Part 9: First Vote

So how do we actually play?

Well, first of all, anyone who wants to be a Mechwarrior (you must have Something Awful PMs or be willing to share an E-Mail address) has to ask to join the ‘Mechwarrior list. Since the early battles will be small, that means everyone will command a single ‘Mech for that battle. If we have more ‘Mechwarriors than ‘Mechs, I’ll cycle through the list in the order that the request was received. If you’re on the list but unable to participate when your name comes up, please tell me.

If you’re in command and you go silent, command of your 'Mech will be given to someone else on the list and YOU WILL NOT GET IT BACK until your name comes up again. Sorry.

Later on, once we start the MegaMek portion of the LP and engage in larger fights, the Mechwarrior List will become the Commander List; and I’ll play people in order. Additionally, missions may have victory conditions other than ‘destroy all enemy ‘Mechs’, so even if the situation looks hopeless, I’ve probably done enough work to give you a fighting chance.



What about game mechanics?

I’ll explain things once we get to our first BattlePost. If you’re an inexperienced ‘Mechwarrior and you want some prompting / explanations when the time comes to face your first battle, feel free to ask. Personally, I have a bad tendency to forget to punch things.



Our First Vote

Where should we start, guys? The Clans have arrived, but have yet to draw any real notice. The Capellans and Free Worlders are at war. The Federated Suns and Draconis Combine are also at war. Whichever nation is chosen will color the ‘narrative perspective’ of events for as long as we’re with them. Presently, our options are:



Federated Suns: The Federated Suns will use any ‘Mech they can get their hands on. They generally field a good mix of units from light- to assault-weight battlemechs, although they tend to field mostly medium- to heavy-weight designs. The Federated Suns typically specializes at the lance level, but is fond of mixed companies. Their new Regimental Combat Teams also integrate infantry and vehicles into what was once a ‘Mech-dominated battlefield.

Davion Heavy Guards: Specializing in heavy- and assault-weight ‘Mechs, the Heavy Guards are currently on the offensive against the Draconis Combine, and have seen several engagements with the Third Sword of Light regiment. The Heavy Guards are one of the most powerful units in the Inner Sphere, but tend to be reliant on other regiments for reconnaissance.
Pros: Rarely use any ‘Mech lighter than 60 tons.
Cons: Reliant on other regiments for intelligence (sometimes, you won’t have advanced notice of what enemy forces you’ll be facing).

Kell Hounds: After Morgan Kell was implicated in the death of Archon Katrina Steiner, the Kell Hounds were forced to flee the Lyran Commonwealth. Seeing an opportunity, Prince Hanse Davion exploited his connections to the Kell Hounds, attracting them to the Federated Suns. The Federated Suns has been good to the Kell Hounds, and while their third regiment is still green, the Kell Hounds’ training is extensive and they remain one of the best-trained mercenary units in the Inner Sphere.
Pros: Good equipment, friends of Prince Hanse Davion, a good starter choice.
Cons: The Hounds’ new third regiment consists mostly of untried recruits.



Draconis Combine: The Draconis Combine has a preference for light lances (for most of their troops) and assault lances (for their commanders), but tend to field very little in between. Their Mechwarriors are some of the best trained in the Inner Sphere, but their tactics tend towards the suicidal.

Genyosha: Commanded by Yorinaga Kurita, the Genyosha was created to counter the threat of the Kell Hounds, and is one of the most effective units in Takashi Kurita’s military. Originally one of the first regiments in the Combine to field the new Panther battlemech, the Genyosha owes much to the Panther’s toughness and firepower.
Pros: Commanded by Yorinaga Kurita, fields a lot of Panthers.
Cons: Killing Yorinaga Kurita would be a huge blow to the Draconis Combine.

Third Alshain Regulars: Stationed near the Lyran border, the Alshain Regulars regiments are typically held in reserve as troubleshooters to help the Draconis Combine deal with Lyran aggression (or, more often, to back-up a Draconis Combine invasion force). They’re highly feared by the Lyrans, as the Alshain Regulars only crop up in places where the Combine is desperate for a victory.
Pros: Troops are better trained than most (but still pretty suicidal).
Cons: Will start out fighting the Clans.



Free Worlds League: The Free Worlds League is not known for its military or training, but they’ve suffered so much internecine warfare they have a lot of veteran units. Unfortunately for the Free Worlds League, they have a fondness for some truly terrible Battlemechs like the abysmal Hermes II.

