291 replies to this topic

[Sparks Murphey]

RogueSpear, on 22 July 2012 - 03:51 AM, said:

Oh of course. Hopefully he won't mind me showing up with a Helepolis...I'm beginning to quite enjoy tinkering with this!

...Wait, a Helepolis? The 600-year old, none-survived-the-Succession-Wars artillery machine? Where the heck did we find one? Where do we get parts for it?

[Thom Frankfurt]

Something tells me I need to jump on that program....

[RogueSpear]

In further proof that I don't need to know what I'm doing to horribly break something. I've managed to get a Helepolis-3H with an XL 375 engine, 3 jump jets (For a distance of 90m) the original Sniper piece, an LRM 10, and two medium pulse lasers, with 2 tonnes of ammo for the sniper and one for the LRM10. I just can't technically fit the sniper and the XL engine, unless I use clan tech. Need one more slot - but I've left an extra slot in the LT to make up for the missing one on the RT.
Still, if Xin lets me away with it, we have fast, raiding arty with jets so we can hotdrop.

Also, Sparks, if you check the -3H version, it states it's a 2625 model, 150 years after it supposedly died out.
EDIT: Awww cabbage patch kids. I misread it - it was introduced in 2488, not wiped out. Ummm...bargain bin?

Edited by RogueSpear, 22 July 2012 - 04:05 AM.

[Sparks Murphey]

RogueSpear, on 22 July 2012 - 04:05 AM, said:

In further proof that I don't need to know what I'm doing to horribly break something. I've managed to get a Helepolis-3H with an XL 375 engine, 3 jump jets (For a distance of 90m) the original Sniper piece, an LRM 10, and two medium pulse lasers, with 2 tonnes of ammo for the sniper and one for the LRM10. I just can't technically fit the sniper and the XL engine, unless I use clan tech. Need one more slot - but I've left an extra slot in the LT to make up for the missing one on the RT.
Still, if Xin lets me away with it, we have fast, raiding arty with jets so we can hotdrop.

Also, Sparks, if you check the -3H version, it states it's a 2625 model, 150 years after it supposedly died out.
EDIT: Awww cabbage patch kids. I misread it - it was introduced in 2488, not wiped out. Ummm...bargain bin?

Yeah, that's what I thought. Intro'd 2488, with the Third Gen -3H brought out 150 years later in 2625. Then, in 2786, the First Succession War starts, and by the end, they're all gone. If any of the Houses found it, they'd have taken the Sniper to mount on a vehicle, and if a merc unit found it, they'd have chopped it up for spare parts and tasty, tasty salvage. And then, four hundred years later, you want to mod it with a supersize engine that doesn't really fit and laser it was never built for, when the company that made parts for it got slagged in the the First Succession War.

Sorry, but I can't really see the Helepolis working fluffwise, much as I'd loveto have it with us! The idea of a mobile, 9k range artillery 'Mech sounds awesome, but I don't see it being justifiable.

[RogueSpear]

*Clears throat*
On a fairly routine mission in the Chaos March, on the war torn world of <Insert suitably war torn world here>, the Tombstone Barbershop Quartet were involved in heavy mountain fighting, committing headhunting missions for...let's say the Lyrans. While fighting through a particularly infamous pass, a rockslide was triggered. The Barbershop had chosen their ground well, triggering their jump jets to get out of the way, and their opponents were crushed. The slide however, bore unexpected fruit, a battered and crushed mech poking out of the rubble. Curious, Dirk Bradbury piloted his Shadow Hawk to the wreck, and despite protests from the rest of the Quartet, began to pull it out. As the ruined mech began to take shape, it was recognised by another member of the Quartet and Dirk decided to salvage it. Dragging it clear of the pass while the remainder of the Quartet swiftly began their own roles in salvage, the Helepolis was evacuated by one of the carrier VTOLs.
Upon completion of their mission and returning to base, the Quartet's chief tech informed Dirk that the Helepolis' damage was not too extreme, and it could be salvaged - if they could find the parts, or at least some they could jury rig to work. It took three long years, the sniper needing entirely replaced, parts bought from collectors, antique dealers, and others undergoing extensive work before they could be fitted to the ancient design. A new engine had to be fitted to keep pace with the rest of the group (Either a standard 300, or the XL 375, giving 4/6/ and 5/8 respectively) which required replacing some of the weapon's load (With the 300 standard engine, the Sniper RA/RT, LRM5 LT, a medium laser each in the LA and HD, 2 tonnes of Sniper and 1 tonne LRM ammo with case in the LT, If allowed the 375 XL engine, Sniper split between the RA/RT, LRM10 in the LT with the same amount of ammo and CASE, Medium Pulse Laser each in the HD and LA. Both designs fit Ferrofibrous for weight savings and a standard structure). Three jump jets, one in each leg and one in the centre torso round out the mech, giving it a jump range of 90m, allowing Dirk to align with the quartet's manoeuvre based style of fighting.

