Scenario 1 Discussion

[Bobcloclimar]

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• Deployment

Edited December 27, 2023 by Bobcloclimar (see edit history)

[Tecmes]

I note that all our Mechs have solid long range (LLs and/or LRM, plus the UAC5s). This means I'll probably not be trying to move the Shadow Hawk much forward initially, as it would likely only draw medium-range fire from the opponents to it that we can avoid.

[Bobcloclimar]

That sounds like a good idea, although there will be LOS-blocking terrain, so don't count on being able to hold the range for that long.

[Cirlot]

Looking at our StarMaybe we're aping the Clan formation after seeing it on the trids, maybe we got trained up by the Dragoons on Outreach. By 3050 they were openly teaching and using clan formations after all . . . we've got a solid 4/6 speed battleline with the Thud as the brawler and the Archer and Rufleman as long range fire support. Based on the OOC thread I think to maximize the 2x20 and 1x15 lrms we'll need a spotter? Given the way the indirect fire mods work (you stack the spotter AND the attackers movement, and use the terrain mods from the spotter) the spotter will need to move slow and be in close which means the Starslayer is likely a better fit than the Phoenix Hawk. The PH-3K has ER large lasers, I think, so can be a mobile standoff and flanker which won't pair well with the spotter rules, while my Starslayer has standard larges and srms so I'll be in close and slow once the fight starts.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Cirlot (see edit history)

[Demented]

Maybe it was all that was available...

 

Broadly speaking, there's only two conditions where futzing around with IDF is worth it.

 

The first is when your missile boat is so fragile that even at long range it's going to attract a lot more firepower than it handle, so something like an LGB-OW Longbow, LCT-1M Locust (that's the 'Mech that infamously has 1 ton of armor), or an LRM carrier. In that case, the reduced accuracy is considered an acceptable trade-off for keeping the unit around and firing.

 

The second is when you can somehow conspire to put your missile boats in range but keep your spotter out of range, or otherwise prevent the enemy from engaging it, in which case you're getting free shots, and that's always a nice thing. The one time I've ever used indirect LRM fire in an actual tabletop game was when I had a hidden spotter that let me rain LRMs on the enemy and they couldn't respond.

 

The Archer and Thunderbolt are both very solid designs. You can safely park them on a hill to rain missiles on all they survey and not worry about indirect fire. Although in our case, the Thud is going to have to be our frontline because we have nothing else that can do the job. In fact, since we don't have enough 'Mechs to screen for a hideous glass cannon like a Rifleman, I'd like to change my 'Mech to a 3/1 SCB-9T Scarabus, so I can partner with the P-Hawk on the harassment attacks.

[Bobcloclimar]

I'm OK with the switch - I'm really curious to see how this Scarabus works out. If anyone else wants to change up their 'Mech, they can do so until deployment is concluded.

 

I've created the game in MM and uploaded an image of the OpFor's deployment. Since many of us are going to be occupied for the holiday (including me), I will give you all until Jan 5th to decide on your dispositions. This is a double-wide map (rolling hills on the left and a scattered forest on the right), so there's a bit more tactical flexibility in where you can deploy. I've enabled the rules for setting the forest on fire, so you can create your own smoke screens (lasers are more effective than autocannons or missiles for this) during any shooting phase. I believe the AI will attempt to run the VTOL in as far as it can the first turn (it can be a bit suicidal), if that's relevant.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Bobcloclimar (see edit history)

[Demented]

11 hours ago, Bobcloclimar said:

I'm OK with the switch - I'm really curious to see how this Scarabus works out. If anyone else wants to change up their 'Mech, they can do so until deployment is concluded.

Yeah, me too. This is an experiment to see if auto-winning init and an elite pilot can make hatchets not suck. Place your bets now.

