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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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 Posted: 13-Oct-2008 13:06 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Good morning, everyone. What I would like to do today is to examine the ‘Mechs we all know and love from TRO: 3025, and lets see if we can transform them into the machines used by the Royal formations.
First, some ground rules that I will be using. Unless it absolutely has to include an extra-light engine, it won’t. Period. The Inner Sphere XL engine degrades combat survivability tremendously, negating (in my opinion) the advantages of the weight savings. Only if the design just screams that it needs an XL engine will I be adding one.
Second, I am trying to keep the spirit of the ‘Mechs, so even if it would be a good idea to revamp the weapons suite, I’m not. I am going to try to keep the ‘Mechs filling their roles without a complete make-over.
Third, armor is life. That simple fact seems to elude many of our contributors to the official TROs. Because of this—and it may seem that I am contradicting myself, here—I am going to try and increase the armor to where a MechWarrior won’t feel like he has to have a priest give him last rites before strapping into the ‘Mech (Mr. Hussar, I’m looking right at you!).
None of these are ‘official’ designs—they are simply a look at what I feel would be a logical upgrade for Royal ‘Mechs from these classic originals. Let me know what you all think. All right, then! Let’s get down to it, shall we, in alphabetical order.
Archer II—70 tons.
What can I say about the Archer? It is a great ‘Mech, even in 3025. There is solid armor protection, plus a good weapons package with ample shots. First off, we replace the structure with Endo-Steel, gaining 3.5 tons of weight, and increase overall armor to 13.5 tons (standard). Heat sinks get a complete make-over, replacing the standard 10 with doubles. Let’s add Artemis IV to the LRM launchers and put CASE in both torsos. Otherwise, we will just turn those rear-firing medium lasers forward, and the Archer II is finished. This gives us a final BV of 1,463 for a cost of 7,352,274. The Archer II is still a workhorse, but it hits harder (more missiles on target) and is better protected. Because of the double heat sinks, you can fire LRM’s or lasers and run, and not overheat. You can even fire all four lasers, plus one LRM and run and you are at ZERO heat. Simple is better, and this upgrade is as simple as you can get.
Assassin II—40 tons.
I have always loved the Assassin, mainly for the movement—but also, because you have something to shoot at any range. Sure, they are pop-guns, but the Assassin is not an assassin—it’s a really big scout ‘Mech. Keeping her at 7-11-7, I replaced the structure with Endo-Steel and upgraded to 5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. I kept the medium laser and the LRM-5, but replaced the SRM-2 with a Streak SRM-2. Both torsos got CASE as well. Heat sinks were exchanged with doubles. Now, you can jump 7 hexes and fire all of your guns at the same time! And you get all this for a BV of 805 and a cost of 4,178,814. Sure, the armor is still light (hey, if you can find me another 2.5 tons without an XL, I’ll take my hat off to you), but what do you expect on a 40-tonner moving at this speed? I just wish it was legal to add SRM-2 ammo in a half-ton lot; even with CASE, that 200 damage explosion waiting to happen just scares me with the thin armor.
Atlas II—100 tons.
They don’t come any bigger, or any tougher, do they? The Atlas is a mixed bag; some folks love it, others hate it. I fall in between myself. It is a plodding great beast of a ‘Mech, but with its weapons mix always seems to avoid playing a tremendous role in the fights I participate in. We started this one by cutting the heat sinks to 14, and replacing them with doubles. This saved six tons—all of which went into weapons and equipment. Not enough room for advanced structure or armor, and armor was already as good as it gets, so we left that alone. First of all, we added CASE to both torsos and Artemis IV to the LRM and SRM launchers. Next, we yanked the AC-20 and replaced it with a Gauss and two tons of ammo (not an original mod, but it works, and why mess with what works, eh?). We kept all four medium lasers, but moved them to the torsos, all firing forward. Finally, two small pulse lasers were added (one per arm) for anti-infantry work. Final cost came to 2,045 BV with a price-tag of 10,632,000. Now you can’t keep the Atlas at range without paying a price. As a side-note, 14 double-heat sinks allow you to fire everything at once while running and puts you at +1 on the heat scale!
Awesome II—80 tons.
A zombie brick if ever there was one—that’s what everyone says and for once they are right! The 3025 Awesome was—with the exception of its plodding movement—one of the best ‘Mechs of the era, with an 18-hex bubble of 30-point doom. Twenty double strength heat sinks replace the singles of the Awesome, but to do that, I had to increase the speed to 4-6. But I did it without using an XL engine, thanks to Endo-Steel structure and the double heat sinks. Armor is still a brick at 15 tons of standard as well. So what changed? Just two little things: two of the three PPCs become ER PPCs, the third stays the same. Even still has the can-opener of a small laser. But with 40 points of heat dissipation, the Awesome II can walk, fire all three and go +1 on the heat scale. Plus the two ER PPCs extend that bubble o’ doom out to a whopping 23 hexes! BV was calculated at 1,569, while the price weighs in at 8,590,171. AND NO FRAKKIN’ XL ENGINE! Whew, glad I got that off my chest.
Banshee II—95 tons.
You know ‘em, you love ‘em, and you hate ‘em. It’s the Banshee. The ‘Mech that you randomly rolled when you were a kid and said, I just want a T-Bolt, please? It’s a great machine for rock-‘em, sock-‘em, but for actual combat missions? Please, don’t even try and go there. I went a different tack than with the Banshee-S, this one doesn’t lose speed. I know, I know, I can hear the yelling from clear over here in Mississippi, so knock it off, already! First of all, we gave the ‘Mech double heat sinks, plus both Endo-Steel and Ferro-Fibrous. All right, now you are looking like something interesting is happening. But I had to add an XL, right? Wrong. This upgrade features the original 41-ton 380 rated engine of the first Banshee ever to walk off the production line. How, you wonder? Well, calm down and I will tell you. We ripped out all of the original weapons and armor. This baby carries 14.5 tons of Ferro-fibrous, giving it 88.7% of maximum protection. The PPC was replaced with an ER version, while the AC-5 was replaced with an Ultra AC-5 (and two tons of ammo with CASE). The small laser is just gone. We stole a page from the Banshee-S and added an SRM-6 with Artemis and a ton of ammo (in the same location as the UAC-5’s ammo), along with two medium lasers in each arm (and kept the hand actuators to boot!). It does run hot, but you can fire the ER PPC and UAC-5 without overheating, and at close range switch to an Artemis-SRM-6 and four medium lasers, plus the Ultra-5, without ever breaking a sweat. While it still has light firepower for a 95-ton machine, it moves at 4-6 without an XL, people, so rejoice! There is not a single crit space left unfilled on this machine, which has a BV of 1,465 and a price-tag of 11,331,191. Finally, a Banshee I can pilot without having to wear a paper sack over my neuro-helmet.
BattleMaster II—85 tons.
Some people swear by them, some swear at them. Some peeps say the BattleMaster is the Lord of the Battlefield. Right—and I’ll take two of what-ever you are smoking. With an above-average speed, firepower is mediocre for a mid-range assault ‘Mech, which many proclaim as its greatest weakness, at range that is. Even the 3025 version packed excellent firepower in close (9 hexes and below). First off, the single heat sinks are exchanged for 16 doubles, while Endo-Steel replaces the standard structure, but armor remains the same at 14.5 tons (a little more judiciously distributed, however). I yanked all of the weapons from the design. An ER version replaces the PPC, while a SRM-6 with Artemis IV and CASE (one ton of ammo) is subbed for the older launcher. The six medium lasers are reduced to two mediums and two LARGES, both firing forward. We kept the two machine-guns, but reduced the ammo to a half-ton. Now, the BattleMaster is quite a command machine. Sure, at 16+ hexes, it has the same firepower as the original, but from 10-15, it now has nearly the guns of an Awesome—and can fire and walk without overheating (run is +1). Under 9 hexes, you got two Large Lasers, two Medium Lasers, and an SRM-6 (26 heat), plus a pair of machine-guns at under 3—which, by the way, actually increases damage in close over the original (though you do lose the rear firing guns). And you get all of this for a BV of 1,469 and a price of 9,373,519. And keeps the 4/6 movement without an XL engine. Hallelujah, brethren, hallelujah!
Blackjack II—45 tons.
The much maligned Blackjack. It is a ‘Mech that only Hanse Davion could love. But there is quite a bit of potential here. As usual, we replace the single heat sinks with freezers, leaving just the standard ten on the design. We also use Endo-Steel to gain two tons to play with, but she just doesn’t have the room for Ferro-fibrous as well. It’s ok, really, we still manage to mount 8.5 tons of armor—not the maximum, but pretty good. Unfortunately, we didn’t gain enough tonnage to mount CASE in both torsos; in fact we didn’t mount it in either torso. The four medium lasers stayed the same, two per arm. The only change is replacing the two AC-2’s for two Ultra AC-2’s (and two tons of ammo, one per arm). This doubles the firepower out to 25 hexes from 4 to 8—at the risk of jamming—but unless we totally change the design to an energy based ‘Mech, or add an XL engine, its all we got. On the bright side, BV is just 953, while the Blackjack II only costs 3,444,475.
Catapult II—65 tons.
