File: Construction_Rules.jpg (948 KB, 1944x3162)

948 KB JPG

Welcome to the Mecha Mercs Skirmish Campaign.

This is a tactical turn based collective game where each player takes on the role of a mech pilot. As the campaign progresses the players will accumulate a supply of resources which can be used to build up a persistent pool of mechs and equipment, but watch out! If your pilot dies you could lose it all and be forced to start again with an inferior mech.

Right now the game is full and we are not currently accepting any new players.

QM twitter: https://twitter.com/CognisQM

Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=cognis
(Scroll to the bottom)

Player Resources: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByBa8MyYxN52WXBaSGRiNHZlaG8&usp=sharing

>Cont

File: Play_Rules.jpg (1.22 MB, 1598x1992)

1.22 MB JPG

>>48653829

Version 1.8:
-New Weapon attributes: Missile and Interceptor, see construction rules.
-EW Specialist Regular skill now grants +2 to scan actions as well.
-Pilots skills that gave damage buffs now buff damage as a percentage of the attack rather than a hard number.
-Gunner Elite Skill: Proficiency has been replaced by Crack Shot; a skill designed to give a greater bonus to people using weapons with a lower RoF.
-Gunner Veteran Skill Marksman now gives a penetration bonus if you don't move instead of giving the bonus for a called shot.
-EW Specialist Elite skill: 1337 Haxx0r can now either allow you to hack two targets in one action or apply 2 hack effects to a single target.
-Charge no longer requires a move action in the same turn. Rules have been edited for a while but I'm giving official notification.
-Canister Gun now does 2 damage and no longer has the solid ammo trait. (It's meant to use air pressure.)
-Squire's disruptor field now blocks scan actions.
-Errant's Scrambler Field now buffs E-def in addition to regular def.
-Guye Co Canisterate now has a blast radius of 2.
-Demo Charges, Mines and Canisterate now have the silenced attribute.
-Reaper Combat tech skill: Zombie Mech now replaced with Borrowed Time.
-MBT Mobility upped to 4, MBTs can now only move 2 hexes as a run action.
-HESH Rounds now grant the Demolisher attribute.
-Demolisher attribute now negates damage reduction on buildings.
-Apex Predator left arm hard points reduced to 1.
-LHI AMS changed to point defense turret can now double as a regular weapon or an interceptor.
-Air Support and Base Upgrades added to Company Support assets.
-Missile Company Support Assets removed.
-Updates to Errata:
--Ammo Upgrade expenditures clarified.
--Instant destruction crit effects like those used with the Canister Gun and chemical rounds are negated by redundant systems.
--Mine detection rules tweaked.

>>48653807
Welp. Once this sinks in, things are going to be pretty hectic. And I bet my next paycheck Irving had a hand in this mess.

On the bright side, maybe we'll see more Peacekeeper gear being sold, now.

Whew, that's a LOT of changes. Very good changes, might I add

So with the reworking of the Company Assets page, what should we focus on? I imagine with the option of base defences, we're probably going to have some crusty bandits knocking on our door sometime in the future.

On the flipside, that LHI license looks mighty tempting....

>>48653807

Borealis remains silent. Both because of his poor performance on the last mission, and because of the recent news. Even if you didn't like the IF, or thought they were going too far, for something to happen like this... It's simply too much. The balance of power is going to shift radically, and when it starts to tip, a lot of people are going to die...

>>48653807
I have a sneaking suspicion the nuke wouldn't have gone off if we had intercepted that shipment.

I guess the question is with so many people against the IF, who's going to take the blame?
I swear to god if it's us we are so dead

>>48653829
>Right now the game is full
Then why are you running it on /tg/? Private games should be run on other forums.

File: Today's_Mechs.jpg (2.32 MB, 3368x2560)

2.32 MB JPG

After the last squad of mecha returned to base the 3C would receive a visit from a rather angry Guduza Duran. He stormed into the hanger flanked by a squad of Special Forces looking types wearing the Peace Keeper insignia. As usual James “Cable Guy” Kerry was making the rounds checking that operations around the base were going smoothly. Seeing the look on Duran’s face Kerry decided to intercept him before he could antagonise any of the more aggressive pilots.

“Mr. Duran, what brings you here today?”

“I need to see Commander Meirin- NOW.”

“The Commander is busy walking the bloodhound drones. Perhaps I can take a message?”

Duran gave Kerry a look that practically dared him to continue with the bullshit before pulling out a folder and shoving it in Kerry’s hands.
“Do you know what this is Kerry?”

“Why don’t you give me the cliff notes.”

“This is the salvage report from Guye Co. after the 3C’s industrial sabotage operation in Merika.”

“Industrial Sabotage is a perfectly legal undertaking for a merc outfit.”

“Of course, but you what isn’t legal? Using radiation based weaponry.”

“That’s a bold accusation Duran, do you have-”

“Evidence? Well if you look in the report it will show that the salvage teams encountered high levels of radiation around the area where the Pugilist-X was engaged. The insides of said mech were burned out and the remains of the pilot were splattered all over the cockpit in a pattern that suggested his bodily fluids were flash vaporized.”

“That’s hardly-”

“Oh and there’s also a few choice stills from a video on MePipe; uploaded by a Merikan suburbanite videoing an ‘awesome mech battle outside my yard’. Note the exotic beam weapon mounted on the mech with the Kau pattern. IF weapons experts have identified it as a gamma emitter.”

“Don’t the IF have better things to do these days? You know… considering recent events.”

>cont

>>48654279
Goddamnit Izzy, I knew this was going to happen

File: Equipment List_w_Black_Market.jpg (1.26 MB, 1947x1883)

1.26 MB JPG

>>48654279
One of the Peace Keepers steps forwards, his cool air of superiority combined with the fact he wasn’t decked out in a tactical vest with an assault rifle marked him has a spook of some kind.
“We do, which is one of the reasons why we haven’t stormed the base and arrested the lot of you.”

“What’s the other reason?”

“Well Mr. Kerry up until now the 3C have been very good boys, playing by the rules, helping the unfortunate, doing us special favours. Which is why I’m very disappointed in you. But don’t worry: I have a proposition for Commander Meirin. If he accepts then all is forgiven.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“We really don’t have time for due process right now. If he refuses then let’s just say: justice will be… swift.”

The Spook and the rest of the entourage turned to leave.
“You will receive your instructions shortly, give my regards to Commander Meirin.”

--------------------

Irving: “Hey hey boys and girls! With all the shit going down I’ve managed to snatch some Peace Keeper gear including one of their exclusive drones. You have no idea how hard it is to capture one of these without it self-destructing.”

>>48654358
>>48654279
Nukes!
And now IF dogs without the leashes of their councilman masters...
I never thought I'd live see EVERYTHING...
Kerry, who's running the IF with the council dead?

"Hah Hah! I haven't felt like this shhsince Drump got elected and ssshut down the worker units, yeah! Fackin' Presidential Arsehole, bashtards, and fackin' IF facists too!" Said Chuck, ripping the cork of a bottle and chugging heavily from it.

"Three cheersh to the god damn apocalypse, hurray!" *CHUG*, "And now we've been ssshanghaied into government service because someone dedcided that warcrimes were for /other/ one, good, fackin' job Izzy, well done." *CHUG*

Chuck slumps forward on his bench. "Gonna, gonna just, lie here until I feel like the world isn't spinning. Or maybe I just drink some more."

"Wheresh, where is where, where is the /bar/ here, we should have one in this dump surely right? Yeah and like, lot's of alcohol that shhounds like a great idea and then I can pretend thish didn't happen, and then when I remember that is actusshally has I can drink some more! Hurray!~" And very slowly, Chuck falls of his seat and hits the floor like a sack of potatoes.

68 Monies
Mech Cost: 40

=The Regulator=
Batman
-Composite Armour-
HP: 24/24
Def: 8
EDef: 8
Sensor: 6
Move: 4
RA: Electro Bat, Melee Sub-Processor
LA: Blast Shield, Harpoon
Torso: Guidance Disruptor
Legs: Juggernaut Mods
Extra: Redundant Sub-system
Skills: Combat Tech, System Restore, Deflection Angles

File: Pilot_Classes_V1_8.jpg (1.19 MB, 2071x2050)

1.19 MB JPG

>>48654358
Message from the Peace Keepers:
We know of your dealings with the arms dealer Richard Irving, this only compounds your crimes, but we are willing to overlook them on the following conditions:
-You will undertake a mission to capture Irving and deliver him to us.
-After Irving is delivered into our custody you will work for us exclusively, you will prioritize the jobs we assign you and you will not engage in any further illegal activities.

Message from Mysterious Contractors:
We know of your predicament and can offer you sanctuary from the Peace Keepers. We can relocate you beyond the IF’s reach. In return we ask that you complete a job for us within a specific time frame and prioritize future contracts from us. We await your response.

>>48654493
oh god i dont play in this game but it sounds hella serious good luck players!
One one hand work for peace keepers but no more black market. One another hand work for mysterious people but trouble againts them possible forever....
Decisions :3

>>48653807
welcome back!
holy shit. what.

File: Company Support Assets.jpg (1.98 MB, 3092x2550)

1.98 MB JPG

>>48654493
Cable Guy: "Saint preserve us, now that we've pissed off the Peace Keepers Noblesse refuses to give us access to the facilities required for any combat aircraft or cruise missiles. What we can do is hire sub-contractors to provide us with air support. There are some colourful characters out there willing to fly for us if the price is right."

"Oh and we might want to start beefing up the defences in our little hide away if we decide to blow off the Peace Keepers. I've added some new options for the command staff's consideration."

Company Cred Balance: 101

>>48654457
>Kerry, who's running the IF with the council dead?

Cable Guy: "Overall? I don't know. The Desert Task Force had it's own flag officers in the region so the chain of command there is relatively intact. Right now we have to wait and see just how the line of succession plays out before we know who commands the Peace Keepers in general."

((Enjoy spending your payout guys. Ima sleep now, but later on I'll give you the mission choices for this campaign turn plus I have an announcement to make.))

>>48654493
So if we side with the IF, does that mean we can use Peacekeeper weapons without repercussions?
And if we turn Irviing in... then.. does the IF give us another supplier?

Losing out on the black market and turning a guy in who's been working hard to get us goodies doesn't sound all that appealing, and with the IF command blown up, I find it hard to believe they're very organized.

>>48654742
Forgot my trip of course, but..
>>48654693
>The Desert Task Force had it's own flag officers in the region so the chain of command there is relatively intact.
.. I guess this means we're in for a world of hurt, IF council or not, if we decide to blow them off.

>>48654693
Cognis when will new players be able to play? Just wondering if you can put me on a queue or something when a spot opens up i can join.

>>48654779
If you side with the Peace Keepers, the black market will be replaced with the Peace Keeper Armoury. You will be sanctioned to use Peace Keeper gear and have consistent access to it. However you will never be able to buy illegal weapons such as the gamma emitter or terror drone again.

>>48654781
New players will be able to play when an old player bows out for whatever reason. Right now I can only handle so many people, sorry.

As for a waiting list: just keep an eye on the twitter. When a Hanger thread goes up and there's room jump in.

"good god. why. why is this happening?"
(kestrel sat under the leg of the predator.)
"all is lost. The IF blew up, and the entire company is at risk of being dragged away to prison. why? why did it have to be now? this isn't right. this isn't right. this isn't right..."


>>48653857
>Apex Predator left arm hard points reduced to 1.
any particular reason for this change? If it's a logical one I can agree, but the picture of the predator on the sheet shows it holding a gun, which should be the gauss rifle. which is, you know, 2 hardpoints.

>>48653807

With spirits high from victory, Bob Doe returned to base mentally calculating the money he has received, thoughts of buying a better mech swirling in his mind. Unfortunately for the man from Odros, the news of Monus Island being nuked put a damper on his mood, worry bubbling up deep inside for he is unsure what this means for his home country. Will it stay isolated or power-hungry warlords will gaze in its direction, desiring the vast resources it has?

"Oh man, I just wanted recognition for my country but not like this!"

>Did I calculate the maintenance costs and payout right?

[CRC-LZ/G]Bob Doe

60 Cred payout

Mech cost: 27 Cred
=Bob Doe=
Gunner: Vigilance

=Young Snapper=
Chassis: [Crocodile]
Armour: Ablative Armour (+4 HP)
HP: 18/18
DEF: 10 (2 reduction front arc)
E.DEF: 8
SENSOR: 10
MOV: 4
Torso (3/3): Redundant Systems, Stiletto Targeting Suite, Chaff Launcher
LA (2/2): Tactical Shield
RA (2/2): Laser Rifle
Legs (0/1): N/A

>>48654903
Well i guess thats a bit of a shame, i guess i will have to wait. And check every hanger thread whenever one pops up, I am gonna guess its gonna be a while. Well i guess the only thing i can do is occasionally just some spectator commentary in here, whenever a battle crops. And you know wait for the next hanger thread :3

"okay. shit. first things first, organizing."
>return ablative armor
"Now. Guys. what do we do now? Do we just assault Irving and make this pass? let me be straight, I don't want to be a criminal. I was always against the idea of using illegal stuff but contended with the members buying it. but it looks like things just went pear shaped real fast. I don't know if this is going to be a new world order situation or not, but one thing I'm certain. IF is big. well, was. but you get the point, the forces on the desert side is a big power in itself. I don't know if Irving is connected to any stronger guys, but unless if he knows the guys that blew up IF and/or the mysterious contractors offering safe haven, I'm voting for the peacekeepers."

"...god, I want to go home..."

=Bird of Prey=
[Predator]

>HP:12/12
>DEF: 12
>E-Def: 10(8+2)
>Sensor range: 10
>Mobility: 5 (4+1)

>Torso: (2/2)
- Enhanced Autoloder (Removes slow reload attribute)
- Stiletto Targeting Suite (+1 Crit, -2 Pen to weapons)
>Right Arm: (4/4)
- Railgun (Slow Reload, Armor Penetration, High tech, Mag-rail)
>Left Arm: (1/1)
- Recon drone controller
>Legs: (1/1)
- Thruster array (+1 Mob. Jump)
>Armor: -

-Miscellaneous
>Redundant Subsystems (1/1)

Recon drone
>HP:4/4
>DEF: 16(14+2)
>E-Def: 12(10+2)
>Sensor range: 10
>Mobility: 5
>Stealth Rating: 14
>mech pistol(-)
>high tech, jump, scan

Credits: 30
Storage:
Combat drone (1)
Defective missiles (1)

>>48654994
your total reward for last mission was 30 credits. divide your mech's total cost by 5 and round it down. subtract that number from 30 credits and that's your total payout.

Bloody hell, I leave for one week...
Will try and get online properly tomorrow to give a commanders view on this massive fuck up.

>>48655258
your post just reminded me of something.
>Recieve T' net-Hub and A. sensor from Malek

>>48655240
Ah so it is, alright I was paid 30 cred, 27/5 equals to about 5 cred so a total of 25 cred for me

>>48655240
"You are home."

Creds 30+7-6=31

>>48654476
Horst watches the display in amusement before slipping a unique flask from a hidden pocket before raising it, speaking as he walks off to secure paperwork, his face a shadow.
"Three cheers to the apocalypse."

>>48654476
"... Well then. Dibs not dragging his ass to the toilet."

>>48655240
"I have to agree, the IF has a lot more sway around here even with the... recent news. (She stays silent for a moment)
...But I think this is our moment to shine. People are regrouping and rebuilding, there's a power vacuum waiting to be filled, and we're just the group to fill that gap. The IF is at it's most vulnerable, and while I'm hesitant to throw Mister Irving to the wolves, we need to take advantage of our situation before it slips us by.

... And to be honest, we're damned either way. Either the IF stomps us out, or we risk whatever allies Irving has turning against us in the long run. At the very least, being in the IF's pocket means we could rely on their resources and protection more, and who knows, maybe they'll throw us a bone or two?"

"Come to think of it, how /does/ Irving get his stuff anyways?"

"... So, the IF demands we subjugate ourselves or be destroyed, changing our operational structure and turning us into small bit players in the Peace Keeper Forces. They're rude, abrasive and prone to throwing their weight around.

Meanwhile, this mysterious other group reaches out and offers a nearly-no-strings attached offer with generous terms and promises of work in the future.

So bugger that for a lark; anyone who shows up at just the right time with just the right offer is the sort of asshole who is trying to flip your misfortune into their extravagent paycheck. C'mon, that's patently ridicolous. "offer sanctuary". "We 'ask'. 'Prioritize'. There's never any damn question in situations like that. They say they ask but what they mean is 'accept or we'll throw you to the dogs because we're the ones protecting you". The IF have all the soft fuzzy kindness of knapped flint stones but they stick to their promises and pay the money they owe.

