The original date of the posting was Sept. 22, 2008. Once I figure out how to post the rest of the old thread I'll do so.
For my first MotW article, I'll be covering one of the new-old 'Mechs, the Kyudo. Let me start by giving thanks to David McCulloch (a.k.a MacAttack), the Kyudo's creator, for answering questions on the 'Mech's background.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
While added to canon just this year (2008), the Kyudo is now one of the oldest 'Mechs in canon, developed by the Terran Hegemony in the same era as the Mackie. It was manufactured by Martinson Armaments, a company based in (IIRC) Australia, who would later produce the Spartan and (later still, under Blakist auspices) the Initiate, Lightray, several of the Celestial Omnimechs, and the "Oppie". The name is Japanese for "way of the bow", a reference to archery in general (just as kendo is "way of the sword").
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Why the Japanese name then? Perhaps the 'Mech's lead designer was Japanese-Australian? Then again, the Hegemony would later bring us the Kimagure ("capricious") Warship, which appears never to have been used by the Combine, though its design fits them to a "T". It's also worth pointing out that all the obvious archery-associated English names--Archer, Bowman, Yeoman--were already taken by other canon designs. ;) ]
The original model, the KY2-D-01, debuted in 2443, four years after the Mackie. The fluff in TR:3075 describes it as being a primitive-tech 'Mech, with a smaller engine and inefficient musculature yielding a top speed of only 64 kph (4/6 movement curve), ten tons of primitive armour (lower BAR rating than standard 'Mech armour?), and single heat sinks. Its weapons were apparently a standard large laser and LRM-10. Its primary mission seems to have been to support the slower and somewhat short-ranged Mackie, with the LRMs giving some extra reach over the original Mackie's PPC and AC/10. The Mackie seems to have been such a top-secret project that Martinson had only limited access to the blueprints, which meant that they had to design most of the 'Mech's systems themselves, undoubtedly delaying production.
The Kyudo's history is checkered, bordering on a litany of insults. While other first-generation 'Mech designs--even the granddaddy of them all, the Mackie--received technology upgrades that kept them fighting into at least the early 2500s, the Kyudo was passed over and relegated to second-echelon status in the Hegemony Armed Forces (in planetary militias), but some would remain in limited service long enough to see action during the Reunification War, when the nascent SLDF needed every last 'Mech it could field. With new technologies debuting during the "good years" of the Star League era, the Kyudo was given a badly needed overhaul, and in 2625 Martinson introduced the KY2-D-02. While the new version of the 'Mech featured increased range, missile accuracy and salvo size, armour protection, heat dissipation, and ground speed, it was a tough sell in an era of military purchasing cutbacks (though apparently not R&D), and what units were purchased by the SLDF fell victim to the Pax Camerona; they wouldn't see real action until over a hundred years later.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: The fluff doesn't say whether they were deployed with Royal or Regular commands, but MacAttack has stated it was a Royal machine.]
The upgraded Kyudo would again be passed over during Jonathan Cameron's rearmament program of the late 2600s and early 2700s in favour of newer designs that filled the same combat niche (and I think I know which ones--I'll touch on that below); besides, we know Johnny C was really more fond of big "Star Wars" type projects. So, the Kyudo-02 would finally see action in 2729 during Operation Smother, the Star League's intervention in the War of Davion Succession, on the verge of being won by the Draconis Combine. Deployed to save the Federated Suns' bacon separate the combatants from each other, SLDF Kyudo pilots soon found themselves facing Kurita opposite numbers such as Phoenix Hawks and Wolverines (the -K variants of these 'Mechs?). The superior technology of the SLDF compensated somewhat for the better skill of the Combine Mechwarriors, so the encounters were "inconclusive", but the Kyudos don't seem to have distinguished themselves.
Here begins a something of an obscure chapter in the Kyudo's history. We're not told specifically what happened to the design during the late Star League era and the fall of the League. Given that the Kyudo was deployed with the Royal units, it's quite possible that most surviving examples of the design made the Exodus with Kerensky, with some ending up in those Hegemony militias that fielded other Royal-calibre designs. If any did remain in the Inner Sphere, they didn't survive the first two Succession Wars. What we do know for sure is that the plans for the design survived in the Hegemony's memory cores, waiting to be found. With the finding and distribution of the New Dallas core against the desperate backdrop of the Jihad, the Kyudo has a renewed lease on life. A new version is being built and fielded by the armed forces of the (once again independent) Duchy of Andurien, produced at an upgraded maintenance facility on Lopez.
CAPABILITIES
Since we don't have full rules for primitive-tech units yet, I'll cover the abilities of the later variants, the -02 and -03 in fuller detail.
At 45 tons, the Kyudo is in the same weight class as the Phoenix Hawk, Wyvern, Blackjack, and Vindicator. The -02 model, first produced in 2625, is a Star League-era design, and it actually uses quite a bit of advanced tech, more than many of the "Regular" SLDF 'Mechs in TR:2750 (probably explaining why it went to the Royals). The 'Mech's strength starts at the core, with an endo steel frame and eight tons of ferro-fibrous armour, leaving it about a half-ton shy of maximum protection for its weight. Its weapons consist of an Artemis IV-enhanced LRM-20 in the left arm (up from a 10-rack on the -01) and an ER large laser in the right (up from the original's standard model). Two tons of Artemis-capable LRM ammo are sheathed in CASE. The 'Mech is further equipped with 10 double heat sinks, allowing it to run and fire both weapons with impunity until it takes an engine hit or runs out of ammo; the -01 had 12 singles and would have overheated from movement on an alpha strike. The Kyudo is powered by a 225-rated standard engine, for a 5/8 movement profile. Combined with the CASE, this means the Kyudo can survive an ammo explosion, and the pilot (if still conscious) can make a fighting retreat with the ER large laser.
The -03 model now being produced by Andurien has the high-tech frame--somewhat surprising given the makeshift origins of its production site--and also features advanced weapons. The LRM-20 has now been replaced by two MML-7s, each enhanced with Artemis but in different locations. One is in the older model's left-arm mount, but the second has been placed in the right torso. However, only two tons of MML-7 ammo (each split between LRM/SRM, as on the Titan II?) feed these launchers.
As a final note, the Kyudo is supposed to have a leg and foot actuator design that gives it an advantage when moving over soft terrain, but also makes it more vulnerable to leg attacks. "Soft" terrain here apparently means sand and mud. If it strikes your fancy, you can house-rule this ability by, say, allowing a -1 bonus to PSRs in the appropriate terrain type(s), but also a -1 bonus to infantry leg attacks against the design. If you're a particularly cruel GM, you can also have it roll for a crit any time it's kicked, even if the armour's not breached.
USAGE
If you have Kyudos, how should you use them?
Everything about the -02 version screams "rapid-response fire support." The 5/8 movement profile and exclusively ranged weapons make the Kyudo best suited to fighting on the move, at range. A lance of these 'Mechs can rush to relieve beleaguered friendlies, pouring on the pain from range. Another option is to use that ground speed to dash from one cover point to another, though it's best to keep line-of-sight to a target at most times. Kyudos are clearly best suited for direct-fire engagements; in a pinch, they *can* do indirect fire, though that's a waste of the Artemis-guided ammo. In the old days, that speed profile would give slightly more grief to opponents who were used to shooting back at, say, Archers, though that has changed on the post-Clan battlefield, and Artemis IV isn't as much of an advantage as it was during the Star League era.
The -03 is more of an all-round fighter. The swap of the LRM-20 for MML-7s actually degrades its effectiveness in the fire support role, since there are fewer LRMs to fling downrange. However, whereas the -02 would be in trouble once an opponent closed to within 5 or fewer hexes (assuming no hot-loading), the MMLs mean the -03 now has 14 Artemis-guided SRMs to throw at an enemy that gets too close. The Kyudo-03 is now somewhat useful in close-combat situations, though that violates the spirit of the original design. It now has the option of trying to wear down its opponent with LRM flights and laser fire first, then close and hose with SRM ammo. AMS and ECM are highly recommended when facing a Kyudo-03.
What's the best way to make life miserable for a Kyudo? If you're facing the -01 or -02 models, they're ill-equipped for close-range fights. Unless you've got Clan tech and the gunnery skills to go with it, don't try to fight them in open terrain, for that is where they shine. If you have to face them here, you want fast 'Mechs or hovercraft toting SRMs, pulse lasers, or better yet, AC/20s (Saladin! Blitzkrieg!). (The Regulator would also be a pain in the ass). Try to draw them into terrain that plays against their strengths, like woods, and spring an ambush. With no short-range weapons, ECM or AMS of their own, or machine guns, they're very vulnerable to infantry/battle armour attacks, SRM carriers, and Hetzers. The -03, with its ability to fire SRM ammo, has more options when fighting back against such opposition.
Now, let's look at some of the Kyudo's contemporaries and rivals, and try to understand why the 'Mech seems to have had such a lacklustre career. The closest rivals in the Kyudo's own weight range that fill the same rapid-response support niche are the Griffin and Dervish, and even the 3025 versions certainly do it better than the primitive-tech -01 model. Even compared to the -02, both those designs highlight the Kyudo's single biggest flaw--lack of jumping ability. The Griffin in particular may have a smaller LRM rack, but it has the mobility advantage and its PPC is a bit more threatening than the Kyudo's ER large laser. The Dervish also has the mobility advantage and, while its LRMs may lack Artemis-enhanced accuracy, it's more tactically flexible than the Kyudo, since it can provide both direct and indirect fire equally well. Among the SLDF, the 'Mechs that probably did the Kyudo in are the Bombardier--same speed, heavier armour, and fluff ability to fire diverse missile types--and especially the Excalibur. The thought of mating an Artemis-guided LRM-20 with the stopping power of a Gauss Rifle, on a platform with the same ground speed as a Kyudo, must've seemed irresistible to the SLDF's procurement officers. The Kyudo just seemed anemic by comparison. Now, some people will point out that the Kyudo actually has more armour and is more durable than the EXC-B2 model--yes, that's true, but we now know that the Royal divisions had the improved -B2b version, which also had better armour protection. While it's also true that the same money that buys a single Excalibur could probably buy at least two Kyudos, in a universe where you can only build as many Kyudos as Excaliburs, the heavier, harder-hitting 'Mech gets the nod. The two would make good lancemates, since they have the same movement profiles and would be deployed in similar tactical situations. There is one other SLDF 'Mech with which the Kyudo invites a comparison--the Wyvern. It has slower ground speed than the -02, but again, it has jump jets, and a more complete weapons package to make it an all-range fighter. It's not hard to picture the Wyvern being a replacement for the Kyudo-01, though it couldn't fill the rapid-response role of the later models.
WORKSHOP
Being currently bereft of any 'Mech design software, I'll have to ask others to contribute the HMP files.
The single biggest hole for the Kyudo is the lack of a proper Level 1 tech version--something that wouldn't look out of place on a 3025 battlefield, and that I found really quite surprising, as this was one of the Hegemony's first 'Mechs. Keeping the LRM-10 and large laser, what can we do for ground speed and armour? Is a 5/8 movement profile still possible? Can the chassis mount at least as much armour as a Phoenix Hawk? Do standard-tech components free up enough weight to get a SRM-4 and one ton of ammo in the right torso, for something with a bit of the -03 model's all-range flavour?
Since the -02 model uses the endo/ferro combo (which takes up 28 crits) there probably isn't enough space for jump jets. If there is, though, drop the LRM launcher to a 15-rack, which will give you three tons. 2.5 of that can go to jump jets, with the remaining half-ton to armour. You now have a pocket Griffin with a wider field of fire. That same structural restriction probably means the design can't be WoBbified with C3i instead of jump jets, but if it can, then that's another good mod for it--but it's not the Wobbies who've resurrected the design. The -02 and -03 models *would* fit in well with a WoB Protectorate Militia unit, though.
Well, there we have the Kyudo. Used wisely, it can be quite effective in a certain role, but there are other, more common 'Mechs out there that have more flexibility for the same job--though the most recent version of the 'Mech has a broadened tactical palette. Hope you all enjoyed reading the article; further thoughts and comments are appreciated.
cheers,
Gabe
