From: arp2@ellis.uchicago.edu (andrew robert polis)
Subject: Re: Btech: Favorite Mechs--BOOK MECHS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Reply-To: arp2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 23:07:44 GMT

In article <1992Nov5.101749.2142@gacvx2.gac.edu> phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil ) writes:
>In article <Bx7JtL.1xy@news.cso.uiuc.edu>  writes:
>} phygod72@nic.gac.edu (Phil ) writes:
>} 
>} >People actually *like* book 'mechs?
>} 
>} >Incredible...I haven't come across a one that I like.
>} 
>} Oh, they aren't all bad. Most of them are good as places to start.
>} They do tend to be cheap in comparison to player designs. FASA's stuff
>} is supposed to be the basic models that get used. The variants most
>} people design are often frightfully expensive. I could never afford
>} to make all the modifications to my basic Warhammer in Mechwarrior
>} that I make everytime I use one in basic Btech.      
>
>Ahhhh...I see the problem now--people actually *keep track* of what the prices  
>for various 'mechs are.  Incredible.
>
>I don't see BattleTech as all that decent of a campaigning system, and so I  
>don't campaign.  Here's the problem:  In a campaign, you can't eliminate any of  
>the weapons...AeroTech, BattleTech, and CityTech all have to be there (unless  
>you're on one planet, in which point drop AeroTech). 
>
>But here's the problem:
>
>I can smear any mech lance with artillery (no problem--none).
>I can take out a city with artillery. 
>I can take out a lance with elementals.
>I can take out anything that I want with an AeroTech fighter.
>I can take out infantry with Mechs, elementals with artillery (or AeroTech).
>
>All I really have to do is say "I want all artillery (plus some of my handy  
>spotters: 30/45 5-ton heilos with...C3 (or TAG--take your pick), or all  
>AeroTech fighters (configured to strafe, of course)", and you can't win.  
>
>Period.

Oh,  is ths so?  What if against your fighters, my mechs were to hide in 
heavy woods, giving you a 10+ to hit us (not even counting movement, its 
impossible for you to hit if Ijump 5 alo), and giving us 6+ to hit if
you strafe, and 10+ if you just fly overhead( again not counting 
movement). Even though you get more shots, it looks like the odds aer 
against you.  And you can't bide your time like we can, what with
that fuel expenditure.

Artillery: (and weanie spotters) those spotters would have to be TAG,
since those C3 computers (the master units, anyway) weigh as much as the entire
chopper (so sorry).  These spotters unfortunately wouldn't work very well, 
since it really only takes one hit to destroy them.  Even though their to hit
chances would consistently be about 1-3 better than mine( depending on what 
mechs I had)., we each get many shots of which only 1 needs to hit, and also
they would have to come in close, to not waste their precious homing missels
(we are talking about a campaign after all) on 10+(long range & flank speed)
or harder shots. So they would each last through one or two spots, and then
we would beat up your artillery with their 9+ base direct fire shots.

And you would be sorry.  Period.
>
>So, I just play 500-1000 ton battles, pure BattleTech (well, vehicles, too--but  
>no infantry/elementals/artillery/AeroTech), and enjoy the strategy of the game.
>
>Phil




-Andrew Polis