Good BA in 31xx (or any era)

[mcjomar]

As BA becomes a thing in the IS, I'm wondering what would make particularly good (and aesthetically good, ideally, so I have something nice to paint) choices for BA.
I've purchased 4 marauder BA, but I'm thinking I should look for BA that has hands, based on the assumption that some troopers might want to make use of hands for all the usual reasons (mostly stealing things that aren't/are nailed down so that it can be taken back to their respective leaders/employers).
Are there any good suggestions for:
31xx
3025 (I doubt it)
3050
3075
(so I can cover the eras - bonus if the armour is good enough that it can cover multiple eras and still be nasty on the tabletop - extra bonus if it's also good in alpha strike).

I'm not any kind of expert when it comes to BA, so not sure what I'm looking for.
I only picked the marauder BA because it looks pretty in any event.

[Colt Ward]

Its hard to be the gold standard, the classic Clan Elemental.  With a modular weapons mount it can adapt to changes in BA weapons- as can be seen when they put on the AP Gauss.

For the rest, it sort of comes down to what you want it to do and what faction?

3050s in the IS, you are mostly looking at the IS Std which is a knock off of the Elemental.  It gets dated, but like the Clan Elemental it can sort of keep up with the times.  The Raiden and Cavaliers are faction specific versions that are for game purposes nearly identical . . . except the Cavalier is the ONLY IS BA that can jump while it still has missiles.  This is b/c they are placed in the arm rather than on a backpack.

By 3100 a lot of the first and second generations of BA have spread about sort of like mechs, but each faction retains their own specific BA models they have exclusively.

[The_Livewire]

I've always been biased to the Infiltrator II.  It's a stealthed portable SRM 1-6 pack. :-)

[Brakiel]

Can't go wrong with the standard Elemental.

Outside of that, I'm a fan of the Cuchulainn ("it can shoot how far?!?"), the Djinn and Tengu from WoB's Demon series (more for aesthetics), and the Kanazuchi.

[Saint]

For 31xx I like the Ravager LRM and Marauder BA. Both have solid firepower and armor, but are slow so keep them near some cover or get them good transports.

[Col Toda]

My favorite is the Void BA w Mag Shot instead of support PPC. Jumps 4 with stealth armor best as an unseen spotter. For area denile Kanazuchi.

[The Eagle]

I have always and will always advocate for the Achileus.  3 jump, improved stealth, and TAG: it's a recipe for semiguided fun!

[Sartris]

I have always and will always advocate for the Achileus.  3 jump, improved stealth, and TAG: it's a recipe for semiguided fun!

One of my favorites. There is also a Kage squad with tag that jumps 4.

Also Fenrir

[Foxx Ital]

Golem, Rogue Bear, Kobold iic, Ogre, Specter, elemental(bar), Marauder

[mcjomar]

I'm primarily looking at IS, whatever is widely available and good, with hands, biped style.

Secondarily though, for more specific considerations, Kurita (Ryuken) and Davion (1DBoG) with mercenary and/or RotS (as well as all previous) once we're discussing 31xx rather than earlier eras.

Spectre looks good for 31xx alternative to the marauder BA I got (as that would be two lots of nice-n-generic armour for use with pretty much any faction in that era).
Sadly there's no model for that yet, so I guess I'll wait it out.
For pre-31xx, I guess the standard armour would work.
Kobold might also work - is it used outside of Rasalhague/Clan Ghost Bear?

[Colt Ward]

Republic does IIRC, since they essentially have a little bit of everything.

For BA you actually want to stay away from both arms having 'hands,' or technically what it sounds like you are looking for is armored gloves.  The battle claws are more functional and give a greater spread of abilities IMO.  Gloves are good if you want to pick up infantry weapons or need to manipulate more delicate things.

[snewsom2997]

I'm primarily looking at IS, whatever is widely available and good, with hands, biped style.

Secondarily though, for more specific considerations, Kurita (Ryuken) and Davion (1DBoG) with mercenary and/or RotS (as well as all previous) once we're discussing 31xx rather than earlier eras.

Spectre looks good for 31xx alternative to the marauder BA I got (as that would be two lots of nice-n-generic armour for use with pretty much any faction in that era).
Sadly there's no model for that yet, so I guess I'll wait it out.
For pre-31xx, I guess the standard armour would work.
Kobold might also work - is it used outside of Rasalhague/Clan Ghost Bear?

