Another mech missed from the big list of Clan Mechs to be reviewed I give you the 95 tonne Executioner/Gladiator OmniMech
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/9/95/Executior.pnghttps://static.mwomercs.com/img/wavethree/executioner-concept.pngDesigned and built by Clan Ghost Bear the Executioner is an old design as well as being the result of two different design projects. Apparently the beginnings of the design start with Clan Burrock who drew up the first layout of what would later become the Executioner. The Bears obtained this way back in 2873 and the started working on adapting it for their own ideals.
It does seem however that at first the Executioner was nearly not the machine it is today, the Bears at the time wanted a totem Mech as well as a front line and brand new assault scale Omnimech but the requirements of the design were conflicting and unworkable, leading the Bears to change the whole programme again and create a Totem Mech AS WELL AS a new assault OmniMech. This lead to both the Kodiak and the Executioner being developed with the Executioner entering production in 3001. Mainly concentrated within the Bear’s Tourman the Executioner was also popular with Clan Smoke Jaguar but less so amongst the other Clans of Kerensky.
Unlike many of the older SLDF assault machines the Executioner was designed with speed in mind as well as tactical manoeuvrability and this combination was apparently quite the surprise for the Inner Sphere MechWarrior’s who first faced this tall and imposing machine.
Of course this extra speed and manoeuvrability comes at a cost, the Executioner could be seen as under gunned and somewhat lacking in protection but this does not mean that it is a weak machine. Far from it, the Executioner generally does well with its pod space and has the speed to control the range of most battles against machines its size, and even with modern machines in the 3145 there’s few in the Executioner’s weight range that can match its raw speed.
The beating heart of the Executioner is a 380 rated XL Engine as well as a MASC system that is an integral part of the engine. The Mech also has hard mounted four jumpjets. This means that as standard the Mech has a 4/6/4 movement profile and a 4/8/4 when the MASC system is engaged and there’s some variants that can go even faster. Its no suprise that this machine was a horror for the Inner Sphere, its movement profile is that of most standard heavy Mechs' and with the MASC engaged it can run as fast as the standard speed of big mediums of the time.
Built on a standard skeleton but protected by 13.5 tonnes of Ferro-Fibrous armour the Executioners in a decent layer of protection. The legs can take a double tap of AC-20’s before being breached, whilst each arm can take a pair of gauss rifle shots and still have a small amount of armour left. Oddly enough the left and right torso’s are somewhat lacking in armour, each one taking an AC-20 to strip them, although the back protection can take a standard PPC blast. The chest can take a pair of Gauss slugs and then an ER Medium before its breached and you go internal, the head has the maximum protection. The curious lack of protection on the side torsos could be that they are rarely used for anything too important. Almost all of the Executioner’s mount their main weapons in their arms with secondary weapons or systems being torso mounted or used to store ammo, often padded out with heatsinks/Jumpjets to absorb the damage.
Like many Operation Revival Omnimechs’ the Executioner carries a full load of integral heatsinks, 16 double strength heatsinks as standard and most configs do well to keep within the 32 heat they can dissipate. This kind of makes the Executioner a bit of an oddity. Most of its variants are fairly cool running and only suffer heat issues if you go berserk. Unlike many of the Revival era OmniMech where you overheated and exploded if you DARED look at the big red button with ALFA STRIKE written on it, the Executioner can do this in many of its configs without too many heat woes that so blighted the Revival machines of the Clans.
Configurations (And boy is there a LOT of them)(Please note that I use the NATO phonetic alphabet for naming the variants and no I'm not sorry!)
Prime – Possibly built with the ideals of the Clan’s open field duelling in mind the Prime is armed for long range combat where its speed allows it to dictate the range and control the engagement. A pair of ER Large Lasers and a single Gauss rifle (with the usual 2 tonnes of ammunition) are the Mech’s major weapons whilst a pair of machine guns provide anti-infantry fire as well as some last ditched fire support. To overheat the Prime you either have to have a crippled engine, be bathed from head to foot in Inferno gel or for some reason be rolling around on the surface of a sun. Standing still and firing a full alfa strike generates 25 heat which is utterly negated by the 32 vented by the Heatsinks. And then the Scientists put another 3 heatsinks on this Mech! Meaning that it dissipates 38 heat, making it impossible to overheat without heavy application of infernos or plasma weaponry (or the aforementioned rolling about on a sun).
Alfa – Almost lacking ballistic weapons which is unusual for a Bears design, the Alfa is an ‘energy boat’ armed with a trio of deadly Large Pulse Lasers in the left arm. Backing these up is a quartet of ER Medium lasers in the right arm whilst a pair of machine gun sits almost unnoticed in the right torso. Whilst more heat intensive than the Prime the Alfa is fitted with another three heatsinks like the Prime giving it the capacity to disperse 38 heat allowing you to fire the three pulse lasers and run and jump to your hearts content.
Bravo – The First Son of a veritable family of similar configs on this machine the Alfa features a more mix bag approach to its role. For long range engagements a ER PPC, a much feared head capper and long range gun is the ‘support’ weapon to a huge and deadly Ultra-20 Autocannon whilst a single ER Medium laser acts as the supporting weapon. This variant also features an AMS to protect it whilst it closes the range to bring its main gun to bare. Like the A and Prime the Bravo is fitted with a trio of additional heatsinks allowing you to fire both the PPC and double tap the Ultra AC without scratching the heat counter, even at a full run or jump. The UAC-20 draws from a 3 tonne ammo bin, giving it 15 shots.
Charlie – The Second Son of similar but different configs that star with the Bravo, the Charlie config retains the huge Ultra-20 Autocannon of the Bravo but replaces the ER PPC with the first indirect fire capable weapon system of any Executioner, an Artemis enhanced LRM-20 rack. For support a single ER Small Laser is fitted, but both this pop gun and the main cannon are guided by a Targeting Computer, making this machine lethal to anyone who gets close. Running cooler than the Bravo the Charlie can fire its entire weapons compliment at maximum rate without a blip on the heat scale, this variant is even more heat efficient than the cool running Prime. Like the Bravo the Charlie has a 3 tonne ammo bin for the UAC-20 and the LRM has a 2 tonne bin for a dozen shots.
Delta – Another energy weapon heavy variant possibly built with anti-infantry and battle armour duty in mind (which makes sense given the Bear’s long association and use of Elementals) the Delta is built for short range engagements. The primary ranged weapon is a single Large Pulse Laser whilst the array of supporting weapons is both large and varied. Three Medium Pulse Lasers, FIVE Small Pulse Lasers, a single ER Small Laser and a pair of SRM-6 racks round out the armament of the Delta giving it a huge volume of fire at short to medium ranges. Three extra heatsinks mean that even if you fired everything but the ER small you’d only be 2 heat up on your heat scale assuming you stood still. Curiously enough the SRM’s have a total of three tonnes of ammo between them, which is quite extensive, and gives you the possibility to use different ammo types.
Echo – A more multi-role machine than other configs the Echo is the first Executioner to mount ATM’s with a pair of ATM-9 racks supported by a pair of ER Large lasers provide the main heavy hitting punch. For short range firepower the Echo also features a pair of Heavy Medium Lasers. The ATM’s have five tonnes of ammunition between them, which does allow you to utilise the flexible warheads quite well although an extra tonne would have been nice. An additional heatsink goes some way to controlling the heat but firing both ER Large and ATM’s will start to slowly overheat you. Probably one of the more dangerous of the variants of the Executioner the multi-role ATM and their variable warheads give it a formidable punch at all ranges and this is backed up by a potent array of energy weapons for when the missiles do run out.
Foxtrot – A Hellstar’s kissing cousin, and nearly as nasty, this monster features just a trio of guns. But they happen to be a pair of large pulse lasers and an ER PPC, all of which are tied into a targeting computer. Oh and the engine is fitted with a supercharger allowing this 95 tonne machine to run with both the Supercharger and MASC system active at just shy of 100kph. Yes you did read that right. This variant is also one of the most expensive Mech’s in the Game in terms of BV with a rating of 3606. Able to strike at any range thanks to its armament and the accuracy of the targetting computer this seemingly undergunned mech is without a doubt a monster and is probably very popular as a dueling mech.
