Metzger Wheeled Assault Gun

[Black_Knyght]

Preparing to order a few 3D print pieces for Battletech, and thought I'd post how I intend to use them.

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The Metzger Mk.1 was designed by Schwarze-Ritter Metalwerks in 3063 as an inexpensive self-propelled gun and was developed to replace the aging Hetzers stationed on worlds deemed worthy to defend, but not valuable enough to station a complete garrison force or even BattleMechs. Its primary and only weapon is in the front, meaning the unit lacks a turret, making it most often employed in roles such as fire-support, sniping, or defensive ones. Although its wheeled chassis restricts its mobility it does carry decent protection with seven and a half tons of standard armor, and is armed with a targeting-computer assisted Grizzard Gauss Rifle. Combined with its low overall price, the Metzger Mk.1 is a valuable asset for poor mercenary or militia commands and is especially popular throughout the Periphery.

Metzger Mk.1

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Metzger Mk.1 Wheeled Assault Gun (Std.Armor)
IS Medium Wheeled Tank
55 tons 
BV: 936
Cost: 947,750 C-bills

Movement: 4/6 (Wheeled)
Engine: 200 ICE

Internal: 24
Armor: 120
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Front                       6       40
Right                       6       30
Left                        6       30
Rear                        6       20

Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle                     FR     1

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer              BD

The Metzger Mk.2 was designed by Schwarze-Ritter Metalwerks in 3065 as an inexpensive upgrade of the Metzger Mk.1, and carries somewhat improved protection with seven and a half tons of ferro-fibrous armor.

Metzger Mk.2

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Metzger Mk.2 Wheeled Assault Gun (FF.Armor)
IS Medium Wheeled Tank
55 tons 
BV: 969
Cost: 1,043,375 C-bills

Movement: 4/6 (Wheeled)
Engine: 200 ICE

Internal: 24
Armor: 134 (Ferro-Fibrous)
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Front                       6       44
Right                       6       34
Left                        6       34
Rear                        6       22

Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle                     FR     1

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer              BD

[worktroll]

1) The Hetzer kinda-sorta meets the same criteria for 15 less tons - yes, not as strongly protected all around, because it's incapable of coping with flank attacks.

2) Consider dropping it to 50 tons, if only for the "light vehicle bay" criteria. You can easily strip a ton of ammo and a little armour to make the cutdown. Alternatively, strip the weight to allow for an SRM-2 and ton of inferno ammo - always nice to be able to deal with infantry, and/or make smokescreens.

W.

[Black_Knyght]

For all practical purposes, this is a GR version of the Hetzer since there seems not to have ever been one officially.

What about this:

Code: [Select]

Metzger Wheeled Assault Gun (revised)
IS Medium Wheeled Tank
50 tons 
BV: 863
Cost: 919,375 C-bills

Movement: 4/6 (Wheeled)
Engine: 180 ICE

Internal: 20
Armor: 107 (Ferro-Fibrous)
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Front                       5       35
Right                       5       26
Left                        5       26
Rear                        5       20

Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle                     FR     1
Machine Gun                     LS     0
Machine Gun                     RS     0

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Half Machine Gun Ammo           BD   100

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer              BD

[worktroll]

Yup, works - I might go with an LMG, for the added range. Remember, it gets better damage vs. infantry.

[Siegfried Marcus]

The range profile makes me think it should be used differently than a Hetzer.  The Hetzer is great for blasting big holes in things that get too close, but the Gauss Rifle has a min. range.  Of course the longer range more than makes up for that.  I would consider using a pair of Metzger and a pair of Hetzers in a lance.

[Liam's Ghost]

I kinda want to see a version using an LB20X, just so you can have the best of both worlds while streamlining your infrastructure.

[serack]

like this ?? }:)

Code: [Select]

          BattleTech Vehicle Technical Readout
                      VALIDATED

Type/Model:    Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun BK
Tech:          Inner Sphere / 3025
Config:        Wheeled Vehicle
Rules:         Level 2, Standard design

Mass:          50 tons
Power Plant:   180 SitiCide I.C.E.
Cruise Speed:  43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Armor Type:    StarSlab 6 Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:     
  1 LB 20-X AC
  2 Machine Guns
Manufacturer:  Quickcell Company
  Location:    (Unknown)
Communications System:  Johnston Q-Band
Targeting & Tracking System:  Scantrex Dual Tac

------------------------------------------------------------------------------





--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model:    Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun BK
Mass:          50 tons

Equipment:                                 Items    Mass
Int. Struct.:  20 pts Standard               0      5.00
Engine:        180 I.C.E.                    0     14.00
    Cruise MP:   4
     Flank MP:   6
Heat Sinks:      0 Single                    0       .00
Cockpit & Controls:                          0      2.50
Crew: 4 Members                              0       .00
Armor Factor:  107 pts Ferro-Fibrous         2      6.00

