TO: Devlin Stone
FROM: David Lear
November 25, 3083
So to add just one more kink to our goal of integrating our hodge-podge forces into a unified army, I'm getting complaints that personnel sometimes find themselves serving along side unfamiliar equipment. One of my staff suggested that brief primers might be useful for bringing soldiers up to speed. With the large number of Nova Cat warriors that joined our ranks, their Nobori-nin has become a not uncommon sight. It's a solid medium OmniMech and most of the standard configurations are reasonably effective, sometimes in spite of questionable choices. In view of our relations with the Nova Cats we may consider approaching them to purchase additional chassis.
I've attached the draft my people banged out for your review.
Nobori-nin (Huntsman)
(http://img.masterunitlist.info/BattleMechs/Nobori-nin.jpg)
Technical Readout 3058 Upgrade. page 175. Wolfnet. 3070
The Nobori-nin (Huntsman to Clan warriors) was first deployed by Clan Nova Cat in the Inner Sphere at the Battle of Luthien. The war machine's distinctive sail inspired the defending DCMS troops to christen the design “Banner-bearer” from back-mounted banners of ancient Japan. Since the machine was not widespread it lead to some initial speculation that the design carried some dishonor. The reality was that the first examples didn't roll off the lines until the start of the invasion. The Nobori-nin soon became Clan Nova Cat's primarily front-line medium Omnimech. INN went so far as to refer to it as “the quintessential Nova Cat medium ’Mech” in Era Report: 3052 (p. 61). Part of this prevalence is due to the Clan setting up no less than two manufacturing facilities within Irece Prefecture. The first manufacturing center on Brim was gifted to Clan Cloud Cobra along with the rest of the enclave during the Nova Cat's abjurement. With the current blackout of the Clan Home Worlds the fate of that facility is anyone's guess.
The vast majority of Huntsmans remain in the hands (paws?) of their creators. Outside of our own forces they can be spotted in the ranks of Clan Diamond Shark and the occasional Combine unit. Though we shouldn't be shocked to find the odd example tucked within the touman of the Ghost Bear Dominion, isorla taken during the Combine-Dominion War.
The heart of this work horse is a Consolidated 250 XL fusion engine. While not winning any speed records, the Nobori-nin tops out at a respectable 86 kph with Starlifter M50s jump jets keeping the 'Mech nimble. Matching the weight and movement profile of the Black Hawk (Nova) it's difficult not to draw comparisons to the older and more widespread 'Mech. While the older Omnimech's designers sought to simplify production the Nova Cats spared no expense. The Huntsman's endo steel internal structure is protected by a chassis-straining nine tons of ferro-fibrous armor, the maximum this fifty-tonner can carry. Fortunately the Technicians in charge of designing the Huntsman were smart enough to ensure that every front location could withstand a direct hit from at least a Gauss slug. (Well except for the head.) The legs and center torso can take a round from the AC/20 and still have protection to spare. The center torso is the only rear location that can absorb a strike from a Clan medium laser. The rear left and right carry just enough protection to withstand an Inner Sphere medium pulse laser.
All that weight saving technology provides the Omni' with plenty of pod space, twenty-three and a half tons to be specific. More than any Clan medium OmniMech except the enigmatic “Pariah” and more than a few heavy and assault ones to boot. Next will have a quick review of what the Nobori-nin does with all that pod space for the eight known standard configurations.
Nobori-nin Prime – The Prime appears to have be developed from observations of Inner Sphere combat by the Nova Cat warriors who accompanied the first waves of Operation REVIVAL. They saw that not only would they be facing battlemechs, but vehicles and non-battle armor infantry and whatever else those “surats” could muster. The result was a veritable smorgasbord of weapons and equipment. Simply put the Prime has something for every range and target. An Ultra AC-2, Artemis IV enhanced LRM-10, a powerful quartet of ER medium lasers backed up by the crit-seaking capabilities of a Streak SRM-6, a versatile flamer and two anti-personnel pods, active probe, an anti-missile system and a TAG laser. It's just the type of kitchen sink design than would make a (former) Free Worlds League engineer weep. Needless to say the Prime is going to suffer at the hands of more focused 'Mechs. But if you have no idea what you may find in your crosshairs there's something to be said for versatility. Just watch you heat gauge with this one.
jymset: My 2 cents: essentially, the Prime is a heavy scout. It wins due to BJ-1 syndrome: it balances extremely questionable equipment choices with a quartet of the Clans’ best weapon, the ERML. All in all, this ‘Mech actually has heavy firepower, just not at first glance.
