’Mech of the Week: ANH-** Annihilator

[gyedid]

Has anybody found the Annihilator harder to use than other hundred-tonners?  I say this because of the speed--your average Atlas isn't going to set any speed records, sure, but just to keep up with its 3 MP walk means the Annihilator will be taking an extra +1 AMM for running.  Seems to me you need at least one of:
--a veteran gunner (or better)
--plenty of cluster ammo
--a tarcomp
--accepting a static defense role
to really negate the extra penalty from that ponderously slow speed.

cheers,

Gabe 

[gyedid]

The ANH-3A makes me think someone wanted their own version of the Bane/Kraken 1

Is this the variant on which the Cygnus is based?

cheers,

Gabe

[Diablo48]

Has anybody found the Annihilator harder to use than other hundred-tonners?  I say this because of the speed--your average Atlas isn't going to set any speed records, sure, but just to keep up with its 3 MP walk means the Annihilator will be taking an extra +1 AMM for running.  Seems to me you need at least one of:
--a veteran gunner (or better)
--plenty of cluster ammo
--a tarcomp
--accepting a static defense role
to really negate the extra penalty from that ponderously slow speed.

cheers,

Gabe

While I do not use the Annihilator very often because I mostly play Clan, I do not really think the speed should be a problem.  After all, most 3/5 assaults fight stationary in a good firing position anyways so the slower Annihilator should be able to do the same job so long as you account for the fact that it will take longer to get into position than the more common 3/5 assaults.  That said, it does have potential issues with thin armor and/or limited range in some variants which can be problematic, but the low speed should not be too problematic for most jobs you want an assault 'Mech for.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The 4A is the only version of this mech I've got personal experience with, but it was fun.  I teamed it up with a 6S Hunchback (the variant that moves 6/9) and forced my opponent to choose between getting in range of the Annihilator's firepower or letting the Hunchback flank.  Fun times.  The only thing I didn't like about that mech was the unCASED ammo.

You know, I would like to see an Annihilator variant with Hardened Armor.

[A. Lurker]

You know, I would like to see an Annihilator variant with Hardened Armor.

Hm, yeah. An Annihilator that runs exactly as fast as it walks. That's the true ANH spirit. ;)

2/3 units are otherwise all pretty much the same to me: semi-mobile turrets that can work well if the enemy has to come to them (or on small maps where the enemy simply can't easily keep away) and they have the right combination of armor and firepower to win the damage race once they've found a good spot to root in, but that also take forever to actually get anywhere if called upon to as much as shift to a new firing position. Beyond that I've rarely found a reason to differentiate much and noticed the Annihilator mostly for being underarmored for the job in its usual suspect variants.

[Wrangler]

Wasn't the Annihilator returned to production during the Jihad on Arc Royal?

It be very cool of the Clan versions of the Mech would enter production.

Silly thing, i see the name i can picture Annilihator talking through its speakers like a Dalek saying "Annihilate!"

[Giovanni Blasini]

Why am I only finding out about the ANH-1E now? That thing is amazing!

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Wasn't the Annihilator returned to production during the Jihad on Arc Royal?

Yes

Silly thing, i see the name i can picture Annilihator talking through its speakers like a Dalek saying "Annihilate!"

You mean there are people who don't?

[Col.Hengist]

Why am I only finding out about the ANH-1E now? That thing is amazing!

I had to look it up myself... 4 standard PPC's and 41 standard HS!!!! Turret tech at its best.

[Getz]

Why am I only finding out about the ANH-1E now? That thing is amazing!

I'll say!  The armour might not be great, but it's about the same as a period Stalker and it has plenty of structure, plus the thing it literally a stuffed to the brim with heat sinks.  Very hard to kill...

Also, the heat curve is really quite workable, even a running alpha won't risk a shutdown - and that's saying something for a succession era design with four PPCs...

[chanman]

Huh, it's almost like an early Hellstar or AWS-9Q

[Col.Hengist]

I'll say!  The armour might not be great, but it's about the same as a period Stalker and it has plenty of structure, plus the thing it literally a stuffed to the brim with heat sinks.  Very hard to kill...

Also, the heat curve is really quite workable, even a running alpha won't risk a shutdown - and that's saying something for a succession era design with four PPCs...

 For sure. Running alpha ( if you can call 3 hexes a run ) is 42 heat... It has 41 hs's so you can do that a lot

[A. Lurker]

Why am I only finding out about the ANH-1E now? That thing is amazing!

