Thank you for picking up my dropped ball, Pheonixhawk. :)

I have also perused the units, and I see a lot of gold there.

In addition to the units already mentioned, Clan Jade Falcon has more *good* infantry than bad. Almost any JF unit with BA in the name is awesome. Do not forget the Trackbikes, who ignore Hindering for movemnet, and still have Faction Abilities to remove it as a concern for your opponent's defence.

Kite Recon Vehicle. Ram, Ram. Flame Flame. Yeee-Haaaw.

Carnivore Assualt Tank. Show me another Assault Tank with 4 clicks of Armor Piercing, a great AV, 360 arc, 12" range.....for 76 points.

In addition to the BA, you have PAL Suits. Basers par excellence. Recon is a great way to maximize basing without losing orders.

Many do not like the Laser Teams, but I think they rock. 8 AV and Pulse for 2. Alone or in formations, that kind of damage can add up.

Sniper Teams. Properly placed and protected, these little trouble makers can cause serious headaches for your opponent's plans

I am also a fan of Towed Thunders. It is a carry-over from my Steiner pieces, but CJF have Armor Piercing as well. This can be a real stalemate-breaker.

Sylph Battle Armors are probably the only VTOL you will ever need, and have a nasty Pulse to more than harry vehicles. Keep in mind that they are still infantry, so if they are basing other infantry, their attacks can be Close Combat in nature.

I also noticed the incredible Huitzilopochtli Assault Tank. I loooooooooove this tank. AV of 11, Pulse for 4.....a battlemech on tracks for 97 points. Add your R10 ICV, and you have a TD that makes many Battlemechs tremble.

I also like the Enyo Strike Tank. For 58 points, it is a bargain. I am quite alone in that opinion, but I have used it to great effect.

The Zeus is also a nice Assault Class, although I always use Extended Range Ammo when I can for this class of Assault. Add a War College pilot, and you have a looooong RaO surprise for anyone who is too used to the typical short-range duel offered by CJF.

I disagree with the above comments on the Battleforce Shrikes, and only one fo the Gyrfalcons truly bears mentioning. The 269 point Shrike and the 185 point Gyrfalcon are really the gold in this set, with the SHK-V1-A Shrike bearing a 12" ranged gun with Artemis V for a possible 7 clicks in one blow (something even Black Rose cannot do), and the GYR-V2-M Gyrfalcon having a 16" ranged Armor Piercer. Mind you, the VP Gyrfalcon runs cooler, but you cannot *buy* range for a Medium. The above-mentioned Shrike also bears Hardened Armor to slack off non-Armor-Piercing artillery and reduce Indirect...making the MDFA set-up all the more appealing.

I should never have to mention the Loki. Too good.

I do stand corrected about the Shrikes. I forgot about their load outs. They are pretty good units. As a rule, I prefer Heavy, Medium and Light Mechs over Assault ones (in that order) and would usually opt for the Loki, Vulture IV, or Mad Cat IV over any of the Shrikes.

The Eyries, though, are lackluster.

I am glad for your input on the vehicles since that is one area that I am less than proficient. It is an old prejudice.

Hopefully between the two of us, we have guided our new Falcon warrior on his way to many victories!

BTW, I just finished a mod on one of my Lokis. It looks quite interesting and different. Pics to follow on the Chop Shop board.

Yes, Trothkin, the Eyries blow chunks, especially for the cost.

Yup, pretty much in agreement with everything mentioned already. I've actually used the 165 pt Gyr Falcon, and paired with ArtIV it can do fairly significant damage for its cost. Its also a decent partner for either setting up capture attempts or outright killing targets with its TSEMP.

Capture: IT and a +2 attack pilot is a good card combo here. Move your battlearmor into base contact with a unit you want captured and move the Gyr into range. Next turn TSEMP the target and capture it with your battle armor. Great for taking out that pesky assault 'mech. If you're afraid of getting the Gyr slagged bring with you a vixen and up its defense to 23-24 with decoy. Put the Vixen in front of the Gyr so your opponent can't take it out easily. Next turn just move the Vixen out of the way and go for it.

Slagging; Same as above but you're just getting units in range. Let the Gyr hit the target with TSEMP(even 24 def targets will be in danger of this). Even a few battle armor can blast a 'mech to pieces this way.

Vanguard,

Wise words about the combination of TSEMP and infantry. However, how would you circumvent the need to give the Gyrfalcon a ranged combat order (and thus keep it still for a turn) instead of the luxury of a Ranged Assault Order?

Your input would be most welcome.

This weekend I will try using some good CJF Light Mechs with support in a 600-point army:

- Vixen 117 [159]
-> Mila Mazur 19
-> Inferno Flamers 23

- Vixen 117 [159]
-> Star Commander [0/1/2] 19
-> Pulse 23

- Jaguar 98 [130]
-> Star Commander [2/2/0] 18
-> Anti-Personal

- Sylph Battle Armor x2 - 60

- Clan Battle Armor (Elite) - 19

- Clan Battle Armor (Veteran) x4 - 72

TOTAL: 599 points

The First Vixen is to heat and eventually shutdown enemy Mechs with its Inferno Flamers, the second is there to strike the Mech while its down or immobile, able to deal 6 damage in a turn. The Jaguar is used to get rid of infantry formations and/or halting transports, shutting down Mechs or just as decoy, its multi-purposed. The Sylphs are there to strike like Sylphs can do best. Some extra Anti-Personal with the Elite C. Battle Armor and a formation of 4 Clan Battle Armors to support the Mechs with their speed.

Wow! That is an awesome analysis! I agree with you on prefering mechs and infantery, but i am working on completing my touman by aquiring some kelswas and R10s. Oh and i do like the mongoose because i like geting in close and personel:devious: Once again thanks for that! and to everyone on the forum who has been a lot of help and shown a lot of patience!

Technically, it'll get brutalized.

The Loki loadout looks fine, honestly. That's an uber assault Loki-load. Great start. (Though I might be wrong on the stats for the pilot, what are they?)

Sylph, yay Sylph. Everyone knows and loves the Sylph.

Long Toms. Whoops, problem. Long minimum range and no DV to speak of. Requires a lot (lot) of interference to make viable. Doesn't have it. They'll fire maybe twice and then get turned into very dead things.

Shamash: not bad, but not worthwhile either. You'd be better off with a Saxon/Infantry combo for the same price. (24 Saxon, 20 EBA/GBA/UBA)

Zahn/Cizin. Unfortunately, the Cizin isn't a great drop unit. Too short of a range to make it worth your while. The Cizin actually works well in this army (combined with the Sylph and Loki) since it hits like, uh, a tank and is accurate; you can run it in as a double trouble with the Loki. But as a tank drop, it's pretty meh.

My suggestions would be to downgrade the Long Toms to Hadurs or, more drastically, drop them altogether and slap a Kelswa in there. Stick the Kelswa in the Zahn, run a Saxon/infantry and Cizin in base and you still have 40 points to play with. Since your Loki is a devastating offensive force, screen it till you get your shot; those 40 points should probably go to basers (maybe a Saxon/Trackbike|Raiden).

thanks for the suggestions although i never really have a problem with the longtoms people usually stay away from them because of the loki sitting in front of them or the fight ends up in their faces. i am looking for hadurs but havent found the artillery ones yet and i use the longtom over the sniper just for the armor piercing as almost everything else is energy based. i could use the sm2's but they dont have any range also thought about dropping a huey out of the zahn just for fun :devious: and i have to find something with grapple to hold things in place while i set up the offensive.

also thinking about how to effectively use the madcat and thor, and cant wait to use the vulture

oh and pliskin is a 2/2/1 pilot for heavy mechs but i can now use vic bonilla as he is 2 points cheaper for same stats .

thanks for the advice and victory to the falcon

Remember, the Loki is over 300 points, making it an expensive unit, thus also filling more than half of your army. I, personally, think the Loki can work just as good with a +2/+2/+0 Star Commander for only 27 points, and if fighting against high DEF units, IT could work great. It also leaves room for another Light Mech to support the Loki in combat, such as the Phoenix Hawk, Vixen or Jaguar...

