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File: 1352789055654.jpg-(77 KB, 600x424, 041_stream.jpg)
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The year is 3040, and the planet is Skvorec.

You are Daniel Holdt, Battlemech Engineer/Designer, fresh out of school, and finally into a job as Lead Designer for the tiny startup Skvorec Armorworks, owned by one Goddard Grey, a wheeler-and-dealer who you find you really don't know much about. He picked you up at a job fair, and now here you are, in the backwater of the Free World's League, with a job and an uncertain future ahead of you.

Thusfar, you have relocated yourself to Skvorec, and gotten settled in your new office. You have learned you were not the first person to have your job; one Richard Kensington Jr. was the Lead Designer before you, but he was fired after not producing a rough that satisfied his boss, even though apparently his parents lent lots of money to Goddard for this little venture. According to him, all ties are severed and everything is tidy and legal in that regard.

You have met some of your co-workers as well; Ivan Grigori, the Head Mechanic/Tech of the small facility, he has a history
of service on Solaris VII, and knows how to fabricate armor and chassis like a pro (according to him). He was in a lot of
gambling debt before Goddard found him, paid his debts off, and now he believes himself in debt to Goddard, so here he is. He seems to like you alright, since you are the only person he's spoken to in your presense that wasn't in a loud, angry tone.

Janine Steiner is the Financial Coordinator/Liasion of Skvorec Armorworks, and, as you now know, is a real Steiner noble,
though she seems to want nothing to do with it. She is boisterous, confrontational, and tempermental, but both she and Goddard seem to believe that she knows what she is doing.

(OP art by Jim Hatama)
>>
>>21559682

Dieter VonBraun, the Physics Specialist and Lead tester is a kindly old man with a nice chair and an inquisitive, if not slightly addled mind. He has a knack for designing custom testing equipment, and seems devoted to his niece and sister, Ilsa and Wanda respectively, who are both fabricators at the depot.

Wan Lee Hatamoto is the Energy specialsit, with a focus on Fusion engines. He seems to be a rigid, yet intelligent man who is all business and no wasted time. He requested that you try to get him some Freeezers from the arms dealer when he comes the day after tomorrow, which leads you to believe he keeps well abreast of events on-site.
>>
>>21559682
That's...not an autocannon.
>>
>>21559684

Archives:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21368164/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21423338/
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21481062/

When we last left Daniel, he and Janine were walking to the main building after discussing the budget for the arms deal. Drinks are to be had by all.
>>
>>21559694

(You're not designing an autocannon, but if I find more freetime I'll start Autocannon Designer Quest sometime next week.)
>>
>>21559699
Let's get to drinking, unwinding, having fun.

Remember not to try to match Ivan drink for drink, he's a giant Russian. It will end badly.
>>
>>21559699
Right, she had given us a figure on how much we can spend.

Well, we will need to ask Ivan to go over Mech Bay 5 again, now that power is online. And especially the big thing labeled only as CORE.
>>
>fresh out of school
>Lead Designer

wat
>>
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>>21559706
Nope, we already have all the AC/2s we'll ever need!
>>
>>21559731
Read the archives.

It's because we got scouted by a venture capitalist on a mech startup.
>>
>>21559731
It's a very small operation and the previous lead designer was basically dildos. Nobody liked him.
>>
>>21559731
It's a very small company that just got off the ground and hasn't sold anything yet. It's a complete startup.
>>
>>21559717
>>21559728

As you and Janine walk, you see Ivan with the company truck, unloading bags of stuff and handing them to Hatamoto and Wanda, who are carrying them inside.

You mention to Janine that you want to have Mechbay 5 seen to whenever someone is able, since you now have an idea as to why it's not working. She nods, and opens the door to the main building for the two of you.

"Ivan will probably be useless all day, but I'll talk to the crew about it."
>>
>>21559792
"Thanks.

Now shall we spend some time being useless ourselves? It's not everyday that you find something like that in your basement. And it'd be a waste to let everyone else drink all the alcohol."
>>
>>21559828

(Jesus Verizon just shat a brick and my net died for a bit there.)

Janine nods emphatically.

"Never get between a Steiner and good hooch."

Inside the commissary, everyone is setting up tables, chairs, and whatnot for lounging and drinking and eating. There is a lot of crew here, and you had no idea Goddard employed so many people. You wonder how many are in the same cash situation as you.

Ivan sees you and lumbers over, clasping your shoulder and grinning.

"Ivan tells you he can pilot UrbanMech, and he does it! Not even scratch on bumper!"
>>
>>21559898
"And I messed up my ankle just going down there. Remind me to never get in the cockpit.

Thanks Ivan, it would have been hell to get it out of there without you. How was the beer run?"
>>
>>21559940

"Beer? Bah, beer is just pansy talk for vodka!"

Ivan laughs, and after a moment points over to the table where Hatamoto and Wanda are setting up the 'bar'.

"We get all kinds of things. Beer, sake, vodka, whiskey... whatever Engineer would want. It is not proper party if booze selection is not bigger than food selection!"
>>
>>21559980
"Ivan, I love you in a completely platonic fashion. The alcohol you have assembled is a truly heavenly sight.

We have drinking to do my friends, serious drinking."
>>
>>21560006

(slow night tonight)

Ivan nods, and nearly bounds off to get hammered.

Janine sighs, and shakes her head.

"We are like a giant orphanage for wayward knuckleheads that also thought it would be a great idea to employ said knuckleheads in a nearly-impossible, expensive, and potentially hazardous business venture."

She looks at you and smiles a little.

"Thoughts like that make me want a drink."

She heads over to where the mob is forming, anticipating the opening of the first bottle.
>>
>>21560062
im holding back sleep to watch
>>
>>21560062
smile, sit back, enjoy a smoke, in the corner, we can get the booze after everyone is done clamoring, chat up Goddard if he is nearby, see what he thinks of the whole thing
>>
>>21560062
She's the only sane one here.

Wait for the crowd to clear out from the drinks, no need to fight the press, smoke a cigarette and enjoy the atmosphere. Then head to the bar, get drinks, tell drunken stories about mech design and make jokes about technical details that most people won't get. Be friendly and sociable.
>>
>>21560088
nooo mingle a bit! rub elbows with our newfound people
>>
You guys ever have a sprained ankle? It hurts. Get some booze in you to take some more of the pain off. Excessive drinking never hurt anyone.
>>
>>21560113
OOooo, I forgot about the ankle, maybe we can rope Janine into getting some booze for us if she sees us sitting and enjoying a cig. Time to work our social skills a bit with her.
>>
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>>21560113
>Excessive drinking never hurt anyone.
Pic is for you.

I've been waiting for this for like the entire weekend, and now it's at the END of a weekend? Oh well.

I propose we keep the booze scaled back a bit, but stories are fine. I'd actually be OK with passing over the celebration, and just going back to work or cataloging our finds, or reverse-engineering the LosTech, but while we're here, might as well meet some new faces, or talk with some familiar ones.
>>
(Posting from my phone; my net seems to have died. Stand by, working on it now. Will post ij a moment.)
>>
>>21560150
You're typing all this out on a smartphone? Geez, dude. I fear for your thumbs.
>>
>>21560085
>>21560088
>>21560098
>>21560105
>>21560126
>>21560142

You light up a cig and recline against a table' your ankle feels better but still throbs a bit. The ice and wrap are helping. The room is quickly becoming hazy with smoke as peoole pour, drink, and talk amongst themselves.

After a moment, Janine returns with two plastic cups and hands one to you.

"Here's to whatever this little adventure brings us."

She knocks her drink back in response to her own little toast.
>>
>>21560164

(at the moment, my computer, but my net is being fifteen shades of crazy right now)
>>
>>21560183
"To a good end!"
>>
>>21560183
"To adventure. If we're lucky we might even remember what we did tonight."

Knock it back, if Janine seems interested we can offer her a cigarette though she called it dirty habit earlier. So she might not care for them.
>>
>>21560201
>>21560208

You tip back your drink, and taste the fire of whiskey pouring down your throat and spreading through your chest. It's a good feeling, and reminds you of the after-project parties that you used to get hammered at in school.

It's then you notice Janine has the bottle, and your cup is full again.

"I bet you thought you'd be matching livers with Ivan tonight, didn't you?"
>>
>>21560264
Nothing wrong with matching livers with a lady. So long as the lady doesn't beat said liver into the ground. I'm pretty sure Ivan would beat my liver into the ground.
>>
>>21560264
steiners can drink a horse to death. Even the most back-asswards drac knows this
>>
>>21560264
"I learned long ago not to get into a drinking contest with a Russian. I knew if I drank with him it would end with us singing off-key and waking up half a mile away.

You seem like a much better drinking partner. I've never seen you unwind, ought to be a learning experience."

Down the second drink.
>>
>>21560294
>>21560305
>>21560311

You take another drink, and Janine grins at your sentiments.

"I'll have you know Ivan is afraid of my liver."

You have just enough time to peer over the edge of your cup to see her sling back her second drink, and start into pouring hers as you lower your glass from finishing yours.

"There are a lot of people here with a lot of things you don't know about yet. Should be a learning experience for a long, long time."
>>
>>21560346
That's good. Wouldn't want to get bored.
>>
>>21560346
>angry adventure princess
>can outdrink a russian
haha yes, this is my kind of bitch
>>
>>21560346
"Well, then I certainly hope that you have a better singing voice than him and don't mock me too much in the morning for outdrinking me.

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. I hope that we get to make many more Mechs together."

Don't try to match her pace perfectly, let ourself fall behind a bit, smoke cigarettes to give ourself pacing time, offer her one but don't push it if she doesn't want one. We don't want to pass out.
>>
>>21560387
This is fine.
>>
>>21560357
>>21560373

As you gird yourself for a night of alcoholism and possible blackouts, you pan the room, looking over everyone as they enjoy themselves.

Dieter is nowhere to be found, but you knew he wanted to check on those LosTech prizes you found earlier in the day. Ilsa is probably with him, cooing over the Urbie she has developed a not-so-subtle crush on.

Ivan is sitting at a table with... Hatamoto? And they are... arm wrestling? It's then you notice that Hatamoto has a bionic arm, and a bottle of sake sitting next to him that looks half-empty. Wanda looks on, claiming the victor to be her challenger.

