CincyBattletech
Campaigns (all) => Have `Mech, Will Travel: The Next Generation => Topic started by: Darrian Wolffe on May 18, 2024, 09:31:20 PM
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With our next game looming over, we should probably make a decision fast on the matter.
My choice is Sapphire for this bunch.
Xiphos is in MoC region, the next 3 down are in clan space with Boxer being in Capellan.
Plus short contract thats just a short ride over does sound nice.
Other than that, this is a cadre or bust
Maybe going against the Dominion might not be a terrible idea.
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I'd vote Ironside. Same length (travel + contract) as Xiphos with lots more money and better transport
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SAPPHIRE: Cadre means we're going to have a large contingent of green troops in missions, as well as mandatory skill checks for LOCAL COs, (bureaucracy, admin, leadership, and small arms mostly) to generate VP while we "train" the kids. It's effectively a defensive campaign type, and while basic supplies are easier to acquire, our BSP support is going to be limited. Probably either a cakewalk (even with Clan OPFOR), or it totally blows up in our face as we fail all the skill checks. Not much in between. But it's close, and it's short, even if it doesn't pay well.
XIPHOS: If we don't want to fight the Clans, this is my preference. Long trip, but A-rated MOC opposition means that we're getting CapCon and FWL stuff, and we get to keep a fair amount of it. Honestly, give our Mech lineup, this is probably an automatic win, but it's a LOT of time sink due to travel time.
IRONSIDE: B rated Clans means mostly frontline Omnis, and veteran Clan means 2/3 pilots on average. This gives us good allies, at least, and it's House Command, which means that we're likely to have a full lance on most missions. Salvage is reasonable for a Clan contract, and BLC isn't great, but of the Clan offensive contracts I think it's the best BLC being offered. And, again, it's short, and it's close. Base pay is poor.
BALDUR: This is basically a frontline Clan Steel Viper force, it's got crappy BLC, poorly-equipped house troops helping us, and CSV go out of their way to *kill* mercs. I don't think the base pay helps if we aren't alive to spend it. Personally, pass.
SABER: This is actually kind of interesting. A D-rated Clan force is a 2nd line force with some Star League refits, which honestly puts them at probably about equal to our firepower. Salvage is, again, about all we can ask for on a Clan contract, and the BLC is lousy, but the base pay is reasonable. I also look at who's hiring us. This is the sort of "go capture Clan look and bootstrap a Periphery industrial program" mission that can actually have interesting objectives. The travel time isn't terrible, and it's not a long contract term. Of the Clan contract, this is by far the most interesting.
BOXER: Heavy defenses, and high-end Capellan troops with top-end gear. Salvage is the best available, and BLC is bordering on good, 13 weeks travel is right on the edge of what we're probably considering acceptable. The question is whether we're valuing Capellan salvage pre-Stealth Armor as all that great. The planet is functionally an industrial wasteland; it used to be the BattleTech equivalent of a 40k Forge World, so we'd have a lot of urban fighting, I think. Don't really know if we want to deal with that. IMO the cons kinda of outweigh the pros here. It's a doable contract, but I'm not thrilled about it.
Conclusion:
I think my preference would be for SABER, then IRONSIDE, the XIPHOS, in that order. SAPPHIRE if we really don't want to do more raiding contracts which, in fairness, I know that people were wanting something different this time around, but SAPPHRE is just as dependent on your abilities to pass skill checks as it is your ability to play tabletop BattleTech.
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Saber legit sounds fun.
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My preferences in order: SAPPHIRE, SABRE, IRONSIDES.
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I am not sure exactly how the skill checks will work. Are they a combination of being at the table in mission or are these going to go heavily into forum die roller?
I really do not want to go away from the norther half of the IS at the moment.
I do not want to fight the vipers (second the pilot executions), Capellans (not worth it), MOC (dont think the travel time will end up making this worth it).
Falcons could be worth it but it also eats up quite a bit of time. I am sure Rob will find a way to offer us a place inside of JF.