Also, use more Infantry, like Clan, Purifier or Thunderbird Battle Armors. Some fast infantry units for basing enemy Mechs...

Trothkin,

I have recently acquired some information about a local Clan Sea Fox merchant that had obtained information about new units being seen on the surat game world of Solaris VII. As one of the new units seen was a Shrike, the premier Clan Jade Falcon Assault-class BattleMech, I felt that it was my duty to investigate this information and pass it along to the other members of the Clan.

After a (very short) Trial of Possession, I was awarded the information. What follows is what the Sea Fox freebirth had:

271 pts "Celaeno" Shrike
180-degree front arc
Vent 4
2 target ballistic primary 0/8
3 target ballistic secondary 4/14

Primary - 0, 0, 0, 0, 6ArP, 6ArP, 6, 5, 4suArP, 3suArP, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, Dead
Secondary - 4 suArP, 4 suArP, 3 suArP, 3 suArP, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2ArP, 2ArP, 2ArP, 2ArP, 1, 0, Dead
Speed - 6JJ, 6JJ, 6JJ, 6JJ, 6Ev, 6Ev, 3Ev, 5Ev, 5JJ, 5JJ, 4JJ, 4, 4, 4, 3, 8, Dead
Attack - 10, 10, 10, 9, 11, 11, 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 7, 7, 6, 10Sal, Dead
Defense - 22Hvy, 22Hvy, 21Har, 21Har, 21, 20, 20, 20, 19, 19, 18, 18, 17, 17, 16, 16, Dead

Heat Dial
Pri - 0G, 0, -1, -2yel, Shutdown
Sec - 0G, 0, 0, -1yel, Shutdown
Sp - 0G, 0, -1, -2yel, Shutdown

Repair markers: Green, Repair, Repair, Repair, Clear, Clear, Clear, Repair, Repair, Repair, Clear until death

The dossier information obtained with the 'Mech data indicates that the pilot is known as Jennifer Braille. 28 pts (44 in Shrike) +2 Sp, +1 Att, +1 Def
Recruit 10
CJF slashed-thru

What Goes Up: Modify this unit's speed value by +4 when it makes a DFA attack. When this unit makes a DFA attack, it ignores all negative modifiers to its attack value and all positive modifiers to the target's defense value. When this unit makes a successful DFA attack, it scores 4 impact damage to the target, instead of impact damage equal to its primary damage value +2.

Jennifer Braille is a woman of mystery. She is never seen in public without a full-face mask and expensive, tasteful clothing. Some speculate that she was disfigured in combat; others think that she uses the mask as a marketing tool. She is also charming, affable, and media savvy - unusual qualities for a pilot associated with the taciturn Jade Falcons. Though her appearance may be unknown, her skills in the arena speak for themselves. She is particularly fond of DFA attacks, through which the mass of her assault-class Shrike, "Celaeno", can be put to deadly use.

Obviously, this woman is not a Trueborn Clan Jade Falcon warrior and is an imposter to the touman. How she came about such a BattleMech bears further investigation and I am personally preparing a task force to the Solaris system that will challenge her to a Trial of Grievance over her use of obviously stolen Clan Jade Falcon property.

What say you, fellow Clan Jade Falcon warriors? Opinions? Comments?

The Sea Fox merchant also provided information on other Assault and Heavy class BattleMechs and their pilots if anyone has specific requests.

