MegaMek and MekHQ no longer work on my computer, and I cannot figure out how to make them do so - I guess I keep failing my skill checks. So I am going for the next best thing.
No, not the other Battletech video games, although they look pretty awesome (they won't work on my computer, either - maybe I need a better computer).
I'm talking about the tabletop RPG version, coexisting as the game Mechwarrior. While all that's necessary about a Mechwarrior are their piloting and gunnery skills and what kind of 'mech they are in, there are lots of folks that enjoy knowing more.
This being the case, Mechwarrior exists in several editions, and each edition has its own rules to create a mercenary unit.
So of course, I want to build one, and will take you through the steps.
But first, to put us in the right frame of mind, I suggest we listen to this lovely song.
That done, let's create a mercenary unit!
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First off is deciding which edition to use. I own a physical copy of this book, so it's what I am using:
The steps are simple enough:
Create a Leader
Assemble Founding Members
Open Recruiting and Battlefield Experience
Obtain Equipment
Buy Dropships/Jumpships
Determine Payroll, Support Costs, and Maintenance Requirements
Name the Mercenary Command and Establish Standing Funds
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1. Create a Leader (pp 136-137)
First up is to determine age, training, and experience of the Commanding Officer. One thing that hasn't changed over the editions is that Mechwarriors begin training at age 16. Our leader then received some family training followed by the State Academy, followed by four good terms in his House military.
This makes him 16+6+12 = 34 years old with +3 friends and +2 unit and +4 influence. His piloting/gunnery skills are 3/2, making him Elite.
Furthermore, each Commander gets 3 points to spend on Advantages from this list:
For our Commander, I'm thinking he has a Reputation (1pt) as a Bull's-Eye Marksman (1pt), and because of this, he was Knighted (1pt).
This provides him an additional +3 family, +5 friends, +5 unit, and +2 influence, all for a grand total of +3 family, +8 friends, +7 unit, and +6 influence.
These modifiers matter because they help determine the Founding Members in step 2.
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2. Assemble Founding Members (pp 138-140)
This part requires the most work, to include creating members in a similar fashion to creating the leader. All of this is needed to determine the exact number of members the unit starts with.
First, I roll 3 d6 of different colors and add modifiers.
The dice spoke, 3+3=6 family, 6+8=14 friends, and 6+7=13 unit. Cross-checking the chart gets me 2 Family members, 8 Friends, and 35 Unit Members - it's like his entire battalion mustered out with him. This gives me 45 founding members total.
Some of these Founding Members can be 'Special Recruits' allowing the Commander to spend Influence, of which we have 6, to bring with him. These Specials bring Founding Members of their own, so I reckon we should have some. This leaves the Leader with 42 randomly determined founding members.
Specials that have Advantages cost 2 Influence each, and those without cost 1 Influence each, so I could have 3-6 Specials in this unit.
Special recruits who have been assigned special advantages and subordinate command positions (executive officer, battalion commander, and so on) roll on the Founding Members Table to determine how many additional recruits each character brings into the command. For all other special recruits, reduce by half the modified roll result before determining the number of new members those characters bring in. (pg 139)
If I want to start with a large unit - and I do - I need to min/max those 6 Influence points for 3 Specials that have Advantages and then make them officers. This is easy enough, so I create them the same way I created the Commander.
Special 1 (3/2 Elite) - Family Trained, State Academy, State University, 3 tours, Baron Heir, Reputation
+3 Family, +8 Friend, +4 Unit, +6 Influence
3 Family, 5 Friend, 7 Unit
Special 2 (3/2 Elite) - Family Trained, Private Academy, 4 tours, Well-Connected (2), Tactical Genius
+1 Family, +4 Friend, +4 Unit, +5 Influence
2 Family, 4 Friend, 7 Unit
Special 3 (4/3 Veteran) - Family Trained, State Academy, 3 tours, Maneuvering Ace, Toughness
+2 Family, +4 Friend, +5 Unit, +3 Influence
2 Family, 4 Friend, 11 Unit
This brings the grand totals to 9 Family members, 21 Friends, 60 Unit or 90 people. The rules don't instruct me to take advantage of the Specials' Influence points to generate their own Specials, but I could see that happening - because the rules also don't tell me I can't.
Let's look at these folks. Again, I roll 3 d6 of different colors, to determine unit type, unit rating, and unit weight. I do this 87 times, because 3 of the Leader's people are the Specials. I then add the Leader and the Specials' rating add to the rolls (+2 for Elite, +1 for Veteran). Let me open Excel and be back in a bit. - because all real games require use of spreadsheets.
