On Thu, 18 Apr 1996 FINCH@boomerang.aero.rmit.edu.au wrote:

On Wed, 17 Apr 1996 James Rinehart wrote :  

  This assumes that Steel isn't from the Periphery, which have been
fighting the clans a bit earlier than that, perhaps extending it to
ten years.

    I think it would take the Clans about 3 months to rip through the 
Periphery rather than the three years you've estimated. Hell, IS  
could wipe 'em out in three years if there was anything worth taking.

   The campaign to take the periphery lasted from 3049 to 3050. The 
conquest of the Inner Sphere by the clans lasted until 3055, when they 
were stopped by the Truce of Tukayyid. A good answer is to set the piece 
after the 15-year long truce ends, setting the periphery fighting about 
21 years back.

  Unless you pull something sneaky, there's no way eight Inner
Sphere mechs will be able to fight eight Omnimechs.  I've beat two lances
with one star before.

   Depends.  This group and group of mechs I could probably agree with
your assessment.  But with a C3 designed lances and reliance
(ironically) on low tech engines, victory switches back to an even
contest.

    C3 is cute and very good, but an equaliser - NUP!! The better 
ranges and heat co-efficients on Clan weapons as well as the evil 
pulse lasers mean that the average Clan medium star will take down 
approximately twice its tonnage or numbers in battle. The star will 
go down to good old CBD eventually but at least two lances of IS mech 
are toast by then. For the C3 to work, some poor slob is going to 
have to close with the Clan mechs to get the range shortened for his 
teammates and this "scout" will get dropped on the spot.

C-3, used in tandem with long-range 'mechs, canindeed be deadly. However, 
it's still no match for clan pilot rating and omni's. And as was pointed 
out, light 'mechs that close with large 'mechs go bye-bye real quick. 
(Yet the IS arms them with small lasers! Geez...)

 > > > And yes, I've done this.  It's a bit

tricky, but conceivably, it means on IS lance could take out two stars
of Omnis.

    
    Yep, if your opponant player is fairly bad and you're fairly 
good. I could take down a company or so of IS mechs with one 
Dragonfly if you really want to swap numbers. Realistically, one star 
of adequately piloted Clan Omnis will destroy one IS lance of equal 
tonnage and piloting ability at the loss of perhaps one omnimech or 
low CBD to all omnis.

To put it another way, the Inner Sphere bites. When I play the IS, I 
demand at least a 2 to 1 'mech ratio. That give me a one in three chance 
of winning, and then ONLY if I come up with real sneaky and devious ideas.
   FASA made the Clans, and got all excited, and then realized they had 
built themselves a nice little box. There is no reasonable way for the 
clans to lose.
   Included for you BattleTech junkies out there (I count at least four) 
is a song from the Clan Diamond shark revial of Gilbert and Sullivan's 
"Pirates of Penzance" Enjoy. :-)

"I AM THE VERY MODEL OF AN INNER SPHERE GENERAL"
(sung to G&S's I am the very model of a modern major general)

I am the very model of a Inner Sphere general
With tactics that maybe in 2000 were original.
I know the heads of Houses and of battles now historical
Succession wars to Tukayyid in orders catigorical.

I can name you all the ilKhans and the size of all their uniforms
And translate the Remembrance into Babylonic Cuneiform
About fusion powered kitchens I am teeming with a lot of news
and many useful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

Although I can't distinguish 'tween a Locust and a lumberjack
I know carbon-dating methods for appliance to most artifacts
In short in matters Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral
I am the very model of a Inner Sphere general

I can organize a troop review in periods of seven weeks
And I know almost fifty billion ways to call a slow retreat
Hygiene aboard DropShips is my area of specialty
And I can sort all integers both random and selectively

My experience in checkers is held in the highest esteem
And I've served almost two minutes in a Regimental Combat Team
Lostech and new tactics are two things I am quite wary at
And I also know exactly what is meant by "commisariat"

My victories in Monopoly number slightly over twenty-one
And WarShips I command almost never jump into the sun
In short in matters Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral
I am the very model of a Inner Sphere general

So while I have no idea of the range of modern gunnery
'though I know less of tactics than a novice in a nunnery
'though my knowledge of BattleMechs is something less than complete
'though I can't correctly spell it I'm an expert on crushing defeat

But while in all these areas I may have got a bit behind
I'm sure no Clan commander has a record anything like mine
And so in matters Vegetable, Animal, or Mineral
I am the very model of a Inner Sphere general!


-Mike of No Particular Title or Handle

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 > Martin

Computers reduce the amount of guessing a man has to do. 
Then again, so does the bikini.

Unfortunately the remainder of this sig. file has been 
classified TOP SECRET. I mean, I could let you see it,
but then I'd have to kill you.