HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: glr8c@Virginia.EDU ("Gregory Lawrence Romano")
Subject: B-tech Muse
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 17:06:12 GMT

	Being relatively new to this-WHat is the Battletech
Muse?
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: ratinox@splinter.coe.northeastern.edu (Richard Pieri)
Subject: Re: Mekton II vs B'tech
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Reply-To: ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
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X-Get-A-Clue: Have two, they're small.
Organization: 3WA, Boston Office. Or Nu Meta Chi. Take your pick.
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 18:40:45 GMT

>>>>> On Sun, 20 Dec 1992 00:28:26 GMT, dctam@eos.ncsu.edu (DENVER
>>>>> CHUAN-HIN TAM) said:

DENVER> As the title suggests, I am looking for a BRIEF comparison of the
DENVER> games (I am already intimately familiar with B'tech).

No flames, please.

Mekton II is designed for fast, space opera style of role playing and mecha
combat, so things aren't all that highly detailed. But, if you want to add
that detail, there is a supplement called the Mekton Tekbook that's very
usefull, even with its few problems.

BattleTech is a boardgame/tactical wargame with "walking tanks". It's a
completely different approach to mecha.

DENVER> I really want to know which is more playable, fun, flexible
DENVER> etc.

Depends on what you're looking for. If you want to blow things into tiny
pieces, BattleTech should suit you just fine. If you're looking for a role-
playing game with a loose, almost free-form combat system, try Mekton II.

BTW, Mekton II's RPG system is also the core rules set for Cyberpunk 2020,
just so you know.

--Rat
||||| | | | |  |  |  |   |   |    |    |    |   |   |  |  |  |  | | | | | |||||
Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat          ratinox@meceng.coe.northeastern.edu
It is a proud and lonely thing to be a Stainless Steel Rat.
                                                        --`Slippery' Jim DiGriz
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From:  (Shiva)
Subject: Re: Daishi
Followup-To: rec.games.mecha
Organization: Computing & Information Systems, Yale University
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 00:47:24 GMT

In article <1992Dec9.184111.6126@Virginia.EDU>, glr8c@Virginia.EDU
("Gregory Lawrence Romano") wrote:
> 
> 	Has anyone ever attempted placing four LRM-15's and
> four ER Large Lasers in a Daishi w/ targeting and swarm LRM's
> or Artemis-IV?  I imagine it would make an excellent fire
> support mech.  I call it the Daishi R.

True, very true...

But why would you want the most powerful assault mech ever designed
relegated to fire support? The Daishi is the most feared mech in
existence; having been on the recieveing end in the DCMS more than
once, I can testify that this mech rips through medium mechs like
paper-mache.

I'd have a talk with your logistics guy...
Then again, you clanners have done some pretty weird things... :)
From: thantos@runic.via.mind.org (Paul Williams [SysOp])
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: Mekton II
Keywords: Building Mektons
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 22:10:11 EST
Organization: Runic Writings / Lawrenceville, GA


ratner@owlnet.rice.edu (Logan Joshua Ratner) writes:

> Sure it makes sense, except that's not what I want out of the game.
> That's the most important thing, no?  What I like about Mekton, vis.
> a. vis. other mecha games, is that Jap-Anime feel; like the bootleg
> videotapes a grew up watching.  Battletech is more of a slug-fest,
> and NOT what I want.  So we (the people I play with) changed the rules.
> In my world, movement is NOT an action.  Encourages movement without
> cutting down on the rate-of-fire.  Work's for me.

   Well, I'm  not  saying your system blows chunks, because it doesn't.  I
        might even give it a whirl myself.  Sounds like  a  clever  twist.
        However, I  just came up with another interesting solution:  limit
        the amount of  weaponry  with  unlimited  (or  large  numbers  of)
        shots.  Cut  back on big-Kill unlimited-fire beam weapons.  Excuse
        it by  controlling  the  tech  level  (they're  "too  expensive").
        They'll conserve  their  ammo  and close for hand-to-hand.  *That*
        is very anime.

   Also be strict about LOS.  Very careful.

> P.S.  If your right about the missiles, I'm investing in anti-missiles
> and lots of 'em.   (Ouch, ouch, ouch.)

