Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Pre-loaded...unreleased...and I had to replace my graphics card with a crappier replacement. This is going to be rough.

Just hours from release now, listening to the OST...

Anyone gaming on an amd integrated r7 raedeon chip? I don't meet the minimum specs on my laptop but that's been the case before and I've played slower paced turn based games without issue.

 warboss wrote:
Anyone gaming on an amd integrated r7 raedeon chip? I don't meet the minimum specs on my laptop but that's been the case before and I've played slower paced turn based games without issue.

Sorry, I use Intel so can't really say. It doesn't seem to be very well optimized, though.

Let me know when they release the Clans patch and I'll buy.

There’s a thread in the video games forum for this.

 Albertorius wrote:

 warboss wrote:
Anyone gaming on an amd integrated r7 raedeon chip? I don't meet the minimum specs on my laptop but that's been the case before and I've played slower paced turn based games without issue.

Sorry, I use Intel so can't really say. It doesn't seem to be very well optimized, though.

Thanks. Probably not then but maybe I'll take my chances... you know, for science... during a steam sale.

 warboss wrote:

 Albertorius wrote:

 warboss wrote:
Anyone gaming on an amd integrated r7 raedeon chip? I don't meet the minimum specs on my laptop but that's been the case before and I've played slower paced turn based games without issue.

Sorry, I use Intel so can't really say. It doesn't seem to be very well optimized, though.

Thanks. Probably not then but maybe I'll take my chances... you know, for science... during a steam sale.

It wasnt great until I updated my graphics driver yesterday, now it runs like a dream.

I'm pretty sure that I haven't upgraded the rig for 2 or 3 years and that definitely wasn't a bleeding edge upgrade, either!

Game plays smoothly with everything maxed out.

Speaking of the game, I'm rather impressed with how they managed to get a decent tabletop feel whilst making a playable game. It'll be even better when I find someone with an AC10 for sale... stupid Periphery arms dealers...

Are there many players in the Northamptonshire area? I've got one recent convert but we really should find someone who properly understands the rules!

jbeil wrote:
Are there many players in the Northamptonshire area? I've got one recent convert but we really should find someone who properly understands the rules!

I'd jump on the official forums and check the Challenges and Gatherings page. Sign up, have some discussions!

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php

Alternatively, throw questions my way. I'm a Demo Agent.

Not in the Northampton area, but if you do have any rules queries fire away, I don't have the same level of expertise as Mattlov but if I can help I will.

1. When you recieve a hit to the head, or life support systems fail, your MechWarrior recieves one point of damage, and you roll for unconsciousness. What happens if you fail?

2. In the video games, a large hit from firearms can cause a 'Mech to fall over. Is this simulated in the game as well? What about in physical combat?

3. For some reason I've got the feeling that you have to pass a piloting check to land a jump - is this true or have I made that up somehow?

Oh, a bonus question: can anyone explain the Urbie meme? I mean it certainly looks cute and it's a bit slow and fat like an old lovable dog, but why the UrbanMech in particular?

1) If you fail a consciousness roll, your mech goes Immobile. That doesn't just mean it can't move or shoot, but your opponent also gets the "Target Immobile" bonus to hit and can target specific sections with Energy or Ballistic weapons (Such as the head) to quickly finish it off or just pile the Missiles and gunfire in at massively improved "to-hit" rolls. You will also automatically fail any Piloting skill rolls you're required to make which will cause further injury to the mechwarrior if your mech falls. At the start of each turn you roll for consciousness again, if you fail you stay unconscious and remain Immobile. Note, Target Immobile doesn't apply if your target just doesn't move, the enemy mech has to be Immobilised by heat-shutdown, pilot injury or in the case of vehicles specific damage. An Ammo explosion will also cause 2 points of damage to the pilot through neuro-feedback, assuming the mech survives, for Introtech/3025 era mechs Ammo explosions are usually but not always fatal.

2) Yes, damage of 20 points or more in a single phase triggers a Piloting skill roll at the end of that phase, a failed roll means you fall, your mech will take damage and you will need to take a second Piloting roll to avoid damage to your mechwarrior. Note that it's not one roll per 20 points, it's one roll whether it's 20 points or 200 points and it doesn't have to be in a single hit just total damage in a single phase, so a single AC-20 hit or 4 medium laser hits will have the same effect.