                          Internal    Armor
                          Structure   Value
   Front:                     5         35
   Left / Right Sides:        5      26/26
   Rear:                      5         20

Weapons and Equipment    Loc  Heat  Ammo   Items    Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 LB 20-X AC             Right    0   15     2     17.00
1 Machine Gun            Left     0  100     2      1.00
1 Machine Gun            Right    0          1       .50
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                           0          7     46.00
Items & Tons Left:                           8      4.00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        1,269,375 C-Bills
Battle Value:      466
Cost per BV:       2,723.98
Weapon Value:      277 / 277 (Ratio = .59 / .59)
Damage Factors:    SRDmg = 18;  MRDmg = 7;  LRDmg = 0
BattleForce2:      MP: 4W,  Armor/Structure: 0 / 4
                   Damage PB/M/L: 2/2/-,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: GM;  Point Value: 5


[gomiville]

With the spare 4 tons in that design, you could afford to drop some mass.  If you drop an MG (sticking the other forward), you could drop the whole thing to 40t, reducing overall cost.

Or, you could switch to a fuel cell engine (since you're already using a higher tech cannon) and drop it all the way to 35t.  Lower overall cost and easier maintenance (as a light vehicle instead of medium).

Or, use the extra mass to up the armor protection significantly.

Or, switch to fuel cell and include both armored motive and limited amphibious capabilities.  Greater deployment potential and limits one of the great vulnerabilities of wheeled motive systems versus tracked.

Or, switch it to tracked, with fuel cell and armored motive, giving you an unstoppable armored box with a big gun. (But no longer a Hetzer-style vehicle.)

Plenty of possibilities there.

[Black_Knyght]

The whole point for me was the GR/Targeting Computer combination on a cheap vehicle. Everybody and their optimizer brother does the AC/20 thing in one form or another. Over and over and over.

Personally I see this vehicle operating more as a sniper/fire-support vehicle. A lance of these supporting a Battlemech unit could prove nasty and hard to ignore.

[tomaddamz]

And everyone laughed at me for thinking about an OmniHetzer ( I honestly don't know if they laughed, but some did, ...THE FOOLS.... some others told me it wasn't the right thread to reply to)

[gomiville]

A lance of these supporting a Battlemech unit could prove nasty and hard to ignore.

I think this is actually the weakness of this kind of design.  When the Metzger becomes hard to ignore, it becomes very vulnerable.  There's a reason most GR carrying vehicles are big, armored, rugged (and expensive) tanks.

That's not to say you can't work with that.  Add a bit in the fluff about the basic flaw in the design, created by armchair generals who wanted the biggest gun for the lowest cost.  That's not unheard of in BT, and, personally, I like that perspective on it.  It can work on the game table too.

The "eggshell with a hammer" design is all over BT, but taken on its own, it's also kind of an optimization.  Big bang for low cost and low BV.  But, if you create the fluff to explain the deficiencies and weave a story, it can be a great design.

[Black_Knyght]

I get your point, though I think personally I'd operate them in support of a skirmishers group of mechs. That way they could provide opportunistic sniper fire and the enemy could peel off and quickly deal with them since the skirmishers are mixing it up with them.

Ignore one group, get pulverized. Ignore the other, get pulverized.

[Black_Knyght]

Metzger Wheeled Assault Gun (3070)

Code: [Select]

Metzger Wheeled Assault Gun (3070)
IS Medium Wheeled Tank
50 tons 
BV: 892
Cost: 956,563 C-bills

Movement: 4/6 (Wheeled)
Engine: 180 ICE

Internal: 20
Armor: 119 (Heavy Ferro-Fibrous)
                     Internal    Armor
--------------------------------------
Front                       5       40
Right                       5       30
Left                        5       30
Rear                        5       19

Weapon                         Loc  Heat
----------------------------------------
Gauss Rifle                     FR     1
Light Machine Gun               LS     0
Light Machine Gun               RS     0

Ammo                           Loc Shots
----------------------------------------
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Gauss Ammo                      BD     8
Half Light Machine Gun Ammo     BD   100

Equipment                      Loc
----------------------------------
Targeting Computer              BD

[worktroll]

Armour 50/25/25/19? That way you can soak three GR hits to the front, or equivalent.

Yes, you're more vulnerable to two GR strikes on the side, but if someone gets in your flank, you're heading towards toast anyway ;)

[Black_Knyght]

With a fixed-forward main gun it made sense to increase the frontal armor, since it's always going to be pointed at what you're shooting at. And I agree - Like the Hetzer, if someone gets in your flank you're already in trouble.