Thank God for Excel! 50 Mechwarriors, including the Leader and Specials and 40 other combat units (presumably the family, friends, and unit members aren't maintenance). I may play a bit fast and loose with what those other units are - I have nothing against combined arms, but my mental fiction doesn't jive with only Combat Arms forming a unit.
Fifty Mechwarriors (presumably each with a 'mech) is a solid base to work with, even if I decide some are Dispossessed and lack 'mechs of their own - and I may do this to sustain my mental fiction. Since my Specials need to be in the Command structure, I am making them Company Commanders in our 'Mech Battalion.
Those 50 'mechs are broken down as 15 Light, 16 Medium (1 Special), 10 Heavy (2 Special), 9 Assault (1 Leader). If 10 of those mechwarriors are Dispossessed, that still leaves me enough 'mechs for a full battalion with a Command Lance. Tasty. I'll figure out which specific 'mechs later, using the RATS (free download!) or MUL maintained by Catalyst.
Presuming Combat units, the other 40 are broken down into 18 assorted infantry squads, 6 Aerospace Fighters, and 17 Assorted tanks.
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Alternatively, I could read the instructions properly and break the unit into lance-sized elements before rolling. While this may totally change the numbers, I am in a spreadsheet kinda mood, so let's go:
Leader has 42 to account for, which is 11 rolls, needing to recruit 2 members (2 Mechwarriors).
Special 1 has 15 to account for, which is 4 rolls, needing to recruit 1 member (Mechwarrior).
Special 2 has 13 to account for, which is 4 rolls, needing to recruit 3 members (2 Mechwarrior, 1 Pilot).
Special 3 has 17 to account for, which is 5 rolls, needing to recruit 3 members. (2 Mechwarrior, 1 Pilot).
This method netted 15 lances of 'mechs (including the Leader and 3 Specials), 2 infantry platoons, and 8 lances of armor or aerospace wings (the Complementary heading is vague). I think it's safe to say that the 9 members needing recruiting are Mechwarriors or Aerospace pilots.
I gotta say, I rolled up a sweet 'mech unit: those 15 lances consist of 2 Light lances (both Elite), 5 Medium lances (1 Elite), 4 Heavy lances (1 Elite), and 3 Assault Lances. Non-Elite lances are uniformly Veteran. All non-'mechs are Regulars.
Compared to the individual rolls, this rolling by lance gives me a decidedly heavier unit, so I will use these numbers for the rest of the example.
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3. Open Recruiting and Battlefield Experience (pp 140-142)
Once founding members are determined, the rest of the unit needs to be hired on or otherwise acquired (I'm a fan of recruiting POWs, myself). Step 2 shows us we need 6 Veteran Mechwarriors and 2 Regular Aerospace Pilots.
To do this properly, we need to look at each recruiter's influence points, noting that juniors can donate points up the chain at a 2-for-1 deal. That being the case, each Special will recruit their own. Each attempt to recruit costs 1 influence point, begins with a target number of 8, and is modified as follows:
Since it's still 3025 for this exercise, we are sticking with Tech Level 1 and no Battlesuit infantry or Clan stuff at all.
Instead of scrolling to the top, here are the Influence point summaries: Leader 6, S1 6, S2 5, S3 3. So in theory, we can roll 20 times to recruit to our target numbers.
The pilots require rolls of 11 and 10 to recruit (8 +1 (medium), +2 (pilot), -1 (one level lower) OR -2 (two levels lower)).
S3 Mechwarriors require rolls of 10 to recruit (8 +1 (medium), +1 (Mechwarrior)). The other Mechwarriors require rolls of 9 to recruit (8 +1 (Mechwarrior), -1 (one level lower), +1 (medium).
At least these pilots all come with 'mechs and aerospace fighters!
L 1 Regular pilot joins the unit
S1 2 Veteran mechwarriors and a Regular pilot join the unit
S2 1 Veteran mechwarrior joins the unit
S3 blows all three rolls.
Recruiting is tough to do! Still, we ended with both pilots and 3 mechwarriors, leaving us only 4 'mechs and mechwarriors short. Technically, we don't really need them, but still.
Now that Open Recruiting is complete, we can move to Battlefield Experience.
It's a simple enough system. First the Leader rolls 2d6 to determine mission and result, then subordinate commands (company commanders and at least one armor and one infantry commander) roll 2d6 on the other tables to determine gains and losses. It is recommended that 'mechs and tanks come and go with personnel. Each roll takes a game year. So it is now 3026.
10 is a Garrison/Victory! No personnel losses, but no one increased in skill rating, either. It beats losing, though! Presumably the Infantry pulled security, while the Armor supported the 'mechs in the field.
Returning to Outreach after a mission, we are now qualified for step 5 or to repeat this step.
