Author Topic: 'Mech of the Week: TDR-* Thunderbolt (Read 44643 times)

Headshot · « **Reply #30 on:** 27 December 2012, 16:40:14 »

Quote from: Sabelkatten on 27 December 2012, 15:43:41

Nitpick: The ON1-K actually has maxed armor,

Yeah, now.
In my ages old TRO3025 (you know, the book we used back then, cause it was the only one) it has 14 tons of armor, and 1,5 tons SRM ammo :D

Quote from: Sabelkatten on 27 December 2012, 15:43:41

and the Awesome is only 7 points short.

Which is a lot more than 3 points short, isn't it?

The Hawk · « **Reply #31 on:** 27 December 2012, 23:15:05 »

Quote from: Alexander Knight on 22 December 2012, 04:03:27

I love the Thunderbolt. It's a tough, dependable bruiser in all of its incarnations.

I will also never pilot one. Because after over a decade of playing, I have had a Thunderbolt under my control survive a battle exactly twice. Every other time someone has managed to either "golden BB" or group damage into one of my ammo bins. Doesn't matter what variant I use. The end result is always the same thing. :'(

This, exactly. The BattleTech playerbase seems starkly divided between those for whom the Thunderbolt is an amazing zombie despite its ammo load, and those for whom its ammo load ends in predictable tragedy. Alas, I fall into the latter camp more often than not.

Despite that, I have a great affection for Swiss Army 'Mechs, and in 3025 the TDR-5S was second only to to the WHM-6R for that purpose, so it always had some appeal for me, despite my terrible luck with it.

CrossfirePilot · « **Reply #32 on:** 28 December 2012, 00:11:39 »

The TBolt is one of those mechs that i have bad bad luck with. It always seems to die a mishapped horrible death within a couple rounds. Most of the time my crusaders out last by far my tbolts...

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #33 on:** 28 December 2012, 01:59:13 »

I admit the treatment given to the WHM for the Capellan "Hot Hammer" would be marvelous on this machine. Okay, you still get the LRMs but they're painfully useful; the SRMs can be a lot of fun with infernos and a lot less generally destructive, and as far as twin MGs and a ton of ammo? Two flamers, fwish. Or just one and a heat sink, but either way "Hot Bolts" would be a neat flavor bit.

martian · « **Reply #34 on:** 28 December 2012, 04:48:20 »

Quote from: ANS Kamas P81 on 28 December 2012, 01:59:13

I admit the treatment given to the WHM for the Capellan "Hot Hammer" would be marvelous on this machine. Okay, you still get the LRMs but they're painfully useful; the SRMs can be a lot of fun with infernos and a lot less generally destructive, and as far as twin MGs and a ton of ammo? Two flamers, fwish. Or just one and a heat sink, but either way "Hot Bolts" would be a neat flavor bit.

They did something similar with TDR-5Sb Royal Thunderbolt. Instead of two Machine Guns it got twin Small pulse lasers.

And of course there's TDR-9S with twin MGs, twin Flamethrowers and SRM-6 rack for Infernos. Ideal if you really want to show those PBIs what you think about infantry. >:D

Even Clanners got the idea on Thunderbolt IIC 2.

Isokrates · « **Reply #35 on:** 29 December 2012, 02:17:55 »

Of the two newer Thunderbolt versions, the 10M and the 11SE, though i love them both, I believe the 11se excells in the role of jumping attacker like no other mech. A Sn-ppc slaved to a tc on a hevy mech with that much jumping potential is very effective. The accuracy up to 10 hexes is scary.

The 10M is the trooper Marik formations needed. No case spells hurt, but hey it is otherwise ok. Something expected for Marik pp designs I love and use.

Greatclub · « **Reply #36 on:** 07 May 2020, 14:10:40 »

There’s a new thunderbolt in town, as of last year (2019) with the release of Record Sheets Succession Wars. MUL doesn’t say who uses (or more likely used) it, but given it’s called the -5D I’d guess it has a Davion connection. Apparently it was introduced at the tail end of 1SW, and was probably popular with the same ~~nutbars~~ berserks who thought the Shadowhawk -2d was a good idea.

It has the usual solid Thunderbolt armour. The missile rack is a ten tube, with a single ton of ammo. It’s at this point things stop being like other Thunderbolts. The second gun, in the opposite torso, is an AC/20, and that’s the full extent of its weapons. Ten rounds mean you can’t try many shots on bad numbers, but is certainly enough to keep you as a threat in being for a while.

So if you’ve got two hundred BV at the end of force building, you can now upgrade your Hunchback to something with back armour and a long range token. It doesn't have backups, but the hands are free for punching; there’s that at least.

TLDR: it isn't a Thunderbolt, it's a chubby Hunchback or baby Cyclops.

Giovanni Blasini · « **Reply #37 on:** 07 May 2020, 14:18:09 »

Quote from: Greatclub on 07 May 2020, 14:10:40

There’s a new thunderbolt in town, as of last year with the release of Record Sheets Succession Wars. MUL doesn’t say who uses (or more likely used) it, but given it’s called the -5D I’d guess it has a Davion connection. Apparently it was introduced at the tail end of 1SW, and was probably popular with the same nutjobs who thought the Shadowhawk -2d was a good idea.

It has the usual solid Thunderbolt armour. The missile rack is a ten tube, with a single ton of ammo. It’s at this point things stop being like other Thunderbolts. The second gun, in the opposite torso, is an AC/20, and that’s the full extent of its weapons. Ten rounds mean you can’t try many shots on bad numbers, but is certainly enough to keep you as a threat in being for a while.

So if you’ve got two hundred BV at the end of force building, you can now upgrade your Hunchback to something with back armour and a long range token. It doesn't have backups, but the hands are free for punching, so there’s that at least.

And this crime against Thunderbolts has a completely unnecessary 14 single heat sinks. Why? I'd have rather seen it go with a large laser and AC/20, with 15 heat sinks, or the AC/20, 3 medium lasers, and 17 single heat sinks. Those would have made more sense.

Colt Ward · « **Reply #38 on:** 07 May 2020, 14:47:00 »

I thought this was one that got in with TRO Succession Wars, explained as a field refit? Or am I mistaking the AC/5 TBolt?

Wrangler · « **Reply #39 on:** 07 May 2020, 15:09:12 »

Quote from: Colt Ward on 07 May 2020, 14:47:00

I thought this was one that got in with TRO Succession Wars, explained as a field refit? Or am I mistaking the AC/5 TBolt?

That's Ultra AC/5 belong to the TDR-5Sd which was Star League Era variant. It came out of the Era Report: 2750, but the only one with AC/5 involved.

Arkansas Warrior · « **Reply #40 on:** 07 May 2020, 17:36:20 »

So it's...a CN9-AH with extra armor. less LRM ammo and too many heat sinks?

lucho · « **Reply #41 on:** 08 May 2020, 17:34:17 »

The farther you go along the crazier the Thunderbolt variants. And I thought I was going out on a limb with my -8MK model :D

Luciora · « **Reply #42 on:** 08 May 2020, 18:09:59 »

Were fatalities involved?

I'm on the fence about the Tbolt. Never used them much on tabletop, and even in the HBS game where they are a mainstay, they don't really feel memorable to me.

Quote from: lucho on 08 May 2020, 17:34:17

The farther you go along the crazier the Thunderbolt variants. And I thought I was going out on a limb with my -8MK model :D

lucho · « **Reply #43 on:** 09 May 2020, 05:42:06 »

Only the -8MK's opponents. TSM when properly applied is a wonderful equalizer :D

Luciora · « **Reply #44 on:** 09 May 2020, 09:46:37 »

Oh my. I want to kitbash one of those magnificent AC/20 beasts.

worktroll · « **Reply #45 on:** 09 May 2020, 14:20:21 »

Agreed, but not using the Reseen.

Daryk · « **Reply #46 on:** 09 May 2020, 14:26:27 »

Quote from: Giovanni Blasini on 07 May 2020, 14:18:09

And this crime against Thunderbolts has a completely unnecessary 14 single heat sinks. Why? I'd have rather seen it go with a large laser and AC/20, with 15 heat sinks, or the AC/20, 3 medium lasers, and 17 single heat sinks. Those would have made more sense.

That, or keep it at 14 HS and have an LRM-5 to lay smoke while you close... ^-^

Hellraiser · « **Reply #47 on:** 11 May 2020, 17:47:21 »

Quote from: Greatclub on 07 May 2020, 14:10:40

it isn't a Thunderbolt, it's a chubby Hunchback.

Or a baby-Cyclops.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #48 on:** 11 May 2020, 17:49:37 »

My favorite T-Bolts have always been the Eridani models.

5SE for the Introtech era.

7SE for your CivilWar/Jihad era.

Anything else is just... meh.

(Except maybe that 5/8 TSM model, I seem to recall that thing being a BEAST)

Giovanni Blasini · « **Reply #49 on:** 11 May 2020, 19:55:13 »

Quote from: Hellraiser on 11 May 2020, 17:49:37

My favorite T-Bolts have always been the Eridani models.

5SE for the Introtech era.

7SE for your CivilWar/Jihad era.

Anything else is just... meh.

(Except maybe that 5/8 TSM model, I seem to recall that thing being a BEAST)

Not the 9SE, which is basically an updated 5SE, though admittedly more for close-quarters?

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #50 on:** 11 May 2020, 20:45:02 »

The thing that kills many variants for me, but especially the 17S, is how little stuff there is to soak crits in the side torso.

It defeats the purpose of trying to be a zombie mech if crits are redirected straight to your CT the moment the armor is breached.

I also have an issue with the 7SE, just from the standpoint that I wish it had something other than MPLs for its secondary weapon. Something with better range.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #51 on:** 11 May 2020, 21:10:37 »

Quote from: Giovanni Blasini on 11 May 2020, 19:55:13

Not the 9SE, which is basically an updated 5SE, though admittedly more for close-quarters?

Honestly, my issue with it is one of "fluff".

Here you have a Merc Unit w/o their own Factories, garrisoning some worlds on the boarder of CapCon at the time.....

And somehow they managed to slide CASE into their Refit?

Only 2 factories in the IS making T-Bolts at the time & neither one is doing the E model.

If it had just been a Dropship/Bay grade refit, I would love it so much more. (Well, and they went LPL when really that thing screams for an ERLL to match the LRM range.)

Its honestly why the multiple E-models made no sense to me in Project Phoenix. But by then I got the impression that someone out there was making those models for mass distribution since they were on several factions RATs.

Daryk · « **Reply #52 on:** 12 May 2020, 02:54:13 »

CASE was made a bit too hard by they refit rules, I think...

Colt Ward · « **Reply #53 on:** 12 May 2020, 09:26:00 »

Considering its a structure built into the armor . . . and re-skinning is 'easier' than re-doing the bones, I think CASE should be easier as well- heck its POD mounted now.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #54 on:** 12 May 2020, 10:55:53 »

In the original Merc Handbook ?? Under the Refit Kit rules ?? (I think) .....

Case was actually easier than Ferro.

Those 2 got swapped when TW era gave us the expanded "Grades" of Repair/Customization.

So when the TRO came out it was actually easier.

Now days however I look at it & that little 1/2 ton change just annoys me.

I get that same reaction with the Javelin-11B & Partisan-C3S refits.

They should have been field grade but then someone added CASE & ruins it for me & my "Do it in a Leo DS bay" mentality.

MarauderD · « **Reply #55 on:** 12 May 2020, 11:34:06 »

Might be worth mentioning that the new Thunderbolt mini that comes in the BattleTech AGoAC Box set is a really great sculpt. I'm just prejudiced enough that using a nice sculpt will sway me to put a mech into my forces. And that TDR-5S is a sexy beast.

As to the reseen Thuds: I have a soft spot for the 9NAIS as a heavy cavalry mech. Falconer or other hole puncher and a that Thud-NAIS for the crit seeker is a fun combo!

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #56 on:** 12 May 2020, 12:20:45 »

The 9NAIS was actually the first Thunderbolt mini I ever put together. Somehow, despite my lack of experience at the time I got it into an excellent running pose. Though the leg ended up coming apart at the knee and required it to be pinned in order to stay.

Arkansas Warrior · « **Reply #57 on:** 13 May 2020, 16:51:00 »

Quote from: Hellraiser on 11 May 2020, 17:47:21

Or a baby-Cyclops.

Overweight CN9-H.

VhenRa · « **Reply #58 on:** 14 May 2020, 07:58:08 »

Quote from: Daryk on 12 May 2020, 02:54:13

CASE was made a bit too hard by they refit rules, I think...

You know they actually did move it down to being easier in the errata last year, right? I feel that errata was quite good and made some of the weird design choices make a bit more sense.

Trailblazer · « **Reply #59 on:** 14 May 2020, 09:30:55 »

Quote from: VhenRa on 14 May 2020, 07:58:08

You know they actually did move it down to being easier in the errata last year, right? I feel that errata was quite good and made some of the weird design choices make a bit more sense.

Are you sure? Just searched the current Strat Ops errata for' case' and couldn't find what you're talking about.