combined-arms-merc-groups

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

you’rn’t

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It’s been a wonderful thing being part of Touchdown, thank you so much for starting this

Happy one year anniversary to this blog!

I started this blog a year ago, as a way to ramble about one of my favorite sci-fi franchises!

Four days later, on April 5th, I'd realized my knowledge of the actual game was lacking, so my answers to asks were often incomplete or partially incorrect. So I created Melissa as a way to answer asks in-character - after all, if the answer is an opinion, it can be wrong and/or misinformed withiut necessarily being objectively incorrect.

I also made her cuz I was bored...

And then things snowballed. By April 8, there were at least three of us RP-blogs. By the next week, over a dozen (by my count).

And then on April 14, TOUCHDOWN proper started. From there, it became a huge passion project, an entire new AU, and one of the things I am personally most proud of helping to create.

And now it's been a year. One wild, awesome, crazy, really really fun year. It's changed my life in a lot of ways.

So thank you everybody, whether you're part of Touchdown itself, or just a moot who's been along for the crazy ride. I am so thankful and proud to call y'all my friends.

Seyla.

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

A bad mechwarrior, however…

A bad mech on the battlefield is worth more than a good mech in the hangar

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

As they approached the objective, the CA transports scattered, switching from their relatively orderly formation to hovering behind allied mechs. Even upgraded, the tanks were transports first and foremost and did not have the weapons for approaching potshots and long ranged strikes like many of the mechs did.

"Good, everyone remember to keep your distance! Don't want to get crushed if a lucky hit topples your moving cover," Broklaw said over the comms. "I've give the go-ahead once we're close enough to break for the objective, just keep coasting behind the big guys until then."

@is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not

Operation LATERAL

0430 hours

October 11, 3153 (D+5)

Helios

Star Colonel Astrid Tseng walked her Executioner across the snowy terrain of Helios. Beside her walked her lover, Major Isidora of the Star League Defense Force's 1st Royal Helios BattleMech Regiment. The Archangel assault 'Mech she piloted - if that was the right word for controlling a 'Mech via direct neural interface - had been painted the standard SLDF green, but with a stripe of white and red on the left torso, opposite the Cameron star on the right torso.

The other 'Mechs of her command - all ex-Manei Domini like Isidora - followed behind the pair as they trudged their way through the snowfall of the early morning, the constant aurora in the sky providing a scintillating and almost wondrous backdrop.

In the peripheral vision of her 'Mech's holographic 360-degree display, Astrid could see another column, roughly 500 meters to her right, the 'Mechs white, black, and purple paint marking them as the Clawtake Trinary under Star Colonel Jehan. Elementals in their battle armor were visible riding the 'Mechs like remoras attached to sharks.

Astrid had attempted to have a discussion with Jehan about who between them would have operational command, as both of them held the rank of Star Colonel within the Clans. However, it seemed that Jehan was under the assumption that all the Totem Warriors, including Astrid, were in fact SLDF - and since this was an SLDF operation, SLDF rank took precedence. Astrid had considering telling Jehan that, technically, as a mercenary on detached duty, she held no formal SLDF rank, thus leaving them with the question. But Jehan seemed resolute in thinking of Astrid as being in charge, and she did not want to confuse the younger warrior, who was by now on his -third? fourth? fifth? - concussion of the operation, so she accepted command and let the matter drop.

To her left, keeping pace with the other columns, was Star Commander Clarissa, her star, and detached combat vehicle, battle armor and infantry forces from the Combined Arms Mercenary Group.

In total, 54 'Mechs, several dozen battle armored infantry, a number of combat vehicles, and a few platoons of elite infantry were all pushing toward a manufacturing town and cargo dropport in the mountains northeast of Coen City.

Astrid pitied the Blakists. They did not stand a chance. She hoped they would be smart and surrender without much fight. But she knew better than to hope for that.

@clarissaexplainsbatchall

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Dumbass newbie went and crushed a cored mech’s cockpit mid-battle, and wasn’t even the one who took the mech down.

I tried talking to the idiot after, and when I explained how crushing a helpless enemy is a bad idea since it just encourages the enemy to not surrender and do the same thing to us, the only response was “don’t get hit then”.

Got half a mind to offer the cocky bastard off to the lancemates of the mechwarrior they killed, don’t plan to keep someone like that around anyways.

-Lancer

I swear to god, I better have just misheard the newbie’s comms.

-Lancer

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

…I did not.

[Linked Audio Transcription:]

[Voice: Glass, glass, glass, I’m gonna step on the glass!]

[The sounds of metal being crushed]

[Transcription end]

What the hell

-Lancer

I swear to god, I better have just misheard the newbie’s comms.

-Lancer

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

I swear to god, I better have just misheard the newbie’s comms.

-Lancer

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

As the newly-upgraded CA transports neared the engagement area, Broklaw opened up comms to the forces under his command.

“Alright everyone, you know what we're getting paid for. Focus on clearing the opposing infantry so they can't harass our big guys; I don't want to see any theatrics. Both you and your armor are expensive, and unless the situation goes sufficiently south we shouldn't need to engage the enemy mechs. Same thing goes for the tankers, don't make yourselves the crunchies by grabbing the wrong mech's attention."