Let's try for some ships.
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4. Obtain Equipment (pp 142-144)
There is lots of math and dice rolling here, as the setting of the book is 3059, so LosTech from the Helm Core and all of the Clan Tech is potentially available to upgrade 'mechs and make everything shoot farther for more damage while costing more C-Bills. Despite this, I will be using 3025 sensibilities and options, so am skipping this Step.
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5. Buy Dropships/Jumpships (pp 144-145)
Mercs without their own means of travel are mercs that die in place when a mission goes sideways. As it appears we are nearly a full battalion of 'mechs, we need either one Overlord or a trio of Unions or some other combination to carry us all.
This is another place where Influence points matter. So instead of recruiting anyone, we instead try for one dropship or jumpship.
Leader and Specials have 20 Influence points between them, so in theory we've enough for a ship. Then again, this part forces the transfer of points at the 2-for-1 rate, so presuming 14 Influence are sent to the Leader, that gives the Leader 7 points to go with his base 6, for 13 Influence total.
As a bonus, the advantages of Titles, Reputation, and being Well-Connected give bonuses. Among my four I spent 7 points on such things, for the maximum bonus of -7 on the target roll to acquire a dropship.
There's a large chart listing available dropships as of 3059, but all I need to know are a handful and their unupgraded target numbers.
Union -- 10 or 3 after my -7 bonus
Overlord -- 12 or 5 after my -7 bonus
Well, go big or go home. Let's beat a 5 ... 9. The Overlord is ours. Technically, it belongs to its ships captain because I didn't roll high enough, but that is quibbling.
At the end of the Buy Dropship section it tells us we can get a FREE roll for a Dropship if we didn't try for Dropships/Jumpships at all. The cost is that base target numbers are at +2, so that Overlord would have a target number of 7 and the Union a 5.
Jumpships are different, though, and require 3 cycles (3 game years) to find and acquire and maybe miss the die roll. So we'll skip this for now.
In a pinch, transportation can be negotiated as part of a contract or can be hired out of the war chest. It ain't cheap, though. This sample unit would cost almost 1,000,000 C-Bills to carry to one planet - which doesn't even look at jumpship rentals! Luckily, we have an Overlord in our employ (more to add to salaries and maintenance!) so costs are greatly reduced.
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6. Determine Payroll, Support Costs, and Maintenance Requirements (pp 146-147)
Mercenaries aren't in this business just to die from poor, so these are current going rates.
My notes spreadsheet has a new page for salaries. Too bad I now need to determine the precise make up of our supporting Armor units to determine how many crew members I have to pay. The formula is tonnage of the vehicle divided by 15, rounding up. So a 30-ton tank has two crew members, while an 80-ton tank has 6 crew members.
Salaries for support staff aren't covered in this chart, but I know quality technicians cost. They get a separate chart - and Elite 'mech techs have a higher salary than Regular Mechwarriors. The numbers in parentheses are for techs that fix tanks and other non-mech, non-aerospace fighters.
The six regular pilots cost 19,500 x 1 each year, for 117,000 C-Bills. The mechwarriors are gonna be expensive.
4 Lances of Elite Mechwarriors are 16 +3 for specials and leader, 10 lances of Veteran Mechwarriors is 40 +1 leader -4 for missing people is 37. In annual salaries, that is 1,111,500 + 1,443,000 = 2,554,500 C-Bills per year, just for the mechwarriors.
Presuming at least one tech per lance, I need at least 25 various techs on staff, mostly 'mech techs. That's probably another 500,000 or so C-Bills per year. The book refers me to pg 157 if I want to hire additional techs on an hourly basis.
Side note - this is why I find it useful to have mechwarriors and tankers who can perform at least basic maintenance on their vehicles. The mechwarriors won't all be able to, but tankers should have at least one person per vehicle crew who can pull -10 or -20 level maintenance. If the US Military of 2023 can manage it, the future tankers 1,000 years from now can as well. Yes, this skews salaries upwards.
This doesn't bring medical and admin and dropship crews into account. Luckily, there's a chart for that.
So it looks like this unit would need nearly 5 million C-Bills in salaries each year, conveniently broken down into biweekly payments.
This is before costs of parts and maintenance is taken into account. Again, a handy chart.
I don't want to calculate man-hours, so will just stick with baseline maintenance costs.
56 'mechs (I still need to recruit 4 more... or do I) x 150 = 8,400 C-Bills every two weeks, 6 aerospace fighters is 750 C-Bills, 2 infantry platoons is 100 C-Bills, and 20 ground vehicles is 1,000 C-Bills. So 10,250 C-Bills every two weeks or 266,500 C-Bills each year.
