/btg/ BattleTech General

what ever is going on in this butt to begin with

Because all you would have to do is jump over them/kill one to make it to the other side.

That 850k would have been nice right now to pay for a lawyer instead of CGL rolling over and asking to get fucked.

>if one urbie makes it to the other side of the map it becomes an imp

It was in Randall's post he made after the news became well known and he responded on behalf of the company. It was pretty vague, which as I said is not surprising, because even if he meant it (and I imagine he did) he wouldn't be airing that kind of confidential business stuff in public. If I had to guess, I'd say the company has never seen it all returned. I wonder if Coleman is in hock to the company to this day, paying back things on a god-knows-how many-years plan.

>Coleman
>acknowledging that what he did was wrong
>ever
user, I want to believe too, but I know CGL too well. Coleman isn't paying back shit and Bills isn't asking him to because they're Mormon buddies or whatever and they just forgive each other when they steal thousands of dollars.

I've never seen a mech cost so many c-bills for such a low BV.

...That's a tank.

The filename is "tonk toot toot"

I dunno why, but snppc's always make me think of foreskins.

I want to do missile stuff next. I have some cool ideas.

Magistracy Shadow Hawk Guy here. Faffing around with another Bad Idea, namely turning the Thunderbolt into a Periphery Assault 'Mech. It's got great armor (for its size), but I looked around and wondered. The Magistracy makes Manticore tanks, so they've got access to PPCs and SRM-6s. I kinda went with the idea of a blend of the stock version and the Steiner model, and here's what popped up. A Manticore's main gun and SRM rack replace the Thud's big laser and 2-pack, while it manages to keep the triple mediums and LRMs. Heat dissipation improved a little, with two heat sinks added. It can run and throw the PPC and LRMs for neutral heat, or get a closer target for a pretty good mix of firepower. I had a half ton left over; thought about putting the last 3 points of armor on but decided some flair was in order, and put an extra machine-gun mount on the head. Something like how tank commanders get a gun by their hatch so they can sit around up there and watch. Have some backseater in the 'Mech be useful and shoot up things that are annoying, perhaps. It's more flavor than anything useful, but it's the Periphery.

I'm not sure how well it'd handle against a more maneuverable opponent; it outguns the Griffin at range, for example, and dramatically outguns the Wolverine up close, and has plenty more armor than both of those. It's not great, but it's probably okay for the 3SW era, especially out in the Periphery where real assault 'Mechs are rarer than good pop music. Jump Jets would be nice, but then I'd give up my heat sinks, and probably some armor as well. Maybe I should. Thoughts?

If I can find a good image of a machine gun that'd fit the angles properly, maybe I'll shop that recent Thunderbolt redraw into this version for shiggles.

it's basically half a stalker, then

Herpderp, forgot to mention. The engine's a 195; I fluff it mentally as a damaged 200-class engine that was mostly rebuilt and downrated slightly so it'd fit in the previous engine's place. Slowed the whole thing down, but the engine was cheap - 200s are everywhere in 3025, so "modifying" one slightly into a 195 rated design made sense to me. Again, it's just fluff.

Little more than half, PPC+LRM15 instead of LL+LRM10, and an extra ML, but pretty close yeah. It's the next best thing to nothing, but then again so is beating your enemy to death with a foot long frozen horse turd.

>; I fluff it mentally as a damaged 200-class engine that was mostly rebuilt and downrated slightly so it'd fit in the previous engine's place
wasn't that an actual rule from one of the early sourcebooks? like you could modify engines up or down by 5-10 points but got like 2 points of heat every turn?

Not one that I saw. Interesting idea though.

Anyone get the new TRO yet? I heard there's a few new art pieces, can you share with someone whose paycheck only comes in cash?

If you do it right you don't get any extra heat. That's how VEST made the Jackal engine.

Somebody already posted the foreword which was the most important thing. I ain't shelling out any cash if they didn't fix any of the 3039 fuckups.