Goddard is talking to the crew, and you notice he's not drinking. Seems somewhat odd you suppose given his freewheeling nature, but Janine reminds you of your contest and you are coerced into doing another shot with her.
>>
Ain't--Ain't no GRRL gon' out--out-drink ME
>>
>>21560415
"Ms. Steiner, I do believe you're trying to get me drunk. Care for a cigarette?

So, Janine. What's the deal with Goddard? He talks a lot, but never about himself. And he managed to scrape together a working mech shop and a remarkably good crew. Any idea why?"
>>
>>21560463
>>21560387

"My singing voice is likely something you will never have the unluck to hear."

She refuses the cigarette, which you light yourself, and listens to your question about everyone.

"Well, Goddard is a complicated person. I don't even know how he managed this. My guess has always been he's some trust fund baby with stars in his eyes whose family has fallen on hard times, so he's putting his neck out to make a name for them again. At least, it sounds noble in my mind. Explains how a complete scoundrel could manage to be so decent."

She glances over to him.

"As for the crew, well... like I said, we're all misfits somehow. Well, except for you it seems, Mr. Graduate. You're just lucky."
>>
>>21560415
Down the hatch.
>>
>>21560539
Give it time. No doubt i'll do something at some point to get the misfit label.

Like Piss off ComStar by reverse-engineering Starleague Lostech.
>>
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>>21560539
Being normal is boring. Like, REALLY boring. And besides, who would thought I'd misfit in so well?
>>
>>21560539
"Well, Goddard did know my name for some reason..."
>>
>>21560539
"It'll happen eventually. You folks will corrupt my innocent nature soon enough. Obsessively studying hasn't given me that big a chance to have entertaining misadventures.

Thought I wouldn't call myself lucky, family wasn't that rich and I worked my ass off to get here."
>>
>>21560540
>>21560554
>>21560583
>>21560592

You slug your next drink, and so does she.

"Goddard knew your name because he scouted you for some time, actually. I wonder if I should have told you that."

Janine smirks.
>>
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>>21560617
Maybe he recognises talent? Or workaholics.
>>
>>21560617
I bet

YOU

were also

SCOUTING

me?

Eh? Eh?

Eh?

Eh?
>>
>>21560617
"The way you're convincing me to drink I'll probably forget, so no harm done. He might just have taken a shine to my obsessive working nature. Makes me feel positively special.

I'm glad he found me. I like it here, I can't think of anywhere else that I would get to dissect LosTech and have this much freedom to design the mechs I wanted instead of being under a Lead Designer.

Were you also scouting me Janine? What about me caught your eye?"
>>
>>21560642
no
>>
>>21560601
>>21560630
>>21560642
>>21560656

Janine laughs at your comment about becoming another misfit.

"Oh I'm sure you will. It's happened to the best of us so far."

You share another drink, and muse about whether she's been scouting you too. She arches an eyebrow at you.

"I'll admit you do have a lot of freedom here, and I can't blame you for liking it, but try not to be too free with your words there kiddo; it might get you into trouble."

She pours you another drink, and one for herself and toasts.

"To a designer that's not an asshole. May he make us all not end up in debtor's prison."
>>
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>>21560704
I doubt they'll have much to work with if you get to me first.

Cheers!
>>
>>21560704
"To the woman who keeps us in the black. Long may she reign."

Clink glasses, drink.

"I'll do my best, if I somehow fuck it all up I give you permission to rip my throat out. It's the least I could do."
>>
>>21560735
>>21560746

She toasts to that, and refills you both again. You're no lightweight but you can feel the effects of the alcohol creeping their way into your brain.

"I wouldn't worry too much about your throat. It should be safe so long as you still need it to work."

Janine smirks, and raises her glass.

It may be a long night.

(Vote! do you want to fast forward through the party to tomorrow, or do you want to make the rounds and roleplay though it?)
>>
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Drinking? Did someone say drinking!? Why was I not informed?!?

>>21560787
Roleplaying is for little baby men. Let us design and sell mechs! And maybe even shoot some if we get around to live fire trials!
>>
>>21560787
Let's go through the rounds, after the party we're going to be cooped up in our office working until the meeting with the gunrunner happens.

"Duly noted. I'll try not to give you any reason to hurt me.

So, is there anything about me that you want to know? I'll even try to avoid boring you with stories that are only funny if you know technical minutia about Mechs."
>>
>>21560787
I vote fastfoward.
>>
>>21560865
>>21560870
>>21560908

(two for FFwarding, one for roleplay. Voting will close in 5 minutes!)
>>
>>21560920

(also it seems either /tg/ or this thread is slow tonight. people not as interested in the quest anymore?)
>>
>>21560960
I'd rather call it a minority quest in general. Just look at normal BattleTech threads, and the pace they move at. Just check back every now and then, and hang around during the busy spells.
>>
>>21560960
Nah, just a small playerbase. Don't worry, if you've made it this long you're not going to die from lack of players, even if it is a bit slow.

Also, timezones.
>>
Fastfoward and people still love the quest, but like all quests on tg they hit slow points sometimes, the slow point here in yours shall pass in time.
>>
>>21560974

(I've run this quest at this time of night every time pretty much, and it has been much busier. You can imagine my concern.)
>>
>>21561005

(Alright, that puts three voted to fast-forwarding, so it seems we have a winner. Post incoming.)
>>
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>>21561011
I remember the Merc quest and the Commando quest, and both had a similar runtime, as well as a similarily low posting pace after the initial spurts. At the bottom of it, I recommend patience and long-term thinking.
>>
>>21561011
Some days are just slower than others. Not always the same people on, even at the same times.
Also, we're currently doing a lot of character interaction, rather than, y'know, LASERS MISSILES GUNS GUNS GUNS. Some people find that kind of stuff more interesting. Myself, I like a mix.
>>
The night goes on. Many drinks are had, and stories told. You recall armwrestling Ivan, and Wanda as well. Laughing with Goddard, and getting to know a few off the crew a little too.

When you awake, you are laying on your couch in your office, with a coat over your head to block the light. You groan, and stir. Your head is filled with the dull thumping of the dreaded hangover, but a familiar smell peaks your interest.

Coffee.

You see you now are the proud owner of a coffee pot, and a decent sized one at that. 12 cups; guessing the capacity of a coffee machine being second nature to one such as yourself.

You sit up, and rub your head. A quickly lit cig and a few drags grounds you, and you slowly stand, making your way to the coffee like a zombie to brains.

As you take your first step, you trip and fall. You catch yourself, but hit the ground with a thud anyway. It would seem your pants are around your ankles. And the one you twisted yesterday starts complaining.
>>
>>21561038

(oh I plan on sticking with it, it's just a bit jarring to suddenly see the thread dry up for a bit after the first three went so well is all.)
>>
>>21561038
Oh god someone saved that

Mercquest died due to combat being done in megamek and "what do you do with a nuke". Commandoquest was fun but it just went bellyup sadly.
>>
>>21561074
Check for anyone else in the room in a similar state of nopants. Just in case.
>>
>>21561074
Fortunately we don't need to walk far to get to work.

Take a look around, I don't think we're alone unless that coffee pot is automated to make ambrosia when we get up.

Get our pants back on properly, hobble our way to the coffee pot and get a large mug. Try to remember who brought us back here, if the coat that was put our head is ours.
>>
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>>21561074
>Pants around ankles
Oh my.
>>
>>21561074
1: pull pants up
2: drink some coffee
3: check computer integrity and doublecheck you didn't delete designs
4:check room for other people
>>
>>21561096
>>21561114
>>21561116
>>21561126

You look around the room, but quickly note you are alone. You get your pants back up and secured, and get yourself on your feet. Hobbling over to the coffee pot, you pour yourself a double of the sweet sweet nectar and sip. Glorious.

Your computer seems to still be on in sleep mode; you can see the power lights and the HDD light flickering once in a while.

The door to your office is open.

(oh, and I would like to re-assure my players that while this is my first real quest on /tg/, it's not my first time running a game. I've been a DM for more than a decade)
>>
>>21561160
Yell a thanks for the coffee through the open door.

Try to jog our memory a bit, remember the blurry bits of last night and how we got here.

Turn on the computer, make sure we didn't drink and design, check the time and prepare to get back to work.
>>
>>21561160
Check body for further injuries, see if anything new is sore.

Check the time, check the emails. I also want to suggest not actually getting any work done while hung over, but going outside and seeing if there's any new news regarding our find.

Barring any emails, that is.
>>
>>21561160
Check the room to see if anything's displaced or missing and peek out the door to see if anything's odd there
>>
>>21561160
Check if we had any drunken fits of genius.
Also close our door.
And check the time too. Is it time we went home? Or is it morning and work starts soon anyway?

(When was the arms dealer arriving again?)
>>
I bet ROM left our door open.
>>
TOO MUCH TALKING NOT ENOUGH MECHS

QUIT BEING FAGGOTS
>>
>>21561190
>Is it time we went home?
We are already there.
>>
>>21561160
15 mins clean self up
15 minutes breakfast
Start checking schedule before starting work. Meeting arms dealer/planning components?
>>
>>21561179
>>21561180
>>21561182

You speak praise for the life-giving potion in your hands towards the open door, and proceed to sit at your desk.

Having concerns about 'drunken designing', you bring your computer out of sleep mode and check your specs.

As you click through everything, your head clears a bit as you focus, and the coffee kicks in. Everything seems to be in order, though you do have some new emails it seems. Two of them.

Looking outside and around the room one more time, you note everything seems to be in order. Though you can see the UrbanMech padding around outside on the Tarmac, and the crew using the newfound trucks to unload crates from the cache.
>>
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>>21561207
>>
>>21561218
Read Emails.
>>
>>21561190
>>21561213

(arms dealer arrives tomorrow unless i'm a derp)
>>
>>21561218
Read them mails.
>>21561224
YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, COMSTAR
>>
>>21561218
Read emails, check the time, get some work done.
>>
>>21561218
Read emails, suffer intense bout of Comstar induced paranoia
>>
>>21561228
>>21561242
>>21561243
>>21561253

You click your email, popping your Inbox up.

Two new messages:

One from Janine
One from Dieter

You sip your coffee, light another smoke, and check the time. It's just before noon, and lunch will be ready soon.
>>
>>21561267
Read both emails, start with Janine.

