Netzilla

That's awesome for you. I do this for my living. dw

But just look at Darren's Golden Age Champions. It's a big book, thoroughly researched, with a host of diverse quality materials. Darren put many years of work into it, on his own time, with the assistance and cooperation of numerous other people. Doing all that again for another comparable book is a lot to ask someone to undertake as a hobby.

GM: "Without warning, the spear-point of a lengthy knife erupts from Adhrass' abdomen. Little blood manages to splash onto the marble below before an explosion of blue-white frost from within freezes the impending geyser and fills the wound. That's 63 damage. I need you to...
PLAYER: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on! This armor he's wearing protects him from critical hits and sneak attack damage. Doesn't it help?"
GM: "...yeah. It was 84 damage. Fortunately for you, it's now a measly 63."

This, right here, is IMO the most important part.  Because even though white supremacists might use denial of freedom of speech to recruit to their ranks, I'm much more fearful of giving them the capability to legally deny freedom of speech to those they hate.  That is a slope I really don't want this country to start sliding down.

Warning, long opinionated rant, feel free to skip:
 
Well, that article about the ACLU  saddens me terribly for a multitude of reasons. Sometimes sacred cows aren't just for show, they are pillars of the liberty we cherish. The fact those pillars didn't spring whole cloth all at once like Athena from the skull of Zeus doesn't make them less needful, quite the opposite. America was founded on some very high minded ideals. 
 
And let's get this straight, for most of our history, we failed to reach those goals. That's why they were so crucial. Each time "all men were created equal" was said, someone looked around and said 'what about those men without land?' 'what about the black men?' 'hey, we do mean PEOPLE when we use that universal men comment right? The women are pissed now' and someone struggled to make it so. One rung up the latter to the heights at a time. And sometimes we fall hard.
 
But that doesn't mean it isn't worth reaching for. And instead some folks want give up one freedom because it complicates the pursuit of other freedoms? Well, GOSH, who the heck knew high ideals might lead to complications and difficulties instead of being easy? And once you make it possible to deny freedom of speech for one group, do you really want that precedent ready for expansion and re-use on another group?
 
Understand, I am not saying that the local news needs to show up to every white power rally and treat them with any respect. I'd be satisfied with "I'm Tom Tucker, This just in: Neo-Nazis still bigoted idiots incapable of learning from decency or history, and now the weather"...
 
Has it occurred to anyone that the White Supremacist movement has been making the most of others attempts to control speech? That it is fuel for their recruiting efforts?  How many folks that voted for Trump said they admired that he didn't put up with Political Correctness? and was able to "tell it like it is"?
 
And yet thirty percent (Roughly) of all folks who voted for Trump once voted for Obama? Maybe we shouldn't just disregard it with convenient labels and tell them to shut up, which they clearly feel is happening when any disagreement is labeled as racist or hateful.
 
Honestly, I cringe every time I hear  the phrase "White privilege" Not because I disagree with some parts of the theory. Just looking at the news of the last decade has me thinking that some police will feel a lot more free to abuse minorities than they would a pasty pale type like me. I cringe because 8 times out of ten, I see it used to say 'shut up' or 'you don't get to talk' to someone.
 
It's an attempt by some to rob folks of their voice, and that's just one example of speech control attempts used in many circles.
 
We can't even agree on the definition of some terms anymore, so yeah, kind of need to talk about that.
 
When some racist scumbag white supremacist group sees that? They lick their chops, walk over to the guy who just got shut up, and say "We care. We'll listen to you. We'll give you a voice". Like I said, fuel to the fire.
 
 
Some folks think the solution is to shut down more speech. I think the fix for Free Speech woes is, weirdly, more Free Speech not less and a respect for the RIGHT to speak even, or perhaps especially, by those who speak things we find uncomfortable or down right hateful. Words and speeches people LIKE aren't the ones that NEED protection.
 
Because what's offensive to me may not be offensive to you and vice versa, and when a tide shifts, we need to have those out of favor still have a voice.  Because believe you me, those in power are always eager to shut down opposition and precedent against them last decade becomes precedent for them the next. They will redefine what this or that means if that's what it takes to shut folks down.
 
Now understand, I think Rosanne got her self fired REAL good and is not being censored just because she no longer has a show. I think boycots are a perfectly fine way to protest a company/ business you find in the wrong. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequence, but you let folks talk in the public square because you respect their rights, even if you don't think they're worth spit.
 
 

I think having one's name on a structure isn't the strongest indicator of success. Witness: Our current office holder.

First of all thank you for purchasing HCM.  I deeply appreciate it.
 
Secondly let me address you feature requests:
Haymakers - great idea and I will add it to the feature list.  My guess is that I will look at it at the same time as when I implement Constant attacks. Held Actions - there is a really annoying bug associated with Held actions.  I am looking into that one at this time Knockback - I will add this to the backlog.  I would probably make it an additional preference option so that if you select Knockback as a preference it will also ask if you want the damage to be calculated.  I will think about the workflow around this one.

ftfy

Hold action until the villain attacks.  If he just sits there blocking all day, he isn't doing anything else.  So hold action until he acts, then shoot him.  He can't take two actions in a single phase.  So if he attacks on Segment 3, and then you shoot him later on Segment 3, he can't abort to Missile Deflection.

