/btg/ BattleTech General

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You have your 55 ton trio, we only need one in the clans, edition

The /btg/ is dead - long live the /btg/!

Old thread: ==================================

BattleTech video-game Beta gameplay
youtube.com/watch?v=rt6FatHHnzI

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>BattleTech Introductory Info and PDFs
bg.battletech.com/?page_id=400

>Overview of the major factions?
bg.battletech.com/universe/great-houses/
bg.battletech.com/universe/the-clans/
bg.battletech.com/universe/other-powers/

>How do I find out which BattleMechs a faction has?
masterunitlist.info/

Unit Designing Softwares
>SSW Mech Designer
solarisskunkwerks.com/
>MegaMek Lab
megamek.info/
github.com/MegaMek

>/btg/ does a TRO:
builtforwar.blog(not spam)spot.com/

>How do I do this Against the Bot thing? (old)
pastebin.com/pE2f7TR5

2017-03-03 – (Against the Bot)
mediafire.com/file/kffatbm11ffus7l/Against_the_Bot_Instructions_v2-5.pdf

bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=56065.0
Current 3.21 rule set is included in the mekhq package

>Map of /btg/ players (WIP):
zeemaps.com/map?group=1116217&add=1

>Rookie guides
pastebin.com/HZvGKuGx

>Sarna.net - BattleTech Wiki
sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page

>Megamek - computer version of BattleTech. Play with AI or other players
megamek.info/

>BattleTech IRC
#battletech on irc.rizon.net

>PDF Folders
mediafire.com/folder/sdckg6j645z4j/Battletech
mediafire.com/folder/cj0tjpn9b3n1i/Battletech
mediafire.com/folder/tw2m414o1j9uj/Battletech_Archives

/btg/'s own image board: - (2018-01-24 - Still getting worked on & now has 22756 pics! Any help with tagging appreciated!)
bgb.booru.org/index.php

More goodies! (Rare manuals, hex packs, TROs, discord servers, etc.) Last updated 2018-01-02!
pastebin.com/uFwvhVhE

>You have your 55 ton trio, we only need one in the clans
Yet 2/3 of ours are better. Really activates the ol' almonds.

Ah hell, someone should do a version of that activated almonds thing with a clan warrior.

I would but I'm honestly too busy furiously shitposting on Veeky Forums.

Huh? If anything's causing that it's purely due to what the canon configs thus far have explored, not a flaw in the chassis itself.

Unless you mean aesthetically, I guess?

Did you just make these, because I likey.

Literally just shat them out. Wolverine config to mimic the -7K from 3050, Griffin is self-explanatory, and Shadow Hawk ups the sizes on everything. There's probably a better way to do all of them but for a couple of minutes of effort I'm happy enough with them.

Customs can do anything (mixtech LAMs, anyone?), we can only discuss in good faith using canon mechs. And I stand by my statement when it comes to canon configs.

...

In that case your only objection is no jump jets. And in this case that's not hugely significant a lot of the time because 6/9 is a much close match to 5/8/5 than 3/5/3 and 4/6.

Or you're just memeing, in which case here's your (You).

Otherwise, the B G or Prime does what the Wolverine does, the A matches a lot of the original Shadow Hawk, and the C's only difference to the Griffin is that it's 10-point ammo-fed weapon is an A/C rather than an LRM.

>spoiler
Hey, thanks, surprised it took you so long.
Sometimes, a man just wants to meme.

>Australians_shitposting.gif

Not even making fun, Chase's actor is Australian.

LOYAL CHILDREN OF KERENSKY, WITH WHAT FORCES DO YOU HOLD THIS BUTTE?

OK btg, stat my silly, silly mech.

WolfmanspottingBigRed/10. It's a Tex Avery classic.

? I think I'm missing a reference....

This guy from the Tex Avery shorts.

OK.

Ten trinaries of Fire Moths, and one Urbie IIC.

stormcrow

>tfw cant make an Imperial Walker in Solaris Skunkwerks because Battletech cockpits never have any room for anything.

I just want a mecha-camel with a head that goes pew pew as John Williams music blares in the background.

>this faggot doesn't know about the Nebula California
>pointandlaugh.hpg

Your mech-fu is weak Daniel-san.

So let me get this straight.

Munnin's effectively AWOL and cannot be contacted.

The co-producer of TRO: /btg/ is contemplating picking up the pieces and soldiering on with what's left.

Another person is going to help that co-producer pick through the designs that have already been submitted but not fluffed or illustrated.

Some folks think their designs were rejected for reasons that have little to do with their suitability in the TRO. Personal reasons. And this happened enough times that folks got a definite impression of this.

Let me know if I can help. I relied on others to help develop the write-ups for my own effort - so no, Daddy can't fluff all by himself. And I am only adequate when vetting designs. I got most of mine from Vadim.