We should probably get lunch, or breakfast, who knows. Can't work all day on an empty stomach.
>>
>>21561267
Bad news first.
And by that I mean read Janine's.
>>
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You swear it was a great idea, at least after you shared a bottle of Sovietskii Soyuz commemorative vodka with the guys.
>>
>>21561267
Come on dude, you think we're not going to read the emails? Just post them.
>>
>>21561282
Dear god, that mech is terrible. Don't drink and design, it leads to AC/2s being used.
>>
>>21561282
Oh my Blake, it really was a ROM sabotage attempt
>>
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>>21561282
Why.
>>
>>21561282
Is that using Skunk Werks?
If so how do you get that summary page?
>>
>>21561271
>>21561280
>>21561286

(You might not. Maybe save them till after food or something. I don't really feel like railroading, even something fairly minor. Sorry it bothers you)

You open Janine's email first. It contains a reminder about how much money you have for the deal (85000 Cbills) and double-reminding you the meeting is tomorrow. Also telling you you have a new coffeemaker, though she speculated you would already be drinking from it when you got this.

Deiter's email is more interesting. It details the work he did on the autocannon and AMS last night while the party was going on. He tells you he believes the autocannon is a model called an 'Ultra', which has double the normal firing rate. The last record he could find of one seeing combat use was over a hundred years old. The AMS might be even older than that, since they are small and fragile.
>>
>>21561282
>I.C.E

WHY
>>
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>>21561332
>Ultra ACs
What size?
>>
>>21561327
There's an export to text option in the top row, use that.
>>21561332
Dang look at that, we've got hella lostech
>>
>>21561350
Cheers.
>>
>>21561332
Woohoo, Ultra AC. What size is it?

Send an email to Janine thanking her for the coffee pot and saying we had a lovely time last night.

Send an email to Deiter saying how awesome that is and to keep on working on it, maybe seeing if it's reverse engineerable and if we could replicate it.

Then hobble off to lunch/breakfast.
>>
>>21561344

Doesn't say, but then again Dieter is somewhat eccentric so he might have neglected to include the info in his excitement.
>>
>>21561332
The course is clear. We are going to want to minutely reverse-engineer these, and then build production lines for them from the ground up.
>>
>>21561379
Okay, than in the reply to Dieter ask what size they are in addition to the rest of the response.
>>
>ultra AC2
>mfw we actually make an AC2 mech

ROM stole my face
>>
>>21561378
The only UAC that was manufactured during Star League times was the UAC/5, so I figure it'll be that one
>>
>>21561393
Yeah, but questfag is making ACs more in terms of actual bore size for purposes of this quest.

UAC/2s are pretty cool, but LBX-2s are better, because, y'know, flak.
>>
>>21561378
>>21561385

You drop Dieter a line, expressing excitement and asking him if he knows what class the autocannon is.

You do so to Janine as well, thanking her for your lifeblood machine and also for entertaining you last night at the party.

Then, you head off to get some lunch. After about ten minutes, you return with two sandwiches, chips, three cans of soda, and the desire to do some serious work.

Your CAD program stands ready, and you are where you left off, which is, not that far, but at least you have the indications of a chassis going.
>>
>>21561405
Make sure we label a bunch of parts in such a manner than, when arranged properly, they read COMSTAR IS WATCHING SAVE YOURSELF
But in like, latin or something.
>>
File: 1352801906697.jpg-(94 KB, 1100x656, roberto_14.jpg)
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Delux DLX-AA 001

Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-F-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,297,318 C-Bills
Battle Value: 645

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 140 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Ultra AC/5
2 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 140 5.00
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 CT, 1 LT, 1 LL, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 88 5.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 13
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 8 11
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 6 7
L/R Leg 8 10

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Laser HD 3 1 1.00
Ultra AC/5 LT 1 5 9.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@Ultra AC/5 (100) RT - 5 5.00
Free Critical Slots: 32

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 6
4 2 2 1 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
>>
>>21561423
Bitches love Latin
>>
Also; to those panicking, the UAC/5 and AMS were officially rediscovered by the FedCom in 3035, and trialled in the War of 3039.

So they exist and are being made, but we're obviously unlikely to know shit about them in the middle of Bumfucknowhere, Free Worlds League.
>>
>>21561405
WORK! We've got cigarettes, we've got a snack, we've got a coffee pot, nothing can stand in our way.

Turn on engineer mode and don't stop working until we realize it's midnight and we haven't eaten anything but coffee and cigarette smoke since breakfast.
>>
>>21561405
Build for STABILITY and EASE OF MAINTENANCE.

Also, Hand Actuators. Hand Actuators are critical, and should be planned for in the beginning.
>>
>>21561428
>@Ultra AC/5 (100) RT - 5 5.00

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT
>>
>>21561428
I don't know most of that, but it seems in line with what we have. Probably replace the UAC/5 with something different until we meet and decide to use it (unless it's not a unique part)

AMS is probably off-limits for this mech.
>>
>>21561438

ENGINEER MODE TURN ON!

You open your toolbars, crack your knuckles, and get to work.

First thing's first: you have to expand the structure you have, and solidify it. You chose a bipedal humanoid design last time, but now you need to choose a stature, gait, limb length, torso size, and general appearance. All of these things is figured by the work you do now on the chassis.
>>
>>21561465

(Well, you don't have the capability of building that 'Mech anyway, since you don't have a facility to make UAC5s in, so you could make a prototype and that's all. And at this juncture, the only one who can make UAC5s is the FedCom, so you'd have to sell to them exclusively, and they probably already have plans for that production.)
>>
>>21561481
>And at this juncture, the only one who can make UAC5s is the FedCom, so you'd have to sell to them exclusively, and they probably already have plans for that production

We should sell it and the AMS to Imperator or Earthwerks or something in exchange for production royalties.
>>
>>21561460
What's wrong with it?
I was not really serious, just seeing if I could whip up a Mech designed around the UAC5 in 5 minutes.
>>
>>21561467
Okay, we know the torso has to be kinda barrel chested because of the reactor. So make the general structure kinda stocky, lots of angled armor, it's not fast so a steady solid gait would work, kinda short and wide, actual arms would be nice.

I want the thing to feel stubborn and reliable.
>>
>>21561496
You're stuffing in 50 turns worth of ammo, it's more than you could ever possibly need.
>>
>>21561496

Even in a campaign, 5 tons of UAC/5 ammo is overkill. For single matches, it's basically suicide - you've turned the torso into a (slow) walking bomb.

One ton is all most 'mechs need, maybe two if it's feeding multiple guns.
>>
>>21561467
Keep working on the Hazard Pay. Sure an UAC5 is nice and all but it isnt gonna pay the bills by next week.
>>
>>21561504
>>21561503
Wow, Yeah I was doing (very) wrong calculations about ammo. I was reading it as 5 rounds per tonne, which in hindsight is ridiculous.
>>
>>21561467

Barrel-chested, fast, heavily armoured?


Build it like a Linebacker. Big Shoulders to house the missiles, legs like tree-trunks such that they don't snap like twigs at the first pothole.

Give both the arms and legs the widest range of motion possible - oh, and actual fucking hips, so it can torso twist. (Looking at you, fucking Falconer. The War Dog has nothing to be smug about, either.)
>>
>>21561526
Well, it's what AC/20s get for ammo. But then again, they don't need much more than 10 rounds of ammo.
>>
>>21561534
As far as I know we've only got the single LRM 5 plus 3 MLs.
>>
>>21561467
>>21561534

Also, height. Not too tall, but not Urbanmech short-shit, either.

Make it the same height as a Wasp/Stinger, or a touch shorter.

>>21561548
I was under the impression it was 2ML and 2 LRM-5.
>>
>>21561501
>>21561505

You recall the notes you got from Hatamoto, and start the layout for the chest and torso. You can set up the engine mounts now, but you have to account for any torso-mounted weapons as well. If you are going with the Aeneas design that was posted before, now is the time to confirm that decision, because weapon mounts are integral to the chassis and have to be decided ahead of time.

OR: you can attempt to make a more modular system, much like the Mercury has, which cuts down on weapon swap times and maintenance, but increases the difficulty of properly designing the chassis.
>>
>>21561561
>but increases the difficulty of properly designing the chassis.
HA HA HA
[x] modular AS HELL
>>
>>21561541
Delux DLX-AA

Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-F-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,461,568 C-Bills
Battle Value: 812

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 175 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Ultra AC/5
3 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Skvorec Armorworks
Primary Factory: Skorvec
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 175 7.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 2 CT, 1 LT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 88 5.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 13
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 8 11
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 6 7
L/R Leg 8 10

Better?
>>
>>21561574
Better.

That said, I cannot stand a light 'mech that moves so slowly; 6/9/6 or 7/11 minimum. They just die to easily otherwise.
>>
>>21561572
A more modular system does sound more impressive. Also looks good on the buyer's review.
>>
>>21561561
Don't go for a modular chassis, I think for a young company like us we don't want to overextend ourselves with tech like this.
>>
>>21561561

Well, we need to settle the argument of whether it was 3xML + LRM5, or 2xML + 2xLRM5.

Anyone got the stats to post?
>>
>>21561572
>>21561583
>>21561586

(Two for modular, one for not. Either way, afterwards will be a roll to determine success and Quirks, if any)
>>
>>21561586
Sounds like you don't trust the company.

