The /btg/ is dead! Long live the /btg/!

Banzai Edition

Last Thread: >>96156222

================================
>BattleTech Introductory Guide & PDFs
https://bg.battletech.com/?page_id=400

>Overview of the Major Factions
https://bg.battletech.com/universe/great-houses
https://bg.battletech.com/universe/the-clans
https://bg.battletech.com/universe/other-powers

>Rookie Guides
https://tinyurl com/ydtr589e
https://pastebin.com/HZvGKuGx
https://files.catbox.moe/l1gjfi.jpg

>Sarna.net – BattleTech Wiki
https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Main_Page

>Force Building & Unit Faction Guides
MUL
http://masterunitlist.info
Xotl's Random Assignment Tables
https://tinyurl com/fejwk5f2

>Unit Design Software
Solaris Skunkwerks
https://www.solarisskunkwerks.com
MegaMek Lab
https://megamek.org

>MegaMek – PC version of BT with bots & multiplayer!
https://megamek.org

>How to Play Against the Bot?
https://www.mediafire.com/file/l5mqjydrgndnndu/Against_the_Bot_v4.pdf
(Included in latest MekHQ docs)
https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=56065.0
https://pastebin.com/pE2f7TR5
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/rkg2sl5ybr24k/Battletech_Portrait_Pack
https://www.mediafire.com/file/a3x576yflof0ca1/MekHQ_Fluff_art.rar

>Flechs Software – Digital record sheets & more!
https://flechs.net

>Instant Action – Play custom scenarios for tabletop!
https://victorypointproductions.neocities.org/instantaction

>PDF Trove
rebrand ly/CranstonSnord
rebrand ly/SnordsStoryTime
rebrand ly/CranstonLogFiles
rebrand ly/CranstonSnordDropBox

>Older Troves (2013-2020)
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/sdckg6j645z4j/Battletech
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/cj0tjpn9b3n1i/Battletech
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/tw2m414o1j9uj/Battletech_Archives
https://tinyurl com/2p8p7cew
rebrand ly/BTmags
rebrand ly/BTdrop

>BattleTech IRC
#battletech on irc.rizon.net

>/btg/’s own image board!
https://bgb.booru.org/index.php

>More /btg/ tidbits! (2020-05-17)
https://pastebin.com/uFwvhVhE

Very new to battletech, got the books from the trove. What do you suggest for playing? Is the online game (megamek) fun?

Interesting...

>>96173539

>>96173498
>Classic BattleTech
>board game with RPG elements (the Mechs are the characters rather than the pilots); mech combat simulation that happens to use minis
buy the A Game of Armored Combat boxed set
>Alpha Strike
>actual miniatures game so more in line with expectations if you are coming from a miniatures gamer background as opposed to a board gamer background
buy the Alpha Strike boxed set
I play both and don’t have any “ideological” baggage about it — honestly, mechs have WAY less individuality (“personality”) in AS than CBT but AS is a very fun game

>>96173498
Megamek is cool, but it teaches some bad habits. Having the game do all your rolling for you and blitzing you through phases is great when you know what its doing, but cursed for learning to play on a table.

If you're fresh off the boat on Galatea I'd recommend starting with reading through the BattleMech Manual and starting with the aptly named "Introtech" era to learn. Introtech is around 3025-3030 towards the tail end of the Third Succession Wars in the timeline; good mechs are hard to come by and as a result most fights are pretty no frills. You can use the MUL (Master Unit List) in the OP to search for mechs by that era for a faction you like or just look for a variant in that era for mechs you already know you like. Try to shoot for about 4 mechs that sum to about 5k to 6k BV.

If you wanna just play them against Princess (Megamek's AI Bot) you can, but you're going to learn a lot more if you find someone to play with outside of Megamek.

>>96173551
interesting, thank you anon!

>>96173539
>>96173547
I don’t know nothin about no gundams but I like the way the Zaku models look in the Zeno Rush box

>>96173554
That makes sense, I will check out Introtech

conventionals WIP

One thing I don't understand is why don't the devs like...fix the game? There's a bunch of cheesy exploits you can do which are clearly non-canon and game-breaking to the point of ruining the fun so...why even have them? Just fix it.

