Tell Me About...the CGR-1A1

[Giovanni Blasini]

So, we've probably all maligned the original CGR-1A1 at some point, with its popgun armament of 5 small lasers on an 80-ton frame.  And there are certainly plenty of variants of the Charger that improve upon the original, either slowing it down or using XL engines. There are even two variants using the full 52.5-ton 400 LTV that offer greater utility over the original, with the CGR-1L's single large and twin medium lasers giving it some bug hunting abilities, and the medium laser and five RL10s of the CGR-2A2 giving you standoff range and, for a short time at least, some potential to do reasonable damage.

But what about the CGR-1A1?  What *can* you reasonably do with this 'Mech?

[Auren]

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,37906.0.html Well for starters...  ;D

[Scotty]

You can crush the skulls of your enemies, for one.  Eight point punches are not going to do anything in the era any favors, especially some of the lighter 'Mechs that you can conceivably catch up to or get lucky and keep pace with.

Chargers are scout hunters.  An 80 ton frame is a lot of structure to go through, more than both the structure and armor combined on several scouts.  Throw one in a lance with some Wasps and Stingers, then send them out on patrol.  Bait and switch, and once the enemy scout hunters have taken it, lure them back to the Charger over the ridgeline.  Said Charger then replaces their torsos with its fists, or emergency amputates that infected common sense via leg trauma.

[blitzy]

They also tend to be ignored so they can hurt folks awhile before someone puts it out of its misery.  On a side note they're also a good source of 400 engines.

[Nightsong]

To quote some friends on IRC when I asked them:
"well, it can haul about 8 tons of ammuniton and other supplies without being slowed unreasonably. rig up a backpack and you've got a supply train of sorts"
"Jump in front of missles to save mechs that can actually fight?"
"Replace the lasers with party lights and throw raves for cash?"
"and if you march it into a river until it's almost but not quite submerged, smaller mechs can use it as a stepping stone to cross wide rivers"

Personally, the only uses I can think of are as a melee-based back alley mugger, or maybe an Indirect Fire/Artillery spotter.

[Giovanni Blasini]

http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,37906.0.html Well for starters...  ;D

Missed that one in my search entirely, since I only searched Fan Articles.  Thanks!

You can crush the skulls of your enemies, for one.  Eight point punches are not going to do anything in the era any favors, especially some of the lighter 'Mechs that you can conceivably catch up to or get lucky and keep pace with.

Chargers are scout hunters.  An 80 ton frame is a lot of structure to go through, more than both the structure and armor combined on several scouts.  Throw one in a lance with some Wasps and Stingers, then send them out on patrol.  Bait and switch, and once the enemy scout hunters have taken it, lure them back to the Charger over the ridgeline.  Said Charger then replaces their torsos with its fists, or emergency amputates that infected common sense via leg trauma.

Actually, that's an interesting idea.

[Diamondshark]

Well, as I've said in other places: Chargers are deceptively strong. Their armor looks weak, but that's because the only parts of the mech that really matter are the head, legs, and CT. Everything else only adds some extra flexibility and damage-soaking. A Charger needs to run up to the enemy, and don't stop kicking him until he dies. The lasers are not the armament--they are the backup weapons that critseek for the holes you kick into the enemy's legs, particularly if you can do called shots to the legs. Using this, I've had an already-crippled Charger close with and destroy a pristine Annihilator.

[blitzy]

Diamond shark is exactly right, it's a shame they never made a primitive-TSM version (meaning 3025 ish some chemicals breaks it version)of the 1A1 Charger, it'd be a beast back then.

[chanman]

The CGR-1A1 really could have used a second hand acutator

[Weirdo]

Treat it exactly as you would a lighter Banshee. }:)

[chanman]

Treat it exactly as you would a lighter Banshee. }:)

Surely you mean like a proto-Berzerker?

[A. Lurker]

The CGR-1A1 is one missing hand actuator away from being an amazingly strong and mobile HaulerMech.