I think we can do it, another vote for modular.
>>
>>21561582
Keep in mind that I'm strapping a UAC5 to a 35 tonner. That's more than a quarter of it's tonnage in 1 gun.
>>
>>21561589

(The original was 5/8 with 4 SmLas, 2 LRM5, 2 SRM4 I think, and 7 tons of armor)
>>
>>21561592
Go big or go home, go modular.
>>
>>21561602
I think that we should have it set up for 2 MeLas and we'll only loose some percentage of 1 day of work if it turns out we can't get them and have to suffice with Smalls.
>>
>>21561592
Will using a modular design reduce the robustness at all? We are billing this as BUILT SKVOREK TOUGH, remember.
>>
>>21561602
That was one pick. The other was a 7/11 with 2ML and 2LRM5, and nearly as much armour.
>>
File: 1352803348456.jpg-(272 KB, 650x639, 1276326992754.jpg)
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>>21561602
>4xSL
WHAT IS THIS?
>>
>>21561589
2ML 2LRM5
Non-modular (but votes are in already)
>>
>>21561618
I think that was how it was because we didn't have any Medium Lasers and weren't sure if we could get any.
>>
>>21561618
That was only if we can't get the mediums off the merchant.
We don't actually have any ourselves; we only have the smalls.
>>
File: 1352803477483.jpg-(283 KB, 816x979, missile_launch_by_flyingd(...).jpg)
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>>21561616
This
Also might look like this.
>>
Rolled 95

You look at your design, and after making some notes about the engine position and whatnot, you tilt your head, and notice that you might be able to set the engine a certain way which would open up a contiguous area to mount weapons in the torso. Not only that, but you recall a 'rail' mounting system from your thesis, which was used in some earlier 'Mech designs to some success. It was intended to make weapon swapping and maintaining the 'Mech easier, and reduce ownership costs slightly. You crack your knuckles again, and grasp your mouse. It's go time.

(Rolling for initial layout success: 1d100, lower is better. 10 difficulty modifier for adding 'Modular' to the chassis quirks)
>>
>>21561634
Does that mean we do have the SRMs though?
>>
>>21561602
Well, that loadout leaves us with a free half-ton floating around.

I'd prefer the design that had 2ML 2LRM5 7/11 with 6.5t of armour.
>>
>>21561640
Okay, we're setting today's progress on fire and pretending it never happened.
>>
>>21561637
Except with Humanoid legs, not digitgrade.
>>
>>21561640
Haha this roll, we're gonna get fired in a day
>>
File: 1352803621933.jpg-(7 KB, 190x190, okay.jpg)
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>>21561640
OH FUCK
>>
>>21561643
We do.
>>
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>>21561640
>>
>>21561640

Trash the entire modular concept, in that case.

Let's go for tried-and-true.
>>
(Oh yeah there was the 2 LRM5 2 MLas one, but you don't have the MLas yet. but, that's not a huge problem, because mass-wise they are the same, so you can mount either the 4 SmLas or the 2 MLas in the same location with the same mounts. I just need to know if you are going with 7/11 or 5/8 moreso than the weapon stuff too)
>>
>>21561640
DERP
A
HERP
>>
>>21561674

Well, there's several votes for the convenience store- er, 7/11, so probably that one.
>>
>>21561695
Yeah, though slapping a 245 monster on a garrison mech might be a little counter-design.
>>
>>21561649
>>21561654
>>21561655
>>21561665
>>21561666

(Thankfully 95 is far within the threshold to notice something is wrong - no negative quirks!)

You work for three hours straight, and then step back to look at your creation.

You fire up the preliminary stress test calcs and let them spin while you get some more coffee and light a smoke. Almost immediately something lights up as wrong. It seems if you use this layout, you will have no room for heatsinks in the torso, which you need to, you know, run the engine.

You muss your hair; wasting three hours of your life sucks bad enough, but the pride-shattering notion that you made this bad of a mistake out the gate hurts a lot more.

Get back to work? Or take a break?
>>
>>21561718
Slap ourself in the face and get back to work.

One more time, with feeling.
>>
>>21561718
Get back to work
>>
>>21561718
We need to make one of those Italian Coffees which is more caffeine than bean.

Then RECLAIM OUR LOST TIME!
>>
>>21561718
ENGINEER LIVES TO WORK
>>
File: 1352804178630.jpg-(521 KB, 1119x1397, 1348869825369.jpg)
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"I'm pretty sure it's nothing a bit of reinforced endosteel can't fix!"
>>
>>21561735
>>21561743
>>21561749
>>21561750
>>21561753

(Try the modular design again or forget it and soldier on with a more traditional method?)
>>
>>21561711
Eh, speed is life for 'lights. We want a design that works, and stands out form inferior competitors, not more of the same.

In a military sense, speed lets the pilot dictate the flow of battle and provides general utility.
>>
>>21561762
Voting Traditional.
>>
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Vote time to be sure
Design Mk1 (light, fast, long range support)
Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,842,650 C-Bills
Battle Value: 815

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 245 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 75.6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 118.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Medium Lasers
2 LRM-5s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 245 12.00
Walking MP: 7
Running MP: 11
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 CT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 88 5.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 13
Center Torso (rear) 4
L/R Torso 8 11
L/R Torso (rear) 3
L/R Arm 6 7
L/R Leg 8 10

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRM-5 RT 2 1 2.00
LRM-5 LT 2 1 2.00
Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 42

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 3 Points: 8
7 2 2 1 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA
>>
>>21561762
MODULAR OR BUST

BLAKE WILLS IT
>>
>>21561762
Let's try the modular design again. Assuming the dice stop hating us it ought to make us stand out from our competitors.
>>
File: 1352804345422.jpg-(490 KB, 1228x1600, $T2eC16Z,!)cE9s4Pudo(BQcO(...).jpg)
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warhammer is the best huehuehuehue
>>
>>21561768
Only needs 1t of ammo, more armour.
>>
>>21561767
>>21561769
>>21561770

(two for modular, one for traditional, and I also support voting on the design finalization)
>>
>>21561718
Take a short break, just sulk around a bit inside the building.
>>
>>21561762
Modular. With a roll that high surely /tg/ will be nice next time.
>>21561768
Looks pretty good.
>>
File: 1352804494422.jpg-(24 KB, 222x290, 07001_G.jpg)
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>>21561768
Design 2 MK I (slower, more armor, more firepower)
Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,365,650 C-Bills
Battle Value: 817

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 175 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Medium Lasers
1 LRM-5
2 SRM-4s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 175 7.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 1 RT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 119 7.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 17
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 8 12
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 12
L/R Leg 8 16

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRM-5 CT 2 1 2.00
SRM-4 RA 3 1 2.00
Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
SRM-4 LA 3 1 2.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) LT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 37

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 8
5 1 2 1 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA, SRM 1/1/0
>>
>>21561773
>Warhammer

THE NEW UN SPACY DEMANDS YOU STOP USING DESTROIDS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION
>>
>>21561791
Has every mech ever thought of got a model or are we just predictable?
>>
>>21561791
Okay, that? That's awful.

Terrible heat bracketing; too slow for that many short-range weapons, and FOUR TONS OF AMMO GOOD FUCKING GOD ARE YOU HIGH!?

No. Hell no. I will never support that abomination, ever.
>>
>>21561791
Want to toss in a vote for this one, if we're choosing between it and >>21561768

Based mostly on the
>slower, more armor, more firepower
bit
>>
(Alright, before we roll on the second go for the modular chassis, I wanna finalize the weapons and engine loadout. Go ahead and vote on one or the other; and don't worry about the mediums, you can sub the 4 smalls for them easily at any time)
>>
>>21561791
I vote this, but with 1 ton of each ammo type and MOAR ARMOR
SKVOREK TOUGH
>>
>>21561811
Voting for the Faster, more intelligently-armed one.
Because that 5/8 clusterfuck will ruin us.

245 engine, 2 LRM-5, 1t ammo, 2 MLas, 6.5t armour
>>
>>21561816
It can't fit more armour, 7.5t is the maximum for the 35t chassis.
>>
>>21561768
Design one speaks toward filling a gap that isn't really filled with current mech by making a mech fast enough to keep up with scouts, long ranged enough to stay away from damaging targets, and just heavily armored enough to combat strikers in it's weight class.

Last time it didn't get much favor and we wanted to go with a heavier garrison mech.
>>21561791
Something like this, not fast enough to chase other lights but can pick them off at range, as much armor as possible, does enough damage up close to be a real threat to larger mechs, especially with numbers on it's side, plenty of ammo, and substantially cheaper then the other design.
>>
>>21561811

the complaints in >>21561807
have me a bit concerned, so i'm votin gfor the first one.
>>
>>21561811
See
>>21561768
245 Engine, R/L Torso Missile launchers, Arm energy weapon mounts.
Damn good.
>>
>>21561818
Seconding this.
>>
>>21561829
>Pick them off at range
Not with a single LRM5 you wont.
>>
>>21561829
>can pick them off at range
No, it can't. It has 1 LRM-5, which is a fucking peashooter. It's not doing shit to other 'mechs at range beyond nuisance harrying.
>>
>>21561790
>>21561807
>>21561818
>>21561833
>>21561834
>>21561835

(I am seeing some pretty clear favor for the 7/11 firesupport platform. does that sound good to everyone?)
>>
>>21561859
Yes, yes it does.
>>
>>21561823
Fine. More heatsinks then. Those lasers are the real draw for this design.
... are you SURE we can't make it more durable somehow? Is there, like, an armoured cockpit we could put in?
>>
>>21561869
Not at our current level of almost-mad-max tech. No.
>>
>>21561818
This one.

2 ml, 2 5lrm

I'm building this in MWO in a raven chassis.

Works well enough.
>>
(Alright, so are you ready to roll for that chassis then? 7/11 firesupport is go?)
>>
>>21561791
Design 2 MKII (Longer range alternate, could switch the SRM to LRM also but less damage potential)
Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,327,850 C-Bills
Battle Value: 838

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 175 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Medium Lasers
2 LRM-5s
1 SRM-4
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 175 7.00
Walking MP: 5
Running MP: 8
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 11 1.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 HD, 1 LT, 2 RT
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 119 7.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 17
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 8 12
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 12
L/R Leg 8 16

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SRM-4 CT 3 1 2.00
LRM-5 RA 2 1 2.00
Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
LRM-5 LA 2 1 2.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@SRM-4 (25) CT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 37

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 8
5 2 3 1 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA
>>
I'm pretty okay with building a basetech Hammer, I love those little guys.
>>
Also, guys, noticed something. In our parts list in the first thread, we only have one hand actuator in the parts pile.

If Ivan can't fabricate one from spares, getting one from the arms dealer is our #2 priority after the lasers.
>>
>>21561893
Yes.
>>
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>>21561893
pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease
>>
>>21561893
Blake have mercy on our dice
>>
>>21561895

Better, but the faster one will still beat it 8 times out of ten in a duel, and it's still really not mobile enough for a light.
>>
>>21561903

No foot actuators, either, which is worrying.
>>
>>21561893
Yush.
>>21561918
Except it's not a dueling mech, it's a EVERYONE MELT THAT FUCKING ATLAS GODDAMNIT DO NOT LET IT THROUGH mech.
>>
Rolled 79

>>21561905
>>21561910
>>21561913

(Rolling for the modular chassis again, for the 245u 7/11 fastapult, lower is better)
>>
>>21561936
GOD FUCKING DAMN IT /TG/ DICE!
>>
>Not fast enough
>To much ammo
>Built scxhcohhs or whatever the fuck this planet is called

What about...
>>
>>21561936

I BET ROM DID THIS
>>
Rolled 81

>>21561936

(roll is below the threshold to notice mistakes except with a successful check. checking now, lower is better)
>>
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>>21561936
GOD FUCKING DAMMIT
>>
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>>21561942
Design 4 mkI
Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/X-E-D
Production Year: 3040
Cost: 2,859,525 C-Bills
Battle Value: 887

Chassis: Unknown Standard
Power Plant: Unknown 245 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 75.6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 118.8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Medium Lasers
1 LRM-5
2 Small Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 58 points 3.50
Engine: Fusion Engine 245 12.00
Walking MP: 7
Running MP: 11
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 CT
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA R: SH+UA+LA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 119 7.50

Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 11 17
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 8 12
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 6 12
L/R Leg 8 16

================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRM-5 LT 2 1 2.00
Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
Small Laser RA 1 1 0.50
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
Small Laser LA 1 1 0.50
@LRM-5 (24) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 42

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 4 Points: 9
7 2 2 1 0 1 0 Structure: 3
Special Abilities: SRCH, ES, SOA
>>
>>21561950
WHAT IN THE FUCK!?

Can we use high is better, just for today? As the dice are unwilling to roll low.
>>
Rolled 26

This is bullshit.
>>
>>21561933

And given the way BTech mechanics work? That makes the faster one better.

7/11 is the 'fuck you' threshold for screwing with the other guy's targeting. which a light 'mech needs, because even 7.5t of armour is a relative pittance.

Making a HOLD THE LINE, STAND AND FIGHT light 'mech is a futile errand.
>>
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>>
Rolled 25

>>21561950
Fuck you and your low roll bull shit. I'm rolling now.

Show me the one
>>
Rolled 33

>>21561950
Anontech, can we use our dice rolls, I don't trust yours.
>>
>>21561950
Wow okay. I'm going to bed.
>>
>>21561955
Why get rid of the second LRM? The small lasers are pointless with their range, and the extra armour is not an especially useful increase over the 6.5t amount.
>>
>>21561950

(You missed the chance to notice the issue, and thusly the design has a negative quirk. since you were going for modular, the negative quirk is Cramped: what this means is your chassis is not roomy enough with the complex weapon rail systems, and so it is tougher to work on. increase all maintenance costs by 10%)

You work for hours upon hours, checking and re-checking your work, and everything seems green. Finally, you manage to fit everything, and it seems things are going well for a change.

You sit back, light up, and get some more coffee. You hear a knock as you pour yourself some joe.
>>
>>21561992
I don't like your dice Anontech, I don't like them one bit.

"Come in. The door's unlocked."
>>
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Rolled 81

>>21561950
>>
>>21561992
Open the door, I imagine we're feeling pretty good right about now.
>>
>>21561992
So is that 10% instead of whatever bonus we could have gotten from the modular design, or counter to it?
>>
>>21562008
IT KEEPS HAPPENING.
>>
(And then the quest died because some dice rolls were bad an it made everyone mad. Time to start drinking I guess.)
>>
>>21562008
What have you done.
>>
>>21562025
Nah, we're just kvetching. Fuckin /tg/ dice.
>>
>>21562025
No, i'm sure we'll deal with it, but it is also 3:30 AM PST
>>
Rolled 34

>>21562025
This is /tg/, dice are serious business.
>>
>>21562013

(yes, it basically negates the cost savings. Your system works, it's just not well layed-out. techs will commend the rails until they have to work on the reactor in a manner that doesn't involve taking the fusion core out)
>>
>>21562045
Eh. Win some, lose some.
>>
Rolled 96

/tg/ has crushed my spirit.
>>
>>21562067
Apparently, the dice like mocking you, too.
>>
A quest where high rolling is bad is the one where we consistently get 80+, figures
>>
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>>21562067
>>
>>21562025
/tg/ dice have a habit of hating Battletech quests.
>>
>>21562010
>>21562005

Ivan comes in, stomping across the threshold and leaning on your desk.

"Engineer! How is things? Head hurting? I seeing you drink like crazy last night, trying to keep up with Steiner. Bad idea... not even Ivan can keep up with Steiner. Her liver is bionic... I am swearing!"
>>
>>21562088
"I have coffee, I am well. I may not have won but I made her work for her victory.

Though I don't remember some of last night, how did I get back here?"
>>
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Rolled 75

>>21562088
Tell ivan

"fuck the rules, we're using ac/2's"
>just kidding
>>
>>21562088
"Damn! Bionic liver... I'm fine, just got finished with weapon rails. It's gonna be a 7/11 firesupport position. 2LRM5s, 2 medium lasers, if we can get 'em."
>>
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Rolled 31

>>21562008
>roll same number

That worked better than I'd hoped.
>>
>>21562045
What would the penalties have been if we hadn't taken a modular design?
>>
>>21562103
>>21562113
>>21562117

Ivan laughs.

"Tough like bull you are! Good! So you don't know what you were doing after party was over? You went to go piss and came back, saying you were going to sleeping. You still had pants around ankles! Everyone was laughing hard. I don't even know how you were getting up to your office, but Janine saying you were here, pants down, when she was bringing your coffee machine. Everyone had another good laugh!"

He leans over.

"You are working? Brain tough as a bull too then. What is this... fire support? Long range missile... 245u reactor? You use the big one? This 'Mech... will be VERY fast. Much faster than the Crazy Ivan."
>>
>>21562150

(it depends on what you rolled. i have quirks for every level of success and failure. with that roll though, you would have gotten a different quirk: the same one that the Javelin has in TRO:3025 - Top Heavy Design. +1 to all PSRs because the torso is too bulky)
>>
>>21562155
Ahaha he named the Urbs.
>>
>>21562155
"That's the plan. Fast enough to keep up with scouts, a fair bit of good ranged firepower, not bad armor for its size.

I'm hoping the modular weapon systems work out well, haven't seen them done before. They ought to make life easier for maintenance and modification."
>>
>>21562155
"You named it? I suppose that was an interesting discussion.

And yeah, fast. Speed is life for a light 'mech. "
>>
>>21562173

Ivan frowns.

"Modular? What is this? Can I see?"
>>
>>21562194
"sure, it just means you can swap weapons on and off real fast"
>>
>>21562194
"Sure, have a look. It's actually old stuff, it just never caught on."
>>
>>21562194
>throwing us a bone
BRACE FOR NAT 100
>>
>>21562211

Ivan looks over your shoulder and furrows his brow.

"This... you want to put engine above weapons? Hmm. I can do this, but... raises center of gravity. Did you check stresses to making sure that center of gravity not too high yet?"
>>
>>21562224

(ivan's not an engineer. he can notice basic stuff but if you have him double-check your work his chance is pretty damn low)
>>
>>21562231
"I just whipped it up today, I should take a look at that. When something is going this fast a high center of gravity can lead to it falling over, it's going to be kinda stocky so it shouldn't be that big an issue."

Check the stresses and see how it works out.
>>
Rolled 16

>>21562231
>Jesus why would anyone do that?
>Why would anyone put the heaviest part of the mech as far up as p--
>low rolls are good
>...
>oh... right.
>>
>>21562238
Yeah but technicians can spot the stuff no one thinks about. Like if your heat sinks vent into another heat sink when your mech is walking backwards.
>>
>>21562261
Oh god, that's actually happened on something, hasn't it? It just feels too awful not to be true.
>>
>>21562231
Check it. Consider modification.
>>
>>21562256
>>21562257

You run your stress test software again, and check for center of gravity. It falls within acceptable tolerances, but it's more than a little high. It'll be fine, and actually help the 'Mech accelerate a bit faster, but overall might be dangerous, or at least cumbersome.

Ivan looks on. "Green is good, yes? This number... is it good?"
>>
Rolled 78, 1 = 79

ROLLING FOR IVAN'S STROKE OF GENIUS AS HE LOOKS OVER OUR DESIGN.
ROLLING AGAIN FOR OUR OWN STROKE OF GENIUS AS WE LOOK IT OVER BESIDE IVAN.
>>
>>21562231
Hm. Run extra tests. Especially for obscure stuff.

Use multiple computers to run different tests in parallel if we have to.

BE THOROUGH.
>>
>>21562288
"It's not bad, but it's not good good. It's in tolerances and helps it accelerate a bit, but it's still higher than it should be. In the hands of an inexperienced pilot it might be cumbersome and detrimental."
>>
>>21562288
"It's within "acceptable tolerances", but we both know how those work out."

Let's shuffle some stuff around to lower the centre of gravity. Put some mass in the hips.
>>
>>21562288
"Hmm."
MORE TESTING
SKVOREC TOUGH DOES NOT HAPPEN BY ITSELF
>>
>>21562289
I don't think that's how it works, bro.

>>21562288
"It'll go faster, but might be cumbersome. I'll try to see if I can the center lower."
>>
>>21562275
Probably. A lot of the old mechs can't actually feasibly walk due to their actuator placements.
>>
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Rolled 39

>>21562289
Ha, look at this fag, he wasted the 1!

Ha!
>>
>>21562298
>>21562309
>>21562312
>>21562314

You fold your arms and purse your lips. You probably just glossed over this earlier, since you were in go-mode, and were just looking for green, especially after the first mess-up. You tell Ivan you're going to re-run this again, and clean it up a bit, and thank him for pointing out the imbalance.

"Eh, four eyes better than two, eh Engineer? Oh! I was forgetting why I came. I sent electrician to check block on Mechbay 5 like you asked yesterday. She says she is needing to rewire the whole conduit to make it work, OR, she can wire from bay 4 and get enough power to only making lower half of bay work, so only able to work on Light and Medium 'Mech. What do you want to do? It will take much time, weeks to re-wire for full function. Goddard tells me to ask you."
>>
>>21562360
I vote to wire from Bay 4. Good enough, for now.

