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 Charistoph wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

Cubby wrote:ON1-Kb Orion (Kerensky) - new pose, pre-painted

So it's not the ON1-K (Kerensky) but the ON1-Kb Orion (Kerensky), a Royal version of the ON1-K.

That would be 2 completely new variants then, as there is no Royal Orion variant at present, much less an ON1-Kb (Kerensky).

So, they should show up in the RGiC #33.

I don't think they have the model ready for it, though,as I think the one they showed with the ForcePack was the one from the Direct Fire Lance.

Unless the ON1-Kb is indistinguishable from the ON1-K.

Some highlights from last weekends game.

we got a new player who has jumped in with both feet and a bathtub ( he first got 3 catalyst boxes then got 10 others) into classic battle tech from 40K.

This was his 4th game and he wanted to try smaller/faster mechs as most oof his games have been with clan assault stars-

this time out he ran
.cauldron born
.storm crow
.helion
.black lanner
.battle cobra

we threw together a couple lances to face him

the lyran player brought-

.axeman
.bushwhacker
.centurion
.wolfhound

My kurita force
.shugenja
.cronos
.grand dragon
.wolverine

The black lanner was the MVP never getting hit even once as he did the scout thing very well.

The game came down to dice rolls going badly for the IS side, only managing to kill the battle cobra and spread damage across 3 other mechs with the cauldron born taking the majority of the damage.

the IS side was down to the shugenja when we ended things.

 Ghaz wrote:

Unless the ON1-Kb is indistinguishable from the ON1-K.

Same point about the ON1-Kb and ON1-K regarding a (Kerensky) variant applies.

That's like believing that the Daishi (Prometheus) will look like the model in the Command Star just like the Dire Wolf (Widowmaker) matches it.

 Charistoph wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

Unless the ON1-Kb is indistinguishable from the ON1-K.

Same point about the ON1-Kb and ON1-K regarding a (Kerensky) variant applies.

That's like believing that the Daishi (Prometheus) will look like the model in the Command Star just like the Dire Wolf (Widowmaker) matches it.

Note that on every Clan OmniMech, the T Configuration matches the Primary Configuration when it comes to weapon type and location, number of missile ports, etc. For example, the Summoner Prime has an ER PPC in the right arm, a LB-10X autocannon in the left arm and a LRM-15 in the left torso. The T keeps the ER PPC, has a ProtoMech AC/8 in the left arm and a Streak LRM-15 in the left torso. With that, the ON1-K and the ON1-Kb being the same miniature is not so far-fetched (especially seeing as Cubby calls it a new pose and not a new 'Mech).

As for Victor's Prometheus? You'll have to ask Catalyst about that one.

 Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:

Unless the ON1-Kb is indistinguishable from the ON1-K.

Same point about the ON1-Kb and ON1-K regarding a (Kerensky) variant applies.

That's like believing that the Daishi (Prometheus) will look like the model in the Command Star just like the Dire Wolf (Widowmaker) matches it.

Note that on every Clan OmniMech, the T Configuration matches the Primary Configuration when it comes to weapon type and location, number of missile ports, etc. For example, the Summoner Prime has an ER PPC in the right arm, a LB-10X autocannon in the left arm and a LRM-15 in the left torso. The T keeps the ER PPC, has a ProtoMech AC/8 in the left arm and a Streak LRM-15 in the left torso. With that, the ON1-K and the ON1-Kb being the same miniature is not so far-fetched (especially seeing as Cubby calls it a new pose and not a new 'Mech).

The reference to the T variant is pointless. It is a standard configuration, not one tied to a specific name or variant like the (Kerensky) or "Prometheus".

The point is both are named variants, just like the ones in the Legends boxes, and where appropriate, they have provided a modified sculpt like the Timber Wolf (Pryde) and Dire Wolf "Widowmaker".

Of course, it's also possible that the ON1-Kb is patterned from the (Kerensky), with Gauss Rifle and PPC (just not a Snubbie), provided that they haven't presented what this ON1-Kb looks like of course.

Whatever happens, I won't say no to more Orion variants, especially a royal!

 Charistoph wrote:
The reference to the T variant is pointless. It is a standard configuration, not one tied to a specific name or variant like the (Kerensky) or "Prometheus".

