Originally posted sometime in 2008...
NOTE: the article originally contained links to other fan articles (where it says "HERE and HERE") on effective use of artillery under the rules in effect at that time. Those articles were lost with that incarnation of the forums.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
When TR:3050 first came out back in the early '90s, it introduced to us what was then a novelty: a Battlemech whose principal armament was an artillery weapon. The Capellans had taken the Catapult, their fire-support 'Mech of choice, and replaced its paired LRM-15 launchers with the recently reintroduced Arrow IV artillery missile system, first described in TR:2750. While the first 'Mech of its kind in canon (see note below), the history of early 'Mech technology, which has been fleshed out only recently in real time, has now shown us that the first faction to explore the concept of an artillery 'Mech was in fact (and unsurprisingly) the Terran Hegemony--and they did
it during the first generation of Battlemechs.
[AUTHOR'S NOTE: the first *official* artillery 'Mech, so I'm told, was a design called the
"Huntress" that appeared in the pages of the old Battletechnology magazine, prior to the
publication of TR:3050. This design is said to have been equipped with twin Thumper
pieces. However, it didn't appear in any subsequent Tech Readout, sourcebook, or
scenario pack, so in my opinion it remains apocryphal and the first real canon arty 'Mech
is the -C3 variant Catapult.]
Manufactured by Mitchell Vehicles, one of the Hegemony's workhorse producers of military hardware (they built 'Mechs, vehicles, and Warships), the Helepolis debuted in 2460, by which time the Hegemony had already fielded a number of 'Mech designs and had the Mackie plans stolen by the Lyrans. The 'Mech, whose name is old Greek for "taker of cities", was inspired by a famous siege engine of classical antiquity. FYI, you can read more about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HelepolisThe Helepolis was designed (supposedly) in response to a shift in Hegemony military thinking from offensive to defensive tactics--though the historical namesake suggests otherwise, being very much an offensive weapon (even if it ultimately failed in that role). The original version, built
using first-generation Battlemech technology, was received skeptically by both Hegemony Mechwarriors and artillerymen, especially when it was decided to deploy the machine in a defensive role, with lances protecting key strategic strongpoints (e.g. Castles Brian). However, the 'Mech (especially the slower earlier version) couldn't operate without protection from supporting infantry and armour. It also proved vulnerable to counter-battery fire, with the slow ground speed problem being compounded by the need to stop moving, fire, and move again (a shortcoming akin to that of a Heavy Gauss rifle). In spite of those shortcomings, unlike the Kyudo, the Helepolis seems to have been considered sufficiently important to receive a second-generation technology upgrade. Still, the Helepolis had a checkered history in service with the HAF. Its strengths were illustrated when Ian Cameron consolidated his power as Director-General of the Hegemony, where several Helepolis batteries around Geneva were used to crush a rebellion instigated by Ian's seizure of leadership (without waiting for a vote) in the wake of his older brother's assassination. Its weaknesses would be evident during the Reunification War, where its lack of maneuverability kept it limited to rear areas (where it should be--hey, it IS an artillery piece!) and anti-aircraft defense. Helepolis batteries proved ineffective at stopping a fast Canopian raiding force on Meadowvale (presumably themselves being overrun), and the raid inflicted sufficient damage to stall Star League operations against the Magistracy for half a year.
Following that conflict, the Star League seems to have largely forgotten about the Helepolis. The SLDF channeled its gun-tube artillery resources into vehicles such as the Thor and Marksman. When the Arrow IV system was developed, the Star League chose not to equip a 'Mech with it--the system was only mounted on the Chaparral and Padilla. In that respect, the Helepolis can be considered a failed experiment, since it doesn't even seem to have been considered for an Arrow IV refit. The fluff in TR:3075 doesn't mention what happened to the Helepolis during the Star League era, only that the factory was destroyed during the Amaris Crisis, and the design didn't survive the Succession Wars. You can read whatever you like into that, but I think it seems likely that most of the surviving units were pawned off on Hegemony militias or House units, later to be chewed up in the meat grinder. Some of them may have made the Exodus, since it was the Clans who would next experiment with the idea of an artillery 'Mech--witness the Bowman and Naga (despite their later addition to canon).
