Author Topic: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?  (Read 35268 times)

Crimson Dawn

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #210 on: 13 January 2018, 18:34:43 »
How close can a thumper be "effective" against targets?  Is it effective close enough that a hypothetical mech does not require other long range weaponry so that it just needs close range defenses such as medium lasers, SRMs, and anti infantry weapons, or does it really still want some longer range weapons too like PPCs or LRMs?

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #211 on: 13 January 2018, 19:27:14 »
Min range on direct fire targets (hex) is . . . 7 or 8 hexes, so yeah, a battery of MLs as back up works.
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Iceweb

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #212 on: 13 January 2018, 22:44:52 »

We're told that the Hunchback variants are called Swaybacks since 3025-26. There's an LRM, an AC/10, an AC/5 - LRM combo, an SRM and a ML variant. But nobody in 25+ years thought of a Thumper / A4 variant?

I did a refit in HQ recently and it gave me a UK variant with a guass rifle. 
It bothers me that I can't decide if that is a big enough gun to still be a hunchback or if it is just a swayback. 
If any headcapper was enough a blazer would count and there is no way you wouldn't move the engine and get a swayback with just that as a big gun. 

What makes you move the engine?

truetanker

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #213 on: 14 January 2018, 02:02:40 »
4G Prototype Gauss

5SG production model

And I dropped the SHS cause this was common enough mod. if the sink wasn't engine equipment already.

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JadeHellbringer

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #214 on: 15 January 2018, 13:52:32 »
"I'm not sure if a Gauss rifle is a big enough gun" is by far and away the most Lyran thing ever uttered on these forums.
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guardiandashi

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #215 on: 15 January 2018, 14:15:20 »
what is the preferred Lyran heavy weapon?


the ac plenty ultra, for when you absolutely positively have to kill something quick...

truetanker

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #216 on: 15 January 2018, 14:23:54 »
AC/10s are a must Lyran weapon.

More damage at range, more times. The 20 is only good on fast platforms... Banshee-3Q springs to mind, even though it's clearly Marik in design!

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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #217 on: 15 January 2018, 15:24:19 »
what is the preferred Lyran heavy weapon?

LB-X or Ultra 20s, Gauss Rifle, Heavy Gauss Rifle, Improved Heavy Gauss.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #218 on: 15 January 2018, 15:27:52 »
what is the preferred Lyran heavy weapon?
LB-X or Ultra 20s, Gauss Rifle, Heavy Naval Gauss Rifle, Improved Heavy Gauss.

Fixed that for ya!

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Kit deSummersville

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #219 on: 15 January 2018, 16:03:27 »
Well, canonically the heaviest weapon wielded by a BattleMech was by a Davion....
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Alexander Knight

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #220 on: 15 January 2018, 17:24:58 »
Well, canonically the heaviest weapon wielded by a BattleMech was by a Davion....

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truetanker

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #221 on: 15 January 2018, 17:33:49 »
So an Ultra-light used a club via a TSMed Assault?

 :o
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #222 on: 15 January 2018, 19:02:25 »
Not Ultra-light. 8)
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Kidd

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #223 on: 15 January 2018, 19:25:07 »
Not Ultra-light. 8)
And not as a club either  :D

Incidentally, that is what cements the feat at the very top - were it used as a club it would tie with the Sniper Artillery and Long Tom Cannon. But since it was thrown, it is by far the heaviest projectile weapon launched by a Mech at another Mech!  ;D

JadedFalcon

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #224 on: 15 January 2018, 20:17:15 »
Yep, that Blakist mech sure got left with a Thorn in its side.

Tymers Realm

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #225 on: 19 January 2018, 00:47:17 »
Not to derail from the ongoing humor...
I had a couple of weird thoughts of something else that could work as a artillery platform. I finally worked a couple out.
So, in my custom/variants thread, I've posted my take on a artillery Rifleman.

What do you all think?