   They do have AM beam weapons, and missile jamming systems (requiring  a
        EW skill), but  no  AM missiles.  Oh well.  AM systems still don't
        work real well against 45 or so missiles at a time.  :)


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thantos@runic.via.mind.org (Paul Williams [SysOp])
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: ara@wam.umd.edu (Ford Prefect)
Subject: Re: Machine Guns in BTECH
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:02:38 GMT

OOPS, ok, I ment the Avenger ha ha ha errr....

anyway, I always thought an autocannon was more like
those Anti Aircraft guns on Ships, ala Battle of Midway stuff
with one guy loading it with clips of 5 or whatever and another
aiming and firing.  Ofcourse on a mech this is automated hence the
jamming.


Thus the difference between machine guns and autocannons
with AC rounds getting bigger as their rating got larger
eg. AC2 is smaller than an AC20

NOw someone says, autocannon fires lots of rounds a turn
and so does a machine gun, and that 1 round is actualy several?
I dont understand.
I thought a round was a round, 1 shell = 1 round in either ACs or
Machinguns.
Someone clear this up please,

Also someone mentioned Solarian VII or something rules?
Your right, I never played with those, as a matter of fact
I never heard of them before.  But they sound interesting nevertheless

-ara
"The only good mech is the one alllll the way at the other end of the map
 preferably running away so you wont have to deal with it.  After all
 you put a new coat of paint on yours and it would be a shame to get it
 messed up". Basil Pinafor Wordsworth
             2nd LT, Hirohito's Kamakazi Marauders

Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: cs011103@cs.brown.edu (Christopher Randall)
Subject: Re: Mech Design Theory
Organization: Brown Computer Science Dept.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 12:00:15 GMT

actually, my friend eric calculated that the medium laser is mathematically one of the
best weapons available, with heat,range,size,and weight as factors.  he had the entire list
figured out (not including starleague or clans though - we didnt use them).  in our medium
league, one of the most successful pilots had a wolverine armed with 9 med lasers.  hedve 
been really successful if he had a clue, strategically, but he doesnt.

crash
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: m91kgh@tdb.uu.se (Karl-Gunnar Hultland)
Subject: Re: BTECH MUSE
Organization: Dept. of Scientific Computing, Uppsala Univ.
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 09:42:20 GMT

Jim Foster (jimfost@tony.ksu.ksu.edu) wrote:
: foregone@stein.u.washington.edu (Carl Chavez) writes:
: 
: >Is there anybody who plays Btech MUSE over their modem through a Unix system?
: >I'm looking for a client program that forces word wrap...the character
: >Griffon recommended gb.client (Galactic Bloodshed?) but it was tar'ed and
: >I don't know how the hell to untar it..
: 
: I'd be interested in hearing any results. I currently play via modem via Unix
: but I just use telnet. I am seriously interested in learning the whys and where-
: fores of using a client for BTech Muse

The only thing you do is download (via FTP) a client,
you compile it on your UNIX system and uses it instead
of telnet...
The one I use is the smallest I've found...
Tinytalk.
it has the following advantages:
1) 512 byte long lines.
2) Word wrap
3) Highlighting of pages and whispers
4) Logging of a session
5) Can block (gag) all that a certain person says...

The things I miss, multiple sessions at once.


				Karl

-- 

Karl-Gunnar Hultland              Vox Dei, Vox Populi
m91kgh@bellatrix.tdb.uu.se
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: cs011103@cs.brown.edu (Christopher Randall)
Subject: Re: Battletech: Get it right
Organization: Brown Computer Science Dept.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 12:22:20 GMT

our preference was to use mostly standard grade tech with starleague stuff a rare and very
expensive treat that you could only afford after winning multiple matches.  we also created 
a few random bonuses and deficiencies based on the descriptions in the tech readout, that
could only be had as original equipment.  for instance, the aberdovey med laser was said to
be of exceptional quality, so we gave it a +1 to hit, while one of the mechs i forget which 
was supposed to have jumpjet problems so youd have to roll above a 2 on 2d6 or else theyd 
fail and you dont move that turn.   eric had a whole list worked out.

crash
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: We BTECHers are fantastic!
From: taia_a@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz (Second Genyosha)
Date: 14 Dec 1992 02:23:08 GMT
Reply-To: taia_a@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Organization: Wellington City Council (Public Access), Wgtn, Nz
NNTP-Posting-Host: kosmos.wcc.govt.nz