Parts, repairs, and inevitable replacements are not (yet) accounted for.
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7. Name the Mercenary Command and Establish Standing Funds (pp 147-148)
Naming is easy - incorporate the Commander's name and make it alliterative. Probably.
Standing Funds, or the War Chest, uses this formula and the following chart:
(Number of Combat Companies) x 10,000 C-Bills x War Chest Multiplier
Combat Companies... 3 'Mech Companies (1 Elite, 2 Veteran), 2 Armor Companies (Regular), and 1 Infantry Company (Regular). So 6 combat companies averaging Veteran is 120,000 C-Bills.
All things considered, the War Chest contents aren't enough to cover much of anything - not even a month's salaries for the unit, let alone maintenance costs. Which is why we fight for pay - bills won't pay themselves!
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Overall, the smart thing to do would be to pare the unit down to a trim 36-mech battalion with its own techs and one (or both) infantry platoon to pull security around our repair bays and supply depots.
Even in the future, logistics are what win the wars!
As implied the last time I posted about MekHQ, the game date was in mid-May. I ground through to the beginning of June, and it truly was a grind of heavy and assault 'mechs battering away at one another, with a parade of light and medium 'mechs (and a like number of vehicles) were turned to scrap left for the Heartbreakers' Davion employers.
Warhammer exploding. By Earl Geier
For in-game fiction, the Heartbreakers ran into a heavy regiment of Capellans. Maybe even the famed McCarron's Armored Cavalry. Not that it matters that much. My team came out on top.
Here is a list of the more notable 'mechs my lances fought against this game week:
2x Cyclops
5x Victor (3 in one fight)
3x Grasshopper
2x Archer
1x Marauder
1x Stalker
2x Catapult
2x Orion
2x Thunderbolt
1x Ostsol
4x Rifleman
2x Warhammer
Most of these 'mechs ended up in the Heartbreakers' repair bays for eventual adoption into our ranks. The ones that didn't suffered ammunition explosions during the fighting. All this out of a total of 192 various 'mechs and vees scattered across 16 separate engagements. Yes, I have the 'double vees' option turned on. Then I realized that May 31, 3030 was a Monday, so I had another week's worth of fights to battle through. It was similar to the above, but with Battlemasters and Awesomes.
A battle's speed is a much ambient light and dumb luck as it is pilot skill. The tactics skill can often turn an unfavorable fight into a better one (I'm a fan of deep woods - it lets my jumping 'mechs shine while preventing much movement from opposing 'mechs and vees), though sometimes, it goes from bad to worse and I end up with open fields while opposing a legion of Pegasus hover tanks.
Pegasus Hover Tank, by Duane Loose - those twin SRM 6 launchers can do some damage.
Repair and Refit
June and July were spent repairing the salvage and refitting the Wolverines and Marauders (there is a second in the repair bay from the week prior) to more preferred versions. The Wolverines got the -M conversion, and the Marauders are turned into what I suspect is a common custom build, trading out the AC5 and ammo for an additional pair of medium lasers, more heat sinks, and more armor.
Aside from that, I ordered another 50-75 tons of armor and more missiles and AC ammo, though how much of which sorts, I don't recall. For giggles, I ordered some Inferno and Heat-Seeking ammo, as well. Then I'll be ready for the next slog, which begins in August - after two months, enemy morale has returned to normal, and the fighting continues.
Reconstitution
In addition to recruiting numerous Veteran mechwarriors from the POW camp, the personnel market has provided several true mercenaries to balance things out. Enough so that the Fifth Regiment now stands at two battalions strong, as I ran out of Veteran mechwarriors. The remaining 'mechs are in the hangar, though, mothballed until I gather more troops under my banner.
Since I have free time in game, I'm not only standing up the Fifth Regiment, I am spending the various techs' experience points. Elite mechanics are cross-trained to become 'mech techs, and elite 'mech techs are cross-trained into administrative rolls.
Mechwarriors and vehicle crewmembers have experience points expended as they are deployed. It is simpler for me, but also kind of reminds me who fights a lot and who doesn't... as well as who is competent. Battletech ends up becoming a weird meritocracy balanced only by lucky headshots and ammo explosions.
Prisoners have been ransomed away in vast quantities. As might be imagined, Elite and Veteran mechwarriors fetch the most, but enough Green troops add up. 9,385,000 C-Bills is a helluva payday - but where the Capellan Confederation gets that kind of money, I don't know. Probably from the same mystery source as all of their 'mechs.
Lastly, I removed all the armored lances from the 68 required for the mission, replacing them with 'mechs. Tanks just die to fast, so I am using them for backup in chases or in the flatlands.