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #226 on: 19 January 2018, 04:20:40 »
Interesting idea!  I'd go with endo-steel vice ferro-fibrous, though.  That would give you enough to max the armor, and put in, say, a Recon Camera...

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #227 on: 19 January 2018, 08:20:49 »
Not to derail from the ongoing humor...
I had a couple of weird thoughts of something else that could work as a artillery platform. I finally worked a couple out.
So, in my custom/variants thread, I've posted my take on a artillery Rifleman.

What do you all think?

Nice! You might want to look at the JagerMech as another chassis to mod.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #228 on: 19 January 2018, 09:27:13 »
Nice! You might want to look at the JagerMech as another chassis to mod.

A Jagermech might be interesting, but considering the Arrow IV Catapult variant at the 65 ton weight is already there...

JadeHellbringer

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #229 on: 19 January 2018, 10:06:49 »
A Jagermech might be interesting, but considering the Arrow IV Catapult variant at the 65 ton weight is already there...

True, but it's pretty Liao-centric, isn't it? I'm not sure how widespread that idea became.
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anastrace

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #230 on: 20 January 2018, 07:55:55 »
True, but it's pretty Liao-centric, isn't it? I'm not sure how widespread that idea became.

Since I've been away for a long time, has it changed that the CCAF has the most A4 equipment? I remember seeing the Patriot recently that is FWLM, but the Capellans motto seemed to be for a long time, if you can stick an A4 in there and you haven't yet, you have displeased the Chancellor.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #231 on: 20 January 2018, 09:40:01 »
Want to know what I think?

In the last three successor wars, the CCAF had a lot of A4 left on platforms, but had to remove them due to not having enough ammo to support them in the field. They switched over to LRMs and used leftover mines from past productions. We know this because TPTB made House Liao famous for minefields, and gave them T-Aug rounds! They also are an Inferno user, so when the A4 came back, in this case the ability to produce ammo, CCAF production just seemed rational to put it back on everything possible.

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #232 on: 20 January 2018, 10:35:17 »
So the launchers themselves were never lost, they lost the ability to build the ammo and when the technology returned, they had a bajillion Arrow racks sitting in storage?
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #233 on: 20 January 2018, 12:17:57 »
So the launchers themselves were never lost, they lost the ability to build the ammo and when the technology returned, they had a bajillion Arrow racks sitting in storage?
Yup. Although, it begs the question of why they never bothered with making dumb-fire Arrow ammo, similar to how LRMs and SRMs can be equipped with ammo that has a penalty to hit but an extra point of damage per missile.
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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #234 on: 20 January 2018, 12:50:45 »
Standard area-saturation Arrow IV rounds are unguided.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #235 on: 20 January 2018, 12:52:04 »
Yup. Although, it begs the question of why they never bothered with making dumb-fire Arrow ammo, similar to how LRMs and SRMs can be equipped with ammo that has a penalty to hit but an extra point of damage per missile.

Are those still actually a thing? Unless brought back in some other book, I tend to assume that anything in the Tactical Handbook has been quietly dropped from the universe.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #236 on: 20 January 2018, 16:19:40 »
Dead fire missiles came back in Interstellar Operations.
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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #237 on: 20 January 2018, 16:35:04 »
Which I believe means that the only thing NOT brought back is Interlocking Streak Missiles

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #238 on: 20 January 2018, 16:35:31 »
So the launchers themselves were never lost, they lost the ability to build the ammo and when the technology returned, they had a bajillion Arrow racks sitting in storage?

Not only that, EVERY house had them, just not the ammo schematics, like how it was fluffed in 3039 that all the houses had SL-era tech, but not enough working examples to field / produce. Until Helm/ New Dallas Holocore! The Davions had Warship tech, but not powerful enough Sub-engines. Marik brute forced theirs, while Liao just repaired their few  warships! Leading others to develope the costs and stealing said plains, Impavido.

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MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Why Build Artillery 'Mechs?
« Reply #239 on: 20 January 2018, 17:14:33 »
I thought the Liaos cut a deal with WoB for warship tech.
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