In physical combat receiving or failing a kick and IIRC receiving or failing a Charge or Death from Above or receiving a Push (I suggest you check this since these aren't moves I usually use myself so I may well be wrong here) also triggers a Piloting Skill roll, Punches, Clubbings and Hatchet attacks by themselves don't. It's possible you may find yourself making multiple rolls per phase. i.e. If you're kicked by an Atlas that's one roll for taking a kick and one roll for the kick causing 20 points of damage, if you miss a kick in reply that's a third roll. If the Atlas had also hit you with his AC-20, you'd have had to make a Piloting skill roll at the end of the Shooting phase too, before the Physical combat phase started.

3) No, you've made that one up I'm afraid. Unless you've got damaged leg components, a damaged gyro or you're landing in water. Water's always a bit of a risky one since you have to make a Piloting roll for every water hex you enter. I have seen a mech thrash itself to death trying to cross a river (Admittedly the player was extremely unlucky), always use a bridge or jump over it if you can.

4) Not sure what that is but best guess going in blind is that the Urbanmech has always been considered a bit of a joke in Battletech partly because of its comical looks but also its dismal top speed, albeit it's still a dangerous one since despite being a painfully slow light mech the AC-20 variant can single shot kill any other mech in the game. So mock the lowly Urbanmech at your peril, you won't be the first to utter the words "Yeah, but you'll need a double-six to... oh, damn."

I know it sounds like there's a lot of rolls potentially being made there, but in all honesty once you're fairly familiar with the rules it flows pretty well and goes quite quickly.

(So many Edits, I really must learn to proof-read my posts! )

 simonr1978 wrote:
An Ammo explosion will also cause 2 points of damage to the pilot through neuro-feedback, assuming the mech survives, for Introtech/3025 era mechs Ammo explosions are usually but not always fatal.

Does an ammo explosion only get triggered when a critical hit against the ammo store is scored, or will the destruction of a component (i.e. LA on a Catapult) also cause an ammo explosion?

It has to be an actual critical on the ammo bin itself, that's why even if you've caused enough damage to destroy the location it's still worth rolling the criticals for it because that can mean the difference between a damaged enemy mech and a dead one. (Also remember to check off whether you've got Auto-Eject enabled or not)

Letting your 'Mech get too hot can also trigger an ammunition explosion. The good news is that in order to get that hot, you're usually running a plethora of energy weapons, and only have a ton or two of ammunition (unfortunately, there is usually at least one box of Machine Gun ammunition which is the deadliest ammo bin to go off in a unit).

I have never seen a mech make a shutdown test in battletech, ever.

The target penalties aquired earlier are so grim there is zero point in adding heat at that point.

I've seen it happen both to others and myself. Especially in 3025 with only single heatsinks there are plenty of mechs where a couple of dings to the engine shielding will mean you gain heat doing anything more than just standing still and it's very difficult to lose it, if you've lost a heat-sink or two as well your mech might even be generating excess heat by doing nothing. Even without that it's a balancing act sometimes between adding a bit more firepower in this turn and hopefully doing enough damage to disable the other guy and take a small risk on a heat induced shutdown and worry about the penalties next turn.

In general I prefer to not push my luck further than +1 to hit -1 to move or maybe as far as Shutdown 4+, but there are times it's worth a bit of a gamble especially in close quarters and I'll even go straight to auto-shutdown in the right circumstances (Blackhawk Ps are good for this, you can let rip with a scary amount of firepower if you're willing to spend the next turn shut down, but at least you've got no ammo to cook off). If I'm carrying ammo though outside of exceptional circumstances I'd make a point on keeping the heat below the Ammo Explosion 4+ stage, I've usually got enough to worry about with the enemy shooting at my mechs without adding self-inflicted death to the list.

 Charistoph wrote:
Letting your 'Mech get too hot can also trigger an ammunition explosion. The good news is that in order to get that hot, you're usually running a plethora of energy weapons, and only have a ton or two of ammunition (unfortunately, there is usually at least one box of Machine Gun ammunition which is the deadliest ammo bin to go off in a unit).

