Author Topic: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)  (Read 26200 times)

BATTLEMASTER

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Here’s another one of the original Operation Revival Clan omnimechs that has not yet been covered in a fan article: The Nova!


(Source: Solaris7.com)


(Source: Sarna.net)

The Nova was first produced in the year 2870 by Clan Hell’s Horses at the Tokasha Mechworks.  It is one of the oldest omnimechs available to Clan toumans at the time of Operation Revival, being produced only five years after the Woodsman heavy omnimech came into production (the Woodsman was produced in 2865, the second heavy omnimech produced by the Clans, and the basis of the Timber Wolf, Gargoyle, and Naga omnimechs).  The Inner Sphere forces which encountered the Nova code-named the chassis “Black Hawk”, probably due to its hunched appearance with its bird-like reverse-jointed legs, coupled with its ability to fly (jump) through the air to attack targets where they are most vulnerable.

The Nova appears to be based on the 90-ton Supernova battlemech, a Clan design dating back to 2846, 24 years before the Nova was produced.  The general appearance of the Supernova was carried onto the Nova, from the pods mounted on either side of the battlemech’s nose, to the large forearms loaded with lasers, and even jump capability was retained.  The Nova became a smaller, more mobile successor to the Supernova, while retaining the firepower of its progenitor in a couple of its standard-issue configurations.  Besides the differences in weight and mobility, the Nova eschews a separate pelvic assembly for its legs, with the legs being directly connected to the side torsos and the arms attached to the outside hip of each leg.  This reduced the overall height of the Nova while apparently severely limiting its available firing arcs, and the possible loss of legs due to a destroyed side torso.  (Author’s Note: The BattleTech board game rules always trump the accompanying game art; the last couple sentences just suggest possible quirks players could add to the chassis.  But if it makes people feel better, the MechWarrior Online version of the Nova follows traditional battlemech design practice by giving the omnimech a separate pelvis to which its legs are attached, thus allowing torso twist and no threat of leg loss due to a destroyed side torso.  The MechWarrior Online artist achieved this reimagining of the Nova while maintaining the aesthetic and spirit of the original TRO: 3050 design.  You can see it here: http://static.mwomercs.com/img/gallery/43D7994A8B82BBD09806DA903F845858.jpg).

Clan Hell’s Horses designed the Nova with combined arms strategies in mind, being the first of the Clan omnimechs to have hard points allowing battle armor-clad warriors to ride along on it.  The Hell’s Horses scientists recognized that the special balancing circuitry incorporated within previous omnimechs, and now their Nova, could help the machine stay balanced and move and jump at top speed while bearing the load of several armored troopers distributed around its torso.  In addition to getting a faster ride to the battlefield, the armored troopers could also recharge their power packs and directly communicate with their Nova’s MechWarrior.  Other Clan scientists caught on to this new feature and incorporated it into their own omnimech designs, and quite possibly retrofitting older omnimech chassis like the Woodsman and Lupus.

It is worth mentioning that the heavier and faster Stormcrow medium omnimech was also produced at the Tokasha Mechworks by Clan Hell’s Horses beginning in 2930.  Although the Stormcrow’s prototype is the Corvis chassis, it appears that the production version of the omnimech borrowed its arm and leg assemblies from the Nova, possibly for ease of manufacturing and repair.
At some point before Operation Revival, Clan Ghost Bear seized the Tokasha Mechworks from Clan Hell’s Horses, and production of the Nova ceased in 2921.  Despite being out of production, the Nova soldiered on into Operation Revival and beyond due to a wealth of spare parts available for the chassis. I am unsure whether or not Nova production was restarted within any other Clan after 3050, besides the Clan Diamond Shark standard battlemech version of the 3080s.  (Author's note: According to Objectives: Clans, Clan Jade Falcon resumed production of the Nova in 3070 on Sudeten :)).

The Nova’s chassis is simple in design, making no use of advanced materials like an Endo-Steel skeleton or Ferro-Fibrous armor.  The bones are made up of a standard Star League XTA chassis, and the armor is ten tons of regular Forge Type HH30, making the Nova well-armored for its weight.  In fact, its armor can stop a Class-20 AC hit to the center torso and each leg, although unlike the legs, the center torso will have some armor left.  The side torsos and arms can stop a Gauss rifle and have a tiny amount of armor to spare.  The rear torsos can each stop an Inner Sphere Large Laser, but there will be no serviceable armor left then.  The head has the maximum protection rating afforded by standard armor.  In the event the Nova takes internal damage, Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment is built into the entire chassis to prevent the omnimech from being totally destroyed if any ammunition it is carrying is hit.