Despite the extinction of the Helepolis on Inner Sphere battlefields, the plans for the design survived in the Hegemony's memory cores, such as the one found on New Dallas that has been
disseminated by Uncle Chandy's minions. Thanks to the surviving members of Vining Engineering and Salvage Team of Solaris VII, the Helepolis has been resurrected and upgraded to help fight back against Word of Blake and their Jihad. Whether or not this current incarnation willl be any more effective now than previous ones remains to be seen.
CAPABILITIES
The Helepolis is a niche 'Mech, designed principally to mount a single weapon type and bring it to the battlefield. The centrepiece of the design is a massive Sniper cannon. This 20-ton tube gun is so bulky that it must be split between the right arm and torso. Two tons of ordnance (for 20 rounds) are provided for the Sniper. As it is the *raison d'etre* of the design, all variants of the Helepolis are equipped with it. This is a weapon meant to be used over a distance of several mapsheets, not firing at targets in close proximity to the 'Mech. As will be discussed below, the most recent version of the artillery rules have severely gimped any artillery that's not Arrow IV, so it's important that it be fired at distant targets, well away from your own forces (unless you have specialty ammo). Also, 20 rounds for the Sniper may not be enough--see discussion in "Usage"
TR:3075 gives us four variants of the Helepolis. The original HEP-1H, debuting in 2460, used primitive technology like the original Mackie. Its cockpit was heavier than "Level 1" standard, its armour gave less protection per ton (lower BAR than regular 'Mech armour?) and its speed topped out at around 30 kph, good for a 2/3 movement profile (putting it in the same territory as
the Urbie and Annihilator). A small array of secondary weapons is present for shooting at foes who get into ranges where using the Sniper "onboard" would be impractical and/or hazardous.
These are a large laser in the right arm, a medium laser in the head, and a SRM 6 in the centre torso. The -1H's ability to use all these all these weapons is hindered by its use of single heat sinks.
The Helepolis received tech upgrades starting in 2488 to give us the HEP-2H, which we have the printed stats for. Its armour and cockpit were upgraded to what's now standard, and its myomer musculature was replaced with a more efficient version, allowing a higher-rated engine and boosting the 'Mech's top speed to 64 kph (3/5 movement). These changes also freed enough weight to add a LRM-10. Thirteen tons of modern standard 'Mech armour give good protection, about the same as that of a -6-KNT Black Knight. The most interesting feature in the printed stats, though, are the addition of double heat sinks and CASE in the left torso to sheath the missile ammo. The weapons are little better than those of a 'Mech 20-25 tons lighter, until you realize the 'Mech's extra weight is bound up in the Sniper and what's necessary to carry it. For a walking artillery piece, this is pretty good self-defense, certainly compared to most arty vehicles in the game. The -3H variant, dating from 2625, simply replaces the large laser with an ER version.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had always thought CASE in particular was a Star League-era invention, but its inclusion on this 'Mech in the late 2400's seems to imply its development has been pushed back in canon. The double heat sinks and CASE would make more sense if added along with the ER large laser during Star League years, but that's just me...)
The revived Helepolis is also the most advanced version yet. Though described as "makeshift", the factory put together on Solaris VII by VEST doesn't seem to lack access to advanced materials, a clear sign the Jihad hasn't destroyed all production sites for those components
(though perhaps surprising such a factory can get hold of them, as with the Kyudo). This new version of the 'Mech utilizes endo steel structure and a 300 light engine, providing yet another speed boost for a 4/6 movement curve, finally average for a heavy 'Mech and matching the ground speeds of the Catapult and O-Bakemono. The ER large laser is retained, and the LRM-10 has been split into two separate LRM-5s, which free up one ton at the cost of of some extra heat. VEST has managed to produce a "battery" (a lance?) of this new model, already deployed with the mercenary Thor's Hammers and used successfully against the troublesome Jade Falcons on Zanderij.
USAGE
Considering its intended role, there are only a limited number of ways in which to deploy the Helepolis--and front-line combatant isn't one of them. Most of these roles are suggested by the TR:3075 fluff text. However, as will be discussed further below, the current artillery ruleset in TacOps seem to severely undercut the usefulness of the Helepolis in any of these roles.
