You guys have given some great submissions to the previous design challenges, so I've got another one for you. The last two have pushed you to lighter mechs, so here's one you can easily do in any weight class.
Design a mech that operates in groups of six, with a C3i computer.To be clear, that means that I will be judging these as if you have six
identical mechs that are all connected into a single C3i network, operating as a single force. I won't limit you to ComStar/WoB fluff or tech, but you need to make sure that the Mech makes sense as a whole, not just that it's powerful. In other words, if you want Clanners to be making these, you'd better have a very good explanation of why.
Also, to be clear, I will only judge one submission per person, and it will be the first one you post. I may get a chuckle from the others, or other people might want to comment on them, but they're not contest entries.
Have fun!
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Challenge #2] [Forward to
Challenge #4]
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EDIT: I know this is almost five years old, but I feel guilty about never judging it. To avoid necro-posting, I'm editing the results into here.
Ruger: Sturmfalke SHD-15S - 55t, 5/8[10]/5, 160 armor, 20 HS, PPC, 2x MML-7(4t w/CASE II), 2x ML, supercharger, small cockpit
The MML is a really natural option for this challenge, and we'll see a lot of them. After that, a decent energy loadout, and while Ruger said it was weak on heat, it can run/MML/PPC at +0 or jump/MML/ML at -1, which is all anyone can reasonably ask. Vanilla, but competently designed vanilla. One minor question is what the SHD designation was intended as - if this is a Shadow Hawk, it should probably be named as such, and if it's not, it should have a different designation. (It could be, and this might be a quirk of German translation? IDK.)
Empyrus: Coutilier CTL-3R - 55t, 5/8/5, 185 armor, 24 HS, ERLL, ERML, MML-9(2t w/CASE), ECM
As he says, this isn't much different from the prior on top-line stats. It's significantly more durable, with the Light engine instead of XL, and the increased armor. The ECM also helps to defend your C3 system, which is very nice, and I liked the suggestion of a field-swappable option for the active probe. But it's a bit slower, has noticeably less firepower, and IMO the heat sinking is more than you really need. You're +0 with a run/alpha, and your alpha isn't really any better than the Sturmfalke's bracketing. I'd have liked one more weapon somewhere, tbh. I did like the choice to bring quirks in.
Hellraiser: Favashi FAV-O Invictus - 55t, 5/8/5, 184 armor, 22 HS, HPPC, ERML, ECM, small cockpit, compact gyro
I'm sensing a theme with 55t 5/8/5, but then I suppose that's the really obvious sweet spot for this challenge. This one goes all the way down to a standard engine, which is nice for durability, but you can see what that does to the weapons loadout. That's probably a bit too far, tbh - a light engine might have done better here.
Daryk: Sleet SLT-1 - 75t, 5/8/5, 231 armor, 28 HS, HPPC, 2x LPPC, AES
5/8/5 like the others, but at a heavier weight. Having the uniform range is convenient, and while the HPPC/LPPC pair confused me at first, it's a smasher plus a couple crit-seekers, which makes a lot of sense. The AES seems slightly suboptimal - a targeting computer would give the same bonus and be a ton lighter - but it's cool. Light weaponry for a unit of this size and cost, but otherwise it's well balanced.
Liam's Ghost: Gladiator GLD-6C - 55t, 5/8/5, 160 armor, 22 HS, 2x MML-9(4t w/CASE), 2x ERML, small cockpit
Again this is a light engine design, and spreading the ammo between both torsos makes a lot of sense in that context. Very similar to the Coutilier, dropping 25 armor for a bit more firepower. This one is clearly going for some durability through structure-tanking, instead of armor alone, but the design suits that well. I'd probably have cut the extra HS for another ton of armor, though.
Sabelkatten: Bullet BL-1 - 75t, 4/6[8]/3, 224 armor, 24 HS, ERPPC, LAC/5(1t w/CASE II), 3x MML/3(2t w/CASE II), Angel ECM, TAG, targeting computer
Holy crap, a different movement speed! (I won't bonus or penalize anyone for that, just surprising at this point.) Reasonably mobile, though, and a useful mix of equipment. The biggest issue with this one is that it's a Light Engine design that can handle loss of a side torso, but the weaponry isn't quite balanced to do that. The ammo is all LT, but one of the MMLs is RT instead, so it'll be shut off by losing either side torso. I'd have swapped that with some of the Endo Steel in the LA. I like the use of semi-guided ammo with TAG and precision ammo, to swat down the fast-moving stuff very effectively.
