Periphery Omni Unit design pointers.

[Izzy193]

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Hi, I was wondering what would a Periphery made Omni Unit be like? what kind of tech should be inside of one of Periphery design? and just general pointers on designing an omni unit for the periphery.

[Adacas]

That varies a lot depending on the Tech level at the moment the only Omnis of this type are the Gun deo MOC

The Hegemony has access to Omnis of the Inner Sphere and the Gun, some for purchases and others for Salvage, Omnis Clan still does not have

[Sartris]

the Taurians and Canopians gain access to a modest number of omnis including the Lupus in the dark age and ilclan eras. the MoC also has access to the blood asp thanks to the text from the recguide

standard structure and engine for maximum ruggedness and cost savings. helmtech on configs before 3080, TW after. by 3100 you can safely start adding more exotic weapons from BMM

[idea weenie]

Note: staff are free to move this thread in case they feel this forum is not the right place for this.

Hi, I was wondering what would a Periphery made Omni Unit be like? what kind of tech should be inside of one of Periphery design? and just general pointers on designing an omni unit for the periphery.

Double heat Sinks as standard, Targeting Computers boosting energy weapon fire where possible, LRMs for indirect and multi-type ammo capacity.

The Prime design would be set up where changing it to any of the other variants would require as little time as possible.

The other idea is to only have the Lance leaders getting Omnimechs, so they can change their loadout based on mission needs without making their entire force cost 25% more.

standard structure and engine for maximum ruggedness and cost savings. helmtech on configs before 3080, TW after. by 3100 you can safely start adding more exotic weapons from BMM

Agree on this.  Basic versions of engines, internal structure, and armor means the Mechs can be repaired with parts from nearly anywhere and you don't have a lot of new items in the Logistics systems.  Just going with regular engines instead of XL engines will save a lot of money.  You won't get the optimal offensive force like you would by using all the fun toys, but your defense forces can be about twice the size on a similar equipment budget.

The best idea might be taking an existing design that a Periphery nation produces and changing it to an Omni capability.  The Phoenix Hawk might be a good example.  It is already jumpy, fast, can carry decent weapons, and as a medium Mech the Periphery is more likely to have locations that can manufacture it.


Money example:
Standard Phoenix Hawk (PXH-1): 4,067,540 C-Bills, of which 1,174,500 is the engine price (after unit mass multiplier).  As a comparison, the gyro would cost 1,305,000
PXH-1 just changing the engine to XL: 7,591,040 C-Bills, of which 4,698,000 is the engine price (after unit mass multiplier)
(This is ignoring the 7 tons of mass saved which will be used for other stuff)

(These are not custom designs, this is just showing what changing one item will do to the price)

[Red Pins]

I've been thinking about this subject recently, so I'll take a shot at it.

First, base variants should embrace a minimum standard; no jump jets, heatsinks, etc.

Next, depending on the general economic, industrial, and technological strength of the design, specialize.  I realise there are lots of trooper/fire support units designed for under 9-hexes, but if you aren't well enough equipped with those already adding a more expensive unit to do the same thing you're going to loose money.  My own Periphery Omni wasn't designed to risk itself; it was a fast BA taxi, sniper, ECM/LRM support, and scout unit.

I find it helpful to think like a pirate: do I need this to make money?

Also, while I think everyone has brought up 'Mechs, I want to bring up tanks.  Keeping the tanks with all the weapons in the turret makes them easier to modify.  Sure, put a MG on the front of it or a flamer at the rear to defend it but vehicles can have trailer hitches, and RIGHT THERE, you have an omnivehicle.  I was going through TM/TO, and almost nothing I wanted on a tank couldn't be put on a trailer. 

[DOC_Agren]

I would look at Standard Structure, DHS, Standard Engine any "Star League" era tech that the Periphery Nation can maintain easy.
I would look at Aerospace and Ground Vehicles, using same rules as most possible

[glitterboy2098]

honestly if you are careful with the design you can even get away with SHS instead of DHS, though that limits you more. you just have to make sure you leave plenty of tonnage and crits to play with. but DHS has gotten to the point that they are widely avaialble to everyone but the most distant deep periphery types, so using DHS on a standard structure/armor/engine chassis is your best choice.

[Daryk]

Agreed on DHS... the maximum that fit in the engine should be the base (so extra tonnage for those with engines bigger than 270).  Max standard armor would be my next minimum requirement.  Anything beyond that should be poddable, and fit the Periphery aesthetic.  That includes Jump Jets and electronics (ECM, BAP, Recon Camera, Sensor Dispenser, Targeting Computer, etc.).  Sure, none of those will fit the clanner ideal, but that's literally the idea I see here...  ^-^

[Vonshroom]

The periphery has a habit of being far flung and underequipped.

As a periphery general I know I am not going to get the level of support / toys that a House unit would have. Also the job at hand is much greater and as a result equipment would need to be more flexible and able to work in a wider variety of climates / biomes. There is nothing wrong with standard battlemechs for specific roles. The advantage of the omni chassis is mission configurability, and the ability to "fill gaps" that your conventional battlemechs may have. In a periphery army these will be somewhat large.

