’Mech of the Week: CDG-** Cudgel

[Kotetsu]

’Mech of the Week: CDG-** Cudgel

The Cudgel is perhaps the first canon BattleMech to mount the extremely potent mace on its frame. It is also, at 80 tons, the heaviest machine that can mount one according to the rules in Tactical Operations.

I must admit that I have had this article muddling around in my head for some time. As well as some discomfort. This is because of one weapon system that the variants in 3055 Upgrade mounts: the claw. And a rule that our local gaming group has been using with said equipment, which does not appear in Tactical Operations (I do not own Maximum Tech, so perhaps it is in there).

This rule our Game Master used to great effect with the CDG-2A. In effect, when someone hits with a claw attack, they can choose to latch on. Which has the effect of allowing you to go with your opponent (as long as he doesn’t jump) for no movement modifier, and to automatically hit with any future weapon’s fire.

When he latched onto our side’s Nightsky and proceeded to beat it to death with the “rock” in its other hand, it was rather… excessive. (There was also a variant rule where any ’Mech mounting claws on the figure could get them for free. I’m looking at you two, Pillager and Kodiak.)

Enough of potential (extremely broken) house rules.

The original Solaris Box Set variant of the Cudgel is the CDG-1B. Based on the chassis of the Charger, this machine uses the same engine as the CGR-3K model, a 400 extralight, with the addition of MASC to allow for speeds faster than any other 80-tonner of its time. The CDG-1B also uses an endo-steel skeleton. Standard plate was used to provide 93% of maximum coverage. Save for the head, all front locations can withstand a close-range Heavy Gauss slug without breach, and two standard Gauss slugs to each leg or center torso. Rear areas can take a large laser blast (or a PPC to the center rear).

Aside from the eight-ton mace attached to the left arm, the CDG-1B mounts a small pulse laser in each side torso, as well as a left-torso mounted 6-pack SRM. The rest of the weaponry consists of ten machine guns mounted in the side torsos (six left, four right). All of the ammunition is stored in the center torso, meaning that the pilot could find himself shot into orbit from a Golden BB. Fourteen double heat sinks more than adequately deal with the heat generated by the weapons. (Unless the dueling rules pump the heat up to obscene levels.)

Years later, the designers returned to the Cudgel to use more advanced materials (though most are Total Warfare legal), to create the CDG-2A model. While maintaining the mace and extralight engine, the rest has been completely rebuilt. Light Ferro-fibrous armor was used, buffing the protection to maximum. Instead of MASC, triple-strength myomer was used, making the mace even more devastating, on par with the hatchet from the BRZ-C3 Berserker. A small cockpit was also installed. The right arm now mounts a claw, which is also a significant threat under active TSM. Eleven heat sinks were mounted, which is adequate for the design’s purposes. Twin extended mediums were placed in each side torso, along with twin standard mediums, one pointing forward, the other back. Another medium laser was mounted in the head, and a rear-firing small laser was placed in the center torso.

The final variant, the CDG-2B removes the standard lasers and one heat sink from the -2A. Replacing them is an additional extended medium in the centerline, and a 6-pack Streak SRM launcher in the head. One ton of ammunition is in the un-CASEd right torso.

Using one is a simple matter: charge in and lay waste to your enemies with massive strikes from your mace. These machines were designed to wade through enemy fire to land those devastating blows. Frankly, since the longest range on any of the variants is twelve hexes, you will always be at a disadvantage in a shooting contest. If any smaller fool happens into your melee range, crush him like the bug he is. With the TSM variants mind your heat, but do not be afraid to go slightly over your target number (9), since you are still faster than most assaults (and many a heavy).

Fighting one of these beasts also boils down to a couple simple tactics. The first is to bury it in ordinance. While Gauss Rifles are one of the weapons of choice for my group (seriously, I think only the number of Plasma Rifles I tote around outnumber the Gausses), Heavy PPCs (and Clan ER PPCs) are also useful. If you have access to a Bane 3, burying it in LRM fire is also good. (Though I might choose the Bane 1 just to annoy my opponent with Ultra/2 fire. As well as trying to get those nice Center Torso possibles on the original model.)

The other option is to fight like with like. Bringing melee ’Mechs and meeting in the middle in a gladiator battle of old is always a useful tactic. Especially since you are likely going to close with each other. That is not to say just sending one is always good. Two or three ’Mechs ganging up is also good (especially if you are using smaller machines). Of course, the TSM Berserker is also a good choice. You have more armor, are only slightly slower, and your axe hits as hard as his mace. You also have more weaponry and range than him.

[monty]

The rules for claws were in MapPack Solaris VII. They are 1 ton & 1 crit per 15 tons of the mech & replace the hand actuator. They attack as a punch with a penalty of +1 to hit doing 1 point of dmg per 7 tons of the mech (rounding up). You can mount 1 per arm & attack witth both in the same round as with punches. They are also penalised if you try 7 lift items with them or make club attacks with an improvised club. No latching rule that I'm aware of unless the weapons been redone since, though it it is a great rule ( Ilovev the image of a mech furiously backpedaling away dragging the Cudgel with it while being repeatedly bludgeoned).

