What was their ride ( need suggestions)

[Sjhernan3060]

Greetings Clan players –

        I am hoping to add some named Characters to my miniature collection and for some games I want to run. I was wondering what this group thinks the following characters used for their personal mechs:

Ulric Kerenksy – I know he used the Garoyle/Man o War:
•   Recognizing that this design gets a lot of hate in the invasion era – what variant do you think he used?

Brandon Howell of the Smoke Jaguars, a bit about him here:
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Brandon_Howell

So the only info I have besides his interesting bio is that he MAY have piloted a Timber Wolf on Tukkayid. What about on Huntress?

If he kept using a Timber Wolf what variant do you think a clever and likely ammo strapped pilot like him would use?
After reading his bio what other mechs would you have suggested for him?

Summoner? Executioner?

Blood Spirit Sakhan and Galaxy Commanders

I know Khan Kharinna Schmidt used a Blood Kite ( natch) but what about her subordinates?

 Would a Spirit choose a omni just cause its an omni or would they go for a rock solid IIC design like a Highlander IIC or an old school SL design like a Pillager or some such. I am curious on your thoughts. I would assume the prejudice against standard mechs is not nearly as strong among the Spirit leadership.

Thanks!   

[Wotan]

Ulric Kerenksy – I know he used the Garoyle/Man o War:
•   Recognizing that this design gets a lot of hate in the invasion era – what variant do you think he used?

It looks like Ulric had some love for the Prime configuration. At least the old Jade and Wolf Sourcebook lists him in a prime for his final battle. And in the OTP Revival Trials he also had a Gargoyle and fired some missiles. Sounds like a Prime or B. I'm sure a custom variant would be mentioned with a separate sheet. So i go for the Prime.

[Weirdo]

Give him a Prime, and skills good enough to use called high shots reliably, and watch him wreck shop. 8)

[Sjhernan3060]

Ok thanks guys!

What about the other slots I need to fill?

[Sjhernan3060]

If I keep the Madcat for SaKhan Howell - perhaps I should use the Madcat Pryde model?

[JadeHellbringer]

If I keep the Madcat for SaKhan Howell - perhaps I should use the Madcat Pryde model?

One of the nice things to an Omnimech is that you can even kit up something you design yourself- who's to say he didn't use something oddball and unique? I have a Thor that I did a few years ago with an Ultra-10 (taken from a Ryoken B), four ER medium lasers (a Black Hawk Prime arm with a couple of lasers snipped away), and an ATM-6 (modded from an unused one on the DA Black Hawk) in the shoulder. It doesn't match any Thor config out there- it isn't supposed to. It's an Omni, so I can build it into whatever I please.

[Sharpnel]

It's an Omni, so I can build it into whatever I please.

You have been sigged.

[Sjhernan3060]

Well said guys!

I would think I would want something tough and or jumpy or fast and jumpy to plug holes and help out but keep out of the thick of the fighting. A Man or War or the Jumpy Timber Wolf is what I am leaning towards. Or the Thor does both...

[JadeHellbringer]

You have been sigged.

I salute you, sir.  O0

But no, seriously. If I bring a Thor- or any other Omni- into the maintenance bay for refit, I should be able to refit it however I want, so long as I have the pods for it. That's the whole idea to an Omnimech- not that it can rapidly switch between several pre-determined variants, but that it can set up almost any way the pilot (or his CO) wants. There shouldn't be any reason NOT to. It's what has always driven me batty about the random assignment tables- people look at these and decide that a chart shows the Fenris Prime, A, and C, so that means Clan Flatulent Panda can't use the Fenris D because it isn't on their chart. To hell with that- it's an OMNIMECH, I should be able to use any version of it I wish, or create my own if I want- the RAT simply tells me a variant to use in a game, not what a Clan can/cannot use. And yet I see that here all the time, and it makes me want to stick my head in a vat of molten copper.

[rantrantrant]

[The Eagle]

Blood Spirit Sakhan and Galaxy Commanders

I know Khan Kharinna Schmidt used a Blood Kite ( natch) but what about her subordinates?

 Would a Spirit choose a omni just cause its an omni or would they go for a rock solid IIC design like a Highlander IIC or an old school SL design like a Pillager or some such. I am curious on your thoughts. I would assume the prejudice against standard mechs is not nearly as strong among the Spirit leadership.

Thanks!

The prejudice is still as strong, but the Spirits can't afford to rather act on it because of their situation.  They still use old SLDF designs in their second-line formations and certainly will have some standard BattleMechs mixed into their first-line Clusters, but Omnis are still king.

That being said, the most likely rides for high-ranking Spirit officers are probably going to be Blood Kites and Kingfishers.  Those are probably the two most popular assault 'Mechs in their touman, and since assaults tends to be more durable, I personally have always figured their touman is going to fairly top-heavy.  Some common OmniMechs include their home-grown Stooping Hawk and Crimson Langur, and the Battle Cobra.  All three are reasonably nimble and fairly well armed in most configurations.