This is the archetypical Lyran design that is not produced by the Lyrans. A fire support ‘Mech that carries only 8 shots for each of two main guns, the original Catapult needs some help. Now, it moves decently and can jump, and four forward firing medium lasers are no mean backup, but come on guys, EIGHT shots per LRM launcher? First of all, we ripped out the 15 standard heat sinks and replaced them with 10 doubles, saving five tons in weight. Next we added Endo-Steel internal structure (saving another three), and replaced the 10 tons of standard armor with 11 tons of Ferro-Fibrous—giving us near maximum armor for the chassis. This ate up a LOT of room on the crit locations table, so the rest of the mods are fairly simple. We added CASE to both torsos and Artemis IV to both LRM-15 launchers, while adding two more tons of ammo. We kept two of the four medium lasers, but replaced the other two with medium pulses. This gives the design a BV of 1,506 and a price-tag of 7,057,326. You have to watch your heat at 6 hexes and below, but over that, you are as cool as a cucumber, even if jumping.
Centurion II—50 tons.
Here is a trooper ‘Mech that no one—other than Justin Allard—loves. Even Kai gave up his in favor of a Clan Stormcrow; for shame, Kai, for shame. For starters, we added Endo-Steel, and beefed up the armor to a full 10 tons, a half-ton short of the maximum this frame can carry. Standard, not ferro-fibrous, we just won’t have the crit slots to squeeze in FF and get everything else. Ten double strength freezers replace the older heat sinks, giving the MechWarrior a much greater ability to move and shoot than before. Both torsos gain CASE, while a LB-10X replaces the standard AC (with two tons of ammo, one each of cluster and slug). This mod increases the range on the Centurions main gun by 3 hexes, and reduces weight by one ton. Next, we added Artemis IV to the LRM-10 launcher, using up our last free ton. We kept the two tons of ammo for the missile pack, and both of the medium lasers (but turned that rear firing one around to the front). You can’t overheat this ‘Mech, even with an Inferno or flamer hit. BV is totaled at 1,050, with a sticker value of 4,414,000 c-bills.
Charger II—80 tons.
All right, here I HAD to use an XL to make the design work. But it is one of the few where that is the case. While it was intended from the start as a Scout Assault ‘Mech, the Charger failed miserably because of the huge 400-rated engine. We replace that sucker with a 400XL, freeing up 26 tons of weight. Next we added Endo-Steel, for another 4 tons. That gave us thirty tons to make this white elephant into something resembling a ‘Mech. Armor was increased to 14.5 tons of standard—as much as a BattleMaster, while 12 double heat sinks give substantial dissipation capacity, while not taking up internal space. We added five jump jets, giving the Charger II a 5-8-5 movement profile. Beginning to be interested, now? All five small lasers were ripped out; this is a design that just begs for a complete weapons revamp. First of all, that round battle-fist has always reminded me of the Zeus, so we added that style of LRM-15 launcher (with Artemis IV and two tons of ammo) to that arm for long-range capability. That left us with 11 tons. I wanted to keep the spirit of five weapons intact, so five medium pulses give the Charger its close range punch, while a small pulse (in the right arm, ain’t that little gun so cute) gives some anti-infantry ability. Now, the Charger II is a fairly robust heavy scout, with guns that will eat mediums for lunch (but with the fragility of an XL engine). BV weighs in at 1,526, with a show-room floor price of 21,322,319! Gaaw! You can buy two Atlas IIs for that price, by God! Still, if you HAVE to have a 5/8/5 assault, this is as good as it gets for this tech level.
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Oct-2008 13:07 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Cicada II—40 tons.
It’s a big, big bug! I am so ashamed, two ‘Mechs in a row with XL engines, but unless you cut the speed down to 7/11, you just can’t do much with the Cicada. A 40-tonner moving at 8-12 is awesome, until you consider how much tonnage is spent on that engine—22.5 tons. Moving to an XL saves 11 tons, and adding Endo-Steel saves 2 more. We begin by replacing the armor with 6.5 tons of Ferro-fibrous giving us a decent 85.4% of maximum armor. Ten double heat sinks replace the standard 10 carried by the original. Weapons are completely replaced. Mimicking the center torso medium laser of the Locust, we have an ER Large Laser. Backing up that gun are two medium lasers and two medium pulse lasers, mounted in the arms just like on the original Cicada. Lastly, we added two more small pulse lasers to the right and left torso to deal with infantry. You have to watch your heat carefully in this bug, but it does serve a useful purpose now (if only I could have done it without the XL). BV is 946 for a price of 8,043,466.
Clint II—40 tons.
Designed as a cheap scout leader and hunter, the Clint was plagued by its light armor—just 4.5 tons, barely more than a Locust. Sure, the AC-5 had great range, and its weapons were low heat, but it could just not take damage. For this design, we kept the weapons the same, and made it more survivable. Endo-steel replaces the internal structure, while 10 double heat sinks means it can move and fire without problem. We added CASE to protect against ammo explosions, while increasing the armor to 6 tons of Ferro-Fibrous—an increase of 50% over the old model. Without using an XL engine, we couldn’t improve the weapons, but now it is a cheap ‘Mech capable of taking on other scouts. BV is just 857, with a price-tag of 3,899,280. And yes, I know that I could have saved four tons by replacing the AC-5 with an ER Large Laser; yadda, yadda, yadda. I wanted to stay true to the spirit of the ‘Mech, however. If I could have squeezed two more tons from the design, I would have replaced the AC-5 with an Ultra model and added one more ton of ammo. But for what we did change, I think it makes the Clint II fairly respectable.
Commando II—25 tons.
The only 25 ton ‘Mech in TRO: 3025 is the Lyran Commando, a scout that lacks jump jets, but packs quite a punch. One of their two signature designs, the Commando is a pretty decent ‘Mech as is, but the Royal variety is better still. As a side note, it must have really pissed off the Lyrans to see this ‘Mech among the SLDF Royal units. We begin by using Endo-Steel to replace the internal structure, while 4.5 tons of Ferro-fibrous armor gives us over 91% armor coverage. Double heat sinks replace the standards, but heat is not a problem with this little ‘Mech. The medium laser is the same, but both SRM launchers have been removed. Replacing them are four Streak SRM-2 launchers and a single ton of ammo, CASE protected, of course. This design is very tight, with every single crit slot taken up. Final BV is 582 for a total cost of 2,028,750.
Crusader II—65 tons.
A workhorse from the old school, the Crusader is very much OVER gunned and UNDER sinked. Combined with its large ammo stores, this is NOT A GOOD THING. Right off the bat, ten double heat sinks replace the ten standard, solving most of the under-sinked problem. Endo-Steel saves us three tons, part of which we use to add another ton of standard armor (for 13 in total—98.5% of maximum). We replaced both SRM-6 launchers with two SRM-4 launchers with Artemis and two tons of ammo, moving those from the legs to the torsos, where we also added CASE. We removed the LRM-15 launchers as well, subbing in a pair of LRM-10 launchers with Artemis, and four tons of ammo—in the torso besides the SRM systems. The medium lasers and machine guns remained as they were, with one of each placed in the arms. While we lost fourteen points of maximum damage, we gained endurance (48 shots versus 16 shots [LRM]; 50 shots versus 30 shots [SRM]) and kept average damage just about the same (thanks to the Artemis). Yeah, it’s an ammo explosion waiting to happen, but, now you can actually fire your guns without worry about your heat detonating your munitions for your enemies. An alpha strike will put you at a net heat gain of ZERO, for a potential damage of 50 at 3 hexes or less (46 at 4-9). BV is 1,251 with a sticker price of 6,872,361.
Cyclops II—90 tons.
Another of the big bruisers that moves too fast for its time, the Cyclops is actually one of my favorite ‘Mechs. Maybe I’m perverse, because it lacks armor and with the exception of the big class 20 boom-stick, doesn’t quite fit the role of an assault. Many of you won’t like this upgrade; if so, I am sorry. Ten double-strength heat sinks replace the 12 standards of the original, while Endo-Steel frees up another 4.5 tons by replacing the internal structure. We increased the armor from 10 tons to 16.5 tons of standard, giving the Cyclops a quite respectable 94.6% of maximum protection. Weapons are where the major changes rest. We replaced the heavy boom-stick with a lighter LB-10X (doubling the range of the original AC-20). Both torsos received CASE to protect against ammo explosions, and the LRM-10 launcher gained not only Artemis but a second ton of ammo. The SRM-4 launcher was upgraded to a SRM-6 with Artemis. The two arm-mounted medium lasers remained the same, and in the same location to boot. Though many would consider the weapons still not up to assault ‘Mech status, it has a tremendous amount of armor, and good range; plus 42 points of damage on an alpha strike for no heat ain’t bad. BV was calculated at 1,534 with a price-tag of 10,657,860. Don’t picture this ‘Mech as something that can plow through the enemy at the point of the spear, picture it as a commander’s ‘Mech, with enough mobility to move around the battlefield, while still posing a threat.
Dervish II—55 tons.
We started with this ‘Mech—the red-headed step-child of the famed 55-ton trio—needing to increase armor protection to an acceptable level. Firepower was good, as was movement and mobility. Endo-Steel provided a start, as did upgrading the armor to 10 tons of Ferro-fibrous. To gain that, we removed the twin LRM-10 launchers and replaced them with three LRM-5 launchers and two tons of ammo. This reduces firepower only slightly, and gives greater endurance. CASE was added to both torsos to protect against ammo explosions. The arm mounted SRM-2 launchers were replaced with Streak SRM-2s with a ton of ammo each (and once more I will gripe about not being able to allocate a half-ton of SRM ammo). Finally, both medium lasers were upgraded to medium pulse versions. Overall, this upgrade represents a solid fire-support ‘Mech with good close-in firepower and excellent maneuverability. It might finally become an accepted member of the 55-ton family. BV for this design is 1,324 with a cost of 5,524,716.
Dragon II—60 tons.
Why the Dragon, you ask? It was introduced right at the end of the Star League, and the SLDF never used it. Well, I wanted to do the Dragon, so I did it. Seriously, the SLDF stole everyone else’s designs, so why not the Dragon? Besides, I always liked the Dragon. All right, let’s get to the upgrade. Ten double heat sinks replace the ten standards to start. We added Endo-Steel and 10.5 tons of Ferro-fibrous armor, increasing armor protection to pretty close the top of the line for a sixty-ton chassis. CASE was added to the right torso, the side where all of the ammo for this beast waits for the spark that will ignite it. The old LRM-10 launcher gained Artemis and retained its two tons of ammo. The main change is the AC-5—the Ultra version replaces it in the right arm. Two tons of ammo is the same amount as the original, but it will be burned through much faster—unless the weapon jams. Finally, we kept both medium lasers, but faced them both to the front. This design can’t overheat, even if hit by a flamer or two, and damage—while light—is also long-ranged. Combined with the heavy armor and raw speed, the Dragon II is a fine machine of war. BV is 1,260 while your price, today, is just 5,902,080, plus shipping and handling. Order now from Luthien Armor Works—your source for the finest ‘Mechs in the Inner Sphere—and we will include ten tons of ammo at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. Just pay the shipping and handling. Sorry, got into sales mode there. It won’t happen again. Promise.
Falcon II—30 tons.
A 3025 design used exclusively by Wolf’s Dragoons, the Falcon had died out in the Inner Sphere, despite the fact that it was a fine scout. But we can make it better (faster, stronger . . . wait, no, that’s the six-million dollar man, sorry). Keeping the speed at 6-9-6, we replace the 10 heat sinks with doubles and the internal structure with Endo-Steel. Armor increases to 6.5 tons of standard—just one point away from maximum! The biggest change was in weapons, we killed the medium laser and two small lasers, along with a half-ton of machine-gun ammo. Replacing those guns are CASE (for the OTHER half ton, why, oh why does every ‘Mech to mount machine-guns insist on carrying 200 shots?) and an Extended-Range Large Laser. Looks a lot like a Stinger, right? But this Stinger has twice the armor and can reach out and touch you at 19 hexes, bro. This one ain’t a bug, cause it soars! BV is 808 with a price of 2,618,590. I’ll take four and an order of curly fries, please, plus a chocolate milkshake. Yum!
Firefly II—30 tons.
Another Wolf’s ‘Mech in Drag, the Firefly makes you scratch your head and go Huh? 5-8-4 movement, with an LRM-5, three medium lasers, and four small lasers, but only 10 heat sinks? What was that designer ingesting you ask? Only good thing was 6.5 tons of standard armor—just about the maximum for its weight class. Well, have no fear, Royal ‘Mech Works is here. First, strip the whole frakkin’ chassis down to bare bones and replace that skeleton with Endo-Steel and those 10 standard heat sinks with doubles. Next, increase the 150-rated engine to a 180 and add six jump jets for a movement profile of 6-9-6. 5.5 tons of Ferro-fibrous replaces the 6.5 tons of standard; even though we lose 6 points for armor for a ton of weight. The LRM-5 launcher is kept, and we add CASE to the torso as well. Three medium lasers are kept, along with one small, and we add a fourth medium. Another tight design, this one has no crit slots left when we are done. However, an alpha strike while jumping will put you +1 on the heat scale. BV is 937 for a price-tag of 2,693,925.
Firestarter II—35 tons.
Ah, the Firestarter—the ‘Mech for the hidden pyromaniac inside each of us. Endo-Steel saves us three tons right off the bat, while 10 freezers replace the standard heat sinks (always a good thing for a very hot-running machine). We also increased the standard armor to 7 tons—nearly maximum for the chassis. Guns really didn’t change much. In fact, the only change was to remove the rear mounted flamer. You have a movement rate of 6-9-6; do you really need a FOURTH flamer firing to the rear? I know that beans and bourbon is a bad combo, but a flame-farting ‘Mech? Come on, guys, grow up. We did use that tonnage to add CASE to the torsos, however, for the machine-gun ammo. Other than that, it remained exactly the same. BV of 715 with a flaming hot price of just 3,329,775!
Flea II—20 tons.
Oh little Flea, how doth thy circus fare? This lunch box on legs design gets low marks from many people because it isn’t flashy or cute. No, it is functional in nature, and for its time does a difficult job—anti-personnel work—well. Endo-Steel starts this upgrade, along with double heats (the standard 10 again). Armor is maxed out at 4 tons of standard. We kept the same weapons (Flamer, 2 medium lasers, and 2 machine-guns), but dumped the 2 small lasers for CASE instead. It is not flashy or in style, but it as effective in its role as any 20-ton ‘Mech has a right to be. BV is a mere 418 for a final cost of 1,726,200.
Goliath II—80 tons.
I remember when I first saw the Goliath in TRO: 3025. I thought, cool, BattleTech has Walkers! We all know the problems with quads in BattleTech, and now is not the place to rehash that debate. But how to make it effective as a Royal upgrade, that’s the question? First off, we replace the originals 17 single heat sinks with 12 doubles. Next, it gets Endo-Steel replacing the standard structure. That’s a savings of 9 tons right there, folks! We added a ton of armor—for 15.5 tons total, just a little below max for a quad design—to make it a little tougher. And then we turned to the weapons. Bye, bye, Mr. PPC. Replacing you is an Extended-Range Large Laser with a medium laser mounted co-axial (really in the CT and H, but it sounds good, don’t it?). We kept the two LRM-10 launchers, but added Artemis IV, CASE, and two more tons of ammo (for a total of four). We also kept the two machine-guns, each with a half-ton of ammo for anti-infantry work. Finally, we added two medium pulse lasers to increase close combat firepower against other ‘Mechs or vehicles. All of these weapons are mounted in the right or left torso, leaving the legs free for Endo-Steel crits. You have got to watch your heat scale in this ‘Mech, it is easy to go too far and then you are +8 or +9. But if you are careful, this Goliath is a rewarding ride. BV is 1,428 for a sales-floor sticker of 9,063,841. Just don’t fight a ‘Mech called David—or any Davion ‘Mech for that matter when Stackpole is doing the writing. Isn’t that right, Colonel Cochraine? Colonel Cochraine? Fiona Cochraine, paging, Fiona Cochraine? Huh, guess she left the building. Never, ever even think about it. Ok?
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Oct-2008 13:08 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Grasshopper II—70 tons.
Another great ‘Mech was the Grasshopper. A jumping heavy that would not overheat—in 3025! With great armor to boot! Woo-hoo! For this upgrade, first thing was—surprise!—replacing the structure with Endo-Steel and those 22 heat sinks with 15 doubles. Armor stayed the same, as did the LRM-5 and ammo—but we added CASE. The large laser was replaced with an ER model, while the four medium lasers were subbed by medium pulses. We also added another three medium pulses for a total of seven. NOW, you can overheat, but only if you fire your long-range weapons at knife-range. Otherwise you can shoot and jump and not really worry about heat. And you can get all of this for only 1,420 BV and 6,976,574 c-bills.
Griffin II—55 tons.
This one is one of the classic ‘Mechs of all time! A design you and I both probably cut our teeth on back in the day, it is ‘old school’ indeed. Just two guns, but good armor, excellent mobility, and it really, really taught you about heat. So what does the Royal upgrade bring us? 11 double heat sinks for starters, along with Endo-Steel and 9.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor—19 points more armor than the original. Next we added CASE, to protect against ammo explosions. The PPC was replaced with an ER PPC, while we removed the LRM-10 and ammo and plugged in a heavier LRM-15 launcher with two tons of ammo. You still have to watch your heat when jumping, but now you hit harder and farther, while still keeping the same basic weapons packages! Final BV is 1,483 with a price of 5,899,506.
Hatchetman II—45 tons.
There is no such thing, silly MechWarriors! The Hatchetman did not come about until the end of the 3rd Succession War. Silly people, hatchets are for Lyrans!
Hermes II (or do I mean III?)—40 tons.
The Hermes II is a Free World League mod of the ultra-advanced SLDF Hermes. Once again, it is one I won’t do. See Hatchetman, above for details.
Hoplite II—55 tons.
Another Wolf’s Dragoons ‘Mech, the Hoplite should be a good one because of fiat. It flat-out sucks, however. I mean have you looked at it—16 sinks for a maximum of 7 points of heat? And this is on a ‘Mech that moves at 4-6-0, and can’t do but 15 points of damage on good day? Back to the drawing boards we go, my friends. Let’s keep it at 4-6-0, shall we. 10 double heat sinks should give us some room to work with, as does the Endo-Steel internal structure. 10 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor is more than enough for a medium ‘Mech—in fact darn near maximum. We will replace the AC-10 with an LB-10X and two tons of ammo (one cluster, one slug). Ripping out the LRM-5, let’s put an LRM-15 with Artemis and two tons of ammo in instead. CASE goes in both torsos for this version of the ancient Greek warrior (SPARTA!). Finally, let’s add a medium pulse laser in the center torso for some non-ammo dependent weaponry. Now, it’s still over sinked, but can finally do some reasonable damage. BV is 1,145 with a final cost of 5,519, 809.
Hornet II—20 tons.
What is it with the Wolf? I mean, why should they have all these designs that ought to still exist in the Inner Sphere. It is a conspiracy, methinks. But the Hornet is just another Bug, one armed for long-range combat, at the expense of speed and maneuverability. Endo-Steel and double heat sinks are pretty much par for the course on this upgrade. Armor is increased to 4 tons—about as good as a 20-tonner can expect it to get. We add CASE for the LRM launcher and upgrade the small laser to a small pulse, leaving the medium alone. And that’s all, folks. Not too much you can do with a ‘Mech this small without adding an XL, which I prefer not to do. BV is 477 for a sales floor price of 1,415,200.
Hunchback II—50 tons.
Here she is guys, the original pain-god of BattleTech. So what can we do to upgrade the Hunchback? After all, she carries the biggest and baddest boom-stick in BattleTech (for the time, at least). First of all, we dump three single heat sinks and replace the remaining 10 with doubles. Next we use Endo-Steel to free up 2.5 more tons. We increase the armor to 10.5 tons, just one point shy of max. This leaves us with three and half tons. What to do, what to do—add another ton of AC-20 ammo and CASE that frakkin’ torso. Finally, we upgrade both medium lasers to medium pulses. BV is 1,041 for a sticker price of 3,899,500, and she still generates a 9-hex bubble o’ doom that no Light or Medium in their right mind wants to enter.
JagerMech II—65 tons.
Sigh. I had to use a frakkin XL engine to even get this thing to work. Movement is still 4-6-0, with double heat sinks (WASTE!) and Endo-Steel. I could still mount only 10.5 tons of standard armor—in a HEAVY ‘MECH. No sense in even trying to mount CASE—not with an XL engine—and couldn’t squeeze out two more tons for the medium lasers, so those are gone. All we got left are two Ultra AC-5’s and two Ultra AC-2’s, with four tons and two tons of ammo, respectively. BV is 888 (which is 222 too much, if you take my drift, partner) for a cost of 11,424,876. Great direct fire range—everything else sucks to high heavens.
Javelin II—30 tons.
The Javelin, an on-again/off-again favorite of Hanse Davion, despite not carrying an autocannon. Fast, maneuverable, and with good firepower, it lacked only armor, heat sinks, and sufficient ammo to be successful. Let’s start with adding 10 double heat sinks and Endo-Steel. Armor is increased to 6.5 tons of standard, about as much as we can cram onto the frame. Since we are so tight on weight, let’s go with four Streak SRM-2 launchers and single ton of ammo to replace the twin SRM-6’s. With the ammo in the head, we don’t have to mount CASE, and the inherent ammo conservation of the Streaks will stretch those 100 shots out. BV is 668 for a floor-room price tag of 2,428,140.
Jenner II—35 tons.
All right, Kurita fans, I don’t want to hear it! Other than using an XL engine, the only way to make the Jenner what it should have been was to drop the speed to 6-9-6. That is backed up by 10 double heat sinks, Endo-Steel structure, and 6.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. All of that allows us to mount two Streak SRM-2 launchers, with a ton of ammo and CASE and four medium lasers. You can jump and fire everything and be at +2 on the heat scale. SO CUT ME SOME FRAKKIN’ SLACK, ALREADY. Ok, I’m calm now. BV of 1,033 and a sticker price of 3,514,725.
Locust II—20 tons.
And here we are with the ‘Mech that began it all—the Locust (I mean, who starred on the cover of the first BattleTech novel? Who? Right, the little Locust.). Double heat sinks are not really needed on this ‘Mech, but we don’t it to feel left out, now do we? But Endo-Steel is quite useful, so it mounts it. 3.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous gives us nearly full armor for our weight class. We keep the medium laser and both machine guns, each with a half-ton of ammo, but add CASE to both torsos. Finally, we add a small laser in a co-axial mount to the medium laser in the center torso. BV of 398 for a cost of 1,782,700.
Marauder II—75 tons.
The Marauder is one of those some people love, and others love to hate. It may be that rounded curve feel of the armor and joints, or it may just be that it was always fluffed as to be out of an ordinary MechWarriors league with its advanced systems. Well, the SLDF fielded it first, and when it came to Royal upgrades, love it or hate it, you know it was in there. 15 double heat sinks give the Maddy what should be standard on any SLDF machine—ample heat dissipation. It doesn’t come close on this puppy. Even with Endo-Steel and 13.5 tons of standard armor. Now, it really should when consider that this ‘Mech only has five guns—two ER PPCs, two medium lasers, and an Ultra AC-5 with two tons of ammo and CASE. Just firing both ER PPCs and the UAC-5 will put you +1 on the heat scale—firing single shot and standing still. An Alpha strike while running will put you at +10, which is a no-no. Still, if you are careful and watch your heat (walk and fire both ER PPCs and a double shot from the Ultra puts you at +3, which is manageable) this design is one that will reward. BV is 1,431 for a final price of 7,556,500.
Orion II—75 tons.
The other 75-tonner in the original TRO, the Orion is also the ‘Mech General Kerensky chose as his own personal ride. So you think it would be left out swinging in the cold when the SLDF began pimping out everyone else’s rides? No, I don’t think so, and neither do you, my friends. 10 double heat sinks double the heat dissipation of the original design—already cool running, but what can it hurt? We use Endo-Steel to gain 3.5 tons for the upgrade, but space is a premium, so 14 tons of standard armor will have to do. Two sets of CASE were installed on this ammo heavy beast of a war machine. The LRM-15 remains, but now has Artemis IV. The AC-10 was replaced with a lighter, longer-ranged LB-10X and two tons of ammo (one cluster, one slug). Both of the medium lasers were upgraded to pulse models, while the SRM-4 was replaced with two Streak SRM-2 launchers and a ton of ammo. An alpha strike with this ‘Mech at a walk generates no heat buildup. BV is 1,441 with a price tag of 7,833,000.
Ostroc II—60 tons.
Normally, I don’t care for the ‘reimagined’ ‘Mechs, also known as the new look of the Unseen. However, for the Ostroc and Ostsol and Ostscout, I will make an exception. You artists did an excellent job on portraying these designs in way that looks BETTER than the originals. You did some truly outstanding work and now on to the upgrade. On the Ostroc we could squeeze in both Endo-Steel and Ferro-Fibrous, along with 13 double heat sinks, thanks to the large 300-rate engine. 10.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous gives us pretty decent armor protection for our weight. The weapons mix is fairly straight forward—two ER Large Lasers, two Medium Pulse Lasers, and two Streak SRM-2 launchers with a ton of ammo and CASE. You got a choice, either two ER Large (typically at range) or one ER Large and everything else. However, even with 13 freezers, you will go +12 if you run and alpha strike. So DON’T DO IT. Pace yourself. BV is 1,271 with an eye-grabbing price of a mere 5,916,160.
Ostscout II—35 tons.
Yet another design I had to use an XL engine on. But, with a movement rate of 8-12-8, I can agonize over this one a little bit less. 10 double heat sinks and Endo-Steel give us a little leeway as well among our components. Unfortunately, there is not enough space for Ferro-Fibrous armor. Still, 7 tons of standard on an Ostscout is quite a bit by anyone’s stretch of the imagination. The only guns mounted are two medium pulse lasers, one in each arm in lieu of hands. But the Ostscout II also mounts a Beagle Active Probe, a Guardian ECM Suite, and TAG. BV is 845 with a cost of 6,942,150.
Ostsol II—60 tons.
One of my favorite ‘Mechs of all time, the Ostsol is a zombie. Or at least, it should have been. Weak armor, too few heat sinks, and too many guns almost rendered it inept. This upgrade fixes those problems. 14 double heat sinks give an incredible amount of heat dissipation. 11 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor provides near-maximum protection, while Endo-Steel gives us yet more tonnage to play with. Two ER Large Lasers in the right and left torso provide the main guns, backed up by two medium lasers (in the arms), two medium pulse lasers (in the torsos), and a small pulse laser for anti-infantry work in the head. You’ve got the same problem as the Ostroc, though—an alpha strike will kill you. Without ammo to explode it may take a while, but no pilot enjoys being at +14 on the heat scale. You have to play this ‘Mech smart to enjoy it. Cost-wise, it ain’t bad either, with a BV of 1,295 and a showroom sticker of 5,880,960.
Panther II—35 tons.
One of the iconic ‘Mechs of the Draconis Combine is the Panther. I can’t decide if the Kurita family would feel proud at their signature light ‘Mech being stolen by the SLDF or outraged—probably both at the same time. Endo-Steel provides the basis for this upgrade, along with the installation of 10 double heat sinks. Enough weight was saved to upgrade the speed to 5-8-5—without having to go with an XL engine. Seven tons of standard armor gives the Panther II substantial protection for a light ‘Mech. The PPC is replaced with an Extended Range version, while the SRM-4 has been removed. Two Streak SRM-2 launchers are mounted—one per right and left torso—in its place. One ton of ammo has been placed in the head of the ‘Mech, rendering the use of CASE meaningless. Enough tonnage was saved to add one small laser in the center torso. BV weighs in at 975 with a sticker price of 2,963,497. You do have to watch your heat in this ‘Mech, but even an alpha strike and jump will only put you at +5.
Phoenix Hawk II—45 tons.
From the very beginning of its career, the Phoenix Hawk was designed and intended as a scout leader—hence its very high movement rate. The Royal upgrade takes those attributes and puts them on steroids. Endo-Steel structure replaces the standard, just as 10 double strength heat sinks replace the 10 standard ones of the original. 8 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor gives the ‘Mech good, solid protection against attack. Combined with its mobility, this heavy armor ensures that the Phoenix Hawk II is very survivable. An ER Large Laser replaces the older standard model, giving it a sting out to 19 hexes of range. Both of the medium lasers have been moved to the center torso and upgraded to medium pulse lasers. The two machine guns have been retained, both in the left arm, but the design lost a half-ton of ammunition which went for CASE installed in the left torso. Overall, this upgrade was simpler than most, but it works and works well. BV is 1,088 with a cost of 4,623,615.
Quickdraw II—60 tons.
Always an inefficient design, the Quickdraw is used in numbers only by the Dracs, who seem to dislike Mediums for fast heavies instead. In this case, it really cost them, because you could do the same guns and armor on 55-ton chassis and have tonnage left over, thanks to the increase in weight of the jump jets. Even the Royal upgrade feels a little lackluster. First of all, we replace the structure with Endo-Steel and give it 10.5 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. Next, we ditch the single heat sinks for ten doubles. Trying to keep the same feel, we kept the LRM-10, but gave it Artemis and two tons of ammo. In the same location we have an SRM launcher, but this design replaces the 4-pack with two Streak 2-packs and a ton of ammo. CASE rounds out that location. And you see here the real inefficiency of a 60-tonner 5-8-5 ‘Mech, cause all we can do is add the same four medium lasers back on—but all of them fire to the front. But, it is tougher, better sinked, and hits a little bit harder (mainly because no 5-8-5 unit should have guns firing to the rear). BV is 1,457 and it is yours for the low, low price of 6,303,360. In my neighborhood, it would be a crime to charge that much for what you are getting, but the Dracs like it.
Rifleman II—60 tons.
All I can say is that at least it didn’t require an XL engine. Endo-Steel begins our upgrade of this model, along with replacing the standard 10 heat sinks with doubles. We can—barely—fit Ferro-Fibrous on this beast, so 9.5 tons will have to do. Not quite up to heavy ‘Mech standards, but better than what it HAD. Two Ultra AC-5s replace the AC-5s, each of them with two tons of ammo and CASE in the torsos. Both the Large Lasers are gone, replaced with MEDIUM LASERS (Hey, I had to fit everything in somehow). We did replace the two torso mounted mediums with a single ER Large Laser in the center torso, however. It is still not the best ‘Mech in the world, but a darn sight better than the standard Rifleman with tissue paper for armor. BV is 1,188 and sells for 5,705,600.
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Oct-2008 13:09 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Scorpion II—55 tons.
Don’t laugh at me—I like the Scorp, always have. But it could be so much better. We begin with Endo-Steel replacing the internal structure and changing the single heat sinks to doubles, keeping them at the base 10. Somewhat surprisingly for a Quad, I was able to squeeze Ferro-Fibrous into the mix—10.5 tons gives us an excellent amount of armor for a 6-9-0 55-tonner. Just like with the Goliath, we need to make every crit slot count, so we yank that PPC and the SRM-6. In the center torso is mounted an ER Large Laser—better range than the PPC, but slightly less damage. A ton of Streak SRM-2 ammo is mounted in the head, that way we save a half-ton and crit slot on CASE. Each torso mounts one Streak SRM-2 launcher, giving same average damage as that SRM-6, but this bug has the heat sinks to run and fire it all without worry. Finally, we added a small pulse laser for anti-infantry work beneath one of the SSRM-2 launchers. BV is 1,088 with a price of 5,582,790, plus tax and title.
Shadow Hawk II—55 tons
One of the ‘Terrible Three’, the Shadow Hawk is a work-horse ‘Mech in both the Inner Sphere and Periphery. Problem is, many people think the standard version sucks. It could be better, so lets see what we can come up with. We can fit both Endo-Steel and Ferro-Fibrous (9.5 tons, for an increase of 19 points of armor), so that goes on the machine. 10 double heat sinks for the singles is a no-brainer on a ‘Mech that relies on jumping to move around the field of battle, so that goes on as well. Guns, gun, and more guns! We need bigger guns, someone said once. OK, then, Mr. Shadow Hawk, how about an Ultra AC-5 with two tons to replace that old AC-5 on your right shoulder? A Streak launcher replaces the SRM-2, but we will keep the LRM-5 and medium laser. We have a ton left over, so add CASE to both torsos. What do you know? We used every crit slot yet again. It is still nothing to write home about, but you simply can not make this ‘Mech run a fever. Pour lighter fluid on it and use it as a beacon for your paras, it still runs cool as a cucumber. BV of 1,243 with a sticker price of 5,490,306.
Spider II—30 tons.
Another too fast ‘Mech, another XL engine. In case you haven’t noticed, I really don’t like those things. OK, then, the XL goes on, as well as Endo-Steel and double heat sinks (just the base 10). We don’t have the slots for FF, so 6.5 tons of standard will have to do. Since that is about double what the original had, it’s great! We replace both of those medium lasers in the center torso with medium pulse lasers—the pulse bonus will offset to some degree the jumping modifier this thing gets, and with 8-12-8 in movement, you shouldn’t have to worry about the 6 hex range on your big guns. Two more small pulse lasers are fitted one per arm for any infantry that decides to bother you. BV of 747 with a cost of 5,133,940.
Stalker II—85 tons.
This was a really difficult upgrade—it was a tight design in the first place. We could fit Endo-Steel, though, which was a great help. Next, we replaced the 20 standard heat sinks with 12 double. Unlike the Awesome, we couldn’t increase speed, but that’s OK—the Stalker has always been a plodding beast of burden on the battlefield. 15.5 tons of standard armor gives us more than any Stalker seen before, more even than the venerable BattleMaster. And we go to the guns. First off, CASE both torsos—cause this old fellow has more ammo than an Orion. Two LRM-10’s and two SRM-6’s form the core of the missile firepower. To all four launchers we add Artemis IV, along with two more tons of LRM ammo. That gives us 48 LRM salvos and 30 SRM salvos. Backing up the LRM’s are two Large Lasers—not Extended Range, but just plain jane large lasers. Why? Because of the heat—we just can’t put the ER in without overheating every time they fire. Five medium lasers form the next layer (the standard four in the arms and one more in the center torso). Finally, we added two small pulse lasers in the arms for anti-infantry work. But, there is indeed method in our madness. At ranges 10-21, we have the LRM launchers for 20 damage (max) and 8 heat. At 15 hexes, we add in the two Large—damage is now 36 (max) and 24 heat—just what we dissipate. Add in movement heat for another 1 or 2, but you can take a gun out of the circuit for a round to vent that extra. At 9 hexes and below, we have the SRM launchers and five medium lasers—49 damage (max) and 23 heat, plus 1 or 2 for movement. At 3 and below, add on the two small pulse for 4 more heat and 6 more damage. Despite its somber, plodding nature, the Stalker is very much a finesse machine—unlike designs like the Awesome and Atlas. DON’T EVER ALPHA STRIKE THIS MACHINE. That will put you at +27 to +29 heat in one round. Even with CASE, you don’t want six tons of ammo detonating inside your machine. CASE will keep you alive, but all you will have left are legs, head, and center torso. BAD IDEA. BV of 1,424 and a showroom floor cost of 9,276,825. This is another tight design without a single spare crit slot.
Stinger II—20 tons.
This is the bug that gets no attention. The Wasp and the Locust get all the fame, but meanwhile, the Stinger is out there doing its job and getting razzed by all the medium and heavy pilots. Assault pilots just ignore them—except when the Stingers tell them where the target is. And never a thank you, what’s a recon pilot got to do to get some respect around here, anyway? Endo-Steel begins this upgrade, as does a change to double heat sinks. Can’t find the space for Ferro, so we bump the armor to 4 tons and keep it standard. We keep the guns the same (medium laser and two machine-guns), but decrease ammo to half ton to add CASE. That’s it. Not a lot of upgrade, but Stinger pilots just want someone who realizes they are out there. Anyone, please, just send us a note every now and then. Guys? Guys? Anyone out there? . . . . . . Anyway, BV is dirt cheap at 387, with a sticker price of 1,787,640.
Thunderbolt II—65 tons.
The Thunderbolt—this is the trooper ‘Mech to end all trooper ‘Mechs. It’s got solid armor, decent speed, and a gun for every range. When you care to send the very best, send a lance of T-Bolts after them. The Royal upgrade for this fine machine begins with Endo-Steel (noticing a pattern here, peeps?) and replaces the 15 single heat sinks with 13 doubles. 13 tons of standard armor is just plain outstanding, so it stays (can’t afford the space for Ferro anyway). We CASE both torsos right off the bat—T-Bolts carry a LOT of ammo. Starting with the missile systems, we give Artemis IV to the LRM-15 launcher and convert the SRM-2 to a Streak SRM-2. The large laser becomes an ER model, while the triple medium lasers become pulse lasers. The machine guns we keep, but reduce the ammo by half (if 100 shots ain’t enough, then go home, just go home). You have to bracket fire this boat, but it ain’t too bad on the heat sinks—Alpha Strike and run will put you at +7. BV is 1,285 with a price tag of 6,399,636.
