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[Timberwolfd]

For promotion and commission, how does selling these traits work? So I have the following order of promotion:
Promotion 1
Promotion set to 6
Promotion 3
Commission
Promotion 3

I have my final rank set at commission rank 4 without selling anything on the premise that commission resets everything. Of course that makes selling the earlier promotions even more of a sales prospect.
Can I sell my promotions prior to commission?
Should I actually be higher ranked, etc?

[Darrian Wolffe]

For promotion and commission, how does selling these traits work? So I have the following order of promotion:
Promotion 1
Promotion set to 6
Promotion 3
Commission
Promotion 3

I have my final rank set at commission rank 4 without selling anything on the premise that commission resets everything. Of course that makes selling the earlier promotions even more of a sales prospect.
Can I sell my promotions prior to commission?
Should I actually be higher ranked, etc?

As soon as you recieve a commission, all previous promotions are lost. Therefore they cannot be sold back, because they don't survive to the "purchasing Traits" stage of character creation.  Only the promotions AFTER your commission matter (if you get a commission).

Commission instantly sets you to Rank 1 (officer track), and promotion 3 will set you to Rank 4 (officer track).  You could sell those back down to Officer 1 if you wanted, but no further.

Remember, as soon as you become a merc, you lose all rank ANYWAY.  However, you need to remember what rank you formerly were, and in what faction, because when you're working for your former military, it can open up campaign options depending on your former rank.  Someone who was an FWL Captain might get the option to do something or gain a bit of kit while serving a contract in the FWL.

[Timberwolfd]

Okay, that's pretty much what I thought. But I thought I would make sure.

[Ad Hoc]

Is the BV cap for the lance just during lance creation or is it for duration of campaign?   Because if I customize once campaign starts I will easily go over the 5000 BV cap.

[Darrian Wolffe]

Is the BV cap for the lance just during lance creation or is it for duration of campaign?   Because if I customize once campaign starts I will easily go over the 5000 BV cap.

It's for a while.  Not the full duration of the campaign, but you don't get to ignore it immediately either.  I guarantee that the cap will go up to ~6,000 about the time of the Clan invasion, for example.  This is one advantage to starting with lighter units; you have room to customize them.

The goal here is to somewhat feel like a mercenary company, and not a giant deathblob of nothing but assault mechs customized to be Gausszillas or Hellstars.  Which is what ignoring the BV limits will inevitably lead to.  The other control on this is the pilot classification system, but that just makes getting all assault Mech pilots really expensive in terms of XP, it doesn't hammer it down completely

(Also, it's important to understand that the computer really, really, likes pursuit missions where you have to chase down escaping light and Medium Mechs and tanks.  Assaults are great the first ~2 turns of such mission, and then they're left hopelessly behind, every time.)

[Ad Hoc]

If during Life path rolls you receive a negative trait, do you need to keep it or can you just not use the trait point gained from it and not have the addiction?

[agustaaquila]

So you don't gain extra points from traits gained during life path generation.  You only get extra points for negative traits bought after life paths are complete.

[Ice]

If during Life path rolls you receive a negative trait, do you need to keep it or can you just not use the trait point gained from it and not have the addiction?

there is a chart of traits that cancel each other out

[Darrian Wolffe]

If during Life path rolls you receive a negative trait, do you need to keep it or can you just not use the trait point gained from it and not have the addiction?

If you gain a negative Trait during lifepath rolls, you must use it.  There are only two ways a negative Trait gained during Lifepaths will not apply to your final character:

1) You gain a corresponding Positive Trait.  As Ice mentioned, there's a chart showing these.  The simplest example is Wealth and Poverty.  Gain Poverty (2) during Stage 1?  If you gain Wealth (2) in Stage 2, they cancel out entirely.  If you gained Wealth (4) in Stage 2, you'd have Wealth (2) apply to your PC instead (the first two point offset the Poverty).

2) You spend Trait points when purchasing Atrtributes/Traits to buy off the acquired Negative Trait.  Gain Slow Learner in Stage 2 and reach the end of creation with it still intact?  Spend 3 of your 50 Trait Points to buy off Slow Learner before you do the whole Skill Point rigmarole.

[Ad Hoc]

If take well-equipped 2, can I use the Sldf tech on a mech not my commanders mech prior to game start or if I can use it on a different mech do I need to have techs install it after game starts?

Can a negative quirk in a mech be fixed?  Example, ammo feed problem AC/10 on my Enforcer.

[Darrian Wolffe]

If take well-equipped 2, can I use the Sldf tech on a mech not my commanders mech prior to game start or if I can use it on a different mech do I need to have techs install it after game starts?

No.  Custom Mech applies only to the COs Mech and is still required to customize a Mech.  Wingmen Mechs must start "stock" at game-on.  Once the game begins, asuming you're OK with spending the time and effort attempting to make a customization, nothing will stop you from customizing as you see fit.