I can lay pages out, and contact artists, and did a passable job getting good art done in a timely manner.

Let me know if you need someone who can do those things. I am still working on the German version of 3063, but I will make time.

>"Hey, have you heard about that 'Mech with knee machine guns? Check this out: it's got lasers on its knees! And claymore mines! And even better, it carries all of its ammo in its legs too!"

>knee machine guns
I thought they were lasers, and lasers shine more beautifully than bullets.

He's talking about the Viking in the first example.

...

How I wish the Clan designers hadn't emulated the Warhammer so closely and would have put more armour on the Hellbringer. But even then, I can't help but really like it.

Hey Cent!

I agree, ask for help if you need it. Try the ourbattletech forum, they seem more supportive there's a contest there now I'm interested in.

Knee/leg mounted machine guns are useful for laying down grazing fire.

Interstellar Operations LAM Question:
It looks like I can make a 40 ton LAM with a 280engine for 7mp, and 7jump jets for a whopping 31mp Airmech Flank speed,
Going over 25 hexes gives a +6 move modifier, and as per Insterstellar Operations, Airmech LAMs get an additional +1 for being treated as an airborne vehicle, for a +7 to hit modifier for movement alone (although they can't benefit from cover or most other forms of defense while moving like this)

This 40 ton mech could go on to mount up to 7 bomb bays (1 ton each?!) depending on how much one cares about armor, and each bomb bay could carry a guided Arrow IV, directed by the TAG mounted in a different LAM's Bomb Bay

Am I misreading something? Or should I just be playing Macross with less space giants?

Did you try this out on megamek? I think they gimped the rules a bit to make LAMs a little less frustrating for others trying to hit the bloody things.

Congratulations, you've discovered that custom LAMs can be cheesy as hell. Welcome to the 1980s.

...

>ourbattletech
>a place where some of the most useless people from the official forums have even higher positions than they did before
Mmmm... no.

Newish player here. The group I play with at my LGS are doing some alternate Tukayyid scenario where every Clan brings at least a small number of troops to the battle. I drew Blood Spirit so I'm making a star.

What would a frontline Blood Spirit star look like in invasion? I'm looking at TRO 3050 but it mostly focuses on the actual invader Clans. Are any of the mechs in it common to the Spirits?

One star? That's... that's it? You do realize ComStar brought like 12 *armies* to Tukayyid, right? What's your one star gonna do?

As for the Spirits, only thing I can recommend is checking the MUL to see what's listed for them in 3050.

It's just for a couple games. I could fluff up a couple cluster but I would never use it.
Story wise every clan brings at least a galaxy.

Ah, ok, that makes significantly more sense. I was confused for a second there.

Bring a Blood Kite, they are pretty fun.If you want another Blood Spirit specific Omni, there is the Stooping Hawk.

Apart from that, the Blood Spirits are poorfags, so you can expect them to use older mechs that other clans tend to look over. e.g. Crossbow, Kingfisher, Conjurer.

The Spirit's schtick is that they're poor, so try to fight frugally. Not all of their front-line 'mechs are omnimechs, for example, but for a small force I wouldn't feel like you have to stick with that. Their signature 'mech is the Blood Kite, a standard mech with a lot in common with the Stalker, except the official art is terrible. Those are popular in front-line and second-line Blood Spirit forces. For their omni's, they favor older designs like the Kingfisher, Battle Cobra, Crossbow, and Nova. Another design unique to them, the Stooping Hawk, uses a lot of higher-end equipment, so it's reserved for the best warriors.

Continuing the frugality theme, XL engines are usually avoided in the 'mechs they field. They tend to avoid fancy electronics, so Artemis and Streak missiles are out, but standard launchers are fine. Lasers are popular too, no need for ammo at all there, but PPCs are high-tech, so they save them for the officers and ristars.

A lot of the 'mechs they use are low BV relative to other clan 'mechs, and you can work with that. Use the extra BV for better pilots, which is another Blood Spirit thing anyway. Not all of their warriors have a spot in the touman - not enough 'mechs to go around - so instead they trial active warriors for the right to their spot in the ranks, so only the best go into the field.

Pic related is artanon's remake of the Blood Kite, to make it not awful.

>Spirits use the Thresher
Yet another reason to like them. I love that thing for some reason.

They also use Battle Cobras as mentioned, including outfitting them with ERPPCs, the madmen

The lore acts like the Thresher is crap, but its never done poorly by me. Its a real trooper.

Why are they so poor?

They stay isolated and pretty much stick to themselves

They are mostly isolated from the other clans, and so don't expand much. They eventually just stick to one planet. This is because they believe most of the other clans are huge fags, particularly the Burrocks and later the Star Adders, who are indeed, massive fags.

