PLG-1T Pillager ArtilleryMech

[Giovanni Blasini]

Just a little mostly-Introtech take on a Pillager converted to run artillery, inspired by the Pillager Anvil.  Instead of Long Tom cannons, though, I went with conventional Thumper artillery pieces.  For backup weaponry, I dropped the rear medium laser in the head, consolidating on two forward-facing mediums in the center torso.  I removed one heat sink, and shuffled another into the head to replace the laser that'd been there, giving it a dissipation of 15 points per turn, enough to fire all four lasers and jump, or to fire the artillery pieces, maneuver, and use some backup guns.  Firing both the artillery and the secondary guns in the same turn becomes more problematic though.


Pillager PLG-1T

Mass: 100 tons
Chassis: Standard Biped
Power Plant: 300 Fusion
Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph
Maximum Speed: 54 kph
Jump Jets: Standard
     Jump Capacity: 60 meters
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     4 Medium Laser
     2 Thumper
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2575
Tech Rating/Availability: D/C-E-D-D
Cost: 9,038,000 C-bills

Type: Pillager
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Tonnage: 100
Battle Value: 1,514

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                   10
Engine                        300 Fusion             19
   Walking MP: 3
   Running MP: 5
   Jumping MP: 2
Heat Sink                     15                      5
Gyro                                                  3
Cockpit                                               3
Armor Factor                  272                    17

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Head                    3         9     
     Center Torso            31        38   
     Center Torso (rear)               17   
     R/L Torso               21        26   
     R/L Torso (rear)                  11   
     R/L Arm                 17        30   
     R/L Leg                 21        37   


Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand
Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand

Weapons
and Ammo              Location  Critical   Heat    Tonnage   
Heat Sink                LL        1        -       1.0   
Jump Jet                 LL        1        -       2.0   
2 Medium Laser           CT        2        3       2.0   
Thumper Ammo (40)        RT        2        -       2.0   
Thumper                  RT        15       5       15.0 
Medium Laser             LA        1        3       1.0   
Thumper Ammo (40)        LT        2        -       2.0   
Thumper                  LT        15       5       15.0 
Heat Sink                RL        1        -       1.0   
Jump Jet                 RL        1        -       2.0   
Heat Sink                HD        1        -       1.0   
Medium Laser             RA        1        3       1.0   
   
Features the following design quirks: Battle Fists (LA), Battle Fists (RA)

[Hellraiser]

Very interesting.

I like it.

But I might match up weapons & armor a bit more.

Pillager had 4 mediums & a large IIRC w/ Max Armor?

I'd remove the JJ's completely to give it a 5th Medium, 2 more armor & another HS to walk & fire.

[Syzyx]

Wow. That is a -lot- of Thumper Ammo. If this is intended to sit behind the lines and just bombard a target zone, then you may be better off with supply trucks and reloading rather than humping all that around. If it's meant to be in the thick of things establishing a planethead or something similar, then it'll definitely want a bunch of friends to run interference while it thumps away.

[Daryk]

I'm not a fan of risking shutdown for firing both Thumpers.  I'd have dropped two tons of Thumper ammo for two more heat sinks to at least get it down to 13 heat if standing still and firing both.  And I'd probably keep that configuration after it gets DHS too...

[Giovanni Blasini]

Wow. That is a -lot- of Thumper Ammo. If this is intended to sit behind the lines and just bombard a target zone, then you may be better off with supply trucks and reloading rather than humping all that around. If it's meant to be in the thick of things establishing a planethead or something similar, then it'll definitely want a bunch of friends to run interference while it thumps away.

Four tons lets you mix standard, flechette, smoke and cluster munitions on a single unit, which was more my intention.  You'll end up with 20 rounds of each or, if one type is going to be needed over another, 40 rounds of one type and 20 rounds of two types. 

I'm not a fan of risking shutdown for firing both Thumpers.  I'd have dropped two tons of Thumper ammo for two more heat sinks to at least get it down to 13 heat if standing still and firing both.  And I'd probably keep that configuration after it gets DHS too...

Uh...MegaMekLab has a Thumper artillery piece as generating 5 heat, while Sarna lists it as 6 heat, which is what my copy of Tactical Operations lists.  Either way, unless I'm missing an Errata somewhere, we've got 15 single heat sinks, enough to jump and fire both Thumpers.

[Daryk]

Thumper Artillery Cannons are 5 heat.  TO:AU&E has 6 for Thumpers... not sure what the heck I was looking at last night.

[Wrangler]

It would be logical to have an additional artillery mech running around. The older Pillagers only had AC/20s. Having it repurposed would help provide support me hs in the field.

[Karack Blackstone]

Combined Assault Lance.

1 PLG-1T
3 TI-1A Titans

The other two Lances and their roles would be key.

However if the above AST Lance is used, the remaining pair to complete the Company should prove ... interesting.

[wolfgar]

the problem with this mech, as i see it, is that the arty pieces are in the torso, (right and left respectively) which means that they are in direct fire mode, not indirect mode. While this gives you great in your face firepower, it isn't arty support, sorry

[Karack Blackstone]

Is indirect fire limited to arms only?

That's not the impression the rules give me.

[Hellraiser]

They are 15 crits, not possible to mount them completely in EITHER the Arm or Torso, Arti is always split between the 2.

[Giovanni Blasini]

the problem with this mech, as i see it, is that the arty pieces are in the torso, (right and left respectively) which means that they are in direct fire mode, not indirect mode. While this gives you great in your face firepower, it isn't arty support, sorry

[citation needed]

You're going to need to back up that kind of claim with a rules quote from a published book, especially given the other notable artillery 'Mech, the Helepolis, also is forced to split its Sniper artillery piece across two locations, thanks to the 20 critical slots a Sniper piece requires.

[Hellraiser]

the problem with this mech, as i see it, is that the arty pieces are in the torso, (right and left respectively) which means that they are in direct fire mode, not indirect mode.

Can you name a single mech that has the artillery completely in the Arms?   (Hint.. You can't)

[Giovanni Blasini]

Can you name a single mech that has the artillery completely in the Arms?   (Hint.. You can't)

Yep.  it's a physical impossibility: even the Clan Arrow IV launcher takes up 12 criticals.