Author Topic: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I  (Read 522 times)

DarthMetool

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Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« on: 20 March 2024, 09:20:20 »
*breathes in, breathes out*  Here we go.

HER-*S Hermes I

For my possibly only foray into a fan article, I chose the Hermes.  A 30-ton machine commissioned by Irian Battlemechs in 2632 as a heavy scout for the Star League, this buggy mess only served on the frontlines for 19 years before being put into storage.  The one shining piece of tech on this 'Mech was, lorewise, the Alexis Photon Target Acquisition System.  This system painted the target with a low-intensity targeting laser before firing.  Meaning, if it didn't lock, it didn't fire.  That saved on wear and tear of the firing emitters, even if it still built up the same amount of heat.

(Author's Note: If you have to make this as a quirk, just say the laser missed.  Not sure how maintenance costs in Campaign settings are affected by wear and tear on lasers.)

Now, the fall of the Star League and the Succession Wars did not leave this 'Mech in a good spot, and here is my take on that.

We start with the HER-1S Hermes (TRO 2750).  Irian took the classic triangle of 'Firepower, Armor, Speed. Pick Two.' and almost doubled down on Speed.  With a 270-rated fusion engine the top speed is 151 kph.  An impressive speed that edges out the Locust and Ostscout, and matches the Hussar that came not much later.  Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of armor and firepower.  For armor, it is covered by a shell of 5 tons of ferro-fibrous armor, wrapped around a skeleton of endosteel.  This isn't too bad, actually, with a spread of 7/14(5)/9(4)/9/10.  The front torso and limbs could take a single large laser hit and not go down.  The letdown for most people comes with getting hit in the head with a PPC.  Any 10-point hit to the head is an instant KO.  For armament there are 2 medium lasers (right arm and center torso) and a flamer in the left arm.  Rather light armament but similar to other fast scouts. (BV: 716)

Next up by intro date is the HER-1Sb (Operation Klondike) showing up in 2740 (and, oddly, surviving in Clan stockpiles up until the Jihad era).  A royal version of the Hermes, it...  Well, I still have yet to see any justification for why it was made, but it was made.  An extra large 270 drops weight to add a ton of ferro-fibrous (9/16(4)/10(4)/10/14), more weapons, and a Beagle probe in the center torso.  An extra medium laser goes with the right arm laser, and 2 more are placed in the left torso.  A small laser is placed in the head, for...  reasons.  The trusty flamer is still there in the left arm.  My inner pyro approves.  The original heat sinks are, of course, switched out for doubles that keep this 'Mech running cool even after running at someone with an alpha strike.  But it wouldn't be a Royal without that extra touch.  MASC is placed in the right torso, giving this machine a top speed of 194 kph in short bursts.  Decent armor, decent firepower, blistering speed for it's day.  Say what you will about the lore, I kind of like this one. (BV: 1112)

Now we come to, in my opinion, the worst versions.  The HER-1A and 1B (TRO 3025/3039) are Succession Wars downgrades of the 1S.  Both are built with standard internal structure covered with bulk rate armor plating.  This gives an armor spread that feels like not enough butter on my toast.  At 7/7(4)/6(2)/5/6 you are going to be worrying about that autocannon/5 you just came in range of, let alone a large laser.  Otherwise, the 1A has the same speed and weapons.  The 1B's only change from the 1A is switching out the flamer with an extra medium laser.  (BV: 601 (1A), 687 (1B))

Shortly before the Clan Invasion, the Helm Memory Core let Irian develop a new HER-3S (TRO 3050) in 3047.  It is based on the 1S chassis, with endosteel frame and ferro-fibrous armor, but it cuts the armor in half to make room a Beagle probe and MASC equipment.  Armor allotted in a 4/6(2)/6(2)/4/4 spread means don't get hit.  And to update your will.  A PPC will take off an arm and a Gauss slug addressed to 'Whom it may concern' will blow off a limb or side torso.  The medium lasers are kept, but the flamer is dropped, making room for that second laser, so be sure to keep an eye out for infantry.  (BV: 649)

Two years later, the 3S1 (TRO 3050) shows up with the only change being the probe switched out for a Guardian ECM suite.  At the same time, the 3S2 (TRO 3050) shows up for offer as an alternative to the 3S1 by removing the left arm laser for Target Acquisition Gear.  Though this cuts the firepower in half, spotting for artillery can make up for it in the right situations. (BV: 726 (3S1), 600 (3S2))

