Battletech - Also known as Trannytech

[White Devil]

A Lance of MBTs are very capable of taking out mechs due to their glass cannon nature.

 

[Corn Flakes]

A Lance of MBTs are very capable of taking out mechs due to their glass cannon nature.

Cost-wise, vehicles are just flat-out better than 'Mechs if used with a modicum of tactics. For example, you could buy eight (almost nine) Yellowjackets for the price of a single Annihilator (probably more if you're going for a "fair" comparison and making it a Gausszilla). Yes, those VTOLs all crash if anything even so much as sneezes at their rotors, but anyone on the receiving end of 8 gauss slugs fired at a flank speed of 9 (ignoring terrain) is bound to shut up and pay attention.

The designers are very open about how they had to hobble vehicles in order to allow for 'Mechs to be the queens of the battlefield. Which is fine, but it does make for some weird situations in the fluff. Like BattleMech armor having to be literally cardboard-thin in order to cover the sheer volume taken up by those 40' stompies.

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

Cost-wise, vehicles are just flat-out better than 'Mechs if used with a modicum of tactics. For example, you could buy eight (almost nine) Yellowjackets for the price of a single Annihilator (probably more if you're going for a "fair" comparison and making it a Gausszilla). Yes, those VTOLs all crash if anything even so much as sneezes at their rotors, but anyone on the receiving end of 8 gauss slugs fired at a flank speed of 9 (ignoring terrain) is bound to shut up and pay attention.

The designers are very open about how they had to hobble vehicles in order to allow for 'Mechs to be the queens of the battlefield. Which is fine, but it does make for some weird situations in the fluff. Like BattleMech armor having to be literally cardboard-thin in order to cover the sheer volume taken up by those 40' stompies.

And afaik, VTOLs can just climb to a height that allows them to fly above their target at exactly the right height to be in their favorite range bracket, while anyone else might have to deal with shittier ones or downright being out of range.

I was wondering if putting a C3Master computer on a VTOL and have that thing hover above the battlefield, using the TAG designation ability of the C3Master, wouldn't be broken as fuck (but I most likely misread the rules that would make this less effective than I think rn).

 

[Snekposter]

A Lance of MBTs are very capable of taking out mechs due to their glass cannon nature.

"Watch out! Those Myrmidons mount PPCs. They'll punch a hole in your mech if you're not careful!"

Talk about "Oh shit" moments considering how early you can get that mission. Even if you go Easy Modo with a Dragoon start you've still got almost as many PPC's on them as you do in your lance of Adders.

And yeah, a buddy of mine is a big TT player, loves massive campaigns using MegaMek, and his merc outfits always have a crapton of CV's in them due to sheer cost-effectiveness. He'll generally deploy a heavy or assault lance of Mechs as his heavy hitters and fire magnet and sneak some hovers or fast tanks around the sides and pincer the bastards. He also has a soft spot for the Hetzer as an old, now retired WoT player, but considering that thing is murder in urban battles it works out well for him.

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

"Watch out! Those Myrmidons mount PPCs. They'll punch a hole in your mech if you're not careful!"

Talk about "Oh shit" moments considering how early you can get that mission. Even if you go Easy Modo with a Dragoon start you've still got almost as many PPC's on them as you do in your lance of Adders.

And yeah, a buddy of mine is a big TT player, loves massive campaigns using MegaMek, and his merc outfits always have a crapton of CV's in them due to sheer cost-effectiveness. He'll generally deploy a heavy or assault lance of Mechs as his heavy hitters and fire magnet and sneak some hovers or fast tanks around the sides and pincer the bastards. He also has a soft spot for the Hetzer as an old, now retired WoT player, but considering that thing is murder in urban battles it works out well for him.

The good thing for the Hetzer is, in BT combat happens simultaneously, so even if you utterly steamroll it in one round, he'll still get a shot popped off and probably hit you and anything under 60 tons really does not want a piece of that AC/20.

