Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

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NickAragua
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Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

December 12, 3053
Outreach (Wolf's Dragoons Sovereign Territory)

After reviewing what's coming at us, we deploy almost a full company of mechs to the indicated pass, backed up by an equal number of support units. The exact lineup is unknown at this time, but we're looking at elements of Beta or Gamma regiment, including a lance of assault mechs, a lance of heavy mechs, a short lance of lighter mechs, plus an assorted mix of medium and heavy armor, totaling approximately two companies.

They will attempt to break through our lines and flank Dragoons Home Guard forces already engaged, which, to put it mildly, would not go well for the Home Guard. While they are hardened veterans, they're not suicidal, so if we take enough of them down, they'll likely pack it in and pull back; possibly to make another attempt later, or down another pass.

But that's a concern for the future. For now, our mechwarriors move into position.

"Right." Leraje calls out. "Remember, we've got a lot of clan tech here, which means we have the range advantage. Use it."

Initial Battlefield State:
Spoiler:
Enlarge Image
The objective is to prevent at least 50% of the hostile units from making it across the map and off the south edge. They will be entering from the north edge. Enemy units that have become crippled due to being immobilized or excessive damage count for this purpose. Retreating enemy units may only retreat off the north edge of the map.

Your overall retreat conditions are up to you; however, your units are subject to "Forced Withdrawal" - when your mech gets real shot up, you must move at least one hex towards the south edge of the map per turn, if at all possible (and is not a completely dumb move). I'll call out if/when that happens. Your retreating units may only retreat off the south edge of the map.

To maintain sanity, a departure from standard battletech rules will be that the players automatically win initiative and get to move after all enemy units have moved, with the exception of a designated ACE.

As usual, the way this works is that I will move all the hostiles, then you guys will nominate your movement and target(s). Then we resolve the round and go around again.

Each mechwarrior gets to pick a single "buddy" - this is one of the available vehicles. Transports come with a "free" infantry platoon. The following "buddy" units are available:

Behemoth Heavy Tank - 100 tons, ultra-slow, massive firepower
4x Chaparral Tank - 50 tons, slow, Arrow IV launcher with 15x shots, homing ammo requires use of TAG
Coolant Truck 135-K - 30 tons, can spray down allied mechs for heat reduction
Demon Tank - 60 tons, slow, Gauss rifle and other minor weapons
3x Drillson Heavy Hover Tank - 50 tons, super-fast, large laser, SRMs, LRMs
4x Falcon Hover Tank - 50 tons, super-fast, medium laser + SRMs
8x Manticore Tank - 60 tons, slow, PPC and short-range weapons
3x Maxim Hover Transport - 50 tons, fast, SRMs/Lasers/LRMs, carries infantry
5x Long Tom Artillery - 100 tons, fixed off board, unguided artillery
Patton Tank - 65 tons, slow, AC/10 and LRM/5
Pegasus - 35 tons, fast, SRMs/lasers
Shreck PPC Carrier - 80 tons, super slow, 3x PPC
5x Scimitar Hover Tank - 35 tons, fast, TAG, Narc, Narc-enabled SRMs
2x Zephyr Hover Tank (Royal) - 40 tons, super-fast, TAG, Narc, ECM
2x Zephyr Hover Tank - 40 tons, super-fast, TAG, SRM, ECM

To save you guys and me some sanity, the "buddy" will generally follow you as best as they can and shoot at your target - you can issue them general orders and they'll do their best to follow them (although if you want to give them specific orders, feel free). If people choose to use Narc-equipped buddies, we do have Narc-equipped warheads which I will load onto mechs and other units that can use them.

So - pick a buddy and a deployment hex + facing, anywhere on row 30 or south.

Stat blocks and rules refresher will follow.

