’Mech of the Week: HEP-*H Helepolis
A product of the Terran Hegemony’s ability to concentrate on specialized BattleMech designs, as well as the culmination of a shift from offensive strategic thinking to a more defensive bent, the
Helepolis was the first BattleMech to mount an artillery piece. Named in an obscure reference to an ancient siege engine.
Though I seem to remember that name being that the Greeks gave to a city in Egypt (Luxor I believe). Meaning “City of the Sun”.
The original HEP-1H
Helepolis was unveiled in 2460 to much skepticism from artillerymen, MechWarriors, and analysts who felt that trying to use a BattleMech for artillery duties was a waste of funds when perfectly good vehicles could do that job. And in the beginning, they may have had a point. While I realize my notions might be skewed by more “modern” notions, the 180-rated primitive engine gives the design a top speed similar to the later
Annihilator. And based on my experience, slow and steady just means an aerospace fighter (or ten) are going to strike you in the rear.
Yes, the gamemaster can be a bastard at times…
On the positive side, the design does have 94% of maximum protection. This allows the design to withstand two PPC blasts to any front location (save the head), and three to the chest and legs. All rear locations can take one blast (though if someone is behind you, you are already doomed). Eleven single heat sinks provide some dissipation. Weapons systems are based around a massive Armstrong Sniper, capable of firing a full 18 map sheets down range. Two tons of ammo allow for some variation. A large laser allows for some combat closer in, with a medium laser and 6-pack SRM for back-up. One ton of SRM ammo is allocated for the launcher.
The Hegemony’s decision to use the design to guard key locations in fixed lances makes some sense. Sort of like putting hordes of
UrbanMechs in cities to make your enemies curse you to their dying breaths. (Frankly putting those two ideas together might make your opponents literally kill you.)
By 2488, modern materials had entered the scene, and the
Helepolis was upgraded to the HEP-2H model. The engine became a 225-rated VOX engine, allowing the design to keep up with the
Mackies rumbling about. The heat sinks were upgraded to doubles, and one removed. The ammunition was CASEd, and a 10-rack LRM was installed in the left torso. Some armor was shaved off while being upgraded, mostly to the legs. Then, in 2625, the HEP-3H designation appeared with the replacement of the large laser with an extended version.
The Succession Wars were not kind to the
Helepolis as they fell in battles where they were used in ways not suitable. However, the surviving members of VEST recently resurrected the design in a production facility scraped together on Solaris in the ashes of the Blakist campaign there. The major changes are the use of an endo-steel skeleton and a 300-rated light fusion engine to boost the speed to that of a
Black Knight. Weight constraints forced the splitting of the 10-rack LRM for twin 5-racks.
Frankly, my only wonder is why the Capellans with their love of all things artillery haven’t made their own variant of this design yet.
Using one of these machines requires two main considerations. One is terrain. The other is what friends you are bringing to the battlefield. In open field conditions, these machines are poor, except as support. In more constrained, or built-up positions, these machines can shine. Try to keep yourself from being exposed, watch for aircraft (though a good flak shot might make them wish they hadn’t picked on you), and keep mobile if you feel the need. While there is a line in both the TRO, and the Primitive XTRO about having to come to a full stop before firing the Sniper, I haven’t been able to find this in the rules. (And if it is there, is it for all artillery? Might need to change how we use those Arrow-toting
Catapults.) Of course, movement also means you won’t be able to retain any places you do land a shell. Do note, if your opponent brings his own artillery, shooting that first is always a good idea.
As for friends, bring things that will make your foe weep, or have to choose. While the
UrbanMech may not inspire much fear, putting a few lances will. Or perhaps an
Annihilator or two.
Hunchbacks would also be nice, at least for when your opponent closes. And if you want to make him face a Catch-22, throw a
Pillager in. Or my friend’s new favorite, the
Thunder Hawk. If vehicles are more your flavor, Partisans, Demolishers, and the occasional Alacorn will make fine companions.
Fighting one is simple on paper: get in close and remove the threat. In practice, most opponents do assign bodyguards. Which is why you bring your own big guns. Like a few
Catapults. Or maybe an
O-Bakemono. If you’re Clan, the
Naga fits too. Though if you are Clan, the
Huitzilopochtli works just as well (and fits more into doctrine). Remember, counter-battery fire is your friend (until he does it to you). Or is it the warrior’s Golden Rule? Do to him before he can do it to you?
Inner Sphere vehicles to use start with the Long Tom, even though that will be the first target he shoots at (light armor, and really big gun). Throw in a Marksman, or a Thor. Maybe a Schiltron.
Aside from like-to-like, bring lots of BattleMechs that have the ability to shoot far and accurate. With the above Clan view, a
Turkina B works. Just target the left torso and hope for fireworks.
And before I forget, spread out. Artillery hurts less if you aren’t bunched up. There is also the close-in and shoot him in the face method, but I would usually reserve that for only the most desperate situations, if his bodyguards are of any use.
Frankly, when dealing with artillery designs, this is one of the few times I’d consider sacrificing an aerospace fighter or two to kick ’em in the teeth. Especially if it’s my favorite bird, the
Eisensturm A. Heavy Gausses tend to knock the life out of one’s opponents.
