Battletech Story Brainstorming

[Knowledgeispower]

big reasoning I have for the fusilier to exist is to be a cheaper alternative to the trebuchet that corean does build on new avalon for march milita units along with basically anyone else who needs what amounts to a smaller archer. For the ranger its basically that the suns need a trooper heavy mech really badly since they lack one in otl what with them only making riflemen, jagermechs, and marauders.
also can post more designs later if so wanted.

also given the islamabad PDZ includes stuff like the major industrial world of panpour I'd debate it being in the outback but results may vary there on a world to world basis.

 

[Blasterbot]

BattleAxe BKX-7K2 feels a bit under sinked but it is intro tech so it fits quite well. solid design.

Hammerhands HMH-3E you have 4 tons of AC-10 ammo here and 1 AC-10. you also have 2 tons of SRM ammo for a single SRM 6. I feel like you accidentally doubled the ammo needed for this mech. that said 2 tons of SRM can be justified if you are packing a set of specialist ammo in usually. maybe swap the extra 2-3 tons of ammo for some bonus heat sinking.

Hammerhands HMH-4D2 looks solid. 2 AC-10s and a Large laser does push the heat with movement but is a beefy amount of mid range punch. at closer ranges can swap the Large for 2 Mediums and have a better heat profile and slightly more consistent damage.

I like them in general though. they are all Davion designs so no company has the patent on them. The fed suns do have a fair amount of mediums already so getting more heavies is certainly a good idea. 3/5/3 movement on a 75 tonner makes the Hammerhands feel a bit like a pocket assault mech. which I like more than I should.

@Knowledgeispower what about light mechs? I know everyone uses bug mechs. and I know Davions like the Valkyrie. I also want to say they have the javelin. Do they have a hole there that needs to be filled?

 

[PsihoKekec]

How about single engine for three different mechs in the name of easier logistics? With 240 you get 40-60-80 tonners, the downside is that these are least desirable weight brackets.

 

[bullethead]

How about single engine for three different mechs in the name of easier logistics? With 240 you get 40-60-80 tonners, the downside is that these are least desirable weight brackets.

Given the way BattleTech's engine rules, it's kind of impossible to standardize on that. There's a weird exception with the Enforcer and Watchman though...

So what Rex Achernar is thinking is "If I can't standardize on engines, I can standardize the weapons and get big logistics benefits from that."

(Note that the Watchman, Enforcer, BattleAxe 7K2, Hammerhands 3E and 4D2 all use most of the same weapons, just in different quantities.)

Hammerhands HMH-3E you have 4 tons of AC-10 ammo here and 1 AC-10. you also have 2 tons of SRM ammo for a single SRM 6. I feel like you accidentally doubled the ammo needed for this mech. that said 2 tons of SRM can be justified if you are packing a set of specialist ammo in usually. maybe swap the extra 2-3 tons of ammo for some bonus heat sinking.

Rex Achernar: "Well, I wanted to get out ahead of everyone and make a Hammerhands for front line use. It was supposed to have two large lasers to minimize the logistical requirements for deployment. But everybody told me 'it's not a Hammerhands if it doesn't have AC/10s', so I put one back in and gave it more than enough ammo, so you don't have to worry about reloads in the field as often."

Also, if I did this story, people would be using specialist ammo, unlike canon, where it was retconned in (even though it should've been there to start).

Hammerhands HMH-4D2 looks solid. 2 AC-10s and a Large laser does push the heat with movement but is a beefy amount of mid range punch. at closer ranges can swap the Large for 2 Mediums and have a better heat profile and slightly more consistent damage.

Believe it or not, the original version of this thing used a PPC in place of the large laser. So imagine how bad the heat management on that thing was.

Rex Achernar: "PPCs are such manufacturing pain in the ass. That's why I replace them with large lasers whenever possible, unless I get a good deal from someone who makes the things."

 

[Blasterbot]

Rex Achernar: "Well, I wanted to get out ahead of everyone and make a Hammerhands for front line use. It was supposed to have two large lasers to minimize the logistical requirements for deployment. But everybody told me 'it's not a Hammerhands if it doesn't have AC/10s', so I put one back in and gave it more than enough ammo, so you don't have to worry about reloads in the field as often."

Also, if I did this story, people would be using specialist ammo, unlike canon, where it was retconned in (even though it should've been there to start).

I'd stand by 2 tons is still enough for that with the AC-10. but someone being stubborn about it at the top and people on the ground regularly making a field refit so it doesn't have such a huge ammo bomb also makes sense from a story perspective. not everything needs to be optimized. it just needs reasons why it wasn't. is part of why the introtech designs are so fun.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

BattleAxe BKX-7K2 feels a bit under sinked but it is intro tech so it fits quite well. solid design.