A pilot standing next to a Warhammer and Rifleman, to scale. Source uncertain.
Moving Forward
I set the combat toggles to keep opponents hidden until they appear in Line of Sight. The sympathetic explosions toggle is staying off for now - I like kicking legs out from 'mechs and playing kickball with missile launchers.
Still, I am done for now with MegaMek and MekHQ, so the Heartbreakers will rest in digital limbo until I feel like more giant stompy robot fun. Unless I download the new version of the game or that StratCon version that is being worked on. It sounds fun.
MegaMek and MekHQ is still my go-to computer game, despite not having played it in several months. Basically, I am a victim of my own success, so each game day and week takes forever.
From SpOoKy777 on DeviantArt - MekHQ opening screen
The Day 13 character creation challenge put the game back in my mind and so I ended up finishing out the current game week. For the record, the game date is Monday, May 17, 3030. The Blackhearts current contract is to Garrison the planet Pleione under the Federated Suns, fighting off the Capellan Confederation. They've been on planet since October 14, 3029, and aren't scheduled to leave until September 14, 3031. That's 23 long months on a desert planet.
What allies I have are Green, and the Enemies are Regulars. The Heartbreakers are rated as Veteran.
We currently have two subcontracts on the planet: Relief Duty and Recon Raid. A third subcontract, Cadre Duty, is completed. These subcontracts pay handsomely for comparatively easy work.
Overall, the MegaMek fights seem to be more exciting when Sabaton is playing in the background. Go figure.
Organization
The humble mercenary Heartbreakers 'mech company now sits fat at four Battlemech Regiments, backed by an understrength Armor Regiment and Artillery Regiments. Those 'mech units are in turn supported by Aerospace fighters, although not quite enough to go around - yet.
I've kept to a consistent pattern of one medium company and two heavy or assault companies to each 'mech battalion. My oldest pilots are grizzled experts - particularly 'the Inevitables', a heavy lance consisting of a standard Guillotine, a standard Grasshopper, and a pair of Wolverine-Ms. They don't lose. Each pilot is a 0/0 with 6 or 7 bonus abilities. It's ridiculous.
It is also the result of turning off the option for Mechwarriors to leave at the end of a contract. In my mind, if a unit makes payroll regularly while also having a bit of action, Mechwarriors would stay, especially in light of the rather liberal hiring policies of the Heartbreakers, namely recruiting the Elite and Veteran prisoners that are interested in turning coats - given that it is Capellans and Kuritans that are mostly swelling the Heartbreakers' ranks this way, I suppose regular meals are why they do so.
Balancing lances is the next step, and can be a tedious one, but is key to making the most of the hard rules on lance weights. Medium lances should be between 180-200 tons total, heavy lances 260-280 tons. Weight advantage boils down to more guns and armor, but really, better damage when meleeing, which is the best way to salvage 'mechs. My in-game battlefields are scattered with one-legged and headless 'mechs, which often end up in my hangar. Apart from weight is trying to match up movement speeds: I prefer pairs that move the same rate: 4/6/4, 5/8/5, 6/9/6. The assaults are 3/5 and rarely jump, but it is what it is.
I can say that I certainly have preferred 'mechs, as seen when I alphabetize the hangar contents by 'mech name. Nearly 80 Wolverine-Ms, between 20-30 each Awesome, Warhammer, Thunderbolt, Stalker, Vindicator, Quickdraw, Griffin, Grasshopper, Ostsol, and Guillotine 'mechs. I've found myself duplicating 'mech lances, varying only by pilots, especially among the lighter companies: Phoenix Hawk, Firestarter, Vulcan-5T, and Javelin. There are others, but these are my mainstays.
All that said, I am close to starting up a Fifth Regiment, and already have a battalion-plus in Mechwarriors ready to be issued 'mechs and proper spots on the MTOE, if only to better earn their keep. The 'mechs are there in the hangar, awaiting pilots and unit designations. This time, I am thinking a two-medium companies, one-heavy company per battalion might be best. I already have a name: Bottled Lightning.
Another loadscreen from MekHQ. I'm fairly certain that's a Highlander followed by a Crab.
Preferred Tactics
Close and melee, particularly with kicks - one-legged 'mechs are regularly salvaged from the battlefields, and then repaired. City fights see me damaging buildings so the 'mechs standing atop them fall.
In addition to dropping buildings, I have figured out how to set forests and buildings alight, which is terribly useful when battling infantry. I've also learned how to change modes on LRM launchers for true indirect fire, with and without a spotter, so I have this in my kit box now.
My favorite skills among pilots are jumping jack, melee master, and sniper. Not everyone gets all three, and I do use others, but I would guess three-quarters of my veteran pilots have one or more of these skills.
