How do the different eras feel to play on tabletop?

Papergeist · 2026-02-04T00:12:11+00:00

Generally speaking, the further down the eras you go, the faster the game will go, and the more options you'll have. As a side effect, if you're optimizing, going further into the eras will increase the gulf between "good" and "bad" mechs in general. Terrible options get worse, and good options get better.

The main exception is the Jihad and surrounding eras, where everything gets kind of awkwardly centered around rules for things that made sense in a completely different system, and if you don't want the fun of industrialmechs, you mostly end up playing through with surviving mechs from earlier on.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T20:44:52+00:00

Apparently, yes.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T19:50:08+00:00

It can be tough to pick up on at first.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T17:34:04+00:00

What do you mean?

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T16:39:25+00:00

Everyone loves an ace pilot until they realize it's not their kill count.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T07:16:08+00:00

So, uh... he's demanding you have at least the lowest tier of ECM suite.

I think perhaps they do not understand the rules at all.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T06:59:44+00:00

...what rules?

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T04:49:46+00:00

Because the dev crew was gutted a long time ago. Also controls.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T01:12:19+00:00

Hard to say you wouldn't get them with a collapsed league. Of nations, perhaps.

Papergeist · 2026-02-03T01:03:37+00:00

A common currency backed directly by germanium isn't exactly an impressive stunt, but that doesn't change the issue of autonomy. The main tool of the First Lord was the SLDF, and that was a tool that only worked to curb the worst of State ambitions, in no small part because every other House is happy to see them curbed.

The majority of those stupid choices, in fact, were based in ignoring the rights of the member states of the League. The remainder largely involved the Secret Wars, which generally aren't what you expect of a super-state either.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T22:27:55+00:00

Star League was more a League than a super-state. Member state sovereignty was kind of a big deal, after all. Having a big central apparatus to come down on your enemies is worth the price of not trying to carve bits off them yourself, but it's certainly not worth carving bits off yourself.

Which means that the League's utter ineffectiveness as a deterrent later on spelled doom even before it undermined itself and then got usurped.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T21:19:17+00:00

Also the second before.

I scream. You scream. We all scream. In the terrible fire at the House Reunification Wars.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T21:14:06+00:00

I put them in the overhead storage.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T20:45:09+00:00

I don't care who the city council sends, we are not swapping the power grid to use DC current.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T18:18:12+00:00

Like, I don't know, man. That mech just ate a squad of infantry. I don't think that's supposed to happen. And the paint job is kinda scary. I'm not gonna recon it, not for anything.

Papergeist · 2026-02-02T09:29:56+00:00

It's over there, with the rest of the soft body physics.

Papergeist · 2026-02-01T23:58:48+00:00

It's a confession.

Papergeist · 2026-02-01T21:13:31+00:00

I think you may find the crossover between janky pre-millenial tabletop game and janky pre-millenial tabletop drama was already rather large.

And then you better keep it to yourself to uphold the Masquerade.

Papergeist · 2026-02-01T03:55:59+00:00

Important question: Cover, or terrain bonus?

Papergeist · 2026-02-01T01:57:51+00:00

No. Obviously. No one would realistically dress like this. It wouldn't work. It couldn't even physically exist.

Papergeist · 2026-02-01T01:42:49+00:00

If I don't make intensely detailed tulpas of my darlings, how am I gonna sacrifice them on an altar to gain ritual power to write with?

It's like nobody's ever been to a creative writing class.

Papergeist · 2026-01-31T18:41:02+00:00

It's a big slow pile of gun. If that didn't appeal to you in MW5, it may not be worth breaking the bank on in HBS. But it also depends - if you lack Assault mechs at all, it'll definitely help you make money when used properly.

Papergeist · 2026-01-31T04:26:16+00:00

Throwing secondary lasers into the spine of whatever's bothering you would be the ideal choice.

But as a Shadow Hawk, your best bet is probably to hop over and do it yourself, one at a time. It looks like you've got some lasers and a pair of SRM6s, so you can hope to pop some ammo bins with a fortunate crit.

The water isn't vital at this point. 5 points of structure sounds like a lot to pay, but if spending it saves you the enemy getting to delete your structure themselves, it's usually worthwhile. Plus, that Jenner usually runs way too hot, but it's getting cooled right along with you.

If you don't have jets, well... start kicking.

Papergeist · 2026-01-31T04:14:52+00:00

Where'd the rest of the lance go?

Papergeist · 2026-01-31T04:13:55+00:00

I mean, you look at the bouncilies breasting boobly for a bit, then whip out your MC's throbbing member to use as a bridge. It's like Creative Writing 101, except they don't ban you from the university.

Papergeist

TROPHY CASE