A Model SF-2 XL engine with a rating of 250 and fourteen fixed double heat sinks are all the flair that this chassis gets.  Another simple fixture of the chassis is its five Clan Standard Type A2 jump jets, with two ports in each leg and one in the center torso.  The Model SF-2 XL reactor propels the Nova to a running speed of around 86 kph, while the Type A2 jets allow the omnimech to leap 150 meters.  Fourteen double heat sinks are hardwired into the chassis, which, like the 85-ton Warhawk, allow the Nova to effectively use weapons configurations that are heavy on high-heat arms, like lasers and plasma weaponry.

With the hardware taken into consideration, the Nova has sixteen tons of pod space available for weapons and equipment.  In addition to that, the chassis is very spacious, perfect for mounting large weapons, masses of small, light weapons, and tons of double heat sinks.  Because of this, MechWarriors will find that the chassis does not lend itself well to pod configurations that use one heavy ballistic weapon or many small ones, barring machine guns.

The standard-issue Primary configuration of the Nova consists of twelve ER Medium Lasers, with six banked in each arm.  An additional four double heat sinks help keep the laser-generated heat in check.  Each arm can produce the damage equivalent to five Inner Sphere Large Lasers, or two Class-20 ACs.  Firing one arm’s worth of ER Medium Lasers generates just enough heat for the eighteen total freezers to tame and allow the Nova to use its entire jump jet capacity.  Oftentimes, a MechWarrior can fire as many as nine or ten of the lasers, then jump behind cover momentarily to cool off.  This tactic unleashes an overwhelming amount of damage again and again.  Because the immense firepower of this configuration is spread evenly between the two arms, the loss of one arm will not cripple the Nova’s combat capability.  Also, the arms end in massive fists, allowing MechWarriors to carry objects or wield an improvised physical weapon if they so choose.  If I wanted to improve this configuration, I would remove a laser from each arm and add a targeting computer to one of the side torsos.

Configuration A mounts an ER PPC in each arm.  Although the hands are lost due to the heavier connections requiring the mounting of the ER PPC pods, the weapons themselves more than make up for that by being able to remove the head of another battlemech with one hit.  An anti-missile system is mounted in each side torso with a single ton of ammo feeding both devices.  A medium pulse laser is mounted in the left torso to dissuade lighter, faster opponents from getting too close.  Like the Primary configuration, it is wise to fire both ER PPCs a couple times in a row, and then jump behind cover to cool off.  However, because the ER PPCs have a greater range than the ER Medium Lasers, a MechWarrior could keep this Nova configuration at range and fire from a good position as long as the enemy allows it, then relocate as necessary by running or jumping.

Configuration B has a Large Pulse Laser in the left arm next to the hand, and an Ultra AC/5 in the right arm with a ton of ammo.  An ER Small Laser in the right torso and two machine guns with a ton of ammo in the left torso can be brought to bear against opponents who get too close, and are especially useful for cutting down unarmored infantry.  This configuration will not come close to straining the base heat sinks on the chassis.  Attacks can be easily made while jumping repeatedly and not build up any heat, and the accuracy of the Large Pulse Laser encourages this.  In the event of engine shielding damage, the base heat sinks can keep the Nova A going at nearly full combat capability.  The arsenal may be anemic compared to the other standard configurations, but it allows the omnimech to sustain heavy damage yet continue to be a threat on the battlefield.  But if I were to make a change to this configuration, I would drop the Ultra AC/5 and its ammo for another Large Pulse Laser and two extra freezers in order to keep this configuration’s resistance to heat-generating attacks and engine shielding damage.