Hammerhands HMH-3E you have 4 tons of AC-10 ammo here and 1 AC-10. you also have 2 tons of SRM ammo for a single SRM 6. I feel like you accidentally doubled the ammo needed for this mech. that said 2 tons of SRM can be justified if you are packing a set of specialist ammo in usually. maybe swap the extra 2-3 tons of ammo for some bonus heat sinking.

Hammerhands HMH-4D2 looks solid. 2 AC-10s and a Large laser does push the heat with movement but is a beefy amount of mid range punch. at closer ranges can swap the Large for 2 Mediums and have a better heat profile and slightly more consistent damage.

I like them in general though. they are all Davion designs so no company has the patent on them. The fed suns do have a fair amount of mediums already so getting more heavies is certainly a good idea. 3/5/3 movement on a 75 tonner makes the Hammerhands feel a bit like a pocket assault mech. which I like more than I should.

@Knowledgeispower what about light mechs? I know everyone uses bug mechs. and I know Davions like the Valkyrie. I also want to say they have the javelin. Do they have a hole there that needs to be filled?

Well they could use something akin to the firestarter in their lineup if not the actual design....and actually be making Javelins. How the hell that design is still semi common in 3025 when it went out of production in 2774 and it has poor armor and 2 Ammo bombs in its stock variant beats me.
Maybe a early suburbanmech? Or perhaps something akin to the wolfhound and/or just ramping up Phoneix Hawk production to deal with panther and Jenner spam?

For other notable holes in the mech production lineup circa 3025 and presumably most of the 2nd and 3rd SW I'd say the 2 big ones are battleline heavies and assault mechs period. The battleaxe and hammerhands semi fill those albeit not all the way. Still better than otl though especially if it causes other butterflies in new and/or repaired production facilites.

 

[PeaceMaker 03]

Always thought the SWD2 Swordsman would be a solid mech to rework, drop the AC for a FE 200 as a 5/8/5 mech. Upgrade the LRM5 to a 10, another ML and boost armor and heat sink.
Understand the in story reason why it is tainted, but a rework of the surface design with the armor upgrade, loss of AC5, and change to LRM10 gives it a new lease on life.

Ask the 1stPrince to test pilot it and give it thumbs up, make it look more like a Centurion and source LRM10, and ML from the Centurion/Enforcer/ Valkyrie for easier logistic issues,(if possible).

Not the normal BT thing but a 6/9/6 version (source FE240 from Rifleman mech)would help fill the niche as a bug/ light mech/ pirate hunter. Same LRM10 and ML’s for logistics. Aim them as militia mechs cuts logistical burden for planetary militia and stiffening of normal lights found in such organizations.

Yes I know Watchman and Sentry come along to fill similar niche but the Swordsman is already a FedSuns thing and could be made centuries earlier.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Not sure it's really a swordsman at that point and closer to a fat Valkyrie. Not saying it wouldn't be viable though but questionable from a defence economics POV. And the even faster variant....honestly sounds a lot like a non stealthy thinner exterminator. Not sure it's worthwhile in terms of payload when the Valkyrie and watchman combo plus trooper mediums will do the job just fine.

speaking of defense economics given this is the first SW era to be blunt I don't think Achernar will be able to set up 3 major sites in the outback before the tech or budget/resources aren't there anymore or get diverted

Probably 1 of them gets finished and the other 2 are at most moderately sized sites or ones focusing on maybe 1 perhaps 2 mech designs and doing factory level support for the areas logistically. Maybe they're making some tanks as well? Or con-air, VTOLs, artillery, ect. Aka being able to support the area and wider AFFS on not just tank related matters. Given how diverse their business portfolio already is (like 80% not related to military stuff at all) branching out to non mech military equipment seems logical

 

[Blasterbot]

Yeah 3 sites is a tall order. but he is putting his son on it and the goal is really more to get 1 site going and the other 2 as a work in progress for 2 other worlds whose economy is currently in the shitter. it is as much trying to build up the outback economically as it is trying to build them up militarily.

as for the swordsman (ignoring shifting quirks around I'd go with this for something like a hypothetical SWD-3

Spoiler: Swordsman SWD-3

Swordsman SWD-3
Base Tech Level: Introductory (IS)

Level​	​	Era​
Experimental​	​	-​
Advanced​	​	2482-2504 (Age of War)​
Standard​	​	2505+ (Age of War -)​

