'Warcriming the Militia' - Battlemechs of the WoB

[Red Pins]

So, got tired of the side projects (or decided to start another one, YMMV) and decided to take the easy way out and start the work on refitted WoB Mechs.  The idea here is to use the basis of each mech, provide limited refits (it is 3150 or so) and new technology from the Legacy Cluster and fix some of the most bizarre designs CGL came up with.

Granted, there are some designs I find deserving of keeping - the Crusader-7W, for example, with a bonus set of Hardpoints to carry that pesky ammo - and I've decided to keep the same look as the WoB Serpentis Series vehicles, with data blocks, variants identified by bullet points and a small picture on page A.  A bit of fluff (Overview, Capabilities, >whatever<) and a larger or different picture on the page B.

I've begun looking at the MUL, and said, 'Heck, no, I'm too old to understand this,' so I'll be going through TROs in order to pick out Blakist Mechs I want to look at.  As a rough estimate, I set aside 4-6 options per House on the ToC, but I'm looking at more than that depending on what I find.  Maybe I could offer 'conjectural' refits, based on units seen in the IS?  Not sure yet.

Anyway, I'm starting the process a little bit early, because I had the most annoying brain worm based on the Hollander, AKA 'that stupid looking thing with the spindly body and Gauss Rifle'.  I had to look up the name scrolling through the medium and light Mechs because although I couldn't remember the name, I knew I'd recognize it.

Here, MML failed me; I couldn't find the-G2.  However, the original suited my purpose just fine.  Nothing else was really changed, but the Gauss Rifle+2 ammo comes out in exchange for an Arrow IV system with two tons of ammo, and no other changes.  Why?  Because NUKES, baby.  The -F3 wouldn't survive long in the Cluster - but as an artillery system with Davy Crocketts, those 10 rounds are perfect for the 1st SSW vibes I'm going for with this project.  This isn't a fire support unit any more; this is full-on,  terrorist-'Empty the ammo bays because its funny to see them run around on fire' stuff.

So, the Hollander-W3 (No screen shot yet; that will come later, after I pick the 35-30 units I want to cover.)

Hollander BZK-F3

Mass: 35 tons
Chassis: Endo Steel Biped
Power Plant: 175 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 54 kph
Maximum Speed: 86.4 kph
Jump Jets: None
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
     1 Arrow IV
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3054
Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-E-D
Cost: 2,760,660 C-bills

Type: Hollander
Technology Base: Mixed (Advanced)
Tonnage: 35
Battle Value: 803

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure            Endo Steel              2
Engine                        175 Fusion              7
   Walking MP: 5
   Running MP: 8
   Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sink                     10                      0
Gyro                                                  2
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor (Ferro)          76                      4

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    3         9     
     Center Torso            11        10   
     Center Torso (rear)               3     
     R/L Torso               8         9     
     R/L Torso (rear)                  2     
     R/L Arm                 6         7     
     R/L Leg                 8         9     


Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand

Weapons
and Ammo              Location  Critical   Heat    Tonnage   
Arrow IV Ammo (10)       CT        2        -       2.0   
2 Heat Sink              RT        2        -       2.0   
Arrow IV                 RT        15       10      15.0 
Heat Sink                HD        1        -       1.0   

[Red Pins]

Small update; the categories for the chosen units have shaken down to 26 WoB-exclusive, an unknown number of House units, and a small group of Primitive and Introtech Civil Government and Python 'Mechs.

The upcoming vehicle section will follow this trend as well, but I imagine the types of vehicles will be dominated by the House adaptations and CG/Python units since the Serpentus Series is already done.

[glitterboy2098]

davy crocket Arrow-IV rounds take up a full tone per nuke. so this can only carry 2 nukes.

but being able to carry 1 nuke and 5 conventional rounds makes it more flexible. and being able to select two different tons of variant munitions (FASCAM, Inferno-IV, Anti-air Arrow, etc) would be useful too.

[Red Pins]

Thanks, I keep forgetting that.

[Daryk]

I thought that was only for ASF?  What did I misread? ???

[Red Pins]

So, a list of notable Blakist BattleMechs is finished; its going to have to be tight, there are 52.  53 if you count the Cluster's Carnoraptor.  I'm still working out the format, but since I haven't given a screenshot for a while here you go.

