Battletech Tactics: The Clans

[@dubuyajay9964]

I do not know if you heard, but the Clans eventually threw duelling rules out of the window because they noticed the Inner Sphere refuses to follow it. Let alone their own Ares Convention.

[@basition]

that's like war of reaving/jihad era no?

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@basition Yeah, or early Dark Age.

[@shanepatrick4534]

Yay! The Clans are my favorite faction; I read all of the Jade Falcon books as a kid when they came out. Good times.

[@aquarius5719]

So now you know the Battletech cartoon was inner sphere propaganda

[@99zxk]

I'm always saddened when I discover someone who hasn't heard of Clan Wolf. Its a cure for green turkey madness. You should check it out.

[@Logajam.]

Well solutions to your specific problems mentioned here. A: a clan mech can challenge more then one opponent at a time. This is both glorious for that warrior, and rude to the rest of his star mates since they're hogging all glory. Expect trials of grievance when they get back to the barracks. B: An opponent who breaks contact and refuses to fight is considered dezgra. So depending on how annoying that spider was being in the running away department you could justify firing on it from anyone with a shot. Then again you did say you're ising Jade Falcon forces. Their honor holds longer then most in the invasion era. Expanding on zellbrigan and how it applies to non mech forces in future videos could be useful. I'd especially like to hear if you've ever gotten elementals to work as honorable combatants.

[@braddoc4087]

There's one big problem with the Clans thought. THEY ATTACKED MY HOME PLANET! But counters would be oddly enough, and rather cheaply as well, the Sumemrset Strikers (the original Lance). Lots of LRMs and long range weaponry, combined with usually laser weaponry for prolonged battles, also having half the mech with jumpjets to allow for some strike and cover attack. The real problems are the big engines, shorter range of laser weaponry, and general lack of armour. But short of the Mauler, so closing the distance, especially the Axeman, can allow some nasty damage from the IS in melee; at least more than kicking from the clans could even do.

[@devangrey4376]

I just started Battletech. I have my first game Sunday. Thanks for the videos.

[@ghostx697]

As a new player on tabletop but as a long time fan of the video games, I think there’s going to be almost a generation of new players like me that heavily prefer the clans because it’s what’s familiar.

[@christopherdilloway4836]

Played honor rules once. I was the Clan player with two Stars. I was fighting against two of my friends each fielding two lances. My Timber Wolf (my heaviest unit and the leader) challenged their leader's Atlas. First roll...head shot with the ER PPC. It went poorly for them from there and they quickly broke honor and were forced off the field losing three of their four lances. IIRC I lost three Mechs.

[@jasonames145]

Rules for zellbrigen are in the clan invasion box, but playing with them is a huge disadvantage to clanners when you also add BV balancing. Talk to your opponent to find your unique way to balance it out.

[@NodDisciple1]

How does this affect Coalition Rules? Mixed Inner Sphere/Clan Force?

[@jasonames145]

@@NodDisciple1 coalition forces do not use zellbrigen, so BV as usual for balance. Of course its your game so if both sides decide to use it anyway, sure then its even still. If one sides mixed force uses it and the other does not, same problem, discuss and solve as needed as there is no definitive way to balance zellbrigen v no zellbrigen in the rules. Lore wise every time clanners march with IS it is either different battlefronts, so np, or if conjoined the clanners suspend zellbrigen.

[@Archiemonty]

This felt like more of an overview of clantech use not tactics in which the use of Zellbrigan comes to mind

[@Star-qc4br]

I LOVE clan mechs/tech! I remember back in the early-to-mid eighties when I was in late junior high/early high school and the clan invasion had just happened, I'd tell my older friends, who had been playing much longer than I had, how much I loved these "new mech designs" I'd been seeing lately. They'd take one look at the artwork and stats and the next thing I ALWAYS hear is "That's clan. You can't play that". I had NO idea why that would be the case if there's models and stats... So after the initial disappointment, I got it in my head that clans are NON-PLAYER units. It's still difficult for me to shake that idea after all these years; but, I am THRILLED that we CAN play them after all!

[@christopherpurches2774]

Longtime Ghost Bear/Dominion player here: to account for IS numbers, I started using irregular Nova formations. In clan structure, a point of vehicles or aerospace is two models. Basically, I'd load in with 3 cheesy mechs and 4 utility, plus the star of elementals. Generally kept things 12v12 as a result. And I think we both know a BA unit can ruin the day of anything short of heavies on leg attacks.

[@WargamerFritz]

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[@Vanguar7d]

Fritz my darling! Between you and GW I've made the jump for Battletech. Watched some lore vids so I know my Starleague from my Inner Sphere now. Beginner sets arrived and looking for a local community. Appreciate the massive library of BT content you have but for us 40k exodites could you do a video of the road to your first true game? The paperwork of forming up your lance from pre-builts etc? Much love from a long term fan who once had a personal email from you of how to get over new club anxiety. Xoxox

[@WargamerFritz]

Thanks! You all keep me going! Battletech is an amazing community! Good suggestions I’ll put them for future vlogs!