Can anyone give me a quick rundown on the Harmony Gold situation? I know that decades ago some Japanese mech designs were used without permission but why is it such a big deal again? Was the issue never settled?

done looked into old robot boxes. this ain't no joke

I think it was in the old solaris box set or possibly Unbound, and I don't think there was a heat penalty, actually

SNPPCs are the best thing to come out of the jihad.

Decades ago, mechs were used with correct permission. Then Playmates made a knock off madcat for their exosquad line which also included rebranded macross toys.

FASA sued them over the Madcat, then HG stepped in and countersued FASA over the Macross stuff since they had cut a merchandise deal with Playmates.

FASA made a settlement with HG at that time to remove the Unseen from Battletech rather than fight it out. HG has much more money muscle then and today since they're a real estate company first who just happens to have this other stuff on the side. Nobody knew about this since the records were sealed. All anyone knew was FASA pulled all the unseen in 1995.

Since then, HG has basically claimed they own all distribution, merchandise and image rights to Macross even though the actual owners of Macross in Japan have legally established in court that they only have redistribution rights for the original show.

In 2008 CGL got proper permission from all the actual Japanese owners to bring back all the Unseen, only to have the settlement pop up and slap them in the face despite it being based on rights HG doesn't have. So again they withdraw to keep from a costly legal fight.

This time around in 2016 CGL remade everything legally distinct but still very close to the originals.

HG decided to sue the two videogame companies basically as a rights grab and so they have a foot to stand on when the Japanese come for them when they try to make this big budget robotech movie.

CGL was subsequently brought in under an umbrella thing in the suit that HG listed as basically anyone that ever had to do with Macross mechs in America that wasn't them.

And this time, Coleman didn't even bother to show up to court so left the video game people to fend for themselves.

It was Solaris: The Reaches

I saw that one; I just wanted to see the three new art pieces.

>three new art pieces

What are they?

Shoutout to whoever got those TtS pdf's the other day. Kickass.

Missile Update

pastebin.com/raw/spM3ZMQC

Flea (it is the MW4 one)
Galahad
Banshee

>Galahad
This is almost worth buying the book for alone.

Is it ACS's work like the Thud/Bmer?

you're weird, user

I don't know, I'm waiting someone uploading it

I was the guy who download TtS expecting that someone would upload the TRO

>It was Solaris: The Reaches
Nope. You may be thinking of the 3026 'Mechbuster fluff.

Mr. Xotl, are you watching?
Does CGL plan to digitize old out-of-print source books and scenario packs?

I would be delighted if CGL sells the PDF version of "LosTech: The Mech Warrior Equipment Guide" or "More Tales of the Black Widow" at drivethrurpg or CGL store.

Heya. I can't give an official answer really, just what I think I know from seeing others post about it over time. The plans are there, but in a very low-priority, get-to-it-when-we-get-to-it sort of way. They were pretty active about it when CGL first started up, but it died off. I gather it was a time-intensive process, since without the digital files for most of the books it involved cutting up old ones and scanning them in, and the guy who did that is either gone or moved up and on to more important things.

Best post about it on the OF, for the most accurate info. Plus, actual signs of interest may help spark something.

TFW Coleman is your favorite BattleTech writer, but as a businessman he's pond scum.

I understand the current state of PDF conversion. Thank you for answering.
Since it is rather troublesome to order out-of-print books with premier from Japan, I thought it would be convenient if PDF version was sold.

Although the case caused by HG will be serious, I hope that CGL will do its best. I am supporting as one of Japan's BattleTech fans.

...

...

XIN SHENG XIN SHENG

Hey /btg/ I'm trying to put together a campaign for some friends of mine. they've never played Battletech before, so I'm trying to reduce the crunch as much as possible. My idea right now is to run in an AU of the FWL where they're mercs under the patronage of a Duke. Doing this would let me just give them jobs, with the assurance that they will get paid when the job is done. I'm also thinking about just giving them support personnel without having to hire them/pay them (this will be handled by the duke).