In article <1992Dec11.140252.13956@tdb.uu.se>, m91kgh@tdb.uu.se (Karl-Gunnar Hultland) writes:
>I have been checking out rec.games.board, and only found one btech
>posting there since the creation of rec.games.mecha... This must be
>one of the smoothest transfers that has taken place under the time I
>have been on this net...
>Karl-Gunnar Hultland              Vox Dei, Vox Populi
>m91kgh@bellatrix.tdb.uu.se

 Too bad, they didn't redirect the post here. I don't mind reading the
Mekton and Robotech amongst all my Battletech :) Asking for
rec.games.battletech would have been a bit much to hope for :)

 Three cheers for Lunatic! Hip-Ray! Hip-Ray! Hip-Ray!

 At least I see Robotech now, though Rifts/Robotech doesn't interest me.

This has been....
 Tony Taia                                    (Sho-sa of the Second Genyosha)
  TAIA_A@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
3055-3067: So little time, so many Clan meks to kill! :)        `|'Disclaimer!
**Noone knows what I know, so you know that what I know is only mine to know**
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: foregone@stein.u.washington.edu (Carl Chavez)
Subject: Who shot J.R? Er, Who killed Melissa Steiner?
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 05:00:45 GMT


I think it's obvious: Stryfe, appearing to be Ryan Steiner, blew up Melissa
and Salome (and Morgan, and several dozen others)! Now several mech lances
(including a Wolverine) are converging on Stryfe's base in that area
"beyond the Periphery" where Canopus gets ultra-tech for Wilson on Solaris...:)

(X-Men reference - X-Cutioner's Song)

*Ahem*. Excuse me. Seriously, I think it was a Jade Falcon hit. After all, the
Barf Birds (NEW NICKNAME!) have taken over much of the Kelswa-Steiner/Tamar
area. It wouldn't be too difficult for them to frame a Ryan Steiner connection.
Anyway, they're pissed at Victor for beating them at Twycross and avoiding them
at Alyina. They nearly made Victor look like a monster.
From: dunk@carson.u.washington.edu (John Dunkelburg)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: You want munchkinism?
Summary: If you want an example of munchkinism,. . .
Keywords: robotech
Date: 13 Dec 92 18:40:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Dec13.184016.27518
Organization: University of Washington

As far as Robotech goes, it has a clear case of munchkinism.   And
if you add in the Rifts stuff, it becomes MEGA-munchkinism.   For
a campaign I was working on (I never finished it, becuae of school
work and other games), I had an idea of bringing a Thuverl Salan
Zentraedi destroyer, with some RDF techs and mechs, from Breetai's
fleet into the Rifts universe by way of a rift activated by a stray
Zentraedi main cannon shot that caught the ship and transported it
to the Rifts universe.   Of course, this had some effects on the
ships's systems (spacefold drive out, main drives on the fritz,
main cannon temporarily out of action, and some of the retractible
laser turrets destroyed).   The players would be from the Rifts
universe, and would have to track down whatever had been vaporizing
several villages and leaving no evidence of who did it.

   Now what, you may ask, would this have to with r.g.m.?   Very
simply, one Thuverl Salan holds about 10,000 warriors, plus their
pods.   Add in the firepower of the ship itself (especially when the
techs on the ship get that main cannor repaired), and you've got
a MEGA-munchin situation.   I mean, here is a ship that can destroy
the entire Chi-Town structure all the way down to the Emperor's
quarters in one blast (remember, that main gun is as powerful as the
SDF-1's was), and tackle the Xiticix (an old idea, a carbon-copy
of the Invid, IMNOHO) for lunch, and take out the Vampire Kingdoms
before dinner.   And all that because none of the above-mentioned
targets have any mecha or missiles that can reach above 40 miles
and so any significant damage to a Thuverl Salan.   What you
can't reach, you can't destroy.   Simple as that.

   The Thuverl Salan, though, CAN reach the above targets, because
it was designed for planetary assault (admittedly, usually screening
larger ships but the Rifts Earth is not up to par with, say, the
Invid).   Remember, the Zentraedi were bio-engineered to take on the
Invid, who had a vastly superior, number-wise, force to anything
anyone has on Rifts Earth.   If the Zentraedi Grand Fleet (or a 
reasonable facsimile) hit Rifts Earth, would you want to give odds
on the chances of the Coalition Empire winning?   Or, for that matter,
any other Rifts group? (And yes, I know, I'm comparing a 4.5 million
ship fleet to 1 ship, but when you're talking about the Zentraedi,
sometimes numbers don't count.)

