’Mech Manual: Avatar AV1-O

With the capture of a large number of Clan OmniMechs during the battles of the early 3050s, the Draconis Combine tasked Luthien Armor Works with reverse engineering the technology of the invaders. The Avatar was one of several Inner Sphere OmniMechs that came out of that effort. It started the design process as modifications to a 60-ton Mad Dog but through several years of iterations and lessons learned from the first few Inner Sphere OmniMechs to reach production, emerged as a 70-ton design.

Thanks to the cooperation between the Great Houses that was necessary in the face of the Clan invasion, the Avatar proliferated throughout the Inner Sphere. Production from the LAW factory was split between the Draconis Combine, ComStar, and the Federated Commonwealth. Then designs were also shared with StarCorps Industries and Victory Industries to allow for production throughout the Inner Sphere. Thanks to open sales and multiple factories, the Avatar has been widely available to all of the major nations in the Inner Sphere as well as mercenaries for nearly a century now.

Read This First

• Use your autocannon and LRMs at range
• Switch from LRMs to your medium lasers once you close the range
• Damage to your side torsos can quickly find explosive ammo, so be careful once the armor there is low

Avatar AV1-O

• Role: Brawler
• Tech Base: Inner Sphere (3056)
• Chassis: 70 tons
• Movement: 4 / 6, XL
• Armor: 192
• Heat Sinks: 10 (20)
• Weapons:
  • LB 10-X AC (ammo: 10 standard, 10 cluster)
  • LRM 10 w/ Artemis IV × 2 (ammo: 36)
  • Medium Pulse Laser × 2
  • Medium Laser × 2
  • Machine Gun × 2 (ammo: 200)
• Equipment:
  • CASE
• Design Quirks:
  • Stabilized Weapons (Medium Lasers)
• Battle Value: 1,395

Mobility

The Avatar is not capable of matching the maneuverability of the Clan OmniMechs used as its basis. Rather than the 5 / 8 movement profile of the Mad Dog, it instead moves at a battle line speed of 4 / 6. That means that at best, it is capable of achieving a +2 target movement modifier. The primary configuration also does not mount any jump jets.

Durability

The Avatar is not the most durable design for its tonnage. It only carries 88% of the armor that a 70-ton chassis is capable of mounting. Under the armor, the Inner Sphere XL engine means that the loss of either side torso will knock it out of action. Worsening that vulnerability, each side torso has 3 out of its 10 critical slots filled with explosive ammunition. Even with CASE protection any of those slots being hit will stop the Avatar in its tracks.

Weaponry

In its primary configuration, the Avatar’s armament is centered on an LB 10-X autocannon and two LRM 10 launchers with Artemis IV. At shorter ranges, those are supported by two medium lasers and two medium pulse lasers. Then for anti-infantry work, it has a pair of machine guns.

The arrangement of the AV1-O’s weapons is split between its torsos and arms. The autocannon and two pulse lasers are in the arms ad enjoy wider firing arcs. Importantly, that gives the pulse lasers the ability to fire at any opponents that manage to get behind the Avatar. The rest of the weapons are then in the torsos which restricts their firing arcs but also decreases the chances of losing them early in a battle. In games using quirks, the torso medium lasers benefit from Stabilized Weapons allowing them to be more accurate when the Avatar is on the move.

Most of the AV1-O’s weapons require ammunition, but it carries more than enough for most engagements. The autocannon can be fired 10 times in each mode. The LRMs can both be fired 18 times. Then a ton of ammo for the two machine guns will likely last through an entire campaign.

Heat Management

The AV1-OA’s 10 double heat sinks are enough to keep it cool under most situations. With an alpha strike, its weapons can generate 24 heat, but between the short range for the pulse lasers and the minimum range of the LRMs, a MechWarrior will generally have an easy time deciding which weapons to use within its heat budget.

Brawling

With no hands and only one lower arm, the AV1-O is not configured to be throwing punches. When a target is within reach, a kick for 14 damage will usually be the Avatar’s best choice.

OmniMech Chassis

As an OmniMech, the Avatar can have its pod-mounted equipment swapped out between missions. It can carry 34 tons of equipment in addition to the two fixed medium lasers in its center torso. Because it doesn’t make use of either endo steel or ferro fibrous armor, the Avatar has a large number of slots available for pods.

As an OmniMech, the Avatar can also serve as a transport for a squad of battle armor. Its battle line speed is not the best for delivery, and the primary configuration’s torso-mounted missiles mean that it sacrifices a large portion of its long-range firepower while carrying a squad.

Miniature

A plastic Avatar miniature is included in the House Kurita Ranger Lance force pack. It is in the primary configuration, but can be used to represent any of them in a game.

Playtest Notes

If the rules previewed in the recent playtest are adopted, then that will change the Avatar’s performance a bit. The changes to CASE will mean that it has a chance to survive an ammo explosion it its side torsos.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Clan Invasion
• Record Sheets: Clan Invasion
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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’Mech Manual: Shiro SH-1V

Named for Shiro Kurita, the first Coordinator of the Draconis Combine, the SH-1V entered production at Luthien Armor Works in 3135. It was built to resemble a samurai, and it is restricted to MechWarriors who have proven themselves worthy through service to the Draconis Combine. It is often a commander’s BattleMech, and it is built to allow its MechWarriors to fight at any range while being protected by armor that would make most assault ‘Mechs jealous.

As expected for a symbol of the Draconis Combine’s samurais, almost all Shiros are in service to the DCMS. A small number have made their way into the Raven Alliance though.