Custom mekhq build if you want to be able to load the saves I post to screw around with possible orders and figure out LOS without waiting for me.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c_uD5LS5A9QTMjNVbLOE-Lz-IMNwg--3/view?usp=sharing
Last edited by NickAragua on Thu Jun 02, 2022 1:03 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Stats blocks:

Lt. Nicolas "Akalon" Dvorak
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/2, Gunnery Specializtion: Energy, Eagle Eyes
Vulcan VL-5T (C)
40 tons
Movement: 6/9/6
Heat Sinks: 11 (22)
Armor: 136 Points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER Medium Laser x4 (Clan) - 2x Left, 2x Right Torso - 5 - 7 - 5/10/15
Flamer - Right Arm - 3 - 2 - 1/2/3 (note: +2 heat to target on hit)
MG - Left Arm - 0 - 2 - 1/2/3
Quirks:
Narrow/Low Profile


Cpl. Jesper "SgtSoldier" Myhra
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Phoenix Hawk PXH-3D
45 tons
Movement: 6/9/6
Heat Sinks: 12 (24)
Armor: 120 Points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER Large Laser x2 - Left, Right Arm - 12 - 8 - 7/14/19
Medium Pulse Laser x2 - Left, Right Arm - 4 - 6 - 2/4/6 (note: +2 to hit)
AMS - automatically engages incoming missile attacks, (probably) reducing damage
Quirks:
Command Mech


Sgt. Mary "WestOrEast" Kondo
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/2
Griffin GRF-3M (C)
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 13 (26)
Armor: 179 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC - Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18
ER Medium Laser x2 (Clan) - 2x Right Arm - 5 - 7 - 5/10/15
LRM/15 - Right Torso - 5 - 15 (3x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7) (16 shots)
Guardian ECM - negates certain "high-tech" ammo bonuses within 6 hexes
CASE (LT) - prevents ammo explosion damage from traveling inward


Lt. Nathan "Lich" Kang
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Hopping Jack
Timber Wolf "Pryde" (M)
75 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 16 (32)
Armor: 230 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
ER Large Laser (Clan) - Left, Right Arm - 12 - 10 - 8/15/25
ER Medium Laser (Clan) - Left Arm - 5 - 7 - 5/10/15
ER Small Laser (Clan) - Right Arm - 2 - 5 - 2/4/6
2x LRM/20 - Left, Right Torso - 6 - 20 (4x5) - 7/14/21 (12 shots)
Quirks:
Improved Targeting (Medium)


Cpl Tomoyuki "Bass" Owen
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/2, Multi-Tasker
Stormcrow Prime (M)
55 tons
Movement: 6/9
Heat Sinks: 20 (40)
Armor: 184
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
2x ER Large Laser (Clan) - Left, Right Arm - 12 - 10 - 8/15/25
3x ER Medium Laser (Clan) - Left, Right Arm, Head - 5 - 7 - 5/10/15
Quirks:
Stable


Pvt Gurudasa "Isgrimnur" Naimish
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Thug THG-11E (O)
80 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 14 (28)
Armor: 247 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x2 - Left Arm/Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
SRM/6 x2 - Left Torso/Right Torso - 4 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9 (30 shots)
Mech Quirks:
No Torso Twist


Pvt. Tessa "TheMix" Eng
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3
Mad Dog Prime
60 tons
Movement: 5/8
Heat Sinks: 12 (24)
Armor: 163 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
2x Large Pulse Laser (Clan) - Left, Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/14/20 (note: +2 to hit)
2x Medium Pulse Laser (Clan) - Left, Right Arm - 4 - 7 - 4/8/12 (note: +2 to hit)
2x LRM/20 (Clan) - Left, Right Torso - 6 - 20 (4x5) - 7/14/21 (12 shots)
Quirks:
Improved Targeting (Medium)


Cpt. Demesu "Leraje" Jafar
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Terrain Master (Mountaineer), Cluster Hitter, Gunnery Specialization - Energy
Warhawk Prime (M)
85 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 26 (52)
Armor: 256 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
4x ER PPC (Clan) - 2x Right, 2x Left Arm - 15 - 15 - 7/14/23
Quirks:
Improved Targeting (Long)


