BATTLETECH: Building a force! How to make a balanced list within a faction.

[@imasspeons]

Time to judge TMV based entirely upon the stereotypes of which single faction they select.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

Lmaooo. I mostly play FWL and Comstar. Played some Sea Fox recently

[@LiberalApplicationOfThud]

I have never used MegaMek, so I do not know if it has the functionality, but I know that you can turn off heat sinks in the tabletop to manage TSM heat even after losing weapons.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

@@LiberalApplicationOfThud you can do that yes lol. But it throws off heat management and makes you *even more* susceptible to heat weapons(which are already a big counter to TSM)

[@LiberalApplicationOfThud]

@@TheManyVoicesVA By that logic, then why use TSM in the first place? If it is going to happen at all, then it is just as likely to happen when you still have your initial load out intact.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

@@LiberalApplicationOfThud Because kicking people for 20+ damage is super fun :D

[@LiberalApplicationOfThud]

@@TheManyVoicesVA Kicking for 12 points, and being one level above your opponent is better. Just saying… However, that still does not change the validity of my point. Considering how heat is resolved, outside heat effects (like plasma/flamers/inferno munitions) are going to be just as much of a malus to your ability to maintain proper TSM heat whether your ‘Mech is able to reach that naturally or has to turn off heat sinks to do so.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

@@LiberalApplicationOfThud you are correct. That's why I dont usually run any TSM mechs. They need initiative and flamer elementals/IS BA are really common in the meta of the MRC

[@bruced648]

while I think you make a good force, I also think this is what you said - specific for tournament/competitive play. that said, it's kinda useless for lore/campaign play. I run campaigns and don't play one-off games. so each mission has consequences for player decisions. additionally, most missions do not play to force destruction, but are objective oriented. as I have challenged other content creators, how to build a force WITHOUT using any of the following: CV, BV, BV2, C-bills or tonnage. battalion strength (3-5 company's) of combined arms force.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

I think I'd just use RATs at that point. If you aren't doing competitive play it doesn't matter much what mechs you have, and that is a LOT of mechs to hand-pick. I'd probably want a couple Riflemen for AA, and at least 1 lance of Locusts since they fit nicely into the dropship. Other than that? Just give me whatever. Preferably energy boats, if possible for logistics purposes.

[@imasspeons]

I think I'd rather make love to a bucket of coarse sand than play a +3 company-sized list. Yikes.

[@matthewpena3932]

Now unless the event says you have to use the MUL the MUL is not 100% accurate. There has been designers of the MUL talking on even the kickstarter comments that it is more of a suggestion and not a hard fact. Or something to block a choice of a mech within reason. It seems they were fairly angry the some parts of the community have been using the MUL as a limiting factor or choice or the 10 commandments of lance building. Besides my little feedback you did a good job going through how to in theory find faction mechs. I use the MUL and Xotl RAT tables(limited eras and even less official) in broad strokes when creating painting collections along with pulling mechs from the faction's common enemies as a uncommon salvaged mech.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

That is interesting. If they dont want people using it as a limiting factor then why even have it?! Lol. For balance purposes we use it in the MRC, because we have nothing else. Like sure we could just go buck wild and allow people to take whatever they want, but that could end up pretty whacky.

[@matthewpena3932]

@@TheManyVoicesVA Battletech is an odd duck. CGL runs battletech at what seems to be the minimal viable product. One they are a small company with a lot of projects and they don't own BT making it a liability as much as it is an asset. They also come off as authors and story tellers first and the game developers secondary. CGL has stated in interviews Alpha Strike is what they see for tournament play. The MUL was likely done for story or narrative elements but I don't have direct line on that dev. On the other hand, Yes, I get it the community does not have anything official and I don't think CGL will ever go that path for classic with the current crew. Honestly it is a shame. BT in the end is a very fun but very unbalanced game. Giving me at least a goofy micro lore setting but a fun macro setting with a great beer and pretzel no stress game. If I recall correctly one of the designs of the MUL was on a fair rant of the MUL being used to gate keep players from enjoying the game by community members.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

@@matthewpena3932 Ah I see. So they are currently designing a new MUL site. Idk what the plan is exactly, but that is definitely in the works, and I think they are gonna have better search filters and stuff.

[@LiberalApplicationOfThud]

@@matthewpena3932 Because there is no way to account for all the instances of salvage/espionage/defections/trials (if you are a clanner)/etc…, the MUL has ZERO chance of ever being 100% accurate. It is not something that should, or has to, be used in every game. Anybody that says the opposite definitely has ulterior motives. It is for games where you want the narrative flavor of sticking mostly to what your chosen faction produces, rather than having something bogus like a Mercenary unit in 3050 consisting entirely of pristine mad cats. To each their own, though… Could my FWL unit have a Lance of Zeus’? Absolutely, but they will be in some trouble keeping them in fighting condition if they ever get transferred away from the Lyran front and no longer have access to salvage. If the MUL is somehow being used to gate keep people, then the person(s) using it is such a fashion are definitely very wrong. I have never seen such a thing, though. Usage of the MUL as a guideline for force creation should be agreed upon before the game.

[@matthewpena3932]

@@LiberalApplicationOfThud Well said