Karagin
02/28/02 12:11 PM
63.173.170.83
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Ok let's see some ideas for you folks on what is the best company setup for Battletech.
Please break it down by lances, the lances can be either mechs or vehicles. Infantry can be included if you want as can artillery and aerospace assets.
Please give a reason behind why you would put certain mechs or vehicles. If you happen to use special equipment then please point that to us.
If you have an idea for the background of the group that is fine as well.
Ok looking forward to what you post.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Cray
02/28/02 01:26 PM
204.245.128.3
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3rd Company of 2nd Battalion of the 29th Brigade of the CCAF
Part of Chancellor Morgan Liao's sweeping reformation of the CCAF following the 4th Succession War's unmitigated disaster was to wholly reorganize the CCAF around six "armies." Each army would consist of 3 divisions and, per Star League standards, each army would consist of 3 brigades. However, a brigade was not 3 regiments. It was more like the Federated Suns' Regimental Combat Teams, built around 1 mech regiment, 2 vehicle regiments, and 2 airmobile, mechanized, or motorized infantry regiments. These were the combat units of a brigade - each brigade had a huge train of rear echelon units ranging from combat engineering battalions, to artillery, to a MASH. During the Clan War, the CCAF would deploy several armies built around mech-less brigades to exploit its glut of vehicle production and infantry training.
29/2/3rd Company, as part of part of the CCAF's Fourth Army, was deployed with CCAF Army Group Pasig during the Clan war. AG Pasig raided Clan-held planets in division strength near the Lyran planet (duh) Pasig for about a year. During this time, 29/2/3rd Company laid out egregious pain and suffering [insert WWF posturing here] on their Clan foes. This amount of raw pain and destruction [insert more WWF posturing here] is not surprising - AG Pasig never launched raids in less than division strength and usually encountered single trinaries or clusters of Clan garrison troops, which meant the typical CCAF division (of 3 mech regiments, 6 vehicle regiments, 6 infantry regiments, often with an independent fighter regiment attached on top its organic fighter support) was usually facing 10-75 second-line Clan mechs.
The 29/2/3rd Company acquitted itself, but go figure - it was an assault company. When Clan defenders got a bit too dug in and artillery and air cover were busy elsewhere, the 29/2/3rd got called in (along with the 29/2/1st and 29/2/2nd, two identical assault companies). Heck, when the Clans did anything, the 29/2/3rd got called in. The 29/2/3rd's mechs were as fast (or slow, as you like) as two other CCAF mechs (Vindicators and Thunderbolt-L's) and the always numerous Super Scorpion tanks. Needless to say, the high-profile 29/2/3rd assault mechs were prime targets for Clan troops. During its deployment with AG Pasig, the 29/2/3rd lost 9 of its original 12 mechwarriors to medical leave (3 dead) and 19 of its mechs shot out from under the mechwarriors (6 irreparably damaged). The two-month deployment with AG Strana Mechty saw similar losses, with fewer survivors. Currently, the 29/2/3rd is stationed along the Federated Suns/Commonwealth border while Chancellor Morgan considers exploiting the Civil War to retake Capellan worlds lost in the First and Second Succession Wars.
The 29/2/3rd is notable for its development of the "wingman" anti-Elemental tactics since adopted en masse by the AFFC, CCAF, and DCMS. The color, energetic, and dead Lieutenant Bolstoi (who saw the conversion of the CCAF from Max's hodgepodge of regiments through to Morgan's faceless legions) developed the idea after sharing vodka shots with the company's pair of fighter pilots and getting a lesson in basic fighter tactics. The idea behind the "wingman" formation is that one mech concentrates on killing major threats (tanks, mechs) while his wingman keeps him clean of Elementals. Obviously if no major threats were around, the lead man could enjoy squooshing a few elementals, too. If no elementals were around, the wingman could provide supplemental firepower on major targets.
The 27/2/3rd Company is a built around the CCAF's only [1] production assault mech, the Battlemaster-L. The Battlemaster was one of two good things (in the opinion of his successor and executioner) Max Liao had done for the Confederation, the other being the simultaneous acquisition of Wolverine-M plans during Max's meddling in the FWL Civil War. The 27/2/3rd Company nominally has 2 fighters, a pair of Thunderbird-L's, but the battalion commander frequently strips those away so he can use the battalion's air support in full squadron (6) strength against deserving victims.