Sharpnel: Sekhmet SKM-3T - 65t, 4/6/4, 195 armor, 22 HS, LGR w/CASE(2t), SSRM-6(1t w/CASE), 3x ERML, ER Flamer, 2x LMG(1t w/CASE)
An odd weapon mix here. Usually I see C3 systems focus a fair bit on long-range weapons options, but other than the LGR nothing here hits past 12 hexes. And the LGR is a fairly low-damage weapon, despite its wonderful range and heat profile. On a slower mech, this close-range weapons mix is a bit of a missed opportunity, I'd say. Props for including more weapons than heat sinks, though - with the SSRM missing as a possible source of "cooling", it's nice to see you not over-invest in HS. +1 for the fluff, as well.
casperionx: Stealth STH-C3i - 45t, 7/11/7, 144 armor, 20 HS, ERPPC+capacitor, ECM
I was expecting stealth armor when I saw this name, and I was going to freak out about the heat profile. But nope, LFF, so it can run at sane heats. This design is a one-trick pony, but it's a good trick. The heat works, the mobility is extremely high, and ERPPC+Cap is a quality head-capper that can harass enemies to death very effectively.
RevenVrake: Semi-Mobile Watch Tower SMWT-01 - 75t, 1/1/1 quad, 247 hardened armor, 11 HS, Plasma Rifle (3t), LGR(3t), mech turret(armored), searchlight
Well that's a damn brick. But it fits its stated role (and name) very well, and the design is clearly part of a coherent whole. My biggest complaint is the LGR - like I said above, I find it's too low-damage for what you invest in it - but it does have the virtue of ensuring that nobody can ever out-range you (without stuff like artillery or XLRMs), and that was probably the point.
Andras: Thundercrack TDK-A20-J-iC3 - 70t, 4/6/4, 216 armor, 20 HS, LB-20X(3t), LRM-15 w/Artemis (2t), 3x ML, ECM, compact gyro
Biased towards short ranges, like Sharpnel's. I prefer the LRM-15 over the LGR, but 9 range on the MLs (instead of 12) is pretty limiting in some ways, even if it gives you an extra laser for the same heat. I also don't like the component layout - the AC ammo is in the RA instead of being RT with the CASE, and for an IS XL engine design, side torso CASE is worthless other than for salvage. Either cut the CASE totally, or upgrade it to CASE II and protect all your ammo with it.
Nightsong: Janissary JNS-1CS - 70t, 5/8/0, 178 armor, 20 HS, Gauss(2t), LRM-15(2t), 2x LPPC, ECM, XL gyro
The opposite of the last, this is all long-range weaponry, down to every weapon having a minimum range. (Good decision calling that out in the fluff, though). Less armour than many, and the first one not to have jump jets, but still fairly mobile despite that. It has slight "glass cannon" tendencies, but the damage and range profile is overall excellent.
fallen: Firestarter FS9-O - 45t, 6/9/6, 136 armor, 24 HS, 2x flamer, 2x fluid gun(2t), 3t comms equipment, Bloodhound probe
Well that's right out of left field. A
firefighting mech with C3i? Honestly though, I like it. Interesting fluff, a coherent design, and it'd probably be very good at its job. My biggest complaint is actually the name - the Firetstarter is a 30t mech, not a 45t. Call it a "King Firestarter" or something next time.
Firesprocket: Pocket Pop Gun - 75t, 3/5/3, 231 armor, 20 HS, IHGR w/CASE II(3t), RAC/2(2t w/CASE II)
Now there's a weapon pair that packs a punch. The biggest single-location damage at long range in the game, plus the best long-range critseeker? I love the pairing. Durable as heck, too. I'd probably have bumped this up to 80 tons to get better stability rolls for the IHGR, but that's a minor quibble. The slowest of the designs so far, aside from the semi-mobile watch tower, but the excellent range here means you don't need to be all that fast.
fallen: I only count one entry per player, but I will say that I like the fluff on the second design. I suppose "if you want Clanners to be making these, you'd better have a very good explanation of why" was a challenge to some, and you rose to that challenge.
Firesprocket: Ditto for second entries. I don't like snubbies on C3 mechs, but the capacitors and radical heat sink are a strong combo.
DarthMetool: Steel Wolf STW-3A - 50t, 7[8]/11[12]/0 quad, 168 armor, 20 HS, MML-5(3t w/CASE) in turret, 4x Clan ERML, Angel ECM, TSM, small cockpit, XL gyro
Definitely running with the mixed tech here. I'm not sure it's quite coherent, though - it doesn't generate quite as much heat as I'd expect from a TSM design, or have as much flexibility with adding and removing heat. Three tons of ammo is a lot for one MML-5, as well - I like the ammo variety approach, but the mech should probably lean into that with more than five tubes.
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Third Place: fallen's Firestarter FS9-O. This was such an interesting direction to go with the challenge, and well executed too. (For the same reason, honourable mention goes to RevenVrake's Semi-Mobile Watch Tower)
Second Place: Ruger's Sturmfalke SHD-15S. The 5/8/5 space was crowded, and I had trouble picking one, but this one seems like the best overall balance. Good heat balance for bracketing (including the ability to push things a bit when you need to), fastest of the group, and good firepower.
First Place: Nightsong's Janissary JNS-1CS. A good all-around mech, very combat capable, and the fluff was fun as well as addressing many of the things I'd normally worry about.
