One-off Battletech skirmish

[Bobcloclimar]

( @Inash, @Tecmes, @Demented , @Excior, anyone else who might be interested)

 

 

It looks like there's some interest in running the Battletech wargame. To dip our toes in the water and see how it works, I propose running a simple PvE skirmish scenario using MegaMek versus a BV-balanced OpFor using side-based initiative, with each player getting a single mech (stock only for simplicity). The OpFor would go first each turn, then the players would have a couple days to analyze the complete OpFor disposition and submitting their moves and target allocations, which is sufficient to let the turn play out to completion.

 

I have a couple questions for those interested:

• Any particular eras in mind? I'm partial to 3025-era (and it's the simplest), but can go as far as the Jihad before my knowledge of the tech starts to break down.
• Mixed IS/Clan tech, or IS only?
• Should the OpFor include vehicles, or mechs only? Vehicles (including VTOLs) are nice for racking up kills and feeling like the god-kings of the battlefield that BattleMechs are supposed to be in the fluff. I think I'll keep aero off the table for this first game.
• Preferred method for choosing mechs: player choice, RATs, BV allocation (including pilot skill tweaks), something else?

 

This would start sometime in December or after the New Year.

[Inash]

So, no LAMs then. Probably for the best.

I haven't actually played since the mid '90s. I'm game for pretty much whatever.

[Demented]

-I'd suggest something in the 3050s. Advanced tech will help make the game finish up faster, but most of the new toys don't need special rules. I admit I too am very fuzzy on anything post-FCCW.

 

-I would say Inner Sphere only.

 

-Not knowing how knowledgeable the others are in BT, 'Mech only to keep things simple.

 

-BV, to keep things fair.

[Tecmes]

Cool!

• I agree with @Demented on year and IS
• I don't care much about Mech allocation, as it's OK if each player doesn'T has the same BV as others (light mechs typically have lower BV but can still be faster)
• I'm fine with vehicules as long as there's few

[Excior]

will we have to download and use MegaMek because I tried it a long time ago and could not figure it out. if we have our wish list I would like to play Inner Sphere right before the clan invasions. My mech of choice is the Archer

 

I have not played since the late 80's early 90's

Edited November 16, 2023 by Excior (see edit history)

[Bobcloclimar]

There would be a GM running MegaMek and posting images of the map. Participants would just need to post their actions in the forum, and the GM will handle inputting it to MM.

[Excior]

2 hours ago, Bobcloclimar said:

There would be a GM running MegaMek and posting images of the map. Participants would just need to post their actions in the forum, and the GM will handle inputting it to MM.

Awesome

[Inash]

20 hours ago, Excior said:

if we have our wish list I would like to play Inner Sphere right before the clan invasions. My mech of choice is the Archer

If we are going that era, Thunderbolt was the first mech I ever played and I still have a soft spot for the thing (even though I love me a Marauder).

[Excior]

1 hour ago, Inash said:

If we are going that era, Thunderbolt was the first mech I ever played and I still have a soft spot for the thing (even though I love me a Marauder).

for me #1 Archer #2 Marauder #3 Madcat I think it was called not sure if is before or after the clan invasion there was a saga game featuring this mech

Edited November 17, 2023 by Excior (see edit history)

[Bobcloclimar]

Madcat is the IS name for a Clan mech - the name was deliberately chosen as a portmanteau of Catapult and Marauder, much like the mech itself.

 

I like Awesomes, but if I'm running at lighter tonnages I'll often take a Commando, which harkens back to the first PBP game of BT I played, when I ammo-critted a Trebuchet (admittedly not that rare) on the first round of shooting with one. Note: I have not been able to replicate that success since :D.

[Demented]

Mad Cat is the Inner Sphere reporting name for the Timber Wolf OmniMech, which incidentally is my favoritest 'Mech ever.

[Cirlot]

What, no Warhammer love? Natasha Kerensky would like a word . . .

Looks like you have a lance on hand already but I'd love to sit in on this as on observer/reader. I played a Solaris VII arena game via PBeM some years ago in much the same way and it was great while it lasted.

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Cirlot (see edit history)

[Excior]

2 hours ago, Cirlot said:

What, no Warhammer love? Natasha Kerensky would like a word . . .

Looks like you have a lance on hand already but I'd love to sit in on this as on observer/reader. I played a Solaris VII arena game via PBeM some years ago in much the same way and it was great while it lasted.

 

 

 

Folks now days probbly dont even know who the black widow is lol

[Bobcloclimar]

4 hours ago, Cirlot said:

What, no Warhammer love? Natasha Kerensky would like a word . . .

Looks like you have a lance on hand already but I'd love to sit in on this as on observer/reader. I played a Solaris VII arena game via PBeM some years ago in much the same way and it was great while it lasted.

 

 

 

It's fine if you want to play - I'm not going to let a pesky little thing like canon get in the way of player participation :). The OpFor will be set by BV anyways, so extra players theoretically shouldn't unbalance anything.

 

I'd love to do a Solaris game at some point, but I don't have the bandwidth to GM one at this time.

[Tecmes]

If we choose our mech, it seems we don't have any fast mech so I'd gladly have any light/medium with good speed and/or JJs. Best if it has hands.