The Greathawk is designed as an apex skirmisher mech featuring an Assassin-like jump 7 on a Battlemaster-like 85 ton frame. The high durability provided by the heavy frame, extreme maneuverability of the improved jump jets and partial wing, ECM, and Chameleon Light Polarization Shield make it highly survivable in its chosen combat form. At the same time, the triple large pulse lasers with a targeting computer and interface cockpit provide high quality targeting delivering significant sustained damage over time.
Against mechs with a 3/5 or 4/6 speed, the Greathawk can control the range to maintain long distance where it steadily disassembles 1-2 tons of armor per round. For mechs moving 5/8 this range can also typically be maintained on any kind of featureful terrain. Faster Medium or Small mechs able to close with the Greathawk run a gauntlet of accurate long range fire before reaching short range where a punishing 17 point kick at a -2 bonus (=-1 (kick)-1(Interface)) adds to the damage.
Greathawk Mech
Mass: 85 tons
Chassis: Endo Steel Biped
Power Plant: 340 XL
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Jump Jets: Improved
Jump Capacity: 210 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
3 Large Pulse Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-X-F
Cost: 22,007,908 C-bills
Type: Greathawk
Technology Base: Mixed (Experimental)
Tonnage: 85
Battle Value: 4,173
Equipment Mass
Internal Structure Endo Steel 4.5
Engine 340 XL 13.5
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 7
Double Heat Sink 17 [34] 7
GYRO_NONE 0
Interface Cockpit 4
Armor Factor 263 16.5
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head 3 9
Center Torso 27 41
Center Torso (rear) 13
R/L Torso 18 27
R/L Torso (rear) 9
R/L Arm 14 28
R/L Leg 18 36
Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm
Weapons
and Ammo Location Critical Heat Tonnage
Large Pulse Laser CT 2 10 6.0
2 Improved Jump Jet CT 4 - 4.0
Chameleon Light Polarization Shield RT/LT/RA/LA/RL/LL1/1/1/1/1/1 - 0.0
Large Pulse Laser RT 2 10 6.0
2 Improved Jump Jet RT 4 - 4.0
3 Double Heat Sink LA 6 - 3.0
Large Pulse Laser LT 2 10 6.0
2 Improved Jump Jet LT 4 - 4.0
Partial Wing RT/LT 3/3 - 4.5
Targeting Computer RA 4 - 4.0
ECM Suite RA 1 - 1.0
Double Heat Sink RA 2 - 1.0
Comparing with some other custom mechs:
The
Daggerstar 4 has 4 LPLs also with a targeting computer and an interface cockpit so it might appear superior. However, using its speed advantage, the Greathawk can keep the range long where the to-hit penalty against it is +6=6(long with CLPS on)+4(jump 7)-1(Interface)-1(targeting computer)-2(pulse). So with a base gunnery of 4, that's hitting 1-in-6 times. On the other hand, the Greathawk has a to-hit penalty of +3=+4(long)+3(jump)-1(interface)-1(targeting computer)-2(pulse) hitting 21/36 times for an overall x2.6 (=21/6*3/4) improvement in delivered damage. The Daggerstar could additionally move, but additional penalties to hit further disadvantage Daggerstar gunners. Given the Daggerstar has marginally more armor (18.5 vs. 16.5 tons) I'd still rate the Greathawk as plausibly able to take on 2 Daggerstars sequentially.
The
Greatbow has 16 Streak-5s and heavy armor. It's slower so the Greathawk can easily keep the range open where to-hit penalty is +6(long with CLPS) +4(jump 7) which doesn't connect at all with a base gunnery of 4. In return, the Greathawk faces at most +7=+6(Long with CLPS)+3(jump)-4(assorted)+2(Greatbow movement) implying a target number of 11---a very slow combat when trying to chip through ~37 tons worth of armor with a 1-in-12 chance of hitting, but clearly in the Greathawk's favor. The Greatbow could clearly be modified to use an interface cockpit, but that doesn't change the outcome.
Against a
Headhunter (or Naga) style mechs, the Greathawk can easily stay out of direct fire range making defeat simply a matter of time.
Against a
Khan(Great Wolf) mech, the Greathawk can maintain range where the Greathawk->Khan target number is +6=+4(long)+3(void sig)+3(attacker jump)-4(assorted) and the return fire Khan Prime->Greathawk is +8=+6(long with CLPS)+1(Void sig)+4(target jump 7)-1(interface)-2(Pulse). Since Khan is an omni though, we could create a custom version with 4 LPLs that fire heat free each round (using heat sink linking). A targeting computer does not mix with the Khan though TC and Void Sig do not mix. Altogether it would look like +8 to hit with 4x LPL and +6 to hit with 3x LPLs. I'd rate the Khan as having effectively x2 the armor, so at gunnery 4, this is an x6 * 3/4 /2 =x2.25 advantage to the Greathawk. As the gunnery goes lower though, it's a more even fight. At gunnery 3, it's x10/3*3/4/2=x1.25. At gunnery 2 x15/6*3/4/2= x.9375. At gunnery 1 or 0 the Greathawk should probably use the Called Shot[high] rules which shifts the advantage back to the Greathawk again.
More tricky to figure out are the assault chargers like the
Spirit Bear. They can average a run of 9 triggering the supercharger every other round which should allow them to close in open terrain but which probably isn't enough for closing in more complex terrain. If they manage to close, the Spirit Bear style looks like a clear winner given the decapitating head hits and greater damage potential.
The caveats I can think of are:
(a) The Greathawk can be bombed to death as per the
UrbanLAM discussion.
(b) The Greathawk can't do 'hold your ground' style combat. It really is a skirmisher.