Fa Shih, not just two hands but Mine Clearance Manipulators.

[grimlock1]

One of my favorites. There is also a Kage squad with tag that jumps 4.

Also Fenrir

Kage's are quick, slippery little devils, but they are also brittle.  At 5+1, there are a lot of weapons out there that can one-shot a Kage, and the "squad support weapon" setup means that if the squad leader catchs an mpls with their face, the rest of the squad is reduced to swarming or old-school LRM spotting.

Salamanders are damn near unholy!

Fa Shih, not just two hands but Mine Clearance Manipulators.

The mine clearance is almost gravy. Between the mag clamps for riding on vehicles and regular mechs, and the ability to create persistant area denial with minefields, these fellows are a damn good option.

As others have said, the classic Elemental is a dang near perfect.  In that vein, the IS standard and its clones are also pretty good. 

[mcjomar]

Fa Shih, and Kobold look pretty good to my (completely inexperienced with BA) eyes.
Are those viable from inception through to 31xx with pretty much any faction (even davion/kurita)?
Or should I add IS standard, and maybe Longinus to my list for consideration?
Achilleus does look pretty good...

[RoundTop]

Kanazuchi are a nasty surprise.  Slow, but their advanced version packes a punch.

Original has 15 armour, medium laser, and 2 SRM2s, 2 Anti-personnel weapons to wipe out infantry. Only moves 1 hex a turn, but it is hell in a city/forest, especially with hidden units.

[Colt Ward]

I would suggest looking at the MUL or if you have ER/FM 3145 at the RATs, it will give you a idea of factional break down.

[grimlock1]

Fa Shih, and Kobold look pretty good to my (completely inexperienced with BA) eyes.
Are those viable from inception through to 31xx with pretty much any faction (even davion/kurita)?
Or should I add IS standard, and maybe Longinus to my list for consideration?
Achilleus does look pretty good...

I question the value of units with less than 5+1 armor or 7+1 for Clanners.  For IS, 6+1 is better because mplas is a thing.  To be effective, a unit of BA needs endurance.  To that end, each suit needs to be able to survive a hit from the lowest common damage value, 5 for the IS, 7 for the Clans, and stay in the fight. 

The huge difference between IS standard and the classic Elemental isn't so much the ability to carry missiles. It comes down to 1 point of armor. There are 152 direct fire, vehicle mounted weapons. There are only 22 that can one-shot a fresh Elemental. There are only 8 that weigh less than than 10 tons.

That one point difference is the difference between, "damn Toads.  Annoying little buggers!" and "Why won't you die, goramit?"

That said, a squad of Tornados, camped out in a forest, can be equally frustrating to kill. +1 just for being BA, +1 for the forest, +2 for camping with a camo system, and up to +2 for basic stealth.   That's a 40-60% ding in your odds of hitting one of the little so-and-so's. But once you do tag one, say goodnight, Gracie.

[Deadborder]

The Longinus is a nice piece of work; true, it suffers a bit from advancing technology, but it's still a functional IS Battle Armour with both a SRM and a primary weapon. The Magnetic is also a nice piece, albiet a bit short ranged. The Amazon also deserves a mention simply for beign a 10+1 armour IS trooper

While it is fragile and needs transport, the Phalanx D is a nasty piece of work. Dug in or with cover a squad of them provide a vicious roadblock.

[Foxx Ital]

My favorite is ba is the ogre, i have chased off Kojak in a hellstar with a point of them.

[grimlock1]

Lets flip this around...
Aside from really units that were turds from day one, like the Sylph or Grey Death Scout, are there any Battle Armors that have become "obsolete"?

The Elemental is still pretty competitive, even in 3145.

[Ruger]

Lets flip this around...
Aside from really units that were turds from day one, like the Sylph or Grey Death Scout, are there any Battle Armors that have become "obsolete"?

The Elemental is still pretty competitive, even in 3145.

The original Infiltrator and Sloth both basically fall into the turd category, but are also mostly obsolete...

Another may be considered to be the Kage as there are several suits that most would consider to be better at its job than the original version of that unit...