According to the MUL (and the OP, of course), it's from Operational Turning Points: Death to Mercenaries. So maybe it's been hiding under the "obscure sourcebook" card?

[Wrangler]

Well, by the late Succession Wars the Dragoons were only ones who had any Annihilators.  They were among the Dragoons Mecha that intelligence agencies were going on to say "What the heck is that? Where did they get those things?!"

I know detailed rarity is a fluff thing, but I'm believer in scarcity being a nice balancing act for something that pretty tough and bruising.  Many of the toys the Dragoons were packing were very unique and hard find.

[Getz]

For sure. Running alpha ( if you can call 3 hexes a run ) is 42 heat... It has 41 hs's so you can do that a lot

54 heat actually, don't forget the medium lasers.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

You know, I would like to see an Annihilator variant with Hardened Armor.

Okay, I did it.

[garhkal]

Of the existing 100 tonners.  I have never liked the Annihilator.  Yes it can pump out some decent damage.  BUT so can an awesome, stalker, atlas or king crab.  And imo all those mechs do it better.

[SteelRaven]

The Annihilator was very much a shock and awe mech. When it first appeared, very few people expected get hit with 4X AC/10s (ANH-1A) or 4X PPCs (ANH-1E) or 5X Gauss Rifles (Gausszilla) leading up to the 4th SW but yeah, there are other designs more well rounded and optimized (Awesome 9Q)   

[SCC]

What's so good about LB-X's in urban terrain? It sounds like a war crime waiting to happen. And their more useful against vehicles

[Kotetsu]

Well, if the fighter cover doesn't see you until they are right on top of you...  >:D

[Weirdo]

What's so good about LB-X's in urban terrain? It sounds like a war crime waiting to happen. And their more useful against vehicles

Your post poses a question and answers it at the same time. I admire your efficiency.

[SCC]

Yes, it's good for anti-vehicle work, but that doesn't make it an urban fighter, it fact it's worse then the UrbanMech because it lacks JJs

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Two jump jets aren't really good for anything except pulling a 180 or going down in elevation.

[A. Lurker]

Two jump jets aren't really good for anything except pulling a 180 or going down in elevation.

They get you over a stock two-level building in one phase, instead of having to go around or crash through it. Most city maps will still have higher buildings on them, of course, but it nonetheless helps.

I'll agree that just being slow doesn't in and of itself make the Annihilator a good urban combatant -- if anything, it's easier to outflank there since like every other 'Mech it has to be careful about running on pavement. If you can park one at one end of a long street that enemies have to come along, okay, but in general it won't be able to make much of its main guns' range in a city.

[Wrangler]

Jump Jets on Annihilator just makes it completely able to do the ''UrbanMech shuffle'' while it's taking on foes. Mobility and scarying small children as it flies through the air with grace of a ton load of bricks.

[Weirdo]

Being slow doesn't make the Annihilator a dangerous urban combatant. Having the ability to shred any non-mech opponent(and do a serious number on most mechs) with two score submunitions plus lasers makes the Annihilator a dangerous urban combatant.

[A. Lurker]

Being slow doesn't make the Annihilator a dangerous urban combatant. Having the ability to shred any non-mech opponent(and do a serious number on most mechs) with two score submunitions plus lasers makes the Annihilator a dangerous urban combatant.

Well...any non-'Mech opponent that hasn't found a convenient building to hide out in, anyway. Cluster shot tends not to penetrate those well. :)

[Weirdo]

Which is why dual-purpose guns are awesome.

[A. Lurker]

Honestly, what makes the Annihilator a poor urban fighter are its low speed and lack of jump jets. With buildings to block its lanes of fire left, right, and center it can't make use of its guns' range the way it could in more open terrain and it's easy to avoid while it's stumbling around trying to find an enemy to engage. This is the 'Mech UrbanMech pilots (whose machines can at least jump a bit and find parking spots on the occasional rooftop that a heavier machine would just crash through) have to tell to keep up, after all...

Can it make an adequate turret if it just so happens to occupy the exact right position? Sure. But that can be said about pretty much any 100-tonner, and most of them have other uses on top of that.

[UnLimiTeD]

Well, yeah, but few of them can mount that much firepower.
Theoretically, at least.
I mean, that's kind of the point of walking turrets. You sacrifice mobility, you sure don't gain durability, so there's only guns left to settle the score.