Vapor
11/24/02 03:11 AM
202.128.69.122
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I just saw yesterday, for the first time, the new MW stuff that Wizkids is putting out. Is it just me, or is it not up to FASA standards at all? A 'mech with a chainsaw for a weapon? Have we gone from a Bt universe based on something close to reality, to one where the 'mechs look like some kind of Gundam robot? (not sure what they're called, I never did pay much attention to those cartoons  ) I hope Wizkids is going to continue putting out FASA quality material. The stuff I saw yesterday looks like something a 6yo kid would play with.
Just my 2 cents.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Cray
11/24/02 06:38 AM
12.91.151.94
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There's a very good reason for a mech with a chainsaw:
After the WoB Jihad, the "Republic of the Sphere" (Terran Hegemony) is born. The Republic takes BATTLEmechs out of private hands and leaves them to the military.
In 3120, the HPG network shuts down and terrible things happen.
This leaves a lot of people without their "traditional" family-owned mechs. So they improvise: workmechs like the Forestrymech you noted are converted to fight and old, long-hidden battlemechs are repaired crudely and sent to work.
In short, the mech with the chainsaw you saw was a converted construction and labor machine, like a bulldozer turned into a tank.
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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Vapor
11/24/02 06:53 AM
202.128.69.122
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I'm just wondering how effective a chainsaw designed and built to cut down trees would be against battlemech armor. The cost of retrofitting it would almost make it not worth it. If the chainsaw weren't strengthened and hardened immensely, it would shatter the first time it came in contact with another battlemech's hardened armor. Of course, that would make an effective anti-personnel device.
The main gripe I had, though, wasn't necessarily about the configuration of the 'mechs, but rather about their design. They are starting to look like something out of a children's cartoon. If Wizkids is trying to target the younger generation, that's great. But I hope they continue to produce FASA quality products for the older generation.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Cray
11/24/02 08:23 AM
12.91.151.94
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Based on feedback on CBT's Dark Age's message board, a lot of old timers don't mind the game.
However, I do have more than a few gripes about the art. The DA Atlas is just ludicrous.
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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Vapor
11/24/02 08:53 AM
202.128.69.122
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I'm sure if I actually sat down and tried it, I wouldn't mind the gameplay. However, like you, I'm not too keen about the artwork.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Lance_Hawkins
11/24/02 12:41 PM
80.203.33.226
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About as effective as a sword, a hatchet or an axe is. Or a tree, or a mechfist, or a kick.
I espesially like the tree one 
I have seen the best of men go past, I do not want to be the last.
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Diablo
11/25/02 06:02 PM
66.203.180.31
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yeah. you'd think that if a tree can do something to a mech. a device used to cut down the tree could do something. maybe something like a modified sword where the chainsaw part doesnt start until you hit the gooey innards of the mech.
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Karagin
11/25/02 08:29 PM
68.21.149.52
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Since it seems folks think melee weapons on what are walking tanks sounds so cool...let's do away with the ammo and engery weapons having nothing but lances and swords and such...oh wait we already have that..it's call Dark Age...gee what an original uhmm idea, take Mage Knight and instead of knights and such fight we have mechs doing the same thing...Wow! That sounds like fun! NOT!
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Vapor
11/26/02 03:03 AM
202.128.71.85
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lol It sounds like you've got the same thoughts I have about MWDA.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Karagin
11/26/02 02:24 PM
68.21.149.73
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Sounds like! 
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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MadWolf
11/30/02 06:15 PM
134.53.144.26
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Ya know, in the fourth succession war the inner sphere learned that MEchs and Meelee was a bad combo, Espcally when the clans remined them with that little thing called a GAUSS Rilfe. I dont think they would revert again, The regression of tech was becuase all of the star league people were long past dead and no-one remembers how to do things. After they relearned it they wouldnt loose it for atleat a few generations. the kids of the mech repaircrews whould have to die as long with there kids. HPG uplink or not, They still had space travel???? News would be slowed, But tech would just hit a standstill instead of a revert.
Nothing is Impossible, It is only Improbable.