That is, if we've got the time to spare.
>>
>>21560583

I'm looking at this tank and having an aneurism. Motherfucker would need 5 engines. The potential for catastrophic fuckup is extraordinary.
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>>21562360
Full re-wire. We won't be working on a heavy for a while anyway.
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>>21562360
"We can already get Light/Medium mechs in all the other bays. We'll need bay 5 at full capacity if we ever want to do anything bigger.

So the re-wire, full function, we'll manage with the other bays in the interim."
>>
>>21562360
Let's take the time to do it properly. We only need the other 4 bays right now, so we should make a proper job of it. Rushing it will probably only give us more problems in the long run."
>>
>>21562384
I'd think you'd still only need 3. One for each pair and for the turret.

(It's a tank that walks why the fuck would you even?)
>>
Rolled 23

>>21562360
Might as well do the whole thing, finishing this design will take awhile and the getting investors, parts, etc. We won't need bay five for at least a month probably.
>>
>>21562360
We will build our own Atlas one day. It'll need a house.
>>
>>21562402
>>21562395
>>21562392

Ivan nods.

"I will tell girl to hurry, we are not making Light 'Mech forever!"

He laughs, and claps your shoulder.

"Needing anything before I go?"
>>
>>21562417
"Thanks for the second pair of eyes, Ivan."
>>
>>21562417
"Oh yeah, was there anything good they pulled up from the basement?"
>>
>>21562417
Want some coffee?
>>
>>21562417
"I think it's been 7 hours since I last ate. Could you ask someone to bring something resembling food over here? I don't want to stop working.

Thanks for dropping by."
>>
>>21562422
>>21562430
>>21562431
>>21562432

"No problem. We are getting last crates out now, will let you know. People are checking computer too, and looking into Core under building."

He grabs a cup of coffee and tells you he'll get someone to send you some food.

"No problem on more eyes. Always good. I am working as a tech for a long time, and still I have people checking my work. Maybe Goddard should get you partner?"

And with that, Ivan takes off to see to his own work, leaving you with your high center of gravity.

A few minutes later, you finish your cig and coffee, and have a plate of goulash sitting in front of you. Your computer awaits your input.

(vote! do you want to fiddle with the engine, or leave it as-is? if you change it, you might fix ALL the problems, OR, you might make new ones.)
>>
>>21562432
Didn't we already eat?
>>
>>21562458
SURELY WE CANNOT ROLL ANY WORSE
CHANGE FOR THE GOD OF CHANGE
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Rolled 15

>>21562458
/tg/ dice...
>>
>>21562458
Fiddle with the engines lets create every tech's waking nightmare
>>
>>21562461

(when you started working, yes. but then at least 6 hours passed, maybe more.)
>>
>>21562458
Eat Goulash, save what we have, fiddle with it some. This is our first project, we want a good start.
>>
>>21562404

Look at where the reads are. You can't supply the power from anywhere but internal of the leg.
>>
Rolled 91

>>21562469
>>21562470
>>21562474
>>21562488

You start to eat, and rub your temples. This engine... if you weren't building a bipedal humanoid you could make a longer torso and flip the engine 90 degrees, and run it perpendicular to the hips. But solid reliability is key here, and the chicken walker is too waifish for your taste.

(checking design, low is good)
>>
>>21562514

OH FFS
>>
>>21562514
... Anontech, can we take over rolling. You're incapable of rolling below 80.
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>>21562505
I blame science
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>>21562514
...Fuck.

Okay, new plan: Elongate the torso, like in the Dragon, so that we can lower the engine and shunt weapons up+forward.
>>
>>21562514

So, is the engine external now or something?
>>
>>21562523
>>21562527

(i really don't want to have to wrangle four or six people rolling at once, and choosing the lowest. that removes most of the risk from the system completely. this doesn't mean anything bad, it just means you don't see a solution to the problem right now. if someone has a better idea how to manage rolls, feel free to share. I wanted to keep it simple.)
>>
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>>21562514
>>
>>21562514
IN THE GRIM DARKNESS OF THE 31ST CENTURY
COMSTAR RUNS THE DICEROLLER
>>
>>21562548
There's nothing wrong with your system.
The rolls themselves, however, are horrifying.
>>
>>21562548

There really isn't a better way, you just have terrible luck (or are a ROM plant)
>>
Rolled 1

>>21562458
Look, we know in game that we have fucked up twice already (marginally and pretty badly, though we caught the bad one and Ivan helped the other one) so I see no issue in trying again and staying paranoid. We are the whole design department. Bigger companies have teams of people working and competing.

If we don't develop split personalities by the end of this mech construction, we're not doing it right. It needs that level of oversight.
>>
>>21562548
Us roll, pick a random one and don't tell us which. Or pick first. If you pick it randomly we won't actually know somethings wrong if we fuck up which could be interesting.

Normally I'd be fine with you rolling, but the dice gods hate you and by extension us.
>>
>>21562572

OH FFS

YOU ARE SHITTING ME
>>
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Rolled 50

>>21562572
>mfw I call someone a fag for rolling a one
>mfw I do it too
>mfw I am the fag
>>
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>>21562572
>>
Bad news anontech. You've given us the one scapegoat we Can Blane for all our woes. Yourself.
>>
>>21562572

APFSDS
>>
You tug your hair in frustration and walk away from the computer. You pace around the room, smoking like a fiend, and just flicking your butts everywhere. Something isn't right. Is it the engine dimensions? Those were imported. Was it the height? No, that was double green. What was it?

(how much time are you going to spend mulling it over? or do you want a break?)
>>
>>21562599

(dubs means it's true too. I guess it's the bottle for me then.)
>>
>>21562615
Take a short break to get our head screwed on straight.

Visit Janine, maybe she can slap us upside the head and fix us.
>>
>>21562615
Take a break. Beating our head against a brick wall does nothing constructive.

Let's go look at that cool shit we dug up.
>>
Rolled 35

>>21562615
go punch a bag of beans

(how about Average of first three rolls unless one 96+ or 5 and under with you setting the first roll? That way you only have to wait for two responders.)
>>
>>21562615
One more roll.
>>
>>21562633
>>21562639

You decide to go for a walk. Maybe some fresh air will clear your head.

Outside, the sun has all but set. The horizon is a rosy color, and the air is a little brisk. You light a smoke and start out across the tarmac. The 'Crazy Ivan' is parked in Mechbay 2, and you can see lights shining on it, and techs and fabricators crawling all over it. It looks like they are working on it...

You look to the other side of the tarmac; the lights are on in Janine's quonset, and in Dieter's shack.

>>21562647

(thing is, no matter what I do, if someone rolls low when you roll high, then there will be lamentations either way. Averaging rolls removes too much risk too; trust me, you have a much better than 50% chance to flat succeed in the system I have. give it one more thread and if the odds don't shift then we'll work out a new system, okay?)
>>
>>21562647
>(how about Average of first three rolls unless one 96+ or 5 and under with you setting the first roll? That way you only have to wait for two responders.)

I'm actually fine with just Anontech rolling, it just means there's more risk involved. Chill your jimmies, participants, failure can make for a good story too. Like not making the deadline. Or needing to cut corners to make the deadline.

Take a break, I think.
>>
>>21562676
I vote we go lament about how work is difficult to Dieter.

Or go talk about the coming visit from the dealer with Janine.
>>
>>21562676
Let's go visit Janine, she ought to be able to break our funk. Get rid of this painful streak of bad luck.

Beside, we should thank her personally for the coffee pot. That thing is important.
>>
Personally I think the shitty rolls capture the Battletech feeling perfectly.
>>
>>21562706

Oh yeah, it feels just like piloting tests on paved roads.
>>
We said two weeks didn't we? Another day isn't going to kill us.

We have a list of clear design goals going into this process and I don't see why we shouldn't keep working until we meet all of them.

- Decent firepower and speed
- SKVOREC TOUGH
- Ease of maintenance

The mistake we seem to be making is laying down a complete design without any iteration or testing. We can mess with the balance and shape of the mech LATER because those parameters are easily mutable. What we need to do first is make a torso that can fit both the reactor box and the mod rails with sufficient room.

Get Ivan to build a mockup of the torso with a dummy reactor and perform some pretend maintenance on it. We wouldn't know the current design is cramped, and Ivan wouldn't notice anything wrong because it's just a schematic to him. But once you have a model, even if it's just plywood boxes, the problem should be immediately obvious to everyone.
>>
>>21562696
>>21562698

You find your feet taking you towards Janine's quonset.

At her door, you knock, and about thirty seconds later, Goddard answers the door.

"Oh, hey sport. Need to talk to the boss lady"
>>
>>21562742

(and then the ? didn't register apparently. what goddard said was a question, not a statement)
>>
>>21562742
"Kinda. Taking a break since I'm having a streak of things not working and I didn't want to end up slamming my head against a wall. Figured I may as well thank her for the coffee pot and try to clear my head."
>>
Rolled 30

>>21562676
>>21562680
Look, I'm fine with whatever but I have a couple of points.

1) The averaging is just a way to include more people, it's a collective game and it gives us more of us input.

2) Crit fails and success break the whole average not being risky thing anyway. And with three rolls, if one was a crit success and one as a crit fail, then the third is what happens.

3) Everyone has bad days, If only one person is rolling, and that person is rolling all the time, for the whole day, the what you get is this thread.

4) If there is going to be lamentations either way, why would you want them directed at you, the quest runner? At least an anon can just slink back into the shadows.

I'm fine with stuff backfiring on us but I'd at least like to feel responsible for it instead of just watching it unfold. Otherwise our participation is limited to just churning out ideas, not actually doing stuff. Kinda makes me feel like I could just read it later rather than actual play and contribute.
>>
>>21562771

"Well hell ace, go on in. I'm all done here anyway. I have to go talk to Ivan and make sure if he pulls an all-nighter with that Urbie that he doesn't make too much noise that carries to town. I don't feel like pissing them off, or bringing authorities over here, you know?"

He slides past you, and smirks.

"You're not the only one that's gonna have bags under his eyes once this is all over sport."

He leaves, and the door sits open. You pause for a sec, get rid of your smoke, and head inside.

