KitK
12/20/11 12:10 PM
70.64.129.30
|
Whether or not I’ll have time to do this over the Christmas break from work is unclear. If not it might take me until April; but then again things move slowly around here anyway.
It is pretty open, but I have some specific requirements. Fluff it if you like. Cost isn’t a factor. The idea here is that double heatsinks haven’t been invented yet but some high heat weapons are available.
Basic Requirements
Battlemech/omnimech
40 or 45 tons
Tournament legal equipment
Equipment etc. available through 3070
Required equipment
Single heatsinks only
Minimum Required weapons or equipment (pick 1)
.....ERPPC
Or
.....ER Large Laser
Or
.....2x Light PPC
Or
.....Heavy PPC
Or
.....4x ER Medium Laser
Or
.....Large Pulse Laser
Or
.....Stealth Armor
Test missions (actual test order may vary)
.....Escort duty. Escort a vehicle convoy along a predetermined, set pathway and defend it from raiders. You will be supported by a light vehicle lance.
.....Nest defense. Defend a fire support lance nested on a treed ridge from a harassing, light enemy lance.
.....Clan face off. Engage in a duel with a Clan omnimech.
.....AI/BA suppression. Clear a choke point of infantry and battle armor.
.....Faux Solaris. Engage in a melee with other contestant mechs.
Pilots
Contestant pilots will enjoy gunnery 3 and piloting 4. Test pilots (friendly and foe) might not be so lucky.
Omnimechs
Limit 3 variants. Please designate which variant should be used for each mission at time of submission or one will be randomly assigned at mission setup.
Deadline
3:00 p.m. CST (U.S.), December 24, 2011.
|
Cray
12/20/11 04:13 PM
173.168.112.109
|
BattleMech Technical Readout
Type/Model: Vindicator VND-3H
Tech: Inner Sphere / 3025
Config: Biped BattleMech
Rules: Level 2, Standard design
Mass: 45 tons
Chassis: Ceresplex IV Endo Steel
Power Plant: 180 GM Fusion
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: 4 Anderson Propulsion 30 Standard Jump Jets
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor Type: Starshield Standard
Armament:
5 Medium Lasers
1 ER PPC
1 Guardian ECM
Manufacturer: Ceres Metals Industries
Location: Capella
Communications System: CeresCom Model 21-RS
Targeting & Tracking System: C-Apple Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==Overview:==
The VND-1R might've been "A camel: the horse built by a committee," but one of
its descendents - the VND-3H - was a thoroughbred. It shed the multitude of
mixed-role, limited-firepower weapons of the -1R for a simpler array of an ER
PPC and a brace of medium lasers intended for an either/or configuration. A
Guardian ECM suite pulls the fangs of many major electronic threats.
The most common and, yet, least constructive criticism for the VND-3H was,
"It's boring." The most constructive criticism was, "It lacks the indirect
fire of the VND-1R's LRM launcher," though the loss of an LRM-5 is not
particularly crippling.
Finally, the jump jets were rearranged to allow the VND-3H to jump from
waist-deep water.
==Capabilities:==
The VND-3H takes a modicum of heat discipline to best utilize its
capabilities. The Ceres Arms Smasher ER PPC allows it to easily engage targets
from point blank to 700 meters, and it excels at ranges where many weapons
struggle. A heavier PPC was originally considered, but an extended range
weapon performed almost as well (due to better targeting) and allowed a
heavier secondary battery.
The secondary battery of medium lasers provides daunting short-range firepower
(under 100 meters, where it outperforms the PPC) that ably incinerates battle
armor units and "crit-seeks" the holes punched in heavier targets' armor by
the PPC.