Lt. SG. Omer "Siljanus" Nanji
Gunnery/Piloting: 1/2, Weapon Specialist - PPC, Oblique Artilleryman
Mackie MSK-8B (O)
100 tons
Movement: 3/5
Heat Sinks: 21
Armor: 307 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC x2 - Left Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Gauss Rifle - Right Arm - 1 - 15 - 7/15/22 (16 shots, minimum range 2)
Medium Laser x2 - Center Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Protected Actuators


Cpt. Patrick "El Guapo" Allain
Gunnery/Piloting: 1/2, Dodge, Multi-Tasker, Terrain Master [Forest Ranger], Weapon Specialist - PPC
Dire Wolf Prime (M)
100 tons
Movement: 3/5
Heat Sinks: 22 (44)
Armor: 304 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
4x ER Large Laser (Clan) - 2x Left, 2x Right Arm - 12 - 10 - 8/15/25
4x Medium Pulse Laser (Clan) - 2x Left, 2x Right Arm - 4 - 7 - 4/8/12 (note: +2 to hit)
LRM/10 (Clan) - Left Torso - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (12 shots)
1x LB/10X AC - Right Arm - 2 - 10 (1x10 or 10) - 6/12/18 (30 shots, 20 cluster)
2x AMS - automatically engages incoming missile attacks, (probably) reducing damage
Quirks:
Improved Targeting (Long)
Last edited by NickAragua on Tue Jun 07, 2022 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Pilot Abilities:
Gunnery Specialization: +1 to attacks with listed weapon type, -1 with others
Weapon Specialist: +2 to attacks with listed weapon
Eagle Eyes: Acts like an active probe with range 1 (pretty useless in this scenario)
Hopping Jack: Jumping imparts only a -2 penalty to attacks rather than -3
Multi-Tasker: No attack penalties on attacks vs secondary targets in front arc
Terrain Master (Mountaineer): Elevation change MP cost reduced by 1
Terrain Master (Forest Ranger): Pointless on this map
Dodge: Forego melee attacks to give enemy units melee attack to-hit penalty
Cluster Hitter: +2 bonus on cluster rolls
Oblique Artilleryman: Kind of pointless without indirect-fire weapons

Quirks:
Narrow/Low Profile: Attacks that hit at target number or target number + 1 are treated as grazing hits (1/2 damage)
Command Mech: Bonus initiative (does not stack; winning initiative prevents enemy ACE)
Improved Targeting: +1 to attacks within the specified range bracket
Stable: +1 to piloting checks in some circumstances
No Torso Twist: May not "torso twist" during firing phase
Protected Actuators: Reduced odds of actuator damage?

Rules refresher:

Movement rules:
Moving forward: 1 MP
Changing elevation, mechs: 1 MP per level change, up to max 2
Changing elevation, tanks: 2 MP per level change, max 1
Change facing 1 side: 1 MP
Walk backwards: 1 MP, but you're limited to "walk MP" for the turn.
Walk backwards over elevation change: requires piloting skill roll (PSR) or you fall over
Getting up (from hull down or prone): 2 MP and PSR, failure results in return to original state


Target at weapon's
short range: +0
medium range: +2
long range: +4
minimum range: (minimum weapon range - range to target + 1)
e.g. if you're firing a PPC at something 3 hexes away, the to-hit modifier is 3 - 3 + 1

Modifiers for "to-hit" target numbers:
You walked: +1
You ran: +2
You jumped: +3
You sprinted: can't fire

Target moved:
3-4 spaces: +1
5-6 spaces: +2
7-9 spaces: +3
10-17 spaces: +4
18+ spaces: +5
Jumped: Extra +1

Target prone and at distance: +1

Smoke between you and your target (not including your hex):
+1 per light smoke
+2 per heavy smoke

Mech standing directly behind partial cover (level 1 hill, level 1 building) from attacker on the same level: +1, leg hits negated

Hull Down:
costs 2 MP
cannot kick
having partial cover grants an additional +1 penalty to hit hull-down units
costs 2 MP and a PSR to get back up (failure results in remaining hull down)

Sprint: move at 2x your walk MP, but take penalties to PSR, are easier to hit and cannot fire weapons.

