...Okay I think I can spin this.
---
You know some people, thanks to the success of various Battlemech simulation games, think that designing a new Mech is about as simple as picking a weight class and speed, filling a blocky set of body parts with components that occupy 'criticals' and coating lovingly with armor. They think that, for instance, that you can redesign an existing chasis easily, that replacing a small laser with a medium just means shaving half a ton of armor off somewhere. They think that making a hundred tons of myomer, ceramics, metal and artifical diamond composite stand up and walk is easy.
Those people are, in your opinion, idiots who have allowed themselves to be seduced by the variability of Mechs in service, who don't realize how easy it is to screw things up at step one. And you set up to teach these dudes just how untrue that is when you ask them if the Shi-Sem design will be Dynamic or Static. And when they flounder on their explanations for why (it would have to be dynamic if they're using Endo-steel because endo-steel has a lower cross-sectional strength per centimeter), you hound them around the room a couple of times. Every time they crank out a new 'speculative' design, you barrage them with questions about how exactly it will be executed-should the SRM launchers be firmly bolted to the frame, or allowed to float in cradles of shock-absorbing myomer? Do you leave space behind the armor for the Mech to move, or fit it as tightly as you dare and hope that nothing chafes? How, exactly, do you fit the myomers for a mech that will clock in at over 120 kilometers per hour at a run? Niklos is too distracted by this to get his phone calls to accomplish much and his wheeling and dealing turns up only a 'it looks good so far' by the time you're packing up to head back to the hotel. Everyone else is tired, worn out-and contemplative, reminded of how much of a learning experience this is going to be.
Still, you got some interesting desgins, to be sure.
Spec-1
Mass: 25 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/E-X-E-A
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 1,821,667 C-Bills
Battle Value: 502
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 200 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 86.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 129.6 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 Medium Laser
1 SRM-2
2 Machine Guns
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 43 points 1.50
Internal Locations: 1 HD, 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA
Engine: Fusion Engine 200 8.50
Walking MP: 8
Running MP: 12
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LL, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 72 4.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 8 10
Center Torso (rear) 3
L/R Torso 6 9
L/R Torso (rear) 2
L/R Arm 4 6
L/R Leg 6 8
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SRM-2 CT 2 1 1.00
Machine Gun RT 0 1 0.50
Medium Laser LT 3 1 1.00
Machine Gun RA 0 1 0.50
@MG (1/2) (100) RT - 1 0.50
@SRM-2 (Frag) (50) RT - 1 1.00
@SRM-2 (50) RT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 24
Spec-2
Mass: 60 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/D-F-E-A
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 4,581,760 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,301
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 180 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 90 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
2 LRM-20s
2 LRM-10s
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 99 points 3.00
Internal Locations: 1 CT, 3 LT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA, 1 LL
Engine: Fusion Engine 180 7.00
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 3 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 1 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT 3.00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 128 8.00
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 20 18
Center Torso (rear) 5
L/R Torso 14 17
L/R Torso (rear) 4
L/R Arm 10 12
L/R Leg 14 15
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LRM-20 RT 6 5 10.00
LRM-20 LT 6 5 10.00
LRM-10 RA 4 2 5.00
LRM-10 LA 4 2 5.00
@LRM-10 (12) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-20 (6) RT - 1 1.00
@LRM-10 (12) LT - 1 1.00
@LRM-20 (6) LT - 1 1.00
Free Critical Slots: 9
Spec-3
Mass: 45 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/D-F-E-A
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 3,426,640 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,186
Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 180 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
1 LRM-20
1 Large Laser
2 Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel 75 points 2.50
Internal Locations: 3 LT, 3 RT, 3 LA, 3 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine: Fusion Engine 180 7.00
Walking MP: 4
Running MP: 6
Jumping MP: 4 Standard
Jump Jet Locations: 2 CT, 1 LT, 1 RT 2.00
Heat Sinks: Single Heat Sink 10 0.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 RL
Gyro: Standard 2.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA+LA+H R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 152 9.50
Internal Armor
Structure Factor
Head 3 9
Center Torso 14 21
Center Torso (rear) 6
L/R Torso 11 16
L/R Torso (rear) 6
L/R Arm 7 14
L/R Leg 11 22
================================================================================
Equipment Location Heat Critical Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medium Laser HD 3 1 1.00
LRM-20 RT 6 5 10.00
Large Laser RA 8 2 5.00
Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
@LRM-20 (12) RT - 2 2.00
Free Critical Slots: 15
One more, you have an evening all to yourself-the question is how to spend it. After you finally pick up your rifle that is.
[ ] Early to bed, Early to Rise, you've got an exhaustive week ahead of you-and an NAIS graduate to welcome in the morn.
[ ] Spend some time and scratch out a design that you can use to teach your co-workers a thing or two with, even if it might come in behind on some of the requirements.
[ ] You heard people mention Yama as if it were a curse today, but also as if it were a planet...
Just what kind of environments are your designs going to have to operate in?
[ ] Weekends are all well and good, but let's find some write-in entertainment.