Protomech of the Month: The Roc

[A. Lurker]

kinda surprised there isn't a Improved medium heavy laser version.

a point of those sound evil as heck for a ambush.

still got range issues like the standard heavy medium but without the targeting issues.

As near as I can tell, battle armor doesn't get to play with improved heavy lasers. Nothing I can find on short notice says they're allowed to use them, and they don't seem to appear on any relevant tables.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Protomechs can use Improved Heavy lasers- the Minotaur variant in Prototypes carries an Improved Heavy Small Laser.  The reason there are no Improved Heavy Medium laser Roc variants is probably because the last round of variants we got for it came out before that weapon moved out of the Experimental category.

[A. Lurker]

Protomechs can use Improved Heavy lasers- the Minotaur variant in Prototypes carries an Improved Heavy Small Laser.  The reason there are no Improved Heavy Medium laser Roc variants is probably because the last round of variants we got for it came out before that weapon moved out of the Experimental category.

...right. I got sidetracked by those posts about the Corona. Protos can use IHLs fine, I just don't think they're established as specifically battle armor gear yet.

[wantec]

...right. I got sidetracked by those posts about the Corona. Protos can use IHLs fine, I just don't think they're established as specifically battle armor gear yet.

I'm not sure about the improved versions, but the standard Heavy Medium and Heavy Small lasers can be used on BA. The problem for the HML is that it's a full 1,000kg, so there's not many BA than can carry that (I think only Assault BA have enough space)

[A. Lurker]

I'm not sure about the improved versions, but the standard Heavy Medium and Heavy Small lasers can be used on BA. The problem for the HML is that it's a full 1,000kg, so there's not many BA than can carry that (I think only Assault BA have enough space)

Sure. Just, TacOps, where the improved versions are found, neither lists "BA" among the units they're available to (which it does for ER pulses and VSPLs) nor has BA equipment stats for them in the relevant table. So, looks like specifically those can't be put onto battle armor unless some development or other I'm unaware of has changed that since.

That's enough of a sidetrack though, I think. This thread is still about the Roc -- whose HML version could indeed be pretty painlessly be upgraded to the improved model. :) (Well...possibly modulo the explosive nature of the new laser. Come to think of it, I don't know for sure if and how Protos do handle an explosive weapon being hit...)

[GreekFire]

Protomechs can use Improved Heavy lasers- the Minotaur variant in Prototypes carries an Improved Heavy Small Laser.  The reason there are no Improved Heavy Medium laser Roc variants is probably because the last round of variants we got for it came out before that weapon moved out of the Experimental category.

Well, we did get the Roc Z that chose to use a Medium Chemical Laser instead. Not a terrible choice at all, but it does reduce its range and firepower a bit compared to the main variants. The swap does save some weight (going from 2250 kg for the ER Medium+Heat Sinks to 1667 kg for the Chem Laser+Ammo), but most of that saved weight goes towards MagClamps that'll be of limited utility in most situations. Ah well.

For Improved Heavy Lasers, though, the Minotaur Z is the undeniable best. It packs a heavier punch than your standard Roc, has the same jumping mobility, carries more armor and magclamps...and all for less BV. It's amazing.

[cold1]

Exploding weapons on a proto just sounds like a bad idea.

Do protos just not have to worry about heat?  Frankly I never thought about it before.

[Scotty]

Protos spend 250 kg per heatsink, and must have heatsinks to fire all their weapons.

[Rage]

Protos spend 250 kg per heatsink, and must have heatsinks to fire all their weapons.

Provided that they're energy weapons. Missiles and ballistics are free like vehicles.

[Liam's Ghost]

As are chemical lasers.

[glitterboy2098]

basically they follow the same 'heat nuetral' approach as vehicles.. Ballistics and missiles basically don't generate heat, while energy weapons need enough heatsinks to vent all of it. (chemical lasers fall into a weird spot)

however, IIRC, they do not receive any free heatsinks with the engine.

[wantec]

Well, we did get the Roc Z that chose to use a Medium Chemical Laser instead. Not a terrible choice at all, but it does reduce its range and firepower a bit compared to the main variants. The swap does save some weight (going from 2250 kg for the ER Medium+Heat Sinks to 1667 kg for the Chem Laser+Ammo), but most of that saved weight goes towards MagClamps that'll be of limited utility in most situations. Ah well.

For Improved Heavy Lasers, though, the Minotaur Z is the undeniable best. It packs a heavier punch than your standard Roc, has the same jumping mobility, carries more armor and magclamps...and all for less BV. It's amazing.

Right, although I believe the jump jets of the original Roc could be straight swapped for the Mag Clamps.

basically they follow the same 'heat nuetral' approach as vehicles.. Ballistics and missiles basically don't generate heat, while energy weapons need enough heatsinks to vent all of it. (chemical lasers fall into a weird spot)

however, IIRC, they do not receive any free heatsinks with the engine.

Nope, no free engine heat sinks. One of the costs of shrinking the engines small enough to fit in a ProtoMech.

[Sjhernan3060]

Post reavings who is the biggest user of the roc? HW and IS?

[Firesprocket]

The only clan that seems to use it with any frequency is the Snow Raven (Alliance) by the DA.  No home world clan still uses it as far as we know.  Its production probably phased out due to the availability of the Delphyne which is more or less the same design.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, a Roc 3b would be interesting . . . with a iHML to negate the targeting penalty.  And as someone asked earlier, I do not think the weapon can actually be crit which makes it a decent choice.

Pretty sure the Foxes are still peddling them . . . and I thought Rocs were one of the Protos the Scorpion/Hellion mash up had access to or had used before Reaving.