>>96173570
>it needs to be fixed
not saying CBT is a flawless game system but most of the time anons clamoring about it needing fixing are revealing more about where they are coming from than about CBT

>>96173581
This, really. The question isn't why aren't there rules to disallow or ban things like "64 savannah masters" or spamming fast pulse boats or using infantry to sink initiative; but rather "Why are you agreeing to play with someone who is doing these unfun and annoying things?"

Nobody is entitled to your play time; if they're not respecting you or the game and you have a problem with it, you can tell them to their face and find someone else to play with.

>>96173570
>One thing I don't understand is why

First, define "fixing" it. Second, backwards compatibility is a huge selling point for BattleTech, and once they've discarded that, it's gone forever. Third, *most* of the issues are only a problem in a tournament or pick-up game format with bad or minimal communication between participants. Since the game is *intended* to be played primarily in a GM'd campaign format, where the GM can serve as a brake on most of the real problems, changing the rules isn't a big priority given items 1 and 2, above.

>stupid question for the thread, as I don't have any reference material handy at work
Is there any actual difference between IS and Clan Artemis IV systems? Say I take a pod-mounted Artemis system off of a Nova, and slap it onto an IS tech LRM system mounted on a Sunder. Does that work or not? The tonnage and crits are identical, and both systems are pod-capable, but I can't recall if the system is interchangeable between Clan and IS missile systems.

>>96173625
>Actual question

The systems are not compatible because the ammo between systems is not compatible. That's been the ruling for 20 years IIRC. But then it used to be that superheavies were illegal, MML's could mount torpedoes, and PPC Capacitors were IS only, so YMMV.

>want to get into battletech
>dont think anyone in my area really plays it
maybe im cursed for picking this to be the first tabletop i've ever wanted to try but warhammer seems never make anyone happy and is way too expensive to boot

>>96173625
The systems do have identical tons and space requirements, and it doesn't say anything specifically about mixtech. It counts as a separate component when installed in mechs, but part of the weapon if installed on a tank or support vehicle or whatever.
The actual mixtech rules only have this to say
>Both structural items (suchas internal structure, cockpits, musculature and engines) and non-structural components (such as weapons and heat sinks)may be taken from different technology bases. However, as the original rules for such items pre-supposed their incompatibility, players must use their judgment to resolve any discrepancies in the rules regarding their use.
So if there's any specific guidance, it's a ruling and not a rule.

What the...?

Any sources for Rasalhague Dominion infantry camoflage and armor paint schemes?

>>96173570
There's some super obnoxious points like autocannons and machineguns being so shitty they make entire mechs worthless, but I'll give them credit for occasionally taking a crack at making things like infantry not just a total pain to include in games.
Otherwise I think it's just that battletech is the big dawg and it eats up all the attention for other games, and half the other games are just battletech heartbreakers, so yet again everyone wants to slightly nudge the big alive franchise in the direction they'd prefer. I'd complain about that but people have already been doing it to battletech for decades, so whatever.

>>96173736
Battletech is cheap and manageable enough to host everyone else

>>96173654
MMLs should be able to mount torpedoes. SRTs and LRTs are supposed to be directly based on their M equivalents and are Artemise IV compatible.
Plus having a launcher that can carry both M and T ammo is exactly the kind of break underwater units need. It would go a long way towards making watermechs viable for anything other than freakshow meme marches.

>>96173874
I agree 100% but it was only legal between like 2009 and 2011 rules-wise before they fucked it.

>>96173874
What wetmechs really need is some kind of aquatic armor that replicates the effect of harjel for the purposes of hull breaches. Give it like 12 points of armor per ton and 7 crit slots of dead space.

>>96173797
Bears are literally the dudes from the Starship Troopers movies. It's fucking great.

>>96173929
Probably more like 14 crit slots, 2 in each body and limb location except head. Everything has to be a side grade and putting slots in every location makes sense for something that seals every location.

>>96173800
autocannons are actually pretty good for the BV though, especially with precision ammo

>>96174409
Wonder if Precision should have came out much earlier in the timeline or not

Oldtimer here. What's the deal with this Merlin mech? I thought the Hatchetman was the first new mech design released since the fall of the Star League?

Why would they release a mech that would purposely undermine that?

>>96174523
It's not a Davion mech, so it doesn't count.

