SD1-O Sunder. A 1st Generation Omni with a later life missile addiction.BackgroundThe Sunderererre..Sunderii (early in the morning! Sorry..had to!) ahem..Sunder is part of the family of First Generation Inner Sphere Omni-Mech’s that spawned the Raptor, Strider, Avatar and Blackhawk Ku. Based in part on salvaged Clan machines the Sunder can trace its design ancestry to examinations of the Summoner and Hellbringer, specifically the legs layout and actuators as well as studies of the Clan machine’s missile launch systems. Whilst utterly unable to replicate the Clan machines the desigers do seem to have been influenced by the Hellbringer’s ecletic weapons mixes in some of the configs as well as giving the Mech a fetish for either LOTS of missiles or LOTS of small missile launchers.
With its original Clan inspired background the LAW designers did seem to actually want to use the leg assembly of the Summoner/Hellbringer’s in the initial prototypes the first batch of Sunders suffered from repeated and catastrophic knee, ankle and hip actuator failures due to the additional weight of the Mech’s they were supporting. Due to the actuators being forced to take 20 – 25 tonnes more than they were meant they wore out alarmingly fast and due to the acute and sometimes catastrophic actuator failure production was initially halted whilst the designers worked on the problem. A ‘quick fix’ was impossible and the entire leg and hip assembly had to be re-designed and rebuilt before the Mech could enter service making it also the last of the 1st Generation Inner Sphere Omni’s to enter service.
Massing in at 90 tonnes the Sunder is a beefy machine and its for the time a rarity at its weight, there were not that many 90 tonners in service with the Inner Sphere and whilst it was one of the first new Omni-Mech’s the Sunder’s quite low tech. Save its 360 rated XL engine there is no other advanced technology oh apart from double strength heatsinks of which 15 are fitted to the Sunder as standard, all but one stored in its engine.
The beefy 360 XL engine can propel the Sunder at a respectable 64kph 4/6 in game terms and jump jets do feature at some point in the large number of configs. Protection wise the Sunder boasts sixteen and a half tonnes of standard plate protection giving it a very thick hide. The chest can take a pair of AC-20 rounds and still have a layer of Teflon thin protection, the side torso’s can withstand an AC-20 and a large laser hit before going internal, whilst the arms can take a pair of gauss slugs. The legs round this out with being able to withstand a pair of gauss slugs and a small laser before being breached.
Designed and built by Luthien Armour Works the Sunder does seem to have been exported in limited numbers but its mainly the property of the DCMS who appreciate its roomy chassis and 36 tonnes of pod space. Sadly during the Jihad the factory on Luthien that produced the Sunder was destroyed by the Blakists and Black Dragon Society during the back and forth fighting that raged across the planet. This line as far as I am aware was not rebuilt or relocated to another world meaning that the Sunder is slowly dying out as losses are no longer being replaced by new built machines.
Variants (yes yes..the Nato phonetic alphabet rides again…I have no shame)
Prime – A fairly low tech machine the Prime to me is a proof of concept weapons fit, why risk anything new on the new machine, go with what you know, don’t over tax the computer systems and fit weapons we KNOW are going to work. This proof of concept really did work and whilst the Prime’s armament is fairly simple it gives the Mech a fairly heavy and consistent punch even if the weapons would not look out of place on a 3025 design. The Mech’s main long range punch is a pair of classic large lasers mounted in the right arm. The left arm is filled with the imposing bulk of a short barreled AC-20 (possibly from Atlases upgraded to the K?) and this heavy cannon is fed by two tonnes of ammunition stored in the left and right torso.
For short range weapons the Sunder Prime relies on a pair of Medium lasers, one in each side torso as well as a trio of SRM-4’s, two mounted in the chest and one in the head and this trio of launchers draws from two tonnes of ammo which is more than enough for most battles and allows for the loading of specialist ammo as well. Simple but effective and because of the low tech weapons this variant is also dirt cheap in BV terms.
