talk to me about the naganita.

[ckosacranoid]

Just picked a mini by random the other day and it was this mech. I know itsca snake mech, but can not remember which tech readout she is in or stats at all. I seen that no one wrote up a reveiw of it so letsvtalk about how to use it. I know its an assault mech and thats about it.

[Savage Coyote]

TRO 3055 and is a dedicated C3 Master carrier in all variants and generally sends a lot of LRM's down range.  It's also a beast in Alpha Strike when set up with a C3 network and light ECM running around.

[ckosacranoid]

Thanks for the tro headsup. Know I can read about more.

[Vehrec]

The naginata is a Japanese polearm, midway in combat utility between a large sword and a spear.  It's used more for cutting than for stabbing-you're supposed to be able to generate a lot of force by leverage so that blade has lots of power behind it.  That might be why it's one of the few weapons women are allowed to train with in certain 'traditional' martial arts.

...as for the Mech, it should stand way in the back of the battlefield.  It's not about to set any records for damage output, but it's able to do its job.

[Rage]

One of the first and best designed C3 command 'Mechs since it sticks to one role and one role only: long range sniping.  It's, essentially, a fat Archer with a PPC and the ability to do serious damage at reduced TNs on a field with reduced or nonexistent ECM coverage. In a company setting, a Lance of these with eight close-to-mid range spotters can quickly clear the field thanks to the C3 network. It loses some of its effectiveness when ECM is introduced, though, but not much, since it's still a very solid Assault 'Mech with a near perfect heat curve. I've never used any of the variants, but none of them ever impressed me as much as the stock version, mostly since they change the entire point of the design: command. I do, however, want to see one with ELRMs to further enhance its stand-off capabilities.

[Jimmyray73]

There is something supremely satisfying about standing one of these on a hill and telling your opponent that the Tarantula he just crested a hill 20 hexes away counts as short range thanks to a speedy lancemate, then making said Tarantula disappear in a hail of LRMs.

[cold1]

I've never run one but have twice faced it in a C3 network.  If you see one on the other side of the table, kill it.  Flank it, sneak up on it, ortillery it, but kill it fast. 

The first one I faced I had an assault star and some protos.  Managed to get a point of Rocs to it and hamper it's ability to shoot at my mechs.  This allowed me to kill it's supporting cast with my mechs since two of them came to close range to spot.  When their missile support stopped they died fast.  I lost all my protos in the process too.
Second time somebody left a body guard with it.  I sent an Ebon Jag and Gargolye to kill them and didn't fair so well.   I think the Ebon Jag limped around the dead Gargoyle off the board when the rest of its star eventually came to help.
In both my experiences the supporting C3 network units were chosen well.


C3 before ECM becomes common place is nasty.  It requires very specific unit selection.  As stated the Naginata is a very good choice for its roll as the commander/long range element in a network.

[God and Davion]

Good LRM/PPC C3Master. It is somewhat expensive while using BV (and a mass grave of BV using C3) but it does his job perfectly. It is a C3Master and a great fire support platform in 3055. A truly effective mech.

[JadeHellbringer]

If there's a better reason to have C3i ECM pods, I sure don't know of it. Shutting up a Naginata's network is a top priority in any fight-not only is it making its network-mates more effective, but its own firepower is not to be ignored. The Naginata does this right- no space wasted on kooky gimmicks or secondary roles, backup weapons you shouldn't ever be using anyway... it's all designed to hang back at the edge of the fighting and throw in past your guys to hit what they're giving you telemetry on. That's all it does- and it does it better than just about any other C3 master system available (you listening, Shugenja?).

Fantastic design, even if it's pretty dumpy-looking. I highly recommend them as the core of a C3 lance whenever possible.

[Nikas_Zekeval]

Expensive, but oh so lovely.  Independence Weaponry learned all the right lessons when they laid this beast out.

The NG-C3A model is the first (and IMHO the best).  Built as a pure fire support platform it is all long range weapons, triple Artemis equipped LRM-15 racks, six tons of ammo (pull from the LT bins first to extend the life of the C3Master), and a dead flat heat curve with a standing alpha strike.  Not only do the guns have excellent reach, but they have a short range of seven hexes, perfect for the spotter to stand just outside an ECM bubble and still give the best targeting data possible to the Naginata.

What doesn't get mentioned is that it is a standard fusion engine design, and both torso are CASED.  True, an ammo cookoff in the left hand bins will take the C3Master with it, but the mech is damn hard to put down completely.  The weapons fit the job perfectly, stand off at range with a clear field of fire and bring the rain of pain, augmented by your lance or company net feeding you targeting data.  Pick priority targets and concentrate fire till they are at least crippled.  Fast movers with high firepower and ECM carrying units are top of the list.

There are two other variants, not really the best IMHO.  The C3B is a company command design that strips one of the LRM racks for a second C3 Master, an ECM suite, and a couple ER lasers.  The C3C drop the Master  and a couple tons of ammo for a C3 slave and jump jets.

I can see the theory, but 2 C3Ms in the same machine invite a decap strike, and while the common parts are nice, jump jets are a bit of a luxury on a firesupport machine.  I'd rather have two C3As, rather than a C3B and C3C in the command lance.

While an excellent command mech to anchor a C3 lance or company, as Cold1 points out when building the formation how the rest of your C3 net will work with a Naginata is a vital consideration.  You will need at least one (up to three in a full company) fast movers to get out early to spot for you, and probably a few mid range brawlers to be to deploy as a defensive line against attempts to slip a jammer, backstabber, or assassin back to your Master and firesupport machines.  Building a C3 formation is like cooking, the right spices in the right proportions will enhance the meal.  Get the balance wrong, or throw anything in there just because you have it and you've produced inedible slop.

[garhkal]

Personally i would have rather the Naginata C3B version had dropped the ERPPC and a few heat sinks for a few medium or small pulse lasers (protect itself against back stabbers) and the 2nd master than lose one of the LRM-15s.

[Phobos]

Not only do the guns have excellent reach, but they have a short range of seven hexes, perfect for the spotter to stand just outside an ECM bubble and still give the best targeting data possible to the Naginata.

IIRC, minimum range only applies physically (as in the guy is actually right in front of you), not also for received targeting data. Not 100% sure though.

[agen2]

A drawback of this mech is the sculpture IMO a huge ,heavy and goofy piece of metal that remind me the pains for paint it mine(hard reposed) sitting on the workbench since months waiting to be completed. ::)

[Nikas_Zekeval]

IIRC, minimum range only applies physically (as in the guy is actually right in front of you), not also for received targeting data. Not 100% sure though.

This is both true, and irrelevant to my point.  My point is this, you have something with an ECM going "AH HA!  You can't get within six hexes without being cut out of your C3 net!"

Then the spotter smiles and replies, "My friend back there has a short range that reaches out to SEVEN hexes."  And the Naginata fires, using the short range modifier.

[ckosacranoid]

Thanks everyone for the comments, need to figure out which version I want to run, the stock or twin c3 masters to be part of a fire support unit.

[SCC]

If there's a better reason to have C3i ECM pods, I sure don't know of it. Shutting up a Naginata's network is a top priority in any fight-not only is it making its network-mates more effective, but its own firepower is not to be ignored. The Naginata does this right- no space wasted on kooky gimmicks or secondary roles, backup weapons you shouldn't ever be using anyway... it's all designed to hang back at the edge of the fighting and throw in past your guys to hit what they're giving you telemetry on. That's all it does- and it does it better than just about any other C3 master system available (you listening, Shugenja?).

Fantastic design, even if it's pretty dumpy-looking. I highly recommend them as the core of a C3 lance whenever possible.

There are ECM pods for iNarc, but C3i ones to my knoweldge. Also note that as this is an iNarc ammo type it possible to get rid of it

[garhkal]

This is both true, and irrelevant to my point.  My point is this, you have something with an ECM going "AH HA!  You can't get within six hexes without being cut out of your C3 net!"

Then the spotter smiles and replies, "My friend back there has a short range that reaches out to SEVEN hexes."  And the Naginata fires, using the short range modifier.

That's a common tactic i use with any spotter for C3 when i run them.  That's why often i put a token ER large laser or ER PPC on a light or medium mech that's made for spotting.

[Nikas_Zekeval]

That's a common tactic i use with any spotter for C3 when i run them.  That's why often i put a token ER large laser or ER PPC on a light or medium mech that's made for spotting.

That's nice, but not vital.  I have two terms for forward deployed designs in a C3 net, spotters and pointmen.  For both the C3 slave is their primary 'weapon'.  Pointmen have the armor and firepower to mix it up while giving data, spotters are more focused on defense or the occasional opportunistic shot.