There's only room for about 180 words

  Blakist BattleMechs
     Red Shift, Stinger, Wasp, Commando                              59
     Jackrabbit, Spider, UrbanMech, Falcon Hawk                60
     Gurkha, Jenner, Panther, Valkyrie                                    61
     Hermes II, Initiate, Raptor II, Sentinel                              62
     Vulcan, Wolf Trap, Blue Flame, Gestalt                           63
     Enforcer, Raijin II, Buccaneer, Griffen                              64
     Grim Reaper, Lightray, Osprey, Galahad                         65
     Merlin, Catapult, Crusader, JagerMech                           66
     Archer, Shootist, White Flame, Toyama                          67
     Black Knight, Grand Crusader, Legacy, Thug                   68
     Zeus, Stalker, Crockett, Viking, Emperor                         69
     Albatross, Banshee, Grand Titans, King Crab                  70
     Marauder II, Vanquisher, Omega                                      71

[Lycanphoenix]

Blakists love their Small Cockpit + VDNI combos, so perhaps there could be a Variant which uses those to make room for a couple jump jets.
Since you have ten free heat sinks, you could also switch them out for compact heat sinks, freeing up crits for an XL gyro.

[Red Pins]

Yes and no; the year is 3152 or so, Berith and the other veterans are dead or retired.  Equipment and tech is hard to build or impossible to pass off as domestic equipment developed by their allies, the supply line from the IS and sole remaining Deep Periphery colony under their control is measured  in years, and while some Clan equipment is available its still expensive and Introtech and Primitive tech is still very common.

The WoB equipment is still considered front-line or cutting edge, so it's limited more by logistics and things like logistics, troop numbers, and the need to remain hidden until the Invasion of the Cluster kicks off.

[Lycanphoenix]

Okay, so no VDNI.
Switching the Single Heat Sinks for Compact Heat Sinks and using an XL Gyro in order to fit a couple of Jump Jets should still work though.

[Red Pins]

Okay, so no VDNI.
Switching the Single Heat Sinks for Compact Heat Sinks and using an XL Gyro in order to fit a couple of Jump Jets should still work though.

If they have it?  Maybe.   But the wonder-tech is fading into the past quick  - they didn't save the equipment, technicians, textbooks, and the thousand and one other things that make XL gyros possible.  Similarly, if they didn't pack compact HS, the corner store is closed.

The New Clans have spent hundreds of years preparing to be found and finish the Wolverine Trial of Annihilation.  There is literally no way the Allies can steal from a Clan without paranoid, scorched-earth tactics being implemented immediately.

Still, they have some unique tech, and I decided to use the laser HS idea for vehicles, so they are MUCH more dangerous than Clan or IS vehicles.

[Wrangler]

Glad you're still going, Red Pins.

[Red Pins]

Glad you're still going, Red Pins.

...and going, and going, and going...   

[Red Pins]

Getting back into it, massaging text...  GET-IN-THERE-YOU-OVERSIZED-FONT!   ...Good boy!

*Just realized; I might as well do the record sheet for these units; I need to make sure they're legal, after all.  It might get a bit sticky with the whole 'home-brew tech' idea.  I don't think MML has such an option.

[Wrangler]

I hope your able too, I'd hate have to recreate them.

[Red Pins]

No idea how to do it right now  - I suppose print - write in homebrew tech - scan would work, even if it is silly looking.

[Wrangler]

You could use the Mech Factory, I think it allows for custom weapons.

[Red Pins]

Ohh, thanks!

Annd - it looks like the 52 units for this section will need to be designed on paper.  I hope to have one page a week, but here's a sample of the layout.

On the plus side, it means advancing to another letter!  As I begin the section, saves and backups will be to BTF-Delta!  Yay, progress!

[Lycanphoenix]

I seriously think that this mech would be better with jump jets.

Compact Heat Sinks aren't that advanced, they're just rarely used because they're heavy, and not a lot of mechs are heat neutral using only the ten built-in heat sinks. And a Light Fusion Engine is something that the Word of Blake uses quite often. That alone should save enough weight for Jump Jets.

[Red Pins]

I seriously think that this mech would be better with jump jets.

Compact Heat Sinks aren't that advanced, they're just rarely used because they're heavy, and not a lot of mechs are heat neutral using only the ten built-in heat sinks. And a Light Fusion Engine is something that the Word of Blake uses quite often. That alone should save enough weight for Jump Jets.

>snip<  Sorry - ranting.  It is what it is - Compact HS exist in the Cluster, but they're not popular enough and available enough for equipping an army and preparing for losses conquering people preparing for a resumption of their Trial of Annihilation.  And perfect Mechs are boring.  Besides - I invented Limb Extensions to use them, not just put them in tables at the rear of the book.

[Red Pins]

Okee-doky, I think I've figured out the format I want; I'm still thinking about whether I want 'Red Shift RDS-4LC' in smaller font over the image.  I had originally wanted to break the factions down a bit ('Blakist Militia', 'Python Touman', 'Legacy Cluster Military Forces') but I figure it would be easier to lump it together and note their deployment in a separate databox with any existing entries.

I finally got the order of ops, too; design the four units/page, then image, then fluff.  I can do the fluff at work, but the file is getting so bit, its becoming a bit of an issue saving it to the flash drive.  No idea if the stick is corrupted or something, but I had a bit of a scare today - the flash drive was fully inserted, nudged to one side a bit with the keyboard by accident, and it disappeared from the quick access folder.  Restarted the computer, and it worked again, but I'm reluctant to risk it.

Anyway, a new screenshot!

[Daryk]

I can only recommend backing that thing up with all speed... I still haven't recovered the flash drive that failed on me... :/

[Red Pins]

I have it in three places, desktop, work desktop, and flash drive.  Going to be using all three for the Delta version and use the flash drive to carry stub fluff entries around until its time to format the pages and carry it between them.

[Daryk]

Glad to hear it!

[Wrangler]

Is this amazing what you've done, I mean you sound like a full production line. I can barely do what I do when the opportunity comes up.

[Red Pins]

Not really?  It's just gotten to the point of familiarity, dividing it into hour chunks.  Tomorrow night I won't have to up at 5 am, so after chores the Falcon Hawk, Hollander (decided the Urbie was too cliché), Commando, and Jackrabbit get their stats and maybe a couple variants (weapon loads or miscellaneous stuff only).

It is going to slow down; 3 houses to look after, full time job cleaning the school top to chair feet (My God- the landscaping.  Not the landscaping!) renovations every summer..  I figure I have until the summer break, then all bets are off so I'm trying to get SOMETHING  finished.

[Wrangler]

Are you going to devise a totally original mech?  Or is this just another refet book only?

[Red Pins]

Are you going to devise a totally original mech?  Or is this just another refet book only?

Oh, yeah, lots of them.  Primitives, standards, a couple Omnis - but the vehicles and drones are going to seriously outnumber them.  I didn't think there would be many combined arms or armored units able to escape - most of the military units seeming to have officially escaped were Shadow units with a few Militia, so most of the supporting vehicles and drones will be all new units.

Sorry, saw your PM, haven't had time to answer yet.  Here, have a screenshot - this is about two hours design work and fiddling.  The Falcon Hawk is pretty simplistic, the Hollander done, so call it another hour, hour and a half depending on people bothering me.

[Red Pins]

Ironically, I seem to be most productive at work, where nobody bothers me.  Go figure.

[Red Pins]

Well, seems like this one was a bit faster than planned - I had the Hollander done, a few other bits ready - but its going to be a good thing I have a week of vacation next week, since I decided to add the other factions' notable units (Primitive and standard) and it means 9 domestic units and however many Primitives and common units the Blakists can smuggle out of the IS for themselves and their allies.

Anyway - screenshot!  And I'd appreciate an opinion, how's the fluff?  Its pretty tight, is this ok?

[Wrangler]

I've yet to read your story, I suspect that this project is related to it? I honestly can't see Blakists working with Clans. So far it's looking good.

[Red Pins]

I've yet to read your story, I suspect that this project is related to it? I honestly can't see Blakists working with Clans. So far it's looking good.

I actually have a couple stubs out there - I'm still working on the Clan Blood Spirit one, but its very hard for me since it isn't a natural writing style.  This is the fiction for this project - I finished it but never put the rest of it here.*

Edit - yes, I did.


https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=71607.msg1669723#msg1669723


TL;DR - WoB, Clan Python, and the Civil Government of the Legacy Cluster.

The WoB wants to conquer the Cluster (including their allies) and brainwash them before returning to the IS and conquering it.  (They have to retreat from the Cluster.  One of their factions releases a bio-weapon.  Poof!  No survivors.)

The Pythons 'just want to see the other Clans burn' - nukes are ok - and are hoping to learn enough about the WoB to do the same to them (They don't.  They get Annihilated.  All of them.)

The Civil Government just wants to be at the table with the popular kids.  Maybe not live hand-to-mouth, like the other Periphery hellholes.

...And, it looks like there will be a total of 75 Battlemechs - 12 domestically produced Primitive/standard units, 13 Primitive/standards imported from the IS and seconded to their allies.  More than I wanted, so they might get cut down somehow.
 

