Classic Battletech - A Movie about Mechs and Tanks on Menion

We are back again with a Battlereport, this time an actual Scenario and less rules-oriented! After having tried the rules for vehicles last time, this time Green wonders if a mostly vehicles-focused side would be able to stand up against mechs.
And so our attention wanders to Menion, a radioactive wasteland within taurian space, and more specificially, the brian cache located under its surface... and comguards attempt to keep history burried in a daring 'Extraction Mission', a few years prior to the helm memory discovery!
Join our Discord: / discord
Special thanks to all the voice actors in this video, we literally couldn't have done this without you, as we only have access to two voices!
models used, as per usual, are mechs from the official catalyst games store, and tank models from memoir '44.
The map is 'deployment zone' from the 'battle for tukayyid' map pack.
timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:35 History Lesson
07:08 Scenario Overview
14:10 Game Start
17:44 Turn 2 - Tanks are Tanky
23:09 Turn 3 - Ammo Explosion
31:10 Turn 4 - Forced Retreat
38:56 Turn 5 - Closer Quarters
44:22 Turn 6 - Critical Development
51:04 Turn 7 - Melee Mayhem
58:03 Turn 8 - Beginning of the End
01:01:21 Turn 9 - The End
01:05:32 Aftermath
01:06:31 Epilogue and Closing Words

[@4handsondeck]

whoops. one more mistake that I caught just after the upload - in the end, i say that the taurians should've had a 1.07 multiplier on their BV. and if you look at the formula I used for that, you'll realize that its not the one in the book. why? yes. Green did a stupid. so, it should've been a 1.27 multiplier, for an even larger BV discrepancy of 8908 for the Com Guard against 11358 for the Concordat forces. 4 Hands on Deck: We make mistakes so You don't have to!

[@thefleshisweak3848]

Also, when your wolverine stood up it could have stood up in any direction so you didn't need to use MP for turning.

[@4handsondeck]

@@thefleshisweak3848 ...oh. that is... something I didn't know. huh. well, thank you for letting us know, I'm not going to make THAT mistake again! ...or well, next time I make it, it'll be because I forgot, not because I wasn't aware....

[@warlok363]

I don't know what you are referring to as Force Size Multiplayer has been completely removed from BV calculations. Please review the updated Techmanual erratas

[@jonathantucker9329]

Love the batrep! at 38:45; should you have taken PSR for getting kicked? was that off screen? Binging the rest, brb

[@4handsondeck]

@@jonathantucker9329 honestly? I THINK it was off screen. but we might have missed it too. happens in the heat of the moment. hope you enjoy the rest, hope we get done with the next video.... uhm... eventually!

[@LateNightPoetry]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for: - Keeping the camera static on the map view to keep the viewer's sense of orientation - Explaining the rules for those who aren't as privy on the game as others - Doing closeups and animating combat for the entertainment factor Every other battle report for games like 40K and others always have their cameras zooming around and they move way too fast for me to keep up, even if I have played 40K before

[@Sharp_shrew]

That was one of the best battle reports I ever saw. The story surrounding the mission makes it super fun to watch, the editing is top-notch, and the occasional rule clarifications are a nice touch. I am looking forward to the next one!

[@legobot123]

I 100% agree, it felt like I was watching a TV show. I hope they continue the story in the next battle report.

[@isaacc1230]

The quality of this channel is a breath of fresh air.

[@BigZaeon]

finally some good classic battle reports. Why aren't there more of these around? Here's hoping for many more

[@ub4hn00b]

Wonderfully done! The comms chatter between the ComStar units was very entertaining. Looking forward to seeing your next game.

[@WSBBlackfang]

Well done guys, that was brilliant. Really compelling watching all the way through, even if I was secretly rooting for the taurians

[@4handsondeck]

well, as we said in the end, so were we.... but, can't always choose what we get!

[@macrux152__8]

Percival surviving is the lighthearted bit of this. The female VA on the Awesome mech is fun to be listened to, I love her snark against the Blk Knight. The Taurians is scary to fight in this case. Damned Periphery fights like madmen I swear.

[@klortikterra4423]

look no further then the spider to see why... damn thing had NO self preservation, only murder in it's eyes.

[@FoxxofNod]

Gawain needs a promotion, not only did he hard carry that fight he kept his head and even called targets well. BL-6b-KNTs are so freaking good.

[@4handsondeck]

please never tell him that. his ego is big enough as is!