1) Attacking fortifications and large immobile targets. Like its namesake of old, the Helepolis is probably best used to break down, or fire over, enemy fortifications and hardpoints. It's hard enough to actually hit even a static target in CBT, so repeatedly firing at the same place, against something that can't move, is the best way to ensure you'll eventually connect. However, with the scatter rules now calling for a 2D6-hex-wide scatter zone, the chances are good the shot will land quite some distance from the target. Rather than breaking through a hardened factory wall, your shot may well hit the factory complex itself, an objective you may have wanted to take intact. If you actually want to destroy such a target (a factory, a city, cratering an airfield/runway) and don't care what you hit, this is an effective tactic, and an effective unit to employ.
Alternatively, you can also use this tactic to keep an enemy hemmed in at a fixed location. By firing at a grounded Dropship trying to deploy units, you may not hit the Dropship itself, but you will create an arty "bubble" around it that should make it difficult and dangerous for opposing units to break out of the landing zone. This seems to be the tactic used by Thor's Hammers against the Falcons. However, this can become suicidal for your own forces, for while the opponent might not be able to break out, it's foolhardy for your units to try and break *in*, lest they inadvertently become victims of friendly fire.
2) Anchoring defensive hardpoints. The Helepolis might also be used in a defensive manner if placed behind fortifications. (I have this image in my head of Helepolii on the terraced walls of Gondor from Lord of the Rings in place of the trebuchets, firing down at the advancing hordes of Mordor.) However, this form of deployment has a very limited chance of actually being successful. Standard artillery rounds have a very poor chance of hitting a moving enemy, particularly a highly mobile one that moves in tight groups. Unless there is some way of firing into the enemy's rear areas and degrading their ability to support their offensive, a Helepolis deployed defensively is probably going to be highly ineffective. There is a solution, but it's era-dependent. From the late 3050s onwards, advances in artillery technology have produced Copperhead rounds, TAG-guidable shells that may be fired from tube artillery, which are described in MaxTech and TacOps. If you have friendly TAG spotters deployed outside the fortifications (or at least with LOS to the attacker), Helepolii armed with "Sniperheads" suddenly become useful and deadly "fire and forget" units, at least until all the spotters are destroyed. The most recent version of the 'Mech can certainly take advantage of this equipment, but it's an option that's not available if you're playing the Helepolis in an historic era. Further, this form of deployment increases the vulnerability of Helepolii to counter-battery fire; they're slow-moving to begin with, and putting them on defence leaves them less room to run around and avoid incoming strikes (arguably better they take fire, though, than what they're defending).
[AUTHORS' NOTE: I myself have used "Sniperheads", fired from Marksman pieces in this case, to great effect when coupled with swift TAG spotters, which for that scenario were modified
Karnovs and Pintos (it was ComStar fending off a pre-Jihad WoB raid on New Earth).]
3) Anti-aircraft fire. If you use the flak artillery rules, the Helepolis can be employed against flying targets. I am not very familiar with how these rules work now, so I'll leave it for discussion in the thread. However, these are probably more of a threat to VTOLs than to fighters.
Now, in-game, how likely is the Helepolis to actually be effective in these roles? Well, not very, if you follow what has been said HERE and HERE about artillery under the most recent version of the artillery rules. All of the arguments presented in these threads apply just as well to the Helepolis, especially if you're limited to using standard tube ordnance for it. With the limitations imposed by these rules, the Helepolis just seems like a waste of resources--any job it can do on artillery can be done just as well, if not better, by a cheaper artillery vehicle, like the Marksman. (The only artillery vehicle that the Helepolis beats on cost is the XL-engined Padilla.) With only 20 rounds for the Sniper, a lance of them may not be enough to actually connect with a target, even an immobile one. Sure, the Helepolis can fight off attackers better than any arty vehicle, but if it actually needs to do so, something's gone wrong with your battle plan already. On the other hand, this means that the Helepolis maybe isn't as vulnerable to counter-battery fire as its characteristics might at first suggest--it might not be able to hit anything, but enemy artillery is probably just as bad.
Making life difficult for a Helepolis is (in theory) simple--close with it. Do that and you distract it from its primary mission of shelling long-distance targets, as the pilot will now be forced to defend himself. A fast hovertank detachment in particular should be ideal for throwing a Helepolis battery into disarray. Modern formations have mobile heavy cavalry designs that bring a good mix of movement and firepower, also great choices for taking out Helepolii. An attacker should keep in mind, however, that Helepolii rarely operate alone. There should be at least a lance of them, supported by infantry and armour, though it's debatable how much support a Helepolis battery needs (e.g. 1 platoon and 1 Scorpion per Helepolis? A lance of light or light-end medium 'Mechs?). Also, the Helepolis is a heavy 'Mech, is armoured as such, and has probably the second-best secondary armament of any artillery unit in the game, after the Bowman. It won't die THAT easily. A lance of them can be mutually supporting, and each can bring the firepower of a 45-50 ton 'Mech to bear against a closing enemy when not using their Snipers. This is probably the Helepolis' biggest advantage compared to artillery vehicles. However, they also only have the ground speed of your average 100 ton 'Mech and face all of the maneuverability limitations that go with that, especially in rough, wooded, or urban terrain.
