Mech of the Week: SKW Shockwave

[Paul]

Yes, it was policy to not put any level 3 tech on TRO Mechs. Stayed policy for a long time even after the Advanced/Experimental change.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Not counting the Solaris mechs in 3055 Upgrade or the XTROs, we didn't start to see advanced or experimental tech show up in a TRO until 3085.

[Colt Ward]

A pretty solid medium, I look forward to the looks being re-visited to make it a bit less industrial.

I would also not mind a version that increases the LRM rack and gives us a few MLs since as mentioned WizKids was big on limiting the gun count even if it gave us some sluggers.

As a export machine . . . I mean who is really going to buy this?  The Davions are going to buy it over Wolverines, Centurions, and Cent-Omnis?  Capellans buy it over Men Shen, Agrotera, Yao Lien, and not to mention their 40 tonners- Raven II & Sha Yu.

So who are they really selling it to?  Mercs, some trade with the Regulans (b/c other side of Oriente), and probably the Marians (other side of Tamarind).  Maybe out to Filtvelt.

[Minemech]

A pretty solid medium, I look forward to the looks being re-visited to make it a bit less industrial.

I would also not mind a version that increases the LRM rack and gives us a few MLs since as mentioned WizKids was big on limiting the gun count even if it gave us some sluggers.

As a export machine . . . I mean who is really going to buy this?  The Davions are going to buy it over Wolverines, Centurions, and Cent-Omnis?  Capellans buy it over Men Shen, Agrotera, Yao Lien, and not to mention their 40 tonners- Raven II & Sha Yu.

So who are they really selling it to?  Mercs, some trade with the Regulans (b/c other side of Oriente), and probably the Marians (other side of Tamarind).  Maybe out to Filtvelt.

You can always find pilots who one mech is a better fit for than another. It is good to have a selection. Lastly you can always mothball them and House Davion in particular knows how valuable mothballs are.

[Colt Ward]

You can always find pilots who one mech is a better fit for than another. It is good to have a selection. Lastly you can always mothball them and House Davion in particular knows how valuable mothballs are.

The state does not buy for the individual.  BUT I can agree that perhaps a noble in the FedSuns was buying a Shockwave for his heir b/c the FS factories were booked up.

I would still suggest those three- Mercs, Regulus, Marians- account for a majority of the sales.  IIRC the Regulans produced heavies but no assaults and only one medium later.  The MSC produced mediums & assaults but few heavies, makes sense the two League proto-states opposed to Oriente would trade to balance their needs- especially since the MSC had to know the Regulans could & would buy from the Lyrans.

[Minemech]

The state does not buy for the individual.  BUT I can agree that perhaps a noble in the FedSuns was buying a Shockwave for his heir b/c the FS factories were booked up.

I would still suggest those three- Mercs, Regulus, Marians- account for a majority of the sales.  IIRC the Regulans produced heavies but no assaults and only one medium later.  The MSC produced mediums & assaults but few heavies, makes sense the two League proto-states opposed to Oriente would trade to balance their needs- especially since the MSC had to know the Regulans could & would buy from the Lyrans.

I know why you are thinking that way, but Battletech militaries still are not modernized. Mechs are still like the armor of a knight. You pay for the fit.

[Colt Ward]

After 3050 the militaries shifted from feudal to national, we get less of Duke Snuffy of Someworld showing up with his lance pledged to the lord and more Lt Snuffy is also Duke Snuffy fulfilling his obligation to his lord by providing trained military personnel.  Especially after the Jihad when Stone's Kool-Aid had even Clanners reducing their mech counts; House Lords went along keeping their counts down & mechs out of the hands of private citizens.

[Minemech]

After 3050 the militaries shifted from feudal to national, we get less of Duke Snuffy of Someworld showing up with his lance pledged to the lord and more Lt Snuffy is also Duke Snuffy fulfilling his obligation to his lord by providing trained military personnel.  Especially after the Jihad when Stone's Kool-Aid had even Clanners reducing their mech counts; House Lords went along keeping their counts down & mechs out of the hands of private citizens.

Yeah, but no longer feudal does not mean no longer Knight user. Knights declined in the 16th century, most starkly shown in the Knight Revolt, but were still at the front during the 30 Years War with armor fitting and all. Their formations and employment became more professional.

[Arkansas Warrior]

You can always find pilots who one mech is a better fit for than another. It is good to have a selection. Lastly you can always mothball them and House Davion in particular knows how valuable mothballs are.

I doubt Davion is mothballing anything right now, given that they’re rebuilding from a devastating war. Maybe Liao has a few more Hidden Lion brigades they’re planning, if you’re trying to sell them into mothballs for some reason.

[Minemech]

I doubt Davion is mothballing anything right now, given that they’re rebuilding from a devastating war. Maybe Liao has a few more Hidden Lion brigades they’re planning, if you’re trying to sell them into mothballs for some reason.

Right now the League has no business exporting mechs to anyone. They have only recently started to reclaim critical factory worlds and Gibson is not coming back. When you look at how many factory worlds were handed to Clan Wolf by 3145, you realize the League was at 3035 Capellan Confederation production levels then relative to other states.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, but no longer feudal does not mean no longer Knight user. Knights declined in the 16th century, most starkly shown in the Knight Revolt, but were still at the front during the 30 Years War with armor fitting and all. Their formations and employment became more professional.

I think we are just going to disagree here.  Post-3050 we do not run into as many family-owned mechs, and the Jihad cut that down even further due to the destruction & Stone's push to prevent sales to private individuals.  Now post-Black Out . . . yeah, you see a uptick in personal mechs for a time until the factories start back production to churn out replacements and reload frontline forces.

With the Shockwave's factory being on Keystone you have to wonder if the Crusader Wolves kept it in production.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I think we are just going to disagree here.  Post-3050 we do not run into as many family-owned mechs, and the Jihad cut that down even further due to the destruction & Stone's push to prevent sales to private individuals.  Now post-Black Out . . . yeah, you see a uptick in personal mechs for a time until the factories start back production to churn out replacements and reload frontline forces.

With the Shockwave's factory being on Keystone you have to wonder if the Crusader Wolves kept it in production.

why would they?

its an under-ammo'd mech with frankly awful weapons. They already have better IS grade chassis as well.

[Arkansas Warrior]

It takes time, effort, and resources to switch the lines over to producing something else.  The Wolves are short on all of those right now.  One change (adding Clan CASE) would make the Shockwave a decent medium trooper.  Surely that’s quicker and more efficient than retooling the line to build the Stormwolf or something.


Edit: what’s up with this text size thing? I have no idea why the forums just arbitrarily change the size of text some time, but it’s been going on for years. What causes it? Why can’t it be fixed?

[Colt Ward]

why would they?

its an under-ammo'd mech with frankly awful weapons. They already have better IS grade chassis as well.

A, as mentioned the time vs rewards for retooling the line completely
B, you could swap in Clan weapons which was done with other mechs
C, always need something for the sibbies to train on & the Shockwave is a better used for that than a Clan design as Alaric gears for Terra

BUT . . . we do not really know.

IMO other interesting question for the League is IF they retake the planet . . . do they get the Shockwave going again?

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

It takes time, effort, and resources to switch the lines over to producing something else.  The Wolves are short on all of those right now.  One change (adding Clan CASE) would make the Shockwave a decent medium trooper.  Surely that’s quicker and more efficient than retooling the line to build the Stormwolf or something.


Edit: what’s up with this text size thing? I have no idea why the forums just arbitrarily change the size of text some time, but it’s been going on for years. What causes it? Why can’t it be fixed?

I'm not aware of any issues with text size.  It might be an issue with your browser?

[Arkansas Warrior]

Maybe? I could swear I see it on mobile and pc, which would mean Safari and Chrome are both doing it.  For reference, I’ll attach a screenshot of what I’m seeing.  I definitely didn’t try to change the font size.

[glitterboy2098]

A, as mentioned the time vs rewards for retooling the line completely
B, you could swap in Clan weapons which was done with other mechs
C, always need something for the sibbies to train on & the Shockwave is a better used for that than a Clan design as Alaric gears for Terra

BUT . . . we do not really know.

IMO other interesting question for the League is IF they retake the planet . . . do they get the Shockwave going again?

i could see them taking the chassis and fitting it with a clan weapons load. perhaps set it up as a "C" refit, so they're still using the chassis and just fitting new guns, and then shunting it to 2nd line units to free up more full clan designs for the frontline units.

[Fat Guy]

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

It's basically an Enforcer that trades the Jump jets for LRMs.