Mechs can climb/jump down up to two levels.

Stacking rules:
One mech per hex. Max two allied units per hex.

Pass-through rules:
Can pass through allied units freely.
Cannot pass through hostile units.

Partial Heat Chart:
5: -1MP
8: -1 to attack rolls
10: -2MP
13: -2 to attack rolls
14: shutdown check, trivial
15: -3 MP
17: -3 to attack rolls
18: shutdown check, easy
19: ammo explosion check
20: -4 MP
Last edited by NickAragua on Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TheMix »

To confirm, if I only have 2 movement numbers, then I don't have jump jets, correct?

I'll start with the right, smaller mountain >> 4230

Not really sure about the companion. I don't know anything about the tanks. I assume tanks can't see over a 1 level rise? Maybe one of the Manticores at 4030 to cover the valley?

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

Hey, new trait! And pretty damn good, too, +1 to hit at medium range? That's nice.

Hm, gonna have to pick my LRM shots carefully. I'm not sure where to deploy, but I think I'd like the Schrek. Can they see over rises?

@edit: Goddamn, zero freaking cover. I'm wondering if I shouldn't have left the JJs at home for some more LRM ammo.

I'm thinking 1325 or 3029.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Sgtsoldier123 »

Alright, I have dreadfully little Battletech Tabletop experience so Let's hope I don't blow myself up. I'm thinking 1330, that way I can try skirmishing with units moving straight down the valley and hopefully duck behind the hills to prevent anything suitably big and scary from ruining my day.

As for companion I guess one of the Drillsons would be nice- long range enough to menace any screens and hopefully fast enough to keep up with my Phoenix Hawk.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

TheMix wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 5:54 pm To confirm, if I only have 2 movement numbers, then I don't have jump jets, correct?

Not really sure about the companion. I don't know anything about the tanks. I assume tanks can't see over a 1 level rise? Maybe one of the Manticores at 4030 to cover the valley?
Correct, no jump jets.

Tanks can see mechs over level 1 terrain, but not other tanks.
TotallyNotEvil wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 8:38 pm Hm, gonna have to pick my LRM shots carefully. I'm not sure where to deploy, but I think I'd like the Schrek. Can they see over rises?

@edit: Goddamn, zero freaking cover. I'm wondering if I shouldn't have left the JJs at home for some more LRM ammo.
You can adjust your omni-pod equipment prior to the battle if you want.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Leraje »

I'll take Schrek as a buddy.

3130 facing north if OpFor deploys right on the northern edge or 1639 facing north if they deploy not on the edge. Gotta take advantage of that extended range.
Just in case I get tardy with posting moves and holding things up, general firing pattern 3x ErPPCs non-stop at long range at the most opportune targets to avoid extra to-hit penalty from heat generation, switching to 4-3-4 once things get into medium range.

Edit: just noticed that Evil wanted the Schrek, so my second choice would be Demon.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

If I'm at Lv X, I ignore the cover on anyone standing at lv X-1, including terrain "lips" that might be providing cover?
NickAragua wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 11:57 pm
TotallyNotEvil wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 8:38 pm Hm, gonna have to pick my LRM shots carefully. I'm not sure where to deploy, but I think I'd like the Schrek. Can they see over rises?

@edit: Goddamn, zero freaking cover. I'm wondering if I shouldn't have left the JJs at home for some more LRM ammo.
You can adjust your omni-pod equipment prior to the battle if you want.

You are the boss, any suggestions?

@edit: Having thought it over, I see two possibilities: keep to five jumps, where I spend heat to have a TMM of +3 while only having a to-hit of +2, or no jumps. Three jumps looks appealing, but it's +2 vs +2 while I still spent heat and tonnage for it. With a 5/8 profile, and literally not a single shrub for cover what the hell, I think I will try this as a ground-pounder.