It;s not pointless, you just missed my point. Catalyst can and has already statted out 'Mechs based on the artwork/sculpt with the T configurations. With Cubby confirming that this is a new pose and not an entirely new sculpt, it means the ON1-Kb will have a loadout that matches the original artwork/sculpt. That means an autocannon, two lasers, a group of missile launchers with 15 tubes and a group of missile launchers with 4 tubes.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Whatever happens, I won't say no to more Orion variants, especially a royal!

Before talking about this, I never really thought about a Royal Orion, but you're right, there definitely should have been one.

I mean, THE Commanding General of the entire SLDF piloting a Mech that has 5 points of explosion without CASE is kind of odd. It doesn't even have the Command Quirk, just the Anti-Aircraft Quirk.

Still, I think the ON1-K (Kerensky) is only about 12 years old, being released with Record Sheets: 3050 Unabridged (Inner Sphere), which has a release date of December 2011.

 Ghaz wrote:

 Charistoph wrote:
The reference to the T variant is pointless. It is a standard configuration, not one tied to a specific name or variant like the (Kerensky) or "Prometheus".

It;s not pointless, you just missed my point. Catalyst can and has already statted out 'Mechs based on the artwork/sculpt with the T configurations. With Cubby confirming that this is a new pose and not an entirely new sculpt, it means the ON1-Kb will have a loadout that matches the original artwork/sculpt. That means an autocannon, two lasers, a group of missile launchers with 15 tubes and a group of missile launchers with 4 tubes.

I didn't miss your point. I understood it and addressed it. You seemed to have missed mine, though.

The equivalent of a "T" variant here would be the ON1-Kb, but this is listed as the ON1-Kb (Kerensky), just like the ones in the Legends box.

In addition, the Phoenix Hawk was also listed as a new pose, but has a large laser on its Right Shoulder (which no other medium-sized Phoenix Hawk model has). So, "new pose" doesn't necessarily mean "without any other modifications".

One of the guys wanted to try out the omega so we tossed together some inner sphere mechs to fight the clanners.

The clan side was
.stone rhino 3
.super nova 2
.warhammer IIc 13
.marauder IIc
and a point of tanks-XL mars/Heimdall A

My team mate
.Omega
.marauder II
.nightstart

My force
.dragon fire
.tempest
.thunderbolt 7se
.thunderbolt 10se


the first half of the battle the clanners were doing real well, uncluding doing minor head hits across 3 different mechs. they focused the omega and di over 200 damage to it in a single turn eventually forcing it to withdraw. my thunderbolt 7se went down first to HE ATM fire. but near the end we got into a brutal exchange.

the super nova was destroyed and both the IIcs were forced to withdraw and the stone rhino took a gyro crit.

While the 2 tanks were formidable and the rhino was still in fighting shape we decided to end it as it was going on 2am and we had 3 undamaged mechs left on the table and a 4th with some fight left in it.

Does Battletech have any in lore excuses for factions to cross great distances to battle each other?

Trying to figure out how to add a more narrative slant to our games than "meet up and shoot each other", and step 1 is figuring out what our factions' goals are.

Problem is, we've decided Civil War era (specifically 3067), and I'm Hell's Horses (no planets in the Inner Sphere at that time?), one guy is FedCom (Really Federated Suns at this point, from what I understand) and the last is the Marian Hegemony...

So, 3 different parts of the Sphere...

Would Hell's Horses even have any capability to getting through/around the entire Sphere to battle those guys? Can we blame it on a bad dropship jump from 1+ parties and now they're stranded?

Just trying to come up with fluff justified missions to run, like "destroy the factory" or "assassinate the Lance Leader" that make sense for the sort of conflicts this factions would be fighting.

Your JumpShip from 3069 got a weird miscalculation and ended up in 3067 during the FedCom Civil War.

 Rihgu wrote:
Does Battletech have any in lore excuses for factions to cross great distances to battle each other?

Trying to figure out how to add a more narrative slant to our games than "meet up and shoot each other", and step 1 is figuring out what our factions' goals are.

Problem is, we've decided Civil War era (specifically 3067), and I'm Hell's Horses (no planets in the Inner Sphere at that time?), one guy is FedCom (Really Federated Suns at this point, from what I understand) and the last is the Marian Hegemony...

So, 3 different parts of the Sphere...

Would Hell's Horses even have any capability to getting through/around the entire Sphere to battle those guys? Can we blame it on a bad dropship jump from 1+ parties and now they're stranded?

Just trying to come up with fluff justified missions to run, like "destroy the factory" or "assassinate the Lance Leader" that make sense for the sort of conflicts this factions would be fighting.

