Author Topic: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave  (Read 4079 times)

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 27125
  • Need a hand?
Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« on: 06 April 2024, 22:16:27 »
Okay, let's get it out of the system.



There.  That's done with, now on to the article about the Battlemech Shockwave instead of the Transformer.



Yeah, that one.  You can tell it's different because it's got two hands.

The Word of Blake Jihad was a brutal time for everyone in the Inner Sphere, but nobody quite took it in the chin like the Free Worlds League, which splintered into numerous microstates after it was revealed that "Thomas Marik" was an imposter.

The Marik-Stewart Commonwealth was one of the stronger of these, but in the years after the Jihad they were still cash-strapped and needed to rebuild both their military and civilian strength.  To do this, they decided to design a new Battlemech and sell it as an export model.  The SKW-2F Shockwave first walked off the assembly line in 3082 and was immediately sold to everyone in the Inner Sphere not named Steiner.

At 50 tons, the Shockwave was a solid entry into the medium mech category.  A 250XL engine propelled it a respectable 5/8 movement while 10 tons of standard armor left it a half ton shy of maximum protection.  According to TRO 3085, the Shockwave was built for one purpose: combat.  Which distinguishes it from all the Battlemechs that were built for civilian usage?  Weird lines aside, it does mount respectable offensive capability, with an ER Large Laser in the left torso and an Artemis-IV enhanced LRM 10 and RAC 5 in the right torso.  One ton of ammo in the right torso feeds the missile pod, without the protection of CASE, which doesn't matter much because like far too many TRO 85 mechs, this thing made the absolutely bonkers decision to keep the two tons of RAC ammo in the center torso.  Guess Earthwerks was counting on its customers having to buy replacements early and often.  A total of 11 double heatsinks provide 22 heat dissipation, enough to cover its weapon heat if you decide to go for maximum spin on the RAC.  I'm not sure whether you'd want to avoid that due to the mech's limited ammo or make sure to do that to get rid of the bomb in the center torso.

A year after the Shockwave's debut, a second configuration was also released, the SKW-4G.  The Artemis-IV and 11th heatsink are both dropped in order to fit a newly-debuting Large X-Pulse Laser into the left torso where the ER Large had been.  Between the loss of the heatsink and the extra heat of the laser, this variant runs a touch warmer than the original.

First showing up in 3102 is the third Shockwave configuration, the SKW-6H.  This one keeps the ER Large from the 2F but once again drops the Artemis IV and extra heatsink like the 4G.  It also uses an XL Gyro for further weight savings in order to replace the RAC with an Ultra 10.  Two tons of ammo feed the autocannon, but this time all three tons of ammo are moved to the left torso and protected by CASE, so you'll at least be able to put this one back together after it goes boom.  Heat is a bit worse thanks to the loss of that extra heatsink, but it only generates movement heat if it single-taps with the autocannon.  It's also the first Shockwave where all the weapons share basically the same range band.

The final variant is the SKW-8X, which didn't deploy until 3132.  It keeps the Ultra 10 in the right torso like the 6H, but the missile pod and laser are dropped in order to cram a Thumper Cannon and a ton of ammo into the left.  That's the snub-nosed gun, not the artillery piece.  CASE protects the left torso, but the Ultra's two tons of ammo have been relocated to the unprotected right torso.  This is... certainly an interesting version.  It runs much colder than other Shockwaves, as its stock heatsinks cover its running alpha strike heat and then some.  The Thumper gives it good useage against infantry, buildings, battle armor, and things that might be protected by Reflective Armor, but honestly I find myself struggling to figure out what to do with it.

For the most part, the Shockwave is a medium-to-long range fighter.  It's only got a few guns, and it doesn't have anything in its arms, so you don't want to let enemies get behind it.  The armor is good for its size, but still limited.  It's much better as a part of a larger force than working on its own.  A good mech, certainly, but probably never a great mech, it rolls along filling a similar role as the Centurion did in battles of old.  Except for the 8X, that's the weird one that probably eats crayons when you're not looking and is off doing its own thing hoping it doesn't actually have to fight other mechs.
Warning: this post may contain sarcasm.

"I think I've just had another near-Rincewind experience," Death, The Color of Magic

"When in doubt, C4." Jamie Hyneman

17thRecon

  • Warrant Officer
  • *
  • Posts: 410
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #1 on: 07 April 2024, 09:47:54 »
Once again, nice write up. I remember this from Clicky-Tech. Something of a simple trooper mech in most variants, not too inspiring. I think I’d use the 4G if I had to, just for the Large X-Pulse.

