Battletech/Mechwarrior PbP: "Days of the Jackal" [closed]

[Drakknyte32]

Okay I rearranged my skills so they fit the character slightly better. I think this works.

Gunnery/mech 3
Piloting/mech 2
Small arms 2
Unarmed Combat 1
Survival 1
Technician/Mech 2
Computer 2

And I rearranged my attributes a little so I should actually be able to hit in combat.

Build 2
Reflexes 6
Intuition 5
learning 4
Charisma 2

Athletic 10
Physical 7
Mental 9
Social 11

again suggestions are welcome for both of the above.

I've looked over the assault mechs and with what little I've gleaned about what each part does, and how cool the mech looks of course. The following are mechs I think I'd like, roughly in order of desire.

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Marauder II MAD-4A
Of course the one you said was completely off limits had to be the one I wanted the most . The picture and design are just too cool.

King Crab KGC-0000
Another one that's not allowed but fits what I had in mind very well. The armor and weapon layout really attracted me and the design is pretty nice as well.

Atlas AS7-D
I don't really like the weapon loadout or design but the insane armor was just what I had in mind. I don't like this armor as much as the Crab's though.

Thug THG-10E
Yet another one that is not allowed. I really like the weapon layout and design.

BattleMaster BLR-1D
Another cool design and the weapon loadout is nice. I think I really want a ppc . The armor is sufficient, if not as high as I had hoped.

Goliath GOL-1H
Unusual, but not bad, design. Well set out for long range attacks as well.

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Well there you have it. Every assault mech I wanted, and I have to choose one. Decisions decisions. :\

I guess I'll go with the Atlas. High armor was a priority and it has plenty of that, the weapons are also very powerful.

Of course if you decide I should have a marauder or crab instead I won't complain

I don't want to finalize it until I know a bit more though. Especially on how weapons, attacks, and armor work in the game. It would also be nice to know how heat works, and ammo cost. I also want to know if I can personalize my mech and if I can, how. Sorry for all the questions but I don't want to choose a crappy mech just because I don't understand the rules.


Finally, can you roll on the life events table for me. 2 2d10 and I'll use both my extra edges. That should help me define my character.

 

[Shalimar]

Erm, Drak, how much do you actually know about Battletech?

Lets see, I'll start on Ammo, as you fire any non-energy weapon, you use up its ammo. As you use up the ammo, you have less remaining in your battlemech, you can only fire a given ammo dependent weapon X times, where x is the amount of ammo. There are tradeoffs, ammo weapons run cooler then energy weapons, but they can also run out, they also tend to weigh more then energy weapons, but that is balanced by the fact that depending on the weapon, they do more damage. Being as we are mercs, we have no one to rely on to purchase supplies except ourselves, that means that every round of ammo you fire costs money to replace, and this is not chump change I am talking about.

Weapons Damage, well, each weapon does a certain amount of damage every time it hits, based on what weapon it is, this number never changes. An Autocannon 20 does twenty damage no matter what when it hits its target, a medium laser does 5 damage, etc. To hit a target, Duoane will roll 2D6, and then compare it to your Gunnery skill, which is currently 4+ with your latest incarnation of the character. If the roll of the dice meets or exceeds your Gunnery skill you hit. Specific things like cover, distance to target, how hot you are, how fast you are moving, how fast he is moving, all of these things modify the target number for your gunnery roll. So if your standing still, but the target is running up to you, depending on how fast he is moving and how far away he is, your target number might be 8 or higher.

Armor, armor is simple, a mech has a given amount of armor based on what type it is. The mech is divided up into sections, Head, R. Arm, L. Arm, R. Leg, L. Leg, Center Torso, L. Torso, R. Torso, and Center Torso Rear, L Torso Rear, and R Torso Rear. Each section has x armor which is distributed based on the mech. The Armor soaks up the damage from weapons hits until its destroyed, at which point the mech internal structure starts getting beaten up. While the internal structure is getting pounded, your mechs weapons that are stored in that section could be damaged by hits as well and stop functioning. Every mech has an amount of internal structure, and once the internal structure for a given part of the mech is destroyed, that part of the mech is gone, so an armor destroyed like that would fall off and stop working, a destroyed leg would mean that the mech is lying on the ground and Can't get up, a destroyed Head kills the pilot, and a destroyed Center Torso destroys the mech. After a section is destroyed any further damage to it transfers inward from the arms to the side torsos, from the side torsos to the center torso.

