This was an idea for side-stepping the Unseen issue to get a Wasp/Stinger (basically) into the game.

(and yes, I can't draw, but you get the idea.)

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The Bumblebee was an attempt to use the large number of Wasp & Stinger hulks languishing in arms depots, too shot up for service, as the structural basis for a new design.

Using whatever parts could be acquired and made to work, the BumbleBee is somewhere between a legitimate mech design and a franken-mech.

The completed unit would never be as reliable as a properly maintained Wasp or Stinger with original equipment, so it was decided to focus the role of the mech on defense rather than scouting.

Bumblebees retain the engines from the Wasps & Stingers they're built from. However, the Bumblebee has a mere 60 meters of jump capacity, just enough to clear garrison walls and get a better view of things. It has 1 ton more armor than the Wasp or Stinger, equal to the heavier Commando.

The Bumblebee comes in two armament configurations. One mounts an SRM-2 and 2 medium lasers, while the other mounts an LRM-5 and 1 medium laser.

Cobbled together and with persistent gyro issues, the mech often lacks grace, and if not handled properly can be seen bumbling about like an inebriated giant, hence the name.





Bumblebee
Mass: 20 tons
Era: Succession Wars
Production Year: ~ 3048
Cost: 1,520,640 C-Bills
Battle Value: 488
Chassis: Standard
Power Plant: 120 Fusion Engine
Walking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Maximum Speed: 97.2 km/h
Jump Jets: Various
Jump Capacity: 60 meters
Armor: Various Standard Armor
Armament:
2 Medium Lasers
1 SRM-2
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 64 4.00 tons
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Basically it's a more heavily armed and armored Wasp with much reduced jump capacity. But hey! You could always MechLab it into the original in-game. Was trying for a MWO style cockpit and de-Macrossing the design while still retaining the general shape.

I've had my tickets, plane reservation, hotel reservation, partridge, pear tree, for a while now.

Is anyone else going? Are any moderators, development team guys going? Do they have alcohol preferences? Should we sneak them their preferred alcohol when they're on duty?

There are too many questions, dude. I did a few forum searches, but couldn't find a thread like this, also tried google, and couldn't find one that way either. (sometimes google finds MWO forum threads easier than the built in search function...)

If any MWO folk, whether they be moderators, dev team, or the dude who brings the dev team donuts in the morning, want to catch a drink in Seattle during PAX, I'm buying. I threw down for Legendary Founders status because I wanted to throw it out there that i support this endeavor. I can also support this endeavor by buying all of you a beer or two.

When you're drunk and vulnerable I might encourage you to include the UrbanMech though. I KID I kid.

I've always been dismayed that there is no apparel one can wear to show off being a BattleTech/Mechwarrior fan.

While I can't draw with a fart, I thought it would be cool to have a thread dedicated to T-Shirt ideas.

If anyone comes up with a really cool idea, maybe an artist could flesh out an image, and then we could all purchase t-shirts with the design from a place like Zazzle. I've made t-shirts with their service before, and I find it to be a lot easier, better, and cheaper than Cafe Press or the others. Naturally, anyone who bought a shirt could post pics of them wearing it.

To kick it off, heres an idea for an image I can't get out of my head.

An Urbanmech in a 40's style suit, with a bowler hat, and cigar. Think Winston Churchill meets Danny DeVito meets UrbanMech. Hat cocked down a bit, bad-guy style. Smoke wafting from the AC-10 barrel and the cigar.

Next to him stands an Annihilator, much taller, in a simple red frock and sun-hat, arm AC-10 barrels smoking. You know how the Annihilator is really chesty? Yeah, think Christina Hendricks with robot shotgun arms.

Below them would be the text Urbie &Annie, maybe with the model numbers, UM-R60 and ANH-1A below or above the names in smaller text. Maybe Urbie & Annie would be facing forward, but away from each other in the 11:00 and 1:00 o'clock positions or so.

They're very similar mechs in armament style, speed, and role. And Urbie would totally go for a tall powerful woman who could kick his butt and anyone elses .

I see there are lots of companies that will gold plate stuff for you.

The question is,

How hard would it be to have a metal BattleMech miniature gold plated, and turned into the pendant for a swanky gangsta necklace?

Is the metal used in the miniatures compatible with the process?

I was thinking of the UrbanMech for my BattleMech gangsta necklace, personally.

I really enjoyed all the BattleTech books I've read because the technology, good guys, bad guys, settings, cultures depicted, all seemed more plausible than in a lot of Sci-Fi books, and the writing style was geared for entertainment.

In the same way, I think The Lost Fleet is the most enjoyable book series I've read in the past few years. The universe seems well fleshed out, and the books are simply entertaining to read. They are also the only sci-fi books I've read that really feature relativity as a key component of naval space warfare.

It sometimes comes off like the novelization to a really fantastic sci-fi TV series that was never made. That can be for better or for worse, depending.

The books do have some pretty big flaws, but nothing you can drive a truck through.

The author used to be in the Navy, and often you can see this come out in the writing through little details of life aboard a warship (even if it's a space warship) that most other sci-fi authors wouldn't have included.

The author isn't a 'world building' author, so expect your imagination to have to fill in a heap of stuff. Nothing in the entire book series is visually described in a very in depth way, right down to the ships that make up the focus of the series. However, this doesn't seem to matter, as the authors strengths are inter-character rivalry, plot progression, the action scenes, etc. If you're used to an author that sets up every scene and visual with incredible detail, you will be sorely upset with The Lost Fleet. While some authors shine when it comes to describing every little thing, Jack Campbell shines by not describing every little thing. As odd as that sounds.

If anyone else here reads The Lost Fleet, what do you think?