Nobori-nin A – Two large Clan pulse lasers and the heat sinks to use them even while bounding across the battlefield. It's hard to argue with that. Backing up the lasers are an LRM-10 launcher and an LB 2-X autocannon. While the missiles are a reasonable support weapon the autocannon doesn't find much use outside of anti-aircraft and very long range harassment fire. Most warriors choose the A for the pulse lasers and simply curse the Technician who selected the autocannon.
jymset: Exactly. It remains a supremely deadly ‘Mech until this very day due to this. If anything, the LB-X serves to keep BV down. This is pure gold, and never has the maligned light cannon been so singularly good.
Nobori-nin B – Often described as a striker or fast raider, the Huntsman B is well equipped for the job. The ER PPC is one of the most feared weapons on the modern battlefield providing solid hitting power at all ranges. For additional mid-range hole punching an LB 10-X is mounted on the left arm and is equally at home filling those holes with cluster rounds. Backup weaponry is provided by two medium pulse lasers mounted with the PPC. The twin mini-guns are available for point defense and are fantastic for converting infantry into chunky salsa. Unleashing the fully arsenal will start to make things a bit toasty for the pilot though. Fortunately the jump jets can keep the 'Mech mobile even after the safety mechanisms have started to kick in.
jymset: To a veritable Summoner fanatic, this variant never stood out as much as it should have…
Nobori-nin C- On paper the C looks to be a fair long range fighter. A pair of large, long range missile racks supported by an Ultra AC-5 certainly project a fair bit of firepower out to 600 plus meters. Those mismatched LRMs have shallow bins though. Warriors often close to approximately 400 meters to gain accuracy for those few shots as well as bring the ER medium laser to bear. The result is a brutal, all be it brief, barrage. Should the target survive after the LRMs run dry, closing and adding volleys from the Streak SRM-4 and ER small laser should finish it off. A multipurpose flamer is also nestled in the right torso for all your anti-infanty, heat generating, and fire starting needs. Many may gripe over the inefficiency of having both an LRM-20 and an LRM-15 on the same machine, but it gets the job done. The same can be said for the Ultra AC-5.
jymset: Thank you! I never understood the automatic loathing of mismatched missile/ballistic weapons. One doesn’t really impeach on the other, does it? I remember being quite shocked when my Night Gyr F was poorly received on account of its mismatched HAGs. I can blame it for its high BV, sure, but not the HAGs, which have identical range, similarly deep ammo bins, and are located independently of each other on the ‘Mech. Same here, though the shallowness of the bins on the Huntsman C is a worry. In sheer terms of idiosyncracy, this was my favourite of the initial configs, though I used the Prime and especially the A to greatest effect.
Nobori-nin D - The first new configuration seen after the Nova Cats settled in Irece Prefecture is also the first to mount the ATM-6 system (with a full three tons of ammo) that would be seen on most of the more recent pods. Thankfully that also marks to abandonment of the lower caliber autocannons found on most of the previous configurations. In many ways it's a striker configuration in the mold of the B. The centerpiece is a HEAP round spewing Ultra AC-10 fed by two tons of ammo. Ammo independent weaponry comes mainly in the form of two medium pulse lasers. A small pulse laser gives the Huntsman D anti-infantry capability without the danger of an ammo explosion as well as bit more damage within 180 meters. While a more cool running machine than the B, the D lacks a “head capping” weapon. It also has the trade off of having a higher damage potential offset by a greater reliance on dumb luck to make the most of the autocannon and ATM. Then again this configuration was brought to you by the warrior-mystic Nova Cats.
jymset: Compared to the B, this is shockingly inefficient. IMO the 10-class is the single caliber of AC where the LB-X is vastly superior to the UAC. Replacing an ERPPC with an ATM6… uh… And this is a clear case of new toy syndrome, with an excessive amount of ATM ammo for a single rack. IMO this one is a true failboat.
