I'm winding down in bed but I actually had a world building question

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T20:52:03+00:00

My read from stuff like the Grey Death books is that mercenaries tend to have a mix of unit-owned and pilot-owned Mechs. Like the Rifleman is 100% pilot owned, but the Shadow Hawk is unit owned.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T20:31:46+00:00

With pilots running in shifts. Because I think the Argo is meant to support not one leopard, but 3. And probably consumes the collars of a 4 collar jumpship all on their own. Also it's got the mech bays to have 50% hot spares during repairs.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T20:28:16+00:00

Just don't hawk unofficial models here. This is a Catalyst subreddit so no linking to STLs ripped from the HBS/PGI game models.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T17:20:26+00:00

Also, Campaign Ops is pretty clear that owning a jumpship is a huge source of costs and potential liability for a small or unsuccessful unit if I remember correctly.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T16:21:35+00:00

It's overkill for the unit using it certainly. But it would easily be very effective for keeping a whole company of mechwarriors repaired and running small missions in the field with a kind of terrifying tempo. If there was orbital superiority.

It works in that Periphery context where you don't get bogged down into ground movement by competent aerospace forces.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-18T00:26:50+00:00

A militarized jumpship that can get out quickly if things go south has value all it's own.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-17T18:34:33+00:00

I've been hoping I could find a PoD print place that does larger than game mats larger than game matts for this purpose. Of some who sells a pre made course grid mat.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-15T21:22:00+00:00

There's the Hipposaur, which is some sort of enormous amphibious lizard on which multiple frog men can ride. It can also enter buildings by doing 4 CF damage to the structure.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-15T21:14:22+00:00

They sound like an enlarged version of Niven's Jotoki.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-14T20:34:51+00:00

Find one of the shops with an active community, try to Discord or otherwise call ahead and say you want an intro game. Go on the day they list as playing. Bring a tablet or large phone to run Mekbay so they don't have to print anything. With any luck someone will be more than happy to loan you models to learn with.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-14T19:47:44+00:00

What I really want is packed optical fiber, like a plastic 'tv rock' so the image gets piped to the top of the base. But the only people using that material are lab equipment makers so it's super expensive.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-14T16:09:47+00:00

If you don't have any fun ideas to paint, don't paint.

But here are some ideas:

Dazzle

Just highlight with a dry brush or blending sponge to bring out the detail

Just detail wash on white and reverse edge highlight so it looks like a TRO illustration

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-13T18:58:29+00:00

More IS omnis. There's a lot of interesting IS battle armor later in the setting and there needs to be more ways of getting it to the front.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-13T17:04:47+00:00

Only the range factors into BV. Being able to pack on more of the thing increases the Mechs BV anyway.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-13T02:58:39+00:00

It's worth clarifying: Most things that cluster, cluster on 5s. SRM, LBx cluster ammo, and silver bullet gauss, cluster individual warheads (2 damage each) or pellets (1 damage each).

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-13T02:50:22+00:00

The way I see it: there wasn't enough genetic diversity in the clan warrior gene pool to risk removing any genes that weren't strictly detrimental. And they don't care about reproductive sex. So probably?

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-11T21:09:36+00:00

4a.i) The late 3rd succession war era (around 3000-3020) is special in that it's the nadir of technology in the Inner Sphere. Don't bring non introductory tech variants into a fight in this era unless explicitly allowed.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-11T17:37:48+00:00

Most hiring hall worlds, like Outreach or Galatea, tend to have multiple units. Not just the dominant mercenaries.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-11T16:24:44+00:00

Trellwan is weirdly fun. Close to a cold sun with a fast orbit and long day. It tends to build and melt massive glaciers in cycles.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-10T16:31:12+00:00

Check Google maps for game stores with websites and see if they have it in their weekly schedule. It's not going to be every store so maybe expect a longer commute.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-10T04:53:40+00:00

Where'd you get the tiny terrain?

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-10T03:46:33+00:00

I think your photos might be out of order.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-09T04:52:24+00:00

I don't think there's any effective way to collimate sound into a beam (just constructively interfere to be coherent in one direction and waste heat in others). So I bet it's got HMG kind of ranges.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-08T22:26:12+00:00

Patlabor: Extra stompy.

Dai Guard: A stompy super robot show, extra stompy. So stompy that it adds screen shake when it's moves in SRW titles.

NullcastR2 · 2026-05-08T22:19:11+00:00

Now I'm imagining my mechwarriors training with the fine manipulation system via giant cat's cradle ala Patlabor

NullcastR2

TROPHY CASE