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Karagin
11/30/02 07:00 PM
68.21.149.252
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Go look at MWDA...chain saws etc...plus the best tatic, if you want to call it that, in MWDA is to move your unit up to the other guy's best unit and touch it's based...thus it's out of the game until he destoryes the unit locking his unit...really points out that close physical combat is the main thing in MWDA...so why worry about things like Gauss Rifles or PPCs...just run up and touch the other guy and thus he is prevented from using the unit...a load of wasted BS if you ask me... 
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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BroCaptMaximus
12/01/02 12:08 AM
24.240.225.242
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I don't think it is so much a question of technical reversion as it is a matter of them having to work with what they've got. Following the WOB Jihad and the founding of the sphere there was a Sphere wide disarmament. The result was that there aren't very many honest to goodness Battlemechs in the Sphere except those controlled by the various military forces. The escalating tensions though have brought about an influx of new warriors that need rides. So in an effort to quickly bolster the various fighting forces they have started modifing various utility mechs for battle; and in some case they are even so desperate that they are sending unmodified untility mechs into battle.
What is boils down to is that they need mechs in a hurry so they are making do with what is available. They are adapting; they are overcoming.
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Vapor
12/01/02 02:22 AM
202.128.69.122
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I understand that WoB going completely bonkers and, in effect, creating the tech slow down was an idea that originated in FASA. Is that true? If so, does Wizkids have any plans to continue the storyline at all? Is that the intention behind the whole MWDA set up?
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Karagin
12/01/02 02:38 AM
68.21.149.24
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Based on what has been commented on and given as bonified fact, yes the WoB Jihad IS the cataylist that is the stage setter for MWDA, their actions give rise to Stone and his Republic and all the events that go with it.
Based on what TPTB are saying yes FASA came up with the WoB jihad idea...and given that WK has said that BT and MWDA will merge timeline wise then I think WK has plans to go one with THEIR VERSION of the game...which is aimed at kiddies and their parnets' pocket books.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Vapor
12/01/02 02:40 AM
202.128.69.122
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I applaud Wizkids in their attempt to reach the younger generation with MWDA, but I feel they should use MWDA as an introductory product, and continue to provide FASA quality material for the older players.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Karagin
12/01/02 02:57 AM
68.21.149.24
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That is a common feeling among the older players and what I have found very funny is hearing kids of the ages WK is aiming at, say they don't like MWDA for what ever reason and they would rather play BT and they have their reasons.
As one kid put it at a convention I went to on the 22nd thru the 24th of Novemeber, "BT wasn't broke, so why is WK messing with it?"
Out of the mouths of babes...comes wisdom that should be listened to...
But to answer your question, MONEY, folks know the name MECHWARRIOR ties into Battletch or at least to the computer games of the same name, thus WK figures these same folks, the computer players and BT crowd will buy into MWDA and thus they have a cash cow. So far based on what I have seen around where I live, the taste for MWDA has to be regional based since it seems very little is moving around here...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Vapor
12/01/02 03:31 AM
202.128.69.122
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So far, all I've been able to find here is MWDA stuff. I still have another couple stores to check out, but I'm not holding my breath. I know that one store actually has MWDA tournaments, every now and then, so I guess it's picking up a little bit here.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Karagin
12/01/02 05:38 AM
68.21.149.134
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You are on an island...the prices have to outrageous...what's the average price mark up for things on Guam, outside of the PX or BX or naval exchange?
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Vapor
12/01/02 05:53 AM
202.128.69.122
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It's not really as bad as you would expect, for most stuff. Fast food prices are the same as on the mainland. On average, though, you can expect to pay about 1.2 to 1.5 times what you would pay on the mainland. But that's a rough guess on my part. I'm not sure of the exact numbers.