So unless one of my fellows has a better suggestion (nudge nudge), I think I want another three tons of LRM ammo, an extra heatsink and the original second ERML that I yanked for the extra JJ back.

So a Pryde that trades the 4x JJ for 1 DHS and 3t of ammo.

Gonna deploy at 3029 to buddy up with Leraje- we should not give up the central, 5-high hill. It's a very dominating position.

I will have the Schrek at 2929, hull-down.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

So, on strategy, there are 8 hills laid up in a grid, right? Let's enumerate them so we can talk about it more easily:

Image

Now, the mission is to prevent them from tranversing the map north to south, they can't flee off the edges. So, plain and simple, this is as much of an "Assault" mission as it gets. Unfortunately, the OP-For is made up of almost all vehiles, heavy and assault mechs, making them well suited for it. Given it's the Dragoons, we will probably not have as much of a skill advantage as we usually in most our contracts, and they are probably loaded up on L2 gear.

But, as far as I know, they are loaded up on IS L2 gear, which means that jumping isn't as easy and simples as with Clan mechs, especially for the heavier designs which they are fielding. And even then, we have our own jumpers, and we are usually far better armed or armored for a given speed than they are. We can catch the flankers with overwhelming firepower.

This, plus having a bunch of vehicles, means they will most likely take the "vales" between hills 1, 2 and 3 to get to the middle of the map, with their flankers possibly going for the edges.

I don't want to give up the middle of the map too early, so I believe we should concentrate our initial deployments on hills 4, 5 and 6- and especially on 5, as it offers a very high vantage point, and ready cover from either valley they mass overwhelmingly so.

We ought to keep a couple of designs with strong short-range firepower at 4 and 6 to catch potential flankers coming through the sides.

Maybe our slow assaults could deploy at lower rungs, so they can easily fall back while shooting towards hills 7 and 8 when the opposition inevitably pushes through? The speedier designs shouldn't have much trouble with that.

Maybe I'm crazy and talking non-sense, only had the one heavily forested GM-ed game before, but I feel like we shouldn't give up the advantage of laying a lot of lasers and missiles down the two initial chokepoints, as the middle of the maps opens up their approach by a lot.

Mechs at hills 7 and 8 will only be able to start shooting foes when they are, like, a third down the map, at the bottom tip of hill 2 or so. That's a lot of ground for them to traverse with impunity, when their objective is to just gain ground.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

Oh yeah, I almost forgot: if anyone has a small SRM or LRM launcher, or a medium one with plentiful ammo, please consider loading up Smoke rounds.

Every 2 SRMs and 5 LRMs can smoke a hex, so the bigger launchers can smoke multiple contiguous hexes in any configuration you want. I'm almost doing this myself, but I only pack 20s so that's a lot of hexes.

Leraje, if you and your Demon buddy want to made an ad-hoc fire-support lance, I can pack a ton of smoke rounds to give us 18 rounds of cover for both us and our buddy tanks, as I can smoke four squares with my big launcher. Sounds good?
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Isgrimnur »

I'll take a Manticore. Start at 2031 facing North
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Leraje »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Sat May 28, 2022 8:08 pm Oh yeah, I almost forgot: if anyone has a small SRM or LRM launcher, or a medium one with plentiful ammo, please consider loading up Smoke rounds.

Every 2 SRMs and 5 LRMs can smoke a hex, so the bigger launchers can smoke multiple contiguous hexes in any configuration you want. I'm almost doing this myself, but I only pack 20s so that's a lot of hexes.

Leraje, if you and your Demon buddy want to made an ad-hoc fire-support lance, I can pack a ton of smoke rounds to give us 18 rounds of cover for both us and our buddy tanks, as I can smoke four squares with my big launcher. Sounds good?
Sounds good. Too bad there are no LRM infernos :evil:
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

Ok Nick, I believe I will do that then. Finally use my Omni capabilities!