Golf – Speaking of expensive…the Golf is an all-round combatant which can engage at long range with its ER-PPC and brand new Streak LRM-15. A six pack of ER Medium’s built into the arm round out the armament, but wait. There’s more. All of these weapon systems are tied into a targeting computer, and the Mech is also protected by a Watchdog CEWS. This Mech is pricey in terms of BV at a HUGE 3825, even more than the vaunted Tomahawk II or feared Hellstar. Firing both main weapons will not hurt you heat wise whilst a full salvo from the laser battery will put you close to overheating at 30 heat prior to movement. This means you can chop and change your weapons fire depending on the range and your personal preference. (I do not know if this variant features any extra heatsinks or how much ammo there is for the LRM).
Hotel – the Third Son of the UAC-20 family this variant retains the heavy cannon of the Bravo and Charlie configs but replaces their long range weapon with a Heavy Large Laser for even more close quarters brutality. Unlike the Bravo and Charlie the Hotel config features a more extensive array of secondary weapons centred round a pair of ER Medium lasers and a torso mounted flamer for anti-infantry work. Quite a heat hog if used incorrectly a double tap from the cannon and a blast from the laser will put you at heat neutral if you stay still so you could run and gun this machine for a considerable time firing just those weapons. The Hotel boasts a rather deep four tonne ammo bin giving it 20 shots, quite impressive for any Clan machine. And as if that wasn't bad enough...all those guns are aimed by a targetting computer.
India – Another close quarters killer this time based off the Foxtrot variant, armed with a pair of Improved Heavy Large Lasers and a pair of Streak SRM-6’s to fill the holes torn open by the heavy lasers. It retains the supercharger of the F and also is fitted with an ECM system. This variant features more heatsinks, 22 in total making this machine heat neutral if both lasers fire and both SSRM’s hit and you stand still. (I don’t know how this one works fully as on REMLAB it was half a tonne under weight for the supercharger.) I do not know if this machine would be a viable replacement for any of the UAC armed variants, it lacks the ammo dependency that many Clan mech's suffer from and has a slightly longer ranged, if (BARELY) weaker punch as well as a nice salvo of hole fillers with the SSRM's.
Kilo – More a refit of the Prime featuring newer weapons the Kilo retains the dual ER Large lasers of the Prime but replaces the Gauss rifle with a HAG-20. The lighter weapon means that the secondary battery can be upgraded with the machine guns and their ammo removed and in their place is a trio of ER Medium Lasers. Taking this over the Prime is a matter of taste, the HAG is arguably more damaging but thanks to its sandblasting effect is more a hole filler than the solid punches of the Gauss. The HAG is a more flexible weapon against aircraft and VSTOL’s though, giving you a formidable long range AA weapon as the Executioner does not feature ANY form of LB-X autocannons in any of its variants. Almost as an afterthought a Light Active Probe is also fitted to detect hidden foes. The HAG draws from a 3 tonne ammo bin giving it a total of 18 blasts, but the backup energy weapons mean this machine is not useless once the HAG is depleted. Two extra heatskinks also counter the heat from the HAG making this machine a cool runner like the Prime.
Papa – A varied and multi-role armament that seems to be built towards fighting vehicles and battle armour, the Papa is armed with a HAG-30 and LRM-10 for long range engagements as well as close in firepower. A trio of heavy medium lasers are in turn supported by a Plasma Cannon which adds to woes of any mechanised force or infantry targeted by this machine, whilst the heavy lasers are ideal at popping battle armour. Again a quite cool running machine, a full alfa will still start causing the heat scale to rise but not obscenely but dropping the Plasma cannon every now and then might be advisable. The HAG-30 has a 3 tonne ammo bin, giving it 12 shots, whilst the LRM and Plasma rifle both draw from a 1 tonne bin apiece, giving them 12 and 10 shots respectively.
With its huge number of variants, manoeuvrability and firepower as well as being a rare Clan Mech that runs cool the Executioner is a nasty opponent to face and a good Mech to have on your side. Yes it may not be the most heavily armed machines in the setting, but it’s still something that is worthy of respect and concern if you see it coming towards you. I hope you enjoyed the breakdown on this machine, really the best way to fight it is to just pound it. Due to them being heavily heatsinked inferno's and plasma weaponry is not really your best bet but it will reduce some of the fire being directed at you. If possible aim for the torso's and hope for hits on the mech's ammo bins, otherwise its going to take a lot of firepower.
Any thoughts and comments are most welcome.