 

[Snekposter]

Well, anything 60 tons and up doesn't like getting smacked for 20 points either. I just downloaded some PDF's to double-check, and getting slammed in a side torso for 20 points will strip away a Cyclops-10-Z or Grasshopper-5H and a Zeus-6S is going to take 2 points to the internals since its only got 18 armor on the front there.

 

[More AWS-8Q Than You]

Cost-wise, vehicles are just flat-out better than 'Mechs if used with a modicum of tactics. For example, you could buy eight (almost nine) Yellowjackets for the price of a single Annihilator (probably more if you're going for a "fair" comparison and making it a Gausszilla). Yes, those VTOLs all crash if anything even so much as sneezes at their rotors, but anyone on the receiving end of 8 gauss slugs fired at a flank speed of 9 (ignoring terrain) is bound to shut up and pay attention.

The designers are very open about how they had to hobble vehicles in order to allow for 'Mechs to be the queens of the battlefield. Which is fine, but it does make for some weird situations in the fluff. Like BattleMech armor having to be literally cardboard-thin in order to cover the sheer volume taken up by those 40' stompies.

There was a poster on the old CBT forums, Weirdo I think he went by, who used to wreck people in his gaming group using everything but mech. A few of them also posted on the forum and confirmed there were certain things he wasn't allowed to use any more, like airpower, since he just wrecked everyone with them.

I'm partial to the LGR Ontos, but that's because you can do mean things with a lance of those and enough mapsheets.

 

[Corn Flakes]

There was a poster on the old CBT forums, Weirdo I think he went by, who used to wreck people in his gaming group using everything but mech. A few of them also posted on the forum and confirmed there were certain things he wasn't allowed to use any more, like airpower, since he just wrecked everyone with them.

I'm partial to the LGR Ontos, but that's because you can do mean things with a lance of those and enough mapsheets.

I remember that guy! And yeah, CVs can get very silly if they're used properly. Again, there's a reason the designers have to hobble non-'Mech units.

I give the Hell's Horses a lot of crap for their sense of fashion, but they're the one Clan that almost got close to getting shit right. Unfortunately, since vehicles must be worse than 'Mechs or the setting falls apart, they end up being a bit of a laughingstock. At least they're not the Hellions. Or the Mandrills.

Well, anything 60 tons and up doesn't like getting smacked for 20 points either. I just downloaded some PDF's to double-check, and getting slammed in a side torso for 20 points will strip away a Cyclops-10-Z or Grasshopper-5H and a Zeus-6S is going to take 2 points to the internals since its only got 18 armor on the front there.

Even an Atlas isn't going to be happy with it. Losing 2/3rds of your side torso armor in a single slap from a tin can literally worth 6% of your 'Mech's cost is going to hurt a MechWarrior's pride at the very least.

And if the Hetzer, a comparatively sneaky little bastard, manages to get a shot in on the Atlas from the rear? That's one round of surprise buttsex that's really going to sting.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

There was a poster on the old CBT forums, Weirdo I think he went by, who used to wreck people in his gaming group using everything but mech. A few of them also posted on the forum and confirmed there were certain things he wasn't allowed to use any more, like airpower, since he just wrecked everyone with them.

I'm partial to the LGR Ontos, but that's because you can do mean things with a lance of those and enough mapsheets.

Not sure if this is the same guy, but I know a friend of mine was told he could only use Mechs in the tourneys. I'll ask him if that was his handle there.

He's also not allowed to make characters who can teleport, or speak French.

Even an Atlas isn't going to be happy with it. Losing 2/3rds of your side torso armor in a single slap from a tin can literally worth 6% of your 'Mech's cost is going to hurt a MechWarrior's pride at the very least.

And if the Hetzer, a comparatively sneaky little bastard, manages to get a shot in on the Atlas from the rear? That's one round of surprise buttsex that's really going to sting.