--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model: Vindicator VND-3H
Mass: 45 tons
Equipment: Crits Mass
Int. Struct.: 75 pts Endo Steel 14 2.50
(Endo Steel Loc: 1 HD, 3 LA, 2 RA, 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 LL, 2 RL)
Engine: 180 Fusion 6 7.00
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 4
Heat Sinks: 16 Single 9 6.00
(Heat Sink Loc: 4 LT, 5 RT)
Gyro: 4 2.00
Cockpit, Life Supt., Sensors: 5 3.00
Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H R: Sh+UA+LA 15 .00
Armor Factor: 144 pts Standard 0 9.00
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 14 18
Center Torso (Rear): 9
L/R Side Torso: 11 16/16
L/R Side Torso (Rear): 6/6
L/R Arm: 7 14/14
L/R Leg: 11 18/18
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Crits Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
1 ER PPC RA 15 3 7.00
2 Medium Lasers LA 6 2 2.00
1 Medium Laser RT 3 1 1.00
1 Medium Laser LT 3 1 1.00
1 Guardian ECM CT 0 2 1.50
4 Standard Jump Jets: 4 2.00
(Jump Jet Loc: 2 LT, 2 RT)
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS: 30 67 45.00
Crits & Tons Left: 11 .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 3,823,070 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,050
Cost per BV: 3,641.02
Weapon Value: 732 / 732 (Ratio = .70 / .70)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 17; MRDmg = 8; LRDmg = 4
BattleForce2: MP: 4J, Armor/Structure: 4/4
Damage PB/M/L: 2/2/1, Overheat: 2
Class: MM; Point Value: 11
Specials: ecm
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.
|
Askhati
12/21/11 03:50 AM
196.215.113.87
|
Code:
Cener CN-1R
Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E
Production Year: 3070
Cost: 7,548,120 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,179
Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 270 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
1 ER Large Laser
1 SRM-6
2 Medium Lasers
1 Small Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 75 points 4.50
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 270 7.50
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 9
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 15 5.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 RT, 2 LL, 2 RL
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous AV - 151 8.50
Armor Locations: 4 LT, 3 RT, 4 LA, 3 RA
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 21
Center Torso (rear) 7
L/R Torso 11 17
L/R Torso (rear) 5
L/R Arm 7 14
L/R Leg 11 21
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(R) Small Laser HD 1 1 0.50
SRM-6 CT 4 2 3.00
Targeting Computer RT - 2 2.00
ER Large Laser RA 12 2 5.00
2 Medium Lasers LA 6 2 2.00
@SRM-6 (15) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 14
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 12
6 3 3 1 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA
Evolve or DIE!
|
KitK
12/21/11 09:33 AM
70.64.129.30
|
Thanks Cray,
Your fluff said it was a "boring" mech. I suppose so. At least until it hits that magic 90m zone and the pilot keys up an open frequence to shout "DANCE SUCKER!" a moment before unleashing those 5 mediums.
It also reminds me of something else you once posted called the Trooper - durable workhorse, stong as an ox.
KK
|
Cray
12/21/11 09:44 AM
147.160.136.10
|
Quote:
It also reminds me of something else you once posted called the Trooper - durable workhorse, stong as an ox.
I'm a PPC/ML/LRM fan, and it shows in the Trooper (and the TR:3075 Warlord, for that matter).
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.
|
KitK
12/21/11 09:56 AM
70.64.129.30
|
Thanks Askhati Sonix,
I like the ER/Targeting Computer combo because it pushes the ER towards behaving like the Clan pulse laser. And I had wondered if anyone would dare use a XL engine. I think you put those 7 extra tons to good use.
KK
|
KitK
12/21/11 10:03 AM
70.64.129.30
|
This past year I've become a fan in the PPC too. I used to think it was too heavy and too hot.
KK
|
Askhati
12/21/11 10:24 AM
196.215.113.87
|
TargComp + ERLL for pinpoint damage.
2x ML for general use, without the extra heat of ERML.
SL rear-mounted against flanking units (especially BA's).
SRM6 for explosive damage vs. infantry and light vehicles.
And enough speed to use it all.
Evolve or DIE!
|
KamikazeJohnson
12/22/11 08:32 PM
50.72.206.143
|
KTS-3H Kitsch
Mass: 45 tons
Chassis: Unknown
Power Plant: Unknown 225 XL
Cruising Speed: 53.75
Maximum Speed: 86
Jump Jets: none
Jump Capacity: none
Armor: Unknown
Armament:
2 Large Pulse Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
KTS-3H Kitsch
Technology Base: - Inner Sphere - Level 3
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: - EndoSteel 2.5
Engine: 225 XL 5
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: 20 10
Gyro: 3
Cockpit: 3
Armor Factor: 135 - Ferro-Fibrous 7.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 20
Center Torso(rear) 6
R/L Torso 11 15
R/L Torso(rear) 5
R/L Arm 7 14
R/L Leg 11 16
Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
Large Pulse Laser LA 2 7
Large Pulse Laser RT 2 7
My Blurb: Hmmm...oddy enough I'm at a loss for what to say about this one fluff-wise. Moderate speed, great damage and accuracy at close range. Decent armour coverage. Ought to be a contender in this contest, as long as it can keep in range.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
KitK
12/23/11 11:47 AM
71.17.192.22
|
Simple spray-and-pray tactics. I've had in my head that the often despised large pulse laser can be a good weapon, so I look forward to giving it a good testing on this mech.
