Tell me about the Merlin

[Demon55]

What has been your experience when using the Merlin? 

[Sellsword]

The Merlin is just an overgrown 3025 tech Vindicator.  Use it as such.  I like matching it up with the vindicator to add some anti infantry support.

It's just not powerful or advanced enough to stand up to other mechs by itself.  It really needs a more advanced variant in order to complete with any 3050+ mech.

[blackjack]

Good trooper mech for level 1 tech. I tend to use it in place of the rifleman. Like sellsword said its an oversized vindi, play it like one. It can stand against 3025 /3039 level mechs fine but kind of got left behind with any newer tech. I'd like to see a major upgrade.

[martian]

I'd like to see a major upgrade.

XTRO: Boondocks has modified Merlin (Bombast laser, Medium VSP)

[A. Lurker]

XTRO: Boondocks has modified Merlin (Bombast laser, Medium VSP)

That one's pretty much just a case of new toy syndrome run amuck, though. Endo-composite internal structure? Three experimental lasers with equally-experimental insulators as its only weapons? (And note that while I actually am warming up to the bombast a bit, putting it on a slow jumping design sans targeting computer would still not exactly be my first choice either...) Light engine, but no meaningful boost in speed, firepower, or armor to show for it?

Meh. The only things the Merlin really needs for a decent upgrade are double heat sinks, maybe CASE while we're at it if we're planning to retain ammo-using weapons, and a bit of creativity. Any other post-intro-level gear is welcome but optional. ;)

[Colt Ward]

Its a decent combat dropship, probably should have become the FWL PWS . . . if the FWL had lasted.  Fluff-wise it is supposed to outperform the nearest rival, the Capellan Lung Wang though it is not as fast as the FedCom Achilles.  I would be interested in seeing an updated/modified version in the future.

Question really is, did any survive the Jihad?  Gibson's shipyard was one where the Blakists were skimming the top to build up.

Would anyone use one after the Jihad?  Has anyone ever actually played with one before?

[Trajan Helmer]

I see what you did there...


I like it!

[Tree]

I did a minor upgrade for the Merlin, mostly with the secondary weapons

http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/HTMLBattleMech/BattlemechInfo.asp?ID=11358

[glitterboy2098]

That one's pretty much just a case of new toy syndrome run amuck, though. Endo-composite internal structure? Three experimental lasers with equally-experimental insulators as its only weapons? (And note that while I actually am warming up to the bombast a bit, putting it on a slow jumping design sans targeting computer would still not exactly be my first choice either...) Light engine, but no meaningful boost in speed, firepower, or armor to show for it?

Meh. The only things the Merlin really needs for a decent upgrade are double heat sinks, maybe CASE while we're at it if we're planning to retain ammo-using weapons, and a bit of creativity. Any other post-intro-level gear is welcome but optional. ;)

using mechlab i threw together a "MLN-1D". switch to 13 DHS and 10 tons of ferro fib armor (with the locations tweaked a bit to increase protection on the arms and back), you can upgrade a MLN-1C to have an LRM-15 w/14 volleys, CASE, and an ERPPC. plus the 2 ERML's and flamer. you end up slighty oversinked, but your throw weight drastically improves. turns the merlin from being a rather overweight vindicator to being a slighty overweight shadowhawk with ambitions of being a zeus...

[va_wanderer]

using mechlab i threw together a "MLN-1D". switch to 13 DHS and 10 tons of ferro fib armor (with the locations tweaked a bit to increase protection on the arms and back), you can upgrade a MLN-1C to have an LRM-15 w/14 volleys, CASE, and an ERPPC. plus the 2 ERML's and flamer. you end up slighty oversinked, but your throw weight drastically improves. turns the merlin from being a rather overweight vindicator to being a slighty overweight shadowhawk with ambitions of being a zeus...

I ended up refitting it a bit differently- yeah, I left the CT ammo bay so no worrying about CASE. Ends up with 10 tons of HFFA armor and the PPC becomes an HPPC, the LRM an MML-5, the two medium lasers go ER, and the MG is replaced by a small pulse laser. The CT ammo bay is now a ton of SRM and LRM ammo for the launcher, and the heat sinks are also 13 DHS. Brackets rather nicely, actually...and I squeeze in a Guardian ECM for good measure.

[lucho]

Good trooper mech for level 1 tech. I tend to use it in place of the rifleman. Like sellsword said its an oversized vindi, play it like one. It can stand against 3025 /3039 level mechs fine but kind of got left behind with any newer tech. I'd like to see a major upgrade.

This. An oversized Vindicator is always useful in 3025. The only problem is that it's surprisingly oversinked; drop a pair of heatsinks for two more medium lasers and you've got a keeper.