The IF isn't Monus Island. The IF is an organization, fed by invisible logistic chains from multiple countries, with bases and outposts and chains of command. They're rude, smug and condenscending but they're not assholes. And I can work with that. If there's even a ghost of a sliver of a fragment of a chance that we end up working with the kind of stone-cold psychopaths with delusions of competence that think nuking a thousand bored adminstrative clerks trying to sort out tax paperwork for a Nation Assembly on Monus Island will accomplish any darn thing, then they can take their offer and
shove
it
up
THEIR
A---

Ahem.

Excuse me. These are emotional times."

Hey guys-
>>48653807
>Monus Island has been nuked
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFKUoHhS2aw
Oh. Well. Nevermind.

>>48654238
>>48655240
>>48654279
>>48654358
>>48654742
>>48656290


>>48654493
>IF or mystery box
Hooboy.

Look, I'm gonna lay this out right now, we CANNOT accept the IF's terms.

>After Irving is delivered into our custody you will work for us exclusively,

They're basically trying to use legal leverage to turn us into an expendable penal legion to do their deniable dirty work, and if they want to they can dispose of us at any time.

I always thought the IF was kind of corrupt, so I would have been hesitant to side with them under normal circumstances, but now all the cooler heads in charge are dead and there's only warhawks left, with plenty of reason to be thirsty for blood. There are no rules anymore.

HOWEVER;

The cabal responsible for this who are doubtless our mysterious contractors, and its their fault we're even in this situation. They've killed the security council and ensured that only those of choleric temper are left in control, ensuring the means for the IF to tear itself apart under its own heavy handed reprisal, leaving the way clear for them to move in and set up show. They're twisted bastards to go this far and they can't be trusted in the slightest. We cannot allow them to seize power.

But if we go down this rabbit hole we may be able to find out more about their plans, we may become trusted, and when the time comes we may be able to put ourselves in the right place to tear their schemes apart.

And as for what happens after that? I don't know, but it can't be any worse than either alternative.

>TLDR
>Side with Cabal and pursue our own leads, then take them down from within

On an unrelated note, I strongly recommend the LHI license, that last mission made clear how badly we need artillery.

Also
>>48654279
I take it the base in question is the one Noblesse issued us, and not the hidden one we occupied on the sly.

>>48656370
If we side with the cabal the IF will come, we need base defenses until then.

..and who's to say it was the cabal who did this?
What if it was a power play from a faction in the IF?
What if it was some country prepping to make a move?

>>48656519
>..and who's to say it was the cabal who did this?
I guess it's not a certainty, but if it isn't them then I will happily consume a whole bottle of that muckmaw stuff of yours and will everything I own to you if I die from it.

Looking back, everything that has transpired thus far has had a strange kind of orderliness to it. The situation in the desert, the way the aggressors involved seemed to all be moving in concert according to some plan, the way they made a challenge to the IF they couldn't hope to back up that drew away much of the Peacekeeper's fighting strength away. There's also the way they tried to hire you guys to defend what in retrospect was almost certainly the Proxy so Zanvra could keep underming the IF satellite network with it and the way they've been talking when they contacted us

Oh, and I neglected to make this point, but:
>>48656290
The IF knows we are acquainted with Irving. Irving sent us the request to steal the nuke that was almost certainly used in this attack, so he was responsible, and by association with him we are, in the IF's eyes, collaborators with those responsible already. Make no mistake, the kid gloves are off. They are not just going to let us off with a "Don't do it again" and a pinkie promise to help them out. To them we're criminals already, and the people that might have honoured a promise to criminals made under the table are so much radioactive dust swirling around Monus Island.

I know everyone is rightfully leery of openly defying the world police, but I strongly feel that they cannot be trusted to keep up their end the way things are now. Make no mistake.The Cabal is extremely dangerous to side with, but in no way is the IF any safer. Not now.

Think about it, is hiring known international criminls to do your wetwork something a benign government does? Not that they ARE a government, much as they think they are.

>>48656813
>>48656519

"T-the problem is that we have a lot of questions, and n-no time to find the answers. I-if we had just a few more pieces of information, maybe we could make a better decision

>>48654279
>>48654358

"I warned you guys but it took them threatening us for you to finally see.

I will refuse any sort of IF global government. It is removing people's freedoms in the name of 'peace'."

>>48656927
Well, Kerry did say he had one other announcement. Till then we can weigh in on it with what we have now.

>>48654238
Oh, and Borealis? Don't beat yourself up for what happened on your last mission. On my own op, Chuck did pretty much the same thing, it's just that he made it out intact because he had a much better robot that could take the blows. Now that you have some more cash under your belt you can replace that Komodo.

>>48657023
I never thought I'd see the day when I was backing up Alice, but here I am. She's right, any hope of the IF not overstepping its bounds and becoming jackbooted thugs went up with the security council.

>>48656813
Fuck, for all we know they want us to kill off Irving because he can testify he sold nukes to THEM.
An army without a leash, moving to make a power grab...
Fuck, if nothing else the cabal moving to stop orbital lasers is reason enough...

>Horst withholds his vote

>>48656813
This isn't about sides. This isn't about safer, or better, or wiser, or nicer, or smarter. This is about standards.

Don't work with the kind of people who nuke towns. No how, no when. Don't negotiate, compromise or try to change their policy. You bury them six feet under in an unmarked grave. They bring out the WMDs, they can get bent. If there's even a chance that's the people we work with, then the answer is no. A million times no. A giant flaming ball of no. A no-culear no.

We get hired to solve jobs. That's personal. Them, us, guns, violence. That's the rules. No indiscriminate extra collateral damage. No vaporizing city centers. No leaving places uninhabitable for years. People with guns, killing each other, in a civilized, dignified manner that gets resolved and everyone goes on with their lives or attends a funeral. Effective, clean, the job.

If you bring out the mass murder, you get hunted down and put down like the mad barkng dog you are. Working with the IF just means I get to the point where I put a bullet in their skulls faster. That doesn't mean I expect to like working with them or want to do it. But it's not about that. This is about having Standards.

>>48657444

"Gotta agree with the bossh there boys." *Hic*

"If we join the myshtery buggers, and they turn out to be a bunch a wannackers and leave ush out to dry, we're pretty fucked on that score."

"We join the IF, well they could leave us out to dry too, but they might alsho decide to offer an amneshty, and we'd have the big boy guns on our side for once, hah!"

"Or to put it shortly, I'd rather take a gamble where we might be sold out, then one where we might all get hung as war criminalsh inshtead."

"Rather be a, patsy, then a bloody terrorisht"

>>48657444

You do realized the IF has it's own WMD in the form of a satellite weapon system. So there are no standards as you say in this. It does come down to sides. One where we subjugate ourselves and possibly see the entire world living in fear of stepping out of line. Or we can resist.

>>48657444
The IF don't have standards anymore Spare, that's what I'm trying to say. Their headquarters were nuked, their authority was severely compromised and they will go to any lengths to rectify that. We'll probably see exactly how far in due time, but I have a very, very strong hunch that they've begun to tumble down a very long, dark, downward road and that before too long there isn't going to be much difference between them and the people they hunt. Mark my words, there will be atrocities perpetrated by the IF. They'll just either try to justify it in the name of security or sweep it under the table.

Look, every time I've doubted you so far you've turned out to be right and I trust your experience and instinct, so whatever decision the Corps eventually makes I'll go along with it. I'm just warning you right now that if the IF wins this struggle and regains control, the new world order is going to be very, very grim.

>>48657552
>I'd rather take a gamble where we might be sold out, then one where we might all get hung as war criminalsh inshtead
But don't you see? Siding with the IF is both. They can easily get rid of us once they're done. Why wouldn't they? We'd be an incriminating loose end.

>>48657598

Oh don't give me that shlippery shlope garbage Cryptic. We've seen some of the worsht of the IF, we might see some of the besht if we work with em, we can /be/ some of the besht. Something that might make us a few worthwhile alliesh in the process and work us towardsh some bloody amnesty

Whereash if we join the Myshtery buggers then we're internatshional terroristsh, and we're gonna be stuck like that for the resht of our career you're willing to gamble with all our livelihoodsh on an inkling of a chanshe of a hunch that the hyenash are better then the wolvesh, and quite frankly, I'd rather not be associated with that.

I ain't getting put on a watchlist Cryptic, nuh-uh, I'll drop ship and leave before I go along with that bollocksh

>>48657695
>I ain't getting put on a watchlist Cryptic
Chuck, you are on a wachlist. You're an associate of a war criminal and a nuclear arms dealer who blew up the HQ of the world police. There will be no amnesty. There'll just be a bullet in the back of our heads and a shallow grave to rot in. For all their pretense the IF are not good people. They might have been once, ages ago, but they've come to believe that any means are acceptable to ensure their continued authority and recent events have only fanned the flames. Even before this they hired deniable mercenaries to do their dirty work to protect their image.

The IF jumped down that slope years ago when they planned the Bitfrost network. S'just now the slope is a little steeper than it was before is all.

>We've seen some of the worsht of the IF
....No. We haven't. Not yet. But we're about to.

>>48657826

And you think our new 'friends' won't do the same thing when they're done with us hoss?

>>48657964
>And you think our new 'friends' won't do the same thing when they're done with us hoss?


he has a point.

>>48657964
>>48657980
He certainly does, but I'm not advocating actually siding with the mystery box. As bad as the Peacekeeprs are these clowns certainly won't be any better. I just want to stick around long enough to know what's really going on, then we can decide to topple them, topple the peacekeepers or both. We don't really have that kind of operational latitude with the Peacekeepers breathing down our necks and sending us into battle with a gun at our backs.

Like Haze said earlier, what we really need is time to make a more informed call. And if we don't have that time then we should buy it.

That being said, we could potentially side with the Peacekeepers for now, and ditch them if we ever find them going to far. I think the Cabal might just be willing to accept a defection if the IF starts to go off the reservation.

All this arguing about siding with the PieceTakers or the blackhats and I gotta ask, why not both?
No, hear me out before you jump in. There are a number of us that want nothing to do with being PK lapdogs, but Spare and Chuck have good points about not getting hanged and not working for the kind of idiots that use nukes. So, my proposition is this: Two full squads join the IF in hunting Irving and play nice, all above board and by the rules. One squad (that I think Alice will be wellnsuited to lead) goes off the radar, sticks to the Midas site, and runs black book ops. We wouldn't ever show ourselves to the IF go-betweens, and would act as the shaved knuckle in the hole for if (when) they try to burn us.

>>48658155
...and claim to the IF that the third squad deserted when we made our decision to 'join' them. It's certainly an interesting notion, but it's a risky one for the black books squad, since they'd have to run every operation with five people and whatever equipment they can get out there undetected. Besides Alice and Izzy, who'd even volunteer for a mission like that?

>>48658097
While I appreciate the sentiment, I think >>48656927 Borealis said that, not me.

>>48658211
....You could hire a supply of air/artillery support and remote used or automnous drones?

>>48658211
No, I wouldn't say deserted, I say retired or vanished.
After me? Not sure, but I'm holding hope the at least two others would be on board.

>>48658330
... I don't know if I'm suited for that mission. It'd reeeally be rough hanging around War Crimes and War Crimes Jnr, and I've really come to like all you guys. If Spare okays it, and if there's at least one slot left then I'll take the hit for the team and suffer the Psycho Squad.

>No, I wouldn't say deserted, I say retired or vanished.
If we do this how it's phrased is important. We're all wanted, the IF is not going to just accept that we misplaced five pilots.They'll be extremely irate and demand to know why we let them get away. In all likelihood we'll be suspected. If they're going to 'go rogue' it has to convince whatever spooks have their eye on us.

>>48657598
>But don't you see? Siding with the IF is both. They can easily get rid of us once they're done. Why wouldn't they? We'd be an incriminating loose end.

Because that's the rules? It's illegal to kill people, even if you don't like them. The reason they won't kill us is because it's... illegal. I mean, not everyone likes killing people. Sometimes people actually follow the rules. Actually when I say that out loud it does sound really flimsy, doesn't it? Hm. Unfortunate.

Same thing about the BiFrost Network. Not a fan, never was. But I can deal with one step at a time, and I'll focus on the ones that actually murder people. Then I can always singlehandedly dismantle the IF Satelite Network after that. I've gotta have something to do after breakfast, anyway.

--
Mech value : 52
Repair costs : 11
Gain 40, lose 11, have 15 banked : 44 credits.
--

>Consider selling entire set-up and changing to cluster rocket assault drone regressive knife zenith...

"Well uh, oops. Honestly I think our best bet is to go with the mysterious guys. We know the IF is probably full of crap, so better the option that might be on the level. Really, we're thinking of joining up with the IF, who's leadership just got nuked, and are about to have control over a network of kill satellites? For all we know someone in the IF themselves did the deed just to take control."

>Return x2 EMP missiles to company inventory. Will likely borrow one again next mission.
>Spend 20 credits to learn [Ta]rget Acquisition. 10 credits remain.

"Ohhhh Irviiiing," Izzy calls up the black market dealer with a smile, her new platinum and onyx gem nosering glittering under the lights of the base. "That fancy knife you're offering looks wonderful, but I'm a tad bit hard on cash. I recall you offering a little bonus to one of our pilots a while back, would the offer still stand with me for a teeny tiny discount?"

[Crocodile] =Killer Kau=
HP: 18/18 DR: 1 Defense: 12
ECM: 8 Sensor: 14 Move: 5
Armor: Composite Armor
Torso: Advanced Sensor, Stiletto Targeting Suite, Threat Assessment Module
LA: (GE) Gamma Emitter
RA: (GE) Gamma Emitter
Legs: Thruster Array
Skills: [E]hanced Electronics, [Ta]rget Acquisition, Redline


Also I've written a terrible thing after some of that discussion a few threads ago. Warning, terrible smut ahead: http://pastebin.com/8tjegw1f

>>48658416
A different story for every pilot would be ideal. They'd be left looking for individuals rather than a group. For myself, saying I retired or was simply a subcontractor would both work, as I've only been on one mission with the 3C.

>>48654693
>Company Asset votes
>Reaper OS: Selfish vote, I just want it. That said, the skills are generally good.
>LHI License: good gear, more mech versatility
>LRADN: Earliest warning system
>Waffle Hut or Bird Man: WH can scan for us. 'Nuff said. BM's Interception sou ds really useful for enemy reinforcement denial
>Pioneer upgrades: Never a bad choice.
>MoeDrones: Memento Mori, right? Also, things are quite grim, some levity would be nice.

>>48659658
Hey, Izzy-

>LA: (GE) Gamma Emitter
>RA: (GE) Gamma Emitter

...you know what, I don't even care anymore.

How do you feel about Ithaqua's proposal to run with him and Alice (and two others) as an off the books black team working for the mystery contractors?

Izzy?

Hm. Don't see her. Guess I'll leave a message.

>>48658224
Woops. Sorry.

>>48658517
>not everyone likes killing people
Hey, these types don't usually like killing people, but they do it anyway because it 'serves the greater good', then sleep like a baby. Honestly, that kind of person is even scarier than Alice, at least she makes no bones about who she is.

>>48659906
Well, Izzy is easy enough to explain away considering she's the one that drew their attention in the first place. She fled IF reprisal.

>Company assets
Definitely LHI first and foremost. Those mechs are really very good; every one is damn tough, they pack artillery which we sorely lack and reactive armour could be a huge boon going forward on more dangerous missions.
As for the rest I guess we should save. An investment in the Midas base is an investment in the future of the company, and the Reaper OS could potentially be handy further down the line.

Incidentally, I should note that AESR were working with the Cabal. Could be a potential in to that company's inventory.

>>48658155
>>48658211
"W-what if we split down the middle? Half our group goes to the IF to buy time for the other and investigate from within, the other half saves irving and brings him with them to the mystery man to see what they're up to? The outlaw half could investigate outsider plans to nuke the IF or cause war by following up with Irving, while the other side can Work for the IF and look into if it was an inside job, o-or if they h ave any other plans? From there, b-both sides could run interference on their faction if they start getting too close to our people."

Borealis clears his throat.
"A-also, we still have that space in the Midas range that they don't know about yet to fall back to when we've determined who on which sides is at fault."

File: Irving.jpg (60 KB, 500x281)

60 KB JPG

>>48660100
Having more support is good, but half the combat pilots upping and leaving is simply something we just can't explain to the IF considering our current position, not to mention the difficulty of finding that many pilots who'd be on board with such a scheme. A small squad is less than ideal, but it's also the most you're likely to get away with.

I mean, if you have a really dynamite excuse, I'm all ears, but it seems like a damn tough sell.


>>48657444
>>48658517
Oh, and before I forget again:
>"We really don’t have time for due process right now. If he refuses then let’s just say: justice will be… swift"
These are not exactly the boy scouts you're used to.