KK
|
KitK
12/23/11 11:53 AM
71.17.192.22
|
The Drawing Board makes a rounding error with ferro-fibrous armor that usually leaves you 1 point over ie 0.5 tons.
Where would you like the point removed?
KK
|
Karagin
12/23/11 04:25 PM
217.5.180.117
|
It can be in a city or woods...or an arena.
Karagin
Given time and plenty of paper, a philosopher can prove anything.
|
KamikazeJohnson
12/23/11 05:01 PM
50.72.206.143
|
Take it off the CT(R)
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
KamikazeJohnson
12/23/11 05:05 PM
50.72.206.143
|
Reallyh, how often do you fire a Standard Large Laser at long range with any hope of success? Pulse Laser gives you the same to-hit at range 7-10, and beats it cold closer than that. Anything using MLs has to step into the kill-zone. Very effective weapon.
If you recall, my first Design Challenge was one by a 'Mech that used the LPL as its primary weapon.
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
KitK
12/23/11 06:23 PM
71.17.192.22
|
The large pulse has plenty of drawbacks. But the way I figure it, it beats the standard large over long term use, and rather badly at that. Why? for the exact reason you said, the long range shots are more wishful thinking than hits. Oh, yes they do happen and contribute over all, but its amazing how much ground the pulse makes up once its in it's range. (Which is of course the key to beating it.) But to get that performance you can't mount it on an a slow "Land-Pig" like an Annihilator, which you didn't, which why it is a contender. I'd say even Cray's Vindicator is probably too slow to get good use out of a LPL in place of the PPC.
KK
|
Raplet
12/24/11 12:46 AM
68.150.148.233
|
HLBD-1 Halberd
Mass: 45 tons
Chassis: Endo Steel
Power Plant: Pitban 270 Fusion XL
Cruising Speed: 65 kph
Maximum Speed: 97 kph
Advanced Motive: Triple Strength
Jump Jets: Standard
Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Standard
Cockpit: Standard
Armament:
Medium Laser
Medium Laser
Small Laser
Small Laser
Light PPC
Light PPC
C³ Slave
Guardian ECM Suite
Hatchet
Manufacturer: Inner Sphere
Communications System: Standard
Targeting & Tracking System: Standard
Type: HLBD-1 Halberd
Technology Base: Inner Sphere / 3075
Ruleset: Advanced (5th edition)
Tonnage: 45
Cost: 8,655,920 C-bills
Battle Value: 1,086
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure: Endo Steel 2.5
Engine: 270 7.5
Type: Fusion XL
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 9
Jumping MP: 6
Heat Sinks: 12 [12] 2.0
Gyro: Standard 3.0
Cockpit: 3.0
Armor Factor: 152 9.5
Internal
Structure Armor
Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 21
Center Torso (rear) 6
L/R Torso 11/11 16/16
L/R Torso (rear) 6/6
L/R Arms 7/7 14/14
L/R Legs 11/11 22/22
Weapons and Ammo Location Crits Tons
Medium Laser LT 1 1.0
Medium Laser RT 1 1.0
Small Laser LT 1 0.5
Small Laser RT 1 0.5
Light PPC LT 2 3.0
Light PPC RT 2 3.0
C³ Slave H 1 1.0
Guardian ECM Suite CT 2 1.5
Hatchet LA 3 3.0
The Halberd is designed to be the Berzerker's little brother. It's a 45 tonner with 6/9/6 that can hit 7/11 when the TSM is utilized. And the mix of 2 Light PPC, 2 MLas & 2 SLas allow it to fine tune it's heat to keep in the sweet spot. Then you have a 7/11/6 mech with (nearly) maxed armor running around, disrupting electronics, targeting with the C3 (or optional TAG) and swinging an 18 point hatchet.