[Jaim Magnus]

I'd have to dig out my books, but I'm fairly confidant Brandon Howell was piloting a Dire Wolf on Huntress.

[Sjhernan3060]

Thanks Jaime - if you could confirm that I would be grateful. I would also be interested in what variant if that is mentioned as well.

[Jaim Magnus]

Okay, I was misremembering, because nowhere in the novels is it stated what Brandon Howell rode, just that his unit is all heavies and assaults. However, the Twilight of the Clans scenario book has the lead mech of the Jaguars Shroud (Howell's unit) as a Gladiator/Executioner. So that seems a likely candidate.

[Wotan]

I was just digging in the same book as well. To make it more precise the leading mech is listed as Executioner Prime. There is some more information about his skills in the Era Report 3052.

Twilight of the Clans scenario book also sets saKhan Troy Boques of the Blood Spirits in a Battle Cobra B (skill 2/1).

[JadeHellbringer]

I was just digging in the same book as well. To make it more precise the leading mech is listed as Executioner Prime. There is some more information about his skills in the Era Report 3052.

Twilight of the Clans scenario book also sets saKhan Troy Boques of the Blood Spirits in a Battle Cobra B (skill 2/1).

Surprising choice, but to each their own. One wonders if it's potentially the only one in their touman, actually.

[Sjhernan3060]

Thanks X 2 Jaim - That makes sense the Executioner is an " odd" mech for an " odd" warrior. Hmmm I thinking the B or C variant

[The Eagle]

Surprising choice, but to each their own. One wonders if it's potentially the only one in their touman, actually.

Which one, the Jaguar Executioner or the Spirit Cobra?

[JadeHellbringer]

Which one, the Jaguar Executioner or the Spirit Cobra?

The latter, though now that you mention it I admit I think more 'Warhawk' or 'Dire Wolf' when I think 'Jaguar assault Mech on the loose'. Still, weirdness happens like that sometimes. I don't think of the Executioner as one common in the Jade Falcon touman either, but that's what Vandervahn Chistu died in, so clearly there was at least one sitting around for use.

[Wotan]

The entry in TRO3050U for the Executioner indicates that the Jaguars made good use of this design. So it doesn't seem that unlikely at all.

[Sjhernan3060]

Based on what we can read about Howell's non standard jaguarness I am leaning towards the Executioner. Other thoughts?

[Takiro]

saKhan Brandon Howell (Gunnery 0 / Piloting 1) piloted a Timber Wolf in my recent Trial of Restoration which I called Snow Cat from his Bloodname origins (Snow Raven) and the Clan he serves. A master at picking his spots I created a very offensive custom configuration that could devastate potential opponents.

ER PPC in the right arm
Ultra AC/20 in the left arm (15 rounds available, LT)
Streak SRM 6 in the right torso (15 rounds available, RT)
2 ER Medium Lasers in the left torso
ER Small Laser in the center torso

Heat Sinks 15 (30). Weapon heat was 45, not including Walking (+1) or Running (+2)

Just pick your times with the ER PPC and the Ultra AC/20. If you alternate them effectively you should be able to stay heat neutral.

[The Eagle]

The latter...

In which case I'd point out that the Battle Cobra appears on Spirit RATs, and is probably quite popular because it lacks an XL engine (one of the prime paradigms of Spirit Mech design).

[Sjhernan3060]

saKhan Brandon Howell (Gunnery 0 / Piloting 1) piloted a Timber Wolf in my recent Trial of Restoration

Good morning could you tell me more about this trial of restoration?

[Takiro]

I am working on it bud. ;)

[Mattlov]

Howell eventually got himself an Osteon, so, he seems to have a knack for unusual rides.

Highlander IICs might see some use in the Blood Spirits, that seems like something they'd enjoy.  Star League nostalgia with modern firepower.

[Jaim Magnus]

Howell eventually got himself an Osteon, so, he seems to have a knack for unusual rides.

Wrong Howell. You're thinking former Huntress Galaxy Commander Rouseu (sp?) Howell. The OP was talking about saKhan Brandon Howell.

[JadeHellbringer]

Wrong Howell. You're thinking former Huntress Galaxy Commander Rouseu (sp?) Howell. The OP was talking about saKhan Brandon Howell.

I would have had it wrong as well- I was set to say 'Dire Wolf' based on Mechwarrior 3's final mission, but remembered it was Brendan Corbett, not Brandon Howell. Stupid names.

(...now I want that to work on Win10.)

[Sjhernan3060]

The OP was talking about saKhan Brandon Howell.

Yep

[Mattlov]

Wrong Howell. You're thinking former Huntress Galaxy Commander Rouseu (sp?) Howell. The OP was talking about saKhan Brandon Howell.

Indeed.

OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT?!?!?!

Dun dun duuuuunnnnn...