Mech of the Week: ZEU-** Zeus

[Hellraiser]

Light SRM Carrier Turret Portion.

[Colt Ward]

Any kitbash of this model must consist of an entire beat up SRM Carrier (tracks included) jammed crudely on the end of the Zeus's arm. ;)

It can give people the Macross Missile-spam Fist?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Light SRM Carrier Turret Portion.

Attached by duct tape.

[Luciora]

Now I have to try this in the HBS game, since the .json file is out in the open.  ^-^

[Hellraiser]

What would you prefer?   The OG Prototype 5T or the 3050 era 9S?

They are functionally identical really with just a few small changes in back up weapons/armor.

Common features,  ERPPC, ERLL,  17DHS,  LRM15 w/ 1 Ton ammo.

The differences are in the 15.5 tons allotted to Armor & Close range lasers.


The 5T is sporting the following extra items.

Artemis-IV for the LRMs
2 Medium Lasers
12.5 Tons of Ferro Armor  ( = 14 Tons Standard)



The 9S on the other hand goes a little different with the same tonnage.

CASE for the LRM Ammo
2 Medium Pulse Lasers
11 Tons of Ferro Armor  ( = 12.32 Tons Standard)




So one is thicker skinned but the other has CASE for when a breach happens.

One has extra accuracy in close v/s range but anything at range is already handled by the 3 primary guns.

One has better damage at range but then has wasted tonnage if any alternate ammo is used.



Thoughts?

[Colt Ward]

And DHS?  That to me is where the decision is really made when comparing range brackets.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

They both use DHS.

How much ammo do they have, one ton?  I think that that can be burned through in a short enough time that lack of CASE isn't a huge problem.

[Hellraiser]

I think that that can be burned through in a short enough time that lack of CASE isn't a huge problem.

In theory, I agree, and yet, I'm still not sold that it is the better option.

After all, even 2-3 remaining salvos going off is going to gut the CT & remove the mech from your inventory unable to be repaired.

Obviously the ideal would be using ML to dump 2 tons into Armor & having CASE too.  LOL.

I do love the heat curve of these mechs,  34 for long range guns while running for 34 vent from 17 DHS.

By the time the LRM is empty your in close enough to bring the ML/MPL on line.

So simple & yet it has never felt like some of the cheese layouts that you come to see on other designs w/ perfect heat.

[Colt Ward]

Sorry, I meant how many DHS.

[Hellraiser]

As I mentioned above, they both have 17 for 34 cooling.  Perfect for a Running Alpha at long range.

[UnLimiTeD]

I definitely prefer the armour.
Not because I don't like Case, but because you gotta have some armour.

[Getz]

I definitely prefer the armour.
Not because I don't like Case, but because you gotta have some armour.

I tend to use the 9S because I'm playing FRR and they don't get the 5T on their RAT, but I also like the armour of the 5T over the CASE of the 9S (although ideally you'd have both) and have been inclined to use it as an "Ace Custom" ride for a lance commander.

[Colt Ward]

Playing campaign . . . OOC I would want the -9S because I could later upgrade it into the -9S2.  Heck, my campaign HAS a -9S . . . though the -9S2 is not yet available in the time line.  I had half the thing shot away in one of the 'recent' battles that involved urban battling, it got isolated at a intersection (hey double blind!) but IIRC it had shot its LRMs dry.  It was able to hold the intersection and let me mousetrap a few heavy tanks on the street, the Zeus and a Orion were both badly torn up but stopped the counterattack led by the full armor company.  Yeah it was in the repair bays for a while but was able to stand in once the LRMs were shot out.

[Starfury]

I'm a big fan of the 9S, simply because it's accessible to most of the Periphery powers even into the Early Republic.  The Zeus fits nicely into fire support, trooper, or anchor roles for the often lighter units of the Periphery, and it's not too technologically advanced for them to support by the time of the Jihad.  The only thing I usually do is dump the medium pulses for either two ER Mediums or two regular mediums to add another ton of LRM ammunition and another ton of armor, but that's a pretty simple change. It also works well the 9K/D Victor and the 9M Awesome, given their similar movement speeds and firepower. Kick in a 7V Longbow or a Salamander, and that makes for a nice fire/battle  assault lance.