COMMAND LANCE
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
FIRE LANCE
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
SCOUT LANCE
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
Battlemaster-L
AIR LANCE
Thunderbird-L
Thunderbird-L
[1] Briefly in the mid-3050s, the Andurien Commonality produced a somewhat enlarged Awesome variant and a revised Stalker. The intent was to exploit the Confederation's distraction with the Clan war to make a bid for freedom. Unfortunately, the Anduriens were ratted out and these alternate mech designs were shipped off to the mech-less Army Group Last Frontier, the assembly lines converted to producing Battlemaster-L's, and a lot of Andurien politicians got mounted on pikes.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Karagin
02/28/02 01:29 PM
63.173.170.83
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Uhmm...err...uhmm...interesting....who is Morgan Liao?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Cray
02/28/02 01:40 PM
204.245.128.3
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Read the Super Scorpion and Cooling Gear threads in the design forum.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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NathanKell
02/28/02 01:50 PM
24.44.238.62
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Sounds distinctly...sane 
But...wait. Andurien *Commonality*? Huh?
And then there's Army Group *Strana Mechty.* I think I like where this is going...
Anyway...I think I'm liking this TO&E. 'Though weren't you the one who said to ignore assaults and build twice the heavies?
Unless the BLR-L is a 75er, which, interestingly enough, works perfectly (forget which board I saw that, but it does. Weird.)
Which reminds me...what *is* the -L variant?
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Cray
02/28/02 01:54 PM
204.245.128.3
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"-L variants" are Liao variants.
When I got to the "real" world, an assault mech is something a Successor State would all too probably build no matter my words of wisdom. As the basis for the Battlemaster-L was piloted by the Chancellor (before she was a Chancellor) and the St. Ives and Andurien Commonalities already had those assembly lines for assault mechs...
Well, an 85-ton assault mech wasn't that bad. It could keep up with the bulk of the troops and had staying power that even the next largest Capellan mech (Thunderbolt) lacked. It is, however, basically an up-armored Marauder, Warhammer, or my own Generic Mech/Trooper, and not a cost effective upgrade. Just something the CCAF would likely build.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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Cray
02/28/02 02:19 PM
204.245.128.3
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Incidentally, my generic 75-ton mech is supposedly a down-sized BLR. A 4/6 85-ton mech spends 8 extra tons on engine and 1 extra ton on the structure compared to a 75-ton. For its effort, it gains 1 spare ton to play with.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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NathanKell
02/28/02 02:26 PM
24.44.238.62
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Actually, it gains *zero* tons to play with (remember the gyro).
And (warning! useless trivia!) the BLR can be translated completely and totally downward to 75t, with the *only* loss being the extra pts of internal structure. Tons work, armor works, crits work.
And with Morgan Liao being so eminently sane--and cost-conscious--she might be so inclined.
Re: the -L--AFAIK there is no mentioned Liao variant of the BLR, and thus my question--what does it pack?
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
NathanKell
02/28/02 02:29 PM
24.44.238.62
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Sad, but true.
Ah, read it again. So the -L is a twin-PPC machine, then?
Also, the Andurien Awesome of your, ahem, playground, is also precedent for switching a mech's total tonnage (upwards, but hey).
-NathanKell, BT Space Wars
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Thomas Jefferson |
Cray
02/28/02 02:42 PM
204.245.128.3
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OH, the GYRO! I forgot about that. That's where the 75t version gets the last ton...
The Battlemaster-L (3040+ production model) is based on a hacked up job the Chancellor did using (a fraction) of the family fortune (not to be confused with Max Liao's fortune - she wasn't that closely related) after her BLR was shot out from under her. The production model has 12 DHS, 2 CeresArms Smasher PPCs (forearm mounted to free the hands for rending and tearing), 8 CeresArms Medium Lasers (4 RT/LT), 3 jump jets (RT/LT/CT), and 16.5 tons of armor. It's undergone the usual redesign applied to the other 5 Capellan mechs, meaning it can be repaired with omni-like speed and shares innumerable (minor) components with the other Capellan mechs.
It's outclassed by Clan mechs and a lot of other, modern IS designs, but it has the staying power to attract and survive enemy firepower until the other branches of a CCAF brigade (artillery, air strikes, and medium mechs attacking from behind) can get the job done. It also benefits from that standardization - it's unlikely to run out of spare parts and other Capellan mechs can easily be scavenged to put the BLR-L back in operation.
Mike Miller, Materials Engineer
Disclaimer: Anything stated in this post is unofficial and non-canon unless directly quoted from a published book. Random internet musings of a BattleTech writer are not canon.
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KamikazeJohnson
03/03/02 02:25 PM
209.202.47.12
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Please note...I don't have much in the way of source material, so please excuse (and point out) any glaring problems with any information supplied in this brief overview, OK? 