Trebuchet II—50 tons.
This ‘Mech was not very cooperative in the upgrade. It is seriously over-gunned with two LRM-15 racks on a 50 ton frame. However, I think you will like what I’ve managed to come up with. We start with Endo-Steel, and 9 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. Using the weight savings we add five jump jets. Double heat sinks replace the 10 standards.
Both the LRM-15’s are ripped out, but we keep all three of the medium lasers. A single LRM-20 launcher, with Artemis IV, three tons of ammo, and CASE replaces the twin LRM-15s. While damage is slightly less, it has much greater endurance, mobility, and protection than the original. The only way to keep the LRM-15s was to use an XL engine or use a LOT less armor (non Ferro-Fibrous at that). I choose this path to walk—you can choose your own. BV is 1,505 with a cost of 5,261,000.
UrbanMech II—30 tons.
Ah, the Urbie. This is the slowest ‘Mech in the game and it is a LIGHT ‘Mech. Yes, we all know the little ‘trashcan on legs’. Endo-Steel is where it is at—saves 1.5 tons, which on this ‘Mech is a lot. We give it double heat sinks as well, just to be nice—don’t need more than the standard 10, of course. No room for Ferro-Fibrous, but let’s replace that AC-10 with an LB-10X and two tons of ammo—saves another ton and adds three hexes of range. CASE is good as well. We will keep the small laser. Armor is ok at six tons of standard, close to max. We have two tons left over—what can we do with that? Well, bumping the engine up to a 90 rate costs us 1.5 tons, and another jump jet is 0.5 tons. Now we move at 3-5-3—and can keep up with our lance mates. If, that is, our lance mates are Stalkers and Atlases (and if they are, why the HECK do you need an Urbie to begin with?). BV is 625 for a price of 2,069,925.
Valkyrie II—30 tons.
Well, I’ve done unique Steiner and Kurita ‘Mechs, so might as well do a Davion one. The Royal Val starts with Endo-Steel and 10 double heat sinks, saving 2.5 tons of weight right from the start. Six tons of standard armor gives good protection for such a light machine. We will keep the medium laser and add CASE to the torso with the LRM ammo. Artemis IV seems a natural for the LRM-10, and we give it two tons of ammo as well. We’ve got just enough tonnage left to boost movement to 5-8-5, which will also eat another heat sink, sparing us a few crit slots (but still not enough for FF). BV is a solid 774 and a final cost of 2,639,520. Compare that with the Urbie just above—which would YOU rather have?
Victor II—80 tons.
My take on the Royal upgrade of the Victor does nothing to extend its range. No, on this ‘Mech—with the jump jets—I want my big boom-stick, even if I have to keep it at range 9 and below. Endo-Steel saves us four tons, and 11 double heat sinks get us another four. We add three more tons of standard armor—for 14.5 tons total—giving this assault a thick armored shell appropriate to a close combat ‘Mech. The AC-20 stays the same, with three tons of armo and CASE in both torsos. We rip out the SRM-4 and plug in two Streak SRM-2 launchers with a ton of ammo. Both the medium lasers get upgraded to medium pulse models, and for anti-infantry work we add a flamer. And we are done. BV is 1,491 with a showroom price of 8,632,021.
Vindicator II—45 tons.
I am doing this one just because I love the ‘Mech, and a great Royal it would make. For its weight, the Vindy is the one of the best troopers around. I know it was not available in the Star League era, so if you don’t like me doing it, then sue me. Just kidding, please don’t sue me. Endo-Steel and Ferro-Fibrous (8.5 tons) are standard issue on this machine. 11 double heat sinks replacing the 16 standard saving even more weight. We add CASE for the LRM-5 ammo to protect against ammo explosions. The PPC gets replaced with an Extended Range model, while both the small and medium lasers get pulse upgrades. We even add a flamer! With the tonnage left over, we increase the movement to 5-8-5. Now this trooper moves faster, shoots farther, and hits harder—but you gotta watch your heat. An alpha while jumping puts you at +9. BV is 1,142 for a sticker value of 4,466,145.
Vulcan II—40 tons.
The Vulcan is a ‘Mech that few like. Designed for one purpose only—anti-infantry work—by General Kerensky himself, the Great One seems to have forgotten about the Flea which does everything this ‘Mech can except jump. Oh well, even the Founder can make mistakes. We start with Endo-Steel and replace those single heat sinks with 10 doubles. On this model we can fit Ferro-Fibrous, so Mr. Spock ‘Mech gets 6 tons—a moderate amount, but more than on the original. We keep the machine gun, flamer, and medium laser, but reduce MG ammo by a half ton to add case. The AC-2 is replaced with an Ultra version. And we are done! BV is 741 for a cost of 3,845,800.
Warhammer II—70 tons.
For some reason, I always liked the ‘Hammer better than the Marauder. Maybe it just looked more like what a ‘Mech should be, maybe it was the secondary guns. But I want to give this one an extra-special Royal treatment. Endo-Steel is pretty much mandatory on this machine, as are the 16 double heat sinks. Armor is beefed up to 13.5 standard tons, which is just about heavy as this machine can carry. Both torsos carry CASE, we replace those twin PPCs with ER versions. We kept both medium lasers and machine guns (half-ton of ammo each), but replace the smalls with small pulses. The SRM-6 and ammo are exchanged for two Streak SRM-2 launchers and a ton of ammo. At range, you got enough heat sinks to fire both PPCs and run without worry. In close, you got everything else plus one PPC and run without worry. BV is 1,351 with a price tag of 6,896,334.
Wasp II—20 tons.
And here we have the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ‘Mech. All we need is a little house in the suburbs to go with it. Endo-Steel and 10 double heat sinks give us the basis of the upgrade. There ain’t enough crit slots for Ferro-Fibrous, so 3.5 tons of standard have to do. Leave the medium laser alone and replace that SRM-2 with a Streak version, with a ton of ammo and we are out of weight. Since we can’t fit in CASE, let’s put the ammo in the head—which supports the fluff of the cockpit being cramped. BV is 394 for a final cost of 1,789,920.
Whitworth II—40 tons.
The Whitworth, also known as the poor man’s Archer. Or was that the Dervish? I can’t remember. But as a low-end medium fire-support ‘Mech it really needed help. Endo-Steel starts us off, saving us some weight. Ten double heat sinks replace the standard ten; this doesn’t save weight, but does allow the Whitworth to actually move and fire. Seven tons of standard armor gives decent protection to a ‘Mech designed to stay back and shoot. Now, we got three tons left over. Leave the medium lasers alone and add Artemis IV to both LRM-10 launchers, along with one more ton of ammo. We can’t afford CASE, so we don’t mount it. BV is 975 for a price tag of 3,498,134.
Wolverine II—55 tons.
The last of the classic trio of 55-tonners, the Wolverine is a hard-hitting, mobile ‘Mech. To begin this Royal upgrade, we go with Endo-Steel and 10 tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. 10 double heat sinks replace the standard ones of the earlier model. We add CASE to both torsos for additional protection against ammo crits. The SRM-6 goes away and is replaced with two Streak SRM-2 launchers and a ton of ammo, while the medium laser becomes a pulse model. The AC-5 is replaced with an Ultra AC-5 with two tons of ammo. And BAM! We have the Royal Wolverine. BV is 1,228 for a sticker value of 5,467,056.
Zeus II—80 tons.
Last, but not least, we have the Zeus. This signature Lyran Assault is a mobile assault ‘Mech with decent firepower. But we can do better. Endo-Steel saves a little weight, which we apply to armor, winding up with 14.5 standard tons—the same as the BattleMaster. 13 double heat sinks replace the standards of the earlier model, giving us more dissipation and less weight. Both of the torsos gain CASE, while the arm mounted LRM-15 gains Artemis IV and a second ton of ammo. The other arm mounts an AC-5 which we upgrade to an Ultra model, and add a second ton of ammo there as well. The large laser tucked beneath the arm pit becomes an Extended Range model. The pair of medium lasers we leave alone. An alpha strike and run puts you at +1 in this ‘Mech. Much better. It’s good to be the King, baby. BV is 1,518 with a final price of 8,821,201.
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jymset
Scavenger
in pursuit of LosTech
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 956
Location: Germany
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| Posted: 14-Oct-2008 05:22 Post subject: Re: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Hi. Thanks for this! I'm just passing through and, once again, don't have a lot of time, so I'll just comment on the first post for now.
Archer II - I like it a lot. It concentrates on the strengths and creates no new weaknesses.
Assassin II - a most agreeable and non-brutal upgrade. It really does *feel* Star League!
Atlas II - I think you'd achieve the greatest merit by upgrading only those designs which haven't been upgraded before. As such, I cannot really rate the Atlas as we now have an official Atlas II.
Awesome II - while I am impressed at the route you've taken - 4/6 with a standard engine yet unchanged performance is great - I wouldn't mind some extra tweaking. I just can't get around to mismatched PPCs on this one. Maybe leave them all standard (heck, it is faster now so should be able to get to the bad guys quicker, anyways) and add token short-range protection for another couple of HS?
