Mech of the Week: Yeoman

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Given that the Yeoman's only produced by the FWL it makes sense: they love LRMs, don't really use MRMs, and SRMs are better when used by a faster delivery platform (or a Claymore Directional Mine SRM Carrier).

[JadeHellbringer]

Yeah, figuring *head math before second cup of coffee*... pulling all four LRM racks nets me 24 tons, that's enough weight to install eight SRM-6 racks and convert the ammo bins... that's if you don't care about longevity and just want to dump lunch on someone once or twice. More likely you'd drop a couple of racks for more ammo and maybe a backup laser or two, so call it (for crit space's sake) ten SRM-4 racks, a couple of medium lasers, and a bit more ammo?  :-\

(Note: I don't have the record sheet in front of me so I don't know the crit layout of a Yeoman- I couldn't tell you if all this fits or if it needs some monkeying to make it work. Just going off weight alone right now.)

It's a bit underwhelming in terms of range, but that's a war crime on legs if you load inferno ammo. "CROWD, DISPERSE AT ONCE - THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING"

[False Son]

The Longbow looks like an actual Battlemech while the Yeoman really looks more like a couple pieces of Battlemech that were stuck together due to a deadline crunch.

You say that like it is a bad thing.



The Yeoman is ugly.  No argument there.  Some of us are fond of it specifically because it is ugly and unpretentious.  I'll admit, that sort of aesthetic is not for everyone, and would be diminished if used more often.  But, as an outlier, i dig the blocky simplicity of a mech that only has one function.

[The Eagle]

You know, I have to say that for a 'Mech that is fairly unpopular overall, this is actually a pretty decently-sized MOTW thread for it.  I approve.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

You say that like it is a bad thing.

Right, now remove the seats, the spare tire, the windshield, and the hood and it starts to resemble the Yeoman. :P

[Alexander Knight]

Think about it this way...the Yeoman does with the Longbow what the Clans did with the classic medium 'Mechs in their IIC versions.

And I'm not a fan of that, either.

[Colt Ward]

Love the Yeoman for what it does . . . and yeah, LRMs and MML versions are really all the FWL would need with Semi-G.  Too slow for MRMs and definitely too slow for SRMs for something that weak, plus they work better if there is some C3 involved.

I do not get to use this as much as I would like, might have to fix that . . .

Also, fun thought would be how many Clan launchers could be crammed on the originals captured by the Wolf Empire . . . or say the Clan Protectorate.

[Caedis Animus]

Actually, yeah, it could be revised as a Clan Protectorate "C" variant, considering location. That'd be pretty damn scary, as well as a straight improvement.

[Scotty]

I invoke Apollo's Law on this thread.  If you want a Clan missile boat, just use a Mad Cat III.

[Caedis Animus]

... I think I'd rather use a Viking IIC or Summoner B if I wanted a Clan missile boat.

And I think that a Clan Mechwarrior driving a derpy wall of missiles on legs would be one of the funniest things ever.

[Scotty]

I picked the Mad Cat III because it has the same effective throw weight of missiles (Artemis V is +3 on the table), better armor, better secondary weapons, is faster, and does so five tons lighter.

The Yeoman is not worth upgrading with Clan tech.  It just flat out isn't.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Besides, they already did that.  It's called the Ha Otoko.

[Colt Ward]

Not suggesting it gets released, just a campaign future based on what happened to the FWL.  We already know the Wolf Empire slapped Clan weapons on a IS chassis they were producing the Orion C.  I can see it being done with Yeoman in second line formations.  Other question is would they keep using Semi-G or would they keep a distaste for it?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Can SG LRMs be used in Clan launchers?

[Weirdo]

Normally, no. I think StratOps has rules for customizing S-Gs for Clan launchers(or fitting S-G heads into Clan missiles, I forget which).

[The Eagle]

Not suggesting it gets released, just a campaign future based on what happened to the FWL.  We already know the Wolf Empire slapped Clan weapons on a IS chassis they were producing the Orion C.  I can see it being done with Yeoman in second line formations.  Other question is would they keep using Semi-G or would they keep a distaste for it?