Read This First

• As much as you want to use your sword, most of the time you are better off fighting at range to reduce what weapons your opponent can hit back with
• Clan LRMs mean that you don’t really have to worry about minimum ranges, so don’t be afraid to get close when its beneficial
• You lack hole-punching weapons, so you’ll be most effective if you can work with a lancemate that can put holes in armor
• 2 damage isn’t much, so it is usually best to pick cluster ammo for your autocannon and have the bonus to hit and flak

Shiro SH-1V

• Role: Missile Boat
• Tech Base: Inner Sphere Mixed (3135)
• Chassis: 75 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 5 / 7, XL
• Armor: 168 (Hardened)
• Gyroscope: XL Gyro
• Heat Sinks: 10 (20)
• Weapons:
  • Clan LRM 10 × 4 (ammo: 36)
  • LB 2-X AC (ammo: 45)
  • Sword
• Equipment:
  • Guardian ECM Suite
• Design Quirks:
  • Distracting
• Battle Value: 2,016

Mobility

Due to its hardened armor, the Shiro has an unusual movement profile. Its walking speed matches heavy cavalry designs at 5 MP, but then its running speed is only 7 MP. That still allows it to achieve a +3 target movement modifier, but only when moving in a straight line in clear terrain. Most of the time, it will be at a +2 to hit from movement. Its hardened armor also increases the difficulty of Piloting Skill Rolls, so hazardous terrain can have an even greater effect on it.

Durability

The hardened armor that holds back its mobility pays for itself with increased durability. The 168 armor points effectively provide more armor protection than on 100-ton assault ‘Mechs. Under the armor, the Shiro is more vulnerable. Its XL engine means that it will cease to function if any torso section is destroyed, and the XL gyro is more exposed to critical hits than a normal gyroscope. The right torso also holds three tons of LRM ammunition which means that any critical hit to that location has a 38% chance of destroying the entire ‘Mech. Then the left arm carries a ton of autocannon shells that mean 11% of critical hits there will also take out the ‘Mech due to its lack of CASE protection. The one alleviating factor to the risk of ammo explosions is that its LRM launchers can quickly empty out a ton of ammo in just 3 turns of firing. With luck, that can transform at least some of those potentially lethal critical slots into empty bins before the thick armor is breached.

Weaponry

The primary weapons for the Shiro SH-1V are its four Clan-spec LRM 10 launchers. These give it the ability to deliver up to 40 damage at ranges of 21 hexes, and they have no minimum range, so they can be effective right up to point-blank range. An LB 2-X AC can hit targets even farther out, but its damage potential is so low that it is unlikely to threaten other ‘Mechs. Instead, carrying cluster munitions gives the Shiro the ability to engage aerospace and VTOL threats.

All of the Shiro’s missile launchers are in its torso. That restricts their firing arc, but means that they are all free to fire when the Shiro has a target within reach of its sword. The autocannon is in its left arm, so it has a wider firing arc, but that is unlikely to discourage anything from flanking it.

All of the SH-1V’s weapons require ammunition. The four missile launchers can all fire for 9 turns before its bins run dry. That will usually be enough, but could force the MechWarrior to conserve ammunition during longer engagements. Then the autocannon has 45 shots which is far more than it is likely to use. Unfortunately, that is just a single bin of autocannon ammo, so a MechWarrior will need to choose between standard or cluster shots before deployment.

Heat Management

A running alpha strike only generates 19 heat points, so the Shiro’s 10 double heat sinks are enough to keep it cool unless it has taken damage or is operating in an unusually hot environment.

Brawling

The SH-1V carries a sword that can hit for 9 damage and is more accurate than a hatchet would be. Its other option is a kick for 15 damage. The kick will usually have a slightly better chance to hit than the sword, but it comes with the drawback of risking a fall if it misses, and the hardened armor penalty increases the chance of that fall.

Other Capabilities

The SH-1V is equipped with a Guardian ECM suite that helps to protect it and its lance from electronic warfare. The system interferes with advanced missile guidance systems and C3 networks.

Miniature

A plastic Shiro SH-1V is included in the House Kurita Command Lance force pack.

Playtest Notes

The above ignores the rules playtest for the next version of BattleTech’s core rulebook. If some of the previewed changes take effect, then the Shiro will perform a little differently. The cap on ammo explosion damage means that there is a chance a Shiro survives when its autocannon ammo explodes, but it will still be in bad shape with at best half of its side torso structure gone. Then the adjustments to physical attacks might adjust the relative accuracy of its sword and a kick. Personally, I hope that will be enough to make the sword feel more worthwhile.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Dark Age
• Record Sheets: Dark Age
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

More ’Mech Manuals

’Mech Manual: Akuma AKU-1X

The Akuma was built by Independence Weaponry as a lower cost alternative to their Atlas AS7-K. The Draconis Combine had lost a lot of their hardware to the Clans and needed lower cost options to quickly rearm in case the Truce of Tukayyid did not hold. The primary cost savings compared to the Atlas is that its lower tonnage allows for a lower-rated and less-expensive fusion engine, and then avoiding a cutting edge XL engine further reduced production costs. The AKU-1X did not entirely avoid advanced technology though. It makes use of endo steel, double heat sinks, and cutting edge weapon systems.

Being built as a budget alternative to the Atlas meant that many MechWarriors were initially skeptical of the Akuma, but it became more popular after proving itself during Operation Bulldog. Other than some Akumas being used by the Word of Blake during the Jihad, the Akuma has remained exclusive to the Draconis Combine, and continues to see use into the ilClan era.

Read This First

• You’re slow, but you really want to get to 2-3 hexes from your targets
• Switch from the ER PPC to the MRMs, SRMs, and lasers once you get close to targets
• You can go for crits with abundant SRMs and LB-X cluster shot once a target has some holes in their armor

Akuma AKU-1X

• Role: Juggernaut
• Tech Base: Inner Sphere (3058)
• Chassis: 90 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 3 / 5
• Armor: 279
• Heat Sinks: 13 (26)
• Weapons:
  • ER PPC
  • MRM 30 (ammo: 16)
  • LB 10-X AC (ammo: 10 Standard, 10 Cluster)
  • Streak SRM 6 (ammo: 15)
  • Streak SRM 4 (ammo: 25)
  • Medium Pulse Laser
  • Medium Laser
• Design Quirks:
  • Easy to Maintain
• Battle Value: 1,959

Mobility

The Akuma moves as quick as expected for a 90-ton ‘Mech. It can walk with 3 MP or run with 5 MP. It will rarely hit a +2 target movement modifier, but its armament also means that it is unlikely to want to stand still in protective terrain unless it has confidence that its enemies will be within a few hexes of that location.