Banshee II - I love it, a lot. Have you entered that into the database above? It really makes most sense for the SL to go this route.... Though the Banshee never would've been a likely candidate....
Battlemaster II - once again, this 'Mech now already exists. Nevertheless, I really like what you've to offer - I always thought that the shoulder lasers of the Battlemaster should be more impressive.
Blackjack II - and here we part, I suggest scrapping that "upgrade". First of all: the Blackjack is my favourite 3025 'Mech. Ever, I kid you not. So I'm about to get defensive  Secondly: UAC2s did not exist in the time of the SL. And finally: it isn't even much of an upgrade, you may as well stick to the original. Sorry, didn't want to sound harsh here, but I gotta run!
Catapult II - nice upgrades. Yet unlike with the Archer, etc, I'm not sure this even warrants an upgrade. It wasn't produced a lot in the days of the SL.
| master arminas wrote: |
Centurion II—50 tons.
Here is a trooper ‘Mech that no one—other than Justin Allard—loves.
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 You, sir, have got to be kidding! I can't think of a lot of 'Mechs of that era that enjoy a similar level of respect and love as the Centurion. Yes, there is the jack-of-all-master-of-none syndrome going there, but it is just such a heck of a trooper! And within its limitations, it surely is beloved by the vast majority of players as an all-round reliable line 'Mech that is both relatively light and fairly cheap. Ask around - I doubt the Centurion will feature high on a virtual "revamp list" of 3025 designs.
Apart from that, the 55-ton Centurion out of RS:3060 is takes a similar approach to an upgrade as you do.
Charger II - funny, your upgrade is extremely similar to the 3050 upgrade, albeit with better protection. Meh, what works for Kurita probably would've worked for the SL, too.
_________________
"Rear armour is defeatist!" - unknown Kuritan Mechwarrior
The AC5 is a great gun!
On heat, 3025 style:
A Rifleman knows no heat.
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Oct-2008 08:59 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Jymset,
I feel your pain. DUH! I can't believe I forgot the Ultra AC-2 was not in 2750! Oops. And I LOVE the Centurion--it just seems it gets so ignored, even by the Houses that are fluffed as using it, let alone all of us. Thanks for the comments, and I hope that you enjoy!
Arminas tar Valantil
Grand Master of the Ebon Rose
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5624
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Oct-2008 12:10 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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i think the Centurion gets ignored because as it stands it is perfect just for its own sake. Sure it can be upgraded but if u do to much you loose the Soldier feel as evidenced by the 3050 upgrade. XL to move 6/9 is at least a smart use of XL but it changed the mechs profile.
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one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
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CO_17thRecon
Kell Hounds
Major
Joined: 10-Sep-2002 00:00
Posts: 1297
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Oct-2008 13:20 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Archer II: Looks good, I can't seem to improve on it without an XL. I'd like a jumping Archer, but it isn't easy to get. Besides, that's personal preference anyway. I'm into jumping 'Mechs a lot recently.
Assassin II: I like the structural changes, but my idea of an ASN-21b would use CASE in both torsos, keep the missile launchers the way they are for maximum versatility, and upgrade the medium laser to pulse. That only allows an extra half ton for armor, but the Assassin rarely needs it. Now you can use infernos or tear gas SRMs, as well as gear up the missiles for when a friendly Kintaro is handy. (I loves me some NARC.)
Atlas II: I may be in the minority here, but I like the canon AS7-D-H Atlas II. It's got great weapons! Full armor, plus LB-10X, 2 ERLLas, LRM20, SRM6 and 2 MPLAS. Hard to beat that. I even managed to make a jumping version without removing much. (Good for shock value if nothing else.)
Awesome II: I lurve it. Triple PPC brick o' doom. Simple, effective, and reasonably cheap.
Banshee II: Why, god, why? Yeah, I know you expected the yelling, so I doubt I'm hurting your confidence much. I prefer the 3S, straight up. In fact, I prefer the 3S to the 4S usually.
BattleMaster II: It's decent, and it keeps the feel of the design, but I prefer other variants. Nothing wrong with this one, it's just a personal taste thing I think.
Blackjack II: This 'Mech is fine as is. It's tough, and it's a wonderful trap. Annoy them with AC/2s, wait until they close, and then spring the REAL guns on'em.
Catapult II: I like it. A good 'independent' fire support 'Mech. It needs minimal cover from lancemates, and could operate as a duelist even.
Centurion II: Too slow. I prefer a faster medium machine, or at least one that jumps. That being said, I can't argue with the quality of the weapon updates. It would fit in heavy lances or assault lances, but might hold back the faster mediums and lights. Good fire support though.
Charger II: I like it okay, but they already have the Spartan for the assault 'Mechs who want to pretend to be mediums. Still, I can't real fault with it. It's just a personal taste thing again.
Cicada II: It's good, but my prefered CDA-2Ab Cicada uses different weapon options. I shove an ERLLas into the torso, and pack paired arm mounted machine guns with a half ton of ammo. It mounts maximum armor and jump jets too. The MGs give it better options during the crumbling of the SL, letting it use rubber bullets to disperse a crowd. Can't do that with SPLas. (At least, not that I know of.)
Clint II: I prefer PPC armed variants, but nothing really wrong with this one.
Commando II: It's unlikely that this design would have existed, given the great pains the LC took to keep this design to themselves. Apart from that, the Streaks remove some versaility, meaning you can't use Infernos. Ammo conservation was never a Commando's priority anyway.
Crusader II: I prefer the CRD-3Rb Crusader myself. Less loss of long range damage potential. This machine is still quite good though.
Cyclops II: This is a very good commander's 'Mech, but I still prefer the idea of the Cyclops as a close assault vehicle. My idea for a CP-10-Zb Cyclops would be leaving the weapons the same, replacing the heatsinks with 10 doubles, adding endo steel, and then playing with the defense. Move the ammo around a bit, and install CASE in both torsos for maximum survivability. (Use the AC ammo under the LRM launcher first, in case that torso bites it first. If it does, you'd still have your AC/20 and five shots.) The rest of the weight goes into armor. Boom. Close assault vehicle. Something other assault 'Mechs don't want near them. It could manhandle even the 'dreaded' Banshee with ease.
Dervish II: It's good. Dervish upgrades are legion, and all of them good really. The Dervish is just one of those 'Mechs that's very nice all around. Which isn't to knock your idea, of course. Just sayin'.
Dragon II: The SL wasn't interested in this design when offered it, so I doubt this one would have come about. Still, it's a great Kurita 'Mech idea, so I do love the build.
Falcon II: It's...a cross between a Stinger and a P. Hawk. It just doesn't stand out. My idea is a stretch of resources, but realy turns the Falcon into what it was designed for (and kinda failed at): a pursuit 'Mech for destroying scouts and wounded machines. The FLC-4Nb Falcon: First off, we bump the speed to 7/11/7 and use an XL, laugh if you want. The machine needs this speed, and even then, some scouts can outrun it easy. It mounts 6 tons of standard armor, enough to take a gauss to the center without breach, and a PPC anywhere else. For heat, it carries 10 freezers. The weaponry, plus the speed, is where the Falcon shines. It carries a snub-nosed PPC, a weapon just coming into the SL before the fall, and two medium and one small laser. The PPC goes in the right arm, the lasers in the side torsos, and the small on the left arm.
Firefly II: A good brawler to be sure. But I always saw the Firefly as a heavy scout. It can fight, sure, but mainly, it's designed to find stuff and send back data. I drop the armor by a half ton, and increase the jump range to 150 meters. Add endo steel for extra weight, and the overhaul the weapons. All weapons but the medium lasers are dropped. Added in is a NARC beacon launcher where the LRM5 used to be with 2 tons of ammo (but no CASE, so don't tarry long under fire). Also added is a Beagle Active Probe. 10 freezers complete the deal. It's a little slow, but the FFL-2Ab Firefly is a great spotter, and is very cheap. Still strong in a stand up fight, too. That said, try to avoid a stand up fight. Scan'em, NARC'em, retreat. And you could always drop a ton of ammo for CASE and more armor for a more 'tough' version. You just gotta be conservative with the NARC shots in that case.
Firestarter II: I miss the rear mounted flamer, but it's a good design.
Flea II: Good stuff. Not much to say...maybe remove the flamer and play with trying to add jumps jets for the city work?
Goliath II: It's a much better machine now. I still prefer some of the Phoenix variant Goliaths, but this one isn't bad at all.
Grasshopper II: I don't like the additional weapons, they make it feel less like a Grasshopper. Also, the GRH was essentially a house machine, while the Guillotine took up the banner for the SL. Very similar 'MEchs in either case.
Griffin II: Good, very good. As an added bonus, the PPC no longer has a mimum range, enabling the Griffin to hold up better in close assaults.
Hoplite II: It's a Centurion clone, or is the Centurion a Hoplite clone? Hard to tell. Either way, slow for its size still, but a fitting upgrade.
Hornet II: Beautiful. I like it very much. Beats the snark out of a Thorn.
Hunchback II: Not bad. My version of the HBK-1 Hunchback is more of a bad terrain brawler. 10 doubles and ferro fibrous armor give us some weight to play with. Max the armor, add jump jets. With remaining weight, add CASE and another ton of ammo for the cannon. Boom. Just over 4 mill, so more expensive, but the additional movement in cities and forests offsets it I think.
