Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via Megamek

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:53 pm

Hmm. OK, how about a jump to 1321, large laser at the MG turret and the 3 ML and a kick at the AC5 turret?

BTW, thanks again so much for doing this. This is really fun!

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:02 pm

gbasden wrote:Hmm. OK, how about a jump to 1321, large laser at the MG turret and the 3 ML and a kick at the AC5 turret?

BTW, thanks again so much for doing this. This is really fun!

Sometimes, I get an uncontrollable GM itch.

No LOS from 1321 to the MG turret, but, on the other hand, Isgrimnur is more than capable of taking it down on his own (not to mention the Maxim will probably help).

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:56 pm

NickAragua wrote:
gbasden wrote:Hmm. OK, how about a jump to 1321, large laser at the MG turret and the 3 ML and a kick at the AC5 turret?

BTW, thanks again so much for doing this. This is really fun!
Sometimes, I get an uncontrollable GM itch.

No LOS from 1321 to the MG turret, but, on the other hand, Isgrimnur is more than capable of taking it down on his own (not to mention the Maxim will probably help).

OK, then I'll just unload on the AC5 turret then. It gets penalties to hit for minimum range, correct?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Sat Sep 30, 2017 8:07 pm

Yep. Minimum range is 3, and you'd be at range 1, so +2 to the roll target (same as if you were at medium range).

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 12:48 pm

Does the AI target just the easiest targets to hit, or is it more sophisticated?

Ideally I'd like to stay more or less still and shoot at the AC5 turret, which seems relatively safe, except for the AC5 turret. Is it likely to target me or other targets?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:31 pm

El Guapo wrote:Does the AI target just the easiest targets to hit, or is it more sophisticated?

Ideally I'd like to stay more or less still and shoot at the AC5 turret, which seems relatively safe, except for the AC5 turret. Is it likely to target me or other targets?

Sure, "AI". But yeah, generally, easiest shots. If you stay still, you're probably looking at 6 or 7+ (4 base, +2 medium range, +1 partial cover), with leg shots being negated. Move up to the heavy woods and you're looking at 7 or 8+ (4 base, +2 medium range, +2 heavy woods). I'm pretty the turret's gunnery is 4.

Also, note to all: according to official rules, you can move up or down a two-step cliff no problem, it just costs an extra two MP in addition to the one for moving forward.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:55 pm

Just not backwards.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 2:57 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:Just not backwards.

Correct.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:06 pm

I want to second the thanks for running this.

Infantry in buildings is much tougher then I would expect (in college we just did mech on mech and with the AtB campaign I haven't hit any infantry). With the flamer I can flush them out but passing 25% damage I really can't reliably hurt them (two guys with the large laser but laser and flamer is somewhat bad heatwise). How does the damage round? The small lasers only do 1 damage; do they cause 1 casualty or does it round down and do nothing? If I hit with two does it get two guys or just combine and round to one guy?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:30 pm

I believe it rounds to the nearest integer, with .5 rounding up. Each weapon hit is resolved individually, so if you fire two small lasers, you'll get two guys.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:32 am

NickAragua wrote:
El Guapo wrote:Does the AI target just the easiest targets to hit, or is it more sophisticated?

Ideally I'd like to stay more or less still and shoot at the AC5 turret, which seems relatively safe, except for the AC5 turret. Is it likely to target me or other targets?
Sure, "AI". But yeah, generally, easiest shots. If you stay still, you're probably looking at 6 or 7+ (4 base, +2 medium range, +1 partial cover), with leg shots being negated. Move up to the heavy woods and you're looking at 7 or 8+ (4 base, +2 medium range, +2 heavy woods). I'm pretty the turret's gunnery is 4.

Also, note to all: according to official rules, you can move up or down a two-step cliff no problem, it just costs an extra two MP in addition to the one for moving forward.

ok, I'll walk up to the heavy woods in 1920.

So the AC/5 turret appears to have 94 CF. Does that mean that I need to do 94 damage to it to destroy it?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:23 pm

I've been lazy about updating the CF for that turret. It's actually 56 now. So yes, 56 to totally collapse the building. However, it's fairly likely that you get a crit of some kind before then.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:31 pm

ok. I'll fire everything at the AC/5 turret, then.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 8:35 am

Move to 1317 facing SW. Walk or jump; whichever gives a better defense. Flamer and both small lasers at the infantry followed by a kick.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 11:52 am

Round 7:

Isgrimnur jumps in between the infantry and the MG turret. He takes a couple of minor dings from MG rounds fired from the last barrel, then evaporates the crew with his PPC. The medium laser shot collapses the building entirely, forming an improvised grave. The infantry fires at him, but the shoulder-launched missiles go wide.

