'Mech of the Week - Ryoken III-XP (Skinwalker)

[GreekFire]

From XTRO:Republic Vol. III

Certain 'Mechs in the BattleTech setting have such an impact, both within the universe and outside of it, that they become undeniable representations of what BattleTech *is*. The beginnings of the BattleTech boardgame had 'Mechs like the Marauder and Atlas as their poster children, while the Clan Invasion setting was (and still is) easily defined by the Mad Cat. Later on, the WizKids iteration of the game would lean heavily on certain new designs - such as the tripedal Superheavy 'Mechs - to define their new setting. And now, in this modern era of the game, we're seeing a hard push back towards the original classic 'Mechs that brought so many players to the game, albeit redesigned with much more of a modern aesthetic.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not insinuating that the Skinwalker will become one of these iconic 'Mechs. But I do believe that it is most likely a precursor of things to come; a Mackie, if you will, for the next generation of BattleMechs that will eventually define the long anticipated 3250 era setting. Of course, I could be completely wrong, but that's the nice thing about writing these articles: I can speculate all I want, and there's nothing you can do to stop me.

On thing is for sure, though. The Skinwalker is a bit of a rarity both within the game and in-universe: it's a clear and indisputable leap forward in technology, one that renders the original Stormcrow near-obsolete - and being able to say that about one of the more optimized 'Mechs of the Clan invasion is truly something. So now that I've got your attention, let's start looking at the design.

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SKINWALKER (SPHEROID DESIGNATION: RYOKEN III-XP)
INTRO: 3143
FACTION AVAILABILITY: Wolf Empire
--- Speed: 6/9 (330 XL) -----------------------------------
--- Armor: 161/185 (Ferro-Lamellor)------------------------
--- Base Heat Sinks: 11 Double [22 heat dissipation]-------

         FRONT                REAR                INTERNAL
         ( 9)                 (**)                  ( 3)
      /21|24|21\           / 5| 6| 5\            /13|18|13\
     (16/ || \16)         (   |  |   )          ( 9/ || \ 9)
       /  /\  \               /  \                /  /\  \
      (19/  \19)             /    \              (13/  \13)
Don't be fooled by the raw numbers - that armor coverage is heavy. For those of you a bit less familiar with more advanced technologies, Ferro-Lamellor armor is much more resilient that your usual composites. Against everything but a few rare weapons or ammunition types, it reduces each 5-point (or smaller) block of damage by one point of damage. This means that the Skinwalker's armor coverage is effectively, at minimum, this:

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         FRONT                REAR                INTERNAL
         (11)                 (**)                  ( 3)
      /27|30|27\           / 7| 8| 7\            /13|18|13\
     (20/ || \20)         (   |  |   )          ( 9/ || \ 9)
       /  /\  \               /  \                /  /\  \
      (24/  \24)             /    \              (13/  \13)
Yeah, you've got the armor coverage of a fully-armored 60-ton heavy. The key differences, though, are that the legs will be slightly weaker than those heavy 'Mechs, while the side torsos will be a lot tougher. This also means that - when compared with the original Stormcrow - you effectively have roughly the same armor thickness for the arms and the legs, while the head and torsos are vastly tougher.

Now for the rest. What makes the Skinwalker exceptional is that this armor coverage results in *no* notable sacrifices whatsoever. The 330 XL engine and Endo-Steel skeleton are nothing unusual, but the Clan Machina Domini cockpit and lack of gyro are incredible. To briefly sum things up without going into too much detail (the rules can be found on page 116 of Interstellar Operations), the interface cockpit gives you:

• A free -1/-1 to piloting and gunnery
• The ability to ignore pilot damage from head hits and ammo explosions
• A free Special Pilot Ability
• No gyro, which combined with the slightly heavier cockpit saves you three tons

Although there are more abilities gained via the Machina Domini system, these are the essentials. This alone means that any pilots of the Skinwalker have a huge bonus in resilience and skill over pilots of the older standard Stormcrow. Beyond that, the Skinwalker has an additional double heat sink hidden in its engine, all while retaining the 23 tons of pod space that the original Stormcrow had available to it. Wow.