[@traviswolle3712]

(@ Fritz) I'm curious, what is that 'mech on the far left? Looks like a badass I might wanna pick up later. (I'm guessing a "SCat-II by the TRO art, but I've never actually seen one before.)

[@Linkous12]

Looks like an over-sized Shadowcat, but I'm not sure either.

[@shanepatrick4534]

Me too that thing is sweet!

[@Funkin_Disher]

Yeah shadowcat II

[@supersaiyandiclonius3056]

Could you do a video on the Piranha mech?

[@clanorangechicken6648]

Clanners think that war is a sporting event.

[@bloodzyAU]

Have had a few games this year, playing as 1st Somerset strikers :p painted the mechs to match the cartoon. Now me and my mate are moving to clan forces have always enjoyed the Clan Smoke Jaguar lore so painting up some mechs In Beta galaxy to be lead by Star Captain Trent

[@Solbadgreg]

Yup. That's what happened to me. I played Clans and my tech superiority only lasted so long. Once my advance got halted and I got caught in a trap with SRM tanks lighting me up at point blank range while my opponents regrouped and surrounded, I disintegrated.

[@AronFigaro]

Playing Clan Honor + BV 2.0 makes it REALLY hard to win with the clans, but it's a great way to play a narrative game, or a game against a less experienced player. Personally I think if you're playing by clan honor, bid forces, imo.

[@edwardclay7551]

Running an entire cluster of Elementals for the lols. Drowning the table in anti-mech and swarm attacks vs vehicles.

[@johnbowden3712]

could u do a video on battle armor and witch is youre fav

[@WargamerFritz]

Battle armor is coming both clan and inner sphere!

[@TheGenXGeek]

CLANS!!! They make Capellans look acceptable.

[@Archiemonty]

PFFT!

[@slotbotwana8591]

Yeah, no.

[@madmaxx426]

Are you trying to incur the wrath of Tex? Because that's how you incur the wrath of Tex.

[@supersaiyandiclonius3056]

I personally see it as Inner Sphere=Imperial Guard Ckans=Space Marines

[@edwardclay7551]

Clans fighting vs Mercenary units. They viewed them as little better than Dark Caste Bandits... so typically just ignored honor rules when fighting mercenaries.

[@lexington476]

I would say cran Tech vs inner sphere Tech is more analysis to Vietnam war irritec vs Modern military Tech

[@Monkeyman12534]

have you heard of DropFleet Command Fritz???????

[@matthewberryman6609]

Zellbrigen is fun but I think it worked better when the game didn't have battle value. In the old day the handicap of honour helped keep the game working well. Right now you can get an entire light lance for the price of a warhawk (with a clan pilot). That seems to level the field really well. I use it in fluffy games but in every game, it's just makes it even harder to play and can lead to arguments over interpretations. Most clans were very liberal with the rules in the narrative, once they realized the inner sphere didn't respect it. They mostly abandoned it by the time of their defeat at the hands of comstar so if your playing a game after that don't feel you need to stick to it, the IS get cool clan tech type stuff anyway so your tech edge isn't that extreme.

[@basition]

it wouldn't be dezgra to do so, if the mech isn't engaging or refuses to stay in line of sight the warrior refused the batchall.

[@aquarius5719]

Did you see these Tukkayid maps? Just moving is hard and terrain could damage your mechs. Made to use TO:AR rules. It is crazy. Nightmare battles with planet not helping.

[@VeneratedSon]

Yeah Space AT&T smoked them Jags and Diamond Sharks forces were all but deleted from the invasion.

[@Funkin_Disher]

I love playing clan vs clan for fast games. Mobility, accuracy and firepower jumps massively but armor generally doesnt. Clan vs IS is much harder. You basically need to play more IS units to match BV or CBills or a fighting chance in total war approach, and that drags out playtime. I feel Alpha Strike is a better way of playing that sort of match, especially if youre playing dirty in the traditional IS manner.

[@certanmike]

clan honor really evens out the game BUT you can't just let the IS player ignore them or you can not win the books do a good job of explaining them so both people can have fun

[@99zxk]

A Thor firing on a Spider when there's heavier mechs is exactly what I'd expect from a clan who adopted the green chicken logo. Smh. Woof, woof, lil burdy. In all seriousness, Zellbrigen only applies to honorable warriors. You don't have to extend this honor to innersphere "warriors," and it never applies to merc scum. Let the little B get behind you, as it's against the RoE and nullifies the duel. No Spider can stay within weapon range, stay within the front arc, and not hide behind terrain against a Thor. These are all required by Zelly. Also, those rules say that a lone warrior can simultaneously duel multiple opponents, so why are you chasing around a dezgra Spider?