Blade BLD-XL-AE

[A. Lurker]

Because it's been discussed in the Blade MotW thread:

Code: [Select]

Blade BLD-XL-AE

Mass: 35 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Experimental Tech
Era: Clan Invasion
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-X-E-A
Production Year: 3088
Cost: 6.157.643 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1.613

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 245 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 75,6 km/h
Maximum Speed: 118,8 km/h
Jump Jets: None
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Light Ferro-Fibrous w/ CASE
Armament:
    1  Rotary AC/5
    2  ER Medium Lasers
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Endo-Steel                    58 points                2,00
    Internal Locations: 1 HD, 9 LT, 3 RT, 1 RA
Engine:             XL Fusion Engine             245                       6,00
    Walking MP: 7
    Running MP: 11
    Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             10(20)                    0,00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 RT
Gyro:               XL                                                     1,50
Cockpit:            Standard                                               3,00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA+H    R: SH+UA
Armor:              Light Ferro-Fibrous          AV - 118                  7,00
    Armor Locations: 7 LA
    CASE Locations: 1 RT                                                   0,50

                                                      Internal       Armor     
                                                      Structure      Factor     
                                                Head     3            9         
                                        Center Torso     11           16       
                                 Center Torso (rear)                  5         
                                           L/R Torso     8            12       
                                    L/R Torso (rear)                  4         
                                             L/R Arm     6            12       
                                             L/R Leg     8            16       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ER Medium Lasers                           RA        10        2         2,00
Rotary AC/5                                  RA        1         6        10,00
A.E.S.                                       RA        -         1         1,00
@Rotary AC/5 (40)                            RT        -         2         2,00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 5

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      4    Points: 16
7          4       4       0       0      1     0   Structure:  2
Special Abilities: CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA
There were a number of possibilities regarding freeing up that ton for the AES; in the end I went with dropping a ton of ammunition because even with its speed and near-max armor the Blade is still a light XL-everything 'Mech (with all its eggs in its potentially easily severed right-arm basket, at that) that probably shouldn't dawdle on the battlefield too long, and giving it the full sixty shots arguably only encourages its pilot to do exactly that. Besides, this way it's easy to fluff as a fairly simple alternate factory variant (that doesn't compromise on any other core capabilities, as going with an armor reduction or small cockpit might have done), which is why I set its construction year to right the next after the original's.

I think the calculated BV may be a bit on the too high side, but that's a problem with the rules, not a math error; AES for some reason simply officially costs twice as much on weapons it affects as a comparable plain old targeting computer would while providing what's basically only the exact same benefit (and without the ability to place aimed shots, at that). I've put up a question about that.

[Nightgaun7]

I think the calculated BV may be a bit on the too high side, but that's a problem with the rules, not a math error; AES for some reason simply officially costs twice as much on weapons it affects as a comparable plain old targeting computer would while providing what's basically only the exact same benefit (and without the ability to place aimed shots, at that). I've put up a question about that.

I'd be interested to hear the reply, since it would change a fair number of my custom mechs.

Not much to say on the Blade AE itself, except that I'd prefer it to the base version.

[A. Lurker]

Well, the verdict's in, and the BV is indeed too high. Obviously none of the design programs/verifiers I use have been updated just yet, but crunching the numbers by hand we should actually arrive at a value of 1,449 after rounding, shaving roughly 10% off of the overall cost (or conversely adding roughly 10% to that of the original BLD-XL).

That's obviously a somewhat extreme example since the Blade's BV is offense-loaded right out of the gate and the change to AES cost affects all its weapons. Exact savings on other designs will vary.

[Nightgaun7]

Well, the verdict's in, and the BV is indeed too high. Obviously none of the design programs/verifiers I use have been updated just yet, but crunching the numbers by hand we should actually arrive at a value of 1,449 after rounding, shaving roughly 10% off of the overall cost (or conversely adding roughly 10% to that of the original BLD-XL).

That's obviously a somewhat extreme example since the Blade's BV is offense-loaded right out of the gate and the change to AES cost affects all its weapons. Exact savings on other designs will vary.

Thanks for making a note of that and raising the question. Going to go tinker with some AES designs in your honor.