Can a negative quirk in a mech be fixed?  Example, ammo feed problem AC/10 on my Enforcer.

At this time, no.  The full version of the BattleTech Manual may have ways to remove quirks, but AFAIK at this time there is no way to remove a quirk integral to the base Mech.  HOWEVER, I feel that if you customized the Mech in such a way that there was no longer an ammo feed to those critical slots, the quirk would no longer apply.  Note that if you replaced the AC/10 with ANY ammo-based weapon (AC/5, LRM, etc), the quirk would still apply; you'd have to remove the AC/10 and install an energy weapon to get around that PARTICULAR quirk.  With some quirks, there's no way around.  For example, the Exposed Weapon Linkage on my Marauder will apply to one of any and all weapons installed in the torso where the AC/5 formerly was. 

As usual, play fair and according to the spirit of the rules and don't munchkin, and GMs will usually go with it.  Try to set up a Medium laser boat with 7 Mls per arm and the following Quirks: "Improved Targeting (short), Improved Targeting (medium), Improved Targeting (long), Improved targeting (Variable), Accurate Weapon (each medium laser), Improved Cooling Jacket (each medium laser), Battle Computer, Overhead Arms, Hyper-extending Actuators, and Narrow/Low Profile",...and any and all GMs for the campaign are going to hammer the attempt to pieces.

(The above Mech would be able to hide behind level 2 terrain, still be able to fire all 14 [7 per arm] of its arm-mounted medium lasers at an inherent -3 bonus to-hit at all ranges, can only be hit in the arm locations and enjoys a -1 to-be-hit bonus on top of that, generates only 2 heat per ML and then subtracts 4 heat per round from the total buildup for a total heat load of 24 heat from 14 MLs instead of the normal 42 heat, and can rotate its arms to fire to the rear arc.  This costs no additional BV.)

Note the second: there is no current way to add a quirk to a Mech aside from rolling a 2 at the end of a customization attempt, in which case the GM will apply a quirk at their discretion.

[Ad Hoc]

HOWEVER, I feel that if you customized the Mech in such a way that there was no longer an ammo feed to those critical slots, the quirk would no longer apply.  Note that if you replaced the AC/10 with ANY ammo-based weapon (AC/5, LRM, etc), the quirk would still apply; you'd have to remove the AC/10 and install an energy weapon to get around that PARTICULAR quirk.  With some quirks, there's no way around.  For example, the Exposed Weapon Linkage on my Marauder will apply to one of any and all weapons installed in the torso where the AC/5 formerly was. 

Is it possible then to move said A/C 10 from current location in right arm to right torso where the ammo is stored and get rid of the ammo feed problem?   

Also, are we starting with any CB and stock pile of equipment?

One more thing, when is campaign start official, and will there be tech time available to do any mods to mechs like heat sink modification and or moving above or replacing above  mentioned A/C 10?

[Darrian Wolffe]

Is it possible then to move said A/C 10 from current location in right arm to right torso where the ammo is stored and get rid of the ammo feed problem? 

Knowing the spirit of Mech quirks from the concept guys, I would say no.  Quirks are *supposed* to be hard to work around.  

Also, are we starting with any CB and stock pile of equipment?

I'm doing the full unit build tomorrow.  Depending on how much is left in the cash pool at the end of it, each player will get a disbursement for their warehouse to buy stuff like "spare parts" and "extra armor" with.  Plus 3 months of "Wealth".  Otherwise, the only equipment you get that you don't buy with that money will be from the Well-equipped Trait.

One more thing, when is campaign start official, and will there be tech time available to do any mods to mechs like heat sink modification and or moving above or replacing above  mentioned A/C 10?

You have exactly the time allowed by "real campaign life".  The campaign will "start" on 1 May, 3044.  If it takes 3 months to get to your first job, then hey, you'll have 3 months on board a DropShip where you can make customizations.  If it takes a week, then you'll have a week.  Heck, if you want to wait a few months from campaign start and see if any better contracts come up, you're welcome to do that (and do customizations during that time).  Of course, you'll still be expected to pay for unit maintenance and salaries during all that time (note that, especially if the unit has a DropShip, then the unit, not a PC, has to pay for it, and they are not cheap to operate), and if you go into debt then your Dragoons Rating will drop, which means whatever contracts you DO land will offer significantly less money and worse salvage terms in the first place.

While you're customizing, though, you'll be out that Mech and you'll still be assigned to Roles and expected to get the job done.  Customization time is not free, nor should it be undertaken lightly. Waiting until you have salvaged a mech you can "slot in" while one of your Wingman's Mechs is under customization might be a strategy more conducive to long-term survival.  Managing your own lance is, of course, your decision, as long as you're ready to fight when called upon.

Side note: Customization rolls will be made publicly via this forum's software, or in front of the GM at a game or via livestream.  They will not be made privately, nor using any other dice-rolling software.