Tech Rating: D/C-E-D-D

Weight: 40 tons
BV: 961
Cost: 2,776,293 C-bills
Source: XTR: Primitives IV

Movement: 4/6/4
Engine: 160 Fusion
Heat Sinks: 13
Gyro: Standard Gyro

Internal: 67
Armor: 128/137

​	Internal​	Armor​	​	​
Head​	3​	9​	​	​
Center Torso​	12​	18​	​	​
Center Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Right Torso​	10​	15​	​	​
Right Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Left Torso​	10​	15​	​	​
Left Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Right Arm​	6​	11​	​	​
Left Arm​	6​	11​	​	​
Right Leg​	10​	17​	​	​
Left Leg​	10​	17​	​	​

Weapons​	Loc​	Heat​	​
Medium Laser​	LA​	3​	​
Medium Laser​	RA​	3​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​
Large Laser​	LT​	8​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​

Ammo​	Loc​	Shots​	​
LRM 5 Ammo​	RT​	24​	​

Quirks
Searchlight
Bad Reputation (Inner Sphere)
Obsolete
Poor Workmanship

The quirks on that baseline mech are a pain though. making more would negate the obsolete one. modern factories with decent quality control would negate poor workmanship. Bad rep would take a long time to get rid of though. the refit to the new load out would be easy to justify though. Ditching the AC-5 frees up weight to play with. slapping in a large laser gives it a mid range piercing weapon. one that shares parts commonality with the enforcer and a load of new mechs. swapping out the SRM-4 for a second LRM-5 preserves the long range harassment capability. and can work in conjunction in the mid range with that large laser. admittedly it has less ammo reserves so it won't be as good for a sustained long range engagement. 12 rounds of fire for both is enough for most engagements though. We pulled the emotional support small laser which will break many hearts but was needed. slapped more armor on added more jump jets so it keeps up with the enforcer and blackjack. heat sinking was also increased not perfectly cool but enough that most pilots should be able to handle the heat curves on it.

 

[PeaceMaker 03]

Yeah 3 sites is a tall order. but he is putting his son on it and the goal is really more to get 1 site going and the other 2 as a work in progress for 2 other worlds whose economy is currently in the shitter. it is as much trying to build up the outback economically as it is trying to build them up militarily.

as for the swordsman (ignoring shifting quirks around I'd go with this for something like a hypothetical SWD-3

Spoiler: Swordsman SWD-3

Swordsman SWD-3
Base Tech Level: Introductory (IS)

Level​	​	Era​
Experimental​	​	-​
Advanced​	​	2482-2504 (Age of War)​
Standard​	​	2505+ (Age of War -)​

Tech Rating: D/C-E-D-D

Weight: 40 tons
BV: 961
Cost: 2,776,293 C-bills
Source: XTR: Primitives IV

Movement: 4/6/4
Engine: 160 Fusion
Heat Sinks: 13
Gyro: Standard Gyro

Internal: 67
Armor: 128/137

​	Internal​	Armor​	​	​
Head​	3​	9​	​	​
Center Torso​	12​	18​	​	​
Center Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Right Torso​	10​	15​	​	​
Right Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Left Torso​	10​	15​	​	​
Left Torso (rear)​	​	5​	​	​
Right Arm​	6​	11​	​	​
Left Arm​	6​	11​	​	​
Right Leg​	10​	17​	​	​
Left Leg​	10​	17​	​	​

Weapons​	Loc​	Heat​	​
Medium Laser​	LA​	3​	​
Medium Laser​	RA​	3​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​
Large Laser​	LT​	8​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​

Ammo​	Loc​	Shots​	​
LRM 5 Ammo​	RT​	24​	​

Quirks
Searchlight
Bad Reputation (Inner Sphere)
Obsolete
Poor Workmanship

The quirks on that baseline mech are a pain though. making more would negate the obsolete one. modern factories with decent quality control would negate poor workmanship. Bad rep would take a long time to get rid of though. the refit to the new load out would be easy to justify though. Ditching the AC-5 frees up weight to play with. slapping in a large laser gives it a mid range piercing weapon. one that shares parts commonality with the enforcer and a load of new mechs. swapping out the SRM-4 for a second LRM-5 preserves the long range harassment capability. and can work in conjunction in the mid range with that large laser. admittedly it has less ammo reserves so it won't be as good for a sustained long range engagement. 12 rounds of fire for both is enough for most engagements though. We pulled the emotional support small laser which will break many hearts but was needed. slapped more armor on added more jump jets so it keeps up with the enforcer and blackjack. heat sinking was also increased not perfectly cool but enough that most pilots should be able to handle the heat curves on it.