The lore likes to pretend most second-line Clan 'Mechs are awful for some reason. I don't really get it myself. So they can't easy-switch configs like Omnis... they still use Clan weapons and equipment, and are still far superior machines to IS 'Mechs for the most part. I actually really like the Spirit thing of making warriors trial to get spots on a force. Even if they had enough 'Mechs I'd still like that system; it makes a lot of sense and actually makes them feel like they Clan harder without being retards about it than the other Clans. It's just a shame they don't have a better selection of 'Mechs, but that comes with being poor I guess.

Im a fan of the spirits actions in the WoR

All the cool clans are the ones that get shafted in the end - Blood Spirits, Goliath Scorpion, Fire Mandrills...

All in order to pave the way for Star Adder hegemony. What total faggotry.

Because they started out trying to live up to their name (Nicholas naming them spirits along the lines of esprit de corps) and foster cooperative among the Clans, and the other Clans promptly yelled NEEERD and beat them up and took a bunch of their stuff, leaving them bitter isolationists.

Culturally isolated and butt hurt about the past.

The irony is the Smoke Jaguars are also supposed to be poor but they had a crapload of omnimechs practically coming out their butts. Omnis in their second line clusters, their garrison clusters, even with their solahma forces.

How does the Blood Spirit military system work exactly?

Thats because theyd take what they want.

I dunno if I'd consider the Fire Mandrills cool myself, but yeah.

See

Iunno, some of the Kindraa are. And I like that they try and keep culture alive, like with having their own language.

But alright, replace Fire Mandrills with the poor, poor Ice Hellions. Or the wasted potential of the Steel Viper.

Is this and okay upgrade for the old LRM Carrier?

>57666096
What exactly was the Steel Vipers potential? They where always so bland and nondescript they where hard to pay attention.
Anyways, they have been purposefully killing off the interesting clans ever since operation bulldog and overlord. For some reason the writers only want to worship douchebag clans like Wolf and Star Adder or the intensely boring ones, like the Snow Ravens, Ghost Bears and the Jade Falcons.
Fucking WHY?

The vipers always struck me as jade falcon 2.0 more than anything else

Their only reason to exist is to lose to Jade Falcon to show how great Jade Falcon is, and then to be betrayed by Star Adder, to show how great Star Adder is.

I don't get why they make Snow Raven so boring. They keep hinting that they are an interesting, cunning clan, but they never do anything related to that, they act just like any other clan.

Steel Viper was set up to fall.

The LRM carrier is one of the few situations where I would advocate the use of a larger LRM rack over having Artemis, because you usually want to park them out of sight and provide fire support through indirect fire or with Semi-Guided LRMs. YMMV.

Everything else is a straight upgrade.

I keep coming back to this because it's true: authors cannot write characters smarter than themselves. However well-meaning most of the BT authors are, they are also usually as dumb as tree stumps. So the sudden politicking shifts are either telegraphed from a million pages away or happen completely at random and at odds with all characterisation to that point in order to drive the plot forwards, and military genius characters get moments where everyone is stunned when they go "Get this, guys. We gonna zerg rush them."

>The LRM carrier is one of the few situations where I would advocate the use of a larger LRM rack over having Artemis, because you usually want to park them out of sight and provide fire support through indirect fire or with Semi-Guided LRMs. YMMV.
>
>Everything else is a straight upgrade.

Would it be better to make a different version of that 80 ton LRM Carrier where one of the launchers is downgraded? My concern is more armor to make them more survivable and let the crew have a chance to retreat from battle instead of becoming quickly a casualty. I know you're right, keep them out of the mainstay of the battle, but I'm just thinking about giving a larger margin of error.

You want a bigger meaner LRM carrier to handle all your LRM carrying needs?

I just wish there was a Stormcrow with JJs.

user please. Your armor is too thin.

IMO the problem with Artemis is that you're providing a reason to put a fire support tank out in the open and/or make it so that you're wasting 3 tons of payload if you carry alternate munitions.

The armour is enough to qualify as an MBT but it doesn't have the concentrated punch to go with it.

OTOH you can't really go back to the LRM-20s and retain enough armour to do what you are looking for.

What I would suggest doing instead is remove the Artemis IV and add a turret plus half a ton of extra armour.

The Heavy LRM Carrier is probably a better candidate for what you're looking to accomplish, yeah.

The Blood Kite looks like something the Mariks would use.

When do you use XL engines and when do you use light fusion engines?

That depends on your design goals. Gotta go fast regardless of tonnage? XL engines. Want to have literally all the guns and aren't super worried about dying to a side torso loss in your assault? XL Engine. Want to try and emulate the Mad Cat Prime and fail miserably because your guns weigh too much? XL Engines.