>>48654742
Working with the cabal and retaining the black market would potentially mean having access to peacekeeper gear (through illegal channels) and other illegal gear), although:
>turning a guy in who's been working hard to get us goodies
Don't mistake his willingness to sell to us as friendliness. Irving is a dyed in the wool iron monger, he'll sell to anyone who'll buy and he doesn't care too much about what happens to them after their cheques clear. If things go bad for us he just shrugs and keeps selling to his other customers.

>>48660100
>>48660308

We could not split the group and just go fully behind one option or the other.

>>48661306
"If t-the majority rules to follow the IF, would you want to stay?"

>>48654476
(kestrel silently watches chuck until he falls off, and lays him on the couch, head turned sideways just in case he starts throwing up.)

>>48657444
"so far I agree with Spare. everything is a mess, and in the time of crisis people flock to one with power. peacekeepers are no shallow business."

>>48659658
"for gods sake... Izzy. ugh. I can't take this..."

>>48660100
"whatever happens I want to stay on the side of Peacekeepers. I don't want to go any further, and if it does go, I don't know what I'll do...
so whatever happens, we've been marked as do-no-gooders now? in terms of illegal stuffs I mean. does this mean we should just start using Illegal stuff willy nilly?

>>48661306
Yeah, I've also been thinking that attempting to split the difference between two options and being unable to commit to either was what caused the disastrous result on the Sakala op, and doing that when it's our own lives on the line may be highly inadvisable.

That said, it seems more often than not people would prefer to go with the IF's 'suggestion'. Are you going to be alright with that?

>>48661306
Yeah, what he said.

It might not be so bad. We could probably ditch them if we decide we don't like what they're doing. The IF demanding we do illegal missions and warcrimes would certainly convince the diehards that the IF is beyond saving at this point.

(and goddamnit I'm asking this now because I keep forgetting to)

>>48653857
>>48654931
>Apex Predator left arm hard points reduced to 1.
>any particular reason for this change?
I'm with Kestrel in being curious about this. It seems a peculiar rule change and I can't think of a reason for it off the top of my head.

>>48661397
Say, Kestrel, you should maybe see a councillor or something. You've been looking even nervier than usual as of late. I know the situation is bad and all, but whatever way things go we ought to be able to cope.


...Y'know, Hetros was always a diehard supporter of the IF. I wonder what he'd have made of all this.

>>48655967
"Judging from his previous catalog, he has conmections to LHI and APEX gear, as well as some rouge engineers and AESR employees as well. He's somehow really connected."

>>48661397
>>48661452
>>48661344

Means I'll just have to shoot peacekeepers in the back.

>>48661397
"Should you?
Personal opinion: i believe that if you do you may be facing the if/peacekeepers at full force if you do and the enemies may be comprised fully of them.. Or they may be a big part of them, also money will be short after taking a look at the prices of the black market whew!
That stuff is pricey.
Either way In the end this brings up a good question, where do you stop with the regulations? Do you go for nothing but overkill? If you do then i guess a good idea would be to join the benefactors.
But the peacekeepers may be shit, but i am sure that there is still good people in them I have heard some rumours about them, but you know theres probably some good people in them....right?"

>>48660028
>>48661397
"Oh quit complaining. They're the only two weapons I have at the moment, so if I need to head into combat right /now/ I want to be ready. Feel free to hand over 30 credits and I'll be happy to take them off."

"And again, everyone seems to be forgetting about the kill satellites the now leaderless IF has. We have no idea the motives of whoever is in control of them now, but either way those satellites are not only going to put us out of business, they're going to make us redundant if we're working for the IF."

"I'm against splitting up the company, and I'm even more against joining the IF. We should at least contact this mystery guy and find out more before we make a decision."

>>48661452
>Apex Predator left arm hard points reduced to 1
Likely because the railgun alone is already quite powerful.

As for company assets, we can likely hold off on grabbing LHI for another turn. The base stuff is also very nice and we'll want to start thinking about that. I personally would love if we grabbed the Phulton Extraction Aircraft just to make sure our pilots stay alive since we'll absolutely be taking riskier missions from now on.

>>48653807
>Mushroom Clouds… [etc.]

"... What? ... What?!"

>>48653857
Great update, I like all of it and see no problems other than crack shot's wording. It is unclear to me how it functions when firing multiple weapons and since all dice are rolled at the same time, how they are counted.
Also, JDAM is a silly term and is only used in RL because it has been used for a while and everyone got used to it. IMO

>>48654493
>You will undertake a mission to capture Irving and deliver him to us.
>After Irving is delivered into our custody you will work for us exclusively, you will prioritize the jobs we assign you and you will not engage in any further illegal activities.

"This would be a dream come true to me if this wasn't also a day of great tragedy."

>>48654903
>If you side with the Peace Keepers, the black market will be replaced with the Peace Keeper Armoury. You will be sanctioned to use Peace Keeper gear and have consistent access to it.

Why even give us a choice when the answer is so crystal clear.
We get to work for the best employer, fighting for the worthiest cause, are being supplied with the best weapons, and get to finish our buisness with that Scum Irving.

I can't beleive that there is a debate. Does anyone have any argument that isn't based soley on assumptions that suggests that the Peacekeepers are anything but the best working and most efficient and successful group to fight for stability, lasting peace, and justice (aka: the worthiest cause)?

>>48656370
"Trooper Cryptic! The lube oil resorvoir needs scrubing, I have appointed you to the task.
Here is your brush."

Also, I'm very much for acquiring the LHI License.

"I warned you all about using such a terrible weapon as the gamma emitter...Saint have mercy on us all if only we could have known that not stopping that stolen uranium...the IF for all its faults is the legitimate...I just don't know what we are doing anymore we should be striving for better things than this.

>>48661695
This is why I wanted you as an officer a clear voice what needs to get done.

>vote for LHI license as my first preference

>>48659658
The was lewd!

Borealis sighs.
"With both sides looking to control our activities, the only side we know anything about is the IF, and even t-then... With their chain of command thrown into disarray, we have no idea who we'd actually wind up working for. In a sense, they're both mystery employers now. I-if we could buy just a bit more time, figure out something about who was responsible and the plot behind this, it'd be great, but I d-don't think they're willing to give us that time.

Almost nobody is happy with this decision, or the s-situation surrounding it. If only we could come up with a t-third option..."

Borealis taps as his chin as he thinks, before adding "W-we need to get our priorities straight. What is our overall goal? Do we want to break the IF's hold? Do we want to stop a war? Start one? Do we pursue Irving's knowledge of the nuclear transport, or do we leave that alone and f-focus on appeasing one group or the other?
What do we want to do?"

>>48653807

Bludhawk came in from the Hangar, performing the hard work of repairing the shot-up Crocodile, and putting in the purchase orders for his shiny new mech.

He walked in and dropped his wrench when he saw the news. "By the Saint..." It didn't take him long to move to his bar and pour a shot, tapping it on the make-shift bar of transit cases he'd made and drinking to those lost.

>>48654493
"We should be working with the peacekeepers. They lost a lot of good people and we owe it to them to bring those responsible to justice. Not to mention, they're the only organization out there trying to make the world better at the moment. Working with gun-runners who make it a habit to sell WMD's to the highest bidder? No thanks. Saint, it's our fault we got caught. Whose smart idea was it to leak radiation all over a residential area?"

"...screw this. I, I... screw it, If I'm gonna get dragged off to my death then I might as well break rules and kick stuff!"
(kestrel barges into the warlord stash, opens up a particularly dark flask, and chugs it. tears from in kestrel's eyes, and then kestrel starts coughing heavily.)
"ahaauahgh, this burns. how doo people cope with this? god damm my tuung feels burny and stuff..."

>>48661452
"ha ha hah... haaaahhhhhhh. nervy. the word 'nervy' describes me? yes. I agree. is it? no. that's a big understatement. aaand as if some random councelor is wi- *hic* -willing to talk up with people who are ready to- uh... ready for... 'available' to branded as war criminal."

>>48661494
(kestrel looks confused.)
"god, are these the voices that drunk people talk about? If anytheng, we need to be raady to build up firepower. Regardess of whet- *hic* whether we plan to go with peecekeepars or the mystery people, both sides will be packing heet, and eye, do not, believe that stagnating will allow us to survive."

>>48662468
"figurrs. we need to come up with an objective and focus on it. if we dunt have one, we need to force one out. because waiting around like a dingy and hoping for something good to happen is only going to leave us worse. and that wuud be a wast o time. and like you said, the IF will NOT give us that time."
(kestrel sinks downward, now crouching with head buried in the knees and arms.)
"*sniff* For fucks sake. I want to see my family... my ma... dad... sis... they would have no idea what kind of-*hic* of shit I'm in...*sniff* and to think I would show them off the predator to prove that I can NOT- *hic*, -Not be a worthless, bag of shit that can't get a proper job for once!"
*cough*
"I knew, *hic* I knew my life was gonna go to shit, everything weel be going to shit, and I wuld probably end up as'a splattered goop in the inside some kind of car. *sniff* or a mech if I was luuky.. but this is not right. they can't do this to us. this is not right..."

>>48659658

As have I written something involving smut. http://pastebin.com/B3ZAYkFe

>>48663357
"yah. yah, that makes sense. *sniff* but Trag. trag. get dis. if we- *hic* -we, cross the Eye-Eff, they arr prabably go crash down on us da doors. when that thingy happans, surely you expekt uss to fight. but that'sa problam. *cough* what eff they DO crunch us? don gemme rong, I noo that da threee-see is a good companie. a fighty good companie. but we wuuld be calling in the lee-jit, reel life peacekeepas heer. with theyr shiny fancy supa stuffs. less, fess it, we will get guys killed. probably. and like otha guyz says, the Eye Eff mighta be in da hands of guys who get mad easy. and I don wanna tuch 'em."
*sniff*
(kestrel falls sideways, splayed on the floor.)
"yah kno what eye think? the monos eyeland may bee nooked, but da eye-eff is still da major faktor. *cough* otha people guys agree with dis. doesn' dis meen that they are still relavant? and thiss mesteri spooky guys offering safe haben? what DUU we kno about dem? what makess them the tru savor in' shinin' lith arma, wen we don' kno about dem than da Eye-Eff in da furst pless?
(kestrel chugs another drink from the dark flask, while spilling half of it on the floor.)
"gahauaaa. ma head huts. jelly. ma arms arr jerry. legss are not workin. why is da flor on ma fess? malak? wherr iss malak? halp, malak, ah need repairs."

>>48654358
Re: Due Process
Tragedy was nonplussed at the news. "So they want a pound of flesh and they're implying they're willing to use their vast but limited resources to get it. You want to hear my take on it?" She held up a hand before anyone could reply. "That's moot because I'm going fucking to tell you anyway."

"The IF does have better things to do. Sort of. The thing is, they might be looking for easy publicity. They need something to show they haven't been rendered impotent and the fact that Izzy used a radiation gun hits close to home with recent events.

"I think we might stand a fair chance of testing their resolve, how important it is to them. We can lay it out like this at the table: They could overlook the transgression and come up with some bullshit story to satisfy whoever is bitching about about GuyeCo getting punched in the leather donut with questionable devices while keeping us around as a valuable asset to help them keep the wonderful world of lollipops and rainbows they struggled so hard to make from unraveling.

"..or they could waste resources sending people here to make a big show of how naughty children get punished. Maybe they'll succeed or maybe they wont but we can promise that they'll lose a lot in the attempt and if we survive, they'll have have added to their list of problems eating away at their grasp of control --which might be gaining momentum in the disintegration department.

"We can give them some time to formulate a response while hardening our defenses. In the meantime, we can get in touch with the mystery people and ask them to be ready for our acceptance, let them know we're open and willing to the idea if the IF decides we're easy meat. If it goes the other direction and the IF decides not to try and hang us, we're still game for taking contracts with them."

"As for Irving..."

>>48663821
>>48663769
(sorry, I was adding some stuff to the bottom of my post, so I pulled it for a repost)
"If the Mystery Men make good on their offer, then the IF would have pushed us away. It likely means the IF never really saw us to be very valuable beyond a band aid for their media woes to begin with.
"...you know what I think? You need to rehydrate and get some rest because I understood half of what you said."


>>48654493
>>48654358
Re: Irving:

"Irving, I'm going to cut to the chase because we both know things are pretty crazy and there's shit dancing around in the shadows. The Peacekeepers obviously want to have your balls turned into a fashion accessory. Even more so now that a certain product of yours works as advertised. Is there any chance you could get us in touch with some people that could get us a better picture of what the fuck is going on without compromising our neutrality for the time being?"

Unrelated to the drama note >>48653829
We have two company pieces of company excursive gear in the starter equipment pool. If we get the modernization packages what happens to them?

>>48663999
"mihyteri? pushh? ar don' get wha yoo shay. *sniff* an ah gat nuh taym*hic* tuh resh. da camp... da camp*hic* -campany ish... ish in rishk uh gatt-*hic*-ang ordar lak... lakh... uh..."
(kestrel's eyes closes halfway.)
"anymals... guad dugs. ya. dugs. laik... uh, ordur. ordur? ordur. waith. ordur?
uh. shait. uh,*hic* welkam... welkam tah grizzlishs munch... mhunch bugas. yah. bugas. mah ah take yah urda- urdur. urdur. hurur. hur. hurk."
(kestrel's eyes go blank, and slowly closes, leaving a qurater of the entire way open. the breath gets slower, and the body goes limp. the pitch black bottle, now empty of contents and free from the grasp, rolls away and stops with a clear 'tink'.)
"aish uh futhuh lu hugh luh. muhduh huhglugh. *hurk* ahughlugh. haughluh hughh."

>>48665372

Bludhawk finishes his own shot and pats Kestrel on the back. "Come on, little fellah, let's get you to bed."

>>48665372
Horst moves to toss the drunk man over his shoulder before stopping, with a sniff.
"I think he's dead, or pissed himself"

>>48654493
So we either work exclusively for the IF, who are shady as hell and threatening us, or we just prioritize jobs from this mystery contact, who is also shady as hell but promising us safety.

"Kerry, contact the mystery guy and find out what you can about him. If he wants us to even consider his offer, we need to know a lot more."

>>48665372
>>48665482
>>48665509
Tragedy did a doubletake. "Guys, do me a favor and check his pulse then get him to Medical for IV rehydration." She was already moving to the nearest intercom to let the medical staff so they would be prepared on Kestrel's arrival. "If you two think he's really fucked up, I can have someone meet you on the way." She muttered as she turned her attention to the phone, "He might need a new callsign for this one.."

>>48665791

"Will do, sern't." Bludhawk took one last shot for the road and grabbed one side of Kestrel, waiting for Horst to do the same on the other and shuffle him off toward medical. "One hell of a day...When we get back, I'll open up the good stuff I have stashed. Feel like this is the day for it. You might even like it, Horst."

Hey guys, just got out of bed and finished reading through the thread. Will post mission options soon after I get lunch.

>>48661623
>Apex Predator left arm hard points reduced to 1

The Predator is a sniper mech. I wanted it to be more reliant on on it's main armament so reducing the size of the other arm meant it didn't have as much space for a "back up" weapon. The Cobra didn't get this treatment because it only has one torso hard point and the Lord retains all it's hardpoints because it's a mixed sniper/command and control mech and doesn't have leg hard points anyway.

Plus in the picture the Predator is actually suppose to be using a twin laser, not a gauss rifle.

>>48661695
>It is unclear to me how crack shot functions

If your weapon fires 3 shots, you roll three dice. Basically the weapon fires as normal.

If your weapon has two shots, you roll three dice, assign the two highest to your shots and discard the third.

If your weapon has one shot, you roll three dice, take the highest result and discard the other two.

Wording says minimum of three to account for edge cases like dumb firing a swarmer pod.

I-I just though calling it a JDAM sounded cool <.<

>>48663821

Cable Guy: "I hear what all of you are saying, not just Tragedy. You want more info, more options. I'll see what I can do on my end but off the top of my head there is one obvious third option. You're not gonna like this but the only other player in this game that can challenge the power of the IF and the mystery men is the People's Republic of Zanvra. Although they have no reason to give a shit about us. If we go running to them we'll need a bargaining chip."

>>48664126
They'll get replaced with universal weapons.

>>48666041
Horst waves bludhawk away before tossing kestrel over his shoulder like a sandbag
"Here, I got em, and I'm interested in summa that booze."
As he starts to walk towards the medical center he stops
"You're gunna have to see he gets the needles though, I can't watch that shit"
>>48666150
Kerry.
Just do your best
we've got everything from ignoring everyone to splitting the 3C into splinter groups, to a 3C civil war, you've got your work cut out

Seeing and hearing the senior members of 3C argue on what side to choose has done nothing to alleviate the worries brewing within him. He doesn't know what will happen in the future but he figures that if he has a better mech, the more likely he will survive this coming storm.