Edited by Raplet (12/24/11 01:08 AM)
|
KitK
12/25/11 10:47 PM
71.17.192.22
|
See, this is one of the reasons I do this, so I can learn battletech better. I've tinkered with TSM but never really made a good go of it. Thanks for adding your mech Raplet. I look forward to giving something the TSM chop with that hatchet.
KK
|
KitK
12/25/11 10:57 PM
71.17.192.22
|
I'm testing my maps and scenarios with this mech, but no plans at this time to toss it in against contestant mechs.
KK
Blitzen Prototype SNTA-1
Mass: 40 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Cost: 5,839,260 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,039
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 240 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 180 meters
Armor: Unknown Light Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
2 Light PPCs
1 SRM-4
1 Small Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 67 points 2.00
Internal Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: Light Fusion Engine 240 9.00
Walking MP: 6
Running MP: 9
Jumping MP: 6 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 CT, 2 LT, 2 RT 3.00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 12 2.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 2 RT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Light Ferro-Fibrous AV - 127 7.50
Armor Locations: 1 LT, 2 RT, 1 LA, 1 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
CASE Locations: 1 LT 0.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 12 19
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 10 15
L/R Torso (rear) 5
L/R Arm 6 12
L/R Leg 10 15
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light PPC RA 5 2 3.00
Light PPC LA 5 2 3.00
SRM-4 LT 3 1 2.00
Small Pulse Laser HD 2 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 5
BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 10
6j 2 2 1 0 2 0 Structure: 2
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SOA
|
KamikazeJohnson
12/26/11 05:06 AM
50.72.206.143
|
That should do pretty well in the trials...as long as it doesn't come within 10 hexes of mine 
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
Raplet
12/26/11 03:13 PM
68.150.148.233
|
I used to really enjoy using TSM and hatchet equiped mechs back in the BattleTech Compendium days, as hatchet attacks were resolved on the punch table. You could have a 30 tonner that could remove heads 1 in 6 times.
Not as potent now, but still painful.
|
KitK
12/28/11 06:12 PM
71.17.192.22
|
Intuitively the brawl between contestants is saved for the finale. But it is also one of the simplest to run, so I started with Faux Solaris. Story line and results below.
Story
The New Syrtis Agri-corp Coliseum was sold out for the first time since the Jihad had begun. Today was special. Battlemech duals were rare outside of Solaris, even in its heyday; to have one sponsored on a planet this far from the core was even rarer. The main event was going to be an all out brawl between six of the top assault mechs and their pilots. But no one wanted to miss this highly anticipated opening match either. It was a medium mech fight between four brand new, never before seen mechs. The mechs had been kept under secrecy since they were registered. Only the head inspector from the New Syrtis Gaming Commission and the CEO of CMCDesigns, who sponsored the match, knew the mech’s specifications. Not even the pilots knew what they were facing. Teasers and ads had revealed that Ceres Metals Industries had entered a new variant of the Vindicator, JMInc had registered its Kitsch – which was believed to be a mech, and two newcomer companies had entered new cutting edges mechs, the Cener and the hatchet wielding Halberd.
___________________________
Master Sergeant McFarland furious pushed buttons, flipped switches and dialed knobs trying to get his Vindicator’s ECM to cut through the interference, so he could get a better read on the other mechs standing back to back around a center dais. He realized that the dais must have had some sort of overpowered ECM in it that was blocking all of the sensors. The 360 degree view from his neural-helmet only gave a visual guess. The monstrosity must have been the JMI – they all looked like that… sort of. The barrels look like pulse cannon barrels, but one was no doubt actually hiding an AC-2 of some flavor. The one with the huge hatchet was no doubt the Halberd, whose hatchet was about all that was shown in the promos. It looked to have a couple of PPCs and a bunch of lasers. That meant the other must be the Cener. It looked to have a large laser and an SRM-6. Anyway, it was time to stop fooling with the electronics – the comm had crackled with the start message – “weapons and movement free in 15 seconds, sensor jamming off in 20 seconds, free to fire in 25 seconds, countdown starts now.”
