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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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 Posted: 13-Jul-2006 20:53 Post subject: Rear-facing weapons |
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During my last game I did something I hardly ever do: fielded a mech with rear-facing weaponry. Normally I use speedy mechs, but the scenario called for assault mechs, so I ended up running an Atlas with 2 SSRM-2's and 2 medium lasers facing backwards. They did their job well, but I started wondering what are the best weapons for rear defence?
Does anyone have a particular favorite? How do you generally use them (against infantry, fast little mechs, etc.)? Does anyone mount them on non-assault mechs? Or does everyone prefer the Rifleman stlye of using the arms to cover the rear arc?
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GodofWar
Federated Suns
Private
Joined: 29-Apr-2006 00:00
Posts: 21
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2006 21:02 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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My personal favorite mech, the Battlemaster BLR-1G has 2 rear facing mediums, Everytime I've had a Locust or Stinger get in my rear arc I've been happy to have them. Also this isn't an assault mech phenomenon, you'll also find rear facings on the Centurion CN9-A (50ton medium) and the and the Flashman FLS-8K (75ton heavy) to name a few. Medium laser is deffinately the way to go for rear facing weapons, everything else is an inefficient waste of space. 
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8050
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2006 21:06 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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Rear facing weapons are a waste 99.99999% of the time...weapons in the arms are a better buy.
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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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| Posted: 14-Jul-2006 13:13 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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I've always preferred arm-mounted weapons myself, but it was nice to fire at the primary threat (big mech) in front at the same time as the secondary (little mech) behind. I can't believe that a couple of lasers and SRM's disuaded him from attacking my rear, but he never tried to go back there again. Seems like a big investment (6 tons!) to discourage lights from the rear arc. I also worried about the SRM ammo- the front firing SRM's couldn't use it, so I had 48 unusuable shots sitting around in my torso for most of the game. Not a happy thought. I'd have much prefered lasers alone, or at least forward firing launchers draing from the same bin.
I do wonder about infantry- whether it's sometimes worth having rear-facing MG's, flamers, etc. Not on a fast mech like a Flashman, but maybe a slow assault should be able to handle infantry/little vehicles without distracting them from their real targets. Of course having a support unit cover your assaults from such indignities would be ideal, but may not always be availible . . .
Personally, I think I'd just mount on the arms and soak up the rare rear attack I can't respond to, but then I rarely use 3/5/0 mechs.
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House Calderon 1
Federated Suns
Command Sergeant-Major
Joined: 03-Feb-2006 00:00
Posts: 156
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Jul-2006 16:24 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-07-13 21:06, chihawk wrote:
Rear facing weapons are a waste 99.99999% of the time...weapons in the arms are a better buy.
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You didn't carry the decimal place out far enough Chihawk! You need at least another 10 places.
But the point is well made anyway. Don't waste your time with rear firing weapons....anywhere...including the legs (yes there are a few out there). The c-bills are better spent in the arms or torso.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8050
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Jul-2006 16:54 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-07-14 16:24, House Calderon 1 wrote:
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On 2006-07-13 21:06, chihawk wrote:
Rear facing weapons are a waste 99.99999% of the time...weapons in the arms are a better buy.
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You didn't carry the decimal place out far enough Chihawk! You need at least another 10 places.
But the point is well made anyway. Don't waste your time with rear firing weapons....anywhere...including the legs (yes there are a few out there). The c-bills are better spent in the arms or torso.
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Rear facing weapons are a waste 99.999999999999999% of the time...weapons in the arms are a better buy.
(I aim to please  )
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House Calderon 1
Federated Suns
Command Sergeant-Major
Joined: 03-Feb-2006 00:00
Posts: 156
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Jul-2006 17:06 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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Your a funny man.
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RAVENS
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Talen
Capellan Confederation
Sang-shao
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1269
Location: United States
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| Posted: 17-Jul-2006 03:44 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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The Timberwolf variant with the rear facing SSRM-6s always seemed like such an oddity. I mean, rear facing SSRS6s is something that would discourage any sort of attack from behind, IMO. Its better use is to let the T-Wolf wade into the thick of things, and let loose a volley of SSRMs in all directions, creating a death blossom effect from it. But the clanners don't fight like that, espicially not in a front line battlemech.
Anyways...they can be fun, but are not terribly useful.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8050
Location: United States
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| Posted: 17-Jul-2006 06:02 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-07-17 03:44, Talen wrote:
The Timberwolf variant with the rear facing SSRM-6s always seemed like such an oddity. I mean, rear facing SSRS6s is something that would discourage any sort of attack from behind, IMO. |
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As opposed to the weapons load that hits the front arc?
