The laser is much more damaging than the AC/2. I fire it at the helicopter, and make the kabuto my secondary target w/ the auto cannons.

Uh oh.

I accidentally saved over this save game.

So...

The enemy flees.

You go back to base.

The Commander of the Mercenaries says "Good job Mechwarriors. I will brief you on the next mission in a moment."

Not the kind that I would have hoped for, but...

VICTORY!

Thank you for arranging the game. This was fun. 🙂

"Mechwarriors, we have acquired a new 'Mech. You three pilots must decide which 'Mechs you will pilot.

You will be defending the fortified compound you recently captured.

The new 'Mech is:

Icarus ICR-1X
40 tons IS TW non-box set

Movement: 4/6
Engine: 195
Heat Sinks: 10
Cockpit: Primitive Cockpit

Internal: 67
Armor: 112/137 Industrial
HD: 3 9
CT: 12 15 ( 4)
RT: 10 13 ( 4)
LT: 10 13 ( 4)
RA: 6 9
LA: 6 9
RL: 10 16
LL: 10 16

Large Laser [LA] 8 Heat
Small Laser [LA] 1 Heat
Machine Gun [RA] 0 Heat
Machine Gun [RA] 0 Heat
SRM 2 [LT] 2 Heat
SRM 2 [LT] 2 Heat

SRM 2 Ammo (50) [LT]
Machine Gun Ammo (200) [RT]

BV: 700 Cost: 2,535,330 Cbills

We also have

Clint CLNT-2-4T
40 tons IS Introductory Box Set

Movement: 6/9
Engine: 240
Heat Sinks: 10

Internal: 67
Armor: 72/137
HD: 3 9
CT: 12 11 ( 4)
RT: 10 6 ( 4)
LT: 10 6 ( 4)
RA: 6 6
LA: 6 6
RL: 10 8
LL: 10 8

Autocannon/2 [RA] 1 Heat
Autocannon/2 [RA] 1 Heat
Medium Laser [CT] 3 Heat

AC/2 Ammo (45) [RT]

BV: 619 Cost: 3,143,280 Cbills

Flea FLE-14-BT
15 tons IS Introductory Box Set

Movement: 9/14/3
Engine: 135
Heat Sinks: 10

Internal: 26
Armor: 20/55
HD: 3 2
CT: 5 3 ( 1)
RT: 4 2 ( 1)
LT: 4 2 ( 1)
RA: 2 1
LA: 2 1
RL: 3 3
LL: 3 3

Medium Laser [RT] 3 Heat

BV: 284 Cost: 1,318,475 Cbills

Wasp WSP-1D
20 tons IS Introductory Box Set

Movement: 6/9/6
Engine: 120
Heat Sinks: 10

Internal: 33
Armor: 48/69
HD: 3 4
CT: 6 6 ( 4)
RT: 5 6 ( 2)
LT: 5 6 ( 2)
RA: 3 4
LA: 3 4
RL: 4 5
LL: 4 5

Flamer [LL] 3 Heat
Medium Laser [RA] 3 Heat
Small Laser [LT] 1 Heat
Small Laser [LT] 1 Heat

BV: 403 Cost: 1,638,240 Cbills

"Talzamir, you get first pick. Which 'Mech do you want?"

All four are fine choices. The mobility makes the Flea very enjoyable to pilot, and this individual seems to have awesome targeting computers as well. The jump jets make the Wasp similarly great fun. The Clint is superb at long range.. and the new mech is, well, new. It's slow, but heavily armored, and has weapons both for long and short range. It has a cockpit listed unlike the others. Not sure if that's a good thing?

I'm basically fine with any of them. Perhaps the new mech, simply because it is so different from the Flea.

Tomtom232, what 'Mech would you like?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Tomtom232, what 'Mech would you like?

OK. Tomtom232 has Icarus.

Forkedknight can pick from the Clint, the Flea and the Wasp.

Talzamir will select from the remaining two.

So.. I'm not getting the new mech, Icarus, after all? Fine by me, I'll pilot any mech.

if FK chooses
* Flea, I choose Clint
* Wasp, I choose Clint
* Clint, I choose Wasp.

I'll take the Wasp

Originally posted by talzamir
So.. I'm not getting the new mech, Icarus, after all? Fine by me, I'll pilot any mech.

if FK chooses
* Flea, I choose Clint
* Wasp, I choose Clint
* Clint, I choose Wasp.