And since it transfers directly through your internal structure even around half a tonne of most ammo types going off is likely to destroy most mechs pre-CASE, I'd always advise leaving auto-eject on so that at least you've got a chance of saving the pilot (Unless there's a fluff reason like you're running Bandits for who surrender or capture is out of the question) although unless they've tightened it up, IIRC going by RAW the pilot should still survive an ammo explosion even if they don't eject as damage transfers inwards to the CT but never outwards from it.

As I understood the game you gained heat, subtracted the value of the heat sinks (1 for single heat sinks, 2 for double, etc) and whatever you were left with was added to your 1-30 heat track. Mechs like a Locust virtually ignored heat thanks to the 10 single heat sinks that came with the fusion engine.

 Nurglitch wrote:
As I understood the game you gained heat, subtracted the value of the heat sinks (1 for single heat sinks, 2 for double, etc) and whatever you were left with was added to your 1-30 heat track. Mechs like a Locust virtually ignored heat thanks to the 10 single heat sinks that came with the fusion engine.

You understood the game correctly . That said, even a humble Locust LCT-1E gets hot if it shoots repeatedly (2MLs and 2SLs).

 Nurglitch wrote:
As I understood the game you gained heat, subtracted the value of the heat sinks (1 for single heat sinks, 2 for double, etc) and whatever you were left with was added to your 1-30 heat track. Mechs like a Locust virtually ignored heat thanks to the 10 single heat sinks that came with the fusion engine.

The flip side though is that a lot of mechs at the heavier end of the scale could virtually ignore the Locust because with 1xML and 2xMgs they usually needed to be at point blank range to even cause pinprick damage.

That said it is generally more the heavies and assaults where you have to start paying a lot more attention to heat management.

Edit to add: Minor detail but it's 10 Heat Sinks that come with the engine, not specifically 10 Single Heat Sinks, if the mech's constructed with Double Heat Sinks (Like more than a few Locust variants), then that's what they all are since you can't mix Double- and Single- Heat Sinks. (Not sure if there's an in-universe explanation for that or if it's just trying to keep things relatively simple).

 Albertorius wrote:

You understood the game correctly . That said, even a humble Locust LCT-1E gets hot if it shoots repeatedly (2MLs and 2SLs).

It shouldn't do under normal circumstances. Even if it runs (+2 Heat) and fires 2xMLs (+6) and 2xSLs (+2) it should still come out heat-neutral unless it's been damaged.

Didn't weapons cause the same damage regardless of the range, although I recall Machineguns being range 3, and virtually useless (although so dangerous thanks to all that ammo).

 Nurglitch wrote:
Didn't weapons cause the same damage regardless of the range, although I recall Machineguns being range 3, and virtually useless (although so dangerous thanks to all that ammo).

Sorry, should have been clearer. Yes most do, some of the later weapons have different damage profiles depending on range but unless you're playing 3060+ it makes no difference. What I meant was that assuming you're piloting a Locust vs a typical 3025 Heavy mech unless you get right up base-to-base you've got much less chance of hitting with your full armament and most Heavies should be able to shrug off a medium laser hit and a couple of MGs as little more than an irritation at least for a few turns.

Machineguns were good for clearing Infantry, a Locust could potentially almost wipe a platoon out in a single turn if they were caught in the open, but in most games a pair of small lasers would have been better armament.

simonr1978 wrote:It shouldn't do under normal circumstances. Even if it runs (+2 Heat) and fires 2xMLs (+6) and 2xSLs (+2) it should still come out heat-neutral unless it's been damaged.

Ah, you're right, got the math fuzzy in my head. Still, there's more than one light that runs hot.

Nurglitch wrote:Didn't weapons cause the same damage regardless of the range, although I recall Machineguns being range 3, and virtually useless (although so dangerous thanks to all that ammo).

Yes, save for some of the latest tech weapons.

Machineguns are great for infantry hunting, not much good for much else. Unless you're a Pirahna. And it has the most dangerous ammo.

Yeah, there’s nothing like losing an Atlas to a MG gun ammo explosion (NEVER put that ammo in the Center Torso!)

Made a mech once on a whim - 55 tons, called the Blazer, loaded with nothing but machine guns and 2 tons of MG ammo. It could easily run out of ammo well before a battle was over; only way it could be a threat was if it got right behind another mech.