 

Geez, that's a lot of firepower. I think if we try to directly contest the hills, the tonnage disparity will see us overrun. Therefore, I think we should deploy to the east side of the map and fight amongst the trees. The heavies can deploy on the hill-the Archer can hull down in 2403 or 2504 and do what it does best, the Thud move to the trees in 2604 to back it up and prepare to drop into the woods for the scrap. The lighter units should deploy center and use the trees between columns 18xx and 20xx to harass the enemy as they try to close. I suggest deploying the Starslayer 1703 S, and the P-Hawk 1802 S. This allows both to run south 7 hexes to the treeline for a +4 defensive modifier for the first round, and on the second they can either jet across the river or swing behind the enemy. A human player would keep the Caesar and Corsair on the hill for fire support, but I know Princess well enough to know she won't.

 

Demented Deployment Final

Deploy 1603, facing S.

 

If possible, turn off 9 heat sinks. IDK if MegaMek allows this, I've never tried it before.

@ExciorHave you considered swapping the ARC-2R for a -5W? It has doubles so you don't have to cycle out a launcher. It does come with a XL engine, but it still has the 13 tons of armor so it should be safe enough in the back. If an Archer is losing side torsos, something has gone terribly wrong. And the BV is low enough you can go to a 4/4 pilot.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Demented (see edit history)

[Tecmes]

Tecmes/PHX deployment final

2003 South

 

[Excior]

8 hours ago, Demented said:

Yeah, me too. This is an experiment to see if auto-winning init and an elite pilot can make hatchets not suck. Place your bets now.

 

Geez, that's a lot of firepower. I think if we try to directly contest the hills, the tonnage disparity will see us overrun. Therefore, I think we should deploy to the east side of the map and fight amongst the trees. The heavies can deploy on the hill-the Archer can hull down in 2403 or 2504 and do what it does best, the Thud move to the trees in 2604 to back it up and prepare to drop into the woods for the scrap. The lighter units should deploy center and use the trees between columns 18xx and 20xx to harass the enemy as they try to close. I suggest deploying the Starslayer 1703 S, and the P-Hawk 1802 S. This allows both to run south 7 hexes to the treeline for a +4 defensive modifier for the first round, and on the second they can either jet across the river or swing behind the enemy. A human player would keep the Caesar and Corsair on the hill for fire support, but I know Princess well enough to know she won't.

 

Demented Deployment Final

Deploy 1603, facing S.

 

If possible, turn off 9 heat sinks. IDK if MegaMek allows this, I've never tried it before.

@ExciorHave you considered swapping the ARC-2R for a -5W? It has doubles so you don't have to cycle out a launcher. It does come with a XL engine, but it still has the 13 tons of armor so it should be safe enough in the back. If an Archer is losing side torsos, something has gone terribly wrong. And the BV is low enough you can go to a 4/4 pilot.

I am not familiar with that design. I have not played s9nve 1989 with the boxed set. If I deploy to the river mu heat disbursement can double cor every one under water.

[Demented]

Here's a link to the -5W. Like I said, it uses double heat sinks which means it can shoot LRMs until the magazines go dry without touching the heat scale. It also shuffles the secondary weapons a bit, swapping out the lasers for a pair of SRM-4s. It also comes with NARC, which if you can tag somebody with means from then on everybody gets a +2 on the missile cluster hits table when shooting it with compatible missiles. The only problem is it has SRM 3/6/9 ranges, so you have to get under your LRM minimum to use it. Save it as a backup.

 

Basically, you're looking at a tradeoff: You get slightly better piloting skill and the ability to pretty much ignore heat in exchange for the vulnerability of an XL engine, which causes the 'Mech to be destroyed if any torso is lost, not just the center torso.

 

Standing in depth 1 water only doubles the efficiency of leg-mounted heat sinks, which the Archer has none of. And this river in hemmed in by trees which will block your LRM sight lines, so even if you had any you wouldn't want to stand in this water.

[Bobcloclimar]

I just realized that I may have to restart the scenario to swap out any changed 'Mechs (first I'll try bringing in swaps as reinforcements and retreating the old ones, but I'd like them all to be on the table at the beginning of Turn 1), which might cause a slight change in the disposition of the OpFor. I've started the scenario twice now, and each time they deployed in roughly the same location (I think only the Po was different), so I don't think it will matter much.