Star Colonel Cristobol Pryde

Hail Trothkin,

Battle commenced between myself and my brother wherein I tried out the NC/CJF SA to great effect. We played a 1050pt game with 6 orders and full faction absorption (i.e. DF pilots can be paired with HK mechs and vice-versa) My force consisted of the following:

NC Nova Cat (vet)/DeJsus/IT
NC Vixen/Graves/IT
JF MHI w/2xJF TTLs
JF MHI w/2xJF Sniper Teams
JF R10 w/JF Kelswa
2xJF Sylphs
3xJF TBA
4xNC CBA (Vanguard)

I was up against the following:
HK Kaminari/Bounty Hunter/? gear
HK Kuro Ha/Tormark/? gear
HK Matchstick/Mikawa/? gear
DF Arrow IV arty tank
3xHK TBA
DF Maxim w/DF Schmitt
DF Maxim w/DF Schmitt (not a typo he fielded TWO of these combos)
+1 dam FP

Terrain was placed and consisted of Blocking and Shallow Water. I kept my mech together and ran them into a large pond right off the start. This is where they stayed for the entire game enjoying NO additional heat due to the water and the SA. My opponent brought up his Maxims which were promptly AOd by my Mechs causing one Schmitt to pop prematurely. The other was dropped successfully and scored a 5 pt hit on my Vixen.

The rest of the game was mostly my mechs popping shots at his Schmitts and my TTLs raining pogs on anything in range. I did lose a Sylph to a blast from Kaminari, but then on a subsquent AO the mech suffered an ammo explosion. I also enjoyed great dice rolls while my brother's rolls were less than stellar. He conceded the game after his Schmitts were neutered.

While the victory was somewhat hollow since it was my brother's first time playing DF/HK, I LOVED playing with the combined NC/CJF force and the SA was worth every one of the 70pts that I paid for it.

What say the rest of my trothkin regarding the NC/CJF SA?

Cheers,:)

Goreb

A RAGE dial on a Clan Jade Falcon Battlemech...with NO recruitment to Clan Jade Falcon?

What I see here, Trothkin, is a mystery. Braille is not a registered Bloodname, but that does not preclude any Warrior on Solaris going under a psuedonym.

Note that Braille is the tactile communication system for the Blind. This may well be a clue to her true identity. Perhaps it is a reference to others being "blind" to her true natire, or the fact that she has chosen to be "blind' to her past. Perhaps it is *just* a name, as it is a real name (since the language was developed by Louis Braille in 1821).

Only two *known* factions have "rage" dials. Clan Wolf and Clan Sea Fox.

I am not familiar with the paradigm of Clan Hell's Horses, but this Clan has recently had dealings with Clan Jade Falcon in the recent Civil War (Rending of Falcons)...which did not work out in favor of CHH in the end. Is this a clue?

I am impressed with the Shrikes non-tyical long range, but note the quirky damage. Truly a difficult piece to master, and thus the flat-rate damage for the DFA. Note that nothing was said for preventing damage from the DFA like the MDFA (as per either the Faction Ability/Pride)....another brain teaser.

Just wondering, what do consider RD dials if not rage dials? The shrike is alot like the old SW dials.



It is kind of sad that the shrike can't be recruited to CJF, but I see why they made it that way, if you played it with the MDFA pride it would be crazy. Alls thats left to do is paint it up in RD colors and recruit it to the RD, YEEEE HAWW!

It strikes me that we, as Falcon warriors, might soon be facing an enemy not of our own Clan, using our equipment and a fighting style similar to ours against us. Perhaps a dose of "our own medicine" to use the phrase, quiaff?

recon_raven's point about taking the normal damage on the DFA is the one drawback to this traitor's 'Mech. She might use our ways against us, and work in the employ of our most-hated enemies, but our strength is not hers.

Trothkin, what adjustments in tactics do you think we will need to make to counter this unit as I am sure many enemies of the Jade Falcon will seek to use it against us?

It would seem that although it has decent weapons range, and the bonus on the jump, we have units that can match the jumping distance with the proper pilot setup, and we can shoot it from afar using assault orders or ranged attacks. We also have fast basers, which could be the saving grace. Early in its dial, and again late, it has no answer for infantry basers, especially Sylphs. A pair working in tandem could keep the thing locked down and out of its DFA until the Loki or whatnot can blast it to scrap. Perhaps this is not as fearsome as first thought, but should still give any Trueborn Clan Jade Falcon warrior pause.

Seyla,

Star Colonel Cristobol Pryde