Durability

The Akuma is solidly built, but its lack of CASE is a notable weakness. It carries all of the standard armor that it can with 279 armor points. It also has a standard fusion engine, so it can continue to fight after losing a side torso. Unfortunately, it also carries a lot of explosive ammunition that means it has a decent chance of exploding in the process of losing its side torsos. The right torso has explosive ammo in 25% of its critical slots, the left torso in 20%, and the left arm in 8%. Without CASE, an explosion in any of those locations is going to destroy the entire ‘Mech.

Weaponry

The AKU-1X has an eclectic mix of weapons. The first to come into play is an ER PPC that can start hitting targets at a range of 23 hexes. Then as targets get closer, an LB 10-X, an MRM 30, two different sizes of Streak SRM launchers, a medium laser, and a medium pulse laser gradually come into range. That mix means that despite a long maximum range, the Akuma wants to get within 3 hexes of its targets to really reach its full potential.

One place where its armament shines is in delivering a lot of small hits. With 10 Streak SRMs and an LB 10-X cluster shot, it can deliver as many as 20 hits for 1-2 damage each with just those weapons. That means that it can be terrifying to a target that has holes in its armor from earlier damage.

In addition to its odd mix of weapons, those weapons are oddly distributed. The ER PPC, pulse laser, and Streak SRM 4 are in its left arm. The right arm has only the medium laser. Then the rest of its weapons are torso-mounted. That ends up giving an unbalanced firing arc. If an opponent can stick to the Akuma’s rear-right, then it really can’t bring much of its arsenal into play.

A lot of the AKU-1X’s weapons require ammunition, but none of them are likely to have ammo shortages in a single engagement. The autocannon can carry 10 shots of each ammo type, the MRM has 16 shots, and then the Streak systems have 15 and 25. Only the longest of battles will mean that a MechWarrior needs to worry about conserving ammunition.

Heat Management

The Akuma’s 13 double heat sinks are very inadequate for its armament. Unleashing an alpha strike will generate 41 heat and overheat it by enough to risk a shutdown even without including movement heat. The two biggest heat generators are the ER PPC and the MRM 30. Generally, a MechWarrior will want to avoid using both of those at the same time. At range, the ER PPC and the LB 10-X can be used, and then at short range, the MRM, SRMs, and lasers can take the place of the ER PPC. The Streak SRMs also help some here because their 4 and 3 heat will only actually be generated when they lock on and deal damage.

Brawling

Despite being built to fight up close, the Akuma does not necessarily want to be throwing punches. Its assortment of weapons in its left arm can do far more damage through shooting than it can with a punch, especially since the lack of a hand actuator means those punches will be even less accurate. A punch with its right hand makes more sense because it will only need to hold fire with a single medium laser. Falling at the tonnage where a punch to a target’s head will strip its armor, but not do any internal damage also reduces the advantage of being able to hit the head more often compared to the heaviest of assault ‘Mechs. Instead, it will generally make more sense for the Akuma to kick targets that are at point-blank range.

Miniature

The House Kurita Command Lance force pack includes a plastic model of the Akuma AKU-1X.

Playtest Notes

The above ignores the playtest rules for BattleTech’s next core rulebook. If those changes take effect, then the performance of the AKU-1X will shift some. The damage cap on ammo explosions will mean that it has a chance to survive one since it has a standard engine and can keep going after losing a whole side torso. Then the improvement to the MRM launcher’s accuracy will give it more ability to use it at medium range.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Clan Invasion
• Record Sheets: Clan Invasion
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

More ’Mech Manuals

’Mech Manual: Savage Wolf Prime

While the original Timber Wolf OmniMech was developed by Clan Wolf, its battlefield prowess earned it a reputation as a near-ideal war machine amongst both the other Clans and the Inner Sphere.

As Clan Sea Fox shifted more and more towards their role as merchants and arms dealers, they decided to capitalize on the Timber Wolf’s reputation with the introduction of the Mad Cat Mk II. Intended for sale to the Inner Sphere, and using their designation for the Timber Wolf as a result, this assault ‘Mech proved a popular offering in the 3060s. It was followed by the 55-ton Mad Cat III and additional variants of each of those BattleMechs. Despite being named after the Timber Wolf, these new designs filled different niches rather than actually trying to supplant the legendary Timber Wolf.

In the 3130s, Clan Sea Fox was finally ready to introduce a direct competitor to the Timber Wolf. The Savage Wolf, marketed as the Mad Cat Mk IV to Inner Sphere customers, is built as an upgraded Timber Wolf at the same tonnage and filling the same battlefield roles. Its Prime configuration is based on the Timber Wolf D and closely matches it.

The design has proven to be popular throughout the Inner Sphere and can be found in Clan toumans, Great House militaries, and mercenary commands.

Read This First

• Watch your heat, the XXL means that you run hot
• Use your ER PPCs at range, then favor your SRMs once your target’s internals are exposed
• Your Ferro Lamellor armor gives you a tough shell, but internal damage to your torso can quickly take you out of the fight

Savage Wolf Prime

• Role: Skirmisher
• Tech Base: Clan (3136)
• Chassis: 75 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 5 / 8, XXL
• Armor: 224 (Ferro Lamellor)
• Gyroscope: Armored
• Heat Sinks: 17 (34)
• Weapons:
  • ER PPC × 2
  • Streak SRM 6 × 4 (ammo: 30)
• Equipment:
  • CASE
• Design Quirks:
  • Stable
  • Non-Standard Parts
  • Protected Actuators
• Battle Value: 2,781

Mobility

The Savage Wolf matches the Timber Wolf on mobility. It can walk with 5 MP or run with 8 MP. That means that in clear terrain, it can achieve a +3 target movement modifier. The Prime configuration of the Savage Wolf does not mount any jump jets though, so it can get bogged down in difficult terrain.

