Following from
this, catching up with the thread now.
If what we've seen in the first 3 volumes continues to be the norm, only each volume's unseen 'Mech will get 2 WYSIWYG variants. The rest of the Kickstarter 'Mechs will only get one.
Yes. As I said in the initial comment in the first round-up, the initial mission statement (beside the WYSIWYG) was an organic upgrade in a world where post-3050, "Phoenix" did not cover the whole universe. In general, the first of the two featured variants is likely to have been around a long time come 3150. This isn't always the case, especially for units where non-Phoenix production wasn't happening for a time there. The second featured unit derived from the realization that the Classics deserve their spot in the high tech, high-end limelight. I thank Ray (and, though he may not know it, Paul) for that wise choice. Again, there will be more than just a few exceptions, as all units presented will be feasible in some way or another. We want new player-friendly, power player-friendly, and in-universe RPGers happy. Easy, see?
But, can the PAC carry specialty ammo and what would be available to the clans?
In the 32nd century, PACs can use armor-piercing ammo. Though granted, the PAC/8s' range hobbles them, you can basically assume AP ammo was the raison d'être for them popping up from time to time. If nothing else, at least they get the AC/10-class TAC odds.
Besides, the Thor's T will allow for a nod to a very old bit of fluff that, thus far, has never been entirely accurate. But we'll have to wait until vol 21 to see that...
I'm curious, though—why did the letter T get chosen for these designs?
A lot of other things were examined. Once we'd returned to letters, a lot of the alphabet was already taken - "T" also required a change of two NTNU configs. Initially, it was going to be "N" (working title nuPrime), but I deemed changing the Huntan as too invasive. Other front-runners were O and Y, but ultimately we have a vague hook that may be explored in the future, which led us to T.
No integral jump jets on III instead turned over to pod space but somehow doesn't seem to fully translate to better configurations (a couple are nice) and it does allow for the use of improved jets on at least one configuration but I'm not sure they are needed on the Mech
The Prime was very much informed by the MWDA Game pieces, which had "Pulse" weapons, "Heavy" armor - and no jump jets. The Shadow Cat originally only had Prime, A, and B configurations, so the new A and B followed that pattern, just using more modern components to make the most of the increased flexibility while working with the technically reduced pod space. The C was the writer's creation when the Omni was folded into this project.
IMO jump jets make no sense being pod-able and should only be allowed as fixed equipment
If I could turn back time and change one aspect of BT, it would be to rule exactly this (and CASE/II where applicable). Of course, it was the CJF Tukayyid campaign that kinda fowled things up on that front...
Off the top of my head, the RecGuides will feature two new OmniMechs with fixed jj, for very different reasons; bit be assured they are there as deliberate stylistic elements and not because of an oversight.
What I'm confused about is the artwork of the Hierofalcon. It just looks so much more basic and crude (check the cockpit section, the partial wing and feet) compared to the earlier Shrike, Gyrfalcon and Eyrie (the quality of their artworks is surely debatable too) or the other two JF totem mechs whose name I can't remember right now, which look much more refined as totem mechs, which doesn't make a lot of sense, since the Hierofalcon is a later design. To me, it barely looks like a bird style mech at all. It reminds me more of a bee or bumble-bee.
As previously stated, the Hierofalcon is most emphatically not a totem 'Mech. It follows the footsteps of something like a Black Lanner and in-universe is more closely related to, uh, the Night Gyr than the Gyrfalcon.
Also, to me it felt like the artist plucked the imagery right out my brain. There is no arguing taste, but to me it is beautiful. Of course, with the wings and chicken-walker set-up, a bird will come up in the mind's eye. It wasn't until the <redacted> that I suggested bird proportions. Of a sparrow, ahem. The Hierofalcon itself was most definitely never modeled after a bird, though.
Rec Guides are pretty much new variants for Kickstarter mechs + new Ilclan era mechs.
...and most* remaining unseen.
*ComStar need not apply.
Could the designer of the Ice Ferret K chime in and say whether it was supposed to be a WYSIWYG variant?
Nope, only the Ts. If others come close, it's coincidence.
WarHawk T: 4x PAC/8 & 1x RL-10. :D
The Warhawk is one of the most problematic of the Omnis simply because art and lore result in such parameters. All the suggestions in this thread came up at some point. Including that one, though it was marked as a joke. ^-^
Actually, what I'd like to see is Dual Cockpit Mechs, such as those from the old MechWarrior Companion. It would seem an easy way to combat superior Clan skills and leverage the IS greater population base. The rare individuals who could use a neurohelmet become pilots, the many who can't become gunners.
Not a chance it'll happen but always hopeful.
You and me both. But that ship has well and truly sailed, especially now that all the Dual Cockpit 'Mechs have been adapted to Command Consoles. I brought this up as a fan right when TO was published and was told they were deliberately swallowed up by Command Consoles. The TO RS in the first print even still had the DC option! Looks like a decade or so later, I could have championed this, but again, that ship has sailed... :'(
The base intotech variants are not included in these
This project, in fact, caters to the bits of TRO history that aren't covered by any currently available post-FASA TROs. Which for the Classics means the 3050 units. They are a starting point to the individual history of the various variants we put forward. And we are just catering to the specific contents in terms of the RS.
The M is a nod to the Timber Wolf configuration from Mech Commander.
O:-) 8) :thumbsup:
It seems the Hellhound is our first 'Mech without a modern WYSIWYG variant. ???
As
Ray has stated over here, the 3055 batch will all be featured in their original glory. This is a slightly different way of doing it than with the IS Classics as mentioned above. The IS units of 3050 weren't that great about WYSIWYG, so tweaking was going to happen anyways, but even then, many of them would not have been quite as relevant as desired in a 3050 setting. Well, ClanTech hasn't really seen any power creep in the past three (!) RL decades. These old units are good to go; helped by the fact that the Clan set of 3055 as a group was extremely finely tuned. I appreciate what
Paint it Pink (= original writer) did there and it helped inform this decision.
As for perceived attempts at WYSIWYG, I refer to the statement on T config Omnis, above.
Whatever. Teasing interesting units is frustrating (well, what sounds interesting, might end up being a dud for all i know of course), i just keep expecting seeing them and then getting disappointed.
Teasing is what I may have done, mildly, in one or two places in this thread. The RecGuide can essentially be viewed as a coherent project. It would be artificially limiting if the writers were not permitted to reference the units not yet been released.
it feels like the Hammerhead is being (unfairly) compared to other things that have 15 tons of armor, and not instead compared to other things that are 6/9 (or 6/8, in this case).
A bit. Or, if viewed from the 15-ton armor POV, compared to 80-tonners or above, only something like a Gargoyle can match the running speed. And in some configs, it doesn't carry much more firepower than a Hammerhead, at which stage, the 45-tonner is looking mighty fine.
Of course, some may say that the Hammerhead stats may have been a product dev's reaction to other stat submissions that went off the deep end in terms of BV... to which I'd counter that's hearsay. ^-^
Also, what ever happened to Hellhound 6? Or did I just miss something?
Nice catch. Sometimes we play a waiting game. Sometimes it doesn't work out. Sometimes, it just takes a really long time. How long have we been waiting for the Shadow Cat D? It's finally going to see the light of day in volume 9 of the RecGuides and may seem familiar to some. RS 3145 NTNU came out in 2013 and back then, I'd made sure the D was skipped, as we'd missed it in RS 3058Uu in 2010. If the Hellhound 6 is still AWoL in 2027, please remind me of it!
