Bleakbane Plays BATTLETECH, Part Twenty-Nine

Bleakbane Plays BATTLETECH, Part Twenty-Nine:

(Okay, So having both had some time to think about it, and also learn that communications systems DON'T stack (and I played long enough ago and I think they did in 1.2), and because nothing happened in the trip, we're going to skip back a bit and leave going to Principia on the inevitable way back. (Since it kinda of seems worth saving a 4.5 skull world for when there's actually some even cooler stuff to play with, and there's absolutely tons of stuff to sell.) So the paladins would head for 1-skull Viribium instead for the Baying of the Hounds flashpoint instead. Mech changes would be basically the same, except a little bit of rationalisation on the comms systems, since there were really more than were needed if they didn't stack; it also meant that the lesser ones could afford to be dumped.)

Currently, the Fair Marauder and the Annihilator had +++s, the Fireforce and Phoenix Coil had a ++s and the Laser Knight and Awesome had +s and there was a regular, a + and a +++ in storage.

Lynessa decided to leave the first pair alone, since while it was often the case both were out, it was basically almost never going to be the case that one or the other wouldn't be deployed, so that would seem to assured that there would always be at least one. The Phoenix Coil was going to be deployed in any configuration of the four light/mediums, so it could have the other +++, and the Fireforce could lose its one. The Laser Knight and the Awesome likely didn't need theirs particularly, and there was an argument to be made for them clearing their head-slot for the weapon hardpoint.

So. The Annihilator received the +++TTS and a ton of armour, the Trebuchet got a +100m instead of +50m rangefinder, Fireforce got the +50m instead of the comm array, Shadow Punch a +50m instead of +25m. The Laser Knight dropped a heat sink and now dropped the +10 damage medium laser for a +++ one, since it got another +++ medium laser to be mounted in the head.

The Awesome had a bit of an overhaul, replacing one PPC with the ER PPCV after all, getting the double-heat sinks in the legs and a slight juggle of the heat exchangers. Its comm system was upgraded from + to ++ for the sake of argument as a back-up if the lance wanted to take a load of energy heavy mechs out or something. This would subject to a subsequent overhaul if something better presented itself, but it would do for the moment.

The Atlas has its cockpit mod upgraded to ++ and the Stalker Barrage to +. So than all the excess arrays bar one (for whatever would fill the last slot, if anything) of all types could be sold off. There was just enough time for all that to get done before the paladins arrived!

(And that's why I skipped right back to the post-mission save, instead of changing course from the slightly more recent still-in-system saves, I wanted to do a total overhaul in light of that new information!)

Darius called a quiet meeting - apparently, the Capellans has made inquiries about who ordered the assassination of the defector and were willing to look the other way and even pay for information. Yang was very much inclined to tell them about Gaku - no-one would seriously have suggested Londo, er Raynauld anyway.

And Lynessa just had an innocent look on her face and said that Gaku did want the credit for the operation, after all, and he hadn't demanded them be quiet about it, so she didn't see anything wrong with answering the Capellan's polite inquiry...

(And this is why, boys and girls, you don't go out of your way to screw people, because even very nice ones won't see a reason not to let you have what you deserve.)

A little while later, the paladins arrived at Viribium. Three missions for the Magistracy of Canopus of between 0.5 and 1.5 skull - fine, that would do.

To the shops!

Wow. Six Catapults, a Cicada, a Flea, a Grasshopper, a Hatchetman, a Hunchback, a King Crab, a Kintaro, a Locust, an Orion, a Victor plus sundries was nearly nine million cbills...!

Nothing to buy of any note, so on to the Baying o the Hounds Flash point!

Morgan Kell - of the famous Kell Hounds mercenaries - was calling the Paladins. He'd had to come out of what was functionally his retirement/exile. His first love apparently had a daughter with him he never knew about and they were in trouble. The mother, Tempest, was not the sort to ask for help. They were being pursued by a band of mercs called the Beast of Balawat, which sounded jolly like not very nice people to Lynessa.

Morgan had snuck out (and there would be TROUBLE if it got found out) to rescue them.

Well, saving fair maidens (even ones that could kick serious arse when they wanted) from beasts was basically the whole paladin shtick, so Morgan had come to the right people.

Tempest needed to get to an abandoned starport where they could be extracted - except the Beasts had a modified Stalker in the area which could straight-up murder the convoy.

So, step one was to stalk the Stalker!

Kell had a lance as back-up, but he was half-convinced this was all a set-up to draw him out.

No worries, the paladin had this!

Crudbaskets, this was a lunar environment...

