RecGuide Review of the Week: Mastodon Clan Assault Omnimech

[Colt Ward]

Question since I do not have the rules in front of me . . . but speaking of REL, it works against advanced materials in armor- would it negate the Reinforced Internal Structure?

[Zeruel]

Question since I do not have the rules in front of me . . . but speaking of REL, it works against advanced materials in armor- would it negate the Reinforced Internal Structure?

rules only refer to armour types

[Natasha Kerensky]

Added a section on the Mastodon’s quirks.  Considering the article finished unless anyone finds other errors/omissions (or there are new configurations!).

[Kerfuffin(925)]

So Jellico mentioned the Easter egg in the TTS system. Hodr is a blind Norse god who was tricked by Loki into killing one of the favorites of the other gods, Baldur.

No idea what it might mean in terms of Easter eggs.

It’s also similar to Hodor from game of thrones fame. It’s meant to hold the line (door).

Idk

[Natasha Kerensky]

So Jellico mentioned the Easter egg in the TTS system. Hodr is a blind Norse god who was tricked by Loki into killing one of the favorites of the other gods, Baldur.

No idea what it might mean in terms of Easter eggs.

No idea myself, but maybe the Lyrans’ Loki intel agency will trick the Bears into eliminating an enemy or two for them.  (No indications of such, but Loki makes me think Lyran in the BT context.)

It’s also similar to Hodor from game of thrones fame. It’s meant to hold the line (door).

The Mastodon is definitely a hold-the-door design.

[Jellico]

Nothing more complex than Hodr is god who managed to kill an Achilles style unkillable god with a bow and arrow while blind. Long range targeting quirk.

Just like the Rime Otter uses the all seeing GC Heimdallr System Type 1, Improved Sensors quirk.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

It's not really surprising that the faction with Scandinavian cultural cues references Norse mythology in their equipment.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Well usually the Lyrans take all those names before we get a chance 

[BrianDavion]

Well usually the Lyrans take all those names before we get a chance 

obvious answer... BUILD MORE MECHS!

[Zeruel]

obvious answer... BUILD MORE MECHS!

the Bears don't do that...Fire Moth factory destroyed? Instead of replacing the Fire Moth the Bears just rebuild the factory

[Kerfuffin(925)]

the Bears don't do that...Fire Moth factory destroyed? Instead of replacing the Fire Moth the Bears just rebuild the factory

At least we only have one factory building it now I guess… 

Be interesting to see what the near future holds in terms of our mech designs. After the initial shock of seeing the ones in the rec guide series I think I am liking the direction

[Zeruel]

I'll admit, the one thing I don't mind about the Bears being set on their main 4 Omnis is that I can use mostly the same force despite what Era I play in...

[BrianDavion]

and most of the time when "this unit was built explictly to replace that unit" comes out in a TRO it rarely happens, remember the linebacker was originally supposed to replace the timber wolf.....

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The Linebacker was supposed to replace the Mad Cat in recon and fast strike units only.  It was absolutely never intended to be a full-on replacement for the Mad Cat.

[BATTLEMASTER]

The Linebacker was supposed to replace the Mad Cat in recon and fast strike units only.  It was absolutely never intended to be a full-on replacement for the Mad Cat.

That still bothers me - a case of the Clans (especially Clan Wolf) not having enough Stormcrows for some reason 

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

"Have access to it" and "have enough to meet the demand for it" are not always the same thing.

[Scotty]

It seems like it would be cheaper in every single way worth measuring to simply build another Stormcrow line than to design, build, and propagate an entire new Heavy Omni though

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

You expect the Clans to be rational?  Have you ever met them?