Durability

The most notable changes between the older Timber Wolf and the Savage Wolf are related to its durability, but despite the claims of Sea Fox marketing not all of the changes are improvements.

The first upgrade is a move from Ferro Fibrous armor to Ferro Lamellor. While it has a few less points of armor than a Timber Wolf, the damage reduction of Ferro Lamellor means that it will be able to take 20-30% more damage before its armor is depleted.

Another improvement over the Timber Wolf is that the Savage Wolf’s gyroscope is armored. Together with its Stable and Protected Actuators quirks, that can help the Savage Wolf stay on its feet and in the fight.

Another internal change works against the OmniMech’s durability though. In order to mount more armor, the Savage Wolf utilizes an XXL fusion engine. In addition to generating extra heat, the larger engine means that the Savage Wolf is both more likely to suffer engine hits and unable to survive the loss of either side torso location.

The Prime configuration also has explosive ammunition in both of its side torsos. Only one slot is in each torso for a 9% and an 11% chance of taking a critical hit in those locations, but they are only protected by standard CASE, so an ammo explosion is guaranteed to disable the Savage Wolf despite the CASE system.

Altogether, the changes should mean that the Savage Wolf can take more damage before starting to degrade, but then can go from good shape to disabled faster than a Timber Wolf once its torso internals are exposed.

Weaponry

The Savage Wolf Prime’s armament largely matches the Timber Wolf D. It has an ER PPC in each arm and then two Streak SRM 6 launchers facing forward and two facing backwards in its torsos. It does drop the Timber Wolf D’s ER Small Laser, but that is unlikely to be missed by most MechWarriors. The ER PPCs allow it to hit hard out to 23 hexes with two shots that are capable of taking off heads and punching holes in armor. Then within 12 hexes, two of its Streak launchers will come into play and be able to seek critical hits inside of the holes punched by the ER PPCs.

The Prime configuration is equally dangerous in any direction. Its arm-mounted ER PPCs can turn or flip to fire in any direction. Then it can fire either the forward-facing or rear-facing SRMs, or both, depending on where its target is.

The Streak launchers are the only ammo-dependent system for the Prime. Thanks to only firing when they achieve a lock, the 30 shots in its two bins should be more than enough for most engagements.

Heat Management

The Savage Wolf Prime runs hot. It has 17 double heat sinks, which is just enough to dissipate the heat from it walking and firing its two ER PPCs. If it runs or its Streak systems fire, then it will start to overheat. A successful alpha strike on a run can cause a heat gain of 10 in a single turn. The Streak systems do work to its advantage here since they will only generate heat when they lock on and do damage, but even then a MechWarrior will need to be careful to avoid pushing their heat levels too high and risking either shutdown or a heat-induced ammo explosion.

Brawling

Just like the Timber Wolf, the Savage Wolf is not likely to be throwing any punches. While it can fight at point-blank range, its lack of lower arms and needing to give up on using its ER PPCs means that punching is almost always a poor choice. Instead it can kick when the opportunity presents itself to deliver 15 damage.

OmniMech Chassis

The Savage Wolf can be reconfigured with different equipment pods to be tailored to its missions. Its 28 tons of pod space is a half ton more than a Timber Wolf can carry, but it is more restricted in its number of open critical slots due to its XXL engine and armor. The designers opted to keep the bulk of its open slots in its side torsos with its arms more restricted than the Timber Wolf’s.

The Savage Wolf can also carry a unit of mechanized battle armor. The Savage Wolf Prime has good speed for that and only has to sacrifice its ability to fire its Streak SRMs while they are mounted.

Miniature

A plastic miniature of the Savage Wolf A is included in the Third Star League Battle Group force pack. Iron Wind Metals also offers a Savage Wolf miniature that can be built as either the Prime or A.

Playtest Notes

The above ignores the playtest rules for BattleTech’s next core rulebook. If those changes take effect, then the Savage Wolf does have a chance to survive an ammo explosion in its side torso thanks to the cap of 10 damage when an explosion occurs in a location with CASE.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Dark Age
• Record Sheets: Dark Age
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#BattleTech #MechManual #SavageWolf

’Mech Manual: Shockwave SKW-4G

The SKW-4G was the first variant for the Shockwave SKW-2F. Earthwerks-FWL introduced it just one year after the initial production model, but its adoption was slow due to the experimental laser technology that it used. Despite the slower initial adoption, the SKW-4G has proliferated to just as many militaries as the SKW-2F.

If you’re at the Supporter tier on Patreon, you can read about the Shockwave SKW-4G here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/mech-manual-skw-145651621

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#battletech #mechManual #shockwave

’Mech Manual: Shockwave SKW-2F

The Shockwave SKW-2F entered production at Earthwerks-FWL in the Marik-Stewart Commonwealth just a couple of years after the end of the Word of Blake Jihad. While many of the Shockwaves produced bolstered the military of the newly independent Marik-Stewart Commonwealth, it was also offered on the open market in order to bolster the regional economy as militaries across the Inner Sphere rushed to rebuild after the destruction of the previous decade.

Thanks to those exports, the SKW-2F has been available to mercenaries and every Successor State other than the Lyran Commonwealth since its introduction and has continued to see widespread use through the rise of the ilClan.

Read This First

• The Shockwave is a hard-hitting medium ‘Mech thanks to its rotary autocannon
• Be careful about internal damage, you have an XL engine and three tons of unprotected explosives in your torso
• Use your mobility to stay at range against opponent’s with short-range firepower or rush in to punch against those with minimum ranges

Shockwave SKW-2F

• Role: Skirmisher
• Tech Base: Inner Sphere (3082)
• Chassis: 50 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 5 / 8, XL
• Armor: 160
• Heat Sinks: 11 (22)
• Weapons:
  • RAC/5 (ammo: 40)
  • ER Large Laser
  • LRM 10 w/ Artemis IV (ammo: 12)
• Design Quirks:
  • Battlefists
  • Easy to Maintain
  • Exposed Weapon Linkage (RAC/5)
• Battle Value: 1,453

Mobility

The Shockwave SKW-2F has fairly average mobility for its tonnage. It has 5 walking MP and 8 running MP, but is not equipped with any jump jets. That gives it the ability to hit a +3 target movement modifier while running even if it loses 1 MP to either terrain or turning. With its longer ranged weapons, that speed can be used to maintain range or to push in to melee to match the battlefield situation.

Durability

With 95% of the armor that a 50-ton chassis can mount, the Shockwave has a reasonably tough outer shell. It does have some limitations under its armor though. The Inner Sphere XL engine means that losing either side torso will take it out of the fight. It also carries three tons of explosive ammunition without any CASE protection. That means that a critical hit to its center torso has a 17% chance of destroying it, and a hit to the left torso an 11% chance. Luckily, the Shockwave has the tools to empty those bins quickly.

Weaponry

The SKW-2F has a trio of weapons with medium-to-long range. The LRM 10 with Artemis IV can begin to target enemies at 21 hexes, then the ER Large laser comes into play at 19 hexes, and finally the RAC/5 brings in the bulk of its firepower at 15 hexes. The minimum range of the LRMs end up conflicting slightly with the RAC. The ideal range for the autocannon starts at 5 hexes where the LRMs will be dealing with a +2 penalty to target numbers.

All of the Shockwave’s weapons are mounted on its torso. That reduces its firing arc, but also means that it doesn’t lose any firepower with the loss of an arm.

The Shockwave is not built for endurance. Firing at its full rate, it will burn through all of its rotary autocannon ammunition in less than 7 turns. Its LRM launcher can be fired for 12 turns before it is out of missiles. If a MechWarrior is expecting a longer engagement, then they should drop the number of RAC shots against more difficult target numbers in order to save ammunition for easier shots when damage can be maximized.

Heat Management

The SKW-2F has nearly balanced cooling and heat generation. An alpha strike of its weapons can generate 22 points of heat which is matched by its 11 double heat sinks. That means that it will only gain movement heat when alpha striking, and the RAC’s flexibility means that it can tune its heat generation by dropping to 4 or 5 shots in order to both stay heat neutral and conserve ammunition. Then if targets get too close, the LRM can be dropped from the firing pattern since its missiles have little chance of hitting at point-blank ranges anyways.

Brawling

The Shockwave is built to box. Both arms have fists with the battlefists quirk and all of its weapons are mounted in its torso. That means that it can fire everything while still delivering two improved punches for 5 damage each. It can also deliver kicks for 10 damage if it wants to focus damage on a target’s legs.

Miniature

A plastic miniature for the Shockwave SKW-2F is included in the 21st Centauri Lancers Command Lance force pack.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Dark Age
• Record Sheets: Dark Age
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#battletech #mechManual #shockwave

’Mech Manual: Sojourner B

Produced on Donegal after Clan Wolf-in-Exile’s retreat from Arc Royal, the Sojourner’s production runs are split between the Clan and the Lyran Commonwealth. Where the other designs produced as part of that arrangement have long been staples among Clan Wolf-in-Exile forces, the Sojourner is being produced for the first time. It was designed to be rugged and dependable in a time of chaos and change.

The B configuration of the Sojourner pairs ER pulse lasers with the Sojourner’s actuator enhancement system to have superb long-range accuracy. It can be found amongst the forces of the Lyran Commonwealth and Clan Wolf.

Read This First

• Use your supercharger and jump jets to get into a good firing position
• Act as a sniper, AES makes your ER pulse laser just as accurate as normal pulse weapons
• Use your SRMs to score critical hits against targets that have holes in their armor
• Be careful about going all-out, you will heat up fast when jumping and firing everything

Sojourner B

• Role: Sniper
• Tech Base: Clan (3147)
• Chassis: 60 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 4 / 6 (8)
  • Jumping: 4
• Armor: 201 (Ferro Fibrous)
• Heat Sinks: 14 (28)
• Weapons:
  • ER Large Pulse Laser × 2
  • Streak SRM 6 (ammo: 15)
• Equipment:
  • ECM Suite
  • AES
  • Supercharger
  • CASE II
• Design Quirks:
  • Easy to Maintain
  • Easy to Pilot
  • Rugged ×2
• Battle Value: 2,397

Mobility

The Sojourner has an unusual movement profile for a Clan heavy OmniMech. Rather than the 5 / 8 movement typical of iconic designs like the Mad Dog, Summoner, and Timber Wolf, its standard fusion engine only provides it with a 4 / 6 profile. Then it has a supercharger that can allow it to get up to 8 running MP in short sprints, and 4 jump jets to allow it to deal with rough terrain. Without the supercharger, it can only achieve a +2 target movement modifier, but at a supercharged sprint, it can reach +3. With the B configuration geared towards acting as a sniper, the movement boosts of the supercharger or jump jets are generally best used to quickly reach good firing positions.

Durability

The Sojourner chassis carries maximum armor for a 60-ton ‘Mech, and its standard fusion engine means that it can remain operational even with the loss of both side torsos. The only explosive component carried by the B configuration is the ammo for its streak SRM 6. There is only a 14% chance that a critical hit to the left arm will strike the ammo, and even when that happens, the bin is protected by CASE II. Overall, opponents will need to work hard to take down the Sojourner B thanks to its rugged design.

Weaponry

The main armament of the B configuration is a pair of ER large pulse lasers. These are mounted in the arm with AES which allows them to match the accuracy of a normal large pulse laser at longer ranges. Those two lasers are backed up by a streak SRM 6. It only has about half of the effective range of the lasers, but the missiles can be used to find any holes the lasers have opened in a target’s armor and score critical hits.

All of the B configuration’s weapons are arm-mounted. Both lasers are in the right arm, and the SRMs are in the left. This means that it is capable of firing at targets in any direction. The lack of torso-mounted weapons can mean that it loses its offensive capabilities faster than some of its peers.

The Sojourner B carries a single ton of ammo for its streak SRM 6. That allows for the launcher to fire 15 times. Combined with the streak system’s ammo efficiency, that should be more than enough for any engagement.

Heat Management

ER large pulse lasers run hot, so the Sojourner B can run into heat problems if its MechWarrior is not careful. It has 14 double heat sinks for 28 cooling capacity. Each laser generates 13 heat when fired. That means that at a run, the Sojourner is heat neutral as long as it is only using its lasers. Firing the streak SRM launcher adds another 4 points of heat, and jumping can add 2 more over running. That puts the B configuration at 6 heat over budget if it maxes out everything. One turn of that is enough to slow it down to assault ‘Mech speeds, and a second gets it perilously close to risking shutdown.

Brawling

The B configuration is not well-suited to physical combat. It has a full set of actuators, including a fist, in its left arm, but its streak SRM 6 will almost always be a better choice than a punch. Its other arm is even more skewed towards ranged combat with the two pulse lasers and no lower arm. Instead, the Sojourner should focus on kicks when it finds itself at point-blank range.

OmniMech Chassis

The Sojourner is an OmniMech, so it can be quickly reconfigured between battles and is capable of carrying mechanized battle armor. As a battle armor carrier, its speed is a disadvantage, but with only arm-mounted weapons, the B configuration does not lose any of its own firepower when battle armor are mounted on it. The Sojourner chassis has its supercharger and right arm AES hard-mounted which reduces its flexibility a bit and encourages any primary weapons to be located in its right arm.

Miniature

Iron Wind Metals sells a miniature for the Sojourner B. They also offer miniatures for the Prime and C configurations. During a game, any of those three will work for representing any Sojourner configuration on the battlefield.

Sources

• Recognition Guide Vol. 2: ilClan
• Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. 2
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#BattleTech #MechManual #Sojourner

’Mech Manual: Sojourner Prime

The Sojourner entered production after Clan Jade Falcon defeated the Kell Hounds and Clan Wolf-in-Exile on Arc Royal. The survivors of Clan Wolf-in-Exile relocated to Donegal and launched an effort to rebuild their forces. In addition to building as many of their existing designs as possible, the exiled Wolves also began to manufacture the Sojourner.

Thanks to the partnership between Clan Wolf-in-Exile and the Lyran Commonwealth, they shared the output of the Sojourner production line. Some of the design also reached Clan Wolf during the Dark Age, and with the exiled Wolves rejoining Clan Wolf on Terra, many of the Sojourners are now operating under the banner of the reborn Star League.

Read This First

• Get to a good firing position and act as a sniper
• Your plasma cannon’s effectiveness varies a lot with targets – focus it on vehicles, infantry, buildings, or ’Mechs where it can push up their heat to the point of taking penalties
• Be careful with when you engage your supercharger

Sojourner Prime

• Role: Sniper
• Tech Base: Clan (3147)
• Chassis: 60 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 4 / 6 (8)
  • Jumping: 3
• Armor: 201 (Ferro Fibrous)
• Heat Sinks: 10 (20)
• Weapons:
  • Gauss Rifle (ammo: 16)
  • ER Large Laser
  • Plasma Cannon (ammo: 10)
• Equipment:
  • AES
  • Supercharger
  • CASE II
• Design Quirks:
  • Easy to Maintain
  • Easy to Pilot
  • Rugged (×2)
• Battle Value: 2,491

Mobility

Unlike most Clan heavy OmniMechs, the Sojourner chassis is not built for a cavalry role. Its 4 / 6 movement profile means that it is slower than average for a heavy ’Mech, especially a 60-ton one. It does have a supercharger that can give it a more competitive top speed with shorts bursts of running at 8 MP, but every use comes with risk. The best option is going to be to hold that in reserve for turns when it is necessary to reach a valuable position, and avoid consecutive use to minimize the risk of taking engine damage. With its normal movement profile only allowing for a +2 target movement modifier, the Sojourner will be better off standing in defensive terrain than trying to evade incoming fire with movement.

In the Prime configuration, the Sojourner also mounts 3 jump jets. This is useful to bypass particularly dense terrain, such as leaping to the top of a level 3 building or up a hill covered in woods, but otherwise offers very little benefit compared to staying on the ground.

Durability

The Sojourner chassis is rugged. It has maximum armor for a 60-ton ’Mech and a standard engine that allows it to continue operating even after losing its side torsos. The only explosive component in the Prime configuration is the gauss rifle in the right arm, and that location has CASE II to minimize the impact of it being hit.

Weaponry

The Prime configuration of the Sojourner has a gauss rifle as its primary weapon with an ER large laser and a plasma cannon as its secondary weapons. The rifle and laser give it the potential to deliver two significant hits at ranges in excess of 20 hexes. The plasma cannon can hinder opposing ’Mechs with additional heat or do considerable damage to vehicles, infantry, and buildings.

The gauss rifle is in the Sojourner’s AES equipped right arm which gives it both improved accuracy and a wide firing arc. It does suffer from a minimum range though, so even though it can be fired directly behind the ’Mech, it can be lackluster against short-range backstabbers. The other two weapons are in the left torso and can only fire into the Sojourner’s front arc.

Two of the Sojourner Prime’s three weapons require ammunition. It has two tons for the gauss rifle and one for the plasma rifle. That is 16 and 10 shots respectively, so in most engagements, it will have enough ammunition to fire whenever it has a shot.