The only reason I ask for the XL engine is because even stripping all weapons and ammo, the mech can't take a standard 375 engine, and thus reach the 5/8 goal without going overweight! If the rest of the Quartet is happy for me to be a little slow though, the standard 300 engine variant works perfectly well for me, especially as I don't need to justify our techs fitting it into a design they've never seen before!

EDIT: I thought BT didn't care about swapping weapons to any thing you wanted as long as you had the time, weight and criticals to do it? I don't know much about TT at all I'm afraid *Blush*

Edited by RogueSpear, 22 July 2012 - 07:15 AM.

[Sparks Murphey]

Looks great to me, you've got my convincing.

As to the speed, you have a 9 kilometre range on that cannon. I think you can afford to be a little slower than the rest of us. Plus, the standard is much cheaper.

Edit: Working on a bio for Sierra "Reaper" Mueller, but that'll have to wait 'til morning.

Edited by Sparks Murphey, 22 July 2012 - 05:11 AM.

[RogueSpear]

I figured it probably wouldn't be a problem, but I wasn't sure what kind of stuff he has in mind!
I also took an LRM launcher in both variants, so I can enable Thom's NARC habit too

[Xinaoen]

Sparks Murphey, on 22 July 2012 - 03:50 AM, said:

Don't forget, we should get all this cleared by Xin, since its his show now. I'm largely brainstorming at this stage.

I'm pretty flexible, and I like the idea of the Quartet. As long as all the tech is within reason, I'm not gonna object.

I'm a bit concerned that my post calling for members of the old thread has gotten buried under this discussion, though. XD

On further reflection, I should probably just PM everyone. More as it develops.

Edited by Xinaoen, 22 July 2012 - 07:41 AM.

[RogueSpear]

PMs tend to get a more prompt response - but apologies for the derailing. Can I assume the Standard 300 version of the Helepolis I made up is alright by you then?

Edited by RogueSpear, 22 July 2012 - 07:54 AM.

[ChaosGrinder]

If a Stalker is ok, i´d use one If not, i´d take the Fafnir, if that fits :3

I´m working on a Bio, but i doubt that i´m finnished anytime soon. Maybe this evening.

[RogueSpear]

Fafnir isn't anywhere near release yet CG, the earliest variant entering in 3063. If you're looking for other designs to play with other than the Stalker (Which is obviously available in 3049 since you have it in L&D, which is set in 3031!), try looking at the Master Unit List http://www.masterunitlist.info/MUL/
Personally, when I'm looking for new toys for these RPs, I go to advanced options, choose Inner Sphere and Battlemech from there, and in the original options, set a tonnage range and set the 'intro date' range from 0 to the year of the campaign, which shows me all the shiny things in that range that currently exist(ed) in any form.

[ChaosGrinder]

then i´ll stick to my Stalker. Or a Cicada if i can´t have the Assault

[DocBach]

what year is this suppose to take place? 3040's like the original?

[Thom Frankfurt]

DocBach, on 22 July 2012 - 08:39 AM, said:

what year is this suppose to take place? 3040's like the original?

If memory serves, believe you're correct.

RogueSpear, on 22 July 2012 - 05:04 AM, said:

*Clears throat*
On a fairly routine mission in the Chaos March, on the war torn world of <Insert suitably war torn world here>, the Tombstone Barbershop Quartet were involved in heavy mountain fighting, committing headhunting missions for...let's say the Lyrans. While fighting through a particularly infamous pass, a rockslide was triggered. The Barbershop had chosen their ground well, triggering their jump jets to get out of the way, and their opponents were crushed. The slide however, bore unexpected fruit, a battered and crushed mech poking out of the rubble. Curious, Dirk Bradbury piloted his Shadow Hawk to the wreck, and despite protests from the rest of the Quartet, began to pull it out. As the ruined mech began to take shape, it was recognised by another member of the Quartet and Dirk decided to salvage it. Dragging it clear of the pass while the remainder of the Quartet swiftly began their own roles in salvage, the Helepolis was evacuated by one of the carrier VTOLs.
Upon completion of their mission and returning to base, the Quartet's chief tech informed Dirk that the Helepolis' damage was not too extreme, and it could be salvaged - if they could find the parts, or at least some they could jury rig to work. It took three long years, the sniper needing entirely replaced, parts bought from collectors, antique dealers, and others undergoing extensive work before they could be fitted to the ancient design. A new engine had to be fitted to keep pace with the rest of the group (Either a standard 300, or the XL 375, giving 4/6/ and 5/8 respectively) which required replacing some of the weapon's load (With the 300 standard engine, the Sniper RA/RT, LRM5 LT, a medium laser each in the LA and HD, 2 tonnes of Sniper and 1 tonne LRM ammo with case in the LT, If allowed the 375 XL engine, Sniper split between the RA/RT, LRM10 in the LT with the same amount of ammo and CASE, Medium Pulse Laser each in the HD and LA. Both designs fit Ferrofibrous for weight savings and a standard structure). Three jump jets, one in each leg and one in the centre torso round out the mech, giving it a jump range of 90m, allowing Dirk to align with the quartet's manoeuvre based style of fighting.

