BattleTech/Headscratchers: Difference between revisions

*** Touched on in several pieces of fluff text: the reliability of electronic sensors (or the ability to jam them) versus the reliability of the old fashioned Mod.0 Mk.I eyeball. The ''Marauder'', for instance, was noted to have a sensor system that severely limited its pilot's physical field of view, which was stated to have cost its pilots at least one battle when the sensors were rendered less effective in hindering terrain. Even with advanced electronics, being able to directly locate an enemy is still crucial. Alternately, consider that 'Mechs are not necessarily moving on a more or less 2D plane as a tank might. Many 'Mechs can jump, and being able to look out the viewscreen and tell where that 50-ton flying chunk of steel is going is a good sign as to how to react. If a 'Mech's electronic sensors are disabled in some fashion, at least a 'Mechwarrior with a viewport to look out isn't stuck being unable to see very far out past one's 'Mech.

* A bit of [[Fridge Logic]] that gets a [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshade the size of a dropship hung on it]] in the cartoon-related [[Sourcebook]]. {{spoiler|One: How do you evacuate an entire planet's population in a matter of hours? Two, how in Kerensky's name did a Star Colonel get the authority to evacuate an entire planet? That's something akin to having a Major stroll into Guantanamo Bay and declare a complete evacuation of the entire island of Cuba.}}

** Just because a planet is inhabited, doesn't mean it's gonna have a large population. Unless someone knows where a definite number is given, for all we know Somerset had only the training academy and a city/town or two.

** Actually, pulling up the sourcebook in question, the in-character document states: "Somerset has been totally depopulated. Not a single citizen of the Federated Commonwealth remains. According to Major Steiner's report, this event occured in less than an hour. As of the 3045 census, the population numbered roughly one million people." And for the second: Even so, bump it up to a colonel, or heck, even a general isn't going to have the authority (to use the above analogy) to say, "Ok, all Cuban citizens, you have been ordered to evacuate the island." Of course, after the above quote, it also kicks in the [[Fridge Logic]]/[[Fridge Horror|Horror]]: The population must have already been evacuated (It even gives some facts, that the dropships could only, at most, carry about 10k people and they were moving too fast to be that full), therefore they must have not only been evacuated beforehand, but according to comments made by the Falcons, been enslaved as well.

** Regarding the Star Colonel getting the authority to make the evacuation, you're forgetting about Clan law: IIRC, he lost a Trial of Possession for the planet. The Clans are bound by their laws of honor to follow the terms set forth in a Trial that is executed in accordance with Clan laws. The Clans could(and canonically, did) re-invade at a later point, but in the immediate aftermath even the ilKahn of the Clans would not have been allowed to stop the Star Colonel from following the terms set forth - and as the Star Colonel noted, he was following the agreement to the letter, and if the action was in accordance with the letter of the challenge then it is allowed. Even if someone above him could stop it, the Star Colonel in question was the ranking officer of the planet's forces at the time and had full authority to issue such an order even without the Trial if the situation warranted it.

* Something that bugs me on the games: How is a 30 ton mech STEALTHY? I mean, you are supposed to get into the enemy base, scan the building (less than 100 meters in MW4: Mercenaries) and not be noticed? Granted, they are night missions, but still, how can't you notice a 30 ton mech size of a building next you? '''Especially''' when it's painted bright pink? Even if you were asleep you should hear when such thing stops next to you.

** I guess it's stealthy by comparison, but it seems like a small, fast recon vehicle would be even harder to spot in the mayhem. Weirdly, this is exactly what happens on most other recon missions in the games--you cause the mayhem, but the actual recon is done by someone driving a Swiftwind or something similar.

** As for hearing the mech, again, computer games. The computer games have never once done Melee combat, in spite of it being a prominent part of the source material, largely because it's very difficult. Same for good stealth action, look how difficult it is to convey in games actually about stealthy shenanigans. In a game where exploding the enemy is the main draw? Be glad any stealth was thrown in. Some of that holds for the Board Game as well, it'smostly there because vehicles of even twice the weight are easier to "mission kill" than a mech.

* How did the clans, who's collective military forces number around 110,500 (Citation Battletech: Warriors of Kerensky) men manage to hold onto numerous occupied planets. That number is not enough to hold onto Iraq on Earth, and replacing losses is not easy for the clans.

** Also, for most people in-universe, being conquered by a different state means hauling down the old flags and putting up the new ones with the only real change being where your taxes are sent each year and, if you are a nobleman, who you have to swear allegiance to. On a lot of the border planets that have been regularly fought over, they generally have this system down to a fine art.

** It's mentioned in the novels. Clan warriors that are disgraced or too old are a separate garrison force and aren't frontline troops. They might also use their own version of non-mech vehicles: at least one clan even in the invasion force is fond of integrating mechs and conventional armor. My guess is the military forces listed there are the biddable forces they use for direct invasion, and not the support that they use to administer worlds.

** Probably through training and just getting used to it; not everyone in real life suffers from motion sickness and it is possible to get over it. Even the most rudimentary Mechwarrior training programs last about 2 years, if you can't get over it by than you will probably have to wash out or switch your branch of service. According to [[The Other Wiki]] motion sickness is triggered by the ears telling the brain one thing (you are moving) and your eyes tell it another (you are not moving). You get sick because the brain assumes that one of them is hallucinating and vomiting gets induced to remove any toxins that might be affecting your sensory organs. Now keep in mind that Mechwarriors have to have (at least) above average motor control and reflexes (making it easier to compensate for the fact that they can't "see" the Mech walking) and that they use neurohelmets to do all fine motor skills like walking. Between all these things it probably isn't that much of a problem.

* ''[[Mechwarrior]] 2'' depicts energy weapons as bolts. ''[[Mechwarrior]] 3'' and beyond depict them as continuous beams of light. Which is canon?

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Games/Headscratchers]]

[[Category:Headscratchers]]

__NOTOC__