[Red Pins]

Anndd - Another new plan.  Because it contains that which promotes growth!  Still have to come up with several domestic Primitives, and a couple standards though.

*edit - And 9 more domestic Primitives.  But I just organized the mechs into groups of four, so...

[namar13766]

So has Ghosts of Obeedah proved useful for your efforts?

I’m looking forward to the revamped rules for Cassette Missiles Launchers, Fighterships, and Portable Turrets, not to mention the expanded drones of your Legacy Cluster.

[Red Pins]

Yes, but I'm in the weeds right now trying to fish out Primitive units for the WoB to supply their allies from Sarna and dont remember how.  Then I have 9-10 domestic Primitives to upgrade to Introtech.  I'm reluctant to continue doing sheets without knowing what their stats are before I start, and this section is ballooning obscenely.

You know, you could do a search for my name and the new tech item you're interested in and it will probably come up - I haven't been shy.

[Red Pins]

Ok - life intervened, and I had some corrections and stuff to do with the stupid MML files being corrupted somehow.  So, I need to keep a paper copy, too.  Sooner or later, I'll be able to print the PDF off (although maybe I should do it now, since the PDF won't get corrupted?  I'll have to consider it.) and do the RS book.

So, several screenshots.  Here's the first.

[Red Pins]

...And another, page 2 of this section.

[Red Pins]

Here's the third page.

*It seems I can't alphabetize worth a dang, but it's fixed now.  You can still find the Falcon hawk entry in one of the  other images.

With that, I need to replace a missing text box (or find it and remove the clutter) and we're ready to restart. 

[Red Pins]

...Can't seem to remember that Valks are 30 tons, not 35 tons, either.  Fortunately, with this set up I only had to hold the return button down long enough to clear a column and give myself space to work.  Praise Word!

Hopefully, this will be the last Go AWAY, Murphy! time and I can start fresh next week.

[Red Pins]

Final-final-FINAL! version of page 2 for this section.  Getting really tired of this, may just do designs, then text, then layout if I can't stop screwing up at this rate.

[Daryk]

You need to stop jinxing yourself! ;D

[Red Pins]

Yeah, yeah...  I know.  Done for a while, I keep getting this popped rib in my back, so I'm changing the setup of my roll top desk.  Starting to think I may have to get something more conventional.

[Daryk]

Have you tried a standing desk?

[Red Pins]

Just wrenched my knee for the 2nd time, so..no.  And can’t afford anything new right now, it’s complicated.  Plus it’s in the living room so I don’t want a plain work table.

Stuck with it I think.

[Daryk]

Ouch, bummer!  I hope you recover quickly...

[Red Pins]

It's the strangest thing, I can walk on it, have a click when I climb stairs,  a little awkward - just hoping they don't say 'surgery'.

[Red Pins]

Page four of the section.

I like the art and story behind the Toro, but, holy heck, I just can't say the -A-6 is most common, with the slightly modified -A-LC substituting a Plasma Rifle and examples of the original TR-A-1 being updated quickly.

Sounds OK, I guess.  I'll try again later.  Here's a screenshot;

*edit - that's it for tonight, I wanted to finish, but its got to wait.  I got a whole week, after all.

[Red Pins]

...And page 4.  Don't mind saying, at 161 words, the Hermes II was tough.  All of these are getting tougher.  This one was a pain, but the Jenner and Panther were already done, anyway.

Next up, the Icarus, Initiate, Raptor II, and Sentinel.

[Red Pins]

Huh.  A productive night.  Icarus II is done.

[Red Pins]

Ugh.  Daughter tried to bake cookies and put it in a loaf pan.  Too much butter, salt - and the timer on the stove shorted out.  After putting down a $3,000 deposit for windows, $1,500 deposit for removal of a set of concrete stairs and new wooden ones.  I hate my life.

But here's a screenshot.  The Sentinel is done, too - just forgot the handwritten copy at work.  Maybe tomorrow, but there's three houses worth of yard work to do this long weekend.  Not expecting to get much done.

[Red Pins]

"Just a minute, honey..."

[Daryk]

I hope the smoke damage wasn't too bad!

[Red Pins]

No, she made soup.  All that butter..     I don't understand why people have such problems with simple fractions, but then I was a journeyman cook, too.

Does anybody have a comment on the Raptor entry? I was thinking of trying to add a tripod later using the same format.

[Wrangler]

It's okay, I don't think there's much to go with that entry other than it's a rumor.  Raptor II entry would be a little more interesting if it mentioned some mysterious capacity that stood out.