wolf_lord_30
06/09/18 11:11 AM
74.214.54.153
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On these forums, there have been talks about a reboot for Battletech. Some dissatisfied people with this or that. And with the coming of the new box set, while I love 3025, sometimes it seems as if they are stuck in that era even as they push their Jihad and Dark Age stuff. Kind of odd. So please read this next block of words and give me your opinions if you could see it happening. It's not so much a reboot as a flash forward and everything kind of repeating itself. SSDD.
3209. The flames of war had finally died down. Old grudges had been laid to rest. Hatred had given way to guarded understanding. Peace finally came under the rule of the First Lord. He ended petty squabbles with firm words. Major disputes he allowed arms to take to the arena. Trading and merchants brought wealth, jobs and stability. Merchant guards were swelled with the adventurous. Scientists found new and faster ways to colonize worlds and move beyond, to the deep periphery, to even further. Military scientists, no longer worked with the desperation to push out new equipment that wasn't ready. Soon, targeting systems were back on track. HPGs were improved. Life was good.
The Defense Force existed to prevent any major loss of life from bandit and pirate raids. They prevented any war go on between any of the major houses. They were the necessary peacekeepers to ensure the safety of mankind in this new era. Houses had token military forces. Enough to keep them satisfied, but not enough to fuel a break up of the Star League. Excess military equipment and tech were securely put into storage and a copy of the locations was given to and verified by League clerks and the House that secured them. Defense Forces guarded each cache jealously to prevent any theft or misguided individuals from trying to secure an arsenal.
But mankind, in all of its wisdom, just couldn't help itself. On the eve of 3210, the League would be shattered. A simple mistake, a failed marriage proposal and bad luck left the Archon of House Steiner in a bad situation. Trying to get out of it, he decided to plead his case to the First Lord. Mechanical error caused his jumpship to spontaneously erupt into nothingness. Fingers began to point at his longtime rival, the Prince of Davion, who also sought the hand of the Chancellor of House Liao, even though he really did have nothing to do with it. An investigation was mounted by the League Defense Force, and while they could not prove he was involved, several plots were uncovered, exposing his machinations to bankrupt and strip his rival of power. The Duchess of Andurien, turned Captain General of the House Marik, was infatuated with the Prince of Davion and accused the Defense Force of fabricating evidence. This sparked riots on the worlds as distrust and old feelings ignited.
Before long, the Defense Force was embroiled in battle on all sides. Every major House was after the caches that were on their planets. The Lyran Commonwealth was ready to mount an assault on the Federated Suns. The Federated Suns realized they had to defend themselves. The Chancellor of the Capellans used diplomacy circumvent the anger of the Lyrans, and began to try to build up her forces and posture aggressively at the Federated Suns before others believed that she was also involved in the death of the Archon. The Free Worlds League, united in their cause to throw off the yoke of the Star League, began to make threatening overtures at the Liao and Steiner borders. The Draconis Combine had a long memory and recalled how they had suffered at the hands of those that had become the Defense Force and the Federated Suns, began a massive build up. The Defense Force soon became split along old Clan lines and defense cordons were set up to deal with the fracturing of the Star League and to try to prevent large scale war. All was not quiet on the Periphery either. A rebuilt Clan Burrock and the Minnesota Tribe arrived at the rumblings of war. No one quite knows what they want yet.
Rule and idea changes that I feel would push the game forward a little bit.
All ranges are multiplied by 3. There are different to hit mods. Still same mods for short medium, and long. However, due to targeting, anything past 21 hexes receives an additional +1 to hit, anything past 42 hexes is an additional +3 to hit. Not entirely sure about this one, but ranges are too short as they stand now. However, from a gaming standpoint, they work fairly well with the maps, this changes that, maybe too much.
Clan and IS weaponry is now exactly the same. Use Clan tech for everything. All equipment has been refined and reworked, no tech after 3058 is used as everything has been improved and not a lot of drawbacks to sophisticated systems anymore. Just trying to get away from some of the more silly or crazy equimpment designs that have been thrown out there. This is debatable, but tech needs to be smoothed over and on the same level. Having everything at the Clan tech should help move the game along faster.
Clans still get +1 G/P due to their eugenics program
3025 era mechs designs are still common, but all have been upgraded. No one really wants to do away with a Commando, Griffin, Hunchback, Dragon, etc. Robotech unseen have not been made or manufactured in close to 100 years, no one has tried to revive the designs of the Wasp, Stinger, Phoenix Hawk, Archer, Rifleman, Longbow, Warhammer, Crusader. These now lay in spare bins, and blueprints long forgotten. LAMs have been cast aside completely. They are fun in nature, but stink as far as good and worthwhile combatants. Plus too expensive to constantly repair every time they get shot and landing gear or electronics screw up.
Due to the semi magical nature of mechs, tanks are still second class and have all the same problems. Mechs are kings of the battlefield because they are cool and more versatile than a vehicle and that should stay the same. Their armor is better too, and know one really knows why, but it just is. Some miracle of engineering.
Autocannons either weigh less, take up less crit space. Or shoot more per turn. Or do extra damage. Or even cause a mech to add +1/+2/+3 to its PSR if a PSR roll is necessary. Not sure how this should be addressed, but they do need to be made a little more viable than current rules.
Warships and Jumpships are back in numbers. Travel is faster than it ever has been. Orbital bombardment is still frowned upon
Factories are not limited to single parts or only a couple of mechs a year. Production has been increased.
Planets are a bit more self sustaining, less of one industry worlds.
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wolf_lord_30
06/09/18 11:15 AM
74.214.54.153
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Kind of an eyesore, I do not make maps. But you get the general idea
Attachment (168 downloads)
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ghostrider
06/09/18 03:23 PM
66.74.61.223
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Using the clans trial of grievance would be a good way to stop the petty hatred. Maybe trial of possession might be in order to deal with issues like who actually owns something on lands that were disputed. But only once.
The unseens have a few issues. The marauder is one of them as well, and I seriously doubt that, the Warhammer and Rifleman would be droppsed. Even the Archer and Phoenix Hawk are unlikely as well. But given the lawsuit and such, I can see why removing them would be needed for an official style reboot. And the IIC versions as well as the Marauder II would need to be gone.
42 hexes looks to be under a mile, so even with extending the range it is still considered short for the modern world.
The question with this is hitting things and los. That is where the maps will keep alot of range from being used. Though now you are in a short range verses out of range for 20 hexes idea is nice. Physical combat is less likely, as you do not need to be that close anymore.
Mechs could gain a bonus like extra speed or even more maneuverable as they are better constructed, such as myomers that are all TSM without the heat, or vulnerable to the gas.
The books have always suggested the armor for mech was better, yet there was no difference in tank armor verse the mech armor. I would suggest maybe an extra point or two on the mech armor, or even making it all hardened without the movement penalty. And only mechs have it, as per military orders. Any vehicle that has it, is confiscated and those modifying it arrested and imprisoned.
There is much more to be suggested, but the basis of this is sound. With one exception. Maybe moving the decline date forward a little more. 3209 having everyone settle down, only to have it fall apart in 3210 is a bit short. Not unexpected, but a little golden years would be nice.
And as for those of us that don't have the Republic of the Sphere information, how is that handled?
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Requiem
06/09/18 08:54 PM
58.175.193.140
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This is a very interesting idea, however ….
A back story is critical – how we all got from 3000 to the future?
Who is the new star Lord? (from which family did he/she come from?)
How does the the Star Lord react with the House Lords – is there some kind of favouritism with his /her old House?
How does the IS and clans interact?
House Borders – Industries – political leaders?
Size of militaries – have they been building hidden units / pilots on remote planets – availability to bunkers?
Mercenaries – do they still exist – or are they now a private contractual security firms with advanced weapons?
Technology – what happened to the omni ‘mech /elemental etc? why would you keep old ‘mech designs when there are new and improved models that are more efficient / survive longer / higher speed / inflict more damage…. Etc.
And many many many other questions will be needed to be worked out? From the very big to the very small …
This is why I believe going back to 3000 would be easier – most of it has been worked out for you – you just need to work out the story going forward ….in addition it would be easier for those who have played the game to accept this than a new one …. ie. why many people hate the Jihad, Dark Age, etc …. And why many people remain in 3000 to 3049 only ….
Plus it would be easier to amend the existing story … fill in some of the gaps / holes …. going forward ….
Get thee to Coventry … Now is the winter of our discontent, made glorious by this daughter of Tharkad … Our army shall march through. Well to New Avalon tonight.
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wolf_lord_30
06/09/18 09:26 PM
74.214.54.153
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This was a very rough draft.
1 and 2) no clue
3) clans *are* the Star League Defense Force. They protect the IS from themselves and stop any major conflict between the houses.
4) look at the rough map I have in the second post
5) that doesn't really matter as far as this initial starting point is concerned. It can all be fleshed out later
6)mercs still exist, I'd say that only the main ones from before have survived over the years. Eridani Light Horse, Wolf's Dragoons, Hansen's Roughriders, 21st Centauri Lancers, Kell Hounds, McCarron's Armored Cav, Northwind Highlanders
7) it's all there. as far as the old designs, they are what started BT, so might as well keep them. With upgraded tech, they aren't useless at all
Going back is a mistake. We have all the old sourcebooks, all the novels. Let's not rewrite history. As far as starting out in the 3200s, why not? The Dark Age should be over with. Peace will have had time to spread for a while. Now it can all go to hell all over again. And people wouldn't hate this as much, in my opinion, because I wouldn't be adding new equipment. The 3025 era is still there to play, the Clan invasion is still there to play, the wars of reaving, the civil war. This is a new beginning, very similar to the 1st succession war. A few rule changes to make things the same. They can still have all their favorite mechs without getting weird and odd designs. No weird tech that is but isn't better. Clans have an edge, but the IS are now on par. It levels the playing field to make it less unbalanced.
As far as bringing back the Minnesota Tribe and Clan Burrock. Well, Clan Wolverine wasn't fully destroyed. They were suspected to have fled, maybe to the IS. They also had mysteriously shown up once before. Clan Burrock had a lot of dealings with the dark caste and even quite a few defectors. It was a good way to bring them both back.
I wanted to bring the Fire Mandrills back, but I don't think many people would go for that. I think more would prefer Smoke Jaguar over them. Probably over Burrock too.
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