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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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 Posted: 26-Feb-2003 10:16 Post subject: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Hey gang, I'm finally getting a chance to put down my thoughts on the Con. It was GREAT! Very nice to see the Mordelians: Mordel himself, Chihawk, Dead-Fish, CSS Herod, Shadowking, & Pinhead. Tommy and I ran 3 events on Saturday.
Illusions of Victory: The Solaris7 Arena fights break out into the city streets. We had 12 players broken into two groups (steiner/davion) with 2 to 3 mechs each. They needed to kill pilots to get victory points (hey it's a heavy duty grudge match) On turn one me,Tom,Aadil and Jay(also brothers) land our Comsguard C3i lance to break up the fighting. No one buys it though and of course they come gunning for us. Like I expected any less. It was a battle royal in the city. By the end of the slot, 2 pilots from each side were dead, many mechs hurting/crippled and 4 Comgaurd mechs totaled. We did our job keeping them engaged with us and forgeting to target each other. 16 players was a lot to manage but it went rather well.
Civil War battle for Tharkad. 2 lances a side (all assault IS) with 1 commander each. I ran Nondi Steiner's Hauptmann, while Jay ran the double heavy guass Fafnir of Peter Steiner Davion. Every mech had head-capping devastating firepower yet after 7 turns only CSS Herod got the box cars;capping the Fafnir on the very last turn. The battle ended with a marginal victory for the Loyalists (Nondi) but if it had played out to the end it could have gone either way. Tim's Victor showed the most courage (insanity?) by breaking the Loyalist line. He payed a heavy price by getting mauled, and later destroyed while attempting a DFA on a Beserker. The flanking manouver by Korik and CSS was key to keeping the Allied forces from converging both their lances on our line. Well done!
Civil War: battle for New Avalon. Never seen so many people with disbelief on their faces. We had 24 7" mechs ready to play out this battle on a map that took up 4 tables. Everyone who walked by was enamored. The loyalist forces were once again defending while the Davion Allied forces attacked their position. Mordel and I wound up with two lights a piece while everyone else played a med,heavy,or assault (2 longbows, and 1 Goliath) All the mech were unseens. The battle raged about 8 turns, it was fun with me and Mordel were chasing each other around in our Locusts! He got two confirmed kills and crippled my wasp...bastard! Chihawk's rifleman's RAC jammed, that was kewl! He only had two settings on his RAC: 1 or 6!! The long range bombardment of our Archer and Longbow took it's toll on their forces. They eventually blew up the ammo on the Archer (always remember to check you ammo off in the bin locations,not just on the total ammo number). Once again the Loyalists won a marginal victory.
By 11 pm that night I was pretty burnt out, hoarse, over-caffinated, but elated. I think everyone involved had a lot of fun, and that was our only intent. Thanks to all of you who participated and who helped out with breaking the events down.
A kewl side note was that all the battles were based on the civil war and we actually had 3 sets of brothers playing the battles.
Now if I can just plan another Horhiro con this labor day without my wife killing me.......
Here's a link to the pics from the Con, I'll also be sending the best ones to Mordel as he said he could host some....
http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?UV=818472073806_32260189703&collid=28454089703
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." Minobu Tetsuhara
[ This Message was edited by: Horhiro on 2003-02-26 10:24 ]
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." -Minobu Tetsuhara
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CSS_Herod
Free Worlds League
Private, First Class
Joined: 24-Dec-2002 00:00
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 11:27 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Thanks for the link to the pics!
I had a blast at Total Con. I am bummed I missed the last event with the big mechs, but the 3 days of battletech and beer drinking finally took their toll. 
I think it can be safely said that I have the worst rolling luck in the history of the game. So many times I would set up for good shots needing 5's.. and roll all 4's. This wasn't just one game either, it was every game! Looking back, I am thinking I just saved my karma for the last roll of the day for me, head capping the enemy commander in Tharkad.
The low grav battle I played in was a trip. It took me exactlky 1 turn to figure out what was going on, after a couple of mechs walked some 30+ hexes and positioned themselves behind me, and breached my CT. (thanks Chihawk! 
