Author Topic: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade  (Read 21572 times)

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Offline Scotty

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BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
So they recovered after the Shivans caused capella to go supernova :)
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

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Offline TrashMan

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
Hmmmm... that Phoenix Hawk looks nice.

Remind me again what the pilot skills are (x/y)
The second one is aiming, first is piloting, right?
Nobody dies as a virgin - the life ****s us all!

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I'm loving SpardaSon's Dr Horrible mugshot. Where did you get my guy's picture from?
The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell.

 

Offline Patriot

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I'm tryin to figure out which of these guys is me :(
Other than that, lookin good <3

EDIT: Trash, x=Gunnery and y=Piloting
They're your base to hit(BTH) for shooting and staying on your feet, respectively :)

 

Offline TrashMan

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
But doesn't the Phoenix Hawk FLY? Would there be a need for a "stay on your feet" check?

Also..who am I?
Am I even there?
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Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I'll get a better view with the nicknames included next time.  I went through pms from folks who wanted in when I asked first, so that's where the original dozen (and the first future aero pilots) came from.

 

Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
But doesn't the Phoenix Hawk FLY? Would there be a need for a "stay on your feet" check?

Also..who am I?
Am I even there?

Piloting skill is used to determine whether you can keep your 'Mech standing upright when hit for a significant amount of damage (greater than one ton of armor destroyed in ten seconds), jumping with damaged legs, running and turning on pavement and other slick surfaces, when trying to stand back up from the prone position, and finally when you're trying to put your 'Mech's fist through your opponent's canopy.

Also, enjoy a better roster, with characters identified by their forum handles.  Callsigns are still the same, but I discovered you can name 'Mechs.  Until further notice (by which I mean until I forget, or until somebody asks me to change their 'Mech's name), this will be how folks are identified on the tactical view.  In this vein, receiving a new 'Mech will include the 'Mech being renamed to (for example) either "The_E II", "The_E Mk. II", or if I'm feeling like a cheeky git, "The_F".

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I eagerly await the failed seatbelt checks so I can make yet another 'Mech sound like it's cursed.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

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Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
Just please try not to graduate to "NGTM-2R" before we get another decent 'Mech.  Fortunately, you are simultaneously in the lower half of offensive potential and in a two way tie for second place in terms of mobility in your lance, so I don't expect you to take many shots.  The idea that I have a Scout lance in which the Locust isn't the fast one is pretty novel for 3000.

 

Offline Hobbie

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
Hah. I have a mullet. Awesome.

And a Trebuchet! More awesome!
In the arena of logic, I fight unarmed.

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
In other news, it's time for TALK ABOUT THAT 'MECH.

This is a Warhammer WHM-6R, our largest 'Mech. (From the cover of the very first BattleTech boxed set. Why yes, it's unseen, a direct descendent of the Tomahawk/Excalibur.)


The Warhammer weighs in at 70 tons, and is quite well-armed with two PPCs, two medium lasers, two small lasers, two machineguns, and an SRM-6. It has a 4/6/0 movement profile, which for its weight class is absolutely normal, and ten tons of armor, which is on the light side for a seventy-ton 'Mech.

Warhammers are meant to maul opposing medium and heavy 'Mechs at range with their PPCs, avoiding return fire by staying on the move. They are reasonably common and some very distinguished people have piloted them (including Natasha Kerensky during her time in Wolf's Dragoons), there are several House variants, and actually handle their generated heat exceptionally well for a 'Mech of their era (which is to say if you fire both PPCs it can actually disperse all but two points of its heat). However, 'Mechs that can get in close can exploit their light armor and the PPC's minimum range. This is not a very safe operation considering the SRM-6 and lasers, but it is possible. The machineguns and small lasers keep infantry away and offer a tiny bit of extra close defense.

The design will actually work well with the KTO-18 Kintaro it shares a lance with, providing mid-range fire while the Kintaro's battery of SRM-6s keeps the light 'Mechs away. The VL-2T Vulcans offer the Warhammer relatively little help either offensively or defensively however.
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Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
The Vulcans are actually integral to the lance set-up I've got going.  The Warhammer is clearly the anchor of the line, and will use its decent mobility and with a little luck partial cover to hide the weak leg armor.  Twin PPCs downrange every 10 seconds is a lot of pain for 3000/25, and a 2-2-1 firing pattern is very easy to keep up.  The Kintaro provides protection, exploiting the holes the PPCs punch in armor with a (for the time period) withering barrage of short range missiles.  This also has the effect of royally ****ing up every vehicle to ever drive out of a factory.  Finally, the twin Vulcans offer standoff range and maneuverability.  One of the Vulcans will remain a -2T and keep the extreme range of the AC/2, as well as the ability to harass enemy aircraft.  This combined with its speed means that it can keep enemies from escaping the otherwise average speed main punch.  One of the Vulcans will be converted en-route to a VL-5T, which trades the AC/2 for an array of medium lasers (This will be Sparda's ride), making for a fast backstabber and skirmisher that can output raw damage where the Kintaro spreads the hits around.

