BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Game Systems => Ground Combat => Topic started by: Colt Ward on 20 February 2013, 04:59:26
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Looking at another topic I mentioned how I looked forward to the Merkava IX getting becoming the IXA/B/C/whatever or the X if it was upgraded to MMLs & HFF.
Upon closer examination . . . except for operational range, why would you want a LFE in the tank instead of a Fuel Cell?
I have not looked at Objectives FWL, but with the way the proto-states are strapped for gear wouldn't the cheaper engine in the Merkava be better? leave the LFE for Steiner imports or SFE upgrades?
Does a MML upgrade make sense? or even a HFF upgrade?
Seperate line of thought . . . would not upgrading all your line combat vehicles armor to HFF make sense?
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Upon closer examination . . . except for operational range, why would you want a LFE in the tank instead of a Fuel Cell?
As a spare for your 'Mechs that use a Light Engine?
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Regulans are very offensive-minded folk, and don't appear to really be cash-strapped. They're short on factories, but seem willing to get those factories to pump out the best stuff they can(with the exception of the Sarissa). Since they seem to be building for offensive operations, it makes sense to have fusion-powered MBTs, so you don't have to bring fuel with you.
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Alright, I can accept that Weirdo (except for that militia mech quality issue). What about swapping MMLs for the SSRM & LRMs and upgrading to HFF armor?
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FCE also tend to go BOOM and don't come with free HS's
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. . . Merkava do not need HS?
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Don't fuel cells come with one HS? And no energy weapons, no HS needed for vees.
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I would add an infantry bay in any upgrade :)
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Alright, I can accept that Weirdo (except for that militia mech quality issue). What about swapping MMLs for the SSRM & LRMs and upgrading to HFF armor?
IMO every vehicle upgrade should include HHF armor unless space is too constrained. Yes it is much more expensive than standard or FF armor but compared to the total cost of the vehicle it is still extremely cheap as upgrades go. And for tanks that use missiles you CANNOT beat the versatility of the MML. The Mk. IX has a LRM 15 and a SSRM 4 with a total of 3 tons of ammo (2 LRM / 1 SSRM.) Replace that with 3 MML 5 and you still have 15 LRM tubes but now you also have 15 SRM tubes plus you have an extra ton to upgrade to 4 tons of ammo if desired. I haven't seen the MML version but I assume they either did that or they applied the difference to the armor.
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Don't fuel cells come with one HS? And no energy weapons, no HS needed for vees.
Compared to the 10 a Fusion engine comes with? And remember that FCE's also require power amps
Missed this before, LFE's are tournament legal and FCE aren't, plus for a 75 ton, 4/6 move tank the LFE is actually lighter by 1 ton
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Oh? I did not know that, good thing to learn. MMLs & HFF it is then!
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Compared to the 10 a Fusion engine comes with? And remember that FCE's also require power amps
And again, canon Merkavas don't use energy weapons. Ergo, no heat sinks or power amp required.
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Infinite free electricity?
Proposed future energy upgrade that fell through?
New Toy Syndrome?
IMO every vehicle upgrade should include HHF armor unless space is too constrained. Yes it is much more expensive than standard or FF armor but compared to the total cost of the vehicle it is still extremely cheap as upgrades go.
There's a reason I call that stuff 'tanker crack'. Considering bricklike armor is a major advantage of tracked vehicles, and 'space too constrained' will never happen (unless building <25t and/or boating minimum-size missile racks)...
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If you intend to take your tank anyplace further than a few hundred kilometers from a fuel dump, a fusion engine makes life easier. You even lose the vulnerability of fuel cell vehicles to the loss of their central fusion-powered hydrogen generator and fuel tankers. Fuel independence is great for tanks taken to other star systems, too, because the logistics chain are even worse.
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tbh, putting fusion engines in pretty much anything might save you more than it costs. the bottleneck is producing such high technology in large enough quantities to manage it.
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The whole 'Fusion engines are rare and that's what stopping us from build more 'Mechs' has been crumbling pretty much from day one, now shortages of certain ratings used only by a single weight of 'Mechs might make that SEEM true, but the Merkava uses a Vlar 300, the second most produced Fusion engine in the IS (Behind the Vlar 300 XL)
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The whole 'Fusion engines are rare and that's what stopping us from build more 'Mechs' has been crumbling pretty much from day one, now shortages of certain ratings used only by a single weight of 'Mechs might make that SEEM true, but the Merkava uses a Vlar 300, the second most produced Fusion engine in the IS (Behind the Vlar 300 XL)
And with that many 'Mechs demanding engines and parts...