Light FEs are for when you want to eke out more tonnage but still have survivability. The Clan XL is still superior, but the LFE is a good step. Too bad it isn't 2/3s of an XL's tonnage.

>Too bad it isn't 2/3s of an XL's tonnage.
Uhh... that would be super broken. XXL savings for 2 side torso slots?

In addition to the above, going to Endo+LFE is often reachable for designs that previously used standard IS and an XL engine. You usually only need to dig up another ton or two to make the conversion work, and for it you get a much tougher machine.

>Uhh... that would be super broken. XXL savings for 2 side torso slots?
Sorry, I meant instead of the LFE being closer to 70% of a standard engine, it was more like 65%, as compared to the XLFE's 50% of a standard engine. Mea culpa.

>IMO the problem with Artemis is that you're providing a reason to put a fire support tank out in the open and/or make it so that you're wasting 3 tons of payload if you carry alternate munitions.

>What I would suggest doing instead is remove the Artemis IV and add a turret plus half a ton of extra armour.

Sound reasonable. Will do.


Oh my Lord, the sky is full of missiles!!

Pod space.
Use it.
Someone posted a trio of Shad, Wolverine and Griffie variants that have JJs. I like 'em.

>Oh my Lord, the sky is full of missiles!!
I forget why I made this.

>a place where some of the most useless people from the official forums have even higher positions than they did before

Ohh - personal experience? Names to avoid? It might explain a few things from my end.

>>Someone posted a trio of Shad, Wolverine and Griffie variants that have JJs. I like 'em.
These?

Nope.
Here:

I'm working on a Stalker rip off of the Blood Kite based on your observation but with Inner Sphere tech it isn't easy.

The Blood Kite is basically a Stalker without medium lasers and another LRM-15 anyway.

I know dude, I just have been trying to upgrade it to three each of ER Large Lasers and LRM-15s.

Haven't followed battletech in years just looking for a quick reply.

Have they switched miniatures to CAD modeling?
Have they upgraded miniatures with things like MWO models and good proportions?
What's going on with battletech lately, anything new production, intro box wise?

More interested in the tech, miniature quality and things like that.

unsure
yes, new models look good and there are non-IWM sources to get your MWO models (don't think IWM actually has the rights to the MWO designs)
New Introbox soonish? With the new models.

Not to my knowledge. Best I can tell you is there's a new lance-size intro box and a bigger company box.

New line developer is an art wonk. Not sure what to make of that.

So bootleg 3d printed? What's the quality?

Quality is pretty good. Some bubbles or slight surface roughness may be present, but its nothing a little bit of green stuff and filing can't fix.

>Have they switched miniatures to CAD modeling?
Kinda not really. The newer IWM stuff is well modeled though.

>Have they upgraded miniatures with things like MWO models and good proportions?
There are non-IWM places to get MWO models (Warhansa is the big one). IWM doesn't have license to make them though, so no "official" MWO minis.

>What's going on with battletech lately, anything new production, intro box wise?
It's Coming Soon(tm).

on that note, be careful about removing nubs/surface roughness/ etc and whatnot
don't be a dumbass like me and accident and trim too much like I did with my DRG-1N
or accidentally break limbs like I did with the Spider-5V
fuck my life

>Have they switched miniatures to CAD modeling?
>Kinda not really. The newer IWM stuff is well modeled though.

Mostly yes. Fairly sure over 50% of new sculpts are "cad" these days, though the advantages are often wasted.

Is there even a canon Clan LRM Carrier? I shudder to think of the carnage. 200 missiles on this thing is absurd.

Eh, don't need armor when you have kill. A 100 ton missile APC also qualifies as absurd though.

GAS THE SOCIETY SPESS WAR NOW

Those rules got erratad to hell and gone well over a year ago.

Isn't the canon Clan LRM carrier normally called a Bane 3?

I think you know what I meant, user. Though, you are technically correct. The best kind of correct.

They had to have been really good to maintain 12 galaxies of troops like that.

Anything is possible if you jag hard enough

If you could sacrifice five currently alive (as of end of WoR) clans to bring back five dead ones, who would you kill and who would you save?

Nah, the offer stands. I got a full dance card otherwise. Been ten years since I wrote stories. But it's good to hear there's a contest. I miss the activity of The Battletech Forum days.

My offer stands, but there isn't much interest in taking it up right now, if the lack of comments is anything to go by. S'okay. They've been at it for four years. I'm still hoping they'll get it in under five, but you never know.

Good fan TRO's are not easy to make. And they're expensive.

WiE and VladWolves to get Ulric's Wolves back.

Star Adders for Blood Spirits.

Ghost Bears for Ice Hellions.

Jade Falcons for Steel Vipers.

Rest I don't mind so much.