BattleTech - Revision history

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2d4fag: /* Warfare in the Thirty-first Century */ fixed link

2025-02-13T22:55:57Z

Warfare in the Thirty-first Century: fixed link

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	Once they reach the destination (normally the "northern" or "southern" jump points of a star), the DropShips detach from the JumpShips and burn deeper into the system towards the targeted planet. Now JumpShips aren't stealthy, so anyone on the target planet likely detected their entrance into the system, and it typically takes DropShips seven days (varies dramatically for each star system) to reach the planet. Surprise attacks are nearly impossible, and defenders will have up to a week to get ready (some clever, smart, or just plain foolish people try to shave time by trying to match the target world's orbit with a nonstandard point closer to the planet, or even rare "Pirate" points caused by gravitational interactions between celestial bodies, but even this usually gives defenders at least a day to prepare, not to mention the hilarious habit of Pirate points to just mangle JumpShips attempting to use them beyond recognition). In reality however, points in space where gravitational forces balance out aren’t actually rare (they're called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point Lagrange points] in real life) and there are five of those null-gravity points just for the Sun-Earth system, along with five more for the Earth-Moon system, and five more again for every other pair of celestial bodies orbiting each other that you care to name. Those points can be so close to destinations of strategic interest that by BattleTech standards, it would take probably just a few minutes to reach the Earth from one of its own null gravity points, seeing as BT DropShips can reach Sol's zenith (the Sun's "northern" null-G point) or nadir (the Sun's "southern" null-G point) in just a few days from Earth, i.e., crossing more than the distance of one Astronomical Unit, or 150 million kilometres, in a strategically-insignificant amount of time.		Once they reach the destination (normally the "northern" or "southern" jump points of a star), the DropShips detach from the JumpShips and burn deeper into the system towards the targeted planet. Now JumpShips aren't stealthy, so anyone on the target planet likely detected their entrance into the system, and it typically takes DropShips seven days (varies dramatically for each star system) to reach the planet. Surprise attacks are nearly impossible, and defenders will have up to a week to get ready (some clever, smart, or just plain foolish people try to shave time by trying to match the target world's orbit with a nonstandard point closer to the planet, or even rare "Pirate" points caused by gravitational interactions between celestial bodies, but even this usually gives defenders at least a day to prepare, not to mention the hilarious habit of Pirate points to just mangle JumpShips attempting to use them beyond recognition). In reality however, points in space where gravitational forces balance out aren’t actually rare (they're called [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point Lagrange points] in real life) and there are five of those null-gravity points just for the Sun-Earth system, along with five more for the Earth-Moon system, and five more again for every other pair of celestial bodies orbiting each other that you care to name. Those points can be so close to destinations of strategic interest that by BattleTech standards, it would take probably just a few minutes to reach the Earth from one of its own null gravity points, seeing as BT DropShips can reach Sol's zenith (the Sun's "northern" null-G point) or nadir (the Sun's "southern" null-G point) in just a few days from Earth, i.e., crossing more than the distance of one Astronomical Unit, or 150 million kilometres, in a strategically-insignificant amount of time.

	As the invading force reaches planetary orbit, the defenders will usually try to intercept them with their own defensive ships, usually DropShips, Shuttles, Aerospace Fighters, and Conventional Fighters (like the [['Mechbuster]]) while the Attackers will launch fighters of their own. Space battle will begin in earnest as the defenders try to keep the enemy from landing on world at all (FASA originally had two separate games, Aerotech and Battlespace, that dealt with this stage of combat, but current BattleTech rules incorporate Aerospace combat for those who prefer it or want the full Theater of War experience).		As the invading force reaches planetary orbit, the defenders will usually try to intercept them with their own defensive ships, usually DropShips, Shuttles, Aerospace Fighters, and Conventional Fighters (like the [[Mechbuster]]) while the Attackers will launch fighters of their own. Space battle will begin in earnest as the defenders try to keep the enemy from landing on world at all (FASA originally had two separate games, Aerotech and Battlespace, that dealt with this stage of combat, but current BattleTech rules incorporate Aerospace combat for those who prefer it or want the full Theater of War experience).