The Helepolis can only really be compared to other arty 'Mechs in the game, all of which mount
Arrow IV and have the advantages that go with it. The 'Mech most similar to the Helepolis (and IMO quite likely derived from it) is the Clans' Bowman, which also features non-negligible secondary firepower, and (IIRC) has better ground speed, meaning it can get itself into tactically advantageous positions more easily than a Helepolis. The Naga also has better ground speed, but poor ability to defend itself (though it can run away more quickly). Among Inner Sphere forces, the C3 and C5 Catapults have a mobility advantage through their jump jets, which again equates to greater deployment flexibility--the C5 Catapult is probably the most flexible artillery unit going. The O-Bakemono lies somewhere in between, with slower ground speed than the Naga and less mobility than the Catapult, but better armour--though it too falls down in the secondary weapon category. Both the Naga and O-Bakemono also have two Arrow IV launchers, making them able to deliver more damage at more targets. All of these 'Mechs are also more expensive and factionally limited, which means that a Helepolis might be for merc units or planetary militias who REALLY want to have an artillery 'Mech.
LATE ADDITION!!! TR:3075 also gives us the Patriot, a new Regulan-made 'Mech intended for
commanders that features Arrow IV as a primary offensive weapon, paired with a heavy PPC.
Despite the punch of the latter weapon (and the unusual heavy-duty gyro), the Helepolis actually has the leg up in the self-defense department, and it's more durable (standard or light engine vs. XL in the Patriot) and less expensive.
WORKSHOP
About the kindest thing you can do for the Helepolis if you want to turn it into a modern artillery 'Mech is to ditch that Sniper for an Arrow IV and ammo. While Arrow IV has a shorter range than either a Sniper or a Thumper, the fact that the Helepolis shouldn't be near the action to start with means that you'll ideally be firing the Arrow IV from a mapsheet or two away. In an onboard situation, any Arrow IV 'Mech should be deployed with at least 1 TAG-equipped spotter. The additional ammo types broaden the Helepolis' tactical flexibility, since it can now do things like lay minefields.
It's also tempting to want to use the Helepolis as a pocket assault 'Mech, since it's slow but pretty tough for its weight. Ditching the Sniper and its ammo gives you 22 tons to play with, and there's a lot that can be done with that. The choices that most closely match the spirit of the original design are of the barrelled kind. AC/20 type weapons don't give you range, but they should leave enough tonnage available to upgrade the LRM-10 to a 15-rack. A standard Gauss Rifle gives you a nice ranged punch in conjunction with the LRMs and ER large laser, something like a poor man's Toyama. More LRMs can be used for a serviceable, if uninspired, missile support 'Mech. There is one candidate that suggests itself above all others, one with the same weight requirements as the Sniper: the improved Heavy Gauss Rifle. The range profile of the iHGR matches that of the ER large laser, and you can now deal 22-point kisses over that whole range, provided you don't fall over of course. But with only 4 shots per ton of ammo, sacrifices will have to be made. Replacing the SRM-6 with a Streak-2 seems the least painful option here, using the freed tonnage for another ton of iHGR ammo and an additional half-ton of armour, though that's still only 12 HGR rounds. An alternative is to drop the (ER) large laser for two ER medium lasers, which gives another 3 tons to ammo.
So, there we have the Helepolis. In my final opinion, it's interesting more as an historical curiosity than as a serviceable unit, since its job *as a 'Mech* is done better by other designs that are equipped with a better main weapon. Given its past rearguard role, you want that job done by artillery vehicles anyway. It's hard to understand just why it was brought back, if only to provide an artillery 'Mech that is in theory available to any faction. The most recent version of the machine does have more options than its predecessors though, if you can get your hands on the equipment that will let you realize the full potential of this somewhat eccentric 'Mech.