Heat Management

In the Prime configuration, the Sojourner will usually build some heat during a battle. It has 10 double heat sinks and its weapons will produce 20 heat when its fires them all, so each turn of that it will overheat by whatever heat its movement generates. If it is acting as a sniper standing, then it can fire indefinitely, but it can only fight on the move for a couple turns before starting to slow down. When it does get hot, a single turn of holding fire with either the large laser or plasma cannon, depending on available targets, will give it a chance to cool back off.

Brawling

In the Prime configuration, the Sojourner doesn’t generally want to be at point-blank range due to its gauss rifle’s minimum range. When it does find itself there, its left arm is free for punching. It has a full set of actuators in that arm and no weapons, so the punch for 6 damage is a good choice with no real downsides. It can also kick for 12 damage, but that carries the risk of falling over on a miss.

OmniMech Chassis

As an OmniMech, the Sojourner can carry mechanized battle armor and be reconfigured between engagements. The Prime configuration does lose the ability to use its laser or plasma cannon when battle armor is mounted. Its relatively slow speed also limits its utility for delivering battle armor to an objective. For reconfiguration, the Sojourner hard mounts its right arm AES and supercharger which reduces some of its flexibility and encourages the placement of the main weapons in its one arm.

Miniature

Iron Wind Metals has a miniature for the Sojourner Prime. They also offer kits for the B and C configurations, so you can pick the one that you like the most and use it to represent any Sojourner config on the table.

Sources

• Recognition Guide Vol. 2: ilClan
• Recognition Guide: ilClan Vol. 2
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#BattleTech #MechManual #Sojourner

’Mech Manual: Battle Cobra BTL-C-2OA

I took one of these to the Atomic Empire Classic BattleTech tournament and killed a Tenshi with it! Sure, it had some help and the kill was mostly luck, but I still had lots of fun with this ’Mech.

Like other powers of the Inner Sphere, ComStar tasked their scientists and engineers with replicating Clan OmniMech technology. With numerous Battle Cobras taken as salvage from the Devil’s Bath on Tukayyid, they decided to try to replicate that design. Unfortunately, the Word of Blake schism and technical complexities caused numerous delays. While the Draconis Combine was manufacturing their own OmniMechs as early as 3052, ComStar did not complete its Battle Cobra OmniMech until 3063.

The new Battle Cobra BTL-C-2O’s Prime configuration attempted to replicate the Clan Battle Cobra’s Prime with a pair of large pulse lasers. The A configuration though attempted something different. It instead focused on electronic warfare with an armament consisting mostly of medium lasers.

The Com Guards were the only military force to make use of the Battle Cobra until they were dissolved at the end of the Word of Blake Jihad. At that point, the chassis was adopted by the Kell Hounds and some other mercenaries, but the C3i-equipped configurations like the A were abandoned in favor of new uses for the OmniMech chassis.

Read This First

• Try to fight within 6 hexes of your targets, or even closer if you are spotting for a friendly C3i network
• With C3i, ECM, Probe, and TAG you can make your allies more effective and excel at missions requiring scanning or locating hidden items
• You can’t generate much TMM because you’re slower than a 40-ton ’Mech should be and you don’t have much armor due to being a 40-ton ’Mech, so try to use terrain defensively
• Alternatively, make sure your allies are drawing all of the enemy fire for you

Battle Cobra BTL-C-2OA

• Role: Brawler
• Tech Base: Inner Sphere (3063)
• Chassis: 40 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 5 / 8
• Armor: 125 (Ferro Fibrous)
• Heat Sinks: 11 (22)
• Weapons:
  • Medium Pulse Laser × 3
  • Medium Laser × 3
  • Small Pulse Laser
• Equipment:
  • Guardian ECM Suite
  • Beagle Active Probe
  • C3i
  • TAG
• Design Quirks:
  • Extended Torso Twist
• Battle Value: 1,113

Mobility

ComStar’s version of the Battle Cobra is slower than the original Clan version. It only has a 5 / 8 movement profile which puts it on the slow side for medium ’Mechs and especially 40-ton designs. When running, it can achieve a +3 target movement modifier, but most of the time when in terrain or needing to maneuver is more likely to be at a +2 modifier.

Durability

The BTL-C-2O chassis matches the Clan OmniMech defensively. It has 90% of the armor that a 40-ton chassis can carry, but that still is not enough to stop high damage weapons like a gauss rifle or Clan ER PPC from going directly to internals for most of its hit locations. Between a standard fusion engine and a lack of explosive components in the A configuration, it can still take a beating and continue to fight.

Weaponry

The A configuration of ComStar’s Battle Cobra carries an assortment of lasers. One arm has three medium lasers and the other has three medium pulse lasers and a small pulse laser. That gives it a shorter effective range with it ideally fighting at 6 hexes or less, but a fairly high damage output when targets are within range.

With all of its weapons mounted on its arms and the ability to arm flip, the BTL-C-2OA enjoys a wide firing arc. When playing with quirks, it also benefits from Extended Torso Twist to make it even easier to bring its weapons to bear against targets in any direction. That allows it to excel as a short range brawler.

The A configuration does not have any weapons that require ammunition.

Heat Management

The 11 double heat sinks on the BTL-C-2OA can handle most of the heat it can generate. Firing the medium lasers and medium pulse lasers generate 21 heat, so at a walk it is heat neutral and at a run it only overheats by 1 point. That allows it to fight for several turns before its MechWarrior must choose between continuing to fire everything or avoiding heat penalties. The extra 2 heat from the small pulse laser will cause overheating, but it can be used to spike damage a little bit or as a swap for one of the other lasers in order to allow a small amount of cooling off.

Brawling

While the BTL-C-2OA wants to be fighting up close, but it is not particularly good at physical attacks. Its arms lack lower arm actuators and are full of its lasers, so it should almost never punch. Kicking for 8 damage will generally be its best option.