As a result would want an omnimech that would be really generalized. Preferably something on the upper end medium side of things with a 5/8/x movement curve and a standard engine. Base 10 DHS and maxxed armor would be must haves. I'd also probably hard wire two standard medium lasers, so no matter how ****** some commander got with a custom config they would at least have some decent backup. Pod Jump jets encouraged. Off hand I think this gives you 14 or 15 free tons to work with?

The second choice would be a 4/6 75 ton heavy.

[Daryk]

Can you pod mount heat sinks that fit in the engine? ???

[Kerfuffin(925)]

Can you pod mount heat sinks that fit in the engine? ???

No

[Colt Ward]

Agreed on DHS... the maximum that fit in the engine should be the base (so extra tonnage for those with engines bigger than 270).  Max standard armor would be my next minimum requirement.  Anything beyond that should be poddable, and fit the Periphery aesthetic.  That includes Jump Jets and electronics (ECM, BAP, Recon Camera, Sensor Dispenser, Targeting Computer, etc.).  Sure, none of those will fit the clanner ideal, but that's literally the idea I see here...  ^-^

I figured the Hegemony Omni would have fixed RL pods . . .

[CJC070]

If the periphery creates any omnis we would see for example omni versions of the Talos from the Taurian Concordat.

Although it would be cool seeing more mechs period I feel that there are to many and the developers should concentrate on the ones we have instead of creating new ones.

[Daryk]

No

I didn't think so... thanks for the confirmation!  :thumbsup:

[Red Pins]

I figured the Hegemony Omni would have fixed RL pods . . .

And I actually did a recent project that refit some of the more blatantly stupid RL-equipped variants.  If there's anything more useless than a one-shot weapon on a battlemech designed with several tons of armor, I have failed to find it.

[Colt Ward]

Gargoyle C with A-Pods.

[Red Pins]

Ugh.  Yup, that's about the same level of idioticy.

[Baldur Mekorig]

And I actually did a recent project that refit some of the more blatantly stupid RL-equipped variants.  If there's anything more useless than a one-shot weapon on a battlemech designed with several tons of armor, I have failed to find it.

The RL have its uses. But yes, you usually want RL is really fast vehicles as hovers and vtols instead of mechs.

[Adacas]

In the TRO Age of Aquila Sanguis post, something totally fanmade, an Omni Marian was made, a Centurion cross and a 60 tn Quickdraw does not have anything too strange in its configs. In the post are the images for stats, we would have to ask the author to post (if I speak to you Baldur Mekorig)

[Colt Ward]

The RL have its uses. But yes, you usually want RL is really fast vehicles as hovers and vtols instead of mechs.

I did have fun with the Marauder II 4H . . . BUT at that time MegaMek was bugged on the BV calculation for RLs.

 . . . someone got a little too close to the Marauder, because it did not have enough SHS to fire both ERPPCs . . . and they were not moving too fast.

With that said, I have always wished for a Saladin with a UAC/10 and the rest of the space filled with RLs- the 'Hammer & Spray' model Saladin.

[Adacas]

I did have fun with the Marauder II 4H . . . BUT at that time MegaMek was bugged on the BV calculation for RLs.

 . . . someone got a little too close to the Marauder, because it did not have enough SHS to fire both ERPPCs . . . and they were not moving too fast.

With that said, I have always wished for a Saladin with a UAC/10 and the rest of the space filled with RLs- the 'Hammer & Spray' model Saladin.

I think the MAD II 4H will be one of the first to receive a new version with the new techs incorporated.

[Daryk]

*snip*
With that said, I have always wished for a Saladin with a UAC/10 and the rest of the space filled with RLs- the 'Hammer & Spray' model Saladin.

Surely, you meant UAC/20, one ton of ammo, and all the RL-10s that fit...  :D

[AlphaMirage]

Have you thought of an Omni-Merlin? Good pod space maybe upgrade the chassis to ES and use standard tech weapons.

[jgodwin17]

I like the idea of an Omni-Merlin.

Honestly though, when I think of what kind of Omni the periphery would want it would basically just be the Sojourner. Cheap for what it is, Easy to maintain, easy to pilot, durable, standard engine. Only thing really complicated on it are the ferro and endosteel, which at least the Taurians (and I assume the MoC) can make. Basically just do the same thing but sub out the clan weapons for IS equivalents/similar load outs (wouldn’t even have to touch the Gauss).

Now that the Lyrans have production of it I could see it them selling some out to the periphery, so who knows- maybe it will turn up out there.

[Red Pins]

I like the idea of an Omni-Merlin.

Honestly though, when I think of what kind of Omni the periphery would want it would basically just be the Sojourner. Cheap for what it is, Easy to maintain, easy to pilot, durable, standard engine. Only thing really complicated on it are the ferro and endosteel, which at least the Taurians (and I assume the MoC) can make. Basically just do the same thing but sub out the clan weapons for IS equivalents/similar load outs (wouldn’t even have to touch the Gauss).

Now that the Lyrans have production of it I could see it them selling some out to the periphery, so who knows- maybe it will turn up out there.

Don't care for the weapon spread, but YMMV.  Depends on the timeframe, I guess.

[Daryk]

Do you mean available technology? ???  I mean... omni, right?