose it's an OF thing

Speaking as a Suns player I enjoy the fact the spergs who hate the faction mostly reside on the OF.

What's your favorite Davion-made 'Mech?

I rather like the Capellans myself.

They remind me of the Soviet Union in the opening phases of Barbarossa.

They're fun until they got flanderized into space chinks.

Not my thread desu senpai. I mostly just posted retro 3025 designs that no one gave a shit about.

>Capellan fan
Dropped

I thought they were still a blend of Imperial and Communist Russia and China?

>What's your favorite Davion-made 'Mech?
Gotta love dat Caesar. I see the nightstar as more of a 50/50 Lyran/Davion mech, but if it counts it's tied with the Ceasar. I mean, the mutant lovechild of a Marauder and a King Crab? Sign me the fuck up

Not since GRORIOUS XIN SHENG

Battletech: Chinese Democracy 2

Lately nobody, but there've been some lovely shitstorms on here about it in the past.

I can still see some of the Russian influence.

Namely in their military doctrines.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

not since GRORIOUS XIN SHENG comrade
we HAN CHINESE IN SPACE now

>Lately nobody
I can't think of a single major instance in about the last two and a half years

What, heavy use of unguided artillery and smoke combined with fully mechanized and fast-moving units?

Oh wait!

Oh hai

Here, lemme do a major instance right now.

SHIRO KURITA STRONG.
ANYONE WHO IS AGAINST SHIRO KURITA IS A DOG THAT NEEDS TO DIE.

DAVION.
WE COMIN' FOR YOU WHITTU PIGGUS

Let's go

I also meant in their design philosophies as well.

Also in the manner at which their warmachine improved after a series of disastrous defeats.

They also make use of a lot of cheap, easy to produce and relatively dependable.

>They also make use of a lot of cheap, easy to produce and relatively dependable.
You are aware that that meme applies almost entirely to Russian small arms, right? A lot of their heavier stuff is known for being horrifically unreliable and a maintenance nightmare

>A lot of their heavier stuff is known for being horrifically unreliable and a maintenance nightmare

I was referring to examples like the T-34 = Po Analogue as well.

Majority of Russian small arms derived from the AK design is wondrously reliable as its built with a lot of wiggle room. Outside of the AK design linage its more same as anyone else around the world, a hit or miss.

Go away, you shouldn't exist.

Ah yes the T-34.

>early T-34 tanks looked pretty but so internal engineering so badly bungled you might as well shoot the crew before they start the engine.
>As the war progressed things got way better but the tank got uglier and shoddier looking.

...

>Outside of the AK design linage its more same as anyone else around the world, a hit or miss.
Their electronics were known for being objectively worse than western equivalents, though.
For infantry-scale gear, you're pretty much right, though