The only way to avoid an AOE attack is to get out of the area of effect. That requires Dive for Cover--which may or may not get the target out of the area in any event--or using a movement power as a defensive move (has to be allowed by the GM, if I recall). So AOE attacks should still be reasonably effective against a villain with high CV and CSLs in things like Block, Dodge, or Deflection/Reflection.
 
Another useful power set is mental powers. His body may be quick, but maybe his mind isn't so stout. If the villain's EGO isn't that high, there are lots of ways to bring him (or her) down. Along those lines, a PRE attack might also be effective, if you have a hero with a strong enough PRE.

Our Heroes:
Amon-Ra: Archaeologist who found an artifact that is a conduit to an ancient god.
Diamondback: Exposure to a strange crystal gave her immense strength and durability.
Double-Time!: Given incredible running speed during a lab accident.
Faceless: FBI agent with the ability to assume the shape of any person he sees.
Ka-Pow!: 17 year old boxer and mechanic who's a bit more than human.
Professor Polar: Discoverer of "cold energy".
Shard: Exposed to the same crystal as Diamondback, but instead has the ability to grow and control similar crystals.
Tarraingteacht: Agent Carter's skills with Polaris's powers.
Zoltan the Magnificent: Stage magician who also knows real magic.
 
**
 
Diamondback [OOC] -- I don’t play these games for realism.
 
***
 
Zoltan [in reference to hitting someone from behind] -- That would not be honorable. I’d wait until none of you were watching.
 
***
 
Diamondback [while the group was still in New York] -- If you think you need to go through South America to get to the Vatican. . .
 
***
 
Faceless -- This is a plan where our psych lims cannot get in the way.

Remember back when Cassandra started this thread, how many folks gave her a hard time over the title? I guess we owe you a collective apology, Cassandra.  Your name is truly apropos.

Good doggie...
 
Loyal blue heeler stays with three-year-old lost in bush overnight

I could see a remake being done.  I could even see it not being awful, if handled properly.
 
Especially if the transition from Han/Luke/Leia to Rey/Finn/Dameron does not play out well at the box office.
 
Over in the Trek franchise, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are the Star Trek stars again.  New actors in the roles of Luke, Leia and Han seems far from impossible.
 

And also that a warrior's power is directly proportional to the size of their shoulder pads.

HG lawsuit is being challenged on basis of lack of standing, not sure you are up to speed or not. It's not anticipated to impact the April 24 release. 
 
Latest update dismissed with prejudice for HBS according to this (they have until May 4 to provide a proper chain of Copyright custody to prove why the other defendants shouldn't also have the lawsuit dismissed for lack of standing): 
 
 
So the Battletech game definitely can drop 4/24. Mechwarrior 5 is looking pretty good, but not final. 

It's not Steam only. GOG and direct from Paradox are available. 

release on April 24, 2018? I'm literally setting up a gaming PC for this and the fall release of Mechwarrior 5. Been 17 years. 
 
 

Did he run over your pet or something?  'Cause there's a level of bile here that seems more than fun razzing.

At least it's better than one campaign where we were lucky to not trip each others enraged disads. And that was usually when we found out that the group vehicle's "hunted by team gadgeteer" had tripped, meaning that a random system wasn't working because he'd scavenged some component for his latest prototype. Seriously, we ended up installing a floor hatch flanked by sturdy handles because of how many times the motive systems weren't working. Yes, we had resorted to using our brick and the "flintstone-matic" drive.

Our Heroes:
Amon-Ra: Archaeologist who found an artifact that is a conduit to an ancient god.
Diamondback: Exposure to a strange crystal gave her immense strength and durability.
Double-Time!: Given incredible running speed during a lab accident.
Faceless: FBI agent with the ability to assume the shape of any person he sees.
Ka-Pow!: 17 year old boxer and mechanic who's a bit more than human.
Professor Polar: Discoverer of "cold energy".
Shard: Exposed to the same crystal as Diamondback, but instead has the ability to grow and control similar crystals.
Tarraingteacht: Agent Carter's skills with Polaris's powers.
Zoltan the Magnificent: Stage magician who also knows real magic.
 
**
 
Diamondback [OOC] -- I don’t play these games for realism.
 
***
 
Zoltan [in reference to hitting someone from behind] -- That would not be honorable. I’d wait until none of you were watching.
 
***
 
Diamondback [while the group was still in New York] -- If you think you need to go through South America to get to the Vatican. . .
 
***
 
Faceless -- This is a plan where our psych lims cannot get in the way.

Setting:  Post-apocalypse Berlin.  The heroes are attempting to infiltrate the secret Nazi base.
 
Mike (playing Nikita Murphy, ex-Soviet double agent):  "I should go in, since I'm the only one who speaks fluent German."
 
John (playing Donald Swift, Navy SEAL):  "Okay, dress in this captured Nazi officer uniform.  When you get to the front gate, use your skills to convince the guards that you are Colonel Hannah Schmidt, and you have time-sensitive information for the Base Commandant.  Once you are inside, you can let us in tonight.  What are you going to say?"
 
Mike:  "Guten Tag.  I am Colonel Hannah Schmidt and I must speak to the Commandant immediately!"
 
John:  "Okay.  Go!"
 
Mike (Murphy) goes up to the guard gate.
 
Guard #1:  "Halt! Wer geht dahin!"
 
Mike (having a real-life panic attack):  "Shalom!  I'm Hannah Schwartz.  Can I come in?"