From: saruman@cats.ucsc.edu (Nicholas Patrick Popoff)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: Realism vs. Mechs
Date: 25 Dec 1992 08:32:04 GMT
Organization: University of California; Santa Cruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: si.ucsc.edu


In article <1992Dec24.082441.1@ulkyvx.louisville.edu> tfpayn01@ulkyvx.louisville.edu writes:
>> 
>	Well, Major, sir, you might wanna reference some of the background
>histories of your region of innerspace!
>
>	We have the technology to build new 'mechs, and even some research
>being done (NAIS, etc.), but we haven't been able to match the "lock-on"
>ability of some of our clan counterparts.  Though we can build some 'mechs,
>even going as far as producing new variants, this is accomplished by modifying
>300-year-old molds and production facilities.  Yes the targeting computers we
>use can't seem to maintain the necessary locking procdures to stop a 45-50mph
>'mech!  Oh, for the old days when our 'mechs could hit whatever we looked at!

	Wow!  You mean the old days as in 1965, right?  8-)
	Tracking a 45mph target was cake 50 years ago.  You must be running
Atari-400s as targeting systems.  No, worse than that...... what the hell
do you use to navigate between stars?  Sextants?
>
>	NAIS researchers have discovered that the Clans (especially Wolf)
>utilitze a "neural port" on their pilot's heads.  It is a receptacle implanted
>on the skull, which, when attached to a computer link, will give the pilot the
>same input/output as our bulky neurohelmets.  And MUCH faster and more
>responsive, as the link is direct.  Unfortunately, most Clan pilots who are
>either captured or killed will not disclose the secret of these implants, so we
>are left in the dark.
>	Lt. Sable Reaver, Nightmare Prowler Regiment, New Avalon.

	Ok, first, Im not an expert on this game, and havent played it
a whole lot.  Second, I think that my lack of knowledge has nothing to do
with my disagreement about how the writters of Btech justify the way their
game works.  Heres my basic line of thought, with some ideas taken from
recent replies to my post:
	Ok, the IS must have the tech to make a battlemech, or they would not
be able to support them beyond a period of a month or two before they all break down and would be unfixable.
	So I say that if the above were true, then it would be absurd to 
think that they wouldnt be able to scrape together the brainpower to make an 
image-guided missle, or a lame computer that would just aim a lazer, stuff
we can quite easily do today!  Screw "Clan neural ports"  who the fuck needs
those?  8-)  Just gimme an AGM-65 (not sure about that number...) and 
the 3025 equivalent of our Anti-tank warheads, and I will happily blow the
head off your neural linked mech from several miles off...

	Another reply seemed to miss my last statement in my origional post.
I DO NOT believe that the rules should be changed at all, fuck realism if
it gets in the way of having fun.  As somebody said before, Its just fun to
run around in 50 ton robots and shoot things with lazers, and thats quite
fine with me.  I was just wondering if there were logical reasons behind it.

Happy Holidays, all!
	Major Tick, C.O. 2nd Royal Guards, House Steiner

Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha