’Mech of the Week: ANH-** Annihilator

[A. Lurker]

The problem with firepower is that in order for it to do you any good, it and your enemy have to actually meet at some point. Usually the enemy won't be too eager to see that happen, so you kind of need a way to force the issue -- most commonly the right combination of speed and range. Well, the Annihilator lacks the speed, and what range advantage it may have over others depends heavily on open lines of sight. So it really wants to fight in reasonably open terrain from a position that it ideally won't even have to leave while threatening a large area of the map and where it's easier for any friends it's brought to support it in turn, too; an urban environment where pretty much everyone engages at short range all the time, mutual fire support is spotty at best, and a lighter 'Mech can potentially jump in on its six at any moment should by rights be one of its worst nightmares.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

That's why you don't deploy an Annihilator by itself.

[Col.Hengist]

With its speed you can probably just outmaneuver it and avoid it's guns.then when the rest of their force is dead or running I tackle the Ann. That's what I do when they're deplored against me. I haven't played against any gauss versions yet though.

[A. Lurker]

That's why you don't deploy an Annihilator by itself.

We're still talking the urban combat context, right? In that, pretty much the only way to make sure the Annihilator doesn't find itself "by itself" at some point is to attach dedicated bodyguards to it that keep clustering right around their charge so they don't lose sight of it and can draw LOS to the same targets that it does. I shouldn't need to point out the potential issues with tying that much firepower down in a single slowly-moving blob on the map.

(Besides, if we're really down to "the Annihilator is a great 'Mech, all it needs is great support!", I have to wonder if the goalposts aren't moving a bit.)

[UnLimiTeD]

Just assign a squad of battlearmor with TAG.
Deploy the Annihilator on an important crossroads, near a small inner city park, or close to the city border to fire outside.
Annihilators are, just like Gun Turrets, supposed to defend something important, preferably by sitting on it, figuratively or literally.
If an attacker can just ignore the annihilator for most of the battle, it's been miss deployed.
It isn't, in and of itself, a good city combatant. It's a great roadblock, however.

[Weirdo]

Don't forget that the Annihilator is strongest as a defensive unit. You want to get the most use it of one? Put it where the enemy wants or has to go in order to accomplish their mission.

[Wrangler]

I remember in 3050 Upgrade, that had notable pilots for the Annihilator.  Apparently the pilot in question is sort of a militia commander, who he and his partner patrol their world together in pair of Annihilators, supported his militia's hovercrafts...how heck do you get around protecting a planet with only two mechs, both barely go 32kph??? I won't want those guys jobs!  ;D

[chanman]

I remember in 3050 Upgrade, that had notable pilots for the Annihilator.  Apparently the pilot in question is sort of a militia commander, who he and his partner patrol their world together in pair of Annihilators, supported his militia's hovercrafts...how heck do you get around protecting a planet with only two mechs, both barely go 32kph??? I won't want those guys jobs!  ;D

You see, it's a very small planet

[Kotetsu]

Or all the important stuff is in one small area.

[UnLimiTeD]

That's actually startlingly common in BT.
There's a reasonable chance their Planet consists of two major cities within vision distance and a few small farms.
Which means even with Annihilators you have a reasonable reaction time of one hour.

[mbear]

Don't forget that the Annihilator is strongest as a defensive unit. You want to get the most use it of one? Put it where the enemy wants or has to go in order to accomplish their mission.

Maybe as a bodyguard for a Pillager Anvil, Heliopolis, or other artillery 'Mech?

Edit 20150623: And Destrier.

[Weirdo]

I'd rather something that can keep up with them if they have to bug out, but yeah.

An Annihilator riding herd on a gaggle of LRM Carriers...now that's a rock/hard place kind of choice right there.

A tough nut to crack would also be a group of Mars tanks, escorted by an older SLiE-era Annie pulled straight from a Brian Cache.

Do you think the Republic has any Annihilators, and if so might use them alongside their tripods?

[Wrangler]

Is the Schwerer Gustav consisted to be a variant of the Annihilator?   Boozed boosted idea, fusion with other mech parts, but heart of a Annihilator.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The SG is a Frankenmech, so as far as I know, not really.

[ANS Kamas P81]

I admit, I often picture an Annihilator as being "four UrbanMech acrobats clinging to each other and hiding under a sheet."  Seriously, it explains the look of the thing.

As far as use, well, pair an Annihilator with anything carrying a GR or AC20.  Problems tend to solve themselves at that point.  Or soil themselves, just as good.

[gyedid]

I admit, I often picture an Annihilator as being "four UrbanMech acrobats clinging to each other and hiding under a sheet."  Seriously, it explains the look of the thing.

