Surely Canopian "volunteers" would also work (with the possible understanding that they would be "fired" after the campaign is over). I could also see Taurian deserters after a certain point in the campaign as well.
Ways to RP Custom Mechs in a Stock Based Playthrough
- Thread starter MeiSooHaityu
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YMMV... I just like to pick kids that want to 'play for the home team.' I could see Majestracy pilots fighting for the Restoration a la the AVG in China, though.
Here's the Sidewinder, my character's modified GHR-5H Grasshopper.
What I like about the Grasshopper is that it gives you a fair bit of flexibility in terms of custom builds, but at the same time it can maintain plenty of its original character. This isn't like an Orion with Jump Jets or a Black Knight with ballistic weapons - it's still a laser boat with a few missiles thrown in for good measure.
While my configuration goes beyond the scope of a typical field refit, it wouldn't have been impossible under standard construction rules and within the lore (the GHR-5N had a side torso-mounted PPC and was a relatively common congifuration, often rebuilt in low-level workshops). Besides, it retains the Grasshopper's original advantage of being largely independent of ammunition supplies, so it fits perfectly as a mercenary 'mech.
The configuration I chose works equally well as a striker and a skirmisher. With a good enough pilot you get pinpoint accuracy and knock down 'mechs which need that one last nudge to topple over. Heat management is its only drawback, but the original runs so cool that it's always going to be hard to beat.
What I like about the Grasshopper is that it gives you a fair bit of flexibility in terms of custom builds, but at the same time it can maintain plenty of its original character. This isn't like an Orion with Jump Jets or a Black Knight with ballistic weapons - it's still a laser boat with a few missiles thrown in for good measure.
While my configuration goes beyond the scope of a typical field refit, it wouldn't have been impossible under standard construction rules and within the lore (the GHR-5N had a side torso-mounted PPC and was a relatively common congifuration, often rebuilt in low-level workshops). Besides, it retains the Grasshopper's original advantage of being largely independent of ammunition supplies, so it fits perfectly as a mercenary 'mech.
The configuration I chose works equally well as a striker and a skirmisher. With a good enough pilot you get pinpoint accuracy and knock down 'mechs which need that one last nudge to topple over. Heat management is its only drawback, but the original runs so cool that it's always going to be hard to beat.
To roleplay a campaign with stock Mechs, you've got two main factors
1. One pilot to one Mech, in the fiction the MechWarrior builds up familiarity with his/her mech (even if it's stock, they all have their individual quirks), so the the Mech or Mech Warrior who pilots it isn't available for the next battle, then neither is fielded (unless the pilot is dead or the Mech was totally destroyed and the Mech Warrior ejected (if he didn't and survived he's out for 120 days anyway).
2. Lance Commanders ride, for the "custom" Mech in 3025 you're basically looking at either moving one existing weapon system (eg a medium laser) to a new location on a mech, OR swapping it out for a new one. Usually if you check out the custom mechs in SARNA for the 3025 era it was pretty much limited to anything medium laser or below OR swaping out a major weapon system (eg LRMs or Auto cannon) for one the next size down and adding more armour. The "free" customisation we've had since MechWarrior 4 came out (and we are all used to) never happened in the TTG (until the Clan;s Omni Bays arrived), and even then it wasn't a free for all in totally changing the Mechs role via the loadout that we are used to doing in the game.
1. One pilot to one Mech, in the fiction the MechWarrior builds up familiarity with his/her mech (even if it's stock, they all have their individual quirks), so the the Mech or Mech Warrior who pilots it isn't available for the next battle, then neither is fielded (unless the pilot is dead or the Mech was totally destroyed and the Mech Warrior ejected (if he didn't and survived he's out for 120 days anyway).
2. Lance Commanders ride, for the "custom" Mech in 3025 you're basically looking at either moving one existing weapon system (eg a medium laser) to a new location on a mech, OR swapping it out for a new one. Usually if you check out the custom mechs in SARNA for the 3025 era it was pretty much limited to anything medium laser or below OR swaping out a major weapon system (eg LRMs or Auto cannon) for one the next size down and adding more armour. The "free" customisation we've had since MechWarrior 4 came out (and we are all used to) never happened in the TTG (until the Clan;s Omni Bays arrived), and even then it wasn't a free for all in totally changing the Mechs role via the loadout that we are used to doing in the game.
This sounds like a pretty sound strategy. I agree on both points, although I do wonder if Point #1 may be a bit too restrictive (at least early game). I will think about it though. After all I did deal with playing the game with only 1 mech, so I should be able to do this
.Point #2 sounds about right to me too. I think that would be pretty close to the route I'd go. I would make the occasional exception to this though, such as to install the much larger A/C20 on a Centurion. This is sort of a canon build (CN9-AH and Yen-Lo-Wang) so I could at least justify it as a well understood modification to have done on a Cent.
So I would go larger with weapons I think, but mostly if there was some precedence for it.
I always do s size limitation for my weapons. LL, AC 10, SRM 4, LRM 15 and everything bigger then those counts as a large weapon. Everything else is a small weapon. Now if you never switch small for large weapons and vice versa you do keep a lot of the mech's character intact.
Oh, and empty hardpoints are only ever to be filled with the smallest weapon available.
Additional rules:
Oh, and empty hardpoints are only ever to be filled with the smallest weapon available.
Additional rules:
- Armor can only ever be downgraded.
- Ammo may not be moved except from the center torso (and I wish all stock mech's would
- JumpJets may not be added or removed at all.
- Recreating a canonical variant like the Jenner F ist always permitted
- Turning variants that should never have been separated like the two Orion's can always be turned into each other
That's a good rule set. I also thought about creating canon variants as an exception, as long as I did it right away after obtaining the mech, and then kept that build throughout.
I'm not as restrictive when it comes to armor. I figure it is something that is relatively...RELATIVELY simple for a Mechtech to add or remove. I could see where there could be multiple trains of thought about this, however I think adding armor as sort of a layering of additional armor plate. I could see it also as just plain thicker armor as well too, so IDK.
Either way, in my playthroughs, I do afford myself additional armor and/or armor value adjustments.
The Armour restriction is mainly to keep the character of those mech's where a lack of it is a major drawback. Mainly I don't want to create a JagerMech that doesn't suck. It makes putting one in the back line much more interesting.