17th Recon Regiment: After backing Janos Marik in the last civil war, Colonel Carlos Camacho was rewarded with enough funding to start a personal Mercenary unit. Loyal to house Marik, the 17th Recon is manned entirely by natives of the League’s “Trinity” or “Southwestern” worlds. Extremely colorful, ‘Comacho’s Caballeros’, as the unit is also known, fields some of the best pilots in the Inner Sphere who are, conversely, also some of the worst shots (although the Caballeros prefer to describe their shooting as ‘enthusiastic’). The 17th recon fields many old designs and, despite its designation, fields a good mix of Battlemechs, including an extremely rare Atlas. The 17th Recon is currently deployed offensively against the Capellan Confederation, but they tend to perform better in a strictly defensive role.
Pros: Fun. Probably my favorite choice for a starter because they’re fun to write for.
Cons: Terrible shots.

Dismal Disinherited: A down-on-their-luck group of Mercenaries, the Dismal Disinherited have spent the past three years on Galatea trying to find work. Recently, they’ve lucked into a contract with a Periphery State calling itself the ‘New Rim Worlds Republic’. Barely better than pirates, the Dismal Disinherited field terrible ‘Mechs and terrible pilots, but they’re still better than most other Periphery units.
Pros: They’re not pirates.
Cons: They’re not much better than pirates. Their employer is a huge liability.



Lyran Commonwealth: The Lyrans won’t scoff at fielding any ‘Mech, but prefer home-grown Lyran designs. Intensely nationalistic, they like Assault-weight designs; and many Lyrans consider the 80-ton Zeus to be a “lighter” Battlemech. They’re currently at peace with their neighbors, but are having issues with pirates in the Periphery.

Gray Death Legion: After a series debacles in the Free Worlds League forced them to flee in humiliation, the Gray Death Legion returned to the Lyran Commonwealth. Fiercely loyal to anyone bearing the ‘Steiner’ name, they jumped at the chance for work—even if that work was simply hunting pirates in the periphery.
Pros: Probably a good introductory choice.
Cons: Will start out fighting the Clans. I hate them.

Lucky 7 Stables - Solaris VII: Battlemech duels on Solaris VII. Good for showing off individual ‘Mechs, but extremely light on plot or story.
Pros: Fights are (relatively) short and quick.
Cons: Only one (or maybe two) people can participate at a time. Extremely minimal plot progression.



Capellan Confederation: Although they’ve been on the defensive for the past few decades, the Capellan Confederation has stabilized under Maximilian Liao’s leadership.

Death Commandos: Fanatically loyal to House Liao, the Death Commandos are some of the best trained troops in the Inner Sphere. They will obey any order from the Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation without question, even orders that most of the other Successor States would hesitate to even consider.
Pros: Excel in small-unit tactics.
Cons: Fanatically loyal to the Chancellor, every other Successor State considers them terrorists.

Northwind Highlanders: After the Federated Suns took the planet Northwind, the Northwind Highlanders signed a long-term, near-exclusive contract with the Capellan Confederation. Technically Capellan nationals, their hundred-year contract is nearly expired. They’re expected to simply renew, as they always have in the past; and Maximilian Liao has already made the customary Capellan promise to help them re-conquer Northwind. That House Liao has failed time and time again to actually do so may be starting to grate on the Northwind Highlanders’ morale. All four regiments of the Highlanders are currently deployed defensively, and form the core of the Capellan Confederation’s defensive line.
Pros: Four regiments of Elite troops, field quite a few Highlander battlemechs.
Cons: Contract with the Capellan Confederation is about to expire.



Other
Com Guards: Typically deployed only to defend ComStar’s HPG stations, the Com Guards are often equipped with Star League-era technology. Although small in number, at least in the Periphery, the Com Guards are better suited to resist the Clans than any other. The Com Guards lack any truly effective leadership.
Pros: Use some powerful Star League units.
Cons: Will be fighting the Clans, period. Advanced ‘Mechs are not beginner-friendly.




Voting is open for:
a) Davion Heavy Guards (FS)
b) Kell Hounds (FS)
c) Second Sword of Light (DC)
d) Third Alshain Regulars (DC)
e) 17th Recon Regiment (FWL)
f) Dismal Disinherited (FWL (technically))
g) Gray Death Legion (LC)
h) Lucky 7 Stables (LC (technically))
i) Death Commandos (CC)
j) Northwind Highlanders (CC)
k) Com Guards (Comstar)

To help you decide what you’re getting into, here’s a convenient map!



How long will this vote last?
A couple of days, most likely, to give people a chance to volunteer to be ‘Mechwarriors and etcetera.