MOTW Assassin

[Fear Factory]

You can do something really neat using the Steiner chassis.

ASN-31 Assassin

I can accept it as a scout.

[Caedis Animus]

Not to be the 'follow the rules' guy, but... We're not supposed to post builds, right? Or am I misremembering?

[Fear Factory]

Not in the MOTW thread.  Links to designs are OK from what I understand, basically so the game designers can read fan articles without seeing fan designs (if they so choose).

The Assassin is my favorite 'Mech so I can't resist.  Sorry if it's not allowed.

[mutantsix]

TRO Succession Wars would be a great place to update the ASN-SB......just saying.

2x ML and SRM6.....I'd happily buy the record sheet pack just to have that.

[Hptm. Streiger]

Well, just food for the brain. The Assassin is what its name says it is. A Killer that picks high-value targets and get rid of them. Of course not when the guy is riding in his Atlas but when sleeping in a tent or riding in an open car for the show. LRMs are perfect for killing meaty targets - the explosive and shrapnel makes for lack of precision.
(remember that lousy Hollywood film remake "The Jackal" - Ok the open window and the long aiming period might have been an homage to the original when Edward Fox Character was finally stopped because of the open window. But in seriousness why do you open a window for your 14.5x114mm and why to aim for a headshot when you know that your gun is inaccurate and doesn't need that kind of precision.
And the Assassin doesn't need this super high precision for his kill shot either - unlike LGR, Large Laser or AC2 might need.


LRM has the longest reach on the field so an intercept force needs to stop you some klicks before you are able to get your shot. A Republic Mod might be the mounting of ER-LRMs and a TAG instead of the MLAS

[GermanSumo]

assassin... i always found the name very ironic... the contract killer coming to work with the tiniest tool of the trade EVER  [blank] [blank] [blank]

[Nahuris]

Well, just food for the brain. The Assassin is what its name says it is. A Killer that picks high-value targets and get rid of them. Of course not when the guy is riding in his Atlas but when sleeping in a tent or riding in an open car for the show. LRMs are perfect for killing meaty targets - the explosive and shrapnel makes for lack of precision.
(remember that lousy Hollywood film remake "The Jackal" - Ok the open window and the long aiming period might have been an homage to the original when Edward Fox Character was finally stopped because of the open window. But in seriousness why do you open a window for your 14.5x114mm and why to aim for a headshot when you know that your gun is inaccurate and doesn't need that kind of precision.
And the Assassin doesn't need this super high precision for his kill shot either - unlike LGR, Large Laser or AC2 might need.


LRM has the longest reach on the field so an intercept force needs to stop you some klicks before you are able to get your shot. A Republic Mod might be the mounting of ER-LRMs and a TAG instead of the MLAS

At the time it was designed, the SRM2 was the ONLY weapon that could carry infernos ..... race in, see the enemy commander climbing his mech, coat it with napalm, and leave ---- or if you can get in, while the troops are still trying to organize, hit as many as you can with burning gel --- if you get some ammo piles, well, that's just fireworks for your own little arson party.

Nahuris

[Drewbacca]

I have never had an Assassin do much damage, but they can be an annoyance.

Sorry for reviving a dead thread but I read this as I was considering as a joke using the Assassin in a game against my son as he wants to try a Vindicator. Reading this reply and thinking back to when I first read through 3025 before really understanding the rules (thinking, wow this thing has a cool name and look at how it moves) I was reminded of a comment a fellow player made during a game at my old Flgs. He said "You know Granger never wins, but is takes forever for him to die."

Maybe a harasser like this is the perfect mech for me. 😂😂😂

[Greatclub]

In megamek I've gotten some mileage out of the -99 and Alice. (is RS: unique mechs ever coming back?)

Given that one of my new sparring partners just ordered a trio of VTOL and the constant desire of a different one to use them, even the -30 might see some play in the future.

At best assassins are supporting players, not 'line units.' 

[Hellraiser]

At best assassins are supporting players, not 'line units.' 

Is anything moving 7/11/7 a "line unit" ?   LOL

The speed alone kind of defines it as a Recon role, maybe a Striker unit if enough weight saving tech is used.

[Greatclub]

Is anything moving 7/11/7 a "line unit" ?   LOL

The speed alone kind of defines it as a Recon role, maybe a Striker unit if enough weight saving tech is used.

Blitzkreig -4F and Legionaire -2K want to talk to you. They can't stay still or act as anchor, but I'd cheerfully put one in a heavy lance. Wraith isn't bad in a scrap either.

After that options get admittedly sparse

[Hellraiser]

Hmmm,  very nice choices to be sure  ;)

I'm still not sure I'd call them a "Line" unit, but, yeah, they could be the PointMan in an otherwise heavy lance.

When I think "Line", I think mid-speed (4/6) Upper-End Heavy, with lots of Armor & Guns.

The above Mediums are awesome units, but I'd still probably call them "skirmishers" v/s "line" units.

[Greatclub]

Fair. And the assassin never rises above skirmisher or striker in any configuration.

[BATTLEMASTER]

I remember hating playing with introtech Assassins.  But if I did it again, I'd use their mobility to my advantage and abuse other lights and mediums with physical attacks.  The 7 jump allows for good positioning for kicking weak legs and punching from behind.