A sound militia mech, a lance of them would beef up most smaller militia and play hell on pirates in a defense role. A pair of SW3’s would be a threat to a to a Thud or other heavy trooper mech.
I prefer a 5/8/5 to have some speed advantage over your 4/6 heavies, and closer to bug mech speed.
The Swordsman is a FS design that could be made to back fill militia with more than bug mechs. 40 ton mech is less than optimal weight class, but 160/200/240 FE’s are pretty common engine size for FS mech forces. The three FE engines give you a pocket brawler/ a trooper/ and scout.
Locust/Enforcer/Centurion/Rifleman covers a lot of parts interchangeable parts. With supply chains measured in light years that is a good thing.

Running MekHQ and trying to keep a merc company running functional mechs over a year long contract, or dealing with real life supply chain issues may have influenced my thinking.

 

[Blasterbot]

A sound militia mech, a lance of them would beef up most smaller militia and play hell on pirates in a defense role. A pair of SW3’s would be a threat to a to a Thud or other heavy trooper mech.
I prefer a 5/8/5 to have some speed advantage over your 4/6 heavies, and closer to bug mech speed.
The Swordsman is a FS design that could be made to back fill militia with more than bug mechs. 40 ton mech is less than optimal weight class, but 160/200/240 FE’s are pretty common engine size for FS mech forces. The three FE engines give you a pocket brawler/ a trooper/ and scout.
Locust/Enforcer/Centurion/Rifleman covers a lot of parts interchangeable parts. With supply chains measured in light years that is a good thing.

Running MekHQ and trying to keep a merc company running functional mechs over a year long contract, or dealing with real life supply chain issues may have influenced my thinking.

I toyed with 5/8 for it. you lose out on a heat sink but gain a half ton of armor as compensation. would play well with the Trebuchet. changed my mind when I thought about the enforcer and blackjack. when dealing with smaller mechs jump jets are life. Terrain just hurts move speed so bad. 5/8/5 is certainly doable. but you would be dropping some of those armaments. not a lot mind you. just 1 of the LRM-5s and a heat sink. but less consistency on firing the Mediums and only one long range golden BB is a fairly big loss I feel when it comes to consistency in damage. You might not be able to chase down things like the Jenner or the Firestarter. but you got range on them and can camp an objective against them.

point of the mech was to be cheap, cheerful, and solid. it has weaknesses for sure. It doesn't handle infantry well. it is vulnerable to kiting. limited heat sinks means flamers and infernos make it cry. it is at the end of the day a 40 tonner and you can only do so much with it. it can support and flank and if the pilot gets ballsy enough to get a bit aggressive part way through the engagement do fine in the short range once armor levels have deteriorated. if it gets pushed it is more durable than most would expect from a mech it's size and packs a fair amount of firepower. I'd compare it to the Whitworth which I do like a fair bit.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

Looks like an up gunned Whitworth, and I soundly approve of the weapons loadout. Though I'd love another ton of LRM ammo for specialty munitions like illumination rounds. Painting the enemy at night is a great boon for targeting. I'd even be willing to drop down to 12 heat sinks for that...maybe. Problem is that you are then more vulnerable to catastrophic damage from ammo booms.

 

[Blasterbot]

Looks like an up gunned Whitworth, and I soundly approve of the weapons loadout. Though I'd love another ton of LRM ammo for specialty munitions like illumination rounds. Painting the enemy at night is a great boon for targeting. I'd even be willing to drop down to 12 heat sinks for that...maybe. Problem is that you are then more vulnerable to catastrophic damage from ammo booms.

an expanded magazine and pulling a heatsink from the torso with the missiles would likely be a possible field refit. I do like the Whitworth. it is like a little baby catapult. it has relatively consistent damage and is just tough enough to be hard to knock out quickly while being kinda nonthreatening so people ignore it since the damage it does is in tiny increments that splash.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

an expanded magazine and pulling a heatsink from the torso with the missiles would likely be a possible field refit. I do like the Whitworth. it is like a little baby catapult. it has relatively consistent damage and is just tough enough to be hard to knock out quickly while being kinda nonthreatening so people ignore it since the damage it does is in tiny increments that splash.

That's why I liked to throw a 1S in with the LRM-worths. "Oh...you charged my long range support lance...say hello to SRM6s and a LOT of medium lasers!"