Pa Weasley: I've come to love the D honestly. To me it's another example of the Huntsman working in spite of itself.
Nobori-nin E – The most recent standardized configuration, it's arguably a modernized and simplified version of the Prime. The missile racks have been replaced with a single ATM-6 launcher. The anti-missile system, TAG, and active probe have been retained, all be it as the light versions. Many a Nova Cat warrior must have cheered as the Ultra AC-2 was replaced with a large pulse laser. While losing range, it massively improved both damage and accuracy. Two pulse medium pulse lasers and an ER small laser complete the weapon package. The quirk of the Nobori-nin E is the four additional double heat sinks. A pilot has to jump and alpha strike before taking any heat. The configuration was either intended for very aggressive (or inexperienced) warriors fighting in close quarters or against opponents with a love of plasma weapons and infernos. As with the mismatched LRMs of the C, there may have been more efficient choices than spending all that weight on heat sinks. In the end the E is serviceable but leaves some room for tweaking.
jymset: Problem here is that the Jihad-era upgrade of RS 3058U actually did not have the same directive as RS 3060 (to feature TM or TO/Advanced stuff). This resulted in what was IMO “the boringest” (thank you Mr. Plinkett!) of all new configs.
OTOH, it’s actually pretty durned serviceable, so I guess…
Nobori-nin H – The H configuration is the type of flashbulb beast we've come to expect from Clan Nova Cat since the harsh lessons of Tukayyid. Solid long range firepower is provided by paired ER large lasers tied into a targeting computer. Once in knife fighting range, four heavy medium lasers and a small heavy laser give the Huntsman H a substantial short range wallop. No less than six pod-mounted double heat sinks keep this laser boat running cool provided the pilot isn't foolish, or desperate, enough to alpha strike. Completing the equipment package are an ECM suite and an active probe. With the quad heavy lasers and ECM suite, the H was ideal for isolating, then obliterating Blakist C3i spotters. All together, the H is an impressive package whether performing strikes or recon.
jymset: It is one of the few H configs which I like a lot!
Nobori-nin N – A long ranged horror, the N was popularized by Star Captain Calvin Deleportas. Mounting both an ER PPC and an ER large laser slaved to a targeting computer it certainly has plenty of “reach out and touch someone” potential. Even with three pod-mounted double heat sinks, the cooling system is taxed by these two powerful weapons. ER (or standard) missiles from the ATM-6 can be sent down range with one of the heavy guns to give the heat sinks a break. At more personal distances a heavy medium laser and six tubes of HE ATM rounds with alternating ER weapons dishes out damage with minimal stress on the cooling system. Simply put, the Huntsman N is a powerful configuration capable of being a terror in the hands of an aggressive and experienced warrior.
jymset: [The heavy medium laser] adds another ton of weight to the tarcomp. I find that hard to justify. OTOH, an SSRM2 would weigh just as much, so yeah…
While an unlikely scenario while serving in the RAF, should you go up against a Nobori-nin remember that in the end it's only a medium 'Mech. Even with the maximum amount of armor on every location neither the arms nor side torsos can take repeated hits from the most powerful of modern weapons. Taking the XL fusion engine into account the Omni' can find itself crippled with a few well-aimed shots. This is only exacerbated by the Huntsman's average speed.
Stop by the Master Unit List (http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/4729/Nobori-nin-Huntsman-Base) for more info and Camo Specs has a pair from Gencon (http://camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=4956) dioramas (http://camospecs.com/Miniature.asp?ID=5459) and several other examples (http://www.camospecs.com/Results.asp?cx=006609140753291816146%3Ac8gosxk6ppy&cof=FORID%3A9&q=nobori-nin&sa=Search&siteurl=www.camospecs.com%2F&ref=&ss=13789j25798415j12) for your viewing pleasure.
Authors note: I wanted to thank jymset for not only letting me take a crack at this MotW article but taking the time to review and provide his comments.