Originally posted on November 15th, 2009. Slight layout changes.Now that RS: 3055U have finally been released with the Solaris VII designs, I am going to have a look at one of these now canon and legal designs.
Today I will have a look at the Morpheus, not an obvious choice. So let me start off by saying:
The Morpheus in its original concept had one function only and excelled in it like no other design has done before or since.
Said function has nothing to do with the arenas of Solaris VII.Its original concept was one of a super-heavy scout, combining the notion of “ultra-heavy recon element†(TRO: 3039, p. 156, write-up of the Charger) with the 6/9 speed of some other 65-ton wrecks, adding jump jets, a hard shell and a full electronic suite in the process.
The only thing that would make sense about creating a 65-ton chassis featuring a massive 390 engine – 23 tons even in its XL incarnation!! – would be to add armour to the greatest possible maximum, greater than any other 6/9 designs on behalf of its larger internal structure. No other 6/9 65 tonner has followed this simple rationale.
The Morpheus has.One should only add an anti-missile system to a design sporting maximum armour.
The Morpheus does.When you add to this great defensive package the fact that it is equipped with a Beagle Active Probe and a Guardian ECM Suite, my opening statement about the Morpheus MR-P1 suddenly takes shape and form. Viewed from the perspective of an adequately quick and ultra-tough skirmisher, the absolutely anaemic weaponry ostensibly consisting of 3 Medium Lasers (two pulse and one standard, less than 8 % of its tonnage!!!) just fits into the picture.
The Morpheus is the previously missing evolutionary link between the misguided first attempt of the Charger and the modern, Jihad-era battlefield. As such, appearing on Solaris VII in the early 50s, it was both totally misused and years ahead of its time.
The Morpheus is the ultimate battlefield skirmisher and anti-C3-network point man.
The Morpheus is definitely
not a one on one duellist.
Even in the old Solaris set, it was an astonishingly weak design – IIRC, pulse lasers did not even recycle as fast as smaller ballistic and SRM weapons, never mind the slow standard laser. So even with the Solaris VII duelling rules in mind, the Morpheus was weak, weak, weak.
I will let experts chime in with variations of double-blind rules – when in place, I believe the electronics on this thing would be of use in some of the more intricate arenas (Ishiyama, anyone?), but in the standard mode of anyone’s game, these 3 tons more than half make up its remaining weaponry. So I volunteer that the designer just plugged this into the set, as he thought it to be a great general idea.
Or is it merely coincidence that the Solaris VII Morpheus is a spiel on the art of the Japanese Boxed Set’s Stinger?
Once I had arrived at the Morpheus after being frustrated with other 6/9 65-tonners (previously having covered the
Balius and resurrected the
Linebacker), I immediately saw my grievances answered; the design spoke to me, I’d found a super-heavy scout that worked out well in its role (despite being labelled as something else). But we now know the Morpheus mainly from its appearance in TRO: 3055 Upgrade. Here, its “current†version, the MRP-3S has changed quite a bit – though not as noticeably as some others.
What remained the same?
Armour: this was upgraded from standard to Heavy Ferro Fibrous, though its total remained absolutely unchanged. Again, this is just 3 points shy of its maximum. Arms and side torsos will withstand an AC20 without going internal, the legs and centre torso will even weather 2 Gauss hits. It is a tough customer and I won’t quibble about possibly having liked another point or two moved from the front to the rear torsos – ideally, the Morpheus should be quicker than its opposite number, so its rear armour should only have symbolic character, anyway.
Speed: at 6/9/6 this ‘Mech positively burns rubber for its weight class, even without resorting to speed enhancing equipment. Its agility would be adequate for a design a good 20 tons lighter, even on today’s battlefields. Ideally, the Morpheus can chose where it wants to be and what it wants to do, in any incarnation.
ECM: it’s still there, so whatever else changes, the three main factors for making the Morpheus effective on large-scale modern battlefield are still there. It will be able to effectively disrupt C3 formations and it may just live through it.
Looks: despite the Phoenix treatment that all Solaris VII originals received, there is a clear lineage visible, especially in the long, and streamlined, almost insectoid legs. It has a protruding upper torso/cockpit and very high shoulders.
What was changed?
Load-out: the Beagle Probe was dropped and the pulse lasers were replaced with ERML as well as a Magshot Gauss Rifle. The rest of the weight savings went into spikes on the shoulders – mainly a psychological addition and a replacement of the right hand with a claw.