[Demented]

OK, so you're risking an XL engine blowout and a slight chance to warp reality. But that's not a first for an Archer.

[Cirlot]

@Demented - If I were playing this solo I'd probably push things towards the east map edge; you're right in that we're out-tonned but the Pixie and Starslayer are both JJ capable: I think if we were cagey in exploiting the LoS rules and "auto-win initiative" those hills could let us engage at-will while the heavies lined up their LRM strikes . . .

. . . BUT that feels a bit like cheese and exploiting the rules setup, plus from an RP PoV if I'm playing a 4/5 he's if not green then at least not the most seasoned of Mechwarriors, and clearly the FNG of the group.  1703 it is, if only to back your deployment at 1603.  Fingers crossed though, +4 TMM is nice but if they walk that's what, 9 up for the OpFor on short range shots?  ~eyes the Caesar & it's Gauss Rifle VERY warily~

 

Roleplayers Gotta Roleplay

Cate's Fist skirted the foothills, the MAF "surplus" Starslayer laboring at a full run as his lighter lance - scratch that, star: he'd paid for those fancy classes on Outreach, after all - mates loped along without even having to push the throttle.  The Phoenix Hawk was as nimble as ever, upgraded or not, and the Scarabus - well, it might be the 'Mech, it might be the pilot but that thing moved.  Granted it had to, modern battlefield being what it was.

Jasper suppressed a shiver.  Modern battlefield - if clantech ever got into the hands of NAIS like the Helm Memory Core had they were all so much skeet: even the best Ferro-Fibrous seemed as thin as paper against their . . . lasers.  PPCs.  Everything, really.

The drone-cams marked movement on the battlegrid and Jasper eased the throttle back,  easing into an idle, bringing seismic sensors online.  Another ping.  Multiple.  Heavies.  

Crat.

The star had already marked it, their shared comms channel abuzz with positions being called in, battleplans being pitched and discarded in a rapid fire staccato.  In the end, didn't matter much: he was the FNG, and Cate's Fist was a brawler and FNG's and brawlers both had one job at the end of the day.  Up the middle and into the fray.  Thumbing his comms, Jasper called it in.

"This is Point 4 - confirming drone contacts South-South-West.  Current location is grid-marker 1703, South-facing.  Ready to engage."

Cirlot Deployment: Final

Starslayer STY-3C deployed 1703, Facing South. No special starting conditions.

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by Cirlot (see edit history)

[Excior]

On 12/27/2023 at 8:14 PM, Demented said:

Here's a link to the -5W. Like I said, it uses double heat sinks which means it can shoot LRMs until the magazines go dry without touching the heat scale. It also shuffles the secondary weapons a bit, swapping out the lasers for a pair of SRM-4s. It also comes with NARC, which if you can tag somebody with means from then on everybody gets a +2 on the missile cluster hits table when shooting it with compatible missiles. The only problem is it has SRM 3/6/9 ranges, so you have to get under your LRM minimum to use it. Save it as a backup.

 

Basically, you're looking at a tradeoff: You get slightly better piloting skill and the ability to pretty much ignore heat in exchange for the vulnerability of an XL engine, which causes the 'Mech to be destroyed if any torso is lost, not just the center torso.

 

Standing in depth 1 water only doubles the efficiency of leg-mounted heat sinks, which the Archer has none of. And this river in hemmed in by trees which will block your LRM sight lines, so even if you had any you wouldn't want to stand in this water.

what is a Narc Missile Beacon? The mech appears to have 12 of them 

If the GM is ok with it I would like to give the Archer ARC-5W a try.

Edited January 2 by Excior (see edit history)

[Excior]

Archer ARC-5W deployed to hex 2403 facing heck 2304 which is south west I think.

GM are you going to provide sheets for the mechs? just wondering