>>96174523
The Merlin is one of the oldest mechs in the entire game, literally from Battledroids and predates the Hatchetman irl and in-universe. The Hatchetman is the first new mech built in the IS since the star league. It's a weasel award since the Merlin was built in the periphery.

Hey guys sorry been gone for a while.

Missing a few new novels that where recently dropped also will be uploading the latest audiobook to the Logfiles when I get the chance.

You know something cool they could have done with ground drones? Some group or polity that makes use of lances/levels/stars of drones and one human lead.
Some sort of equipment mounted on the lead mech/tank/BA that makes squadmate drones in proximity more competent and immune to things that normally disrupt drones. Maybe like "proximity drone coordinator" and "remote drone shield" or something.
It would narratively make sense for a faction that has little manpower but a lot of advanced industry, like the society or WoB.

Just a question here.
I've gotten 3rd edtions books on the cheap years ago, and started playing with them, I've got the newer ones too, so why have they
removed the technological differences between IS and Clan?
Mostly, the IS's limited 'new' technology compared to the Clans.
>Only streak SMR2
>Only LB-10X AC
>Only ER Large Laser
>Endo-Steel being a very rare thing

>>96174707
Try reading the rules.

>>96174771
Which part did you have trouble understanding that made you respond with this non sequitur?

>>96174738
SSRM2, LBX-10, UAC/5 and ERLL were original Star League era weapons, so those were the ones recovered from the Helm memory core. The other classes of streak SRM, ER lasers, and LBX- and Ultra ACs were developed by studying Clan tech, as the Clans had developed other classes of those weapons before advancing their weapon technology to the point of what we now think of as Clantech, and while IS was unable to reverse-engineer modern Clan tech, they could combine the schematics from the Helm core with information on how the Clans had adapted those weapon types across different classes of the weapon to create their own equivalent using the IS techbase.
Proper Clantech is still superior to the IS equivalents, as the Clan versions of the aforementioned weapons are all lighter than the IS ones, and Clan ERPPCs have higher damage and pulse lasers far superior range.

>>96174707
what would be better.

is gutting quadvees, proto's, and lam's from the rules. and making them all one thing between 5 and 15t, powered by drone cockpits. So a coordinator can field essentially transformer dolls as slightly worse than green nuisances.

>>96174788
Try reading the rules.

>>96173778
>>96173654

Thank you.

Who takes it?

>>96174992
Team 1, three times out of five.

>>96174505
I would rather they buff the other types of alternative ammo so that it's worth using anything besides precision.

>>96174800
>Clan ERPPCs have higher damage and pulse lasers far superior range.

Clan ER lasers also do more damage and have longer ranges.

>>96174620
>It's a weasel award since the Merlin was built in the periphery.

Wasn't the Merlin built by a Lyran company in the OA specifically so that mysterious forces wouldn't sabotage it?

>>96175196
Just allow them to split any bin to carry two ammo types and expand Flak ammo's abilities to shooting down missile flights.

>>96175218
I think this is the basis for one of the example adventurers in MW Destiny

As a successful mercenary or well-heeled pirate band, branding is very important. A dash of whimsy can go a long way to making you a household name.

>>96175228
I wish AP ammo was ever worth taking in anything but an ac/20.

>>96176261
AP is okay in an AC/10. The real issue is most things that carry 10's have tiny ass bins. Then you need precision even more because you can't afford to waste your shots if carrying specialty ammo.

20's are pretty bad in that regard, too.

>>96176393
>20's are pretty bad in that regard, too.
The Banshee 3Q's time to shine! Still not great but it is fun to roll with something that can actually tote a usable load of specialty AC/20 rounds.

Do my fellow dragon honorers have a red paint you use that provides goid coverage? I've been using a combination of Vallejo bloody red and Citadel baal red contrast, but it takes a million coats after my nuln oil wash to cover the dirty spots, and then pools in the middle of panels.

>>96176510
I use Mephiston Red for the panels here after a coat of Mechanicus Gray. It does pretty well, usually takes a couple of coats to get it totally solid but that’s not unusual.

>>96176510
I really like dragon red, usually 2 drops on one drop water

1/4

2/4

3/4

4/4

>>96176974
>>96176983
>>96176991
>>96177012
The idea here was to create two forces that could represent SLDF versus America Dragoons. I think the former can also be generic military forces and the latter generic pirates (albeit heavily armed in both cases). Wanted to add conventional vehicles into our games so just went with mirror match of the most standard of standard vehicles packs.

>>96176261
>>96176393
>>96176496
Instead of -1 to hit, AP ammo should do 50% of its listed damage to armor, and 20% of its listed damage to internal structure, rounded up to represent subcaliber penetrators punching through armor with the same modifiers to the crit rolls.

>>96177012
>>96176991
>>96176983
>>96176974
kino

>>96177030
America Dragoons reporting in

>The fucking Capellans were the ones to re-discover Arrow IV technology
They really can't help but be a blight on the setting can they?

>>96178105
Cappie literally made for C&C memes.

>>96178137
Capellans are literally the in-game incarnation of that on player that spams a million cheap hovercraft and just rams them into the enemy

>>96174633
Thank you Snord. I'm just getting started with the game and your efforts are helping me decide what to buy tremendously

>>96177906
Keep off topic shitposts in their own thread.

>>96178149
It's all fun and games until somebody figures out that rocketeer spam is the real cancer.

>>96174633
Thank you.

Favorite clan?
Least favorite?

>>96179467
goliath scorpion is the clan I least dislike
can't decide between wolf or ghost bear for which one I dislike more

>>96173625
There is a Godzilla on the board. I would like to know what its a proxy for. Please tell me its a large meat monster fightin mechs.

>>96179467
I like any of the clans that never interacted with the inner sphere. I dislike all of the clans that interacted with the inner sphere, but the wolves, Falcons, and bears are the worst.

>>96179467
Love the Falcons
Hate the Bears the most

How fast is battlearmor? And how long can it operate for without needing resupply for power?

>>96179917
The ones that fly or have wheels can get stupid fast. They operate on batteries, but I forget the time. It should be in tech manual. You can recharge the batteries while riding omnis, though, which is why Elementals almost never have a problem with operation time.

>>96179933
Wonder if you could have a hovercraft with a fusion engine for the battlearmor to recharge from as well. Had an idea for recon battlearmor riding in a hovercraft to operate as a sort of Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol, designating targets for orbital bombardment or Arrow IV's and Long-Toms with TAG equipment, needing minimal resupply.

>>96179979
There's already infantry that exist like that, minus the fusion engine. And you could always just equip them with something unecumbering like a PAL.

>>96179979
>faceplate
>scope on rifle
Absolutely retarded.

>>96179917
Elementals are about 10kp/h on the ground, 30 jumping. BA pretty slow relatively speaking but generally a lot faster than unaugmented infantry.
Most battle armor doesn't move faster than about 20kp/h on the ground. 30 is normally the maximum ground speed for humanoid BA, clans can use myomer booster to get it up to 50. Quads can move up to 50 and myomer booster can get them to 70. Maximum speed is affected by weight category, heavy and assault moving one point slower than lighter BA.
Jump speed is not restricted by ground speed like on mechs. Normally the maximum jump speed is 30, IS can use partial wing and jump booster to increase it to 50. Clans can make VTOL BA that can get a jump speed as high as 60. Quads can't jump.
Speeds have been rounded, each point of movement is 10.8kp/h if you want to be really specific.

>>96180071
It ties in with the helmets HUD to project its point of aim.

>>96179979
Stop posting these shitty AI colorized images.

>>96180286
Eh, I think it's neat.

>PLOB
kek

>>96180323
AI mushing around the image and blurring a bunch of details is not neat.
You posted an image of a helepolis and it just deleted the missile tubes on the front, your program sucks.

>>96179979
>CLOR-UN-IV

>>96179467
>Favorite
Hellions
>Least favorite
Ravens

>>96180323
>muddy vomit colors
>details smeared
>"eh, looks good! :)))"
You would like the taste of shit

>>96180162
If that were the case it wouldn't have an eyepiece, it'd just have a camera end.

>>96180151
>generally a lot faster than unaugmented infantry.
Buddy I WALK at 10kmph.

>>96180480
The Mauser 960 is anything but conservative with its use of space. Redundant optics behind its HUD linked optics are par for the course for a rifle that contains a grenade launcher, bayonet, flares, flashlight, signal pulser, radio, spade, medical kit, and 2 days of emergency rations. Especially not for a Royal trooper in one of the highest priority units that were issued top secret Nighthawks.

