Orion 2-AM

[Crimson Dawn]

On one of the systems affiliated closely with the Amity system and the eventual Silver Hawk Coalition there was a need for a new battlemech design.  The world was full of areas that required the use of jump jets to adequately defend an area and so the units commonly used the grasshopper as their premier heavy mech but by the 3070s the old grasshopper was not seen as being adequate anymore.  It was decided to get a new mech to replace this older design and so they went to Kali Yama on Kalidasa for help.

Kali Yama was not in the best position to help but money was always needed so they decided to try to fulfill the order but decided to see where they could save development costs.  To do this they used some of the test beds of Orions used to create the Perseus.  Using these allowed them to avoid needing to redevelop some of the concepts desired by the customer that the original Orion did not posses namely jump jets and hand actuators which the omnimech had the ability to add but the original Orion did not and these test Orions had been developed to test these additions.

The new orion used an endo steel structure to save weight along with a 300 light engine that was considered a compromise of toughness and weight saving technologies and gave the orion its standard speed.  14 tons of standard armor gave it exceptional protection and it used Case II to protect its volatile ammo.  In deference to the customer the design was given hand actuators and jump jets split between the legs and side torsos.  The design also made use of 14 double heat sinks to try to keep the heat under control though in retrospect it was a good idea to keep this new orion with a more experienced pilot so that they did not overwhelm the machine with heat.  To give the design more room and make it even harder to put down it was given a compact gyro.

The new Orion was given the largest multi missile launcher available along with 3 tons of ammo in the left torso.  While this did mean a down grade compared to the original in terms of LRM power it gave a significant upgrade at closer ranges and with 3 tons of ammo a pilot often went with one ton LRM, 1 ton SRM, and still had one ton left of a specialty ammo of their choice increasing the designs versatility.  To continue with adding versatility and power the old auto cannon location now had a plasma rifle added making this orion vicious against infantry, battle armor, vehicles, and even mechs.  The rifle was amply supplied with two tons of plasma ammo.

Due to the fact the plasma rifle was not a true long range weapon the designers opted to use the space in the center torso to add an ERPPC.  This allowed the design a weapon to use as it closes and was a dependable weapon the pilot could trust as some veteran pilots were not so sure on the newer MML and plasma weapons that they had less experience with.

Finally to round out the weapon mix and as a further nod to the original Orion each arm was fitted with an ER medium laser.

There was some arguments from the engineers whether this was to be considered a new variant of Orion or a new mech all together due to the additions of equipment such as jump jets and hand actuators but in the end it was decided that other designs like the thunderbolt could add jump jets and not be seen as a new mech and other designs like the crab could have added hand actuators so it was decided to define it as a new Orion.

[Crimson Dawn]

Code: [Select]

Orion 2AM
Mass: 75 tons
Chassis: Endo Steel
Biped
Power Plant: 300 Light
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:      1 ER PPC      2 ER Medium Laser      1 MML 9      1 Plasma Rifle
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-X-X-D
Cost: 15,175,125 C-bills
Type: Orion
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Experimental)
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 1,894
Equipment

Mass
Internal Structure
Endo Steel 4
Engine 300 Light 14.5
     Walking MP:
4

     Running MP:
6

     Jumping MP:
4

Double Heat Sink:
14 [28]
4
Compact Gyro:

4.5
Cockpit:

3
Armor Factor:
224
14

Internal Structure
Armor Value
Head
3
9
Center Torso
23
34
Center Torso (rear)

11
R/L Torso
16
24
R/L Torso (rear)

8
R/L Arm
12
23
R/L Leg
16
30
Weapons and Ammo
Location
Critical
Tonnage
Jump Jet
LL
1
1
ER PPC
CT
3
7
Plasma Rifle Ammo (10)
CT
1
1
CASE II
RT
1
1
MML 9
RT
5
6
MML 9 SRM Ammo (22)
RT
2
2
Jump Jet
RT
1
1
MML 9 LRM Ammo (13)
RT
1
1
ER Medium Laser
LA
1
1
2 Double Heat Sinks
LT
6
2
Plasma Rifle
LT
2
6
Jump Jet
LT
1
1
Jump Jet
RL
1
1
Plasma Rifle Ammo (10)
HD
1
1
ER Medium Laser
RA
1
1

[Intermittent_Coherence]

How are you fitting the ER PPC into the CT?
With a light engine and (presumably) standard gyro there should only be 2 crit slots available where the ERPPC needs 3?

Better switch it with the Plasma Rifle.

[Sabelkatten]

Compact gyro is actually mentioned in both fluff and stats.

[fallen]

I hope that you don't mind Crimson Dawn, I ran this through SSW, using Thunder LRMs as my choice for the one ton of special ammo.

Code: [Select]

Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F-A
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 14,946,750 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,894

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    1  Plasma Rifle
    1  MML-9
    2  ER Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                   114 points                4.00
    Internal Locations: 1 LT, 6 LA, 5 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine:             Light Fusion Engine          300                      14.50
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 4 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL                             4.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             14(28)                    4.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT
Gyro:               Compact                                                4.50
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 224                 14.00
    CASE II Locations: 1 RT                                                1.00

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     23           34       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  11       
                                           L/R Torso     16           24       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  8         
                                             L/R Arm     12           23       
                                             L/R Leg     16           30       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser                              RA        5         1         1.00
ER Medium Laser                              LA        5         1         1.00
MML-9                                        RT        5         5         6.00
Plasma Rifle                                 LT        10        2         6.00
ER PPC                                       CT        15        3         7.00
@MML-9 (LRM) (13)                            RT        -         1         1.00
@MML-9 (SRM) (11)                            RT        -         1         1.00
@MML-9 (LRM Thund) (13)                      RT        -         1         1.00
@Plasma Rifle (10)                           CT        -         1         1.00
@Plasma Rifle (10)                           HD        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 3

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      7    Points: 19
4j         3       3       2       0      3     1   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: CASEII, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA



[Crimson Dawn]

I hope that you don't mind Crimson Dawn, I ran this through SSW, using Thunder LRMs as my choice for the one ton of special ammo.

Code: [Select]

Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-F-A
Production Year: 3132
Cost: 14,946,750 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,894

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 300 Light Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor: Unknown Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  ER PPC
    1  Plasma Rifle
    1  MML-9
    2  ER Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                   114 points                4.00
    Internal Locations: 1 LT, 6 LA, 5 RA, 1 LL, 1 RL
Engine:             Light Fusion Engine          300                      14.50
    Walking MP: 4
    Running MP: 6
    Jumping MP: 4 Standard
    Jump Jet Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LL, 1 RL                             4.00
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             14(28)                    4.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 2 LT
Gyro:               Compact                                                4.50
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA+LA+H
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV - 224                 14.00
    CASE II Locations: 1 RT                                                1.00

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     23           34       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  11       
                                           L/R Torso     16           24       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  8         
                                             L/R Arm     12           23       
                                             L/R Leg     16           30       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Medium Laser                              RA        5         1         1.00
ER Medium Laser                              LA        5         1         1.00
MML-9                                        RT        5         5         6.00
Plasma Rifle                                 LT        10        2         6.00
ER PPC                                       CT        15        3         7.00
@MML-9 (LRM) (13)                            RT        -         1         1.00
@MML-9 (SRM) (11)                            RT        -         1         1.00
@MML-9 (LRM Thund) (13)                      RT        -         1         1.00
@Plasma Rifle (10)                           CT        -         1         1.00
@Plasma Rifle (10)                           HD        -         1         1.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 3

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      7    Points: 19
4j         3       3       2       0      3     1   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: CASEII, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA



I do not mind at all and in fact thank you for putting it in a much better to read format.  I might try playing around with the second post some more and see if I can get it in a better to see format.

Thunder LRMs are sure to be a favorite for many.  I do not have any experience with them yet and so I went to my default extra ammo type of inferno just for the lols of hitting with both a plasma rifle and inferno missiles which is sure to hit that 15 heat bump (is that per turn, per source, or per firing unit?).

I am glad that you thought about using an additional ammo type as I was not sure I went overboard giving it three tons of ammo.

[Crimson Dawn]

How are you fitting the ER PPC into the CT?
With a light engine and (presumably) standard gyro there should only be 2 crit slots available where the ERPPC needs 3?

Better switch it with the Plasma Rifle.

Originally I had the plasma rifle in the CT back when this had a standard engine but when I found myself needing a light engine I decided to go with a compact gyro to bring back some of the toughness that an orion is known for and the ER PPC felt like a good addition there and I could leave the plasma rifle as the "replacement" for the auto cannon.

[Crimson Dawn]

Format is getting better but still not quite there so I still need to play with.

[Daryk]

Code tags help, but SSW (Solaris Skunk Werks) produces a much more readable format.

[fallen]

No worries!  By the way, that is a solid design!   :thumbsup:

[Crimson Dawn]

No worries!  By the way, that is a solid design!   :thumbsup:

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/

Thanks.

Now I was thinking about trying to make an Orion with a standard engine and therefor really hard to kill but with a new weapon set.  This version was influenced by Kerensky's version but designed from the ground up based on ideas from the newer Orions.  In this version the snub nosed PPC due to its smaller size was moved more fully to the center torso which helps fix a classic Orion flaw in that now the arm cannot accidentally knock the main weapon out of alignment.

Code: [Select]

Orion 1-KK Base Tech Level: Experimental (IS)
Level
Era
Experimental
-
Advanced
-
Standard
3145+
Tech Rating: E/X-X-X-D  Weight: 75 tons BV: 1,841 Cost: 8,299,375 C-bills  Movement: 4/6/4 Engine: 300 Double Heat Sinks: 12 [24] Gyro: Standard Gyro  Internal: 114 (Endo-Steel) Armor: 231/231 (Ferro-Fibrous)


Code: [Select]

[table]
[tr]
[td]Weapons
Loc
Heat

Snub-Nose PPC
CT
10

LRM 20
RT
6

SRM 6
RT
4

Medium Laser
RA
3

Medium Laser
HD
3

Medium Laser
LA
3

 
Ammo
Loc
Shots

SRM 6 Ammo
RT
15

LRM 20 Ammo
RT
6

LRM 20 Ammo
RT
6

SRM 6 Inferno Ammo
RT
15

 
Equipment
Loc

CASE II
RT[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
I would imagine not quite as interesting or versatile but but it would be a zombie Orion that would be hard to bring down.  All that ammo in one side may be scary but I think with it fully crit packed and CASEII help with that a bit and if the enemy hits a missile launcher you then dump the ammo for it leaving a bunch of empty critical spots to avoid an ammo explosion.

[Notsonoble]

SSW is your friend Crimson Dawn... https://github.com/Solaris-Skunk-Werks/solarisskunkwerks/releases/tag/v0.7.1

The format people use after building and error checking is just the "Export Text to Clipboard" button.