Author Topic: So... anyone actually use the royals?  (Read 5086 times)

The_Livewire

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So... anyone actually use the royals?
« on: 23 August 2017, 09:45:54 »
I've started playing with some of the Royal designs against the bot in Megamek.  Been kind of surprised at them.  The Hussar is a nice scout boat, the Excalibur becomes a nasty 'stand off until empty, then use as Charger' design, and pairing it with the Shadow Hawk...  brr.

Anyone else taken a liking to the royal designs?
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Scotty

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #1 on: 23 August 2017, 09:51:39 »
I use the Royal Shadow Hawk with good frequency, and the Royal Warhammer when I don't have anything specific in mind for any other variant.  They're pretty good.
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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #2 on: 23 August 2017, 10:02:20 »
Most of the royals are dramatic improvements over the lackluster TRO 2750 variants.
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Foxx Ital

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #3 on: 23 August 2017, 10:23:45 »
Love the royal thug...but i love thugs period.
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Sartris

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #4 on: 23 August 2017, 10:39:47 »
I especially like the Mongoose, Falcon, Sentinel, Crab, Ostwar, and Highlander. Some are solid, logical upgrades like the Catapult, Archer, Warhammer, Marauder, Thug, and King Crab. The Hermes is a really good scout.
« Last Edit: 23 August 2017, 13:51:37 by Sartris »

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #5 on: 23 August 2017, 11:30:47 »
I use the royal Marauder, and Shadowhawk almost to the point of them being my default for those mechs..
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Vonshroom

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #6 on: 23 August 2017, 11:33:07 »
I use them a decent amount and like a lot of them a good deal. I feel like some designs like the Wyvern are actually hurt by the Royal upgrade, still I respect a lot of these machines a lot, and use them when possible outside of 3025 play where I spend most of my games.

Frankly while I use the royals some these are the only designs that really stand out to me.

King Crab Royal is great, really needed frankly, the King Crab can be good, but the Royal version is much more sound.

Excalibur just got a whole lot better, although I like the original as well. Royal is just that much better.

Battlemaster is one of my favorite upgrades of the bunch. I love the Royal B-master.

Crockett I really love this mech in all of its iterations, but the royal just makes it shine. Very effective.

Sentinel A mobile Gauss rifle is really nice to have. I dig the Sentinel anyways, so the Royal version is great addition to me.
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SteelRaven

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #7 on: 23 August 2017, 12:12:57 »
Love the Warhammer 3Rb
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Iron Grenadier

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #8 on: 23 August 2017, 12:20:09 »
Yep. Warhammer 7A and Thunderbolt 5Sb are two favorites in my group.

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #9 on: 23 August 2017, 12:31:16 »
"That's the point."
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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #10 on: 23 August 2017, 12:53:02 »
In addition to the afore-mentioned Marauder and Warhammer, I found myself liking the revamped Phoenix Hawk.

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SLDF_Gunslinger

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #11 on: 23 August 2017, 16:18:18 »
Pretty much every time I play...

pheonixstorm

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #12 on: 23 August 2017, 17:31:59 »
I found myself liking the revamped Phoenix Hawk.
the b or c model?

I created a custom Awesome as a Royal model, it used 4 Snub PPCs. It turned out pretty, well, awesome, as a close quarters brawler when used in a long range lance such as 3 8Qs or a trio of missile boats. I even use the Stinger Royal too. Can't beat the 7/11/7 movement on it with the upgraded firepower.

misterpants

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #13 on: 23 August 2017, 17:50:00 »
So has anyone hummed the Lorde song while piloting them, and afterwards how long were they in the ER getting the game table removed from their face/backside?
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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #14 on: 23 August 2017, 18:25:34 »
Haven't used many of them so far, but I do have a lot of love for the Royal Thunderbolt, Wahammer and Marauder form my limited experience. The Thug sounds fun; I'll have to give it a try some time.
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2ndAcr

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #15 on: 23 August 2017, 19:12:01 »
 I use a bunch of Royal's. Emperor 6A is sweet, Crockett is a beast, Thunderbolt, Archer, Trebuchet, Griffin, Stinger royal is sweet. Thug, Battlemaster, Crab, Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, Osprey.

 I have used most of the Royal's in my current unit at one time or another. Still have a bunch of them too.

 Stalker is one of my favorites.

JPArbiter

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #16 on: 23 August 2017, 20:31:20 »
The BLR-1Gb is my personal ride (nicknamed Icon and painted like Optimus Prime)

The 66b mongoose competes with the Raven as my favorite scout platform

I loved the Wolverine II so much I paid to make it a mini

I will take the Warhammer 6Rb over the 6R if i can even slightly justify it.

The crockett i have been played with once or twice. It's okay.

And the atlas II... *whistles*
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Moonsword

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #17 on: 23 August 2017, 21:32:14 »
In general, most of the Royals were designed to be solid improvements on the original.  I've always gotten good mileage when I've used them, anyway.