I'll admit that I have chases turned off, because they always take so long to complete - if only because it is one of my nonjumping heavy lances in terrible weather or terrain (or both). Before finding that toggle switch, my preferred method for the 'chase' was to stand and fight, smashing everything, then typing /victory to end it.
As an aside, before I discovered /victory, I lost so much salvage as I waited for the game to end naturally, which means no viable targets. In MegaMek, a one-legged, prone 'mech with an unconscious pilot is considered viable, at least to the AI, so I followed that rule, as well, kicking downed 'mechs into scrap.
Maintenance and Supply
While the goal is one tech per 'mech, I am only about halfway there. Aerospace fighters are better staffed with techs, but honestly, those aerotechs mostly just perform maintenance and repair broken weapons in the warehouse.
The unit POW camp is massive, as is the hospital. I have more than enough doctors for my own troops (1 doctor per regiment), but have hired several others for prisoner overflow. So I have 14 doctors on staff, and when fighting is constant, their sick bays fill up fast. That same POW camp has supplied about half of my regiments' berths, but those Veteran and Elite prisoners serve well as the seeds for a new regiment.
More than half of my 'mechs joined the Heartbreakers as salvage, particularly the Wolverines. While I am biased, it is a sweet mix of speed, armor, maneuverability, and punch - especially, the WVR-6M model. The hangars contain probably another regiment's worth of Battlemechs, and once this game month is over, I will likely begin standing up that Fifth Regiment.
Individual parts are ordered in bulk when needed (so the needed 60-ton arm actuator sees me order 5 or 6), and those random spares go towards filling instant needs. Armor is an issue, to the point where I prioritize salvaging wrecked 'mechs and vees especially for the armor plating.
Similar to this is ammo. Given the opportunity, I take all the LRM and SRM launchers I can, primarily to keep from buying missiles.
For the most part, this strategy works out for me. That said, in a pinch, I can start activating mothballed units to either replace badly damaged 'mechs or merely to strip of armor.
Monthly marketplace updates keep the ranks growing, not so much with replacements as with additional troops. Self-training Astechs into other things takes a looooooooong time.
Combined Arms
I mentioned earlier that the Heartbreakers have understrength Armor and Artillery Regiments. My mainstay battle tank is the Manticore, and the Artillery is a mix of Thumpers and LRM launchers, backed by a lance of Forward Observing 'mechs.
Manticore mini. Not mine.
Armor is sweet because you can fire everything and not worry about heat, but the downside is mobility kills and a lack of jump jets. When my tracks are mobility kills, I tend to keep the crew inside and fighting, and they mostly survive. I've gone against mixed 'mech and Vees and they work well enough that I've taken to doing so, and it can be brutal, as the 'mech's can often save the mobility-killed tanks when the computer circles round them to play kickball.
Artillery is neat, though I prefer using the LRM-based versions, because it hits now, and not later, and watching an opposing 'mech melt in the face of 60 missiles is almost as funny as when they're hit with 120 damage from an SRM Launcher's full salvo. Thumpers work, but the delay and tendency to miss is frustrating.
Aerospace support exists, but I have to use the computer to control the fighters (and VTOLs, for that matter), so I tend to not use what I have. In the past, I have used them for bombing runs, and those can be quite satisfying to watch.
Infantry, well, I have them. They are a pain to use for too little impact, so they stay in the TOE and provide in-game security for my in-game regiments.
Future Challenges
From experience, I need to watch how fast and large I grow my units, or else I run out of memory and the whole game goes kaput. Which is a shame, as there are three regiments' worth of short-fiction bios I can no longer access. It's not that they were great fiction, but they added flavor for me.
In addition, MegaMek and MekHQ lets me toggle all sorts of options off and on, and currently, many of the combat options are off. Flipping sympathetic explosions on would alter my playstyle, because my 'mechs like to kick the shit out of things, and when those things explode, it tends to take my 'mechs with them, and I am not a fan of that.
Then again, that would make MegaMek almost new again.
Another toggle that I may switch on is the hidden opponents toggle. Perhaps my current mode of being able to see the whole map is easy mode, but it's what I know. Not being able to see everything until it's in line of sight could be fun. If nothing else, it lets me make use of the variety of sensor arrays each 'mech carries.
Of course, the most immediate challenge is finishing the current contract. I'm hoping that the Cappies Rout after this month's steady losses to the Heartbreakers, but I suspect it will run through Low and Very Low, first.
Although it's been some time since I opened up MegaMek (multiple regiments make each week of a contract LOOOONG), I still love Battletech and its imagined universe, especially the era of 3025 until right before the Clans arrived. Clan Tech ruined it for me - just like how the Clans ruins all things.
