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 H.B.M.C. wrote:
And I thought they weren't going to mention the Rommel anymore because of rampant presentism?

Adrian Gideon made the two comments I posted HERE and technically we're not seeing it 'again' as it's in a pre-existing book and it allows CGL to write it off without a retcon (and I don't see too many people playing with Long Toms on board, but YMMV).

Some odd new designs in this Rec Guide. Phantom sure doesn't have much in the way of pod space.

did a little clan on clan trial. very close game

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Some odd new designs in this Rec Guide. Phantom sure doesn't have much in the way of pod space.

It's got the same amount of pod space it's always had.

 Ghaz wrote:
It's got the same amount of pod space it's always had.

Never said it didn't. It was a comment on the design overall, as it's not a 'Mech I've paid much attention to in the past.

It says a lot about the basic design of the phantom, that even after the insane glory of the Pouncer X, the Phantom can still manage to be meh, even with improved heavy lasers galore.

 Gitzbitah wrote:
It says a lot about the basic design of the phantom, that even after the insane glory of the Pouncer X, the Phantom can still manage to be meh, even with improved heavy lasers galore.

And that’s one of the things I like about BattleTech. It’s the realism that not every ‘Mech is optimized and some truly suck just as they would in real life.

As for the Phantom, I will definitely get one should they come out in plastic just because it looks cool.

I've never been a fan of the Phantom myself, or the Alpha Strike's Pouncer.

The Phantom just seems like an Ice Ferret's downgrade, and the Pouncer for the Adder, at least in the looks department.

 Charistoph wrote:
I've never been a fan of the Phantom myself, or the Alpha Strike's Pouncer.

The Phantom just seems like an Ice Ferret's downgrade, and the Pouncer for the Adder, at least in the looks department.

The problem is that the Phantom shouldn’t be competing with the Ice Ferret to see the battlefield, but with ‘Mechs like the Fire Moth.

It reminds me of a larger, slightly tougher but more expensive Mist Lynx. I agree, definitely not a competitor with Ice Ferrets,

If you're looking for a medium recon mech, it's a great choice.

Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
I've never been a fan of the Phantom myself, or the Alpha Strike's Pouncer.

The Phantom just seems like an Ice Ferret's downgrade, and the Pouncer for the Adder, at least in the looks department.

The problem is that the Phantom shouldn’t be competing with the Ice Ferret to see the battlefield, but with ‘Mechs like the Fire Moth.

Gitzbitah wrote:It reminds me of a larger, slightly tougher but more expensive Mist Lynx. I agree, definitely not a competitor with Ice Ferrets,

If you're looking for a medium recon mech, it's a great choice.

Even then, the Ice Ferret does the same job, while having more punch. If I want a better recon Medium, I look at the Viper/Dragonfly. Mobility counts more for me in that regard than just pure speed at that level. The only time I go with out-right speed over mobility is the Fireball XF, which is just so stupid fast that Jump Jets don't make a difference.

 Charistoph wrote:
Even then, the Ice Ferret does the same job, while having more punch.

And cost 500 BV more that the Phantom. If the goal of your recon units is too reconnoiter and not engage in heavy combat, then the Phantom gives you an extra 500 BV to spend on your combat units.

 Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
Even then, the Ice Ferret does the same job, while having more punch.

And cost 500 BV more that the Phantom. If the goal of your recon units is too reconnoiter and not engage in heavy combat, then the Phantom gives you an extra 500 BV to spend on your combat units.

Maybe you should read the rest of the paragraph. The Phantom doesn't spare much compared to the Fire Moth (though will survive a couple hits more I think), from there, I have a Fire Moth, and don't want the Phantom, and the Fire Moth has MASC. Meanwhile, the Dragonfly will get where I want it almost as quickly as I want it there, and the Ice Ferret is a Locust with a cERPPC at twice the weight.

Add to that, the Phantom LOOKS like a Great Value brand version of the Ice Ferret, and I am not enthused.

 Charistoph wrote:
... and the Fire Moth has MASC.

And the Phantom J has a supercharger if you feel the need for extra speed. Personally, I prefer the Phantom's six tons of ferro-fibrous armor to the Fire Moth's 2 tons of ferro-fibrous armor.

 Charistoph wrote:
.... and the Ice Ferret is a Locust with a cERPPC at twice the weight.

Again, you're comparing apples to oranges.

 Ghaz wrote:

Again, you're comparing apples to oranges.

Agreed. I feel like this is the kind of argument that happens when one side is evaluating a mech on its full battlefield role in the context of a fully populated battlefield and the other is coming from a purely rock-em-sock-em robot battle view.

And the Pouncer's a better fighter than all of them!

More Urbies are on the way! From the BattleTech Forums:

pokefan548 wrote:New Urbie variants for IWM are up on Scroggins' patreon. Includes a running repose, a version with an AC/20 for the UM-R60L, and a kneeling sculpt with an MRM-30 for the UM-R68.

Finally, it also reveals some details about our new mystery RecGuide variant: the UM-R27, with three SRM-6s and AES. Pretty wacky!

A mini for the UM-R86? Oh yes please!

Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
... and the Fire Moth has MASC.

And the Phantom J has a supercharger if you feel the need for extra speed. Personally, I prefer the Phantom's six tons of ferro-fibrous armor to the Fire Moth's 2 tons of ferro-fibrous armor.

And I generally prefer the 7.5 tons on the Ice Ferret, or the 7 tons on the Dragonfly.