El Guapo and Gbasden team up on the AC/5 turret, causing jams in two of the barrels. The Maxim helps out with a barrage of LRMs and SRMs. It takes some fire from the incoming hovercraft to the north, but nothing hits. Gbasden takes an AC/2 round to the arm from the helicopter, but it's an AC/2 round, which doesn't prevent him from kicking the last of the building's support structure out - it collapses, taking the last of the turrets.

Madmarcus jumps around the side of the nearby building, taking an AC/5 round to the leg and setting the building on fire. Two small lasers help keep the infantry inside suppressed and unable to effectively fire back. He then throws a bonus punch, crushing another scrub as the platoon abandons the building to zip out in their little hovercraft.

Raw firing and heat output:

Spoiler:

The enemy hovercraft move south to get a view on what's happening in the base (it's not good). Madmarcus' infantry quarry relocates to one of the buildings that possible houses the rescue subject, which is mildly problematic. The Skulker is the only active vehicle inside the base, although the helicopter continues buzzing around.

[note: this is about to become a hostage negotiation]

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:00 pm

A message buzzes in over open frequencies.

"Mercenary force, cease fire on the base or your patriarchal oppressor buddy here is going to get hurt!"

Firing on a buiding in hex 1017 (the one with the damaged infantry platoon in it, next to the destroyed MG turret) will result in the rescue subject being executed (of course, maybe they're bluffing?)

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:12 pm

Time for some thrilling heroics.

Jump to 0614. Fire at 0715.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:12 pm

uhhhh, who took points in the hostage negotiation skill for their MechWarrior?

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:21 pm

El Guapo wrote:uhhhh, who took points in the hostage negotiation skill for their MechWarrior?

I thought "Hostage Negotiator" was the stencil the bottom of your mech's feet.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 12:47 pm

A note on new enemy vehicle equipment (they're all hovercraft with 8/12 movement)

The Maxim in 0715 has an SRM launcher on each side (SRM4 on the front and back, SRM2 on the sides), plus an SRM6 and 3x Machine gun in the turret.
The Saracens in 0715 and 0614 both pack an LRM10 and 3x SRM2 in the turret.
The Condor in 0614 has a turret-mounted AC/5 and 2x Medium Laser (and also an MG in the front).

I uh, don't think anyone in the field has the "negotiation" skill. But that's ok, neither do the other guys.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:02 pm

The Scorpion in 1620 has surrendered, right?

I'll stand still and fire my LRM5 and my large laser at a Saracen in 715.

What's the penalty for firing at a second target? And does that impact your odds of hitting your primary target?

I'll fire at least one medium laser at the Skulker in 1418. If the odds of hitting aren't terrible I'll also fire a second medium laser at it.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:43 pm

Right, the Scorpion in 1620 is "weapons down".

Shooting at a secondary target imparts a +1 to the target number on the secondary target only. There's also a fairly weird and difficult-to-describe rule where if you've got more than one target and at least one of them is in your front firing arc, the primary target must be in the front firing arc.

Also, the Skulker is hidden from your view by the big cliff at 1519. You can fire at the chopper on 11+ though.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 1:59 pm

NickAragua wrote:
Also, the Skulker is hidden from your view by the big cliff at 1519. You can fire at the chopper on 11+ though.

When should I get to the choppa?

I'll fire one medium laser at the choppa. That should dissipate 3 of my 5 heat.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:46 am

How about we tell them if they fire at us we splatter them anyway. We can't just let them hole up and attack us at will, and it gives our team time to find out if they are bluffing?

I'm thinking walk to 1310, punch the Skulker in it's stupid face and try to shoot the Maxim in 0715 with large laser and LRMs.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:41 am

gbasden wrote:How about we tell them if they fire at us we splatter them anyway. We can't just let them hole up and attack us at will, and it gives our team time to find out if they are bluffing?

I'm thinking walk to 1310, punch the Skulker in it's stupid face and try to shoot the Maxim in 0715 with large laser and LRMs.

I guess this just means don't fire on 1017 at least for this turn. But to the extent that the hostage negotiation is a real mechanic, it would seem like the play would be to say if they give up the guy, we'll leave without killing anyone else. But if they kill the guy, we'll level the entire base and kill everyone.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 11:32 am

"Search and Rescue Squad here, give us another 20 seconds to confirm. Try and keep them distracted so they don't see us sneaking up."

If at least one mech is within LOS and weapons range (9 hexes) of the infantry platoon in 1017, they will not fire on the allied infantry platoon due to being distracted.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 1:14 pm

I think I should have that covered - I believe I have LOS from 1310 and I certainly have weapons range.

Madmarcus · Post by **Madmarcus** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:30 am

Jump to 1513 facing S. Large laser at the helicopter.

An airstrike would be good right now.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 11:05 am

Turn 8

Gbasden takes a lot of "small-arms" fire - infantry LRMs, regular LRMs, SRMs and AC/2. Most of it misses, and the rest sandpapers some armor away. He retaliates by opening fire on the Maxim to the northwest of town, cracking the skirt. He then proceeds to laser and punch the Skulker, but the tough little tank's armor holds.