Configuration C is what I believe to be a very inefficient use of the chassis.  A Gauss rifle occupies the left arm along with a single ton of ammo for the weapon.  A small pulse laser sits in the right torso for anti-infantry use, and a SRM-4 with a single ton of ammo sits in the left torso.  The right arm has no weapons but the massive fist used from the Primary configuration.  While this configuration has a head-chopping weapon, it barely uses half of the Nova’s available heat capacity, and lacks the firepower present in the previously mentioned configurations.  On the flipside, any Nova using this configuration will be impossible to disable with heat-generating attacks, and engine shielding damage will have no effect on the omnimech’s performance.  The single ton of Gauss rifle ammo might be okay in a duel, but it will not last an extended trial.  I think dropping the Gauss rifle and its ammo for a large energy weapon, like an ER PPC, would be wise.  The rest of the pod space could then be used for more anti-infantry weapons like flamers and SRMs.  This would keep the anti-battlemech ability of this configuration while making it effective against combined arms forces.

Configuration D makes a combined arms fighter out of the Nova.  A LBX-AC/5 is mounted on the right arm with two tons of ammo, and a LRM-20 is mounted on the left arm, also with two tons of ammo and room for a hand.  The LBX-AC can be used to pepper vehicles and aircraft with cluster munitions and cause disabling damage.  The LRM-20 can load different LRM munitions, like Thunder missile-delivered mines, but can otherwise be used in the same manner as the LBX-AC in peppering soft targets with missiles.  I do not feel that this configuration is suited to fighting harder targets, like battlemechs.  Yes, the LBX-AC can switch from cluster to slug rounds, but it is just a Class-5 AC, which is not much to fight with.  The LRM-20 will probably output more damage than the LBX-AC.  If this configuration is to be used, I would avoid battlemechs entirely.  If I were to make a change to this configuration, I would drop the LRM-20 down to a 15-pack launcher, and add an ER Medium Laser and an ER Small Laser to aid in fighting harder targets.

Configuration E mounts an ATM-12 in the right arm with six tons of ammo, and three ER Medium Lasers in the left arm.  There are hands on both arms.  This configuration’s heat buildup in addition to jumping meets the rated heat capacity for this chassis.  The ATM launcher has plenty of ammunition to make it a flexible combatant, and it is able to deal damage at any range.  However, I think it could use two less tons of ATM ammo for other equipment, like AMS or ECM.  But if one were to swap the ATM-12 for The Society’s iATM-12 (which is a direct swap and upgrade), I could see keeping all six tons of ammo for the different munitions that The Society developed for the iATM.

Configuration F appears to be very similar to Configuration E in that three ER Medium Lasers and a hand are mounted in the left arm.  The right arm now has a HAG/20 with three tons of ammo.  The HAG is a nice multi-purpose weapon, being able to easily knock fliers from the sky while retaining the characteristics of a LRM-20.  While the HAG has a long range, it is most effective at close range due to the decreased spread of its projectiles.  As far as heat generation goes, this configuration runs cooler than the E setup, leaving some room to thwart heat-generating attacks and reactor shielding damage.

Configuration H sets five Heavy Medium Lasers in each arm and adds six additional freezers to the torsos to keep up with the heat generated by the weapons.  This configuration makes the Nova a devastating brawler, as it exceeds the firepower of its ancestor, the Supernova, but at a shorter range.  The MechWarrior can safely fire six of the heavy lasers with a small buildup of heat.  Like the Primary configuration, more lasers could be fired, but then the Nova will have to jump to cover to cool down.  Due to the accuracy problems associated with firing heavy lasers, a MechWarrior will have to fire a few at a time to guarantee a few hits.  But if the MechWarrior is sufficiently skilled, there will be tons of enemy armor plate dripping to the ground.
Configuration S is a different take on the Primary configuration.  Three Medium Pulse Lasers occupy each of the Nova’s arms, in addition to hands.  A pair of machine guns sits in each side torso, sharing a half ton of ammo.  An AMS is located in the center torso and draws from a ton of ammo in the right torso.  An active probe sits in the head location to aid in detecting ambushes.  Not only does this configuration provide the chassis with anti-battlemech abilities, it also has superb anti-infantry capability thanks to its active probe and machine guns.  Like the B configuration, the accuracy of the pulse laser armament encourages constant jump fighting.  The MechWarrior need not exercise much discipline when it comes to heat control unless firing all the weapons and jumping is the main strategy.  But even then, leaving just one of the lasers out of the firing order will allow the Nova to cool down.