My biggest question is how should I go about reducing all the other crunch associated with a campaign? Specifically managing ammo, and repairs. These guys are used to being murder hobos, so I have no doubts that having to manage their supply lines will greatly aggravate them. Is there a way I can just magically top them up after every mission? Should I even do that?

Tech level would be DA if that matters at all.

Make it be Duke Humphreys of the Anduriens and have them as one of those subcontracted merc units used to buff a raid. Have it be the Defenders of Andurien hit Betelgeuse en force or something.

Grinding loot on Capellans in the 3rd War is ancient GM tradition.

Bonus, the DoA are big on combined arms so being able to have cheap forces available to reinforce the PC's mechs or need rescuing is a lot of fun.

>Warrior House Die Die Horribly's face when two lances of Pegasus hovercraft zip in

For my campaign I handwave anything that's standard armor or ammunition, unless there's specific plot need for a crunch there. It's specialty ammo and armors (like Ferro-Fibrous, or Thunder LRMs) that I make them keep track of. Players are generally more amenable if you make them keep track of "special" stuff.

Well, fuck. That's no fun. Only people the Mariks are really fighting in the DA are the RotS, the Wolves, and themselves. All the dukes/duchesses in those operations also die horribly or marry old hags by 3150. I say dukes cause Lester is a Prince and best boy.

Oh, have them get contracted under the Regulans and have to fight those Oriente fucks and their pet clanner scum.

If anyone cares, the OF thread's open again.

Ok, first, maybe don't be in the Dark Ages. This isn't a "the DA is bad" post but a complexity one. The DA has a TON of high-tech shit running around on battlefields, with ewar fucking everywhere. If you want to reduce the crunch, set it during the Clan Invasion and place it in the Periphery as hired guns working for a Periphery state like the Taurians or the Canopians to go police their backwoods of pirates and bandits and shit. That will give you a reason to keep the tech low and the crunch simple. Since it's an AU, you can have the Clans send out a deep-strike force to that side of the sphere once the PCs have the game under control and are ready for the bigger challenge.

I do agree with making them a hired force under some force that handles the logistics for them. Maybe put them on a planet with a strong army presence, but the army is all tied up with orders to defend locations and can't go after bandits/deserters/pirates in the outlying areas of the colony? The PCs can return to base for ammo and repairs anytime they want, but when they're in the bush, they're on their own. Make 'em track repairs/ammo when on the hunt but at first they just are taking care of stuff nearby the base and always return for repairs/ammo at the end of missions. Later on, as you ramp up, they go deeper and deeper afield, forcing them to bring supplies with (conventional vehicle support units maybe?) or to go without for awhile. Make an entire plot point about it: the further they go after these pirates or whoever, the more work they have to do to keep in fighting trim.

I don't, but thanks, I guess?

It's going to be super AU, with absolutely no clans, and vastly different politics. I might even just create my own setting and use battletechs system in it. These guys have no appreciation for lore of any sort and I don't want to limit their mechs by what they can salvage.

I just want for there to be some level of actual choice when it comes to customization when it comes to tech level. Game play crunch won't be too bad. We'll be using megamek for that since we all live in different states.

Ok, you're deep enough into the weeds for me to be unable to assist you. MegaMek will handle all the crunch for you and you can just have their employer handle the bookkeeping. Not sure what else you need really.

Well the idea of only topping up their ammo and repairs when they head back to base is pretty good. As is the idea about only tracking their specialty ammo. Do you have any suggestions about how to construct their lance? Should I start them out with all mediums?

Starting out with mediums, lights, or heavy vees for fire support is good fun for hunting pirates.

Construct a lance that is made of generalists. Don't give them a focused lance, that'll push them into doing only one thing (e.x. don't give them all bugs or all archers or something). Do something like a 55-ton trio lance with a Thunderbolt in there for kicks. That'd be nice and solid as a starting lance of good mechs that can dunk on pirates with little issue.

Remember that the OpFor should have pre-damaged stuff and really shitty stuff, like "no turret Rommel" or "one-armed Commando" level of bad. Keeping their OpFor shitty will keep their mechs in working order well.