	If the Attackers can break through the orbital defenders, they can choose their landing site (usually near the target of course) and deploy either via a combat drop with [[Drop Pod\|Drop Pods]] launched from DropShips or via DropShips landing at a secure LZ. The enemy will deploy to stop them and battle begins in earnest with ground combat typically consisting of combined-arms use of infantry, battle-armored troops, conventional armored vehicles, artillery, and BattleMechs. Meanwhile, any air assets in the form of aerospace or conventional fighters will duke it out to secure air superiority for shipping reinforcements via air drop, or trying to take out enemy ground units from above.		If the Attackers can break through the orbital defenders, they can choose their landing site (usually near the target of course) and deploy either via a combat drop with [[Drop Pod\|Drop Pods]] launched from DropShips or via DropShips landing at a secure LZ. The enemy will deploy to stop them and battle begins in earnest with ground combat typically consisting of combined-arms use of infantry, battle-armored troops, conventional armored vehicles, artillery, and BattleMechs. Meanwhile, any air assets in the form of aerospace or conventional fighters will duke it out to secure air superiority for shipping reinforcements via air drop, or trying to take out enemy ground units from above.

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2023-06-20T14:09:40Z

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1d4chan>A Walrus: /* Alien Life */

2023-05-28T13:42:58Z

Alien Life

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	==Alien Life==		==Alien Life==
	BattleTech is unusual among sci fi wargames in having humans as the only notable sapient species. Alien life exists aplenty - but it consists entirely of plants and dumb animals. Some sources have hinted at questionably sapient cavemen, but humans are the only species in BattleTech canon to master agriculture, much less space travel. There is one possibly canon exception, however.		As previously mentioned BattleTech is unusual among sci fi wargames in having humans as the only notable sapient species. Alien life exists aplenty - but it consists entirely of plants and dumb animals. Some sources have hinted at questionably sapient cavemen, but humans are the only species in BattleTech canon to master agriculture, much less space travel. There is one possibly canon exception, however.

	The Tetatae are tribal bird people armed with spears who inhabit a Jungle World. They show up in a far-off world in uncharted space populated with some stranded humans from the Draconis Combine. The inclusion of sapient species was such a [[Rage\|controversial]] [[Fail\|action]] that the novel introducing them, Far Country, was promptly ignored by both the lore developers and fans ever since it came out. The Tetatae are only even reached through a hyperspace engine failure that can't be reliably reproduced. It's unclear whether their planet is in some far off section of the galaxy or another, but characters in the novel speculate that they may be in a different universe entirely. Opinion differs on how canon Far Country and the Tetatae are, with some saying they're canon but unreachable and can't affect the rest of BattleTech, while others claim Far Country exists as an in-universe TV show.		The Tetatae are tribal bird people armed with spears who inhabit a Jungle World. They show up in a far-off world in uncharted space populated with some stranded humans from the Draconis Combine. The inclusion of sapient species was such a [[Rage\|controversial]] [[Fail\|action]] that the novel introducing them, Far Country, was promptly ignored by both the lore developers and fans ever since it came out. The Tetatae are only even reached through a hyperspace engine failure that can't be reliably reproduced. It's unclear whether their planet is in some far off section of the galaxy or another, but characters in the novel speculate that they may be in a different universe entirely. Opinion differs on how canon Far Country and the Tetatae are, with some saying they're canon but unreachable and can't affect the rest of BattleTech, while others claim Far Country exists as an in-universe TV show.

1d4chan>A Walrus: /* The Appeal of BattleTech */

2023-05-23T02:12:33Z

The Appeal of BattleTech

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	First and most obvious, giant stompy BattleMechs bristling with guns duking it out is cool. But despite that, BattleTech is in general a more grounded and human setting. You don't have warp daemons, God Emperors, energy forces or psionic powers in BattleTech or giant Space Cathedrals and machines that work better when people pray to them. Nor does it have artificial gravity, shields, sapient aliens, serious transhumanism, dyson spheres, general AI and other more wild science fiction ideas. While it does go into some suspense of belief in technology such as KF-FTL drive and HPG-FTL communications, most of the technology is still grounded within the realm of plausible belief. Society-wise, it doesn't go into the speculation on how civilization may come into conflict with divergent ideals or extraterrestrial life, instead you have human people like you and me struggling in a hostile universe where the most dangerous thing is often another human being under another flag. Not that the setting lacks for variety; the main factions are very well developed with their own distinct motivations, even if they do sometimes tend to lean into stereotypes. BattleTech is for people who read [[Dune]] and find the idea of the Atreides, Harkonnens, Corinos and the other Great Houses of the Landsraad with their conflicts and their power plays to be far more interesting than what happened after Paul took over. Some others also consider it similar to a teen rated version of [[A Song of Ice and Fire\|Game of Thrones]] in space (but with mechs and sci-fi tactics in place of mythical creatures and gore).		First and most obvious, giant stompy BattleMechs bristling with guns duking it out is cool. But despite that, BattleTech is in general a more grounded and human setting. You don't have warp daemons, God Emperors, energy forces or psionic powers in BattleTech or giant Space Cathedrals and machines that work better when people pray to them. Nor does it have artificial gravity, shields, sapient aliens, serious transhumanism, dyson spheres, general AI and other more wild science fiction ideas. While it does go into some suspense of belief in technology such as KF-FTL drive and HPG-FTL communications, most of the technology is still grounded within the realm of plausible belief. Society-wise, it doesn't go into the speculation on how civilization may come into conflict with divergent ideals or extraterrestrial life, instead you have human people like you and me struggling in a hostile universe where the most dangerous thing is often another human being under another flag. Not that the setting lacks for variety; the main factions are very well developed with their own distinct motivations, even if they do sometimes tend to lean into stereotypes. BattleTech is for people who read [[Dune]] and find the idea of the Atreides, Harkonnens, Corinos and the other Great Houses of the Landsraad with their conflicts and their power plays to be far more interesting than what happened after Paul took over. Some others also consider it similar to a teen rated version of [[A Song of Ice and Fire\|Game of Thrones]] in space (but with mechs and sci-fi tactics in place of mythical creatures and gore).