Configuration U is probably the most specialized of the standard configurations available to the Nova.  This configuration allows the chassis to excel in space operations, whether it is walking on the hull of a friendly ship for defense or performing repairs, or for boarding actions.  In each side torso is a liquid storage tank for storing reaction mass for the jump jets so that they can function properly in space.  In each side torso sits a battery of four machine guns, meant to cut down space marines in boarding actions.  Assisting these machine guns is a trio of Micro Pulse Lasers in the left arm.  A trio of Heavy Medium Lasers resides in the right arm for harder targets.  In addition to the heavy lasers in the right arm is a spot welder for use in either ship hull repairs or for cutting holes into the hull of an enemy ship during a boarding action.  Perhaps the strangest addition to the Nova, or any Clan omnimech, is a sword being held in the left arm.  While very un-Clanlike, the sword is likely used to chop or knock holes into the hull of an enemy vessel where the spot welder was used to weaken the armor there.  (Author’s Note: This is purely speculation on my part as I am not familiar with battlemech space operations rules or the rules for boarding actions, but the use of a welder and a sword for forceful entry of an enemy ship makes sense to me!).  An ECM suite helps with masking the Nova against the numerous Artemis-enhanced missile systems available to aerospace craft, and a Light Active Probe helps ward off ambushes within the ship the omnimech is boarding.  To increase survivability in space, a Harjel sealant system is mounted in the center torso to prevent a lucky hit from breaching the center torso armor and disabling the reactor.

There are a couple notable pilots of the Nova.  Phelan Kell/Wolf of Clan Wolf piloted a Nova in his second trial for a bloodname.  Diana Pryde of Clan Jade Falcon also used a Nova in a bloodname trial.

When fighting a Nova, you usually just have to keep shooting at it until it goes down.  It does have plenty of armor, just about the most you can mount on a 50-ton battlemech chassis.  In addition to its armor, it has superb mobility, allowing it to stay in the fight for a while and take quite a bit of punishment.  Many of its configurations do not overheat, so using heat-generating weapons is futile.  However, its energy-based configurations will be vulnerable to heat attacks.  The weapons in the different configurations are generally balanced between the left and right sides of the chassis.  But for configurations like the C and D, you will want to try and maneuver towards the side that has the most dangerous weapon in order to take it out and reduce the Nova’s effectiveness.  I suppose, in a way, fighting against a Nova is like fighting against a smaller Summoner in many cases.

I hope this article sparks some discussion on another one of my favorite omnimechs, which, like other designs, has barely had any mention on these boards.  Let us put the Nova on the spot, shall we?
« Last Edit: 18 August 2014, 16:26:21 by BATTLEMASTER »
BATTLEMASTER
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Jellico

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The Bears seized Tokasha in 2921. Proto-Storm Crows "maybe" were in service.
The Bears discontinued the Nova in 2921
The Storm Crow proper emerged in Raven hands in 2930.

The Falcons started building Black Hawks at Sudeten in the 3070s. (Objectives Clans)

Strongly suggest reading the 0G operations rules. For 'Mechs combat ranges are always 1 hex so short ranged weapons are all that matters. ECM makes you harder to hit. And the sword gives a bonus when trying to land on a hull.
« Last Edit: 30 June 2014, 07:30:11 by Jellico »

cold1

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The one original omni that could've just been a fixed chassis secondline mech.  The prime is a classic, the A is good, the H is evil.

I have to agree the E with a swap to an iATM12 and 6 tons of ammo could be devastating.

I use the H and prime a lot.  I like to mix the 5/8 medium omnis with the 5/8 heavies for my cavalry stars and the Nova is a great addition.


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Istal_Devalis

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As much as it may not be as famous as certain other designs, it did well enough to get three other mechs based on it: an IS Clone, a non-Omni version, and an advanced Clan mech essentially based on the Prime configuration.

A pity the Sphinx never got its full on Omni version.

A. Lurker

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While I'd take the D only under duress or with some special trick in mind in the board game, I remember it being one of my staples in the CCG back in the day. Mostly because it was simply one of the cheapest Clan 'Mechs actually available in that game, with a reasonable combination of durability and missiles for its cost (even if thanks to a quirk of the rules it technically couldn't jump by default and needed to have its base attack value boosted to something above zero in order to use that ability).

glitterboy2098

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Phelan's trial Nova is borderline illegal.. last time i tried, i couldn't fit an LBX AC, an LRM20, and a NARC beacon on it, while still carrying two tons of ammo for the LBX (since he used both slug and cluster rounds in the trial.)
i could fit a single ton for the AC, which means he'd have had to used a mixed ammo single ton.

though it is possible i messed up somewhere.

