Mech of the Week - COM-XX Commando

[Giovanni Blasini]

Wasn't there a Blazing Commando variant in one of the early BattleTech computer games? IIRC it swapped the SRM-6 and ammo for small lasers and something else. Heat sink? Armor?

Original BattleTech: Crescent Hawks' Inception, called the "Blazing Inferno".  Swapped the SRM-4 and ammo for three more medium lasers (RA, RT, HD), the SRM-6 for six small lasers (2 LL, 2 RL, 2 CT), and the SRM-6 ammo for another ton of armor.  Kept the original 10 SHS, which means that it hit +8 heat from an alpha strike before including movement heat, but did a potential 38 points of damage.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I thought it was an extra ton of SRM-6 ammo instead of the armor, but to be fair I haven't played that game in a very long time (to my dismay).

It's been a similar length of time for me, I'm going on the stats that TopSargent used for a game he ran at GenCon ten years ago.

[Luciora]

It may have been the the Mechs of Mechwarrior that hooked me into Battletech but the first mech, and a light one that I truly loved was the Commando.  Such a mauler in Crescent Hawks Inception, and such a joy to see the missile damage spam from when playing Megamek.  Just not as enamored of the MWO look and the geometry of the SRM-6 tubes.

[garhkal]

I've always had a soft spot for the commando..  Though i never understood why they had both an SRM4 AND an SRM6, each drawing from their own ton of ammo, on such a flimsily armored mech..

[JadeHellbringer]

I've always had a soft spot for the commando..  Though i never understood why they had both an SRM4 AND an SRM6, each drawing from their own ton of ammo, on such a flimsily armored mech..

From an out of universe perspective, yeah, two SRM-4s would have been better. Going to twin-6s by dropping the laser is doable, but then it kind of gets lost in the Javelin's shadow.

[garhkal]

OR a quartet of two packs, drawing from 2 separate tons, one reg, one inferno..

[YingJanshi]

Well...if all missiles hit, that will force a PSR...that is kind of worth it perhaps.

[garhkal]

True but how often does both missile packs hit, AND all missiles from each pack hit?

[Giovanni Blasini]

Suspect I'd rather have twin 6-packs drawing off a single ton of ammo, plus the single medium laser, but that starts to look too much like a Javelin.

Truthfully, just swapping the SRM-4 and ammo for an LRM-5 would make for an interesting 'Mech.

[garhkal]

A single LRM-5 though, isn't really worth it iMO..  You need at least a 10 pack, or twin Lrm-5s imo..

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

And that would change its role away from being a scout-hunter.

[Orin J.]

I have to hand it to the Commando, it looks the part. Broad chest, six pack abs, steely gaze- it's a good design for a 'mech. That said, you have to play it like an absolute bastard at all times.
Bbut hey, like the saying goes "if you're playing fair you aren't trying hard enough" and the Commando always gives 110%!  :thumbsup:

[mbear]

A single LRM-5 though, isn't really worth it iMO..  You need at least a 10 pack, or twin Lrm-5s imo..

Well, a single LRM-5 won't do much, but a lance of Commandos with LRM-5s is going to do something. And a single Commando with LRM 5 could be useful in the way that a Sling is useful: Laying minefields. Or smoke. Or just as a distraction so its lancemates could get away.

And after the FCCW the MML becomes available. That could be a decent upgrade.

[Kit deSummersville]

Truthfully, just swapping the SRM-4 and ammo for an LRM-5 would make for an interesting 'Mech.

You could call it the Slow Assassin.

[Sabelkatten]

A couple of MML3s work great when upgrading an old -2D. :)

[Hellraiser]

I'm still disappointed that Catalyst never canonized the variant from Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries: it dropped the SRM 4 for 2 more medium lasers and a ton of armor.

You & me both, it was a fine mech.

Truthfully, just swapping the SRM-4 and ammo for an LRM-5 would make for an interesting 'Mech.

That exact custom was something I did after purchasing the "Pursuit Lance" box when it came out back in the early 90's.   Ditto the Jenner-7D as well.

AC2 from the Vulcan & 3 LRM5's gave them something to snipe at range with while "Pursuing" things.

It also pairs up well with the other half of the FedCom light duo, Valkyrie.

[SCC]

Even though in later years the Word of Blake and even the Marians and Taurians made their own versions of the Commando, the Mech is Lyran to its Fusion core.

This, to my knowledge, places the Commando in rare company, as while Periphery nations designing their own 'Mechs happens, them producing variants on existing is strangely uncommon, off the top of my head only the Commando and the Archer have it happen.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Aren't there a lot of Periphery variant mechs?  Like all the original rocket launcher versions of mechs?  Marauder II, Ostroc, Hunchback, Cyclops, and a number of others?

[Hellraiser]

Yes, quite a few of the original 3025 mechs get Rocket Launcher versions.

Some of my favorites.......

Locust-5V,  Stinger-5R,  Commando-4H,  Firestarter-9P?,  & Jagermech-6H

I think there are also variants for the Wasp & Whitworth IIRC and a bunch more that I can't remember right now.