JagerMech II: It looks cool, and I like the name, but JagerMech is a 'Mech that never manages to make itself useful. Good fire support, but still a lightweight when challenged directly.
Javeling II: Good ammo conversation, but now you can't use infernoes. It's cheap though, and cheap over time due to the ammo conservation. A very price conscious 'Mech.
Jenner II: Meh. I could make a lot of comments here, but you could guess my opinion, so I'll move right along.
Locust II: I like it. Simple and effective. Not much else to say, so moving on.
Marauder II: I prefer the MAD-2R Marauder. But this one is a fine machine in any respect.
Orion II: It works. I have no direct problem with it. But I find your lack of NARC capable 'Mechs (both for using missiles and for NARCing people) a bit disappointing.
Ostroc II: Decent upgrade. Always wondered quietly to myself though why the Ostroc was fluffed as an urban fighter, but didn't carry jump jets.
Ostscout II: Electronics marvel. Good scout, nothing more to say.
Ostsol II: A beautiful machine. I really love the redone artwork, ESPECIALLY for the Ostsol. The olympic runner look suits it.
Panther II: Actually, this was a SL design before Kurita got it. It's just that the factory ended up in Kurita space. I like this machine though. It finally fits the fluff as an urban fighter.
P. Hawk II: I don't like moving the MPLas to the center torso, but other that that, it's good.
Quickdraw II: A decent upgrade. However, the Quickdraw has never been a favorite design of mine, and likely never will be.
Rifleman II: I like this particular variant. Keeps the feel of a Rifleman, and it's purpose, but makes it a much better overall machine. It doesn't have the same firepower as before, but that might help it. Rifleman 'Mechs don't last long in my games, becoming a quick target because the high firepower and low armor.
Scorpion II: A good variant. I find little to complain about.
Shadow Hawk II: A decent upgrade that will help the machine dish out more damage. Nothing to complain about, especially with the meek price tag.
Spider II: Throw in the ability to eject from the thing due to a redesigned head, and I'm sold.
Stalker II: Good, very good. Nothing more to say, moving on.
Stinger II: A good upgrade, but I prefer the Wasp. Stinger is just a Wasp knock off anyway.
Thunderbolt II: Another good design, no faults. Moving on.
Trebuchet II: S'okay. Not a 'Mech I'm a fan of anyway, sadly.
Urbanmech II: Perfect. A slight movement upgrade, but keeps the feel of the machine. Kudos.
Valkyrie II: Again, this machine was designed for the SL, but ended up being Davion. Good machine, but I prefer another Medium or some ammo instead of the FCS. There's got to be a NARC carrying scout or medium around somewhere, right?
Vindicator II: Didn't exist back then. However, the design is GREAT. And something the CC should really consider using these days.
Vulcan II: I prefer to replace the AC/2 with something else. The AC/2 just never really worked on this design. For the VL-2Tb, add endo and ferro, max the armor, and replace the heatsinks with doubles. Down the MG ammo by a half ton, and add CASE. Replace the AC/2 with a snub-nosed PPC. And done. It works, but I prefer the Wyvern. For an urban machine, the Vulcan is over engined.
Warhammer II: I prefer the WHM-6Rb that's cannon. Less armor, less range, less efficency, but it simply cannot overheat. With a Hammer, that's deadly.
Wasp II: Not bad. My prefered idea is the WSP-1B. It leaves the heatsinks, but adds endo and ferro. This gives us a slight upgrade to the armor. The SRM remains the same, but the laser is upgraded to pulse tech. Fragile, but very effective.
whitworth II: A worthy upgrade. Can't say much more on it though, as the Whitwoth is again, not one of my favorite machines. (It works fine, I just don't like it for some reason I can't put my finger on.)
Wolverine II: This is VERY close the actual WVR-7H Wolverine II variant published. I guess most everyone knows the right way to treat a Wolverine.  That being said, I prefer leaving the SRM-6 alone. My idea of a WVR-7Hb would be 9 tons of ferro, endo steel structure, 10 double heatsinks. UAC/5 with 2 tons of ammo, SRM-6 with one ton, dual CASE systems, and a pair of medium lasers, one pulse, in the head, and one standard, added to the center torso to keep the left arm free for punching. No crits or tons left over.
Zeus II: Decent machine, the Lyrans would enjoy it. I don't think it existed back in the SL's day, though I'm fuzzy on the exact timeline.
Whew...that's a lot of stuff there. Overall, the variants are a mixed bag as to whether I like them. They are all definately good upgrades though. Only the Banshee really has me scratching my head, but you did try to remain true to the idea. Only glitch is that the Banshee was something of a flawed idea.
I applaud your effort, sir, even when I don't necessarily agree with your changes. Bravo.
_________________
Jarylan Blackwell
"What the...?! Where did you get THAT?!"
"Creative aquisition."
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 17-Oct-2008 15:33 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Thank you, sir. I do try at times to do an ok job.  I really should get TRO: 3075, cause I haven't seen ANY of the 'official' Royal 'Mechs. I will take your comments--and others--to heart, but thanks for the review!
Arminas tar Valantil
Grand Master of the Ebon Rose
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mud
Draconis Combine
Tai-sho
Joined: 23-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 1618
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| Posted: 29-Nov-2008 09:30 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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you should take a look at my 17 series...they're in the technical readout section of this site. What you're doing looks similar to what I did, taking old 3025 'mechs and upgrading them with a minimalist approach.
Of course, I avoided double heat sinks wherever I could, but that's because I'm a sadist ; )
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"The enemy's gate is down."
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Sir Henry
Team Bansai
Senior Tech Specialist
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 4899
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Dec-2008 11:44 Post subject: Re: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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| mud wrote: | you should take a look at my 17 series...they're in the technical readout section of this site. What you're doing looks similar to what I did, taking old 3025 'mechs and upgrading them with a minimalist approach.
Of course, I avoided double heat sinks wherever I could, but that's because I'm a sadist ; ) |
No your not mud, You just like to cook food inside your cockpit...
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Sir Henry
A Dragon in the disguise of a bunny, is still a Dragon.
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 01-Dec-2008 14:31 Post subject: Re: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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If you don't use DHSs then you are no sadist... you are a masochist
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The dragon NEVER sleeps!
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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: 01-Dec-2008 23:10 Post subject: Re: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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| Sleeping Dragon wrote: | | If you don't use DHSs then you are no sadist... you are a masochist |
No, he was right. Sadist. He isn't sitting in that cockpit... he's just building it
So he's a sadist for making anyone who USES the design sit in the damn thing!
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Colonel Ralgith t'Mayasara
Blighted Sun Battalion
1st Company 'Ralgith's Renegades'
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 02-Dec-2008 11:27 Post subject: Re: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Oh, so I'm alone here, who drives his own creation (with a few exceptions).
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The dragon NEVER sleeps!
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Knightrunner
Clan Snow Raven
Star Commander
Joined: 20-Jul-2005 00:00
Posts: 123
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| Posted: 23-Dec-2008 00:33 Post subject: Royal Mechs--What They Should Have Been |
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Good job, a lot of work and thought went into these! Most of them are solid upgrades, and keep the feel of the originals. However, I can't say as I care for altering weapons locations (especially arm-mounted weapons on an Ost-series? Sacrilige!). To me, the weapons'locations are as much a part of the mech's feel as the actual weapons type (to a pilot trained on the oriiginal models, the differences could also be distracting).
There are, of course a couple of unhappy 3050-style upgrades that I would personally have done quite differently.
Crusader- The LRM-15's are the highlight of the mech! They can't be downgraded, but some more ammo is in order. Endo-steel saves enough to double the LRM ammo and add CASE to each Torso. DHS's prevent the other major problem in this design- overheating. There's even enough space for FF armor if you drop the MG's, but I would keep the original weaponry.
Dervish- You kept the 2 tons of SRM ammo? And downgraded to LRM's? I actually always thought that this was an OK design as is, but Atremis, CASE, FF, and DHS would definitely make it a bit better.
Hunchback- With an ES structure, FF armor, CASE and an extra ton of AC ammo the speed can be upped to 5/8 (no XL) without changing the weaponry at all. This would be a major improvement for the design, whearas MPL's are a minor upgrade over ML's, at best.
Jenner- I know that you've already apologized for this, but . . .dropping the speed of the Jenner? With ES, FF, and DHS you can add CASE and full jump and still get some more armor. Or keep the same movement profile and finally have a well-armored, cool-running Jenner. Unfortunately, this may encourage some unwise pilots to stay and duke it out rather than make the high-speed passes the original design demanded.
Ostscout- My first mech during the course of a long campaign was eventually modified to mount full armor, a BAP, Guardian ECM, TAG, and 2 MPL's in the center torso (I just can't picture it with arm-mounted weapons!). It would have been expensive to build from scratch, but their survival rate would be very high despite the XL.
Rifleman- I can't call anything a Rifleman that doesn't have two matched pairs of fairly large weapons in the arms. With ES the cannons can be upgraded to Ultra and another ton of ammo added. It'll still go pretty fast, so CASE is not much of an issue. DHS can prevent heat problems, or if your Rifleman pilot is skilled at dealing with heat, the lasers can be upgraded to ER and it will still run cooler than the original. FF armor can improve the protection somewhat, but not so much that pilots forget they are driving a standoff support mech.
Still,
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