[@fylmriss]

Too late, ego already upgraded 🎉

[@Shrikinator]

Speaking as someone who's never played tabletop Battletech, this was very entertaining and absolutely captivating. Great dialogue and editing!

[@eopatcjo]

The sound effects (battlemechs walking, firing, cross talk by the mechwarriors) are exquisite! Plus the little lore tossed in. You won a sub today!

[@gryphon3241]

Heavy tonks in use as supporting forces for mechs are absolutely Terrifying. They go down "easier" because of the lack of hit locations relative to mechs, but the firepower......especially for how much they cost

[@gryphon3241]

Also, for the infantry game, if its not already filmed i'd suggest an era with battle armor. Wanna talk about terrifying? Well used battle armor are the very definition of the word

[@4handsondeck]

​@@gryphon3241 its not filmed yet, and I'll take it under consideration! I have an era and setting in mind, and technically, there would be BA around.... so.... maybe!

[@colbyboucher6391]

IMO BattleTech is at it's best where mechs are the focus, but in a different way, actually portrayed as the generalist noble elites at the head of militaries that actually make sense.

[@quartzmech5661]

I am incredibly impressed by the production quality and overall feel of this battle report, its one of the best that I've ever seen on this platform. Great narrative, engaging visuals and pacing, and the comms chatter really gave it a ton of character. Bonus points for using vehicles and playing in my favorite era. Hats off to you! I'm excited to see what you do next.

[@CMDRFandragon]

Comstar Log after the battle: and following a well placed shot from Tristan's Awesome, there was a crater where a Taurian Wolverine once stood.

[@matthewneuendorf5763]

Love the narrative and comms interjections! Glad to see the ComGuards pulling out a win in the face of so much firepower.

[@sammydavis5628]

That's a pretty brutal engagement. Shreks and Demolishers don't screw around and that Spider pilot is a monster who surely got upgraded to a better mech?

[@4handsondeck]

what do you mean, better mech than a spider? is there such a thing? unless you mean he gets upgraded straight into a highlander for more jumpy hijinks...

[@klortikterra4423]

@@4handsondeck i can already see the Highlander burial... glorious.

[@mercerholt8299]

​@@klortikterra4423 Cue bag pipe solo

[@jeffreycraigie7308]

Amazing job. The ammo explosion moment actually made my jaw drop. 😮 Well done.

[@MrFleem]

If the Taurians didn't positively identify the attackers, they'll probably blame the Davions.

[@Eserchie]

If they did positively identify the attackers, well, they'll probably STILL blame the Davions, or at least Thomas Calderon will.

[@potsperm1666]

@@Eserchie TRUUUEEEE!!!! Pesky no good fedrats!!!! pffff, federated sons....more like illiterate huns, am i right? 🐮

[@paladinslash4721]

They’d blame the Capellans.

[@potsperm1666]

@@paladinslash4721 we´d blame all of the inner sphere but it still is and always will be davions fault. ;) also: MAKE BROMHEAD TAURIAN AGAIN!!!

[@borklazer5907]

​@@paladinslash4721As a Capellan, if they didn't blame us, I'd feel insulted.

[@stefanreiterer6152]

Guys I love your videos. You not only teach to play but also how narrative gameplay can work while still keeping things fun without getting too stiff. Regarding the ammo explosion rule for the melee attack: If you decide to play on standard rules and Total Warfare does not cover it, there simply is no special rule for that and the mech does not get damage. Tactical operations are all advanced rules and can be used or not used as you (the GM) see fit. Standard rules are for tournament and are kept simple for balance reasons, while advanced rules may be not balanced but often are a lot of fun to add. Never forget: BT rules are there to make the game fun and balanced not to make it realistic.

[@jimboslam]

I have no words. The effort put into this entire video is incredible. Newbie to the battletech universe and this video makes me massively envious I have no friends willing to invest into learning this game with me nor local shops that host games.

[@viktortzarofthexbox2987]

You guys genuinely make both the only watchable battle reports on Battletech and the best Battle Reports in general. All the other KZbinrs who make Battle Reports treat it like a sport and get really same-ie and obnoxious after a while but your narrative focused approach is so much more fun and engaging.