__________________________
The map is a custom elliptical bowl. The sides rise as high as level 3. The approximate center hex is the start point. Three hexes from each side of the center hex is a massive column to hide behind. Combined they are quite effective at blocking all kinds of angles. The mechs were arranged around the center hex with their backs inward. Each was randomly assigned an opening maneuver to execute. They were either to “turn and fire,” “run-n-gun right or left,” or “run-for-cover” right or left.”
The Vindicator drew the run-n-gun right. The Halberd drew the run-n-gun left. The Cener drew the run-n-gun right. And the Kitsch drew the run-for-cover left. The opening shot was pretty uneventful. Only the Vindicator took damage. Round 2 however was pretty hot. Everyone got shots and took armor damage. The big event this turn was the Halberd charging in and all but removing the Vindicators right torso with the hatchet. The Kitsch finished off the torso the next round.
The Vindicator finally got out of all but the Halberd’s line-of sight, which was trying to finish it off. The Halberd failed but lost the armor on its left arm. The Cener was missing its shots and maneuvering for a nice sniping location. Then the Vindicator, Halberd, and Kitsch converged again, while keeping the Cener out of line-of sight. The Vindicator stuffed a couple of medium laser shots into the Kitsch, which was trying to take some skin off the Halberd. All the activity spiked the heat in the mechs, so everyone took a turn off after that, hiding among the columns.
Finally cooled down the Vindicator tried to put some distance between itself and the others. The Cener held its position with a long but clear shot at the Vindicator and also knowing that the other two would have to come to it. The Kitsch and Halberd charged in on the wounded Vindicator again, and for the first time in the match everyone had a shot at everyone else. But it was mostly misses. The Vindicator hammered the Halberd pretty good but that was it. The Vindicator then kicked the Halberd causing it to fall, but not before smashing the Vindicator’s center torso with the hatchet, destroying its ECM. (I figured the Halberd would finish of the Vindicator so I had the Kitsch take harder shots at the Halberd instead of the Vindicator. Had I played the odds the Vindicator might not have survived this round.)
The Vindicator backed up a few spaces again (there was nowhere to run, couldn’t run very far, only 2 jump jets left) keeping everyone in its sights. The the Kitsch and Halberd again moved in on the Vindicator. And the Cener moved in too, putting the Kitsch into its ER large laser’s short range. The Halberd’s light PPCs left the Vindicator with 1 CT internal left. The Vindicator pumped its last two medium lasers into the Kitsch. The Kitsch’s pulse lasers went 1 for 2 on the Halberd in spite of a mere four to hit. And the Cener sent an alpha strike at the Kitsch, but it came up with no hits.
Now the overheated Cener moved back to its sniping spot and the Halberd used its TSM to dash out of the fray to take a whack at the Cener’s legs. The Vindicator moved forward out of the Cener’s and Halberd’s line-of sight, but couldn’t avoid the Kitsch. The Vindicator battled hard to the end, burning its two medium lasers into the Kitsch for the second time, but it fell to the pulse lasers this time. The Halberd tore the armor off the Cener’s left arm and prepared for the big chop – but the Cener’s medium lasers got just inside the Halberd’s CT armor for three crits, hitting the engine, gyro, and ECM, and resulting in another damaging fall in stead of a CHOP!
The Cener moved out to get some distance between it and the Halberd. But the Halberd got the clumsies trying to stand up, and it landed on its exposed torso for three more crits, taking out its engine. Overheated from several rounds of pulse laser fire the Kitsch took cover from the Cener.
The Kitsch and Cener maneuvered and traded shots for nearly a minute, making this a very tight match. The Cener finally got the Kitsch in a good spot with low to-hit numbers and made a risky aimed shot at the exposed engine in its left torso. Unfortunately, the Cener missed across the board except for the SRM, while the Kitsch clipped off the Cener’s left arm and right leg. The Kitsch easily finished off the badly damaged Cener.
__________________________
We’ll score this 3 to the Kitsch 0 to the rest.