[Neufeld]

The 2A is the most brutal and fearsome melee mech out there. 5/8 + mace + TSM is scary.

[Marveryn]

The 2A is the most brutal and fearsome melee mech out there. 5/8 + mace + TSM is scary.

the latch rule was in one of the old booklet fill with error and inconsistancy can't remeber what it call but it dealt with advance rules like arty and had the first rules for the double blind .. am to lazy to go and get it right now can't remeber where i put it

[blitzy]

the only problem I saw with the 2A was the claw.  I didn't think you could employ a mace and a claw at the same time, sort of like a hatchet.

[Isanova]

I think the latch-on rule was either the old Tactical Operations or Maximum Tech (or both) Though I recall it meant you were "attached/grappled" and neither mech could move. You can choose to release your grip, or he can try a pilot roll to get you off. When attached, both of you have an obvious advantage at shooting eachother (being at 0 range) One downside is (IIRC) you can't keep your claws in him and make another physical attack, but he can punch/kick/whatever you.

One of my daydreams is a TSM, Claw-equipped, XL version of the old Liao model Charger. erLL for fire at range, and a bevey of plan SL's (and a TC) for after you latch onto him. A bit evil though >:)

[Neufeld]

the latch rule was in one of the old booklet fill with error and inconsistancy can't remeber what it call but it dealt with advance rules like arty and had the first rules for the double blind .. am to lazy to go and get it right now can't remeber where i put it

I did not mention any latch rule at all.

[monty]

The original claw rules were in the old Tactical Handbook. Back then a claw was installed & used in the same way as a hatchet but hit on punch locations, did 1 dmg. per 5 tons of your mech & grabbed hold of the enemy mech. Additional attacks against the target had a -2 to hit modifier until the attacker misses or the enemy mech escapes the claws grab. The target also got the -2 modifier against the mech holding him. He escaped by destroying the claw or making a piloting roll at the begining of the movement phase modified by the difference in their piloting skills.

While claws were way too good IMHO the cudgel could do with some rule as its claw/mace combo is pointless at present. You can use too claws together but not a claw  mace in the same round.

[Marveryn]

The original claw rules were in the old Tactical Handbook. Back then a claw was installed & used in the same way as a hatchet but hit on punch locations, did 1 dmg. per 5 tons of your mech & grabbed hold of the enemy mech. Additional attacks against the target had a -2 to hit modifier until the attacker misses or the enemy mech escapes the claws grab. The target also got the -2 modifier against the mech holding him. He escaped by destroying the claw or making a piloting roll at the begining of the movement phase modified by the difference in their piloting skills.

While claws were way too good IMHO the cudgel could do with some rule as its claw/mace combo is pointless at present. You can use too claws together but not a claw  mace in the same round.

which bring us to cool vs game play.  much like the marauder center autocannon or for that matter battlemaster ppc that drop while it may look cool it doesn't match with an actually game.  Cudgal suffer from having to melee weapons and only about to hit with just one making the second weapon nothing but a waste of tons.  In the other hand the picture look better for it.  while cudgal isn't the only offender of this offense nor will most likely be the last it does negate what would be a decent close range brawler which is perfect in areana combat.

[A. Lurker]

I find myself vaguely tempted to make face-palming gestures at the -2A and -2B models. Here we have a 'Mech designed to employ a mace in close combat -- a potentially devastating but fairly clumsy melee weapon that forces a nontrivial PSR to avoid landing your own machine on its shiny metal keister each time it misses, mind you --, and some genius went and installed a small cockpit in it to make said PSR even more difficult when, not if, it comes up? What. The. Generic. Expletive? :o

In lights of that I can almost excuse the claw even if it doesn't work well together with the mace as such. At least it offers a shot at increased damage (and at 12 points on an 80-tonner before TSM, a chance at a straight headcap) if you decide not to risk it and to just punch instead...

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The original claw rules were in the old Tactical Handbook. Back then a claw was installed & used in the same way as a hatchet but hit on punch locations, did 1 dmg. per 5 tons of your mech & grabbed hold of the enemy mech. Additional attacks against the target had a -2 to hit modifier until the attacker misses or the enemy mech escapes the claws grab. The target also got the -2 modifier against the mech holding him. He escaped by destroying the claw or making a piloting roll at the begining of the movement phase modified by the difference in their piloting skills.

While claws were way too good IMHO the cudgel could do with some rule as its claw/mace combo is pointless at present. You can use too claws together but not a claw  mace in the same round.

IIRC, the Mace in Tactical Handbook dealt something like 2 points of damage per every 5 tons of the mech, vs the 1 point for every 4 tons the TacOps rules had.

Overall, I feel that yeah, the Mace probably falls into the "awesome looking but practically worthless" category of weaponry.  It currently only does a little more damage than the Hatchet, but it's got a +2 penalty to the attack roll vs the Hatchet and carries the problematic PSR or fall over penalty if it misses.

I'd probably be willing to use a Cudgel variant that mounted 2 Claws and a Standard Cockpit with TSM and 5/8 movement, but as it is the current offerings are rather painful under TacOps rules.