Technical Readout: 3028

[Justin Kase]

Glad to see people still enjoying this!

@Sigil is working on write ups for some of the new Vees and 'Mechs (heard from him in the past week on this)

I still need a good picture of a Gallant and @Packrat - I'm not happy with the one I currently have

Once MW5 Mercs is out, I hope we'll be seeing some VTOLs too

 

[Sigil]

Enjoying the TRO very much, art work is brilliant... I have just one, small issue.
The LDK-5C seem totally out of place sandwich between two tanks.

Thank you for such effort, and the quality work/workmanship

Over the past few years, I've had this obsession with IndustrialMechs. It culminated with a multi-page essay on the history of IndustrialMechs that eventually found a permanent home in TRO 2866: Rise of the Scavengers. More recently, I launched a BT TT campaign that began with all four players piloting IndustrialMech MODs.

As it relates to the Roughneck, the core issue was that as presented by PGI and written by CGL, the Roughneck carries a production date of 3050, which excludes it from TRO: 3028. However, the Loader King IndustrialMech, upon which the Roughneck is based, is well suited to the Succession War era. Furthermore, I have always felt that IndustrialMechs are largely overlooked in favor of their militarized brethren. As a compromise, since I loved the art and I was deep into IndustrialMech history, I presented it as the LDK-5C and stashed it in the "Appendix" along with vehicles and DropShips. In that sense, it echoes the original TRO 3025 which presented only a small slice of "conventional" units, giving over the bulk of itself to the much more popular BattleMechs and AeroSpace fighters. Aside from that, it is in-between the two tanks as the Appendix is ordered by weight.

Thinking back on it now, it tempts me to take another look at the 95-ton Corsair FrankenMech, although that would look equally odd in the "Appendix" but it doesn't fit in "New Designs and Prototypes" either, leaving a lingering question mark around the whole endeavor...

 

[ADisplayName]

I didnt have any problem with the industrial mech being in the appendix, I think they are overlooked too. If you look at real world military they have some form of engineering corp often with specialist equipment and vehicles.
I just found it a little bit of a surprise to find it sandwich between two tanks

 

[Rymeer]

TRO:
That said, since the Argo is incapable of atmospheric operations, a small Leopard-class Dropship is used to transport 'Mechs to and from the planetary surface. Normally, a Leopard is outfitted with 4 'Mech Bays and 2 Fighter Cubicles. One common modification to this design is, as you point out, covert the 2 Fighter Cubicles into 'Mech Bays. This could, in theory, also be done on the Argo as well. Either conversion would effectively provide 18 'Mechs Bays total while doing both could net as many as 24 'Mech Bays (18 Argo + 6 Leopard).

From what I've seen in-game, we will have the ability to increase the Argo's active 'Mech capacity twice, by rehabilitating derelict cargo bays, each containing 4 'Mech Bays. I would be surprised if there was an option in game to covert the Argo's Fighters Cubicles into 'Mech Bays as well. For reference, it was never stated exactly how many Fighters the Argo's complement consisted of, rather simply that it carried one.

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The statement that the Argo has two Fighter Cubicles, in reference to four Mech Bays, seems to indicate that the Argo has space aboard for two ready to launch Fighters of any type, and the massive cargo capacity would enable anyone using the Argo to carry more than enough spares to keep them operational, as well as space to keep replacement Fighters of any type as well. Given the operational needs of the Argo's primary mission statement, I would assume (yes, I know about THAT word!) that the Argo carries two ready Fighters and up to four replacements. This would not excessively strain the overall cargo capacity of the Argo, nor cut into the total cargo tonnage by a significant amount.

Given that the Argo was meant to be an armed and armored mobile space station, servicing other Drop Ships while performing Solar System Surveys of a new planetary system, it is not inconceivable that the twin bays might be 'hot loaded' during such a mission. Hot Loading being a term for launching the first pair, readying and launching the four additional Fighters, and only retrieving them as then need refueling and servicing. If the bays were currently occupied, Fighters could use the Multi-Docking Ports to await their turn at servicing without undue fuel expenditure.

Assuming a full fleet for such a Survey Mission, it is also possible that there would be Leopard Class Drop Ships converted to CVS (Carrier) design, where the Mech Bays are converted to more Fighter Bays. A couple of the CVS Leopards, along with a combat Union Class, a couple of Freighter Unions, Three or four 'standard' Leopards, and a couple of Jump Ships, would make a Deep Recon Survey Mission both possible and protected against unexpected events such as Pirate raids or any other conceivable threat. The Argo's built in HyperPulse Generator system enables communications over vast distances, and thus the Argo could 'whistle up' a Battle Fleet if needed for protection... At least as envisioned when the Argo and her sister ship were designed, laid down, and the Argo itself being eventually deployed.

I admit I may be wrong about all this, but my above statements seem logical and 'sane'. Feel free to refute me at your leisure.

