Author Topic: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth  (Read 22980 times)

BATTLEMASTER

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #30 on: 22 November 2021, 09:28:33 »
I really appreciate the effort going into canonizing 'mech configurations previously exclusive to the computer games!  :thumbsup:
BATTLEMASTER
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XenopusTex

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #31 on: 23 November 2021, 23:20:23 »
Looking at these guys, the 5 could be really useful in the combined arms era that the setting now finds itself in.  Sort of like a proto Malice-XT done right.  Actually like the build.  Call me a heretic, but I'd almost have preferred LB 2-X with some additional backup weapons to keep the riff-raff off.  For general vehicle parking and aircraft lawndarting, range is king :)

The one with the unholy number of pulse lasers may be a product of the PC game mechanics.  I remember from MW4, and possibly from MW2, that chain/sequential firing of energy weapons generated less heat than firing all of the energy weapons together.  There really isn't a mechanic for that in the table top; staggered volley fire doesn't really cover it either. 

A star of 2 x (1) and 1 x (3) and 2 x (5) could make for some *nasty* hole punching + ranged crit-seeking action.  Total of eight CLPL with four of 'em tar comp'ed; four clan gauss rifles; eight CLB-5x autocannon; twelve CERML's; and the two ATM-9's for window dressing (and HE ammo).  In all honesty, I would probably save the GR/ATM ammo for "priority" targets, the LB 5-X ammo for vehicles, and just use the energy weapon components of that mix. 

Jal Phoenix

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #32 on: 30 November 2021, 11:23:08 »
The 8 is actually the original Stone Rhino as submitted by the writer some 30ish years ago. There must have been open questions RE targeting computers in those early days, because it featured twin smaller ones, one in each arm.

Not just the early days. The Targeting Computer had vague wording about its requirements all the way up until the BMR Revised in 2001. All it ever said from it's first appearance in TRO 3050 in 89 up to the BMRr was that it weighed a certain amount for all the weapons it controlled. Granted, every published example had the TC weight set as if it controlled all direct fire weapons, but the construction rules never called for that until 2001.

kindalas

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #33 on: 11 December 2021, 16:15:33 »
Not just the early days. The Targeting Computer had vague wording about its requirements all the way up until the BMR Revised in 2001. All it ever said from it's first appearance in TRO 3050 in 89 up to the BMRr was that it weighed a certain amount for all the weapons it controlled. Granted, every published example had the TC weight set as if it controlled all direct fire weapons, but the construction rules never called for that until 2001.

The BattleTech Compendium published in 1994 on pages 120-121 says "For every five tons or fraction therof of direct-fire weapons it will control, the targeting computer requires 1 ton and 1 critical space."

I can't find my earlier rule book with the Madcat and the busted open Elemental on the cover to see if it had that phrasing for the construction rules but the rules for the Targeting Computer had been revised compared to the previous rule book.

Edit: The BattleTech Compendium from 1990 specifies direct fire weapons for its construction rules.
« Last Edit: 11 December 2021, 16:18:29 by kindalas »

Jal Phoenix

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #34 on: 11 December 2021, 17:00:58 »
The BattleTech Compendium published in 1994 on pages 120-121 says "For every five tons or fraction therof of direct-fire weapons it will control, the targeting computer requires 1 ton and 1 critical space."

I can't find my earlier rule book with the Madcat and the busted open Elemental on the cover to see if it had that phrasing for the construction rules but the rules for the Targeting Computer had been revised compared to the previous rule book.

Edit: The BattleTech Compendium from 1990 specifies direct fire weapons for its construction rules.

Yes, and the words "it will control" create the confusion, because nowhere does it say that the Targeting Computer must control all of the direct fire weapons mounted on the 'Mech. So until the BMRr clarified it, you could build a 'Mech with two Large Pulse Lasers and two Gauss Rifles, but only have the lasers controlled by a Targeting Computer. Which is what the unpublished Behemoth did.

Sjhernan3060

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #35 on: 28 December 2021, 13:40:42 »
Eesh, I dunno. The original Stone Rhino never really did it for me, it fell into that category of secondline 'Mechs that I felt were too good compared to your standard Clan Omni. Whether that's true or not is up for debate, but it's certainly the first impression that I got. I think it's why I prefer the Stone Rhino 2.

The new ones are...weird. I'm with cold1 on this one, never used them, don't really want to. The 4 looks...quirky, to say the least, while the 5 is pretty much a different flavor of Malice while the 6 is just plain stupid. Like honestly, there's no way I could field one with a straight face.

In universe was it only the jags who built it?

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #36 on: 28 December 2021, 14:29:26 »
Originally yes, but the Hell's Horses started building it after the fall of the Jags.
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Sjhernan3060

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #37 on: 02 January 2022, 14:16:37 »
Originally yes, but the Hell's Horses started building it after the fall of the Jags.

Got it thanks!

RifleMech

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #38 on: 06 February 2022, 16:47:17 »
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/2/23/Matar.png The Matar, the original prototype for the Stone Rhino and closest to the the Standard versions looks that are UNSEEN now.
(snip)
As always any comments and criticism are most welcome!

Very cool! Thanks  :thumbsup:  Do we know where the name Matar came from? It was a surprise to me. I thought Amaris's Folly was called Behemoth.


Yes, and the words "it will control" create the confusion, because nowhere does it say that the Targeting Computer must control all of the direct fire weapons mounted on the 'Mech. So until the BMRr clarified it, you could build a 'Mech with two Large Pulse Lasers and two Gauss Rifles, but only have the lasers controlled by a Targeting Computer. Which is what the unpublished Behemoth did.

I miss that interpretation.

BATTLEMASTER

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #39 on: 06 February 2022, 17:13:08 »
Very cool! Thanks  :thumbsup:  Do we know where the name Matar came from? It was a surprise to me. I thought Amaris's Folly was called Behemoth.

"Matar" is the Spanish verb meaning "to kill".
BATTLEMASTER
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If you like Lego, you'll like my Lego battlemech projects!

RifleMech

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Re: The (Second) Mech of the Week - Stone Rhino aka Behemoth
« Reply #40 on: 06 February 2022, 17:27:14 »
"Matar" is the Spanish verb meaning "to kill".

Cool. Thanks  :thumbsup:

 

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