Oh, in combat? Distraction, mostly. Everybody knows it's helpless outside ninety meters or so, so it's definitely not a priority target while there are actual threats on the field, but at the same time you still have to keep an eye on it because if you just ignore it outright it just might suddenly be next to you gearing up for a punch or kick.

That, and I suppose it's not too bad at shaking down UrbanMechs for their lunch money. ;)

[Weirdo]

A 'mechwarrior who thinks the operative word is 'might' when dealing with a Charger being in close range...is far too much of an optimist to be in any military branch.

[chanman]

A 'mechwarrior who thinks the operative word is 'might' when dealing with a Charger being in close range...is far too much of an optimist to be in any military branch.

Maybe they drive a TSM active Berzerker  O:-)

[Cowdragon]

it's always been one of my favorite mechs, to be honest. Running in and beating the crapola out of opponents who think it's not a threat, is just cherry!

[God and Davion]

I have seen Chargers well used twice. One of them devastated a light lance and, thanks to that, the player won a tournament. Second time a guy ran a flanking maneuver against my tanks. He arrived and destroyed 2 of my tanks. After this, I was defeated.

[blackjack]

Played with a 1A1 with TSM (got a single upgrade). It was brutal once I closed. Single punch to a Centurion A got a crit on  the rt torso & hit the AC ammo. Got a kick in on a Griffin 1N took the leg clean off. Rest of my finished the other two mechs on their side.




 

[Frabby]

In confined spaces, Chargers are brutal for their sheer mass, combined with what in 3025 is the average speed of a medium or slow light 'Mech.

Another queer advantage that my group found out more or less randomly is that a Charger is also an excellent "minesweeper" for vibrabombs when deployed as a scout.

[Wrangler]

I've not had many experiences with the Charger, but few i have.  They were insightful what or how to use it.  Get up close to a 3025 era Light and light up and pound the mech down.  If you can catch up to them.   Being a scout for Assaults, it properly most survival of scouts.  It will outrun most heavies and definately assault mechs of Succession Wars era. 

On a lighter side, its mech you stick your problem child MechWarriors into who pull a "Leeroy Jenkins" in it.  The person most likely to survive the encounter long enough run away from the fight.

[Col.Hengist]

Charging... That's what I do with them. 48 points on a charge is nothing to sneeze at. Before we knew the rules better we used to charge with 2 on 1 mech... Only the first one displaced it and the second one would hit it in the displaced hex.. Unfortunately we have learned better

[garhkal]

Diamond shark is exactly right, it's a shame they never made a primitive-TSM version (meaning 3025 ish some chemicals breaks it version)of the 1A1 Charger, it'd be a beast back then.

If you look in most TRO's, its rare to see any mech designed around physical combat (a large chunk of the hatchet/mace/sword designs etc) with TSM.

Charging... That's what I do with them. 48 points on a charge is nothing to sneeze at. Before we knew the rules better we used to charge with 2 on 1 mech... Only the first one displaced it and the second one would hit it in the displaced hex.. Unfortunately we have learned better

If you can get MASC on the old chassis (say by using Endo steel to save the 4 tons needed) that can jump up to 72 points of damage!

[SteelRaven]

Charger= the Hodor of Battletech.

[Col.Hengist]

That and FF were the 3 changes we made when they were available.

[Wrangler]

Does the CGR-1A1 Charger really equal to Thomas Holgrath's scouting elements of his Succession War era Lance? ;)

[Mattlov]

It is fun to actually get a full distance charge into the back of a medium 'Mech with it.  I barreled straight through a (somewhat damaged) Hellhound with one.  We were using the advanced TacOps charging rules, though.

[Taron Storm]

It is fun to actually get a full distance charge into the back of a medium 'Mech with it.  I barreled straight through a (somewhat damaged) Hellhound with one.  We were using the advanced TacOps charging rules, though.

You know its going to be a good game when the person you are playing against has a Charger and insists on calling your lighter elements "speedbumps".   ^-^

[Col.Hengist]

Does the CGR-1A1 Charger really equal to Thomas Holgrath's scouting elements of his Succession War era Lance? ;)

 Of cource it does.. 8)