A. Lurker

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Phelan's trial Nova is borderline illegal.. last time i tried, i couldn't fit an LBX AC, an LRM20, and a NARC beacon on it, while still carrying two tons of ammo for the LBX (since he used both slug and cluster rounds in the trial.)
i could fit a single ton for the AC, which means he'd have had to used a mixed ammo single ton.

though it is possible i messed up somewhere.

Well, of course it's illegal -- or more precisely, it can't be a Nova. Unless the description in my copy of the book is way off base, then with an explicit endosteel skeleton, ferro-fibrous armor (I think -- damn translations, anyway) and most intriguingly noted as weighing 55 tons at one point what he's using sounds rather a lot more like a Stormcrow...which would then in fact also have the necessary free tonnage and space.

Kojak

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Interesting article on one of my all-time favorite 'Mechs. I was a little sad to see there was no coverage of the new NTNU variants in there, though...are those still covered by the moratorium?


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Interesting article on one of my all-time favorite 'Mechs. I was a little sad to see there was no coverage of the new NTNU variants in there, though...are those still covered by the moratorium?
Nope, RS: 3145 NTNU was released nearly seven months ago so comment away!

BATTLEMASTER

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I don't have the NTNU book, but I can check in MegaMek and give you my analysis of the units, although I have never played them.  I will update the article later with that information and anything else I learn from the audience :)

I enjoy using the Primary and H configurations.  I have also used the A configuration, but I usually give the dual-ER PPC duties to heavier 'mechs.
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cavingjan

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No love for my I and T configs?    :-\

The I merges the best of the A and the H while improving the heavy lasers to the improved heavy lasers. You still get some hard hitting close in damage and at least some long ranged damage to help on the approach.

The T takes the hard hitting prime's base weaponry and swaps one arm (and the overbearing laser battery)  with a TSEMP cannon. This has the teeth to pound the poor shutdown unit into the ground.

Pa Weasley

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Ooooooh trust me. I have much love for the I.

glitterboy2098

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Well, of course it's illegal -- or more precisely, it can't be a Nova. Unless the description in my copy of the book is way off base, then with an explicit endosteel skeleton, ferro-fibrous armor (I think -- damn translations, anyway) and most intriguingly noted as weighing 55 tons at one point what he's using sounds rather a lot more like a Stormcrow...which would then in fact also have the necessary free tonnage and space.

sounds like a similar issue to that of Vlad's "executioner".. the book never says executioner is the class, just the mech's name.. the way phelan piloted "lone wolf" in that trial. the guass + pulse combo doesn't work in a executioner/gladiator.. but it works perfectly in a Daishi/Dire Wolf.. which actually fits the trial better.

Auren

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I don't have the book anymore but doesn't it mention the Executioner's face?

Prince of Darkness

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Nope, RS: 3145 NTNU was released nearly seven months ago so comment away!
I don't have the NTNU book, but I can check in MegaMek and give you my analysis of the units, although I have never played them.  I will update the article later with that information and anything else I learn from the audience :)

I can do it for ya quick, if you don't mind.

Nova/Black Hawk T:[/u] The Nova T is a mixed tech chassis, as seemingly everyone and their dog wants to use the TSEMP cannon despite it's ill effects. On the Nova, the TSEMP weapon is mounted in the left arm coaxial to the right arm's seemingly standard bevy of 6 Clan ER Medium lasers. 18 DHS keep the Nova T from alpha strinking all that much, but you really only need to drop one of the lasers from the cycle to remain without heat penalties. All the DHS are shoved into the torsos, and the EMP cannon is protected by clan CASE.
Using this 'mech mostly comes down the synergy all it's weapons share- like most other clan 'mechs mounting TSEMP, it doesn't need that much in the way of tactics. Just remember that every shot from the cannon forces the +2 to hit "interference" rule on yourself, so use it when you can tell Clint Eastwood you feel lucky. The BV of 2,761 is murder and this variant will likely not see much use.

Nova/Black Hawk I:[/u] 1 right arm mounted cERPPC and 5 left arm mounted Improved heavy medium lasers. The chassis also finds the weight and space for a total of 19 DHS, which are almost entirely shoved into each torso. With such a huge heat sink array this is one of the few 'mechs that can pump a possible 50 damage while jumping and NOT using missiles, and can easily sub out two of the heavy lasers for the farther reaching ER PPC. It should be noted that while the left arm is CASE protected, two of those lasers being critted is enough to destroy the arm completely- a good thing, as loosing each laser piecemeal is enough to leave your pilot a drooling sap.
Using this is obvious- perform slashing attacks with the arm that will do more damage, and turn about-face to your target when your guns have good chances to hit and you can take the blows. Just remember that you're a medium 'mech at 2,200 BV.
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Nice detail review, Battlemaster!

For Clan Medium Mechs, Nova my favorite.   I wish they had canonized Diana Pryde's Bloodname Trial configuration which was mix of A Configuration and the Prime.   Basically's arm from the Prime, with its 5 ER Medium Lasers, with Alpha's layout including the ER PPC and Medium Pulse Laser.
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glitterboy2098

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i don't remember that one. i do remember an ERPPC in each arm and a medium pulse laser in each side torso though. basically an A with the AMS's swapped for another laser.

that one even made the cover. :)

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i don't remember that one. i do remember an ERPPC in each arm and a medium pulse laser in each side torso though. basically an A with the AMS's swapped for another laser.

that one even made the cover. :)
I'd have to re-read the book again. Its been awhile since i did.  I think AMS was in the Mech for first part of the Trials, but she swapped it out for a Beagle if i'm remembering right.
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cavingjan

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Nice detail review, Battlemaster!

For Clan Medium Mechs, Nova my favorite.   I wish they had canonized Diana Pryde's Bloodname Trial configuration which was mix of A Configuration and the Prime.   Basically's arm from the Prime, with its 5 ER Medium Lasers, with Alpha's layout including the ER PPC and Medium Pulse Laser.

Two pairs of Novas were submitted for 3145 NTNU. The second pair, which wasn't selected, had the mass laser arms swapped from what became the I and the T.

Also note that the I and T can easily be made from the omni parts with only a minor modification for the TSEMP and little in the way of wasted parts. [That was intentional because everybody needs a star of Novas in different configuration with minimal work. I'm just hoping to see the I and T show up on CSO sometime.]

glitterboy2098

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I'd have to re-read the book again. Its been awhile since i did.  I think AMS was in the Mech for first part of the Trials, but she swapped it out for a Beagle if i'm remembering right.

during the cave fight i think she was running the PPC and MPL loadout.. she might have altered it for each fight.

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I am terribly fond of the Nova, at least as clan 'mechs go.  It might not be as "optimal" as a Stormcrow, but to me it's always been one of the classic clan 'mechs, in large part because of the memorable configurations, the Prime and Alpha in particular but also the way it's easy to mix and mismatch parts of many of the loadouts.  I also find it especially amusing to compare it to the Crab, one of my other favourites. 

The Nova Prime is something of a fried egg & chile with mango chatney sandwich, in that "the ingredients are all wrong, but somehow it still works."  Using an XL engine without ES or FF is a bit eyebrow-raising, but not nearly so much as the use of only one type of weapon, and hilariously more of them than any one is likely to want to fire all at once.  It also has all of them in the arms.  While these characteristics are usually ill-advised, they in this case add up to excellent fire arc coverage, weapons redundancy and burst output, while still maintaining respectable sustained output, longevity and flexibility.  I attribute this largely, at least after the general superiority of clan equipment anyway, to how the weight cost of using the ERML is mostly heat sinks with only a little bit else: the Heavy Laser variant enjoys similar benefits to similar degree, but the ER PPC and Pulse Laser variants much less so. 

Regarding improvement of the Delta setup, (the LB 5-X model) as long as we're keeping it really simple and easy, I'd simply drop the "slug" ammo for a third ton of LRM ammo.  I know some might consider it blasphemy, but I'm happy to load an LB 5-X with just Clusters and would much rather have 20 turns from the AC and 18 from the LRM rack than 40 from the little gun and 12 from the big missile weapon.  :/ 

For me, the Nova's look is largely about that weird limb configuration, but the MWO incarnation gets a pass from me since the reason is obviously understandable and unavoidable.  I still like the result because I think it looks like a Supernova/Stormcrow hybrid, which I find entirely appropriate. 
I'm pretty happy that Battletech is divorced from actual warfare by its inherent silliness. Real war machines tend to be closely tied with the other--to avoid opening a can of worms--unpleasant, real world elements of war.