Is there a general BV guideline to take into account when designing OpFor's? like 30% less or so?

Depends on what you want to happen? Like, do you want it to be a pubstomp for the PCs? Do like 50% BV in OpFor. Do you want it to be easy but not a cakewalk? 75% BV. Tough but fair? 100% BV Uphill battle but winnable? 125% BV Fucking impossible fuck you for even trying? 150%+ BV

It also depends on what you take *with* that BV, relative to what the PCs have. If you take all armor bricks that are slow but tough, a 55-ton trio lance will have trouble burning through their armor fast enough to win without casualties. This is much more art than science here. Generally, edge on the low end of things until you have a good feel for the PCs tactical acumen and their lance's capabilities.

Well, if my GM is anything to go by, they fucking ALWAYS have a longbow

I generally do either percentages, or at least 1k BV below my players. Enough so I'm at a disadvantage and I'm kept on my toes (just because I might be better at an even fight doesn't mean I can't push myself in these battles), but also enough that it's not a cakewalk for my players.

Duke of Thermopolis could be fun. Pre-Wolves, it's a contentious part of the Lyran border and has its own 'Mech factory.

For simple repairs, my suggestion is:
-Any 'Mech which retreats off the map before the end of the final turn gets 100% repairs for free.
-Any 'Mech which is shut down or voluntarily powered down at the end of the match gets 50% repairs for free.
-Any 'Mechs still on the board and powered up at the end of the match can only be repaired from their stock of salvage.

That complicates things a little. For simplicity's sake, assume they can barter one ton of special armor for one ton of any other kind of special armor, one ton of special LRMs for one ton of any other kind of special LRMs, and so on. If a particular kind of equipment seems overpowered you can make them roll to see if it's actually available.

>lights
If they lose their 'Mech, and don't salvage a replacement in that same battle, maybe give them a low-end light in the following match, and then have a proper replacement arrive from their employer the match after that.

If you haven't seen it, the Chaos Campaign rules are pretty low key, especially if they're a company or under. Much less effort than accountantech. You can just take scenarios from any of the books and refluff them. From that I'd show which ever murder hobo is most inclined to math nerding and show them how to do it, make them the logistics officer.

If you want to go really fast and lose, I'd have each mission be on a scale of major victory, minor victory, minor loss, major loss. Major victory is worth 2 points they can bank, minor victory is worth 1, losses are -1. Points are a mix of salvage, prestige, supply and other logistical concerns. Repairing and rearming a lance costs 1 point up to being half crippled, 2 if its over half. A new mech costs 1 if there's enough of it to salvage, 2 if its new. Start them with 2 points. Its not pretty but it basically works.

...

Let's get this thread humming along.

Post Nova Cat pics.

Mechs, characters, paint schemes, wallpapers, etc.

What's your favorite Nova Cat mech?

Do you think the Clan will be reborn or will they remain Spirit Cats?

>What's your favorite Nova Cat mech?

The Nova Cat.

>Do you think the Clan will be reborn or will they remain Spirit Cats?

Please keep them dead. So tired of "wiped out to the last, lol" followed five seconds later by "ACKSHUALLY, this small group survived, has inherited their legacy, and has rebuilt them" in BT.

Always been fond of the Sphinx personally. And the Morrigan is just too cool(name and idea wise...though it could do with better looks) to not like.

>Do you think the Clan will be reborn or will they remain Spirit Cats?
I think they'll be stuck as spirit cats as additional flavor to the Sharks/FWL's clan protectorate. or possibly rolled together with the Fidelus/Smoke Jag remnants as the RotS's clanner faction.

Who was that guy obsessed with Ian Davion that got his ass kicked by Alexi Holt? Him and his dead boss were pretty cool guys. Santin West was basically a Regulan in a Clanner manletmental body so he was interesting.

Never really much cared for any of the rest of them.

Nova Cat is a pretty cool mech. I like the Supernova too.

Fuck them for tearing apart the Lexatech LAM island supercomplex though.

>Clanner scum already own two thirds of the planet Marik and have been setting up shop for nearly twenty years

Disgusting.