Janine is sitting at her desk, drinking some coffee from a coffeemaker that looks strikingly resemblant of one you just left in your office.

"Daniel, hey. What's up?"
>>
>>21562798

(you have a valid point, and maybe what i'll do is something in the middle of all the suggestions: I will roll once, and then the first two people who roll in response get those rolls averaged into mine. the result is what happens. if things keep going badly and you all feel that you'd rather take more control over rolls, then this is what i'll do. sound good? we'll finish this thread the old way, then next thread we'll see what happens)
>>
>>21562804
how is your head fairing?
>>
>(thing is, no matter what I do, if someone rolls low when you roll high, then there will be lamentations either way.
The issue I have with this is that the design process isn't something left to chance and it doesn't work well with a percent chance of success. You don't make a product right away, you make a prototype. The prototype is not expected to work perfectly, it's supposed to break and tell you what is wrong with the design. You use this knowledge to make a better prototype until all of the specs check out.

A better way of handling this would be to give us unlimited retries or iterations of the design. We can design all we want, that's our job. What we CAN'T do is take more than two weeks to deliver the goods! So if we roll high, don't make us fail outright, just make time pass. If we don't like the result we can try again. BUT ,eventually things will come down to the wire and THEN we will be forced to make compromises. This is how design works in real life, diminishing returns.
>>
>>21562804
"Not much, just clearing my head. Been having a streak of things not coming out as they do in my head.

I'm going to kvetch for a bit, feel free not to listen. Thanks for the coffee machine by the way, greatly appreciated.

I hate everything except coffee, modular systems are great in theory but then the engine ends up too high, why isn't everything sideways, it would work if it was sideways, it just couldn't be repaired easily. Reliability is difficult.

I'm done. Did you have a nice time last night?"
>>
>>21562842
>A better way of handling this would be to give us unlimited retries or iterations of the design.
I think that's what's been happening, it's just that there might be some times where it's obvious something doesn't work, and then other times when it's a more subtle not-working.

In that sense, a medium-high roll might be worse than a high one: the medium-high will result in "works, but unknown complications" but the high one will result in "unworkable, and it's obvious."
>>
>>21562842

(well, to be fair that's kind of how the system is working now. just because you've made a mistake you don't see yet doesn't mean you won't see it ever. it just means that each roll you make a fail either compounds the problem, or obscures it, making it harder to fix when you do get closer to the end, and time isn't on your side anymore. i know enough about the design process to know you don't send something that flawed to print, so to speak (even though i don't do it for a living myself), so basically what's happening now is that you guys are in a rut already. the rolls are determining how fast things are moving, and the relative complexity of problems, not 'final destination' sort of stuff. not yet anyway. maybe it's the fact that i didn't explain how this system works is leading to this? i dunno. i feel like it's not being given a chance, but i also see where everyone is coming from with it too.)
>>
>>21562862
>maybe it's the fact that i didn't explain how this system works is leading to this?

Pretty much. Most of us are just making sit up and hoping it'll work.
>>
>>21562843

Janine smiles a bit.

"Coffee is nature's way of saying she loves us and wants us to be happy, I say. Why else would she have synthesized caffeine into plant form for us to enjoy?"

She listens to your rant about modular rails and engines and positions and anger with a slightly bemused face.

"I had a pretty decent time, though I hear you had some trouble with your pants and a bathroom break. I wonder how the hell you climbed the stairs and got to your room like that. I saw you on your couch."
>>
>>21562876

(i just ask that you all give it a chance for a bit more and see what happens. i don't mind changing the rolling system at all, i just don't want to if i don't have to)
>>
>>21562877
"I just got out of college, climbing stairs while drunk is an instinct.

Also seems like I might as well move into the office."
>>
>>21562877
"I am a man of many talents, evidently pants are not among them."
>>
>>21562877
"Drunken magic and the allure of a comfortable couch.

I technically have a bed in the dorms don't I? I might go there for a vacation some time. It's just so far away and it's not right next to my workspace."
>>
>>21562893
>>21562901

"You might as well, I live here, even though I have a bunk in the 'barracks' as it were."

She stands up, and pours another cup, and one for you too.

"Here. I'll admit I spoiled myself and got better beans than I got you. Feel free to add that to your list of stuff that is frustrating you today."
>>
>>21562917
"I'll hope to earn that quality with quality of my own...

Do we have anything new to barter to the supplier tomorrow? And nobody's going to say a word about what we found, right?"
>>
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Rolled 81

>>21562862
fair enough, maybe I was little hasty out of frustration do to the differences in our rolls compared to yours.

I do stand by my point about participation though.

For now, I will wait.
>>
>>21562917
"Thanks Janine. As long as the beans continue flowing, I'll be fine."

Lets get back to designing. The diceroller's seed should have reset by now.
>>
>>21562938

"Pretty sure Goddard has triple-checked that no one is going to utter a peep to the dealer when he gets here. We also plan on keeping him from snooping too much by meeting him at his landing site with one of the flatbeds in tow."

She sips her coffee.

"As far as bartering, you can try to pawn everything that you aren't using off on him, but remember what I said about transport costs. He's not likely to want to pay them on heavy stuff he can't unload easily."
>>
>>21562917
Take the coffee and sip at it.

"You're a monster. A cruel and heartless monster. I feel the pain right in my soul.

When I finish the design and stop bashing my head against the proverbial wall I would like these better beans of which you speak.

So budgetwise, did we find anything in the crates that we can barter with that isn't obviously LosTech?"
>>
>>21562944

(as a note, I give bonuses and adjustments for ideas as well regarding the rolls, so it's not as though you aren't influencing them at all. i just wanted to go for a 'blind' rolling system to keep it simple and quick, as well as to make the descriptions tell the story, since you don't know what a number really means, only that lower is better)
>>
>>21562955
So light, valuable things.
Like 45mm autocannons.
Uuuugh.
>>
>>21562862
It's a little opaque yes. But that's a limitation of the medium I guess.

We are going to make small scale models and mockups and stuff right? That's the part of the process which would reveal these problems. But of course since we didn't see them right away we will need to wait until then to discover the issues. And then fixing them will take MORE time and so on.

... we never did measure that engine did we?
>>
>>21562955
"Hmm, I guess that rules out the ac/2's, maybe he'll take the Small lasers."

sip coffee
>>
>>21562956

"Not sure yet. We just got the last of them out, and cracked a few while it was still light out, but most of what we found were replacement parts for the outlets, consoles, and charging stations. That's not to say that's all the crated are hiding, but that's what we have so far. I don't want to be cracking them here while the dealer is around. I would rather wait till he leaves to open more crates."

>>21562952

(vote for small talk with janine more, or back to work)
>>
>>21562977

(you have measurements that you imported from the previous data, yes)
>>
>>21562989
That sounds... less than optimal. Maybe we can get some techs to double-check the measurements we have?

>>21562984
Time to wrap it up and get back to seeing if we can get something of value done.
>>
>>21562975
So what ARE AC/2s good for? If anything? The whole "Heavy, but long ranged and low damage and heavy" thing doesn't seem to fill a niche.
>>
>>21562984
Let's get back to work.

"Thanks for listening to me bitch. It helped. Back to work, no rest for the wicked and all that.

You ever need to talk, complain, or want someone to drink with my door is always open."
>>
>>21563004
Anti-aircraft. Other fragile targets.
>>
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>imported from the previous data
>>
>>21562998
>>21563006

You say your goodbyes and thank Janine for the coffee, and trudge back to work.

On your way, you have a thought: the data you have for the engine is from the old data... that Richard was using. That can't be good.

You all but sprint back to the office. This might solve some things.
>>
>>21563004
Anti-air, mostly. Also good for getting mobility kills n ground vehicles at long range.
>>
>>21563027
No whammies.
>>
(I think we might be in auto-sage. am I right? 366 posts)
>>
>>21563072
Yep.
>>
>>21563072
Yep. It starts at 300. Page 3, you can start a new thread if you want, but given /tg/'s speed right now it'll last for a number of hours without any bumping.
>>
>>21563072
Yeah, page 3.
And you were complaining about it being slow!
>>
>>21563080
>>21563083
>>21563086

(Nah, one thread per installment is fine. Do you wanna see the rolls for your renewed efforts now, or in the next thread?)
>>
>>21563044
So it's good for popping fast mobile things, and I assume light mechs are included in that? I guess the prohibitive attribute is weight then? Light mechs have trouble fitting something that heavy. And a heavier mech might as well take bigger guns or it won't be able to fight other heavy mechs. That about sum it up?

I doubt we can sell them so we might as well frankenstein them into something. We do have that Ultra AC to work off of.
>>
>>21563093
Might as well roll em' now. If it fucks up then we'll solve it with genius later.
>>
>>21563093
Let's do it now. If we do it next thread the suspense will kill us. Roll well.
>>
>>21563099

(that seems to be the consensus, yeah. you have four of them at the moment, so you have plenty of parts to work with, and a ballistics specialist to consult who loves his work)
>>
>>21563093
Do it now so we'll have something to grouse about next time right from the get-go.
>>
>>21563099
Pretty much, yes. Though not so great against light 'mechs in the current era, since they're chock full of short-range weapon and try to swarm up in your face all the time.
>>
>>21563099
>I assume light mechs are included in that?
You assume incorrectly. Even light mechs laugh at AC/2. Unless you have a bunch of them but then you may as well mount 10s or 20s and just get closer.
>>21563093
Now please.
>>
>>21563123
>>21563099

I'm cool with it if we do it with an eye towards producing them at a later date.

A small Ultra AC/2 production line could turn a modest profit, if we get in early.

Also prestige from figuring it out first.
>>
Rolled 89

>>21563107
>>21563110
>>21563124

You arrive back at your office, panting a bit. After lighting a cig to catch your breath, you flop in your chair, and immediately load the specs for the 245u engine, and then load the data Richard had.

They don't match. The original data has the engine at a different dimension completely; you're not even sure where Richard got these volumetrics from.

You do some preliminary math, and adjust some sliders, and before you know it, you're in go-mode again. The sun has set, and the lights in the yard are on, and right along side the techs in Mechbay 2, you work into the night, adjusting and calibrating...

(rolling to check design, lower the better)
>>
I just realized what we should do with the ac/2's!