As to the walking trash can* (Urbanmech), as far as I remember, back in the original TRO, it didn’t have an AC 20 option - just Large laser, I think.

* There’s an old FASA cartoon showing one of the designers sweeping up, stepping on the foot of an Urbanmech and dumping the dustpan into the flip-top head. Also, it reminded a lot of people of R2-D2.

 Stormonu wrote:
Yeah, there’s nothing like losing an Atlas to a MG gun ammo explosion (NEVER put that ammo in the Center Torso!)

On a similar note, I killed a King Crab in the opening turn once when my Dasher MASC'd across the board, rolled a double one and BOOM! The return fire killed my Dasher too but losing 20 tonnes for killing 100 was an exchange rate I could live with.

As to the walking trash can* (Urbanmech), as far as I remember, back in the original TRO, it didn’t have an AC 20 option - just Large laser, I think.

It's always been there as far as I recall, this is it from http://www.sarna.net/wiki/UrbanMech#Variants:

UM-R60L
Generally associated with the Capellan Confederation, who have modified a few of their UrbanMechs in this fashion, the -R60L is an upgrade to make the UrbanMech twice as deadly as the -R60 version. The -R60L sacrifices two tons of armor, allowing it to replace the Imperator-B Autocannon/10 with an Imperator-Zeta Autocannon/20 that is capable of downing most light 'Mechs and severely damaging most medium 'Mechs in a single salvo. Besides the thinner armor this modification comes with a very limited ammunition supply, which made it unpopular.[1][2] BV (1.0) = 443, BV (2.0) = 470[5]

I can't recall a Large Laser variant though. In 3025 there was only the AC-10 or AC-20 versions IIRC. I always favoured the AC-20 version personally because let's face it, if you're using an Urbanmech you're not going to be getting many shots off at the best of times, might as well make it count when you do.

 Stormonu wrote:
Yeah, there’s nothing like losing an Atlas to a MG gun ammo explosion (NEVER put that ammo in the Center Torso!)

Made a mech once on a whim - 55 tons, called the Blazer, loaded with nothing but machine guns and 2 tons of MG ammo. It could easily run out of ammo well before a battle was over; only way it could be a threat was if it got right behind another mech.

As to the walking trash can* (Urbanmech), as far as I remember, back in the original TRO, it didn’t have an AC 20 option - just Large laser, I think.

* There’s an old FASA cartoon showing one of the designers sweeping up, stepping on the foot of an Urbanmech and dumping the dustpan into the flip-top head. Also, it reminded a lot of people of R2-D2.

The AC/20 variant is the capellan UM-R60L. It also had less armor and like a single ton of ammo. I don't recall a LL variant, though.

Seriously though, the Urbie is more a highly mobile turret than an actual mech

I've just checked out of interest and apart from an armless AC-10 variant the only other type mentioned in either the original TRO-3025 or the re-issue was the UM-R60L.

House Liao has a few Urbanmechs with Imperator-Zeta Class 20 Autocannon, but the weapon's heat and mass have kept this variant of the mech from gaining popularity

(Seems odd since an undamaged UM-R60L has no particular problems handling heat)

To be fair to the old dust-bin, in its namesake environment or heavily forested terrain the Urbanmech is no small threat, especially against none-jumping mechs, the ability to suddenly appear and fire an AC-20 or -10 directly into a mech's rear quarter and disappear into the terrain is not to be dismissed lightly. Anywhere else though, they're sitting ducks and usually get blasted to scrap long before they can achieve anything useful.

 Albertorius wrote:

Ah, you're right, got the math fuzzy in my head. Still, there's more than one light that runs hot.

True, although I can't think of any other 20 tonners at the moment, it's not usually until you hit the top end of the Light Class with mechs like the PNT-9R Panther or WLF-1 Wolfhound that heat management is really something you even need to be aware of. Most (although admittedly not all) 20-30 ton mechs don't need to worry about heat until they start taking damage and once you hit 3050 tech some can even shrug off a couple of engine hits if they've been upgraded with Double Heat Sinks.

The 3025 reissue has the AC-20 Urbanmech. I always aprreciated the eclectic mix of designs in the canon TROs.