’Mech of the Week: HCA-*** Hachiwara
The
Hachiwara is a result of the reforms of Theodore Kurita, and a symbol of growing acceptance of Combine-born Solaris MechWarriors as true samurai. Though the Jihad has disrupted the Games, the design is still sound and being produced (at least since the Silver Dragons still exist, and the manufacturers of the
Hachiwara call themselves Silver Wyrm, Ltd).
Frankly, one of my few annoyances with this design is that the mini’s vibroblade is way too easy to break off…
Early in the 3060’s, Silver Dragon Stables (with the permission of higher levels of the Combine government) approached Cosby BattleMech Research to follow-up on the
No-Dachi, and produce an even more Solaris friendly design. Finally walking into the arenas in 3064, the first
Hachiwara mounted an impressive list of experimental equipment.
At seventy tons, the HCA-3T
Hachiwara matches the
No-Dachi in weight, and uses the same endo-steel skeleton and 350-rated extralight engine. Standard plate provides for 92% of maximum coverage. This breaks down to being able to take a Gauss slug to the arms, two to the center torso, and a Class-20 shell to the side torsos and legs. Rearwards, the side torsos can withstand a large laser, and the center a PPC blast.
Unlike its parent design, instead of triple-strength myomer, a temperamental supercharger was used. In place of the sword, a heavy ’Mech-scale vibroblades was used (making it one of the first designs to mount one). Four M-pods (two centerline, one each side torso) add to the close-in damage potential. For targets further out, a left arm-mounted Class-10 Ultra autocannon and three extended-range mediums provide some firepower. The autocannon ammunition was placed in the left torso and CASE was used to allow for survivability. Eleven double heat sinks provide some heat dissipation, though firing everything while the vibroblade is turned on will cause heat problems.
The first variant design is the HCA-4T. The only differences are the use of an extralight gyro (moving the M-Pods to the side torsos) to get enough tonnage to upgrade the CASE to CASE II, and the addition of spikes in each side torso and on the head (though that last position is a bit of a head-scratcher, no pun intended). Similarly, the HCA-4U adds the extralight gyro in order to upgrade the autocannon to a Class-20.
The final variant, the HCA-6P, is the most radical of the designs. It uses the same engine and endo-steel skeleton of the base model, but uses triple-strength myomer to allow it to acquire bursts of speed equivalent to the base model’s normal speed. This is necessary since hardened armor was used to up the protection. Even better armor coverage is at 96%. Noting the armor’s effects, this means the head can take a Gauss slug without being breached, and all front locations can take two Class-20 shots, with the legs withstanding two close-range Heavy Gauss slugs, and the center an astounding four Gauss blasts. The rear side torsos can take a Heavy Large Laser shot, and the center rear a Class-20 burst.
As if this were not enough, the left arm mounts an ER PPC with Capacitor, and the left wields a lance. Just to go over the details, a lance hits as hard as a hatchet, but with a +2 modifier to hit. Also if any armor remains on the location hit, on an additional roll of 10+, you roll for crits at -2 on the check (which I think stacks with hardened, in case you are fighting another -6P). I assume TSM doubles the damage on this attack; otherwise it seems a bit odd to mount both. Spikes were placed on each front torso. Five standard medium lasers (two in each side torso, one centerline) round out the weapons-load. Ten double heat sinks try to keep up with the heat produced.
Using one of these machines requires only a little finesse. Save for the last model, your firing range is relatively short. Even with that one, most of your weapons require you to close. In the arenas, this is not such a difficult thing. In more common battlefield conditions, you can be faced with lots of open spaces. In the later case, use whatever cover you can until you can get close enough to rush in and put your blade (or lance) in someone. While the -6P can wade through much more fire than the others, you may still want to be cautious. Usually the time you start getting confident is the time someone hits you in the head with something big and mean. Also do not overuse the Supercharger in the first three variants. Because it exploding in your face is something else that tends to happen when you get cocky.
Fighting one comes in two flavors. The first is bringing longer-ranged guns, something which is relatively easy. Gauss rifles and ER PPCs are good choices in this regard. Precision ammunition also can prove useful. And bringing volumes of firepower is always good, too. The other method is to fight him up-close. Usually with something like a
Berserker or even a
No-Dachi. Funny thing about the use of the vibroblade was meant to increase the damage output, yet it falls short of the
No-Dachi’s sword with active TSM. Which reminds me, heat producing weaponry helps too.
Against that hardened monster, my suggestion is definitely loads of firepower. And while the weapons-load of the original
Bombard might be tempting it isn’t usually a good idea to use it. Though I might (I have been called borderline insane). Still, things carrying a Class-20 (or two) can help (and Ultras are better). The
Fafnir also is a good choice (he’s going to close after all). Usually, if he does get close-up, it is a good time to press the Big Red button and hope to live through it.