Long before computer games did all the math for us, FASA brought us a tabletop wargame, and from there came rules to play as individual Mechwarriors, the pilots of the Battlemechs, themselves.
Because all the cool tough guys smoked in the '80s.
I've always considered the individual Mechwarriors to be fluff in a game of big, stompy robots, but a pilot's Gunnery and Piloting skills can have an impact on the game, both then and now and even through Catalyst Games' Alpha Strike, a Battletech tabletop wargame.
As can be seen by the cover image, I am using my old softcover to generate today's PC, not the fancy new Catalyst Games (they own Battletech and other FASA games, now) hardback version. Full disclosure, I am using the 2nd Edition rules, but I like the 1st Edition cover more.
Actor George Peppard, in his role as John Smith, of the A-Team. Also what Art Heathco happens to look like in 3025.
The first step towards a Mechwarrior of my own is to assign priorities from 0-4. We go from there.
Arthur 'Art' Heathco, Captain, Heathco's Hammers
Race (0) - Human
Attributes (2) - 24
Build: 4
Reflexes: 6
Intuition (has half the value of number assigned): 6 (3)
Learn: 4
Charisma: 4
Characteristics
Athletic (18- (Build+Reflexes) =8
Physical (18- (Reflexes+Intuition) =9
Mental (Intuition+Learn) =7
Social (Intuition+Charisma) =
Advantages (1) - 1pt
Wealth - 5K C-Bills
Skills (4) - 24 (nothing higher than LRN (4))
Advanced University (Battlemech MOS, Leadership Training FOS) (18 points)
Assets: commander of 'mech company, personal wealth
Edge: 2
A proud graduate of Sanglamore on Skye, Arthur's education led to a commission in a Steiner border regiment. After a decade of experience in raids and counter-raids, Art became an anomaly amongst the Steiner upper ranks - a competent tactician and strategist. Being (rightfully) seen as a threat to more senior commanders, Art was sent to the Steiner-Marik border to ensure his competence stayed relevant, yet far away from the political sphere. There, he participated in a disastrous campaign that brought him to his current situation.
Like many merc companies, Heathco's Hammers was formed from the remains of a larger unit. In this case, a full combined arms regiment that saw heavy raiding and retaliatory raiding along the Steiner-Marik border. When the dust finally settled, Art was the surviving senior officer, so gathered loyal troops to his private banner and went solo. It has so far paid off, as the Steiner paymasters are happy to let Heathco's mercs do the necessary dirty work of eternal war. Surprisingly, it is working out well for Captain Heathco and his company, Heathco's Hammers.
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A Mechwarrior isn't a Mechwarrior without a 'mech and a mercenary unit to serve with. I gave in to temptation and used MegaMek to whip up the rest of Heathco's company and their 'mechs. The unit's greatest flaw is the Fire Lance's dependence on LRMs. The current (and cheapest) solution is to keep tons of reloads on hand, because it is still cheaper than buying an additional 'mech. The second greatest flaw is a lack of techs and parts to keep all the 'mechs in top condition. Then again, that is a common condition for most mercenaries in 3025.
Some excellent Battlemech line art of two of my favorite 'mechs - both of which can be found in the Hammer's ranks.
Awesome, by ShimmeringSword on DeviantArt
Catapult, by ShimmeringSword on DeviantArt
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Story time - a lifetime ago, I attended GenCon, sometime in the mid-90s, and played a small role in a massive walk-in, die, walk-out, all-day Battletech game simulating one of the Battles of Tukayyid (Tex tells the story better - so very, very much better than Wikipedia. Language warning, I guess).
I walked in, was assigned to the Inner Sphere, and handed two 'mech sheets: an Awesome and a Catapult. The Catapult fired one salvo before being destroyed by a star of Elementals. The Awesome lasted one or two turns longer before suffering a similar fate. I might have even killed dirty Clanners.
It doesn't matter - it was a glorious day of random gaming. If I close my eyes, I can still see the paper maps spread over the tables, covered with washers that represented all the destroyed 'mechs.
A variety of things to write about, mostly focused on why I haven't posted much lately. Regular readers may not care, but I do, so free therapy.
MekHQ and MegaMek have been eating lots of time. I am running a full combined arms regiment at this point, so lots of minutiae and micromanaging in the name of entertainment. It is still fun, but I keep increasing the optional rules, to self-moderate and make it more challenging. In the name of 80% salvage, I fight through and crush all, not even bothered by potential salvage exploding from ammo and fuel tanks.
All the fights take time. Thankfully, the latest release lets me shut off chase missions, which are ridiculous time sinks. Even without chases, the battles take time.
