While playing a 1500 point game/demo with some of my players over the weekend, we were discussing the HL Longbow and it's lack of a high defense value. We debated about what 'Mechs and support to run with it, and also how it could be complemented by other HL pieces. One of the thoughts we had was to pair it with another 'Mech with point Defense SE and a higher defense. Only the Republic Ghost and SC Legionairre fit the bill, but we really like to play faction pure around her. After thinking for a bit, I came up with the following.

Have an LE Rifleman for the Highlanders and give it Point Defense. Use the liao version for a base. Keepe ther enages and damage the same, but take away the Improved Targeting and give it a 9 for it's highest attack. Bump the defense up to 22 or even 23 for it's first click, then have it fall steadily. I am not sure how you would price this unit in point cost, but figure at least 20+ more than the Elite version.

You could place this 'Mech next to the Longbow and let it boost up the defense. This will reduce the chance of having it charged, and also give some in close firepower. You could really go out on the limb and add on a few more points for AA ability, which is what Riflemen were originaly known for.

Anyway, just a thought. Would probably not happen in this set, but maybe in a future one.

The big problem with your idea is that it is just throwing good points after bad. Further, the main concern about the low defense isn't ranged attacks, the armor SE helps quite a bit in that regard, but charges that bypass that armor.

Point Defense doesn't help against close combat and charges, so your idea doesn't really help in the most critical area.

If you want to throw the Highlanders a bone, give us an LE Rifleman that works well on its own.

I want an Alex "AA" Addicks with a 10 attack, 180 degree arc, two targets 3/14 inch range (28 AA) for 3 anti-personnel. Throw in a 22 defense with reactive armor and a secondary two target energy attack 0/12 for 3 damage, a 6 speed, stats that don't drop like rocks (keeps the 10 attack for three clicks and a 9 attack for four more after that), a decent heat dial (no rolls until the third click) and pricetag of 180-200 points and I think any Highlander would be happy. As a defensive oriented Mech he'd fit the Highlander paradigm perfectly.

I was told point defense does work during close combat and even charge. ( 3 minutes later) I found my SE card and it said and I quote:Point defense system: This unit can share its defense value with friendly figures in base contact. Any friendly unit in base contact with this unit may use this unit's defense value instead of its own.

It does not say you can't use point defense against close combat and charge. So use away.

Just keep on dreaming, seeing as no Rifleman's price is below 206. Especially with the kind of stats you're talking about.

yepp, he'd be about 250 points or even higher
2-target-anp is really expensive(look at eriabee)

The only bone that HL could use would be to make their armor useful again. There is just too much AP out there right now. They missed a big chance to correct this with the new charge rules.

The idea of a point defence mech is nice but utterly impractical.

I stand corrected on the point defense part. It's still throwing good points after bad. The Longbow is just far too expensive for what it is able to do. 17 clicks of life doesn't mean much when it drops to an 8 attack after only 4 clicks of damage and the last 7 clicks are a 6 attack or less. After a mere four clicks of damage to the Longbow it's less useful than a Highlander Legionnaire that costs less than half the price. 147 points is a LOT to pay for four clicks of marginal utility.

Yes, because salvaged Mechs need to be rendered utterly worthless because they can't inflict any damage to a unit with even heavy armor. As it stands, the charge change makes that extra click of salvage most Highlanders have worth something since they can still charge while salvaged for 1 AP and not take any damage themselves in the attempt.

I'm a Highlander player an I have no problem with charge ignoring armor. The problem the Highlanders have is NOT armor piercing, its artillery in conjunction with AP.

Right, because it negates BOTH high Defense and Armour SEs.

Salvaged mechs should be utterly useless. Its kind of the definition of "salvage". The attack value of salvaged units makes charges a "hail Mary" at best. Designing game systems around desperation attacks is not the way to go.

We have played house rules for armor charge reduction for a long time. It gives a nice boost to all those HL heavy armor, light mechs like the Cougar and the Uller.

I don't want to change this into a charge thread. But HL mechs will remain crappy until all of their heavy armor has a useful game function.

Imagine the LongBow if hardened reduced charge. Now charge would be a risky way to take out this mech. You may have to engage the LongBow in ranged combat (gasp!). I'm not sure that the LowBow would justify 260 pts in this situation, but its certainly alot better.

But for the most flexible scult of any 'Mech so far, the Longbow's arc still sucks. If it weren't for the problems dealing damage to it, Janina Lukic could take it down easily.

I'm starting to think armour SHOULD reduce Charge. Bah.

To get back on-topic, one of the best bones you could throw HL would be to start costing the Uniques by basing yourself on Caden Senn rather than Melicien Tetro. Better yet, base yourself on Tara Bishop.

Not saying those two are the best 'Mechs in the game, but their point-usefulness ratio is MUCH higher than poor ol' Mel.

Exactly, why field ANOTHER unit to make a 260+ point unit viable when you can just pay a similar (or less) number of points for a better unit. Its just a lemon unit for the faction that least needs more lemons.

As for point defense, I cant begin to tell you how furious it makes me that other factions (Liao, SC, and RotS) all have point defense SE that grant numbers higher than the Highlanders, the uber defense oriented faction. Highest we get is PD at 20 from the Blade and several 18s from infantry... but bloody Liao gets 22? Thanks a ton for rubbing salt in the wounds Wizkids.

They're trying to push away the Hl players, methinks. :classic:

Well, it won't work. Despite the higher number of low-quality mechs, vehicles and artillery (we do have quite decent VTOL and infantry support) the Highlanders will prevail through sheer, stubborn persistence.

Hey, maybe we'll be the first faction to get faction abilities. Then again, know WK, its possible they'd give better ones to the other factions if ever. :p But hey, we're still more stubborn and "loyal" then the average player to our faction despite this all.

Dude. Draddog said that the established factions that have been around for a really long time, like the Falcons and Liao, have faction abilities.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Northwind Highlanders have been around longer than BOTH of them! >_<

Well...we've been around for quite some time. I'm not sure exactly, but the Highlanders have been around in various forms for 300 years or so in game. The Houses and Clans might be a bit older, but yeah.

And I like Melicien Tetro. Good enough for me, I can use her well enough. If she only had 15 or 16 range though...*sigh*

Hm, I don't have any of the material with me, but I seem to recall that the Highlanders Faction Dossier that comes in the starters mentioned the two _thousand_ year history of the Highlanders, since they can trace some of their units all the way back to pre-space-travel Earth, and even earlier, with the First Kearny, at least. If it wasn't in that dossier, I'm pretty sure it was mentioned in the Northwind Highlanders sourcebook for CBT. In other words, _no_ faction, House or Clan has a longer history than the Highlanders. That said, I'm not going to insist that the Highlanders should get faction abilities. While I feel the fiction justifies it, and I would like them for my favorite faction, I do understand that our units weren't actually point-costed for such abilities. (Granted, the point scales were set during a time when armor and defense mattered, but I digress...)