As useful as the battlearmor was, and as much as Broklaw wanted to see the upgraded scorpions in action, it was best to try to keep everyone in line and focusing on the objective. After the company’s losses at Coen, they didn’t want to take unnecessary losses until the operation finished and the CA could replenish.

Switching off the comms, Broklaw addressed his platoon. “We’re nearly at our destination now, be ready to deploy as soon as those doors open. I’m not sure how hot it’ll be, so stick to cover until we know where we’re needed. Any last-minute questions?”

The CA forces were prepared to engage.

@is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not

Operation LATERAL

0430 hours

October 11, 3153 (D+5)

Helios

Star Colonel Astrid Tseng walked her Executioner across the snowy terrain of Helios. Beside her walked her lover, Major Isidora of the Star League Defense Force's 1st Royal Helios BattleMech Regiment. The Archangel assault 'Mech she piloted - if that was the right word for controlling a 'Mech via direct neural interface - had been painted the standard SLDF green, but with a stripe of white and red on the left torso, opposite the Cameron star on the right torso.

The other 'Mechs of her command - all ex-Manei Domini like Isidora - followed behind the pair as they trudged their way through the snowfall of the early morning, the constant aurora in the sky providing a scintillating and almost wondrous backdrop.

In the peripheral vision of her 'Mech's holographic 360-degree display, Astrid could see another column, roughly 500 meters to her right, the 'Mechs white, black, and purple paint marking them as the Clawtake Trinary under Star Colonel Jehan. Elementals in their battle armor were visible riding the 'Mechs like remoras attached to sharks.

Astrid had attempted to have a discussion with Jehan about who between them would have operational command, as both of them held the rank of Star Colonel within the Clans. However, it seemed that Jehan was under the assumption that all the Totem Warriors, including Astrid, were in fact SLDF - and since this was an SLDF operation, SLDF rank took precedence. Astrid had considering telling Jehan that, technically, as a mercenary on detached duty, she held no formal SLDF rank, thus leaving them with the question. But Jehan seemed resolute in thinking of Astrid as being in charge, and she did not want to confuse the younger warrior, who was by now on his -third? fourth? fifth? - concussion of the operation, so she accepted command and let the matter drop.

To her left, keeping pace with the other columns, was Star Commander Clarissa, her star, and detached combat vehicle, battle armor and infantry forces from the Combined Arms Mercenary Group.

In total, 54 'Mechs, several dozen battle armored infantry, a number of combat vehicles, and a few platoons of elite infantry were all pushing toward a manufacturing town and cargo dropport in the mountains northeast of Coen City.

Astrid pitied the Blakists. They did not stand a chance. She hoped they would be smart and surrender without much fight. But she knew better than to hope for that.

@clarissaexplainsbatchall

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

See, I’m not sure that it’s from Quikscell.

Don’t get me wrong, some of the stories match up; found some accounts of Urbies taking down multiple Igors in a fight with one shot each, matching the classic Quikscell quality.

On the other hand, I’ve found conflicting accounts of some being able to take multiple barrages before going down. You ask me, this reeks of Quikscell having obtained the design after initial, higher-quality productions like some of their other products.

Plus, all the other Quikscell VTOLs I’ve been able to find were designed by other companies (or clans).

Hey, anyone seen an Igor before?

I’ve seen multiple accounts that they were all over the Innersphere during the tail end of the Third Succession War and the Fourth Succession War, yet I’ve also seen people from the time say that they never existed, and overall the records I’ve found are all over the place.

It’s weird. Surely there can’t be independent accounts from all corners of the Innersphere of the same VTOL that never existed, right?

-Lancer

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Hey, anyone seen an Igor before?

I’ve seen multiple accounts that they were all over the Innersphere during the tail end of the Third Succession War and the Fourth Succession War, yet I’ve also seen people from the time say that they never existed, and overall the records I’ve found are all over the place.

It’s weird. Surely there can’t be independent accounts from all corners of the Innersphere of the same VTOL that never existed, right?

-Lancer

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

“Seems like the discussion’s finished then. I’ll get those specs sent to Xerxes and Broklaw’s already making sure everyone’s prepped for the mission, was good meeting with you all in person. Happy hunting, and all that.”

As she finishes speaking, Cia gets up and exits the room, looking for her command vehicle.

Star Colonel Jehan MacKenzie, reporting for duty, Commanding General. I understand we are still tasked with taking the dropport, in concert with Star Captain Tseng and her bondsmen? Also, I do not suppose I could sit? It has been a long run from Kinship, and my ribs are complaining vociferously.

Certainly, Jehan, please, come in.

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

“Not outside of if this Xerxes could try working on some of my tanks… anyways, shall we continue planning the assault?”

@clarissaexplainsbatchall

Star Colonel Jehan MacKenzie, reporting for duty, Commanding General. I understand we are still tasked with taking the dropport, in concert with Star Captain Tseng and her bondsmen? Also, I do not suppose I could sit? It has been a long run from Kinship, and my ribs are complaining vociferously.