Interstellar travel in the BT universe is accomplished by Jumpships, which... well, jump between stars. It's a bit like the Dune Highliners; they go from here to there so fast no one has been able to measure the amount of time taken. Granted, the jump range is pretty limited and it takes dozens of jumps to cross the Inner Sphere, not to mention a dozen or so jumps to get from the Pentagon Worlds to the Inner Sphere. Jumping takes vast amounts of energy, which is generally gathered by enormous solar panels.

However, deep raids are easily possible, especially for the Clans. For every inhabited system, there are dozens of uninhabited ones that can be used to recharge the jump drive. The Inner Sphere can use them, but centuries of lost technology has rendered much of their transport fleets old and not terribly reliable. At least in an inhabited system you can ask for help if you break down.

So yes. the Clans absolutely can do deep-strikes into the Inner Sphere at need. And Operation Bulldog, basically a deep raid on a grand scale, showed that the Inner Sphere can do the same to the Clans with sufficient motivation.

Most campaigns don't worry about it overmuch. If you get detailed about it, there's should be the risk of running into the other side's naval forces, and in that time period that often means capital ships. A lone jumpship carrying a company of mechs at most is little more than target practice for a full Warship, and where's the fun in playing THAT out?

Clan Hell's Horses were looking to set up some worlds in the Sphere around the end of the FedCom Civil War. Good thing, too, as the Wars of Reaving pretty much would have tore them apart.

As for a reason? Who cares? You're all there. That's reason enough.

During the Harvest Trials in 3059, Clan Hell's Horses reached an agreement with Clan Wolf where Crusader Horses troops would be bid directly into the invasion force under Wolf Command, avoiding wasteful fighting and providing the Wolves the Horses' elite forces while allowing them to fight for the honor of their own Clan. Khan Ward agreed and ceded three worlds in the Clan Wolf Occupation Zone: Stanzach, Vorarlberg, and Engadin to Clan Hell's Horses. In 3064, they had lost these worlds to Clan Ghost Bear and had been pushed out of the Inner Sphere until late 3070 with them taking Nyserta and Oberon VI from Clan Wolf.

back in 3025 the major factions (the houses) all converged around terra so any faction could fight any faction. that's less the case now, that said there's nothing forcing you to stick to a single faction, battletech is nice that way, what you guys could do is each of you has your own force and you swap off being op forces, or run merc units

 Vulcan wrote:

 Rihgu wrote:
Does Battletech have any in lore excuses for factions to cross great distances to battle each other?

Trying to figure out how to add a more narrative slant to our games than "meet up and shoot each other", and step 1 is figuring out what our factions' goals are.

Problem is, we've decided Civil War era (specifically 3067), and I'm Hell's Horses (no planets in the Inner Sphere at that time?), one guy is FedCom (Really Federated Suns at this point, from what I understand) and the last is the Marian Hegemony...

So, 3 different parts of the Sphere...

Would Hell's Horses even have any capability to getting through/around the entire Sphere to battle those guys? Can we blame it on a bad dropship jump from 1+ parties and now they're stranded?

Just trying to come up with fluff justified missions to run, like "destroy the factory" or "assassinate the Lance Leader" that make sense for the sort of conflicts this factions would be fighting.

Interstellar travel in the BT universe is accomplished by Jumpships, which... well, jump between stars. It's a bit like the Dune Highliners; they go from here to there so fast no one has been able to measure the amount of time taken. Granted, the jump range is pretty limited and it takes dozens of jumps to cross the Inner Sphere, not to mention a dozen or so jumps to get from the Pentagon Worlds to the Inner Sphere. Jumping takes vast amounts of energy, which is generally gathered by enormous solar panels.

However, deep raids are easily possible, especially for the Clans. For every inhabited system, there are dozens of uninhabited ones that can be used to recharge the jump drive. The Inner Sphere can use them, but centuries of lost technology has rendered much of their transport fleets old and not terribly reliable. At least in an inhabited system you can ask for help if you break down.

So yes. the Clans absolutely can do deep-strikes into the Inner Sphere at need. And Operation Bulldog, basically a deep raid on a grand scale, showed that the Inner Sphere can do the same to the Clans with sufficient motivation.

Most campaigns don't worry about it overmuch. If you get detailed about it, there's should be the risk of running into the other side's naval forces, and in that time period that often means capital ships. A lone jumpship carrying a company of mechs at most is little more than target practice for a full Warship, and where's the fun in playing THAT out?

