My Favorite Technical Readout

You wouldn’t think it by looking at me.  I love BattleMechs and smashing with the big guys.  I’m not a power armor or tank or anything else enthusiast.  I adore the big heavy sluggers of the battlefield.  That’s why I’m playing BattleTech and not something like Warhammer.

So why?  Why is my favorite Technical Readout the Vehicle Annex?

My Favorite Cover Art!

One of my favorite aspects of early Technical Readouts like Technical Readout: 3025 and Technical Readout: 2750 is the ability to include things like support vehicles and other important battlefield concerns.  I want stats on a MASH Support vehicle or an Ammo Carrier.  Because these things matter.  If I land one extra DropShip of stuff for a campaign, how many tons of J-27 Ordnance Transports can I fit?  How much ammo do I have available to me?

Frankly, I’ve long wanted this area of the Inner Sphere to be fleshed out.  We have a lot more ‘Mechs, Tanks and such in the various TROs through the ages than the good old support vehicle.  And we need more.  We need more conventional fighters.  More transports, and such.

And that’s why the Vehicle Annex is amazing as a piece of work.  It’s just satellites, IndustrialMechs, cars, trains, airships, planes, and so much more.  It’s so loaded down with great stuff that there always seems to be another strong entry on the next page.

I also love mining this for adventure ideas.  I loved the CattleMaster so I had a rebellion on a ranching planet that a conventional mercenary force had to put down a ton of these CattleMasters.  In another area we had a bunch of riots in a city that were causing violence and fires.  In addition to the normal responders like some infantry and tanks, we had two Cellco Rangers, one Saurer-Bucher Fire Engine, and a trio of Kressly Dillinger Police Vehicles.  Fun stuff!

It also adds a massive amount of options for the actual battles.  How many times are you fighting in a construction area?  If it’s like me, it’s pretty common.  And now we have stuff like dump trucks or a pair of LoaderMechs to toss in and make bystanders.  After all, having some hastily abandoned dump trucks could provide combat options for infantry or others.

At the end of the day though, in addition to great combat options, I feel that the Vehicle Annex is a massive flavor win for the universe.  From the great cover by the lost-before-his-time great Doug Chaffee to the awesome details on things like passenger trains we have it all.  Welcome to the Inner Sphere!

So do you have it?  What do you think of the Vehicle Annex?

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4 thoughts on “My Favorite Technical Readout

  1. Ham Bone

    This is one of the things I rather liked about the Dark Age books was their use of low tech or other support equipment. While most of stories didn’t hit home the depth of talk about supply chain and other concerns did. I love hearing about man-pack PPCs and exoskeletons, troop transports and ammo carriers. Strategic concerns like ammo dumps, radio range, satellite feeds, etc. They bring serious thought to a real campaign.

    Reply
    1. Abe Sargent Post author

      I hear ya! For me, this support equipment helps the universe breathe. And the value of something like a Boomerang or the science satellites for Explorer Corps missions is really fun..

      Reply
  2. ClanWolverine

    I like vehicles (and other units) in theory. The problem with it in an actual sitting-around-the-table-and-rolling-dice setting is there are extra rules we need to keep track of, many involving additional rolls. In a larger group with some inexperienced players, that can really bog the game down.

    Reply
    1. Teufel

      I have been reading a lot, always found the 3025 TM a little odd. namely it allowed a tracked Ordnance tractor and a wheeled ammunition trailer. Add in 3026’s and everyone now uses the ‘caisson’ style SP-PPC instead of the hand carried model. Bunch of wussies. They completely got rid of the M-PPC as well. Add in the PPP (Charmed One) or P^3. Particle Projection Pistol. Some planets need this. They got really to get a dino packed version as well. #3026 also has a back page. Lists the ranges in MechWarrior and Battletech hexes. SP-PPC, the hand held version can do 18. Least in one of my edition. Some I have said 12. Still better than the damn 9 half the… new guys claim (~~~~)
      Here’s an odd question. Why don’t they have underwater construction powered armor in the Inner Sphere. Thought that was how NASA trains its astronauts or was that just movie…

      Reply

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