>>96180488
And that's the maximum speed your regular infantry can move on foot in BT.

>>96180514
>a rifle that contains
>flares
>medial kit
>spade
>2 days rations
>flares
It's not a fucking backpack.

>>96180534
It might as well be. That stock is completely hollow and stuffed to the absolute brim with crap. If it hadn't been issued to every single SLDF infantryman, you'd almost think it was made for the Nighthawks for how heavy it is. Presumably most soldiers on campaigned dumped everything except maybe the medical kit.

>>96180534
This one is.

>>96180543
>That stock is completely hollow and stuffed to the absolute brim with crap
That accounts for flares at best.
And you really don't want flares in your gun, that's an ammunition exlosion risk rivaling the marauders side torso.

>>96180555
The super-capacity batteries in any Battletech laser rifle put basic flares to shame for the dangerzone.

>>96180555
The grenade launcher being situated directly between the power pack and the hot end of the pulse laser is probably more of a risk.

>>96180681
Yes but a grenade launcher contributes to the design purpose of the gun, trying to make it a backpack is like trying to teach a horse to swim so you can ride it around on the lake
Is it possible? Yes. But if you aren't an idiot you'll get a fucking boat.

>>96181176
>Star League does ridiculous impractical shit the most expensive way possible

Oh, no. Let me just cry about it in my fusion-powered flying city.

>>96181244
>fusion-powered flying city.
This is a sensible thing, great for the environment.
A gun being turned into a swiss army storage unit is not.

What if I swapped the LBX10 on the Executioner T for a HAG20?

>>96181363
It's an omni. That was always allowed.

>>96181383
I mean like is it a good idea

>>96181389
Honestly, I'd rather a RAC/5, unless I knew I was facing flyers or tanks.

>>96181389
You're trading pinpoint damage and critseeking ability for higher damage potential and better range brackets. Kind of, given that HAGs have a min range. It's pretty much a side grade IMO. I like HAGs personally, but they're sorta mediocre.

>>96181383
You can do custom loadouts on any mech, do you not read the rules? Hell you can do 100% scratch build mechs.
Omni mechs are a narrative device, functionally they have no rules difference.

>>96181452
Untrue. If you alter any of their fixed equipment they immediately lose their omni status and can no longer carry BA. Also they can't have hands and a large ballistic weapon on the same arm. And of course if you're in a campaign setting they're infinitely easier to customize and it takes way, way, way less time.

>>96180514
Is there any way there's still soldiers that haven't dumped all that shit after the first few days? Even if you wanted them, keeping them elsewhere is a better idea.

>>96181591
Random spot checks that your survival kit is where it's supposed to be and intact. Militaries the world over have been doing that since they first came up with the idea of keeping emergency supplies in individual soldiers kits. Maybe the sarge won't ask where you were storing it as long as it's on your bunk when he comes over to check it, but some random fuckwad officer will.

>>96181624
>yeah actually you have to carry a bunch of your mess kit in your hands and not your bags because we said so
I can't even imagine the concept of a military that wouldn't suffer a complete breakdown of command or even a coup after that. Or really jacked soldiers, whichever comes first.

Hello…? Is this thing on? Am I all alone?
Is anyone there?
I need a bigger gun
Help if you can
Please wake me up
Not to sound cliche
But this world sucks!

>>96181263
We have at least a dozen examples of the SLDF making objectively bad procurement decisions. Often they're away that the decisions are bad even as they're making them.

>>96182044
clearly you have no experience with an actual military. that's like level .2 / 10 on the suck metre of retarded shit officers pull in 'doing' their 'job'. (horribly badly)

>>96182044
It's a survival kit. You're going to catch a lot of shit if you try to eat your survival kit food pills instead of the food they intend for you to eat under normal circumstances. And if whatever morphine-equivalent drug is in that emergency medkit ends up missing, they're going to make you wish you never thought of even breaking the seals on the kit.

>>96175218
>Wasn't the Merlin built by a Lyran company in the OA specifically so that mysterious forces wouldn't sabotage it?
there's really no fluff evidence for it, there is just a guy who's been trying to fanon retcon the merlin into an officially lyran mech for like a decade now? no real idea why, but it's fanon.