Alfa – Designed seemingly as a high tech upgrade of the Prime the Alfa is kind of ‘the same but more’ with a greater emphasis on long ranged combat than the mid to short range brawling of the Prime. Replacing the dual large lasers in the right arm is an ER PPC whilst the AC-20 is removed and replaced with a Gauss Rifle and its two tonnes of ammo. The standard Medium lasers are gone as well, instead they are upgraded to medium pulse lasers to help defend the Mech against fast movers, whilst the trio of SRM-4’s are also gone and instead replaced by a trio of LRM-5’s and two tonnes of ammo. Whilst having slightly less throw weight than the Prime the Alfa is far more capable at long range and the two tonnes of ammo mean you could easily load up some special rounds as well if you wanted. Really it’s a choice between the two, the Prime’s ideal where BV is tight but the Alfa is arguably the superior machine due to it being able to engage foes at long range.
Bravo – With the success of the C3 system and its adoption by the DCMS the Sunder Bravo was chosen to be a command mech for two Lances worth of C3 equipped machines, presumably in light of the success of the Naginata Battlemech. In keeping with its role the Bravo is built for long ranged combat but due to the bulk and weight of the pair of C3 computers it carries this is somewhat limited. Fitted with a LRM-20 in the left arm and an LRM-10 in the chest, the launchers drawing from two and one tonnes of ammo respectively the Sunder can pepper opponent at long range in support of its C3 lance mates. Otherwise its sorely lacking in firepower with a pair of Medium Pulse lasers in the right arm and a pair of medium lasers spread between the left and right torso forming its only other armament. Due to the strategic importance of this machine it’s a prime target for Headhunting attacks and needs to be well guarded.
Charlie –
http://i.imgur.com/qo4Dw1W.gif?noredirect In a nutshell. Almost exclusively armed with ballistic weapons the Charlie is a barrage boat to say the least. Indeed the only energy weapon is a single solitary Medium laser living in the left torso alongside a C3 Slave system. Everything else is devoted to missiles. In this case its MRM’s. A MRM-30 fills out the right arm and draws from a 2 tonne ammo bin, whilst a massive MRM-40 lives in the left and it draws from a 3 tonne bin giving it the longjevity it needs in a battle. Two of the then new Streak SRM-4’s are also fitted one in the chest and one in the head with the launchers drawing from a 1 tonne ammo bin shared between them. This brings the amount of missiles this thing can bring to bare to a staggering 78 rockets which is numbers rarely seen outside of Clan missile boats. Unfortunately the general inaccuracy of MRM’s as well as this machines complete lack of long range weaponry renders it vulnerable to being picked apart before it can bring its massed batteries to bare.
Delta – A return to the Alfa and Bravo’s style the Delta is seemingly built as yet another general purpose combatant all be it a stripped out one that. With only three weapons fitted the Delta might sound undergunned but the armament its got are potent enough for the task at hand. Two standard PPC’s provide a ranged energy punch whilst the newly developed LB-20X fills out the left arm although it draws from a frankly inadequate 2 tonne ammo bin. A curiosity amongst the Sunder variants, the Delta can jump, a trio of jump jets throw it in 90 meter hops which are useful in built up terrain. The PPC’s still let the Delta engage at range without being too vulnerable whilst the big bore cannon provides a nice incentive to not get too close despite its very limited ammo.
Echo – An attempt to make an Inner Sphere version of the (earlier) Romeo refit the Echo is more akin to a very modern update of the Prime. Its main punch comes in the form of a pair of snub-nosed PPC’s in the right arm and they are joined by an LB-10X autocannon in the left arm which draws from a two ton ammo bin. An ER Medium laser in the left torso and a pair of Streak SRM-6’s situated in the chest and right torso that share a ton of ammo between them fill out the rest of the Mech’s punch making it quite a mid to short range brawler, especially with the lovely short range of the snubbies. Whilst leathal to anything at short to mid range this variant much like the Prime is at risk of being picked apart at long range where it simply can’t respond save from its greatly dispersed and now inaccurate snub nosed PPC’s.
Foxtrot – Perhaps an evolution of the missile heavy Charlie the Foxtrot is another missile boat except this one came to light in the Dark Ages using contacts with either the Draconis Combine has with Clan Seafox or Clan Nova Cat (prior to them ‘going away’.) The result is a mixed tech machine built to support the new Boosted C3 lancemates thanks to its Boosted C3 slave. Like the older Charlie a single laser is its energy weapons fit, in this case a Clantech ER Medium laser. Everything else is given over to MANY MANY MISSILES so
http://i.imgur.com/qo4Dw1W.gif?noredirect applies once more. Five Clan-tech LRM-5’s are in turn supported by six Thunderbolt 5 launchers spread across the torso and arms. The F can barrage a foe with a hail of constant and long ranged hits that can slowly sandblast down an opponent. The F also works well in a fire support role for Boosted C3 lances and can be a bane for Mech’s with reflective armour whilst its nine tonnes of ammo make it not only a walking bomb but give it the endurance it needs for longer battles although with the sheer number of launchers it can go through this at a fearsome rate.
Golf – Another Dark Age variant that feels more like an upgrade to the Prime using new tech. Built around a torrent of Clan-Tech equipment the Golf features a ER PPC in the right arm and a LB20X in the right whilst an ER Medium laser rounds out the armament. Well not quite…there’s also a fair bit of Inner Sphere tech as well. The main part being a TSEMP Cannon buried in the torso and a Boosted C3 slave make this an ideal running partner for the Foxtrot as it packs the short ranged punch the sandblaster Foxtrot lacks whilst the F covers the Golf’s rather limited long range punch.
Romeo – An operation Bulldog refit made using salvaged Clantech equipment I would assume this variant remains limited to that period, but in the 3075/3145 era with Clan Tech being more widely available you could easily remake this config. Like its younger counsin the Echo the Romeo is built for mid to short range engagements and seems to be more like an upgraded Prime. Centerpeice to the R’s firepower is a pair of Large Pulse lasers and an LB-10X fed by a 2 tonne ammo bin. For shorter ranged work a quartet of ER Mediums and a pair of Streak SRM-6’s fill out the Romeo’s armament making it a fearsome prospect at all ranges, the Clan Large Pulse lasers being accurate out to ranges that PPC’s reach whilst also being far more accurate. The Romeo in my opinion is one of the more dangerous variants out there .
X-Ray – The last of the most current variants and another Dark Ages machine that seems to be a variant of the Foxtrot config. Once again a missile boat the X-Ray features an unprecedented eight Enhanced LRM-5 for massed sand blasting of armour at long range and with the Enhanced LRM’s reduced minimum range they don’t quite suffer the same problems of normal Inner Sphere missile boats who can barely defend themselves when engaged within their minimum range. Unfortunately the added tonnage of the ELRM-5’s as well as a C3 slave and a pair of leg mounted B-Pods and the ammo for the NLRM’s leaves little space for defensive weapons. These are limited to a trio of ER Medium lasers and a single Medium Pulse laser for short to mid-range defence. The X-Ray also is limited to 4 tonnes of ammo which with 8 launchers you will go through quickly leaving you limited choices for special ammo as you don’t want to run out of normal stuff.
ThoughtsThe Sunder is a good solid trooper of an assault Mech and whilst often configed for certain roles its roles that generally suit it. The machine does not sacrifice protection to cram on all the Gauss rifles, its not an over tuned Hellstar or something spouting AC-2’s from orifices that should not exist. It’s a solid machine that does the job of being a jack of all trades rather well. And even when it starts specializing such as more extreme config’s they stick to a theme and keep with it (mostly missile spam) and again don’t try going to weird and wonderful.
That said it does go a tad fruity, the MRM heavy Charlie for example could be politely described as ‘quirky’ whilst the LRM/Thunderbolt laden Foxtrot is definitely different from many other configs out there to the fact that I can’t name anything like it save the SunderX-Ray which is more a kissing cousin than something radically different.
Sure the Sunder not overly fast and whilst one can jump its not that mobile, it does not try to be anything more than an assault Mech, everything is given over to survivability and firepower but its well chosen firepower and its not too slow to be left behind in an advance and at its time of introduction was as fast as many Inner Sphere heavies which for the time was most pleasant.
As I said the Sunder’s a good and solid trooper and fighting one there’s no real trick as there’s so many variants you don’t know what you could be facing, they are mostly pretty darn heat efficient too so they are not stricken with too many heat woes. Really its just a case of pounding it into submission. It does seem that the Sunder lacks CASE for its often plentiful ammo supplies so this could be a weakness (at least I didn’t see it when looking in the TRO) but otherwise, apply heavy fire and keep shooting until it stops twitching.
This is the original design of the Sunder with its Thor/Loki leg assembly.
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/7/70/Sunder.jpg - The Sunder as it appeared with its rebuilt leg assembly
As always comments and thoughts are most welcome!