Other Capabilities

The BTL-C-2OA configuration has an abundance of electronic warfare capabilities. Its C3i and TAG systems can both improve the targeting for allied units. An ECM can either disrupt enemy systems or operate in ECCM mode to protect the Battle Cobra’s connection to its own C3i network. Finally, an active probe allows for the Battle Cobra to locate hidden enemies and scan targets as needed.

OmniMech Chassis

The ComStar Battle Cobra, like the Clan design it is based on, is an OmniMech, so it can be reconfigured between engagements and transport mechanized battle armor. While its speed is a detriment for battle armor delivery, all of its weapons generally being arm-mounted means that the Battle Cobra gives up little when serving as a transport.

Miniature

The plastic Battle Cobra miniature in the Clan Support Star force pack is modeled after the Clan Battle Cobra’s Prime configuration, but it works to represent any of the Battle Cobra configurations, Clan or ComStar, on the table.

Sources

• Shrapnel 11
• Shrapnel 11 Record Sheets
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#BattleCobra #BattleTech #MechManual

’Mech Manual: Pouncer H

After the invention and proliferation of heavy lasers, many Clan OmniMechs received standard configurations making use of the new weapons. For the Pouncer, the new H configuration was inspired by the existing D configuration with its triple ER medium lasers in each arm replaced by a pair of heavy medium lasers.

Clans Wolf and Wolf-in-Exile are the primary users of the Pouncer, but it is not an exclusive design. In the 3100’s, it can be found in the forces of every Clan in the Inner Sphere, the Scorpion Empire, and mercenary units.

Read This First

• Get within 3 hexes of targets and blast them
• 10 damage hits are enough to blow holes in the rear armor of most targets, so you make a great backstabber
• The Streak SRMs are good at finding holes in armor to try to get critical hits
• Have a plan for cooling off following any attempted alpha strikes
• Remember that you have a light ’Mech’s armor so try not to be an easy target

Pouncer H

• Role: Striker
• Tech Base: Clan (3062)
• Chassis: 40 tons (Endo Steel)
• Movement: 6 / 9, XL
  • Jumping: 5
• Armor: 115 (Ferro Fibrous)
• Heat Sinks: 15 (30)
• Weapons:
  • Streak SRM 6 × 2 (ammo: 15)
  • Heavy Medium Laser × 4
  • Heavy Small Laser
• Equipment:
  • Targeting Computer
  • CASE
• Design Quirks:
  • Weak Head Armor (2)
• Battle Value: 1,784

Mobility

The Pouncer’s movement profile is okay, but not great. On the ground, it can walk with 6 MP or run with 9 MP. Its jump jets provide it with 5 jump MP. Either jumping or running, it can achieve a +3 target movement modifier. In the H config, it wants to use its mobility to get within 3 hexes of targets so that it can get the most out of its heavy medium lasers.

Durability

The armor on the Pouncer is a little below average for a 40-ton BattleMech. It also suffers from the Weak Head Armor quirk so that a lucky hit from any 10 damage weapon will end the life of its MechWarrior. In the H configuration, it carries a ton of CASE-protected ammo in its right torso. A critical hit there has an 11% chance of hitting that bin and destroying the Pouncer’s entire right side.

Weaponry

The Pouncer H has four heavy medium lasers as its primary weapons. These match the range of Inner Sphere medium lasers but hit twice as hard. A targeting computer counters the inherent inaccuracy of the heavy lasers. With the potential to deliver four 10 damage hits, the H config can quickly blast holes in a target’s armor. Then once internals are exposed, two Streak SRM 6 launchers can deliver a dozen hits to attempt to damage critical systems. A heavy small laser rounds out the arsenal.

All of the lasers are mounted in the Pouncer’s arms. With the ability to flip its arms, that means that it can fire its primary weapons in any direction. The SRM launchers are torso mounted though, so they can only be fired into its front arc.

The two Streak SRM 6 launchers share a single bin of ammunition. That allows for a total of 15 salvos to be fired. Thanks to not wasting missiles on misses though, that should be more than enough for most engagements.

Heat Management

The H configuration’s numerous heavy lasers contribute to it running hot. Its 15 double heat sinks can dissipate 30 heat in a turn, but an alpha strike will generate 39 heat. It can also generate as much as 5 heat from its movement when jumping. In actual use, the situation is not as bad as those numbers imply though. The four heavy medium lasers generate 28 heat, so the Pouncer can fire those at a run while staying heat neutral. Then the SRMs are Streak systems, so they will only generate heat in the turns when they actually lock and hit. All together, that means that a MechWarrior is able to run and try to fire everything other than the small heavy laser. If one SRM locks, the Pouncer will overheat by 4 and not face any penalties. If both fire, the situation is worse with penalties to movement and accuracy, but it also means that a dozen missiles just hit its target. After a turn in which the missiles fired, the Pouncer can hold fire with some of its lasers to cool back off and potentially jump out of sight for a turn if it is all the way up to 8+ heat. The heavy small laser can also be used at point blank range in exchange for one of the mediums to reduce the heat burden for a turn.

Brawling

Like many Clan machines, the Pouncer is not built to brawl. Its lack of lower arms means that its punches suffer +3 modifiers to their to-hit numbers and only deal 2 damage. That is vastly out performed by the heavy lasers mounted in its arms. Instead, it is better off kicking for 8 damage.

OmniMech Chassis

The Pouncer is an OmniMech, so it can have its pod-mounted equipment swapped between engagements. It loses some flexibility due to its built-in jumpjets, but still has 15.5 tons of pod space.

Miniature

A plastic Pouncer Prime is included in the Alpha Strike Box Set, and it works well to represent any Pouncer configuration on the table.

Sources

• Technical Readout: Jihad
• Record Sheets: Jihad
• Master Unit List
• Sarna

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#BattleTech #MechManual #Pouncer