Talk to me about: The Chimera

[Gorgon]

I randomly though about this Mech yesterday. I don't think I ever used it in the tabletop, but I remember it from it's first appearance in MW4.

Taking another look at it, it seems like a decent skirmisher / sniper, although any other type of missile system instead of the MRMs would be a better fit for such a role. So another thought occurred to me: how does it perform in a combined arms environment, supporting infantry and tanks? It's fast and could support a wide front, it can add some long reach concentrated firepower to infantry formations. And the MRM could perform decently in a mine clearing or demolition role.


Thoughts, opinions, experience with this design? (not limited to the 1S)

[Empyrus]

It is a cheaper (BV and C-bills) Phoenix Hawk.
6/9/6 movement profile, just a bit less mass, similar armor. Trades some energy weaponry for MRM-20, giving it overall more firepower at the expense of some accuracy and range. With 24 shots, you can fire with abandon even at poor TNs.
Generally speaking what the Pixie does, so does the Chimera.
IMO slightly easier to control the heat than some of 3050s Pixies, lack two ERLLs does that.
The machine gun is annoying waste, really should have small pulse laser or flamer there but i suppose back when the Chimera was converted from MWIV to tabletop, MGs were the only weapon to actually get damage bonus vs infantry (plus MWIV conversion, constrained by that).
You need 100-200 BV free, replace a Pixie with the Chimera and you don't lose much.

I don't really see this the Chimera as a support 'Mech any more or differently than a Pixie is. A raider and a backstabber, heavily armed scout (perhaps the muscle in a scout lance in case they run into trouble). The MRM-20 does have coincidental use for suppression and mine clearing but that's merely extra bonus.
I suppose it would work as a roving support in a wider front... not sure i'll ever see a game on tabletop big enough this would be relevant role though.

[Fat Guy]

Empyrus covered the 1S pretty well. The C is just a 1S that trades the MGs and ammo for a C3 slave.

Which brings us to the final variant (and my personal favorite): the 2K. This thing is a backstabber supreme. Speed is increased to 7/11/7 (8/12 when the TSM is hot). Weapons include a snubbie, 4 mediums, a small, a small pulse and a sword. This gives you multiple options to heat it to the sweet spot quickly, and keep it there no matter how you move. And since you'll be right behind someone anyway, there's a C3 slave to help out your lancemates. At 1,528 it's the most expensive Chimera by far, but worth it in my opinion.

[Empyrus]

Asymmetric jump jets, eww.

[Hellraiser]

I really like the C version that drops the MG for C3S.    Makes the MRMs way more effective.

As mentioned above, run it like a Pixie in with a fast medium lance & it serves well.

[wantec]

Asymmetric jump jets, eww.

Not much that could be done about that when there was an XL Gyro unless you drop it to only 6 JJ.

[Empyrus]

Not much that could be done about that when there was an XL Gyro unless you drop it to only 6 JJ.

Yes, and that would have been my solution.
Not really a fan of 7+ jumpers anyway, fighting high TMMs is so annoying.

Now, ignoring this annoyance, i suppose the 2K is pretty good as a energy-TSM-melee 'Mech, though the sword does only 10 points even with TSM.
Unfortunately the 2K falls to that category of variants that deviate too much from the original's style for me.

[Hellraiser]

Are you sure about the 10 points?

I'm pretty sure TSM on 55 ton mechs does 12, not 11.
It's double punch, not "same as kick"

Under that rational, the Sword doing Punch+1 is 6 w/ double being 12.

[wantec]

Are you sure about the 10 points?

I'm pretty sure TSM on 55 ton mechs does 12, not 11.
It's double punch, not "same as kick"

Under that rational, the Sword doing Punch+1 is 6 w/ double being 12.

Are you thinking of a different Mech? The Chimera is only 40 tons. The Sword does 5 damage, 10 with active TSM. Not enough to take off a head, but enough to go internal if it hits the head.

[SteelRaven]

It is a cheaper (BV and C-bills) Phoenix Hawk.
6/9/6 movement profile, just a bit less mass, similar armor. Trades some energy weaponry for MRM-20, giving it overall more firepower at the expense of some accuracy and range. With 24 shots, you can fire with abandon even at poor TNs.
Generally speaking what the Pixie does, so does the Chimera.
IMO slightly easier to control the heat than some of 3050s Pixies, lack two ERLLs does that.
The machine gun is annoying waste, really should have small pulse laser or flamer there but i suppose back when the Chimera was converted from MWIV to tabletop, MGs were the only weapon to actually get damage bonus vs infantry (plus MWIV conversion, constrained by that).
You need 100-200 BV free, replace a Pixie with the Chimera and you don't lose much.

I don't really see this the Chimera as a support 'Mech any more or differently than a Pixie is. A raider and a backstabber, heavily armed scout (perhaps the muscle in a scout lance in case they run into trouble). The MRM-20 does have coincidental use for suppression and mine clearing but that's merely extra bonus.
I suppose it would work as a roving support in a wider front... not sure i'll ever see a game on tabletop big enough this would be relevant role though.