   Anyways, anyone want to comment on this?
**********************************************************************
John Dunkelburg, a.k.a. no a.k.a.
DUNK@max.u.washington.edu
My life isn't a soap opera, it's ANIME!
"I onlt believe in my own power.   Nothing else makes any sense."
		Zakath of Mallorea
Fashion is for the sheep of the world.
Style is for the individuals.   Which are you?
**********************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: eylee@undergrad.math.waterloo.edu (Edmund Lee)
Subject: IS THERE A BTECH SIMULATOR IN EXISTENCE? ( like BOSTON )
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sun, 20 Dec 1992 20:23:39 GMT

I read in Popular Science that exist a full blown simulator of battletech
where you sit in a cockpit and communicate via radio in the helmet.

Is there such thing?

					Edmund Lee
					eylee@napier.waterloo.ca


Organization: Sophomore, Physics, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 00:51:17 -0500 
From: Faisal Nameer Jawdat <fj05+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: BTECH: high-speed hovertanks
	<1992Dec16.050447.8538@u.washington.edu>

>Gabriel Hovertank, 5 Tons
>                        Heat Sinks 10   0.0     Armor
>IS              0.5     Control Equip.  0.25    Front  5
>Engine     35   1.5     Lift Equip.     0.5     Left   3
>  Type     Fusion       Power Amp.      0.0     Right  3
>  Cruise   15           Turret          0.1     Rear   3
>  Flank    23           Armor      18   1.0     Turret 4
>
>Medium Laser    1.0     Turret

Lose the armor, put in robotic controls (unless they've removed them
from the game, but they're in the original "Battletech Manual") and a
ton of long tom ammo.  Nice suicide tank, regardless of what scaling
system you use (cost, tonnage, br's).


-- faisal jawdat                  | "Certainly the game is rigged.
email: fj05+@andrew.cmu.edu       | Don't let that stop you;
if mail handler barfs             | if you don't bet, you can't win." 
fj05@andrew.cmu.edu               |        -Lazarus Long
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: sunruh@nfsgate.austin.ibm.com ()
Subject: Jumpships and Dropships, where???
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 13:27:58 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: IBM Austin

i am willing to pay top dollar for this book.  if you have one for sale or
know of one, please let me know.

thanks,
steve@bach.austin.ibm.com
-- 
******************************************************************************
To be the Man, you have to beat THE MAN!
Wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet and keeper of the 5 cosmic cubes
flames > /dev/null&void
From: dodger@rajeesh.WPI.EDU (DoDGeR)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: BTECH MUSE
Date: 13 Dec 1992 00:17:34 GMT
Organization: Peace Through Superior Viruses!
NNTP-Posting-Host: rajeesh.wpi.edu

In article <1992Dec10.144551.14326@lut.ac.uk> T.R.Coldwell@lut.ac.uk (Ximinez.) writes:
>Yup, the Muse is up and hittin' hard...however I'd just like to put in
>a plug for the Steiner 2nd Royal Guards...one of the best battalions to
>be in (OK so I'm biased..so sue me!!)
>
>:-)		Ximinez (Private: ST-MIL 2nd Royal Guards)
>


well right now you guys are full up and they will probably be splitting
off some of your newbies and starting a new unit or something.
SCaT!!!
From: dpund@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Tantor (Dennis Pund))
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: BTECH:Computer
Date: 16 Dec 92 01:18:00 GMT
Organization: Indiana University

In <BzB10z.LuC@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> wh@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Winter Nova) writes:

>In article <15DEC199203373955@zeus.tamu.edu> rrb3919@zeus.tamu.edu (BARRON, RANDY R) writes:
>>	This is a question for those out there in the Electronic
>>Toy Land.  Whoever has finished the Crescent Hawk's Inception, please
>>answer me this.   
>>
>>		WHERE IS THE $#%@$#@ CAVE TO THE SOUTHEAST?