1 December, 3048
Unit Name: KJ's Kamikaze Krusaders, Battlemech detachment
Type: Mercenary
Designation: Company
Current commitments: none
Brief Unit Overview:
Formed in 3044 by a dishonoured DCMS 'Mechwarrior, the Kamikaze Krusaders have had a rough time establishing themselves as a reputable mercenary company. Although unit founder "Kamikaze" Johnson's reputation within the DCMS, and the details of the "incident" that ended his military career (and nearly his life) allowed him to attract many skilled personnel, the ambitious Johnson soon overstepped his unit's abilities. A disastrous engagement with a group of New Samarkand pirates resulted in the loss of nearly the entire light and medium 'Mech contingents (and the life of Recon Lance commander Lieutenant Emma Cripps), forcing Johnson to sell his unit's most valuable assets (an Atlas and an Awesome) in order to re-equip his shattered unit. However, the toll was heavy, reducing the unit from 5 full lances to only three, which has been built up to its current size in the intervening time. While Johnson still wishes to expand his unit to at least Battalion size, he is for the time being focussing on acquiring a solid mix of 'Mechs for his current force.
Unit Configuration:
While the mix of 'Mechs which comprises the KJKK is hardly remarkable, the command structure is, especially if you extend the current structure to, say, regimental strength. The basic structure is typical, with 4 'Mechs to a lance, and 3 lances to a company (and 3 companies to a battalion, etc.), but at each level, there is an independent Command lance of 5 'Mechs, as opposed to the standard 4 (a setup KJ has insisted on whenever possible, ever since the formation of the mercenary unit). The first benefit, of course, is the flexibility provided by the independent Command lance. The unit commander (be it company or regiment) is not forced into a given role by the lance's designation, allowing the commander to survey the entire battle and give aid where needed. More importantly, the fifth 'Mech in the command lance allows the rest of the lance to operate at full lance strength even while the commander is preoccupied with the larger view of the battle. In essence, the commander is distinct from his lance (each command lance has a "2nd") in the same way the command lance is distinct from the rest of the unit. This leads to jokes about the commander and his "bodyguard", as opposed to simply the "command lance", but so far, the setup has been remarkably successful.
Current 'Mech Complement
Command Lance:
TDR-5S Thunderbolt -- Captain "Kamikaze" Johnson
WHM-6R Warhammer -- Lieutenant Yanna Mossberg
WVR-6R Wolverine
BLR-1G Battlemaster
BLR-1G Battlemaster
Attack Lance:
DV-6M Dervish -- Lieutenant Nicholas "Duke" Douklias
GRF-1N Griffin
CN9-A Centurion
ENF-4R Enforcer
Pursuit Lance:
PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk -- Lieutenant Andrew Steek
JVN-10N Javelin
SCP-1N Scorpion
JR7-D Jenner
Recon Lance:
PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk -- Lieutenant Mila Jacobson
JR7-D Jenner
LCT-1V Locust
LCT-1V Locust
The Officers:
Name: "Kamikaze" Johnson (KJ)
DOB: 3 Nov 3016
Rank: Captain
Position: CO and Founder of KJKK
Served 2 terms in DCMS
Dishonourable discharge for disobeying orders.
"Kamikaze" Johnson earned his nickname during his first term of service with the DCMS as a result of his fearless charges into the thick of a battle. He quickly earned the respect of his peers, although many superior officers wished he would control his enthusiasm a bit better. (This attitude was shared by many of his instructors at the Academy, and so "control" became the focus of much of his training during that time.)
After a brief absence from active service for Command training, Johnson rejoined the DCMS, by now a Lieutenant and Lance Commander, and showing much more discipline in both his manner and battlefield conduct. It was near the end of the second year of this term that he earned his DD. Disobeying a direct order to stay hidden, Johnson showed a flash of his old self by leading his lance in a desperate counterattack which quickly turned the tide of the battle. The unquestionable success of Johnson's actions (and the resulting admiration from those whose lives he undoubtedly saved) was all that kept his superiors from immediately demanding his execution. A court-martial followed, ruling that such insubordination could not be tolerated, and handing him a Dishonourable Discharge. Since most DCMS officers would have performed seppuku rather than live with such humiliation, there was much surprise when Johnson announced his intention to operate as a mercenary, and even more when many of his fellow 'Mechwarriors (including some superiors) chose to join him.
Among the several noteworthy 'Mechwarriors from his Company who left with him to form KJKK were Andrew Steek, Nicholas "Duke" Douklias, Mila Jacobson, Emma Cripps, and Yanna Mossberg. Steek and Mossberg had both served as Johnson's lancemates, while Duke and Jacobson had commanded lances of their own (Johnson had served under both during his first term of service). Although Duke and Jacobson both had seniority, they both declined command of the Merc unit in favor of the young, ambitious Johnson.
Name: Nicholas "Duke" Douklias
DOB: 29 Sept 3001
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Commander, Attack Lance; 2nd Commander, KJKK
Served 22 years in DCMS
Resigned as Company commander after the "incident" to help form KJKK
Nicholas "Duke" Douklias caused a tremendous stir when he resigned his commission in the DCMS in order to follow a dishonoured 'Mechwarrior-turned-mercenary (from his own command!). Until that time, Duke was a distinguished, respected officer with an impeccable record, and it was expected that he would demand harsh punishment f for Johnson's disobedience. However, according to Duke's account of the "incident", he had protested the withdrawal order from the Battalion commander, and had quickly ordered the rest of his company into the battle to "rescue" Johnson's lance when they burst out of their cover.