This,
MRM designs make allot more sense when you think of them as a cheap alternative to LB-X vs the other Missile Systems.
I don't know why Fasa refused to give up on slapping MGs on new units  but at least TW optional Rapid Five rules gives you more options.

I think the 1C really demonstrates how it was meant to be used, the C3S allowing it to team up with bigger guns like the Gunslinger.

The 2K is interesting. I'm not too concern with the Swords damage output as you got enough close range fire power to to force a PSR, the Sword is just a little more on top of that if you are going full "Lerrrrroy!" within bayonet range (shoot, stab, kick) It's defiantly the type of design to encourage aggressive play style.   

[Colt Ward]

The Chimera initially stays true to it's roots . . . a low end jack of all trades made to be sold on the market to fill in losses b/c you cannot afford something better.  Same vein as the Lineholder, Watchman/Sentry, and a few others of the time.

[Hellraiser]

Are you thinking of a different Mech? The Chimera is only 40 tons. The Sword does 5 damage, 10 with active TSM. Not enough to take off a head, but enough to go internal if it hits the head.

My bad, I was thinking it was 45t, like the Pixie, not 40.   
It's the Hellspawn that is 45.  Those 3060+ mediums start to blur together.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Not remotely helped by the Hellspawn and Chimera (along with the Thanatos, Argus, and Osiris) sharing the same blocky design aesthetic due to having been designed for Mechwarrior IV.

[Colt Ward]

Box on shoulder, Barrel on shoulder, Box in hand, Box for Arm, barrel on legs . . .

[Rince Wind]

Do the barrel roll!
(after recieving 20 damage)

[17thRecon]

Not remotely helped by the Hellspawn and Chimera (along with the Thanatos, Argus, and Osiris) sharing the same blocky design aesthetic due to having been designed for Mechwarrior IV.

That group of Mechs you list I have a day by day relationship with; one day I like the style, the next I hate the style. The Chimera has that barrel that I assume is the MRM launcher, but looks like it fires disks of Tron from the center slot. And until about five posts in, I had the images of the Hellspawn and Chimera swapped in my head (thinking the article was about the wrong Mech).

With that said, it does appear to be a speedy harasser/backstabber, or good muscle for a recon lance.

[Arkansas Warrior]

It’s too bad the Chimera predates MMLs.  An MML-9 wouldn’t be a bad replacement for that blasted MRM.

[five_corparty]

It’s too bad the Chimera predates MMLs.  An MML-9 wouldn’t be a bad replacement for that blasted MRM.

I would loooove a ilClan TRO focused on nothing but the 3060s mechs. :-)

[Alex Keller]

Yeah, I was initially resistant to changing the artwork for all of the designs but I'm in favor now.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

It’s too bad the Chimera predates MMLs.  An MML-9 wouldn’t be a bad replacement for that blasted MRM.

I'm rather surprised it didn't get such an upgrade in Record Sheets 3067 Unabridged.

[Hellraiser]

It’s too bad the Chimera predates MMLs.  An MML-9 wouldn’t be a bad replacement for that blasted MRM.

Hmm, IDK, I like MML but the C3S model w/ MRM is not a bad combo at all.

[wantec]

It’s too bad the Chimera predates MMLs.  An MML-9 wouldn’t be a bad replacement for that blasted MRM.

As the designer of the -2K I had also submitted a similar version that went for the 7/11/7 speed, XL gyro, twin Medium VSPLs and an MML-7 with 2 tons of ammo and LFF armor. I didn't have any say in what was picked to be published, but the -2K I think had more flavor to it than the MML version.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

You mean the stabby variant?

[Colt Ward]

I wonder if the old MRM toting Chimera would be a good heavy/assault armor hunter in the Chaos March after it came out.

The tank-hunting Chimera would be going after Po HTs, Brutus, Bulldogs, Zhukovs, Partisans, and maybe some Demolishers.  None of those tanks are going to have pulse to defend against someone getting close, the Po/Zhuk/Demo would not be LBX variants . . . the MRM20 has a chance at 4 hits for crit chances but can sill put out some damage to start wearing through the armor.  The +1 TH off the MRM is compensated for since those heavy & assault tanks are going to get +1 or +2 TH at best for their movement.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I wonder if the old MRM toting Chimera would be a good heavy/assault armor hunter in the Chaos March after it came out.

The tank-hunting Chimera would be going after Po HTs, Brutus, Bulldogs, Zhukovs, Partisans, and maybe some Demolishers.  None of those tanks are going to have pulse to defend against someone getting close, the Po/Zhuk/Demo would not be LBX variants . . . the MRM20 has a chance at 4 hits for crit chances but can sill put out some damage to start wearing through the armor.  The +1 TH off the MRM is compensated for since those heavy & assault tanks are going to get +1 or +2 TH at best for their movement.

It doesn’t have enough armor to do that. Maybe against a hetzer or other no turret city vees.

[Colt Ward]

It can get a +3 for it's movement, against one of the tanks I mentioned . . . say it is just cruising that is a +4 TH for the tank crew leaving minimums aside.  The tank crews in the Chaos March would not start off elite, so skills would balance . . . and with MRMs you trade TH for damage.

Never suggesting get closer than 3 hexes on a Demo unless they are standing on it though.