Mechscale Leopard drophips-add wheels or thrusters on the bottom?

[House Davie Merc]

I'm currently working on some Leopard  dropships.
One is the Hardware Studios "Gepard Dropship". I've read before that HS
products are OK to discuss here because their terrain and dropships have been used by
official sources both at cons and on Youtube videos. This has become an alternative used
in games because no current mechscale mini is produced.
The second is not quite mechscale but sizable.
It's a Takachiho 1/500 1980's TCI model kit identical to and made on the same line
as the Battletech model kit#12 Leopard B .  Battletech used TCI model kits
starting before their Ral Partha line.
Battletech's 1st official dropship model.  (No longer canon BTW)
Here's a Sarna link about them at the bottom: https://www.sarna.net/wiki/TCI_Model_Sets

I've looked at more pics and videos then I can remember in the last week.
VERY few actually show the BOTTOM of Leopard Dropships.

I've seen the more modern ones with wheels on the bottom by some people
and others seem to flip them to make them look like landing thrusters.
Rules as well as how we see dropships have changed a LOT over the years.
I've seen MW5 drawings that definitely show wheels, yet in game footage
it kind of looks like thrusters.

Would you mount these as wheels, or as thrusters?

[Daryk]

Probably thrusters these days... Leopards are acknowledged to have transit drives on their bottom surfaces.  That said, there are probably wheels down there too, but they're MUCH smaller than the thrusters would be.

[Wrangler]

I think it depends on how you will typically show case it.

Are you using it on map or just static piece.  I'd go with thrusters if it's latter, but if going on a map.  Try wheels, it's certainly unique.

Sarna.net article said the model... had Leopard B variant?  Is there stats for that or just model thing?  However it's not canon, but certainly be interesting of variant to have!  Infantry assault ship?

[House Davie Merc]

Sarna.net article said the model... had Leopard B variant?  Is there stats for that or just model thing?  However it's not canon, but certainly be interesting of variant to have!  Infantry assault ship?

History lesson time. Stick with me if you can. 1st off-the Leopard B IS NO LONGER CANON.
It's considered apocryphal. This info is SO old it's hard to find and getting dates right is nearly impossible.
WAY back Battletech's first box set went under another name. Those sets came with 2X 1/200 scale
plastic models of  mechs ( 2 were 1/144 and 1 was 1/48 technically).
After the name was changed to Battletech the models were removed from the game box sets but FASA
already purchased a huge amount of those model kits through Twentieth Century Imports ( TCI).
After Battletech 2nd edition was released but before Ral Partha produced BT minis they started selling box sets of just the model kits.
They had " Battletech" written right on the front and the cover pic was the classic Warhammer pic we all know.
Eventually they were phased out as the Ral Partha minis took their place.
Initially there were 4 sets of 2 mech minis each with more added until the last set. Set #12.
#12 had a 1/200 Marauder, 1/200 Crusader, a 1/500 Leopard B Dropship, and a tiny 1/500 fighter.
Set 12 was released AFTER TRO3025 but IIRC aerotech minis weren't out until later that year.

The Leopard in the kit was a rebranded Crusher Joe 1/500 scale Minerva space ship.
To explain why it looked different then the TRO 3025 artwork they called it a lighter
version-the Leopard B. It had less guns and carried 2 mechs and 1 fighter.
( That's what came in the box after all.)
This was later removed as a canon variant when dropships were better worked out.
The current accepted image for the Leopard is the same ship pushed into a brick-like shape.

Sorry for the essay-but it's a long history
If you ever hear old timers talking about " N scale Battletech mechs " these kits are what they
are talking about.
As I type this there are 2 large boxes of unassembled 1/200 and 1/144 kits from
1984 to 1988 on a table right beside me. I'll get to them someday.