Oh come on, the Annihilator is better-looking than any Urbanmech ever.  But I have a thing for that classic SLDF look.

As far as use, well, pair an Annihilator with anything carrying a GR or AC20.  Problems tend to solve themselves at that point.  Or soil themselves, just as good.

Assuming the Annie can keep up with the Gauss or AC/20 carrier  :P

At the risk of rehashing the thread, the Annihilator in its original form (4x LB-10X) is a less potent threat against 'Mechs, and more effective, under TW rules, against vehicles, VTOLs, and maybe aerospace.

cheers,

Gabe

[jklantern]

On a conceptual level, the Annihilator may be my favorite of the "Wolf's Dragoons" Mechs (I don't personally count the Marauder II, because really, that's cheating.)

[mbear]

I admit, I often picture an Annihilator as being "four UrbanMech acrobats clinging to each other and hiding under a sheet."  Seriously, it explains the look of the thing.

"Welcome to this performance of Cirque du Autocannon!" Very popular in the Federated Suns.

[Erkki]

Last time I met one it was the 3A with LAC/2s. It had to attack across the open and it took a single 5-point cluster hit from my Yeoman's LRM10 that became a TAC that blew its leg off, outside the range of its own guns.

There should be a market for a variant with artillery pieces, say Thumpers, as main guns.

[JadeHellbringer]

Don't forget that the Annihilator is strongest as a defensive unit. You want to get the most use it of one? Put it where the enemy wants or has to go in order to accomplish their mission.

"This is a no-fly zone. Your aerospace units are not welcome within this area. At all. Ever."

[gyedid]

Last time I met one it was the 3A with LAC/2s. It had to attack across the open and it took a single 5-point cluster hit from my Yeoman's LRM10 that became a TAC that blew its leg off, outside the range of its own guns.

Yep, that's the thing about LAC/2s...still too easy for units that rely on them to get out-ranged.

cheers,

Gabe

[Jackmc]

I hope someone mounted an AAA suite on one of the LB variants because otherwise, the Hellstar just does the same gig better.

-Jackmc

[Weirdo]

I hope someone mounted an AAA suite on one of the LB variants because otherwise, the Hellstar just does the same gig better.

-Jackmc

I'm probably the biggest proponent out there when it comes to range vs everything else in the AA job, but even I have to ask: Wat.

[gyedid]

I'm probably the biggest proponent out there when it comes to range vs everything else in the AA job, but even I have to ask: Wat.

Also, remember that the Hellstar isn't available to the Inner Sphere, the Annihilator is.

cheers,

Gabe

[Diplominator]

Also, remember that the Hellstar isn't available to the Inner Sphere, the Annihilator is.

cheers,

Gabe

The Hellstar is available to almost everyone. It's more widespread in the IS than the Clans.

[Jackmc]

I'm probably the biggest proponent out there when it comes to range vs everything else in the AA job, but even I have to ask: Wat.

High end assault with 4 large guns.  The Annie 1X has the edge in armor by 9 points but I'd argue that the Hellstar's superior maneuverability more than compensates for that.  After that, the Hellstar has 50% more fire power at long range, equal (but more concentrated and more likely to hit due to range bands) firepower at mid range and only loses out at point blank range where the Annie has a 15% firepower/5% melee advantage at 3 or less hexes; which lets face it, if an Annie manages to move within 3 hexes of you, you deserve what you get.

OTOH, if someone were to retrofit the Annie 1X with a AAA array, they'd have a vicious rear area defense platform as the Annie's loadout of LB-X + sm. pulses makes it effective vs raiders of just about all types and it's speed isn't a hinderance.  That's not a role that the Hellstar can fill effectively. 

-Jackmc

   

[UnLimiTeD]

The Annihilator is seen as an AA platform thanks to LBX acting as makeshift Flak against VTOLs and fighters, and generating a lot of hits for rotor crits and lawndart rolls. It has nothing to do with the specific size of it's guns.

[garhkal]

If you make all 4 guns LB-10xs, you can make its speed go 3/5 with a light engine, add Endo, and get 2 ER mediums and still have 2 crit slots left if you make it flip capable.

[SteelRaven]

The Hellstar is the child of the Awesome and the Warhawk, it's hard to compare it to the Annihilator without throwing the other two in the mix.

While the Cygnus names the Annihilator in it's fluff, I still think the Bane/Kraken is the closets Clan machine to the Annihilator post Golden Age. 

[Sjhernan3060]

Can any one speak to the size of IWM mini that is still around? How does ir size up to other more modern assault mechs?