"For those about to rock, we salute you." - AC DC
"The evil that can come, from the heart of a man, must be answered in kind 'till it disappears, and we're safe." - Kansas
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Karagin
12/01/02 06:40 AM
68.21.149.134
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Sounds the same as things run in Hawaii...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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neochu
12/02/02 11:02 AM
209.202.75.74
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especially in the windsor area. There are MWDA materials all over the place a total marketing blitz. in the mall here there are three stores that carry MWDA stuff and none even in a radus of 400 km there is not a store that I know of. there is a possiblity of a store called Mind games in toronto but I have to go down there to get it or check it out not to mention the fact the the guy at games workshop thinks there not made any more. even three years ago there was a small store crowded into a corner in dt windsor but he went out of business. the thing is the gundam anime thing makes buisness men drool as the franchises of that type make money. then its pulled out and dumped to make new money. however there are still pockets of these stores all around in small places mech depot.com is a good one that sells the new minatures and other things fromk Iron wind and other manufacturers. its in Peralta NM I think if you find a store or area that sells this stuff in al arger city around you at least over 100,000 you may find a good community. and if this game is slowly spread from person to person. this game will come back. they have tried to cancel it three times before but it keeps coming back. If battletech is that good it will still stay. It may even begin a classic. Also I think the CBT game should have a rule book for kids. in the 12 area as The themes covered in battle tech are appropriate to other media out there.
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Karagin
12/02/02 02:31 PM
68.21.149.236
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Actually BT has always had a simplfied rule book, it came with the BOX SET of the game...had easy to use format and made teaching the game very easy...to bad they couldn't keep the BOX SET in print or reprint the rule book from it as needed...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Bob_Richter
12/02/02 03:07 PM
134.39.195.23
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...did anyone ever tell you that you're an idiot?
MOST of the 'Mechs in MWDA *DO NOT* HAVE MELEE WEAPONS!
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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Bob_Richter
12/02/02 03:11 PM
134.39.195.23
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>>>Ya know, in the fourth succession war the inner sphere learned that MEchs and Meelee was a bad combo,<<<
Actually, precisely the opposite thing happened, the Hatchetman (the only Melee-weapon-carrying 'Mech of the time) shone and led to the development of such monstrosities as the Axman and the Berserker.
>>>Espcally when the clans remined them with that little thing called a GAUSS Rilfe.<<<
The, um, Clans didn't come around until about 3050, some TWENTY YEARS after the Fourth Succession War.
Even when they did, melee weapons (as mounted on the Hatchetman and Axman) proved SO EFFECTIVE against the Clans' tactics that House Kurita decided to develop the Sword.
In other words, you just flunked Battletech History 101.
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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Bob_Richter
12/02/02 03:12 PM
134.39.195.23
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NEWS FLASH!
THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT IS HAPPENING!
DOESN'T ANYONE PAY ANY ATTENTION AT ALL?!
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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Bob_Richter
12/02/02 03:14 PM
134.39.195.23
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From this post it is clear that YOU HAVE NEVER PLAYED MWDA.
I find THAT amusing.
-Bob (The Magnificent) Richter
Assertions made in this post are the humble opinion of Bob.
They are not necessarily statements of fact or decrees from God Himself, unless explicitly and seriously stated to be so.
:)
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Karagin
12/02/02 04:18 PM
68.21.149.111
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Did anyone ever tell you that you need to read:
No personal attacks
Speak to each other in a civil manner
MOST of the mechs that they have shown us, DO have melee weapons...
So how about you go away and leave folks alone since you start off once more with the personal attacks...
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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Karagin
12/02/02 04:21 PM
68.21.149.111
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Listen here Bob, I have played the game, and I find it to a joke.
But coming from you and your biased stance nothing surprises me.
And once more you start with the attacks on folks you can't agree or get along with.
Try reading the rules again Bob, here let me help you out:
No personal attacks.
Speak to each other in a civil manner.
Maybe you feel you are above the rules, but news flash you aren't.
So seeing how you can not follow them and in doing so allow others to have an opinion, please do not reply to my posting.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
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ChalengerII
12/02/02 05:24 PM
62.254.0.4
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never realy seen the use of melle weapons except in close range ambushs everytime someone uses them on me I just fall back while fireing as fast as possible into the nearest enemy mech each time. By the time hes close enought and has won the inititive (Only once have I seen a melle weapon attack something which is avoiding it without winning the initative) there tends to be too few mechs left to make an inpression and a kick is generaly only slightly less useful.
Challenger
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