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I honestly somewhat hated the look of the Nova and Dragonfly when I first got into BT, the 'no torso' thing made no sense but the MWO art has made me take a second look. I may try bashing the two for a MWO look now.

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When playing a Clan force, there are two OmniMechs I just can't live without, and the Nova is one of them.
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The Nova Prime is something of a fried egg & chile with mango chatney sandwich, in that "the ingredients are all wrong, but somehow it still works." 

"This sandwich is you, Lister!"   ;D
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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #24 on: 06 August 2014, 00:09:01 »
The Black Hawk Prime is one of my all-time favorite Clan mechs.

Some of the guys I play with hate it because it's so overarmed for its heatsinks.

The rest hate it because they know I'm just waiting for the right time to Alpha Strike and melt their mechs into oblivion.

The H variant is the only mech that I've successfully achieved a double-kill with: I managed to maneuver behind a pair of IS heavies with it, did an Alpha Strike while splitting the fire 50/50 between them.  One got his rear CT blown out, the other suffered an Ammo Explosion.  Lost the Black Hawk a round later while it was shut down, but I figured it was a fair trade.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #25 on: 06 August 2014, 09:51:16 »
I honestly somewhat hated the look of the Nova and Dragonfly when I first got into BT, the 'no torso' thing made no sense but the MWO art has made me take a second look. I may try bashing the two for a MWO look now.

Really?  I thought  the cosmetic choices stuck out in a good way (Similar legs/arms between designs, Fire Moth arm pose, leg/arm style on the Nova, Viper, Kit Fox...).
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #26 on: 07 August 2014, 16:24:30 »
Really?  I thought  the cosmetic choices stuck out in a good way (Similar legs/arms between designs, Fire Moth arm pose, leg/arm style on the Nova, Viper, Kit Fox...).
I loved that part, as I love aesthetics of all the original 3050 omnis. It's the idea of the arms and legs sharing the shoulder/hip joint that had me scratching my head. Giving the Nova a Ryokens's hips, lower torso and the Dragon Fly the Uller's, the two would still have the same parts and aesthetics but also look more fictional.
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Orin J.

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #27 on: 08 August 2014, 11:12:35 »
Design-wise, the Black hawk is fairly spartan- which works for the clans, but it really doesn't give a lot to talk about.... which leaves addressing the elephant in the room, which is how it's arm/leg assembly works.

I had difficulty figuring out how the arm attached to the leg directly, until I remembered that a Battlemech operates with myomers, and that I had been looking at the assembly wrong-Iit's the hip is wrapped around the outside of the arm's shoulder column! Wrapping the hip myomers around a larger central arm column means that the power feeds can be directed more efficently, and routed between the arms/legs as needed, lower the 'mechs visible profile in combat, and so long as the leg actuators are build with a great range of motion, the 'mech suffers no loss of mobility. Sure that means the Black hawk is skipping around the battlefield during a "torso twist", but if i see a skipping battlemech that puts upwards of a dozen clan lasers into my face i'm disinclined to call it silly.

This assembly seems to be a refinement of the Jenner if that's possible, and is apparently so effective it was adopted by the later Linebacker. Neither of these match the Black hawk for sheer murderous effectiveness, but when your calling card is jumping CERML spam that's to be expected. A fine, functional 'mech. It's an absolute shame the clans seem to have ceased production of them
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #28 on: 18 August 2014, 16:24:33 »
It's an absolute shame the clans seem to have ceased production of them

According to Jellico earlier in the thread, Clan Jade Falcon resumed production of the Nova in 3070 :)  I didn't know that at the time I was writing the article, but I've added it in now.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #29 on: 19 August 2014, 10:56:35 »
The jade falcons did something smart for a change lol
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #30 on: 19 August 2014, 19:04:14 »
The jade falcons did something smart for a change lol

