New mech types? Fan discussion

[Greatclub]

Goliath C is an actual thing. See recguide 1

and in general quads with turrets are an entire different species than OG rules quads.

[Charistoph]

I don't think we will be getting QuadVee versions of Scorpion and Goliath,  those two are way too bulky plus RecGuides already hinted that they are due for Omni treatment

The Goliath is too big, but there are QuadVees heavier than the Scorpion.

I believe that current Design rules limit QuadVees to under the Assault weight (or just barely in the Assault weight class).

Still, that's getting in to Fan Design territory.

Would like to see models of more current QuadVees than the Arion, though.

honestly, I doubt it, the main value of tanks over mechs is cost. quadvees kinda eliminiate that.

True, however, they are more survivable than tanks, and have some fun shenanigans they can pull, as well as being more easily transportable, with the lighter ones able to use Light Vehicle Bays.

And I wouldn't limit them to just Davion and Steiner.  There isn't a House, Great or Periphery, that wouldn't like to try them out.  The capacity to develop them is a different story.  Most of the ones that are capable, just aren't close enough or have any experience with them.

[garhkal]

but what if there was a Nitch where specific units were designed for environmental conditions barely outside Goldie Locks zones? Say low gravity? Low gravity (and higher gravity) tends to be punishing to some mechs (Solaris 7, for example, is very unforgiving for fast moving Lights, at a certain speed). An assault 'mech or Colossus-class Bipedal, Tripod or Quad would feel less imcumbering on a low G world, IF It wasn't pushing the envelope in the first place, yes? (or No(tm).

thoughts?

What would they be guarding there though, to justify using mechs? 

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

What would they be guarding there though, to justify using mechs?

And more importantly, to justify the use of such highly specialized mechs?  There are already mechs with variants that are specially configured for use in low G or zero G conditions.  If a mech was really necessary someone could just use one of them rather than going to the expense of designing a whole new chassis.

[RifleMech]

QuadVees can weigh up to 100 tons.

IO:AE pg 128
Weight Limits
QuadVees may only be constructed within the weight limits
of standard BattleMechs. They cannot be constructed as superheavy ’Mechs

A 200 ton QuadVee would be interesting though.

[CJC070]

QuadVees can weigh up to 100 tons.

IO:AE pg 128
Weight Limits
QuadVees may only be constructed within the weight limits
of standard BattleMechs. They cannot be constructed as superheavy ’Mechs

A 200 ton QuadVee would be interesting though.

Thanks for the clarification.  According to sarna.net the heaviest was 75 tons so I assumed there was a rule against having Quadvee Assaults.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

No, there's just only a handful of quadvees that have been released.

[Charistoph]

QuadVees can weigh up to 100 tons.

IO:AE pg 128
Weight Limits
QuadVees may only be constructed within the weight limits
of standard BattleMechs. They cannot be constructed as superheavy ’Mechs

A 200 ton QuadVee would be interesting though.

Hunh, interesting.  I thought I read in FM:3145 that it was much lighter.  It's been a while, though.  Though, there should be a weight limit for the wheel-based ones (which may be what I was reading), since Wheeled Vehicles have a lighter upper limit without going Super-Heavy themselves.

[GRUD]

No, there's just only a handful of quadvees that have been released.

Sadly, only the one mini though. 

QuadVees can weigh up to 100 tons.

IO:AE pg 128
Weight Limits
QuadVees may only be constructed within the weight limits
of standard BattleMechs. They cannot be constructed as superheavy ’Mechs

A 200 ton QuadVee would be interesting though.

If by Interesting you mean TERRIFYING!!   

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Would it really be that terrifying?  Quadvees are already quite crit-intensive, even with the superheavy effectively doubling their slots, and they suffer from extreme lack of mobility.

[Luciora]

The Hurbie Quadveesheet I made up to match the mini is entirely critpacked but actually has decent speed, on roads with the +1 on pavement with wheels bonus.  Something like 3(4)/5(6)

[Gaiiten]

Mechs (Battle and Omnis) with four arms.

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

....

If by Interesting you mean TERRIFYING!!   

Rattler QuadVee

Wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts!!!

[garhkal]

Mechs (Battle and Omnis) with four arms.

Prince Gorog would like a word.

[Charistoph]

Rattler QuadVee

Wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts!!!

Why am I getting C&C4 vibes?...

[RifleMech]

Thanks for the clarification.  According to sarna.net the heaviest was 75 tons so I assumed there was a rule against having Quadvee Assaults.

You're welcome.

Hunh, interesting.  I thought I read in FM:3145 that it was much lighter.  It's been a while, though.  Though, there should be a weight limit for the wheel-based ones (which may be what I was reading), since Wheeled Vehicles have a lighter upper limit without going Super-Heavy themselves.

Maybe? I don't remember. I was looking in Interstellar Ops. It doesn't give a weight limit for wheeled QuadVees either. Just the 100 ton limit. Maybe that's why wheels weigh more?

If by Interesting you mean TERRIFYING!!   

 

Rattler QuadVee

Wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts!!!

 

[Garagegamer]

I want to Punt on first down on this idea... but i can't. Give me a moment here...

Most of the worlds that holds a sizable human population are worlds that ride the Goldie Locks zone (Good enough air% and air pressure, close enough gravity, good enough to tolerable temperature, etc.) and most equipment (in the game) is designed for those near-earth like conditions...

but what if there was a Nitch where specific units were designed for environmental conditions barely outside Goldie Locks zones? Say low gravity? Low gravity (and higher gravity) tends to be punishing to some mechs (Solaris 7, for example, is very unforgiving for fast moving Lights, at a certain speed). An assault 'mech or Colossus-class Bipedal, Tripod or Quad would feel less imcumbering on a low G world, IF It wasn't pushing the envelope in the first place, yes? (or No(tm).

thoughts?

Variants of these mechs already exists. It's just you gotta search for them. They are called zero G mechs and they usually are weaker than other variants.

[Nerroth]

The faction I can think of with the most divergent "home" environment might be the Belters of the Sol system. However, they are already renowned for their aerospace capabilities, not so much for the use of "ground" units.

Still, I could picture the ilClan offering to provide supplies of low-gravity Elemental variants - along with the HarJel needed to make the most of such battlesuit types - in exchange for the Belters' support of, say... a new SLDF Regular Army. or rather, to serve as aerospace pilots in support of these regiments.

Well, it is possible that the Republic had already made low-gravity battlesuits available to the Belters. But unless Clan Sea Fox was willing to export HarJel for use in the RAF, such suits might not be quite as effective in the Belters' home environments as those a Sea Fox-backed ilClan can now offer.

[SteelRaven]

I can see specialized mechs for one off scenarios for fun. A low grave Super Heavy on a moon map would be a fun boss like encounter. Quad mechs modified for a beach landing as those four legged machines would be less likely to get stuck in the muck as they crawled onto the beach (wait, aquatic Great Turtle design! ) Ultra Light designed for anti infantry work inside the a underground complex (more survivable than BA alone anyway) Those designs would only really thrive in that one scenario but it would make the scenario itself more memorable. I modified the Necromo Nightmare scenario to feature primarily the Drone Battlemechs, gave it more of a Terminator feel with the city streets covered with dead bodies as the drones just stomping on the dead as they targeted anything still moving (namely the other players) While the drones themselves where not that remarkable, the set up and the setting made them a more memorable.     

[Garagegamer]

The Thunder Fox ngl is pretty sweet. Imagine a marauder with four legs.

[ThePW]

Variants of these mechs already exists. It's just you gotta search for them. They are called zero G mechs and they usually are weaker than other variants.

*nods* Those 'mechs are specific to Zero-G (as if they were deployed on the hulls of Snow Raven or Sea Fox warships)?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

*nods* Those 'mechs are specific to Zero-G (as if they were deployed on the hulls of Snow Raven or Sea Fox warships)?

More likely on the hulls of space stations, or on airless mining colonies.

[Garagegamer]

I heard they are gonna release the fox mercs and the celestials!

[Aresneo]

We'll have four of them. I can recall at least 16 quad mechs right off the bat, not to mention the quad vehicles.

4 plastic quads means that 11% of all canon quad mechs are out in plastic. Which looked like a decent number at first, then I checked and if the current release plan holds we will be at ~36% of all mechs having been released in plastic at the end of the public schedule. We will also be at 67% of all tripods available in plastic (assuming the Ares pack does the listed variants by having swappable arms). Clearly we need 2 force packs of nothing but quads to get the ratio in line with all other mechs.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

That was just a bot that had copy-pasted a comment I'd made two weeks ago to insert a link to a suspicious website.