>Take off Stiletto Targeting Suite, Redundant Systems, and Tactical Shield from Young Snapper (the Crocodile)
>Return the Chaff Launcher and Demo Charge to Company Inventory
>Mech cost is now 18 cred
>Sell Young Snapper (Crocodile, Laser Rifle, Ablative Armor) for 13 credits
>Total is now 38 Credits
>Buy the Summit (18), Heavy Laser (7), Enhanced Auto Loader (6), and Composite Armor (6) (37 Total)
>Install Stiletto Targeting Suite, Redundant Systems (Torso), Tactical Shield, Heavy Laser, Enhanced Auto-Loader, and Composite Armor onto the Summit

Seeing his new mech in front of him has given Bob a quiet sense of courage, making him determined to survive the approaching apocalypse.
"Heh, now that I'm a little more experienced, how about I call you The Snapper then?" he said to his mech, the silent visage not answering back.

>Name the Summit The Snapper

"Three cheers to the apocalypse and may we survive long enough to enjoy our profits and celebrate..." he softly said in the hanger.

[SUM-HZ/G]Bob Doe

Bank: 1 Cred
Mech cost: 44 Cred

=Bob Doe=
Gunner: Vigilance

=The Snapper=
Chassis: [Summit]
Armour: Composite Armour (+4 HP, 1 DR)
HP: 20/20
DEF: 10 (1 DR and 2 DR front arc)
E.DEF: 8
SENSOR: 8
MOV: 4
Torso (3/3): Redundant Systems, Stiletto Targeting Suite, Enhanced Auto-Loader
LA (2/2): Tactical Shield
RA (2/2): Heavy Laser
Legs (0/1): N/A

>>48666248
"*hurk*"
(with a sudden jerk kestrel awakens. with eyes half closed, kestrel stays still. Barely open eyes searching for something, but failing to focus on one.)
"ahh. ah? haurg?
guh. guuuys. herro. ahny bodi. wharr ah..."
(suddenly, the cloudy gaze searches for figures nearby, but is incoherent. the eyes widen. and kestrel starts squirming.)
"ah? nah. nah. naah. nah jayl. nah jayl. innacent. ayy innacent. nah. plahs. plahs nah. ayy innacent."

>>48666150
it feels a bit unfair though. I mean, the same could be said for an onager, and it can grab stealth in the form of a A.camo. and the total # of hardpoints on the lord is 9(4+3+2+0), while the pred now has 8(4+2+1+1). onager has 11. it's not like the predator can use the leg hardpoint feasibly as well, since all leg items that give mobility boosts have the jump icon as well, which disrupts cloak and is practically useless until the pred goes loud. and i get it, the railgun IS the reason why people use it. but what else do you use the Predator for? if people wanted sneaky support business they would have went knightlite, while ones who want full firepower would go LHI and grab mortar onagers. the pred's railgun, while impressive, can only feasibly pick off a guy a turn(assuming called shot+stiletto), while the lord has the torso do do other stuff WHILE shooting,(and can gain the Penetrator and remove slow reload like the predator by equipping items) as well as doing support stuff. if anything I don't know why an APEX mech, which is supposed to be SUPERIOR to most mechs, should be inferior to a 'relatively' weaker company, when properly customized to it's maximum potential. it was already suffering in utility against the lord due to it's one of the slots being moved to the legs (torso->leg). at this rate I might have to switch over to summit, although it pains me.

>>48666785
*Iron Neromian grip intensifies*
"What's he saying?"
"I think he's having a seizure!"

>>48666150
>we'll need a bargaining chip
...The RB-03 Recursor would be a pretty good one. Thing is, if we were to do this we'd need time to play that angle, which would mean siding with the IF temporarily. Also, Zanvra are a bunch of useless clowns I wouldn't trust to run a lemonade stand. Sergei sided with them because they were the only option he had of impeding the IF satellite project, but I have my reservations about them.

Broadly, that makes our options:
>Become boxed crooks at the mercy of a totalitarian regime
>Sign up with a bunch of shady power hungry bastards willing to employ nukes to get their way
>Ride the short bus and seek haven in the most warmongering country in the world.

Our prospects aren't looking great regardless.

>>48661695
>>48662085
>>48662511
Look, I've already said my piece and made my position clear. If becoming a disposable asset of the IF is the course of action the company decides on then that's what I'll do. This place already feels like more of a home to me than anywhere in my own country ever was. And who knows, maybe you'll even turn out to be right. But the logician in me doubts it, the IF are just as willing to engage in dirt deeds as any national government is (after all, they are one now). And if we end up facing down some IF perpetrated horror, I hope you'll reconsider your position.

War is isn't and has never been a case of good people vs bad people. There are always and only bad people, but some of them are on opposite sides.

>>48666819

Bludhawk rushes up to the NCO holding the smaller pilot, putting a much more calm and firm hand on a shoulder. "Hey buddy, glad you're awake. We're just helping you get to the party. Just stay with me and Sergeant Horst and we're going to have a great time, okay?" Blud's lips turn up into a wide smile, practiced from many nights around drunken soldiers.

>>48666830
Okay, I'd like to point out that we know absolutely nothing about the mysterious contact besides them offering us protection from the IF who are currently threatening us. We do not know who dropped the bomb or if the mysterious contact is power hungry or even a group. Everyone needs to stop making things up based on nothing.

>>48666879
"Paartay. Paatay? Ay duh laykh paatays...*hic* -urgh. Press. Harrd ta breath. *wheese* Neck chokey. Nah. Belly push in. Hal. Hal- *wheese* *hic*"

>>48666785
>but what else do you use the Predator for
I was thinking you could make a nasty close assault mech with one. Fit one arm entirely with lasers, give it a shield, a threat assessment module and some decent armour and watch the beamspam fly. Regardless, I don't think the railgun is so good that it merits making the mech incapable of anything else. Like Kestrel says here, the Onager can pack two weapons of that kind of range and power, and unlike the Predator it's very tough as well.

>>48666890
Come on Izzy. I know you hate the IF and all, but use your brain for this one. They're not offering us 'protection' because they're just good Samaritans like that, they're doing it because they think they can use us since we have nowhere else to go. And I've obsessively gone over enough of our archived material on suspicious events and mysterious contractors that I'd stake my life on it.

>>48666951
>>48666150

Why can't we just continue to take contracts out of our little mountain fortress?

>>48666951
That sounds a lot better than joining up with the people activity threatening us, and are soon to make us redundant once they start using those kill satellites. Also you're forgetting the IF wants us to exclusively work for them, while the contact wants us just to prioritize their requests.

If people want to work for the IF, they should have joined the Peacekeepers and not a mercenary group.

>>48666987
This. A lot of us do not want to work exclusively for the IF.

>>48667015
Terms from IF
"you will prioritize the jobs we assign you and you will not engage in any further illegal activities."

>>48666920

"You'll like this one. Now just take a little nap and we'll be there soon."
With some finagling, the other pilot was soon layed in one of the medical cots, and Bludhawk took the needle of saline, flicked the tip and slowly slid it into Kestrel's vein.

>>48667015
>the IF wants us to exclusively work for them, while the contact wants us just to prioritize their requests.
Actually they both said 'prioritise our requests'
>-After Irving is delivered into our custody you will work for us exclusively, you will prioritize the jobs we assign you and you will not engage in any further illegal activities.
>In return we ask that you complete a job for us within a specific time frame and prioritize future contracts from us
The IF just seemed to conflate that with exclusivity.

That aside, you make me sound like an IF advocate when I'm one of maybe three or four people here who even seem willing to doubt them at all.

We don't actually have to KEEP working with the peacekeepers if we concede to them. We could conceivably ditch them at any time, and even if we can't reach the mystery men Zanvra would probably take us.

>>48666951
"Ayy. Ayy! Crypt-*hic*! Wayt! Buh wah ess we has? *wheese* -is no way to leeve wedaut ayy-eff killy dilly ah uss."

>>48666987
"Arrrn we too laet to do it. *wheese* liek, liek, wee arr arreadee put on deir shooty list. We shuuda dun it earleer if we wan'*hic* a dunnit likit.

>>48667015
"Ay. Ay. Eeezee. Haw da we truss em? Like, we knoo nuuthinn aboutim. We shudda waita unnil' cabll guy gatta uz info- waa? Were ah we goin-"

>>48667047
"Huah! Aaa-! Prrikly needls! Ahh! Halp! Haaal... hurc. urrg. urg. huugh."
(Kestrel limps on the bed, completely disabled.)

File: CALBEGUY_STATIC_05.jpg (392 KB, 950x972)

392 KB JPG

>>48663275
>>48659658
L-LEWD! 0/////0

Even over the video chat you can see Irving visibly struggle to keep the blood in his brain.

Irving: "Sorry Honey I can't afford to mix business and pleasure right now. Besides, you look like you can afford it."

((You have 10 Cred, Knife costs 10 cred. What's the problem?))

>>48666785
Hmm, you're right. I made the decision with the intent of wanting to re-balance the hard point distribution for mech archetypes. But that sort of thing requires a massive overhaul, not a tweak for a single mech. Something to think about if I ever make a "2nd Edition" to the game.

Hotfixes:
-Predator's left arm get's the hard point back.
-MK1 Drone should have the high tech attribute, that it doesn't is a typo.

Oh the IF saying that you will work for them exclusively was bad wording on my part. Basically what they meant is that you need to prioritize their missions and refrain from acting against them. Other than that you'll still be free to do other stuff on the side.

--------

Cable Guy: "Okay guys. I've done a bit of research and pulled a few strings. We've got a few options: There's the obvious ones of throwing in our lot with the mystery men or the Peace Keepers. We could pretend to comply with both and split our forces to do their respective missions, however it won’t be long before they figure out we stiffed both of them and then we’ll have some serious trouble on our hands unless we find another patron to protect us. Speaking of patrons…"

>cont...

File: Area_of_Operations3.jpg (468 KB, 1327x1474)

468 KB JPG

>>48667633
Cable Guy: “There’s a high priority job on the Noblesse board. Our erstwhile colleagues need our help in protecting the leadership of the International Desert Taskforce. Now the task force IS led by a Peace Keeper Officer… on paper. In reality that guy has to take into account the wishes of the various national commanders. Saving their collective asses might earn us some clout that will insulate us from forced servitude. Noblesse also has some pull with the IF, and helping them will hopefully get Duran off our backs.”

“Finally if you don’t want any part of these convoluted agendas there is one other option, but it’s messy. We take 50 Cred out of the company funds and I hire some guys to attack our base. Our shit will get wrecked, but we will survive and relocate our operation to the Midas Range. We’ll basically be faking the destruction of the 3C. The ruse won’t be water tight, but like Tragedy said: the IF has better things to do. Once all those guys who want to put us in their pocket see our operation smashed the hope is they’ll just shrug and look for other pawns to play with. I warn you: once we become a rogue independent mercenary group things will get harder. Our cred balance will take a hit and while we will have no one to answer to we will also have no one to hide behind. We will likely have to divert resources to defending our base every so often should we piss off the wrong people. ”

-------------

Capture Richard Irving
Client: The Peace Keepers
Mech Limit: 5

Description: Irving’s location has been tracked to a port city in Glaeos capture him. Failure to attempt this mission during this campaign turn will be considered a refusal of the Peace Keeper’s offer.

Intel: Irving has access to an inventory of advanced military hardware and is full of dirty tricks. Expect cloaked MGPs, mines, electronic warfare units, drones and mecha from Knight Lite and Exo-terra. Mech recovery and salvage will be possible.

>cont

>>48667777
Assault the Peace Keeper Black Site
Client: Mysterious Contractor
Mech Limit: 10

Description: Attack a top secret weapons testing facility within Molvania. You are to disable it’s defense systems, allowing a team to infiltrate the facility and download all data within. Failure to attempt this mission during this campaign turn will be considered a refusal of the Mystery Men’s offer.

Intel: There are no known mobile forces guarding the base. The client tells us that the facility is protected by an experimental adaptive defence grid. Expect lots of hardened defence turrets. Mech recovery and salvage will not be possible.

Reinforce the International Task Force
Client: Noblesse Oblige, Joint Task Force Command.
Mech Limit: 10

Description: The Commander Centre of the IF international task force in Landum is under heavy attack by Zanvran units. Noblesse Oblige was under contract to protect the area but has suffered severe casualties and requires assistance. This is a limited time mission, without assistance the Command Centre will be overwhelmed and wiped out.

Intel: The Zanvrans are pushing hard to cut the head off the task force, expect VTOLs, air borne infantry, air strikes and veteran mecha squads backed up by assault servers.

Kidnap Dr. Ammerit
Client: N/A
Mech Limit: 5

Description: Raid a black site in the Kingdom of Zanvra and kidnap the lead scientist behind the Road Block Program. No client is paying you but the information Dr. Ammerit provides can be traded for money and favours, plus will open options for bargaining with factions

Intel: Ammerit is being guarded by the Kingdom’s Elite Guard. In the middle of hostile territory, expect an elite mecha squad supported by static base defences and air support.

>cont

>>48667790
Head Underground
Client: N/A
Mech Limit: 10

Description: We will set up the destruction of our own base (not the Midas Range one) by hiring another merc unit to attack us. It will be made to look like one of the people we've pissed off has taken the opportunity to destroy us.The destruction must be authentic so the people we hire will not be informed of our ruse. A squad of our mecha must put up a token resistance and ensure key supplies are evacuated before the base is overrun. This mission will cost us 50 Cred.

Intel: Our demise must look convincing. Our “executioners” will use similar equipment to us backed up by air support and non-mech units.

((Whew. And that's all the game related updates for this campaign turn. Go ahead and choose your, missions, spend your cred, agonize over the various dilemmas you've been presented. I have one more announcement to make but it is not related to the game per se.))

>>48661623

>"Oh quit complaining. They're the only two weapons I have at the moment, so if I need to head into combat right /now/ I want to be ready. Feel free to hand over 30 credits and I'll be happy to take them off."

"I'm sorry what? 'Oh gee wizz I'm sorry I was caught using these weapons in flagrant defiance of every law on Terra, oh can you pay for my new guns?"

"How about this, buy something cheaper you greedy blighter and use that instead, especially since - and no exaggeration is intended, and with the utmost sincerity - this is /YOUR/ fault.

"I mean good grief! Did you miss basic kindergarten literacy as well as basic human decency, what part of 'Using these weapons is in flagrant defiance of international law and being caught with one is a serious offense' did you not understand.

And what part of 'Where can I take these weapons that will get me hung 9/10 times if found out, I know how about a FUCKING CROWDED CIVILIAN SUBURB IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, IN A CORPORATE FACILITY! If you had missed that Pugilist do you think a family being exploded across their living room would have made us look any better?"

"It's a small miracle the new fast and loose IF justice boys didn't kill you on the spot Izzy, this is a serious crime you've committed!"

>>48667777
>Saving their collective asses might earn us some clout that will insulate us from forced servitude
See this? I like the sound of this.

>Capture Richard Irving
> Expect cloaked MGPs, mines, electronic warfare units, drones and mecha
Yeah, this sounds like a total suicide mission.

>Assault the Peace Keeper Black Site
>weapons testing facility within Molvania
AESR is based in Molvania. If it's them I don't know about letting these people get their mits on that tech.

>Reinforce the International Task Force
>Kidnap Dr. Ammerit
These will both lock off Zanvra as an option, but I don't consider that a huge loss.

>>48667831

"It's funny that you're not condemning either commanding officer who let her deploy, nor did you speak up before deployment. Why don't you take your head out of your ass? It's not like you haven't kill fathers or mothers that wanted to return to their families."

>Vote for Reinforce Task Force, Kidnap Dr Ammerit or Head Underground

>>48667831

Bludhawk chuckles as he pours a few glasses of the private liquor, offering one to Horst and Chuck as well.

>>48667777
My recommendation is we take the job from Noblesse Oblige and from the IF. Hell, we might even have the numbers to kidnap that Doctor as well. If we play our cards right we can get full access to PK equipment, and make a good name for ourselves. I'd personally, enjoy another crack at Irving now that I'm not in an Alligator, but I'm a bit more suited to the defense mission, though.

>>48667923

I wasn't on the same mission until deployment shuffling happened.

You know the boss man's have always sort of let us do what we want, hence why you are still on this team and not out on your arse Miss Warcrimes.

>>48667956
Uh, Chuck? Alice may be a ruthless heartless amoral killer, but she does have enough professionalism to maintain discretion. The only illegal gear she ever used was operated from stealth or out of public view. Heck, she brought a cough gun to that very mission and no-one noticed it on the footage.