	BattleTech is one of the more morally grey settings out there. Moreso than many Grimdark settings where it's a matter of [[Imperium of Man\|nasty jerks]] vs [[Chaos\|literal demons]]. While there are a few factions which are better or worse than others on the whole ([[Magistracy of Canopus]] vs [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]]) all of the factions have their share of virtue and vice, heroes and villains. Good people can come up from the Nobility of the Federated Suns, Citizens of the Capellan Confederation or the Iron Wombs of The Clans, as can a lot real nasty bastards. In that regard, this is a rather tragic universe. In BattleTech nobody is corrupted by Chaos or seduced by the Dark Side. Instead humanity took to the stars and flourished, only to be brought low because their leaders were in the end just human with human failings.		BattleTech is one of the more morally grey settings out there. Moreso than many Grimdark settings where it's a matter of [[Imperium of Man\|nasty jerks]] vs [[Chaos\|literal demons]]. While there are a few factions which are better or worse than others on the whole ([[Magistracy of Canopus]] vs [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]]) all of the factions have their share of virtue and vice, heroes and villains. Good people can come up from the Nobility of the Federated Suns, Citizens of the Capellan Confederation or the Iron Wombs of The Clans, as can a lot real nasty bastards. In that regard, this is a rather tragic universe. In BattleTech nobody is corrupted by [[Chaos]] or seduced by the [[The Force\|Dark Side]]. Instead humanity took to the stars and flourished, only to be brought low because their leaders were in the end just human with human failings.

	On the same note, this means that there are multiple ways of reading things and you actually have to think about motivations when forming your opinion. Is Federated Suns the home of true believers in freedom who sometimes fall short, or an empire of self-righteous hypocrites? Is (pre-WoB) ComStar the defenders of humanity's legacy of knowledge against the apocalyptic power-plays of the Great Houses to bring about a Golden age which was not merely Gilded like the last one, or a cult which feels that it has the right to dictate who gets how much tech and eliminate anyone who stands between them and their distant vision of an ideal future? Ask different people and you'll get different answers. It helps that all sourcebooks are cannonical documents in universe written by and for specific factions. Technical Readouts are written by Comstar as a sort of Jane's guides, Field Manuals are handbooks written for senior officers (e.g. one Federated Suns Field Manual is a readiness report from the commander of the armies to the first prince.) and other books are written as in universe histories. So every splatbook is biased and edited to make someone look good, and absolutely admits it. Any retcons or inconsistencies are therefore the result of in universe lies (and not poor fact checking or writing in our world) and you can choose which lies you want to believe.		On the same note, this means that there are multiple ways of reading things and you actually have to think about motivations when forming your opinion. Is Federated Suns the home of true believers in freedom who sometimes fall short, or an empire of self-righteous hypocrites? Is (pre-WoB) ComStar the defenders of humanity's legacy of knowledge against the apocalyptic power-plays of the Great Houses to bring about a Golden age which was not merely Gilded like the last one, or a cult which feels that it has the right to dictate who gets how much tech and eliminate anyone who stands between them and their distant vision of an ideal future? Ask different people and you'll get different answers. It helps that all sourcebooks are cannonical documents in universe written by and for specific factions. Technical Readouts are written by Comstar as a sort of Jane's guides, Field Manuals are handbooks written for senior officers (e.g. one Federated Suns Field Manual is a readiness report from the commander of the armies to the first prince.) and other books are written as in universe histories. So every splatbook is biased and edited to make someone look good, and absolutely admits it. Any retcons or inconsistencies are therefore the result of in universe lies (and not poor fact checking or writing in our world) and you can choose which lies you want to believe.