Tomtom232 is piloting the Icarus. Forkedknight is piloting the Wasp and talzamir has the long ranged Clint.

The enemy will be approaching from the northeast again. Start considering where you want to position yourselves.

As it turns out the Icarus is an antique 'Mech. According to this website:

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Icarus

"ICR-1X The original prototype Icarus used primitive equipment and lacked jump jets. It had a Large Laser to complement the Small Laser. Two SRM-2s and twin Machine Guns could prove devastating to conventional troops. Only six of these were ever produced and they are all long gone."

After this battle if it's still working it will be traded off for something else.

The map looks something like this except that the north entrance is further east right in the center of the northeast/southwest portion of the wall:

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/File:MapMilitaryBase2.jpg

I'm happy with the Clint, but would've been with the Icarus as well with its primitive cockpit and minibar of pina coladas. Could you give a summary of the effective range of the weaponry on the friendly mechs? As I understand, large lasers and the autocannons shoot far, flamers and machine guns and small lasers to a very short range, and missiles and medium lasers to something between the two?

As such, the odds look good that I could get a couple of sniper shots at the opposition from the wall facing them as the height advantage makes it harder for them to shoot at me and the range works in my advantage. The same goes for all friendly mechs with long-range weaponry of course. That approach has three possible problems I can think of; being heavily outgunned when the enemy force gets closer en masse, being flanked, or heating up too much. Stepping back from the wall gives a breather if needed so the enemy can come closer and then be met with overwhelming fire from all friendly mechs; flanking is only an issue if I pick a spot too close to the gate or the enemy gets indoors, either through the gate or over the wall. Heating up too much can also be handled by shooting a bit less, perhaps also withdrawing from the wall.

So, I take a position near the gate but not so close that a flank shot could get through the gate and hit me, and prepare to stand still and blast at the approaching enemy force. I'll either choose a position slightly northwest or southeast from the gate, based on which gives a cleaner kill zone.. and am aware that I'm four times protected;
* lower body is covered by the crest of the wall, only guns and up showing;
* height advantage on anything that rolls, crawls, runs, or walks;
* stationary while their aim will be compromised by the need to move;
* occasional flank or rear shots, while the enemy gets none. Those who get
into the base will find themselves between our forces, and shot from behind by lower-range mechs.

Content with the position, I watch the distance and prepare for the first kill of the day, preferring
* flying targets to ground targets
* flank shots to frontal shots
* fast to slow targets
* wounded to pristine
* heavy long-range weapons to light; and
* low armor to heavy

Mechs

Clint CLNT-2-4T
* 2 x Autocannon/2 [RA] 1 Heat; 1-8/9-16/17-24, damage 2
* Medium Laser [CT] 3 Heat; 1-3/4-6/7-9. damage 5

Icarus ICR-1X
* Large Laser [LA] 8 Heat: range 1-5/6-10/11-15, damage 8
* 2 x SRM 2 [LT] 2 Heat <standard munition>; 1-3/4-6/7-9, damage 2 x 2
* Small Laser [LA] 1 Heat; range 1/2/3, damage 3
* 2 x Machine Gun [RA] 0 Heat; range 1/2/3, damage 2

Wasp WSP-1D
* Medium Laser [RA] 3 Heat; 1-3/4-6/7-9, damage 5
* 2 x Small Laser [LT] 1 Heat; range 1/2/3, damage 3
* Flamer [LL] 3 Heat; range 1/2/3, damage 2, causes heat on target, can burn cities and forests

Flea FLE-14-BT
* Medium Laser [RT] 3 Heat; 1-3/4-6/7-9, damage 5


Weapons by Range

16-24
* Clint autocannon 2+2

10-15
* Clint autocannon 2+2
* Icarus large laser 8

4-9
* Clint autocannon 2+2
* Clint medium laser 5
* Icarus large laser 8
* Icarus SRM 2; two packs, two missiles each for 2 damage
* Wasp medium laser 5
* Flea medium laser 5

1-3
* Clint autocannon 2+2
* Clint medium laser 5
* Icarus large laser 8
* Icarus SRM 2; two packs, two missiles each for 2 damage
* Icarus small laser 3
* Icarus machine guns 2 x 2
* Wasp medium laser 5
* Wasp small lasers 2 x 3
* Wasp flamer 2 + special
* Flea medium laser 5