I can't defend Izzy though, all evidence suggests that she's a little psycho with absolutely no regard for the consequences of her actions.

>>48667777
>>48667790
>>48667830
Capture the Irving Flag
"The PKs can blow it out their collective backsides."
>Ithaqua is against siding with the IF, but if we do take this one, irving will almost certainly have a getaway plan. I suggest a full stealth team, with the intent of surrounding before engaging. Whatever the squad ends up being, this will be a hard one.

Black Site Assault
"A PK BS. Yeah, they want us as fodder or scapegoats, or both."
>Actually sounds like a fun mission, but the repercussions of taking the blackhat are harsh.

Task Force Rescuers
"This I can get behind. Help ourselves and help the folks actually trying to do something? Sounds win/win to me."
>another full-scale assault on some place we're defending. We actually have some practice at this.

Paging Dr. Ammerit
>More plot mysteries! But, it's a setup similar to the guyeco raid, with a lower mech limit.

Run and Hide
"Caution and survival walk hand-in-hand. Begs the question: do we want to live, or do we want to win?"
>I like the concept, but I doubt anyone will really go for it. I'll expand if it does seem likely

>>48667956

"There you go again talking out your ass. Your problem with her is a problem with command, why not file a complaint.

I've done as much 'warcrimes' as people keep saying I've done in the 3C as Hetros did and that's deploy with weaponry I shouldn't have. It's all really funny. I don't recall him ever getting faulted on."

>>48668025
Well, Dr. Ammerit isn't going anywhere, and we could conceivably fake our demise at any time.

I say we help the task force, send a team on the side to capture Ammerit and withhold the fake death option as a backup plan.

>>48667992
>>48668061

Exactly my point, I know we've been a bit naughty and purchased things that we maybe shouldn't have, I know you've done it, and Hetros has done it, and even I was tempted to do it once or twice, but you didn't rock up to a crowded audience with them blazing Alice. Even you have to admit that, she wasn't entirely discrete now was she?

And yeah Alice, I know I killed fathers and mothers, I know every time I hit someone and they don't get up again somewhere a family will be mourning.

>Chuck hits his Regulator on the Leg

But I didn't break international convention to do it hoss. Everything I put on this thing I paid for with my own wages, and my job isn't pretty, and it's not bloody easy. I can count the times I finished a mission with all my parts still intact on one finger and I am scared shitless of dying every time I take a bad hit and all the warning lights start going, but I did it and will continue to do it despite any misgivings I may have about my teammates, because /it's my bloody job/.

And if I didn't do my bloody job because of something like that, I'm a bit of a waste of space aren't I?

Anyway

>>48667777
>>48667790
>>48667830

>Capture the Irving Flag
"I agree with Ithaqua that we'll need the stealth boys on this one. Not for me."

>Black Site Assault
"I've listed my misgivings about working with mystery buggers, but I'll go for it if I need to."

>Task Force Rescuers
"What is it about base defense missions that is so very appealing? It'd be like that one in the desert all over again."

>Paging Dr. Ammerit
"Eeeeeeeh..."

>Run and Hide
"As 3rd options go it's a bloody dangerous one, but what do we do in this circumstance?"

long post inbound. brace for impact.

>>48667633
>I made the decision with the intent of wanting to re-balance the hard point distribution for mech archetypes. But that sort of thing requires a massive overhaul, not a tweak for a single mech. Something to think about if I ever make a "2nd Edition" to the game.
this is a personal opinion, but I think the problem is the fact that manufacturers have 3 mechs each(barring GGA, but the croc is an upgraded alligator so it's a moot point), while realistically there are four roles to fill. (melee assault/Tank-generalist/shooty shooty-sniper/fire support-EW/Tech support). allow me to explain:

(cont.)

>>48668180

GGA has three: Melee/tank(KMD), generalist(ALL&CRC), and sniper(viper). you might argue that the ALL&CRC can pick up ECM pods for support, but the truth is they are too busy. their weapons range varies between 0(melee)~6(their specialist weapons, and auto rifle.), and again, this limits their engagement range. so often they have to move up to fire their weapons, which really hinders their AP economy. now, you might also say that they could forgo hacking, but the both have the standard scan range. yes, sensor pods exist. but with ECM and Sensor pod that's already two items. you might argue that it's okay for a support mech to be vulnerable to a direct combat mech, which is true. I agree. but that is not the case. those two items might seem critical. it isn't. items worth two chest hardpoints, will often not be a fatal loss because effectively they are just different tools that achieve the same effect: neautrialize the enemy. this is where the problem you suggested comes in(wanting some difference). as of now gear is quite standardized, and people can pick up items that allow easy access to abilities. and without pilot skills, a mech alone rarely gets advantage for getting a particular equipment(save for APEX gear). the mech's stats rarely depend on the circumstance as well, except for direct chance calculation.

TLDR of my opinion: it's hard to make mechs varied when special actions can be accessed easily, and said affects are not so 'effective'. as in, 'affect the battlefield in multiple ways', not 'how well it things are done'. that's how I see it.

>>48668184

my 'personal opinion' of achieving variance: have the equipment more specialized, and have the mechs stats matter more. for example, one thing I can think of is how rolls for hacking are done. instead of 'beat enemy E-def', it could be 'roll higher than ('Enemy E-def' - 'My total E-def')'. this way EW mechs geared up for such tasks have a much higher chanse of doing things. However, to counteract this, there must be a way to eliminate EW mechs. that's where snipers come in. snipers get Increased range and accuracy. probably 1/2 or 1/3d of bonus of their sensor stat, I dunno. but the point is they are farther than the EW can reach them, and picks them off reliably. how do you counter snipers? Assaults. tanky ones. due to how melee&charge works in this game the only thing CQC mechs need is a little buff to moblity and it's set. they charge in and mash the puny sniper mechs while tanking hits with their buff frontal armor. how do you stop them? hacking. Meanwhile a generalist mech is doing general things, taking potshots, doing weak hacking or repairs, controlling drones, etc.


TLDR of my suggestion: make mech stats matter more, to form some kind of rock-paper-cutters type of deal.

>>48668187

Drones deserve a special mention: in the current state of how rules work, drones do things more reliably than their pilots, by the sheer amount of Bonuses they can grab(+6 with AW, Dr, AI) while not having any 'crits'. as in really lucky side effect things you can pull off(modifiers don't count to crit). and with the variance of drones, it's easy to let a mech tackle entirely different roles. for example, a lord with T'net-Hub, two bows/cough gun, two recon drones, and sensor pod can provide locks for everyone, while shooting from cloak. change the drones to combat and then you suddenly pump out missiles as much as a stratus(well, one equipped with longbows, piloted by a elite EW pilot.). grab a demo drone and you can charge in with these things and chuck around demo charges(and two of them a turn, at that.) like a madmen while being safe. however, since the drones lack any kind of toughness, the biggest thing to manage for them is to manage aggro. if anyone feels too irritated by it the drones are dead. see where I'm getting?


TLDR of opinion on drones: drones and generalist mechs can do things but they can't pull off critial manovers as easily as specialized ones in current state, but some drones have the potential to do even more than their mech counterparts, while reliably 'finishing jobs'(better modifiers) and at the same time, be 'unreliable compared to solid mechs'(not tough)


>MK1 Drone should have the high tech attribute, that it doesn't is a typo.
I'm surprised that this wasn't an intended feature. I was about to say things like how old techs being reliable and stuff like that. I guess balance come first, not memes.

rant is done. if there are any things wrong about my post please say so, because holy shit my head hurts right now and I might have messed up/forgot to mention something.

>>48668187
>it could be 'roll higher than ('Enemy E-def' - 'My total E-def')
there it is. my first messup. it should be something like (Enemy E-def - 'My total E-def/2~3'). since EW mechs would always have better hack stats, the one I posted would mean that hackers will always succeed at their jobs, which is NOT what I meant.

>>48668171

"We have no vetting process, for taking in personal OR for our own mechs. That isn't Izzy's fault, that's command's fault. It being 'discrete' or not doesn't matter condemn Izzy, Hetros, yourself for those thoughts, myself and anyone else who's bought something illegal or not at all. Trying to apply a double standard to something show just how weak of a person you are.

You also sound like you don't enjoy this job. I love my job! What's not to like about lining up something within your crosshairs and seeing it get ripped to shreds or explode into pieces? The rush as those warning sirens are screaming in your ear as you fire your last round into the enemy mech, tank or squad of boots knowing you're the one walking away."

>>48668187
I think the idea was that since mechs were customizable that equipment would matter more. Stats just incline a mech in a particular direction, but when you buy a mech what you're really paying for is access to its unique equipment (and to a lesser extent the company's). That doesn't necessarily force you to play it in a certain way, it depends on how creative you get. e.g. Like I mentioned earlier you could make a good short range shooting mech out of a Predator, or Tragedy re-applying the Wimp as a fast gunslinger with lots of extra gear instead of a glass cannon with big guns. The game has a lot of breadth to it that I don't really think you can boil down to a handful of optimal choices. There are lots of situational builds and equipment.

The entire system is geared towards dice rolls vs stats rather than stats vs stats, so making one exception seems kind of messy.

Before we go any further my PR consultant has advised me to give you a little notification: Now some of you have heard me mention over in IRC that Mecha Mercs was going to end. I always planned for this, there was to be a general story arc that changed based on player decisions that led up to a conclusion. However I am warning you that this skirmish may end a bit more abruptly than planned: You see running this quest is taking a significant chunk out of my day. I can sustain this now because it’s summer and I have loads of free time, but at the end of September Uni will be starting up again.

This will be the second academic year of my degree. Last year’s grades were mediocre and I feel it’s important to my future career that I git gud. On top of my RL obligations I also want to devote my side project time to developing actual video game prototypes or turning Mecha Mercs into a digital ruleset I can sell. As much fun as I have had running this quest I can’t exactly use a 4chan skirmish as a portfolio piece.

Having said all that I remain committed to running this quest until I can neatly tie up the story. In the past I always hated it when GMs just stopped running games because they got bored/lazy (I know that's not the only reason) and didn’t even have the decency to say: “I’m sorry I just can’t run anymore.” I’d be having a great time RPing and the game would suddenly just die. Maybe I’m taking QMing a bit more seriously than I should but I’ve always tried to hold myself to certain standards. However having said all that; if the weight of RL becomes too much I may have to put Mecha Mercs on “indefinite hiatus” (Which let’s be real: probably means I’ll never pick it up again.) I’m telling you all this now so it doesn’t come as such a shock should I drop the game in mid-November or something.

>cont

>>48668292
And once again: I thank you all for playing. Even though this is me indulging in creating my own “mecha opera” It’s your reactions (and long debates about what works and doesn’t) that have made all the late nights preparing stat cards, writing fluff and revising rules worth it.

>>48668180
>>48668184
>>48668187
>>48668195

When I said I wanted to rebalance the archetypes I was talking purely about hardpoint distribution. The way I see it: the archetypes are this: generalist (Usually has 2 arms/3 torso/1 leg), utility (4 torso), DPS (4/3 arm hardpoints for more powerful weapons.), and High Stats (Often tanks, but these mecha usually have fewer hard points in general but higher stats in certain areas.)
Your opinions are interesting and while I might not agree with everything reading them gives me insight.
As for drones: At their heart a drone is simply a force multiplier. They allow a single player to take more firepower into battle and take more actions than normal, the cost is vulnerability to hacking and the cost of buying and replacing them.

>>48667777
>>48667790
>>48667830
okay, I feel too lightheaded to think straight, but I can give votes based on in-character views.
Definitely vote for task force reinforcement, and Dr.Ammerit kidnapping. not sure about others until I can properly read down what others say.
And now I'm off for now. I made a mistake...

>>48668250

"What does strength have to do with a personal dislike of the kind of weapons that kill people horribly? It's a bloody awful way to die that I wouldn't want to inflict on even my worst enemy, but maybe I just have differing opinions on the value of human life.

>What's not to like about lining up something within your crosshairs and seeing it get ripped to shreds or explode into pieces? The rush as those warning sirens are screaming in your ear as you fire your last round into the enemy mech, tank or squad of boots knowing you're the one walking away."

The part where you see it happen to people you know and you have to attend the funeral. Seeing the mangled remains of someone you saw a few hours ago kind of puts a damper on my enjoyment of warfare Alice.

Especially if all that was left of them could fit in a bucket.

>>48668292
Well, none of us would ask you to keep wasting time on popular websites over investing in your future. I'm just glad I got the opportunity to play at all, I discovered the game around the time it went on hiatus and spent the subsequent months awaiting its return, and I was pretty stoked to be able to grab a spot. I'm grateful to you for running the game, it's been a blast.

If you do have to end things prematurely, I feel like rather than just stopping abruptly it would be cool to have a Bolivian army ending where we face down an impossible mission)

>>48668366

"You keep doing it, this double standard stuff. How is it any worse then trapping someone in their mech because you've crushed their cockpit with a giant piece of metal, leaving them there to bleed out? There are horrible ways to kill someone but ultimately the method doesn't matter, just that they're dead.

People die and the living move forward. Why should I stop enjoying what I love because of that? The dead don't care how they died or what's left of them, they're dead."

>>48668425

>Chuck is very unhappy

"And if it was Izzy in there, with her blood smeared all over the cockpit and her organs splattered all over from being squeezed out her body like a tube of toothpaste, until all that's left is just mince and bone fragments, would you be so cool about it?"

"I've seen the way you two look at each other, would you be all 'Oh it's the fortunes of war there's nothing I can do about it' and move on after that? Or are you just some kind of emotionless killing machine with all the warm human feelings of a fuckin' angle grinder."

>Stops, breathes, holds up his hands

"Look I'm sorry, I'm not having a great day and we can sit here and we can argue about this but, what do we do now? Because I'm bloody stuck here and you're an NCO."

"I don't particularly trust the IF if it comes right down to it being that they wanted to operate an extensive kill-sat network, but I don't particularly trust our mysterious benefactors either."

"What do you think?"

>>48668308
>that have made all the late nights preparing stat cards, writing fluff and revising rules worth it.
speaking of stat cards... you know, I did notice that the A2 variants of the MBTs vanishing. I don't know if I I was particularly rash or agressive about it, but in any case, back then I was arguing about the thing because I genuinely wanted this skirmish, and probably your future material, to be good. so if you felt any hostility about it, you can be assured, I never had any negative views about the tank. it's great. just sayin', since the atmosphere is all serious and stuff, might as well tell you this rather than never.

>>48668490
(I do agree with Chuck, and this matters importantly. to be honest? OOC I want to go the cabal route. I feel a very strong Front mission vive from it, and I want to go that route. along with much more variance of fun and exotic equipment to mess around with. who knows, we might actually gain access to the supermech if cognis feels generous. but Kestrel? Being the civvie nerd he is, would probably settle for the order, even if it is apparent that it's not so kind or powerful anymore.
to cut to the chase, I would have went with cabal. but as a player, responsibility to post with consistency comes first. but I'm getting sidetracked.
just saying that I can't plan on any purchase until the general decision is done with. the IF drone has been on my priority list since it's existence has been hinted at the eratta page, and I always wanted a cough gun. and the regressive knife. but. if we ARE going IF, I would like to get them AFTER we get sanctions from them.)

>>48666041
"Yeah, a hell of a day..," Tragedy's thoughts drifted for just a moment then returned to the present. She shook her head, giving a tight lipped grin, "Thanks but I'll pass. As tempting as it is, I need to hold onto my wits with all this shit happening right now. So much for a discreet base location, huh? Speaking of which, I should go check up on security and make sure things are tight."

>>48667633
I think this is still kind of important even in light of new options. We're probably not in a hurry at the moment for this. Intel takes some time to build a proper picture, after all. >>48663999 (You)
I'm half tempted to drop a hint to Irving regarding an interesting news article about Glaeos' having a serious shark problem but the IF might likely know it was us who tipped him off. Of course, I wouldn't try it without agreement from the rest of the Company either.

My votes:
• Reinforcing the International Task Force. We're a bit split between the Mystery Men and the IF but I think one thing we can agree on is our independence
• Kidnap Dr Ammert: Bargaining chips are great. We'd really be on a roll with pissing off Zanvra here. Not that I care either way.
• Burn Everything and Go to Ground: I say we keep this in our back pocket, keeping an ear to the ground. If Reinforcing the International Task Force doesn't keep the IF at bay, we can roll in this direction.
While we maintain our neutral/sort-of-protected status, we really need to get the ball rolling on gathering intel. We don't necessarily have to act on any of it but understanding how we're fitting into the landscape and who we're dealing with is important.


>>48667113
Some hours later, Tragedy went by Medical to check up on Kestral. "How's the Hamburglar doing?," she asked the nurse on station. The nurse responded with a confused look. "Kestrel," Tragedy elaborated, "I'll just poke my head in to see if he's awake. I won't be here long."