El Guapo's tracking systems are confused by the preponderance of hovercraft, but he manages to land a couple of solid LRM hits on the Saracen, damaging an air intake duct and slowing the vehicle down.

Isgrimnur takes some machine gun fire from the Maxim, but decides he's had enough and cuts the rest of the hover skirt off with the medium and small laser, immobilizing the vehicle. He follows up with a boot to the Saracen, knocking off little bits of the skirt.

Madmarcus' and El Guapo's fire at the helicopter is ineffective (well, it did wind up needing a 12 to hit).

Raw firing and heat data:

Spoiler:

A pair of fast-moving, LRM-equipped APCs arrive. The two undamaged hovercraft retreat north to join them. The Skulker zips into the heavy smoke, hoping for a little protection, as does the damaged Saracen.

"Air support here. Looks like we got ourselves a cluster of vehicles north of that hill. You want I should drop some bombs on them?"

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 11:38 am

Yeah, I think an airstrike is in order.

What's the smoke firing penalty? Also I assume it applies for each smoke-filled hex a shot goes through (like, there are two penalties if you're firing through two separate smoke hexes to hit your target)?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 11:50 am

What weapons are on the attack helicopter?

As a side note: it seems like a serious design flaw to put 75% of the Griffin's weapons on one arm.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 12:12 pm

So are we not doing turtle stomps, or did the Saracen get to move first?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 1:38 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:So are we not doing turtle stomps, or did the Saracen get to move first?

Last round, you kicked the one in front of you but didn't breach armor or immobilize.

It was actually a pretty good call jumping in the pile, since half of them couldn't fire on you at all.

El Guapo wrote:What weapons are on the attack helicopter?

As a side note: it seems like a serious design flaw to put 75% of the Griffin's weapons on one arm.

Helicopter has an SRM/4 and AC/2.

The smoke is dense so it's -2 per intervening hex. It's basically exactly like heavy woods.

As for the weapons, well, at least you're not keeping your ammo in the arm. Remember when Freyland's 85-ton Stalker went up in smoke because it took a random crit to the arm, where it had a ton of LRM/10 ammo?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:09 pm

Do I need to worry about finishing off the Maxim?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:16 pm

Nope, the opfor is operating under "forced withdrawal" rules, so if a vehicle becomes immobilized (or if you breach armor or disable or weapons), it's no longer a threat.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:42 pm

I assume that I can't hit the helicopter from my current position with my right arm weapons without torso twisting, right?

Also, do aircraft get any penalties to hit them? Sort of like how mechs jump jetting are harder to hit, do other flying targets also get benefits like that?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 2:43 pm

Jump to 0916 and keep paring down the Saracen. And that should give the infantry in 1017 something to focus on.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 3:18 pm

El Guapo wrote:I assume that I can't hit the helicopter from my current position with my right arm weapons without torso twisting, right?

Also, do aircraft get any penalties to hit them? Sort of like how mechs jump jetting are harder to hit, do other flying targets also get benefits like that?

Correct, you'll need to torso twist to fire at the helicopter. The helicopter does get a +1 to the to-hit difficulty if it moves at all, exactly like a jumping mech. The "target moved X hexes" modifier is calculated as if it were moving on the ground. So, 3/5/7/11 get it a +1/2/3/4 to the to-hit difficulty respectively. So, for example, if it were to move 11 hexes, the to-hit number is at a +5, in addition to any other modifiers (range, attacker movement, etc).

Also, it's a little difficult to see, but the Skulker is active and within the smoke (hiding behind the beat-up and abandoned Scorpion).

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 3:25 pm

NickAragua wrote:
El Guapo wrote:I assume that I can't hit the helicopter from my current position with my right arm weapons without torso twisting, right?

Also, do aircraft get any penalties to hit them? Sort of like how mechs jump jetting are harder to hit, do other flying targets also get benefits like that?
Correct, you'll need to torso twist to fire at the helicopter. The helicopter does get a +1 to the to-hit difficulty if it moves at all, exactly like a jumping mech. The "target moved X hexes" modifier is calculated as if it were moving on the ground. So, 3/5/7/11 get it a +1/2/3/4 to the to-hit difficulty respectively. So, for example, if it were to move 11 hexes, the to-hit number is at a +5, in addition to any other modifiers (range, attacker movement, etc).

Also, it's a little difficult to see, but the Skulker is active and within the smoke (hiding behind the beat-up and abandoned Scorpion).

The helicopter's already moved this turn, and moved 13 spaces, right? So it currently has a +6 modifier to hit it, then?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 3:39 pm

Nah, it can't get to +6, because the next +1 is at 15 movement. It's +5 right now.