The only reason I ask for the XL engine is because even stripping all weapons and ammo, the mech can't take a standard 375 engine, and thus reach the 5/8 goal without going overweight! If the rest of the Quartet is happy for me to be a little slow though, the standard 300 engine variant works perfectly well for me, especially as I don't need to justify our techs fitting it into a design they've never seen before!

EDIT: I thought BT didn't care about swapping weapons to any thing you wanted as long as you had the time, weight and criticals to do it? I don't know much about TT at all I'm afraid *Blush*

Nice fluff there Rogue. Only prob I see with any of that is that the Chaos March doesn't exist yet. But I'm sure we could find it out in the prephery, somewhere near the old Rim Collective. We know there was plenty o fighting there.. Considering the cost of engines, I'd say go with the standard 300. XL's are ridiciously expensive and you are mounting an artillary piece. (that's just wrong mister!)

[RogueSpear]

Thom Frankfurt, on 22 July 2012 - 10:09 AM, said:

If memory serves, believe you're correct.



Nice fluff there Rogue. Only prob I see with any of that is that the Chaos March doesn't exist yet. But I'm sure we could find it out in the prephery, somewhere near the old Rim Collective. We know there was plenty o fighting there.. Considering the cost of engines, I'd say go with the standard 300. XL's are ridiciously expensive and you are mounting an artillary piece. (that's just wrong mister!)

I think you mean that's just awesome
Didn't know the Chaos March didn't exist yet, I was just picking an area where we could have been hired. First Succession War was everywhere, so it doesn't really matter where we found it except for answering questions in IC

[Thom Frankfurt]

After reading up on the Helepolis (and the Sniper piece) I wonder if it'd be better to mount an Arrow IV launcher. It's lighter, less crits, and then we can use homing missiles. (GOD I LOVE THOSE THINGS!) I'd then get use out of that TAG mounted on the Raven. Since semiguided LRMS don't come out till the late 3050's...

[Thom Frankfurt]

RogueSpear, on 22 July 2012 - 10:18 AM, said:

I think you mean that's just awesome
Didn't know the Chaos March didn't exist yet, I was just picking an area where we could have been hired. First Succession War was everywhere, so it doesn't really matter where we found it except for answering questions in IC

Was pretty awesome. And you are right the 1st SW was everywhere. I'm just saying the periphery because Alex Kerensky had the habit of running around quelling rebellions there. I just figure that out on the edges of known space there would be a greater chance of the mech being buried and forgotten all about.

[RogueSpear]

Well the clans didn't take it with them, so I'm guessing it wasn't an SLDF unit, and used only by house units, hence why it was wiped in the First Succession War. Would make sense, since it was a design that was deemed inefficient and the SLDF seems to have had a committee based approach to incorporating new units as it tried to standardize things have the best equipment? Plus, it says it was unleashed by the Terran Hegemony and not by the SLDF, and I believe there were House Cameron units as well as SLDF ones.
I was thinking basically someone else once used the same trick, burying the enemy the same way, and as the war moved on, the opportunity never arose to salvage anything. Possibly a similar incident to ours where a raiding force moved in, took out the opposing force, and moved on or out - leaving the dead where they fell. Besides, landslides are notoriously difficult to clear up, if the necessary heavy equipment couldn't be moved up, couldn't be unburied. Plus, say a lance of these things got knocked out - no one really cared enough about them to go looking for anything other than the scrap metal, which may not have been enough to justify costs. What I'm saying basically is I can justify it's abandonment anywhere If the Tombstone Barbershop Quartet is fine having a periphery based history, then I'm more than happy to find it there or anywhere, as long as I get it

[Thom Frankfurt]

Totally. *Whispers in Rogue's ear* Arrow IV.... Homing missiles.

[RogueSpear]

I'd rather the cannon, but if we *really* want homing missiles...I present to you the copperhead round. Reintroduced formally into the CC in 3051, but who's to say someone isn't needing prototypes tested in combat?
According to the rules, for all intents and purposes it is to be treated as an Arrow IV warhead, so says Sarna anyway.

EDIT: I just straight out prefer the cannon. Arrow IVs are nice and all, but I'm old fashioned. A proper artillery strike needs a cannon. Missiles are for precision removal of a single target - cannons are for suppressing and removing an area. And they make a really nice 'boom' noise when you pull the trigger.

Edited by RogueSpear, 22 July 2012 - 11:01 AM.