[Zeruel]

It seems like it would be cheaper in every single way worth measuring to simply build another Stormcrow line than to design, build, and propagate an entire new Heavy Omni though

of course IRL reasons trump any in-universe reasons any time, if TPTB want to create some new designs, they can use whatever reasoning they want, right

[Greatclub]

Stormcrow apparently had bad ergonomics and was a maintenance pig. Personally I would have voted to give the basic frame an update cycle, but stuffing the omnismoke back in afterwards might have been more work than starting from scratch.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Stormcrow apparently had bad ergonomics and was a maintenance pig.

Where was that stated?

[Greatclub]

Where was that stated?

Good question. I want to say somewhere in the forums here, but I can't find anything. For primary source somewhere in one of the later tro3050s or WOR, would be my guess, but I don't know if such actually exists.

OK, thanks for calling me on that. 

[BATTLEMASTER]

I'd straight-up replace the Turkina with a Mastodon.  As much as I like the Turkina's looks, I think the trade for three fixed jump jets for reinforced structure is a worthy one.  I also feel like the Mastodon is like Clan Ghost Bear's answer to the Dire Wolf and Tomahawk, like how the Turkina was Clan Jade Falcon's answer to the Dire Wolf.

[wantec]

It seems like it would be cheaper in every single way worth measuring to simply build another Stormcrow line than to design, build, and propagate an entire new Heavy Omni though

Since this is the Clans, there's always the question of did the Wolves have the plans and own the production rights to make a new Stormcrow factory?

Also, while the differences may seem a lot at first (17.5 tons of pod space for the Linebacker vs 23 for the Stormcrow), it's not quite so much when you account for the Linebacker's 4 extra DHS fixed to the chassis and 1/2 a ton more Ferro. In a way, the Wolves did build a Stormcrow factory, they just fiddled with some of the base settings like total tonnage and crit placement (2 less in each arm, 2 more in each side torso).

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I also feel like the Mastodon is like Clan Ghost Bear's answer to the Dire Wolf and Tomahawk, like how the Turkina was Clan Jade Falcon's answer to the Dire Wolf.

Well, that's exactly why the Rec Guide says the Bears built it.

[Jellico]

Stormcrow apparently had bad ergonomics and was a maintenance pig. Personally I would have voted to give the basic frame an update cycle, but stuffing the omnismoke back in afterwards might have been more work than starting from scratch.

Well the Bears did all of the above. They gave the basic frame an update cycle. Made it a heavy. Failed to stuff the omnismoke back in. Then built a whole new 55 ton OmniMech replacement of their own.

[BATTLEMASTER]

Since this is the Clans, there's always the question of did the Wolves have the plans and own the production rights to make a new Stormcrow factory?

Also, while the differences may seem a lot at first (17.5 tons of pod space for the Linebacker vs 23 for the Stormcrow), it's not quite so much when you account for the Linebacker's 4 extra DHS fixed to the chassis and 1/2 a ton more Ferro. In a way, the Wolves did build a Stormcrow factory, they just fiddled with some of the base settings like total tonnage and crit placement (2 less in each arm, 2 more in each side torso).

I assumed Stormcrow factories were widespread enough that at least the most powerful Clans were building them.

I sometimes forget about "effective" pod space accounting for fixed heat sinks and jump jets.  The Nova, for example, has effective 22.5 tons of pod space with its five fixed jump jets and four fixed DHS.  Good point about that here with the Linebacker   The Turkina would be in the same boat in comparison to the Mastodon, but without the reinforced structure.

[Scotty]

I don't tend to include "effective" pod space, because if you're making a config that doesn't synergize with that equipment it's not effective at all.  The Linebacker suffers from this significantly when trying to use any weapons that don't generate significant amounts of heat, where suddenly those extra heat sinks are a huge downside.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I don't tend to include "effective" pod space, because if you're making a config that doesn't synergize with that equipment it's not effective at all.  The Linebacker suffers from this significantly when trying to use any weapons that don't generate significant amounts of heat, where suddenly those extra heat sinks are a huge downside.

Vulture C.  Generates -20 heat on a running alpha.

[Scotty]

There are a large number of Summoners with the same issue, yup.