File: 3CAssets08072016.png (119 KB, 979x838)

119 KB PNG

From the S-4's Office:
The following items are confirmed for return to Company Storage. Please link to this post if you wish to check any items in or out.

>>48655240
>>return ablative armor

>>48659658
>>Return x2 EMP missiles to company inventory. Will likely borrow one again next mission.

>>48666756
>>Return the Chaff Launcher and Demo Charge to Company Inventory

>>48669258 #
>So much for a discreet base location, huh
Nah it's okay, the base they stormed into was the one Noblesse gave us as a courtesy, Midas base is still secure.

>>48669375
I did this last thread, but just to confirm:

>Return ecm to company inventory

>>48667633
Just trying to save what credits I can, what with things about to get hectic around here. Also thanks.

>>48669258
I'm on board with all of these. A lot people against joining the IF, and a lot of people against taking the mystery contact up on their offer. Sign me up for the kidnapping mission.

>>48669417
You still have the Stiletto then? Could have sworn it got shifted around right before the last mission.

>>48668292
Appreciate it. I hear RL is more important than doing these things online, what with the importance of continued existence and all that.

You've got a good thing here with a workable ruleset, and definitive thought put into it and it's been one swell ride.

So for the record, no matter what you end up doing, best of luck because I'm sure it'll be quite grand.

>>48669497
>You still have the Stiletto then?
Bob has (or had) it. I ended up borrowing an FCS from Tragedy instead.

>>48669586
I'm going to need a confirmation from Bob on this then.

We might need to make an Equipment Checkout anchor post for people to reply to in order to keep things organized. Doing these things during Hangar Phase might also be optimal but I won't push to make a thing of it unless it gets to be a problem with organization.

>>48669665
Hm. Actually, thinking back that might have been his own Stilleto someone bought him, in which case the one I borrowed should have been returned just before the Guye Co. op an already be in the inventory.

>>48669106
Kestrel relax. I'm a big boy, I can handle a bit of criticism. Gunman has been more pushy than you and I still took his feedback in stride. Your criticism made me realize that I was adding too much to the game. This is a mech centric game. It didn't need another tier of tanks. Maybe in another skirmish focused on conventional forces, but not this one.

>>48669505
But Spare... Mecha Mercs is my life.

>>48669915
>
But cognis, I believe there is no game, be it skirmish or a shitty mmo, that DOESN'T need cool tanks. If you want you totally cound swap the designs around so that the cool tanks are the version-1.

>>48668292
You're a much better Human being than I am in manny ways.
Shine on you crazy diamond.

And before I forget, sign me up for the mission to Capture Richard Irving.

>>48669915
You said you had an announcement.
Was the college post the announcement?

>>48670199
Yes

>>48668292
If it makes you feel any better, yesterday I was actually working on a prototype rulebook to make this into a tabletop game... but I have some questions as to how certain things would work without a GM. I plan on making two rulesets though, one so the game runs like a campaign with consistent assets between missions and a GM, and one where you fight other players in one-off battles.

Do you have an email or some other way of contact aside from IRC or 4chins? I'm in the literally opposite time zone as you so I doubt we'll be able to talk face to face.

So have we decided to pick up the LHI License or not? I'm waiting to see if I can pick up my Warden this Hangar or if I have to make do with an Apex mech.

>>48667777
>>48667790
>>48667830

My votes are for:

Capture Irving
Reinforce The ITF
Kidnap Dr. Ammerit

>>48669258
"Hurk."
(kestrel rose and sat upright, head spinning, failing to gain balance.)
"uhgh. gud. the pain. Hello, whoever you are...
My head. Feels like a blender. In it. Is this the thing called *cough* hangover?"
(kestrel flails to gain balance, but flops back on the bed, and squints the eyes at the figure ahead, with a searching gaze.)
"Who- who are you. I cant see you. Why am I here. *cough* I was at hangar. I was drinking something. And sitting down. I can't remember anything.
Are- are you with the ay-eff? where am I?"

>>48670459
>LHI license
I think it depends on what we end up deciding to do. We couldn't afford the license if we had to pay to make ourselves disapear.

Personally I hope we do get the license, I have a burning urge to cover myself in reactive armour before things get even more dangerous.

>>48670516
>depends on what we end up deciding to do.
Yeah, I know.... I'm just getting a bit antsy and I don't want to blow my money on another mech and find out we buy the LHI License anyways.

What the hell is up with the captcha now? No hablo espanol, Google!

>>48670555
I've learned it's generally better not to jump the gun on stuff like this. If I had waited to blow my cash until later last hangar I could have had an Apex mech already.

If we get the license you'll have it in time for your next mission, and that's what counts.

>>48670555
It's always reccomended to wait until learning where the funds are spent. To do so obviously the 3C need to come up with a consensus, a thing we're currently voting on. So I'd wait if I were you. Basically, I expect that we get LHI if we side with peacekeepers, and Base upgrades if we decide to screw it. I believe Support assets are a given, seeing how cheap they can get.

>>48667777

I'm inclined towards these missions.

1 Reinforce The ITF
2 Capture Irving
3 Kidnap Dr. Ammerit

>>48667777
I want to get in on the kidnapping mission, I'll let everyome else squabble over fates and destiny, I already know mine"

>>48671455

I can back up these choices

>>48667923
>>48668061
>>48668250
Please don't do that, Pilot.

It's never been the commander's prerogative what you bring on a mission, and it's never been officer staff duty to check over every munition expenditure. I trust you to handle your own, and that means also trusting you to know what you do what best and what you don't do best. Up to and including what gear you bring on what missions at what time for what purpose.

Chuck is right to be upset about this turn of events, and so he is. Trying to argue against that by delegating his anger to me, or Malek, or rest-his-soul Hetros for not telling you or someone else "no" like every pilot here were some five year old handling the family firearm is - I'm sorry to say - utterly disgraceful of you. If I started declaring what is and isn't allowed, you'd pack up and leave and you'd be right to do so. This isn't a military branch of a national army. This is a mercenary outfit. I happen to be the commander because you lot opt to trust me - gods know why - and in return, I trust you to do your best. And you do it again, and again, and again.

Our lack of a vetting process isn't a failure, it's intentional. You all have your own quirks, and you best know how to utilize them. In this case it bit us in the ass. That happens. It also won us the mission in question. Was there a lack of discretion? Sure. Does this mean I'm going to start putting out munitions guidelines and getting snarky whenever you try to pack some of those exciting chem-missiles in your launchers?

No.

Now instead of defending Izzy and trying to get people to take their grievances with her up with someone 'else', perhaps let people talk angry at the ones they're upset at until they work it out?

Alternatively, of course, you could always just sign this extended contract giving me full authority over your mission parameters, the functionality of your mech and the funding allocation of your purchases.

Hmmm?

(because im not a pc i will be using this name to voice my opinions)
So the options are...
1.Join the if which i believe half of the company wants but the other half doesent although they may make us obey to their[ decisions and participate in their battles which i believe 1/4 of the company refuses to do
2. Join the mysterious benefactors who we dont even know who they are, dont even know if its real, are not entirely sure that they can actully do it other than provide an evac. And we dont even know what they want or what they want to do, so we may get put on solely suicide missions and thrown away like a fat man with a vegan salad.
3. Fake our deaths we will be split into teams for this and some of us will be isolated and sadly i may be fired....

>>48672344
We will most likely go with the majority vote.
Which means we'll go with the IF

>>48672517
The good news is that while it was clearly stated for other options, "Faking our death" Wasn't given a time limit.

>>48667777
Well, it seems like the opininos are swinging this way, and I'll throw in my support for the bulk of it.

>Reinforce The ITF
>Kidnap Dr. Ammerit

I don't like siding with the IF, but I guess we might as well for now, since we're in for a penny. We always have the rogue protocol to fall back on.

I personally volunteer for Reinforce the ITF. I suggest everyone who's voted for multiple missions state their preference for personal assignments as well. It'd be nice to get this sorted out nice and quick in one thread.

>>48672344
You might still have a chance to get in. Eigan filled the last spot on the roster, but I haven't seen him since that last mission. I think he might have taken his pay and done a runner.
Eigan if you're here please stand up

One thing to note is that both the Task force and Kidnapping mission state that there will be enemy air support. If we are doing them, not getting our own air support would be a little silly. We should hold off on getting the LHI license and make sure we don't get bombed from the sky.

>>48673130
We could buy both. We have enough for the License and one fighter, with 6 cred left. I'm sure that between the ~20 of us we could chip in 2 or 3 credits apiece and scrape together another 9 company credit for a second aircraft if it really looks like we'll end up needing it.

I just feel like if we don't get this license out of the way now then we'll never end up getting it. There'll always be some other pressing concern that demands our funds.

Terrible writing ahead. You've been warned.

Kail had made himself scarce following the IF's ultimatum. While he was already pretty quiet in the first place, the hacker was nowhere to be seen while his colleagues were arguing.

But with a little looking around, it was easy to notice the "FUCK OFF" sign hastily scrawled in black marker, and attached to the door to the simulator room.

A few hours later, the young man slammed the door of the mess hall where everyone was gathered, glowering at the pilots assembled here. His clothes were a wrinkled mess, and his eyes were clearly red from both crying, and screen abuse.

"I need to vent. I'll feel better once this is done, so bear with me."

>>48669497
"IZZY ! Your dumb cancergun is shit ! SHIT ! And also a crutch !

... Also, your nosering looks tacky, and you were way cuter without it ! And I'm pretty sure Alice thinks the same."

>>48670847
"Kestrel ! Get a fucking hold of yourself ! You're a Camel, for Saint's sake, not some two-bit drunkard ! Even I'm handling this situation better than you, and I'm fifteen years old !"

>>48671510
"Chuck ! I could hear you arguing with Alice through my headphones ! And I was in a separate room ! I agree Izzy did something dumb, but you're not helping ! We need to stick together if we want to get out of this in one piece !

... You guys are like a second family to me. I hate it when you fight.

Also, while we're here, I'd like to confess something. I'm actually fifteen, and most of the shit in my record is actually fake. So yeah, I had only about two real missions under my belt when I first joined the Camels, and I basically got hired because of a forgery.

Phew. I'd like to learn to shoot. I mean, a real gun. One that's not mech-sized. Now that we're basically on the IF's watchlist, I'd feel safer knowing how to do it.And I need something to vent my anger that's not running mech battles on the sim.

By the way, the sim overheated. I think we'll have to replace it.

>>48670204

Does equipping and moving with stuff like thruster array remove stealth?

>>48673470
Equipping it doesn't, but using the movement bonus from it does. So you can move at normal place without breaking stealth, but break it if you use the +1. Jumping breaks it too.

"Huh. How about that, I think the PKs are pulling a fast one on us."
>Looking over it, of the 4 attacks that killed the superpug, Izzy's was the only one not a crit. All else being equal, she didn't kill him.
>But Redline!
>Exponential weapons must hit with all shots to crit. Izzy missed.
>This presumes everything being roughly simultaneous, however. If the attacks happened in post order, she totally fried him.
I'd rather not know, to be honest, I like the battle-chaos causing a mystery.

>>48673284
"Pistol or Rifle?"

>>48672926

>Volunteer for Reinforce ITF

Bank: 52
>Purchase Predator: 16
>Purchase Railgun: 8
>Purchase A.Camo: 3
>Purchase Thruster Array: 4
>Purchase Reloader: 6
>Purchase OW Drone: 14
>Sell Marksman Rifle, Crossbow, 2x HK: 9
Remaining Bank: 10

>Loan Izzy Errant /w Stealth Armour

-Predator-[Prd]
HP 12
Def 12
ECM 8
Sensor 10
Move 5
--
Right Arm: OW Drone, Chaff
Left Arm: Railgun
Legs: --
Torso: Reloader, Stilleto
Armour: A.Camo (10)
Ammo:
Skill: Commando, Concealment, Ambush

Storage: 1x DU rounds, 3x HV rounds, ECCM Pod, AWR, Cough Gun, Smoke, Canister Gun, Thruster Array

>>48673637
"Pistol, please. I don't think my noodly arms could handle a rifle. I could also start lifting, I guess. But one thing at a time."

>>48673637
I honestly dunno man. We really laid into that guy, and I know I for one didn't let off the trigger until the Pug was an immobile smoking heap in the middle of the street.

(The way I think it went down is that Kestrel did 10 damage through the armour and blew off a layer as well as critting the legs and probably tripping a redundant system, Nyx blew off a layer, I did 6 damage through the armour and blew off a layer (it has now taken enough damage to kill a normal pugilist). Then Izzy took her shot. She had a lock, so she did hit with all three, and that did 2 through the last layer of armour (possibly to an internal part) and crit the cockpit for 8 (she had a stiletto suite). After that Alice crit with her shot, though the cockpit was already gone, so I guess she finished obliterating whatever part(s) Izzy's spare crit damage carried over to).

Long and the short of it, I'm not sure there was a single salvageable part left in that thing. It was a barely recognizable pile of slag by the time we were through. We made damn sure to burn it to a dry, black, ashy, flaky, dead crisp.

>>48673725
>I could also start lifting, I guess. But one thing at a time."
Yeah, let's not go too crazy there kid.

>>48668292
I actually happen to be jumping to C# for Unity this semester and was going to ask if you had some time to share some notes so that I could lay out a solid foundation. Maybe we could chat at some point on IRC.

Anyway, I think you have a pretty solid game and I'm sure we all appreciate the effort you've put into this.

>>48673284
>... Also, your nosering looks tacky, and you were way cuter without it !
*Gunman nods*

>"Kestrel ! Get a fucking hold of yourself ! You're a Camel, for Saint's sake, not some two-bit drunkard !
*noding intensifies*

> I agree Izzy did something dumb, but you're not helping
*a sharp gasp can be heard from Gunman as he pulls a muscle in his neck*

>>48670459
>>48674632
Maybe we could knock heads together and make something of it? I'm also pretty familiar with C++/C#, even took some game design in college for a couple years.

>>48672926
>>48667777
I'll volunteer for Reinforcing the Task Force too, but if need be I'll go on the Ammerit mission.

>>48673284

"Sure bud. I'll set up a range outside the base and you can borrow my sidearm. Just remember your four weapon safety rule..."

(kestrel stumbles into the room, teetering while holding hands)
"ugh... my head. I'm back. did-"

>>48673284
"u-huh. yeah. okay. Look, I think I get what you're saying, but I don't. could you wait for a moment. also, that's a bit too much, I only drank a little. I think I fell asleep?"

>>48675563
"what? what's up with you?"

>>48675935
Oh I'm fine, It's just... all this turmoil is geting exciting rather quickly.

>>48675828
>>48673725
>>48673637
Now now, they don't call me Gunman for no reason. I'm sure I have something your size to spare. Why don't we all meet up and shoot things that don't shoot back for a change? To calm down.

>>48676283
...Nihilus, that you?

75% of its value, so 12, which would give you 37 cred to play with. What were you looking to replace it with?

>>48676343
We're almost certainly going halfhearted IF route, but doing our best to keep options open for later, so we're not going to fake our death anytime soon. Once mission choice gets laid out we'll decide how to spend company cred.

>>48676357
>Now now, they don't call me Gunman for no reason
I thought they called you Gunman because you were bitten by a radioactive gun.

Mech Cost 24
Payout: 30
Maintenance: 5
Total Credit: 30-5=25

Also how much can I sell my Mech for without the guidance disruptor, redundant systems, and hv rounds? It adds up to 16 at the moment (Komodo (10) Frag Cannon (3) Tac Shield (3).

Komodo:
Ablative Armor
HP: 20/20
Def: 8
EDef: 6
SR: 6
Move: 4 (+1 Commando)
Torso: Guidance Disruptor
LA: Tactical Shield
RA: Frag Cannon
Legs: Redundant Systems
Extra: HV Rounds

So, are we going to buy LHI or hold? I need to know since it affects what I build next.

>>48658517
So, quite a few people have been inquiring about the LHI license. Several of them want it, at least one has raised concerns that our money might be best spent elsewhere.

That in mind, I feel I should make a sales pitch for it.

So, what CAN the LHI license bring to the table?

>Newer, tougher mechs
Even the least durable LHI mechs are tough as nails, they simply have buckets of HP and access to very potent shell plating that could do wonders for pilot survivability. On that note:

>Reactive armour
We've all seen first hand just how effective this armour is. You need concentrated fire to strip it off, and that'd be real hard to pull when there are 5 target mechs to choose between and they're all shooting you to bits. It's damn good stuff when dealing with high power weapons, which we're going to be encountering more and more.

>Threat assessment module
If your defence is already above average this can take that and make it exceptional.