>tfw you think the cats slagging the LexaTech plant is like the one (1) good thing they ever did

>people that worship the Star League destroying apex Star League technology because it didn't happen to fit their military rather than mothballing it

Never made any damn sense, honestly.

>tfw when you forget about the Cats siding with the SLDF for Operation Bulldog.

See this man here? This man understands the one good thing they did.

Really like the Sphinx.

Hoping they don't get reborn though. They had a good run. Time line isn't going to advance ever again so there's that too.

>Time line isn't going to advance ever again so there's that too.

It literally just did like yesterday.

Neat. I'm still suspicious I'll be dead before ilkhan comes out, but damn if that wasn't a faint glimmer of hope I just felt.

Anyone here got a Black Knight BL6? I'm considering making the BL9 variant with the hatchet using a Space Marine's power axe. Are the hands of a comparable size to do a straight hand swap, or would I need to do some cutting and drilling to fit it on the mech's hand?

The dude from the Sword and Dragon pack has a custom machine that has the same external appearance as the clanbuster. I think it only comes in the lance pack though.

All I have to offer.

you mean
>people who worship their unique twisted version of the Star League destroying Star League tech because it doesn't fit into their revisionist history.

Its like ISIS destroying anything that they don't agree with.

And yet the Falcons kept the twin fortresses of Apollo.

I can feel the butthurt eminating from Clanners over the 2nd Star League forces beating the snot out of them, I mean it's 200 years after and they are still fuming over about it.

What I can't fathom is how they actually won. How did clanners actually pull together enough troops not just to conquer the Inner Sphere but to occupy it too?

Probably something to do with 3rd Gen Battlemechs that make the current set look like primitives, but I still don't see occupation happening without some kind of giant homeworld nofunallowed fleet of warships. And even that can't make you keep the peace on two thousand worlds.

You seem to be under the illusions that
A):battletech writers understand scale at all
B):Insurgency happens/matters at any time when it doesn't fuck over factions the writers hate/boost the current Genocidal Face faction

So, with all the Harmony Gold bullshit coming back to haunt us, my guess is that the new BattleTech game is going to be in development limbo/hell?

Figures; just when I was getting hyped up for release...

Doubtful. HBS artwork looks NOTHING like what HG is saying it looks like. This has been going on for months and hasn't stopped shit as far as HBS is concerned.

It's ironic that Stone did the most counter-insurgency stuff and was also the cruelest mofo around for doing so.

"Wow, the robes really did fix up Caph. Look at the trees and dinosaurs. Don't like the Republic, eh? Hope you like living in a little plastic dome under a sulfur sky."

"You, xenophobic dome people. Don't like all the new arrivals? That's okay. They hate being here as much as you hate them being here. But saying mean things about the Republic, can't have that. Off to the killer biological atmosphere of Markab with you. I'm sure you'll love all the sun and WIDE OPEN SPACES."

Granted it would have made more sense to retrofit the plant, but I have literally never had a good experience with LAMs and that coincided with FASA salting the fields as far as their use and existence went.

Nah, that was fuckin' retarded.

>we sldf now :0)
>oh shit the other clans hate us for being traitors
>fuck oh fuck they're killing us and taking out shit
>eeryone run to the inner sphere
>wait dammit the inner sphere hates us
>well let's go piss off da burrs, what could possibly go wrong

You underestimate how petty HG can be. They pulled the same shit back in '09 with IGN's trailer of Mechwarrior 5.

What makes you think that this time it'll be different?

Who syays they have? We have very little info. I can easily see any Clan, but especially the Falcons, taking Terra and immediately proclaiming a new Star League even if it doesn't encompass the whole IS.

I doubt they even care to include the IS as a whole; the original Star League didn't, so why should this one? The Houses each made their own armies from combined SLDF machines and their own in-house productions, and warred and prodded each other with no permission anyway. So why operate on a different wavelength now? Plus, the Clans are hardwired into the "exclusive club" mentality. It's only natural to extend that to their version of the Star League.