[Hellraiser]

I remember hating playing with introtech Assassins.  But if I did it again, I'd use their mobility to my advantage and abuse other lights and mediums with physical attacks.  The 7 jump allows for good positioning for kicking weak legs and punching from behind.

Agreed.  The BV2 isn't bad really for a balanced introtech game.
Its twice the cost of a Wasp-1A but the armor alone is 50% more, the movement curve will only amplify that, as will the double tonnage, and the LRM gives you something to hit with outside of ML range.

[Colt Ward]

Have we gotten the new Assassin in RecGuides since it is in the Empire Alone art?  It is firing a 'red' laser so it would be a medium of some sort . . . I think a iHML would be fun.

[packhntr]

To be honest, I have always avoided the Assassin like the plague.  I have played all versions and they die far to easily for what little they contribute.  I made a custom variant that used (based on a 30) paired LPPC with a cap (each) and a supercharger. That was a nice version to play.  As was a variant with multiple SRMs (3x SRM 4) with inferno rounds and a supercharger.  Run into range, light the bad guy on fire, and get out.

[Wrangler]

I think their effective in Succession War era, hunting lighter machines with light armor.  I had some lucky guy head hit, killing my guy with an Assassin.

I always thought them as larger scout / scout hunters.  Since they have speed and if hit enough, anti-light mech killer / scout machine.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, even though they are a 'medium' they play like a light.  I think they could have a interesting rebirth in the Dark Ages/ilClan with some of the advanced materials- Endo-Steel, XL or XXL engines, XL Gyro, LFF/FF/HFF armor and then when you throw on some of the new weapons like heavy lasers & MMLs that allow them to punch or adjust their load for tactical variance . . . yeah, the RecGuide design has options.

[Greatclub]

Quite possible we'll see it in the expanded RecGuides. I'd give it at least one chance in three, and more that there is another wave when the new force box(es) come out.

[Hellraiser]

Yeah, even though they are a 'medium' they play like a light.  I think they could have a interesting rebirth in the Dark Ages/ilClan with some of the advanced materials- Endo-Steel, XL or XXL engines, XL Gyro, LFF/FF/HFF armor and then when you throw on some of the new weapons like heavy lasers & MMLs that allow them to punch or adjust their load for tactical variance . . . yeah, the RecGuide design has options.

The Assassin is the "Cicada" of the "Jumping Bugs".
Twice the size, barely more firepower/armor.

And yeah, I agree & always felt a XL would go a LONG way to making it a much nastier ride post 3050.

[Wrangler]

Yeah, even though they are a 'medium' they play like a light.  I think they could have a interesting rebirth in the Dark Ages/ilClan with some of the advanced materials- Endo-Steel, XL or XXL engines, XL Gyro, LFF/FF/HFF armor and then when you throw on some of the new weapons like heavy lasers & MMLs that allow them to punch or adjust their load for tactical variance . . . yeah, the RecGuide design has options.

That's good thought.  You know, more I think of it.  It does remind me of the Dasher II, which has the XXL, has lighter weapons but goes stupid fast. Only issue is that XXL are insanely expensive to be practical.

[Colt Ward]

Not by 3140s, otherwise we would not see them as commonly as we do.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Have we gotten the new Assassin in RecGuides since it is in the Empire Alone art?  It is firing a 'red' laser so it would be a medium of some sort . . . I think a iHML would be fun.

Wait, how can you determine what kind of laser it is from the color?

[Colt Ward]

Because they had published over the years the 'colors' for the lasers and the video games mostly followed that- I think they gave Heavies a different color at some point, but that was never in BT canon.

This discussion also came up when a topic came up talking about painting the aperatures to reflect the laser size.  Looking back at the topic I do not think there was consensus- since MW4 did their own thing a lot, I would take MW2 & MW3 as a better standard.

Besides the Assassin has a med laser in all the old versions rather than a small or large.

[Arkansas Warrior]

In MW3, Large=Red, Medium=Green, and Small=Blue.  Heavies were similar, but a slightly different hue (Heavy Large was kind of an Orange amber, IIRC).  I could swear that the books are mostly just inconsistent and contradictory.

[Hellraiser]

Because they had published over the years the 'colors' for the lasers and the video games mostly followed that- I think they gave Heavies a different color at some point, but that was never in BT canon.

Wait, what?  When were the colors of lasers ever published as an actual rule/in universe things.

[Colt Ward]

Wait, what?  When were the colors of lasers ever published as an actual rule/in universe things.

Not what was actually said . . . what I said is IIRC the fiction makes the color-size thing pretty standard and art seems to follow.

[Atarlost]

The Assassin is the "Cicada" of the "Jumping Bugs".
Twice the size, barely more firepower/armor.

That's not a fair comparison. 

A Locust has 3 tons of weapons and 4 tons of armor.  A Cicada has 2.5 tons of weapons and 4 tons of armor. 

In comparison the ASN-21 has all the weapons of the WSP-1A plus an LRM rack that weighs as much as the Wasp's entire armament and has a ton and a half more armor and is faster. 

[BATTLEMASTER]

I'd take an Assassin 21 over a Cicada 2A.  The ASN-21 can be even more fun if deadfire LRM ammo is allowed in a game.

If we're talking a CDA-3F though, I'd take that over most Assassin flavors for being a highly-mobile jumpy hole puncher, something none of the Assasins do.