>Better melee tank
The Linebreaker is fast, powerful and potentially way tougher than the Batman. Chuck could make one of these things unstoppable, and there are one or two other pilots with an interest that could make good use of it.

>Artillery
Seriously, the last mission showcased how badly we need long range indirect blast firepower. I know everyone loves their mortar Cobras, but the Cobra is an outdated screaming metal deathtrap, and the mortar just isn't powerful enough anymore. The Onager can packing serious heat from a long way away, potentially two artillery shells a turn even if the pilot has no gunner training. It could also mount a ton of extra equipment if you forgo a second gun.

>Tanky support
The Warden is as tough as anything else in the catalogue, can provide cover from missiles (very handy), and could potentially heal up to 12 damage a turn between repair arm and drones, on top of whatever else you cram in that voluminous torso cavity.

TLDR, I think LHI is plenty worthwhile.

>>48676877
Good call Cryptic, you're right, it's beyond time we use our company funds for something worthwhile. And we do need to buy something.

There's been a lot of talk about the pros and cons, and I feel that it's the right time for us to take this step.

>transfer 25 of personal credit to the company pool to generate 5 company credit
>buy the Human Shaped Drones Company Asset

Oh, did you mean the LHI License?

Huh, my mistake.

Soo has he reported back yet?

>>48669768
I'm going to need to verify anyway to be sure before we fix it.

>>48669417
>Return ecm to company inventory
Confirming this.

• All Points: Related to Inventory:
There's also apparently one extra piece of armor that is shown to have been checked out but has no name to it. It was probably a clerical error but I'm just going to make mention of it for transparency.


>>48670508
"Whoa, take it easy, Hamburglar," Tragedy moved to the side of the bed to help Kestrel sit up. "You had way to much to drink earlier."
She let him fall back into the bed. "We have you hooked up to an IV for hydration, so try not to flail around too much."

>"Who- who are you. I cant see you. Why am I here. *cough* I was at hangar. I was drinking something. And sitting down. I can't remember anything.
Are- are you with the ay-eff? where am I?"

It was no surprise he's still a mess. Tragedy looked down at him. 'Let's try this again,'
"No, I'm not with the IF. It's me, Sergeant Rusnak-Sherazi --Tragedy. You're in the C3 Medical facility because you drank a whole bottle of brandy and got yourself fucked up pretty good, started talking about burgers and going to jail. You should stay in bed a while longer and let more of the booze pass through your system before trying to move. I'll be right back. I'm going to get you some water."

Tragedy later returns to find Kestrel missing.

>>48677044
"...dammit spare. why?"

>>48677326
"...uh oh. I think I forgot about something... what was it?"

>>48678881
>I think I forgot about something... what was it
It was your trip.

>>48672926
Epic tell me when i can join ive been excited to join!

>>48679158
If a mission with a spare slot rolls around and if Eigan doesn't answer a roll call and we're short a pilot. Nothing is certain at this stage, it hasn't been all that long since we've seen him, he may still show, so don't get your hopes up too much.

>>48673284
>>48675563
The scarred pilot looks like she's had just about enough of this. "I'll just put your opinions in the trash where they belong. And what do you even mean by crutch? Jeeze, if anyone has a serious problem with my choice of weaponry, feel free to step up closer and voice it."

>>48677044
Anyway, I'd like people to give serious consideration to the company getting the Phulton recovery system. With the missions we're taking now extraction is becoming less and less possible, so having a surefire way to ensure pilots survive is quite important.

The SAM site and radar for our base is also a good idea, since it's the first step to ensuring our company itself survives, regardless of what direction we take.

The LHI license is nice for sure, but getting it means we'll be extremely limited in grabbing anything else this turn. I'm setting my foot down on requesting air support for the kidnapping job as well, with only five of us going against elite mechs and enemy air having our own support will be vital.

(kestrel flops down on the couch, head tilted backward.)
"man, this weird dram is really messing with me. and my head feels even worse than before. where were the non-alcohol drinks again?"

>>48678962
apologies. I was in a hurry. and unfortunately I believe it will get worse from now on, so please bear with me if I mess up.

>>48679842
"hey. you do know that the Phulton recovery system is vulnerable to AA, right? if we wnat to use that we would need good anti-AA abilities. Maybe the LHI onager's long range cannons could help with AA, and the merc plane pilots for Anti-fighters."

"but that's my opinion, and I can't think straight so bear with me. ugh, my head..."

>>48679842
The big man wordlessly draws his large tribal 'knoif' and tosses it at the arguing pilots feet with a loud clatter, his face an unreadably placid mask.
He sighs before drawing a similar one and tossing it near the other, it's tip vibrating where it sticks into the flooring.
He speaks, his voice calm, with a hint of mirth.
"You wanna fucking fight, you do it fucking right, little sister."

>>48679991
Heavy AA. Cognis, could you perhaps clarify what exactly that is? Just SAMs like some of the air support assets?

And seriously guys, I know LHI is nice but shiny toys aren't much good if we don't last long enough to use them.

>>48680023
Izzy kicks the knife back to Horst. "I'm not fighting, I'm having a discussion. I have the feeling those upset about my choice of weapons would have preferred that we just let that super Pug kill Cryptic, Nyx, Alice, or even myself."

"uuuuuuuuugh. guys. Guys. stop. just. stop. like, cool down a bit. okay? I get it, we're fucked. well, I'm fucked in both ways right now- *urp* -now, but even in my current state, I know that heated discussions, are not good."
(kestrel rolls his head to face the others while leaning on the couch.)
"I know that this blamin' could go to Izzy, sure, *cough* whatever. I do have my opinions, but instead of prioritizing fucking around choosing who to blame, can we at least decide what to do first? we can cool our heads and do practical decisions with that."
*cough*
"I saw that people are mostly sticking to the IF, and -"

>>48680023
(kestrel throws his head back in frustration.)
"AAAAAGH! HORST! YOU'RE NOT HELPIN-ack, augh, oh god. my neck. help. ugh-"
(kestrel slips sideways and lays on the couch, holding the neck with a pained expression.)

>>48675828
>>48676357
"Strange. The two PieceTaker bootlicks are helping me arm the minor. Did not see that coming."

>>48679842
The problems with the phulton are a: It's a method of retreat, very few of our players want to run from a fight. Even wrecked people still want to help for some reason. B: it costs cred for every use.
So, yes, it's good for emergency use, but I doubt it'll get much backing.

>>48677044
Yes! Spare a best.

>>48669375
(kestrel stand up, and walks over to the tables and cabinets, and reads down the list on the table.)
"huh. guys. didn't we use to have a spare adaptive camo around here?"
>unequip Enhanced Autoloader
>unequip Stiletto targeting suite
>equip T'net-Hub

>>48681303
"minor?"
"oh wait, what? kail? oh. did I hear this before? huh. welp. what could possibly go wrong. let's just do everthing wrong, maybe when wrong and wrong meets we get two rights. like grabbing a bunch of peacekeeper drones. yeah.
hold on. what?
agh. god. You too, Ithaqua? goddammit. I can't imagine how annoying those Tacnet skins for the drones are going to be. oh well."

=Bird of Prey=
[Predator]

>HP:12/12
>DEF: 12
>E-Def: 10(8+2)
>Sensor range: 10
>Mobility: 5 (4+1)

>Torso: (2/2)
- Tac-Net-Hub (Share Locks with other units)
>Right Arm: (4/4)
- Railgun (Slow Reload, Armor Penetration, High tech, Mag-rail)
>Left Arm: (1/1)
- Recon drone controller
>Legs: (1/1)
- Thruster array (+1 Mob. Jump)
>Armor: -

-Miscellaneous
>Redundant Subsystems (1/1)

Recon drone
>HP:4/4
>DEF: 16(14+2)
>E-Def: 12(10+2)
>Sensor range: 10
>Mobility: 5
>Stealth Rating: 14
>mech pistol(-)
>high tech, jump, scan

Combat drone
>HP:4/4
>DEF: 14(12+2)
>E-Def: 10(8+2)
>Sensor range: 10
>Mobility: 6
>Smart Gun(-)
>Longbow Missiles(3/3)
>high tech, jump


Credits: 30
Storage:
Stiletto targetng suite(1)
Enhanced Autoloader(1)
Defective missiles (1)

>>48680270

"How about you grow the fuck up? Right, so everyone's opinion is now trash, right after you tried to blame this whole fiasco on everyone else because 'They didn't order you to think about your gear?'"

Bludhawk visibly shakes in anger as he continues.

"But now you don't want to fight like a second ago, huh? Maybe that's because you realized that THE ENTIRE CIVILIZED WORLD has a problem with the gear you took into a HEAVILY POPULATED AREA?! Why don't you just try to take responsibility for your actions and do better?"

>>48681303
"And PeaceTaker bootlick? You've been on what? One fucking drop? How about you get back to me when there's some dampness behind those ears."

>>48675681
Sure, I'm up for it. I have some C++ but am making a shift to C# for Unity. I was originally going to set up for CryEngine but then I saw there was a class posted for the fall semester. Are you able to come by the IRC channel?

>>48681746

"I mean I get it, both Izzy and I are girls, like to play loose with the rules and have illegal gear but are you that stupid you can't tell us apart?

I mean I keep repeating myself but no one else spoke up about it. Should have voiced your concerns before hand.

And yes, both you and Gunman may as well waving signs saying 'I'm an IF slave.'"

>>48681303
Phulton is only vulnerable to SAM sites. I'm confident missions they show up in are few and far inbetween, and when they do show up they can be knocked out fairly easily before we have to ever run the risk of ejecting.

>>48681746
>Punch Bludhawk in the nose
"Yes, you two are IF bootlickers. Shouldn't have become a merc if you just wanted to join the 'Peace'keepers. Though you're just straight up rolling over for them now like good little dogs."

The pilot departs to her hanger, calling out over her shoulder, "Contact me when we figure out what assets and missions we're getting, otherwise I don't wanna hear it anymore."

"I, uh, w-wouldn't mind helping with defenses..."


Also, since I should have it down in here somewhere, this is my "If we ain't getting the LHI liscence then this" build.

>Sell Komodo Scrap (22 credits worth=5 credits back)
>43 Credits left

>Purchase: Summit (18 credits) Blade (4 credits) Mecha Pistols x2 (2 credits) tac shield (3 credits) thruster array (4 credits) composite armor (6 credits)
>Total cost: 41 credits
>remaining credits: 2

"A-also, does anybody mind if I take the Stiletto out of company storage?"

>Current build

[Summit] (SUM)
Composite armor
HP: 20/20
DEF: 10 (2 reduction front arc, 1 all around))
EDEF: 8
SENSOR: 8
MOV: 5
Torso: (PI)Mech Pistol x2, Stiletto tergeting suite (Pending)
LA: Tactical Shield
RI: (BD) Blade
Legs: Thruster Array

File: CALBEGUY_03.jpg (294 KB, 746x906)

294 KB JPG

>>48681752
>>48675681

If you guys catch me on IRC we can talk about it and exchange details.

>>48681746
>>48681829
>>48681016
>>48680023
>>48679842

Kerry steps forward, several members of the 3C's internal base security team loom conspicuously behind him.

"Alright that's enough from all of you! You all have conflicting opinions on what's been going on and those discussions have just about run their course."

"I will remind you all that even though we're not as strict as a regular military unit we still have a chain of command and we still have rules. I have tolerated all of your undisciplined behavior for long enough! All of you sober up and calm the fuck down before I toss your ass in the brig!"

"It's up to the command staff to decide what to do next. You may lodge a formal suggestion as to what you think should be done but there's to be no more arguments and certainly no more fighting!"

>>48682335
Hold off on buying that Summit if we get the LHI package a linebreaker might be the better choice...

Linebreaker 20
Impact Hammer 4
Charge Booster 2
Shell Plating 6
Mecha Pistol x 2
Composite armor 6
Total cost =40 3 left over

HP: 22
DEF: 10 (4 reduction front arc, 1 all around))
EDEF: 8
SENSOR: 8
MOV: 3-(6)

>>48682582
That's the point. I want a mech to deploy in next time, but I would prefer the linebreaker. That build is just if we don't buy the LHI liscence before moving out.

>>48682413
(kestrel snaps his vision back to the action, at the sudden change of atmosphere. he slowly lowers the catalog list from his hands, and pulls his other hand that was holding his neck down to his waist in a tense manner. he cursed the situation under his breath, just quiet enough to be inaudible.)
'god. this is bad. my back hurts, people are screaming, I don't understand half the things people say, and suddenly cable guy is shouting.'
'it suddenly feels cold in here. I need to go. but if I move-'
(kestrel stood still, watching the sheer quietness from a not far distance.)
'goddamit. please, somebody do something.'

>>48679842
>Phulton system
The thing is, a 3C pilot has never once been killed on foot after bailing out, they've all died when their cockpit blocks were destroyed by lucky shots or overwhelming force. And people on foot just don't tend to get shot at because it's a waste of firepower in an active combat. If we want people to not die, what we need is a way to stretch out the longevity of their mechs enough to take big hits.

Like, say, reactive armour.

>>48681746
>You've been on what? One fucking drop?
(Cryptic frowns)
I don't know about that Bludhawk. This guy just rolled in out of the desert one day in his own mech, and not a cheap one either. I don't know a thing about him, not even what country he's from, but I my gut tells me he's far from new at this. Plus, there's just something weirdly *familiar* about him that I can't quite seem to put my finger on...

>>48667923
>>48667790
>>48684734

Changing my mind.

>I'll step up for the kidnapping mission

>>48684734
You're completely forgetting that every mission where pilots have bailed out, recovery was either possible, or we weren't knee deep in hostile territory. Look at the missions, that's changing. But since I'm clearly alone in this I'll just drop it and say I told you so when the worst happens.

Regardless, I want air support for the kidnapping job, preferably the multi-role or air superiority. Other than that, those who are in favor of letting the IF walk all over us should go on the job to get Irving since both the people in charge think that's a smart idea, while the rest of us just keep doing what we're doing with the kidnapping and defense job.

Also since I realized it's best to wait until we finally decide what the hell we're using our company credits on, I'm gonna hold off on those purchases of mine for the time being.

(kestrel slips back towards the group after talks are rekindled, and places the left hand back on the neck.)

>>48684734
"I agree with cryptic here. *cough* hm. hm.
As far as my knowledge goes, ther are olly limited ways a pilot goes boom with reactive armor. like, there's a few.
First, a predador. with a stiledo or hollow point slugs.
second, a lord. with DU rounds and stiledo.
third. onaguh with siege cannon. this one doesn't even need DU rounds.
forth. regessive knife with stiledo.
fifth. linged mech pisdols loaded with HESH rounds, and all of them hitting the torso. whish is quite a feet, considering the aim and skill required to move in to effective range and hit them in the chest.
excuse me, *pbbrt* *hm* *hm*. ah. ah. tesding. testing. there we go.
anyway. these are things that just comes up to my mind, but barring the first three the rest is quite situational."

>>48684919
"a sugession to you both, if you may. *hm* *hm*would the para rescuu chopper works as a compromise? nearly all forms of AA that isn't a heavy one have limited range. a bailed pilot could feasibly run out of the AA grid's range on camalback. it's also haaf the cost, an' can hang back and rescue multiples if an officer tells them to.

and please, Issy, stop being so, aggressive, no. rash. yes. rash to each other. what's done is done, a problem happened, but it's all our problems now, so let's wark- *hm* work this out together.

===Falchion===
Cobra
Ablative
14/14
Def: 12 (2 DR on Front Arc)
E.def:8
SR:10
Move:4+1 (Commando)
Torso: Enhanced Auto-Loader.
LA: Tac-Shield
RA: Anti-Mech Rifle
Legs:
Worth:18

>selling for half value:9
>Total Creds:36+9=45
Buying
Predator 16, Railgun 8, Advanced Sensor 5, Enhanced Auto Loader 6, Thruster Array 4, Composite armour 6 =45
Respec to Gunner for free.

>Nyx emerges somewhat covered in oil and
with a few wires stuck to him. His hair is all over the place. He has a huge grin
"She's done!"
Crack Shot is worth not going full stealth sniper. Time to rain death from afar.


===Praeto Victoria===
Predator
Composite
16/16
Def: 12 (1 DR all round)
E.def:8
SR:14 (10+4 from Advanced Sensors)
Move:4+1 (Thruster Array)
Torso: Enhanced Auto-Loader, Advanced Sensors 2/2
LA: 0/2
RA: Railgun 4/4
Legs:Thruster Array 1/1
Railgun Range:15, RoF:1, Dam:10, Crit:4, Pen:17

Travelling a lot, didn't see thread until now

>20+10-8 = 22 credits
>Figure the rest out later

Chassis: [Cobra]
Armour: Ablative Armour (+4 HP)
HP: 14/14
DEF: 12 (DR 2 Front Arc)
E.DEF: 8
SENSOR: 10
MOV: 4
Torso (0/1): -
LA (2/2): Tactical Shield
RA (3/3): Mortar
Legs (0/0)

>>48669375
>>Check in Enhanced Auto Loader

>>48682413
Aw, c'mon Kerry, a little physicality to clean up any bad air.
It works all the time.