Also, the original Fenrir is basically obsolete next to the Fenrir II, at least IMHO...it may not be able to mount a MPL or ER Medium Laser, or move at 4 MP a round, but it can shrug off a gauss rifle or clan-tech ER PPC or Inner Sphere heavy PPC hit...while still replying with a medium laser...

Ruger

[Kojak]

My favorite is ba is the ogre, i have chased off Kojak in a hellstar with a point of them.

Heh, I remember that game, that was a good one.

[Colt Ward]

Longinus armed with the King David is good if you are using it to hunt other BA & the TacOps rule.  The big problem IMO with the Longinus is that it has SRM launchers . . . which means it needs some help getting around until it has a target worthy of that missile spread.  Its part of the reason I like the Asura's RLs.

Not sure where you get that the Sylph or GDL Scout are crap . . . they were not designed to be troopers in the mud slugging it out.  I knew someone who hates the Sylph b/c of their bombing knocking his assault mech flat- head hits.  I have also managed to take a mech's leg with GDL Scout, and their BV is very very low.

But yeah, I will go with the Infiltrator and Sloth as both being worthless- should have all been consigned to training units.

[grimlock1]

Not sure where you get that the Sylph or GDL Scout are crap . . . they were not designed to be troopers in the mud slugging it out.  I knew someone who hates the Sylph b/c of their bombing knocking his assault mech flat- head hits.  I have also managed to take a mech's leg with GDL Scout, and their BV is very very low.

Maybe I was being too harsh with those examples. The GDL Scout is very fragile, with no stealth systems and comparable weapons to a four person infantry unit. Something like a Hunchback -4P has an excellent chance of wiping an entire squad. Aside from being a bit more mobile, I'm more worried about a platoon of jump infantry.

[DarkISI]

Grenadier is one of the best BA for defensive purposes. Put them in the same hex as your LRM carrier, hidden behind a hill/wall and let's see who is dumb enough to try to take your artillery out ;)

[Ruger]

Maybe I was being too harsh with those examples. The GDL Scout is very fragile, with no stealth systems and comparable weapons to a four person infantry unit. Something like a Hunchback -4P has an excellent chance of wiping an entire squad. Aside from being a bit more mobile, I'm more worried about a platoon of jump infantry.

It's also one of the earliest battle armors...a more modern variant would likely be a lot better...at least, I like to think that my personal version is...

 ;)

Ruger

[Colt Ward]

Maybe I was being too harsh with those examples. The GDL Scout is very fragile, with no stealth systems and comparable weapons to a four person infantry unit. Something like a Hunchback -4P has an excellent chance of wiping an entire squad. Aside from being a bit more mobile, I'm more worried about a platoon of jump infantry.

Yeah, but its purpose is NOT to be fired on by a Hunchback.  Its also a bit of a unfair standard, a -4P is going to wreck the day of a lot of BA it can catch.

[Jellico]

I know someone who escorted Riflemen IICs with Coronas.

[mcjomar]

Welp, for generics, I've got some IS Standard, some longinus and achileus (bought from mercs I presume), and tornado and kobold (probably ditto).
Amazon is currently out of stock.
Spectre has no sculpt.
Between this stuff (a possible future purchase of an Amazon), and the marauder ba, I should be covered for most eras up to 31xx.

(I figured if it's on the mercs RAT, then most people will probably have access, either themselves anyway, or by purchasing from mercs/merc markets, right? (Theft is also an option)).

Mobility is good (most of them), ditto swarm attacks and battle claws (Some have those according to Sarna, yes?), and the longinus is good for defensive work, right? (I made purchases on the grounds of 1 BA model = 1 BA squad for the sake of scale).

[grimlock1]

Yeah, but its purpose is NOT to be fired on by a Hunchback.  Its also a bit of a unfair standard, a -4P is going to wreck the day of a lot of BA it can catch.

What does the GD Scout bring to the table?  It is four guys with rifles.  They can't survive a medium laser. No tag, or NARC.

My original question was about BA's that have faded from use because they just aren't effective on the modern battlefield. If I brought a lance from TRO 3025 to a weight balanced game and everyone else brought gear from 3085, I'm in for an uphill game.

Other than BA's that might be described as "early days weirdness," have any of them fallen out of use due to no longer being effective? 

By 3145, what BA's, regardless of availability, obsolescence or faction, just can't cut the mustard on the modern battlefield?