It's not JUST the armor loss. A 20 point hit means you get to make a piloting roll at the end of the phase. And there's always that chance you blow it, especially if you take a leg-actuator hit or two.

You fall down, you better hope one of his buddies isn't adjacent, because that's asking for a kick that will most likely connect.

 

[Snekposter]

Well, I was about to post up the Ku, Zorya, and Ishtar as an example of poor design choices by the Clans but... we don't talk about TRO 3060.

 

[Corn Flakes]

It's not JUST the armor loss. A 20 point hit means you get to make a piloting roll at the end of the phase. And there's always that chance you blow it, especially if you take a leg-actuator hit or two.

You fall down, you better hope one of his buddies isn't adjacent, because that's asking for a kick that will most likely connect.

And that's not even counting the other two Hetzers (plus whatever left-over infantry) that the other guy managed to bring for the same BV. And all that, in-universe, dirt-cheap and disposable.

... I'm starting to see how Quickscell remains in business.

Well, I was about to post up the Ku, Zorya, and Ishtar as an example of poor design choices by the Clans but... we don't talk about TRO 3060.

Is it a coincidence they're all Clan vehicles? I think not.

 

[More AWS-8Q Than You]

I remember that guy! And yeah, CVs can get very silly if they're used properly. Again, there's a reason the designers have to hobble non-'Mech units.

I give the Hell's Horses a lot of crap for their sense of fashion, but they're the one Clan that almost got close to getting shit right. Unfortunately, since vehicles must be worse than 'Mechs or the setting falls apart, they end up being a bit of a laughingstock. At least they're not the Hellions. Or the Mandrills.

The weird part is that I don't hate their Quad-Vee Omni and I feel like I should hate it for being a shitty tank and a shitty mech. But as a Clan tank, it doesn't suck. Tell those guys to build a car and it'll be shaped like two hipster bicycles will huge front wheels and the cockpit would be in the back, and it would be rear wheel drive. Probably be an exposed ammo feed somewhere in there too.

Not sure if this is the same guy, but I know a friend of mine was told he could only use Mechs in the tourneys. I'll ask him if that was his handle there.

He's also not allowed to make characters who can teleport, or speak French.

Not sure, but I think he was German. I don't know for sure, but I remember that the McKenna-Class battleship Zughoffer Weir was named in honor of him.

 

[Capsaicin Addict]

Oh God, the QuadVees. Those are some of the silliest shit I've seen, both from a mechanics and fluff perspective. I know the Horses have a thing about non-Mech units and like to flesh out their touman with vehicles, but good grief those things look ridiculous.

Not sure, but I think he was German. I don't know for sure, but I remember that the McKenna-Class battleship Zughoffer Weir was named in honor of him.

Hm. I'll ask. I think what kicked off the round of 'thou shalt only use Mechs' for my friend was entering an 'anything goes' tourney and filling his roster with nothing but Savannah Masters.

I know his luck is so deranged it borders on a probability error in reality, because I've seen him take shots that get through armor crits, smashing up engines or gyros or worse, right at the start of a battle.

 

[TFT-A9]

Four words

BOWLING

WITH

SAVANNAH

MASTERS

 

[More AWS-8Q Than You]

Hm. I'll ask. I think what kicked off the round of 'thou shalt only use Mechs' for my friend was entering an 'anything goes' tourney and filling his roster with nothing but Savannah Masters.

I know his luck is so deranged it borders on a probability error in reality, because I've seen him take shots that get through armor crits, smashing up engines or gyros or worse, right at the start of a battle.

Savannah Masters are the greatest suicide sled in the game, no one likes taking a 5 ton hovercraft at a 20-hex movement rate to the legs.

 

[TFT-A9]

Savannah Masters are the greatest suicide sled in the game, no one likes taking a 5 ton hovercraft at a 20-hex movement rate to the legs.