>Nyx looks over the mess, full of angry people, discarded liquor bottles and the aftermath of a lot of shouting. He chekcs the news, and then the vid feeds.
"Well, I can't help but feel like the IF are being generous to us. We did help commit a war crime that has caused the destruction of an Island. This offer would be good, if the IF wasn't the ones giving it. We would effectively become part of the Peace-keepers, which is something I resent. I agree with re-inforcing the Taskforce, and kidnapping the good Dr. We have no connections to the people we would be pissing off, so no bridges burned. However, I would vote for the Cabal, if I had the option. The IF has lost a lot of power. Ask me this a week ago, and I vote IF. Now, its between a group of people capable of fighting the IF at full strength, vs an IF in full panic mode, without a high command. Burning our base and running would be a good idea, if the IF didn't have satellites, and didn't review the footage of us being "destroyed". I will support the company however, but the IF is not a stable option to join right now."

>>48685822
(kestrel's face brightens noticibly as he notices Nyx.)
"Ah, a fellow Predator pilot! Good taste, Nyx!what do you plan to install on the left arm?"

>>48686050
(kestrel's brightened smile is gone for good.)
"Horst, no. Please. *cough* If we need ventilation, we can open the windows."

>>48686159
"Although a lot of people is voting for IF, they hate it at the same time. If we join them, you can expect us to bail out eventually, as that's what people suggested in extension to the IF votes.

This also means that we can join in, grab any shiny gear we can get from the peacekeepers, and think from there as well. If we have same gear as them, we might stand a chance at fleeing."

>>48681752
>>48682413
I'll try to catch at least one of you today, hopefully the timezones will work out.

>>48686244
Decoy Drone and Smoke. If I get caught out,, two preds run out of a huge smoke cloud, in opposite directions.

>>48686244
Horst sighs, before sheathing one knife and prying the other from the floor with ease, he flashes a wolfish grin to kerry, then kestrel, so wide it creases the scars on his face. Giving him a distinctly morbid appear.
"Fistfights clear up everything, the knife was just to call a bluff, prove a point."
He shrugs his massive shoulders before laughing.
"Spirits, everyone is so wound up the can't even catch a joke."

>>48686159
>We did help commit a war crime that has caused the destruction of an Island.
We really didn't, unless you count even associating with Irving. We could have helped stop the bomb, which we didn't, but niether did we help steal it (in fact, I think someone, probably Hetros, chose to tip the IF off about the raid).

We just incriminated ourselves to the IF right when they needed to press gang some muscle, we're small fry in this.

>>48686837
Sorry, should have clarified. In the eyes of the new angry IF, we have helped commit a warcrime by not stopping the bomb.

>>48686491
"Huh. I havn't seen a pilot attempting to use a decoy drone. In a long, looooong time. Anyway, you sure about that? that trick will work only until the drone takes a hit, and then it's game over.
you know how to make your stuff resiliant? no? then I suggest you might as well just throw in a redundant system instead of the drone. It stops you from getting blasted from something knarly before you bail out, as you may know. At least half of our dead guys got gooped that way. And, to be honest, what do you plan to achieve with that Advanced sensor? Drones do things better. or not. ugh. my head might be too scrambled for this talking. I'm used to drones so I should be biased, ignore me. what am I saying right now? ugh."

>>48686535
(kestrel's frown intensifies.)
"I don't think just now was the best time for that 'joke'. wait. joke? you hand out knives to fighting people and tell them to cut each other to ribbons and that's a joke? Horst you abs- *urgh*, absolute madman."

>>48686837
"you know, I've been wondering. we did tip the IF about the bomb, but did they even do anything about it? as far as I know all they did was to slap a 'please stop these dangerous nuke theives' poster on the job board and went 'yup, problem solved'."

>>48686885
Maybe, maybe not. Most likely whoever Irving got instead of us was just that good. Probably Shade Storm, they have less scruples and better lawyers.

With all the ruckus, it seems people have mostly forgotten to sign up for their missions. Reinforcing the joint international taskforce is a good priority, and might allow us to circumvent ending up under anyones direct oversight. After all, even the IF can't quite fault us if we save their asses.

==TaskForce==
Alice
Bludhawk
Goose
Cryptic
Haze

==Dr. Ammerit==
Izzy?

Secondly, I have just three things.

>>48684919
Are you actually clinically insane? Jst shut up, for one second, and listen to yourself. "I want", "walk all over us", "told you so".

That's not how you act with people you're supposed to trust with your life. You dolt. You're rude, abrasive and obnoxious. I would much prefer you were not. You don't get to walk around punching people in the face, demanding extra ressources and blithely ignoring perfectly valid criticism by *threatening* people. How is punching them going to convince them of the validity of your position? That's not how that works. That's not how any of this works!

Secondly,
A bunch of you are resorting to childish name-calling. Cut that out. I don't go around calling all of you Mystery Spooks to point out how damn quick you are to throw your lot in with an actual, real world spanning conspiracy. We dicuss these sort deals like we always do, in a civilized manner. And that means none of that petty sniping and calling people PieceTakers or Slaves or Bootlickers. It's like I'm in charge of an actual herd of cats.

If you can't hack that, you can go get angry in the brig until you cool down.

Third, I want to point out that Duran, the very man from Noblesse who stepped into this base to get angry at us, is *also* - according to a helpful source - one of "Them", in a nicely neboulous manner. Someone who's exerting extra pressure to convince you of the malign intentions of the IF probably ain't the kind of person you really want to work with because his offer cannot, as I've said, be all that charming.

Oh, and we have a 101 Company Credits so I find it reasonable if we acquire the LHI licenses.

Things are likely to speed up from here and we might as well round out the crown, give ourselves the full complement, see if we can't field everything. If nothing else we can meet the future heavily armed and armored.

It leaves 21 floating credit for air support, plus any we make from other missions or any we donate ourselves, allowing us to focus on support and scale going forward.

So, let's... do that then.
>Acquire the LHI License.

== Expenditures ==
Donated 5 Company Credit for Cute Drones to Honor the Fallen
Acquired LHI License for 80

Leaving 21 Company Credit.

Should a collection of nice people donate 9 Company Credit total, we can consider investing in the Phulton System - but I remind you we already have an experimental extraction aircraft that can get you out of any danger zone immediately.

--

Now sort yourselves out, gear up, and sign up for the missions you can pull off.

>>48687194
"I would like to deploy to the taskforce defense mission. I'm more trained and equipped for those type of missions.
Oh, and sir, pardon me, but are we going to buy the LHI license? A lot of people are refraining to purchase anything until we know if we are getting access to new things or not, and it would be helpful if you could tell us soon so that we can make up our mind. The faster, the better."

>>48687254
>>48687274
"Uh. Welp. Now that's a moot point. Well then. One thing I forgot to ask. We are going to side with IF for the immediate future, right? Does that mean we will be able to buy their stuff sooner or later?"

>>48686885
The point of the scanner is that I can lock on, then shoot. The issue with drones for me is that considering we are starting to face people who can hack, drones will probably become more vulnerable. Give me a nice easy way to make sure Im not being snuck up on, and can lock on at almost my Weapons range. I've seen enough of Alice in one mission to know what happens to mechs that don't scan for stealth. And Knite-lite are likely on the next few missions, them of the Stealth Armour.

>>48686885
"Point is, toss her a big fucking knife, she won't stab you."

>>48687194
"Sir I'll deploy on the Taskforce or the rescue of Dr Ammerit. I dont mind either way.

File: CALBEGUY_02.jpg (292 KB, 746x906)

292 KB JPG

>>48686050
>>48687340
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyySC6RLa5U

Cable Guy: "That isn't funny Horst. We're not in Neromius where we can all just have a punch up and laugh it off, or Surden Nevik were dueling is a thing. We all come from different cultural backgrounds. What you see as no big deal others take very seriously. In Merika if you draw a weapon it's assumed you intend to kill the other guy. So you thought Izzy wouldn't pick up the knife and turned out to be right. Good. Now don't do that again. We do not draw weapons on our colleagues nor do we encourage them to draw weapons to resolve disputes, even in jest."

>>48687330
"Stealth? Don' worry, ah gocha. My drons, specially ma recon drones? They are sharp. Hell, if I tell dem what to do, I bet they are keener than that fancy thing.
Speaking of which. You know, before malek suddenly disappeared, he gave me the T' net hub and the Ayy-sensor. I don't have room fo the sensor, and I don't have enough money to buy a stratus. So you can cancel that order on the A sensor and use Malek's. With that money you can buy the smoke and drone."

>>48687631
Horst shrugs, cooling conceding a point he was unaware of.
"And people call ME backwards..."
"They just mindlessly kill each other to settle disputes in merika?"

>>48686045

Boss, I'd really like to borrow that Auto-Loader for the next mission. That would give me all the parts necessary to make my new mech combat-effective.

Alright, so let's see if I got this right

>Sell Croc et al. for 20.4 (75% of 27)
>Total creds 45

>Buy Warden (18), AM Umbrella (6), 2x Sabot Cannon (10), Threat Assessment Module (4), and Reactive Armour (6).
>remove 44 creds

=Singing In The Rain=
Warden (WRD)
HP 20/20
DEF 8 + (2 within SEN)
EDEF 10 +2
SEN 8
MV 4
DR: 8 x4

Torso (3/4): TAM, AM Umbrella
L Arm (2/2): Sabot Cannon (Lnk)
R Arm (2/2): Sabot Cannon (Lnk)
Legs (0/1): None
Special: Redundant Systems

Upkeep: 8 Creds

>>48687254
Alright, if we've picked up the LHI license, I'd like to retract my purchases from here
>>48682335

And replace it with this

>43 credits

>Purchase Linebreaker (20), Impact Hammer (4) Charge Booster (2) Shell Plating (6) Mecha Pistols x2 (2)
>Request usage of Ablative Armor and Stiletto Targeting Sytem
>9 credits left over

If all goes well, this is the new build.

[Linebreaker] (LBK)
Ablative Armor (pending)
HP: 22/22
DEF: 10 (4 reduction front arc)
EDEF: 8
SENSOR: 8
MOV: 3 (6 in straight lines)
Torso: (PI)Mech Pistol, Stiletto tergeting suite (Pending)
LA: Shell Plating, (PI) Mech Pistol
RI: (IH) Impact Hammer
Legs: Charge Booster

>51 Credits
>Repair Jormungandr (18 Credits)
>Purchase Summit (18 Credits)
>Purchase 2 x HZ (14 Credits)

==Paladin==
[Summit] - HP 20/20
DEF 10 - ECM 8
SEN 8 - MV 4+1
DR 1

Right Arm - Heavy Laser
Left Arm - Heavy Laser
RNG: 8 ROF: 3 DAM: 3 PEN: 2 (3) CRT: 19 (17) Special: Beam, Doubles Damage
Torso - Stiletto Targeter, Hunter-Killer Missile {1/1}, Enhanced Autoloader (If borrowed)
Armor - Composite Armor
Legs - Thruster Array

>>48688828
"Hey, blud, you want mine? I'm on Tac-net duty, so I have a stiletto and Enhanced Autoloder in my storage."

>>48688646
"Same goes for you borealis. You want the stiletto? Take it, but just remember to return it after using it."

>>48688301
Confirmed.

>>48687315
It should, if we actually do. Then we're likely to acquire general access to the peacekeeper arms, assuming that's the way we go.

Which is a pretty big incentive. They have some rough toys to play with.

"I tire of these circular arguments, and of this team strife. And I am tired of people bigger then us messing us around because they think we're an easy target."

"I volunteer for the ITF Defense."

=The Regulator=
Batman
-Composite Armour-
HP: 24/24
Def: 8
EDef: 8
Sensor: 6
Move: 4
RA: Electro Bat, Melee Sub-Processor
LA: Blast Shield, Harpoon
Torso: Guidance Disruptor
Legs: Juggernaut Mods
Extra: Redundant Sub-system
Skills: Combat Tech, System Restore, Deflection Angles

>Sell the Phantasm for 27 Credits

>Buy Onager 18
>Buy 2 Howitzers 12
>Buy Ablative Armor 6
>Buy Heavy Duty Servos 4
>Re-re-train 10

Cred balance: 0

=Gunman=
Vigilance
Marksman
Crack Shot

=The Grave Digger=
Chassis: Onager
HP: 20/20
Armor: Reactive Armor
RA: Howitzer
LA: Howitzer
Torso: -
Legs: Heavy Duty Servos

>>48691791
Woah, buddy, what happened to quick and nimble?

>>48687194

I'm going on the Dr. Ammerit mission.

Also both the Task force and Kidnapping mission have enemy air support, getting the LHI ticket is robbing one of those groups of a method of dealing with that.

>>48687194
>>48692174

"Oh my lord I can't believe what I am about to say."

"But I agree with Alice on this one, we can hold off on the LHI license for another mission until we can get this air support stuff sorted surely? 2/3 missions that we seem to be going on need the air support"

"Since our benefactors have decided to cut our air support, and then ask for our help on an air support heavy mission in the same breath, it would help a little. It'd obviously help more if they didn't put us over a barrel to 'teach us a lesson' and then almost the same breath ask for help from us but what can you do?"

>>48687194
"You're right, calling these two bootlicks was uncalled for, my distaste for the IF notwithstanding. Gentlemen, my apologies."
>Transfer 5 cred to company resources, 5:1= 1 company cred.
"As for missions, are those the two the Corps has selected? If so, either one will be fine, I'll leave it to the command staff to decide where my mech will do the most."

>>48654493
>Switch to Commando
>Purchase Concealment, 20 cred
>25-5-20=0cred

>Squire
-=Poltergeist=-
HP:12/12
Def:12 (DR2 front arc)
EDef:12
Sensor:10
Mov:5+1=6
LA: Tac-Shield - DR 2 on front arc
RA: CrossBow - Rng5, RoF1, Dmg6, Crit3, Pen18, Silenced
Torso: Disruptor Field - Enemies within 4 tiles take-2 to hit and can't lock-on, High Tech. Advanced ECM - +4EDef, +2Hacking, Electronic Warfare, High Tech
Legs:N/A
Armour: Stealth - Concealment 16+2=18, High Tech, Can enter Stealth in LoS.
>Ithaqua
Skills: Commando, Concealment
Cred:0
Mech Value:36
Inventory:
Deaths:2

>>48692006
Heavy Duty Servos removes the speed penalty from heavy weapons

>>48692006
Quick and nimble was an emergency solution when I was strapped for cash and lost a mech.
I wanted the Onager and it's actual guns since I first layed eyes on them.

>>48692322
>>48692174
Yes? Pay for it with the missions funds when you know what the situation is on the ground. Essentially, there's no need for us to pay any of these flying ace types ahead of time.

If the pilots on a mission want air support, they can use the funds they're being paid for that mission to accomplish it. They'll simply be paying a subcontractor some of their funds from the total split. It's easily payable at only a minor cost incured per person, and it allows them to acquire mission appropriate support.

There's also a pool of credits set aside for air support without dipping into mission payouts. At least one one good support raid. Then any funds from the mission that gets support can be used to support other missions.

'Sides, we've never needed the support before when we had fighter jets and cruise missiles. It can't be that different out there on the field. I've heard war never changes.

Also, we... we can't actually afford paying their prices all that much. Hiring ground support and bomber on standby is 50 Company Funds. We're not made of money, people. 50 Credits! I mean sweet stomping super koalas.

>>48692322

>no LHI License
Little late, bruv
>>48687254

>>48654493
>>48654358
Buy advanced FCs-6
Stiletto targeting suite-3
>>48654279
Canister gun-4
31-13=18
Respec from artful dodger to ambush-free

>>48692930
Pilot:Horst
Creds:18
Skills:commando, conceal, ambush
Mech:2
1xErrant:==Timberwolf==
1xPugilist==Cottos==
Inventory
Weaponry:2x powerfists, 2x extra punching arms, 1x boomstick, 1x chainsaw, 1x marksman rifle, 1xcrossbow, 1x canister gun, 2xHKM 2x mp+ whatever I'm forgetting
Gear:1xecm, 1xtac shield, 1xadvanced fcs, 1xstilleto targeting suite,1 x redundant systems, 1xsurge protectors, 1x thruster array

Armors
Composite
Stealth
Ablative

>>48693185
>Rename Timberwolf to Bengal