__________________________
The called shot at the end - What if I hadn’t? It’s the age old, “do you try a long field goal on 4th and 10 (3rd and 10 for Kamikaze and Raplet) with time fleeing quickly, or do you try for a first down and/or a shot at the end zone?” Either way the coach gets heat or glory, there’s no in between. Based on the SRM hit locations, the Kitsch is still standing and the Cener still loses an arm and leg. The SRM’s get reassigned and might have gotten to those exposed engine crits in the left and right torsos. So the outcome could have changed, but the odds are that the Kitsch still pulls it out.
Why was everyone on the Vindicator? Lack of speed was one thing – every where it tried to go it was still in the fray and with lower target modifiers too. The other factor was the opportunities afforded by the hatchet holes.
________________________
Up next will be Clan Face-Off
|
Raplet
12/29/11 12:11 AM
68.150.148.233
|
Ironically enough, this was not the fight the Halberd was designed for. While TSM & Hatchet is deadly in area fighting, the electronics are wasted.
This is a mech designed as the brawler that bodyguards fire or recon mechs, or as an anti-fire/recon mech.
|
KamikazeJohnson
12/29/11 12:29 AM
50.72.206.143
|
Wow, not bad for a crappy expression of marginal creativity!
Btw, how did you determine the 3-0-0-0 score? 3 points for being last standing, based on killshots? Just curious...
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
|
KitK
12/29/11 12:49 AM
71.17.192.22
|
Quote:
This is a mech designed as the brawler that bodyguards fire or recon mechs, or as an anti-fire/recon mech.
It should do well in a couple of the upcoming trials then.
KK
|
KitK
12/29/11 12:58 AM
71.17.192.22
|
Quote:
Btw, how did you determine the 3-0-0-0 score? 3 points for being last standing, based on killshots? Just curious...
Well, ya know its dog eat dog! Losers go home.  OK, well that was bull. The real reason is:
I gave it low points over all because there's just too much room for user error on my part, so I don't want it to skew things in the end. Let's face it, if I run this 4 times I'll get 4 different winners. But it also has to be worth something to the winner. So it was worth 3 points, winner takes all. It could make the difference in the end but at the same time doesn't hand out an unjustified lead.
KK
|
KitK
01/03/12 12:13 PM
70.64.129.30
|
______________________
The Story
Intercepting the Clan Cougar C was the easy part. Command had been tracking the raiding party’s mech via satellite for hours as it moved along the combat theater’s perimeter in an erratic pattern, as if looking for something that was constantly on the move and switching directions. It was really quite odd, and the sense was only compounded by the mech’s solo actions – where was the rest of the star? Surely this gambit was little more than an elaborate trap.
These things troubled 1st leutnant Grossmann, but not as much as the fact that he was sent out alone without the rest of his lance? An “opportunity” the Hauptman had said. An opportunity for everything to go wrong seemed more realistic. And the operation objectives were even more troubling. They wanted the mech’s computer salvaged to find out what these raiders were really after. But usually such scouts were preprogrammed to destroy the data if the mech was disabled or the mechwarrior killed. What could they really hope to gain? This had to be a set up by Steinmacher to get him out of the way. Grossmann was well positioned to take command of the company in six months when the Hauptman retired, and Steinmacher wanted it. Mind you he had no chance at it, but he thought he should have it anyway because of his family’s high social standing. In days past a donation here, a party there, a favor or two and he would have easily had the position. But things had changed drastically when the Lyrans and Suns had been allied, so that skilled leaders like Grossmann could quickly rise to the top an replace much of the poor, but politically astute leadership. But the old ways were creeping back in after the civil war. Yes, this had to be Steinmacher’s doing.
Grossmann’s long-range censors picked up the Cougar and he watched its continued, erratic, search pattern. He studied it until a cold, ominous chill ran up his spine causing him to speak his thoughts aloud – “I think it’s looking for me…”
Grossman moved into position and fired his light PPCs at range as the Clanner dashed into the open on its way to the next grove of heavy woods. He managed to tag the Cougar’s left torso with one. Errant ER medium laser and gauss rifle fire exploded trees all round Grossman’s mech. Grossman held his position firing again as the Cougar dashed into the tree grove, catching its leg with another PPC. This time the Cougar’s return fire cleared enough trees for the gauss rifle to chase through to his mech’s left torso, completely obliterating the armor. Grossman maneuvered his mech from its treed perch to take cover behind at its base, but the Clanner didn’t move. “What’s it doing now,” thought Grossmann. Then his radar told him. The Cougar was unloading a point of elementals. A difficult task just got a bit spicier.