>>96182332
All officers are shit. They same thing happens whenever anyone goes to college. They become power hungry retards better off dangling from a noose. The whole army should be nothing but enlisted so things actually get done right. Education should stop when you're 17. No one needs to know more than that.

>>96182501
Do you like eating crayons for the pretty colors or the waxy taste?

>>96182483
Unfortunately it's canon that the Merlin is made by a company that originally came from the Lyran Commonwealth but ended up "rebuilding" in the Outworlds Alliance after most of their factories were destroyed in the SuccWars

>>96182516
that is completely canon, yes, there is just nothing about it being a lyran design to begin with

>>96180488
>Buddy I WALK at 10kmph.
That's more than twice the median walking speed.

>>96182528
I once knew a guy who actually walked that fast, but he was 2 meters tall straight up and walked everywhere like he was on his way to kill somebody. Guy had to buy his pants special because they were length 40 or some shit like that

>>96182526
Of course. The mechs made by a Lyran company run by a Lyran man from a Lyran family would never be considered "Lyran"

>>96182550
It is also a mech designed in the outworlds and built in an outworlds factory, which was owned by a lyran-based multinational corporation.
Like, I would still call a car designed by a swede and built by saab during their GM ownership a swedish car, you know?

>>96182540
Turns out the solution to everything weird about BT infantry was that they completely stopped recruiting anybody too short to join the Lange Kerl.

>>96182550
They are in the space outback, so they pronounce it 'Larry-Ann Commonwealth'

>>96182510
Education makes liberals. Liberals bad. So education is bad. Officers get education. Officers are bad. So education is bad. More proof that it's that simple. End education past 17 and we solve so many problems.

>>96182868
Are you even rich enough to hate America?

>>96182878
I don't hate America. I just hate the leftist, communist, socialist, minority, immigrant, unchristian, educated parts of America. The rest is fine.

>>96182868
SOMEBODY'S got a case of the Mondays.

>>96182886
It's reassuring that you support Hamas.

>>96182868
How long have you been doing this bit for?

>>96182868
this is a bit, right

>>96182332
I don't expect much more, but it doesn't take too much either until people start throwing grenades into toilets and claiming it was mortar fire.
>>96182344
>It's a survival kit
A shit one that you could carry in a bag rather than your fucking rifle stock lol

>>96183212
You keep your primary survival kit in the bag.

>>96183212
>but it doesn't take too much either until people start throwing grenades into toilets and claiming it was mortar fire.

wut

Guys, the Mauser debate has an easy answer: the SLDF anticipated the eventual creation of Elementals and prepared for them accordingly.

>>96183332
He's talking about how some people killed officers in Vietnam.

>>96183342
The easier answer is >>96182745
They stopped enlisting short kings. They stopped making guns for the weak. That even explains why foot infantry can consistently move at 10 km/h and it's consistent with everything being hella big in BT.

Does anyone know of any cool alternate record sheets? This last week I've been playing around with the idea of a mech record sheet that could potentially fit on half an A4. To ideally half my usage of record sheets in big games. Sifting through 8-12 record sheets is a bit of a hassle.
>Use flechs
No I prefer analog play, and it stops one from quickly handing over a sheet for another player to inspect.

side question, is there a record sheet with a MW(2) inspired HTAL bar set for armour and structure?

>>96183387
>>96183342
This also would explain why the Clans, who're sucking SLDF dick like no other, were of the opinion that making the infantry taller and wider constituted an improvement.

>>96183352
Oh, by toilet he meant bathroom, got it.

Is 10kmh considered fast? That's like 6mph.

>>96177012
well done! I likey. the cockpits on the Amaris mechs could maybe be a touch more red to really sell the "hurr durr we bad guys"? but it might just be the camera.

love the mild weathering on your KGC.

are you going to base them further?

>>96176510
I really like the naphthol crimson liquitex artist ink. has amazing coverage for how thin it is, and can be thinned even further if so desired.

>>96174633
tyfys. uwu7

>>96173793
that's a rattler. it rattles.

>>96173547
>>96173539
what's the name of these? they from the new gundam game? last I saw those minis they were on hexes...

I like that one that's ready to be bred.

pic unrel

>>96183212
It actually takes quite a lot. A prolonged unpopular foreign war, racial tensions, forced conscription, rampant drug use, subversive elements at home and abroad, and military service as a punishment for criminal acts.