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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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| Posted: 17-Jul-2006 18:43 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-07-17 06:02, chihawk wrote:
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On 2006-07-17 03:44, Talen wrote:
The Timberwolf variant with the rear facing SSRM-6s always seemed like such an oddity. I mean, rear facing SSRS6s is something that would discourage any sort of attack from behind, IMO. |
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As opposed to the weapons load that hits the front arc?
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That's true. Unless the rear weapons load is at more powerful than the front, it's not going to discourage anyone. The front and back of the Timby D both have the same weapons (assuming you rotate the arms)- but about a quarter of the armor. I'll take the rear any day.
Unless a mech has different type of weapons in the rear- I can see infantry avoiding rear MG's or flamers in favor if front-mounted Gauss rifles. If the AP weapons were mounted in the arms, they'd attack the rear anyway, but if they were _only_ in the rear then they might only attack the thick front armor . . . It's probably easy to double guess yourself into a corner that way, and end up with unusable MG ammo that you don't dare jettison. It's still probably best to mount on the arms.
I've never used them, but I have seen a few designs that mount most of their armor on the rear. Something like a Rifleman or Catapult, they can backwalk towards the enemy, then run away to keep the range open. Maybe a rear mount would be useful (in case the arms are destroyed)? Has anyone tried this tactic?
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ralgith
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company
"Ralgith's Renegades"
Colonel
Joined: 18-Aug-2003 00:00
Posts: 2021
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Sep-2006 08:47 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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Quote:
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On 2006-07-17 03:44, Talen wrote:
The Timberwolf variant with the rear facing SSRM-6s always seemed like such an oddity. I mean, rear facing SSRS6s is something that would discourage any sort of attack from behind, IMO. Its better use is to let the T-Wolf wade into the thick of things, and let loose a volley of SSRMs in all directions, creating a death blossom effect from it. But the clanners don't fight like that, espicially not in a front line battlemech.
Anyways...they can be fun, but are not terribly useful.
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As I recall from fluff or something along those lines the D variant was for fighting in cities and thats why it had the rear facing streaks. Not to mention I've successfully used it this way MANY MANY times.
However, I personally prefer the A variant 
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Colonel Ralgith t'Mayasara
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company 'Ralgith's Renegades'
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SaberDance
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 07-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 837
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| Posted: 03-Sep-2006 21:12 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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Three words: Brave Sir Robin.
Look it up in the custom mechs.
I've used rear weapons in cities, but normally only on heavies or assaults
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8050
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Sep-2006 21:14 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-09-03 21:12, SaberDance wrote:
Three words: Brave Sir Robin.
Look it up in the custom mechs.
I've used rear weapons in cities, but normally only on heavies or assaults
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In an equitable battle I'll take any weapons you have in your rear arc vs everything I have into your back...
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ralgith
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company
"Ralgith's Renegades"
Colonel
Joined: 18-Aug-2003 00:00
Posts: 2021
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Sep-2006 22:01 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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Agreed Chi, but in a city, with everyone jumping hither and thither... and losing contact because of intervening buildings (Mostly computer games and novels... unless playing very strict double blind like me ) makes a city fighter having rear weapons a good thing. And on the Timberwolf D... really it don't matter much because it isn't that heat efficient so it would never be able to fire everything safely anyways.
But, yeah, some rear weapons are a joke.
Like the laser on the Centurion. That's ALWAYS the first mod I make to a Centy, SWAP THE DAMN LASER FACING!!! LOL
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Colonel Ralgith t'Mayasara
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company 'Ralgith's Renegades'
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8050
Location: United States
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| Posted: 03-Sep-2006 22:36 Post subject: RE: Rear-facing weapons |
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On 2006-09-03 22:01, ralgith wrote:
Agreed Chi, but in a city, with everyone jumping hither and thither... and losing contact because of intervening buildings (Mostly computer games and novels... unless playing very strict double blind like me ) makes a city fighter having rear weapons a good thing. And on the Timberwolf D... really it don't matter much because it isn't that heat efficient so it would never be able to fire everything safely anyways.
But, yeah, some rear weapons are a joke.
Like the laser on the Centurion. That's ALWAYS the first mod I make to a Centy, SWAP THE DAMN LASER FACING!!! LOL
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Everything I have for weapons at your rear armor vs a few rear firing weapons at my front armor...how many times can you do that before you are in serious trouble?
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