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The trial setup:
I ran this in megamek controlling all parties. I used the “battletech” map.
I had a lot of trouble getting this to work right and the Blitzen prototype never did survive it. The solution was to reduce the Clanners’ skills to 4/5.
5 points for taking out the Cougar.
1 bonus point for each elemental killed after the Cougar was done. Badly damaged mechs were not allowed to attack within range of the Elementals’ small arms. The elemental shot 1 SRM upon the first available to-hit of 8 or less during the whole scenario. The second went on 7 or better or 8 if the Cougar was in bad shape. Failing that it fired on 10 or less fleeing the field. I took 4 to 5 turns to get off the north end of the map. They could be fired on prior to the Cougar’s demise if there was no shot at the cougar.
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Results
Vindicator (6): Man did the Vindicator get beat on and lose the long-range battle. 1 PPC hit to the CT. That was it. But it was enough. I was holding my breath every turn, but it hung in there. A shoulder hit put the PPC out of commission for all practical purposes, so I went for shorter range. 3 single medium laser hits in a row to the Cougar’s center torso finished it off. It was able to take down 1 elemental, but definitely had to keep its distance.
Kitsch (8): Another great showing by the Kitsch. It took out the 4 ER medium lasers in the arm early. However, the gauss rifle stripped away a lot of armor before the pulse lasers got it too. So much armor that I really had to be careful not to let that last remaining ER medium laser or elementals get good shots at it. It finally clipped off a leg and the last of the center torso at the same time. 3 and almost 4 elementals didn’t go home.
Cener (5): A good early start with the ER large laser, but eventually lost it, which slowed things down a bit. The SRM blew up the gauss rifle. It finally took a leg off the Cougar by catching and kicking it (it was nice to finally have a mech faster than the Cougar). The fall took out most of the Cougar’s engine, and a rear shot with the SRM finished it. It nearly got a number of elementals, but in the end they all got away.
Halberd (6): Pretty much got nothing until the first charge in for a hatchet shot. It landed a light PPC and the hatched in the center torso leaving two internal points. The Halberd killed the Cougar the next turn with another light PPC shot. It was by far the shortest match. The Halberd’s position after the kill and bad luck on initiative rolls prevented it from getting in the physical attacks necessary to keep the elementals from escaping. Still the short range weapons managed to get 1. To get the heat to stay right I am basically forced to take at least one bad minimum range shot with the light PPCs. It definately adds some character to this mech.
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The rest of the story about Grossmann and Steinmacher
Yes, it was Steinmacher pulling strings to get Grossmann killed. Among Stienmacher’s nefarious contacts were a couple of thugs that were good at using him while letting him think he was using them. They got their hooks into a Draconian bondman who knew a nova mechwarrior plagued by the fact that he had barely passed his trial of position and was as of yet unblooded in non-ritualized combat in the Inner Sphere (thus the 4/5 instead of 3/4 skills). So, Grossman’s spine chilling epiphany was correct, the only thing the Clanner was looking for was him.
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Raplet
01/03/12 11:06 PM
68.150.148.233
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To bad the Halberd couldn't get a physical on an elemental. That would have been one hell of a splatter.
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KitK
01/04/12 09:24 AM
70.64.129.30
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Quote:
To bad the Halberd couldn't get a physical on an elemental. That would have been one hell of a splatter.
I know! I know! And I was quite looking forward to it, and I made sure the TSM stayed hot. But the way initiative kept coming up chop-suey never happened. I did actually get one shot at it right away, and I was thinking "ALLRIGHT! here we go!" but it missed badly (rolled like a 5 on a 7 or 8).
KK
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KamikazeJohnson
01/04/12 10:44 PM
50.72.206.143
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Nice to see my Pulse Lasers are performing well. I'm a little concerned about the defensive mission though...
Peace is that glorious moment in history when everyone stands around reloading.
--Thomas Jefferson
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KitK
01/08/12 05:00 PM
71.17.192.22
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Nest defense is nearly ready to start, but I have a pretty busy week. Hope to have it going by the end of the week.
KK
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