Battletech Mech Review: Flea

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[@WargamerFritz]

Small lasers are rear.

[@nb_nb]

Actually, here's something I've been thinking about. As a hypothetical, do you think it would be cool if they started selling just like, random boxes of like "this box has this much rough tonnage in random mechs" in? I've thought a fun idea for a campaign would be if everyone started with like, the same rough BV in absolutely random mechs and have to like, sort out their own battle strategies and make it work. You know? I think that'd be cool.

[@rybread3981]

Blind bag battletech? Nice. Blind-tech

[@ethanel-attrache7236]

I'm really curious about your opinion on the Wolfhound.

[@Falcon1962]

Can't wait to see the new model when that comes out

[@verysilentmouse]

You can run the flea 15 in succession wars

[@WolfHreda]

I'd trade that junker for a LCT-1M in a heartbeat. 😂

[@androssthered1157]

We gonna see some gameplay!? Alpha strike or classic? Would love to see some carry big guns philosophy in action.

[@america-san]

I haven't gotten to play it in table top, but if I did I'd like to see how a lance of fleas compares to a star if proto mechs

[@benthomson1132]

That's... a really interesting idea, actually. I've never actually seen protomechs in actions, so I'd be very curious to see this play out.

[@jeffersonjjohnson]

What do you think about the upcoming Merc boxes, and the AS box? You know.. the AS box that had been rumored and teased since the AS lance packs with the old (legendary) designs.

[@mrc8308]

I've been itching for this video :)

[@nb_nb]

It does upset me that the flea isn't a very jumpy mech. Yes, jumping sort of sucks, but when you name a mech after something that is known for jumping, and it isn't that great a jumper, why do that?

[@Funkin_Disher]

See also the dragon lacking both JJs and any flamers

[@michaellehner3339]

For me, the Flea in the original TRO was quite a curiosity. Very small, very weak armour and (despite being called a flea) no jump capability and only mediocre speed for a mech of that size. In my eyes this mech really only makes sense in the line of the Wolfs Dragoons story. The IS was made believe that it was small rework of the old Trooper mech. Only when knowing that they actually quite certainly fielded a version built up with lostech / clan tech, it really makes sense in terms of the story and why the Dragoons would have used this model. On the other hand, indeed, the low battle value of the "official" 3032 version gives it a unique position when setting up a match. I still don't find it attractive, though.

[@scottl9660]

What is an initiative sink?

[@The3rdCraigRobinson]

Initiative sinks are low value units that give you a numbers advantage so that even if you lose initiative, you can stay put or move in relative safety at the top of initiative order and force your opponent to move their higher value mechs before move yours at the bottom of initiative order. Increases the odds you can "burn" initiative slots and set up rear armor angles with your bigger guns. Light haulass mechs and infantry stands are good initiative sinks. Just last weekend I lost a leg on a Locust. I stood it up and just turned one hex each round at the start of each movement phase when I lost initiative. Because it was "combat ineffective" the other player rushed his lance downmap to my main line. 2 hours later he realized I was burning initiative slots with the Locust and forcing him to move into indirect fire killzones for my Longbow and spotter. Had he just smoked my Locust from the outset I couldn't have used it as an initiative sink.