Hohiro's battles were solid as always. Nothing like playing a game with tons of well-painted mechs on sweet 3-d terrain. The Solaris battle was a wild melee with the random entry points, While the Tharkad battle was a more tactical battle, not to mention an assault class slug fest. (gotta love those Lyrans!)
Anyway, I had a great time hanging with the crew from this board, both playing battletech or tossing few back. I'm definitely up for another Hohiro Con, and I plan on being back next year.
H
PS: Hohiro (or anyone else).. if your up for trying a Megamek game, email: jleblanc@caregroup.harvard.edu
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 15:45 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Hey Herod....
Kill the Fafnir.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 15:50 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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My side lost the "New Avalon" battle as soon as mech placement was over. 
Me in my Rifleman and Mordel in his 2 lights set up first behind some building where the better range of the Archers and Warhammers couldn't hurt us....the rest set up where there was no cover at all.
Game over.
And had I recalled the unjam rules for rotaries I would not have been firing just 1 and 6 but would have used 4 also. Moot point as I rolled a "2".
Great time had by all, looking forward to next year already...
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Mordel
Mordel.Net
Administrator
Joined: 03-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 6061
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 16:10 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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I have a feeling the Fafnir is gonna haunt his dreams for a long time to come. Next time he has a chance to kill the Fafnir (even if the pilot needs a 10 or better to stay awake), he'll do it!
Another thing he'll learn is a 1 modifier on an enemy 'mech makes it easier to hit than a mech with a 2 modifier. 
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 16:14 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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All I'll say about the "+1 vs +2" thing is I'll never bring Herod to a casino with me.
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Pinhead
The Bloody Clans
Joined: 25-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1258
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 20:38 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Ran three battles.
First was on the moon of Debauchery (Cause I like the name of the planet) A merc unit based around mostly Liao 3025 units land on the moon and have to remove the Davion garrison. 1/10 gravity and no atmosphere makes for a game that can have 16 mechs and still end within 4 hours. It was a gruesome battle, the last mech standing wasn't really standing (nor could he get up), but Mr Bukoski was the last survivor, defending the planet for Davion.
Second was a Mech Warrior Dark Ages scenario, which oddly turned out to be alot of fun. I can't say as I much like the system, but I still maintain that with a couple tweaks of the rules that game could be very much like battletech, and interesting to play.
Third scenario was set up as an unbalanced scenario, where I picked the two best players and gave them a difficult scenario to win. 4 Kurita mediums driven by green pilots defend a pass against 2 lances of light Davion mechs driven by veteran or elite pilots. Admittedly I was a bit irritated with some of the comments during the scenario, but oddly enough, the side that decided they had no chance pretty much stalemated the scenario. While I enjoyed presenting the challenge, I will probably not ever set up another unbalanced scenario as part of Total Con again.
Pin
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 21:26 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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My comments were the ones that irritated Pin, and I apologize, I didn't realize you were irritated and would have keep quiet should I have realized that...however I did say something very prophetic:
"The only way we (meaning Mordel and I) win this scenario unless the Davion player(s) make huge errors".
They did, and they made several...
The biggest one being not killing the 2 mechs they crippled very early in the game. I had a prone mech with 2 gyro hits and it killed or crippled 3 of the Davion mechs. No excuse for not killing that mech.
They also should have used their superior pilots and charged us off the bridge. They would have needed less than 5s in most cases and they had more than enough armor to survive the turn. As the victory conditions for them was to take the bridge at any cost that is a viable option (and IMO the easiest). You'll also note that Mordel purposely placed our mechs on the hexes that were 2 level higher than the terrain surrounding it so we couldn't be pushed off--but in those hexes we were sitting ducks for charges.
They also didn't use their speed at all. Every turn Mordel and I had at least 2 mechs with mods of +2 or less to shoot at. Coupled with the fact we weren't moving makes for very easy targets for our guns vs their almost non-existant armor.