Of all the KJKK officers, Duke retains the most of his DCMS ideals of honour and discipline. These serve him well amidst the chaos of the front line, as he always maintains an iron grip on his lance. Due to that strong discipline, the much-battered Attack lance has yet to falter or break in combat, regardless of the beating they take. It often seems that Duke manages to hold the position by sheer force of will, battlefield odds and laws of probability be hanged!
Name: Andrew Steek
DOB: 7 Jan 3013
Rank: Captain
Position: Commander, Pursuit Lance
Served 3 terms in DCMS
Resigned his commission to join Johnson in forming the KJKK
Most people who know have ever known Andrew Steek agree on one thing...the man was born to wear a neurohelmet. Whether providing support at long range, mixing it up in close, or using speed and mobility to evade superior frepower, Steek is always a force to be reckoned with. Quiet, confident, and dependable, he is the kind of 'Mechwarrior who can always be counted on to "get the job done".
Steek entered the DCMS immediately after completing his Academy training, serving three terms in the DCMS. Even without full Command training, his maturity and tactical skill quickly earned him a promotion to Lieutenant and Lance commander. Steek encountered Johnson as a fellow lance commander about 6 months before the "incident" which earned Johnson his court-martial. In fact, Steek's had been the first lance to support Johnson's reckless charge. Following Johnson's discharge, Steek immediately accepted the invitation to go mercenary, believing that Johnson's actions had been fully justified.
Name: Mila Jacobson
DOB: 18 June 3006
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Commander, Recon Lance
Served 11 years in DCMS over a 20-year period.
Left DCMS prematurely in the middle of her last term of service to join KJKK.
At first glance, Mila Jacobson appears to be your typical "old hand", but appearances hide a difficult past, which is reflected in her disjointed service record. Jacobson's first "retirement" from the military was due to a sudden domestic urge. Tragically, her husband and infant daughter were among the many innocent bystanders killed 3 years later during a border raid. Jacobson rejoined the DCMS in a quest for vengeance shortly after that incident, but a few years later, health issues -- including chronic depression -- forced her to take a leave-of-absence. However, with no real life or family outside the military, she eventually rejoined and was assigned to the same company as the other founding members of KJKK. When Johnson started his mercenary unit, Jacobson once again pleaded "personal issues" in order to terminate her service contract and follow Johnson, who, she claimed, "made her feel alive again."
On the battlefield, Mila Jacobson shows her maturity and her experience, being able to ride the fine line between caution and daring that makes a recon pilot successful. While she has the experience to contest Johnson's command of the unit, she is content to follow without the heavy responsibilities of command beyond her own lance.
Name: Yanna Mossberg
DOB: 5 Apr 3021
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: 2nd Commander, Command Lance; "Bodyguard"
Served 2 terms in DCMS
Retired from DCMS at the end of her 2nd military term to join KJKK
Yanna Mossberg is a rarity...an officer and accomplished 'Mechwarrior without the benefit of a family tradition in the military. At age 16, she was given the chance to fulfill her lifelong dream when her parents enrolled her in a private training academy. After graduating in 3036 with high accolades from her instructors, she immediately joined the DCMS. The only criticism she received on more than one occasion was mixed with praise...at times, she could get too focussed on a goal. It was this focus that helped her overcome many early hardships and earn the respect of her superiors, but some of her instructors worried that at times she lost sight of everything other than her specific goal.
Yanna first encountered her future CO during her fourth year with the DCMS, when he was transferred to her lance. His wild, reckless enthusiasm was at odds with her orderly, focussed nature, but his undeniable skill earned her respect. When he was reassigned as her lance commander just over 2 years later, much more confident and mature after his time in Command training, she immediately knew that she could and would follow him anywhere. When he was discharged for winning a lost battle against orders, she served the 2 months she had remaining in her term and offerred to join his unit.
Brilliant, careful, and meticulous, Yanna Mossberg serves a dual role in the KJKK. First, she is the 2nd Commander of the Command Lance. It is her duty in this role to direct the lance while her CO is distracted by the broader view of the battle as a whole. Since the main purpose of the lance as a whole is to protect the CO when he enters the battle, this makes her the commander of Johnson's "personal bodyguard". With her customary single-mindedness, Yanna continues in this role even outside her 'Mech. At any public function, she can almost invariably be found at his left shoulder, about a half-step behind. Within the unit, there is some speculation as to whether she is simply taking her duties a bit too seriously, or if she has more personal reasons. However, no one has yet dared to ask.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
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