[@Fritzadood]

i love the story focused battle report, hearing everyone react to stuff like the ammo explosions, the cheeky light mechs, and tristans inability to hit anything actually helped me understand the battle *more* than a pure numbers hyperdetailed report it also made me care a lot more! pendragon is so lucky to have gotten out in a drivable state i know fully naming and voicing the taurians too woulda been just too much if you wanted this video to come out ever, but still loved the moment where the taurian commander pieced together approximately what was going on really looking forward to whatever stories you have to tell next (maybe we'll even be lucky enough to see this comguard lance more than once ;) )

[@tgranholm]

I'm always impressed by the excellent quality of your videos. With everything, including but not limited to, the editing, visual and audio effects and animations. The ComStar team had well written and acted banter. The history lesson, scenario and briefings were all good too. It all really helps to get invested in the battle report. I think it was a good call to streamline the battle report a lot making it more cinematic and only explaining new rules as the previous videos explained the basics very well. It will be interesting to see where these reports go in the future as you are still learning (and teaching us). My hope would be some more combined arms operations and the like for sure. Different narrative scenarios and maybe a mini-campaign of like 2-5 linked missions. A longer campaign would most likely be out of the question at this point as I know these videos take months to make. Of course, I wouldn't mind longer, more detailed, roll-by-roll battle reports but I understand it would be a nightmare to do in your style and I very much prefer quality over quantity. If you wanted you could maybe make a second channel to upload a lot less edited battle reports. Although even that would take time away from this channel so it might not be feasible. Anyways... Awesome battle report. Looking forward for the next one.

[@4handsondeck]

could be viable to do a 'low effort' battle report where we focus more on the crunch side of things. less animations, more dierolls and comments about why we made the choices we did, more on-table banter etc.... but I'm not sure that'd be as interesting, and certainly not 'unique' on youtube. after all, thats pretty much what battle bound, Guerrilla Miniature Games , DFA wargaming and all the other cool and amazing fan channels are doing. so yes, could be something we do at some point, but right now we're still rather trying to get ONE channel off the ground, rather than starting a secondary! mini campaign.... possibly! we LOVE those things, its just hard to do, and has the issue that, only people that saw episode 1 will watch episode two.... and only people that saw the first two watch the third. yes, you have a few people that see a part 20 and go like 'oh boy, I have to go back and watch ALL the previous 19 ones now!', but seeing as we improve with every video, directing people to earlier works isn't something we want to force right now.... so you effectively lose people with every episode. which is only logical, but at the same time, isn't too rewarding for a creator! might still happen. all valid ideas and points. and we're VERY happy about all those compliments you threw at us! we'll take it under consideration, and it'll certainly happen eventually (tm). until then, lets hope we continue to be able to make these and make people happy!

[@tgranholm]

@@4handsondeck Thanks for the reply. I agree that you absolutely need to get this channel off the ground before doing anything else. The quality of your work puts you above everyone else and you definitely should not sacrifice it for quantity. You deserve so much more views and subs than you currently have and I hope the algorithm boosts you to other wargaming fans soon. I don't quite remember how I found you channel but I'm very glad I did. I have watched some Guerilla Miniature Games battle reports. I like the variety of games he plays. I'll have to check out those others you mentioned as I do really like Battletech. As for the mini-campaign. You are right that it is probably too soon to have one at the moment and I don't know how it would be received. You are also very right about diminishing returns on video series. Maybe in a few years when you have more editing and animation assets ready from all the videos already published and your editing speed is faster. The way I would probably do a mini-campaign would require a lot of work for little to show for a long time. I would film the whole campaign and then edit it in the background while still mostly focusing doing these normal videos. It would require having two different editing projects at the same time and that might be something you don't want to do as it would split your focus. And when, after a very long time, the whole campaign is edited, I would release it maybe an episode a week so it keeps some momentum. Or if it is only two linked missions you could release it over a single weekend. In any case it would probably be wise to have a short video describing the campaign and the release schedule to create some hype. And of course, the diminishing returns for each video in a series and the new viewer not wanting to start from the beginning are both problems inherent to the campaign format and this would not remove them. In any case a campaign would be cool to see, but it might be a good idea to wait for a couple of years to see how the channel grows before investing the time and effort to do one. Just some ideas. I don't expect - nor want - you to change anything you currently do. I fully support whatever you decide is best for your channel as you seem to have a good grasp of what works and what doesn't. Just need the right shoutout or algorithm boost to get the ball rolling.

[@soupcake3092]

Wow this came out within the hour of me finishing my Taurian lance in the same colours. Hope they win.

[@soupcake3092]

:(

[@nakumora]

Easily the best BT Classic Bat Rep Ive seen!

[@SalamiTactical]

idk if it just wasnt mentioned, but kicks also cause PSR checks, if you get hit by one, or if you miss a kick attempt. But damn fine battle report! Story first is what i love to see - the effects and radio chatter are just golden cherries on top!

[@4handsondeck]

I think we just forgot to mention it. possible that we missed it here or there, but I know that I cut out some instances of PSRs as it didn't really add to the story. wanted to add a little green-ish pop-in for 'PSR: passed!' like I did with the damage and crits, and then eventually forgot. but its certainly possible we missed it, its insane how much stuff you end up missing if you're not super focussed on the game. (for example because you're busy juggling audio- and video equipment) and you generally don't even realize, as usually you don't watch games back afterwards!

[@stargazer79]

Amazing work! great battle, great narrative. Love the voice acting from your friends. A very Taurian response. I totally support the audible you called on the spider's legs in the ammo explosion. I look forward to seeing more from you!

[@KnightofRome01]

Amazing battle report! I just found you guys and I am subbed. On another note it felt wrong as a FedSuns player to be rooting for the Taurians lol. I love how you guys showed how powerful tanks are in this game.

[@canderoussnurd4265]

Glad you approve of my peoples methods. We’ve always had a knack for doing a lot more with a lot less. Now get off my property!

[@Fredministrator]

The animations and battle communications really make a difference for the narrative. I generally don't really watch battle reports, but yours are quite entertaining

[@josemanuelmunizherrera920]

Amazing work, here. I think it would be no hyperbole to say that this is one of the best classic, hex-style Battletech battle reports on the internet. As much as I love this game, I have to admit that battle reports for it tend to be way too slow to remain engaging. This game is, of course, something that does play slower than other tabletop wargames. When you play it yourself, that is not an issue. When you watch someone else play, however, the entire experience can become quite dull. You have managed to create a video that keeps you hooked, start to finish. The lore intro is great, the camera shots and animations are fun, the narrative and the voice acting that drives it forward are engaging, and the editing makes the game flow superbly well. Absolutely awesome video. Thank you for making it.

[@theYarnWolf]

Super fun to watch, great job on the voice acting! I really look forward to seeing more like this!

[@1Chaosadnd]

I hope you guys do more of these. The production quality is absolutely amazing.

[@4handsondeck]

More is on the way

[@blissfulbadger]

@@4handsondeck That's what I want to hear!

[@rcgunner7086]

Great video! I really enjoyed it and I learned some stuff too! I've been playing this game, off and on, for nearly 40 years, and I've never had a situation like that Spider/Battlemaster melee and ammo explosion! Pretty awesome! Tanks can be a real nightmare to face in BattleTech and always have been. However the "baked in" criticles and so on make them easier to deal with, but you're going to take your lumps when you face the big guns like the missile carriers, beam carriers, and the really scary heavy/assault battle tanks. 2-3 PPCs/AC20s per vehicle is nightmarish. But it's funny when a SRM missile clobbers one that's basically intact! Regarding the Spider's stomp- you were right about the rule in TO, but you skipped the opening sentence- that in Standard Rules an ammo explosion has no effect on nearby units. After all, it is a 30 meter area and these are pretty well armored machines. The Spider could have done its stomp and backed away a few paces before the Battlemaster's fireworks display. However the cinematic approach y'all took looks more fun anyway. But I can a player in another setting, like a tournament, "noping" out of that as it costed him one of his functional mechs at a time when he REALLY needed it.

[@4handsondeck]

oh, of course! in a tournament setting, this would be an entirely different beast, where we'd have to decide EXACTLY on which ruleset we use, what optional rules to include, and so on. we take a much more mellow approach of 'I don't care if I win, I'm curious to see where this story goes!', and decide edge cases on the spot. at the time of the battlemaster going boom, both me and red had the feeling that comstar was just being shot to pieces before their slow movement would let them get anywhere, much less back again. so we decided to go with the fun route and let the spider go boom along with its victim, as its cineastic, fun, AND would help out the underdogs a bit. we were very wrong in the end about who'd need help, but I don't think one crazy spider would've changed the outcome of the battle either. someone else pointed out that they used a house rule of 'melee attacks don't cause ammo explosions', which also makes sense. there's a billion different ways this could've been interpreted, we just went with the way that felt best for the game and story at the moment!

[@antecave]

Painting up my own Comstar force, and these videos are top tier!

[@syrupoffig4865]

I loved this video. The balance between the narrative and gaming elements is really good, the effects help with the explanation of what has happened beautifully and the wrap up at the end was interesting too. I'm just getting into Battletech using the AGOAC box (so no tanks yet, never mind infantry) and am really enjoying your journey into the game here. Keep up the great work!

[@PCarns]

As always, fantastic work. The time and love spent in making these is madly apparent, and we'd love to see this grow even more!

[@majorplothole2620]

I have to commend you all on a job well done, the players and the voice actors both did phenomenal at bringing a story to life. I absolutely loved the back and forth between the pilots, especially anything involving Tristan, the spider or the locust. Light mechs can be an absolute pain. lol. Anyhoos, thank you all for a very entertaining video, once again! Can't wait to see what you have in store for next time.

[@camcam8660]

this is actually a really really good video and the quality was top notch. I’d love to see more.💯

[@HotelCharliHill]

Hands down, best battle reports on KZbin!!! You deserve all the success you get!! Love it!

[@Denominator90]

Best video yet. Truly fantastic. I loved every moment, and the dialogue really brought it to life. Please do not stop making these because you all are great.

[@c0dy85]

so when are you guys going to do a full mercenary campaign?

[@4handsondeck]

considering that this game took us 3 months to edit.... uhm.... we'd love to, but I think red would have a stroke at the suggestion. one day, once we manage to become a little faster, hah!

[@rossbrockunier7416]

Great work on the battletech videos, keep up the excellent work!

[@Mmmroni]

Great job guys! I appreciated the briefing in character and the chatter so much. I hope we get more of this quality content!

[@thecommuterzombie]

I stumbled across your channel as I was looking for ideas on painting some Comstar mechs and stayed for the flavourful battle reports! I really appreciate the effort you put in with the scenario background/briefings etc.

[@DangerSpecsBroadcast]

Can’t wait to see more of these, I love this style of making a short film out of a TTG match.

[@lucasgundersen5611]

This is probably the best battle report I've seen for Battletech, I realize this probably took a long time to do but please do more of these!

[@4handsondeck]

will do!

[@SvenVanDerPlank]

Absolutely fantastic video guys. Really impressed with the overall production. The animations and voice work were great and I loved how you integrated the scenario into the setting.

[@4handsondeck]

Oh wow, thank you! more to come, for sure!

[@legomech1946]

Fantastic battle report. Amazing production value. I loved the pilot banter and the effects. So happy I chanced across this video!

[@theledzep]

This was a excellent and engaging showing of battletech with the voices and the story. As someone who is just getting into the hobby it was fun to watch.I know this probably took a long time, but I would love to see more of this as a ongoing thing.

[@mr.buttram2837]

This is a wonderful way of filming a battletech battle report! It probably took a long time to edit but it's worth it because at no point to I feel lost to what was happening. Other channels have a bad habit of just cutting to the aftermath of a phase instead of showing what happened. if I ever make my own battle reports I'm definitely doing this.

[@TomtensKanal]

This is a really good video! I really like that you focus on telling a story rather than getting bogged down in rule explanations. Also forced retreat is a great rule that deals with my biggest pet peeve which is battles that almost always go down to the last man. Keep making these videos, I might just get the game myself now..

[@Kaiju-Driver]

The tech quality of this channel is refreshing!

[@youtmeme]

another awesome battle!! need more asap!!!😉😃😊🙏👏🙌🙌👏👏👍🤙🤟🤞✌

[@emanueldomingo5998]

Outstanding job on this one! I like the dialog and break down on each turn. This is a very fun and entertaining battle report. I hope that you continue to make more like this. You did a lot of hard work on the production value and it shows!

[@4handsondeck]

we're working on it! expect the next episode... eventually!

[@Jaded_Dragon_]

I love your battletech battle reports a TON, they are always so satisfying to watch

[@biosterous]

this was great, i loved all the extra touches you added! i would love to see more :)

[@thorinpeterson6282]

I really hope you guys get to make another one of these. This is such a fun Movie to watch.

[@4handsondeck]

its in the works! and will be released eventually (tm)!

[@crusignatioutremer791]

Great job! That was probably the best "in game" video I have seen. Great humor too! Hope you put another out like this.

[@ForgottenSpartan1]

Best batrep ive seen for anything. Awesome animations and sound effects. Hope to see more!

[@4handsondeck]

more is on its way! gonna take a while, but it'll be there eventually!

[@Michael-gs3lw]

Wonderful story, wonderful battle report!

[@donut2099]

Getting ready to try and get back into Battletech with one of my kids, I grabbed the beginner box to give him a taste and see how he likes it. These videos are really fun, I've been listening to them while I'm working 😂

[@vidyaorszag]

I may have watched each Battletech video three times by now, they are just that good. Hope to see more in the future and keep up the good work!

[@johnw5154]

Thanks guys and gals.. that was a great watch and interesting battle. Nice to see some variety and not a straight up fight. I think BT classic is in its element with narrative and campaign campaigns. Please keep up the great work. Thanks.

[@oleksaderzybis9052]

This batrep is by far the best batrep I've ever seen. TabletopTime is making smth right now, but... it's been a long time since they started, and this masterpiece you made guys is here and now. Wonderful job. As a Taurian fan would be glad to hear those independents one day as a characters. Thanks a lot, and good luck with a channel. +

[@passisqwermnbv]

Absolutely love the firing phase effects and the flair/rp added to the game.

[@jaredbutcher3791]

Fantastic editing and fluff. Really made the battle super entertaining.

[@Arcon1337]

Im a little late but i really enjoyed the voice acting. It really gets you engaged and invested!

[@noahfronapfel5203]

I just learned about battle tech about a week ago, but your videos are next level! Keep up the awesome stuff!

[@dubuyajay9964]

If you are learning infantry GET jump jets and/or APCs. Even if you are using power armor. You are going to need it. Big exception is if you are playing Clan Elementals. They can ride on Clan Mechs and have jump jets.

[@corvaxblackfeather6529]

I love how much effort went into the Rep Give us more peopel ^^ I allready am sold to Battletech!

[@martinkafka9510]

Great stuff guys. First of all its Classic Battletech and not Apha something. Second, it is played on a hex map. Third, story crafted around the scenario. And fourth, I love the pilot chatter, damage schematics and all the other effects you incorporated into the video. Peace of Blake be with you.

[@MagnusMoerkoereJohannesen]

Your narrative battles are just _sooo_ good! The only negative, is that we have to wait so long for them :)

[@4handsondeck]

we're so sorry v.v seriously though, this time is all on us though. we made the next video based on a way too complex and long game. lesson learned. we'll just tough through it this time, the videos afterwards will be quicker to come out once more (.....one time, we vowed we'd keep to an 'one upload per month!' schedule at least. yeah, that didn't really work out sadly. we can still dream of being professional, responsible youtubers...)

[@reecedignan8365]

Awesome video as always lads, good to see you guys enjoying another good game and creating a nice scenario around it - interestingly it’s why I like BT, you can create so so many fun stories from just a handful of miniatures. Also, this is clearly a Comstar propaganda broadcast show cause: 1. Those are some very jovial and human pilots for comstars secret operations units there. And not the majority that are literally sociopaths and psychopaths who are very much Blakist fanatics (or some version of) and extremely happy to carry out comstar hits and if their mech becomes disabled/immobilised, go out in a quite interesting engine overload - can’t have traces of who they are left behind. 2. That briefing was very spot on except for the end, there was no “glory unto Blake” and “blessed be Blake” being chanted out. And yes, the Taurians hippity hoppity get off my property is quite true… just you know… lack of nuclear rebuttal when the enemy started winning. As for your next stuff. Can’t wait to see the infantry use and maybe transport options being discussed - do you got with the preset infantry with motive transport (Motorised Infantry, Hover, Mechanised, Jump, etc) or do you take foot platoons and your own transports (such as either the APC options provided or Maxims, Karnov VTOLs, or a Goblin with a 1 Ton squad. Also for the ejection rules, I’d save them until you feel comfortable running campaigns or multi-operation missions. It helps with explaining rules around unit preservation, background upkeep/repair/replacement and is a nice thing for campaign play where if your running a reinforced company of mechs and your elite commander gets shot out his mech due to an ammo explosion, the hover craft supporting can ride up and pick him up and take him away to safety. Had that in a campaign I was doing with friends where they lost out on a couple bondsman mech pilots as the scorpion tanks they were supporting picked them up and got them out of there before capture.

[@4handsondeck]

all good points! not too sure about the comguard being super blakist pre memory-core, maybe I could've done a little more research there beforehand.... but yeah, we wanted to have the pilots feel 'human' rather than 'fanatical assholes'. infantry... probably a mix. motorized, mechanized, jump, but then a few 'simple' foot platoons in maxims or vtols... not totally sure yet about the exact layout. and lastly, yeah, the ejection rules were just neat to include for story reasons of 'the protagonists are all friends and non of them actually end up dead'. glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching and the very detailed comment! cheers!

[@reecedignan8365]

@@4handsondeck note I’m a Davion so… bias there ;) But when it comes to the ComGuards of the time you are correct not every unit was a strict fanatic not completely inhuman. Especially after 3030 when they revealed their forces on small to guard Comstar installations. These units were primarily picked from those recruited on Terra or local planetary/house recruits who they trusted. However for their black ops operations, yeah the idea of them all being fanatical Blakists is more a joke but the majority were recruited from ex-pirates, bandits and Mercs with a very loose sense of morale and morality. This was mostly as the comguard wanyed these units to be expendable but also experienced. A good example is that many merc units that got branded as “pirates” or were considered extremely ruthless by the comstar board would end up “disappearing” - to most it was a guess of them going dark in the periphery or deep periphery or them finally finding their end somewhere. But some actually got recruited by comstar for the ComGuards and their special operations detachments. This allowed them to essentially turn these units into “expendable” resources over their own terran pilots. Funny enough it’s why they make sure to garble all radio communications between comguard mechs and any outside opponents so that if they start going off script that can’t start revealing stuff, and all their mechs and cockpits are primed for destruction because of their ability to be able to play it off as outside forces or push the idea of it being someone else - can’t talk to dead pilots. Tho they would usually have a handler too who’s full job is essentially to make sure their doing their job and like the suicide squads usually have the kill switch on mechs to make sure nothing can go on them. But most won’t, some they convert into the Blakist religion others they just give a extra big bonus too and some pretty luxury digs - compare a nice Terran house hold and life for a Succesion wars pilot vs one they usually live. Tho yeah units like yours above would exist even in the comguard at this point and would be quite human and many did get operations like this on occasion to make sure they had combat ready and experienced pilots vs just green ones like they primarily had when putting them on Tukayyid. Plus not all mercs brought in were like the above either, some were just extremely morally flexible but had very good training and experience which comstar turned into instructors.

[@commanderz9848]

BEAUTIFUL video, all the fluff and voice acting really makes the game come to life and is very enjoyable to watch. Patiently waiting for the nex one.

[@Guru_Swami]

Such a wonderful and engaging battle report to watch! Hope there is more coming!!!

[@4handsondeck]

you're in luck, there is! working on two episodes right now, one battle report like this, and one 'side episode' akin to the painting video. only this time, its green doing the talking, and its about list building and scenario-crafting. its still going to take a while, we just got around to doing the scripts and now need to do all the voice recording, then all the screenworks and sfx, but it'll be there eventually!

[@Guru_Swami]

@@4handsondeck that’s great news!! Totally looking forward to their release.

[@Stefan-yz5lr]

This was awesome to watch. Thanks for putting in all that effort!

[@TheDreamOfChaos]

I love how much effort yall put into making this. Especially the narrative and animation. I subscribed even tho i know nothing about battletech but this made me want to learn more! :D

[@xensoldier]

I applaud y'all for all the production efforts!

[@erikcaine826]

I really enjoyed this format for a battle report! great video.

[@ConstantineCraft]

Wonderful game! I can't wait to try vehicles soon!

[@arwing20]

Probably the most fun battle I've ever seen. Then again this is my first Battletech BR

[@tatsu280]

Is it sad to say I'm looking forward to the infantry episode with even MORE charts? You should bring in Artillery for more chat fun action! (God help you with Aerospace and LAMs lol) All seriousness, I just finished my first campaign with veteran players in a pseudo-play of MechWarrior: Destiney, where at the beginning one player commanded JumpTroopers, and several ran vehicles either for themselves or their Wingman (personal NPC house-rule) and I learned a lot from that and from these videos. So, good luck with infantry, I say. Urban combat is wild, especially with mechs potentially slipping on paved road lol

[@wombatgirl997]

Very good video! Vehicles are no joke in Battletech. You can bring a lot of weapons for the points value if you go heavy on tanks.

[@TheManyVoicesVA]

Amazing work! U guys deserve more subs.

[@piprdakota]

I loved this! Great way to keep it entertaining!

[@cjsutherland2448]

Well done. Excellent job mixing the narrative and game mechanics together.

[@shawnarmitage7955]

God, guns, and Battletech. You need to make a pilot check after getting kicked.

[@4handsondeck]

yep, thats why I kicked reds mechs at any turn I could. and he nailed every single one of his PSRs. we probably should've included one or two instances of those rolls as well though, I agree.

[@JustCallMeCheese1]

please keep making these, thius is such a fun and exciting series to watch, and I'm so happy I found these! I hope you continue making super fun mini-battletech stories, maybe the next one will have buildings and combat surrounding that? Anyways please keep up this awesome work for my battletech nerd brain ❤

[@4handsondeck]

afraid we went with infantry, but without buildings for the next one. but its in the works, and has been for a while now. and might be a work in progress for a while still. I'm so jealous of computer-games-lets-players.... just hit record, and all the sfx are done.... but we're working on it!

[@getfreur2458]

The Taurians did extremely well, considering what they had available and i like that they did't lose any mech warriors...just the tank grunts. RIP.

[@ScanManP13]

incredible work. Very fun to watch, like a battletech comic book come to life.

[@MaxHolgerson]

Amazing Battle report, definitely the best I have seen ever. The mix of tactical gameplay with story is just spot on and the animations are also a really nice touch. I originally clicked the first one to learn more about the rules as a new player, but the gameplay had me hooked. I really hope you will continue doing these, I am really looking forward to the next one! And maybe one day we can see a whole campaign being played between you (or additional friends) and a larger story unfold... A man can dream, right?

[@4handsondeck]

we have the same dream.... one day, maybe. so far, we're already guilty of 'biting off more than we can edit' all the time.... its been half a year since our last upload DX

[@WafflyDablob]

I love the PC version of battle tech, I don’t think I have the patience to play the table top version myself though. Really love these episodes so far though, thanks for showing it off!

[@kurtryankoch7356]

found this show last night cant wait till your next upload! i love these battle reports

[@RichardH72]

I just found your channel. I enjoyed the format. Nice touch with the voice overs.

[@kelanelam2638]

Great battle report. Really like the rule callouts and the story.

[@t_t5222]

absolutely love this. I would watch a campaign of this in a heartbeat

[@bruced648]

the rules for critical hit versus ammunition. states, the available ammunition within the slot explodes with a damage value equal to the total damage of the struck ammunition. that said, there is no difference between getting hit by weapons fire or by physical attacks. as a 'house rule', we use the following. when a weapon does critical damage and hits ammunition, use standard ammunition explosion rules. when a physical attack hits ammunition, it does crushing damage and the ammunition does not explode, but is considered useless. the ammunition is still within the mech and cannot be dumped. a subsequent weapons hit (not physical attack) to the same ammunition location will cause the standard ammunition explosion.

[@4handsondeck]

thats not a bad way to go about it... not sure if we'll include it into our house-rules collection, but I'll certainly consider it!

[@WRXSEVEN]

Can't believe I hadn't seen this earlier. A hidden gem. Danke.

[@negawan]

that was a good battle and i learned some BT lore to boot. Was rooting for the Taurians all the way but the Comstar pilots were fun to follow

[@elchjol2777]

A friend of mine once through armor crit a Comguard Atlas with a Scorpion light tank. It hit the AC-20 ammo,boom went an Atlas with a 1,1 pilot and their field commander. Due to a house rule if the field commander on a side (this was a 2v2 with one player on each team only allowed to bring conventional forces and the conventional forces on Comstar side were mercs duped into this mission against other mercs.) was KIA any unit from that player that is forced into forced withdrawal must make a check to see if they route or withdrawal orderly. If routing the unit can not make any attacks and moves as fast as it can away from any enemies. If enemies cut off its escape routing mechs are forced to either power down and surrender or eject while conventional ground units surrender if caught. While Comguard would technically hold the field by the end Merc forces escaped with the primary objective onboard that lucky Scorpion. Comstar only had one functional mech (A half-dead crab), a tank that was missing a track and one nearly dead infantry platoon left at the end. If counting successfully withdrawn units in the final tally of survivors that only gave Comstar two additional vehicles and a nearly dead Thunderbolt. Opposing mercs left the field with the objective, three tanks, a beat up dragon, two APCs that picked up inf on the way out and a Wolfhound.

[@damianarvizu1095]

Very cool game!!! I love the dialogue and the digital effects