It's very helpful that the Kintaro and the -2T have very good pilots, as those are the two 'Mechs that really need to be accurate in order to be truly effective.

 

Offline niffiwan

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I've a soft spot for the Vulcan, especially the 5T variant. Jumping medium laser boat (or as boaty as stock mechs tend to get).

Anyway, I thought I'd write a quick spiel about a mech at the other end of the weight scales, the Cicada that is my ride.



It's a simple medium scout mech, basically a Locust 1E that's been doubled in size.  Weapons, armour and speed are practically the same but it has twice the internal structure and better physical attacks. With only 4 tons of armour it needs to stay on the move in order to survive, but with movement of 8/12/0 it can really move.  Offensively, well.. it's better than the lance commanders Stinger, and the Ostscout, but that's about it. The lack of jumpjets also means that heavy terrain or poor light will render it all but useless.

On the fluff side the original heat sinks are defective and lose effectiveness after extended use. In particular the FWLM (which is where the unit is from) didn't replace the defective sinks in all their Cicadas until 3029, so there's a reasonable chance that this particular Cicada has dud heat sinks. Luckily I don't think there's any rules in AtB to cater for that :p  Regardless, an inspection and replacement (if needed) would be one of Benjamin's priorities.

Looking at the rest of the lance, despite its anemic weapons the Cicada is currently the most heavily armed mech  :eek2:  (although I'd expect the Locust to upgrade to the 1E variant fairly quickly and take that "crown"). Therefore hit and run is the name of the game... and probably more running than hitting :) At least the lance can reinforce other lances really quickly, and hopefully circle around to shoot distracted mechs in the rear armour.
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Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
Hey guys, a question for you.

The transit from Galatea (planet we started on) to Prinsis Prime (contract destination) is going to take a whopping eight and a half months.  We'll arrive on planet in mid-August.

This means we're going to have more time than God to do what we want with our 'Mechs.  Our monthly expenditures are currently just under 75,000 per month, and we have over 9 million c-bills in the treasury.  That means we have a refit budget of nearly 6 million c-bills, leaving a few million in the treasury for spare parts (which I will be stocking up on before hand).

Who wants what done with their 'Mechs.  I'm not going to do munchy customs, but if you have a 'Mech and want it to be a different kind of that 'Mech, let me know right now.

 

Offline Colonol Dekker

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I don't have one... but now I do :(
Campaigns I've added my distinctiveness to-
- Blue Planet: Battle Captains
-Battle of Neptune
-Between the Ashes 2
-Blue planet: Age of Aquarius
-FOTG?
-Inferno R1
-Ribos: The aftermath / -Retreat from Deneb
-Sol: A History
-TBP EACW teaser
-Earth Brakiri war
-TBP Fortune Hunters (I think?)
-TBP Relic
-Trancsend (Possibly?)
-Uncharted Territory
-Vassagos Dirge
-War Machine
(Others lost to the mists of time and no discernible audit trail)

Your friendly Orestes tactical controller.

Secret bomb God.
That one time I got permabanned and got to read who was being bitxhy about me :p....
GO GO DEKKER RANGERSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
President of the Scooby Doo Model Appreciation Society
The only good Zod is a dead Zod
NEWGROUNDS COMEDY GOLD, UPDATED DAILY
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Offline Scotty

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
Alright, here are your options, made a little bit easier to see than just me explaining random stuff to you.  There's also a 'Mech/vehicle/aerospace market.

Your options, gents.

 

Offline The E

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
I'd like an upgrade to the WHM-6D, please.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
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Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
As discussed on IRC, a switch to the HBK-4H for me, please.
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<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

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<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

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<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

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Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: BattleTech: Iron Knights' Crusade
-1E Locust, of course. Get that exploding stuff out of my lightly armored deathtrap.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story