It kinda peeves me that the Horses weren't the ones to do this.  One, because the Horses invented the damn thing, and two, it means the Falcons have YET ANOTHER DESIGN that I really like.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #31 on: 19 August 2014, 20:26:28 »
Join the Jade Side, we have all your favorite 'mechs...and talon-shaped cookies!
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #32 on: 19 August 2014, 20:53:59 »
Just say no to Angry Birds.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #33 on: 03 December 2017, 01:25:30 »
Designs like the H leave me scratching my head.  Yeah, seems like a "good" idea to design a mech to be heat neutral on a running alpha, we know that's not always the case.  Salvo patterns and bracket fire let you bring a lot more boom to the party and still keep the heat under control.  Others like the Warhawk Tara, you hold back  and save that big hit for good odds and hope the dice still like you on the shutdown roll.  I'm not likely to make that play but I understand the thought process.

The Nova H, on the other hand, or say the Hunchie IIC 2, I can't quite wrap my head around.  If you fire 9 of the 10 HMLs on that mech, you have a 42% chance of avoiding that shutdown.  Yeah, you'll be down looking at -4 MP and +3 TH, but if you planned well, you can at least waddle to cover. But if you fire that 10th laser, barring Tac Ops Expanded Heat Rules, you WILL shut down.  At that point, not only do you loose any ability to defend yourself, you also become an immobile target with that lovely -4 TH.

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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #34 on: 03 December 2017, 01:34:23 »
It's a tactical choice: you use it when you've gotten yourself into  position where you can pretty much guarantee a kill against something that's bigger and more expensive than the Black Hawk.  The Clans are big on the idea of the Death Or Glory attack.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #35 on: 03 December 2017, 01:56:27 »
The Nova H, on the other hand, or say the Hunchie IIC 2, I can't quite wrap my head around.
Pretty simply really.  If your enemy has been dissolved into primordial paste and/or otherwise evercerated by your lasers then there is nothing there to take advantage of the fact you are immobile for 10 seconds from a shut down engine.  In a society that was obsessed with the honor duel all you have to do is win.  Nothing else really matters.  Against an IS opponent that really is all out the window, and you are right it makes little sense to Alpha Strike unless you know you are going to immune from return fire.

The other thing to take into context about all of the Revival era mechs is the original H versions were published back in 1998.  Most of them are less than configurations and the Nova is certainly not a design that is min-maxed.  The Nova I is more or less what I would have chosen had I been working up the H.  Hitting hard with a ER PPC at range and Heavy Mediums for anything that got in short-medium range.

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #36 on: 06 August 2019, 16:32:38 »
This is running the risk of necromancy, but the Mech Of The Week threads have been linked in the Clan Kickstarter thread, and I came across this.

The Black Hawk/Nova is the first Clan omni I ever saw the stats for.  I took one look at 12 ER Medium Lasers, then looked up what they did, and my mouth fell open.  That has been probably my favorite omni ever since.  There's just something so uncompromising and brutal about it.  Insane, yes, but absolutely brutal.

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #37 on: 06 August 2019, 16:42:44 »
Does the Nova Prime have the crits left to mount a Radical Heat Sink System?  The ability to run, fire 10 cERML and be heat neutral . . . heheh.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #38 on: 06 August 2019, 16:50:11 »
It does have the space, but I wouldn't rely on an RHS.  Plug in optional rules, dial back laser damage and you can fire all the lasers with 5 point damage instead of 7.  All the lasers at that point deal 3 heat.  That's still 60 damage.

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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #39 on: 06 August 2019, 16:53:48 »
Eh, its the same as MASC, Supercharger and a few other things.  I would rather have the RHS b/c if I decide not to be neutral I can pump out 84 damage, to be 16 over heat which is a easier roll then jump into the trees to cool off.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #40 on: 06 August 2019, 18:08:26 »
Since the Black Hawk has standard armor and internal structure, it's got a very roomy interior.  The only restrictions it has on what it can mount is it's limited pod space.
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Re: Operation Revival Omnimech Review: Nova (IS Code Name: Black Hawk)
« Reply #41 on: 06 August 2019, 20:22:41 »
One of my earliest BattleTech memories was playing one of these in Mechwarrior 2, which was my introduction to the setting back in the '90s. It's been a very long time now, but I remember it being pretty savage as long as you were willing to ride the heat curve.


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