Now that I'm on my computer and not my phone...

From Adepticon:

Will Gothic be Aces compatible? Gothic is 100% Classic BattleTech with Abominations (described as a combination of battlearmour and protomechs) plugged in. Aces is currently Alpha Strike so it’s not properly compatible but they’re hoping to run an open beta for BattleTech aces in the autumn.

I look forward to it, thanks for sharing! 👊🏻

I haven't seen it played, but it shouldn't be too hard to convert the "AI" in Aces in to processing for Total Warfare. Mostly added details for the individual Weapons and consideration for the difference in Forced Withdrawal.

Forced withdrawal will play a big part in things for sure, either the Mercenaries / Hinterlands book (or it could be both where it's listed) has this listed and it shouldn't be too hard to tweak those parameters for say, the raiding pirates to bug out sooner rather than later. But that's also what I want for us as players, as I do want to hammer home that unlike in MW5, damage to players isn't as easily or cheaply repaired and a lost component can be a massive problem to them if they're not careful enough.

There's also the temptation to, depending on the employer / where in the Sphere we might wind up being, that ammo could be scarce like with the Fox Patrol or heh, like this guy.

Got some work done today for a change! A pirate mech, plus a pair of trainers for future narrative purposes a.k.a. tutorials for new players on how mechanics like movement and heat work:



And our starter Mechs for the campaign, let's see how long I'll survive in my Locust:

 BrookM wrote:
Forced withdrawal will play a big part in things for sure, either the Mercenaries / Hinterlands book (or it could be both where it's listed) has this listed and it shouldn't be too hard to tweak those parameters for say, the raiding pirates to bug out sooner rather than later. But that's also what I want for us as players, as I do want to hammer home that unlike in MW5, damage to players isn't as easily or cheaply repaired and a lost component can be a massive problem to them if they're not careful enough.

It mentions them, I don't know if it lists the conditions. They are listed in Total Warfare and The Battlemech Manual, though, for sure. The back of The Battlemech Manual even has a handy chart for players to keep a track of important things like Optional Rules in force, weather conditions, and Forced Withdrawal conditions for a 'Mech. The conditions for other unit types are listed in Total Warfare.

And Chameleons are definitely designed to train in both maneuverability and Heat Management, unlike the Shadow Hawk 2H. Yours are looking good. I like the Red vs Blue mechanic in there.

I'll have a deep dive into the 'Mech Manual at some point again for sure, this time with stickies and paperclips to keep track of the nuggets I need that are buried in there.

Red versus Blue was classic Team Fortress logic to me, but seeing as one of the players has snake I mean, Kuritan origins somewhere down the line, we know who's going to get the red one now. Other guy is pretending to be a rich kid of Taurian descent (he's actually a FedSun periphery scav), so should make for a fun team mechanic, where I am the starry eyed FedRat who believes in the broad strokes of the Lorix Creed and wants nothing more than to serve the prince and its people to the best of my yadda-yadda-yadda, we all know the type of insufferable self-righteous arsehole they tend to be, so it should be interesting when instead of a defender of the realm, I become a down on my luck merc trying in vain to stick to rather pointless ideals when the shooting starts.

Traditionally in military simulations, Blue force is for the "good" guys and red for the "bad" guys. So it existed long before Team Fortress, and is why early map wargames (both for professional military and the later hobbyist ones) used those colors for counters or flags.

In table exercises, it's red vs. blue.

In field exercises it's camo vs. camo, and your opfor probably uses the same camo you do unless your opfor is a specialty formation deliberately using enemy camo.

It's just a game guys..? 😅

Red and Blue contrast each other really well, and generally don't get lost in to nature as easily as Yellow does (for primary colors, at any rate).

I use colors to differentiate different individual units for types I run the same of, i.e. Vehicles, Protomechs, Infantry, and Aerospace. I don't always use red and blue, particularly since I use sky blue for the Front, and blue for hovercraft basing. But I do on occasion when i have a lot.

I mean, these are trainers for some AFFS academy, putting cadets through the paces in a classic game of Dragons versus whatever Feddies like to call themselves.

Lack of an autocannon is painful though given our background and looking at our starting 'Mechs, we've got one (1) self-righteous arsehole, but zero (0) autocannons in the lance.

Reinforcements should be coming in tomorrow. 🤞🏻 Been itching to add a Dragon to the collection for quite some time now, plus Skulkers and Warriors as well.

Could look in to the Clint, Vulcan, or Blackjack for a lighter Autocannon carrier.

Though, to be fair, I'd rather use a Centurion or Enforcer.

Somewhere down the line an AC armed 'Mech may happen, would love if I could land myself a Rifleman, but for now, we're stuck with the Blackjack (DB version), Catapult and Locust starting lance.

Finished a couple more groups.

Davion Heavy Battle Lance:

Repainted some models in to different schemes:

Note, these weren't all done at the same time.

Discovered I had a pair of unredeemed $20 vouchers for the CGL store, so decided to pick up the Advanced Rules and Advanced Units & Equipment books from the Tactical Ops series, plus a pair of unabridged record sheet packs, excellent additions for the upcoming campaign.

So, a couple of questions as Sarna is a great source, but having trouble finding answers for these.

What's the most common aerospace fighter / fighter-bomber available to mercenaries around the 3040s era?

What's the purpose of the barrel on the back on the Hunchback?

 BrookM wrote:
What's the most common aerospace fighter / fighter-bomber available to mercenaries around the 3040s era?

A lot will depend on what House they are more closely associated with and what they can afford. Those that deal with the Federated Suns are more likely to have their hands on Corsairs and Stingrays while Cheetahs and Stingrays are more on the Free Worlds League side.

 BrookM wrote:
What's the purpose of the barrel on the back on the Hunchback?

Which barrel?

Probably storing potatoes for its potato gun.

As a rule of thumb every TRO: 3025 ASF is common enough that mercs can buy one without many issues. In any case check the Thunderbird, the goofiest looking ASF this side of the clans.

M.

Finished painting some tanks, and now it's time to post, along with another batch of repaints, this time of Hell's Horses variety.

Heavy Battle Support Lance:

Sweep Support Lance:

Hell's Horses Repaint Star 3:

I love the Wolverine IIC... sorry, Conjurer.

The Wolverine IIC/Conjurer/Hellhound is a great 'Mech.