Ontos Anyone?

[YingJanshi]

I don't know why but the Ontos is one of my all-time favorite assault tanks. Mostly the original one and the Fusion variant (with 10 ML).
Anyone else love this thing?

[Natasha Kerensky]

Outside a hidden unit ambush, I never had much use for the medium laser loadouts.  But a variant is the LRM carrier of choice when running FWL units.
 

[foxbat]

Outside a hidden unit ambush, I never had much use for the medium laser loadouts.  But a variant is the LRM carrier of choice when running FWL units.
 

Just put both variants in a single hex and use indirect fire. It's awfully brutal, and when some enemy unit gets to shoot at close range at the LRM boat, it takes 8 MLs in the face...

[Jayof9s]

The original is great for the Succession Wars era, most fighting with intro tech is going to end up taking place in medium laser range so it makes a pretty powerful brawler.

As for later eras, I've really enjoyed the MML variant with the 2 ER Meds, 2 Light Gauss and 2 MML 7s. I tend to prefer snipers and it fits the bill perfectly. And if anything closes the Meds back by some SRM ammo for the MMLs makes it a decent threat still.

[Mattlov]

I have seen the joy of them rounding a corner in a city and being far more terrifying than an SRM carrier.

I have also seen them get caught out in the open and get butchered without much fear of reprisal.

Never messed with variants much.  It is a good vehicle, but has to be used properly or it will get slaughtered.  I think that is one of the drawbacks to it, is tht it isn't very useful outside of a couple situations, it can't be used a a general fighting vehicle.

[Matti]

I have also seen them get caught out in the open and get butchered without much fear of reprisal.

That is my experience as well. But I can consider it as bodyguard for assault LRM tanks (Partisan LRM, Ontos LRM, Sturmfeur).

[MadCapellan]

There are few tanks I fear more in tight terrain than the Ontos. Paired with a Demolisher, the two will obliterate virtually anything in short order.  8-10 medium lasers can lay down disgusting damage against easy targets, nearly guarantee a couple of hits against hard ones, and tear apart other tanks like a can opener. With infantry spotting for indirect LRM fire, they are one of the best urban defense vehicles in the game. Like any slow tank with short-range guns, however, they don't belong anywhere that an enemy can get loss on them from further than 6 hexes out.

[RunandFindOut]

Agreed.  In a heavily built up city Ontos are evil, most evil with hidden unit or double-blind rules.  There a force of Demolishers and Ontos will eat entire Clan units if used properly.  I've never much liked the flavor of the Clans but they've got some great toys and one of my first fights as a Clan force I learned to respect the Ontos and Demolisher. 

It was a double-blind style game (not using official BT double-blind rules I'm not sure they were even out then).  We used numbered cardboard chits to represent units only put the minis on the map when units achieved LOS and used a sort of primitive hidden unit rule where the defender had marked a hexsheet with the locations of hidden defensive units and the GM had a copy.  The GM determined when hidden units were spotted.

I had a full Clan supernova and the other guy appeared to only have a lance of mediums.  Then Ontos and Demolishers started popping out of the woodwork and engaging mechs with concentrated fire.  Ate my entire force.  If I remember right we counted a vehicle was worth half a mech and he'd taken everything but that lance of mechs in the form of Demolishers and Ontos.  My supernova of Omnis was utterly wasted by SW era tanks in that city and I have never forgotten the lesson.

[General308]

I like the light gauss varriant

[Natasha Kerensky]

Just put both variants in a single hex and use indirect fire. It's awfully brutal, and when some enemy unit gets to shoot at close range at the LRM boat, it takes 8 MLs in the face...

I've done that before, but I find the standard Ontos underutilized in that role.  If I'm going to post a bodyguard, I prefer one that can throw more firepower farther downrange and better contribute to the main battle while it stands guard over the LRM boats.

My 2 C-bills...

[JadeHellbringer]

LOVE the ML version if I can get a close-quarters fight going. Eight medium lasers hurts, period, even in the Jihad era that will make a medium Mech very unhappy. The LRM version though is the prize, particularly with Marik's wonderful array of LRM types.

Oddly, never did like the 3058 version- I couldn't tell you why.

[Savage Coyote]

I like pairing two of the LGR varients and making people REALLY fear the ER Large Las.... err... light gauss rifle

[truetanker]

Had a battlion of these until some nameless peice of decided to steal my collection a few years back. Now I have none, but when I had them I loves me some action.

Nothing says lovein' like paired ontos backstabbing an assault.

TT

[YingJanshi]

You know designs like this, the Hetzer, SRM Carrier and AC/20 Field guns really make me wish the bot could handle Double-Blind games on MegaMek. I have a lot of evil ideas for city games.  >:D

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

It's not my favorite assault tank, but it's undeniably brutal when used correctly.

[Nav_Alpha]

I'm using two Ontos (3058) tanks in a Megamek scenario right now - my forces (combined arms company of Mechs with infantry and limited armor support) are defending a bridge against a gradually increasing enemy presence.
First we faced a scout lance of mechs supporting three Packrats carrying commando teams. They were repulsed and then supported by an armored company - another mech lance has now arrived and we're copping a fair bit of arty.

But - the highlight has been the pair of Ontos tanks I've been using - they've been sowing LRMs along the opposite bank of the river and when a small force managed to fight their way across the bridge and get into the light urban area on our site these two heavy tanks really came into their own, claiming several vehicle kills a piece in the tight confines.

Sadly, one is now a mobility kill and sitting out in the open near the bridge - but it's now working as an effective pillbox!

[Hellraiser]

I love the tank myself,  I own 4 of the mini.

I use the LRM version often & I still have fond memories of a pair of the original 8 ML models in the battle at the Great Gash in the Twycross Scenario book.   A Warhawk was coming over a ridge & the two of them had been hidden on the other side of it.  They pulled out & let loose w/ 16 ML's at 3 hexes away.  Needless to say the WarHawk went back around the hill the next turn.

In the current campaign I'm in I have the rare "Fusion-3025" model & the LRM model and both have worked out well.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

After being blitzed by 16 medium lasers at 3 hexes, I'd have expected that about half the Masakari would have gone back behind the hill the next round.

[YingJanshi]

I expect that Warhawk pilot also had a rather large dry-cleaning bill after that encounter too.

[Hellraiser]

I'd have expected that about half the Masakari would have gone back behind the hill the next round.

Hehe, Actually 1/2 is generous, it also got hit by some other units too.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I expect that Warhawk pilot also had a rather large dry-cleaning bill after that encounter too.

How was it that Bill Cosby put it?  First you say it, then you do it.  ;)

[snewsom2997]

I have actually taken a liking with the Ontos HEAT, though one modification would be to replaces the Hull Sealing with an Armored motive system instead.

[Jim1701]

I have actually taken a liking with the Ontos HEAT, though one modification would be to replaces the Hull Sealing with an Armored motive system instead.

IS armored motive system is 15% of mass so you would need another 5 tons to do it. 

[Lyran Archer]

The Ontos actually has a real life inspiration, as seen here:



Is there a BattleMech equivelent to the Ontos? I just keep wanting to see mechanical legs on that thing.

[CitizenErased]

You could slap six AC/2s on a Rifleman II, and I think it'd be an accurate rendition. Can't fit that much on a traditional unseen Rifleman, though, unless you want to be moving 2/3 and have even less armor than a 3N.

[MadCapellan]

I thought the BattleMech version was the Black Hawk and the Komodo.

[Demos]

Is there a BattleMech equivelent to the Ontos? I just keep wanting to see mechanical legs on that thing.

Deimos

[Lyran Archer]

Deimos

Too cool!

[Jim1701]

There is a version of the Longbow that mounts 6 LAC 5's. 

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Kraken