To add to this, attacking jump ships is also considered an extreme action in the setting since they're very hard to replace. If everyone just started destroying their enemies jump ships, interstellar travel would end. So they generally don't attack jump ships which means deep raiders can often get away if they can avoid boarding actions.

 LordofHats wrote:
To add to this, attacking jump ships is also considered an extreme action in the setting since they're very hard to replace. If everyone just started destroying their enemies jump ships, interstellar travel would end. So they generally don't attack jump ships which means deep raiders can often get away if they can avoid boarding actions.

"Attacking" meaning using heavy weaponry from Fighters, Dropships, and Warships. Attacking via boarding actions were quite normal. Sometimes through deceit and sometimes through threat of attack, attacking via marines was still quite common.

 LordofHats wrote:


To add to this, attacking jump ships is also considered an extreme action in the setting since they're very hard to replace. If everyone just started destroying their enemies jump ships, interstellar travel would end. So they generally don't attack jump ships which means deep raiders can often get away if they can avoid boarding actions.

Well, it's an extreme action for most IS factions for that reason. I think the Clans have their own manufacturing resources, so they'd be far less reluctant to blow away an invading jumpship.

Added some more firepower to my Greywatch.



These are 3D prints designed by Locust Labs.

That's some very good work.

That reminds me I have finished doing some potato painting, too.

Gray Death Heavy Battle Lance:

Jumping Shadow Hawk in my Fetid Claws color scheme, Regent, Gargoyle C, and Catapult K2 in my Brown Pants Legion colors (with a slight change in tertiary color).

Bandits and Badgers, APCs used by the Clans and Wolfs Dragoons, provided by IWM:

Color scheme a mix of my Inner Sphere Brown Pants and Clan Purple Shirts schemes.

Elementals from IWM on 3/4" Fender Washers:


Inner Sphere Battle Armor, IS Standard in front, Gray Death Standard in back:


And a perspective shot, because it can be hard to tell how big (small) something is:


I am now done assaulting your eyes.

I see that you are another member of Clan Painted Pants

M.

Now I kinda want to paint my Clan OPFOR as 'Clan Brown Trousers'...

 Miguelsan wrote:
I see that you are another member of Clan Painted Pants

M.

Funny thing is that when I first started painting, My Clan mechs were like the Elementals above, Clan Purple Pants. That can works for the metal models, because they don't really have a lot of detail. However, it's too dark for the plastics, so I inverted the color scheme, but only for the plastic models.

Here are the 3 schemes I have used with Clan Mechs.

The Dragonfly on the right was the first scheme. The Dragonfly in the middle is my second scheme. The Dragonfly on the left is the latest scheme, and used for some variety and because I got a 3rd Salvage Dragonfly. I should have just altered it's tertiary color like I did with the Elementals, but I was feeling a "Purple Vest" concept for it and used it for a Salvage Conjurer.

I really do need to get a picture of my various schemes to represent everything. It would be better if I had the same model for all of them, but... *shrug*.

Started playing the game today. Love the movement but jesus GATOR is so hard to learn as a beginner

 bullisariuscowl wrote:
Started playing the game today. Love the movement but jesus GATOR is so hard to learn as a beginner

Let me just say as a grognard, GATOR makes it soooo much easier to learn! The only real hard part is remembering everything that goes under Other!

Sure, it's not as easy as 40K, or a lot of other games which keep things down to a single die roll, but I like how it sets expectations on the roll. Warmachine isn't much different, just that you often have opportunities to add dice to the roll to help.

The "Math Phase" (ie. where we all sit down and work out what we need for all our shots) is fun.

There's just one Math Phase?

With my ADD, the math phases of Battletech have royally been kicking my butt lately. 6-10K BV games give me too many options to balance out. In a loud gaming store after a day of work, it's like 4 hours of analysis paralysis.

I spend too much frustrating time trying to best choose which brackets of weapons to fire, then figuring out, forgetting, and re-figuring my Gator requirements. I start really hating math by the end of the night.

At least I use Flech's Sheets, which organize mechs so much better than Catalyst record sheets.

If you think BattleTech is bad, try Star Fleet Battles sometime. It's the poster-child for overly complex rules.

But it can be fun, to someone who doesn't mind crunchy rules.

 Vulcan wrote:
If you think BattleTech is bad, try Star Fleet Battles sometime. It's the poster-child for overly complex rules.

But it can be fun, to someone who doesn't mind crunchy rules.

I like crunchy complex rules... but not like that... not like that.....