Meanwhile, the Fire Moth always has its MASC, the Supercharger isn't always available for the Phantom, depending on Era or Tech constraints. All I'd use a Phantom for is getting in to the enemy's deployment area and MAYBE dropping off an Elemental Point along the way.

Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
.... and the Ice Ferret is a Locust with a cERPPC at twice the weight.

Again, you're comparing apples to oranges.

Not really. I'm talking about 'Mechs I'm willing to have models of and models I won't, and their attending advantages. The Phantom's roles are covered by the Fire Moth and the Dragonfly because it doesn't have the firepower to match an Ice Ferret. Meanwhile, the Ice Ferret can do the same job almost as good and bring some firepower to bear.

H.B.M.C. wrote:And the Pouncer's a better fighter than all of them!

It's a better Sniper than all of them, not necessarily a better fighter. Meanwhile, I have a Cougar that can do a similar job. Still ugly, just like the Phantom and not worth getting the Alpha Strike box for, in my opinion.

 Charistoph wrote:
It's a better Sniper than all of them, not necessarily a better fighter. Meanwhile, I have a Cougar that can do a similar job. Still ugly, just like the Phantom and not worth getting the Alpha Strike box for, in my opinion.

I still remember my crowning moment of awesome with a Pouncer.

Solaris match.
Custom Pouncer.
1v1 in Hardford Gardens.

Jumped up onto the one of the walls in my first turn. Then had my leg shot out from under me with a lucky critical hit. Instantly conceded as I couldn't get up/get down safely.

Over in 2 turns.




Somehow not my worst Solaris performance. That still goes to my mighty 100-ton Berzerker, ready for a 6 person Free For All in the Factory as the biggest 'Mech on the field that day. First turn, engage MASC, snake-eyes, crippled my 'Mech. Woo!

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Somehow not my worst Solaris performance. That still goes to my mighty 100-ton Berzerker, ready for a 6 person Free For All in the Factory as the biggest 'Mech on the field that day. First turn, engage MASC, snake-eyes, crippled my 'Mech. Woo!

Yeesh. That reminds me of a match I did when we were tasked to bring one IS force and one Clan force. I ended up pulling the IS Force for the first round.

I moved up some TAG J. Edgars to spot for 3 LRM Carriers. It was a long shot to hit a Shadow Cat, but hey, I had ammo (90 min rounds don't leave a lot of time to burn ammo). 1 Carrier managed to hit with 2-3 of its launchers. Mech fell down, dislodging its Elementals. The fall damage ended up critting its right arm with all those Gauss Rifle crits. As determined as ever, once he got back up, he lit off his MASC, and sure enough, boxcars. Amazingly, it didn't crit an Actuator, so he was able to run to the forest my LRM Carriers were hiding behind.

Poor thing never made it past the forest as he exposed himself to my Thunderbolt and Banshee S.

 Charistoph wrote:

Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
.... and the Ice Ferret is a Locust with a cERPPC at twice the weight.

Again, you're comparing apples to oranges.

Not really. I'm talking about 'Mechs I'm willing to have models of and models I won't, and their attending advantages. The Phantom's roles are covered by the Fire Moth and the Dragonfly because it doesn't have the firepower to match an Ice Ferret. Meanwhile, the Ice Ferret can do the same job almost as good and bring some firepower to bear.

The Ice Ferret is a Cicada with clantech sprinkles.

I always saw the Dragonfly as the Clan Cicada.

Orlanth wrote:The Ice Ferret is a Cicada with clantech sprinkles.

With the Prime being in the 3C vein.

H.B.M.C. wrote:I always saw the Dragonfly as the Clan Cicada.

I use it more like a Spider, myself. Too bad you can't Jump with Elementals taking a ride.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
I always saw the Dragonfly as the Clan Cicada.

I always saw at is annoying. our nova cat player uses one.....14" jump in 3d terrain rules with a 4+ mod....

 aphyon wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
I always saw the Dragonfly as the Clan Cicada.

I always saw at is annoying. our nova cat player uses one.....14" jump in 3d terrain rules with a 4+ mod....

While it doesn't change its TMM, I believe the Dragonfly has a 16" Jump. It may not seem like much, but it can mean the difference between making it to cover or not, or to an irritating position soon enough.

I like the IlClan.

Indeed, it is a 16" jump. sniper with a PPC always a priority target...if i can hit him. one of the top 5 clan mediums in my book, of course as a horse player my heart will always be with the storm crow.

So finally got round to playing my KS Battletech game by Hare Brained something or other. (I had to do terrible things to my broken laptop to do this).

Its ok. Enjoyable enough. I think I preferred the mechcommander (1, though 2 is prettier and has various improvements) style rather than this halfway house between the first person and mechcommander.

Played through campaign and are now trying to 'collect all the mechs' just to see what they are all like.

It's a shame there isn't a place for anything other than heavies and assaults in the majority of missions. Multiple ways of fixing that but they didn't go for it.

I had a gander at the mod scene and honestly the two big ones - bar being too resource hungry to work on my laptop - seem to be flat out better implementations of the core game that the company should consider tidying the code up and releasing as an expansion.

The big mods are too resource hungry for any computer. The Unity Engine is... unfriendly, to say it as kindly as I can.

MechCommander 1 reigns supreme. Just a shame that it crashes every time my screensaver starts, or if it ever goes to a different screen, ever (even a windows notification will crash the game).