The 4S (TRO 3050) is unveiled in 3057, possibly in time for Operation Guerrero.  This feels like an upgrade of the 3S1 with strong inspiration from the 1Sb.  A 270-rated extra large engine with the same top speed. The return of 10 double heat sinks.  Endosteel 2 frame and five-and-a-half tons of ferro-fibrous armor in a 8/15(5)/10(4)/9/12 arrangement.  Even the Guardian ECM and MASC are the same.  What is different here is 3 medium PULSE lasers, one in each arm and one in the center torso.  It's costly, yes, but so what?  I like it.  With those speeds, having pulse lasers are a bonus to targeting.  A stealthy scout sneaking into your back areas with decent armor and accurate weapons. (BV: 1012)

Not content with selling internally, I suppose, we get to see an export version in the form of the 4K (TRO 3050).  Sold primarily to the Draconis Combine starting in 3058 (and later seen in Marik-Stewart and Oriente space after the FWL breakup, and in mercenary hands in the early Republic era.  Not to mention Clan Wolf and later the Wolf Empire in the Dark Age, according to the MUL.)  This model uses the same chassis and engine as the 4S, just with less armor.  Only 4 tons of ferro-fibrous (8/10(3)/7(2)/7/9) cover the 'Mech which, while not great, are still much better than the 3S series.
Here, the 10 double heat sinks are going to be hard-pressed to keep you cool, what with 6 ER medium lasers and an ER small.  A Guardian ECM and MASC come standard.  The addition of a C3 slave unit allows integration into existing networks.  (BV: 1470)

The Word of Blake took a hand in the next iteration by taking the 4K and creating the 4M (TRO 3050).  Installing an iC3 computer means dropping one ER medium laser and the ER small laser. (BV: 1362)

The last new version of the Hermes is the WoB-exclusive HER-4WB (TRO 3050), appearing in 3068.  Take the 4S, pull off the armor and replace it with the same amount of stealth armor.  While not as good as ferro-fibrous, the arrangement of 9/11(4)/9(3)/8/12 still keeps even a Clan ER medium laser from penetrating most locations on the first hit.

So, we started with the 1S by the Star League and end with the 4S and 4K being the only surviving variants by the ilClan era.  Going to be fair here, that isn't too bad of a showing.

So how do you use one?  This is one of the fastest scouts available until the Clans show up.  Use your speed to do a hit-and-run on slow-moving targets, and do your best to stay out of stand-up fights.  The HER-1S and its direct variants have that flamer to make smoke screens, fire barriers and, on campaigns, get into the enemies' back areas and start fires in things like ammo dumps and fuel depots.  The 3S is fragile and lightly armed.  Find the enemy, tell everyone about it, then keep moving.  Assuming you can swing it, the 3S1 or 2 can run with you to cover you with that ECM, and the 3S2 can ruin anyone's day with a game of 'Tag, you're hit!'  Once you get to the 4S, you can go one of two ways.  The 4S and 4WB are more for backstabbing with accuracy with those pulse lasers, with the 4WB being a bit sneakier about it.  The 4K and 4M are more team players, with longer range lasers and C3 systems.  The 4K and M need to run past a target and share that sweet targeting info with those friends with Big Guns.

How to fight one?  Use terrain features that can slow them down/funnel them into an ambush, prepared minefields, faster units and/or accurate weapons (pulse lasers, precision ammo).  The more worrisome variants are probably the 3S2 and the 4K/M.  Take those down as fast as possible.

Code: [Select]
Years Active
HER-1S  2632 (Extinct by 3081)
HER-1Sb 2740 (Extinct by 3081)
HER-1A  2856 (Extinct by 3062)
HER-1B  2856 (Extinct by 3062)
HER-3S  3047 (Extinct by 3131)
HER-3S1 3049 (Extinct by 3131)
HER-3S2 3049 (Extinct by 3131)
HER-4S  3057 (Active)
HER-4K  3058 (Active)
HER-4M  3060 (Extinct by 3081)
HER-4WB 3068 (Extinct by 3081)

If you have any experiencing using or facing the Hermes, feel free to comment below.
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17thRecon

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #1 on: 20 March 2024, 18:20:49 »
If this is your first and/or only article, you sure did it upright. I enjoyed it and thought you did a thorough job covering the variants.

I only really see the 4S and 4K as ones I’d actually try to use, and even then most likely the 4K as part of a Kurita type C3 company.

DarthMetool

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #2 on: 20 March 2024, 18:42:45 »
This IS my first article here and I've had a lot of jittery nerves about responses since I posted it.  Thank you.
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glitterboy2098

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #3 on: 20 March 2024, 20:41:33 »
surprised that the stealth armor version is WOB exclusive. it seems like a natural choice for a design that is clearly meant for scouting and raiding, and has such thin armor. after all while speed is life for units like this, anything that can help make shots at it harder is a bonus.

garhkal

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #4 on: 20 March 2024, 23:26:44 »
ANd you'd have thought someone, somewhere, would have made ONE version, that dropped ONE speed from the engine, to give it jump jets!
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17thRecon

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #5 on: 20 March 2024, 23:33:59 »
ANd you'd have thought someone, somewhere, would have made ONE version, that dropped ONE speed from the engine, to give it jump jets!


No kidding.  Not a single jump variant for a speedy scout.

This IS my first article here and I've had a lot of jittery nerves about responses since I posted it.  Thank you.

I love reading the MoTW type articles, and I always look forward to seeing Mechs I’m interested in or like when a new one pops up. So when I first saw “Hermes I” I will admit I was like “meh”. However, I opened it to read and it read as well as any other one written, to the point I opened up Sarna to look at the art and read up a bit more. So I’ll say again, great job. You should take a stab at the Ostroc and Ostol, I don’t think either of them have had a go and are long overdue…hint, hint, nudge, nudge 😆😆
« Last Edit: 20 March 2024, 23:36:55 by 17thRecon »

Fat Guy

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #6 on: 21 March 2024, 10:21:04 »
I wish whoever designed the 4K used standard mediums instead of ERs. It would greatly improve the 'Mech.
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DarthMetool

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #7 on: 21 March 2024, 12:54:27 »
  You should take a stab at the Ostroc and Ostol, I don’t think either of them have had a go and are long overdue…hint, hint, nudge, nudge 😆😆

I would, but after checking, Greekfire has those reserved and I don't want to step on any toes.  Even if they haven't been on since May of last year.
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Alan Grant

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #8 on: 22 March 2024, 06:17:46 »
I've always known players who struggle with the idea that some BattleMechs just truly aren't designed for combat. They are designed for other things such as scouting. If they stumble upon the enemy, or vice versa, a lot of the time the plan is just to run away and report back. With the possible exception of knocking down an isolated observation post, or isolated unit (I found an unescorted supply convoy!), or another scout of comparable strength. What sometimes has happened as a result of this mentality is that some players just chalk up a particular 'mech as "bad" because it doesn't fit the combat platform profile. I don't think that's always actually accurate.

I think some of the Hermes variants definitely fall into this camp of being a lighter fast moving combat platform. But interestingly, it's a mix with the Hermes. Some Hermes variants can actually function as the point machine of a combat lance. Or as the spotter of a lance. Or as a scout hunter. Or as part of a C3 network for example. Where as part of a combat team they can contribute.

While other Hermes variants are really just pure scouts, perhaps many kilometers away from your own front-lines and main body forces. They just don't have the armor or firepower to do much else (and they DO have lots of speed).

I think it becomes important when you are talking about a BattleMech to properly make this distinction (sometimes variant by variant, as in this case). A lot of the logic that goes with a 'mech designed for combat (that includes combat scouting on tabletop, just a few steps ahead of the main force, skirmishing, combat spotting for other machines) goes out the window when you are talking about a pure recon unit that could do an exceptionally good job fulfilling its role for an entire battle or campaign, without ever firing a shot or without ever being hit by a single weapon.
« Last Edit: 22 March 2024, 08:09:41 by Alan Grant »

Minemech

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #9 on: 22 March 2024, 18:21:38 »
 This design is one of my favorites.

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: Armchair Analyst: The Hermes I
« Reply #10 on: 22 March 2024, 21:51:23 »
The Hermes was my introduction to how Hidden Unit and Surprise Attack rules worked.

When one literally tripped over my Demolisher.
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