I would say UNIT CO it would be a good idea to figure out people's modifiers for bureaucracy, admin, leadership, and small arms mostly at minimum. How many of the LOCAL CO will have the ability to get a decent modifier to try and pass the contract? Depends heavily on what rolls have to be made, RNG and how these get played out and where. I can say I'm not confident in the RNG of the forum and well I'm either going to pass all of them or fail all of them with my in game luck. Depending on who ends up with what checks it could go very badly or very good. I would say that if people have super high stats in those main skills it could be a good idea to swap them into the local CO slots for the contract.
Administration +0 or 9+ - not sure how this one is intended to be
bureaucracy +2 or 8+ - not sure how this one is intended to be
Career/Soldier +2
First Aid +1
Leadership +3
Negotiation +1
Scrounge +3
Small arms +2
Strategy +3
Tactics +4
Gunnery +5
Piloting +4
I would say IRONSIDES, SAPPHIRE (if we actually have a good chance of making the rolls and this is the only contract without a market penalty) or SABER.
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I am not sure exactly how the skill checks will work. Are they a combination of being at the table in mission or are these going to go heavily into forum die roller?
I'm not entirely sure. I've never done a Cadre mission in any version past 0.36, and we're using 0.48. The way they USED to work is that it tested a die roll against people who had specific assignments every month. "Defense COs roll admin, TN X", or "X lance has been chosen to do small arms training, X Lance CO rolls small arms TN Y". And then during missions you'd get things like "X number of allied units must survive; allied units will run away (counting as destroyed) unless the Local CO passes Leadership TN X after the first allied unit casualty."
Essentially, because it called for checks both during and between missions and not only from company-level officers, there's no way to game the system to ensure that a specific Local CO is attempting a specific roll. The upside is that it tracked the number of rolls over the course of the contract and, VP aside, you only had to pass a certain percentage of those checks, so unless a roll screws up a mission, having SOME failed rolls is ok. 60% success rate, IIRC.
But again, that's all very old stuff, and it may well have changed significantly.
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In no order of preference, Ironside or Saber
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I would go Sabre and Sapphire, I think with a slight leaning towards Sabre. I want rob to be able to capture a Hazen afterall, as their is nothing better for them to do than lead 2nd line forces. :D
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Question. How are we going to do acquisition checks for the contracts that are in clan space? As in, what table should we use when determining availability?
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My first inclination is Sabre. Mainly because we have already been screwed by the Lyran govt [read: Katrina] once. I would rather not be screwed again. Sapphire looks like an opportunity to get screwed again. Ironsides would be second choice if we absolutely have to work for the Lyrans again.
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Sabre sounds fun but as I will only be here for part of whatever contract and then leave the group for a few years, I would count my vote more as a tiebreaker if needed.
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With Ryan being the final say for ties, looks like Sapphire is the clear winner. Please generate everything and I will get the finances for transfer.
I will give 10 days in August for any last minute customs/purchases to be concluded. That is all.
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Advanced pay: 16,911,935
To each lance: 1,056,995
To Unit: 5,284,990
Jump payments: 700,000
Monthly Payment 12,683,951
To each lance: 792746
To unit: 3963745
Estimated arrival date: 9/12 give or take.
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With Ryan being the final say for ties, looks like Sapphire is the clear winner. Please generate everything and I will get the finances for transfer.
I will give 10 days in August for any last minute customs/purchases to be concluded. That is all.
My repairs will be done by then
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Logistics admin:
Angelina Mcullough E - Foil
Fabian Breen V
Lewis Harris V
Sairah Sudheer V
Georges Torres E
Yvette Vincent V
Casamira Hernandez V
Kuniaki Nakamura V
Ehreschuld
Spectre
Norbotten
Rolled 1d3 : 2, total 2
One vet to the other 2
Paladin, Marigold, Jazz, Fire
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Juan Cruz
Marie Celaj
Fernando Estrada
Dae Yi
Marie Betron
Jeanne Sinah
Sherry Yue
HR admin
Lancer, Fury, Blitzkrieg get one automatically
Ehreschuld, Fire, Foil, Jazz, Marigold, Norbotten, Paladin, Spectre
Rolled 1d8 : 2, total 2
Rolled 1d7 : 1, total 1
Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3
Rolled 1d5 : 2, total 2