Oh, and one last thing: this Clan 'Mech has Triple Strength Myomer. Of course, the TRO says that it's mostly used for its speed benefits, but lets be real here: with the Jade Falcons, Hell's Horses, and Ghost Bears having all started embracing physical combat, there's no way the Wolves will end up being the "conservative Clan" - not when all of their current neighbors are Spheroids. In my opinion, it's just a matter of time before that TSM starts getting used to smash apart their enemies.

~ ~ ~

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Primary Configuration
ER Large Pulse Laser x2 (Left Arm, Right Arm)
ER Medium Pulse Laser x2 (Left Arm, Right Arm)
SRM-6 x2 (Left Torso, Right Torso)
SRM-6 Ammo x2 (Center Torso)
Two additional heat sinks (26 total heat dissipation)

To be honest, this isn't a great config. Your firepower is a bit weak for a Clan 'Mech, although it can be a great bully against lighter forces your opponent might field. The two tons of SRM ammo are useful for fielding a secondary ammo type, but if you're planning on running hot (which in all honesty you should), I would recommend avoiding Infernos. My suggestion? Get the TSM rolling, and backstab as much as you can.

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Configuration A
ER Large Laser x2 (Left Arm, Right Arm)
ER Medium Laser x4 (2 Left Arm, 2 Right Arm)
ER Small Laser x6 (3 Left Torso, 3 Right Torso)
Targeting Computer (Left Arm)
Radical Heat Sink (Center Torso)
One additional heat sink (24 total heat dissipation, 36 with RHS)
This one is the killer config the Prime wishes it was. Clearly based off of the Stormcrow Prime, it uses a Radical Heat Sink and a battery of ER Smalls as a great way to circumvent crit limitations. This turns the Skinwalker A into one heck of a slasher, especially since hitting 9 heat every round is super simple, even on turns where you'll use the RHS. Then combine the Targeting Computer with your free special ability (eg: Weapon Specialist for your ER Mediums), and you can land aimed shots like they're nothing.

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Configuration B
Ultra AC/20 (Left Arm)
UAC/20 Ammo x3 (Right Torso)
CASE II (Right Torso)
Improved Heavy Medium Laser x5 (3 Right Arm, 1 Left Torso, 1 Center Torso)
Supercharger (Left Torso)
ECM Suite (Center Torso)
Another brutal config, it takes the older Stormcrow B and dials it up to 11. The Supercharger combined with TSM can take you up to 14 MP if you play your cards right, while having the ECM on Ghost Targets can make you close to untouchable. Meanwhile, you can throw your two 20-point hits (along with a 10 or two) from whatever angle you want. Oh, and the cascading ammo explosion threat that can happen with Improved Heavy Lasers and CASE II? Not a problem, the interface cockpit means you don't suffer pilot hits from ammo explosions. An incredibly dangerous brawler.

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Configuration C
ATM-9 (Left Arm)
ATM Ammo x3 (Left Arm)
TSEMP Cannon (Right Arm)
ER Medium Laser x6 (3 Left Torso, 3 Right Torso)
Targeting Computer (Center Torso)
The TRO calls it a headhunter, and yeah, definitely. If you get a shutdown with your TSEMP, your target should be dead by the next round. Once again, Weapon Specialist for the ER Mediums more than guarantees instant kills. Spiking your heat up to 9 or 10 is actually pretty easy with this config - I enjoyed activating the TSM whenever I fired the TSEMP to get an added speed and physical damage boost in case my target shut down.

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Configuration D
Rotary AC/2 (Left Arm)
RAC/2 Ammo x2 (Left Arm)
CASE II (Left Arm)
Bombast Laser (Right Torso)
ER Medium Laser (Right Arm)
ER Small Laser x2 (Left Torso)
ER Micro Laser x2 (Center Torso)
Lance (Right Arm)
This one is clearly built around melee combat. TSM is obviously easy to get up and keep at 9 - you have two variable-heat weapons - so at that point, invest in the physical Special Ability of your choice and go nuts. Of course, your RAC might jam (since you kind of need it to balance your heat), so if that annoys you, then turn off a heat sink or two and keep it on single fire. Just don't expect this variant to kill much with its guns - this is a near-purely physical variant.

~ ~ ~

How do you use one? However you want. It's that good - want to snipe with it? No problem, take the A and outsnipe nearly anything out there. You want to brawl? Hey, take any config you want and go nuts with the TSM. You want to scout? TSM takes you up to 7/11 (more for configs with a Supercharger), so you can keep up with most lighter Clan Omnis out there. Just remember - this is a Medium 'Mech, not an assault. It cannot and will not tank armor damage like, say, the Savage Wolf can. Use its speed and use it well.

How do you fight one? Well, you're gonna have a rough time no matter what. You can use Re-Lasers for a -1 to-hit and the ability to defeat the special properties of Ferro-Lamellor, but they're a rare weapon system (to say the least). Otherwise, anything that'll give you a to-hit bonus and that ideally hits in damage increments of 5. But in my opinion, there's no quick and easy counter for this 'Mech. Just shoot it with what you have, and always keep in mind what it can do.

One final note - don't expect to bring the Skinwalker to a BV-balanced game. The BV for nearly every variant is...prohibitive, to say the least. The C-variant even takes the prize for the most BV-expensive 'Mech in the game, which does *not* mean that it can stand up to most of the other contenders. Its technologies cost a lot, so I'd keep it to fluff-based games more than anything else.

So while the Skinwalker is a *very* good 'Mech, it isn't unstoppable, and we might not be seeing the true Wunderwaffe yet. But whatever follows it, down the road? Yeah. I'm betting that'll be the game changer - and maybe in more ways than one.

~ ~ ~

Master Unit List: http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Filter?Name=Ryoken+III-XP
Iron Wind Metals, Ryoken III-XP Prime: https://ironwindmetals.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=9887&osCsid=50af506pgc5g3t9auvmh5agk64
Iron Wind Metals, Ryoken III-XP B: https://ironwindmetals.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=9869&osCsid=50af506pgc5g3t9auvmh5agk64

[Scotty]

Worth mentioning: the Clans don't use Machina Domini for this.   The Interface Cockpit works just fine with EI implants.  More than anything, the Skinwalker (and Parash 3) represent the application of what was actually effective on Protomechs to a much more dangerous platform.

[Empyrus]

A note on the C: The TarComp is useless for a turn after using the TSEMP, as firing TSEMP inflicts the interference effect on the firing unit. Pity that.

EDIT Correction, it only negates the TarComp aiming bonus (-1+2=+1 penalty to hit) but not aiming itself. Of course, a shutdown target can be aimed at anyhow.

EDIT2 Of course, since the Skinwalker is basically a super 'Mech, it should not have a cheap pilot. So small aiming modifier  isn't a big deal.

EDIT3 come to think of it, pretty sure Interface Cockpit allows aimed shots as it is, so the TarComp is there just for the extra to-hit bonus.

[Kojak]

Yes, but you still get a reduction on aimed shots as well (+3 drops to +2) so it's still worth it.

Also, excellent article, and I've long had a similar thesis about the Skinwalker and how it's the precursor to a new generation of BattleMechs. Nice to see that others have come to similar conclusions.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Not only are re-engineered lasers are, of the Wolf Empire's neighbors I think that only the Republic of the Sphere really uses them.

There's no way to slice it, the Skinwalker is a scary machine.

[grimlock1]

Something that makes the D model just a wee bit scarier is the EI required for the Interface Cockpit. EI grants a bonus to PHYSICAL attack rolls.

Yes, but you still get a reduction on aimed shots as well (+3 drops to +2) so it's still worth it.

Also, excellent article, and I've long had a similar thesis about the Skinwalker and how it's the precursor to a new generation of BattleMechs. Nice to see that others have come to similar conclusions.

The Foxes go back to the drawing board and build a Mad Cat MkIV with an extra 3 crits, 5 tons AND all the gunnery/piloting buffs that come with EI/Interface Cockpit.  Yeah, now we are getting into pants wetting territory.

To stay competitive, IS forces will either have to dust off the WoB VDNI tech, or take another look at VRPP's.

If the Skinwalker/Parash are the wave of the future, that suggests some interesting changes to Clan culture.  Up until now, EI was kind of a fringe thing, supposedly found only among the most ardent Crusaders.  I would have to assume that the more extreme Wardens use it with similar frequency.  Then Protos came around and they all needed EI. If we are going to start seeing entire stars of mechs with EI/Interface, that is going to come with a MUCH more aggressive Clan leadership.  It's kind of ignored because Clan leadership sees Protomechs as almost expendable, but EI puts are pretty hard limit on the length of someone's career.  3-5 years, I think with a year of that in rehab after the surgery.  But now if 20-30% of the mechwarrior population finds themselves looking at that same 3-5 year clock, the push for action and glory gets a lot more urgent.   

Suddenly Malvina might start looking conservative!!

[Maingunnery]

Something that makes the D model just a wee bit scarier is the EI required for the Interface Cockpit. EI grants a bonus to PHYSICAL attack rolls.
The Foxes go back to the drawing board and build a Mad Cat MkIV with an extra 3 crits, 5 tons AND all the gunnery/piloting buffs that come with EI/Interface Cockpit.  Yeah, now we are getting into pants wetting territory.

To stay competitive, IS forces will either have to dust off the WoB VDNI tech, or take another look at VRPP's.

If the Skinwalker/Parash are the wave of the future, that suggests some interesting changes to Clan culture.  Up until now, EI was kind of a fringe thing, supposedly found only among the most ardent Crusaders.  I would have to assume that the more extreme Wardens use it with similar frequency.  Then Protos came around and they all needed EI. If we are going to start seeing entire stars of mechs with EI/Interface, that is going to come with a MUCH more aggressive Clan leadership.  It's kind of ignored because Clan leadership sees Protomechs as almost expendable, but EI puts are pretty hard limit on the length of someone's career.  3-5 years, I think with a year of that in rehab after the surgery.  But now if 20-30% of the mechwarrior population finds themselves looking at that same 3-5 year clock, the push for action and glory gets a lot more urgent.   

Suddenly Malvina might start looking conservative!!

Or they will look into making the phenotypes resistant to EI damage.

[SteelRaven]

I do think we will be seeing more of the Interface Armor, it makes more sense in a modern context a bulky helmet and gym shorts

The Storm Wolf Skinwalker it self is a nice mech worthy of Storm Crow lineage (lets just forget about the Ryoken II)

It shows both a in universe growth in the application in technology and the another example that the Clans are becoming more adaptive and less ridged. Stat wise, it really cool toy to play with :)

I was surprise by the number of legacy mechs (that I formally refereed to as sequel mechs) that did not suck and in many ways improved on many designs. CGL has had one hell of a batting average with new mechs leading up to fortress republic and I look forward to what comes next.     

[Colt Ward]

I have wished the Crusader Wolves just started producing a Stormcrow III, even without the Interface Cockpit its a design type they need since they were not producing any Clan mediums.  Add in that it has Ferro-Lam and TSM?  Even better.

Pretty sure Proto-pilots do not have the same clock that other EI users suffer from.

[grimlock1]

I have wished the Crusader Wolves just started producing a Stormcrow III, even without the Interface Cockpit its a design type they need since they were not producing any Clan mediums.  Add in that it has Ferro-Lam and TSM?  Even better.

Pretty sure Proto-pilots do not have the same clock that other EI users suffer from.

I can't even remember where I saw how long mech EI users have...
VDNI was like 10 years, bVDNI was 15, right?  Or am I pulling numbers out of a place not discussed in polite company?

[VensersRevenge]

This 'Mech is completely insane. It is really the first ever straight up upgrade to a Clan 'Mech, and to do it with arguably the best of the CI Omnis. I am slightly worried what the Mad Cat V will look like if they keep this up, especially if post 3150 adds some more new tech.

[GreekFire]

This 'Mech is completely insane. It is really the first ever straight up upgrade to a Clan 'Mech, and to do it with arguably the best of the CI Omnis. I am slightly worried what the Mad Cat V will look like if they keep this up, especially if post 3150 adds some more new tech.

The Skinwalker could easily be a bridge towards changing the way the rules work in a 3250 setting. Want to reduce pilot damage from ammo explosions? Here's your chance. Want to make PSRs easier to pass? Done. Want to make new-gen 'Mechs suffer less damage from older weapons? Easy. And anything that's not "as good" as what the Skinwalker can accomplish (eg: ignoring all damage from ammo explosions) can be waved aside as it being a new version of Clan Machina Domini that doesn't require lifespan-reducing technologies to function.

[Scotty]

Much like not all Omnis are Celestials, not all Interface Cockpit are Machina Domini.  The Clans have nothing to do with Machina Domini, and if I remember right the writeups for the Skinwalker and Parash 3 go to some length to make it clear that the Clan method is very different.

[GreekFire]

Much like not all Omnis are Celestials, not all Interface Cockpit are Machina Domini.  The Clans have nothing to do with Machina Domini, and if I remember right the writeups for the Skinwalker and Parash 3 go to some length to make it clear that the Clan method is very different.

The Interface Cockpit is a part of the system, yes, but the system as a whole (including the NIU and EI requirements) is referred to as the (Clan) Machina Domini Interface system. I chose to refer to that name in what I wrote - even if it isn't called by the same name in the TRO - to make things easier for players attempting to find the rules for the system. I know it took me a but of looking around before I figured out what ruleset I should be looking at.

[Maelwys]

As far as I can tell, the only difference is the requirement for EI rather than VDNI for the two system. Whether the Horses heard rumors about the system and then developed it on their own, or if this was a natural extension of their Superheavy ProtoMech work, its impossible to tell at this time.

[Greatclub]

So many extra rules. Such effective min-max bait.

Im glan the rules are in such an obscure couple of books, and sort of hope they stay that way.

[Wrangler]

Worth mentioning: the Clans don't use Machina Domini for this.   The Interface Cockpit works just fine with EI implants.  More than anything, the Skinwalker (and Parash 3) represent the application of what was actually effective on Protomechs to a much more dangerous platform.

Skinwalker use it's own version Machina Domini.  The info from Parash 3 hinted that got the tech hush hush away from WoB salvage.

Anyways, this machine is SUch a nasty machine, a wild card waiting to be played!  Seriously.

I forgot about this thing. The Battle Armor in the cockpit is nice surprise to people trying to cut the the nut inside.

[marauder648]

An excellent write up of a truly terrifying Mech. And I feel you're right, the Skinwalker points the way forwards for what the Clans could be going for as this thing leverages every advantage they have in the current setting and has created a monster.

If folks want to see what else could be done I really do recommend having a look at Maingunner's fan made Society TRO - https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=63829.0  for lots of Interface Cockpit horrors!

[LightGuard]

I love the C package.

Why? I run this as part of an MekHQ campaign that I basically play for S&Gs, because with no limitations on my end I can play with all the toys! :D

The Star the III-XP deploys with are all direct and indirect fire support configurations, while I use this to blitz through just about any map and break the Princess's toys.

The TSEMP cannon is meh, not terribly fond of it, but the ERMLs and ATM-9 shine with the Cockpit and TComp bennies. I love using it in city fighting with a double load of HE and one load of standard. It is terrible with infantry, especially in open field combat. As a matter of fact, it's completely ill-suited for anti-infantry and anti-battle armor operations. There definitely needs to be a version that runs some small and micro pulse lasers, flamers, or AP Gauss. Yes, they bite like gnats, but enough gnats can cause definite pain.

[grimlock1]

As far as I can tell, the only difference is the requirement for EI rather than VDNI for the two system. Whether the Horses heard rumors about the system and then developed it on their own, or if this was a natural extension of their Superheavy ProtoMech work, its impossible to tell at this time.

I haven't read the WoR but a friend was telling me that there were some reports related to the Ultra-heavy protos that could have been interpreted as a tease to a Interface Armor.

It is kind of nice that CGL didn't bring ALL the cheese to the first few Interface Cockpit offerings.  The Gestalt was a bit under sinked. The Parash 3 was quick, nasty little bugger, but there's only so tough a 35 tonner can be.  And as nasty as the Skinwalker is we don't have the real munchkin bait like PPCs, or Lplas linked to a TC, stacked with the Interface Cockpit. And in true clan fashion, it does run toasty... although that's not always a bad thing.

[mbear]

I can't even remember where I saw how long mech EI users have...
VDNI was like 10 years, bVDNI was 15, right?  Or am I pulling numbers out of a place not discussed in polite company?

Probably Interstellar Operations. Here's the quotation with emphasis added around the long term effects of the implants.

While affording exceptional levels of control, however, these implants are especially sensitive to feedback. Due to their direct connection to the pilot’s nervous system, this feedback can cause additional damage to the warrior in combat, and has also been known to rapidly deteriorate mental health over years of sustained use. Few warriors who receive EI neural implants survive for longer than a decade afterward as a result, but among the Clans, this sacrifice in the name of martial glory is considered only natural.

I can see the Interface Cockpit being useful to solhama warriors as a last attempt to go out in glory. Or if your ProtoMech Star is suddenly without Protos, reassigning the pilots to full-grown 'Mechs as a temporary expedient.

But since this was introduced by the Wolf Empire, I think it's more of a situation where the Wolves don't have as many experienced pilots as they would like and are grabbing at straws to improve performance. The current EI using warriors burn out after a decade, but that's probably enough time to train up enough new sibkos to fill in the gaps in PGCs/Second line Clusters.

At least I hope that's the reason. The Skinwalker is bad enough but a Thor II, Loki II, Warwolf, or Tomahawk II with an Interface Cockpit is something that gives me nightmares.

[glitterboy2098]

I haven't read the WoR but a friend was telling me that there were some reports related to the Ultra-heavy protos that could have been interpreted as a tease to a Interface Armor.

not exactly. ultra-heavy proto's use a slightly different control system than standard protos. standard proto's use a form of EI and are basically controlled from a curled up position within the chest of the proto, almost pure mental control.

Ultraheavy proto's are so large that normally they would require a gryoscope like a mech. the Society got around this by using a new control system, where the EI provides the balance aspect and some of the control, but the pilot wears a stripped down PAL suit which acts a force feedback control frame for the proto. (think the AMP suits from Avatar or the system seen in Robot Jox, only with EI letting the pilot have greater fine control and 'see' without the need for displays or physical controls)

the fluff says that said armor can protect the pilot if they have to abandon the Ultaheavy proto, but there is no allowance for leaving mid battle then returning, nor do we have actual stats for the armor suit, suggesting that it probably isn't armed or armored enough to count as a proper battlearmor units the way the Machina Domini and Clan Interface armor suits are.

the basic system though is pretty close to how the Clan Interface Cockpit works, which makes it a logical place for the clan system to have evolved from. suggesting that if there is Machina Domini influence on the tech, it is indirect and related mainly to the ability to exit and reenter mid battle, and the use of a full on PAL suit battlearmor instead of a stripped down suit.

[grimlock1]

Probably Interstellar Operations. Here's the quotation with emphasis added around the long term effects of the implants.

I would have bet lunch that I saw it LONG before IO came out.  But I guess not.

I can see the Interface Cockpit being useful to solhama warriors as a last attempt to go out in glory. Or if your ProtoMech Star is suddenly without Protos, reassigning the pilots to full-grown 'Mechs as a temporary expedient.

Or maybe a reward?  "Hey, you're a crazy awesome little Clanner and you do some good work in that little toy-mech, but the Khan wants to see what you can do in a REAL war machine."

I feel like using EI/Interface to boost solhama warriors is only going to make it more prevalent among front line units.

But since this was introduced by the Wolf Empire, I think it's more of a situation where the Wolves don't have as many experienced pilots as they would like and are grabbing at straws to improve performance. The current EI using warriors burn out after a decade, but that's probably enough time to train up enough new sibkos to fill in the gaps in PGCs/Second line Clusters.

At least I hope that's the reason. The Skinwalker is bad enough but a Thor II, Loki II, Warwolf, or Tomahawk II with an Interface Cockpit is something that gives me nightmares.

Most Clan warriors don't last more than a decade anyway, so why stop the practice? 

not exactly. ultra-heavy proto's use a slightly different control system than standard protos. standard proto's use a form of EI and are basically controlled from a curled up position within the chest of the proto, almost pure mental control.

Ultraheavy proto's are so large that normally they would require a gryoscope like a mech. the Society got around this by using a new control system, where the EI provides the balance aspect and some of the control, but the pilot wears a stripped down PAL suit which acts a force feedback control frame for the proto. (think the AMP suits from Avatar or the system seen in Robot Jox, only with EI letting the pilot have greater fine control and 'see' without the need for displays or physical controls)

the fluff says that said armor can protect the pilot if they have to abandon the Ultaheavy proto, but there is no allowance for leaving mid battle then returning, nor do we have actual stats for the armor suit, suggesting that it probably isn't armed or armored enough to count as a proper battlearmor units the way the Machina Domini and Clan Interface armor suits are.

the basic system though is pretty close to how the Clan Interface Cockpit works, which makes it a logical place for the clan system to have evolved from. suggesting that if there is Machina Domini influence on the tech, it is indirect and related mainly to the ability to exit and reenter mid battle, and the use of a full on PAL suit battlearmor instead of a stripped down suit.

