Siegebreaker SGB-1X "Full Survival" ASF

[acksed]

Constructed as an easily-repairable 'full-survival craft' for a green VIP, this "Assault mech with wings" was stupendously well-armoured with twenty-nine tons of standard armour, more than any current ASF. Special layering techniques and mounts had to be invented to affix nearly the weight of a light fighter in protection on its frame. Everything else was sourced from commonly-available parts.
Its weaponry also matched its BattleMech spiritual brother, while taking some cues from the Davion Stuka. Three Kreuss PPCs in the wings and nose fired forward, and three Diverse Optics Type 20 Medium Lasers were mounted on the rear. Thirty single heat sinks ensured it could fire forward without pausing, though firing the rear MLs as well required the pilot to drop out a PPC to cool.
The GM 300 fusion engine and a standard five-ton fuel tank propelled it to a sluggish 86 km/h. While it was capable of dogfighting with its aerodynamic design, its lack of speed meant standard operating procedure became to fly into the middle range of a light formation, the pilot utilising its thick hide to shrug off initial salvos, and "tape down the trigger", firing as fast as its PPCs could cycle.

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Siegebreaker "Awesome Flying" SGB-1X

Mass: 100 tons
Frame: Unknown
Power Plant: 300 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     3 Kreuss PPC
     3 Diverse Optics Type 20 Medium Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3025
Tech Rating/Availability: D/X-E-D-D
Cost: 6,070,500 C-bills

Type: Awesome Flying
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Tonnage: 100
Battle Value: 2,218

Equipment                                          Mass
Engine                        300 Fusion             19
Safe Thrust: 5
Max Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity:         0                       
Heat Sinks:                   0                      20
Fuel:                         400                   5.0
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor                  464                    29

                           Armor   
                           Value   
     Nose                   130   
     Wings                116/116
     Aft                    102   


Weapons
and Ammo              Location   Tonnage  Heat   SRV  MRV  LRV  ERV
PPC                     RWG       7.0      10    10   10    0    0 
PPC                     NOS       7.0      10    10   10    0    0 
PPC                     LWG       7.0      10    10   10    0    0 
3 Medium Lasers         AFT       3.0      3      5    0    0    0
I was partly inspired by Fighter of the Week's comments on the Stuka: how it delivered "as much good news as an Awesome", and the Royal version could just keep firing. The other part was some other people (shout out to Xeno and LordsFire!) coming up with their version of the B-17 Flying Fortress. For the hat-trick, I wondered how I could replicate it in introtech.

This... thing was the result.

[Daryk]

I might recommend turning two of those Mediums into  four Smalls for Point Defense purposes... You mentioned a VIP consideration, after all.

[acksed]

I might recommend turning two of those Mediums into four Smalls for Point Defense purposes... You mentioned a VIP consideration, after all.

How does that work? Are they just more efficient at damaging at short range, or is there an optional rule that lets them act like AMS?

[Daryk]

Small Lasers are "Advanced Point Defense Weapons" (StratOps, page 96).

[monbvol]

The short version is yes it is an optional rule and even then is not as good as AMS at the job but in the sense of something is better than nothing it might be worth thinking about.

Aside from that I might find a way to give it a touch more onboard fuel.  5 tons is a little light to my mind and adding external stores to solve that problem will slow it down perhaps a tad too much given it's already kind of slow thrust profile.

[Daryk]

The important thing is they work as point defense even when AMS isn't available (era-wise).

[monbvol]

Hence my use of the phrase "something is better than nothing".

[Daryk]

Certainly!  I was just making it clear for the OP.

[Giovanni Blasini]

Actually, small lasers still reach out to short range in aerospace combat when not being used for point defense, right? You could convert all the medium lasers to smalls at that point.

[Daryk]

You might be right... that was the approach I took with my Lucifer variant...

[Atarlost]

Actually, small lasers still reach out to short range in aerospace combat when not being used for point defense, right? You could convert all the medium lasers to smalls at that point.

Exactly.  If you're not expecting to fight stuff with between 21 and 40 armor inclusive and you're not running up against the weapon limits there's no reason under TW to use medium lasers over pairs of smalls.  If you're using individual range brackets they're kind of dubious except as point defense (assuming you're also using advanced point defense), though. 

[Daryk]

Yeah, you only get dual use goodness if you use the Advanced Point Defense rules.  But honestly, why wouldn't you?

[acksed]

The march of progress, so long stalled in the Inner Sphere, had resumed once again in the Fourth Succession Wars, the retrieval of the Helm Core, the War of 3039 and finally the invasion of the Clans. The Siegebreaker, once uncontested as the fortress of the skies, now had to contend with faster, tougher and longer-ranged enemies than ever before. It had to evolve to match.
The fuel load of the Siegebreaker II was unchanged. The weaponry received a moderate increase in firepower, but a great increase in range: the PPCs left and right were replaced with extended-range models, while the centreline PPC was replaced with a Norse Storm Gauss Rifle. Even with the substantial changes to the frame to cope with recoil and rebalance centre of mass, room was found to mount an impressive four tons of gauss slugs. The rear-mounted medium lasers were replaced with a Diverse Optics 30 Large Laser in a turret, slightly reducing damage but surprising those who would have expected a Siegebreaker's rear to be short-ranged. A two-person cockpit was introduced, with the copilot acting mainly as rear gunner to man the turret.
Armour was exactly as protective as ever, though three tons lighter thanks to the use of ferro-aluminium. The increased heat was managed by the use of nineteen double heat sinks, though a standard GM 300 fusion engine was used to keep costs down.
The result was only slightly more damaging, but much longer-ranged in all arcs. The Siegebreaker was back.

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Siegebreaker II AWE-FL2X

Mass: 100 tons
Frame: Unknown
Power Plant: 300 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Armor: Ferro-Aluminum
Armament:
     2 ER PPC
     1 Gauss Rifle
     1 Large Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3051
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-E-D
Cost: 7,036,500 C-bills

Type: Siegebreaker II
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Tonnage: 100
Battle Value: 2,787

Equipment                                          Mass
Engine                        300 Fusion             19
Safe Thrust: 5
Max Thrust: 8
Structural Integrity:         0                       
Heat Sinks:                   19 [38]                 9
Fuel:                         400                   5.0
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor (Ferro)          465                    26

                           Armor   
                           Value   
     Nose                   130
     Wings                116/116
     Aft                    103

Weapons
and Ammo                Location   Tonnage  Heat   SRV  MRV  LRV  ERV
ER PPC                    RWG       7.0      15    10   10   10    0
Gauss Rifle               NOS       15.0     1     15   15   15    0
Gauss Rifle Ammo (32)     FSLG      4.0      -      -    -    -    -
ER PPC                    LWG       7.0      15    10   10   10    0
Large Laser               AFT       5.0      8      8    8    0    0