>The cave is on a small island to the southeast of the Inventor's Hut and
>northwest of Starport, if I recall correctly (it's been a LONG while since
>I last finished that game.)  You will need to have the correct codes from
>the manual to finish the game because there's a map of the Inner Sphere
>inside the cave (after you beat all those security systems through pure
>endurance...oh what joy to recall those days when it took me nearly 3 hours
>of game time to bypass all those security gates) and you have to push all
>the right buttons to reach the ending of the game.  *sigh*  And what a
>SPECTACULAR ending it was....  I'll leave it to yourself to discover what
>it is.

Well the description of South West is no the most accurate.  The Cave is 
actually more east than south.  My memory is a little foggy but I think this 
map is 75% accurate for this purpose, I haven't played it in over a Year.

 
   | | +            \   /             |
   | |              |   |             /
   | |               \  |             | 
   | |                \_/             |
   \_/                                |
                                      /
                                   __/
                      _           |
                     /*\           \__
    /\               | |              \
    ||               | |              |
    ||               | |              |
     \_______________/ |              |
                       |               \  
                       |                |
                      _/
                     / 






The "+" is Edward Tellhim's Place and the "*" is the CAVE. the others are the
aproxamate  representation of the shores.


Good Luck...


					-Tantor
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
From: ratner@owlnet.rice.edu (Logan Joshua Ratner)
Subject: Re: Mekton II
Keywords: Building Mektons
Organization: Rice University
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 16:12:45 GMT

In article <N2DuVB1w165w@runic.via.mind.org> thantos@runic.via.mind.org (Paul Williams [SysOp]) writes:
>
>ratner@owlnet.rice.edu (Logan Joshua Ratner) writes:
>>
>> Nice, but I often end up in small engagements (just the way my campaign works
>> Lots of one on one or two on one attacks.
>
>   Then  it really makes sense for the "stand and blast" manuever to work,
>        no?  Without some cover or terrain to make shots  more  difficult.
>        Make  sure  you  use  the range penalties/bonuses, they'll want to
>        get in close for those plusses, and use terrain/cover.
>
>   Or you can completely overmatch them.  :)
>
Sure it makes sense, except that's not what I want out of the game.
That's the most important thing, no?  What I like about Mekton, vis.
a. vis. other mecha games, is that Jap-Anime feel; like the bootleg
videotapes a grew up watching.  Battletech is more of a slug-fest,
and NOT what I want.  So we (the people I play with) changed the rules.
In my world, movement is NOT an action.  Encourages movement without
cutting down on the rate-of-fire.  Work's for me.

>thantos@runic.via.mind.org (Paul Williams [SysOp])

P.S.  If your right about the missiles, I'm investing in anti-missiles
and lots of 'em.   (Ouch, ouch, ouch.)

ratner
From: sjb5@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (STACY JOHN BEHRENS)
Newsgroups: rec.games.mecha
Subject: Re: Machine Guns in BTECH
Date: 20 Dec 92 04:08:40 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <1992Dec17.170238.12274@wam.umd.edu>, ara@wam.umd.edu (Ford Prefect)
writes:

>NOw someone says, autocannon fires lots of rounds a turn
>and so does a machine gun, and that 1 round is actualy several?
>I dont understand.
>I thought a round was a round, 1 shell = 1 round in either ACs or
>Machinguns.
>Someone clear this up please,

An autocannon is supposed to be something like a hu-normous shotgun.  Lots of
little ammo comming out in one big charge.  A bit like canister shots in the
civil war except these are designed to rip armor apart instead of personel.
Personally I find the autocannon/2 and to a lesser extent ac/5 along with the
machine guns to be among the most useless weapons availlable.  I mean 6 tons
(not counting ammo) for a gun that does a measly *2* points of damage?
Granted it has terrific range, but that doesn't make up for much except
against infantry.  And machine guns almost never come into play because (at
least for us) most battles end long before you would ever get close enough to
use them, and even if you do, they barely do any damage anyway.  Just some
personal gripes about the rules...

One thing though.  I'm kind of suprised, that no one has come up with some
sort of a howizter type weapon besides the Gauss.  In real life the bigger the
gun, the longer the range, unlike the autocannons.  In addition, an armor
piercing round will likely do far more damage than any shotgun type gun ever
will.  I have mounted a Long Tom on a mech though.  Makes for some very
interesting fights.


-- 
Stacy John Behrens
*===)-------------
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The only justification for our concepts and systems of concepts is that they
serve to represent the complex of our experiences; beyond this they have not
legitimacy.                                  [Albert Einstein]
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