No guts, no galaxy and all that.
I got to play DnD this past week. A buddy is running the Candlekeep Mysteries adventures, on a first-come, first-serve basis. I was able to join for the second session. From the way it played out, I suspect the intent was not needing to kill anything, but the random PC I chose (my buddy provided a handful for late/lazy players) was the Evil Bugbear Rogue, so death was a member of the party. Murdering critters in their sleep made me feel a touch bad, but as a bugbear, that is kinda what they do.
Anyhow, we had fun and solved the mystery (I think). If I can join next session (schedules dictate yes or no), I will continue playing as Tumble the Bugbear Rogue. Despite his murderous tendencies (he also likes to eat, or at least taste, everything he kills), I am enjoying the murderous bastard.
Other than that, I am solidifying my comprehensive house rules, reading, mapping, watching movies, and drinking too much. The urge to write more is there, but peters out once I'm in front of a computer. If it is laziness or apathy or true writer's block, I have no clue.
I haven't written much lately because my free time has been absorbed with the latest stable version of MegaMek and MekHQ. There are many posts in draft form, needing completion, but for now, it has been computer games.
For those unaware, these two free games simulate all the fun of table top Battletech games without the need for having a room dedicated to painting and storing (and using) minis and terrain. What is Battletech? It is a wargame set initially in 3025 where humanity is at war with itself, and has been several hundred years. Battlemechs are giant human-piloted war machines and the principal means of solving political issues. Players are typically mercenaries trying to keep their 'mechs functional and units financially solvent. Sarna's Battletech Wiki addresses ALL the in-game lore, of which there is centuries worth.
Rifleman by Shimmering-Sword on DeviantArt
There are multiple units and regiments saved on my hard drive for earlier versions of the game. My experience, though, is that the unit and planet knowledge gets too large and the saved games just stop loading. Downloading the latest version of Java helps, but sometimes, I just have to shelve the game for awhile. Which is a shame, because my first unit has at least two regiments' worth of short fiction in the individual biographies of each pilot and several techs and vehicle crewmembers, fiction that is effectively lost. In Battletech, a regiment is approximately 108 'mechs, plus air support, armor, infantry, and artillery, for a proper combined arms approach. While I still have to rely on the Bot to fly my air support, I have worked out the rest of the combined arms, and it is good. So, yeah, lots of character sketches gone.
With this latest unit - the Heartbreakers, founded in 3025 - I have expanded the initial company to a full battalion of 'mechs, with plans for appropriate aerospace and armor (and maybe artillery) support. I play Against the Bot and the bot provides lots of delicious salvage, to include three Awesome 'mechs. For those unaware of the beauty of this 'mech, I'll let Tex of the Black Pants Legion explain:
While the Awesome is near the top of my favorites list, what I find perfect is the Wolverine-M. It jumps, it pummels, and its' kicks are big enough to leg a light 'mech, providing me more salvage. Coupled with a skilled pilot, typically with the Melee Master and Jumping Jack abilities, and this version of the Wolverine is a fast nightmare for armor and light 'mechs.
Yes, I am aware of several Battletech and Mechwarrior computer games, but of them, I prefer MekHQ, and not just because it is free. I enjoy the minutia of managing a mercenary company: hiring new employees; leveling veterans in the unit; salvaging, repairing, and replacing equipment; negotiating new contracts; writing (questionable) fanfiction about the units; managing the TOE of each lance and company; fiddling with the options (and there are so many options); the turn-based combat.
Now, I have a box of plastic minis, from the first round of Alpha Strike lances that Catalyst produced, as well as a decent selection of Heroscape terrain, and one of Stratagem's roll-out hex printed map to lay it all out on. The boys love playing 'robots' with the whole mess, and frankly, it IS fun to build maps and move minis about them. Time spent setting up and taking down is typically longer than the actual playing, though, so mostly it is a now-and-then game.
As an aside, I debated supporting the kickstarter for the new version of Lance Packs that match the 'mechs in the recent box sets, but in the end refrained. I don't regret it, but I admit to hints of want when I see them.
A Warhammer, Phoenix Hawk, Rifleman, and Commando (I think) - so sweet.
Storytime: the one time I attended GenCon, I stumbled onto an open game that was the Battle of Tukkayid. I was assigned to the Inner Sphere, and given control of an Awesome and a Catapult. A squad of Elementals did in the Awesome, and the Catapult joined the Awesome in death a few rounds later. In the end, both minis became wreckage - represented by large washers - on the huge table-top map. They joined the dozens of washers already there. In Battletech lore, that is a historical battle, stopping the Clan Invasion in its tracks. For college-age me, it was just awesome.
