An attempt at a 5-ton Protomech

[Cavgunner]

So I'm really late to the Protomech debate, but I thought I'd try my hand at one.

Protomechs have interesting strengths and weaknesses. They tend to be much faster than Battle Armor units, and are (usually) somewhat tougher on a per-BV basis. However, the lighter Protos struggle to mount meaningful firepower. Just one heavy battle armor suit can nearly match the firepower of the Proto I've posted below. Granted, Protos don't cheat to make their weapons lighter like Battle Armor units do, but still, that's a problem.

On the other hand, the 5-ton Proto shown here is actually slightly less expensive than a single suit of Elemental battle armor. Two or three of them could certainly take on an equivalent-BV mech with confidence. A Proto like this would also be ideal for fighting in low-intensity conflicts against infantry and light conventional forces.

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A Protomech
Mass: 5 tons
Power Plant: 45 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 64.8 kph
Maximum Speed: 97.2 kph
Jump Jets:
     Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     2 Machine Gun
     1 ER Small Laser
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3145
Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-X-D
Cost: 689,587.5 C-bills

Type: A Protomech
Technology Base: Clan (Standard)
Tonnage: 5
Battle Value: 169

Equipment                                         Mass (kg)
Internal Structure                                  500
Engine                        45                  1,000
    Walking MP: 6
    Running MP: 9
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:                   2                     500
Cockpit:                                            500
Armor Factor:                 24                  1,200

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    1         4     
     Torso                   5         10   
     R/L Arm                1/1       2/2   
     Legs                    3         6     
     Main Gun                -         -     

Weapons
and Ammo                Location        Mass
Machine Gun Ammo (60)      BD            300
ER Small Laser             T             500
Machine Gun                LA            250
Machine Gun                RA            250



[DevianID]

I like it.  The niche they never explicitly made for protos is urban fighting monsters.  They came close, but never really nailed the theme.

So what I look for in protos is ground speed to scramble around buildings, and AI weapons to ruin hiding infantry.  They are the boogey man of urban combat.  The siren with 2 machine guns is my fav, popping up anywhere with deadly AI firepower.

This design is solid.  I like the dual machine guns, the ER small gives it some light armor punch, and its just fast enough to be a problem chasing it down in a city.  Since I'm biased, the orc is the competing design here.  The armor is better but range is lower then the fantastic Orc. The orc with specialty ammo is about as good versus infantry and better versus armor, but would need infernos to roll well to take out your ERsmall before the 5 damage chopped the lower armor orc up.

If heavy urban resistance is expected, your heavier design with good armor will definitely kill more infantry then an Orc will, so if there is 2+ infantry platoons per proto then your proto with 30 rounds of mgun fire is better up to the task.

[Cavgunner]

Thanks for the great comment. As far as the Siren goes, I thought about using light machine guns but since this design has pretty good armor I figured I'd go for the bit of extra firepower instead.

You mention Infernos- do they affect Protos in any special way? I don't have my book at the moment.

I think we can agree that the effectiveness of protomechs (in both firepower and cost) against light forces in dense terrain is no surprise, because that's exactly what the Smoke Jaguars designed them for.

[Cavgunner]

Since you like the Orc, here is a 4-ton Proto. I think it's less desirable than the 5-tonner, but it would still be quite suitable for counter-insurgency work.

Busting out the old Heavymetal Lite program just because.

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               ProtoMech Technical Readout
                     VALIDATED DESIGN

Type/Model:    Light 4 ton proto
Tech:          Clan / 3060
Config:        ProtoMech
Rules:         Level 2, Standard design

Mass:          4 tons (4,000 kg)
Chassis:       Advanced Composite
Power Plant:   36 Size Fusion
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets:     None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor Type:    Integral Advanced Alloy
Armament:     
  1 SRM 2
  1 Machine Gun
Manufacturer:  Unknown
  Location:    Unknown
Communications System:  Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System:  Unknown

------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model:    Light 4 ton proto
Mass:          4 tons (4,000 kg)

Equipment:                                   Mass, kg
Int. Struct.:  10 pts Advanced Composite         400
Engine:        36 Size Fusion                    900
   Walking MP:   6
   Running MP:   9
   Jumping MP:   0
Heat Sinks:      0 Compact ProtoMech               0
Cockpit, Life Support, Sensors & Pilot:          500
Armor Factor:  22 pts Integral Advanced Alloy  1,100

                          Internal    Armor
                          Structure   Value
   Head:                      1          4     
   Torso:                     4          8     
   Left/Right Arms:          1/1        2/2
   Legs:                      3          6

Weapons and Equipment    Location Heat Ammo  Mass, kg
------------------------------------------------------
1 SRM 2                  Torso      0    12      740
1 Machine Gun            Torso      0    22      360
------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                             0          4,000
Mass remaining, kg:                                0 left

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        666,786 C-Bills
Battle Value:      84
Cost per BV:       7,937.92
Weapon Value:      11 / 11 (Ratio = .13 / .13)
Damage Factors:    SRDmg = 3;  MRDmg = 0;  LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2:      MP: 6,  Armor/Structure: 5/0
                   Damage PB/M/L: 3/2/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: P ;  Point Value: 4


[DevianID]

Infernos work versus protos similar to battle armor.  For every 3 infernos that hit, one randomly rolled location gets destroyed.  So on battle armor, its 1 trooper.  For protos, well if I roll a 3 my infernos miss but if I roll a torso you lose the entire torso.

On the 4 ton version, the armor and endurance is greater then an Orc, but its a bit too generalist.  The Orc, mounting only 1 kind of weapon, specializes really well.  The SRM1s are cheesy on the Orc, granted--practically a streak launcher.  Id take the 5 ton OG version you made, like you said.  More mguns, more armor.

As for the Siren, I usually opt for the Siren with regular machine guns for urban work, and the light machine guns if its more open.  The lights are really useful for staying out of rifle return fire range on open maps, but in buildings you just want the 4d6 from 2 machine guns cause range is point blank.

[Cavgunner]

For every 3 infernos that hit, one randomly rolled location gets destroyed. So on battle armor, its 1 trooper. For protos, well if I roll a 3 my infernos miss but if I roll a torso you lose the entire torso.

Uh... that does not seem very well thought out.

[DevianID]

Pilot bakes to death is a message I treat as a megamek achievement haha.