what are these LAM variants?

[glitterboy2098]

I was looking at the MUL, working on figuring out a land air mech merc unit idea I had to use my LAM minis in alpha strike, and I noticed the MUL has variants listed I didn't recognize.sarna is mum on them as well.

For the wasp lam; the WSP-100b
http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/5394/wasp-lam-mk-i-wsp-100b

And the WSP-105M
http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/5390/wasp-lam-wsp-105m
Which really confuses me because it is a succession wars variant I've never heard of.

And the WSP-110
http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/5391/wasp-lam-wsp-110
Which seems to be a WOB variant given its date

Also the phoenix hawk lam has a variant I don't know.
http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/4821/phoenix-hawk-lam-phx-hk1rb
Which seems another WOB variant

[nckestrel]

The WSP-100b is noted in the "Editor's Note" at the end of the Wasp LAM TR entry under Variants.
The WSP-105M might be the notable mechwarrior noted in the same TR entry.
The WSP-110, it's Jihad era for introduction and available only to WoB (and then extinct), according to the MUL.  So I believe you are correct.
Same with PXH-HK1Rb.

[glitterboy2098]

I'm afraid I don't have that TRO yet.. what was the editors note about?

[sillybrit]

The editors note mentions that the art in the TRO is of a WSP-100b, a rare variant used by the Blackhearts.

[glitterboy2098]

sounds like for what i'm doing i'll need to stick to the common succession wars models. bummer. some of those WOB and SLDF ones look fun.
wish they had some background to the new ones though.


was going to have a dark ages period merc unit.. a Airshow team flying 'museum peices' that starts hiring out as mercs when the dark ages crazyness hits.

the difficult part is the fact the 4 LAM's i have only add up to 95pv using reasonable pilots..

also the lack of battlefield roles for the LAM's in the MUL.. would love to apply a lance formation to them.

IMO, they'd be..
WSP-100 Wasp LAM Mk.I = Missile Boat (assuming you can sub in the bomb1 instead of LRM or artillery specials), alternately Scout or Attack Fighter
WSP-100A Wasp LAM Mk.I = Missile Boat
WSP-100B Wasp LAM Mk.I = Striker
WSP-105 Wasp LAM = Scout
WSP-105M Wasp LAM = Scout
WSP-110 Wasp LAM = Missile Boat (assuming you can sub in the bomb1 instead of LRM or artillery specials), alternately Scout or Attack Fighter


STG-A1 Stinger LAM = Striker
STG-A5 Stinger LAM = Striker
STG-10 Stinger LAM = Striker


PHX-HK1 Phoenix Hawk LAM Mk.I = Skirmisher
PHX-HK1R Phoenix Hawk LAM Mk.I = Skirmisher
PHX-HK1RB Phoenix Hawk LAm Mk.I = Skirmisher
PHX-HK2 Phoenix Hawk LAM = Skirmisher
PHX-HK2M Phoenix Hawk LAM= Skirmisher

[iamfanboy]

I want to know something very basic about the classic LAMs:

Why the hell do they only show up if you're typing "Phoenix Hawk" and scroll down to "Phoenix Hawk LAM" in the top search bar, not the side bar?

Or, to be more specific, why don't they show up if I click on Sub Types - LAM, which only has Pwwka, Yurei, Screamer, and Waneta?

I was looking for that very LAM variant you mention, the one with the C3I, only I didn't type in the top bar, so I couldn't find it and thought the Macross-units were still verboten on the MUL.

[sillybrit]

Or, to be more specific, why don't they show up if I click on Sub Types - LAM, which only has Pwwka, Yurei, Screamer, and Waneta?

Uncheck the "Only units w/Battle Value" box.

[nckestrel]

Uncheck the "only units with Battle Value"
The Phoenix Hawk LAMs do not have Battle Values entered.  The LAM BV calculations are too top secret for my security clearance? (Or maybe I skipped that day in MUL training).
The search is "smart" enough that if you search for something and the only results are without BVs, it will show you the ones without BVs. 
So Phoenix Hawk by itself won't show you the LAMs (defaults to only units with BV).  Phoenix Hawk LAM won't come up with any results with BVs, so it will show you the LAMs.  (I just learned of that feature myself).

[iamfanboy]

But... there are BVs on the cards?  #P Fine, I don't understand, but I'll roll with it.

[glitterboy2098]

alpha strike point values and battletech battlevalue are calculated totally differently. there are alpha strike point values for them because the method for calculating those (based on the alpha strike stats) has been published.

the method for obtaining the Battletech Battlevalue will most likely appear with the full construction rules in Interstellar Operations, so they haven't assigned BV to them yet.

[nckestrel]

But... there are BVs on the cards?  #P Fine, I don't understand, but I'll roll with it.

There are Point Values on the AS unit cards.  Has nothing to do with BV.

[A. Lurker]

There are Point Values on the AS unit cards.  Has nothing to do with BV.

Indeed. I did a by-hand conversion of one of my old homebrew Quickdraws lately, and in the process it went from a BV of 1,475 (a bit on the high end of average when compared to the canon variants on the MUL) to a Point value of 37, a couple of points ahead of the most expensive canon model on the list.

In fairness, given how the 'Mech's Alpha Strike stats turned out by the grace of the conversion rules I have no cause to complain. :) But yeah, Point and Battle Values are quite different beasts.

[glitterboy2098]

Lams look to be better at home in AS than regular BT. Their mobility is easie to use, with the simplier rules, and the high TMM's they can get in airmech make them more survivable. And their firepower and armor isn't that different from the other mechs of their size and era. As long as you avoid going head to head with newer mechs, they should be useful as scouts and harrassers. As they were in the settings history,

[ColBosch]

In general, it is easier to figure out how to properly employ a given unit in Alpha Strike.