Campaign start

[Stuckenschmidt]

I understand that we get a Leopard vessel as our first home. But what else? Are we in command of four rundown light Mechs? Or any other pre-defined setup? Or can we chose freely?

Has anyone information to share with what we begin?

 

[Valaska]

From what they said we will have the Leopard and then four random rolled Battlemechs, likely ranginng light to medium only.

 

[Gronk311]

In the February Q&A Mike said that the starting lance is fixed, but will change quickly after you start.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

There has been some indication from BATTLETECH Beta Files that the "Starter Lance" will be

Spoiler

if I recall correctly ~ Shadow Hawk, Blackjack, Panther, Commando and Urbanmech. Basically a Lance and a spare.

As I understand it, regardless of which of the Solo-Campaign backstories is chosen, it will still be the same Starter Lance. : )


#LOVINGtheSpoilerFunctionality

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Just to be clear. I would not mind starting with four rusty light nails and having to improve this slowly.

 

[Valaska]

In the February Q&A Mike said that the starting lance is fixed, but will change quickly after you start.

Oh they changed it up? Darn I think rolls was a good idea.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

Oh they changed it up? Darn I think rolls was a good idea.

Given the six Solo-Campaign Backstories, rolls does make sense. But as a favorite movie once made clear, "Beginnings are a delicate time..." and HBS can best balance and craft the start of our BattleTech Solo-Campaign if the inherent variables in a Starting Lance is reduced to a Single Starting Lance for all Backstories. To me, it makes a world of sense this way. : )

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

And talking about Dropships. I like it how sarna.net describes the "Argo" as apocryphal (contrary to canon). Shall we inform the inquisition?

 

[djxput]

I like the idea of the same starting mechs - I can see people starting over and over again till they had the 'best' starting mechs. This way its the same and you get to just play the game to improve your guys.

 

[TaurianMerc]

There has been some indication from BATTLETECH Beta Files that the "Starter Lance" will be

Spoiler

if I recall correctly ~ Shadow Hawk, Blackjack, Panther, Commando and Urbanmech. Basically a Lance and a spare.

As I understand it, regardless of which of the Solo-Campaign backstories is chosen, it will still be the same Starter Lance. : )


#LOVINGtheSpoilerFunctionality

Not as bad as it could be, 2/5 are in the TT incarnation of the Fighting Fringers.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

And talking about Dropships. I like it how sarna.net describes the "Argo" as apocryphal (contrary to canon). Shall we inform the inquisition?

Nobody expects the Inquisition! Their chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... their two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Their three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Word of Blake.... Their four...no... amongst their weapons.... amongst their weaponry...are such diverse elements as fear, surprise....

 

[Chaon]

And talking about Dropships. I like it how sarna.net describes the "Argo" as apocryphal (contrary to canon). Shall we inform the inquisition?

The Argo was so far only described in a Development Update by Harebrained Schemes LLC for their BattleTech (Video Game) Kickstarter project. This source does not meet the current criteria for Canon, and is thus treated as apocryphal at this time.

Incumbent Line Developer Randall N. Bills explicitly stated that it was the intention for this particular game's storyline to be fully canonical. That means that if and when the finished game is released, any information it contains about the Argo will likely be declared canonical.

So yes, the Argo looks like it will become canon. And since it is such a unique and prototype dropship, it won't make much effect on the Battletech universe. There are probably thousands of vehicles/vessels/mechs that fit into being prototypes but never moved into being anything but a test bed. They found the negatives of their designs was just too much for the positives to override.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

And talking about Dropships. I like it how sarna.net describes the "Argo" as apocryphal (contrary to canon). Shall we inform the inquisition?

The Argo was so far only described in a Development Update by Harebrained Schemes LLC for their BattleTech (Video Game) Kickstarter project. This source does not meet the current criteria for Canon, and is thus treated as apocryphal at this time.

Incumbent Line Developer Randall N. Bills explicitly stated that it was the intention for this particular game's storyline to be fully canonical. That means that if and when the finished game is released, any information it contains about the Argo will likely be declared canonical.

So yes, the Argo looks like it will become canon. And since it is such a unique and prototype dropship, it won't make much effect on the Battletech universe. There are probably thousands of vehicles/vessels/mechs that fit into being prototypes but never moved into being anything but a test bed. They found the negatives of their designs was just too much for the positives to override.

A key impediment to canonicity was the ARGO's daisy-chaining of Dropship Docking Collars. The last word we have from HBS is that this decision had been reviewed and was likely to be removed in favor of a more canon-friendly option.

 

[Chaon]

Yep. They can make adjustments now before making it canon.

But I believe they were trying to explain why the Argo could have the Leopard docked when it docks to a jumpship for a jump. That is something I could see as being allowed since the Argo takes two docking collars on a jumpship. The mass of the Leopard is so small compared to the Argo that it could be carried through the jump safely in it's docking port.

 

[HonorKnight]

From the beta json files:

Spoiler

"StartingCBills" : 10000000,
"StartingPlayerMech" : "mechdef_blackjack_BJ-1-STARTER", (mechdef_blackjack_BJ-1-STARTER comes with no jump jets, and nothing filling their place, so it's running underweight)
"StartingLance" : [
"mechdef_commando_COM-2D",
"mechdef_shadowhawk_SHD-2H",
"mechdef_panther_PNT-9R",
"mechdef_urbanmech_UM-R60",
],
"StartingMechWarriors" : [
"pilot_sim_starter_dekker",
"pilot_sim_starter_shoe",
"pilot_sim_starter_medusa",
"pilot_sim_starter_trigger",
]

 

[KnightCole]

First, did it work? Did I transfer forums correctly? Hopefully....

Next, w/e the starter lance is, ill edit it. Ill be starting with a Zeus cuz I cant have mah preferred mech. Should be fun.

Are we dreaming though? April for launch? So close but oh so very, very, very, far away....cant wait honestly.

 

[Mojo Amok]

I'm personally expecting this:

It's pretty close to what we saw in the Magistry Metals mission playthroughs, but with the Commando and Spider left at home and replaced by a Kintaro.

However, this surely won't last long as we go about scouring new mechs off the field and bolstering our forces.

Spoiler: Battlefield Salvage

 

[Galaga Galaxian]

I'm guessing the Blackjack doesn't actually start with an arm blown off and presumably other damage besides the lack of Jumpjets?

 

[Col. Klink]

From the beta json files:

Spoiler

"StartingCBills" : 10000000,
"StartingPlayerMech" : "mechdef_blackjack_BJ-1-STARTER", (mechdef_blackjack_BJ-1-STARTER comes with no jump jets, and nothing filling their place, so it's running underweight)
"StartingLance" : [
"mechdef_commando_COM-2D",
"mechdef_shadowhawk_SHD-2H",
"mechdef_panther_PNT-9R",
"mechdef_urbanmech_UM-R60",
],
"StartingMechWarriors" : [
"pilot_sim_starter_dekker",
"pilot_sim_starter_shoe",
"pilot_sim_starter_medusa",
"pilot_sim_starter_trigger",
]

"Shoe"?

 

[Prussian Havoc]

I'm guessing the Blackjack doesn't actually start with an arm blown off and presumably other damage besides the lack of Jumpjets?

There has been some speculation that the very first Solo-Campaign mission might be a tutorial of sorts where the gamer works through the basics of BATTLETECH Movement and Combat with but a single BattleMech, the Blackjack.

As with all speculation this could be mistaken. :bow: