Fat Gandalf's Bar & Lounge (OOC Chat) - Chapter Eight

[Psychie]

I honestly do not believe that Cookie had both guns on it. But I do like the idea of attaching a Eu-11 as a longer ranged direct fire weapon than the shorter ranged pulse laser.

 

[Purr]

I'm home now so i can look it up (and I'm curious - I don't mind being wrong, but I do mind being without the facts). =)

 

[Psychie]

I do know that from the very beginning, Toph was not sent out with the dual blasters on her Ajax. If I were to get one later on, it would have had to come from the Broadsword sometime.

 

[Purr]

That is true. And... I found the answer. =)

 

[Psychie]

Huh. Well, I guess I was wrong. I could have swore that I only had the one. Cool. Thank you.

So, if I go with dual pulse blasters, they draw power straight from the engines of the Ajax. What about the arm mounted Eu-11? Would it work on magazines, or can it also be powered straight from the reactor of the mecha?

 

[Sherwood]

Good digging there, Dann.

 

[Purr]

What are dual pulse blasters? I take it you mean the ion cannons?

Ah, logic suggests that if the EU-11s from the Logan have "effectively unlimited" ammunition (which, if my memory serves, is true), then it draws (somehow) from the veritech's power plant.

Also, you mentioned "arm-mounted" EU-11s. As opposed to having to be held in the hands the way the Logan does? Hmm. I'd have to think on that.

But above all - we're currently basing all of what I've said here based on Toph's knowledge and understanding of both TASC vehicles. The EU-11 should work with the Ajax. The GU-11 will not (though that 2d6x10 M.D. per 10-round burst is sweeeeeet even if it is only long-burst-capable!). Ion weapons have always had the edge in damage, but at the cost of range. EU-11s are lasers (silent, but very visible). Off of the "Toph" of my head, that's what Muppet knows. =)

Sherwood. Thanks, bud! Every GM has their gifts! =)

 

[Purr]

Oh! And I'm a dummy. Psychie The EU-11 is the Veritech Hover Tank's lousy "rifle." The E-20 is the Logan's weapon!

 

[Psychie]

What are dual pulse blasters? I take it you mean the ion cannons?

Yes. I just get the head mounted one and the arm/hand mounted one's names mixed up.

Also, you mentioned "arm-mounted" EU-11s. As opposed to having to be held in the hands the way the Logan does? Hmm. I'd have to think on that.

Well, its attached to the hand/arm somewhere, right?

If it is going to be too much of a headache to get a separate kind of weapon, perhaps tweaking the existing ion pulse weapons to give them some more range at the expense of some firepower? Maybe drop the +10 MD damage to get a longer range?

Just a thought.

 

[Sherwood]

Here's my two cents worth....

I would think that having a different weapon on the other hand/arm from your usual ion cannon may prove to be a headache. You'd have to 'teach' the computer that it has different targeting capabilities and range, and you may not be able to do a double arm shot with it.

In my own personal opinion, the damage done by the dual ion weapons is a good thing, even with the lack of range on it. Why mess with what already works?

 

[Purr]

Well, its attached to the hand/arm somewhere, right?

Well, from a detail-oriented perspective, the drawback to the E-20 is - if the Logan needs to use both hands, the E-20 must go (since it requires a hand to use). Also, since the E-20 is a detachable weapon, one could give it to, say, another Logan in need. This is not true of the Ajax. It always has its hands free and can't give away any of its guns.

If it is going to be too much of a headache to get a separate kind of weapon, perhaps tweaking the existing ion pulse weapons to give them some more range at the expense of some firepower? Maybe drop the +10 MD damage to get a longer range?

From a purely technical standpoint, changing an ion weapon to be more like a laser is far more of a headache (because what's the point of having one weapon if it can do the job of another? Sooner or "laser," one of the weapons becomes obsolete - my guess is the ion weapons because lasers don't make sound (a useful advantage in some situations).

In my own personal opinion, the damage done by the dual ion weapons is a good thing, even with the lack of range on it. Why mess with what already works?

Because it doesn't. =) At least not for me. I took range into account when Toph went in guns blazing during the Chessel Corporation base battle. The guns on the ground had an advantage over Toph's ion cannons, forcing her to either close in or use missiles.

When I was playing Cody "Wild Wolf" Loper, my TASC pilot in your game, you were pretty lenient with the whole range thing. I'm a detail-oriented GM. I want range to play a part in our games. If a VHTs cannon can shoot two miles but that Battle Pod's can't, then the Battle Pod should have to change its tactics or suffer the consequences. Plus, I like how it challenges Players (and GMs) to think a little more deeply about these things.

As for pairing, I too think it's easier to link up two of the same weapon than different (even with S.D.C. weapons like knives and pistols - it makes a difference in Real Life, at least to me).

The easiest route for Toph to go? Look into seeing if E-20s can be made compatible with the AJax. Thanks to the Wild Cards' own death-defying work, they have E-20s on board in the form of the Prototype Super Stealth Logans. =)

 

[Sherwood]

Would you be willing to take the modified E-20's in the weapon housing of the ion weapon, doing less damage but getting more range? 2d4x10 isn't a bad damage roll for a dual shot.

 

[Psychie]

Yeah, I think that would be a worthy sacrifice. The 4,000 foot range is sweet compared to the ion weapon, and it gives me more options in a fight to be able to reach out and touch someone without using my missiles which can be shot out of the sky.

 

[Sherwood]

Then there you go. It shouldn't take the Sams long to make the mods for you.

 

[Psychie]

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I have an early day lined up for tomorrow, so I need some sleepytime. See ya tomorrow!

 

[Sherwood]

Sleep well, my friend.

 

[Purr]

Besides which, it's embarrassing to have any of the team deserve this, and if nothing else, she could've said something when the others started asking things they'd already been told they wouldn't be told.

Kaerri Let me take the hit on this one (as opposed to Mack).

Some time ago, I put it in my head that interruptions are a very hard thing to do in play-by-post game. Unlike our tabletop games, I don't have half the control over the scenario as I do when I'm running a table. So, as a GM, I don't interrupt during PnP games (which is all I roleplay nowadays).

Therefore, while I find Elinor's argument perfectly valid, you could say it is me that stopped Mack from intervening. The thought just literally never entered my head.

 

[Kaerri]

Oh, that particular statement wasn't aimed at Mack, but Elinor herself. I'd actually thought of having her say something like "Hey, guys, he's not going to answer that yet, remember?" And never did. Not so much an interruption as a correction, which might've saved Mack the look Sharp gave her. Or not. Hard to say at this point.

 

[Purr]

Ah! Since we've had this discussion in Real Life (and we're both on the same page there as always), I gibs yoo a beeeeg Like on yer post! 8D

 

[Purr]

Hey Gang! I will hold to give Silanon the opportunity to post. =)

 

[Purr]

We'll get Commander Kirin up and running marathons in no time with that Ice-9."

Psychie Congratulations on Toph's promotion! 8D

Sherwood Hee hee hee! Today is such a weird day for my goof-ups, bud! 8D

EDIT: When I read that line, something in my head said, "He means Toph, not Zyorna!" Durrr! =)

 

[Sherwood]

Isn't Toph's mom a Commander? That's who I was referring to.

 

[Purr]

Right! When I read that line, something in my head said, "He means Toph, not Zyorna!" My head is just all over the place today! =)

 

[Sherwood]

Silly Dannigan!

 

[Purr]

I know, right?! You're not wrong, man!