Looks: despite its similarity, the new Morpheus does not look half as slick as the old one. Everything that was slim and sharp on the old one is rounded and bulbous on the new one. Thus, despite the addition of spikes, the new Morpheus does not look half as aggressive, or, IMO cool as the old one.
For the love of ghu, remember that this Morpheus MRP-3S can still be used in the same way in which the MR-P1 shines. Do not let yourself be fooled by the Solaris looks – while it can engage a Melee, it will not do very well in it.
Yes, the claw is a hella sexy weapon. It is the only melee weapon whose use counts as a punch attack, meaning that the other hand can punch, too. Yes, the spikes will protect you further, or possibly deter a physical counter attack. But while you are attacking this way, you are leaving out 2/3rds of your main weaponry, reducing your weapon fire to a maximum of an absolutely laughable 5+2 damage.
Speaking of which: why is the Magshot so thoroughly underwhelming? Why only mount a single one? The cluster on the Silver Fox works quite well, yielding 10 damage at 9 hexes for only 3.5 tons. But here we invest 1.5 tons in 2 damage, and have an explosive slot on board that cannot be dumped.
Overall, while the MRP-3S may seem to offer slightly more, and more pro-active options, I prefer the original MR-P1. Yes, it is constricted to one derivative role, but it really throws all at it and does well.
3055U offers us two further interesting variants on the basic MRP-3S.
The MRP-3T is actually a spiel on the MR-P1; but it turns the superb electronic interdictor into a very interesting mid range skirmisher, very interesting indeed. It now features reactive armour of exactly the same strength, further improving the direct protection of the design; the AMS is replaced with its laser cousin. The pulse lasers are once again dropped to be ERML, but this time 5 of them are fielded. To cope with the much increased heat, the electronics are dropped in favour of 3 additional heat sinks.
The obvious downside to this is that it cannot function in its adopted role of indirect support, and so has to pull its weight on its own. The upside is that it is still just as fast and is the only Morpheus that actually has weaponry that despite still only weighing 5 tons borders on the respectable, being able to cause more than 20 damage at ranges approaching the acceptable
But it runs hot, and has to play a game of patience, whittling away at the opponent while playing on its ability to position itself better. Again, as with the MRP-3S, the MRP-3T has the conceivable option of being fielded in an arena or on an open battlefield. In either environment, it needs to avoid being shot at as much as possible, simply for having to hit the enemy with its small guns much more often. But it can trust in its rock-hard protection…
…in fact, due to its two-fold protection against missiles, this is best used against ‘Mechs relying on such weapons for main armament. That means chosing your arena fights against things such as… well, only the Bombard is anywhere near its weight (though in a lower class) and carries missiles. If Zellbrigen stables uses a Crossbow, use your MRP-3T against it! On the battlefield, send this quick unit after the enemy’s missile boats. The Morpheus may only have 5 ERML, but it should still be able to toast Catapults, Archers, Longbows or Vikings.
Or Grigoris [whipit]
The MRP-3W is a conceptual prototype, an attempt to create an interim underwater unit. It uses UMUs instead of JJ and it carries a MechWarrior Aquatic Survival System – a nice touch, but of no meaning in casual games. The ‘Mech is hobbled by not featuring Harjel, by retaining its Magshot and by dropping 1 of its 3 ERML. Relying on physical attacks underwater is not a great idea, especially if said physical attacks cost you the use of the remaining laser weaponry. It also loses half a ton of armour, just a final, tiny nail in its coffin.
Yet coffin, nothing.
Only a single other canon underwater ‘Mech exists, the Aquagladius. And while the AQS-4 may be the most optimised underwater ‘Mech around, the Morpheus MRP-3W is still definitely superior to the woeful, basic AQS-3.
2011 addition: RS 3085 ONN changed all this. Those RS volumes introduced the "U" Omni configurations and about a dozen or so of those are geared at underwater combat. And fine-tuned. They make the MRP-3W look old, so essentially anything after "coffin" does not hold true. Coffin it is.The MRP-3W will only be used in specific scenarios, anyway. As a footnote it is worthy, as a battlefield unit it is too restricted and as an effective combat unit it is not. :D
So this is my take on the Morpheus – never my favourite Solaris VII design, but one that did speak out to me and offered me something else than what written in the book.
What do you think? Please use this also to give feedback on how to continue write ups of these eclectic machines, what else to take into consideration.