Another error was they didn't jump over us to create a "2 front" battle. The unbelievable thing about that was that I said that aloud as the battle began and they still didn't do it.
If there had been a Hardware or Horhiro on the Davion side that battle would have been over very quickly.
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Mordel
Mordel.Net
Administrator
Joined: 03-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 6061
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26-Feb-2003 22:00 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Couple of comments here...
Mr. Bukoski = Mordel. He is correct in that I was the last 'mech standing, errr... alive. I won because of the atmosphere. Just as I got my leg blown out from underme, my enemy failed a pilot check and fell over. When he fell, he damaged his center torso and breached it, destroying the 'mech. I was definitely outgunned at that point and was simply just hoping for a lucky shot. Oh, the opponent was CSS_Herod. And CSS, next time you are fighting a guy who has 2 SRM4s left, and you win initiave, stay outside of 9 hexes. I never would've beaten you if you had done that. Just a friendly tip from your favorite business owner.
As to the last game, while chihawk was making most of the comments that irritated Pinhead (and myself, to be honest with you), I agreed with most of them. I was willing to play it out anyways before dooming it to failure. As he stated though, with better players on the other side, we would have easily been beaten. If there's one thing that people need to learn is that they NEED to finish off their opponents. Don't just hurt them, destroy them. Even a hurting dog can bite your leg off, so why give it the chance?
It was a lot of fun though, and if Pinhead were to balance out the Gunnery skills on the other team, it would be a fair fight. Again though, this implies that their pilots have good tactics.
Speaking of tactics and TotalCon, I feel we need to get some incentive to play BattleTech again at the con. Not just play it, but strategize and think about what you're doing. I think we need to instantiate some form of sunday afternoon showdown once again, like in the old days. As soon as our new Minis person comes on-board, we should discuss it with her.
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Hardware
Clan Ghost Bear
Star Colonel
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 605
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 03:04 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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I recall a game a couple of years ago that was run as an unbalanced scenario. I don't remember the particulars, but I do recall our side gave the best mechs we had to someone who refused to engage. It made a tough scenario unwinnable.
But maybe it also made it more realistic. I guess this is what is called "the fog of war." The side that is more powerful on paper, isn't always so in the field.
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 07:36 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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The same reason lights can take out heavys.... Variables ... Lots and Lots of Variables...
As to not killing, I wouldn't have killed him myself. However, I would have made damn sure he could bite me in the *ss....
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Sir Henry
A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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CSS_Herod
Free Worlds League
Private, First Class
Joined: 24-Dec-2002 00:00
Posts: 30
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 12:45 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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LOL
I will always kill the Fafnir from now on.
Regarding that moon game... interesting Mordel: if I won initiative, I was counting on my pulses winning the day. If I stayed at 9, I only had my large pulse at long range.
Up close I had 3 pulses. I only needed a breach, had lower rolls than you, and figured the odds were with me. (Also had a hachet for cryin out loud.. if only it had connected )
I suppose if I had forseen blowing roll after roll after roll.... but hindsight is 20/20.
H
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 15:44 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Quote:
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On 2003-02-26 22:00, Mordel wrote:
I think we need to instantiate some form of sunday afternoon showdown once again, like in the old days. As soon as our new Minis person comes on-board, we should discuss it with her.
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We stopped because of lack of interest. If people want to do it again we'll do it again....it takes only a few moments to set it up and schedule.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8072
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 15:47 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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I have told this to a lot of players and many have learned it first hand...
"If I have 1 weapon and the circumstances allow me to use it I will kill you with it"
Its easy to avoid this: when someone is down, kill them.
Not doing so is the biggest error any player can make.
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Horhiro
Draconis Combine
Samurai
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1625
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2003 17:31 Post subject: RE: TotalCon 2003 Memories |
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Quote:
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On 2003-02-27 12:45, CSS_Herod wrote:
LOL
I will always kill the Fafnir from now on.
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Hey, you killed the one in my game!
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"I have lived my life trying to be a virtuous man. The Dragon admires tenacity, and the code of the samurai upholds it as well." -Minobu Tetsuhara
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