Level of Concern by 21 Pilots

For someone who doesn't consider themselves 'a fan' of 21 Pilots or Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, I do listen to quite a bit of their stuff.

Hive Missiles (HiM)

In studying missiles to get the missile equations down, I had to look at the Cluster Hits Table several times. Like, 8. It sucked.

I hate the Cluster Hits Table. In the words of Madeleine Wool, "That's inelegant."

It's also weird how SRMs land with each missile hitting a different location and LRMs land in groups of 5. Even if they're using Dead Fire Missiles. Every missile in the Inner Sphere--even the Clans' Advanced Tactical Missiles--land in groups of five.

Thunderbolts don't count!

So the Hive Missile, which doesn't use the Cluster Hits Table and lands in groups of six.

Name Size Dmg/Msl ClSize  MinR  SR  MR  LR  Tons Crits Heat  Shots/Ton

HiM    6   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18   3.0  1     2      22

HiM   12   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18   5.5  2     4      11

HiM   18   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18   8.5  4     6       7

HiM   24   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18  11.0  5     8       5

HiM   30   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18  14.0  6     9       4

HiM   36   1/msl   C6      3     6  12  18  16.5  1    11       3   

When rolling to see how many missiles hit, you just roll some D6's.

HiM 6 - Roll 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to

The result.

HiM 12 - Roll a large 1D6 and a small 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to 

[The large die result / 3 (round up) - 1 ] * 6 + the small die result.

HiM 18 - Roll a large 1D6 and a small 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to 

[The large die result / 2 (round up) -1 ] * 6 + the small die result.

HiM 24 - Roll a large 1D6 and a small 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to 

[The large die result (reroll 5's and 6's) -1 ] * 6 + the small die result.

HiM 30 - Roll a large 1D6 and a small 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to 

[The large die result (reroll 6's) -1 ] * 6 + the small die result.

HiM 36 - Roll a large 1D6 and a small 1D6. A number of missiles hit equal to 

[The large die result -1 ] * 6 + the small die result.

Alternatively, you can roll 1D6 and multiply by the rack size/6. It's disappointing when your HiM 36 only does 6 damage, but them's the breaks.

AMS and AMS-like systems which reduce cluster rolls will divide their maluses to each die. Round down for the large die and round up for the small die. (Rounding negative numbers is done according to nearness to zero, not magnitude...-1.4 rounds up to -2)

100 Bad Days by AJR

I just like 'em. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Mercury System

It's been a crazy week. Not so crazy I can't  type a few stupid words. That's on me.

Let me talk about the Mercury System.

Actually, let me whinge about omni-mechs. I love 'em. I think they're a great idea. They're stupid and bad, too.

Free carry capacity for battle armor, the ability to swap out micro lasers for a gauss rifle at no real cost, and ease of repair more than offset the logistical and monetary costs of making them. Can't have a big gun in an arm and still punch with it.

And because each one is mostly a tonnage, movement profile, and armor level they don't have as much 'character' as conventional Battlemechs. Even if the Catapult is just an Archer with jump jets and smaller missile racks, it still feels like its own 'mech with its own identity. Omnis are chameleons with none of their own personality.

If you read this blog regularly, and that's just one person, you probably know I like fewer, distinct options instead of a flood of similar or slightly-different options. "Soup" I call it. Omnimechs are like soup, but they also promise a battlefield of fewer, distinct units.

Wherefore: The Mercury System

Torn by EDNASWAP

I love the more popular version, but I really like this one too.

Riot Rhythm by Sleigh Bells

Remember when Tuesday Videos were about music?

30 Minutes of the POTUS