 

[Rymeer]

I forgot to laud Justin Case for the 3028 TRO. When I found this thread, I immediately DL'd a copy of the pdf file and read it through from beginning to end. I found few errors and was impressed that the TRO was a Fan Made work. A lot of loving attention to detail was put into this, and I appreciate that time and devotion to a game I've played since late 1983 (back when it was Battle Droids, and before the game name had to be changed due to George Lukas threatening a law suit over the use of the word 'Droid'). From mid-1984 on-wards, I played every weekend at a local gaming shop that had a large play area in the back behind 'french' glass paneled doors.

I played there every weekend, sometimes from early friday night until around 3 am, off to home, some sleep, and back on saturday when the shop opened at 10am. Then more play until 3am and return to home, some much needed rest and back at it Sunday until Midnight or 1am, when I was forced to return home to get sleep before rising at 6am to get ready and get my tired butt to work by 7:30am. This went on for over a decade before the Emperor's Headquarters ran itself out of business due to infighting between the various owners, along with several bad investments. I continued to play with various friends at their homes and my own apartment for many years before computer games lured me off into the digital wilderness.

But back during that period of 1984 through around 1997 or so, I had always envisioned a computer game that mimiced the turn based tabletop experience. MechCommander and it's sequel MechCommander II, were nice, but not quite what I had thought of back then. And then one fine day I stumbled upon the Kickstarter for Battletech by Hare Brained Schemes. Of course I bought into the concept! I am only saddened that at the time money was tight and I could not buy in at the level I wanted to participate at. Had that not been a problem, I would have slotted myself at the highest level available. As is, I did at least get the basic game and the Shadowhawk skin, and later on bought the Expansion Pack, thus getting Flashpoint and Urban Warfare. I will be getting the Heavy Warfare expansion as soon as it is available to pre-order.

But, back to Mr Case. Let me say that I have enjoyed your efforts and hope to see more on your part in the future. You seem to have a talent for making things like this and it is appreciated. Even by us Greying Legionaries from the early days.

Should you decide to do a Fan Made Mech TRO, I have dozens of designs I built using the rules in the game's Mech Construction section. Due to a house fire, I no longer have the mech sheets that I created, nor the pages and pages of math done to make sure they were viable. Nor do I have the folder of 'fixed' Mech Sheets, where I corrected errors to Mechs that appeared in the various FASA TROs over the decades. Some of which are glaringly obvious. But none of that would stop me from re-creating those old Mech Designs that my Play Group banned for being TOO efficient and deadly to face on the field of battle.

 

[Sigil]

########********########

The statement that the Argo has two Fighter Cubicles, in reference to four Mech Bays, seems to indicate that the Argo has space aboard for two ready to launch Fighters of any type, and the massive cargo capacity would enable anyone using the Argo to carry more than enough spares to keep them operational, as well as space to keep replacement Fighters of any type as well. Given the operational needs of the Argo's primary mission statement, I would assume (yes, I know about THAT word!) that the Argo carries two ready Fighters and up to four replacements. This would not excessively strain the overall cargo capacity of the Argo, nor cut into the total cargo tonnage by a significant amount.

Given that the Argo was meant to be an armed and armored mobile space station, servicing other Drop Ships while performing Solar System Surveys of a new planetary system, it is not inconceivable that the twin bays might be 'hot loaded' during such a mission. Hot Loading being a term for launching the first pair, readying and launching the four additional Fighters, and only retrieving them as then need refueling and servicing. If the bays were currently occupied, Fighters could use the Multi-Docking Ports to await their turn at servicing without undue fuel expenditure.

Assuming a full fleet for such a Survey Mission, it is also possible that there would be Leopard Class Drop Ships converted to CVS (Carrier) design, where the Mech Bays are converted to more Fighter Bays. A couple of the CVS Leopards, along with a combat Union Class, a couple of Freighter Unions, Three or four 'standard' Leopards, and a couple of Jump Ships, would make a Deep Recon Survey Mission both possible and protected against unexpected events such as Pirate raids or any other conceivable threat. The Argo's built in HyperPulse Generator system enables communications over vast distances, and thus the Argo could 'whistle up' a Battle Fleet if needed for protection... At least as envisioned when the Argo and her sister ship were designed, laid down, and the Argo itself being eventually deployed.

I admit I may be wrong about all this, but my above statements seem logical and 'sane'. Feel free to refute me at your leisure.

The fluff was written prior to the release of the House Arano sourcebook. I really need to read through that and update accordingly to bring this version into compliance with what is now established canon. I'd be curious to see if what you suggest may have been addressed, or referenced, already...

 

[Rymeer]

The fluff was written prior to the release of the House Arano sourcebook. I really need to read through that and update accordingly to bring this version into compliance with what is now established canon. I'd be curious to see if what you suggest may have been addressed, or referenced, already...

Any thought as to the proposed additional project? I.E. a TRO of Fan Made Mech Designs? For instance, I created the LCT-XM10A Locust using the 3050 and 3055 TROs. A Locust that is comprised of IS (inner sphere) Endo-Steel, IS Ferro-Fiberous Armor, IS XL Engine, IS ER Large Laser, etc.