Lynessa carefully selected her lance. The Overlord ran MUCH cooler than the Decapitator, so Llana would stay there. Luximai would that the Fair Marauder and Anja the Annihilator, both of which sunk slightly more heat than they built up (by a mere 2 points in the latter case!) and Zuranna trying out the new Shortbow, which at least ran neutral in normal circumstances and also had a ++rangefinder and thus a replacement scout in the absence of the Bull Shark.

(Now, someone tells me that the HQ and Marauder damage reduction stack multiplicably - I'm not convinced, given that there's only 1% difference between additive and multiplicative at 0.9 and 0.9 - but well keep an eye on the damage and see..)

Two enemy lances, plus the Stalker. Zuranna (as the most senior) elected they would break right and head towards the enemy reinforcement lance first.

The lance, despite their superior spotting distance, ran more or less right into an enemy Blackjack and Wolverine. As Zuranna moved to engage, she spotted a Marauder and Catapult behind.

Well, it was only 2/11 salvage, so no point wasting time with headshots...

To Zuranna's annoyance, her CT-aimed SRM salvo didn't entirely murder the Wolverine, though it nearly knocked it over. Luximai took a shot at the Blackjack, leaving Llana's LRMs to topple the Wolverine and Anja to finish it.

While the Fair Marauder switched targets to its opposite number, Zuranna had more luck coring the Blackjack, now that it's CT had been damaged.

Anja managed to blast the leg off the Marauder, though it staggered to its feet before anyone could capitalise on it. The Catapult, though, made the beautiful error of running forward to make a melee attack on Llana.

The Marauder actually limped past Llana, apparently trying to duel with Luximai, giving her two targets Llana could punch and one of them in the back, even.

Llana wasn't going to let that opportunity pass her by...

Anja headcapped the Catapult.

Unfortunately, the lance wasn't given a great deal of time to cool down as a Quickdraw appeared to the west, followed by a Shadowhawk and a Dragon.

The lance pulled back anyway, it at least gave them a little cooling and charged their resolve.

The first salvo at range did little but weaken the enemy, but as they closed it allowed Anja to core the Dragon and shortly thereafter Llana to finish off the Quickdraw's battered CT.

More LRMs were starting to come in - likely the Stalker. Luximai quickly finished off the Shadowhawk as it entered Zuranna's sensor range. It was just at the edge, though, so the lance just pulled back a bit, a gave themselves some breathing room.

When it came into sight again, it was within weapon range. It was carrying three LRM 20s - nasty.

The Stalker was far enough away the lance could line-up shots. It got close enough to launch a spread at Zuranna, but braced and ready, it didn't do much damage.

(Crap, I never checked the damage then...! (Slightly later mid-session edit: it was explained to me that the damage reduction stacks multiplicatively, but on top of the addative percentage damage reduction of cover/guarded/bulwark, which is why is was confusing.))

Luximai finally got it.

Straight on to the escort mission now...

Two ++gyro with +3 hit defence. That'd do for salvage! (It would have to...)

No significant damage to the lance, so on to the next!

The mercs had already penned the convoy in, so wiping them would be the first job. Not a difficult one, considering it was not mechs as was stated, but vehicles and badly-knackered ones at that. The only reason it was only two Demolishers that died in the first salvo was because there was a small facility in the way and the lance was basically direct-fire only. The Bulldog and Manticore died to a shot a piece.

The lance cautiously moved towards the escort zone.

Hmm. Zuranna noted that it looked like it was going to be quite a long run to what she suspected was the pick-up point.

The lance got a bit closer, before they got the convoy moving. Though it was by sight only - the APCs weren't answering the comms.

That struck Lynessa as EXTREMLY suspicious. She had Mylassta and the other girls on stand-by.

The enemy readied to intercept - three more vehicles and a Marauder.

... Three more vehicles.

(Anja smirked.)

The other vehicles did not prove much of a problem - only a Striker got a shot off.

(Frag dammit, moved Anja instead of delaying so the APCs didn't get all strung out again because combat ended mid-term, blast.)

As the APCs reached the extraction point, two 75 and a 70 ton mech appeared. Oh, the 70-tonner was a Cataphract. Llana sprinted past the visible Orion K and up next to it - the other mech - Orion V came to punch her. Silly Orion...

The other three fired on the first Orion, until Luximai destroyed the head. The APCs were off, but whether they actually had Tempest aboard, Lynessa was uncertain.

A salvo from Luximai, a solid punch and a CT-spread of SRMs destroyed the Catapult. Llana took a shot in the back for it, but took not serious damage - and the foolish Orion moved further away.

Not, however, far enough.

The bad news was no-one was responding to comms on the APCs and the Kell Hounds couldn't get the doors open. This looked really bad.

Salvage enough to complete an 0X Cataphract, at least.

Lynessa's fears were confirmed. Everyone on the APC was dead - but Tempest and Megan weren't among the bodies.

This was a trap from the start (but a really bad one, honestly...)

Aelwyd Rhee - whom Morgan seemed to know - apparently the leader of the Beasts opened comms.

Rhee was apparently a former Kell Hound, disgruntled about being cut loose when Morgan... retired? She wanted to settle things amecho to amecho.

(Presumably because she didn't learn very quickly.)

Kell was prepared to fight with two mechs and two paladin mechs - orrrr they could sneak around with a light lance and rescue Tempest and Megan directly.

Lynessa sighed. Morgan seemed to think this Rhee was on the level. And the light lance was not going to be great in a lunar environment, to be honest.

Honourable engagement it would have to be, Lynessa reflected.

Zuranna maxed out her piloting and completed her training. Luximai raised hers to 9. Llana maxed-out her tactics and upped her guts to 6. Anja pushed her gunnery to 9 and her piloting to 7.

Lynessa considered going herself - but Shelat and Llana were both still in good spirits, so it seemed to make more sense. Shelat would take the Annihilator, and Llana the Fair Marauder. Morgan would be in an Orion and one Lox in a BattleMaster.

(If Morgan Kell is such an elite, why is he not 10/10/10/10? Dude must have gone really rusty to be down to 9/7/6/5...)

Well, at least Rhee was as good as her word.

...

Aside from the part about her having brought reinforcements.

Good plan "ace mechwarrior" Morgan Kell, bring an Orion with two PPCs to a battle on a lunar world!

(There was the dull thump of Mylassta's head on a console.)

Quickdraw 5A, Quickdraw 4G, Rifleman, Dragon.

Rifleman was the biggest threat, Shelat thought.

Again, which numpty thought THIS was a good mech to bring HERE?

The enemy Dragon fell, cored by Shelat (Llana wasn't having much luck yet). Morgan, meanwhile, had already lost his right torso armour.

Shelat proceed to headcap the first Quickdraw and Lox to punch the other to death, it having been already quite badly shredded. Morgan, meanwhile, hadn't even managed to hit it with his last salvo.

Shelat suggested they pulled back to cool off and a rather embarrassed Morgan agreed. They pulled back a bit, but a relentless Assassin crept moving forwards until it got close enough to be a spotter.

Briefly, before Shelat cored that, too. The other enemies weren't even on the scopes, yet, so the lance had a moment or two to cool down now.

The enemy entered contact range - an Archer and two 75-tonners. The Archer fell after a concerted set of shots by the lance and a second CT-shot by Llana.

The last mechs were an Orion and a Black Knight. (Apparently, all Kell Hounds were pretty dumb when it came to considering heat management in the environment...) The former was knocked down by all the combined fire. Llana failed to headcap it, though so it took another salvo from everyone before Lox's burst of lasers destroyed it.

Just the Black Knight left.

Which Llana promptly finished!

Morgan Kell, legendary MechWarrior... Fails to kill a single thing and takes most damage out of anyone.

Lynessa shook her head sadly.

Orion and Assassin completed for sale... (Ooops, missed a Banshee to sell in all that chaos, that's another million there...!)

Tempest and Megan were fine (Tempest was furious, mind, and she'd given a good accounting of herself even without a mech). Rhee was dead and the Beasts scattered. Morgan was a bit reflective of the whole thing, and decided he had very much better retire to his monastery and not come out.

(Lynessa privately thought that this was probably for the best, seeing what level his mech piloting skills were...)

The "main" rewards was a ++small laser... But of far more note was the ++rangefinder and the second piece of Star League Highlander in the rest.

Llana upped her guts to 7.

Okay, three contracts to do, starting with a 0.5 skull convoy ambush.

Shelat took the Overlord, Llana stayed in the Fair Marauder, Luximai took the Bull Shark heat-be-damned (just because the likelihood one Thumper-cannon-one-shotting-everything) and Anja took the Ballista.

(Okay, it actually wouldn't let me even get a sight of one of the vehicles before it reached the extraction zone. Reload.

Wow, apparently if you do not INSTANTLY pick the right vehicle to kill, it doesn't matter what you do, the convoy Rotunda just moves out of sight and escapes. On the third try, when I knew which one of the two to instantly kill in the first round of combat, I managed. That was way harder than a half-skull with seven vehicles and one Javelin ought to have been though.)

1.5 skull convoy ambush next. Bull Shark replaced with Phoenix Coil, since the Thumper was disappointing even one half-skull vehicles.

Panther, two Firestarters (actually dangerous here) and a Wolverine guarding two Strikers, a Manticore and a Galleon.

The convoy was wiped easily this time, but once again, the Wolverine proved these missions could be tedious by hitting Shelat in the head before they killed it.

Firestarter for sale...

Llana's guts hit 8...

Right, 1.5 skull battle. DEFINTELY Bull Shark time again, with Zuranna subbing into the Overlord.

A Wolverine, Enforcer and Hatchetman. Luximai took two out with headshots and the Wolverine's CT was staved in by the Overlord.

Which gave the lance an Enforcer for sale.

That was that system cleared! Lynessa consider where to next. The paladins were not short of cash, but they were more or less at the limit of mech optimisation without some more LosTech. Lynessa felt that the paladins could afford to make some longer jumps. So Lynessa would head straight for Dunianshire, in the Magistracy of Canopus, which was reputedly a big repository of Star League tech and maybe they could also gain some reputation with the Canopians. And failing that, there was a couple of Black Market stops on the way back to Manthraka.

(Though honestly I'm now not sure whether to "save" Manthraka as a sort of capstone when we come close to or pass the 1200 days barrier. What is the general opinion on that? Are the rewards (non-spoiler-y) worth doing to be played with, or is it best left as a dramatic capstone to the playthrough?)

There was a tournament of champions starting at Cluff's Stand, so that was a potential stop back on the way to the *sigh* Davion flashpoints.

Natasha was fiddling with one of the autocannons (an AC/5). It took her a good week, but she tuned it up extremely well.

(Wow, that was disappointing. Had a look at the stores at Dunianshire and the LosTech was underwhelming.

And then I skipped back to look at what was on offer at the Black Market a stop behind. And then realised that the black Market was at 1000% price. So that about the only they could afford was guass ammo at over half a million. And just like that, all the anticipation I'd been having getting all the loot and pennies saved up to get somewhere to buy some cool stuff just evaporated.

(I thought they had fixed that. *checks* Oh, right, they HAD, it used to be worse, they dropped it from 10000% increase. Uh huh. It would have been better just to lock the store completely, since functionally it IS a soft lock-out anyway.)

*sigh*

Let me take this opportunity to say I REALLY hate how HBS handled the pirates, reputation and the Black Market. They are the single most common OpFor, one of the most difficult powers to find missions for (no flash point, as I understand too), if you ally with them you make EVERYONE else enemies and this is then all tied to the only reliable source of LosTech/ high-value items in the game. Which means by the time you can actually AFFORD anything, you will have almost inevitably fracked the pirates off. So everything basically pushes you in the direction of getting the pirates as enemies. And the only way out of it is by a lot of tedious grind. Which basically requires you to game the system by changing the difficulty settings to plausibly generate enough half-skull missions to tediously work back out of it or start directly editing game save files or looking for mods.

So, the net result of that game design decision, that I basically can't buy any decent new equipment, and thus making any rewards from missions more or less irrelevant is that I'm now so disheartened (since the goal of getting better and better equipment is more or less the driving force that keeps me going) is that I'm considering, "yeah, I'm done" and just doing the flash points and not doing anything else until the timer runs out. I'm spending time I should have been PLAYING the game working out how to fight it, edit it or mod it or whether to y'know, stop.

That. ladies and gentlemen is what we call Really Bad Game Design.

It is the single biggest natural 1 HBS rolled on this game, it really is. I don't think more or less ANYONE liked it.

I am, frankly, not grinding RNG to find 1.5 or less pirate contracts to difficulty-adjust to play for 21 points of reputation. It's not interesting for me to play (it's grind for the sake of grind) and it's not going to generate anything interesting to read about, either. It's the very definition of busy-work. It's just not worth it.

(And it wasn't like I was TRYING to avoid this situation until the point RNG pushed me into it anyway...)

So. I see there are basically three options for how to proceed from here tomorrow (since yeah, this basically killed the rest of tonight's session).

1) Assume that this is as good a set of mechs as I'm going to get, do nothing but the remaining flashpoints on the map and finish with Manthraka and maybe just time out.

2) Install Edmon's alternative reputation mod, which unlocks contracts such that you can take them from anyone. You get very low pay outs for factions that hate you, but it means you can take higher than 0.5 skull contracts for nothing but reputation quickly.

3) Straight-up save-edit the pirate reputation out of loathed, detract a couple of million or something and assumed Lynessa send every pirate a gift basket or something. (If I was playing totally solo and didn't care about having a stopping point, that's what I'd have done, no question.)

So, dear readers, I'll take a quick show of hands (across the three places I post this) as to which way I should lean tomorrow; after I've had time to think about it myself).)

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[Skywriter]

My only advice is to listen to what your characters would want to do.