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Honestly I hope one thing that happens for sure is that the suns don't end up making the disaster that is the OG 2D shadow hawk and instead do something akin to your swordsman variant but it's more mobile and with a different load in terms of of its missiles. Which I've designed and posted on QQ and SNbefore but alas not on the computer to easily repost it here from easily. I'll edit it in later.
From what I recall from memory it keeps the armor and heatsinks of the stock 2H Shadow Hawk, adds 2 jump jets, and rocks a Large laser, 2 medium lasers, a SRM-6 and a LRM-5 each having 1 ton of ammo.

You get the best of all 3 introtech shadow hawk variants with the design if you ask me.

 

[The Whispering Monk]

Honestly I hope one thing that happens for sure is that the suns don't end up making the 2D shadow hawk and instead do something akin to your swordsman variant but it's more mobile and with a different load in terms of of its missiles. Which I've designed before but alas not on the computer to easily post it here

The Shadow Hawk is such a poor 'mech for what's possible. It's fun b/c everyone underestimates it, and that can allow it to close/outflank something.

My headcannon drops the AC5 for a Large Laser, SRM gets upgraded to a 4-pack (same location in the head b/c that's where the SHawk's SRMs go), a flamer in the left arm, jump jets get upgraded to max and 2 tons of armor added. So 10.5 tons armor, 5/8/5 movement, heatsinks remain at 12 (b/c lowtech pilots need to sweat), Large Laser, LRM 5, SRM 4, Medium Laser and Flamer. Still a jack of all trades, but better at it. Though...this SHawk CAN overheat!

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Personally give we have shadow hawk variants later on move the SRM tubes I feel no need to be bound to locating the SRMs in the head

 

[Blasterbot]

My thoughts on a Shadow Hawk Variant

Spoiler: Shadow Hawk SHD-2B

Base Tech Level: Introductory (IS)

Level​	​	Era​
Experimental​	​	-​
Advanced​	​	-​
Standard​	​	2550+ (Age of War -)​

Tech Rating: D/C-E-D-D

Weight: 55 tons
BV: 1,235
Cost: 4,890,457 C-bills
Source: TRO: 3039

Movement: 5/8/5
Engine: 275 Fusion
Heat Sinks: 12
Gyro: Standard Gyro

Internal: 91
Armor: 152/185

​	Internal​	Armor​	​	​
Head​	3​	9​	​	​
Center Torso​	18​	23​	​	​
Center Torso (rear)​	​	8​	​	​
Right Torso​	13​	18​	​	​
Right Torso (rear)​	​	6​	​	​
Left Torso​	13​	18​	​	​
Left Torso (rear)​	​	6​	​	​
Right Arm​	9​	16​	​	​
Left Arm​	9​	16​	​	​
Right Leg​	13​	16​	​	​
Left Leg​	13​	16​	​	​

Weapons​	Loc​	Heat​	​
Medium Laser​	RA​	3​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​
Large Laser​	LT​	8​	​
LRM 5​	RT​	2​	​
SRM 4​	HD​	3​	​

Ammo​	Loc​	Shots​	​
LRM 5 Ammo​	RT​	24​	​
SRM 4 Ammo​	LT​	25​	​

Quirks
Battle Fists (LA)
Battle Fists (RA)
Improved Life Support
Rugged (1 Point)
Ubiquitous (Inner Sphere)
Ubiquitous (Clans)

The 2nd LRM-5 preserves the ability to tickle at long ranges. also you have a shot at emptying your ammo bin. The SRM is upgraded to a 4 pack for better crit seeking at close ranges. Jump jets are upped to 5 so you can jump like the other cool kids in your weight bracket. Large laser is added so you have a solid mid range piecing weapon that you can mix into your shooting with the LRMs and your SRM+Mlas combo. 12 heat sinks is sufficient for your heat curves as long as you have discipline. Armor on the baseline Hawk is fine for what it is. It could be pushed harder but I'd have to lose out on something else for it that I'd rather have. If you think you will be facing infantry swap the regular SRM ammo for infernos to maximize war crimes. still a solid jack of all trades. can apply at least 2 but usually 3 guns towards a problem and do acceptable damage while being mobile and not too fragile.

Compared to the swordsman variant earlier? it is faster, tougher, and a bit more versatile with that SRM.

 

[Knowledgeispower]

Honestly let's face it though. Any of the proposed variants is better than the 2D. I swear how the hell the suns had any of those things when they don't make shadow hawks in otl for like 2 and a half centuries beats me

 

[Blasterbot]

Honestly let's face it though. Any of the proposed variants is better than the 2D. I swear how the hell the suns had any of those things when they don't make shadow hawks in otl for like 2 and a half centuries beats me

As with a lot of weirdness let's just blame the Blakists and move on. that design was so bad sabotage is the best explanation.