So the Clans, or at least the Society was already thinking about something along the lines of Interface Armor.  If they had this stripped down PA/L in service, 5 will get you 20 that there was a white board someplace with a full PA/L.  That leaves the question of how did the tech get into the IS?  Did Ultra-heavy protos make it to the IS?  Or did the Society have much penetration into Hells Horses?  Heck, it might not have actually been the Horses who deployed the Parash 3 in 3086.  We know the Society has a history of false flag ops.  Look at the debut of the Pariah.

[Colt Ward]

Most Clan warriors don't last more than a decade anyway, so why stop the practice? 

Except the Clans in the IS have started to relax the age bias, just like the physical attacks taboo and other things that have weakened due to exposure.

[mbear]

I would have bet lunch that I saw it LONG before IO came out.  But I guess not.

It might have been introduced in Field Manual: Crusader Clans, but I wanted to use the latest information.

[Colt Ward]

I would source it with the original Proto material, TRO3060.

Out of curiousity, was the Stormcrow III XP a experimental modification of a basic Stormcrow III or was the whole thing a experimental build?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Looks like it was built from scratch to incorporate the experimental tech.

[GreekFire]

The TSEMP cannon is meh, not terribly fond of it, but the ERMLs and ATM-9 shine with the Cockpit and TComp bennies. I love using it in city fighting with a double load of HE and one load of standard. It is terrible with infantry, especially in open field combat. As a matter of fact, it's completely ill-suited for anti-infantry and anti-battle armor operations. There definitely needs to be a version that runs some small and micro pulse lasers, flamers, or AP Gauss. Yes, they bite like gnats, but enough gnats can cause definite pain.

I don't think that's necessarily a role the Skinwalker should be pushed into. It runs off of the highest-level cutting edge technology the Wolf Empire has to offer - making it a machine that can dismantle opposing 'Mechs within a heartbeat. Putting it against infantry just seems to be a bit of a waste.

Battle Armor it doesn't have any problems against. Just throw the A at them and the BA melt.

And if infantry starts shooting at it? It has the speed to disengage if it has to, and the Ferro-Lam cuts those 2-point clusters down to one point of damage.

[Maingunnery]

If folks want to see what else could be done I really do recommend having a look at Maingunner's fan made Society TRO - https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=63829.0  for lots of Interface Cockpit horrors!

What can I say the Skinwalker is quite inspiration, but I did not use TSM (a bit too temperamental for my taste). 

[glitterboy2098]

  So the Clans, or at least the Society was already thinking about something along the lines of Interface Armor.  If they had this stripped down PA/L in service, 5 will get you 20 that there was a white board someplace with a full PA/L.  That leaves the question of how did the tech get into the IS?  Did Ultra-heavy protos make it to the IS?  Or did the Society have much penetration into Hells Horses?  Heck, it might not have actually been the Horses who deployed the Parash 3 in 3086.  We know the Society has a history of false flag ops.  Look at the debut of the Pariah.

There was a Society cell in the Jade Falcons OZ led by Etienne (Balzac) which had some of the Society tech including the Ultra-heavy protos. and the Hell's Horses managed to snag copies of some of the tech before abandoning the homeworlds, which is how they developed the Svartalfa, which not only is an Ultra-heavy proto, but is also a glider (aka WiGE) Proto, which was another tech the society developed and used in the homeworlds, though we don't have an official society proto using it yet. the Wolves probably obtained the tech from the Hells Horses (either via trial or by salvaging Svartalfa's for study.)

given that the 2nd use of the interface cockpit tech was on a hell's horse unit, it is possible they invented it and clan wolf obtained the plans directly.


what i find interesting is that the Word of Blake was apprently very interested in protomechs, going so far to convert a number of captured ones to work with VDNI equipped Manei Domini pilots. (seen on Necromo during the Jihad but implied to have been deployed elsewhere as well.) which honestly suggests that the Machina Domini system itself might have been heavily influenced by clan protomech technology.