They also made a C-model Tempest, though we haven't seen the sheet for it yet (I recall Gespenst being quite in a tizzy about that!).  As for a C-model Yeoman, I don't think the Wolves would bother, but the Clan Protectorate would likely be willing to do the conversion work and then trade them out with their new friends in the FWLM...though honestly, I think ATMs would be a better choice than a straight LRM swap.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Honestly, I'm pretty surprised by the fact that we don't have record sheets for the new stuff from 3150 given how long it's been since the TRO was released.  Of course, we're still waiting for the unabridged record sheets from TRO Prototypes, too.

[Firesprocket]

Yeah, figuring *head math before second cup of coffee*... pulling all four LRM racks nets me 24 tons, that's enough weight to install eight SRM-6 racks and convert the ammo bins... that's if you don't care about longevity and just want to dump lunch on someone once or twice. More likely you'd drop a couple of racks for more ammo and maybe a backup laser or two, so call it (for crit space's sake) ten SRM-4 racks, a couple of medium lasers, and a bit more ammo?  :-\

If you take off the Ferro for standard or perhaps even LFF armor it is possible.

Love the Yeoman for what it does . . . and yeah, LRMs and MML versions are really all the FWL would need with Semi-G.  Too slow for MRMs and definitely too slow for SRMs for something that weak, plus they work better if there is some C3 involved.

I do not get to use this as much as I would like, might have to fix that . . .

Also, fun thought would be how many Clan launchers could be crammed on the originals captured by the Wolf Empire . . . or say the Clan Protectorate.

Weight isn't a problem with the Clan weapon systems, but space is.  Issue is solved again by removing the FF for standard armor.  MRMs and ATMs take up far to much space without switching out the armor.  If you go for a straight up swap out and don't care about IDF, the Empire could swap out the launcher for Clan Streaks.  Range is the same, heat is the same, and it is efficient weaponry for the IS adopted warriors who would likely pilot the machine.

[Colt Ward]

Where I think the Yeoman shines is with the Semi-G ammo however.  So it comes down to does the Wolf Empire command allow their Spheriod filled garrison clusters to use weapons that rely on TAG.  We get the bit about the Naga in the 3050s but by the 3150s things have changed- for instance the Ghost Bears build and use mechs that have melee weapons.

[Colt Ward]

Played with a 6Y and 10-OR last night for table top, inspired by this thread with a pair of elite TAG VTOL, the MML Patriot to guard them and a Thumper gun trailer.  The three mechs went up the middle of the map that had a river running across the map.  VTOLs were on their right flank and my ally dropped mines to the gap between hills on our side of the river to seal off the left flank.

The two Yeoman were lofting 110 Semi-G LRMs a turn once in range which became devastating at midrange when they were sitting behind hills.  Long range volleys (17, 18 and 21 hexes away) was enough to open up the CT on a Wolftrap that was trying to get the VTOLs . . . and crippled it for the game with a engine crit.  Got the Wolftrap's CT LRM10 too but the engine was way more important.  Throw on the 21 from the Patriot and even though I missed with most of the 1st mid range volley (on 7s!), the second was enough to pound a Stalker Spider II into retreating.

I had paired the more expensive 10-OR with the -6Y because it would let the SRMs provide a bit of close range protection for the defenseless -6Y but nothing got to that point.  Shoving the Yeomen up the middle of the map let them control the whole battle because they had some hills to protect themselves from return fire.  Not sure how well it would have worked out if the map had been more open.

[Weirdo]

And THAT, good sirs, is how you League.

[Hammerpilot IIC]

So, would folks be interested in future MotW in the same style as this one or was it better as a one-off?

I was really entertained by this one.

[The Eagle]

Purple bird stronk!

[False Son]

Purple bird stronk!

Remove Davion.

[Caedis Animus]

Sorry, couldn't help it.

Pic is of a FWL Hermes.

[Weirdo]

...bwuh?

[False Son]

...bwuh?

Move along, normie.

[Weirdo]

Move along, normie.

Did you just...ME?!?!

Step into my office, that we might...discuss...this.

[The Eagle]

I literally laughed so hard my wife gave me weird look and demanded to know what was so funny.  I mean literally literally, not figuratively (since that is a thing now).

[Weirdo]

I literally laughed so hard my wife gave me weird look and demanded to know what was so funny.  I mean literally literally, not figuratively (since that is a thing now).