Bug, feature, I'm not sure...

[Rebel Yell]

Ok, hadn't had time to play for about a week so I was ready to get Metaborator 3 out of the way yesterday. Played it 3 freakin times to win (as I will comment on after this). On the winning game, I only used a partial squad, which did not include my leader. On the after action screen, in the upper right for squad status it had, in red letters, Squad not in battle.

I thought, hmm, what does that mean. Well, that means that the hour I spent playing was wasted. When I went to fire up the next mission, it still had me needing to complete mission 3. Did I miss something, must the leader be present for a win to "count"? Or was this just a glitch?

Anyhoo, while I'm ranting, let me rant about Metaborator 3:
Spoiler Alert! Don't read anymore if you haven't played it.
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The first two times I played are the first time I have lost to the AI. My squad is currently 4 heavies, 1 medium, and 1 light. In Met 3 you have no chance to win without several recons. The enemy will take Katja out before you ever get LOS to her, much less rescue her. Both times, I made a beeline to her position, only to fail magnificently.

Now I don't mind losing, in fact, it was refreshing versus the AI, but I don't like never having a chance. I had to buy 3 recons and haul it over to her, and then we easily made it to the exit area.

I like the idea of "get there in time", but the titans should scale to my squad, so I have a chance with whatever I am running. Just kinda seems silly to have to take time out to run by the nearest titan outlet to buy new ones when you are on a mad dash to pull someone out of harm's way.

Marga did very good work, this is just my .02 on Met 3, /rant off.

[Thorgrim]

This is where "spare" titans become handy

[LarkinVB]

In Met 3 you have no chance to win without several recons.

Thats what the briefing is telling you in red letters. I don't agree that every mission should be winable with your current setup. Thats why your team can hold more than 8 titans. Sometimes a recon is more valuable than raw power.

[LarkinVB]

On the winning game, I only used a partial squad, which did not include my leader. On the after action screen, in the upper right for squad status it had, in red letters, Squad not in battle.

Usually this is no glitch. It just says that the status of your team was not ment to finish a battle. The game works this way : At a fresh start of a battle your team file is marked as in battle. When you finish this battle your team is marked as out of battle. 'Squad not in battle' can happen when you finish a battle (the team file will be marked) and load a save game with the same battle, trying to finish it a second time. So you can't loose a battle and try to win it from a save game. What is the letter in brackets after the message ?

[LarkinVB]

I thought, hmm, what does that mean. Well, that means that the hour I spent playing was wasted. When I went to fire up the next mission, it still had me needing to complete mission 3. Did I miss something, must the leader be present for a win to "count"? Or was this just a glitch?

BTW I'm willing to reset your squad to a playable status if its still unable to finish a battle. Nevertheless it would be nice to get some info on how this situation did arise. Something unusual must have happened.

If still rotten send your file to henriksATmatrixgamesDOTcom

[Rebel Yell]

This is where "spare" titans become handy

Yes, but until the patch comes out, spare titans are a cash drain, so I haven't been carrying any.

Besides which, if anyone truly plans to use recons in their final, full squad against another human being online, they will likely be waaaaay out-gunned and out-tonned, and no amount of maneuverability and superior tactics will redress that.

I don't mean to sound argumentative, my point was just that at the point in your squads development where Met 3 occurs, you most likely have all vet pilots, though I do have one novice that replaced a dead squadmember, and I just can't see running experienced jocks running around in recons. Its too easy to lose them. Maybe most folks don't feel this way, but I want as much armor as possible in front of every experienced jock I hire, train, live, and die with. I certainly saw the the note in the briefing, but, hey, thats just me.

<snip>Usually this is no glitch. It just says that the status of your team was not ment to finish a battle. The game works this way : At a fresh start of a battle your team file is marked as in battle. When you finish this battle your team is marked as out of battle. 'Squad not in battle' can happen when you finish a battle (the team file will be marked) and load a save game with the same battle, trying to finish it a second time. So you can't loose a battle and try to win it from a save game. What is the letter in brackets after the message ?<snip>

I understand this, but I did not try to restore a save game in order to win, I just started mission 3 after buying the recons and ran it.

<snip>BTW I'm willing reset your squad to a playable status if its still unable to finish a battle. Nevertheless it would be nice to get some info on how this situation did arise. Something unusual must have happened.

If still rotten send your file to henriksATmatrixgamesDOTcom<snip>

This is an incredibly nice offer. I have since run it again the same way, and it worked fine, so I will write it off to some random minor glitch. The autosave, obviously, overwrote the previous one, and I didn't save anywhere since I played it straight through, so I don't have a savegame to send you on it, but if it occurs again, I'll save and send it your way.

Thanks again for all you folks concern and help.

[LarkinVB]

I don't mean to sound argumentative, my point was just that at the point in your squads development where Met 3 occurs, you most likely have all vet pilots, though I do have one novice that replaced a dead squadmember, and I just can't see running experienced jocks running around in recons. Its too easy to lose them. Maybe most folks don't feel this way, but I want as much armor as possible in front of every experienced jock I hire, train, live, and die with. I certainly saw the the note in the briefing, but, hey, thats just me.

Giant robot war is not always about armor and firepower. We did add missions to give you some additional challenge. We did add 9+ titan slots to be flexible. No one will stop you fielding the best firepower in netgames or skirmishes. Nevertheless there are mission combat situations were speed is necessary. Are you saying that your squad will refuse speed missions because your veterans won't agree to ride recons/lights ? I think that this approach will reduce the fun you can have. At least it will reduce the chance for success in speed missions. The Metaborator campaign is a challenge which can't be just met by pure heavy/assault rams. Sorry if you don't agree, hope you see my point of view.

[Rebel Yell]

I absolutely see your point of view, and I agree with it wholeheartedly.

I like to play under circumstances where money, ammunition, etc are a concern, such that a squad wouldn't be 6 assaults and 2 heavies because it wouldn't financially viable. I love having a mix of weight classes to handle most situations. Variety is the spice of life.

I was mainly just referring to online battles. When the squad I generally play with has reached its final form (though deaths will constantly evolve it), I just figure I will have to have max armor and firepower because, like all the people who won't drive anything but a 100 tonner in Mechwarrior (thank you team weight limits, hehe) I suspect you will play a lot of people that won't fight with anything less than a 1600 ton team.

[Thorgrim]

You're worried about netgames with custom squads?! Heh. I wish you good luck.