Abuse rules about skids on pavement etc. with fast vehicles (doesn't even have to be hovers IIRC)

Like, Urban battlefields are already fucking dangerous because of shit like "Oh you're gonna try and Kool-Aid Man your Atlas through that building? Bet you didn't expect it to have multiple basement levels." and all the dumb shit that can happen when mechs skid on pavement. Add asshole tactics like Bowling for Mechs to the mix and you're gonna see people throw minis and flip tables.

 

[Corn Flakes]

Savannah Masters are the greatest suicide sled in the game, no one likes taking a 5 ton hovercraft at a 20-hex movement rate to the legs.

I had one of my Warhammers take a Kanga to the face once. Fucking thing basically ramped off a 1-level slope at damn near full speed and hit for 55 damage. By the time we were done rolling everything (and had finished laughing), the Warhammer was face-down in the dirt with an unconscious pilot, and the Kanga had somehow escaped without any critical damage. It was just one of those situations where you can't even be mad.

 

[More AWS-8Q Than You]

I had one of my Warhammers take a Kanga to the face once. Fucking thing basically ramped off a 1-level slope at damn near full speed and hit for 55 damage. By the time we were done rolling everything (and had finished laughing), the Warhammer was face-down in the dirt with an unconscious pilot, and the Kanga had somehow escaped without any critical damage. It was just one of those situations where you can't even be mad.

It's like that moment when you realize a Charger is a 5/8 80-ton assault mech and that's potentially 64 points of damage. It's not like you're going to use it for anything else.

Abuse rules about skids on pavement etc. with fast vehicles (doesn't even have to be hovers IIRC)

Like, Urban battlefields are already fucking dangerous because of shit like "Oh you're gonna try and Kool-Aid Man your Atlas through that building? Bet you didn't expect it to have multiple basement levels." and all the dumb shit that can happen when mechs skid on pavement. Add asshole tactics like Bowling for Mechs to the mix and you're gonna see people throw minis and flip tables.

It's also when a smart player demonstrates the one enviroment Urbanmechs are actually decent in, and also why even a small number of Jump Jets makes mechs annoying.

 

[Corn Flakes]

It's like that moment when you realize a Charger is a 5/8 80-ton assault mech and that's potentially 64 points of damage. It's not like you're going to use it for anything else.

See, you expect a Charger to... well, charge. Most people don't expect to see a 50-ton death-frisbee clotheslining 'Mechs like it ain't no thing.

It's also when a smart player demonstrates the one enviroment Urbanmechs are actually decent in, and also why even a small number of Jump Jets makes mechs annoying.

It's all fun and games until the HGN-734 Highlander leaps over the building and lands in front of you to bring you tidings of LB 20-X slug and buckshot. I used to think JJs on Assault 'Mechs were a waste, but playing against a lance with a pair of those in an urban map definitely had me reconsidering that opinion. They didn't even try to DFA me, the maneuverability advantage in those cramped spaces was just godlike for a 'Mech built for close quarters combat.

 

[Snekposter]

And that's not even counting the other two Hetzers (plus whatever left-over infantry) that the other guy managed to bring for the same BV. And all that, in-universe, dirt-cheap and disposable.

... I'm starting to see how Quickscell remains in business.

If we leave BV out of it, you can buy 14 Hetzers and change for the price of a single Atlas. Drop that down to 12 so you can cannibalize two and get two platoons going, and you're at 7,968,000 C-bills. Add in the cost of crew training including live-fire and fuel, and you get maybe 8.5 million c-bills total. You've now got another 1.1 million c-bills left over to spend getting everything else kitted out. And you now have two full assault gun platoons of five tanks each plus a bunch of heavy infantry support for urban combat.

Edit since I missed your post: Victors. A lot more fragile, but a lot faster when out of urban combat and have another hex of JJ. The -9D is a poor man's Highlander-732, and the -10L does to light Mechs what the Scarecrow does to infantry. Yes, I love that 80 fuck you in MW5, how could you tell?