Mount them on turrets around the base so people won't dare to steal our Urbanmech!
>>
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>>21563152
hahaha
>>
>>21563152

CUNT

FUCKING

SHITNUGGETS
>>
Oh hey, mechquest is up

>Those roles

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?
>>
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>>21563152
>>
>>21563152

You slap the computer screen, and curse.

Richard was a dolt, and his mother was not a nice lady either. At least, according to you. You're going to either need to get new measurements, or you're going to have to make some educated guesses on the ones you have from the originals.

(If you keep working, you'll save your train of thought and get a slight bonus to your actual engineering roll. If you sleep on it, you can order new measurements, which may or may not make your job easier in the morning.)
>>
>>21563181
Jesus christ anontech, change it to "High is good".
>>
>>21563181
Let's keep our train of thought. We'll adjust for actual measurements in the morning. No sleep until we roll something below an 80.
>>
>>21563181
>slight bonus
fucking
fine, roll it again
but if you get another fucking 85+ I am fucking done with this design and we're going for a quad legged 4-light-laser spidermech that fucking JUMPS ON PEOPLE'S FACES
>>
>>21563196

(and then you'll get your blessed 14, right? after the fact, of course)
>>
>>21563181
Keep working, we HAVE to make a net positive progress today. The deadline is closing fast and we already: wasted a day talking to people, wasted a day chillun in the hanger climbing walls and hurting our self, wasted today getting laughed at by tzeentch.
>>
>>21563181
No point in continuing if we don't have the right dimensions.

And seriously, what is up with your rolls? Nothing below a 50. It's like watching Meta Quest. Nothing but failure.
>>
Rolled 7

>>21563217
Probably. The dice are cruel.

Rolling to test something.
>>
Rolled 29

>>21563226
Incoming 99
>>
>>21563226
Fuckign /tg/ dice.
>>
Rolled 18

>>21563181
Continue working, we will beat these dice rolls.
>>
>>21563226
>>21563230

(what's up with the alternate diecode? why all the extra characters?)
>>
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>>21563217

Keep going, low roll, let's just ride the wave I say!
>>
>>21563141
Ultra AC2 would actually be decent for a light garrison mech. If the locals get uppity there is a much higher chance of them swarming your base with technicals than actual battlemechs. Normal AC2 is too heavy, Ultra AC is heavier but you sort of get two of them. The biggest downside is probably heat, but it's an AC2 so...

Also WTF Tzeench you asshole, stop rigging the dice.
>>
>>21563226
>>21563230
>>21563235
COMSTAR
I KNOW THIS IS YOUR DOING COMSTAR
SOMEHOW
>>
>>21563217
Oh Anontech, I think I've finally found my shitty diceluck brother
>>
>>21563221
It's absurd. On 5d100 so far he's rolled 435 in total. There is a .12% chance to roll that high or higher. The dice are cursed.
>>
>>21563236
What alternate dicecode? It's the same.
>>
Rolled 36

>>21563204
>>21563211
>>21563219
>>21563235

You rub your hands together and think.

You had been thinking if it were a chicken walker and you could re-align the engine...

You decide to try something odd; instead of a horizontal orientation for the engine, you go ffor a vertical orientation, splitting the torso into two vertical fields to mount the weapon rails.

Worth a shot, you figure.

(last roll of the night, let's see what kind of cliffhanger we leave for next time. Rolling actual engineering skill, with a 10 bonus; five for focus, 5 for the earlier mentioning of engine orientation lower the better)
>>
>>21563256
For every person that wins the lottery, someone like anontech has to be at the other end of the luck spectrum.

>>21563265
EVEN NOW THERE IS HOPE FOR MAN.
>>
>>21563265

Thank fucking god.
>>
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>>21563181
I bless Anontech's next roll with the power of coffee.
>>
>>21563264

(the dice%B1d100 code. never seen it before, used to just dice+1d100)
>>
>>21563265
FINALLY
>>21563278
u wot m8? Those look like dice+1d100 to me.
>>
>>21563278
We use the same code, 4chan just has some sort of system (I don't understand) which sometimes displays one over the other in the email field.
>>
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>>21563265
PRAISE THE OMNISSIAH
>>
>>21563265
Wait, we didn't roll above 80. We actually had a decent roll. Gods be praised.

When's the next session going to be?

>>21563278
It looks like dice+1d100 to me.
>>
>>21563278
They're all showing up as dice+1d100 for me.

Perhaps your browser's reading it funny and spitting out the unicode listing for it?
>>
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>>21563265
>>
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>>21563265
I knew you could do it buddy
>>
Sooooo, how many more good rolls do we need to undo the REST of the damage?
>>
>>21563265

You flip the engine up on-end, and align it with the chassis' 'spine'. Then, you move the weapon rails. But you're left with a problem: the heat sink stacks. You have no room for them this way unless you put them as some kind of belt. Or... as a backpack? You place the sinks on the back of the chassis, over the fusion core, and shift them up against the shoulders. What you get looks like something out of Tesla's design book: you have created twin spires that stick up off the back of the chassis, giving it a distinctive profile.

(Success. With the 10 bonus, you get a Positive Quirk: Notable Profile (intimidating). What this means is it is easy to tell your 'Mech from others by both heat signature and posture/profile. Your chassis is memorable, and the configuration makes it look archaic, dark-age, and fearsome. You could easily play off this with the armor and cockpit design, maximizing the potential psychological effect)
>>
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HOLY SHIT MECHENGINEER QUEST, And i've missed so much already!

AC2 lover reporting in.
>>
>>21563290

(this is probably it)
>>
>>21563314
> Light Mech - Intimidating

Don't know how to feel about this... But we take what we can.
>>
>>21563325
I hope you have a K/D of 0.00001
>>
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>>21563314

Fuck yeah.

Let's make the cockpit look like the Primitive Banshee head, so we can make people crap themselves tactically.
>>
>>21563314
Did... did we just make a mech with hussar wings?
>>
>>21563306

(changing the configuration undid the previous result, which wasn't that bad really. you just ended up with a 'Mech that needed small techs to work on it easily)
>>
>>21563339
Best be joking, stravag. Cockpit shakin' all day erry day.
>>
>>21563325
>>21563339
>>21563351
yeah, PGI made ac/2 kind of worth using.

Almost.

Sort of.

Not really.

>but they are usable.
>>
>>21563314
The scariest Light Mech the world has ever seen. Hear it quietly roar in fury.

Also this will help it sell and set our company apart with a distinctive design. Now we just need to make the head look scary as well, maybe some bird of prey motifs.
>>
>>21563314

You work almost till dawn. Your coffee pot is empty. Your cigarette pack is empty. Your brain is empty.

All that sits before you is a primative-looking, stout, brick-shithouse looking chassis, with unconventional heat sink stacks on the back, and a comfortable if not musty couch, and sleep.

The latter looks inviting. The prior is saved, and left for tomorrow. The glow of success wells inside you as you pass out, and it feels good to be a goddamn gangster.

(that's it for tonight folks. MechEngineer quest will resume in a few days, and i'll let you all know when. gonna archive the thread; please vote on it only if you enjoyed yourself! link incoming)
>>
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>>21563346

It has wings. Let's call it the Asterix!
>>
>>21563385

Archive:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html
Thread:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/21559682/

I'll stick around for a while to answer questions that you all might have, or listen to feedback.
>>
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>>21563348
True but the whole point of this exercise was to make it easy to maintain. Armies have big techs and small techs, garrisons have to make do.

If the chest has rails does that mean the whole torso is kinda like a chest of drawers with weapons and modules sliding into the front on the rails? I guess that would mean you would need to slide them all out to access the engine, but that's still better than the alternative.

I guess this also means reworking the outer design? People mentioned making the armour panels flat if not square to make them easy to replace. That's easy enough to do, but I think we could splurge a little on the wings and head to make it more iconic.

On a side note what do you need to give a mech hands or a melee weapon in terms of space and weight?
>>
>>21563410
Oh forgot the question that was supposed to go with the pic.

Does replacement mech armour come in sheets? What happens when you have a mech like pic related which doesn't have a single flat surface? Do they have to machine the panels into a curve or do they just say FUCKIT and slap on stuff every which way?
>>
>>21563410

Melee weapons weight depends on the tonnage of the 'Mech. You have enough actuators to give it one hand at the moment, and no foot actuators. But you also have unopened crates, and an arms dealer coming tomorrow to sell you stuff.

As far as the armor goes, flat, angled armor is sturdier, but curved stuff looks better. Also, flat is easy to replace, curved isn't. There is no functional in-game stat for this for the tabletop, but there can be Quirks, which can affect it in THIS system.
>>
>>21563445

Replacement parts for a 'Mech are just like for a car. They come prefab. You don;t have that luxury for this chassis, so you have to fab it all yourselves. So flat and angular is easier for you, though Ivan is pretty good at his job, so you might be able to get him to make you some flashy stuff too.
>>
Alright, looks like everyone is gone, so I'll say goodnight, and thanks for participating this time.

I'll keep you posted with the next possible installment time.
>>
>>21563448
As pretty as curved is I think angular is the better way to go. It's tougher, easier to replace, and we can stick with the solid somewhat brutish looking style. Functionality over form.

So we'll need foot actuators and hand actuators could be nice but aren't necessary as not all Mechs have hands.
>>
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>Light Mech
>Intimidating
>HAZARD PAY

I have the best idea ever.
>>
>>21563566
The legs aren't right. We're pretty standard bipedal, not chicken legged and we certainly don't have two separate joints in the legs, too many points of failure.

But the face could be a cool inspiration and the spikes fit.
>>
There is no way we are NOT giving this mech a rapeface.

See you guys next thread.
>>
>>21563578
>2012
>doesn't know who Chryssalids are
Commander Zander is dissapoint with you.
>>
>>21563528
No, but hands are *great* for utility. Which is somethign a garrison would be hoping for if possible.

Hell, unless there's some *really* good tradeoff for not having them (flippy arms, crit-packed, big AC/20, etc.) then hands can make or break a design.
>>
Well, that was fun. What a ride.
>>
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>>21563314
Wait a minute, twin spires and a rearmounted engine?

>I can dig it.
>>
So we did not copypaste the chest of a Orion?

Everybody claims that those are a joy for the maintainance crew.



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