Take what I have, minus the five JJs, plus a DHS, a C-ERML, two tons of LRM ammo and one ton of LRM smoke ammo. My Schrek and I are going to team up with Leraje and his Demon to make Fire Support Hill, where I will put the four of us inside smoke. I don't know which rules you use for it, whether I can pick the squares or whether it automatically makes a bubble, just let me know so I will grant us cover, but not them. Whether it's the ones where I can pick or where it's a bubble, and whether it's three rounds or ten per shot, I think it's a decent plan.

If it's the longer lasting ones, I can surely help cover the others as well. We can take more aggressive firing positions if we need to.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by El Guapo »

So should I put my Daishi at the top of hill 5? I have a ton of range, so can start blasting away fairly quickly, then back down whatever part of the summit seems best for cover when the time is right.

Also, I can pick a Long Tom as my buddy? If so, how does that work? It would blast away at whatever target I'm firing at?
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

El Guapo wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 4:56 pm So should I put my Daishi at the top of hill 5? I have a ton of range, so can start blasting away fairly quickly, then back down whatever part of the summit seems best for cover when the time is right.

Also, I can pick a Long Tom as my buddy? If so, how does that work? It would blast away at whatever target I'm firing at?
I'd go slightly below the tip of the hill so you get the benefit of partial cover.

And yes, you can pick a Long Tom buddy - you can either designate a particular hex for it to fire at, or yeah, it'll just fire at whatever you're firing at. The main thing to keep in mind is that its rounds will arrive two moves after they've been fired, so you need to lead your targets quite a bit.

Also, you can load some of the Long Tom's ammo as smoke rounds, and then it'll put down a good-sized wall of smoke wherever the artillery lands.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

El Guapo wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 4:56 pm So should I put my Daishi at the top of hill 5? I have a ton of range, so can start blasting away fairly quickly, then back down whatever part of the summit seems best for cover when the time is right.

Also, I can pick a Long Tom as my buddy? If so, how does that work? It would blast away at whatever target I'm firing at?
I'm going 3029, Leraje is going 3130, you could go for 2829.

Are our tank buddies going to share their squares with us?
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 6:42 pm
El Guapo wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 4:56 pm So should I put my Daishi at the top of hill 5? I have a ton of range, so can start blasting away fairly quickly, then back down whatever part of the summit seems best for cover when the time is right.

Also, I can pick a Long Tom as my buddy? If so, how does that work? It would blast away at whatever target I'm firing at?
I'm going 3029, Leraje is going 3130, you could go for 2829.

Are our tank buddies going to share their squares with us?
They can if you want them to, otherwise they'll attempt to stay as close as possible (except for artillery, which will be off-board). With the usual caveat that they'll refuse suicidal orders.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by $iljanus »

Stick me on hex 1130 on hill 4 facing north so I can cover the left flank of hill 5. Don’t know what to pick for my little friend yet. :think:
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El Guapo
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by El Guapo »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 6:42 pm
El Guapo wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 4:56 pm So should I put my Daishi at the top of hill 5? I have a ton of range, so can start blasting away fairly quickly, then back down whatever part of the summit seems best for cover when the time is right.

Also, I can pick a Long Tom as my buddy? If so, how does that work? It would blast away at whatever target I'm firing at?
I'm going 3029, Leraje is going 3130, you could go for 2829.

Are our tank buddies going to share their squares with us?
Sure, 2829 sounds good.

The Long Tom sounds fun, but I doubt it would be super useful in a scenario where the OpFor is going to be constantly in motion. So I'll take the Behemoth, which also sounds like fun.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by $iljanus »

I’ll take a Drillson as my lil buddy and it can shoot and scoot along with raining missiles down as needed.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

All right, 7/9 completed just waiting two.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TheMix »

Will we be able to get a "final" screenshot of the map before we start? Just to get an idea of where everyone is and whether we've made any tactical mistakes? I'm having a hard time picturing/remembering where everyone is. It just becomes a stream of numbers. :)

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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Yeah, I can post one.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by El Guapo »

Also what weapons specifically does the Behemoth have? Just want to double-check its range.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Twin AC/10s and SRM/6 in the turret, quad LRM/5s facing forward. Plus a sprinkling of random crap to the sides (SRM/2s and machine guns).
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by $iljanus »

Oh, please stick my Drillson in hex1530 facing towards enemy. Thx!
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Leraje »

Plop Demon in my hex.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Gonna give it until tomorrow morning, then we're off to the races.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by gbasden »

I'll try to help with an edge, since it looks like most of the folks are on the middle hill. I'll start at 4630 and take a long tom as my buddy.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Akalon »

Ok, first time doing something like this.

Put me near the mid-right side of hill 5 3529, with a Drillson as my buddy 2 over and 1 space back on my right flank please.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

Are there downsides to having our buddy in our mech's square?
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

TotallyNotEvil wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:44 am Are there downsides to having our buddy in our mech's square?
Not really - the only possible risk is if you're clustered too close you might get blasted by artillery. The only artillery on the field is friendly, so hopefully that's not going to be an issue.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by WestorEast »

My Drillson buddy and I will deploy at hex 1022 and 1021 respectively.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Got an alternate buddy choice? All three Drillsons have been called already. Also, the Behemoth and Demon tank.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by Akalon »

Don't forget about Totallynotevil's Shrek buddy.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by TotallyNotEvil »

NickAragua wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 10:10 am
TotallyNotEvil wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:44 am Are there downsides to having our buddy in our mech's square?
Not really - the only possible risk is if you're clustered too close you might get blasted by artillery. The only artillery on the field is friendly, so hopefully that's not going to be an issue.
Then I too will share my square.

Look at us, this is the epitome of mechwarrior niceness, sharing our squares with our little buddies in the tank corps and everything.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by El Guapo »

My L'il 100 ton buddy will also share my square.

I'll also tell him to keep one eye on TotallyNotEvil for any signs of evil.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by WestorEast »

NickAragua wrote: Wed Jun 01, 2022 11:54 am Got an alternate buddy choice? All three Drillsons have been called already. Also, the Behemoth and Demon tank.
Then I'll take an off-map Long Tom instead.
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Re: Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via MegaMek XIII

Post by NickAragua »

Round 1:

Our mechwarriors collectively observe the, frankly, intimidating swarm of units coming in from the north.

"Whoo, boy" WestOrEast, the self-designated forward observer calls out. "We've got... shit, I don't even know where to start. Two assaults, Spartan-class. Never seen those before. Griffins, Shadow Hawk, Archer, Crusader. Heavy tank lance. Multiple medium tank lances. Lots of weapon carriers."

"Acknowledged." Siljanus calls out. "Bass, West, designate initial targets for artillery. West, get back to formation, you're going to get shot to shit out there by yourself."

Current Battlefield State:
Spoiler:
Enlarge Image
If you have a Long Tom, designate a target hex and whether you're using smoke or standard rounds. Otherwise, place movement orders and designate targets.

Target Movement Modifiers and status:
Hatchetman: +3
Shadow Hawk: +2
Vedette 0702: +1
Behemoth: +0
Hetzer 1104: +2
Scorpion 1104: +2
Laser Carrier 1204: +1
Vedette 1305: +3
Spartan 1508: +3
Crusader 1905: +1
Locust 2004: +2 (sprinted)
Archer 2405: +1
LRM Carrier 2503: +0
Partisan 2603: +0
Vedette 2905: +3
Vedette 2907: +2
Manticore 3005: +1
Vedette 3007: +2
Hetzer 3205: +1
Griffin 3308: +3
Drillson 3308: +3
SRM Carrier 3404: +1
Scorpion 3405: +1
Falcon 3406: +2
Condor 3506: +2
Griffin 3908: +1 (sprinted)
Vedette 4106: +2
Bandersnatch 4206: +0 (sprinted)
Thunderbolt 4406: +2
Vedette 4407: +2
Laser Carrier 4506: +2
SRM Carrier 4606: +2
Drillson 4609: +3
Manticore 4807: +2
Spartan 4808: +3
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