I loved the Wolverine II so much I paid to make it a mini

Heresy!  Rampant heresy!

More seriously, the WLV-7H isn't too shabby but I'm not overly fond of the Ultra/5 in most applications (I make an exception for the Jupiter) and quite attached to the Marik variants of the Wolverine.  As a main-line upgrade of the classic WLV-6R, it's not a bad choice and certainly truer to the original than my beloved WLV-7M.

Colt Ward

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #18 on: 23 August 2017, 22:57:22 »
WVR . . .  no L

As said, they were supposed to be the solid upgrades expected of hoarding secret tech.  I like to substitute them into ComStar forces when replaying Tukayyid battles.
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SLDF_Gunslinger

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #19 on: 23 August 2017, 23:06:09 »
WVR . . .  no L

As said, they were supposed to be the solid upgrades expected of hoarding secret tech.  I like to substitute them into ComStar forces when replaying Tukayyid battles.


Same here. Especially since Megamek didn't support hidden units for so long. Using Royals make the battles a bit more even and fun IMO.

pheonixstorm

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #20 on: 24 August 2017, 00:22:40 »
If the FedCom and Combine had had Royals at the start of the clan invasion...

What about the Royal vehicles? Don't recall seeing those mentioned. Some of them weren't half bad.

Luciora

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #21 on: 24 August 2017, 00:28:24 »
I have several minis i modified to royal variants.  I can't remember them all off the top of my head though.

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #22 on: 24 August 2017, 01:17:36 »
i rather love the MAD-2R.. it's a marauder.. but even more so.

Frabby

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #23 on: 24 August 2017, 02:17:38 »
"That's the point."
Yeah... but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and superior performance hinges on the ruleset used.

The classic Banshee sucks under classic boardgame BT but is a beast in Alpha Strike, or so I've been told.
Similarly, the UrbanMech is a viable scout 'Mech under the original Mercenary Handbook's quick campaign resolution rules.
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To say nothing of MWO or the upcoming HBS game that also pretty much rewrote the rules and balancing...

That said, from a story standpoint the Royals were a nice cheat to hammer out some kinks in canon and continuity, so kudos for that.
« Last Edit: 24 August 2017, 02:21:09 by Frabby »
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The_Livewire

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #24 on: 24 August 2017, 05:57:26 »


More seriously, the WLV-7H isn't too shabby but I'm not overly fond of the Ultra/5 in most applications (I make an exception for the Jupiter) and quite attached to the Marik variants of the Wolverine.  As a main-line upgrade of the classic WLV-6R, it's not a bad choice and certainly truer to the original than my beloved WLV-7M.

Yeah I'm not too keen on the Ultra myself "Let's take the ammo issue, and make it worse!  And add jamming for fun!"

One of the first "Downgrades" of the Wolverine II that I use for Grandfather's axe stripped the UAC, added a PPC, a freezer and two tons fof armor.  As a company commander, Maria was tired of running out of ammo in campaign, and by swapping Ferro for standard armor she increased endurance and kept the ferro fibrous for the lighter FF armored units in her command.  I figured this happened during the second stage of the campaign to retake Terra.

Though that mini... As you can tell, I find it a sexy beast :-)
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GoldBishop

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #25 on: 24 August 2017, 08:08:59 »
I like using the royal versions of the Lightning Attack Craft and Cyrano Gunship in my CHH forces; the hovercraft act as a harasser/flank unit while the VTOL scouts (and spots) enemy positions before I send in my novas [formations].

I've also used (and recommend) the royal version of the Von Luckner [SLDF].  Fielded with my Lyran forces, they helped hold Tharkad during a "what if" game-day scenario regarding the FedCom Civil War.

Good stuff.
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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #26 on: 24 August 2017, 08:24:48 »
the b or c model?
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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #27 on: 24 August 2017, 09:10:14 »
I've faced a couple of Royals in various MegaMek campaigns, but never used one for my own forces.  If I manage to salvage one, it gets patched up as much as possible with my limited stocks and tech teams, and sold.  They're simply too valuable to risk in a fight, and too hard to maintain in the late SW and early Clan Invasion periods.  If I can sell that Royal bug 'Mech to a rich collector and buy a decent Medium that I can actually maintain, why horde it?

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #28 on: 24 August 2017, 15:11:25 »
I actually came up with something very like the Royal Hussar years ago. (Endo Steel Internal Structure allows for maxed-out Ferro-Fibrous Armor and TAG in addition to BAP and GECM.)

I'm not mentioning this to blow my own trumpet, but just to show that some of these really do seem as though they should have been done long before.
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SteelRaven

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Re: So... anyone actually use the royals?
« Reply #29 on: 24 August 2017, 16:55:07 »
...I just realized my copy of the 3085 Phoenix record sheets don't include the Royals, ouch  #P
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