Heat, a mech is run by a fusion reactor, so naturally it can get hot, most actions a mech takes produce heat. Walking your mech produces a little bit, running it produces a bit more then walking it, firing jumpjets, if a mech has them, and almost no assaults do, produces an amount of heat proportional to how far you are jumping. Firing weapons produces heat based on which weapon it is, the larger the weapon, the more heat, Energy weapons produce more then Ballistics, etc. Firing a medium laser for example is 3 heat, Firing an AC20 produces 7, but thats because it is soo big. Well, I have told you how to build heat, now I will tell you how to get rid of it. A mech comes with things to dissipate heat, called heatsinks, these heatsinks dissipate a certain amount of heat per turn, based on how many a given mech has. An Atlas for instance has 20 heatsinks, and sinks 20 points of heat a turn.

Final note, if you get too hot due to constant firing of your weapons or having heatsinks destroyed, your mechs speed will slow down the hotter you get, also, its possible to shut your mech down making it immobile until your safety system says its ok to start the mech again, lastly, if you get too hot, your mech;s ammunition could pottentially explode, almost certainly crippling if not out right destroying the mech. So long as you show some restraint in firing the Atlas's weapons it should not be a problem. For example, your atlas could run and fire all of its short range weapons and not gain any net heat after your heat sinks cut in, or if firing at long range, only your LRM 20 would be worth firing since the other weapons are short range, and the LRM 20 will never, never, over heat you. Just use common sense and its fine.

 

[Shalimar]

So, Duoane, are we still planning on getting started tomorrow, or is that on hold because of Drakk? I am really wanting this thing to get off the ground, I really think it'll be lotsa fun, but I would suggest you put up a closed sign as far as rcruiting at this point, we seem a bit over full at 7.

 

[Radiant]

So, Duoane, are we still planning on getting started tomorrow, or is that on hold because of Drakk? I am really wanting this thing to get off the ground, I really think it'll be lotsa fun, but I would suggest you put up a closed sign as far as rcruiting at this point, we seem a bit over full at 7.

the lady has a point there


@Drakknyte32: One really important thing in Battletech ist that you can NEVER laugh then someone attempts to harm your mech regardless how much armor you have. First there is the chance of a critical hit in the torso or the good old head shot.You won't like either. And second as Shalimar explained armor is not used to roll a save or such but reduced layer by layer each time you get hit. And like ammo you will have to pay to replace it.
Just in case no one explained the ppc to you yet if I get it transelted into english correctly it should be called particle projector cannon. As far as I remember the most powerfull of the energy weapons but a real pain then it comes to heat.

 

[Douane]

Shalimar + Radiant,

thanks for taking over while I caught a good nap! [ Especially with that extra-long basic BT post which saves me a good amount of time. ]


Folkert

 

[Douane]

So, Duoane, are we still planning on getting started tomorrow, or is that on hold because of Drakk?

Yes, that's still my intent.

(I see no difficulties introducing Drakknyte32 a tiny bit later and I kinda promised the date. )

However, in order to do so, I would like some more input on my questions in post #276. Pretty please?

[...] but the year needs to be about 3028 or so to grant some of us our mechs.

Don't worry, this would be taken care of. Otherwise I wouldn't have offered the option.



Folkert

 

[Douane]

Drakknyte32,

could you please email me? (I can't access your email here!)


Thanks!

Folkert

 

[doghead]

There we go. The character is almost the exact opposite of most of your characters but that should just make things more interesting. He's young, naive, and optimistic. [colour=dark orange]And he rides a big mech.[/color]

"This is a wind-up right. You're not seriously suggesting recruiting a pilot whose sole experience is on simulators?"

"He has an Atlas."

"Ah. Right. Find him a bunk."

Earlier it was mentioned that Hasic can act as spotter and targeter for Kevin's mech. I haven't got that much experience with the game, but it sounds like some more of this might be a good idea. I think that both the Auto Cannon (AC) and Long Range Missiles (LRM) can fire indirectly. Which means that if I can see it, you can hit it even if you can't see it cos you're further back, behind cover etc (assuming that you are in range). Given we have a few light fast mechs, this could give you alot of shooting options without putting yourself up front. Which, if Alexander has never been there, he probably wouldn't want to starting there. An Atlas is going to be the centre of any party.

Douane, will get onto your questions asap.

 

[Drakknyte32]

And I have no experience with Battletech unfortunately. I joined this game so I could learn how to use a new system (and because I wanted to ride a big mech )

So getting hit is bad regardless of armor, an atlas can just survive a little longer. Which means I should probably focus on long range firepower instead of armor. I'm perfectly fine being the mobile artillary of the group.

Ammo is limited, and costs a lot of money. Beam weapons make a lot of heat, so they can't be fired as often. I'll want long range, indirect fire weapons mostly but I'll need something close ranged in case they get up close and personal.

That just leaves a couple more questions. Does a ppc do indirect fire? And how do I customize my mech.

 

[Douane]

Drakknyte32,

got it. Thanks!

Better take the address down before some crawler gets it.


Folkert