Certainly, Jehan, please, come in.

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Wait what am I saying, hot-rodded Hetzers would probably be more efficient and reliable than one new off the assembly line; either way, think I know where the CA will be heading next after the current operation’s over.

-Cia

You know, there are always people asking “why not just field 40 Savannah Masters?” After all, why not? They’re cheap, hit hard for their speed and price tag, and can outpace a Firemoth.

Well, having looked into it myself, the reason is simple: It’s hard to find 40 people suicidal enough to drive those Savannah Masters. And even if you do find 40 people with a death wish, there then comes the issue of training those 40 people to drive hovercraft that zoom around at over 200 kph while also aiming and firing the laser, all without crashing into a brick wall or a mech’s foot. Without proper training, the Savannah Masters’ pilots are either going to total their vehicle before it can get a shot off, or they’ll sit still to line up a shot and get themselves totaled because their armor is 95% speed. Ultimately, if you have the people willing to deploy in 40 Savannah Masters, you’d usually be better off sending them out in 13 Hetzers.

The real kicker though is that I know there are cultures that produce warriors with the dedication, lack of survival instinct, and skill to effectively deploy them in 40 Savannah Masters; only problem is that most of those cultures historically produce people who see driving combat vehicles as a grave insult to their personal honor.

-Cia

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Would designating or “bidding” sacrificial Hetzers be useful in reducing the damages caused by the races, or would that just result in them hot-rodding the Hetzers?

-Cia

You know, there are always people asking “why not just field 40 Savannah Masters?” After all, why not? They’re cheap, hit hard for their speed and price tag, and can outpace a Firemoth.

Well, having looked into it myself, the reason is simple: It’s hard to find 40 people suicidal enough to drive those Savannah Masters. And even if you do find 40 people with a death wish, there then comes the issue of training those 40 people to drive hovercraft that zoom around at over 200 kph while also aiming and firing the laser, all without crashing into a brick wall or a mech’s foot. Without proper training, the Savannah Masters’ pilots are either going to total their vehicle before it can get a shot off, or they’ll sit still to line up a shot and get themselves totaled because their armor is 95% speed. Ultimately, if you have the people willing to deploy in 40 Savannah Masters, you’d usually be better off sending them out in 13 Hetzers.

The real kicker though is that I know there are cultures that produce warriors with the dedication, lack of survival instinct, and skill to effectively deploy them in 40 Savannah Masters; only problem is that most of those cultures historically produce people who see driving combat vehicles as a grave insult to their personal honor.

-Cia

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Cia is silent for a moment, contemplating the possibility of Xerxes being given permission to mess with her tanks.

“…I wouldn’t be adverse to some free upgrades to my vehicles, especially if it’s to add high-grade tech. He better not mess with the transport scorpions’ ability to move troops though; at least not without supplying replacements! Already on thin terms with enough of my techs thanks to the Specials as it stands…”

@clarissaexplainsbatchall

Star Colonel Jehan MacKenzie, reporting for duty, Commanding General. I understand we are still tasked with taking the dropport, in concert with Star Captain Tseng and her bondsmen? Also, I do not suppose I could sit? It has been a long run from Kinship, and my ribs are complaining vociferously.

Certainly, Jehan, please, come in.

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

You know, there are always people asking “why not just field 40 Savannah Masters?” After all, why not? They’re cheap, hit hard for their speed and price tag, and can outpace a Firemoth.

Well, having looked into it myself, the reason is simple: It’s hard to find 40 people suicidal enough to drive those Savannah Masters. And even if you do find 40 people with a death wish, there then comes the issue of training those 40 people to drive hovercraft that zoom around at over 200 kph while also aiming and firing the laser, all without crashing into a brick wall or a mech’s foot. Without proper training, the Savannah Masters’ pilots are either going to total their vehicle before it can get a shot off, or they’ll sit still to line up a shot and get themselves totaled because their armor is 95% speed. Ultimately, if you have the people willing to deploy in 40 Savannah Masters, you’d usually be better off sending them out in 13 Hetzers.

The real kicker though is that I know there are cultures that produce warriors with the dedication, lack of survival instinct, and skill to effectively deploy them in 40 Savannah Masters; only problem is that most of those cultures historically produce people who see driving combat vehicles as a grave insult to their personal honor.

-Cia

[combined-arms-merc-groups]

Cia nods to Broklaw, who quickly walks out of the room while making a call of his own.

“Hey, Jen! Need you to start prepping all the remaining Battle Armor units for transfer…”

As Broklaw’s voice fades, Cia gives Astrid a confused look.

“So I haven’t had much time to keep up to tabs on who is in the Op, so if you wouldn’t mind me asking, who’s Xerxes and why’s him getting access to a Kodiak something worth noting?”

@clarissaexplainsbatchall

Star Colonel Jehan MacKenzie, reporting for duty, Commanding General. I understand we are still tasked with taking the dropport, in concert with Star Captain Tseng and her bondsmen? Also, I do not suppose I could sit? It has been a long run from Kinship, and my ribs are complaining vociferously.

Certainly, Jehan, please, come in.