Wrangler

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25700
  • Dang it!
    • Battletech Fanon Wiki
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #2 on: 07 April 2024, 13:34:38 »
Love humor in this write up.

I  do find that I'm unsure where our friends at Wizkids left their touches on this thing and we're CGL adapted it.  It's certainly a trooper Mech for sure.  I do find myself remembering that the RAC/5 and Ultra AC/10 versions were Wizkids people writing up their dossaries of pilots and was using Heavy Metal Pro make them, including the Shockwave.

I think if comparing to what the old dials had said the mech could do, we could figure out how much different and tougher or not this was.  Crazy enough, I believe the artillery variant is another one from that era. However, I think it was a full artillery versus the stub nose. But I think that was just pure fluff when they did that.

I do find this thing not very good as far as durability, especially in an era where Max become rare and replacements may be very very difficult to get.
« Last Edit: 07 April 2024, 17:15:09 by Wrangler »
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

garhkal

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 6852
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #3 on: 07 April 2024, 14:35:14 »
Always liked Shockwave, in the transformers comics..  BUT i'd thought if he shifted to b/tech he'd be either a heavy or assault...  AND what mind had it on the designers, putting art IV on a single LRM-10??

A 15 pack or 20 pack, i've OFTEN paired ARt with.  BUT a generic LRM-10??  Seems a waste to me.
It's not who you kill, but how they die!
You can't shoot what you can't see.
You can not dodge it if you don't know it's coming.

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2844
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #4 on: 07 April 2024, 14:58:22 »
Always liked Shockwave, in the transformers comics..  BUT i'd thought if he shifted to b/tech he'd be either a heavy or assault...  AND what mind had it on the designers, putting art IV on a single LRM-10??

A 15 pack or 20 pack, i've OFTEN paired ARt with.  BUT a generic LRM-10??  Seems a waste to me.
While it is not well conceived from a board game perspective, it does raise its export value in-universe.

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 27125
  • Need a hand?
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #5 on: 07 April 2024, 15:41:01 »
Love humor in this write up.

Are you find that I'm unsure where our friends at Wizkids left their touches on this thing and we're CGL adapted it.  It's certainly a trooper Mech for sure.  I do find myself remembering that the RAC/5 and Ultra AC/10 versions were Wizkids people writing up their dossaries of pilots and was using Heavy Metal Pro make them, including the Shockwave.

I think if comparing to what the old dials had said the mech could do, we could figure out how much different and tougher or not this was.  Crazy enough, I believe the artillery variant is another one from that era. However, I think it was a full artillery versus the stub nose. But I think that was just pure fluff when they did that.

Well, snubtillery didn't exist until after the clicky game had come and gone.  I suspect that the Thumper Cannon was used to keep the same movement and armor level as the other variants while also keeping the Ultra 10.
Warning: this post may contain sarcasm.

"I think I've just had another near-Rincewind experience," Death, The Color of Magic

"When in doubt, C4." Jamie Hyneman

Wrangler

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25700
  • Dang it!
    • Battletech Fanon Wiki
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #6 on: 07 April 2024, 17:30:21 »
Well, snubtillery didn't exist until after the clicky game had come and gone.  I suspect that the Thumper Cannon was used to keep the same movement and armor level as the other variants while also keeping the Ultra 10.
I was trying remember if it was the clickytech origin of it...
Weirdly , the weapon has existed in universe since 3012.  I wonder what unit was using it.
U have to hand it to it, the game forced innovation and new tech to the game.
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

SteelRaven

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9861
  • Fight for something or Die for nothing
    • The Steel-Raven at DeviantArt
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #7 on: 07 April 2024, 19:37:38 »
It really is a mech that pairs well with any medium lance. By itself, not too rememberable but pair it with a Wolverine, Hunchback or a Centurion and you have a decent tag team.
Battletech Art and Commissions
http://steel-raven.deviantart.com

Weirdo

  • Painter of Borth the Magic Puma
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Major General
  • *
  • Posts: 41427
  • We can do it. We have to.
    • Christina Dickinson Writes
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #8 on: 07 April 2024, 20:49:29 »
I took a -4G for a spin in a grinder this afternoon. It only lasted a few turns, mostly due to ending up on the wrong end of a Clantech Flashman. But in the time it hung around, it was a powerhouse, dealing out heavy damage, most notably a max-damage salvo that took the leg and arm off a Lu Wei Bing.

In the future, I think I'm going to be looking to this machine as the second or third mech in a cavalry lance, the one that's the reliable damage-dealer backing up a flashier, more advanced machine.
My wife writes books

Sixteen tons means sixteen suits. CT must be repaired.

"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul

BrianDavion

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2181
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #9 on: 07 April 2024, 20:59:39 »
honestly, the Shockwave despite being a FWL design feels very much like a Davion design. put it in a lance with a RACenturion a Legionarre and and enforcer and it'd fit right in
The Suns will shine again

Paul

  • dies a lot at the Solaris Melee Challenge!
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 15970
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #10 on: 07 April 2024, 22:20:12 »
AND what mind had it on the designers, putting art IV on a single LRM-10??

A 15 pack or 20 pack, i've OFTEN paired ARt with.  BUT a generic LRM-10??  Seems a waste to me.

Objectively, you're right. An LRM15+Artemis IV does 2 more damage than a regular LRM-15 on average, which is only 1 point less damage a naturally aspirated LRM-20, while the package is 2 tons lighter and does 1 less heat. Also 1 crit less.
The LRM-10+A4 only gains 1.3 damage while being only 1 ton lighter, 1 heat less and the same number of crits. That's pretty crap, but then the LRM-10 has always been a weak performer. The original 4 launchers weren't really balanced well to each other, likely because they wanted the larger launchers to have an edge over the smaller ones so you'd always be rewarded for mounting the biggest launcher you can fit. But most damning is that you can always get better performance out of 2 LRM-5s than 1 LRM-10. 

Too late to fix it all now.
The solution is just ignore Paul.

Arkansas Warrior

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9293
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #11 on: 07 April 2024, 22:28:22 »
honestly, the Shockwave despite being a FWL design feels very much like a Davion design. put it in a lance with a RACenturion a Legionarre and and enforcer and it'd fit right in
Yeah, I was surprised to be find out it’s FWL when I read the article.  I mean, I’m sure I read that in the TRO years ago.  But it feels like a Davion design.  it even looks a bit like a Legionnaire.  I suppose that could be their shared clicktech origin, though.  Kinda glad it isn’t ours, though.  That much unCASEd ammo, in those locations? No thank you. Not in the modern era.
Sunrise is Coming.

All Hail First Prince Melissa Davion, the Patron Saint of the Regimental Combat Team, who cowed Dainmar Liao, created the Model Army, and rescued Robinson!  May her light ever guide the sons of the Suns, May our daughters ever endeavour to emulate her!

Gorgon

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 970
  • The little duchy that could
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #12 on: 08 April 2024, 04:30:44 »
Marik-Stewart seem to have become quite partial to the RAC/5, just look at the Anzu or the R10. I like the Shockwave, it's part of a host of 250XL / 50 ton mediums available to the FWLM that can all work quite well together: Huron Warrior, Sarath, Eris. Through in a Hercules, Anvil or Ost* for good measure and you can build a good cavalry force.
Jude Melancon lives!

Minemech

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2844
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #13 on: 08 April 2024, 09:35:53 »
I think that they were going through a phase where they were trying to decide between the UAC/10 and RAC 5. The UAC/10 was at the time of TRO 3060 a prospective Free Worlds League thing but forgotten later on for a while. The Light Gauss Rifle was overdone (It has its platforms where it works) until the Heavy PPC saw some serious employment. The LRM 10, particularly w/ Artemis, was a sign that it was also aimed at export, whereas the 15 launcher is the League flavor. An RAC/5 w/ Artemis enhanced LRM 10 w/ a Large Laser mixes iconography of the Centurion and Enforcer showing who they wanted to sell this to. The X Pulse and the UAC 10 (Yes I know about the Enforcer III) are more League-ish in flavor. The alternative argument is that these are optimized trooper weapon arrangements.

Wrangler

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25700
  • Dang it!
    • Battletech Fanon Wiki
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #14 on: 08 April 2024, 11:55:23 »
It should be remembered that the Legionnaire was put together with WizKids' minimum weapons approach.  If you look at any of the first generation/2nd generation mechs they introduced and gave stats for, they didn't have many weapons.  You can clearly see it if you look at the dossiers they made, you can find them if look hard enough on sarna.net and maybe warrenborn website.   It reflect the combat wheel of stats, I have to admit it was good system to track damage and maintain weapons as unit take damage.

However, BattleTech table top weapons abilities weren't really reflected on it them.  Shockwave included.

I've attached the dossier for artillery cannon variant of the Shockwave
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

wantec

  • Freelance Writer
  • Major
  • *
  • Posts: 3880
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #15 on: 11 April 2024, 09:20:10 »
Both the 6H and 8X variants were straight off of MWDA unique unit dossiers. While Wizkids stated they used HMP to see what types of things could fit on a 'Mech, they didn't let those results determine the final unit stats. The other variants were likely based off of the non-unique versions of the Shockwave (non-unique units didn't have dossier card stats).
BEN ROME YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD, I READ YOUR BOOK!


Empyrus

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9130
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #16 on: 11 April 2024, 11:26:44 »
On a FWL design using a RAC, TRO 3075 or 3085 emphasizes the fact no equipment is no longer factional in nature.
Heavy Gauss rifles in Capellan(?) mechs, stealth armor in Lyran and Davion mechs, Heavy PPCs everywhere, RACs in FWL service, Targeting Computers in Capellan units. Or however the narration went.

Did anyone mention the fact the Shockwave feels a bit like a new take on the Centurion? Autocannon, LRM launcher, though secondary lasers are replaced with a large laser type. Faster yes, but then again 3050+ Centurions tend to be even faster.

JadeHellbringer

  • Easily Bribed Forum Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 21935
  • Third time this week!
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #17 on: 11 April 2024, 11:34:47 »
I do remember one of the Shockwaves- I couldn't tell you the name, but I think it was in Dragon's Fury?- having artillery (explaining the thumper model). To the best of my admittedly-weak knowledge and memory, it ended up being the only artillery-capable Mech in MWDA's line by the end.

I want to like the standard Shockwave, but... CT-bomb aside (only because it's been covered already), it uses a couple of weapons I detest. The ER large laser is fine, if a bit warm, but the other two... I've never been a big RAC fan to begin with. Visually it's a pleaser, but in use, I find that it jams more often than anything (my dice being a factor in that, I admit), and it never seems to land the shots where I need them to go- they scatter all over the healthy areas on the target, and that juicy open-torso location stays safe. That doesn't happen for me with SRMs, but on a RAC I might as well jam the gun for all the good it does me otherwise.

The LRM... look, Paul covered the big issues with the LRM-10 already, and he's absolutely right about it all (something I rarely have found cause to say in my life!  :angel: ), but it has one more issue worth noting: in the post-Jihad era, with the sheer number out there of ECM-equipped Mechs, particularly with House Liao right next door and aggressive as they are in this era... why in the name of the sainted Blake would you think spending a ton on ARTEMIS IV is a good idea? You're not adding much to the firepower with that +2 to the cluster table on an LRM-10 to begin with, and more often than not your opponent is jamming the system anyway. It's a waste of a ton that the Shockwave could very much use on more RAC ammo, a heat sink, a flamer (infantry are scary!)... anything other than this lemon of an 'upgrade'.
"There's a difference between the soldier and his fight,
But the warrior knows the true meaning of his life."
+Larry and his Flask, 'Blood Drunk'+

"You know, basically war is just, like, a bunch of people playing pranks on each other, but at the end they all die."
+Crow T. Robot+

Paul

  • dies a lot at the Solaris Melee Challenge!
  • BattleTech Volunteer
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 15970
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #18 on: 11 April 2024, 13:01:50 »
The LRM... look, Paul covered the big issues with the LRM-10 already, and he's absolutely right about it all (something I rarely have found cause to say in my life!  :angel: )

You're not my guy, buddy!
The solution is just ignore Paul.

Arkansas Warrior

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 9293
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #19 on: 12 April 2024, 11:27:32 »
I do remember one of the Shockwaves- I couldn't tell you the name, but I think it was in Dragon's Fury?- having artillery (explaining the thumper model). To the best of my admittedly-weak knowledge and memory, it ended up being the only artillery-capable Mech in MWDA's line by the end.

I want to like the standard Shockwave, but... CT-bomb aside (only because it's been covered already), it uses a couple of weapons I detest. The ER large laser is fine, if a bit warm, but the other two... I've never been a big RAC fan to begin with. Visually it's a pleaser, but in use, I find that it jams more often than anything (my dice being a factor in that, I admit), and it never seems to land the shots where I need them to go- they scatter all over the healthy areas on the target, and that juicy open-torso location stays safe. That doesn't happen for me with SRMs, but on a RAC I might as well jam the gun for all the good it does me otherwise.

The LRM... look, Paul covered the big issues with the LRM-10 already, and he's absolutely right about it all (something I rarely have found cause to say in my life!  :angel: ), but it has one more issue worth noting: in the post-Jihad era, with the sheer number out there of ECM-equipped Mechs, particularly with House Liao right next door and aggressive as they are in this era... why in the name of the sainted Blake would you think spending a ton on ARTEMIS IV is a good idea? You're not adding much to the firepower with that +2 to the cluster table on an LRM-10 to begin with, and more often than not your opponent is jamming the system anyway. It's a waste of a ton that the Shockwave could very much use on more RAC ammo, a heat sink, a flamer (infantry are scary!)... anything other than this lemon of an 'upgrade'.
Blakist!  Someone get the plasma rifles!
Sunrise is Coming.

All Hail First Prince Melissa Davion, the Patron Saint of the Regimental Combat Team, who cowed Dainmar Liao, created the Model Army, and rescued Robinson!  May her light ever guide the sons of the Suns, May our daughters ever endeavour to emulate her!

BATTLEMASTER

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 2429
  • Engineering where it's not WHY but WHY NOT?
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #20 on: 12 April 2024, 12:10:42 »
Well, snubtillery didn't exist until after the clicky game had come and gone.

Maximum Tech, within which the snubtillery originate, predates Wizkids' foray into BattleTech.

The 'mech kinda reminds me of a Centurion 9D that went for firepower instead of speed.  But let me know when it time-travels and sets up a multi-million year plan to ensure the survival of the Inner Sphere  :grin:
BATTLEMASTER
Trombone Player, Lego Enthusiast, Engineer
Clan Smoke Jaguar, Delta Galaxy ("The Cloud Rangers"), 4th Jaguar Dragoons
"You better stand back, I'm not sure how loud this thing can get!"
If you like Lego, you'll like my Lego battlemech projects!

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 27125
  • Need a hand?
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #21 on: 12 April 2024, 15:18:55 »
Maximum Tech, within which the snubtillery originate, predates Wizkids' foray into BattleTech.

Huh.  thought it had debuted in TacOps for some reason.

Quote
The 'mech kinda reminds me of a Centurion 9D that went for firepower instead of speed.  But let me know when it time-travels and sets up a multi-million year plan to ensure the survival of the Inner Sphere  :grin:

Sorry, but this mech is not more than meets the eye.
Warning: this post may contain sarcasm.

"I think I've just had another near-Rincewind experience," Death, The Color of Magic

"When in doubt, C4." Jamie Hyneman

JadeHellbringer

  • Easily Bribed Forum Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 21935
  • Third time this week!
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #22 on: 13 April 2024, 06:52:39 »
MaxTech was a bummer of a book, in a lot of ways. We got a TON of neat toys in there, things that would be game-changers if they'd... been used outside that book. But in many cases- oddball melee weapons, snub-nosed artillery, etc.- it was years and another core rule set or two before it showed up in another book. Some of it STILL hasn't. Hell, even the cover-girl Mech, the fin-shouldered Zeus models, had to wait a few years before we actually saw that start appearing in the wild. Great book, lots of fun, but it was odd to have it all sort of appear and then be forgotten instantly- I'm not sure anyone involved in the game at that time is still involved now, but it's good to at least now see these tools appearing in these post-Jihad eras.
"There's a difference between the soldier and his fight,
But the warrior knows the true meaning of his life."
+Larry and his Flask, 'Blood Drunk'+

"You know, basically war is just, like, a bunch of people playing pranks on each other, but at the end they all die."
+Crow T. Robot+

Weirdo

  • Painter of Borth the Magic Puma
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Major General
  • *
  • Posts: 41427
  • We can do it. We have to.
    • Christina Dickinson Writes
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #23 on: 13 April 2024, 10:49:02 »
Sorry, but this mech is not more than meets the eye.

Joke aside, this is extremely true to the point of being the core concept of this mech. It's a general combat trooper and never tries to be anything more or less than that. The only departure from this is the 8X, which is pretty clearly a battlesuit hunter.
My wife writes books

Sixteen tons means sixteen suits. CT must be repaired.

"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul

Starfury

  • Lieutenant
  • *
  • Posts: 928
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #24 on: 13 April 2024, 16:34:34 »
The Shockwave is meant to be a team player like most Marik units. The weapons layout is very much a multirole design for anti-Mech/armor work at the mid and long ranges.  Not haing CASE is also a Marik design staple for a long time (Tempest, Warhammer 7M or Hercules anyone?). Pair it up with Marik mediums such as the Trebuchet, the 55 ton trio, the Quasimodo, the Apollo, or even the Hunchback, and you'll do pretty well. The 8X with the Thumper Cannon is designed to deliver close artillery support against infantry/battle armor or scatter damage that you exploit with the Ultra AC/10. I'm not so sold on artillery cannons when true artillery is easily available to all factions, but I can see a use for it.

Liam's Ghost

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 8098
  • Miss Chitty finds your honor rules quaint.
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #25 on: 13 April 2024, 17:16:31 »
MaxTech was a bummer of a book, in a lot of ways. We got a TON of neat toys in there, things that would be game-changers if they'd... been used outside that book. But in many cases- oddball melee weapons, snub-nosed artillery, etc.- it was years and another core rule set or two before it showed up in another book. Some of it STILL hasn't. Hell, even the cover-girl Mech, the fin-shouldered Zeus models, had to wait a few years before we actually saw that start appearing in the wild. Great book, lots of fun, but it was odd to have it all sort of appear and then be forgotten instantly- I'm not sure anyone involved in the game at that time is still involved now, but it's good to at least now see these tools appearing in these post-Jihad eras.

Wasn't it fasa policy to just not use anything that wasn't in a core rulebook in the mainline TROs?
Good news is the lab boys say the symptoms of asbestos poisoning show an immediate latency of 44.6 years. So if you're thirty or over you're laughing. Worst case scenario you miss out on a few rounds of canasta, plus you've forwarded the cause of science by three centuries. I punch those numbers into my calculator, it makes a happy face.

(indirect accessory to the) Slayer of Monitors!

Wrangler

  • Lieutenant General
  • *
  • Posts: 25700
  • Dang it!
    • Battletech Fanon Wiki
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #26 on: 13 April 2024, 22:44:52 »
Wasn't it fasa policy to just not use anything that wasn't in a core rulebook in the mainline TROs?
That's weird if that true. I get they didn't want any (then) Level 3 tech on mechs.  However, what about the Solaris Mechs?  I don't recall many mechs using advance tech.
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

Weirdo

  • Painter of Borth the Magic Puma
  • Catalyst Demo Team
  • Major General
  • *
  • Posts: 41427
  • We can do it. We have to.
    • Christina Dickinson Writes
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #27 on: 15 April 2024, 09:40:20 »
I think with the exception of certain unique mechs in scenario packs, the Solaris designs in '55u were the very first published units to use advanced tech.

(Not counting gear that was standard and later declared advanced, like artillery.)
My wife writes books

Sixteen tons means sixteen suits. CT must be repaired.

"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul

JadeHellbringer

  • Easily Bribed Forum Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 21935
  • Third time this week!
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #28 on: 15 April 2024, 10:08:43 »
Wasn't it fasa policy to just not use anything that wasn't in a core rulebook in the mainline TROs?

It definitely was the case, overall, but if it was an actual 'policy' thing, I'm not aware of that. Then again, that's long before my time being involved in any way other than 'dipshit teenager learning how a targeting computer works'.
"There's a difference between the soldier and his fight,
But the warrior knows the true meaning of his life."
+Larry and his Flask, 'Blood Drunk'+

"You know, basically war is just, like, a bunch of people playing pranks on each other, but at the end they all die."
+Crow T. Robot+

glitterboy2098

  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • *
  • Posts: 12343
    • The Temple Grounds - My Roleplaying and History website
Re: Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave
« Reply #29 on: 15 April 2024, 11:14:59 »
It definitely was the case, overall, but if it was an actual 'policy' thing, I'm not aware of that. Then again, that's long before my time being involved in any way other than 'dipshit teenager learning how a targeting computer works'.
given they introed weapons in field manuals which made it into TROs before they got into main books, I'd say the policy was more likely "level 3 advanced tech isn't to be used for mainstream products", and since maxtech was level 3 tech at the time..

 

Register